fol. 15r (cont.)I
Incipit Passus Quintus.
OFF.5.1: The ornamental capital, five lines high, is produced mainly in green with red flourishes. wynkynge y waked þo / & wo was y with-alle.
Þat y ne hadde slepe saddere / & y-seyn moore.
But er y hadde faren a forlong / a feyntyȝse me hente.
F.5.4KD.5.6
Þat y ne myghte a foote furthere / for defawte of slepe.
Þan sat y softly adoun / & seyde myn beleve.
fol. 15vI
& y bablede so on my bedis / þey browhte me on sleepe.
& þanne y seyȝ mychil moore / þan y be-fore-hond tolde.
F.5.8KD.5.10
For y seyȝ þe feld ful of folk / þat y be-fore of seyde.
& how Resoun a-rayed hym / al þe Rewme to preche.
& at þe cros by-fore þe kyng / he comsed a teeme.
/ [¶] He prechede þat þe pestylencys / wheryn for pure synne.
F.5.12KD.5.14
& þat þe Sowþ-west wyȝnd / on a Saturday ateveat eve.
Was a-pertly for pryȝde / & for no poynt ellys.
Boþe pyryes & plumtrees / wheryn puffyd to þe erthe.
& broode okes & beechis / where blowe to þe grownde.
F.5.16KD.5.19
& turnede vpwarde here tayl / knowlechyngeF.5.16: Alpha lacks beta's in before Bx's tokenynge which F has rendered as knowlechynge. drede.
Þat dedly synne er domes-day / sholde for-don vs alle.
& al þese was ensample / þat we sholde doon þe bettre.F.5.18: There is considerable variation among B manuscripts for this verse. Bx probably read "In ensample ye segges ye sholden do þe bettre." Note that this verse appears after 5.14 in Bx.
But of þis Matere yy [myȝt] / mamele ful longe.
F.5.20KD.5.22
But y shal seyȝn ȝow / as y seyȝ / so me god helpe.
How propirly by-fore þe peple / prechen gan resoun.
/ [¶] He bad wastour goo wyrche / what he beest cowhde.
& wynnyn his wastynge / with sum manere of werkys.
F.5.24KD.5.26
He prayede Peronylle / hire purfyle to leete.
& kepe þe coyn in hire cofre / to conforte hire at neede.
/ [¶] & Thomme of Stowe he tawhte / to take two stavis.
& Fecche Felice his wif hom / fram wyfene pyȝne.
F.5.28KD.5.30
Also he warnede watte / how hys wif was to blame.
Þat hire heed was worþ half Mark / & his hood not worþ a groote.
/ [¶] He bad his knave a bowhȝ kytte / komely to honde. Bx reads "And bad Bette kutte a bouȝ ouþer tweye."
To beetyn þerwith Betoun / but yf she wille wyrche.
F.5.32KD.5.34
& namely he chargede Chapmen / to chastyse here childryn.
& leete no wynnynge / for-wayne hem / whilys þey ben ȝonge.
Ne for no pyte of Pestilence / ne pleese hem out of Resoun.
/ [¶] My sire seyde onys to me / & also seyde my damme.
F.5.36KD.5.38
How þat þe leevere chyld / þe more Loore be-hoveþ.
& Salomon seide þe same / þat sapience book maade.
Qvi parcit virge  odit filium.
Þe englyȝs of þis Latyn ys / who þat wille yt knowe.
F.5.40KD.5.40
Who þat spareþ þe ȝonge spryng / heF.5.40: Beta witnesses omit he. spillyþ hyse barnes.
Þanne parled he to parsones / & to preestis to-gydres.
Looke ȝee preche þe peple / & preve it on ȝoure-selue.
& doþ it sadly in dede / & ȝee shulle drawe to goode.
F.5.44KD.5.43.1
& ellis wille þe peple parle / in ȝoure parshȝ a-bowhte.F.5.44: This line occurs only in F.
If ȝee lyve / as ȝee leerne vs / we leve ȝow þe bettre.
/ [¶] Þanne after he radde Relygious / here rewhlys to holde.
Lest þe kyng by his conseyl / ȝoure comonys a-peyre.
fol. 16rI
F.5.48KD.5.47
& been Stywarde of ȝoure Stedis / tyl ȝee been in bettre rewle.F.5.48: "V:" with red flourishes appears in the upper right margin to indicate the passus number.
& sytthen he conseylyde þe kyng / to love þe comoun peple.
For þat is tresor / yf tresoun nere / & triacle at neede.
& sytthe he prayede þe Pope / to have rewþe on holy chirche
F.5.52KD.5.51
& er he grawnte ony grace / to governe fyrst hym-selue.
& ȝee þat have Lawis to kepe / let Coueytyse be with trewþe.
More þan gold / or oþire gyftys / if ȝee wille god plese.
For who þat contraryeþ trewþe / as telliþ þe trewe gospel.
F.5.56KD.5.54.1
Þat god knoweth hym nowht / ne non coorseynt of hevene.
Amen dico vobis . nescio vos.
& ȝee þat seekyn seynt Iemes / or ony seynt of Rome.
Seke first seynt trewþe / for he may save ȝow alle.
F.5.60KD.5.58
Qvi cum patre & filio / alle fayre hem be-falle.
Þat sewyn myn sermoun / & þus seyde sire Resoun.
NNouNouF.5.62: The scribe left a blank space for the capital but rather than write a guide-letter in the space, supplied his own anglicana text capital. ran Repentaunce / & reersede his teeme
& made wille to wepe / water with his eyȝen.
F.5.64KD.5.62
& Peronylle prowd-herte / platte hire on þe erthe.
& þere she lay longe / & oure lord / mercy cryȝede.
& by-hyghte to hym an heesF.5.66: hees, "hest." / þat vs alle formede
Þat she wolde vn-sowe hyhy[r] sirke / & settyn þereF.5.67: The scribe originally wrote þee, and then corrected the superscripted <e> to his usual suspension for <-er>. an hayre.
F.5.68KD.5.66
To a-flasshenF.5.68: F's unique reading a-flasshen-- Bx reads affaiten--is rare in Middle English. MED has only one citation, but it is clearly related to flashen with its senses of striking, slashing, throwing down violently. Here it refers to mortification of the flesh through penance. hire fleshȝ / þat feers was to synne.
Shal y neuere have heyȝ herte / but holde me euere lowe.
& suffre toto [be] mys-seyȝd / & so ȝit dide y neuere.
But now wille y meeke me / & Mercy be-seche.
F.5.72KD.5.70
For þatF.5.72: Alpha omits al before þat. y have hated / in myn herte longe.
/ [¶] Þe LecclourLecc[h]our seyde ofte allas / & to oure Lady he criȝede.
To have mercy for hise mys-dedis / þat mychil he offendid.F.5.74: F's b-verse is unique. Bx fails in alliteration, reading "bitwene god and his soule."
Be so / he sholde euery dayF.5.75: Beta reads þe Saterday in place of euery day (F) or on þe day (R). / þis sevene ȝeer after.
F.5.76KD.5.74
Drynke with þe dunkeleF.5.76: This spelling, which appears to be unique, conceals dunghill. The lection does not appear in other B manuscripts. doke / & dyghnen but ones.
Þanne Envie with heuy herte / askyde after shryfte.
& carefully with mea culpa he comsede to shryve.F.5.78: Beta reads shewe in place of F's shryve or R's schrewe.
He was as pale / as a pelote / & in þe palesy he semede.
F.5.80KD.5.78
He was cloþid in cawry-mawry / I cowhde it not discryȝe.
He hadde on kyrtyl & coorteby / & a longF.5.81: An otiose curl appears above the <g>. knyf by his syȝde.
& of a Frerys frokke / weryn hiseF.5.82: Alpha is responsible for hise, though the reading is shared by H. Other beta manuscripts have þe. fory-slevis.
He lookede with lene chekys / & lowrynge brewys.F.5.83: In relation to Bx this line and the next are transposed.
F.5.84KD.5.81
As a leek hadde y-leyn / longe a-geyn þe sunne.
His body was foule y-bolned / & faste he boot hise lyppis.
& hise hondis he wrong / to ben a-wreke he þowhte.
With werkys / or with wordis / whan he seyȝ his tyȝme.
F.5.88KD.5.86
& euery word þat he warp / was lyk an addir tunge.
Of chydynge & Ianglynge / was his cheef lyflode.F.5.89: The scribe corrected loflode only imperfectly. See the facsimile.
fol. 16vI
With bakbytynge & bysmere / & berynge fals witnesse.
Swiche manerys he made / to ech man he medled with.F.5.91: F has completely rewritten this line which in Bx reads "This was al his curteisie where þat euere he shewed hym."
F.5.92KD.5.90
Þanne seyde þat shrewe y wolde be shryve / if y for shame durste.
But ȝit y wolde be gladdere / yf Gybbe hadde mys-chaunce.F.5.93: F omits Bx's: "Than þouȝ I hadde þis wouke ywonne a weye of Essex chese."
I have a neyȝhebore neyȝ me / y haue noyȝed hym ofte.
& lowhe on hym ful lowhde / & mad hym loost[lese] his syluer.
F.5.96KD.5.97
& mad hise frendis . hise foon / þorwh my false tunge.
For his grace & goode happis / greve me ful sore.
By-twixe hym & manye men / y make debate ofte.
Þat boþe here lyvis & here lymes / be loost . þoru my speche.
F.5.100KD.5.101
& whan y mete hym in Market / þat y moost hate.
I heyȝle hym ful hendely / as y his frend were.
For hehe [is] dowhtyere þan y / y dar doon non oþir.
But hadde y Maystrie ouer hym / god wot my wille.
F.5.104KD.5.105
& whan y come to chircheF.5.104: Alpha is responsible for chirche, though the reading is shared by Hm. Bx reads kirk. / & knele to-for þe roode.
& sholde praye for þe peple / as þe parshȝ prest techeþ.
For pylgrymes for palmeres / & penauntys also.
Þanne y criȝe for cristian / þat crist gyve hire sorwe
F.5.108KD.5.109
Þat bar a-wey myn bolle / & my broke sheete.
A-weyȝ fram þe awhter / þan turne y myn eyȝen.
& be-held how hervy / hadde onF.5.110: Beta witnesses omit alpha's on. a newe cote.
Þerfore y brende betterly / þat myn brest-boon gan krake.F.5.111: This line appears uniquely in F.
F.5.112KD.5.112
& wisshede ofte / it were myn / & al þe weeb after.
& for mennys leesynge y lawhe / for it lykeþ wel myn herte.
But for his wynnyngge y wepe / & ofte weyle þe tyme.
I deme hem / þat doon Ille / & y do my-selue wel werse.
F.5.116KD.5.116
& who þat vndir-nemeþ me þerof / I hate hym euere after.
I wolde þat euery whyȝt man / wereF.5.117: An otiose curl appears above the medial <e>. be-come myn knave.
& who þat haþ more þan y / ȝee  þat angriþ me sore.
& þus y lyve loveles / lych a lythir dogge.
F.5.120KD.5.120
Þat al my body bolneþ / so bytter ys my galle.
I myghte not etyn manye ȝeris / as a man awhte.
For Envye & euel wyl / ys evyl to defyȝe.
Þere may no sewgre / ne swete þyng / a-swage my wombe.
F.5.124KD.5.124
Ne non dyapendyon / dryve it fram myn herte.
Ne neythir shryfte ne shame / but he wil shrape myn mawe
/ [¶] Ȝys  quod Repentawnce redely / & radde hym to þe beste.
Strong sorwe for synne / is saluacioun to þe sowle.
F.5.128KD.5.128
Peter y am euereF.5.128: Beta lacks alpha's euere. sory quod he  y am but seelden oþir.
& þat makþ me þus meegre / for y ne me may a-venge.F.5.129: Bx reads "for I ne may me venge." F's word order is a bit odd. See Tauno F. Mustanoja, A Middle English Syntax, Part I: Parts of Speech, Mémoires de la Société Néophilologique de Helsinki 23 (Helsinki: Société Néophilologique, 1960), pp. 339-40, and cf. F9.22.
I was a-mong burgeys / þere men bowhte & solde.
fol. 17rI
I made bakbytere be brokour / to lakke mennys ware.F.5.131: "V:" with red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.
F.5.132KD.5.132
& whan he solde & y nowht / þan was y ful redy.
To lyȝe & to lowre on hym / & to lakkyn his ware.F.5.133: The alpha scribe picked up ware from two lines above. Beta preserves correct chaffare.
I wille a-mende me if y may / þorgh cristis myght in heuenne.
F.5.135: The scribe left an indented blank for a 3-line capital <T>. A guide letter <T> appears. THanne wratthe gan awake / with two white eyȝes.
F.5.136KD.5.136
Al revelynge[n]evelynge with his nose / & his nekke hangynge.
I am wrothȝ he seyde þo / for sumtyme y was a frere.
& þe Couentys Gardyner / for to graffe yȝmpis.
& on Lemetour & on lyȝstre / lesynges y yȝmpede.
F.5.140KD.5.140
Tyl þey bere Levis of lowh speche / lordis to plese.
& sytthyn þey blomedF.5.141: Alpha is in error, omitting abrood after blomed. in bowres / for to heeryn shryftis.
& now ys fallyn swich frut þerof / þat folk have wel levere.
To shewyn here shryfte to hem / & for-sake here parsoun.F.5.143: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þan shryuen hem to hir persons."
F.5.144KD.5.144
& now have parsones y-parceyvid / þat here parsshenys love freris.F.5.144: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þat freres parte wiþ hem."
& so possessioneris prechyn / & de-prauen Freris.
& fyȝndeF.5.146: Alpha omits freres before fyȝnde. hem in defawhte / as folk bere witnesse.
Þat whan þey preche þe peple / in fele placys a-bowte.
F.5.148KD.5.148
I wratthe walke with hem / & wisshe hem of my bookys.
& make hem so speke of spiritualte / tyl ech dyspyse oþir.
Tyl þey ben boþe beggeris / & byF.5.150: Alpha omits my following by, as does Hm. almesse lybben.
Or ellis boþe be ryche / & ryally ryde a-bowte.
F.5.152KD.5.151-152
& y wratthe reste neuere / but renne after & folwe.
Alle swiche wykkide folk / for swich is my grace.
