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 15William 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
xiiijus .Passus
xiiijusx[v]usquartus
decimus[quintus] decimus de visione
vt supra .AcR.15.1: Inside the triangle formed by the top of the
ornamental capital, the rubricator has drawn a nun's face. after my
walkyngeR.15.1: R shares this error (walkynge
for Bx's wakyng ) with Bm and Bo alone.
it was wonder longe . Ar I coude kendely knowe what was dowel . And so my wit wexe and wanyed til I a foel were . And somme lakked my lif alowed it fewe . And leten me for a lorel and lothe to reuerencen . Lordes or ladyes or any lif elles As persones in pelure with pendauntes of
suluer . To seriauntz andneR.15.8:
R's and is an alpha variant; cf. beta's ne. to
suche andnil seideR.15.8: R's phrase, suche and seide, is unique; beta omits and, while F reads swiche men seyde. nauȝt
ones . God loke ȝow lordes ne louted faire
. Þat folke helden me a foel and in þat folye I raued . Til reson hadde reuthe on me and rokked me a slepe . Til I seyȝ as it ofnilR.15.12:
R's line closely parallels that of beta, but R's of is unattested in any
beta witness. F includes of, but does so in a totally revised version of
this a-verse. sorserie were a sotil thynge with-alle . One with-oute tonge and teth
tolde me wonderwhyder I schulde . And where-of I cam
and whider I schuldewhat kyndeR.15.14:
R's b-verse is seriously corrupt, deploying the final phrase from the previous archetypal
line (whider I schulde)—a phrase which he had miscopied in its
proper place; by contrast, F has kendely here and beta manuscripts read
what kynde. Moreover, R uniquely divides this botched passage so as to
cause the final phrase of the Bx line to be displayed as a separate,
following line, R15.15. I coniured hym at þe laste If he were cristes creature
for cristes loue me to tellen : ¶ I am cristes creature quod he
and cristene in many place . In cristes court I-knowe wel
and of his kynne a party . Is noyther peter þe porter ne powel with þehisR.15.19:
R's þe is unique; the other B manuscripts have his. Among the C copies, the X family agrees with R
while the P family agrees with the others. fauchon . Þat wole defende me þe dore dynge ych neuer
so late . At mydnyȝte at mydday my voys is soso is I-knowe . Þat Ich a creature of his courte welcometh
me faire . ¶ What ar ȝe cald quod I in þat courte
amonge cristes poeple . ¶ Þe whiles I quikye þe corps quod he
I-caldcalled am I anima . And whan I wilne and wolde animus Ich hate . And for þat I can and knowe cald am I mens . thouȝtenilR.15.26:
R's thouȝte is a unique reading among the B
copies and has the appearance of a scribal gloss erroneously incorporated into the text. F's
line terminal ofte then would represent a fairly typical example of that
tradition's tendency toward "smoothing" earlier mistakes. However that may be, thouȝte also appears at this point in a large number of C
manuscripts of both major families, including XYcP2TH2Ch (of the X group) and PEcQZWaGcNcFcCa (of the P group); so if it is an error, its
source is a manuscript prior to Bx in the line of transmission.
.And whanne I make mone to god . And whanne I make mone to god memoria is my name . And whanne I deme domes and do as treuthe techeth . Þanne is racio my
riȝte name resoun an englisch . And whanne I fele þat folke telleth my
furst name is sensus . And þat is wit and wisdome þe welle of alle craftes . And whanne I chalenge or chalenge nauȝte chepe or
refuse . Þanne am I consience I-called
godes clerk and his notarie . And whanne I loue lelly oure lorde and alle
other . Þanne is lele loue my name and in latyn amor . And whanne I fle fro þe flesche and forsake þe caroyne
. Þanne am I spirit speche-les
andnilR.15.37:
RF are joined by L alone among the beta copies in adding the conjunction here. However, Cx clearly agrees with this LRF reading.spiritus þanne Ich hatte . Austyn and Isodorus ayther of hem bothe Nempned me þus to name now þow miȝt chese . How þow coueytest to calle me now þow knowest alle my
names .Anima pro diuersis
accionibus diuersa nomina
sortitur .Dum viuificat corpus anima est .Dum wltR.15.43: R's wlt is a common English scribal spelling for Latin vult; it appears to have resulted from an association between the customary
phonetic value assigned to Latin initial <v> (= /w/) and a popular sense of the
origin of the <w> graph itself as a "double v." Because many other European
languages, as well as Latin, had no <w> graph, and foundries therefore omitted the
form from standard typographic templates, English printers often resorted to using the
digraph <vv> to represent English <w> till the end of the seventeenth
century. animus est Dumsits[c]itscit mens est .Dum recolit memoria est
.Dum iudicat racio est .Dum sentit sensus estDum amat amor est .Dum negat vel consentit
consiencia est . In the right margin,
just inside the vertical boundary of the page ruling, someone has inscribed, in drypoint, a
figure resembling a backwards Roman capital <N>; opposite line 51, in the same vertical
column, a figure resembling a properly faced capital <N> has been inscribed; still
lower, and slightly closer to the text, in the margin opposite line 53, another reversed
<N> appears to have been entered in drypoint. Dum spirat spiritus est
. ¶ Ȝe ben as a bischope quod I
alle bourdynge þat tyme . For bischopes I-blessed þei
bereth many names .Presul and pontifex and
metropolanusmetropolitanus .R.15.53: The term metropolanus (= metropolitanus in beta, seems to be an alpha error. However, this spelling is
also found in about half of the C witnesses, including manuscript
X. And other names an hepe episcopus and pastor . ¶ Þat is soth seyde he now I se þi wille . Þow woldest knowe and kunne þe cause of
alle here names . And of myne if þow miȝtest me thenketh by þi speche
. ¶ Ȝe sire I seyde by so no man
were greued . Alle þe science vnder sonne and alle þe sotil craftes
. I wolde IchR.15.60: R's Ich is unique, but only in form;
the other B manuscripts have I or y, as does Cx. knewe and coude kendelyche in myn
herte . ¶ Þanne art þow inparfit quod he and on of
pruydes kniȝtes . For suche a luste and likynge lucifer fel fram heuene
.Ponam pedem meum in aquilone
et similis ero altissimo . ¶ It were aȝeynes kende quod he
and alle kyne resoun . Þat any creature schuld kennekunne al excepte cristecryste one .R.15.65: R here shows a unique omission; Bx reads cryste one. Cx agrees with the B
archetype. Aȝeynes suche salomon speketh and despiseth
here wittes . And seith sicut qui mel comedit
R.15.67: The scribe has included midline punctuation here, but he has
partially obscured it by overwriting it with the first stroke of the following
<m>.multum non est ei
bonum .Sic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimaturopprimiturR.15.68: Cf. F's opprimetur and beta's opprimitur. Cx agrees with R on this
inflectional form. a gloria . To englisch men þis is to mene þat mowen speke and
here . Þe man þat muche hony eetetethR.15.70:
This is an alpha variant; cf. beta's eteth. Most C
copies agree with alpha, but some with beta. his mawe is englaymedengleymeth . And þe more þat a man of gode matere hereth
. But he do þere-after
it doth hym double skathe .Beatus est seith seint bernarde
qui scripturas legit .Et vertit verbaverba vertit in opera follich to his powere . Coueytyse to kunne and to knowe science . Pulte oute of paradys adam and eue .SciencieR.15.77: There is an otiose curl on the tail of the
first <e> of Sciencie; it is not altogether different
