The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 7: London, British Library, MS Lansdowne 398 Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson Poetry 38
– Passus 16William 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
xvusPassus
xvusxv[j]usquintus
decimus[sextus] decimus . de
visione vt supra . ——Now faire falle ȝow
quod I þo for ȝoure faire
schewynge . For haukynes loue þe actif man euere I schal
ȝow louye . Ac yet I am in a were what charite is to mene
. ¶ It is a ful trie tre quod he treuthetrewlyR.16.4:
This is an alpha variant. Beta reads trewly. to telle . Mercy is þe more þere-of þe
mydel stok is reuthe . Þe leues ben lele wordes þe lawe of holy cherche . Þe blosmes beth buxum speche and benigne
lokynge . Pacience hatte þe puir tre and pore symple of herte . And so þoruȝ god and gode men groweth þe fruit charite
.Agite
penitenciam ¶ I wolde trauaile quod I þis tre to se
twenty hundreth mile . .R.16.10: In the right margin, close to the text, an early reader has
added a gloss: Agite
penitenciam. And to haue my fille of þat fruit forsake alle other soule
. Lord quod I if any wiȝt wite
whoder-outR.16.12: R's whoder is a unique
form among the B manuscripts (which mainly attest whider) but is well-attested as a western form of that adverb (LALME, dot map 576). R's þat is probably an alpha form since F's
altered b-verse also attests its presence at approximately the same position but beta shows
no evidence of its presence.þatnilR.16.12:
Beta omits þat. it groweth . ¶ It groweth in a gardyn quod he þat god
made hym-selue . Amyddes mannes body þe more is of þat stokke . Herte hatte þe erber þat it inne groweth And liberum
arbitrium hath þe londe to ferme .AndnilR.16.17:And is an alpha variant unattested by beta witnesses. vnder peres
þe plowman to piken it and to weden it . Peres þe plowman quod I þo and al for puir
ioye . Þat I herde nempne his name anon I swowned after . And lay longe in a loue dreme and atte þe last me
þouȝte . Þat peres þe plowman alle þe place me schewede . And bad me toten on þe tre on top and on rote . With thre piles was it vnder-piȝt I parceyued it sone . Peres quod IR.16.24: R's omission of the second I in this a-verse (immediately following the first one) is shared only with M.
preye þe whi stonden þise piles here . ¶ For wyndes wiltow wit quod he to kepenwitenR.16.25:
R's non-alliterating stave-word is an alpha variant; in place of kepen,
beta reads witen. it fram fallynge .Cum ceciderit iustus non collidetur
quia dominus supponit .
manum . suam . And in blowynge tyme abit þe floures but if
þis piles helpe . Þe werld is a wikked wynde and crepeth amonge þe leues
.R.16.28:
Here alpha compressed two Bx lines into one, merging the a-verse of
KD16.27 with the b-verse of KD16.28. The missing b-verse and following a-verse, as witnessed
in beta, reads:to hem þat willen treuthe Coueityse cometh of þat wynde. The C version also attests the authenticity of these verses omitted by
alpha. And forfret neiȝ þe fruit þoruȝ many
faire siȝtes .AndÞanneR.16.30:
R's And is unique among the B manuscripts but agrees
with Cx; beta begins the line with Þanne while F
omits both and shows a radically different version of the line. with þe furst pile
I palle hym doun þat is potencia dei patris . ¶ Þe flesch is a fel wynd and in flourynge
tyme . Þoruȝ likynge and lustus so loude he
gynneth blowe . Þat it norescheth nyce siȝtes and some-tyme wordes . And wikked werkes þere-of
wormes of synne . And for-biteth þe blosmes
riȝt to þe bare leues . ¶ Þanne sette I to þe secunde pil sapiencia dei patris . Þat is þe passion and þe powere of
oure prince ihesu .WithÞorwR.16.38:With is an alpha variant; beta reads Þorw.
