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 6William 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 Sextus de visione vt supra This were a wikked way · but who-so hadde a gyde That wolde folwen vs eche a fote · þus þis folke hem mened Bx.6.3: WF have a paraph and R starts a new line group.Quatȝ Perkyn þe plouman · bi seynt Peter of Rome I haue an half acre to erye · bi þe heigh way Hadde I eried þis half acre · and sowen it after I wilBx.6.6: wil: The reading of LR and C. The past tense is to be expected after Hadde, and so wolde is more likely to be scribal. Ax probably has the latter, as do most C mss., but XYJ have wol. wende with ȝow · and þe way teche ¶ Þis were a longe lettynge · quod a lady in a sklayre What sholde we wommen · worche þere-whilesBx.6.8: þere-whiles: So LM and alpha; see MED ther-whiles. Other mss. have þe while(s), the AC reading. Adams (2000), 177. ¶ Somme shal sowe [þe]Bx.6.9: þe (1): Dropped in L, but supported by all B mss. except M, which has the plural noun. sakke quod Piers · for shedyng of þe whete And ȝe louely ladyes · with ȝoure longe fyngres Þat ȝe han silke and sendal · to sowe whan tyme is Chesibles for chapelleynes · cherches to honoure ¶ Wyues and wydwes · wolle & flex spynneth Maketh cloth I conseille ȝow · and kenneth so ȝowre douȝtres Þe nedy and þe naked · nymmeth hede how hijBx.6.15: hij: LM. R records the reduced form a (its reading hym in the next line suggests the scribe took it as a sg.). Other mss. have þei. liggeth And casteth hem clothes · for so comaundeth treuthe For I shal lene hem lyflode · but ȝif þe londe faille Flesshe and bred bothe · to riche and to pore As longe as I lyue · for þe lordes loue of heuene ¶ And alle manere of men · þat þorw mete and drynke lybbeth Helpith hym to worche wiȝtliche · þat wynneth ȝowre fode ¶ Bi crist quod a knyȝte þo · he kenneth vs þe best Ac on þe teme trewly · tauȝte was I neuere Ac kenne me quod þe knyȝte · and bi cryst I wil assaye ¶ Bi seynt Poule quod Perkyn · ȝe profre ȝow so faire Þat I shal swynke and swete · and sowe for vs bothe And oþer labour[er]esBx.6.27: laboureres: The misspelling (presumably an otiose abbreviation) is corrected by most beta mss. (visibly in G) to laboures. The Hm corrector alters the line to make sense, and F revises similarly. R copies faithfully, as usual. do for þi loue · al my lyf-tyme In couenaunt þat þow kepe · holikirkeBx.6.28: kirke: On alpha's non-alliterating cherche see Introduction IV.1. and my-selue Fro wastoures and froBx.6.29: and fro: Support from LR and beta2 (CrWHm) + G against and. AC mss. vary similarly. wykked men · þat þis worlde struyeth ¶ And go hunte hardiliche [·] to hares and to foxes To bores and to [b]ockesBx.6.31: bockes: "bucks". Beta has the easy error brockes, "badgers", perhaps anticipating br- in the b-verse. R (= alpha?) is supported by AC; F rewrites. · þat breketh adown myne hegges And go affaite þ[i]Bx.6.32: þi: So also Cx. Only LCrG have the definite article. faucones · wilde foules to kille For suche cometh to my croft · and croppeth my whete ¶ Curteislich þe knyȝte þanne · comsed þise wordes By my power Pieres quod he · I pliȝte þe my treuthe To fulfille þis forward · þowȝ I fiȝte sholde Als longe as I lyue · I shal þe mayntene ¶ Ȝe and ȝit a poynt quod Pieres · I preye ȝow of more Loke ȝe tene no tenaunt · but treuthe wil assent And þowgh ȝe mowe amercy hemBx.6.40: hem: Beta's reading is more satisfactory in sense and metre, yet alpha's men receives some support from C's a-verse And when ȝe mersyen eny man (RK.8.37), where it is needed for the alliteration. · late mercy be taxoure And mekenesse þi mayster · maugre medes chekes And þowgh pore men profre ȝow · presentis and ȝiftis Nym it nauȝte an auenture · [þow]Bx.6.43: þow: Alpha is here supported by AC. The pl. forms in ll. 38, 39, 40 and 42 are also in Cx (but Ax has sg.); F alters to sg. throughout, and R alters to pl. in 41. mowe it nauȝte deserue For þow shalt ȝelde it aȝein · at one ȝeres ende In a ful perillous place · purgatorie it hatte ¶ And mysbede nouȝte þi bonde-menmanBx.6.46: -men / -man: Beta has the Ax pl. while alpha has the sg. as Cx. · þe better may þow spede Þowgh he be þyn vnderlynge here · wel may happe in heuene Þat he worth worthier sette · and with more blisse Amice ascende superius For in charnelBx.6.50: in charnel: R probably represents alpha with the amusing error in a