The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 9: The B-Version Archetype of <hi rend="it">Piers Plowman</hi>

The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 9: The B-Version Archetype of <hi rend="it">Piers Plowman</hi> – Passus 13William LanglandEdited by John Burrow and Thorlac Turville-PetreTechnical Editors: Daniel V. Pitti and Cindy Girard Graduate Research Assistants John Ivor Carlson, Erin Kelly, Britta Rowe, Christine Schott, and Timothy L. Stinson. Computer Consultants and Programmers Shayne Brandon, Cynthia GirardPublished for the Medieval Academy of America and The Society for Early English and Norse Electronic Texts (SEENET) by Boydell and Brewer Ltd. Cambridge ISBN (individual use) 1 84384 ????? (institutional use) 1 84384 ????

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LatinFrenchGerman Editor Hoyt N. Duggan New header created and structure reorganized. Passus terciodecimus And I awaked þere-with · witles nerehande And as a freke þat f[e]reBx.13.2: fere: "bold" (MED fer adj.(2)). R's reading is likely to represent alpha, and is the basis for F's misunderstanding a-feerd. Beta has instead revised to fre which is no more apposite. Bx has presumably corrupted feye, "doomed to die", as in Cx (and BmBo), alluding to the opening of the previous passus. were · forth gan I walke In manere of a mendynaunt · manyBx.13.3: many: L, Beta2 and F have many a, but MR are supported by Cx. ȝere after And of þis metyng many tymeBx.13.4: tyme: See note to Bx.11.388. C mss. split between tyme and tymes. · moche þouȝt I hadde First how fortune me failled · at my moste nede And how þat elde manaced me · myȝt we euere meten ¶Bx.13.7: ¶: The paraph is supported by LCR alone. And how þat freris folwed · folke þat was riche And folke þat was pore · at litel prys þei sette And no corps in her kirkeȝerde · ne in her kyrke was buryed But quikke he biquethe hem auȝte · or shulde helpe quyte her dettes And how þisBx.13.11: þis: LMWHm are supported by Cx. R has þus. coueitise ouercome · clerkes and prestes And how þat lewed men ben ladde · but owre lorde hem helpe Þorugh vnkonnyng curatoures · to incurable peynes Bx.13.14-20: Alpha skips a paragraph and loses seven lines. Lines 14-16 and 19-20 are paralleled in Cx (RK.15.17-19, 21-3). ¶ And how þat ymagynatyf · in dremeles me tolde Of kynde and of his connyng · and how curteise he is to bestes And how louynge he is to bestes · on londe and on water Leneth he no lyf · lasse ne more Þe creatures þat crepen · of kynde ben engendred And sitthen how ymagynatif seyde [·] vix iustusBx.13.19: iustus: Apparently dropped in beta2 and inserted at the end of the line by Hm, though O has it in the same position. Cf. Bx.12.300. saluabitur And whan he had seyde so · how sodeynelich he passed ¶ I lay down longe in þis þouȝte · and atte laste I slepte And as cryste wolde þere come conscience · to conforte me þat tyme And bad me come to his courte · with clergye sholde I dyne ¶Bx.13.24: ¶: The paraph is supported by LR, with a new line group in M. And for conscience of clergye spake · I come wel þe rather And þere I say a maistre · what man he was I neste Þat lowe louted · and loueliche to scripture ¶ Conscience knewe hym wel · and welcomed hym faire Þei wesshen and wypeden · and wenten to þe dyner Bx.13.29: C and alpha here have a not inappropriate paraph.Ac pacience in þe paleis [·] stode in pilgrymes clothes And preyde mete forBx.13.30: for (1): With support from LMCrHmCR, this seems undoubtedly to be the reading of Bx, and thus altered independently by WGOF to alliterating par / pur. Cf. the almost identical a-verse Bx.6.30 (and note) with the same range of variants, and Bx.6.260. In C mss. the P family also has for in place of the X family's pur, but this is in the b-verse where the alliteration is not structural (RK.15.32). charite · for a pore heremyte ¶ Conscience called hym in · and curteisliche seide Welcome wy[e]Bx.13.32: wye: L's originally correct reading was altered to wyel ȝe. go and wasshe · þow shalt sitte sone ¶ Þis maister was made sitte · as for þe moste worthy And þanne clergye and conscience · and pacience cam after ¶ Pacience and I [·] were put to be m[ett]esBx.13.35: mettes: Beta has substituted synonymous macches, but alpha is supported by Cx. Cf. l. 49. And seten by owre-selue [·] at a syde borde ¶ Conscience called after mete · and þanne cam scripture And serued hemBx.13.38: hem: HmR's hym is not supported by Cx. þus sone · of sondry metes manye Of austyn of ambrose · of alleBx.13.39: of alle: Beta2 has and of, but it is not supported by Cx. þe foure euangelistes Edentes & bibentes · que apud eos sunt Ac þis maister ne his man · no manere flessh eten Ac þei eteBx.13.42: ete: Beta is supported by Cx against alpha's hadde. mete of more coste · mortrewes and potages Of þat men mys-wonne · þei made hem wel at ese Ac her sauce was ouer soure · & vnsauourely grounde In a morter post mortem · of many bitter peyne But if þei synge for þoBx.13.46: þo: LWGR supported by the better C mss., against þe in other BC mss. soules · and wepeBx.13.46: and wepe: Supported by Cx against alpha's with many. salt teres Vos qui peccata hominum comeditis nisi pro eis lacrimas & oraciones effunderitis · ea que in delicijs comeditis · in tormentis euometis [¶]Bx.13.48: ¶: The paraph is recorded by WHmC and alpha, with a line-space in M. Conscience ful curteisly þo · comaunded scripture Bifor pacience bred to brynge · and me þat was his m[ett]eBx.13.49: mette: As at l. 35, beta reads macche, but alpha is supported by Cx. He sette a soure lof to-for vs · and seyde agite penitenciam And sith he drough vs drynke · diaBx.13.51: dia: Clearly the Bx reading, with M altering to the more obvious diu, the reading of GOF. Some C mss. including X also have dia. Schmidt (1987), 92, supposes a pun (ME dia, "drug", as in Bx.20.173). Perhaps, therefore, it might be interpreted "a concoction whose chief ingredient is persevering" (cf. MED dia-). Note Cr's diaperseueraunce as one word. perseuerans As longe quod [he] as ly[f]Bx.13.52: he as lyf: R's reading (F reverses) is supported by Cx against beta's I as I lyue. · and lycame may dure Here is propre seruice quod pacience · þer fareth no prynce bettere ¶Bx.13.54: ¶: Although the paraph is not particularly appropriate, it is evidently Bx, supported by LWR and a line-space in M. And þanne he brouȝt vsBx.13.54: vs: Supported by LMWR, but dropped by others in an unusually long a-verse. forth a mees