The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 3: Oxford, Oriel College, MS 79 (O) version of 30 December 2003 – Passus 16William LanglandEdited by Katherine Heinrichs Graduate Research Assistants Patricia Bart, Michael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Peter Eubanks, Paul Fyfe, Paul Gaffney, Janice McCoy, Chloe Smith, Timothy L. Stinson, Jordan Taylor, and Keicy Tolbert. Computer Consultants and Programmers Shayne Brandon, Kirk V. Hastings, Richard A. Peterson, Daniel Pitti, Jonathan Rodney, and John Unsworth.Published for the Medieval Academy of America and The Society for Early English and Norse Electronic Texts (SEENET) by Boydell and Brewer Ltd. Cambridge ISBN: 1843840251

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2004

SEENET A.5

Oxford, Oriel College, MS 79

late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Oxford, Oriel College, MS 79

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

LatinFrenchGermanMay, 2001catalogerPatricia BartNew header createdPassus xvjussextus decimus . NOw fayre falle ȝow quod I þoo  for ȝoure fayre schewyngFor haukyns loue þe actijf man  euere I schal ȝow louye Ac ȝit I am in a weer  what charite is to meneIt is a ful tried tree quod he  trulich to telleMercy is þe moore þerof  þe myddel stokke is ruþeÞe leues been lele wordis  þe lawe of holy chircheÞe blosmes been buxum speche  & benynge lokyngPacience hatte þe pure tree  & pure symple of herteAnd so þoruȝ god & good men  groweþ þe fruyt chariteI wolde trauayle quod I . þis tree to see  twenty hundrid myleAnd to haue my fille of þat fruyt  forsake al oþer sauleLord quod I if any wyȝt wite  whider out it groweþIt groweþ in a gardeyn quod he  þat god made hym-selueAmyddis mannes body  þe moore is of þat stokkeHerte hatte þe herber  þat it Inne groweþAnd liberum arbitrium  haþ þe loond to fermeVndir peers þe plowman  to piken it and weden itPeersO.16.18: A decorative pattern of red and black vertical and horizontal lines, five line spaces in length, is appended to the descender of the <P> in Peers. þe plowman quod I þoo  & al for pure Ioye Þat I herde nempne his name  anoon I swownede after And lay longe in a loue-dreem  & at þe last me þouȝte Þat peers þe plowman  al þe place me schewede And bade me toten on þe tree  on toppe & on rote Wiþ þre piles was it vndir-piȝt  I parceyuede it soone Peers quod I . I preye þee  why stonden þeise piles heer For wyndes . wilt þou wite quod he  to witen it fram fallyngCum ceciderit iustus  non collidetur quia dominus supponit manum suam And in blowynge tyme abite þe flowris  but if þeise piles helpe Þe werld is a wykkid wijnd  to hem þat willen truþe Coueytise comeþ of þat wijnd  & crepeþ among þe leues And forfretiþ nyȝ þe fruyt  þoruȝ many fayre siȝtis Þanne wiþ þe first pile I pulle hym doun  þat is potencia dei patris Þe flesch is a felle wijnd  & in flouryng tyme Þoruȝ likyng ofO.16.33: OC2 alone have of; all other beta witnesses have and. lustis  so lowde he gynneþ blowe Þat it norischeþ nyce siȝtes  & sum-tyme wordis And wickede werkis þerof  wormes of synne And forbiteþ þe blosmes  riȝt to þe bare leues Þanne sette I to . þe secounde pile  sapiencia dei patris Þat is þe passioun & þe power  of oure prynce iesus Þoruȝ preyeris & penaunce  & goddis passioun in mynde I saue it til I see it ripe  & sumdel yfruytid And þanne fondiþ þe feend  