/ [¶] I have an awnte to a Nunne / & eek an Abbesse.F.5.154: Alpha and C lack a line-terminal boþe that appears in all beta witnesses. F's eek is unique.
Þey weryn leuere to sweltre / þan to suffre a whyle.
F.5.156KD.5.155
I was Cook in here kychene / & þe conuent seruede.
Fele Moneþis of þe ȝeer / & Mawgre was my knave.F.5.157: F has substantially revised this line. Bx reads "Manye Monþes wiþ hem and wiþ Monkes boþe."
I was þe Prioresse potager / & oþire poore Ladijs.
& Made hem Iowtys of Ianglynge / þat dame Ione was bastard.
F.5.160KD.5.159
& dame Claris a knyghtis dowter / bubu[t] she knew not hire fadir.
& dame Peronel a prestys systerF.5.161: Bx reads "a preestes fyle." ./ Prioresse worþ she neuere.
For she childid in Chirye-tyme / al þe chapetre it wyste.
I hakkede here wortis ech day / with wordys & with spyes.F.5.163: F has completely revised this line which in Bx reads "Of wikkede wordes I wraþe hire wortes I made."
F.5.164KD.5.163
Tyl þou lyxt  & þou lyxt / lopen owt a tonysat onys.
& ech cracchid oþir / & hire kyrtlys rentyn.F.5.165: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And eiþer hitte ooþer vnder þe cheke."
Hadde þey had knyvis by crist / ech hadde kyllid oþir.
Seynt Gregory was a good pope / & hadde good resoun.
F.5.168KD.5.167
Þat no Prioresse sholde be prest / þat lawe he ordeynede
Þey weryn infamys at þe firste / so cun þei conseil close.
A-mongis Munkis y myghte be / but ofte þanne y wonde.F.5.170: A corrupt or confusing exemplar may account for F's reading. He omits the following line from Bx and revises the b-verse of this one. The immediate scribe wrote the present b-verse over an erasure in a different ink. Bx reads as follows:
Among Monkes I myȝte be ac many tyme I shonye
For þere ben manye felle frekes my feeris to aspie.
fol. 17vI
Boþe of Pryour & supprior / & of pater Abbas.
F.5.172KD.5.172
For if itellei telle onye talis / þey take hem to-gydres.
& don me faste frydayes / boþe breed & watur.
& y am chastysed in Chapetre / as y a child were.
& baleysed on my bare bak / þat my bely beendiþ.F.5.175: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And baleised on þe bare ers and no brech bitwene."
F.5.176KD.5.176
For-þy  y have no lykynge / with þo leedis to dwelle.
For þere y eet vnthende fyssh / & drank feble ale.
&irwhile whan wyȝn comeþ / y drynke welF.5.178: Beta manuscripts have wyn or it for alpha's wel. a teveat eve
Þat y have a flyx & a foul mowth / wel fyve dayes after.
F.5.180KD.5.180
& al þe wykkidnesse þat y woot / be onye of my bretheryn.
I cowthe it in þe Cloystre / til al þe Couent knoweth yt.
A Repente quod Repentaunce / & reerse þou yt neuere.
Of conseyl þat þou knowist / be contynance ne be speche.F.5.183: Alpha is responsible for speche. Beta reads variously riȝt, sight, and nyght.
F.5.184KD.5.184
& drynk not ouer-delycatly / ne to depe neythir.
Þat þy wille be cause þerof / to wratthe it þe turne.
Esto sobrius he seyde / & assoyled me sone þere-after.
& bad me wylne to wepe / my wykkidnesse to amende.
F.5.188KD.5.188
AFter hym cam Coueytyse / y can not hym discriue.F.5.188: The ornamental capital <A> is written in green with red flourishes extending in the left margin fifteen lines above and ten below.
So hugerlyhu[n]gerly / & holwe / sire Hervy lokede.
He was brytyl-brewidbytyl-brewid / & babirlyppid alse.
With two blerede eyȝen / as a blynd hagge.
F.5.192KD.5.191
& as a ledrene purs / lolleden hise chekys.
Wel syddere þan his chyn / þey shynedeshyu[er]ede for elde.
& as a bonde-man et bakoun / so was his berd dravelyd.F.5.194: Bx reads "And as a bondeman of his bacon ...." The scribe's usual form of "ate" is eet, and it is not at all clear what he intended here.
His hood he hadde on his hed / an heyȝ hat þer vppe.
F.5.196KD.5.195
He hadde on a tany tabbard / of ten ȝeer of age.
Al to-tore & bawhdy / & lappe syȝd / it semede.F.5.197: This line fails in alliteration in all B manuscripts, and Kane-Donaldson reject it as spurious (p. 193). F's b-verse reading is unique, most B manuscripts reading "and ful of lys crepyng." We are uncertain what lappe syȝd means, though it is possibly an early occurrence of "lopsided."
Þat but if a lows were lyght / & cowhde lepe þe bettre.F.5.198: F's reading for this line is unique. All the other B manuscripts are corrupt, omitting an alliterating stave in the a-verse: "But if a lous couþe haue lopen þe bettre." R also omits haue.
He sholde nono[t] walke on þat web / but his staf were pyked.F.5.199: He is a relict form originally meaning "she" and referring to the lows of the preceding line. Alpha is responsible for retaining this form, but as the b-verse indicates, the immediate scribe took it to be the masculine pronoun. Bx reads "He sholde noȝt haue walked on þat welche so was it þredbare."
F.5.200KD.5.198
I have be Coueytous quod þis caytyf / y be-knowe it here.
For sumtyme y servede / Symme at þe style.
& was his prentiȝs a-plyghtF.5.202: Bx reads ypliȝt. F is alone in the B tradition in reading a-plyght, but the same relatively rare word appears among the A variants at A.5.116. / his profyte to wayte.
Fyrst y leernede to lyȝe / wel a leef or moore.F.5.203: Alpha is responsible for or, which is shared by M. Beta reads ouþer. F uniquely reads moore for Bx's tweyne.
F.5.204KD.5.202
& skarsly to weyȝe þyngis / was my fyrste lessoun.
To wykumbeF.5.205: Kane-Donaldson, p. 8, note in their description of F that it uniquely reads wycumbe in place of Bx's wy, suggesting that it "may indicate provenance." Ms. Tania Styles of CENS at the University of Nottingham (private communication) was kind enough to supply us with the following note: The etymology of Wycombe in Buckinghamshire is disputed. The EPNS county volume of 1925 gives the first element as the river-name Wye and the second as OE cumb "valley" (pp. 200-01), though spellings that would indicate this do not appear until Domesday Book (Wicumbe). Eilert Ekwall, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names, 4th ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1960) decides on the basis of the OE forms Wicumun and Westwicam that we have OE wīc + hamm/hām ("meadow/homestead with a dairy farm") or wīchām ("Romano-British settlement" < Lat. vicus) in the dative plural, the river-name being a late back-formation from the place-name; in this case, association with OE cumb would be secondary but still early; it seems to have been made in 1086 at least. The latest place-name dictionary (A. D. Mills, A Dictionary of English Place Names (Oxford: Oxford U P, 1991), traces the name from wīcum "at the dwellings," giving the same explanation of the river-name and implying a similar status for the -combe spellings. Margaret Gelling came to this conclusion in Signposts to the Past: Place-Names and the History of England, 2nd ed. (Chester: Phillimore, 1988), p. 68, and in "English Place-Names Derived from the Compound wīchām," in Place-Name Evidence for the Anglo-Saxon Invasion and Scandinavian Settlements, ed. Kenneth Cameron (Nottingham: EPNS, 1987): 8-18. This would suggest that any place-names in wīchām or -hamm or simplex wīc in the dative plural may have been assimilated to cumb, either sporadically or consistently, from an early date. This makes all of the following non-Bucks names possible candidates for -combe spellings in the ME period. Ms. Styles then provided a list of thirty-one possible instances. Three of these, Wickham Bishops, Wickham Hall, and Wickham St. Pauls, are in Essex, the first very close to the point at which the editors of LALME have located this manuscript. The EPNS volume The Place-Names of Essex, ed. P. H. Reaney (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1935), lists no spellings in -cumbe, -combe for any of the Essex sites. & to wynchestre / y wente to feyres.
With many maner of Marchaundise / as my Maister me hyghte.
Ne hadde þe grace of gyle be / þat gan gon a-mong my ware.
F.5.208KD.5.206
It hadde be vnsold þis seuyn ȝeer / so me god helpe.
/ [¶] Þanne drow y me a-mong draperis / my donet to leerne.
For to drawe þe lyȝste a-long / þe cloþ þe lengere semede.
A-mong þe ryche rayes / y rendred my lessoun
F.5.212KD.5.210
To broche hem with a batteF.5.212: Alpha is probably responsible for batte, though the reading is shared by L. Other beta manuscripts have pak. nedle / & plytid hem þan to-gydre.
fol. 18rI
& pitte hem in a presse / & pyned hem þer-Inne.F.5.213: "V" with red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.
Tyl teen ȝerdis or twelue / tollydF.5.214: An otiose curl appears over <t>. out thrittene.
My wif was a webbe / & wollene she made.
F.5.216KD.5.214
She spak to a spynstereF.5.216: Alpha reads a spynstere for beta's Spynnesteres. / to spynne it fair & klene.
But þe pound þat she payed by / peysed a quarter more.
Þan myn owne awncel / who þat weyȝede trewþe.
/ [¶] Þan bowhte y here barly malt / she brewh it to selle.
F.5.220KD.5.218
Peny ale & puddyng ale / she porede to-gydre.
For laboreris & lowe folk / she leide it be þe-selue.F.5.221: Bx reads "þat lay by hemselue."
& þe beste ale lay in my bowr / or in my bed-chambre.
& who þat bummede þer-of / he bowhte it þer-after.
F.5.224KD.5.222
A galoun for a groote / god woot no lesse.
& ȝit it com in / cuppe-mel / swich craft she vseþF.5.225: Alpha has present tense vseþ against the beta family's preterite.
Rose regrater / ysF.5.226: Alpha has present tense ys against the beta family's preterite. hire ryght name.
She haþ y-holde huksterye / al hire lyf-tyȝme.
F.5.228KD.5.226
I swere now so þeechF.5.228: The <ch> spelling is an odd one for alpha to have introduced for Sire Hervey Coveitise of Norfolk. Langland had indulged himself in the same dialect joke that Chaucer had used in The Reeve's Tale. Bx must have read so þe ik. / þat synne wil y leete.
& neuere wrongly weyȝe / ne wikkid chaffare vse.
But y wenden to walsyngham / & my wif with me.
& bidde þe roode of Bromholm / brynge me fram dette.
F.5.232KD.5.230
Repentist þe euere / quod repentaunce / & restitucioun þou madist.
/ [¶] Ȝee  quod he onys y was herborwhed / with an hep of Chapmen.
& whan þei weryn in reste / y roos / & ryflede here malis.
Þat was no repentaunce quod he / but a robberis dede.F.5.235: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "That was no restitucion quod Repentaunce but a robberis þefte." Manuscript G also joins F in reading he for Repentaunce.
F.5.236KD.5.234
Þou haddist been bettre þerfore / ben hongyd be þe nekke.
Þan for al þe oþir þyng / þat þou hast here shewyd.
/ [¶] I wende ryfflyng where restitucioun / so kan y rede on boke.F.5.238: The b-verse lection of Bx is the metrically clumsy and probably corrupt "for I lerned neuere rede on boke." Some scribe in the tradition between alpha and the extant manuscript may well have restored, whether by conjecture or access to a better manuscript, the original reading: "ne kan y rede on boke." Only later would it have been scribally revised, with so supplied for the negative enclitic in the original.
Ne y can no Frenchȝ in feyþ / but of Norþfolk langage.F.5.239: Bx's reading is the metrically clumsy "but of þe ferþest ende of Northfolk," and again the relative shapeliness of F's reading suggests that Bx is corrupt. Richard Beadle, "Prolegomena to a literary geography of later medieval Norfolk," in Regionalism in Late Medieval Manuscripts and Texts: Essays Celebrating the Publication of A Linguistic Atlas of Late Medieval English, ed. Felicity Riddy, York Manuscripts Conference: Proceedings Series, University of York, Centre for Medieval Studies, 2 (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1991), suggests that this is "possibly an allusion to some early version of the modern colloquialism 'Norfolk French', intended to express the difficulty of the dialect to outsiders" (94).
F.5.240KD.5.237
Vsedist þou euere vserye quod repentaunce / in al þy lyf-tyme.
/ [¶] Nay soþly seyde he  save sumtyme in ȝowthe.
I lernede a-mongys lumbardis / a lessoun be herte.F.5.242: F's b-verse is unique. R reads "a lessoun and of iewes," while beta witnesses have: "and Iewes a lesson."
To weyȝe pens with a peyȝs / & þan to pare þe heuyest
F.5.244KD.5.241
& to leene for love of þe cros / & if þey leyȝde a wed / lese it.
& doble detteF.5.245: F's a-verse is unique. Bx has "Swiche dedes I dide write." y dide wryte / if he his day brooke.
I have mo Maneris þoruh regages / þan þoruh miseretur & comedat.
I have lent lordis longe / my lovely chaffare.
F.5.248KD.5.245
& be a brokour after / bowht yt a-geyn my-selue.
& with changis & chevesaunces / with chaffare y dele.
& y leene folk þat leese wille / a shelyng in þe noble.
& with lumbardis lettris / y ladde gold to Rome.
F.5.252KD.5.249
& took it here be tale / & tolde it þere lasse.
fol. 18vI
Lentyst þou euere Lordis quod he  for love of Meyntenaunce.
Ȝee  y have lent Lordis quod heF.5.254: Beta manuscripts lack quod he.  þat lovede me neuere after.
& y have maad many a knyght / boþe Mercyr & drapeer.
F.5.256KD.5.253
Þat peyȝede neuere for his prentyȝshod / not a peyȝre clovis[g]lovis.F.5.256: F's clovis is unique, and all other manuscripts have gloues. Though cloves were paid for rents [see MED s.v. clove n.(2),2(b)], this instance is more likely to represent simple error than conscious revision.
Hast þou pyte on poore men / þat muste for nede borwe.
I have as myche pyte on þe pore / as þeF.5.258: Alpha is in error. Beta manuscripts lack unmetrical þe. peddere on Cattis.
Þat wolde kyllyn hem alle / for coveytyse of here skynnys.
