The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 4: Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 581 (S. C. 987) (L) – Passus 20William LanglandEdited by Hoyt N. Duggan and Ralph HannaAssociate Editors: Patricia R. Bart, M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A. FarleyTechnical Editors: Daniel V. Pitti and Jonathan Rodney Graduate Research Assistants Heather Blatt, Michael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Nancy Renwick Clendenon, Carri Cregar, Paul Fyfe, Paul Gaffney, Matthew Gibson, Bethany Mabee, Stephen C. Martin, Chloe Smith, Timothy L. Stinson, and Keicy Tolbert. Computer Consultants and ProgrammersShayne Brandon, Nathaniel Garson, Matthew S. Gibson, Kirk V. Hastings, Janice McCoy, Susan Munson, David Seaman, and John Unsworth.Published for the Medieval Academy of America and The Society for Early English and Norse Electronic Texts (SEENET) by Boydell and Brewer Ltd. Cambridge ISBN: 184384026X

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SEENET A.6

Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud misc. 581 (S. C. 987)

late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud misc. 581 (S. C. 987)

Attribute Valuesbrown inkanglicana bastardaitalicLombard Capornamented capital, N lines highrubricatedtouched in redtexturaunderlinedunderlined in redgreen inkblue ink

LatinFrenchGerman2003 Editor Hoyt N. Duggan New header created and structure reorganized. passus xxus de visione & primus de dobestPassus xxusvicesimus & primus de dobestt ThanneL.20.1: A small guide letter <t> appears in the left margin. The ornamental capital is in a different style from the other passus beginnings. as I went by þe way · whan I was þus awaked Heuy-chered I ȝede · and elynge in herte I ne wiste where to ete · ne at what place And it neighed nyeghe þe none · & with nede I mette That afronted me foule · and faitour me called CoudestowL.20.6: LF alone read Coudestow; other B manuscripts have Kanstow. nouȝte excuse þe · as dede þe Kynge & other Þat þow toke to þi bylyf · to clothes and to sustenance AsL.20.8: LCrM read As; most B manuscripts have And. Among C manuscripts, PEcRcMcVcAcQScZNc also read As here. by techynge & by tellynge · of spiritus temperancie And þow nome namore · þan nede þe tauȝte And nede ne hath no lawe · ne neure shal falle in dette For þre thynges he taketh · his lyf forto saue That is mete whan men hym werneth · & he no moneye weldeth Ne wyght none wil ben his borwe · ne wedde hath none to legge And he cauȝte in þat cas · & come þere-to by sleighte He synneth nouȝte sothelich · þat so wynneth his fode And þough he come so to a clothe · and can no better cheuysaunce Nede anon-riȝte · nymeth hym vnder meynpryse And if hym lyst for to lape · þe lawe of kynde wolde That he dronke at eche diche · ar he for thurste deyde So nede at grete nede · may nymen as for his owne Wyth-oute conseille of conscience · or cardynale vertues So þat he suwe & saue · spiritus temperancie For is no vertue by fer to spiritus temperancie Neither spiritus iusticie · ne spiritus fortitudinis For spiritus fortitudinis · forfaiteth ful oft He shal do more þan mesure · many tyme & ofte And bete men ouer bitter · and somme of hem to litel And greue men gretter · þan goode faith it wolde And spiritus iusticie  shal iuggen wolhe nolhe After þe kynges conseille · & þe comune lyke And spiritus prudencie · in many a poynte shal faille Of þat he weneth wolde falle · if his wytte ne were Wenynge is no wysdome · ne wyse ymagynacioun Homo proponit & deus disponit · & gouerneth alle good vertues Ac nede is next hym · for anon he meketh And as low as a lombe · for lakkyng of þat hym nedeth Wyse men forsoke wele · for þey wolde be nedy And woneden in wildernesse · & wolde nouȝte be riche And god al his grete ioye · gostliche he left And cam & toke mankynde · and bycam nedy So nedy he was as seyth þe boke · in many sondry places Þat he seyde in his sorwe · on þe selue Rode Bothe fox & foule · may fleighe to hole & crepe And þe fisshe hath fyn · to flete with to reste+ Þere nede hath ynome me · þat I mote nede