The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 5: London, British Library, MS Additional 35287 (M) – Passus 1William LanglandEdited by Eric Eliason, Hoyt N. Duggan, and Thorlac Turville-PetreAssociate Editors: Patricia Riles Bart and Gail DugganTechnical Editor: Daniel Pitti Graduate Research Assistants Michael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Carrie Lindley, Janice McCoy, and Timothy L. Stinson. Computer Consultants and Programmers Shayne Brandon, Cynthia Girard, Kirk Hastings, Sue Munson, David Seaman, and John Unsworth.Society for Early English and Norse Texts ISBN (individual use) 1 84384 051 0 (institutional use) 1 84384 052 9

copyright 2005, by SEENET

2005 London, British Library, MS Additional 35287

 early 15th century Source copy consulted: London, British Library, MS Additional 35287

SEENET, A.7

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

LatinFrenchGerman14 Dec 2004 editor Hoyt N. Duggan New header created, and SGML converted to XML. Minor revisions in TOC, mainly alphabatization of names.Passus primus de Visione .WWhat þis montaigne bymeneth  and þe merke daleAnd þe fielde ful of folk  I shal ȝyow faire shewe . A louely lady of lere  in lynnen y-clothed . Come doun from a castel  and called me faireAnd saide sone slepest þou  seest þou þis p.eple . How bisi þai ben alleM.1.6: The addition of alle brings M into agreement with WHmCRG. abouten þe maseÞe mooste partie of þis p.eple  þat passeþ on þis erþe# off them þat will non other heven but thisHaue þei w.orshipe in þis world  þai wilnen no bettur . Of oþur heuene ...than here  holde þei no tale . I was a-ferd of hire face  þouȝ she faire wereAnd saide mercy ma-dame  what is þis to mene . Þe toure vp þe tofte quod she  truthe is þere-ininneM.1.12: Originally the scribe wrote innne, corrected by erasing the first two minims. See Introduction III.1. .And wolde þat ȝye wrouȝten  as his worde techeþ . For he is fadur of faiþ  fourmed ȝyow alleBoþe with fel and with face  and ...yaf ȝyow fyue wittesForto wuorshupe hym þerewith  þe while þat ȝye ben here . And herforeM.1.17: In place of herfore all other B manuscripts read þerfore. he hiȝte þe erthe  to helpe ȝyow echoneOf wollen of lynnen  of lyflode at nede . In mesurable manere  to make ȝyow at ese . # iij thingis in ComonAnd comaunded of his curtesie  in comune þre þingesArn non nedful but þo  and nempne hem I thinke . + ȝeAnd rekkene hem by resoun  reherce .yeM.1.22: M's original reading without a pronoun here agreed with GY. M's altered reading of ye agrees with HmCrOC2F. Other B manuscripts read þow. The correction was first written in the margin as ȝe, and this insertion was presumably so spelled, and later revised in line with the spelling corrector's usual form. hem aftur . Þat on is vesture  from chele þe to saue . And mete atte mele  for mysese of þ..y-selue . And drynke whanne þou drieste  ac do nouȝt oute of resoun . Þat þou worþe þe worse  whanne þou worche shuldesteFor loth in his liue-days  for likynge of drynkeDid by his douȝteres  þat þe Deuel likedea iiijcorDelited hym in drinke . as þe deuel woldAnd leccherie hym lauȝte . and lay by hem boþe . And al he witte it þe wyn . þat wykk.ed dede . Inebriamus eum vino . dormiamusque cum eo .Vt seruare possimus de patre nostro semen .Thourgh wyn & þourȝ wymen  þere was loth accombredeAnd þere he gat in glotonye . gerles þat were cherlesFor-thi drede delitable drinke  and þou shalt do þe bett.reMesure is medycyne þouȝ. M.1.37: The punctus elevatus, placed at the wrong point in the line, is inserted over an erasure. þou muche ȝyerneIt is nouȝt al go..od to þe goost  þat þe gutte axeþ . Ne liflode to þi likam  ...?...þat lief is to þe souleM.1.39: M originally shared the omission (through eyeskip on likam) of this b-verse and the following a-verse with WHmCL.Leue not þi likam  for a liere hym techeþM.1.40: The line is inserted with a red cross and line in the right margin. The end of the last word has been lost in the binding. This same line, in smaller script and marked with a black cross, is erased immediately following in the margin. The omission of the line was apparently noted in one effort and formally addressed in another.