my fruyt to distruye Wiþ alle þe wyles þat he can  & waggedeO.16.42: OC2C alone have the preterite form. þe rote And casteþ vp to þe croppe  vnkynde neyȝboris Bacbiters breke-cheste  brawlers & chideris And leiþ a ledder þerto  of lesyngys arn þe ronges And feccheþ awey my flouris sum-tyme  afore boþe myne yen Ac liberum arbitrium  letteþ hym sum tyme Þat is lutenaunt to loken it wel  bi leue of my-seluevideatis qui peccat in spiritum sanctum  nonnumquam remittetur & cetera hoc est idem qui peccat per liberum arbitrium non repugnatO.16.49: This line begins in the right margin of l. 48, breaks after in, then wraps around to occupy the next full line space. Ac whanne þe feend & þe flesch  forþ wiþ þe werld Manacen bihynde me  my fruyt for to fecche Þanne liberum arbitrium  laccheþ þe first plante And palleþ adoun þe pouke  purilicheO.16.53: OC2 alone have the form puriliche; all other beta witnesses have pureliche. þoruȝ grace And help of þe holy goost  & þus haue I þe maystrie Now fayre falle ȝow peers quod I  so fayre ȝe discryuen Þe power of þeise postes  & her propre myȝte And I haue þouȝtes a þreue  of þeise þre pilesIn what wodeIO.16.58: This capital is decorated with an elaborate spray in black and red, four lines in height.n what wode þei waxen  & where þat þei growedenO.16.58: O alone has the form groweden; most B manuscripts have growed.For al yliche been þei longeO.16.59: OC2 alone have this form of the a-verse; most B manuscripts have "For alle are þei aliche longe."  non lasse þan oþerAnd to my mynde as me þinkeþ  on oo moore þei growenO.16.60: GYOC2 alone have a present-tense form.And of oo gretnesse & grene  of ooO.16.61: OC2 alone include the second occurrence of oo. greyn þei semenÞat is soþ quod peers  so it myȝteO.16.62: GOC2 alone have myȝte in place of may. bifalleI schal telle þee as tyte  what þis tree hatteÞe ground þere it groweþ goodnesse it hiȝteAnd I haue told þee . what hiȝte þe tree  þe trinite it meneþAnd egrelich he lokede on me  & þerfore I sparede To axen hym any more þerof  & bade hym ful fayre To discryue þe fruyt  þat so fayre hangeþHeer now bi-neþe quod he þoo  if I nede haddeMatrimoyne I may nyme  a moyst fruyt wiþ-alleÞatO.16.71: GYOC2 alone have Þat in place of Thanne. contynence is neer þe crop  as aO.16.71: OC2 alone include a. calewey bastardÞanne bereþ þe crop kynde fruyt  & clennest of alleMaydenhed aungelis peres  & rapestO.16.73: YOC2 alone have rapest in place of raþest. woldeO.16.73: OC2 alone have wolde in place of wole. be ripeAnd swete wiþ-outen swellyng  sour worþ it neuereI preyede peers to pulle adoun  an appel & he woldeAnd suffre me to assaye  what sauour it haddeAnd peers caste to þe crop  & þanne comsede it to cryeAnd waggede wydewehod  & it wepte afterAnd whanne it mouede matrimoyne  it made a foule noyceÞat I hadde ruþe whanne peers roggede  it gradde so rufullicheFor euere as þei droppedenO.16.81: O alone has the form droppeden in place of dropped. adoun  þe deuel was redyAnd gaderede hem alle to-gyderes  boþe grete & smaleAdam and eueO.16.83: GYOC2 alone have eue in place of Abraham.  