fol. 44v (cont.)I
I. us ncipit Passus Non
A SF.9.1: The ornamental capital is in red and green ink with red and green flourishes running from the top to the bottom of the page
in the left margin. y lay & lokede forþ / lowe vp- on þe greene.
fel in a slu Ibry mge / & sone to me cam neende k.F.9.2: F's reading is unique. reads "And slepynge I seiȝ al þis and siþen cam kynde." Bx
wyȝlde wlues &F.9.10: F uniquely reads . Other wlues manuscripts have B. wormes, "wolves." Though appearing only this one time in F, the use of <w> alone for <wu> appears once in R as well ( wlues R15.131, KD15.116) and may perhaps be attributed to alpha. wlueliche in wodis / & wondirful foul. is
F.9.12KD.11.331
oþe ma B & his make / ful manye seyȝ y þer n. eF.9.12: F uniquely reads "ful manye seyȝ y þere." R has "I miȝte se bothe," and beta manuscripts have "I myȝte boþe biholde."
F.9.16KD.11.335
¶hanne Tesou R n shewede me / all man ee beestis. erF.9.16: F's line is substantially revised. Other manuscripts have "Reson I seiȝ sooþly sewen alle beestes." Alpha is likely to have been responsible for B since R has shewede. schewen
aft & cours of co ercepciou n / no n took keep of oþir. nF.9.18: F omits the following three lines from : Bx
As whan þei hadde ryde in Rotey tyme anoon riȝt þer-after
Males drowen hem to males amorwenynges by hemselue
And in euenynges also ȝede ( þe?) males fro femelles. or beta's
As whan þei hadde ryde in Rotey tyme anoon riȝt þer-after
Males drowen hem to males amorwenynges by hemselue
And in euenynges also ȝede ( þe?) males fro femelles. or beta's
fol. 45rI
hadde wondir of whom / & wher I þe pyȝe lernede. eF.9.25: The scribe has written in red with red flourishes the numeral "" in the top right margin to indicate the passus number. IX
tykkis to legge / in lengþe & in breede. SF.9.26: F's reading is unique. Other manuscripts have "To legge þe stikkes in which she leyeþ and bredeþ." B
er Þ is no wryghte as y wene / can wirche to hir e paye. eF.9.27: F's b-verse is unique. reads "sholde werche hir nest to paye." Bx
F.9.28KD.11.350
e Masou N to make a Moolde þ nto / myche m erveyle erF.9.28: F uniquely reads . merveyle has Bx. wonder it wer. e
¶yt merveylid y moor Ȝ / of eF.9.29: FG alone read . Other of manuscripts have B. how manye oþe brydd ir. is
su &me blowe bele in bele / & w mt i her h breeþ co eseyve. nF.9.35: Other witnesses read: "And some briddes at þe bile þoruȝ breþyng conceyued." B
ram all F beestys / her e bryddis to save. eF.9.39: F's line is unique. Other manuscripts have "Ther neiþer burn ne beest may hir briddes rechen." B
¶ seyȝ flowr Is in þe frythȝ / w et i ful fayr h colourys. eF.9.42: The <c> is written more like <t> with an ascender.
F.9.48KD.11.371
ave man / & his make / manye tymes SF.9.48: Alpha is responsible for unmetrical . Beta manuscripts have tymes. tyme & ofte.
F.9.52KD.11.375
Þu makst ma o & his make / no myschef he n folwe. mF.9.52: F has miscomprehended the sense here. reads "Why þow ne sewest man and his make þat no mysfeet hem folwe." Alpha was quite possibly corrupt since R has Bx for schewest. sewest
A- mede it / þ nu myght not / but tyȝme y a o- byȝde.F.9.55: This line represents a succession of small errors followed by scribal smoothing in an attempt to make sense of botched copy.
