The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 1: Oxford, Corpus Christi College, MS 201 (F)
author: William Langland
source date: late 14th or early 15th century
edition published: 2002
language: lat; fre; ger
availability: Beta Version of 2nd edition: NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION copyright 2002, by SEENET

[Rubbing and cropping have rendered some text at the top of the page illegible. The interior characters in Pers are virtually illegible because of rubbing, and the end of Plowman has been lost to cropping. The following is legible: Incipit Pers þe Plowman .No. 1668. 201. D.3.10. Piers the : Plowman. The shelfmark "D.3.10." is written in a darker ink in a modern hand. Other matter, perhaps a quotation of the first line (?), has been scraped and is illegible.]

A l[^1][^2] in somer sesoun / whan softe was the sunne
I shoop me in-to shrowdes / as y sheep [a] sheep were[^3]
& wente wyde in . þis world / wondres to here
& on May [a] May morwe / on malverne hillis
By-fel me a feerly / as fayrye me thowhte
I was wery of wandrynge / & wente me to reste
Vpon a brood banke / be a boorne syde
& as y lay & lenede / & lokede on þe wawys
I slumbrede in-to slepyng / it swyȝede so merye
Þan gan y to meetyn / a mervelous sweuene
Þ at y was in a wyldernesse / wiste y neuere where
I beheld in-to Est [þe] Est / an heyȝ to þe sunne
I seyȝ a tour on a tuft / tryally y-tymbryd
& a deep dale be-nethe / a dongoun þer-Inne
W ith depe dychis & derke / & dredful to syghte
& a fayr feeld ful of folk / y fond þere be-twene
Of alle manere of men / þe mene & þe ryche
Wyrkynge & wandrynge / as this world askeþ
Summe pitte hem-selue to plowh / & pleyede seldyn
& in settynge & sowynge / þey swonken ful harde
& summe pitte hem to pride / & a-parayled hem þer-after
In contynances of clothynge / kemen fele dysgysyd[^4]
& wonnen þat þese wastoures / with glotenye dystroyen[^5]
In prayerys & in penaunces / pitte hem-selue manye
For þe love of oure lord / þei lyvedyn ful streyte
In hope to have to hyre  heuyn -ryche blysse
As Ankrys & hermytys / þat holde hem -selue in sellys
& coueyte nowht in cuntres / to kayren a-bowte
For no[^6] likorous lyflode / here lykame to plese
& summe chesen chaffare / to cheven þe bettre
As it semeþ to oure syght / þat swiche men thryvyn
& summe merthis to make[^7] / synneles y leve
But Iaperis & Iangeleris / ben Iudas childryn
Þei feynen hem fantesyes / & folis hem maken
& welden wit at wille / to worche what þei sholde
What Poul precheþ of hem / y wil not preue it heere[^8]
Boþe bidderis & beggeris / faste a-bowtyn wentyn[^9]
& fele fayted for here foode / & fowtyn at þe ale[^10]
& god woot with glotenye / þey goon to-gydre to bedde
& rysen vp / with rubawdye / þo roberis knavis
& sleep & sory slewthe / seweth hem euere

[^1: F.1.1: The ornamental capital is blue with red and white flourishes. Set in gold foil is an image of the sleeping dreamer with his head in his left hand and an image of a walled city beneath his feet. He wears three-fingered laborer's gloves, perhaps suggesting that the illustrator has conflated dreamer and plowman.]

[^2: F.1.1: All other B manuscripts begin "In a somer seson . . . ." Though certainty is not possible, the similar ornamental capital in the Ushaw College fragment written in the same workshop suggests that this lection is intended to take advantage of the workman's skill, since an <A> offers more scope for the illustration than an <I>. The change in the text is, in this instance, more probably the work of the immediate scribe than of the F-Redactor.]

[^3: F.1.2: F omits the following line from Bx: "In habite as an heremite vnholy of werkes."]

[^4: F.1.22: An otiose curl appears over the <g>.]

[^5: F.1.23: This line appears after F1.20 in Bx.]

[^6: F.1.29: An otiose curl appears over the <n>.]

[^7: F.1.32: F omits the b-verse "as Mynstralles konneth" and the following a-verse: "And geten gold with hire glee."]

[^8: F.1.36: F omits the following line from Bx: " Qui loquitur turpiloquium is luciferes hyne."]

[^9: F.1.37: F omits the following line from Bx: "Wiþ hire bely and hire bagge of breed ful ycrammed."]

[^10: F.1.38: A late seventeenth- or early eighteenth-century Corpus Christi College librarian supplied the following inscription at the bottom of the page: “Liber C.C.C Oxon. Ex dono Gulielmi Fulman A. M. hujus Collegii quondam Socii.”William Fulman (1632-1688), born Penshurst, Kent, in November, 1632, became a scholar at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in 1647, was expelled in 1648 by Parliamentarians, and at the restoration in 1660 was created M.A. and Fellow of the college. He remained in college until 1669 when he took a living in Gloucestershire, where he died of a fever in 1688. See the Dictionary of National Biography, eds. Leslie Stephen and Sidney Lee (Oxford: Oxford U P, 1917): 7.767-68.]

¶ Pylgrymes & palmeris / pyghtyn hem to-gydre
To seken seynt Iemes / & seyntis in Rome
& wentyn forþ / on here way / with fele wyse talis
& haddyn leve / for to lyȝen / al here lyve after[^11]
& grete longe lobyes / þat looþ weryn to swynke
Clothid hem in copis / to be knowe fram oþere
& shoop hem lyk hermytis / here ese for to kacche

[^11: F.1.45: F lacks the following lines attested by beta family manuscripts: I seiȝ somme þat seiden þei hadde ysouȝt Seintes To ech a tale þat þei tolde hire tonge was tempred to lye Moore þan to seye sooþ it semed bi hire speche Heremytes on an heep with hoked staues Wenten to walsyngham and hire wenches after.]

/ [¶] I fond þere of þe freris / alle þe fowre ordris
Þ at precheden þe peple / for profyȝt of hem-selue
& gloseden þe gospel / as hem-selue lykede
For coueytyse of copis / þei construe as þei wille
Fele of þe Maystris / may cloþe hem at lykyng
For here mone & marchaundyse / marchyn to-gydre
For sytthe Charite is chapman / & cheef to shryve lordis
Fele ferlijs have ben falle / in a fewe ȝeeris
& but holy chirche & they / holde bettre to-gydre
Þe mooste myschef on moolde / ys mountynge faste

¶ There prechede a pardoner / as he a preest where
& browhte forþ a bulle / with bysshopis selys
& seyde þat hym-selue / myghte a-soyle hem alle
Of false oþis & fastyngis / & fele avowys brokene
& lewide men belevid hem wel / & lykeden hise woordis
& kemen vp knelynge / & kessede his bulle
& he blessid hem with his brevet / & blerede here eyȝen
& lawhte [r]awhte with his ragman / ryngis & brochis
& þorghȝ þe seelis on þe selk / syluer gret plente[^12]
W ith wheche his konkebyne at hom / is klad ful klene
& þus men gyven here gold / glotonys to kepe
& be-leven on þo loselis / þat leccherye hawnten
But where þe blessynge bisshop / worþ boþe his eryn
His seel sholde not be sent / to disseyve þe peple
But it it [is] not be þe bisshop / þat so þe boy precheþ
But þe p arsoun er þe preest / ys cawse of þe gilte[^13]
For þe p rest & þe p ardoner / shulle departen þe syluer[^14]
[^15] Þ at þe pore men of þe parschȝ  sholde have if þey nere

[^12: These two lines appear only in F.]

[^13: F.1.74: This line appears only in F.]

[^14: F.1.75: The <l> was inserted after the word was initially written, probably by the original scribe.]

[^15: F.1.76: An early scribe has written an abbreviation for nota in the left margin. Note that the curious mark beneath it is repeated again on passus 27r, again in connection with a nota abbreviation.]

¶ Bothe parsonys & vikerys[^16] / pleynede to þe bisshop
Þat here parschenys where pore / sitthe þe pestylence tyme
To have lycence & leve / at loondenn to dwellyn.
& syngyn þere for Symony / for siluer ys swete.
Boþe Maystris & Bisshopis / & bacheleres & doctoris.[^17]
Þ at have cure vndir crist / & konynge to knowe.
& charge[^18] þat þei sholden at hom / shryvyn here parsshenis.
& prechen & praye for hem  & þe poore leene & feede.
& nowht lyȝn in Londenn / in Lentene & ellys.

[^16: F.1.77: F's a-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "Persons and parisshe preestes." In the absence of R, it is not possible to identify the source of the error.]

[^17: F.1.81: F's reading is unique. Beta witnesses have "Bisshopes and Bachelers boþe maistres and doctours." In the absence of R, it is not possible to identify the source of the error.]

[^18: F.1.83: F's charge is unique. Beta witnesses have signe.]

¶ & summe seruyn þe kyng / & his syluer tellyn.
In þe cheker & in þe Chauncery / to chalange hise dettes.
Of wardis / & of warde-motis / of wayvis & strayes.
& summe be Clerkis of þe kyngys bench / þe cuntre to shende.[^19]
& summe seruyn as seruauntys / Lordys & ladijs.
& in þe stede os o[f] styward / þey Iuggyn & demen.[^20]
But here mase ne matynys / ne manye of here oures.
Be not salysbery hews / here Ordynal so tellyþ.[^21]

[^19: F.1.89: This line appears only in F in the B textual tradition. Cf. Kane, A Prol.95.]

[^20: F.1.91: F's b-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "sitten and demen."]

[^21: F.1.93: This line in F replaces two in Bx: Arn doon vndeuoutliche drede is at þe laste Lest crist in consistorie acorse ful manye.]

/ [¶] I parceyvede of þat power / þat Peter hadde to kepe
To byȝnde & vnbyȝnde / as þe book telliþ.
How he lefte it with love / as oure lord hym hyghte.
A -mongys foure vertues / most vertuous of hevene.
Þ at Cardinalis ben callid / to closen hevene ȝatys.
Þere crist ys in hys kyngdomm / to close & to shette.
& to opene it to hem / & heuene blysse hem shewe.
& þe Cardynalis at þe court / of hem kawtyn name.
For Powher P resumeþ Presume[d] in hem / a pope to make.
To haue þe Powher / þat peter hadde / Inpugne y nylle.
For in love & in lettrure / þe leccioun by-longeþ.
For-þy  y can / & can not  of þe cowrt carpyn more.

¶ Þanne kam þere a kyng / knyghthod he ladde.
& þe myght of hyse comonys / maden hym to regne.
& forþ kam kyȝnde wyt  & clerkys he hadde.
For to conseyle þe kyng / & hise comonis save.
& þe kyng & his knyghthod / & þe clergye also.
Þey casten þat[^22] þe comonys / sholde fyȝnde hem -selue.[^23]
Þe comonys be kynde wit / contriveden craftes.
& for profyȝt of þe peple / plowhmen þey made.
To swynke / & to tylye[^24] / as trewe skyl askeþ.

[^22: F.1.111: The scribe first wrote þe and corrected it to þt .]

[^23: F.1.111: An otiose curl appears above the second <e> in hemselue.]

[^24: F.1.114: F's a-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "To tilie and to trauaille."]

/ [¶] Þanne þe kyng & comonys / & kyȝnde wit þe thryde.
Schopen lawe / be lewte / ech lyf to knowe his owe.

¶ Þanne lookede a lunatyk / a lene þyng with -alle.
He gan knele to þe kyng / & clergyaly seyde.
Cryst kepe þe sire kyng / & þyn kyngdom ryche.
& leve le[n]e þe / so lede þyn lond / so lewhte þe a-lowe.
& for þyn ryght-ful rewlyng / þou be rewardid in heuene.
& a-non fram þe hevene on heyȝ / com doun an Angyle.[^25][^26]
& lowhde spak in Latyn / for lewede men ne sholde.
Ianglyn ne Iuggen hym / ne Iustefye hym with mowþe.
But suffren & seruyn / softly / for-þy  seyde þe angil.
S um rex sum princeps . neutrum fortasse deinceps.
O qui iura regis . cristi specialia legis [r]egis.
H oc quod agas melius . iustus es esto pius.
N udum vis[^27] a te . vestire[^28] vult pietate.
Q valia vis metere . talia grana sere.
S i vis[^29] nudatur . nudo de iure metatur.
S i seritur pietas . de pietate metas.

[^25: F.1.122: F's line is unique. Bx has "And siþen in þe Eyr an heiȝ an Aungel of heuene."]

[^26: The scribe neglected to supply red touches on the beginning letters of lines and on highlighted words on folios 2v-3r. He sometimes failed throughout the manuscript to supply colored parasigns, though he marked the place for each with a light solidus.]

[^27: F.1.129: Alpha reads vis. All beta family manuscripts read ius with version C.]

[^28: F.1.129: Alpha is responsible for vestire, though the reading is shared by H. Beta witnesses have vestiri.]

[^29: F.1.131: RFH read vis against ius in all other manuscripts.]

/ [¶] Thanne grevid hym a Goliardes / a glotoun of woordys.
& to þe Angel on hey  he answerede soone.
D um rex a regere . dicatur nomen habere
N omen habet sine re . nisi studet iura tenere.

/ [¶] Thanne cryeden alle þe comonys / with o voys a tonys at onys.[^30]
P recepta regis . sunt nobis uincula legis.

[^30: F.1.137: Alpha omits the following line attested by beta witnesses: "To þe kynges counseil construe whoso wolde."]

/ [¶] With þat kemen[^31] a rowhte / of Ratonys manye.
& Manye Mees with hem / moo þanne a þowsande
& wentyn[^32] to a conseyl / for þe comoun profyȝt.
For a Cat in þe court / cam whan hire [hym] lykede.
& ouer-leep hem lyghtly / & lawht hem at wylle.
& pleyeþ with vs apertly / & posseþ vs a-bowhte.
& for drede of deeþ / we ne dore not wel looken.
& if we grucche[^33] his wille / he wil greve vs sore.
& cracche vs / & clawe vs / & in his cloche vs holde.
Þat we loþyn oure lyf / er he leete vs passen.

[^31: F.1.139: F's kemen is unique. Bx has ran þer.]

[^32: F.1.141: F's wentyn is unique. Bx has comen.]

[^33: F.1.146: Alpha is responsible for the omission of of after grucche. F alone has wille in place of gamen.]

/ [¶] But myghte we be ony wit / hys wille with -stonde.
We weryn lordys on lofte / & lyven in gret ese.

/ [¶] Þanne a Ratoun of renoun / moost renable of tunge.
Seyde a resonable resoun[^34] / & helplych to hem alle.[^35]
I have herd of[^36] seggis quod he  in þe Cyte of Lundoun.
Þat men beryn bryghte byȝes / a-bowtyn here nekkys.
& summe Coleres of crafty werk / vn-cowpled þey walke.
Boþe in wareyn & in waast / where hem best lykeþ.
& oþire-whylys ellys-where / as weyȝes me telle.[^37]
Where þere a belle on here beyȝe / by Iesus[^38] as me þynkeþ.
Men myghten wetyn / where þei wente / & a-wey renne.
Ryght so quod þe Ratoun / as resoun me sheweth.
It were best to begge a bras belle / or of shyȝn[^39] syluer.
& knette it on a Coler / for oure Comoune profyȝt
& hange it a-bowte þe Cattys hals / þat here hym we mowe.[^40]
& a-peren in his absense[^41] / þe while vus pleye lykeþ.
& yf he wratthe / to be war / & hise weye shone.
Þanne alle þe[^42] rowhte of Ratonys / to þis resoun assentid.
But whanne þe belle was bowht / & on þe byȝe hanged.
Þere was no ratoun / of þat rowhte / for þe Rewhme of Fraunce.
Þat durste a bownde þat bond / a-bowte þe Cattys nekke.
Ne honge yt a-bowte his[^43] hals / al Ingelond to wynne.
But helden hem -selue vn-hardy / & al here conseyl feble.
& al here labour was loost / & here large costes.

[^34: F.1.152: F's a-verse is unique. Bx has "Seide for a souereyn."]

[^35: F.1.152: Alpha is responsible for "hem alle." Beta witnesses have "to hymselue."]

[^36: F.1.153: F's "herd of" is unique. Beta witnesses have "yseyen."]

[^37: F.1.157: F has revised the line, changing the alliterative pattern. Bx has "And ouþer-while þei arn elliswhere as I here telle."]

[^38: F.1.158: Alpha is responsible for Iesus. Beta witnesses have Iesu.]

[^39: F.1.161: F's shyȝn is unique. Bx has briȝt.]

[^40: F.1.163: Alpha lacks the following two lines attested by beta witnesses: Wher he ryt or rest or renneþ to pleye And if hym list for to laike þanne loke we mowen.]

[^41: F.1.164: F's addition of vus in the b-verse shows that the revision of Bx's presence to absense was intended.]

[^42: F.1.166: Alpha is responsible for þe. Beta witnesses have þis.]

[^43: F.1.170: Alpha and C have his. Beta witnesses have þe cattes.]

/ [¶] Thanne a Mows / þat mychil good / cowhde / as me thowhte.
Strook forþ sternely / & stood be-fore hem alle.
& to þe rowhte of ratonys / he reersyde þese wordys.

/ [¶] They we haddyn kyllyd þat Cat / ȝyt sholde þere come a-noþir.
& kacche vus & oure kyȝnde / whan we kroule a-bowte.
For-þy  by my conseyl / to soffre þe Cat a-worthe.[^44]
& no bacheler be so bold / þe belle hym to shewe.[^45]
For y herde myn syre seyn / is sevene ȝeer y-passed.
Þere þe Cat ys kytoun / þe court ys elenge.
Þat witnessiþ holy wryt / who-so wille it rede.
U e terre . ubi puer rex est.[^46]
There may no renke haue reste / for rattys on nyghtis.

[^44: F.1.178: F's line is unique. Bx has "Forþi I counseille al þe commune to late þe cat worþe."]

[^45: F.1.179: See Kane-Donaldson, 176, for their editorial reasoning on re-ordering this passage.]

[^46: F.1.183: A cross is written in the right margin beside this line in an ink like that used by the original scribe.]

/ [¶] For whilis he cacchiþ conyes / he coueyteþ not oure bowkys.[^47]
But fediþ hym with fenysoun / defame we hym neuere.
For bettre ys a lytil los / þan a long sorwe.
Þe Maase  a-mong vs alle / þey we mysse a shrewe.
For manye mennys malt ellis / we myȝs wille distroye.
& also ellis ȝee ratonys / wolde renden renkes clothys.[^48]
Ne were þe cat of þe court / þat can a-mong ȝow lepe.
For hadde ȝe ratonys[^49] ȝoure wille / ȝee cowhde not rewle ȝour -selue.
I sey þis[^50] for my-selue quod þe Mous / & see so mychil after.
Shal neuere Cat ne kytoun / by myn conseyl be grevid.
Ne carpynge of his coler / coste me neuere after.
& þowh it coste[^51] me catel / by-knowe it[^52] y nylle.
But suffre as summe oþire do / to slen what hym lykeþ.
Cowpled / & vncowplyd / to cacche what he wille.
& euery wyȝs Mows y warne / to wacche wel hym -selue.

[^47: F.1.185: bowkys, "bodies, carcasses."]

[^48: F.1.190: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And also ye route of Ratons rende mennes cloþes." H also omits "route of."]

[^49: F.1.192: Alpha reads ratonys, a reading in which it is joined by GH and the C version. Beta manuscripts have rattes.]

[^50: F.1.193: Alpha is responsible for the direct object. R has it. Beta manuscripts lack an object.]

[^51: F.1.196: Alpha and G lack beta's hadde before coste.]

[^52: F.1.196: An otiose curl appears above the <t>.]

/ [¶] What þis Metelys meneþ / ȝee men / þat been here -Inne.
I ne dar dyvyne it ȝow / be dere god in hevene.

/ [¶] Ȝit hovede þere an hundred / in howfes on Molde.[^53]
Sergawntys þey semeden / þat seruede at þe barre.
Pleteden for þe peny / & pownded þe lawe.
& nowht for oure lordys love / vn-lose here lyppe onys.
Þou myghtyst bettre meten myst / on Maluerne hellys 
Þan getyn a Mum of here mowht / er[^54] mone be shewyd.[^55]

[^53: F.1.202: The scribe was perhaps confused by howfes, "coifs." Bx reads "in howues of selk."]

[^54: F.1.207: Alpha is responsible for er. Beta manuscripts have til or but.]

[^55: F.1.207: F omits the following line from Bx: "Barons and burgeis and bondemen als."]

¶ I seyȝ in þis a-semble / as ȝee shulle here after.
Boþe Bakerys / & Brewsteres / & Bocherys manye.
& also wolle websterys / & webberys of Lynene.
& Tayloures & Tynkeres / & tollerys of Market.
& Masonys & Mynowrys / & manye oþire craftys.
Of alle[^56] lyvynge laborerys / lope þere furthȝ summe.
As dykerys & delueres / þat doon here dedes ylle.
& dryve furthȝ þe fayre day / with deu vous saue dame Emme.

[^56: F.1.213: Alpha lacks beta's kynne before lyvynge.]

/ [¶] Þere wheren kene Cokys knavis / criȝeden / hote pyes hote 
Goode fatte gryȝs & gees / gowe go we dyghne . gowe go we.

/ [¶] & þe Tauernerys vn-tyl hem / tolledyn þe same.
W ith good fyȝn Maluesyn[^57] / or wyn of Gaskoyne.
Or Rochel or Romeney[^58] / þe roost to diffyȝe.

[^57: F.1.219: F alone has this reading. Bx reads "Whit wyn of Oseye." Malvesie is a sweet Greek wine from Napoli di Malvasia.]

[^58: F.1.220: F's a-verse is unique. Bx reads "Of þe Ryn and of þe Rochel."]

Explicit passus Primus . Petri Plouhman.

[This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file.] Incipit Passus Secundus.

W hat[^59] þis Mounteyn meneþ / & þe derke dale.
& þe feld ful of folk / y shal faire ȝow shewe.

[^59: F.2.1: The ornamented capital is done in red ink with green flourishes extending in the left margin from the top into the bottom margin of the written space.]

¶ A Love lady of leere / in lynene y-clothed.
Com fram a Castel / & callede me fayre.
& seyde sone slepistow / seest þou þis peple.
How bysely þat þey been / a-bowtyn þe mase.
Þe mooste partye of þis peple / þat pasen on erthe
Have þey worchepe in þis world / þey wilnen no bettre.
Of othir hevene þan here / holde þey no tale.
I was a-ferd of here face / þey she fair were.
& seyde Mercy Madame / what is þis to mene.
Q uod she  In þe tour vpon þe toft / trewthe is þere-Inne.
He wolde þat men wroghte / as his woord tellyþ.
For he . ys fader of feyþ / & formed hem alle.
Boþe with fel / & with face / he ȝaf ȝou fyve wyttys.
For to worchepe hym with / whyles ȝee been here.
& þerfore he hyghte þe erthe / to helpe ȝou ecchone.
Of wollene / & lynene / & lyflode at neede.
In mesurable maner / to make ȝow atese at ese.
He comaundide of his curtesye / in comoun þre þyngys.
None needfullere þan þo / & nempne hem y þynke.
& rykene be resoun / reerse ȝee hem after.
Þe fyrste ys vesteure / fram chele þe to save.
Þe toþir ys mete at meel / for myssese to the.
Þe thrydde[^60] ys drynk whan þou dryest / but do it in resoun.
Þ at þou ne worthȝ þe wors / whan þou werche sholdest.
For looth in hise lif dayes / þorghȝ lykynge of drynke.
Dyde by his dowhteres / þat þe deuel lykede.
For he delytyd hym in drynk / as þe deuel wolde.[^61]
& leccherye hym lawhte / & he lay by hem bothe.
& al he witte it wyȝn / þat wykkede dede.
I nebriamus eum uino . dormiamusque cum eo.
V t seruare possumus poss[i]mus . de patre nostro semen.
For þorghȝ wyȝn & wommen / þere was Looth a-cumbryd.
& gat with gret glotenye / gerlys þat wheryn cherlys.
For-þy  drede delytable drynk / & þou shalt do þe bettre.
For Mesure ys Medycyne / þey þou mychel ȝeerne.
It ys nowht al good to þi goost / þat þy gut askeþ.
Ne lyflode to þy lykame / þat leef is to þy sowle.[^62]
For þat ys þe wrecchede world / he wolde þe be-traye.
& þe fend / & þy flesshȝ / folwe þe to-gydre.
Þese thre / sewe þy sowle / to shende it þey casten.[^63]
& for þou sholdest ben war / y wysshe þe beste.

[^60: F.2.25: The scribe began to write þredde and then changed the <e> to <y>. He nowhere writes "third" as þredde.]

[^61: F.2.29: "IIus " with red flourishes is written in the top right margin to identify the passus.]

[^62: F.2.39: F and G omit the following line from Bx: "Lef nauȝt þi licame for a liere hym techeþ."]

[^63: F.2.42: F's b-verse is unique. Bx probably read "seith it in þin herte."]

¶ A Madame mercy quod y  me lykeþ wel ȝoure wordys.
But þe Mone on þis Molde / þat men so faste kepe.[^64]
Telle ȝee me to whom / þat tresor a-pendyþ.

[^64: F.2.45: Alpha is responsible for kepe. Beta witnesses have holdeþ.]

/ [¶] Q uod she  go to þe gospel / þat god seyde hym -selue.
Whan þe peple with a peny / a-posed hym in þe temple.
Wheyþir þey sholden þerwith / worchepe kyng Cesar.
& cryst askede þere hem / of whom spak þe lettre.
& þe ymage was lyȝk / þat þere -Inne stondiþ.
Alle þey seyden . Cesar / we seen it wel ecchone.
R eddite cesari quod cryst[^65]  þat cesari to falleþ
E t que sunt dei deo  or ellis / ȝee don ylle
For ryghtful resoun / sholde rewle ȝow alle.
& kende wit be wardeyn / ȝoure welthe to kepe.
& tutor of ȝoure tresor / & take it ȝow at nede.
For he & husbondrye / holden to-gydres.

[^65: F.2.53: "Quod cryst" was written first in red and then erased. The tail of the <y> is just visible over the <o> in "or ellis" in the following line.]

/ [¶] Þanne y fraynede hire faire / for hym þat hire made.
Of þe dungoun in þe dale / þat ys so dirk to syghte.
What may it be-mene / Madame ȝee me telle.

/ [¶] It ys þe Castel of Care quod she  who-so komeþ þer -Inne 
He may banne / he bore was / to body or to sowle.
For þere-Inne woneþ . a wyght / þat wrong ys y-hote.
He is fadir of falshed / he foundid hym -selue [yt] hymselue.
For boþe Adam & Eve / he eggyd hem to Ille.
& he conseylede Caym / to kyllyn his broþir.
& to Iudas he Iapede / with þe Iewys syluer.
& sytthen on an ellerne tre / he hongide hym -selue.
He is lettere of love / & by-lyȝeþ hem alle.
Þey þat triste on his tresor / be-trayed are sunnest.

¶ Þan hadde y wonder in my wit / wat womman she were.[^66]
Þ at swyche wyse wordys / of holy wryt shewede.
& y halsede[^67] hire on þe hyȝe name / er she þens wente.
What she was wyttyrly / þat wyssed me so fayre.

[^66: F.2.72: An otiose curl appears above the first <e>.]

[^67: F.2.74: F alone reads halsede. R has hasked, an inverse spelling for Bx's asked.]

/ [¶] Q uod she  y am holy chirche / þou awhtist me to knowe.
For For [y] vndir-fongyd þe fyrst / & þe feyþ þe tawhte.
Þow browhtest me borwes / my byddynge to fulfille.
& to love leelly me[^68] / whylys þy lyf dureþ.

[^68: F.2.79: The order "lelly me" is owed to alpha.]

¶ Þan y kurblyde [kurbyd] doun on knees / & cried hire of grace.
& prayede hire pytously / to praye for myn synnes.
& also kenne me kendely / on crist to be-leve.[^69]
& teche me to no tresor / but teche me þe soþe.
How y may save my sowle / þat seynt art y-holde.
Whan alle tresor ys tryed . quod she  trewþe is þe beste.
I do it on deus caritas / to demen þe sothe.
Þ at[^70] it ys as derworþy a drewry / as dere god hym -selue.
He þat[^71] ys trewe of his tunge / & telleþ non oþir.
& doþ werke þer -with / & wylneþ no man ylle.
He ys a god / by þe gospele / on grownde & on lofte.[^72]
Þe Clerkys þat knowe þys / sholde kenne it a-bowte.
For cristene & vncristene / cleyme heuene ecchone.

[^69: F.2.82: Alpha omits the following line from Bx: "That I myȝte werchen his wille þat wroȝte me to man."]

[^70: F.2.87: Þat is owed to alpha.]

[^71: F.2.88: He þat is unique to F. Beta has Whoso and R has He."]

[^72: F.2.90: FH omit the following line from Bx: "And ylik to oure lord by Seint Lukes wordes."]

/ [¶] Kyngys & knyghtes / sholde kepe it be reson.
& ryden & rappe doun / in rewhmes a-bowte.
& taken transgressores / & teyȝen hem faste.
Tyl trewþe hadde determyned / here trespas to ende.
& þat ys þe professioun properly / þat apendiþ to knyghtys.
& nowht to fasten a fryday / in fyve skore wynter.
But holde with hym / er with hire / & so wolde trewthe.
Ne[^73] neuere leue hem for love / ne for lacchynge of syluer.

[^73: F.2.100: Alpha is responsible for Ne. Beta manuscripts have And.]

¶ For dauid in hise dayes / dubbede knyghtes.
& dyde hem swere on a swerd / to serue trewþe euere.
& who þat passede þat poynt / a-postata was holde.
But Cryst kynggene kyng / knyghted ten oþere.[^74]
& ȝaf hem myght of his mageste / þe meryere hem þowhte.
& ouer hise meene meyghne / he made hem archangelis
& tawhte hem of þe trinnyte / trewþe to knowe.
&[^75] be buxum at his byddynge / he bad hem nowht ellis.

[^74: F.2.104: F omits the following line from Bx: "Cherubyn and Seraphyn swiche seuene & oþere."]

[^75: F.2.108: Alpha is responsible for the &. Beta manuscripts have To.]

/ [¶] Þan Lucyfer with legyonys / leerned yt in helle.[^76]
Til[^77] he brak buxumnesse / þan blysse gan he tyne.
& fel fram þe felachepe / in-to þe feendys lyknesse.
In-to þe derke helle / to dwelle þerinne for euere.
& mo þowsende with hym / þan ony man can numbre.
Lopen doun with lucyfer / in a lothly forme.
For þey be-levede on lucyfer / þat lord hym -selue made.[^78]
& alle þat hopede it myghte be so / heuene ne myghte hem holde.
But fyllyn owt foule feendis / nyghne dayes complet.
Tyl god of his goodnesse / gan stable hem to stynte.
& made hevene be steke a-geyn / & stonden in quyete.

[^76: F.2.109: Bx reads heuene. The scribe reversed the sense without attention to the context. Cf. F5.633.]

[^77: F.2.110: Alpha is responsible for Til. Beta manuscripts have But for.]

[^78: F.2.115: F alone among B manuscripts supplies alliterating lucyfer. It also differs from all other B witnesses by altering the b-verse and by omitting a Latin quotation. Bx reads as follows: . . . þat lyed in þis manere Ponam pedem in aquilone & similis ero altissimo.]

¶ But whan þo wikkyde wentyn out / wondir-wyse þey fellyn.
Summe in þe erthe / summe in þe eyȝr / & summe in þe helle depe.
But in helle lyþ lucyfer / lowest of hem alle.
For P ride þat he pitte owt / his peyghne haþ non ende.

/ [¶] & alle þat after wrong wirchen / wenden þey shulle.
After here deþ-day / to[^79] dwellyn with þat shrewe.

[^79: F.2.125: Alpha is responsible for to. All beta manuscripts except H have and.]

¶ & þo þat wel wirchen / as holy writ hem techeþ.
Þey enden / as eer [I] eer seyde / in trewþe / for þe beste.
Þey mowe be syker / þat here soule / shal styȝen into heuene.
Þere trewþe ys with þe trinnyte / þat shal saven[^80] hem alle.

[^80: F.2.129: The error occurred in alpha. Bx reads "and troneþ hem alle."]

/ [¶] For-þy  y seyȝ ȝyt / as y seyde eer / be þe same tixtys.[^81]
Whan alle tresorys ben tried / trewþe ys þe beste.
Lere[^82] þys / ȝee lewide men / for lettrid men it knowen.
Þ at trewþe ys þe fayrest tresor / & tristest on erthe.

[^81: F.2.130: Alpha is responsible for the b-verse. Beta manuscripts have "by siȝte of þise textes."]

[^82: F.2.132: Alpha and G omit beta's it after lere.]

¶ I have no kyȝnde knowynge quod y  y coueyte lerne bettre.[^83]
By what craft in my corps / it comseþ & where.

[^83: F.2.134: Alpha is responsible for the b-verse. Beta manuscripts have "yet mote ye kenne me bettre." R reads "ȝette mote I lerne bettre."]

/ [¶] A þou dotyst quod she / to dulle ben þyne wittys.
To lytil latyn þou lernedist / leede in þyn ȝowthe.
H eu michi quod sterilem  duxi uitam iuuenilem.

¶ Þat is a kyȝnde knowyng quod she  þat comeþ in þyn herte.
For to love þyn lord / leevere þan þy-selue.
& non / dedly synne don / dyȝe þey þou sholdist.
Þis y trowe is good trewþe / who can teche þe bettre.
Loke þou suffre hym to seyȝe / & sytthe lerne it soone.
For þus witnesseþ his word / worche þou þer-after.

/ [¶] For trewþe telliþ / þat love / ys triacle of hevene.
Þere may synne [no] synne / be on hym sene / þat that spyce vseþ.
Alle hise wirkys be wroghte / with love / at his lykyng.
& lerned it to moyses / for leve[^84] / & most lyk to hevene.
& also plente of pees / ys moost precious of vertues.
For hevene myghte not holde it / so was it hevy hym -selue.
Tyl it hadde of þe erthe / y-hetyn al his fylle.

[^84: F.2.148: Bx reads "for þe leueste þyng."]

¶ & whan it hadde of manhode / fleshȝ & blood take.
Was neuere leef vpon lyȝnde / lyghtere þere -after.[^85]
Þer[^86] myghte non armoure yt lette / ne non hyȝe wallys.
Þ erfore ys love ledere / of þe lordis folk of hevene.

[^85: F.2.153: F omits the following line from Bx: "And portatif and persaunt as þe point of a nedle."]

[^86: F.2.154: The scribe used this form of <r> on the first folio and very infrequently indeed after that point. It is his usual form in the Ushaw fragment.]

¶ & as þe Meyȝre is meene / be-twene þe kyng & comonys.
Ryght so / ys love a ledere / & þe Lawhe shapeþ.
Vpon man / for hise mysdedis / & mercyment he askeþ.
& for to knowe it kyndely / yt comseþ be myghte.
& in þyn herte is þe heved / & þe hyȝe welle.
For in kyȝnde knowynge in herte / þere myght by-gynneþ.
& þat falleþ to þe fadir / þat formede faire vs alle.
He lookede on vs with love / whan he leet his sone dyȝe.
Meekly for oure mysdedis / to a-mendyn vs alle.
& ȝyt wolde he no woo  to þo þat wrowhte hym peyne.
But meekly with mowþe / Mercy he be-sowhte.
To have pyte on þe peple / þat pyned hym to dethe.

¶ Here myght þou seen ensample / in hym -selue oone.
Þ at he was myghtful & meeke / & mercy gan graunte.
To hem / þat hongyn hym on hyȝ  & his herte þryllyd.

¶ For-þy  y rede þe ryche / have mercy on þe pore.
Þey ȝee been myghtful to moote / be ȝee meke in herte.
For be þe same mesure / þat ȝee metyn / a-mys oyþer ellys.
Ȝee shulle be weyȝe þer-with / whan ȝee wendyn hennys.
E adem mensura qua mensi fueritis  remecietur uobis.

¶ For þey ȝee ben trewe of tunge / & trewly selle.
& as chast as þe chyld / þat in þe chirche wepiþ.
& but ȝee love ȝoure neyhebore / & leene or gyve þe poore.
Of swiche goodis / as god ȝow sent / goodly with hem ȝe parte.
Ȝee have no more meryght / of Messe ne of howres
Þan Malkyn of hire Maidenhod / þat alle men dysyren.[^87]
For Iemes þat Ientyl man / Iuggede in hise bookys.
Þ at feythȝ withoutyn fewte / ys no-þyng worthy.
But as ded / as dore tre / but if dedys sewen.
F ides sine operibus[^88]  mortua est.
For-þy  Chastite with -outyn Charite / worþ cheyned in helle.
It is lewed as þe lampe / þat no lyght ys Inne.

[^87: F.2.181: Either a scribe or the F redactor miscomprehended the comparison. Beta family manuscripts read: "þat no man desireþ."]

[^88: F.2.185: The abbreviation for <er> is unusual for this scribe.]

¶ Fele Chapeleynys be chast / but charite is a-weye.
Þ ere ben non averouserere þan þey / whan þey ben a-vawncyd.
& vn-kyȝnde to here ken / & to alle cristene peple.
Þey chewyn here charite / & chydyn after moore.
Swich chastite with -outyn charite / worþ cheyȝned in helle.

¶ Fele Curaturys kepe hem-self / klene of here bodijs.
But þey ben a-cubrid a-cu[m]brid with coueytise / þey kunne out crepe.
So harde haþ Averyce / y-haspid hem to-gydres.
& þat ys not trewthe of þe trinnyte / but treccherye of helle.
& lernynge to lewid men / þe lattere to leve synne.
For-þy  þese wordis ben y-wrete / weel in þe gospel.
D ate & dabitur uobis / for y dele with ȝow alle.[^89]
For date is / þe look of love / þat leetiþ out my grace.
To conforte þe kareful / þat is a-cumbred with synne.
For love is leche of lyf / & neest oure lord in heuene.
& it ys / þe grayþ gate / þat good goo[þ][^90] in-to blysse.
For-þy / y seyȝ / as y seide / eer by þe tyxtys.
Whan alle tresor is triȝed / ȝyt trewþe ys þe beste.
Now have y told þe / what trewþe ys / tak it if þou lyke.[^91]
I may no lengere lenge þe with / oure lord looke þe euere.

[^89: F.2.199: " IIIus, " flourished in red, appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus.]

[^90: F.2.203: Though this instance is probably to be attributed to scribal error, some late East Anglian scribes displayed a tendency to substitute <d> for <þ>. See M. C. Seymour, "A Fifteenth-Century East Anglian Scribe," Medium Ævum 37 (1968): 116-67.]

[^91: F.2.206: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þat no tresor is bettre."]

E xplicit passus Secundus de visione Petri plouhman

[This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file.] Incipit Passus Tercius.

I[^92] Covrbet ȝyt on my knees / & gradde hire of grace.
& seyde mercy Madame / for Marie love of heuene.
Þ at bar þat blisful barn / þat bowhte vs on roode.[^93]
& kenne me by sum craft / to knowe þe false.

[^92: F.3.1: The seven-line ornamental capital is red and green with flourishes in red to the top of the page.]

[^93: F.3.3: A pointing hand appears in the right margin, added by a later hand.]

¶ Loke on þy lyft half quod she  & se where he standis.
Boþe Fals / & Favel / & here ferys manye.

¶ I lookede on my lyft half / as þe lady tawhte.
& was war of a womman / was worcheply clothyd.
& purfylyd with pelure / þe purest on erthe.
& crowned she was with a crowne / þe kyng haþ no bettre.[^94]
& set abowhte with rubyes / as rede as ony gleede.
& with dyamaundes þe derrest / & doble dyuerse sapherys.
Oryentalis & ewagis / enemyes to distroye.

[^94: F.3.10: F omits the following line from Bx: "Fetisliche hire fyngres were fretted with gold wyr."]

¶ Hire Robe was ful ryche / of reed skarlet greyned.
W ith Rubanes of reed gold / & ful of ryche stones.
Hire a-ray / me rauyschede / swich rycchesse seyȝ y neuere.
I hadde wondir what she was / & whoos wif she were.

¶ What womman ys þis / quod y  so worthyly y-tyred.
She is Meede þe Mayde / quod she  haþ noyed me ful ofte.
& often lakkyd my lemman / þat lewhte is y-hote.
& she is lowly to Lordis / þat lawys have to kepe.
& in þe popis paleyȝs she is / as priuy as my-selue.

¶ But Sothnesse wolde no no[t] so / for she bore bastard.[^95]
For fals was hire fadir / þat haþ a fykyl tunge.
& neuere soþ seyde / sytthe he com on erthe.
& Meede ys manered after hym / ryght as kynde askyþ.
Q ualis pater . talis filius . I terum . B onus arbor bonus fructus habet . M alus arbor[^96] malus fructus profert .[^97]

[^95: F.3.23: Bx reads "for she is a Bastard." F's revision creates a T-type b-verse.]

[^96: F.3.27: The red ink has flaked or rubbed so that the <a> of the second arbor is illegible, only the top lobe remaining.]

[^97: F.3.27: F alone expands the Latin tag. Bx ends after habet.]

¶ I awhte ben herrere þan she / y am of a bettre roote.
My Fadir grete god ys / grownde of alle gracis.
He is god with -owtyn gynnynge / & y am his goode dowhter.
& he gaf me mercy / to maryen with my-selue.
& what man be mercyful / & leelly me honowre.
Shal be my lord / & y his leef / in þe heyȝe hevene.

¶ & what man takþ meede / mynn heed dar y legge.
Þ at he shal leese . for hire love / his lappe ful of charyte.
See  how dauid meneþ / of men / þat Meede taken.
& of men on þis Molde / þat Meyȝntene trowthe.
& how ȝee shal save ȝoure -selue / þe sawter ȝow techeþ.
D omine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo . & cetera.

/ [¶] & now shal Meede be Maried / to a manshid shrewe.
To on fals & fykil of tunge / a foul feendis be-ȝeete.
Favel þoruh his false speche / þis folk ys enchauntyd.[^98]
& alle hise eyȝres eggynge / þat she shal be y-weddid.
& to-morwe worthȝ þe mariage / & þe Maydes brydale.
& þere may þou wete / if þou wilt / wheche þei ben alle.
Þ at longen to þat Lordchepe / þe lasse & þe more.
Knowe hem þere / if þou canst / & keep wel þyn tunge.
& lakke hem nowht but lete hem worþe / tyl Lewte be Iustise.
& have powher to punshe hem / & þan pyt furþ þy resoun.

[^98: F.3.42: Bx reads ". . . haþ þis folk enchaunted." Cf. 16.376b for the same formula.]

¶ Now y be-kenne þe crist quod she / & his clene Moodir.
& þat no concyense a-cumbre þe / for coueytyse of meede.

/ [¶] Þus lefte me þat Lady / lyggynge on slepe.
& how Meede was Maryed / in Meetelys me þowhte.
Þ at al þe alle þe al þe ryche retenew / þat regnede with sire false.
Weryn bodyn to his bydale b[r]ydale / faire on boþe sydys.
Of alle manere of men / þe mene & þe ryche.

¶ To Marie þat mayde / wheryn men ensemblyd þere.
Of knyghtys & of Clerkys / & oþire comoun peple.
Of sysoures of sumnowres / & shereuys & here Clerkis.
Of Bedelis & Baylees / & brokores of Chaffare.
Forgowleres Forgoweres & vytaleris / & vocatis of þe archis.
& manye oþir myster men / mo þan ben in myȝnde.[^99]
I can not redily rekne þe rowhte / þat ran a-bowhte Meede

[^99: F.3.62: This line appears only in F.]

/ [¶] But symony & Cyvile / & sysoures of courtys.
Where most priue with meede / of ony men þere owte.

¶ But Favel was þe firste / þat fette hire out of chambre.
& as a brokour he browhte hire / to be with false en-Ioyned.
& whanne Symony & Cyuyle / seyen here boþe wille.
&[^100] assentide for syluer / to seyn / as boþe wolde.

[^100: F.3.69: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta manuscripts have Thei.]

/ [¶] Þan leep Lyȝere forþ / & seyde loo  here a chartre.
Þ at Gyle with hise grete oþis / gaf hem to-gydre.
& p rayede Cyvyle it to seen / & Symony yt redde.

¶ Þanne Symony & Cyvile / stoden forþ bothe.[^101]
& þus by-gunne þo goomes / to gredyn ful hyȝe.[^102]
S ciant presentes et Futuri . & cetera.

[^101: F.3.73: F omits the following line from Bx: "And vnfoldeþ þe feffement that Fals hath ymaked."]

[^102: F.3.74: "IIIus " is written with red flourishes in the top right margin to mark the passus number.]

¶ Weteþ wel & wytnessyþ / þat whonen vpon erthe.
Þ at Meede ys Maryed / more for hyre goodys.
Þan for ony vertue / or fairnesse / or ony fre keende.
Falsnesse is fayn of hire / for he whot hire ryche.
& Favel with his fikyl speche / feffyþ hem by þys chartre.
To been Princes of pride / & pouerte dyspyse.
To Bakbyte & boste wel / & to[^103] beryn fals witnesse.
To skoorne & to skoolde / & sklawndres to make.
& to be bold & vn-buxum[^104] / to breke þe ten hestys.
To have þe Erldom of Envye / & wratthe to-gydres.
W ith þe Chastelet of Ieestys / & þe Iangelynge of synne.[^105]
& al þe Cuntres of Coueytise / with alle þe coostys abowhte.
Þat is vserye & Avaryce / alle y hem grawnte.
In bargaynes & brokages / with þe bolde borghȝ of þefte.
& al þe Lordchepe of Leccherye / in Lengþe & in brede.
In werkynge in wordis / in waytynge with yȝen.
In wenyngis / In wischyngis / & in wast þowhtys.
Þere as wille wolde werke / ne were woo & drede.[^106]
He ȝaf hem Glotonye eek / & grete oþis to-gydre.
& al day to drynke / al a[t] fele dyuerse tauernys.
& þere to Iangle & to Iape / & Iuggyn here euyn -cristene.
& in fastynge[^107] dayes to frete / er ful tyme weere.
& softe syttyn & sowpe / tyl sleep[^108] gyn hym a-sayle.
& broode hym as a[^109] borghȝ swyn / & bedde hym on a bolstre.
Tyl slewthe / & softe sleep / slyken hise sydes.
& þanne wanhope a-wake hym so / with no wil to a-mende hym.
For he be-leviþ to be loost / þat ys þe laste ende.

[^103: F.3.82: An otiose curl appears over the <t>.]

[^104: F.3.84: Alpha is responsible for the word order "bold & vn-buxum." Beta witnesses read "vnbuxome and bolde."]

[^105: F.3.86: F's b-verse is unique. Beta manuscripts have "and chaterynge out of reson." R has "and chaterynge out of tyme."]

[^106: F.3.93: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "There as wil wolde and werkmanshipe fayleþ."]

[^107: F.3.97: A kind of reversed virgule appearing here is probably a slip of the pen.]

[^108: F.3.98: An otiose mark appears above the final <p>.]

[^109: F.3.99: The a is owed to alpha.]

/ [¶] And þey to haven & to holden / & alle here eyȝres after.
A derk dwellynge with þe deuyl / & be dampned for euere.
W ith alle pertynauncis of purgatorye / in-to þe pyne of helle.
For þis þyng ȝeldynge / at on ȝeerys ende.
Here sowlys to sathan / to suffre with hym peynes.
& with hym / to whone in woo / whilis god ys in hevene.

¶ In witnesse of þis[^110] þyng / wrong was þe firste.
& Pers þe Pardoner / of Pawlynes doctryne.
& Bette þe bedele / of Bokyngham-schyre.
& Reygnold þe Reve / of Rokelonde[^111] sokene.
& Munde þe Mellere / & manye mo oþere.
In þe date of þe deuel / þis dede y a-seele.
By syght of sire Symony / & Cyvylys leve.

[^110: F.3.109: The reading þis is owed to alpha. Beta reads which.]

[^111: F.3.112: The reading Rokelonde is owed to alpha. Beta reads Rutland.]

¶ Thanne was teenyd / theologye / whan he þis tale herde.
& seyde / to sire Cyvile / now sorwe mote þou have.
Swiche weddyngges to wirche / to wratthe with trewþe.
& he þis weddynge haþ wrought / woo  hym by-tyȝde.
For Meede ys Moylere / of a- Mendys ongendred [e]ngendred.
& god grauntid to gyve / Meede to trewthe.
& þou hast gyve hire to a gylour / now god gyve þe sorwe.
Þe tyxt tellyþ not so / trewþe whot þe soþe.
For dignus est operariuus operarius / his heere to have.
& þou hast fest hire with fals / fy  on þyn lawe.
For al be lesyngys / þou lyvyst  & leccherouse werkys.

/ [¶] Þan Symonye & Cyvyle / chydden holy chyrche.
& seide þe notarijs & ȝee / foule noyȝhen þe peple.
Ȝee shulle a-begge it / boþe / by god þat me made.
Wel ȝee wetyn wernardys / þat [but if] ȝoure wit fayleþ.
Þ at fals ys faythles / & fykil in hise werkys.
& as[^112] a bastard y-bore / of Belzabubis kynne.
& Meede ys Moylere / & a Mayde of goode.
& myghte kyssen þe kyng / for kosyn & he[^113] wolde.
For-þy  wyrcheþ be wisdom / & be wit bothe.
& lediþ hire to Londoun / þere lawhe ys y-shewyd.
If ony lawhe wille looke / þat þey lyggyn to-gydres.
& þey Iustyses Iuggyn hire / to be Ioyned with fase fa[l]se.
Ȝyt be war of þe[^114] weddyngge / for wytty is trewthe .
& consience his conseylour / he knoweth ȝow ecchone.
& if he fyȝnde ȝow in defawhte / & with sire false holde.
He wil be-slotere[^115] ȝoure sowlys / ful soure at þe laste.

[^112: F.3.132: The reading as is owed to alpha. Beta reads was.]

[^113: F.3.134: Alpha preserves the he form for the third person singular feminine pronoun here.]

[^114: F.3.139: The reading þe is owed to alpha, though it is shared by GH. Beta omits it.]

[^115: F.3.142: MED s.v. bislotered, cites only one other instance of this verb, which appears as a variant in Chaucer, CT Prol. (CmbGg) A.76.]

[^116] ¶ Herto asentyd Cyvyle / but Cyvyle [Symonye] ne wolde.
Tyl he hadde sum syluer / & alle hise notarijs.

[^116: F.3.143: A cropped red <x> appears in the left margin, a corrector's mark noting the error.]

[^117] / [¶] Þanne fette Favel forþ / floreynys y-nowe.
& bad Gyle goo gyve / gold al abowhte.
& namely to þe Notarijs / þat þey noon fayle.
& feffe Fals / be witnesse / with floreynys y-nowe.
Þ at he[^118] may Meede a- Maystrye / & makyn at myn wille.

[^117: F.3.145: A cropped red <x> appears in the left margin, possibly noting the failed alliteration in the preceding line.]

[^118: F.3.149: The reading he is owed to alpha, though shared by L. Beta reads þei.]

¶ Whan þis gold was y-gyve / gret was þe þonkyng.
To fals / & to Favel / for here faire gyftys.
& kestyn a-wey care / & conforte sire false.[^119]
& seyden sire for-soþe / seece shulle we neuere.
Tyl Meede be þy weddyd wif / þoru wyt of vs alle.
For we have Meede a- Maystried / þorgh[^120] oure merye speche.
Þ at she graunteþ for to goo / with a good wille.
To lundenn to looken / if þat þe Lawe wille.
Iuggen it Iustelyche / in Ioye for euere.[^121]

[^119: F.3.152: The line is unique to F. Bx reads "And comen to conforten from care þe false."]

[^120: F.3.155: The reading þorgh is owed to alpha, though shared by H. Beta reads wiþ.]

[^121: F.3.158: The following partially legible words were written in a secretary hand in the top margin: "he . . . / must no[t] in Redyng be to lyght." The top of the notation has been trimmed away.]

/ [¶] Þanne Fals was fayȝn / & Favel ful blythe.
& leet somoune alle men / in shyres a-bowte.
& bad hem alle been boun / beggeres & oþere.
To wenden with hym to westmenstre / to witnesse þe[^122] dede.

[^122: F.3.162: The reading þe is owed to alpha. Beta reads þis.]

¶ But þan cared þey for Caplis / to kayre hem to lundenn
& Favel fette furþ a-noon / fele folys sone.
& sette Meede on a Sherev e / y-shood al newe.
& Fals sat on a Sysour / þat softly trottide.
& Favel on a Flatere / ful fetyȝsly a-tyred.

/ [¶] Þan Notarijs hadde noone / & a-noyed þey wheryn.
Þat Symonye & Cyvile / sholde on foote rennyn.

¶ But þanne swoor Symonye / & Cyvile bothe.
Þ at Somnowres sholde be sadlid / & serue hem ecchone.
& p ropirly aparayle provysoures / in palfreyes wyse.
& sire Symonye hym -selue / shal syttyn on here bakkys.
& deenes & southdenes / let drawe to-gydre.
Archedeknys & officialis / & alle ȝoure registrys.
& stoppe hem with syluer / oure synnes to suffre.
As devoos & devoutrye / & deerne vserye.
To bere Bisshopis a-bowte / a-brood to vysyte.

/ [¶] & Pawlynes peple / and pleyntis in þe constorye.
Shulle seruyn myn -selue / þat Cyvile is y-named.
& Cartesadle þe Commyssarye / oure carte shal he leede.
To fecche vs vytaylis / at fornicatores.
& Lyere shal be long carte / to leden alle þe oþire.
As Fobberys / & Faytoures / þat on here feet renne.

¶ & þus fals & favel / faren forþ to-gydre.
& Meede in þe Myddys / & alle þe oþire after.
I have no tome to telle / þe tail þat hem folweth.
Of many a manere man / þat on þe moolde lybbeþ.
But Gyle was forgoere / & gyede hem alle.

/ [¶] Þan Sothnesse seyȝ hem wel / & seyde but a lyte.
But prikede his palfray / & passede hem alle.
& cam to þe kyngys court / & consyence it tolde.
& Consyence to þe kyng / carped it after.

¶ Nou be crist q uod þe kyng / & y cacche myghte.
Fals eyþir[^123] Favel / or feerys of hise felachepe.
I wolde be wrooke of þo wrecchis / þat werche so Ille.
& don hem hongyn be þe hals / & alle þat hem meyghten mey[n]ten[e].
Sholde neuere man on moolde / menprise þe leeste.
But ryght as þe Lawe wille / lete falle on hem alle.

[^123: F.3.195: The reading eyþir is owed to alpha. Beta has synonymous or.]

/ [¶] Anon he comoundid com[a]undid a constable / to comen at þe fyrste.
[^124] & goo[^125] tache þo tyrawntys / for ony thyng y hote.
& fetre faste False / For ony faire gyftys.
& loke þou gerde of Gyles heed / & let hym go no furthere.
& if þou lacche Lyȝere / lete hym nowht a-skape.
Er he be pyt on Pillory / for ony prayere y hoote.
& loke þou brynge Meede to me / Mawgre hem alle.

[^124: F.3.201: The scribe in his rubricating mode wrote what appears to be an <l> surrounded with marks rather like modern commas in the top margin immediately above the ampersand.]

[^125: F.3.201: The reading goo may be unique in F. The margin of R is badly cropped and the beginning of the line lost, but oo appears. Beta reads To.]

¶ Þan stood drede at þe dore / & al þe dome herde.
& how þe kyng comaundide / constablis & sergauntys.
Þ at False / & his felachepe / to fetere & to byȝnde.

¶ Þanne Dreede wente wyȝhtly / & warnede False.
& bad hym flee for ferd / & hise feerys alle.

¶ & a-non Fals for feere / fleyȝ streyt to þe Frerys.
& with hym Gyle gan goo / for gast he sholde dyȝe.
But Marchawntys mette with hym / & made hym abyȝde.
& settyn hym in here shoppis / to shewen here ware.
& paraylid hym lyȝk a p rentyȝs / þe peple to serue.

¶ Ful lyghtly Lyere / leep a-wey þenne.
Lurkende þorghȝ lanes / to-luggyd of manye.
He was no-wher wolkome / for hise manye talys.
But oueral hyȝe howted / & y-hoote to trusse.
& Pardoneris hadden pyte / & pullyd hym to howse.
& wasshed hym / & wyped hym / & wounnde hym in cloþis.
& sentyn hym with seelys / on sundayes to chirchis.
& gaf p ardoun for pens / pownd-meel a-bowte.

¶ Þanne Lowrede Lechis / & Lettrys þey sentyn.
Þ at he wolde wone with hem / watrys to looke.

¶ Fele spyceris spoke to[^126] hym / to a-spyȝe here ware.
For he cowhde on[^127] here craft / & knew fele gummes.

[^126: F.3.227: The reading to is owed to alpha. Beta reads with.]

[^127: F.3.228: The reading on is owed to alpha, though appearing also in Hm and Hm2. Beta reads of.]

¶ Þanne Menstralis & Messagerys / mettyn with hym o weye.
& heelde hym half a[^128] ȝeer / & elevene dayes.

[^128: F.3.230: The reading half a is owed to alpha, though shared by CrH. Beta reads an half.]

¶ But Freris with Fair speche / fecchid hym þenne.
& for komynge knowerys / þey copid hym as a Frere.
But haþ leve / to leepen owt / as oftyn as hym lykeþ.
& ys wolkome . whan he wille / with -owtyn ony daunnger.[^129]

[^129: F.3.234: The b-verse is unique to F. Bx reads "and woneþ with hem ofte."]

¶ & alle þe oþire fledde for feer / & faste flown to hyrnes.
Save Meede þe Mayde / no moo durste a-byde.
But trewþe to telle / she tremblede for feere.[^130]
& also[^131] wepte & weylede / for she was a-tachid.

[^130: F.3.237: The reading feere is owed to alpha. Beta reads drede.]

[^131: F.3.238: The reading also is owed to alpha. Beta reads ek.]

E xplicit Passus Tercius.

[This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file.] I ncipit Passus Qvartus.

N Ow[^132] is Meede þe Mayde / & no mo of alle.
I -browht by-fore þe kyng / with bedel & bayly
A -non þe kyng kallid a Clerk / y knowe not his name.
To take Meede þe Maide / & make hire a tese at ese.
But y wille hire first a-sayȝe / & sotilly hire apose.
What wyȝe of þis world / þat she were levest.
& if she wirche be my wit / & my wille folwe.[^133]
I wil for-gyve hire þe gyltis[^134] / so me god helpe.

[^132: F.4.1: The ornamented capital is produced in red and green ink with flourishes in red to within an inch of the top of the written space.]

[^133: F.4.7: IIIIus with red flourishes is written in the top right margin to indicate the passus.]

[^134: F.4.8: Alpha is responsible for plural gyltis. Beta manuscripts have gilt.]

¶ Þanne þe Clerk curteysly / dyde as þe kyng hym hyghte.
He took Meede by þe myddil / & mente[^135] hire to chambre.
& þe Clerk gan conforte hire / for gret conynge he hadde.[^136]
& fette furþ merthe with menstralcy / Meede with to plese.

[^135: F.4.10: F alone has this probably original reading. We have not determined whether it represents F-Redactor's (or F-Scribe's) intelligent conjecture or (as Kane and Donaldson have proposed) his access to a pre-archetypal manuscript.]

[^136: F.4.11: This line appears only in F.]

¶ Summe þat whonen at westmenstre / worchepe þey hire make.
Ful Ientylly with Ioyȝe / of þe Iustises manye.
Busked hem boldly to hire bour / þere þe beerde dwelliþ.
To conforte hire konyngly / by Clergyes leve.
Þey seide moorne not Meede / ne make þou no sorwe.
For we wille wisse þe kyng / & þy weyȝe shape.
To be weddid at þy wille / & wher þe levest lykeþ.
For al consyecys consye[n]cys craft / or cast[^137] / as y trowe.

[^137: F.4.20: Alpha is responsible for this word order. Beta manuscripts have "cast or craft."]

¶ Þanne Myȝldely Meede / mercyed hem alle.
Of here grete goodnesse / & gaf to hem ecchone.
Cowpis / of klene gold / with cases of syluer.
Ryngis with rubyes / & rycchesse[^138] ful thykke.
For þe leeste of here men / hadde a motoun of goolde.
Þan lawhte þei here leve / þo Lordis at Meede.
& with þat  kemen Clerkys / & confortid hire þe same.
& beedyn hire be blythe / For we ben þyn owene.
For to wirche þy wille / þe whyles þou may laste.
Þanne she dede hendely / & be-hyghte hem þe same.
To loven hem lelly / & Loordis hem to make.
For in þe constorie in þe court / I shal do cowþe ȝour name.
Shal no lewidnesse lettyn / þo clerkys[^139] þat y lovye.
Þ at he worþ[^140] first a-vauncyd / for y am wel be-knowe.
Þere þat konynge clerkys / shulle knokke k[l]okke[^141] by-hyȝnde.

[^138: F.4.24: Alpha is responsible for rychesse. Beta manuscripts have richesses.]

[^139: F.4.33: Alpha is responsible for clerkys. Beta manuscripts have leode.]

[^140: F.4.34: Bx reads "That he ne worþ first auaunced . . . ." The negative was omitted in alpha.]

[^141: F.4.35: F supplies non-sensical knokke to replace klokke, "limp," an unfamiliar word which appears only in Piers Plowman.]

¶ Þanne com þere a Confessoure / was coped as a Frere.
To Meede þat[^142] Mayde / & meelyde þese wordis.
& seyde ful softly / as in scryfte it where.
Þey leernede men / & lewede men / have leyn by þe boþe.
& þey Fals have defoulyd þe / þis fyftene wynter.
I shal a-soyle þe my-selue / for a seem of wheete.
& also ben þyn bedeman / & beere wel þyn name.
A -mongys Clerkys & knyghtys / here consyence to turne.

[^142: F.4.37: Beta witnesses read þe, exactly what Langland's usual formula would suggest. However, R has þis, and alpha may simply have had a thorn without the suspended <s>, <t>, or <e>.]

¶ Þan Meede for hire mysdedis / to þat man turnede.
& shrof hire of hire shrewidnesse / shameles y trowe.
Whan she hadde told hire tale / she took hym a noble.
For to been hire bedeman / & hire brokour alse.

¶ A -non he assoylyd hire soone / & sytthen he seyde.
We have a wyndowe wirchynge / wille sytte vs ful hyȝe
Wolde ȝe glase þat gable / & grave þere-In ȝoure name.
Sykirly sholde ȝoure soule / in-to hevene styȝe.

¶ Ȝee wiste y þat quod Meede / þer is [n]is wyndowe ne awhter.[^143]
Þ at y y [ne] wolde do mende it / or make it at þe fulle.
& do peynte me & myn name / a-pertly þere-Inne[^144]
Þ at ech a[^145] segge sholde see / I am syster to ȝow alle.[^146]

[^143: F.4.52: This line and the following one correspond roughly to A 3.50-51. Alpha omits eleven lines attested by beta witnesses. Possibly the addition of this line and the next reflects alpha's attempts to restore material missing in his exemplar from his memory of A. Beta reads as follows: Wiste I þat quod þat womman I wolde noȝt spare For to be youre frend frere and faile yow neuere While ye loue lordes þat lecherie haunten And lakkeþ noȝt ladies þat louen wel þe same It is a freletee of flessh ye fynden it in bokes And a cours of kynde wherof we comen alle Who may scape þe sclaundre þe scaþe is soone amended It is synne of þe seuene sonnest relessed Haue mercy quod Mede of men þat it haunteþ And I shal couere youre kirk youre cloistre do maken Wowes do whiten and wyndowes glazen.]

[^144: F.4.54: The line is unique to F. Beta reads "Do peynten and portraye and paie for þe makynge." F is possibly influenced by A's "Þat I ne shulde make or mende & myn name writen."]

[^145: F.4.55: Alpha is responsible for ech a. Beta manuscripts have euery.]

[^146: F.4.55: Alpha is responsible for "to ȝow alle." Beta manuscripts have "of youre house."]

/ [¶] But god / to goode folk / swich grauynge defendiþ.
& wrytynge in wyndowis / of here wel-dedys.
Ne awhter do peynte / for pompe of þe peple.[^147]
For crist knoweth þyn consyence / & þyn kende wille.
Boþe þe coost & þy coueytyse / & who þe catel awhte.[^148]
N esciat sinistra  quid faciat dextera.
Leete nowht þyn lyft half / neyþir late ne rathe.
Weetyn what þou wyrchist / with þyn ryght syde.
For þus biddis þe gospel / good men dos do[n][^149] þerafter.

[^147: F.4.58: The line is unique to F. Beta reads "An auenture pride be peynted þere and pomp of þe world."]

[^148: F.4.60: F omits the following lines from Bx: Forþi I lere yow lordes leueþ swiche werkes To writen in wyndowes of youre wel dedes Or to greden after goddes men whan ye delen doles On auenture ye haue youre hire here and youre heuene als. The lines are missing from H as well.]

[^149: F.4.64: F has missed the point, substituting a finite form for the required infinitive.]

/ [¶] Meyȝres with here Macerys / þat meenys been be-twene.
Þe kyng / & þe Comounys / to kepen wel þe Lawys.
& punsshyn[^150] vpon[^151] pylory / & on pynyge pyny[n]ge stolys.
Boþe websteres & bakesterys / & bocheres & Cookys.
For þo are men vpon[^152] moolde / þat mest harm wirche.
To þe poore peple / þat parcel-meel byggyn.
& poysene þe peple / pryvyly & softe.
Þey rychen þoru regratrye / & rentys hem byggyn
W ith þat  þe pore peple / sholde pytte in here wombe.
For tooke þey on trewly / þey tyȝmbred not so hyȝe.
Ne bowhte no bargayn / be þe[^153] fulle serteyn.

[^150: F.4.67: The scribe corrected this word by writing a second <s> over original <c>. See F4.195, 10.561 for similar corrections.]

[^151: F.4.67: Alpha is responsible for vpon. Beta manuscripts have on.]

[^152: F.4.69: Alpha is responsible for vpon. Beta manuscripts have on.]

[^153: F.4.75: This alpha reading is shared by BmBoCot; most other beta manuscripts have ye.]

¶ But now þe Maide meede / þe Mayr haþ she prayed.
Of alle swiche selleres / syluer to taken.
Or presentys with -outyn pens / as pecys of syluer.
Or rynges or rycchesse / þe regratoures to meynghte meyn[ten]e.
For my Lord[^154] / quod þat Lady / loveþ hem ecchone.
& suffreþ hem to selle / sumdel a-geyn resoun

[^154: F.4.80: Alpha reads Lord for Bx's loue.]

/ [¶] Kyng Salomon þe sage / a sermoun he made.
To a- Mende Meyȝhrys / & men þat kepe þe Lawis
& þus he tolde his teeme / þat y shal telle ȝou after.
I gnis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter[^155]
A -mong lettryd leedis / þis latyn ys to meene.
Þ at feer shal falle & brenne / al to bloo askys.
Þe howses / & þe homes / of hem þat dysyren.
Gyftys / or ȝeris-gyftys / be-cause of here offyȝs.[^156]

[^155: F.4.85: Alpha omits beta's accipiunt munera.]

[^156: F.4.89: Alpha is responsible for offyȝs, a reading shared by H. Beta manuscripts have plural offices.]

¶ Þanne þe kyng fram conseyl cam / & callyd after Meede.
& sente after hire swyþe / with sergauntys manye.
Þ at browhtyn browhtyn [hire] to bowre / wiþ blysse & with Ioyȝe.

/ [¶] A -non þe kyng curteysly / comsed for to telle.
& to Meede þe Maide / he melede þese wordis.
Þ ou womman vn-wittyly / wrought hast þou ofte.
But worse wroughtist þou neuere / þan whan þou fals tooke.
But y forgyve þe þat gylt / & graunte þe myn grace.
Fram hens to þyn deþ-day / yf þou do so no moore.

/ [¶] But y have a knyght hatte con syence / kam late fram by-ȝounde.
If he wilne þe to wyve / wilt þou with hym holde.

¶ Ȝee Lord quod þe Lady / oure Lord for-beede ellys.
But y be holly at ȝour heste / hyȝe hange hange [me] soone.

/ [¶] & þan was Consyence clepd / to comen & a-peren.
By-fore þe kyng & his cunseyl / as Clerkys & oþere.

¶ Þanne Consience knelynge / vnto þe kyng lowhtede.
To wete what his wille were / & what he do sholde.

/ [¶] Wilt þou weddyn þis womman quod þe kyng / if she wille a-sente.
For she is of fair shap[^157] / for to ben þyn make.

[^157: F.4.108: F's reading is unique. Beta manuscripts read "fayn of þi felaweshipe."]

¶ Q uod Co nsience to þe kyng / crist it me for-beede.
& er y wedde swich a wyf / woo me by-tyȝde.
For she is fykel of feyþ / & fals of hire speche.
& makþ men mys-doon / manye skore tyȝmes.
& þo þat tristne on trewþe / she treyȝeþ hem ofte.[^158]
Boþe wyvis & wedewis / & wantowne wenchis.[^159]
& lerneþ hem Leccherye / þat loveþ hire loore.
Ȝowre fader she felde / þorhȝ hire[^160] fayre[^161] heste.
& she haþ y-poysoned popis / & a-peyred holy chirche
Þer is nawht a bettre bawde / by hym þat me maade.
By-twexe hevene & helle / þey men al erthe sowhte.
For she is tykyl of hire tayl / & talewyȝs of tunge.
& as comoune as cartewey / to ech knave of towhne.
She takþ Masonys[^162] & Menstralys / & Meselys in heggys.
Boþe Sysoures & Sumnowres / swiche shulle hire preyse.
But Sherevis of Shyres / wheryn shent if she neere.
For she doþ men leesen here lond / & here lyf boþe.
& she leetyþ passe prisonerys / & payeþ for hem ofte.
& gyfþ þe gailer gold / & grootys to-gydre.
To vnfetere þe false / & flee where hym lykeþ.
& trewþe ys take be þe top / & teyȝed fyȝn faste.
& he hangyd for hatterede / þat harm dyde neuere.
To don curse in constorye / she a-counteþ not a resshe.
For she copeþ þe Comyssarie / & klokiþ[^163] alle hise clerkys.
& she ys a-soyled soone / as hire -selue lykyþ.

[^158: F.4.113: F's line is unique. Bx reads "Trust of hire tresor trayeþ ful manye."]

[^159: F.4.114: The b- verse is unique to F. Bx reads "wantounnesse she techeþ."]

[^160: F.4.116: BmBoCot read hire, which is otherwise unique to F.]

[^161: F.4.116: Alpha is responsible for fayre. Beta manuscripts read false.]

[^162: F.2.122: F's reading "She takþ Masonys" is unique. Other manuscripts have "To Monkes." F also uniquely has & twice in place of Bx's to.]

[^163: F.4.132: klokiþ, "provides with a cloak." This is the first instance we have found of the finite form of this verb. OED's earliest citations are from the early sixteenth century, while the only MED citation is a participial adjective dated c. 1450 in the related sense "encased, enclosed."]

¶ She may neeyh doon as myche / in a Moneþ ones.
As ȝowre secret seel / sire kyng / in sixe skore dayes.
For she is prive with þe pope / alle provisoures it knoweþ.
For Maister Symony & hire -selue / a-seelyn þe billys
& she blessiþ bisshopis / & beggerys she hateþ.[^164]
& prestys she meynteneþ / with mennes wifes to deele.
& to have lemannys[^165] / alle here lyf-dayes.
& so ben browht forþ barnes / a-geyn for-boode Lawis.

[^164: A problem in alpha has led F to invent new b-verses for these two lines. Beta witnesses attest: She blesseþ þise Bisshopes þeiȝ þei be lewed Prouendreth persones, and preestes maynteneþ]

[^165: F.4.140: F alone begins the line with & and omits and lotebies.]

/ [¶] & þere she is weel with þe kyng / woo ys / to þat Rewhme.
For she is fauerable / to Fals / & defouleþ trewþe ofte.
By Iesus with hire Iewelis / þe[^166] Iustises she shendiþ.
& lyȝeþ a-geyn þe Lawhe / & lettyþ so þe gate.
Þ at feyþ may not have his furþ / for Floreynys goo so þykke.
She leediþ þe lawe as she lyst / & swiche love-dayes makeþ.
Þ at men leese be hire love / þat lawe wolde þey wonne.
Ȝee þe Mase for a meene man / þeyhȝ he moote euere.
For þe Lawe is so lordly / & looþ to make an ende.
W ith -outyn presentys or pens / it plesiþ but fewe.

[^166: F.4.144: Alpha is responsible for þe. Beta manuscripts have youre.]

¶ Boþe Baronys & burgeisis / she bryngiþ in sorwe.
& alle þe comonis in care / þat coueyten truthe.
For Clergye & Coueytyse / she cowpleþ to-gydre.
Þis is þe Lyf of þat Lady / oure Lord gyve hire sorwe.
& alle alle [þat] hire meyntene & hire men / myschawnce hem by-tyȝde.
For poore men have no powher / to pleyne þeyhȝ þey smerte.[^167]
T Hanne[^168] mornede Meede / & made mychil sorwe.[^169]
& prayede þe kyng to speke / speede if she myghte.
Þe kyng grauntyd hire grace / with a glad wille.
Excuse þe if þou canst / I can no moore . þis tyme.
For Consience haþ accused þe  to kunge þe for euere.
Nay Lord q uod þat Lady / now leve hym þe worse
Whan ȝee wetyn wyttyrly / where þe wrong lyggiþ.
For þere þat Mischeef ys gret / Meede may it helpe.
& þat[^170] þou knowist Consience / y can not with þe chyde.
Ne deprave þy persone / with a prowd herte.
But wel þou woost wernard / but if þou wylle gabbe.
Þ ou hast hangid on myn half / eleuene tymes.
& also y-gripe my gold / & gyve yt[^171] where þe lyked.
But why  þou wratthest þe now / wondir me þynkyþ.
For ȝit y may as y myghte / menske þe with gyftys.
& meyntene þyn manhod / moore þan þou knowyst.
But þou hast defamed defamed [me] foule / by-fore þe kyng heere.
For truly y kyllyde neuere knyght[^172] / ne contrivede þat dede.
Ne dyde as þou demest me / y doo it on þe dede.[^173]

[^167: F.4.157: F omits the following line from Bx: "Swich a maister is Mede among men of goode."]

[^168: F.4.158: A small guide <t> for the rubricator appears to the top left of the finished <T>.]

[^169: F.4.158: F combines and reconfigures Bx's b-verse with the a-verse of the following line. Bx reads as follows: Thanne mournede Mede and mened hire to þe kynge To haue space to speke spede if she myȝte.]

[^170: F.4.166: Alpha is responsible for þat. Beta manuscripts lack it.]

[^171: F.4.170: An otiose tilde appears above the <y>.]

[^172: F.4.175: Alpha is responsible for knyght. Beta manuscripts have kyng.]

[^173: F.4.176: F has picked up dede from the preceding line. Bx has kynge.]

¶ For in Normondyȝ þe kyng was nout / noyhed for my sake
But þou þy-selve sothly / þou shamedist hym ofte.[^174]
For crope Crope in a Caban / for cold of þyn naylys.
& wendist þat wynter / wolde have lasted euere.
& also þou dreddist to dyȝe / for a dym clowhde.
& hyȝedist homwarde / for hungir of þy wombe.

[^174: F.4.178: The top of the page has a five-line illustration with a human head at the left end of a decorated tube and a lion's head at the right end. The drawing incorporates the ascenders from the text.]

¶ & with -outyn pyte þou pylour / pore men þou robbedist.[^175]
& bere here bras at þy bak / In Caleys to selle.
Þere y lefte with my Lord / his lyf for to save.
I made hise men meryȝe / & here Murnynge y lette.
I batered hem on þe bak / & bolded here hertys.
& dide hem hoppyn on hope / to have me at wille.

[^175: F.4.183: An otiose curl appears over the <o>.]

¶ Hadde y be Marchal of hise men / be Marie of hevene.
I durste haue leyd my lyf / & no lesse gage.
He shulde have have [be] lord of þat lond / in lengþe & in brede.
& also kyng of þat kyþ / al his keen to helpe.
Þe leeste brolle of þis lond[^176] / a baronys peere.

[^176: F.4.193: The substitution of lond for Bx's blood is owed to alpha.]

¶ & þou Consience / cowardly / þou conseyledist hym þenne.
To levyn so his Lordshepe[^177] / for a lytyl syluer.
Þ at ys þe ryccheste regne / þat reyȝn ouere-hoveþ.
It be-comeþ wel a kyng / þat kepiþ a rewhme.
To ȝyve Meede to men / þat menskly hym serue.
& alyenys & oþire men / to honoure hem with gyftys.
For Meede makþ hym by-loved / & a man y-holde.

[^177: F.4.195: The scribe initially wrote Lordchepe and then corrected the <c> to <s>. Cf. F4.67, 10.561.]

¶ Emperoures / & Erlys / & alle erthely Lordis.
Þorghȝ ȝiftys have ȝoomen[^178] / to ȝeerne & to ryȝde.

[^178: F.4.202: Alpha is responsible for ȝoomen. Beta manuscripts have yonge men.]

¶ Þe Pope also / of p relatys / presentys he vndir-fongyþ.
& þey Meede men hem-selue / to meyntene þe lawis.
& seruauntys for here seruyse / who can seyȝ þe sothe.
Take Meede of here Mayster / as þey moun a-corde.
& beggerys for here beggyng[^179] / byddyn for men meede.
& Menstralis for here merthe / meede / men hem profre.

[^179: F.4.207: Alpha is responsible for beggyng. Beta manuscripts have biddynge.]

/ [¶] Þe kyng haþ Meede of hise men / to make pees in londe.
& men þat techen chyldryn / craven of hem meede.[^180]
Preestis þat preche þe peple / of god þey aske meede.
& messe-pens & here meel / at here mete tyȝme.
Alle manere of crafty men / crave meede for here prentyȝs.
& Marchauntys & meede / muste nedys goon to-gydre.
No wyȝht as y wene / withoutyn meede may lybbe.
[^181] T han seyde þe kyng to con sience / by crist as me þynkiþ.
Now ys Meede worthy / þe Maystrie to have.

[^180: F.4.210: A pointing finger is added in the margin by a later hand.]

[^181: F.4.216: This ornamental capital, more elaborate than the one at 4.158, is red with green flourishes. A small guide <t> is visible in its midst.]

¶ Nay quod consience to þe kyng / & kneled on þe erþe.
Þere ben two manere of meedis / my lord be ȝour leve.
Þe firste is þat god of his grace / grauntyþ to his blysse.
To þo þat wel wirche / whilis þey ben on erthe.
Þe p rophete prechiþ þer-of / & is pyt in þe Sawter.
Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo  atque quis requiescet in monte sancto eius . imocens i[nn]ocens manibus & mundo corde.[^182]
He seyþ Lord who shal wone in þyn wones / with þyn holy seyntis.
Er restyn on þyn holy hillis / þus askede[^183] dauyd.

[^182: F.4.223: F significantly augments the tag. Bx ends after tuo.]

[^183: F.4.225: Alpha is responsible for askede. Beta manuscripts have askeþ.]

/ [¶] & dauyd asoyled it / hym -selue / as þe sawhter tellyþ.
Qui ingreditur sine macula  & operatur iusticiam.
Þo þat entryn of o colour he seiþ / & also of o wille.
& haven wroght werkis / with ryght & with resoun.
& he wil nowht vse / þe lyf of vseryȝe.
But en-formeþ pore men / to pursue trewþe.[^184]
& þo þat helpe þe Innocent / & holde with þe ryghtful.
& with -outyn Meede doon hem good / & trew men[^185] helpe.
Swiche manere of men my lord / shulle have þe for-seyd mede.
Of god / at his grete neede / whan þey goon hennys.

[^184: F.4.231: F omits Bx's "Qui pecuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram et munera super innocentem."]

[^185: F.4.233: Alpha is responsible for trew. Beta manuscripts have truþe. F alone adds men.]

/ [¶] Þe s econde Meede ys Mesourles / þat Maystris dysyren
To Meyntene mysdoerys / Meede þey taken.
& of hem seyþ þe sawhter / in a Spalmes ende.
[^186] In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt  dextra eorum repleta est muneribus.
He þat grypeþ so gold / so me god helpe.
[^187] He shal a-byȝe it bytterly / if þe book be trewe.
Boþe p restys & p arsones / þat preysynge dysyreþ.
Þey take Meede & Mone / for Masses to synge.
& þerfore is here Meede / as Seynt Mattheu vs tellyt
Amen dico vobis . receperunt mercedem suam.

[^186: F.4.239: An X appears in the left margin by this line.]

[^187: F.4.241: Note is written in the left margin by a later hand along with a pointing finger, probably marking the passage and no one line.]

/ [¶] But þat Laboris & lewid men / taken of here Maystris.
It is no manere Meede / but a mesurable hyȝre.
Ne in Marchantdyse / is no meede / y may it wel a-vowe.
It is[^188] Permvtacioun apertly / a peny-worþ / for a-noþir.
But reddist þou neuere regum / þou recreyȝede Meede.
Why  þe vengaunce fel on / Saul & hise childryn.
God sente to Saul / be Samuel the p rophete.
Þ at Agag & Amalek / & al here peple after.
Shulden dyȝe for þe dede / þat doon hadde here eldres.

[^188: F.4.249: Alpha is responsible for the omission of a before Permvtacioun.]

/ [¶] Þus seyde Samuel to Saul / god hym -selue þe hoteþ.
Þ ou be buxum at my[^189] byddyngge / his wille to fulfylle.
Wende to Amelek with þyn oost / & what þou fynst sle it.
& beernes & beestis / brenne hem to dethe.
Boþe wyvis & wydewis / & wommen with chylde.[^190]
Mevable & vn-mevable / al þou may þere fyȝnde.
Brenne yt / bere it nowht a-way / be it neuere so ryche.
For Meede ne for mone / mak no þyn þyn[g] on lyve.[^191]
But spille it / & spare it nowht / & þou shalt spede þe bettre.
/ [¶] & for he coueytyd here catel / & þe kyng he sparede.
& for-bar hym / & hise beestis / as þe book telliþ.
Othir-wyse þan he was / warned of þe prophete.

[^189: F.4.256: RF agree against beta family manuscripts which read his.]

[^190: F.4.259: F alone has "with chylde." Other manuscripts read "and children."]

[^191: F.4.262: Bx fails in alliteration, and F has revised to provide alliteration on nasalization. Bx reads "For Mede ne for monee loke þow destruye it." Cx also revises the b-verse, but differently.]

/ [¶] Þan seyde god / to Samewel / þat savl sholde dyȝe.
& al his seed / for þat synne / synfully þan endede.[^192]
Swich a Myschef / Meede made / kyng saul to have.
Þ at god hatyd hym for euere / & alle hyse eyȝres after.
Þe construyng of þis caas / kepe y nowht expowne.
For hap if it noyede men / non ende wil y make.
For so is þis world went / with hem þat have powher.
Þ at who-so seyþ hem here soþis / he ys sunnest blamed.
I knowe it wel quod consience / for wit me it tawhte.
Þ at resoun shal reygne / & rewhmes gouerne.
& ryght as Agag hadde no harm / so happe shulle summe.
For Samvel shal fle [s]le hym / & saul shal be blamed.
& dauid shal be dyademed / & adawntyn hem alle.
& .o. cristene kyng / shal kepen al þe frape.[^193]
Shal no moore meede be mayster / so mychil as he[^194] is nowþe.
But boþe love & lowenesse / & lewte to-gydre.
Þese shulle be Maystris on Moolde / trewþe to save.
& who trespaseþ a-geyn t rewþe / or takþ a-geyn his wille.
Lewte shal doon hym lawe / & no lyf ellys.
Shal no sergaunt for no seruyse / were a sylk howe.
Ne no pelewre in his cloke / for pletynge at þe barre.
But ofte Misdoeris þoru Meede / ys meyntened be lordis.
& þoru þe Lordys be Lawes / for to rewle þe rewhme.

[^192: F.4.268: Alpha is responsible for the preterite endede, a lection shared with Hm. Other beta manuscripts have ende(n).]

[^193: F.4.280: Other B witnesses have the relatively pedestrian b-verse variants "kepen hem echone" or "kepen hem alle."]

[^194: F.4.281: he, "she." Alpha preserves this form. All beta witnesses read she.]

/ [¶] But kyȝnde love shal come ȝit / & consyence to-gydre.[^195]
& make of Lawe a laborer / swich love shal a-ryse.
& swich pees[^196] a-mong þe peple / & parfyȝt trewþe.
Þ at Iewis shulle wene in here wit / & waxe wondir glade.
Þ at Moyses or Messye / be comen in -to erthe.
& have wondir in hertis / þat men be here so trewe.