ofBx.13.54: a mees of: Dropped by beta4 and altered by the Hm corrector. other mete · of Mise[r]ere mei deus And he brouȝte vsBx.13.55: vs: Dropped by R; The line is not in C. F, understandably dissatisfied with this and the next line, rewrites them to bring them closer to Psalm 31.1-2, and so is no use in determining alpha. of Beati quorum [·] ofBx.13.55: of (2): R has and of, and vir his for virres. F rewrites. beatus virres makyng EtBx.13.56: Et: R's And, possibly supported by F's &, deserves serious consideration, although Et is part of the quotation from Psalm 31.1. In R this is a new dish; in beta it is all part of the same dish. There is no parallel in C. quorum tecta sunt peccata [·] in a dissh Of derne shrifte dixi [·] and confitebor tibi Brynge pacience some pitaunce · pryueliche quod conscience ¶ And þanne had pacience a pitaunce [·] pro hac orabitBx.13.59: orabit: Beta adds ad te, in line with the Vulgate (once again the Second Penitential Psalm, 31.6), but alpha's omission is supported by Cx. Alpha sets the Latin as a separate line, as does beta4 (CGO), which takes ybroughte from C to fill out the English line. omnis sanctus in tempore oportuno And conscience conforted vs · and carped vs mery tales Cor contritum & humiliatum deus non despicies ¶Bx.13.62: ¶: The paraph is in beta and F. Pacience was proude [·] of þat propre seruice And made hym muirth with his meteBx.13.63: mete: R has mene, an alpha error which F revises to mowht for sense. Cx supports beta. · ac I morned euere For þis doctoure on þeBx.13.64: þe: HmR have þis, but it is not supported by Cx. heigh dese · dranke wyn so faste Ve vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum [And]Bx.13.66: And: R is supported by Cx. Following the Latin line, beta adds a paraph and begins He. F, with the same motivation, begins Þey. he eet many sondry metes · mortrewes and puddynges Wombe cloutes and wylde braune · & egges y-fryed with grece Þanne seide I to my-self so ·Bx.13.68: In Bx the punctus follows so, though it makes better sense to take it as "in such a way that" as in CO. F has þat for so. pacience it herde It is nouȝt foure dayes þat þis freke · bifor þe den of poulesBx.13.69: poules: R uniquely has seynt poules, as does the P family of C in a completely revised line. Preched of penaunces · þat poule þe apostle suffred In fame & frigore · and flappes of scourges Ter cesus sum & a iudeis quinquies quadragenas &c · ¶Bx.13.73: ¶: The paraph is in beta and F. In R the line is at the top of the page. Ac o worde þei ouerhuppen · at ech aBx.13.73: a: Good support for Bx from LMWR. Others omit. tyme þat þei preche Þat poule in his pistel · to al þe peple tolde Periculum estBx.13.75: est: Alpha drops the verb. The form of the citation in F is the same as in some of the P family of C and in Upland's Rejoinder 329. R's version is unique. in falsis fratribus Holywrit bit men be war · I wil nouȝt write it here OnBx.13.77: On: This appears to be beta's reading, and perhaps alpha's too, despite the reading In of CrWR. englisch an auenture · it sholde be reherced to ofte And greue þere-with þat good men benBx.13.78: þat good men ben: L and alpha; other beta mss. drop men, while beta2 simplifies to goode men. · ac gramarienes shul rede Vnusquisque a fratre se custodiat [·]Bx.13.79: The punctus after custodiat is supported by MWHm, and by RF which additionally break the line at this point. In L vnusquisque ... dicitur is overwritten in a post-medieval hand. quia vt dicitur periculum est in falsis fratribus ¶ AcBx.13.80: Ac: Dropped by alpha, but supported by Cx. I wist neuere freke þat as aBx.13.80: a: Not in R; both F and Cx rephrase. frere ȝede · bifor men on englissh Taken it for herBx.13.81: her: WHmGF and the M corrector pedantically replace with the sg. Cx also has the sg., but the referent frere is ycald prompts it in this case. teme · and telle it with-outen glosynge ÞeiBx.13.82: Þei: R begins Ac þei (F But þey), not supported by Cx. prechen þat penaunce is · profitable to þe soule And what myschief and malese · cryst for man tholed Ac þis goddes gloton quod I · with his gret chekes Hath no pyte on vs pore · he perforneth yuel Þat he precheth heBx.13.86: he (2): The beta reading, supported by the P family of C. Alpha has and, so that this line completes the previous line: "he performs badly what he preaches", as in many of the X family of C. An original a could have been understood as either "he" or "and". See Schmidt (1995), 390. preueth nouȝtBx.13.86: nouȝt: Dropped by alpha, but necessary for the sense. · to pacience I tolde And wisshed witterly · with wille ful egre Þat disshes aBx.13.88: a: "and". See note to Bx.P.227. dobleres · bifor þis ilkeBx.13.88: ilke: R omits, while F rewrites to correct the alliteration. Perhaps Bx was as R, with beta "improving" a defective b-verse. Cx rewrites as "with alle þe deyntees aftur" (RK.15.90). doctour Were moltoun led in his maw · and Mahoun amyddes I shal iangle to þis Iurdan · with his iustBx.13.90: iust: Kane (2005) appositely glosses iust-wombe as "pot-belly". See MED iuste n. Alpha iuysty makes an adjective of it, as do a couple of C mss.-wombe To telle me what penaunce is · of which he preched ratherBx.13.91: rather: Probably R's reading þere ay represents alpha, of which F's euere is a revision. The line is not in C. Pacience parceyued what I thouȝt · and [preynte]Bx.13.92: preynte: "winked admonishingly"; see Burrow (2002), 103-05. Though this reading is in neither beta nor alpha, conjecturing it as the reading of Bx explains the variants and restores alliteration. Beta substitutes the synonym wynked and alpha conveys the same sense with bad. The word is used again in l. 119 and Bx.18.21. See Introduction V.3.3. on me to be stille And seyde þow shalt se þus sone · whan he may no more He shal haue a penaunce in his paunche · and puffe at ech a worde And þanne shullen his guttis godeleBx.13.95: godele: For the form in LR see note to Bx.5.351. · and he shal galpen after For now he hath dronken so depe · he wil deuyne sone And preuen it by herBx.13.97: by her: Beta is supported by Cx. R has here, the omission perhaps representing alpha, which F corrects to in þe. pocalips · and passioun of seynt Auereys Þat neither bacoun ne braune · blanmangereBx.13.98: blanmangere: Alpha's ne blaumanger is supported by the X family of C, beta's omission by the P family. We retain copy-text. ne mortrewes Is noither fisshe no flesshe · but fode for penaunte[s]Bx.13.99: penauntes: Alpha's plural is supported by Cx. And þanne shal he testifye of a trinitee · and take his felawe to witnesse What he fonde in a freyel · after a freres lyuyng And but if þe fyrst lyneBx.13.102: lyne: So LM + alpha. Beta1, perhaps encouraged by lyuyng and leue, must have read the word as lyue, leading Beta2 to alter if þe to he, "unless he first live" to make a modicum of sense. O alters his exemplar's lif to leef, so by coincidence or contamination arriving at the Cx reading (RK.15.103). be lesyng · leue me neuere after And þanne is tyme to takeBx.13.103: take: Kane (2005) glosses "seize", which does not seem quite appropriate. Perhaps the sense is "address" (MED taken v. 39b (a)). In any case OR alter to easier talke, the reading of the P family of C, and F rewrites. · and to appose þis doctoure Of dowel and ofBx.13.104: of (2): So LMR and CrC, dropped by others. C mss. vary. dobet · and if dobest be any penaunce ¶ And I sete stille as pacience seyde · and þus sone þis doctour As rody as a rose · rubbedBx.13.106: rubbed: Evidently the beta reading, and probably also Bx, since R has robbed. If so, Hm's rudded and F's gan rody are picked up from the adj. rody in the a-verse. But Cx has rodded (RK.15.107), which could represent MED rudden, "rub", or ruden, "redden". Possibly, then, Bx also had rodded, interpreted as synonymous with the much commoner verb rubben. See Schmidt (2008), 414. his chekes Coughed and carped · and conscience hym herde And tolde hym of a trinite · and toward vs he loked ¶ What is dowel sire doctour quod I · is do[best]Bx.13.109: dobest: Alpha, supported by Cx, against beta's repetition of dowel. Cf. l. 104. any penaunce ¶ Dowel quod þis doctour · and [dranke after]Bx.13.110: dranke after: R's reading is supported by Cx and he dronke aftur. Scribes reacted to the short b-verse, with both F and beta expanding in different ways. Do non yuel to þine euenecrystene · nouȝt by þi powere ¶ By þis day sire doctour quod I [·] þanne be ȝe nouȝt in dowel For ȝe han harmed vs two · in þat ȝe eten þe puddyng Mortrewes and other mete · and we no mussel hade AndBx.13.115: And: "if"; so R, supported by Cx. F substitutes If as at Bx.4.139, 5.93 etc.; beta reads And if. ȝe fare so in ȝowre fermorie · ferly me þinketh But chest be þere charite shulde be · & ȝongeBx.13.116: ȝonge: Dropped by CrCGOF to shorten a long line. R divides the line into two at the caesura. childern dorste pleyne I wolde permute my penaunce with ȝowre · for I am in poynte to dowel ¶ Þanne conscience [ful]Bx.13.118: ful: Alpha supported by Cx. Dropped by beta. curteisliche · a contenaunce heBx.13.118: he: Good support from LM and alpha as well as Cx. made And preynte vpon pacience · to preie me toBx.13.119: to (2): Firm support from LM, beta2 and R. However the word is dropped in Cx. be stille And seyde hym-self sire doctour · and it be ȝowre wille What is dowel and dobet · ȝe deuynours knoweth ¶Bx.13.122: ¶: The paraph at the start of the speech is in beta and F. Dowel quod þis doctour · doBx.13.122: do: Cx also has imperative in a revised line (RK.15.124). Cf. R dos and F ys to doon. as clerkes techeth And dobet is he þat techeth · and trauailleth to teche other And dobest doth hym-self so · as he seith & precheth Qui facit et docuerit magnus vocabitur in regno celorum ¶ Now þow clergye quod conscience [·] carpest what is dowel I haue seueneBx.13.127: seuene: It is not certain that Bx had the numeral. R omits it and the L corrector supplies it in the margin, though it is in M and F. Perhaps it is most likely that L and R coincidentally omitted it; see Adams (2000), 184. The line is not in Cx. sones he seyde · seruen in a castel Þere þe lorde of lyf wonyeth · to leren hymBx.13.128: hym: i.e. the Lord of Life. So LMR; see Schmidt (1995), 391. what is dowel ¶ Til I se þo seuene · and my-self acorden I am vnhardy quod he · to any wyȝt toBx.13.130: to (2): Alpha omits, perhaps rightly. The line is not in Cx. preue it For one pieres þe ploughman [·] hath inpugned vs alle And sette alle sciences at a soppe · saue loue one And no tixte ne taketh [·] to meyntene his causeBx.13.133: M omits the line. But dilige deum · and domine quis habitabit &c And seith þat dowel and dobet [·] aren two infinites Whiche infinites with a feith [·] fynden oute dobest Which shal saue mannes soule · þus seith piers þe ploughman ¶ I can nouȝt her-on quod conscience · ac I knowe wel pieres He wil nouȝt aȝein holy writ speken · I dar wel vndertake Þanne passe we ouer til piers come · and preue þis in dede Pacience hath be in many place · and par-auntre cnowethBx.13.141: cnoweth: The beta2 reading mouthed is distinctly odd. Þat no clerke neBx.13.142: ne: Omitted by alpha. can · as cryst bereth witnesse Pacientes vincunt &c A[t]Bx.13.144: At: "in response to". LWHm read Ac, probably representing beta, though CGO share alpha's At, and M is corrected to that reading. ȝowre preyere quod pacyence þo · so no man displese hym Disce quod he doce · dilige inimicos Disce and dowel · doce & dobet Dilige and dobest · þus tauȝte me ones A lemman þat I loued · loue was hir name With wordes and with werkes quod she · and wille of þyne herte Þow loue lelly þi soule [·] al þi lyf-tyme And so þow lere þeBx.13.151: þow lere þe: R's muddled to lere and probably represents alpha, further misunderstood by F. to louye · for þe lordes loue of heuene Þine enemye in al wyse · euene-forth with þi-selue Cast coles on his hed · [of]Bx.13.153: of: R is supported by beta2 and by the corrected reading of M. Beta perhaps read and, with beta2 independently altering for sense. Cx has of in this line, but three lines below has "Conforte hym with thy catel and with thy kynde speche" (RK.15.145). Pearsall (2008), 256, refers to Ancrene Wisse (ed. Millett 7.293-301) for the interpretation of the carbones ardentes of Rom. 12.20 as the fire of love. al kynde speche Bothe with werkes and with wordes [·] fonde his loue to wynne And lay on hym þus with loue · til he laghe on þe And but he bowe for þis betyng [·] blynde mote he worthe ¶ Ac for to fare þus with þi frende · foly it were For he þat loueth þe lelly · lyteBx.13.158: lyte: L's form is supported by R. Neither scribe has the form elsewhere. of þyne coueitethBx.13.158: coueiteth: Beta is supported by Cx (RK.15.153). Alpha's desireth avoids the repetition in the following line (dropped in C). Kynde loue coueiteth nouȝte · no catel but speche With half a laumpe lyne in latyne · ex vi transicionis ¶ I