fol. 58rI
Passus xiijus

Passus xiijustertiodecimusM.13.0: The guide to the passus heading is erased beneath the heading itself.

a
And I awaked ther-with  witytles nerehande
And as a freke that free were  forth gan I walke
In manere of a mendinaunt  many ȝyere after
M.13.4KD.13.4
And of þis metynge many tyme  muche thouȝt I hadde
Furst how fortune me failled  at my moost nede
And how þat Elde manaced me  miȝte we euere mete
nota contra fratres
And how þat Freres folweden  folk þat was riche .
M.13.8KD.13.8
And folk þat was pouere  at litel pris þei setten .
And no corps in hire kyrkȝyerd  ne .M.13.9:The erasure may have been a misplaced punctus elevatus. in hire kyrk was buried .
But quike he biquethe hem aught  or shulde helpe quite hire dettes
And how this couetise ouerecome  clerkes and preestus .
# quia in defectis Curatoribus multi periunt
M.13.12KD.13.12
And how þat lewede men ben ladde  but oure lord hem helpe
Thorugh vnkonnynge curatours  to incurable peynes
And how þat ymaginatif  in dremeles me tolde
Of kynde and of his konnynge  and how curteis he is to bestes
M.13.16KD.13.16
And how louynge he is to bestes  on londe and on watre
Leneth he no lif  lasse ne more .
The creatures that krepen  of kynde ben engendrede
And sithen how ymaginatif . saide  Vix Iustus saluabitur .
M.13.20KD.13.20
And whan he hadde saide so  how sodeinliche he passede .
I lay down longe in this thouȝte  and at þe laste .eI slepte
And as crist wolde there come conscience  to conforten me þat tyme .
And bad me come to his courte  with clergye shulde I dyne .
M.13.24KD.13.24
And for conscience of clergie spak  I come welM.13.24:Kane and Donaldson read wol which is possible though not shared with other B manuscripts. For another ambiguous case cf. M.13.347. the rather
And þere I s.ay a maistreer  what man he was I neste .
That lowe louted.  and loueliche to scripture
# conveuium consciencie
Conscience knewe hym wel  and welcomed hym faire
M.13.28KD.13.28
They .. — wesshenM.13.28:Probably <h> has been erased; cf. M.15.199 whasshen. and wyppeden  and wenten to the dynere .
Ac pacience in þe paleys stood  in pilgrymes clothes
And praide ...mete for charite  for a pouere hermyte .
Conscience called hemM.13.31:M's hem is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read hym. In  and curteyselich saide
M.13.32KD.13.32
Welcome wy...... and goM.13.32:M's and go is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read go and, which is likely to be the erased reading. wasshe  thow shalt sitte sone .
h ijM.13.32:This signature is very faint.
cor
fol. 58vI
This maister was made sitte  as for þe mooste worthi
And þanne clergye . and conscience  and pacience come after
Pacience and I  were p..ut to be macches .
M.13.36KD.13.36
And seten by oure-selue  at a syde borde
Conscience called after mete  and þanne come scripture
And serued hem þus sone  of sundry metes manye
Of austyn . of ambrose  of alle þe foure euaungelistes .
M.13.40KD.13.39α
Edentes & bibentes que apud eos sunt
Ac þis maist..er ne his man  no manere flessh eten
Ac þei eten mete of more coste  mortreux and potages .
Of þat men myswonne  thei made hem wel ateseat ese
M.13.44KD.13.43
Ac here sauce was ouere soure  and vnsauorly grounde
In a morter post mortem
In a Morter post Mortem  of many aM.13.45:The addition of a brings M into agreement with WBF. bitter payne
But ȝif þei singe for þe soules  and wepe salte teres
nota terribile valde
Vos qui peccata hominum commeditis nisi pro eis lacrimas & orationes
effunderitisM.13.47:The manuscripts split between effunderitis (present) and effuderitis (past subjunctive). Both Hm and M erase the <n>.  ea que in delicijs comeditis in tormentis euometis 
M.13.48KD.13.46
Conscience ful curteisly tho  comaunded scripture
By-fore pacience bred to bringe  and me þat was his macche
He sette a sour lof to-forn vs  and saide agite penitentiam
# diuersitatem ciborum ad Conuiuium Consciencie
And sith he drough vs drynke  diauM.13.51:Both M and Bm alter to diu. The manuscripts split between dia and diu. For discussion of the variants see John Alford, Piers Plowman: A Guide to the Quotations (Binghamton, 1992), pp. 82-83. perseuerans
M.13.52KD.13.51
As longe quod I as I lyue  and lycame may dure
Here is propre seruice quod pacience  þer fareþ no prince bettre .
And þanne he brouȝte vs forth a Mees  of oþer mete . of Miserere mei deus .
