The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 7: <list><item>London, British Library, MS Lansdowne 398 </item><item>Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson Poetry 38</item></list>
– Passus 10William LanglandEdited by Robert AdamsAssociate Editors: Patricia R. Bart, M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A.
FarleyTechnical Editor: Daniel PittiGraduate Research AssistantMichael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Carrie Lindley, Janice McCoy, Ashley Opps, Timothy L.
Stinson, and Jordan Taylor.Computer Consultants and ProgrammersRobert Bingler, Shayne Brandon, Cynthia Girard, Chris Jessee, Daniel Pitti, David Seaman,
and John Unsworth.The Medieval Academy of America and SEENET by Boydell and
Brewer, LTDWoodbridge, SuffolkISBN: (Individual) 9781843840947 (Institutional): 9781843840930
Commercially available:
copyright 2011, by SEENET
2006 Combined facsimile & documentary edition.Identification of handsIRA = Robert Adams1 computer optical disk : col. ; 4 3/4 in.The Medieval Academy of America and SEENET, by Boydell and
Brewer, LTD.Woodbridge, SuffolkSource copy consulted: London, British Library, MS Lansdowne 398 and
Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson Poetry 38
SEENET, A.9
Attribute Valuesbrown inkanglicana bastardaitalicLombard Capornamented capital, N lines highrubricatedtouched in redtexturaunderlinedunderlined in redgreen inkblue ink
LatinFrenchGermanNovember 2005 revise header, update DTD and ent files Hoyt N. Duggan New header created passus
xusPassus decimus de visione vt supra . ——ÞÞanneR.10.1: The initial is flourished with red, as usual,
and a man's face has been drawn in the loop of the thorn. had wit a wif was
calledhote(n)R.10.1:
Cf. F's klepid. Beta's reading is hote, which agrees
with Ax and Cx. dame studie Þat lene was of lere and of licheeliche bothe . Sche was wonderliche wroth þat wit me þus tauȝte . And alle starynge dame studie sterneliche seyde . Wel art þow wis quod sche to witt any
wisdomes to telle . To flatereres or to foles þat frentik ben of wittes . And blamed hym and banned hym and bad him be stille . With swiche wise wordes to wissen any sottes . And seyde noli mittere
man mageriema[r]gerie perles . Amonges hogges þat han hawes at wille . Þei doth but dreuele þer-on
draf were hem leuere . Þan alle þe preciouse perre þat in paradis wexeth . I seye it be schuchesucheR.10.13:
This form is unique to R. MED, s. v.swich, indicates that the South English Legendary (ca.
1300) has the only comparable form of this word, which it labels as a SW Midlands form for
swich. Cx reads suche.
quod sche þat scheweth be here werkes . Þat hem were leuere lond and lordschipe
hereon erthe .R.10.14: For alpha's here, beta reads on erthe,
which agrees with Ax.OtherOr ricchesse otherorR.10.15:
R's Other ... other is unique. F omits this line, but beta reads Or ... or, which agrees with Ax. rentes
and rest at here wille . Þanne alle þe soth sawes þat salomon seyde
euere . ¶ Wisdom and witt now is nauȝt worth a carse . But if it be carded with couetise as clotheres
kemben wolle Ho-so kan contreue
deseites and conspire wronges . And leden forth a loueday and lettento latteþewith trewthe .R.10.20: Beta reads this b-verse as to latte with treuthe. F has
& lettyn euere trewthe. Ax appears to have read
to lette þe truþe. He þat suche craftes can to conseil is cleped . — Þei lede lordes with lesynges and belyeth treuthe . — ¶ Iob þe gentil in his gestes witnesseth . Þat wicked men þei welden þe welth of þis worlde . And þat þei ben lordes inR.10.25: Though Hm agrees with R's in, beta has of (F rewrites the line). vch a londe
þat oute of lawe libbeth .Quare impij viuunt
bene est omnibus qui
preuaricantur & inique
agunt . ¶ Þe sauter seith þe same by such þat don ille .Ecce ipsi peccatores
habundantes in seculo optinueruntoptinuerunt diuicias .R.10.28: Alpha omits the last word of this citation as found in beta: diuicias. Lo seith holy lettrure whiche lordes beth
þis schrewes Þilk þat god most greuethgyuethR.10.30:
For alpha's greueth, beta reads, more probably, gyueth
(though manuscript C agrees with alpha). The C version tries to resolve
this difference between greueth and gyueþ by rewriting
the line so as to include both words (a timid choice paralleled elsewhere in C), and in the process makes a line that is inferior to both earlier versions.
Evidently, by the time he was laboring on the C revision, Langland had
forgotten which of these two variants he had composed and which one was scribal. Or, having
perhaps written both himself at different times, he had forgotten which one was supposed to
supersede the other. lest gode þei deleth . And most vnkende to þe comune þat most catel weldeth .Que perfecisti destruxerunt iustus autem
&cetera . Harlotes for here harlotrie may haue of her godes . And iaperes and iogoloures and iangeleres of gestes . ¶ Ac he þat hath holy writ ay in his mouthe . And can telle of tobye and of þe twelue apostles . Or prechen of þe penaunce þat pilat wrouȝte . To Ihesu þe gentil þat iewes to-drowe . — Litel is he loued þat such a lesson scheweth . Or daunted or drawe forth I do it on god hym-selue . ¶ But þo þat feynen hem foles and with faytynge libbeth
. Aȝeyne þe lawe of oure lorde and lyen on hem-selue . Spitten and spewen and speken foule wordes . Drynken and dreuelen and do men for to gape . Likkene men and lyen on hem þat leneth hem no
ȝiftes Þei conne namore minstracie ne musike men to glade Þanne munde þe mulenere of
multa fecit deus . Ne were here vile harlotrie haue god my
trouthe . Schuld neuere kynge ne knyȝte
ne canoun of seynt poules . Ȝyue hem to here ȝeresȝyue þe worthȝifteR.10.50:
R's worth is an alpha variant. The most reliable beta witnesses, including
L and M, read ȝifte. Ax reads value. of a
grote . ¶ Ac murth and mynstracie amonges men is nouthe . Lecherie and losengerie and loseles tales . — Glotonye and grete othes þis murthR.10.53: Beta has murthe þei louieth (though manuscript Y agrees with R in omitting
þey. F completely revises the b-verse. The b-verse of Ax is somewhat different from both alpha and beta, but the stave word, games alliterates appropriately with the unrevised a-verse. Both Kane-Donaldson and
Schmidt emend to the A reading. louyeth . Ac ȝif ȝei[þ]eiþei carpen of crist þis clerkes and þes lewede . At þe mete in here murthes whan mynstrales
ben stille . Þanne tellen þei of þe trinyte a tale other tweyne . And bryngeth forth a balled resoun and
taken bernard to witnesse . And putten forth a
presumpcioun to preue þe
sothe . Þus þei driuele at here dayesdeyse þe deyte to knowe . And gnawen god with þe gorge whan here
gutte is fulle . ¶ Ac þe careful may crie and carpen at þe ȝate . Bothe afyngred and a-þurst
and for chele quake . Is non to nymen hym nere his nuye(a)noye toR.10.63:
The other B witnesses read his noye to amende. However, Ax agrees with R in omitting to . amende . But hoen onR.10.64:Hoen, "shout at, raise an outcry against." hym as an hownde
and hoten hym go þennes . Litel loueth he þat lorde þat lent hym alle þat blisse
. Þat þus parteth with þe pore a parcel whan hym nedeth
. Ne were mercye in mene men more þan in
riche . Mendynantes meteles myȝt go to bedde . God is muche in þe gorgesgorgeR.10.69:
Beta reads gorge. Ax agrees with beta.