[^195: Two abbreviations for nota were written in very pale ink in the right margin by a later scribe.]

[^196: F.4.292: Alpha is responsible for the omission of a before pees.]

/ [¶] & alle þat beryn baselarde / or[^197] brod-swerd or lawnce.
Er ex or hachet / or ony wepene ellis.
Shulle be dampned to þe deþ / but he do it smythie.
In-to sykil or in -to sythe / to shar er to cultyr.
E t conflabunt gladios suos in vomeres.
Ech man shal pleyȝe with þe plowh /. or pykoyse or spade.
Or spynne or sprede dunk / or lese[^198] hym -selue with slewþe.

[^197: F.4.296: The initial character could be either an <e> or an <o>. Both forms appear in the manuscript.]

[^198: F.4.302: Alpha is responsible for lese. Beta manuscripts have correctly alliterating spille.]

¶ Prestis & parsonys / with Placebo shulle hunte.
& dynggyn vpon dauid / euery day til eve
Huntynge or hawkynge / if ony of hem it vse.
For his boost / his benefyȝs / worþ by-nome hym after.

¶ Shal neyþir kyng ne knyght / ne Meyȝr ne constable.
Ouer leede þe comoune / ne to here court hem somowne.
Ne pitte hem in panel / to do plyghte here trewþe.
But after þe dede / þat is doon / o doom shal rewarde.
Er with Mercy / or with no Mercy / as trewthe wylle a-sente.

¶ Boþe kyngis court / & comoun cowrt / Constorye & chapetle.
Alle shulle be but .o. court / & .o. baroun be Iustise
Þan worþ trewe tunge / a tydy man / þat tenede men ofte.[^199]

[^199: F.4.314: A series of misunderstandings lies behind F's reading. Bx reads "me neuere." That in turn has been redivided to "men euere" and then translated to "men ofte."]

¶ Ne þanne shulle no batailes be / ne no man shal bere wepne
& what smeþ þat ony smythie[^200] / he shal be smyte þer-wiþ.
N on leuabit gens contra gentem gladium.
& er þis Fortune falle / men shulle fyȝnde þe werse.
[^201] For þer shul be sixe sunnes & a ship / & half a shef of arwis.
& þe Myddil of a Moone / shal make þe Iewis[^202] turne.
& þe sarsynes for þe syghte þerof[^203] / shulle syngyn Gloria in excelsis .
Þorghȝ[^204] Machamet & Meede / mys-shapen shulle þey[^205] þat tyme.
For melius est bonum nomen habere  quam diuicie multe

[^200: F.4.316: Alpha is responsible for smythie. Beta manuscripts have smyteth or smyþeþ.]

[^201: F.4.319: The left margin is cropped, leaving "..te" in the hand with italic <e>. A second annotator has written "nota" again, and a possibly original nota brevigraph appears inside a bracket for 319-20.]

[^202: F.4.320: Alpha and G lack to after Iewis.]

[^203: F.4.321: Alpha is responsible for "þe syghte þerof," while beta manuscripts have "þat siȝte."]

[^204: F.4.322: F alone has this reading. All other B witnesses have For.]

[^205: F.4.322: F alone has this reading. All other B witnesses omit þey.]

¶ Þo as wrothȝ as þe wyȝnd / wex Meede in a qwhyle.
Quod she y can lytyl latyn / clerkys knowe þe sothe.
Now see ȝee what salomon seyþ / In sapience bokys.
Of hem þat gyveþ gyftys / þe victorie wynneþ.
& myche worchepe haue þerfore / as holy wryt telliþ.
H onorem adquiret . qui dat munera.

¶ I leve wel Lady quod consience / þat þyn Latyn be trewe.
But þou art lyk a Nunne[^206] Lady / þat a lessoun redde ones.
It was þus omnia autem probate / & þat plesede here herte.
For þat Lyȝne was no lengere / þan þe levis ende.
Hadde she lokyd on þe oþir half / & þe leef y-turned.
She sholde have fownde fele wordis / folwynge after.
Þ at seyde quod bonum est tenete / Trewthe þat tyxt made.
& so feerde ȝee Madame / no moore cowhde ȝee fyȝnde.
Of þat ȝee seyȝe in Sapience / syttynge in ȝoure stodye.
But þis tyxt þat ȝee have told / ȝee takyn nout þe ende.[^207]
But ȝee faile a konynge clerk / þat can þe leef wel turne.[^208]
& yf ȝee seke in Sapience eft / fyȝnde shal ȝee þat folweth.
A ful teeneful tyxt of þat tale / þat ȝee to me pitte.[^209]
& þeyȝ ȝe wynne worchepe / & of me[^210] have þe victorye.
Ȝit þe sowle / þat þe syluer takþ / be so myche ys bownde.
N Ow sesiþ seyde þe kyng þo / y suffre ȝow no lengere.
Ȝee shul sawhtle for-soþe / & seruyn me boþe.
Kysse hire now quod þe kyng / þou consience y hoote.
Nay be crist quod Consyense / honge[^211] me rather sone.
But if Resoun rede me þerto / rathere y wille dyȝe.
Þanne y comawnde þe quod þe kyng /[^212] Consyence he seyde.
Rape þe to ryde a-non / & Resoun þat þou fecche.
& comawnde hym þat he come to me / myn conseil to here.
For he shal rewle my rewhme / & reede me to þe beste.[^213]
& a-Cowntre with þe Consience / so me crist helpe.
How þou leernyst þe peple / boþe lerede & þe lewede.

[^206: F.4.331: F uniquely inserts Nunne.]

[^207: F.4.339: The b-verse is unique to F. Bx reads "were good for lordes."]

[^208: F.4.340: The b-verse is unique to F. Bx reads "þat kouþe þe leef han torned."]

[^209: F.4.342: F omits two lines and re-arranges others, melding KD3.349 and 3.351. Bx reads as follows: A ful teneful text to hem þat takeþ Mede Animam autem aufert accipientium &c. And þat is þe tail of þe text of þat ye shewed.]

[^210: F.4.343: Alpha is responsible for me. Beta manuscripts have Mede.]

[^211: F.4.348: F alone reads honge. Bx reads congeye.]

[^212: F.4.350: The scribe inexplicably left a space of 13 mm after kyng. We have interpreted the flourish following <g> as a virgule since one does not otherwise appear.]

[^213: F.4.353: F, like most B manuscripts, lacks the following line attested in YCr 23OC2 as well as in versions A and C: "Of Mede and of mo oþere what man shal hire wedde."]

/ [¶] I am fayn of þis forward / seyde þat freke þanne.
& to resoun he rood ryght / & rownede in his ere.
& tolde hym as þe kyng seide / & sytthe he took his leve.

¶ I wille go a-rayȝe me quod Resoun / go reste þe þerwhile.
A -non he klepede Catoun his knave / ful curteyȝs of speche.
& also Tomme trewe tunge / þat tolde fewe talys.
Ne lesyngis to Lawhe of / for he lovede hem neuere.
He bad / go sette a sadil vpon suffre / tyl y se my tyme.
& let warroke hym with gyrtys / þat is with witty wordis.
& hange on hym þe hevi brydil / to holde his heed lowe.
For he wil makyn . we  he  to trewþe[^214] er he be þere.

[^214: F.4.366: The reading to trewþe is unique to F. Bx reads twies.]

/ [¶] Þan Consience vpon his capil / cayreþ forþ faste.
& Resoun with hym rydis / rownynge to-gydre.
Whiche Maystryes on erthe / Meede þe Maide makeþ.[^215]

[^215: F.4.369: Alpha is responsible for the word order of this line. Beta manuscripts read "Whiche maistries Mede makeþ on þis erþe."]

¶ A -non waryȝn wyȝsdom / & watte witty his feere.
Folwed hem faste / for þey haddyn to doone.
In þe Chekkeryȝe / & Chawncerye / to be dischargid þere.
Faste þey ryden for resoun / þat he wolde rede hem for þe beste.
For to saven here syluer / & hem fram shame & harmes.
& Consyence knew hem wel / þat koueytyse þey loveden.
& he bad resoun ryde faste / & recche of þem neythir.
For þere are whilis / in here woordis / & with Meede þey dwelle.
& þere as wratthe / & wranglynge is / þere wynne þey siluer.
& where þat love & lewte ys / þey leete nowht come þere.
For þey gyve nowht god / nowht .o. goos feedre.[^216]
C ontricio & infelicitas in uijs eorum.
N on est timor dei ante occulos o[c]ulos eorum.
For god wot þey wille doon / moore / for a dosey dosey[n] chykes.
Or for as manye Caponys / or for a seem of ootes.
Þan for þe love of oure lord / or for hise leve seyntys.
Þerfore[^217] lete hem ryde / þo ryche men by hem-selue.
For Conciense knowe þey nowht / ne crist as y trowe.

[^216: F.4.380: F transposes this line with the Latin quotation.]

[^217: F.4.386: Alpha is responsible for the omission of Reson before lete.]

/ [¶] Þanne reson rood faste / þe ryght hyȝe gate.[^218]
As Consience hym kennede / til þey to þe kyng keme.

[^218: F.4.388: An otiose curl appears above the <g>.]

¶ Þan Curteysly þe kyng anon / kam a-geyn resoun.
& by-twene hym & his sone / he sette hym on þe deyȝse.
& wordeden wol wyȝsly / a long while to-gydres.

/ [¶] & þanne cam pees to þat parlement / & pitte furþ a bylle.
How Wrong a-geyn his wille / hadde his wif y-taken.
& he ravysshid Rose / Reygnoldis leve dowhter.
& be-revede Margrete hire Maydenhed / mawgre hire wille.
& also myn gees & myn gryȝs / hise gadelyngys fecchen.
& y dar nowht for feere / fyghtyn ne chyden.
He borwid of me Bayard / & browhte hym a-geyn neuere.
Ne no ferthyng þerfore / for nowht[^219] y cowhde pleete.
Also he meynteneþ hise men / to moþere m[u]rþere myn heuuys.[^220]
& to & for-staleþ myn feyrys / & fyghteþ in þe chepyng.
He brakiþ vp my beerne dore / & beryþ a-wey my whete.
& takþ me but a tayle / for teen qwarteris otes.
& ȝit he thretiþ me þerto / & lyggeþ by my Mayde.
I am nowht hardy for hym / vnneþe for to looke.

[^219: F.4.400: Alpha and LM read nowht. Other beta manuscripts have ouȝt.]

[^220: F.4.401: The spelling heuuys for hewen, "servants," occurred in alpha. What the immediate scribe thought he was writing is a matter of speculation, since the combination <uu> never again appears in the English text. F is unique in reading moþere.]

/ [¶] Þe kyng knew wel he seyde soþ / for Conciense so hym tolde.
Þ at wrong was a wykkid wyght / & wroghte myche[^221] sorwe.

[^221: F.4.408: The scribe initially wrote muche and then corrected to his usual form.]

¶ Þanne wex wrong a-ferd / & wysdom he sowhte.
To make pees with hise pens / he proferede manye.
& seyde / hadde hadde [y] love of þe kyng / lytil wolde y recche.
Þeyhȝ / pees with his powher / pleygned hym ofte.[^222]
I seyȝ it to þyn -selue / þou shalt it wel fyȝnde.
For but yf Meede / it make / þy Mischeef is vppe.
For boþe þyn lyȝf & þyn londe / lyȝþ in his grace.
/ [¶] Þanne whowede wrong / wyȝsdom ful ȝeerne.
To make his pees with pens / y-payed handy dandy
Þanne wit & wisdom a-non / wentyn to-gydres.
& token Meede myd hem / Mercy to wynne.

[^222: F.4.412: F omits the following lines from Bx: Tho wan Wisdom and sire waryn þe witty For þat wrong hadde ywroȝt so wikked a dede And warnede wrong þo with swich a wis tale Whoso wercheþ by wille wraþe makeþ ofte.]

¶ Pees pitte forþ his heed / & his pate al blody.
W ith -outyn gylte god it whot / gat y þis skathe.
Boþe Concyense & þe comones / knowe wel þe soþe.

/ [¶] & þerwhilis wit & wisdom / wentyn a-bowtyn faste.
To ouer-come þe kyng / with catel if þey myghten.
¶ Þe kyng swor by Cryst / & be his Crowne boþe.
Þ at wrong for hise werkys / woo sholde þolye.
A -non he comaundid a Cunstable / to caste hym in stokkis.[^223]
& nowht after þis sevene ȝeer / he se hise feet ones.

[^223: F.4.427: The correction with interlinear in is inserted in brown ink, but the caret is written in red.]

/ [¶] A  god whot quod Wisdom þo / þat were not þe beste.
But he a-mendis mowe now make / let Meinprise hym holde.
& if he have borghȝ of his bale / þey mowe bygge hym boote.
& so a-mende / þat is mys-do / & he shal do euere þe bettre.
¶ A -non wit a-cordit þerwith / & seyde þe same resoun
Þ at bettre it were / þat boote / sholde bale doun brynge.
Þan bale be y-beete / & boote neuere þe bettre.

/ [¶] & þanne gan Meede to Meke hire / & mercy by-sowhte.
& proferede pees a present / al of pure syluer
Have þis man of me quod she / to a-menden þy skaþe.
For y wille wage me for wrong / he wil do so no more.
¶ Þanne Pees pytously / prayede to þe kyng þere.
He wolde have mercy on þat man / þat mysdede so ofte.
For he haþ waged me wel / as wyȝsdom hym tawhte.
& y for-gyve hym my gilt / with a good wille.
So þe kyng a-sente þerto / y can seyȝ no bettre.
For Meede haþ maad myn a-mendis ./ y may no more aske.

/ [¶] Nay  quod þe kyng þo / so me god helpe.
Wrong wendiþ not so aweyȝ  y wille first wete more.
For lowpe he so lyghtly a-wey / lawhen he myghte.
& eft þe boldere to be / to beetyn myne hewen.
But resoun have rewþe on hym / he shal reste in stokkys.
& þat as longe as he lyviþ / but lowhnesse hym borwe.

¶ Fele radde resoun þo / to have rewþe on þat shrewe.
Þ at he myghte conseile þe kyng / & consience seyde after.
Þ at Meede myghte be his p aramour[^224] / resoun þey be-sowte.

[^224: This curious revision of Bx reflects one of the scribal editor's more bizarre moments. Bx reads as follows: Som men radde Reson to haue ruþe on þat shrewe And to counseille þe kyng and Conscience after That Mede moste be maynpernour Reson þei bisouȝte.]

/ [¶] Now  rede me nowht / quod Resoun / ony rewthe to graunte.
Til Lordis & Ladijs / loven lovely trewþe.
& haten al harlotriȝe / to heren it / of Mowthis.
& til Peronellis pelure / be pit in hyre chiste.
& Chydene Chyrsynge Chy[l]d[r]ene Chyr[y]synge / be chastysed with ȝerdes
& harlotis holynesse / be holde for vanyte.
& Clerkene coueytyse / cloþe wel þe Po Po[re & fede][^225]
& religyous rome renneris / recorde in here cloystre.
As seynt Benyght hem bad / & Bernard & Fraunces.
& til p rechores p rechynge / be previd on hem-selue.
& tyl þe kyngys conseyl / be þe comoune profyȝht.
& tyl þe Bisshopis barganoures / be beggerys in chambres.
& here hawkys & howndis / helpe relygyouse howsys.
& tyl Seynt Iemys be sowht / þere y shal a-sygne
Þ at no man goo to Galys / but he goo for euere.
& also / Rome rennerys / for robberis be-ȝounde.
Bere no syluer ouer þe see / þat sygne of kyng sheweth.
Neyþir graue / ne vngraue / gold neyþir syluer.
Vpon forfeture of fee / who fynt hym at douere.
But he be Marchaunt . er his man / er Messager with lettris.
Er p rovysour or preest / er penaunt for hise synnys.

[^225: F.4.461: At least one character is erased after Po. Bx reads "to clothe þe pouere & fede." The b-verse is heavy, and we cannot be certain that the F-Redactor would have concurred with Bx.]

¶ & ȝit quod[^226] Reeson be þe roode / y shal rewþe [no] rewþe have.
While Meede haþ þe Maystrie / in þe moot halle.
For y shal shewe ensample / as y see oþirwhyle.
I seyȝ it be myn -selue / quod he  / if it so now were.
Þ at y were kyng with crowne / to kepen þe rewme.
Sholde neuere wrong in þis world / þat y wete myghte.
Ben vnpunshid / in my powher / for pereyl of my sowle.
Ne getyn my grace þoru gyftys / so me god save.
Ne for no Meede have Mercy / but Meeknesse it made.
For nullum malum þe man / mette with inpunitum.
& bad nullum bonum / ben irremuneratum.
Leete ȝoure confessour sire kyng / construe þis clause vnglosid /
& if hewerke he werke it in werk / y wedde þanne myne erys.
Þ at Lawe shal be a laborer / & leede dunk to feelde.
& Love shal leede þyn Lond / as þe leevest lykyþ.
¶ Anon Clerkis & confessoures / cowpled hem to-gydre.
To construe wel clawse [þis] clawse / al for þe kyngis profyȝt.
But not for confort of þe comoun / ne for þe kyngis sowle.
For y seyȝ Meede in þe Moot halle / on men of lawe wynke.
& þey lawhenge lope to hire / & leftyn aloone resoun.

[^226: F.4.476: The scribe has written the abbreviation for <ra> above the usual brevigraph for "quod."]

¶ Sire Waryȝn Wyȝsdom / wynkede vp-on Meede.
& seide Madame y am ȝoure man / what-so my mowþ Iangle.
I stumble at floreynes quod þe freeke / þat y faile speche ofte.
¶ & anon Ryghtful recordid / þat resoun trewþe tolde.
& wit a-cordyd þerwith / & comendyd wel hise wordis.
A -non alle þe peple / in þe halle / & manye of þe greete.
Þey helden Meeknesse for a Mayster / & meede a manshid shrewe.
Þanne Love leet of hire lyght / & Lewhte wel lasse.
& cryeden so hyȝe / þat al þe halle hem herde.
Who þat wylneþ Meede to wyve / For welthe of wordly goodis.[^227]
But he be knowe for a kokewold / kytte of boþe oure erys.

[^227: F.4.505: The scribe wrote a large red V in the top right margin to indicate the passus.]

¶ Þanne Meede M urnede faste / & made hevy cheere.
For alle þe comonys of þe cowrt[^228] / callide hire as a[n] hoore.

[^228: F.4.508: An otiose curl appears over the <c>.]

¶ Boþe a Sysour & a sumnour / þanne sewid hire faste.
& also a sherevis clerk / y shrewe alle þe rowhte.
A ofte have y quod she / holpe ȝow / at þe barre.
& ȝit neuere ȝeve ȝee me / þe worþ of a rysshe.

¶ Þanne clepede þe kyng Concyense / & so he dede resoun.
& recordid þat Resoun / hadde Ryghtfully shewid.
Þanne Moodely vp-on Lawe[^229] / myghte þe kyng looke.
& wex wroothȝ with Lawe / for Meede made hym a-shamed.
& seyde þorghȝ ȝoure Lawe / as y leve / y lese fele cheetys.
For Meede ouer - Maystriþ so Lawe / & Michil trewþe lettyþ.

[^229: F.4.515: An otiose curl appears above <we>.]

¶ But resoun shal rekne with ȝow / yf y reyghne a stounde.
& deme ȝow be þis day / as ȝee have disseruyd.
Mee Mee[de] shal not menprise ȝow / be Marie qween of glorie.
I wille have lewte for Lawe / & leeve al ȝour Ianglynge.
& as alle wyȝes witnesse / wrong shal be demed.
¶ Sire  quod Concyense to þe kyng / but þe comonys assente.
It ys ful hard by myn heed / her-to / to brynge it
Alle ȝoure londys leedys / to leede hem alle evene.

¶ By hym þat was reed on roode / quod Resoun to þe kyng
But if y rewle þus ȝoure rewme / reerde out my guttis.
If ȝee wille bydde Buxumnesse / to be assocyed tome to me.

¶ Þerto y assente quod þe kyng / by seynte Marie my Lady.
To myn conseyle þat ȝee kome / a-mongys Clerkis & Lordis.
But redely resoun / þou ryde shalt not frome fro me.
For as longe as y lyve / leeve þe y nylle.

¶ I am al redy quod Resoun / to reste with ȝow euere.[^230]
& y graunte quod þe kyng / god for-bede þou fayle.
As longe / as oure lyvis laste / leeve we to-gydre.
/ [¶] Thanne þe kyng with hise knyghtis / to þe kyrke wentyn.
To heryn Matinys of þe day / & a Messe after.

[^230: F.4.534: F omits Bx's "So Conscience be of oure counseil I kepe no bettre."]

E xplicit P assus Q uartus.

I ncipit Passus Quintus.

O F[^231] wynkynge y waked þo / & wo was y with -alle.
Þ at y ne hadde slepe saddere / & y-seyn moore.
But er y hadde faren a forlong / a feyntyȝse me hente.
Þ at y ne myghte a foote furthere / for defawte of slepe.
Þan sat y softly adoun / & seyde myn beleve.
& y bablede so on my bedis / þey browhte me on sleepe.

[^231: F.5.1: The ornamental capital, five lines high, is produced mainly in green with red flourishes.]

¶ & þanne y seyȝ mychil moore / þan y be-fore-hond tolde.
For y seyȝ þe feld ful of folk / þat y be-fore of seyde.
& how Resoun a-rayed hym / al þe Rewme to preche.
& at þe cros by-fore þe kyng / he comsed a teeme.

/ [¶] He prechede þat þe pestylencys / wheryn for pure synne.
& þat þe Sowþ-west wyȝnd / on a Saturday ateve at eve.
Was a-pertly for pryȝde / & for no poynt ellys.
Boþe pyryes & plumtrees / wheryn puffyd to þe erthe.
& broode okes & beechis / where blowe to þe grownde.
& turnede vpwarde here tayl / knowlechynge[^232] drede.
Þ at dedly synne er domes -day / sholde for-don vs alle.
& al þese was ensample / þat we sholde doon þe bettre.[^233]

[^232: F.5.16: Alpha lacks beta's in before Bx's tokenynge which F has rendered as knowlechynge.]

[^233: F.5.18: There is considerable variation among B manuscripts for this verse. Bx probably read "In ensample ye segges ye sholden do þe bettre." Note that this verse appears after 5.14 in Bx.]

¶ But of þis Matere y y [myȝt] / mamele ful longe.
But y shal seyȝn ȝow / as y seyȝ / so me god helpe.
How propirly by-fore þe peple / prechen gan resoun .

/ [¶] He bad wastour goo wyrche / what he beest cowhde.
& wynnyn his wastynge / with sum manere of werkys.

¶ He prayede Peronylle / hire purfyle to leete.
& kepe þe coyn in hire cofre / to conforte hire at neede.

/ [¶] & Thomme of Stowe he tawhte / to take two stavis.
& Fecche Felice his wif hom / fram wyfene pyȝne.

¶ Also he warnede watte / how hys wif was to blame.
Þ at hire heed was worþ half Mark / & his hood not worþ a groote.

/ [¶] He bad his knave a bowhȝ kytte / komely to honde.[^234]
To beetyn þerwith Betoun / but yf she wille wyrche.

[^234: Bx reads "And bad Bette kutte a bouȝ ouþer tweye."]

¶ & namely he chargede Chapmen / to chastyse here childryn.
& leete no wynnynge / for-wayne hem / whilys þey ben ȝonge.
Ne for no pyte of Pestilence / ne pleese hem out of Resoun.

/ [¶] My sire seyde onys to me / & also seyde my damme.
How þat þe leevere chyld / þe more Loore be-hoveþ.
& Salomon seide þe same / þat sapience book maade.
Q vi parcit virge  odit filium.
Þe englyȝs of þis Latyn ys / who þat wille yt knowe.
Who þat spareþ þe ȝonge spryng / he[^235] spillyþ hyse barnes.

[^235: F.5.40: Beta witnesses omit he.]

¶ Þanne parled he to parsones / & to preestis to-gydres.
Looke ȝee preche þe peple / & preve it on ȝoure-selue.
& doþ it sadly in dede / & ȝee shulle drawe to goode.
& ellis wille þe peple parle / in ȝoure parshȝ a-bowhte.[^236]
If ȝee lyve / as ȝee leerne vs / we leve ȝow þe bettre.

[^236: F.5.44: This line occurs only in F.]

/ [¶] Þanne after he radde Relygious / here rewhlys to holde.
Lest þe kyng by his conseyl / ȝoure comonys a-peyre.
& been Stywarde of ȝoure Stedis / tyl ȝee been in bettre rewle.[^237]
& sytthen he conseylyde þe kyng / to love þe comoun peple.
For þat is tresor / yf tresoun nere / & triacle at neede.
& sytthe he prayede þe Pope / to have rewþe on holy chirche
& er he grawnte ony grace / to governe fyrst hym -selue.
& ȝee þat have Lawis to kepe / let Coueytyse be with trewþe.
More þan gold / or oþire gyftys / if ȝee wille god plese.
For who þat contraryeþ trewþe / as telliþ þe trewe gospel.
Þ at god knoweth hym nowht / ne non coorseynt of hevene.
A men dico vobis . nescio vos.
& ȝee þat seekyn seynt Iemes / or ony seynt of Rome.
Seke first seynt trewþe / for he may save ȝow alle.
Q vi cum patre & filio / alle fayre hem be-falle.
Þat sewyn myn sermoun / & þus seyde sire Resoun.
N Nou Nou[^238] ran Repentaunce / & reersede his teeme
& made wille to wepe / water with his eyȝen.
& Peronylle prowd-herte / platte hire on þe erthe.
& þere she lay longe / & oure lord / mercy cryȝede.
& by-hyghte to hym an hees[^239] / þat vs alle formede
Þ at she wolde vn-sowe hy hy[r] sirke / & settyn þere[^240] an hayre.
To a-flasshen[^241] hire fleshȝ / þat feers was to synne.
Shal y neuere have heyȝ herte / but holde me euere lowe.
& suffre to to [be] mys-seyȝd / & so ȝit dide y neuere.
But now wille y meeke me / & Mercy be-seche.
For þat[^242] y have hated / in myn herte longe.

[^237: F.5.48: "V:" with red flourishes appears in the upper right margin to indicate the passus number.]

[^238: F.5.62: The scribe left a blank space for the capital but rather than write a guide-letter in the space, supplied his own anglicana text capital.]

[^239: F.5.66: hees, "hest."]

[^240: F.5.67: The scribe originally wrote þee, and then corrected the superscripted <e> to his usual suspension for <-er>.]

[^241: F.5.68: F's unique reading a-flasshen-- Bx reads affaiten--is rare in Middle English. MED has only one citation, but it is clearly related to flashen with its senses of striking, slashing, throwing down violently. Here it refers to mortification of the flesh through penance.]

[^242: F.5.72: Alpha omits al before þat.]

/ [¶] Þe Lecclour Lecc[h]our seyde ofte allas / & to oure Lady he criȝede.
To have mercy for hise mys-dedis / þat mychil he offendid.[^243]
Be so / he sholde euery day[^244] / þis sevene ȝeer after.
Drynke with þe dunkele[^245] doke / & dyghnen but ones.
Þanne Envie with heuy herte / askyde after shryfte.
& carefully with mea culpa he comsede to shryve.[^246]
He was as pale / as a pelote / & in þe palesy he semede.
He was cloþid in cawry-mawry / I cowhde it not discryȝe.
He hadde on kyrtyl & coorteby / & a long[^247] knyf by his syȝde.
& of a Frerys frokke / weryn hise[^248] for -slevis.
He lookede with lene chekys / & lowrynge brewys.[^249]
As a leek hadde y-leyn / longe a-geyn þe sunne.
His body was foule y-bolned / & faste he boot hise lyppis.
& hise hondis he wrong / to ben a-wreke he þowhte.
W ith werkys / or with wordis / whan he seyȝ his tyȝme.
& euery word þat he warp / was lyk an addir tunge.
Of chydynge & Ianglynge / was his cheef lyflode.[^250]
W ith bakbytynge & bysmere / & berynge fals witnesse.
Swiche manerys he made / to ech man he medled with.[^251]
Þanne seyde þat shrewe y wolde be shryve / if y for shame durste.
But ȝit y wolde be gladdere / yf Gybbe hadde mys-chaunce.[^252]
I have a neyȝhebore neyȝ me / y haue noyȝed hym ofte.
& lowhe on hym ful lowhde / & mad hym loost [lese] his syluer.
& mad hise frendis . hise foon / þorwh my false tunge.
For his grace & goode happis / greve me ful sore.
By-twixe hym & manye men / y make debate ofte.
Þ at boþe here lyvis & here lymes / be loost . þoru my speche.
& whan y mete hym in Market / þat y moost hate.
I heyȝle hym ful hendely / as y his frend were.
For he he [is] dowhtyere þan y / y dar doon non oþir.
But hadde y Maystrie ouer hym / god wot my wille.
& whan y come to chirche[^253] / & knele to-for þe roode.
& sholde praye for þe peple / as þe parshȝ prest techeþ.
For pylgrymes for palmeres / & penauntys also.
Þanne y criȝe for cristian / þat crist gyve hire sorwe
Þ at bar a-wey myn bolle / & my broke sheete.

[^243: F.5.74: F's b-verse is unique. Bx fails in alliteration, reading "bitwene god and his soule."]

[^244: F.5.75: Beta reads þe Saterday in place of euery day (F) or on þe day (R).]

[^245: F.5.76: This spelling, which appears to be unique, conceals dunghill. The lection does not appear in other B manuscripts.]

[^246: F.5.78: Beta reads shewe in place of F's shryve or R's schrewe.]

[^247: F.5.81: An otiose curl appears above the <g>.]

[^248: F.5.82: Alpha is responsible for hise, though the reading is shared by H. Other beta manuscripts have þe.]

[^249: F.5.83: In relation to Bx this line and the next are transposed.]

[^250: F.5.89: The scribe corrected loflode only imperfectly. See the facsimile.]

[^251: F.5.91: F has completely rewritten this line which in Bx reads "This was al his curteisie where þat euere he shewed hym."]

[^252: F.5.93: F omits Bx's: "Than þouȝ I hadde þis wouke ywonne a weye of Essex chese."]

[^253: F.5.104: Alpha is responsible for chirche, though the reading is shared by Hm. Bx reads kirk.]

¶ A -weyȝ fram þe awhter / þan turne y myn eyȝen.
& be-held how hervy / hadde on[^254] a newe cote.
Þerfore y brende betterly / þat myn brest-boon gan krake.[^255]
& wisshede ofte / it were myn / & al þe weeb after.
& for mennys leesynge y lawhe / for it lykeþ wel myn herte.
But for his wynnyngge y wepe / & ofte weyle þe tyme.
I deme hem / þat doon Ille / & y do my-selue wel werse.
& who þat vndir-nemeþ me þerof / I hate hym euere after.
I wolde þat euery whyȝt man / were[^256] be-come myn knave.
& who þat haþ more þan y / ȝee  þat angriþ me sore.
& þus y lyve loveles / lych a lythir dogge.
Þ at al my body bolneþ / so bytter ys my galle.
I myghte not etyn manye ȝeris / as a man awhte.
For Envye & euel wyl / ys evyl to defyȝe.
Þ ere may no sewgre / ne swete þyng / a-swage my wombe.
Ne non dyapendyon / dryve it fram myn herte.
Ne neythir shryfte ne shame / but he wil shrape myn mawe

[^254: F.5.110: Beta witnesses omit alpha's on.]

[^255: F.5.111: This line appears uniquely in F.]

[^256: F.5.117: An otiose curl appears above the medial <e>.]

/ [¶] Ȝys  quod R epentawnce redely / & radde hym to þe beste.
Strong sorwe for synne / is saluacioun to þe sowle.

¶ Peter y am euere[^257] sory quod he  y am but seelden oþir.
& þat makþ me þus meegre / for y ne me may a-venge.[^258]
I was a-mong burgeys / þere men bowhte & solde.
I made bakbytere be brokour / to lakke mennys ware.[^259]
& whan he solde & y nowht / þan was y ful redy.
To lyȝe & to lowre on hym / & to lakkyn his ware.[^260]
I wille a-mende me if y may / þorgh cristis myght in heuenne.
[^261] THanne wratthe gan awake / with two white eyȝes.
Al revelynge [n]evelynge with his nose / & his nekke hangynge.
I am wrothȝ he seyde þo / for sumtyme y was a frere.
& þe Couentys Gardyner / for to graffe yȝmpis.
& on Lemetour & on lyȝstre / lesynges y yȝmpede.
Tyl þey bere Levis of lowh speche / lordis to plese.
& sytthyn þey blomed[^262] in bowres / for to heeryn shryftis.
& now ys fallyn swich frut þerof / þat folk have wel levere.
To shewyn here shryfte to hem / & for-sake here parsoun.[^263]
& now have parsones y-parceyvid / þat here parsshenys love freris.[^264]
& so possessioneris prechyn / & de-prauen Freris.
& fyȝnde[^265] hem in defawhte / as folk bere witnesse.
Þ at whan þey preche þe peple / in fele placys a-bowte.
I wratthe walke with hem / & wisshe hem of my bookys.
& make hem so speke of spiritualte / tyl ech dyspyse oþir.
Tyl þey ben boþe beggeris / & by[^266] almesse lybben.
Or ellis boþe be ryche / & ryally ryde a-bowte.
& y wratthe reste neuere / but renne after & folwe.
Alle swiche wykkide folk / for swich is my grace.

[^257: F.5.128: Beta lacks alpha's euere.]

[^258: F.5.129: Bx reads "for I ne may me venge." F's word order is a bit odd. See Tauno F. Mustanoja, A Middle English Syntax, Part I: Parts of Speech, Mémoires de la Société Néophilologique de Helsinki 23 (Helsinki: Société Néophilologique, 1960), pp. 339-40, and cf. F9.22.]

[^259: F.5.131: "V:" with red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.]

[^260: F.5.133: The alpha scribe picked up ware from two lines above. Beta preserves correct chaffare.]

[^261: F.5.135: The scribe left an indented blank for a 3-line capital <T>. A guide letter <T> appears.]

[^262: F.5.141: Alpha is in error, omitting abrood after blomed.]

[^263: F.5.143: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þan shryuen hem to hir persons."]

[^264: F.5.144: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þat freres parte wiþ hem."]

[^265: F.5.146: Alpha omits freres before fyȝnde.]

[^266: F.5.150: Alpha omits my following by, as does Hm.]

/ [¶] I have an awnte to a Nunne / & eek an Abbesse.[^267]
Þey weryn leuere to sweltre / þan to suffre a whyle.
I was Cook in here kychene / & þe conuent seruede.
Fele Moneþis of þe ȝeer / & Mawgre was my knave.[^268]
I was þe P rioresse potager / & oþire poore Ladijs.
& Made hem Iowtys of Ianglynge / þat dame Ione was bastard.
& dame Claris a knyghtis dowter / bu bu[t] she knew not hire fadir.
& dame Peronel a prestys syster[^269] ./ P rioresse worþ she neuere.
For she childid in Chirye-tyme / al þe chapetre it wyste.
I hakkede here wortis ech day / with wordys & with spyes.[^270]
Tyl þou lyxt  & þou lyxt / lopen owt a tonys at onys.
& ech cracchid oþir / & hire kyrtlys rentyn.[^271]
Hadde þey had knyvis by crist / ech hadde kyllid oþir.

[^267: F.5.154: Alpha and C lack a line-terminal boþe that appears in all beta witnesses. F's eek is unique.]

[^268: F.5.157: F has substantially revised this line. Bx reads "Manye Monþes wiþ hem and wiþ Monkes boþe."]

[^269: F.5.161: Bx reads "a preestes fyle."]

[^270: F.5.163: F has completely revised this line which in Bx reads "Of wikkede wordes I wraþe hire wortes I made."]

[^271: F.5.165: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And eiþer hitte ooþer vnder þe cheke."]

¶ Seynt Gregory was a good pope / & hadde good resoun.
Þ at no P rioresse sholde be prest / þat lawe he ordeynede
Þey weryn infamys at þe firste / so cun þei conseil close.
A -mongis Munkis y myghte be / but ofte þanne y wonde.[^272]
Boþe of Pryour & supprior / & of pater Abbas .
For if itelle i telle onye talis / þey take hem to-gydres.
& don me faste frydayes / boþe breed & watur.
& y am chastysed in Chapetre / as y a child were.
& baleysed on my bare bak / þat my bely beendiþ.[^273]
For-þy  y have no lykynge / with þo leedis to dwelle.
For þere y eet vnthende fyssh / & drank feble ale.

[^272: F.5.170: A corrupt or confusing exemplar may account for F's reading. He omits the following line from Bx and revises the b-verse of this one. The immediate scribe wrote the present b-verse over an erasure in a different ink. Bx reads as follows: Among Monkes I myȝte be ac many tyme I shonye For þere ben manye felle frekes my feeris to aspie.]

[^273: F.5.175: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And baleised on þe bare ers and no brech bitwene."]

¶ & oþirwhile whan wyȝn comeþ / y drynke wel[^274] a teve at eve
Þ at y have a flyx & a foul mowth / wel fyve dayes after.
& al þe wykkidnesse þat y woot / be onye of my bretheryn.
I cowthe it in þe Cloystre / til al þe Couent knoweth yt.

[^274: F.5.178: Beta manuscripts have wyn or it for alpha's wel.]

¶ A Repente quod Repentaunce / & reerse þou yt neuere.
Of conseyl þat þou knowist / be contynance ne be speche.[^275]
& drynk not ouer -delycatly / ne to depe neythir.
Þ at þy wille be cause þerof / to wratthe it þe turne.
E sto sobrius he seyde / & assoyled me sone þere-after.
& bad me wylne to wepe / my wykkidnesse to amende.
A Fter hym cam Coueytyse / y can not hym discriue.[^276]
So hugerly hu[n]gerly / & holwe / sire Hervy lokede.
He was brytyl-brewid bytyl-brewid / & babirlyppid alse.
W ith two blerede eyȝen / as a blynd hagge.
& as a ledrene purs / lolleden hise chekys.
Wel syddere þan his chyn / þey shynede shyu[er]ede for elde.
& as a bonde-man et bakoun / so was his berd dravelyd.[^277]
His hood he hadde on his hed / an heyȝ hat þer vppe.
He hadde on a tany tabbard / of ten ȝeer of age.
Al to-tore & bawhdy / & lappe syȝd / it semede.[^278]
Þ at but if a lows were lyght / & cowhde lepe þe bettre.[^279]
He sholde no no[t] walke on þat web / but his staf were pyked.[^280]

[^275: F.5.183: Alpha is responsible for speche. Beta reads variously riȝt, sight, and nyght.]

[^276: F.5.188: The ornamental capital <A> is written in green with red flourishes extending in the left margin fifteen lines above and ten below.]

[^277: F.5.194: Bx reads "And as a bondeman of his bacon ...." The scribe's usual form of "ate" is eet, and it is not at all clear what he intended here.]

[^278: F.5.197: This line fails in alliteration in all B manuscripts, and Kane-Donaldson reject it as spurious (p. 193). F's b-verse reading is unique, most B manuscripts reading "and ful of lys crepyng." We are uncertain what lappe syȝd means, though it is possibly an early occurrence of "lopsided."]

[^279: F.5.198: F's reading for this line is unique. All the other B manuscripts are corrupt, omitting an alliterating stave in the a-verse: "But if a lous couþe haue lopen þe bettre." R also omits haue.]

[^280: F.5.199: He is a relict form originally meaning "she" and referring to the lows of the preceding line. Alpha is responsible for retaining this form, but as the b-verse indicates, the immediate scribe took it to be the masculine pronoun. Bx reads "He sholde noȝt haue walked on þat welche so was it þredbare."]

¶ I have be Coueytous quod þis caytyf / y be-knowe it here.
For sumtyme y servede / Symme at þe style.
& was his prentiȝs a-plyght[^281] / his profyte to wayte.
Fyrst y leernede to lyȝe / wel a leef or moore.[^282]
& skarsly to weyȝe þyngis / was my fyrste lessoun.
To wykumbe[^283] & to wynchestre / y wente to feyres.
W ith many maner of Marchaundise / as my Maister me hyghte.
Ne hadde þe grace of gyle be / þat gan gon a-mong my ware.
It hadde be vnsold þis seuyn ȝeer / so me god helpe.

[^281: F.5.202: Bx reads ypliȝt. F is alone in the B tradition in reading a-plyght, but the same relatively rare word appears among the A variants at A.5.116.]

[^282: F.5.203: Alpha is responsible for or, which is shared by M. Beta reads ouþer. F uniquely reads moore for Bx's tweyne.]

[^283: F.5.205: Kane-Donaldson, p. 8, note in their description of F that it uniquely reads wycumbe in place of Bx's wy, suggesting that it "may indicate provenance." Ms. Tania Styles of CENS at the University of Nottingham (private communication) was kind enough to supply us with the following note:

The etymology of Wycombe in Buckinghamshire is disputed. The EPNS county volume of 1925 gives the first element as the river-name Wye and the second as OE cumb "valley" (pp. 200-01), though spellings that would indicate this do not appear until Domesday Book (Wicumbe). Eilert Ekwall, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names, 4th ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1960) decides on the basis of the OE forms Wicumun and Westwicam that we have OE wīc + hamm/hām ("meadow/homestead with a dairy farm") or wīchām ("Romano-British settlement" < Lat. vicus) in the dative plural, the river-name being a late back-formation from the place-name; in this case, association with OE cumb would be secondary but still early; it seems to have been made in 1086 at least. The latest place-name dictionary (A. D. Mills, A Dictionary of English Place Names (Oxford: Oxford U P, 1991), traces the name from wīcum "at the dwellings," giving the same explanation of the river-name and implying a similar status for the -combe spellings. Margaret Gelling came to this conclusion in Signposts to the Past: Place-Names and the History of England, 2nd ed. (Chester: Phillimore, 1988), p. 68, and in "English Place-Names Derived from the Compound wīchām," in Place-Name Evidence for the Anglo-Saxon Invasion and Scandinavian Settlements, ed. Kenneth Cameron (Nottingham: EPNS, 1987): 8-18.

This would suggest that any place-names in wīchām or -hamm or simplex wīc in the dative plural may have been assimilated to cumb, either sporadically or consistently, from an early date. This makes all of the following non-Bucks names possible candidates for -combe spellings in the ME period.

Ms. Styles then provided a list of thirty-one possible instances. Three of these, Wickham Bishops, Wickham Hall, and Wickham St. Pauls, are in Essex, the first very close to the point at which the editors of LALME have located this manuscript. The EPNS volume The Place-Names of Essex, ed. P. H. Reaney (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1935), lists no spellings in -cumbe, -combe for any of the Essex sites.]

/ [¶] Þanne drow y me a-mong draperis / my donet to leerne.
For to drawe þe lyȝste a-long / þe cloþ þe lengere semede.
A -mong þe ryche rayes / y rendred my lessoun
To broche hem with a batte[^284] nedle / & plytid hem þan to-gydre.
& pitte hem in a presse / & pyned hem þer -Inne.[^285]
Tyl teen ȝerdis or twelue / tollyd[^286] out thrittene.

[^284: F.5.212: Alpha is probably responsible for batte, though the reading is shared by L. Other beta manuscripts have pak.]

[^285: F.5.213: "V" with red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.]

[^286: F.5.214: An otiose curl appears over <t>.]

¶ My wif was a webbe / & wollene she made.
She spak to a spynstere[^287] / to spynne it fair & klene.
But þe pound þat she payed by / peysed a quarter more.
Þan myn owne awncel / who þat weyȝede trewþe.

[^287: F.5.216: Alpha reads a spynstere for beta's Spynnesteres.]

/ [¶] Þan bowhte y here barly malt / she brewh it to selle.
Peny ale & puddyng ale / she porede to-gydre.
For laboreris & lowe folk / she leide it be þe-selue.[^288]
& þe beste ale lay in my bowr / or in my bed-chambre.
& who þat bummede þer-of / he bowhte it þer-after.
A galoun for a groote / god woot no lesse.
& ȝit it com in / cuppe-mel / swich craft she vseþ[^289]
Rose regrater / ys[^290] hire ryght name.
She haþ y-holde huksterye / al hire lyf-tyȝme.
I swere now so þeech[^291] / þat synne wil y leete.
& neuere wrongly weyȝe / ne wikkid chaffare vse.
But y wenden to walsyngham / & my wif with me.
& bidde þe roode of Bromholm / brynge me fram dette.

[^288: F.5.221: Bx reads "þat lay by hemselue."]

[^289: F.5.225: Alpha has present tense vseþ against the beta family's preterite.]

[^290: F.5.226: Alpha has present tense ys against the beta family's preterite.]

[^291: F.5.228: The <ch> spelling is an odd one for alpha to have introduced for Sire Hervey Coveitise of Norfolk. Langland had indulged himself in the same dialect joke that Chaucer had used in The Reeve's Tale. Bx must have read so þe ik.]

¶ Repentist þe euere / quod repentaunce / & restitucioun þou madist.

/ [¶] Ȝee  quod he onys y was herborwhed / with an hep of Chapmen.
& whan þei weryn in reste / y roos / & ryflede here malis.

¶ Þ at was no repentaunce quod he / but a robberis dede.[^292]
Þ ou haddist been bettre þerfore / ben hongyd be þe nekke.
Þan for al þe oþir þyng / þat þou hast here shewyd.

[^292: F.5.235: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "That was no restitucion quod Repentaunce but a robberis þefte." Manuscript G also joins F in reading he for Repentaunce.]

/ [¶] I wende ryfflyng where restitucioun / so kan y rede on boke.[^293]
Ne y can no Frenchȝ in feyþ / but of Norþfolk langage.[^294]

[^293: F.5.238: The b-verse lection of Bx is the metrically clumsy and probably corrupt "for I lerned neuere rede on boke." Some scribe in the tradition between alpha and the extant manuscript may well have restored, whether by conjecture or access to a better manuscript, the original reading: "ne kan y rede on boke." Only later would it have been scribally revised, with so supplied for the negative enclitic in the original.]

[^294: F.5.239: Bx's reading is the metrically clumsy "but of þe ferþest ende of Northfolk," and again the relative shapeliness of F's reading suggests that Bx is corrupt. Richard Beadle, "Prolegomena to a literary geography of later medieval Norfolk," in Regionalism in Late Medieval Manuscripts and Texts: Essays Celebrating the Publication of A Linguistic Atlas of Late Medieval English, ed. Felicity Riddy, York Manuscripts Conference: Proceedings Series, University of York, Centre for Medieval Studies, 2 (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1991), suggests that this is "possibly an allusion to some early version of the modern colloquialism 'Norfolk French', intended to express the difficulty of the dialect to outsiders" (94).]

¶ Vsedist þou euere vserye quod repentaunce / in al þy lyf-tyme.

/ [¶] Nay soþly seyde he  save sumtyme in ȝowthe.
I lernede a-mongys lumbardis / a lessoun be herte.[^295]
To weyȝe pens with a peyȝs / & þan to pare þe heuyest
& to leene for love of þe cros / & if þey leyȝde a wed / lese it.
& doble dette[^296] y dide wryte / if he his day brooke.
I have mo Maneris þoruh regages / þan þoruh miseretur & comedat.

[^295: F.5.242: F's b-verse is unique. R reads "a lessoun and of iewes," while beta witnesses have: "and Iewes a lesson."]

[^296: F.5.245: F's a-verse is unique. Bx has "Swiche dedes I dide write."]

¶ I have lent lordis longe / my lovely chaffare.
& be a brokour after / bowht yt a-geyn my-selue.
& with changis & chevesaunces / with chaffare y dele.
& y leene folk þat leese wille / a shelyng in þe noble.
& with lumbardis lettris / y ladde gold to Rome.
& took it here be tale / & tolde it þere lasse.

¶ Lentyst þou euere Lordis quod he  for love of Meyntenaunce.

¶ Ȝee  y have lent Lordis quod he[^297]  þat lovede me neuere after.
& y have maad many a knyght / boþe Mercyr & drapeer.
Þ at peyȝede neuere for his prentyȝshod / not a peyȝre clovis [g]lovis.[^298]

[^297: F.5.254: Beta manuscripts lack quod he.]

[^298: F.5.256: F's clovis is unique, and all other manuscripts have gloues. Though cloves were paid for rents [see MED s.v. clove n.(2),2(b)], this instance is more likely to represent simple error than conscious revision.]

¶ Hast þou pyte on poore men / þat muste for nede borwe.

¶ I have as myche pyte on þe pore / as þe[^299] peddere on Cattis.
Þ at wolde kyllyn hem alle / for coveytyse of here skynnys.

[^299: F.5.258: Alpha is in error. Beta manuscripts lack unmetrical þe.]

¶ Art þou Manly to þyn Neyȝhebour / of Metis & drynkys.

¶ I am holde / as hende quod he /[^300] as hownd ys in þe kycchene.
A -mong my Neygheboures namely / swich a name i have.

[^300: F.5.261: The virgule is possibly intended to replace the punctus elevatus.]

¶ Now god gyve grace quod repentaunce / but þou repente / þe rathere.
Grawnte þe grace on þis grownde / þy good so þou be-sette.
Þ at þyn houswif after the / have Ioye of þat þou wynnyst.
& þyne seketoures weel be-sette / þe siluer þat þou levist
For as it ys / wonne with wrong / it worþ with wastoures spendid.
For where y Frere of an hows / þere feyþ is fownde þere-Inne.
I wolde not[^301] Cope vs with þyn Catel / ne oure chirche[^302] a-mende.
Ne have a peny to petaunce / so mote pyȝghne in helle.[^303]
For þe beste book in oure hous / þeyȝ brend gold where þe levis.
& y wyste wittirly / þou were swych as þou tellyst.
S eruus es alterius cum fercula pinguia queris.
P ane tuo pocius vescere liber eris.

[^301: F.5.269: Alpha has wolde not against beta's nolde.]

[^302: F.5.269: Alpha has chirche for beta's kirk.]

[^303: F.5.270: F's reading is unique. There are several variants, but Bx probably read as follows: "of þyne bi my soule hele."]

¶ Þ ou art an vn-kyȝnde creature / y can þe nowht asoyle.
Tyl þou Make restitucioun / & rekne with hem alle.
& þerto / þat Resoun rolle it / in þe regystre of hevene.
For til þou hast maad / ech man good / y may þe noht a-soyle.
N on dimittitur peccatum  nisi[^304] restituatur ablatum.
For alle þo þat have þyn good / as god have my trewþe
He is holde to ȝeelde it here / if he may it qwyte[^305]
Or praye þe of for-gyfnesse / or to doon yt for þy sowle.
& ellis he shal have evil hap / but he heendely wirche.
His catel shal fallyn hym froo / or ellis hise freendis goode.
Or ellis his soule shal drynke sour / at o dayes tyme.
Or seyȝ Miserere mei deus wich ys w[her y] mene trewthe.[^306]
Þer ys no Laborer þat wil leve[^307] þe / þat longiþ to pers plowhman.[^308]
For[^309] shal neuere werkman in þis world / þryve . with þat þou wynnyst.
C um sancto sanctus eris / construe now wel þis resoun.

[^304: F.5.279: nisi is owed to alpha. Beta, except for Cr, reads donec.]

[^305: These lines appear only in F, replacing two lines in Bx: Is holden at þe heiȝe doom to helpe þee to restitue And whoso leueþ noȝt þis be sooþ loke in þe Sauter glose.]

[^306: F.5.286: F omits from Bx the Latin tag " Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti, &c. "]

[^307: F.5.287: The scribe initially wrote love and corrected to leve.]

[^308: F.5.287: This line appears only in alpha.]

[^309: F.5.288: Beta lacks alpha's For.]

¶ Þanne wex þe[^310] shrewe in wanhope / & wolde an hongid[^311] hym -selue.
Ne hadde Repentaunce þe rathere / reersyd þese wordis.[^312]
Have mercy in þy Myȝnde man / & with þyn Mowþ god be-seche.
For goddis mercy ys more / þanne manye of hise oþir werkys.[^313]
& al þe wykkidnesse / þat ony man / may eyþir wirche or þynke.
Is no moore to goddis mercy / þan in þe see a gleede

[^310: F.5.290: Alpha has þe against beta's þat.]

[^311: F.5.290: In view of the scribe's frequent omission of initial <h>, the an here probably represents Bx's han. Alternatively, this is a possible scribal haplography for a anhongid.]

[^312: F.5.291: F's b-verse is unique. Other manuscripts read "reconforted (or conforted) hym in þis manere."]

[^313: F.5.293: The following Latin line is missing from F, but it is missing from WHmCrGCB as well: " Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius &c. "]

O mnis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam dei  est quasi sintilla ¶ in medio maris.[^314]

[^314: F.5.296: The Latin quotation was too long for the single line left for it, and the scribe indented the final three words and preceded them with the conventional paraph mark.]

For-þy  have in þy mynde mercy / & Marchaundise þou leve.[^315]
For þou hast no good grownde / to gete þerfore a wastel.
But it be with þy tunge / or ellis with þyn hondis.
For al þe good þat þat [þou] hast geete / þe grownde be-gan with falsnesse.
& as longe þou [as] þou lyvest þerwith / þou ȝeeldest not but borwist.
& if þou wete neuere to wyche / ne yt [ȝ]it to whom restore.
Bere it to þyn Bysshop / & bydde hym of his grace.
By-sette yt hym -selue / as beest is for þyn sowle.
For he shal answere for þe / at þe day of doome.
For the / & for manye moo / þat man shal ȝeve reknyng.
& what he lerned ȝow in lentene / be-leve þou non oþir.[^316]
H Erly[^317] gan Glotoun / for to goo to shryfte.
& wendis hym to kirkeward / his coupe to shewe.
A -non Betoun þe Brewstere / bad hym good Morwe.
& freyned hym . whens he cam / & whidir þat he wolde.
To holy chirche quod he  to heren a-morwe Messe.
& sytthe y wille be shryve / & synne no moore.

[^315: F.5.297: "V" with decorative red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus.]

[^316: F.5.307: F omitted the following line from Bx: "And what he lente yow of oure lordes good to lette yow fro synne."]

[^317: F.5.308: The ornamental capital is outlined in red and flourished with green ink. The green marginal flourishes extend to the top of the page and two-thirds down the page.]

¶ Ȝee  y have good ale gossip quod she  glotoun wilt þou a-saye.

¶ Hast þou in þyn purs quod he  ony spyces fyȝne.
I have peper & pyenys / quod she  & a pound of gilloffris.
& a ferthyng-worþ of fenel seed / for fastynge-dayes.
A -non gooþ Glotoun in with hire / & grete oþis after.
& fond Symme sowteres wif / syttynge on þe benche.
& Watte Waryner also / & his wif bothe.
& Tomme þe tynkere / & tweyn of hise prentyȝs.
& hikke þe hakeney man / & howe þe nedlere.
& Clarys of cokkyslane / with þe clerk of þe chirche.
&[^318] sire pers of prydye / & peronelle of Flaundres.[^319]
& Dawe þe dykere / & wel a doseyn oþere.
A rybybour / a ratoner / & a rakyere of chepe.
A Ropere & a Redyng-kyng / & Rose dissheres dowhter.[^320]
& Godefrey / of Garlyngheþe / & Geffrey wasshere.
& vp-holderys a gret heep / herly be þe Morwe.
Þey geve Glotoun with glad chere / a galoun ale in honde.

[^318: F.5.324: Beta manuscripts lack the &.]

[^319: Beta manuscripts transpose these two lines.]

[^320: F.5.327: Beta family manuscripts lack dowhter.]

¶ Sone Clement þe Cobelere / of-caste his cloke.
& in þe newe feyȝre / he nempnyd it to selle.

¶ A -non hikke þe hakeney man / hytte his hood after.
& bad Bette þe bocher / to[^321] been on his syȝde.
Þere weryn chapmen y-chose / þat chaffare to preyȝse.
Which of hem sholde have þe hood / or who sholde haue þe boþe.

[^321: F.5.334: Beta manuscripts lack to.]

¶ Þan ryse þey ful rathely / & rowneden to-gydres.
& preyseden þe[^322] peny-worthis / ech part by hym -selue.
But þei cowde not be here consience / a-corde þat tyȝme.
Tyl Robyn þe Ropere / was reysed fram his sete.
& nempned for a nounpere / þat no debate þere fylle.

[^322: F.5.338: Beta manuscripts read þise in place of alpha's þe.]

¶ Þanne hikke hosteler / hadde þe cloke.
In connawnt þat Clement / sholde sholde [þe] cuppe fylle.
& have hikkis hod hosteler / & holde hym a-payed.
& who þat repentyd rathest / sholde ryse sone.
& gretyn wel sire Glotoun / with a galoun ale.
Þere was lawhyng / & lowryng / & let go þe cuppe.
& setyn þere tyl evynsong / & sunge merye songis.
Tyl Glotoun hadde y-glubbyd / a galoun & more.
Þ at hise guttys gunne to gowle / as a gredy sowe.
I trowe he pissed a potel / in a pater noster whyle.
& blewh his rownde rewet / at his regbonys ende.
Þ at al þe folk in þe hows / helden here nose after.
& wysshed it were wypid / with a wips of fyrsen.
He myghte not steppe ne stonde / er he a staf hadde.
& þanne gan he goo lych / a glewh-mannys bycche.
Sum -tyme he ȝeede o-syde / & hidirward & þydirward.
As who þat leyþ lyȝnes / larkys to cacche.
& whan he drowh to þe dore / þan dymmed hise eyȝen.
& tripplid trippid on þe threshold / & ouer -threwh to grownde.
A -non Clement coblere / kawht hym in hise armes.
For to lifte hym on[^323] loft / & leyȝde hym on hise knowis.
But Glotoun was a gret cherl / & grim for to lyfte.
& cowhed a potel cawhdel / in Clementis lappe.
Þer is non so hungri hound / in al hertforde-shyre.
Þ at leste lape a lyte þerof / so loþly it smellide

[^323: F.5.362: An otiose mark, shaped like an apostrophe, appears over <n>.]

/ [¶] Þan with al þe wo in þe world / his wif & his wenche.
Þey beren hym to his bed / & browhte hym þere-Inne.
& after al þat exces / he hadde swich an accydie.
Þ at he sleep al Saturday / & Sunday tyl eve.
& þanne a-waked he wroþly / & wypide hise eyȝen.
& þe fyrste word þat he warp / was where is þe bolle.
& wit gan edwyte hym / how wykkidly he wrouhte.
& ryght so dede Repentance / he rebukyd hym þat tyme.
Þ ou hast þoruhȝ word & werk / wrowht euele in þy lyve.
I rede þou shryve þe & be a-shamed / & shewe it with þy mowþe.
Þan seyde þat gome Glotoun / y have gyltyd god ofte.[^324]
& swore goddis sowle & side[^325] / & so help me god[^326] & holy-dom.
Þere þat no nede was / nyhȝne hundryd tyȝmes.
I have ouer-seyn me at soper / & sum -tyme at noon melis.
Þ at y gert vp a-geyn / er y gan goon a myle.
& ofte y-speld[^327] . þat myghte be spared / & spend it on nedy.
& ouer-delycatly on fastynge-dayes / y-drunke & etyn boþe.
& sum -tyme sat so longe þere-at / y sleep & eet a tones at ones.
To heryn talis in tauernys / to drynke þe sunnere y wente.
& ofte hyȝede to mete er noon / whan fastynge-dayes felle.

[^324: F.5.377: F omits "That I haue trespased with my tonge I kan not telle how ofte."]

[^325: F.5.378: Beta manuscripts lack the phrase "& side." R reads "and his sydes."]

[^326: F.5.378: Beta manuscripts have "god me help" for alpha's "help me god."]

[^327: F.5.382: The interpretation y speld="I spilled" is less probable than the past participle. The same is true of y-drunke in the following line.]

¶ Now þis shewynge shryfte / quod Repentaunce / shal be meryȝt to þe.

/ [¶] & a-non gan Glotoun gretyn / & greet dool he maade.
For his loþ lyþir lyf / þat he so lyvid hadde.
& a-vowede to faste / for hungir & þryst boþe
& seyde / shal neuere fyshȝ on fryday / defyen in my wombe.
Tyl Abstynence myn awnte / haþ ȝove me good leve.
& ȝit have y hated hire / In al my lyf-tyme.
[^328] Hanne [T]hanne com Slewthe be-slotered / with two slymed eyȝes.
I muste sytte seyde þe segge / or y shal ellis nappe.
I may nowht stonde / ne stowpe / with -oute [ne] with-oute stool knele
But where y browht in bedde / but my bely[^329] it made.
Sholde no rynggynge do me ryse / er y were rype to dyghne.

[^328: F.5.394: A space is left for an ornamental capital <T>.]

[^329: F.5.397: F's bely is unique. Bx has tailende.]

/ [¶] He gan Benedicite on a book / & his brest he knokkyde.
& rorede with a raskeng / & Rutte at þe laste.

¶ What a-wake quod Repentaunce / & rape þe to shryfte.

/ [¶] A -þeyh y sholde dyȝe quod he[^330]  y may not now looke.
I can not my pater noster / as þe preest me tawhte.
But y y [can] Romaunces of Robynn hod / & of Randolf þe Reve.
But non of oure lord ne oure lady / þe leeste þat is makyd.

[^330: F.5.402: F inherits quod he from alpha, but not the loss of a stave. Bx reads "If I sholde deye bi þis day me list nouȝt to loke."]

¶ I have maad fourty a-vowes a teve at eve / & for-getyn hem on morwe.
Ne y parformed neuere my penaunce / þat þe preest me Ioynede.
Ne be sory for my synnys / ȝit soþly was y neuere.
& if y bydde ony bedys / but it be in wratthe.
Þ at y telle with my tunge / it is two myle fram myn herte.
I am ocupied eueryday / boþe halyday & oþere.
W ith ydyl talis at þe ale[^331] / & oþire-whilis in chirche.
On goddis peynys ne on his passioun / ful seelde y þynke.
I vysityd seelde syke[^332] men / or feteryd folk in prisoun.
I hadde[^333] levere here harlotriȝe / or seen a somer game.
Er lesyngis to lawhe of[^334] / or be-lyȝe myn evyncristene.
& al þat euere seynt Mark made / or Mattheu . Iohan . or lucas.
& vigilijs & fastyng-dayes / alle y leet hem passe.
I lay in bedde in Lentene / & my lemman in myn armes.
Tyl Matinis & Masses / be do / & y muste to þe freris
But come y to Ite Missa est. I holde me wel y-seruyd.
I am nowht shryve but selden / but seknesse it make.
Nowht twyes in þe ȝeer / & þanne me þynkþ to sone.[^335]

[^331: F.5.412: An otiose curl appears over <a>.]

[^332: F.5.414: The error occurred in alpha. The correct reading feble is attested in beta.]

[^333: F.5.415: Alpha reads past tense hadde for beta's haue.]

[^334: F.5.416: Alpha reads of for beta's at.]

[^335: F.5.423: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "and þanne vp gesse I shryue me."]

¶ I have be preest & P arsoun / passynge fourty wynter.
& ȝit can y neyþir solue ne synge / ne seyntys lyvis rede.
But y can fyȝnde in a fyȝld / of a furlong an hare.
Bettre þan in Beatus vir / or in Beati omnes.
To construe it clause-meel[^336] / & kenne it my parshenys.
I can holde wel Lovedayes / or[^337] heryn a Revis rekenyng.
But in Canon ne in decretalis / y can not rede a lyȝne.
& if y bygge or borwe / but it be wel y-taylid.
I for-ȝeete it as ȝeerne / & if men me yt aske.
Sixe sythis or sevene / y for-swere me with oþis.
& þerwith y tene / trewe men / ten hundred tymys.

[^336: F.5.428: Beta reads "oon clause wel" for alpha's "it clause-meel."]

[^337: F.5.429: Alpha reads or for beta's and.]

¶ & myne seruauntys sum -tyme / here sallarye is be-hyȝnde.
It is hard to heere rekenynge / whan we rede a-cowntys.
& so with wikkid wille & wratthe / my werkmen y peyȝe.

¶ If ony doþ me a benefet / or helpiþ me at neede.
A -geyn hym / y am vnkyȝnde / & kan not it knowe.
For y have / & have had / summe of hawkys Manerys.
For y am nowht lured with love / but sumwhat lygge vndir þumbe.

¶ Myn kosyȝnes gret kyȝndenesse / kyddyn to me fernere.[^338]
Sixty syþis for slewhthe / y have for-gete it sytthe.
& in sparynge of speche / y have spilt fele þyngys.
Boþe fleshȝ & fysshȝ / & fele oþere vytaylis.
As breed & beef & botere / & bake metys manyȝe.
I have for-slewthid in my seruyse / so longe y haue kept yt.

[^338: fernere, "in old times, long ago." Most B witnesses have the more transparent spelling fernȝere.]

¶ I ran a-bowhte in ȝowthe / & ȝaf me not to lerne.
Þ at y am euere euere sytthe i am þe lewedere[^339] / þorghȝ myn grete slowþe.
H eu michi quod[^340] sterilem vitam duxi Iuuenilem.

[^339: F.5.449: Bx is corrupt, reading "And euere siþþe haue be beggere for my foule sleuþe." F attempted to revise, substituting lewedere for beggere on the basis of the preceding b-verse.]

[^340: F.5.450: Alpha is joined by BoCot in reading quod for beta's quia.]

¶ Ȝee  Repentest þe nowht quod Repentance / & ryght with þat he swonyde
Tyl vigilate & orate / fette watur at hise eyȝen.
& flappede on his face / & faste on hym cryȝede.
& seyde war þe now fram wanhope / he wole þe be-trayȝe.
I am sory for my synes / seyȝ now so þy-selue.
& beete þy-selue on þy brest / & bidde god of grace.
For þere is no gilte here so gret / þat goddis goodnesse is more.

¶ Þanne sat slewte vp / & sygned hym on þe forhed.
& made a-vow[^341] vn-to god / for his foule slewthe.[^342]
Þ at y shal do me euery day / to þe derne de[er]e chirche.
& þere here Matinys & messe / as y a Munk where.[^343]
Tyl y have euynsong herd / y hote now to þe roode.
& what y have take . to ȝelde a-geyn / yf y so mychil welde.[^344]
Of al þat y so wykkidly wan / sytthe y wit hadde.
& þeyhȝ my lyflode / lakke / lettyn þerfore y nylle.
Þ at ech man shal have hys / er y hens wende.
& with þe oþir remnaunt / by þe Roode of chestre.
I shal seken trewþe / tryst [fyr]st[^345] / er y seke Rome.

[^341: F.5.459: The phrase "made a vow vn-to god" is also possible here.]

[^342: F.5.459: F omits the following line from Bx: "Shal no Sonday be þis seuen yer but siknesse it lette."]

[^343: F.5.461: F omits the following line from Bx: "Shal noon ale after mete holde me þennes."]

[^344: F.5.463: Beta witnesses read "And yet wole I yelde ayein if I so much haue."]

[^345: F.5.468: It is not clear what the immediate scribe intended here. The likely explanation is that a scribe changed Bx's erst to synonymous fyrst which then was written in the metathetic form fryst from whence it was corrupted to nonsensical tryst.]

¶ A -noon Robert þe Robbere / on reddite lokede.
For he hadde nowht wher-of / he weep wondir sore.
But þat synful shrewe / seyde þus to hym-selue.
Whan þat cryst on Caluarie / vpon þe cros dyȝede.
Þan dismas my brothir / by-sowhte crist of grace.
& he hadde mercy on þat man / for memeto meme[n]to -is sake.
So rewe on me Robbere / þat reddere wil [n]il knowe.
Ne neuere weneþ to wynne / with craf þat y knowe.[^346]
But for mychil mercy / sum Mitigacioun me seende.[^347]

[^346: F.5.476: Alpha and Cr read knowe for beta's owe.]

[^347: F.5.477: F omits Bx's "Ne dampne me noȝt at domesday for þat I dide so ille."]

¶ What be-fel of þis feloun / y can not faire shewe.[^348]
But wel y whot he wepte faste / water with hyse eyȝen.[^349]
Þ at Penitencia -ys pyk / sholde pulshe hym newe.[^350]
& leep with hym ouer londe / al his lyf-tyme.
& be-fore he lay with latro / luciferys Awnte.

[^348: F.5.478: The red ink appearing here is unintentional, a blot from the facing leaf.]

[^349: F.5.479: Alpha lacks the following line found in beta: "And knoweliched his gilt to crist yet eftsoones."]

[^350: F.5.480: Bx reads "That penitencia his pyk he sholde polshe newe."]

¶ Thanne Repentaunce hadde rewþe / & radde hem alle[^351] to knele.
& be-sechen for alle synful / oure saviour of grace.
& þat we a-mende vs of oure mys / & do mercy on vs alle.
& seide god of þyn goodnesse / þou gunne þis world to make.
& of nawht / madist awht / & man most lyk þy-selue.
& sytthe þou suffredist hym synne / a sekirnesse seknesse to mankynde.
& al for þe beste as y beleve / what-euere bookys euere telle telle

[^351: F.5.483: The red ink on <ll>, like that on shewe in 5.478, does not appear to be like the scribe's other intentional touches, but it is not blotted from the facing leaf.]

O Felix culpa ¶ O necessarium peccatum Ade.
For þorghȝ synne þy sone / was sent doun in-to erthe.
& by-cam man of a Maide / Mankyȝnde / to save.
& madyst þy-selue with þyn sone / & vs synful y-lyche.
F aciamus hominem ad ymaginem & similitudinem nostram . Et alibi.
Q ui manet in caritate in deo manet & deus in eo.
& sytthe with þyn selue sone / in oure sewht þou dyedist
On good fryday / for mannis sake / at ful tyme of þe day.
Neyþir þy-selue ne þy sone / no sorwe in dyȝeng feledist.
But in oure -selue[^352] . was þat[^353] sorwe / & þyn sone yt ladde.
C aptiuam duxit captiuitatem.
Þe sunne for sorwe þerof / he lees syghte for a tyme.
A -bowhtyn Mydday / whan most lyȝt ys / & meel-tyme of seyntis.
Þo feddyst þou with þy fresche blood / oure fadrys in derknesse.
P opulus qui ambulat ambula[ba]t in tenebris . uidit lucem magnam.
& þorwh þat lyght þat leep fram the / lucyfer blente.
For it blew alle þyne blessede þens / boldely in-to paradyȝs.
& þe þrydde day after ȝit / þou ȝeedyst forþ in oure sewte.
Fyrst a synful Marie þe see / er dede þy moodir dere.[^354]
It was to solace synful / þou suffredist it so falle.
N on veni uocare iustos . sed peccatores ad penitenciam.
& al of the [þat] / Mark haþ maad / & Mattheu / Iohan & Lucas.
Of þyne dowhtyeste dedis / where don in oure armes.
Q uod uerbum caro factum est . & habitabit habita[v]it in nobis.
& by so myche / it[^355] semeþ / þe sykere syk[er]ere to styȝe to hevene.
We byddyn þe / & by-sechyn / If so / it be þy wille.
As þou fadir & brothir art / be mercyable on þyn peple.
& have mercy[^356] on þese rybawdys / þat repenten hem sore.
Þ at euere ȝit þey wratthid þe[^357] / In word / þowht / or dede.

[^352: F.5.499: Bx reads oure secte.]

[^353: F.5.499: Alpha reads þat for beta's þe.]

[^354: F.5.508: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "er seynte Marie þi dame."]

[^355: F.5.514: Alpha reads it for beta's me.]

[^356: F.5.517: Alpha is in error. Beta manuscripts preserve authorial ruþe.]

[^357: F.5.415: Alpha is responsible for the loss of "in this world." The error is shared by G.]

¶ Þanne hente Hope an horn / was deus tu conuersus uiuificabis nos.
& blew it with beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates.
& alle þe seyntis in heuene / a-non / þus þey sungyn a tonys at onys.
H omines & iumenta saluabis domine  quemadmodum multiplicasti misericordiam tuam deus.[^358]

[^358: F.5.522: tuam deus is continued beyond this line into the margin below.]

/ [¶] Wel a þowsende men þo / þrungyn alle to-gydres.
& criȝeden vp-warde to crist / & to hys clene Modir.
To graunte swich grace / trewthe to seken.
But þere was non so wyȝs / þe weyȝe to hym cowthe.
But blustreden furþ as beestis / ouer balkys & hillis.
Tyl it was late & longe / þat þey a leede mettyn.
I -paraylid as a palmere / in pylgrimes wedys.
He bar a burdoun y-bownde / with a brood lyste.
In a whythyes wyth[wynd]es wyse / ywownde al a-bowte.
& a bulle[^359] in a bagge / he bar by his syȝde.
& an hundred of ampullis / vpon his hat setyn.
& fele sygnes of seyntys / & shellis also of Galis.
& many a crowch on his cloke / with þe[^360] keyȝes of Rome.
& þe vernicle was by-fore / for folk sholde hym knowe.
& seen by hise syghnes / whom he sowht hadde.

[^359: F.5.532: bulle, "bowl."]

[^360: F.5.535: Alpha is responsible for adding unmetrical þe. Bx has and for F's with þe.]

¶ Thanne þis folk freynede hym / whens þat he keme.
Fram þe sepulcre he seyde / & fram synay hyȝe hillis.[^361]
I have been boþe in Bedleem / & in Babylonye also.
In Armonye in Alysaundre / & manye oþire places.
Ȝee may seen by myn syghnes / þat syttyn on my cloke.
Þ at y have walkid wyȝde / in weet & in dreyȝe.
& holy seyntis sowht / for my sowle helthe.

[^361: F.5.539: Bx reads "From Synay he seide and fram oure lordes Sepulcre." We could have easily transcribed the last word in the line as hille , since the barred double <ll> is ambiguous in this hand.]

/ [¶] Ȝee  knowist þou nowht a corseynt / þat men calle trewþe.
& canst þou wisshe vs þe wey / where þat weyȝ dwelliþ.

¶ Þanne seyde þe goome / nay so god me helpe.
I seyȝ neuere þat palmere / with pyk ne with scrippe.
Ne man þat askyd after hym / tyl now in þis place.

¶ Peter quod Pers Plowhman / & pitte furþ his face.
I knowe hym as kyȝndely / as ony clerk hise bookis.
Consiense & kyȝnde wit / kende me to his place.
& y haue ensured hem sewrly / to seruyn hym / for euere.
Boþe to sowe & to sette / whil y swynke myghte.
I have ben his foot folwere / al þis fourty wynter
Boþe y-sowed hise seedis / & sewyd a-bowtyn hise beestis.
& with -Inne boþe & & with -outyn / waytid his profyȝte.
& boþe diggid & deluyd / & dyde þat he me comaundide.[^362]
For þeyh y sey it my-selue / y serue hym to payȝe.
& y haue myn here of hym / & oþir-whilis moore.
He is þe presteste payȝere / þat poore men knowen.
He withhalt no man[^363] his hyȝre / þat þey haue it soone.[^364]
& he is as lowhly as a lomb / & lovely of speche.
& if ȝe wilneþ to wete / where þat he dwellyþ.
I shal wysse ȝow witterly / þe weyȝe to his place.

[^362: F.5.558: F's me comaundid is unique. Bx reads hoteþ. F omits the following lines from Bx: Som tyme I sowe and some tyme I þresshe In taillours craft and tynkeris craft what truþe kan deuyse I weue and I wynde and do what truþe hoteþ. The error had occurred before the immediate scribe's stint, since it was the result of eye-skip from Bx's hoteþ in 5.558. That had to have occurred before the substitution of comaundide for hoteþ.]

[^363: F.5.562: R's men suggests that the error is in alpha. Beta witnesses preserve correctly alliterating hewe.]

[^364: F.5.562: F's b-verse is unique. R reads "þat þei ne haue it anone." Beta reads "þat he ne haþ at euen."]

/ [¶] Ȝee leve Pers quod þo pilgrimes / & proferedyn hym hyȝre.
For to wendyn with hem / þere trewþe gan dwelle.

¶ Nay by my sowle quod pers / & gan swere faste.
I nolde fongyn a ferthyng / for fyfty florenys tolde.[^365]
Þan trewþe wolde love me þe lasse / a long tyme after.
But if ȝee wilneþ wel to walke / þis is þe wey þidirward.

[^365: F.5.569: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "for Seint Thomas Shryne."]

/ [¶] Ȝee mote goon / be Meeknesse / boþe men & wyvis.
Tyl ȝee come to consience / cryst whot þe soþe.
& þat ȝee loven oure lord god / levest of alle þynge.
& þanne ȝoure neyhebore neest / & in no wyse a-peyre hym.
Oþirwyse / þan þou woldist / he wroghte to þy-selue.
& beende forþ be a brook / be buxum of þyn[^366] speche.
Tyl ȝee fyȝnde a forthe . ȝoure fadres ȝee honoure.
H onora patrem & matrem . ut sis longeuus super terram.[^367]
Wadiþ in-to þat water / & wasshe ȝow wel þer-Inne.
& ȝee shulle lepe þe lythlokere / al ȝoure lyf-tyme.
& sone shalt þou see swere nowht / but it be for nede.
Ne nempne not in ydelnesse / þe name of god almyghty.
& þanne shalt þou come be a croft / but com þou nowt þere-Inne.
Þe name ys coueyte þou nowht / neyþir maydins ne wyvis.
Ne non of here seruauntys / ne no þyng to hym longiþ.[^368]
Ne noyȝhe not hise bestis / neyþir bollokys ne oþere.[^369]
Two stokkis þere stondyn / but stynte ȝee not þere.
Þ at is stele not ne sle not / ȝee strike furþ by boþe.
& leve hem on þy left hond / & loke not on hem after.
Þ at is / holde wel þyn halyday / with holy prayeris.
Þan shalt þou blenche at a beech / þou bere no fals witnesse
By-syde is a faire fyld / fals flaterynge ys þe name.[^370]
It ys frytthid with floreynys / & oþire fees manye.
Loke ȝee[^371] plukke no plante þerof / for pereyl of þe heyward.[^372]

[^366: F.5.577: Alpha is responsible for þyn, omitted by beta.]

[^367: F.5.579: F uniquely completes the Latin verse after matrem.]

[^368: F.5.586: F's b-verse is unique. Bx has "þat noyen hem myȝte."]

[^369: F.5.587: Bx reads "Loke ye breke no bowes þere but if it be youre owene."]

[^370: F.5.593: This line appears only in F.]

[^371: F.5.595: Alpha reads ȝee for beta's þow.]

[^372: F.5.595: F omitted the following lines from Bx: Thanne shul ye see seye sooþ so it be to doone In no manere ellis noȝt for no mannes biddyng.]

¶ Thanne shalt þou come to a court / as cleer as þe sunne.
Þe Moot is of mercy / with Maryȝs al a-bowte.
& alle þe wallis ben of wit / to holde wille owte.
& y-kerneled with cristendom / mankynde to save.
I -boterased with good by-leve / or þou best not savid.
& alle þe howsis ben y-helid / hyȝe halles & chambres
W ith no leed / but with love / & with lowhȝ speche also.
Þe bregge is . bydde wel / þe betre may þou spede.
Þe pilerys hatte Penaunce / & prayeris to seyntys.
Þe hokys ben almese dede / þe gate god hym -selue.
& grace hatte þe gateward / a good man for-soþe.
& his man hatte / a-mende ȝow / many[^373] man hym knoweth.

[^373: F.5.607: Alpha omits beta's for before many.]

/ [¶] Telle ȝee hym þis tokne / trewþe knoweth þe sothe.
Þ at y parformede þe penaunce / þe prest me en-Ioynede.
& am sory of[^374] myn synnys / & so y shal ben euere.[^375]
& byddeþ / a-mende ȝow / mekely / to his mayster praye.
To weyve vp þe wyket / þat þe womman shette.
After þat adam & Eve / eetyn þe appil vnrostyd.
P er evam cuntis cun[c]tis clausa est . & per mariam virginem iterum &c.[^376]
For she haþ þe keyȝe & kleket / þeyhȝ þe kyng slepe.[^377]
Þan shalt þou see þy-selue / where þat trewþe syttyþ.
In a chambre of charite / as he a child were.
To suffre ony seyȝeng / & do þy syrys wille.

[^374: F.5.610: Alpha reads of for beta's for.]

[^375: F.5.610: F omitted the following line from Bx: "Whan I þynke þeron þeiȝ I were a Pope."]

[^376: F.5.614: Alpha has " iterum &c. " for " patefacta est ."]

[^377: F.5.615: F omits the following line from Bx: "And if grace graunte þee to go in þis wyse."]

¶ But be war of wratthe / he is a wikkid shrewe.
He haþ Envie to hym / þat in þyn herte syttyþ.
& pokeþ[^378] pride priuyly / to preyse wel þy-selue.
& þe boldenesse of þyn benefetys / make þe blynd þanne.
& worþ þou dryve owt / & þe dore y-closed.
& keyȝed & klekedid / to kepyn þe with -outyn.
Happyly an hundryd wynter / er þou eft in entre.
Þus myght þou lesen his love / to lete wel by þi-selue.
& neuere happely eft entre / but his grace þou have.

[^378: F.5.621: Alpha is in error, omitting forth after pokeþ.]

/ [¶] But þere are seuene seruauntys / þat seruyn Trewþe euere.
Þey ben porterys at þe ȝatys / þat to his place longiþ.
Þe firste ys abstynense / & humilite ys a-noþir.
& Charite & Chastite / þese been hise chef chyldryn.
& Pacience & pees / mychil peple þey helpen.
& largenesse þat lady / she leteþ out[^379] ful Manyȝe.
She haþ delyueryd a þowsende / owt of þe deuelys ponfolde.
& she is neyȝh-by sibbe þe [to] þe sevene / so me god helpe.
& she wille worchepely wolkome ȝow / & wel ȝow vndirfonge.
& but ȝee ben sybbe / quod pers / to summe of þese sevene.
It ys hard / by myn heed / for ony of ȝow alle.
To getyn in passage . at ony gate / but grace be þe moore.

[^379: F.5.633: The redactor, seeing out in the following line, attempted to harmonize the two b-verses to the detriment of the larger sense of the passage. Such a scribal reversal occurs in other contexts, e.g. helle for heuene in F2.109.]

¶ A  by cryȝst quod a Cuttepurs / y have no ken þere.

/ [¶] Ne y / quod an Apeward / by awht þat y knowe.

¶ A  wolde god quod a Messager / þat y wiste þe sothe.
Sholde y neuere a fote ferthere / for no frerys prechynge.

/ [¶] Ȝys . ȝis  quod pers plowhman / & pokede hem to goode.
Þere a [is] a Mayde þere / Mercy / she haþ myght ouer hem alle.
She ys sybbe to synful / & so ys hire sone also.
& þorghȝ þe helpe of hem two / hope þou non oþir.
Þ ou myght getyn grace þere / by so þou goo by-tymes.

¶ By seynt Poul quod a pardoner / parawnter y be not wolkome.[^380]
I wille go fecchyn my boox / with þe Bisshopis lettris.

[^380: F.5.649: Beta witnesses read knowe(n) þere in place of alpha's wolkome.]

/ [¶] By crist quod a comoun womman / In þyn Cumpany wil y wende.
& seyȝ y am þyn syster / in Cytes þere we wende.[^381]
[^382] Þis where a wikkide wey / but we hadde a gyde.[^383]
Þ at wolde folwe vs euery foote / þat no folk vs noyȝe.

[^381: F.5.652: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "I ne woot where þei bicome."]

[^382: F.5.653: The text is marked in the left margin by a later secretary hand for the B passus division.]

[^383: F.5.653: A later secretary hand supplied passus sextu[s] in the right margin. The final character has been lost to cropping.]

¶ Q uod pers plowhman þo / by seynt peter of Rome.
I have an half acre to eryȝe / by þe hyȝe-weyȝe.
Hadde y heryd þat half acre / & y-sowe it after.
I wolde weende with ȝow / & þe weyȝ ȝow techen.

/ [¶] Þys were a long lettynge / quod a Lady with a skleyȝre.
What shulle we wommen / wyrchen þer whylys.

¶ Summe shulle sowe þe sak / quod Pers / for shedyng of whete.
& ȝee lovely Ladijs / with ȝoure longe fyngrys.
Loke ȝee have sylk & syndel / to sowe / whan it ys tyme.
To make Chesyplis for Chapeleins / chirchis to honoure.
& ȝee wyvis & wydewis / wulle / & flex ȝee spynne.

/ [¶] & Makeþ cloþ y conseyle ȝow / & kenneþ so ȝoure dowhtris.
Þe nedy & þe nakede / nemeþ hede how þey lyggyn.
& casteþ on hem cloþis / & so comaundiþ ȝow trewþe.
For y shal lene hem lyflode / but if myn londe fayle.
Boþe fleshȝ & breed / to ryche & to poore.
As longe as y lyve / for þe lordis love in hevene.
& alle manere of men / þat with mete & drynk lybbyn
Shulle helpe to wirche wyghtly / to wynne with ȝoure fode.