bere þere-inne aboute · fast ybounde dowel In a signe of þe saterday · þat sette firste þe kalendare And al þe witte of þe wednesday · of þe nexte wyke after Þe myddel of þe mone [·] is þe miȝteBx.13.164: is þe miȝte: WHm confuse the issue with as þe nyght. On the "middle of the moon" riddle, see Galloway (1995), 68-105, and Bx.3.334. of bothe And here-with am I welcome · þere I haue it with me ¶ Vndo it lateBx.13.166: late: Alpha has and late. The passage Bx.13.159-82 is rewritten in C. þis doctour [sen]Bx.13.166: sen: The L scribe alters this to deme, in line with beta1, thus correcting the alliteration. But alpha reads se, which is more probably the reading of Bx than coincidental error. · ifBx.13.166: if: Alpha has where, "whether". dowel be þer-inne For bi hym þat me made · miȝte neuere pouerte Miseise ne myschief [·] ne man with his tonge Colde ne care [·] ne compaignye of theues Ne noither hete ne haille · ne non helle pouke Ne noither fuire ne flode · ne fere of þine enemy Tene þe eny tyme · and þow take it with þe Caritas nichil timet Bx.13.174-82: These nine lines are omitted by beta, skipping from one short Latin line to the next. Lines 179 and 181 are also omitted in F. The passage is rewritten in C (RK.15.165-9). [And eke haue god my soule · and þow wilt it craue Þere nys neither emperour ne emperesse · erl kynge ne baroun Pope ne patriarch [·] þat pure reson ne shal make ÞeBx.13.177: Þe: "thee". In F it appears more comfortably in the previous line before make. maister of alle þo men · þorugh miȝt of þis redeles Nouȝt þorugh wicche-crafte but þorugh wit · & þow wilt þi-selue Do kynge and quene · and alle þe comune after Ȝyue þe alle þat þei may ȝiue · as þe forBx.13.180: as þe for: "as to you who are". F's as þou for gives the sense "since you are (the best guardian)". best ȝemere And as þou demest wil þei do · alle here dayes after Pacientes vincunt &c ·] [¶]Bx.13.183: ¶: The L scribe wrote a paragraph marker which the rubricator missed because the scribe did not leave a line-space. The paraph is in WHmC and alpha. It is but a dido quod þis doctour · a dysoures tale Al þe witt of þis worlde · andBx.13.184: and: Beta is supported by the X family of C. Alpha's ne, which makes the meaning clearer, is supported by the P family of C. wiȝte mennes strengthe Can nouȝt confourmen a pees · bytwene þe pope and his enemys Ne bitwene two cristene kynges · can no wiȝte pees make Profitable to ayther peple · and put þe table fro hym And toke clergye and conscience · to conseille as it were Þat pacience þoBx.13.189: þo: Beta2 has þou, and M revises to that reading. moste passe · for pilgrimes kunne wel lye ¶ Ac conscience carped loude [·] and curteislich seide Frendes fareth wel · and faire spake to clergye For I wil go with þis gome · if god wil ȝiueBx.13.192: ȝiue: LMW, and so probably beta's form, with other beta mss. and alpha altering to gyue as a result of alliterative attraction. me grace And be pilgryme with pacience · til I haue proued more ¶ What quod clergye to conscience · ar ȝe coueitouse nouthe After ȝeresȝyues or ȝiftes · or ȝernen to rede redeles I shal brynge ȝow a bible · a boke of þe olde lawe And lere ȝow if ȝow lykeBx.13.197: ȝow lyke: So beta, while alpha has ȝe liken. Elsewhere the verb is always constructed as impersonal with a dative pronoun. · þe leest poynte to knowe Þat pacience þe pilgryme · parfitly knewe neuere ¶ Nay bi cryste quod conscience to clergye [·] god þe forȝelde For al þat pacience me profreth · proude am I litel Ac þe wille of þe wye · and þe wille folkeBx.13.201: wille folke: LC, original M and R, so secure for Bx. Other scribes have wille of folke, repeating wille of from the a-verse, and M is altered to bring it in line with beta2. But wille is the adjective wil, "wandering" (so R's spelling), so that the line means "But the wilfulness of this man (the Doctor) and of the errant folk here". Note that MED wil adj. records the spellings will and wille. See Burrow, N&Q (2008), 124-5. here Hath moeued my mode · to mourne for my synnes Þe good wille of aBx.13.203: a: Alpha's vch a / euery makes poorer sense. wiȝte · was neure bouȝte to þe fulle For þere nysBx.13.204: nys: Supported by LWR against is in other mss. no tresore þerto · to a trewe wille ¶ Haued nouȝt [Marie]Bx.13.205: Marie: Omitted by beta. Alpha is supported by the alliterative pattern (aaa/xx). Magdeleigne more · for a boxe of salue Þan zacheus for he seide · dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus And þe pore widwe [·] for a peire of mytes Þan alle þo that offreden · in-to gazafilacium ¶ Þus curteislich conscience · congeyde fyrstBx.13.209: fyrst: Omitted by GO, and (presumably coincidentally) by M. þe Frere And sithen softliche he seyde · in clergyes ere Me were leuer by owre lorde · and I lyue shulde Haue pacience parfitlich · þan half þi pakke of bokes ¶ Clergye toBx.13.213: to: So LHmCO and probably uncorrected M. CrWG have easier of, but the phrase means "offer no farewell to". This sense of take, usually followed by a dative pronoun, is common in the poem, e.g. Bx.1.57, etc. Alpha's and/ne is ruled out by the next line, where the speaker must be Clergy. See Schmidt (1995), 392. conscience · no congeye wolde take But seide ful sobreliche · þow shalt se þe tyme Whan þow art wery for-walked · wilne me to consaille ¶ Þat is soth seydeBx.13.216: seyde: So LMR and CrHm. The others have quod, perhaps by semi-alliterative association with Conscience, or picked up from l. 222. conscience · so me god helpe If pacience be owre partyng felawe · and pryue with vs bothe There nys wo in þis worlde · þat we ne shulde amende And confourmen Kynges to pees · andBx.13.219: and (2): Beta's reading makes better sense than alpha's of, which leads to alpha's addition of And at the beginning of the next line. al-kynnes londes · Sarasenes and surre · and so forth alle þe iewes Turne in-to þe trewe feith · and in-til one byleue ¶ Þat is soth quod clergye · I se what þow menest I shal dwelle as I do · my deuore to shewen And confermenBx.13.224: confermen: "strengthen in faith"; R (= alpha) repeats conformen, "make agree", from l. 219, as does G. fauntekynes · and other folke ylered Tyl pacience haue preued þe · and parfite þe maked ¶ Conscience þo with pacience passed · pilgrymes as it were Þanne had pacience as pylgrymes han · in his poke vittailles Sobrete and symple speche · and sothfaste byleue To conforte hym and conscience · if þey come in place Þere vnkyndenesse and