preyeres and þoruȝ penaunces & godes passion in mynde . I saue it til I se it ripen and somme-del I-fruited . And þanne fondeth fendeþe fendeR.16.40:
R uniquely omits þe before fende. Cx agrees on this reading with the B majority. my
fruite to destruie . With alle þe wiles þat he can and waggeth þe rote . And casteth vp to þe crop vnkende neyȝbores .m ijus Bagbiteres brewebreke-chesteR.16.43: R's brewe-cheste is
unique; F shows & boosteris &; beta copies diverge, with CrWHm
reading breke þe cheste while LCGOC2YB have breke-cheste(s). brauleres and chideres . And leith a ladder þere-to of lesynges aren þe ronges . And feccheth awey my floures sum-tyme byforeafor bothe myn eyes Ac liberum
arbitrium letteth hemR.16.46: Most other B witnesses have the singular form here, correctly since the antecedent is
the fende of R16.40. Cr2-3 and Hm agree with R's
plural form. sum-tyme . Þat is liu-tenant to loken it wel
by leue of my-selue .Videatis qui peccat in
spiritum sanctum nunquam
remittetur . &cetera .Hoc est idem qui peccat per
liberum arbitrium non repugnat
. Ac whatwhanR.16.50:
Alpha's what seems an obvious error (cf. beta's whan). þe fende and þe flesche forth with þe worlde . Manasen byhynde me my fruit forto feche . Þanne liberum
arbitrium laccheth þe thriddefirsteplankeplante .R.16.52: The phrase thridde planke is from alpha (with L agreeing
on thridde). The majority beta phrase is firste
plante. And palleth a-downe þe pouke
priuelichepurelichR.16.53:
For alpha's priueliche, beta reads purelich.
þoruȝ grace . And helpe of þe holy goste and þus haue I þe maystrie
. ¶ Now faire falle ȝow peres quod
I so faire ȝe descreuen . Þe power of þis postes and here
propre miȝte . Ac I haue thouȝtes a thraue of þis thre piles . In what wode þei woxen and where þat þei
growed . For alle ar thei a-liche longe
non lasse þan other . And to my mynde as me thenketh on one more þei growed
.AndAnd ofR.16.61:
R uniquely omits of after And. o gretnesse
and grene of greyne þei semen . ¶ Þat is sothe seidequodR.16.62:
For alpha's seide, also supported by L, most beta manuscripts read quod. peres soR.16.62: Only G shares with R in the omission of it after so; F uniquely transposes the phrase: it may so. may be-falle . I schal telle þe as tyt what þis tre hatte . Þe grounde þere it groweth godnesse it hiȝte . And I haue tolde þe what hiȝte þe tre þe trinite it
meneth . And egreliche he loked on me and þerefor I
spared . To asken hym anymore þere-of & bad hym ful faire . To descreue þe fruit þat so faire hangeth . ¶ Here now by-nethe
quod he þo If I nede hadde . Matrimonie I may nym a moyst fruit with-alle . Þanne continence is nere þe crop : as caylewey bastarde . Þanne bereth þe crop kende fruit and clennest of alle
. Maydenhode angeles peres and rathest wol be ripe . And swete with-oute
swelynge soure worth it neuere . ¶ In priedeI prayedR.16.75:
Here the R scribe made a colossal mistake, misconstruing his exemplar's I
prayed, the Bx reading, as In pride. His
corrector notices the mistake and alters the noun with a supralinear <e>, but he
overlooks the need to correct the initial preposition, so that the "corrected" reading is
still nonsense. peres to pulle a-doune an
appel & he wolde . And suffre me to assay what sauoure it