from a flourish that is part of the scribe's normal repertoire, but from its slightly
altered position, it looks as though he was planning to bar the <e> to represent the
following <n> but then changed his mind. appetitus
hominem immortalitatis gloriam spoliauit
. And ȝetriȝteR.15.78:
R's ȝet is unique; Bx and Cx = riȝte. as hony is euel to defie and
engleymeth þe mawe . Riȝt so þat thurȝ resoun wolde þe
rote knowe Of god and of his grete miȝtes his graces it letteth
. For in þe likynge lith a pruide and a lycames coueytise
. A-ȝeynes cristes
conselle and alle clerkes techynge .Þat is non plus sapere quam
oportet sapere . ¶ Freres and otherfele otherR.15.84:
After and beta supplies fele, a modifier omitted by G
as well as alpha. maistres þat to þe lewed men prechen . Ȝe meuen materes vnmesurables to tellen of þe trinite
.R.15.85:
Hereafter RF omit a line found in beta:Þat ofte tymes þe lewed peple of her bileue douten. Betereby-leuebyleue werebynil moneR.15.86:Mone, "many." doctoures techyngesuch techyng .R.15.86: The Bx version of this line seems much in doubt; there
are complex textual variations among all the manuscripts. Likeliest to represent the beta
version is L, whose rendering closely parallels that of Cr: Bettere byleue were
mony doctoures such techyng. F has Bettre it were to be-leve on / as
doctouris vs techeþ. And telle menR.15.87: Here R is joined only by G in omitting of after men; F omits men. þe
ten comaundementz & touchen þe seuen synnes . And of þe braunches þat bourgelethburgeounethR.15.88:
R's bourgeleth is unique. F reads burgoneþ and beta
manuscripts show spelling variations of the same, e.g., burgeouneth. of hem and bringeth men to helle
. And how þat folke in folies myspenden here
fyue wittes . As wel freres as other folke folilich spenen . In housynge in haterynge
in-toand intoR.15.91:
Beta's phrase is and into. hey clergie schewynge
. More for pompe þanne for puire charite þe
pople wote þe sotheR.15.92: There is an ink smudge in the left margin at this point,
apparently the result of blotting contact with the note in the right margin at R15.125 on the
recto page. Þat I lye nauȝt loo for lordes ȝe plesen . And reuerencen þe riche ratherþe ratherR.15.94:
R uniquely omits þe before rather. Cx agrees with the other B manuscripts on this. for
here suluer .Confundantur omnes qui
adorant sculptilia . et alibi .Vt quid diligitis vanitatem et queritisqueritis mendaciumR.15.96: R uniquely omits mendacium after queritis. &cetera . Go to þe glose of þe vers ȝe grete clerkes . If I lye on ȝowe to my lewed wit ledeth me to
brennynge . For as it semeth ȝe forsaketh no mannes almesse . Of vsureres of hores andofR.15.100: R's and is unique; F reads & of
while beta has of. auerous chapmen . And louten to þis lordes þat mowen lene ȝow
nobles Aȝeyne ȝoure reule & ȝourenilR.15.102: Here R uniquely adds a second ȝoure
to the line. religioun I take recorde at Ihesus
. Þat seyde to his disciples ne sitis
acceptores personarumpersonarum acceptores .R.15.103: Beta transposes the RF phrase to personarum
acceptores. ¶ Of þis matere I miȝte make a gretelongeR.15.104: In place of R's grete, F reads mychil
and beta shows longe. bible . Ac of curatoures ouerofR.15.105: R's ouer is unique; the other manuscripts read of. cristene poeple as clerkes bereth witnesse
. I schal tellen it for treuthetreuthis sake take hede ho-so lyketh . ¶ As holynesse and honeste oute of holy
cherche spredeth . These lines are marked by a brace in the right margin, as
well as a pointing hand. There is a brown ink stain immediately above the end of line
107.Þoruȝ lele lybbynge men þat godes laweslawe techeth .☜Riȝt so oute of holy cherche alle eueles spredeth .Þere inparfit presthode is andnilR.15.110: The beta manuscripts omit this conjunction.prechoures and techoures . Beginning just below
the pointing hand referred to at R15.107, there is an erased note in the right margin,
written horizontally in some 16 short lines that extend down the page to a point
approximately 2.2 cm. below the last line of scribal text. The hand appears to be the same as
that discernible in the extensive erased note on fol. 94r.And se it by ensaumple in somer tyme on trewes . Þere somme bowes ben leued
and somme bereth none . Þere is a meschief in þe more of suche
maner bowes . Riȝt so persones and prestes and
prechoures of holy chercheschercheR.15.114: R uniquely deploys the plural; the other manuscripts read cherche. Cx agrees with them against R.Is þeÞat arenR.15.115: Where R reads Is þe, beta has Þat aren
and F shows Þey sholde been. A majority of C
manuscripts agrees with R. rote of þe riȝt faith to reule þe poeple
Ac þere þe rote is roten reson wote þe
sothe . Schal neuere floure ne fruit
ne faire lefe be grene . ¶ For-thi walde þeȝe lettred leue þe lecherie of clothynge .And be kynde as byfel for clerkes and curteys of cristes godes
.Trewe of ȝoure tonge and of
ȝoure taile bothe .And hatyen to here herlotrie and auȝtnouȝtR.15.121: R uniquely reads auȝt; F reads looþ
wrong; a majority of the beta copies show nouȝt. to
vnderfonge .Tythes of trewevntreweR.15.122: RF are in agreement on trewe (supported by CrWG), but
most beta manuscripts read vntrewe.thynge I-tyled or I-chafaredchaffared . ¶ Lothe were lewed men but þei ȝoure
lore folwede . And amenden hem þat þeinilR.15.124: R's þei is unique; all the other manuscripts omit
it. mysdon more for ȝoure ensaumples .IpocrysyeÞan for to prechen and preue it nauȝt
ypocrisie it semeth .R.15.125: A sixteenth-century
reader has inscribed in the right margin opposite this line Ipocrysye. For ypocrisie in latyn is likkned to a dongoundongehulR.15.126: Beta reads dongehul where RF have dongoun. In a substantially revised version of this line, the C version attests donghep, suggesting that beta's
reading was original. Þat were bi-snewed
with snowe and snakes with-Inne . Or to a wal þat were white-lymed and were foule with-Inne
.l ijus Riȝt so many prestes
prechoures and prelates . Ȝe ar enblaunched with beleparoles . and with clotheswith clothes also .R.15.130: F's final phrase is completely unique (blewe burnet
cloþis), but beta differs here from R only by adding also at the end
of the line. The C version attests with bele
clothes.AndAc ȝoure werkes and ȝoure wordes
þere-vnder aren ful wluelichevnlouelich .R.15.131: For R's wlueliche, F shows foxly and
beta reads vnlouelich.R.15.131: The spelling wlueliche is
probably not erroneous. Cf. R.15.43:, and the note on
wlt. ¶ Iohannes criostomuscri[s]ostomuscrysostomus of clerkes speketh and prestes .Sicut de templo omne bonumproceditprogrediturR.15.133: The form procedit is from alpha. Beta
witnesses read progreditur, the same verb form found at this
point in the C version. Sic de templo omne malum
procedit .Si sacerdocium
integrum fuerit tota floret ecclesia
.Si autem coruptacorruptumR.15.136: Beta reads coruptum. Both inflectional forms
are found in C witnesses, but distribution and numbers suggest that the
alpha reading was archetypal in C. fuerit
omnium fides marcida est .Si sacerdossacerdociumR.15.137: Beta reads sacerdocium. Both inflectional
forms are found in C witnesses, but the beta reading is archetypal in
C. fuerit in peccatis
totus populus
conuertitur ad peccatumpeccandum .R.15.137: Beta reads peccandum. Both readings are
found in C witnesses, but the beta reading is archetypal in C.Sicut cum videris arborem pallidam &
marcidam .In tellisIntelli[gi]sinteligis quod vicium habet in radice .Ita cum videris
populum indisciplinatum &
irreligiosum .Sine dubio sacerdocium eius
non est sanum . ¶ If lewed men wiste what þis latyn meneth .