chanel, "gutter", sensibly revised to in a chapel by F. a[t]Bx.6.50: at: LMHm have atte, which represents "at the" in L (see Bx.P.107, 3.31, 6.55, etc.). CrWGR have at, which has some support from C's At churche in the Charnel. chirche · cherlesBx.6.50: cherles: Supported by C and by alliteration against alpha's clerkes. ben yuel to knowe Or a kniȝte fram a knaue þere · knowe þis in þin herte And þat þow be trewe of þiBx.6.54: þi: Beta is supported by Ax and the X family of C against alpha's omission. The P family reads hys. tonge · and tales þat þow hatie But if þei ben of wisdome or of witt · þi werkmen to chaste HoldeHolde nauȝtBx.6.54: Holde / Holde nauȝt: Beta agrees with Ax, against Holde nauȝt in alpha and Cx. with none harlotes · ne here nouȝte her tales And nameliche atte mete · suche men eschue For it ben þe deueles disoures · I do þe to vnderstande ¶ I assente bi seynt Iame · seyde þe kniȝte þanne Forto worche bi þi wordes · þe while my lyf dureth ¶ And I shal apparaille me quod Perkyn · in pilgrimes wise And wende with ȝow I wil · til we fynde treuthe ¶ And cast on meBx.6.61: me: Although attested only by LR, it is more likely to have been lost than added, and has support from the Cx third-person version, caste on hym his clothes (RK.8.58). However, Adams (2000), 183, sees me as "random convergence". my clothes · yclouted and hole My cokeres and my coffes · for colde of my nailles And hange myn hoper at myn hals · in stede of a scrippe A busshel of bredcorne · brynge me þerinne For I wil sowe it my-self · and sitthenes wil I wende To pylgrymage as palmers don · pardoun forto haue ¶ Ac who-so helpeth me to erie · or sowen hereBx.6.67: here: Good support from LMR and WHm, strengthening the alliteration of the b-verse, though dropped in CrGOCF. A and C have different b-verses. ar I wende Shal haue leue bi owre lorde · to lese here in heruest And make h[y]mBX.6.69: hym: Alpha's sg. is supported by AC over beta's plural. mery þere-mydde · maugre who-so bigruccheth itBx.6.69: bigruccheth it: So LMCrW, and so probably beta. The X family of C has bigruchen hit, but the P family is without hit, as are beta4 and F (in Hm it appears to have been erased). Scribes may have been uncomfortable with two unstressed syllables at line-end. In R and Ax the pronoun precedes the verb. We follow copy-text. ¶ And alkyn crafty men · þat konne lyuen in treuthe I shal fynden hem fode · þat feithfulliche libbeth ¶ Saue Iakke þe iogeloure · and Ionet of þe stues And danyel þe dys playere · and denote þe baude And frere þe faytoure [·] and folke of his ordre And Robyn þe Rybaudoure · for his rusty wordes Treuthe tolde me ones · and bad me tellen it after Deleantur de libro viuencium [·] I shulde nouȝte dele with hem For holicherche is hote [·]Bx.6.78: The line is punctuated after hote in MCrC and alpha, after hem in LWO. The former is supported by the alliterative pattern. of hem no tythe to [aske]Bx.6.78: aske: The reading of R is supported by AC. That F agrees with beta take makes the Bx reading uncertain, but it is an easy error, typical of F in increasing the alliteration, especially in a line where the pattern puzzles some scribes, and indeed it is found as a minor variant in both A and C mss. Quia cum iustis non scribantur They ben ascaped good auenture · nowBx.6.80: now: So LM and alpha, supported by AC. god hem amende ¶ Dame worche whan tyme is · Pieres wyf hiȝte His douȝter hiȝte do riȝte so · or þi dame shal þe bete His sone hiȝte suffre þi souereynes · to hauenhauenBx.6.83: to hauen / hauen: Beta includes to as Ax, which alpha and Cx omit. her willeBx.6.83: The line alliterates aaa/xx, which prompts OR to punctuate the line after suffre (which F drops), disregarding the syntactic break after souereynes. Deme hem nouȝte for if þow doste · þow shalt it dere abugge Late god yworth with al · for so his worde techeth ¶ For now I am olde and hore · and haue of myn owen To penaunce and to pilgrimage · I wil passe with þiseBx.6.87: þise: The demonstrative, which seems preferable in terms of sense, is supported by L (but not M), by CrW (but not Hm), by R (but not F). AC mss. vary in the same way. other For-þi I wil or I wende · do wryte my biqueste Bx.6.89-91: These three lines in beta are set out as two in alpha, divided after soule and dropping for so I bileue. AC set the lines as beta. In dei nomine amen · I make it my-seluen He shal haue