fol. 71v (cont.)I
passus
xiiijus .
Passus
xiiijusx[v]usquartus
decimus[quintus] decimus de visione
vt supra .
R.15.12KD.15.12
Til I seyȝ as it ofR.15.12:
R's line closely parallels that of beta, but R's of is unattested in any
beta witness. F includes of, but does so in a totally revised version of
this a-verse. sorserie were a sotil thynge with-alle .
And where-of I cam
and whider I schuldeR.15.14:
R's b-verse is seriously corrupt, deploying the final phrase from the previous archetypal
line (whider I schulde)—a phrase which he had miscopied in its
proper place; by contrast, F has kendely here and beta manuscripts read
what kynde. Moreover, R uniquely divides this botched passage so as to
cause the final phrase of the Bx line to be displayed as a separate,
following line, R15.15.
Is noyther peter þe porter ne powel with þeR.15.19:
R's þe is unique; the other B manuscripts have his. Among the C copies, the X family agrees with R
while the P family agrees with the others. fauchon .
And for þat I can and knowe cald am I mens . thouȝteR.15.26:
R's thouȝte is a unique reading among the B
copies and has the appearance of a scribal gloss erroneously incorporated into the text. F's
line terminal ofte then would represent a fairly typical example of that
tradition's tendency toward "smoothing" earlier mistakes. However that may be, thouȝte also appears at this point in a large number of C
manuscripts of both major families, including XYcP2TH2Ch (of the X group) and PEcQZWaGcNcFcCa (of the P group); so if it is an error, its
source is a manuscript prior to Bx in the line of transmission.
.
And whanne I make mone to god .
fol. 72rI
Þanne am I spirit speche-les
andR.15.37:
RF are joined by L alone among the beta copies in adding the conjunction here. However, Cx clearly agrees with this LRF reading.
spiritus þanne Ich hatte .
Dum wltR.15.43: R's wlt is a common English scribal spelling for Latin vult; it appears to have resulted from an association between the customary
phonetic value assigned to Latin initial <v> (= /w/) and a popular sense of the
origin of the <w> graph itself as a "double v." Because many other European
languages, as well as Latin, had no <w> graph, and foundries therefore omitted the
form from standard typographic templates, English printers often resorted to using the
digraph <vv> to represent English <w> till the end of the seventeenth
century. animus est
Dum negat vel consentit
consiencia est . In the right margin,
just inside the vertical boundary of the page ruling, someone has inscribed, in drypoint, a
figure resembling a backwards Roman capital <N>; opposite line 51, in the same vertical
column, a figure resembling a properly faced capital <N> has been inscribed; still
lower, and slightly closer to the text, in the margin opposite line 53, another reversed
<N> appears to have been entered in drypoint.
Presul and pontifex and
metropolanus .R.15.53: The term metropolanus (= metropolitanus in beta, seems to be an alpha error. However, this spelling is
also found in about half of the C witnesses, including manuscript
X.
R.15.60KD.15.49
I wolde IchR.15.60: R's Ich is unique, but only in form;
the other B manuscripts have I or y, as does Cx. knewe and coude kendelyche in myn
herte .
fol. 72vI
Þat any creature schuld kenne al excepte criste .R.15.65: R here shows a unique omission; Bx reads cryste one. Cx agrees with the B
archetype.
And seith sicut qui mel comedit
R.15.67: The scribe has included midline punctuation here, but he has
partially obscured it by overwriting it with the first stroke of the following
<m>.
multum non est ei
bonum .
R.15.68KD.15.55
Sic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimaturR.15.68: Cf. F's opprimetur and beta's opprimitur. Cx agrees with R on this
inflectional form. a gloria .
Þe man þat muche hony eetR.15.70:
This is an alpha variant; cf. beta's eteth. Most C
copies agree with alpha, but some with beta. his mawe is englaymed .
SciencieR.15.77: There is an otiose curl on the tail of the
first <e> of Sciencie; it is not altogether different
from a flourish that is part of the scribe's normal repertoire, but from its slightly
altered position, it looks as though he was planning to bar the <e> to represent the
following <n> but then changed his mind. appetitus
hominem immortalitatis gloriam spoliauit
.
And ȝetR.15.78:
R's ȝet is unique; Bx and Cx = riȝte. as hony is euel to defie and
engleymeth þe mawe .
R.15.84KD.15.70
¶ Freres and otherR.15.84:
After and beta supplies fele, a modifier omitted by G
as well as alpha. maistres þat to þe lewed men prechen .
Ȝe meuen materes vnmesurables to tellen of þe trinite
.R.15.85:
Hereafter RF omit a line found in beta:
Þat ofte tymes þe lewed peple of her bileue douten.
Þat ofte tymes þe lewed peple of her bileue douten.
Betere
by-leue
by moneR.15.86:
Mone, "many." doctoures techynge .R.15.86: The Bx version of this line seems much in doubt; there
are complex textual variations among all the manuscripts. Likeliest to represent the beta
version is L, whose rendering closely parallels that of Cr: Bettere byleue were
mony doctoures such techyng. F has Bettre it were to be-leve on / as
doctouris vs techeþ.
And telle menR.15.87: Here R is joined only by G in omitting of after men; F omits men. þe
ten comaundementz & touchen þe seuen synnes .
