fol. 44v (cont.)I
PassusB 11
Then scryptuvre scorned me & a skylle tolde
& lakked me In latyn & lyghtG.12.2: The loop on the <l> of lyght has been added in brown ink. by me sett
and sayde multi multa sciunt & se ipsos nesciunt : //
G.12.4KD.11.4
tho wept I for whoo & wrathe off hyr speche
fol. 45rI
& In a vyndyng wrathe wexe I a-slepe
a merueliouvse sweuvene mett me then
that I was rauvysshed ryght there & fortuvne me fette
G.12.8KD.11.8
& In-to þe londe off longyng alone she me broght
& In a myrrouvr þat hyght mydleyerthe she made me beholde
sythen she sayde to me here meysthowe þou meysthowe see wondres
& knowe þat þou couveytyst & come þerto perauventuvre
G.12.12KD.11.12
then had fortuvne folowyng too fayre doghters
concupiscencia carnis men called the elder meyde
& couvetyse off heyghtesG.12.14: The form resulting from this alteration (i.e. heyghtes for earlier heyghes) is the form regularly employed by the original scribe when "eyes" occurs in this particular phrase ("covetise of eyes" translating "concupiscentia oculorum;" 1.John 2:16). See G.12.32, G.12.40 etc. However, the G scribe's usual form for "eyes" is ey(e)ne and it seems likely that the spelling found here and elsewhere in this passus results from a misunderstanding. The form found in the scribe's exemplar was probably heyghes (or possibly, given the spelling at G.12.32 and the correction at G.12.52, heghes). Elsewhere in the text the scribe has, presumably, recognised this as a form of "eyes" and replaced it with his own usual spelling. There is, after all, no possibility of confusion at, for instance, G.1.74 where heyghes appearing after "bleared their" could scarcely mean anything else. However, the expression "covetise of eyes," though common in medieval pastoralia, may not have been so familiar by the sixteenth century, and there would then be nothing in the words "covetise of" to suggest that "eyes" must follow. The scribe, both in his original transcription and here as the brown ink corrector, appears to have interpreted the phrase as meaning something like "covetousness of rank or position"(see OED height, n., 7). called was the other
pryde off perfytt lyuvyng puvrsued theym bothe
G.12.16KD.11.16
& bad me for my couvntenance acoumpte clergy lyght
conpuciscentiacon[c]u[p]iscentia carnis colled me abowte þe necke
& seyde þou arte yong & hast yeres I-nowe
for to lyuve long & ladyes to louve
deus
G.12.20KD.11.20
& yn þe myrrouvr þou myghtest se myrthes fuvlmanyfuvl many
that leyde þe woyleG.12.21: The alteration of wole to wyle is in slightly blacker ink than the surrounding letters but no blacker than that of other sections of the original on the same page. The scribe has also re-outlined the original <l>. to lykyng all þi lyffe-tyme
þe second sayde þe same leueI shall shewG.12.22: Given the frequent appearance in G of <s> for <sh> and vice versa G's reading shew for remaining B manuscripts suwe="follow" is not necessarily a substantive variation. See Introduction III.4.1. þi wyll
tyll þou be a bordelorde & hauve lande lett þe I nyll
G.12.24KD.11.24
but I shall folowe þi felowshyppe yff fortuene fortuvne ytt lyke
he shall fynd me hys frende quod fortuvne here-after
the freyke þat folowed my wyll fayled neuer blysse
then was þer on heghte elde / þat heuvy was off chere
G.12.28KD.11.28
man quod he Iff y mete wyth þe by mary off heyuven
& þou shalt fynd fortuvne þe fayle att thye most nede
and concupiscentia carnis cleyne þe forsake
beytterly shalthowe blame bothe dayes & nyghtes
G.12.32KD.11.32
couvetyse off heghtG.12.32: For G heght for most manuscripts eyghe, see note to G.12.14. þat euer þou ytt knewe
& pryde off perfytt lyuvyng to moche peryll þe bryng
ye recche þe neuer quod recchles & stoode In ragged clothes
folowe forthe þat fortuvne wyll þou hast farre to elde
G.12.36KD.11.36
a man may stowpe tyme ynoghe when he shall lose hys crowne
homo proponit quod a poett and plato he hyght
& deus disponit quod he lett god done hys wyll
yff trewthe wyll wyttnes ytt be well do fortuvne to folowe
G.12.40KD.11.40
concupiscencia carnis ne couvetyse off heghtesG.12.40: For G heghtes for most manuscripts eyes, see note to G.12.14.
