The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 5: London, British Library, MS Additional 35287 (M) – Passus 16William 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
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 xvjussextus decimusNNow faire falle ȝyow quod I tho . for ȝyoure faire ...?...shewyngFor .....haukyns loue þe actifmanactif man . euere I shal þeM.16.2: M's þe is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read yow. louyeAc ȝyet I am in a wheereer . what charitee is to mene# declaracionem caritatisIt is a ful trie tree quod he . truly to telle . Mercy is þe more þereof . þe mydelstokmydel stok is rutheThe leues ben bele wordus . þe lawe of holy churcheThe blosomes ben buxuom speche . and benyngne lokyngePacience hatte þe pure tree . and pouere symple of herteAnd so þoruȝ god and þoruȝ good men . groweth þe fruyt charite . I wolde trauaille quod I þis tree to see . twenty hund...red myle . And for to haue my fulle of þat fruyt . forsake al other sauleeLord quod I ȝif any wiȝte wite . whider out it growethnota beneIt groweth in a gardyn quod he . þat god made hym-seluenAmyddes mann.es body . þe more is of þat stokkeHerte hatte the herber . that it inne growethAndliberum arbitrium . hath þe lond to fermeVnder piers þe plouwman . to pike it and to wede itPiers þe plowman quod I tho . and al for pure ioyeThat I herde nempne his name . anoon I swowned afterAnd lay longe in a loue-dreme .. . and atte þe laste me thouȝteThat piers þe plowman . al þe place me shewedeAnd bad me toten on þe tree . on top and on rote# thre pylis off ChariteWith thre piles was it vndur-pi..ȝte . I parceyued it soone . Piers quod I prayM.16.24: M's reading quod I pray is shared with R; other B manuscripts read quod I I preie. þe . why stonden þise piles here . For wyndes wilt þow wyte quod he . to wyten it fram fallynge . Cum ceciderit iustus non collidetur . quia dominus supponit manum suam .And in blowynge tyme abite þe flours . but if þise piles helpeThe world is a wikked wynde . to hem þat willen truthe . Coueitise cometh of þat wynde . & krepeth amonge þe leeuesAnd forfret neigh þe fruyt . þoruȝ many faire siȝtesThan with þe furste pile I palle hym doun . þat is potencia dei patrisThe flessh is a felle wynde and in flourynge tymeThoruȝ likynge and lustes . so loude he gynneth bloweÞat it norissheth nyce sightes . and somm-tyme wordesAnd wykked werkes þere-of . wormes of synne . And forbiteth þe blos.....mes . riȝt to þe bare leeues . liber xvjusThanne sette I to þe secounde pile Sapiencia dei patrisThat is þe passioun and þe power . of oure prince IhesuThorugh preiers and þoruȝ penaunce . and goddes passion in myndeI saue it til I see it ripen . and somdel yfruytedAnd þanne fondeþ þe feende . my fruyt to destruyeWith alle þe w.yles þat he kan . and waggeth þe RooteAnd casteth vp to þe crop . vnkynde neiȝbores . Bakbiters .....brokkeM.16.44: M's altered reading brokke is unique among B manuscripts. Many other B manuscripts read breke, and R has brewe. cheste . brawlers and chiders . And l.....eyeth a laddre þere-to . of lesynges arn þe ronges . And feccheth a-way my floures sumtyme . afore bothe myn eiȝen . Acliberum arbitrium letteth hym somm-tymeÞat is lieutenaunt to loken it wel . by leue of my-seluen . Videatis qui peccat in spiritum sanctum . nunquam remittetur & ceteraHoc est idem qui peccat per liberum arbitrium non repugnat .Ac whan þe feend and þe flessh . forth with þe worldManacen byh.ynde me . my fruyt for to feccheÞanne liberum arbitrium . laccheth þe furste plaunteAnd palleth a-doun þe pouke . pureliche þoruȝ grace . And helpe of þe holy goost . and þus haue I þe maistrieNow faire falle ȝyow piers quod I . so faire ȝeye descryuenThe poer of þise postes . and hire propre miȝte . Ac I