hadde . And peres caste to þe crop and þanne comsed
it to crie .AAndR.16.78:
R's A (= ModE "He"), though unique, agrees with Cx; F
has & anoon while beta reads And. wagged
wedew-hod and hit wepte after . And whanne heitR.16.79:
For alpha's he (presumably original), beta manuscripts read it. meued matrimonie it made a foule noyse .ÞatÞat IR.16.80:
R uniquely omits I before hadde. hadde reuthe
whan peres rusedroggedR.16.80:
R's rused is unique but more closely akin to F's rusched than to beta's rogged. it gradde so
reufulliche . For euer as þei dropped adoune þe deuel was redy . And gadered hem alle to-gyderes
bothe grete and smale . Adam and abraham and Isaie þe
prophete . Sampson and samuel and seint Iohan þe
baptiste . Bare hem forth baldely no-body hem letteletted .R.16.85: Beta has letted, but Cx agrees with
alpha's reading. And made of holy men his horde in
lymbo inferni . Þere is dernesseR.16.87:dernesse, "darkness." Cf. R's form with C manuscript
P's deornesse and also note the spelling dernesse in
manuscript A at C20.104. For loss within consonant clusters, cf. also
R.18.121: where sofly appears for
"softly." and drede and þe deuel maister . And peres for puir tene þat o pyl he lauȝte . And hitte after hym happe how it miȝte .Filius by þe faderesfaderR.16.90:
RF are here joined by Cr (and agree with Cx); beta reads fader. wille and frenesse of spiritus sancti . To go robbe þat rageman & reuendreuenreueR.16.91:
R's reuend is an error for beta's reue (cf. F's be-reve). The Cx reading, albeit in a revised line,
agrees with beta's. þe fruit fro hym . ¶ And þanne spake spiritus
sanctus in gabrielGabrielesR.16.92:
This form is unique to R; the other B manuscripts read Gabrieles. The C manuscripts attest both forms (P2TH2Gc agreeing with R), but Cx clearly
supports the F/beta reading. mouthe .R.16.92: In the right margin opposite this text line,
there were two lines of a gloss, now erased, apparently in the same hand as a number of
others, including one on 94r. To a mayde þat hiȝt marie a meke thynge with-alle . Þat on ihesus a iustice sone moste iouken
in here chaumbre . Til plenitudo temporis tymefullyI-comecome(n)R.16.95:
Alpha's reading probably was identical to R's tyme I-come rather than to F's tyme come it; beta reads fully comen. R's version agrees with Cx. were
. Þat peres fruit flourede and fel to be ripe . And þanne schulde ihesus iuste þer-fore &nil byR.16.97: For R's & by (supported by most C
copies), the other B manuscripts read bi.
iugement of armes . Whether schulde fonde þe fruit þe fende or hym-sulue . ¶ Þe mayde mildliche þo þe messagere
graunted . And seyde hendely to hym lo me his hande-maiden . Forto worchen his wille with-outen any synne .Ecce ancilla domini fiat michi
&cetera . And in þe wombe of þat wenche was he fourty wekes . Til he wex a faunt þoruȝ hire flesche
& of fyȝtynge coude . To haue yfouȝte with þe fende ar ful tyme come
. And peres þe plowman parseyued þenilR.16.106: R's þe is a unique addition to this phrase as witnessed
by beta (parceyued plenere tyme). F has its own unique wording at this
point, parseyuede in þat plener tyme. plener
tyme . And lered hym leche-craft
his lif forto saue . Þat þouȝ he were wonded with his enemy
to warschen hym-selue . And ded hym assaye his surgerye on hem þat sike were
