The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 7: London, British Library, MS Lansdowne 398 Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson Poetry 38
– Passus 14William LanglandEdited by Robert AdamsAssociate Editors: Patricia R. Bart, M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A.
FarleyTechnical Editor: Daniel PittiGraduate Research AssistantMichael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Carrie Lindley, Janice McCoy, Ashley Opps, Timothy L.
Stinson, and Jordan Taylor.Computer Consultants and ProgrammersRobert Bingler, Shayne Brandon, Cynthia Girard, Chris Jessee, Daniel Pitti, David Seaman,
and John Unsworth.The Medieval Academy of America and SEENET by Boydell and
Brewer, LTDWoodbridge, SuffolkISBN: (Individual) 9781843840947 (Institutional): 9781843840930
Commercially available:
copyright 2011, by SEENET
2006 Combined facsimile & documentary edition.Identification of handsIRA = Robert Adams1 computer optical disk : col. ; 4 3/4 in.The Medieval Academy of America and SEENET, by Boydell and
Brewer, LTD.Woodbridge, SuffolkSource copy consulted: London, British Library, MS Lansdowne 398 and
Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson Poetry 38
SEENET, A.9
Attribute Valuesbrown inkanglicana bastardaitalicLombard Capornamented capital, N lines highrubricatedtouched in redtexturaunderlinedunderlined in redgreen inkblue ink
LatinFrenchGermanNovember 2005 revise header, update DTD and ent files Hoyt N. Duggan New header created passus
xiijusPassus
xiijusxii[i]justertius
decimus[quartus] decimus . de
visione vt supra . ——I haue but on haterhool hatereR.14.1:
Most beta copies have one hool hatere. L, however, shares the alpha
reading. quod haukyn I am þe lasse to blame Thouȝ it be soyled and selde clene I slepe
þere-inne on niȝtes . And al-so I haue an hosewif
hewen and children .Vxorem duxi & ideo nonpossumpossum venireR.14.4: R uniquely omits venire from the end of the
Biblical citation. &cetera .R.14.4: The
right end of the red box is open. Þat wolen by-molen it many tymestymeR.14.5:
Beta reads the singular form, tyme; however, manuscripts G and Cr2-3 agree with alpha's plural. maugre my chekes . ¶ It hath ben laued in lenten and oute of
lenten bothe . With þe sope of siknesse þat seketh wonder depe . And with þe losse of catel lothe for to a-gulte . God aror any gode man by auȝt þat I wiste . And was schriuen of þe prest þat gaf me for my synnes . To penaunce pacience and pore men to fede . Al for coueytise of my cristendom in
clennesse to kepen it . ¶ And coude I nouȝtneuereR.14.13:
For alpha's nouȝt, beta reads neuere. by
crist kepen it clene an houre Þat I ne soyled it with siȝt or summe
ydel speche . Or thoruȝ werke or thouȝtþorugh wordeR.14.15:
In place of R's unique and non-alliterating thouȝt (F = elles þowht), beta has þorugh worde. and otherorR.14.15:
R uniquely reads and other for beta's probably correct or. F has or þoruh. wil of myn herte Þat I ne flobere it foule fram morwe til eue . ¶ And I schal kenne þe quod consience of
contricioun to make . Þat schal clawe þi cote of alle kynnekynnesR.14.18:
Beta has kynnes, while F reads vn-clene. fulthe
.Cordis contricio
&cetera Dowel waschen it and wringen it þoruȝ a wise
confessoure .Oris confessio .
&cetera Dobet þat schalnil schal betenbeten it and bouken itR.14.22: R's a-verse is unique; cf. beta's phrase: Dobet shal beten it
and bouken it. F has Dobet bowke it & beete it.
as briȝt as any scarlet . And engreynen it with gode wille and goddes
grace to amende þe . And sitthen sende þe to satisfaccioun
for to sonnensowenR.14.24:
This variant is shared with F. Most beta manuscripts have sowen. it
after .Satisfaccio . dobestk iij Schal neuere myst by-mole it ne mothe after biten it . Ne fende ne fals man defoulen it in þi liue . Schal no heraud ne harpour haue a fairer garment . Þan haukyn þe actif man and þow do be my
techynge . Ne no ministrale be more worth . amonges pore and riche . Þanne haukynnes wif þe waferere which iswith hisR.14.31:
Beta reads with his. actiua vita .Si mea penna valet melior
mea litera fietDextera pars penna Brevior et lenior debit esse
In the left margin, an extended comment is written vertically, in a black secretary hand,
beginning at R14.54 and reaching upwards in the margin to this point, R14.32. The second line
of the comment is under the first and thus slightly closer to the text line
initials. ¶ And I schal purueye þe paste quod
pacience þouȝ þownilR.14.32:
R's þow is an alpha variant omitted by all beta manuscripts. Though C is substantially revised at this point, a half-line occurs in the cognate
passage of the final version that exactly confirms beta's reading (=RK C15.234). no
plowȝ erie And floure to fede folke with as best be
for þe soule . Þowȝ neuere greyne growede ne grape
vp-on vine . Alle þat lyueth and loketh liflod wold I fynde . And þat I-now schal none faile
of thinge þat hem nedeth . ¶ We schulde nauȝt be to busy abouten
oure liflode .Ne soliciti sitis &cetera . Volucres
celi deus pascit &cetera .Pacientes vincunt .
