fol. 13vI
sus
Passus quintus de visione petri plowman . vt
supra .
Nota
R.5.8KD.5.8
AndR.5.8: R uniquely omits so I before babeled and replaces the presumably original on with vppon ; cf. F's y bablede so on. C omits this
passage, but in the A version it reads as in the beta manuscripts of B.
babeled
vppon my bedes þei brouȝt me a-slepe .
Was perteliche for pruydeR.5.15:
R's phrase here is that of alpha (cf. F's virtually indentical wording); the beta copies
read pure pryde. The A and C versions both agree with alpha. and for no poynt elles
.
AndR.5.17:
And is an alpha variant (cf. F's somewhat different rendering of this
line), but it is not present in the beta manuscripts, nor is it attested in the manuscripts
of the other versions at this point. in ensaumple ȝee segges ȝee
schulden do þe bettere .
AndR.5.19:
And is an alpha variant completely unattested in beta copies (which begin
the line with Torned. However, the alpha reading of this line opening
agrees exactly with that of the other two versions. turned vpward here taile R.5.19: Alpha omits beta's in before tokenynge.
Both the A and C versions agree at this point with
beta.
to kenyngetokenynge of drede .
R.5.24KD.5.24
¶ He bad wastour toR.5.24:
R's to is unique among the B manuscripts. The others
read go, which is also the reading of the A version
and of the P family of C witnesses. However, the X family agrees with
R's reading. werche what he best coude .
And wynnen his wastinge with som
manere
crastyscra[f]tys .R.5.25: R's crastys, is probably an alpha error (cf. beta's crafte and F's reconstructed werkys). The phrase is
omitted from C, but the A witnesses support beta's
rendering.
fol. 14rI
R.5.28KD.5.28
¶¶ Thomme stouue he tauȝte to
take to stones .R.5.28: R's stones is unique. The other B
manuscripts, as well as the other versions, read staues.
Þat hire hed was worth half marke his hode nauȝt a
groteR.5.31:
HmGCotH join R in omitting worth from the final phrase of this line
(witnessed by F and most beta copies as nouȝte worth
a grote. The majority of A witnesses agrees with this B majority in attesting the word, but RaUChJEK agree with Rawlinson 38 in
omitting it. So do all but two of the C witnesses. .
¶ And þanne he charged chapmen to chasteR.5.34: The uncovered final
<e> makes R's reading unmetrical. R's verb form is unique among the B witnesses; some beta manuscripts have chastize(n). However, R's
form is attested in some copies of both A and C.
Likewise, some of the A witnesses agree with beta. The Cx form appears to have been chasten, quite possibly the reading of
Bx, since it is also the reading of LCrCG. hire childerne .
Late no wynnynge for-wanyen þeR.5.35:
R uniquely omits Bx's hem at the end of the a-verse
and uniquely adds þe at the head of the b-verse. However, the addition of
þe is paralleled in the X family of C
manuscripts. while þei ben ȝonge .
Ho-so spareth þe sprynge he spillethR.5.42: Beta omits he. Although three C
manuscripts include the pronoun, it seems clear that Cx read here as
beta does. his childern .
¶
And sitthen he prouedR.5.43: R's proued is unique and presumably results
from scribal anticipation of proue in the next line; beta
reads preyed (which is confirmed by both the A and
C versions) while F completely rewrites the line.
prelatz and prestes to-gyderes .
It is þi tresor if treson weretreson [n]ereR.5.51: R uniquely drops the negative.
and triacle at þi nede .
R.5.52KD.5.50
¶¶ And siþþen he preyed þe popeR.5.52: The word pope has been
partially erased, though the original reading is visible. The erasure is very old but not the
work of the original scribe. haue pite on holy cherche .
fol. 14vI
R.5.76KD.5.73
With þat he schulde on þe dayR.5.76:
Cf. beta's þe saterday and F's euery day. The C version is completely revised at this point, but the A reading agrees completely with that of beta. seuen ȝer
þere-after .