of þes grete maystres . Ac amonges mene men his mercye and his
werkes . And so seith þe sauter Ich haue I-seye it oft .Ecce audiuimuseumeam in effrata inuenimuseumeamR.10.72: In both cases where alpha has eum, beta reads
eam. Both Ax and Cx agree with beta, and most C manuscripts go further, glossing
eam as caritatem.
in campis silue . Clerkes and otherother kynnes menR.10.73: R's other men is the alpha reading; beta reads other kynnes men. carpen of god faste . And haue hym muche in þe mouthe ac mene men
in herte . ¶ Freres and faytoures haue founde suche questions . To plese with proude men sitthen þe pestilencepestilence tyme .R.10.76: Beta reads pestilence tyme. The Ax
version of this phrase agrees with beta, but a majority of C manuscripts
supports a reading similar to alpha's: pestelences. And prechen at seynt poules for pure enuye
of clerkes . Þat folke is nouȝt fermed in þe feith ne free of
here godes . Ne sori for here synnes so pruyde isis prydeR.10.79:
Beta transposes this phrase as is pryde. Cx agrees
with beta on the word order. woxen . — In religioun and in alle þe rewme amonges
riche and pore . Þat preyeres haue no powere þisþepestilencespestilenceR.10.81:
R's þis is a plural determiner, as with F's þese. Beta
shows a singular for this phrase: þe pestilence. Cx
reads þis pestilences, agreeing with alpha. to lette . For god is def now-a-dayeson þese dayes and deyneth his heres to opnenot vs to here Beta omits these lines. The b-verse of KD10.79 in F reads & deyȝneþ not vs to here. Cx agrees with F.Þat gerlesþe gystys for here gyltes he for-gryntR.10.83:MED has no listing for this compound, but the inflected form from the base is
clearly the 3rd singular indicative of "grinden, v. 1" = "to break into small particles;
reduce . . . to powder by crushing." For togrinden, v., a citation is
offered from the cognate line of the C-version of Piers:
And good men for oure gultes he al to-grynt to
deþe. hem alle .— And ȝet þe wrecches of þis worlde is non
yware by other Ne for drede of þe deth with-drawe nauȝt here pruyde . Ne beth plentyuous to þe pore as pure charite wolde . ¶ But in gaynesse and in glotonye for-glotten here goed hem-selue . And breketh nauȝt to þe beggere as þe boek techeth
.Frange esurienti panem tuum &
cetera . And þe more he wynneth and welt welthes and richesses
.Euere as heAndR.10.91:
In place of alpha's Euere as he, beta reads And. Cx revises the line, but the opening phrase agrees with beta.
lordeth in londes þe lasse goed he deleth . ¶ Tobie techethtellethR.10.92:
Beta reads telleth. Cx either agrees completely with
alpha (X family) or deploys a preterite of techen (P family).
ȝow nauȝt so taketh hede ȝe riche . How þe boek bible of hym bereth witnesse .☞Si tibi sit copia habundanter
tribue R.10.94:
In the left margin, a hand points at this line and the next.Si autem exiguum illud inpertireimpertiriR.10.95: Though several beta manuscripts agree with alpha's verb form here, beta
itself probably read impertiri, as reflected in LCrWO. The readings of
the C manuscripts—for the entire Latin phrase—are quite
mixed, but a majority, including XYcP2, agree with alpha.libenter studestude libenterR.10.95: Beta transposes this phrase as stude
libenter; Cx attests the same word order here as
alpha. . Who-so hath muche spene
manlyche so meneth tobie . And ho-so litel weldeth
rewle hym þere-after . For we haue no lettre of oure lif how longe
it sal dure . Suche lessones lordes schulde loue to here . And how he miȝt most meyne manliche fynde . Nouȝt to fare as a fithelere or asaR.10.101: R's as is a unique addition to the text attested by beta
(F completely alters the b-verse). a frere to seke festes . Homliche at other mennus howses
and hatyen here owne . Elynge is þe halle vche daye in þe weke
. Þere þe lorde ne þe lady liketh nauȝt to sitte Now hath vch riche a reule to eten by hym-selue . In a priuy parlour for pore mennes sake . Or in a chaumber bywithR.10.107: R's by is unique; Bx reads with. a chymene and leue þe chief halle . Þat was made for meles men to eten Inne . And alle to spare to spille þat spenespende(n)R.10.109: R's spene is a unique reading here (the other B manuscripts read spende(n)); however, spene is a verb that developed from spende(n), is synonymous with
it, and occurs in free variation with it throughout R. From its sometimes parallel occurrence
in L (as at KD10.90), the form seems likely to be an authorial relict. schal an-other . ¶ I haue herd hye men etynge at þe table
. Carpen as þei clerkes were of crist and of his
miȝtes . And leyden fautes vpon þe fader þat formed vs alle . And carpen aȝeine clerkes crabbed wordes . Whi wold oure saueor suffre such a worm in his blisse Þat bygiled þe womman and þe man after
. Þorȝ which wiles and wordes þei wenten to helle And alle here seed for here synne
þe same deth suffrede . ¶ Here lieth ȝoure lore þis lordes
guynneth dispute . Of þat ye clerkes vs kenneth of crist by þe gospel .filius
non portabitFilius non portabit iniquitateminiquitatem patrisR.10.120: R uniquely omits patris after iniquitatem. &cetera . Whi schulde we þat now ben for þe werkes of adam . Roten and to-reue(to)rendeR.10.122: It is uncertain how to transcribe this word; it may be rendered as to-reue or as to-rene. If the latter of these options is adopted, it is
merely a transcriptional error on the scribe's part for Bx's torende. However one construes it, the form is unquestionably intended as a
compound participial adjective and constitutes a unique reading in R (F agreeing here with
the beta majority). MED cites toriuen as a compound s. v.riven (v. 2), (with toriue and toreuen as possible participle forms). Meaning 3a would seem closest to the context of
R10.122 = "To split, splinter, shatter, or break apart as the result of a blow, collision, or
other force; also, fig. be emotionally shattered; (b) fig. of the heart: to break on account
of emotion." Two examples from fifteenth-century sources of toreue are
cited under this heading. If this is the form intended by R's scribe, it represents an
unconscious substitution of a synonym (in its sense of "torn" or "shattered") for original
to-rende. The third possibility is that the form may be a compound
participle of "reuen, v. 1a" = "to regret, to be embarrassed or shamed," a context that would
fit well (albeit textually aberrant) with the meaning of roten,
"destroyed, ruined." reson walde it neuere .Vnusquisquehonus suum portabitportabit onus suum &cR.10.123: Beta transposes this phrase as portabit onus
suum. . Suche motifs þei meue þis maystres in
here glorie And maketh men in mysbyleue þat muse muche on
here wordes . ¶ Ymaginatif here-afterwarde
schal answerie to ȝoure porpos . ¶ Austyn to suche argueres he telleth hem þis teme .Non plus sapere quam oportet
&cetera Wilneth neuere to wite whi þat god wolde
. Suffre sathan his seed to begile . — Ac byleue lelly in þe lore of holy cherche . And preye hym of pardoun and penance in
þi lyue . And for his muche mercy to amende
ȝow here . ¶ For alle þat wilneth to wite þe weyes of god
almiȝty . I wold his eye were in his ers and his fynger after
. Þat euere wilneth to wite whi þat god
wolde . Suffre sathan his seed to bygile . Or Iudas þe Iewto þe iuwesR.10.138: For alpha's þe Iew, beta has to þe
iuwes. Ax agrees with alpha. ihesu
betraie . — ¶ Alle was as he woldeþow wolde(st)R.10.139: Beta reads þow. Ax agrees with
alpha. lorde yworschiped be þow . And alle worth as þow wolt what-so we despute . ¶ And þo þat vseth þis hauelons to blende mennes wittes
. What is dowel fro dobet now def mote he worthe . Sitth he wilneth to wite which þei ben allebothe .R.10.143: For alpha's alle, beta reads bothe.