¶ Be crist quod a knyght þo / he kenneþ vs þe beste.
But trewly on þe teem / tawht was y neuere.
But kenne me it quod þe knyght / & by crist y wille a-sayȝe

/ [¶] By seynt Poul quod P erkyn / ȝee profere ȝou sire so fayre.
Þ at y wille swynke & swetyn / & sowe for vs boþe.
& oþere laboreris shulle for þyn love / al here lyf-tyȝme.

¶ In connaunt / þat holy chirche / þou kepe / as þy-selue.
Fram wastoures & wikkyd men / þat þis world stroyȝeþ.
& goo þou hunte hardely / to hares / & to foxes.
& to bawsynes & boores / but breke þou none heggys.[^384]
& go a-fayte þy fakonys / whilde foul to kelle.
For þei come in-to my croft / & cropyþ my whete.

[^384: F.5.683: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "To bores and to brokkes þat breken adown myn hegges."]

/ [¶] Þanne þe knyght curteysly / comsede þese wordys.
By my powher Pers quod he  y plyghte þe my trewþe.
To fulfylle þis forward / þeyhȝ y fyghte sholde.
& as longe as as [y] lyve in londe / y shal þe Meyntene.

¶ But .o. poynt quod Pers / y praye þe of more.
Loke þou tene no tenaunt / but trewþe wille a-sente.
& þeyȝh þou mayst angre men / let Mercy be taxour.
& Meeknesse þy Mayster / Mawgre Meedis chekys.
& þeyhȝ poore men profere þe / presentys & ȝiftys.
Nyme hem nawht in awnter / þou[^385] maist not yt disserue.
For þou shalt ȝeelde yt a-ȝeen / at o ȝerys ende.
Al in a parlyous place / purgatorye men name it.
Ne mys-bede not þy bonde-man[^386] / þe bettre shalt þou spede.
Þeyhȝ he be here . þyn vndirlyng / wel may happe in heuene.
Þ at he worþ worthiere set / þan þou / & in wel more blysse.
Amice  ascende superius
For in a[^387] chapel[^388] or in a chirche / a clerk[^389] is evel to knowe.
So is a knyght þere fram a knave / knowe þis in þyn herte.
But loke þou be trewe of tunge[^390] / & talis þat þou hate.
& by wysdom & by wit / þy werkmen þou chastyze.
& holde not[^391] with none harlotis / ne heere not here talis.
& namely at þy mete bord / swiche men ecchewe.
For þey ben þe deuelis dissoures / y do þe to vndirstonde.

[^385: F.5.695: Alpha has þou for beta's ye.]

[^386: F.5.698: Alpha and Hm have singular man for beta's men. The same variants appear in C, but A manuscripts agree in the plural form.]

[^387: F.5.702: Alpha is responsible for a, a reading shared by Hm.]

[^388: F.5.702: F's reading is unique. R has chanel, leaving the <r> out of Bx's Charnel.]

[^389: F.5.702: Alpha substituted clerkes for original cherles. F uniquely has "a clerk."]

[^390: F.5.704: Alpha lacks beta's þi before tunge.]

[^391: F.5.706: Alpha is responsible for the double negative. Beta witnesses lack not.]

¶ I a-sente by seynt Ieme / seyde þe knyght þanne.
To werche al after þy word / whylis my lyf dureþ.

/ [¶] & y shal a-parayle me quod Pers / in pylgrymes wyse.
& y wylle wende with ȝow / tyl þat we fyȝnde trewþe
I wil castyn on myn cloþis / y-clowtyd at þe fulle.
Myn kokerys & myn coffys / for cold of myn naylys.
& y wille hangyn myn hoper / at myn hals / as i hadde a scrippe.
& a busshel of bred-corn / y wil bere þere-Inne.
For y wille soowe it my-selue / & sytthe with ȝow wende.
On pilgrimagis as palmeris doon / pardoun to have.
But who þat helpiþ me to heryȝe / or sowe er y wende.
He shal have leve by oure lord / to large his heruest heere.
& make hym meryȝe þer-myde / mawgre who grucche.

¶ & alle kynne crafty men / þat kunne lyve in trewþe.
I shal fyȝnde hem foode / for feythfully þey lybbe.

/ [¶] Save Iakke Iogelour[^392] / & Ionete at þe styvis.[^393]
& Danyel þe dyȝs pleyȝere / & denote þe bawhde.
& also frere faytour / & mo folk of his ordre.
& Robyn Rybawdour / for hise rusty wordis.
For trewþe tolde me onys / & bad me telle after.
Deleantur de libro viuencium / I sholde not with hem deyle.
For holy chirche / is holde / of hem no tyþe to take.
Quia cum iustis non scribantur / in þe registre in hevene.[^394]
Þey ben skapid good awnter / now god hem a-mende.

[^392: F.5.724: An otiose curl appears above <g>.]

[^393: F.5.724: Alpha and Bo have the form styvis rather than beta's stuwes. See MED, s. v. stive n.(1), and steu(e) n.(2).]

[^394: F.5.731: F uniquely adds an English b-verse after the Latin text.]

¶ Dame wirche wel / wan tyme is / Persis wyf hyȝte.
& his dowhter do ryght so / er þy dame wil þe beete.
& his sone hyȝte wel [suffre] wel / þyn soverynes have here wille.
& deme hem nowht / if þou doost / þou shalt it dere a-begge.
But lete god worche[^395] / with it al / for so his word þe techiþ.

[^395: F.5.737: The text is ambiguous here, for what we have transcribed as <c> could with about equal probability have been transcribed as <t>. Both worche and worthe appear in B manuscripts.]

/ [¶] For now y am hoold[^396] / & hoor / & have good of myn howne.
To pylgrimage / for penaunce / y wil passe with oþere.
But y wille er y wende / do wrytyn myn enqweste .

[^396: F.5.738: An otiose curl appears over the second <o>.]

¶ I n dei nomine amen / god shal have myn soule.[^397]
Þ at best ys worthy / & weyvid fram yt þe fendis.
Tyl y come to hise a-cowntys / as my crede[^398] spelliþ.[^399]
& þe kyrke-ȝeerd shal kepe / myn kareyne & myn boonys.
For of myn corn & catel / þe kirke crauede þe tythe.
& & [y] peyȝede it trewly to þe preest / for pereil of my soule.
For-þy he is holde as y hope / to have me in his messe.
& menge me in his Memento / a-mongys alle cristene.

[^397: Alpha two lines here appear in beta witnesses as three. Beta reads as follows: In dei nomine amen I make it myselue He shal haue my soule þat best haþ deserued And fro þe fend it defende for so I bileue.]

[^398: F.5.743: Alpha lacks beta's me after crede. F's spelliþ is unique. Bx has telleþ.]

[^399: F.5.743: F omitted the following line from Bx: "To haue relees and remission on þat rental I leue."]

/ [¶] & my wif shal have of þat y wan / with trewþe & no moore.
& dele it among hire dowhtris / & myn dere childryn.
For truly þey dyȝede [y] dyȝede to-day / myn dettys ben alle qwitte.
I bar hoom þat y borwede / er y to bedde wente.

¶ & with þe resydue of þe remenaunt / be þe Roode of lukys.
I wille worchepe þerwith / trewþe by my lyve.
& been his pylgryȝm / at þe plowhȝ / for poore mennys sake.
My plowhȝ-pote ys my pyȝk -staf / þat pittyþ a-wey þe rootys.
& helpiþ my cultre to kerue / & to klense þe furwis.

¶ Now ys Pers & þe pilgrymes / to þe plowhȝ y-faren.
To heryȝen his half acre / þere hulpene hym manye.
Boþe dykerys & deluerys / dyggedyn vp þe balkys.
& with hem was Pers wel payed / & preyȝsede hem faste.

/ [¶] Oþere werkmen þere weryn / þat wroghtyn ful ȝeerne.
Ech man / on his manere / made hym -selue to doone.
& summe poore to plese Pers / þey pulliden vp þe rootys.

¶ Þanne at heyȝ prime pers / leet his plowhȝ stoonde.
& wente to seen hise werk-men / how þat þey wroghte.
He wolde heren hem / þere-after / wan hervest tyme keme.
Þanne fond he summe syttyn / & synge at þe alehous.
& hulpen hym so to heryȝe / with hoy  trolly / lolly.
Þ at þey fillyn flat on þe floor / so feyþfully þey swonke.[^400]

[^400: F.5.770: This line appears only in F.]

/ [¶] Now be myn sowlis pereyl quod Pers / in pure gret tene.
But ȝee a-ryse þe rathere / & rape ȝow to wyrche.
Shal no greyn þat groweth / glade ȝow / at ȝoure neede.
& þeyȝ ȝee dyȝen for dool / þe devil have hym þat recche.
Þo wheryn Faytoures a-ferd / & feynede hem blyȝnde

¶ Summe leyȝde here leggys swolle / as sum loselys vsen.
& maden here moone to Pers / & prayede hym of grace.
& seyde / we have no lymes to laboure / oure Lord do vus boote.
But we praye for ȝow Pers / & for ȝoure plowhȝ-men boþe.
Þ at god of his grete grace / ȝoure greyn multyplyȝe.
& ȝeelde ȝow / ȝoure almesse-dede / þat ȝee ȝeve vus heere.
For we mowe not swynke / swich syknesse vs holdeþ

/ [¶] If it be soþ quod Pers / þat ȝee seyn / y shal it sone a-spyȝe.
Þ at ȝee ben wastoures y whot wel / & trewþe whot þe soþe.
& y am his olde hyȝne / & by-hyȝhte hym to warne.
Whiche þey wheryn in þis world / his werk wolde a-peyre.
For ȝee wasten þat men wynnyn / with trauayle & with teene.
But trewþe shal teche ȝow / his teeme to dryve.
Or ȝee shulle etyn barly breed / & of þe brook drynke.

¶ But he þat is blynd / or broke-leggyd / or boltyd with yrenys.
He shal etyn whyȝt breed / & drynke wyȝn or ale.
Tyl god of his goodnesse / a-mendement hym seende.

/ [¶] But ȝee myghte trauayle trewly / & take meete & hyȝre.
To kepen keen in þe fyld / or corn fram þe beestys.
Or dyken or deluyn / or dyggyn vp rootys.
Or helpyn makyn morter / or leedyn muk on filde.
& nowht to lyve in Leccheryȝe / ne in Losengryȝe & slowþe.
It is suffraunce of god / þat vengaunnce ȝow ȝow [ne] takeþ.

/ [¶] But Ancres & hermyȝtis / þat etyn but at noonys.
& no more til on morwe / myn almesse þey shulle have.
& of myn catel to kouere hem with / þat kepyn cloystre & chirche.

¶ But Daunn Robert renne a-bowhte / shal nout rewle my goodis.
Ne preest . but he preche kunne / & have powher of þe bisshop.
Þey shulle have payn & potage / with a pytawnce by-syde.
For it is an vn-resonable religioun hous[^401] / þat haþ rentys none.[^402]

[^401: F.5.805: F alone reads hous.]

[^402: F.5.805: The scribe wrote rentys around a hole in the manuscript.]

/ [¶] Þan gan a wastowr wexe wrothȝ / & wolde fayn a fowhte.
& to Pers Plowhman / he proferede / his glove.
& with hym cam a braggere / & a[^403] boostide Pers also.
& bad hym goo pisse on[^404] his plowh / for-pynede shrewe.
& seyde  wilt þou . pers / o o[r] nyltou / we wille have oure wille.
& þy flour & þyn fleshȝ / we fecche whan vs lykeþ.
& make vs meryȝe þer-myde / mawgre / þyn chekys.

[^403: F.5.808: a, "he."]

[^404: F.5.809: Alpha has on for beta's with.]

¶ Þanne Pers wente konyngly / & to þe knyght pleyȝnede.
To kepen hym as cunnaunt was / fram cursede shrewys.[^405]
For þey wastyn / & wynne nowht / & wete wel for-soþe.
Worþ neuere plente a-mong þe peple / while my plowhȝ lyggyþ.

[^405: F.5.814: F omits the following line from Bx: "And fro þise wastours wolueskynnes þat makeþ þe world deere."]

/ [¶] Curteysly þe knyght þo / as his kende wolde.
Warnede wastour / & wysshede to þe betre.
Or þou shalt a-bygge be þe Lawe he seide / be þe ordre y bere.

¶ I was not wont quod he / to wirche / ne y wil not now by-gynne.
& leet lyghtly of þe lawe / & lasse of his speche.
& sette also pers at a pese / & his plowhȝ boþe.
& þrette Pers & hise men / yf þey mettyn eft-sone.

/ [¶] Q uod pers / be þe pereyl of myn sowle / y shal a-peyȝre ȝou alle[^406]
& a-wreke me of þese wastoures / þat þis world shende
Sone hungir in haste þo / hente wastour by þe maw
& wrong hym so by þe wombe / þat boþe hise eyȝes watrede
& he buffetid so þe braggere / a-bowhtyn boþe hise chekis.
Þ at he loked lyȝk a lanterne horn / al his lyve after.
He beet hem so boþe / he brast neer here guttys.

[^406: F.5.824: F omits the following line from Bx: "And houped after hunger þat herde hym at þe firste."]

¶ Ne hadde pers . with a pese loof / prayed hungir sese.[^407]
Þey hadde be douyn do[l]uyn boþe / deme no man oþir.
Suffre hem lyve seyde Pers / & let hem etyn with hoggys.
Or ellis benys & bren / y-bakyn boþe to-gydre.
& drynke melk / or meyhne ale / to meyntene here lyvis

[^407: F.5.831: Alpha lacks beta's to before sese.]

/ [¶] Þanne Faytoures for feer / flown in-to beernes.
& flappyd on with fleylis / fram morwe to þe eve.
Þat hungir was not[^408] hardy / on hem onys to looke.
For a poot-ful of peesys / þat Pers dide hem make.

[^408: F.5.838: Alpha and G lack beta's so before hardy.]

¶ Anon an heep of hermyȝtis / in handis hentyn spades.
& kyttyn here copis / & coortepijs hem made.
& wentyn as werkmen / to swynkyn a-bowtyn.
& deluedyn & dykedyn / to dryve a-wey hungir .

¶ Þanne blynde men & beddredide / where butned a þowsande
Þ at setyn to begge syluer / sone weryn they helyde.
For þat was bakyn for bayard / was boote þe [to] þe hungry.
& many a beggere for benys / ful bown was to swynke.
& ech pore man wel payd / to have pesys to heere.
& what Pers prayede hem doo  as preest . as a sparhawk.
& þerfore wex Pers prowd / & pitte hem to werke.
& gaf hem as he myghte mete / & mesurable hyȝre.

¶ Þanne hadde Pers pite / & prayede hungir to wende.
Hoom to his owne hold / & holde hym stylle þere.
For y am wel a-wreke now / on wastoures þis tyȝme.
But y praye þe er þou passe / quod Pers þo to hungir.
Of beggerys & of bydderys / what is best to doone.
For y whoot wel . be þou went / þey wille wirche ful ille.
For myscheef it makeþ / þey been so meeke nowthe.
& for de-fawhte of foode / þys folk ys at my wille.
Þey are my bretheryn of blood quod Pers / for crist bowhte vs alle.
Trewþe tawhte me onys / to love hem ecchone.
& to helpe hem of alle þynge / ay as hem neediþ.
& nowh wolde y wete of þe / what were þe beste.
How y myghte a-maystrie hem / & maken hem to wirche.

¶ Now here wel me quod Hungir / & holde it for a wisdom.
Þ at bolde beggeris & bygge / þat for here breed mowe swynke.
W ith howndis breed & horse-breed / hold vp here hertys.
& a-bate hem with beenys / for bolnynge of here whombis.
& if þo goomes grucche / bidde hym goo & swynke.[^409]
& if þou fyȝnde ony freek / þat False[^410] haþ a-sayȝed.[^411]
Or ony manere of false men / fonde þou swiche to knowe.
W ith þy catel knowe þou hem / for cristis love in hevene.
Love hem / & leene hem / for goddis lawe so techiþ.
A lter alterius / honera portate
& alle oþere manere of men / þat þou myght a-spyȝe.
Þ at needy ben / & nowhty / help hem / with þyn goodis.
Love hem / & lakke hem nowht / lete god take vengaunce.
& if þey don evil a-geyn þe / lete god / with hem worthe.
M ichi vindictam / et ego retribuam
& if þou wilt gete grace of god / do as þe gospel techeþ.
Þ ou loowe þe / to lowe men / & so shalt þou lacche grace.
F acite vobis amicos de Mammona iniquitatis
I wolde not greve god quod Pers / for al þe good on grownde.
Myghte y synneles don as þou seyst / so me god helpe.

[^409: F.5.869: Alpha omitted the following line attested by beta manuscripts: "And he shal soupe swetter whan he it haþ deserued."]

[^410: F.5.870: R reads falshed, suggesting that F's reading is owed to alpha. Beta witnesses read Fortune, as did A. C, however, has fals men.]

[^411: F.5.870: F's reading is unique. Bx reads apeired.]

¶ I hoote to god / quod hunger / ȝis  or ellis þe byble lyȝeþ.
Goo to Genesis / þe Geaunt / engendrowr of vs alle.
He seyþ in swoot & in swynk / þou shalt þy foode wynne.
& Laboure for þi lyf-loode / & so oure lord þe hyghte.

¶ & sapiense book seyþ þe same / soþly to telle.
Þ at Piger pro frigore / no fildis wolde tylye.
& þerfore he shal beggyn / & no man beetyn his hungir

¶ Seynt Matthew / with mannys face / mowthiþ þese wordis.
Þat seruus nequam hadde a man / þat wolde nout chaffare.[^412]
& he mawgre of his mayster / for euere-moore after.
& he by-nam hym his napm / for he wolde not wirche.
& ȝaf it to a-noþir man / þat ten napmes hadde.
& with þat dede he seyȝde / þat alle men it herde.

[^412: F.5.893: Alpha had changed mnam to man, and F further revises the line to make this spurious man the antecedent of þat by omitting Bx's he.]

¶ He þat haþ / shal have / to helpe hym / at his neede.
& he þat nowht haþ / nowht shal have / & no man hym helpe
& þat he hopeþ for[^413] to have / men shulle yt hym bereve.

[^413: F.5.900: Alpha has for for beta's wel.]

¶ For kende wolde / þat euery wyght wroghte
In dykynge or in deluynge / or doynge in prayeris.
Eiþir Contemplatif lyf or actif / crist coueytyde we wroughte.
Þe Sawhter seyþ in a[^414] spalm /[^415] In beati omnes.
Þe freeke þat feediþ hym -selue / with his feyȝþful labour.
He ys blessid be þe book / in body & in sowle.
L abores manuum tuarum quia manducabis . batus b[e]atus es &c. .

[^414: F.5.904: Alpha has a for beta's þe.]

[^415: F.5.904: A second virgule appears to have been partially erased.]

¶ Ȝit y praye þe quod Pers / pur charite & þou cunne.
Of ony leef of leche-craft / leere it me y praye.
For summe of myn seruauntis / & my-selue boþe.
Of alle þe wyke / wirke nowht / so oure whombe akeþ.

¶ A  y whot wel quod hungir / what syȝknesse ȝow eyȝleþ.
Ȝee have Mawngid ouer -myche / & þat makþ ȝow grone.
But y hote þe quod hungir / if þou þyn hele disyryst.
Þ at þou drynke no day / er þou dyghne a mussel.
Ne ete nowht y hoote þe / er hungir þe take.
& brynge þe of his saws / to savoure þyn lyppis.
& keep sum / tyl soper / but sitte þou nowht longe.
But a-ryse vp er apetyȝt / have loost al his strengþe.
But lete not sire surfet / syttyn at þyn table.
Leeve hym / for he is leccherows / & lykerous of tunge.
& after manye meetys / his Mawe ys / a-lustyd.

¶ & ȝif þou dyete þe þus / y dar leyȝe myn erys.
Þat Fysyk shal his furryd hood / ȝee [for his] fode selle.
& his kloke of Calabre / with knoppis of gold þerone.
& be fayn by myn feyȝþ / his fysyȝk to leetyn.
& leerne to laboure on þe lond / for lyf-loode ys sweete.
Now are mo moraynerys[^416] þan lechis / oure lord hem amende.
þey doon men dyȝe / þoru here drynkys / er destenyȝe it wolde.

[^416: F.5.928: moraynerys is a nonce word, apparently meaning "killers, murderers," formed from the noun murrein. R's morareres suggests that the reading was in alpha, though the R scribe failed to make sense of it. Most beta witnesses have "murþereris are manye."]

¶ By seynt Peter a- postle quod Pers / þese are profytable woordis.
Wende nowh hungir . whan þou wilt / & wel þe be-tyȝde.
For þis ys a lovely lessoun / oure lord it þe for-ȝeelde.

¶ I hote god quod hunger / hens wil y not wende.
Tyl y have dyghne dyghne[d] þys day / & þerto drunke bothe.

¶ Peter / y have no peny quod Pers / peyȝnemens þe to begge.
Ne neyþir gryȝs ne gees / but y have two grene chesis.
& a fewe cruddis & creem / & þerto an haver kake.
& two lovis of beene breed / y bok[^417] yt for my barnys.
& ȝit y swere by my sowle / y have no salt bakoun.
Ne be crist no kokeney / kolopys the to make.

[^417: F.5.938: Bx has the past participle form ybake.]

¶ But y have P ersyȝle & porrettis / & fele propre[^418] herbys.
& eek a kow & a Calf / & eek a Carte mare.
To drawe dunk on felde / whyle þe drowht lasteþ.
& by þis lyfloode y muste lyve / tyl lammesse tyme.
For y hope by þat to have / hervest in my crofte.
& þanne may y dyghte þy dyghner / as þe deere lykeþ.

[^418: F.5.941: F's propre before herbys is unique. R's erroneous queynte herbes may represent alpha, and F has revised to correct the alliteration. Beta witnesses also fail in alliteration, reading cole plauntys.]

¶ & alle þe pore peple þo / pese-koddis feccheden.
& beenys / & bake applis / þey browhte in here lappis.
Chybollis / & chirne mylk / & rype chiryes manye.
& proferedyn Pers þat present / to plese with hungir.
& alle þo / hungir eet in haste / & askede after moore.
Þanne pore folk for feer / feddyn hungir faste.
W ith grene porettis & pesis / to poysoyne hym þey þowhten.

¶ But by þat . it neyhede neer hervest / & newe corn a-perede.
& þerof were[^419] folk fayn / & fedde hem with þe beeste.
& with good ale / as glotoun tawhte / þan gan he goo to slepe.

[^419: F.5.955: An otiose curl appears over an ill-formed <e>.]

¶ But þan wolde no[^420] wastour wyrche / but wandredid a-bowhte.
Ne no beggere eete no breed / þat beenys Inne weryn.
But of koket or cler-matyn / or ellis of klene whete.
Ne no man halpeny ale / in no wyse drynke.
But of þe beste & brunneste / in borghȝ was to selle.

[^420: F.5.957: Alpha has wolde no for beta's nolde. Beta adds noȝt before wyrche.]

¶ & laboreris þat have no lond / but lyven with here hondis
Þey endeyȝhne[^421] to[^422] dyghne / or suppe olde wortes.
Ne no peny ale hem peyȝe / ne no pece of bakoun.
But it be hoot flesh & freshȝ / for flasshyng of here mawe.[^423]
& but he be hyȝly hyȝryd / ellis wille he chyde.
& þat he cam / swich werk to wirke / he wille weyȝle þe tyme.
A -geyn Catonys conseyl / comseþ he to Iangle.
P aupertatis onus / pacienter ferre memento[^424]

[^421: F.5.963: This word, unique to F, is not elsewhere attested in the sense "disdain," but cf. MED s.v. endeinous "disdainful, haughty."]

[^422: F.5.963: Alpha omits noȝt before to dyghne.]

[^423: F.5.965: Alpha omitted a b-verse and an a-verse, creating one line of Bx's two. Bx reads as follows: But if it be fressh flessh ouþer fissh fryed ouþer ybake And þat chaud and plus chaud for chillynge of hir mawe. R preserved chillyng, but F characteristically regularizes the alliteration by substituting flasshyng.]

[^424: F.5.969: A contemporary hand wrote nota in the right margin. For the bracket beneath it, cf. fol. 1v.]

¶ He grevyþ grevously god / for he grucchyþ a-geyn resoun.
& þus he curseþ þe kyng / & alle hise conseyl after.
Swiche Lawis to looke / Laboreris to greve.
But whilis hunger was here maystir / þanne wolde none chide.
Ne stryve a-geyn þe stateut / so sternely hungir lokede.

[^425] ¶ But y warne ȝow wirkmen / wynneþ whil ȝee mowe.
For hunger hyȝeþ hidirward / & hasteþ hym ful[^426] faste.[^427]
& he wille a-wake sumwhat / wastoures dede.
Er fyve ȝeer / be ful-fyld / swych famyȝn shal a-ryse.
Þorhȝ fowle wederys & floodis / þat frutys shulle fayle.
Þanne shal Saturne sende to ȝow / swich warnyngge[^428] serteyn.
Whan þe sunne ȝee seen a-mys / with two Munkys heedis.
& a Mayde þorghȝ maystriȝe / be multyplyed on heyȝghte.
Þan shal deeþ drawe to deyȝs / & derthe be Iustise.
& þanne dawe þe dykere / dyȝe for hungir.
But god of his goodnesse / grawnte vs a trewe.

[^425: F.5.975: A contemporary hand wrote nota in the left margin.]

[^426: F.5.976: Alpha is responsible for ful.]

[^427: F.5.976: Two later annotators wrote nota nota in the right margin.]

[^428: F.5.980: Kane and Donaldson transcribed this as warnyngger, but the suspension following a syllable-terminal <g> is identical for <-e> and <-er>.]

¶ Þanne Trewþe herde telle er-of / & to Pers he sente.
& bad hym take his teeme / & goo tylyȝe þe grownde.
& purchased hym a pardoun / A pena & a culpa.
For hym & for hise eyȝrys / for euere -more after.
& bad hym to holde hym at hom / & heryȝe hise leyȝes.
& alle þat hulpe hym to heryȝe / or to settyn or sowe.
Er ony oþir myster / þat myghte Pers a-vayle.
He haþ pardoun with Pers / Trewþe haþ it grawntid.

¶ Boþe kyngis & knyghtis / þat kepyn holy chirche.
Þ at ryghtfully in þe rewhme / weel rewle þe peple.
Have pardoun / þorhȝ purgatorie / to passe þorhȝ lyghtly
& with Patriarkis in paradyȝs / to ben here felowis.
& blessede Bisshopis / þat been as þey sholde.
& legistris of boþe Lawis / þer-with / þe lewide to preche.[^429]
Þey are perys with a-postlys / þus pardoun Pers graunteþ.
& at þe day of dome / on heyȝe deyȝs to sytte.

[^429: F.5.999: F omits the following line from Bx: "And in as muche as þei mowe amenden alle synfulle."]

/ [¶] Þan Marchawntis in þe Margyne / hadde manye ȝeeris.
But no pena & a culpa[^430] / þe Pope wille not graunte.[^431]
For þey holden non holyday[^432] / as holy chirche techyþ.
& for þey sweryn oftyn[^433] / so grete god[^434] hem helpe.
A -geyn klene consiense / he he[re] catel to selle.

[^430: F.5.1003: Alpha had changed archetypal "noon A pena " to "no pena ."]

[^431: F.5.1003: Alpha's b-verse probably read "þe Pope wolde hem not graunte." Beta reads "þe pope nolde hem graunte."]

[^432: F.5.1004: Alpha is responsible for singular -day. This is another instance in which alpha agrees with C and beta with A.]

[^433: F.5.1005: Alpha is responsible for erroneous oftyn for beta's "by hir soule and."]

[^434: F.5.1005: Alpha is responsible for omitting Bx's moste before hem.]

¶ But trewþe vndir his secrete seel / he sente hem a lettre.
Þ at þey sholde byggyn boldely / þat hem beest lykeþ.
& sytthe to sellyn it a-geyn / & savyn þe wynnynggys.[^435]
& a-mende meselis þerwith / & myssese folk also.
& also wykkede weyȝes / whyȝhtly hem a-mende.
& do boote to bryggis / þat broke a-bowte were.
& also marie Maydenis / or helpe hem make nunnys.
& þe Poore / & prisonerys / fyȝnden hem here foode.
& settyn skoleris to skole / or ellis to[^436] oþire craftys.
Or to rewlyn religioun / or to rentyn hem þe betre.

[^435: F.5.1009: Alpha is responsible for the plural form.]

[^436: F.5.1015: Alpha is responsible for the omission of Bx's som.]

/ [¶] & y shal sende seyde trewþe / seynt Myhel þe angyl.
Þ at no devil shal ȝow dere / ne feere ȝow in ȝoure dyȝeng.
& whysshe ȝow fram wanhope / if ȝee wille þus wirche.
& sende ȝoure sowlys in safte / a-mong seyntis in Ioyȝe.

¶ Þanne where þere manye Marchauntis / þat wopyn for Ioyȝe.[^437]
& preysedyn Pers apertly / þat purchasede þis bulle.
But men of Lawe of pardoun / þe leeste part þey haddyn.[^438]
For þey for meede pletyn moore / þan mychil for goddis helpe.
Wher-fore þe sawhter savoureþ[^439] hem nowht / swiche as takyn ȝiftis.
& namely of Innocentys / þat no evil ne knoweth.[^440]
Pletoures sholde peyȝne hem / to plete for swiche & helpe.
& Pryncys / & P relatis / sholde peyȝe for here trauayle.
A[^441] Regibus / & principibus / erit merces eorum.

[^437: F.5.1021: Beta reads "Thanne were Marchauntz murie manye wepten for ioye."]

[^438: Beta witnesses read: Men of lawe leest pardon hadde þat pleteden for Mede For þe Sauter saueþ hem noȝt swiche as taken ȝiftes. R differs from F in 5.1024, reading "þat pleteden for mede for þat craft is schrewed."]

[^439: F.5.1025: Bx reads saueþ.]

[^440: F.5.1026: Alpha omitted the following Latin line attested by beta witnesses: " Super innocentem munera non accipies. "]

[^441: F.5.1029: A guide character <a> in red ink is visible behind the Lombard capital.]

/ [¶] But many a Iustise & Iurrour / wolde for Iakke do more.
Than pro dei pietate / beleve þou non othir.
But he þat spendiþ his speche / & spekeþ for þe poore.
Þ at ys Innocent & needy / & no man can a-peyȝre.
&[^442] conforteþ hym in ony caas / with -outyn coueytouse ȝiftis.
& sheweth lawhe for oure lordis love / as he haþ it leerned.
Shal no deuyl at his deþ-day / dere hym worþ a myte.
Þ at he worþ [ne] worþ saf & his sowle / þe sawhter beryþ wittnesse
D omine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo  &c. ut . supra.[^443]
But no man sholde bygge watur / ne wyȝnd / ne fyȝr ne wit neyþir.
For þese fowre þe fadir of hevene / formede hem comoun on erthe.
For þo ben Trewþis tresoreris / trewe folk to helpyn.
Þ at neuere shulle wexe / ne wanyȝe / with -outyn god hym -selue.
Whan men drawe to þe deþ / & indulgensis dysire.
Here pardoun ys ful petyȝt / at here departynge henne.
For ony meede of mene men / þat for here motynge toke.
Þe legistris & lawyeris / holde it a gret trewþe.
& yf þat y lyȝe now / seynt Matthew is to blame.[^444]
Q vodcumque uultis ut faciant uobis homines  facite eis.

[^442: F.5.1034: Alpha is responsible for the addition of &.]

[^443: F.5.1038: F alone adds ut supra .]

[^444: F.5.1047: F omits the following unmetrical and probably spurious line from Bx: "For he bad me make yow þis and þis prouerbe me tolde."]

& also as laboreris / þat lyvyn by here hondis.
Þ at trewly wirkyn / as þey trewly wynnen.
& lyven in love & in lawe / with lowhe trewe herte.[^445]
Þey have same [þe] same absolucioun / þat was to Pers grauntid.

[^445: F.5.1051: Alpha has singular herte in place of beta's plural.]

¶ But beggeris / ne bidderis / ben not in þe bulle.
But if þe suggestioun be soþ / þat shapman hem shap[eþ] hem [to] bigge.[^446]
For he þat beggiþ / or bit / but if he have neede.
He is fals as þe fend / & defrawhdiþ þe nedy.
& by-gyliþ þe gyvere / a-geyn his goode wille.
For if he wiste . he were not nedy / he wolde gyve it anoþir.
Þ at were more nedyere[^447] þan he / & so þe nedyere helpe.
Catoun kenneþ men so / & þe Mayster[^448] of þe Stories .
C ui des  videto.[^449]

[^446: F.5.1054: An otiose curl is written over the first <g>.]

[^447: F.5.1059: Alpha and M have nedyere in place of beta's nedy.]

[^448: F.5.1060: F is responsible for erroneous Mayster in place of clerc. Equally erroneous þe before Stories is from alpha, though the reading is shared by LM and may well be archetypal.]

[^449: F.5.1061: F omits the b-verse from Bx: "is Catons techyng."]

/ [¶] Þe Mayster of stories techiþ the / how þou shalt be-take þy almesse.
S it elemosina in manu tua . donec studes cui des.
God seyþ hym in his gospel / nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra.[^450]
But Gregorie þat goode man / he bad vs gyvyn alle.
Þ at asken for oure lordis love / þat leeneþ vs alle þynge.
N on eligas cui cui cui miserearis . ne forte preteras illum[^451]
Q via incertum est pro quo deum magis placeas.
If ȝee wete not who is worthy / but god whot who haþ nede.
For in þe takere ys[^452] treccherye / if ony tresoun walkeþ.
For þe man þat ȝifte ȝeviþ / he ȝarkiþ his sowle reste.[^453]
& þe takere borweth yt / & bryngiþ his sowle in dette.
For-þy[^454]  beggeres borwe euere / & here borwhȝ is god al-myghty.
To ȝelden hem . þat ȝeviþ hem / for here goode wille.[^455]
Q vare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam . vt ueniens cum vsuris & exegissem vtique illam.
For-þy  beggiþ nowht as beggeres / but ȝe have neede.
For who þat haþ with / to bygge hym bred / þe book beriþ witnesse.
He haþ y-nowh þat haþ but bred / þeyhȝ he haþ not ellis.
S atis diues est . qui pane non indiget.
Lete vsage by ȝoure solace / of seyntys lyvis redyngge.
Þe sawhter blameþ beggeris / & byddis on þis manere.
I vnior fui / & etenim senui & non non [vidi] iustum derelictum nec semen eius querens panem.
For beggeres lyve in no love / ne no lawe holde.
Many man weddiþ nowht / þat womman / þat he wyth delyþ.
But as a wyȝlde beeste with we . he  he worthiþ vp & werchiþ.
& of hem come barnes / þat bastardis men callyn.
& here baak / or sum boon / þey breke in here birthe.[^456]
& so goo þey fayȝten with here fawntys / ful longe after.
For þere is moo mys-shape peple / a-mongis a fewe beggeres.
Þan of alle manere of men / þat on þe moolde wandreþ.
For þo þat leede þus here lyf / euere -mowe þey loþe þe tyme.
Þ at euere was he man wroght / whan he shal hens fare.

[^450: F.5.1064: This line appears only in F.]

[^451: F.5.1067: F alone omits the phrase " qui meretur accipere " after illum .]

[^452: F.5.1070: Alpha lacks beta's þe before treccherye.]

[^453: F.5.1071: F extensively revises the line. Beta reads "For he þat yeueþ yeldeþ and yarkeþ hym to reste." Alpha has the noun ȝifte in place of beta's yeueþ.]

[^454: F.5.1073: Alpha has For-þy in place of beta's For.]

[^455: F.5.1074: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "and yet vsure moore."]

[^456: F.5.1087: Bx probably read "Or þe bak or som boon þei breke in hire (or his?) youþe." Beta manuscripts have ambiguous he for alpha's þei, though it is clear that beta scribes took it to be singular.]

¶ But olde men & hoore / þat helpeles ben of strengþe.
& wommen with childe / þat wirche ne mowe.[^457]
& Meselis here myssese / meekly it take.[^458]
Haven a pleyn pardoun / as pers haþ hym -selue.
For love of here lowe hertys / oure lord haþ hem grauntyd.
For here penaunce / & purgatorye / here is open on erthe.

[^457: F.5.1094: F omits the following line: "Blynde and bedrede and broken hire membres."]

[^458: F.5.1095: The reading is unique to F. Bx reads "That taken þis myschief mekeliche as Mesels and oþere."]

¶ Peers  quod a preest þo / þy pardoun muste y rede.
& y shal[^459] construe euery clawse / & kenne it þe on englyshȝ.

[^459: F.5.1100: Alpha has shal in place of beta's wol.]

¶ & sone peers at his prayere / his pardoun vn-foldede.
& y stood / by-hyȝnde hem boþe / & be-hild al ouer þe bulle.
& al in two lyȝnes þe strengþe lay / & nout a leef moore.
& was y-wryte ryght þus / witnesse of trewþe.
E t qui bona egerunt  ibunt in vitam eternam.
Qvi vero mala  in ignem eternum.

¶ Peeter . quod þe Preest þo / y can no pardoun fyȝnde.
But dowel . & hauewel / & god shal have þyn sowle.
& doevel / & haue evel / & hope þou after a-nothir.
Þat after þy deþ-day / þe devil shal have þy sowhle.

¶ & a-non Peers for pure teene / pullid þe bulle in tweyne.
& seyde þus Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis.
Non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es domine.[^460]

[^460: F.5.1113: F alone adds domine at the end of the Latin quotation.]

¶ I wil sese now of myn sowynge / & swynke not so harde.
Ne a-bowhtyn my bely Ioyȝe / so bisy ben no more.
But of prayeris & of penaunces[^461] / my plowh shal be after.
& wepyn whan y sholde slepe / þeyhȝ whete[^462] bred y-fayle.

[^461: F.5.1116: Alpha has the plural form here and beta the singular.]

[^462: F.5.1117: The scribe initially wrote weete and then corrected it to whete.]

¶ I fyȝnde þe prophete payn eet / in Penance & in sorwe.
& after þat þe sawhter seyþ / so diden oþere manye.
He þat loveþ god leelly / his lyfloode is ful redy.
F uerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte

/ [¶] & but if seynt Luk lyȝeþ / or lerneþ vs be foolys.[^463]
We sholde not ben to bysy / a-bowhtyn worldis blysse.
He seyþ þus in his gospel / Ne solliciti scitis.
& be swiche ensamplis he sheweth vs / oure -seluyn to wissen.
Þe fowlis in þe fylde / who fyndes hem mete in wyntyr.
Þey have no gerner to go to / but god fynt hem alle.

[^463: F.5.1122: Most of the b-verse is owed to alpha. Beta's b-verse reads "he lereþ vs by foweles." A manuscripts have both folis and foules.]

¶ What quod þe Preest to Peers / be Peeter as me þynkiþ.
Þ ou art lettred a lytyl / who leernede þe on booke.

¶ Mayster Abstynence quod Pers[^464] / myn a. b. c. me tawhte.
& Consience com afterwarde / & kennyd me wil w[e]l more.

[^464: F.5.1130: F's exemplar was almost certainly defective. Alpha had omitted "þe Abbesse," and F has characteristically recomposed the line. Bx reads "Abstynence þe Abbesse quod Pers . . . ."]

¶ Pers  quod he / & þou were a preest / þou myghtist preche abowte.
As a Doctour of[^465] dyuynyte / with[^466]

[^465: F.5.1133: Alpha and G have of in place of beta's in.]

[^466: F.5.1133: The remainder of the line was not written. Bx reads " dixit insipiens to þi teme."]

¶ A  þou lewid lorel quod Peers / lytyl lokest þou / on þe byble.
Þere Salomonys sawis been / ful seelde þou hem be-holdist.
E ice derisorem & exibit cum eo iurgium / cessabitque cause & contumelie.[^467]

[^467: F.5.1136: F differs significantly from Bx which reads " E[j]ice derisores & iurgia cum eis ne crescant &c. " The added phrases are drawn from Proverbs 22:10. See John A. Alford, Piers Plowman: A Guide to the Quotations (Binghamton: MRTS, 1992), p. 57, for discussion.]

¶ & þus þe Preest & Pers / ech a-posede oþir.
& þorghȝ here woordis y a-wook / & waytede al abowhte.
& y seyȝ þe sunne in þe sowþ / where it sat þat tyme.
I was Moneles & Meteles / my Mawe gan groone.[^468]
But ȝit y mewsede on þis Metelis / as y my way wente.
& many a tyme meteles / It haþ maad me studyȝe.
Of þat y seyȝ slepynge / if it soþ / be myghte.
& also for Pers Plowhman / ful pensyf in herte.
& what P ardoun Pers hadde / þe peple to conforte.
& how þe Preest Impugned it / with tweye propre woordis.
But y have no savour in Sompnuarye / to seyn nout þerafter.[^469]
For Catoun conseyliþ Catonistris Ca[n]onistris / comounly it faylyþ.[^470][^471]
To settyn no soþnesse / in no Sompnewaryȝe.[^472]

[^468: F.5.1140: F alone suppresses the reference to the Malvern Hills. The b-verse in Bx reads "on Maluerne hulles."]

[^469: F.5.1147: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "for I se it ofte faille."]

[^470: F.5.1148: A small <+> appears in the right margin to mark the error.]

[^471: F.5.1148: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Caton and Canonistres counseillen vs to leue."]

[^472: F.5.1149: F revises and shortens this line. Bx reads as follows: "To sette sadnesse in Songewarie for sompnia ne cures."]

¶ But for boldely þe byble book / beriþ bettre witnesse.
How Danyel dyvynede / of a kyngys dremes.
He was Nabugodonosor / y-nempned of clerkys.
Sire kyng seyde Danyel / þy dremes by-tokneþ.
Þ at vnkouþe knyghtis shulle come[^473] / þyn coroun þe reve.[^474]
& a-mong lowere lordis / þy lond shal be departid.

[^473: F.5.1154: An otiose curl appears above the <m>.]

[^474: F.5.1154: Alpha has reve in place of beta's cleyme or cleue. The other manuscripts have "kyngdom to" in place of F's "coroun þe."]

¶ & as Danyel dyvynede / þe dede fel after.
Þe kyng lees his lordchepe / & lowhere lordis it hadde.

¶ & Ioseph mette mervyously / of þe Moone & sonne.
& of þe elevene sterrys / how þey heylid hym alle.

¶ Anon Iacob Iuggede / Iosepys swevenys.
Bewh fyȝs quod his fadir / for defawhte after.
My-selue & my sones / shulle seeke þe for neede.

¶ It fel as his fadir seyde / in pharao-is tyme.
Þ at Ioseph was Iustyse / of Egypt to looke.
& as his fadir tolde / hise fawntys sowtyn þere.
& al this matere makiþ me / on my metelis þynke.
¶ & how þe Preest pre vede / no P ardoun to Dowel .
& demede þat Dowel / alle Indulgenses passede.
Or q uinquenalis / or tryennales / or þe Bisshopis lettris.
& how Dowel at þe day of dome / is deyntely take.
& passeþ al þe pardoun / of seynt Petris chirche.

¶ Þe Pope haþ gret powher / pardoun to grawnte.
A sowle with -outyn penaunce / to passyn in-to hevene.
Þis ys oure be-leve / þe gospel leyþ þe same.[^475]
& y be-leve leelly / oure lord for-bede ellys.
Þ at P ardoun / & prayeris / & Penaunce saven sowlys.
Þ at þe bodijs have synnyd / sevene syþis dedly.[^476]
But to tristne on tryanales / truly me þynkiþ.
It ys nowht so sykir to þe sowle / soþly as is Dowel .

[^475: F.5.1174: F rewrote the b-verse which in Bx reads "as lettred men vs techeþ." He left a blank line for the Latin text, but failed to write it. Bx reads " Quodcumque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum & in celis, &c ."]

[^476: F.5.1177: F has revised this line. Bx reads "Soules þat haue synned seuen siþes dedly."]

/ [¶] Þerefore y rede ȝow / alle / þat ryche men been heere.
Vpon trist on ȝowre tresor / tryenalis to purchase.
Be ȝee neuere þe boldere / to breke þe ten hestys.
& namely ȝee Maystris / boþe Meyȝhres & althermen.
Þ at have þe welthe of þis world / & wyse men ben holde.
To purchase ȝow pardoun / with þe popis bullis.
[^477] For at þe dred-ful dome / whan dede men shulle ryse.
& comen alle by-fore c rist / & ȝoure a-cowntys ȝeelde.[^478]
& how ȝee ladden ȝoure lyf / & ȝoure lawis kepyn.
& how ȝee[^479] don[^480] day be day / þe dome wille reerce.
A Poke-ful of pardoun / þere / ne provyncialis lettrys.
Be not fownde in no fraternite / of þe foure ordrys.
Ne Indulgencis doblefold / but Dowel ȝow helpe.[^481]

[^477: F.5.1186: The faint black <x> in the left margin apparently does not correlate with an error in the text.]

[^478: F.5.1187: Alpha is responsible for & at the beginning of the b-verse and the omission of to before ȝeelde, and F uniquely has ȝoure. Bx reads "acountes to yelde."]

[^479: F.5.1189: FHm alone have plural ȝee instead of þow.]

[^480: F.5.1189: Alpha is responsible for the present tense. Beta manuscripts have didest.]

[^481: F.5.1192: F omits the following line from Bx: "I sette youre patentes and youre pardon at one pies hele."]

¶ Þerfore y conseyle alle cristene / to criȝe crist mercy.
& Marie his Moodir be oure mene at neede.
Þ at he gyve vs grace / er þat we goon henne.
Swiche wirkis to wirche / þe[^482] whyle we ben here.
Þat after oure deþ-day / Dowel it reerse.
At þe day of dome we dide þat we hym hyȝhte.

[^482: F.5.1196: Alpha, agreeing with many C manuscripts, supplies þe, providing another instance in which beta manuscripts agree with A and alpha with C.]

[^483] E xplicit Passus Quintus.

[^483: The original scribe left the instructions " quintus / sextus " in the left margin to indicate where the passus break occurred.]

[This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file.] I ncipit Passus Sextus.

A Nd[^484] wanne y awakid was / y wondred were y were.[^485]
Tyl þat y be-þowhte me / what þyng y dremede.
& y Robert[^486][^487] in russet / gan rome a-bowhte.[^488]
& freynede ful[^489] ofte / folk þat y mette.
If ony whyght wiste / where Dowel were[^490] ostagid.[^491][^492]
& what man he myghte be / of many a man y askede.
But þere was was [neuere] wyght as y went / þat me wysshe cowthe.
Where þat leede lengede / neyþir lesse ne more.
Tyl it fel on a Fryday / with tweye Freris y mette.
&[^493] weryn Maystrys of þe Menourys / & men weel y-lernede.[^494]

[^484: F.6.1: The ornamental capital is red with green flourishes which extend over half way up the page in the left margin.]

[^485: These lines appear only in F.]

[^486: F.6.3: The last four characters are virtually illegible because of bleed through and the translucency of the manuscript.]

[^487: F.6.3: The reading "y Robert" is unique to F. Bx reads yrobed.]

[^488: F.6.3: F omits the following line: "Al a somer seson for to seke dowel."]

[^489: F.6.4: The manuscript is almost completely illegible here.]

[^490: F.6.5: Alpha is responsible for were; beta witnesses (and A,C) read was.]

[^491: F.6.5: ostagid, "lodged, dwelled, resided." This form is rare in Middle English. MED lists only one other occurrence.]

[^492: F.6.5: A rubricated "VI:" appears in the top right margin with red flourishes to indicate the passus number.]

[^493: F.6.10: Alpha is responsible for &.]

[^494: F.6.10: F omits the following line from Bx: "I hailsed hem hendely as I hadde ylerned."]

¶ I prayede hem pur charite / er y passede furthere.
If þey knewe in ony cowrt[^495] / or in coostys þere[^496] þey wentyn.
Where þat Dowel dwellyþ / y praye ȝow ȝee me wisse.[^497]

[^495: F.6.12: Alpha is responsible for cowrt, a reading shared by Cr2,3. Beta witnesses read contree.]

[^496: F.6.12: Alpha is responsible for þere. Beta witnesses read as.]

[^497: F.6.13: Alpha lacks the following lines present in beta witnesses: For þei be men of þis moolde þat moost wide walken And knowen contrees and courtes and many kynnes places Boþe princes paleises and pouere mennes cotes And dowel and do yuele where þei dwelle boþe.]

¶ Marye quod þo Menoures / a-mongys vs he dwellyþ.
& euere haþ as y hope / & euere shal here -after.
Contra q uod y / as a Clerk / & comsed to disputyn.[^498]
For sevene tymes / as seyþ þe book / slyȝdiþ þe ryghtful.
& who þat synneþ in doynge / he doþ evele me þynkiþ.
& dowel & doevele / mowe not dwelle to-gydre.
Ergo he is nowht alwey / at hoom a-mong ȝoure freres.
But he is ellis-wher / for to wisse þe peple.

[^498: F.6.16: F omits the following line from Bx: "And seide hem sooþly Sepcies in die cadit Iustus ."]

¶ I shal seyȝe þe my sone / seyȝde þe to þe frere þanne.
How sevene sythis þe sad man / synneþ on þe day-tyȝde.
Be a propre resoun / y shal þe redyly shewe.
Lete brynge a man in a boot / a-myddis þe brode watur.
Þe wynd / & þe watur / & the boot waggynge.
Makþ þe man many a tyme / to meve / & to stakere.
For stonde he neuere so stef / he stumbleþ & falleþ.
& ȝit is he saf & sownd / & so hym by-hoveþ.
For but he ryse þe rathere / & rawhte to hym þe sterne.[^499]
Þe wynd wolde / on þe watur / þe boot ouer -terve.
& þanne were his lyf loost / þorhȝ lacchesse of hym -selue.

[^499: F.6.30: Alpha has sterne, a reading shared by HmC2. Other beta witnesses read steere. The same pattern of variation appears in A manuscripts.]

¶ Ryght þus fareþ it quod þe Frere / by folk on þis grownde
Þe watur y lykne to þis world / þat wanyeþ & wexiþ.
& þe goodis on þis grownde / be lykned þe grete wawis.
& as þe wynd & þe wedir / walkyn a-bowte.
Þe boot y lykne to oure bodijs / þat brotyl is of kyȝnde.
Þ at þorgh þe feend . & oure flesh / & þe false world also.
Synneþ þe sade man / ech day sevene syȝþys.

¶ But dedly synne doþ he non / for Dowel hym helpiþ.
& þat is Charite þe Champioun / cheef a-geyn synne.
For he strengþ man / to stonde / & steriþ mannys wille.
Þ at þeyhȝ þy body bowe / as þe boot in þe watir.
Euere ys þy sowle saf / but if þy-selue wille.
If þou folwe þy fowle fleshȝ / & þe feend þere-after.[^500]
& doost dedly synne / þou drenchist þanne þy sowle.

[^500: F.6.45: F alone among B manuscripts has this line, otherwise attested only by A manuscripts.]

¶ But god wille þou save þi sowle[^501] / þyf [ȝ]if[^502] þi-selue lyke.[^503]
He ȝaf þe / two ȝeresȝevis / to ȝeeme wel þy-selue.
& þo ben wit / & frewil / to euery wyght a porcioun
To man & to foulis / to fyschis & to beestis
But man haþ moost þereof / & moost he is to blame.
But he wyrche wel þer-with / as dowel hym techiþ.

[^501: F.6.47: F's a-verse is unique, and the agreement of FHmR in reading sowle in place of the other beta manuscripts' reading sleuþe makes it difficult to determine the archetypal reading. It is likely to have read "God wole suffre wel þi sowle (or sleuþe)."]

[^502: F.6.47: Though Norman Davis notes that isolated cases of scribal confusion of <þ> and <ȝ> occur occasionally elsewhere, the examples he cites are mainly from East Anglian texts. "A Scribal Problem in the Paston Letters," English and Germanic Studies 4 (1951-1952): 39. It is perhaps equally possible that this form represents the scribe's effort at the Worcester form yef or yif.]

[^503: F.6.47: F revises this line radically. Bx reads "God wole suffre wel þi sleuþe if þiself likeþ." Alpha must have had soule in place of sleuþe, and later F revised "suffre wel" to "þou save" in an attempt to salvage some sense.]

¶ Ȝee y have no kyȝnde knowynge quod y  to conseyve þy wordis.
But if y may lyve & looke / y shal goo leerne bettre.

¶ I be-kenne þe Cryst quod he / þat on þe croys dyȝede.
& y seyde / þe same lord / save þe fram myschaunce.
& graunte þe grace on þis grownde / good ende to make.

/ [¶] & wente y wyȝde-where / walkynge by myn oone.
In a whilde wyȝldirnesse / by a wode-syȝde.
Þanne blysse of þe bryddis / a-byȝde me made.[^504]
& vndir a lyȝnde on a lawnde / lay y a stounde.
To lystne þe layȝes / þe Nytyngalis maden[^505]
& þe merthe of here mowthis / made me on sleepe.
& þe mervylokest metelis / mette y þat stownde.
Þ at euere wyȝght / in þis world / as y wene dremede.

[^504: F.6.60: Beta attests a different b-verse for this line: "brouȝte me aslepe." Alpha's reading corresponds to Cx.]

[^505: F.6.62: Bx reads for the b-verse: "þe louely foweles made," though R also omits the alliterating stave louely. That suggests that alpha had lost the alliterating word and that F had revised his defective exemplar. Cf. F's substitution of larkys for foweles at 5.358.]

¶ Me þowhte oon com / & callyd me / be my ryght name[^506]
A mychil man he was / mychil lyȝk my-selue.

[^506: These lines in F are transposed in relation to Bx.]

¶ What art þou quod y þo / þat þowhȝ my name knowist

¶ Thow wost wel quod he þo / & no whyȝt bettre.
I not neuere . who art þou  thowht y am he seyde.
& have sewid þe þis sevene ȝeer / ne seyȝe þou me no rathere.

¶ Art þou þowht / quod y tho / canst þou me telle.
Where þat dowel dwellyþ / þou do me hym[^507] to knowe.
Dowel quod he . & dobet / & dobest þe thrydde
Are þre faire felowis / & dwelle not feer o twynne.
For who is trewe of his tunge / & of hise two hondis.
& meeke in his herte / & myȝlde of his speche.[^508]
& trewe of his tayl-ende / & takþ but his owne.[^509]
& þorghȝ þe labour of his hand / his lyfloode wynneþ.
& nowht drunkelewhȝ ne deygnous / dowel hym folweþ.
And dobet doþ ryght / but he doþ michil moore.
He is as lowhȝ as a lomb / & lowhly of speche.
& helpiþ alle men / & eseþ hem at neede.
Þe baggys bownde with brygerdlis[^510] / he haþ broke hem alle
Þ at þe Erl / sire Averouse / held for hise eyȝres.
& with Mammones mone / he haþ maad freenschepis.
& ys runne in-to religious / to rendre þe byble.
& precheþ þe peple / seynt Powlys woordis.
L ibenter suffertis incipientes . cum ipsi scitis sapientes.
He seyþ ȝee sholde gladly suffre þe vnwyse / with ȝow to lybbe.
& with glad wil don hem good / for god so ȝow hoteþ.

[^507: F.6.73: Alpha has hym. Beta witnesses read þat.]

[^508: F.6.77: This line uniquely appears in F in the B tradition. It appears in A, though it has correctly alliterating mouþ in place of herte. The line is omitted in C.]

[^509: These lines in F are transposed in relation to Bx.]

[^510: F.6.84: F's use of the form brygirdel (See MED s.v. brech-girdel) to mean bi-girdel, "money-belt," had already taken place in the manuscripts of the A text of Piers Plowman, but it does not occur in other B witnesses.]

¶ But dobest beriþ a bisshopis croos / & is a-bove hem boþe.
It is hoked at þe ende / to halye men fram helle.
& in þat potente ys a pyȝk / to pytten doun þe wykkede.
Þ at wayten with wrong / sire dowel to teene.[^511]

[^511: F.6.95: F lacks KD8.100-101 and re-orders several other lines. Alpha had already omitted KD8.106. The missing lines read: And dowel and dobet amonges hem ordeyned To crowne oon to be kyng to rulen hem boþe (=KD8.101). But dobest bede for hem þei to be þer for euere (=KD8.106).]

¶ And þus dowel . & dobet . & dobest þe thrydde.[^512]
Haue crowne crowne[d] oon to be kyng / & be here conseyl wirche[^513]
& to rewle al þe rewhme / be reed of hem alle.[^514]
& be non oþir -wyse / but as þey þre wille assente.

[^512: In this and the next two paragraphs, a scribe subsequent to alpha augmented his text, probably from an A manuscript, but possibly, as Kane and Donaldson believe, a superior B manuscript.]

[^513: F.6.97: F's b-verse reading is unique. Bx reads "to kepen hem alle."]

[^514: F.6.98: F's b-verse reading is unique. Bx reads "by hire þre wittes."]

¶ For if þat dowel or dobet / dyden a-geyn dobest.
& weryn vn-buxum to don his byddyngge / & bown to do Ille.[^515]
Þanne sholde þe kyng come / & comawnde hem to presoun.
& pitte hem þere in penawnce / with -oute pite or grace.[^516]

[^515: F.6.101: F alone among B manuscripts attests this line, which is found in A, but not in C.]

[^516: F.6.103: This line from the A version appears only in F among B manuscripts. Alpha omits the following line found in beta: "But dobest bede for hem þei to be þer for euere."]

¶ Þanne þankede y thowht þo / þat he so faire me tawhte.
& seyde / me savoureþ not ȝyt wel / so me crist helpe.[^517]
For more kyȝnde knowynge / y coveyte of ȝow to leerne.
Where þat dowel & dobet & dobest / doon on þis molde.
Trewly but . witt kan wisshe þe quod thowt / where þat þey dwelle.
Ellis knowe y non þat can / þat now ys on lyve.

[^517: This b-verse and the following a-verse, found in Ax and Cx, are not attested in other B manuscripts.]

¶ Þo þowht & y / thre dayes we wentyn.
Disputynge on dowel / day after oþir.
& er þat we weryn war / with witt gunne we meetyn
He was long & leene / & lyȝk to non oþir.
Was no priȝde in his a-parayle / ne pouerte neythir.
But sad of his semblaund / & softe he was of chere.
I durste meve no matere / for to make hym Iangle.
But as y bad þowht þo / be meene be-twene.
To pytte furþ sum purpos / to prevyn hise wittis.
What was dowel fram dobet / & dobest fram hem bothe.

¶ Þanne þowht in þat tyme / seyde þese woordys.
Where dwellyþ[^518] dowel & dobet / & dobest in londe.[^519]
Fayn wolde y wete witt / If þou cowdist me telle.[^520]
Wheyþir he be man / or noon / y wolde fayn a-spyȝe.
& worchen as ȝee [þ]e[y] þre wolde / þis were myn entente.

[^518: F.6.121: F uniquely has dwellyþ, which then requires the omission of Bx's ben from the b-verse after dobest. Curiously, R also omits ben.]

[^519: F.6.121: F revises the next three lines, converting Thought's third person discourse into first person. Bx reads as follows: Here is wil wolde wite if wit koude teche hym And wheiþer he be man or no man þis man wolde aspie And werchen as þei þre wolde this is his entente.]

[^520: F.6.122: Bx reads here: "Here is wil wolde wite if wit koude teche hym."]

¶ Sire dowel dwelliþ quod witt / nowht a day henne.
In a Castel þat Keende made / of foure manere of þyngis.
Of Erthe & eyȝr it ys maad / & medlyd to-gydres.
W ith wynd & with watur / wyttyrly en-Ioyned.
Syre Keende haþ closed þer-in / craftly withalle.
His lemman[^521] þat he loveþ wel / she is lych hym -selue.
Anima she hatte / but Envie hyre hateþ.
He is a prowd p rikere of Fraunce / princeps huius mundi.
He wolde wynne hire a-weyȝ / with wyȝles if he myȝhte.[^522]
& þat knoweth Kynde wel / & kepeþ hire þe bettre.
& doþ hire dwelle with dowel[^523] / Dewk of þat marches.[^524]
& dobet ys hire Damysele / sire dowellis dowhtir.
She serueþ þat Lady leelly / boþe late & rathe.
& dobest ys above hem boþe / a Bisshopis peere.
& þat he byddis mote be doon / for he rewhliþ hem alle.
And Anima þat lady / ys lad by his leernynge.

[^521: F.6.130: The <a> in lemman is written, for no apparent reason, much larger than usual.]

[^522: F.6.133: The <y> is corrected from <u>.]

[^523: F.6.135: Alpha is responsible for the omission of sire before dowel.]

[^524: F.6.135: F's þat is unique. R has þe, and beta manuscripts þise.]

¶ But þe Cunstable of þe Castel / þat kepeþ alle þe wacche.
Is a wyȝs knyght with -alle / sire Inwitt he hatte.
& haþ fyve faire sones / by his firste Lady.
sire Seewel & seywel / & sire[^525] herewel þe heende.
& sire wyrche wel with þyn hond / a whyht man of strengþe.
& sire Goweel on grounde[^526] / a gret Lord[^527] for-sothe.
Þese sixe[^528] ben set / to save sown þys Anima.[^529]
Tyl Kynde come or sende / to kepen hire hym -selue.

[^525: F.6.144: Alpha's sire is matched by the C reading. Beta is like A in omitting it.]

[^526: F.6.146:F's reading is unique. Other witnesses have "Godefray Go-wel" in place of "Goweel on grounde."]

[^527: F.6.146: Alpha is responsible for singular "a gret Lord." Beta witnesses have "grete lordes."]

[^528: F.6.147: Though the archetypal reading was fyue, F has almost certainly supplied the correct reading.]

[^529: F.6.147: Alpha's omission of beta's lady is matched by the C reading.]

¶ What kenne þyng ys Kynde q uod y  canst þou me telle.
Q uod wit  Kynde is a creatour / of alle kenne þyngys.
Fader & formere / of alle þynge on erthe.
He is grete god / þat by-gynnynge hadde neuere.
& lord of lyf & of lyth / of blysse & of peyȝne.
Angelys & alle þynge / ben at his wille.
But man ys moost hym lyȝk[^530] / of makynge & of chafte.[^531]
For þorghȝ þe word þat he spak / wentyn forþ beestys.[^532]
& grene gres grew sone / on grownde al a-bowhte.
& trees weryn frawht with frut / fayre vpon erthe.
& al was maad þorgh his word / as his wille wolde.

[^530: F.6.155: Alpha is responsible for the word order "moost hym lyȝk." Beta witnesses have "hym moost lik."]

[^531: F.6.155: chafte, "shaft."]

[^532: F.6.156: The next three lines are unique to F, replacing the Latin tag " Dixit et facta sunt ." Kane and Donaldson reject the first two as spurious and accept the substance of the third, though they emend it. Schmidt, Parallel-Text Edition, rejects all three.]

/ [¶] But he made Adam a man / lykkest hym-selue.
& Eve was maad of Adam-is ryb / with -outyn ony meene.
& for he was nowht synguler / he seyȝde faciamus.
As who seyȝþ  more mote here -to / þan my word oone.
For my myght mote helpe / forþ with my speche.
Ryght as a lord shold make a lettre / & only lakkede parchemyn
Or þeyȝ he cowhde wryte neuere so wel / & he lakkede a penne
Þe Lettre for al his lordshepe / y leve sholde not be makyd
Ryght so it semeþ be god / as þe byble telleþ
Þere god seyde þis sawe / faciamus hominem ad ymaginem &c.[^533]
He wroghte þus with his word / & with his wit gan shewe
& in þis manere man was maad / þorhȝ þre persones oone.
W ith his word he wroghte man / & ȝaf hym lyf after.[^534]
& god gaf hym a goost / of þe godhed of hevene.
& of his grete grace / he grawntyd hym blysse.
Þere is lyf þat euere shal laste / to alle his lynage after.
& þat Castel þat Kynde maade Caro it[^535] hatte.
& is as mychel to mene / as man with a sowle.
& þat he wroughte it as [with] werk / & with his[^536] word boþe.
Þorgh myght of þe Mageste / þus was man y-maked.
Inwit & alle wittys / y-closed ben þere-Inne.
For love of þat Lady anima / þat lyf is sprenklyd[^537]
Ouer al in mannys body / he[^538] walweþ & wandreþ.
But in þe herte . ys here hoom / & here[^539] moost reste.

[^533: F.6.169: The Latin tag is attested only in F at this point. Bx reads " dixit et facta sunt ." F's reading mirrors Ax.]

[^534: F.6.172: F has extensively revised this line. Bx reads "Wiþ his word and werkmanshipe and wiþ lif to laste."]

[^535: F.6.176: The rubricating scribe, whom we take to be the main text scribe, noticed that the <i> was not dotted and supplied it in red ink.]

[^536: F.6.178: Alpha is responsible for his, which is not in beta.]

[^537: F.6.181: Bx reads ynempned. F's reading is not easily accounted for by recourse to unconscious scribal substitution and perhaps reflects a conscious intention, but we find no appropriate sense for sprenklyd in this context.]

[^538: F.6.182: he, "she."]

[^539: F.6.183: F rarely writes here for singular "her." However, since he probably did not recognize he in the preceding b-verse as "she," he probably took here in both cases to be plural "their," referring to "Inwit & alle wittys."]

¶ & Inwit ys in þe hevid / & to þe herte he lookeþ.
What anima is leef or looþ / he ledeþ hire at his wylle.
For after þe grace of grete god / Inwit neest folwiþ.
Mychil wo worþ þat wyght / þat Inwit may not rewle.
& þo been glotones & gloseris / þat god is in here wombe.
Q vorum deus venter est.
For swiche seruyn Sathan / & here sowlis he shal welde.
For þey levyn synful lyf / here sowle ys lyȝk þe powke.
& þo þat lyvyn good lyf / lyk after goddis techyng
Seynt Iohan seyþ[^540] qui manet in caritate in deo manet & deus in eo.

[^540: F.6.193: F uniquely attributes the Latin quotation to Saint John.]

¶ Allas  þat drynk shal for-doon / þat god dere bowhte.
& doþ god for-saken hem / þat shoop hem after his lyknesse.[^541]
I fyȝnde þat holy chirche / sholde neuere faylyn foolys.[^542]
Ne knowe non defawhte / of faderles[^543] chyldryn.
Ne wedewys þat have nout wherwith / to wynnyn here foode.
And madde men & maydenys / þat helpeles weryn.
For alle þese lakkyn Inwit / & loore hem by-hoveþ.

[^541: F.6.195: F omits the following line from Bx: " Amen dico vobis nescio vos Et alibi Et dimisi eos secundum desideria eorum ."]

[^542: F has heavily revised Bx, which reads as follows: Fooles þat fauten Inwit I fynde þat holy chirche Sholde fynden hem þat hem fauteth and faderlese children.]

[^543: F.6.197: An otiose curl appears above the <r>.]

¶ But of þis matere y myghte / maken a long tale.
& fyȝnde fele wytnesse / of þe foure doctoures.
& þat y lyȝe nowht / seynt Luk beryþ witnesse.
Þ at boþe godfadir . & godmodire / þat seen here god-childryn.
In myssese & myscheef / & may hem wel a-mende.
Þey shulle haue penaunce in purgatorye / but if þey hem helpe.
For more longiþ a lytyl barn / er he þe lawe knowe.
Þan nempne first his name / & he be neuere þe wysere.

¶ For þere sholde no cristene creature / cryȝen at þyn ȝate
&[^544] faylen payn & potage / &[^545] prelatys dyden here devir.
A Iew wolde not seen a Iew / goo Ianglynge for defawhte.
For alle þe mone on þe moolde / & he a-mende it myghte.
Allas þanne þat a cristene man / sholde so ben vn-kyȝnde.
Sytthyn þe Iewis þat we for- Iuggen / to ben Iudas felawe.
Þ at ech helpiþ oþir of hem[^546] / of good þat hem neediþ.

[^544: F.6.210: The ampersand is owed to alpha. Beta reads Ne. For a similar variation, see 11.8.]

[^545: F.6.210: The ampersand represents here an, "if."]

[^546: F.6.215: Alpha's a-verse differs from beta's "Eyþer of hem helpeþ ooþer." F's ech is substituted for Bx's Eyþer.]

/ [¶] Why wille [ny]lle we cristene of cristis good / ben also kyȝnde.
As Iewis þat ben for-lore men[^547] / It is shame to vs alle.
Þe ryche for here vnkyȝndnesse / shulle yt ful sore a-byȝe.

[^547: F.6.217: F's reading is unique, whether it is interpreted as "for lore-men," meaning "standing in place of teachers," or as we punctuated it here as "for-lore men," meaning "lost (or damned) men." Bx must have read "As Iewes þat ben oure loresmen shame to vs alle."]

/ [¶] Bisshopis shulle be blamed / for beggerys sake.
He He [is] werse þanne Iudas / þat ȝeviþ a Iapere syluer.
& byddis þe beggere gon a-wey / for hise broke cloþis.
Proditor est prelatus cum Iuda qui patrimoniium patrimonium cristi minus distribuit.[^548]

[^548: F.6.222: F omits the second clause attested by Bx: " Et alibi, Perniciosus dispensator est qui res pauperum christi inutiliter consumit. "]

/ [¶] He doþ not wel þat doþ þus / he drediþ not god almyghty.
He lokyþ not Salomonys sawis / þat sapyence is named.
He seyþ Inicium sapience sapienc[i]e  timor domini.
For he þat drediþ god doþ wel / he drediþ god his makere.[^549]
He dredyþ nowht for love[^550] of vengaunce / for to don þe bettre.[^551]
But he doþ best þat withdraweth hym / by day / & by nyghte.
To spillyn ony speche / or ony space of tyme.
Qui offendit in vno verbo  in omnibus reus est.

[^549: F.6.226: At least partly because of error in alpha, F confuses the sense of this line and the following. Bx reads as follows: That dredeþ god he dooþ wel þat dredeþ hym for loue And drad hym noȝt for drede of vengeaunce dooþ þerfore þe bettre."]

[^550: F.6.227: This is the alpha reading. Beta manuscripts read drede.]

[^551: F.6.227: Beta's b-verse reads "dooþ þerfore þe bettre."]

¶ Lesyngys & ydilnesse / trewþe whot þe soþe.
Is moost hatyd huttyrly / of hem heyȝe in hevene.
& alle swiche þat spillyn speche / here spiryȝt haþ no grace.[^552]
For þey semen goddis glemen / to gamen hem in heuene.
Wolde neuere þe feyþful fader / his fythele were vn-tempryd.
Ne his gleeman a galyng ga[de]lyng / a goere to tauerne.

[^552: F.6.233: Bx reads "And siþþe to spille speche þat spire is of grace." Alpha has swiche in place of siþþe.]

/ [¶] For to alle trewe tydy men / þat travayle dysyre.
Oure lord loveþ hem & lent  lowhde oyþer stylle.
Grace  to goon hem to  to getyn here lyf-loode.
Inquirentes autem dominum  non inuenientur [m]inuentur omni bono.

¶ Trewe weddid lyvyngge folk / in þis world is dowel.
For þey motyn wirche to wynne / & þe world sosteyne.
For of here kyȝnde he[^553] com þat confessoures be nempnyd.
& bothe kynggys & knyghtys / & kayseres & Clerkys.
& Maydenys & Martyres / out of man kemen.
& womman was maad a weyȝ / for to helpe wirche.
& þus was wedloke wroght / & god hym -selue it made.[^554]
In erthe here[^555] hevene ys / hym -selue beryþ wytnesse.

[^553: F.6.243: Beta witnesses read þei for alpha's relict form he.]

[^554: F.6.247: Alpha omits the following lines from Bx through eye-skip on identical a-verses: ... wiþ a mene persone First by þe fadres wille and þe frendes conseille And siþenes by assent of hemself as þei two myȝte acorde And þus was wedlock ywroȝt . . . .]

[^555: F.6.248: Alpha has here, "their," where most beta witnesses have þe.]

/ [¶] But false folk &[^556] feyþles / boþe þevys & lyeris.
& wastoures & wrecchis / out of wedloke y trowe.
Are conceyvid in evil tyme / as Cayn was of Eve.
Of swiche synful shrewis / þe sawhter seyþ þis sawe.
Concepit dolorem & peperit iniquitatem.
& alle þat kemen of Cayn / kemen to evil ende.
For god hym to seyn / & þus seyde þe angel.[^557]
Þyn Issew with þyn Issew / y wille þat þey be weddid.
& nowht þyn kyȝnde with Cayn / neyþir cowpled ne spoused.

[^556: F.6.249: Beta omits &.]

[^557: F.6.255: Bx is corrupt, and F produced only nonsense. Bx reads "For god sente to Sem and seide by an Aungel." There Sem is an error for Seth, confusing the names of Adam's and Noah's sons.]

¶ But summe ȝit / a-geyn þe sonde / of oure saviouris heeste.
Cayn-is keen & his kynde / weryn cowpled[^558] to-gydre
Tyl god þey wratthid with here werk / & þis word he seyde.
Þat y on moolde maked man / now it me for-þynkyþ.
Penitet me hominem fecisse.

[^558: F.6.259: An otiose curl appears above the <p>.]

/ [¶] & þanne god cam to Noe / & bad hym nowht lettyn.
He seide goo shape þe a ship / of shyȝdys & of boordys.
Þy-selue & þyn sones þre / & sytthen ȝoure wyvys.
Buske ȝow / into þat boot / & a-byȝdeþ þere-Inne.
Tyl fourty dayes ben fulfild / & þe flood haþ y-wastyd.[^559]
Al cleene þe cursed blood / þat Cayn haþ y-maked.

[^559: F.6.267: y-wastyd is alpha's reading. Beta witnesses read ywasshen.]

¶ Beestis þat now been / shulle banne þe tyme.
Þ at euere þat cursed Cayn / com vpon þis erthe.[^560]
& þe foulis þat fleen / shulle forþ . with þo beestys.
Except oonly / of euery keyȝnde a couple.[^561]
Þan dere a-bowhte þe barn / his beel-sires gyltes.
Þ at after for here fore-fadres / þey ferdyn þe werse.
But þe gospel ys þere -ageyn / in þis degre y fyȝnde.
Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris . nec pater[^562] iniquitatem filij.

[^560: F.6.270: F omits one line from Bx: "Alle shul deye for his dedes by dales and hulles."]

[^561: F.6.272: F omits one line from Bx: "That in þi shyngled ship shul ben ysaued."]

[^562: F.6.276: Alpha is responsible for abbreviating the Latin text. Beta manuscripts have " et pater non portabit " for alpha's " nec pater ."]

/ [¶] But y fyȝnde if þe fadir / be fals / or a shrewe.
Þ at sumdel þe sone shal have / of his syres tacchys.

¶ For ympe vpon[^563] an Ellerne / & if þyn appyl[^564] be soote.
Myche merveyle me þynkþ / & ȝit moore of a shrewe.
Þ at bryngþ forþ ony barn / but he be þe same.
& savoure after þe syre / seelde seest þou oþir.
Numquam coligunt de spinis vuas . nec de tribulis ficus.
& þus þorghȝ cursede Cayn / Com care first on erthe.
& al for þey wroghtyn wedlokys / a-geyn goddis wille.
For-þy  þey haddyn mawgrees / for maryagys vnkende.[^565]

[^563: F.6.279: Alpha reads vpon for beta's on.]

[^564: F.6.279: An otiose curl appears above the first <p>.]

[^565: F makes two lines of the following line in Bx: "Forþi haue þei maugre of hir mariages þat marie so hir children."]

/ [¶] & on þe same maner now / men maryen here chyldryn.
For summe men as y see / soþ for to telle.
For coveytyse of Catel / vn-kendely ben weddyd.
Þan a kareful concepcioun / komeþ of þat[^566] Maryage.
As yt be-fel / of þat[^567] folk / þat y befor-hond tolde.[^568]

[^566: F.6.290: Alpha reads þat for beta's swiche.]

[^567: F.6.291: Alpha reads þat for beta's þe.]

[^568: F.6.291: Alpha omits two lines attested by beta witnesses: For goode sholde wedde goode þouȝ þei no good hadde I am via & veritas seiþ crist I may auaunce alle.]

¶ It is[^569] an komely [vn]komely cowple / by Iesus[^570] as me semeþ.
To ȝeve ȝong [a] ȝong Mayde / to an old baslard.[^571]
Er a ȝong man an old wydewe[^572] / for welþe of hire goodis.
Þ at neuere shal barn bere / but in two armys.
Many a peyre syþe þe pestelence / have plyȝt hem to-gydres.
Þe frut / þat þey brynge forþ / are but foule wordis.[^573]
Þey have no children / but Ianglyng hem be-twene.[^574]
Þey sholde gon to Dunmowe / & fecche þere bakoun.[^575]
But for þe caryage is karkful / þey dore non fecche.
But lyven þus in Ianglyng / þoru þe develys loore.

[^569: F.6.292: This is a poor piece of vellum, occasionally almost translucent. Abrasion and cockling on the recto and either mildew damage or abrasion on this side make is very difficult to see.]

[^570: F.6.292: Alpha is responsible for Iesus. Bx has correctly alliterating crist.]

[^571: F.6.293: Though it is possible that F's baslard reflects a slang usage unrecorded elsewhere, he probably meant to write bosard, "buzzard, old fool." See F7.285. Bx reads "an olde feble." What we have interpreted as <s> could equally well be an <f>.]

[^572: F.6.294: F's a-verse is unique. Bx reads "Or wedden any wodewe."]

[^573: F.6.297: Alpha omits the following line attested by beta witnesses: "In Ielousie ioyelees and ianglynge on bedde." Note that Kane-Donaldson and Schmidt re-arrange the lines, placing this line after 6.295.]

[^574: F.6.298: Alpha's reading was apparently defective, and R and F found different unsatisfactory solutions. Bx must have read "Haue þei no children but cheste and choppyng hem bitwene."]

[^575: Alpha's lections here contrast with beta family manuscripts which read: And þouȝ þei do hem to Dunmowe but if þe deuel helpe To folwen after þe flicche fecche þei it neuere And but þei boþe be forswore þat bacon þei tyne. F differs considerably from R for these lines as well. R reads as follows: And for to go to dunmowe to feche hom here bakon And whan þei haue brouȝt it hom to whom is best to selle it And þus þei lyuen in coueytise þe deuel and þei togydres.]

¶ For-þy  y conseile alle men / ȝee coveyte not be weddyd.
For coueytyse of Catel / ne of kenrede ryche.
But Maydenys with Maydenys / marye ȝow to-gydre
& wydewerys with wydwis / werche ȝee / þe same.
For no lond / but for love / loke ȝee ne wedde.
& þanne gete ȝee grace of god / & good y-nou to welde.[^576]

[^576: F.6.307: Alpha omits nine lines present in beta witnesses: And euery maner seculer þat may noȝt continue Wisely go wedde and ware hym fro synne For lecherie in likynge is lymeyerd of helle Whiles þow art yong and þi wepene kene Wreke þee wiþ wyuyng if þow wolt ben excused Dum sis vir fortis ne des tua robora scortis Scribitur in portis meretrix est ianua mortis Whan ye han wyued beþ war and wercheþ in tyme Noȝt as Adam and Eue whan Caym was engendred]

¶ For sum -tyȝme [in vn]-tyȝme trewly / be-twene man & womman.[^577]
Ne sholde not lyggyn In bedde / but þei[^578] boþe were clene.
Boþe in lyf & in sowle / & also in parfyȝt charyte.
Þ at ilke derne dede / sholde non man don ellis.
& nou  if men ledde þus here lyf / It wolde lyke almyȝty.
For he made wedloke first / & þus hym -selue seyde.
Bonum est vt vnusquisque vxorem suam habeat.[^579]
And þey þat oþir-gatis be getyn / for gadelyngis be holde.
& false folk & foundelyngis / & faytoures / & lyerys.
& vn-gracious to getyn good / or love / of þe peple.
But þey wandren / & wastyn / what þey wynne mowe.
A -geyn Dowel þey do evele / & þe deuyl serve.
& after here deþ-day / þei shul dwelle with here Mayster.
But god gyve hem grace here / hem-selue soone amende.[^580]

[^577: F.6.308: F has made syntactic chaos of this sentence. Bx reads as follows: For in vntyme trewely bitwene man and womman Ne sholde no bourde on bedde be but if þei boþe were clene Of lif and of soule and in parfit charite.]

[^578: F.6.309: The <i> has an extra stroke and looks to some degree like an <r>.]

[^579: F.6.314: Alpha lacks the end of this Latin tag, which in beta manuscripts reads " propter fornicacionem ."]

[^580: F.6.321: Alpha omits the following lines attested by beta family manuscripts: Dowel my frend is to doon as the lawe techeþ To loue þi frend and þi foo leue me þat is dobet To ȝyuen and to yemen boþe yonge and olde To helen and to helpen is dobest of alle.]

¶ Þus ys Dowel[^581] to drede god[^582] / & Dobet to suffre hym.
& þan comeþ Dobest of boþe / & bryngþ a-doun þe Mody.
& þat ys wikkid wille / þat manye werkys[^583] shendiþ.
& dryveþ a-wey dowel / oonly þoru dedly synne.

[^581: F.6.322: The reading is owed to alpha.]

[^582: F.6.322: The scribe perhaps intended the <g> to cancel a misplaced virgule?]

[^583: F.6.324: Alpha has the plural form werkys for beta's werk.]

E xplicit Passus Sextus

I ncipit P assus S eptimus

S Ire[^584] wit / hadde a wif / was klepid dame stodye.[^585]
Þ at leene was of leere / & of lycame boþe.
She was wondirful wroþ[^586] / þat wit me tawhte.[^587]
& al sterne starynge / & startlynge[^588] she seyde.
Wel art þou wyȝs q uod she / ony wisdom to telle.
To flatereris & folis / þat feble are of wittys.
& blamed hym bustously / & bad hym be stylle.
W ith swiche wise wordis / to wissyn ony sottys.
& seyȝde man / noli mittere / Margerye perlys.
By- fore hoggis þat hetyn hawis / at hoom at here wille.
Þey don but dravele þere-on / draf were hem bettre.
Þan al þe precious perre / þat in paradyȝs wexeþ.
I sey it / be swiche quod she / þat shewe be here werkys.
Þ at hem were leuere lond / & lordshepe here.[^589]
Þan alle þe soþe sawis / þat salomon seyde euere.
For now wit & wisdom / ys not worþ a kerse
But it be Cardyd with coueytise / as kytte kembeþ wolle.
Who can contrive deseytys / & conspyren wrongys.
& ledyn forþ a loveday / &[^590] lettyn euere trewthe.[^591]

[^584: F.7.1: The ornamented capital is red with green flourishing which extends about half way down the page.]

[^585: F.7.1: A red VII with red flourishes appears in the top right corner of this badly cropped leaf to indicate the passus number.]

[^586: F.7.3: The <r> is a correction supplied by the original scribe over an illegible character.]

[^587: F.7.3: The <a> has an otiose curl above it.]

[^588: F.7.4: startlynge, "leaping, jumping."]

[^589: F.7.14: Alpha is responsible for the defective b-verse; beta witnesses read "and lordshipe on erþe." F then omits the following line from Bx: "Or richesse or rentes and reste at hir wille." Cf. 5.1180 where F alone substitutes here for on þis erþe.]

[^590: F.7.19: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta manuscripts and the A text have to.]

[^591: F.7.19: F omits through eye-skip on truþe the following lines from Bx: He þat swiche craftes kan to counseil is cleped Thei lede lordes wiþ lesynges and belieþ truþe.]

¶ Ioob þat ys so Ientyl / in his Iestys tellyþ.
Þ at wikkede men welden / welthys on moolde.
& þey þat ben lordis of leedis / as owtlawys þei lybbe.
& owt of oure Lordis lawe / þat leneþ hem þat welthe.[^592]
& þynke not who it oweþ / þat þei wasten heere.
Quare ergo Impij viuunt sulleuati sunt diuicijs.[^593]

[^592: These lines appear only in F.]

[^593: F.7.25: F has changed the Latin text, quoting more of Job 21:7 than appears in the archetype and ignoring Bx's conflation of the passage from Job with Jeremiah 12:1. Bx reads as follows: "Quare impij viuunt? Bene est omnibus qui preuaricantur & inique agunt?"]

¶ The sawter seyþ þe same / be swiche þat doon Ille.
Ecce ipsi peccatores habundantes in seculo[^594]
Loo  seyþ holy lettrure / wiche lordis be þese shrewis.
Þo þat god moost greve mest good he hem deleþ.[^595]
& most vnkynde to þe comoun be / hem moost catel sendiþ
Qve perfecisti destruxerunt . Iustus autem.