F.5.260KD.5.257
Art þou Manly to þyn Neyȝhebour / of Metis & drynkys.
I am holde / as hende quod he /F.5.261: The virgule is possibly intended to replace the punctus elevatus. as hownd ys in þe kycchene.
A-mong my Neygheboures namely / swich a name i have.
Now god gyve grace quod repentaunce / but þou repente / þe rathere.
F.5.264KD.5.261
Grawnte þe grace on þis grownde / þy good so þou be-sette.
Þat þyn houswif after the / have Ioye of þat þou wynnyst.
& þyne seketoures weel be-sette / þe siluer þat þou levist
For as it ys / wonne with wrong / it worþ with wastoures spendid.
F.5.268KD.5.265
For where y Frere of an hows / þere feyþ is fownde þere-Inne.
I wolde notF.5.269: Alpha has wolde not against beta's nolde. Cope vs with þyn Catel / ne oure chircheF.5.269: Alpha has chirche for beta's kirk. a-mende.
Ne have a peny to petaunce / so mote pyȝghne in helle.F.5.270: F's reading is unique. There are several variants, but Bx probably read as follows: "of þyne bi my soule hele."
For þe beste book in oure hous / þeyȝ brend gold where þe levis.
F.5.272KD.5.269
& y wyste wittirly / þou were swych as þou tellyst.
Seruus es alterius cum fercula pinguia queris.
Pane tuo pocius vescere liber eris.
Þou art an vn-kyȝnde creature / y can þe nowht asoyle.
F.5.276KD.5.271
Tyl þou Make restitucioun / & rekne with hem alle.
& þerto / þat Resoun rolle it / in þe regystre of hevene.
For til þou hast maad / ech man good / y may þe noht a-soyle.
Non dimittitur peccatum  nisiF.5.279: nisi is owed to alpha. Beta, except for Cr, reads donec. restituatur ablatum.
F.5.280KD.5.274
For alle þo þat have þyn good / as god have my trewþe
He is holde to ȝeelde it here / if he may it qwyte These lines appear only in F, replacing two lines in Bx:
Is holden at þe heiȝe doom to helpe þee to restitue
And whoso leueþ noȝt þis be sooþ loke in þe Sauter glose.
Or praye þe of for-gyfnesse / or to doon yt for þy sowle.
& ellis he shal have evil hap / but he heendely wirche.
F.5.284KD.5.276.3
His catel shal fallyn hym froo / or ellis hise freendis goode.
Or ellis his soule shal drynke sour / at o dayes tyme.
Or seyȝ Miserere mei deus wich ysw[her y] mene trewthe.F.5.286: F omits from Bx the Latin tag "Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti, &c."
Þer ys no Laborer þat wil leveF.5.287: The scribe initially wrote love and corrected to leve. þe / þat longiþ to pers plowhman.F.5.287: This line appears only in alpha.
F.5.288KD.5.277α.1
ForF.5.288: Beta lacks alpha's For. shal neuere werkman in þis world / þryve . with þat þou wynnyst.
Cum sancto sanctus eris / construe now wel þis resoun.
Þanne wex þeF.5.290: Alpha has þe against beta's þat. shrewe in wanhope / & wolde an hongidF.5.290: In view of the scribe's frequent omission of initial <h>, the an here probably represents Bx's han. Alternatively, this is a possible scribal haplography for a anhongid. hym-selue.
Ne hadde Repentaunce þe rathere / reersyd þese wordis.F.5.291: F's b-verse is unique. Other manuscripts read "reconforted (or conforted) hym in þis manere."
F.5.292KD.5.281
Have mercy in þy Myȝnde man / & with þyn Mowþ god be-seche.
For goddis mercy ys more / þanne manye of hise oþir werkys.F.5.293: The following Latin line is missing from F, but it is missing from WHmCrGCB as well: "Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius &c."
& al þe wykkidnesse / þat ony man / may eyþir wirche or þynke.
Is no moore to goddis mercy / þan in þe see a gleede
F.5.296KD.5.283α
Omnis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam dei  est quasi sintilla in medio maris.F.5.296: The Latin quotation was too long for the single line left for it, and the scribe indented the final three words and preceded them with the conventional paraph mark.
fol. 19rI
For-þy  have in þy mynde mercy / & Marchaundise þou leve.F.5.297: "V" with decorative red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus.
For þou hast no good grownde / to gete þerfore a wastel.
But it be with þy tunge / or ellis with þyn hondis.
F.5.300KD.5.287
For al þe good þatþat [þou] hast geete / þe grownde be-gan with falsnesse.
& as longe þou[as] þou lyvest þerwith / þou ȝeeldest not but borwist.
& if þou wete neuere to wyche / ne yt[ȝ]it to whom restore.
Bere it to þyn Bysshop / & bydde hym of his grace.
F.5.304KD.5.291
By-sette yt hym-selue / as beest is for þyn sowle.
For he shal answere for þe / at þe day of doome.
For the / & for manye moo / þat man shal ȝeve reknyng.
& what he lerned ȝow in lentene / be-leve þou non oþir.F.5.307: F omitted the following line from Bx: "And what he lente yow of oure lordes good to lette yow fro synne."
F.5.308KD.5.296
HErlyF.5.308: The ornamental capital is outlined in red and flourished with green ink. The green marginal flourishes extend to the top of the page and two-thirds down the page. gan Glotoun / for to goo to shryfte.
& wendis hym to kirkeward / his coupe to shewe.
A-non Betoun þe Brewstere / bad hym good Morwe.
& freyned hym . whens he cam / & whidir þat he wolde.
F.5.312KD.5.300
To holy chirche quod he  to heren a-morwe Messe.
& sytthe y wille be shryve / & synne no moore.
Ȝee  y have good ale gossip quod she  glotoun wilt þou a-saye.
Hast þou in þyn purs quod he  ony spyces fyȝne.
F.5.316KD.5.304
I have peper & pyenys / quod she  & a pound of gilloffris.
& a ferthyng-worþ of fenel seed / for fastynge-dayes.
A-non gooþ Glotoun in with hire / & grete oþis after.
& fond Symme sowteres wif / syttynge on þe benche.
F.5.320KD.5.308
& Watte Waryner also / & his wif bothe.
& Tomme þe tynkere / & tweyn of hise prentyȝs.
& hikke þe hakeney man / & howe þe nedlere.
& Clarys of cokkyslane / with þe clerk of þe chirche.
F.5.324KD.5.312
&F.5.324: Beta manuscripts lack the &. sire pers of prydye / & peronelle of Flaundres. Beta manuscripts transpose these two lines.
& Dawe þe dykere / & wel a doseyn oþere.
A rybybour / a ratoner / & a rakyere of chepe.
A Ropere & a Redyng-kyng / & Rose dissheres dowhter.F.5.327: Beta family manuscripts lack dowhter.
F.5.328KD.5.316
& Godefrey / of Garlyngheþe / & Geffrey wasshere.
& vp-holderys a gret heep / herly be þe Morwe.
Þey geve Glotoun with glad chere / a galoun ale in honde.
Sone Clement þe Cobelere / of-caste his cloke.
F.5.332KD.5.320
& in þe newe feyȝre / he nempnyd it to selle.
A-non hikke þe hakeney man / hytte his hood after.
& bad Bette þe bocher / toF.5.334: Beta manuscripts lack to. been on his syȝde.
Þere weryn chapmen y-chose / þat chaffare to preyȝse.
F.5.336KD.5.324
Which of hem sholde have þe hood / or who sholde haue þe boþe.
Þan ryse þey ful rathely / & rowneden to-gydres.
& preyseden þeF.5.338: Beta manuscripts read þise in place of alpha's þe. peny-worthis / ech part by hym-selue.
But þei cowde not be here consience / a-corde þat tyȝme.
fol. 19vI
F.5.340KD.5.329
Tyl Robyn þe Ropere / was reysed fram his sete.
& nempned for a nounpere / þat no debate þere fylle.
Þanne hikke hosteler / hadde þe cloke.
In connawnt þat Clement / sholdesholde [þe] cuppe fylle.
F.5.344KD.5.333
& have hikkis hod hosteler / & holde hym a-payed.
& who þat repentyd rathest / sholde ryse sone.
& gretyn wel sire Glotoun / with a galoun ale.
Þere was lawhyng / & lowryng / & let go þe cuppe.
F.5.348KD.5.338
& setyn þere tyl evynsong / & sunge merye songis.
Tyl Glotoun hadde y-glubbyd / a galoun & more.
Þat hise guttys gunne to gowle / as a gredy sowe.
I trowe he pissed a potel / in a pater noster whyle.
F.5.352KD.5.342
& blewh his rownde rewet / at his regbonys ende.
Þat al þe folk in þe hows / helden here nose after.
& wysshed it were wypid / with a wips of fyrsen.
He myghte not steppe ne stonde / er he a staf hadde.
F.5.356KD.5.346
& þanne gan he goo lych / a glewh-mannys bycche.
Sum-tyme he ȝeede o-syde / & hidirward & þydirward.
As who þat leyþ lyȝnes / larkys to cacche.
& whan he drowh to þe dore / þan dymmed hise eyȝen.
F.5.360KD.5.350
& tripplidtrippid on þe threshold / & ouer-threwh to grownde.
A-non Clement coblere / kawht hym in hise armes.
For to lifte hym onF.5.362: An otiose mark, shaped like an apostrophe, appears over <n>. loft / & leyȝde hym on hise knowis.
But Glotoun was a gret cherl / & grim for to lyfte.
F.5.364KD.5.354
& cowhed a potel cawhdel / in Clementis lappe.
Þer is non so hungri hound / in al hertforde-shyre.
Þat leste lape a lyte þerof / so loþly it smellide
/ [¶] Þan with al þe wo in þe world / his wif & his wenche.
F.5.368KD.5.358
Þey beren hym to his bed / & browhte hym þere-Inne.
& after al þat exces / he hadde swich an accydie.
Þat he sleep al Saturday / & Sunday tyl eve.
& þanne a-waked he wroþly / & wypide hise eyȝen.
F.5.372KD.5.362
& þe fyrste word þat he warp / was where is þe bolle.
& wit gan edwyte hym / how wykkidly he wrouhte.
& ryght so dede Repentance / he rebukyd hym þat tyme.
Þou hast þoruhȝ word & werk / wrowht euele in þy lyve.
F.5.376KD.5.366
I rede þou shryve þe & be a-shamed / & shewe it with þy mowþe.
Þan seyde þat gome Glotoun / y have gyltyd god ofte.F.5.377: F omits "That I haue trespased with my tonge I kan not telle how ofte."
& swore goddis sowle & sideF.5.378: Beta manuscripts lack the phrase "& side." R reads "and his sydes." / & so help me godF.5.378: Beta manuscripts have "god me help" for alpha's "help me god." & holy-dom.
fol. 20rI
Þere þat no nede was / nyhȝne hundryd tyȝmes.
F.5.380KD.5.371
I have ouer-seyn me at soper / & sum-tyme at noon melis.
Þat y gert vp a-geyn / er y gan goon a myle.
& ofte y-speldF.5.382: The interpretation y speld="I spilled" is less probable than the past participle. The same is true of y-drunke in the following line. . þat myghte be spared / & spend it on nedy.
& ouer-delycatly on fastynge-dayes / y-drunke & etyn boþe.
F.5.384KD.5.375
& sum-tyme sat so longe þere-at / y sleep & eet a tonesat ones.
To heryn talis in tauernys / to drynke þe sunnere y wente.
& ofte hyȝede to mete er noon / whan fastynge-dayes felle.
Now þis shewynge shryfte / quod Repentaunce / shal be meryȝt to þe.
F.5.388KD.5.379
/ [¶] & a-non gan Glotoun gretyn / & greet dool he maade.
For his loþ lyþir lyf / þat he so lyvid hadde.
& a-vowede to faste / for hungir & þryst boþe
& seyde / shal neuere fyshȝ on fryday / defyen in my wombe.
F.5.392KD.5.383
Tyl Abstynence myn awnte / haþ ȝove me good leve.
& ȝit have y hated hire / In al my lyf-tyme.
F.5.394: A space is left for an ornamental capital <T>. Hanne[T]hanne com Slewthe be-slotered / with two slymed eyȝes.
I muste sytte seyde þe segge / or y shal ellis nappe.
F.5.396KD.5.387
I may nowht stonde / ne stowpe / with-oute[ne] with-oute stool knele
But where y browht in bedde / but my belyF.5.397: F's bely is unique. Bx has tailende. it made.
Sholde no rynggynge do me ryse / er y were rype to dyghne.
/ [¶] He gan Benedicite on a book / & his brest he knokkyde.
F.5.400KD.5.391
& rorede with a raskeng / & Rutte at þe laste.
What a-wake quod Repentaunce / & rape þe to shryfte.
/ [¶] A-þeyh y sholde dyȝe quod heF.5.402: F inherits quod he from alpha, but not the loss of a stave. Bx reads "If I sholde deye bi þis day me list nouȝt to loke."  y may not now looke.
I can not my pater noster / as þe preest me tawhte.
F.5.404KD.5.395
But yy [can] Romaunces of Robynn hod / & of Randolf þe Reve.
But non of oure lord ne oure lady / þe leeste þat is makyd.
I have maad fourty a-vowes a teveat eve / & for-getyn hem on morwe.
Ne y parformed neuere my penaunce / þat þe preest me Ioynede.
F.5.408KD.5.399
Ne be sory for my synnys / ȝit soþly was y neuere.
& if y bydde ony bedys / but it be in wratthe.
Þat y telle with my tunge / it is two myle fram myn herte.
I am ocupied eueryday / boþe halyday & oþere.
F.5.412KD.5.403
With ydyl talis at þe aleF.5.412: An otiose curl appears over <a>. / & oþire-whilis in chirche.
On goddis peynys ne on his passioun / ful seelde y þynke.
I vysityd seelde sykeF.5.414: The error occurred in alpha. The correct reading feble is attested in beta. men / or feteryd folk in prisoun.
I haddeF.5.415: Alpha reads past tense hadde for beta's haue. levere here harlotriȝe / or seen a somer game.
F.5.416KD.5.407
Er lesyngis to lawhe ofF.5.416: Alpha reads of for beta's at. / or be-lyȝe myn evyncristene.