my soule · þat best hath yseruedBx.6.90: yserued: LCGOR, and so Bx. But M and beta2 have deserued, as does A. C rewrites the b-verse. it And fro þe fende it defendeBx.6.91: Beta's version of the a-verse is confirmed by AC. · for so I bileue Til I come to his acountes · as my cred[e]Bx.6.92: crede: Alpha's form is supported by AC. me tellethtellethBx.6.92: me telleth / telleth: Beta reads as Ax, while alpha and Cx omit me. To haue a relees and a remissioun · on þat rental I leue ¶ Þe kirke shal haue my caroigne · and kepe my bones For of my corne and catel · heBx.6.95: he: In a clear example of sophistication, CrW alter to she, but the following lines confirm the masculine. craued þe tythe I payed it hym prestly · for peril of my soule For-thy is he holden I hope · to haue me in his masse And mengenBx.6.98: mengen: F adds me by contamination from AC. in his memorye · amonge alle crystene ¶ My wyf shal haue of þat I wan · with treuthe and nomore And dele amonge my douȝtres · and my dere children For þowgh I deyeBx.6.101: deye: Beta's present is supported by AC, though a few mss. in all versions have the past. Cf. l. 123. to-daye · my dettes arBx.6.101: dettes ar: R's sg. is also the reading of the X family of C. quitte I bare home þat I borwed · ar I to bedde ȝede ¶ And with þe residue and þe remenaunte · bi þe Rode of Lukes I wil worschip þer-with · treuthe bi my lyue And ben his pilgryme atte plow · for pore mennes sake My plow-[p]oteBx.6.106: -pote: Alpha has support from AC (K.7.95, RK.8.64), though in all three versions the second element of the compound is also recorded as fote, bat, and staf. MED, recording no other instance, supposes the implement is probably "to remove earth adhering to a plow, or to chop roots" (plough, 1c (e)). Kane (2005) glosses as "ploughman's staff used to give added thrust to the coulter". shal be my pyk-staf · and picche atwoBx.6.106: atwo: Beta's reading is also that of Cx, though two mss. have at (as R) and two away (as F). Though Kane's A text has putte at, both verb and preposition vary widely, though no ms. has atwo. þe rotes And helpe my culter to kerue · and clense þe forwes ¶ Now is perkyn and [þ]isBx.6.108: þis: The X family of C agrees with R. Most A mss. and the P family of C share F's reading þe. We suppose that Bx þis is a slightly more likely source than þe of beta's his. pilgrymes · to þe plowe faren To erie þis halue acre · holpyn hym manye Dikeres & delueres · digged vp þe balkes Þere-with was perkyn apayed · and preysed hem faste Other werkemen þere were · þat wrouȝten ful ȝerne Eche man in his manere · made hym-self to done And some to plese perkyn · piked vp þe wedes ¶ At heighe pryme peres · lete þe plowe stonde ToBx.6.116: To: R's And ȝeed to must represent alpha (cf. F), but it has no support from AC. ouersen hem hym-self · and who-so best wrouȝte He shulde be huyred þer-after · whan heruest tyme come ¶ And þanne seten somme · and songen atte nale And hulpenBx.6.119: hulpen: There is no support for R's ho helpen to. erie his half acre · with how trolli lolliBx.6.119: F's additional line is unusually amusing as well as metrical, but it has no parallel in any version of the poem. ¶ Now bi þe peril of my soule quod Pieres · al in pure tene But ȝe arise þe rather · and rape ȝow to worche Shal no greyne þat groweth · glade ȝow at nede And þough ȝe deyeBx.6.123: deye: As in the parallel l. 101, R has the past tense, but it is not supported by AC. for dole · þe deuel haue þat recch[e]Bx.6.123: recche: Alpha's subjunctive is supported by AC. ¶ Tho were faitoures aferde · and feyned hem blynde Somme leyde here legges aliri as suche loseles conneth And made her mone to pieres · and preyde hym of grace For we haue no lymes to laboure with · lorde ygraced be ȝe ¶Bx.6.128: ¶: The paraph is recorded in LR and marked by a space in M. Ac we preye for ȝow pieres · and for ȝowre plow bothe Þat god of his grace · ȝowre grayne multiplye And ȝelde ȝow ofBx.6.130: of: Beta2 (CrWHm) and G have for, as do a few AC mss. ȝowre almesse · þat ȝe ȝiue vs here For we may nouȝte swynke ne swete · suche sikenesse vs eyleth ¶ If it be soth quod pieres þat ȝe seyne · I shal it sone asspye Ȝe ben wastoures I wote wel · andBx.6.133: and: R's omission is not supported by Ax. R has three unique readings in this line. treuthe wote þe sothe And I am his olde hyne · and hiȝte hym to warne Which þei were in þis