The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 5: London, British Library, MS Additional 35287 (M) – Passus 9William 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 nonus de Visionenota benesSIre Dowell dwelleþ quod witte nouȝt a day henn..esIn a Castell þat kynde made of foure kynnes þingesOf erthe and eire is it ma..ad medled to-gidresWith wynde and with watur witturly enioinedpassus ixusKynde hath clos.ed þere-ininne craftely with-alleA lemman þat he loueth like to him-seluenAnima she hatte ac enuie h.ire hateþ . A proude prikere of Fraunce Princeps huius mundiAnd wolde wynnen hire a-weiey with wilus and he miȝte . Ac kynde knoweth þis wel and kepuþ hire þe bett..reAnd hath doon hire with sire Dowell is Duc of þis Marches# secunda discripcio de dowellDobet is hire damoisell sire Dowelles douȝturTo serue þis lady lelly bothe late and ratheDo-beste is a-bouen bothe a Bisshopus piereÞat he bit moot be don he reuleþ hem alle . Anima þat lady is ladde — by hire ......leringM.9.16: For hire all other B manuscripts read his; for the final word, B manuscripts vary between leryng and lernyng.Ac þe Constable of þat Castell þat .kepuþ alle þe wacche...?...# quia Inwitt habet quinque Filios vt patetI...s a wys kniȝte with-alle sire Inwitte...?...he hiȝte .And hath fyue faire sones bi his furste wiff . Sire sewell and saiwell and herewell þe heendeSire worche well with þine hande a wiȝte man of stren....gtheAnd sire Godfrey gowell grete lordus for soþe . Þes fiue ben sette to saue þis lady anima...?...M.9.24: Something, no longer legible even under the ultraviolet lamp, has been erased from the margin.Til kynde come or seende . to saue hire for euere . What kinnes thinge is kyndeM.9.25: All other B manuscripts, and some C manuscripts, here include quod I, but it is not in A manuscripts. canst þow me telle . # quod natura est Creator omnium rerumKynde quod witte — is aM.9.26: Kane and Donaldson record both M and R as omitting this a, which they reject as unauthorial, but without noting that the a, attested in all other B manuscripts, is clearly legible under an erasure in both manuscripts. creatour of alle kynnes þingesFadur and fourmer of al þat euere was makudeAnd þisM.9.28: M's reading of þis is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which read þat. is þe grete god þat gynnynge ha.d neuere . Lord of lif and of liȝte of blisseM.9.29: With the alteration of lisse to blisse, M joins BCrGRF. and of peineAngeles and alle þinge arne at his wille# quia dixit & facta sunt mandauit & Creata suntAc man is him moost like of marke and of shafteFor þor..hgh þe worde . þat he spake wexen forth beestus . Dixit & facta sunt & ceteraM.9.33: Kane and Donaldson fail to note the & cetera at the end of this tag, which is overlapped by the right end of the box that surrounds this text. .id est. adamM.9.34: L shares this gloss on man.And made man likkeste to himM.9.34: All other B manuscripts read himself. one . And Eue of his Ribbe-bon with-owten .any meneFor he was singuler him-self and saide faciamusAs who saith more mote herto þan myn worde one . My miȝte moote helpe now with myn specheRiȝte as a lorde shulde make lettres and him lakkude parchemyn . Þo.wgh he couthe write neue.r so well ȝif he hadde none penne . Þe lettre for al.. þe lordshipe I leue worthM.9.41: M's reading of worth is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which read were. neuere y-makud . And so it bisemethM.9.42: For M's bisemeth most other B manuscripts read semeþ. bi him as þe bible telleth . # quia non solum verbo sed opere facta suntÞere he saide dixit & facta sunt. & ceteraM.9.43: The & cetera has been added in a different hand and ink. This addition brings M into agreement with GY.He moste w.erche with his wordusM.9.44: M alone among B manuscripts attests the plural. and his witte sheweAnd in þis manere was man ma..ad þor....ghmimyȝte of go.d almiȝtyWith his word. and werkemanshippe and with lif to laste . And þus god gauef him a goost of þe godhede of heuene . And of his grete grace grauntede him blisseAnd þat is lif þat ay shal laste to al linage afturAnd þat is þe Castell þat kynde made Caro it hatte# the makyng off man with the sowleAnd is as muche to mene as man with a soule . And þat he wrouȝte with werke and with worde boþeÞourgh miȝte of þe mageste man was y-makudeInwit.. and alle wittus closud ben þere-innneeFor loue of þe .Lady anima þat lif is