& al þat euere seynt Mark made / or Mattheu . Iohan . or lucas.
& vigilijs & fastyng-dayes / alle y leet hem passe.
I lay in bedde in Lentene / & my lemman in myn armes.
fol. 20vI
F.5.420KD.5.411
Tyl Matinis & Masses / be do / & y muste to þe freris
But come y to Ite Missa est. I holde me wel y-seruyd.
I am nowht shryve but selden / but seknesse it make.
Nowht twyes in þe ȝeer / & þanne me þynkþ to sone.F.5.423: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "and þanne vp gesse I shryue me."
F.5.424KD.5.415
I have be preest & Parsoun / passynge fourty wynter.
& ȝit can y neyþir solue ne synge / ne seyntys lyvis rede.
But y can fyȝnde in a fyȝld / of a furlong an hare.
Bettre þan in Beatus vir / or in Beati omnes.
F.5.428KD.5.419
To construe it clause-meelF.5.428: Beta reads "oon clause wel" for alpha's "it clause-meel." / & kenne it my parshenys.
I can holde wel Lovedayes / orF.5.429: Alpha reads or for beta's and. heryn a Revis rekenyng.
But in Canon ne in decretalis / y can not rede a lyȝne.
& if y bygge or borwe / but it be wel y-taylid.
F.5.432KD.5.423
I for-ȝeete it as ȝeerne / & if men me yt aske.
Sixe sythis or sevene / y for-swere me with oþis.
& þerwith y tene / trewe men / ten hundred tymys.
& myne seruauntys sum-tyme / here sallarye is be-hyȝnde.
F.5.436KD.5.427
It is hard to heere rekenynge / whan we rede a-cowntys.
& so with wikkid wille & wratthe / my werkmen y peyȝe.
If ony doþ me a benefet / or helpiþ me at neede.
A-geyn hym / y am vnkyȝnde / & kan not it knowe.
F.5.440KD.5.431
For y have / & have had / summe of hawkys Manerys.
For y am nowht lured with love / but sumwhat lygge vndir þumbe.
Myn kosyȝnes gret kyȝndenesse / kyddyn to me fernere. fernere, "in old times, long ago." Most B witnesses have the more transparent spelling fernȝere.
Sixty syþis for slewhthe / y have for-gete it sytthe.
F.5.444KD.5.435
& in sparynge of speche / y have spilt fele þyngys.
Boþe fleshȝ & fysshȝ / & fele oþere vytaylis.
As breed & beef & botere / & bake metys manyȝe.
I have for-slewthid in my seruyse / so longe y haue kept yt.
F.5.448KD.5.439
I ran a-bowhte in ȝowthe / & ȝaf me not to lerne.
Þat y am euereeuere sytthe i am þe lewedereF.5.449: Bx is corrupt, reading "And euere siþþe haue be beggere for my foule sleuþe." F attempted to revise, substituting lewedere for beggere on the basis of the preceding b-verse. / þorghȝ myn grete slowþe.
Heu michi quodF.5.450: Alpha is joined by BoCot in reading quod for beta's quia. sterilem vitam duxi Iuuenilem.
Ȝee  Repentest þe nowht quod Repentance / & ryght with þat he swonyde
F.5.452KD.5.442
Tyl vigilate & orate / fette watur at hise eyȝen.
& flappede on his face / & faste on hym cryȝede.
& seyde war þe now fram wanhope / he wole þe be-trayȝe.
I am sory for my synes / seyȝ now so þy-selue.
F.5.456KD.5.446
& beete þy-selue on þy brest / & bidde god of grace.
For þere is no gilte here so gret / þat goddis goodnesse is more.
Þanne sat slewte vp / & sygned hym on þe forhed.
& made a-vowF.5.459: The phrase "made a vow vn-to god" is also possible here. vn-to god / for his foule slewthe.F.5.459: F omits the following line from Bx: "Shal no Sonday be þis seuen yer but siknesse it lette."
F.5.460KD.5.451
Þat y shal do me euery day / to þe dernede[er]e chirche.
& þere here Matinys & messe / as y a Munk where.F.5.461: F omits the following line from Bx: "Shal noon ale after mete holde me þennes."
fol. 21rI
Tyl y have euynsong herd / y hote now to þe roode.
& what y have take . to ȝelde a-geyn / yf y so mychil welde.F.5.463: Beta witnesses read "And yet wole I yelde ayein if I so much haue."
F.5.464KD.5.456
Of al þat y so wykkidly wan / sytthe y wit hadde.
& þeyhȝ my lyflode / lakke / lettyn þerfore y nylle.
Þat ech man shal have hys / er y hens wende.
& with þe oþir remnaunt / by þe Roode of chestre.
F.5.468KD.5.460
I shal seken trewþe / tryst[fyr]stF.5.468: It is not clear what the immediate scribe intended here. The likely explanation is that a scribe changed Bx's erst to synonymous fyrst which then was written in the metathetic form fryst from whence it was corrupted to nonsensical tryst. / er y seke Rome.
A-noon Robert þe Robbere / on reddite lokede.
For he hadde nowht wher-of / he weep wondir sore.
But þat synful shrewe / seyde þus to hym-selue.
F.5.472KD.5.464
Whan þat cryst on Caluarie / vpon þe cros dyȝede.
Þan dismas my brothir / by-sowhte crist of grace.
& he hadde mercy on þat man / for memetomeme[n]to-is sake.
So rewe on me Robbere / þat reddere wil[n]il knowe.
F.5.476KD.5.468
Ne neuere weneþ to wynne / with craf þat y knowe.F.5.476: Alpha and Cr read knowe for beta's owe.
But for mychil mercy / sum Mitigacioun me seende.F.5.477: F omits Bx's "Ne dampne me noȝt at domesday for þat I dide so ille."
What be-fel of þis feloun / y can not faire shewe.F.5.478: The red ink appearing here is unintentional, a blot from the facing leaf.
But wel y whot he wepte faste / water with hyse eyȝen.F.5.479: Alpha lacks the following line found in beta: "And knoweliched his gilt to crist yet eftsoones."
F.5.480KD.5.474
Þat Penitencia-ys pyk / sholde pulshe hym newe.F.5.480: Bx reads "That penitencia his pyk he sholde polshe newe."
& leep with hym ouer londe / al his lyf-tyme.
& be-fore he lay with latro / luciferys Awnte.
Thanne Repentaunce hadde rewþe / & radde hem alleF.5.483: The red ink on <ll>, like that on shewe in 5.478, does not appear to be like the scribe's other intentional touches, but it is not blotted from the facing leaf. to knele.
F.5.484KD.5.478
& be-sechen for alle synful / oure saviour of grace.
& þat we a-mende vs of oure mys / & do mercy on vs alle.
& seide god of þyn goodnesse / þou gunne þis world to make.
& of nawht / madist awht / & man most lyk þy-selue.
F.5.488KD.5.482
& sytthe þou suffredist hym synne / a sekirnesse seknesse to mankynde.
& al for þe beste as y beleve / what-euere bookys euere telletelle
O Felix culpa O necessarium peccatum Ade.
For þorghȝ synne þy sone / was sent doun in-to erthe.
F.5.492KD.5.485
& by-cam man of a Maide / Mankyȝnde / to save.
& madyst þy-selue with þyn sone / & vs synful y-lyche.
Faciamus hominem ad ymaginem & similitudinem nostram . Et alibi.
Qui manet in caritate in deo manet & deus in eo.
F.5.496KD.5.487
& sytthe with þyn selue sone / in oure sewht þou dyedist
On good fryday / for mannis sake / at ful tyme of þe day.
Neyþir þy-selue ne þy sone / no sorwe in dyȝeng feledist.
But in oure-selueF.5.499: Bx reads oure secte. . was þatF.5.499: Alpha reads þat for beta's þe. sorwe / & þyn sone yt ladde.
F.5.500KD.5.490α
Captiuam duxit captiuitatem.
Þe sunne for sorwe þerof / he lees syghte for a tyme.
A-bowhtyn Mydday / whan most lyȝt ys / & meel-tyme of seyntis.
Þo feddyst þou with þy fresche blood / oure fadrys in derknesse.
F.5.504KD.5.493α
Populus qui ambulatambula[ba]t in tenebris . uidit lucem magnam.
fol. 21vI
& þorwh þat lyght þat leep fram the / lucyfer blente.
For it blew alle þyne blessede þens / boldely in-to paradyȝs.
& þe þrydde day after ȝit / þou ȝeedyst forþ in oure sewte.
F.5.508KD.5.497
Fyrst a synful Marie þe see / er dede þy moodir dere.F.5.508: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "er seynte Marie þi dame."
It was to solace synful / þou suffredist it so falle.
Non veni uocare iustos . sed peccatores ad penitenciam.
& al of the[þat] / Mark haþ maad / & Mattheu / Iohan & Lucas.
F.5.512KD.5.500
Of þyne dowhtyeste dedis / where don in oure armes.
Quod uerbum caro factum est . & habitabithabita[v]it in nobis.
& by so myche / itF.5.514: Alpha reads it for beta's me. semeþ / þe sykeresyk[er]ere to styȝe to hevene.
We byddyn þe / & by-sechyn / If so / it be þy wille.
F.5.516KD.5.503
As þou fadir & brothir art / be mercyable on þyn peple.
& have mercyF.5.517: Alpha is in error. Beta manuscripts preserve authorial ruþe. on þese rybawdys / þat repenten hem sore.
Þat euere ȝit þey wratthid þeF.5.415: Alpha is responsible for the loss of "in this world." The error is shared by G. / In word / þowht / or dede.
Þanne hente Hope an horn / was deus tu conuersus uiuificabis nos.
F.5.520KD.5.507
& blew it with beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates.
& alle þe seyntis in heuene / a-non / þus þey sungyn a tonysat onys.
Homines & iumenta saluabis domine  quemadmodum multiplicasti misericordiam tuam deus.F.5.522: tuam deus is continued beyond this line into the margin below.
/ [¶] Wel a þowsende men þo / þrungyn alle to-gydres.
F.5.524KD.5.511
& criȝeden vp-warde to crist / & to hys clene Modir.
To graunte swich grace / trewthe to seken.
But þere was non so wyȝs / þe weyȝe to hym cowthe.
But blustreden furþ as beestis / ouer balkys & hillis.
F.5.528KD.5.515
Tyl it was late & longe / þat þey a leede mettyn.
I-paraylid as a palmere / in pylgrimes wedys.
He bar a burdoun y-bownde / with a brood lyste.
In a whythyeswyth[wynd]es wyse / ywownde al a-bowte.
F.5.532KD.5.519
& a bulleF.5.532: bulle, "bowl." in a bagge / he bar by his syȝde.
& an hundred of ampullis / vpon his hat setyn.
& fele sygnes of seyntys / & shellis also of Galis.
& many a crowch on his cloke / with þeF.5.535: Alpha is responsible for adding unmetrical þe. Bx has and for F's with þe. keyȝes of Rome.
F.5.536KD.5.523
& þe vernicle was by-fore / for folk sholde hym knowe.
& seen by hise syghnes / whom he sowht hadde.
Thanne þis folk freynede hym / whens þat he keme.
Fram þe sepulcre he seyde / & fram synay hyȝe hillis.F.5.539: Bx reads "From Synay he seide and fram oure lordes Sepulcre." We could have easily transcribed the last word in the line as hille, since the barred double <ll> is ambiguous in this hand.
F.5.540KD.5.527
I have been boþe in Bedleem / & in Babylonye also.
In Armonye in Alysaundre / & manye oþire places.
Ȝee may seen by myn syghnes / þat syttyn on my cloke.
Þat y have walkid wyȝde / in weet & in dreyȝe.
F.5.544KD.5.531
& holy seyntis sowht / for my sowle helthe.
/ [¶] Ȝee  knowist þou nowht a corseynt / þat men calle trewþe.
& canst þou wisshe vs þe wey / where þat weyȝ dwelliþ.
Þanne seyde þe goome / nay so god me helpe.
F.5.548KD.5.535
I seyȝ neuere þat palmere / with pyk ne with scrippe.
fol. 22rI
Ne man þat askyd after hym / tyl now in þis place.
Peter quod Pers Plowhman / & pitte furþ his face.
I knowe hym as kyȝndely / as ony clerk hise bookis.
F.5.552KD.5.539
Consiense & kyȝnde wit / kende me to his place.
& y haue ensured hem sewrly / to seruyn hym / for euere.
Boþe to sowe & to sette / whil y swynke myghte.
I have ben his foot folwere / al þis fourty wynter
F.5.556KD.5.543
Boþe y-sowed hise seedis / & sewyd a-bowtyn hise beestis.
& with-Inne boþe && with-outyn / waytid his profyȝte.
& boþe diggid & deluyd / & dyde þat he me comaundide. F.5.558: F's me comaundid is unique.
Bx reads hoteþ. F omits the following lines from Bx:
Som tyme I sowe and some tyme I þresshe
In taillours craft and tynkeris craft what truþe kan deuyse
I weue and I wynde and do what truþe hoteþ.
The error had occurred before the immediate scribe's stint, since it was the result of eye-skip from Bx's hoteþ in 5.558. That had to have occurred before the substitution of comaundide for hoteþ.
For þeyh y sey it my-selue / y serue hym to payȝe.
F.5.560KD.5.550
& y haue myn here of hym / & oþir-whilis moore.
He is þe presteste payȝere / þat poore men knowen.
He withhalt no manF.5.562: R's men suggests that the error is in alpha. Beta witnesses preserve correctly alliterating hewe. his hyȝre / þat þey haue it soone.F.5.562: F's b-verse is unique. R reads "þat þei ne haue it anone." Beta reads "þat he ne haþ at euen."
& he is as lowhly as a lomb / & lovely of speche.
F.5.564KD.5.554
& if ȝe wilneþ to wete / where þat he dwellyþ.
I shal wysse ȝow witterly / þe weyȝe to his place.
/ [¶] Ȝee leve Pers quod þo pilgrimes / & proferedyn hym hyȝre.
For to wendyn with hem / þere trewþe gan dwelle.
F.5.568KD.5.557
Nay by my sowle quod pers / & gan swere faste.
I nolde fongyn a ferthyng / for fyfty florenys tolde.F.5.569: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "for Seint Thomas Shryne."
Þan trewþe wolde love me þe lasse / a long tyme after.