worlde · his werkemen appeyredBx.6.135: appeyred: GR have the present (F has wolde a-peyre). The parallel line in A, Suche wastours in þis world his werkmen distroyeþ (K.7.124), is too different to offer support. ¶ Ȝe wasten þat men wynnen · with trauaille and with tene Ac treuthe shal teche ȝow · his teme to dryue Or ȝe shal ete barly bred · and of þe broke drynke But if he be blynde [or]Bx.6.139: or (1): There is no support for L's and in any version, though note that and probably underlies the correction or in M. broke-legged · or bolted with yrnes He shal ete whete bred · and drynke with my-selue Tyl god of his goodnesse · amendement hym sende Bx.6.142: Hm and alpha have a paraph.Ac ȝe myȝte trauaille as treuthe wolde · and take mete & huyre To kepe kyne in þe felde · þe corne fro þe bestes Diken or deluen or dyngen vppon sheues Or helpe make morter · or bere mukke afelde ¶ In lecherye and in losengerye · ȝe lyuen and in sleuthe And al is þorw suffrance · þat venjaunce ȝow ne taketh ¶ Ac ancres and heremytes · þat eten but at nones And namore er morwe · myne almesse shul þei haue And of myBx.6.150: of my: LM and alpha. Beta2 (CrWHm) and G drop my; CO drop both words. This passage is not in AC. catel to copeBx.6.150: cope: LMR and CO, with F revising to kouere. Beta2 (CrWHm) and G read kepe. For the collocation with catel, "provide resources for clothing", see Bx.5.271. hem with · þat han cloistres and cherches Bx.6.151: WHmCF have a paraph.Ac robert renneaboute · shal nouȝte haue of myne Ne posteles but þey preche conne · and haue powere of þe bisschop They shal haue payne and potage · and make hem-self at ese For it is an vnresonable Religioun · þat hath riȝte nouȝte of certeyne ¶ And þanne gan a wastoure to wrath hym · and wolde haue yfouȝte And to Pieres þe plowman · he profered his gloue A Brytonere a braggere · a bostedBx.6.157: a bosted: As one word in all except CrCGOF. Presumably not all scribes recognised this as "he threatened" but took it as an unparalleled compound verb. Ax has he bostide. RK.8.152 records abostede, but it is questioned by Kane (2005) s.v. pieres als And bad hym go pissen withBx.6.158: with: Beta supported by AC. Alpha tones down the vulgarism. his plow · for-pyned schrewe Wiltow or neltow · we wil haue owre wille OfBx.6.160: Of: Alpha probably read And of. Beta is supported by Ax, but alpha by the X family of C; the P family has Boþe. þi flowre and of þi flessche · fecche whan vs liketh And make vs myrie þer-mydeBx.6.161: þer-myde: M is joined by HmCG with þere-with. The half-line is repeated from l. 69 where HmC have the variation. Ax has -wiþ, but the best C mss. read -myde. See note to Bx.7.26, and cf. 15.144. · maugre þi chekes ¶ Thanne Pieres þe plowman · pleyned hym to þe knyȝte To kepe hym as couenaunte was · fram cursed shrewes And fro þis wastoures wolueskynnes · þat maketh þ[is]Bx.6.164: þis (2): R represents alpha since F drops the line, and is supported by Cx (RK.8.158) against beta's þe. G also has þis. worlde dere For þo waste and wynnen nouȝte · and þat ilke while Worth neuere plente amonge þe poeple · þer-whileBx.6.166: þer-while: So LMC, and probably beta. R, which may be right, has þe while in line with other mss.; F reads while. Cx has and. Cf. 6.8n. my plow liggeth ¶ Curteisly þe knyȝte þanne · as his kynde wolde Warned wastoure · and wissed hym bettere Or þow shalt abugge by þe lawe · by þe ordre þat I bere ¶ I was nouȝt wont to worche quod wastour · and now wil I nouȝt bigynne And lete liȝteBx.1.171: liȝte: Alpha with Hm have the adverbial form liȝtly, but beta has the form recorded in AC and elsewhere in the poem. of þe lawe [·] and lasse of þe knyȝte And sette Pieres at a pees · and his plow bothe And manaced pieres and his men · ȝif þei mette eft-sone ¶ NowBx.1.174: Now: Supported by AC, despite alpha's omission. by þe peril of my soule quod Pieres · I shal apeyre ȝow alle And houped after hunger · þat herd hym atte firste Awreke me of þise wastoures quod he · þat þis worlde schendethBx.6.176: schendeth: Plural, as schende(n) in alpha. ¶ Hunger in haste þo · hent wastour bi þe mawe And wronge hym so bi þe wombe · þat [al wattered] his eyenBx.6.178: We adopt R's b-verse, which is that of AC, and conforms to the standard alliterative pattern, though it is unmetrical (x x / x x / x). If R reproduces alpha, this leaves the question of how F shares the beta reading. In fact four