And carfulliche mea culpa he
cumsed to schreweschre[u]e .R.5.79: R's error, schrewe, was not a misreading for shewe (the beta variant) but for schreue, the alpha reading (cf.
F's shryve). The A reading agrees with that of
beta.
And clutedR.5.81:
This is a unique R reading (Bx = clothed). According
to MED, s. v.
clouten (v. 1), the form is the past participle of clouten, which usually means "to mend" but here and in a few other documented
instances clearly signifies "to wear patched or ragged clothes." in a tauri-mauri[c]auri-mauriR.5.81: R, probably by coincidence, shares the <c/t> confusion with
Bm. I coude nauȝt itR.5.81:
R reverses this phrase, which in the other B manuscripts (as well as the
A version) reads it nouȝte. descriue
.
Of a frereR.5.83:
R's uninflected form, frere, is unique in the B
version. The other copies have freres. However, five A-version manuscripts (DJLaEN) agree with R's unmarked genitive. frokke
were hisR.5.83:
In place of alpha's his, beta reads þe. Ax is unclear on this point, a majority agreeing with beta, but a large minority
(HaLaEAKWa) agreeing with alpha. fore-sleues .
fol. 15rI
And wryngyed withR.5.87:
Beta reads wryngynge he ȝede. F has hise hondis he
wrong. þe fist to wreke hym-self he
thouȝte .
With bagbityng and withR.5.91:
This line's second with is a unique addition in R. bysmere
and berynge of fals wytnesse .
And al-soR.5.98:
R's al-so is unique; cf. Bx's made. his frendes ben his fon þoruȝ my fals tonge .
R.5.100KD.5.99
By-twene mayne and mayneR.5.100:
The form mayne is the R scribe's spelling for meine,
"household" (see also R.16.247:). In F the a-verse
reads By-twixe hym & manye men; most beta manuscripts
have Bitwene many and many. Though MED lists the head form
as meine, OED notes that by the opening of the fifteenth
century the word was sometimes spelled many, which appears to have been
beta's intention. Its authenticity is also supported by a cognate line from the A version, where the phrase reads Betwyn hym & his meyne. I make debate ofte .
¶¶ And whan I come to þechercheþe chercheR.5.106:
HmF agree with R in reading cherche, but they omit the article. The beta
reading, kirke (also the reading of the A tradition),
fits the alliterative pattern of the line; cherche was the alpha reading,
shared by convergence with Hm. and schulde knele to þe rode .
R.5.112KD.5.111
And beholde how heleyne hath onR.5.112:
R's on is an alpha addition unattested in beta or in the A version. a newe cote
I wysche þenne it were myn and alle þe web after .R.5.113: Here
the scribe omits his usual line break before a new verse paragraph, presumably because he has
reached the end of a side.
¶¶ And of hisR.5.114:
R's his is a unique reading among the B manuscripts
(both F and beta attest mennes). However, it is clear that Ax reads as R does. lesynge I lawhe þat lyketh myn herte .
fol. 15vI
Ac for his wynnygewynny[n]geR.5.115:
At the beginning of this phrase, R's Ac is unique among the B manuscripts but is also the reading of Ax; by
contrast, F has But and beta reads And). As for his (an alpha variant contrasting to beta's hir), a
majority of A witnesses agree with RF. I wepe and wayle
þe tyme .
R.5.116KD.5.115
¶ And deme menR.5.116:
R's men is unique; F substitutes hem while beta omits
it altogether. However, in a slightly different phrase found in the cognate A line (I deme men þere hy don ille), we find unambiguous support
for R's reading. þat hij don ylle þere I do wel worse .
Þat alle my body bolneth for bytter inR.5.121:
Cf. R's in to F's ys and beta's of;
it is unclear what the alpha reading was. The A reading agrees with
beta. my galle .
¶ I am euereR.5.129:
Beta omits euere. This omission is also found in the A version, but the C version agrees with alpha and includes the
qualifier. sory quod þat segge I am but selde
other .