Þat is þe wrecchede worlde  wolde þe bitraye+For þe fende and þi flessh  folweþ þe togaidre . This and þat s...eeþM.1.43: This alteration occurs at a point where B manuscripts are especially diverse in their readings. Seeth, sees, seiþ, seest, sueth, sewe, and sleth are all attested. þeM.1.43: All other B manuscripts read þi. Kane and Donaldson record the <e> as written over an erasure, but this does not seem to be the case. soule  and saithM.1.43: M's reading of saith is unique among B manuscripts, which attest a wide variety of readings. it in þin herteAnd for þou shuldeste ben war  I wisse ..thetheM.1.44: The correction the is written over the line and then erased and inserted within the line. þe .besteMa-dame mercy quod I  me liketh wel ȝyoure .word..esAc þe monoye of þis molde  þat men so faste holdeþTelle me to whom ma-dame  þat tresore appendeþGo to þe gospell quod she  þat god saide hym-seluen . Þo þe p..eple hym appos.ed  wiþ a peny in þe temple . Wheþer þei shulde þerwith  worshipe kyngeM.1.50: M shares the reading kyng with F; all other B manuscripts have þe kyng. ..CesarAnd god asked of hem  of whom spake þe lettre . And þimage isM.1.52: M's reading of is is not shared by other B manuscripts, though among A manuscripts ChLE include is. The other B manuscripts which have a form of be here, W and F, read was. ylike  þat þere-inne stondeþ . Cesares þei saide  we seen hym wel echone . RedditeM.1.54: The scribe initially began this line immediately following M.1.53, but realized he wished to leave a blank line before he completed the first graph. The partially completed <R> is still visible in the space separating strophes. Cesari quod god  þat Cesari bifalleth . Et que sunt dei deo . or elles ȝye doon ille . For riȝtful resoun  shulde reule ȝyow alle . And kynde witte be wardein  ȝyowre welthe to kepe . And tutour of ȝyoure treso..r  and take it ȝyow at nedeFor housbondrie and hij  holden to-gadre . Þanne I fraynede heire faire  for hym þat h.ire madeÞat dongoun in þe dale  þat dredful is inM.1.61: M's reading of in is unique among B manuscripts, most of which read of. siȝteWhat may it be to mene  ma-dame I ȝyow biseche . Þat is þe castel of care  whoso comeþ þere-inne . May banne þat he borne was  to body or to souleÞere-inne woneth a wiȝte  þat wronge is y-hoteFad.er of falsede  and founded it hym-selue . primus passusAdam and Eue  he egged to illeConseiled Caym  to kullen his broþurIudas he iapud  with iewen siluerAnd sitthe on an eldre  hanged hym aftuerHe is lettere of loue  and lieth hem alle . Þat trusten on his tresor  by-traieth he sonnesteÞanne had I wound..er in my wit..  what womman it wereÞat suche wise wordus  of holy writte shewedeAnd asked hire on þe heiȝe name  ar heo þen..es ȝyede . What she were witt..erly  þat wiss.ed me so faire . Holichurche I am quod she  þow ouȝtest me to knoweI vndurfoenge þe furste  and þe faithe tauȝte . And brouȝteste me borwes  my biddinge to fulfulle...?...M.1.80: The added and erased material is illegible under ultra-violet light. Most likely it indicated the alteration leally.And to loue me ...leally  þe while þi lif dureth ...?...M.1.81: The added and erased material is illegible under ultra-violet light. Most likely it indicated the alteration &.Thanne I courbed on my knes  . & criede hire of graceAnd praide hire pitously  praie for my synnes . ...?...M.1.83: The added and erased material is illegible. Most likely it indicated the alteration kenne me.+M.1.81: The <+> is added in a large drypoint in the right margin.And also kenne meM.1.83: M's omission of these two words was not shared by other B manuscripts. kyndely  on crist to bileue . Þat I miȝte worchen his wille  þat wrouȝte me to man . Teche me to no tresour  but telle me þis ilke . How I may sauen my soule  þat sainte art y-holden . # truth is the bestWhanne alle tresores ben tried quod she  truþe is þe beste /I do it on deus caritas  to deme þe soþe It is as derworth a drwery  as dere god hym-seluen . Who-so is trwe of his tonge  and telleþ noon oþurAnd doþ þe werkes þere-wiþ  and wi......lneth noman ille . He is a god by þe gospell  a grounde