reads as follows: "Amende þow it if þow myȝt for my tyme is to abide." Bx
F.9.56KD.11.379
uffrance is a souerey S v ntu / & vengable is vengau erce nF.9.56: The b-verse in other manuscripts reads "and a swift vengeaunce." B
uffrance god suffrede / to goomes as y leve. SF.9.57: F's reading is unique. reads "Who suffreþ moore þan god quod he no gome as I leeue." Bx
e myghte a H- mede he n in a while / all m þ et mys a- fonde.F.9.58: , s. v. MED, "to make a mistake," occurs only here and in an early thirteenth-century devotional text, though the word is common in Old
English. misfōn reads "al þat mysstandeþ." Bx
F.9.60KD.11.383
oly writ . H uod þ qt weyȝ / wyssheþ aF.9.60: The scribe wrote <ssh> where we might expect <ss> for this word. here is a form of Wyssheþ, "teaches, counsels, instructs." wisseþ me to suffre. n These thirteen lines appear only in alpha.
fol. 45vI
D c ntau eris . & er iudic no i iiudic no i i e re que te non molestat noF.9.74: F alone adds " & in iudicio," from Ecclus. 11:9 which reads " De ea re quae te non molestat ne certeris; et in iudicio peccantium ne consistas."
F.9.88KD.11.408
anne chidd Þ y my e- selue / & seyd þese woord e. isF.9.88: F's reading is unique. reads "And þanne seide I to myself and chidde þat tyme." Bx
hat þyng þat W ys / y Dowel- wis sir y not y seyde. eF.9.91: F revises two problematic lines from into one. Bx reads as follows: Bx
Of me what þyng it were ywis sire I seide
To se muche and suffre moore certes quod I is dowel.
Of me what þyng it were ywis sire I seide
To se muche and suffre moore certes quod I is dowel.
or F n Resou wold have reersyd þe / ryght as Clergye seyd e eF.9.94: F omits the following line from : "Ac for þyn entremetynge here artow forsake." Bx
e wisdom ÞF.9.98: The red ink on <d> appears to be unintended. of his god / & he was pyt fram blysse.
fol. 46rI
F.9.104KD.11.425
or FF.9.104: Alpha and some manuscripts read C, which is not in beta manuscripts. For shal e mor er no chydynge e neu / chastyse a ma neuere [chalangynge ne] chidynge su nnere. n
ut whan Be need nemeþ hy vp / for dowhte leest he sterve. mF.9.111: F omits 's "And shame shrapeþ hise cloþes and hise shynes wassheþ." Bx
er Þ smyt no ma e so smerte / ne sku nfyȝteþ mF.9.114: F uniquely reads . Other skumfyȝteþ manuscripts have B. smelleþ no so sor n e
s shame dooþ þer A he shew et e hy h / no ma m loveþ his felachip n. eF.9.115: Alpha is responsible for the b-verse. Beta manuscripts have the also defective reading "for euery man hym shonyeþ."
gan faren on hys weyȝ / & y folwede after. &F.9.118: F has recomposed the line. reads "And I aroos vp riȝt wiþ þat and folwed hym after." Bx
manye tyme have mevid the / to þy &kyn on þy n ende. nF.9.123: F omits 's "And how fele fernyeres are faren and so fewe to come." Bx
Wt i seeknesses / & penances hF.9.130: F is responsible for substituting for seeknesses, but alpha had already changed poustees to pestilences. penances / wt i pou htes & ang ers. ri
F.9.132KD.12.12α
Q vem diligo castigo.F.9.132: Alpha omits the following two lines:
And Dauid in þe Sauter seiþ of swiche þat loueþ Iesus
Virga tua & baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt.
And Dauid in þe Sauter seiþ of swiche þat loueþ Iesus
Virga tua & baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt.