But if ȝee wilneþ wel to walke / þis is þe wey þidirward.
F.5.572KD.5.561
/ [¶] Ȝee mote goon / be Meeknesse / boþe men & wyvis.
Tyl ȝee come to consience / cryst whot þe soþe.
& þat ȝee loven oure lord god / levest of alle þynge.
& þanne ȝoure neyhebore neest / & in no wyse a-peyre hym.
F.5.576KD.5.565
Oþirwyse / þan þou woldist / he wroghte to þy-selue.
& beende forþ be a brook / be buxum of þynF.5.577: Alpha is responsible for þyn, omitted by beta. speche.
Tyl ȝee fyȝnde a forthe . ȝoure fadres ȝee honoure.
Honora patrem & matrem . ut sis longeuus super terram.F.5.579: F uniquely completes the Latin verse after matrem.
F.5.580KD.5.568
Wadiþ in-to þat water / & wasshe ȝow wel þer-Inne.
& ȝee shulle lepe þe lythlokere / al ȝoure lyf-tyme.
& sone shalt þou see swere nowht / but it be for nede.
Ne nempne not in ydelnesse / þe name of god almyghty.
F.5.584KD.5.572
& þanne shalt þou come be a croft / but com þou nowt þere-Inne.
Þe name ys coueyte þou nowht / neyþir maydins ne wyvis.
Ne non of here seruauntys / ne no þyng to hym longiþ.F.5.586: F's b-verse is unique. Bx has "þat noyen hem myȝte."
Ne noyȝhe not hise bestis / neyþir bollokys ne oþere.F.5.587: Bx reads "Loke ye breke no bowes þere but if it be youre owene."
F.5.588KD.5.576
Two stokkis þere stondyn / but stynte ȝee not þere.
Þat is stele not ne sle not / ȝee strike furþ by boþe.
fol. 22vI
& leve hem on þy left hond / & loke not on hem after.
Þat is / holde wel þyn halyday / with holy prayeris.
F.5.592KD.5.580
Þan shalt þou blenche at a beech / þou bere no fals witnesse
By-syde is a faire fyld / fals flaterynge ys þe name.F.5.593: This line appears only in F.
It ys frytthid with floreynys / & oþire fees manye.
Loke ȝeeF.5.595: Alpha reads ȝee for beta's þow. plukke no plante þerof / for pereyl of þe heyward.F.5.595: F omitted the following lines from Bx:
Thanne shul ye see seye sooþ so it be to doone
In no manere ellis noȝt for no mannes biddyng.
F.5.596KD.5.585
Thanne shalt þou come to a court / as cleer as þe sunne.
Þe Moot is of mercy / with Maryȝs al a-bowte.
& alle þe wallis ben of wit / to holde wille owte.
& y-kerneled with cristendom / mankynde to save.
F.5.600KD.5.589
I-boterased with good by-leve / or þou best not savid.
& alle þe howsis ben y-helid / hyȝe halles & chambres
With no leed / but with love / & with lowhȝ speche also.
Þe bregge is . bydde wel / þe betre may þou spede.
F.5.604KD.5.593
Þe pilerys hatte Penaunce / & prayeris to seyntys.
Þe hokys ben almese dede / þe gate god hym-selue.
& grace hatte þe gateward / a good man for-soþe.
& his man hatte / a-mende ȝow / manyF.5.607: Alpha omits beta's for before many. man hym knoweth.
F.5.608KD.5.597
/ [¶] Telle ȝee hym þis tokne / trewþe knoweth þe sothe.
Þat y parformede þe penaunce / þe prest me en-Ioynede.
& am sory ofF.5.610: Alpha reads of for beta's for. myn synnys / & so y shal ben euere.F.5.610: F omitted the following line from Bx: "Whan I þynke þeron þeiȝ I were a Pope."
& byddeþ / a-mende ȝow / mekely / to his mayster praye.
F.5.612KD.5.602
To weyve vp þe wyket / þat þe womman shette.
After þat adam & Eve / eetyn þe appil vnrostyd.
Per evam cuntiscun[c]tis clausa est . & per mariam virginem iterum &c.F.5.614: Alpha has "iterum &c." for "patefacta est."
For she haþ þe keyȝe & kleket / þeyhȝ þe kyng slepe.F.5.615: F omits the following line from Bx: "And if grace graunte þee to go in þis wyse."
F.5.616KD.5.606
Þan shalt þou see þy-selue / where þat trewþe syttyþ.
In a chambre of charite / as he a child were.
To suffre ony seyȝeng / & do þy syrys wille.
But be war of wratthe / he is a wikkid shrewe.
F.5.620KD.5.610
He haþ Envie to hym / þat in þyn herte syttyþ.
& pokeþF.5.621: Alpha is in error, omitting forth after pokeþ. pride priuyly / to preyse wel þy-selue.
& þe boldenesse of þyn benefetys / make þe blynd þanne.
& worþ þou dryve owt / & þe dore y-closed.
F.5.624KD.5.614
& keyȝed & klekedid / to kepyn þe with-outyn.
Happyly an hundryd wynter / er þou eft in entre.
Þus myght þou lesen his love / to lete wel by þi-selue.
& neuere happely eft entre / but his grace þou have.
F.5.628KD.5.618
/ [¶] But þere are seuene seruauntys / þat seruyn Trewþe euere.
Þey ben porterys at þe ȝatys / þat to his place longiþ.
Þe firste ys abstynense / & humilite ys a-noþir.
& Charite & Chastite / þese been hise chef chyldryn.
F.5.632KD.5.622
& Pacience & pees / mychil peple þey helpen.
fol. 23rI
& largenesse þat lady / she leteþ outF.5.633: The redactor, seeing out in the following line, attempted to harmonize the two b-verses to the detriment of the larger sense of the passage. Such a scribal reversal occurs in other contexts, e.g. helle for heuene in F2.109. ful Manyȝe.
She haþ delyueryd a þowsende / owt of þe deuelys ponfolde.
& she is neyȝh-by sibbe þe[to] þe sevene / so me god helpe.
F.5.636KD.5.626
& she wille worchepely wolkome ȝow / & wel ȝow vndirfonge.
& but ȝee ben sybbe / quod pers / to summe of þese sevene.
It ys hard / by myn heed / for ony of ȝow alle.
To getyn in passage . at ony gate / but grace be þe moore.
F.5.640KD.5.630
A  by cryȝst quod a Cuttepurs / y have no ken þere.
/ [¶] Ne y / quod an Apeward / by awht þat y knowe.
A  wolde god quod a Messager / þat y wiste þe sothe.
Sholde y neuere a fote ferthere / for no frerys prechynge.
F.5.644KD.5.634
/ [¶] Ȝys . ȝis  quod pers plowhman / & pokede hem to goode.
Þere a[is] a Mayde þere / Mercy / she haþ myght ouer hem alle.
She ys sybbe to synful / & so ys hire sone also.
& þorghȝ þe helpe of hem two / hope þou non oþir.
F.5.648KD.5.638
Þou myght getyn grace þere / by so þou goo by-tymes.
By seynt Poul quod a pardoner / parawnter y be not wolkome.F.5.649: Beta witnesses read knowe(n) þere in place of alpha's wolkome.
I wille go fecchyn my boox / with þe Bisshopis lettris.
/ [¶] By crist quod a comoun womman / In þyn Cumpany wil y wende.
F.5.652KD.5.642
& seyȝ y am þyn syster / in Cytes þere we wende.F.5.652: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "I ne woot where þei bicome."
BPassus 6
F.5.653: The text is marked in the left margin by a later secretary hand for the B passus division. Þis where a wikkide wey / but we hadde a gyde.F.5.653: A later secretary hand supplied passus sextu[s] in the right margin. The final character has been lost to cropping.
Þat wolde folwe vs euery foote / þat no folk vs noyȝe.
Quod pers plowhman þo / by seynt peter of Rome.
F.5.656KD.6.4
I have an half acre to eryȝe / by þe hyȝe-weyȝe.
Hadde y heryd þat half acre / & y-sowe it after.
I wolde weende with ȝow / & þe weyȝ ȝow techen.
/ [¶] Þys were a long lettynge / quod a Lady with a skleyȝre.
F.5.660KD.6.8
What shulle we wommen / wyrchen þer whylys.
Summe shulle sowe þe sak / quod Pers / for shedyng of whete.
& ȝee lovely Ladijs / with ȝoure longe fyngrys.
Loke ȝee have sylk & syndel / to sowe / whan it ys tyme.
F.5.664KD.6.12
To make Chesyplis for Chapeleins / chirchis to honoure.
& ȝee wyvis & wydewis / wulle / & flex ȝee spynne.
/ [¶]& Makeþ cloþ y conseyle ȝow / & kenneþ so ȝoure dowhtris.
Þe nedy & þe nakede / nemeþ hede how þey lyggyn.
F.5.668KD.6.16
& casteþ on hem cloþis / & so comaundiþ ȝow trewþe.
For y shal lene hem lyflode / but if myn londe fayle.
Boþe fleshȝ & breed / to ryche & to poore.
As longe as y lyve / for þe lordis love in hevene.
F.5.672KD.6.19
& alle manere of men / þat with mete & drynk lybbyn
Shulle helpe to wirche wyghtly / to wynne with ȝoure fode.
fol. 23vI
Be crist quod a knyght þo / he kenneþ vs þe beste.
But trewly on þe teem / tawht was y neuere.
F.5.676KD.6.23
But kenne me it quod þe knyght / & by crist y wille a-sayȝe
/ [¶] By seynt Poul quod Perkyn / ȝee profere ȝou sire so fayre.
Þat y wille swynke & swetyn / & sowe for vs boþe.
& oþere laboreris shulle for þyn love / al here lyf-tyȝme.
F.5.680KD.6.27
In connaunt / þat holy chirche / þou kepe / as þy-selue.
Fram wastoures & wikkyd men / þat þis world stroyȝeþ.
& goo þou hunte hardely / to hares / & to foxes.
& to bawsynes & boores / but breke þou none heggys.F.5.683: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "To bores and to brokkes þat breken adown myn hegges."
F.5.684KD.6.31
& go a-fayte þy fakonys / whilde foul to kelle.
For þei come in-to my croft / & cropyþ my whete.
/ [¶] Þanne þe knyght curteysly / comsede þese wordys.
By my powher Pers quod he  y plyghte þe my trewþe.
F.5.688KD.6.35
To fulfylle þis forward / þeyhȝ y fyghte sholde.
& as longe asas [y] lyve in londe / y shal þe Meyntene.
But .o. poynt quod Pers / y praye þe of more.
Loke þou tene no tenaunt / but trewþe wille a-sente.
F.5.692KD.6.39
& þeyȝh þou mayst angre men / let Mercy be taxour.
& Meeknesse þy Mayster / Mawgre Meedis chekys.
& þeyhȝ poore men profere þe / presentys & ȝiftys.
Nyme hem nawht in awnter / þouF.5.695: Alpha has þou for beta's ye. maist not yt disserue.
F.5.696KD.6.43
For þou shalt ȝeelde yt a-ȝeen / at o ȝerys ende.
Al in a parlyous place / purgatorye men name it.
Ne mys-bede not þy bonde-manF.5.698: Alpha and Hm have singular man for beta's men. The same variants appear in C, but A manuscripts agree in the plural form. / þe bettre shalt þou spede.
Þeyhȝ he be here . þyn vndirlyng / wel may happe in heuene.
F.5.700KD.6.47
Þat he worþ worthiere set / þan þou / & in wel more blysse.
Amice  ascende superius
For in aF.5.702: Alpha is responsible for a, a reading shared by Hm. chapelF.5.702: F's reading is unique. R has chanel, leaving the <r> out of Bx's Charnel. or in a chirche / a clerkF.5.702: Alpha substituted clerkes for original cherles. F uniquely has "a clerk." is evel to knowe.
So is a knyght þere fram a knave / knowe þis in þyn herte.
F.5.704KD.6.50
But loke þou be trewe of tungeF.5.704: Alpha lacks beta's þi before tunge. / & talis þat þou hate.
& by wysdom & by wit / þy werkmen þou chastyze.
& holde notF.5.706: Alpha is responsible for the double negative. Beta witnesses lack not. with none harlotis / ne heere not here talis.
& namely at þy mete bord / swiche men ecchewe.
F.5.708KD.6.54
For þey ben þe deuelis dissoures / y do þe to vndirstonde.
I a-sente by seynt Ieme / seyde þe knyght þanne.
To werche al after þy word / whylis my lyf dureþ.
/ [¶] & y shal a-parayle me quod Pers / in pylgrymes wyse.
F.5.712KD.6.58
& y wylle wende with ȝow / tyl þat we fyȝnde trewþe
I wil castyn on myn cloþis / y-clowtyd at þe fulle.
Myn kokerys & myn coffys / for cold of myn naylys.
fol. 24rI
& y wille hangyn myn hoper / at myn hals / as i hadde a scrippe.
F.5.716KD.6.62
& a busshel of bred-corn / y wil bere þere-Inne.
For y wille soowe it my-selue / & sytthe with ȝow wende.
On pilgrimagis as palmeris doon / pardoun to have.
But who þat helpiþ me to heryȝe / or sowe er y wende.
F.5.720KD.6.66
He shal have leve by oure lord / to large his heruest heere.
& make hym meryȝe þer-myde / mawgre who grucche.
& alle kynne crafty men / þat kunne lyve in trewþe.
I shal fyȝnde hem foode / for feythfully þey lybbe.
F.5.724KD.6.70
/ [¶] Save Iakke IogelourF.5.724: An otiose curl appears above <g>. / & Ionete at þe styvis.F.5.724: Alpha and Bo have the form styvis rather than beta's stuwes. See MED, s. v. stive n.(1), and steu(e) n.(2).
& Danyel þe dyȝs pleyȝere / & denote þe bawhde.
& also frere faytour / & mo folk of his ordre.
& Robyn Rybawdour / for hise rusty wordis.
F.5.728KD.6.74
For trewþe tolde me onys / & bad me telle after.
Deleantur de libro viuencium / I sholde not with hem deyle.
For holy chirche / is holde / of hem no tyþe to take.
Quia cum iustis non scribantur / in þe registre in hevene.F.5.731: F uniquely adds an English b-verse after the Latin text.
F.5.732KD.6.77
Þey ben skapid good awnter / now god hem a-mende.