A mss. have the same reading as beta, and five more have the same noun-verb word-order omitting bothe. Either F is contaminated, or else the scribe independently corrupted to the easier reading ("prose order", KD, p. 168 n. 89) just as some A scribes did. He buffeted þe Britoner [·] aboute þe chekes Þat he loked like a lanterne · al his lyf after He bette hem so bothe · he barste nere here guttes Ne hadde Pieres with a pese lof · preyed hunger cesseBx.6.182: cesse: Beta has to cesse, and it may be right, but to is perhaps supplied to fill a short b-verse. Cf. 3.334, but for a counter-example cf. 1.82. AC have preyed hym beleue. They hadde ben doluen bothe · ne deme þow non other Suffre hem lyue he seyde · and lete hem ete with hogges Or elles benes and bren · ybaken togideres Or elles melke and meneBx.6.186: mene: "inferior" (MED mene adj.(1), 3(a)). But CO and alpha have meyne which, in R at least, is used only as a spelling of MED meine n., "household"; cf. meine 1(b) ~ bord, referring to a more humble table. MED does not record the compound meine-ale. The line is not in AC and is rejected by KD. ale · þus preyed pieres for hem ¶ Faitoures for fere her-of · flowen in-to bernes And flapten on with flayles · fram morwe til euen That hunger was nouȝt hardyBx.6.189: hardy: Beta has so hardy, but alpha is supported by Cx. A mss. are split. · on hem forto loke For a potful of peses · þat peres hadde ymaked [¶]Bx.6.191: ¶: The paraph is in WHmC and alpha. In LM the paraph was easily missed since the line is at the top of the page in both. Though evidently Bx, it is inappropriate in splitting 190 from 191. An heep of heremites · henten hem spades And ketten here copes · and courtpies hem made And wenten as werkemen · with spades and with schoueles And doluen and dykeden · to dryue aweye hunger ¶ Blynde and bedreden · were botened a þousande Þat seten to begge syluer · sone were þei heled For þat was bake for bayarde · was bote forBx.6.197: bote for: So beta and Cx (line not in A). R has bote to. many hungry And many a beggere for benes · buxome was to swynke And eche aBx.6.199: eche a: Supported by LR and WCO, against eche in others. A standard variant; cf. Bx.3.318n, 5.89, etc. The line is not in AC. pore man wel apayedBx.6.199: apayed: Supported by LR and CrWHm, against paied in others. · to haue pesen for his huyre And what pieres preyed hem to do · as prest as a sperhauke And þere-of was peres proude · and put hem to werke And ȝaf hem mete as he myȝte aforth · and mesurable huyre ¶ Þanne hadde peres pite · and preyed hunger to wende Home in-to his owne erdBx.6.204: erd: The form in LR and original M, from OE eard. Beta2 (CrWHm) and revised M have yerd, from OE geard. · and holden hym þere For I am wel awroke nowBx.6.205: now: Supported by LMOC and alpha, but omitted by beta2 (CrWHm) and G, as also (coincidentally?) by Cx. The line is not in A. · of wastoures þorw þi myȝte Ac I preye þe ar þow passe · quod Pieres toBx.6.206: to: Alpha may be right with þo to, creating a long dip, as G does independently with vn-to. A and C have two different versions of the b-verse. hunger Of beggeres and of bidderes · what best be [to]Bx.6.207: be to: L alone drops to. Most C mss. have the subjunctive as in beta; most A mss. have the phrase as in F, though five have R's order. done For I wote wel be þow went · þei wil worche ful ille For myschief it maketh · þei beth so meke nouthe And for defaute of her fode · þis folke is at my wille [It]Bx.6.211: It: All other mss. have Þey, but R is supported by AC. For the formal it as equivalent to "they", see Mustanoja (1960), 132-3; and cf. Bx.6.56, where GF again read þei for it. are my blody bretheren quod pieres · for god bouȝte vs alle Treuthe tauȝte me ones · to louye hem vchone And to helpen hem of alle þinge · ay as hem nedeth And now wolde I witen of þe · what were þe best AnBx.6.215: An: "and". how I myȝte amaistrien hem · and make hem to worche ¶ Here now quod hunger · and holde it for a wisdome Bolde beggeres and bigge · þat mowe her bred biswynke With houndes bred and hors-bred · holde vp her hertis Abate hem with benes · for bollyng of her wombe And ȝif þe gomes grucche · bidde hem go swynkeBx.6.220: go swynke: For the idiom, cf. 5.24 go worche, 7.104 gon faiten, 9.143 go shape. Alpha has go and swynke; the same variation is found in AC. Bx.6.221: The line is dropped by alpha. It is attested