/ [¶]l A- þeyhȝ þu st oke me w rit i godd h staf / w ist i h- outy stykkes sor n eF.9.133: The b-verse makes little sense. reads "wiþ stikke or wiþ yerde." Bx
hy medlyst þe w Wt i makyng hF.9.135: Alpha and M have the possibly correct singular form. Beta manuscripts have the plural . makynges þan / þu myght bettr o go p eye. ra
o tellyn what ys . T dobet / & Dowel . bothe.F.9.137: F's reading is unique. reads "To telle men what dowel is dobet and dobest boþe." Bx
fol. 46vI
u S m- tyme to solace hy m- selue / & su m- tymesadly to stodie.F.9.141: F's reading for this line is unique. reads "To solacen hym som-tyme as I do whan I make." The excision of Bx before sadly to by lining through is not entirely characteristic of this scribe, and it is possible that he did not intend to omit stodie. to
F.9.142: The scribe has left a space for a Lombard capital <I>. nterpone tuis int [I]nterponedu er gaudia curis. m
F.9.144KD.12.24
leyedyn þe p Pfyȝter ar to been / in her e p eyer ra aft es. erF.9.144: F's b-verse is unique and represents an attempt to correct a corrupt archetype. has erroneous "in manye places." Bx
r Eoob al his Ioyȝe / of hise Ientil I childryn. eF.9.163: F has substantially revised the line. reads "Iob þe Iew his ioye deere he it abouȝte." Bx
l was but catel & vn A- kende wit / a- cubred he m all m. eF.9.166: F has extensively revised this line. has "Catel and kynde wit was combraunce to hem alle." Bx
e Þewhte of hir B body / in badde vse eF.9.169: Alpha reads "badde vse" for beta's "baddenesse she." dispendyd.
f manye swyche may y OF.9.170: The word order "may y" is owed to alpha. rde / boþe of me e & wo nme m. n
F.9.172KD.12.50α
F.9.172: Space was left for a Lombard capital <S>. unt ho [S]unti mes neq nm b uan e de v etute loque irtes. n
Paunt ar þem þey moost haten / mynystre her er goodys. eF.9.174: F's b-verse is unique. Other manuscripts have "mynistren it at þe last." B
F.9.176KD.12.54
loveþ hem nouht a & god sF.9.176: F substitutes for god. The same substitution appears in GYOC oure lordCB. Cf. F9.316, 388. 2 bit / þey lese her owen soule. e
fol. 47rI
oo WF.9.179: An otiose curl appears above the first <o>. ys hy / þ mt hem weldiþ / but he he a wel dispende. m
F.9.180KD.12.56α
F.9.180: Space was left for a Lombard capital <S>. cienti [S]cienti & no m facienti uarijs flag nll e uapulab ist. i bonu
F.9.184KD.12.59
ut grace ys grate BF.9.184: F attempts to make sense of alpha's , attested by R, or confuses <c> with <t>, losing the grace text's pun on B meaning "a plant or herb of healing power" gras s.v. MED n. 2(b). gras þfor er eF.9.184: Alpha reads . Beta manuscripts have þerfore. þerof / þo grevaunces to a- bate.
ut grace growyþ / nowher / but a B- mongys lowe.F.9.185: F omits 's "Pacience and pouerte þe place is þer it groweþ." Bx
it knew neu Ȝe clerk hou he comeþ / be kende witys weyes. erF.9.195: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "ne kynde wit þe weyes."
F.9.196KD.12.69α
F.9.196: Space was left for a capital <N>. escit aliq [N]escits vn ui ven det aut quo vadit i
namely &lergye for c Cstis love / for he know rit e þe roote. hF.9.198: reads "þat of Clergie is roote." Bx
or god wroot to Foyses / þ Mt he sholde wisse þe peple. a The elaborate hypotactic structure of and the loss of a line in alpha appear to have defeated the revising scribe. He retains key words, but fails adequately
to capture the sense. Bx reads for this passage: Bx
For Moyses witnesseþ þat god wroot for to wisse þe peple
In þe olde lawe as þe lettre telleþ þat was þe lawe of Iewes
That what womman were in auoutrye taken wher she riche or poore
Wiþ stones men sholde hir strike and stone hire to deþe
A womman as we fynden was gilty of þat dede
Ac crist of his curteisie þoruȝ clergie hir saued
For þoruȝ caractes þat crist wroot þe Iewes knewe hemselue
Giltier as afore god and gretter in synne.
For Moyses witnesseþ þat god wroot for to wisse þe peple
In þe olde lawe as þe lettre telleþ þat was þe lawe of Iewes
That what womman were in auoutrye taken wher she riche or poore
Wiþ stones men sholde hir strike and stone hire to deþe
A womman as we fynden was gilty of þat dede
Ac crist of his curteisie þoruȝ clergie hir saued
For þoruȝ caractes þat crist wroot þe Iewes knewe hemselue
Giltier as afore god and gretter in synne.
