The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 1: Oxford, Corpus Christi College, MS 201 (F) William Langland Edited by Robert Adams, Hoyt N. Duggan, Eric Eliason, Ralph Hanna, John Price-Wilkin, and Thorlac Turville-Petre Associate Editors: M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A. Farley Graduate Research Assistants William O. Albertini, Patricia Bart, Michael Blum, Cristina Maria Cervone, John H. Chaffin, Nancy L. Renwick Clendenon, Christopher J. Copeland, David Cox, Stephen C. Martin, Stephen J. Ramsay, and Dominique Woodall. Computer Consultants and Programmers Oludotun Akinola, Robert W. Bingler, David Cosca, Karen Dietz, Susan Gants, Nigel Kerr, Susan Munson, Daniel Pitti, David Seaman, Thornton Staples, John Unsworth, and Peter Yadlowsky. Medieval Academy of America Cambridge, MA ISBN: 0-472-002???

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copyright 2002, by SEENET

2002

SEENET A.1

Oxford, Corpus Christi College, Oxford, MS 201

late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Oxford, Corpus Christi College, Oxford, MS 201

Attribute Values brown ink anglicana bastarda italic Lombard Cap ornamented capital, N lines high rubricated touched in red textura underlined underlined in red green ink blue ink

Latin French German poetry masculine 199901 cataloger Jackie Shieh New header created
Rubbing and cropping have rendered some text at the top of the page illegible. The interior characters in Pers are virtually illegible because of rubbing, and the end of Plowman has been lost to cropping. The following is legible: Incip it Pers þe Plowman .No. 1668. 201. D.3.10. Piers the : Plowman. The shelfmark "D.3.10." is written in a darker ink in a modern hand. Other matter, perhaps a quotation of the first line (?), has been scraped and is illegible. A l F.1.1: The ornamental capital is blue with red and white flourishes. Set in gold foil is an image of the sleeping dreamer with his head in his left hand and an image of a walled city beneath his feet. He wears three-fingered laborer's gloves, perhaps suggesting that the illustrator has conflated dreamer and plowman. F.1.1: All other B manuscripts begin "In a somer seson . . . ." Though certainty is not possible, the similar ornamental capital in the Ushaw College fragment written in the same workshop suggests that this lection is intended to take advantage of the workman's skill, since an <A> offers more scope for the illustration than an <I>. The change in the text is, in this instance, more probably the work of the immediate scribe than of the F-Redactor. in som er sesou n / whan softe was the su nne I shoop me in -to shrowdes / as y sheep [a] sheep were F.1.2: F omits the following line from Bx: "In habite as an heremite vnholy of werkes." & wente wyde i n . þis world / wondres to here & on May [a] May morwe / on malverne hillis By -fel me a feerly / as fayrye me thowhte I was wery of wandry nge / & wente me to reste Vpon a brood banke / be a boorne syde & as y lay & lenede / & lokede on þe wawys I slu mbrede in -to slepy ng / it swyȝede so merye Þa n ga n y to meety n / a mervelo us sweuene Þ at y was i n a wyldernesse / wiste y neu ere where I beheld in -to Est [þe] Est / an heyȝ to þe su nne I seyȝ a tour on a tuft / tryally y -tymbryd & a deep dale be -nethe / a dongou n þer -Inne W it h depe dychis & derke / & dredful to syghte & a fayr feeld ful of folk / y fond þ ere be -twene Of all e man ere of me n / þe mene & þe ryche Wyrkynge & wandrynge / as this world askeþ Su mme pitte hem -selue to plowh / & pleyede seldyn & in settynge & sowynge / þey swonken ful harde & su mme pitte hem to p ride / & a -p arayled hem þer -after In co ntynances of clothynge / kemen fele dysgysyd F.1.22: An otiose curl appears over the <g>. & wonnen þ at þese wastoures / w it h glotenye dystroyen F.1.23: This line appears after F1.20 in Bx. In p rayerys & i n penau nces / pitte hem -selue manye For þe love of oure lord / þei lyvedyn ful streyte In hope to have to hyre  heuy n -ryche blysse As Ankrys & hermytys / þ at holde he m -selue i n sellys & coueyte nowht in cu ntres / to kayren a -bowte For no F.1.29: An otiose curl appears over the <n>. likorous lyflode / here lykame to plese & su mme chesen chaffare / to cheven þe bettre As it semeþ to oure syght / þ at swiche me n thryvyn & su mme merthis to make F.1.32: F omits the b-verse "as Mynstralles konneth" and the following a-verse: "And geten gold with hire glee." / synneles y leve But Iaperis & Iangeleris / ben Iudas childryn Þei feynen hem fantesyes / & folis hem maken & welden wit at wille / to worche what þei sholde What Poul p recheþ of hem / y wil not p reue it heere F.1.36: F omits the following line from Bx: " Qui loquitur turpiloquium is luciferes hyne." Boþe bidderis & beggeris / faste a -bowty n wentyn F.1.37: F omits the following line from Bx: "Wiþ hire bely and hire bagge of breed ful ycrammed." & fele fayted for here foode / & fowtyn at þe ale F.1.38: A late seventeenth- or early eighteenth-century Corpus Christi College librarian supplied the following inscription at the bottom of the page: Liber C.C.C Oxon. Ex dono Gulielmi Fulman A. M. hujus Collegii quondam Socii.William Fulman (1632-1688), born Penshurst, Kent, in November, 1632, became a scholar at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in 1647, was expelled in 1648 by Parliamentarians, and at the restoration in 1660 was created M.A. and Fellow of the college. He remained in college until 1669 when he took a living in Gloucestershire, where he died of a fever in 1688. See the Dictionary of National Biography, eds. Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee (Oxford: Oxford U P, 1917): 7.767-68. & god woot w it h glotenye / þey goon to -gydre to bedde & rysen vp / w it h rubawdye / þo roberis knavis & sleep & sory slewthe / sew et h hem euere Pylgrymes & palmeris / pyghtyn he m to -gydre To seken sey nt Iemes / & seyntis in Rome & wenty n forþ / on here way / w it h fele wyse talis & haddyn leve / for to lyȝen / al here lyve aft er F.1.45: F lacks the following lines attested by beta family manuscripts: I seiȝ somme þat seiden þei hadde ysouȝt Seintes To ech a tale þat þei tolde hire tonge was tempred to lye Moore þan to seye sooþ it semed bi hire speche Heremytes on an heep with hoked staues Wenten to walsyngham and hire wenches after. & grete longe lobyes / þ at looþ wery n to swynke Clothid hem in copis / to be knowe f ram oþere & shoop hem lyk hermytis / her e ese for to kacche / [¶] I fond þer e of þe freris / alle þe fowre ordris Þ at p recheden þe peple / for p rofyȝt of hem -selue & gloseden þe gospel / as hem -selue lykede For coueytyse of copis / þei co nst rue as þei will e Fele of þe Mayst ris / may cloþe hem at lykyng For here mone & marchaundyse / marchyn to -gydre For sytthe Charite is chapman / & cheef to shryve lord is Fele ferlijs have ben falle / in a fewe ȝeeris & but holy chirche & they / holde bettr e to -gydre Þe mooste myschef on moolde / ys mou nty nge faste There p rechede a p ardon er / as he a preest where & browhte forþ a bulle / w it h bysshopis selys & seyde þ at hym -selue / myghte a -soyle he m alle Of false oþis & fastyngis / & fele avowys brokene & lewide me n belevid he m wel / & lykeden hise woordis & keme n vp knelynge / & kessed e his bulle & he blessid hem w it h his brevet / & blered e here eyȝen & lawhte [r]awhte w it h his ragman / ryngis & brochis & þorghȝ þe seelis on þe selk / syluer gret plente These two lines appear only in F. W it h wheche his konkebyne at hom / is klad ful klene & þus me n gyven here gold / glotonys to kepe & be -leven on þo loselis / þat leccherye hawnten But where þe blessynge bisshop / worþ boþe his eryn His seel sholde not be sent / to disseyve þe peple But it it [is] not be þe bisshop / þ at so þe boy precheþ But þe p arsou n er þe preest / ys cawse of þe gilte F.1.74: This line appears only in F. For þe p rest & þe p ardoner / shull e dep arten þe syluer F.1.75: The <l> was inserted after the word was initially written, probably by the original scribe. F.1.76: An early scribe has written an abbreviation for n ota in the left margin. Note that the curious mark beneath it is repeated again on passus 27 r, again in connection with a nota abbreviation. Þ at þe pore me n of þe p arschȝ  sholde have if þey nere Bothe p arsonys & vikerys F.1.77: F's a-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "Persons and parisshe preestes." In the absence of R, it is not possible to identify the source of the error. / pleynede to þe bisshop Þat here p arschenys where pore / sitthe þe pestyle nce tyme To have lycence & leve / at loonde nn to dwe llyn. & syngy n þer e for Symony / for siluer ys swete. Boþe Mayst ris & Bisshopis / & bacheler es & doctoris. F.1.81: F's reading is unique. Beta witnesses have "Bisshopes and Bachelers boþe maistres and doctours." In the absence of R, it is not possible to identify the source of the error. Þ at have cure vndir c rist / & konynge to knowe. & charge F.1.83: F's charge is unique. Beta witnesses have signe. þ at þei sholden at hom / shryvy n her e p arsshenis. & p rechen & p raye for hem  & þe poore leene & feede. & nowht lyȝn i n Londe nn / in Lentene & ellys. & su mme seruy n þe kyng / & his syluer tellyn. In þe cheker & i n þe Chauncery / to chalange hise dettes. Of wardis / & of warde -motis / of wayvis & strayes. & su mme be Clerkis of þe ky ngys bench / þe cu nt re to shende. F.1.89: This line appears only in F in the B textual tradition. Cf. Kane, A Prol.95. & su mme s eruy n as s eruau ntys / Lordys & ladijs. & in þe stede os o[f] styward / þey Iuggyn & demen. F.1.91: F's b-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "sitten and demen." But here mase ne matynys / ne manye of her e oures. Be not salysbery hews / her e Ordynal so tellyþ. F.1.93: This line in F replaces two in Bx: Arn doon vndeuoutliche drede is at þe laste Lest crist in consistorie acorse ful manye. / [¶] I p arceyvede of þ at power / þ at Pet er hadd e to kepe To byȝnde & vnbyȝnde / as þe book telliþ. How he lefte it w it h love / as our e lord hy m hyghte. A -mongys four e v ertues / most v ertuous of hevene. Þ at Cardinalis ben callid / to closen hevene ȝatys. Þer e c rist ys in hys kyngdo mm / to close & to shette. & to opene it to hem / & heuene blysse hem shewe. & þe Cardynalis at þe court / of he m kawty n name. For Powher P resumeþ Presume[d] i n hem / a pope to make. To haue þe Powher / þ at pet er hadde / Inpugne y nylle. For in love & in lettrur e / þe lecc iou n by -longeþ. For -þy  y can / & can not  of þe cowrt carpy n mor e. Þanne kam þ ere a kyng / knyghthod he ladde. & þe myght of hyse como nys / maden hy m to regne. & forþ kam kyȝnde wyt  & clerkys he hadde. For to conseyle þe kyng / & hise como nis save. & þe kyng & his knyghthod / & þe clergye also. Þey casten þ at F.1.111: The scribe first wrote þ e and corrected it to þ t . þe como nys / sholde fyȝnde he m -selue. F.1.111: An otiose curl appears above the second <e> in hemselue. Þe como nys be kynde wit / cont riveden craftes. & for p rofyȝt of þe peple / plowhme n þey made. To swynke / & to tylye F.1.114: F's a-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "To tilie and to trauaille." / as trewe skyl askeþ. / [¶] Þa nne þe kyng & como nys / & kyȝnde wit þe thryde. Schopen lawe / be lewte / ech lyf to knowe his owe. Þa nne lookede a lunatyk / a lene þy ng w it h -alle. He ga n knele to þe kyng / & clergyaly seyde. Cryst kepe þe sir e kyng / & þy n kyngdom ryche. & leve le[n]e þe / so lede þyn lond / so lewhte þe a -lowe. & for þy n ryght -ful rewly ng / þ ou be rewardid i n heuene. & a -no n fram þe hevene on heyȝ / com dou n an Angyl e. F.1.122: F's line is unique. Bx has "And siþen in þe Eyr an heiȝ an Aungel of heuene." The scribe neglected to supply red touches on the beginning letters of lines and on highlighted words on folios 2v-3r. He sometimes failed throughout the manuscript to supply colored parasigns, though he marked the place for each with a light solidus. & lowhde spak in Latyn / for lewede me n ne sholde. Ianglyn ne Iuggen hym / ne Iustefye hy m w it h mowþe. But suffr en & s eruy n / softly / for -þy  seyde þe angil. S u m rex su m p rinceps . neutru m fortasse deinceps. O qui iura regis . cristi specialia legis [r]egis. H oc q uod agas melius . iust us es esto pius. N udu m vis F.1.129: Alpha reads vis. All beta family manuscripts read ius with version C. a te . vestire F.1.129: Alpha is responsible for vestire, though the reading is shared by H. Beta witnesses have vestiri. vult pietate. Q valia vis metere . talia grana sere. S i vis F.1.131: RFH read vis against ius in all other manuscripts. nudatur . nudo de iure metatur. S i seritur pietas . de pietate metas. / [¶] Thanne grevid hy m a Goliardes / a glotou n of woordys. & to þe Angel on hey  he answerede soone. D u m rex a reg ere . dicatur nome n h abere N ome n h abet sine re . n isi studet iura tenere. / [¶] Thanne cryeden alle þe como nys / w it h o voys a tonys at onys. F.1.137: Alpha omits the following line attested by beta witnesses: "To þe kynges counseil construe whoso wolde." P recepta regis . su nt nobis ui nc ula legis. / [¶] W it h þat kemen F.1.139: F's kemen is unique. Bx has ran þer. a rowhte / of Ratonys manye. & Manye Mees w it h hem / moo þanne a þowsand e & wenty n F.1.141: F's wentyn is unique. Bx has comen. to a conseyl / for þe comou n p rofyȝt. For a Cat in þe court / cam whan hire [hym] lykede. & ouer -leep hem lyghtly / & lawht hem at wylle. & pleyeþ w it h vs ap ertly / & posseþ vs a -bowhte. & for drede of deeþ / we ne dore not wel looken. & if we grucche F.1.146: Alpha is responsible for the omission of of after grucche. F alone has wille in place of gamen. his will e / he wil greve vs sore. & cracche vs / & clawe vs / & in his cloche vs holde. Þ at we loþyn oure lyf / er he leete vs passen. / [¶] But myghte we be ony wit / hys will e w it h -stonde. We weryn lordys on lofte / & lyven i n gret ese. / [¶] Þa nne a Ratou n of renou n / moost renable of tu nge. Seyde a resonable resou n F.1.152: F's a-verse is unique. Bx has "Seide for a souereyn." / & helplych to he m alle. F.1.152: Alpha is responsible for "hem alle." Beta witnesses have "to hymselue." I have herd of F.1.153: F's "herd of" is unique. Beta witnesses have "yseyen." seggis q uod he  in þe Cyte of Lundou n. Þ at me n bery n bryghte byȝes / a -bowtyn here nekkys. & su mme Coler es of c rafty werk / vn -cowpled þey walke. Boþe in wareyn & in waast / wher e hem best lykeþ. & oþ ire -whylys ellys -where / as weyȝes me telle. F.1.157: F has revised the line, changing the alliterative pattern. Bx has "And ouþer-while þei arn elliswhere as I here telle." Where þer e a belle on her e beyȝe / by Iesus F.1.158: Alpha is responsible for Iesus. Beta witnesses have Iesu. as me þy nkeþ. Men myghte n wetyn / where þei wente / & a -wey renne. Ryght so q uod þe Ratou n / as resou n me shew et h. It were best to begge a bras belle / or of shyȝn F.1.161: F's shyȝn is unique. Bx has briȝt. syluer. & knette it on a Coler / for oure Comou ne p rofyȝt & hange it a -bowte þe Cattys hals / þ at here hy m we mowe. F.1.163: Alpha lacks the following two lines attested by beta witnesses: Wher he ryt or rest or renneþ to pleye And if hym list for to laike þanne loke we mowen. & a -peren i n his abse nse F.1.164: F's addition of vus in the b-verse shows that the revision of Bx's presence to absense was intended. / þe while v us pleye lykeþ. & yf he wratthe / to be war / & hise weye shone. Þa nne alle þe F.1.166: Alpha is responsible for þe. Beta witnesses have þis. rowhte of Ratonys / to þis resou n assentid. But whanne þe bell e was bowht / & on þe byȝe hanged. Þer e was no ratou n / of þ at rowhte / for þe Rewhme of Frau nce. Þ at durste a bownde þ at bond / a -bowte þe Cattys nekke. Ne honge yt a -bowte his F.1.170: Alpha and C have his. Beta witnesses have þe cattes. hals / al Ingelond to wynne. But helden he m -selue vn -hardy / & al her e co nseyl feble. & al here labour was loost / & here large costes. / [¶] Tha nne a Mows / þ at mychil good / cowhde / as me thowhte. Strook forþ sternely / & stood be -for e hem alle. & to þe rowhte of ratonys / he reersyd e þese wordys. / [¶] They we haddy n kyllyd þ at Cat / ȝyt sholde þ ere come a -noþ ir. & kacche v us & our e kyȝnde / whan we kroule a -bowte. For -þy  by my co nseyl / to soffr e þe Cat a -worthe. F.1.178: F's line is unique. Bx has "Forþi I counseille al þe commune to late þe cat worþe." & no bacheler be so bold / þe belle hy m to shewe. F.1.179: See Kane-Donaldson, 176, for their editorial reasoning on re-ordering this passage. For y herde my n syre sey n / is sevene ȝeer y -passed. Þere þe Cat ys kytou n / þe court ys elenge. Þ at witnessiþ holy wryt / who -so will e it rede. U e terre . ubi puer rex est. F.1.183: A cross is written in the right margin beside this line in an ink like that used by the original scribe. There may no renke haue reste / for rattys on nyghtis. / [¶] For whilis he cacchiþ conyes / he coueyteþ not our e bowkys. F.1.185: bowkys, "bodies, carcasses." But fediþ hy m w it h fenysou n / defame we hy m neuere. For bettr e ys a lytil los / þan a long sorwe. Þe Maase  a -mong vs alle / þey we mysse a shrewe. For manye me nnys malt ell is / we myȝs will e distroye. & also ellis ȝee ratonys / wolde renden renkes clothys. F.1.190: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And also ye route of Ratons rende mennes cloþes." H also omits "route of." Ne wer e þe cat of þe court / þ at can a -mong ȝow lepe. For hadde ȝe ratonys F.1.192: Alpha reads ratonys, a reading in which it is joined by GH and the C version. Beta manuscripts have rattes. ȝo ure wille / ȝee cowhde not rewle ȝo ur -selue. I sey þis F.1.193: Alpha is responsible for the direct object. R has it. Beta manuscripts lack an object. for my -selue q uod þe Mous / & see so mychil after. Shal neu ere Cat ne kytou n / by my n co nseyl be grevid. Ne carpynge of his coler / coste me neu ere aft er. & þowh it coste F.1.196: Alpha and G lack beta's hadde before coste. me catel / by -knowe it F.1.196: An otiose curl appears above the <t>. y nylle. But suffre as su mme oþ ire do / to slen what hy m lykeþ. Cowpled / & vncowplyd / to cacche what he wille. & euery wyȝs Mows y warne / to wacche wel hy m -selue. / [¶] What þis Metelys meneþ / ȝee me n / þ at been her e -Inne. I ne dar dyvyne it ȝow / be dere god in hevene. / [¶] Ȝit hovede þere an hu ndr ed / in howfes on Molde. F.1.202: The scribe was perhaps confused by howfes, "coifs." Bx reads "in howues of selk." Sergawntys þey semeden / þ at s erued e at þe barre. Pleteden for þe peny / & pownded þe lawe. & nowht for our e lordys love / vn -lose her e lyppe onys. Þ ou myghtyst bettr e meten myst / on Maluerne hellys  Þa n gety n a Mu m of her e mowht / er F.1.207: Alpha is responsible for er. Beta manuscripts have til or but. mone be shewyd. F.1.207: F omits the following line from Bx: "Barons and burgeis and bondemen als." I seyȝ in þis a -sem ble / as ȝee shu lle here after. Boþe Bakerys / & Brewsteres / & Bocherys manye. & also wolle websterys / & webberys of Lynene. & Taylour es & Tynkeres / & tollerys of Market. & Masonys & Mynowrys / & manye oþ ire craftys. Of alle F.1.213: Alpha lacks beta's kynne before lyvynge. lyvynge laborerys / lope þer e furthȝ su mme. As dykerys & delueres / þ at doon her e ded es ylle. & dryve furthȝ þe fayre day / w it h deu vo us saue dame Emme . / [¶] Þer e wheren kene Cokys knavis / c riȝeden / hote pyes hote  Goode fatte gryȝs & gees / gowe go we dyghne . gowe go we. / [¶] & þe Tauernerys vn -tyl he m / tolledyn þe same. W it h good fyȝn Maluesyn F.1.219: F alone has this reading. Bx reads "Whit wyn of Oseye." Malvesie is a sweet Greek wine from Napoli di Malvasia. / or wyn of Gaskoyne. Or Rochel or Romeney F.1.220: F's a-verse is unique. Bx reads "Of þe Ryn and of þe Rochel." / þe roost to diffyȝe. Explicit passus Prim us . Petri Plouhma n. This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file. Incipit Passus S ec und us. W hat F.2.1: The ornamented capital is done in red ink with green flourishes extending in the left margin from the top into the bottom margin of the written space. þis Mou ntey n meneþ / & þe d erke dale. & þe feld ful of folk / y shal fair e ȝow shewe. A Love lady of leere / in lynene y -clothed. Com fram a Castel / & callede me fayre. & seyde sone slepistow / seest þ ou þis peple. How bysely þ at þey been / a -bowtyn þe mase. Þe mooste p artye of þis peple / þ at pasen on erthe Have þey worchepe in þis world / þey wilnen no bettre. Of othir hevene þan here / holde þey no tale. I was a -ferd of her e face / þey she fair were. & seyde Mercy Madame / what is þis to mene. Q uod she  In þe tour vpon þe toft / trewthe is þ ere -Inne. He wolde þ at me n wroghte / as his woord tellyþ. For he . ys fader of feyþ / & formed hem alle. Boþe w it h fel / & w it h face / he ȝaf ȝou fyve wyttys. For to worchepe hy m w it h / whyles ȝee been here. & þerfor e he hyghte þe erthe / to helpe ȝou ecchone. Of wollene / & lynene / & lyflode at neede. In mesurable maner / to make ȝow atese at ese. He comau ndid e of his c urtesye / in comou n þre þy ngys. None needfuller e þan þo / & ne mpne he m y þynke. & rykene be resou n / reerse ȝee he m after. Þe fyrste ys vesteure / fram chele þe to save. Þe toþir ys mete at meel / for myssese to the. Þe thrydd e F.2.25: The scribe began to write þredde and then changed the <e> to <y>. He nowhere writes "third" as þredde. ys drynk whan þ ou dryest / but do it i n resou n. Þ at þ ou ne worthȝ þe wors / whan þ ou werche sholdest. For looth in hise lif dayes / þorghȝ lykynge of drynke. Dyde by his dowhter es / þ at þe deuel lykede. For he de lytyd hy m in dryn k / as þe deue l wo lde. F.2.29: " II us " with red flourishes is written in the top right margin to identify the passus. & leccherye hym lawhte / & he lay by hem bothe. & al he witte it wyȝn / þ at wykkede dede. I nebriam us eu m uino . dormiam usq ue cu m eo. V t seruare possum us poss[i]mus . de patre n ostro semen. For þorghȝ wyȝn & wo mmen / þ ere was Looth a -cu mbryd. & gat w it h gret glotenye / gerlys þ at whery n cherlys. For -þy  drede delytable drynk / & þ ou shalt do þe bettr e. For Mesur e ys Medycyne / þey þ ou mychel ȝeerne. It ys nowht al good to þi goost / þ at þy gut askeþ. Ne lyflode to þy lykame / þ at leef is to þy sowle. F.2.39: F and G omit the following line from Bx: "Lef nauȝt þi licame for a liere hym techeþ." For þ at ys þe wrecched e world / he wolde þe be -t raye. & þe fend / & þy flesshȝ / folwe þe to -gydre. Þese thre / sewe þy sowle / to shende it þey casten. F.2.42: F's b-verse is unique. Bx probably read "seith it in þin herte." & for þ ou sholdest ben war / y wysshe þe beste. A Madame m ercy q uod y  me lykeþ wel ȝour e wordys. But þe Mone on þis Molde / þ at me n so faste kepe. F.2.45: Alpha is responsible for kepe. Beta witnesses have holdeþ. Tell e ȝee me to whom / þ at tresor a -pendyþ. / [¶] Q uod she  go to þe gospel / þ at god seyde hy m -selue. Whan þe peple w it h a peny / a -posed hy m in þe temple. Wheyþ ir þey sholden þ erw it h / worchepe kyng Cesar. & cryst askede þer e hem / of whom spak þe lettre. & þe ymage was lyȝk / þ at þer e -Inne stondiþ. Alle þey seyden . Cesar / we seen it wel ecchone. R eddite cesari q uod cryst F.2.53: "Quod cryst" was written first in red and then erased. The tail of the <y> is just visible over the <o> in "or ellis" in the following line.  