&cetera . ¶ Þanne lawhed haukyn a litel and liȝtly gan swere
. Who-so leueth ȝow noþer bebyR.14.41:
R's noþer is a unique addition to the a-verse witnessed by beta (F
completely rephrases this half-line). However, R's be is merely a spelling
variation for beta's by. Cf. R.14.29:: be my techynge. oure lorde
I leue nauȝt he be blissed . ¶ No quod pacience paciently and oute of
his poke hente . Vitales of grete vertues for alle maner bestes . And seyde lo here liflode I-nowe if oure bileue be trewe . For lente nere was þereneuere wasR.14.45:
R's þere is a unique addition to the text witnessed by the other B manuscripts; however, R's reading has a substantial likelihood of being
original since at the same point the C manuscripts attest either here or, more commonly, þere. lif but
liflode were schape . Where-of or where-for and where-by to libbe
. ¶ Furst þe wilde worme vnder weet erthe . Fisch to lyue in þe flode and in þe fuir þe crikat . Þe corlew be kynde of þe eyre most clennest flesch of
briddes . And bestes by grasse and by greyne and by grene rotes
. In menynge þat alle men miȝt þe same
.LifLyueR.14.52:
R's Lif appears, at first, to be lexically unique. F has & lyve and beta shows Lyue; many C
manuscripts agree with beta, but many others read Leue. The problem with
R's "uniqueness" is that this spelling may not reflect intentional lexical difference but
merely inadvertent phonological overlap between voiced <v> and voiceless <f> in
Langland's own dialect; cf. the archetypal B spelling for the noun (=
ModEng "life") at R.14.27: above: in þi
liue. þoruȝ lele byleue and loue as god
witnesseth .Quodcumquepecieritispecieritis a patreR.14.53: Here alpha omitted the phrase a patre from
the Biblical citation as witnessed by beta. Nevertheless, the alpha reading may well be
original. Among the C manuscripts , the X family (generally regarded
as the more authoritative group) also omits the phrase. in
nomine meo &cetera Et alibi
.Non in solo pane viuit homo sed
in omni verbo quod procedit de
ore dei . ¶ But I loked what þat liflodelyflode itR.14.55:
For alpha's þat liflode, beta reads lyflode it.
was þat pacience so preysed . And þanne was awas it aR.14.56:
RF's reading, was a, is an alpha variant shared with CrHm; beta reads was it a. pece of þe paternoster
fiat voluntas tua . ¶ Haue haukyn quod pacience and ete þis
whan þe hungreth . Or whan þow clomsest for colde or clingest for drouȝthedryeR.14.58:
Beta has drye for R's drouȝthe (F = drowhtys). Cx agrees here with R. .Andnil schalR.14.59: F begins this line with Þere shal while beta simply begins
with Shal. However, Cx agrees with R.
neuere feytouresgyuesR.14.59:
R's feytoures and F's faytour ) against beta's
correctly alliterating gyues probably reflects a misunderstood gloss in
Bx reading fetters. Cx agrees
here with beta. þe greue ne grete lordes wrathe . Prisone ne payne foforR.14.60:
Neither MED nor OED2 cites s. v.for an example of fo as viable for the preposition
signified here, but it occurs in R in four widely separated contexts (cf. R2.64, R15.379, and
R20.224) and probably represents an instance of idiolect apocope. Beta here attests the
expected for, and F has whil.pacientes vincunt . By so þat þow be sobre of siȝt and of tonge . In etynge and in handelynge and in alle þi
fyue wittes . Tharst þow neuere care for corne ne lynnen
clothe ne wollen .R.14.63: There is a superfluous bar over the <n> of wollen. Ne for drink . ne deth drede but deye as god liketh . Or thoruȝ honger or thoruȝ hete at his wille be
it . For if þow lyuest after his lore þe schorter lyf þe leuerebetterR.14.66:
Beta shows better where alpha has leuere. Cx agrees with beta. .Si quis amat christum
mundum non diligit istum
. ¶ For thoruȝ his breth bestes wexethR.14.68: Cf. F's weren and beta's woxen or wexen. The C manuscripts are divided, typically witnessing the same forms as beta, but
seven of them (IP2RcMcScZWa) agree with R's wexeth. and a-brode ȝeden .Dixit & facta sunt &cetera
.Ergo thoruȝ his breth mowen men and bestes
libbenR.14.70: For alpha's libben, beta reads lyuen.
The difference is, of course, purely phonological. . As holy writ witnesseth whan men seggen
heregracegracesR.14.71:
F offers a completely different b-verse while beta shows the plural form graces. Although C has been slightly revised in this passage, Cx shows the same plural noun form as that in beta (but four manuscripts
[KDcWaGc] agree with R). .Aperis tu manum tuam et imples
omne animal
benediccione . ¶ It is founden þat fourty wynter folke lyuede with-oute tulyinge . And oute of þe flint spronge þe floed þat
folk and bestes dronke . And in Elyes tyme heuene was I-closed . In the right margin, in black ink, there is an early
ownership stamp for the Bodleian Library. Þat non rayn ne roen þus rettrede(n) men oninR.14.76:
R's rett is unique; the same is true of R's on. The
majority, including F, attest rede men in. Cx is
uncertain, but five manuscripts (YcIP2UcT) reflect a similar verbal
inflection to that found in R (rat), and XIUcZ agree with R's ensuing
preposition. bokes . Þat many wynterR.14.77: R and Cr alone have singular wyntre. F omits the entire phrase in which this term occurs. Cx
clearly agrees with the RCr singular. men lyued and no mete ne teleden . ¶ Seuen slepen as seith þe boke seuen hundreth wynter And lyueden with-outen liflode
and att þe laste þei woken . And if men lyuede as mesure wolde schulde
neuere more be defaute. AmogesAmo[n]gesAmonges cristene creatoures if cristecrystesR.14.81: R's
unmarked possessive, criste, is unique; all other manuscripts have crystes. Among C copies, only P2
agrees with R's form. wordes be trewe . Ac vnkendenesse caristia maketh
amonges cristescrysteneR.14.82:
All other B manuscripts read crystene. poeple
. And ouer-plente
maketh pruyde amonges pore and riche . Ac mesure is so muche worth it may
nowȝt be to dere . For þe mischief and þe mischaunce amonges men of sodome
. Wex thoruȝ plente of payn and of puir slewthe .Ociositas et habundancia panispanis peccatum turpissimum nutriuit R.14.87: F omits the entire citation; R leaves off the end, as seen in beta
manuscripts: peccatum turpissimum
nutriuit. For þei mesured nauȝt hem-selue
of þat þei eten and dronke . Deden dedly synne þat þe deuel lyked So veniaunce fel vpon hem for here vile synnes .kiiij Þei sonken in-to helle þe
cites vchone . ¶ For-thy mesure we
vs wel and make oure faith oure scheltroun . And thoruȝ faith cometh
contricioun consience wot wel . Which driueth aweye dedly synne and doth it to be venial
. And þouȝ a man miȝt nouȝt speke
contricion miȝt hym saue . And brynge his soule to blisse binil soR.14.96: Immediately following this word there is an unintended ink dot.