[^594: F.7.27: F abbreviates the Latin quotation, omitting obtinuerunt diuicias . Alpha is responsible for the omission of diuicias .]

[^595: F.7.29: A space was left for a medial solidus after greve, but it was not written. F's gap may indicate some other dissatisfaction with his exemplar, for his line is unique. Bx probably reads "Thilke þat god moost gyueþ leest good þei deleþ," though manuscript C agrees with alpha in reading "most greueth" in place of "moost gyueþ."]

¶ Harlotis for here harlotryȝe / shulle have here goodis
As Iaperis & Iogeloures / & Iangleres of Iestys.

¶ But he þat haþ holy wryt / ay in his mowthe.
& can tellyn of Tobye / & of þe xije apostlys.
Or prechen of þe penaunce / þat Pilat to crist wrouhte.
Or of Ientil Iesu / þat Iewis dyde on roode.
He is lytyl lovid now / þat swich a lessoun sheweth.
Er deyntely drawe forþ / y do it on ȝoure -selue.[^596]

[^596: F.7.39: F alone reads ȝoure-selue. Other witnesses have god hymselue.]

¶ But þo þat feyne hem foolys / & with faytynge lybbe.
A -geyn þe lawe of oure lord / & lyȝe on hem -selue.

/ [¶] Þey spyttyn & spewen / & speke foule wordis.
& drynkyn / & dravelyn / & do men to gape.
Þey lykne men / & lyȝen / þat leene hem no ȝiftys
Þey kunne no more menstralsy / ne musyk men to glade
Þan Munde þe Mellere / on of multa fecit deus[^597]
Ne were here vile harlotriȝe / have god my trewþe.
Sholde neyþir kyng ne knyght / ne þe comoun peple.[^598]
[^599] Ȝeve hem / to here ȝirysȝeve[^600] / þe worþ[^601] of a groote.
But merthe with Menstralsy / a-mongis men nowt ys.
But Leccherye be leyȝd / in loselys talys.
& glotenyȝe & grete oþis / þat ys good merthe.

[^597: F.7.46: The remainder of the line was left blank by the rubricator. The reading of Bx is "of Multa fecit deus ."]

[^598: F.7.48: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "ne chanon of Seint Poules."]

[^599: F.7.49: A marginal pointing finger is drawn by a later hand in the left margin.]

[^600: F.7.49: The black underlining is by a later scribe.]

[^601: F.7.49: Alpha is responsible for worþ. Some beta manuscripts have correctly alliterating ȝifte, while others read value.]

¶ But if þey carpyn of crist / þese clerkis to lewede.
At mete in Merthis / whan menstralis be stille.
Þan talke talke [þei] of þe trynnyte / a tale or tweyne.
& brynge a ballyd resoun forþ / & take bernard wittnesse.
& pitte forþ a qwestioun / & preve it for-soþe.
Þus þey dravele / at þe deyȝs / þe dyte to knowe.
& gnawe god with here gorge / whan here guttys be fulle.

¶ But þe kareful may criȝen / & mys-karyȝe at þe ȝate.
Boþe for hunger & þurst / & for chele qwake.
Þere ys non to nempne hym neer / his noyȝ to a-mende.
But hoen on hym / as an hound / & hote hym go his gate.
Lityl loveþ he þat lord / þat lente hym al þat blysse.
Þ at departeþ not with þe pore / a parcel whan hem nediþ.
Ne were M ercy with mene men / more þan in ryche.
Manye mendynauntis meteles / myȝhte gon to bedde.
God is mychil in here gorgis[^602] / of þese grete Maystris.
But a-mongis mene men / his mercy is / & hise werkys.
& so seyþ seyþ seyþ / þe sawter book / y have seyn it ofte.
Ecce audiuimus eum in effrata  inuenimus eum[^603] in campis silue.

[^602: F.7.68: Alpha is responsible for the plural form.]

[^603: F.7.71: Alpha is responsible for eum in both occurrences in this line, though the reading is shared by Cr. Beta manuscripts have eam.]

¶ Clerkis & oþere[^604] men / carpen of goddis face.[^605]
& have hym myche in here mowþ / but mene men in herte.
But freris þo faytoures / have founde faire questionis.
To plese with prouhde men / sytthe þe pestylence.[^606]
& prechen at poulis cros / for pure envyȝe of clerkis.
Þ at folk is is [not] fermed in þe feyþ / ne free of here goodis.
Ne sory for here synnys / so priȝde so hyȝe is waxe.[^607]
In Relygyon & in þis rewme / amongis ryche & pore.[^608]
Þ at prayeris have no powher / þese pestylencys to lette.
For god is def / on þese dayes / & deyȝneþ not vs to here.[^609]
Þe gystys for here giltys / he for-griynt hem alle.
& ȝit no wrecche in þis world / is war be oþir.
Ne for drede of þe deþ / with -draweth hem fram priȝde.
Ne plentevousere to þe pore / as pure charite wolde.
But in gaynesse & glotenye / þei for-glutte hem -selue.
& breke no breed to þe beggere / as þe book hem techiþ.
Frange esurienti panem tuum
& þe more he wynnyþ / & welt / of welthis & rycchesse.
Euere as he[^610] loondiþ[^611] of londe / þe lasse good he deliþ.

[^604: F.7.72: Alpha is responsible for omitting kynnes before men, though G omits it as well.]

[^605: F.7.72: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "carpen of god faste."]

[^606: F.7.75: Alpha and most C manuscripts omit beta's and the A version's tyme after pestylence.]

[^607: F.7.78: Bx reads "so is pride woxen."]

[^608: F.7.79: The scribe has written a large "VII" with flourishes in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.]

[^609: These lines are omitted from beta.]

[^610: F.7.90: Alpha is responsible for "Euere as he." Beta manuscripts have And.]

[^611: F.7.90: loondiþ is a nonce-word, apparently meaning "come into possession of land." Cf. OE (ge)landod and MED, s. v. londed ppl. adj. (1). The change began with a homeographic error in which <r> and <n> were confused. Bx reads "And lordeþ in londes ...."]

¶ But Thobye techiþ not so / takþ hede ȝee ryche.
Hou þe byble book / of hym beriþ wytnesse.
Si tibi sit copia habundanter tribue.
Si autem exiguum  illud impertire libenter stude.

¶ Who-so haþ myche good / spende it manly seyþ thobye.
& who þat lytil weldiþ / rewle hym þere-after.
For we have no lettre / of oure lyf / hou longe þat we dure.
Swyche lovely lessonys / lordis sholde here.
& how he myghte most meyghne manly [/] manly fyȝnde.
Nout to faren as a fythelere / for to fyȝnde festis.
& ben hoomly at here hows / & hatyn his owe.
Ful elenge is þe halle / ech day of þe wyke.
Þere þe lord ne þe lady / ne lykiþ not in to sytte.
Nou haþ ech renke / a rewle / to etyn by hym -selue.
In a prive parlour / for pore mennys sake.
Or in a Chambre / with chymne / & leve his cheef halle.
Þ at was maad for men / melys to etyn Inne.
& al to sparen þe powndes / þat spendyn shal a-noþir.

¶ I have herd ryȝt hyȝe men / etynge at þe table.
Carpid as þey clerkis were / of crist & hise myghtis.
& leyȝd defawte on þe fadir / þat formed[^612] vs alle.
& carpedyn a-geyn clerkis / swiche crabbede[^613] wordis.
Why  wolde our saviour suffre / swich a worm in blysse.
Þ at by-gilede þe womman / & þe man after.
Þorghȝ wiche wilis & wordis / þei wentyn boþe to helle.
& alle here seed / for here synne / þe same deþ suffreden.
They lyen in here loore / þat þese wordis meven.[^614]
For þe clerkys þus vus kennyþ / of cristes owne gospel.
Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris . nec pater iniquitatem filij.[^615]
Why sholde / þat nou be / for þe werkis of Adam.
[^616] Oure soulis / Ragman rende[^617] / resoun wolde it neuere.
Vnusquisque . onus suum portabit[^618]
Swiche mocyonys[^619] þei meve / þo maistris in here glorie.
& make men in mysbeleve / þat mewsen on here wordis.

[^612: F.7.111: The <d> is perhaps a figment of my imagination (HND), for whatever the scribe attempted to squeeze in before the hole in the manuscript is unclear.]

[^613: F.7.112: An otiose curl is added to initial <c>.]

[^614: F.7.117: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Here lyeþ youre lore þise lordes gynneþ dispute."]

[^615: F.7.119: F alone completes the quotation. Bx ends with " patris &c. "]

[^616: F.7.121: A later hand inserted a pointing finger in the left margin.]

[^617: F.7.121: F's a-verse is unique. Bx reads "Roten and torende." The black underlining is by one of the later hands.]

[^618: F.7.122: Alpha has the word order " onus suum portabit ." Beta manuscripts have " portabit onus suum &c. "]

[^619: F.7.123: The scribe may have intended motyonys. Bx reads motyues.]

¶ Ymagenatyf her-afterwarde / shal answere to ȝour purpos.
Seynt Austyn to swiche argueres / he telliþ hem þis teme.
Non plus sapere  quam oportet sapere.

¶ Wilneþ neuere to wete / why þat god wolde.
Suffre sory sathan / his seed to by-gyle.
But be-leveþ leelly / in holy chirche loore.
& praye god / of pardoun / & do penaunce in þi lyve.
Þ at of his mychil mercy / he a-mende ȝou heere.

¶ For alle þo / þat wilneþ to wete / þe weyȝes of hevene.
[^620] I wolde his hond / were in his ers / & & [his] elbowe after.[^621]
Þ at euere wilneþ to wete / why þat god wolde.
Suffre sory sathan / his seed to be-gyle.
Er Iudas þe Iewh / Iesu to be-traye.
For al was as he wolde[^622] / be he worchepid euere.[^623]
& al worþ as he wille / what-euere we dispute.
& þus with swiche Auelonys / to blynde men þey axe[^624]
What is dowel fram dobet . now deef mote þei woxe.
Sytthe þei wilne to wete / wiche þey ben alle.
If he lyve in þe lyȝue[^625] / þat longeþ to Dowel[^626]
I dar been his borwhȝ[^627] / in Dobet komeþ he neuere.
Þey Dobest drawe / on hym / day after oþir.
A Nd whan wit was war / how[^628] dame Stodye tolde.
He be-cam so confus / he cowhde vneþes loke.
& wex as deef / as dore -nail / & drow hym on syȝde.
& for no carpynge y cowhde / ne knelynge on grounde.
I myghte no [gete] no greyn / of hise grete wittys.
But al lawynge he lowtede / & lokede on dame stodye
In sygne / þat y sholde / be-sekne hire / of grace.
& whan y was war of his wille / to his wif gan y lowte.
& seyde Mercy Madame / ȝoure man shal y worthe.
As longe as y lyve / boþe late & rathe.
&[^629] for to wirche ȝoure wille / whil my lyf endureþ.
So ȝee kenne me kendely / to knowe what ys Dowel .

[^620: F.7.134: A later reader has drawn a pointing hand in the left margin and perhaps the same person has underlined in black ink the phrase "in his ers."]

[^621: F.7.134: F uniquely has hond and elbowe in place of Bx's eiȝe and fynger.]

[^622: F.7.138: F's reading is from alpha. Beta manuscripts have "þow woldest."]

[^623: F.7.138: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "yworshiped be þow."]

[^624: F.7.140: F's reading is unique. Bx reads as follows: "And þo þat vseþ þise hauylons to blende mennes wittes."]

[^625: F.7.143: Kane-Donaldson read lyȝne.]

[^626: F.7.143: The rubricating scribe here and in the immediately following lines in the words "Dowel ... Dobet ... Dobest" wrote over the original black ink so as almost to cover it entirely. We have treated these as rubrications rather than as touched in red.]

[^627: F.7.144: Alpha is responsible for the omission of bolde before borwhȝ.]

[^628: F.7.146: Alpha is responsible for how. Beta manuscripts and C manuscripts have what.]

[^629: F.7.156: Alpha and nearly all C manuscripts have &. Beta and A manuscripts lack it.]

¶ For þy meeknesse man quod she / & for þy myȝlde speche.
I shal kenne þe to myn cosyn / þat klergye is named.
He haþ weddid a wif / with -Inne þis sixe wykis.
& she is sybbe þe [to] þe vij ars / Scripture[^630] is hire name.[^631]
& þey two / as y hope / & þou do after my techynge.
Þey wil wisshe þe to Dowel / I dar it vndirtake.

[^630: F.7.161: The rubricating scribe wrote over the original black ink so as almost to cover it entirely. We have treated it as rubrication rather than as touched in red.]

[^631: F.7.161: Note the drawing in the right margin.]

¶ Þan was y fayn / as foul on fair morwe.
& gladdere þan a gleman / þat gold gadred at festis.[^632]
& asked hire þe hyȝe wey / were Clergye dwellyde.
Tel me quod y  sum tokne / for tyme ys þat y wende.

[^632: F.7.165: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þat gold haþ to ȝifte."]

¶ Aske þe wey quod she þo / hens vnto Suffre.[^633]
Boþe in wele & in woo / if þat þou wilt leerne.
& rayke forþ þoru rycchesse / but reste not þer -Inne.
For if þou be cumbred þer -with / to crist[^634] comest þou neuere.

[^633: F.7.168: The rubricating scribe wrote over the original black ink so as almost to cover it entirely. We have treated it as rubrication rather than as touched in red.]

[^634: F.7.171: F's reading is unique. Bx reads clergie. The error may lie in alpha, since R has cherche.]

¶ Be war of þe Lycourous lawnde / þat Leccherye is hote.[^635]
Leve it on þi left half / a large myle or more.
Þan shalt þou kome to a court / keep wel þyn tunge.
Fram loselys / & lythir speche / & lykerouse drynkis.
Þere shalt þou see / Sobrete / ful symple of berynge.[^636]
& euery wyȝt be in wille / his wit þe / to shewe.

[^635: F.7.172: Alpha is responsible for is hote. Beta manuscripts have hatte.]

[^636: F.7.176: Alpha is responsible for berynge. Beta manuscripts have speche.]

¶ & þus shalt þou kome kome [to] Clergyȝe / þat can manye þyngis.
& telle hym þis tokne / how y sette hym to skole.
& also grete wel his wif / þat y wroot hire bookys.
& sette hire Sapiense [to] Sapiense / & to þe sawter glose.
& Logyȝk y lerned hire / & þe lawys manye.
& alle þe Musones in Musyk / y made hire to knowe.

¶ Plato þat poete / y pitte hym fyrst to booke.
& Aristotle & oþire[^637] / to Argue / hem y tawhte.
& gramere for gerlys / y gart first wrytyn.
& beet hem with a baleyȝs / but þei wolde leerne.
& to alle kenne craftys / y countrefetide toolys.
Of Capenteris Ca[r]penteris & kerverys / & cumpases to Masonis.
I lerned hem to levele be lyne / þey y looke dymme.

[^637: F.7.185: Beta manuscripts have mo after oþire, but alpha and nearly all C manuscripts omit it.]

¶ But Theologye þat teneþ me / ten skore tymes.
Þe More y mvse þere-Inne / þe Mystyere it semeþ.
& þe deppere[^638] y delue / þe derkere me þynkeþ.
It is no sciense for-soþe / for to sawhtle[^639] Inne.
A ful lethy þyng it were / if þat love ne were.
But for it is . led be love / y love it þe bettre.
For þere þat love is ledere / ne lakkede neuere grace.
þ erfore love þou leelly / love / if þou þynke to dowel.[^640]
& Dobet & Dobest / þey ben of lovis kynne.
& to þis same sentence / y seyȝ in Catoun onys.[^641]
Qvi similat verbis[^642]
Tu quoque fac simile / sic ars deluditur arte.
Who-so gloseþ / as gyloures doon / goo fram here sawis
& so shalt þou fals folk / & feyþles by-gyle.
Þis is Catonys kennynge / to clergonys þat leerne.
But Theologye techiþ not so / who þat takþ heede.
He kenneþ vs þe contrarie / a-geyn Catonys wordis.
For he biddis vs be bretheryn / & bydde for oure enemyȝs.
& love hem / þat lyȝen on vs / & lene hem[^643] whan hem nedeth.
& doon good / a-geyn evil / god hym -selue so hootiþ.
Dum tempus est[^644] operemur bonum ad omnes / maxime autem ad domesticos fidei
Poul prechede þe peple / þat parfyȝtnesse lovede.
To doon good / for goddis love / & gyve hem þat aske it.
& namely to swiche men / þat sheweth[^645] oure beleve.
& alle þat lakke[^646] or lyȝe on vs / oure lord biddis vs love hem.
& not to greve hem þat greveþ vs / It is not goddis wille.[^647]
Michi vindictam . & ego retribuam / god seide hym -selue.[^648]
For-þy  loke þou love as longe / as þou lengyst heere.
For þere is is [no] salue[^649] vndir sunne / so souereyn for þe soule.

[^638: F.7.193: The comparative form here reflects normal shortening of the vowel before a doubled consonant.]

[^639: F.7.194: Alpha is responsible for sawhtle "make peace, reconcile." Beta manuscripts and the A version have sotile "reflect upon, contemplate." The b-verse is revised in C.]

[^640: F.7.198: F's reading is unique. Beta reads "Loke þow loue lelly if þee likeþ dowel." Alpha may have been corrupt, for R has "Loue þow loue lelly if þow thenke dowel."]

[^641: F.7.200: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "In ooþer Science it seiþ I seiȝ it in Catoun."]

[^642: F.7.201: F omits " nec corde est fidus amicus ."]

[^643: F.7.209: The scribe initially wrote leem, but overwrote the first two characters to make an <h>.]

[^644: F.7.211: Alpha is responsible for est . Beta manuscripts have habemus .]

[^645: F.7.214: Alpha is responsible for sheweth. Beta manuscripts have suwen.]

[^646: F.7.215: Alpha lacks beta's vs after lakke, an omission shared by Cr.]

[^647: F.7.216: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "god hymself forbad it."]

[^648: F.7.217: F smooths the inclusion of this tag by adding a b-verse not found in Bx which is a relict of the entirely revised b-verse in the preceding line. An otiose curl appears over the <u> in selue.]

[^649: F.7.219: F's salue is unique. Bx reads science.]

¶ But Astronomye is hard þyng / & evil for to knowe.
Geometriȝe & Geomesye / is gynful of spechis.
Who þynkiþ wirche with þo two / he thryviþ ful late.
For sorceryȝe is þe souereyn sekt / þat to þo sciencis longiþ.

¶ Ȝit are þere fybycchis / of fele folkys makynge.
Experimentis & Alkenemyȝe / þe peple to disseyve.
If þou þynke to dowel / deyle þou þer-with neuere.
& alle þese sciencis y my-selue / y-sotilde & ordeynede
& fond hem formest / folk to disseyve.
Now telle Clergye þese toknys / & to scripture after.
Þ at þey conseyle þe kendely / for to knowe Dowel .[^650]

[^650: F.7.230: The b-verse is owed to alpha. Beta manuscripts have "to knowe what is dowel."]

¶ Grant mercy quod y Madame / & Meekly hire grette.[^651]
Tyl y com to Clergye / cowhde y neuere stynte.
& grete þe goode man / as þe Ientil lady[^652] me tawhte.
& afterwarde his wif / y worchepede hem boþe.
& tolde hem þe toknes / þat me tawht wore.
Was neuere gome vpon grounde / syþ god þis world made.
Faire Fair[er]e vndir-fongyn / ne frenlokere at ese a tese.
As was my-selue soþly / as soone as he wiste.
Þ at y y [was of] wittys hous / & with his wif dame stodye.
Þanne y seyȝde hem soþly / þat y was sent þidir
For Dowel / & Dobet / & Dobest to leerne.

[^651: F.7.231: F omits the following line from Bx: "And wente wightly my (or a-) wey wiþoute moore lettyng."]

[^652: F.7.233: F's reading is unique. Bx probably read with R "þe gode wif." Beta witnesses have Studie.]

¶ It is comoun quod Clergye / on holy chirche beleve.
W ith alle þe artyklis / of þe feiþ / þat falle to be knowe.
Þ ou must beleve leelly / boþe lewede men & lered.
Vpon þe grete god / þat by-gynnyng[^653] hadde neuere.
& on þe soþfast sone / þat savede mankyȝnde.
Fram þe dedly deeþ / & þe develis powher.
Þoruh þe helpe of þe holy gost / þe wiche is of boþe.
& þey ben þre persones / but not in plurel numbre.
For al is but o god / & ech is god / by his one.
Deus pater / deus filius / deus spiritus sanctus.
Non tres dij  sed vnus est deus.[^654]
God is þe fadir / god is þe sone / god ys þe holy goost.
Makere of Mankende / & of al þe Mounde boþe.

[^653: F.7.245: An otiose tilde appears over gyn.]

[^654: F.7.252: This line appears only in F, supplementing the preceding line from the Athanasian creed.]

¶ Seynt Austyn þat holy man / here-of he[^655] made bokis
& ordeynede hym -selue / to sadde vs in beleve.
Who was his autoure / but þe foure Ewangelyes.[^656]
How crist seyde hym -selue so / þe wangelye beriþ witnesse.
Ego in patre / & pater in me[^657]  & qui[^658] me videt  & patrem meum videt.[^659]

[^655: F.7.255: Alpha and L have he, which is lacking in other beta witnesses and in C.]

[^656: F.7.257: An otiose stroke is written across the <l>.]

[^657: F.7.259: Alpha lacks beta's est after me.]

[^658: F.7.259: Alpha by eyeskip lacks beta's videt after qui.]

[^659: F.7.259: F uniquely reads videt after meum. However, note that a number of C manuscripts read: " Ego in patre & pater in me est; Et qui me vidit patrem meum vidit qui in celis est &c. "]

¶ Alle þe Clerkis vndir crist / ne cun þis a-soyle.
But it longeth to be-leve / to lewede þat wille Dowel .
For hadde neuere ȝit freke wit / þe feyþ to dispute.
Ne man sholde have no mercy[^660] / myghte synnys[^661] be previd.
Fides non habet meritum 
Vbi humana racio prebet experimentum.

[^660: F.7.263: Alpha is responsible for erroneous mercy. Beta manuscripts have merite.]

[^661: F.7.263: F uniquely reads synnys. Bx reads it.]

¶ Þanne is Dobet to suffre / for þy sowle helthe.
Al þat þe book biddis þe / by holy chirche techyng
& þat is mychil by goddis myȝht / for mercyes sake
Looke þou werche þy werk / as þe woord shewiþ.[^662]
Apare quod es  aut[^663] esto quod apares.
& lete no-body be þyn berynge / here be by-gylyd.
But be þou swich in þy sowle / as þou semest with -owte.
& þanne is Dobest bold / to blame þe gelty.
Sytthe þou seest þy-selue / in þyn soule klene.
But blame þou neuere a-noþir / If þou be blame-worthy.
Si culpare velis / culpabilis te esse cauebis.
Dogma tuum sordet cum te tua culpa remordet.
God in þe gospel / grevously repreviþ.
Þo þat lakken ony lyf / & lakkys have hem-selue.
Quid consideras festucam in oculo fratris tui  trabem autem in oculo tuo non vides.
Why mevis þou þy mood for a mote / in þy broþir yȝe.
Whan a beem is in þyn / þat ablendiþ þy-selue.
Þe wiche letteþ þe to loke / lasse oiþer more.[^664]
Eice primum trabem de oculo tuo.

[^662: F.7.269: F omits the following line from Bx: "Swich as þow semest in siȝte be in assay yfounde."]

[^663: F.7.270: Alpha is responsible for aut. Beta manuscripts have vel.]

[^664: These two lines are uniquely transposed in F.]

¶ I consayle ech blynd bosard / do boote to hym -selue.
Boþe p relatis & p rioures / sholde punshe here sogettis.[^665]
& p arsonys & p arshe prestis / sholde preche & teche.
Alle manere of men / be hem / myghte a-mende.
Þis tixt was y-told ȝow / Be war er ȝee teche.
Þ at ȝee were swych as ȝee teche / to salue wel oþire.
For goddis woord / wolde not be lost / for yt worchiþ euere.
If it a-vayle þe comoune not / it may a-vaile ȝour -selue.

[^665: F.7.286: F substitutes this line in place of the following line from Bx: "For Abbotes and for Priours and for alle manere prelates."]

/ [¶] But it semeþ not[^666] soþly / to þe worldis syghte.
Þ at goddis goddis [word] worchiþ owt [no]t / on lernede ne on lewede.
But in swich maner / as mark / meviþ in þe gospel.
Dum cecus ducit cecum  ambo in foueam cadunt.

[^666: F.7.293: Alpha is responsible for the negative. Beta manuscripts have now.]

¶ A lewed man may lyȝkne ȝou / þe beem lyȝþ in ȝoure yȝes.
& þe festewe is fallyn / for ȝoure owe defawte.
Fram alle manere men / þorhȝ manshede preestis.[^667]

[^667: F.7.299: F omits the following lines from Bx: The bible bereþ witnesse þat al þe folk of Israel Bittre abouȝte þe giltes of two badde preestes.]

/ [¶] Looke Offyn & Fynees / for here coueytyse.
For Archa dei mys-happede / hely brak his nekke.
Ȝe correctoures claweth here -on / but correcte first ȝour -selue.
& þanne may ȝe soþly seyȝ / as dauid seiþ in þe sawhter.
Existimasti inique quod ero tui similis . arguam te & statuam contra faciem tuam.

[^668] ¶ & þanne shulle borel clerkis / be a-basshid ȝou to blame.[^669]
& carpen not as þei carpe nou / to calle ȝou cowardes.[^670]
& drede to wratthe ȝou / ȝoure Manshepe to lette.
& be prestere at ȝoure prayere / þan for a pound of noblis.
& al for ȝoure holynesse / have ȝee þis in herte.
A -mongis ryghtful relygous / þis rewle sholde be holde.[^671]

[^668: F.7.305: The odd mark consisting of a semi-circle with three radiating lines above it appears here as well as on fol. 1v and 27r.]

[^669: F.7.305: Alpha is responsible for this line. Beta manuscripts have "And thanne shul burel clerkes ben abasshed to blame yow or to greue."]

[^670: F.7.306: F's revision of "doumbe houndes" to cowardes probably reflects the loss of the following Latin line from his exemplar: " Canes non valentes latrare ."]

[^671: These lines are not attested in beta.]

/ [¶] Seynt Gregory þe grete clerk / & þe goode pope.
Of Relygyonys rewle / he reersiþ in hise bookis.
& seyþ in exsomple / þat þeyhȝ[^672] sholde do þere-after.

[^672: F.7.313: þeyhȝ, "they."]

¶ Whan fysshis faile þe flood / & þe fressh water.
Þey dyȝen for drowhte / whan þei dreyȝe lyȝe.
Ryght so quod Gregory / religioun trollyþ.
It steruyþ & stynkþ / & stelyþ lordis almesse
Þ at owt of Couent & cloistre / coueytyn to lybbe.
For if hevene be in erthe / & ese to þe soule.
It ys in cloystre / or in skole / be fele skylys y fyȝnde.
For in Cloistre comeþ no man / to fyȝhte / ne to chyȝde.
But al is buxumnesse[^673] & bookis / to rede & to leerne.

[^673: F.7.322: An otiose curl appears over the <n>.]

/ [¶] In skole is a-noþir skyle / for skorn but he leerne.[^674]
& love & lykynge ys þere gret / for ech man loveþ oþir.
But now now [is] relygyoun a rydere / a rennere be stretys.
A ledere of Lovedayes / & a lond byggere.
A prikere on palfreys / fram maner to maner.
W ith an heep of houndis at his hers / as he a lord were
& but if his knave knele / þat shal his cuppe brynge.
He lowryþ loþly on hym / & lythirly hym thretyþ.

[^674: F.7.323: F has extensively revised the line, perhaps in response to problems he perceived in the text of alpha. Beta manuscripts read: "In scole þere is scorn but if a clerk wol lerne." R has "In scole þere is skile and scorne but ȝif he lerne."]

¶ Lytil hadde lordis to done / to ȝeeve here londis fram hem.[^675]
To relygious þat have no rewþe / þei it regne on þe awter.
In places þere þey parsonys be / be hem-selue at ese a tese.
On poore haue þey no pyte / & þat ys here pure charge.[^676]
For þey letyn hem-selue lordis / here londis lyȝn so brode.[^677]
But þere shal comen a kyng / & constreyne þe relygious.
& beete ȝow as þe book seyþ / for brekynge of ȝoure rewle.
& a-mendyn Monyalis / & Munkys & Chanonys.
& pytte hem to here penaunce / ad pristinum statum ire .
& Baronys shulle betyn hem / þorghȝ Beatus vir techyng.
& seyn here barnys cleyme of ȝow / & blame ȝou foule.
Hij in curribus & hij inequis in equis . ipsi obligati sunt & ceciderunt.[^678]

[^675: A later hand has put wavy brackets around this passage in the left margin.]

[^676: F.7.334: F uniquely reads charge. Bx reads charite. Alpha is responsible for pure, which is absent in beta. C has "puyre chartre (or charite)."]

[^677: F.7.335: The pointing hand in the left margin is drawn in the same ink as the bracket from 7.331-348.]

[^678: F.7.342: F alone among B witnesses supplies the last two words in this quotation from Psalms 19:8-9. They also appear in Cx.]

/ [¶] & þanne Freris in here Freytour / shulle fyȝnden a keyȝe.
Of Constancius coffres / In wiche ys þe catel.
Þ at Gregories goode god[^679] children / have evele dispendid.
Þan[^680] shal þe Abbot of Abyndoun / & al his isseu for euere.
Have a knok of a kyng / & Incurable þe wounde.
Þ at þis is soþ / seeke ȝee / þat ofte haue seen þe byble.
Quomodo cessauit exactor quieuit tributum . Contriuit dominus baculum impiorum & virgam dominancium . cedencium plaga insanabili.
But erst er þat kyng come / Caym shal a-wake.
But Dowel shal dynge hym doun / & distroye his powher.[^681]

[^679: F.7.345: R's gode suggests that the substitution of go(o)de for god occurred in alpha, though it appears, probably coincidentally, in G and Hm as well. Note that alliteration fails in the b-verse in all B manuscripts.]

[^680: F.7.346: The scribe, influenced by the preceding line, initially wrote a superscript <t> and corrected it to make a tilde.]

[^681: F.7.351: A later hand provides a pointing hand and decorative drawings in the bottom margin.]

¶ Þanne is Dowel / & Dobet quod y  Dominus & knyght yholde knyght-ho[d]e[^682]
I wil not skorne quod scripture / but skryvenys / lyȝen.
Kynghod & knyghthod / be not in þese dayes.[^683]
For þey helpe no man to heuene-warde / so realte ouer -renneþ.[^684]

[^682: F.7.352:Other B witnesses read " Dominus and knyȝthode." The error could have occurred at any point in the transmission from alpha, but as an apparent attempt to restore sense, it is probably the work of the immediate scribe or of another scribe between him and the F-Redactor.]

[^683: F.7.354: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "by noȝt I kan awayte."]

[^684: F.7.355: F makes one line of two, perhaps intentionally. Bx reads Helpeþ noȝt to heueneward oone heris ende Ne richesse riȝt noȝt ne Reautee of lordes.]

/ [¶] Poul previþ it inpossible / þat ryche men haven hevene.
Salomon seiþ also / þat syluer god most hateþ.[^685]
[^686] Nichil iniquius  quam amare peccuniam.
Catoun kenneþ vs to coueyte it nowht / but in gret nede.
Dilige denarium  sed parce diligere formam

[^685: F.7.357: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þat siluer is worst to louye."]

[^686: F.7.358: A cross appears in the left margin.]

¶ Þese Patriachis Patria[r]chis & prophetis / & oþere poetis manye.
Þey wrytyn to wissen vs / to wilne to no rycchesse.
Þey preyse wel pouerte / þe apostlys bere witnesse.
Þ at þey have herytage of hevene/ by ryȝt & be trewþe.
For þere may no man ryght cleyme / but of goddis grace.[^687]

[^687: F.7.365: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Ther riche men [(beta) or man (alpha)] no riȝt may cleyme but of ruþe and grace."]

/ [¶] Contra quod y  be crist  þat clause can y repreve.
& preve it be Peter / & Poul boþe.
Þey þat been baptyzed be saaf / be þey ryche or pore.

¶ Þ at is in extremys quod scripture / of sarsynes & Iewis.
Þey may be savid so / & þat is oure be-leve.
Þ at a cristene[^688] man in þat caas / may cristne an heþene.
& for his leel by-leve / whan he his lyf tyneþ.
Shal have þe herytage of hevene / as ony man y-cristned.

[^688: F.7.371: F's reading is unique. Other B manuscripts have vncristene.]

/ [¶] B ut to cristne a man / with -outyn more / he may not wynne hevene.
For crist for cristene men dyede / & confermede þe lawe.
Þ at who-so[^689] wolde / & wilnede / with crist vp a-ryse.[^690]
He sholde love hym leelly / & þe lawe fulfylle.[^691]
& after alle cristenne creaturis / in comoun ech a-lyche.
& þus it longiþ to love crist / þat be-leven to be savid.

[^689: F.7.376: An otiose mark appears above the first <o>.]

[^690: F.7.376: F omits the following line from Bx: " Si cum christo surrexistis &c. "]

[^691: F.7.377: F omits the following line from Bx: "That is loue þi lord god leuest aboue alle."]

/ [¶] & þus but we doon in dede / er þe day of dyȝeng
It shal syttyn vs ful sour / þe syluer þat we kepyn
For oure bak mote be betyn / we cloþe no beggere nakyd.[^692]
& delyȝte vs in wyȝnys stronge[^693] / & whot hem in defauhte.
For euery cristene creature / sholde be kyȝnde to oþir.
& sytthe heþene to helpe / in hope of a-mendement.
God byddis hyȝe & lowe / no man sholde hurte oþir.[^694]
But y sende þe sum tokne / god seyþ Non mechaberis .
God seiþ  y slee slee not / but suffre / & al is for þe beste.
For Michi vindictam  & ego retribuam.[^695]
For y punshe in purgatorie / or in þe pit of helle.
Ech man for hise mysdedis / but my mercy / it lette.

[^692: F.7.382: The scribe misunderstood his exemplar. Bx reads "And our bakkes þat moþeeten be and seen beggeris go naked." We can see in R's "mote eten ben" the origins of F's error.]

[^693: F.7.383: F's reading is unique. Other B witnesses have "Or delit vs in wyn and wildefowel."]

[^694: F.7.386: F omits the following line from Bx: "And seiþ slee noȝt þat semblable is to myn owene liknesse."]

[^695: F.7.389: This line is not attested in beta manuscripts, but it appears in A.]

¶ This is a long lessoun quod y  & lytyl y am þe wisere.
Where Dowel is / or Dobet / derkely ȝe me shewe.
Manye talys ȝee telle / þat Theologye lyȝeþ.[^696]
Þ at y man maad was / & myn name is entryd.
In þe legende of lyf / longe / er y bore were.
Or ellis y-wrytyn for wikkydnesse / as holy writ telliþ.[^697]
Nemo ascendit ad celum  nisi qui descendit de celo.

[^696: F.7.394: F's reading is unique. Other B manuscripts have lerneþ.]

[^697: F.7.397: Alpha reads telliþ. Beta manuscripts have the unmetrical witnesseþ.]

/ [¶] For i be-leve on oure lord / & on no lettrure bettre.
For salomon þe sage / þat sapience tawhte.
Good God gaf hym grace of wit / & of alle goodis after.
To rewle his rewme wel / & hym ryche make.[^698]
He demede wel & wyȝsly / as holy writ tellyþ.
Boþe Arystotle & he / who wisshede men bettre.
& nou Maistris þoru goddis mercy / teche men & preche.
Of here wordis þey wisshe vs / for wisest in here tyme.
& al holy cherche / holde hem dampned boþe.

[^698: F.7.402: This line appears only in alpha in the B tradition, but versions of it appear in both A and C.]

¶ If y sholde wirche be here werkis / to wynne me hevene.
Þ at for here werkis & here[^699] wit / þey wone nou in peyȝne.
Þan wrouht y vnwyȝsly / what-so-euere ȝee preche.
But of here wittis in fayþ / lytil ferly y have.
Þowh here goost be vn-gracious / god for to plese.
For man[^700] on þis moolde / moore set in herte.[^701]
On erly[^702] good / þan on god / for-þy  grace hem fayleþ.
At here moost myscheef / whan lyf þei shulle lete.
As salomon & oþire[^703] dede / þat sheweden grete wisdom
But here werkis / as seyþ þe book / was euere þe contrarye.
For-þy  wise wittyd men / & wel lettride clerkis.
As þey seyn hem -selue / ful selde do þei þere-after.[^704]

[^699: F.7.409: Alpha is responsible for the second here. Beta manuscripts lack it.]

[^700: F.7.413: Alpha is responsible for singular man. Beta manuscripts have plural men. F alone omits many before man.]

[^701: F.7.413: Alpha and C have singular herte. Beta manuscripts have plural hertes.]

[^702: F.7.414: erly, "earthly." This spelling appears also at 11.190 and 16.151. The scribe elsewhere writes erthely (4.201, 15.96), and his usual form is erthe (38 instances to 3 of erþe). Though F alone among B witnesses has a form of erþly at this point, several C manuscripts read worldliche. See A. V. C. Schmidt, Piers Plowman: A Parallel-Text Edition .... C.xi.232.]

[^703: F.7.416: Alpha is responsible for the omission of the alliterating word swiche before oþire as well as for the change in word order. Beta witnesses have "As Salomon dide and swiche oþere."]

[^704: F.7.419: F omits the following line from Bx: " Super cathedram Moysi &c. "]

/ [¶] But y wene it worþ of manye / as was in Noes tyme.
Þo þat he shoop his shyp / of shyȝdis / & of boordys.
Was no wryghte savid after / ne non oþir werkman.
But beestis & bryddis / in bynnys y-closed.[^705]
& Noe & his wif / weryn þe ship with -Inne.
& here sones / & here wyvis / weryn alle to-gydre.
But of wryghtis / þat it wrouhte / was non y-savid.

[^705: F's reading is unique. Bx reads as follows: But briddes and beestes and þe blissed Noe And his wif wiþ hise sones and also hire wyues.]

¶ God leve it fare not so nou / be folk þe feyþ techiþ.[^706]
Of holy chirche / þat herborw is / & goddis hous to save.
He shelde vs fram shame þere-Inne / as þe ship dide beestis.
& alle þe men þat made it / a-myddis þe flood weryn drenklyd.

[^706: F.7.427: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "God lene (or leue) it fare noȝt so bi folk þat þe feiþ techeþ."]

/ [¶] Þe Conclusioun of þis clause / of curaturis is þe menyng.
Þey be clepid Carpenteres / to saven cristis beestis.[^707]
At domes-day / þe flood worþ / of watur & feer at onys a tonys.[^708]

[^707: F.7.432: F omits the following line from Bx: " Homines & iumenta saluabis domine &c. "]

[^708: These three lines are attested only in alpha. Versions of 433 and 435 appear in C.]

¶ For-þy y conseyle ȝou klerkis / of holy chirche[^709] wryghtis.
Werke ȝee / as ȝee seen wrete / o lest ȝe worþ y-drenklid.

[^709: F.7.434: Alpha is responsible for chirche. Beta has correctly alliterating kirke.]

¶ For[^710] on good fryday / y fyȝnde / a feloun was y-savid.
Þ at hadde lyvid al his lyf / with lesyngis & þefte.
& for he be-knew it on þe crois / & to crist shrof hym.
He was sunnere savid / þan seyn Iohan þe Baptist.
Or ysaak[^711] / or ysaye / or onye of þe prophetis.
Þ at leyȝen lowe with lucyfer / manye longe ȝeeres.
Þ at robbere was y-ransomed / rathere þan þey alle.
W ith -outyn penaunce in purgatorie / to perpetuel blysse.

[^710: F.7.436: Alpha is responsible for For. Beta manuscripts and both A and C omit it.]

[^711: F.7.440: F uniquely reads ysaak. Bx has Adam.]

¶ & also Marie Maudelyn / what womman dide worse.
Or þan dyde dauid . þat vries deþ conspired.
Or Poul þe apostle / þat no pyte hadde.[^712]
& ben nou as sovereynes / with seyntis in hevene.
& oþire þat wrouhtyn werst here / be heyest nou in hevene.[^713]
& þo þat wyȝsly wordede / & wrete manye bookis.
& hadde wit & wisdom / with dampned soulis dwelle.[^714]
S unt iusti atque sapientes . & opera eorum in manu dei sunt.

[^712: F.7.446: Alpha omits the following line from Bx: "Muche cristene kynde to kille to deþe."]

[^713: F.7.448: F's reading is unique. Other B witnesses have "Tho þat wrouȝte wikkedlokest in world þo þei were."]

[^714: F.7.450: F omits the following line from Bx: "That Salomon seiþ I trowe be sooþ and certein of vs alle."]

¶ Summe be witty & wel lyvynge / but here werkis be hedde.
In þe hondis of god / for he whot al the sothe.
Wher he worþ a-lowid / for love of hise werkys.
Or ellis for his evil wil / þoruh envye of his herte.
He worþ a-lowid of his lyf / fro lyþirnesse is knowe þe goode.[^715]
For who  were a good man / but þere weryn summe wikke.
For-þy  lyve we furþ with lythir men / y leve fewe be goode.
For quantz oporet opor[t]et vin[^716] en place . yl ne ad que pati.
& he þat may al a-mende / have mercy on vs alle.
For þe sothest word þat god euere spak / was Nemo bonus .
Clergye þo of cristis mowþ / comendid was þan lyte.
For he seyde to seynt Peter . / & to hise postlis alle.[^717]
D um steteritis ante reges & presides nolite cogitare.

[^715: F.7.456: F omits the following line from Bx: "And wherby wiste men which is whit if alle þyng blak were."]

[^716: F.7.459: Alpha is responsible for the form vin. Beta manuscripts have vient.]

[^717: F.7.463: F's b-verse is unique. Bx has the unmetrical reading "and to swiche as he louede."]

¶ Þeyhȝ ȝee kome by-fore kyngis / & clerkis of þe lawe.
Beþ not a-basht / for y shal be / buxum in ȝoure mowthis.
& gyve ȝow wit at[^718] wille / & konynge to concluden.
Alle hem / þat a-geyn ȝow / goddis lawe dispute.
Dauid makþ mencioun / where he spekþ of kyngis.
Þere myghte no kyng ouer -come hym / by conynge of speche.
But wit & wisdom / whan euere [n]euere[^719] / þe Mayȝstryȝe.
Wan man was / at myschef / with goddis grace plentyvous.
Þe dowtyest doctour / & dyvynour of dyvinite.[^720]
Was seynt Austyȝn / þe olde / & heyȝest of þe foure.
He seyþ þus in a sermoun / y seyȝ it wretyn ones.
E cce ipsi ydiote rapiunt celum  ubi nos sapientes in inferno mergimur.

[^718: F.7.467: Alpha and L read at. Beta manuscripts have and.]

[^719: F.7.471: Misinterpretation of elision appears to have caused this error. Whan, "won." Cf. Wan, "when" in the following line.]

[^720: F.7.473: The scribe has written VII in red with red flourishes in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.]

¶ Þis is to meene to meene [englyshȝ] men / neyþir more ne lasse.
Þere are noone sunnere ravisshid / fram þe ryght be-leve.
Þan are þese konynge Clerkys / þat know[^721] fele bookys.
Ne none sunnere y-savid / ne sadere / of by-leve.
Þanne trewe plowhmen ben / & poore comoun peple.
As sowteres & shepperdys / & swiche lewede Ioppis.
Swiche persen with here pater noster / þe paleyȝs of hevene.
& þey passyn þoru purgatorie / at here lyvis departyng.
In-to þe pleyn paradyȝs / þoruhȝ here pure by-leve.
Þo þat in parfyȝt lyf here / & in clennesse lyvede.

[^721: F.7.479: Alpha is responsible for knowe. Beta manuscripts have konne. F alone has fele for Bx's manye.]

¶ Men knowe summe Clerkis / þat þey haue cursed þe tyme.
Þat euere þey knewe more / þan credo in deum patrem .
& principaly þe[^722] pater noster / manye have þis dysyred.

[^722: F.7.489: Alpha is responsible for þe. Beta manuscripts have hir.]

¶ I see ensamplis my-selue / & so may many a-noþir.
Þ at men þat seruyn Lordis / fallyn selden in reragys.
But But [þo] þat kepyn here catel / by here a-countys þey falle.[^723]
Ryght so Lewed men / of a lytyl conynge.[^724]
Selde falle so foule / & so feer in synne.
As Clerkis of holy kyrke / þat kepyn cristis tresor.
Þe wiche is mannys soule / as seiþ goddis gospel.
I te vos in vineam meam  & quod iustum fuerit . dabitur vobis.[^725]

[^723: F.7.492: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "clerkes and Reues."]

[^724: F.7.493: Alpha reads conynge. Beta manuscripts have knowyng.]

[^725: F.7.497: F alone completes the quotation. Bx's text ends with " vineam meam ."]

¶ Þanne scripture skornede me / & a skele me tolde.
For me lakkede latyn / lyght by me he[^726] sette.
& seyde multi multa sciunt . & seipsos nesciunt.
Þo for sorwe y wepte / & was wrothȝ of hire speche.
& of myn wynkynge y a-wook / & wondrede þanne[^727]
Of alle þe dremes þat y drempte / so daungerous þei were.
& turned me on þe oþir syde / for to take myn eese.

[^726: F.7.499: he: Manuscripts WHmCrLM read she; others omit the pronoun as do Kane and Donaldson. An unlikely form of the feminine nominative singular in this scribe's dialect, it is here a relict from alpha which in turn reflects Langland's own usage. See F14.156 for an instance in which RF have he for "she" and where alliteration shows that the reading with an "h-" form of the pronoun is original. Cf. F8.104, where F uses he to refer to Scripture. See also M. L. Samuels, "Dialect and Grammar," in A Companion to Piers Plowman, ed. John A. Alford (Berkeley and Los Angeles: U of California P, 1988), p. 109.]

[^727: These six lines appear only in F.]

E xplicit Passus Septimus de Dowel.

I ncipit Passus Octauus

A Nd[^728] as y lay & lookede / vpon þe launde grene.
I þouhte on þe Metelis / hou merveylous þei were.
Tyl sodynly hevynesse / on slepe brouht me þanne.
A -non a merveylous metelys / me tydde to dreme.[^729]
For y was ravisshid[^730] / & Fortune me fette.
& in-to þe lond of longynge / a- loone she me brouhte.
& in a Myrrour þat is Midlerd / she made me in beholde.
& afterwarde she seide to me / here may þou se wondres.
& knowen þat þou coveytist / & come þerto paraunter.
Þere folwede Fortune / foure[^731] faire damyselys.

[^728: F.8.1: The ornamental capital is written and flourished in green and red ink.]

[^729: F.8.4: The defective b-verse is attributable to alpha. Beta witnesses read "mette me þanne."]

[^730: F.8.5: F uniquely omits "riȝt þere" after ravisshid. For at the beginning of the verse is owed to alpha. Beta has That.]

[^731: F.8.10: A greater interest in alliteration than in counting perhaps accounts for F's reading. Bx has "two faire damyseles."]

¶ Concupiscencia carnis / was kallyd þe eldere mayde.
& þe s econde was Rycchesse[^732] Ful deyntily a-rayed.[^733]

[^732: F.8.12: A space is left for the medial virgule.]

[^733: F.8.12: F's line is unique. Bx reads instead: "And Coueitise of eiȝes ycalled was þat ooþer." F's revision of the name of the second damsel from Coueitise of eighes arises from his confusion of eighe with eighte, the Essex dialectal form of aughte (< OE ǣhte, "property, goods, wealth"). F's attention to this phrase can be seen in the eye-skip which has omitted KD11.46b-52a. The confusion extends even to Elde's exclamation in 42, where Bx's "Allas eiȝe" has become "Allas Richesse." Such a misunderstanding suggests that the origin of this passage in 1 John 2:16 was lost on the redactor. Perhaps the Bx form eiȝe is the source of the confusion, since one other occurrence of the singular form (7.133) is also revised (to hond). The word caused no difficulty at 7.280.]

¶ Þanne priȝde of parfyȝt lyvynge / pursuede hem boþe.
& bad me for ony contynanse / a-counte clergye lyte.

¶ Concupiscencia carnis / collid me a-bowte þe nekke.
& seyde / þou art ȝit ȝong & ȝeep / & hast ȝeere y-nowe.
For to lyven longe on londe[^734] / & loven ladyes manye.
& in þis M irrour þou may see / merthis y-nowe.
Þ at wille leenge þe in lykynge / al þy lyf-tyme.

[^734: F.8.17: This repetition of the poet's signature pun does not appear in other B manuscripts.]

¶ Þanne Ricchesse seyde þe same / y wil sewe þyn wille.
Tyl þou be a Lord of Londe[^735] / leve þe y nylle.
Þ at y shal folwe þy felashepe / if Fortune it lyke.
He shal fyȝnde me euere frend / tel Fortune þis tale.[^736]
Þe Freke þat folweþ my wille / failed neuere blysse.

[^735: F.8.21: Or possibly Londis .]

[^736: F.8.23: Bx reads "quod Fortune þerafter."]

¶ Þan was þere oon Elde . / þat hevy was of chere.
Man quod he if y meete with þe / be Myȝlde Marie of hevene.
Þ ou shalt fyȝnde Fortune fayle / at þy mooste neede.
& Concupiscencia carnis / loke clene þou for-sake.
Ful bytterly shalt þou banne ellis / boþe dayes & nyghtis.
Þ at euere in þis rewme / rycchesse þou knewe.[^737]
& p riȝde of p arfyt lyvynge / In pereyl wille þe brynge.

[^737: F.8.30: Bx reads "Coueitise of eiȝe þat euere þow hir knewe."]

¶ Ȝee recche þe neuere / quod reccheles / was clad in raggid cloþis.
Folwe forþ Fortunes wil / þou hast ful feer to Elde.
A man may stoupe tyme y-nou / whan he shal tyne his crowne.

¶ Homo proponit quod a poete þo[^738] / Mayster Plato he hyghte
Et deus disponit quod he  lete god doon his wille
If trewþe wille þat it be do / Fortune to folwe.
Concupiscencia carnis / ne Ricchesse of þis rewme.[^739]
Þey shulle not greve þe grayþly / ne gyle þe but þou knowe.

[^738: F.8.35: Alpha and C have þo which is omitted in beta manuscripts. Mayster occurs uniquely in F.]

[^739: F.8.38: The reading is unique to F. Other B witnesses read "ne Coueitise of eiȝes."]

¶ Ȝee  fare -wel fyppe / quod Fauntele / & forþ gan me drawe.
Tyl concupiscencia carnis / a-cordid with myn werkis.

¶ Allas . Ricchesse quod Elde / & holynesse boþe.
Þ at wit shal turne þis wrecche / for wil / to haue lykynge.[^740]
Þan Coueytise & Ricchesse / þei confortid me ofte.
& seyde have þou no conscience / hou þou good shal holde.
Goo confesse to a Frere / & shewe hym þy synnes.

[^740: F.8.43: Alpha by eye-skip omits the following four lines attested by beta manuscripts: Coueitise of eiȝes conforted me anoon after And folwed me fourty wynter and a fifte moore That of dowel ne dobet no deyntee me þouȝte I hadde no likyng leue me if þee list of hem ouȝt to knowe. F alone then omits the following lines: Coueitise of eiȝes com ofter in mynde Than dowel or dobet among my dedes alle. Note that C conforms to F's omissions here.]

For while Fortune is þy frend / Freres wil þe worchepe.[^741]
& sette [f]ette þe in here fraternyte / & faste for þe praye.
To here p rovid pr[iour] p rovincial / pardoun for þe to have.
& praye for þe . pol . be . pol . if þou be pecunyous holde.
P ena pecuniaria non sufficit pro spirituali delicto.

[^741: F.8.47: The scribe wrote a red " VII " with red flourishes (an error for "VIII") in the upper right margin to indicate the passus number.]

¶ Þanne wrowhte y after þat wenche / here wordis weryn so swete.
& tyȝhtly fram ȝowthe / y ȝeede streyght to heelde.
& þan fel Fortune my foo / fro hire faire be-heeste.
& pouerte pursuede me / & pytte me ful lowe.
& þo fond y þe frere a-feerd / & flytyng to me boþe.
A -geyn oure firste forward / for y seide y nolde.
Be beryȝed at here hows / but at my parshȝ chirche.
For y herde onys / how conscience / it tolde.
Þ at þere a man were cristnyd / þere sholde he be beryed.
Where he[^742] a parshene or noon / ȝit sholde he þere be grauyd.
& for i tolde þus þe Freris / a fool þei me helde.
& lovede me lasse / for my leele speche.

[^742: F.8.61: F alone omits were after he. Alpha is responsible for a, which is omitted in beta manuscripts.]

/ [¶] But y criȝede on my confessour / þat Conyngge hyghte hym -selue.
By my feiþ Frere quod y  ȝee fare lyȝk þese wowerys.
Þ at weddyn olde wedewys / for to welden here goodys.
So it fareþ nou be ȝow / for ȝee ne rowhte neuere.[^743]
Where my body were beryed / so ȝee hadde my syluer.
I have myche merveyle of ȝow / & so haþ many a-noþir.
Why  ȝoure couent coveytyn / to confesse & to beryȝe.
Rathere þan to baptyse / barnes þat ben cathecumys.
Baptysynge & beryenge / boþe ben ful nedful.
But mychil more merytorie / me þynkiþ it ys to cristne.
For a baptisyd man may / as grete Maistris tellyn
Þorghȝ gret contricioun / come in-to heuenly blysse.
S ola contricio
But a barn with -outyn bapteme / may not so sone be savid.
N isi quis renatus fuerit / þis resoun y radde sone.[^744]

[^743: F.8.67: The reading is unique to F. Other B manuscripts read "Riȝt so by þe roode rouȝte ye neuere."]

[^744: F.8.78: F completes the Latin tag and then omits the following line from Bx: "Loke ye lettred men wheiþer I lye or noȝt."]

¶ And Lewte þo[^745] lokede on me / for y gan so lowre.
Wherfore lowrest þou quod lewte / & lookede on me harde.

[^745: F.8.79: Alpha is responsible for þo, which is absent in beta.]

/ [¶] Marye . yf y durste quod y  a-mong men / þis Metelys to a-vowe.

¶ Ȝee be peter[^746] & poul quod he  & took hem boþe to wytnesse.
N on oderis fratres secreto in corde tuo  sed publice argue illos.

[^746: F.8.82: An otiose curl appears above the <p>.]

¶ Þey wille a-geyn a-[legge]n quod y  & be þe gospele þus preve.[^747]
How Iustly Iesu seyde / nolite Iudicare quemquam.
Wherof serviþ lawe quod lewte / if no man it with -take.
For falsnesse & fayterye / for sumwhat þe apostle it seide.
N on oderis fratrem[^748]
& in þe Sawter also / seyþ dauid þe p rophete.
E xistimasti inique quod ero tui similis . arguam te & statuam.[^749]

[^747: F.8.84: The ascenders on the top lines of this opening and the next are not decorated. As usual, we have recorded the highlighted characters.]

[^748: These two lines are written as one in all other B manuscripts.]

[^749: F.8.90: Bx ends the Latin tag at similis.]

/ [¶] It is Licitum for lewede men / to seggyn þe sothe.
If hem lykeþ & lyste / euery lawe euere lawe [euery lawe] it graunteþ.
Except P arsones & p restis / & men of holy chirche.
It falliþ not for þat folk / none talis to telle.
Þowh þe tale were trewe / & it towche to synne.

¶ A þyng þat al þe world whot / wherfore sholdist þou spare.
& redyn yt in retoryk / to a-ratyn dedly synne.
Bot be þou neuere -more þe firste / þe fawty to blame.
& þeyhȝ þou see evil / telle it not / but be sory it were [n]ere mendid.
& ony þyng þat ys prive / publysshe þou it neuere.
Neyþir for leef / ne for loþ / ne lakke for no Envye.
P arum lauda  Vitupera parciuus parcius

/ [¶] He seyþ soþ quod scripture / & stey on heeyȝ & prechede.
But þe matere þat he[^750] mevede / lewede men not knowe yt.[^751]
& if þey knewe latyȝn / leerne oþire þey wolde.
But þei be-leven on þe lord / þat lettrid men hem techeþ.[^752]
Þus gan he his teeme / y took þerto good heede.
Þ at Multi to a Mangerye / & to a mete weryn sompned.
& whan þe peple was plenere come / þe porter vn-pynnyd þe ȝate.
& plukkyd in Pauci privily / & leet þe remnaunt goo rome.

[^750: F.8.104: Bx reads she. The scribe probably took he to refer to the He of the preceding line, for he is an unlikely form of the feminine nominative singular in this scribe's dialect. He is confused about the gender of Scripture in 8.107.]

[^751: F.8.104: Bx reads "if lewed men it knewe," though R also omits if and has knowe. F, confused by the error in alpha, attempted to make sense by adding not and revising the following a-verse.]

[^752: F.8.106: This line is attested only in alpha.]

¶ & þanne for teene of þis tyxt / trembrelde tremb[le]de myn herte.
& in a weer þan y wex / & with my-selue disputid.
Wheyþir y was chose / or not chose / on holy chirche y þouhte.
Þ at vndirfong me at þe funt / for oon oon [of] goddis chosene.
For crist clepiþ vs alle / come if we wolde.
Boþe sarsyȝnes & sismatikis / & so he dide þe Iewis.
O vos omnes scicientes[^753] venite
& bad hem sowke for synne / save at his brest-bon
& drynke boote for bale / drynke [brou]ke yt who þat wolde.

[^753: F.8.117: This spelling appears in alpha and in a substantial number of beta witnesses.]

/ [¶] Þan may alle cristene come yn quod y  & cleyme to entre þere.
Þoru þe blood[^754] he bowte vs with / & þoru þe bapteme after.

[^754: F.8.121: Alpha and G omit þat after blood.]

Q ui crediderit & baptizatus fuerit  saluus erit.[^755][^756]
For þeyhȝ a man coveytede / his cristendom to receyve.[^757]
& vn-ryghtfully he receyve it / no resoun shal save hym.

[^755: F.8.122: F alone completes the quotation. Other B manuscripts end the line with fuerit &c .]

[^756: F.8.122: The scribe appears to have lost count of the passus and to have written " VII " with red flourishes in the top right margin in place of correct "VIII."]

[^757: The recast sentence reflects F's efforts to make sense of his exemplar. Alpha, reading receyve for the beta manuscripts' reneye, neatly reversed the point. Beta witnesses read as follows: For þouȝ a cristen man coueited his cristendom to reneye Riȝtfully to reneye no reson it wolde.]

¶ For may no cherk cher[l] a chartre make / his catel to selle
W ith -outyn leve of his lord / no leve l[aw]e wille it graunte.
But he may renne in reragis / & rayke[^758] fram home.
& þey he renne recchesly recche[le]sly / or romeþ a-bowte.[^759]
Ȝit resoun shal rykne with hym / & rebewke hym at þe laste.[^760]
& Conscience shal a-counte with hym / & kaste hym in rerage.
& pyttyn hym in strong prisoun / in purgatorie to brenne.
&[^761] hise reragys rewarde hym þere / til oo day komynge.
But if contricioun kome hym to / & mercy criȝe by his lyve.
& be sory for hise mys-dedys / with mowþ & with herte.

[^758: F.8.127: F's rayke is unique. Beta witnesses have rome. R has repeated renne from the a-verse.]

[^759: F.8.128: F's line is unique, but Bx is defective. Most beta manuscripts read "And as a reneyed caytif recchelesly aboute."]

[^760: Beta omits 129b-130a from Bx by eye-skip on "with him."]

[^761: F.8.132: F's & is unique. Beta witnesses have For, and R has And for.]

/ [¶] That is soþ seyde scripture / may þere no synne be lettyd.
For mercy may[^762] al a-mende / if[^763] Meeknesse hym[^764] folwe.
For þey been as bokis telle / a-bove alle goddis werkis.
M isericordia domini  super omnia opera eius.

[^762: F.8.136: Alpha is responsible for may before al.]

[^763: F.8.136: F's if is unique, though beta's and may well carry the sense "if." See MED s. v. and conj. 5(a).]

[^764: F.8.136: F's hym is unique. Beta witnesses have hir and R has he.]

¶ Ȝee baw  waw[^765]  for bookis quod oon / was broke out of helle.
He was Troianus þe knyght / he took witnesse of þe pope.[^766]
How he was ded & dampned / to dwellyn in derk peyne.
For he was an vn-cristene creature / clerkis knowe þe soþe.
Þ at al þe Clergye vndir crist / myghte hym cracche fram helle.
But oonly love & lewte / of[^767] hise[^768] lawe-ful doomes.

[^765: F.8.139: F expands the Bx exclamation baw similarly at 15.404.]

[^766: F.8.140: This line shares with Cr and Cx the omission of "had been a" after Troianus. F consistently reflects Trajan's material in third person rather than Bx's first.]

[^767: F.8.144: Alpha is responsible for of. Beta witnesses have and.]

[^768: F.8.144: F's hise is shared only by G. Bx has my.]

/ [¶] Seynt Gregory wiste þis wel / what was his cause.[^769]
& wilnede to his soule / saluacioun & helthe.
For þe soþfastnesse / he seyȝ of hise werkis.
& after þat he wepte / & wisshed hym were grauntyd.
Grace  with -outyn more byddynge / his boone was vndirfongid.
& was savid as ȝee may se / with -outyn song of messis.
Þoru love / & be-leve / & þoru lyvynge in trewþe.
It brouhte hym fram bitter peyne / þere no bede ne myghte.

[^769: Bx reads as follows: Gregorie wiste þis wel and wilned to my soule Sauacion for sooþnesse þat he seiȝ in my werkes And after þat he wepte and wilned me were graunted Grace wiþouten any bede biddyng his boone was vnderfongen.]

¶ Loo  ȝee lordis / what lewte doþ / by þat Emperour of Rome.
Þ at was an vn-cristene creature / as clerkis knowe in bookis.
Nowht þoru prayere of þe pope / but for his pure trewþe.
So was þat sarsyȝn savid / seynt Gregory bereth witnesse.
Wel awtyn þe[^770] lawe-keperis / þis lessoun have in mynde.
& on Troianus to þynke / & do trewþe to þe peple.
Þis matere is merk for manye / save men of holy chirche.[^771]
Þe legende sanctorum / lerneþ ȝow  more largere þan y ȝou telle.
& þus leel love / & leel lyvynge in trewthe
Pytten owt of peyȝne / a payȝnym of Rome.
I -blessid be trowþe / þat brak so helle ȝaatys.
& savede þat sarsyȝn / fram sathenases powher.
Þere no Clergie ne cowhde / ne conynge of lawis.
Þan is love & lewte / ryght a leel science.[^772]
God wrouht it / & wroot it / with his owne fynger.
& took it Moyses on þe Mount / alle men / it to leere.
Ȝee lawe with with[-outen] love quod troianus / leyȝ þere a beene.
Or ony science vndir sunne / of alle þe sevene artis.
But þei ben leerned for goddis love / lost is here tyme.
& for no cause siluer to kacche / ne to be cald a Mayster.
But al for love of oure lord / & þe bettre to love þe peple.
For seynt Iohan seyþ þus / & sothe been hise wordys.
Q ui non me diligit  manet in morte
Who loveþ not to love l[e]ve me[^773] / he lyveþ in deþis drede.
& þat alle manere of men / boþe enemyȝs & frendis.
Shulle loven eyþir oþir / as loveþ man hym-selue.
For[^774] who þat be-leveþ [len]eþ nouht / he loviþ not / god whot þe soþe.
He comandide[^775] ech creature / to conforme hym to love god.
& his neyȝhebore as hym -selue / & hise enemyȝe after.[^776]
For / fore hem / þat haten vs / ys most meryȝt to lovyȝe.
And to plese þe poore peple / here prayeris may vs helpe.
For oure Ioyȝe & oure helthe / ys[^777] Iesu crist of hevene.
& in a poore a-parayle / he pursueþ vs euere.
& lookeþ on vs in here lyknesse / & þat with lovely chere.
To knowe vs be oure kynde herte / & castynge of oure eyȝen.
Wheyþir we love þe loord here / be-fore þe lord of blysse.
He warneþ vs be þe ewangelie / whan we make feestis.
We sholde not calle oure ken þerto / ne non knowe men ryche.[^778]
But kalliþ þe kareful þerto / þe crokede & þe blyȝnde.[^779]
Cum facitis conuiuia  nolite invitare amicos.
[^780] For ȝoure freendis wille fede ȝou / & with foode a-geyn it quyte.
Boþe festis / & faire ȝiftys / ech frend ȝeldeth so oþire.
& þe poore shal praye[^781] for ȝow / & a-quyte so ȝoure trauaile.
Þ at ȝeveþ hem mete or mone / or a-mendiþ hem for my sake.

[^770: F.8.157: Alpha is responsible for þe. Beta witnesses have ye. Though <y> and <þ> are sometimes difficult to distinguish in anglicana hands, this is clearly a <þ>.]

[^771: These lines are preserved in alpha only.]

[^772: F.8.166: F omits the following line attested in R: "For þat is þe boke blissed of blisse and of ioye."]

[^773: F.8.176: James Weldon claims ["Ordinatio and Genre in MS CCC 201: A Mediaeval Reading of the B-Text of Piers Plowman," Florilegium 12 (1995, for 1993): 174 n 24], that F's reading "is absurd, since Trajan is the speaker here." However, it is difficult to say with any confidence that the speaker here is Trajan. Kane and Donaldson, for instance, conclude his speech at the end of line F8.169, and he has clearly ceased speaking by the my in F8.196. The speeches in the middle section of the poem are not clearly voiced. The way that speeches, or parts of speeches, are reassigned in the C revision also points to a lack of commitment as to who is saying what in this "dialogus."]

[^774: F.8.179: Alpha is responsible for For, which is absent from beta.]

[^775: F.8.180: Alpha is responsible for the preterite comandide, though the reading is shared by C2O. Other beta witnesses have the present tense.]

[^776: F.8.181: F's reading is unique. Most B manuscripts read "And souereynly pore peple and hir enemyes after."]

[^777: F.8.184: Alpha is responsible for ys, which is absent in beta.]

[^778: F.8.190: Bx's b-verse reads "ne none kynnes riche." R and other beta witnesses have singular kynne.]

[^779: F.8.191: In relation to Bx this line and the next are transposed.]

[^780: F.8.193: An illegible letter resembling <e> appears with a red touch and a period in the left margin.]

[^781: F.8.195: The manuscript is stained, but the <e> is tolerably clear.]

¶ God myghte ryche a maad / alle men if he wolde.[^782]
But for þe beste / summe be ryche / & summe men be poore.
But alle are we hise creaturys / & of hyse coffres ryche.[^783]
& bretheryn ben of blood / boþe beggere & Erlys.
For at Caluerye of cristis blood / cristene blood gan springe.
& bodily bretheryn we be-come / of cristis body y-wonne.
As quali qua[s]i modo geniti / & Ientil men ecchone.
No beggere is a-mogys a-mo[n]gys vs / but if synne it make.
Qui facit peccatum  seruus est peccati.

[^782: F.8.197: This line is attested only in alpha.]

[^783: F.8.199: A " VII " with red flourishes (an error for "VIII") is written in the top right margin.]

¶ In þe olde lawe it seiþ / as þe lettre tellyþ.
Þ at / þe sone of man / we be callyd echone.
Þe issew is of Adam & Eve / til god & man dyȝede.
& after his ressurrexioun Redemptor was he callyd.
& we hise bretheryn / þoru hym bowht / boþe ryche & poore.
Þerfore love we as leve childryn / & ech man lawhe on oþir.
& of þat / ech man may for-bere / a-mende hym þat is nedy.
& ech man helpe oþir heere[^784] / for hens shulle we alle.
A lter alterius  onera portate.
& be we not vn-kyȝnde of Catel / ne of konynge neyþir.
For no man whot / hou neyȝ he is / to be y-nome fram boþe.
Þerfore lakke no leef oþir / þeyhȝ he more latyn knowe.
Ne nyme no man oþir foule / for non is with -outyn defawte.
For what euere Clerkys carpe / of Crystendom or ellis.
Cryst to a comoun woman seyde / in comoun at þe feste.
Þ at fides sua sholde save hire / & saluen hire synnes.
Þ at Þa[nne] is beleve a leele helpe / a-bove logyȝk or lawe.
Neyþir logyȝk ne lawe / ne legende of sanctorum .
Been but lytil a-lowed / but beleve hem helpe.[^785]
For it is ouer -longe of o[r][^786] logyk / ony lessoun a-soyle.
& lawe is looþ to lovye / but he lacche syluer.
Boþe Logyk & lawe / love wel boþe to lyȝen.

[^784: F.8.213: Alpha is responsible for heere, which is absent in both beta and C.]

[^785: F.8.224: F's reading is unique. R has "Is litel alowed þei both but by-leue hem helpe." Beta has "Is litel alowaunce maad but if bileue hem helpe."]

[^786: F.8.225: or, "ere." F has replaced Bx's er with of.]

¶ I conseyle alle cristene men / ȝee cleve not þeron to sore.
For summe wordis fyȝnde y wrete / wher-of feiþ is rote.[^787]
Þ at saveþ synful men / as seyn Iohan beriþ witnesse.
E adem mensura qua mensi fueritis . remecietur uobis.[^788]

[^787: F.8.229: F's b-verse is unique. Bx has "were of Feiþes techyng."]

[^788: F.8.231: The red ink of the lombard capital <E> and the last two words is darker than that of the remainder of this quotation, suggesting they were copied at slightly different times.]

¶ For-þy  leerne we þe lawe of love / as oure lord techeþ.
& so seyþ seynt Gregory / for synful mannys helthe.[^789]
Why y meve þis matere / þat most is to helpe þe poore.
For in pore lyȝknesse crist / ofte haþ been y-knowe.
Witnesse of þe Gospel / whan he to Emaus wente.
Cleophas ne knew hym nout / þat he cryst were.
For his poore a-parayle / & pilgrymes wedys.
Tyl he blessede & brak / þe breed þat þey eetyn.
& so by hise wyrkys / þey wisten þe soþe.
But þey knew hym not be cloþynge / ne be carpynge of tunge.
& al þat was ensample / to vs synful heere.
Þ at we shulde ben lowe / & lovely of speche.
& a-parayle vs not proudly / for pilgrimys we ben alle.[^790]
Ofte crist haþ been y-met / a-mongys nedy peple.
Þere neuere segge hym seyȝ / with syghte / lyk þe ryche.[^791]

[^789: F.8.233: F omits Bx's " Melius est scrutari scelera nostra quam naturas rerum ."]

[^790: F.8.244: F omits the following line from Bx: "And in þe apparaille of a pouere man and pilgrymes liknesse."]

[^791: F.8.246: The b-verse in Bx reads "in secte of þe riche." F habitually avoids secte, substituting sewte (F10.734), seut (F11.248), or even selue (F5.499). However, note that at 7.223 F alone reads sekt in place of Bx's book.]

/ [¶] Seynt Iohan & oþire seyntis / were seyn in pore cloþynge.
And as pore pylgrimes / prayede men of here goodis.[^792]

[^792: F.8.248: F omits two lines from Bx: Iesu crist on a Iewes doȝter aliȝte gentil womman þouȝ she were Was a pure pouere maide and to a pouere man wedded.]

¶ Martha on goddis modir[^793] / made an huge tale.
Vnto Iesu oure saviour / she seyde þese wordis.
D omine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquid me sola ministrare.
& crist faire answerede / & eyþeris wil fulfylde.
Boþe Marthis & Maries / as Mattheuh beriþ witnesse.
But pouerte he pitte to-fore / & preysede þe bettre.
M aria optimam partem elegit  que non auferetur ab ea.
& alle þe wise men / þat euere were / as y can a-spyȝe.
Preyse pouerte for best lyf / if pacyence it welde.[^794]
& more blessedere be skyle / & bettre þan rycchesse.
Al-þowhȝ it be sour to suffre / þere komeþ swete after.

[^793: F.8.249: F alone confuses Mary Magdalene with Christ's mother. The confusion is odd and not explicable by the scribal omission of the preceding two lines.]

[^794: F.8.257: F's welde is unique. R has wolde, and beta manuscripts have folwe.]

/ [¶] Ryght as is a walshe-note / withoute / ful bytter ys þe ryȝnde.
& after þat bitter bark / & [be] þe shelle a-weyȝe.
Is a kernel of confort / kyȝndely to restore.

¶ So is after pouerte or penaunce / pacyently y-take.
Makþ a man have meende on god / & a gret wille.
To wepe & to wel bydde / wher-of wexiþ mercy.
Of wiche crist is kernel / to conforte þe soule.
& wel sekerere he slepiþ / þe segge þat ys poore.
& lasse drediþ þe deþ / ne dowhteþ to be robbyd.
Þan he þat ys ryche / Resoun beriþ witnesse.
P auper ego ludo / dum tu diues meditaris.

/ [¶] & þeyhȝ Salomon seyde þus / as men[^795] seen in þe byble.
D iuicias nec paupertates

[^795: F.8.271: Alpha is responsible for men. Beta witnesses have folk.]

¶ A -noþir Poete seyþ / in his pure speche.[^796]
Þ at propre pouerte ys / no possessioun to holde.
But lyve moost in lykynge of god / as Luk bereth witnesse.
S i vis perfectus esse  vade & vende omnia que habes . &c.[^797]
Þis ys to meene to men / þat on þis moolde dwelle.
Who þat wil be pure parfyȝt / mot possessioun for-sake.
Or selle it / as seyþ þe book / & þe siluer delyn þe nedy.
To beggerys þat beggyn / & byddyn for goddis sake.[^798]
For faylede neuere man mete / þat myghtful god serueþ.
& Dauid seiþ in þe sawter / & hise sawis ben soþe.[^799]
to[^800] swiche as been in wille / to suffre wo / for welthe.
To serue god goodly[^801] / ne greviþ hem no peyȝne.
N ichil difficile[^802] volenti[^803]

[^796: F.8.273: F has rewritten this line. Bx reads "Wiser þan Salomon was bereþ witnesse and tauȝte."]

[^797: F.8.276: F alone completes the quotation after vende .]

[^798: F.8.280: The scribe has written in red with red flourishes " VII " in the upper right margin, an error for "VIII."]

[^799: Confusion in alpha lies behind F's revision of these lines. For 8.282-283, Bx reads as follows: As Dauid seiþ in þe Sauter to swiche þat ben in wille To serue god goodliche ne greueþ hym no penaunce. R reads as follows: As dauid seith in þe sauter to swich þat ben in wille. With eny wel or wo To serue god godeliche ne greueth hem no penaunte. Note that only an a-verse appears in R for the equivalent of F8.283.]

[^800: F.8.283: Though we have taken the scribe to have intended to mark the first character on each line both as touched in red ink and capitalized, in this instance the contrast between this opening <t> and the capital form at the beginning of the next line is too great to leave without comment. As we have noted before, consistency in such matters is a more steady concern of modern editors than of medieval scribes.]

[^801: F.8.284: An otiose curl is written above the <d>.]

[^802: F.8.285: Alpha is responsible for difficile. Beta witnesses have inpossibile.]

[^803: F.8.285: F omits the following lines from Bx: Ne lakkeþ neuere liflode lynnen ne wollen Inquirentes autem dominum non minuentur omni bono .]

¶ If prestis weryn alle wise men[^804] / þey sholde[^805] no siluer take.
For Messis ne Matins / but here mete only.
Neyþir kertyl ne cote / þeyhȝ þey for cold sholde pershe.
But seyn þus for here dygner[^806] / as dauid seiþ in þe sawter.
I udica me deus / & discerne causam meam
Þey sholde speke of spera in deo whan spendynge wantiþ.[^807]
& travayle trewly / & triste on god of hevene.
Þan sholde þey lakke no liflode / neyþir wollene ne lynenn.
For ȝoure tytle of ȝour ordres / telle ȝee ben a-vauncyd.
Þan nediþ ȝou take no mone / for Messe þat ȝee synge.
For he þat took ȝou þat tytle / sholde[^808] take þat ȝe nede.
Or þe Bisshop[^809] / þat blessiþ ȝow / if þat ȝee ben worthy.

[^804: F.8.286: F's "alle wise men" is unique. R has only "wise," while beta witnesses have "parfite."]

[^805: F.8.286: F's sholde is unique. Bx has wolde.]

[^806: F.8.289: F extensively revises the a-verse, the result, perhaps, of misreading a form of Bx's deuoir as dener. Bx reads "And þei hir deuoir dide ...."]

[^807: F.8.291: F's line is unique. Bx has " Spera in deo spekeþ of preestes þat haue no spendyng siluer."]

[^808: F.8.296: The <o> is malformed.]

[^809: F.8.297: The <B> is atypical here and in F8.307.]

/ [¶] For makyd neuere kyng no knyght / but catel he hadde.
As fallyþ for his astat[^810] / or fynde hym for his strengþe.
It is a kareful knyght / & a Caytifis kyngys makyng.
Þ at haþ neyþir lond ne lyflode[^811] / ne good loos of his hondis.
Þe same y sette to sey þe soþe / by alle swiche prestis.
Þ at have neyþir konynge / ne kyn / but here crowne oone.
& here tytle a tale of nouht / to take to / in myschef
He is moore be-levid as y trowe / to lacche þoru his crowne.
A cure  þan for konynge / or knowe for klene berynge.
I have wondir / & why  & wherfore þe Bisshop.
Maken Make[þ] swiche prestis / þat poore men be-trayen.

[^810: F.8.299: F's reading is unique. Most other manuscripts have "As bifel for a knyȝt ...."]

[^811: F.8.301: F's lyflode is unique. Bx has lynage. Beta and C manuscripts follow lynage with riche, but it is absent in alpha.]

¶ A Chartre is chalengable / be-fore a cheef Iustyse.
If fals latyn be in þat lettre / þe lawe it repugneþ.[^812]
Or peyntid þe lynyaryes [parentrelynarie][^813] / or parcelles ouer -skyppid.
Þe Goome þat it gloseþ / for a goky ys he holde.

[^812: F.8.310: F alone reads repugneþ, while Bx has impugneþ. The words overlap in their semantic range (see MED, s.v. repugned v. [2], citing the C substitution in at least one manuscript of repugnen for impugnen at C.Prol.136). The same pattern of variation occurs in F10.125.]

[^813: F.8.311: parentrelynarie, "interlined."]

/ [¶] Ryght so is he a goky by god / þat in his gospel fayleþ.
Or in þe Messe or Matins / makeþ ony defawhte.
Q vi offendit in vno delitto  reus est in omnibus.[^814]

[^814: F.8.315: Bx reads " Qui offendit in vno in omnibus est reus &c ."]

¶ Dauid seyþ in þe sawter / to swiche ouer-skipperes.
S pallite deo nostro spallite[^815]  spallite sapienter.

[^815: F.8.317: F alone omits Bx's " quoniam rex terre deus Israel ."]

/ [¶] Þe Bisshop shal be blamed / be-fore god / y leve.
Þ at krowneþ swiche goddis knyghtis / þat kunne lytil latyn.
Neyþir synge ne spalmes[^816] rede / ne syngyn of a feeste.
For neuere neyþir is blameles / þe Bisshop ne þe chapeleyn.
For boþe been endytyd / & þat ys be ynorance y[g]norance.
N on excusat episcopos nec ydiote crownide chapeleynys.
Þe lookenge of lewede prestis / haþ do me lope[^817] fram pouerte.
Þe wiche y preyse þere pacyence is / more parfyȝt þan is rycchesse.[^818]
& þus y fel in þowhtis feele / flappynge in myn herte.
Þ at alle myn spiritys weryn sore stoned / & þerwith y waknede.
& as manye & feele þowhtis / felle flappynge in myn herte.
Alle myn spirytis weryn stoned / & þerwith y a-wakede.
& ful sore syȝhede / þe syghte was so mervylous.
& streyhte me / & turnede me / & to my-selue y seide.
Þis ys a mychil merveyle / what menynge it meneþ.
[^819] & in þis þowht stille y lay / a long tyme after.

[^816: F.8.320: An otiose curl is written over the <a>.]

[^817: F.8.324: F's lope ["leap" (cf. ON laupa)] is unique. Beta witnesses have lepe.]

[^818: F.8.325: F omits the following line from Bx: "Ac muche moore in metynge þus wiþ me gan oon dispute." The following nine lines, including the repetition of lines 326-27, are unique to F. Whether the differences between the repeated lines reflect the practice of the immediate scribe or another is not determinable.]

[^819: F.8.333: What was probably the scribe's instructions to the rubricator for passus division has been cropped on the left, leaving just <u> and the <us> abbreviation.]

E xplicit Passus Octauus.

I ncipit Passus Nonus.

A S[^820] y lay & lokede forþ / lowe vp-on þe greene.
I fel in a slumbrynge / & sone to me cam keende.[^821]
& nempnyd me by my name / & bad me nemyn hede.
Of þe worchynge of þis world / wit for to take.
& on heyȝ Mounteyn / þat Mydlerd hette.[^822]
I was þidir fet forþ / ensamples to knowe
Þoru euery creatures keende / my creatur to loveye.
I sey þe sunne & þe see / & þe sond after.
& bryddis & beestis / by here makes wentyn.
& wyȝlde wlues[^823] in wodis / & wondirful foulis.
W ith flekkede fedres / & fele faire coloures.
Boþe man & his make / ful manye seyȝ y þere.[^824]
Boþe pouerte & plente / & eek pees & werre.
Blisse & also bale / y seyȝ þere boþe at oonys atoonys.
& men tooke Meede / & Mercy for-soke

[^820: F.9.1: The ornamental capital is in red and green ink with red and green flourishes running from the top to the bottom of the page in the left margin.]

[^821: F.9.2: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And slepynge I seiȝ al þis and siþen cam kynde."]

[^822: F.9.5: F omits Bx's "as me þo þouȝte."]

[^823: F.9.10: F uniquely reads wlues. Other B manuscripts have wormes. wlues, "wolves." Though appearing only this one time in F, the use of <w> alone for <wu> appears once in R as well (wlueliche R15.131, KD15.116) and may perhaps be attributed to alpha.]

[^824: F.9.12: F uniquely reads "ful manye seyȝ y þere." R has "I miȝte se bothe," and beta manuscripts have "I myȝte boþe biholde."]

¶ Thanne Resoun shewede me / alle manere beestis.[^825]
In etynge & drynkynge / in gendrynge of keende.
& after cours of concepcioun / non took keep of oþir.[^826]
Þar was non kow þoru kyȝnde / þat conceyvid hadde.
Þ at wolde belwe after bole / ne boor after sowe.
Ne grete hors ne hakeneys / after oþire beestis.
Ne þey medlid not with here makis / save man oone.

[^825: F.9.16: F's line is substantially revised. Other B manuscripts have "Reson I seiȝ sooþly sewen alle beestes." Alpha is likely to have been responsible for shewede since R has schewen.]

[^826: F.9.18: F omits the following three lines from Bx: As whan þei hadde ryde in Rotey tyme anoon riȝt þer-after Males drowen hem to males amorwenynges by hemselue And in euenynges also ȝede (or beta's þe?) males fro femelles.]

¶ I be-held bryddis also / in busshis þey made nestis.
Was neuere ȝit wyȝe / hadde wit / to wirche þe leeste.

I hadde wondir of whom / & where þe pyȝe lernede.[^827]
Stykkis to legge / in lengþe & in breede.[^828]
Þere is no wryghte as y wene / can wirche to hire paye.[^829]
Ne Masoun to make a Moolde þerto / myche merveyle[^830] it were.

[^827: F.9.25: The scribe has written in red with red flourishes the numeral "IX" in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.]

[^828: F.9.26: F's reading is unique. Other B manuscripts have "To legge þe stikkes in which she leyeþ and bredeþ."]

[^829: F.9.27: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "sholde werche hir nest to paye."]

[^830: F.9.28: F uniquely reads merveyle. Bx has wonder.]

¶ Ȝyt merveylid y moore / of[^831] manye oþire bryddis.
Þey heledyn & heddyn / here heggys[^832] ful derne.
W ith Moos[^833] / in þe Maryȝs / þat men ne sholde hem fyȝnde.[^834]
& feer of oþire fowlys / & for wyȝlde beestys.
Summe tredyn here makys / & on trees breden.

[^831: F.9.29: FG alone read of. Other B manuscripts have how.]

[^832: F.9.30: An inverse spelling for eggys.]

[^833: F.9.31: Moos, "moss."]

[^834: F.9.31: F is revised significantly. Bx reads as follows: In Mareys and moores for men sholde hem noȝt fynde And hidden hir egges whan þei þerfro wente.]