coueytise is · hungrye contrees bothe ¶Bx.13.231: ¶: The paraph is in beta and F. And as þei went by þe weye · of dowel þeiBx.13.231: of dowel þei: Beta's b-verse is supported by Cx, although alpha's and of dowel goes smoothly with the next line. carped Þei mette with a mynstral · as me þo þouȝte Pacience apposed hym fyrste · and preyed hymBx.13.233: hym (2): LMR, so secure for Bx, but possibly an error. Others drop the repeated hym, although F includes it in a revised b-verse. Cr follows Cx with the simplified prayed he should tel. he sholde hem telle To conscience what crafte he couthe · an to what contree he wolde ¶ I am a mynstral quod þat man · my name is actiua vita Alle ydel ich hatye · for of actyf is my name A wafrere wil ȝe wite · and serue many lordes And fewe robes I fonge · or furred gounes Couthe I lye [and]Bx.13.239: and: Alpha is supported by Cx. do men laughe · þanne lacchen I shulde Other mantel or money [·] amonges lordes mynstralles Ac for I can noither tabre ne trompe · ne telle none gestes Farten ne fythelen [·] at festes ne harpen Iape ne ioglyBx.13.243: iogly: C mss. split between this and alpha's iangele. · ne gentlych pype Ne noyther sailly ne saute · ne synge with þe gyterne I haue none gode gyftes · of þise grete lordes For no bred þat I bryngeBx.13.246: brynge: Beta's present tense has support from Cx in a rewritten line. forth · saue a beneson on þe sonday Whan þe prest preyeth þe peple · her pater noster to bidde For peres þe plowman · and þat hym profite wayten And þat am IBx.13.249: þat am I: Beta4 and R have, less satisfactorily, the standard word-order. F has (by coincidence or contamination) for me, as does Cx (RK.15.213) which follows more smoothly from the previous lines, "prays ... for me". actyf · þat ydelnesse hatye For alle trewe trauaillours · and tilieres of þe erthe Fro mychelmesse to mychelmesse · I fynde hem with wafresBx.13.251: wafres: M is corrected to my wafres to bring the text in line with CrW. ¶ Beggeres and bidderes · of my bred crauen Faitoures and freres · and folke with brode crounes I fynde payne for þe pope · and prouendre for his palfrey And I hadde neuere of hym · haue god my treuthe Noither prouendre ne parsonage · ȝut of the popis ȝifte Saue a pardoun with a peys of led · and two pollis amyddeBx.13.257: amydde: The form is attested by LMCR, against amyddes in beta2 and GOF. Hadde icheBx.13.258: iche: This is the only example of this spelling in L. "I" is elsewhere spelt ich, and "each" is ech(e). The former sense is very obviously intended, but the odd confusion of scribes may suggest a Bx reading iche, or ech(e) as in CG, giving rise to F's euery. a clerke þat couthe write · I wolde caste hym a bille Þat he sent me vnder his seel · a salue for þe pestilence AndBx.13.260: And: Alpha drops. þat his blessyng & his bulles · bocches miȝte destroye In nomine meo demonia eici[e]ntBx.13.261: eicient: L has the present, as M perhaps did before correction, suggesting a beta error. & super egros manus imponent & bene habebunt And þanne wolde I be prest to [þe]Bx.13.262: þe: Not in LHm, and supplied in M by the corrector. It is therefore likely that it was lost by beta. peple · paste for to make And buxome and busy [·] aboute bred and drynke For hym and for alle his · fonde I þat his pardoun Miȝte lechen a man · as I bileue it shulde For sith he hath þe powere · þat peter hym-self hadde He hath þe potte with þe salue · sothly as me þinketh Argentum & aurum non est michi quod autem habeo tibiBx.13.268: tibi: Alpha has hoc tibi, as does O, in line with the Vulgate. C mss. split. do in nomine domini surge & ambula ¶ Ac if miȝte of miracle hym faille · it is for men ben nouȝt worthy To haue þeBx.13.270: þe (1): Alpha's no is not supported by Cx. grace of god · & no gylte of þe pope ForBx.13.271: For: Dropped by R, but supported by Cx. may no blyssyng done vs bote · but if we wil amende Ne mannes masse make pees · amonges cristene peple Tyl pruyde be purelichBx.13.273: purelich: Alpha's priueliche is not supported by Cx (RK.15.229). fordo · and þatBx.13.273: þat: Dropped by MCrWF, and replaced by alle in R, but supported by Cx. þourgh payn defaute ¶ For ar I haue bred of mele · ofte mote I swete And ar þe comune haue corne ynough · many a colde mornyng So ar my wafres ben ywrouȝt · moche wo I tholye ¶ Alle Londoun I leue · liketh wel my wafres And lowren whan þei lakken itBx.13.278: it (1): Alpha has hem, as do CrW. It is likely that W, at least, was prompted to adopt the plural for grammatical concord and to avoid the repetition of it. The passage from Bx.13.274-90 has no parallel in C. · it is nouȝt longe ypassed Þere was a carful comune · whan no carte come to toune With [bake]Bx.13.280: bake: Dropped by beta to the detriment of the alliteration. bred fro stretforth · þo gan beggeres wepe And werkmen were agaste a litel · þis wil be þouȝte longe In þe date of owre dryȝte · in a drye apprile A þousande and thre hondreth · tweis [twenty]Bx.13.283: twenty: This does not alliterate and is a Bx error (the events occurred in 1370); LR correct to the obvious thretty. This is a rare instance where LR have corrected rather than copy an obvious mistake. M and Hm both realise the error and correct in different ways. Numerals are easy to confuse and easy to correct. & ten My wafres þere were gesen · whan chichestre was Maire ¶ I toke godeBx.13.285: gode: Beta has the standard phrase; for that reason alpha's grete might be preferred. We follow copy-text. kepe by cryst · and conscience bothe Of haukyn þe actyf man · and how he was yclothed He hadde a cote of crystendome · as holykirke bileueth Ac it was moled in many places · with many sondri plottes Of pruyde here a plotte and þere a plotte [·]Bx.13.289: The placing of the punctus causes scribes problems. M has it after each plotte, as though first inserting it too early; HmCO and crucially R have it after the second (hence aaa/xx); LCrW have the second plotte in the b-verse (aa/ax). of vnboxome speche Of scornyng and of scoffyng · and of vnskilful berynge As in aparaille and in porte · proude amonges þe peple Otherwyse þan he hath · with herte orBx.13.292: or: R has and; F, understandably puzzled by the line, rewrites the b-verse, as does C, withynne or withouten (RK.6.31). syȝte shewynge Hym wil[n]yngeBx.13.293: wilnynge: R's reading is perhaps slightly preferable to beta's willynge on grounds of sense ("with him being keen that"). It also has support from the parallel line in Cx (RK.6.32), and from the variants at l. 305, where some scribes corrupt to willynge. Mustanoja (1960), 115, quotes this instance of the absolute construction. F corrupts to wenynge. þat alle men wende · he were þat he is nouȝte For-why he bosteth and braggeth · with many bolde othes And in-obedient to ben vndernome · of any lyf lyuyng And so syngulere by hym-self · as to syȝte of þe poepleBx.13.296: Only L + alpha preserve 296b and 297a, all others (including M) skipping from hymself (296) to hymself (297). Both lines are in Cx. Was none suche as hym-self · ne none so po[p]e-holyBx.13.297: pope-holy: Probably beta read pompe-holy (as do a few C mss.), corrected by several scribes. Yhabited as an hermyte · an ordre by hym-selue Religioun sanz reule · and resonable obedience Lakkyng lettred men · and lewed men bothe In lykyng of lele lyf · and a lyer in soule With Inwit and withBx.13.302: with (2): Not in alpha or Cr. outwitt · ymagenen and studye As best for his body be · to haue a b[ol]deBx.13.303: bolde: Alpha's reading is obviously preferable to beta's (?) badde (written over an illegible erasure in L). name And entermeten hym ouer al · þer he hath nouȝt to done Wilnyng þat men wende · his witte were þe best Bx.13.306-12: Seven lines are omitted by beta; 306-8 and 310 are represented in revised form in Cx (RK.6.42-6). There seems no obvious reason for omission, though KD, p. 66, suggest resumption at the wrong point prompted by to loken on (308) and on to loke (315). [Or for his crafty kunnynge · or of clerkes þe wisest Or strengest on stede · or styuest vnderBx.13.307: vnder: R is supported by Cx against F's gyrt with. gerdel And louelokest to loken on · and lelest of werkes And non so holy as he · ne of lif clennere Or fairest of feytures · of forme and of shafte And most sotyl of songe · other sleyest of hondes And large to lene · loosBx.13.312: loos: "repute". R has losse, listed by MED as a possible spelling of los n.(2), but R elsewhere spells it as los (Bx.11.311) and loos (Bx.13.471) so may here have misunderstood the word as "loss". F's looþ (in a-verse) perhaps suggests that alpha had the form loos. þere-by to cacche] And if he gyueth ouȝte poreBx.13.313: pore: All except LR have to pore. gomes · telle what he deleth Pore of possessioun [·] in purse and in coffreBx.13.314: coffre: Beta evidently misplaced the punctus after purse, prompting the addition of bothe in all mss. except LR. (F omits the line.) It is significant that M shares the beta1 error. And as a lyon onBx.13.315: on: R's omission could be right but is not supported by F, which has it after the verb. to loke · and lordeliche of speche ¶ Baldest of beggeres [·] a bostour þat nouȝt hath In towne and in tauernes · tales to telle And segge þinge þat he neuere seigh · and for soth sweren it Of dedes þat he neuere dyd · demen and bosten And of werkes þat he wel dyd · witnesse and seggen Lo if ȝe leue me nouȝt · or þat I lye wenen Axeth at hym or at hym · and he ȝow can telle What I suffred and seighe · and some-tymes hadde And what I couth and knewe · and what kynne I come of Al he wolde þat men wiste [·] of werkes and ofBx.13.325: of (2): Alpha omits. wordes Which myȝte plese þe peple · and praysen hym-seluen Si hominibus placerem cristi seruus non essem Et alibi nemo potest duobus dominis seruire ¶ Bi criste quod conscience þo · þi best cote haukyn Hath many moles and spottes · it moste ben ywassh ¶ Ȝe who-so toke hede quod haukyn · byhynde and bifore What on bakke and what onBx.13.332: and what on: Probably the beta reading, though MC drop and, and GO drop what. Alpha also drops what. Bx.13.329-39 have no parallel in C. body half · & by þe two sydes Men sholde fynde many frounces · and many foule plottes [¶]Bx.13.334: ¶: In L the scribe indicated the paraph but forgot to leave a line-space, so the rubricator missed it. It has support from WCR. And he torned hym as tyte · and þanne toke I hede It was fouler by felefolde · þan it firste semed It was bidropped with wratthe · and wikked wille With enuye and yuel speche [·] entysyng to fyȝte Lyinge and la[kk]yngeBx.13.338: lakkynge: Alpha's reading is greatly preferable to beta's laughynge on grounds of sense. · [a]Bx.13.338: a: R only, but apparently alpha since F expands to & with a. Beta thus interpreted Bx a as "and". Cf. note to l. 88 above. The b-verse "a tongue eager to chide" defines lakkynge. leue tonge to chyde Al þat he wist wykked · by any wiȝte tellen it And blame men bihynde her bakke · and bydden hem meschaunce And þat he wist bi wille · tellen it watteBx.13.341: watte: LMWCG, hence the beta reading, with CrHmO and alpha reading to watte. The parallel b-verse in Cx is RK.6.71, tolde hit wille aftur, rather than RK.6.70, to watekyn he tolde hit. And þat watte wiste · wille wiste it after And made of frendes foes · þorugh a false tonge Or with myȝte of mouthe [·] or þorugh mannes strengthe Auenge[d]Bx.13.345: Auenged: Despite lack of support from other B mss., R's past tense is preferable on grounds of syntax, and is supported by Cx. Hence frete is also past tense, as in Cx. me fele tymes · other frete my-selue Wyth-inne as a shepster shere · I shrewedBx.13.346: I shrewed: Interpreted by Skeat and MED shreuen as past participle, but this is syntactically impossible. Kane (2005) and Schmidt (1995) take ishrewed as past tense, but MED does not record a verb ishrewen. See F's rewriting, and cf. Cx past tense shrewed (RK.6.75). men & cursed Cuius maledictione os plenum est & amaritudine sub lingua eius labor & dolor & alibi filij hominum dentes eorum arma & sagitte & lingua eorum gladius acutus ¶Bx.13.349: ¶: The paraph is in beta only, following the Latin lines. Þere is no lyf þat I louyeBx.13.349: I louye: KD, p. 148, argue for the CrW reading me loueth, but it cannot be Bx. · lastyng any while For tales þat I telle · no man trusteth to me And whan I may nouȝt haue þe maistrye · [swich]Bx.13.351: swich: The spelling of F probably represents Bx. R misread as which. Beta apparently misread as with, though CrW have such (by conjecture?) and MHm are both visibly altered to that reading. The Cx reading is also such. L retains the spelling swich only in Bx.15.17. malencolye I take Þat I cacche þe crompe · þe cardiacle some-tyme Or an ague in suche an angre · and some-tyme a feure Þat taketh me al a twelf-moneth · tyl þat I dispyse Lechecrafte orBx.13.355: or: So LR. Clearly an error for of, with the obvious correction (supported by Cx) made by all