abydeL.20.45: The letter <a> was squeezed into the space left as a word break by the original scribe in response to a partially erased corrector's <+> in the left margin. And suffre sorwes ful sowre · þat shal to ioye tourne For-þi be nouȝte abasshed · to byde and to be nedy Syth he þat wrouȝte al þe worlde · was wilfullich nedy Ne neuer none so nedy · ne pouerere deyde Whan nede had vndernome me þus · anon I felle aslepe And mette ful merueillously · þat in mannes forme Antecryst cam þanne · and al þe croppe of treuthe Torned it vp-so-doune · and ouertilte þe rote And fals sprynge & sprede · & spede mennes nedes In eche a contre þere he cam · he cutte awey treuthe And gert gyle growe þere · as he a god were L.20.57ff.: This leaf, the last of quire 11, and the first leaf of the final quire are quite faded, though entirely legible, probably reflecting some damage while the manuscript was unbound. Freres folwed þat fende · for he ȝaf hem copes And religiouse reuerenced hym · and rongen here belles And al þe couent forth cam · to welcome þat tyraunt And alle hise · as wel as hym · saue onlich folis Which folis were wel leuer to ...?...deye þan to lyue Lengore sith lenten  was so rebuked And a fals fende antecriste · ouer alle folke regned And þat were mylde men & holy · þat no myschief dredden Defyed al falsenesse · and folke þat it vsed+ And what Kynge þat hem conforted · knowynge hem any whileL.20.66: A largely erased corrector's <+> appears to the left of the following line. There is no evidence of error or of a correction in that line, but it is possible that he any in this line is written over an erasure. Kane-Donaldson emend conjecturally to hir gile, based on the C variants and alpha's hem/hym gyle. Cf. the note to L.12.123. L.20.67: The corrector's mark is largely erased and somewhat easier to see in the manuscript than in the color image. See the note to the preceding line. They cursed and her conseille · were it clerke or lewed Antecriste hadde thus sone · hundredes at his banere And Pryde it bare · boldely aboute With a lorde þat lyueth · after lykynge of body That cam aȝein conscience · þat kepere was & gyoure Ouer kynde ...crystene · and cardynale vertues I conseille quod conscience þo · cometh with me ȝe foles In-to vnyte holy cherche · and holde we vs there And crye we to kynde · þat he come & defende vs Foles · fro þis fendes lymes · for Piers loue þe plowman And crye we to alle þe comune / þat þei come to vnite And þere abide and bikere · aȝein beliales children Kynd conscience þo herde · and cam out of þe planetes And sent forth his foreioures feures and fluxes Coughes and cardiacles · crampes and tothaches Rewmes & radegoundes · and roynouse scalles Byles and bocches · and brennyng agues Frenesyes & foule yueles · forageres of kynde Hadde yprykked and prayed polles of peple Þat largelich a legioun · leseL.20.86: L alone reads lese (R has lose); most other B manuscripts have loren or losten. her lyf sone There was harrow and help · here cometh kyndeL.20.87: In the right margin are some dark brown pen strokes and evidence of something scraped. With deth þat is dredful · to vndone vs alle The lorde that lyued after lust · tho alowde cryde After ....conforte a knyghte · to come and bere his banere Alarme alarme quod þat lorde eche lyf kepe his owne And þanne mette þis men · ar mynstralles myȝte pipe And ar heraudes of armes · hadden descreued lordes Elde þe hore · he was in þe vauntwarde And bare þe banere bifor deth · by riȝte he it claymed Kynde come after · with many kene sores As pokkes and pestilences · and moche poeple shente · L.20.98ff.: This page, though pale, looks like the original scribe's usual script. A streak of damage has affected the first words of the first three lines, but they are readable. So kynde þorw corupciouns · kulled ful manye Deth cam dryuendeL.20.99: LRF have the -ende form of the present participle; most other B witnesses read dryuynge. See the Linguistic Description § III.3.5.1.3. after · and al to doust passhed Kynges & Knyȝtes · kayseres and popes Lered ne lewed · he let no man stonde That he