and ysaacO.16.83: OC2 alone have ysaac in place of Ysaye. þe propheteSampson & samuel  & seynt Ion þe baptistBar hem forþ boldeli  no-body hem lettedeAnd made of holyO.16.86: OC2 alone lack men before his. his hoord  in lymbo inferniÞere is derkenesse & drede  & þe deuel maysterAnd peers for pure tene  þat oo pile he lauȝteAnd hitte after hym  happe how heO.16.89: CR23OC2 alone have he; most B manuscripts have it. myȝteFilius bi þe fadir wille  & freenesse of spiritus sanctiTo go robbe þat ragman  & reue þe fruyt from hymAnd þanne spake spiritus sanctus  in gabrieles mouþeTo a mayden þat hiȝte marie  a meke þing wiþ-alÞat oon iesus a iustises sone  muste iouke in hir chaumbreTil plenitudo temporis  fulli comen wereÞat peers fruyt flourede  & fel to be ripeAnnis quingentis decies rursumque ducentisvnus defuerat cum deus ortus eratO.16.98: A red parasign at the left, two lines in height and with a trailing descender, connects the preceding two lines, which appear in the bottom margin.O.16.97: Kane and Donaldson (224) exclude ll. 97-98, which occur only in OC2, on the grounds that they are scribal.And þanne schalO.16.99: COC2 alone have schal in place of sholde.iesus iuste þerfore  bi iugement of armesWheþer schulde fonge þe fruyt  þe feend or hym-selueÞe mayden myldeliche þoo  þe massager grauntedeAnd seyde heendeliche to hym  lo me his hande-maydenFor to wirchen his wille  wiþ-outen any synneEcce ancilla domini fiat michi & ceteraO.16.104: This line is written in the right margin. It is divided after fiat, and a red parasign precedes the second line of text.And in þatO.16.105: OC2 alone have þat in place of þe. wombe of þat wenche  was he fourty wokisTil he wexe a faunt þoruȝ hir flesch  & of fyȝtyng couþeTo haue fouȝten wiþ þe feend  er ful tyme comeAnd peers þe plowman  parceyuede plener tymeAnd lerede hym lechecraft  his lijf forto saueÞat þouȝ he were woundid wiþ his enemy  to warische hymselueAnd dide hym assaye his surgerie  on hem þat seek werenTil he was parfiȝt practisour  if any perel felAnd souȝte out þe seke  & þe synful boþeAnd saluede seke & synful  boþe blynde & crokedAnd comune wommen conuertede  & to good turnedeNon est sanis opus medico Set infirmis & ceteraO.16.116: OC2 alone include both infirmis and & cetera.O.16.116: This line is written in the right margin. It is divided after medico, and a red parasign precedes the second line of text.Boþe meseles & mute  & in þe menysoun blodyOfte he helede swiche  he helde it for no maystrieSaue þoo he lechede lazar  þat hadde yleyn in graueQuotriduanus quelt  quyk dide hym walkeAc as he made þe maystrie  mestus cepit esseAnd wepte water wiþ hise yen  þere seyȝen it manySumme þat þe siȝt seyȝen  seyden þat tymeÞat he was leche of lijf  & lord of hye heueneIues iangledenO.16.125: O alone has the form iangleden; most B manuscripts have iangled. þer-aȝens  & iuggedenO.16.125: O alone has the form iuggeden; all other beta witnesses have Iuggede. lawesAnd seyde he wrouȝte wiþ wichcraft  & wiþ þe deuelis myȝtDemonium habes & ceteraO.16.127: This line is written in the right margin. It is divided after demonium, so that it appears as two lines.