fol. 33v (cont.)I
I ncipit P assus S us eptim
fol. 34rI
Þt hem wer a leuere lond / & lordshepe here. eF.7.14: Alpha is responsible for the defective b-verse; beta witnesses read "and lordshipe on erþe." F then omits the following
line from : "Or richesse or rentes and reste at hir wille." Cf. 5.1180 where F alone substitutes Bx for here. on þis erþe
t n sulleuati sut diuicijs. n Quare ergo Impij viuuF.7.25: F has changed the Latin text, quoting more of Job 21:7 than appears in the archetype and ignoring 's conflation of the passage from Job with Jeremiah 12:1. Bx reads as follows: Bx "Quare impij viuunt? Bene est omnibus qui preuaricantur & inique agunt?"
i p scc eores habu atdantes in s nc elo u Ecce ipF.7.27: F abbreviates the Latin quotation, omitting obtinuerunt diuicias. Alpha is responsible for the omission of diuicias.
o þ Þt god moost greve mest good he he a deleþ. mF.7.29: A space was left for a medial solidus after , but it was not written. F's gap may indicate some other dissatisfaction with his exemplar, for his line is unique. greve probably reads "Thilke þat god moost gyueþ leest good þei deleþ," though manuscript C agrees with alpha in reading "most
greueth" in place of "moost gyueþ." Bx
fol. 34vI
r deynte Ey drawe lorþ / y do it on ȝour f e- seue. lF.7.39: F alone reads -selue e. Other witnesses have ȝour. god hymselue
an Þu Mde þe neller M / on e multa fecit deus of F.7.46: The remainder of the line was left blank by the rubricator. The reading of is "of Bx Multa fecit deus."
F.7.48KD.10.47
holde neyþ S kyng ne knyght / ne þe comou ir peple. nF.7.48: F's b-verse is unique. reads "ne chanon of Seint Poules." Bx
F.7.49: A marginal pointing finger is drawn by a later hand in the left margin. eve hem / to her Ȝ e ȝirysȝeveF.7.49: The black underlining is by a later scribe. / þe worþF.7.49: Alpha is responsible for . Some beta manuscripts have correctly alliterating worþ, while others read ȝifte. value of a groote.
F.7.68KD.10.67
od is mychil in her G gorgis eF.7.68: Alpha is responsible for the plural form. / of þese gte Maystris. re
eu us in effrata i mue nim n eu us mF.7.71: Alpha is responsible for in both occurrences in this line, though the reading is shared by Cr. Beta manuscripts have eum. eam i ca npis silue. m Ecce audiuim
o plese w Tt i prouhde me h / sytthe þe pestylence. nF.7.75: Alpha and most manuscripts omit beta's and the C version's A after tyme. pestylence
fol. 35rI
n Ie Rygyon & in þ ls rewme / among i ryche & pore. isF.7.79: The scribe has written a large "VII" with flourishes in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.
uer E as he eF.7.90: Alpha is responsible for "Euere as he." Beta manuscripts have . And loondiþF.7.90: is a nonce-word, apparently meaning "come into possession of land." Cf. OE loondiþ and (ge)landod, s. v. MED ppl. adj. (1). The change began with a homeographic error in which <r> and <n> were confused. londed reads "And lordeþ in londes ...." Bx of lond / þe lasse good he deliþ. e
leyȝd defawte on þe fadir / þ &t formed aF.7.111: The <d> is perhaps a figment of my imagination (HND), for whatever the scribe attempted to squeeze in before the hole in
the manuscript is unclear. vs all. e
F.7.112KD.10.107
carpedy & a n- gey clerkis / swiche crabbed n eF.7.112: An otiose curl is added to initial <c>. word. is
hey lyen in her T loor e / þ et þese word a meven. isF.7.117: F's reading is unique. reads "Here lyeþ youre lore þise lordes gynneþ dispute." Bx
fol. 35vI
portabit i niq ntate ui pat ms . n ric p er i ateiq ntate ui filij. m Filius noF.7.119: F alone completes the quotation. ends with " Bx patris &c."