hitte euene · þat euere stired after Many a louely lady · and lemmanes of knyghtes Swouned and swelted · for sorwe of dethes dyntes Conscience of his curteisye · to kynde he bisouȝte To cesse & ..suffre · and see where þei wolde Leue pryde pryuely · and be parfite cristene And kynde cessed tho · to se þe peple amende Fortune gan flateren thenne · þo fewe þat were alyue And byhight hem longe lyf · and lecherye he sent Amonges al manere men · wedded & vnwedded And gadered a gret hoste · al agayne conscience This lecherye leyde on · with a laughyng chiere And with pryue speche · and peynted wordes And armed hym in ydelnesse · and in hiegh berynge He bare a bowe in his hande · and manye blody arwes Weren fethered with faire biheste · and many a false truthe+ WitL.20.118: The corrector's <+> beside the following line probably refers to the scribe's rendering of Wit for Wiþ here. The corrector marked the same form at L.5.612. It was not corrected either place. his vntydy tales · he tened ful ofte Conscience and his compaignye · of holicherche þe techeres Thanne cam coueityse · and caste how he myȝte Ouercome conscience · and cardynal vertues And armed hym in auaryce · and hungriliche lyued His wepne was al wiles · to wynnen & to hyden With glosynges and with gabbynges · he gyled þe peple Symonye hym sent · to assaille conscience And preched to þe peple · and prelates þei hem maden To holden with antecryste · her temperaltes to saue And come to þe kynges conseille · as a kene baroun And kneled to conscience in courte afor hem alle And gart gode feith flee · and fals to abide And boldeliche bar adown · with many a briȝte noble Moche of þe witte and wisdome · of westmynster halle He iugged til a iustice · and iusted in his ere And ouertilte al his treuthe · with take þis vp amendement And to þe arches in haste · he ȝede anone after And torned Ciuile in-to symonye · and sitthe he toke þe official For a mentel of menyuere · he made lele matrimonye Departen ar deth cam · & deuos shupte Allas quod conscience & cried þo · wolde criste of his graceThat Coueitise were cristeneL.20.139: The last three letters of the catchword have faded or been partially erased. That coueityse were cristene · þat is so kene a fiȝter And bolde and bidyng · while his bagge lasteth And þanne lowgh lyf · and leet dagge his clothes And armed hym in haste · in harlotes wordes And helde holynesse a iape · and hendenesse a wastour And lete leute a cherle · and lyer a fre man · Conscience and conseille · he counted it aL.20.146: LHmMW alone have a. folye · Thus relyed lyf · for a litel fortune And pryked forth with pryde preyseth he no vertue AL.20.149: A probably was written for "he." careth nouȝte how kynde slow · and shal come atte laste And culle alle erthely creatureL.20.150: LYR alone have the singular form creature; all other B manuscripts have the plural. · saue conscience one Lyf leep asyde · and lauȝte hym a lemman Heel & I quod he · and hieghnesse of herte Shal do þe nouȝte drede · noyther deth ne elde And to forȝete sorwe · and ȝyue nouȝte of synne This lyked lyf · and his lemman fortune And geten in her glorie · a gadelyng atte laste One þat moche wo wrouȝte · sleuthe was his name Sleuthe wex wonder ȝerne · and sone was of age And wedded one wanhope · a wenche of þe stuwes Her syre was a sysour · þat neure swore treuthe One Thomme two tonge · ateynte at vch a queste This sleuthe was war of werre · and a slynge made And threwe drede of dyspayre · a dozein myle aboute For care conscience þo · cryed vpon elde And bad hym fonde to fyȝte · and afere wanhope And elde hent good hope · and hastilich he shifte hym And wayued awey wanhope · and with lyf he fyȝteth And lyf fleigh for fere to fysyke after helpe And bisouȝte hym of socoure · and of his salue hadde And gaf hym golde good woon · þat gladded his herte And þei gyuen hym agayne a glasen houve Lyf leued þat lechecrafte · lette shulde elde And dryuen awey deth · with dyas and dragges And elde auntred hym on lyf · and atte laste he hitte A Fisicien with a forred hood · þat he fel in a palsye And þere deyed þat doctour · ar thre dayes after Now I see seyde lyf · þat surgerye ne Fisyke May nouȝte a myte auaille · to medle aȝein elde And in hope of his hele · gode herte he hente And rode so to reuel · a ryche place and a merye L.20.181ff.: This page is extremely faded. The companye of conforte · men cleped it sumtyme And elde anone after me · and ouer myne heed ȝede And made me balled bifore · and bare on þe croune So harde he ȝede ouer myn hed · it wil be seen eure Sire euel ytauȝte elde quod I · vnhende go with the Sith whanne was þe way · ouer menL.20.186: L alone reads men; all other B manuscripts have mennes. hedes Haddestow be hende quod I · þow woldest haue asked leue Ȝe leue lordeyne quod he · and leyde on me with age And hitte me vnder þe ere · vnethe may ich here He buffeted me aboute þe mouthe · & bett out my tethe And gyued me in goutes · I may nouȝte go at large And of þe wo þat I was in · my wyf had reuthe And wisshed ful witterly · þat I were in heuene For þe lyme þat she loued me fore · and leef was to fele On nyȝtes namely · whan we naked were I ne myght in no manere · maken it at hir wille So elde and she sothly · hadden it forbeten And as I seet in þis sorwe · I say how kynde passed And deth drowgh niegh me · for drede gan I quake And cried to kynde · out of care me brynge Loo elde þe hoore · hath me biseye Awreke me if ȝowre wille be · for I wolde ben hennes Ȝif þow wilt ben ywroken · wende in-to vnite And holde þe þere eure · tyl I sende for þe And loke þow conne somme crafte ar þow come þennes Conseille me kynde quod I · what crafte is best to lerne L.20.207: The scribe skipped a line as for a strophe break, but the rubricator failed to supply a paraph. A few other B manuscripts, including RW, supply a parasign at this point.Lerne to loue quod kynde · & leue of alle othre How shal I come to catel so · to clothe me and to fede And þow loue lelly quod he · lakke shal þe neure Mete ne wordly wede · whil þi lyf lasteth And þere by conseille of kynde · I comsed to rowme Thorw contricioun & confessioun · tyl I cam to vnite And þere was conscience constable · cristene to saue And biseged sothly · with seuene grete gyauntz Þat with Antecriste helden · hard aȝein conscience Sleuth with his slynge · an hard saut he made Proude prestes come with hym moo þan a thousand In paltokes & pyked shoes · & pisseres longe knyues Comen aȝein conscience · with coueityse þei helden L.20.220: The rubricating scribe failed to erase the <cc> guide from the left margin. By Marie quod a mansed preste · of þe marche of yrlonde I counte namore conscience · bi so I cacche syluer Than I do to drynke · a drauȝte of good ale And so seide sexty of þe same · contreye And shoten aȝein with shotte · many a shef of othes And brode hoked arwes · goddes herte & his nayles And hadden almost vnyte · and holynesse adowne Conscience cryed helpe · clergye or ellis I falle Thorw inparfit prestes · and prelates of holicherche Freres herden hym crye · and comen hym to helpe Ac for þei couth nouȝte wel her craft · conscience forsoke hem Nede neghed tho nere · and conscience he tolde That þei come for coueityse · to haue cure of soules And for þei arn poure par-auenture · for patrimoigne hem failleth+ Thei wil flatre to fare wel · folke þat ben richeL.20.234: There is no evidence of correction within the line, but a corrector's <+> has been erased from the right margin. And sithen þei chosen chele · and cheytifteL.20.235: LWR read cheytifte; most B witnesses have chaytyf. pouerte Lat hem chewe as þei chese · and charge hem with no cureid est sepius For lomerL.20.237: The gloss id est sepius is written over lomer. he lyeth · þat lyflode mote begge Þan he þat laboureth for lyflode · & leneth it beggeres And sithen Freres forsoke · þe felicite of erthe Lat hem be as beggeres · or lyue by angeles fode Conscience of þis conseille þo · comsed for to laughe+ And curteilichcurtei[s]lichL.20.242: A marginal corrector's <+> notes the scribe's omission of <s> from curteislich. conforted hem · and called in alle freres And seide sires sothly · welcome be ȝe alle To vnite and holicherche · ac