Ax agrees with alpha. But if he lyue in þe lyueR.10.144: Cf. F's lyȝue
(transcribed by Kane-Donaldson as lyȝne); beta reads lyf. þat longeth to dowel . For I dare ben his boruȝhbolde borghR.10.145: Beta reads bolde borgh here. Ax
agrees with beta. þat dobet wil be nerehe neuere . Þow dobest drawe on hym day after other . ¶ And whanne þat wit was Iware howwhatR.10.147: Beta reads what. Ax agrees with
alpha. dame studie tolde He bycom so confus he couthe nauȝt loke
And as doumbe as deth and drowe hym arere . ¶ And for no carpynge I couth after ne
knelinge to þe grounde . I miȝt gete no greyne of his grete wittes . But alle lauȝynge he louted and loked vpon stude
. In sygne þat I schulde be-seche hire of grace . — ¶ And whan I was ware of his wille to his wif gan I
loute . And seyde mercy ma-dame
ȝoure man schal I worthe . As longe as I lyue bothe late and rathe .AndnilR.10.157: Alpha's And is omitted by beta. Ax
agrees with beta's wording, but Cx agrees with alpha. forto
werche ȝoure wille þe while my lyf dureth . With þat ȝe kendely[kenne me] kendelykenne me kyndelyR.10.158: The omission of verb and object here is unique to R. Cx's wording agrees with the F/beta reading. to knowe what is dowel
. ¶ For þi mekenesse man quod sche and for
þi milde speche . I schal kenne þe to my cosyn þat clergiseclergyeR.10.160: R's clergise is a unique variant; Bx
has clergye, and the archetypes of the other two versions show the same
reading. is hoten . He hath wedded a wif withInne þis six monethus . Is sib to þe seuen ars scripture is hire
name . Þei to as I hope after my techinge . Schullen wise þe to dowel I dar welitR.10.164: R's wel is a unique variant; the other B copies all have it. However, Ax agrees with
R. vndertaken . ¶ Þanne was I as fayne as foule of faire
morwe . And gladder þanne þe gleman þat golde hath to ȝifte
. And hasked hire þe heye wey where þat clergie dwelte
. And telle me somme tokne quod I
for tyme Is þat weIR.10.168: R's we is unique; Bx has I. The other two versional archetypes agree with Bx's
reading. wende . ¶ Aske þe heye wey quod sche hennes to
suffre . Both wel and wo ȝif þat þow wilt lerne . And ride forth bi richesse ac rest þow nauȝt
þere-Inne . For ȝif þow couplest þe þere-with to chercheclergyeR.10.172: The correct reading is beta's clergye (as confirmed by an
identical b-verse in the other two versions). R's cherche, which makes
only superficial sense, may derive from alpha or may be an attempt to emend hopeless
corruption; cf. F's reading, crist. comest þow
neuere . ¶ And also þe likerouse launde þat lecherie is hotehatte(th)R.10.173: Beta reads hatte in place of alpha's is
hote; Ax confirms beta's reading. . Leue hym on þin left half a large mile or more . Til þow come to a court kepe wel þi tonge .R.10.175:
Though the next line is marked for a new strophe by the usual cc in the
left margin, the scribe forgot to insert his customary blank line to mark this verse
paragraph. ¶ Fro lesynges and lither speche and likerouse drinkes
. Þane schaltow se sobrete and symplete of beryngespeche .R.10.177: In place of alpha's berynge, beta reads speche. Ax confirms beta's reading. Þat vch wyȝth benbe in wille his wit þe to schewe . And þus schalt þow come to clergie þat can many þinges
. Sey hym þis signe I sette hym to scole . And þat I grette wel his wif for I wrote hire many
bookes . And sette hire to sapience and to þe sauter glose . Logike I lernede hire and many other lawes . And alle þe muysones in musikemusike IR.10.184: R uniquely omits I before made.
made hire to knowe . ¶ Plato þe poete I putte hym furst to booke . Aristotele and otherother mooR.10.186: Beta reads other moo. Ax agrees with
beta, but Cx agrees with alpha. to argue I tauȝte
. Gramer for girles I gart furst write . And bet hym with a baleys but if þei wolde lerne . Of alle kynnes craftes I contreuede toles . Of carpentrie of kerueres and compasede
masones . And lerned hem leuele and lyne þouȝ I loke dymme
. Ac theologye hath tened me ten score tymes . Þe more I muse þere-inne
þe mystier it semeth . And þe deppere I dyuyne þe derkere me it
þinketh . It is no sciens for-sothe
for to sauȝtelesotyleR.10.195:sauȝtele, "settle." inne . A ful lethi þinge it were ȝif þat lof nere . Ac for it leet best by loue I loue it þe
bettere . For þat þereþere þatR.10.198: R's phrase represents a unique transposition of the Bx
form, þere þat. The Bx phrase is rendered identically
in Ax. loue is ledere ne lakkede
neuere grace .LoueLokeR.10.199: Beta reads Loke. The A version has
Leue. þow loue lelly if þowþethenkelyke(th)R.10.199: For R's þow thenke, beta reads þe
lyketh. This lapse in alliteration descended to R from alpha (cf. F's þow
þynke to) but is paralleled in the A-version. It
may have resulted from scribal discomfort with the impersonal construction and inverted word
order of Bx: dative pronoun + verb (i.e., þe lyketh
). do wel . For dobet and dobest ben of loues kynne . ¶ In other science it seyth I seye it in
catoun .Qui similatsimulatR.10.202: Alpha's verb form is supported by L, Cr2-3, and Cot,
but most beta manuscripts read simulat. The A version manuscripts are equally divided between these two forms.