R.15.88KD.15.75
And of þe braunches þat bourgelethR.15.88:
R's bourgeleth is unique. F reads burgoneþ and beta
manuscripts show spelling variations of the same, e.g., burgeouneth. of hem and bringeth men to helle
.
R.15.92KD.15.79
More for pompe þanne for puire charite þe
pople wote þe sotheR.15.92: There is an ink smudge in the left margin at this point,
apparently the result of blotting contact with the note in the right margin at R15.125 on the
recto page.
And reuerencen þe riche ratherR.15.94:
R uniquely omits þe before rather. Cx agrees with the other B manuscripts on this. for
here suluer .
fol. 73rI
R.15.96KD.15.81α
Vt quid diligitis vanitatem et queritisR.15.96: R uniquely omits mendacium after queritis. &cetera .
R.15.100KD.15.85
Of vsureres of hores andR.15.100: R's and is unique; F reads & of
while beta has of. auerous chapmen .
Aȝeyne ȝoure reule & ȝoureR.15.102: Here R uniquely adds a second ȝoure
to the line. religioun I take recorde at Ihesus
.
Þat seyde to his disciples ne sitis
acceptores personarum .R.15.103: Beta transposes the RF phrase to personarum
acceptores.
R.15.104KD.15.89
¶ Of þis matere I miȝte make a greteR.15.104: In place of R's grete, F reads mychil
and beta shows longe. bible .
Ac of curatoures ouerR.15.105: R's ouer is unique; the other manuscripts read of. cristene poeple as clerkes bereth witnesse
.
☜
Þere inparfit presthode is andR.15.110: The beta manuscripts omit this conjunction.
prechoures and techoures . Beginning just below
the pointing hand referred to at R15.107, there is an erased note in the right margin,
written horizontally in some 16 short lines that extend down the page to a point
approximately 2.2 cm. below the last line of scribal text. The hand appears to be the same as
that discernible in the extensive erased note on fol. 94r.
Riȝt so persones and prestes and
prechoures of holy cherchesR.15.114: R uniquely deploys the plural; the other manuscripts read cherche. Cx agrees with them against R.
Is þeR.15.115: Where R reads Is þe, beta has Þat aren
and F shows Þey sholde been. A majority of C
manuscripts agrees with R. rote of þe riȝt faith to reule þe poeple
And hatyen to here herlotrie and auȝtR.15.121: R uniquely reads auȝt; F reads looþ
wrong; a majority of the beta copies show nouȝt. to
vnderfonge .
Tythes of treweR.15.122: RF are in agreement on trewe (supported by CrWG), but
most beta manuscripts read vntrewe.
thynge I-tyled or I-chafared .
R.15.124KD.15.109
And amenden hem þat þeiR.15.124: R's þei is unique; all the other manuscripts omit
it. mysdon more for ȝoure ensaumples .
Ipocrysye
Þan for to prechen and preue it nauȝt
ypocrisie it semeth .R.15.125: A sixteenth-century
reader has inscribed in the right margin opposite this line Ipocrysye.
For ypocrisie in latyn is likkned to a dongounR.15.126: Beta reads dongehul where RF have dongoun. In a substantially revised version of this line, the C version attests donghep, suggesting that beta's
reading was original.
l ijus
fol. 73vI
Ȝe ar enblaunched with bele
paroles . and with clothes .R.15.130: F's final phrase is completely unique (blewe burnet
cloþis), but beta differs here from R only by adding also at the end
of the line. The C version attests with bele
clothes.
Sicut de templo omne bonum
proceditR.15.133: The form procedit is from alpha. Beta
witnesses read progreditur, the same verb form found at this
point in the C version.
R.15.136KD.15.118
Si autem coruptaR.15.136: Beta reads coruptum. Both inflectional forms
are found in C witnesses, but distribution and numbers suggest that the
alpha reading was archetypal in C. fuerit
omnium fides marcida est .
Si sacerdosR.15.137: Beta reads sacerdocium. Both inflectional
forms are found in C witnesses, but the beta reading is archetypal in
C. fuerit in peccatis
totus populus
conuertitur ad peccatum .R.15.137: Beta reads peccandum. Both readings are
found in C witnesses, but the beta reading is archetypal in C.
R.15.144KD.15.121
But if many preste bere for here broches and for here baselardes .R.15.144: Most beta witnesses have But if many a prest bere for here
baselardes and here broches, where the alliterative pattern suggests that Bx was already corrupt. R reads the nouns of beta's final phrase in
transposed order. The R scribe's placement of a punctus elevatus after bere probably indicates that he did not take and for here
baselardes to have constituted the b-verse by itself. F's line (But euery
prest sholde bere / for here broode baselardis) is unique, revised in the light of a
seemingly confused exemplar.
A peyre bedes in here honde orR.15.145: R's or is an alpha reading; beta has and. a boke vnder here arme .
R.15.152KD.15.130
Walde neuere wit of witty god but wikked men it maked .R.15.152: R's maked is an alpha reading (cf. F's made). Beta reads hadde. Cx agrees with
beta.