haue þouȝtes a threve . of þise thre piles . In what wode þei wexen . and where þat þei groweþM.16.59: M alone among B manuscripts attests the word in the present tense. Other B manuscripts attest the past.For alle ar þei a-liche longe . noon lasse þan otherAnd to my mynde as me thinketh . on o moore þai growedeAnd of on grettnesse . and grene of greyn þei semen . That is soth quod piers . so it ..mai bifallen . I shal telle þe as tite . what þis tree hatte . The grounde þere it . groweth . godnesse it hiȝteAnd I haue tol..d — þe what hiȝte þe tree . þe trinite it menethAnd egreliche he loked on me . and þerefore I spared . To asken hym any moore . þere-of . and bad hym ful faire . To discryue þe fruyt . þat so faire hangethHere now binethe quod he þo . If I nede haddeMatrymoigne I may nyme . a moiste fruyt with-alle....AndM.16.72: M's revised reading And is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read Thanne or Þat.Continence is neer þe crop . as kayleway bastardÞanne bereth þe crop kynde fruyt . and clenneste of alleMaydenhede angeles pieres . and rathest wol be ripe . And swete withouten . swellynge . soure worth it neuereI praide piers to pulle a-doun . an appul and he woldeAnd suffre me to assaie . what sauour it haddeAnd pieres caste to þe crop . and þanne comsed it to cryeAnd wagged wydowhode . and it wepte after . And whan it moued Matrimoigne . it made a foule noiseÞat I hadde reuthe whanne piers rogged . it gradde so rufullycheFor euere as þei dropped adoun . þe deuel was redy . And gadred hem alle to-geders . bothe grete and smaleAdam and Abraham . and Ysaie þe propheteNota notabileSampson and Samuel and seint Iohan þe BaptisteBar hem forth boldly . no-body heimM.16.86: M's original reading of hem placed M in agreement with YGOC2R. lettudAnd made of holy men his hoord . in limbo inferniThere is derkenesse and drede . and þe deuel MaisterAnd piers for pure tene . þat oon pile he laug...hteAnd hytte after hym . ...happeM.16.90: In place of M's revised reading happe, WCr have hitte. how it miȝteFilius by þe fader wille . and frenesse of Spiritus sancti . To go robbe þat raggeman . and reue þe fruyt fram hym . And þanne spak Spiritus sanctus . in gabrieles moutheTo a mayden þat hiȝte Marie a meke þinge with-alleThat oon Ihesus a Iustice sone . moste iouke in hire chambreTil Plenitudo temporis fully comen wereThat Piers fruyt floured . and felle to be ripe . And þanne shulde Ihesus . iuste þerfore . by iuggement of armesWhether shuld fondgeM.16.99: M's original reading of fonde agreed with CYBLR. þe fruyt . þe fend or hym-seluenThe mayden myldeliche þo . þe messager grauntedAnd saide hiendeliche to hym . lo me his hand-maydenFor to wuyrchen is wille . with-outen any synneEcce ancilla domini fiat michi & ceteraAnd in þe wombe of þat wenche . was he fourty wokesTil he wex a faunt þoruȝ hire flessh . and of fiȝtynge kouthe . To haue y-fouȝte with þe feend . er ful tyme come . And piers þe plowman . parceiued plenere tyme . And lered hym lechecrafte . his lif for to saueThat þouȝ he were wound.ed with his enemy . to warisshe him-seluenAnd deide hemM.16.110: M's hem is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read hym. assaie his surgerye on hem þat seke were . Til he was parfit practisour . if any perille filleAnd souȝte oute þe seke . and þe syn..—ful botheliber xvjusAnd salued seke and syn.