by AC. And he shal soupe swettere · whan he it hath deseruid ¶ AndBx.6.222: And: R has Ac, which may be right. There is the same variation in AC. if þow fynde any freke · þat fortunefalshedBx.6.222: fortune / falshed: An interesting case. Alpha's false or falshed is clearly an error in view of fals men in the next line. And yet it was presumably the basis for Cx, which reads þat fals men han apayred and drops the next line. Beta shares fortune with Ax. hath appeyred Or any maner fals men · fonde þow suche to cnowe Conforte h[e]mBx.6.224: hem: Beta probably had hym, as in LCrWHm, with MGO correcting. (Note HmO man in the line above.) AC have the plural, as in alpha. with þi catel · for crystes loue of heuene Loue hem and lene hem · so lawe of god techeth Alter alterius onera portate And alle maner ofBx.6.227: maner of: R omits of. AC scribes vary, though the most authoritative of C also omit. men · þat þow myȝte asspye That nedy ben and nauȝty · helpe hem with þi godis Loue hem and lakke hem nouȝte · late god take þe venjaunce Theigh þei done yuel · late þowBx.6.230: þow: Only in LR; dropped by other scribes perhaps on the basis of l. 85. Presumably it carries the alliteration of the b-verse. The line is not in AC. Adams (2000), 183. god awortheBx.6.230: aworthe: The rare form is supported by LMR. Michi vindictam & ego retribuam · And if þow wil be graciouse to god · do as þe gospel techeth And bilowBx.6.233: bilow: As at Bx.2.22, LMR presumably reproduce the spelling of Bx. F wrongly takes the verb to be formed on lowen, "be humble". The Latin of the next line makes it clear that it means "make (yourself) loved" (MED biloven), and beta1 reads biloue. The line replaces K.7.212 Make þe Frendis þermid. Adams (2000), 178. þe amonges low men · so shaltow lacche grace Facite vobis amicos de mamona iniquitatis ¶ I wolde nouȝt greue god quod piers · for al þe good on grounde Miȝte I synnelees do as þow seist · seyde pieres þanne ¶ Ȝe I bihote þeBx.6.237: þe (1): Alpha's god is not supported by AC, but cf. l. 285. quod hunger · or ellis þe bible lieth Go to Genesis þe gyaunt · þe engendroure of vs alle In sudore and swynkeBx.6.239: and swynke: Alpha has and in swynke and beta's reading is uncertain. Ax has the reading adopted here, and Cx has a Latin line (altered from Genesis) in the form In sudore & labore (or vice versa). · þow shalt þi mete tilye And laboure for þi lyflode · and so owre lorde hyȝte And sapience seyth þe same · I seigh itBx.6.241: it: Omitted in R (= alpha?) but supported by Ax. in þe bible Piger pro frigore · no felde noldeBx.6.242: nolde: This seems to be the beta reading (M is corrected), with alpha reading wolde, probably the reading of Ax. Either could be Bx. tilye And þerfore he shal begge and bidde · and no man bete his hunger ¶ Mathew with mannes face · mouthe[th]Bx.6.244: moutheth: Alpha's present tense is that of Ax, and is supported by C's Mathew maketh mencioun (RK.8.246). Beta's past tense may be unconscious substitution of -thed for -theth. þise wordisa besaunt Þat seruus nequam had a namBx.6.245: nam: Alpha has man, and beta probably here had the spelling nam rather than Mnam, which WHmC have corrected from Luke 19.24 and from ll. 247-8. Cf. the spelling variants there. The gloss besaunt which appears in LMWHm and as a variant in CrG must have been in beta. · and for he wolde nouȝte chaffare He had maugre of his maistre · for euermore after And binam [hym]Bx.6.247: hym: Not in L and added in M, so probably absent in beta. Other beta scribes make an obvious correction. his Mnam · for he ne woldeBx.6.247: ne wolde: Ax has nolde, which carries the alliteration, but it is supported for Bx only by MG. worche And ȝaf þat Mnam to hym · þat ten Mnames hadde And with þat he seyde · þat holicherche it herde He þat hath shal haue · and helpe þere it nedeth And he þat nouȝt hath shal nouȝt haue · and no man hym helpe And þat he weneth welBx.6.252: wel: Alpha has for and loses the alliteration. Beta has the support of Ax and the X family of C, though the P family omit wel to. to haue · I wil it hym bireue ¶ Kynde witt wolde · þat eche a wyght wrouȝte Or in dykynge or in deluynge · or trauaillynge in preyeres Contemplatyf lyf or actyf lyf · cryst wolde menBx.6.255: men: So LMR; beta1 has þei and F has we. AC are different. wrouȝte Þe sauter seyth in þeBx.6.256: þe: Alpha has a, which could be right, since there are