Þis þat with gile was gete vngraciousliche is spened .R.15.155: R's spened is unique; F and most beta copies have spended, from the R verb's etymological parent—though W reads despended. The P family of C agrees with W (and by
implication beta and F), but the majority of the X family supports R (reading yspened).
fol. 74rI
Longe
WylleR.15.175: This decorative, rubricated
marginal, very unusual in the typical pattern of Piers Plowman glosses, may
offer evidence for how early in the transmission chain MS R stands: MSS L and M both have
sixteenth-century glosses taking note of Longe Wylle (M repeating the
actual textual phrase, as in R); but among beta copies, only MS O (which Ralph Hanna dates to
the first quarter of the fifteenth century) shows this gloss in a hand contemporary to its
main scribal hand. Another alpha/beta shared gloss, involving MSS R and L, occurs somewhat
later in this passus with the unexpected and atypical Isa. 3 note at
R15.582, attested solely by MSS L, R and F.
Men beth merciable to mendinaunsR.15.177: R uniquely reads to; cf. beta's &
to and F's ne to. to pore .
Ac charite þat powel preyseth best and
moste plesaunt to god .R.15.179: F reads the end of this line as god in heuene while beta
reads owre saueoure.
Þinge þat hym nededR.15.183: R's hym neded is an alpha reading transposed in beta to
neded hym. The beta order is also that found in Cx. nauȝt and nyme it if he miȝte .
R.15.184KD.15.161
¶ Clerkes kennethR.15.184: R uniquely reads kenneth;
All other manuscripts have kenne(n). me þat criste is in
alle places .
¶ Charite quod he ne chaffareth nouȝte
noþerR.15.189: R uniquely reads noþer at the head of the b-verse; the
other copies have ne. chalengeth ne craueth .
He leuethR.15.194: R's He is an alpha lection; beta has And; R's leueth is matched only in Cr; F reads beleviþ while beta manuscripts are ambiguous. Kane and Donaldson read them as leneth, but Skeat construed L's reading as leueth.
and loueth alle þat oure lorde made .
l iijus
fol. 74vI
Coueyteth he non erthely godesR.15.199: Alpha shows the plural; beta reads the singular, good. but heuene-riche blisse .
For a frende þat fyntR.15.202: R's fynt is a unique form
of the verb; most of the other manuscripts, including F, read fyndeth. The
Cx reading is uncertain: most P family copies support the F/beta
reading, but most X family witnesses agree with R. hym failed hyhy[m] neuere at nede .
He can portreye wel þe paternoster
and peynten it with aue .R.15.205: Alpha shows the singular; beta reads the plural, aues (as
does the C version).
And other-while is woneR.15.206: R uniquely omits a pronoun reference from is wone. Most
beta manuscripts read he is wone; others (LMHm) read is his
wone; F has he is wont. Cx attests his wone is. to wende o pilgrimage .
R.15.212KD.15.188
And ȝerne in-to ȝouthe
and ȝepliche secheR.15.212: R's seche is unique; cf. beta's speke
and F's þere seken. Cx's reading (secheth) supports R here. .
ÞanneR.15.217: Beta's opening phrase reads And þanne. In a slightly
revised line, Cx supports alpha, omitting And.
he sengeth whan he doth so and sumtyme seith wepinge
.
R.15.220KD.15.196
¶ With-outen helpe of peres þe
plowman quod he .R.15.220: R uniquely divides a Bx line in half here,
rendering it as two.
¶ Clerkes han no knowlechyngeR.15.223: R's knowlechynge is unique; the other
manuscripts read knowyng. quod he but by
werkes & by wordes .
fol. 75rI
AndR.15.226: R's And is unique; the other manuscripts read Et. Cx supports the majority here.
vidit deus cogitaciones eorum .
For þere are ful proude herteR.15.227: R's herte is unique. Other B
manuscripts read herted. men pacient of tonge .
R.15.228KD.15.202
And buxum as of berynge to
bugrgeysR.15.228: The
<r> of burgeys appears to have been written over another
character. and to lordes .
R.15.232KD.15.206
Loketh as a lambroun
and semedR.15.232: R's semed is unique; cf. beta's semen
and F's seme of. lif-holy .
R.15.244KD.15.218
ToR.15.244: R's To is unique error; all the other manuscripts read
Þe. loue þat lyth in his herte maketh hym liȝt of
speche .
Nolite tristes fieri sicut yporcriteypocrite .R.15.246: Kane-Donaldson note R's unique phrasal variation for this Latin
line (the other manuscripts have Nolite fieri sicut ypocrite tristes
&c), but they overlook the erroneous spelling, yporcrite. Cx supports R's phrasing of this
tagline.
l iiij
fol. 75vI
And in a frereR.15.257: R's frere (an unmarked genitive) is unique; all the other
manuscripts read freres however, the preponderance of C evidence (most of the X family and some of the P family) supports R's
reading. frocke he was Ifounde ones .
R.15.272KD.15.244
¶ Amonges erchebischopes and oþer bischopes These lines are unique to alpha and there are line-division problems.
Moreover, there are sufficient differences between R and F in these lines to justify
reproducing the latter's lines verbatim (cf. Appendix 1, R15.272-77, for details and any
cross-references to the C version):
¶ With Bisshopis & abbotys / & prelatis of holy chirche.