Wt i stonys she sholde be stryken / & stoned to dethe. hF.9.202: Alpha omits the following line from : "A womman as we fynden was gilty of þat dede." Bx
F.9.204KD.12.78
or þoruh c Fstis carectys riF.9.204: Alpha's a-verse, reflected here, is more laconic than beta's "For þoruȝ caractes þat crist wroot." / þe Iewys knewe he m- selue.
F.9.208KD.12.82
oly chirche HF.9.208: Alpha is responsible for the failure in alliteration here. Beta witnesses have . In view of F-Redactor's interventionist tendencies and the evidence elsewhere that his own dominant form was kirke, his leaving this form indicates the sporadic and unsystematic nature of his interventions. kirke knowt e wel / þ ht c astis wryty rige hir n savede. e
F.9.212KD.12.86
e wiche body in forme of breed ÞF.9.212: F alone has "in forme of breed." / ys boote to þe ryghtful.
fol. 47vI
ut BF.9.214: Alpha had or R's But. Beta witnesses have Ac. As cstis carecte co rifortid hir n / & all e þei wer e coupable. e
F.9.216KD.12.89α
F.9.216: Space was left for a capital <N>. olite iudicare & non Iudicabimini. [N]olite
¶or as ma F may not see / þ nt mysseþ his syghte. aF.9.226: Alpha is responsible for . Beta and syghte manuscripts have C. eiȝen
&ey st npiryȝt þe sau splarie / to þe ma m þ nt wryt yt. aF.9.229: F miscomprehended the sense of the passage. The b-verse in reads "& seide what men sholde write." Bx
yght so leryþ lettrur R / ma e to knowe resou n. nF.9.231: F's b-verse is unique. reads "lewed men to Reson." Bx
o mor N can a lewid ma e nF.9.234: F's a-verse perhaps reflects corruption in alpha. If R's almost nonsensical "kende wedded man" in place of beta's "kynde
witted man" reflects alpha, F's omitting and substitution of "lewed man" represents an attempt to make sense of the half-line. kynde / but clerkes hy teche. m
F.9.236KD.12.109
ich W ys coffr e of c estis t risor / & clerkys reF.9.236:An otiose curl appears over the <c>. kepe þe keyȝe.
fol. 48rI
F.9.252KD.12.125
eest Lharyte be chased owt CF.9.252: R, the only other witness to this line, reads "Lest cheste chasen vs." / þa ech ma n chopp nt e oþ h. ir
lergyȝe is keye & kepere CF.9.254: R reads "kynge and kepere" for F's "keye & kepere," while beta witnesses have only "kepere." / vnd cryȝst of hevene. vnd[ir]
/ [¶]yuerys be L- for vs / leerned e bookys to make. eF.9.258: fails in alliteration, and both alpha and F attempted correction. Bx has "Lyueris toforn vs vseden to marke." Alpha and Cr have Bx in place of beta's make. marke
e bowht NF.9.262: Alpha introduced the reading . Beta witnesses read bowht. broȝt be her bookys / to blysse ne to Ioyȝe. e
seyn & he word ne her he[re] word[is] scyence eF.9.265: F uniquely reads . Other scyence manuscripts have B (R) or plural wisdome (beta). wisdomes / was al but folye.
mu usdi Stulticia est ap nd deu u. m Sapiencia huiF.9.267: Alpha omitted the following lines attested in beta:
For þe heiȝe holy goost heuene shal tocleue
And loue shal lepe out after into þis lowe erþe
And clennesse shal cacchen it and clerkes shullen it fynde
Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem
He spekeþ þere of riche men riȝt noȝt ne of riȝt witty
Ne of lordes þat were lewed men but of þe hyeste lettred oute
Ibant magi ab oriente &c.
If any frere were founde þere I ȝyue þee fyue shillynges
Ne in none beggers cote was þat barn born
But in a burgeys place of Bethlem þe beste
Set non erat ei locus in diuersorio et pauper non habet diuersorium.
For þe heiȝe holy goost heuene shal tocleue
And loue shal lepe out after into þis lowe erþe
And clennesse shal cacchen it and clerkes shullen it fynde
Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem
He spekeþ þere of riche men riȝt noȝt ne of riȝt witty
Ne of lordes þat were lewed men but of þe hyeste lettred oute
Ibant magi ab oriente &c.