þat feith bere witnesse . Þat whiles he lyued he byleued in þe lore of holy cherche
.Ergo contricion faith and
consience is kendeliche dowel . And surgyanes for dedly synneR.14.99: Many beta copies read
this noun as a plural: synnes. However, CrHmB agree with alpha.
whan schrift of mouthe faileth . ¶ Ac schrifte of mouthe more worthi is if manR.14.100: After man, R shares an omission of the verb be with C
alone. in-lich contrit For schrifte of mouthe sleth synne be it
neuere so dedly .Per confessionem to a
prest peccata occiduntur . Þere contriciounR.14.103: Here
the R scribe uses two separate bars for expanding the final affix, one over the <c> and
another over the <u>; the second of these is partially obscured by the red boxing
above. What this instance indicates by inference, however, is that his intended spelling
(when the bar covers only his <c> or his <o>) is -cion, and
that the only warrant for expanding to -cioun is a bar extending beyond
the <o> of this syllable. These conclusions are confirmed by the scribe's overwhelming
preference for -cion forms when he spells them out fully. doth but
driueth it doun in-to a venial synne
. As dauid seith in þe sauter &
quorum tecta sunt peccata . Ac satisfaccion seketh oute þe rote &
bothe sleth and voydeth . And as it neuere hadde beybe to nauȝt bryngeth dedly synne. Þat it neuere eft is sene ne
sore but semeth a wounde I-heled . ¶ ȜenilR.14.108:Ȝe is an alpha variant; beta begins this line with Where. where woneth charite quod haukyn I wiste nereneuereR.14.108: R's form here is unique; the other B witnesses,
including F, read the negative as neuer(e). in my lyue . Man þat with hym spake as wyde as I haue passed . There parfit treuth and pouer hert is
and pacience of tonge . Þere is charite þe chief chaumbre for god
hym-sulue . ¶ Whether pacience and pouertepaciente pouerteR.14.112: Most of the beta manuscripts render this phrase as paciente
pouerte or pacience pouerte. In C, the phrase
becomes pouerte and pacience. quod haukyn
be more plesant to oure lord .R.14.112: Many beta manuscripts (and presumably Bx) read driȝte(n) for R's bland lord; F has god more as the end of the line; R's reading is in
agreement only with G, presumably by convergence. The C revision
abandons beta's archaic driȝte(n) in favor of god
almyhty Þen ricchesse riȝtfulliche I-wonne & resonabeliche yspended . ¶ Ȝe quis est ille
quod pacience quik laudabimus
eum . Þouȝ men rede of ricchesse riȝt to þe worldes
ende . I wiste neuere renk þat riche was þat
whan he rekne schulde . Whan itR.14.117: R's sole partner in reading it is L; F
reads &. The majority beta reading is he. In a
partially revised line, the C version also attests he
at this point. drouȝ to his deth day þat he ne dradde hym sore And at þe rekenynge in a-rerage fel rather þan oute of dette . ¶ Þere þe pore dar plede and preue by
puir resoun . To haue a-louaunce of his lorde
be þe lawe he it claymeth . Ioye þat neuere ioye hadde of
riȝtful iuge he asketh . And seith lo briddes and bestes þat no
blisse ne knoweth . And wilde wormes in wodes þoruȝ wynteres þou hem
greuest . And makest hem wel neyh meke and mylde for defaute . And after þou sendest hem somer þat is
here souereyn ioye . And blisse to alle þat ben bothe wilde and tame . Þan may beggeres and bestes after bote wayten . Þat alle here lif han lyuede in langour and in defaute
. But god sent hem some-tyme
sum maner ioye . Other here or elles-where kende wolde it
nereneuereR.14.130: R's form here is unique; beta reads the negative as neuer(e); F rewrites the half-line completely. . For to wrothor-hele was he
wrouȝt þat neuerioye waswas ioye shapedR.14.131: R's ioye was shaped is an alpha phrasing substantively
shared with FHm; beta agrees with Cx in reading was ioye
shaped. . ¶ Angeles þat in elle now ben hadden ioye
sum-tyme . And diues in deyntes lyued and in douce vie . Riȝt so resoun : scheweth þat þo menmen þat were riche :R.14.134: Here alpha probably was identical to R's reading; R matches beta exactly
through the phrase þo men but is missing þat were riche
F reads þo men shulle redyly a-counte. And here makes also lyued
here lyf in murthe . ¶ Ac god is of a wonder wille by þat kende wit scheweth
. To ȝiue many men his mercymonie ar
he it haue deserued . Riȝt so fareth god by sum riche
reuthe me it thenketh . For þei han here hire here and heuene as
it were . And is grete lykyngeto þe lifto lyueR.14.140: Cf. R's to þe lif to F's of lyf and
beta's to lyue. wyth-oute
labour of body . And whan he deieth ben disalawed as dauid sayth
in þe sauter .Dormierunt & nichil
inuenerunt &ceteranil . And in an-other stede al-so Velut
sompnum surgencium
dominein ciuitate tua ad& ad nichilumeorum redigesredigesR.14.144: R's eorum is a unique addition to this
citation. . Allas þat richesse schal reue and robbe mannes soule
. Fram þe loue of oure lorde at his last
ende . ¶ Hewen þat han here huireto-foreaforeR.14.147: Alpha is responsible for to-fore where beta reads afore. At the same point, Cx has byfore. aren euermore nedy .R.14.147: A brace extends down the
right margin from this line to R14.152. Apparently, it is intended to call attention to the