In the left margin, a black brace extends the entire length of this verse
paragraph. And who was myn auctour muche wonder me thenketh . But if many prestea prest bere for here broches and for here baselardesfor here baselardes and here broches .R.15.144: Most beta witnesses have But if many a prest bere for here
baselardes and here broches, where the alliterative pattern suggests that Bx was already corrupt. R reads the nouns of beta's final phrase in
transposed order. The R scribe's placement of a punctus elevatus after bere probably indicates that he did not take and for here
baselardes to have constituted the b-verse by itself. F's line (But euery
prest sholde bere / for here broode baselardis) is unique, revised in the light of a
seemingly confused exemplar. A peyre bedes in here honde orandR.15.145: R's or is an alpha reading; beta has and. a boke vnder here arme .Sire iohan and sire gefferey hath a
gurdel of suluer .A baselard or a ballok-knyf with botones
ouergilte .Ac a portos þat schulde be his plow placebo to segge . Hadde he neuere seruise to hauesaueR.15.149: For R's to haue, F reads ne; the other
manuscripts read to saue. siluer þere-to seith it with euelR.15.149: Most beta manuscripts
have ydel; but L (= yvel) joins alpha in reading euel. wille .Allas ȝe lewed men muche lese ȝe on prestes . Ac þinge þat wikkedliche is wonne and with fals sleȝtes
. Walde neuere witþe witte of witty god but wikked men it makedhadde(n) .R.15.152: R's maked is an alpha reading (cf. F's made). Beta reads hadde. Cx agrees with
beta. Þe whiche aren prestes in-parfit and prechoures after siluer . Seketoures and sodenes somnoures and here
lemmanes .Þis þat with gile was gete vngraciousliche is spenedspended .R.15.155: R's spened is unique; F and most beta copies have spended, from the R verb's etymological parent—though W reads despended. The P family of C agrees with W (and by
implication beta and F), but the majority of the X family supports R (reading yspened). So harlotes and hores aren hulpen with suche godethgode[s]goodis .AcAnd godes folke for defaute þere-of
forfaren and spillen . . ¶ Curatoures of holy cherche andas clerkes þat ben auerous . Liȝteliche þat þei leuen loseles it habbeth
Or deyeth intestate and þanne þe bischope
entreth . And maketh murthe þere-with
and his men bothe . And seggen he was a nygarde þat no gode
miȝt aspare . To frende ne to fremede . þe fende haue his soule . For a wreched hous he helde al his lyf-tyme . And þat he spared and bi-sperred
spene we in murthe . ¶ By lered by lewed þat lothe is to spenespende .R.15.166: R's spene is unique; F and most beta copies have spende, from the R verb's etymological parent—though W reads despende. Cf. R.15.155:
above. Þus goen here godes be þe goste faren
. Ac for gode men god wote grete doel men maketh . And bymeneth gode meteȝiueres and in mynde hemnil haueth . In preyeres and in penaunces and in parfite charite
. ¶ What is charite quod I þo a childisch
þinge he seyde .Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli non
intrabitis in regnum celorum
. Withoute fauntelte or folye a fre liberal wille . Where schuld men fynde suche a frende with so fre an
herte .Longe
WylleR.15.175: This decorative, rubricated
marginal, very unusual in the typical pattern of Piers Plowman glosses, may
offer evidence for how early in the transmission chain MS R stands: MSS L and M both have
sixteenth-century glosses taking note of Longe Wylle (M repeating the
actual textual phrase, as in R); but among beta copies, only MS O (which Ralph Hanna dates to
the first quarter of the fifteenth century) shows this gloss in a hand contemporary to its
main scribal hand. Another alpha/beta shared gloss, involving MSS R and L, occurs somewhat
later in this passus with the unexpected and atypical Isa. 3 note at
R15.582, attested solely by MSS L, R and F. ¶ Ich haue lyued in londe quod I my name
is longe wille . And fonde I neuere ful charite by-fore ne byhynde : Men beth merciable to mendinaunsmendynantz &R.15.177: R uniquely reads to; cf. beta's &
to and F's ne to. to pore . And wole lene þere þei leue leleliche to
ben apayedpayed . Ac charite þat powel preyseth best and
moste plesaunt to godoure saueoure .R.15.179: F reads the end of this line as god in heuene while beta
reads owre saueoure.As non inflatur non
est ambiciosa non querit que
sua sunt . I seiȝ neuere suche a man so me god
helpe . Þat he ne wolde aske after his and other-while coueyte . Þinge þat hym nededneded hymR.15.183: R's hym neded is an alpha reading transposed in beta to
neded hym. The beta order is also that found in Cx. nauȝt and nyme it if he miȝte . ¶ Clerkes kennethR.15.184: R uniquely reads kenneth;
All other manuscripts have kenne(n). me þat criste is in
alle places . Ac I seyȝ hym neuere sothly but as
my-sulue inmyrourea miroure .Hicnil in enigmate tunc facie ad faciem : And so I trowe trewely by þat men telleth of charite
. It is nouȝt championes fiȝt ne
chaffare as I trowe . ¶ Charite quod he ne chaffareth nouȝte
noþerneR.15.189: R uniquely reads noþer at the head of the b-verse; the
other copies have ne. chalengeth ne craueth . As proude of a peny as of a pounde of golde . And is as glad of a gowne of a grayregrayegraye russet . As of a tunicle of tars or of trie skarlet . He is gladde with alle glade and gode til
alle wikked .HeAnd leuethR.15.194: R's He is an alpha lection; beta has And; R's leueth is matched only in Cr; F reads beleviþ while beta manuscripts are ambiguous. Kane and Donaldson read them as leneth, but Skeat construed L's reading as leueth.
and loueth alle þat oure lorde made .l iijus Curseth he no creature ne he can bere no
wrathe Ne no likyngehauehath toR.15.196: R's haue is unique; beta reads hath
to; F transposes the opening of the a-verse as Ne he haþ lykynge to.
Cx supports beta here. lye ne lawhe memenR.15.196: R's me is unique; cf. beta's men and
F's non. Cx supports beta here also. to scorne
. Alle þat men seith he let it sothe and in
solace taketh . And alle maner meschiefes in myldenesse he suffreth
. Coueyteth he non erthely godesgoodR.15.199: Alpha shows the plural; beta reads the singular, good. but heuene-riche blisse . ¶ Hath he any rentes or richesse or any riche frendes
. ¶ Of rentes ne of richesse ne recheth he
neuere . For a frende þat fyntR.15.202: R's fynt is a unique form
of the verb; most of the other manuscripts, including F, read fyndeth. The
Cx reading is uncertain: most P family copies support the F/beta
reading, but most X family witnesses agree with R. hym failed hyhy[m]hym neuere at nede .Fiat voluntas tua fynt hym
euer-more . And if he soupeth eet but a soppe of spera in deo . He can portreye wel þe paternoster
and peynten it with aueaues .R.15.205: Alpha shows the singular; beta reads the plural, aues (as
does the C version). And other-while ishe is woneR.15.206: R uniquely omits a pronoun reference from is wone. Most
beta manuscripts read he is wone; others (LMHm) read is his
wone; F has he is wont. Cx attests his wone is. to wende o pilgrimage . Þere pore men and prisones liggeth
here pardoun to haue . Þouȝ he bere hem no brede he bereth hem
swettere liflode . Loueth hem as oure lorde bit and loketh
how þei fare . ¶ And whan he is weri of þat werke þan wole he
sum-tyme . Labory in a lauandrie wel þe lengthe of a myle . And ȝerne in-to ȝouthe
and ȝepliche sechespekeR.15.212: R's seche is unique; cf. beta's speke
and F's þere seken. Cx's reading (secheth) supports R here. . Pruide with alle þe purtenaunce and pakken hem to-gyderes . And bouken hem at his breste and beten hem clene . And leggen on longe with laboraui in
gemitu meo . And with warme water at his eyȝes waschen hem
afterÞanneAnd þanneR.15.217: Beta's opening phrase reads And þanne. In a slightly
revised line, Cx supports alpha, omitting And.