Whan he solde and I nauȝt þanne was I aredyR.5.133:
Beta reads redy, and F has ful redy. Some C copies agree with beta, but Cx agrees with R's form,
aredy. .
To lye and to loure on my neyȝbore and to lakken his
wareR.5.134:
R's ware is the alpha reading; cf. beta's chaffare. .
R.5.136KD.5.135
¶¶ Now waketh wrotheR.5.136:
R's waketh is unique (most of the other witnesses have awaketh). Likewise, R's spelling of the following noun (= wrothe,
but rendered as Wraþe or wratthe by most of the others)
is unique among the B copies—cf. the same spelling at R5.138 (at
which point F and the X family of C concur with R's form). According to
OED2, s. v.
wrath, and MED, s. v.
wroth, this spelling is a late adaptation from the adjective wroth, = "angry." Nominal usage is also found in a manuscript of Gower's
Confessio (at 3.217) and in the Trinity manuscript of the A-version (at 5.66). with to white eyȝes .
¶ I am wrotheR.5.138:
R's wrothe is a relatively uncommon spelling for this word (cf. R5.136
above), but it is also attested in F and among the X family of C. Beta
and the P family of C witness the more usual spellings (e.g, W's wraþe). quatz he I was sumtyme a frere .
And þe couentR.5.139:
R's uninflected form is unique; F and beta read a normal genitive, couentes. On the other hand, the R scribe may have taken the phrase couent gardinere as a compound noun. gardinere
for to graffe ympes .
And sitthe þei blosmedR.5.142:
The beta phrase, which has the advantage of alliterating properly, is blosmed
obrode. in boure to here schriftes .
fol. 16rI
R.5.144KD.5.143
Schewen here schriftes til hem þan schriuen hem tilR.5.144:
Both of R's uses of til in this line are unique; F and beta read to in the first instance. F revises the b-verse substantially (so as to be
unsuitable for comparison), but beta again deploys to.
here persones .
And fyndenR.5.147:
The agreement of RF in omitting the first stave of this line (freres in
beta) indicates that the error derives from alpha. hem in defaute as folke
bereth witnesse .
I wrathe walke with hymR.5.149:
R's hym is unique and obviously an error; F and beta read the plural hem, which agrees with all of the surrounding context, including another
pronoun reference later in this same line. and wisse hem of my bokes .
¶¶ I haue anauntean
aunte to nonne and an abbesseR.5.155:
Beta adds bothe at the end of this line. The C
version, however, agrees with alpha in omitting it. .
Many monthes with hem and with monkes alse .R.5.158: R's alse is unique; the other B
manuscripts read bothe. The C reading agrees with
that of the B majority.
R.5.164KD.5.162
¶ Of wikked wordes I wrathe here wortes I-madeR.5.164: Only RLOC2 have the metrically necessary dissyllabic form
from OE gemacian. F has a recomposed line, and other B manuscripts have made. .
Gregorius
R.5.168KD.5.166
¶¶ Seynt gregorie was a goed pope and
hadde a goed forwitteR.5.168: In this verse paragraph and the next, the scribal hand becomes
noticeably smaller, and yet the 36-line ruling is unchanged from the previous
leaf.
fol. 16vI
R.5.176KD.5.174
And ȝeet amR.5.176:
R's ȝeet is a unique addition to this line, as witnessed in the other
B manuscripts. However, it is also clearly attested in the C version. chalenged in þe chapitelhous .
As I achilda child wereR.5.177: R's line
division here is unique and obviously an error; F, beta, and the C
version read this phrase as the end of the preceding line .
And baleysed on þe bare hers
bakR.5.178:
R's cancelled reading, hers, is the Bx original. F
agrees with R's "corrected" and euphemized reading, bak, but the C version agrees with the Bx original.
and no breche by-twene .
R.5.180KD.5.177
I ete þere vnthende fissh and febleR.5.180: The
final <e> of feble is blotted. ale drinke .
