The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 5: London, British Library, MS Additional 35287 (M) – Passus 12William LanglandEdited by Eric Eliason, Hoyt N. Duggan, and Thorlac Turville-PetreAssociate Editors: Patricia Riles Bart and Gail DugganTechnical Editor: Daniel PittiGraduate Research AssistantsMichael 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
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Hoyt N. Duggan New header created, and SGML converted to XML. Minor revisions in TOC, mainly alphabatization of names.Passus duodecimusII am ymagynatif quod he idel was I neuereThoȝwgh I sitte by my-self in sekenesse ne in heltheI haue y-folwede þe in faith þis fyue and fourty wyntur . And many tymes haue IM.12.4: M's reading of haue I is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which read haue. Hm reads y haue. meued þe to þenke on þyne ende . And how fele ferneȝeres arn faren and so fewe to comeAnd of thyn wylde wantonesse tho þow .yong were . To amende it in þy mydel age leste myght þe faileIn þin olde Elde that yuele can suffrePouerte or penaunce or preiersM.12.9: Bleedthrough has affected the <p>, the <i>, and the <s> of this word. bidde . Si non in prima vigilia . nec in secunda . & cetera .passus xijusEmendemus dum temporem habemusAmende the whil thow might thow hast ben warned ofteWith poustes of pestilences with pouerte . and with angresAnd with þise bittere baleises god beteþ his dere children . Quem diligo castigoAnd dauid in the Sauter seith of suche þat louen IhesusVirga tua & baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt & cetera .Al-though þow strike me with þi staff with stikke or with ȝyerde . It is but murthe as for me to amende my souleAnd þow medlest þe with makynge and myȝtest go seie thi sauterAnd bidde for hem þat ȝyeueth the bred for there ben bokes ynoweTo telle men what dowel is do-bet . and dobest bothe . And prechours to preue what it is of many a peire of —M.12.22: M's original reading of of was unique among B manuscripts. Freres . I seigh wel he saide me soth and suomwhat me to excuse . Saide Caton conforted his sone that clerk though he wereTo solacen hym suom-tyme as I do whan I make . Interpone tuis interdum gaudia curis & ceteraAnd of holy men quod I i herdeM.12.27: M's order of quod I i herd is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which have I herd quod I. howM.12.27: M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word þei here, which is inserted in a different ink at the beginning of the next line. otherwhyleþeiM.12.28: No other B manuscript attests þei at this place. Pleyden . þe parfiter to ben in many placesAc if þere were any wight that wolde me telleWhat were dowel . and dobet and dobest at þe laste . Wold I neuere do werke but wende to holy churcheAnd þere bidde my bedes but whan I ete or slepe . Octava descripcio de dowellPoule in his pistel quod he preueth what is dowelFides spes caritas & maior horum & cetera .Feithe / hope / and charite & alle ben goodeAnd sauen men suondry tymes ac non so sone as charite . For he doth wel with-outen doute that doth as leaute techeþ . That is if þou be man maried thy make þow louyeAnd lyue forth as lawe wole while ȝye lyuen bothe . Right so if þow be Religious ren þow neuere fertherTo Rome ne to Rochemadore but as thy reule techeþ . And holde þe vndur obedience þat heigh w..eyis to heueneAnd if þow be mayden to marie and myght wel continueSeke þow neuere seint ferther for no soule helthe . For what made Lucifer to lese þe heigh heuene . Or Sal.omon his sapience or Sampson his strengthe . Iob þe iew his ioie . dere he it abouȝteAristotle and other mo ypocras and virgile . Alisaundre þat al wan elengeliche endedCatel and kynde wit was combraunce to hem alleFelice hire fairnesse fel hire al to sklaundre# Rosamondis BeauteAnd Roseamonde right so rewfully bisette . The beaute of hire body in badnesse she despendedOf many suche I may rede of men and of wymmen . That wise wordes wolde shewe and werchen þe contrarieSunt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes .And riche renkes right so gadere.. — and sparen . And þo men þat þei moost haten mynystren it