. on ue suu us portabit m VnusquisqF.7.122: Alpha has the word order " onus suum portabit." Beta manuscripts have " portabit onus suum &c."
wiche mocyonys SF.7.123: The scribe may have intended . motyonys reads Bx. motyues þei meve / þo maists in her ri glorie. e
F.7.140KD.10.134
þ & w ust i swiche huelonys / to blynde me A þey axe nF.7.140: F's reading is unique. reads as follows: "And þo þat vseþ þise hauylons to blende mennes wittes." Bx
f he lyve in þe lyȝue IF.7.143: Kane-Donaldson read . lyȝne / þt longeþ to a DowelF.7.143: The rubricating scribe here and in the immediately following lines in the words "Dowel ... Dobet ... Dobest" wrote over
the original black ink so as almost to cover it entirely. We have treated these as rubrications rather than as touched in
red.
F.7.144KD.10.138
dar been his borwhȝ IF.7.144: Alpha is responsible for the omission of before bolde. borwhȝ / in Dobet komeþ he neue. er
Ad whan wit was war / how NF.7.146: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts and how manuscripts have C. what dame Stodye tolde.
F.7.156KD.10.150
&F.7.156: Alpha and nearly all manuscripts have C. Beta and & manuscripts lack it. A for to wirche ȝour will e / whil my lyf endureþ. e
fol. 36rI
gladdere þa & a glema n / þ nt gold gadred at festis. aF.7.165: F's b-verse is unique. reads "þat gold haþ to ȝifte." Bx
F.7.168KD.10.162
¶ske þe wey q A she þo / hens vnto uod. SuffreF.7.168: The rubricating scribe wrote over the original black ink so as almost to cover it entirely. We have treated it as rubrication
rather than as touched in red.
or if þ Fu be cu obred þ m er- wt i / to c hst riF.7.171: F's reading is unique. reads Bx. The error may lie in alpha, since R has clergie. cherche comest þu neu oe. er
F.7.172KD.10.166
¶e war of þe Bycourous lawnde / þ Lt a is hote. LeccheryeF.7.172: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts have is hote. hatte
F.7.176KD.10.170
er Þ shalt þ eu see / Sobrete / ful symple of bery oge. nF.7.176: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts have berynge. speche
&e & oþ Aristotle irF.7.185: Beta manuscripts have after mo, but alpha and nearly all oþire manuscripts omit it. C / to rgue / hem y tawhte. A
þe depper & eF.7.193: The comparative form here reflects normal shortening of the vowel before a doubled consonant. y delue / þe derker me þynkeþ. e
t is no sciense for I- soþe / for to sawhtleF.7.194: Alpha is responsible for "make peace, reconcile." Beta manuscripts and the sawhtle version have A "reflect upon, contemplate." The b-verse is revised in sotile. C Inne.
þfore love þ eru leelly / love / if þ ou þy oke to dowel. nF.7.198: F's reading is unique. Beta reads "Loke þow loue lelly if þee likeþ dowel." Alpha may have been corrupt, for R has "Loue
þow loue lelly if þow thenke dowel."
fol. 36vI
F.7.200KD.10.194
to þis same sentence / y seyȝ in &atou C onys. nF.7.200: F's reading is unique. reads "In ooþer Science it seiþ I seiȝ it in Catoun." Bx
love hem / þ &t lyȝen on vs / & lene hem aF.7.209: The scribe initially wrote , but overwrote the first two characters to make an <h>. leem whan he ned mt e. h
te mp m est usF.7.211: Alpha is responsible for est. Beta manuscripts have habemus. opem er bonu ur ad o mes / maxi mne aut m ad domesticos fidei em Du
namely to swiche me & / þ nt shew at e hF.7.214: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts have sheweth. suwen our beleve. e
all & þ et lakke aF.7.215: Alpha lacks beta's after vs, an omission shared by Cr. lakke or lyȝe on vs / our lord bidd e vs love he is. m
F.7.216KD.10.209
not to gr &ve he e þ mt greveþ vs / It is not godd a will is. eF.7.216: F's reading is unique. reads "god hymself forbad it." Bx
. & ego ret mbua ri / m Michi vindicta god seid hy e m- selue.F.7.217: F smooths the inclusion of this tag by adding a b-verse not found in which is a relict of the entirely revised b-verse in the preceding line. Bx
An otiose curl appears over the <u> in . selue
An otiose curl appears over the <u> in . selue
or þer F e is salue is [no]F.7.219: F's is unique. salue reads Bx. science vndir sune / so sou neyn for þe soule. er
Þt þey co aseyle þe kendely / for to knowe n Dowel.F.7.230: The b-verse is owed to alpha. Beta manuscripts have "to knowe what is dowel."