R.5.184KD.5.181
I couthe it in oure cloystre þat alleR.5.184: R uniquely omits a
determiner after alle. A majority of beta copies, and F, read þe here while LMCrW attest owre. Cx
agrees with F and the beta majority.
couent wot it .
Conseille þat þow knoweste by contenance ne
by specheR.5.186:
R and F agree with the C version in attesting speche
as this line's final stave. By contrast, beta reads riȝte at this
point. .
Esto sobrius he seyde and
so heR.5.189:
R's so he is a unique addition to the text witnessed by both Bx and Cx. assoyled me after .
descripcio
avaritie
With hisR.5.198:
For alpha's his, beta reads an. The C reading agrees with alpha. hode on his hed a lousy hatt aboue .
But if a lous coude lepe þe bettere .R.5.201: All the B manuscripts are corrupt,
presumably losing most of the original b-verse: But if (þat) a lous couthe
(haue lopen / lepen) þe bettre. RF omit þat and avoid the perfect
tense. F's reading for this line is unique in other ways as well. The A-version reading for this line's second half is uncertain, with considerable variation
between witnesses. Kane chose I may it nouȝt leue. The C b-verse has the appearance of a feeble patch rather than a common
original: y leue and y trowe.
He
ne schulde nouȝt walkeR.5.202:
Cf. beta's She sholde nouȝte haue walked. Evidence from the A and C versions suggests that archetypal B was already misreading the first verb in this line (= wandre in A and C). Though most C manuscripts attest the line's opening as He sholde,
manuscripts X and P2 here agree with R's version of the opening phrase,
He ne schulde. Among the A copies, the same pattern
is apparent, with most opting for some form of he shulde but with ChRaU
paralleling R's double-negative syntax. on þat welsch so was it
thredebare .
And was his prentis I-pliȝt
his profit to wayte .R.5.205: R omits his customary blank line between
strophes at the juncture of ll. 205-06, presumably because the latter is to fill the last
line ruled for this side.
wikedlyche to weye .R.5.206:These catchwords
are partially cropped.
fol. 17rI
Ne hadde þe grace of gyle I-go amonge my ware .R.5.210: The alpha variant ware is supported by LM, but most beta
copies read chaffare. However, as is often the case with such splits, both
Ax and Cx support the LMRF variant.
Amonge þe riche rayeresR.5.214:
R's rayeres, "a maker or seller of striped cloth," is a unique variant
among B witnesses; Bx reads rayes. The same variant occurs in manuscript Uc of the C version,
but both Ax and Cx clearly attest the same word
here as the B majority. For other citations of this R form, see
MED, s. v.
raier. I rendred a lessoun .
To brochen hem with a batnedelR.5.215:
Most beta manuscripts read paknedle, but L (and perhaps M originally,
which has been corrected to pak by erasure and writeover) supports alpha's
batnedel. The majority of A witnesses agrees with
beta, but manuscripts AE agree with alpha's lection. Batnedel is also the
reading of the best C manuscripts (though most of the P family copies
agree with the common beta reading). and playted hem to-gyderes .
Heo spak to a spinnesterR.5.219:
Beta reads spynnesteres, which is also the reading of Cx. The Ax reading is uncertain since the singular and plural
forms are both well attested among extant copies. to spynnen
it oute .
R.5.220KD.5.215
Ac þe pound þat heo payed by peysed a quarterR.5.220:
Beta reads quarteroun, but Ax and Cx confirm alpha's lection. more .
Nota
¶ I bouȝte hire barlyR.5.222:
Beta and F read barly malte, but both Ax and Cx confirm R's reading. heo brewe it to selle .
¶¶ Þe best of alleR.5.225:
R's of alle is unique; F and beta read ale. Among the
C manuscripts, the P family omits this lection entirely (as does the
cognate line in A), while the X family agrees with the reading of F and
beta. lay in my boure or in my bedde-chaumbre
.