fol. 45vI
shall not greuve þe greatly ne begyle þe wyth-owte þou wolte
ye fare well phyppe quod fauvntelte & forthe gan me drawe
tyll concupiscencia carnis acorded all my workes
G.12.44KD.11.44
allas heyghe quod elde & holynes bothe
that wytt shall torne to wrecchednes for wyll to haue hys lykynge
couvetyse off heyghtesG.12.46: For G heyghtes for remaining manuscripts eyghes, see note to G.12.14. conforted me sone after
& fowlowed me fortye wynters or fyftye or more
G.12.48KD.11.48
þat off dowell ne do-better no deynte me thoght
I had no likyng ne no lust off þem ought to knowe
couvetyse off heyghtesG.12.50: For G heyghtes for most manuscripts eyes, see note to G.12.14. came offter In my mynde
then dowell or dobetter amonge my dedes all
G.12.52KD.11.52
couvetyse off heyghtesG.12.52: For G heyghtes for most manuscripts eyes, see note to G.12.14. G.12.52: Immediately after the first <e> of heyghtes, the scribe began to write <g> and then changed it to <y>. Compare the spelling at G.12.32. comforted me offte
and seyde hauve no conscyence how þou come to goode
go confesse þe to some frere & shewe hym þi synnes
for wyles fortuvne ys þi frende / freres wyll þe louve
G.12.56KD.11.56
and fecche to þer fraternyte & for þe byseke
to theyre pryouvr prouvyncyall a pardon to hauve
& prey for the pole by pole yff þou be . peccuniosus .//
sed pecia peccuniaria non sufficit pro spiritualibus delictis.//
G.12.60KD.11.59
by wysshyng off þis wenche I wroght theyr wordes were sweete
tyll I forgate yought & then In-to elde
& then was fortuvne my foo for all hyr bybheste
& pouerte puvrsuved me and puvtt me lowe
G.12.64KD.11.63
and I fouvnde þe frere a-fearde & flytyng bothe
agayn our fyrste forwarde for I seyde I nolde
be buvryed att theyre houvse but att my peryche churche
for I herde onesce how conscyence ytt tolde
G.12.68KD.11.67
þat þer a man was crystened by kynd he sholdG.12.68: The word shold has been re-outlined in black ink. be buvryed
or where he were perysshen þer he shuvldG.12.69: The <d> of "should" has been re-outlined by hand1.1. be grauven
and for I seyde þus to freres / a fole þei me helden
& louved me þe lesse for my loyall speche
G.12.72KD.11.70
& yet I cryed on my confessour þat he held hym-seluve so connyngG.12.72: The scribe has run out of space and writes the last word (connyng) above the line, partly boxed in grey ink.
by my faythe frere quod I / ye fare lyke thes wowers
that wedde no wydowes but to welde theyr goodes
fol. 46rI
ryght so by þe roode roght ye neuer
G.12.76KD.11.74
where my body were buvryed soG.12.76: The G M F reading so (for most manuscripts bi so), results in a b-verse without an alliterating syllable. ye hadde þe syluver
I hauve moche merueyle off you & so hathe manye other
wye your couvent couvetythe not to confesse & to buvrye
rather þen to baptyze barnes / that beene katykuvmynes
G.12.80KD.11.78
babptyzyngG.12.80: The colour of the ink here suggests that the spelling of the word "baptizing" has been corrected by the original scribe. Note the spelling at G.12.82. & buvryeng bothe bene full nedefull
but moche more merytoryouvse me thynkethe to baptyze
for a baptyzed man may as masters tellen
thruvgh contrycyon come to hyghe heyuven
G.12.84KD.11.81α
sola contricio delet peccatum & cetera. //
but a barne wyth-oute baptyme may not be sauved
nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & cetera . //
loke ye lettered men wether I lye or noght
G.12.88KD.11.84
and lealte loked on me & I louvred after
wherfore louvresthowe quod lealte & loked on me herde
yff I dorste a-monge men þes metteles a-wowe
ye by petur & by poule quod he & take bothe to wyttnes
G.12.92KD.11.88
non oderis fratres secrete in corde tuo sed publice argue illos . //
they wyll alegge also quod I & by þe gosspell prouve
nolite Iudicare quemquam & cetera //
& wheroff seruvethe lawe quod lealte yff no lyfe vndertooke ytt
G.12.96KD.11.92
falsheyde & faytouvrye for somewhatt þe apostell seyde
non oderis fratrem & yn þe sauvter seyde dauyd þe prophete
existimasti inique quod ero tui similis et cetera //
ytt ys locutuml[i]c[i]tum to lewde meme[n] to segge the sothe
G.12.100KD.11.97
yff þem lykethe & lyst eche lawe ytt guvntetheg[ra]untetheG.12.100: G's erroneous form of Bx graunteth is probably yet another indication of the G scribe's failure fully to understand the significance of superscript <a>. See notes to G.3.157 and G.4.156 and Introduction IV.1.1.