and on lofteAnd I-...lyk to oure lord  be saint lukes wordus . Þe clerk.es þat knoweþ þis  shulde kenne it aboute . For cristene and vncristen  claim..eþ it ichone . Kynges and knyȝtus  shulde kepen it by resoun#R.iden and rappen doun  in reumes aboute An taken transgressores  and tien hem fasteTil trewthe had y-termynede  hire trespasse to þe ende /And þat is þe p..rofessioun . appertely  þat appendeth to knyȝtes# Fasting on FrydayAnd nouȝt to fasten a Fryday  in fyue score wynt.er . But holden wyþ hym and with hire  þat wolden alle trutheAnd neuere leue hem for loue  ne for lacchinge of siluerFor dauid in his dayes  dubbed knyȝt.es . And d.ide hem swere on here swerde  to serue truthe euere . And who-so passethdM.1.106: The erased reading passeth is an A text reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson against the reading passed of all the B manuscripts. They do not note that M is rewritten. See next note. þat poyn....t  isM.1.106: The word is, written over an illegible erasure, is the reading of YOC2 and A manuscripts. Other B manuscripts have was. See previous note. Apostata in þordre . notaBut crist kyngene kynge  knyȝted tenCherubin .....and seraphin  suche seuene and on oþur . And ȝyaf hem miȝte in his mageste  þe murger hem þouȝte . And ouere his mene maynee  made hem archangelesTauȝte hem by þe trinite  truþe to knowe . To be buxuome at his biddynge  he bad hem nouȝte ellesthe Fall off lucefferLucifer with legionus  lernede it in heueneBut for he brake buxuomnesse  his blisse gan he tyneAnd fel fro þat felash.ype  in a feendus likknesseIn-to a depe derke helle  to dwelle þere for euere And mo þousandes with hym  þanne — man couthe nombreLopen out wiþ lucifer  in lothliche fourme . For þei leueden vp-on hym  þat lied in þis manerePonam pedem in aquilone . & similis ero altissimo .And alle þat hopud it miȝte be so  no..on heuene miȝte hem holdeBut fellen out in feendus likkenesse  nyne dayes to-gydres . Til god of his goodnesse  gan stablen and stynte . And garte þe heuene to steke  and stonden in quiete . Whanne þise wikk.ed wente out  wonderwise þey f.ellenSomme in þerthe somme in þe eire  and somme in helle depe . Ac lucifer lowest  lithe of hem alle . For Pride þat he putte oute his payne haþ none ende . And alle þat worcheþ with wronge wenden ...þei shullenAft.er hire deþ-day  and dwelle with þat shreweAc þo þat worcheþ wel  as holy w...ryt telleþAnd enden as I hereeerM.1.132: M's erased reading agreed with G, but this is a spurious agreement since the reviser is correcting M's spelling of er as again at M.1.135. See Introduction IV.1.2.7. saide  in truthe þat is beste / Mowe be siker þat here soules  shal wenden to heueneÞere truthe is in trinite  and troneþ hem alle#For-þi I saie as I saide hereeer  bi siȝte of þ...ise text..es . Whanne alle tresores arne triede  þanneM.1.136: M shares þanne with Y. All other B manuscripts omit. truþe is þe besteLereth it ....yeM.1.137: The erasure occurs at a point where most B manuscripts read this or þise. GF have thys ye. lewde men  for lettred men it knowe . primus passusÞat trwthe is tresoreM.1.138: M shares the reading tresor with G and with A manuscripts. Most other B manuscripts have tresor þe. triedest on erthe...Yet haue I no kynde knowynge quod I  ...?...yet mote ye kenne me b....ettreBy what crafte in my corps  it comseth and whereÞow doted daffe quod she M.1.141: No B manuscript omits quod she. . dulle arne þi witt.esTo litul latyn þow lernedeste lede in þi ȝyouthe . Heu michi quia sterilem . duxi vitam iuuenilem .It is a kynde knowynge quod sheM.1.144: M's original reading of he agreed with CCrL.  