For to wone with hem / hys wone was sum-tyme.
& cristis parsymonye to þe pore / parcel-mel þey deltyn.
But Auerise hathorn; þe keyȝes /& kepithorn; for hise kenysmen.
& for hise seketouris & seruauntis /& summe for hise chirdryn.
¶ With Bisshopis & abbotys / & prelatis of holy chirche.
For to wone with hem / hys wone was sum-tyme.
& cristis parsymonye to þe pore / parcel-mel þey deltyn.
But Auerise hathorn; þe keyȝes /& kepithorn; for hise kenysmen.
& for hise seketouris & seruauntis /& summe for hise chirdryn.
Craueth ne coueyteth ne crieth after more .R.15.283:
Immediately after this line, alpha omits a Latin line found in beta:
In pace in idipsum dormiam &c. OC2 have this line in the margin, suggestive of how it might have been overlooked in alpha if this were its location in Bx.
In pace in idipsum dormiam &c. OC2 have this line in the margin, suggestive of how it might have been overlooked in alpha if this were its location in Bx.
R.15.284KD.15.255
Þe moste lyflode þat he lyuethR.15.284: After lyueth R uniquely omits by. is loue in godes passioun .
Neyther he neR.15.285: R's first ne in this line is unique; all the other B manuscripts omit it. However, among the C
manuscripts, most of the X family agrees with R, while the others agree with beta.
byddethR.15.285: There is a discoloration in the parchment (resembling a large punctus)
immediately after byddeth, but it has no significance. ne beggeth
ne borweth to ȝelde .
fol. 76rI
In ensaumple we schulde do so and taketake [no] veniaunce .R.15.290: R inadvertently (and uniquely) omits no before veniaunce, causing the statement to express a very uncharitable
outlook.
Woneden in wildernessesR.15.302: R's wildernesses is unique; the other manuscripts read
wildernesse. amonges wilde bestes .
And þoruȝ þe melke of þat mekeR.15.309: F shows no adjective (= þe beeste), while R's meke is replaced in beta with mylde. beste
þe man was ysusteyned .
AcR.15.310: R's Ac is unique; beta reads And while
F shows an omission. day by day hadde he hire nauȝt his
honger forto slake .
But selden and sundry tymeR.15.311: Where alpha has the unmarked plural tyme, beta has tymes. as seith þe boke and techeth .
Hadde a bridde þat brouȝte hym hisR.15.313: R's hym his is unique; beta reads hym
and F has hym to. brede þat he by lyuede .
¶ Powel primus
heremita hadde parroked inR.15.315: Beta omits alpha's in. The C version
agrees with beta's omission. hym-selue .
R.15.320KD.15.291
And wan withR.15.320: Virtually all beta manuscripts (and F) add
his before hondes. hondes þat his
wombe nedede .
fol. 76vI
Somme þei solde and somme þei eetenR.15.322: Alpha's eeten is an easier replacement for the correctly
alliterating sothe(n) found in the best beta manuscripts. Cf. R.15.468:. The C version
incorporates this same line, but the lemma in question shows a wide range of attested
readings among C witnesses. & so þei lyued bothe
.
And also marie maudeleyne by mores and byR.15.323: Alpha omits lyued after mores; beta
omits the second by from this b-verse, as witnessed by alpha. On both of
these issues, Cx agrees with beta. dewes .
Þat lyueden þus for oure lordes loue amonges wilde bestes .R.15.326: For alpha's amonges wilde bestes, beta (and the C version) read manye longe ȝeres.
Ac þere ne was lyon ne leopartzR.15.327: R uniquely shows the plural; F and beta read the singular, leopart. þat on laundes wente .
In likkyng and in lowynge þere þei on laundes ȝede .R.15.333: R's in lowynge is unique; F reads lovynge. R's ȝede is unique; F reads wentyn. Beta omits the entire line.
And þanne wolde lordes and ladyes byR.15.338: R's by is unique here; based on the scribe's uniform
spelling of the linking verb elsewhere (= be), this occurrence may be an
error, but it cannot be so designated conclusively. It may represent another example of R's
many relict forms. MED, s. v.
ben, attests to the viability of by in this sense with
citations from both the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, including one from the
Ayenbite of Inwyt (He haþ niede, by hit to þe bodie, by hit to
þe zaule—BL Arundel 57) and The Seven Sages (He
schal dwelle on lyue tyl to morwe day, And by than as hit may—Cam. Dd.1.17).
Moreover, at R16.166, the scribe demonstrates his comfort with the inverse situation,
signifying ModE "by" with be, a form that OED2, s. v.
by (prep., adv.), attests as viable for this period. lothe to
agulte .
Til briddes bringen vs þat we schulde leueR.15.343: R's leue is unique among the B manuscripts (cf. R15.400),
but OED2 attests it as a recognized form for liue. (See
Trevisa, 1387, s. v.
live (v. 1). by .
And onR.15.345: In place of alpha's on or oo (= F), beta here shows a. messe
þere-myde of on manere kende
.
Ȝe hadde riȝt I-now
ȝe religious & so ȝoure
ordreR.15.346: Alpha here substitutes non-alliterating ordre for Bx's reule (attested in beta). me tolde .