nota at R14.149. And selde deyeth outedeieth he out of dette þat dineth or þeiheR.14.148: In place of alpha's þei, beta reads he
(as does the X family of the C version; the P family of C agrees here with alpha). In the a-verse, beta reads deieth he
where R omits the pronoun and F revises the entire half-line. deserue it .nota And til he haue done his deuer and his dayes iourneR.14.149: In
the right margin, in a light brown ink and a near-contemporary hand, there is a large
nota. For whan a werkeman hath wrouȝt þan may
men se þe sothe . What he were worthi for his werke & what he hath
deserued . And nauȝt to fonge byfore for drede of disalowynge
. ¶ So I segge be ȝow riche it semethsemeth nouȝtR.14.153: R parallels beta but omits nouȝt after semeth, completely inverting the intended sense of the assertion (beta's version is
vouched for by Cx). F rewrites the line. þat ȝe schulle
.Haue to heuenes forHaue heuene in ȝoure here-beinge and heuene þere-after .R.14.154: F offers a typically unique reading of this line (Cleyme two
hevynys oon here & anoþer heerafter); R's partial agreement with F in the a-verse
shows that R's to heuenes descends from alpha. R's for
is unique among the B copies. By contrast, the beta manuscripts show
considerable variation in the a-verse but clearly attest the singular form heuene. However, the fact that the Cx phrasing for the a-verse is
identical with R's strongly suggests that R's reading is the authorial one. Riȝt as a seruaunt taketh his salarie by-fore . Alpha divides a Bx line here into two
lines. And sithe wald clayme huiremoreR.14.156: R's huire is an alpha reading (cf. F's his
heere eft-soones); beta shows more. As he þat non nenilR.14.157: This double negative is unique to R. Beta has none while
F reads non hevene. hadde and hath heuenehuyreR.14.157: R's heuene is an alpha variant; cf. beta's huyre. at þe laste . It may nauȝt be ȝe riche men or mathew on god
lyeth .De delicijs ad delicias difficile est ascenderetransireR.14.159: In place of alpha's ascendere, beta has transire. . Ac if ȝe riche haue reuth and rewarde wel þe pore
. And lyuen as lawe techeth don leute to alle .R.14.161: Beta ends
the line with hem alle. Only L agrees with R's omission of the pronoun,
while F offers a completely different phrase, his brothir. Crist of his curteysie schal confort ȝow att þe
laste . And rewarde alle double richesse þat rewful hertes
habbeth . And as an hyne þat hadde his huire ar he
bygunne And whan he hath don his deuer wel men
doth hym other bounte . Ȝiueth hym a cote aboue his couenaunt
riȝt so crist ȝiueth heuene . Bothe to riche and to nauȝt riche
þat riȝtfullichrewfullichR.14.167: Beta reads rewfullich. libbeth . And alle þat don here deuer wel
han double huire for here
trauaille . Here for-ȝiuenesse of here synnes and heuene blisse after .R.14.169: Hereafter alpha omits
five lines present in beta (of which, the last two are also found in the C version): Ac it nys but selde yseyn as by holy seyntes bokes Þat god rewarded
double reste to any riche wye For moche murthe is amonges riche as in mete and
clothyng And moche murthe in Maye is amonges wilde bestes And so forth whil
somer lasteth her solace dureth. ¶ R.14.170: R uniquely omits a conjunction at the head of this line; beta
reads Ac (which agrees with the reading of Cx) while
F has But.BeggeresAc beggeres aboute missomer bred-les þei soupe .R.14.170: In
the left margin, extending from this line to R14.183, there is a black brace and a hand (at
R14.178) pointing to these lines. And ȝet is winter for hem wors for watschod þei
gange . Afurst sore and affyngred and foule I-rebuked . And arated of riche men þat reuthe is to here . Now lorde send hem somer and somme
maner ioye . Heuene after here hennes-goynge þat here han suche defaute . For alle miȝtest þow haue mad non mener þan
other☞ And I-liche witty and wis
if þe wel hadde liked . ¶ And haue reuth on þis riche men þat rewarde nauȝt
þi prisonesprisoneresR.14.178:Prisones, "prisoners." R's form of the word is unique; see the note at
R.14.184:. F reads porayle while
beta has prisoneres. . Of þe gode þat þow hem gyuest ingrati ben manye . Ac god of þi godenesse gyue hem grace to amende . For may no derth ben hem dere
drouȝthe ne wete . Ne noyther hete ne hayle haue þei here
hele . Of þat þei wilnen and wolde wanteth hem nauȝt here
. ¶ Ac pore poeple þi prisonesprisoneres loreR.14.184: R's prisones is simply an archaic formal variant for
beta's prisoneres (cf. R15.207 and R15.380, where beta also shows this
form). Perhaps because the F scribe was confused or troubled by this form (he uses prisoner in the other two instances mentioned), the a-verse in F seems
completely rewritten: But þe poore in prisoun lyȝn. As for R's lore, see Richard Jordan, Handbook of Middle English Grammar:
Phonology, translated and revised by Eugene Joseph Crook (The Hague: Mouton, 1974):
§199, remark 3. The spelling occurs as well at R5.409 and R18.61. in þe put of
mischief . Confort þo creatures þat muche care suffren . Þoruȝ derthe þoruȝ drouȝthe alle here
dayes here . Wo in wyntres tymewynter tymesR.14.187: Beta reads wynter tymes. for wantynge of
clothes . And in somer tyme selde soupen to þe fulle . Conforte þi carfulle criste in þi riche
