fol. 60v (cont.)I
BPassus 15
Incipit Passus .XIus.
AFterF.11.1: The ornamental capital is in blue with red flourishes. The scribe has run flourishes from top to bottom of the page in a russet ink not otherwise used in the manuscript. my wakynge / it was longe after.
Er y cowhde keendely / knowe what was dowel.
& so my wit wex & wanyede / tyl y a fool were.
F.11.4KD.15.4
& summeF.11.4: The scribe's intention here is not clear. His usual form for "some" used as a collective subject is summe (cf. 1.19, 21, 31, 86, etc.), and that is consonant with Bx. However, a tilde appears over the final <e>, and the scribe perhaps intended to write sum men? lakkede my lyf / þere a-lowed it fewe.
& leetyn me for a lorel / & looþ to don me worchepe.
Eir lordis or ladijs / or ony lyf ellys.
As persones with pelure / with pendawntys of syluer.
F.11.8KD.15.8
To sergawntis &F.11.8: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta manuscripts instead read ne. For a similar variation, see 6.210. to swiche menF.11.8: A character has been erased where the expected virgule might have appeared. seyde nout oones.
God looke ȝow lordis / ne y lowtyd to hem fayre.
Þat folk held me a fool / & in my foly ravede.
Tyl resoun hadde rewthe on me / & rokkid me on slepe.
F.11.12KD.15.12
Þan seyȝ y a syght of sorseryȝe / a sotyl þyng with-alle.
Oon with-owtyn tunge or teeþ / told me whidir y sholde.
& wher-of y cam kendely / þan coniowred y hym in haste.
If he were cristis creature / for cristis love me to telle.
F.11.16KD.15.16, 17
I am cristis creature quod he / & cristne in many a place.
In cristis cowrt y-knowe wel / & of cristis kyn a party.
Is neyþir Peter þe porter / ne powl with his fawchoun.
Þat wille defende me þe doore / dynge y neuere so late.
F.11.20KD.15.20
At mydnyght . at mydday  my voys is so wel y-knowe.
Þat euery creature of his cowrt / wolkomeþ me fayre.
/ [¶] But what are cald[ye] cald . quod y in þat cowrt / a-mong cristis peple.
Þe whilys y qwyke in þe corps / calid y am Anima. The scribe on this opening highlighted the faculties of the soul with underlining and overlining in red.
F.11.24KD.15.24
& whanne y wilne & wolde / Animus y hatte.
fol. 61rI
& whan y make moone to god / my name is Memorye.F.11.25: "XI" with red flourishes is written in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.
& whan y deme on dees / & do as trewthe techeþ.
Þan racio myn name is ryght / reson on englysch tunge.
F.11.28KD.15.25
& for þat y can y knowe[and] knowe / callyd mens y am ofte.F.11.28: In Bx, this line appears after 11.24.
& whan y fele þat folk tellyþ / my fyrste name ys sensus.
& þat is wit & wyȝsdom / þe welle of alle craftes.
& whan y chalange / or chalange nowht / chepe or refuse.
F.11.32KD.15.32
Þan am y Conscience y-cald / cristis clerkis notarie.
& whan y love leelly / oure loord & alle oþere.
Þan is leel love myn name / & in latyn Amor.
& whan y flee fleschly lust / & for-sake kareyne.
F.11.36KD.15.36
Þan am y a spiryȝt specheles / & Spiritus þanne y hatte.
Awstyn & ambrose / have brevid on here bookis.F.11.37: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Austyn and Ysodorus eiþer of hem boþe."
Þey nempned me þus be name / now þou myght cheese.
How þou wilt callyn me / þou knowist alle myn names.
F.11.40KD.15.39α
Anima pro diuersis accionibus diuersa nomina sortitur.
Dum viuificat corpus  anima est . Dum vult  animus . est.
Dum scit  mens est . Dum recolit  memoria est.
Dum Iudicat  racio est . Dum sentit  sensus est.
F.11.44KD.15.39α
Dum amat . amor est . Dum negat vel consentit 
Consiencia est . Dum spirat  spiritus est.
What ȝee ben as a bischop quod y / & gan burde þat tyme.
For byschopis þat ben y-blessid / þey beryn many names.
F.11.48KD.15.42
Presul & Pontifex & MetropolanusF.11.48: RF share the erroneous Metropolanus.
& oþere names an hep / episcopus et pastor
Þat ys sooþ / þan seyde he / for now y see þyn wille.
Þou woldist knowe & kunne / þe cause of alle mynF.11.51: FW alone read myn. Bx has hire. names.
F.11.52KD.15.46
& of myn yf þou myȝtyst / me þynkeþ be mynF.11.52: F's myn is unique. Bx has þi. speche.
Ȝe sire þan seyde y / so no man were a-grevid.
Alle þe sciencis vndir sunne / & alle þe sotille craftys.
I wolde y knew & knewk[owþe] / kendely in myn herte.
F.11.56KD.15.50
Þan art þou Inparfyght / quod he  & oon of priȝdes knyghtis.
For swich a lust & lykynge / lucifer fel fram hevene.
& held hym-selue as gret as god / swich grace he hade.F.11.58: This line is unique to F.
Ponam pedem meum in aquilonem . & similis ero altissimo.
F.11.60KD.15.52
It were a-geyn kyȝnde quod he  & al-skens resoun.
Þat ony creature sholde kenne al / except crist hym oone.
A-geyn swiche Salomon spekiþ / & disputiþF.11.62: F's disputiþ is unique. Bx has despiseþ. here wittis
He seyþ . si quis mel comedit multum  non est bonum ei. F's reading is unique. Bx has the following:
And seiþ Sicut qui mel comedit multum non est ei bonum
Sic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimitur a gloria.
F.11.64KD.15.55
Sic qui scrutator est magestatis . opprimetur a gloria.
fol. 61vI
To englysch men þis is to meene / þat mowe speke & heeren.
Þe manF.11.66: An otiose curl appears over the <m>. þat mychel hony eet / his mawe mote be engleymed.
Ryght so þe moore þat a man / of good matere heeryþ.
F.11.68KD.15.59
But he do þere-after / it doþ hym mychil skathe.
Beatus est seyþ seynt Bernard / qui scripturas legit.
& vertit verbaF.11.70: Alpha is responsible for the word order. Beta witnesses have "verba vertit." in opera / holly to his powher.
He þat Coueytiþ to kunne / & to knowe sciencis.
F.11.72KD.15.63
Was pyt owt of paradyȝs / as adam & Eve.
Sciencie appetitus hominem inmortalitatis gloriam spoliauit.
& ryght as hony is evil to defie / & engleymeengleyme[þ]F.11.74: We have taken the error to have been the work of the immediate scribe, but the redactor possibly understood the verb to be parallel to the infinitive form in the a-verse. þe mawe.
Ryght so þorghȝ resoun / he wolde þe roote knowe.
F.11.76KD.15.66
Of god / & of hise grete myghtis / his grace gan it lette.
For in lykynge lyþ gret priȝde / & lykames coueytise.
A-geyn cristis conseyl / & alle clerkys techyng.
Þat is non plus sapere  quam oportet sapere.
F.11.80KD.15.70
Freris & oþereF.11.80: Alpha omitted fele before oþere. Maystris / þat to lewed men prechen
Ȝee meve mateer vn-mesurableF.11.81: The dot between vn and mesurable does not appear to be intentional. / to tellyn of þe trinnyte.F.11.81: Alpha omitted the following unmetrical line attested by beta witnesses: "That ofte tymes þe lewed peple of hir bileue douten."
Bettre it were to be-leve on / as doctouris vs techeþ.