R.15.348KD.15.318
Aut mugiet bos cum ante
plenum presepe steterit .R.15.348: Here alpha drops a long passage from the Latin citation as witnessed by
both beta and the C version: brutorum animalium
natura te condempnat quia cum eis pabulum comune sufficiat.
R.15.356KD.15.325
And ben I-founded and feffed eke to bydden for other .R.15.356: The scribe fails here to
skip a line between strophes, as is his custom, presumably because the next line is the last
ruled one for this side.
fol. 77rI
And on hem-selue
sum and suchR.15.361: R's such is followed by a unique omission; most beta
copies follow such with as and BF read þat. ben here laboreres .
Riȝt so ȝe riche ȝe robbethR.15.367: In this
case (cf. R15.371), RF share with some beta copies a root form, Robbe,
classified by OED2 as a sixteenth-century variant spelling for robe, v. (= ModE "clothe"); it is traceable to OF robbe (= ModE
"robe"), derived from the same root as OF rob since the original meaning
of "robe" was "booty, spoils." þat bethR.15.367: R's beth is unique; all
other witnesses read be(n). riche .
As ho-so fulled a tonne ful of a fulR.15.369: R's second ful is unique; beta reads fressh and F has an omission. ryuere .
Ac religious þat rich ben schulde rather fedeR.15.373: In place of alpha's fede, beta has feste. beggeres .
R.15.376KD.15.343α
Item idem peccatoribus dare est
demonibus
immolare .R.15.376: Here alpha drops a long passage from the Latin citation as witnessed in
beta: Item monache si indiges et accipis pocius das quam accipis Si autem
non eges & accipis rapis.
FoR.15.379: Neither MED nor OED2, s. v.
for, cites an example of fo as viable for the
preposition signified here, but it occurs in R in four widely separated contexts (cf. R2.64,
R14.60, and R20.224) and probably represents an instance of idiolect apocope. Cf. R's common
use of fro (= ModE "from") and mo (= ModE
"more"). charite with-oute chalengynge .
vnchargeth .R.15.379: R uniquely omits the end of Bx's b-verse: þe soule.
R.15.380KD.15.346
And many a prison fram purgatorie þoruȝ his
preyeres is deliuered .R.15.380: For R's is deliuered, F reads ben
dylyuered; beta reads (he) delyureth.
WhereR.15.382: R is almost unique (cf. Cot) in this
reading; F and the other beta copies read Wherfore. folke is þe
feblere and nouȝt ferme of byleue .
fol. 77vI
Þat whilum warned bifore what schuld byfalleR.15.394: R's byfalle is unique; all the other manuscripts read falle(n). However, most of the C manuscripts agree with
R. after .
Scheperdes and schipmen and so doen þis
tilieres .R.15.402: An early reader has inserted a red star or cross in the right margin at this
point.
Of þat was calkuled of clementR.15.405: For alpha's of clement, beta reads of þe
element(s). Alpha's reference is opaque; but at least, unlike beta's, it alliterates.
Schmidt conjectures clemat, based on the unquestioned reading of the C version at this point, clymat. þe
contrarie þei fynde .
For is non of þis new clerkeR.15.407: R's apparent singular, clerke, is unique; the other
copies have the explicit plural required by immediate context, clerkes. ho-so nymeth hede .
R.15.412KD.15.379, 378
And flatreR.15.412: For R's flatre, "flatterer, one who flatters" from OF flatour, Bx reads flaterere, the same
form found in Cx. his felawe vnder hym to fourmen .
AndR.15.413:
And is alpha's erroneous addition to the text of Bx. muche wonder me thenketh amonges vs alle .
And for here liuynge
þat lewed men be þe lother god agulten .R.15.426: There is a superfluous
tilde over the -en of agulten.
fol. 78rI
R.15.436KD.15.402
Þe corne þat sche cropped he caste hit in his
here .R.15.436: Hereafter alpha omits two lines found in beta, presumably on
account of eyeskip (the second of the omitted lines ends with ere):
And if he amonge þe poeple preched or in places come
Þanne wolde þe coluer come to þe clerkes ere.
And if he amonge þe poeple preched or in places come
Þanne wolde þe coluer come to þe clerkes ere.
Menynge as after mete þus macumeth
hire
chaunted .R.15.437: Beta reads enchaunted, while F shows a present-tense form
of alpha's apheretic verb: chawnteþ. Cx agrees with
beta.
R.15.440KD.15.408
And messagerR.15.440: Where alpha has And messager, beta reads As
messager. to macumeth men for to teche .
PeresR.15.450: Cf. alpha's noun form, Peres, to beta's verb form, Peren. to apostles thoruȝ here parfit
lyuynge .
To lyue by litel and in lowe houseR.15.455: R uniquely shows the singular; the other manuscripts read houses. by lele mennes fyndynge .
R.15.456KD.15.424
Grasse schulde growe and be grene þoruȝ
here
leleR.15.456: For alpha's lele, cf. beta's correctly alliterating good. lyuynge .