Þanne arn ȝe cherlis quod ich  & ȝoure children boþeAnd sathan ȝoure saueour  ȝoure-self nowO.16.129: OC2MF alone lack a word between now and witnessen; most B manuscripts have ye. witnessenFor I haue saued ȝoure-self seiþ crist  & ȝoure sones afterȜoure bodyes . ȝoure beestis  & blynde men holpenAnd fedde ȝow wiþ fisches  & wiþ fyue louesAnd lafte baskettis ful of breed brokenO.16.133: O alone has breed broken in place of broke mete.  bere awey who-so woldeAnd mysseyde þe Iues manlich  & manacede hem to beteAnd knokkede on hem wiþ a koorde  & caste adoun her stallesÞat in chirche chaffareden  or chaungeden any moneyAnd seydeO.16.137: GOC2 alone lack a word between seyde and in; all other beta witnesses have it. in syȝt of hem alle  so þat alle herdenI schal ouer-turne þis temple  & adoun þroweAnd in þre dayes after  edifienO.16.139: OC2 alone have the form edifien; most B manuscripts have edifie. it neweAnd maken it as myche ouþer more  in al manere poyntisAs euere it was . & as wyde  wherfore I hote ȝowOf preyeris &O.16.142: GOC2 alone lack of before parfiȝtnesse. parfiȝtnesse  þis place þat ȝe calleDomus mea domus oracionis vocabiturO.16.143: This line is written in the right margin.Enuye & yuele wille  was in þe IuesÞei castedenO.16.145: OC2 alone have the preterite form. & contreueden  to kille hym whanne þei myȝtenO.16.145: OC2 alone have the form myȝten in place of myȝte.Iche day after oþerO.16.146: OC2 alone lack hir before tyme.  tyme þei awaytedenTil it befel on a friday  a litil bifore paskeÞe þorusday bifore  þere he made his maundeeSittynge at þe soper  he seyde þeise wordisI am sold þoruȝ oon of ȝow  he schal þe tyme rue Þat euere heO.16.151: A double solidus over each word indicates transposition of original he euere. his saueour solde  for siluer or ellisIudas ianglede þer-aȝens  ac iesus hym toldeIt was hymself soþeli  & seyde . tu dicisÞanne wente forþ þat wickede man  & wiþ þe Iues metteAnd tolde hem a tokene  how to knowe wiþ iesusAnd which tokene to þis day  is to mycheO.16.156: GOC2 alone have ys to myche; most B manuscripts have to muche is. vsedÞat is kyssyng & fayre contenaunce  & vnkynde willeAnd so was wiþ Iudas  þoo he iesus bitrayedeAue raby quod þat ribaude  & riȝt to hym he ȝedeAnd kiste hym to be cauȝt þerby  & killed of þe IuesÞanne iesus to Iudas  & to þe Iues seydeFalsnesse I fynde  in þi fayre specheAnd gyle in þi glad chere  & galle in þi lawȝhyngÞow schalt be aO.16.164: YOC2M alone include a. myrour  to many men to deceyueAc þe wers & þe wickednesse  schal worþe onO.16.165: GOC2F alone have on in place of vpon. þi-selueNecesse est vt veniant scandala ve homini illi per quem & ceteraO.16.166: This line is written in the right margin. It is divided after scandala, and a red parasign precedes the second line of text.Þouȝ I . bi tresoun be taken  at ȝoure owne willeSuffreþ myne apostelis in pays  & in pees gangeOn a þorusday in þeO.16.169: OC2 alone include þe before þesternesse. þesternesse  þus wasO.16.169: An otiose mark appears above the <s> in was. he takenÞoruȝ Iudas & Iues  iesus was his nameÞat on þe friday folewynge  for mankyndes sake Iustede . in ierusalem  a ioye to vs alleOn crosse vp-on caluarie  crist toke þe batayleAȝens þe deþ & þe deuel  distruyede her boþer myȝtesDiede & deþ fordide  & day of nyȝt madeAnd I awakede þer-wiþ  & wipede myn yenAnd after peers plowman  priede & staredeEstward & westward  I waytede after fasteAnd ȝede forþ as an idiot  in cuntree to aspieO.16.179: OC2 lack the following line attested by all other B manuscripts: "After Piers þe Plowman  many a place I souȝte."And þanne mette I wiþ a man  on mydde-lente sundayAs hoor as an hawe-þorn  & abraham he hyȝteIO.16.182: The initial capital is decorated with a red spray three lines in height. fraynede hym first  fram whennys he comeAnd of whennys he were  & whyderO.16.183: GYOC2 alone lack a word between whyder and he; most B manuscripts have þat. he þouȝteIO.15.184: The initial capital is usually large and ornate. am feiþ quod þis freek  it falleþ not to lyeAnd of abrahams hous  an heroud of armesI seke after a segge  þat I seyȝ onysA ful boold bacheler  I knowe hym bi his blasenWhat bereþ þat barn quod I þoo  so blisse þee be-tideÞre leodes on oo lith  noon lenger þan oþerOf oo mychel & oo magesteO.16.190: OC2 alone have mageste in place of myght.  