. Til he was parfite practisour if any perel fulle .m iijus And souȝt oute þe sike and synful bothe . And saluede sike and synful bothe blynde &
crokede .R.16.113: R
uniquely omits And at the head of this line. The C
version here confirms the accuracy of the majority B reading.ComuneAnd comune wommen conuerted and to gode
turned .Non est sanis opus medicimedicusR.16.114: R's medici is a unique reading; some copies
(LWHmCBmBoF) have medicus; others (CrMO) show medico; G reads medicine. sed
male habentibusR.16.114: The phrase male habentibus is an alpha variant; beta
probably read in &c. &cetera
. Bothe meseles and mute and in þe meneson
blody . Ofte he heled suche he ne helde it for no maystrie . Saue þo he leched lazar þat hadde I-leye in graue . Quatriduanus quelt quik dede hym walke
. Ac as he made þatþeR.16.119: In place of alpha's þat, beta reads þe. maistrie mestus cepit esse
. And wepte water with his eyes þere
seyȝen it manye . Somme þat þe siȝte seye seyde þat
tyme . Þat he was leche of lif and lorde of heye heuene . Iewes Iangeled þere-aȝeyne þatandR.16.123: For R's unique þat, F reads þo þat;
beta reads and. iuged lawes . And seyde he wrouȝte þoruȝ wicche-crafte & wit þe deueles miȝte . Demonium habes . &cetera
. ¶ Þanne ar ȝe cherles quod ihesusI(ch)R.16.126: R's reading is unique; cf. F's crist and beta's ich / I. and ȝoure
childre bothe . And sathan ȝoure saueoure
ȝow-selue now ȝe witnessen . For I haue saued ȝow-selueȝow-self seith crystR.16.128: Beta adds, at the end of the a-verse seith cryst. F
agrees with R in omitting the phrase. and ȝoure sones
after . Ȝoure bodies ȝoure bestes and
blynde men holpen . And fedde ȝow with fisches and with fyue loues
. And left basketes ful of broke mete bere awey ho-so wolde . And mysseyde þe iewes manliche & manased hem to bete
. And knocked on hem with a corde and cast a-doun here stalles . Þat in cherche chaffaredden or chaunged any mone . And seyde it in siȝt of hem alle so þat alle herden
. I schal ouer-torne
þis temple and adoun throwe . And in thre dayes after edifye it newe . And make it as muche other more in alle
maner poyntes . As euer it was and as wide
where-fore I hote ȝow . Of preyeres and of parfitnesse þis place þat ȝe
callen .Domus mea domus
oracionis vocabitur . Enuye and euel wil arenwasR.16.142: R's aren is unique but outweighs the consensus of F and
the beta copies (which have was) on account of the latter's defective
alliteration. A majority of C manuscripts (= ern,
preterite of rennen) also support this reading. See Kane and Donaldson, p.
186, for discussion of the forms. in þe iewes . Þei casten & contreueden to kullen
hym whan þei miȝte . Vche day after other þeire tyme þei
awaited . Til it byfel on a friday a litelitelR.16.145: R's lite is unique; most other B
manuscripts read litel, supported by Cx. Cr1-2 show
little. be-fore pasche . Þe thoresday be-fore þere
he made his cenemaundee .R.16.146: In place of alpha's cene, beta reads maundee.SittandeSittyng at þe sopere andheR.16.147: For R's and, F reads hym-selue and beta has he. seide þise
wordes . I am solde þoruȝ summeoneR.16.148: This is an alpha variant; beta reads the non-alliterating one in place of summe. of ȝow he schal þe tyme
rewe . Þat euereuere heR.16.149: R uniquely omits he after euer.