Petite et accipietis &cetera
.R.15.461: The R scribe here deviates from his usual practice of inserting
a blank line between strophes, presumably because the next line is the last one ruled for
this side.
fol. 78vI
Vos estis sal terre &cetera
. F omits these 68 lines (= KD15.429α-92), reflecting the contents
either of a single leaf or (more likely) an opening from his exemplar. E. Talbot Donaldson
noted this fact in "MSS R and F in the B-Tradition of Piers Plowman," Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences (1955): 185
n. 19, rightly attributing the error to a copyist between F and alpha. More recently Sean
Taylor, "The F Scribe and the R Manuscript of Piers Plowman B," English Studies 77 (1996): 530-48, has pointed out that this lacuna
coincides with the opening of fols. 78v-79r in R; he argues, we think unconvincingly, that
this coincidence supports the proposition that F was copied directly from R.
Crist calledR.15.465: Beta here shows the present-tense form, calleth. F omits
the line. hem salt for cristene soules
And be gyde and go before asR.15.471: The beta version of the phrase shows a determiner: as a good baneoure. F omits the line. goed
baneoure .
Til gregori and greteR.15.479: Only B supports R's inferior reading (and grete); the other beta manuscripts read garte or gerte. F omits the line. clerkes to go and to
preche .
R.15.480KD.15.445
Austyn at canterbirie cristened þe kynge þere .R.15.480: R's kynge þere is unique; the beta copies have kynge while F omits the line.
fol. 79rI
R.15.496KD.15.461
Rude and vnresonable rennynge with-oute keperesR.15.496: R's keperes is unique; beta's variants seem nonsensical:
LYOGC2 have crep(e)res while WHmCrCBM show crop(i)ers. F omits the line. .
R.15.504KD.15.468
So doth loue & lewte and leleR.15.504: In the a-verse, doth is a unique addition to the text of
this line as witnessed by beta; in the b-verse, the same is true of and
(before lele). F omits the line. men susteyneth .
R.15.508KD.15.472
And by þe hande fedde foules hisR.15.508:
His, "is." These lines are omitted by all beta manuscripts and
survive in R alone. folk vnderstonde .
¶ Ac who beth þat excuseth hem R.15.522: Here the beta copies add þat. aren
persones and prestes .
Ecce audiuimus
eum in effrata &cetera .R.15.527: Beta omits this Latin
citation and F has omitted at least a folio of surrounding material, including this
phrase.
Ite in vniuersum
mundum . et predicate .
&cetera .R.15.529: Here the R scribe omits his usual line break
before a new strophe, presumably because the next line is the last one ruled for this
side.
¶ AllsAll[a]sR.15.530: R's Alls is undocumented in MED or
OED2
s. v.
alas and is, presumably, a unique spelling error; F omits this line, beta
has Allas, the same form that occurs in Cx.
þat men so longe on macumeth schullenR.15.530: R's schullen is unique; most beta copies read schulde(n) or sholde. byleue .
fol. 79vI
Þat þei ne wenten as criste wisseth sithen þei wilneR.15.533: Alpha's wilne derives from a different verb stem than
beta's wil, but it is doubtful that Langland saw these forms as distinct
since they share virtually identical semantics. The C manuscripts, in a
revised b-verse, split on these two verb forms (the majority agreeing with alpha), thus
confirming their status as twins in early fifteenth-century usage. a name .
ToR.15.538: Beta reads For in place of alpha's To.
Beta omits the second to in this a-verse. cristene and to vncristene criste seyde to prechoures .
Han a lippe of oure byleue þe
liȝtloker it semethR.15.541: For alpha's it semeth, beta and the C version read me thynketh. .
Þei schulde turne ho-so trauaile
wolde & techenR.15.542: R's & techen is unique; all other B copies read to teche. hem of þe trinite
.
R.15.544KD.15.504
For al paynymes preyeth to on persone to helpe .R.15.544: In place of R's softened b-verse (which F varies from with of
helpe), beta copies read and parfitly bileueth. Cx agrees with beta.
On
o god þei greden and his grace asken .R.15.545: R's b-verse is virtually identical to beta's (which reads and
his grace þei asken), but the a-verse in the two subarchtypes is radically different.
Beta's version of the latter reads In þe holy grete god.
R.15.548KD.15.508
And þat is reuth for þeR.15.548: In place of R's for þe), most beta copies and F read for while Cr has of. The reading of Cx is uncertain here, the P family agreeing with R while the X family reads for tho.
riȝtfulmenriȝtful men þat in þe
reume wonyen .
And a peril to þe pope and toR.15.549: R uniquely attests this preposition; F omits the line.
prelates þat he maketh .
¶ Whan þe heye kynge of heuene sent his sone to erthe
. Beta omits these lines. The differences between F's version of these
lines and that attested in R are sufficiently numerous to make full citation of F's passage
here advisable (cf. Appendix 1, R15.551-68, for details and any cross-references to the C version):
Whan þe hyȝe kyng of heuene / sente his sone to erþe.
Manye myraclis he wroghte / man for to turne.
In ensaumple þat sholde seen / þat by sad resoun.
Men myghte not ben savid / but þorghȝ mercy & grace.
& þorghȝ penaunce & passioun / & parfyȝt beleve.
& by-cam of a mayde / & metropolitanus after.
& was baptyzed & y-sygned / with þe blood of his herte.
Alle þat wilned & wolde / with wit be-leve it.
Manye a seynt sytthen / haven suffred to dyȝen.