except persones and prestes & prelates off holyechurche
ytt fallyth not to þis folke tales to tell
thogh the tale were trew / & ytt towchyd synne
G.12.104KD.11.101
thyng þat all þis worlde woote arate deydly synne wherfore shuvldesthowe spare
and redyn yttG.12.105: C2 shares G's original omission of ytt. The addition brings G's reading into line with that of remaining B manuscripts. In retoryke to arate deydly synne
but be neuer-more þe fuvrste þe defauvte to blame
thoghe þou se euvell sey noght be sorye / ytt e ....nere amendG.12.107: G alone uses the contracted form of the past participle (amend).
G.12.108KD.11.105
a thyng þat ys pryuvye puvblyce ytt neuer
nether for louve looue ytt not no lakke yt not for enuvye
parum lauda vitupera parcius & cetera //
he sayethe quod scryptuvre tho & starte an heygh & preyched
fol. 46vI
G.12.112KD.11.108
but þe matter þat he meuved yff lewde men ytt knewe
the lesse as I leuve louve ytt þei wolde
thys was theyre teyme & theyre texte I toke full good hede
multi to a mangerye / & to þe meyte were sompnede
G.12.116KD.11.113
and when þe poeple was come þe porter vpynnedv[n]pynnedG.12.116: No abbreviation mark is visible over the initial <v> of G vpynned. þe gate
and puvlled ynne pauci priuvyleche & leete þe remnant rome
all for tene off þat texte trembled myne herte
and yn a weyrye gan I wexe & wyth my-selfe dyspuvte
G.12.120KD.11.117
whether þei were chosen or noght on holy churche I thoghte
that vndrefonge me atttheatt the fouvnte for on off goddes chosen
For cryste cleped vs all come yff we wolde
sarazenes & sysmatykes & so he dyd þe Iewes
G.12.124KD.11.120α
O vos omnes scientes venite ad aquas et cetera //G.12.124: The phrase ad aquas, found in G and Hm, is absent from most B manuscripts but present in all C manuscripts. However, the correspondence beween the C and G Hm readings may well, like the shared readings at G.19.268, simply be due to shared recollection of the biblical passage (Isaiah 55:1).
and bad theym sowke for synne sauvely att hys brest
and drynke for bale brouvke ytt wo-so myght
then may all crystyen men quod I cleame þer entre
G.12.128KD.11.124
by þe bloode he boght vs wyth / & thruvgh baptyme after
qui credederit et baptisatus fuerit et cetera//
for thogh a crysten man couveyte hys crystedome to renye
ryghfullyche to renye nG.12.131: This letter <n> has been abandoned because it was blotted. no reason ytt wolde
G.12.132KD.11.127
for may no chuvrle chartare make / ne hys catell sell
wyth-owte leyuve off hys lord / n.oG.12.133: A single letter appears to have been erased here and replaced by no. It is impossible to tell what the original letter was, but a tail is faintly visible. The virgule was probably added at the time of the correction and it acts as a word separator, but its position in the line suggests that it may also have metrical significance. lawe wyll ytt grauvnte
but he may renne In areragys & rome froG.12.134: The G R F reading fro (for remaining manuscripts so fro) is adopted by Kane and Donaldson, and is also shared by almost all C manuscripts. hys owne
and as a renyed kayteffe recheleslye a-bowte
G.12.136KD.11.131-132
but reason shall rekne wyth hym & cast hym yn arerage
and put theym after In pryson In puvrgatorye to brenne
for hys arerage rewarde hym there to þe day off dome
but contrycyon wyll come & crye by hys lyuve
G.12.140KD.11.136
mercy for hys myssdedes wyth mouvthe or wyth herte
that ys quod scryptuvre may no synne lette
mercy all to amend and mekenes folowe
for they beene as bookes abouve goddes workes
G.12.144KD.11.139α
misericordia domini eius super omnia opera eius // G.12.144: The first example of eius is smudged and may possibly have been lined through.