he sengeth whan he doth so and sumtyme seith wepinge
.Cor contritum &
humiliatum deus non despicies ¶ By crist I wold þat I knewe hym quod I
no creature leuere . ¶ With-outen helpe of peres þe
plowman quod he .R.15.220: R uniquely divides a Bx line in half here,
rendering it as two. His persone seest þow neuere ¶ Where clerkes knowen hym quod I
þaþa[t]þat kepen holy cherche . ¶ Clerkes han no knowlechyngeknowyngR.15.223: R's knowlechynge is unique; the other
manuscripts read knowyng. quod he but by
werkes & by wordes . Ac peres þe plowman parseyueth more
deppere .ÞatWhatisis þe wilR.15.225: After is alpha omits þe, which is
present in beta. and wherefore þat mony witwyȝteR.15.225: R's wit is unique in form but probably represents the
same word as beta's wyȝte and F's whyȝt. Both
MED and OED2 document this spelling s. v.wight. suffreth .AndEtR.15.226: R's And is unique; the other manuscripts read Et. Cx supports the majority here.vidit deus cogitaciones eorum . For þere are ful proude hertehertedR.15.227: R's herte is unique. Other B
manuscripts read herted. men pacient of tonge . And buxum as of berynge to
bugrgeysR.15.228: The
<r> of burgeys appears to have been written over another
character. and to lordes . And to pore peple han peper in þe nose . And as a leon he loketh þere men lakketh
his werkes . ¶ For þere aren beggeres and bydderes
bedmen as it were . Loketh as a lambroun
and semedsemenR.15.232: R's semed is unique; cf. beta's semen
and F's seme of. lif-holy . Ac it is more to haue here mete onwith suche an esye manere Þanne for penaunce & parfitnesse þe pouerte þat such
taketh . ¶ Þere-for by
coloure ne by clergie knowe schal þow hym neuere . Noyther þoruȝ wordes ne werkes but þoruȝ wil
one . And þat knoweth no clerke ne creature an
erthe . But peres þe plow-man
petrus id est christus . For he nis nauȝt in lolleres ne in lande-leperes eremites . Ne at ancres þere a box hangeth alle
suche þei fayten . Fy on faitoures and in fautores
suos . ¶ For charite is godes chaumpion & as a gode childe
hende . And þe muriest of muthe at mete where he
sitteth .ToÞeR.15.244: R's To is unique error; all the other manuscripts read
Þe. loue þat lyth in his herte maketh hym liȝt of
speche . And is companable and confortatif
as crist bit hym-selue .Nolite tristes fieri sicut yporcriteypocritefieri sicut ypocrite tristes &c .R.15.246: Kane-Donaldson note R's unique phrasal variation for this Latin
line (the other manuscripts have Nolite fieri sicut ypocrite tristes
&c), but they overlook the erroneous spelling, yporcrite. Cx supports R's phrasing of this
tagline. ¶ For I haue seyne hym in silke &
sum-tyme in russet . Bothe in gray and in gris and in gulte
herneys . And as gladliche he it gaf to gomes þat it neded . ¶ Emund and edwarde eyther
were kynges . And seyntes I-sette soforR.15.251: For RF's so, beta reads tyl or for. charite hem folwede . ¶ Ich haue I-seyn charite al-so syngen and reden . Riden and rennen in ragged wedes . Ac biddynge as beggeres byhelde I hym
neuere . Ac in riche robes rathest he walketh .l iiij I-called and I-crymeled and his croune yschaue . And in a frerefreresR.15.257: R's frere (an unmarked genitive) is unique; all the other
manuscripts read freres however, the preponderance of C evidence (most of the X family and some of the P family) supports R's
reading. frocke he was Ifounde ones . Ac it is ferre agoo in seynt fraunceys tyme . In þat secte sitthe to selde hath he be knowe . ¶ Riche men he recomendeth and of here robes taketh
. Þat with-oute wiles leden
here lyues .Beatus est diues qui &cetera
. ¶ In kynges court he cometh ofte þere þe conseil
is trewe . Ac if coueytise be of þe conseil he wol nauȝt come
þer-inne . In court amonges iaperes he cometh but selde . For braulynge and bagbytynge
and berynge of fals witnesse . ¶ In þe constorie byfore þe comissarie he cometh
nauȝt ful ofte . For here lawe dureth ouer-longe but if þei lacchen suluer And matrimonye for mone maken and vn-maken . And þat consience and criste hath yknyt faste . Þei vndon it vnworthiliche þo doctoures of lawe . ¶ Amonges erchebischopes and oþer bischopesWith Bisshopis & abbotys These lines are unique to alpha and there are line-division problems.
Moreover, there are sufficient differences between R and F in these lines to justify
reproducing the latter's lines verbatim (cf. Appendix 1, R15.272-77, for details and any
cross-references to the C version): ¶ With Bisshopis & abbotys / & prelatis of holy chirche. For to
wone with hem / hys wone was sum-tyme. & cristis parsymonye to þe pore /
parcel-mel þey deltyn. But Auerise hathorn; þe keyȝes /& kepithorn; for hise
kenysmen. & for hise seketouris & seruauntis /& summe for hise
chirdryn. And prelates of holy cherche Forto wonye with hem his wone was sum-tyme . And cristes patrimonyeparsymomye to þe pore parcel-mel deleþey deltyn .AcBut auerice hath þe keyes nownil and kepeth for his kynnesmen . And for his seketoures & hisnil seruantz & somme for herehise childrun . Ac I ne lak no lif but lord amende vs alle . And gif vs grace gode god charite to folwe . For ho-so miȝt mete with hym
suche maneres hym aileth . Noyther he blameth ne banneth bosteth ne preyseth . Lakketh ne loseth ne loketh vp sterne . Craueth ne coueyteth ne crieth after more .R.15.283:
Immediately after this line, alpha omits a Latin line found in beta:In pace in idipsum dormiam &c. OC2 have
this line in the margin, suggestive of how it might have been overlooked in alpha if this
were its location in Bx. Þe moste lyflode þat he lyuethlyueth byR.15.284: After lyueth R uniquely omits by. is loue in godes passioun . Neyther he nenilR.15.285: R's first ne in this line is unique; all the other B manuscripts omit it. However, among the C
manuscripts, most of the X family agrees with R, while the others agree with beta.
byddethR.15.285: There is a discoloration in the parchment (resembling a large punctus)
immediately after byddeth, but it has no significance. ne beggeth
ne borweth to ȝelde . Misdoth he no man ne with his mouth greueth . ¶ Amonges cristene men þis myldnesse schuld laste . In alle maner angres haue þis atte herte
. Þat þouȝ þei suffred alle þis gogo[d]god suffred for vs more . In ensaumple we schulde do so and taketake [no]take(n) no veniaunce .R.15.290: R inadvertently (and uniquely) omits no before veniaunce, causing the statement to express a very uncharitable
outlook. Of oure foes þat doth vs falsenesse þat is
oure faderes wille . For euery man may welwel may euery manR.15.292: Beta transposes the opening phrase of this line as For wel may
euery man. wite if godgod haddeR.15.292: With the exception of G, which here joins alpha, the beta manuscripts read
god hadde wolde here. wolde hym-sulue . Schulde nereneuereR.15.293: R's nere is unique; the other manuscripts read neuere. iudas þeR.15.293: R's þe is shared only
with BmBoCot; F reads hise and beta reads ne. Beta's
reading is unquestionably the original. Iewe haue ihesu done
on rode . Ne haue martyred peter ne powel ne in
prisone holde . Ac he suffrede in ensaumple þat we schuld suffre also
. And seide to suche þat suffre wolde þat pacientes vincunt . ¶ Verbi gracia
quod he and verrey ensaumples manye . In legenda
sanctorum þe lif of holy
seyntes . What penaunce and pouerte and passion þei
suffred . In hunger in hete in alle maner angres
. Antonye and egidie and oþer holy faderes
. Woneden in wildernesseswildernesseR.15.302: R's wildernesses is unique; the other manuscripts read
wildernesse. amonges wilde bestes . Monkkes and mendynans men by hem-selue . In spekes and spelonkes selde speken to-gyderes . Ac noyther antonye ne egydie ne eremite þat tyme . Of lyons ne of leopartz no lyflode neR.15.306: A
brown stain makes ne almost illegible. toke . But of þenilR.15.307: Beta here omits þe. foules þat fleeth þus
fynt men in bokes . Excepte þat egide after an hynde criede . And þoruȝ þe melke of þat mekemyldeR.15.309: F shows no adjective (= þe beeste), while R's meke is replaced in beta with mylde. beste
þe man was ysusteynedsusteyned .AcAndR.15.310: R's Ac is unique; beta reads And while
F shows an omission. day by day hadde he hire nauȝt his
honger forto slake . But selden and sundry tymetymesR.15.311: Where alpha has the unmarked plural tyme, beta has tymes. as seith þe boke and techeth . ¶ Antonye on a dayadayes aboute none-tyme Hadde a bridde þat brouȝte hym hisnilR.15.313: R's hym his is unique; beta reads hym
and F has hym to. brede þat he by lyuede . And þouȝ þe gome hadde a geste god feddefondeR.15.314: Cf. beta's fonde. hem bothe . ¶ Powel primus
heremita hadde parroked innilR.15.315: Beta omits alpha's in. The C version
agrees with beta's omission. hym-selue . Þat no man miȝt hym se for mosse and for leues
. Foules hym feddeR.15.317: An ink blot covers the -ed of fedde. fele wyntres with-alle . Til he founded freres of austynes ordre . Powel after his prechynge payneres he
made . And wan withR.15.320: Virtually all beta manuscripts (and F) add
his before hondes. hondes þat his
wombe nedede . Peter fischede for his fode and his felawe andrewe . Somme þei solde and somme þei eetensotheR.15.322: Alpha's eeten is an easier replacement for the correctly
alliterating sothe(n) found in the best beta manuscripts. Cf. R.15.468:. The C version
incorporates this same line, but the lemma in question shows a wide range of attested
readings among C witnesses. & so þei lyued bothe
. And also marie maudeleyne by mores and bylyued andR.15.323: Alpha omits lyued after mores; beta
omits the second by from this b-verse, as witnessed by alpha. On both of
these issues, Cx agrees with beta. dewes . Ac moste thoruȝ deuocion and mynde of god
almiȝty . I schulde nouȝt þis seuen dayes seggen hem alle
. Þat lyueden þus for oure lordes loue amonges wilde bestesmanye longe ȝeres .R.15.326: For alpha's amonges wilde bestes, beta (and the C version) read manye longe ȝeres. Ac þere ne was lyon ne leopartzleopartR.15.327: R uniquely shows the plural; F and beta read the singular, leopart. þat on laundes wente . Noyther bere ne bore ne other best wilde . Þat ne fel to hire fete and fauned with þe tailetailles . And ȝif þei couthe haue I-carped by crist as I trowe . Þei wolde haue I-fedde þat folke
by-fore wilde foules . For alle þe curteisie þat bestes kunnekyȝndenesse þat þey cowdeR.15.332: R's curteisie þat bestes kunne is unique; F reads kyȝndenesse þat þey cowde and beta omits the entire line.