Dame wirche wel / wan tyme is / Persis wyf hyȝte.
& his dowhter do ryght so / er þy dame wil þe beete.
& his sone hyȝte wel[suffre] wel / þyn soverynes have here wille.
F.5.736KD.6.81
& deme hem nowht / if þou doost / þou shalt it dere a-begge.
But lete god worcheF.5.737: The text is ambiguous here, for what we have transcribed as <c> could with about equal probability have been transcribed as <t>. Both worche and worthe appear in B manuscripts. / with it al / for so his word þe techiþ.
/ [¶] For now y am hooldF.5.738: An otiose curl appears over the second <o>. / & hoor / & have good of myn howne.
To pylgrimage / for penaunce / y wil passe with oþere.
F.5.740KD.6.85
But y wille er y wende / do wrytyn myn enqweste .
In dei nomine amen / god shal have myn soule. Alpha two lines here appear in beta witnesses as three. Beta reads as follows:
In dei nomine amen I make it myselue
He shal haue my soule þat best haþ deserued
And fro þe fend it defende for so I bileue.
Þat best ys worthy / & weyvid fram yt þe fendis.
Tyl y come to hise a-cowntys / as my credeF.5.743: Alpha lacks beta's me after crede. F's spelliþ is unique. Bx has telleþ. spelliþ.F.5.743: F omitted the following line from Bx: "To haue relees and remission on þat rental I leue."
F.5.744KD.6.91
& þe kyrke-ȝeerd shal kepe / myn kareyne & myn boonys.
For of myn corn & catel / þe kirke crauede þe tythe.
&& [y] peyȝede it trewly to þe preest / for pereil of my soule.
For-þy he is holde as y hope / to have me in his messe.
F.5.748KD.6.95
& menge me in his Memento / a-mongys alle cristene.
/ [¶] & my wif shal have of þat y wan / with trewþe & no moore.
& dele it among hire dowhtris / & myn dere childryn.
For truly þey dyȝede[y] dyȝede to-day / myn dettys ben alle qwitte.
F.5.752KD.6.99
I bar hoom þat y borwede / er y to bedde wente.
& with þe resydue of þe remenaunt / be þe Roode of lukys.
I wille worchepe þerwith / trewþe by my lyve.
& been his pylgryȝm / at þe plowhȝ / for poore mennys sake.
fol. 24vI
F.5.756KD.6.103
My plowhȝ-pote ys my pyȝk-staf / þat pittyþ a-wey þe rootys.
& helpiþ my cultre to kerue / & to klense þe furwis.
Now ys Pers & þe pilgrymes / to þe plowhȝ y-faren.
To heryȝen his half acre / þere hulpene hym manye.
F.5.760KD.6.107
Boþe dykerys & deluerys / dyggedyn vp þe balkys.
& with hem was Pers wel payed / & preyȝsede hem faste.
/ [¶] Oþere werkmen þere weryn / þat wroghtyn ful ȝeerne.
Ech man / on his manere / made hym-selue to doone.
F.5.764KD.6.111
& summe poore to plese Pers / þey pulliden vp þe rootys.
Þanne at heyȝ prime pers / leet his plowhȝ stoonde.
& wente to seen hise werk-men / how þat þey wroghte.
He wolde heren hem / þere-after / wan hervest tyme keme.
F.5.768KD.6.115
Þanne fond he summe syttyn / & synge at þe alehous.
& hulpen hym so to heryȝe / with hoy  trolly / lolly.
Þat þey fillyn flat on þe floor / so feyþfully þey swonke.F.5.770: This line appears only in F.
/ [¶] Now be myn sowlis pereyl quod Pers / in pure gret tene.
F.5.772KD.6.118
But ȝee a-ryse þe rathere / & rape ȝow to wyrche.
Shal no greyn þat groweth / glade ȝow / at ȝoure neede.
& þeyȝ ȝee dyȝen for dool / þe devil have hym þat recche.
Þo wheryn Faytoures a-ferd / & feynede hem blyȝnde
F.5.776KD.6.122
Summe leyȝde here leggys swolle / as sum loselys vsen.
& maden here moone to Pers / & prayede hym of grace.
& seyde / we have no lymes to laboure / oure Lord do vus boote.
But we praye for ȝow Pers / & for ȝoure plowhȝ-men boþe.
F.5.780KD.6.126
Þat god of his grete grace / ȝoure greyn multyplyȝe.
& ȝeelde ȝow / ȝoure almesse-dede / þat ȝee ȝeve vus heere.
For we mowe not swynke / swich syknesse vs holdeþ
/ [¶] If it be soþ quod Pers / þat ȝee seyn / y shal it sone a-spyȝe.
F.5.784KD.6.130
Þat ȝee ben wastoures y whot wel / & trewþe whot þe soþe.
& y am his olde hyȝne / & by-hyȝhte hym to warne.
Whiche þey wheryn in þis world / his werk wolde a-peyre.
For ȝee wasten þat men wynnyn / with trauayle & with teene.
F.5.788KD.6.134
But trewþe shal teche ȝow / his teeme to dryve.
Or ȝee shulle etyn barly breed / & of þe brook drynke.
But he þat is blynd / or broke-leggyd / or boltyd with yrenys.
He shal etyn whyȝt breed / & drynke wyȝn or ale.
F.5.792KD.6.138
Tyl god of his goodnesse / a-mendement hym seende.
/ [¶] But ȝee myghte trauayle trewly / & take meete & hyȝre.
To kepen keen in þe fyld / or corn fram þe beestys.
Or dyken or deluyn / or dyggyn vp rootys.
F.5.796KD.6.142
Or helpyn makyn morter / or leedyn muk on filde.
& nowht to lyve in Leccheryȝe / ne in Losengryȝe & slowþe.
fol. 25rI
It is suffraunce of god / þat vengaunnce ȝowȝow [ne] takeþ.
/ [¶] But Ancres & hermyȝtis / þat etyn but at noonys.
F.5.800KD.6.146
& no more til on morwe / myn almesse þey shulle have.
& of myn catel to kouere hem with / þat kepyn cloystre & chirche.
But Daunn Robert renne a-bowhte / shal nout rewle my goodis.
Ne preest . but he preche kunne / & have powher of þe bisshop.
F.5.804KD.6.150
Þey shulle have payn & potage / with a pytawnce by-syde.
For it is an vn-resonable religioun housF.5.805: F alone reads hous. / þat haþ rentys none.F.5.805: The scribe wrote rentys around a hole in the manuscript.
/ [¶] Þan gan a wastowr wexe wrothȝ / & wolde fayn a fowhte.
& to Pers Plowhman / he proferede / his glove.
F.5.808KD.6.154
& with hym cam a braggere / & aF.5.808: a, "he." boostide Pers also.
& bad hym goo pisse onF.5.809: Alpha has on for beta's with. his plowh / for-pynede shrewe.
& seyde  wilt þou . pers / oo[r] nyltou / we wille have oure wille.
& þy flour & þyn fleshȝ / we fecche whan vs lykeþ.
F.5.812KD.6.158
& make vs meryȝe þer-myde / mawgre / þyn chekys.
Þanne Pers wente konyngly / & to þe knyght pleyȝnede.
To kepen hym as cunnaunt was / fram cursede shrewys.F.5.814: F omits the following line from Bx: "And fro þise wastours wolueskynnes þat makeþ þe world deere."
For þey wastyn / & wynne nowht / & wete wel for-soþe.
F.5.816KD.6.163
Worþ neuere plente a-mong þe peple / while my plowhȝ lyggyþ.
/ [¶] Curteysly þe knyght þo / as his kende wolde.
Warnede wastour / & wysshede to þe betre.
Or þou shalt a-bygge be þe Lawe he seide / be þe ordre y bere.
F.5.820KD.6.167
I was not wont quod he / to wirche / ne y wil not now by-gynne.
& leet lyghtly of þe lawe / & lasse of his speche.
& sette also pers at a pese / & his plowhȝ boþe.
& þrette Pers & hise men / yf þey mettyn eft-sone.
F.5.824KD.6.171
/ [¶] Quod pers / be þe pereyl of myn sowle / y shal a-peyȝre ȝou alleF.5.824: F omits the following line from Bx: "And houped after hunger þat herde hym at þe firste."
& a-wreke me of þese wastoures / þat þis world shende
Sone hungir in haste þo / hente wastour by þe maw
& wrong hym so by þe wombe / þat boþe hise eyȝes watrede
F.5.828KD.6.176
& he buffetid so þe braggere / a-bowhtyn boþe hise chekis.
Þat he loked lyȝk a lanterne horn / al his lyve after.
He beet hem so boþe / he brast neer here guttys.
Ne hadde pers . with a pese loof / prayed hungir sese.F.5.831: Alpha lacks beta's to before sese.
F.5.832KD.6.180
Þey hadde be douyndo[l]uyn boþe / deme no man oþir.
Suffre hem lyve seyde Pers / & let hem etyn with hoggys.
Or ellis benys & bren / y-bakyn boþe to-gydre.
& drynke melk / or meyhne ale / to meyntene here lyvis
F.5.836KD.6.183
/ [¶] Þanne Faytoures for feer / flown in-to beernes.
& flappyd on with fleylis / fram morwe to þe eve.
Þat hungir was notF.5.838: Alpha and G lack beta's so before hardy. hardy / on hem onys to looke.
fol. 25vI
For a poot-ful of peesys / þat Pers dide hem make.
F.5.840KD.6.187
Anon an heep of hermyȝtis / in handis hentyn spades.
& kyttyn here copis / & coortepijs hem made.
& wentyn as werkmen / to swynkyn a-bowtyn.
& deluedyn & dykedyn / to dryve a-wey hungir.
F.5.844KD.6.191
Þanne blynde men & beddredide / where butned a þowsande
Þat setyn to begge syluer / sone weryn they helyde.
For þat was bakyn for bayard / was boote þe[to] þe hungry.
& many a beggere for benys / ful bown was to swynke.
F.5.848KD.6.195
& ech pore man wel payd / to have pesys to heere.
& what Pers prayede hem doo  as preest . as a sparhawk.
& þerfore wex Pers prowd / & pitte hem to werke.
& gaf hem as he myghte mete / & mesurable hyȝre.
F.5.852KD.6.199
Þanne hadde Pers pite / & prayede hungir to wende.
Hoom to his owne hold / & holde hym stylle þere.
For y am wel a-wreke now / on wastoures þis tyȝme.
But y praye þe er þou passe / quod Pers þo to hungir.
F.5.856KD.6.203
Of beggerys & of bydderys / what is best to doone.
For y whoot wel . be þou went / þey wille wirche ful ille.
For myscheef it makeþ / þey been so meeke nowthe.
& for de-fawhte of foode / þys folk ys at my wille.
F.5.860KD.6.207
Þey are my bretheryn of blood quod Pers / for crist bowhte vs alle.
Trewþe tawhte me onys / to love hem ecchone.
& to helpe hem of alle þynge / ay as hem neediþ.
& nowh wolde y wete of þe / what were þe beste.
F.5.864KD.6.211
How y myghte a-maystrie hem / & maken hem to wirche.
Now here wel me quod Hungir / & holde it for a wisdom.
Þat bolde beggeris & bygge / þat for here breed mowe swynke.
With howndis breed & horse-breed / hold vp here hertys.
F.5.868KD.6.215
& a-bate hem with beenys / for bolnynge of here whombis.
& if þo goomes grucche / bidde hym goo & swynke.F.5.869: Alpha omitted the following line attested by beta manuscripts: "And he shal soupe swetter whan he it haþ deserued."
& if þou fyȝnde ony freek / þat FalseF.5.870: R reads falshed, suggesting that F's reading is owed to alpha. Beta witnesses read Fortune, as did A. C, however, has fals men. haþ a-sayȝed.F.5.870: F's reading is unique. Bx reads apeired.
Or ony manere of false men / fonde þou swiche to knowe.
F.5.872KD.6.220
With þy catel knowe þou hem / for cristis love in hevene.
Love hem / & leene hem / for goddis lawe so techiþ.
Alter alterius / honera portate
& alle oþere manere of men / þat þou myght a-spyȝe.
F.5.876KD.6.223
Þat needy ben / & nowhty / help hem / with þyn goodis.
Love hem / & lakke hem nowht / lete god take vengaunce.
& if þey don evil a-geyn þe / lete god / with hem worthe.
Michi vindictam / et ego retribuam
fol. 26rI
F.5.880KD.6.227
& if þou wilt gete grace of god / do as þe gospel techeþ.
Þou loowe þe / to lowe men / & so shalt þou lacche grace.
Facite vobis amicos de Mammona iniquitatis
I wolde not greve god quod Pers / for al þe good on grownde.
F.5.884KD.6.230
Myghte y synneles don as þou seyst / so me god helpe.
I hoote to god / quod hunger / ȝis  or ellis þe byble lyȝeþ.
Goo to Genesis / þe Geaunt / engendrowr of vs alle.
He seyþ in swoot & in swynk / þou shalt þy foode wynne.
F.5.888KD.6.234
& Laboure for þi lyf-loode / & so oure lord þe hyghte.
& sapiense book seyþ þe same / soþly to telle.
Þat Piger pro frigore / no fildis wolde tylye.
& þerfore he shal beggyn / & no man beetyn his hungir
F.5.892KD.6.238
Seynt Matthew / with mannys face / mowthiþ þese wordis.
Þat seruus nequam hadde a man / þat wolde nout chaffare.F.5.893: Alpha had changed mnam to man, and F further revises the line to make this spurious man the antecedent of þat by omitting Bx's he.
& he mawgre of his mayster / for euere-moore after.
& he by-nam hym his napm / for he wolde not wirche.
F.5.896KD.6.242
& ȝaf it to a-noþir man / þat ten napmes hadde.
& with þat dede he seyȝde / þat alle men it herde.
He þat haþ / shal have / to helpe hym / at his neede.
& he þat nowht haþ / nowht shal have / & no man hym helpe
F.5.900KD.6.246
& þat he hopeþ forF.5.900: Alpha has for for beta's wel. to have / men shulle yt hym bereve.
For kende wolde / þat euery wyght wroghte
In dykynge or in deluynge / or doynge in prayeris.
Eir Contemplatif lyf or actif / crist coueytyde we wroughte.
