Passus Sextus de visione vt supra
Bx.6.3: WF have a paraph and R starts a new line group.Quatȝ Perkyn þe plouman · bi seynt Peter of Rome
I wilBx.6.6: wil: The reading of LR and C. The past tense is to be expected after Hadde, and so wolde is more likely to be scribal. Ax probably has the latter, as do most C mss., but XYJ have wol. wende with ȝow · and þe way teche
Bx.6.8KD.6.8
What sholde we wommen · worche þere-whilesBx.6.8: þere-whiles: So LM and alpha; see MED ther-whiles. Other mss. have þe while(s), the AC reading. Adams (2000), 177.
¶ Somme shal sowe [þe]Bx.6.9: þe (1): Dropped in L, but supported by all B mss. except M, which has the plural noun. sakke quod Piers · for shedyng of þe whete
Þe nedy and þe naked · nymmeth hede how hijBx.6.15: hij: LM. R records the reduced form a (its reading hym in the next line suggests the scribe took it as a sg.). Other mss. have þei. liggeth
And oþer labour[er]esBx.6.27: laboureres: The misspelling (presumably an otiose abbreviation) is corrected by most beta mss. (visibly in G) to laboures. The Hm corrector alters the line to make sense, and F revises similarly. R copies faithfully, as usual. do for þi loue · al my lyf-tyme
Bx.6.28KD.6.27
In couenaunt þat þow kepe · holikirkeBx.6.28: kirke: On alpha's non-alliterating cherche see Introduction IV.1. and my-selue
Fro wastoures and froBx.6.29: and fro: Support from LR and beta2 (CrWHm) + G against and. AC mss. vary similarly. wykked men · þat þis worlde struyeth
To bores and to [b]ockesBx.6.31: bockes: "bucks". Beta has the easy error brockes, "badgers", perhaps anticipating br- in the b-verse. R (= alpha?) is supported by AC; F rewrites. · þat breketh adown myne hegges
Bx.6.32KD.6.31
And go affaite þ[i]Bx.6.32: þi: So also Cx. Only LCrG have the definite article. faucones · wilde foules to kille
Bx.6.40KD.6.39
And þowgh ȝe mowe amercy hemBx.6.40: hem: Beta's reading is more satisfactory in sense and metre, yet alpha's men receives some support from C's a-verse And when ȝe mersyen eny man (RK.8.37), where it is needed for the alliteration. · late mercy be taxoure
¶ And mysbede nouȝte þi bonde-menmanBx.6.46: -men / -man: Beta has the Ax pl. while alpha has the sg. as Cx. · þe better may þow spede
For in charnelBx.6.50: in charnel: R probably represents alpha with the amusing error in a chanel, "gutter", sensibly revised to in a chapel by F. a[t]Bx.6.50: at: LMHm have atte, which represents "at the" in L (see Bx.P.107, 3.31, 6.55, etc.). CrWGR have at, which has some support from C's At churche in the Charnel. chirche · cherlesBx.6.50: cherles: Supported by C and by alliteration against alpha's clerkes. ben yuel to knowe
Bx.6.52KD.6.50
And þat þow be trewe of þiBx.6.54: þi: Beta is supported by Ax and the X family of C against alpha's omission. The P family reads hys. tonge · and tales þat þow hatie
HoldeHolde nauȝtBx.6.54: Holde / Holde nauȝt: Beta agrees with Ax, against Holde nauȝt in alpha and Cx. with none harlotes · ne here nouȝte her tales
¶ And cast on meBx.6.61: me: Although attested only by LR, it is more likely to have been lost than added, and has support from the Cx third-person version, caste on hym his clothes (RK.8.58). However, Adams (2000), 183, sees me as "random convergence". my clothes · yclouted and hole
¶ Ac who-so helpeth me to erie · or sowen hereBx.6.67: here: Good support from LMR and WHm, strengthening the alliteration of the b-verse, though dropped in CrGOCF. A and C have different b-verses. ar I wende
And make h[y]mBX.6.69: hym: Alpha's sg. is supported by AC over beta's plural. mery þere-mydde · maugre who-so bigruccheth itBx.6.69: bigruccheth it: So LMCrW, and so probably beta. The X family of C has bigruchen hit, but the P family is without hit, as are beta4 and F (in Hm it appears to have been erased). Scribes may have been uncomfortable with two unstressed syllables
at line-end. In R and Ax the pronoun precedes the verb. We follow copy-text.