þei kidde þattoR.15.332: R's second þat is unique; F reads to.
Beta omits this entire line as well as the next one. folke ofte . In likkyng and in lowyngelovynge þere þei on laundes ȝedewentyn .R.15.333: R's in lowynge is unique; F reads lovynge. R's ȝede is unique; F reads wentyn. Beta omits the entire line. Ac god sent hem fode by foules and by no ferce bestes
. In menynge þat meke thynge mylde
þinge schulde fede . As ho seith religiouse riȝtful men schulde fynde
. And lawful men to lif-holy men
liflode brynge . And þanne wolde lordes and ladyes bybeR.15.338: R's by is unique here; based on the scribe's uniform
spelling of the linking verb elsewhere (= be), this occurrence may be an
error, but it cannot be so designated conclusively. It may represent another example of R's
many relict forms. MED, s. v.ben, attests to the viability of by in this sense with
citations from both the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, including one from the
Ayenbite of Inwyt (He haþ niede, by hit to þe bodie, by hit to
þe zaule—BL Arundel 57) and The Seven Sages (He
schal dwelle on lyue tyl to morwe day, And by than as hit may—Cam. Dd.1.17).
Moreover, at R16.166, the scribe demonstrates his comfort with the inverse situation,
signifying ModE "by" with be, a form that OED2, s. v.by (prep., adv.), attests as viable for this period. lothe to
agulte . And to take of here tenauntz more þan
treuthe wolde . Fonde þei þat freres wolde forsake here
almesse . And bidden hem beren it þere it was borwedyborwed . For we beth goddes foules and abyden alwey . Til briddes bringen vs þat we schulde leueR.15.343: R's leue is unique among the B manuscripts (cf. R15.400),
but OED2 attests it as a recognized form for liue. (See
Trevisa, 1387, s. v.live (v. 1). by . For hadde ȝe potage and payne I-now and peniale to drinke . And onR.15.345: In place of alpha's on or oo (= F), beta here shows a. messe
þere-myde of on manere kende
. Ȝe hadde riȝt I-now
ȝe religious & so ȝoureordrereuleR.15.346: Alpha here substitutes non-alliterating ordre for Bx's reule (attested in beta). me tolde .Numquam dicit Iob rugietrugitR.15.347: Beta reads rugit, but Cx agrees with alpha's verb form. onager cumhabuerit herbamheribam habuerit .R.15.347: Beta transposes this phrase as herbam
habuerit, but Cx agrees with alpha's
phrasing.Aut mugiet bos cum ante
plenum presepe steteritsteterit Brutorum animalium natura te condempnat quia cum eis
pabulum commune sufficiat .R.15.348: Here alpha drops a long passage from the Latin citation as witnessed by
both beta and the C version: brutorum animalium
natura te condempnat quia cum eis pabulum comune sufficiat.Ex adipe prodijt iniquitas tua
¶ If lewed men knewe þis latyn þei wold loke wham þei
ȝeue . And auise hem byfore R.15.351: The beta phrasing is a fyue dayes.fyue dayesa fyue dayes or sixe . Ar þei amortised to monkes or chanounes here rentes
. Allas lordes and ladyes lewed conseil haue ȝe . To ȝyue fram ȝoure heyres þat
ȝoure ayeles ȝow lefte . And ȝiueth to bydde for ȝow to suche asþat ben riche . And ben I-foundedfounded and feffed eke to bydden for other .R.15.356: The scribe fails here to
skip a line between strophes, as is his custom, presumably because the next line is the last
ruled one for this side. ¶ Ho parfourneth þis prophecie of þe
peple þat now libbeth Dispersit dedit pauperibus
&cetera . Ȝif any poeple parforne þat tixte it are þis pore
freres For þat þei beggen aboute in buyldynge þei spende . And on hem-selue
sum and suchsuch asR.15.361: R's such is followed by a unique omission; most beta
copies follow such with as and BF read þat. ben here laboreres . And of hem þat habbeth þei taketh and ȝiueth hem
þat ne habbeth . ¶ Ac clerkes and kniȝtes and comuneres þat ben
riche . Fele of ȝow fareth as if I a forest hadde . Þat were ful of feire tres and I founded
and caste . How I miȝte mo þere-inne amonges hem sette . Riȝt so ȝe riche ȝe robbethR.15.367: In this
case (cf. R15.371), RF share with some beta copies a root form, Robbe,
classified by OED2 as a sixteenth-century variant spelling for robe, v. (= ModE "clothe"); it is traceable to OF robbe (= ModE
"robe"), derived from the same root as OF rob since the original meaning
of "robe" was "booty, spoils." þat bethR.15.367: R's beth is unique; all
other witnesses read be(n). riche . And helpeth hem þat helpeth ȝow & ȝyueth
þere no nede is . As ho-so fulled a tonne fulnil of a fulfresshR.15.369: R's second ful is unique; beta reads fressh and F has an omission. ryuere . And wente forth with þat water to woke with temese . Riȝt so ȝe riche ȝe robbethR.15.371: See note at R.15.367:. and fedeth Hem þat han as ȝe han hem ȝe make at ese . Ac religious þat rich ben schulde rather fedefesteR.15.373: In place of alpha's fede, beta has feste. beggeres . Þan burgeys þat riche ben as þe boek techeth .Quia sacrilegium est res
pauperum non
pauperibus dare .Item idemnil peccatoribus dare est
demonibusimmolareimmolare Item monache si indiges & accipis pocius das quam
accipis Si autem non eges & accipis rapis .R.15.376: Here alpha drops a long passage from the Latin citation as witnessed in
beta: Item monache si indiges et accipis pocius das quam accipis Si autem
non eges & accipis rapis.Porro non indiget monachus si
habeat quod nature sufficit . For-thi I
conseille alle cristene to conformen
hem to charite .FoForR.15.379: Neither MED nor OED2, s. v.for, cites an example of fo as viable for the
preposition signified here, but it occurs in R in four widely separated contexts (cf. R2.64,
R14.60, and R20.224) and probably represents an instance of idiolect apocope. Cf. R's common
use of fro (= ModE "from") and mo (= ModE
"more"). charite with-oute chalengynge .
vnchargethvnchargeth þe soule .R.15.379: R uniquely omits the end of Bx's b-verse: þe soule. And many a prison fram purgatorie þoruȝ his
preyeres is deliueredhe delyureth .R.15.380: For R's is deliuered, F reads ben
dylyuered; beta reads (he) delyureth. ¶ Ac þere is a defaute in þe folke
þat þe feith kepeth . WhereR.15.382: R is almost unique (cf. Cot) in this
reading; F and the other beta copies read Wherfore. folke is þe
feblere and nouȝt ferme of byleue . As in lossheborues is a lither alay & ȝut
loketh he like a sterlynge . Þe merke of þat mone is gode ac þe metal is feble . And so it fareth by sum folke nowe þei han a
faire speche . Croune and cristendom þe kynges merke of
heuene . Ac þe metal þat is mannes soule with synne is foule
alayed . Bothe lettred and lewed beth alayed now with synne . Þat no lyf loueth other ne oure lorde as it semeth
. For whatnil þoruȝ werre and wikked werkes & wederes vnresonable . Wederwise schipmen and witty clerkes al-so . Han no byleue to þe lift ne to þe lore of filisofres
. ¶ Astrimyanes al-day in
her art failen . Þat whilum warned bifore what schuld byfallefalle(n)R.15.394: R's byfalle is unique; all the other manuscripts read falle(n). However, most of the C manuscripts agree with
R. after . Schipmen and schepherdes þat with schipe
and scheppe wenten . Wisten by þe wakknewa[l]knewalkene what schuld by-tyde . As of wederes and ofnil wyndes þei warned men ofte . ¶ Tilieres þat tiled þe erthe tolden here
meystres . By þe seed þat þei sewe what þei selle miȝte . And what to leue and towhat to leueR.15.400:Cx agrees here with R's unique form, against lyue
found in most B witnesses. See note at R.15.343:. by þe londe was so trewe . Now faileth þe folke of þe floed and of þe londe bothe
. Scheperdes and schipmen and so doen þis
tilieres .R.15.402: An early reader has inserted a red star or cross in the right margin at this
point. Nother þei kunneth ne knoweth on cours by-for an-other . Astrimyanes also are att
here wittes ende . Of þat was calkuled of clementþe elementR.15.405: For alpha's of clement, beta reads of þe
element(s). Alpha's reference is opaque; but at least, unlike beta's, it alliterates.