F.5.904KD.6.250
Þe Sawhter seyþ in aF.5.904: Alpha has a for beta's þe. spalm /F.5.904: A second virgule appears to have been partially erased. In beati omnes.
Þe freeke þat feediþ hym-selue / with his feyȝþful labour.
He ys blessid be þe book / in body & in sowle.
Labores manuum tuarum quia manducabis . batusb[e]atus es &c..
F.5.908KD.6.253
Ȝit y praye þe quod Pers / pur charite & þou cunne.
Of ony leef of leche-craft / leere it me y praye.
For summe of myn seruauntis / & my-selue boþe.
Of alle þe wyke / wirke nowht / so oure whombe akeþ.
F.5.912KD.6.257
A  y whot wel quod hungir / what syȝknesse ȝow eyȝleþ.
Ȝee have Mawngid ouer-myche / & þat makþ ȝow grone.
But y hote þe quod hungir / if þou þyn hele disyryst.
Þat þou drynke no day / er þou dyghne a mussel.
F.5.916KD.6.261
Ne ete nowht y hoote þe / er hungir þe take.
& brynge þe of his saws / to savoure þyn lyppis.
& keep sum / tyl soper / but sitte þou nowht longe.
But a-ryse vp er apetyȝt / have loost al his strengþe.
F.5.920KD.6.265
But lete not sire surfet / syttyn at þyn table.
fol. 26vI
Leeve hym / for he is leccherows / & lykerous of tunge.
& after manye meetys / his Mawe ys / a-lustyd.
& ȝif þou dyete þe þus / y dar leyȝe myn erys.
F.5.924KD.6.269
Þat Fysyk shal his furryd hood / ȝee[for his] fode selle.
& his kloke of Calabre / with knoppis of gold þerone.
& be fayn by myn feyȝþ / his fysyȝk to leetyn.
& leerne to laboure on þe lond / for lyf-loode ys sweete.
F.5.928KD.6.273
Now are mo moraynerysF.5.928: moraynerys is a nonce word, apparently meaning "killers, murderers," formed from the noun murrein. R's morareres suggests that the reading was in alpha, though the R scribe failed to make sense of it. Most beta witnesses have "murþereris are manye." þan lechis / oure lord hem amende.
þey doon men dyȝe / þoru here drynkys / er destenyȝe it wolde.
By seynt Peter a-postle quod Pers / þese are profytable woordis.
Wende nowh hungir . whan þou wilt / & wel þe be-tyȝde.
F.5.932KD.6.276
For þis ys a lovely lessoun / oure lord it þe for-ȝeelde.
I hote god quod hunger / hens wil y not wende.
Tyl y have dyghnedyghne[d] þys day / & þerto drunke bothe.
Peter / y have no peny quod Pers / peyȝnemens þe to begge.
F.5.936KD.6.281
Ne neyþir gryȝs ne gees / but y have two grene chesis.
& a fewe cruddis & creem / & þerto an haver kake.
& two lovis of beene breed / y bokF.5.938: Bx has the past participle form ybake. yt for my barnys.
& ȝit y swere by my sowle / y have no salt bakoun.
F.5.940KD.6.285
Ne be crist no kokeney / kolopys the to make.
But y have Persyȝle & porrettis / & fele propreF.5.941: F's propre before herbys is unique. R's erroneous queynte herbes may represent alpha, and F has revised to correct the alliteration. Beta witnesses also fail in alliteration, reading cole plauntys. herbys.
& eek a kow & a Calf / & eek a Carte mare.
To drawe dunk on felde / whyle þe drowht lasteþ.
F.5.944KD.6.289
& by þis lyfloode y muste lyve / tyl lammesse tyme.
For y hope by þat to have / hervest in my crofte.
& þanne may y dyghte þy dyghner / as þe deere lykeþ.
& alle þe pore peple þo / pese-koddis feccheden.
F.5.948KD.6.293
& beenys / & bake applis / þey browhte in here lappis.
Chybollis / & chirne mylk / & rype chiryes manye.
& proferedyn Pers þat present / to plese with hungir.
& alle þo / hungir eet in haste / & askede after moore.
F.5.952KD.6.297
Þanne pore folk for feer / feddyn hungir faste.
With grene porettis & pesis / to poysoyne hym þey þowhten.
But by þat . it neyhede neer hervest / & newe corn a-perede.
& þerof wereF.5.955: An otiose curl appears over an ill-formed <e>. folk fayn / & fedde hem with þe beeste.
F.5.956KD.6.301
& with good ale / as glotoun tawhte / þan gan he goo to slepe.
But þan wolde noF.5.957: Alpha has wolde no for beta's nolde. Beta adds noȝt before wyrche. wastour wyrche / but wandredid a-bowhte.
Ne no beggere eete no breed / þat beenys Inne weryn.
But of koket or cler-matyn / or ellis of klene whete.
fol. 27rI
F.5.960KD.6.305
Ne no man halpeny ale / in no wyse drynke.
But of þe beste & brunneste / in borghȝ was to selle.
& laboreris þat have no lond / but lyven with here hondis
Þey endeyȝhneF.5.963: This word, unique to F, is not elsewhere attested in the sense "disdain," but cf. MED s.v. endeinous "disdainful, haughty." toF.5.963: Alpha omits noȝt before to dyghne. dyghne / or suppe olde wortes.
F.5.964KD.6.309
Ne no peny ale hem peyȝe / ne no pece of bakoun.
But it be hoot flesh & freshȝ / for flasshyng of here mawe.F.5.965: Alpha omitted a b-verse and an a-verse, creating one line of Bx's two. Bx reads as follows:
But if it be fressh flessh ouþer fissh fryed ouþer ybake
And þat chaud and plus chaud for chillynge of hir mawe.
R preserved chillyng, but F characteristically regularizes the alliteration by substituting flasshyng.
& but he be hyȝly hyȝryd / ellis wille he chyde.
& þat he cam / swich werk to wirke / he wille weyȝle þe tyme.
F.5.968KD.6.314
A-geyn Catonys conseyl / comseþ he to Iangle.
Paupertatis onus / pacienter ferre mementoF.5.969: A contemporary hand wrote nota in the right margin. For the bracket beneath it, cf. fol. 1v.
He grevyþ grevously god / for he grucchyþ a-geyn resoun.
& þus he curseþ þe kyng / & alle hise conseyl after.
F.5.972KD.6.318
Swiche Lawis to looke / Laboreris to greve.
But whilis hunger was here maystir / þanne wolde none chide.
Ne stryve a-geyn þe stateut / so sternely hungir lokede.
F.5.975: A contemporary hand wrote nota in the left margin. But y warne ȝow wirkmen / wynneþ whil ȝee mowe.
F.5.976KD.6.322
For hunger hyȝeþ hidirward / & hasteþ hym fulF.5.976: Alpha is responsible for ful. faste.F.5.976: Two later annotators wrote nota nota in the right margin.
& he wille a-wake sumwhat / wastoures dede.
Er fyve ȝeer / be ful-fyld / swych famyȝn shal a-ryse.
Þorhȝ fowle wederys & floodis / þat frutys shulle fayle.
F.5.980KD.6.326
Þanne shal Saturne sende to ȝow / swich warnynggeF.5.980: Kane and Donaldson transcribed this as warnyngger, but the suspension following a syllable-terminal <g> is identical for <-e> and <-er>. serteyn.
Whan þe sunne ȝee seen a-mys / with two Munkys heedis.
& a Mayde þorghȝ maystriȝe / be multyplyed on heyȝghte.
Þan shal deeþ drawe to deyȝs / & derthe be Iustise.
F.5.984KD.6.330
& þanne dawe þe dykere / dyȝe for hungir.
But god of his goodnesse / grawnte vs a trewe.
BPassus 7
Þanne Trewþe herde telle er-of / & to Pers he sente.
& bad hym take his teeme / & goo tylyȝe þe grownde.
F.5.988KD.7.3
& purchased hym a pardoun / A pena & a culpa.
For hym & for hise eyȝrys / for euere-more after.
& bad hym to holde hym at hom / & heryȝe hise leyȝes.
& alle þat hulpe hym to heryȝe / or to settyn or sowe.
F.5.992KD.7.7
Er ony oþir myster / þat myghte Pers a-vayle.
He haþ pardoun with Pers / Trewþe haþ it grawntid.
Boþe kyngis & knyghtis / þat kepyn holy chirche.
Þat ryghtfully in þe rewhme / weel rewle þe peple.
F.5.996KD.7.11
Have pardoun / þorhȝ purgatorie / to passe þorhȝ lyghtly
& with Patriarkis in paradyȝs / to ben here felowis.
& blessede Bisshopis / þat been as þey sholde.
& legistris of boþe Lawis / þer-with / þe lewide to preche.F.5.999: F omits the following line from Bx: "And in as muche as þei mowe amenden alle synfulle."
fol. 27vI
F.5.1000KD.7.16
Þey are perys with a-postlys / þus pardoun Pers graunteþ.
& at þe day of dome / on heyȝe deyȝs to sytte.
/ [¶] Þan Marchawntis in þe Margyne / hadde manye ȝeeris.
But no pena & a culpaF.5.1003: Alpha had changed archetypal "noon A pena" to "no pena." / þe Pope wille not graunte.F.5.1003: Alpha's b-verse probably read "þe Pope wolde hem not graunte." Beta reads "þe pope nolde hem graunte."
F.5.1004KD.7.20
For þey holden non holydayF.5.1004: Alpha is responsible for singular -day. This is another instance in which alpha agrees with C and beta with A. / as holy chirche techyþ.
& for þey sweryn oftynF.5.1005: Alpha is responsible for erroneous oftyn for beta's "by hir soule and." / so grete godF.5.1005: Alpha is responsible for omitting Bx's moste before hem. hem helpe.
A-geyn klene consiense / hehe[re] catel to selle.
But trewþe vndir his secrete seel / he sente hem a lettre.
F.5.1008KD.7.24
Þat þey sholde byggyn boldely / þat hem beest lykeþ.
& sytthe to sellyn it a-geyn / & savyn þe wynnynggys.F.5.1009: Alpha is responsible for the plural form.
& a-mende meselis þerwith / & myssese folk also.
& also wykkede weyȝes / whyȝhtly hem a-mende.
F.5.1012KD.7.28
& do boote to bryggis / þat broke a-bowte were.
& also marie Maydenis / or helpe hem make nunnys.
& þe Poore / & prisonerys / fyȝnden hem here foode.
& settyn skoleris to skole / or ellis toF.5.1015: Alpha is responsible for the omission of Bx's som.ire craftys.
F.5.1016KD.7.33
Or to rewlyn religioun / or to rentyn hem þe betre.
/ [¶] & y shal sende seyde trewþe / seynt Myhel þe angyl.
Þat no devil shal ȝow dere / ne feere ȝow in ȝoure dyȝeng.
& whysshe ȝow fram wanhope / if ȝee wille þus wirche.
F.5.1020KD.7.37
& sende ȝoure sowlys in safte / a-mong seyntis in Ioyȝe.
Þanne where þere manye Marchauntis / þat wopyn for Ioyȝe.F.5.1021: Beta reads "Thanne were Marchauntz murie manye wepten for ioye."
& preysedyn Pers apertly / þat purchasede þis bulle.
But men of Lawe of pardoun / þe leeste part þey haddyn. Beta witnesses read:
Men of lawe leest pardon hadde þat pleteden for Mede
For þe Sauter saueþ hem noȝt swiche as taken ȝiftes.
R differs from F in 5.1024, reading "þat pleteden for mede for þat craft is schrewed."
F.5.1024KD.7.40
For þey for meede pletyn moore / þan mychil for goddis helpe.
Wher-fore þe sawhter savourF.5.1025: Bx reads saueþ. hem nowht / swiche as takyn ȝiftis.
& namely of Innocentys / þat no evil ne knoweth.F.5.1026: Alpha omitted the following Latin line attested by beta witnesses: "Super innocentem munera non accipies."
Pletoures sholde peyȝne hem / to plete for swiche & helpe.
F.5.1028KD.7.44
& Pryncys / & Prelatis / sholde peyȝe for here trauayle.
AF.5.1029: A guide character <a> in red ink is visible behind the Lombard capital. Regibus / & principibus / erit merces eorum.
/ [¶] But many a Iustise & Iurrour / wolde for Iakke do more.
Than pro dei pietate / beleve þou non othir.
F.5.1032KD.7.47
But he þat spendiþ his speche / & spekeþ for þe poore.
Þat ys Innocent & needy / & no man can a-peyȝre.
&F.5.1034: Alpha is responsible for the addition of &. conforteþ hym in ony caas / with-outyn coueytouse ȝiftis.
& sheweth lawhe for oure lordis love / as he haþ it leerned.
F.5.1036KD.7.51
Shal no deuyl at his deþ-day / dere hym worþ a myte.
Þat he worþ[ne] worþ saf & his sowle / þe sawhter beryþ wittnesse
Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo  &c. ut . supra.F.5.1038: F alone adds ut supra.
But no man sholde bygge watur / ne wyȝnd / ne fyȝr ne wit neyþir.
F.5.1040KD.7.54
For þese fowre þe fadir of hevene / formede hem comoun on erthe.
For þo ben Trewþis tresoreris / trewe folk to helpyn.
Þat neuere shulle wexe / ne wanyȝe / with-outyn god hym-selue.
fol. 28rI
Whan men drawe to þe deþ / & indulgensis dysire.
F.5.1044KD.7.58
Here pardoun ys ful petyȝt / at here departynge henne.
For ony meede of mene men / þat for here motynge toke.
Þe legistris & lawyeris / holde it a gret trewþe.
& yf þat y lyȝe now / seynt Matthew is to blame.F.5.1047: F omits the following unmetrical and probably spurious line from Bx: "For he bad me make yow þis and þis prouerbe me tolde."
F.5.1048KD.7.60α
Qvodcumque uultis ut faciant uobis homines  facite eis.
& also as laboreris / þat lyvyn by here hondis.
Þat trewly wirkyn / as þey trewly wynnen.
& lyven in love & in lawe / with lowhe trewe herte.F.5.1051: Alpha has singular herte in place of beta's plural.
F.5.1052KD.7.64
Þey have same[þe] same absolucioun / þat was to Pers grauntid.
But beggeris / ne bidderis / ben not in þe bulle.