For holicherche is hote [·]Bx.6.78: The line is punctuated after hote in MCrC and alpha, after hem in LWO. The former is supported by the alliterative pattern. of hem no tythe to [aske]Bx.6.78: aske: The reading of R is supported by AC. That F agrees with beta take makes the Bx reading uncertain, but it is an easy error, typical of F in increasing the alliteration, especially in a line where the pattern
puzzles some scribes, and indeed it is found as a minor variant in both A and C mss.
Bx.6.80KD.6.77
They ben ascaped good auenture · nowBx.6.80: now: So LM and alpha, supported by AC. god hem amende
To penaunce and to pilgrimage · I wil passe with þiseBx.6.87: þise: The demonstrative, which seems preferable in terms of sense, is supported by L (but not M), by CrW (but not Hm), by R (but
not F). AC mss. vary in the same way. other
Bx.6.89-91: These three lines in beta are set out as two in alpha, divided after soule and dropping for so I bileue. AC set the lines as beta. In dei nomine amen · I make it my-seluen
He shal haue my soule · þat best hath yseruedBx.6.90: yserued: LCGOR, and so Bx. But M and beta2 have deserued, as does A. C rewrites the b-verse. it
And fro þe fende it defendeBx.6.91: Beta's version of the a-verse is confirmed by AC. · for so I bileue
For of my corne and catel · heBx.6.95: he: In a clear example of sophistication, CrW alter to she, but the following lines confirm the masculine. craued þe tythe
And mengenBx.6.98: mengen: F adds me by contamination from AC. in his memorye · amonge alle crystene
My plow-[p]oteBx.6.106: -pote: Alpha has support from AC (K.7.95, RK.8.64), though in all three versions the second element of the compound is also recorded as fote, bat, and staf. MED, recording no other instance, supposes the implement is probably "to remove earth adhering to a plow, or to chop roots" (plough, 1c (e)). Kane (2005) glosses as "ploughman's staff used to give added thrust to the coulter". shal be my pyk-staf · and picche atwoBx.6.106: atwo: Beta's reading is also that of Cx, though two mss. have at (as R) and two away (as F). Though Kane's A text has putte at, both verb and preposition vary widely, though no ms. has atwo. þe rotes
Bx.6.108KD.6.105
¶ Now is perkyn and [þ]isBx.6.108: þis: The X family of C agrees with R. Most A mss. and the P family of C share F's reading þe. We suppose that Bx þis is a slightly more likely source than þe of beta's his. pilgrymes · to þe plowe faren
Bx.6.116KD.6.113
ToBx.6.116: To: R's And ȝeed to must represent alpha (cf. F), but it has no support from AC. ouersen hem hym-self · and who-so best wrouȝte
Bx.6.128KD.6.125
¶Bx.6.128: ¶: The paraph is recorded in LR and marked by a space in M. Ac we preye for ȝow pieres · and for ȝowre plow bothe
And ȝelde ȝow ofBx.6.130: of: Beta2 (CrWHm) and G have for, as do a few AC mss. ȝowre almesse · þat ȝe ȝiue vs here
Ȝe ben wastoures I wote wel · andBx.6.133: and: R's omission is not supported by Ax. R has three unique readings in this line. treuthe wote þe sothe
Which þei were in þis worlde · his werkemen appeyredBx.6.135: appeyred: GR have the present (F has wolde a-peyre). The parallel line in A, Suche wastours in þis world his werkmen distroyeþ (K.7.124), is too different to offer support.