þ at cesari to falleþ E t que su nt dei deo  or ellis / ȝee don ylle For ryghtful resou n / sholde rewle ȝow alle. & kende wit be wardeyn / ȝour e welthe to kepe. & tutor of ȝour e tresor / & take it ȝow at nede. For he & husbondrye / holden to -gydres. / [¶] Þa nne y fraynede hire fair e / for hy m þ at hir e made. Of þe dungou n in þe dale / þ at ys so dirk to syghte. What may it be -mene / Madame ȝee me telle. / [¶] It ys þe Castel of Care q uod she  who -so komeþ þ er -Inne  He may banne / he bore was / to body or to sowle. For þ ere -Inne woneþ . a wyght / þ at wrong ys y -hote. He is fadir of falshed / he foundid hy m -selue [yt] hymselue. For boþe Adam & Eve / he eggyd he m to Ille. & he conseyled e Caym / to kylly n his broþir. & to Iudas he Iapede / w it h þe Iewys syluer. & sytthen on an ellerne tr e / he hongid e hy m -selue. He is letter e of love / & by -lyȝeþ he m alle. Þey þat t riste on his tresor / be -t rayed are su nnest. Þan hadde y wonder in my wit / wat wo mman she were. F.2.72: An otiose curl appears above the first <e>. Þ at swyche wyse wordys / of holy wryt shewede. & y halsede F.2.74: F alone reads halsede. R has hasked, an inverse spelling for Bx's asked. hire on þe hyȝe name / er she þe ns wente. What she was wyttyrly / þ at wyssed me so fayre. / [¶] Q uod she  y am holy chirche / þ ou awhtist me to knowe. For For [y] vndir -fongyd þe fyrst / & þe feyþ þe tawhte. Þow browhtest me borwes / my byddy nge to fulfille. & to love leelly me F.2.79: The order "lelly me" is owed to alpha. / whylys þy lyf dureþ. Þan y kurblyd e [kurbyd] dou n on knees / & c ried hir e of g race. & p rayede hir e pytously / to p raye for my n synnes. & also kenne me kendely / on c rist to be -leve. F.2.82: Alpha omits the following line from Bx: "That I myȝte werchen his wille þat wroȝte me to man." & teche me to no tresor / but teche me þe soþe. How y may save my sowle / þ at sey nt art y -holde. Whan alle tresor ys tryed . q uod she  trewþe is þe beste. I do it on deus caritas / to demen þe sothe. Þ at F.2.87: Þat is owed to alpha. it ys as derworþy a dr ewry / as der e god hy m -selue. He þ at F.2.88: He þat is unique to F. Beta has Whoso and R has He." ys trewe of his tu nge / & telleþ no n oþir. & doþ werke þ er -w it h / & wylneþ no ma n ylle. He ys a god / by þe gospel e / on grownde & on lofte. F.2.90: FH omit the following line from Bx: "And ylik to oure lord by Seint Lukes wordes." Þe Clerkys þ at knowe þys / sholde kenne it a -bowte. For c ristene & vnc ristene / cleyme heuene ecchone. / [¶] Kyngys & knyghtes / sholde kepe it be reson. & ryden & rappe dou n / in rewhmes a -bowte. & taken transgressores / & teyȝen hem faste. Tyl trewþe hadde det ermyned / her e t respas to ende. & þ at ys þe p rofessiou n p roperly / þ at apendiþ to knyghtys. & nowht to fasten a fryday / in fyve skore wynt er. But holde w it h hy m / er w it h hire / & so wolde trewthe. Ne F.2.100: Alpha is responsible for Ne. Beta manuscripts have And. neu ere leue hem for love / ne for lacchy nge of sylu er. For dauid i n hise dayes / dubbede knyghtes. & dyde he m swer e on a swerd / to s erue trewþe eu ere. & who þ at passede þ at poynt / a -postata was holde. But Cryst kynggene kyng / knyghted ten oþere. F.2.104: F omits the following line from Bx: "Cherubyn and Seraphyn swiche seuene & oþere." & ȝaf hem myght of his mageste / þe meryer e he m þowhte. & ouer hise meene meyghne / he made he m archang elis & tawhte he m of þe t rinnyte / trewþe to knowe. & F.2.108: Alpha is responsible for the &. Beta manuscripts have To. be buxu m at his byddy nge / he bad hem nowht ell is. / [¶] Þan Lucyfer w it h legyonys / leerned yt i n helle. F.2.109: Bx reads heuene. The scribe reversed the sense without attention to the context. Cf. F5.633. Til F.2.110: Alpha is responsible for Til. Beta manuscripts have But for. he brak buxu mnesse / þa n blysse ga n he tyne. & fel fram þe felachepe / in -to þe feendys lykness e. In -to þe derke helle / to dwelle þ erinne for euer e. & mo þowsende w it h hym / þan ony man ca n nu mbre. Lopen dou n w it h lucyfer / in a lothly forme. For þey be -levede on lucyfer / þ at lord hy m -selue made. F.2.115: F alone among B manuscripts supplies alliterating lucyfer. It also differs from all other B witnesses by altering the b-verse and by omitting a Latin quotation. Bx reads as follows: . . . þat lyed in þis manere Ponam pedem in aquilone & similis ero altissimo. & alle þ at hopede it myghte be so / heuene ne myghte he m holde. But fylly n owt foule feendis / nyghne dayes complet. Tyl god of his goodnesse / gan stable he m to stynte. & made hevene be steke a -gey n / & stonden in quyete. But whan þo wikkyd e wenty n out / wondir -wyse þey felly n. Su mme i n þe erthe / su mme i n þe eyȝr / & su mme i n þe helle depe. But in helle lyþ lucyfer / lowest of hem alle. For P ride þ at he pitte owt / his peyghne haþ no n ende. / [¶] & alle þat after wrong wirchen / wenden þey shulle. Aft er here deþ -day / to F.2.125: Alpha is responsible for to. All beta manuscripts except H have and. dwellyn w it h þat shrewe. & þo þ at wel wirchen / as holy writ hem techeþ. Þey enden / as eer [I] eer seyde / in trewþe / for þe beste. Þey mowe be syker / þ at here soule / shal styȝen i nto heuene. Þer e trewþe ys w it h þe t rinnyte / þ at shal saven F.2.129: The error occurred in alpha. Bx reads "and troneþ hem alle." hem alle. / [¶] For -þy  y seyȝ ȝyt / as y seyde eer / be þe same tixtys. F.2.130: Alpha is responsible for the b-verse. Beta manuscripts have "by siȝte of þise textes." Whan all e tresorys ben t ried / trewþe ys þe beste. Lere F.2.132: Alpha and G omit beta's it after lere. þys / ȝee lewide me n / for lett rid me n it knowen. Þ at trewþe ys þe fayrest tresor / & t ristest on erthe. I have no kyȝnde knowynge q uod y  y coueyte lerne bettr e. F.2.134: Alpha is responsible for the b-verse. Beta manuscripts have "yet mote ye kenne me bettre." R reads "ȝette mote I lerne bettre." By what craft in my corps / it comseþ & where. / [¶] A þ ou dotyst q uod she / to dulle ben þyne wittys. To lytil latyn þ ou lernedist / leede in þyn ȝowthe. H eu m ichi q uod sterilem  duxi uitam iuuenilem. Þat is a kyȝnde knowyng q uod she  þ at comeþ in þy n herte. For to love þy n lord / leevere þan þy -selue. & non / dedly synne don / dyȝe þey þ ou sholdist. Þis y trowe is good tr ewþe / who can teche þe bettre. Loke þ ou suffre hym to seyȝe / & sytthe lerne it soone. For þus witnesseþ his word / worche þ ou þer -after. / [¶] For tr ewþe telliþ / þ at love / ys t riacle of hevene. Þere may sy nne [no] synne / be on hy m sene / þ at that spyce vseþ. Alle hise wirkys be wroghte / w it h love / at his lykyng. & lerned it to moyses / for leve F.2.148: Bx reads "for þe leueste þyng." / & most lyk to hevene. & also plente of pees / ys moost p recious of v ertues. For hevene myghte not holde it / so was it hevy hy m -selue. Tyl it hadde of þe erthe / y -hetyn al his fylle. & whan it hadde of ma nhode / fleshȝ & blood take. Was neu ere leef vpon lyȝnde / lyghter e þer e -after. F.2.153: F omits the following line from Bx: "And portatif and persaunt as þe point of a nedle." Þer F.2.154: The scribe used this form of <r> on the first folio and very infrequently indeed after that point. It is his usual form in the Ushaw fragment. myghte no n armo ure yt lette / ne no n hyȝe wallys. Þ erfor e ys love ledere / of þe lordis fo lk of hevene. & as þe Meyȝr e is meene / be -twene þe kyng & comonys. Ryght so / ys love a leder e / & þe Lawhe shapeþ. Vpon man / for hise mysdedis / & mercyme nt he askeþ. & for to knowe it kyndely / yt comseþ be myghte. & in þy n herte is þe heved / & þe hyȝe welle. For in kyȝnde knowynge i n herte / þer e myght by -gy nneþ. & þ at falleþ to þe fadir / þ at formede faire vs alle. He lookede on vs w it h love / whan he leet his sone dyȝe. Meekly for our e mysdedis / to a -me ndy n vs alle. & ȝyt wolde he no woo  to þo þ at wrowhte hy m peyne. But meekly w it h mowþe / Mercy he be -sowhte. To have pyte on þe peple / þ at pyned hy m to dethe. Here myght þ ou seen ensample / in hy m -selue oone. Þ at he was myghtful & meeke / & m ercy gan g raunte. To he m / þ at hongy n hy m on hyȝ  & his herte þryllyd. For -þy  y rede þe ryche / have m ercy on þe pore. Þey ȝee been myghtful to moote / be ȝee meke i n herte. For be þe same mesur e / þ at ȝee mety n / a -mys oyþ er ellys. Ȝee shulle be weyȝe þer -w it h / whan ȝee wendyn hennys. E ade m me nsura qua me nsi fueritis  remeciet ur uobis. For þey ȝee ben trewe of tu nge / & trewly selle. & as chast as þe chyld / þ at in þe chirche wepiþ. & but ȝee love ȝour e neyhebor e / & leene or gyve þe poor e. Of swiche goodis / as god ȝow se nt / goodly w it h he m ȝe p arte. Ȝee have no mor e meryght / of Mess e ne of howres Þan Malkyn of hir e Maidenhod / þ at alle me n dysyren. F.2.181: Either a scribe or the F redactor miscomprehended the comparison. Beta family manuscripts read: "þat no man desireþ." For Iemes þ at Ientyl man / Iuggede in hise bookys. Þ at feythȝ w it houty n fewte / ys no -þyng worthy. But as ded / as dore tre / but if dedys sewen. F ides sine op erib us F.2.185: The abbreviation for <er> is unusual for this scribe.  mortua est. For -þy  Chastite w it h -outy n Charite / worþ cheyned i n helle. It is lewed as þe lampe / þat no lyght ys Inne. Fele Chapeleynys be chast / but charite is a -weye. Þ ere ben no n averouserer e þan þey / whan þey ben a -vawncyd. & vn -kyȝnde to her e ken / & to all e c ristene peple. Þey chewyn her e charite / & chydyn aft er moor e. Swich chastite w it h -outy n charite / worþ cheyȝned i n hell e. Fele Curat urys kepe hem -self / klene of her e bodijs. But þey ben a -cubrid a -cu[m]brid w it h coueytise / þey ku nne out crepe. So harde haþ Averyce / y -haspid he m to -gydres. & þ at ys not t rewthe of þe t rinnyte / but t reccherye of helle. & lerny nge to lewid me n / þe latter e to leve synne. For -þy  þese word is ben y -wr ete / weel i n þe gospel. D ate & dabitur uobis / for y dele w it h ȝow alle. F.2.199: " III us, " flourished in red, appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus. For date is / þe look of love / þ at leetiþ out my grace. To co nforte þe kareful / þ at is a -cu mbred w it h synne. For love is leche of lyf / & neest our e lord i n heuene. & it ys / þe grayþ gate / þat good goo[þ] F.2.203: Though this instance is probably to be attributed to scribal error, some late East Anglian scribes displayed a tendency to substitute <d> for <þ>. See M. C. Seymour, "A Fifteenth-Century East Anglian Scribe," Medium Ævum 37 (1968): 116-67. in -to blysse. For -þy / y seyȝ / as y seide / eer by þe tyxtys. Whan all e tresor is t riȝed / ȝyt trewþe ys þe beste. Now have y told þe / what trewþe ys / tak it if þ ou lyke. F.2.206: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þat no tresor is bettre." I may no lenger e lenge þe w it h / our e lord looke þe euere. E xplicit pass us S ec und us de visione Pet ri plouhman This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file. Incipit Passus Tercius. I F.3.1: The seven-line ornamental capital is red and green with flourishes in red to the top of the page. Covrbet ȝyt on my knees / & gradd e hir e of g race. & seyd e m ercy Madame / for Marie love of heuene. Þ at bar þ at blisful barn / þ at bowhte vs on roode. F.3.3: A pointing hand appears in the right margin, added by a later hand. & kenne me by su m craft / to knowe þe false. Loke on þy lyft half q uod she  & se wher e he sta ndis. Boþe Fals / & Favel / & her e ferys manye. I lookede on my lyft half / as þe lady tawhte. & was war of a wo mman / was worcheply clothyd. & purfylyd w it h pelur e / þe purest on erthe. & crowned she was w it h a crowne / þe kyng haþ no bettr e. F.3.10: F omits the following line from Bx: "Fetisliche hire fyngres were fretted with gold wyr." & set abowhte w it h rubyes / as rede as ony gleede. & w it h dyamau nd es þe derrest / & doble dyu erse sapherys. Oryentalis & ewagis / enemyes to distroye. Hire Robe was ful ryche / of reed skarlet greyned. W it h Rubanes of reed gold / & ful of ryche stones. Hir e a -ray / me rauyschede / swich rycchesse seyȝ y neu ere. I hadde wondir what she was / & whoos wif she were. What wo mman ys þis / q uod y  so worthyly y -tyred. She is Meede þe Mayde / q uod she  haþ noyed me ful ofte. & often lakkyd my le mman / þ at lewhte is y -hote. & she is lowly to Lordis / þ at lawys have to kepe. & in þe popis paleyȝs she is / as p riuy as my -selue. But Sothnesse wolde no no[t] so / for she bor e bastard. F.3.23: Bx reads "for she is a Bastard." F's revision creates a T-type b-verse. For fals was hir e fadir / þ at haþ a fykyl tu nge. & neu ere soþ seyde / sytthe he co m on erthe. & Meede ys man ered aft er hy m / ryght as kynde askyþ. Q ualis p ater . tal is fili us . I terum . B on us arbor bon us fruct us h abet . M alus arbor F.3.27: The red ink has flaked or rubbed so that the <a> of the second arbor is illegible, only the top lobe remaining. mal us fruct us profert . F.3.27: F alone expands the Latin tag. Bx ends after habet. I awhte ben herrere þan she / y am of a bettr e roote. My Fadir grete god ys / grownde of alle gracis. He is god w it h -owtyn gy nny nge / & y am his goode dowhter. & he gaf me m ercy / to maryen w it h my -selue. & what ma n be m ercyful / & leelly me honowre. Shal be my lord / & y his leef / in þe heyȝe hevene. & what man takþ meede / my nn heed dar y legge. Þ at he shal leese . for hir e love / his lappe ful of charyte. See  how dauid meneþ / of men / þat Meede taken. & of me n on þis Molde / þat Meyȝntene trowthe. & how ȝee shal save ȝour e -selue / þe sawter ȝow techeþ. D omine quis habitab it in tab ernac ulo tuo . & cet era. / [¶] & now shal Meede be Maried / to a manshid shrewe. To on fals & fykil of tu nge / a foul feendis be -ȝeete. Favel þoruh his false speche / þis folk ys enchauntyd. F.3.42: Bx reads ". . . haþ þis folk enchaunted." Cf. 16.376b for the same formula. & alle hise eyȝres eggynge / þ at she shal be y -weddid. & to -morwe worthȝ þe mariage / & þe Maydes brydale. & þer e may þ ou wete / if þ ou wilt / wheche þei ben alle. Þ at longen to þ at Lordchepe / þe lasse & þe more. Knowe hem þer e / if þ ou canst / & keep wel þy n tu nge. & lakke hem nowht but lete he m worþe / tyl Lewte be Iustise. & have powher to pu nshe he m / & þa n pyt furþ þy resou n. Now y be -kenne þe c rist q uod she / & his clene Moodir. & þ at no co ncyense a -cu mbre þe / for coueytyse of meede. / [¶] Þus lefte me þ at Lady / lyggy nge on slepe. & how Meede was Maryed / in Meetelys me þowhte. Þ at al þe alle þe al þe ryche retenew / þ at regned e w it h sir e false. Weryn bodyn to his bydale b[r]ydale / fair e on boþe sydys. Of alle maner e of men / þe mene & þe ryche. To Marie þ at mayde / whery n me n ensemblyd þere. Of knyghtys & of Clerkys / & oþ ire comou n peple. Of sysour es of su mnowr es / & shereuys & her e Clerkis. Of Bedelis & Baylees / & brokores of Chaffar e. Forgowler es Forgower es & vytaleris / & vocatis of þe archis. & manye oþ ir myst er me n / mo þan ben i n myȝnde. F.3.62: This line appears only in F. I can not redily rekne þe rowhte / þ at ran a -bowhte Meede / [¶] But symony & Cyvile / & sysour es of courtys. Wher e most p riue w it h meede / of ony me n þ ere owte. But Favel was þe firste / þ at fette hir e out of chambre. & as a brokour he browhte hir e / to be w it h false en -Ioyned. & wha nne Symony & Cyuyle / seyen here boþe wille. & F.3.69: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta manuscripts have Thei. assentid e for syluer / to seyn / as boþe wolde. / [¶] Þan leep Lyȝer e forþ / & seyd e loo  here a chartre. Þ at Gyle w it h hise grete oþis / gaf hem to -gydre. & p rayede Cyvyle it to seen / & Symony yt redde. Þa nne Symony & Cyvile / stoden forþ bothe. F.3.73: F omits the following line from Bx: "And vnfoldeþ þe feffement that Fals hath ymaked." & þus by -gu nne þo goomes / to gredyn ful hyȝe. F.3.74: " III us " is written with red flourishes in the top right margin to mark the passus number. S ciant p resentes et Fut uri . & cet era. Weteþ wel & wytnessyþ / þ at whonen vpon erthe. Þ at Meede ys Maryed / more for hyre goodys. Þan for ony v ertue / or fairnesse / or ony fre keende. Falsnesse is fayn of hire / for he whot hir e ryche. & Favel w it h his fikyl speche / feffyþ he m by þys chartr e. To been Princes of p ride / & pouerte dyspyse. To Bakbyte & boste wel / & to F.3.82: An otiose curl appears over the <t>. beryn fals witnesse. To skoorne & to skoolde / & sklawndres to make. & to be bold & vn -buxu m F.3.84: Alpha is responsible for the word order "bold & vn-buxu m." Beta witnesses read "vnbuxome and bolde." / to breke þe ten hestys. To have þe Erldom of Envye / & wratthe to -gydres. W it h þe Chastelet of Ieestys / & þe Iangelynge of synne. F.3.86: F's b-verse is unique. Beta manuscripts have "and chaterynge out of reson." R has "and chaterynge out of tyme." & al þe Cu ntr es of Coueytise / w it h alle þe coostys abowhte. Þat is vserye & Avaryce / alle y hem grawnte. In bargaynes & brokages / w it h þe bolde borghȝ of þefte. & al þe Lordchepe of Leccherye / in Lengþe & in brede. In werkynge in wordis / in waytynge w it h yȝen. In wenyngis / In wischyngis / & in wast þowhtys. Þer e as will e wolde werke / ne were woo & drede. F.3.93: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "There as wil wolde and werkmanshipe fayleþ." He ȝaf hem Glotonye eek / & grete oþis to -gydre. & al day to drynke / al a[t] fele dyuerse tauernys. & þer e to Iangle & to Iape / & Iuggyn here euy n -c ristene. & in fastynge F.3.97: A kind of reversed virgule appearing here is probably a slip of the pen. dayes to frete / er ful tyme weere. & softe sytty n & sowpe / tyl sleep F.3.98: An otiose mark appears above the final <p>. gy n hy m a -sayle. & broode hy m as a F.3.99: The a is owed to alpha. borghȝ swyn / & bedde hy m on a bolstr e. Tyl slewthe / & softe sleep / slyken hise sydes. & þa nne wanhope a -wake hy m so / w it h no wil to a -me nde hy m. For he be -leviþ to be loost / þ at ys þe laste ende. / [¶] And þey to haven & to holden / & alle her e eyȝres aft er. A derk dwelly nge w it h þe deuyl / & be da mpned for euere. W it h alle p ertynau ncis of p urgatorye / in -to þe pyne of helle. For þis þyng ȝeldynge / at on ȝeerys ende. Here sowlys to sathan / to suffre w it h hy m peynes. & w it h hy m / to whone i n woo / whilis god ys in hevene. In witnesse of þis F.3.109: The reading þis is owed to alpha. Beta reads which. þyng / wrong was þe firste. & Pers þe P ardone r / of Pawlynes doctryne. & Bette þe bedel e / of Bokyngham -schyre. & Reygnold þe Reve / of Rokelond e F.3.112: The reading Rokelonde is owed to alpha. Beta reads Rutland. sokene. & Munde þe Meller e / & manye mo oþere. In þe date of þe deuel / þis dede y a -seele. By syght of sir e Symony / & Cyvylys leve. Thanne was teenyd / t heo logye / w han he þis ta le herde. & seyde / to sir e Cyvile / now sorwe mote þ ou have. Swiche weddy ngg es to wirche / to wratthe w it h trewþe. & he þis weddynge haþ wrought / woo  hy m by -tyȝde. For Meede ys Moylere / of a - Mendys ongendred [e]ngendred. & god g rauntid to gyve / Meede to trewthe. & þ ou hast gyve hir e to a gylour / now god gyve þe sorwe. Þe tyxt tellyþ not so / trewþe whot þe soþe. For dignus est op erariu us operarius / his heer e to have. & þ ou hast fest hir e w it h fals / fy  on þy n lawe. For al be lesyngys / þ ou lyvyst  & leccherouse werkys. / [¶] Þan Symonye & Cyvyle / chydden holy chyrche. & seid e þe notarijs & ȝee / foule noyȝhen þe peple. Ȝee shull e a -begge it / boþe / by god þ at me made. Wel ȝee wety n wernardys / þ at [but if] ȝour e wit fayleþ. Þ at fals ys faythles / & fykil in hise werkys. & as F.3.132: The reading as is owed to alpha. Beta reads was. a bastard y -bor e / of Belzabubis kynne. & Meede ys Moylere / & a Mayde of goode. & myghte kyssen þe kyng / for kosyn & he F.3.134: Alpha preserves the he form for the third person singular feminine pronoun here. wolde. For -þy  wyrcheþ be wisdom / & be wit bothe. & lediþ hir e to Londou n / þer e lawhe ys y -shewyd. If ony lawhe will e looke / þ at þey lyggy n to -gydres. & þey Iustyses Iuggy n hire / to be Ioyned w it h fase fa[l]se. Ȝyt be war of þe F.3.139: The reading þe is owed to alpha, though it is shared by GH. Beta omits it. weddy