y-nempnedeOuere-al in mann..es body he wawethM.9.56: Most B manuscripts have walkeþ, though F has walweþ. The reading waweth is not shared with other B manuscripts, though it is the majority reading of A manuscripts; others have walweth. See MEDs.v.walwen (OE walwian), "to roll over," and wawen (OE wagian) "to go back and forth." See also the variants at M.8.41. an.d wandrethAyM.9.57: The scribe originally wrote A as a form of And, the reading of W, and another hand has filled the space after the initial letter to read Ay, a reading not elsewhere attested. Other B manuscripts read Ac or But. in þe herte is hire home and hire mooste resteAc inwitte is in þe hed and to þe herte he lokethWhat anima is lief or loth he lat hire at his willenotaFor aftur þe grace of god þe gretteste is inwitte# .....de hijsM.9.61: The deleted text replaced by de hiis is illegible under ultraviolet light. quorum deus venter estMuche wo worth þat man þat mysruleth his inwitteglobbersM.9.62: The deleted text is legible under ultraviolet light.And þat ben glotonus ...?...globbers hire god is hire wombe . Quorum deus venter estFor þei seruen sathan here soule shal he haue . Þat liueth synn.....eful lif heere here soule is liche þe deuel . And alle þat liuen good lif aren lik vn — to god almiȝt.y . Qui manet in caritate in deo manet & ceteracontra potentiam potationisAllas þat drinke shal for-do þat god dere bouȝteAnd doþ god forsaken hem M.9.69: M alone among B manuscripts here lacks the word þat. he shope to his likknesseAmen dico vobis nescio vos . & alibi . Et .dimisi eos secundum desideria eorum ibuntM.9.70: M's ibunt is not attested in other B manuscripts. & ceteranota beneFolus þat fauten Inwitte I fynde þat holichurche# that holy Church shuld help FolisShulde fynden hem þat hem fautede and faderles ChilderenAnd widowes þat han nouȝte wherwith to wynnen hem here fodeMadde men and maydenes þat helpeles were . Alle þes lakketh inwit .. and lore bihouethpassus ixusOf þis matere miȝte IM.9.76: M's reading of miȝte I is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read I miȝte. make a longe tale . And finde fele wittnesses amonge þe foure doctoursAnd þat I lie nouȝte of þat I lere þe Luk bereth wittnesse# ad CompatresGodfadur and god-modur þat seen hire god-childrenAt.. mesese and meschief and mowe hem amendeShal haue penaunce in purgatorie but ȝif þei hem helpe# what belongyth to the litle BarnFor more bilongeth to þe litul barne ar he þe lawe knoweÞanne nempnynge of a name and he neuere þe wisur . Shulde none — Cristen creature crien at þe ȝyate . # ad prelatosNe faille pain ne potage and prelatus d.id as þei shuldenA Iewe wold not see a Iuewe go iangelinge for defauteFor alle þe moebles on þis molde and he amende it miȝte . Allas þat a cristen creature shal be so vnkinde to anothur# maiorem caritatem in Iudeis quam in cristianisSiþ Iuwes þat we iugge Iudas felawesAythur of hem helpeþ oþur of þat þatM.9.90: M's original reading without the second þat agreed with Hm. him nedethWhy nil we Cristen . of Cristes good be as kynde. willed .M.9.91: M's addition of this word is unattested in other B manuscripts.As Iuwes þat ben oure lores-men shame vntoM.9.92: M's reading of vnto is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read to. vs alleÞe comune for hire vnkindenesse I drede me shull abie . # contra truffatoresBisshopus shullen be blamede for beggers sake . He is wors þanne Iudas þat ȝyeueth a iaper silu..ernotaAnd biddeþ þe begger go for his broken clothesProditor est prelatus cum Iuda . qui patrimoniumCristi minus distribuit . & alibi Perniciosus despensator est . qui res pauperumCristi . multipliciterM.9.97: M's reading of multipliciter is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read inutiliter. consumitHe doth nouȝt wel þat doþ þus ne drat nouȝt god almiȝtyNe loueþ nouȝt salamones sawes þat sapience telleþ .M.9.99: M's reading of telleþ is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which read tauȝte.Inicium sapiencie timor domini .