And he brouȝt vs of . Beati quorum of Beatus vires makynge
M.13.56KD.13.54
Et quorum tecta sunt peccata in a dissh .
Of derne shrifte dixi  and Confitebor tibi .
Brynge pacience some pitaunce  priueliche quod conscience
And þanne had pacience a pitaunce  Pro hac orabit ad te omnis sanctus in tempore oportuno
M.13.60KD.13.58
And conscience conforted vs  and carped vs mery tales .
Cor contritum & humiliatum deus non despicies .
Pacience was proude  of þat propre seruice
And made hem murthe with his mete  ac I mournede euere .
M.13.64KD.13.61
For þis doctour on þe heigh dees  dranke wynM.13.64:M alone among B manuscripts here lacks the word so. faste .
Ve vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum .
fol. 59rI
passus xiijus
He eet manye sundry metes  mortreux and podynges
Wombe cloutes and wilde brawne  and egges yfryed with greses
M.13.68KD.13.64
Thanne seide I to my-self so  pacience it herde
It is nouȝt foure dayes goM.13.69:M alone among B manuscripts attests go here. Most B manuscripts lack the word entirely; F attests the word before foure dayes.  þat þis freike  byfore þe dean of poules
Preched of penaunce  þat poule þapostoille suffrede
In fame & frigore  and flappes of scourges
M.13.72KD.13.67α
Ter cesus sum et a iudeis quinquies quadragenas & cetera
Ac o word þei ouerehuppen  at .eche a tyme þat þei prechen
That Poule in his pistell  to al þe p.eple tolde .
Periculum est in falsis fratribus
M.13.76KD.13.71
Holy writ ..biddeþ men be war  I wil nouȝt write it here
On ynglissh an auenture  it shulde be reherced to ofte
And greue þerewith. þat goode ben  ac gramariens shul rede
Vnusquisque a fratre se custodiat . quia vt dicitur periculum est in falsis fratribus
Iocose loquitur & vera quidem dicit
M.13.80KD.13.74
Ac I wist neuere freke þat as a frere ȝyede  bifore men on englissh
Taken it for hireisM.13.81:M's original hire agreed with CrYOC2CBLR. The alteration is in a different ink than the surrounding text. teme  and tellen it with-outen glosyng
Thei prechen þat penaunce  is profitable to þe soule
And what meschief and male-ese  crist for man tholed .
M.13.84KD.13.78
Ac þis goddus glotoun quod I  with hise grete chekes .
Hath no pite on vs pouere  he parfourneth euele
That he precheþ he preueþ nouȝt  to pacience I tolde
And w...?...isshedM.13.87:Probably <h> has been erased. Cf. M.13.28 above and M.15.199 whasshen. witterly  with wille ful egre .
M.13.88KD.13.82
That disshes and doblers  bifore þilke doctour
Were molten led in his mawe  and mahoun amyddes .
I shal iangle to þis Iurdan  with his Iuste wombe
To telle me what penaunce is  of w...hich he preched rather .
# wynkyng off paciens
M.13.92KD.13.86
Pacience parceiuede what I thouȝte  and wynked on me to be stille
And saide þou shalt see thus soone  whan he may no more .
He shal haue a penaunce in his paunche  and puffe at ich a worde
And þanne shul his gutt.es gothele  and he shal galpen after .
M.13.96KD.13.90
For now he hath drunken so depe  he wol diuine. soone
And preue it by hire pocalipse  and passioun of seint Auereys .
That neither bacoun ne brawne  blamanger ne mortreux
Is neither fissh ne flessh  but fode for a penaunt
M.13.100KD.13.94
And þanne shal he testifye of a trinite  and take his felawe to wittnesse .
What he fonde in a frayele  aftur a Freres lyuyng
ButM.13.102: M shares the reading But with G; other B manuscripts have And but. ȝif þe furste lyne be lesynge  leue me neuere after .
And þanne is tyme to takeM.13.103:The <k> is oddly formed, looking almost like an <l>. OC2R have talke.  and to appose þis doctour .
h iijM.13.103:This signature is very faint.
fol. 59vI
M.13.104KD.13.98
.OfM.13.104: For M's altered Of, F reads If. dowell and of dobet  and if do-beste be any penaunce .
And I sete stille as pacience seide / and þus sone þis doctour
As rody as a Rose . rubbed his chekes
Coughed & carped . and conscience him herde
M.13.108KD.13.102
And tolde hym of a Trinite and towardes vs he lokede
What is dowel sire doctour quod I . is dowel any penaunce .
nona discriptio de dowell
Dowel quod þis doctour . and took þe Cuppe and dranke
Do non euel to þine euenecristen . nouȝt by þi poer
M.13.112KD.13.106
By þis day sire doctour quod I . thanne be ȝye nouȝt in dowell .