his saueour solde for siluer or elles . ¶ Iudas ianglede þere-aȝeyne ac ihesus hym tolde . It was hym-self sothely
and seyde tu dicis .R.16.151: In the right margin
opposite this line and extending down five lines to R16.156, there is an erased gloss,
apparently in the same hand as the long, erased note on 94r. Þanne wente forth þat wikked man & with þe iewes
mette And tolde hem a tokne how to knowe with
ihesus .ÞeAndR.16.154:Þe is an alpha reading; beta has And. whiche
tokne to þis day to muche is vsed . Þat is kyssynge and faire
contenaunce & vnkende wille . And so was with Iudas þo þat ihesus
bitraied .Aue rabi quod þat ribaude and riȝt
to hym he ȝodeR.16.157: R's ȝode is unique in form but not in sense; the
beta manuscripts have ȝede while F shows wente. . And kest hym to ben cauȝt þer-by and kulde þoruȝofR.16.158: Alpha's þoruȝ is replaced in beta by of. þe iewes . ¶ Þanne Ihesus to Iudas and to þe iewes
seyde . Falsnesse ichR.16.160: R's ich is unique in form
but not in sense; the other B manuscripts (as well as those of the C version) have I or y. fynde
in þi faire speche . And gile in þi glade chere and galle is in þi
lauȝynge . Þow schalt be myrour to manye men to deseyue . Ac þe wors and þe wikkednesse schal worth vpon þi-selue .Necesse est vt veniant scandala .Ve homini illi per quem
scandalum venit . Þouȝ I be treson be take andatR.16.166: R's and is unique; cf. beta's at and
F's & þorgh. ȝoure owene wille . Suffreth my postlesR.16.167: Only L joins R in this clipped form; all
other B manuscripts have Apostles. R and L are also
alone in reading the possessive as my where the other copies have myn. The C manuscripts are divided on this phrase, with
most of the X family supporting LR and most of the P family agreeing with the beta
majority. in pays and in pees gange .InOnR.16.168: Beta reads On. a thorsday in thesternesse
þus was he taken . Thoruȝ Iudas and iewes ihesus was
his name . Þat on þe friday folwynge for mankende sake . Iusted in ierusalem a ioye
to vs alle . On cros vpon caluarie criste toke þe bataile . Aȝeynes deth and þe deuel destruyde þereherbeirebother(es)R.16.173: According to OED2, s. v.bo (a. and pron.) and both (a. and adv.), R's unique
form beire is a genitive plural form of bo (= "both").
So R's phrase, þere beire miȝtes, means the powers of
both of them. Beta has bother(es) while F rewrites the line.
miȝtes . Deyede and deth for-dede
and day of nyȝt made . ¶ And I awaked þerewith and wiped myn
eyesR.16.175:
Beta's form is eyghen. . And after peres þe plowman pried and stared Estward and westwarde I waited after faste . And ȝede forth as an Ideot in contre to a-spie . After peres þe plowman many a place I souȝte . And þan mette I with a man a mydlenten soneday .m iiijus As hoer as an hauȝthorne and abraham
he hiȝte . I frayned hym furste from whennes he come .John
Sympson In the left margin, between these two verse paragraphs, a
sixteenth-century signature (apparently a pen trial) has been mostly
erased. And of whennes he were and whider þat he
thouȝte . ¶ I am feith quod þat freke it falleth
nauȝt menilR.16.184: F transposes this phrase as falleþ me nowht; beta omits
me. In a revised line, the prevalent C reading
agrees with R's (though a minority of C witnesses read the phrase in F's
order). to lye . And of abrahames hous an heraude of armes
. I seke after a segge þat I seiȝ ones
. A ful bolde bachelere I knewe hym by his blasen . ¶ What bereth þat buyrn quod I þo so
blisse þe be-tyde . ¶ Thre ledes in on lith non lenger þan other . Of on muchele and miȝt in mesure and
in lenthe . Þat on doth alle doth and vchR.16.191: R's vch is unique in form but not in sense; OED2, s. v.each (a., quasi-pron.), lists it as a viable form from twelfth-fifteenth
century Most other B manuscripts have ech(e).
doth by his one . Þe firste hath miȝt and mageste
makere of alle thynge .Pater is his propre name a
persone by hym-selue . Þe secunde of þat sire is sothfastnesse
filius . Wardan of þat wit hathathR.16.195: R's hat is unique in form among the B manuscripts, but not in sense; OED2, s. v.have, lists it as a viable fifteenth century form for the 3rd sing. pres.
of have. Most other B manuscripts read hath. was euer with-outen
gynnynge . Þe thridde hat þe holy goste a persone by
hym-seluen .Þat alle þe liȝt of þe lifÞe liȝte of alle þat lyf hathR.16.197: The syntactic confusion in this a-verse began in alpha, which omitted the
verb (cf. F's Þat al þe lyght & þe lyf). Beta witnesses read the full
line as Þe liȝte of alle þat lyf hath a londe & a watre.