other scribes. owre lorde · and leue on a wicche And segge þat no clerke ne can · ne cryste as I leue To þe souter of southwerke · or of shordyche dame emme And segge þat no goddes worde · gaf me neuere bote But þorw a charme had I chaunce · & my chief hele ¶ I wayted wisloker · and þanne was itBx.13.360: it: F has he, emphasising that I in the a-verse refers to Will. R's I is perhaps prompted by the alpha reading myn for his in the next line. soiled With lykyng of lecherye · asBx.13.361: as: A number of scribes (Hm, beta4 and R) have the easier and. by lokyng of hisBx.13.361: his: Alpha's myn is obviously an error, suggesting a muddle over the speaker here. See note to l. 363. eye For vche a mayde þat he mette · he made hir a signe Semynge to synne-ward · and some-tyme he gan tasteBx.13.363: In F, ll. 361-8 are in the first person, as they are in Cx where they are part of the confession of lechery (RK.6.176-84). In this line F's & summe y gan is a C-text reading and suggests contamination. Aboute þe mouth or bynethe · bygynneth to grope Tyl eytheres wille waxeth kene · and to þe werke ȝeden As welBx.13.366: wel: Beta has wel in anticipating the following line, but alpha is supported by Cx (RK.6.182). fastyng-days & frydayes · and forboden nyȝtes And as [lef]Bx.13.367: lef: Beta's wel is prompted by the preceding line. Alpha is supported by the alliteration and Cx. in lente as oute of lente · alle tymes ylyche Suche werkes with hem · wasBx.13.368: was: We retain L's plural form, though other mss. have were. See note to Bx.5.13 and Introduction V.3.1. neuere oute of sesoun Tyl þei myȝte namore · and þanne had merye tales And how þat lechoures louyen · lauȝen an iapen And of herBx.13.371: her (1): Not in F or R, which begins Or herlotrie. Bx.13.370-8 have no parallel in C. harlotrye and horedome · in her elde tellen ¶ Thanne pacience parceyued [·] of poyntes hisBx.13.372: his: All except LR supply of (added in M), but his cote is subject of was in the following line: "his coat was grimy with stains". cote Was colmy þorw coueityse · and v[n]kynde desyrynge More to good þan to god · þe gome his loue caste And ymagyned how · he it myȝte haue With false mesures and mette · and with false witnesse Lened for loue of þe wedde · and loth to do treuthe And awaited þorwgh whi[ttes] [·] wey[es]Bx.13.378: whittes weyes: R's spelling whittus weyus suggests the cause of confusion in beta: Bx presumably had the spelling <wh> for /w/ (as sometimes in SW), preserved but perhaps not understood as "wits" by R, and desperately altered to which by beta, who consequently understood wey as "way". R has his usual spelling weye, "man". For once, F gets it more or less right. to bigile And menged his marchaundyse · and made a gode moustre Þe worste with-in was · a gret witte I lete hit And if my neighbore had anBx.13.381: an: Alpha is supported by Cx (RK.6.262). Beta anticipates any in the b-verse. hyne · or any beste elles More profitable þan myne · many sleightes I made How I myȝte haue it · al my witte I caste And but I itBx.13.384: but I it: LMW, so beta, supported by the X family of C (the P family has Hm's order). R omits it and F rewrites. had by other waye · atte laste I stale it Or pryuiliche his purse shoke · vnpiked his lokkes Or by nyȝt or by day · aboute was ich euere Þorwgh gyle to gadren [·] þe good þat ich haue ¶ Ȝif I ȝede to þe plow · I pynched so narwe Þat a fote londe or a forwe · fecchen I wolde Of my nexte neighbore · nymen of his ertheBx.13.390-1: Alpha loses the b-verse of 390 and the a-verse of 391. And if [I]Bx.13.391: I: Dropped by L, though the line is marked for correction. ropeBx.13.391: rope: "reaped" (MED repen v.(1)); the past tense is supported by Cx. ouer-reche · or ȝaf hem red þat ropenBx.13.391: ropen: Cr and alpha have repen, which may also be a pa.t.pl. form. ToBx.13.392: To: Supported by Cx against And in MCrCGO. seise to me with her sykel · þat I ne sewe neure ¶ And who-so borweth of me · abouteBx.13.393: aboute: A spelling of abouȝte, "bought, paid for", preserved by LGR and altered by the correctors of MHm. It was evidently misunderstood as "about" by F, who revised. þe tyme With presentes priueliche · or payed somme certeyne So walde he or nouȝt wolde heBx.13.395: he (2): Omitted by WR. For nouȝt wolde he, beta4 and F have he nolde. · wynnen I wolde And bothe to kyth and to kyn · vnkynde of þat ich hadde ¶ And who-so cheped my chaffare · chiden I wolde But he profredBx.13.398: profred: CGO and rewritten Hm add me. to paye · a peny or tweyne More þan it was worth · and ȝet wolde I swere Þat it coste meBx.13.400: me: In beta only; alpha may be right to omit. The line is not in C. moche more · swore manye othes ¶ In halydayes at holicherche · whan ich herde masse Hadde [I]Bx.13.402: I: LR, the two best witnesses, coincidentally omit the pronoun, which is necessary for the sense and supported by Cx (RK.6.273). The line is marked for correction in L. neuere wille wot god · witterly to biseche Mercye for my mysdedes · þat I ne morned more For losse of gode leue me · þan for lykamesBx.13.404: lykames: So R, supported by Cx; all other mss. have my lykames, following on from my mysdedes in the previous line. giltes As if I had dedly synne done · I dred nouȝt þat so sore As when I lened and leued it lost · or longe ar it were payed So if I kydde any kyndenesse · myn euen-cristene to helpe Vpon a cruel coueityse · my [conscience]Bx.13.408: conscience: Alpha's reading corrects the aa/bb alliteration of beta's herte. The line is not in C. gan hange And if I sent ouer-see · my seruauntz to Bruges Or in-to Pruslonde my prentys · my profit to wayten To marchaunden with monoye · and maken her eschaungesBx.13.411: eschaunges: Alpha has chaunges, but beta is supported by Cx. Miȝte neuere me conforte · in þe mene-tymeBx.13.412: tyme: Confirmed by Cx. Beta2 has while. Noither messe ne matynes · ne none manere siȝtes Ne neuere penaunce perfourned · ne pater noster seyde Þat my mynde ne was more · on my gode in a doute Þan in þe grace of god · and his grete helpes Vbi thesaurus tuus · ibi & cor tuum Bx.13.418-27: These lines are omitted by beta. Probably the scribe skipped from one paraph to the next, though alpha does not record the expected paraph at 418 following the Latin line. Lines 420 and 422 have some parallel in the C text, but are there transferred to the confession of Gluttony (RK.6.428 and 430). [Ȝet glotounBx.13.418: glotoun: R's reading is surprising enough to have