Schmidt conjectures clemat, based on the unquestioned reading of the C version at this point, clymat. þe
contrarie þei fynde . Gramere þe grounde of alle
bygileth now childurne . For is non of þis new clerkeclerkesR.15.407: R's apparent singular, clerke, is unique; the other
copies have the explicit plural required by immediate context, clerkes. ho-so nymeth hede . Þat can versifie faire ne
formeliche endentenend[i]tenendite(n) . Ne nauȝt on amonges an hundreth þat
an autour can construe . Ne rede a lettre in any langage but in
latyn or in englische . Go now to any degre and but if gyle be maister . And flatreflaterereR.15.412: For R's flatre, "flatterer, one who flatters" from OF flatour, Bx reads flaterere, the same
form found in Cx. his felawe vnder hym to fourmen .AndnilR.15.413: And is alpha's erroneous addition to the text of Bx. muche wonder me thenketh amonges vs alle . Doctoures of decres and of diuinite maystres . Þat schulde kunne and knowe alkynne clergie . And answere to argumentz and also to a
quod-libet . I dar nouȝt seggen it for schame if suche weren
apposed . Þei schulde faile inof here filosophie & in fisike bothe . Wherefore Ich am afered of folk of holy cherche . Lest þei ouer-hippen as other don
in offices and in houres Ac þouȝifR.15.421: R's þouȝ is unique; beta reads if
and F shows an omission. þei oueoue[r]ouer-hippe as I hope nauȝt oure bileue sufficitsuffiseth .R.15.421: For alpha's Latin, beta provides an English equivalent: suffiseth. As clerkes in corpus
christi fest syngen and reden . Þat sola fides sufficit to
saue with lewed peple . ¶ And so may sarasynes be saued scribes and Iewes . Allas then but oure lores-men lyuen as þei leren vs . And for here liuynge
þat lewed men be þe lother god agulten .R.15.426: There is a superfluous
tilde over the -en of agulten. For sarasynes han sumwhat
semynge to oure bileue . For þei loue and bileue in on persone
almiȝty And we lered and lewed in on god by-leueth .Cristene& so cristene and vncristene on one god bileuethben leven .R.15.430: Beta omits this line. Ac oen machometh a man in mysbileue . Brouȝt sarasenes of surrie and se in what
manere . Þis macumeth was cristene mannil and for he most nauȝt be a pope . in-to surrie he souȝte
and thoruȝ his sotil wittes . Daunted a dowue and day and niȝt
hire fedde . Þe corne þat sche cropped he caste hit in his
here .R.15.436: Hereafter alpha omits two lines found in beta, presumably on
account of eyeskip (the second of the omitted lines ends with ere):And if he amonge þe poeple preched or in places come Þanne wolde þe
coluer come to þe clerkes ere. Menynge as after mete þus macumeth
hirechauntedenchaunted .R.15.437: Beta reads enchaunted, while F shows a present-tense form
of alpha's apheretic verb: chawnteþ. Cx agrees with
beta. And dede folke þanne falle on knes for he swore in his
prechinge . Þat þe culuer þat come so cam fram god of heuene .AndAs messagerR.15.440: Where alpha has And messager, beta reads As
messager. to macumeth men for to teche . And þus þoruȝ wiles of his wit and a white dowue
. Macumeth in misbileue men and wymmen brouȝte . Þat lered there and lewed ȝut leuen
on his lawes . ¶ And sitthe oure saueoure suffred
þe sarasynes so bygiled . Þoruȝ a cristene clerke acursed in his soule . Ac for drede of þe deth I dar nauȝt telle treuthe
How englische clerkes a culuere feden þat
coueytise hatte . And ben manered after macumeth þat no man vseth treuthe
. ¶ Ancres and heremites and monekes and freres .PeresPerenR.15.450: Cf. alpha's noun form, Peres, to beta's verb form, Peren. to apostles thoruȝ here parfit
lyuynge . Wolde nereneuere þe faithful fader þat his minstres schulde . Of tyrauntes þat teneth trewe men taken any almesse
. But doen as antonye dede dominik orandR.15.453: For alpha's or, beta reads and.
fraunceys . Benet or&R.15.454: For alpha's or, beta reads &. bernarde þe which hem furste tauȝte . To lyue by litel and in lowe househousesR.15.455: R uniquely shows the singular; the other manuscripts read houses. by lele mennes fyndyngealmesse . Grasse schulde growe and be grene þoruȝ
herelelegoodR.15.456: For alpha's lele, cf. beta's correctly alliterating good. lyuynge . And folkefolkes schulde fynde þat ben in diuers syknesse . Þe bettere for here biddynges
in body and in soule . Here preyeres and here penaunces
to pees schuld hemnilR.15.459: Beta omits hem. bringe . Alle þat ben at debate and bede-men were trewe .Petite et accipietis &cetera
.R.15.461: The R scribe here deviates from his usual practice of inserting
a blank line between strophes, presumably because the next line is the last one ruled for
this side. ¶ Salt saueth catel seggeth þis wyues Vos estis sal terre &cetera
. F omits these 68 lines (= KD15.429α-92), reflecting the contents
either of a single leaf or (more likely) an opening from his exemplar. E. Talbot Donaldson
noted this fact in "MSS R and F in the B-Tradition of Piers Plowman," Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences (1955): 185
n. 19, rightly attributing the error to a copyist between F and alpha. More recently Sean
Taylor, "The F Scribe and the R Manuscript of Piers Plowman B," English Studies 77 (1996): 530-48, has pointed out that this lacuna
coincides with the opening of fols. 78v-79r in R; he argues, we think unconvincingly, that
this coincidence supports the proposition that F was copied directly from R. Þe heuedes of holy cherche and þei holy were . Crist calledcallethR.15.465: Beta here shows the present-tense form, calleth. F omits
the line. hem salt for cristene soules Et si sal euanuerit in quo salietur
. Ac fresche flesch ortherother fische
whan it salt faileth . It is vnsauori for-sothe
seothenysothe(n) or baken . So is mannes soule sothly þat seth non gode saumpleensaumple . Of hem of holy cherche þat þe heye wey schulde teche
. And be gyde and go before asas aR.15.471: The beta version of the phrase shows a determiner: as a good baneoure. F omits the line. goed
baneoure . And hardy hem þat byhynde ben and ȝif hem gode
euydence . ¶ Elleuene holy men al the worlde torned . in-to lele byleue þe
liȝtloker me thenketh . Schulde al manere men we han so many
maystres . Prestes and prechoures and a pope aboue
. Þat godes salt schulde be to saue mannes soule . ¶ Al was hethenesse sum-tyme england and wales . Til gregori and greteR.15.479: Only B supports R's inferior reading (and grete); the other beta manuscripts read garte or gerte. F omits the line. clerkes to go and to
preche . Austyn at canterbirie cristened þe kynge þerenil .R.15.480: R's kynge þere is unique; the beta copies have kynge while F omits the line. And þoruȝ miracles as men may rede al þat marche he
turned . To crist and to cristendom and cros to
honoure . And fulled folkefolke fasteR.15.483: After folke, beta adds faste. F omits
the line. and þe faith tauȝte . More þoruȝ miracles þan þoruȝ muche
prechynge . As wel þoruȝ his werkes as with his holy wordes
. And seide hem what fullynge and feith was
to mene . ¶ Clothe þat cometh fro þe weuynge is
nauȝt comely to werie Til it is fulled vnder fote or in
fullynge stokkes .I-waschenWasshen wel with water and with taseles cracched . I-touked and tentted and
vnder tailoures handes . And so it fareth by a barne þat boren is of wombe . Til it be cristened in cristes name &
confermed of þe bischoppe . It is hethen as to heuene-warde
and helples to þe soule . ¶ Hethene is to mene after heth and vntiled erthe . As in wild wildernesse wexeth wilde bestes . Rude and vnresonable rennynge with-oute keperescropersR.15.496: R's keperes is unique; beta's variants seem nonsensical:
LYOGC2 have crep(e)res while WHmCrCBM show crop(i)ers. F omits the line. . ¶ Ȝe take wel hedemyn(n)en welR.15.497: In place of R's non-alliterating take wel hede, beta