.R.14.189: The top right margin of fol. 69r has a tear in it that was long ago repaired
by stitching. The tear extended diagonally downwards and to the right for approximately 3.8
cm. For how þow confortest alle creatoures clerkes bereth
witnesse .Conuertimini ad me & salui eritis . Þus in genere of allenil his genitriceR.14.192: R's phrase, of alle his genitrice, is part of a complex
variation. Most beta copies read of gentries; L, which overlaps with R
here, reads of his genitrice; and F also shows partial agreement with R,
reading of alle Ientylis. ihesu crist sayde
. To robberes torobberes and toR.14.193: All other B manuscripts have robberes and to. reueres to riche and to pore . To hores to harlotes to alle manerharlotys & to hoorys & to all oþer poeple .R.14.194: Beta omits this line. F renders its central phrase as harlotys
& to hoorys & to all oþer. Þow tauȝtest hem in þe trinite to take bapteme
. And be clene thoruȝ þat cristenynge
of alle kynnes synnes .And if vs fel thoruȝ folye to falle in synne after .Knowlechynge and confessionConfessioun and knowlechyngR.14.198: This pair of nouns is transposed to Confessioun and
knowlechyng in the beta copies; F reads & be-knowleche it In confessioun. and crauynge þi mercy .Schuld amende vs as many sithes as man walde desire .And if þe poukepopeR.14.200: Beta reads pope. wolde plede þere-aȝeinehere-aȝeine & punischenonnilR.14.200: R's on is a unique addition to the text witnessed by the
other B manuscripts. vs in
consience.HoHeR.14.201:Ho is unique; cf. beta's He and F's We.schulde take þe a-quitaunce as quik
& dotoR.14.201: R's do is unique; the other manuscripts show to. þe qued schewe it .Pateat &cetera per
passionem domini . And putten of so þe pouke and preuen vs
vnder borwe . Ac þe parchemyn of þis patent of pouerte
be moste . And of puir pacience and parfit byleue . ¶ Of pompe and of pruide þe parchemyn decoureth . And principaly of alle poeple but þei be pore of herte
. Elles is alle an ydel alle þat euere we
writen . Paternoster and penauncesR.14.209: With the exception of
Hm, which here joins alpha, the beta copies show the singular penaunce. In
a revised version of this line, Cx agrees with alpha, attesting a
plural. and pilgrimage to rome .AndButR.14.210: Cf. beta's But, which agrees with the opening of the line
in Cx; on the other hand, at the end of the a-verse, Cx agrees with R, which uniquely reiterates the possessive, reading oure
spendynge where beta merely has spendyng. F completely rewrites the
a-verse: With oure spendyng of spekynge. oure spenses and
oure spendynge springe of a trewe welle . Elles is alle oure labour lost lo how men
writeth . In fenestres at þe freres if fals be þe fundement . For-thi cristene schuld be in
comune riche non coueytous for him-selue . ¶ For seuene synnes þat þere ben assailen
vs euere . Þe fende folweth hem alle and fondeth hem to helpe . Ac with richesse þo ribaudesþat RibaudeR.14.216: Beta shows the singular þat Ribaude. Cx agrees with alpha. rathest men by-gyleth .For þere þat richesse regneth reuerencesreuerenceR.14.217: Beta has the singular reuerence. Most C manuscripts concur, but three important ones, XYcUc, agree with alpha's
plural. folweth . And þat is plesaunt to pruide in pore and in riche .AcAndR.14.219: Beta has And; F reads But. The C manuscripts divide by major families on this lection, the P family
completely omitting the conjunction while the X family, like beta, attests And. þe riche is reuerenced bi reson of his richesse . Þere þe pore is put by-hynde
and par-auenture can more . Of wit and of wisdome þat fer weiaweyR.14.221: Most beta copies read awey. F omits the entire line.
Among the C manuscripts, KcUcDcZN agree with beta while the others agree
with R. is bettere . Þan richesse or reaute and rather I-herd in heuene . For þe riche hath muche to rekne and riȝt softe
walketh . Þe riȝtheighR.14.224: Here G joins the defective alpha reading; other beta copies have the
correctly alliterating heigh. The a-verse of this line also occurs
unrevised in C, in the same form as represented in beta. weye to
heuene-warde ofte richericchesseR.14.224: Beta reads ricchesse. letteth .Ita possibile diuiti &cetera
. ¶ Þere þe pore prechethpresethR.14.226: R's form is probably a distortion of alpha's procheþ (a
reading preserved in F) through misunderstanding a scribal suspension; cf. beta's preseth. The lection in C agrees with that of
beta. byfore þe riche with a pakke at his rugge .Opera enim illorum sequntur
illos Batauntliche as beggeres doun and
baldelich he craueth . For his pouerte and his pacience a
perpetuel blisse .Beati pauperes quoniam
ipsorum est regnum celorum
. ¶ AcAndR.14.231: Beta has And; F reads But. C manuscripts attest either And (mostly in the X family)
or Also (P family).pruide in richesse regneth rather þamþa[n]þan in pouertOrArstR.14.232: For alpha's Or, beta shows Arst;
later in this a-verse, where alpha repeats or, Cr agrees with alpha but
beta has þan. On both of these readings, it appears that Cx agrees with alpha (although a cluster of five C
manuscripts—P2TH2PEc—reads oþur in place of or on both occasions). in þe
maister orþan in þe man : sum manseon hauethhe ha(ue)thR.14.232: R uniquely omits he before haueth.