several Beati omnes psalms. There is similar variation in A mss. psalme · of beati omnes Þe freke þat fedeth hym-self · with his feythful laboure He is blessed by þe boke · in body and in soule Labores manuum tuarum &c · ¶ Ȝet I prey ȝow quod pieres · parBx.6.260: par: The spelling in LWR (and abbreviated in MCG). See note to Bx.8.11. charite and ȝe kunne Eny leef of lechecraft · lere it me my dere For somme of my seruauntz · and my-self bothe Of al a wyke worche nouȝt · so owre wombe aketh ¶ I wote wel quod hunger · what sykenesse ȝow eyleth Ȝe han maunged ouer-moche · and þat maketh ȝow grone Ac I hote þe quod hunger · as þow þyne hele wilnest Þat þow drynke no day · ar þow dyne somwhat Ete nouȝte I hote þeBx.6.268: þe (1): Supported by Ax, but R omits, as does Cx. · ar hunger þe take And sende þe of his sauce · to sauoure with þi lippes And kepe some tyl soper tyme · and sitte nouȝt to longe AriseBx.6.271: Arise: So LMR supported by alliteration and Ax; F has But a-ryse, the others And ryse, evidently misinterpreting A as "And". vp ar appetit · haue eten his fulle Lat nouȝt sire surfait [·] sitten at þi borde Leue him nouȝt for he is lecherous · and likerous of tonge And after many manere metes · his maw is afyngred ¶ And ȝif þow diete þe þus · I dar legge myne eres Þat phisik shal his furred hodes · for his fode selle And his cloke of calabre · with alle þeBx.6.277: þe: Alpha omits; A mss. vary similarly. knappes of golde And be fayne bi my feith · his phisik to lete And lerne to laboure with londe · for lyflode is swete [Þer aren mo morareres þan] lechesBx.6.280: Þer aren mo morareres þan leches: We take R to represent a corrupt Bx. We suppose that B read as A does: Þer arn mo liȝeris þan lechis (K.7.257). The nonce word morareres resulted from dittography of mo. F's moraynerys (from moreine, "death"?) is a desperate attempt to make sense of this. Beta's revision to For morthereres aren mony leches is more radical and more sensible. The line is rewritten in C. See Schmidt (1995), 375. · lorde hem amende Þei do men deye þorw here drynkes · ar destine it wolde ¶ By seynt Poule quod pieres · þise aren profitable wordis Wende now hunger whan þow wolt · þat wel be þowBx.6.283: be þow: R reverses and F alters. A few C mss. agree with R. euere For þis is a louely lessoun · lorde it þe forȝelde ¶ By-hoteBx.6.285: By-hote: GF's I hoote is an A reading, introduced to correct the omission of I in Bx. god quod hunger · hennes ne wil I wende Til I haue dyned bi þis day · and ydronke bothe ¶ I haue no peny quod peres · poletes fortoBx.6.287: forto: LR and CrCO, challenged by to in MWHmG. Cx has the former, Ax the latter. We follow copy-text. bigge Ne neyther gees ne grys · but two grene cheses A fewe cruddes and creem · and an hauer cake And two loues of benes and bran · ybake for my fauntis And ȝet I sey by my soule · I haue no salt bacoun Ne no kokeney bi cryst [·] coloppes forto maken Ac I haue percil and porettesBx.6.293: porettes: So beta and F; R has sg. porett. A mss. vary similarly; Cx revises to poret plontes. · and many kole plantesBx.6.293: kole plantes: Probably R queynte herbes represents the alpha b-verse, which F alters to alliterate. Beta is supported by Ax; Cx revises to improve the alliteration. And eke a cow and a kalf · and a cart mare To drawe afelde my donge · þe while þe drought lasteth And bi þis lyflode we mot lyue · til lammasse tyme And bi þat I hope to haue · heruest in my croft And þanne may I diȝte þi dyner · as me dere liketh [¶]Bx.6.299: ¶: The paraph in HmW and alpha is appropriate here. Alle þe pore peple þo · pesecoddes fetten Benes and baken apples · þei brouȝte in her lapp[e]Bx.6.300: lappe: We prefer the distributive sg. of R, supported by Cx and the A witnesses TDCh. Chibolles and cheruelles · and ripe chiries manye And profred peres þis present · to plese with hunger ¶ Al hunger eet in hast · and axed after more Þanne pore folke for fere · fedde hunger ȝerne With grene poret and pesen · to poysoun hungerBx.6.305: hunger: Beta2 (CrWHm); G (corrected) and F read hym. This is an agreement by coincidence or contamination with Ax. The line is not in C. þei þouȝte Bx.3.306: Alpha has a paraph.By þat it neighed nere heruest · neweBx.6.306: newe: Again W (with F here) has a reading which is probably not Bx but agrees coincidentally with another version. & newe is the reading of Cx and of five A mss. corne