ngge / for wytty is trewthe . & co nsience his co nseylour / he know et h ȝow ecchone. & if he fyȝnde ȝow i n defawhte / & w it h sir e false holde. He wil be -slot ere F.3.142: MED s.v. bislotered, cites only one other instance of this verb, which appears as a variant in Chaucer, CT Prol. (CmbGg) A.76. ȝour e sowlys / ful soure at þe laste. F.3.143: A cropped red <x> appears in the left margin, a corrector's mark noting the error. Herto asentyd Cyvyle / but Cyvyle [Symonye] ne wolde. Tyl he hadde su m syluer / & all e hise notarijs. F.3.145: A cropped red <x> appears in the left margin, possibly noting the failed alliteration in the preceding line. / [¶] Þa nne fette Favel forþ / floreynys y -nowe. & bad Gyle goo gyve / gold al abowhte. & namely to þe Notarijs / þ at þey noon fayle. & feffe Fal s / be witnesse / w it h floreynys y -nowe. Þ at he F.3.149: The reading he is owed to alpha, though shared by L. Beta reads þei. may Meede a - Maystrye / & makyn at my n wille. Whan þis gold was y -gyve / gret was þe þonkyng. To fals / & to Favel / for her e fair e gyftys. & kestyn a -wey care / & conforte sir e false. F.3.152: The line is unique to F. Bx reads "And comen to conforten from care þe false." & seyden sir e for -soþe / seece shull e we neuer e. Tyl Meede be þy weddyd wif / þoru wyt of vs alle. For we have Meede a - Mayst ried / þorgh F.3.155: The reading þorgh is owed to alpha, though shared by H. Beta reads wiþ. our e m erye speche. Þ at she g raunteþ for to goo / w it h a good wille. To lu nde nn to looken / if þat þe Lawe will e. Iuggen it Iustelyche / in Ioye for euere. F.3.158: The following partially legible words were written in a secretary hand in the top margin: "he . . . / must no[t] in Redyng be to lyght." The top of the notation has been trimmed away. / [¶] Þanne Fals was fayȝn / & Favel ful blythe. & leet somou ne alle me n / in shyres a -bowte. & bad he m alle been bou n / begger es & oþer e. To wenden w it h hym to westme nstr e / to witnesse þe F.3.162: The reading þe is owed to alpha. Beta reads þis. dede. But þan cared þey for Caplis / to kayre hem to lu nde nn & Favel fette furþ a -noon / fele folys sone. & sette Meede on a Sh er ev e / y -shood al newe. & Fals sat on a Sysour / þat softly trottide. & Favel on a Fl at ere / ful fetyȝsly a -tyred. / [¶] Þan Notarijs hadde noone / & a -noyed þey whery n. Þ at Symonye & Cyvile / sholde on foote renny n. But þa nne swoor Symonye / & Cyvile bothe. Þ at Somnowr es sholde be sadlid / & s erue he m ecchone. & p ropirly aparayle p rovysoures / in palfreyes wyse. & sire Symonye hy m -selue / shal sytty n on her e bakkys. & deenes & southdenes / let drawe to -gydr e. Archedeknys & officiali s / & alle ȝoure registrys. & stoppe hem w it h syluer / our e synnes to suffre. As devoos & devoutrye / & deerne vserye. To ber e Bisshopis a -bowte / a -brood to vysyte. / [¶] & Pawlynes peple / and pleyntis in þe co nstorye. Shulle s eruy n my n -selue / þ at Cyvile is y -named. & Cartesadle þe Co mmyssa rye / our e carte shal he leede. To fecche vs vytaylis / at fornicatores. & Lyer e shal be long carte / to leden alle þe oþ ire. As Fobberys / & Faytour es / þ at on her e feet renne. & þus fals & favel / faren forþ to -gydre. & Meede in þe Myddys / & all e þe oþ ire after. I have no tome to telle / þe tail þ at hem folw et h. Of many a man ere man / þ at on þe moolde lybbeþ. But Gyle was forgoer e / & gyede he m alle. / [¶] Þan Sothnesse seyȝ hem wel / & seyde but a lyte. But p rikede his palfray / & passede he m alle. & cam to þe kyngys court / & co nsyence it tolde. & Consyence to þe kyng / carped it after. Nou be c rist q uod þe kyng / & y cacche myghte. Fals eyþ ir F.3.195: The reading eyþir is owed to alpha. Beta has synonymous or. Favel / or feerys of hise felachepe. I wolde be wrooke of þo wrecchis / þ at werche so Ille. & don hem hongy n be þe hals / & all e þat hem meyghten mey[n]ten[e]. Sholde neu ere man on moolde / me nprise þe leeste. But ryght as þe Lawe will e / lete fall e on hem alle. / [¶] Ano n he comou ndid com[a]undid a co nstable / to comen at þe fyrste. F.3.201: The scribe in his rubricating mode wrote what appears to be an <l> surrounded with marks rather like modern commas in the top margin immediately above the ampersand. & goo F.3.201: The reading goo may be unique in F. The margin of R is badly cropped and the beginning of the line lost, but oo appears. Beta reads To. tac he þo tyrawntys / for ony thyng y hote. & fetre faste False / For ony faire gyftys. & loke þ ou gerde of Gyles heed / & let hy m go no further e. & if þ ou lacche Lyȝere / lete hy m nowht a -skape. Er he be pyt on Pillory / for ony p rayer e y hoote. & loke þ ou brynge Meede to me / Mawgre hem alle. Þan stood drede at þe dore / & al þe dome herde. & how þe kyng comaundid e / co nstablis & s ergauntys. Þ at False / & his felachepe / to fet ere & to byȝnde. Þa nne Dreede wente wyȝhtly / & warnede False. & bad hy m flee for ferd / & hise feerys alle. & a -no n Fals for feer e / fleyȝ streyt to þe Frerys. & w it h hym Gyle gan goo / for gast he sholde dyȝe. But Marchawntys mette w it h hy m / & made hy m abyȝde. & settyn hy m in her e shoppis / to shewen here ware. & p araylid hym lyȝk a p rentyȝs / þe peple to serue. Ful lyghtly Lyer e / leep a -wey þenne. Lurkende þorghȝ lanes / to -luggyd of manye. He was no -wher wolkome / for hise manye talys. But ou eral hyȝe howted / & y -hoote to trusse. & P ard oneris hadden pyte / & pullyd hy m to howse. & wasshed hy m / & wyped hy m / & wou nnde hy m in cloþis. & sentyn hy m w it h seelys / on sundayes to chirchis. & gaf p ardou n for pens / pownd -meel a -bowte. Þa nne Lowrede Lechis / & Lettrys þey sentyn. Þ at he wolde wone w it h hem / watrys to looke. Fele spyceris spoke to F.3.227: The reading to is owed to alpha. Beta reads with. hy m / to a -spyȝe her e ware. For he cowhde on F.3.228: The reading on is owed to alpha, though appearing also in Hm and Hm 2. Beta reads of. her e craft / & knew fele gu mmes. Þa nne Menstralis & Messagerys / metty n w it h hy m o weye. & heelde hy m half a F.3.230: The reading half a is owed to alpha, though shared by CrH. Beta reads an half. ȝeer / & elevene dayes. But Freris w it h Fair speche / fecchid hy m þenne. & for komynge knowerys / þey copid hy m as a Frer e. But haþ leve / to leepen owt / as ofty n as hy m lykeþ. & ys wolkome . whan he will e / w it h -owty n ony dau nnger. F.3.234: The b-verse is unique to F. Bx reads "and woneþ with hem ofte." & alle þe oþ ire fledde for feer / & faste flown to hyrnes. Save Meede þe Mayde / no moo durste a -byde. But trewþe to telle / she trembled e for feere. F.3.237: The reading feere is owed to alpha. Beta reads drede. & also F.3.238: The reading also is owed to alpha. Beta reads ek. wepte & weylede / for she was a -tachid. E xplic it Passus Tercius. This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file. I ncipit Passus Qvartus. N Ow F.4.1: The ornamented capital is produced in red and green ink with flourishes in red to within an inch of the top of the written space. is Meede þe Mayd e / & no mo of alle. I -browht by -for e þe kyng / w it h bedel & bayly A -no n þe kyng kallid a Clerk / y knowe not h is name. To take Meed e þe Maide / & make hir e a tese at ese. But y will e hir e first a -sayȝe / & sotilly hir e apose. What wyȝe of þis world / þ at she were levest. & if s he wirc he be my wit / & my wi lle fo lwe. F.4.7: IIII us with red flourishes is written in the top right margin to indicate the passus. I wil for -gyve hir e þe gyltis F.4.8: Alpha is responsible for plural gyltis. Beta manuscripts have gilt. / so me god helpe. Þa nne þe Clerk curteysly / dyde as þe kyng hy m hyghte. He took Meede by þe myddil / & mente F.4.10: F alone has this probably original reading. We have not determined whether it represents F-Redactor's (or F-Scribe's) intelligent conjecture or (as Kane and Donaldson have proposed) his access to a pre-archetypal manuscript. hir e to chambre. & þe Clerk gan conforte hire / for gret cony nge he hadde. F.4.11: This line appears only in F. & fette furþ m erthe w it h me nstralcy / Meede w it h to plese. Su mme þ at whonen at westme nstr e / worchepe þey hir e make. Ful Ientylly w it h Ioyȝe / of þe Iustises manye. Busked hem boldly to hir e bour / þere þe beerde dwelliþ. To conforte hir e kony ngly / by Clergyes leve. Þey seide moorne not Meede / ne make þ ou no sorwe. For we will e wisse þe kyng / & þy weyȝe shape. To be weddid at þy will e / & wher þe levest lykeþ. For al co nsyecys consye[n]cys craft / or cast F.4.20: Alpha is responsible for this word order. Beta manuscripts have "cast or craft." / as y trowe. Þa nne Myȝldely Meede / mercyed hem alle. Of here grete goodnesse / & gaf to hem ecchone. Cowpis / of klene gold / w it h cases of syluer. Ryngis w it h rubyes / & rycchesse F.4.24: Alpha is responsible for rychesse. Beta manuscripts have richesses. ful thykke. For þe leeste of her e me n / hadde a motou n of goolde. Þan lawhte þei her e leve / þo Lordis at Meede. & w it h þat  keme n Clerkys / & co nfortid hir e þe same. & beedy n hir e be blythe / For we ben þyn owene. For to wirche þy wille / þe whyles þ ou may laste. Þa nne she dede hendely / & be -hyghte hem þe same. To loven hem lelly / & Loordis hem to make. For in þe co nstorie in þe court / I shal do cowþe ȝo ur name. Shal no lewidnesse letty n / þo clerkys F.4.33: Alpha is responsible for clerkys. Beta manuscripts have leode. þ at y lovye. Þ at he worþ F.4.34: Bx reads "That he ne worþ first auaunced . . . ." The negative was omitted in alpha. first a -vauncyd / for y am wel be -knowe. Þer e þ at kony nge clerkys / shull e knokke k[l]okke F.4.35: F supplies non-sensical knokke to replace klokke, "limp," an unfamiliar word which appears only in Piers Plowman. by -hyȝnde. Þa nne com þer e a Confessour e / was coped as a Frere. To Meede þ at F.4.37: Beta witnesses read þe, exactly what Langland's usual formula would suggest. However, R has þis, and alpha may simply have had a thorn without the suspended <s>, <t>, or <e>. Mayde / & meelyd e þese wordis. & seyde ful softly / as in scryfte it where. Þey leernede me n / & lewed e me n / have ley n by þe boþe. & þey Fals have defoulyd þe / þis fyftene wynter. I shal a -soyle þe my -selue / for a seem of wheete. & also ben þy n bedema n / & beer e wel þy n name. A -mongys Clerkys & knyghtys / her e consyence to t urne. Þan Meede for hir e mysdedis / to þ at man t urnede. & shrof hir e of hir e shrewidness e / shameles y t rowe. Whan she hadde told hir e tale / she took hy m a noble. For to been hir e bedeman / & hir e brokour alse. A -non he assoylyd hir e soone / & sytthen he seyde. We have a wyndowe wirc hynge / will e sytte vs fu l hyȝe Wolde ȝe glase þ at gable / & grave þ ere -In ȝour e name. Sykirly sholde ȝour e soule / in -to hevene styȝe. Ȝee wiste y þat q uod Meede / þer is [n]is wyndowe ne awht er. F.4.52: This line and the following one correspond roughly to A 3.50-51. Alpha omits eleven lines attested by beta witnesses. Possibly the addition of this line and the next reflects alpha's attempts to restore material missing in his exemplar from his memory of A. Beta reads as follows: Wiste I þat quod þat womman I wolde noȝt spare For to be youre frend frere and faile yow neuere While ye loue lordes þat lecherie haunten And lakkeþ noȝt ladies þat louen wel þe same It is a freletee of flessh ye fynden it in bokes And a cours of kynde wherof we comen alle Who may scape þe sclaundre þe scaþe is soone amended It is synne of þe seuene sonnest relessed Haue mercy quod Mede of men þat it haunteþ And I shal couere youre kirk youre cloistre do maken Wowes do whiten and wyndowes glazen. Þ at y y [ne] wolde do me nde it / or make it at þe fulle. & do peynte me & my n name / a -p ertly þ ere -Inne F.4.54: The line is unique to F. Beta reads "Do peynten and portraye and paie for þe makynge." F is possibly influenced by A's "Þat I ne shulde make or mende & myn name writen." Þ at ech a F.4.55: Alpha is responsible for ech a. Beta manuscripts have euery. segg e sholde see / I am syst er to ȝow alle. F.4.55: Alpha is responsible for "to ȝow alle." Beta manuscripts have "of youre house." / [¶] But god / to goode folk / swich g rauynge defendiþ. & wryty nge i n wyndowis / of her e wel -dedys. Ne awht er do peynte / for pompe of þe peple. F.4.58: The line is unique to F. Beta reads "An auenture pride be peynted þere and pomp of þe world." For c rist know et h þy n co nsyence / & þy n kende wille. Boþe þe coost & þy coueytyse / & who þe catel awhte. F.4.60: F omits the following lines from Bx: Forþi I lere yow lordes leueþ swiche werkes To writen in wyndowes of youre wel dedes Or to greden after goddes men whan ye delen doles On auenture ye haue youre hire here and youre heuene als. The lines are missing from H as well. N esciat sinistra  quid faciat dextera. Leete nowht þy n lyft half / neyþ ir late ne rathe. Weety n what þ ou wyrchist / w it h þy n ryght syde. For þus biddis þe gospel / good men dos do[n] F.4.64: F has missed the point, substituting a finite form for the required infinitive. þ erafter. / [¶] Meyȝres w it h here Macerys / þ at meenys been be -twene. Þe kyng / & þe Comou nys / to kepen wel þe Lawys. & punsshyn F.4.67: The scribe corrected this word by writing a second <s> over original <c>. See F4.195, 10.561 for similar corrections. vpon F.4.67: Alpha is responsible for vpon. Beta manuscripts have on. pylory / & on pynyge pyny[n]ge stolys. Boþe webster es & bakesterys / & bocher es & Cookys. For þo ar e me n vpon F.4.69: Alpha is responsible for vpon. Beta manuscripts have on. moolde / þ at mest harm wirche. To þe poore peple / þat p arcel -meel byggyn. & poysene þe peple / pryvyly & softe. Þey rychen þoru regratrye / & rentys he m byggyn W it h þat  þe por e peple / sholde pytte in her e wombe. For tooke þey on trewly / þey tyȝmbred not so hyȝe. Ne bowhte no bargayn / be þe F.4.75: This alpha reading is shared by BmBoCot; most other beta manuscripts have ye. fulle s ertey n. But now þe Maide meede / þe Mayr haþ she p rayed. Of alle swiche seller es / sylu er to taken. Or p resentys w it h -outy n pens / as pecys of syluer. Or rynges or rycchesse / þe reg ratoures to mey nghte meyn[ten]e. For my Lord F.4.80: Alpha reads Lord for Bx's loue. / q uod þ at Lady / loveþ he m ecchone. & suffreþ he m to selle / su mdel a -gey n resou n / [¶] Kyng Salomo n þe sage / a sermou n he made. To a - Mende Meyȝhrys / & me n þ at kepe þe Lawis & þus he tolde his teeme / þ at y shal telle ȝou aft er. I gnis deuorabit tabernac ula eor um qui libent er F.4.85: Alpha omits beta's accipiunt munera. A -mong lettryd leedis / þis latyn ys to meene. Þ at feer shal falle & brenne / al to bloo askys. Þe howses / & þe homes / of hem þ at dysyren. Gyftys / or ȝeris -gyftys / be -cause of her e offyȝs. F.4.89: Alpha is responsible for offyȝs, a reading shared by H. Beta manuscripts have plural offices. Þanne þe kyng fram co nseyl ca m / & callyd after Meede. & sente aft er hir e swyþe / w it h s ergauntys manye. Þ at brow htyn browhtyn [hire] to bowre / wiþ blysse & w it h Ioyȝe. / [¶] A -non þe kyng curteysly / comsed for to telle. & to Meede þe Maide / he meled e þese wordis. Þ ou wo mman vn -wittyly / wrought hast þ ou ofte. But worse wroughtist þ ou neu ere / þan whan þ ou fals tooke. But y forgyve þe þ at gylt / & g raunte þe my n grace. Fram hens to þy n deþ -day / yf þ ou do so no moore. / [¶] But y have a knyght hatte con syence / kam late f ram by -ȝou nde. If he wilne þe to wyve / wilt þ ou w it h hy m holde. Ȝee Lord q uod þe Lady / our e Lord for -beede ellys. But y be holly at ȝo ur heste / hyȝe hange hange [me] soone. / [¶] & þan was Consyence clepd / to come n & a -peren. By -for e þe kyng & his cu nseyl / as Clerkys & oþer e. Þa nne Consience knelynge / vnto þe kyng lowhtede. To wete what his will e wer e / & what he do sholde. / [¶] Wilt þ ou weddy n þis wo mma n q uod þe ky ng / if she will e a -sente. For she is of fair shap F.4.108: F's reading is unique. Beta manuscripts read "fayn of þi felaweshipe." / for to ben þyn make. Q uod Co nsience to þe kyng / c rist it me for -beede. & er y wedde swich a wyf / woo me by -tyȝde. For she is fykel of feyþ / & fals of hire speche. & makþ me n mys -doon / manye skor e tyȝmes. & þo þ at t ristne on trewþe / she treyȝeþ hem ofte. F.4.113: F's line is unique. Bx reads "Trust of hire tresor trayeþ ful manye." Boþe wyvis & wedewis / & wantowne wenchis. F.4.114: The b- verse is unique to F. Bx reads "wantounnesse she techeþ." & lerneþ hem Leccherye / þ at loveþ hire loor e. Ȝowre fader she felde / þorhȝ hir e F.4.116: BmBoCot read hire, which is otherwise unique to F. fayr e F.4.116: Alpha is responsible for fayre. Beta manuscripts read false. heste. & she haþ y -poysoned popis / & a -peyred holy chirche Þer is nawht a bettr e bawde / by hy m þ at me maade. By -twexe hevene & hell e / þey me n al erthe sowhte. For she is tykyl of hir e tayl / & talewyȝs of tunge. & as comou ne as cartewey / to ech knave of towhne. She takþ Masonys F.2.122: F's reading "She takþ Masonys" is unique. Other manuscripts have "To Monkes." F also uniquely has & twice in place of Bx's to. & Menstralys / & Meselys in heggys. Boþe Sysoures & Su mnowres / swiche shull e hir e p reyse. But Sherevis of Shyres / whery n shent if she neere. For she doþ me n leesen her e lond / & her e lyf boþe. & she leetyþ passe p risonerys / & payeþ for he m ofte. & gyfþ þe gailer gold / & grootys to -gydr e. To vnfet ere þe false / & flee wher e hy m lykeþ. & trewþe ys take be þe top / & teyȝed fyȝn faste. & he hangyd for hatter ede / þ at harm dyde neu ere. To don curse in constorye / she a -cou nteþ not a resshe. For she copeþ þe Comyssarie / & klokiþ F.4.132: klokiþ, "provides with a cloak." This is the first instance we have found of the finite form of this verb. OED's earliest citations are from the early sixteenth century, while the only MED citation is a participial adjective dated c. 1450 in the related sense "encased, enclosed." all e hise clerkys. & she ys a -soyled soone / as hir e -selue lykyþ. She may neeyh doon as myc he / in a Moneþ ones. As ȝowr e secret seel / sir e kyng / in sixe skor e dayes. For she is p rive w it h þe pope / alle p rovisoures it knoweþ. For Maist er Symony & hir e -selue / a -seely n þe billys & she blessiþ bisshopis / & beggerys she hateþ. A problem in alpha has led F to invent new b-verses for these two lines. Beta witnesses attest: She blesseþ þise Bisshopes þeiȝ þei be lewed Prouendreth persones, and preestes maynteneþ & p restys she meynteneþ / w it h me nnes wifes to deele. & to have lemannys F.4.140: F alone begins the line with & and omits and lotebies. / alle her e lyf -dayes. & so ben browht forþ barnes / a -gey n for -boode Lawis. / [¶] & þer e she is weel w it h þe kyng / woo ys / to þ at Rewhme. For she is fau erable / to Fals / & defouleþ trewþe ofte. By Iesus w it h hir e Iewelis / þe F.4.144: Alpha is responsible for þe. Beta manuscripts have youre. Iustises she shendiþ. & lyȝeþ a -geyn þe Lawhe / & lettyþ so þe gate. Þ at feyþ may not have his furþ / for Floreynys goo so þykke. She leediþ þe lawe as she lyst / & swiche love -dayes makeþ. Þ at me n leese be hir e love / þ at lawe wolde þey wonne. Ȝee þe Mase for a meene man / þeyhȝ he moote euer e. For þe Lawe is so lordly / & looþ to make an ende. W it h -outy n p resentys or pens / it plesiþ but fewe. Boþe Baronys & burgeisis / she bryngiþ in sorwe. & all e þe como nis in care / þ at coueyten truthe. For Clergye & Coueytyse / she cowpleþ to -gydr e. Þis is þe Lyf of þ at Lady / our e Lord gyve hir e sorwe. & alle alle [þat] hire mey ntene & hir e me n / myschawnce he m by -tyȝde. For poor e me n have no powher / to pleyne þeyhȝ þey smerte. F.4.157: F omits the following line from Bx: "Swich a maister is Mede among men of goode." T Hanne F.4.158: A small guide <t> for the rubricator appears to the top left of the finished <T>. mornede Meede / & made mychil sorwe. F.4.158: F combines and reconfigures Bx's b-verse with the a-verse of the following line. Bx reads as follows: Thanne mournede Mede and mened hire to þe kynge To haue space to speke spede if she myȝte. & p rayede þe kyng to speke / speede if she myghte. Þe kyng g rauntyd hir e g race / w it h a glad wille. Excuse þe if þ ou canst / I can no moor e . þis tyme. For Consience haþ accused þe  to kunge þe for euer e. Nay Lord q uod þ at Lady / now leve hy m þe worse Whan ȝee wetyn wytt yrly / wher e þe wrong lyggiþ. For þere þ at Mischeef ys gret / Meede may it helpe. & þ at F.4.166: Alpha is responsible for þat. Beta manuscripts lack it. þ ou knowist Consience / y can not w it h þe chyde. Ne deprave þy p ersone / w it h a prowd herte. But wel þ ou woost wernard / but if þ ou wyll e gabbe. Þ ou hast hangid on my n half / eleuene tymes. & also y -g ripe my gold / & gyve yt F.4.170: An otiose tilde appears above the <y>. wher e þe lyked. But why  þ ou wratthest þe now / wondir me þy nkyþ. For ȝit y may as y myghte / menske þe w it h gyftys. & meyntene þy n manhod / moor e þan þ ou knowyst. But þ ou hast defamed defamed [me] foule / by -for e þe kyng heere. For t ruly y kyllyd e neu ere knyght F.4.175: Alpha is responsible for knyght. Beta manuscripts have kyng. / ne co nt rivede þ at dede. Ne dyde as þ ou demest me / y doo it on þe dede. F.4.176: F has picked up dede from the preceding line. Bx has kynge. For in Normondyȝ þe ky ng was nout / noyhed for my sake But þ ou þy -se lve sot hly / þ ou shamedist hym ofte. F.4.178: The top of the page has a five-line illustration with a human head at the left end of a decorated tube and a lion's head at the right end. The drawing incorporates the ascenders from the text. For crope Crope in a Caban / for cold of þyn naylys. & wendist þ at wynt er / wolde have lasted euere. & also þ ou dreddist to dyȝe / for a dym clowhde. & hyȝedist homward e / for hung ir of þy wombe. & w it h -outyn pyte