& tellyn of þe .x. comaundementis / & towche þe .vij synnes
F.11.84KD.15.75
& þe brawnces þat burgoneþ of hem / & bryngeþF.11.84: An otiose curl appears above the <g>. men to helle
& how þat folk with folijs / mys-spendyn here fyve wyttis
As weel freris as oþire men / folyly spendyn.
In howsynge in haterenge / in-to hy clergye schewynge.
F.11.88KD.15.79
Moore for pompe þan for charite / þe peple whot þe soþe.
Þat y lyȝe no woord loo  for lordis ȝee plesen.
& reuerence þe ryche men / þe rathere for here syluer.
Confundantur omnes qui adorant sculptilia . Et alibi dicitur.
F.11.92KD.15.81α
Vt quid diligitis vanitatem  & queritis mendacium.
Goo to þe glose of þe vers / ȝee þat been clerkis.
If y lyȝe on ȝow / to myn lewid wit / led me to brennyng.
For as it semeþ / ȝee for-sake / no mennys almesse.
F.11.96KD.15.85
Of vsereris / of horis / &F.11.96: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta witnesses have of alone. Curiously, R has and without of, so F's reading is unique. of averous chapmen.
& ȝee lowten / to þe lordis / þat mowe leene ȝow noblys.
A-geyn ȝoure religions rewle / y take record at Iesus.
þat seyde to hise dissipelis / nescitis[ne sitis] acceptores personarum.F.11.99: Alpha is responsible for the word order. Beta witnesses have "personarum acceptores."
F.11.100KD.15.89
Of þis matere y myghte  maken a mychil byble.
But of curatoures of þe peple / as clerkis beriþ witnesse.
I shal telle it for trewþe sake / take heede whwh[oso] it lykeþ.
As holynesse & honeste / in holy chirche spredyþ.
F.11.104KD.15.93
Þorghȝ leelle lyvynge men / þat goddis lawesF.11.104: Alpha is responsible for plural lawes. Beta witnesses have lawe. techen.
fol. 62rI
Ryght so owt of holy chirche / alle evelis sprediþ.
Þere inparfyȝt presthod ys / &F.11.106: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta witnesses lack it. prechouris & techeris
See it be ensample / on trees / in somer tyme.
F.11.108KD.15.97
Summe bowes been levid / & summe beryn noone.
For a myschef is in þe maister roote / þat is cam of þe bowis.F.11.109: F is unique among B manuscripts. Bx has "Ther is a meschief in þe more of swiche manere bowes."
So yt fareþ be preestis / & precherys in holy chirche.
Þey sholde been roote of þe fayþ / to rewle þe peple.
F.11.112KD.15.101
But þe mayster roote is roteF.11.112: rote ppl. "rotten." / resoun whot þe soþe.
Shal it neuere beryn frut / ne branche of greneF.11.113: An otiose curl appears over <g>. levis.
For-þy  wolde þe lettrede / leven leccherye & cloþyngge.F.11.114: Bx reads "Forþi wolde ye lettrede leue þe lecherie of cloþyng." The substitution of þe for ye occurred in alpha, and occurred again in the BmBoCot group. F noted the inconsistency and two lines below changed both instances of youre to here.
& be kende as clerkis sholde / & curteys of cristis goodis.
F.11.116KD.15.105
& trewe of here tunge / & of here tayle-ende.F.11.116: Though Langland's reference in Bx's "and of youre tail boþe" is sexual, it seems likely that F took the reference to be to "accounts, reckonings." For the form, cf. 6.78 above.
& haten to heeren harlotriȝe / & looþ wrong vndirfonge.
Of tythis of trewe þyngisF.11.118: F's a-verse is unique. Most B manuscripts have "Tiþes of vntrewe þyng." / y-tylijd or y-chaffared.
Looþ weryn lewede men / but þey ȝoure loore folwede.
F.11.120KD.15.109
& a-mendid hem þat mysdoon / þe moore / for ȝoure ensample.
Þan for to preche & preve it nowht / ypocrisye it semeþ.
For ypocrisie in latyn / ys lykned to a dongoun.F.11.122: Alpha is responsible for dongoun. Beta witnesses read dongehill. It is perhaps curious that F uniquely introduces dunk, "dung," in 11.124 and did not correct his exemplar here.
Þat were be-snowid with-oute / & snakys been þere-Inne.
F.11.124KD.15.113
Or to a wal whyȝtlymed / & were dunk with-Inne.
Ryght so manye prelatis / prechoures & preestis.
Are blawnchid with bele parolis / & blewe burnet cloþis.
& ȝoure werkis & ȝoure wordis / þere-vndir ben al foxly.F.11.127: F's foxly is unique. R has wlueliche, and beta has unloueliche.
F.11.128KD.15.117
Iohannes crisostimus / of clerkis / he spekiþ & prechiþ.
Sicut de templo omne bonum procedit.F.11.129: The form procedit is from alpha. Beta witnesses read progreditur.
Sic de templo  omne malum procedit.
Si sacerdocium integrum fuerit . tota floret ecclesia. Si autem coruptaF.11.131: The form corupta is from alpha. Beta witnesses read corruptum. fuerit . omni fides marcida est . Si sacerdosF.11.131: The form sacerdos is from alpha. Beta witnesses read sacerdocium. fuerit in peccatis . totus populus conuertitur ad peccatumF.11.131: Alpha is responsible for peccatum, though the reading is shared by Cr2,3. Beta and C witnesses have peccandum. . Sicut videris arborem pallidam & marcidam . Intelligis quod vicium habet in radice.F.11.131: F alone omits the following: "Ita cum videris populum indisciplinatum & irreligiosum sine dubio sacerdocium eius non est sanum."
F.11.132KD.15.119
If lewed men wisten / what þis latyȝn meeneþ.
& who were myn awtour / gret wondir wolde þey haven.
But euery prest sholde bere / for here broode baselardis.F.11.134: F's line is unique, revised in the light of a probably confused exemplar. Most beta witnesses have "But if many a preest beere for hir baselardes and hir broches," where the alliterative pattern suggests that Bx was already corrupt. R reads "But if many preste bere for here broches and for here baselardes." The R scribe's placement of a punctus elevatus after bere shows that he did not take "and for here baselardes" to have constituted the b-verse, though that is possible.
A peyre of bedis in here hond / orF.11.135: Alpha is responsible for or. Beta witnesses have and. a book to bydde on.
F.11.136KD.15.123
Sire Iohan & sire Geffrey / haven gyrdlys of syluer.
& a baselard or a ballokknyf / & botenys ouer gilt bryghte.
fol. 62vI
But his portuos þat is his plowh / placebo on to seggen.
Þat is be-take to tauerne hows / for ten schelyng plegge.F.11.139: This line appears only in F.
F.11.140KD.15.126-127
If he hadde no seruyse ne syluer / with evil wille he wille synge.F.11.140: F is unique. Beta witnesses have "Hadde he neuere seruice to saue siluer þerto seiþ it with ydel wille." R is similar to beta, though its b-verse ("seith it with euel wille") suggests that alpha is responsible for evil.
Allas . ȝee lewid men / mychil leese ȝee onF.11.141: An otiose curl appears above <o>. preestes.
For wikkidly þey wynnen / gold / & with slyȝe sleyghtis.
Wolde neuere wit / of witty god / but vn-witty men hem made.F.11.143: Made is alpha's reading. Beta manuscripts read hadde.
F.11.144KD.15.131
Þat swiche prestis inparfyȝt lyve / & prechen for syluer.
& ben seketoures of sowlis good / & sumnowris with here feeris.F.11.145: F is unique. Bx has "Executours (or sectours) and Sodenes Somonours and hir lemmannes."
Al þat / with gyle þey getyn / vngracyously is spendyd.
So harlotis & hooris / have holpe owt swiche goodis.