in mesure & in lenkþeÞat oon dooþ alle dooþ  & iche dooþ bi his oneÞe first haþ myȝt & mageste  maker of al þingePater is his name  a persoone bi hym-selue Þe liȝt of al þat lijf haþ  a loond & on waterO.16.193: The scribe here copies, then cancels, l. 197.Þe secounde is of þat sire  soþfastnesse filiusWardeyn of alO.16.195: OC2 alone include al. þat witt haþ  was euere wiþ-out gynnyngÞe þridde haþhatteO.16.196: The error is shared by BmBo. þe holi goost  a persoone bi hym-selueÞe liȝt of al þat lijf haþ  a londe & on waterCounfortour of creaturis  of hym comeþ al blisseSo þre bilongeþ for a lord  þat lordschip cleymeþMyȝt & mene  to knowe his owne myȝtOf hym & of his seruaunt  & what þei suffrenO.16.201: OC2 alone have the form suffren; most B manuscripts have suffre. boþeSo god þat bigynnyngO.16.202: OC2Cot alone have bigynnyng in place of gynnyng. hadde neuere  but þoo hym good þouȝteSente forþ his sone  as for seruaunt þat tymeTo occupien hym heer  til issu were sprungenO.16.204: OC2 alone have sprungen; most B manuscripts have spronge.Þat is children of charite  & holi chirche þe modirPatriarkis & prophetis  & apostelis weren þe childrenAnd crist & cristendom  & cristen holy chircheII[n] menyng þat man muste  on oo god beleueAnd þere hym likede & louede  in þre persoones hym schewedeO.16.209: Cr23OC2 lack the following line attested by all other B manuscripts: "And þat it may be so and sooþ [sheweþ it manhode]."Wedlok & wydewehood  &O.16.210: OC2F alone have & in place of wiþ. virgynyte ynempnedIn tokenyng of þe trinyte  was taken out of a manAdam oure alþer fadir  eue was of hym-selueAnd þe issu þat he hadde  it was of hem boþeAnd eiþer is oþeres ioye  in þre sundry persoonesAnd in heuene & in erþe  oon synguler nameAnd þus is mankynde or manhed  of matrimoyn ysprungenO.16.216: O alone has ysprungen; most B manuscripts have spronge.Myȝt is matrimoyn  þat multiplieþ þe erþeAnd bitokeneþ truli  telle it if I dursteHe þat first formede al  þe fadir of heueneÞe sone is if I durste seye  resemblant to wideweDeus meus deus meus vt quid dereliquisti meO.16.221: This line is written in the right margin. It is divided after dereliquisti, and a red parasign precedes the second line of text, which appears above the first.Þat is . creatour wexe creature  to knowe what was boþeAs widewe wiþ-outen wedlok  was neuere ȝit yseyeNo more myȝte god be man  but if he modir haddeSo wydewe wiþ-oute wedlok  may not wel stondeNe matrimoyne wiþ-outen mulerie  is not myche to preyseMaledictus homo qui non reliquit semen in israel .O.16.227: This line is written in the right margin. It is divided after qui, and a red parasign precedes the second line of text.