Cx confirms the correctness of the majority reading. .Ac in pouerte þere pacience is pruid hath no miȝt
. Ne non of þe seuene synnes sitten ne mow þere longe
. Ne haue powere in pouerte if pacience it
folwe . For þe pore is ay preste to plese þe riche And buxum at his biddynge for his broke
loues . And buxumnesse and bost aren
euermore at werre . And ayther hateth other in alle maner
werkes . If wrathe wrastel with þe pore he hath þe worse ende
. For if þei bothe pleyne þe pore is but feble . And if he chide or chatere hym cheueth þe
worse . For loulich he loketh and loueliche is his speche . These
lines are not found in beta. There are sufficient differences between R and F in these lines
to justify reproducing the latter's lines verbatim (cf. Appendix 1, R14.243-53, for details
and any cross-references to the C version): For lowly he lookeþ / & lovely is his speche. Þat ony meete or monee
/ of oþere men mote asken. ¶ & if Glotenye greve pouerte / he gadreþ þe lasse.
For hise rentys wil not reche / no ryche meetys to bygge. & þowh his glut be
in good ale / he gooþ a-cold to bedde. & hys hevid euele y-helyd / & vnesely
y-wryȝe. For whan he streyneþ hym to strecche / þe straw is his schete. So
for his grete glotenye / he haþ a greuous penaunce. Þat is wellawo whan he wakeþ /
& wepiþ sore . for colde. & sum-tyme for hise synnes / so he is neuere merye.
With-outyn moornynge a-moong . & myche myschef to
boote. Þat meteony meete or mone of other men mote asken . And if glotonie greue pouerte he gadereth þe lasse . For his rentes nenil wol nauȝte reche no riche metes to bugge. And þouȝ his glotonye be toglut be in gode ale he goth to cold beddyngeacolde to bedde . And his heued vn-heledeuele yheld & vn-esiliche I-wrye . For whan he streyneth hym to streche þe strawe is his
schetesschete . So for hishis grete glotonie and his grete scleuthenil he hath a greuous penaunce . Þat is welawo whan he waketh and wepethwepiþ sore for colde . And sum-tyme for
his synnes so he is neuere murie . Withoute mornynge amonge and mischiefmyche myschef to bote . ¶ And þouȝifR.14.254: Cf. R's þouȝ (shared with F) with the beta reading,
if. Cx agrees with alpha. coueytise waldenil cache þe pore þei may nouȝt come togideres . And bi þe nekke nameliche her non may henten other . For men knoweth wel þat coueytise is of a kene wille
. And hath hondes and armes of longea longe lengthe .R.14.257: For R's longe lengthe, beta reads a longe
lengthe; F has an huge lengthe. Cx agrees with
beta. And pouerte ne isnisR.14.258: R's ne is is unique in form but substantively in
agreement with the best of the early beta copies (LMWHmC), which read nis;
F and other beta witnesses (CrGYOC2) read is. Cx agrees with F and the inferior beta group. but a pety
thynge apereth nauȝt to his nauele . And louely layke was it neuere by-twene þe longe and þe schorte . And þouȝ auerice wald angre þe pore he hath but
litel miȝte . For pouerte hath but pokes to putten in
his godes . Þere auerice hath almaries and Iren bounden cofferes
. And whether be liȝter to breke lasse bost it maketh
. A beggeres bagge þan an Iren bounde coffre . ¶ Lecherie loueth hym nouȝt for he ȝiueth but
litel siluer . Ne doth hym nauȝt dine delicatly ne drinke wyn ofte
.R.14.266:
Immediately following this line, alpha omits two lines present in beta (and in the C version, though somewhat garbled there):A strawe for þe stuwes it stode nouȝt I trowe Had þei none but of
pore men her houses were vntyled. ¶ And þouȝ sleuthe sue pouerte and
serue nauȝt god to paye . Meschief is his meyster and maketh hym to thenke . Þat god is grettesthis grettestR.14.269: Alpha and B omit his before grettest.