For ȝye han harmed vs two in þat ȝye eten þe pud....dyng
Mortreux and other mete . and we no mossell hadde .
And ȝif ȝye fare so in ȝyoure fermorie . ferly me thynketh .
M.13.116KD.13.110
But cheste be þere charite . shulde be . and ȝyonge children durste pleyne
I wolde permute my penaunce . with ȝyoure . for I am in point to dowel .
Thanne conscience curteslich . a contenaunce he made .
And preinte vp-on pacience . to preie me to be stille .
M.13.120KD.13.114
And saide hym-self . sire doctour and it be ȝyoure wille .
What is dowel and dobet . ȝye diuynours knoweth .
decimaM.13.122:The arabic numeral "10" has been written 01, placing the numeral indicating units to the left of the numeral indicating tens. Treatises on computation instruct writers to begin writing numerals with the units and to proceed with the tens, hundreds, etc., moving, as Arabic scripts do, from right to left. The form here reflects that order of digits, but not that direction of the script. Cf. The Earliest Arithmetics in English, ed. Robert Steele. EETS ES 118, pp. 1-8. discriptio de dowell
Dowel quod þis doctor . do as Clerkes techeþ
And dobet is he þat techeþ . and trauailleth to teche oþere
M.13.124KD.13.118
And do-beste doth hym-selue so . a.s he saith and precheþ .
Qui facit & docuerit magnus vocabitur in regno celorum .
Now thow Clergye quod conscience . carpest what is dowel .
Nota bene
I haue seuene sones he saide . seruen in a castell
M.13.128KD.13.121
There þe lord of lif . wonyeth . to leren hym what is dowel .
Til I se þo seuene . and my-self accorden .
I am vnhardy quod he . to any wight to preue it .
For oon Piers þe ploughman . haþ inpugned vs alle .
piersM.13.132:This marginal comment is very faint.
M.13.132KD.13.125
And settet alle sciences at a soppe . saue loue oneM.13.132:Both M and Cot here omit KD.13.126. .
But dilige deum and Domine quis habitabit & cetera
And saith þat dowel & dobet . aren two infinites
W....hiche Infinites with a feith . fynden out dobest .
fol. 60rI
passus xiijus
M.13.136KD.13.130
....Which shal saue manus soule . thus saieth Piers þe ploughman
I kan nouȝt here-on quod conscience . ac I knowe Piers .
He wol nouȝt aȝein holy writte speken . I dar wel vndurtake
Thanne passe we ouere til piers come . and preue þis in dede .
M.13.140KD.13.134
Pacience hath ben in many placesM.13.140:M's altered reading places is shared by CrGYOC2CB. Other B manuscripts have the singular. . and parauenture knoweth
That no clerk ne kan . as Crist bereth wyttnesse
Pacientes vincunt . & cetera
ActM.13.143:M's original reading of Ac was shared with WHmCotL. .youre praiere quod pacience . þo . so no man displese hym .
M.13.144KD.13.137
Disce . quod he . doce dilige inimicos .
Disce and dowel / doce and dobet /
Dilige and dobest . þus tauȝte me ones .
A lemman þat I louede . loue was hire name
M.13.148KD.13.140
With wordes and with werkes quod she . and wille of þin herte .
Thow loue lelly þi soule . al þi lif-tyme .
And so thow lere þe to louye . for þe lordes loue of heuenne
Thyne enemy in alle wyse . euene-forth with þi-seluen .
M.13.152KD.13.144
Caste coles on his hed . andofM.13.152:M's original reading and was shared with Cr23CYOC2BL. al kynde speche .
Bothe with workes and with wordus . fonde his loue to wynne
And leye on hym þus with loue . til he laughe on the
And but he bowe for þis betynge . blynde moot he worthe .
contra quod
M.13.156KD.13.148
Ac for to fare þus with þi frende / folie it were
For he þat loueth þe lelly . litel of þyne coueitehcoueite[t]h .
Kynde loue coueiteth nouȝt . no catel but speche
#
With half a laum.pe lyne in latyn . Ex vi transicionis
M.13.160KD.13.152
I bere ther-Inne aboute . faste ybounde dowel
In a signe of þe saturday . þat sette furst þe k...alender
# Misticum
And al þe wit of wodnesdayM.13.162: M shares the reading wodnesday with C; other B manuscripts have þe wodnesday. . of þe nexte wyke after
The .....middel of þe mone . is þe myght of bothe .
M.13.164KD.13.156
And here-with am I welcome . þere I haue it with me .
Vndo þisM.13.165:M's þis is not attested in other B manuscripts, which read it. lat þeM.13.165: M shares the reading þe with F; other B manuscripts have þis. doctour doctour — deme . if dowel be þere-inne .