¶ & brynge forþ here bryddis / al a-bove þe grounde.
& summe blowe bele in bele / & with here breeþ conseyve.[^835]
& summe kawkede y tok keep / as pekokys wirche.

[^835: F.9.35: Other B witnesses read: "And some briddes at þe bile þoruȝ breþyng conceyued."]

¶ Mychil merveylede me þan / what mayster þey hadde.
& who tawhte hem on trees / to tyȝmbre so hyȝe.
Fram alle beestys / here bryddis to save.[^836]

[^836: F.9.39: F's line is unique. Other B manuscripts have "Ther neiþer burn ne beest may hir briddes rechen."]

¶ & after y lookede on þe see / & on þe sterris bryghte.
& manye selkouþis y seyȝ / y may not seyȝ nowþe.

¶ I seyȝ flowres in þe frythȝ / with ful fayre colourys.[^837]
Þ at a-mongis þe grene gras / grewe ful soote.
Summe soote & summe sowr / gret selkouþ me þouhte
But of here keende coloures / to carpe were to longe.

[^837: F.9.42: The <c> is written more like <t> with an ascender.]

¶ But þat most merveyled me / & made my mood to change.
Þ at Resoun took reward / & rewlede alle beestis.
Save man / & his make / manye tymes[^838] & ofte.
No resoun rewlyþ hem / & y rebewkyd hym þanne.
& þus sadly to hym / my-seluen y seyȝde.

[^838: F.9.48: Alpha is responsible for unmetrical tymes. Beta manuscripts have tyme.]

¶ I have wondir of þe . quod y  þat Resoun art holde.
Þ ou makst man & his make / no myschef hem folwe.[^839]

[^839: F.9.52: F has miscomprehended the sense here. Bx reads "Why þow ne sewest man and his make þat no mysfeet hem folwe." Alpha was quite possibly corrupt since R has schewest for sewest.]

¶ Þan Resoun a-ratid me / & seyde recche þe neuere.
Why y suffre . or not suffre / þou hast not to doone.
A -mende it / þou myght not / but tyȝme y a-byȝde.[^840]
Suffrance is a souereyn vertu / & vengable is vengaunce[^841]
Suffrance god suffrede / to goomes as y leve.[^842]
He myghte a-mende hem in a while / alle þat mys-fonde.[^843]
& ȝit he suffreþ / for sum mannys goode / & so is oure bettre.
Holy writ . quod þat weyȝ / wyssheþ[^844] men to suffre.[^845]
P ropter deum  subiecti estote  omni creature.

[^840: F.9.55: This line represents a succession of small errors followed by scribal smoothing in an attempt to make sense of botched copy. Bx reads as follows: "Amende þow it if þow myȝt for my tyme is to abide."]

[^841: F.9.56: The b-verse in other B manuscripts reads "and a swift vengeaunce."]

[^842: F.9.57: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Who suffreþ moore þan god quod he no gome as I leeue."]

[^843: F.9.58: MED, s. v. misfōn, "to make a mistake," occurs only here and in an early thirteenth-century devotional text, though the word is common in Old English. Bx reads "al þat mysstandeþ."]

[^844: F.9.60: The scribe wrote <ssh> where we might expect <ss> for this word. Wyssheþ here is a form of wisseþ, "teaches, counsels, instructs."]

[^845: These thirteen lines appear only in alpha.]

¶ Now wille ȝe leere a tale / was told me in towne.
How Frensshe men in France / a-faytyn here childryn.
B eele vertue est suffraunce  mal dire est pety vengance.
B ien dire & bien suffre  fait lui suffrant a bien venir.

/ [¶] For-þy  y rede þe Resoun / þou rewle better þy tunge.
& er þou my lyf lakke / looke þyn be to preyse.
For þere is no creature vndir criȝst / can formen hym -selue.
& yf a man myghte / make lakles hym -selue.
Ech man wolde ben lakles / leve þou non oþir.
Ne shalt fyȝnde but fewe / fayn wolde heere.
Of here fowle defawtys / be-fore here face reersed.
Þe witty wyȝsman / wroot wel in þe byble.
D e re que te non molestat non certaueris . & in iudicio iniudic io[^846]

[^846: F.9.74: F alone adds " & in iudicio ," from Ecclus. 11:9 which reads " De ea re quae te non molestat ne certeris; et in iudicio peccantium ne consistas ."]

/ [¶] For be a man fair or foul / It falleþ not hym to lakke.
Þe shap ne þe shafte / þat god shoop hym -selue.
For alle þynges he wrouhte wel / as þe writ wytnessiþ.
E t vidit deus cunta cun[c]ta que fecerat  & erant ualde bona.
God bad ech creature / in his kyȝnde encrese.
& al was to merthe with man / þat most woo þolyeþ
In foondynge of his fleshȝ / & of þe feend boþe.
For man was maad of mater / he may not fro it sterte.
Þ at sum -tyme hym but suffre / to folwe his keȝnde.
Catoun a-cordiþ þerto / nemo sine crimine viuit.

/ [¶] Þo cawhte y colour a-non / & cumsede to ben a-shamed.
& y awakede þere -with / & woo was y thanne.
Þat y ne myghte in Metelys / more matere y-knowe.
Þanne chidde y my-selue / & seyde þese woordis.[^847]
Now what Dowel ys quod y  by dere god y knowe.
& as y keste vp myn eyȝes / oon lokede on me & askede.
What þyng þat Dowel ys / y-wis sire y not y seyde.[^848]

[^847: F.9.88: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And þanne seide I to myself and chidde þat tyme."]

[^848: F.9.91: F revises two problematic lines from Bx into one. Bx reads as follows: Of me what þyng it were ywis sire I seide To se muche and suffre moore certes quod I is dowel.]

¶ Þan seyde he haddist þou suffred / þo þou on slepe were.
Þ ou sholdist have knowe it of Clergye / & conseyvid it be resoun.
For Resoun wolde have reersyd þe / ryght as Clergye seyde[^849]
P hilosophus esses  si tacuisses.
Adam whilis he was heere / he hadde paradyȝs at his wille.
& whan he mamelede on his mete / he menede to knowe.
Þe wisdom[^850] of his god / & he was pyt fram blysse.
& ryȝht so ferde Resoun / be þyn rude speche.
Þ ou lakkedist lordly þyng / þat longyd þe not to done.
He hadde after no lykynge / for to leere þe moore.

[^849: F.9.94: F omits the following line from Bx: "Ac for þyn entremetynge here artow forsake."]

[^850: F.9.98: The red ink on <d> appears to be unintended.]

/ [¶] & now wil priȝde & presumsyoun / paraunter þe a-peele.
Þ at Clergyȝe in[^851] þyn cumpanye / nowht coueytyþ[^852] eft to sytte.[^853]
For[^854] shal neuere more no chydynge neuere [chalangynge ne] chidynge / chastyse a man sunnere.
Þan shal needful shame / if he shape hym to a-mende.
For leete a drunke daffe / in a deep dyȝk falle.
& lete hym lygge longe þere / tyl hym lyste to ryȝse.
& þey Resoun rebewke hym / ȝit rekkeþ he neuere.[^855]
Of Clergye ne of his conseil / he a-cownteþ not a resshe.
For to betyn hym þanne / it were but pure synne.
But whan neede nemeþ hym vp / for dowhte leest he sterve.[^856]
Þanne whot þat drunke daffe / wherfore he is to blame.

[^851: F.9.103: Alpha is responsible for in, which is omitted in Beta manuscripts.]

[^852: F.9.103: F uniquely reads "nowht coueytyþ." Other B manuscripts have "ne kepeþ noȝt."]

[^853: F.9.103: Alpha reads "eft to sytte." Beta manuscripts have "to suwe."]

[^854: F.9.104: Alpha and some C manuscripts read For, which is not in beta manuscripts.]

[^855: Beta omits these verses through eye-skip on Bx's "hym þanne."]

[^856: F.9.111: F omits Bx's "And shame shrapeþ hise cloþes and hise shynes wassheþ."]

¶ Ȝee seyn sooþ quod y be my sowle / y haue seyȝ þat ofte.
Þere smyt no man so smerte / ne skumfyȝteþ[^857] non so sore
As shame dooþ þere he sheweth hym / no man loveþ his felachipe.[^858]

[^857: F.9.114: F uniquely reads skumfyȝteþ. Other B manuscripts have smelleþ.]

[^858: F.9.115: Alpha is responsible for the b-verse. Beta manuscripts have the also defective reading "for euery man hym shonyeþ."]

/ [¶] Why wyȝsse ȝee me þus . quod y  for y rebewked so Resoun.
Sertys quod he þat ys sooþ / & shoop hym for to walke.
& gan faren on hys weyȝ / & y folwede after.[^859]
& prayede hym of his curtesyȝe / to telle me his name.
I am ymagenatyf quod he / ydel am y neuere.
Þowhȝ y sytte be my-selue / in seeknesse or in helthe.
& y have folwid þe in feyþ / fyve & fowrty wynter.
& manye tyme have mevid the / to þynkyn on þyn ende.[^860]
& on þyn wyȝlde wantounnesse / þo þow in ȝowthe were.
To a-mende þe in mydde age / a lest lest þy myght fayle after.
& in þyn olde elde / þan þa[t] canst evele suffre.
Ony pouerte or penaunce / or prayerys to byddyn.
S i non in prima vigilia nec in secunda
A -mende þe while þou myght / þou hast be warned ofte.
W ith seeknesses / & penances[^861] / with pouertes & angris.
For with þo bittre baleyse / god beteþ hise chyldryn.
Q vem diligo  castigo.[^862]

[^859: F.9.118: F has recomposed the line. Bx reads "And I aroos vp riȝt wiþ þat and folwed hym after."]

[^860: F.9.123: F omits Bx's "And how fele fernyeres are faren and so fewe to come."]

[^861: F.9.130: F is responsible for substituting seeknesses for poustees, but alpha had already changed pestilences to penances.]

[^862: F.9.132: Alpha omits the following two lines: And Dauid in þe Sauter seiþ of swiche þat loueþ Iesus Virga tua & baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt.]

/ [¶] Al-þeyhȝ þou strike me with goddis staf / with -outyn stykkes sore[^863]
It is but merthe to me / to a-mende my sowle.
Why medlyst þe with makyng[^864] þan / þou myght bettre go praye.
& bydde for hem þat ȝeve þe breed / for þere be bookis y-nouwe.
To tellyn what ys . dobet / & Dowel . bothe.[^865]
& prechoures to preve what it is / of many a peyre freris.
Þan wiste y wel he seyde sooþ / & þouhte me to excuse.
&[^866] seyde Catoun confortyd his sone / ful konyngly y wene.[^867]
Sum -tyme to solace hym -selue / & sum -tyme stodie.[^868]
[^869] nterpone [I]nterpone tuis  interdum gaudia curis.
& also of holy men here y / hou þat þey oþir-while.
Pleyedyn þe parfyȝtere to been / in here prayeres after.[^870]
Nou if þere where ony wyht / þat wolde me telle.
What were Dowel . & Dobet . & Dobest þe þrydde.
Wolde y neuere do werk / but weendyn to holy chirche.
& þere byddyn my bedis / but whan y eete or slepe.

[^863: F.9.133: The b-verse makes little sense. Bx reads "wiþ stikke or wiþ yerde."]

[^864: F.9.135: Alpha and M have the possibly correct singular form. Beta manuscripts have the plural makynges.]

[^865: F.9.137: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "To telle men what dowel is dobet and dobest boþe."]

[^866: F.9.140: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta manuscripts omit it.]

[^867: F.9.140: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þat clerk þouȝ he were."]

[^868: F.9.141: F's reading for this line is unique. Bx reads "To solacen hym som-tyme as I do whan I make." The excision of sadly to before stodie by lining through is not entirely characteristic of this scribe, and it is possible that he did not intend to omit to.]

[^869: F.9.142: The scribe has left a space for a Lombard capital <I>.]

[^870: F.9.144: F's b-verse is unique and represents an attempt to correct a corrupt archetype. Bx has erroneous "in manye places."]

¶ See Poulis pistil quod he  he preueþ what ys Dowel.
[^871] Ides [F]ides . Spes . Karitas . Maior[^872] horum est Karitas.
He seyþ feyþ . hope . & Charite . alle[^873] ben goode.
& savyn men sundry tymes / but non sone[^874] as charite.
For he doþ wel with -outyn dowte / þat doþ as lewte techiþ.
Þ at ys  If þat þou be maryed / þou love þy make leelly.
& lyve as lawe wille / þe[^875] whilis ȝee lyven bothe.

[^871: F.9.150: Space was left for a Lombard capital <F>.]

[^872: F.9.150: Alpha is responsible for the omission of et before Maior.]

[^873: F.9.151: Alpha lacks beta's and before alle.]

[^874: F.9.152: F uniquely omits so before sone.]

[^875: F.9.155: Alpha's þe is lacking in beta.]

/ [¶] Also If þou be Relygous / renne þou neuere fram home.
To Rome ne to Roche-madoure / but as þyn rewle tellyþ.
& holde þe vndir obedyence / þat is þe heye wey to hevene.

¶ & if þou be a Mayde meeke / & þou myghte wel þe contenue.
Seeke þou neuere seynt forthere / for þyn sowle helthe.
For what made Lucifer / to leese þe hyȝe hevene.
Er salomon his sapience / or sampson his strengthe.
Er Ioob al his Ioyȝe / of hise Ientile childryn.[^876]
Er Arystotil or virgyle / & ypocraas þe wise.
Er Alysaundre þat al wan / & alengely[^877] he endide.
Al was but catel & vn-kende wit / a-cumbred hem alle.[^878]
Er Felyce for hire fayrnesse / yt fel hire al to sklaundre.
& Rosemound ryght soo / rewfully she be-sette.
Þe Bewhte of hire body / in badde vse[^879] dispendyd.
Of manye swyche may y[^880] rede / boþe of men & wommen.
Þ at wyse wordys wolde shewe / & wirche þe contrarye.
[^881] unt [S]unt homines nequam bene de virtute loquentes.

[^876: F.9.163: F has substantially revised the line. Bx reads "Iob þe Iew his ioye deere he it abouȝte."]

[^877: F.9.165: alengely, "wrechedly."]

[^878: F.9.166: F has extensively revised this line. Bx has "Catel and kynde wit was combraunce to hem alle."]

[^879: F.9.169: Alpha reads "badde vse" for beta's "baddenesse she."]

[^880: F.9.170: The word order "may y" is owed to alpha.]

[^881: F.9.172: Space was left for a Lombard capital <S>.]

/ [¶] Þere ben ryche renkys þat do so / þat gadren & sparen.
P araunter þem þey moost haten / mynystre here goodys.[^882]
& þat ys / for þey ofte seen / so fele nedy folkys.
& loveþ hem nouht as god[^883] bit / þey lese here owen soule.
God byddis ȝou do þus[^884] / date  & dabitur uobis.
& þerfore catel & vnkynde wit / a-cumbreþ ful manye.[^885]
Woo[^886] ys hym / þat hem weldiþ / but he hem wel dispende.
[^887] cienti [S]cienti bonum & non facienti  uarijs flagellis uapulabit.
Þe book seiþ þat sapyence / swellyþ a mannys sowle.
[^888] apiencia [S]apiencia inflat

[^882: F.9.174: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "mynistren it at þe last."]

[^883: F.9.176: F substitutes god for oure lord. The same substitution appears in GYOC 2CB. Cf. F9.316, 388.]

[^884: F.9.177: The a-verse is unique to F.]

[^885: These lines are attested only in alpha.]

[^886: F.9.179: An otiose curl appears above the first <o>.]

[^887: F.9.180: Space was left for a Lombard capital <S>.]

[^888: F.9.182: Space was left for a Lombard capital <S>.]

/ [¶] & also / Rycchesse doþ ryȝt so / but if þe roote be trewe.
But grace ys grate[^889] þerfore[^890] / þo grevaunces to a-bate.
But grace growyþ / nowher / but a-mongys lowe.[^891]
& in men in leele lyvynge / & in lyf-holy.
& þat gaf hem þe holy goost / as þe gospel tellyþ.
[^892] piritus [S]piritus ubi vult spirat.
Clergye & kende wit / comeþ of syghte & techynge.
As þe book beriþ wytnesse / to beurnys þat kunne rede.
[^893] vod [Q]vod simus loquimur & quod uidimus testamur.
Of quod simus loquimur[^894] komeþ clergye / a[^895] conynge of hevene.
& of quod vidimus komeþ wit / þoru syghte of oure eyȝes.

[^889: F.9.184: F attempts to make sense of alpha's grace, attested by R, or confuses <c> with <t>, losing the B text's pun on gras meaning "a plant or herb of healing power" MED s.v. gras n. 2(b).]

[^890: F.9.184: Alpha reads þerfore. Beta manuscripts have þerof.]

[^891: F.9.185: F omits Bx's "Pacience and pouerte þe place is þer it groweþ."]

[^892: F.9.188: Space was left for a capital <S>.]

[^893: F.9.191: Space was left for a capital <Q>.]

[^894: F.9.192: F uniquely repeats loquimur from the preceding line. Other B manuscripts omit it.]

[^895: F.9.192: Alpha is responsible for a. Beta manuscripts have and.]

¶ But grace is a gifte of god / & of gret love springiþ.
Ȝit knew neuere clerk hou he comeþ / be kende witys weyes.[^896]
[^897] escit [N]escit aliquis vnde venit aut quo vadit
But ȝit is Clergye to comende / & kende wit boþe.
& namely Clergye for cristis love / for he knoweth þe roote.[^898]
For god wroot to Moyses / þat he sholde wisse þe peple.[^899]
Affter þe lettre tellyþ / þe lawe so was to þe Iewis.
What womman was take in a-vowtery / where she ryche or pore.
W ith stonys she sholde be stryken / & stoned to dethe.[^900]
& Cryst of his curtesye / o womman he savede.
For þoruh cristis carectys[^901] / þe Iewys knewe hem -selue.
Geltyere a-fore god / & grettere was here synne.
Þan þe womman þat þere stood / & wentyn a-wey for shame.
Þus þoruh clergye þere / confortyd was þe womman.
Holy chirche[^902] knoweth wel / þat cristis wrytynge hire savede.
& so ys Clergye gret confort / to creatures þat wille repente.
& also to manshide men / in Mischeef at here nede.
For goddis body myghte not be of breed / with -outyn clergye.
Þe wiche body in forme of breed[^903] / ys boote to þe ryghtful.
& deþ / & dampnacioun to hem / þat dyȝen in vn-klennesse.
But[^904] cristis carecte confortid hire / & alle þei were coupable.
For þe womman þat þe Iewis brouhte / cryst þouhte to save.
[^905] olite [N]olite iudicare  & non Iudicabimini.

[^896: F.9.195: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "ne kynde wit þe weyes."]

[^897: F.9.196: Space was left for a capital <N>.]

[^898: F.9.198: Bx reads "þat of Clergie is roote."]

[^899: The elaborate hypotactic structure of Bx and the loss of a line in alpha appear to have defeated the revising scribe. He retains key words, but fails adequately to capture the sense. Bx reads for this passage: For Moyses witnesseþ þat god wroot for to wisse þe peple In þe olde lawe as þe lettre telleþ þat was þe lawe of Iewes That what womman were in auoutrye taken wher she riche or poore Wiþ stones men sholde hir strike and stone hire to deþe A womman as we fynden was gilty of þat dede Ac crist of his curteisie þoruȝ clergie hir saued For þoruȝ caractes þat crist wroot þe Iewes knewe hemselue Giltier as afore god and gretter in synne.]

[^900: F.9.202: Alpha omits the following line from Bx: "A womman as we fynden was gilty of þat dede."]

[^901: F.9.204: Alpha's a-verse, reflected here, is more laconic than beta's "For þoruȝ caractes þat crist wroot."]

[^902: F.9.208: Alpha is responsible for the failure in alliteration here. Beta witnesses have kirke. In view of F-Redactor's interventionist tendencies and the evidence elsewhere that his own dominant form was kirke, his leaving this form indicates the sporadic and unsystematic nature of his interventions.]

[^903: F.9.212: F alone has "in forme of breed."]

[^904: F.9.214: Alpha had But or R's Ac. Beta witnesses have As.]

[^905: F.9.216: Space was left for a capital <N>.]

/ [¶] Ryght so goddis dere body / but it be worthyly take.
Dampneþ vs at þe day of dome / as dide[^906] þe carecte[^907] þe Iewis.

[^906: F.9.218: An otiose <e> abbreviation follows <d>.]

[^907: F.9.218: The word order and the singular form of carecte are alpha's. Beta witnesses have "as þe carectes dide."]

¶ For-þy / y conseile þe for cristis sake / clergye þat þou lovye.
For keende wit . is of his ken / & neer kosynes be boþe.
To oure lord leve þou me / for-þy / love hem y reede.
For boþe been as Mirroures / to a-mende oure defautis
& leederis to lewede men / & for lettryd boþe.

/ [¶] For- þy  lakke þou neuere logyk lawe / ne hise leve customys.
Ne countreplete no clerkys / y conseyle þe for euere.

¶ For as man may not see / þat mysseþ his syghte.[^908]
No more can no clerk clergye / but he cacche it in bokis.
& al-þeyhȝ man make bookys / ȝit god is Mayster
& seynt spiryȝt þe saumplarie / to þe man þat wryt yt.[^909]
For ryght as wit seruyþ a man / to seen in þe strete.
Ryght so leryþ lettrure / man to knowe resoun.[^910]
& as a blynd man in bataile / beriþ wepyn to fyȝte.
& haþ non hap with hax / his enemy to hytte.
No more can a lewid man[^911] / but clerkes hym teche.
For al ys[^912] kende wit / to be cristnyd & savyd.
Wiche ys coffre of cristis tresor / & clerkys[^913] kepe þe keyȝe.
To vnloke it at here lykyng / vnto þe lewid peple.
& graunteþ mercy for mysdedis / yf men wille yt aske.
Buxumly & benygnly / & bydde it / of grace.

[^908: F.9.226: Alpha is responsible for syghte. Beta and C manuscripts have eiȝen.]

[^909: F.9.229: F miscomprehended the sense of the passage. The b-verse in Bx reads "& seide what men sholde write."]

[^910: F.9.231: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "lewed men to Reson."]

[^911: F.9.234: F's a-verse perhaps reflects corruption in alpha. If R's almost nonsensical "kende wedded man" in place of beta's "kynde witted man" reflects alpha, F's omitting kynde and substitution of "lewed man" represents an attempt to make sense of the half-line.]

[^912: F.9.235: ys, "his."]

[^913: F.9.236:An otiose curl appears over the <c>.]

/ [¶] Archa dei in þe olde lawe / levites it kepten.
Hadde neuere lewid man leve / to leyn hond þere-onne.
But he were prest or prestis sone / patriarch or prophete.

¶ Saul for his mys-sacrifyse / sorwe hym by-tydde.[^914]
& hise sones also / for þat synne myschevedyn.
& manye mo oþire men / þat weryn none levites.
Þ at with archa dei wentyn / with worchepeful reuerencis.
& leyde on hond / & lyfte it vp / & lurn here lyf after.

[^914: These lines are attested only in alpha.]

/ [¶] For-þy  y conseyle alle creatures / no clergye ȝee dispise.
Ne settiþ lyght be here scyence / what so þei do hem -selue.
Tak here wordis at worþ / here wytnesses be trewe.
& medle not meche with hem / to meve hem to wratthe.
Leest Charyte be chased owt[^915] / þan ech man choppeth oþir.
[^916] olite [N]olite tangere Cristos meos.
Clergyȝe is keye & kepere[^917] / vnd vnd[ir] cryȝst of hevene.
Whas þere neuere no knyght / but Clergyȝe hym made.
For keende wyt komeþ / of alle kenne syghtys.
Of beestys & of bryddis / of trewþe / & of disseytys.

[^915: F.9.252: R, the only other witness to this line, reads "Lest cheste chasen vs."]

[^916: F.9.253: Space was left for a capital <N>.]

[^917: F.9.254: R reads "kynge and kepere" for F's "keye & kepere," while beta witnesses have only "kepere."]

/ [¶] Lyuerys be-fore vs / leernede bookys to make.[^918]
Þe selkowthis þat þey seyȝen / here sones for to teche.
& helde it an heyȝ scyence / here wittys to knowe.

[^918: F.9.258: Bx fails in alliteration, and both alpha and F attempted correction. Bx has "Lyueris toforn vs vseden to marke." Alpha and Cr have make in place of beta's marke.]

¶ But þorhȝ here scyencis soþly / was neuere sowle savid.
Ne bowht[^919] be here bookys / to blysse ne to Ioyȝe.
For al here kende knowynge / cam of dyuerse syghtys.
Boþe Patriarchis & p rophetis / repreven here scyencis.
& seyn he word he[re] word[is] ne here scyence[^920] / was al but folye.
As to þe Clergyȝe of crist / a-cowntyd it is a trefle.
Sapiencia huius mundi  Stulticia est apud deum.[^921]

[^919: F.9.262: Alpha introduced the reading bowht. Beta witnesses read broȝt.]

[^920: F.9.265: F uniquely reads scyence. Other B manuscripts have wisdome (R) or plural wisdomes (beta).]

[^921: F.9.267: Alpha omitted the following lines attested in beta: For þe heiȝe holy goost heuene shal tocleue And loue shal lepe out after into þis lowe erþe And clennesse shal cacchen it and clerkes shullen it fynde Pastores loquebantur ad inuicem He spekeþ þere of riche men riȝt noȝt ne of riȝt witty Ne of lordes þat were lewed men but of þe hyeste lettred oute Ibant magi ab oriente &c. If any frere were founde þere I ȝyue þee fyue shillynges Ne in none beggers cote was þat barn born But in a burgeys place of Bethlem þe beste Set non erat ei locus in diuersorio et pauper non habet diuersorium.]

/ [¶] To Pastores & to poetis / aperede an[^922] angil.
& bad hem goon to Bedleem / cristis berthe honowre [to] honowre.
He song a song of solace / wiche was[^923]
Ryche men rowhted þoo / þat in here reste weryn.[^924]
Whan to shepperdis a sterre shon / a shewere of blysse.
&[^925] Clerkis knewen it wel / & kemen with presentis.
& dyde omage & honour / to hym þat was al-myghty.

[^922: F.9.268: Alpha is responsible for an. Beta manuscripts and C have þe.]

[^923: F.9.270: The scribe left the remainder of the line blank. Bx reads " Gloria in excelsis deo ."]

[^924: These two lines are attested only in alpha.]

[^925: F.9.273: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta manuscripts and C omit it.]

¶ Why y have told þis tale / y took ful good heede.
How þou contraryedist Clergye / with þy crabbide wordis.
Þ at lewede men / lyghtlokere / þan lettrid men weryn savid.
& Clerkys / þan cleer wittyd men / of þe cristene peple.[^926][^927]
& þou seydist soþ of summe / & see an ensample.[^928]

[^926: F.9.278: The scribe's inattention turns the line on its head. Bx reads "Than clerkes or kynde witted men of cristene peple."]

[^927: Partially erased, partially legible characters appear in the right margin. The legible <a> and partially legible <. .g . ll> may have been intended to identify the speaker (the he of l.270) with the angel of l.268. Additional erased and illegible characters appear immediately below.]

[^928: F.9.279: F's b-verse is unique, and the corruption of R suggests that he has attempted to repair a defective exemplar. R has "ac se in whanere" in place of beta's "ac se in what manere."]

/ [¶] Tak two stronge men / & in Temse hem caste.
& looke boþe ben naked / noon be / but as oþyr.
Þ at oon can wel swymme / & konynge to dyve.[^929]
& þat oþir is lewyd to laboure / for he lerned it neuere.
Wiche trowist þou of hem two / in temse shal drenche.
But he þat nevere dyvede / ne neuere cowhde of swymmyng
For þe swymmere is saaf / yf so hym -selue yt lyke.[^930]
& þat oþir man ys in drede to dreche dre[n]che / for he dyde neuere swymme.[^931]
Ryght so quod þe renke / ryght / Resoun shewyþ.
He þat knoweth Clergyȝe / can sunnere a-ryȝse.
Owt of synne to be saf / þey he synne ofte.
If hym lyke & lyste / þanne ony lewede gooky.[^932]
For if þe Clerk be konynge / he knoweth what ys synne.
& þorhu contrisyoun & confessioun / confortyd ys his sowle.[^933]
As þou seest in þe Sawter / in a spalm it tellethȝ[^934]
How Contricyoun ys comendid / for he caste a-wey synne.
Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates . & quorum tecta sunt peccata.[^935]
Þis vers conforteþ euery clerk / & kenneþ[^936] hym fram wanhope.
In wiche þe foule fend[^937] / fondeþ a man hardest.
Þere þe lewid man lyþ stylle / & after lewte le[n]te lookeþ.
& haþ no contricyoun ne shryfte / for þere-of / ne can he telle.[^938]
But as hise loorys-men lerne hym / so he be-leveþ & troweth.
After his parsoun or parshe prest / parawnter þey be vnkonynge boþe.[^939]
Dum cecus ducit cecum[^940]
Weel may þat þat [barn] blesse hym / þat sette hym fyrst to skole.[^941]
Þ at þorhu his lettrure lerned / his lyf is savid & sowle[^942]
Dominus pars hereditatis mee / ys a merye versikle[^943]
It haþ take fram Tyburne / ten thowsende þeuys.[^944]
Þere lewede þevis be lollyd vp / loo  who haþ þe bettre.[^945]

[^929: F.9.282: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "That oon haþ konnynge and kan swymmen and dyuen."]

[^930: F.9.286: F and Cot omit the following line from Bx: "Ther his felawe flet forþ as þe flood likeþ."]

[^931: F.9.287: Alpha omits the following line attested by beta witnesses: "That swymme kan noȝt I seide it semeþ to my wittes."]

[^932: F.9.291: F uniquely reads gooky. Other B manuscripts have leelly.]

[^933: F.9.293: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And how contricion wiþoute confession conforteþ þe soule."]

[^934: F.9.294: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts read: "in Salmes oon or tweyne." Alpha and L have singular spalm for beta's plural Salmes.]

[^935: F.9.296: Alpha and Hm have peccata. Beta manuscripts omit it.]

[^936: F.9.297: Alpha is responsible for kenneþ. Beta manuscripts have couereþ.]

[^937: F.9.298: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "In which flood þe fend."]

[^938: F.9.300: F's reading is unique. Bx is corrupt, reading "And haþ no contricion er he come to shrifte & þanne kan he litel telle."]

[^939: F.9.302: F's b-verse is unique. R reads "and par auenter bothe," and beta witnesses have "and parauenture" with Vnkonnynge in the following a-verse. F omits Bx's "Vnkonnynge to lere lewed men as luc bereþ witnesse."]

[^940: F.9.303: Alpha omitted the following line attested by beta witnesses: "Wo was hym marked þat wade moot wiþ þe lewed."]

[^941: F.9.304: The revised b-verse is to be attributed to alpha. R reads "hym sette to scole," while beta manuscripts read "þat hym to book sette."]

[^942: F.9.305: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "That lyuynge after lettrure saued hym lif and soule."]

[^943: F.9.306: The b-verse is written over an erasure, and the <k> of versikle is corrected from <c> in a different ink by a contemporary hand.]

[^944: F.9.307: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "twenty stronge þeues."]

[^945: F.9.308: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "loke how þei be saued."]

¶ Þe theef þat hadde grace of god / on good fryday to speke.
Was for he ȝeeldid hym to criȝst / & knowleched hym gylty.[^946]
& buxum was in meende / his M ercy was to crave.[^947]

[^946: F.9.310: Alpha omits the following line: "And grace asked of god and he is euere redy."]

[^947: F.9.311: F substantially revised this line which in Bx reads "That buxomliche biddeþ it and ben in wille to amende hem."]

/ [¶] But þeyhȝ þat þeef hadde hevene / he hadde non heyȝ blysse.
As seynt symound or stevene / þat have disservid yt better.[^948]
Ryght as Man ȝeve me / meete a-myddis his halle.
[^949] & sytte boordles beggerely / be my-selue on grownde.
[^950] I have meete ryght a-nowh / but not so myche worchepe.
As þey þat syttyn at þe table[^951] / with þe souereyn of þe place.
So it fareþ be þat feloun / þat on good fryday was savid.
He syt neyþir with Iohan ne Iemes / with Ierom / ne with awstyn.[^952]
Ne with Martyres ne con fessoures / ne with Maydenys clene.[^953]
But be hym -selue as a soleyn / þat seruyd ys in þe halle.
For he þat ys oonys a theef / he is euere after in dawnger.
& as lawe wille lyke / to make hym lyve or dyȝe.
De peccato propiciato / noli esse sine metu.
But for to[^954] servyn a seynt / & swich a þeef to-gydres.
It were neyþir resoun ne reyght / to rewarde hem y-lyche.
& ryght as Troianus þe knyght / tylte not in-to helle.
Þ at crist hadde hym lyghtly owt / so leve y it be in hevene[^955]
For he is in þe lowest in hevene / if oure be-leve trewe [be] trewe.
& wol[^956] loosly / he lolleþ þere / be lawe of holy chirche.
Þere þe byble seyþ[^957] . Reddite[^958] vnicuique iuxta opera sua.

[^948: F.9.313: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "As Seint Iohan and oþere Seintes þat deserued hadde bettre."]

[^949: F.9.315: Scribal ".a." appears in the left margin, indicating that the scribe intended that this line, originally written after F9.317, should precede it instead. The actual order in the manuscript is the order of Bx, and presumably this reflects's F's immediate exemplar, but we have followed the scribe's instruction as to his own intention. The change is attributable not to F-Redactor but to the immediate scribe.]

[^950: F.9.316: The scribe has written ". b ." in the left margin by this line. See the textual note to the preceding line for discussion.]

[^951: F.9.317: F's omission of the alliterating stave syde before table is shared by GYOC2CB, probably reflecting the FG scribes' sense that a side table is not the place for the sovereign. The omission makes more sense in FG where or is omitted before with than in the other manuscripts that make the change. For other agreements among these manuscripts, see F9.176, 388.]

[^952: F.9.319: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "He sit neiþer wiþ Seint Iohan Symond ne Iude." Alpha is responsible for the omission of Seint in the a-verse, but F revised the line to fit a new alliterative stave.]

[^953: F.9.320: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Ne wiþ maydenes ne with martires ne (R only) Confessours ne wydewes."]

[^954: F.9.325: The to is added above the line in a different ink by a contemporary hand, we think the original scribe's.]

[^955: F.9.328: Alpha had omitted thief, and F revised to make sense of what he found. Beta witnesses read "so leue I þe þef be in heuene."]

[^956: F.9.330: The same spelling occurs in R, reflecting an alpha reading.]

[^957: F.9.331: F uniquely introduces the Latin tag with this a-verse, but R has And. Beta witnesses begin the line with Qui or Quia .]

[^958: F.9.331: Alpha reads Reddite. Beta manuscripts have reddit.]

¶ But why þat oon þeef on þe croos / creaunt gan hym ȝeelde.
Rathere þan þat oþir theef / þou þynkst me to a-pose.
Alle þe Clerkys vndir crist / ne cunne þe skylle telle.[^959]
Qvare placuit  quia deus[^960] voluit.

[^959: F.9.334: Alpha is responsible for telle. Beta manuscripts have assoille.]

[^960: F.9.335: F uniquely reads deus. Other B manuscripts omit it.]

/ [¶] And so y seyȝ to the / þat sekyst after þo weyȝes.
& hast y-resoned Reson / with rebewkyng as it were.
& wylnest of wyȝlde bryddys / of here bredyng to knowe.[^961]
Why summe lowe [be] lowe & summe on lofte / þy lykynge were to here.
& how þe flowres in þe frythȝ / have so faire hewes.
Wher-of þey kacchen here colour[^962] / so cleer & so bryghte.
& of þe stones & þe sterrys / þou stodyest in þyn meende.
How þey may so styken / & shynen fram þe walkene.[^963]

[^961: Beta attests these lines in a different order, exchanging 339 with 338 and 341 with 340.]

[^962: F.9.341: Alpha has singular colour. Beta manuscripts have plural colours.]

[^963: F.9.343: This line replaces the following one from Bx: "How euere beest ouþer brid haþ so breme wittes."]

¶ Clergye ne keende wit / knew neuere þe cause.
But keende knoweth þe cause / no creature ellis.
He ys þe Pyes patrone / & pit it in hys ere.
Þ at there þe thorn ys thykkest / þere to bygge & brede.[^964]
& keende kenneþ þe Pekook / to kawken with his make.
& keende kennede Adam / to knowe hise priue membrys.
& tawhte hym & Eve / to hele hem with leevys.

[^964: F.9.347: Alpha reads "þere to builde and brede." F and C independently supply the synonymous bygge. Beta manuscripts have "to buylden and brede."]

/ [¶] But lewed men manye tymes / Maystris a-pose.
Why Adam heled not hys mowþ / whan he eet þe appil.
Rathere þan his lykam lowe / þis is a lewid mannys maunde.[^965]
Keende knoweth why he dyde so / but no Clerk ellis.

[^965: F.9.353: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "lewed asken þus clerkes."]

¶ Of bryddis & of beestys / men be olde tymes.
Ensamples tooken be termes / as tellyn þe Poetys.
How þe fayrest foul / fowlest þey gendren.
& feblest foul of flyght / þat fleeþ or swymmeþ.
Þ at ys þe prowhde Pookok / & ryche men he be-tokneþ.
For þe pokok &[^966] he be pursued / he may not flee hyȝe.
For trayle of his tayl / ouer-take ys he soone.
& his flesh e ys foul flesh e / & hise feet foule bothe.
& he haþ an vnlovely stevene[^967] / & loþly to here.

[^966: F.9.360: The ampersand here stands for an, "if."]

[^967: F.9.363: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And vnlouelich of ledene." F substitutes stevene for ledene again at F9.381.]

¶ Ryght so þe ryche man / if he his rycchesse kepiþ.
& deleþ it not tyl his deþ-day / þe tayl of alle sorwe.
Ryght as þe pennys of þe Pekok / peyneþ hym in fleyng.
So is possessioun peyne to þe ryche / of pens & of noblys.
& to alle hem þat syluer holdiþ / tyl here tayl be plukkyd.[^968]
& þeyhȝ þe ryche repente þanne / & be-rewe þe tyme.
Þ at euere he gadrede so grete / & gaf þerof so lytyl.
Þeyhȝ he þanne criȝe to crist / with clene wyl y leve.
Ful lytil grace ys grauntyd hym / for god may not hym heere.[^969]

[^968: F.9.368: An otiose mark is written over the <p>.]

[^969: F.9.372: This line replaces the following one from Bx: "His ledene be in oure lordes ere lik a pies."]

¶ But whan his kareyn ys kowchyd / & in kave beryed.
I leve it flawmeþ foule / þe foolde al a-bowten.
Þ at yt envenymeþ þere it lyþ / alle oþire þoru his atter.

¶ Be þe poo feet ys vndirstonde / as it seyþ in Avenet.
Executoris be þo false frendis / þat fulfylle not his wille.
Al is wrete to bere witnesse / to wirche as he[^970] wolde.
Ryght as þe Poete preveþ þe pookok / men pulle hise fedres.[^971]
Ryght so is þe ryche man / be-reeft hym fram hise goodis.[^972]

[^970: F.9.378: Alpha reads he. Beta manuscripts have it.]

[^971: F.9.379: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Thus þe Poete preueþ þat þe pecok for hise feþeres is reuerenced."]

[^972: F.9.380: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Riȝt so is þe riche by reson of hise goodes."]

¶ Þe Larke þat is a lasse foul / ys more lovely of stevene.
& wel a-wey of wenge / & swyftere / þan þe pookok.
& of fleshȝ be fele fold / boþe fattere & swettere.
Ryght so / to lowe lyvynge men / þe larke may be lykned.[^973][^974]

[^973: F.9.384: F uniquely reads "may be lykned." Other B manuscripts have "is resembled."]

[^974: F.9.384: An otiose mark appears over the <n>.]

¶ For[^975] Aristotil þe grete clerk / swiche talis he tellyþ.
Þe larke he lykneþ in his glose[^976] / þe leeste foul owte.
& for-soþe of Salomon / no Scripture can telle.[^977]
Wheyþir he be saaf / or non[^978] / þe soþe telliþ no byble.[^979]
But god is so good y hope / þat sytthe he gaf hym wyttis.
To wysshen wyȝen þere-with / þat wyssen vs be saved.
& þe bettre for hise bookis / to bydde for hym we be holde.
Þ at god of his grete grace / grawnte his sowle reste.[^980]
For lettrid men weryn lewede / ne were loore of bookys.

[^975: F.9.385: Alpha is responsible for For. Beta manuscripts omit it.]

[^976: F.9.386: Alpha is responsible for glose. Beta manuscripts and C have logik. R has glosing.]

[^977: F.9.387: In relation to Bx this line and the next are transposed.]

[^978: F.9.388: The omission of saaf (2) is shared by CrGYOC2CB. Cf. F9.176, 316.]

[^979: F.9.388: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "þe soþe woot no clergie."]

[^980: F.9.392: Alpha is responsible for grawnte and the singular phrase "his sowle." Beta manuscripts have gyue and "hir soules."]

¶ Alle þese Clerkys q uod y tho  þat on crist be-leven
Seyn in here sermonys / þat neyþir Iewys ne sarsyȝnes.
Ne no creature lyȝk to crist / with -outyn cristnyng worþ saved.

¶ Contra quod ymagenatyf þo  & komsede for to lowre.
& seyde vix saluabitur iustus in die Iudicij.
Ergo  Saluabitur quod he / & seyde no more latyn.

¶ Troianus þat trewe knyght / took neuere no cristendom[^981]
& he is saaf as seyþ þe book / & his soule in blysse.
But[^982] þere is fullyng in þe funt / & also in blood shedyng.
& þoru þe holy goost[^983] is fullyng / & þat ys ferme be-leve.
Aduenit ignis diuinus non comburens sed illuminans.
But þe knyght[^984] trespased neuere / ne tranuersyd tran[s]uersyd[^985] a-geyn his lawe.
& be-leved as was tawht hym / for he ne knew no bettre.[^986]
& if he were wykke he wolde a-mende / & in swich a wille dyȝeþ.
Ne wolde neuere trewe god / but his wil were a-lowed.
& were it worþ . or not worþ / þe beleve ys gret in trewþe.
& an hope hangynge þerin / þerfore meede to have.[^987]
For deus dicitur quasi dans vitam eternam suis . id[^988] est . fidelibus.
Et alibi . Si ambulauero in medio vmbre mortis non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es domine.[^989]
The glose grawntiþ vpon þat vers / a gret meede of trewþe.
Boþe wit & wysdom quod þat wyȝ / weryn sumtyme a tresor.
To kepe hem fram [wiþ a] comoun / no catelle was bettre.
& myche merthe & manhed / & with þat word he vanshede.

[^981: F.9.400: The scribe has written "X" in red with red flourishes in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.]

[^982: F.9.402: Alpha is responsible for F's But and R's Ac. Beta manuscripts have For.]

[^983: F.9.403: F alone reads "holy goost" in place of correct fire. An intelligent sophistication, it is perhaps attributable to the F redactor.]

[^984: F.9.405: Though alpha is responsible for the omission of þat before trespased, F alone among B witnesses substitutes þe knyght for truþe.]

[^985: F.9.405: CrLR also read transuersed, a reading appearing in numerous C manuscripts. Beta has trauersed. See Kane-Russell's Piers Plowman: The C Version (London: Athlone Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles: U of California P, 1997), p. 487.]

[^986: F attempted to simplify this notoriously difficult passage, translating loosely. Bx reads as follows: But lyueþ as his lawe techeþ and leueþ þer be no bettre And if þer were he wolde amende and in swich wille deieþ Ne wolde neuere trewe god but trewe truþe were allowed.]

[^987: F.9.410: Bx reads "to haue a mede for his truþe."]

[^988: F.9.411: F uniquely reads id. Bx has hoc.]

[^989: F.9.412: F uniquely reads " non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es domine ." Other B manuscripts conclude the line with mortis .]

E xplicit Passus Nonus.

[This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file.] I ncipit Passus Decimus.

A - Wake[^990] y gan þer-with / witles neer honde.
& as a Freek Freek [þat] a-feerd were / forþ gan y walke.
In manere of a Mendynaunt / many a ȝeer after.
& of þis meetynge many tymes / Merveyle y hadde.
Fyrst how Fortune faylede me / at my moost nede.
& how þat Elde manased me / myghte we euere metyn.
& how þat Frerys folwede folk / [/ folk] þat weren ryche.
& poore folk þat weryn / lytyl of hem þey settyn.
& no koors in here kyrke-ȝeerd / wolde[^991] þei non berye.
But quik he wolde be-qwethe hem / or quite out here dettys.
& how Coueytyse ouer-cam / clerkys & preestys.
& hou þat lewid men ben lad / but oure lord hem helpe.
Þoruhȝ vnkonynge kuratouris / to vn-kurable peynes.[^992]

[^990: F.10.1: The ornamental capital is red and green with red and green flourishes extending the height of the page in the left margin.]

[^991: F.10.9: An otiose curl appears over the <o>.]

[^992: F.10.13: Alpha omits the following seven lines: And how þat Ymaginatif in dremels me tolde Of kynde and of his konnynge and how curteis he is to bestes And how louynge he is to bestes on londe and on watre Leneþ he no lif lasse ne moore The creatures þat crepen of kynde ben engendred And siþen how ymaginatif seide vix saluabitur And whan he hadde seid so how sodeynliche he passed.]

/ [¶] I lay doun longe in þis þowht / & at þe laste y slepte.
& as crist wolde cam Conciense / & confortyd me þat tyme.
& bad me come to his cuntre / with Clergye shulde y dyghne.
& for Conciense of Clergye spak / y cam wel þe rathere.
& þere y seyȝ a Mayster / what man he was / y nyste.
& lowe doun y lowtede / & lovely dyde hym honoure.[^993]

[^993: F.10.19: F's reading is unique. The b-verse in Bx reads "and loueliche to scripture."]

¶ But Concyense knew me wel / & wolkomed me faire.
Þan wysshe þey & wypeden / & wentyn after to dyghner.

/ [¶] But Pacyence in þe paleyȝs stood / in pylgrimes wedys.
& prayede mete pur Charite / for a poore hermyte.

¶ Þan Concyense callyd[^994] hym in / & curteyȝsly he seyȝde.
Wolkome weyȝ . goo & washȝ / & þou shalt sytte in haste.

[^994: F.10.24: The scribe corrected an original <u> to <y>.]

/ [¶] Þe Mayster was maad syttyn / as moost of hem worthy.
& þan Clergye & Concyence / & pacience cam after.
Pacyence & y  weryn seet / to ben mettys.[^995]
& setyn be oure -selue / at a syȝd-table.

[^995: F.10.28: Alpha reads mettys. Beta manuscripts have macches.]

¶ Þan Concyense callid after meete / & sone cam scripture.
& seruede hem þus soone / of sundry metys manye.
Of Austyn & Ambrose / & with þe foure ewangelis.
Edentes & bibentes que apud eos sunt.

/ [¶] Þe Mayster ne non oþir man / non maner fleshȝ etyn.
For þey hadde metys[^996] of moore cost / as Morterelys powdred.[^997]
Of þat men mys-wonnyn / þey made hem wel a tese at ese.
But here saws . was ouer sowr / & vn-saverly grounde.
In a Morter post mortem / / with many a bytter peyȝne.
& shulle sobbe for þe sowlys / manye salte teerys.[^998]
Vos qui peccata hominum comeditis . nisi pro eis lacrimas & oraciones effunderitis ea que in delicijs comedistis comeditis in tormentis[^999] evometis.

[^996: F.10.35: Alpha reads "hadde metys." Beta manuscripts have "eten mete."]

[^997: F.10.35: F's reading for the b-verse is unique. Most other B manuscripts read "mortrews and potages." Compare F10.60b for similar variation.]

[^998: F.10.39: Alpha reads "(with) manye salte teerys." Beta manuscripts have "and wepe salte teris."]

[^999: F.10.40: The scribe originally wrote tormenmentis with a line break following initial tormen and with the following men subpuncted in red.]

¶ Concyence curteysly þo / comaundide scrypture
By-fore Pacience breed to brynge / & me þat was his meete
He sette a-fore vs a sour loof / & seide agite penitenciam.
& after he drowh vs a drynk / was diu perseuerans.
As longe as lyf q uod he[^1000] / & lykam may dure.

[^1000: F.10.45: Alpha, OC2, and C read he. Beta manuscripts have I.]

/ [¶] Here Here [is] propre seruyse quod Pacience / no P ri nce faret bettre.
& þan he browhte a-noþir mees / was miserere mei deus.
& þer -with beati quorum / tecta sunt / with blawnche poudre stroued.[^1001]
& beatus vir cui non imputauit / in a plater a loo[^1002]
& deerne shryfte dixi / & confitebor tibi

[^1001: F's reading is unique. Bx reads as follows: And he brouȝte vs of Beati quorum of Beatus vir res makyng. Et quorum tecta sunt peccata in a dissh.]

[^1002: F.10.49: The reading appears only in F. Bx reads "dissh of." Possibly luce, lus, "pike" lies behind loo.]

¶ Bryng pacyence sum pitaunce / pryvyly quod Concyense .
& þan was brouht to pacyence / þis pytance ful soone.
Pro hac orabat[^1003] omnis sanctis in tempore oportuno.
& þan Concyense confortyde me / & carpede merye talys.
A -mong was . cor contritum & humiliatum deus non despicies.

[^1003: F.10.53: Alpha and the majority of C manuscripts omit beta's ad te .]

¶ Þan was Pacyence prowhd / of þat propre seruyse.
& maade merthe with his mowht[^1004] / but y moornede euere.
For þe doctoures on þe dees / drunke wyȝn so faste.
Ve vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum.
Þey[^1005] etym ety[n] many sundry metys / & morterews y-powdred.[^1006]
Whyȝlde braun & whombe clowtys / & bacoun with eggys fryed.

[^1004: F.10.57: F's reading is unique, perhaps in response to corruption in alpha. R has mene. Beta and C read mete.]

[^1005: F.10.60: F's reading is unique. R has And, and beta reads He.]

[^1006: F.10.60: F's reading for the b-verse is unique. Most other B manuscripts read "mortrews and puddynges." Compare F10.35b for similar variation.]

¶ Þanne seyde y my-selue / þat Pacyense it herde.
It ys not goo foure dayes þat þis freek / be-fore folk at poulis.
Prechede In fame & frigore  & flappis of skorges.[^1007]
Ter cesus sum  & a Iudeis quinquies quadragenas.

[^1007: F.10.64: F makes one line of two. Bx reads as follows: Preched of penaunces þat Poul þe Apostle suffrede In fame & frigore and flappes of scourges.]

¶ But o woord þey ouer-hyppid / at ech tyme þey preche.
Þ at Powl in his pistil / to þe peple tolde.
Periculum[^1008] in falsis fratribus  was neuere ȝit no teeme.[^1009]

[^1008: F.10.68: Alpha is responsible for the omission of beta's est .]

[^1009: F.10.68: As he frequently does, F adds a tag to make a full line.]

¶ Holy wryt biddis be war / y wil not wryte it heere.
On englyshȝ enawnter / it sholde be reersyd to ofte.
& greve þerewith / þat goode men been / but gramaryenys shul it rede.
Vnusquisque a fratre se custodiat.
Qvia dicitur  periculum est / in falsis fratribus.

¶ I nyste neuere ȝit Frere preche / be-fore men on englyshȝ.
Took it for his teeme / & tolde it with -outyn glosyng.
But[^1010] þey prechen þat penaunce / ys profytable to sowle.
What myscheef & male-ese / crist for man tholede.

[^1010: F.10.76: Alpha is responsible for But (R has Ac), which is omitted in beta.]

¶ But þis goddys glotoun quod y  with hise grete chekys.
He haþ no pyte on þe poore / he parformeþ his speche evele.
Þ at he precheþ þus & preveþ yt[^1011] / to Pacyence priuyly y tolde.
& wyȝshede wyttyrly with wille / with woordys ful egre.
Þ at dysshes & dubbleres / on dees be-fore þe doctour.[^1012]
Were Mooltyn leed in his Mawe // & Mahoun a-myddys.

[^1011: F.10.80: F's reading is unique. Beta reads "That he precheþ he preueþ noȝt to Pacience I tolde." R has "Þat he precheth and preueth to pacience I tolde."]

[^1012: F.10.82: F's b-verse is unique. Beta reads "bifore þis ilke doctour." R has "byfor þis doctor."]

¶ I shal Iangle to þat Iurdan / with his Iusty whombe.
To telle me what penaunce ys / of wyche he prechiþ euere.[^1013]

[^1013: F.10.85: F's euere is unique. R has nonsensical þere aþ, and beta reads raþer.]

¶ Pacyense parseyve parseyve[d] what y seide / & bad holde me stylle[^1014]
& seyde þou shalt seen after soone / whan he may etyn no more.
He[^1015] shal have penaunce in his paunche / & puffe at euery speche
& þanne shulle hise guttys gowle / & he shal galpen after.
For now he haþ drunke so depe / he wille dyvyne sone.
& preue it in[^1016] þe a-pokelyps / & in þe passioun of seynt savoures [Auereys].[^1017]
Þ at neyþir bakoun ne brawn / ne[^1018] blamegeris / ne Mortreus.
Is neyþir fyshȝ ne fleshȝ / but foode for penauntys.[^1019]
& takþ testemonye on þe Trynnyte / & ek his felowe to borwe.
What he fond in a selle / after a[^1020] frerys dyȝeng.[^1021]
& but þe firste lyȝne be in a lesyng / leve me neuere after.
& þanne is tyme to a-posen / & pyttyn to þe Doctour.
If Dowel and Dobet / and Dobest be penaunce.

[^1014: F.10.86: F's b-verse is unique, though derived from alpha. Beta reads "and wynked on me to be stille." R has "and bad me be stille."]

[^1015: F.10.88: The red touch on the <H> is very faint.]

[^1016: F.10.91: An otiose curl appears on the <n>.]

[^1017: F.10.91: This curious name probably reflects scribal misunderstanding of <S> appearing before auereys as an abbreviation for "saint." It would be entirely characteristic of F to have supplied seynt where he believed it was missing.]

[^1018: F.10.92: Alpha is responsible for ne which does not appear in beta.]

[^1019: F.10.93: Alpha is responsible for penauntys. Beta manuscripts have singular a penaunt.]

[^1020: F.10.95: An otiose curl appears above the <a>.]

[^1021: F.10.95: Bx reads "What he fond in a frayel after a freres lyuyng."]

¶ I sat stylle as pacyence bad / & sone þe Doctour after.
As rody as þe Rose / gan rodye hise chekys.
He Cowhede & Carpede / & Concyense hym herde.
& tolde tolde [hym] of þe Trynnyte / & towardis vus he lokede.

/ [¶] What ys Dowel sire . quod y  & is Dobest[^1022] ony penaunce.

[^1022: F.10.103: Alpha is responsible for Dobest. Beta manuscripts have Dowel.]

¶ Do-wel is quod þe Doctour / & dronk a-non þere-after.[^1023]
Do no evil to þyn evyncristenn / nowht be þyn powher.

[^1023: F.10.104: F's b-verse is unique. Beta reads "and took þe cuppe and drank." R is defective, reading "and dronk after."]

/ [¶] By þis day sire quod y  þan be ȝee nowht nou in Dowel .
For ȝee have harmed vus two / in þat ȝee etyn þe puddyng.
& Morterelis & oþir mete / & we no mussel hadde.
If ȝe fare so in ȝoure fermerye / ferly me þynkeþ.
But Cheeste with Charyte be / y chylle on ȝow pleyne.[^1024]
I wil permyte[^1025] myn penaunce with ȝoure / for y am am [in] poynt to spille [dowel].

[^1024: F.10.110: F has revised the line, especially the b-verse. Bx reads "But cheeste be þer charite sholde be and younge children dorste pleyne." R divides the line into two defective lines, reading: But cheste be þere charite schulde be And ȝonge children durst pleyne. F's revision is striking, since ych is the form of neither the immediate scribe nor the revisor we think responsible for the more substantial revisions in the text. Obviously the form is motivated by the demands of alliteration, and it is perhaps not remarkable that an East Anglian scribe should have known and used the doublet form.]

[^1025: F.10.111: Most other B witnesses read permute "exchange." F's permyte is a spelling variant and not an error.]

¶ Þanne Conscyence ful[^1026] curteysly / a contynaunce he made.
& plukkid vp-on pacyense / & prayede hym be stylle.
& seyde hym -selue / sire Doctour / & it be ȝoure wille.
[^1027] What is Dowel & Dobet / ȝee dyvynoures knowe.

[^1026: F.10.112: Alpha and C have ful. Beta manuscripts omit it.]

[^1027: F.10.115: An ordinary abbreviation for nota was written by a later hand in the left margin. In what appears to be the same ink, the symbol for a musical note also appears just below the abbreviation, a fairly common visual pun in late medieval manuscripts.]

/ [¶] Dowel q uod þat doctour / ys / to doon as clerkes teche.
& dobet ys he / þat techeþ / & trauayleþ to teche oþere.
& dobest dooþ hym -selue so / as he seyþ & techeþ.
Qui facit & docuerit . hic magnus uocabitur in regno celorum.

¶ A Clergye quod Conscience / þou carpist what is Dowel .
I have sevene sones he seyde / þat seruyn in a Castel.
Þere þe lord of lyf woneþ / to lerne hem to dowel.
I wolde see þo sevene sones / & ȝoure-selue a-corde.[^1028]

[^1028: F.10.123: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Til I se þo seuene and myself acorden."]

/ [¶] I am vnhardy quod he þan / to ony wyght preve[^1029] it.
For pers plowhman a-pertly / haþ repugned[^1030] vus alle.
He set alle scyenses at a sop / save love oone.
& non oþir tyxt takþ he / to meyntene his cause.
But dilige deum / and domine quis habitabit.

[^1029: F.10.124: Alpha lacks beta's to before preve.]

[^1030: F.10.125: F alone reads repugned in place of Bx's impugned. The words overlap in their semantic range (see MED, s.v. repugned v. [2], citing the C substitution in at least one manuscript of repugnen for impugnen at C.Prol.136). The same pattern of variation occurs in F8.310.]

¶ He seyþ þat dowel & Dobet / ben tweye Infynytis.
Wiche Infynytis with a feyþ / fyȝnden owt owt [Dobest].
Þ at shal save mannys soule / þus seyþ Peers Plowhman.

¶ I can not heere on / quod Conscyense / & ȝit y knowe wel Perkyn[^1031]
He wil not speke a-geyn holy wryt / y dar wel wel wel vndir-take.
Now passe we ouer tyl Pers come / & preve þis in deede.
Pacyense haþ ben in many place / & paraventure he knoweth.
Þere ben no Clerkis kone[^1032] so meche / as crist beriþ witnesse.[^1033]
Pacientes vincunt

[^1031: F.10.132: F's revision here of Bx's Piers to Perkyn is surprising since all other Bx references to Perkyn, save one, have been revised in F to Piers.]

[^1032: F.10.136: Alpha and OC2 omit beta's ne before kone.]

[^1033: The silverpoint line indicators for this leaf are unusually dark, but they are not intended for emphasis.]

/ [¶] At ȝowre prayere quod Pacyense þo / so no man be displesyd.
Disce quod he and doce /and dilige inimicos tuos.
Disce and dowel / doce and dobet.
Dilige and dobest / thus was tawht me onis.

¶ Þanne a Lemman þat Lovely spak / Love was hire name.
W ith wordis & with werkis quod she / & good wille of þyn herte.
Þy sowle þowh love leely / al þyn lyf-tyȝme.
& so to leerne to lowe the[^1034] / for þe Lordis love of hevene.
& þyn Enemy in alle wyse / love evene as þy-selue.
Caste kolys on his heed / þat ys  alle kynde speche.
Boþe with werkis & with wordis / to wynne his love þou fonde.
& leyȝ on hym þus with love / tyl he lawhe on the.
& but he bowe for þys betynge / blynd mote he worthe.

[^1034: F.10.145: Bx reads "And so þow lere þe to louye . . . ."]

/ [¶] But for to fare þus with þy freend / greet folye it were.
For he þat loveþ the leelly / lytyl of þyn he dysyreþ.[^1035]
For kende love coueyteþ not / no catel / but speche.
W ith half a lampe lyne of latyȝn / ex vi transicionis.
& beryþ þerInne a-bowte / faste y-bownde Dowel.
In a sygne of þe Saturday / þat syt first in þe kalender.
& al the wit of þe wednysday / & þe nexte wyke after.
Þe Myddil of þe Moone / ys þe myght of bothe.
& þerfore am y wolkome / þere y have yt with me.
Vndo it &[^1036] lete þe Doctour se[^1037] it / wher[^1038] dowel be þer -Inne.
For by hym þat me maade / myghte neuere pouerte.
Myssese ne myscheef / ne man with his tunge.
Ne Catel ne Care / ne cumpanye of thevys.
Neyþir heete ne hayl / ne non helle powke.
Ne neythir feyȝr ne flood / ne feere of þyn enemy.
Teene the ony tyme / & þou take it with the.
Caritas nichil timet.
& eek so have god my soule / & þou wilt love crave.[^1039]
Þere nys Emperour ne Empresse / neyþir Erl ne baroun.
Pope ne Patriark / þat pure resoun shal the make.
Mayster of alle men / þoruhȝ myght of his reede.
Nowht þoruh no ryche craft / but þoruh wit of hem -selue.[^1040]
To ȝeve þe al þat þey may ȝeve / as þou for beest ȝeemere.[^1041]
Pacientes vincunt

[^1035: F.10.152: Alpha is responsible for dysyreþ. Beta manuscripts and C have coueiteþ.]

[^1036: F.10.160: Alpha is responsible for &, which is omitted in beta.]

[^1037: F.10.160: Alpha is responsible for se. F alone adds it. Beta manuscripts have deme. L had sen, but corrected it to deme.]

[^1038: F.10.160: Alpha is responsible for wher. Beta manuscripts have if.]

[^1039: These lines are attested only in alpha.]

[^1040: F.10.172: F omits the following line attested only in R: "Do kyng and quene and alle þe comune after."]

[^1041: F.10.173: F omits the following line attested only in R: "And as þou demest wil þei do alle here dayes after."]

/ [¶][^1042] It ys but a dydo quod þe Doctour / & a dysoures tale.
For alle wyttys of þis world / ne waytyng of mannys strengþe.[^1043]
Kunne not conferme pees / twixe þe pope & hise enenyȝs ene[m]yȝs.
Ne twene two cristene kyngis / þei cunne no pees make.
Profytable to euery peple / & þerwith  he pytte þe table fram hym.
& took Clergye & Consciense / to conseyle as it were.
& leet Pacyense forþ passe / for pylgrime pylgrime[s] kunne wel lyȝe.

[^1042: F.10.175: The scribe in rubricating the leaf noted that he had not marked for the paraph and made the correction in red ink.]

[^1043: F.10.176: The b-verse in Bx reads "and wiȝt mennes strengþe."]

[^1044] ¶ Þan Conscyense carpede lowhde / & curteysly seyde.
Freendys fareþ alle wel / & faire spak to Clergye.
For y wille goon with þis goome / if god wil gyve me grace.
& been pylgrym with pacyense / tyl y have preved moore.

[^1044: F.10.182: A clumsily drawn pointing hand is supplied in the left margin by a later reader.]

/ [¶] What quod Conscyense to Clergye / are ȝee coveytous nowthe
After ȝyresȝevis & ȝiftys / or ȝeernyn to reedyn redelys.
I shal brynge ȝow a byble / a book of þe olde lawe.
& leerne ȝow if ȝee lykyn[^1045] / þe leeste lyȝne to knowe.
Þ at Pacyense þat pylgrym / parfyȝtly knewh neuere.

[^1045: F.10.189: Alpha is responsible for the personal form of the verb. Beta manuscripts have the impersonal construction "yow like."]

¶ Nay be crist quod Consciense / cryst þe for-beede.
For al Pacyense me proferyþ / prowhd am y / but lyte.
But þe wille of þe weyȝ / & wille of folk heere.
Have meved my mood / to moorne for my synnys.
For þe goode wille of euery whyȝt / was neuere bowht to dere.
For þere is no tresor þerto / as to a trewe wille.

/ [¶] Hadde not Marie Mawdeleyn / more for a boox of salue.
Þanne Zacheus hadde / for dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus.
& þe poore wydewe / for a peyȝre of Mytys.
Þanne alle þo þat offreden gold / in Gazophylaciom.

¶ Þus curteysly Concyense / concludide þe Mayster.[^1046]
& sytthe softely he seyde / in Clergyes ere.
Me wolde leuerere by oure lord / & longe y lyve sholde.
Have Pacyence parfyȝtly / þan half þy pakke of bookys.

[^1046: F.10.201: F alone has this b-verse. Other B manuscripts read "congeyed first þe frere."]

/ [¶] Clergye ne Consciense / no congye wolde take.
But þei seiden ful sobrely / þou shalt se the tyme.
Whan þou art wery for-walkyd / wylne me to conseyle.

¶ Þ at is soþ q uod Consciense / so me god helpe.
If Pacyense be oure partynge feere / & preve with vs boþe.
Þere is no wrong in þis world / þat we we [ne] shulle yt a-mende.
& conforme kyngis to pees / of[^1047] alle kenne londys.
&[^1048] sarsynes of Suryȝe / & so forþ alle þe Iewis.
& turnen hem to trewe feyþ / & in- to trewe beleve.

[^1047: F.10.211: Alpha reads of against beta's and.]

[^1048: F.10.212: Beta lacks alpha's &.]

¶ Þat is soþ quod Clergye / I see wel what þou menys.
I shal dwellyn as y doo / my dever to shewe.
& enformen fawntekynes / & oþire folk to leerne.
Tyl Pacyense haþ previd þe / & parfyȝtly parfyȝt þe makyd.

/ [¶] Consciense with Pacyense / passeden / pylgrimes as þei were.
Þan hadde Pacyense in his pooke / pylgrimes vytailys.
Sobrete & symple speche / & soþfast beleve.
To conforte hym & consciense / where þey kemen in place.
For vnkyȝndenesse & coveytyse / be hungri cuntres bothe.

¶ & as þey wentyn be þe wey / & of Dowel carpeden.[^1049]
Þey mettyn with a Menstral / a mychil man hem þowhte.[^1050]
Pacyense a-posede hym / & prayede hym to tellen.
To Consciense what craft he cowhde / & to what cuntre he wolde

[^1049: F.10.223: Beta manuscripts have "of Dowel þei carped."]

[^1050: F.10.224: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "as me þo þouȝte."]

/ [¶] I am a Menstral quod þat Man / my name is actiua vita
Al maner ydelnesse y hate / for actif ys my name.
I am a waferer / wil ȝee wete / & worshepe[^1051] manye lordis.
But fewe Robis y fonge / or onye furrede gownes.
Cowhde y lyȝe / &[^1052] doon men lawhe / þan lacche sum y wolde.
Eyþir Mentyl or Moonee / a-mongys oþire Menstralis.
But for y can neyþir taboure / ne tellyn no Ieestys.
Ne fayten[^1053] ne Fythelyn / at none faire feestys.
Ne Iapen ne Ianglyn[^1054] / ne Ientilly pype.
Ne sawtrye ne saylen / ne synge with þe harpe.
Þerfore fewe rewarde me / my rente is þe lasse.[^1055]
I have no good gyftes / of þese grete Lordis.
For no breed y browhte[^1056] hem / save a bunne[^1057] a sunday.
Whan þe preest prayeþ þe peple / þe Pater noster to bidde.
For Pers þe Plowhman / & alle hym profyghte wayteþ.
& for me Actyf also / þat haate al ydelnesse.
& for alle trewe tylyeris / & trauayloures on erthe.
Fram Myhelmesse tyl Myhelmesse / þo men trauaile sore.[^1058]
Boþe beggerys & bydderys / of myn breed craven.
& Freris & Faytoures / & folk with brode crownes.
I fyȝnde payn for þe Pope / & provendre for his palfrey.
& ȝit hadde y neuere of hym / have god my trewthe.
Neyþir personage ne provendre / of þe popis gyfte.
Save a pardoun with a plum of leed / & twey pollys a-myddis.

[^1051: F.10.229: F alone has an alliterating stave in the b-verse. Bx reads serve. The scribe initially wrote worchepe and corrected <c> to <s> by overwriting.]

[^1052: F.10.231: Alpha reads &. Beta manuscripts have to.]

[^1053: F.10.234: Bx reads Farten.]

[^1054: F.10.235: Alpha is responsible for Ianglyn. Beta witnesses have Iogele. C witnesses are divided between these variants as well.]

[^1055: F.10.237: This line appears only in F.]

[^1056: F.10.239: Alpha is responsible for the preterite form here.]

[^1057: F.10.239: Bx reads "saue a benyson on þe sonday."]

[^1058: F.10.244: F's b-verse is unique in the B tradition. Bx reads as follows: "I fynde hem wiþ wafres."]

¶ I wolde euery clerk þat cowde wryte / hadde cast hym a bylle.
Þ at þe Pope wolde seendyn his seel / a salue for þe pestylence.
Þ at[^1059] his blessynge & his bulle / bocchis myghte distroyen.
In nomine meo demonia eicient
Et super egros manus imponent  & bene habebunt

[^1059: F.10.253: Beta manuscripts have And before Þat.]

/ [¶] Þanne wolde y pre [be] pre[st][^1060] to þe peple / paast for to make.
& buxum & besy also / a-bowtyn breed & drynke.
For hym & for alle hise / to fyȝnden swich a pardoun.
Þ at myghte leechen a man / as y be-leeve he sholde.
For sytthe þe Pope haþ power / as seynt seynt [Peter] hadde.[^1061]
He haþ þe pot with þe salue / soþly as me þynkyþ.
Argentum & aurum non est michi quod autem habeo hoc tibi do.
In nomine domini Surge & ambula.

[^1060: F.10.256: Kane and Donaldson read "prs," which is also possible.]

[^1061: F.10.260: A scribe unintentionally omitted Peter, but the line had already been substantially revised. Bx reads "For siþ he haþ þe power þat Peter hymself hadde."]

¶ But if myracle hym fayle / to men þat be not worthy.
To have no[^1062] grace of god / to gete gryþ of þe pope.
Þere may no blessynge do vs boote / but we wille a-mende vs.
Ne no myscheef make pees[^1063] / a-mong cristene peple.
Tyl priȝde be priuyly[^1064] for-do  þorhu paynes defawhte.

[^1062: F.10.265: Alpha is responsible for no. C and beta manuscripts have þe.]

[^1063: F.10.267: F's a-verse is unique. Bx has "Ne mannes masse make pees."]

[^1064: F.10.268: Alpha is responsible for priuyly. Beta manuscripts read pureliche. Note alpha's similar substitution at 12.55.]

/ [¶] For er y have breed of mele / mychil moste y swete.
& er þe commounys have hoom here corn / is many a cold morwe.
Er my wafreres wafres been wrouht / mychel woo y tholye

[^1065] ¶ Al[^1066] Lundenn as y leve / lyken wel my wafres.
& þey þat lakke hem lowren / for largyte þey wantyn.[^1067]
It was not longe y-passed / lewed men weryn needy.
Þere was a kareful comounte / wan no carte com to towne.
W ith bake breed fram Stratforde / þo gan beggerys wepe.
& werkmen were so a-gast / it be þouht on longe after.
In þe date of oure dryghten / in a drye Aprille.
A thowsande & þre hundred ȝeer / & two & XXty & ten.[^1068]
My wafres were þere gesene[^1069] / wan our meyȝr Chychestre.[^1070]

[^1065: F.10.272: A later hand has written Nota followed by a nota brevigraph in the left margin.]

[^1066: F.10.272: We have not interpreted the barred <l> as significant.]

[^1067: F has revised to make two lines of one. Bx reads "And louren whan þei lakken hem it is noȝt longe ypassed."]

[^1068: F.10.279: F's reading is unique. The b-verse in Bx reads "twies þritty and ten," though only LR retain that reading and most beta witnesses have twenty in place of thirty.]

[^1069: F.10.280: gesene, "scarce, rare."]

[^1070: F.10.280: The b-verse in Bx reads "whan Chichestre was Maire."]

/ [¶] I took gret[^1071] kep / of pacyense[^1072] / be cri cri[st] & of Consciense boþe.[^1073]
How [Of] Haukyn þe actyf man / & how he was y-Clothyd.
He hadde on a cote of cristendom / as holy chirche be-leviþ.
But yt was moolyd in manye placis / fele sundry spottys.[^1074]
Of p riȝde was þere a spoot / & of vn-buxum speche.[^1075]
Of skornyngis of skoffyngis / & of vn-skylful berynge.
As of a-parayle peyntyd / & prowhd a-mong þe peple.
Oþir-wise þan he haþ herd / seyd merveyles.[^1076]
Hym wenynge[^1077] þat alle men / wende he were most myghty.
For-why  he bosteþ & braggeþ / with fele bolde oþis.
& looþ[^1078] to been vndir-nome / of ony lyf lyvynge.
& goo [s]oo synguler be hym -selue / in syghte of þe peple.
Þ at þere is non swich as he ys / ne non so poppe-holy.[^1079]
For he is en-habyȝtid habyȝtid lyȝk an hermyte[^1080] / & ordred [an] ordre be hymselue.
But religioun is saved be rewle / & be resonable obedyence.[^1081]
It is lakkyng to lewid men / & to lerede men boþe.
In lyknesse it is a leel lyf / & a lyȝere to his soule.
Boþe with Inwit & owtwit / he ymageneþ & stodyeþ.
As best for his body bee / to bere a bold[^1082] name.
& to entremete hym oueral / þere he haþ nouht to done.
Wyllynge þat men wendyn / his wit were þe beeste.
Or for his crafty konyngge / of clerkis he were þe wisest.[^1083]
Or strengest on steede / or styffest gyrt with gyrdel.
& lowlyest[^1084] to loken on / & leellest of werkys.
& non so holy as he / ne non of lyf clennere.
Or fayrest of fetoures / of face / ne of forme.
Or most sotyl of song / or slyest of hondys.
Or looþ for to leene / & large for to cacche.[^1085]
& if he ȝeve to poore men / to telle what he delte.[^1086]
& as a lyoun to looken on / & lordly of speche.
& boldest of beggerys / boostynge at þe nale.[^1087]
In towne & in tauernys / talis to tellyn.
& seyn þyng he neuere y -seyȝ / & for-soþe swere it.
Of dedis he neuere dyde / to demen & boosten.
& of werkis he wel dede / wytnesse & tellyn
Loo  if ȝee leve nowht / þat y lyȝe / ȝee wene.
Goo  aske hym / or hire / & he ȝow can telle.
What y suffrede / or seyde / or what y sum -tyme hadde.
Or what y cowde or knew / or of what ken y com of.
Al he wolde þat men wiste / of werkys & wordis.
Swiche talis plese þe peple / wan he preyseþ hym -selue.
Si hominibus placerem  cristi seruus non essem.
Et alibi . Nemo potest duobus dominis seruire
By crist q uod Consciense þo / þy corteby Haukyn.
Haþ manye moolis & spottys / yt moste ben y-washe.
Who takþ heede / quod Haukyn / by-hyȝnde & be-fore.
What on bak & on body half / & on bothe syȝdes.
Men sholde fyȝnde fele frunnces / & fele foule spottys.
& þerwith / he turnede hym as tyȝt / & þanne y took heede.
Þ at yt was foulere be fele fold / þan it first semede.
It was by-droppid with wratthe / & with wykkide wylle.
W ith evil speche & envye / & excitynge to fyghte.
W ith lyenge / & lakkynge[^1088] / & with a leef tunge to chyde.
& al þat he wiste be ony wyȝt / wykkydly out it telle.
& blame men by-hyȝnde here bak / & bydde hem myschaunce.
& þat he wyste by willyem / to tellen yt to walter.[^1089]
& al þat he of walter wiste / willyem wiste it soone.
Also he made freendis foos / þoru his false tunge.
Or þoru myght of mowþe / or þorwh mannys strengþe.
& but y a-venge me fele tymes / evele y frete my-selue.
As dooþ a shepperis shere / so shrewidly y grynte.[^1090]
Cuius malediccione os plenum est  & amaritudine & dolo sub lingua eius labor & dolor.[^1091]
Þere is no lyf y leve / wille leste me ony whyle.
For talis þat y telle / no man tristneþ to me.
& whan y have not þe maystrie / swich malekolye y take.
& þat sone y cacche þe Crompe / & þe Cardyacle after.
Or an Agewh / for anger / & þerwith an hoot fyuere.
Þ at takþ me a twelmoneþ / tyl þat y dispyse.
Lechecrafte be oure lord / & be-leve on a wycche.
Þ at seyþ / þat no Clerk can / by crist as y beleve.
As doþ sowtere of sowþwerk / or of sordych dame Emme.
Þey seyn þat goddis woord / gaf me neuere boote.
But þoru a charm / he hadde chaunce / & his cheef heele.[^1092]

[^1071: F.10.281: Alpha reads gret. Beta manuscripts have good.]

[^1072: F.10.281: F alone reads "of pacyense."]

[^1073: F.10.281: boþe appears to have been added by the scribe in the right margin after the page had been written.]

[^1074: F.10.284: F's b-verse is unique, destroying the alliterative pattern. Other B manuscripts have "wiþ manye sondry plottes."]

[^1075: F.10.285: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Of pride here a plot and þere a plot of vnbuxom speche."]

[^1076: F.10.288: F is confused. Bx reads "Ooþerwise þan he haþ wiþ herte or siȝte shewynge."]

[^1077: F.10.289: F uniquely reads wenynge. Bx has Willyng.]

[^1078: F.10.291: F uniquely reads looþ. Bx reads inobedient.]

[^1079: F.10.293: This spelling is unusual and appears only, at least so far as MED citations suggest, in manuscripts of Piers Plowman. Kane and Donaldson list parallel spellings for poppe-holy in OCotBmBoYC2C as well. MED offers no spellings with doubled consonants under pope. WHmL read pomp holy.]

[^1080: F.10.294: Bx is more laconic, reading "Yhabited as an heremyte."]

[^1081: F's reading for these three lines is unique. Bx reads as follows: Religion saunz rule and resonable obedience Lakkynge lettrede men and lewed men boþe In likynge of lele lif and a liere in soule.]

[^1082: F.10.299: Alpha reads bold. Beta has badde.]

[^1083: These lines are attested only in alpha.]

[^1084: F.10.304: The scribe occasionally writes <w> for /v/, and that is perhaps what is intended here. In that case, no emendation is required.]

[^1085: F.10.308: The reading is unique to F. Beta family manuscripts lack the line, and R reads "And large to lene losse þere-by to cacche."]

[^1086: F.10.309: F omits the following line from Bx: "Pouere of possession in purs and in cofre."]

[^1087: F.10.311: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "a bostere þat noȝt haþ."]

[^1088: F.10.333: Lakkynge is from alpha. Beta witnesses attest erroneous laughynge.]

[^1089: In these two lines F uniquely substitutes willyem for Bx's wille and walter for watte.]

[^1090: F.10.341: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "I shrewed men & cursed."]

[^1091: F.10.342: Alpha omits a second verse from Ps. 56.5, " Et alibi Filij hominum dentes eorum arma & sagitte et lingua eorum gladius acutus ." The first Latin quotation is from Ps. 9.28.]

[^1092: F in this passage, sometimes influenced by alpha, changes the person of pronouns. In 10.353, his appears in place of Bx's first person. In 10.354, F uniquely adds on hym after wislykore and has he for beta's it and R's I, while in 10.355, alpha has myn in place of beta's his. In 10.356 and 10.357, F has first person for Bx's he.]

¶ I wayted wislykore on hym / & þan was he soyled.
W ith lykyngeryȝe [lykynge of leccheryȝe] / with lokyngis with myn eyȝen.
For euery Mayde þat y mette / y made swiche syghnes.
Semynge to synne-warde / & summe y gan a-taste.
Mowþ[^1093] with mowþ / or be-nethe / priuyly gan hire grope.[^1094]
Tyl eythrys wylle wexe kene / & þan to werke wentyn.
As wel fastyng day & fryday / & for-bode nyghtys.
As leef in lentoun as owte / & alle tymes y-lyke.[^1095]
Swiche werkys with me & hem[^1096] / were neuere out of sesoun.
Tyl þey myghte no more do / but helde it merye talkyng.
How þat leccherous men love wel / with lawynge & Iapis.
& of[^1097] harlotrie & of hordom / in eelde þey have burde.

[^1093: F.10.358: The word is badly rubbed and barely legible.]

[^1094: F.10.358: F has revised the line, perhaps motivated by erosion of b-verse bigynneþ to apheretic gynneþ (as happened in Y) and subsequent confusion about the alliterative pattern. Bx reads "Aboute þe mouþ or byneþe bigynneþ to grope."]

[^1095: F.10.361: F has revised the line, perhaps in response to what he perceived to be corruption in Bx. Beta manuscripts read: "And as wel in lente as out of lente alle tymes yliche." Alpha has lef in place of beta's wel.]

[^1096: F.10.362: F's unique reading curiously anticipates the C revision of this passage in moving it from Haukyn's confession to the confession of the deadly sins in the Visio. Bx reads "Swiche werkes with hem . . . ." Cx reads "Such werkes with vs . . . ."]

[^1097: F.10.365: Alpha reads of. Beta manuscripts have of hir.]

¶ Þan Pacience parceyvede / þe poyntes of his coote.
Was crumplyd / þoru coveytyse / with vnkynde dysyryng.
Moore to good / þan to god / þe goome his love caste.
& ymagenede nyght & day / how he myghte it have.
W ith false Mesures / & false met / & eek with fals witnesse.
& leenede for love of þe weed / & looþ to doon trowþe.
& waytede þoru his wit / fele wyȝes / to be-gyle.
& mengede his Marchaundyse / & made a fayr mustre.
& þe werste with -Inne was / a greet wit he[^1098] held it.
& if myn Neyhebore have an[^1099] hyȝne / or ony beeste ellis.
More profytable þan myn / manye sleyghtis y maake.
How y myghte wynne yt / al my wit y caste.
& but y gete yt be ony way / y geete it be stelthe.[^1100]
Or p rivyly his purs y shook / or y vn-pykede[^1101] hise lokkys.
Eyþir[^1102] be nyght or be day / a-bowte harm was y euere.
Þoru gyle to gadren / þe goodis þat y welde.
For if y ȝeede to þe plowhȝ / y pynchede so narwe.
Þat a foote lond ouer[^1103] a forw / fecchen y wolde.
Of myn neeste neyhebore / whan y sholde repen it.[^1104]
To seese me with here sykyl / þe wiche y sew neuere.

[^1098: F.10.374: F alone reads he. All other B witnesses change from third person reported speech to the first person at this point.]

[^1099: F.10.375: Alpha reads an. Beta manuscripts have any.]

[^1100: F.10.378: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "And but I hadde by ooþer wey at þe laste I stale it."]

[^1101: F.10.379: An otiose curl appears above the <p>.]

[^1102: F.10.380: Alpha is responsible for dissyllabic Eyþir. Beta manuscripts have Or.]

[^1103: F.10.383: Bx reads or.]

[^1104: F.10.384: Alpha had made one line of two. Beta reads as follows: Of my nexte Neghebore nymen of his erþe And if I rope ouerreche or yaf hem reed þat ropen.]

/ [¶] & who wolde borwe Monee // tyl a serteyn tyȝme.
He muste legge pleggys of heuyere peyȝs / & priuy presentis.[^1105]
So wheyþir he wolde / or he nolde / wynnyn y wolde.
& boþe to kyþ & to kyn / vnkyȝnde of þat y hadde.
& who þat Chepede my chaffare / chyden y wolde.
But he proferede to peyȝen / a peny or tweyne.
Moore þan it was worþ / & ȝit wolde y swere faste.
Þ at it coste[^1106] mychil moore / y swoor manye oþis.

[^1105: F.10.387: F's line is unique. Bx reads as follows: "Wiþ presentes pryuely or paide som certeyn."]

[^1106: F.10.393: Alpha reads coste. Beta manuscripts have coste me.]

¶ & in halydayes in holy chirche / wan y sholde here messe.
Hadde y neuere wille god whot / witturly god by-sechen.
Ne aske mercy for my myse / þat y ne moornede moore.
For leesynge of myn goodys / þan for my lykames gilte.
As whan y hadde do dedly synne / y dredde not þat so sore.
As whan y leenede good / & lost it / or longe er it were peyed.
& if y kydde ony kyȝndenesse / myn evyn -cristene to helpe.
Vp-on a cruel Coveytyse / my Conscience gan hangen.