In correcting the error, F presumably misplaced the possessive and ended by creating the
phrase, grettest his helpe. helpe and no gome elles . And he isR.14.270: R's he is is unique in the B tradition but agrees with the vast majority of C
manuscripts (of both major families). F and several beta witnesses (Cr W—and M after
alteration above the line) read he his. A few C
manuscripts support this reading. Most beta copies (including LHmOG—and M before
alteration) show simply his. seruaunt as he seith
and of his sute bothe . And whereR.14.271: R's where, a contracted form of beta's
whether, is shared, among the B manuscripts, only
with L. However, most of the X family in the C tradition supports the RL
reading. The P family tends to support the common beta reading. he be or be nauȝt
he bereth þe sygne of pouerte . And in þat secte oure saueoure
saued alle mankende . For-thi alle pore þat pacient is
may claymen and asken . After here endynge here
heuene-riche blisse . ¶ Muche hardier may he asken þat here
miȝt haue his wille . In lordelondeR.14.276: Alpha almost certainly read lorde at the beginning of the
a-verse (cf. F's As a lord of) and seems a classic case of scribal
anticipation of lordschipe later in the line. Beta, by contrast, has londe. Cx agrees with beta. and in lordschipe and
lykynge of body . And for godes loue leueth al and lyueth as a
beggere . And as a mayde for anilR.14.278: R's a is a unique addition to the text witnessed by the
other B manuscripts; however, the vast majority of C copies agree with R's reading, so it is probably authorial in B
as well. mannes loue hire moder for-saketh . Hire fader and alle hire frendes
and folwedfolwethR.14.279: R uniquely deploys the past tense; all others read folweth. But see the Introduction III.2.2.10 on tense ambiguities in this manuscript's tradition. hire make
. Muche is þatsuche aR.14.280: In place of alpha's þat, beta seems to have read suche a. Cx certainly attests such
a. mayde to louie of hym þat suche on taketh . More þan a mayden is þat is maried þoruȝ brocage
. As by assent of sondri parties and siluer to bote . More for coueytise of gode þan kende loue of bothe . ¶ So it fareth be vch a persone þat possession forsaketh
. And put hym to be pacient and pouerte
weddeth .R.14.286: R
uniquely omits Þe at the head of this line. Cx agrees
with the B majority.WhichÞe which is sib to god hym-selue and so neyȝ is pouerteto his seyntes .R.14.286: Beta's b-verse is entirely different, reading and so to his
seyntes. The b-verse of C is completely revised and distinct from
alpha or beta: and semblable bothe. ¶ Haue god my treuthe quod haukyn þat huyreȝeR.14.287: R's meaning is unclear. Bx itself may have been corrupt
at this point. Cf. F's y heere and beta's ȝe.faste preysepreyse fasteR.14.287: R's word order is unique; F omits faste while beta reads
preyse faste. pouerte . What is pouerte paciencewith pacienceR.14.288: Beta here reads pouerte with
pacience. F omits the phrase entirely. The X family of C agrees
with R. Some P manuscripts read patient instead of pacience. quod he proprely to mene
.Paupertas quod
pacience est odibile bonum . —Remocio curarum possessio
sine calumpnia .Donum dei semitasanitatisR.14.291: R's semita is unique (Bx /
Cx = sanitatis), an obvious error by anticipation of
the same word later in the citation. mater absque
solitudine semita .Sapiencie temperatrix negocium sine
dampno .Incerta fortuna . absque solicitudine
felicitas . ¶ I can nauȝt construe al þis quod haukyn
Here R divides one Bx line into two. Ye moste kenne me þis an englische . In englisch quod pacience it is wel harde
wel to expounen . And some-del I schal seyn it
by so þow vnderstande . Pouerte is þe furste poynte þat pruide moste hateth
. Þan is it goed by goed skil al þat agasteth pruide . Riȝt as contricion is confortable
thynge consience wote wel . And a sorwe of hym-selue
and a solace to þe soule . So pouerte propreliche
penaunce and ioye . Is to þe bodye puir spirituale helthe
.Ergo paupertas est odibile
bonum . ¶ And contricion conforte and cura animarum . Selde sit pouerte þe sothe to declare
. Or as iustice to iuge menmen enioigned is no pore R.14.307: The b-verse of this line was either garbled beyond hope or completely lost
by alpha; R omits it entirely while F repositions the caesura and fleshes out the line with
of gyltys. Beta reads enioigned is no pore, which is
similar to the reading of Cx. Ne fornil toR.14.308: R's Ne for to is a unique version of this line's opening.
F reads Ne as while beta has Ne to. Cx agrees with beta on this phrase. be a meyreouereaboue(n)R.14.308: R's ouere is unique; F reads on while
beta has aboue. Cx agrees with R. men
ne ministre vnder kynges Selde is enemyeany poreR.14.309: The problem here seems to have its source in alpha. R's enemye
pore is an obvious corruption of beta's any pore; F's þe poore looks like a typical effort to repair the alpha damage merely reflected
thoughtlessly by R. Cx agrees with beta. y-put to puneschen eny poeple .Remocio curarum
.Ergo pouerte and pouer men parfournen þe
comaundement .Nolite iudicare quemquam
. The thredde . ¶ Selde is pore riȝtany poreR.14.313: The majority of beta manuscripts has any pore in place of
alpha's pore riȝt. Cx agrees with alpha.
riche but of hisnilR.14.313: R's but of his is unique among B
copies; F has but it be of while beta reads but of.
However, Cx agrees with R's phrasing. riȝtful heritage . Wynneth he nouȝt with wittesweghtes falsR.14.314: F seems to have been unhappy with alpha's reading, (presumably identical to
R's) and smoothed it to hise wyȝles. Beta's reading (weghtes fals = "false weights") seems more vivid and stylistically superior to R's wittes fals. Most P family copies within the C tradition
agree with beta. Nevertheless, R's relatively bland reading may in fact be authorial; a
comparison with C shows that five of the best X family manuscripts
(XYcKcTH2) agree with R on this lection. This agreement is highly
unlikely to have resulted from merely random convergence; at the very least, the bipolar
confusion of this variant array appears to reflect an ambiguously spelled form in the common
archetype of both versions. R's reading may, in fact, be no more than a formal variant of
beta's; cf. the comments on wit at R.15.225:. ne with vnseled mesures .Ne borweth of his neyȝebores but þat he may wel paye .Possessio sine calumpnia ¶ Þe ferthe itnil is a R.14.317: R's it represents a unique addition to the text witnessed
by the other B manuscripts (including F), but it is
supported as authorial by a majority of C copies, including the most
reliable members of the X family. fortune þat florescheth þe soule . With sobrete fram alle synne and also ȝet more
. It affaiteth þe flesche fram folies ful manye . A collateral conforte cristes oune ȝifte .Donum deiR.14.321: R
omits his usual blank line before the next verse paragraph, presumably because the next line
is the last one ruled for this side. ¶ Þe fifte it is þeis moderR.14.322: Cf. R's it is þe moder to F's is þe
Moodir and beta's is moder. of heleheltheR.14.322: Cf. RF's hele to beta's helthe .