F.11.148KD.15.135
ButF.11.148: Alpha is responsible for But. (R has Ac.) Beta witnesses have And. goddis folk for defawte / for-faren & spyllyn.
Of curatoures of holy cherche / &F.11.149: Alpha and C have &. Beta witnesses have as. clerkis þat ben auerous.
Þat þey sparen lyghtlyF.11.150: F's a-verse is unique. Bx has "Lightliche þat þei leuen." / loselys it habbeþ.
Er þey deye in-testat / & þanne þe Bischop entriþ.
F.11.152KD.15.139
& makeþ merthe þer-with / & hise meyȝne boþe.
& seyn he was a negard / þat no good myghte spare.
To freend ne to fremde / þe feend have nou his sowle.
For a wrecchid housF.11.155: The <s> is malformed. he hild / al his lyf-tyme.
F.11.156KD.15.143
& þat he sparede he[&] sperede / spende we now in merthe.
Boþe after lewed & lered / þat looþ ben to spende.
Þus goon here goodis / be þe goost y-faren.
But for goode men god wot / gret dool men maken.
F.11.160KD.15.147
& þey be-meene goode mete-ȝiveris / & in mynde hem have.
In prayeris & in penaunces / & in parfyȝt charite.
A . what is charite quod y þo  a childisch þyng he seyde.
Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli  non intrabitis in regnum celorum.
F.11.164KD.15.150
With-outyn fawntelte er folie / er a free lyberal wille.
Where sholde men fyȝnde swich a frend / with so fre an herte.
I have lyved in londe quod y  & longe wille is my name.
& ful charyte fond y neuere / by-fore me / ne by-hyȝnde.
F.11.168KD.15.154
For men be not mercyable / to mendynauntis ne to poore.F.11.168: F's reading is unique. Other B manuscripts read: "Men beþ merciable to mendinauntz and to poore."
But þey leene . þere þey be-leven / to been lelly y-peyed.
But not for charite þat poul preyseþ / It pleseþ god in heuene.
As non inflatur / non est ambiciosa . non querit que sua sunt.
F.11.172KD.15.158
I seyȝ neuere swich a man / so me god helpe.
Þat he wolde[ne] wolde asken after his / & oþirwhile more coueyten.
Of þyng þat hym needidF.11.174: Alpha is responsible for this word order. Beta witnesses have "neded hym." nowht / & nyme it if he myghte.
CrerkisC[l]erkis kenne me soþly / þat cryst is in alle places.
F.11.176KD.15.162
But y sey hym neuere soþly / but as my-selue in merrour.
fol. 63rI
Hic in enigmate . tunc facie ad faciem.
& so y trowe trewly be he / þat men tellyn charite.
He is no champioun with to fyȝt / ne chaffare as y trowe.
F.11.180KD.15.165
Charite chaffareþ not quod he  ne chalyngeþ ne craveþ.
He is as prowd of a peny / as of a pond of goolde.
& is as glad / of a gowne / of a gray russet.
As of a tonycle of tarse / & of tryȝe veluet.
F.11.184KD.15.169
He is glad . with alle gladde / & good to alle wikkyde
He beleviþF.11.185: Alpha and Y have He for beta's And. F uniquely has beleviþ for Bx's leneþ (or leueþ). & loveþ alle þo / þat oure lord god made.
He curseþ no creature / ne he can bere no wratthe.
Ne he haþ lykynge to lyȝe / ne to lawe non to skorne.
F.11.188KD.15.173
Al þat men seyn he let it soþ / & it in solace takeþ.
& alle manere of myscheuys / in myȝldenesse he suffreþ.
He coueytiþ non erlyF.11.190: erly, "earthly." The scribe elsewhere writes "erthely" (4.201, 15.96), and his usual form is "erthe." This spelling appears also at 7.413 and 16.151. goodisF.11.190: Alpha is responsible for the plural form. Beta witnesses have good. / but heuynly hyȝe blysse.
Haþ he ony rycchesse quod he / er ony ryche frendys.
F.11.192KD.15.177
Of rentys ne of rychesse quod he / ne reccheþ he neuere.
For þe freend þat fyndis hym / fayled hym neuere at neede.
For fiat voluntas tua / feedyþ hym euere-more.
& þerto / he sowpeþ a sope / of spera in deo.
F.11.196KD.15.181
He can portreyȝe wel þe Pater noster / & peynte it with ave.F.11.196: Alpha has the singular form. Beta and C witnesses have Aues.
&irwhile he is wont / to wenden on pilgrimages.
Þere poore men & prisoneris lygge / þeere pardoun to have.
Þowhȝ he bere hem no breed / he beriþ sotere lyflode.
F.11.200KD.15.185
For he loveþ hem as god byt / & lookeþ how þey faren.
/ [¶] & whan he is wery of þat werk / þan wole he sum-tyme.
Sore laboure in lavandryȝe / þe lengþe of a myle.
& ȝeernen in-to ȝowhþe / & ȝeeply þere seken
F.11.204KD.15.189
Pryde with alle hise pertynaunces / & pakke hem to-gydres.
& bowken hem at hys breest / & beetyn hem clene.
& leggen on longe / with laboraui in gemitu meo.
& with warm water of hise eyȝes / wasschen hem after.
F.11.208KD.15.193
Þan he syngiþ whan he doþ so / & sum-tyme seiþ wepynge.
Cor contritum & humiliatum / non despicies domine.
By crist y wolde y knew hym quod y  no creature leuere.
With-oute helpe of pers quod he / his persoone seest þou neuere.
F.11.212KD.15.197
Where Clerkis knowe hym quod y  þat kepen holy chirche.
Clerkys have no knowynge quod he  but by werkis & wordis.
But pers plowhman / parseyveþ more deppere.F.11.214: The comparative form here reflects normal shortening of the vowel before a doubled consonant.
fol. 63vI
Þat is why  & wherfore / for many whyȝt y-knoweþ.F.11.215: Bx reads "What is þe wille and wherfore þat many wight suffreþ." Alpha had omitted þe before wille, and L agrees with alpha in reading Þat in place of What, but the remaining differences are attributable to F.
F.11.216KD.15.200α
Et vidit deus cogitaciones eorum.
For þere are ful prowde herted men / & ben pacient of tunge.
& buxum of berynge / to borgeyses & to loordis.
But to þe poore peeple / peper is in here nose-þerlys.
F.11.220KD.15.204
& as a leoun he lookeþ / þere men lakke hise werdis.
Þere are beggerys & bydderis / beedemen as þey weren.
& þey looken as lambren / & seme of lyf holy.
But it is moore to have here mete / on swich esy manere.
F.11.224KD.15.208
Þan for penaunce & parfyȝtnesse / swich pouerte is vn-holy.
Þerfore be colour of clergye / knowe shalt þou hym neuere.
Neyþir þorghȝ word / ne þorghȝ werk / but þorghȝ wille oone.
& þat knoweth no clerk / ne creature on erthe.
F.11.228KD.15.212
But pers þe plowhman / properly Pers idestid est Cristus.
For he loveþ noone lollerys / ne lond leperis neyþir.
Ne ancris þere any box hangeþ / for alle swiche fayte.
Fy on þo faytoures / & on factoresF.11.231: F alone reads factores. Other B manuscripts have fautores. suos.
F.11.232KD.15.216
For Charite is goddis Champioun / & as a good child hende.
& þe meriest of mowþ / at mete where he syttyþ.F.11.233: F omits the following line from Bx "The loue þat liþ in his herte makeþ hym liȝt of speche."
& he is compynable / & confortconfort[atif] / as crist bit hym-selue.
Nolite fieri sicut ypocrite tristes.
F.11.236KD.15.220
For y have seyn hym in sylk / & sum-tyme in russet.
& furrid with gray & with gryȝs / & goon in gylt harneyȝs.