þ ou pylour / pore me n þ ou robbedist. F.4.183: An otiose curl appears over the <o>. & bere her e bras at þy bak / In Caleys to selle. Þere y lefte w it h my Lord / his lyf for to save. I made hise me n meryȝe / & her e Murnynge y lette. I bat ered he m on þe bak / & bolded here hertys. & dide he m hoppy n on hope / to have me at will e. Hadd e y be Marchal of hise me n / be Marie of hevene. I durste haue leyd my lyf / & no lesse gage. He shulde have have [be] lord of þ at lond / in lengþe & i n brede. & also kyng of þ at kyþ / al his keen to helpe. Þe leeste brolle of þis lond F.4.193: The substitution of lond for Bx's blood is owed to alpha. / a baronys peere. & þ ou Consience / cowardly / þ ou conseyledist hy m þenne. To levyn so his Lordshepe F.4.195: The scribe initially wrote Lordchepe and then corrected the <c> to <s>. Cf. F4.67, 10.561. / for a lytyl syluer. Þ at ys þe ryccheste regne / þ at reyȝn ou ere -hoveþ. It be -comeþ wel a kyng / þ at kepiþ a rewhme. To ȝyve Meede to men / þ at menskly hy m s erue. & alyenys & oþ ire men / to honour e he m w it h gyftys. For Meede makþ hy m by -loved / & a ma n y -holde. Emp erour es / & Erlys / & alle erthely Lord is. Þorghȝ ȝiftys have ȝoomen F.4.202: Alpha is responsible for ȝoomen. Beta manuscripts have yonge men. / to ȝeerne & to ryȝde. Þe Pope also / of p relatys / p resentys he vndir -fongyþ. & þey Meede me n hem -selue / to mey ntene þe lawis. & seruau ntys for her e s eruyse / who can seyȝ þe sothe. Take Meede of her e Mayst er / as þey mou n a -corde. & beggerys for her e beggy ng F.4.207: Alpha is responsible for beggyng. Beta manuscripts have biddynge. / byddyn for me n meede. & Menstralis for her e m erthe / meede / me n hem p rofr e. / [¶] Þe kyng haþ Meede of hise me n / to make pees i n londe. & me n þ at techen chyldryn / craven of hem meede. F.4.210: A pointing finger is added in the margin by a later hand. Preestis þ at p reche þe peple / of god þey aske meede. & messe -pens & her e meel / at here mete tyȝme. Alle man ere of c rafty me n / crave meede for her e p rentyȝs. & Marchauntys & meede / muste nedys goon to -gydr e. No wyȝht as y wene / w it houty n meede may lybbe. F.4.216: This ornamental capital, more elaborate than the one at 4.158, is red with green flourishes. A small guide <t> is visible in its midst. T han seyd e þe kyng to con sience / by c rist as me þy nkiþ. Now ys Meede worthy / þe Maystrie to have. Nay q uod co nsience to þe kyng / & kneled on þe erþe. Þere ben two man ere of meedis / my lord be ȝo ur leve. Þe firste is þ at god of his g race / grauntyþ to his blysse. To þo þ at wel wirche / whilis þey ben on erthe. Þe p roph ete p rechiþ þer -of / & is pyt in þe Sawter. D omine q uis habitab it in tabernac ulo tuo  at que q uis req uiescet in monte sancto eius . imoce ns i[nn]ocens ma nib us & mu ndo corde. F.4.223: F significantly augments the tag. Bx ends after tuo. He seyþ Lord who shal wone i n þy n wones / w it h þy n holy sey ntis. Er restyn on þyn holy hillis / þus askede F.4.225: Alpha is responsible for askede. Beta manuscripts have askeþ. dauyd. / [¶] & dauyd asoyled it / hy m -selue / as þe sawht er tellyþ. Q ui i ngredit ur sine mac ula  & op erat ur iusticia m. Þo þ at entryn of o colour he seiþ / & also of o wille. & haven wroght werkis / w it h ryght & w it h resou n. & he wil nowht vse / þe lyf of vseryȝe. But en -formeþ pore me n / to pursue trewþe. F.4.231: F omits Bx's "Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram et munera super innocentem." & þo þ at helpe þe Innoce nt / & holde w it h þe ryghtful. & w it h -outy n Meede doon he m good / & trew men F.4.233: Alpha is responsible for trew. Beta manuscripts have truþe. F alone adds men. helpe. Swiche man ere of me n my lord / shull e have þe for -seyd mede. Of god / at his grete neede / whan þey goon hennys. / [¶] Þe s ec onde Meede ys Mesourles / þ at Mayst ris dysyren To Mey ntene mysdoerys / Meede þey taken. & of hem seyþ þe sawht er / in a Spalmes ende. F.4.239: An X appears in the left margin by this line. In q uor um manib us i niq uitates su nt  dext ra eor um r epleta e st mun erib us. He þ at grypeþ so gold / so me god helpe. F.4.241: Note is written in the left margin by a later hand along with a pointing finger, probably marking the passage and no one line. He shal a -byȝe it bytt erly / if þe book be trewe. Boþe p restys & p arsones / þ at p reysynge dysyreþ. Þey take Meede & Mone / for Masses to sy nge. & þerfor e is her e Meede / as Sey nt Mattheu vs tellyt Ame n dico vobis . receperu nt mercedem suam. / [¶] But þ at Laboris & lewid men / taken of here Mayst ris. It is no manere Meede / but a mesurable hyȝre. Ne in Marchantdyse / is no meede / y may it wel a -vowe. It is F.4.249: Alpha is responsible for the omission of a before Permvtacioun. Permvtac iou n ap ertly / a peny -worþ / for a -noþir. But reddist þ ou neu ere regu m / þ ou recreyȝede Meede . Why  þe vengaunce fel on / Saul & hise childryn. God sente to Saul / be Samuel the p roph ete. Þ at Agag & Amalek / & al here peple after. Shulden dyȝe for þe dede / þ at doon hadde her e eldres. / [¶] Þus seyde Samuel to Saul / god hy m -selue þe hoteþ. Þ ou be buxu m at my F.4.256: RF agree against beta family manuscripts which read his. byddy ngge / his wille to fulfylle. Wende to Amelek w it h þy n oost / & what þ ou fynst sle it. & beernes & beestis / brenne he m to dethe. Boþe wyvis & wydewis / & wo mme n w it h chylde. F.4.259: F alone has "with chylde." Other manuscripts read "and children." Mevable & vn -mevable / al þ ou may þ ere fyȝnde. Brenne yt / ber e it nowht a -way / be it neu ere so ryche. For Meede ne for mone / mak no þy n þyn[g] on lyve. F.4.262: Bx fails in alliteration, and F has revised to provide alliteration on nasalization. Bx reads "For Mede ne for monee loke þow destruye it." Cx also revises the b-verse, but differently. But spille it / & spar e it nowht / & þ ou shalt spede þe bettr e. / [¶] & for he coueytyd her e catel / & þe kyng he sparede. & for -bar hy m / & hise beestis / as þe book telliþ. Othir -wyse þa n he was / warned of þe p roph ete. / [¶] Þan seyde god / to Samewel / þ at savl sholde dyȝe. & al his seed / for þ at sy nne / synfully þan endede. F.4.268: Alpha is responsible for the preterite endede, a lection shared with Hm. Other beta manuscripts have ende(n). Swich a Myschef / Meede made / kyng saul to have. Þ at god hatyd hy m for eu ere / & alle hyse eyȝres aft er. Þe co nstruyng of þis caas / kepe y nowht expowne. For hap if it noyede me n / no n ende wil y make. For so is þis world went / w it h hem þ at have powher. Þ at who -so seyþ he m her e soþis / he ys su nnest blamed. I knowe it wel q uod co nsience / for wit me it tawhte. Þ at resou n shal reygne / & rewhmes gouerne. & ryght as Agag hadde no harm / so happe shull e su mme. For Samvel shal fle [s]le hy m / & saul shal be blamed. & d auid shal be dyademed / & adawnty n he m alle. & .o. c ristene kyng / shal kepen al þe frape. F.4.280: Other B witnesses have the relatively pedestrian b-verse variants "kepen hem echone" or "kepen hem alle." Shal no moor e meede be mayst er / so mychil as he F.4.281: he, "she." Alpha preserves this form. All beta witnesses read she. is nowþe. But boþe love & lowenesse / & lewte to -gydre. Þese shull e be Mayst ris on Moolde / trewþe to save. & who t respaseþ a -gey n t rewþe / or takþ a -gey n his will e. Lewte shal doon hy m lawe / & no lyf ellys. Shal no sergau nt for no s eruyse / were a sylk howe. Ne no pelewr e in his cloke / for plety nge at þe barr e. But ofte Misdoeris þoru Meede / ys mey ntened be lord is. & þoru þe Lordys be Lawes / for to rewle þe rewhme. / [¶] But kyȝnde love shal come ȝit / & co nsyence to -gydr e. Two abbreviations for n ota were written in very pale ink in the right margin by a later scribe. & make of Lawe a laborer / swich love shal a -ryse. & swich pees F.4.292: Alpha is responsible for the omission of a before pees. a -mo ng þe peple / & p arfyȝt trewþe. Þ at Iewis shull e wene i n her e wit / & waxe wondir glade. Þ at Moyses or Messye / be comen i n -to erthe. & have wondir in hertis / þ at me n be her e so tr ewe. / [¶] & all e þ at bery n baselard e / or F.4.296: The initial character could be either an <e> or an <o>. Both forms appear in the manuscript. brod -swerd or lawnce. Er ex or hachet / or ony wepene ellis. Shull e be da mpned to þe deþ / but he do it smythie. In -to sykil or i n -to sythe / to shar er to cultyr. E t conflabu nt gladios suos in vom eres. Ech man shal pleyȝe w it h þe plowh /. or pykoyse or spade. Or spy nne or sprede du nk / or lese F.4.302: Alpha is responsible for lese. Beta manuscripts have correctly alliterating spille. hy m -selue w it h slewþe. Prestis & p arsonys / w it h Placebo shull e hunte. & dynggyn vpon dauid / eu ery day til eve Huntynge or hawkynge / if ony of hem it vse. For his boost / his benefyȝs / worþ by -nome hy m aft er. Shal neyþ ir kyng ne knyght / ne Meyȝr ne co nstable. Ouer leede þe comou ne / ne to her e court he m somowne. Ne pitte hem in panel / to do plyghte her e trewþe. But aft er þe dede / þ at is doon / o doom shal rewarde. Er w it h M ercy / or w it h no M ercy / as trewthe wyll e a -sente. Boþe kyngis court / & comou n cowrt / Constorye & chapetle. All e shull e be but .o. court / & .o. barou n be Iustise Þa n worþ t rewe tu nge / a tydy ma n / þ at tenede me n ofte. F.4.314: A series of misunderstandings lies behind F's reading. Bx reads "me neuere." That in turn has been redivided to "men euere" and then translated to "men ofte." Ne þa nne shull e no batailes be / ne no ma n shal ber e wepne & what smeþ þ at ony smythie F.4.316: Alpha is responsible for smythie. Beta manuscripts have smyteth or smyþeþ. / he shal be smyte þer -wiþ. N on leuab it ge ns co nt ra ge nte m gladiu m. & er þis Fortune falle / men shulle fyȝnde þe werse. F.4.319: The left margin is cropped, leaving "..te" in the hand with italic <e>. A second annotator has written "nota" again, and a possibly original nota brevigraph appears inside a bracket for 319-20. For þer shul be sixe su nnes & a ship / & half a shef of arwis. & þe Myddil of a Moone / shal make þe Iewis F.4.320: Alpha and G lack to after Iewis. t urne. & þe sarsynes for þe syghte þ erof F.4.321: Alpha is responsible for "þe syghte þerof," while beta manuscripts have "þat siȝte." / shull e sy ngyn Gl oria in excel sis . Þorghȝ F.4.322: F alone has this reading. All other B witnesses have For. Machamet & Meede / mys -shapen shull e þey F.4.322: F alone has this reading. All other B witnesses omit þey. þ at tyme. For melius est bonu m nome n h abere  q uam diuicie m ulte Þo as wrothȝ as þe wyȝnd / wex Meede in a qwhyle. Q uod she y can lytyl latyn / clerkys knowe þe sothe. Now see ȝee what salomo n seyþ / In sapience bokys. Of hem þ at gyveþ gyftys / þe victorie wynneþ. & myche worchepe haue þ erfore / as holy wryt telliþ. H onore m adquiret . qui dat mun era. I leve wel Lady q uod co nsience / þ at þy n Latyn be trewe. But þ ou art lyk a Nu nne F.4.331: F uniquely inserts Nunne. Lady / þ at a lessou n redde ones. It was þus omnia aute m probate / & þ at plesede her e herte. For þ at Lyȝne was no lenger e / þan þe levis ende. Hadde she lokyd on þe oþ ir half / & þe leef y -turned. She sholde have fownde fele word is / folwynge aft er. Þ at seyde q uod bonu m e st tenete / Trewthe þ at tyxt made. & so feerde ȝee Madame / no moore cowhde ȝee fyȝnde. Of þ at ȝee seyȝe i n Sapience / syttynge i n ȝour e stodye. But þis tyxt þ at ȝee have told / ȝee takyn nout þe ende. F.4.339: The b-verse is unique to F. Bx reads "were good for lordes." But ȝee faile a konynge clerk / þ at can þe leef wel t urne. F.4.340: The b-verse is unique to F. Bx reads "þat kouþe þe leef han torned." & yf ȝee seke in Sapience eft / fyȝnde shal ȝee þ at folw et h. A fu l teenefu l tyxt of þ at ta le / þ at ȝee to me pitte. F.4.342: F omits two lines and re-arranges others, melding KD3.349 and 3.351. Bx reads as follows: A ful teneful text to hem þat takeþ Mede Animam autem aufert accipientium &c. And þat is þe tail of þe text of þat ye shewed. & þeyȝ ȝe wynne worchepe / & of me F.4.343: Alpha is responsible for me. Beta manuscripts have Mede. have þe victorye. Ȝit þe sowle / þ at þe syluer takþ / be so myche ys bownde. N Ow sesiþ seyde þe kyng þo / y suffre ȝow no leng ere. Ȝee shul sawhtle for -soþe / & seruy n me boþe. Kysse hir e now q uod þe kyng / þ ou consience y hoote. Nay be c rist q uod Co nsyense / honge F.4.348: F alone reads honge. Bx reads congeye. me rather sone. But if Resou n rede me þ erto / rather e y will e dyȝe. Þanne y comawnde þe q uod þe kyng / F.4.350: The scribe inexplicably left a space of 13 mm after kyng. We have interpreted the flourish following <g> as a virgule since one does not otherwise appear. Consyence he seyd e. Rape þe to ryde a -non / & Resou n þ at þ ou fecche. & comawnde hy m þ at he come to me / my n co nseil to her e. For he shal rewle my rewhme / & reede me to þe beste. F.4.353: F, like most B manuscripts, lacks the following line attested in YCr 23OC 2 as well as in versions A and C: "Of Mede and of mo oþere what man shal hire wedde." & a -Cowntr e w it h þe Co nsience / so me c rist helpe. How þ ou leernyst þe peple / boþe lerede & þe lewede. / [¶] I am fayn of þis forward / seyd e þ at freke þanne. & to resou n he rood ryght / & rowned e in his ere. & tolde hy m as þe kyng seide / & sytthe he took his leve. I will e go a -rayȝe me q uod Resou n / go reste þe þ erwhile. A -no n he klepede Catou n his knave / ful c urteyȝs of speche. & also Tomme trewe tu nge / þ at tolde fewe talys. Ne lesyngis to Lawhe of / for he lovede he m neu ere. He bad / go sette a sadil vpon suffr e / tyl y se my tyme. & let warroke hy m w it h gyrtys / þ at is w it h witty wordis. & hange on hy m þe hevi brydil / to holde his heed lowe. For he wil makyn . we  he  to trewþe F.4.366: The reading to trewþe is unique to F. Bx reads twies. er he be þer e. / [¶] Þan Consience vpon his capil / cayreþ forþ faste. & Resou n w it h hy m rydis / rownynge to -gydre. Whiche Maystryes on erthe / Meede þe Maide makeþ. F.4.369: Alpha is responsible for the word order of this line. Beta manuscripts read "Whiche maistries Mede makeþ on þis erþe." A -no n waryȝn wyȝsdom / & watte witty his feere. Folwed hem faste / for þey haddy n to doone. In þe Chekkeryȝe / & Chawncerye / to be dischargid þer e. Faste þey ryden for resou n / þ at he wolde rede he m for þe beste. For to saven her e syluer / & he m f ram shame & harmes. & Consyence knew hem wel / þ at koueytyse þey loveden. & he bad resou n ryde faste / & recche of þem neythir. For þer e ar e whilis / in her e woordis / & w it h Meede þey dwelle. & þere as wratthe / & wrangly nge is / þ ere wynne þey silu er. & wher e þ at lo ve & lewte ys / þey leete nowht come þer e. For þey gyve nowht god / nowht .o. goos feedre. F.4.380: F transposes this line with the Latin quotation. C ont ric io & i nfelicitas i n uijs eor um. N on est timor dei an te occ ulos o[c]ulos eor um. For god wot þey will e doon / moore / for a dosey dosey[n] chykes. Or for as manye Caponys / or for a seem of ootes. Þan for þe love of our e lord / or for hise leve seyntys. Þerfor e F.4.386: Alpha is responsible for the omission of Reson before lete. lete hem ryde / þo ryche me n by hem -selue. For Concie nse knowe þey nowht / ne c rist as y t rowe. / [¶] Þanne reson rood faste / þe ryght hyȝe gate. F.4.388: An otiose curl appears above the <g>. As Consience hy m kennede / til þey to þe kyng keme. Þan Curteysly þe kyng ano n / kam a -gey n resou n. & by -twene hy m & his sone / he sette hy m on þe deyȝse. & wordeden wol wyȝsly / a long while to -gydres. / [¶] & þa nne cam pees to þ at p arleme nt / & pitte furþ a bylle. How Wrong a -gey n his wille / hadde his wif y -taken. & he ravysshid Rose / Reygnoldis leve dowht er. & be -revede Margr ete hir e Maydenhed / mawgr e hir e wille. & also my n gees & my n gryȝs / hise gadelyngys fecchen. & y dar nowht for feere / fyghtyn ne chyden. He borwid of me Bayard / & browhte hy m a -gey n neu ere. Ne no ferthyng þ erfor e / for nowht F.4.400: Alpha and LM read nowht. Other beta manuscripts have ouȝt. y cowhde pleete. Also he mey nteneþ hise me n / to moþer e m[u]rþere my n heuuys. F.4.401: The spelling heuuys for hewen, "servants," occurred in alpha. What the immediate scribe thought he was writing is a matter of speculation, since the combination <uu> never again appears in the English text. F is unique in reading moþere. & to & for -staleþ my n feyrys / & fyghteþ in þe chepyng. He brakiþ vp my beerne dore / & beryþ a -wey my whete. & takþ me but a tayle / for teen qwarteris otes. & ȝit he thretiþ me þ erto / & lyggeþ by my Mayde. I am nowht hardy for hym / vnneþe for to looke. / [¶] Þe kyng knew wel he seyd e soþ / for Concie nse so hy m tolde. Þ at wrong was a wykkid wyght / & wroghte myche F.4.408: The scribe initially wrote muche and then corrected to his usual form. sorwe. Þanne wex wrong a -ferd / & wysdom he sowhte. To make pees w it h hise pens / he p roferede manye. & seyde / hadde hadde [y] love of þe kyng / lytil wolde y recche. Þeyhȝ / pees w it h his powher / pleygned hy m ofte. F.4.412: F omits the following lines from Bx: Tho wan Wisdom and sire waryn þe witty For þat wrong hadde ywroȝt so wikked a dede And warnede wrong þo with swich a wis tale Whoso wercheþ by wille wraþe makeþ ofte. I seyȝ it to þy n -selue / þ ou shalt it wel fyȝnde. For but yf Meede / it make / þy Mischeef is vppe. For boþe þy n lyȝf & þyn londe / lyȝþ in his g race. / [¶] Þanne whowede wrong / wyȝsdom ful ȝeerne. To make his pees w it h pens / y -payed handy dandy Þanne wit & wisdom a -non / wenty n to -gydres. & token Meede myd hem / Mercy to wynne. Pees pitte forþ his heed / & his pate al blody. W it h -outy n gylte god it whot / gat y þis skathe. Boþe Concyense & þe comones / knowe wel þe soþe. / [¶] & þ erwhilis wit & wisdom / wenty n a -bowty n faste. To ouer -come þe kyng / w it h catel if þey myghten. Þe kyng swor by Cryst / & be his Crowne boþe. Þ at wro ng for hise werkys / woo sholde þolye. A -no n he comaundid a Cu nstable / to caste hy m in stokkis. F.4.427: The correction with interlinear in is inserted in brown ink, but the caret is written in red. & nowht aft er þis sevene ȝeer / he se hise feet ones. / [¶] A  god whot q uod Wis dom þo / þat were not þe beste. But he a -me ndis mowe now make / let Meinp rise hy m holde. & if he have borghȝ of his bale / þey mowe bygge hy m boote. & so a -me nde / þ at is mys -do / & he shal do eu ere þe bettre. A -no n wit a -cordit þ erw it h / & seyde þe same resou n Þ at bettr e it wer e / þ at boote / sholde bale doun brynge. Þan bale be y -beete / & boote neu ere þe bettre. / [¶] & þa nne gan Meede to Meke hir e / & m ercy by -sowhte. & p roferede pees a p resent / al of pure syluer Have þis man of me q uod she / to a -me nden þy skaþe. For y will e wage me for wrong / he wil do so no mor e. Þanne Pees pytously / p rayede to þe kyng þere. He wolde have m ercy on þ at man / þ at mysdede so ofte. For he haþ waged me wel / as wyȝsdom hy m tawhte. & y for -gyve hy m my gilt / w it h a good wille. So þe kyng a -sente þ erto / y can seyȝ no bettr e. For Meede haþ maad my n a -me ndis ./ y may no mor e aske. / [¶] Nay  q uod þe kyng þo / so me god helpe. Wrong wendiþ not so aweyȝ  y will e first wete mor e. For lowpe he so lyghtly a -wey / lawhen he myghte. & eft þe bolder e to be / to beetyn myne hewen. But resou n have rewþe on hy m / he shal reste in stokkys. & þ at as longe as he lyviþ / but lowhnesse hy m borwe. Fele radde resou n þo / to have rewþe on þ at shrewe. Þ at he myghte conseile þe kyng / & co nsience seyde aft er. Þ at Meede myghte be his p aramo ur This curious revision of Bx reflects one of the scribal editor's more bizarre moments. Bx reads as follows: Som men radde Reson to haue ruþe on þat shrewe And to counseille þe kyng and Conscience after That Mede moste be maynpernour Reson þei bisouȝte. / resou n þey be -sowte. / [¶] Now  rede me nowht / q uod Resou n / ony rewthe to g raunte. Til Lordis & Ladijs / loven lovely trewþe. & haten al harlot riȝe / to heren it / of Mowthis. & til Peronellis pelur e / be pit in hyr e chiste. & Chydene Chyrsynge Chy[l]d[r]ene Chyr[y]synge / be chastysed w it h ȝerdes & harlotis holynesse / be holde for vanyte. & Clerkene coueytyse / cloþe wel þe Po Po[re & fede] F.4.461: At least one character is erased after Po. Bx reads "to clothe þe pouere & fede." The b-verse is heavy, and we cannot be certain that the F-Redactor would have concurred with Bx. & religyous rome renneris / recorde i n her e cloystr e. As sey nt Benyght he m bad / & Bernard & Fraunces. & til p rechores p rechynge / be previd on hem -selue. & ty l þe kyngys consey l / be þe comou ne p rofyȝht. & tyl þe Bisshopis barganour es / be beggerys in chambr es. & her e hawkys & hownd is / helpe relygyous e howsys. & tyl Sey nt Iemys be sowht / þer e y shal a -sygne Þ at no man goo to Galys / but he goo for euere. & also / Rome rennerys / for robberis be -ȝounde. Bere no syluer ou er þe see / þ at sygne of kyng shew et h. Neyþ ir g raue / ne vng raue / gold neyþ ir syluer. Vpon forfetur e of fee / who fynt hym at dou ere. But he be M archau nt . er his ma n / er Messag er w it h lett ris. Er p rovysour or preest / er penau nt for hise synnys. & ȝit q uod F.4.476: The scribe has written the abbreviation for <ra> above the usual brevigraph for "q uod." Reeson be þe roode / y shal rewþe [no] rewþe have. Whil e Meede haþ þe Mayst rie / in þe moot hall e. For y shal shewe ensample / as y see oþ irwhyle. I seyȝ it be my n -selue / q uod he  / if it so now were. Þ at y wer e kyng w it h crowne / to kepen þe rewme. Sholde neu ere wro ng in þis world / þ at y wete myghte. Ben vnpu nshid / in my powher / for p ereyl of my sowle. Ne getyn my g race þoru gyftys / so me god save. Ne for no Meede have M ercy / but Meeknesse it