on thyng I ȝow preye Holdeth ȝow in vnyte · and haueth none envye To lered ne to lewed · but lyueth after ȝowre rewle And I wil be ȝowre borghe · ȝe shal haue bred and clothes And other necessaries anowe · ȝow shal no thyng faille With þat ȝe leue logyk · and lerneth for to louye For loue laft þei lordship · bothe londe and scole Frere Fraunceys and Dominyk · for loue to ben holy And if ȝe coueyteth cure · kynde wil ȝow teche That in mesure god made · alle manere thynges And sette it at a certeyne · and at a syker noumbre And nempned names newe · and noumbred þe sterres Qui numerat multitudinem stellarum · & omnibus eis &c Kynges & knyghtes þat kepen and defenden Han officers vnder hem · and vch of hem certeyne And if þei wa..ge men to werre · þei write hem in noumbre Wil no tresorere hem paye · trauaille þei neure so sore Alle other in bataille · ben yholde bribours Pilours and pykehernois · in eche a place ycursed Monkes and monyals · and alle men of Religioun Her ordre and her reule wil · to han a certeyne noumbre Of lewed and of lered · þe lawe wol and axeth A certeyn for a certeyne · saue onelich of freres For-þi quod conscience by cryst · kynde witte me telleth It is wikked to wage ȝow · ȝe wexeth out of noumbre Heuene hath euene noumbre · and helle is with-out noumbre For-þi I wolde witterly · þat ȝe were in þe Registre And ȝowre noumbre vndre notarie sygne · & noyther mo ne lasse Enuye herd þis · and heet freres to go to scole And lerne logyk and lawe · and eke contemplacioun And preche men of plato · and preue it by seneca Þat alle þinges vnder heuene · ouȝte to ben in comune And ȝit he lyeth as I leue · þat to þe lewed so precheth For god made to men a lawe · and Moyses it tauȝte Non concupisces rem proximi tui And euele is þis yholde · in parisches of engelonde For parsones and parishprestesparish prestes þat shulde þe peple shryue Ben curatoures called · to knowe and to hele Alle þat ben her parisshiens · penaunce to enioigne And shulden be ashamed in her shrifte · ac shame maketh hem wende And fleen to þe freres · as fals folke to westmynstre That borweth and bereth it þider · and þanne biddeth frendes Ȝerne of forȝifnesse · or lenger ȝeres leueL.20.286: LR alone read leue (or perhaps lene); most other B manuscripts have loone. Ac whil he is in westmynstre · he wil be bifore And make hym merye with other mennes goodis And so it fareth with moche folke · þat to þe freres shryueth+ As sysours and excecutours · þei wil þeue[ȝeue þe] freresL.20.290: The b-verse of most B manuscripts reads þei wol (or schul) ȝyue þe freres. The original scribe wrote þe before freres. A corrector's <+> appears in the left margin, and þe was later changed to þeue by a supralinear addition, although the corrector presumably meant yeue þe. The confusion of <y> and <þ> is not characteristic of this scribe. See the note to L.7.59. A parcel to preye for hem · & make hem-self myrye With þe residue and þe remenaunt · þat other men biswonke And suffre þe ded in dette · to þe day of dome Enuye herfore · hated conscience And freres to philosofye · he fonde hem to scole The while coueytise and vnkyndenesse · conscience assailled In vnite holycherche · conscience helde hym And made pees porter · to pynne þe ȝates Of alle taletellers · and tyterers in ydel Ypocrisye and he · an hard saut þei made Ypocrysie atte ȝate · hard gan fiȝte And wounded wel wykkedly · many wise techer Þat with conscience acorded · and cardinale vertues Conscience called a leche · þat coude wel shryue Go salue þo þat syke ben · þorw synne ywounded Shrifte shope sharpe salue · and made men do penaunce For her mysdedes þat þei wrouȝte hadden And þat piers were payed · redde quod debes Somme lyked nouȝte þis leche · and lettres þei sent Ȝif any surgien were þe seggeL.20.310: A later hand has lined through the second <g> of segge. The manuscripts differ considerably here. Alpha and Cr have in þe sege, but most beta witnesses have þe segge. At first glance the second <g> may appear to have been damaged by a worm hole. · þat softer couth plastre Sire lief to lyue in leccherye · lay þere and