at þe lasteAnd for þei suffren and see so many nedy folkesAnd louen hem nouȝnouȝ[t] as oure lord bit lesen hire soules . Date & dabitur vobis. & cetera .And richesse right so but ȝif þe Rote be trweAc grace is a gresse there-of the greuaunces to abateAc grace groweth nouȝt but amonges lowePacience and pouerte þe place is þere it growethAnd in lele lyuyng men and in lif holyAnd þo...rugh þe gifte of þe holygoost as þe gospell ..tellethSpiritus vbi vult spirat. & ceteraNotaClergye and kynde wit cometh of sight . and techyngeAs þe book bereth witytnesse to buirnes þat kan redeQuod scimisscim[u]s loquimur quod vidimus testamur .Of quod scimus cometh clergye and konnynge of heueneAnd of quod vidimisvidim[u]s cometh kynde wit of sight of diuerse poeple# de aduentu GracieAc grace is a gifte of god and of grete loue springethKnew neuere clerk how it cometh forth ne kynde wit þe weyes . Nescit aliquis vnde venit . aut quo vadit & cetera .Ac ȝyet is clergye to comende and kynde wit bothe . And namelich clergye for cristus loue þat of clergie is RoteFor Moyses witytnesseth þat god wrot for to wisse þe p.epleIn þe olde lawe as þe lettre telleþ . þat was þe lawe of Iewes . That what womman were in auoutrie taken were she riche or poreWith stones men shulde hire strike and stone hire to dethe# adulterium MulerisMul[i]erisA womman as we fynden was gulty of þat dedeAc ....Crist of his curtesie þorugh clergye hire sauede . For þoruȝ carettes þat crist wroot þe Iewes knew hem-seluen . passus xijusGiltier as afore god and gretter in synneThan þe womman þat þere was and wenten away for shameThe clergye þat þere was conforted þe wommanHoly kyrke knoweth þis that cristes wrytynge saued hireM.12.89: This alteration puts M in agreement with WHmCr. F has hire savede.# quia sciencia scripturarumconffortat bonos // malos autemcondempnatSo clergye is confort to creatures þat repentenAnd to mansed men myschief at hire ende . For godus body miȝte not be of brede withouten clergyeThe w....hich body is bothe bote to þe rightfulAnd deth and dampnacioun to hem þat deien .yueleAs cristes carette conforted and bothe coupable shewethM.12.95: M's present tense form of the verb is unattested in other B manuscripts, most of which read shewed.The womman þat þe Iewes brouȝte þat Ihesus þouȝte to saue . Nolite iudicare & non iudicabimini. & cetera .Right so godes body bretheren but it be worthily taken . Dampneth vs at þe day of dome asM.12.99: M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word þe here. carettes dide þe Iewes# quia scienciam deligeFor-þi I conseille the for cristes sake clergye þat þow louyeFor kynde wit is of his kyn and neihe cosyns bothe . To oure lord leue me for-thi loue hem I rede . For bothe ben as Mirrours to amenden oure defautes . And leddres for lewede men and for lettred bothe . For-þi lakke þou neuere logyke lawe ne his custumesNe contreplede clerkes I conseille the for euere . For as a man may not see þat mysseth hise eighenNomoreNo more kan no clerk . but if he cauȝte it furst ofM.12.108: For of, Cr has by, F has in, and other B manuscripts have þoruȝ. bokesAl-þough men made bookes god was þe MaistreAnd seint spirit þe samplarie . and saide what men shulde write . And right as sighte serueth a man to se þe heighe st....erreM.12.111: M's altered reading of sterre is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read strete, though among C manuscripts P2 and D2 (and X by alteration) read hye þe sterre. The line is omitted by WHmCr.Right so ledeþ lettrure lewed men to ResounAnd as a blynde man in bataille bereth wepne to fiȝteAnd hath non happe with his axe hys enemy to huytteNomoreNo more can a kynde-wittedmanwitted man but ȝif clerkes hym techeCome for al his kynde wit.. to cristendome and be sauedeW....hich is þe coffre of cristes tresour and clerkes kepe þe keyesTo vnlouken it at hire lykynge and to þe lewede p.epleȜYeuen mercy for hire mysdedes if men it wole aske . Buxumliche and benygneliche and bidden it of grace . Archa dei in þolde lawe leuytes it kepten . Hadde neuere lewede man leue to leggen hond on þe cheste . # quia in veteri testamento licitum erat presbiter procreare FiliosBut he were