If any frere were founde þere I ȝyue þee fyue shillynges
Ne in none beggers cote was þat barn born
But in a burgeys place of Bethlem þe beste
Set non erat ei locus in diuersorio et pauper non habet diuersorium.
F.9.268KD.12.148
/ [¶]o Tastores & to poetis / aperede an PF.9.268: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts and an have C. þe angil.
e song a song of solace / wich H was eF.9.270: The scribe left the remainder of the line blank. reads " Bx Gloria in excelsis deo."
&F.9.273: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts and & omit it. C lerkis knewen it wel / & kemen w Ct i p hsentis. re
&lerkys / þan cleer wittyd me C / of þe c nstene peple. riF.9.278: The scribe's inattention turns the line on its head. reads "Than clerkes or kynde witted men of cristene peple." Bx Partially erased, partially legible characters appear in the right margin. The legible <a> and partially legible <. . . ll> may have been intended to identify the speaker (the g of l.270) with the angel of l.268. Additional erased and illegible characters appear immediately below. he
þ &u seydist soþ of su ome / & see an ensample. mF.9.279: F's b-verse is unique, and the corruption of R suggests that he has attempted to repair a defective exemplar. R has "ac
se in whanere" in place of beta's "ac se in what manere."
Þt oon can wel swymme / & konynge to dyve. aF.9.282: F's reading is unique. reads "That oon haþ konnynge and kan swymmen and dyuen." Bx
or þe swymmer F is saaf / yf so hy e m- selue yt lyke.F.9.286: F and Cot omit the following line from : "Ther his felawe flet forþ as þe flood likeþ." Bx
fol. 48vI
þ &t oþ a ma ir ys in dr nde to eche e dr / for he dyde neu dre[n]chee swy erme. mF.9.287: Alpha omits the following line attested by beta witnesses: "That swymme kan noȝt I seide it semeþ to my wittes."
f hy I lyke & lyste / þanne ony lewede gooky. mF.9.291: F uniquely reads . Other gooky manuscripts have B. leelly
þorhu &o ct nsyou ri & n onfessiou c / co nfortyd ys his sowle. nF.9.293: F's reading is unique. reads "And how contricion wiþoute confession conforteþ þe soule." Bx
s þ Au seest in þe oawter / in a spalm it tellethȝ SF.9.294: F's b-verse is unique. Other manuscripts read: "in Salmes oon or tweyne." Alpha and L have singular B for beta's plural spalm. Salmes
F.9.296KD.12.177α
remisse su umt i niquitates . & q nr uo tecta su umt p ncc ea. at Beati quorF.9.296: Alpha and Hm have . Beta manuscripts omit it. peccata
is v Þs co erforteþ eu ny clerk / & kenneþ erF.9.297: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts have kenneþ. couereþ hy fram wanhope. m
n wiche þe foule fend IF.9.298: F's reading is unique. reads "In which flood þe fend." Bx / fondeþ a man hardest.
F.9.300KD.12.181
haþ no co &t ncyou ri ne shryfte / for þ ne er- of / ne ca he tell n. eF.9.300: F's reading is unique. is corrupt, reading "And haþ no contricion er he come to shrifte & þanne kan he litel telle." Bx
ft A his p ersou ar or p nshe p arst / re pawnt ar þey be vnkony erg n boþe. eF.9.302: F's b-verse is unique. R reads "and par auenter bothe," and beta witnesses have "and parauenture" with in the following a-verse. Vnkonnynge
F omits 's "Vnkonnynge to lere lewed men as luc bereþ witnesse." Bx
F omits 's "Vnkonnynge to lere lewed men as luc bereþ witnesse." Bx
cec m ducit cecu us m DuF.9.303: Alpha omitted the following line attested by beta witnesses: "Wo was hym marked þat wade moot wiþ þe lewed."
F.9.304KD.12.187
eel may Wt a þ blesse hy þat [barn] / þ mt sette hy a fyrst to skole. mF.9.304: The revised b-verse is to be attributed to alpha. R reads "hym sette to scole," while beta manuscripts read "þat hym to
book sette."