And ho-so bummethR.5.226:
R is the only B manuscript to render this verb in the present tense (but
see the Introduction III.2.2.10 on
R's—and alpha's—possibly ambiguous tense marking); the others read bummed. Both Ax and Cx agree with
the majority B reading. þere-offe
he bouȝte it þere-after .
R.5.228KD.5.223
And ȝet it com in coppe-mele
þis crafte my wif vseth .R.5.228: The present-tense marking represents alpha's reading (but cf. see the
Introduction III.2.2.10 on R's—and
alpha's—possibly ambiguous tense marking); cf. beta's vsed. Both
Ax and Cx agree with beta.
Rose þe regrater isR.5.229:
The present-tense marking represents alpha's reading; cf. beta's was. Both
Ax and Cx agree with beta. hire riȝte
name .
Heo hath I-holdeR.5.230:
Cf. beta's holden. A and C
witnesses show a mixture of verb forms here, but the P family of C
agrees with alpha's form. hokkarie alle hire lif-tyme .
¶¶ Repentedest þow euere quod
repentaunce neR.5.235: Among the B manuscripts, only LM
support R's ne; most beta copies read or and F has &. However, Cx clearly agrees with the LMR
reading. restitucion madest .
fol. 17vI
I ros whan þei were a-reste
and I-rifledR.5.237: LR alone have unmetrical I-rifled. Other B manuscripts have riflede. here males .
Þow haddest bettereR.5.239: R shares with LM alone
the omission of be in the phrase, be bettere. Their
reading is, however, likely to be the original. M later was "corrected" to the majority
reading. worthi be hanged þere-fore .
I lerned amonges lumbardes a lessoun and of iewesR.5.245:
Cf. beta's and iewes a lessoun. F reads a lessoun be
herte. The C reading agrees exactly with R's. .
Ich haue mo maneres þorȝ regagesR.5.249:
Beta has rerages; alpha's reading, regages, is
unrecorded in both OED2 and MED
s. v.
rerage, and arrearage, and is presumably nonsense
generated by the misreading of a single graph, an anglicana r.
þan þorȝ miseretur & comodat
.
And ben here brokour after and brouȝtR.5.251: R shares
this error (brouȝt for bouȝte) by convergence
with Cot alone. it my-selue .
R.5.252KD.5.246
Exchaunges and cheuysaunces with suche chaffaresR.5.252:
R uniquely deploys the plural form here. I dele .
And toke it be taille þereR.5.255:
Cf. R's þere with beta's here; F omits the adverb
entirely. and tolde hem there lasse .
R.5.256KD.5.250
¶¶
Lenedest þow euere lordes for loue of here mayntenance .
A design is scratched in drypoint in the left margin beside these lines; its shape is that of
three pillars of approximately the same length, a vertical pillar with two supporting pillars
on its left side; the higher supporting pillar is a flat horizontal, joining the vertical
midway along its length, the lower one running diagonally upwards to join the other two at
the same point. The effect is almost that of a reversed capital <K>.
¶ Ȝe I haue lent lordes quod heo louedR.5.257:
The attributive phrase, quod heo, is an alpha reading not witnessed in any
beta manuscript; cf. F's quod he. me neuere after
.
¶ I haue as muche pyte of pore men as þeR.5.261:
R's determiner, þe, is an alpha variant; it is not present in beta
manuscripts. pedlere hath of cattes .
Þat wolde kulle hem
andR.5.262:
and, "if." Beta reads yf. he cacche
hem miȝte for coueytise of here skynnes .R.5.262: At the bottom
center margin of 17v, there is a drypoint figure almost identical to the one noted at R5.256
for the left margin. Now, however, the <K> figure faces downwards, and the top is
trapezoidal rather than a simple rectangular pillar.
fol. 18rI
R.5.264KD.5.258
¶¶ I am holden quod he as hende
as hound in hisR.5.264:
R's in his kychyne is a metathesis of beta's presumably original text (=
is in kychyne). Cf. F's in þe kycchene. kychyne
.