reads menen wel. F omits the line. whateR.15.497: Here only G joins R in
reading what; the other beta manuscripts show how. mathew sayth how a man made a fest . He fedde hem with no venison ne fesauntes Ibake . But with foules þat fram hym nolde but folwed his
whistlynge .Ecce altilia mea et omnia parata
sunt &cetera . And with calues flesch he fedde þe folke þat he louede
. Þe calf bitokneth clennesse in hem þat kepeth lawes
. For as þe cow thoruȝ kende melke þe calf norischeth
til an oxe . So dothnil loue & lewte andnil leleR.15.504: In the a-verse, doth is a unique addition to the text of
this line as witnessed by beta; in the b-verse, the same is true of and
(before lele). F omits the line. men susteyneth . And maydenes and mylde men mercy desiren
. Riȝt as þe cow calf coueyteth swete melke . So doth riȝtful men mercy and treuthe . And by þe hande fedde foules hisR.15.508:His, "is." These lines are omitted by all beta manuscripts and
survive in R alone. folk vnderstonde . Þat loth ben to louye with-outen lernynge of ensaumples . Riȝt as capones in a court cometh to
mennes whistlynge . In menynge after mete folweth men þat
whistlen . Riȝt so rude men þat litel reson
cunneth Louen and byleuen by lettred mennes
doynges . And by here wordes and werkes wenen and
trowen . And as tho foules to fynde fode after
whistlynge . So hope þei to haue heuene þoruȝ her
whistlynge . And by þe man þat made þe feste þe mageste bymeneth
. Þat is god of his grace gyueth al men blisse . With wederes and with wondres he warneth vs with a
whistlere . Where þat his wille is to worschipen vs
alle . And feden vs and festen vs for euere-more at ones . ¶ Ac who beth þat excuseth hemhem þat R.15.522: Here the beta copies add þat. aren
persones and prestes . Þat heuedes of holy cherchescherche ben þat han here wille here . With-oute trauaile þe tithe del
þat trewe men by-swynken . Þei wole be wroth for I write þus ac to witnesse I take
. Bothe mathew and marke and memento
domine dauid .Ecce audiuimuseumeam in effrata &cetera .R.15.527: Beta omits this Latin
citation and F has omitted at least a folio of surrounding material, including this
phrase. What pope or prelate nowe
perforneth þat criste hiȝte .Ite in vniuersum
mundum . et predicate .
&cetera .R.15.529: Here the R scribe omits his usual line break
before a new strophe, presumably because the next line is the last one ruled for this
side. ¶ AllsAll[a]sAllasR.15.530: R's Alls is undocumented in MED or
OED2s. v.alas and is, presumably, a unique spelling error; F omits this line, beta
has Allas, the same form that occurs in Cx.
þat men so longe on macumeth schullenshulde(n)R.15.530: R's schullen is unique; most beta copies read schulde(n) or sholde. byleue . So many prelates to preche
as þe pope maketh . Of nazareth of nynyue of neptalym and damaske . Þat þei ne wenten as criste wisseth sithen þei wilnewilR.15.533: Alpha's wilne derives from a different verb stem than
beta's wil, but it is doubtful that Langland saw these forms as distinct
since they share virtually identical semantics. The C manuscripts, in a
revised b-verse, split on these two verb forms (the majority agreeing with alpha), thus
confirming their status as twins in early fifteenth-century usage. a name . To be pastores and preche þe passion of
ihesus . And as hym-sulue saide so
to lyue and deye .Bonus pastor animam suam ponit &cetera
. And seyde it in sauacion of sarasynes and other .ToForR.15.538: Beta reads For in place of alpha's To.
Beta omits the second to in this a-verse. cristene and tonil vncristene criste seyde to prechoures .Ite vos in vineam meammeam amp;c And sitthen þat þis sarasines scribes and iewes . Han a lippe of oure byleue þe
liȝtloker it semethme thynkethR.15.541: For alpha's it semeth, beta and the C version read me thynketh. . Þei schulde turne ho-so trauaile
wolde & techento techeR.15.542: R's & techen is unique; all other B copies read to teche. hem of þe trinite
.Querite et inuenietis &cetera
. For al paynymes preyeth to on persone to helpeand parfitly bileueth .R.15.544: In place of R's softened b-verse (which F varies from with of
helpe), beta copies read and parfitly bileueth. Cx agrees with beta.OnInoþe holy grete god þei gredennil and his gracegrace þei asken .R.15.545: R's b-verse is virtually identical to beta's (which reads and
his grace þei asken), but the a-verse in the two subarchtypes is radically different.
Beta's version of the latter reads In þe holy grete god. And maken here mone to macumeth
here message to schewe . Þus in a feith lyuethleuen þat folk and in a fals mene . And þat is reuth for þenilR.15.548: In place of R's for þe), most beta copies and F read for while Cr has of. The reading of Cx is uncertain here, the P family agreeing with R while the X family reads for tho.riȝtfulmenriȝtful men þat in þe
reume wonyen . And a peril to þe pope and tonilR.15.549: R uniquely attests this preposition; F omits the line.
prelates þat he maketh . Þat bereth bischopes names of bethleem and of babyloyne
. ¶ Whan þe heye kynge of heuene sent his sone to erthe
. Beta omits these lines. The differences between F's version of these
lines and that attested in R are sufficiently numerous to make full citation of F's passage
here advisable (cf. Appendix 1, R15.551-68, for details and any cross-references to the C version): Whan þe hyȝe kyng of heuene / sente his sone to erþe. Manye myraclis
he wroghte / man for to turne. In ensaumple þat sholde seen / þat by sad resoun.
Men myghte not ben savid / but þorghȝ mercy & grace. & þorghȝ
penaunce & passioun / & parfyȝt beleve. & by-cam of a mayde / & metropolitanus after. & was baptyzed & y-sygned / with þe blood of his herte. Alle þat wilned &
wolde / with wit be-leve it. Manye a seynt sytthen / haven suffred to dyȝen.
Al for to ferme þe fayȝþ / in fele contrees dyȝen. In yȝnde in
Alysaundre / in Armonye in spayne. & in doolful deþ þey dyeden / for þeyre feyþis
sake. In savacioun of þe fayþ / seynt Thomas was y-martred. And a-mong
vnkyȝnde cristene / for cristis he dyȝede. & for þe ryght of al þis
rewme / & alle rewmes cristene. Holy chirche ys honoured / hyȝlyche
þorghȝ his dyȝenge. He is be-leve to alle bisschopis / & a bryght
merrour. & souereynly to swiche / þat of surrye beren þe name. Many miracles he wrouȝte man for to turne . In ensaumple þat mennil schulde se þat by sadde resoun . Men miȝt nouȝt be saued but þoruȝ mercy
and grace . And thoruȝ penaunce and passion and parfit bylebyle[ue]beleve And by-cam mannil of a mayde and metropolitanusmetropolitanus after .And& was baptised and bischinedysygned with þe blode of his herte . Alle þat wilned and woled with inne-witwit byleue it . Many a seint sytthen hathhaven soffred to deye . Al for to enformeferme þe faith in fele contreyes deyedendyȝen . In ynde andnil in alisaundre in ermonye andnil in spayne .In& in delfol deth deyedenþey dyeden for therefaithfeyþis sake . In sauacioun of þe fayth
seynt t....homasR.15.563: The erasure is not original; the first and last letters of the deleted name
appear to have been <t> and <s> respectively. The name is obvious both
historically and textually. was ymartired. AmongesAnd amoung vnkende cristene for cristes louenil he deyede . And for þe riȝt of al þis reume and al reumes
cristene Holy cherche is honoured heyȝliche þoruȝ his
deynge .he is a for-bysene He is a forbysenebeleve to alle bishopes and a briȝt myroure . And souereyneliche to suche þat of surrye bereth þe name
.And nauȝt toÞat huppe aboute herenil in englande fortoto halwe autresmennes auteres .R.15.569: Although it begins in harmony with R, F's version of this line is unique in
several ways (& nowht to hoppe here & þeere / for halwen awteris).