preste or preste.s sone patria..rk or propheteFor clergye is kepere vndurcristvndur crist of heuene . Was þere neuere no knyght but clergye hym made . Ac kynde wit cometh of alle kynnes sightesOf briddes and of bestes . of tastes . of truthe & of deceites...?...M.12.128: Something, now illegible even under ultraviolet light, has been erased from the margin.Lyueres to-forn vs vsuden to markeThe selkouthes þat þei seighen hire sones for to techeAnd helden it an heighe science hire wittes to knoweAc þo..rugh hire science sothely was neuere no soule ysauedeNe brouȝte by hire bookes to blisse ne to ioyeFor alle hire kynde knowynges come but of diuerse sightesPatriarkes and prophetes reprouede hire scienceAnd saiden hire wordus ne hire wisdomes nas but a folyeAs to þe clergye of Crist counted it but a t......rufleSapiencia huius mundi . Stulticia est apud deum .For the heighe holy goost heuene shal to-cleueAnd loue shal lepe oute aftur into þis lowe ertheAnd clennesse shal cacchen it and clerkes shullen it fynde . Pastores loquebantur ad inuicemHe speketh there of riche men right nouȝt ne of right wytty . Ne of lordes þat were lewedmenlewed men but of þe hexte lettr..ed outeIbant magi ab oriente & ceteracontra fratres molestus estȜ..If any Frere were founden there ich ȝyeue þe fyue shylynges . # quia non natus erat Cristus in diuersorioNe in none beggers cote was þat barne borne . But in a Burgeis..es place of Bedlem þe besteSet non erat locus in diuersorio . & pauper non habet diuersoriumTo pastoures and to poetes appiered þatM.12.149: M shares the reading þat with L; other beta manuscripts have þe. angelAnd bad hem go to bethlem goddes burthe to honoure . And songe a songe of solace Gloria in excelsis deo .Clerkes knewen it well and comen with hire presentezzAnd deden hire homage honurably to hym þat was almyghtypassus xijusWhy I haue tolde al this I took ful gode hiedeHow þow contrariedest clergye with crabbude wordes . How þat lewed men liȝtliker þanne — lettred menM.12.156: M shares the reading lettred men with F; other B manuscripts have lettrede. were sauedThanne — clerkes or kynde witted men of cristen p.epleAnd þow saidest soth of summe ac se in what manere# de duobus natatoribusTake two stronge men and in temse caste hem . And bothe nakede asM.12.160: M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word a here. nedle hire noon sikererM.12.160: M's original reading of siker agreed with LR. þan oþurThat oon hath konnynge and kan swymmen and dyuen . That other is lewede of þat labour lerned neuere to swymmeW....hich trowest þow of þo two in temse is moost in drede . He þat neuere dyuede ne nouȝt can of swymmyngeOr the swymmere þat is sauf by so hym-self likeThere is felawe fleet forth as þe flood likethAnd is in drede to drenche þat neuere dide swymmeThat swymme can nouȝt I seide it semeth to my wittusXRight so quod the renk Resoun it shewethM.12.169: The scribe began writing M.12.169 immediately following M.12.168, but realized his error before completing the line and erased his false start in order to leave a blank line between strophes.That he þat knoweth clergye kan suonner ariseOut of synne and be sauedM.12.171: M's reading of saued is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read saaf. though he synne ofte# quod contricio delit peccatumȜiIf hym liketh and leste than any lewede lelly . For ȝif þe clerk be konnynge he knoweth what is synne . And how contricioun with-outen confessioun conforteth þe soule . As þow seeste in þe sauter in spalmesM.12.175: M's original reading spalme agreed with LRF. oon or tweyneHow contricoun is comended for it caccheþ away synne . Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates . & quorum tecta sunt & ceteraAnd this conforteth .eche a clerke and keuereþ hym from wanhopeIn w....hich flood þe feende fondeth a man hardeste . There þe lewede lith stille and loketh after lenteAnd hath no contricioun er he come to shrifte & þanne can he litel telleAnd as his loresman leres hym bileueth and trowethAnd þat is after person . or parisshe preest . and parauentureVnkonnynge to lere lewede men as Luc bereth wittnesse . Dum cecus ducit cecum & ceteraWo was hym marked þat wade moot with þe Lewede# quia ad scolam optime valetWel may the barn blisse that hym to booke setteThat lyuynge after lettrure saued hym lif and souleDominus pars heriditatis mee is a mury verset . That haþ taken from Tibourne twenty stronge theuesThere lewed theues ben lolled vp loke how þei ben sauedexThe thef þat hadde grace of god on gode friday as þow spekeWas for he ȝyalde hym recreauntM.12.193: M shares the reading recreaunt with R; most other B manuscripts have creaunt. to crist on the cros & knowleched hym gylty . And grace axed of god and he is euerye redy . That buxomliche biddeth it and ben in wille . to amende hem . Ac though þat thef hadde heuene he hadde noon heighe blisseAs seint Iohan and other seintus þat desserued hadde bettreRight as suome men ȝyeue me mete and sette me amyddes þe floreIch haue mete more þanne — y-nowgh ac nouȝt so muche worshipede latronibus pendentibus ad passionem dominiAs þo þat sitten at þe side tablesM.12.200: Only M and Cr have plural tables. Kane and Donaldson erroneously record <-s> as possibly added. or with þe soueraines of þe halleBut sitte as a begger bordlees by my-self on þe groundeSo it fareth by þat feloun þat on gode friday was sauedeHe sittet neither by seint Iohan Symonde ne IudeNe wiþ maydenes ne with martires confessours / ne widewes....ButbyM.12.205: What is still visible of the erased reading suggests the line began with By as in GCB. The word But was then supplied to the left of the line, but then erased and rewritten in place of By, with by then inserted as the second word. hym-selue as a solayn and serued on the ertheFor he þat is ones a thef is eueremore in daungerAnd as lawe liketh to lyue or to deieDe peccato propiciato noli esse sine metuAnd for to seruen a seint and suche a thef to-gederesIt were neither resoun ne right to rewarde hemM.12.210: M shares the reading hem with F; most other B manuscripts read hem boþe. ylicheAnd right as Troianus þe trewe knyght tilde nouȝt depe in helleThat oure lord ne hadde hym liȝtliche oute so leue I þe thef be in heueneFor he is in þe loweste heuene ȝif oure bileue be trweAnd wel loseliche he lolleth there by þe lawe of holy churcheQui.M.12.215: M's original reading was probably Quia, agreeing with YOC2CL. reddit vnicuique iuxta opera sua. & cetera..M.12.216: Something to the left of the first word, now illegible, has been erased.And whi that on thef on the crosse creaunt hym ȝyel..dedRather þanne — þat other thef þowȝ þow wold.estM.12.217: M's altered reading woldest agrees with WHmCrFR; other B manuscripts have wolde. apposeAlle þe clerkes vndur crist ne kouthe þe skyll assoilleQuare placuit . quia voluitAnd so seie IM.12.220: M's reading of seie I is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read I seye. by þe þat sekest after the whyesAnd aresonedest Resoun a rebukynge as it wereAnd of þe floures in þe f..ryth and of hire faire h.ewesWhere-of þei cacchen hire colours so clere and so brighteAnd wilnest of briddes and of bestes and of hire bredynge to knoweWhy somme be a-lowe and somme a-lofte thi lykynge it were . And of þe stones and of þe sterres þow studyest as I leueHow euere beste or brridde —bridde — hath so breme wyttes . Clergye ne ky...nde wit ne knewen neuere the cause Ac kynde knoweth þevijusM.12.228: The cropped characters written near the bottom right corner of the leaf are visible but illegible.passus xijus# quia naturale scimusAc kynde knoweth þe cause hymself no creature ellesHe is þe pyes patroun and putteth it in heire hereThat þere þe thorn is thikkest tuo buylden and bredeAnd kynde..kenned þe pecok to cauken in suche a kyndeAnd kenned Adam to knowe his priue membresAnd tauȝte hym and Eue to hilien hem with leuesLewed men many tymes maistres thei apposen . # why Adam couered his licam rather than his mowthWhy Adam ne hiled nouȝt first his mouth þat ete the AppulRather þan his likam a-lowe lewed axen thus clerkesKynde knoweth why he ded so ac no clerk ellesAc of briddes andM.12.239: M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word of here. beestes men by olde tymeEnsamples token and termes as telleth þise poetes . And þat þe fairest foule