Þt þorhu his lettrure lerned / his lyf is savid & sowle aF.9.305: F's reading is unique. reads "That lyuynge after lettrure saued hym lif and soule." Bx
us p omins hereditatis mee ar D / ys a merye vsikle erF.9.306: The b-verse is written over an erasure, and the <k> of is corrected from <c> in a different ink by a contemporary hand. versikle
t haþ take fram Iyburne / ten thowsend T þeuys. eF.9.307: F's reading is unique. reads "twenty stronge þeues." Bx
F.9.308KD.12.191
er Þ lewede þevis be lollyd vp / loo who haþ þe bettr e. eF.9.308: F's reading is unique. reads "loke how þei be saued." Bx
as for W ȝeeldid hy he to c mȝst / & knowleched hy ri gylty. mF.9.310: Alpha omits the following line: "And grace asked of god and he is euere redy."
buxu & was in meende / his m Mcy was to crave. erF.9.311: F substantially revised this line which in reads "That buxomliche biddeþ it and ben in wille to amende hem." Bx
s sey At nymou sd or ntevene / þ st have disservid yt bett a. erF.9.313: F's reading is unique. reads "As Seint Iohan and oþere Seintes þat deserued hadde bettre." Bx
F.9.315: Scribal "a ." appears in the left margin, indicating that the scribe intended that this line, originally written after F9.317, should
precede it instead. The actual order in the manuscript is the order of ., and presumably this reflects's F's immediate exemplar, but we have followed the scribe's instruction as to his own intention.
The change is attributable not to F-Redactor but to the immediate scribe. Bx sytte boordles begg &ely / be my er- selue on gwnde. ro
F.9.316KD.12.199
F.9.316: The scribe has written " . b" in the left margin by this line. See the textual note to the preceding line for discussion. . have meete ryght a I- nowh / but not so myche worchep. e
s þey þ At sytty a at þe table nF.9.317: F's omission of the alliterating stave before syde is shared by GYOC tableCB, probably reflecting the FG scribes' sense that a side table is not the place for the sovereign. The omission makes more
sense in FG where 2 is omitted before or than in the other manuscripts that make the change. For other agreements among these manuscripts, see F9.176, 388. with / wt i þe souerey h of þe place. n
e syt neyþ H w irt i hoh In ne aemes / w It i herom / ne w It i awsty h. nF.9.319: F's reading is unique. reads "He sit neiþer wiþ Seint Iohan Symond ne Iude." Alpha is responsible for the omission of Bx in the a-verse, but F revised the line to fit a new alliterative stave. Seint
F.9.320KD.12.204
e w Nt i Martyr hs ne e confessours / ne w et i haydenys clene. MF.9.320: F's reading is unique. reads "Ne wiþ maydenes ne with martires ne (R Bx) Confessours ne wydewes." only
fol. 49rI
ut for B toF.9.325: The is added above the line in a different ink by a contemporary hand, we think the original scribe's. to servyn a seyt / & swich a þeef to n- gydres.
F.9.328KD.12.211
Þt c ast hadd ri hy e lyghtly owt / so leve y it be in hevene mF.9.328: Alpha had omitted , and F revised to make sense of what he found. Beta witnesses read "so leue I þe þef be in heuene." thief
wol &F.9.330: The same spelling occurs in R, reflecting an alpha reading. loosly / he lolleþ þer / be lawe of holy chirche. e
lle þe Alerkys vndir c Cst / ne cu rine þe skyll n telle. eF.9.334: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts have telle. assoille
her W- of þey kacchen her colour eF.9.341: Alpha has singular . Beta manuscripts have plural colour. colours / so cleer & so bryghte.
ow þey may so styken / & shynen fram þe walkene. HF.9.343: This line replaces the following one from : "How euere beest ouþer brid haþ so breme wittes." Bx
Þt there þe thorn ys thykkest / þer a to bygge & brede. eF.9.347: Alpha reads "þere to builde and brede." F and C independently supply the synonymous . Beta manuscripts have "to buylden and brede." bygge
ather R þa e his lykam lowe / þis is a lewid ma nnys mau nd n. eF.9.353: F's b-verse is unique. reads "lewed asken þus clerkes." Bx
F.9.360KD.12.242-243
or þe Fokok & pF.9.360: The ampersand here stands for , "if." an he be psued / he may not flee hyȝe. ur
fol. 49vI
he haþ an vnlovely stevene &F.9.363: F's reading is unique. reads "And vnlouelich of ledene." F substitutes Bx for stevene again at F9.381. ledene / & loþly to here.
