fol. 98v (cont.)I
xx us et primus de dobeste us pass
us xx vicesimus Passus M.20.0: The guide to the rubricator in the left margin has been erased, though xx us et primus de dobeste us is still legible under ultra-violet. pass
t
lyue liM.20.7: The reading of a number of manuscripts, including Cr, is , yet it seems clear that it is a <y> and not an <e> that has been erased here. bileue . to cloþes and to sustenaunce
That þow took to þi byM.20.14: M's agrees with Cr; other sleightes manuscripts except have the singular. B
And he cauȝte in þat cas . and come þerto by sleightesM.20.16KD.20.16
M.20.16: M shares the reading with Cr; other cam manuscripts have B or come. comeþ so to a cloþe and kan ... no bettre cheuysaunce . ne
And þouȝ he cam.ch ee aM.10.19: M's altered reading agrees with YC. As at M.19.399, the added 2 is written over the erased <-e>. a diche er he for th......e dey urste.. de
That he dronke at - outen conseille of conscience . ... orM.20.21: M's original reading, concealed by the revision , is likely to have been or, shared with G. and cardynale vertues
With.... . may flee . and wlM.20.43: M's syntax agrees with Cr; other manuscripts supply B before and rather than before crepe. to to hole crepe
Boþe fox and fo nn.s e..kkenesse formeM.20.51: M's original reading must have been (for the spelling cf. 19.202, 205), a reading not shared by any likkenesse or B manuscripts. C
And mette ful merueillousliche . þat in ma.ch ee a countre þere he cam . he kutte a- way treuþeM.20.55: The text of - way treuþe is damaged as a result of staining and/or erasure. a
In e . ...?...?... for he gaf hem copesM.20.57: Presumably the erasure is the anticipated b-verse of M.20.58. There are no variants at this point.
Freres folwed þat fend fol. 99vI
M.20.70: M's agrees with Cr; other þe manuscripts omit the word. B likynge of his body
With a lord þat lyueth after . þe a legion . loren hire lif eafter sooneM.20.86: M's original reading was not attested in other after manuscripts. B
That largelichM.20.92KD.20.93
hire orM.20.92: M's original reading , as in the next line, is paralleled by Cr's hire. Other their manuscripts have B. This is a rare example of M moving away from a Cr reading, but the revising hand is crude and late. See also the note to
M.20.101. er mynstrales myȝte pipe
And þanne mette þise men . hire orM.20.93: M's original reading is shared with Cot (also corrected) and paralleled by Cr's hire. See note to previous line. Other their manuscripts have B. er heraudes of armes . had descryued lord.s . e
And fol. 100rI
passus xx us
M.20.100KD.20.101
M.20.100: M's agrees with Cr; other kaysers knyghtes manuscripts reverse the order. B . and popes
Kynges and kaysers . knyghtesne —M.20.101: In erasing M again departs from a Cr reading. Cf. notes to M.20.92-93. ne leet no man stonde
Lered ne lewede . he M.20.102: M's agrees with Cr; other stood manuscripts have B. stired aftur
That he hit euene . þat euere stoodM.20.104KD.20.105
M.20.104: M's agrees with Cr swelten; other 1 manuscripts have the past tense. B . for sorwe of deþes dyntes
Swoneden and sweltenc or
fol. 100vI
M.20.134: The decoration to the left of the first letter resembles a paraph, but is presumably not intended as one.And ouertilte al his ....... . with take þis vp amendement treuthe
# the mantell off Mynever
M.20.139: M's agrees with Cr; other þo manuscripts have B. and cryde þo . wolde crist of his grace
Allas quod conscience þo sM.20.150: M's original reading agreed with YLR. All other creature manuscripts attest the plural. B . saue conscience oone .
And kulle alle erþely creature... a eep- side . and cauȝteM.20.151: M shares the reading with Cr cauȝte; other 1 manuscripts have B. lauȝte hym a lemman .
Lyf lr forȝete deþM.20.154: M shares the reading only with Cr deþ. Other 1 manuscripts read B. sorwe . and ... nouȝt of synne yeue
And toe ...?...un—dur n woM.20.158: The correction was orginally written and has been corrected a second time. woundur ȝerne . and soone was of age y
Slewþe wex# Tom twotong e
me twotonge . atteint me ofM.20.161: M shares the reading with Cr of; other 1 manuscripts have B; F reads at. in .ch ee a queste .