R.5.268KD.5.262
Ne þin vssueR.5.268: R reads vssue, agreeing with L alone (=
ysue); M has been erased and overwritten to match the other beta
manuscripts' reading, heires. F reads houswif.
after þe haue ioye of þat þow wynneste .
Ne þi seketouresR.5.269:
RF's seketoures is an aphetic form of beta's excecutours. wel bi-sette þe seluer þat
þow hem leuest
R.5.272KD.5.266
I wolde nouȝt cope vs with þi catel ne oure
chercheR.5.272:
Two alpha variants are attested here, the second inadequate for the line's alliterative
pattern; cf. RF's wolde nouȝt and cherche with
beta's nolde and kyrke. amende
Til þow make restitucion quod repentanceR.5.279:
Only R records quod repentance. The other B
witnesses, including F, are here content with a line having only two alliterating staves. The
B manuscript that Langland used in creating C
appears to have shared this faulty alliteration since the alliterative key is there shifted
from /r/ to /m/ in order to make use of make (=B) /
ymad (= C) in the first stave position.
and rekene with hem alle .
Nota
Þat þow hast made vch man goed I may þe nauȝt saue .R.5.281: R's saue is unique. The other manuscripts read assoille.
Non dimittitur peccatum
nisiR.5.282: The predominant beta variant here is donec,
but Cr agrees with alpha. restituatur
ablatum .
R.5.284KD.5.275
Is haldyngeR.5.284:
Only LMF agree with R's Is (but F's verb occurs in a completely rewritten
line). The other copies show be(n). R's haldynge is
unique; the other B copies all show holde(n) as do
many P manuscripts in the C tradition. However, the X family of C agrees with R's lection. at þe heyȝ dome to helpe þe
restitueR.5.284:
With reference to beta, R's lection here appears at first glance to involve a unique
omission. Beta reads þe to restitue. However, the
supposition of omission collapses when we notice that the nearly unanimous C reading at this point is identical to R's (F rewrites the line completely).
.
And ho-so leueth nauȝt þis be
soth loke in aR.5.285:
R's lection is unique; the other manuscripts read þe, as does the C version. sauter glose .
R.5.288KD.5.277.1
¶ Þere is no laborere
wolde leue with hem þat knoweth peres þe plowman .R.5.288: Kane-Donaldson dismiss this alpha line as spurious because of
its reference to Piers Plowman, who has not yet been introduced into the
narrative.
ForR.5.289:
For is an alpha variant; beta omits it. schal neuere
werkman in þis worlde thriue with þat þow wynnest .
R.5.292KD.5.280
Ne hadde repentance þe rathere
confortedR.5.292: Although Hm and G agree with R (presumably by convergence), beta
itself had a compound of this verb, needed for alliteration: reconforted;
F offers, in a rewritten b-verse, reersyd, which looks like an attempted
repair. hym in þis manere .
d ij
fol. 18vI
Misericordia dominiR.5.295: This is a unique variant in R; the beta copies that contain this citation
read eius, the accurate Vulgate form. Approximately half the
beta copies and F omit the entire citation. super omnia opera eius .
&cetera .
R.5.312KD.5.297
And cayres hym to cherchewardeR.5.312:
As is frequently the case, R's unique reading here is defective in alliteration (cf. Bx's kirke-ward). his coupe to schewe
.
¶¶ Hastow auȝt in þi purce any
hote spices .R.5.318: Although the scribe customarily enters a blank line between paragraphs,
following this line he seems to have forgotten to do so because of the heavy prevalence of
paraph markers to indicate dialogue.
¶ I haue peper and pioyneR.5.319:
R's singular is unique among the B manuscripts but agrees with the
reading found in Ax and in the X family of C. The P
family of C shows the same plural as the B
majority. quod sche and a pound of garleke
.
fol. 19rI
R.5.324KD.5.309
SymmeR.5.324: R's non-alliterating Symme is shared with
HmYCBoCot among the B manuscripts but also agrees, oddly, with the
reading found in A manuscripts TRaDH2H and with the
reading of C manuscript P2. Presumably the cause of
these overlapping errors is the mutual resemblance of the relevant capitals. þe
tynkere and tweyne of his prentys .