For by hym þat me made . miȝte neuere pouerte
Miseise ne mischief ne man with his tonge
M.13.168KD.13.160
Colde ne care . ne companye of þeues .
Ne neither hete ne hayle . ne noon helle pouke
Ne neyther fuyr . ne flode . ne fere of þine enemy
Tene þe any tyme . and þow take it with the .
h iiij
fol. 60vI
M.13.172KD.13.163α
Caritas nichil timet
It is but a dido quod þis doctour . a disoures tale
Al þe wit of þis world . and wighte mennus strengthe
Kan nouȝt confourmen a pes . bytwene þe pope and his enemys .
M.13.176KD.13.175
Ne bitwene noM.13.176:M's no is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read two. cristen kynges . kan no wight pees make
Profitable to either poeple . and putte þe table from h.ym .
And took clergye to counseill and ...conscience . to conseill as it were .
That pacience ..þouM.13.179:M's altered reading agrees with WCr1. Most B manuscripts read þo. moste passe . for pilgrimes kunne wel lye
M.13.180KD.13.179
Ac conscience carped loude . and curteisliche seide
Frendes fareþ wel . and faire spak to . clergye
For I wol go with þis gomme . if god wol ȝyeue me grace .
And be pilgrime with pacience . til I haue preued more .
M.13.184KD.13.183
What quod Clergye to conscience . ar ȝye coueitous nouthe
After ȝyeresȝeues or ȝyiftes . or ȝyernen to rede redeles .
I shal bringe ȝyow a bible . a book of þe olde lawe
And lere ȝyow if ȝyow like . þe leeste point to knowe
M.13.188KD.13.187
That pacience þe pilgrime . parfitely knewe neuere
Nay by Crist quod Conscience to clergye . god þe forȝelde
For al þat pacience me profreth . proude am I litel
Ac þe wille ofM.13.191:M alone among B manuscripts lacks a determiner for wye. Most B manuscripts read þe; CB read þat. wye . and þe wille ofM.13.191:M's original reading without of agreed with CBLR. folke here .
M.13.192KD.13.191
Hath moued my mood . to mourne for my synnes
The good wille of a wight . was neuere bouȝte to þe fulle
For þere is no tresour þerto . to a trewe wille
Hadde nouȝt Magdaleyne more for a box of salue
M.13.196KD.13.195
Thanne — Zacheus for he saide . dimidium bonorum meorum do & ceteraM.13.196:M's ending of this line is unique among B manuscripts. Y ends the Latin passage after meorum; all other B manuscripts follow do with pauperibus rather than M's & cetera.
And þe pouere widewe . for a paireM.13.197:M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word of here. mytes
Thanne — alle þo þat offreden inM.13.198:M's in is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read into, though F has gold in. gazaphilacium .
# how Consiens Conged the Frere
Thus curteisliche conscience . congeide þe Frere
M.13.200KD.13.199
And sithen softelyche he seide . in clergies ere .
Me were leuere by oure lorde . and I lyue sholde
Haue pacience parfiteliche . þan half þi pakke of bokes .
Clergye ..ofM.13.203:M's altered reading of agrees with WCrG. The original reading was probably to, agreeing with HmYOC2CBL. R has and and F has ne. conscience . no congye wolde take
M.13.204KD.13.203
But saide ful sobreliche . þow shatsha[l]t see þe tyme
Whan þow art wery for-walked . wilne me to counsaille .
fol. 61rI
passus xiijus
That is sothe saide conscience . so me god helpe .
# that paciens must be party Felow with Clergie
ȜIf pacience be oure partynge felawe . and pryue with vs bothe
M.13.208KD.13.207
Ther nys wo in þis world . þat we ne shulde amende
And confourmen kynges to pees . and alle kynnes londes .
Sarasenes and Surrie . and so forth alle þe Iewes .
Turne in-to þe trwe feith . and in-to on bileue .
M.13.212KD.13.211
That is sothe quod Clergye . I se what þou menest
I shal dwelle as I do . my deuoir to shewen
And confermen fauntekyns . and other folk y-lerede
Til pacience haue preued the . and parfit þe makede
M.13.216KD.13.215
Conscience þo with pacience passed . pilgrimes as it were
# vitayles off paciens sobrete & soft spech
Thanne hadde pacience as pilgrimes han . in his poke vitailles
Sobrete and simple speche . and sothfast bileue
To conforten hemM.13.219:M's hem is probably a spelling of hym, the reading of all other B manuscripts. The spelling hem has been corrected to him or hym at M.16.86 and M.19.227, and likely as well at M.4.55, M.6.323, M.6.329, M.7.6, M.11.423, M.13.177, and M.19.74. and conscience . if þei come in place
M.13.220KD.13.219
There ..vnkyndenesse and coueitise is . hungry con....tres bothe
And as þei wente by þe way . of dowel þei carped
They mette wiþ a Mynstralle . as me þo þouȝte
Pacience apposed him furste . and praide hym he shulde hym —M.13.223:M's original reading was shared by HmC2Cot. The alteration brings M into agreement with Cr. WGYOCBmBoLR read hem. telle .