¶rant m Gcy q er y Madame / & Meekly hir uod grette. eF.7.231: F omits the following line from : "And wente wightly my (or Bx) wey wiþoute moore lettyng." a-
grete þe goode man / as þe Ientil lady &F.7.233: F's reading is unique. probably read with R "þe gode wif." Beta witnesses have Bx. Studie me tawhte.
fol. 37rI
F.7.252KD.10.246α.1
Non tres dij sed vnus est deus.F.7.252: This line appears only in F, supplementing the preceding line from the Athanasian creed.
¶ey St nustyn þ At holy man / here a- of heF.7.255: Alpha and L have , which is lacking in other beta witnesses and in he. C made bokis
ho was his autour W / but þe foure eangelyes. EwF.7.257: An otiose stroke is written across the <l>.
F.7.259: Alpha lacks beta's after est. me & quiF.7.259: Alpha by eyeskip lacks beta's after videt. qui me videt & patrem meum videt.F.7.259: F uniquely reads after videt. However, note that a number of meum manuscripts read: " C Ego in patre & pater in me est; Et qui me vidit patrem meum vidit qui in celis est &c." Ego in patre / & pater in me
ooke þ Lu werche þy werk / as þe woord shewiþ. oF.7.269: F omits the following line from : "Swich as þow semest in siȝte be in assay yfounde." Bx
F.7.270: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts have aut. vel esto quod apares. Apare quod es aut
fol. 37vI
oþe B platis & re pour ris / sholde pu eshe her n sogettis. eF.7.286: F substitutes this line in place of the following line from : "For Abbotes and for Priours and for alle manere prelates." Bx
/ [¶]ut it semeþ not BF.7.293: Alpha is responsible for the negative. Beta manuscripts have . now soþly / to þe world syghte. is
ram all F man ee men / þorhȝ manshede preestis. erF.7.299: F omits the following lines from : Bx
The bible bereþ witnesse þat al þe folk of Israel
Bittre abouȝte þe giltes of two badde preestes.
The bible bereþ witnesse þat al þe folk of Israel
Bittre abouȝte þe giltes of two badde preestes.
F.7.305: The odd mark consisting of a semi-circle with three radiating lines above it appears here as well as on fol. 1 and 27 v. r ¶ þa &ne shull n borel clerkis / be a e- basshid ȝou to blame.F.7.305: Alpha is responsible for this line. Beta manuscripts have "And thanne shul burel clerkes ben abasshed to blame yow or to
greue."
carpen not as þei carpe nou / to calle ȝou coward &. esF.7.306: F's revision of "doumbe houndes" to probably reflects the loss of the following Latin line from his exemplar: " cowardes Canes non valentes latrare."
fol. 38rI
/ [¶]n skole is a I- noþ skyle / for skorn but he leerne. irF.7.323: F has extensively revised the line, perhaps in response to problems he perceived in the text of alpha. Beta manuscripts
read: "In scole þere is scorn but if a clerk wol lerne." R has "In scole þere is skile and scorne but ȝif he lerne."
n poor O haue þey no pyte / & þ et ys her a pur e charge. eF.7.334: F uniquely reads . charge reads Bx. Alpha is responsible for charite, which is absent in beta. pure has "puyre chartre ( C charite)." or
or þey lety F hem n- selue lord / her is lond e lyȝn so brode. isF.7.335: The pointing hand in the left margin is drawn in the same ink as the bracket from 7.331-348.