AndR.5.327:
And is an alpha variant; beta begins the line with Sire. The C version of this line agrees exactly with beta.
sire peres of pridie and peronele of flaundres
A roper a redyng-kynge and rose þe dissheres douȝter .R.5.330: The phrase dissheres douȝter is an alpha variant; cf.
beta's disshere(s). Both the A version and the C version agree with beta on this reading.
Godefrey of garlek-hethe
and grifythR.5.331:
F reads Geffrey while beta has gryfin. Both the A version (some copies omit the line completely) and the P family of the
C version agree with beta's name form here (P family = griffyng), but the X family of C agrees with R's otherwise unique
form. þe walshe .
And badde bette þe bochere toR.5.337:
The verbal particle to is an alpha variant completely absent from the beta
manuscripts. It does, however, appear in a few A manuscripts (RaUDJ) and
in approximately half of the C manuscripts. It may, in fact, be the
family reading of the P group. ben on his side .
ÞereR.5.338:
R uniquely omits the Bx verb were at this point,
treating the participle Ichose at the end of the a-verse as the
verb. chapmen Ichose þis chaffare to preyse .
Nota
R.5.340KD.5.325
¶ ÞoR.5.340:R and Bm are the only witnesses in the B
tradition beginning this line with Þo (= not the common adverb but rather
the plural demonstrative pronoun, equivalent to Modern English, "Those." See Kane,
Glossary, pp. 207-8). The other beta copies all attest Two
while F begins the line with Þan. The P family of C
is joined by manuscripts Uc and Dc in support of the beta reading, but manuscripts X, I and
P2 (probably reflecting the X subarchetype) agree with R and Bm in reading Þo. The A archetype also supports the RBm variant. Presumably R
attests this reading by descent from alpha while Bm has it through correction, perhaps from
the C exemplar used for its opening passus. Schmidt is probably correct
in hypothesizing (II, 353) that Bx actually spelled Þo in this line as To, thus inviting the common subsequent scribal
error of Two.
risen inR.5.340: R uniquely omits a word from this phrase. Beta reads risen vp in while F has ryse þey ful. The reading of
beta is also found in many A manuscripts and is clearly archetypal in
that tradition; among the C witnesses, the P family mostly agrees with R
(omitting vp from the phrase) while the X family attests its presence.
However, many C manuscripts in both families omit in. rape and rowned to-gyderes .
And preysed þeR.5.341:
Beta reads þese in place of alpha's þe. The A reading agrees with alpha, but the C version is
split by families, with the P family supporting alpha while the X family agrees with
beta. penyworthes a-part by hym-selue .
Til robyn þe ropere arise þe southe .R.5.343: R may well represent Bx here, but the b-verse is plainly
wrong. It is obvious that the F redactor has completely recast the b-verse because of its
archtypally defective sense; in beta, the b-verse is similarly lacking, reading arose bi þe southe. Both Kane-Donaldson and Schmidt emend this verse conjecturally to
conform to the C version: aryse they
bisouhte.
R.5.344KD.5.330
And nempned hym for a noumper þat no debate wereR.5.344: Beta and F
read nere in place of R's were, but both G and Hm agree
with R (presumably by correction). The A witnesses are split, but a
majority agrees with R; the C version reading is unambiguously the same
as R's. .