M.13.224KD.13.223
To conscience what crafte he kouthe . and to what countre he wolde .
I am a Mynstral quod þat man . my name is Actiua vita .
Alle ydel ich hate . for of actif is my name .
A wafrer wol ȝye wite . and serue many lordes
M.13.228KD.13.227
And fewe robes I fonge . or furred gownes .
Couthe I lie to do men laughe . þanne lacchen I shulde .
Other mantel or Monoye . amonges lordes Mynstralles
# contra Ferters and Fithellers
Ac for I can neither taboure ne . trompe . ne telle none gestes .
M.13.232KD.13.231
Farten ne fithelen . at feestes ne harpen
Iape ne iogely . ne gentiliche pipe .
Ne neither sailly ne saute . ne synge with þe gyterne .
I haue none goode giftes . of þise grete lordes
M.13.236KD.13.235
For no bred þat I bringe forth . saue a beneceon on þe Suonday
Whan þe prest praieth þe poeple . hire pater noster to bidde
For pieres þe ploughmamploughma[n] . and þat hym profite wayten .
And þat am I actif . þat ydelnesse hatye .
M.13.240KD.13.239
For alle trewe trauaillours . and tiliers on þeM.13.240: M's reading on þe is not shared by other B manuscripts. F has on; others have of þe or of. erthe .
Fro Mi.........ghelmesse . to Mighelmesse . I fynde hem with myM.13.241:M's original reading without my agreed with BHmGYCLR. The addition of the word brings M into agreement with WCr. Kane and Donaldson's apparatus is misleading: only the my (not the with) is written above the line. wafres .
cor
fol. 61vI
Beggers and bidders of my bred crauen
Faitours and Freres . and folke with brode crounes
M.13.244KD.13.243
I fynde pain for þe pope . and prouendre for his palfray
And I hadde neuere of hym . haue god my trouthe
Neither prouendre ne personage . ȝyit of þe popes ȝyifte .
# pardoun with ij pollis
Saue a pardoun with a peis of lede . and two polles amydde .
M.13.248KD.13.247
Hadde I a clerk þat couthe write . I wolde caste hym a bulleM.13.248:M's bulle is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read bille.
That he sente me vndur his seel a salue for þe pestilence .
And þat his blessingesM.13.250:M alone among B manuscripts attests the plural. and his bulles . bocches miȝte destru..ye
In nomine meo demonia eic..ientM.13.251:M's original reading may have been eiciunt as in L. M's eicient agrees with Hm; other B manuscripts have eicient &. super egros manus imponent & bene habebunt .
M.13.252KD.13.250
And þanne wolde I be prest to þeM.13.252:M's original reading without þe agreed with HmL. peple . paste for to make
And buxome and bisy . aboute bred and drinke
# quia dubitari
For hym and for al hise . founde I that his pardon .
Miȝte lechen a man as I bileue it shulde
M.13.256KD.13.254
For sithe he haddeM.13.256:M's hadde is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read haþ. þe powere . þat peter hym-selue hadde .
He hath þe pot with þe salue . sothly as me thynketh .
Argentum & aurum non est michi . quod autem habeo tibi do . in nomine domini surge & ambula
Ac if myȝte of miracle hym faille . it is for men ben not worthi
M.13.260KD.13.256
To haue þe grace of god . and no gylte of þe pope .
For may no blessynge do vs bote . but if we wol amende .
Ne mannes masse make pees . amonges cristen p.eple .
Til pride be purelich fordo . and þorugh pain defaute .
M.13.264KD.13.260
For er I haue bred of mele . ofte moot I swete
And er þe comune haue corne ynough . many a colde mournyng
So er my wafres ben y-wrought . muche wo I tholie
Al London I leue . liketh wel my wafres .
# quando Cartis off Stratfford
M.13.268KD.13.264
And louren whan þei lakken it . it is nouȝt longe y-passed
There was a careful comune . whan no carte cam to towne .
With brede from Stratford . þo guonnen beggers wepe
And werkmoen were agaste a litel . þis wol be thought longe
M.13.272KD.13.268
In þe date of oure driȝte . in a drie Aprill .
A thousande and threhundredthre hundred . ...thriesM.13.273:M's altered reading is unparalleled. Presumably it was originally twies twenty, the reading of most manuscripts. LR have tweis thretty; in Hm syxty and nyne is written over an erasure which seems to have read thries twenty & nyne. Evidently scribes took their own measures to correct an archetypal reading which so obviously got the date (1370) wrong. twenty and ten .