verbis vel inR.10.202: In place of R's vel in, beta
reads nec, which is also the reading of Ax. corde est fidus amicus .Tu quoque fac simile
sic ars diluditur arte . Ho-so gloseth as giloures
doun go me to þe same . And so schalstowshaltow fals folke and faythles bygyle . Þis is catones kennyng to clerkes þat he lereth . Ac theologie techeth nauȝt so ho-so taketh gomeȝeme .R.10.207: This unique R reading is a synonym for beta's ȝeme.
MED lists it, s. v.gome (n. 4), "Attention, heed, notice;" cf. F's heede. He kenneth vs þe contrarie aȝeyne catones wordes
. For he bit vs be as bretheren and bidde for oure enemys
. And louen hem þat liȝenR.10.210: R uniquely omits on before vs. Ax confirms the reading
of the B majority.vson vs and lene hem whan hem nedeth . And do goed aȝeynes euel god hym-self it hoteth .Dum tempus esthabemusR.10.212: For alpha's est, beta reads habemus. operemurbonumbonum ad omnesR.10.212: After bonum, R uniquely omits ad omnes. maxime autem ad
domesticos fidei . ¶ Poule preched þe poeple þat parfitnesse
louede .gij To do goed for godeslouegodes loue
and gyue men þat asketh . And namelich to suche þat schewethsuethR.10.215: Beta reads sueth. oure byleue . ¶ And alle þat lakkethlakketh vsR.10.216: Beta has vs immediately after lakketh. or lyeth vs oure lorde techeth vs to louye
. And nauȝt to greuen hem þat greueth vs god hym-self for-bad it .Michi vindictam et ego retribuam For-þi loke þow louie as
longe as þow dureste . For is no science vnder sonne so
souereyne for þe soule . ¶ Ac astronomye is hardan hardeR.10.221: Beta has an harde, but Ax supports
alpha's omission of an. þinge and euel for to knowe . Geometrie and geomesye is gynful of speche . Ho-so þenketh werch with þo to
þriueth ful late : For sorcerye is þe souereyne boke
þat to þoþe scienceR.10.224: R's combination of a plural determiner (þo) with a
singular noun (science) is unique; some B witnesses
read þe science (which is the Ax reading), while
others, including WHmF, read þo sciences. It may be that R's þo science represents an unmarked plural rather than the casual error it appears (on a
number of occasions, R offers unique, s-less genitive forms for his nouns). longeth
. ¶ Ȝeet ar þere fibiches in forceres
of fele mennes makynge . Experimens of alconomie þe poeple to
deseyue . If þow þenke to dowel dele þere-with neuere . Alle þis sciences I my-selue
soteyled and ordeyned . And by-fondfoundedR.10.229: Cf. F's fond and beta's founded. Ax agrees with beta. hem formest folke to deseyue . ¶ Telle clergie þise toknes and tonilR.10.230: Beta omits alpha's to. scripture after . To conseile þe kendely fornil to knowe dowelknowe what is dowel .R.10.231: Beta reads this b-verse as to knowe what is
dowel. ¶ I seyde graunt mercy madame
and mekelich hire grette . And went miȝtelichewiȝtlichmy weyaweyR.10.233: Beta reads wiȝtlich awey ; F omits the entire line.
The Ax version seems a mixture of alpha and beta: wiȝtly my wey. with-oute more
lettynge . AndR.10.234: R uniquely omits til before I.Itil I come to clergie I couthe neuere stynte .IAnd grette þe gode man as þe gode wifstudyeR.10.235: R's rendering of this line is unique among the B
manuscripts but is identical to the phrasing in Ax. For R's I, F and beta have And; for R's phrase, þe
gode wif, beta has Studie) while F reads þe Ientil
lady. Neither F nor beta alliterates properly. me tauȝte . And after-wardes þe wif
and worchiped hem bothe . And tolde hem þeR.10.237: It appears that the tail of <e> in þe was written over an erasure, perhaps of an intrusive descender from the
<þ> of þe in the line above. tokenes þat me
tauȝte were . Was neuer gome vpoun þis
grounde synnesR.10.238: R's synnes is unique (cf. R20.295 =
synnes ȝe desiren) but semantically equivalent to the majority B reading, sith; MED, s.
v.sinnes, cites this form from R as a rare contracted example of the
conjunction sitthenes. god made þe worlde . Fairer vnderfonge ne frendloker at ese . Þanne me-selfmyself sothliche sone so he wiste . Þat I was of wittes hows and with his wif dame studie
. I seyde to hem sothly þat sent I waswas IR.10.242: Cf. F's y was sent and beta's sent was
I. þider . Dowel and dobet and dobest to lerne . ¶ It is a comune lif quod clergie on holy
cherche to byleue . With alle þe articles of þe feith þat falleth to be
knowe . And þat is to byleue lelly bothe lered and lewede . On þe grete god þat gynnynge hadde
neuere . And on þe sothfast sone þat saued man-kende . Fro þe dedly deth and þe deueles power . Þoruȝ þe helpe of þe holy goste þe which goste is
of bothe . Thre proprenilR.10.251: R's propre is unique, having been omitted by both beta
and F. Nevertheless, it is clear that the alliterative pattern of the line requires it. In
all likelihood, it was found in alpha and Bx. The apparently odd
coincidence of the word's having been separately omitted by beta and F is probably
explainable in terms of how it would have been abbreviated. It would have occurred in a
phrase which, at a glance, looked like this: þre ppre
psones. If the required loop from the descender of the initial <p> was missing or
unobtrusive, a copyist might easily mistake the word for an errant attempt (uncancelled) at
writing the following word (especially if the final <re> was rendered merely as a
superscript loop). Or ppre might have been misconstrued as an unerased
dittography of the preceding word, þre. persones
and nauȝt in plurele noumbre . For alle is but on god and eche is god hym-selue .Deus pater deus filius deus
spiritus sanctus . God þe fader god þe sone god holy gost of bothe . Makere of mankende and of bestes bothe . ¶ Austyne þe olde here-of
henilR.10.256: Though the other beta copies omit he, L joins RF in
attesting this variant. At first glance, it appears that the C reading
for this phrase, which agrees with the beta majority, might undercut the authenticity of the
LRF reading here; however, in fact C has expanded this whole passage and
reproduces verbatim the LRF b-verse, with he, some six lines below its
original position. made bokes . And hym-self ordeyned to
sadde vs in bileue . HoR.10.258:Ho, "who." was his autour alle þe foure
euaungelistes . And crist cleped hym-self so
þe euaungeliezewangelistesR.10.259: Beta's reading is ewangeliste(s); F has wangelye. bereth witnesse .Ego in patre et pater in meme estR.10.260: After me, beta adds est. The X family of C manuscripts agrees with beta in
this addition, but the P family agrees with alpha. et qui me viditvidet me . patrem Mevm vidit
&cetera .et patrem meumR.10.260: R's two uses of vidit are unique in the B tradition; F and beta read videt.