& as gladly he it gaf / to goomes / þat it needyd.
Seynt Emund & seynt Edward / eyþir weren kyngys.
F.11.240KD.15.224
& now be þey seyntis sette / soF.11.240: Alpha is responsible for so. Beta witnesses have til or for. charite hehe[m]F.11.240: Though he is possibly written for "they," it is not the scribe's usual form, and in view of Bx's hem it is more likely to reflect error than to be a relict form. folwede.
I have seyn charite / also / syngen & reeden.
Ryden & rennen / in raggede wedis.
But byddyngge as a beggere / by-held y hym neuere.
F.11.244KD.15.228
But in ryche robes / rathest he walkeþ.
I-callid / & y-cremylid / & his crowne y-schave.
& in a frerys frokke / he was y-fownden oones.
But it is fern a-goo / in seynt Fraunceys tyme.
F.11.248KD.15.232
& in þat seutF.11.248: Curiously, the <u> is corrected from <n>, though in general the scribe does not distinguish the two graphies. sytthen / selden haþ he be knowe.
Ryche men he recomendiþ / & of here robis takiþ.
Of þoo with-owtyn wyȝlis / heere lowly ledyn here lyvis.
fol. 64rI
Beatus est diues qui
F.11.252KD.15.235
In þe kyngis cowrt ofte / þere his conseyl is trewe.
& coueytise be in his conseyl / he wil not come þer-inne.
In cowrt a-mong Iaperis / charite comeþ selde.
For brawlyng & bakbytynge / & berynge of falshede.
F.11.256KD.15.239
In constorie a-fore þe comyssarie / he comeþ not ofte.
For here lawe dureþ longe / but if þey lacche syluer.F.11.257: F omits the following line from Bx "And matrimoyne for moneie maken and vnmaken." A large drypoint "X" appears in the right margin, probably an unheeded corrector's mark to indicate the skipped line.
& þo þat conscience & cryȝst / have knet to-gydre.F.11.258: An otiose curl appears over <g>.
Þey vn-don it vn-worthily / doctoures of þe lawe.
F.11.260KD.15.244
With BisshopisF.11.260: An otiose curl appears over the <B>. & abbotys / & prelatis of holy chirche. These five lines appear only in alpha.
For to wone with hem / hys wone was sum-tyme.
& cristis parsymonyeF.11.262: This is the first appearance we have found in the language of "parsimony." MED has no entry, and the earliest citation in the OED is 1432. Bx reads patrymonye. to þe pore / parcel-mel þey deltyn.
But Auerise haþ þe keyȝes / & kepiþ for hise kenysmen.
F.11.264KD.15.248
& for hise seketouris & seruauntis / & summe for hise chirdrynchi[l]dryn.
But y lakke no lyf / but oure lord . a-mende vs alle.
& god graunte vs grace / þat charite may vs folwe.F.11.266: The a-verse is written over an erasure, and a small hole follows god, but no text is lost.
For who-so myghte mete with hym / swiche maneres hym eyleþ.
F.11.268KD.15.252
He blameþ neyþir ne blameþ[banneþ] / ne boosteþ ne preyseþ.
Ne lakkeþ ne lesseþ / ne lookeþ no þyng sternyþstern[e].
Ne craueþ ne coueytiþ / ne criȝeþ after moore.F.11.270: Alpha omitted the following line attested by beta witnesses: "In pace in idipsum dormiam &c."
Þe mooste lyfloode / he lyveþ by / ys goddys passioun.
F.11.272KD.15.256
Neyþir he byddiþ / ne beggiþ / ne borweth but he it ȝelde.
He mys-doþ no man / ne with his mowþ hym greveþ.
A-mongis cristene men / þys myȝldenesse sholde laste.
In alle manere angris / have þis euere at herte.
F.11.276KD.15.260
Þat þeyȝ þow suffre alle þese / god suffred for vs moore.
In ensample we sholde don soo / & taken no vengaunce.
On oure foos þat doon vs falsnesse / þis is þe fadres wille.
For euery man may wel weteF.11.279: Alpha is responsible for the a-verse word order. Beta witnesses have "For wel may euery man wite." / if god woldeF.11.279: Alpha lacks beta's hadde before wolde. hym-selue.
F.11.280KD.15.264
Sholde neuere Iudas þatF.11.280: Alpha has þat (F) or þe (R). Most beta witnesses have ne. Iew / have Iesu doon on roode.
Ne have martred Peter ne Poul / ne in prison hem holden.
But he suffrede in ensample / þat we sholde suffre also.
& seyde to swiche þat suffre wolde / þat Pacientes vincunt.F.11.283: The scribe left a full line for rubrication, wrote Verbi gracia and then scraped it out, leaving one empty line. The reading is archetypal.
F.11.284KD.15.268
Verbi gracia quod he  & verrede ensamples manye.
fol. 64vI
In þe lengendalegenda sanctorum / ys þe lyf of holy seyntys.
What penaunce & pouerte / & passioun þey suffred.
& hunger & heete / & manye oþere angris.
F.11.288KD.15.272
Seynt Antonye & Egidie / & oþere holy fadres.
Þey woneden in wildernesse / a-mong wyȝlde bestis.
& also mukysmu[n]kys & mendynans / men by hem-selue
In Caues & in spelunsesF.11.291: Cf. OF espelunce, cited by MED, s. v. spelunkes. / & seelde spoke to-gydres.
F.11.292KD.15.276
But neyþir Antonye ne Egidie / ne non hermite þat tyme
Of Liones ne lepardes / no lyfloode þey tooken.
But of þeF.11.294: Alpha has þe, which is omitted in beta. fowlis þat fleyȝ / þus is fownde in bookis.
Except þat Egidie / after an hyȝnde callede.
F.11.296KD.15.280
& be þe melk of þeF.11.296: F is unique. R has "þat meke." Beta witnesses have "þat mylde." beeste/ þe man was susteyned.
He hadde hire nowht euery day / his hungir for to slake.
But seelden & sundry tymeF.11.298: Alpha is responsible for singular tyme. / as seyþ þe book & techiþ.
Seynt Antonye on a dayF.11.299: Alpha is responsible for "on a day." Beta witnesses have adayes. / A-bowte noon tyme.
F.11.300KD.15.284
He hadde a brid þat browte hym to / breed to his lyfloode.F.11.300: F's line is unique. Most B witnesses have "Hadde a brid þat brouȝte hym breed þat he by lyuede."
& þey þat goome hadde a gest / god feddeF.11.301: Alpha is responsible for fedde. Beta manuscripts have fond. hem boþe.
Powl primus heremyta / hadde parokkid inF.11.302: Alpha is responsible for in, which is absent in beta. hym-selue.
Þat no man myghte hym seen / for moos & for levys.
F.11.304KD.15.288
& fowlis hym fedde / fele wyntris with-alle.
Tyl þat he was fowndoure of frerys / of frauncesF.11.305: F alone reads fraunces, and Bx has Austynes. The verse in C is rewritten. ordre.
Powl after cristis pynynge / panyeris he made.
& wan with hise hondis / þat his woombe nedede.
F.11.308KD.15.292
Peeter fischede for his foode / & hys felawe Andrew.
& summe þei solden & summe þei eetynF.11.309: Alpha's eetyn replaces soden, "seethed," which appears in beta manuscripts. / & so lyveden boþe.
& also Marie Magdeleyn / be mores & byF.11.310: Alpha omitted lyuede before the & and added by after it. dewis.
But moost by devocioun / & mynde on god almyghty
F.11.312KD.15.296
I shulde not þis seuene dayes / seyn ȝow . hem alle.
Þat lyvedyn þus for oure lordis love / a-mongis wyȝlde beestis.F.11.313: The b-verse reading occurred in alpha; beta witnesses read "many longe yeres."