My wafres þere were gesen . whan Chichestre was Maire
—
I to..ok go..od kepe by Crist . and Conscience boþe
M.13.276KD.13.272
Of haukyn þe actifmanactif man . and how he was y-clothed
He hadde a cote of Cristendome . as holy kyrke bileueth
fol. 62rI
passus xiijus
Ac it was mol..ed . in many places . with many suondry plottes .
Of pride here a plot . and þere a plot . of vnbuxome speche
M.13.280KD.13.276
Of scornynge and of scoffynge . and of vnskilful berynge
As in apparaille & in porte . proude amonges þe p.eple
Oyþerwise þan he hath . with herte or siȝte shewynge .
Hym willynge þat alle men wende . he were þat he is nouȝth
M.13.284KD.13.280
For why he bosteþ and braggeth . with many bolde othes .
And inobedient to ben vnd.ernome . of any lif lyuyng .
And so singuler by hym-self . ne non so pon.p-holyM.13.286:Kane and Donaldson read poup, noting that the last letter is written over an erasure, but the reading is clearly ponp. WHmL have the same word pomp, which may have been M's original spelling, while other B manuscripts have pope or poppe. .
Y-habited as an hermyte . and ordre by hem-seluenM.13.287:All other B manuscripts save Hm read hymselue. .
M.13.288KD.13.285
Religion saunz rule . and resonable obedience
Lakkynge lettred men . and lewede men bothe
In likynge of lele lif . and a liere in soule
With inwit . and with oute-wit ymagynen and studyen
M.13.292KD.13.289
As beste for his body be . to haue a badde name
And entremeten hym ouerall . ther he hath nouȝt to done
Wilnynge þat men wende . his wit were þe beste
And if he ȝyeue ouȝt to pouere gomes . telle what he deleth
M.13.296KD.13.300
Pouere of possessioun . in purse . and in cofre bothe
And as a lyon on to loke . and lordlich of specheM.13.297:A line is drawn from the paragraph space following this line to the middle of the page, left margin, where there is a large, fancy A. The line and letter are drawn in a faded purple-brown ink. In the right margin at this place, something has been erased. .
Baldeste of beggers . a bostere þat nouȝt hath
In towne and in tauernes . tales to telle
M.13.300KD.13.304
And segge þinge þat he neuere seighe . and for aM.13.300:The addition of a brings M into agreement with Hm. sothe sweren it .
Of dedes þat he neuere dede . witytnesse and seggenM.13.301:Through eyeskip on dede, M has omitted a b-verse and the following a-verse: demen and bosten / And of workes þat he wel dide (in the spelling of W).
Lo ȝif ȝye leue me nouȝt . or þat I lye wenen
Axeþ at hym or at hym . and he ȝyow can telle
M.13.304KD.13.309
What I suffrede and seigh . and suomtymes hadde .
And what I couthe . and knewe . and what kyn I come of .
Al he wolde þat men wiste . of werkes and of wordes
W....hich miȝthte plese þe pueple . and praisen hym-seluen .
M.13.308KD.13.312α
Si hominibus placerem Cristi seruus non essem .
Et alibi  nemo potest duobus dominis seruire 
By Crist quod Conscience tho . thy beste Cote Haukyn .
Hath many moles and spottes . it moste ben ywasshe
M.13.312KD.13.315
ȜYe whoso toke h.ede quod haukyn . byhynde . and before .
What on bak . whatM.13.313: M shares the reading what with C; other B manuscripts have and what. on body half . and by þe two sydes .
Men shulde fynde many frounces . and many foule plottes
fol. 62vI
And he turned hym as tit . and þanne took I hede .
M.13.316KD.13.319
It was fouler by fele folde . þan it furst semede .
It was bidropped with wrathe . and wikked wille
With enuye and euel speche . entisynge to fiȝte
Lyinge and laughynge . and leue tonge to chide .
M.13.320KD.13.323
Al þat he wist wikked . by any wight toM.13.320: M shares the reading to with B; other B manuscripts omit it. tellen it
And blame men by-hynde hire bak . and bidden hem mischaunce
And þat he wiste by will . tellen it watte
And þat watte wiste . will wiste it after .
M.13.324KD.13.327
And made of freendes foos . þorugh a fals to...nge
Or with might of mouthe or þorugh mann.es strenghthethe
Auenge me fele tymes . other frete my-selue .
Withinn.e as aM.13.327:M's original reading without a agreed with Cot. shepsteres shere . I shrewede men and cursed
M.13.328KD.13.330α
Cuius maledictione os plenum est & amaritudine sub lingua eius labor & dolor .
Et alibji . filij hominum dentes eorum arma . & sagitte & lingua eorum gladius acutus
There is no lyf þat I louye . lastinge any while .