cam to chepynge Þanne was folke fayne · and fedde hunger with þe best With good ale as glotoun tauȝte · and gerte hunger go slepe ¶ And þo wolde wastour nouȝtBx.6.309: wolde wastour nouȝt: Beta is supported by AC against alpha's wolde no wastour. werche · but wandren aboute Ne no begger ete bred · þat benes Inne were But of coket orBx.6.311: or (1): R has or of; for which AC offer no support. clerematyn · or elles of clene whete Ne none halpeny ale · in none wise drynke But of þe best and of þeBx.6.313: and of þe: LR + beta2 (CrWHm), as the X family of C. The P family omits of þe, as F. Ax omits of, as MG and O corrected. brounest · þat in borgh is to selle ¶ Laboreres þat haue no lande · to lyue on but her handes Deyned nouȝtDeynedBx.6.315: Deyned nouȝt / Deyned: See MED deinen v.(1) & (2) for the two related verbs meaning "condescend, see fit" and "disdain". In beta it is the former, in alpha, omitting nouȝt, the latter. Ax supports beta, but it seems clear that Cx supports alpha (with X significantly adding noȝt as a correction). The only other use in the B text is Bx.10.82, recorded only in alpha, in the sense "condescend" in F (deyneþ not vs to here), but in R in the sense "disdain" (deyneþ his heres to opne)! In the corresponding line in C, some mss. read deyneth nat vs to here, but as many omit nat (RK.11.59). to dyne a-day · nyȝt-olde wortes May no peny-ale hem paye · ne no pece of bakoun But if it be fresch flesch other fische · fryed other bakeBx.6.317: Alpha runs this and the next line together, omitting the b-verse of l. 317 and the a-verse of l. 318. And þat chaude orBx.6.318: or: WHmG have and, supported by AC. We rely on LM, and suppose that G is likely to be contaminated and the reading of the WHm ancestor coincidental. In the absence of alpha, certainty is impossible. plus chaud · for chillyng of hereBx.6.318: here: R may be right with sg. his, which is the reading of four A mss. and the X family of C. mawe Bx.6.319: Only LM have a paraph, and it is not particularly appropriate. And but ifBx.6.319: but if: So LR and CrWG; others drop if (M is rewritten). AC vary similarly. he be hieghlich huyred · ellis wil he chyde And þat he was werkman wrouȝt · waille þe tyme Aȝeines catones conseille · comseth he to iangle Paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento ¶ He greueth hym aȝeines god · and gruccheth aȝeines resoun And þanne curseth he þe kynge · and al his conseille after Suche lawes to loke · laboreres to greue Ac whiles hunger was her maister · þere wolde none of hemBx.6.326: none of hem: In A the b-verse reads wolde þere non chide; C reverses the first two words, ther wolde non chyde, with the P family omitting ther. Despite the variations, none of the B mss. exactly matches any of these. chyde Ne stryue aȝeines his statut · so sterneliche he loked ¶ Ac I warne ȝow werkemen · wynneth while ȝe mowe For hunger hidewardBx.6.329: hideward: There is no need to emend L's spelling, since hideward is not uncommon. See MED. In the other example in Bx.18.313, all scribes including L use the regular spelling, although in the C version of the line (RK.20.341) three mss. including X have hidward. · hasteth hym fasteBx.6.329: faste: Alpha's ful faste is not supported by AC. He shal awake with waterBx.6.330: water: A good example of R blindly following his exemplar, and F rationalising to make sense. · wastoures to chaste Ar fyue [ȝere]Bx.6.331: ȝere: We suppose that beta omitted the word and that HmO supplied it by conjecture. A mss. generally have the word, though oddly five omit it; C revises to fewe ȝeres. Alternatively, it is possible that the riddling fyue was AB, with scribes making what must have seemed an obvious correction. be fulfilled · suche famyn shal aryse Thorwgh flodesBx.6.332: flodes: R's sg. has some support from A mss. andBx.6.332: and: LWHm have and þourgh. The variant is also found in AC. foule wederes · frutes shul faille And so sayde saturne · and sent ȝow to warne Whan ȝe se þe sonne amys · and two monkes hedes And a Mayde haue þe maistrie · and multipliedBx.6.335: multiplied: The past participle (i.e. "and everything increased eightfold") is in LM and alpha, though it is a correction in M. Probably the other scribes took it as an imperative. bi eight Þanne shal deth withdrawe · and derthe be iustice And dawe þe dyker · deye for hunger But if god of his goodnesse · graunt vs a trewe