a frende in alle fondynges . And for þe lawdeR.14.323: This variant array shows a truly puzzling
configuration of attestation, with C offering no help because of an
extensive revision to fix the confusion found in B witnesses. R's lawde agrees with the beta copies CY but makes no obvious sense; F uniquely
reads lawe, which is probably no more than a typical piece of that
scribe's speculative reconstruction. The most trustworthy beta copies (LMCrWHm) all agree on
land, which has the advantage of making ordinary sense, but Kane and
Donaldson prefer lewde, the reading of GOC2B.
euere a-liche a lemman of
alle clennesse .Sanitatis mater . ¶ Þe sixte itnil isR.14.325: R's it is is unique among the B
copies; both F and beta read is. However, a large majority of C manuscripts agrees with R (though five C witnesses
support with beta. a path of pees ȝe þoruȝ þe papa[s] altonepas of altounR.14.325: R uniquely omits the preposition of before altone. G's source may also have omitted it since that manuscript supplies at. . Pouerte miȝt passe withoute peril of robbynge . For þere þat pouerte passeth pees folweth after . And euer þe lasse þat he bereth þe hardierR.14.328: R's
omission of he at this point is distinctive. F omits this entire line;
beta reads the phrase as hardyer he is.ishe is of herte . For-thi seith senecca . Paupertas est absquesolitudinesolicitudineR.14.329: This error (for solicitudine) is shared with
F and thus derives from alpha, but it is also found in several beta manuscripts, indicating
that an uncommon Latin suspension in Bx may have been the original
stimulus to what seems, at first glance, an unlikely mistake. semita
. And an hardy man of herte amonge an hepe of theues .Cantabat paupertas coram latrone viator
. ¶ Þe seuenthe itnil is R.14.332: R's it is is, once more, unique among the B copies; both F and beta simply read is. Most of the X family in
the C tradition agrees with beta; however, a simple majority of C manuscripts (including some of the X set and most of the P set) agrees
with R. wel of wysdom and fewe wordes scheweth . For lordes aloweth hym litelitelR.14.333: All the other B and C witnesses
read litel. or listeneth to his resoun
. He tempreth þe tonge to trewthe-warde þatandR.14.334: At the head of the b-verse, beta reads and in place of
alpha's þat; however, all of the C manuscripts agree
with alpha here. no tresor coueyteth .R.14.334: Immediately hereafter, alpha (as well as a
majority of C witnesses) omitted a Latin line on poverty found in beta:Sapiencie temperatrix. ¶ Þe eyȝtethe itnil is R.14.335: R's it is is, once more, unique among the B copies; both F and beta simply read is. However, most of the C copies agree with R (though half a
dozen—UcDcChEcGcN—support beta). a lele laborerelabor and lothe to take more . Þan he may wel deserue in somer or in wynter . And if he chafareth he chargeth no losse
mowe he charite wyntewyn[n]ewynne .Negocium sine dampno . ¶ Þe nythe it isnyneth isR.14.339: R's spelling, nythe, is unique among the B copies and may seem an obvious error of the simplest sort: inadvertent omission of a
nasal bar; but virtually all of the C manuscripts share this spelling of
nyneth Both MED, s. v.ninthe, and OED2, s. v.ninth and nineth, acknowledge the possibility of this
spelling of the ordinal in Middle English.R.14.339: Once more, R uniquely reads it
is where the other B witnesses have is. As in
earlier instances in this listing passage, however, though a few C
manuscripts agree with beta's simpler rendering, the vast majority supports R's reiterative
phrase. swete to þe soule no sugur is swettere . For pacience is payne for pouerte hym-selue . And sobrete swete drinke and goed leche in sekenesse
. Þus lered me a leredlettredR.14.342: R's form is shared with F; beta has lettred. Several
variants (including lewed!) occur at this position in C witnesses, but the majority agrees with alpha on lered.
man for oure lordes loue . Seynt austyn a blissed lif with-outen busynesse . For body and for soule solicitudineabsque solicitudine felicitas .R.14.344: Among the B copies, R uniquely omits
absque at the head of the Latin phrase. The same omission
occurs in three C manuscripts of the X family (TH2Ch), but Cx supports the B
majority. Now god þat alle gode gyueth graunte his soule reste
. Þat þus furst wrote to wisse men what
pouerte was to mene . ¶ Allas quod haukynhaukyn þe actyf man þoR.14.347: R completely drops the second stave of the a-verse (Bx
= þe actyf man þo ), probably mirroring alpha in this loss, while F gives
the appearance of trying to repair the damage, replacing the missing material with a simple
þanne. þat after my cristendom I ne hadde be dede and doluen for doweles sake . So harde it is quod haukyn to lyue and to
do synne . Synne schewethsuwethR.14.350: R's scheweth is an alpha error shared with F; beta's suweth is obviously correct. vs euere
quod he and sori gan wexe . And wepte water with his eyȝesR.14.351: R shares this version of
the plural with F; the beta form is eyghen. and weyled þe
tyme . Þat euere he dede dede þat dere god
displesed Swowed and sobbed and siked ful ofte . Þat euere he had londe or lordschipe
lasse other more . Or meistrie ouer any man mo þan of hym-selue . I were nauȝt worthi witewote god R.14.356: Cf. R's wite god to beta's wote god. F
and some of the beta manuscripts completely omit the phrase woot
god. quod haukyn to werie any clothes . Ne noyther scherte ne schone saue for schame one . To keuere my caroyne quod he and cried
mercy faste . And wepte and weyled and þere-with I awaked .