For þere was[ne] was Lioun ne Lyparde / þat on londe wente.
Ne beere neyþir ne boor / ne oþere beestis wyȝlde.
F.11.316KD.15.300
Þat þey fellyn[ne] fellyn to heere feet / & fawned hem with here taylis.
& if þey hadde cowd[cowd hadde] y-carpid / by crist as y trowe.
Þey wolden have y-feed þat folk / by-fore whyȝlde fowlis.
For al þe kyȝndenesse þat þey cowde / þey kydde to folk ofte. These two lines are preserved only in alpha.
F.11.320KD.15.304
In lykkynge & lovynge / þere þey on londis wentyn.
But god sent hem foode by folis / & by no wyȝldeF.11.321: FG alone have wyȝlde. Bx has "fierse." beestys.
In menynge þat meke þyng / myȝlde þyng sholde feede.
fol. 65rI
As who-so seyþ religious / ryght-ful men sholde feede.F.11.323: FW alone read feede. All other B witnesses have fynde. A drypoint "X" in the right margin may have been intended to call attention to the error.
F.11.324KD.15.308
& lawful men / lif holy men / lyflode sholde bryngen.
& þanne wolde lordis & ladyes / be looþ to agilte.
& taken of here tenauntis / moore þan trewþe wolde.F.11.326: A drypoint "X" appears in the right margin, but the reason for its appearance is not apparent.
& fonde if þat ony freris / wolde for-sake here almesse.
F.11.328KD.15.312
& byddyn hem beryn it / þere þat it was borwid.
& seyn we ben goddis foulis / & a-byȝden alwey.
Tyl þat bryddis bryngen vs / þat we sholden lyven by.
For hadde ȝee payn & potage / & penyale to drynke.
F.11.332KD.15.316
& oo mees to ȝore meete / of oo manere of kyȝnde.
Ȝee hadde ryght y-now ȝee religious / & so ȝoure ordreF.11.333: Beta witnesses have correctly alliterating rule against alpha's ordre. techiþ.
Numquid dicit Iob . Rugiet onager cum habuerit herbam aut mugiet bos cum ante plenum presepe steteritF.11.334: Alpha omitted the following words from the middle of the Latin quotation: "brutorum animalium natura te condempnat quia cum eis pabulum commune sufficiat." ex adipe prodijt iniquitas tua.
If men knewe þis latyn / þey wolde looke whom þey ȝeve.
F.11.336KD.15.320
& a-visen hem by-fore / fyve dayes or sixe.
Ere þey a-mortysyd sikirly / vnto munkys here rentis.
Allas Lordis & ladies lewid conseyl have ȝee.
To ȝevyn fram ȝoure eyres / þat ȝowre eyhelis ȝow leftyn.
F.11.340KD.15.324
& ȝeviþ it / to bydde for ȝow / to swiche as been ryche.
& been y-fownded & feffid eek / to byddyn for oþere.
Who parformormeþparformeþ þis prophesye / of þe peple þat now lybbeþ.
Dispersit dedit pauperibus  Iusticia eius manet in seculum seculi.F.11.343: F alone adds "Iusticia . . . seculi."
F.11.344KD.15.328
If ony peple parforme þis tixt / it are þese poore frerys.
For þat þey beggyn a-bowten / in biggynge þey it spende.
& sum on hem-selue / & on swiche þat been here laboreris.
& of hem þat have þey take / & ȝeviþ hem þat nede habbyn.
F.11.348KD.15.332
But Clerkys & knyghtis / & comonys þat been ryche.
Fele of ȝow faren / as if y a forest hadde.
& it were ful of fayre trees / & y as a fonne caste.
How y myghte moo þere-Inne / a-mongys hem sette.
F.11.352KD.15.336
Ryght so ȝee ryche / ȝee robbe þem / þat be not ryche. These lines are botched in alpha and in several beta manuscripts with roben, "to give a robe," confused with robben, "to rob, steal." Bx probably read:
Right so ye riche ye robeþ þat ben riche
And helpeþ hem þat helpeþ yow and ȝyueþ þer no nede is.
& helpiþ hem þat helpiþ not ȝow / & ȝeveþ þere non neede ys.
As who-so fellyþ a tunne / ful of a ryver.F.11.354: F is unique. Beta witnesses have "As whoso filled a tonne of a fressh ryuer." R has a similar a-verse. Note that beta lacks alpha's ful at the beginning of the b-verse, but R perhaps reflects an error in alpha when it replaces fressh with a second ful.
& wente forþ / with þat water / to woke with þe temse.
F.11.356KD.15.340
RichR[yght]F.11.356: The erroneous reading Rich is the only instance in this manuscript of the word spelled with <i>. The remaining 80 instances all are spelled with <y> and a final <e>. The scribe has perhaps misread the common East Anglian form rith, "right," confusing <t> with <c>. so  ȝee ryche men / ȝee robbenF.11.356: The same confusion of robben with roben noted at line F11.352 continues here. & feedyn.
Hem þat have as ȝee have / hem ȝee make a teseat ese.
fol. 65vI
But religious þat ryche been / shulde rathere feedeF.11.358: Alpha is responsible for feede. Beta witnesses have feeste. beggeris.
Þan burgeys þat ryche been / as þe book techeþ.
F.11.360KD.15.343α
Quia sacrilegium est res pauperum  non pauperibus dare . Item .
IdemF.11.361: Alpha is responsible for Idem, which is lacking in beta. peccatoribus dare est demonibus immolare.F.11.361: Alpha omits the follow sentences attested in beta:
Item monache si indiges & accipis pocius das quam accipis
Si autem non eges & accipis rapis
.
Porro non indiget monachus si habeat quod nature sufficit.
/ [¶] Þerfore y conseile alle cristene / to conforme ȝow to Charyte.
F.11.364KD.15.345
For Charite with-outyn chalangynge / vn-chargeþ þe sowle.
& many a prisoner fram purgatorie / þorghȝ prayere ben dylyuered.F.11.365: Alpha is responsible for a form of be plus the past participle. Beta witnesses have (he) deliuereþ.
But þer is a defawte in þe folk / þat þe feyþ kepithȝ.
Wherfore folk is þe feblere / & nowht ferme in beleve.
F.11.368KD.15.349
Ryght as þe luscheburue is lyþir of lay[alay] / & ȝit it lookeþ fayre.
For þe markeF.11.369: An otiose curl appears over the <r>. of þe moneF.11.369: The scribe initially put a dot over the <o> very like the usual one over <i>. is good / but þe matal is feble.
& so it fareþ be summe folk now / þey have a fayr speche.
& crowne & cristendom / þe kyngis merke of hevene.
F.11.372KD.15.353
But þe metal / þat is mannys soule / with synne is so a-layed.F.11.372: F and manuscripts BCG omit the following line from Bx: "Boþe lettred and lewed beþ alayed now wiþ synne."
Þat no lyf beleviþ oþir / ne oure lord / as it semeþ.
For what þoru werre & wikydnessesF.11.374: F's wikydnesses is unique. Bx has wikkede werkes. / & wederys vnstable.F.11.374: F's vnstable is unique. Bx has vnresonable.
Þat wedir-wyse shipmen / & wytty Clerkys also.
F.11.376KD.15.358
Þey have no be-leeve to cristF.11.376: F's crist is unique. Bx has þe lifte. / ne to þe loore of philosofres.
/ [¶] Astrinomyes alday / in here art þey fayle.
Þat whilum warnede to-fore / what sholde fallyn after.
Schipmen with schippis / & schepperdis with scheep wentyn.F.11.379: F's line is unique. Most B manuscripts have "Shipmen and shepherdes þat wiþ ship and sheep wenten."