made. For nullu m malu m þe man / mette w it h inpunitu m. & bad nullum bonu m / ben irremuneratu m. Leete ȝour e co nfessour sir e kyng / construe þis clause vnglosid / & if hewerke he werke it in werk / y wedde þanne myne erys. Þ at Lawe shal be a laborer / & leede dunk to feelde. & Love shal leede þy n Lond / as þe leevest lykyþ. Ano n Clerkis & co nfessoures / cowpled hem to -gydre. To construe wel clawse [þis] clawse / al for þe kyngis p rofyȝt. But not for co nfort of þe comou n / ne for þe kyngis sowle. For y seyȝ Meede in þe Moot hall e / on me n of lawe wynke. & þey lawhenge lope to hir e / & leftyn aloone resou n. Sire Waryȝn Wyȝsdom / wynkede vp -on Meede. & seid e Madame y am ȝour e ma n / what -so my mowþ Iangle. I stumble at floreynes q uod þe freeke / þ at y faile speche ofte. & ano n Ryghtful recordid / þ at res ou n trewþe tolde. & wit a -cordyd þ erw it h / & comendyd wel hise wordis. A -no n all e þe peple / in þe hall e / & manye of þe greete. Þey helden Meeknesse for a Mayst er / & meede a ma nshid shr ewe. Þanne Love leet of hir e lyght / & Lewhte wel lasse. & cryeden so hyȝe / þat al þe halle hem herde. Who þat wy lneþ Meede to wyve / For welthe of wordly goodis. F.4.505: The scribe wrote a large red V in the top right margin to indicate the passus. But he be knowe for a kokewold / kytte of boþe our e erys. Þanne Meede M urnede faste / & made hevy cheere. For all e þe comonys of þe cowrt F.4.508: An otiose curl appears over the <c>. / callid e hir e as a[n] hoore. Boþe a Sysour & a su mnour / þanne sewid hire faste. & also a sherevis clerk / y shrewe all e þe rowhte. A ofte have y q uod she / holpe ȝow / at þe barre. & ȝit neu ere ȝeve ȝee me / þe worþ of a rysshe. Þanne cleped e þe kyng Concyense / & so he dede resou n. & recordid þ at Resou n / hadde Ryghtfully shewid. Þanne Moodely vp -on Lawe F.4.515: An otiose curl appears above <we>. / myghte þe kyng looke. & wex wroothȝ w it h Lawe / for Meede made hy m a -shamed. & seyd e þorghȝ ȝour e Lawe / as y leve / y lese fele cheetys. For Meede ou er - Mayst riþ so Lawe / & Michil t rewþe lettyþ. But resou n shal rekne w it h ȝow / yf y reyghne a stounde. & deme ȝow be þis day / as ȝee have disseruyd. Mee Mee[de] shal not me np rise ȝow / be Marie qween of glorie. I will e have lewte for Lawe / & leeve al ȝo ur Iangly nge. & as all e wyȝes witnesse / wrong shal be demed. Sire  q uod Concyense to þe kyng / but þe como nys assente. It ys ful hard by my n heed / her -to / to brynge it Alle ȝour e londys leedys / to leede hem all e evene. By hy m þ at was reed on roode / q uod Resou n to þe ky ng But if y rewle þ us ȝour e rewme / reerde out my guttis. If ȝee will e bydde Buxu mnesse / to be assocyed tome to me. Þerto y assente q uod þe kyng / by seynte Marie my Lady. To my n co nseyl e þ at ȝee kome / a -mo ngys Clerkis & Lord is. But redely resou n / þ ou ryde shalt not frome fro me. For as longe as y lyve / leeve þe y nylle. I am al redy q uod Resou n / to reste w it h ȝow eu ere. F.4.534: F omits Bx's "So Conscience be of oure counseil I kepe no bettre." & y graunte q uod þe kyng / god for -bede þ ou fayle. As longe / as our e lyvis laste / leeve we to -gydre. / [¶] Thanne þe kyng w it h hise knyghtis / to þe kyrke wenty n. To heryn Matinys of þe day / & a Messe after. E xplicit P assus Q uartus. I ncipit Passus Quintus. O F F.5.1: The ornamental capital, five lines high, is produced mainly in green with red flourishes. wynkynge y waked þo / & wo was y w it h -all e. Þ at y ne hadde slepe saddere / & y -seyn moore. But er y hadde faren a forlong / a feyntyȝs e me he nte. Þ at y ne myghte a foote further e / for defawte of slepe. Þan sat y softly adou n / & seyde my n beleve. & y ba blede so on my bedis / þey brow hte me on s leepe. & þanne y seyȝ mychil moore / þan y be -fore -hond tolde. For y seyȝ þe feld ful of folk / þ at y be -fore of seyde. & how Resou n a -rayed hym / al þe Rewme to preche. & at þe cros by -for e þe kyng / he comsed a teeme. / [¶] He p rechede þ at þe pestylencys / wheryn for pure synne. & þat þe Sowþ -west wyȝnd / on a Sat urday ateve at eve. Was a -pertly for pryȝde / & for no poynt ellys. Boþe pyryes & plu mtrees / whery n puffyd to þe erthe. & broode okes & beechis / where blowe to þe grownde. & turned e vpward e her e tayl / knowlechynge F.5.16: Alpha lacks beta's in before Bx's tokenynge which F has rendered as knowlechynge. drede. Þ at dedly sy nne er dom es -day / sholde for -don vs alle. & al þese was ensample / þ at we sholde doon þe bettre. F.5.18: There is considerable variation among B manuscripts for this verse. Bx probably read "In ensample ye segges ye sholden do þe bettre." Note that this verse appears after 5.14 in Bx. But of þis Matere y y [myȝt] / mamele ful longe. But y shal seyȝn ȝow / as y seyȝ / so me god helpe. How p ropirly by -for e þe peple / prechen gan resou n . / [¶] He bad wastour goo wyrche / what he beest cowhde. & wynny n his wastynge / w it h su m maner e of werkys. He p rayede Peronylle / hire p urfyl e to leete. & kepe þe coyn in hir e cofre / to co nforte hir e at neede. / [¶] & Thomme of Stowe he tawhte / to take two stavis. & Fecche Felice his wif hom / fram wyfene pyȝne. Also he warnede watte / how hys wif was to blame. Þ at hir e heed was worþ half Mark / & his hood not worþ a groote. / [¶] He bad his knave a bowhȝ kytte / komely to honde. Bx reads "And bad Bette kutte a bouȝ ouþer tweye." To beety n þ erw it h Betou n / but yf she will e wyrche. & namely he charged e Chapmen / to chastyse her e childry n. & leete no wynny ng e / for -wayne hem / whilys þey ben ȝonge. Ne for no pyte of Pestilence / ne pleese he m out of Resou n. / [¶] My sire seyde onys to me / & also seyde my da mme. How þ at þe leever e chyld / þe mor e Loore be -hoveþ. & Salomo n seid e þe same / þ at sapience book maade. Q vi parcit virge  odit filiu m. Þe englyȝs of þis Latyn ys / who þ at will e yt knowe. Who þ at spareþ þe ȝonge spryng / he F.5.40: Beta witnesses omit he. spillyþ hyse barnes. Þanne p arled he to p arsones / & to preestis to -gydres. Looke ȝee p reche þe peple / & p reve it on ȝoure -selue. & doþ it sadly in dede / & ȝee shull e drawe to goode. & ell is will e þe peple parle / in ȝour e parshȝ a -bowhte. F.5.44: This line occurs only in F. If ȝee lyve / as ȝee leerne vs / we leve ȝow þe bettre. / [¶] Þanne aft er he radde Relygious / her e rewhlys to holde. Lest þe kyng by his co nseyl / ȝour e como nys a -peyre. & been Styward e of ȝour e Stedis / ty l ȝee been in bettr e rewle. F.5.48: " V:" with red flourishes appears in the upper right margin to indicate the passus number. & sytthen he co nseylyd e þe kyng / to love þe comou n peple. For þat is tresor / yf tresou n ner e / & t riacle at neede. & sytthe he p rayede þe Pope / to have rewþe on holy chirche & er he grawnte ony g race / to governe fyrst hy m -selue. & ȝee þ at have Lawis to kepe / let Coueytyse be w it h trewþe. Mor e þan gold / or oþ ire gyftys / if ȝee will e god plese. For who þ at co nt raryeþ trewþe / as telliþ þe trewe gospel. Þ at god know et h hy m nowht / ne non coorseynt of hevene. A men dico vobis . nescio vos. & ȝee þ at seekyn sey nt Iemes / or ony sey nt of Rome. Seke first sey nt trewþe / for he may save ȝow all e. Q vi cu m patre & filio / alle fayre hem be -falle. Þat sewyn my n s ermou n / & þus seyde sir e Resou n. N Nou Nou F.5.62: The scribe left a blank space for the capital but rather than write a guide-letter in the space, supplied his own anglicana text capital. ran Repentau nce / & reersede his teeme & made will e to wepe / wat er w it h his eyȝen. & Peronyll e p rowd -herte / platte hire on þe erthe. & þere she lay longe / & our e lord / m ercy cryȝede. & by -hyghte to hy m an hees F.5.66: hees, "hest." / þ at vs alle formede Þ at she wolde vn -sowe hy hy[r] sirke / & settyn þ ere F.5.67: The scribe originally wrote þ ee , and then corrected the superscripted <e> to his usual suspension for <-er>. an hayr e. To a -flasshen F.5.68: F's unique reading a-flasshen-- Bx reads affaiten--is rare in Middle English. MED has only one citation, but it is clearly related to flashen with its senses of striking, slashing, throwing down violently. Here it refers to mortification of the flesh through penance. hir e fleshȝ / þ at feers was to synne. Shal y neu ere have heyȝ herte / but holde me eu ere lowe. & suffr e to to [be] mys -seyȝd / & so ȝit dide y neuere. But now will e y meeke me / & M ercy be -seche. For þ at F.5.72: Alpha omits al before þat. y have hated / in my n herte longe. / [¶] Þe Lecclour Lecc[h]our seyde ofte allas / & to our e Lady he c riȝede. To have mercy for hise mys -dedis / þ at mychil he offendid. F.5.74: F's b-verse is unique. Bx fails in alliteration, reading "bitwene god and his soule." Be so / he sholde eu ery day F.5.75: Beta reads þe Saterday in place of euery day (F) or on þe day (R). / þis sevene ȝeer after. Drynke w it h þe du nkele F.5.76: This spelling, which appears to be unique, conceals dunghill. The lection does not appear in other B manuscripts. doke / & dyghnen but ones. Þanne Envie w it h heuy herte / askyd e after shryfte. & carefully w it h mea culpa he comsede to shryve. F.5.78: Beta reads shewe in place of F's shryve or R's schrewe. He was as pale / as a pelote / & in þe palesy he semed e. He was cloþid i n cawry -mawry / I cowhde it not discryȝe. He hadde on kyrtyl & coorteby / & a long F.5.81: An otiose curl appears above the <g>. knyf by his syȝde. & of a Frerys frokke / weryn hise F.5.82: Alpha is responsible for hise, though the reading is shared by H. Other beta manuscripts have þe. fory-slevis. He lookede w it h lene chekys / & lowrynge brewys. F.5.83: In relation to Bx this line and the next are transposed. As a leek hadde y -leyn / longe a -gey n þe su nne. His body was foule y -bolned / & faste he boot hise lyppis. & hise hondis he wrong / to ben a -wr eke he þowhte. W it h werkys / or w it h word is / whan he seyȝ his tyȝme. & eu ery word þ at he warp / was lyk an addir tu nge. Of chydynge & Ianglynge / was his cheef lyflode. F.5.89: The scribe corrected loflode only imperfectly. See the facsimile. W it h ba kbyty nge & bysmer e / & berynge fals witnesse. Swiche manerys he made / to ech man he medled w it h. F.5.91: F has completely rewritten this line which in Bx reads "This was al his curteisie where þat euere he shewed hym." Þanne seyde þ at shr ewe y wolde be shryve / if y for shame durste. But ȝit y wolde be gladder e / yf Gybbe hadde mys -chau nce. F.5.93: F omits Bx's: "Than þouȝ I hadde þis wouke ywonne a weye of Essex chese." I have a neyȝhebor e neyȝ me / y haue noyȝed hy m ofte. & lowhe on hy m ful lowhde / & mad hy m loost [lese] his syluer. & mad hise frendis . hise foon / þorwh my false tu nge. For his g race & goode happis / greve me ful sor e. By -twixe hym & manye me n / y make debate ofte. Þ at boþe her e lyvis & her e lymes / be loost . þoru my speche. & whan y mete hy m in Market / þ at y moost hate. I heyȝle hy m ful hendely / as y his frend were. For he he [is] dowhtyer e þan y / y dar doon non oþir. But hadd e y Mayst rie ouer hy m / god wot my wille. & whan y come to chirche F.5.104: Alpha is responsible for chirche, though the reading is shared by Hm. Bx reads kirk. / & knele to -for þe roode. & sholde p raye for þe peple / as þe p arshȝ p rest techeþ. For pylgrymes for palmer es / & penau ntys also. Þa nne y c riȝe for c ristian / þat c rist gyve hir e sorwe Þ at bar a -wey my n bolle / & my broke sheete. A -weyȝ fram þe awht er / þan t urne y my n eyȝen. & be -held how hervy / hadde on F.5.110: Beta witnesses omit alpha's on. a newe cote. Þerfor e y brende bett erly / þ at my n brest -boon ga n krake. F.5.111: This line appears uniquely in F. & wisshede ofte / it wer e my n / & al þe weeb aft er. & for me nnys leesynge y lawhe / for it lykeþ wel my n herte. But for his wy nny ngg e y wepe / & ofte weyle þe tyme. I deme hem / þ at doon Ille / & y do my -selue wel werse. & who þ at vndir -nemeþ me þ erof / I hate hy m eu ere after. I wolde þ at euery whyȝt man / were F.5.117: An otiose curl appears above the medial <e>. be -come my n knave. & who þ at haþ mor e þan y / ȝee  þ at ang riþ me sore. & þus y lyve loveles / lych a lythir dogge. Þ at al my body bolneþ / so bytt er ys my galle. I myghte not ety n manye ȝeris / as a ma n awhte. For Envye & euel wyl / ys evyl to defyȝe. Þ ere may no sewgre / ne swete þy ng / a -swage my wo mbe. Ne no n dyapendyon / dryve it fram my n herte. Ne neythir shryfte ne shame / but he wil shrape my n mawe / [¶] Ȝys  q uod R epentawnce redely / & radde hy m to þe beste. Strong sorwe for synne / is saluaciou n to þe sowle. Pet er y am eu ere F.5.128: Beta lacks alpha's euere. sory q uod he  y am but seelden oþ ir. & þ at makþ me þus meegr e / for y ne me may a -venge. F.5.129: Bx reads "for I ne may me venge." F's word order is a bit odd. See Tauno F. Mustanoja, A Middle English Syntax, Part I: Parts of Speech, Mémoires de la Société Néophilologique de Helsinki 23 (Helsinki: Société Néophilologique, 1960), pp. 339-40, and cf. F9.22. I was a -mong burgeys / þere me n bowhte & solde. I made ba kbyter e be bro kour / to la kke me nnys war e. F.5.131: " V:" with red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus number. & whan he solde & y nowht / þa n was y ful redy. To lyȝe & to lowr e on hy m / & to lakkyn his ware. F.5.133: The alpha scribe picked up ware from two lines above. Beta preserves correct chaffare. I will e a -me nde me if y may / þorgh c ristis myght i n heue nne. F.5.135: The scribe left an indented blank for a 3-line capital <T>. A guide letter <T> appears. T Hanne wratthe gan awake / w it h two white eyȝes. Al revelynge [n]evelynge w it h his nose / & his nekke hangy ng e. I am wrothȝ he seyde þo / for su mtyme y was a fr ere. & þe Couentys Gardyn er / for to graffe yȝmpis. & on Lemetour & on lyȝstre / lesynges y yȝmpede. Tyl þey ber e Levis of lowh speche / lordis to plese. & sytthyn þey blomed F.5.141: Alpha is in error, omitting abrood after blomed. i n bowr es / for to heeryn shryftis. & now ys fally n swich frut þ erof / þ at folk have wel lever e. To shewyn her e shryfte to hem / & for -sake her e p arsou n. F.5.143: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þan shryuen hem to hir persons." & now have p arsones y -p arceyvid / þ at her e p arsshenys love fr eris. F.5.144: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þat freres parte wiþ hem." & so possessioneris p rechyn / & de -p rauen Freris. & fyȝnde F.5.146: Alpha omits freres before fyȝnde. hem i n defawhte / as folk ber e witnesse. Þ at whan þey p reche þe peple / in fele placys a -bowte. I wratthe walke w it h hem / & wisshe he m of my bookys. & make hem so speke of sp iritualte / tyl ech dyspyse oþ ir. Tyl þey ben boþe beggeris / & by F.5.150: Alpha omits my following by, as does Hm. almesse lybben. Or ellis boþe be ryche / & ryally ryde a -bowte. & y wratthe reste neu ere / but renne aft er & folwe. Alle swiche wykkid e folk / for swich is my grace. / [¶] I have an awnte to a Nu nne / & eek an Abbesse. F.5.154: Alpha and C lack a line-terminal boþe that appears in all beta witnesses. F's eek is unique. Þey wery n leuer e to sweltre / þan to suffr e a whyle. I was Cook i n her e kychene / & þe co nuent seruede. Fele Moneþis of þe ȝeer / & Mawgr e was my knave. F.5.157: F has substantially revised this line. Bx reads "Manye Monþes wiþ hem and wiþ Monkes boþe." I was þe P rioresse potager / & oþ ire poor e Ladijs. & Made hem Iowtys of Ianglyng e / þ at dame Ione was bastard. & dame Claris a knyghtis dowt er / bu bu[t] she knew not hir e fadir. & dame Peronel a p restys syst er F.5.161: Bx reads "a preestes fyle." ./ P rioresse worþ she neuer e. For she childid i n Chirye -tyme / al þe chapetr e it wyste. I hakkede her e wortis ech day / w it h wordys & w it h spyes. F.5.163: F has completely revised this line which in Bx reads "Of wikkede wordes I wraþe hire wortes I made." Tyl þ ou lyxt  & þ ou lyxt / lopen owt a tonys at onys. & ech cracchid oþir / & hir e kyrtlys rentyn. F.5.165: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And eiþer hitte ooþer vnder þe cheke." Hadd e þey had knyvis by c rist / ech hadd e kyllid oþ ir. Sey nt Gregory was a good pope / & hadd e good resou n. Þ at no P rioresse sholde be p rest / þ at lawe he ordeynede Þey wery n infamys at þe firste / so cu n þei conseil close. A -mo ngis Mu nkis y myghte be / but ofte þa nne y wonde. F.5.170: A corrupt or confusing exemplar may account for F's reading. He omits the following line from Bx and revises the b-verse of this one. The immediate scribe wrote the present b-verse over an erasure in a different ink. Bx reads as follows: Among Monkes I myȝte be ac many tyme I shonye For þere ben manye felle frekes my feeris to aspie. Boþe of Pryo ur & supp rior / & of pater Abbas . For if itelle i telle onye talis / þey take hem to -gydr es. & don me faste frydayes / boþe breed & wat ur. & y am chastysed in Chapetr e / as y a child wer e. & baleysed on my bar e bak / þat my bely beendiþ. F.5.175: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And baleised on þe bare ers and no brech bitwene." For -þy  y have no lykynge / w it h þo leedis to dwelle. For þer e y eet vnthende fyssh / & drank feble ale. &irwhile whan wyȝn comeþ / y dry nke wel F.5.178: Beta manuscripts have wyn or it for alpha's wel. a teve at eve Þ at y have a flyx & a foul mowth / wel fyve dayes aft er. & al þe wykkidnesse þ at y woot / be onye of my br etheryn. I cowthe it in þe Cloystr e / til al þe Coue nt know et h yt. A Repente q uod Repentau nce / & reerse þ ou yt neu ere. Of co nseyl þ at þ ou knowist / be co ntynance ne be speche. F.5.183: Alpha is responsible for speche. Beta reads variously riȝt, sight, and nyght. & drynk not ou er -delycatly / ne to depe neythir. Þ at þy wille be cause þerof / to wratthe it þe turne. E sto sobrius he seyde / & assoyled me sone þ ere -aft er. & bad me wylne to wepe / my wykkidnesse to ame nde. A Fter hy m cam Coueytyse / y can not hy m disc riue. F.5.188: The ornamental capital <A> is written in green with red flourishes extending in the left margin fifteen lines above and ten below. So hugerly hu[n]gerly / & holwe / sire Hervy lokede. He was brytyl -brewid bytyl -brewid / & babirlyppid alse. W it h two blered e eyȝen / as a blynd hagge. & as a ledrene purs / lolleden hise chekys. Wel sydder e þan his chyn / þey shynede shyu[er]ede for elde. & as a bonde -ma n et bakou n / so was his berd dravelyd. F.5.194: Bx reads "And as a bondeman of his bacon ...." The scribe's usual form of "ate" is eet, and it is not at all clear what he intended here. His hood he hadde on his hed / an heyȝ hat þer vppe. He hadde on a tany tabbard / of ten ȝeer of age. Al to -tore & bawhdy / & lappe syȝd / it semede. F.5.197: This line fails in alliteration in all B manuscripts, and Kane-Donaldson reject it as spurious (p. 193). F's b-verse reading is unique, most B manuscripts reading "and ful of lys crepyng." We are uncertain what lappe syȝd means, though it is possibly an early occurrence of "lopsided." Þ at but if a lows wer e lyght / & cowhde lepe þe bettr e. F.5.198: F's reading for this line is unique. All the other B manuscripts are corrupt, omitting an alliterating stave in the a-verse: "But if a lous couþe haue lopen þe bettre." R also omits haue. He sholde no no[t] walke on þ at web / but his staf wer e pyked. F.5.199: He is a relict form originally meaning "she" and referring to the lows of the preceding line. Alpha is responsible for retaining this form, but as the b-verse indicates, the immediate scribe took it to be the masculine pronoun. Bx reads "He sholde noȝt haue walked on þat welche so was it þredbare." I have be Coueytous q uod þis caytyf / y be -knowe it her e. For su mtyme y servede / Symme at þe style. & was his p rentiȝs a -plyght F.5.202: Bx reads ypliȝt. F is alone in the B tradition in reading a-plyght, but the same relatively rare word appears among the A variants at A.5.116. / his profyte to wayte. Fyrst y leernede to lyȝe / wel a leef or moore. F.5.203: Alpha is responsible for or, which is shared by M. Beta reads ouþer. F uniquely reads moore for Bx's tweyne. & skarsly to weyȝe þyngis / was my fyrste lessou n. To wyku mbe

F.5.205: Kane-Donaldson, p. 8, note in their description of F that it uniquely reads wycumbe in place of Bx's wy, suggesting that it "may indicate provenance." Ms. Tania Styles of CENS at the University of Nottingham (private communication) was kind enough to supply us with the following note:

The etymology of Wycombe in Buckinghamshire is disputed. The EPNS county volume of 1925 gives the first element as the river-name Wye and the second as OE cumb "valley" (pp. 200-01), though spellings that would indicate this do not appear until Domesday Book ( Wicumbe). Eilert Ekwall, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names, 4th ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1960) decides on the basis of the OE forms Wicumun and Westwicam that we have OE wīc + hamm/hām ("meadow/homestead with a dairy farm") or wīchām ("Romano-British settlement" < Lat. vicus) in the dative plural, the river-name being a late back-formation from the place-name; in this case, association with OE cumb would be secondary but still early; it seems to have been made in 1086 at least. The latest place-name dictionary (A. D. Mills, A Dictionary of English Place Names (Oxford: Oxford U P, 1991), traces the name from wīcum "at the dwellings," giving the same explanation of the river-name and implying a similar status for the -combe spellings. Margaret Gelling came to this conclusion in Signposts to the Past: Place-Names and the History of England, 2nd ed. (Chester: Phillimore, 1988), p. 68, and in "English Place-Names Derived from the Compound wīchām," in Place-Name Evidence for the Anglo-Saxon Invasion and Scandinavian Settlements, ed. Kenneth Cameron (Nottingham: EPNS, 1987): 8-18.