Oon thomordonM.20.163: See Introduction, I.11 "Provenance."
fol. 101rI
passus xx us
# con phisicos tra
þeM.20.175: M's original reading was shared by O. M's addition of brings it into agreement with CrYC þeCB. Others have 2. a pallesye
A phisicien with a furred hood . þat he fel in X
forbeten it.. —M.20.197: M's original reading was probably close to that of Cr, which has . The alteration brings M into agreement with most had beaten it manuscripts. B
So Elde and she soþly . hadden fol. 101vI
M.20.208KD.20.209
come to catel so . to cloþe me and .I.to —M.20.208: The erasure of brings M into agreement with HmGF. to fede .
How shal # the prest off Irlond
n e vales consc eia ienc b
fol. 102rI
passus xx us
e p erauenture . for pat armoigne hem failled riM.20.233: M alone among manuscripts attests the past tense of the verb. Other B manuscripts attest the present. B
And for þei arn pou#
M.20.234: M's agrees with Cr; other Thei manuscripts have B. They wol flatere to fare wel . folk þat ben riche
Thei#
þatȝe leue logyk ye . and l.rneþ to eM.20.249: M's agrees with Cr; other to manuscripts have B. for to lo... uye
With M.20.250: It is possible that has been altered from lafte, the reading of CrBmCot. loste þei lordshipe . boþe lond and scole
For loue lafteM.20.260KD.20.260
Wol Or þei wilM.20.260: M's revised reading is shared only with Cr. Most Or þei wil manuscripts have B, which was M's original reading, but F has Wol and B has Ellys will. And þerfore wollen no tresour hem paye . trauaille þei neue so soore er
M.20.264KD.20.265
M.20.264: M's agrees with Cr; other wolde manuscripts have B or wole. wel . to han a certein nombre
Hire ordre and hire rule wolde fol. 102vI
M.20.272KD.20.273
M.20.272: The addition of brings M into agreement with Cr. Most other bad manuscripts read B. heet . Freres go to scole bad
Enuye herde þis and M.20.277: M's agrees with Cr; other men manuscripts have B. to men / a lawe / . and Moyses it tauȝte
For god made men#
# syr leff to live in lecherye
..... segge .M.20.313: In place of M's altered reading ("man"), all other segge manuscripts except Hm have B ("place"). Confusion was perhaps prompted by M.20.310 above. sege þat softe kan handle
There is a surgien in þis M.20.314: M's agrees with Cr; other he can manuscripts have B. F has be fer. he can be feer . & fairer he plastereþ
And more of phisik he cana t no
.i. papa
d est
M.20.328KD.20.328
e er com hee iinne yM.20.328: The first two minims have been corrected by converting them to a <y>. See Introduction III.1. . confessiouns to here
In countrees þ fol. 103vI
- noþerM.20.334: M's - noþer agrees with Cr; other is many a manuscripts have B. are manye oþer
He is seek saide pees . and so is many a...... ightest /M.20.339: M's altered reading is shared only with Cr. Other hightest manuscripts have B. hattest þow I pray þe . hele nouȝt þin name y
What hou n n to lent enou n n enM.20.361: In both instances, the second vowel n has been altered from <o> to <e>. lentou . he let his plastres biten .
From lent fol. 104rI
passus xx us
ȝow my lady . in masses yM.20.366: M's agrees with Cr; other masses manuscripts have the singular. B and in matyns
And make M.20.370: M's agrees with Cr; other werkes manuscripts have B. wikked werkes . as he was wont to doone
And wake for hise werkesxplicit hic dialogus petri plowman EM.20.386: This form of explicit occurs also in manuscripts CC BGLOWY. 2
Penna precor siste quoniam liber explicit iste M.20.386: The (Fribourg, 1965-) lists four other manuscripts, two in Britain, two on the continent, that include this explicit. Colophons de manuscrits occidentaux des origines au XVIe siècle
obsecro transeat liber ui Explicit iste liber . qM.20.386: The third explicit, in a different hand, is also found as the first line of the explicit to Gower's , as was pointed out to us by George Shuffleton. See Siân Echard, "Last Words: Latin at the End of the Confessio Amantis"
in Confessio Amantis, ed. Richard Firth Green and Linne R. Mooney (Toronto, 2004) pp. 99-121. This includes an appendix listing the witnesses
to the explicit. It is likely that the scribe of this third explicit in M took the line from a Gower manuscript, and therefore
that he had London connections. Interstices: Studies in Middle English and Anglo-Latin Texts in Honour of A. G. Rigg