F.11.380KD.15.362
Þey wisten by þe walkene / what sholde after by-tyȝde.
Of wederis & of wyȝndis / þey warnede men ofte.
Tylyeris of þe erthe / þey tolden here maystris.
By þe seed þey sewen / what þey sellyn myghte
F.11.384KD.15.366
& what leeve[to] leeve & to lyve by / þe lond was so trewe.
& now fayleþ þe folk of þe flood / & of þe lond boþe.
Boþe schepperdis & schipmen / & so doon þese tylyerys.
Neyþir þey kunne / ne knowe / no cowrs to-fore a-noþir
F.11.388KD.15.370
& astronomyesastronomye[n]s also / aren at here wittys ende.
Of þat was calkuled of clementF.11.389: This passage caused B scribes some confusion. Beta witnesses read þe element. Alpha's clement along with C's clymat reveals the probable reading. / þe contrarie nou þey fynde.
For gramere þat is þe grownde of alle / it by-gyleþ nou children.
For þere is now ofno[n] of [þese] newe clerkis / who þat takeþ heede.
F.11.392KD.15.374
Þat can versyfye fayre / ne foormely endyten.
fol. 66rI
Ne a-mong anhundridan hundrid / an AntemeF.11.393: The first <e> is malformed. can construe.
Ne redeF.11.394: An otiose curl appears above the first <e>. a lettre in ony langage / but in latyn or englyschȝ.
Go now to ony degre / & but gyle be Mayster.
F.11.396KD.15.379, 378
& flaterrere his felawe / to formen his speche.F.11.396: F's b-verse is unique, and Bx is corrupt, reading "vnder hym to fourmen."
& myche wondir me þynkyþ / a-mongys vs alle.
Of doctouris of degrees / & of diuinite þe Maystris.
Þat scholden kenne & knowen / alle-skens clergye.
F.11.400KD.15.382
& answere to argumentis / & also to a quodlybet
I dar not sey it for shame / if swiche weren a-posed.
Þey scholde fayle in philosofye / & in fysyk boþe.
Wherfore y am a-ferd / of folk of holy chirche.
F.11.404KD.15.386
Leest þey ouer-hyppen as oþire doon / in Offyȝs & in houres.
But þey oon hippe as y hope do nowht / oure be-leve sufficitF.11.405: Alpha is responsible for sufficit. Beta manuscripts have suffiseþ.
As Clerkys in corpus cristi feste / reedyn & syngyn. Two drypoint <X>s appear in the right margin.
Þat sola fides sufficit / to save þe lewed peple.
F.11.408KD.15.390
/ [¶] & so may sarsynes be saved / boþe scribis & Iewis.
Allas but oure loores men / lyven / as þey lerne vs.
& for here lyvynge þat lewede ben / þe lothere god þey gilte.
For sarsynes have sumwhat / semynge to oure be-leve.
F.11.412KD.15.394
For þey loove & beleve / on oon persone almyghty.
& we lerede & lewede / in oon god be-leven.
& so cristene / & vncristne / in oon god ben be-leven.F.11.414: This line is attested only in alpha.
/ [¶] But oon MachabeusMacha[meþ] / a man of mysbeleve.
F.11.416KD.15.398
Broghte sarsynes of surye / þere-in / see in what manere.
Þis Machameþ was cristene man / but for he ne myght be pope.
In-to Surye he sowhte / & þorghȝ hise sotyl wittis.
He dawntyd a dowue / & day be day hire fedde.
F.11.420KD.15.402
& þe corn þat sche croppede / he cast it in his eere.F.11.420: Alpha omitted two lines attested by beta witnesses:
And if he among þe peple preched or in places come
Thanne wolde þe coluere come to þe clerkes ere.
Menynge as after mete / þus machameþ hire chawnteþ.F.11.421: F's chawnteþ is unique. Bx has the preterite form, though alpha is responsible for apheretic chaunted in place of beta's enchauntede.
& dyde folk fallyn on knees / for he swoor in his prechyng.
Þat þe culuer þat cam so / cam fram god of hevene.
F.11.424KD.15.408
&F.11.424: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta witnesses have As. Messager to makameþ / men for to techen.
& þus þorghȝ wylis of his wit / & of a wyt dowe.
Machameþ in mysbeleve / men & wommen browhte hem.
fol. 66vI
Þat leernede men & lewede / ȝit be-leven þere on hise lawes.
F.11.428KD.15.412
& sytthyn oure savioure suffrede / so / þe sarsynes to by gylid.F.11.428: The erasure, the additional solidus, and the inserted to suggest some confusion on the part of the scribe. Bx reads for the b-verse "þe Sarzens so bigiled."
Þorghȝ a cristene Clerk / & a-cursed in his sowle.
But for drede of þe deþ / y dar not tellyn þe soþe.
How Crystenn clerkis a culuer feede / þat Coueytyse hatte.
F.11.432KD.15.416
& ben Manerid after machamet / for no man vseþ trewthe.
Bothe Ankres & hermytis / & Munkis & frerys.
Been peeris to þe apostlys / þorghȝ here parfyȝt lyuynge.
Wolde neuere þe feyth-ful fadir / þat hise Mynystris sholden.
F.11.436KD.15.420
Of Tyrawntis þat tene trewe men / taken ony almesse.
But doon as seynt Antonye dyde / or dominik orF.11.437: Alpha is responsible for or. Beta witnesses have and. F is alone in beginning the b-verse with or. Frances.
Or benyȝt orF.11.438: Alpha is responsible for this or. Beta witnesses have and. F is alone in beginning the verse with Or. bernard / þe wheche hem fyrst tawhte.
To lyve be lytyl in lowe howses / be leele mennys fyndyng.F.11.439: Beta witnesses read almesse in place of alpha's fyndyng.
F.11.440KD.15.424
Grace sholde growe & be grene / þorghȝ here leelF.11.440: The error appears in alpha. Beta witnesses have correctly alliterating goode. lyvynge.
& folk sholde fynde / þat been in dyuerse syknesse.
Þe bettere for here byddyngis ./ in body & in sowle.
& here prayeres & here penaunces / to pees sholde hemF.11.443: An alpha reading. Beta witnesses omit hem. brynge.
F.11.444KD.15.428
Alle þat been at debate / if bede-men weren trewe.
Petite & accipietis . querite & inuenietis . pulsate.F.11.445: F alone among B manuscripts reads "querite . . . pulsate."
/ [¶] Salt saveþ þe Catelle / as seyn sadde wyves.F.11.446: F omits the following 68 lines, reflecting the contents either of a single leaf or (more likely) opening from his exemplar. E. Talbot Donaldson noted this fact in "MSS R and F in the B-Tradition of Piers Plowman," Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences (1955): 185 n. 19, rightly attributing the error to a copyist between F and alpha. More recently Sean Taylor, "The F Scribe and the R Manuscript of Piers Plowman B," English Studies 77 (1996): 530-48, reminds us that this lacuna coincides with the opening of fols. 78v-79r in R and argues, we think unconvincingly, that F was copied directly from R. The omitted lines follow:
Vos estis sal terre &c.