Þus in þre persoones  is parfiȝtlich manhood Þat is man & his make  & mulererO.16.229: O alone has the form mulerer; most B manuscripts have mulliere. childrenAnd is not but gendre of generacioun  bifore iesu crist in heueneSo is þe fader forþ wiþ þe sone  & fre wille of boþeSpiritus procedens &O.16.232: OC2 alone have & in place of a. patre & filioO.16.232: This line is written in the right margin.Which is þeO.16.233: OC2 alone lack holy before goost. goost of al  & al is but oo godÞus in somer I hym seyȝ  as I sate in my porcheI aroos vp & reuerencede hym  & riȝt fayre hym gretteÞre men to my siȝt  I made wel at eseWessche her feet & wipede hem  & afterward þei etenCalues flesche & cake breed  & knewen what I þouȝteFul trewe tokenes bitwene vs been  to telle whanne me likeþFirst he fondede me  if I louede better Hym . or ysaak myn heir  þe which he hiȝte me killeHe wiste my wille bi hym  he wole me it aloweI am ful siker in soule þerof  & my sone boþeI circumciside my sone  siþ for his sakeMy-self & my meyne  & alle þat male werenBledden blood for þat lordis sakeO.16.246: OC2 alone have sake in place of loue.  & hopen to blisse þe tymeMyn affiaunce & my feiþ  is ferme in þis beleueFor hym-self bihyȝte to me  & to myn issu boþe Loond . & lordschip  & lijf wiþ-outen endeTo me & to myn issu  more ȝit he me grauntede Mercy . for oure mysdedis  as many tyme as we axeQuam olim abrahe promisisti & semini eiusO.16.252: This line is written in the right margin. It is divided after promi-, and a red parasign precedes the second line of text.And siþ he sente me to seye  I schudeschu[l]de do sacrifiseAnd do hym worschip wiþ breed  & wiþ wyn boþeAnd callede me forþO.16.255: OC2 alone have forþ; most B manuscripts have foot. of his feiþ  hise folk for to saueAnd defendede hem fro þe feend  folk þat on me lenedenÞus haue I been his heraud  heer & in helleAnd counfortede many careful  þat after his comyng waytenAnd þus I seke hym he seyde  for I herde seyn lateOf a barn þat baptisede hym  ion baptist was his nameÞat to patriarkes & prophetis  & oþere peple in derkenesseSeyde . þat he seyȝ hymO.16.262: GOC2 alone have hym; most B manuscripts have here.  þat schulde saue vs alleEcce agnus dei & ceteraO.16.263: This line is written in the right margin.I hadde wondir of hise wordis  & of hise wyde cloþisFor in his bosum he bare a þing  þat he blessede euereAnd I lokede on his lappe  a lazar lay þer-inneAmongys patriarkes & prophetis  pleyinge to-gyderesWhat awaytist þou quod he þooO.16.268: OC2 alone include þoo.  & what woldist þou haueI wolde wite quod I þoo  what is þisO.16.269: OC2 alone include þis. in ȝoure lappeLoo quod he & lete me see  lord mercy I seydeÞis is a present of myche price  what prynce schal it haueIt is a precious present quod he  ac þe pouke it haþ atachedAnd me þer-myd quod þat man  may no wed vs quyteNe no barn be oure boruȝ  ne brynge vs fram his daungerOut of þe poukis pynfold  ne no meinpriseO.16.275: OC2 alone lack may before vs. vs feccheTil he come þat I carpe of  crist is his nameÞat schal delyuere vsO.16.277: OC2 alone lack som day before out, and thus lack the second alliterating stave. out  of þe deuelis powerAnd better wed for vs legge  þan we been alle worþiÞat is lijf for lijf  or ligge þus euereLollynge in my lappe  til swich a lord vs feccheAllas I seyde þat synne  so longe schal lette Þe myȝt of goddis mercy  þat myȝte vs alle amendeI wepte for hise wordis  wiþ þat sawȝ I an-oþerRapelich renne forþ  þe riȝt weye he wenteI fraynede hym first  from whennys he comeAnd what he hiȝte & whidir he wolde  & whiȝtlich he tolde