/ [¶] & if y sente ouer þe see / ony seruaunt to Brugges.
Or in-to sprws[^1107] myn prentyȝs / myn profyȝte to wayte.
To Marchaunte my menee m[o]nee / or to[^1108] maken chaungis.[^1109]
Myghte neuere þynk conforte me / in þe mene tyme.
Neyþir messis ne matynys / ne no manere syghtis.
Ne penaunce parforme / ne pater noster byddyn
Þ at myn myȝnde was [ne] was moore / on my good in dowhte.
Þan in þe grace of god / or in hise goode halwis
Vbi thesaurus tuus . ibi & cor tuum est.
Ȝeet þat goome with grete oþis / his garnement was soiled.[^1110]
& foule be-flobered it / al with fals speche.
& þere no neede was / nempnede god ydellyche.
& swoor þerby / swythe ofte / a-bowte þe ale cuppe.[^1111]
& ofte moore eet & drank / þan kynde myȝhte defye.
& sumtyme kawte seknesse / þoruh surfetys ofte.
Þ at for dowhte y dredde / to dyȝen in dedly synne.
& into wanhope y wente / y wende neuere to be savid.
Þe wyche slewþe is so slowhȝ / þere may no sleyghte it helpe.
Ne no mercy a-mende it / þe man þat dyȝeþ þere-Inne.
Þese been þe braunchis / þat bryngþ a man in slewþe.
Þ at moorneþ not for his myssis / ne makþ for hem sorwe.
Ne penaunce þat þe preest hym took / he parformede neuere.
Ne neyþir doþ almesse-dede / ne drediþ neuere synne.
& he þat lyȝeþ a-geyn be-leve / & no lawe holdeþ.
For ech day is halyday with hym / os o[r] is an heyȝ feste.
& if he wil owt heere / it ys an harlotys tunge.
For whan men carpen of crist / or clennesse of soule.
Þanne wexeþ he wroþ / & wolde here wordis of merthe.
& þe penaunce of poore men / & þe passioun of seyntys.
He hateþ to heeryn of hem / & alle þo hit telleþ.
Þese ben þe braunchis / þat brynge men in wanhope.

[^1107: F.10.403: Bx reads Prucelond.]

[^1108: F.10.404: F uniquely reads or to. Other B manuscripts have and.]

[^1109: F.10.404: Alpha reads chaungis. Beta manuscripts have dissyllabic eschaunges.]

[^1110: These lines are attested only in alpha.]

[^1111: F.10.414: F's b-verse is unique. R reads as follows: "and al by-swatte his cote."]

/ [¶] I conseyle lordis & ladijs / & legatys of holy chirche.
Þ at fynde folis sage / & flateres ben & lyerys.
& have lyst to lystne hem / to do ȝow to lawhe.
Ve vobis qui ridetis.
& ȝeve swiche mete & meede / & pore men refuse.
Syker in ȝoure dyenge / ȝee may drede sore.
Leest swiche manere of men / to myche sorwe ȝou brynge.
Consencientes & agentes  pari pena puniendi sunt.[^1112]
Patriarkys & p rophetis / & prechoures of god in hevene.
Saven þoruh here sermoun / mannys soule fram helle.
Ryght so flaterys & folys / are þe feendis dyssyplys.
To tempte men þoruh here talis / to synne & harlotriȝe.
But Clerkys þat knowe holy writ / sholde kennyn so lordis.
What Dauyd seyþ of swiche men / as þe sawhter telliþ.
Non habitabit in medio domus mee  qui facit superbiam.[^1113]
Sholde non harlot haue non audiense / in halle ne in Chambre.
Þere þat wise men weryn / witnesse on goddis woordis.
Ne non mys-prowhd man / a-mong lordis a-lowed.
Boþe knyghtis & Clerkis / wolkome kyngis menstralis.[^1114]
& for þe love of here loord / þey lyghten hem at festis.
Mychil more me þynkþ þan / [/ þan] ryche men sholde.
Have beggeris be-fore hem / wiche ben goddis menstralis.
As he seyþ hym -selue / seynt Iohan beryþ witnesse.
Qvi vos spernit  me spernit.

[^1112: F.10.440: Alpha reads puniendi sunt against beta's punientur.]

[^1113: F.10.447: F omits Bx's " & qui loquitur iniqua ."]

[^1114: These lines appear only in alpha.]

/ [¶] Þ erfore y rede ȝou ryche men / at Revelis whan ȝe make.
For to solace ȝoure soulis / swiche menstralis ȝee have.
Þe poore for a fool sage / ȝee sette at þe table.
& a leerned man to leerne the / what oure lord suffrede.
For to save þy soule / fram Sathan þyn enemy.
& withowtyn flaterynge fythele / of good frydaes fryda[y]es storye.
& tak a blynd man þy burdour / or a bedrede womman
To criȝe a largesse to oure lord / þyn goode loos to shewe.
Þese þre manere of menstralis / make men to lawhe.
& in his deþ dyeng / þei doon hym gret confort.
Þ at be his lyve he lystned hem / & lovede hem to heere.
Þey solace þy soule / tyl þy-selue be fallyn.
In a wol good hope / a-mongis goode seyntys.
Þere flateris & foolis / with here foule woordis.
Leden þo / þat lovedyn[^1115] hem / to lucyferis feeste.
W ith turpiloquio a lay of sorwe / in lucyferis fythele.

[^1115: F.10.471: Alpha has the preterite form. Beta manuscripts have louen.]

¶ Þus Haukyn Actyf man / hadde y-soyled his coote.
Tyl Conscience a-cowpid hym / in a curteyȝs manere.
Why he ne hadde wasshe yt / er with a brushȝ rubbid it.[^1116]

[^1116: F.10.475: Bx reads "or wiped it wiþ a brusshe."]

/ [¶] I have but on hatere[^1117] quod Haukyn / y am þe lasse to blame.
Þeyhȝ it be soyled & selde clene / for y slepe þer -in on nyghtis.
& also y have an houswif / & hewen boþe & chyldren.
Vxorem duxi . & ideo non possum venire.
Þ at wille be-moole it manye tymes[^1118] / mawgre my chekys.
It haþ ben laven in Lentoun / & out of Lentene boþe.
W ith soope of syknesse / þat seekeþ wonder depe.[^1119]
& with loos of Catel / þat looþ me was to leese.
& grucchede a-geyn god / whan grevis he me sente.[^1120]
& was shryve of þe preest / þat ȝaaf me for my synnys.
Pacyense to penaunce / & poore men to feeden.
For coveytyse of my cristendom / in clennesse to kepe it.

[^1117: F.10.476: Alpha and L lack beta's hool before hatere.]

[^1118: F.10.480: Alpha and Cr2,3G have the plural form for beta's tyme.]

[^1119: F.10.482: The top lines of each leaf, with the exception of the drawings on fol. 76v, are undecorated to the end of the manuscript.]

[^1120: F.10.484: F revises this line extensively. Bx reads "To agulte god or any good man by aught þat I wiste."]

[^1121] ¶ But y cowhde not kepe it be criȝst / not an hour to-gydre.[^1122]
Þ at y y [ne] soyled it with syght / or with sum ydel speche.
Or þoruh werk or ellis þowht / or þoruh wil of herte.[^1123]
Þ at y flobered ful foule / fram morwe tyl þe eve.

[^1121: F.10.488: A large <X>, about seven lines high, appears in the left margin.]

[^1122: F.10.488: F's reading is unique. Beta manuscripts have "And kouþe I neuere by crist kepen it clene an houre." Alpha has not in place of beta's neuere.]

[^1123: F.10.490: Alpha introduced þowht, spoiling the alliterative pattern. Bx reads "Or þoruȝ werk or þoruȝ word or wille of myn herte."]

/ [¶] I shal kenne the quod Conscience / of contricioun a brushȝ to make.
Þ at shal clawe of þy coote / alle vn-clene fylthys.[^1124]

[^1124: F.10.493: F omits the following line: " Cordis contricio &c. "]

¶ Dowel wasshe it & wrynge it / with a wyȝs confessour.[^1125]
Dobet bowke it & beete it / as bryght as ys skarlet.
& engreyne it with good wille / with helpe of goddis grace.
& Dobest & keep þe cleene / fram vnkyȝnde werkis.[^1126]
& þey þou slyde or stumble sore / soone vp þou ryȝse.[^1127]
& goo to Satisfaccioun sone / for to sunne þe after.[^1128]
& þan shal neuere myst moole it / ne motthe do it skaþe.
Ne neyþir feend ne fals man / defoule it in þyn lyve.
Þ ere shal no heroude ne harpour / have an hendere[^1129] garnement.
Þan Haukyn þe Actif man / & þou do my techyng.
Ne no Menstral[^1130] be more worþ / a-mong poore & ryche.
Þan Haukyn þe Waferer / wich is[^1131] / actiua vita .

[^1125: F.10.494: F omits the following line: " Oris confessio &c. "]

[^1126: F.10.497: The portion of this line following Dobest is attested only in F.]

[^1127: F.10.498: This line appears uniquely in F.]

[^1128: F.10.499: F omits the following line from Bx: Satisfaccio . In Bx this line and the omitted Latin tag appear before 10.497.]

[^1129: F.10.502: F's reading is unique. Bx reads fairer.]

[^1130: F.10.504: A faint hint of red on the initial <M> may indicate that the scribe intended to highlight it.]

[^1131: F.10.505: Beta manuscripts have "with his" in place of "wich is."]

/ [¶] & y shal purueye þe past / quod pacience / þeih þou[^1132] no plowh[^1133] holde.
Of flour to feede folk with / as beest be for þy soule.
Þey neuere greyn growe on grownde / ne grape vp-on vyne.
For alle þat lyven & looken / lyfloode wil y fyȝnde.
& þat y-nowhȝ shal non fayle / of swich as hem neediþ.
Noman shal be besy / a-bowtyn his lyf-loode.
Ne soliciti scitis[^1134]

[^1132: F.10.506: Beta lacks þou.]

[^1133: F.10.506: An otiose curl appears over the <p> in plowh.]

[^1134: F.10.512: F truncates the Latin tag, which in Bx continues " &c. Volucres celi deus pascit &c. pacientes vincunt &c. "]

¶ Þan lawhede Haukyn a lyte / & a lytil ooþ he made.[^1135]
Who-so troweth eyþir of ȝow / y trowe he be vnblessid.[^1136]

[^1135: F.10.513: Bx's b-verse reads "and lightly gan swerye."]

[^1136: F.10.514: F's reading is unique. Beta reads "Whoso leueþ yow by oure lord I leue noȝt he be blessed." R is much the same, but adds noþer after yow.]

/ [¶] Noo  quod Pacience paciently / & out of his poke he hente.
Vytayles[^1137] / grete vertues / of alle manere goodnesse.
& seyde loo  here is lyflode y-nou / if oure feyþ[^1138] be trewe.
For lewte was neuere so ryf / as lyflode is y-shape.[^1139]

[^1137: F.10.516: An otiose curl appears over the second <y>.]

[^1138: F.10.517: F's reading is unique. Bx reads bileue.]

[^1139: F.10.518: F's nonsense is the product of confusing <n> with <u>, eventually producing lewte instead of lente, and <l> with anglicana <r> to make ryf in place of lyf. Bx reads "For lent neuere was lif but liflode were shapen." F omits the following archetypal line: "Wherof or wherfore or wherby to libbe."]

/ [¶] Fyrst þe wilde worm / vndir þe weet erthe.
& in þe flodis fysshis / & in þe fyȝr þe kreket.
Þe Corlewh be kyȝnde / most klennest is of foulis.
& beestis by grasees þey[^1140] lyve / & be greene rootys.
In meenynge þat alle men / sholde doon þe same.
& lyve þoru leel by-leeve / as goode god witnessiþ.
Quodcumque pecieritis[^1141] in nomine meo dabitur vobis.[^1142] Et alibi. Non in solo pane viuit homo . Sed in omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei.

[^1140: F.10.522: An otiose curl appears above the <þ>.]

[^1141: F.10.525: The omission of Bx's a patre occurred in alpha. For variants in the Vulgate text of Jn. 14.13, see John A. Alford, Piers Plowman: A Guide to the Quotations (Binghamton, NY: Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies, 1992), p. 87.]

[^1142: F.10.525: F alone completes the quotation with Dabitur vobis.]

/ [¶] Þan y lookede what þat lyflode[^1143] was / þat Pacyense preysede.
Þ ere was[^1144] a pece of þe Pater noster . fiat voluntas tua.

[^1143: F.10.526: Alpha is responsible for "þat lyflode." Beta and C manuscripts have "liflode it."]

[^1144: F.10.527: Alpha and HmCr lack beta's it after was.]

¶ Hav Haukyn quod Pacience / & ete þis whan þe hungreþ.
Or wan þou clumsist for cold / er klyngyst for drowhtys.[^1145]
Þere shal neuere faytour[^1146] þe greve / ne grete lord þe wratthe.
Ne P risoun þe peyghne / whil Pacientes uincunt.
Be so / þou be sobre / boþe of syght & tunge.
In etynge & handlynge / & in alle þi fyve wittis.
Neuere tharst þou care for corn / ne lynen ne wollene.
Ne for drynk deþ drede / but dyȝe wan god wille.
Ne for hungir ne heete / for no þyng shal þe greve.[^1147]
If þou leve after his loore / þe shortere lyf þe leuere.[^1148]
Si quis amat cristum  mundum non diligit istum.
For þoruhȝ his breeþ beestys weren / & wyȝde a-brood wentyn.[^1149]

[^1145: F.10.529: Alpha and C agree in reading drouȝthe. Beta manuscripts have drye. F alone has the plural form.]

[^1146: F.10.530: Alpha reads faytour against beta's correctly alliterating gyues.]

[^1147: F.10.536: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads as follows: "at his wille be it."]

[^1148: F.10.537: This is the alpha reading. Beta witnesses have þe bettre.]

[^1149: F.10.539: F omits the following line from Bx: " Dixit & facta sunt &c ."]

/ [¶] Ergo  þoruh his breeþ mowe we / beestis & men lybben.
As holy writ witnessiþ / & dauid in þe sawter.[^1150]
Aperis tu manum tuam & imples omne animal[^1151] benedictione

[^1150: F.10.541: Bx reads "whan men seye hir graces." The scribe is correct in saying that the following quotation is from the psalter. It is Ps. 144.16.]

[^1151: F.10.542: The flourish on the <l> is not significant.]

/ [¶] It is founde þat fourty wynter / folk lyvede withoutyn tilthe.
& out of þe flynt sprong þe flood / þat folk & beestis drunke.

¶ & also in helyes tyme / hevene was y-closed.
Þ at no reyn reyȝnede / þus men rede in bookys.
& ȝit men leveden / & mete & drynk hadden.[^1152]
& seuen men slepen as seyþ þe book / seuyn hundred wynter.
& lyveden withoutyn lyflode / & at þe laste þei a-woken.
& if men lyvede be mesure / þere sholde be no defawte.
A -mongis[^1153] cristene creaturis / if cristis wordys þei take.

[^1152: F.10.547: F's line is unique, reversing the sense of Bx's "That manye wyntres men lyueden and no mete ne tulieden."]

[^1153: F.10.551: The <o> is ill-formed, the scribe having begun to make a <g>.]

/ [¶] But welthe is so myche a maister[^1154] / a-mongis cristene peple.
Þ at ouer -plente makeþ priȝde / a-mongis poore & ryche.
& mesure is so mychil worþ / it may not be to deere.

[^1154: F.10.552: F's reading is unique. The a-verse in Bx reads "Ac vnkyndenesse caristia makeþ."]

¶ For þe myschef & myschaunce / a-mongis men of Sodoom.
Was þoruh plente / of payn / & of pure slewthe.[^1155]
For þei mesurede not hem-selue / neyþir meete ne drynke.
& dyden swiche dedly synnes / þat þe devil hem lykede.
& swich vengaunce fel on hem / for here foule synnes.
Þ at þei sunken in-to helle / þo Cytees bothe.
Þerfore mesure þe wel / & mak þy feyþ / þy sheltroum.[^1156]
For þoruh feyþ comeþ Contricioun / Conciense heer whoot wel.
Wiche dryveþ a-wey dedly synnes / & doþ hem be as venyal.
& if a man may not speke / ȝit Contricioun may hym save.
& brynge his his [sowle] to blysse / be soo þat feyþ beriþ witnesse.
Þ at whiles he be-levede / in loore of holy chirche he leevede.[^1157]
Concyense  Ergo  feyþ / & contricioun / keendely is to Dowel.
Sorwe for dedly senne ys / whan shryfte of mowþe fayleþ.
But shryfte of mowþ / more worþy ys / if man be with with[in][^1158] contrit.
For shryfte of mowþ / sleeþ synne / be it neuere so dedly.
Per confessionem to a preest / peccata occiduntur.
Þere Contricioun ne doþ / but dryveþ it doun / in in[to] a venyal synne.
As d auid seyþ in þe sawhter / quorum tecta sunt peccata.
But Satisfaccioun sekþ out þe roote / & sleeþ boþe & voydeþ.
& as it neuere hadde be / ys þan þat dedly synne.
Ne neuere after þat soor is seene / but semeþ a wownde helid.

[^1155: F.10.556: F omits the following line from Bx: " Ociositas & habundancia panis peccatum turpissimum nutriuit ," though it is worth noting that R also omits Bx's " peccatum . . . nutriuit ."]

[^1156: F.10.561: F has revised this line. Bx reads "Forþi mesure we vs wel and make oure feiþ oure sheltrom." The scribe initially wrote cheltroum but corrected himself.]

[^1157: F.10.566: F revised this line. Bx reads "That whiles he lyuede he bileuede in þe loore of holy chirche."]

[^1158: F.10.569: Bx reads "if man be ynliche contrit."]

¶ Ȝee[^1159] where woneþ Charite / quod haukyn / ȝit wiste y neuere.
Ony man þat with hym spak / as wyȝde as y have wandred.

[^1159: F.10.577: Alpha is responsible for Ȝee.]

/ [¶] Q uod hee / þere parfyȝt lyf / & pore herte is / & pacyet pacye[n]t of tunge.
Þere is charytees / chambre / for he is god hym -selue.[^1160]

[^1160: F.10.580: Bx reads "There is Charite þe chief chambre (or chaumbrere?) for god hymselue."]

¶ Wheyþir paciense & pouerte[^1161] quod haukyn / be plesant to god more.
Þan Rycchesse ryȝghtfully wonne / & resonabely spendyd.
Ȝee  quis est ille quod Pacience / quik laudabimus eum.
Þey men reden of rycchesse / ryght to þe worldis ende.
Fond neuere renke þat ryche was / þan wan he rekene sholde.
& drowh to his deþ-day / þat he ne dredde hym soore.
Þ at his rekenyng in rerage fel / rathere þan out of dette.
Þere þe poore dar plete / & preve it be pure resoun.
To have a-lowance of his lord / be lawe he it cleymeþ.

[^1161: F.10.581: Alpha and C read "paciense & pouerte." Beta manuscripts have "paciente (or pacience) pouerte."]

/ [¶] A wyȝe[^1162] þat neuere Ioye hadde / of a Iugge he askeþ.
& seyþ loo  bryddis & beestis / þat no blysse ne knowe.
& wyȝlde wormes in wodys / with wyntris þou hem grevist.
& makst hem wol meeke / & myȝlde for defawhte.
& after þou sendist hem somer / þat ys here souereyn Ioyȝe.
& gret[^1163] blysse to alle þat been / boþe wyȝlde & tame.
Þanne may beggeres & beestis / after boote wayten.
Þ at al here lyf have lyved / in langour & in defawte.
But god wolde sende hem sumtyme / sum maner of Ioyȝe.
Eyþir here / or ellis -where / god wolde so be keende.[^1164]
For to wrothele was wroth[erh]ele was [he] wrouht / þat neuere Ioye was shape.
Angelis þat in helle nou been / hadden Ioye sum -tyme.
& dives in deyntees lyvede / & in dowce vyȝe.
Ryght so Resoun redyþ / þo men shulle redyly a-counte.[^1165]
& here makys also / þat ledden here lyve in merthe.

[^1162: F.10.590: F revises the a-verse. Bx reads "Ioye þat neuere ioye hadde."]

[^1163: F.10.595: An otiose curl appears above the <re>.]

[^1164: F.10.599: Bx reads "kynde wolde it neuere."]

[^1165: F.10.603: F's reading is unique. Bx reads as follows: "Right so reson sheweþ þat þo men þat were riche." R reads "Riȝt so resoun scheweth þat þo men."]

¶ But god is of a wondir wille / by þat kende wit sheweth.
To ȝeve man his mercyment / er he have it disservid.
Ryght so doþ god be sum ryche man / rewþe me þynkiþ.
For þei have here / here heere / & hevene as it were.
& gret lykynge of lyf / with -outyn body trauayle.[^1166]
& in here dyȝenge ben dislowed / as dauid in þe sawter telleth
Dormierunt & nichil inuenerunt . et alibi[^1167] . Velud sompnium surgencium domine in ciuitate tua  ad[^1168] nichillum rediges ymaginem.

[^1166: Bx reads as follows: And greet likynge to lyue wiþouten labour of bodye And whan he dyeþ ben disalowed as Dauid seiþ in þe Sauter.]

[^1167: F.10.611: F uniquely adds et alibi .]

[^1168: F.10.611: Alpha and OC2 lack beta's et before ad .]

/ [¶] Allas þat rycchesse shal reve / & robbe mannys sowle.
Fram þe love of oure lord / at his laste ende.
For þat have here heere to-fore / been heere moost nedys nedy[^1169]
For selde þei suppe out of dette / & dyȝhgne er þei aserue it.[^1170]
Tyl he have doon his devir / & his dayes Iurne
For whan a werk-man haþ wrouht / þan men may se þe soþe.
What he were worthy / & what he haþ disservid.
& nowht to fongen be-fore / for drede of dislowyng.
Be ryche men yt semeþ ryght soo / þe same þat ȝee shulle.[^1171]
Cleyme two hevenys / oon here / & a-noþir heereafter.
Ryght as a seruaunt takeþ / his sallarie be-fore his terme.[^1172]
& after wolde cleyme / his heere eft-soones.
As he þat non hevene hadde / & haþ hevene[^1173] at þe laste.
It may[^1174] not so be ȝee ryche men / if Matthew be trewe.
De delicijs / ad delicias . difficile est ascendere.[^1175]

[^1169: F.10.614: F's reading is unique. Beta reads "Hewen þat han hir hire afore arn eueremoore nedy." Alpha is responsible for tofore in place of afore.]

[^1170: F.10.615: Bx reads "And selden deyeþ he out of dette þat dyneþ er he deserue it." Alpha is responsible for omitting the first he and converting the second to plural þei. That led F to supply a plural subject for suppe.]

[^1171: F's reading is unique. Beta witnesses vary, though most read as follows: So I seye by yow riche it semeþ noȝt þat ye shulle Haue heuene in youre here beyng and heuene þerafter. Alpha had the phrase "two hevenys," and it reappears in a revised line in C.]

[^1172: Alpha has two lines for beta's one.]

[^1173: F.10.624: F adds hevene in the a-verse for greater explicitness. Alpha is responsible for the second hevene. Beta manuscripts have hire in the b-verse.]

[^1174: F.10.625: An otiose curl appears over the <m>.]

[^1175: F.10.626: Alpha is responsible for ascendere. Beta manuscripts have transire.]

¶ If þe Ryche man have rewþe / & rewarde þe poore.
& lyve as lawe tellyþ / & dooþ lewte to his brothir.
Þan crist of his curtesye / shal conforte ȝou at þe laste.
& rewarde duble rycchesse / þat rewful hertys haddyn.
& as an hyȝne haþ his hyȝre / er he his werk by-gynne.
& he dooþ wel his devir / he is ouer þat / rewardyd.
A coote ouer his counaunt / ryght so / crist ȝeveþ hevene.
Boþe to ryche / & to no no[t] ryche / þat ryght-fully[^1176] heere lybben.
& þo þat doon here devir wel / have dubble for here trauayle.
Of forgyfnesse of here synnes / & hevene blysse after.[^1177]

[^1176: F.10.634: Alpha is responsible for ryght-fully. Beta manuscripts read rewfulliche.]

[^1177: F.10.636: Alpha omitted the following five lines: Ac it is but selde yseien as by holy seintes bokes That god rewarded double reste to any riche wye For muche murþe is amonges riche as in mete and cloþyng And muche murþe in May is amonges wilde beestes And so forþ while somer lasteþ hir solace dureþ.]

/ [¶] But beggerys a-bowtyn myssomer / breedles þey sowpe
& ȝit is wynter for hem werse / for weet-shood þey wandre.
& a-fyrst & a-fryngrid a-fyngrid / & foule ofte rebewked.
& a-rated of ryche men / þat rewþe it is to heere.
Now lord sende to hem somer / & sum maner of Ioyȝe.
Hevene after here hens goeng / þat here have swich defawte.
For alle myghtyst þou have maad / & noon menere þan oþir.
& y-lyche wytty & wyȝs / If þy wille hadde lykyd.

¶ Have rewthe ȝee ryche men / þat rewarde no porayle.
& ȝeve hem of þyn good / for ingraty ben manye.
But god of þy goodnesse / gyve hem grace of mendement.
For may no derthe ben to deere / neyþir drowhte ne weete.
Neyþir heete ne hayl / if þey haven here hele.
For al þat þey wilne & wolde have / wanteþ hem non heere.

¶ But þe poore in prisoun lyȝn[^1178] / in þe pit of myscheef.
Þ ou conforte þo creaturis / þat mychil care suffren.
Þoruh derthe / þoruh drowhte / alle here dayes heere.
Þey have woo / in wyntris tyme[^1179] / & wantynge of cloþis.
& seelden in þe somer tyme / suppe þey to þe fulle.
Now crist conforte þo careful / kyng in þyn ryche.
How þou confortist alle creatures / clerkys knowen alle.
Conuertimini ad me / & salui eritis.

[^1178: F.10.651: F's a-verse is unique. Bx reads "Ac poore peple þi prisoners (Alpha had prisoun or R's prisones) lord."]

[^1179: F.10.654: Beta manuscripts have "wynter tymes."]

¶ Thus in genere of alle Ientylis[^1180] / Iesu crist seyȝde.
To robberis & to reverys / to ryche & to poore.
To harlotys / & to hoorys / & to alle oþir peple.[^1181]
Þ ou tawhtist hem of þe trinyte / to taken bapteme.
To been clene þoru cristnynge / of alle kenne sennys.

[^1180: F.10.659: Alpha is responsible for alle. R has his genitrice, and beta has gentries for F's Ientylis.]

[^1181: F.10.661: This line is attested only in alpha.]

¶ & ȝif vs be-felle / be folye / to fallyn in synne after.
& be-knowleche it In confessioun[^1182] / & craue þyn mercy.
We sholde a-mend vs as ofte / as we wolde dysyre.

[^1182: F.10.665: F's a-verse is unique. Beta reads "Confession and knowlichynge," and R has "Knowlechynge and confession."]

¶ & If þe powke plede þere a-geyn / to punshe vs in consciense.
We[^1183] sholde take a-quitaunce / & to þe qweed it shewe.
Pateant vniuersi per passionem domini nostri Iesu cristi[^1184]
& so pytte of þe powke / & preve vs vndir borwe
But þe parchemyn of þis patente / muste ben of pouerte.
& of pure Pacyense / & of parfyȝt be-leve.

[^1183: F.10.668: F uniquely reads We. Beta manuscripts have He, and R has Ho.]

[^1184: F.10.669: The scribe may have underestimated the size of the Latin quotation to be supplied, for he left the next line blank. Or perhaps, in view of his reaching the end of the quire at the end of a stint of copying, he was simply padding.]

¶ & if pompe or pride / doþ þe parchemyn cowre.[^1185]
& principaly of þe peple / but þey been poore of herte.
Ellis is al ydelnesse / al þat euere þey wryten.
Pater nostris & penauntis[^1186] / & pilgrimes to Rome.
W ith oure spendyng of spekynge / springe of a trewe welle.[^1187]
Ellis al oure labour is / laweles y trowe.[^1188]
Looke how men wryten / in fenestris at þe freris.
If fals be þe fowndement / it fawseþ al atoonys at oonys.

[^1185: F.10.673: The b-verse in Bx reads "þe parchemyn decourreþ." Decourreþ is a nonce word, here used figuratively to mean "shuns, avoids, parts from." MED provides no parallels for F's cowre.]

[^1186: F.10.676: Alpha, Hm, and a slightly revised C have the plural form. Beta manuscripts have singular penaunce.]

[^1187: F's revisions of this passage fail in sense. Bx reads as follows: But oure spences and spendynge sprynge of a trewe welle Ellis is al oure labour lost lo how men writeþ In fenestres at þe freres if fals be þe foundement Forþi cristene sholde be in commune riche noon coueitous for hymselue. F omits the last of these lines entirely.]

[^1188: F.10.678: The phrase "labour . . . trowe" is written over an erasure.]

¶ Sevene synnes þere been / þat asayle vs euere.
& þe fend folweth hem alle / & fondiþ hem to helpen.
But with rycchesse þo rybawdis[^1189] / rathest men by-gyle.
For þere þat rycchesse reygneþ / reuerences[^1190] it folwiþ.
& þat þat [is] plesaunt to pride / to poore & eek to ryche.
But[^1191] þe ryche is reuerencid / be resoun of his rychesse.[^1192]
Þere þe poore is pit by-hyȝnde / & paraunter can moore.
Þan þe ryche man so ryal / & rathere herd in hevene.
For þe ryche haþ mychel to rykne / & ryght softe walkeþ.
Þe ryght[^1193] wey to hevene-ward / but ofte þe ryche is lettyd.[^1194]
Þere þe poore procheþ[^1195] to-foore / with a pakke y-charged.[^1196]
Beati pauperes spiritu  quoniam ipsorum est enim[^1197] regnum celorum.

[^1189: F.10.683: Alpha and C have the plural. Beta manuscripts have "þat ribaude."]

[^1190: F.10.684: Alpha and C have the plural. Beta manuscripts have a singular form. F alone has it.]

[^1191: F.10.686: Alpha is responsible for But (or R's Ac). Beta manuscripts have And.]

[^1192: Bx reads as follows: Ac (or And) þe riche is reuerenced by reson of his richesse Ther þe poore is put bihynde and parauenture kan moore Of wit and of wisdom þat fer awey is bettre Than richesse or reautee, and raþer herd in heuene. The revision of the fourth line above suggests that the omission of the third had already occurred in F's exemplar.]

[^1193: F.10.690: Alpha and G read ryght in place of correctly alliterating Bx/Cx's heiȝe.]

[^1194: F.10.690: F omits the following line from Bx: " Ita inpossibile diuiti &c. "]

[^1195: F.10.691: Scribal interpretation of a suspension in alpha is responsible for F's p(ro)cheþ and R's p(re)cheth. Beta manuscripts and C have preesseþ.]

[^1196: F.10.691: F omits the following three lines from Bx: Opera enim illorum sequntur illos Batauntliche as beggeris doon and boldeliche he craueþ For his pouerte and his pacience a perpetuel blisse.]

[^1197: F.10.692: F uniquely adds enim.]

¶ But[^1198] pride in rycchesse reygneþ / rathere þan in pouerte.
Or in þe Mayster . or in his man / sum mansyoun he haveþ.
But in pouerte þere pacience is / priȝde haþ no strengthe.
Ne non of þe seuyn synnes / sytte ne mowe þere longe.
Ne have powher in pouerte / if pacience hem folwe.
For þe poore ys ay prest / for to pleesen þe ryche.
& buxum at his byddynge / for hise broode noblis.[^1199]
& buxumnesse . & boost / þey been euere at werre.
& eyþir hateþ oþir / in alle manere of werkis.

[^1198: F.10.693: Alpha is responsible for But (or R's Ac). Beta manuscripts and C have And.]

[^1199: F.10.699: F uniquely reads "broode noblis." Other B manuscripts have "broke loues."]

¶ & if wratthe wrastle with þe poore / he haþ þe worse ende.
For if þey boþe pleyne / þe poore ys to feeble.
& if he chyde or chatre / hym cheeviþ þe worrse.
For lowly he lookeþ / & lovely is his speche.[^1200]
Þ at ony meete or monee / of oþere men mote asken.

[^1200: These lines are attested only in alpha.]

¶ & if Glotenye greve pouerte / he gadreþ þe lasse.
For hise rentys wil not reche / no ryche meetys to bygge.
& þowh his glut[^1201] be in good ale / he gooþ a-cold to bedde.
& hys hevid euele y-helyd / & vnesely y-wryȝe.
For whan he streyneþ hym to strecche / þe straw is his schete.
So for his grete glotenye[^1202] / he haþ a greuous penaunce.
Þ at is wellawo whan he wakeþ / & wepiþ sore . for colde.
& sum -tyme for hise synnes / so he is neuere merye.
W ith -outyn moornynge a-moong . & myche myschef to boote.

[^1201: F.10.709: The required sense "gluttony" for glut is not elsewhere attested in Middle English. See MED s.v. glut, meaning "glutton."]

[^1202: F.10.712: F alone omits Bx's "and his greete sleuthe."]

¶ & þey[^1203] Coueytyse wolde cacche þe poore / þey mowe not comen same.
Be þe nekke namely / þer non may henden oþir.
For men knowe wel þat coueytyse / ys of a kene wille.
& haveþ has hondis & armes / of an huge lengthe.
& pouerte is but a pety þyng . & a-periþ not to his novele.
A lovely leyk ys it neuere / be-twene þe longe & schorte.

[^1203: F.10.716: Alpha is responsible for þey, "though." Beta manuscripts have If.]

¶ & þey Aueryse wolde angre þe poore / he haþ but lytyl strengþe.
For pouerte haþ but pokes / to pyttyn in hise goodis.
Þere Aueryȝse haþ Almerijs . & yrene bownde coffres.
& wheyþir be lyghtere to breke / lasse boost he makeþ.
A beggerys bagge / or a bownden coffre.

¶ Leccherye loveþ hym nowht . for lytyl syluer he delyþ.
To doon hym dyghne delycatly ./ ne to drynke wyȝn ofte.[^1204]

[^1204: F.10.728: Alpha omitted two lines attested by beta manuscripts: A straw for þe stuwes it stoode noȝt I trowe Hadde þei no þyng but of poore men hir houses stoode vntyled.]

¶ & þey slewhthe sewe pouerte / & serue not god to payȝe.
Mischef is his mayster ./ & makeþ hym to þynken.
Þ at god is grettest his [his grettest][^1205] helpe / & no goome ellis.
& he his seruaunt as he seyȝþ / & of his sewt boþe.
& wheyþir he be / or be not  he beriþ þe sygne of pouerte.
& in þat sewte is oure saviour / þat saueþ al man-kynde.
For-þy alle poore þat pacient ys / may cleymen & asken.
Affter here endynge day / hevene-ryche blysse.

[^1205: F.10.731: Alpha and B omit his before grettest. F in correcting the error presumably misplaced his.]

¶ Michil hardiere may he aske / þat haþ heere myght & wille.
As a lord . of lordschepe / & haþ lykynge of bodily helþe.
& for goddis love / leveþ al / & lyviþ as a beggere.

¶ & as a Mayde for mannys love / hire moodir for-sakeþ.
& hire fadir & alle hire frendis / & folweth forþ hire make.
Miche[^1206] is þat mayde to love / of hym þat swich oon takeþ.
Moore þan þat mayden ys / þat ys maried þorghȝ brokage.
As be a-sent of sundry partyes / & peyȝe syluer to boote.
Moore for coueytyse of good / þan kende love of boþe.

[^1206: F.10.742: An otiose curl is written over the <c>. The spelling miche does not elsewhere appear in this manuscript.]

¶ So it fareþ be euery persone / þat possessioun for-sakeþ.
& pit hym to ben pacyent / & pouerte weddiþ.
Þe wiche is sybbe to god hym-selue / & so neer is þat persone.[^1207]

[^1207: F.10.748: F's b-verse is unique. Beta has "and so to hise seintes," and R reads "and so neyȝ is pouerte."]

¶ Have god my trewthe quod haukyn / y heere heere [ȝou] preyse pouerte.[^1208]
What is pouerte q uod he  p roperly to meene.
Paupertas quod pacience / est odibile bonum . remocio curarum / possessio sine calumpnia . donum dei . sanitatis mater . absque Solitudine Sol[lic]itudine semita . Sapiencie temperatrix . negocium sine dampno . Incerta fortuna . Absque solicitudine felicitas.

[^1208: F.10.749: F's b-verse is unique. Beta manuscripts read "ye preise faste pouerte." R's reading is corrupt.]

¶ I can not construe al þis / q uod haukyn / þou kenne it on englyȝs.

¶ Q uod Pacience in englyȝs it is hard / to expowne it to soþe.
But sumdel y schal seyȝn yt / by so þou vndirstonde it.
Pouerte is þe firste poynt / þat priȝde moost hateþ.
Þan is it good by good skyl / þat it a-gaste pryȝde.
Ryght as Contricioun is confortable þyng / conscience woot wel
Þey it be sorwe to hym -selue / It is solace to his sowle.
Ryght so / pouerte properly / ys penaunce & Ioyȝe.
& to þe body ys / pure spyrytual helpe.
Ergo paupertas est odibile bonum.

¶ Contricio is confort / & cura animarum .[^1209]
For selden syt pouerte / þe soþe to declare.
As sytt a Iustise / to Iugge men of gyltys.[^1210]
Ne as a Meyȝr on[^1211] men / ne mynstre vndir kyngis.
Seelden ys þe poore y-pyt / to punchen þe peple.[^1212]
Ergo  pouerte & poore men / parformen goddis comaundement.
Nolite iudicare quemquam . the thrydde.

[^1209: F.10.762: < .1. > is written in the right margin, probably by the original scribe, to identify the first of the "solaces" mentioned in 10.758. The third is identified in the text at 10.768.]

[^1210: F.10.764: F's b-verse is unique. R has no b-verse reading at all, and beta witnesses read "enioyned is no poore."]

[^1211: F.10.765: R has ouer, and given beta's synonymous aboue, F's on probably reflects either a failure in his exemplar to provide the suspension above <ou> or his own oversight.]

[^1212: F.10.766: F omits Bx's " Remocio curarum. "]

¶ Seelden ys pore . ryght ryche / but it be of ryght-ful erytage.
He wynneþ nowht with hise wyȝles / ne with vn-selyd mesures.[^1213]
Ne borweþ of his neyheboure / but þat he may wel payen
Possessio sine calumpnia.

[^1213: F.10.770: < .2. > is written in the right margin, probably by the original scribe, to identify the second of the "solaces" mentioned in 10.758. The third is identified in the text at 10.768.]

¶ Þe feerthe is a Fortune / þat florcheþ þe sowle.
W ith sobrete fram alle synne / & also ȝit moore.
It a-faytethȝ þe fleschȝ / fram folijs ful manye.
A collaterel confort / comeþ of cristis ȝifte.
Donum dei.

¶ Þe fyfte is / þe Moodir of hele[^1214] / and freend in alle fondynge.
& for þe lawe euere y-lyche / a lemman of clennesse.
Sanitatis mater.

[^1214: F.10.778: Beta manuscripts have "moder of helþe" in place of alpha's "þe Moodir of hele."]

¶ Þe sixte is a paþ of pees / platoun beryþ witnesse.[^1215]
Pouerte myghte passe / withowtyn pereyl of robbynge.
For þere þat pouerte passeþ / pees folweth after.[^1216]
For-þy  seyþ Seneca / Paupertas est absque solitudine[^1217] semita.
He is an hardy man of herte / a-mong an hep of þevis.
Cantabat paupertas coram latrone viator.

[^1215: F.10.781: F has completely rewritten the b-verse. Bx reads "ye þoruȝ þe paas of Aultoun." R is defective in sense here, reading "ȝe þoruȝ þe pa altone," and F's revision may be a response to a problem in alpha.]

[^1216: F.10.783: F omits the following line: "And euer þe lasse þat he bereþ þe hardier he is of herte."]

[^1217: F.10.784: Alpha is responsible for solitudine , a reading shared by C2BmBoCot. Beta manuscripts have sollicitudine . Both variants appear in the C tradition as well.]

¶ Þe seuenthe is welle of wisdom / & fewe wordis he sheweth.
For loordis a-loweth hym lytel / or lystneþ to his resoun.
He tempreþ his tunge to trewþe-ward / þat no tresoun[^1218] coueytyþ.[^1219]

[^1218: F.10.789: F uniquely reads tresoun. Other B manuscripts have tresor.]

[^1219: F.10.789: Alpha and most C manuscripts lack beta's " Sapiencia temperatrix " following this line.]

¶ Þe .viij e. is a leel labourer[^1220] / & looþ to taken moore.
Þan he may wel disserue / in somer or in wynter.
& if he chaffareþ / he chargeþ no los / if he charyte wynne.
Negocium sine dampno.

[^1220: F.10.790: Alpha is responsible for labourer, a reading shared by CrL. Other B and C manuscripts have labour.]

¶ Þe .ix e. is sweete to þe sowle / no sugre is swettere.
For pacyence is peyne / for pouerte he is hym -selue.[^1221]
& sobrete is sweete dryng / & a good leche in seknesse.
Þus lerned me a lerid[^1222] man / for oure lordis love of heuenne.

[^1221: F.10.795: F has miscomprehended the sense here, confusing payn, "bread," with peyne, "pain." He then revised the b-verse in an attempt to make sense of the line. Bx reads "For pacience is payn for pouerte hymselue."]

[^1222: F.10.797: Alpha and most C manuscripts read lerid. Beta manuscripts have lettred.]

¶ Seynt Austyn seyþ it ys a blessid lyf / with -outyn ony besynesse.
For body & for sowle / absque solicitudine felicitas.
Now god þat alle goode gyviþ / grawnte his sowle reste.
Þ at þus first wroot to wisse men / what pouerte was to meene.

¶ Allas q uod Haukyn[^1223] þanne / þat after my cristendome.
I hadde [ne] hadde ben deed / & doluen / for doweelis sake.
So hard it is to lyven heere / & to lyȝn longe in synne.
Synne scheweth vs good semblaunt / & sory gan he wexen.[^1224]
& wepte water with hise eyes / & weylede þe tyme.
Þ at euere he dide ony dede / þat deere god dysplesede.
He swownede & sobbede / & sykede ful ofte.
Þ at euere he hadde lond or lordchepe / lasse eyþir moore.
Er maystrie ouer ony man / moore þan ouer hym -selue.
I were not worthy quod haukyn / to weryn ony cloþis.
Neyþir scherte ne schoon / save for schame oone.
To kouere myn kareyne quod hee  & criȝede mercy faste.
& wepte & weyȝlede / & þerwith y awakede.

[^1223: F.10.802: Alpha is responsible for omitting "þe Actif man" after "Haukyn."]

[^1224: F.10.805: Erroneous scheweth is owed to alpha. Beta reads "Synne seweþ vs euere quod he and sory gan wexe." F revises to supply an appropriate direct object for the verb.]

Explicit Passus .Xus.

[This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file.] Incipit Passus .XIus.

A Fter[^1225] my wakynge / it was longe after.
Er y cowhde keendely / knowe what was dowel.
& so my wit wex & wanyede / tyl y a fool were.
& summe[^1226] lakkede my lyf / þere a-lowed it fewe.
& leetyn me for a lorel / & looþ to don me worchepe.
Eyþir lordis or ladijs / or ony lyf ellys.
As persones with pelure / with pendawntys of syluer.
To sergawntis &[^1227] to swiche men[^1228] seyde nout oones.
God looke ȝow lordis / ne y lowtyd to hem fayre.
Þ at folk held me a fool / & in my foly ravede.
Tyl resoun hadde rewthe on me / & rokkid me on slepe.
Þan seyȝ y a syght of sorseryȝe / a sotyl þyng with -alle.
Oon with -owtyn tunge or teeþ / told me whidir y sholde.
& wher-of y cam kendely / þan coniowred y hym in haste.
If he were cristis creature / for cristis love me to telle.

[^1225: F.11.1: The ornamental capital is in blue with red flourishes. The scribe has run flourishes from top to bottom of the page in a russet ink not otherwise used in the manuscript.]

[^1226: F.11.4: The scribe's intention here is not clear. His usual form for "some" used as a collective subject is summe (cf. 1.19, 21, 31, 86, etc.), and that is consonant with Bx. However, a tilde appears over the final <e>, and the scribe perhaps intended to write sum men?]

[^1227: F.11.8: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta manuscripts instead read ne. For a similar variation, see 6.210.]

[^1228: F.11.8: A character has been erased where the expected virgule might have appeared.]

¶ I am cristis creature quod he / & cristne in many a place.
In cristis cowrt y-knowe wel / & of cristis kyn a party.
Is neyþir Peter þe porter / ne powl with his fawchoun.
Þ at wille defende me þe doore / dynge y neuere so late.
At mydnyght . at mydday  my voys is so wel y-knowe.
Þ at euery creature of his cowrt / wolkomeþ me fayre.

/ [¶] But what are cald [ye] cald . q uod y in þat cowrt / a-mong cristis peple.
Þe whilys y qwyke in þe corps / calid y am Anima .[^1229]
& whanne y wilne & wolde / Animus y hatte.
& whan y make moone to god / my name is Memorye .[^1230]
& whan y deme on dees / & do as trewthe techeþ.
Þan racio myn name is ryght / reson on englysch tunge.
& for þat y can y knowe [and] knowe / callyd mens y am ofte.[^1231]
& whan y fele þat folk tellyþ / my fyrste name ys sensus.
& þat is wit & wyȝsdom / þe welle of alle craftes.
& whan y chalange / or chalange nowht / chepe or refuse.
Þan am y Conscience y-cald / cristis clerkis notarie.
& whan y love leelly / oure loord & alle oþere.
Þan is leel love myn name / & in latyn Amor .
& whan y flee fleschly lust / & for-sake kareyne.
Þan am y a spiryȝt specheles / & Spiritus þanne y hatte.
Awstyn & ambrose / have brevid on here bookis.[^1232]
Þey nempned me þus be name / now þou myght cheese.
How þou wilt callyn me / þou knowist alle myn names.
Anima pro diuersis accionibus diuersa nomina sortitur.
Dum viuificat corpus  anima est . Dum vult  animus . est.
Dum scit  mens est . Dum recolit  memoria est.
Dum Iudicat  racio est . Dum sentit  sensus est.
Dum amat . amor est . Dum negat vel consentit 
Consiencia est . Dum spirat  spiritus est.

[^1229: The scribe on this opening highlighted the faculties of the soul with underlining and overlining in red.]

[^1230: F.11.25: "XI" with red flourishes is written in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.]

[^1231: F.11.28: In Bx, this line appears after 11.24.]

[^1232: F.11.37: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "Austyn and Ysodorus eiþer of hem boþe."]

¶ What ȝee ben as a bischop quod y / & gan burde þat tyme.
For byschopis þat ben y-blessid / þey beryn many names.
Presul & Pontifex & Metropolanus[^1233]
& oþere names an hep / episcopus et pastor

[^1233: F.11.48: RF share the erroneous Metropolanus.]

¶ Þ at ys sooþ / þan seyde he / for now y see þyn wille.
Þ ou woldist knowe & kunne / þe cause of alle myn[^1234] names.
& of myn yf þou myȝtyst / me þynkeþ be myn[^1235] speche.

[^1234: F.11.51: FW alone read myn. Bx has hire.]

[^1235: F.11.52: F's myn is unique. Bx has þi.]

¶ Ȝe sire þan seyde y / so no man were a-grevid.
Alle þe sciencis vndir sunne / & alle þe sotille craftys.
I wolde y knew & knew k[owþe] / kendely in myn herte.

¶ Þan art þou Inparfyght / quod he  & oon of priȝdes knyghtis.
For swich a lust & lykynge / lucifer fel fram hevene.
& held hym-selue as gret as god / swich grace he hade.[^1236]
Ponam pedem meum in aquilonem . & similis ero altissimo.

[^1236: F.11.58: This line is unique to F.]

¶ It were a-geyn kyȝnde quod he  & al-skens resoun.
Þ at ony creature sholde kenne al / except crist hym oone.
A -geyn swiche Salomon spekiþ / & disputiþ[^1237] here wittis
He seyþ . si quis mel comedit multum  non est bonum ei.[^1238]
Sic qui scrutator est magestatis . opprimetur a gloria.

[^1237: F.11.62: F's disputiþ is unique. Bx has despiseþ.]

[^1238: F's reading is unique. Bx has the following: And seiþ Sicut qui mel comedit multum non est ei bonum Sic qui scrutator est maiestatis opprimitur a gloria.]

¶ To englysch men þis is to meene / þat mowe speke & heeren.
Þe man[^1239] þat mychel hony eet / his mawe mote be engleymed.
Ryght so þe moore þat a man / of good matere heeryþ.
But he do þere-after / it doþ hym mychil skathe.
Beatus est seyþ seynt Bernard / qui scripturas legit .
& vertit verba[^1240] in opera / holly to his powher.
He þat Coueytiþ to kunne / & to knowe sciencis.
Was pyt owt of paradyȝs / as adam & Eve.
Sciencie appetitus hominem inmortalitatis gloriam spoliauit.

[^1239: F.11.66: An otiose curl appears over the <m>.]

[^1240: F.11.70: Alpha is responsible for the word order. Beta witnesses have " verba vertit ."]

¶ & ryght as hony is evil to defie / & engleyme engleyme[þ][^1241] þe mawe.
Ryght so þorghȝ resoun / he wolde þe roote knowe.
Of god / & of hise grete myghtis / his grace gan it lette.
For in lykynge lyþ gret priȝde / & lykames coueytise.
A -geyn cristis conseyl / & alle clerkys techyng.
Þat is non plus sapere  quam oportet sapere.

[^1241: F.11.74: We have taken the error to have been the work of the immediate scribe, but the redactor possibly understood the verb to be parallel to the infinitive form in the a-verse.]

¶ Freris & oþere[^1242] Maystris / þat to lewed men prechen
Ȝee meve mateer vn-mesurable[^1243] / to tellyn of þe trinnyte.[^1244]

[^1242: F.11.80: Alpha omitted fele before oþere.]

[^1243: F.11.81: The dot between vn and mesurable does not appear to be intentional.]

[^1244: F.11.81: Alpha omitted the following unmetrical line attested by beta witnesses: "That ofte tymes þe lewed peple of hir bileue douten."]

¶ Bettre it were to be-leve on / as doctouris vs techeþ.
& tellyn of þe .x. comaundementis / & towche þe .vij synnes
& þe brawnces þat burgoneþ of hem / & bryngeþ[^1245] men to helle
& how þat folk with folijs / mys-spendyn here fyve wyttis
As weel freris as oþire men / folyly spendyn.
In howsynge in haterenge / in-to hy clergye schewynge.
Moore for pompe þan for charite / þe peple whot þe soþe.
Þ at y lyȝe no woord loo  for lordis ȝee plesen.
& reuerence þe ryche men / þe rathere for here syluer.
Confundantur omnes qui adorant sculptilia . Et alibi dicitur.
Vt quid diligitis vanitatem  & queritis mendacium.

[^1245: F.11.84: An otiose curl appears above the <g>.]

¶ Goo to þe glose of þe vers / ȝee þat been clerkis.
If y lyȝe on ȝow / to myn lewid wit / led me to brennyng.
For as it semeþ / ȝee for-sake / no mennys almesse.
Of vsereris / of horis / &[^1246] of averous chapmen.
& ȝee lowten / to þe lordis / þat mowe leene ȝow noblys.
A-geyn ȝoure religions rewle / y take record at Iesus.
þ at seyde to hise dissipelis / nescitis [ne sitis] acceptores personarum.[^1247]

[^1246: F.11.96: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta witnesses have of alone. Curiously, R has and without of, so F's reading is unique.]

[^1247: F.11.99: Alpha is responsible for the word order. Beta witnesses have " personarum acceptores ."]

¶ Of þis matere y myghte  maken a mychil byble.
But of curatoures of þe peple / as clerkis beriþ witnesse.
I shal telle it for trewþe sake / take heede wh wh[oso] it lykeþ.
As holynesse & honeste / in holy chirche spredyþ.
Þorghȝ leelle lyvynge men / þat goddis lawes[^1248] techen.

[^1248: F.11.104: Alpha is responsible for plural lawes. Beta witnesses have lawe.]

¶ Ryght so owt of holy chirche / alle evelis sprediþ.
Þere inparfyȝt presthod ys / &[^1249] prechouris & techeris

[^1249: F.11.106: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta witnesses lack it.]

¶ See it be ensample / on trees / in somer tyme.
Summe bowes been levid / & summe beryn noone.
For a myschef is in þe maister roote / þat is cam of þe bowis.[^1250]

[^1250: F.11.109: F is unique among B manuscripts. Bx has "Ther is a meschief in þe more of swiche manere bowes."]

¶ So yt fareþ be preestis / & precherys in holy chirche.
Þey sholde been roote of þe fayþ / to rewle þe peple.
But þe mayster roote is rote[^1251] / resoun whot þe soþe.
Shal it neuere beryn frut / ne branche of grene[^1252] levis.

[^1251: F.11.112: rote ppl. "rotten."]

[^1252: F.11.113: An otiose curl appears over <g>.]

¶ For-þy  wolde þe lettrede / leven leccherye & cloþyngge.[^1253]
& be kende as clerkis sholde / & curteys of cristis goodis.
& trewe of here tunge / & of here tayle -ende.[^1254]
& haten to heeren harlotriȝe / & looþ wrong vndirfonge.
Of tythis of trewe þyngis[^1255] / y-tylijd or y-chaffared.

[^1253: F.11.114: Bx reads "Forþi wolde ye lettrede leue þe lecherie of cloþyng." The substitution of þe for ye occurred in alpha, and occurred again in the BmBoCot group. F noted the inconsistency and two lines below changed both instances of youre to here.]

[^1254: F.11.116: Though Langland's reference in Bx's "and of youre tail boþe" is sexual, it seems likely that F took the reference to be to "accounts, reckonings." For the form, cf. 6.78 above.]

[^1255: F.11.118: F's a-verse is unique. Most B manuscripts have "Tiþes of vntrewe þyng."]

¶ Looþ weryn lewede men / but þey ȝoure loore folwede.
& a-mendid hem þat mysdoon / þe moore / for ȝoure ensample.
Þan for to preche & preve it nowht / ypocrisye it semeþ.

¶ For ypocrisie in latyn / ys lykned to a dongoun.[^1256]
Þ at were be-snowid with -oute / & snakys been þere-Inne.
Or to a wal whyȝtlymed / & were dunk with -Inne.
Ryght so manye prelatis / prechoures & preestis.
Are blawnchid with bele parolis / & blewe burnet cloþis.
& ȝoure werkis & ȝoure wordis / þere-vndir ben al foxly.[^1257]
Iohannes c risostimus / of clerkis / he spekiþ & prechiþ.
Sicut de templo omne bonum procedit.[^1258]
Sic de templo  omne malum procedit.
Si sacerdocium integrum fuerit . tota floret ecclesia. Si autem corupta[^1259] fuerit . omni fides marcida est . Si sacerdos[^1260] fuerit in peccatis . totus populus conuertitur ad peccatum[^1261] . Sicut videris arborem pallidam & marcidam . Intelligis quod vicium habet in radice.[^1262]

[^1256: F.11.122: Alpha is responsible for dongoun. Beta witnesses read dongehill. It is perhaps curious that F uniquely introduces dunk, "dung," in 11.124 and did not correct his exemplar here.]

[^1257: F.11.127: F's foxly is unique. R has wlueliche, and beta has unloueliche.]

[^1258: F.11.129: The form procedit is from alpha. Beta witnesses read progreditur .]

[^1259: F.11.131: The form corupta is from alpha. Beta witnesses read corruptum .]

[^1260: F.11.131: The form sacerdos is from alpha. Beta witnesses read sacerdocium .]

[^1261: F.11.131: Alpha is responsible for peccatum, though the reading is shared by Cr2,3. Beta and C witnesses have peccandum.]

[^1262: F.11.131: F alone omits the following: "Ita cum videris populum indisciplinatum & irreligiosum sine dubio sacerdocium eius non est sanum ."]

¶ If lewed men wisten / what þis latyȝn meeneþ.
& who were myn awtour / gret wondir wolde þey haven.
But euery prest sholde bere / for here broode baselardis.[^1263]
A peyre of bedis in here hond / or[^1264] a book to bydde on.

[^1263: F.11.134: F's line is unique, revised in the light of a probably confused exemplar. Most beta witnesses have "But if many a preest beere for hir baselardes and hir broches," where the alliterative pattern suggests that Bx was already corrupt. R reads "But if many preste bere for here broches and for here baselardes." The R scribe's placement of a punctus elevatus after bere shows that he did not take "and for here baselardes" to have constituted the b-verse, though that is possible.]

[^1264: F.11.135: Alpha is responsible for or. Beta witnesses have and.]

¶ Sire Iohan & sire Geffrey / haven gyrdlys of syluer.
& a baselard or a ballokknyf / & botenys ouer gilt bryghte.
But his portuos þat is his plowh / placebo on to seggen.
Þ at is be-take to tauerne hows / for ten schelyng plegge.[^1265]
If he hadde no seruyse ne syluer / with evil wille he wille synge.[^1266]

[^1265: F.11.139: This line appears only in F.]

[^1266: F.11.140: F is unique. Beta witnesses have "Hadde he neuere seruice to saue siluer þerto seiþ it with ydel wille." R is similar to beta, though its b-verse ("seith it with euel wille") suggests that alpha is responsible for evil.]

¶ Allas . ȝee lewid men / mychil leese ȝee on[^1267] preestes.
For wikkidly þey wynnen / gold / & with slyȝe sleyghtis.
Wolde neuere wit / of witty god / but vn-witty men hem made.[^1268]
Þ at swiche prestis inparfyȝt lyve / & prechen for syluer.
& ben seketoures of sowlis good / & sumnowris with here feeris.[^1269]
Al þat / with gyle þey getyn / vngracyously is spendyd.
So harlotis & hooris / have holpe owt swiche goodis.
But[^1270] goddis folk for defawte / for-faren & spyllyn.

[^1267: F.11.141: An otiose curl appears above <o>.]

[^1268: F.11.143: Made is alpha's reading. Beta manuscripts read hadde.]

[^1269: F.11.145: F is unique. Bx has "Executours (or sectours) and Sodenes Somonours and hir lemmannes."]

[^1270: F.11.148: Alpha is responsible for But. (R has Ac.) Beta witnesses have And.]

¶ Of curatoures of holy cherche / &[^1271] clerkis þat ben auerous.
Þ at þey sparen lyghtly[^1272] / loselys it habbeþ.
Er þey deye in-testat / & þanne þe Bischop entriþ.
& makeþ merthe þer -with / & hise meyȝne boþe.
& seyn he was a negard / þat no good myghte spare.
To freend ne to fremde / þe feend have nou his sowle.
For a wrecchid hous[^1273] he hild / al his lyf-tyme.
& þat he sparede he [&] sperede / spende we now in merthe.

[^1271: F.11.149: Alpha and C have &. Beta witnesses have as.]

[^1272: F.11.150: F's a-verse is unique. Bx has "Lightliche þat þei leuen."]

[^1273: F.11.155: The <s> is malformed.]

¶ Boþe after lewed & lered / þat looþ ben to spende.
Þus goon here goodis / be þe goost y-faren.
But for goode men god wot / gret dool men maken.
& þey be-meene goode mete-ȝiveris / & in mynde hem have.
In prayeris & in penaunces / & in parfyȝt charite.

¶ A . what is charite q uod y þo  a childisch þyng he seyde.
Nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli  non intrabitis in regnum celorum.
W ith -outyn fawntelte er folie / er a free lyberal wille.
Where sholde men fyȝnde swich a frend / with so fre an herte.

¶ I have lyved in londe q uod y  & longe wille is my name.
& ful charyte fond y neuere / by-fore me / ne by-hyȝnde.
For men be not mercyable / to mendynauntis ne to poore.[^1274]
But þey leene . þere þey be-leven / to been lelly y-peyed.
But not for charite þat poul preyseþ / It pleseþ god in heuene.
As non inflatur / non est ambiciosa . non querit que sua sunt.

[^1274: F.11.168: F's reading is unique. Other B manuscripts read: "Men beþ merciable to mendinauntz and to poore."]

¶ I seyȝ neuere swich a man / so me god helpe.
Þ at he wolde [ne] wolde asken after his / & oþirwhile more coueyten.
Of þyng þat hym needid[^1275] nowht / & nyme it if he myghte.
Crerkis C[l]erkis kenne me soþly / þat cryst is in alle places.
But y sey hym neuere soþly / but as my-selue in merrour.
Hic in enigmate . tunc facie ad faciem.
& so y trowe trewly be he / þat men tellyn charite.
He is no champioun with to fyȝt / ne chaffare as y trowe.

[^1275: F.11.174: Alpha is responsible for this word order. Beta witnesses have "neded hym."]

¶ Charite chaffareþ not q uod he  ne chalyngeþ ne craveþ.
He is as prowd of a peny / as of a pond of goolde.
& is as glad / of a gowne / of a gray russet.
As of a tonycle of tarse / & of tryȝe veluet.
He is glad . with alle gladde / & good to alle wikkyde
He beleviþ[^1276] & loveþ alle þo / þat oure lord god made.
He curseþ no creature / ne he can bere no wratthe.
Ne he haþ lykynge to lyȝe / ne to lawe non to skorne.
Al þat men seyn he let it soþ / & it in solace takeþ.
& alle manere of myscheuys / in myȝldenesse he suffreþ.
He coueytiþ non erly[^1277] goodis[^1278] / but heuynly hyȝe blysse.

[^1276: F.11.185: Alpha and Y have He for beta's And. F uniquely has beleviþ for Bx's leneþ (or leueþ).]

[^1277: F.11.190: erly, "earthly." The scribe elsewhere writes "erthely" (4.201, 15.96), and his usual form is "erthe." This spelling appears also at 7.413 and 16.151.]

[^1278: F.11.190: Alpha is responsible for the plural form. Beta witnesses have good.]

¶ Haþ he ony rycchesse q uod he / er ony ryche frendys.

¶ Of rentys ne of rychesse q uod he / ne reccheþ he neuere.
For þe freend þat fyndis hym / fayled hym neuere at neede.
For fiat voluntas tua / feedyþ hym euere -more.
& þerto / he sowpeþ a sope / of spera in deo.
He can portreyȝe wel þe Pater noster / & peynte it with ave .[^1279]
& oþirwhile he is wont / to wenden on pilgrimages.
Þere poore men & prisoneris lygge / þeere pardoun to have.
Þowhȝ he bere hem no breed / he beriþ sotere lyflode.
For he loveþ hem as god byt / & lookeþ how þey faren.

[^1279: F.11.196: Alpha has the singular form. Beta and C witnesses have Aues.]

/ [¶] & whan he is wery of þat werk / þan wole he sum -tyme.
Sore laboure in lavandryȝe / þe lengþe of a myle.
& ȝeernen in-to ȝowhþe / & ȝeeply þere seken
Pryde with alle hise pertynaunces / & pakke hem to-gydres.
& bowken hem at hys breest / & beetyn hem clene.
& leggen on longe / with laboraui in gemitu meo.
& with warm water of hise eyȝes / wasschen hem after.
Þan he syngiþ whan he doþ so / & sum -tyme seiþ wepynge.
Cor contritum & humiliatum / non despicies domine.

¶ By crist y wolde y knew hym q uod y  no creature leuere.

¶ W ith -oute helpe of pers q uod he / his persoone seest þou neuere.

¶ Where Clerkis knowe hym q uod y  þat kepen holy chirche.

¶ Clerkys have no knowynge q uod he  but by werkis & wordis.
But pers plowhman / parseyveþ more deppere.[^1280]
Þ at is why  & wherfore / for many whyȝt y-knoweþ.[^1281]
Et vidit deus cogitaciones eorum.

[^1280: F.11.214: The comparative form here reflects normal shortening of the vowel before a doubled consonant.]

[^1281: F.11.215: Bx reads "What is þe wille and wherfore þat many wight suffreþ." Alpha had omitted þe before wille, and L agrees with alpha in reading Þat in place of What, but the remaining differences are attributable to F.]

¶ For þere are ful prowde herted men / & ben pacient of tunge.
& buxum of berynge / to borgeyses & to loordis.
But to þe poore peeple / peper is in here nose-þerlys.
& as a leoun he lookeþ / þere men lakke hise werdis.

¶ Þere are beggerys & bydderis / beedemen as þey weren.
& þey looken as lambren / & seme of lyf holy.
But it is moore to have here mete / on swich esy manere.
Þan for penaunce & parfyȝtnesse / swich pouerte is vn-holy.

¶ Þerfore be colour of clergye / knowe shalt þou hym neuere.
Neyþir þorghȝ word / ne þorghȝ werk / but þorghȝ wille oone.
& þat knoweth no clerk / ne creature on erthe.

¶ But pers þe plowhman / p roperly Pers idest id est Cristus .
For he loveþ noone lollerys / ne lond leperis neyþir.
Ne ancris þere any box hangeþ / for alle swiche fayte.
Fy on þo faytoures / & on factores[^1282] suos .

[^1282: F.11.231: F alone reads factores . Other B manuscripts have fautores .]

¶ For Charite is goddis Champioun / & as a good child hende.
& þe meriest of mowþ / at mete where he syttyþ.[^1283]
& he is compynable / & confort confort[atif] / as crist bit hym -selue.
Nolite fieri sicut ypocrite tristes.

[^1283: F.11.233: F omits the following line from Bx "The loue þat liþ in his herte makeþ hym liȝt of speche."]

¶ For y have seyn hym in sylk / & sum -tyme in russet.
& furrid with gray & with gryȝs / & goon in gylt harneyȝs.
& as gladly he it gaf / to goomes / þat it needyd.

¶ Seynt Emund & seynt Edward / eyþir weren kyngys.
& now be þey seyntis sette / so[^1284] charite he he[m][^1285] folwede.

[^1284: F.11.240: Alpha is responsible for so. Beta witnesses have til or for.]

[^1285: F.11.240: Though he is possibly written for "they," it is not the scribe's usual form, and in view of Bx's hem it is more likely to reflect error than to be a relict form.]

¶ I have seyn charite / also / syngen & reeden.
Ryden & rennen / in raggede wedis.
But byddyngge as a beggere / by-held y hym neuere.
But in ryche robes / rathest he walkeþ.
I -callid / & y-cremylid / & his crowne y-schave.
& in a frerys frokke / he was y-fownden oones.
But it is fern a-goo / in seynt Fraunceys tyme.
& in þat seut[^1286] sytthen / selden haþ he be knowe.
Ryche men he recomendiþ / & of here robis takiþ.
Of þoo with -owtyn wyȝlis / heere lowly ledyn here lyvis.
Beatus est diues qui

[^1286: F.11.248: Curiously, the <u> is corrected from <n>, though in general the scribe does not distinguish the two graphies.]

¶ In þe kyngis cowrt ofte / þere his conseyl is trewe.
& coueytise be in his conseyl / he wil not come þer -inne.
In cowrt a-mong Iaperis / charite comeþ selde.
For brawlyng & bakbytynge / & berynge of falshede.

¶ In constorie a-fore þe comyssarie / he comeþ not ofte.
For here lawe dureþ longe / but if þey lacche syluer.[^1287]
& þo þat conscience & cryȝst / have knet to-gydre.[^1288]
Þey vn-don it vn-worthily / doctoures of þe lawe.

[^1287: F.11.257: F omits the following line from Bx "And matrimoyne for moneie maken and vnmaken." A large drypoint "X" appears in the right margin, probably an unheeded corrector's mark to indicate the skipped line.]

[^1288: F.11.258: An otiose curl appears over <g>.]

¶ W ith Bisshopis[^1289] & abbotys / & prelatis of holy chirche.[^1290]
For to wone with hem / hys wone was sum -tyme.
& cristis parsymonye[^1291] to þe pore / parcel-mel þey deltyn.
But Auerise haþ þe keyȝes / & kepiþ for hise kenysmen.
& for hise seketouris & seruauntis / & summe for hise chirdryn chi[l]dryn.
But y lakke no lyf / but oure lord . a-mende vs alle.
& god graunte vs grace / þat charite may vs folwe.[^1292]
For who-so myghte mete with hym / swiche maneres hym eyleþ.
He blameþ neyþir ne blameþ [banneþ] / ne boosteþ ne preyseþ.
Ne lakkeþ ne lesseþ / ne lookeþ no þyng sternyþ stern[e].
Ne craueþ ne coueytiþ / ne criȝeþ after moore.[^1293]
Þe mooste lyfloode / he lyveþ by / ys goddys passioun.
Neyþir he byddiþ / ne beggiþ / ne borweth but he it ȝelde.
He mys-doþ no man / ne with his mowþ hym greveþ.

[^1289: F.11.260: An otiose curl appears over the <B>.]

[^1290: These five lines appear only in alpha.]

[^1291: F.11.262: This is the first appearance we have found in the language of "parsimony." MED has no entry, and the earliest citation in the OED is 1432. Bx reads patrymonye.]

[^1292: F.11.266: The a-verse is written over an erasure, and a small hole follows god, but no text is lost.]

[^1293: F.11.270: Alpha omitted the following line attested by beta witnesses: " In pace in idipsum dormiam &c. "]

¶ A -mongis cristene men / þys myȝldenesse sholde laste.
In alle manere angris / have þis euere at herte.
Þ at þeyȝ þow suffre alle þese / god suffred for vs moore.
In ensample we sholde don soo / & taken no vengaunce.
On oure foos þat doon vs falsnesse / þis is þe fadres wille.

¶ For euery man may wel wete[^1294] / if god wolde[^1295] hym -selue.
Sholde neuere Iudas þat[^1296] Iew / have Iesu doon on roode.
Ne have martred Peter ne Poul / ne in prison hem holden.
But he suffrede in ensample / þat we sholde suffre also.
& seyde to swiche þat suffre wolde / þat Pacientes vincunt.[^1297]
Verbi gracia q uod he  & verrede ensamples manye.
¶ In þe lengenda legenda sanctorum / ys þe lyf of holy seyntys.
What penaunce & pouerte / & passioun þey suffred.
& hunger & heete / & manye oþere angris.

[^1294: F.11.279: Alpha is responsible for the a-verse word order. Beta witnesses have "For wel may euery man wite."]

[^1295: F.11.279: Alpha lacks beta's hadde before wolde.]

[^1296: F.11.280: Alpha has þat (F) or þe (R). Most beta witnesses have ne.]

[^1297: F.11.283: The scribe left a full line for rubrication, wrote Verbi gracia and then scraped it out, leaving one empty line. The reading is archetypal.]

¶ Seynt Antonye & Egidie / & oþere holy fadres.
Þey woneden in wildernesse / a-mong wyȝlde bestis.
& also mukys mu[n]kys & mendynans / men by hem-selue
In Caues & in spelunses[^1298] / & seelde spoke to-gydres.

[^1298: F.11.291: Cf. OF espelunce, cited by MED, s. v. spelunkes.]

¶ But neyþir Antonye ne Egidie / ne non hermite þat tyme
Of Liones ne lepardes / no lyfloode þey tooken.
But of þe[^1299] fowlis þat fleyȝ / þus is fownde in bookis.
Except þat Egidie / after an hyȝnde callede.
& be þe melk of þe[^1300] beeste/ þe man was susteyned.
He hadde hire nowht euery day / his hungir for to slake.
But seelden & sundry tyme[^1301] / as seyþ þe book & techiþ.

[^1299: F.11.294: Alpha has þe, which is omitted in beta.]

[^1300: F.11.296: F is unique. R has "þat meke." Beta witnesses have "þat mylde."]

[^1301: F.11.298: Alpha is responsible for singular tyme.]

¶ Seynt Antonye on a day[^1302] / A-bowte noon tyme.
He hadde a brid þat browte hym to / breed to his lyfloode.[^1303]
& þey þat goome hadde a gest / god fedde[^1304] hem boþe.

[^1302: F.11.299: Alpha is responsible for "on a day." Beta witnesses have adayes.]

[^1303: F.11.300: F's line is unique. Most B witnesses have "Hadde a brid þat brouȝte hym breed þat he by lyuede."]

[^1304: F.11.301: Alpha is responsible for fedde. Beta manuscripts have fond.]

¶ Powl primus heremyta / hadde parokkid in[^1305] hym -selue.
Þ at no man myghte hym seen / for moos & for levys.
& fowlis hym fedde / fele wyntris with -alle.
Tyl þat he was fowndoure of frerys / of fraunces[^1306] ordre.

[^1305: F.11.302: Alpha is responsible for in, which is absent in beta.]

[^1306: F.11.305: F alone reads fraunces, and Bx has Austynes. The verse in C is rewritten.]

¶ Powl after cristis pynynge / panyeris he made.
& wan with hise hondis / þat his woombe nedede.

¶ Peeter fischede for his foode / & hys felawe Andrew.
& summe þei solden & summe þei eetyn[^1307] / & so lyveden boþe.

[^1307: F.11.309: Alpha's eetyn replaces soden, "seethed," which appears in beta manuscripts.]

¶ & also Marie Magdeleyn / be mores & by[^1308] dewis.
But moost by devocioun / & mynde on god almyghty

[^1308: F.11.310: Alpha omitted lyuede before the & and added by after it.]

¶ I shulde not þis seuene dayes / seyn ȝow . hem alle.
Þ at lyvedyn þus for oure lordis love / a-mongis wyȝlde beestis.[^1309]
For þere was [ne] was Lioun ne Lyparde / þat on londe wente.
Ne beere neyþir ne boor / ne oþere beestis wyȝlde.
Þ at þey fellyn [ne] fellyn to heere feet / & fawned hem with here taylis.
& if þey hadde cowd [cowd hadde] y-carpid / by crist as y trowe.
Þey wolden have y-feed þat folk / by-fore whyȝlde fowlis.
For al þe kyȝndenesse þat þey cowde / þey kydde to folk ofte.[^1310]
In lykkynge & lovynge / þere þey on londis wentyn.

[^1309: F.11.313: The b-verse reading occurred in alpha; beta witnesses read "many longe yeres."]

[^1310: These two lines are preserved only in alpha.]

¶ But god sent hem foode by folis / & by no wyȝlde[^1311] beestys.
In menynge þat meke þyng / myȝlde þyng sholde feede.
As who-so seyþ religious / ryght-ful men sholde feede.[^1312]
& lawful men / lif holy men / lyflode sholde bryngen.
& þanne wolde lordis & ladyes / be looþ to agilte.
& taken of here tenauntis / moore þan trewþe wolde.[^1313]
& fonde if þat ony freris / wolde for-sake here almesse.
& byddyn hem beryn it / þere þat it was borwid.
& seyn we ben goddis foulis / & a-byȝden alwey.
Tyl þat bryddis bryngen vs / þat we sholden lyven by.

[^1311: F.11.321: FG alone have wyȝlde. Bx has "fierse."]

[^1312: F.11.323: FW alone read feede. All other B witnesses have fynde. A drypoint "X" in the right margin may have been intended to call attention to the error.]

[^1313: F.11.326: A drypoint "X" appears in the right margin, but the reason for its appearance is not apparent.]

¶ For hadde ȝee payn & potage / & penyale to drynke.
& oo mees to ȝore meete / of oo manere of kyȝnde.
Ȝ ee hadde ryght y-now ȝee religious / & so ȝoure ordre[^1314] techiþ.
Numquid dicit Iob . Rugiet onager cum habuerit herbam aut mugiet bos cum ante plenum presepe steterit[^1315] ex adipe prodijt iniquitas tua.

[^1314: F.11.333: Beta witnesses have correctly alliterating rule against alpha's ordre.]

[^1315: F.11.334: Alpha omitted the following words from the middle of the Latin quotation: " brutorum animalium natura te condempnat quia cum eis pabulum commune sufficiat ."]

¶ If men knewe þis latyn / þey wolde looke whom þey ȝeve.
& a-visen hem by-fore / fyve dayes or sixe.
Ere þey a-mortysyd sikirly / vnto munkys here rentis.

¶ Allas Lordis & ladies lewid conseyl have ȝee.
To ȝevyn fram ȝoure eyres / þat ȝowre eyhelis ȝow leftyn.
& ȝeviþ it / to bydde for ȝow / to swiche as been ryche.
& been y-fownded & feffid eek / to byddyn for oþere.

¶ Who parformormeþ parformeþ þis prophesye / of þe peple þat now lybbeþ.
Dispersit dedit pauperibus  Iusticia eius manet in seculum seculi.[^1316]
If ony peple parforme þis tixt / it are þese poore frerys.
For þat þey beggyn a-bowten / in biggynge þey it spende.
& sum on hem-selue / & on swiche þat been here laboreris.
& of hem þat have þey take / & ȝeviþ hem þat nede habbyn.

[^1316: F.11.343: F alone adds " Iusticia . . . seculi ."]

¶ But Clerkys & knyghtis / & comonys þat been ryche.
Fele of ȝow faren / as if y a forest hadde.
& it were ful of fayre trees / & y as a fonne caste.
How y myghte moo þere-Inne / a-mongys hem sette.

¶ Ryght so ȝee ryche / ȝee robbe þem / þat be not ryche.[^1317]
& helpiþ hem þat helpiþ not ȝow / & ȝeveþ þere non neede ys.
As who-so fellyþ a tunne / ful of a ryver.[^1318]
& wente forþ / with þat water / to woke with þe temse.
Rich R[yght][^1319] so  ȝee ryche men / ȝee robben[^1320] & feedyn.
Hem þat have as ȝee have / hem ȝee make a tese at ese.
But religious þat ryche been / shulde rathere feede[^1321] beggeris.
Þan burgeys þat ryche been / as þe book techeþ.
Quia sacrilegium est res pauperum  non pauperibus dare . Item .
Idem[^1322] peccatoribus dare est demonibus immolare.[^1323]
Porro non indiget monachus si habeat quod nature sufficit.

[^1317: These lines are botched in alpha and in several beta manuscripts with roben, "to give a robe," confused with robben, "to rob, steal." Bx probably read: Right so ye riche ye robeþ þat ben riche And helpeþ hem þat helpeþ yow and ȝyueþ þer no nede is.]

[^1318: F.11.354: F is unique. Beta witnesses have "As whoso filled a tonne of a fressh ryuer." R has a similar a-verse. Note that beta lacks alpha's ful at the beginning of the b-verse, but R perhaps reflects an error in alpha when it replaces fressh with a second ful.]

[^1319: F.11.356: The erroneous reading Rich is the only instance in this manuscript of the word spelled with <i>. The remaining 80 instances all are spelled with <y> and a final <e>. The scribe has perhaps misread the common East Anglian form rith, "right," confusing <t> with <c>.]

[^1320: F.11.356: The same confusion of robben with roben noted at line F11.352 continues here.]

[^1321: F.11.358: Alpha is responsible for feede. Beta witnesses have feeste.]

[^1322: F.11.361: Alpha is responsible for Idem , which is lacking in beta.]

[^1323: F.11.361: Alpha omits the follow sentences attested in beta: Item monache si indiges & accipis pocius das quam accipis Si autem non eges & accipis rapis .]

/ [¶] Þerfore y conseile alle cristene / to conforme ȝow to Charyte.
For Charite with -outyn chalangynge / vn-chargeþ þe sowle.
& many a prisoner fram purgatorie / þorghȝ prayere ben dylyuered.[^1324]

[^1324: F.11.365: Alpha is responsible for a form of be plus the past participle. Beta witnesses have (he) deliuereþ.]

¶ But þer is a defawte in þe folk / þat þe feyþ kepithȝ.
Wherfore folk is þe feblere / & nowht ferme in beleve.
Ryght as þe luscheburue is lyþir of lay [alay] / & ȝit it lookeþ fayre.
For þe marke[^1325] of þe mone[^1326] is good / but þe matal is feble.
& so it fareþ be summe folk now / þey have a fayr speche.
& crowne & cristendom / þe kyngis merke of hevene.
But þe metal / þat is mannys soule / with synne is so a-layed.[^1327]
Þ at no lyf beleviþ oþir / ne oure lord / as it semeþ.
For what þoru werre & wikydnesses[^1328] / & wederys vnstable.[^1329]
Þ at wedir-wyse shipmen / & wytty Clerkys also.
Þey have no be-leeve to crist[^1330] / ne to þe loore of philosofres.

[^1325: F.11.369: An otiose curl appears over the <r>.]

[^1326: F.11.369: The scribe initially put a dot over the <o> very like the usual one over <i>.]

[^1327: F.11.372: F and manuscripts BCG omit the following line from Bx: "Boþe lettred and lewed beþ alayed now wiþ synne."]

[^1328: F.11.374: F's wikydnesses is unique. Bx has wikkede werkes.]

[^1329: F.11.374: F's vnstable is unique. Bx has vnresonable.]

[^1330: F.11.376: F's crist is unique. Bx has þe lifte.]

/ [¶] Astrinomyes alday / in here art þey fayle.
Þ at whilum warnede to-fore / what sholde fallyn after.
Schipmen with schippis / & schepperdis with scheep wentyn.[^1331]
Þey wisten by þe walkene / what sholde after by-tyȝde.
Of wederis & of wyȝndis / þey warnede men ofte.

[^1331: F.11.379: F's line is unique. Most B manuscripts have "Shipmen and shepherdes þat wiþ ship and sheep wenten."]

¶ Tylyeris of þe erthe / þey tolden here maystris.
By þe seed þey sewen / what þey sellyn myghte
& what leeve [to] leeve & to lyve by / þe lond was so trewe.
& now fayleþ þe folk of þe flood / & of þe lond boþe.
Boþe schepperdis & schipmen / & so doon þese tylyerys.
Neyþir þey kunne / ne knowe / no cowrs to-fore a-noþir
& astronomyes astronomye[n]s also / aren at here wittys ende.
Of þat was calkuled of clement[^1332] / þe contrarie nou þey fynde.
For gramere þat is þe grownde of alle / it by-gyleþ nou children.
For þere is now of no[n] of [þese] newe clerkis / who þat takeþ heede.
Þat can versyfye fayre / ne foormely endyten.
Ne a-mong anhundrid an hundrid / an Anteme[^1333] can construe.
Ne rede[^1334] a lettre in ony langage / but in latyn or englyschȝ.

[^1332: F.11.389: This passage caused B scribes some confusion. Beta witnesses read þe element. Alpha's clement along with C's clymat reveals the probable reading.]

[^1333: F.11.393: The first <e> is malformed.]

[^1334: F.11.394: An otiose curl appears above the first <e>.]

¶ Go now to ony degre / & but gyle be Mayster.
& flaterrere his felawe / to formen his speche.[^1335]
& myche wondir me þynkyþ / a-mongys vs alle.
Of doctouris of degrees / & of diuinite þe Maystris.
Þ at scholden kenne & knowen / alle -skens clergye.
& answere to argumentis / & also to a quodlybet
I dar not sey it for shame / if swiche weren a-posed.
Þey scholde fayle in philosofye / & in fysyk boþe.
Wherfore y am a-ferd / of folk of holy chirche.
Leest þey ouer -hyppen as oþire doon / in Offyȝs & in houres.
But þey oon hippe as y hope do nowht / oure be-leve sufficit[^1336]
As Clerkys in corpus cristi feste / reedyn & syngyn.[^1337]
Þ at sola fides sufficit / to save þe lewed peple.

[^1335: F.11.396: F's b-verse is unique, and Bx is corrupt, reading "vnder hym to fourmen."]

[^1336: F.11.405: Alpha is responsible for sufficit . Beta manuscripts have suffiseþ.]

[^1337: Two drypoint <X>s appear in the right margin.]

/ [¶] & so may sarsynes be saved / boþe scribis & Iewis.
Allas but oure loores men / lyven / as þey lerne vs.
& for here lyvynge þat lewede ben / þe lothere god þey gilte.

¶ For sarsynes have sumwhat / semynge to oure be-leve.
For þey loove & beleve / on oon persone almyghty.
& we lerede & lewede / in oon god be-leven.
& so cristene / & vncristne / in oon god ben be- leven.[^1338]

[^1338: F.11.414: This line is attested only in alpha.]

/ [¶] But oon Machabeus Macha[meþ] / a man of mysbeleve.
Broghte sarsynes of surye / þere-in / see in what manere.
Þis Machameþ was cristene man / but for he ne myght be pope.
In-to Surye he sowhte / & þorghȝ hise sotyl wittis.
He dawntyd a dowue / & day be day hire fedde.
& þe corn þat sche croppede / he cast it in his eere.[^1339]
Menynge as after mete / þus machameþ hire chawnteþ.[^1340]
& dyde folk fallyn on knees / for he swoor in his prechyng.
Þ at þe culuer þat cam so / cam fram god of hevene.
&[^1341] Messager to makameþ / men for to techen.
& þus þorghȝ wylis of his wit / & of a wyt dowe.
Machameþ in mysbeleve / men & wommen browhte hem.
Þ at leernede men & lewede / ȝit be-leven þere on hise lawes.
& sytthyn oure savioure suffrede / [...] so / þe sarsynes to by gylid.[^1342]
Þorghȝ a cristene Clerk / & a-cursed in his sowle.
But for drede of þe deþ / y dar not tellyn þe soþe.
How Crystenn clerkis a culuer feede / þat Coueytyse hatte.
& ben Manerid after machamet / for no man vseþ trewthe.