a londe and a watere . Confortoure of creatoures of hym cometh
alle blisse . So thre bylongeth for a lorde þat
lordschipe claymeth . Miȝt and a mene toto knoweR.16.200: After to, R omits the verb knowe. This
line was already metrically defective in Bx, which appears to have read
as beta does: Myȝte and a mene to knowe his owne myȝte. Assuming
this shape for Bx, R's only additional deficit is the aforementioned
loss, which probably occurred in alpha. Cf. F's version of the line: Myght
& eek a meyne to his myght owiþ. The C version of this line
also seems metrically defective: Miȝte and a mene to se his owne
myhte. his owene miȝte . Of hym-seluehymR.16.201: R's hym-selue is an alpha
variant; cf. beta's hym. and of his seruant
and what soffret hemþei suffreR.16.201: The phrase soffret hem is an alpha variant; beta reads
þei suffre. Both alpha variants in this line are authenticated by their
presence in Cx. bothe . So god þat gynnynge hadde nereneureR.16.202: R's nere is a unique form; the other manuscripts readneure. but þo hym gode thouȝte . Sent forth his sone as for seruant þat
tyme . To ocupien hym here til issue were
spronge . Þat is childurne of charite and holy cherche þe moder
. Patriarkes and prophetes and apostles
were þe barneschyldren .R.16.206: Beta has chyldren in place of RF's barnes, and Cx agrees with beta's reading. And crist and cristendom and allenilR.16.207: Beta omits alle, as does the P family of C manuscripts; but the X family of C manuscripts agrees with RF,
including the word. cristene holy cherche . In menynge þat man moste inonR.16.208: This is an alpha variant (also attested in Cr); the other beta copies read
on. o god byleue . And þere hym lyked and louede in thre
persones hym schewed . And þat it may be so & soth man-hode it scheweth . Wedlok and widewehode with virginite I-nempned . In tokenynge of þe trinite was take out
of o manR.16.212: R's o man and beta's a man are both
enumerative and semantically identical, emphasizing that all three states of grace emanate
from "one man," while F seems to miss the point, reading mankynde.
. Adam oure aller fader eue was of hym-selue .S oppR.16.214: At the bottom margin of fol. 83v, near the gutter, in a brown secretary
hand, there is a pen trial: S opp. And þe isue þat þei hadde it was of hem bothe .John Sympson Smithe JohnJohn SympsonWilliam JohJhonSympson Across the top margin of fol. 84r,
all of the pen trials appear to be in the same hand, but the different shades of ink and
variations in cut of the stylus suggest that they were executed at different
times. And eyther is otheres ioye in thre sondri
persones . And in heuene and here one singulere name . And þatþusR.16.217: For alpha's þat, beta reads þus. is man-kende or manhode of
matrimonie spronge .R.16.217: In the extreme right margin there is some scribbling that
appears to be a continuation of the pen trials higher on the page, with the writer continuing
to practice the capital <S> of Sympson. And bi-tokeneth þe trinite
and trewe byleue : ¶ Miȝte is innilR.16.219: Beta omits in. matrimonie þat multiplieth
þe erthe . And bitokeneth treweli telle if I durste . He þat first formed alle þe fader of heuene . Þe sone if I it durste say resembleth wel þe widewe
.Deus meus deus meus vt quid
me dereliquistidereliquisti me .R.16.223: For R's me dereliquisti, the other B copies show a reversal: dereliquisti
me. Þat is creatour wax creature to knowe what was bothe
.NotaR.16.225: To the right of the
nota, there is a symbol resembling a modern script capital <E>. As widewe with-oute wedloke
was neuere ȝet I-seye .Nenil naR.16.226: R's Ne is a unique addition to the text of Bx. more miȝte god be man but if he moder hadde . So widewe with-oute wedloke
may nouȝt wel stande . Ne matrimonie with-oute
moylere is nauȝt muche to preyse .Maledictus homo qui non
reliquit semen in israel
&cetera . Þus in thre persones is