groned For fastyng of a fryday · he ferde as he wolde deye Ther is a surgiene in þis sege · þat soft can handle And more of phisyke bi fer · and fairer he plastrethnota One frere flaterere is phisiciene and surgiene Quod contricioun to conscience · do hym come to vnyte For here is many a man herte · þorw ypocrisie We han no nede quod conscience · I wote no better leche Than persoun or parissh prest · penytancere or bisshop · Saue Piers þe plowman · þat hath powere ouer hem alle And indulgence may do · but if dette lette it I may wel suffre seyde conscience · syn ȝe desiren That frere flaterer be fette · and phisike ȝow syke The Frere her-of herde · and hyed faste To a lorde for a lettre · leue to haue to curen As a curatour he were · and cam with his lettres Baldly to þe bisshop · & his brief hadde In contrees þere he come in · confessiouns to here And cam þere conscience was · and knokked atte ȝate Pees vnpynned it · was porter of vnyte And in haste asked · what his wille were In faith quod þis frere · for profit and for helthe Carpe I wolde with contricioun · & þerfore come I hider He is sike seide pees · and so ar many other Ypocrisie hath herte hem · ful harde is if þei keure I am a surgien seide þe segge · and salues can make Conscience knoweth me wel · and what I can do bothe I preye þe quod pees þo · ar þow passe ferther What hattestow I preye þe · hele nouȝte þi name Certes seyde his felow sire penetrans domos Ȝe go þi gate quod pees · bi god for al þi phisyk But þow conne somme crafte · þow comest nouȝt her-Inne I knewe such one ones · nouȝte eighte wynter passed Come in þus ycoped · at a courte þere I dwelt And was my lordes leche · & my ladyes bothe And at þe last þis limitour · þo my lorde was out He salued so owre wommen · til somme were with childe Hende speche het pees · opene þe ȝates Late in þe frere and his felawe · and make hem faire chere He may se and here · so it may bifalle That lyf þorw his lore shal leue coueityse And be adradde of deth · and with-drawe hymL.20.352: The ink above hym is offset from the following leaf. fram pryde And acorde with conscience · and kisse her either other Thus thorw hende speche entred þe frere And cam in to conscience · and curteisly hym grette Þow art welcome quod conscience canstow hele þe syke Here is contricioun quod conscience · my cosyn ywounded Conforte hym quod conscience and take kepe to his sores The plastres of þe persoun · and poudres biten to sore He lat hem ligge ouerlonge · and loth is to chaunge hem Fro lenten to lenten · he lat his plastres bite That is ouerlonge quod this limitour · I leue I shal amende it And goth and gropeth contricioun · and gaf hym a plastre Of a pryue payement · and I shal praye for ȝow For alle þat ȝe ben holde to · al my lyf-tyme And make ȝow my lady · in masse and in matynes As freres of owre fraternite · for a litel syluer Thus he goth and gadereth · and gloseth þere he shryueth Tyl contricioun hadde clene forȝeten · to crye & to wepe And wake for his wykked werkes · as he was wont to done For confort of his confessour · contricioun he lafte Þat is þe souereynest salue · for alkyn synnes Sleuth seigh þat · and so did pryde And come with a kene wille · conscience to assaille Conscience cryde eft · and bad clergye help hym And also contricioun · forto kepe þe ȝate He lith and dremeth · seyde pees · and so do many other The Frere with his phisik · þis folke hath enchaunted And plastred hem so esyly · þei drede no synne Bi cryste quod conscience þo · I wil bicome a pilgryme And walken as wyde · as al þe wordle lasteth To seke Piers þe plowman · þat pryde may destruye And þat freres hadde a fyndyng · þat for nede flateren And contrepleteth me conscience · now kynde me auenge And sende me happe and hele · til I haue piers þe plowmanpassus ijus de Dobest And sitthe he gradde after grace · til I gan awakeL.20.386: In the left margin below the final line of text the scribe has written passus ijus de Dobest as an (ignored) instruction for the rubricator. It has been cropped, lacking initial pass- or explicit pass-.Explicit hic dialogus petri plowman