[^1339: F.11.420: Alpha omitted two lines attested by beta witnesses: And if he among þe peple preched or in places come Thanne wolde þe coluere come to þe clerkes ere.]

[^1340: F.11.421: F's chawnteþ is unique. Bx has the preterite form, though alpha is responsible for apheretic chaunted in place of beta's enchauntede.]

[^1341: F.11.424: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta witnesses have As.]

[^1342: F.11.428: The erasure, the additional solidus, and the inserted to suggest some confusion on the part of the scribe. Bx reads for the b-verse "þe Sarzens so bigiled."]

¶ Bothe Ankres & hermytis / & Munkis & frerys.
Been peeris to þe apostlys / þorghȝ here parfyȝt lyuynge.
Wolde neuere þe feyth-ful fadir / þat hise Mynystris sholden.
Of Tyrawntis þat tene trewe men / taken ony almesse.
But doon as seynt Antonye dyde / or dominik or[^1343] Frances.
Or benyȝt or[^1344] bernard / þe wheche hem fyrst tawhte.
To lyve be lytyl in lowe howses / be leele mennys fyndyng.[^1345]
Grace sholde growe & be grene / þorghȝ here leel[^1346] lyvynge.
& folk sholde fynde / þat been in dyuerse syknesse.
Þe bettere for here byddyngis ./ in body & in sowle.
& here prayeres & here penaunces / to pees sholde hem[^1347] brynge.
Alle þat been at debate / if bede-men weren trewe.
Petite & accipietis . querite & inuenietis . pulsate.[^1348]

[^1343: F.11.437: Alpha is responsible for or. Beta witnesses have and. F is alone in beginning the b-verse with or.]

[^1344: F.11.438: Alpha is responsible for this or. Beta witnesses have and. F is alone in beginning the verse with Or.]

[^1345: F.11.439: Beta witnesses read almesse in place of alpha's fyndyng.]

[^1346: F.11.440: The error appears in alpha. Beta witnesses have correctly alliterating goode.]

[^1347: F.11.443: An alpha reading. Beta witnesses omit hem.]

[^1348: F.11.445: F alone among B manuscripts reads " querite . . . pulsate ."]

/ [¶] Salt saveþ þe Catelle / as seyn sadde wyves.[^1349]
So manye p relatis ben to preche / as þe bible[^1350] makþ meende.
Of Nazareth / of Nynyve / of Neptalym of Damask.
Þ at þey ne wentyn as crist hem wisseþ / sytthe þey wilne þe name.
To been pastores & preche / þe passioun of Iesu
& as hym -selue seyde / to lyve / & dyȝe for oþire.[^1351]
He seyde so for saluacioun / of sarsynes & oþere.
& to cristene & to vncristene[^1352] / crist seyde on þis wyse.
Ite & vos . in vineam meam

[^1349: F.11.446: F omits the following 68 lines, reflecting the contents either of a single leaf or (more likely) 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, reminds us that this lacuna coincides with the opening of fols. 78v-79r in R and argues, we think unconvincingly, that F was copied directly from R. The omitted lines follow: Vos estis sal terre &c. The heuedes of holy chirche and þei holy were Crist calleþ hem salt for cristene soules Et si sal euanuerit in quo salietur Ac fressh flessh ouþer fissh whan it salt failleþ It is vnsauory forsoþe ysoden or ybake So is mannes soule sooþly þat seeþ no good ensample Of hem of holi chirche þat þe heighe wey sholde teche And be gide and go bifore as a good Banyer And hardie hem þat bihynde ben and ȝyue hem good euidence Elleuene holy men al þe world tornede Into lele bileue þe lightloker me þinkeþ Sholde alle maner men we han so manye maistres Preestes and prechours and a pope aboue That goddes salt sholde be to saue mannes soule Al was hethynesse som-tyme Engelond and Walis Til Gregory garte clerkes to go here and preche Austyn at Caunterbury cristnede þe kyng And þoruȝ miracles as men mow rede al þat marche he tornede To crist and to cristendom and cros to honoure And follede folk faste and þe feiþ tauȝte Moore þoruȝ miracles þan þoruȝ muche prechyng As wel þoruȝ hise werkes as wiþ hise holy wordes And seide hem what fullynge and feiþ was to mene Clooþ þat comeþ fro þe weuyng is noȝt comly to were Til it is fulled vnder foot or in fullyng stokkes Wasshen wel wiþ water and wiþ taseles cracched Ytouked and yteynted and vnder taillours hande And so it fareþ by a barn þat born is of wombe Til it be cristned in cristes name and confermed of þe bisshop It is heþene as to heueneward and helplees to þe soule Heþen is to mene after heeþ and vntiled erþe As in wilde wildernesse wexeþ wilde beestes Rude and vnresonable rennynge wiþ-outen cropers (or keperes) Ye mynnen wel how Mathew seiþ how a man made a feste He fedde hem wiþ no venyson ne fesauntz ybake But wiþ foweles þat fram hym nolde but folwede his whistlyng Ecce altilia mea & omnia parata sunt &c. And wiþ calues flessh he fedde þe folk þat he louede The calf bitokneþ clennesse in hem þat kepeþ lawes For as þe Cow þoruȝ kynde mylk þe calf norisseþ til an Oxe So loue and leaute lele men susteneþ And maidenes and mylde men mercy desiren Right as þe cow calf coueiteþ swete melke So doon riȝtfulle men mercy and truþe [The text for the next fourteen lines is from R, though without its pointing or indication of abbreviations. Beta witnesses lack this passage. And by þe hande fedde foules his 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 That 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 beþ þat excuseþ hem þat arn persons and preestes That heuedes of holy chirche ben þat han hir wil here Wiþ-outen trauaille þe tiþe deel þat trewe men biswynken They wol be wrooþ for I write þus ac to witnesse I take Boþe Mathew and Marc and Memento domine dauid Ecce audiuimus eam in effrata &c. What pope or prelat now parfourneþ þat crist highte Ite in vniuersum mundum & predicate &c. Allas þat men so longe on Makometh sholde bileue]]

[^1350: F.11.447: The scribe first wrote peple and corrected it with a cross above the line and added bible in the margin. The Bx reading is pope, which is doubtless correct.]

[^1351: F.11.451: F omits the following line from Bx: " Bonus pastor animam suam ponit &c. "]

[^1352: F.11.453: Beta's a-verse reads "For cristene and vncristene." Alpha is responsible for to in place of for before cristene and for adding to before vncristene, but F alone begins the line with &.]

¶ & sytthen þat þese sarsynes / & scribis & eek Iewis
Haven a lyppe of oure be-leve / þe lyghtlokere it semeþ.[^1353]
Þey sholde turnen who trauayle wolde / to teche hem of þe trinnyte.
Querite  & invenietis.
For alle paynymes prayen / to oon persone of helpe.[^1354]
& on .o. god þey gredyn / & his grace asken.[^1355]
& maken here meene to Machameþ / here message to shewe.
Þus in a feyþ lyveþ[^1356] þat folk / & in fals meene.
& þat is rewthe for ryght-ful men / þat in þe rewme dwelle.[^1357]
Þ at beryn bisschopis names / of bedleem & of babyloyne.
Whan þe hyȝe kyng of heuene / sente his sone to erþe.[^1358]
Manye myraclis he wroghte / man for to turne.
In ensaumple þat þat [men] sholde seen / þat by sad resoun.
Men myghte not ben savid / but þorghȝ mercy & grace.
& þorghȝ penaunce & passioun / & parfyȝt beleve.
& by-cam by-cam [man] 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[^1359] of þe fayþ / seynt Thomas was y-martred.[^1360]
And a-mong vnkyȝnde cristene / for cristis cristis [loue] 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.
& nowht to hoppe here & þeere / for halwen awteris.[^1361][^1362]
& crepen In a-mong kuraturis / & confesse a-geyn þe lawe.
Nolite mittere falsem in messem alienam.

[^1353: F.11.456: Alpha is responsible for "it semeþ." Beta witnesses have "me þynkeþ."]

[^1354: F.11.459: The b-verse is owed to alpha. Beta witnesses read as follows: "and parfitly bileueþ."]

[^1355: F.11.460: Alpha is responsible for the line, though R lacks line-initial &. Beta witnesses have "In þe holy grete god and his grace þei asken."]

[^1356: F.11.462: The manuscripts are divided between leue(þ), "believes," (most beta witnesses) and some form of liven (alpha and CrL).]

[^1357: F.11.463: F omits the following line from Bx: "And a peril to þe pope and prelates þat he makeþ."]

[^1358: These lines are attested only in alpha. For further discussion, see Ralph Hanna, III, Pursuing History: Middle English Manuscripts and Their Texts (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1996), pp. 215-29. Some corroborative evidence for Hanna's position is provided by Stephen Justice, "Introduction: Authorial Work and Literary Ideology," in Written Work: Langland, Labor, and Authorship, eds. Stephen Justice and Kathryn Kerby-Fulton (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1997), pp. 5-9.]

[^1359: F.11.477: A hint of red ink is barely visible on <s>.]

[^1360: F.11.477: A large drypoint <X> appears in the right margin, perhaps intended to call attention to the failure in alliteration.]

[^1361: F.11.483: The scribe originally wrote nawteris and corrected it to awteris.]

[^1362: F.11.483: F's reading is unique. R reads "And nauȝt to huppe aboute here in englande for to halwe autres." Beta witnesses have "That huppe aboute in Engelond to halwe mennes Auteres."]

/ [¶] Many a man / for cristis love / was Martrid in grete roome.
Er cristendom were knowe þere / or ony cros honowred.[^1363][^1364]

[^1363: F.11.487: Alpha omitted the following lines, attested by beta manuscripts. For the ordering in Bx see the discussion in Kane-Donaldson, p. 176. It is ruþe to rede how riȝtwise men lyuede How þei defouled hir flessh forsoke hir owene wille Fer fro kyth and fro kyn yuele ycloþed yeden Baddely ybedded no book but conscience Ne no richesse but þe roode to reioisse hem Inne Absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri &c. And þo was plentee and pees amonges poore and riche And now is rouþe to rede how þe rede noble Is reuerenced er þe Roode receyued for þe worþier Than cristes cros þat ouercam deeþ and dedly synne And now is werre and wo and who-so why askeþ For coueitise after cros þe croune stant in golde Boþe riche and Religious þat roode þei honoure That in grotes is ygraue and in gold nobles For coueitise of þat cros men of holy kirke Shul torne as templers dide þe tyme approcheþ faste Wite ye noȝt ye [The Bx reading here is uncertain, since good manuscripts from beta both omit (BCC2LMOY) and include (CrGHmW) ye.] wise men how þo men honoured Moore tresor þan trouþe I dar noȝt telle þe soþe Reson and rightful doom þo Religiouse demede Right so ye clerkes for youre coueitise er longe Shal þei demen dos ecclesie and youre pride depose Deposuit potentes de sede &c. If knyghthod and kynde wit and commune by conscience Togideres loue leelly leueþ it wel ye bisshopes The lordshipe of londes for euere shul ye lese And lyuen as Leuitici as oure lord yow techeþ Per primicias & decimas &c. Whan Costantyn of curteisie holy kirke dowed Wiþ londes and ledes lordshipes and rentes An Aungel men herden an heigh at Rome crye Dos ecclesie þis day haþ ydronke venym And þo þat han Petres power arn apoisoned alle A medicyne moot þer-to þat may amende prelates That sholden preie for þe pees possession hem letteþ Takeþ hire landes ye lordes and leteþ hem lyue by dymes If possession be poison and inparfite hem make Good were to deschargen hem for holy chirches sake And purgen hem of poison er moore peril falle If preesthode were parfit þe peple sholde amende That contrarien cristes lawe and cristendom dispise.]

[^1364: F.11.487: A large drypoint <X> appears in the right margin, perhaps noting the omission of this passage, though the loss had occurred in alpha and therefore could not have been in the immediate scribe's exemplar.]

¶ Euery bischop þat beriþ a croos / by þat  he is holde
To tellyn & scheven[^1365] / on þe trinnyte to be-leeve.[^1366]
& þorgh his prouynse to pase / & to his peple shewe hym. /
& feeden[^1367] hem with goostly foode / & nedy folk to feeden f[yn]den.[^1368]

[^1365: F.11.489: Though <v> can be written for <w> in East Anglian dialects (see Richard Jordan, Handbook of Middle English Grammar: Phonology, trans. and rev. Eugene J. Crook (The Hague and Paris: Mouton, 1974), § 300), it is rarely done in this manuscript after front vowels. However, since schewen is clearly the (erroneous) reading of alpha, it must have been what the scribe intended. Beta manuscripts have techen.]

[^1366: F.11.489: In relation to Bx this line and the next are transposed.]

[^1367: F.11.491: The <d> is written over an erasure, possible a long <s>.]

[^1368: These lines are attested only in alpha, probably because of eye-skip in beta on goostly foode. F omits foode after the second goostly.]

/ [¶] But ysayas how þou spekist [of ȝow] speki[þ] / & Osyas boþe.
Þ at no man shold be bisschop / but if he hadde boþe.[^1369]
Bodyly foode & goostly / to gyven þere it nedyþ.
In domo mea non est panis . neque vestimentum. & ideo nolite constituere me regem. ysa. 3o.[^1370]

[^1369: F.11.493: A drypoint <X> appears in the right margin.]

[^1370: F.11.495: Alpha and L alone cite the source.]

¶ Osyas seyþ / for swiche / þat syke been & feeble.
Inferte omnes decimas in orreum meum . vt cibus in domo mea

/ [¶] But we cristene creaturis / þat on þe croos be-leevyn.
Are formed[^1371] as in þe feyþ / goddis forbode ellys.
& have clerkis to kepe vs þer -Inne / & hem þat shulle comen after.

[^1371: F.11.499: Alpha is likely to have been responsible for forme, if not the preterite form. R has for me. Beta witnesses have ferme.]

¶ Þe Iewes be-leven[^1372] in leel lawe / oure lord wrot it hym -selue.
In stoon for it stedefast was / & stoonde scholde euere.
Dilige deum tuum[^1373] & proximum tuum[^1374] / is parfyȝt þe[^1375] Iewis lawe.
& took it Moyse to teche it hem[^1376] / tyl messias come.
& on þat lawe þey be-leeve / & leten it for þe beeste.
& ȝit knewe þey after . crist / þat cristendom tawhte.
& for a parfyȝt prophete / þat mychil peple savede.
Of selkowthe soorys / þey seyȝe hym heele manye.
Boþe of merveylis & myraklis / whan þat he men festede.
W ith two fischis / & fyve lovis / fyfe þowsande peple.
& by þat mangery þey[^1377] myghte seen / þat messias he were.
Whan he lift vp lazar / þat leyd was in þe graue.
& vndir stoon he stank ded / with styf voyȝs he hym callyde.
Lazare  veni foras.
He dyde hym ryse & roome / ryght by-fore þe Iewys.
But þey seyden & sworen / with sorceryȝe þat he wroghte.
& stodieden to stroyen hym / & stroyedyn hem-selue.
& þorghȝ his pacience / here powher / to pure nowht he broghte.
Pacientes vincunt Maliciam.

[^1372: F.11.501: F's be-leven is unique. Most other B witnesses have lyuen.]

[^1373: F.11.503: F's uniquely includes tuum.]

[^1374: F.11.503: FC2O alone include tuum.]

[^1375: F.11.503: F's þe is unique.]

[^1376: F.11.504: Alpha is responsible for hem. Beta witnesses have correctly alliterating men.]

[^1377: F.11.511: Alpha has þey in place of beta's men.]

¶ But Danyel of here doenge[^1378] / dyvynede & seyde.
Cum veniat sanctus sanctorum.[^1379]
& ȝit wenen þo wrecchis / þat he were speudo propheta.
& þat his loore / be lesyngis / & þey lakken it alle.
& hopen þat be [he] be to come / þat shal hem releve.
Or Moyses eft / or Messias / ȝit here Maystris dyuyne.

[^1378: F.11.520: FCrM alone have doenge. Most B manuscripts have vndoynge.]

[^1379: F.11.521: The reading is owed to alpha. Beta witnesses read " Cum sanctus sanctorum veniat cessabit vnxio vestra ."]

¶ But Farisenys[^1380] & sarsynes / & scribis & greekys.
Arn folk of oo fayȝþ / þe fadir god . þey honowren.
& sythe þat þe sarsynes / & also þe Iewis.
Kunne þe firste clawse / of oure beleeve.[^1381]
Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem.

[^1380: F.11.526: Farisenys, "Pharisees."]

[^1381: F.11.529: F makes two lines of Bx's one. Bx reads "Konne þe firste clause of oure bileue Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem ."]

¶ Prelatis / of cristene provynces / sholde proven if þey myghte.
& lerne hem lytelum & lytelum / & in Iesum cristum filium .
Tyl þey cowden speken & spellyn / Credo[^1382] in spiritum sanctum .
& reden it & recorde it / with remissionem peccatorum .
& þerwith Carnis resurreccionem / & vitam eternam amen .

[^1382: F.11.533: F alone reads Credo. Beta witnesses have et , and R has and.]

Explicit Passus .xius.[^1383]

[^1383: "XII" with red flourishes appears in the top right margin to indicate the passus number.]

Incipit Passus .xiius.

A Geyn[^1384] y gan to sleepe softe / & my syȝde y gan to turne.[^1385]
& a-noon y seyȝ . as y seyȝ erst / & spak to hym with mowþe.

[^1384: F.12.1: The ornamental capital is blue with red and green flourishes in the left margin the length of the page. The scribe's guide <a> for the rubricator is visible in the middle of the rubricated letter.]

[^1385: These two lines appear only in F.]

¶ Now fayre falle ȝow / q uod y þo  for ȝoure fayre schewynge.
For haukyne love þe actif man / euere y shal ȝow lovie.
But ȝit y am in a weer / what charite ys to meene.

¶ It is a ful triȝe tree q uod he  good trewþe[^1386] to telle.
Mercy is þe moste þereof / þe myddil stook is rewthe.[^1387]
Þe leevis ben leele wordis / þe lawe of holy chirche.
Þe blosmes been buxum spechis / & benygne lokyngys.
Pacience hatte þe pure tree / & poore symple of herte.
& so þorghȝ god & goodemen / groweth frut of Charite.
I wolde trauayle[^1388] þis tre to seen / q uod y  .xx.ti hundred myle.
To have my fille of þat frut / & for-sake al oþir sawle
Lord q uod y / if ony wyght weete / wher þat tre spryngiþ.

[^1386: F.12.6: Alpha is responsible for trewþe, though R lacks good. Beta witnesses have trewely.]

[^1387: F.12.7: A drypoint <x> appears in the right margin.]

[^1388: F.12.12: An otiose curl is written above the <y>.]

/ [¶] It groweth in a gardyn q uod he / þat god made hym -seluen.
A -myddis mannys body / þe more is of þat stokke.
Herte . hatte þat herber / þat þe tree in groweth.[^1389]
And liberum arbitrium . haþ þe Lond to feerme.
& vndir is[^1390] pers þe plowhman / to pyken it & weden it.
Peers þe Plowhman q uod y þo  & al for pure Ioyȝe.
Þ at y herde nempne his name / a-non y swowned after.
& longe lay in a love-dreem / & at þe laste me þowhte.
Þ at Peers þe Plowhman anon / al þe place me schewede.
& bad me tooten on þe tre / on top / & on roote.
& with þre pyleris it was vndir-pyght /. y parceyved it sone.

[^1389: F.12.17: F's reading is unique. Bx has "þat it Inne groweþ."]

[^1390: F.12.19: Alpha is responsible for the intrusion of And, but F alone reverses the hierarchy by adding is.]

¶ Peers quod y / y praye þe / why stonden þese pileris heere.

/ [¶] For wyndys / wilt þou wete quod hee  to kepe[^1391] it fram fallyng.[^1392]
In blomynge tyme a-bide no floures / but þese pileris helpen.
Þe world is a wikkid wynd / & wendeth a-mong þe levis.[^1393]
& for-fret neyȝ þe frut / þorgh fele fayre syghtes.
Þe fyrste pyler y calle / ys Potencia dei[^1394]

[^1391: F.12.27: Alpha is responsible for kepe. Beta witnesses have witen.]

[^1392: F.12.27: F omits the following line: " Cum ceciderit iustus non collidetur quia dominus supponit manum suam ."]

[^1393: F.12.29: Eye-skip caused alpha to omit the b-verse and following a-verse. Interestingly, a drypoint <x> appears in the right margin at this point, suggesting awareness of text outside alpha. Bx reads as follows: The world is a wikked wynd to hem þat willen truþe Coueitise comþ of þat wynd and crepeþ among þe leues.]

[^1394: F.12.31: F's reading is unique. Bx has "Thanne with þe first pil I palle him doun þat is potencia dei patris."]

¶ Þe fleschȝ is a fel wynd / þat fleeþ in flourynge tyme.
Þorgh lykynge þorghȝ lustis / so lowde he gynneþ blowe.
Þat it norscheþ nyce syghtes / & sum -tyme nyse woordys.
& þer-of comen wykkede werkis / & wormes of synne.[^1395]
& for-byteþ þe blosmes / ryght to þe bare leevis.
Þan sette y to / þe seconde piler / þat is Sapiencia patris.
Þ at is passioun [þe] passioun & þe powher / of oure prince Iesu
W ith prayeris & penaunces[^1396] / & cristis passioun in myȝnde.
Þus save y it / tyl y see it rype / & sumdel wel y-fruted.
& foondiþ þe feend / my frut to distroye.
W ith alle wyȝles þat he can / he waggeþ þe roote.
& casteþ vp / to þe croop / vn-kende conseyl ofte.[^1397]
Bakbyteris & boosteris / & blawreris b[r]aw[l]eris & chyderys /
He he He leyþ a laddir þerto / of lesyngys are þe rybbis.
Þe stakys for to steppen oon / been exseketouris trewþe.[^1398]
He feccheþ a-weyȝ myn floures / by-fore boþe myn eyȝen.
But liberum arbitrium / lettiþ hym sum -tyme.

[^1395: F.12.35: A black <x> appears in the right margin.]

[^1396: F.12.39: F's a-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "Thoruȝ preieres and þoruȝ penaunces." Alpha is responsible for "With" in place of the first "Thoruȝ," but R has the second.]

[^1397: F.12.43: F has revised the b-verse significantly. Bx reads "vnkynde Neighebores."]

[^1398: F.12.46: This line appears only in F.]

¶ Þ at ys his lewtenaunt to loke it / be leeve of my-selue.
Videatis  qui peccat in spiritum sanctum . numquam.[^1399]
Hoc est idem qui peccat per liberum arbitrium non repugnat

[^1399: F.12.50: Beta manuscripts have remittetur after numquam , probably because of a defective exemplar. R has re &c .]

¶ But what[^1400] þe fend & þe fleschȝ / forþ with þe world
Þey manace by-hyȝnde me / myn frut for to fecche.
Þanne liberum arbitrium / laccheþ þe þrydde plankke.
& puttyþ a-doun þe powke / priuyly[^1401] þorghȝ grace.
& with helpe of þe holy goost / & þus have y þe maystrie.

[^1400: F.12.52: Beta witnesses correctly read whan. F retains what from alpha.]

[^1401: F.12.55: Alpha is responsible for priuyly. Beta witnesses have pureliche.]

¶ Now fayre falle ȝee pers / q uod y  so fayre ȝe discriuen.
Þe powher of þese postes / & here propre myghtes.
But y have þoght a þrowe / of þese þre pyleris.
In what woode þey woxen / & were þat þey grewen.
For alle are þey a-lyche long / non lasse þan oþir.
& to my meende as me þynkeþ / in oon moor þey grewe
& al of oon gretnesse / & greene of greyn þey semen.

¶ Þ at is sooþ seyde Pers / it may so by-fallyn.
I shal tellyn þe as tyȝt / what þis tree hette.
Þe grownde þere it groweth on / goodnesse men it calle.
& y tolde þe erst what hyȝte þe tre / þe trinnyte it meeneþ.

¶ & þanne egrily he lokede on me / & þerfore y sparede /
To aske hym ony moore þere-of / but preyede hym ful fayre.
To discrive me þe frut / þat so fayre hangede.

¶ Heere now be-neþe q uod he þo / yf y neede hadde.
Matrimonye y may neme / a moyst frut with -alle.
Þan contynence is neer þe croop / as caylewey bastard.
Þan beryþ þe croop kendest frut / & klennest of alle.
Maydenhod angelys perys / & þo raþest wil be rype.
& sweete with -oute swellyng / sorwe worþ it euere.

¶ I prayede Peers / to pullyn doun / an appil if he wolde.[^1402]
& suffre me to a-saye / what savour it hadde.
& Peers caste to þe croop / & þan comsed it to criȝen.
& a-noon waggede wedewhod / & sore wepte[^1403] after.
& whan he mevede Matrimonye / it made a myche noyse
Þan had y rewþe / whan peers rusched[^1404] / it gradde so rewfully.
For euere as þey droppid a-doun / þe deuyl was þere redy.
& gadrede hem alle to-gydres / boþe greete & smale.
Boþe Adam & habraham / & ysaye þe p rophete.
& sampson & samewel / & seynt Iohan þe baptist.
& bar hem forþ boldly / no-body wolde hym lette.
& made of holy men his hoord / in lymbo inferni.
Þere is derknesse & dreede / & þe deuyl mayster.

[^1402: F.12.77: Roman numeral xj is written (erroneously) in a lighter brown ink in the right margin.]

[^1403: F.12.80: The scribe initially wrote a long <s> which he converted to make a <p>.]

[^1404: F.12.82: Alpha is probably responsible for rusched. R has rused, while beta witnesses have rogged.]

¶ & Peers for pure teene / þo oo pyler he lawhte.
& hitte after hym / happe how it myghte.
Filius be þe fadres wille / & frenesse of spiritus s ancti.
To goo robbe þat ragman / & be-reve þe frut fram his place.

¶ Þane spak spiritus s anctus / in gabriellis[^1405] mowthe.
To a maide þat hyȝte Marie / a meeke þyng withalle.
Þat oon / a Iustises sone / muste Iowken in hire chambre.
Tyl Plenitudo temporis / tyme come it were.
Þ at Peersis frut flowrede / & fel whan it was rype.
& þan shulde Iesu Iustne þerfore / by Iugement of armes.
Wheyþir sholde fonge þe frut / þe feend or hym -selue.

[^1405: F.12.94: The barred double <l> is ambiguous, usually standing for <-e>, but sometimes unmistakably representing <-is> or <-es>. MS R alone among the remaining B manuscripts lacks the genitive inflection, so the ambiguity is nearly complete.]

¶ Þe Maide myȝldely þo / þe messager she grauntyd.[^1406]
& seyde hendely to hym / loo me his hand-mayde.
For to worchen his wille / with -outyn ony synne.
Ecce ancilla domini . fiat michi secundum verbum tuun tuu[m].
& in þe wombe of þat wenche / was he .xl. wykys.
Tyl he wex a[^1407] fawnt þorgh hire flesch / & on fytȝ fy[ȝt] he coude.
To have y-fowte with þe fend / er ful tyme come.
& Peers y parseyuede / in þat plener tyme.
& lerned hym lechecraft / his lyf for to saven.
Þ at þowh he were of his enemy hurt / to warsche hym sone.
& dide hym a-saye surgerie / on hem þat syke weren.
Tyl he was parfyȝt practysour / if ony pereylis fellen.
& sowhte owt þe syke / & þe synful boþe.
He salued[^1408] þe syke & synful / boþe blynde & krokede.
& comoun wymmen he conuertyde / & to crist turned hem.
Non est sanis opus medicus . sed male habentibus.

[^1406: F.12.101: The scribe marks the last two words for separation with a tick above and below the line.]

[^1407: F.12.106: The graph actually looks more like the scribe's <&> than capital <A>.]

[^1408: F.12.114: An otiose curl appears above the <d>.]

¶ Boþe Meselis & mysseses / þat of þe menysoun weren.
Ofte he helede swiche / he hild it lytil maystrie.[^1409]
Save þo / he lechide lazar / þat hadde y-leyn in grave.
Qvatriduanus boþe quert / & quik he dyde hym ryse.

[^1409: F has revised the syntax of Bx which reads as follows: Ofte he heeled swiche he held it for no maistrie Saue þo he leched lazar þat hadde yleye in graue Quatriduanus quelt quyk dide hym walke.]

¶ But as he made þat maistrie / mestus cepit esse
& wepte water with hise eyȝes / þere seyȝen it manye.
& summe þat þe syghte seyȝe / seyden in þat tyme.
Þ at he was a leche of lyf / & lord of hyȝe heuene.

¶ Þe Iewis Ianglyd þere a-geyn / þo þat Iugged þe lawes.[^1410]
& seyde he wroghte þorgh wicche-craft / & with þe deuelis myght
Demonium habes / þe domes-men seyden.[^1411]

[^1410: F.12.125: F's b-verse is unique. Most beta manuscripts read "and Iuggede lawes." Alpha is responsible for F's þat, but F uniquely has þo and þe.]

[^1411: F.12.127: F is unique in having a b-verse.]

¶ Þan are ȝee cherlys quod crist / & ȝoure childryn boþe.
& sathan ȝoure saviour / ȝoure -selue may witnesse.
For y have salued ȝoure -selue / & ȝoure sones after.
Ȝoure bodies & ȝoure beestis / & blynde men y holpe.
& fed ȝow with two fyschis / & with fyve lovis.
& left basketys of broke mete / bere a-wey who wolde.
He mysseyde þe Iewis manly þus / & manassid hem to beete.
& knokkid on hem with a corde / & caste doun here stallys.
Þ at in chirche chaffaredyn / er changid ony monee.
& seyde þus in syght of hem alle / so þat alle it herde.
I shal ouer-terve þis temple / & a-doun it þrowe.
& in þre dayes after / edyfye it newe.
& make it as myche . or moore / in alle manere poyntis.
As euere it was . & as wyȝd / wherfore y hote ȝow heere.
Of prayerys & of parfyȝtnesse / þis place ȝee callyn after.
Domus mea domus oracionis vocabitur.

¶ Boþe Envie & evil wyl / was a-mong þe Iewis.
Þey casten & contriueden / to kylle hym whan þey myghte.
Ech day after oþir / here tyme þey þan waytyd.

¶ Tyl it be-fel on a fryday / by-fore pask a lytel.
On þursday by-fore þat / þan he made his cene.
& syttende at þat soper / hym -selue seyde þese wordis.
I am sold / þorgh summe of ȝow / he shal þat tyme rewe.
Þ at euere he solde his sauyour / for siluerene plates.

¶ Iudas Iangelede þere a-geyn / & Ientil Iesu hym toolde.
It was hym-selue soþly / & seyde tu dicis.
Þan wente forþ / þat wikkid man / & with þe Iewis he mette.
& tolde hem be what tokne / þey sholde knowe his mayster.
Þe[^1412] wiche tokne in-to þis day / ys here mychil vsed.
Þ at kyssyngge with fair contynaunce / & with vnkyȝnde wille.
& so was with Iudas þoo / þat Iesus by-trayede.
Ave rabbi / q uod þat rybawde / & ryght to hym he wente.
& kest hym to by cawht þer -by / & kyllyd þorghȝ[^1413] þe Iewis.

[^1412: F.12.156: Alpha has Þe. Beta witnesses have And.]

[^1413: F.12.160: Alpha has þorghȝ. Beta witnesses have of.]

¶ Þanne Iesu to Iudas / & to alle þe Iewis seyde.
Falsnesse y fyȝnde / in þyn false speche.
& gyle in þy glad cheere / & galle is in þyn lawhyng.
Þ ou shalt shalt [be] merour after / to manye men to disseyve.
But þe woors & þe wikkidnesse / shal worthe on þy-selue.
Necesse est vt veniat Scandalum .[^1414]
Ve homini illi per quem scandalum venit.

[^1414: F.12.166: F's veniat Scandalum is unique. Bx has veniant scandala .]

¶ Þowhȝ y be þorghȝ tresoun take / & þorgh ȝoure owne wille.
Suffreþ myn apoostlis in pees / priuyly forþ to gange.[^1415]
In[^1416] a þursday in þerknesse[^1417] / þus was y [he] taken.
Þorghȝ Iudas & þe Iewis / Iesu was þan taken
& on fryday folwynge / for cause of mankende.
He Iustnede in Ierusalem / gret Ioye to vs alle.
& on a cros on Caluerye / crist took þe batayle.
A -geyn deeþ & þe deuyl / þe day for þe nyght he made.[^1418]
Þan y waknede þerwith / & wipyd boþe myn eyȝes /
& for y hadde so soore y-slept / sory was y þanne.[^1419]
& on þe dremynge y drempte / euery doynge y þowhte.

[^1415: F.12.169: F's reading is unique. Bx has "Suffreþ myne Apostles in pays and in pees gange."]

[^1416: F.12.170: Alpha has In. Beta witnesses have On.]

[^1417: F.12.170: The reading þerknesse occurs only in F. R joins most beta manuscripts in reading þesternesse, both words meaning "darkness."]

[^1418: F.12.175: F melded two lines into this one. Bx reads as follows: Ayeins deeþ and þe deuel destruyed hir boþeres myȝtes Deide and deeþ fordide and day of nyȝt made.]

[^1419: These lines appear only in F.]

Explicit . Passus .xijus.

Incipit Passus .xiijus.

A Nd[^1420] whan y hadde longe leyn / y lawhte to me herte.
& after Pers plowhman / y pryȝede & starede.
Estwarde & westward / y waytid hym ful faste.
& ȝeede as an ydeoot / in cuntrees to a-spye.
After peers plowman / fele places y sowhte.
& þanne mette y with a man / on mydlentene sunday
As hoor as an hawe-þorn / Abraham he hyghte.
I freyned hym first / from whens þat he come.
& of whens he were / & whidir þat he þowhte.

[^1420: F.13.1: The initial is blue, flourished with green and red and with red flourishes extending halfway up the left margin.]

¶ I am feythȝ q uod þat freeke / it falleþ me[^1421] nowht to lyȝe.
& of Abraham-is hows / an heroud of Armes.
I seeke after a segge / y sey hym but oones.
A ful boold Bacheleer / y knew hym by his blasen.

[^1421: F.13.10: Alpha and most C manuscripts have me, though R and C have it after nowht. Beta lacks it.]

¶ What beryþ þat burne . quod y þo / so blysse þe by-tyde.

¶ Thre Leedys in oon lyȝþ / non lengere þan oþir.
Of oon mychele & of oon myght / in lengthe & mesure.
& þat .o. dooþ / alle doon / & ech doþ by hym -selue.
Þe firste haþ myght in mageste / makere of alle þyngys.
Pater is his propre name / on persone by hym -selue.[^1422]
Þ at al þe lyght & þe lyf / on londe & on watre.[^1423]
He is confortour of creaturis / of hym comeþ alle blysse.
So þre bylongen for Lord [a] Lord / þat lordchepe cleymeþ.
Myght & eek a meyne[^1424] / to his myght owiþ.[^1425]
Of hym -selue & his seruaunt / & sumwhat suffreþ hem boþe.

[^1422: F.13.19: The syntactic confusion apparent here is caused by F's omission through eye-skip of three lines after line 19. Bx reads as follows: The secounde of þat sire is Sothfastnesse filius Wardeyn of þat wit haþ was euere wiþout gynnyng The þridde highte þe holi goost a persone by hymselue.]

[^1423: F.13.20: The syntactic confusion here began in alpha. Beta witnesses read "The light of al þat lif haþ a londe and a watre." R also omits the verb, reading "Þat alle þe liȝt of þe lif ...."]

[^1424: F.13.23: The scribe first wrote meene and overwrote the second <e> with <y>.]

[^1425: F.13.23: Bx reads "to knowe his owene myȝte," spoiling the alliterative pattern. F's attempt to repair the damage changes the sense.]

¶ So god þat gynnynge hadde neuere / but þo hym good þowhte.
He sente forþ his sone / as for his seruaunt þat tyme.
To ocupien hym heere / ty ty[l] issue where y-sprunge.
Þ at is childur of charite / & holy chirche þe Moodir.[^1426]
& patriarchis & prophetis / & a-poostlys were þo barnes.[^1427]
& cristys cristendom / & alle[^1428] cristene holy chirche.
In menynge þat a man muste / in[^1429] oo god be-leve.
& þere hym lykede & lovede / in þre persones . he hym schewede.
& þat it may be so & soþ / manhod it scheweþ.
As wedloke / & whedewehod / & virgynete first nempned.
In toknyng of þe trinyte / was take out . of mankynde.
Adam was oure forme fader / & Eve was of hym -selue.
& þe issew þat þey hadde / yt was of hem boþe.
& eyþir is / oþeris Ioye / in þre sundry persones.
& in hevene . & heere / oo synguler name.
Þ at[^1430] mankynde / or manhod / of manhod[^1431] y-sprunge.
& it be-tookneþ þe trinyte / þat trewe is to oure beleue.

[^1426: F.13.28: The scribe initially wrote a lower case <m> and added a flourish to capitalize it.]

[^1427: F.13.29: An alpha lection. Beta manuscripts read children.]

[^1428: F.13.30: Alpha has alle, which is absent in beta. The same variants appear in C manuscripts.]

[^1429: F.13.31: Alpha and Cr have in. Beta manuscripts have on.]

[^1430: F.13.40: F's reading is unique. Alpha is responsible for Þat. Beta manuscripts have And þus is. R reads And þat is.]

[^1431: F.13.40: F's error for matrimoyne is consistent with either a semi-conscious scribal change or the F redactor's conscious meddling.]

¶ Myght is . in Matrimonye / þat multyplyeþ on erthe.
& it be-tookneþ trewly / telle ȝow . if y durste.
Hym þat first alle formede / þe fadir of hevene.
& þe sone if y durste it say / ensample to wydewe.
Deus meus . deus meus . vt quid dereliquisti me.

¶ Þ at his is[^1432] creator was creature / to knowe what was boþe.
As wydewe withoutyn wedloke / was neuere ȝit[^1433] y-seyȝne.
No moore myghte god be man / but if he moodir hadde.
Ne widewe with -outyn wedloke / may not wel stande.
Ne matrimonye with -outyn moylere / ys not myche to preyse.
Maledictus homo qui non reliquid reliqui[t] semen in israhel.

[^1432: F.13.47: In view of the evidence for loss of word-initial aspirate /h/ in the scribe's dialect, his may represent an inverse spelling for is rather than scribal error or sophistication.]

[^1433: F.13.48: An otiose curl appears over <t>.]

¶ Þus been þre persones oon / parfyȝtly þorghȝ manhode.[^1434]
Þ at is man & his make / & moyllere here[^1435] childryn.
& is not but gendre for generacioun / by-fore Iesu in heuene.
Ryght so is þe fadir with þe sone / & fre wille of boþe.
Spiritus procedens a patre & filio.
Wiche is þe holy goost alle [of] alle / & al is god oone.

[^1434: F.13.53: F's reading is unique, and Bx is corrupt. Beta manuscripts read: "Thus in þre persones is parfitliche manhede." R has "Þus in thre persons is perfitliche puir manhode."]

[^1435: F.13.54: Alpha and L have here, lacking in beta manuscripts.]

/ [¶] Þus in a somer y hym seyȝ / as y sat in myn porche.
I roos vp / & reuerrencid hym / & ryght faire grette.
Þre men to myn syghte / y made weel a teese at eese.
& weschȝ here feet & wipid hem / & afterwarde þey eetyn.
Calues fleschȝ & kake bred / þey knewen what y þowhte.
Ful trewe toknes be-twene vs ys / to tellyn whan me lykeþ.

¶ First he fondid me / yf y lovede bettre.
Hym or ysaak myn eyȝr / þe wiche he hyght me kylle.
He wiste my wille by hym / he wil me it a-lowhe.
I am ful sekir my sowle is þere / & myn sones boþe.[^1436]
I circumsysed my soone / sytthen for his sake.
My-selue & myn meyghne / & alle þat malis weren.
Bleddyn blood for þat lordis love / in hope blysse to wynne.[^1437]
Myn affiaunce & myn feyþ / is ferme in myn beleve.
For hym -seluyn be-hyȝte me / & to myn yssew boþe.
Be þe lond / & lordchepe / & lyf with -outyn ende.
& to me & to myn ysseue / ȝit[^1438] moore he me grauntyd.
Mercy for oure mysdede / as many tyme as we aske.
Quam olim habrahe promisisti / & semini eius.
& sytthen he sente me to seyȝe / y sholde don sacrifise.
& doon hym worchepe with breed / & with wyȝn boþe.
& he callid me foot of his feyþ / his folk for to save.
& defendid hem fram þe feend / þe folk on me beleveþ.
Þus haue y been his herawd / heere & eek in helle[^1439]
Of a burne þat baptised hym / Iohan babtist was his name.
Þ at to patriarkis & prophetis / & to oþir peple in derknesse.
Seyden as y seide eer / þat he schal have hem alle.[^1440]
Ecce agnus dei . ecce qui tollit peccata mundi.[^1441]

[^1436: F.13.68: F has significantly revised this line. Bx reads as follows: "I am ful siker in soule þerof and my sone boþe."]

[^1437: F.13.71: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "and hope to blisse þe tyme."]

[^1438: F.13.75: The <ȝ> is larger than usual and perhaps should have been rendered as <Ȝ>.]

[^1439: F.13.82: F omits two lines, creating syntactic confusion. The missing verses in Bx read: And conforted many a careful þat after his comynge waiten And þus I seke hym he seide for I herde seyn late.]

[^1440: F.13.85: F's reading is unique. Beta reads "Seide þat he seiȝ here þat sholde saue vs alle." Alpha is responsible for substituting seide for seiȝ and hem for vs.]

[^1441: F.13.86: F and Hm alone complete the Latin quotation. Bx ends at dei &c .]

¶ Þan hadde y wondir of hise woordis / & of hise wyde cloþis.
&[^1442] in his bosum he bar a þyng / &[^1443] þat he blesside euere.
& y lokede in his lappe / a lazar lay þan þere-Inne.
A -mongis patriarkis & prophetis / pleyende to-gydres.

[^1442: F.13.88: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta manuscripts and C have For.]

[^1443: F.13.88: Alpha, along with most C manuscripts, has &. Beta lacks it.]

¶ What a-waytist þou q uod he  & what woldist þou have.

¶ I wolde wete quod y þo  what is in ȝoure lappe.

¶ Loo  q uod he  & leet me see / þan Lord mercy y seide.
Is þis a present of mychil priȝs / what prince shal it have.

¶ It is a precious present q uod he  but þe powke haþ it tachid.
& me þerwith quod þat wyȝe / may no wed vs qwyten.
Ne no barn be oure borghȝ / ne bryng vs fram his danger.[^1444]
Tyl he come / þat y carped of / cryst ys his name.
Þ at shal delyuere vs sumday / owt of þe deuelys power.
& a bettre wed for vs legge / þan we ben alle worthy.
Þ at is lyf / for lyf / er lyggen shulle we þus evere.
& þus shal y [he] lolle in my lappe / tyl swich a lord vs fecche.

[^1444: F.13.97: Alpha omitted the following line attested by beta manuscripts: "Out of þe poukes pondfold no maynprise may vs fecche."]

¶ Allas þowhte y þoo / þat is / a long a-bydynge[^1445]
& oon on foote sewede hym / for he softely wente.
& he be-took hym þe targe as tyȝt / trewly to me it telle.

[^1445: These three lines are from alpha. They are properly judged by Kane and Donaldson as well as by Schmidt to be spurious, probably motivated by censorship of material deemed to be theologically dangerous. Beta manuscripts read: Allas I seide þat synne so longe shal lette The myght of goddes mercy þat myȝte vs alle amende I wepte for hise wordes wiþ þat sauȝ I anoþer Rapeliche renne forþ þe riȝte wey he wente. The last line was omitted by alpha. The reading of alpha is not entirely clear, since F differs significantly from R which reads as follows: Allas thouȝte I þo þat is a longe a-bydynge. And sued hym for he softe ȝede. Þat he toek vs as tit ac trewly to telle.]

¶ Þan y freyned hym first / from whens þat he come.
What he hyȝte / & whidir he wolde / & whyȝtly he tolde.
I am Spes a spie q uod he  & spere after þat knyght kowþe.
Me was taken a mawndement / vpon þe mount of synay.
To rewle alle rewmes þerwith / y bere þe rolle heere.

¶ Is it a-selyd seyde y / may men seen þe lettre.

¶ Nay he seide y seke hym / þat haþ þe seel to keepe.
& þat is þe cros & cristendom / & cryst þer-on to hange.
& whan it ys / a-selyd soo / sathenas haþ lost his power.[^1446]
& þus myn lettre meneþ / men mowe knowe yt[^1447] alle.

[^1446: These lines differ greatly between alpha and beta witnesses as well as within alpha. Beta manuscripts read: And whan it is enseled so I woot wel þe soþe That Luciferis lordshipe laste shal no lenger. R supplies the b-verse "sathanas power schal last no lenger" for the first line, but has a hypometrical following line: "And þus my lettre meneth." W. W. Skeat, The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman, in Three Parallel Texts (Oxford: Clarendon, 1886): 2.416, proposed that FR's exemplar must have read: And when it is aseled so Sathanas power Schal last no lenger and þus my letter meneth.]

[^1447: F.13.115: The scribe wrote an otiose mark above the <y>.]

¶ Let see þat lettre[^1448] q uod y  we myghte þe lawes knowe.

[^1448: F.13.116: Alpha is responsible for "þat lettre." Beta and C manuscripts have "þi lettres."]

¶ & he plukkede forþ a patente / a pece of an hard rooche.
Were-oon was wryten two wordis / on þis wyse vnglosid [y]glosid.
Dilige deum / et proximum tuum.

¶ Þis was þe tixt trewly / y took þer-to good keepe.[^1449]
& þe glose was gloriously wrete / with a gylt penne
In hijs duobus mandatis . tota lex pendet & prophete.

[^1449: F.13.120: F's b-verse is unique. Beta manuscripts have "I took ful good yeme." R reads "gome" for beta's "yeme."]

¶ Is heere al þyn lordis lawe q uod y  ȝee  leve me he seyde.
& who þat wirchiþ after þys wryt / y wille vndir-taken.
Shal neuere do[...][^1450] hym dere / ne deuel his soule greve.
For þeyȝ y sey it myn -selue / I have saved with þis charme.
Of men & of wommen / manye skore þowsendis.
He seyþ soþ seyde þe heroud / y have fownde it ofte.
Loo heere in my lappe / þat belevedyn on þat charme
Boþe Iosue & Iudith / & Iudas Machabeus.
& sixty þowsande by-syde / þat been not seyn heere.

[^1450: F.13.125: The scribe (though it is possibly some later revisor) may perhaps here be seen revising the exemplar. The characters <uyl> are erased after initial <de>. The <e> was converted to <o> by scraping. Other B witnesses read "Shal neuere deuel hym dere ne deeþ in soule greue."]

¶ Ȝ oure wordis are wondirful quod y  wich of ȝow is trewest.
& leelest to be-leve on / to þe lyf / or to sowle.
Abraham seyþ þat he seyȝ / holly þe trynnyte.
Þre persones in parselys / departable fram oþer.
& alle þre but oon / þus Abraham me tawhte.
& þey been savid þat byleve soo / & sory for here synnys.
He can can [not] seyȝ þe summe / & summe been in his lappe.
What neediþ it þanne / a newe lawe to brynge.
Sytthe þat þe firste ys sufficiaunt / to save vs to blysse.

¶ & þan comeþ spees & spekiþ / þat haþ a-spied þe lawe.
& tellyþ nowht of þe trinnyte / þat took hym his lettris.
To be-leven & lovyen / in oon god[^1451] almyghty.
& sytthe ryght as my-selue / so to loven al þe peple.[^1452]

[^1451: F.13.143: F's reading is unique. Bx reads lord.]

[^1452: F.13.144: Alpha omits eleven lines. Beta witnesses read: The gome þat gooþ wiþ o staf he semeþ in gretter heele Than he þat gooþ wiþ two staues to sighte of vs alle And riȝt so bi þe roode Reson me sheweþ It is lighter to lewed men o lesson to knowe Than for to techen hem two and to hard to lerne þe leeste It is ful hard for any man on Abraham bileue And wel awey worse ȝit for to loue a sherewe It is lighter to leeue in þre louely persones Than for to louye and lene as wel lorels as lele Go þi gate quod I to Spes so me god helpe Tho þat lernen þi lawe wol litel while vsen it.]

¶ & as we wentyn in þe weyȝe / þus wordynge to-gydre.
Þan sey we a samaritan / syttende on a Mule.
& Rydende ful rapely / þe ryght weyȝ we ȝeedyn.
Comynge fram a cuntre / þat men callyn Ierycho.
To a Iustis in Ierusalem / he chased awey faste.
Boþe þe heroud / & spes[^1453] / & me / he mette a toones at oones
Where þat a man was wowndid / & with þevis takyn.
He myghte neyþir steppen ne stonden / ne stere foot ne honde
Ne helpen hym -selue soþly / for semyvif he semede.
& as nakyd as þe nedle / & noon helpe a-bowten.[^1454]

[^1453: F.13.150: F alone translates the correctly alliterating hope into Latin.]

[^1454: F.13.154: Alpha is responsible for the omission of hym following abouten. F's form with final <n> is unique, providing a final unstressed syllable for the b-verse.]

¶ Feyȝþ hadde first syghte on[^1455] hym / but he fleyȝ a-syȝde.
& wolde not neyȝhe hym neer / be nyghne londis lengþe.

[^1455: F.13.155: Alpha is responsible for on. Beta manuscripts have of.]

¶ Hope cam hippynge after / þat hadde so y-boosted.
How he with Moyses maundement / hadde men y-holpe /
But whan he hadde syght of þat segge / on syde he gan hym drawe.
Dredfully by þis day / as a doke doþ fram þe[^1456] fawcoun.

[^1456: F.13.160: The scribe initially wrote pe and corrected the <p> to <þ>.]

¶ But so sone as þe samaritan / hadde syght of þat leede.
He lyghte doun of Lyard / & ladde hym in his handis.[^1457]
& to þe weyȝ he wente / hise wounndis to be-holde.
& he parceyvede be his powse / he was in pereyl to dyȝe.
& but he hadde þe rathere recure / ryse scholde he neuere.
He breyded to hise botelis[^1458] / & boþe he hem tamede.[^1459]
W ith wyȝn & with oyle / hise wowndis he waschede.
& Enbawmed hym / & bond his heed / & in his lappe hym leyde.
& ladde hym so forþ on liard / to lex Cristi[^1460] a grawnge.
Weel sixe myle or sevene / by-syden Newe[^1461] merket.
& herberwid hym at an hosterie / &[^1462] þe osteler callede.
& seyde / have kepe þou þis man / tyl y come fram Iustis.
& loo heere is syluer he seyde / for salue / to hise wowndis.
& he took hym two pens / for[^1463] liflode as it wore.[^1464]
& seyde what he spendid more / y make þe good here -after.
I may no lengere lettyn q uod þat leede / & lyard he be-stridiþ.
& rapeþ hym to Ierusalem-ward / þe ryght weyȝ to ryde.

[^1457: F.13.162: Alpha is responsible for plural handis. Beta manuscripts have the singular, and the same variations appear in C.]

[^1458: F.13.166: The scribe first wrote botetis and then overwrote the <t> with an <l>.]

[^1459: F.13.166: This line is attested in alpha only.]

[^1460: F.13.169: Cristi is written over an erasure.]

[^1461: F.13.170: F uniquely omits þe before Newe.]

[^1462: F.13.171: Alpha lacks beta's to after &.]

[^1463: F.13.174: An otiose curl is written above the <r>.]

[^1464: F.13.174: H. R. L. Beadle, "The Medieval Drama of East Anglia: Studies in Dialect, Documentary Records and Stagecraft," unpub. D. Phil. thesis, University of York, 1977, p. 69, lists wore for "were" as a feature of Norfolk dialects. See also E. Björkmann, Scandinavian Loan Words in Middle English, Studien zur englischen Philologie, 7, 11 (1900-1902), p. 85; and G. Försstrom, The Verb "To Be" in Middle English: A Survey of the Forms, Lund Studies in English, 15 (Lund: C.W.K. Glerrup, 1948), pp. 119-20.]

¶ Þan fayth folwed hym faste / & fondid hym to meete.
& Spes sparkly[^1465] hym spedde / speden if he myghte.
To ouer -take hym / & talke to hym / er he to towne come
& whan y sey þis y soiorned not / but schoop me to renne
& sewede þe samaritan / þat was so ful of pyte.
& he grauntyd me / y to be his goome / graunt mercy y seide.[^1466]
& þyn frend & þy felowe quod he / þou fyȝndist me at neede.
& þanne y þankyd hym þo / & sytthyn þus y hym toolde.

[^1465: F.13.179: This unusual form appears also in R, probably reflecting sprakliche in alpha. Compare 14.12 for similar variants. Beta witnesses read spakliche.]

[^1466: F.13.183: F, perhaps not recognizing "promised" as the sense of grauntyd, has revised the line substantially. Bx reads "And graunted hym to ben his gome [(alpha) or groom (beta)] graunt mercy he seide."]

¶ How þat feyþ fley a-wey / & spes his felawe boþe.
For syghte of þe sorwful man / þat robbed was with þevis.

¶ Have hem excused quod he / here helpe may lytil a-vayle.
Þere may no medycyn vndir moolde / þat man to helthe brynge.
Neyþir feythȝ ne fyȝn hope / so feestrid ben hise wowndis.
W ith -owtyn þe blood of a barn / þat shal be born of a mayde.
& been[^1467] bathed in his blood / baptyzed as he were.
& make a plastre with penaunce / with þe[^1468] passioun of þat babe.
& þan shal he stonde & steppen / but stalworthe worþ he neuere.
Tyl he haþ etyn al þe barn / & his blood y-drunke.
For wente neuere weyȝ in þis world / þorghȝ þat wyȝldernesse.
Þ at he was [ne] was robbed & ryfled / rood he eyþir or ȝeede.
Save feyþ & his felawe / Spes & myn -selue.
& þy-selue nowthe / & swiche as sewe oure werkys.

[^1467: F.13.192: Alpha omits beta's he.]

[^1468: F.13.193: F's with þe is unique. Bx reads and. Alpha is responsible for adding unmetrical þe.]

¶ For an owtlawe is[^1469] in þe wode / & vndir balkis lotyeþ.
& he may euery man se / & goode marke takeþ.[^1470]
Who is by-hyȝnde / & by-fore / & who is on horse.
For he halt hym hardiere on horse / þan he þat is on foote.
For he seyþ me samaritan / þat feyþ & his felawe sewen.[^1471]
Oon  my capel þat hette caro / of mankyȝnde y it tooke.
He was but an harlot[^1472] / & hedde hym In inferno.
But er þis þis [day] þre dayes / y dar vndyr-take
Þ at he worthȝ fetrid þat feloun / faste with stronge cheynes.
& neuere eft greve goome / þat goþ þis ilke gate.
O mors ero mors tua morsus tuus ei e[ro] i[nferne][^1473][^1474]

[^1469: F.13.200: Alpha is responsible for "owtlawe is." Most beta manuscripts have the plural. R lacks "an" before "owtlawe," but curiously Cr2,3 share that reading with F.]

[^1470: F.13.201: Alpha is responsible for the finite form takeþ. All beta witnesses have the infinitive take.]

[^1471: F.13.204: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "For he seigh me þat am Samaritan suwen Feiþ & his felawe."]

[^1472: F.13.206: F's a-verse is unique, and error in R suggests that alpha's reading had been botched. R reads "he was vn-harlot." Beta manuscripts have "He was vnhardy þat harlot."]

[^1473: F.13.210: The scribe appears to have mistaken the abbreviation e. i. for the pronoun.]

[^1474: F.13.210: The line appears only in alpha, and F alone continues the quotation with " morsus tuus ero inferne ." Alford, Piers Plowman: A Guide to the Quotations, notes that this O antiphon is "sung during Holy Week (e.g. Brev. 1:dcclxxxii, dccci), based on Osee 13:14 (Cf. 1 Cor. 15:55)" (107). Alpha omitted a dozen lines attested in beta witnesses between F13.210 and 211. Beta family manuscripts read: And þanne shal Feiþ be forster here and in þis Fryth walke And kennen outcomen men þat knowen noȝt þe contree Which is þe wey þat I wente and wher forþ to Ierusalem And Hope þe Hostilers man shal be þer þe man lith anhelyng And alle þat feble and feynte be þat Feiþ may noȝt teche Hope shal lede hem forþ with loue as his lettre telleþ And hostele hem and heele þoruȝ holy chirche bileue Til I haue salue for alle sike and þanne shal I returne And come ayein bi þis contree and conforte alle sike That craueþ it or coueiteþ it and crieþ þerafter For þe barn was born in Bethleem þat with his blood shal saue Alle þat lyuen in Feiþ and folwen his felawes techynge.]

¶ A sweete sire seyde y þo / wheyþir of ȝow shal y leve.
For feythȝ & his felawe / enformed me boþe.
Of þre persones departable / & perpetuel ben euere.
& alle þre but .oo. god / & alle goomes after.[^1475]
Love hem lyȝk my-selue / but oure lord a-bove alle.

[^1475: F.13.214: F omits a b-verse, a full line, and an a-verse. Bx reads as follows: . . . þus Abraham me tauȝte And Hope afterward he bad me to louye O god wiþ al my good . . . .]

¶ After Abraham seide[^1476] quod he / þat heraude of armes.
He settte sette faste þy fayþ / & feerme þy be-leve.
& as hope by-hyȝte[^1477] þe / y hote þe . þat þou lovie.
Þynn euyncristene euere -more / even-forþ with þy-selue.
& if conscience carpe þere a-geyn / er kynde wit eyþir.
Or eretykis with argumentis / þyn hand þou hem schewe.
For god is after an hand / þou here it now / & knowe it.
Þe fadir was first . as a fyst / with oo fynger folden.
Tyl he lyþed[^1478] & luste / to vnloose his fynger.
& profered it forþ with þe pawme / to what place it sholde.
Þe Pawme is of[^1479] þe hand / & profereþ forþ þe fyngris.
To mynistre & to make / þat myght of man knoweth.
It be-tokneþ trewly / to tellen who-so lykeþ.
Þe holy goost of heuene / he is lykned þe pawme.
& þe fyngris þat free been / to folde & to serue.
By-tokneþ soþly þe sone / þat sent was to erthe.
& þorghȝ towchyng & tastyng / &[^1480] techynge of þe pawme.
Seynte Marie þat mayde / mankende sche lawhte.
Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto

[^1476: F.13.216: Seide is supplied above the line by the original scribe as a correction. However, the "correction" makes little sense in context. The scribe nowhere else shows dissatisfaction with quod. Cf. F14.167, where he substitutes quod in place of correctly alliterating seide.]

[^1477: F.13.218: Alpha reads by-hyȝte for beta's highte.]

[^1478: F.13.224: F alone reads he lyþed, "relaxed, relented." Beta manuscripts read hym louede, except for Hm, which agrees with Cx in reading lykede. R reads leued.]

[^1479: F.13.226: F uniquely reads of. Bx reads purely.]

[^1480: F.13.232: Alpha is responsible for &. Beta and C manuscripts have at. F's a-verse reading is unique, almost certainly reflecting F-Redactor's attempt to make sense of the <&> he found in his exemplar. He changes the verbs of Bx into gerunds.]

¶ Þe fadir ys / as a fist / with fynger to towche.
Quia omnia traham ad meipsum me ipsum.
&[^1481] al þat pawme parceyueþ / profitable to feele.
& þus are þey alle but oon / as it a fyst[^1482] were.
& þre sundry syghtys / in oon shewynge.
Þe pawme for it pit forþ / fyngris & fyst boþe.

[^1481: F.13.237: F uniquely reads &, confusing the sense and syntax. Other B manuscripts omit it.]

[^1482: F.13.238: The substitution of a fyst for an hand occurred in alpha.]

¶ Ryght so redely / good resoun it schewiþ.
How he[^1483] þat is holy goost / sire / & sone . y-preve
& as þe hand halt harde / alle þyngis & faste.
Þorghȝ foure fyngris & a þumbe / forþ with þe pawme.

[^1483: F.13.242: The scribe perhaps intended to place a punctus between he and þat.]

¶ Ryght so þe fadir & sone / & seynt spiryȝt þe þrydde.
Holden al þe wyȝde world / with[^1484] hem þre to-gydres.
Boþe þe walkene & þe wyȝnd / þe water & þe erthe
Hevene & helle[^1485] / & al[^1486] þat þere ys Inne.[^1487]
Þus it neediþ euery man / to trowen on non oþir.[^1488]
Þ at þre þynges longen to / in [ / in] oure lord of heuene.
& are sunderlepis by hem-selue / & a-sundre weren[^1489] neuere.
No moore þan may an hand[^1490] / meve / with -owtyn fryngris fyngris.
& as my fyst is ful hond / & y-folde to-gydres.
So is þe fadir a ful god / foormere & scheppere.
Tu fabricator omnium.
& alle þe myght myd hym ys / in makynge of þyngys.

[^1484: F.13.246: Alpha reads with for beta's wiþInne.]

[^1485: F.13.248: An otiose curl appears over the <h>.]

[^1486: F.13.248: An otiose curl appears after the <l>.]

[^1487: F.13.248: Alpha and L read "þere ys Inne." Beta manuscripts have "is þerInne" or "therin is."]

[^1488: F.13.249: Alpha has confused the sense. Beta witnesses read "Thus it is nedeþ no man trowe noon ooþer."]

[^1489: F.13.251: Alpha and L omit beta's þei before neuere.]

[^1490: F.13.252: Beta's a-verse reads "Na moore þan myn hand may."]

¶ Þe fyngris foormen a ful hond / to portreye or to peynte.
To keruynge or[^1491] cumpassynge / þat is craft of þe fyngris.
Ryght so is þe sone / þe science of þe fadir.
& he ful god as is þe fadir / no feblere ne no bettre.
Þe pawme is pur-lych þe hand / but he [haþ] power by hym -selue.
Oþir-wise þat wrytynge þa[n þe] wry[þyn] fust / or werkmanchippe of þe fyngris.
For þe pawme haþ powher / to pittyn owt þe Ioyntys.
& to vnfelde þe fust / for it . to hym longeþ[^1492]
& to receyve þat þe fyngris reche / & to refuse boþe.
Whan he felyþ þe fust / &[^1493] þe fyngris wille.
So is þe holy goost god / neyþir grettere ne lasse.
Þan is þe syre . or þe sone / & of þe same strengþe.
& alle þey are but oon god / as is hond & fyngris.
Vn-folden or folden / my fust er my pawme /
Al ys it / but an hand / how so y turne it.
But who is hurt in þe hond / evene in þe myddis.
He may receyve ryght nowht / of þat he reche myghte.[^1494]
But þey myn þumbe . & myn fyngris boþe weren to-swolle.
& þe myddis of myn hond / were / with -owtyn male-eese.
Ȝit in manye-skens manerys / y myghte my-selue helpe.
Boþe meeve / me in manere / þey alle myn fyngris oken.
By þis skyle he seyde / þou[^1495] see an evydense.
Þ at who-so synneþ in þe holy spiryȝt / asoyled worþ he neuere.
Neyþir heere / ne ellis -where / as y have herd telle[^1496]
For he prikkiþ god in þe pawme / þat peccat in spiritu sancto.
For god þe fader is a fust / þe sone is a fynger.
Þe holy goost of hevene / is as he were þe pawme.
So who þat synneþ a-geyn[^1497] þe holy[^1498] spirit / it seme seme[þ] þat he greuyþ.
His hond þat he grypeþ with / & his owene grace he qwenchiþ.[^1499]

[^1491: F.13.258: Alpha reads or. Beta manuscripts have and.]

[^1492: Beta omitted a b-verse, a full line, and an a-verse because of eye-skip on fust.]

[^1493: F.13.266: Alpha reads & for beta's at.]

[^1494: F.13.273: F omits by eye-skip on receyve ryght nowht the following lines from Bx: ... reson it sheweþ For þe fyngres þat folde sholde and þe fust make For peyne of þe pawme power hem failleþ To clucche or to clawe to clippe or to holde Were þe myddel of myn hand ymaymed or yperissed I sholde receyue riȝt noȝt .... As a result of the eyeskip, F changed Bx's I to he in the b-verse.]

[^1495: F.13.278: F's þou is unique. Other B manuscripts have I.]

[^1496: F.13.280: F omits the following line from Bx: " Qui peccat in spiritu sancto &c ."]

[^1497: F.13.284: Alpha's a-geyn agrees with the majority of C manuscripts. Beta has in.]

[^1498: F.13.284: F uniquely reads holy. Other B manuscripts have Seint.]

[^1499: F.13.285: F's line is uniquely. Bx reads as follows: "God þat he grypeþ wiþ and wolde his grace quenche."]

¶ For to a to a to a toorche / or to a taper þe trinnyte ys lykned.
& þat is but weex & weke / wroght boþe to-gydre.
& a fayr fyȝr flawmeþ / forthȝ of hem boþe.
& as weex & weke / & warm feer is to-gydres.[^1500]
Fostren forþ a flawme / & a fayȝr leyȝe.
So dooþ þe sire & þe sone / & sancti sanct[us] spiritus also.
Fostren foorþ a-mong folk / boþe love / & byleve.
Þ at al cristene kynde / it clenseþ of synnes.
& as þou seest sum -tyme / sodeynly a torche.
Þe blase þerof y-blowe owt / & ȝit brenneþ þe weke.
W ithowtyn leyȝe or lyght /. euere þe macche brenneþ.
So is þe holy goost god / & grace / with greet mercy[^1501]
To alle vnkende creaturis / þat coueyte to distroye.
Leel love to þe lyf / þat oure lord schapede.[^1502]

[^1500: F.13.289: Alpha preserves original warm against the beta family's hoot. The interlinear insertion of is represents a scribal attempt to smooth the syntax, for it appears in no other manuscripts.]

[^1501: F.13.297: F has misunderstood the line, revising it from Bx's "So is þe holy goost god and grace wiþoute mercy." He does the same again in 13.304. See also a similar revision at 15.78.]

[^1502: F.13.299: Alpha omits the following twenty-seven lines attested by beta witnesses: And as glowynge gledes gladeþ noȝt þise werkmen That werchen and waken in wyntres nyȝtes As dooþ a kex or a candle þat caught haþ fir and blaseþ Na moore dooþ sire ne sone ne seint spirit togidres Graunte no grace ne forgifnesse of synnes Til þe holy goost gynne to glowe and to blase So þat þe holy goost gloweþ but as a glede Til þat lele loue ligge on hym and blowe And þanne flawmeþ he as fir on fader and on filius And melteþ hire myȝt into mercy as men may se in wyntre Ysekeles in euesynges (or eueses) þoruȝ hete of þe sonne Melteth in a Mynut while to myst and to watre So grace of þe holy goost þe grete myȝt of þe Trinite Melteþ to mercy to merciable and to noon oþere And as wex wiþouten moore on a warm glede Wol brennen and blasen be þei togideres And solacen hem þat mowe se þat sitten in derknesse So wol þe fader forȝyue folk of mylde hertes That rufully repenten and restitucion make In as muche as þei mowen amenden and paien And if it suffise noȝt for assetz þat in swich a wille deyeþ Mercy for his mekenesse wol make good þe remenaunt And as þe weke and fir wol make a warm flaumbe For to murþe men wiþ þat in merke sitten So wole crist of his curteisie and men crye hym mercy Boþe forȝyue and foryete and ȝit bidde for vs To þe fader of heuene forȝifnesse to haue.]

¶ But hewe þou feyȝr on a flynt / foure hundred wynter.
But þou have tacche[^1503] to take it / with tndir t[i]ndir or brochis.
Al þyn labour is loost / & al þyn longe trauayle.
For may may [no] feyr flawme make / fayle it his kynde.
So is þe holy goost god / & grace with gret mercy.[^1504]
To alle vnkyȝnde creatures / crist hym -selue witnessiþ.
Amen dico vobis nescio vos . Vigilate itaque quia nescitis diem neque horam.[^1505]

[^1503: F.13.301: Alpha and C read tacche. Beta manuscripts have tow.]

[^1504: F.13.304: F has again misunderstood the sense as he did in 13.297. Bx reads "So is þe holi goost god and grace wiþouten mercy."]

[^1505: F.13.306: The text of Bx ends with vos &c .]

¶ Be vnkyȝnde to þyn euyncristene / & al þat þou canst bidden
Er deele / or do penance / day or nyght euere.
Er purchase al þe pardoun / of þe pope of rome.
& Indulges Indulge[nc]es y-nowe / & be Ingrate to þyn kynne.[^1506]
Þe holy goost heeriþ þe nowht / ne helpe may þe be resoun.
For vnkyndenesse qwenchiþ hym / þat he may not schyne.
Ne brenne ne blasen cleere / for blowynge of vnkynde

[^1506: F.13.310: Alpha is responsible for the b-verse. Beta and some C manucripts have "and be ingratus to þi kynde."]

¶ Seynt Powl þe apostle / preveþ þat y not lyȝe.
Si linguis hominum loquar & angelorum caritatem non habuero nichil michi prodest.[^1507]

[^1507: F.13.315: The text of Bx ends with loquar &c.]

¶ For-þy be war ȝee wise men / þat with þe world deelen.
Þ at ryche been & resoun knowe / rewle wel ȝoure -selue.
Beþ not vnkende i conseyle ȝow / to ȝoure euyncristene.
For manye of ȝow ryche men / be my sowle men telle.
Ȝee brenne / but ȝee blase nowht / & þat is a blynd beekne.
Non omnis qui dicit michi[^1508] domine . domine  intrabit in regnum celorum sed qui facit voluntatem.[^1509]

[^1508: F.13.321: F alone has michi .]

[^1509: F.13.321: The quotation from Matthew 7:21 ends in Bx with intrabit .]

/ [¶] For diues dyȝede & dampned / for his vnkyndenesse.
He ȝaf no mete ne mone[^1510] / to men þat it needede.
Euery ryche man y rede / rewarde at hym ȝee take.
& gyveþ ȝoure good to þat god / þere grace of a-ryseþ.
For þo þat been vnkynde to hise / hoope þou non oþir.
Þ at þey shulle dwelle þere dyves ys / dayes with -outyn ende.

[^1510: F.13.323: An otiose stroke, apparently intentional, appears above the <o>.]

¶ Þus kyndenesse is his contrarie / for it qwenchiþ hys grace.[^1511]
Þe grace of þe holy goost / is goddys owen kende.
For þat kendenesse kendenesse [dooþ] / vnkendenesse for-dooþ / as ben þese cursede þeuis[^1512]
Vnkyȝnde cristene men / for coueytyse / & Envyȝe.
Sleeþ a man for hise meblis / with mowht or with handis.
For þat þe holy goost haþ to kepe / þo harlotys distroye.
Þe whiche is lyf & love / & leeyȝe of mannys body.
For euery good man may heere / by lykned to a torche.
Or ellys to a taper / to reuerence þe trynnyte.
& who-so Morderythȝ a good man / me þynkyþ be good resoun.
He for-doþ þe levest lyght / þat oure lord lovyeþ.

[^1511: F.13.328: The scribe (or some later revisor) has mindlessly revised his exemplar by erasing <vn> from vnkyndenesse, changing the sense of this and the following line. Bx reads as follows: Thus is vnkyndenesse þe contrarie þat quencheþ as it were The grace of þe holy goost goddes owene kynde.]

[^1512: F.13.330: Note that the interlinear correction is not archetypal. The line has been revised extensively, though the omission of dooþ in the a-verse is probably unintentional. Bx reads "For þat kynde dooþ vnkynde fordooþ as þise corsede þeues."]

/ [¶] But ȝit in manye moo maneres / men þe holy goost offende.
But þis is þe[^1513] werste wyȝse / þat ony wyȝt myghte.
Sengen[^1514] a-geyn þe seynt spiryt / assenten / to distroye.
For coveytise of ony þyng /. þat crist so deere bowhte.
How may may [he] aske mercy / or ony mercy hym helpe.
Þ at wykkidly / & wylfully / woole mercy amitte a[nien]te.
For innocense is neest god / & nyght & day it criȝeþ.
Vengawnce . Vengaunce / for-ȝeve be it neuere.
Þ at schente[^1515] & schadde oure blood / & for-schop vus as it semeþ.[^1516]
Vindica sanguinem iustorum.

[^1513: F.13.340: An otiose curl appears slightly to the left and above the <þ>.]

[^1514: F.13.341: Sengen, "sin" (infinitive).]

[^1515: F.13.347: Alpha omits beta's vs after schente.]

[^1516: F.13.347: Alpha and C manuscripts have a form of semen. Beta manuscripts have were.]

¶ Þus vengaunce vengaunce / verry charite askeþ.
& sytthe holy chirche & charite / chargiþ þis soore.

/ [¶] I be-leeve neuere þat oure loord / wille love / þat charite lakkiþ.
Ne have pite for ony prayere / þere þat he pleyneþ.

¶ I poose y hadde synged[^1517] soo / & scholde now dyȝen.
& nowht[^1518] am sory þat y soo / þe seynt spyryȝt a-gultede.
But confesse me & criȝe his grace / god þat al made.
& myȝldely his mercy aske / myghte y nowht be savid.

[^1517: F.13.353: synged, "sinned."]

[^1518: F.13.354: The erroneous substitution of nowht for now occurred in alpha, probably reflecting confusion about a nowth spelling for now.]

¶ Ȝis seyde þe samaritan / so þou myghtyst repente.[^1519]
Þ at ryghtwyȝsnesse to[^1520] repentaunce / & to rewþe myghte turne.
But it is but seelde y-seyn / þere soþnesse beriþ witnesse.
Ony creature be cowpable / by-fore a kyngis Iustise.
Be ramsomed for his gilt[^1521] / þere al resoun hym dampneþ.
For þere þat þe partyȝe purseweþ / þe peel is so hewge.
Þ at þe kyng may do no mercy / tyl boþe men a-coorden.
& eythir haþ oþir y-qwit / as holy writ telleþ.
Numquam dimittitur peccatum  nisi restiauatur restituatur[^1522] ablatum.[^1523]

[^1519: F.13.357: Beta manuscripts have "so wel þow myght repente."]

[^1520: F.13.358: Alpha is responsible for to in place of beta's and most C manuscript's þoruȝ.]

[^1521: F.13.361: F's gilt is unique. Bx reads repentaunce. R has no alliterating stave at all, suggesting that alpha was already corrupt. It is characteristic of F to have attempted to make sense of a defective exemplar.]

[^1522: F.13.365: It is possible that the rubricator attempted to correct the first <a> to make a <t> of it, but since it still looks more like an <a>, we have treated it as an uncorrected error.]

[^1523: F.13.365: F alone completes the quotation after peccatum as it had appeared above in 5.279. As Alford notes [Piers Plowman: A Guide to the Quotations, Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies 77 (Binghamton: MRTS, 1992), p. 46], the line is a maxim of canon law derived from Augustine.]

/ [¶] Þus it fareþ by swiche folk / þat falsly al here lyve.[^1524]
Evele lyven . & leetyn nowht / tyl hem lyf for-sake.
& drede of[^1525] desperacioun / þanne dryveþ a-wey grace.[^1526]
Þ at mercy in heere myȝnde / may not þanne falle.
& good hoope þat helpe scholde / to wanhope it turneþ.
Nowht of þe nounpere[^1527] of god / þat he is euere myghtful.
To a-mende al þat mys ys / & his mercy is grettere.
Þan alle oure wikkide werkis / as holy writ telleþ.
Misericordia domini[^1528]  super omnia opera eius.
But er his ryghtwysnesse / to rewþe turne / sum restitucioun be -hoviþ.[^1529]

[^1524: F.13.366: Alpha reads singular "lyve" for beta's plural.]

[^1525: F.13.368: An otiose curl was written over the <o>.]

[^1526: These lines are attested only in alpha.]

[^1527: F.13.371: Alpha is responsible for the probably erroneous spelling with -per(e). Beta manuscripts have nounpower, "absence of power, impotence."]

[^1528: F.13.374: Alpha is responsible for domini . Beta manuscripts have eius .]

[^1529: F.13.375: Alpha omitted the following line attested by beta manuscripts: "His sorwe is satisfaccion for hym þat may noȝt paie."]

¶ Thre þyngis þere been / þat dooþ a man / be strengthe.
For to fleen hys owene hows / as holy writ schewiþ.
Þ at oon is / a wykkid wif / þat wil not be chastised.
Þere hire feere fleeþ[^1530] hire / for feer of hire tunge.
& if his hows be vnhelyd / & it reygne on his bedde
Sokoure he seekeþ þanne / tyl[^1531] he mowe sleepe dryȝe.[^1532]
& whan smook & smoldir / smyten in hise eyȝen.
It dooþ hym worse þan his wif / er þe watur eyþir.[^1533]
For smook & smolder / so smerteþ hise eyȝes.
Tyl he be blere-eyȝed or blynd / & a bold cowhe after.[^1534]
Þan kenely he curseþ / þat crist ȝeve hym sorwe.
Þ at sholde brynge in bettre woode / & blowe it tyl it brende.

[^1530: F.13.379: Alpha is responsible for omitting fro after fleeþ.]

[^1531: F.13.381: An otiose curl appears over the <t>.]

[^1532: F.13.381: F's reading is unique. Bx reads "He sekeþ and sekeþ til he slepe drye."]

[^1533: F.13.383: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "or wete to slepe."]

[^1534: F.13.385: F's b-verse is unique. R's "and cowȝhe (="cough") in þe throte" suggests that alpha had lost an alliterating stave. Beta witnesses make sense but lose the alliterative pattern, reading "and hoors in þe þrote."]

/ [¶] Þese þre þat y telle of / þus ben to vndirstonde.
Þe wyf is oure wikkid fleschȝ / þat wil not ben chastysed.
For keende cleymeth on hym euere / to contrarie þe sowle.
& þey it falle it fynt skylis / þat freelte it made.
& þat is lyghtly fo-ȝyve fo[r]-ȝyve / & for-ȝeete boþe.
To man þat mercy askeþ / & to mende hym he þynkeþ.

/ [¶] Þe reyn þat reygneþ / þere we restyn scholden.
Been seeknesses & sorwis / þat we suffren awhten.[^1535]
As seynt powl þe a-postle / to þe peple tawhte.
Virtus in infirmitate ininfirmitate perficitur.
& þey þat men maken myche deel in here angris.
& ben pacient[^1536] in here penaunce / pure resoun knoweth.
Þ at þey have resoun[^1537] to contrarie / by kyȝnde of here syknesse.
& lyghtly oure lord god / at here lyvis ende.
He haþ mercy on swiche men / þat so evele may suffre.

[^1535: F.13.395: Alpha is responsible for awhten. Beta and most C manuscripts have ofte.]

[^1536: F.13.399: F's reading is unique. Bx reads inpacient.]

[^1537: F.13.400: The substitution of resoun for original cause occurred in alpha.]

¶ But þe smook & þe smolder / þat smyt in oure eyȝes.
Þ at is coueytyse & vnkendenesse / þey qwenche goddis mercy.
For vnkyndene vnkyndene[sse] is þe contrarie / to alle skens resoun.
For þere nys syȝk ne sory / ne non so mychel a wrecche.
Þ at he may [ne] may love & hym lyke / & leene of his herte.
Good wille . good woord / boþe wischen & wylnen.
& to alle manere of men / boþe mercy / & for-ȝevenesse.
& love hem lych hym -selue / & his lyf a-mende.
I may no lengere lettyn quod he  & lyard he prikede.
& wente a-wey as þe wynd / & þerwith y waknede.

Explicit Passus .xiijus.

Incipit Passus .xiiijus.

A N[^1538] wellowerd[^1539] & wetschod / y wente forþ þanne.
As a reccheles renke / þat of no woo reccheþ.
Bot ȝeede lyȝk a lorel / al my lyf-tyȝme.
Tyl y wex wery of þe world / & wilned eft to slepe.
& lened me to a lentene alentene / & long tyme y slepte.
Me þowhte þat[^1540] cristis passioun / þe peple þerof rawte.
I restid me & rutte faste / tyl ramis palmarum.
& of gurlis & of gloria laus / gretly y dremede.
& how osanna with orgenes / olde men sungen.
& oon lyȝk þe samaritan / & sumdel to peers plowman.
Barefoot on an asses bak / al bootewles[^1541] cam springe sp[ur]ringe.[^1542]
W ithowtyn spores eyþir spere / spraklyche[^1543] he lokede.[^1544]
As is kyȝnde of a knyght / þat comeþ to be dubbid.
To getyn hym gilt spores / on galochis y-cowpid.

[^1538: F.14.1: The ornamental capital is in blue with red flourishes. The small guide letter <a> can be seen through the red ink.]

[^1539: F.14.1: OED s. v. woolward, "wearing wool next to the skin, esp. as a penance," offers one parallel spelling, "wellewerd" from Caxton's The Cronicles of Englond (1480). Other B witnesses read "wolleward."]

[^1540: F.14.6: The superscript <t> is altered from <e> by the original scribe.]

[^1541: F.14.11: Bootewles, "without boots." All other B manuscripts read synonymous bootles. The boteau is a kind of low boot.]

[^1542: F.14.11: F's springe makes little sense in context. Bx reads prikye, and some scribe in the tradition between alpha and this manuscript had written the synonymous spurring, here reduced to springe.]

[^1543: F.14.12: Beta manuscripts read spakliche, but agreement of C manuscripts suggests that alpha's reading is correct. For a similar variation between alpha and beta families, see the note to 13.179.]

[^1544: F.14.12: The numeral xiij, an error for xiiij, is added in the right margin in a pale ink as an instruction to the rubricator.]

/ [¶] Þan was Feyȝth in a fenestre / & criede o fili dauid[^1545]
As dooþ an heroude of armes / whan an awntrous cometh to Iustus.
& olde Iewes of Ierusalem / for gre gre[te] Ioyȝe þey sungen
Benedict us qui venit in nomine domini.

[^1545: F.14.15: The scribe had written o fili dauid in the right margin, but neglected to supply the rubricated text.]

¶ Þanne freynede y at feythȝ / what al þat fare mente.
& who sholde Iuste in Ierusalem / Ientil Iesu he seyde.
& fettyn þat feend [þe] feend cleymeþ / peers frut plowhman [þe] plowhman.[^1546]
Is Peers in þis place quod y  & þanne he prente on me.
Þis is Iesus of his Ienterye / wille Iuste in Peersis armes.
In his helm & in his haburgoun / þat is humana natura.
Þ at crist be not be-knowe heere / for consummatus deus.
He is in perses paltok plowhman [þe] plowhman / þis prikiere þat shal ryde.
For þere is no dynt / þat shal hym dere in deitate patris.

[^1546: F.14.21: F here and in 14.26, 14.34, and 15.363 omits the definite article in the divided genitive noun phrase. He avoids the construction by revision in 15.190 and 15.397. However, since F also tends to omit archetypal þe in about half the occurrences of the phrase, Piers þe Plowman, e. g. 5.644, 655, 807, 1144, its omission in the genitive phrase is perhaps intentional.]

/ [¶] Who shal Iustne with Iesus quod y  eyþir Iewes er scribis.

¶ Nay q uod feythȝ non but þe feend / & false doome to dyȝe.
Deþ seythȝ he shal for-doon / & a-doun bryngen.
Alle þat lyveþ & lookeþ / on londe eyþir on water.
Lyf seyþ . þat he lykþ[^1547] / & leyþ his lyf to wedde.
Þ at for al / þat deeþ can doo / with -Innen þre dayes.
He shal feccyn fram þe feend / Peersis frut plowhman [þe] plowhman.
& lede hit þere hym lykeþ / & lucyfer byȝnde.
& for-beete & doun brynge / bale deeþ for euere.
O mors ero mors tua  morsus tuus ero.[^1548]

[^1547: F.14.32: The substitution of erroneous lykþ for archetypal lyeþ occurred in alpha and is shared by L.]

[^1548: F.14.37: F again supplements the Latin quotation, as he had at 13.210 above, adding " morsus tuus ero ." Alford, Piers Plowman: A Guide to the Quotations, notes that this antiphon is "sung during Holy Week (e.g. Brev. 1:dcclxxxii, dccci), based on Osee 13:14 (Cf. 1 Cor. 15:55)" (107).]