& hij uss ui ineq . ip in equisi obligati s st & cecid un. erunt Hij in curribF.7.342: F alone among witnesses supplies the last two words in this quotation from Psalms 19:8-9. They also appear in B. Cx
Þt aregories G goode godF.7.345: R's suggests that the substitution of gode for go(o)de occurred in alpha, though it appears, probably coincidentally, in G and Hm as well. Note that alliteration fails in the
b-verse in all god manuscripts. B children / have evele dispendid.
a Þ nF.7.346: The scribe, influenced by the preceding line, initially wrote a superscript <t> and corrected it to make a tilde. shal þe bbot of Abyndou A / & al h ns isseu for eu ie. er
o cessauit exactor q uomodeuit t uibutu ri . Cont muit d rius bac ominl um i upior m & v umga ir d mnanciu omi . cedenciu m plaga i msanabili. n Q
ut B Dowel shal dynge hy dou m / & dist nye h ros powher. iF.7.351: A later hand provides a pointing hand and decorative drawings in the bottom margin.
fol. 38vI
F.7.352KD.10.336
¶a Þne is n Dowel / & Dobet uod y qus omin D & o hde l knyght y- ho[d]e knyghtF.7.352:Other witnesses read " B Dominus and knyȝthode." The error could have occurred at any point in the transmission from alpha, but as an apparent attempt to
restore sense, it is probably the work of the immediate scribe or of another scribe between him and the F-Redactor.
ynghod & knyghthod / be not in þese dayes. KF.7.354: F's b-verse is unique. reads "by noȝt I kan awayte." Bx
or þey helpe no ma F to heuene n- ward / so realte ou e er- reneþ. nF.7.355: F makes one line of two, perhaps intentionally. reads Bx
Helpeþ noȝt to heueneward oone heris ende
Ne richesse riȝt noȝt ne Reautee of lordes.
Helpeþ noȝt to heueneward oone heris ende
Ne richesse riȝt noȝt ne Reautee of lordes.
alomon seiþ also / þ St syluer god most hateþ. aF.7.357: F's b-verse is unique. reads "þat siluer is worst to louye." Bx
or þer F may no ma e ryght cleyme / but of godd n g isce. raF.7.365: F's reading is unique. reads "Ther riche men [(beta) Bx man (alpha)] no riȝt may cleyme but of ruþe and grace." or
Þt a c astene riF.7.371: F's reading is unique. Other manuscripts have B. vncristene ma in þ nt caas / may c astne an heþene. ri
e sholde love hy H leelly / & þe lawe fulfylle. mF.7.377: F omits the following line from : "That is loue þi lord god leuest aboue alle." Bx
or our F bak mote be bety e / we cloþe no begger n nakyd. eF.7.382: The scribe misunderstood his exemplar. reads "And our bakkes þat moþeeten be and seen beggeris go naked." We can see in R's "mote eten ben" the origins of F's error. Bx
delyȝte vs in wyȝnys stro &ge nF.7.383: F's reading is unique. Other witnesses have "Or delit vs in wyn and wildefowel." B / & whot he in defauhte. m
od bydd G hyȝe & lowe / no ma is sholde hurte oþ n. irF.7.386: F omits the following line from : "And seiþ slee noȝt þat semblable is to myn owene liknesse." Bx
or F Michi vindictam & ego retribuam.F.7.389: This line is not attested in beta manuscripts, but it appears in . A
fol. 39rI
anye ta Mys ȝee te le / þ llt T aeo hogye lyȝeþ. lF.7.394: F's reading is unique. Other manuscripts have B. lerneþ
r ell O y is- wryty for wikkydnesse / as holy writ telliþ. nF.7.397: Alpha reads . Beta manuscripts have the unmetrical telliþ. witnesseþ
o rewle his rewme wel / & hy T ryche make. mF.7.402: This line appears only in alpha in the tradition, but versions of it appear in both B and A. C
Þt for her a werkis & her e eF.7.409: Alpha is responsible for the second . Beta manuscripts lack it. here wit / þey wone nou i peyȝne. n
n erly OF.7.414: , "earthly." This spelling appears also at 11.190 and 16.151. The scribe elsewhere writes erly (4.201, 15.96), and his usual form is erthely (38 instances to 3 of erthe). Though F alone among erþe witnesses has a form of B at this point, several erþly manuscripts read C. See A. V. C. Schmidt, worldliche C.xi.232. Piers Plowman: A Parallel-Text Edition .... good / þa on god / for n- þy gce he ra fayleþ. m
F.7.416KD.10.401
s salomo A & oþ ne irF.7.416: Alpha is responsible for the omission of the alliterating word before swiche as well as for the change in word order. Beta witnesses have "As Salomon dide and swiche oþere." oþire dede / þt sheweden g ate wisdom re
s þey seyn he A m- selue / ful selde do þei þe er- aft. erF.7.419: F omits the following line from : " Bx Super cathedram Moysi &c."