# Tertia discripcio de dowellÞat dredeth god he doþ well þat dred him for loue . And nouȝte for drede of veniaunce doþ þerfore þe bett..reHe doþ best þat with-draweþ him by day and bi nyȝte . To spille any speche or any space of tyme . Qui offendit in v..noM.9.105: M's altered reading vno agrees with most B manuscripts. LR read verbo; F reads vno verbo. in omnibus est reusLesinge of tyme truthe wot þe sothe . Is moost yhatud vponM.9.107: M's original reading of vp was shared by CLR. erthe of hem þat ben in heueneM.9.108: As a result of eyeskip on heuene (M.9.107 and M.9.109), the scribe initially omitted M.9.108-109. The missing lines were then written in the right margin next to M.9.110-111. Subsequently, a line of text was erased at the bottom of the folio and the two omitted lines were supplied there, the corrector labeling lines 108-111 with the letters a-d to indicate their proper order, and the marginal correction was erased. No other B manuscript omitted these two lines.a. And sithen to spille speche þat enspiredM.9.108: M shares with Cr the reading enspired. Other B manuscripts read spire, spicerie or spicere. Kane and Donaldson note that the word is "over erasure another hand." While it is true that the entirety of lines M.9.108-109 is written as an addition at the bottom of the leaf in another ink, and that a line has been erased to make space for line 108, the individual word enspired is consistent in hand and ink with the rest of this addition. is of graceb And goddes gleman and a game of heueneM.9.109: The erasures on the right margin of this paragraph are still partly legible. Under ultraviolet light and a game of heuene is clear.c Wolde neuere þe fait.hful fadur his fithel were vtempredev[n]tempreded Ne his gleman a gedlinge goingeM.9.111: M's reading of goinge is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read a goere. to tauernes . E vijTo alle trwe tidy men þat trauaille desiren . Oure lord loueþ hem and lent loude oþur stilleGrace to go to hem and agon hire liflodeInquirentes autem dominum . non minuentur omni bono .# Quarta discripcio de dowellTrewe weddud libbinge folk in þis worlde is dowellFor þei moote w.erchen and wynnen and þe worlde susteineFor of here kynde þai comen þat Confessours ben nempnedeKynges and kniȝtes kaisers and cherles . Maydenes and martires out of on man comeÞe wif was made þe weie for to helpun worchenAnd þus was wedlok y-wrouȝte with a mene personeFurst bi þe fadres will and þe freendus conseilleAnd sithenes by assent of hem-self as þei two miȝten accordeAnd þus was wedloke y-wrouȝte and god him-self.. — it madeIn erthe andþein heuene is —M.9.126: M's original reading In erthe þe heuene is agreed with YHmGOCBL. The addition of and and in and the erasure of þe and is brings M into agreement with WCr. him-self was þe wittnesse . # contra hos qui concipiuntur absque matrimonioAc false folke faithe—les theues and liers . Wastours and wrecches out of wedlok y trowe . Conceiued ben in .yuel tyme as Caym was on Eeue . Of suche synneful shrewes þe sautier makeþ myndeConcepit in dolore & peperit iniquitatem. & cetera .And alle þat come of þat Caym come ...to yuele ende . For god sente to Seem and saide bi an angelÞin issue . in þin issue I wol þat þei be wedd..edAnd nouȝt þiny kynde with Caymes ycoupled ...neneM.9.135: The ne is written over an erasure, with the erased correction above. WCr read nor; Hm has ner. spoused . # that Seem and Caymes kynd shuld not Cople.Yet ....seemM.9.136: M's alteration agrees with Cr's Sem. Other B manuscripts read some. aȝeine þe sonde . of oure saueoure of heueneCaymes kynde and his kynM.9.137: M's reading of kyn is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read kynde. coupled to-gedres . Til god wratthud with hire werkus and suche a worde saide . Þat I makud man now . me it athinkethPenitet me fecisse hominem .And come to Noe a-non and bad him nouȝte letteSwithe go shape a shippe of shides & of bordus . Þiny-seluen and þine sones þre and sithen ȝyoure wiuesBuske ȝow to þat bote and bide ȝe þere-innneinne . Til fourty daies be fulfulde andM.9.145: M's reading of and is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which read þat. flode haue y-wasshenClene away þe cursud blod þat Caim haþ y-makudBeestus þat now ben shullen banne þe tyme . passus ixusÞat euere þat cursud Caym come on þis erthe . Al shal deie for his dedus by dales andM.9.149: M shares the reading and with R; other B manuscripts have and by. hullusAnd þe foules þat f..leen forth with oþur beestus . E.xcepte onliche of iche kinde a coupleÞat in þiny shinglede shippe shullen ben ysauednotaHere abouȝte þe barne þe belsires gultusAnd alle for hire forfadres þei ferden þe worseÞe gospell is here aȝein in o degre I fynde . Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris . & pater non portabit iniquitatem & ceteraM.9.156: Various B manuscripts end this Latin tag at various points. M's ending is unique, though it lacks only filij after iniquitatem in order to agree with the fullest version of the line.Ac I finde ȝif þe fadur be falses and a shreweÞat sumdel þe sone shal haue þe sires tacchesImpe on an elleren . and ȝif þine apple be sweteMuche meruaille me thinketh and more of a shrewe . Þat bringeþ forth any barne but ȝif he be þe same . And haue a sauour after þe sire seelde seeste þow oþurNumquam colligitur de spinis vuasM.9.163: The erasure of <s> brings M into agreement with WHmCr. . nec de tribulis ficus .And þus ...thorgh cursude Caym came care vpon ertheAnd alle for ...?...þei wroȝte wedlokes aȝeins goddus willeFor-þ.y haue þei maugre . for hire mariages þat marie so hire childrenFor somme as I see now soth for to tellenFor couetise of catel vnkindliche ben wedded . As careful ConcepcionusM.9.169: M's plural is unique among B manuscripts. comeþ of suche mariages . As bifel of þe folk þat IM.9.170: M alone among B manuscripts lacks the word bifore at this point. of tolde . .id est. boniM.9.171: The two glosses are shared by L.bonasFor goode shulde wedde goode þo.wgh þei no good haddeI am via & veritas saith Crist I may auauncen allenota contra matrimonium inordinatumIt is .an vncomelyM.9.173: This insertion in M occurs at a place where B manuscripts attest a variety of readings. M's altered state agrees with most B manuscripts. L has comely with on added above the line. couple bi Crist as me thinkeþ . To ȝyeuen a ȝyonge wenche to an olde fiebleOr wedden any widowe for welthe of hire godusÞat neuere shal barne bere but it be in armesMany a paire siþþen þe pestilence han pliȝte hem to-gedresnotaÞe fruit þat þei bringe forth arne foule wordus . #In ialousie ioieles and ianglinge on bedde . Haue þei none children but cheeste and ...?...chidyngeM.9.180: M's reading of chidynge is not shared by other B manuscripts, which attest this word variously. It does, however appear as a variant of cheeste in A manuscripts (K.10.193). hem bitwene# Bacoun off dunmowAnd ..þough þei don hem to Duonmowe but ȝif þe deuel helpeTo folwen aftur þe Fliss.cche fecche þei it neuereAnd but þei boþe be forsworne þat bacoun....tyneget they neuyr .M.9.183: M's altered b-verse is unique; the original reading was probably that of all other B manuscripts, which read þat bacoun þei tyne. See the Introduction, II.1.E viijPassus XusFor-þi I conseille alle Cristen coueite nouȝt to be weddedFor couetise of catell ne of kyndered. richeAc maidenes and maydenes macche ȝyow to-gedresWidowes and widowers worche ȝyeM.9.187: M shares the reading ye with F; other B manuscripts omit it. þe sameFor no lond.es but for loue loke ȝye be weddudAnd. þanne gete .ye þe grace of god and good ynowgh to liuen withAnd euery manere seculer þat may nouȝt continueWysly go wedde and war him from synne . For leccherie in likinge is limȝerde of helle#Whiles þou art ȝyong. and þiney wepene kene . Wreke þe with wyuynge ȝif þow wolt ben excused.Dum sis vir fortis ne des tua robora scortisScribitur in portis . meretrix est ianua mortisnota de puritate Coitus in matrimonioWhan ȝye haue wyuede be war and worcheþ in tymeNouȝt as Adam and Eue whanne Caym was engendredFor in vntyme truly by-twene man and wommanNe shulde no bourde on bedde be but ȝif þei bothe were cleneBothe of l...if and of soule and in parfite chariteeÞat ilke derne dede do noman no man ne shuldeAnd ȝif þei leden þus hire lif it liketh god almiȝtyFor he made wedloke furste and him-seluen it saideBonum est vt vnusquisque vxorem suam habeat propter fornicacionemAnd þai þat othurgatus ben geten for gedlinges arn holdenAs fals folke fondelinges faitours and liersVngracious to geten goode or loue of þe p.eple . Wandren and wasten what þei cacche moweA.yeins dowell þei doon .yuele and þe deuel serue . And aftur here deth-day. shullen dwellen with þe sameBut god ȝyeue hem grace here hem-self to amende# Quinta discriptio de dowellDowell my freende is to do as þe lawe techeþTo loue þiney freende and þiney foo leue me þat is dobetTo ȝyeuen and to ȝyemen boþe ȝyonge and olde . To helen and to helpen is do-beste of alle . And dowell is to drede god and dobet to suffre . And so cometh dobeste of boþe and bringeþ a-doun þe mody . And þat is wikkud wille þat many werk sheendethAnd driueth a-way dowel þourgh dedly synnes þanne had wit a wif.V.