The heuedes of holy chirche and þei holy were
Crist calleþ hem salt for cristene soules
Et si sal euanuerit in quo salietur
Ac fressh flessh ouþer fissh whan it salt failleþ
It is vnsauory forsoþe ysoden or ybake
So is mannes soule sooþly þat seeþ no good ensample
Of hem of holi chirche þat þe heighe wey sholde teche
And be gide and go bifore as a good Banyer
And hardie hem þat bihynde ben and ȝyue hem good euidence
Elleuene holy men al þe world tornede
Into lele bileue þe lightloker me þinkeþ
Sholde alle maner men we han so manye maistres
Preestes and prechours and a pope aboue
That goddes salt sholde be to saue mannes soule
Al was hethynesse som-tyme Engelond and Walis
Til Gregory garte clerkes to go here and preche
Austyn at Caunterbury cristnede þe kyng
And þoruȝ miracles as men mow rede al þat marche he tornede
To crist and to cristendom and cros to honoure
And follede folk faste and þe feiþ tauȝte
Moore þoruȝ miracles þan þoruȝ muche prechyng
As wel þoruȝ hise werkes as wiþ hise holy wordes
And seide hem what fullynge and feiþ was to mene
Clooþ þat comeþ fro þe weuyng is noȝt comly to were
Til it is fulled vnder foot or in fullyng stokkes
Wasshen wel wiþ water and wiþ taseles cracched
Ytouked and yteynted and vnder taillours hande
And so it fareþ by a barn þat born is of wombe
Til it be cristned in cristes name and confermed of þe bisshop
It is heþene as to heueneward and helplees to þe soule
Heþen is to mene after heeþ and vntiled erþe
As in wilde wildernesse wexeþ wilde beestes
Rude and vnresonable rennynge wiþ-outen cropers (or keperes)
Ye mynnen wel how Mathew seiþ how a man made a feste
He fedde hem wiþ no venyson ne fesauntz ybake
But wiþ foweles þat fram hym nolde but folwede his whistlyng
Ecce altilia mea & omnia parata sunt &c.
And wiþ calues flessh he fedde þe folk þat he louede
The calf bitokneþ clennesse in hem þat kepeþ lawes
For as þe Cow þoruȝ kynde mylk þe calf norisseþ til an Oxe
So loue and leaute lele men susteneþ
And maidenes and mylde men mercy desiren
Right as þe cow calf coueiteþ swete melke
So doon riȝtfulle men mercy and truþeThe text for the next fourteen lines is from R, though without its pointing or indication of abbreviations. Beta witnesses lack this passage.
And by þe hande fedde foules his folk vnderstonde
Þat loth ben to louye with-outen lernynge of ensaumples
Riȝt as capones in a court cometh to mennes whistlynge
In menynge after mete folweth men þat whistlen
Riȝt so rude men þat litel reson cunneth
Louen and byleuen by lettred mennes doynges
And by here wordes and werkes wenen and trowen
And as tho foules to fynde fode after whistlynge
So hope þei to haue heuene þoruȝ her whistlynge
And by þe man þat made þe feste þe mageste bymeneth
That is god of his grace gyueth al men blisse
With wederes and with wondres he warneth vs with a whistlere
Where þat his wille is to worschipen vs alle
And feden vs and festen vs for euere more at ones
Ac who beþ þat excuseþ hem þat arn persons and preestes
That heuedes of holy chirche ben þat han hir wil here
Wiþ-outen trauaille þe tiþe deel þat trewe men biswynken
They wol be wrooþ for I write þus ac to witnesse I take
Boþe Mathew and Marc and Memento domine dauid
Ecce audiuimus eam in effrata &c.
What pope or prelat now parfourneþ þat crist highte
Ite in vniuersum mundum & predicate &c.
Allas þat men so longe on Makometh sholde bileue
So manye prelatis ben to preche / as þe bibleF.11.447: The scribe first wrote peple and corrected it with a cross above the line and added bible in the margin. The Bx reading is pope, which is doubtless correct. makþ meende.
F.11.448KD.15.494
Of Nazareth / of Nynyve / of Neptalym of Damask.
Þat þey ne wentyn as crist hem wisseþ / sytthe þey wilne þe name.
To been pastores & preche / þe passioun of Iesu
& as hym-selue seyde / to lyve / & dyȝe for oþire.F.11.451: F omits the following line from Bx: "Bonus pastor animam suam ponit &c."
F.11.452KD.15.498
He seyde so for saluacioun / of sarsynes & oþere.
& to cristene & to vncristeneF.11.453: Beta's a-verse reads "For cristene and vncristene." Alpha is responsible for to in place of for before cristene and for adding to before vncristene, but F alone begins the line with &. / crist seyde on þis wyse.
Ite & vos . in vineam meam
& sytthen þat þese sarsynes / & scribis & eek Iewis
F.11.456KD.15.502
Haven a lyppe of oure be-leve / þe lyghtlokere it semeþ.F.11.456: Alpha is responsible for "it semeþ." Beta witnesses have "me þynkeþ."
Þey sholde turnen who trauayle wolde / to teche hem of þe trinnyte.
Querite  & invenietis.
For alle paynymes prayen / to oon persone of helpe.F.11.459: The b-verse is owed to alpha. Beta witnesses read as follows: "and parfitly bileueþ."
F.11.460KD.15.505
& on .o. god þey gredyn / & his grace asken.F.11.460: Alpha is responsible for the line, though R lacks line-initial &. Beta witnesses have "In þe holy grete god and his grace þei asken."
& maken here meene to Machameþ / here message to shewe.
Þus in a feyþ lyveþF.11.462: The manuscripts are divided between leue(þ), "believes," (most beta witnesses) and some form of liven (alpha and CrL). þat folk / & in fals meene.
& þat is rewthe for ryght-ful men / þat in þe rewme dwelle.F.11.463: F omits the following line from Bx: "And a peril to þe pope and prelates þat he makeþ."
F.11.464KD.15.510
Þat beryn bisschopis names / of bedleem & of babyloyne.
fol. 67rI
Whan þe hyȝe kyng of heuene / sente his sone to erþe. These lines are attested only in alpha. For further discussion, see Ralph Hanna, III, Pursuing History: Middle English Manuscripts and Their Texts (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1996), pp. 215-29. Some corroborative evidence for Hanna's position is provided by Stephen Justice, "Introduction: Authorial Work and Literary Ideology," in Written Work: Langland, Labor, and Authorship, eds. Stephen Justice and Kathryn Kerby-Fulton (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1997), pp. 5-9.
Manye myraclis he wroghte / man for to turne.
In ensaumple þatþat [men] sholde seen / þat by sad resoun.
F.11.468KD.15.514
Men myghte not ben savid / but þorghȝ mercy & grace.
& þorghȝ penaunce & passioun / & parfyȝt beleve.
& by-camby-cam [man] of a mayde / & metropolitanus after.
& was baptyzed & y-sygned / with þe blood of his herte.
F.11.472KD.15.518
Alle þat wilned & wolde / with wit be-leve it.
Manye a seynt sytthen / haven suffred to dyȝen.
Al for to ferme þe fayȝþ / in fele contrees dyȝen.
In yȝnde in Alysaundre / in Armonye in spayne.
F.11.476KD.15.522
& in doolful deþ þey dyeden / for þeyre feyþis sake.
In savaciounF.11.477: A hint of red ink is barely visible on <s>. of þe fayþ / seynt Thomas was y-martred.F.11.477: A large drypoint <X> appears in the right margin, perhaps intended to call attention to the failure in alliteration.
And a-mong vnkyȝnde cristene / for cristiscristis [loue] he dyȝede.
& for þe ryght of al þis rewme / & alle rewmes cristene.
F.11.480KD.15.526
Holy chirche ys honoured / hyȝlyche þorghȝ his dyȝenge.
He is be-leve to alle bisschopis / & a bryght merrour.
& souereynly to swiche / þat of surrye beren þe name.
& nowht to hoppe here & þeere / for halwen awteris.F.11.483: The scribe originally wrote nawteris and corrected it to awteris.F.11.483: F's reading is unique. R reads "And nauȝt to huppe aboute here in englande for to halwe autres." Beta witnesses have "That huppe aboute in Engelond to halwe mennes Auteres."
F.11.484KD.15.530
& crepen In a-mong kuraturis / & confesse a-geyn þe lawe.
Nolite mittere falsem in messem alienam.