This would suggest that any place-names in wīchām or -hamm or simplex wīc in the dative plural may have been assimilated to cumb, either sporadically or consistently, from an early date. This makes all of the following non-Bucks names possible candidates for -combe spellings in the ME period.

Ms. Styles then provided a list of thirty-one possible instances. Three of these, Wickham Bishops, Wickham Hall, and Wickham St. Pauls, are in Essex, the first very close to the point at which the editors of LALME have located this manuscript. The EPNS volume The Place-Names of Essex, ed. P. H. Reaney (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1935), lists no spellings in -cumbe, -combe for any of the Essex sites.

& to wynchestr e / y wente to feyres.
W it h many maner of Marchaundise / as my Maist er me hyghte. Ne hadde þe g race of gyle be / þ at gan gon a -mo ng my ware. It hadde be vnsold þis seuy n ȝeer / so me god helpe.
/ [¶] Þa nne drow y me a -mo ng draperis / my donet to leerne. For to drawe þe lyȝste a -long / þe cloþ þe leng ere semede. A -mong þe ryche rayes / y rendred my lessou n To broche he m w it h a batte F.5.212: Alpha is probably responsible for batte, though the reading is shared by L. Other beta manuscripts have pak. nedle / & plytid he m þa n to -gydr e. & pitte hem in a p resse / & pyned he m þ er -Inne. F.5.213: " V" with red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus number. Tyl teen ȝerdis or twelue / tollyd F.5.214: An otiose curl appears over <t>. out thrittene. My wif was a webbe / & wollene she made. She spak to a spy nster e F.5.216: Alpha reads a spynstere for beta's Spynnesteres. / to spy nne it fair & klene. But þe pound þ at she payed by / peysed a q uarter mor e. Þa n my n owne awncel / who þ at weyȝede trewþe. / [¶] Þan bowhte y her e barly malt / she brewh it to selle. Peny ale & puddy ng ale / she porede to -gydr e. For laboreris & lowe folk / she leide it be þe -selue. F.5.221: Bx reads "þat lay by hemselue." & þe beste ale lay in my bowr / or in my bed -chambr e. & who þ at bu mmed e þer -of / he bowhte it þer -after. A galou n for a groote / god woot no lesse. & ȝit it com in / cuppe -mel / swich craft she vseþ F.5.225: Alpha has present tense vseþ against the beta family's preterite. Rose regrater / ys F.5.226: Alpha has present tense ys against the beta family's preterite. hir e ryght name. She haþ y -holde huksterye / al hire lyf -tyȝme. I swere now so þeech F.5.228: The <ch> spelling is an odd one for alpha to have introduced for Sire Hervey Coveitise of Norfolk. Langland had indulged himself in the same dialect joke that Chaucer had used in The Reeve's Tale. Bx must have read so þe ik. / þat synne wil y leete. & neuer e wrongly weyȝe / ne wikkid chaffar e vse. But y wenden to walsyngham / & my wif w it h me. & bidde þe roode of Bromholm / brynge me f ram dette. Repentist þe eu ere / q uod repe ntau nce / & restituciou n þ ou madist. / [¶] Ȝee  q uod he onys y was herborwhed / w it h an hep of Chapme n. & whan þei wery n in reste / y roos / & ryflede her e malis. Þ at was no repentau nce q uod he / but a robberis dede. F.5.235: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "That was no restitucion quod Repentaunce but a robberis þefte." Manuscript G also joins F in reading he for Repentaunce. Þ ou haddist been bettr e þ erfor e / ben hongyd be þe nekke. Þan for al þe oþ ir þyng / þ at þ ou hast here shewyd. / [¶] I wende ryfflyng wher e restituc iou n / so kan y rede on boke. F.5.238: The b-verse lection of Bx is the metrically clumsy and probably corrupt "for I lerned neuere rede on boke." Some scribe in the tradition between alpha and the extant manuscript may well have restored, whether by conjecture or access to a better manuscript, the original reading: "ne kan y rede on boke." Only later would it have been scribally revised, with so supplied for the negative enclitic in the original. Ne y can no Frenchȝ in feyþ / but of Norþfolk langage. F.5.239: Bx's reading is the metrically clumsy "but of þe ferþest ende of Northfolk," and again the relative shapeliness of F's reading suggests that Bx is corrupt. Richard Beadle, "Prolegomena to a literary geography of later medieval Norfolk," in Regionalism in Late Medieval Manuscripts and Texts: Essays Celebrating the Publication of A Linguistic Atlas of Late Medieval English , ed. Felicity Riddy, York Manuscripts Conference: Proceedings Series, University of York, Centre for Medieval Studies, 2 (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1991), suggests that this is "possibly an allusion to some early version of the modern colloquialism 'Norfolk French', intended to express the difficulty of the dialect to outsiders" (94). Vsedist þ ou eu ere vserye q uod repe ntau nce / in al þy lyf -tyme. / [¶] Nay soþly seyde he  save su mtyme i n ȝowthe. I lernede a -mo ngys lu mbard is / a lessou n be herte. F.5.242: F's b-verse is unique. R reads "a lessoun and of iewes," while beta witnesses have: "and Iewes a lesson." To weyȝe pens w it h a peyȝs / & þan to par e þe heuyest & to leene for love of þe cros / & if þey leyȝde a wed / lese it. & doble dette F.5.245: F's a-verse is unique. Bx has "Swiche dedes I dide write." y dide wryte / if he his day brooke. I have mo Maneris þoruh regages / þa n þoruh miseret ur & comedat. I have lent lord is longe / my lovely chaffare. & be a brokour aft er / bowht yt a -gey n my -selue. & w it h changis & chevesau nces / w it h chaffare y dele. & y leene folk þ at leese will e / a shely ng i n þe noble. & w it h lu mbardis lett ris / y ladde gold to Rome. & took it her e be tale / & tolde it þer e lasse. Lentyst þ ou eu ere Lordis q uod he  for love of Mey ntenau nce. Ȝee  y have lent Lordis q uod he F.5.254: Beta manuscripts lack quod he.  þ at lovede me neu ere after. & y have maad many a knyght / boþe Mercyr & drapeer. Þ at peyȝede neu ere for his p rentyȝshod / not a peyȝr e clovis [g]lovis. F.5.256: F's clovis is unique, and all other manuscripts have gloues. Though cloves were paid for rents [see MED s.v. clove n.(2),2(b)], this instance is more likely to represent simple error than conscious revision. Hast þ ou pyte on poore me n / þ at muste for nede borwe. I have as myche pyte on þe pore / as þe F.5.258: Alpha is in error. Beta manuscripts lack unmetrical þe. pedder e on Cattis. Þ at wolde kylly n hem all e / for coveytyse of here skynnys. Art þ ou Manly to þy n Neyȝhebo ur / of Metis & drynkys. I am holde / as hende q uod he / F.5.261: The virgule is possibly intended to replace the punctus elevatus. as hownd ys in þe kycchene. A -mong my Neygheboures namely / swich a name i have. Now god gyve g race q uod repe ntau nce / but þ ou repente / þe rather e. Grawnte þe g race on þ is grownde / þy good so þ ou be -sette. Þ at þyn houswif aft er the / have Ioye of þ at þ ou wynnyst. & þyne seketour es weel be -sette / þe siluer þ at þ ou levist For as it ys / wonne w it h wro ng / it worþ w it h wastour es spe ndid. For wher e y Frer e of an hows / þer e feyþ is fownde þ ere -Inne. I wolde not F.5.269: Alpha has wolde not against beta's nolde. Cope vs w it h þy n Catel / ne our e chirche F.5.269: Alpha has chirche for beta's kirk. a -me nde. Ne have a peny to petau nce / so mote pyȝghne i n helle. F.5.270: F's reading is unique. There are several variants, but Bx probably read as follows: "of þyne bi my soule hele." For þe beste book i n our e hous / þeyȝ brend gold wher e þe levis. & y wyste wittirly / þ ou were swych as þ ou tellyst. S eruus es alt eri us cu m fercula pinguia queris. P ane tuo pocius vescere liber eris. Þ ou art an vn -kyȝnde creatur e / y can þe nowht asoyle. Tyl þ ou Make restituciou n / & rekne w it h hem alle. & þerto / þ at Resou n rolle it / in þe regystr e of hevene. For til þ ou hast maad / ech ma n good / y may þe noht a -soyle. N on dimittit ur peccatu m  n isi F.5.279: nisi is owed to alpha. Beta, except for Cr, reads donec. restituat ur ablatu m. For alle þo þ at have þy n good / as god have my trewþe He is holde to ȝeelde it her e / if he may it qwyte These lines appear only in F, replacing two lines in Bx: Is holden at þe heiȝe doom to helpe þee to restitue And whoso leueþ noȝt þis be sooþ loke in þe Sauter glose. Or p raye þe of for -gyfnesse / or to doon yt for þy sowle. & ell is he shal have evil hap / but he heendely wirche. His catel shal fally n hy m froo / or ell is hise freendis goode. Or ell is his soule shal dry nke sour / at o dayes tyme. Or seyȝ Miserere mei d eus wich ys w[her y] mene trewthe. F.5.286: F omits from Bx the Latin tag " Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti, &c. " Þer ys no Laborer þ at wil leve F.5.287: The scribe initially wrote love and corrected to leve. þe / þ at longiþ to pers plowhma n. F.5.287: This line appears only in alpha. For F.5.288: Beta lacks alpha's For. shal neu ere werkman i n þis world / þryve . w it h þ at þ ou wynnyst. C u m s anc to s anc tus eris / const rue now wel þis resou n. Þa nne wex þe F.5.290: Alpha has þe against beta's þat. shrewe in wanhope / & wolde an ho ngid F.5.290: In view of the scribe's frequent omission of initial <h>, the an here probably represents Bx's han. Alternatively, this is a possible scribal haplography for a anhongid. hy m -selue. Ne hadde Repentau nce þe rather e / reersyd þese wordis. F.5.291: F's b-verse is unique. Other manuscripts read "reconforted ( or conforted) hym in þis manere." Have m ercy i n þy Myȝnde ma n / & w it h þyn Mowþ god be -seche. For goddis m ercy ys more / þanne manye of hise oþ ir werkys. F.5.293: The following Latin line is missing from F, but it is missing from WHmCrGCB as well: " Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius &c. " & al þe wykkidnesse / þ at ony man / may eyþ ir wirche or þy nke. Is no moor e to godd is m ercy / þan in þe see a gleede O mnis i niq uitas q uantu m ad m isericordiam d ei  e st q uasi sintilla i n medio maris. F.5.296: The Latin quotation was too long for the single line left for it, and the scribe indented the final three words and preceded them with the conventional paraph mark. For -þy  have in þy my nde m ercy / & Marc haundise þ ou leve. F.5.297: " V" with decorative red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus. For þ ou hast no good grownde / to gete þ erfor e a wastel. But it be w it h þy tu nge / or ell is w it h þyn hondis. For al þe good þ at þat [þou] hast geete / þe grownde be -ga n w it h falsnesse. & as longe þ ou [as] þou lyvest þ erw it h / þ ou ȝeeldest not but borwist. & if þ ou wete neu ere to wyche / ne yt [ȝ]it to whom restore. Bere it to þy n Bysshop / & bydde hym of his g race. By -sette yt hy m -selue / as beest is for þy n sowle. For he shal answer e for þe / at þe day of doome. For the / & for manye moo / þ at man shal ȝeve r ekny ng. & what he lerned ȝow i n le ntene / be -leve þ ou no n oþir. F.5.307: F omitted the following line from Bx: "And what he lente yow of oure lordes good to lette yow fro synne." H Erly F.5.308: The ornamental capital is outlined in red and flourished with green ink. The green marginal flourishes extend to the top of the page and two-thirds down the page. gan Glotou n / for to goo to shryfte. & wendis hy m to kirkeward / his coupe to shewe. A -no n Betou n þe Brewster e / bad hy m good Morwe. & freyned hy m . whens he cam / & whidir þ at he wolde. To holy chirche q uod he  to heren a -morwe Messe. & sytthe y will e be shryve / & synne no moore. Ȝee  y have good ale gossip q uod she  glotou n wilt þ ou a -saye. Hast þ ou in þy n purs q uod he  ony spyces fyȝne. I have pep er & pyenys / q uod she  & a pou nd of gilloffris. & a ferthyng -worþ of fenel seed / for fastynge -dayes. A -no n gooþ Glotou n in w it h hir e / & grete oþis after. & fond Symme sowt eres wif / sytty nge on þe benche. & Watte Waryner also / & his wif bothe. & Tomme þe tynkere / & tweyn of hise p rentyȝs. & hikke þe hakeney man / & howe þe nedlere. & Clarys of cokkyslane / w it h þe clerk of þe chirche. & F.5.324: Beta manuscripts lack the &. sire pers of prydye / & peronell e of Flaundr es. Beta manuscripts transpose these two lines. & Dawe þe dyker e / & wel a dosey n oþere. A rybybour / a ratoner / & a rakyer e of chepe. A Ropere & a Redy ng -kyng / & Rose dissher es dowht er. F.5.327: Beta family manuscripts lack dowhter. & Godefrey / of Garlyngheþe / & Geffrey wasshere. & vp -holderys a gret heep / herly be þe Morwe. Þey geve Glotou n w it h glad cher e / a galou n ale i n honde. Sone Cleme nt þe Cobeler e / of -caste his cloke. & in þe newe feyȝre / he ne mpnyd it to selle. A -no n hikke þe hakeney ma n / hytte his hood aft er. & bad Bette þe bocher / to F.5.334: Beta manuscripts lack to. been on his syȝde. Þere weryn chapme n y -chose / þ at chaffar e to p reyȝse. Which of hem sholde have þe hood / or who sholde haue þe boþe. Þan ryse þey ful rathely / & rowneden to -gydr es. & p reyseden þe F.5.338: Beta manuscripts read þise in place of alpha's þe. peny -worthis / ech p art by hy m -selue. But þei cowde not be her e co nsience / a -corde þ at tyȝme. Tyl Ro byn þe Roper e / was reysed fram his sete. & ne mpned for a nou npere / þ at no debate þ ere fylle. Þa nne hikke hosteler / hadde þe cloke. In co nnawnt þ at Cleme nt / sholde sholde [þe] cuppe fylle. & have hikkis hod hosteler / & holde hy m a -payed. & who þ at repentyd rathest / sholde ryse sone. & grety n wel sir e Glotou n / w it h a galou n ale. Þer e was lawhyng / & lowry ng / & let go þe cuppe. & sety n þer e tyl evynsong / & su nge m erye songis. Tyl Glotou n hadde y -glubbyd / a galou n & mor e. Þ at hise guttys gu nne to gowle / as a gredy sowe. I t rowe he pissed a potel / in a pat er nost er whyle. & blewh his rownde rewet / at his regbonys ende. Þ at al þe folk i n þe hows / helden her e nose after. & wysshed it wer e wypid / w it h a wips of fyrsen. He myghte not steppe ne stonde / er he a staf hadde. & þa nne gan he goo lych / a glewh -ma nnys bycche. Su m -tyme he ȝeede o -syde / & hidirward & þydirward. As who þ at leyþ lyȝnes / larkys to cacche. & whan he drowh to þe dore / þa n dy mmed hise eyȝen. & t ripplid trippid on þe threshold / & ou er -threwh to grownde. A -no n Cleme nt cobler e / kawht hy m in hise armes. For to lifte hy m on F.5.362: An otiose mark, shaped like an apostrophe, appears over <n>. loft / & leyȝde hy m on hise knowis. But Glotou n was a gret cherl / & g rim for to lyfte. & cowhed a potel cawhdel / in Cleme ntis lappe. Þer is no n so hu ng ri hound / in al hertforde -shyre. Þ at leste lape a lyte þ erof / so loþly it smellid e / [¶] Þan w it h al þe wo i n þe world / his wif & his wenche. Þey beren hy m to his bed / & browhte hy m þ ere -Inne. & aft er al þ at exces / he hadde swich an accydie. Þ at he sleep al Sat urday / & Sunday tyl eve. & þa nne a -waked he wroþly / & wypide hise eyȝen. & þe fyrste word þ at he warp / was wher e is þe bolle. & wit gan edwyte hym / how wykkidly he wrouhte. & ryght so dede Repentance / he rebukyd hy m þ at tyme. Þ ou hast þoruhȝ word & werk / wrowht euele i n þy lyve. I rede þ ou shryve þe & be a -shamed / & shewe it w it h þy mowþe. Þan seyd e þ at gome Glotou n / y have gyltyd god ofte. F.5.377: F omits "That I haue trespased with my tonge I kan not telle how ofte." & swor e godd is sowle & side F.5.378: Beta manuscripts lack the phrase "& side." R reads "and his sydes." / & so help me god F.5.378: Beta manuscripts have "god me help" for alpha's "help me god." & holy -dom. Þere þ at no nede was / ny hȝne hundryd tyȝmes. I have ouer -seyn me at sop er / & su m -tyme at noon melis. Þ at y gert vp a -geyn / er y gan goon a myle. & ofte y -speld F.5.382: The interpretation y speld="I spilled" is less probable than the past participle. The same is true of y-drunke in the following line. . þ at myghte be spared / & spend it on nedy. & ouer -delycatly on fastynge -dayes / y -dru nke & ety n boþe. & su m -tyme sat so longe þ ere -at / y sleep & eet a tones at ones. To hery n talis in tau ernys / to dry nke þe su nner e y wente. & ofte hyȝede to mete er noon / whan fastynge -dayes felle. Now þis shewynge shryfte / q uod Repe ntau nce / shal be meryȝt to þe. / [¶] & a -no n gan Glotou n grety n / & greet dool he maade. For his loþ lyþ ir lyf / þat he so lyvid hadde. & a -vowede to faste / for hung ir & þryst boþe & seyd e / shal neuer e fyshȝ on fryday / defyen i n my wombe. Tyl Abstynence my n awnte / haþ ȝove me good leve. & ȝit have y hated hir e / In al my lyf -tyme. F.5.394: A space is left for an ornamental capital <T>. Hanne [T]hanne com Slewthe be -slot ered / w it h two slymed eyȝes. I muste sytte seyd e þe segg e / or y shal ell is nappe. I may nowht stonde / ne stowpe / w it h -oute [ne] with -oute stool knele But where y browht i n bedde / but my bely F.5.397: F's bely is unique. Bx has tailende. it made. Sholde no rynggy ng e do me ryse / er y wer e rype to dyghne. / [¶] He gan B en edicite on a book / & his brest he knokkyd e. & rorede w it h a raskeng / & Rutte at þe laste. What a -wake q uod Repentau nce / & rape þe to shryfte. / [¶] A -þeyh y sholde dyȝe q uod he F.5.402: F inherits quod he from alpha, but not the loss of a stave. Bx reads "If I sholde deye bi þis day me list nouȝt to loke."  y may not now looke. I can not my pat er n oster / as þe preest me tawhte. But y y [can] Romau nces of Roby nn hod / & of Randolf þe Reve. But no n of our e lord ne our e lady / þe leeste þ at is makyd. I have maad fourty a -vowes a teve at eve / & for -gety n he m on morwe. Ne y p arformed neuer e my penau nce / þ at þe preest me Ioynede. Ne be sory for my synnys / ȝit soþly was y neuer e. & if y bydd e ony bedys / but it be in wratthe. Þ at y tell e w it h my tu nge / it is two myle fram my n herte. I am ocupied eu eryday / boþe halyday & oþere. W it h ydyl talis at þe ale F.5.412: An otiose curl appears over <a>. / & oþ ire -whilis in chirche. On godd is peynys ne on his passiou n / ful seelde y þy nke. I vysityd seelde syke F.5.414: The error occurred in alpha. The correct reading feble is attested in beta. me n / or feteryd folk in p risou n. I hadde F.5.415: Alpha reads past tense hadde for beta's haue. lever e her e harlot riȝe / or seen a som er game. Er lesyngis to lawhe of F.5.416: Alpha reads of for beta's at. / or be -lyȝe my n evync ristene. & al þ at eu ere sey nt Mark made / or Mattheu . Ioh an . or lucas. & vigilijs & fastyng -dayes / all e y leet hem passe. I lay in bedde in Lentene / & my lemma n in my n armes. Ty l Matinis & Masses / be do / & y muste to þe freris But come y to Ite Missa est. I holde me wel y -s eruyd. I am nowht shryve but selden / but seknesse it make. Nowht twyes in þe ȝeer / & þa nne me þynkþ to sone. F.5.423: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "and þanne vp gesse I shryue me." I have be preest & P arsou n / passynge fourty wynt er. & ȝit can y neyþ ir solue ne synge / ne sey ntys lyvis r ede. But y can fyȝnde in a fyȝld / of a furlong an hare. Bettr e þan in Beat us vir / or in Beati om nes. To construe it clause -meel F.5.428: Beta reads "oon clause wel" for alpha's "it clause-meel." / & kenne it my p arshenys. I can holde wel Lovedayes / or F.5.429: Alpha reads or for beta's and. hery n a Revis rekeny ng. But i n Cano n ne in decretalis / y can not rede a lyȝne. & if y bygge or borwe / but it be wel y -taylid. I for -ȝeete it as ȝeerne / & if me n me yt aske. Sixe sythis or sevene / y for -swere me w it h oþis. & þ erw it h y tene / trewe men / ten hundr ed tymys. & myne s eruau ntys su m -tyme / her e sallarye is be -hyȝnde. It is hard to heer e rekeny nge / whan we rede a -cowntys. & so w it h wikkid will e & wratthe / my werkme n y peyȝe. If ony doþ me a benefet / or helpiþ me at neede. A -gey n hy m / y am vnkyȝnde / & kan not it knowe. For y have / & have had / su mme of hawkys Manerys. For y am nowht lured w it h love / but su mwhat lygge vndir þu mbe. My n kosyȝnes gret kyȝndenesse / kyddy n to me fernere. fernere, "in old times, long ago." Most B witnesses have the more transparent spelling fernȝere. Sixty syþis for slewhthe / y have for -gete it sytthe. & in sparynge of speche / y have spilt fele þy ngys. Boþe fleshȝ & fysshȝ / & fele oþere vytaylis. As breed & beef & boter e / & bake metys manyȝe. I have for -slewthid in my s eruyse / so longe y haue kept yt. I ran a -bowhte i n ȝowthe / & ȝaf me not to lerne. Þ at y am eu ere euere sytthe i am þe leweder e F.5.449: Bx is corrupt, reading "And euere siþþe haue be beggere for my foule sleuþe." F attempted to revise, substituting lewedere for beggere on the basis of the preceding b-verse. / þorghȝ my n gr ete slowþe. H eu michi q uod F.5.450: Alpha is joined by BoCot in reading quod for beta's quia. sterilem vita m duxi Iuuenilem. Ȝee  Repentest þe nowht q uod Repentance / & ryght w it h þ at he swonyd e Tyl vigilate & orate / fette wat ur at hise eyȝen. & flappede on his face / & faste on hy m cryȝede. & seyd e war þe now fram wanhope / he wole þe be -t rayȝe. I am sory for my synes / seyȝ now so þy -selue. & beete þy -selue on þy brest / & bidde god of g race. For þ ere is no gilte here so gret / þ at goddis goodness e is mor e. Þanne sat slewte vp / & sygned hy m on þe forhed. & made a -vow F.5.459: The phrase "made a vow vn-to god" is also possible here. vn -to god / for his foule slewthe. F.5.459: F omits the following line from Bx: "Shal no Sonday be þis seuen yer but siknesse it lette." Þ at y shal do me eu ery day / to þe derne de[er]e chirche. & þer e her e Matinys & messe / as y a Mu nk wher e. F.5.461: F omits the following line from Bx: "Shal noon ale after mete holde me þennes." Tyl y have euy nsong herd / y hote now to þe roode. & what y have take . to ȝelde a -gey n / yf y so mychil welde. F.5.463: Beta witnesses read "And yet wole I yelde ayein if I so much haue." Of al þ at y so wykkidly wan / sytthe y wit hadde. & þeyhȝ my lyflode / lakke / letty n þerfor e y nylle. Þ at ech man shal have hys / er y hens wende. & w it h þe oþ ir remnau nt / by þe Roode of chestre. I shal seken trewþe / tryst [fyr]st F.5.468: It is not clear what the immediate scribe intended here. The likely explanation is that a scribe changed Bx's erst to synonymous fyrst which then was written in the metathetic form fryst from whence it was corrupted to nonsensical tryst. / er y seke Rome. A -noon Rob ert þe Robbere / on reddite lokede. For he hadde nowht wher -of / he weep wondir sore. But þ at synful shrewe / seyde þus to hym -selue. Whan þ at cryst on Caluarie / vpon þe cros dyȝede. Þan dismas my brothir / by -sowhte c rist of g race. & he hadde m ercy on þ at man / for memeto meme[n]to -is sake. So rewe on me Robbere / þat reddere wil [n]il knowe. Ne neu ere weneþ to wynne / w it h craf þ at y knowe. F.5.476: Alpha and Cr read knowe for beta's owe. But for mychil m ercy / su m Mitigaciou n me seende. F.5.477: F omits Bx's "Ne dampne me noȝt at domesday for þat I dide so ille." What be -fel of þis felou n / y can not fair e shewe. F.5.478: The red ink appearing here is unintentional, a blot from the facing leaf. But wel y whot he wepte faste / wat er w it h hyse eyȝen. F.5.479: Alpha lacks the following line found in beta: "And knoweliched his gilt to crist yet eftsoones." Þ at Penitencia -ys pyk / sholde pulshe hy m newe. F.5.480: Bx reads "That penitencia his pyk he sholde polshe newe." & leep w it h hy m ouer londe / al his lyf -tyme. & be -fore he lay w it h latro / luciferys Awnte. Thanne Repentaunce hadde rewþe / & radde he m all e F.5.483: The red ink on <ll>, like that on shewe in 5.478, does not appear to be like the scribe's other intentional touches, but it is not blotted from the facing leaf. to knele. & be -sechen for all e synful / oure saviour of g race. & þ at we a -me nde vs of our e mys / & do mercy on vs alle. & seid e god of þy n goodnesse / þ ou gu nne þis world to make. & of nawht / madist awht / & ma n most lyk þy -selue. & sytthe þ ou suffredist hy m synne / a sekirnesse seknesse to ma nkynde. & al for þe beste as y beleve / what -eu ere bookys euer e tell e telle O Felix culpa O necessariu m p ecc atum Ade. For þorghȝ synne þy sone / was sent dou n in -to erthe. & by -cam man of a Maide / Mankyȝnde / to save. & madyst þy -selue w it h þy n sone / & vs synful y -lyche. F aciam us ho mi nem ad ymagine m & similitudi nem n ostram . Et alibi. Q ui manet i n caritate i n d eo manet & d eus i n eo. & sytthe w it h þyn selue sone / in our e sewht þ ou dyedist On good fryday / for ma nnis sake / at ful tyme of þe day. Neyþ ir þy -selue ne þy sone / no sorwe i n dyȝeng feledist. But in our e -selue F.5.499: Bx reads oure secte. . was þ at F.5.499: Alpha reads þat for beta's þe. sorwe / & þy n sone yt ladde. C aptiua m duxit captiuitatem. Þe su nne for sorwe þ erof / he lees syghte for a tyme. A -bowhty n Mydday / whan most lyȝt ys / & meel -tyme of sey ntis. Þo feddyst þ ou w it h þy fresche blood / our e fadrys in derknesse. P op ul us qui amb ulat ambula[ba]t i n teneb ris . uidit luce m magna m. & þorw h þ at lyg ht þ at leep fram t he / lucyfer blente. For it blew alle þyne blessede þens / boldely in -to p aradyȝs. & þe þrydde day aft er ȝit / þ ou ȝeedyst forþ in oure sewte. Fyrst a synful Marie þe see / er dede þy moodir dere. F.5.508: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "er seynte Marie þi dame." It was to solace synful / þ ou suffredist it so falle. N on veni uocare iustos . s ed p ecc atores ad penite ncia m. & al of the [þat] / Mark haþ maad / & Mattheu / Ioh an & Lucas. Of þyne dowhtyeste dedis / wher e don in oure armes. Q uod u erbu m caro factu m est . & habitab it habita[v]it in nobis. & by so myche / it F.5.514: Alpha reads it for beta's me. semeþ / þe sykere syk[er]ere to styȝe to hevene. We byddyn þe / & by -sechyn / If so / it be þy wille. As þ ou fadir & brothir art / be m ercyable on þy n peple. & have m ercy F.5.517: Alpha is in error. Beta manuscripts preserve authorial ruþe. on þese rybawdys / þ at repenten hem sore. Þ at euer e ȝit þey wratthid þe F.5.415: Alpha is responsible for the loss of "in this world." The error is shared by G. / In word / þowht / or dede. Þanne hente Hope an horn / was de us tu conu ers us uiuificabis nos. & blew it w it h beati q uor um remisse su nt iniquitates. & alle þe sey ntis in heuene / a -no n / þus þey sungyn a tonys at onys. H o mi nes & iume nta saluabis d omine  q uemadmodu m m ultiplicasti m isericordia m tua m de us. F.5.522: tua m de us is continued beyond this line into the margin below. / [¶] Wel a þowsend e me n þo / þru ngy n alle to -gydres. & c riȝeden vp -ward e to c rist / & to hys clene Modir. To graunte swich g race / trewthe to seken. But þer e was no n so wyȝs / þe weyȝe to hy m cowthe. But blustreden furþ as beestis / ou er balkys & hillis. Tyl it was late & longe / þ at þey a leede mettyn. I -paraylid as a palmer e / in pylg rimes wedys. He bar a burdou n y -bownde / w it h a brood lyste. In a whythyes wyth[wynd]es wyse / ywownde al a -bowte. & a bulle F.5.532: bulle, "bowl." in a bagge / he bar by his syȝde. & an hundr ed of ampullis / vpon his hat sety n. & fele sygnes of seyntys / & shellis also of Galis. & many a crowch on his cloke / w it h þe F.5.535: Alpha is responsible for adding unmetrical þe. Bx has and for F's with þe. keyȝes of Rome. & þe vernicle was by -for e / for folk sholde hy m knowe. & seen by hise syghnes / whom he sowht hadde. Thanne þis folk freynede hy m / whens þ at he keme. Fram þe sepulcre he seyde / & fram synay hyȝe hill is. F.5.539: Bx reads "From Synay he seide and fram oure lordes Sepulcre." We could have easily transcribed the last word in the line as hill e , since the barred double <ll> is ambiguous in this hand. I have been boþe in Bedleem / & in Babylonye also. In Armonye in Alysaundr e / & manye oþ ire places. Ȝee may seen by my n syghnes / þ at sytty n on my cloke. Þ at y have walkid wyȝde / in weet & in dreyȝe. & holy seyntis sowht / for my sowle helthe. / [¶] Ȝee  knowist þ ou nowht a corsey nt / þ at me n calle trewþe. & canst þ ou wisshe vs þe wey / wher e þ at weyȝ dwelliþ. Þa nne seyde þe goome / nay so god me helpe. I seyȝ neu ere þ at palmere / w it h pyk ne w it h sc rippe. Ne man þ at askyd aft er hy m / ty l now in þis place. Peter q uod Pers Plowhman / & pitte furþ his face. I knowe hy m as kyȝndely / as ony clerk hise bookis. Consiense & kyȝnde wit / kende me to his place. & y haue ensured hem sewrly / to s eruy n hy m / for eu ere. Boþe to sowe & to sette / whil y swynke myghte. I have ben his foot folwer e / al þis fourty wynter Boþe y -sowed hise seedis / & sewyd a -bowty n hise beestis. & w it h -Inne boþe & & w it h -outy n / waytid his p rofyȝte. & boþe diggid & deluyd / & dyde þ at he me comau ndid e. F.5.558: F's me comaundid is unique. Bx reads hoteþ. F omits the following lines from Bx: Som tyme I sowe and some tyme I þresshe In taillours craft and tynkeris craft what truþe kan deuyse I weue and I wynde and do what truþe hoteþ. The error had occurred before the immediate scribe's stint, since it was the result of eye-skip from Bx's hoteþ in 5.558. That had to have occurred before the substitution of comaundide for hoteþ. For þeyh y sey it my -selue / y serue hy m to payȝe. & y haue my n her e of hy m / & oþir -whilis moore. He is þe p resteste payȝer e / þat poore me n knowen. He w it hhalt no ma n F.5.562: R's men suggests that the error is in alpha. Beta witnesses preserve correctly alliterating hewe. his hyȝr e / þ at þey haue it soone. F.5.562: F's b-verse is unique. R reads "þat þei ne haue it anone." Beta reads "þat he ne haþ at euen." & he is as lowhly as a lomb / & lovely of speche. & if ȝe wilneþ to wete / where þ at he dwellyþ. I shal wysse ȝow witt erly / þe weyȝe to his place. / [¶] Ȝee leve Pers q uod þo pilg rimes / & p roferedy n hy m hyȝre. For to wendy n w it h hem / þere trewþe gan dwelle. Nay by my sowle q uod pers / & gan swer e faste. I nolde fongy n a ferthyng / for fyfty florenys tolde. F.5.569: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "for Seint Thomas Shryne." Þan t rewþe wolde love me þe lasse / a long tyme after. But if ȝee wilneþ wel to walke / þis is þe wey þidirward. / [¶] Ȝee mote goon / be Meeknesse / boþe me n & wyvis. Tyl ȝee come to consience / cryst whot þe soþe. & þ at ȝee loven our e lord god / levest of all e þynge. & þanne ȝour e neyhebor e neest / & i n no wyse a -peyr e hy m. Oþirwyse / þa n þ ou woldist / he wroghte to þy -selue. & beende forþ be a brook / be buxu m of þy n F.5.577: Alpha is responsible for þyn, omitted by beta. speche. Tyl ȝee fyȝnde a forthe . ȝour e fadr es ȝee honour e. H onora patre m & matre m . ut sis longeu us sup er t erra m. F.5.579: F uniquely completes the Latin verse after matrem. Wadiþ in -to þ at wat er / & wasshe ȝow wel þer -Inne. & ȝee shull e lepe þe lythlokere / al ȝour e lyf -tyme. & sone shalt þ ou see swer e nowht / but it be for nede. Ne ne mpne not i n ydelnesse / þe name of god almyghty. & þa nne shalt þ ou come be a croft / but co m þ ou nowt þ ere -Inne. Þe name ys coueyte þ ou nowht / neyþ ir maydi ns ne wyvis. Ne no n of her e s eruau ntys / ne no þy ng to hy m longiþ. F.5.586: F's b-verse is unique. Bx has "þat noyen hem myȝte." Ne noyȝhe not hise bestis / neyþ ir bollokys ne oþer e. F.5.587: Bx reads "Loke ye breke no bowes þere but if it be youre owene." Two stokkis þ ere stondy n / but stynte ȝee not þere. Þ at is stele not ne sle not / ȝee st rike furþ by boþe. & leve hem on þy left hond / & lo ke not on hem after. Þ at is / holde wel þy n halyday / w it h holy p rayeris. Þan shalt þ ou blenche at a beech / þ ou bere no fals witness e By -syde is a fair e fyld / fals flat eryng e ys þe name. F.5.593: This line appears only in F. It ys frytthid w it h floreynys / & oþ ire fees manye. Loke ȝee F.5.595: Alpha reads ȝee for beta's þow. plukke no plante þ erof / for p ereyl of þe heyward. F.5.595: F omitted the following lines from Bx: Thanne shul ye see seye sooþ so it be to doone In no manere ellis noȝt for no mannes biddyng. Thanne shalt þ ou come to a court / as cleer as þe su nne. Þe Moot is of mercy / w it h Maryȝs al a -bowte. & all e þe wall is ben of wit / to holde will e owte. & y -kerneled w it h c ristendom / ma nkynde to save. I -bot erased w it h good by -leve / or þ ou best not savid. & all e þe howsis ben y -helid / hyȝe hall es & chambr es W it h no leed / but w it h love / & w it h lowhȝ speche also. Þe bregge is . bydde wel / þe betre may þ ou spede. Þe pilerys hatte Penau nce / & p rayeris to seyntys. Þe hokys ben almes e dede / þe gate god hy m -selue. & grace hatte þe gateward / a good ma n for -soþe. & his ma n hatte / a -me nde ȝow / many F.5.607: Alpha omits beta's for before many. ma n hy m know et h. / [¶] Tell e ȝee hy m þis tokne / trewþe know et h þe sothe. Þ at y p arformede þe penau nce / þe p rest me en -Ioynede. & am sory of F.5.610: Alpha reads of for beta's for. my n sy nnys / & so y shal ben euere. F.5.610: F omitted the following line from Bx: "Whan I þynke þeron þeiȝ I were a Pope." & byddeþ / a -me nde ȝow / mekely / to his mayst er p raye. To weyve vp þe wyket / þ at þe wo mma n shette. After þ at adam & Eve / eety n þe appil vnrostyd. P er evam cu ntis cun[c]tis clausa est . & p er maria m v irgi nem it eru m &c. F.5.614: Alpha has " iterum &c. " for " patefacta est ." For she haþ þe keyȝe & kleket / þeyhȝ þe kyng slepe. F.5.615: F omits the following line from Bx: "And if grace graunte þee to go in þis wyse." Þan shalt þ ou see þy -selue / wher e þ at trewþe syttyþ. In a chambr e of charite / as he a child were. To suffre ony seyȝeng / & do þy syrys wille. But be war of wratthe / he is a wikkid shrewe. He haþ Envie to hym / þ at in þy n herte syttyþ. & pokeþ F.5.621: Alpha is in error, omitting forth after pokeþ. p ride p riuyly / to preyse wel þy -selue. & þe boldeness e of þy n benefetys / make þe blynd þa nne. & worþ þ ou dryve owt / & þe dor e y -closed. & keyȝed & klekedid / to kepyn þe w it h -outy n. Happyly an hu ndryd wynt er / er þ ou eft in entre. Þus myght þ ou lesen his love / to lete wel by þi -selue. & neu ere happely eft entr e / but his g race þ ou have. / [¶] But þer e ar e seuene s eruau ntys / þ at s eruy n Trewþe euer e. Þey ben porterys at þe ȝatys / þ at to his place longiþ. Þe firste ys abstynense / & humilite ys a -noþ ir. & Charite & Chastite / þese been hise chef chyldry n. & Pacience & pees / mychil peple þey helpen. & largenesse þat lady / s he leteþ out F.5.633: The redactor, seeing out in the following line, attempted to harmonize the two b-verses to the detriment of the larger sense of the passage. Such a scribal reversal occurs in other contexts, e.g. helle for heuene in F2.109. ful Manyȝe. She haþ delyueryd a þowsend e / owt of þe deuelys ponfolde. & she is neyȝh -by sibbe þe [to] þe sevene / so me god helpe. & she will e worchepely wolkome ȝow / & wel ȝow vndirfonge. & but ȝee ben sybbe / q uod pers / to su mme of þese sevene. It ys hard / by my n heed / for ony of ȝow alle. To gety n in passage . at ony gate / but g race be þe moor e. A  by cryȝst q uod a Cuttepurs / y have no ken þere. / [¶] Ne y / q uod an Apeward / by awht þat y knowe. A  wolde god q uod a Messag er / þ at y wiste þe sothe. Sholde y neu ere a fote ferther e / for no frerys p rechy nge. / [¶] Ȝys . ȝis  q uod pers plowhma n / & pokede hem to goode. Þere a [is] a Mayde þer e / Mercy / she haþ myght ou er he m alle. She ys sybbe to synful / & so ys hir e sone also. & þorghȝ þe helpe of hem two / hope þ ou non oþir. Þ ou myght gety n g race þer e / by so þ ou goo by -tymes. By sey nt Poul q uod a pardon er / p arawnt er y be not wolkome. F.5.649: Beta witnesses read knowe(n) þere in place of alpha's wolkome. I will e go fecchy n my boox / w it h þe Bisshopis lett ris. / [¶] By c rist q uod a comou n wo mman / In þy n Cu mpany wil y wende. & seyȝ y am þy n syst er / in Cytes þer e we wende. F.5.652: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "I ne woot where þei bicome." F.5.653: The text is marked in the left margin by a later secretary hand for the B passus division. Þis wher e a wikkid e wey / but we hadde a gyde. F.5.653: A later secretary hand supplied passus sextu[s] in the right margin. The final character has been lost to cropping. Þ at wolde folwe vs eu ery foote / þ at no folk vs noyȝe. Q uod pers plowhman þo / by sey nt pet er of Rome. I have an half acre to eryȝe / by þe hyȝe -weyȝe. Hadde y heryd þ at half acre / & y -sowe it aft er. I wolde weende w it h ȝow / & þe weyȝ ȝow techen. / [¶] Þys wer e a long letty nge / q uod a Lady w it h a skleyȝre. What shull e we wo mmen / wyrchen þer whylys. Su mme shull e sowe þe sak / q uod Pers / for shedy ng of whete. & ȝee lovely Ladijs / w it h ȝoure longe fyngrys. Loke ȝee have sylk & sy ndel / to sowe / whan it ys tyme. To make Chesyplis for Chapelei ns / chirchis to honour e. & ȝee wyvis & wydewis / wulle / & flex ȝee spy nne. / [¶] & Makeþ cloþ y co nseyle ȝow / & kenneþ so ȝour e dowht ris. Þe nedy & þe nakede / nemeþ hede how þey lyggyn. & casteþ on hem cloþis / & so comau ndiþ ȝow trewþe. For y shal lene hem lyflode / but if my n lond e fayle. Boþe fleshȝ & breed / to ryche & to poore. As longe as y lyve / for þe lord is love in hevene. & all e maner e of me n / þ at w it h mete & dry nk lybbyn Shull e helpe to wirche wyghtly / to wynne w it h ȝour e fode. Be c rist q uod a knyg ht þo / he kenneþ vs þe beste. But trewly on þe teem / tawht was y neuere. But kenne me it q uod þe knyght / & by c rist y will e a -sayȝe / [¶] By sey nt Poul q uod P erkyn / ȝee p rofere ȝou sir e so fayre. Þ at y will e swynke & swety n / & sowe for vs boþe. & oþer e laboreris shull e for þy n love / al here lyf -tyȝme. In co nnau nt / þ at holy chirche / þ ou kepe / as þy -selue. Fram wastoures & wikkyd me n / þ at þis world stroyȝeþ. & goo þ ou hu nte hardely / to hares / & to foxes. & to bawsynes & boores / b ut breke þ ou none heggys. F.5.683: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "To bores and to brokkes þat breken adown myn hegges." & go a -fayte þy fakonys / whilde foul to kelle. For þei come in -to my croft / & cropyþ my whete. / [¶] Þa nne þe knyght c urteysly / comsede þese wordys. By my powher Pers q uod he  y plyghte þe my trewþe. To fulfylle þis forward / þeyhȝ y fyghte sholde. & as longe as as [y] lyve i n londe / y shal þe Meyntene. But .o. poynt q uod Pers / y p raye þe of more. Loke þ ou tene no tenau nt / but trewþe will e a -sente. & þeyȝh þ ou mayst angre me n / let Mercy be taxour. & Meeknesse þy Mayst er / Mawgr e Meedis chekys. & þeyhȝ poor e me n p rofer e þe / p resentys & ȝiftys. Nyme he m nawht in awnt er / þ ou F.5.695: Alpha has þou for beta's ye. maist not yt disserue. For þ ou shalt ȝeelde yt a -ȝeen / at o ȝerys ende. Al in a p arlyous place / purgatorye me n name it. Ne mys -bede not þy bonde -man F.5.698: Alpha and Hm have singular man for beta's men. The same variants appear in C, but A manuscripts agree in the plural form. / þe bettr e shalt þ ou spede. Þeyhȝ he be her e . þy n vndirly ng / wel may happe i n heuene. Þ at he worþ worthier e set / þa n þ ou / & in wel mor e blysse. Amice  ascende superius For i n a F.5.702: Alpha is responsible for a, a reading shared by Hm. chapel F.5.702: F's reading is unique. R has chanel, leaving the <r> out of Bx's Charnel. or i n a chirche / a clerk F.5.702: Alpha substituted clerkes for original cherles. F uniquely has "a clerk." is evel to knowe. So is a knyght þer e fra m a knave / knowe þis i n þy n herte. But loke þ ou be t rewe of tu nge F.5.704: Alpha lacks beta's þi before tunge. / & talis þ at þ ou hate. & by wysdom & by wit / þy werkme n þ ou chastyze. & holde not F.5.706: Alpha is responsible for the double negative. Beta witnesses lack not. w it h none harlotis / ne heer e not her e talis. & namely at þy mete bord / swiche me n ecchewe. For þey ben þe deuelis dissour es / y do þe to vndirsto nde. I a -sente by sey nt Ieme / seyd e þe knyght þa nne. To werche al aft er þy word / whylis my lyf dureþ. / [¶] & y shal a -p arayle me q uod Pers / in pylgrymes wyse. & y wyll e wende w it h ȝow / tyl þ at we fyȝnde trewþe I wil casty n on my n cloþis / y -clowtyd at þe fulle. My n kokerys & my n coffys / for cold of my n naylys. & y will e hangy n my n hoper / at my n ha ls / as i hadde a sc rippe. & a busshel of bred -corn / y wil bere þere -Inne. For y will e soowe it my -selue / & sytthe w it h ȝow wende. On pilg rimagis as palmeris doon / pardou n to have. But who þ at helpiþ me to heryȝe / or sowe er y wende. He shal have leve by our e lord / to large his heruest heere. & make hy m meryȝe þer -myde / mawgre who grucche. & all e kynne crafty me n / þ at kunne lyve in trewþe. I shal fyȝnde hem foode / for feythfully þey lybbe. / [¶] Save Iakke Iogelour F.5.724: An otiose curl appears above <g>. / & Ionete at þe styvis. F.5.724: Alpha and Bo have the form styvis rather than beta's stuwes. See MED, s. v. stive n.