ye bawe for bookes on was broken owte off hell
hyght troianus was a trew knyght toke wyttnes at the pope
how he was deyde & dampned to dwellen In payne
fol. 47rI
G.12.148KD.11.143
for on vncrystyen creatouvre clerkes woote þe sothe
that all the claregye vndre cryste myght hym cracche fro hell
but only louve & loyalte & hys lauvfull domes
gregorye wyst thys well & wylnethe to my souvle
G.12.152KD.11.147
saluvatyon for sothelesnes þat he syeghe yn my workes
and after þat he wepte & wylned me were grauvnted
grace wyth-owte beydeG.12.154: Kane and Donaldson adopt the G reading beyde. Most B manuscripts read any bede. byddyng hys bone was vndrefonge
& y sauved as ye may se wyth-owte syngyng off masses
G.12.156KD.11.152
by louve & by lernyng & by lyuvyng In trewthe
broght me fro bytter payne þer no byddyng myght
low ye lordys watt loyalte dyd by an emperouvr off rome
þat was a vncrysten creatuvre as clerkes fynd In bokes
G.12.160KD.11.156
noght thrugh preyer off þe pope but for hys puvre trewthe
was that sarzene sauved as gregory beyrythe wyttnes
well ought lordes þat lawes kepe thys lesson haue In mynde
and on troianus trewthe to thynke & to do thG.12.163: Kane and Donaldson record cancelled <th> as the, later cancelled, but the word seems to have been abandoned before any <e> could be written. trew to þe poeple
G.12.164KD.11.171
lawe wyth-owte louve quod troianus ley ther a beane
or any scyence vndre sonne þe seyuven artes & all
but þei be lerned for our lordes louve lost ys all the tyme
for no cauvse to cacche syluver ne to be called a master
G.12.168KD.11.175
but all for louve off our lorde & better to louve the poeple
for seynt Ihon sayde ytt & sothe are hys wordes
qui non diligit manet In morte et cetera . //
wo-so louvethe noght leuve me he lyuvethe In dede dyenge
G.12.172KD.11.178
and þat all maner off men enmyes & frendes
leuven there ether other and leynd hym att hys nede
wo-so leynethe noght he louveth noght god woote þe sothe
& commauvndethe eche creatuvre to confyrme hym to louve
G.12.176KD.11.182
and souereygnlyche poere poeple & theyre enmyes after
for theym that haten vs / ys our merytt to louve
& poere poeple to pleasse þeir preyers may vs helpe
for our Ioy & our heale Iesu cryst off heyuven
G.12.180KD.11.186
In a pouvere manes apparell puvrsuede vs euver
& lokethe v on vs wyth ynG.12.181: A virgule has been added between vs and yn to separate these words after the correction. theyr kyknes[l]yknes & þat wyth louvely chere
to knowe vs by our kynde herte & castyng off eyghe
wedre we louve þe lordes here before þe lorde off heyuvenG.12.183: The <u> to <v> alteration made to the word heyuen has faded until it just looks like a faint brown smudge.
G.12.184KD.11.190
& excytethe by the euvangylye when we make feastes
fol. 47vI
we sholde not clepe our kynne þerto ne no kynne ryche
cum facitis conuiuia nolite inuitare amicos .//
but call þe carefull therto the croked & the o poere
G.12.188KD.11.193
for your frendes wyll feden you & fond you to quvyte
your feastyng & your fayre gyftes ech frend quvytethe otherG.12.189: In the case of M, the reading other (as G, cf. remaining manuscripts so other) results from the erasure of original so.