—full . bothe blynde and crokedeAnd comune wymmen conuerted . and to goode turned . Non est sanis opus medico set & ceteraM.16.115: The quotation breaks off at different points in other B manuscripts. M shares set & cetera with Cr12.Bothe mesels and mute . and in þe menesoun blodyOfte he heled suche . he hel.d for no maistrieSaue þo he leched lazar . þat hadde I-leye in graue# Resurreccionem lazarisQuatriduanus quelt . quik d.id hym walkeAc as he made þe maistrye . mestus cepit esse . And wepte water with his eiȝen . þere seiȝen it manyeSomme þat þe seighte seiȝen . saide þat tymeThat he was leche of lif . and lord of heiȝe heueneIuwes iangled þere-aȝein . and iugged lawesAnd saiden he wrouȝte . þoruȝ wychecrafte . and with þe deueles miȝteDemonium habes & cetera .Thanne aren ȝye cherles quod ich . and .yowre children botheAnd Sathan .youre saueour ȝyow-self now .. —M.16.128: The erasure of a word here, which in most B manuscripts is ye, brings M into agreement with OC2F. However, these manuscripts read your-self for yow-self which therefore makes sense. M shares yow-self with YLR which retain ye. wittnessenFor I haue saued ȝyow-self saith Crist . and ȝyoure sones afterȜYoure bodyes ȝyoure beestes . and blynde men holpenAnd fedde ȝyow with ijtwoM.16.131: M's original reading without this number agreed with GYOC2CBLR. fisshes . and with fyue louesAnd lefte basketes ful of broke mete . bere away who-so woldeAnd mysseide þe Iuwes manliche . and man..aced hem to bete# Fugacionem Iudeorum de TemploAnd knokked on hem with acordea corde . and caste a-doun hire stallesThat in churche chaffareden . or chaungeden eny moneyeAnd saide it in sighte of hem alle . so þat alle herdenI shal ouertourne þeM.16.137: M's þe is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read þis. temple . and a-doun throweAnd in thre dayes aftur . edifiedM.16.138: M uniquely has a preterite form here. Most other manuscripts have edifie it. At M.18.45 a similar elision has been corrected. newe . And make it as muche or more . in alle maner poyn...tesAs euere it was and as wyde . wherfore I hote ȝyow . Of praiereM.16.141: M alone among B manuscripts has praiere in the singular. and of parfitnesse this place þat ȝye callen . Domus mea domus oracionis vocabiturEnuye and .yuel wille . was in þe IewesThei kesten and contreueden . to kulle hym whan þei miȝteEche day after other . .hire tyme þei awaytedTil it felM.16.146: M's fel is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read bifel. on a Friday . a litel byfore paskeThe thorusday þereM.16.147: M's þere is not shared by other B manuscripts. bifore . ther he makedede his maundeeSittynge at þe soper . he saide þise wordes . I am solde þoruȝ oon of ȝyow . he shal þe tyme reweThat euere he his saueour solde . for siluer orellesor ellesIudas iangeled þere-aȝyein . ac Ihesus hym toldeIt was hym-selfM.16.152: M's original reading without self agreed with L. sothely . and saide tu dicisThanne wente forth þat wikked man . and with þe Iewes metteAnd tolde hem a tokene . how to knowe IhesusAnd w...ehich tok..ne to þis day . to muche is y-vsedThat is kyssynge and faire contenaunce . and vnkynde willeAnd so was with Iudas þo . þat Ihesus bytraiedeAue raby quod þat ribaude . and riȝt to hym he ȝyede# quomodo Iudas tradidit CristumAnd k....issed hym to byM.16.159: The reading by, shared with F, is not recorded by Kane and Donaldson. Other B manuscripts have be. cauȝte þere-by . and kulled of þe Iewes . Thanne Ihesus to Iudas . and to þe Iewes saideFalsenesse I fynde . in þi faire specheAnd gile in þi glad chere . and galle is in þi laughyngeThou shalt ben a Mirrour . to many men to desceyueAc þe worse and þe wikkednesse . shal worthe vpon þi-selfueNecesse est vt veniant scandala . Ve homini illi per quem scandalum venit .