F.9.368KD.12.251
to all & he e þ mt syluer holdiþ / tyl her a tayl be plukkyd. eF.9.368: An otiose mark is written over the <p>.
F.9.372KD.12.255
ul lytil g Fce ys g rauntyd hy ra / for god may not hy m heere. mF.9.372: This line replaces the following one from : "His ledene be in oure lordes ere lik a pies." Bx
l is wrete to ber A witnesse / to wirche as he eF.9.378: Alpha reads . Beta manuscripts have he. it wolde.
yght as þe Roete p Pveþ þe reookok / me p pulle hise fedr ns. eF.9.379: F's reading is unique. reads "Thus þe Poete preueþ þat þe pecok for hise feþeres is reuerenced." Bx
F.9.380KD.12.263
yght so is þe ryche man / be R- reeft hy fram hise goodis. mF.9.380: F's reading is unique. reads "Riȝt so is þe riche by reson of hise goodes." Bx
¶or FF.9.385: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts omit it. For ristotil þe grete clerk / swiche talis he tellyþ. A
e Þarke he lykneþ i l his glose nF.9.386: Alpha is responsible for . Beta manuscripts and glose have C. R has logik. glosing / þe leeste foul owte.
for &- soþe of alomon / no Sc Spture can telle. riF.9.387: In relation to this line and the next are transposed. Bx
F.9.392KD.12.275
Þt god of his grete g ace / grawnte his sowle reste. raF.9.392: Alpha is responsible for and the singular phrase "his sowle." Beta manuscripts have grawnte and "hir soules." gyue
fol. 50rI
F.9.400KD.12.283
¶roianus þ Tt trewe anyg kt / too h neu ke no c erstendom riF.9.400: The scribe has written "" in red with red flourishes in the top right margin to indicate the passus number. X
ut BF.9.402: Alpha is responsible for F's and R's But. Beta manuscripts have Ac. For þe is fully erg in þe funt / & also in blood shedy ng. n
þoru þe holy goost &F.9.403: F alone reads "holy goost" in place of correct . An intelligent sophistication, it is perhaps attributable to the F redactor. fire is fullyg / & þ nt ys ferme be a- leve.
ut þe knyght BF.9.405: Though alpha is responsible for the omission of before þat, F alone among trespased witnesses substitutes B for þe knyght. truþe trespased neue / ne ernuersyd ra t tran[s]uersydF.9.405: CrLR also read , a reading appearing in numerous transuersed manuscripts. Beta has C. See Kane-Russell's trauersed (London: Athlone Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles: U of California P, 1997), p. 487. Piers Plowman: The C Version a- gey h ns lawe. i
be &- leved as was tawht hy / for he ne knew no bettr m. e F attempted to simplify this notoriously difficult passage, translating loosely. reads as follows: Bx
But lyueþ as his lawe techeþ and leueþ þer be no bettre
And if þer were he wolde amende and in swich wille deieþ
Ne wolde neuere trewe god but trewe truþe were allowed.
But lyueþ as his lawe techeþ and leueþ þer be no bettre
And if þer were he wolde amende and in swich wille deieþ
Ne wolde neuere trewe god but trewe truþe were allowed.
an hope hangynge þ &in / þ erfore meede to have. erF.9.410: reads "to haue a mede for his truþe." Bx
or Fs d eur q icitui dans vita uas et mna er suis . i m dF.9.411: F uniquely reads . id has Bx. hoc . fidelib est. us d
F.9.412KD.12.293α
medio vmbre mortis no n timebo mala quonia n tu mecu m es d mne. omi Et alibi . Si ambulauero iF.9.412: F uniquely reads " non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es domine." Other manuscripts conclude the line with B mortis.
Eassus Pon N. us xplicit