¶od leve it far G not so nou / be folk þe feyþ techiþ. eF.7.427: F's reading is unique. reads "God lene ( Bx leue) it fare noȝt so bi folk þat þe feiþ techeþ." or
F.7.432KD.10.416
ey be clepid Þarpenter Cs / to saven c estis beestis. riF.7.432: F omits the following line from : " Bx Homines & iumenta saluabis domine &c."
fol. 39vI
¶or F- þy y cosey ne ȝou ler klis / of ko hy c lirc he hF.7.434: Alpha is responsible for . Beta has correctly alliterating chirche. kirke wrygtis. h
F.7.436KD.10.420
¶or FF.7.436: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts and both For and A omit it. C on good fryday / y fyȝnde / a felou was y n- savid.
r Poul þe apostle / þat no pyte hadde. OF.7.446: Alpha omits the following line from : "Muche cristene kynde to kille to deþe." Bx
F.7.448KD.10.433
oþ &e þ irt wrouhty a werst her n / be heyest nou i e hevene. nF.7.448: F's reading is unique. Other witnesses have "Tho þat wrouȝte wikkedlokest in world þo þei were." B
hadd & wit & wisdom / w et i da hpned soulis dwelle. mF.7.450: F omits the following line from : "That Salomon seiþ I trowe be sooþ and certein of vs alle." Bx
F.7.456KD.10.441
e worþ a H- lowid of his lyf / fro lyþnesse is knowe þe goode. irF.7.456: F omits the following line from : "And wherby wiste men which is whit if alle þyng blak were." Bx
or F quantz oporet opor[t]et F.7.459: Alpha is responsible for the form . Beta manuscripts have vin. vient en place . yl ne vin pati ue. ad q
or he seyde to sey Ft net P . / & to hise postlis alle. erF.7.463: F's b-verse is unique. has the unmetrical reading "and to swiche as he louede." Bx
gyve ȝow wit at &F.7.467: Alpha and L read . Beta manuscripts have at. and will / & konynge to co ecluden. n
ut wit & wisdom / whan B e euer [n]euereF.7.471: Misinterpretation of elision appears to have caused this error. , "won." Cf. Whan, "when" in the following line. Wan / þe Mayȝstryȝe.
fol. 40rI
e dowtyest Þoctour / & dyvyno d of dyvinite. urF.7.473: The scribe has written VII in red with red flourishes in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.
an are þese kony Þge nlerkys / þ Ct know aF.7.479: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts have knowe. F alone has konne for fele's Bx. manye fele bookys.
p &ncipaly þe riF.7.489: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts have þe. hir nost er er / manye have þis dysyred. pat
F.7.492KD.10.477
ut B þ But [þo]t kepyn her a catel / by her e a e- coutys þey fall n. eF.7.492: F's b-verse is unique. reads "clerkes and Reues." Bx
yght so Rewed me L / of a lytyl conynge. nF.7.493: Alpha reads . Beta manuscripts have conynge. knowyng
I mea m & q m iustu uod fuerit . d m vob abitur. is te vos in vineaF.7.497: F alone completes the quotation. 's text ends with " Bx vineam meam."
or me lakkede latyn / lyght by me he FF.7.499: Manuscripts WHmCrLM read he:; others omit the pronoun as do Kane and Donaldson. An unlikely form of the feminine nominative singular in this scribe's
dialect, it is here a relict from alpha which in turn reflects Langland's own usage. See F14.156 for an instance in which
RF have she for "she" and where alliteration shows that the reading with an "h-" form of the pronoun is original. Cf. F8.104, where
F uses he to refer to Scripture. See also M. L. Samuels, "Dialect and Grammar," in he, ed. John A. Alford (Berkeley and Los Angeles: U of California P, 1988), p. 109. A Companion to Piers Plowman sette.
E icitassus Peptim S de usowel. D xpl