However, a majority of C manuscripts (including copies from both major
families) agrees with R's verb form. With regard to alpha's version of the end of this
citation, beta's rendering involves phrasal transposition: & qui
videt me videt et patrem meum.R.10.260: The &c . has been rubbed or obscured by a stain, so that the final punctus is now
barely detectable. ¶ Alle þe clerkes vnder criste ne coude þis assoile
. But þus it longethbilongeth to bileue to lewede þat willen dowel . For hadde neuere freke fyne wit þe feyth
to despute . Ne man hadde no mercymeriteR.10.264: Beta reads merite in place of alpha's mercy. The Latin citation following this line confirms the correctness of beta's
variant, as does its agreement with the reading of Cx.
myȝtte it be prouedyproued .Fides non habet meritum
vbi humana racio . &ceteraracio prebet experimentum .R.10.265: Among the B witnesses, R uniquely omits the final
words of this citation: prebet experimentum. The evidence for
Cx is mixed, but a majority of C manuscripts,
primarily those from the X family, agrees with R's omission of these words. ¶ Þanne is do-bet to suffre
for þi soulesoulesR.10.266: Though CB support alpha's uninflected possessive, beta reads soules. helthe . Alle þat þe boke bitt by holy cherche
techynge . And þat is man bi þi myȝt for
mercyes sake . Loke þow werche it in werke þat þisþiR.10.269: Beta reads þi; F has þe. worde
scheweth . Suche as þow semest in siȝte be in assay I-founde .Appare quod es autvelR.10.271: Beta has vel. esto quod appares
. And late no-body be by þi
berynge beberyngR.10.272: This redundancy is owed to alpha (cf. F's berynge here
be); correcting it would have required only common sense and minimal attention from R's
scribe; it is shared by Hm through convergence. bygiled . But be suche in þi sole as þow semest withouten . ¶ Þanne is dobest to be bolde to blame þe gulty . Sethenes þow sest þi-selue
as in soule clene . Ac blame þow neuer body and þow be
blame-worthi .Si culpare velis culpabilis
esse cauebis . —giijDogma tuum sordet cum te tua
culpa remordet God in þe gospel griml.yche repreueth . Alle þat lakketh eny lif and lakkes han hem-selue .Quid consideras festucam in oculo fratris tui
trabem in oculo tuo non vides&c .R.10.281: Beta omits non vides. Whi meues þow þi mode for a mote in þi brotherbrotheresR.10.282: Beta reads brotheres. eyȝe . Siþþe a bem in þin owen a-blendeth þi-selue .Eice primo trabem de oculo tuo .
&cetera .WittWhicheR.10.285: This reading is unique to R; beta reads Whiche while F
has Þe wiche letteth þe to loke lasse other more . ¶ I rede ech ablyndea blynde bosard
do bote to hym-selue . For abbotes and for prioures and for alle maner
prelates . As persones and parisch prestes
þat preche schulleshulde(n)R.10.288: Both beta and F read shulde. and teche . Alle maner men to amende be
hire miȝte . Þis tixt was I-toldtolde ȝow to ben war ar ȝe tauȝte . Þat ȝe were suche as ȝe seyde
to salue with othere . For godes worde wolde nouȝte be boste[l]osteloste for þat worcheth euere . If it auailed nauȝt þe comune it miȝt auaile
ȝoure-seluen . ¶ Ac it semeth nonowR.10.294: This obvious error (no for now) stems
from alpha (cf. F's not). R's failure to correct it probably attests to
misplaced reverence for his exemplar. sothliche toR.10.294: Though Cr agrees with
R's omission here, the beta sub-archetype and F show þe before worldes. worldes siȝte . Þat goddes wordeswordeR.10.295: Beta has worde, while F garbles the entire half-line and
omits any reading at this point. worcheth nauȝth on lered ne on lewed
. But in swich a maner as mark meneth in þe
gospelle .Dumsecus[c]ecus ducit
secum[c]ecumcecus ducit cecumR.10.297: This slip (secus for cecus / caecus) cannot be owed to the scribe's
own pronunciation of Latin (in which the voiceless velar plosive /k/ of classical phonology
would have been rendered, as was conventional in ecclesiastical Latin, as the voiceless
palato-alveolar affricate /č/). Instead, this mental lapse reveals momentary confusion
with English phonology, where initial <c> often represented the voiceless alveolar
fricative /s/. No other B copyist makes this mistake.
ambo in fouiam cadunt . ¶ Lewed men may likne ȝow þus þat þe
bem lyth in ȝoure eyȝes . And þe festu is fallen for
ȝoure defaute . In alle maner men þoruȝ mansede
prestes . Þe bible bereth witnesse þat alle þe folke of israel
. Byttere abouȝte þe gultes of to
badde prestes . Offyn and fynes for here coueytise .Archa deimeskapudmyshappedR.10.304: This is either a mistake or an extremely rare form. MED, s. v.miskepen, lists no occurrences for the inflected form nor for the base.
OED2, s. v.miscape, lists R's use of the term as the only known occurrence of meskapud. It is classified as a past tense form of miscape, an intransitive verb meaning "To have a mishap, come to grief." A citation
from 1477 in a treatise on alchemy is the only other known use of the verb as an
intransitive. One transitive use from 1535 is cited. and ely brak his ne..kke .heare I beganne ¶ For-þi ȝe corectoures
claweth here-on and corecteth furst ȝow-seluen . And þanne mow ȝe manlichesauflyR.10.306: Beta reads saufly while F has soþly,
but neither word alliterates properly; R's manliche appears to be
authorial. segge as dauid made þe sauter .Existimasti inique quod ero
tui similis arguam te & statuam
contra faciem tuam
. ¶ And þanne schullen burel clerkes be
abasched to blame ȝowȝow or to greue .R.10.308: At the end of this line, beta adds or to
greue. And carpen nauȝt as þei carpen
now and calle ȝow dowmbe houndes .Canes non valentes latrare
And drede to wrathe ȝow in eny worde
ȝoure werkmanschipe to lette . And be presteore at ȝourepreyeresprayereR.10.312: R's plural is unique; Bx witnesses the singular prayere. þan for a pounde of nobles . And alle for ȝoure holynesse haue
ȝe þis in herte . ¶ Amonges riȝtful religiouse þis reule schulde be
holde . These lines are not attested in beta. F's version is sufficiently
different from R's to require full reproduction here (cf. Appendix 1, R10.314-26, for details
and any cross-references to the C version): A-mongis ryghtful relygous / þis rewle sholde be holde. [¶] Seynt Gregory
þe grete clerk / & þe goode pope. Of Relygyonys rewle / he reersiþ in hise bookis.