but for þe pore I shall pay & puvre well quvyte theyr trauvell
that gyuvethe þem meyte or money & louvethe þem for my sake
G.12.192KD.11.198
for þe best been some ryche & some beggers & pouere
for all we er crystes creatuvres & off hys cofers ryche
& bretheren as off bloode as well beggers as erles
for on caluvere off crystes blode crystendome gan sprynge
G.12.196KD.11.202
and blodye bretheren we bycomeG.12.196: The second and third letters of bycome are partly obscured by a blot, but there is no doubt about the reading. off on bodye wonne
as quasi modo geneiti . & gentyll men echoone
no begger ne boy amonge vs but yff synne ytt made
qui facit peccatum seruus est peccati & cetera
G.12.200KD.11.205
In þe old lawe as holy letter tellethe
mennes sonnes men called vs echone
off adamesG.12.202: It is possible that something (a minim?) has been deleted between the second <a> and the <m> of adames. yssue & euve ay to god-man dyede
& after hys resurreccyon / redemptor / was hys name
G.12.204KD.11.208
& we hys brethren thruvgh hym boght bothe ryche & poere
forthy louve we as bretheren shall & eche man laghe onerG.12.205: The scribe originally wrote ouer. After the deletion of the abbreviation for -er the two <u> minims function as the <n> of on. other
& yff eche man mey forbeyre amende þer ytt nedythe
& euery man helpe other for hence shall we all
G.12.208KD.11.211α
alter alterius onera portate & cetera //
& be we noght vnkynd off our catell ne our connyng nether
for woote no man how ytt ys to be ynome fro bothe
forthy lak no lyfe other thoghe he more laten knowe
G.12.212KD.11.215
ne vndremyne noght fouvle for ytt G.12.212: The deletion of ytt is made with a thin line in black ink. ys notn wyth-ouvte fauvte
For what-euer clerkes carpe off crystendome or elles
cryste to a comen woman seyd In come at þe feaste
that fides sua shuvlde sauven hyr & saluvenG.12.215: The letters of original saluen have been re-outlined in black ink. of hyr synnes
G.12.216KD.11.219
then ys byleuve a leall helpe abouve logyke & lawe
off logyk ne off lawe yn legenda sanctorum .//
ys lytle alowance made but byleuve them helpe
for ytt ys ouerlong er logykG.12.219:There is possibly a second very tiny <o> here (giving loogyk). any leyssone assoyle
G.12.220KD.11.223
and lawe ys lothe to louve but yff he lacche syluver
bothe logyk & lawe that louvethe noght to lye
fol. 48rI
I couvnseyle all crysten men cleuve noght þeron to sore
for some wordes I fynd wryten þat were off faythes teychyng
G.12.224KD.11.227
þat sauved synfull men as seynt Ihon beyrythe wyttnes
eadem mensura qua mensi fueretis remecietur vobis . //
forthy lere we þe lawe off louve as our lorde taght
and as seynt gregory sayethe for manes souvle helpe
G.12.228KD.11.231
melius est scrutari scelera nostra quam naturas rerum . //
why I meeue thys matter ys most for the pouvere
for In hys lycknes our lorde offt hathe beene knowe
wyttnes In þe pasque weeke when he yede to emaus
G.12.232KD.11.235
cleophas knewe hym noght þat he cryste were
for hys pouvre aparell as pylgrymes wedes
tyll he blysshed & brake þe breyd þat they eyten
so by thes wordes theG.12.235: For the G scribe's use of the for remaining manuscripts þei, see also note to G.2.164 and readings at G.6.150, G.6.195. wyst he was I. Iesus .
G.12.236KD.11.239
but by clothyng they knewe hym notheG.12.236: The spelling <nothe> for "not" probably results from the use of superscript <t> to represent both t and th, see, e.g., abbreviations for "with." by carpyng off tong
& all was In ensample to vs synfull here
that we sholde be lowe & louvelyche off speche
& apperell vs noght prowdly for pylgrymes are we all
G.12.240KD.11.243
and In apperell off a poere man & pylgrymes lycknes
many tayme god hathe beene mett among nedy poeple
they neuer segh hym segge In þe secte off the ryche
seynte Ihon & other seyntes were seene In pouvere clothyng
G.12.244KD.11.247
& as poere pylgrymes preyed menes goodes
Iesus In a Iewes doghter a-lyght gentyll woman thogh she were
was a puvre pouvere meyde & to a poere man wedded
martha on mary magdelyneG.12.247: The <a> of magdelyne is written above the line. an huvge pleynte she made
G.12.248KD.11.251
and to our sauvyouvr hym-seluve sayd thes wordes