/ [¶] Many a man / for cristis love / was Martrid in grete roome.
Er cristendom were knowe þere / or ony cros honowred.F.11.487: Alpha omitted the following lines, attested by beta manuscripts. For the ordering in Bx see the discussion in Kane-Donaldson, p. 176.
It is ruþe to rede how riȝtwise men lyuede
How þei defouled hir flessh forsoke hir owene wille
Fer fro kyth and fro kyn yuele ycloþed yeden
Baddely ybedded no book but conscience
Ne no richesse but þe roode to reioisse hem Inne
Absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri &c.
And þo was plentee and pees amonges poore and riche
And now is rouþe to rede how þe rede noble
Is reuerenced er þe Roode receyued for þe worþier
Than cristes cros þat ouercam deeþ and dedly synne
And now is werre and wo and who-so why askeþ
For coueitise after cros þe croune stant in golde
Boþe riche and Religious þat roode þei honoure
That in grotes is ygraue and in gold nobles
For coueitise of þat cros men of holy kirke
Shul torne as templers dide þe tyme approcheþ faste
Wite ye noȝt yeThe Bx reading here is uncertain, since good manuscripts from beta both omit (BCC2LMOY) and include (CrGHmW) ye. wise men how þo men honoured
Moore tresor þan trouþe I dar noȝt telle þe soþe
Reson and rightful doom þo Religiouse demede
Right so ye clerkes for youre coueitise er longe
Shal þei demen dos ecclesie and youre pride depose
Deposuit potentes de sede &c.
If knyghthod and kynde wit and commune by conscience
Togideres loue leelly leueþ it wel ye bisshopes
The lordshipe of londes for euere shul ye lese
And lyuen as Leuitici as oure lord yow techeþ
Per primicias & decimas &c.
Whan Costantyn of curteisie holy kirke dowed
Wiþ londes and ledes lordshipes and rentes
An Aungel men herden an heigh at Rome crye
Dos ecclesie þis day haþ ydronke venym
And þo þat han Petres power arn apoisoned alle
A medicyne moot þer-to þat may amende prelates
That sholden preie for þe pees possession hem letteþ
Takeþ hire landes ye lordes and leteþ hem lyue by dymes
If possession be poison and inparfite hem make
Good were to deschargen hem for holy chirches sake
And purgen hem of poison er moore peril falle
If preesthode were parfit þe peple sholde amende
That contrarien cristes lawe and cristendom dispise.
F.11.487: A large drypoint <X> appears in the right margin, perhaps noting the omission of this passage, though the loss had occurred in alpha and therefore could not have been in the immediate scribe's exemplar.
F.11.488KD.15.570
Euery bischop þat beriþ a croos / by þat  he is holde
To tellyn & schevenF.11.489: Though <v> can be written for <w> in East Anglian dialects (see Richard Jordan, Handbook of Middle English Grammar: Phonology, trans. and rev. Eugene J. Crook (The Hague and Paris: Mouton, 1974), § 300), it is rarely done in this manuscript after front vowels. However, since schewen is clearly the (erroneous) reading of alpha, it must have been what the scribe intended. Beta manuscripts have techen. / on þe trinnyte to be-leeve.F.11.489: In relation to Bx this line and the next are transposed.
& þorgh his prouynse to pase / & to his peple shewe hym. /
& feedenF.11.491: The <d> is written over an erasure, possible a long <s>. hem with goostly foode / & nedy folk to feedenf[yn]den. These lines are attested only in alpha, probably because of eye-skip in beta on goostly foode. F omits foode after the second goostly.
F.11.492KD.15.574
/ [¶] But ysayas how þou spekist[of ȝow] speki[þ] / & Osyas boþe.
Þat no man shold be bisschop / but if he hadde boþe.F.11.493: A drypoint <X> appears in the right margin.
Bodyly foode & goostly / to gyven þere it nedyþ.
In domo mea non est panis . neque vestimentum.
& ideo nolite constituere me regem. ysa. 3o.
F.11.495: Alpha and L alone cite the source.
F.11.496KD.15.577
Osyas seyþ / for swiche / þat syke been & feeble.
Inferte omnes decimas in orreum meum . vt cibus in domo mea
/ [¶] But we cristene creaturis / þat on þe croos be-leevyn.
Are formedF.11.499: Alpha is likely to have been responsible for forme, if not the preterite form. R has for me. Beta witnesses have ferme. as in þe feyþ / goddis forbode ellys.
F.11.500KD.15.581
& have clerkis to kepe vs þer-Inne / & hem þat shulle comen after.
Þe Iewes be-levenF.11.501: F's be-leven is unique. Most other B witnesses have lyuen. in leel lawe / oure lord wrot it hym-selue.
fol. 67vI
In stoon for it stedefast was / & stoonde scholde euere.
Dilige deum tuumF.11.503: F's uniquely includes tuum. & proximum tuumF.11.503: FC2O alone include tuum. / is parfyȝt þeF.11.503: F's þe is unique. Iewis lawe.
F.11.504KD.15.585
& took it Moyse to teche it hemF.11.504: Alpha is responsible for hem. Beta witnesses have correctly alliterating men. / tyl messias come.
& on þat lawe þey be-leeve / & leten it for þe beeste.
& ȝit knewe þey after . crist / þat cristendom tawhte.
& for a parfyȝt prophete / þat mychil peple savede.
F.11.508KD.15.589
Of selkowthe soorys / þey seyȝe hym heele manye.
Boþe of merveylis & myraklis / whan þat he men festede.
With two fischis / & fyve lovis / fyfe þowsande peple.
& by þat mangery þeyF.11.511: Alpha has þey in place of beta's men. myghte seen / þat messias he were.
F.11.512KD.15.593
Whan he lift vp lazar / þat leyd was in þe graue.
& vndir stoon he stank ded / with styf voyȝs he hym callyde.
Lazare  veni foras.
He dyde hym ryse & roome / ryght by-fore þe Iewys.
F.11.516KD.15.596
But þey seyden & sworen / with sorceryȝe þat he wroghte.
& stodieden to stroyen hym / & stroyedyn hem-selue.
& þorghȝ his pacience / here powher / to pure nowht he broghte.
Pacientes vincunt Maliciam.
F.11.520KD.15.599
But Danyel of here doengeF.11.520: FCrM alone have doenge. Most B manuscripts have vndoynge. / dyvynede & seyde.
Cum veniat sanctus sanctorum. F.11.521: The reading is owed to alpha. Beta witnesses read "Cum sanctus sanctorum veniat cessabit vnxio vestra."
& ȝit wenen þo wrecchis / þat he were speudo propheta.
& þat his loore / be lesyngis / & þey lakken it alle.
F.11.524KD.15.603
& hopen þat be[he] be to come / þat shal hem releve.
Or Moyses eft / or Messias / ȝit here Maystris dyuyne.
But FarisenysF.11.526: Farisenys, "Pharisees." & sarsynes / & scribis & greekys.
Arn folk of oo fayȝþ / þe fadir god . þey honowren.
F.11.528KD.15.607
& sythe þat þe sarsynes / & also þe Iewis.
Kunne þe firste clawse / of oure beleeve.F.11.529: F makes two lines of Bx's one. Bx reads "Konne þe firste clause of oure bileue Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem."
Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem.
Prelatis / of cristene provynces / sholde proven if þey myghte.
F.11.532KD.15.610
& lerne hem lytelum & lytelum / & in Iesum cristum filium.
Tyl þey cowden speken & spellyn / CredoF.11.533: F alone reads Credo. Beta witnesses have et, and R has and. in spiritum sanctum.
& reden it & recorde it / with remissionem peccatorum .
& þerwith Carnis resurreccionem / & vitam eternam amen.
fol. 68rI
Explicit Passus .xius. "XII" with red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.
MED