But if he be blynde [or]Bx.6.139: or (1): There is no support for L's and in any version, though note that and probably underlies the correction or in M. broke-legged · or bolted with yrnes
And of myBx.6.150: of my: LM and alpha. Beta2 (CrWHm) and G drop my; CO drop both words. This passage is not in AC. catel to copeBx.6.150: cope: LMR and CO, with F revising to kouere. Beta2 (CrWHm) and G read kepe. For the collocation with catel, "provide resources for clothing", see Bx.5.271. hem with · þat han cloistres and cherches
A Brytonere a braggere · a bostedBx.6.157: a bosted: As one word in all except CrCGOF. Presumably not all scribes recognised this as "he threatened" but took it as an unparalleled
compound verb. Ax has he bostide. RK.8.152 records abostede, but it is questioned by Kane (2005) s.v. pieres als
And bad hym go pissen withBx.6.158: with: Beta supported by AC. Alpha tones down the vulgarism. his plow · for-pyned schrewe
Bx.6.160KD.6.157
OfBx.6.160: Of: Alpha probably read And of. Beta is supported by Ax, but alpha by the X family of C; the P family has Boþe. þi flowre and of þi flessche · fecche whan vs liketh
Bx.6.164KD.6.161
And fro þis wastoures wolueskynnes · þat maketh þ[is]Bx.6.164: þis (2): R represents alpha since F drops the line, and is supported by Cx (RK.8.158) against beta's þe. G also has þis. worlde dere
And lete liȝteBx.1.171: liȝte: Alpha with Hm have the adverbial form liȝtly, but beta has the form recorded in AC and elsewhere in the poem. of þe lawe [·] and lasse of þe knyȝte
¶ NowBx.1.174: Now: Supported by AC, despite alpha's omission. by þe peril of my soule quod Pieres · I shal apeyre ȝow alle
Bx.6.176KD.6.173
Awreke me of þise wastoures quod he · þat þis worlde schendethBx.6.176: schendeth: Plural, as schende(n) in alpha.
And wronge hym so bi þe wombe · þat [al wattered] his eyenBx.6.178: We adopt R's b-verse, which is that of AC, and conforms to the standard alliterative pattern, though it is unmetrical (x x / x x / x). If R reproduces alpha, this
leaves the question of how F shares the beta reading. In fact four A mss. have the same reading as beta, and five more have the same noun-verb word-order omitting bothe. Either F is contaminated, or else the scribe independently corrupted to the easier reading ("prose order", KD, p. 168 n.
89) just as some A scribes did.
Or elles melke and meneBx.6.186: mene: "inferior" (MED mene adj.(1), 3(a)). But CO and alpha have meyne which, in R at least, is used only as a spelling of MED meine n., "household"; cf. meine 1(b) ~ bord, referring to a more humble table. MED does not record the compound meine-ale. The line is not in AC and is rejected by KD. ale · þus preyed pieres for hem
That hunger was nouȝt hardyBx.6.189: hardy: Beta has so hardy, but alpha is supported by Cx. A mss. are split. · on hem forto loke
[¶]Bx.6.191: ¶: The paraph is in WHmC and alpha. In LM the paraph was easily missed since the line is at the top of the page in both. Though
evidently Bx, it is inappropriate in splitting 190 from 191. An heep of heremites · henten hem spades
For þat was bake for bayarde · was bote forBx.6.197: bote for: So beta and Cx (line not in A). R has bote to. many hungry
Bx.6.204KD.6.200
Home in-to his owne erdBx.6.204: erd: The form in LR and original M, from OE eard. Beta2 (CrWHm) and revised M have yerd, from OE geard. · and holden hym þere
For I am wel awroke nowBx.6.205: now: Supported by LMOC and alpha, but omitted by beta2 (CrWHm) and G, as also (coincidentally?) by Cx. The line is not in A. · of wastoures þorw þi myȝte
Ac I preye þe ar þow passe · quod Pieres toBx.6.206: to: Alpha may be right with þo to, creating a long dip, as G does independently with vn-to. A and C have two different versions of the b-verse. hunger
Of beggeres and of bidderes · what best be [to]Bx.6.207: be to: L alone drops to. Most C mss. have the subjunctive as in beta; most A mss. have the phrase as in F, though five have R's order. done
Bx.6.221: The line is dropped by alpha. It is attested by AC. And he shal soupe swettere · whan he it hath deseruid