Al for to ferme þe fayȝþ / in fele contrees dyȝen.
In yȝnde in Alysaundre / in Armonye in spayne.
& in doolful deþ þey dyeden / for þeyre feyþis sake.
In savacioun of þe fayþ / seynt Thomas was y-martred.
And a-mong vnkyȝnde cristene / for cristis he dyȝede.
& for þe ryght of al þis rewme / & alle rewmes cristene.
Holy chirche ys honoured / hyȝlyche þorghȝ his dyȝenge.
He is be-leve to alle bisschopis / & a bryght merrour.
& souereynly to swiche / þat of surrye beren þe name.
Whan þe hyȝe kyng of heuene / sente his sone to erþe.
Manye myraclis he wroghte / man for to turne.
In ensaumple þat sholde seen / þat by sad resoun.
Men myghte not ben savid / but þorghȝ mercy & grace.
& þorghȝ penaunce & passioun / & parfyȝt beleve.
& by-cam of a mayde / & metropolitanus after.
& was baptyzed & y-sygned / with þe blood of his herte.
Alle þat wilned & wolde / with wit be-leve it.
Manye a seynt sytthen / haven suffred to dyȝen.
Al for to ferme þe fayȝþ / in fele contrees dyȝen.
In yȝnde in Alysaundre / in Armonye in spayne.
& in doolful deþ þey dyeden / for þeyre feyþis sake.
In savacioun of þe fayþ / seynt Thomas was y-martred.
And a-mong vnkyȝnde cristene / for cristis he dyȝede.
& for þe ryght of al þis rewme / & alle rewmes cristene.
Holy chirche ys honoured / hyȝlyche þorghȝ his dyȝenge.
He is be-leve to alle bisschopis / & a bryght merrour.
& souereynly to swiche / þat of surrye beren þe name.
In sauacioun of þe fayth
seynt t....homasR.15.563: The erasure is not original; the first and last letters of the deleted name
appear to have been <t> and <s> respectively. The name is obvious both
historically and textually. was ymartired.
he is a for-bysene
fol. 80rI
And nauȝt to huppe aboute here in englande forto halwe autres .R.15.569: Although it begins in harmony with R, F's version of this line is unique in
several ways (& nowht to hoppe here & þeere / for halwen awteris).
Beta differs from R in three respects: (1) where R's opening reads And
nauȝt to, beta has Þat; (2) beta omits R's here later in the a-verse but (3) adds mennes after halwe in the b-verse.
And crepe in amonges curatoures and confesse menR.15.570: R's confesse men is unique; F and most beta copies read
confesse(n), while GC2B read confessyon. Cx agrees with the majority F/beta reading.
aȝeyne þe lawe .
Nolite mittere falsem in messemR.15.571: R's omission of text after messem is unique;
all the other manuscripts of B read alienam after messem. Cx
agrees with the Bmajority. &cetera
.
Ar cristendom were knowe þere or any cros þereR.15.573: R's cros þere is unique; all the other manuscripts of B read cros. Cx agrees with the
majority against R. honoured .R.15.573: Immediately hereafter, the beta manuscripts witness to
some 35 lines of text not present in alpha but clearly attested in the C
version. The entire question of the order of these complementary omissions (with alpha
witnessing uniquely to KD15.511-28 and beta now uniquely attesting KD15.533-69—and
short neighboring passages seemingly out of their logical order as well) is discussed by
Kane-Donaldson on pp. 176-79. Cf. section II.2.5, esp. paragraphs 5 and 6, of our Introduction for a different assessment of
the cause of this dislocation (but complete agreement with Kane-Donaldson on the proper
ordering of the text). The lines here omitted by alpha read as follows in beta:
It is reuth to rede how riȝtwis men lyued
How þei defouled her flessh forsoke her owne wille
Fer fro kitth and fro kynne yuel yclothed ȝeden
Badly ybedded no boke but conscience
Ne no richchesse but þe Rode to reioyse hem Inne
Absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri &c
And þo was plente & pees amonges pore & riche
And now is routhe to rede how þe red noble
Is reuerenced or þe Rode receyued for þe worthier
Þan crystes crosse þat ouercam deþ and dedly synne
And now is werre and wo and whoso why axeth
For coueityse after crosse þe croune stant in golde
Bothe riche and religious þat Rode þei honoure
Þat in grotes is ygraue and in golde nobles
For coueityse of þat crosse men of holykirke
Shul tourne as templeres did þe tyme approcheth faste
Wyte ȝe nouȝt wyse men how þo men honoured
More tresore þan treuthe I dar nouȝt telle þe sothe
Resoun & riȝtful dome þo Religious demed
Riȝt so ȝe clerkes for ȝowre coueityse ar longe
Shal þei demen dos ecclesie and ȝowre pryde depose
Deposuit potentes de sede &c.