Þouȝ I by treson be y-take . at ȝyoure owne willeSuffreth myn appostles in pais . and in pees gangeOn a thorsday in thesternesse . thus was he taken . Thoruȝ Iudas and Iewes . Ihesus was ....hisM.16.169: The alteration brings M into agreement with all other B manuscripts except F, which for his name reads þan taken. nameThat on þe Fryday folwynge . for mankynde sakeIusted in Ierusalem . a ioye to vs alleOn cros vpon Caluarie . crist took þe batailleAȝyeins deth and þe deuel . destruyed bothe hire miȝtesDeiede and deth fordede . and day of niȝt made . IM.16.175: M alone among B manuscripts begins this line with I. Most B manuscripts begin And I; F begins Þan I. awaked þere-with . and wip.ed myne eiȝenAnd after piers þe plowman priede and stared . Estward and westward . I wayted after fasteAnd ȝyede forth as an idiote . in con...etre to aspyeAfter piers þe plowman . many a place I souȝteAnd þanne mette I with a man . .onM.16.180: M's revised reading on agrees with Cr23GYOC2F. Other B manuscripts have a. mydlentoun suondayAs hoor as an hawthorne . and Abraham he hiȝteI frayned hym furste . from whennes he come . And of whenn..es he were . and whyderwardeM.16.183: M's whyderward is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read whider or whider þat. he thouȝteI am faithe . quod þat Fre.ke . it falleth not to lye . # de FideAnd of Abrahames hous . an heraud of armes . I seke after a segge . þat I seigh oonesA ful bold bacheler . I knewe hym by his blasenWhat bereth þat burne quod I tho . so blisse þe bitydepassus xvjusde fide de trinitateThre leodes in o ...lythM.16.189: For M's revised lyth B reads liche. non lenger þan a-notherM.16.189: M alone reads a-nother; all other B manuscripts read ooþer.Of oon muchel and miȝt . in mesure and in leng....theThat on doth alle don . and ichonM.16.191: M's ichon is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read ech. doth ......by his ooneThe furste hath miȝte and maieste . maker of alle þingesPater is his propre name . a persone by hym-seluen . The secounde of þat sire is . sothfastnesse filiusWardeyn of .. þat wit haþ . was euere with-outen gynnyngThe thridde hatte þe holigoost . a persone by hym-seluen . The liȝt of al þat lif hath . a londe and on .M.16.197: M's on is followed by an erased supralinear correction. Other B manuscripts read a for on. watreConfortour of creatures . of hym cometh alle blisseSo thre bilongeth for a lord . þat lordshipe claymethMighte and a mene to knowe his M.16.200-201: In this line and the next, the scribe has written around a 3cm hole, at one time sewn. No text was lost. owne miȝteOf hym and of his seruaunt . and what þei suffre botheSo god þat gynnynge hadde neuere . but tho hym good þouȝteSente forth his sone . as for seruaunt þat tyme . To ocupie hym here . til issue were y-sprongen . That is children of charite . and holy churche þe modurPatriarkes and prophetes . and appostoles weren þe child...renAnd Crist and cristendome . and cristen holy churcheIn menynge þat man moste . on o god bileue . And þere hym likede . and louede . in thre persones hym shewedeAnd þat it may be so and soth . manhode it shewethWedloke and w.......ydwehode . with virginite y-nempnedIn tokenynge of þe trynite . was taken out of man . Adam oure aller-fader . Eue was of hym-selueAnd þe issue þat þei hadde . it was of hem botheAnd .either is otheres ioye . in thre sondry persones . And in heuene and heere . oon singuler nameAnd þus is mankynde . or manhode . of matrimoigne y-sprongeAnd bitokeneth þe trinite . and truwe bileue . Miȝte is matrimoigne . þat multiplieth þe ertheNotaAnd bitokeneth truly . telle ȝif I dursteHe þat furste fourmed al . þe fader of heueneThe sone if I durste seye . resembleth wel þe widowe . Deus meus . deus meus vt quid dereliquisti meThat is creatour wexe creature . to knowe what was botheAs widowe with-oute wedloke . was neuere .yet I-seiȝe . Namore miȝte god be man . but if he aM.16.226: The addition of he a brings M into agreement with Hm. Other B manuscripts read he. modur haddeSo widewe with-oute w.edlok . may nouȝt wel stande . Ne matrimoigne with-outen moillerye . is nouȝt muche to preiseMaledictus