parfitliche puirnilR.16.230: R's puir is unique (beta omits it while F reads þorghȝ); nevertheless, the metrical requirements of the line indicate
that puir is authentic. manhode . Þat is man and his make & moillereherenilR.16.231: L agrees with RF, though the other beta copies omit here. childerne . And is nouȝt but gendre of o
generacioun bi-for
ihesu crist in heuene . So is þe fader forth with þe sone and fre wil of bothe
.Spiritus procedens a patre et filio
Which is þe holy gost of al and al is but o god . Þus in a somer I hym seyȝ as I sat in my porche
. I ros vp and reuerenced hym and riȝt
faire hym grette .knak ¶ Thre men to my syȝte I made wel at ese .R.16.238: In
the right margin, an early reader has written knak vertically, beginning here and extending upwards in the margin to a spot
opposite R16.237. Wesche here fete in[a]n[d]and wiped heshemR.16.239: R's hes is unique but is not a careless error. According
to OED2, s. v.his, hise (pers. pron., 3rd sing. fem. acc.), this form is a
twelfth-fourteenth century variant of the 3rd person sing. accus., his(e),
which is equivalent to standard ME hem. MED, s. v.netheren (v.) and God, cites an example from the
thirteenth-century Vices and Virtues (Bute hie hem seluen
neðerien..scal goddalmihtin hes forliesen — BL Stowe 34). and
afterwarde þei eten . Calues flesche and cake brede and knewen what I
thouȝte . Ful trewe toknesse bitwene vs is to telle whan me
liketh .R.16.241: Someone after the R scribe had finished his
work has partially erased the <h> of liketh, but its remains are
still visible and recognizable. Furste he fonded me if I loued bettere
. Hym or Isaac myn ayr þe whiche he hiȝt me kulle
. He wist my wille bi hym aheR.16.244:A, "he." wol me it a-lowe . I am ful siker in soule there of and my
sone bothe .Wyll ND I circumcised my sone sith for his sake
. In the right margin, there is a pen trial (in a black secretary hand):
Wyll ND . It is written vertically upwards
from a point below the last text line to a point in the right margin opposite
R16.246. My-sulue and my mayneR.16.247: R's mayne is unique in form but not meaning; MED, s.
v.meine, attests its viability as a spelling of meine for
the fourteenth-fifteenth centuries. F has meyghne. The beta manuscripts
show a variety of spellings, with a majority reading meyne(e). The C form is identical to R's. and al þat male
were . Bledden blode for þat lordes loue & hope to blisse
þe tyme . My affiance and my fayR.16.249: R's fay is unique in form
but not meaning; MED, s. v.feith, attests its viability as a spelling variant of feiþ for the fourteenth-fifteenth centuries. The C form, however,
is identical to that of the B majority. is ferme in þis
bileue . For hym-sulue be-hiȝt to me and to myn issue bothe . Londe and lordschipe and lif withouten
ende . To me and to myn issue more ȝet he me graunted
. Mercy for oure mysdedes as many tyme as we asken .Quam olim abrahe promisisti et semini eius
. And sitthe he sent me to seye I schulde do sacrifice
. And done hym worschpeworsch[i]peworshipe with brede and with wyne bothe . In the left margin opposite these lines,
there are traces of an erased pen trial, apparently a signature, running vertically downwards
and encroaching slightly, at the bottom, into the text area. And called me þe fote of his feith his folke for to saue
. And defende hem fro þe fende folke þat on me leuedR.16.258: Kane and Donaldson read R here as lened. . Þus haue I ben his heraud here and in helle . And conforted many a careful þat after
his commynge waiten . And þus I seke hym he sayde for I herde seyn late . Of a buyrnbarneR.16.262: Beta reads barne. þat baptised hym
Iohan baptist was his name . Þat to patriarkes and to prophetes and to
other peple in derkenesse . Seyde þat he seydeseighR.16.264: Beta has seigh. here þat schal sauen hemvs alle .R.16.264: Beta's version of the b-verse is þat sholde saue vs alle.