þat kenneth in þine herteFor to loue þinthy lorde  leuer þanne — þi-seluen . # dye rather then do dedly synNo dedly synne to do  deiȝe þouȝ þou shuldeste deyÞis I trowe be truthe  who can teche þe b....ettreLoke þou suffre hym to saie  and sithen lere it aft.erFor þus wittnesseþ his worde  worche þou þere-aft.er . For truthe telleþ þat loue  is triacle ...ofM.1.150: For M's revised reading of, Cr has for and YOC2 has in. heuene . May no synne be on hym seene  þat vseth þat spiceAnd alle his werkes he wrouȝte  wiþ loue as hym lusteAnd lered it Moyses for þe leueste þinge  and moost like to heueneAnd also þe pleente of pees  mooste precious of vertues . For heuene miȝte nouȝte holden it  it was so heuy of hym-sel.ueTil it hadde of þe erthe  eten his fille . And whanne it had.de of þis foolde flessh and blood taken . Was neuere leef vpon lynde  liȝter þere-afturAnd portatif and persaunt  as þe pointe of a n....edleÞat miȝte non armure it lette  ne none heiȝe wallesFor-þi is loue led..ere  of þe lord.es folke of heueneAnd a Mene as þe Maire is  bitwexe þe kynge and þe comuneRiȝte so is loue a leder  ande þe lawe shapeþ . Vpon man for his mysdedes  þe mercimentzM.1.164: M's plural is not shared by other B manuscripts. he taxeth . And for to knowe it kyndly  it comseth by miȝteheuedM.1.166: This erased word is legible with ultraviolet light.And in þe herte þere is þe  heedM.1.166: This word is perhaps followed by a punctus. and þe heiȝe wellenotaFor in kynde knowynge in herte  þere a miȝte bigynnetheAnd þat Falleþ to þe fad..er  þat fourmede vs alle . Lo..kede on vs with loue  and lete his sone deiȝye . Mekely for oure mysdedes  to amende vs alle And ȝyet wolde he hem no wo . þat wrouȝte hym þat paineBut mekeliche with mouthe . mercy he bisouȝteTo haue pite on þat p.eple . þat pynede hym to detheHere miȝte þou see ensamples . in hym-selueM.1.174: M's original reading without hym agreed with Cr. one . Þat he was myȝtful and meke  and mercy gan graunteTo hem þat hongen hym on heiȝ . and his herte þirled . For-þi I rede ȝyow riche . haueth reuthe of þe pouereThouȝ ȝye be miȝtful to mote . beth me.ke in ȝyoure ......werkesM.1.178: In place of M's revised reading werkes, H has werk, F has herte and G has seluen.For þe same mesures þat ȝe mete . amys oþer elles . ȜYe shullen ben .weien þerwith . whanne ȝye wende henn.esEadem mensura qua mensi fueritis / remecietur vobis#For þouȝ ȝye be trwe of ȝyowre tonge . and trweliche wynnenAnd as chaste as a childe þat in chuyrche wep.eth . ButM.1.184: M's reading But is paralleled only among A manuscripts. F has & But; all other B manuscripts have But if. ȝye loue lelliche . and lene þe Pouere . Suche good as god ȝyow sent . goodlich partethȜYe haue na more merite  in masse ne in houresnotabileoff Malkyns maydenhedM.1.187: Notabile is in a different hand from the rest of this marginal insertion.Þan malkyn of hire maydenhede  þat noman disireth For Iames þe gentil . iuggede in his bokes . Þat faith withouten þeM.1.189: M's original reading without þe agreed with YF and most A manuscripts. faite  is riȝt no þinge worthiAnd as ded as a dore-tre . but ȝif þeM.1.190: M's original reading without þe agreed with FH. dedes folwe . Fides sine operibus mortua est. & ceteraForM.1.192: M shares the reading For with G; other B manuscripts have forþi. chastite with-oute charitee . worth cheyned in helleIt is as lewde as a laumpe . þat no liȝt is inn.eeNota de Chast chapeleynsMany ch.apleyns arne chaste . acM.1.194: Kane and Donaldson's reading of this word as ne is an error. charitee is a-wayeArn no men auaurousere þan hij . whan þei ben auauncedVnkynde to hire kyn . and to alle cristeneChewen here charitee . and chiden aft.er more . Suche chastitee with-outen charite . worth cheyned in hellexMany curatours kepen hem . clene of here bodiesThei ben accombrede with couetise  þei kuonne not do it from hem . So harde hath auarice . yhasp.ed hem to-gedresAnd þat is no truthe of þe Trinite . but trecherie of helleAnd lernynge to lewde men . þe latter for to dele . Ius passusFor-þi þes wor...des  ben writen in þe gospellDate & dabitur vobisM.1.205: The underlining of the phrase is done in a later ink.  for I dele .yow alleAnd þat is þe loke of loue . .....þatM.1.206: M shares its revised reading þat with CrGFH. Other B manuscripts have and. lateth oute my graceTo conforte þe careful . accombrede with synne . Loue is leche of lif  and nexte oure lord seluenAnd also þe graithe .gate . þat goth in-to heueneFor-þi I say as I saide . ere by þe textis . Whanne alle tresores ben tried . truth is þe besteNow haue I tolde þe . what truthe is . þat no tresorer is b....ettreI may no lenger lenge þe with . now loke þe oure lord .