For tales þat I telle . no man trusteth to me .
nota
M.13.332KD.13.333
And whan I may nouȝt haue þe maistrie . ...suchM.13.332:M's altered reading agrees with WCRF, and with Hm also by correction. Most B manuscripts read wiþ. malencolie I take .
That I cacche þe cruampe . the cardiacle suomtyme
Or an ague in suche an angre . and somme-tyme a feuere .
# quia contradicit wich Craftis
That taketh me al a twelue-monthe . til þat I dispise .
M.13.336KD.13.337
Lechecrafte of oure lord . and leue on a wicche .
A..nd segge þat no clerke neM.13.337:M's original reading without ne agreed with GF. kan . ne Crist as I leue .
To þe souter of soutwerk . or of shordisyche dame. Emme
And segge þat no goddes word . gaf me neuere bote .
M.13.340KD.13.341
But þoruȝ a charme hadde I chaunce . and my chief hele .
I wayted wisloker . and þanne was it soilled .
With lykynge of leccherie . as by lokynge of his eighenM.13.342: M shares the reading eighen with F; other B manuscripts have eiȝe.
nota
For ...ech a mayde þat he m.ette . he made hire a signe
contra luxuriam
M.13.344KD.13.345
Semynge to synward . and somme-tyme he gan taste .
Aboute þe mouthe or bynethe . bigynneth to grope .
Til eitheres wille waxeth kene . and to þe werke ȝyeden .
As wellM.13.347:Kane and Donaldson read woll which is possible, but cf. M.13.24 for another ambiguous case. in fastyngdays . & frydays and forboden nyghte.s
M.13.348KD.13.349
And as wel in lente . as oute of lente . alle tymes yliche .
Suche werke.s with hem were neuere out of sesoun
Til þei mighte no more . and þanne hadde merie tales .
And how þat lecchours louyen . laughen and Iapen .
M.13.352KD.13.353
And of hire harlotrie and hordome . in hire elde tellen .
fol. 63rI
passus xiijusM.13.353:A large meaningless scribble by an unidentifiable hand appears in the top left margin.
Thanne pacience parceiuede . of pointes ofM.13.353:M's original reading without this of agreed with LR. his cote .
W..ereM.13.354: Only W agrees with the altered M reading; all other B manuscripts read was, referring to cote. colomy þorugh couetyse . and vnkynde desirynge .
x
Moore to good þanne — to god . þe gomme his loue caste .
M.13.356KD.13.357
And ymaginede . how he it miȝt haue .
contra Auariciam
With fals mesures and met . and with false wittnesse .
L.enedM.13.358: M's altered reading lened agrees with most B manuscripts, but C2 has louede. for loue of þe wed . and loth to do trewthe .
And awayted þorugh whiche weye . ...?...he myghte bigyleM.13.359:M's altered reading he myghte bigyle agrees only with Cr. B reads he myȝte best bigile; other B manuscripts read to bigile, which appears to have been M's original reading.
M.13.360KD.13.361
And menged his marchaundise . and made a goode monstre
The worste withnnewith[i]nne was . a grete wit I lete it .
And if my neigbore had any hyne . or any beste elles .
More profitable þan myn . many sleightes I made
M.13.364KD.13.365
How I miȝte haue it . al my wit I caste
And but I it hadde by other weye . at þe laste I stale it .
Or priueliche his purs shook . vnpiked hise lokkes .
Or by nighte or by day . aboute was I euere .
M.13.368KD.13.369
Thorugh gile to gaderen . the goode þat I haue .
If I ȝyede to þe plough . I pynchede so narwe
That a foote lond or a forwe . fecchen I wolde .
Of my nexte neighbore . nymyn of his erthe .
M.13.372KD.13.373
And if I rope ouere-reche . or ȝyaf hem red þat ropen .
And seise to me with hire sikel . þat I ne s...iew neuere .
And who-so borwe..d —M.13.374:M's original reading was probably borweth, as in most B manuscripts. WCrR have the past tense. atM.13.374:M's at is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read of. me . abou..ȝteM.13.374: GCr3LR read aboute, perhaps M's original reading. þe tyme
With presentes priuelyche . or paied somme certein
M.13.376KD.13.377
So wolde he or nouȝt wolde he . wynnen I wolde .
And bothe to kith and to kyn . vnkynde of þat I hadde .
And whoso chep.ed my chaffare . chiden I wolde
But he profred to paie a penye or tweyne
M.13.380KD.13.381
More þanne — it was worth . and ȝyet wold I swere .
That it coste me muche moore . swore IM.13.381:M's swor I is unique among B manuscripts. HmF read y swoor; all other manuscripts omit the pronoun. many othes
In halydays at holychirche . whan I herde masse
Hadde I neuere wille wot god . ..itturlicheM.13.383:The first letter of this word, which is written over an erasure, is illegible. All other B manuscripts read witterliche. to byseche .