& seyþ in exsomple / þat þeyhȝ sholde do þere-after. ¶ Whan fysshis
faile þe flood / & þe fressh water. Þey dyȝen for drowhte / whan þei
dreyȝe lyȝe. Ryght so quod Gregory / religioun trollyþ. It steruyþ
& stynkþ / & stelyþ lordis almesse Þat owt of Couent & cloistre / coueytyn
to lybbe. For if hevene be in erthe / & ese to þe soule. It ys in cloystre /
or in skole / be fele skylys y fyȝnde. For in Cloistre comeþ no man / to
fyȝhte / ne to chyȝde. But al is buxumnesse & bookis / to rede & to
leerne.GregorieSeynt Gregory þe grete clerke and þe goed pope . Of religioun þe reuleRelygyonys rewle he reherseth in his moralesbookis . And seyth itnil in ensaumple forþat þei schulde do þere-after . Whenne fissches failen þe flode or& þe fresche water . Þei deyen for drouthe whanne þei drie ligge . Riȝt so quod Grigori religioun rollethtrollyþ . —SteruethIt steruyþ and stynketh and steleth lordes almesses . Þat oute of couent and cloystre coueyten
to libbe . For if heuene be on þisin erthe and ese to anyþe soule . It is in cloistere or in scole be manyfele skilles I fynde For in cloistrecometh mancometh [no] mancomeþ no man to chidefyȝhte ne to fiȝtechyȝde . But alle is buxumnesse þerenil and bokes to rede and to lerne . ¶ In scole þere is skile andnil scorne but ȝif hea clerke wil lerne .R.10.327: Alpha and beta apparently diverged considerably here (the latter omitting
skile and from mid-verse and expanding he to a clerke wil); R presumably reflects alpha's reading, while F somewhat
distorts it. Kane-Donaldson choose to print the beta version of the line (In
scole þere is scorne but if a clerke wil lerne), while Schmidt endorses R's reading,
which has the merit of alliterating properly. And grete loue and likynge for vch of hem
loueth other . Ac now is religioun a ridere a
romere by stretes . A ledere of louedays andR.10.330: The omission of the
indefinite article is unique to R. Cf. the Bx phrase, a londebugger. The same phrase occurs in Ax,
where it also includes the indefinite article.londea londe buggere . A prikere on a palfray fram maner to
maner . An hepe of houndes at his ers as he a lorde
were . And but if his knaue knele þat schal his
cuppe bringe . He loureth on hym and axeth hym ho tauȝte hym
curteisie Litel hadden lordes to done to ȝiue lond fram
here heires . To religiouse þat han no reuthe þouȝ
it reyne on here auterres . ¶ In many places þere hij persones
ben be hem-self at ese . Of þe pouere haue þei no pite &
þat is hirepurenilR.10.338: Beta breaks the alliterative pattern by omitting pure.
Cx confirms alpha's variant here. charite . Ac þei leten hem as lordes here londe
lith so brode . ¶ Ac þere schal come a kynge &
confesse ȝow religiousses . And bete ȝow as þe bible telleth for brekyng of
ȝoure reule .giiijus And amende moniales monkes and chanouns
. And putten hem to here penaunce
ad pristinum statum
ire . And barones with erles bitenbete(n)R.10.344: R's form is unique; Bx has beten. hem þoruȝ beatus
virres techinge . Þat here barnes claymen and blame
ȝow foule .Hij in curribus et hij in equisR.10.346: A
stain has partly obscured the <equ> of equis.
ipsi obligati sunt &cetera . ¶ And þanne freres in here freyture schal
fynden a keye . Of costantynes cofferes in which is þe catel . Þat gregories godegodR.10.349: Most B manuscripts read godchildren
instead of the erroneous good(e) children of FHmG. R's gode
childerne almost certainly intends the former, not the latter (cf. MED,
s. v.god, [n. 1]). childerne han euel despended . ¶ And þanne schal þe abbot of abyndoun . R's
line division here, splitting the two halves of a single archetypal verse, is
unique. And alle his vssue for euere . Haue a knok of a kynge and incurable þe
wounde . ¶ Þat þis worth soth seke ȝee þat ofte
ouer-seen þe bible .Quomodo cessauit exactor quieuit tributum
.Contriuit dominus baculum
impiorum & virgam dominancium
.Cedencium plaga insabiliinsa[na]biliinsanabili . ¶ Ac ar þat kynge come caym schal awake
. Ac dowel schal dyngen hym adoun &
destruyen his miȝte . Þanne is dowel and dobet quod I dominus and kniȝt-hode . ¶ I nel nauȝt scorne quod
scripture but if scriueynes lye . Kynghod ne kniȝthode by nauȝt I
can awayte . Helpeth nauȝte to heuene-warde on heres ende . Ne richesse riȝt nauȝt ne realte of lordes
. ¶ Poule preueth it inpossible riche men
haue heuene . Salomon seyth al-so þat
siluer is worste to louie .Nichil iniquius quam
amare pecuniam . And catoun kenneth vs to coueyten it
noȝt but at pure nedeas nede techeth .R.10.367: R's wording is unique. Beta manuscripts show various versions of this line's
last phrase, but beta itself probably read as nede techeth. F has in gret nede.Dilige denarium sed
parce dilige formam . And patriarches and prophetes
and poetes bothe . Writen to wissen vs to wilne no richesse . And preyseden pouerte with pacience
þe apostles bereth witnesse . Þat þei han heritage in heuene & bi trewe riȝte
. Þere riche manmenR.10.373: Beta reads men. no riȝte may clayme
but of riȝtreuth and grace . ¶ Contra
quod I be crist þat can I repreue . And preuen it by peter and by poule bothe . Þat is baptized beth sauf be heR.10.376: A
brown stain has rendered he almost illegible. It is the same stain
responsible for discoloration on fol. 44v at R10.346. riche or pore . ¶ Þat is in extremis
quod scripture amonges sarasines &
Iewes . Þei mowen be saued so and þat is oure
byleue . Þat onanR.10.379: F has a while beta reads an.