prompted F's revision to þat goome. Compare the other sins attributed to Hawkin: lechery (361), covetousness (373), sloth (426), though they are not personified as here. On the other hand R's glotoun is possibly a reminiscence of Bx.5.319 and 10.53, "Glotonye and grete othes". with grete othes · his g[ar]nement hadde soyled And foule beflobered it · as with fals speche As þere no nede ne was · godes name an ydel Swore þere-by swithe ofte · and al byswatte his cote And more mete ete and dronke · þen kynde miȝt defie And cauȝte sekenesse sum-tyme · for my [surfai]tesBx.13.423: surfaites: R's forfetes is a misreading of alliterating surfetys, as in F. ofte And þanne I dradde to deye · in dedlich synne Þat in-to wanhope he w[or]theBx.13.425: worthe: R's wrathe could be a metathesised form but is probably an error (cf. Bx.11.5). F revises to synonymous wente. · and wende nauȝt to be saued Þe whiche is sleuthe so slow · þat may no sleightes helpe it Ne no mercy amenden · þe man þat so deyeth] ¶ [Ac]Bx.13.428: Ac: Dropped by beta following the loss of text. For Ac which, F has Þese. R is supported by Cx (RK.7.69). which ben þe braunches · þat bryngeth a man to sleuth His womanBx.13.429: His woman: Evidently the Bx reading, recorded in LR, original M, and CG. Beta2 and F recognise it as nonsense and so emend by conjecture; O, Is whanne a man, has the reading of the P family of C, by conjecture or contamination (RK.7.70). In C these lines are transferred to the confession of Sloth. morneth nouȝte for his mysdedes · ne maketh no sorwe AcBx.13.430: Ac: The reading of LO and probably original M, while G has its usual substitution But. The others have And (Ne in F). Cx has The. penaunce þat þe prest enioigneth · perfourneth yuel Doth none almes-dede · dret hym of no synne Lyueth aȝein þe bileue · and no lawe holdeth Vch day is haliday with hym · or an heigh ferye And if he auȝte wole here · it is an harlotes tonge Whan men carpeth of cryst · or ofBx.13.435: of (2): Dropped by CGOF, but supported by authoritative C mss. of both families. clennesse of souleBx.13.435: soule: The sg. is supported by Cx. He wexeth wroth & wil nouȝte here · but wordes of myrthe Penaunce andBx.13.437: and (1): As in Cx. pore men · and þe passioun of seyntes He hateth to here þere-of · and alle þat it telleth Þise ben þe braunches beth war · þat bryngeth a man to wanhope Ȝe lordes and ladyes · and legates of holicherche Þat fedeth fol[e]-sagesBx.13.441: fole-sages: "wise fools, jesters". R is supported by Cx (RK.7.82). Beta reads foles sages, i.e. a pl. noun followed by an adj. with a French pl. inflection (Mustanoja (1960), 277). F has folis sage. · flatereres and lyeres And han likynge to lythen hem · to do ȝow toBx.13.442: to (3): GR omit, as does Cx, but GR are unmetrical (x / x /) whereas Cx is expanded to x / x x x / by the addition of in hope. Perhaps, though, Cx has preserved the reading that Bx has dropped, leading beta and F to add to for the metre. So Schmidt (1995), 392. lawghe Ve vobis qui ridetis &c And ȝiueth hem mete and Mede · and pore men refuse In ȝowre deth-deyinge · I drede me soreBx.13.445: sore: Beta adds ful, but Cx is without it. Lest þo thre maner men · to moche sorwe ȝow brynge Consencientes & agentes pari pena punienturBx.13.447: punientur: Alpha has puniendi sunt, but beta is supported by Cx. Alford (1992), 86, quotes beta's form. Bx.13.448: WHmR here have a paraph.Patriarkes & prophetes · and prechoures of goddes wordes Sauen þorw her sarmounBx.13.449: sarmoun: Beta2 has the more obvious plural, as does the P family of C. · mannes soule fram helle Riȝt so flateresBx.13.450: flateres: Here, as elsewhere (and in C mss.) the form varies with flaterers. Cf. l. 477 below. We follow copy-text. and foles · aren þe fendes disciples To entice men þorw her tales [·] to synne and harlotrye Ac clerkes þat knowen holywryt · shulde kenne lordes What dauid seith of suche men · as þe sauter telleth Non habitabit in medio domus mee · qui facit superbiam quiBx.13.454: qui (2): Beta has & qui, but this is supported neither by Cx nor the Vulgate. F drops the last phrase. loquitur iniqua Shulde none harlote haue audience · in halle ne in chambresBx.13.455: chambres: CrWGF have the sg., as does Cx. Þere wise men were · witnesseth goddes wordes Ne no mysproude man · amonges lordes ben allowed Bx.13.458-76: This block of 19 lines is omitted by beta. The lines are pretty well exactly reproduced in C (RK.7.96-113), usually supporting R over F. [¶ Clerkes and kniȝtes · welcometh kynges mynstralles And for loue of [her]Bx.13.459: her: F is supported by Cx against R's þe. lorde · litheth hem at festes Muche more me thinketh · riche men shulde Haue beggeres byfore hem · þe whiche ben goddes mynstralles As he seyth hym-self · seynt Iohan bereth witnesse Qui vos spernit me spernit For-thi I rede ȝow riche · atBx.13.464: at: Evidently the reading of alpha, but not in Cx. reueles whan ȝe maketh For to solace ȝoure soules · suche minstralles to haue Þe pore for a fol-sage · syttynge at þeBx.13.466: þe (2): So F; R has þe heyȝ; perhaps rightly, but perhaps an uncharacteristic addition, since Cx has þy. table And a lered man to lere þe · what oure lorde suffred For to saue þi soule · fram sathan þin enemy And fithel þe with-out flaterynge · of gode friday þe storyeBx.13.469: storye: Cx has feste. And a blynd man for a bourdeoure · or a bedrede womman To crie a largesse by-for oure lorde · ȝoure gode loos to shewe Þise thre maner mynstralles · maketh a man to laughe And in his deth-deyinge · þei don hym grete conforte Þat bi his lyue lythedBx.13.474: lythed: So R, against F's he lystned. But the X family of C has lened and the P family loueþ. hem · and loued hem to here Þise solaseth þe soule · til hym-selue be falle In a welhopeBx.13.476: welhope: Alpha or Bx has presumably lost for a wrouhte so as in Cx, leading F to expand. · amonges worthi seyntes] [Þere]Bx.13.477: Þere: "where". Alpha is supported by Cx. Following the loss of the preceding passage, beta has Ac with a paraph. flateres and foles [·] þorw her foule wordes Leden þo þat loue[d]Bx.13.478: loued: Alpha's past tense is supported by Cx's probable reading lythed, though some mss. of the P family have the present. hem · to luciferes feste With turpiloquio a lay of sorwe · and luciferes fithele Thus haukyn þe actyf man · hadde ysoiled his cote Til conscience acouped hym þere-of · in a curteise manere Whi he ne hadde wasshen it · or wyped it with a brusshe