M.13.384KD.13.385
Mercy for my mysdedes . þat I ne mourned moore
For losse of goode . leue me . þan for my likames giltes .
As if I hadde dedly synne donM.13.386:Though it would be possible to render this doun, all other instances of this word are spelled don or done. . I dredde not þat so sore .
As whan I lened . and leued it lost . or longe er it were paiede
M.13.388KD.13.389
So if I kydde any kyndenesse . myn euen-cristen to helpe
fol. 63vI
VuponVpon a cruwel coueitise . myn herte gan hangen
And if I sente ouere see . my seruauntz to brugges
Or into .PruslondM.13.391:It is possible that <s> is erased before Pruslond, though the <P> is clearly capital. GCCotF read spruce land. my prentys . my profite to wayten
M.13.392KD.13.393
To marchaunden with monoie . and maken hire eschaunges
Mighte neuere me conforte . in þe mene-tyme
Neither messe ne matyns . ne none manere sightes
Ne neuere penaunce parfourmede . ne pater-noster saide
M.13.396KD.13.397
That my mynde nasM.13.396: M's reading nas is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which have ne was. more . on my good in a doute
Thanne — in þe grace of god . and hise grete helpes .
Vbi thesaurus tuus ibi & cor tuum .
# Branches off Slewth
W......hiche ben the braunches . that bringen a man to sleuthe
M.13.400KD.13.410
His wommane that ——M.13.400:M originally agreed with GYCLR; M's altered reading agrees with WHmCr. mourneth nouȝt . for his mysdedes ne makeþ no sorwe
A.nd þeM.13.401:M's added þe is not attested in other B manuscripts. For And þe, YOBL read Ac, WHmCrC2CR have And. penaunce þat þe prest enioyneth . parfourneth euele
Doth non almes....dedesM.14.402:M's altered reading almesdedes agrees only with Cr. Most B manuscripts read almesdede. . dred hym of no synne .
Lyueth aȝein þe bileue . and no lawe holdeth
M.13.404KD.13.414
Eche day is an halyday with hym . or an heighe feireM.13.404: M's reading feire is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which have ferye.
# quod loquitur contra sage FolisM.13.405:This erasure is legible with ultraviolet light. The comment was rewritten in its proper place below.
IfM.13.405:M alone among B manuscripts lacks And at the beginning of the line. he ouȝt wol here . it ais an harlotes tonge .
Whanne men carpen of crist . or of clennesse of soule
He wexeth wroth . and wol not here . but wordes of murthe .
M.13.408KD.13.418
Penaunce and pouere men . and þe passion of seintes
He hateth to here þere-of . and alle þat it telleth .
Thise ben þe braunches be-war . that bringeth a man to w...anhope .
contra Sage Folis
ȜYe lordes and ladyes . and leg.ates of holy churche
M.13.412KD.13.422
That fedeth fooles sages . flaterers and liers .
And han likynge to lithen hem . to do .yow to laughe
Ve vobis qui ridetis & cetera
And ȝyeueth hem mete and mede . and pouere men refuse
M.13.416KD.13.425
In .youre deth deiȝnge . .....I dredeM.13.416:The erased reading may be I dre, which is without parallel. me ful fsoore
Leste þo thre manere men . to muche sorwe ȝyow bringe .
Consencientes & agentes pari pena punientur
Patriakes and prophetes . and prechours of godes wordes
M.13.420KD.13.428
Sauen þorugh here sermon . mannes soule from helle .
Right so flaterers and fooles . arn þe fendes disciples
To entice men thorugh ..irehere tales . to synne and toM.13.422:M's addition of to brings it into agreement with WG. harlotrie
Ac clerkes þat knowen holy writ . sholde kennen lordes
M.13.424KD.13.432
What dauid saith of suche men . as þe sauter tellethM.13.424:The right end of the red box is written over an incompletely erased facit.
Non habitat in medio domus mee . qui facit facit
Superbiam & qui loquitur iniqua 
Sholde non harlot haue audience . in halle ne in Chambres .
fol. 64rI
Passus xiiijus
There wisemen were . witytnesseth godes wordes
M.13.428KD.13.435
Ne no mysproude man . amonges lordes ben allowede .
Ac flaterers and foles . ...?...?...þorugh . here foule wordes
Leden þo þat louen hem . to Luciferes feste .
With turpiloquio . a lay of sorwe . and luciferes fithele
M.13.432KD.13.457
Thus haukyn þe actif man . hadde ysoyled his cote
Til conscience acouped hym þere-of . in a curteis manere .
Why he nade h.adde wasshen it . or wyped it wiþ a brusshe .
MED