vncristene in þat cas may cristene an hethen . And for his lele byleue whan he þe lif tyneth . Haue þe heritage of heuene as any man cristene . ¶ Ac cristen men with-outen more
may nouȝte come to heuene . For þat crist for cristene men deyede &
confermed þe lawe . Þat ho-so walde and wilneth
with crist to arise .Si cumchristo surrexistis &cetera . He schulde louye and lene and þe lawe fulfille . Þat is loue god þi lordeþi lorde god leuest aboue alle .R.10.387: F omits this line completely; beta reads Þat is loue þi lorde god leuest aboue alle. And after alle cristene creatures in
comun vch man other And þus bilongeth to louie þat leueth to be saued . And but we do þus in dede ar þe day of dome . It schal be-sitten vs ful
soure þe siluer þat we kepen . And oure backes þat mote-etenR.10.392: The correct reading is moth-eten. R's
apparently nonsensical phrase (cf. F = mote be betyn)
attests to the spelling practice of alpha, who frequently renders /θ/ as <t>,
especially in syllable-final position. MED, s. v.motthe, lists no examples of mote as a variant spelling
of motthe, and OED2, s. v.moth, notes none earlier than 1520. However, among recorded late-medieval
forms, the closest is moȝte, which makes alpha's form easy to account
for. ben & seen beggeres go naked . Or deliȝt in wyn & innilR.10.393: R's in here is a unique addition to the text of Bx. wildefoule & wote any in defaute . ¶ For euery cristene creature
schuld be kende til other . And sitthen hethen to helpe in hope of amendement God hoteth both heye and lowe þat no man hurt other And seith sle nauȝt þat semblable is
to myn owne liknesse But if I sende þe sume tokene & seith non mecaberis . Is sle nauȝt but suffre and alle for þe beste .For Michi vindictam & ego retribuam
.R.10.400: Beta omits this biblical citation completely. Nevertheless, its genuineness
is warranted by its presence at the same point in Ax. For I schal punischenR.10.401: R's punischen is the
alpha reading; beta reads punysshen hem. Ax agrees
with alpha.inhem in purgatorie or in þe put of helle . Vch man for his misdedes but mercy it lette . ¶ Þis is a longe lessoun quod I
and litel am I þe wiser . Where dowel is or do-bet derkliche ȝe schewen . Many tales ȝe tellen þat teologie lerneth . And þat I man made was and my name I-entrede . In þe legentde of lif longe er I were . Or elles vn-writen for sum
wikkednesse . as holy writ tellethwytnessethR.10.408: In place of alpha's telleth, beta's variant is wytnesseth. Cx has sheweth, while the
b-verse in the A cognate of this line has a different word order but
uses the same verb as beta. .Nemo ascendit ad celum nisi qui de celo
descendit . ¶ Andnil IR.10.410: Beta omits And; F substitutes For.
However, Ax affirms the presence of R's And at the
head of the line (the two C families disagree on this issue, the P group
agreeing with the beta omission while the X set supports R). leue it welwel quod IR.10.410: After wel beta adds quod I, but Ax and Cx both support RF on the omission of quod I. be oure lorde & on no
letterure bettere . For salomon þe sage þat sapience tauȝte . God gaf hym grace of witt and allealle his godesR.10.412: In place of R's alle godes, beta's variant is alle his godes. F reads of alle goodis. Cx has of goed. after . To reule þe reume and riche to make R.10.413: Beta omits this line
completely. F reads the line thus: To rewle his rewme wel / & hym ryche
make. He demed wel and wiselich as holy writt telleth . Aristotel and he who wissed men bettere
. Maistres þat of goddes mercy techen men and
prechen . Of here wordes þei wissen vs for wisest
inas inR.10.417: Beta reads as before in. Cx agrees with alpha in omitting as.
here tyme . And alle holy cherche holdeth hem bothe ydampned . ¶ And if I schulde werke by here werkes
to wynnen me heuene . Þat for here werkes and herenilR.10.420: Beta omits here. Cx agrees with beta
in this omission. In a line whose first half parallels this B / C passage (but whose b-verse differs), the A witnesses
are divided on the presence of here (2) — a majority agreeing with
alpha and a minority agreeing with beta. witt now wonyeth in pyne . Þanne wrouȝt I vnwisly what-so-euere ȝe preche
. ¶ Ac of fele witty in fayth litel ferly I haue . Þow here goste be vngracious god for to
plese . For many manmen on þis molde more sett herehertehertis .R.10.424: Beta renders plurals in this line: men instead of alpha's
man and hertis instead of herte.
Cx agrees with beta on men but with alpha on herte. In goed þan In god for-þi
hem grace faileth . At here most meschief whan þei schul
lyf lete . As salomon and other dededede and such otherR.10.427: Instead of alpha's non-alliterating and other dede, beta
more plausibly reads dede and such other. þat schewed
grete wittes . Ac here werkes as holy writtwritt [seith]wrytte seythR.10.428: Here R uniquely omits an essential verb. was
euere þe contrarie . For-þi wise witted men
neandR.10.429: R's ne is unique; Bx has and. wel I-lettred clerkes . As þei seyn hem-selue
selden doun þere-after .Super cathedram moysi .
&cetera .R.10.431: Here the scribe again overlooks his usual
insertion of a blank line to mark a new paragraph. ¶ Ac I wene II[t]it worth of many as was in noes tyme . Þo he schope þat schippe of schides and ofnil bordesR.10.433: Though the CrW branch of beta agrees with alpha on the final b-verse phrase
(and of bordes), it seems likely that beta itself read as LMOHmG (and bordes). This difference extends into C, where the
predominant X-family reading agrees with LMOHmG (i.e., beta) while the majority P-family
reading supports RFCrW (i.e., alpha). Was neuere wriȝt saued þat wrouȝt
þere-on ne oþere
werkman elles But brides and bestes and þe blessed noe . And his wif with his sones and also here
wyues . Of wriȝtes þat it wouȝtew[r]ouȝtewrouȝte was noen of hem saued . ¶ God lene it fare nouȝt so by folke þat þe feith
techen . Of holy cherche þat herborw is and goddes hous to
saue And schilde vs fram schame þere-inne as noes schipe dede bestes . And men þat maden it a-mydde þe floed a-dreynten . ¶ Þe culorum of þis
clause innil curatouresR.10.442: R's in is a unique addition to the presumptive archetypal
text. F adds of. Beta agrees with Cx in omitting both
of these prepositions. is to mene . Þat ben carpenteres holy cherche to make . for
cristes oune bestes .Homines et iumenta saluabis domine .