domine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquit me solamG.12.249: The reading solam basically corresponds to that of β4 manuscripts, though the remainder add & cetera. The majority B reading is solam ministrare. . //
and hastylyche god answered & ethers wyll folowed
bothe in mathama[r]tha & In marye as mathew beyrethe wyttnes
G.12.252KD.11.255
but pouerte god puvtt before & preysed ytt þe bettre
maria optimam partem elegit que non auferetur ab ea //
&G.12.254: The line initial ampersand, which overlaps the margin, may be an addition by the original scribe. All other B manuscripts have some form of "And." all þe wyse þat euer were by ought I can aspye
preysen pouerte for best lyffe yff pacyence folowe
E
fol. 48vI
G.12.256KD.11.258
& bothe better & blysseder by manyfolde þen ryches
& thogh ytt be souvre to suffer there commethe swete after
as an walnote wythoute ys a bytter barke
and after þat bytter barke be þe shell a-way
G.12.260KD.11.262
ys a kernell off conforte kynd to restore
so ys after pouerte or pennance pacyentlyche taken
for ytt makethe man to haue mynd In god a greate whyle
to wepe & toG.12.263:Possibly the ampersand was originally something else (or?) and the scribe has attempted to alter it, then given up and deleted. and to well bydde wheroff wexethe mercye
G.12.264KD.11.266
off wyche cryste ys a kernell to conforte þe souvle
& well sykerer he slepethe þe man þat ys poere
& lesse he dredethe dethe and yn derke to be robbed
then he þat ys ryght ryche reason beyrethe wyttnes
G.12.268KD.11.269α
pauper ego ludo dum tu diues meditaris .//
all-thogh salomon sayde as folke seyne In þe byble
diuitias nec paupertates & cetera //
wyser þen salomon was beyren wyttnes & taght
G.12.272KD.11.273
that perfytt pouerte was no possessyon to haue
& lyffe most lykyng to god as ly luvke beyrethe wyttnes
si vis perfectus esse vade et vende & cetera //
and ys to meane to men þat on thys mold lyuven
G.12.276KD.11.276
wo-so wyll be puvre parfett moote possessyon forsake
or sell ytt as seyethe þe boke and the syluver deale
to beggers þat goone & begge & bydde for godes louve
for fayled neuer man meyte þat myghtfull god seruved
G.12.280KD.11.280
as dauyd sayethe In þe sauvter to suoyche as been In wyll
to seruve god godelyche ne greuvethe hym no pennance
nichil impossibile volenti et cetera
ne lakkethe neuer lyuvelode lynnen ne wollen
G.12.284KD.11.282α
Inquirentes autem dominum non minuenturG.12.284: There is an otiose bar over the first letter of minuentur. omni bono .//
yff prestes were perfytt they wold no syleuer take
for masses ne for matyns noght þe mete off vsuvrers
ne neyther kyrtell ne cote thoghe þei for colde shold dye
G.12.288KD.11.286
and þei þer deuvoyer dyd as dauyd sayeth yn þe sauvter
Iudica me deus et discerne causam meam & cetera spera in deo et ceteraG.12.289:The et cetera is in the gutter and may not be visible in the image.
spekethe off prestes þat haue no spendyng syluver
fol. 49rI
that yff þei trauveyle treuvlyche & truvst In god almyghtye
G.12.292KD.11.289
them shall lacke no lyuvelode neyther wollen ne lynnen
& þe tytle þei take ordre by tellethe ye been auvauncede
then nedethe not you take syluver for masses þat ye syng
for he þat toke you your tytle shall take you your wages
G.12.296KD.11.293
off þe bysshope þat blysshethe you yff that ye be worthye
for made neuer kyng no knyght but he had cattell to spend
as byfell for a knyght or fond hym for hys strenght
ytt ys a carefull knyght & off kaytyffe kynges makyng
G.12.300KD.11.297
þat hathe no land ne lynage ryche ne good loos off hys handes
the same I sey forsothe by all suoyche prestes
that haue nether connyng ne kynne but a crowne onne
and a tytle a tale off noght to hys lyuvelode at mysscheffe
G.12.304KD.11.301
he hathe more byleue as I leuve to lacche thruvgh hys crouvne
cuvre þen for connyng or knowyng or cleane off beyryng
I haue wondre þat whye & wherfore þe bysshope
makethe suoyche prestes þat lewde men betreyen
G.12.308KD.11.303
a chartre ys chalengeable afore a cheffe Iuvstece
yff falsceG.12.309: The alteration of fals to falce uses up the space between this word and latyn. latyn be In þat lettre þe lawe ytt ympuvgnethe