homo qui non reliquit semen in israel & ceteraThus in thre persones is parfitliche manhodeThat is man and his make . and moyllere childrenAnd is nouȝt but gendre of generacioun . bifore Ihesu crist in heueneSo is þe fader forth with þe sone . and fre wille of hemM.16.233: M's reading of hem is shared with Cr; other B manuscripts read of. bothe . Spiritus procedens a patre & filio . & cetera .AbrahamW.....hich is þe holigoost of alle . and alle is but o godThus in a somer I hym seiȝ . as I sate in my porcheI roos vsp and reuerenced hym . and riȝt faire him grette . Thre men to my sighte M.16.238-239: The scribe has written around a 3cm hole, at one time sewn. No text was lost. I made wel at eseWesshe hire feet and wypped hyemM.16.239: M's original reading hym was not attested in other B manuscripts. . and afturM.16.239: Only Cr1 shares M's omission of ward after aftur. þei eten . Calues flessh and cakebreed . and knewe what I thouȝteFul trewe tokenes betwene vs is . to telle whan me likethFurste he fonded me . whethereM.16.242: M's reading whether is shared with Cr; other B manuscripts read if. I loued bettre . Hym or Ysaak myn heir . þe w....hich he hiȝte me kulle . He wiste my wille by hym . he wil me it alloweI ham ful siker in soule þerof . and my sone botheI circuncydedcircu[m]cydedM.16.246: See MEDs.v.circumciden (Lat. circumcidere) and circumcisen (from the Lat. ppl.). MBmBo have the former verb; the other manuscripts have the latter. my sone . sythen for his sake . My-self and my meigne . and alle þat male wereBledde blood for þat lordes loue . and hope to blesse þe tyme . Myn affiaunce and my feith . is ferme in þis bileueFor hym-self bihiȝte to me . and to myn issue botheLond and lordshippe . and lif with-outen endeTo me and to myn issue . moore ȝyet he me graunted . Mercy for oure mysdedes . as many tymes as we asken . Quam olim abrahe promisisti . & semini eius .And sith he sente me to saye . I shulde do sacrificeAnd doon hym worshep with breed . and with wyn botheAnd called me foot of his feithe . his folk for to saueAnd defenden hem from þe feend . folk þat on me leueden . Thus haue I ben his heraud . here and in helleAnd conforted many a careful . þat after his comynge waytenAnd þus I seke hym he saide . for I herde sai.. lateOf a barn þat baptised hym . Iohan baptiste was his nameThat to patriarkes and to prophetes . and to oþere peple in derkenesseSaide þat he seiȝe here . þat shulde saue vs alle . Ecce agnus dei & cetera .¶ I hadde wondur of his worduscorcorxusliber xvijusI hadde woundur of hise wordes . and of his wyde clothesFor in his bosome he bar a thing . þat he blessud euereAnd I loked on his lappe a lazar lay þere-inne . Amonges patriarkes and prophetes . pleyinge to-gideresWhat awaitest þow quod he . and what woldest þou haueI wolde wyte quod I tho . what is in ȝyoure lappeLoo quod he and leet me see . lord mercy I seideThis is a present of muche pris . what prince shal it haueIt is a preciou..s present quod he . ac þe pouke hath it atachedAnd me þere-myd..e quod þat man . may no wed vs quiteNe no burn be oure borwgh . ne bringe vs fram his daungerOut of þe Poukes pyndfold . no mainprise may vs feccheTil he come þat I carpe of . / Crist .M.16.278: The punctus has been lined through. is his nameThat shal deliueren vs somday . out of þe deueles powerAnd bettre wed for vs legge . þan we ben alle worthyThat is lif for lif . or ligge þus euereLollinge in my lappe . til suche a lord vs feccheAll..as I saide þat synne . so longe shal letteThe miȝte of godus mercy þat miȝte vs alle amendeI wepte for his wordus . with þat I saugh anotherRapeliche .....renne forth . þe riȝte wey he wenteI frained hym furste . from whennes he comeAnd what he hiȝte . and whider he wolde . and wightliche he tolde .