&cetera At domes-day þe deluyeflood worth of dethwater and feer at ones . These three lines are not found in beta. In F, they read as
follows: At domes-day / þe flood worþ / of watur & feer at onys . ¶ For-þy y
conseyle ȝou klerkis / of holy chirche wryghtis. Werke ȝee / as ȝee
seen wrete / o lest ȝe worþ y-drenklid. For-þi I conseil ȝow clerkes
of holy cherche þenil wriȝtes . Wercheth ȝe werkesnil as ȝe seen I-writewrete o lest ȝe worth nauȝt þerinneydrenklid ¶ For aOnR.10.448: R's For a is unique; F has For on
while beta simply begins the line On; R's a is,
however, semantically identical to the F/beta preposition, on. Moreover,
both Ax and Cx agree with R on this form, opening
the line with the phrase, A Good Friday. goed friday I fynde
a feloun was I-saued . Þat hadde I-lyued alle his lif
with lesynges and with þefte . And for he beknewe on þe crosse and to crist schrof hym
. He was sonnere I-saued þan seint Iohan þe baptist . And ar adam or Isaye or eny of þe
prophetes . Þat hadde I-lyen with lucifer
many longe ȝeres . ¶ A robbere was I-rawnsoned rather þen þei alle . With-outen eny penance of
purgatorie to perpetuel blisse . ¶ Þanne marie maudeleyne what womman dedde worse Or ho worse dedenilR.10.457: Beta omits dede (while F omits ho
worse) , but Ax confirms R's inclusion of dede. þan dauid þat vries deth conspired . Or poule þe apostle þat no pite hadde .R.10.458: Alpha
omits the following line found in beta (and in slightly different form in the A version):Moche crystene kynde to kylle to deth. AndR.10.459: L joins R in omitting now before ben, but F and most beta manuscripts attest its presence. ben this as
souereynes with seyntes in heuene . Þo þat wrouȝt wikkedlokest in werlde þo þei
were . ¶ And þo þat wisly wordedden and writen many bokes . Of witt and of wisdome with dampned soules wonye . Þat salomon seith I trowe be soth and
certeyn of vs alle .SuntSine / Siue iusti atque sapientes & opera
eorum in manu dei sunt . Þere aren witty and wel libbinge
ac here werkes ben y-hudde . In þe hondes of almiȝti god and he wote þe
sothe Where for loue a man worth alowed
þere and his lele werkes Or elles for his euel wille and enuye of herte . And be alowed forasR.10.469: Beta reads as. F completely rephrases the
half-line. he lyued so for by lyther . men knoweth þe gode
. ¶ And where-by
woteR.10.470:
There is considerable variation on this reading among beta manuscripts, but beta itself seems
to have read either wiste (the lection of CrW) or wote
(the reading of LR, and probably of M before it was changed by erasure and overwriting to
conform to CrW). men which is whit if alle þinge blak
were .OrAndR.10.471: Beta reads And; F has For. who
were a goed man but if þere were sum schrewe . For-þi lyue we forth with lither
men I leue fewe ben gode . For quantzqantoportetvynvyent en place il ny ad qequeR.10.473:Qe is an Anglo-Norman form.pati . And he þat may alle amende haue mercy on
vs alle . For sothest worde þat euer god seyde was
þo he seyde nemo bonus . ¶ Clergie þo of cristes mouthe comended was it litel
. For he seyde to seynt petere and to swich
as he louede .Dum steteritis ante reges &
presides . &cetera . Þouȝ ȝe come by-for
kynges and clerkes of þe lawe . Beth nauȝt abasched for I schal be in
ȝoure mouthes . And ȝiue ȝow wit atandR.10.481: Most beta copies read and, but L agrees with alpha's at. wille R.10.481: R uniquely omits and before cunnynge. However, neither reading allows the
b-verse to alliterate.cunnyngeand kunnynge to concluden . Hem alle þat aȝeynes ȝow R.10.482: R
uniquely omits of before cristendom. F also omits of, but does so in the context of a uniquely phrased b-verse with no
reference to cristendom.cristendomof crystenedome desputen . ¶ Dauid maketh mencion he spak amonges kynges .AlAndR.10.484: Beta reads And; F has Þere. Cx agrees with beta. miȝte no kynge
ouer-com hym as by
cunnynge of speche . But wit ne wisdom wan neuere þe maystrie
. Whan man was at mischief with-oute þe more grace . ¶ Þe douȝtiorokestdoughtiestR.10.487: A unique form in R; it is impossible to know whether this represents
unintentional morphological error or simply deliberate idiolect, a compounding, for emphasis,
of the comparative with the superlative inflection. doctoure
and dyuinour of þe trinite . In the left margin
opposite these lines, there is the residue of a series of brown inkstains—offset from
the marginal comment in the right margin of fol. 47r. Was austyn þe olde and heyest of hemþeR.10.488: R's hem is unique; both Ax and Bx have þe at this point. foure
. Seyde þus in a sarmon I seiȝ it writen ones .EcciEcc[e]Ecce ipsi Idioti rapiunt celum .Vbi nos sapientes in inferno
mergimur . And is to mene to englisch men more noR.10.492: Only Hm
agrees with R; both beta and F read ne. Ax confirms
the correctness of the majority reading. lesse . Aren none rather I-rauesched
fro þe riȝt byleue . Þan aren þis cunnynge clerkes
þat knoweconne(n)R.10.494: R's knowe is the alpha variant; both Ax and beta have conne. many bokes . Ne none sonner I-sauedsaued ne saddere of bileue . Þanne plowmen and pastours and pouerpore comune laborers . Souteres and schepherdes suche lewed iottes . Persen with a pater noster þe paleys of
heuene . And passen purgatorie penaunceles at
here hennes partynge . In-to þe blisse of paradis
for here puyre bileue . Þat inparfitly knewehere kneweR.10.501: Here R uniquely omits here before knewe; F rewrites the line, but here appears in its a-verse.andand ekeR.10.501: Beta adds eke before lyued.
lyuede . ¶ Ȝe men knowe clerkesclerkes þat R.10.502: Before cursen, R uniquely omits þat.
The omission of this relative pronoun at the head of the b-verse makes the entire statement
ambiguous. Beta reads the b-verse thus: þat han cursed þe tyme. F has þat þey haue cursed þe tyme.cursencursed þe tyme . Þat euere þei coude or knewe more þan
credo in deum patrem . And principali þeherR.10.504: Beta reads her.
paternoster many a persone hath I-wischedwisshed . ¶ I se ensaumples my-self
and so may many an-otherother . Þat seruauntes þat seruen lordes
selde falle in reragearrerageR.10.506: R's rerage is a unique form; F reads reragys. Beta has arrerage, which is supported by Cx in a revised version of the same line. . But þo þat kepen lordesþe lordesR.10.507: Beta has þe before lordes.
catel clerkes and reues . Riȝt so lewed men and of litel kunnyngeknowyng . Selden falleth soþei so foule and so ferre in synne . As clerkes of holy cherche þat kepen cristes tresor
.R.10.510: From this point in the right margin, extending down to R11.10 (Sitthen sche seide to me) on this same page, there is an erased note, horizontally
written, approximately seven lines long. Þe which is mannes soule to saue as god seith in þe
gospel .davidIte vos in vineam meam . &cetera
.