or peynted parentrelynarye percelles ouer-skypped
the gome þat glosethe so charters for a gokye hys holden
G.12.312KD.11.307
so ys ytt a goky by god / þat In þe gospell faylethe
or In masse or matyns makethe any defauvte
qui offendit In vno In omnibus est reus . et cetera . //
and also In þe sawter sayethe dauyd to ouerskyppers
G.12.316KD.11.311
psallite deo nostro psallite quoniam rex terre deus israel psallite sapienter
the bysshoppe shalbeshal be blamed a-fore god as I leuve
that crouned suoyche goddes knyghtesG.12.318: The word knyghtes has been re-outlined in much blacker ink, but there does not appear to be any alteration. that kannethe nat wysely
syng ne psalmes rede ne segge a mas off þe day
G.12.320KD.11.315
but neuer nether ys blameles þe bysshoppe nethene the chapeleyne
for euere eyther ys Indyted & þat off /ignorantia .//
non episcopos excusat nec ydyotes prestes
thys lokyng off lewde prestes hathe done me leype fro pouerte
G.12.324KD.11.319
wyche I preysse theyre pacyence ys more perfytt þen ryches
& butG.12.325: Despite the addition of but, there appears to have been no attempt to cross out the ampersand at the beginning of the line. Most manuscripts read Ac. moche more In metyng þus wyth me gan on dysspuvte
& slepyng I seghe all þis & sythen came kynde
fol. 49vI
and neuenvedneue[n]ed me by name & bad me nymen heede
G.12.328KD.11.323
and thruvghe þe wouvnders off thys worlde wytt for to take
& on a montagne þat mydleyerthe hyghe as me tho thoght
I was fet forthe by ensamples to knowe
thruvghe eche a creatuvre & kynde my creatouvr to louvye
G.12.332KD.11.327
I sehe þe sonne & þe see and þe sond after
& where þat bryddes & bestes by þer makes yedene
wylde wormes in woddes wonderfowle fowles
wyth flecked fethers and off fellG.12.335: For G's treatment of B fele (here appearing as G Cr fell), see note to G.4.349. colouvrs
G.12.336KD.11.331
man & hys make I myght bothe beholde
pouerte & plente bothe peasse & warre
blysse & bale bothe I seghe att onesce
and how men toke mede & mercy refuvsed
G.12.340KD.11.335
reason I seghe sothely sewen all bestes
In eytyng & drynkyng In engenderyng off kynd
and after couvrsce off conceptyon non toke kepe off other
and when þei had rydyen In rotye-tyme anon ryght þer-after
G.12.344KD.11.339
males drewen þem to males oIn mouvrnes by þem-seluve
and In euvenynges also / þe males fro females
þer was kow þ ne kow-kynd þat conceyuved had
þat wold belwe after buvlles ne boore after sowe
G.12.348KD.11.343
bothe hors & houvndes & all other bestes
medeled not wyth þer makes þat wyth foole were
bryddes I behelde þat In buvskes made nestes
had neuer wye wytt to worche the leaste
G.12.352KD.11.347
I had wondre att whome & where þe pye lerned
to legge þe stykkes In wyche he lyethe & bredethe
þer nys wryght as I wene sholde worche hyr nest to paye
yff any mason made a mold þerto moche wondre ytt were
G.12.356KD.11.351
& yet me merveled more off many other bryddes
hydden & hylleden theyr egges full derne
In marres & moores þat men shold þem not fynde
& hydden þer egges when þei þer-fro wente
G.12.360KD.11.355
for fere off other fowles & for wylde beestes
& some tradden þer makes & on trees bredenG.12.361: In the case of G, the spelling shared with Cr23 F (i.e. breden rather than the majority B reading bredden) does not necessarily indicate a substantive variant. Although the G scribe was clearly aware of the possibility of using single and double consonants to indicate preceding long and short vowels, his practice in this respect was by no means consistent (see Introduction III.2).

& broght

fol. 50rI
& broght forthe þer bryddes so all abouve þe grouvnde
& some bryddes at the byll thruvghe breythyng conceyuved
G.12.364KD.11.359
& some kakeled I toke kepe howe peykokes bredenG.12.364: For the use by G in particular of the form breden (as also Cr R) for most manuscripts bredden, see note to G.12.361.
moche merueled me what mastre they had
& wo taght þem on trees to tymbre so heyghe
þat nether barne ne beast myght þer bryddes reyche
G.12.368KD.11.363
and sythen I loked on þe see & so on þe sterres
many selkouvthes I segh be noght to seye noweG.12.369: For G Cr C nowe for remaining manuscripts nouthe, see note to G.4.295.