(1), and steu(e) n.(2). & Danyel þe dyȝs pleyȝer e / & denote þe bawhde. & also frer e faytour / & mo folk of his ordre. & Robyn Rybawdour / for hise rusty wordis. For trewþe tolde me onys / & bad me tell e aft er. Deleantur de libro viuenciu m / I sholde not w it h he m deyle. For holy chirche / is holde / of hem no tyþe to take. Q uia cu m iustis no n scribant ur / in þe registr e in hevene. F.5.731: F uniquely adds an English b-verse after the Latin text. Þey ben skapid good awnt er / now god hem a -mende. Dame wirche wel / wan tyme is / Persis wyf hyȝte. & his dowht er do ryght so / er þy dame wil þe beete. & his sone hyȝte wel [suffre] wel / þy n soverynes have her e will e. & deme he m nowht / if þ ou doost / þ ou shalt it der e a -begge. But lete god worche F.5.737: The text is ambiguous here, for what we have transcribed as <c> could with about equal probability have been transcribed as <t>. Both worche and worthe appear in B manuscripts. / w it h it al / for so his word þe techiþ. / [¶] For now y am hoold F.5.738: An otiose curl appears over the second <o>. / & hoor / & have good of my n howne. To pylg rimage / for penau nce / y wil passe w it h oþere. But y will e er y wende / do wryty n my n enqweste . I n dei no mi ne amen / god shal have my n soule. Alpha two lines here appear in beta witnesses as three. Beta reads as follows: In dei nomine amen I make it myselue He shal haue my soule þat best haþ deserued And fro þe fend it defende for so I bileue. Þ at best ys worthy / & weyvid fram yt þe fendis. Tyl y come to hise a -cowntys / as my crede F.5.743: Alpha lacks beta's me after crede. F's spelliþ is unique. Bx has telleþ. spelliþ. F.5.743: F omitted the following line from Bx: "To haue relees and remission on þat rental I leue." & þe kyrke -ȝeerd shal kepe / my n kareyne & my n boonys. For of my n corn & catel / þe kirke c rauede þe tythe. & & [y] peyȝede it t rewly to þe preest / for pereil of my soule. For -þy he is holde as y hope / to have me in his messe. & me nge me i n his Meme nto / a -mongys all e c ristene. / [¶] & my wif shal have of þ at y wan / w it h trewþe & no moore. & dele it among hir e dowht ris / & my n dere childryn. For t ruly þey dyȝede [y] dyȝede to -day / my n dettys ben all e qwitte. I bar hoom þ at y borwede / er y to bedde wente. & w it h þe resydue of þe remenau nt / be þe Roode of lukys. I will e worchepe þ erw it h / trewþe by my lyve. & been his pylgryȝm / at þe plowhȝ / for poor e me nnys sake. My p low hȝ -pote ys my pyȝ k -staf / þ at pittyþ a -wey þe rootys. & helpiþ my cultre to kerue / & to klense þe furwis. Now ys Pers & þe pilgrymes / to þe plowhȝ y -faren. To heryȝen his half acre / þere hulpene hym manye. Boþe dykerys & deluerys / dyggedyn vp þe balkys. & w it h hem was Pers wel payed / & p reyȝsede hem faste. / [¶] Oþer e werkmen þer e wery n / þ at wroghty n ful ȝeerne. Ech ma n / on his manere / made hy m -selue to doone. & su mme poore to plese Pers / þey pulliden vp þe rootys. Þa nne at heyȝ p rime pers / leet his plowhȝ stoonde. & wente to seen hise werk -me n / how þ at þey wroghte. He wolde heren hem / þ ere -after / wan hervest tyme keme. Þa nne fond he su mme sytty n / & synge at þe alehous. & hulpen hym so to heryȝe / w it h hoy  trolly / lolly. Þ at þey filly n flat on þe floor / so feyþfully þey swonke. F.5.770: This line appears only in F. / [¶] Now be my n sowlis pereyl q uod Pers / in pur e gret tene. But ȝee a -ryse þe rathere / & rape ȝow to wyrche. Shal no grey n þ at grow et h / glade ȝow / at ȝour e neede. & þeyȝ ȝee dyȝen for dool / þe devil have hy m þ at recche. Þo whery n Faytour es a -ferd / & feynede he m blyȝnde Su mme leyȝde her e leggys swolle / as su m loselys vsen. & maden her e moone to Pers / & p rayede hy m of grace. & seyd e / we have no lymes to labour e / our e Lord do v us boote. But we p raye for ȝow Pers / & for ȝour e plowhȝ -me n boþe. Þ at god of his grete g race / ȝour e greyn m ultyplyȝe. & ȝeelde ȝow / ȝour e almesse -dede / þ at ȝee ȝeve v us heere. For we mowe not swynke / swich syknesse vs holdeþ / [¶] If it be soþ q uod Pers / þ at ȝee sey n / y shal it sone a -spyȝe. Þ at ȝee ben wastoures y whot wel / & t rewþe whot þe soþe. & y am his olde hyȝne / & by -hyȝhte hy m to warne. Whiche þey whery n in þis world / his werk wolde a -peyr e. For ȝee wasten þ at me n wynnyn / w it h t rauayle & w it h teene. But trewþe shal teche ȝow / his teeme to dryve. Or ȝee shull e ety n barly breed / & of þe brook drynke. But he þ at is blynd / or broke -leggyd / or boltyd w it h yrenys. He shal ety n whyȝt breed / & dry nke wyȝn or ale. Tyl god of his goodnesse / a -me ndeme nt hy m seende. / [¶] But ȝee myghte t rauayle tr ewly / & take meete & hyȝre. To kepen keen in þe fyld / or corn fram þe beestys. Or dyken or deluy n / or dyggy n vp rootys. Or helpy n makyn morter / or leedy n muk on filde. & nowht to lyve in Leccheryȝe / ne in Losengryȝe & slowþe. It is suffrau nce of god / þ at vengau nnce ȝow ȝow [ne] takeþ. / [¶] But Ancres & hermyȝtis / þ at etyn but at noonys. & no more til on morwe / my n almesse þey shull e have. & of my n catel to kou ere hem w it h / þ at kepy n cloystr e & chirche. But Dau nn Rob ert renne a -bowhte / shal nout rewle my goodis. Ne preest . but he p reche ku nne / & have powher of þe bisshop. Þey shull e have payn & potage / w it h a pytawnce by -syde. For it is an vn -resonable relig iou n hous F.5.805: F alone reads hous. / þ at haþ re ntys none. F.5.805: The scribe wrote rentys around a hole in the manuscript. / [¶] Þan gan a wastowr wexe wrothȝ / & wolde fayn a fowhte. & to Pers Plowhma n / he p roferede / his glove. & w it h hy m cam a braggere / & a F.5.808: a, "he." boostide Pers also. & bad hy m goo pisse on F.5.809: Alpha has on for beta's with. his plowh / for -pynede shrewe. & seyd e  wilt þ ou . pers / o o[r] nyltou / we will e have our e will e. & þy flour & þyn fleshȝ / we fecche whan vs lykeþ. & make vs meryȝe þer -myde / mawgr e / þy n chekys. Þanne Pers wente kony ngly / & to þe knyght pleyȝnede. To kepen hy m as cu nnau nt was / fram c ursede shrewys. F.5.814: F omits the following line from Bx: "And fro þise wastours wolueskynnes þat makeþ þe world deere." For þey wastyn / & wynne nowht / & wete wel for -soþe. Worþ neu ere plente a -mo ng þe peple / whil e my plowhȝ lyggyþ. / [¶] Curteysly þe knyght þo / as his kende wolde. Warnede wastour / & wysshede to þe betre. Or þ ou shalt a -bygge be þe Lawe he seid e / be þe ordr e y bere. I was not wont q uod he / to wirche / ne y wil not now by -gy nne. & leet lyghtly of þe lawe / & lasse of his speche. & sette also pers at a pese / & his plowhȝ boþe. & þrette Pers & hise men / yf þey metty n eft -sone. / [¶] Q uod pers / be þe pereyl of my n sowle / y shal a -peyȝr e ȝou all e F.5.824: F omits the following line from Bx: "And houped after hunger þat herde hym at þe firste." & a -wr eke me of þese wastour es / þ at þis world she nd e Sone hu ngir in haste þo / hente wastour by þe maw & wrong hy m so by þe wo mbe / þ at boþe hise eyȝes watred e & he buffetid so þe bragger e / a -bowhty n boþe hise chekis. Þ at he loked lyȝk a lant erne horn / al his lyve after. He beet hem so boþe / he brast neer her e guttys. Ne hadde pers . w it h a pese loof / p rayed hu ngir sese. F.5.831: Alpha lacks beta's to before sese. Þey hadde be douy n do[l]uyn boþe / deme no man oþir. Suffr e hem lyve seyd e Pers / & let hem ety n w it h hoggys. Or ellis benys & bren / y -bakyn boþe to -gydre. & drynke melk / or meyhne ale / to mey ntene her e lyvis / [¶] Þanne Faytoures for feer / flown in -to beernes. & flappyd on w it h fleylis / fram morwe to þe eve. Þat hungir was not F.5.838: Alpha and G lack beta's so before hardy. hardy / on hem onys to looke. For a poot -fu l of peesys / þat Pers dide hem ma ke. Anon an heep of hermyȝtis / in hand is henty n spades. & kyttyn her e copis / & coortepijs hem made. & wenty n as werkmen / to swynkyn a -bowtyn. & deluedy n & dykedy n / to dryve a -wey hungir . Þa nne blynde me n & beddr edid e / wher e butned a þowsand e Þ at sety n to begge syluer / sone wery n they helyd e. For þat was bakyn for bayard / was boote þe [to] þe hu ngry. & many a begger e for benys / ful bown was to swynke. & ech por e ma n wel payd / to have pesys to heere. & what Pers p rayede he m doo  as preest . as a sparhawk. & þerfor e wex Pers prowd / & pitte hem to werke. & gaf hem as he myghte mete / & mesurable hyȝre. Þa nne hadde Pers pite / & p rayede hung ir to wende. Hoom to his owne hold / & holde hy m styll e þere. For y am wel a -wreke now / on wastoures þis tyȝme. But y p raye þe er þ ou passe / q uod Pers þo to hungir. Of beggerys & of bydderys / what is best to doone. For y whoot wel . be þ ou went / þey will e wirche ful ille. For myscheef it makeþ / þey been so meeke nowthe. & for de -fawhte of foode / þys folk ys at my will e. Þey are my brethery n of blood q uod Pers / for c rist bowhte vs all e. Trewþe tawhte me onys / to love hem ecchone. & to helpe hem of all e þy nge / ay as hem neediþ. & nowh wolde y wete of þe / what were þe beste. How y myghte a -mayst rie he m / & maken hem to wirche. Now here wel me q uod Hu ng ir / & holde it for a wisdom. Þ at bolde beggeris & bygge / þ at for her e breed mowe swynke. W it h howndis breed & horse -breed / hold vp here hertys. & a -bate hem w it h beenys / for bolnynge of here whombis. & if þo goomes grucche / bidde hym goo & swynke. F.5.869: Alpha omitted the following line attested by beta manuscripts: "And he shal soupe swetter whan he it haþ deserued." & if þ ou fyȝnde ony freek / þ at False F.5.870: R reads falshed, suggesting that F's reading is owed to alpha. Beta witnesses read Fortune, as did A. C, however, has fals men. haþ a -sayȝed. F.5.870: F's reading is unique. Bx reads apeired. Or ony man ere of false me n / fonde þ ou swiche to knowe. W it h þy catel knowe þ ou hem / for c ristis love in hevene. Love hem / & leene hem / for godd is lawe so techiþ. A lter alterius / honera portate & alle oþere manere of me n / þat þ ou myght a -spyȝe. Þ at needy ben / & nowhty / help hem / w it h þy n goodis. Love hem / & lakke hem nowht / lete god take vengau nce. & if þey don evil a -gey n þe / lete god / w it h hem worthe. M ichi vindictam / et ego retribuam & if þ ou wi lt gete g race of god / do as þe gospe l tec heþ. Þ ou loowe þe / to lowe men / & so shalt þ ou lacche grace. F acite vobis amicos de Ma mmona i niquitatis I wolde not greve god q uod Pers / for al þe good on grownde. Myghte y synneles don as þ ou seyst / so me god helpe. I hoote to god / q uod hu nger / ȝis  or ellis þe byble lyȝeþ. Goo to Genesis / þe Geau nt / engendrowr of vs alle. He seyþ in swoot & in swynk / þ ou shalt þy foode wynne. & Labour e for þi lyf -loode / & so our e lord þe hyghte. & sapiense book seyþ þe same / soþly to telle. Þ at Piger p ro frigore / no fildis wolde tylye. & þerfor e he shal beggy n / & no man beetyn his hungir Seynt Matthew / w it h ma nnys face / mowthiþ þese word is. Þat seru us neq uam hadde a man / þ at wolde nout chaffare. F.5.893: Alpha had changed mnam to man, and F further revises the line to make this spurious man the antecedent of þat by omitting Bx's he. & he mawgre of his mayst er / for euere -moore after. & he by -nam hym his napm / for he wolde not wirche. & ȝaf it to a -noþ ir man / þat ten napmes hadde. & w it h þat dede he seyȝde / þat all e me n it herde. He þ at haþ / shal have / to helpe hy m / at his neede. & he þ at nowht haþ / nowht shal have / & no ma n hy m helpe & þ at he hopeþ for F.5.900: Alpha has for for beta's wel. to have / me n shull e yt hy m bereve. For kende wolde / þat euery wyght wroghte In dykynge or in deluy nge / or doynge in p rayeris. Eir Conte mplatif lyf or actif / c rist coueytyd e we wroughte. Þe Sawhter seyþ in a F.5.904: Alpha has a for beta's þe. spalm / F.5.904: A second virgule appears to have been partially erased. In beati omnes. Þe freeke þ at feediþ hy m -selue / w it h his feyȝþful labour. He ys blessid be þe book / in body & in sowle. L abores manuu m tuar um q uia ma nducabis . bat us b[e]atus es &c. . Ȝit y praye þe q uod Pers / pur charite & þ ou cu nne. Of ony leef of leche -craft / leere it me y p raye. For su mme of my n s eruau ntis / & my -selue boþe. Of all e þe wyke / wirke nowht / so our e whombe akeþ. A  y whot wel q uod hu ng ir / what syȝknesse ȝow eyȝleþ. Ȝee have Mawngid ou er -myche / & þ at makþ ȝow grone. But y hote þe q uod hu ngir / if þ ou þy n hele disyryst. Þ at þ ou dry nke no day / er þ ou dyghne a mussel. Ne ete nowht y hoote þe / er hu ngir þe take. & bry nge þe of his saws / to savour e þy n lyppis. & keep su m / tyl soper / but sitte þ ou nowht longe. But a -ryse vp er apetyȝt / have loost al his strengþe. But lete not sir e surfet / sytty n at þy n table. Leeve hy m / for he is leccherows / & ly kerous of tu nge. & after manye meetys / his Mawe ys / a -lustyd. & ȝif þ ou dyete þe þus / y dar leyȝe my n erys. Þat Fysyk shal his furryd hood / ȝee [for his] fode selle. & his kloke of Calabre / w it h knoppis of gold þ erone. & be fayn by my n feyȝþ / his fysyȝk to leetyn. & leerne to laboure on þe lond / for lyf -loode ys sweete. Now are mo moraynerys F.5.928: moraynerys is a nonce word, apparently meaning "killers, murderers," formed from the noun murrein. R's morareres suggests that the reading was in alpha, though the R scribe failed to make sense of it. Most beta witnesses have "murþereris are manye." þa n lechis / our e lord he m ame nde. þey doon me n dyȝe / þoru her e dry nkys / er destenyȝe it wolde. By sey nt Pet er a - postle q uod Pers / þese ar e p rofytable woordis. Wende nowh hu ngir . whan þ ou wilt / & wel þe be -tyȝde. For þis ys a lovely lessou n / our e lord it þe for -ȝeelde. I hote god q uod hu nger / hens wil y not wende. Tyl y have dyghne dyghne[d] þys day / & þ erto dru nke bothe. Pet er / y have no peny q uod Pers / peyȝneme ns þe to begge. Ne neyþ ir gryȝs ne gees / but y have two grene chesis. & a fewe cruddis & creem / & þ erto an haver kake. & two lovis of beene breed / y bok F.5.938: Bx has the past participle form ybake. yt for my barnys. & ȝit y swere by my sowle / y have no salt bakou n. Ne be c rist no kokeney / kolopys the to make. But y have P ersyȝle & porrettis / & fele p ropr e F.5.941: F's propre before herbys is unique. R's erroneous queynte herbes may represent alpha, and F has revised to correct the alliteration. Beta witnesses also fail in alliteration, reading cole plauntys. herbys. & eek a kow & a Calf / & eek a Carte mare. To drawe dunk on felde / whyl e þe drowht lasteþ. & by þis lyfloode y muste lyve / tyl lammesse tyme. For y hope by þat to have / hervest in my crofte. & þa nne may y dyghte þy dyghner / as þe deer e lykeþ. & all e þe por e peple þo / pese -koddis feccheden. & beenys / & bake applis / þey browhte in her e lappis. Chybollis / & chirne mylk / & rype chiryes manye. & p roferedy n Pers þ at p resent / to plese w it h hungir . & all e þo / hu ngir eet i n haste / & askede aft er moore. Þa nne por e folk for feer / feddy n hu ngir faste. W it h grene porettis & pesis / to poysoyne hy m þey þowhte n. But by þ at . it neyhede neer hervest / & newe corn a -per ede. & þ erof wer e F.5.955: An otiose curl appears over an ill-formed <e>. folk fayn / & fedde hem w it h þe beeste. & w it h good ale / as glotou n tawhte / þa n ga n he goo to slepe. But þa n wolde no F.5.957: Alpha has wolde no for beta's nolde. Beta adds noȝt before wyrche. wasto ur wyrche / but wandr edid a -bowhte. Ne no begger e eete no breed / þ at beenys Inne weryn. But of koket or cler -maty n / or ell is of klene whete. Ne no man ha lpeny a le / in no wyse dryn ke. But of þe beste & bru nneste / in borghȝ was to selle. & laboreris þ at have no lond / but lyven w it h her e hondis Þey endeyȝhne F.5.963: This word, unique to F, is not elsewhere attested in the sense "disdain," but cf. MED s.v. endeinous "disdainful, haughty." to F.5.963: Alpha omits noȝt before to dyghne. dyghne / or suppe olde wortes. Ne no peny ale hem peyȝe / ne no pece of bakou n. But it be hoot flesh & fr eshȝ / for flasshy ng of her e mawe. F.5.965: Alpha omitted a b-verse and an a-verse, creating one line of Bx's two. Bx reads as follows: But if it be fressh flessh ouþer fissh fryed ouþer ybake And þat chaud and plus chaud for chillynge of hir mawe. R preserved chillyng, but F characteristically regularizes the alliteration by substituting flasshyng. & but he be hyȝly hyȝryd / ell is will e he chyde. & þ at he cam / swich werk to wirke / he will e weyȝle þe tyme. A -gey n Catonys co nseyl / comseþ he to Iangle. P aup ertatis onus / pacie nt er ferre meme nto F.5.969: A contemporary hand wrote n ota in the right margin. For the bracket beneath it, cf. fol. 1v. He grevyþ grevously god / for he grucchyþ a -gey n resou n.