Ȝif knyȝthod & kynde wytte and comune conscience
Togideres loue lelly leueth it wel ȝe bisshopes
Þe lordeship of londes for euere shal ȝe lese
And lyuen as leuitici as owre lorde ȝow techeth
Per primicias & decimas
Whan costantyn of curteysye holykirke dowed
With londes and ledes lordeshipes and rentes
An Angel men herde an heigh at Rome crye
Dos ecclesie þis day hath ydronke venym
And þo þat han petres powere arn apoysoned alle
A medecyne mote þer-to þat may amende prelates
Þat sholden preye for þe pees possessioun hem letteth
Take her landes ȝe lordes and let hem lyue by dymes
If possessioun be poysoun & inparfit hem make
Good were to dischargen hem for holicherche sake
And purgen hem of poysoun or more perile falle
Ȝif presthod were parfit þe peple sholde amende
Þat contrarien crystes lawe and crystendome dispise.
It is reuth to rede how riȝtwis men lyued
How þei defouled her flessh forsoke her owne wille
Fer fro kitth and fro kynne yuel yclothed ȝeden
Badly ybedded no boke but conscience
Ne no richchesse but þe Rode to reioyse hem Inne
Absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri &c
And þo was plente & pees amonges pore & riche
And now is routhe to rede how þe red noble
Is reuerenced or þe Rode receyued for þe worthier
Þan crystes crosse þat ouercam deþ and dedly synne
And now is werre and wo and whoso why axeth
For coueityse after crosse þe croune stant in golde
Bothe riche and religious þat Rode þei honoure
Þat in grotes is ygraue and in golde nobles
For coueityse of þat crosse men of holykirke
Shul tourne as templeres did þe tyme approcheth faste
Wyte ȝe nouȝt wyse men how þo men honoured
More tresore þan treuthe I dar nouȝt telle þe sothe
Resoun & riȝtful dome þo Religious demed
Riȝt so ȝe clerkes for ȝowre coueityse ar longe
Shal þei demen dos ecclesie and ȝowre pryde depose
Deposuit potentes de sede &c.
Ȝif knyȝthod & kynde wytte and comune conscience
Togideres loue lelly leueth it wel ȝe bisshopes
Þe lordeship of londes for euere shal ȝe lese
And lyuen as leuitici as owre lorde ȝow techeth
Per primicias & decimas
Whan costantyn of curteysye holykirke dowed
With londes and ledes lordeshipes and rentes
An Angel men herde an heigh at Rome crye
Dos ecclesie þis day hath ydronke venym
And þo þat han petres powere arn apoysoned alle
A medecyne mote þer-to þat may amende prelates
Þat sholden preye for þe pees possessioun hem letteth
Take her landes ȝe lordes and let hem lyue by dymes
If possessioun be poysoun & inparfit hem make
Good were to dischargen hem for holicherche sake
And purgen hem of poysoun or more perile falle
Ȝif presthod were parfit þe peple sholde amende
Þat contrarien crystes lawe and crystendome dispise.
R.15.576KD.15.572
Tellen hem and schewenR.15.576: R's schewen is an inferior alpha reading; cf. beta's
properly alliterating techen. hem on þe
trinite to byleue .
AcR.15.578: R's Ac is unique; beta omits the entire line while F
reads But. ysaie of ȝow spekethR.15.578: R's of ȝow speketh is unique; beta omits the entire
line while F reads how þou spekist. and osyas bothe .R.15.578:
Beginning here, there is another long, erased note in the right margin, most of it in the
same hand as the example on fol. 94r. The hand appears to be nearly contemporary to that of
the main scribe. However, the first three lines of the erased note appear to be in a
secretary hand. Total length of the note is some 23 short, horizontally arranged lines,
extending to a point approximately 3.5 cm. below the last ruled text line.
Et ideo nolite constituere me regem
y 3 .R.15.582: R's y 3 is an abbreviated reference for the
biblical citation immediately preceding (from Isa. 3). Such references are rare in the B manuscripts; this one clearly derives from alpha, at least, since a very
similar reference occurs in F here, but what is especially noteworthy is that an absolutely
identical citation occurs at this point in L, one of the oldest beta
manuscripts.
Aren for me[forme]R.15.586: R's for me probably is a misreading of forme in alpha. F tried to rationalize this variant as formed. Beta
reads ferme. as in þe faith godes forbode elles .
And toke it moyses to techen it hemR.15.591: For alpha's defective it hem, beta correctly reads men. til messye come .
AndR.15.594: Alpha's And is omitted by beta but included in Cx. for a parfit prophete þat muche poeple
saued .
R.15.600KD.15.594
And vnder stone stanke and dedeR.15.600: Beta merely transposes R's phrase to ded & stanke,
but F is unique: he stank ded. with stif voys hym calde
.
m jus
fol. 80vI
R.15.608KD.15.600
Cum
veniat sanctus sanctorum
&cetera .R.15.608: Beta's version of this citation is fuller than alpha's, and the opening is
transposed: Cum sanctus sanctorum veniat cessabit vnxio
vestra.
R.15.612KD.15.604
Moyses eft or messye ȝet here maystriesR.15.612: Beta transposes this phrase to here
maisteres ȝet.
dyuineth .
Prelates of cristene prouinceR.15.618: R's singular form is unique; the other manuscripts read prouynces. schulde proue if þei miȝte .
R.15.620KD.15.611
Til þei coude speke and spelle andR.15.620: R's and is unique; beta shows et while F reads Credo. Although a few C manuscripts (PVcAcZ) agree with R, Cx clearly
agrees with beta on this lection.
in spiritum sanctum
.