But if þe suggestioun be soþ / þat shapman hemshap[eþ] hem [to] bigge.F.5.1054: An otiose curl is written over the first <g>.
For he þat beggiþ / or bit / but if he have neede.
F.5.1056KD.7.68
He is fals as þe fend / & defrawhdiþ þe nedy.
& by-gyliþ þe gyvere / a-geyn his goode wille.
For if he wiste . he were not nedy / he wolde gyve it anoþir.
Þat were more nedyereF.5.1059: Alpha and M have nedyere in place of beta's nedy. þan he / & so þe nedyere helpe.
F.5.1060KD.7.72
Catoun kenneþ men so / & þe MaysterF.5.1060: F is responsible for erroneous Mayster in place of clerc. Equally erroneous þe before Stories is from alpha, though the reading is shared by LM and may well be archetypal. of þe Stories .
Cui des  videto.F.5.1061: F omits the b-verse from Bx: "is Catons techyng."
/ [¶] Þe Mayster of stories techiþ the / how þou shalt be-take þy almesse.
Sit elemosina in manu tua . donec studes cui des.
F.5.1064KD.7.75.1
God seyþ hym in his gospel / nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra.F.5.1064: This line appears only in F.
But Gregorie þat goode man / he bad vs gyvyn alle.
Þat asken for oure lordis love / þat leeneþ vs alle þynge.
Non eligas cui cuicui miserearis . ne forte preteras illumF.5.1067: F alone omits the phrase "qui meretur accipere" after illum.
F.5.1068KD.7.77β
Qvia incertum est pro quo deum magis placeas.
If ȝee wete not who is worthy / but god whot who haþ nede.
For in þe takere ysF.5.1070: Alpha lacks beta's þe before treccherye. treccherye / if ony tresoun walkeþ.
For þe man þat ȝifte ȝeviþ / he ȝarkiþ his sowle reste.F.5.1071: F extensively revises the line. Beta reads "For he þat yeueþ yeldeþ and yarkeþ hym to reste." Alpha has the noun ȝifte in place of beta's yeueþ.
F.5.1072KD.7.81
& þe takere borweth yt / & bryngiþ his sowle in dette.
For-þyF.5.1073: Alpha has For-þy in place of beta's For.  beggeres borwe euere / & here borwhȝ is god al-myghty.
To ȝelden hem . þat ȝeviþ hem / for here goode wille.F.5.1074: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "and yet vsure moore."
Qvare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam . vt ueniens cum vsuris & exegissem vtique illam.
F.5.1076KD.7.84
For-þy  beggiþ nowht as beggeres / but ȝe have neede.
For who þat haþ with / to bygge hym bred / þe book beriþ witnesse.
He haþ y-nowh þat haþ but bred / þeyhȝ he haþ not ellis.
Satis diues est . qui pane non indiget.
F.5.1080KD.7.87
Lete vsage by ȝoure solace / of seyntys lyvis redyngge.
Þe sawhter blameþ beggeris / & byddis on þis manere.
Ivnior fui / & etenim senui & nonnon [vidi] iustum derelictum
nec semen eius querens panem.
For beggeres lyve in no love / ne no lawe holde.
fol. 28vI
F.5.1084KD.7.91
Many man weddiþ nowht / þat womman / þat he wyth delyþ.
But as a wyȝlde beeste with we . he  he worthiþ vp & werchiþ.
& of hem come barnes / þat bastardis men callyn.
& here baak / or sum boon / þey breke in here birthe.F.5.1087: Bx probably read "Or þe bak or som boon þei breke in hire (or his?) youþe." Beta manuscripts have ambiguous he for alpha's þei, though it is clear that beta scribes took it to be singular.
F.5.1088KD.7.95
& so goo þey fayȝten with here fawntys / ful longe after.
For þere is moo mys-shape peple / a-mongis a fewe beggeres.
Þan of alle manere of men / þat on þe moolde wandreþ.
For þo þat leede þus here lyf / euere-mowe þey loþe þe tyme.
F.5.1092KD.7.99
Þat euere was he man wroght / whan he shal hens fare.
But olde men & hoore / þat helpeles ben of strengþe.
& wommen with childe / þat wirche ne mowe.F.5.1094: F omits the following line: "Blynde and bedrede and broken hire membres."
& Meselis here myssese / meekly it take.F.5.1095: The reading is unique to F. Bx reads "That taken þis myschief mekeliche as Mesels and oþere."
F.5.1096KD.7.104
Haven a pleyn pardoun / as pers haþ hym-selue.
For love of here lowe hertys / oure lord haþ hem grauntyd.
For here penaunce / & purgatorye / here is open on erthe.
Peersquod a preest þo / þy pardoun muste y rede.
F.5.1100KD.7.108
& y shalF.5.1100: Alpha has shal in place of beta's wol. construe euery clawse / & kenne it þe on englyshȝ.
& sone peers at his prayere / his pardoun vn-foldede.
& y stood / by-hyȝnde hem boþe / & be-hild al ouer þe bulle.
& al in two lyȝnes þe strengþe lay / & nout a leef moore.
F.5.1104KD.7.112
& was y-wryte ryght þus / witnesse of trewþe.
Et qui bona egerunt  ibunt in vitam eternam.
Qvi vero mala  in ignem eternum.
Peeter . quod þe Preest þo / y can no pardoun fyȝnde.
F.5.1108KD.7.116
But dowel . & hauewel / & god shal have þyn sowle.
& doevel / & haue evel / & hope þou after a-nothir.
Þat after þy deþ-day / þe devil shal have þy sowhle.
& a-non Peers for pure teene / pullid þe bulle in tweyne.
F.5.1112KD.7.120
& seyde þus Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis.
Non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es domine.F.5.1113: F alone adds domine at the end of the Latin quotation.
I wil sese now of myn sowynge / & swynke not so harde.
Ne a-bowhtyn my bely Ioyȝe / so bisy ben no more.
F.5.1116KD.7.124
But of prayeris & of penauncesF.5.1116: Alpha has the plural form here and beta the singular. / my plowh shal be after.
& wepyn whan y sholde slepe / þeyhȝ wheteF.5.1117: The scribe initially wrote weete and then corrected it to whete. bred y-fayle.
I fyȝnde þe prophete payn eet / in Penance & in sorwe.
& after þat þe sawhter seyþ / so diden oþere manye.
F.5.1120KD.7.128
He þat loveþ god leelly / his lyfloode is ful redy.
Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte
/ [¶] & but if seynt Luk lyȝeþ / or lerneþ vs be foolys.F.5.1122: Most of the b-verse is owed to alpha. Beta's b-verse reads "he lereþ vs by foweles." A manuscripts have both folis and foules.
We sholde not ben to bysy / a-bowhtyn worldis blysse.
F.5.1124KD.7.131
He seyþ þus in his gospel / Ne solliciti scitis.
& be swiche ensamplis he sheweth vs / oure-seluyn to wissen.
Þe fowlis in þe fylde / who fyndes hem mete in wyntyr.
Þey have no gerner to go to / but god fynt hem alle.
fol. 29rI
F.5.1128KD.7.136
What quod þe Preest to Peers / be Peeter as me þynkiþ.
Þou art lettred a lytyl / who leernede þe on booke.
Mayster Abstynence quod PersF.5.1130: F's exemplar was almost certainly defective. Alpha had omitted "þe Abbesse," and F has characteristically recomposed the line. Bx reads "Abstynence þe Abbesse quod Pers . . . ." / myn a. b. c. me tawhte.
& Consience com afterwarde / & kennyd me wilw[e]l more.
F.5.1132KD.7.140
Pers  quod he / & þou were a preest / þou myghtist preche abowte.
As a Doctour ofF.5.1133: Alpha and G have of in place of beta's in. dyuynyte / withF.5.1133: The remainder of the line was not written. Bx reads "dixit insipiens to þi teme."
A  þou lewid lorel quod Peers / lytyl lokest þou / on þe byble.
Þere Salomonys sawis been / ful seelde þou hem be-holdist.
F.5.1136KD.7.143α
Eice derisorem & exibit cum eo iurgium / cessabitque cause & contumelie.F.5.1136: F differs significantly from Bx which reads "E[j]ice derisores & iurgia cum eis ne crescant &c." The added phrases are drawn from Proverbs 22:10. See John A. Alford, Piers Plowman: A Guide to the Quotations (Binghamton: MRTS, 1992), p. 57, for discussion.
& þus þe Preest & Pers / ech a-posede oþir.
& þorghȝ here woordis y a-wook / & waytede al abowhte.
& y seyȝ þe sunne in þe sowþ / where it sat þat tyme.
F.5.1140KD.7.147
I was Moneles & Meteles / my Mawe gan groone.F.5.1140: F alone suppresses the reference to the Malvern Hills. The b-verse in Bx reads "on Maluerne hulles."
But ȝit y mewsede on þis Metelis / as y my way wente.
& many a tyme meteles / It haþ maad me studyȝe.
Of þat y seyȝ slepynge / if it soþ / be myghte.
F.5.1144KD.7.151
& also for Pers Plowhman / ful pensyf in herte.
& what Pardoun Pers hadde / þe peple to conforte.
& how þe Preest Impugned it / with tweye propre woordis.
But y have no savour in Sompnuarye / to seyn nout þerafter.F.5.1147: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "for I se it ofte faille."
F.5.1148KD.7.155
For Catoun conseyliþ CatonistrisCa[n]onistris / comounly it faylyþ.F.5.1148: A small <+> appears in the right margin to mark the error.F.5.1148: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Caton and Canonistres counseillen vs to leue."
To settyn no soþnesse / in no Sompnewaryȝe.F.5.1149: F revises and shortens this line. Bx reads as follows: "To sette sadnesse in Songewarie for sompnia ne cures."
But for boldely þe byble book / beriþ bettre witnesse.
How Danyel dyvynede / of a kyngys dremes.
F.5.1152KD.7.159
He was Nabugodonosor / y-nempned of clerkys.
Sire kyng seyde Danyel / þy dremes by-tokneþ.
Þat vnkouþe knyghtis shulle comeF.5.1154: An otiose curl appears above the <m>. / þyn coroun þe reve.F.5.1154: Alpha has reve in place of beta's cleyme or cleue. The other manuscripts have "kyngdom to" in place of F's "coroun þe."
& a-mong lowere lordis / þy lond shal be departid.
F.5.1156KD.7.163
& as Danyel dyvynede / þe dede fel after.
Þe kyng lees his lordchepe / & lowhere lordis it hadde.
& Ioseph mette mervyously / of þe Moone & sonne.
& of þe elevene sterrys / how þey heylid hym alle.
F.5.1160KD.7.167
Anon Iacob Iuggede / Iosepys swevenys.
Bewh fyȝs quod his fadir / for defawhte after.
My-selue & my sones / shulle seeke þe for neede.
It fel as his fadir seyde / in pharao-is tyme.
F.5.1164KD.7.171
Þat Ioseph was Iustyse / of Egypt to looke.
& as his fadir tolde / hise fawntys sowtyn þere.
& al this matere makiþ me / on my metelis þynke.
fol. 29vI
& how þe Preest prevede / no Pardoun to Dowel.
F.5.1168KD.7.175
& demede þat Dowel / alle Indulgenses passede.
Or quinquenalis / or tryennales / or þe Bisshopis lettris.
& how Dowel at þe day of dome / is deyntely take.
& passeþ al þe pardoun / of seynt Petris chirche.
F.5.1172KD.7.179
Þe Pope haþ gret powher / pardoun to grawnte.
A sowle with-outyn penaunce / to passyn in-to hevene.
Þis ys oure be-leve / þe gospel leyþ þe same.F.5.1174: F rewrote the b-verse which in Bx reads "as lettred men vs techeþ." He left a blank line for the Latin text, but failed to write it. Bx reads "Quodcumque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum & in celis, &c."

& y be-leve leelly / oure lord for-bede ellys.
F.5.1176KD.7.183
Þat Pardoun / & prayeris / & Penaunce saven sowlys.
Þat þe bodijs have synnyd / sevene syþis dedly.F.5.1177: F has revised this line. Bx reads "Soules þat haue synned seuen siþes dedly."
But to tristne on tryanales / truly me þynkiþ.
It ys nowht so sykir to þe sowle / soþly as is Dowel.
F.5.1180KD.7.187
/ [¶] Þerefore y rede ȝow / alle / þat ryche men been heere.
Vpon trist on ȝowre tresor / tryenalis to purchase.
Be ȝee neuere þe boldere / to breke þe ten hestys.
& namely ȝee Maystris / boþe Meyȝhres & althermen.
F.5.1184KD.7.191
Þat have þe welthe of þis world / & wyse men ben holde.
To purchase ȝow pardoun / with þe popis bullis.
F.5.1186: The faint black <x> in the left margin apparently does not correlate with an error in the text. For at þe dred-ful dome / whan dede men shulle ryse.
& comen alle by-fore crist / & ȝoure a-cowntys ȝeelde.F.5.1187: Alpha is responsible for & at the beginning of the b-verse and the omission of to before ȝeelde, and F uniquely has ȝoure. Bx reads "acountes to yelde."
F.5.1188KD.7.195
& how ȝee ladden ȝoure lyf / & ȝoure lawis kepyn.
& how ȝeeF.5.1189: FHm alone have plural ȝee instead of þow. donF.5.1189: Alpha is responsible for the present tense. Beta manuscripts have didest. day be day / þe dome wille reerce.
A Poke-ful of pardoun / þere / ne provyncialis lettrys.
Be not fownde in no fraternite / of þe foure ordrys.
F.5.1192KD.7.199
Ne Indulgencis doblefold / but Dowel ȝow helpe.F.5.1192: F omits the following line from Bx: "I sette youre patentes and youre pardon at one pies hele."
Þerfore y conseyle alle cristene / to criȝe crist mercy.
& Marie his Moodir be oure mene at neede.
Þat he gyve vs grace / er þat we goon henne.
F.5.1196KD.7.204
Swiche wirkis to wirche / þeF.5.1196: Alpha, agreeing with many C manuscripts, supplies þe, providing another instance in which beta manuscripts agree with A and alpha with C. whyle we ben here.
Þat after oure deþ-day / Dowel it reerse.
At þe day of dome we dide þat we hym hyȝhte.
The original scribe left the instructions "quintus / sextus" in the left margin to indicate where the passus break occurred. Explicit Passus Quintus.
MED