Beta differs from R in three respects: (1) where R's opening reads And
nauȝt to, beta has Þat; (2) beta omits R's here later in the a-verse but (3) adds mennes after halwe in the b-verse. And crepe innil amonges curatoures andnil confesse mennilR.15.570: R's confesse men is unique; F and most beta copies read
confesse(n), while GC2B read confessyon. Cx agrees with the majority F/beta reading.
aȝeyne þe lawe .Nolite mittere falsem in messemmessem alienamR.15.571: R's omission of text after messem is unique;
all the other manuscripts of B read alienam after messem. Cx
agrees with the Bmajority. &cetera
. ¶ Many anil man for cristes loue was martired amongesinR.15.572: R's amonges is unique; all the other manuscripts of B read in. However, Cx agrees with
R.romaynesRomayneR.15.572: R's romaynes is unique; most beta copies read Romayne; CrCot have Rome, while F shows grete roome. However, Cx agrees with R. . Ar cristendom werewas knowe þere or any cros þerenilR.15.573: R's cros þere is unique; all the other manuscripts of B read cros. Cx agrees with the
majority against R. honoured .R.15.573: Immediately hereafter, the beta manuscripts witness to
some 35 lines of text not present in alpha but clearly attested in the C
version. The entire question of the order of these complementary omissions (with alpha
witnessing uniquely to KD15.511-28 and beta now uniquely attesting KD15.533-69—and
short neighboring passages seemingly out of their logical order as well) is discussed by
Kane-Donaldson on pp. 176-79. Cf. section II.2.5, esp. paragraphs 5 and 6, of our Introduction for a different assessment of
the cause of this dislocation (but complete agreement with Kane-Donaldson on the proper
ordering of the text). The lines here omitted by alpha read as follows in beta: It is reuth to rede how riȝtwis men lyued How þei defouled her
flessh forsoke her owne wille Fer fro kitth and fro kynne yuel yclothed ȝeden
Badly ybedded no boke but conscience Ne no richchesse but þe Rode to reioyse hem
Inne Absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri &c And þo was plente & pees amonges pore & riche And now is routhe to rede
how þe red noble Is reuerenced or þe Rode receyued for þe worthier Þan crystes
crosse þat ouercam deþ and dedly synne And now is werre and wo and whoso why axeth
For coueityse after crosse þe croune stant in golde Bothe riche and religious
þat Rode þei honoure Þat in grotes is ygraue and in golde nobles For coueityse
of þat crosse men of holykirke Shul tourne as templeres did þe tyme approcheth faste
Wyte ȝe nouȝt wyse men how þo men honoured More tresore þan treuthe I
dar nouȝt telle þe sothe Resoun & riȝtful dome þo Religious demed
Riȝt so ȝe clerkes for ȝowre coueityse ar longe Shal þei demen dos ecclesie and ȝowre pryde depose Deposuit potentes de sede &c. Ȝif knyȝthod & kynde wytte and comune conscience Togideres loue
lelly leueth it wel ȝe bisshopes Þe lordeship of londes for euere shal ȝe
lese And lyuen as leuitici as owre lorde ȝow
techeth Per primicias & decimas Whan costantyn of curteysye holykirke dowed With londes and ledes lordeshipes
and rentes An Angel men herde an heigh at Rome crye Dos ecclesie þis day hath ydronke venym And þo þat han
petres powere arn apoysoned alle A medecyne mote þer-to þat may amende prelates
Þat sholden preye for þe pees possessioun hem letteth Take her landes ȝe lordes
and let hem lyue by dymes If possessioun be poysoun & inparfit hem make Good
were to dischargen hem for holicherche sake And purgen hem of poysoun or more perile
falle Ȝif presthod were parfit þe peple sholde amende Þat contrarien
crystes lawe and crystendome dispise. ¶ Euery bischope þat bereth cros by þatþat heR.15.574: Before is, R uniquely omits he.
is holde . Þoruȝ his prouince to passe and to
his peple to schewe hym . Tellen hem and schewentechenR.15.576: R's schewen is an inferior alpha reading; cf. beta's
properly alliterating techen. hem on þe
trinite to byleue . And feden hem with gostly fode and nedy folke to fynden
. Beta omits these lines.AcButR.15.578: R's Ac is unique; beta omits the entire line while F
reads But. ysaie of ȝow spekethas how þou spekistR.15.578: R's of ȝow speketh is unique; beta omits the entire
line while F reads how þou spekist. and osyas bothe .R.15.578:
Beginning here, there is another long, erased note in the right margin, most of it in the
same hand as the example on fol. 94r. The hand appears to be nearly contemporary to that of
the main scribe. However, the first three lines of the erased note appear to be in a
secretary hand. Total length of the note is some 23 short, horizontally arranged lines,
extending to a point approximately 3.5 cm. below the last ruled text line. Þat no man schuld be bischope but if he
hadde bothe . Bodily fode and gostly fodenilR.15.580: R's fode is unique; beta omits the a-verse while F omits
the word. to gyue þere it nededenedethR.15.580: R's nedede is unique; the other manuscripts all read nedeth. .In domo mea non est panis
neque vestimentum .Et ideo nolite constituere me regem
y 3 .R.15.582: R's y 3 is an abbreviated reference for the
biblical citation immediately preceding (from Isa. 3). Such references are rare in the B manuscripts; this one clearly derives from alpha, at least, since a very
similar reference occurs in F here, but what is especially noteworthy is that an absolutely
identical citation occurs at this point in L, one of the oldest beta
manuscripts. Ozias seith for suche þat syke ben and feble .Inferte omnes decimas in
oreum meum vt cibus in domo mea
&cetera . Ac we cristene creatures þat on þe cros byleuen . Aren for me[forme]fermeR.15.586: R's for me probably is a misreading of forme in alpha. F tried to rationalize this variant as formed. Beta
reads ferme. as in þe faith godes forbode elles . And han clerkes to kepen vs þere-inne & hem þat schal
come after vs . ¶ And Iewes lyuen in lele lawe oure lorde
wrote it hym-selue . In stone for it stedfast was and stonde schulde
euere .Dilige deum et
proximum is parfit iewen lawe . And toke it moyses to techen it hemmenR.15.591: For alpha's defective it hem, beta correctly reads men. til messye come . And on þat lawe þei leue andȝit and leten it þe best . And ȝut knewe þei criste þat cristendom tauȝte
.AndnilR.15.594: Alpha's And is omitted by beta but included in Cx. for a parfit prophete þat muche poeple
saued . Of selcuth sores þei seyen it ofte . Bothe of miracles and meruayles and howhow heR.15.596: Before men, R uniquely omits he. men festede . With to fisches and fyue loues fyue thousend poeple
. And by þat mangerie þeimen miȝt wel se þat messye he semed . And whan he lufte vp lazar þat leyde was in graue . And vnder stone stanke and dededed & stankeR.15.600: Beta merely transposes R's phrase to ded & stanke,
but F is unique: he stank ded. with stif voys hym calde
.m jusLazar veni foras Dede hym rise and rome riȝt byfore þe iewes
Ac þei seyde and sworen with sorcerie he wrouȝte
. And studieden to struyen hym and struyeden hem-sulue . And þoruȝ his pacience here
poere to puir nauȝt he brouȝte .Pacientes vincunt . ¶ Daniel of here vndoynge
dyuined and seide .Cumveniat sanctus sanctorumsanctus sanctorum veniat&ceteracessabit vnxio vestra .R.15.608: Beta's version of this citation is fuller than alpha's, and the opening is
transposed: Cum sanctus sanctorum veniat cessabit vnxio
vestra. And ȝet wenen þo wrecches þat he
wereseudo-propheta . And þat his lore be lesynges and lakken it alle . And hopen þat he be to come þat schal hem releue . Moyses eft or messye ȝetnil here maystriesR.15.612: Beta transposes this phrase to here
maisteres ȝet.dyuinethȝet deuyneth . ¶ Ac farisewes and sarasines scribes and grekes . Aren folke of o faith þe fader god þei honouren And sithe þat þe sarasynes and also þe iewes . Kunnen þe furst clause of oure byleue
Beta presents these two alpha lines as a single line.Credo in deum patrem
omnipotentem &cetera . Prelates of cristene prouinceprouyncesR.15.618: R's singular form is unique; the other manuscripts read prouynces. schulde proue if þei miȝte . Lere hem litlum and litlum
& in ihesum christum
filium . Til þei coude speke and spelle andetR.15.620: R's and is unique; beta shows et while F reads Credo. Although a few C manuscripts (PVcAcZ) agree with R, Cx clearly
agrees with beta on this lection.in spiritum sanctum
. And reden it and recorden it with remissionem peccatorum
.Carnis resurrexionem et vitam
eternam amen .