I segh flouwersG.12.370: It is probably too early for the change of flouers to flowers to indicate a spelling distinction between the homophones "flour" and "flower," since this only appears to have taken place in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; see Manfred Görlach, Introduction to Early Modern English (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991), 56. The alteration is in black ink rather than the brown normally used by hand1.1, and appears to have been made at the time of writing rather than as part of the scribe's later programme of spelling corrections. In þe frytthe & þer fayre colouvrs
& how among þe grene gresse grewe so manye hewes
G.12.372KD.11.367
& some souvre & some swete selcouvthe me thoght
off hyr kynd & hyr colouvre to carpe yt were to long
but that most meved me & my mode changed
þat reason rewarded & reuvled all beastes
G.12.376KD.11.371
sauve man & hys make many tyme & offte
no reason them folowed & þat I rebuvked
reason & ryght to hym-seluve seyde
I haue wondre off þe quod I þat wytty arte holden
G.12.380KD.11.375
whye þou ne sueste man & hys make þat þem no myssfayte folowe
& reason arated me & seyde reche þou neuere
why I suffer or noght suffer þi-seluve hast noght a doone
amend þou yff þou myght my tyme ys to abyde
G.12.384KD.11.379
sufferance ys souvereygne wertuve & a swyffte wengeance
wo sufferythe more þen god quod he no goome as I leuve
he myght amend In a mynuvte wyle all þat mysstandethe
but he sufferythe for some mannes good & so ys our better
G.12.388KD.11.394
the wyse & þe wyttye wroote þisG.12.388: For the G scribe's use of "this" for most manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. In the byble
de re que te non molestat noli certare & cetera //
for be a man fayre or fouvle ytt fallethe not toG.12.390: The majority B reading (i.e. forto rather than to) results in a very long b-verse dip and Kane and Donaldson adopt the G O C2 reading to. See, however, Duggan, "Notes on the Metre." lacke
the shappe ne þe shafte þat god shoope hym-seluve
G.12.392KD.11.398
for all þat he dyd was weldoowel doo as holy wrytt weyttnessythe
et vidit deus cuntacun[c]ta que fecerat & erant valde bona : //
& bad euery creatuvre In hys kynd Increasse
all to muvrthe wythe man that most woo tholye
G.12.396KD.11.401
In fouvndyng off þe flesshe & the feende bothe
fol. 50vI
for man was made off suoyche amattera matter he mey not well astarte
that ne some-tyme hym betyd to folowen hys kynde
caton acordethe þerwyth nemo sine crimine viuit.//
G.12.400KD.11.405
tho caght I colouvr a-non & compsed to be shamed
and awaked þer-wyth woo was me thene
that I yn meytelles ne myght more haue y-knowen
then seyd I to my-selffe and chydde þat tyme
G.12.404KD.11.409
now I watt what dowell ys by dere god as me thynkethe
& as I cast vp myne eyne oone loked on me & asked
off me what thyng yt were Iwys syr I seyde
to se moche & suffer more certes quod he ItG.12.407: Kane and Donaldson state that original I is altered to he It by the main hand. Given that the original scribe and the later brown ink corrector appear to have been the same person, this may well be the case but it is clear that any such alteration must have been carried out in two stages, since the <t> of It is in pale grey ink whereas he has been added in brown ink. ys dowell
G.12.408KD.11.413
haddesthowe suffered slepyng tho thowe were
þou sholdest haue knowenG.12.409: The added bar over the final <e> of knowe is in brown ink. þat clargye can & conceyuved more by reason
for reason wold haue rehersed þe ryght as clargye seyde
and for theryne entremetyng there / arthowe forsake
G.12.412KD.11.416α
philosophus esses si tacuisses et cetera . //
adam wyles he spake not he had paradysse att wyll
but when he mameled aboute meyte & entremete hym to knowe
the wyssdome off þe wytt off god he was put fro blysse
G.12.416KD.11.420
and ryght so fared reason by the þou wyth rewde speche
lackedest & losest thyng that longethe noght to be done
tho had he no lykyng for to lere the more
pryde nowe & presuvmpsyon peraventuvre wyll þe appeyle
G.12.420KD.11.424
þat clarge thye companye ne kepethe not to sawe
shall neuer chalyngyng ne chydyng chastye man so sone
as shall shame & shenden hym & shape hym to amend
for lett a dronken daffe In a dyche fall
G.12.424KD.11.428
lett hym lygge looke not on hym tyll hym lyst ryse
for thogh reason rebuked hym þen ytt were but puvre synne
& when nede nymmethe vp for douvte lest he steruve
and shame sha G.12.427: The scribe has tried to emend <sha> to <shra> by overwriting and then abandoned the attempt. shrapethe hys clothes & hys shynnes wasshethe
G.12.428KD.11.434
þen woote þe drouvnken daffe werefore he ys to blame
ye seggen sothe quod I yche haue sene ytt offte
þer smytt no thyng so smerte ne swellethe so sore
as shame þer he shoythe hym for euery man hym shendethe
G.12.432KD.11.438
whye ye wysse me þus quod I was for I rebuvked reason
certes quod he þat ys sothe & shope hym for to walke
& I aroos vpryght wyth þat & folowed after
& preyed hym off hys couvrtesye to tell me hys name
explicit quartus passus de dowell· //
MED