¶ AndBx.6.222: And: R has Ac, which may be right. There is the same variation in AC. if þow fynde any freke · þat fortunefalshedBx.6.222: fortune / falshed: An interesting case. Alpha's false or falshed is clearly an error in view of fals men in the next line. And yet it was presumably the basis for Cx, which reads þat fals men han apayred and drops the next line. Beta shares fortune with Ax. hath appeyred
Bx.6.224KD.6.220
Conforte h[e]mBx.6.224: hem: Beta probably had hym, as in LCrWHm, with MGO correcting. (Note HmO man in the line above.) AC have the plural, as in alpha. with þi catel · for crystes loue of heuene
And alle maner ofBx.6.227: maner of: R omits of. AC scribes vary, though the most authoritative of C also omit. men · þat þow myȝte asspye
And bilowBx.6.233: bilow: As at Bx.2.22, LMR presumably reproduce the spelling of Bx. F wrongly takes the verb to be formed on lowen, "be humble". The Latin of the next line makes it clear that it means "make (yourself) loved" (MED biloven), and beta1 reads biloue. The line replaces K.7.212 Make þe Frendis þermid. Adams (2000), 178. þe amonges low men · so shaltow lacche grace
In sudore and swynkeBx.6.239: and swynke: Alpha has and in swynke and beta's reading is uncertain. Ax has the reading adopted here, and Cx has a Latin line (altered from Genesis) in the form In sudore & labore (or vice versa). · þow shalt þi mete tilye
And sapience seyth þe same · I seigh itBx.6.241: it: Omitted in R (= alpha?) but supported by Ax. in þe bible
Piger pro frigore · no felde noldeBx.6.242: nolde: This seems to be the beta reading (M is corrected), with alpha reading wolde, probably the reading of Ax. Either could be Bx. tilye
Bx.6.244KD.6.238
¶ Mathew with mannes face · mouthe[th]Bx.6.244: moutheth: Alpha's present tense is that of Ax, and is supported by C's Mathew maketh mencioun (RK.8.246). Beta's past tense may be unconscious substitution of -thed for -theth. þise wordis
a besaunt
Þat seruus nequam had a namBx.6.245: nam: Alpha has man, and beta probably here had the spelling nam rather than Mnam, which WHmC have corrected from Luke 19.24 and from ll. 247-8. Cf. the spelling variants there. The gloss besaunt which appears in LMWHm and as a variant in CrG must have been in beta. · and for he wolde nouȝte chaffare
Bx.6.252KD.6.246
And þat he weneth welBx.6.252: wel: Alpha has for and loses the alliteration. Beta has the support of Ax and the X family of C, though the P family omit wel to. to haue · I wil it hym bireue
Contemplatyf lyf or actyf lyf · cryst wolde menBx.6.255: men: So LMR; beta1 has þei and F has we. AC are different. wrouȝte
Bx.6.256KD.6.250
Þe sauter seyth in þeBx.6.256: þe: Alpha has a, which could be right, since there are several Beati omnes psalms. There is similar variation in A mss. psalme · of beati omnes
Bx.6.268KD.6.261
Ete nouȝte I hote þeBx.6.268: þe (1): Supported by Ax, but R omits, as does Cx. · ar hunger þe take
AriseBx.6.271: Arise: So LMR supported by alliteration and Ax; F has But a-ryse, the others And ryse, evidently misinterpreting A as "And". vp ar appetit · haue eten his fulle
And his cloke of calabre · with alle þeBx.6.277: þe: Alpha omits; A mss. vary similarly. knappes of golde
Bx.6.280KD.6.273
[Þer aren mo morareres þan] lechesBx.6.280: Þer aren mo morareres þan leches: We take R to represent a corrupt Bx. We suppose that B read as A does: Þer arn mo liȝeris þan lechis (K.7.257). The nonce word morareres resulted from dittography of mo. F's moraynerys (from moreine, "death"?) is a desperate attempt to make sense of this. Beta's revision to For morthereres aren mony leches is more radical and more sensible. The line is rewritten in C. See Schmidt (1995), 375. · lorde hem amende
Wende now hunger whan þow wolt · þat wel be þowBx.6.283: be þow: R reverses and F alters. A few C mss. agree with R. euere
¶ By-hoteBx.6.285: By-hote: GF's I hoote is an A reading, introduced to correct the omission of I in Bx. god quod hunger · hennes ne wil I wende
¶ I haue no peny quod peres · poletes fortoBx.6.287: forto: LR and CrCO, challenged by to in MWHmG. Cx has the former, Ax the latter. We follow copy-text. bigge
Ac I haue percil and porettesBx.6.293: porettes: So beta and F; R has sg. porett. A mss. vary similarly; Cx revises to poret plontes. · and many kole plantesBx.6.293: kole plantes: Probably R queynte herbes represents the alpha b-verse, which F alters to alliterate. Beta is supported by Ax; Cx revises to improve the alliteration.