foulest engendrethAnd feblest foule of flight is þat fleeth or swymmethAnd þat is þe pecok and þe po...hen proude riche men þei tokenenM.12.243: M's reading tokenen is not shared by other B manuscripts, which have forms of bitokeneþ.For þe pecok and men pursue hym may nouȝt flee heigheFor þe trayllynge of his tailyle ouere-taken is he sone . And his flessh is foule flessh and his feet botheAnd vnlouelich of leden and laithe for to here . Riȝt so the riche ȝif he his richesse kepe . And deleth it nouȝt til his deth-day þe taille —M.12.249: Most B manuscripts have M's altered reading of tail, with only LR having M's original reading taille, i.e. "tally." of alle — isM.12.249: M's reading of is is not shared by other B manuscripts. sorwe . Right as the pennes of þe pecok payn..eþ hym in hys fliȝt.So is possessioun payne of pens and of noblesTo alle hem þat it holdet.h til hire t....ayl — be plukk...edAnd þouȝgh þe riche r.epente thanne and by-rewe þe tyme . contra auaros & cupidosThat euere he gadred so grete and gaf there-of so litelThough he crie to Crist þanne with kene wille I leueHis ledene be in oure lordes ere lyke a pyes chiteryngM.12.256: The addition of chiteryng is paralleled in WF, while HmCr have chatrynge. All other B manuscripts omit the word.And whanne his caroigne shal come in caue to be buryedeI leue it flaumbe ful foule the fold alabouteal aboute . And alle the othere th.ere it lith enuen...?...?...ymethM.12.259: In place of M's altered reading enuenymeth, CrLR have enuenimed. thurgh his attreBy the pofeet is vndurstonde as I haue lern.dd in auynete . Executours false frendes that fulfille nouȝt his willeThat was wryten and thei witytnesse to worche riȝt as it woldeThus the poete preues . that the pecok for his fetheres is reuerencedeRight so is the riche by reson of his godes . The larke that is a lasse foule is more loueliche of ledeneAnd welaway of wynge swifter þanne þe pecokAnd of flessh by fele folde fatter and swetterTo lowe libbynge men the larke is resemblede# quia de aristotile dubitatum vtrum saluaturAristotel the grete clerk suche tales he tellethThus he likkeneth in his logyke the leest foule outeAnd wher he be sauf . or nouȝt sauf the sothe wot no clergieNe of Sortes ne of Sal.omon no scripture kan telleAc god is so good I hope þat sith he gaf hem wittesTo wyssen vs waies therwith that wissen vs to be sauedeAnd þe bettre for hire bokes to bidden we ben holdenThat god for his grace gif hire soules resteFor lettred men were lewedmenlewed menȝyet ne were lore of hire bokes . Al thise clerkes quod I tho that on crist leuen Siggen in hire sermones that nother saresenes ne IewesNe no creature of cristes likknesse with-outen cristendome bethM.12.280: M's reading of beth is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read worþ. saued . Contra quod ymaginatif tho and comsed for to loureAnd saide . Saluabitur vix iustus in die Iudicij .Ergo saluabitur quod he and saide no more latyn . Troianus# quia Troianus saluatur propter iusticiamM.12.284: This marginal comment is written over an erased Troianus.Troianus was a trewe knyght and took neuere cristendomeAnd he is sauf so seithe the book and his soule in heuenneFor þere is fullynge of fonte and fullynge ofM.12.286: M shares the reading of with Hm; other B manuscripts have in. blood shedynge . And .. þurgh fy..r is fullyng and þat is ferme bileue . Aduenit ignis diuinus non comburens set illuminans & ceteraAc treuthe that trespassed neuere ne trauersed aȝeins his lawe . Nota beneBut liueth as hise lawe techeth and leueth ther be no bettre . And ȝif þere were he wolde amende and in suche wille dei...ethNe wolde neuere trwe god but trewth were alowed . And were it worth or worth nouȝt the bileue is grete of treutheAnd an hope hangynge there-inne to haue mede for his treutheFor deus dicitur quasi dans vitam eternam suis. hoc est fidelibusEt alibi Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis .The gloseth graunteth vpon that vers a grete mede to trutheAnd wit and wysdome quod that wye was sumtyme tresore . To kepe with a comune no catel was holden bettre . And muche murthe and manhod and right with þat he vanisshed . cor