R's schal is shared with CF and hem with F alone. The
Cx version of this entire line is substantively identical to that of
beta.Ecce agnus dei &cetera
. ¶ I hadde wonder of his wordes and of his wide clothes
.AndForR.16.267: In place of alpha's And, beta reads For, which is also the reading of Cx. In his bosom he bare
a thynge &nilR.16.267: Beta omits &. Cx agrees with
alpha. þat he blessed euere . And I loked on his lappe a laȝar lay
þere-Inne .R.16.268: Immediately following
the last word of this line, there is an indecipherable, tiny note written in a later hand,
accompanied by a small vertical bar. Amonges patriarkes and prophetes pleyedepleyandeR.16.269: R's use of the preterite is unique in the B tradition
(a few copies of C attest a preterite here); most beta copies have pleyinge (which is also the reading of Cx); but cf. F's
pleyende and L's pleyande. These forms of the present
participle suggest that R's mistake may have amounted to nothing more than overlooking a
nasal bar in his copytext. to-gyderes . ¶ What a-waitest þow
quod he & what wildestowwoldestowR.16.270: The other B copies show woldestow,
which is also the reading of a majority of C witnesses (primarily among
the P family). Many X family witnesses read wost thow. haue . ¶ I wolde wite quod I þo what is in
ȝoure lappe . ¶ Lo quod he and lete me se lorde mercy I
seyde . Þis is a present of muche pris what prince schal it haue
. ¶ It is a preciose present
quod he ac þe pouke it hath atached . And me þere-with
quod þat weyemanR.16.275:Weye, "person, being, man." Beta has man.
may no wed vs quite . Ne no buyrn ben oure boruȝ ne
brynge vs fram his daungere .R.16.276: Alpha omits the
following line attested by beta manuscripts (and in a slightly revised form by the C version):Oute of þe poukes pondfolde no meynprise may vs fecche. Til he come þat I carpe of crist is his name . Þat schal deliuere vs sum day out of þe
deueles power . And bettere wed for vs legge þan we ben
al worthi . Þat is lif for lif or ligge þus euere Lollynge in my lappe til suche a lorde vs feche . ¶ Allas thouȝte I þo þat is a longe a-bydynge . These three lines are from alpha. They are judged by
Kane-Donaldson as well as by Schmidt to be spurious. Kane-Donaldson hypothesize loss of the
authentic lines through similarity of line heads (KD16.270 = Allas I;
KD16.274 = I). This rationale seems unlikely and also depends on the
assumption that alpha later noticed the loss and generated the spurious lines as a
replacement. In reality, the alpha version of these lines was probably deliberate, motivated
by censorship of material deemed to be theologically dangerous (in beta, sin is said to be
able to hinder the might of God's mercy). Beta (as well as the C
version, in a slightly revised form) reads: Allas I seyde þat synne so longe shal lette Þe myȝte of goddes mercy
þat myȝt vs alle amende I wepte for his wordes with þat sawe I an other
Rapelich renne forth þe riȝte waye went. The last of these four lines was
omitted by alpha. The text of alpha is not entirely clear, since R differs significantly from
F, which reads as follows: Allas þowhte y þoo þat is a long a-bydynge & oon on foote sewede hym
for he softely wente & he be-took hym þe targe as tyȝt trewly to me it
telle. And sued hym for he softe ȝede . Þat he toek vs as tit ac trewly to telle . I afrayned hym furste fram whennes he come .WhatAnd what he hiȝte and whider he wolde and whithlicheR.16.286: R's form here, whithliche, is unique in the B tradition but is
identical with the spelling found in Cx. Though the form is not
semantically distinctive, its occurrence in R is phonologically of interest and is likely a
relict. he tolde .