[¶]Bx.6.299: ¶: The paraph in HmW and alpha is appropriate here. Alle þe pore peple þo · pesecoddes fetten
Bx.6.300KD.6.293
Benes and baken apples · þei brouȝte in her lapp[e]Bx.6.300: lappe: We prefer the distributive sg. of R, supported by Cx and the A witnesses TDCh.
With grene poret and pesen · to poysoun hungerBx.6.305: hunger: Beta2 (CrWHm); G (corrected) and F read hym. This is an agreement by coincidence or contamination with Ax. The line is not in C. þei þouȝte
¶ And þo wolde wastour nouȝtBx.6.309: wolde wastour nouȝt: Beta is supported by AC against alpha's wolde no wastour. werche · but wandren aboute
But of coket orBx.6.311: or (1): R has or of; for which AC offer no support. clerematyn · or elles of clene whete
But of þe best and of þeBx.6.313: and of þe: LR + beta2 (CrWHm), as the X family of C. The P family omits of þe, as F. Ax omits of, as MG and O corrected. brounest · þat in borgh is to selle
Deyned nouȝtDeynedBx.6.315: Deyned nouȝt / Deyned: See MED deinen v.(1) & (2) for the two related verbs meaning "condescend, see fit" and "disdain". In beta it is the former, in alpha, omitting
nouȝt, the latter. Ax supports beta, but it seems clear that Cx supports alpha (with X significantly adding noȝt as a correction). The only other use in the B text is Bx.10.82, recorded only in alpha, in the sense "condescend" in F (deyneþ not vs to here), but in R in the sense "disdain" (deyneþ his heres to opne)! In the corresponding line in C, some mss. read deyneth nat vs to here, but as many omit nat (RK.11.59). to dyne a-day · nyȝt-olde wortes
And þat chaude orBx.6.318: or: WHmG have and, supported by AC. We rely on LM, and suppose that G is likely to be contaminated and the reading of the WHm ancestor coincidental. In the
absence of alpha, certainty is impossible. plus chaud · for chillyng of hereBx.6.318: here: R may be right with sg. his, which is the reading of four A mss. and the X family of C. mawe
Ac whiles hunger was her maister · þere wolde none of hemBx.6.326: none of hem: In A the b-verse reads wolde þere non chide; C reverses the first two words, ther wolde non chyde, with the P family omitting ther. Despite the variations, none of the B mss. exactly matches any of these. chyde
For hunger hidewardBx.6.329: hideward: There is no need to emend L's spelling, since hideward is not uncommon. See MED. In the other example in Bx.18.313, all scribes including L use the regular spelling, although in the C version of the line (RK.20.341) three mss. including X have hidward. · hasteth hym fasteBx.6.329: faste: Alpha's ful faste is not supported by AC.
He shal awake with waterBx.6.330: water: A good example of R blindly following his exemplar, and F rationalising to make sense. · wastoures to chaste
Ar fyue [ȝere]Bx.6.331: ȝere: We suppose that beta omitted the word and that HmO supplied it by conjecture. A mss. generally have the word, though oddly five omit it; C revises to fewe ȝeres. Alternatively, it is possible that the riddling fyue was AB, with scribes making what must have seemed an obvious correction. be fulfilled · suche famyn shal aryse
And a Mayde haue þe maistrie · and multipliedBx.6.335: multiplied: The past participle (i.e. "and everything increased eightfold") is in LM and alpha, though it is a correction in M. Probably
the other scribes took it as an imperative. bi eight