And sitten so til euesonge and syngenR.5.351:
The present tense, syngen, is unique to R; cf. F's sunge and beta's songen. R also shows a present-tense form earlier
in this line, sitten, where most B witnesses record a
past-tense form (but Cr and G agree with R). Context alone would suggest that the past tenses
are correct, but the unanimous witness of C manuscripts as well as the
attestation of a clear majority of A manuscripts in favor of these forms
decides the question. Cf. see the Introduction III.2.2.10 for a discussion of R's problematic tense marking. vmb-while .
fol. 19vI
His guttes gonne to godlyR.5.353: R's godly is shared
exclusively with LM. As odd as it first seems, this was almost certainly the form of the verb
in Bx. F has gowle while most beta manuscripts read
goþelen. The same phrase occurs in the C version,
where it reads His gottes gan to gothly. Significantly, a sizeable number
of C witnesses agree exactly with manuscripts LMR of B on the spelling of the verb form, and MED, s. v.
gothelen, acknowledges both -dly and -þly forms as viable for gothelen, but citations are solely to
Piers Plowman. The same limited acknowledgment of these forms is found in
OED2, s. v.
gothele, and godele(n), -y. as to gnedyg[r]edy sowes .
HeR.5.355:
He is a unique variant; the other B manuscripts read
And. However, R's reading is also that of four A
manuscripts and of the X family of the C version. Both Kane-Donaldson
and Schmidt prefer the F/beta reading, presumably on stylistic grounds since And avoids a syntactic repetition (the previous line begins with He) that modern tastes find clumsy. blew his round rowet at his rigges
bonesR.5.355: Most manuscripts have the compound riggebone, but both rigges and bones are genitives. Manuscript C has the same
reading. ende .
R.5.356KD.5.343
Þat alle þatalle [þat herde] þatR.5.356:
Here R uniquely omits a key phrase from the archetypal text. horne held here
nose after .
¶¶
AcR.5.362:
Ac is unique to R; the other manuscripts read And. The
A archetype seems to omit any connective here, but the C version agrees with F / beta. whan he drouȝ to þe dore þanne
dymmed hys eyȝes .
He tremledR.5.363: R's tremled is uniquely supported by L
(M having been altered once more to conform to the typical beta reading—for which, see
below); F reads tripplid while most betas offer the non-alliterating stombled. Among the A manuscripts, only Vernon offers a
viable reading, þrompelde, while the others attest various forms of stombled. As for the C version, though a few opt for stumblet, the majority attest thromblede. Based on its
alliterative pattern, this is presumably what Langland wrote originally, but the LR form is
almost certainly what it became in Bx. on þe threswolde
and threw to þe erthe .
Durst lape of þe leuyngR.5.369:
Beta shows the plural form, leuynges, while F rewrites the a-verse beyond
recognition. The C version agrees here with R's singular.
so vnlouely it smauȝte .
Baren hym toR.5.371:
Beta reads home to; although three A copies (VHaN)
agree with beta here, both Ax and Cx concur with
alpha's omission of hom. his bed and brouȝte hym
þere-inne .
Of þatR.5.381: R's Of is unique; the other B witnesses begin the line with Þat. However, the C reading here is identical to R's. I haue trespased with my tonge I
can nauȝt telle how ofte .
Sworen godes soule and his sydesR.5.382:
Beta omits the entire R phrase for the end of the a-verse (and his sydes);
F reads an abbreviated version, & side. The C
reading is probably that of the X family (which agrees exactly with R's). The P family
reading (& sides) agrees with F's omission of the possessive but with
R's plural number. and so help me god & holy-domeR.5.382:
Beta appears to reverse a key alpha phrase (the latter being more colloquial), rendering
alpha's so help me god as so god me help. The C reading for the end of this b-verse is revised but its opening agrees
exactly with alpha's phrasing, so helpe me god. Beta's motive for revision
was probably metrical, but manuscript M somehow still agrees with alpha and displays a form
that may explain both Langland's intention and the apparent lapse in alliteration. Alpha and
M read the line as aliterating on /s/ (hence M's selpe) but beta judges
that it must alliterate on /g/ and generates the aformentioned phrase reversal to highlight
that possibility. .
fol. 20rI
R.5.384KD.5.371
¶ And ouer-seye me at my
soper and sum-tymesR.5.384:
R's -s form here is unique. The other B copies show
some-tyme, a reading shared with C. at nones .