/ [¶] Þan cam pilatus with gret peple / sedens pro tribunali.
To se how dowhtely sholde [deeþ] sholde doo / & demen boþe ryghtys.
Þe Iewes & þe Iustyses / a-geyn Iesu þey weren.
& alle þe cowrt on hym criede / crucifige ful sharpe.

¶ Þo pytte hym forþ a pylour / byfore pilat & seyde.
Þis Iesus with oure temple / he Iapede / & dispysede.
He wille for-doon it in a day / & in þre dayes after.
Edyfie it eft newe / heere he stant þat seyde it.
& ȝit maken it as myche / in alle manere of poyntis.
Boþe as long & as large / on lofte & by grownde.
Crucifige q uod a Cacchepol / y warante hym a wicche.[^1549]

[^1549: F.14.48: This line is repeated at the top of the next leaf, omitting the following line from Bx: " Tolle tolle quod anoþer and took of kene þornes."]

¶ Crucifige quod a cacchepol / y warante hym a wycche[^1550]
& by-gan of þat þorn / a garlond to make.
& on his heed sette it sore / & seyȝde with envye.

[^1550: F.14.49: The last syllable of Cacchepol and the b-verse are written over an erasure. That is curious in view of the scribe's repetition of the line from the preceding leaf. Two crude line drawings appear at the top of the leaf.]

¶ Ave Rabbi q uod þo rybawdis / & threwe redelys re[ede]s at hym.
& nayled hym with fowre[^1551] nayles / naked on þe roode.
& to hise lyppis þey pyttyn / poysoun on a poole.
& beedyn hym drynke his deþ evel / for hise dayes were done
& if þat þou / so sotyle be / save now þyn -selue.
If þou be crist & kyngis sone / come doun of þe roode.
Þan shulle we be-leeve þat lyf þe loveþ / & wille not lete þe dyȝe.

[^1551: F.14.53: F alone reads fowre nayles. All other manuscripts refer to three nails, though a later hand has inserted foure in R, without deleting three. The dispute is something of a theological commonplace, as Skeat's note suggests, and has no bearing on F's relationship to R.]

¶ Consummatum est q uod crist / & comsed for to swoune.
Ful pytously & pale / as a presoner þat dyȝeþ.
Tyl þe lord of lyf & of lyght / leyde hise eyȝes to-gydres.
Þan þe day for drede with -droghȝ / & derke by-gan þe sunne.
Þe wallis waggeden & kleef / & al þe world qwakede.
& deede men for þat deene / come owt of here grauys.[^1552]
& tolden why þat tempest / so longe tyme durede.
For a bitter batayle / þe dede bodies seyȝden.
Þ at lyf / & deeþ / in þis derknesse / þer oon for-doþ þe toþir.
Schal no wyght wetyn witterly / who shal have þe maystrie.
Er sunday[^1553] at þe sunne risenge / & with þat he sank in-to erþe.
Summe seyden he was goddis sone / þat so fayre dyȝede.
Vere filius dei erat iste.
& summe seyden he was a wicche / good is / we a-sayen.
Wher he be ded / or not ded / doun er[^1554] he be take.
& two þevis also / þoleden deþ þat tyȝme.
Vpon crossis be-syde crist / so was þe comoun lawe.
But a cacchepol cam forþ / & crakede boþe here leggys.
& here armes after / of eyþyr of þe þevis.
But þere was no boy so bold / crystis body to towche.
For he was knyght & kyngis sone . keende for-ȝaf þat þrowe.
Þ at noon harlot were so hardy / to leynd leyn hondys on hym.
But þere cam forþ a knyght / with a kene spere grounde.
He hyȝghte Longeys as þe lettre telleth / & longe hadde lost his syghte
& by-fore pylat & oþir peple / in þe place he hovede.
& mawgre manye of his teeþ / he was mad þat tyme.
To take þe spere in his hond / & Iustne with Iesus þere
For alle þey weryn vnhardy / þat houede on horse or stede.
To towche or to taste hym / or take hym doun of þe roode.
But þis blyȝnde bacheler / þat bar hym þorghȝ þe herte.
Þe blood span[^1555] doun by þe spere / & opned[^1556] þe knyȝtes eyȝes.
Þan fel þe knyght vpon knees / & criede crist mercy.
For a-geyn my wille it was / to wounde ȝow so soore.
He syȝghede ofte & seyde / sore it me a-þynkyþ.
For þe dede þat y have doo / y doo me in ȝoure grace.
Have on me rewthe ryȝtful crist / & ryght with þat he wepte.
¶ Þan gan F eyth[^1557] ful felly / þe false Iewis dispise.
He callyd hem alle caytifis / & he cursede hem for euere.
For þis fowle vilenyȝe shal be / vengance to ȝou alle.
To don þe blyȝnde . beetyn . & bynde / it was a boyes conseyle.
A ȝee curse curs[ed]e caytyfis / knyghthod was it neuere.
To mys-doon a deed body / by day / or be nyght
& þe gree hath he ȝit getyn / for alle hise greete woundis.

[^1552: F.14.64: Alpha had lost the alliterating stave from the b-verse, substituting here for depe.]

[^1553: F.14.69: The tilde was added by the rubricator in red ink.]

[^1554: F.14.73: An otiose curl is written above the <e>.]

[^1555: F.14.89: Span, "gushed, spurted."]

[^1556: F.14.89: Alpha had lost the alliterating stave from the b-verse, substituting the common synonym opned for vnspered.]

[^1557: F.14.95: The underlining is added in the blue ink of the paraph of 14.102 as an apparent afterthought. The highlighted blue touch on <e> appears to be intended.]

¶ For ȝoure Champioun chiualeer / & chef knyght of ȝou alle.
Ȝeldeþ hym recreaunt rennyngge / ryght a a[t] Iesu -is wille.
For be þis derknesse y-doo / deeþ worthȝ y-venkischid.
& ȝe lordeynes have y-loost / for lyf shal have þe maistrie.
& ȝoure fraunchise þat free was / fallyn ys in þraldom.
& ȝee cherlis & ȝoure children / cheven schulle ȝe neuere.
Ne have lordchepe in londe / ne no londys tylthe.
But al shal bareyne ben / & ȝee vseryȝe shulle vse.
Wiche is lyf of [þat] oure lord / in alle lawis a-cursethȝ.
Now ȝoure goode dayes be don / as danyel prophesyede
Whan crist cam to his kyngdom / his crowne he shuld lese.[^1558]
Cum veniat sanctus sanctorum[^1559]

[^1558: F.14.112: Bx reads "Whan crist cam hir kyngdom þe crowne sholde lese (or cesse)." F alone takes Daniel's prophecy of the lost crown to apply to Christ rather than the Jews.]

[^1559: F.14.113: F follows alpha. Beta manuscripts end the quotation "cessabit vnxio vestra."]

¶ What for fere of þis ferly / & of þe false Iewis.
I drowh me to a derknesse / þat to to descendit ad inferna.[^1560]
& þere y seyȝ soþly / Scecundum scripturas.[^1561]
Owt of þe west coost / a wenche as me þowhte.
Cam walkynge in þe weyȝe / & to helle she lokede.
Mercy hyghte þat mayde / a meeke þyng withalle.
A ful benygne beurde / & buxsum of speche.
Hire sister as it semede / cam softly hire after.
Eve Eve[n] owt of þe Est / & westwarde she lookede.
A ful komely creature / trewthe she hette.
For þe vertue þat hire folwe folwe[d] / a-feerd was she neuere.
& whan þese Maidenys mettyn / mercy & trewthe.
Eyþir askid oþir / of þis greete wondir.
Of þe dene / & þe derknesse / & why þe day so lowrede.
& swich a lyght / & a leem / lay be-fore helle.
I have ferly of þis fare / in fayþ seyde trewthe.
& þus y wende for to wete / what þat wondir meneþ.

[^1560: F.14.115: The scribe had written to dessendit in the right margin. The end of the gloss has been cropped.]

[^1561: F.14.116: The scribe wrote "secundum scrip[turas]" in the right margin. The remainder of the marginal text has been cropped.]

¶ Have no merveyle quod M ercy / for merthe it be-tokneþ.
A maide þat hette Marie / & Moodir with -outyn felynge.
Of ony kende creature / she conseyuede þorghȝ speche.
& þorghȝ grace of þe holy goost / she wex grete with childe.
W ith -outyn wem in-to þis world / a kaue k[n]aue child she broghte.
& þat my tale be trewe / y take god to witnesse.
& sytthe þis barn was bore / ys twenti twenti [wynter] y-passed.[^1562]
Wiche dyede / & deeþ þolede / þis day abowtyn mydday.
& þat is cause of þis clyps / þat closeþ now so þe sunne.
In menynge þat man shal / fram derknesse be drawe.
Þe wiche lyght / & leem / lucyfer shal bleenden.
For patriarkis & prophetis / have prechid here-of often.
Þ at a man sholde / man save / þorghȝ a maidenys helpe.
& þat was tynt þorghȝ a tree / a tree sholde it wynne.
& þat dethȝ doun broghte / dethȝ sholde releve.

[^1562: F.14.137: F fails in alliteration, substituting ys for Bx's ben. The b-verse in all other manuscripts reads "ben thirti wynter passed."]

/ [¶] Al þis þou tellyst quod trewthe / is but a tale of walter-hod.[^1563]
For Adam & Eve / & habraham & oþere.
Patriarkis & p rophetis / þat in peyne lyggen /
Be-leeve þou neuere þat ȝoone lyght . shal hem on lofte brynge.
Ne have hem out of helle / holde stylle mercy þyn tunge.
It yt y[s] but trewfelis þat þou tellyst / trewþe whot þe soþe.
For he þat oones is in helle / owt komeþ he nevere.
Ioob þe p rophete & patriark / repreviþ þyn sawis.
Qvia in inferno nulla est redempcio.

[^1563: F.14.146: Bx reads waltrot, "a foolish or idle tale." W. W. Skeat, The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman in Three Parallel Texts . . . (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1886), 2.254, notes its similarities to troteuale, a rare word appearing in Robert Manning of Brunne's Handling Synne, meaning either "vain talk, idle tale-telling, foolishness" or "a deceit, trick, delusion." The forms to be listed in the MED are trotivale, trotovale, trutevale, tretefale, and tretevale. F has characteristically attempted to make sense of a term unfamiliar to him. We are grateful to Professor Douglas Moffat of the MED for providing the forms and definitions.]

¶ Þanne Mercy ful myȝldely / mowthede þese woordis.
Þorghȝ experiense quod he[^1564] / y hope y shal be savid.
For venyȝm for-dooþ venyȝm / & þat y preue be resoun.
For of alle venymys / fowlest is þe skorpioun.
For þere may no medycine helpe / þe place þere styngiþ [he] styngiþ.
Tyl he be deed & do þerto / þe evil þan he distroyeþ.
Of þe fyrste venym / þorgh vertue of hym -selue.
So shal þis deeþ doo / y dar my lyf legge.
Al þat deeþ dide first / þorghȝ þe devely devely[s] temptyng
& ryght as þorghȝ gyle / man was by-gyled.
So shal grace þat he gan / maken a good sleyghte.
Ars ut artem falleret.

[^1564: F.14.156: A variant form of heo, "she," he appears also in Cr1R.]

¶ Now suffre we q uod trewthe / y see as me þynkyþ.
Owt of þe nyppe of þe northȝ / nowht ful feer hennys.
Ryghtwisnesse com rennynge / reeste we þe whyle.
For she whoot more þan wee / she was er we boþe.

/ [¶] Þ at is soþ seide m ercy / & y see heere by sowthe.
Where Pees comeþ pleyenge / in pacience y-cloþid.
Love haþ coueytyd hire longe / leve y non oþir.
But he sent hire sum lettre / what þis lyȝt be-meenyþ.
Þ at ouer -hoveþ helle þus / he[^1565] shal vs alle telle.

[^1565: F.14.175: Alpha's he in this line and in 14.178-80 is consonant with Langland's dialect. Beta witnesses read she.]

¶ Whan Pees in pacience clothid / aprochede hem tweyne.
Ryȝtwysnesse hire reuerrenside / for hire ryche cloþis.
& prayede Pees to telle hire / to what place[^1566] he wolde.
& in hire gaye garnementis . whom to greete he þowhte.

[^1566: F.14.178: An otiose curl appears over <p>.]

/ [¶] My wille is q uod he / to weende / & wolkome hem alle.
Þ at many a day myght not see / for merknesse of synne.
As Adam & Eve / & manye moo in helle.
& Moyses & oþere moo / mercy shulle þey have.[^1567]
For Iesus haþ Iusted weel / Ioye by-gynneþ dawe.[^1568]
Love þat is myn lemman / swiche lettris me sente.
Þ at Mercy & y  Mankende sholde saven[^1569]
& how þat god haþ for-gyve / & grauntyd me pes & mercy.
To been mannys meynpernour / for euere-more after.
Loo heere[^1570] þe patente q uod pees / In pace in idipsum.
& þat deede shal euere dure / dormiam & requiescam.

[^1567: F.14.183: F omits the following line from Bx: "And I shal daunce þerto do þow so suster."]

[^1568: F.14.184: F omits the following line from Bx: "Ad vesperum demorabitur fletus & ad matutinum leticia."]

[^1569: F.14.186: In contrast to alpha, beta manuscripts preserve my suster after Mercy.]

[^1570: F.14.189: The second <e> is malformed and could be taken to be an <o>.]

¶ What raviste þou q uod ryghtwisnesse / or art þou y-drunke.
Beleevist þou þat ȝoone lyght / vnlowke myghte helle.
& save mannys sowle . syster wene þou it neuere.
For at þe fyrste by-gynnynge / god gaf doome hym -selue.
Þ at Adam & Eve / & alle þat hem sewede.
Sholden dyȝen doun -ryght / & dwelle in peyne after
If þat þey towchid a tre / & of þe frut eetyn.
And adam afterwarde / a-ȝens his defense.
He freet of þat frut / & for-sook goddis forboode.[^1571]
& þe love oure [of] oure lord / & his loore boþe /.
& folwede þat þe fend hym tolde / & hise feerys wille.[^1572]
Þ at here peyne be perpetuel / & no prayere may hem helpe.
For-þy  let hem chewe as þey chose / & chyde we not syster.
For it ys boteles bale / þe bittes þat þey eetyn.

[^1571: F.14.199: F's b-verse is unique. Bx's b-verse reads "and forsook as it were."]

[^1572: F.14.201: Alpha omitted the following line from Bx: "Ayeins Reson and (or I) rightwisnesse recorde þus wiþ truþe."]

¶ I shal praye quod pees / here peyne mote have an ende.
& woo / in-to wele / mote wenden at þe laste.
For þey hadde wiste of no woo / hadde þey no weele knowe.
For no wyght whot what wele is / þat neuere woo suffrede.
Ne what is hoot hungir / þat hadde neuere defawhte /
For if no nyght neere / no man as y beleve.
Shulde weten witterly / what day is to meene.
Shulde neuere ryght ryche man / þat lyve lyve[þ] in reste & ese.
Wetyn what woo is / ne were þe deeþ of kende.
So god þat by-gan al / of hys goode wille.
By-cam man of a mayde / mankyȝnde to save.
& he suffrede to be sold / & seen[^1573] þe sorwe of dyȝeng.
Þe wyche vnknytteþ alle care / & comsynge is of reste.
For tyl Modicum mette with vs / y may it weel a-vowe.
Whot no whyght as y weene / what it is to meene.
For-þy god of his goodnesse / þe firste goome Adam.
He sette hym in solace / & in a souereynn Ioyȝe.
& sytthe he suffred hym synnen / sorwe to feele.
To wete what wele ys / & kendely to knowe it.
& after god awnterid hym -selue / & took adam-is kynde.
To wete what he suffrede / in þre sundry places.
Boþe in hevene & in erthe / & now to helle he þynkyþ.
To wete what al woo ys / þat woot of alle Ioyȝe.

[^1573: F.14.216: seen, "to see." Note that alpha had omitted the to preceding it. Seen is the scribe's usual form of the infinitive.]

/ [¶] So it shal fare by þis folk / here foly & here synne.
Shal lerne hem what langoure ys / þere þat pees regneþ.[^1574]
& what ys witterly weele / wellawey shal hym techen.

[^1574: F.14.229: F by eye-skip made one line of two. Bx reads as follows: Shal lere hem what langour is and lisse wiþouten ende Woot no wight what werre is þer þat pees regneþ.]

¶ Þan was þere a wyght / with tweyn broode eyȝes.
Book hyghte þat bewpere / a boold man of speche.
By goddis bodi quod þis book /. y wille beere witnesse.
Þ at þo þis barn was y-bore / þere blasede a sterre.
Þ at alle þe men in þis world / in oo witt a-corden
Þ at swich a barn was y-born / in bedleem cyte
Þ at mannys sowle sholde save / & sori synne distroyȝe.

¶ & alle þe elemenns quod þe book / here-of / beriþ[^1575] witnesse.
Þ at he is god þat alle wroghte / þe walkene[^1576] first he schewede.[^1577]
& þo þat weryn in heuene / tooken Stella comata
& tendid hire as a torche / to reuerense his burthe.
& þat lyght folwid oure lord / in-to þe lowe erthe.

[^1575: F.14.238: Kane and Donaldson take the virgule before beriþ to represent <i>.]

[^1576: F.14.239: The late fifteenth- or early sixteenth-century scribe who provided the marginal glosses is responsible for underlining walkene.]

[^1577: F.14.239: The late fifteenth- or early sixteenth-century scribe wrote heven or elemen in the right margin. The end of the third word is cropped.]

¶ Þe water witnessiþ þat he was god / for he wente on it.
Seynt Peeter þe apostle / a-parceyuede his gate.
& whan he seyȝ on þe water / he knew hym wel & seide.
Iube me venire ad te super aquas.
& loo how þe sunne gan looke / hire lyght in hire-selue.
Whan she seyȝ hym suffre / þat sunne & moone[^1578] made.
Þe erthe for evynesse / þat he wolde suffre.
Qwakede as a qwik þyng / & al by-qwache þe rooche.
Loo  helle myghte not[^1579] hym holde / but openede þo crist þoledde.
& leetyn out symondes sones / to seen hym hange on roode.
& now shal lucifer leese it / þey hym looþ þynke.[^1580]
& y book[^1581] wille be brend / but Iesus ryse to lyve.
In al þe myghtys of a man / & his moodir glade.
& conforte alle his kyn / & out of care hem brynge.
& alle þe Iewene Ioyȝe / to Ioyneen & to lowke.[^1582]
& but if þey reuerence / his roode / & his ressurexioun.
& by-leve on a newe lawe / þey been loost lyf & soule.

[^1578: F.14.248: Moone is the alpha reading. Beta witnesses agree with C in reading see.]

[^1579: F.14.251: An otiose curl appears above <n>.]

[^1580: F.14.253: Alpha omitted the following lines from Bx: For gigas þe geaunt wiþ a gyn engyned To breke and to bete adoun þat ben ayeins Iesus.]

[^1581: F.14.254: The flourish on terminal <k> is possibly here intended to represent a virgule?]

[^1582: F.14.257: F has reversed the sense of the original. Bx reads "And al þe Iewene Ioye vnioynen and vnlouken."]

/ [¶] Suffre seyde trewthe / y heere & see boþe.
A spiryȝt spekeþ to helle / & byddis vnspere þe ȝatis.
Tollite portas a voyȝs in þat lyght / to lucyfer crieþ.[^1583]
Ȝee princes of þis place / vnpynneþ & vn-lowkeeþ.
For heere comeþ with crowne / þe kyng þat is of glorie.

[^1583: F.14.262: Alpha had combined two lines into one. Beta witnesses read: Attollite portas A vois loude in þat light to lucifer crieþ.]

¶ Þan seyde s[ike]de sathan soone / & seyde þus to helle
Swich a lyght aȝens oure leve / lazar it fette.
Care & combraunnce / ys comen to vs alle.
If þis kyng come In / mankende wille he fecche.
& leede hem þere lazar ys / & lyghtly me byȝnden.
Patriarkis & p rophetis / þan parlyd here-of longe.
Þat swich a lord & a lyght / shal leede hem fram þese woones.[^1584]

[^1584: F.14.271: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "sholde lede hem alle hennes."]

¶ Listneþ q uod lucifer / for y þis lord knowe.
Boþe þe lord & þe lyght / it is longe a-goo y knewe hem.
May no deeþ þis loord dere / ne no deuelys qweyntise.
& where he wille . ys his weyȝe / but war hym of þe pereyl.
If he reve me of my ryght / & robbe me by maystrie.
For be ryȝt & resoun / þe renkys þat been heere.
Body & sowle þey ben myne / boþe goode & ylle.
For hym -selue seyde so / þat syre þat is of hevene.
Þ at if Adam eet þe Appil[^1585] / apertly he shulde dyȝe.
& dwellyn heere with vs / þis þretenynge he made.
& he þat soþnesse is / seyȝde to hym þese wordis.
Sytthe y was sesed / þis seuene hundred wynter.
I leve þat lawe wil nowht / leete hym þe leeste.

[^1585: F.14.280: An otiose curl appears above the first <p>.]

¶ Þ at is sooþ seyde sathan / but y soore drede.
For þou gete hem with gyle / & his gardynn[^1586] breke.
& in semblaund of a serpent / þou seete on þe appiltre.
& eggiddist hem / to eete / Eve by hym-selue hi[re]-selue.
& toldist hire a tale / of tresoun / were þe woordis.
& also / þou haddist hem owt / & hidir at þe laste.
It is nowht grayþly geete / þere gyle is þe roote.
For god wille nowht gyled bee / quod gobelyn ne be Iapid.
We have non trewe tytle to hem / þorgh resoun [t]resoun were þey dampned.
Sertys y drede me quod þe deuyl / leest trewþe wille hem fecche.

[^1586: F.14.286: An otiose curl appears over <g>.]

¶ Þis .xxx.ti wynter as y weene / he wente a-bowte & prechid.
I have a-sayed hym with synne / & summe y have hym asked.
Wher he were god / or goddis sone / he ȝaf me schort answere.
& þus he haþ trollyd forþ / þis two & .xxx.ti wynter
& whan y seyȝ it was so / slepynge y wente
To warne Pilatis wif / what was with crist to doone.
For þe Iewes hated hym / & have doon hym to deþe.
& y wolde have lengþid his lyf / for y leve if he dyede.
Þ at his soule wolde not suffre / no synne in his syghte.
For þe body þat a-bove[^1587] ȝeede / a-bowten was euere.
To saven men fram synne / If hem -selue wolde.
& now y see where a sowle / comeþ hidirwarde seylyng
W ith gloria & gret lyght / y knowe crist is his name.
I reede / we fleen quod he  faste alle hennys.
For we were bettre here not be / þan byden in his syghte.
For þy lesyngis lucifeer / loost is al oure trauayle.

[^1587: F.14.304: F's revision of this line arises from misreading Bx's on bones as a-boue. Bx reads "For þe body while it on bones yede . . . ."]

¶ Fyrst / we fylle þorghȝ þe / fram heuynne so heyȝe.
For we belevedyn þyn lesyngis / we loopen out alle.[^1588]
& now for þyn laste lesynge / y-loore have we Adam.
& al oure lordche lordche[pe] y leeve / on londe & on water.
Nunc princeps huius mundi  eicietur foras.

[^1588: These verses are attested only in alpha, beta having lost them by eye-skip.]

¶ Eft þe lyght bad vn-lowke / & lucifer answerede.
What Lord art þou q uod Lucifer  quis est iste.
Þe Lyght seyde Rex eterne / þe lord of alle manere vertues.[^1589]

[^1589: This passage in F is unique. Alpha had a different reading from the beta witnesses which read: Rex glorie þe light soone seide And lord of myght and of man and alle man(er)e v(er)tues . Dominus virtutum Dukes of þis dymme place anoon vndo þise yates. R makes two lines of the passage: Rex glorie þe liȝte seide  þe lord of miȝt and of man and alle maner vertues Dominus virtutum . Duk of þis dym place anone vndo þis ȝates. F rejects R's line division and abbreviates the passage, omitting " Dominus virtutum ."]

¶ Þ ou dewk of þis dym place / a-noon vndo þese ȝatys.
Þ at crist may come In / þe kyngis sone of hevene.
& with þat breeþ helle brast / & belyallis barrys.
For ony weey or warde / wyȝde openeden þe ȝatis.

¶ Patriarkis & prophetis / And populus in tenebris.
Sungen seynt Iohan-is song / ecce agnus dei.

¶ Þan Lvcifer[^1590] looke ne myghte / so lyght hym a-blente.
& þo þat oure lord lovede / in-to his lyght he lawhte.
& seyde to sathan loo  heere myn sowle to a-mendys.
For alle synful sowlis / to saven hem fram peyȝne.[^1591]
Myȝne þey been & of me / y may þe bet hem cleyme
Al-þowhȝ resoun recorde / & ryght of myn -selue.
If þey þat eetyn þe appil / alle sholde dyȝen.
I be-hyghte hem not heere / helle for euere.
For þe dede þat þey dyden / þyn disseyȝt it made.
W ith gyle þou hem gete / a-geyn alle resoun
For in myn paleys of paradyȝs / in persone as an addre.
Falsly þou fettyst þere / þyng þat y lovede.
¶ Þ ou lyknest þe to a lyzard / with a ladies visage.
& þefly þou me robbedist / þe olde lawe grawnteþ.
Þ at gyloures been by-gyled / & þat is good resoun.
Dentem pro dente . & oculum[^1592] pro oculo.

[^1590: F.14.325: The <v> appears to have been written over some other character, perhaps a <c> or <e>.]

[^1591: F.14.328: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "to saue þo þat ben worþi."]

[^1592: F.14.340: The <u> is ill-formed, probably corrected after the scribe had initially written <a>. Kane-Donaldson's transcription of it as <a> is possibly correct.]

¶ Ergo  sowle shal sowle qwite / & synne to synne wende
& al þat man haþ mys-doon / y may it wel a-mende.
Membre for membre / be þe olde lawe was a-mendis.
& lyf for lyf also  & be þat lawe y cleyme.
Adam & alle his Issew / at my wel craftere [wille herafter].
& þat deeþ in hem / for-dede / my deeþ shal releve.
& boþe qwyt qwy[k] & quit / þat þou qwenchist with synne.
& þat grace . distroyeþ [gyle] distroyeþ / good feyþ it askeþ.
Be-leve it neuere lucyfer / þat y a-geyn þe lawe fecche hem.
But be ryght & resoun / y raunsoun here my leeges.
Non veni soluere legem atque prophecias[^1593] sed ad-implere.
Þ ou fettyst mynne / in myn place / a-geyn ryght & resoun.
Falsly & felounly / good feyþ me it tawhte.

[^1593: F.14.351: The phrase atque prophecias appears only in F.]

¶ To recouere hem þorghȝ raunsoun / & be no resoun ellis.
So þat with gyle þou geete / with grace it was y-wonne.
& þey lucifeer in lyknesse / of a lythir adder.[^1594]
Geetyn by gyle / þyng[^1595] þat god lovede /

[^1594: F.14.356: The scribe initially wrote arder and corrected the <r> to <d>.]

[^1595: F.14.357: The scribe arguably intended the usually meaningless flourish after <g> to indicate a virgule here, as it does in F14.372 below.]

¶ & y in lyknesse of a leede / & lord am y of hevene.
Graciously gyle haþ þe qwit / goo gyle a-geyn gyle.
& as Adam & alle men / þorghȝ a tree dyȝede.
So Adam & alle þorgh a tre / shulle turne to lyve.
& gyle is be-gyled / & in his gyle fallen.
Et cecidit in foueam quam fecit.

¶ Now by-gynneþ þy gyle a-geyn [/] a-geyn þy gyle to turne.
& myn grace to growe / euere grettere & grettere.
& þe bitternesse / þou hast browe / now browke it þy-selue.
Þ at art doctour of deeþ / drynk of þat þou madist.

¶ For y þat am lord of lyf / love is myn drynke.
& for þat drynk to-day / y dyȝede vpon erthe.
I fawht so / me þurstis ȝyt / for mannys soule[^1596] sake.[^1597]
Tyl þe vengaunce[^1598] falle / in þe vale of Iosephat
Þ at y drynke rype must / ressurreccio mortuorum
& þan shal y come as a kyng / crowned with angelis.
& have now out of helle / alle myn mennys sowlys.

[^1596: F.14.370: The abbreviation is ambiguous, and the genitive <is> attested in C2 and Cr3 is possibly intended.]

[^1597: F.14.370: F omits the following line from Bx: "May no drynke me moiste ne my þurst slake."]

[^1598: F.14.371: Vengaunce falle (or possibly vengaunse falle, since the <c> is malformed and could have been intended to be <s>) is written over an erasure. The substitution perhaps reflects the scribe's failure to understand Bx's vendage. Such confusion may have caused (or been caused by) omission of the preceding line.]

¶ Feendis & feendekynes / be-fore me schulle stoonde
& been at myn byddynge / where -so-euere me lykeþ.
But not so merciable to man / my keende may not aske.
For we been breþeryn of blood / & in bapteme alle.
But alle ben myn hoole breþeryn / in blood & in bapteme
Shal not be dampned to þe deeþ / þat is with -outyn ende.[^1599]
It is nowht vsed in erthe / to hangen a feloun
Oftere þan oones / þey he were a tretour.
& if þe kyng of þat kyngdom / ceme in þat tyȝme.
Þere þe feloun þole / scholde / deeþ / or oþir -wyse.
Lawe wolde / he ȝeve hym lyf / & he lookede on hym

[^1599: F.14.380: F omits the following line from Bx: " Tibi soli peccaui &c ."]

¶ & y am kyng of kynges / & shal come swich a tyȝme.
& þeyre deedis deme to þe deþ / & dampne alle wikkede.
& if lawe wille y looke on hem / it lyȝthȝ in myn grace.
Wheyþir þey deyȝen or deyȝen nowht / for þat þey dyden ille.
Be it ony þyng a-bowten / þe boldnesse of here synnys.
I may don mercy manyfold / with -outyn ryghtwisnesse.[^1600]
& þey holy writ wolde be wrooke / of hem þat dyden ylle.
Nullum malum inpunitum.

[^1600: F.14.391: Bx reads "I may do mercy þoruȝ rightwisnesse and alle my wordes trewe." Presumably F's stark contrast of mercy to righteousness reacts against what he saw as the Pelagian implications of Bx. See F's treatment of mercy earlier at 13.297ff.]

¶ Þey shulle ben clensed cleerly / & waschen of here synnes.
In myn prisone purgatorie / tyl parce y seende.
& myn mercy shal be schewed / to manye of myn breþeryn
For blood may suffre his blood / boþe on-hungred & a-kale.
But blood may not seen his blood / bleede but hym rewe.
Audiuit archana verba que non licet homini loqui.
¶ But Ryghtwyȝsnesse & ryght / shal rewle al helle.
& Mercy al man-kende / before me in hevene.
For y were an on -kyȝnde kyng / but y myn kyn holpe.
& namely at swich a neede / þere needis helpe by-houyþ.
Non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo domine
/ [¶] Þus be lawe quod oure lord / ledyn fram hennes y wille.
Þo þat y lovede & þei me /[^1601] be-leveden on myn comynge.[^1602]
& for þyn lesyngis lusyfeer / þat þou lowe to Eve.
Þ ou shalt a-byȝe bitterly / & anon he bond hym with cheynes.
& astarot & alle þe rowte / hydden hem sone in hernes.
Þey durste not looke on oure lord / þe boldest of hem alle.
Þan ledde with hym what hym lykede / & leefte what hym lyste.
& Manye hundred of angelis / harpeden[^1603] & sungen.
Culpat caro / purgat caro / regnat deus dei caro.

[^1601: F.14.406: The virgule was partially erased, and a following graph, possibly an ampersand, was completely scraped out.]

[^1602: F.14.406: An otiose curl appears over the <g>.]

[^1603: F.14.412: An otiose mark appears above the <p>.]

¶ Þanne pypede pees / of poysyȝe a noote.
Clarior est solito / post maxima nebula phebus.
Post inimicitias clarior est & amor.

/ [¶] After scharpest schoures quod pees / moost schene is þe sunne.
Þer is no whedir warmere / þan after watry clowdes.
Ne no love levere / ne leuerere to freendys.

¶ Þan after werre & woo / whan love & pees ben oned.
Was neuere werre in þis world / ne wikkidnesse so kene.
Þat love & hym lyste / to lawynge he browhte.
& pees þorghȝ patience / alle pereylis he stoppeþ.

¶ Trews q uod trewthe þo  þou tellyst vs sooþ of Iesus.
Clyppe we in þis connaunt / & ecch of vs kysse oþer.

¶ Ȝee lete no peple q uod pees / perceyve þat we chyden.
For inpossible is no þyng / to hym þat al is myghty [is al-myghty].
¶ Þ ou seist soþ q uod ryȝtwisnesse / & reuerently[^1604] hem kyssede[^1605]
Misericordia & veritas  obuiauerunt sibi.[^1606]

[^1604: F.14.428: An otiose curl appears above the <t>, perhaps intended as a flourish on <l>.]

[^1605: F.14.428: F omits the following line from Bx: "Pees and pees here per secula seculorum ."]

[^1606: F.14.429: F omits this sentence from Bx: "iusticia & pax osculate sunt."]

¶ Þanne trewþe trumpede þo / & treblide te deum laudamus.

¶ & love lawhte of hym / in a luddere noote.
Ecce quam bonum  & quam iocundum.
Tyl þe day dawede / þese damyselis carolden.
Þ at men rungen to þe ressureccioun / & ryght þerwith y waked.

¶ I callid kytte my wif / & calote myn dowhter.
A -ryseþ & goo reuerensiþ / þe ressureccioun at kyrke.[^1607]
& crepiþ on knees to þe cros / & kysse it for a Iewel.
For cristis blessid body / bar it for oure boote.
& it a-feeryþ þe feend / for swich is þe strengþe.
Þ at þere may no grisly goost / glyde þere it schadweþ.

[^1607: F.14.436: F's b-verse is unique, though since R is defective, we cannot be certain that the reading is not owed to alpha. Other B witnesses read "goddes resurexion."]

Explicit Passus .xiiijus.

Incipit Passus .xvus.

A Non[^1608] y waknede & þan y wroot / what þat y dremede.
& dyght me deerly / & dide me to kyrke.
To heeren holyly / þe messe / & to be huslyd after.
& myddis of þe messe / men wentyn to offre.
& y fel on sleepe / & sodeynly y drempte.
Þ at pers þe plowhman / cam peyntyd a a[l] reede.
& browhte with hym a cros / by-fore þe comoun peple.
& ryȝt[^1609] lyȝk in alle lymes / to oure loord hym -selue.
A -non y clepide conscyence / to kenne me þe soþ.
Wheyþir he were Iesu þe Iustiere / þat þe Iewis dyden to deþe.
Er ys he peers plowhman / þat is peyntyd so reede.
Q uod conscience & knelede doun / þese are cristis[^1610] armes.
Hise coloures of his cote armeure / he comeþ / fram þe Iustis.[^1611]
He ys crist with his cros / he haþ conqwere conqwere[d] alle cristene sowlis.

[^1608: F.15.1: The ornamental capital has a base of blue with red and green flourishes. The guide letter for the rubricator is still visible.]

[^1609: F.15.8: An otiose curl appears above <t>.]

[^1610: F.15.12: F's reading is unique in the B tradition. All other manuscripts have Piers. R is absent.]

[^1611: F.15.13: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "ac he þat comeþ so blody."]

¶ Why calle ȝee hym crist quod he[^1612]  sytthe Iewes named hym Iesus.
& patriarkis & prophetis / þey profecyden by-fore.
Þ at alle kenne creatures / sholde knelyn & bowen.
A -non as men nempned / þe name / of þat Ientyl Iesu.

[^1612: F.15.15: F uniquely reads he. Other B manuscripts have I.]

For In nomine Iesu  omne genu flectitur celestia terrestria / ¶ & infernorum.[^1613]
Ergo þere is no name / to þe name of Iesus.
Ne non name so needful / to nempne / by nyghtis ne be dayes.
For alle þe derke deuelis / are a-dred to heeren y-nempned.
& synful soulis ben solaced / & savid be þat name.

[^1613: F.15.19: This line appears uniquely in F. Kane and Donaldson call attention to its similarity to F15.83. Note that the scribe at F15.82 adds first as an apparent reference back to this line.]

¶ Why calle ȝee hym þanne crist / what cause ȝee me telle.

¶ For crist is moore of myght / & of more worthiere name.
Þan Iesu er Iesus / þat al oure Ioyȝe of spryngeþ.

¶ Knowest þou weel quod conscience / & þou kone good resoun.
Þ at a knyght . & a kyng . & conquerour / may ben al on persone.

¶ To ben clepd a knyght is fayr / for men shulle knele til hym.

¶ To ben callid a kyng is fairere / for a kyng mai knyghtis make.

¶ For to ben conquerour calid / þat comeþ of goddis special grace.
& of hardynesse of herte / & also of hendenesse.
To maken lordis & ladijs / in londys þat þey wynne.
& free men / fowle þralle / þat folwe not hise lawes.

¶ For þe Iewis þat weren Ientyl-men / Iesu þey dyspisede.
Boþe his loore / & his lawe / & now be þey lowe cherlis.
As wyȝd as þis world ys / whonen þere noone.
But vndir tribut / & tallyage / as tykes & cherlys.
& þo þat by-come cristene / by conseyl of bapteme.
Arn Frankeleynes & free men / þorghȝ fullyng þat þei take.
& Ientil-men with Iesu / for Iesu was y-fullid.
Vpon Caluerye / on þe cros / & korouned kyng of Iewis.
It be-comeþ wel to a kyng / to kepen his lond & to defende it.
& conquerour of his conquest /. hyse lordis to ȝeve hem large.

¶ & so dyde Iesus to þe Iewis / he Iusted[^1614] & tawhte hem.
Þe lawe of lyf / þat lasten shal euere more.
& fendid fram hem fowle evelis / boþe fyueres . & eek fluxis.
& feendis þat in hem was / & eek fals by-leve.
Þo was he Iesu of Iewis callyd / & þe Ientil prophete.
& kyng of kyngdomm[^1615] & crowne he bar of þornes.
& þo conquerid he on þe cros / a conquerour noble.
Myghte no deeþ hym for-do / ne noþyng doun brynge.
Þ at he a-roos & regnede / & ravischede helle.
& þo was he conquerour cald / of qwike & of dede.
For he ȝaf Adam & Eve / & oþere moo blysse.
Þ at longe hadde leyn by-fore / as lucyferis chirlys.

[^1614: F.15.45: F uniquely reads Iusted. Other B manuscripts have Iustified. The same variants appear in C.]

[^1615: F.15.50: F failed to mark the caesura.]

¶ & þanne took he lotthly lucifer / þat loord was of helle.[^1616]
& bond his as his bondeman[^1617] / with bondis of yrene.
Who was hardiere þan he / þat his herte blood he shedde.
To maken alle folk free / þat folwen hise lawes.

[^1616: These lines are attested only in F. R is absent here, and the lines may not with any security be attributed to alpha.]

[^1617: F.15.58: F is the only B witness at this point. Cx reads "And bond him as he is bounde ...."]

¶ & sytthen he ȝeveþ largely / alle hise leele lygis.
Places in p aradis / at here departynge hennes.
He may wel be cald a conquerour / & þat is crist to meene.

¶ But þe cause þat he comeþ þus / with his cros of his passioun.
Is to wissen vs þere-with / whan we been y-temptyd.
Þer-with / to fyghte & defende vs / fro fallyng in-to synne.
& to seen be his sorwe / þat who-so loveþ Ioyȝe.
To penaunce & to pouerte / he muste pyttyn hym -selue.
& mychel woo / in þis world / wylnen & suffren.

¶ But to carpe more of crist / & how he cam to þat name.
Faythly[^1618] / for to speke / his fyrste name was Iesus.
Þoo he was boore in bedleem / as . bookys boldly tellyn.
& cam to take mankynde / boþe kyngys & angelis.
Reuerensed hym ryght fayre / with rycchesse of erthe.
Angelis out of heuene / come knelynge & sungen.
G loria in excelcis deo.

[^1618: F.15.71: Faythly is written over an erasure.]

¶ Kyngis kemen after / & kneled to hym & offreden.
Ensens / & myrre . &[^1619] myche gold / with[^1620] myche mercy asked.
Er of ony kenne Catele / þey knowlechid hym . here souereyn.
Boþe of sunne . of sond . & see / & sythis hoom þey wentyn.
In-to here kyngene kyþ / be kennynge of an angel.
& þerwith was þe woord / ful-fyld / þe wiche first þou speke
Omnia celestia / terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine Iesu.

[^1619: F.15.78: An otiose curl is written over the <&>.]

[^1620: F.15.78: The substitution of with for Bx's wiþouten in this theological context is typical of F. See also a similar revision at 13.297 and 13.304.]

¶ For alle þe angelis of hevene / at his berthe þey kneliden.
& al þe witt in þis world / was þoo in þre þynges.[^1621]
Resoun . & Ryghtwisnesse / & rewþe / þey offreden.

[^1621: F.15.85: F alone reads þynges. All other B witnesses have kynges. R is absent for this passus.]

¶ Where-fore / & why  wyse men þat tyme.
Boþe Maistris & men y-leernede / Magy hem nameden.

¶ Þe ton kyng cam with resoun / y-kouered vndir ensense.
Þe toþir kyng sytthe / sooþly he offrede.
Ryghtwyȝsnesse vndir reed gold / þat lasten shal euere.[^1622]
For it shal turne tresoun[^1623] / to ryght[^1624] & to trewthe.
Þe þrydde kyng þo cam / & knelid to Iesu lowe.
& presented hym with pite / a-peerynge be Mirre.
For Mirre is mercy to meene / & myȝlde speche of tunge.
Erthely onest þyng / was offred þus . at oones a toones
Þorghȝ þre kenne kyngys / knelyng to Iesu
For þese precious presentis / oure lord prince Iesus.
Was neyþir kyng ne conquerour / tyl he gan to wexe.
In þe manere of a man / & þat þorghȝ myche sleyghte.
As it be-comeþ a conquerour / to knowe manye sleyghtes.
& manye wyȝlis / & witt / þat wille ben a leedere.
& so dide Iesu in hise dayes / who hadde tyme to telle.
Sum -tyȝme he suffrede / & sum -tyme he hedde hym -selve.
& sum -tyme he fawht faste / & he fleyȝ oyþer whyle.
& sum -tyȝme he gaf good / & graunted heele boþe.
& also lyȝf & leme / as he luste he wroghte.
As keende is of a conquerour / so cumsede Iesu
Tyl he hadde alle hem / þat he fore bledde.
In his Iuvente þis Iesus / at Iewene feeste he turnede.
Water in-to wyȝn / as holy wryt telleþ.
& þere by-gan god / of his grace Dowel.
For wyȝn y lykne to þe lawe / or lyf of holinesse.
& lawe lakked þo / for men lovede not here enemyȝs.
But crist conseyleþ þus vs / & comaundeþ vs boþe.
To lerede & to lewede / for to love oure enemyȝs.
So at þe feest first / as y be-fore tolde.
By-gan god of his grace / & of his goodnesse to Dowel
& þo was he clepid & cald / not oonly crist but Iesu.
A fantekyn ful of wit / filius Marie.
& byfore hys moodir Marie / made he þat wondir.
Þ at she first & formest / scholde ferme þe beleve.
Þ at he þorghȝ grace was begete / & of no goome ellis.
He wroghte þat / be no wit / but þorghȝ woord oone.
After þe kende þat he com of / þere comsed he Dowel.
& whan he was waxe moore / in his moodir presense.[^1625]
He made lame to leepe / & he ȝaf lyȝht to blynde.
& he fedde with tweyn fyschis / & with fyve loves.
Folk soore an-hungrid / moore þan fyve þowsande

[^1622: F.15.91: F omits the b-verse and following a-verse, making one line of two. Bx reads as follows: Rightwisnesse vnder reed gold Resones felawe Gold is likned to leautee þat laste shal euere.]

[^1623: F.15.92: F's a-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "And resoun to ryche gold."]

[^1624: F.15.92: The scribe perhaps intended the flourish after <t> to serve as a virgule.]

[^1625: F.15.126: F alone reads presense. All other B witnesses have absence or absent (HmY). R is absent for this passus.]

¶ Þus he confortyd þe careful / & kawhte a gret name.
Þe wyche was dobet / where þat he wente.
For deve þorghȝ his doynge / & dumbe speke & herde.
& alle he helede & halp / þat hym of grace askede.
& þo was he callid in cowrt / of þe comoun peple.
For þe dedys þat he dede / Iesu fyly dauyd.
For dauid was þe dowhtyeste / of dedis in his tyme.
Þerfore men sungen[^1626] . Saul interfecit mille  & dauid decem milia.[^1627]
For-þy þe cuntre þere Iesu cam / þey callid hym.[^1628]
& named hym of nazarethȝ / & no man so worthy.
To ben kayser or kyng / of þe kyngdom of Iuda.
Ne ouer Iewis Iustise / as Iesus was hem thowte.
Þerfore hadde kayphas[^1629] envyȝe / & oþire konynge Iewis.
For to doon hym to deþe / day & nyght þey kastyn.
& kulled hym on þe cros / on Caluerye on a fryday.
& after beried þey his body / & beden þat men sholde.
Kepen it . fram nyght-comeris / with knyghtys y-armed.
For no freend sholde it fecche / for p rophetis beforen tolde.
Þ at cristis blessid body / of berielis shulde vp ryse.
& goon in-to Galile / & gladien hise apostlys.
& his modir Marie / þus men by-forehond demede.

[^1626: F.15.137: The a-verse is written over an erasure.]

[^1627: F.15.137: The scribe wrote a small <o> over the final <a>.]

[^1628: F.15.138: The line is truncated, the rubricator having failed to supply fili dauid , attested in beta manuscripts.]

[^1629: F.15.142: Beta manuscripts transpose to kayphas hadde. F's agreement with Cx suggests that alpha better reflects Bx than beta witnesses.]

¶ Þan þe knyghtis þat keptyn it / be-knewen hem -selue.
Þ at angelis & Archangelis / er þe day gan springe.
Comen knelynge to þat corps / & konyngly sunge.[^1630]
Cristus resurgens a mortuis / & a-noon he roos after.
Verry man by-fore hem alle / & forþ be-fore hem wente.

[^1630: F's b-verse, with konyngly supplying an alliterating stave, is unique. Beta witnesses have the metrically anomolous reading "Come knelynge to þe corps and songen," followed by the tag line Christus resurgens . Lacking the evidence of R at this point, we cannot be certain that F's konyngly is not the alpha reading and thus probably original. However, in view of the agreement in 153b of Cx with beta and of 154 with F, F's konyngly is probably an intelligent conjectural emendation, while his 154 perhaps reflects Bx.]

¶ Þe Iewis prayede hem of pees / alle þo propre knyghtis.[^1631]
& tellyn þe comoun / þat þere keme / a cumpany of hise postlis.
& by-wichyd hem þat þere wooke / & awey stole þe body.
But sone Marie Magdeleyn / mette hym in þe weye.
Goynge towarde Galyle / boþe in godhede & in manhede.
& lyvynge & lookynge / & with lowhde voyȝs he[^1632] criȝede.
In euery cumpanye þere he cam / Cristus resurgens.
Þus cam it owt / þat crist ouer -cam / & recurede & levede.[^1633]

[^1631: F.15.156: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "and bisouȝte þe knyghtes." C has preide in place of beta's bisouȝte. R is absent at this point.]

[^1632: Though it perhaps reflects the immediate scribe's miscomprehension, he here and in the following line is possibly a relict form of heo, "she." R is absent here, but the beta reading in F15.162 is she.]

[^1633: F.15.163: R is absent for this passus, so it is impossible to tell whether the loss of two lines here occurred in alpha or F alone, though since it occurs at the transition between recto and verso, the latter is perhaps slightly more likely. Beta witnesses read: Sic oportet Christum pati & intrare &c. For þat wommen witeþ may noȝt wel be counseille.]

¶ Peter parceyvede al þis / & pursewede after
& eek Iemes & Iohan / Iesu for to seken.
& Thadeus & ten mo / with Thomas of ynde.

¶ & as alle þese wise weyȝes / weren to-gydres.
In an hows al by-schet / & here dore y-barred.
Cryst cam In & al closed / boþe dores & ȝatis.
& a-pertly to hise a-postlys / he seide pax vobis[^1634]
He took Thomas by þe hond / & tawhte hym to grope.
& felen with hise fyngris / his fleschly herte.

[^1634: F.15.170: The scribe has scraped out an error—the phrase þese wordis is decipherable with ultra-violet—and supplied the Latin tag pax vobis in the right margin. He neglected to supply the rubrication within the text.]

¶ Þan Thomas towchid it / & with his tunge he seyde.
Dominus meus & deus meus . & doun he fel to grownde.[^1635]
Þ ou art myn lord y be-leve / & greet love þou schewist.[^1636]
Þ ou dyedist & þoledyst deeþ / & deme þou shalt vs alle.
& now þou lyvist & lokist / & laste þou shalt euere.

[^1635: F.15.174: F alone supplies an English b-verse. Since R is absent, we cannot determine whether the addition is F's or whether it had appeared in alpha.]

[^1636: F.15.175: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "god lord Iesu."]

¶ Cryst carpede þanne / & curteysly he seyde.
Thomas for þou trowist þis / & trewly it belevist.
Blessid mote þou be / & be shalt for euere.
& blessid mote þey been / in body & in sowle.
Þ at neuere shulle see me in syght / as þou doost nowþe.
& leelly be-leven al þis / y love hem & blesse hem
Beati qui non viderunt  & crediderunt.

¶ & whan þis dede was doon / Dobest he took sone[^1637]
& ȝaf Peers power / & pardoun to graunte.
To alle manere of men / mercy & for-ȝevenesse.
& power to a-soyle hem / of alle manere of synnes.
In connaunt þat þey come / & knowleche to payȝe
To peers plowhman pardoner ./ Redde quod debes.

[^1637: F.15.185: F's b-verse is unique. Beta manuscripts have "do best he tauȝte," though C has thouhte.]

¶ Þus Peers plowhman / for his pardoun prayede.[^1638]
To byȝnden . & vnbynde / boþe heere & ellys.
& a-soyle men of here synnys / save of dette oone.

[^1638: F.15.191: F makes feeble sense. Bx reads "Þus haþ Piers power be his pardon paied."]

¶ Þanne a-non after in hyȝ / vp in-to hevene.
He wente & wooneþ þere / & wil come at þe laste.
& rewarde hym ryght wel / þat rat . redde quod debes.[^1639]
& peyȝeth parfyȝtly / as pure trewthe wolde.
& what persone peyȝeþ not / pers þynkeþ hym to punche.[^1640]
& demen hem at domes-day / eyþir to deþ / or lyve.[^1641]
& þe goode to þe godhede gon / in-to þe greete Ioyȝe.
& þe wikkede to wonye / in woo / with -outyn ende.

[^1639: F.15.196: F's b-verse is unique. Beta and most C manuscripts have "þat reddit quod debet ."]

[^1640: F.15.198: The ink has filled the lobe of the <c> or <s>, and either form is possible, for both forms appear in this manuscript.]

[^1641: F.15.199: F's b-verse is unique. Beta and most C manuscripts have "boþe quyke and dede."]

¶ Þus þe consciense of crist / & of þe cros he carpede.
& conseylide me to knele þerto / & þan cam me þowhte.
Oon Spiritus paraclitus / to peers & hise felawes.
In lyghtnesse of a lyȝghtnynge / & lyȝghte on hem alle.[^1642]
Q uod consciense & knelede / þis is cristis messager.
& comeþ fram þe grete god / grace is hys name.
Knele now q uod consciense / & if þou canst synge.
Wolkome hym & worchepe hym / with[^1643] veni creator spiritus

[^1642: F.15.205: F omits through eye-skip on hem alle the following lines attested by beta family manuscripts: And made hem konne and knowe alle kynne langages I wondred what þat was and waggede Conscience And was afered of þe light for in fires liknesse Spiritus paraclitus ouerspradde hem alle.]

[^1643: F.15.209: The rubricator failed to supply veni creator spiritus , attested in beta manuscripts. Since he left a space for that text, it is likely to have been in his exemplar. In the absence of R we cannot be similarly confident that this was the case for the two following lines, attested by beta witnesses, also missing here: Thanne song I þat song and so dide manye hundred And criden wiþ Conscience help vs god of grace.]

¶ & by-gan grace / to go with peers plowhman.
& conseiled hym & conscience / þe comeune to sumne.
For y wille to-day / doon dyviden grace.
To alle kenne creatures / þat kan hise fyve wittis.
A tresor to leve by / to here lyves ende.
& a wepne to fyghte with / þat wille neuere fayle.
For Antecrist & hyse / al þe world shal greve.
& a-cumbre þe Conscience / but if crist þe helpe.
For false prophetis / & fele flatererys & gloserys.
Shulle comen & ben curatoures / ouer kyngis & knyghtis.
& þan shal pryȝde ben pope / & prince of holy chirche.
Coueytise & vnkendenesse / shul ben / cardinalis hym to lede.
For-þy quod grace er y goo / y wille gyve ȝow tresor.
& a wepne to fyghte with / whan antecrist ȝow asayleþ
& gaf ech man grace / to gyȝe with hym -selue.
Þ at ydelnesse a-cumbre hym nowht / ne envyȝe ne priȝde.
D iuisiones graciarum sunt.

¶ Summe he ȝaf wit / & woordes to schewe.
& wit to wynne here lyfloode / as þe lond askeþ.
As p rechoures & preestis / & prentyȝs of þe lawe.
Þey leelly to lyven / be labour of here tunge.
& by here witt to wissen oþere / as grace wolde hem teche.
& summe he kennede craft / & konynge of syghte.
W ith sellynge & beggynge / here lyfloode to wynne.
& summe he lernede to laboure / on londe & on watre.[^1644]
& lyve by þat labour / a leel lyf & trewe.
& summe he tawhte to tylie / to diche & to þresche.
To wynne with here lyfloode / by loore of his techyng
& summe to dyuyne & dyvyde / numbris to knowe.
& summe to cumpasse craftyly / & coloures to make.
& summe to see / & to seyȝe / what sholde be-falle.
Boþe of wele & of woo / to telle it er it felle.
As Astrononyens Astrono[m]yens of astronomye / & philosoferis wyȝsdom.
& summe to rekne / & rekewre[^1645] / þat vnryghtfully was wonne.[^1646]
& fecchen it fram false men / with folvyles lawe
& summe he leernede to lyve / in longynge to ben hennys.
As in pouerte & in pacience / to preyȝe for alle cristene.
& alle lernede to ben leele[^1647] / & ech craft to love oþer.
& for-bad hem / Debate / þat noon were a-mong hem.
Þey summe ben clennere þan summe / ȝee see wel quod grace.
Þ at he þat vseþ fayr craft / to þe foulest y cowde a pyt hym.
& he þat is ȝoure althir drevel / myghte mayster ben holden.[^1648]
If grace wolde haue grantyd hym / but þynk þou wel þerafter.
If he leede weel his lyf / his Ioyȝe shal encresen.
And al þat he swynkeþ harde heere / to blysse it shal hym turne.
Þynkeþ alle now q uod grace / þat grace comeþ of myn gifte.
& looke non ne lakke oþir / but loveþ alle as bretheryn.
& who þat moost mastries can / be myȝldest of berynge.
& crowneþ Conscience kyng / & makeþ craft ȝoure styward.
& after Craftes conseyle / ȝee clothe ȝow / & feede.
For y make Pers plowhman / myn procour & myn reve.
& registrer to receyve / Redde quod debes.
My procour & myn plowhman / peers shal ben on erthe.
& for to tylye[^1649] trewly / a teeme / shal he have.

[^1644: F alone attests these lines, beta having omitted them through eye-skip on labour. R is defective here, lacking the entire passus.]

[^1645: F.15.243: As Richard Beadle notes, spellings like this or recure when the word means "regain, repossess" are very narrowly East Anglian. "The Medieval Drama of East Anglia: Studies in Dialect, Documentary Records and Stagecraft," (unpublished D. Phil. thesis, University of York, 1977), 66.]

[^1646: F.15.243: F omits the following line attested by beta family manuscripts: "He wissed hem wynne it ayein þoruȝ wightnesse of handes."]

[^1647: F.15.247: The scribe may have intended to cancel the final <e>, for a mark very like the virgule in the preceding line appears through it. The scribe wrote both forms in apparent free variation.]

[^1648: These four lines occur only in F. With R absent, it is not possible to determine whether they originated in alpha.]

[^1649: F.15.263: The scribe initially wrote tylee before correcting <e> to <y>.]

¶ Þan grace gaf peers a teem / fowre greete oxen.
Þe firste was Lewk[^1650] a large beeste / & a ful lowh cheere.
& Mark / & Mathewh / þe þrydde / myghty beestis boþe.
He Ioynede to hem oon Iohan / moost Ientyl of hem alle.
& prysest of peersys plowhȝ / & passynge alle oþere.
& ȝit grace of his goodnesse / gaf peers foure stottys.
Al þat hise Oxen ereden / þey to harwe it after.
Þe firste hyȝhte Austyȝn / & Ambrose is a-noþire.
& Gregorie þe greete clerk / & Ieroom þe fowrthe.
& þese fowre þe feyþ techen / & folwen peersys teeme.
& harwen in hand- wlyle w[h]yle / Al holy scripture.
W ith tweye hayȝtes[^1651] þat þey hadden / þe olde lawe & þe newe.
Id est vetus testamentum & nouum testamentum.[^1652]

[^1650: F.15.265: The flourish may be intended to serve as a virgule here.]

[^1651: F.15.275: F alone reads hayȝtes, possibly a form of the nonce-word (at least in Middle English) aiþes, "harrows," < OE egeþe, egþe, for which beta has the more common term harewes. R is defective here, lacking the entire passus.]

[^1652: F.15.276: F alone repeats testamentum.]

¶ & grace gaf Peers greynes / kardynalys vertues
& he sew it in mannys sowle / & sitthe he tolde here names.

/ [¶] Spiritus prudencie / þe fyrste seed hette.
Þ at who eetyþ of þat frut / ymagene he sholde.
Er he dyde ony dede / dyvyse he sholde þe ende.
& leerned hym a ladil to bygge / with a long steele.
For he caste to keepe a crokke / & keepe þe fatte a-bove.

¶ Þe secunde seed þat he sew / was spiritus temperancie.
He þat eetiþ of þat seed / he shal have swich a kyȝnde.
Sholde neuere meete ne myschef / maken hym to swelle.
Ne sholde no skornere / out of skylle hym brynge.
Ne wynnynge ne welthe / of no wordly rycchesse.
Ne wast woord of ydelnesse / ne wikkid speches meve.
& also sholde non koryows clooþ / comen on hys regge.
Ne non meete in his mowthȝ / þat Mayster Iohan it spyede spy[c]ede

/ [¶] Þe þrydde seed þat peers sew / was spiritus fortitudinis.
& who-so eet of þat seed / hardy he was euere.
To suffre al þat god sente / seeknessis & angrys.
Þer myghte no lesyngys of lyȝere / ne los of wordly catel.
Maken hym for ony murnynge / þat he was [n]as meryȝe in sowle.
& boold / & abydynge / bysmeerys to suffre /
& he pleted euere with pacience / and parce michi domine.
& he coueryth hym vndir conseyl / of Catoun þe wyse.
Esto forti animo . cum sis dampnatus inique.

¶ Þe ferthe seed þat Peers sew / was spiritus Iusticie.
& he þat eet of þat seed / sholde be euere trewe.
& of god nowht a-gast / but of gyle oone.
For gyle gooþ so priuyly / þat good feythȝ oþirwhyle.
May not ben a-spyed / for spiritus Iusticie.
Spiritus Iusticie / spareþ nowht to spylle.
Hem þat ben gylty / & for to corecte.[^1653]
Þey men falle a-geyn þe kyng[^1654] / in gelte or in trespas.
He coueyȝteþ no keene wratthe[^1655] / whan he in court syttiþ.
To demen ryght as a domesman / adrad is he neuere.
Neyþir of dewk ne of deeþ / if he doo þe lawe.
For present or for prayere / er for ony princes lettris.
He dede qwite [e]qwite to alle men / euene-forþ his power.
Þese foure seedis peers sew / & sytthe he dyde hem harwe.
W ith þe olde lawe & þe newe lawe / þat love myghte wexe.
A -mong þese foure vertues / & vycys to distroyȝe.
& comounly groweth in cuntres / kammokys & weedis
Þey fowle þe frut in feeldis / þere þey growen to-gydres.
Ryght so dooþ vices / worthy fayre vertues.
Q uod Peers harweth alle þat knowen witt / be conseyl of þis doctour.
& tylyeþ after here techynge / þese Cardynale vertues.

[^1653: F.15.307: The scribe has added the terminal punctus in red ink, suggesting that when terminal punctuation is missing it is more likely to be oversight than intention.]

[^1654: F.15.308: F's a-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "The kyng if he falle." Bx is corrupt.]

[^1655: F.15.309: Bx reads "For counteþ he no kynges wraþe." F has changed the sense of this entire passage, though the failure of alliteration suggests that beta too has problems. R is absent at this point.]

/ [¶] A -geyn þe tyme[^1656] q uod grace / þat þy frut gynneþ rype.
Peers ordeyne þe an hows / to herborwe in þyn cornes.
By goddis grace q uod Peers / ȝee moote gyve me tymbir.
& ordeyne & caste þat hows / er ȝee hens wenden.

[^1656: F.15.322: F alone reads tyme. All other B witnesses have greynes, and that is preceded in most beta manuscripts by þi instead of F's þe. R is absent for this passus.]

¶ & grace gaf hym þe cros / & þe crowne of þornys.
Þ at crist vpon Caluerye / for mankeende kawhte.
& of his bapteme & of þe blood / þat he bledde on roode.
He made a maner morteer / mercy it hyȝghte.
& þerwith grace by-gan / to make a good fowndement.
& he peyntyde þe wallis / with þe woundis of his passioun.
& of al holy writ / he wroghte þe roof after.
& callyd þat hows vnyte / holy chirche on englyschȝ.

/ [¶] & whan þis dede was doon / grace dyvisede.
A Carte þat hette cristendom / to carie hoom schevis.
& gaf peers caplis to his carte / contricion and confession[^1657]
& he made preesthod heyward / þe while hym -selue wente
As wyȝde as þe world is / with peers to tylye trewthe.
& þe loore of by-leeve / & þe lawe of holy chirche.[^1658]

[^1657: F.15.336: The scribe neglected to supply Bx's "contricion and confession."]

[^1658: F.15.339: This line is attested only in F. R is defective here, lacking the entire passus.]

¶ Now is peers to þe plowhȝ / & priȝde it a-spyede.
& he gadreþ hym a gret ost / greven hym he þynkiþ.

/ [¶] & Conscience & cristendom / & cardynale vertues.
Blewe hem doun & breeken hem / & beetyn doun here maneres.
& sentyn forþ surquidoures / were sergawntys of armes.
& his spyȝes spille love / & speke evyl by-hyȝnde.

¶ Þese two kemen to consciense / & to cristene peple.
& tolden hem tydyngys / þat þey wolde stroye þo seedys.
Þ at peers plowhman seew / alle þe cardinal vertues.
& Peersis doore worþ y-broke / & þey þat been in vnyte.
Shul come to vs conscience / & ȝoure two caples.
Boþe Confessioun & contricioun / & þe carte of beleve.
Shal be coloured so qweyntely / & couered vndir sofistre
Þ at Consciense ne contricioun / shal not ben knowe.
Ne be confessioun / who is cristene or heþene.
Ne no marchawnt / þat with monee deleþ
Wheyþir he wynneþ with ryght / or with wrong / or with vsure.

¶ W ith swiche coloures y-peyntid / comeþ comeþ [pryde] y-armed.
W ith þe loord þat lyveþ after þe lustys of his herte.[^1659]
To waaste & wel faren / & wikkednesse he meyntiþ.[^1660]
Al þe world in a while / þorghȝ oure wit . quod priȝde.

[^1659: F.15.358: F alone reads lustys and herte. Beta witnesses have lust and body. R is absent for this passus.]

[^1660: F.15.359: Beta reads "To wasten on welfare and in wikked kepyng."]

¶ Q uod conscience to cristene þo / y conseyle þe to wende.
Hastely . to vnyte / & wee shulle holde vs heere.
& praye we / þat pees were / in Persys beerne plowhman [þe] Plowhman.
For witterly y woot wel / we ben not of strengþe.
To goon a-geyn priȝde / but grace were with vs.

¶ & þan cam keende wit / conscience to teche.
& cryede & comandide / alle cristene peple.
For to delue & dyke depe / alle abowte vnyte.
Þ at holy chirch stoode strong / as it a pyȝl were.

¶ Consciece Conscie[n]ce comaundide þo / alle cristene to delue.
& maken a mychil moot / þat myghte been of strengþe.
To helpyn holy chirche / & hem þat it keepiþ.

¶ Þanne alle kenne cristene / save comoun wommen.
Repentyd & refused synne / save þey aloone.
& false men & flateris / & vsereris & þevis.
Lyeris / & qwest-mongeris / þat ben for-swore ofte.
Wytynge & wilful / & with þe false helde.
& for syluer ben for-swore[^1661] / & soþly knowe þe contrarie.[^1662]

[^1661: F.15.378: An otiose curl appears above the <s>.]

[^1662: F.15.378: F alone reads "knowe þe contrarie." Beta witnesses have "þei wiste it." R is absent for this passus.]

¶ Þer was no cristene creature / þat keende wit hadde.
Save shrewis oonly / & swiche y spak of to-forehond.
Þ at he ne halp a qwantite / holynesse make to wexe.
Summe þorghȝ beedis byddynge / & þorghȝ pilgrimage.
Summe þorghȝ pens delyng / & summe þorghȝ priue penaunces.
& þanne walmede water / for wykkede werkys.
Ful egrily ernynge / owt of mennys eyȝes.
Clennesse of þe comoun / & clerkys cleene lyvynge.
Made Vnite in holychirche / holylyche stoonde.

¶ I care nowht q uod conscience / þey keme [pryde] keme nowthe.
& þe lord of lust shal be lettyd / al þis lentene y trowe.
Comeþ with me quod conscience / ȝee cristene & dyghneþ.
Þ at han laboured lelly / al þis lentene tyȝme.
Heere is breed y-blessed / & goddis body þere-Inne.
Þan Grace þorghȝ goddis word / gaf pers his power.
& myght for to maken yt / & men to eete it after.
In helpe of here heele / ones in a twelfmoneþ.[^1663]
Er as ofte as þey hadde neede / þo þat hadde payed.
To peers plowhmann-ys pardoun / redde quod debes.

[^1663: F.15.395: The F redactor's substitution of "twelfmoneþ" for Bx's "Monþe" perhaps reflects some sense of excess. Eamon Duffy, The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England, 1400-1580 (New Haven: Yale U P, 1992), notes that "frequent communion was the prerogative of the few. Lady Margaret Beaufort received only monthly, and even so was considered something of a prodigy. For most people receiving communion was an annual event ..." (93).]

¶ Ow  q uod alle þe comoun / þou comandist vs to ȝeldyn.
Al þat we owen ony wyght / er þat we come to huslyng.
Þ at is myn conseyl / quod conscience / & cardynale vertues.
Or ony for-ȝeve oþir / & þat wille the pater noster.[^1664]
Et dimite nobis debita nostra.
& so to been a-soyled / & setthen to been y-huslyd.

[^1664: F.15.401: The line up to wille is written over an erasure.]

/ [¶] Ȝee  baw wawh  quod a Brewere / y wille not so be rewlyd.
Ne Iustefied be Iesu so  for al ȝoure Ianglynge here.[^1665]
Ne after þe Conscience / but y can wel selle.
Boþe dreggis & draf / & drawe out an oon hole tappe.
Boþe þykke ale & þenne / þat is myn craft cleene.
& nowht hakke after holynesse / now hold consciense þyn tunge.
Of Spiritus Iusticie  / þou spyllyst ydel speche.

[^1665: F.15.405: F's line is unique. Bx has the following unmetrical line: "By Iesu for al youre Ianglynge with Spiritus Iusticie ."]

¶ A  Caytyf quod Conscience / þou art a cursyd wrecche.
Vn-blessid art þou brewere / but if god þe helpe.
& but þou lyve be þe loore / of spiritus Iusticie .
Þe cheef seed þat Peers sew / savid worþ þou neuere.
& but conscionce consci[e]nce be þyn comoun foode / & cardynale vertues.
Leve me wel þou art loost / boþe lyf & sowle.

/ [¶] Þan is many a man loost / quod a lewed vykery.
I am a curatoure of holy chirche / & cam neuere in my tyme.
Man þat cowde me telle / of Cardynale vertues.
Þ at euere a-cowntyd conscience / oon cokkys fedre.
I knewh neuere Cardynal / þat cam fram þe Pope.[^1666]
For we vykeres wan þey kome / for here comonys paye
& for here palfreis mete[^1667] / & for pyloures þat hem folweth.
& þe comewnys clamant cotidie / ech man tyl oþir.
Þ at þe cuntre is þe cursedere / þere Cardynalis comen Inne.
& þere þat þey lyggyn moost[^1668] / leccheryȝe þere reygneþ.

[^1666: F.15.421: F's b-verse is unique. Beta and C witnesses have "þat he ne cam fro þe pope."]

[^1667: F.15.423: F's a-verse is unique. Beta and C witnesses have "For hir pelure and palfreyes mete."]

[^1668: F.15.426: F's omission of "and lenge" following "lyggyn" led to his misplacing the caesura marker. The a-verse in Bx reads "And þer þei ligge and lenge." R is absent at this point.]

¶ Þerfore quod þat vikery / by verry god y wolde.
Þ at neuere Cardynal keeme / a-mong þe comoun peple.
But been at hoom in here holynesse / & þere holde hem stille.
At Avyoun a-mong Iewis / cum sancto sanctus eris.
Or in Rome as here rewle woole / þe relykys keepen.
& þou conscience in kyngis cowrt / & come þens sholdist þou neuere.
& grace þat þou gredist so of / sholde be gyȝere of alle clerkis.
& also peers plowman / with his newe plowh & þe olde.
Sholde be Emperoure ouer al þe world / & alle men weren cristene.

¶ For Inparfyȝt is þe pope / þat al þe peple shulde helpe.
For he sendiþ hem / þat sleeþ swiche / as he sholde save.
But weel worþ peers plowman / þat purseweþ god in dede.
Qvi pluit super iustos / & in-iustos bothe at ones atones.
For he sent þe sunne to shyȝne / on[^1669] a cursed manne tylthe.
& as bryght as to þe beeste man / or to þe beeste womman.
Ryght so peers plowhman / peyneþ hym to tylye.[^1670]
& trauayleþ & toyleþ / for a tretour as soore.
As for a trewe tyȝdy man / alle tymes in lyke.
& worchepeþ hym / þat wroghte al / boþe good & wikke.
& he suffreþ þo þat synful ben / tyl tyme þat þey repente.

[^1669: F.15.440: F alone has "shyȝne on." All other B witnesses have saue. R is absent for the entire passus.]

[^1670: F.15.442: F omits the following lines attested by beta family manuscripts: As wel for a wastour and wenches of þe stewes As for hymself and hise seruauntz saue he is first yserued. The presence of the following line in Cx suggests that a third line was lost through eye-skip from Bx: "So blessed be Piers þe Plowman þat peyneþ hym to tilye."]

¶ Grete god a-mende þe pope / þat pylyeþ so holy chirche.
& cleymeþ by-fore þe kyng / to be kepere ouer cristene.
& a-cownteþ not þei cristene / be kyllyd & robbid.
& fyndis folk to fyȝte / & cristene blood to spille.
A -geyn þe olde lawe & þe newe / as lewk beriþ witnesse.[^1671]
Non occides . // Iterum . Michi vindictam & ego retribuam.[^1672]
It seemeþ by so / hym -selue / hadde his owne wille.
He ne rowhte ryght nowht / how þe remnaunt fareþ.

[^1671: F.15.451: The scribe's intention is clear, but the <n>, if it is indeed present, is written over a <t>.]

[^1672: F.15.452: F uniquely has Iterum and the completion of the quotation after vindictam.]

¶ But crist of custesyȝe cu[r]tesyȝe[^1673] / þo Cardynalis save.
& turne here witt / to wisdom / & here welþe to sowle helpe.
For þe comeunes of[^1674] þis curatour / a-cownten but lytyl.[^1675]
Þe conseyl of Conscience / of Cardynale vertues.
But if þey sowne as to syghte / sumwhat to wynnyngis.

[^1673: F.15.455: The second character is malformed, and we have read it variously as a single lobed <a>, as <o>, and as <u>. It is not likely to be <a>, for the scribe never elsewhere writes a single-lobed <a> after <c> and before <st>. Bx reads curteisie.]

[^1674: F.15.457: F's of is unique. Beta and C witnesses have quod.]

[^1675: F.15.457: An otiose curl appears above the <t> in lytyl.]

¶ Ne of Gyle ne gabbynge / gyve þey neuere tale.
For Spiritus prudencie / a-mong þe peple is gyle.[^1676]
& alle þo fayre[^1677] vertues / as vices þey semen.
For euerey man sotyleþ a sleyȝte / synne to hyȝde.
& coloureþ it for konynge / & a klene lyuynge.

[^1676: F.15.461: The scribe appears in this instance to have left the line blank after For and to have then written the black ink conclusion of the line after he had rubrished Spiritus prudencie, a practice more common toward the end of the manuscript than at the beginning when he tended to leave spaces for the rubricated letters, as indeed he does on the following leaf. Note there that Spiritus intellectuS has extra space, while in the following line Spiritus Fortitudinis is crowded.]

[^1677: F.15.462: An otiose curl appears above <fa> in fayre.]

¶ Þan lowrede þere a lord / & by þis lyght he tolde.
I holde it ryght & resoun / of myn reve to take.
Al þat myn Auditour haþ herd / or ellis myn styward.
& conseyleþ me / be here a-cowntes / & by myn clerkis wrytyng.
Þ at Þat [wiþ] Spiritus intellectus[^1678] / þey tooken þe revis rolles.
& with Spiritus Fortitudinis / þey fecchid hym to presoun.[^1679]

[^1678: F.15.469: The <ct> is indistinguishable from <tt>.]

[^1679: F.15.470: F's b-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "fecche it I wole."]

¶ & þan kam þere a kyng / & be his crowne he seyde.
I am kyng with krowne / þe comounes to rewle.
& holy kyrke & Clergye / fram þe cursede defende.
& if y lakke / to lyve by / by lawe wil y take it.
Þere y may hastlyere have it / for y am heed of lawe.
For ȝee been but membris / & y am a-bove ȝou alle.
& sytthe y am ȝoure alther heed / y am ȝoure althir hele.
& holy chirche cheef helpe / & cheuyntyn of þe comonis.
& what y take of ȝow / me to / y take it at þe techynge.
Of Spiritus Iusticie / for y Iugge ȝow alle.
& so y may boldely be hoseled / for y borwe neuere.
Ne crave of mynn comounys / but as myn kende askeþ.
In condicioun q uod conscience / þat þou kunne hem defende.
& rewle þy rewme in resoun / in ryght & in trewþe.
Þ at þou þyn lykyng[^1680] have / as þe lawes asken.
Omnia sunt tua ad defendendum . sed non ad deprehendum.
Þe vykere hadde fer hoome / & faire he took his leve.
& y a-wakned þere-with / & y wroot as y mette.

[^1680: F.15.485: The word lykyng is written over an erasure. F alone reads alliterating þyn lykyng where beta and C witnesses have in reson.]

Explicit Passus .xvus.

[This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file.] Incipit Passus .xvius.

A Nd[^1681] wan y was wakned / y wente forþ aloone.[^1682]
Syȝghenge & evy cheryd / & elenge in herte.
For y ne wiste where to ete / ne at what place.
& it neyhed neer noon / & þan with neede y mette.
& he afruntid me fowle / & faytour me callidde.
& seyde coudist þou nout excuse þe / as þe kyng & oþire.
Þ at þou tooke to lyve by / but cloþis & sustynaunce.
& þat was by techyng & tellyng / of[^1683]
& þat þou nome no moore / þan y neede þe tawhte.

[^1681: F.16.1: The ornamental capital is blue, red, and green with red flourishes in the bottom quarter of the left margin. The guide <a> is still visible toward the top of the ornamental capital.]

[^1682: F.16.1: F's line is unique. Beta witnesses have "Thanne as I wente by þe wey whan I was thus awaked." R is absent at this point.]

[^1683: F.16.8: The line is unfinished, the rubricator having failed to write spiritus temperancie , attested in beta manuscripts.]

¶ For neede haþ no lawe / ne neuere shal falle in dette.
For þre þyngys / þat he takþ / his lyf for to save.
Þ at is meet whan men hym wernethȝ / & he no moone weldiþ.
Ne whyȝht þat wille ben his borghȝ / ne no wed haþ to legge.
& if he caste[^1684] in þat caas / & come þerto be sleyghte.
He synneþ nowht soþly / þat so wynneþ his foode.

[^1684: F.16.14: Cx reads cacche, while beta family witnesses have cauȝte. R is absent here.]

¶ & þey he come so / to a clooþ / & can no bettre chewsaunce.
Neede a-non nymeþ hym / vndir meene-pryse.

¶ & if he lyste for to lapen / þe lawe of kende wolde.
Þ at he drunke at euery dyȝch / er he for þrust dyȝede.
So neede at gret neede / may nyme as for his owne.
W ith -owtyn of [conseil] of Conscience / er of Cardynale vertues.
So þat he sawe[^1685] & save / Spiritus temperancie.
For þer is no vertewe by-fore / Spiritus temperancie.
Neyþir Iusticie[^1686] / ne Spiritus fortitudinis.
But Spiritus Fortitudinis / forfeetythȝ ful often.
For he dooþ more þan mesure / manye tymes & ofte.
& beetyþ men ouer bitterly / & summe bodijs to lytel.
& he greveþ men ofte grettere / þan good feyþ it wolde.
And Spiritus Iusticie / schal Iugge hym / wille he  nylle he 
After þe kyngis conseyl / þe comoun & he a-sente.
And Spiritus prudencie . / in manye poyntis shal fayle.
Of þat he weneþ wolde falle / if his wit ne were.
For wenyng is no wisdom / ne non wise ymagynacioun.
Homo proponit  & deus disponit . and gouerneþ alle.[^1687]
To goode vertues neede is next hym / for a-non he mekeþ.
& as lowh as a loomb / for lakkynge þat hym needyþ.

[^1685: F.16.22: F's spelling sawe for souen, "to sew," is unique among B manuscripts. If not simple error, it perhaps reflects the northern East Anglian provenance of F-Redactor. Beta witnesses have sewe.]

[^1686: F.16.24: F alone omits Spiritus before Iusticie .]

[^1687: Alpha's and beta's line division differ here. Beta reads as follows: Homo proponit & deus disponit and gouerneþ alle goode vertues Ac nede is next hym for anoon he mekeþ.]

/ [¶] For neede makþ fele [nede] fele / for needys lowhȝ of herte.[^1688]
Philosophres[^1689] for-soke welthe / for þey wolde ben nedy.
& wonedyn wol elengely / & wolde neuere ben ryche.

[^1688: F.16.37: This line is attested only in alpha.]

[^1689: F.16.38: Alpha and C have Philosophres. Beta witnesses have Wise men, reflecting a different sense of the alliterative pattern.]

¶ & god / alle his greete Ioye / of gostly he lefte.
& cam & took mankynde / & by-cam heere al needy.
He was so needy as seyþ þe book / in many sundry places.
Þat he seyde in his sorwe / on þe selue roode.
Boþe foox & fowl / may flee to hoole & creepe.
& þe fychȝ haþ fyn / to fleete with or[^1690] to reeste.
Þere neede haþ y-nome me[^1691] / þat y mote neede a-byȝde.
& suffre sorwis ful sowre / þat shulle to Ioyȝe turne.
For-þy be þou nowht abascht / to bowe & to be needy.
Sytthe[^1692] he þat wroghte al þe world / was wilfully needy.
Ne neuere noon so needy / ne noon porere[^1693] dyȝede.

[^1690: F.16.45: Alpha is responsible for or, which is lacking in beta and C.]

[^1691: F.16.46: The scribe mistakenly started a virgule and then used that stroke as the first in <m>.]

[^1692: F.16.49: An otiose curl appears above the <S>.]

[^1693: F.16.50: A pale punctus, perhaps scraped, appears after porere, suggesting that the scribe prematurely ended the line and changed his mind.]

¶ Whan neede hadde nome me þus / a-noon y fel on slepe.
& mette ful mervilously / þat in a mannys forme.
Antecrist cam þanne / & alle þe croppis of trewthe.
Anon he turnede vp-so-doun / & vp-tild þe roote.
& made fals springe & sprede / & schende[^1694] mennys nedys[^1695]
In euery cuntre þere he cam / he kytte awey trewþe.
& gart gyle growe þere / as he a god were.

[^1694: F.16.55: F's schende is unique. Bx has spede.]

[^1695: F.16.55: The curl following <d> is ambiguous, and we have resolved to Bx's plural form, but the scribe may have intended singular nede.]

¶ Freeris folwide þat fend / for he fond hem coopis.
& fele relygious reuerensed hym / & runge ageyn hym belles.
& al þe Couent cam holly / to wolkome þat tyraunt.
& alle hise . as wel as hym / save oonly foolys.
Whiche were gladdere to dyȝe / þan to gon on lyve.[^1696]
& langoured so with lewte / & weren sore rebewkyd.
Of a fals feend antecrist / þat ouer alle folk reyghnede.
& þat wee[^1697] myȝlde holy men / þat no myschef dredde.
Defyden alle falsnesse / & þe folk þat it vsede.
& what kyng þat hym confortyde / knowynge hym[^1698] gyle.
Þey cursede hem & here conseyl / where he clerk or oþir.

[^1696: F.16.62: F's reading is unique. Beta has "Whiche foolis were wel leuere to deye." F alone omits foolis. Alpha and C have gladdere for beta's leuere. Alpha and G omit beta's and C's wel.]

[^1697: F.16.65: Alpha is responsible for wee. Beta witnesses have were.]

[^1698: F.16.67: F's hym is unique. Bx has hem.]

¶ Antecrist hadde sone / hundredes at his baner.
& P ride bar yt bare[^1699] / booldely a-bowte.
W ith a loord þat lyveþ / with lykynge of body.

[^1699: F.16.70: F's "bar yt bare" is unique. Bx and C have "it bar."]

¶ Þan cam conscience / þat kepere was & gyour.
Ouer kende cristene / & Cardynale vertues

¶ I conseyle q uod Conscience þo / comeþ with me ȝe folis.
In-to vnyte of holy chirche / & holde we vs þere.
& criȝe we to keene kyng[^1700] / he come & defende vs.
Foolys / fram þe feendis lemes / for Peersis love
& criȝe we on alle þe comoune / þat þey comen to vnyte.
& þere a-byden & abykere a-geyn / belyalles children.

[^1700: F.16.76: F's keene kyng is unique. Bx has kynde.]

¶ Kende consciense herde þo / & cam owt of þe planetis.
& sente a-fore hise foreoures / boþe feveris & fluxes.
& kowhes & Cardiaclis / crampis & toth-achis.
Rewhmes / & radegundes / & reynowse skalles.
& beelis & bocchis / & brennynge hagews.[^1701]
& frenesis & fowle evelis / alle weren Forayneris[^1702] of kende.
Þey hadde pyked & prayed / pollis of þe peple.
Largely / a legioun / losten here lyȝf soone.

[^1701: F.16.84: A reverse spelling for agues.]

[^1702: F.16.85: F's Forayneris is unique. Beta has forageres.]

¶ Þere was harow / & help / how þere cam keende.
W ith deeþ þat is dredful / to vndoon hem alle.

¶ Þe lord þat lyvede after lust / þo lowde he cryȝede.
After[^1703] a komely[^1704] knyght / to comen & bere his baner.
A - larme . a-larme / q uod þat loord / ech man keep his owne.

[^1703: F.16.91: Alpha is responsible for the omission of Confort.]

[^1704: F.16.91: F's komely is unique.]

¶ Þanne menttyn mettyn þese men / er menstralis myghte pipe.
& er herawdes of armes / hadde discriued lordys.

¶ Þan Elde þe horel[^1705] / he hild þe vawnwarde.
& bar þe bar þe bar þe baner by-fore deeþ / by ryght he it cleymede.
& keende cam after hym / with manye kenne soores.
As Pokkis & pestilencis / & myche peple he schente.
So keende with corupcionis kyllyde ful manye.

[^1705: F.16.95: The substitution of horel, "fornicator," for hoore occurred in alpha.]

¶ Þan cam deeþ dryvende / & alle to dust he daschede hem.[^1706]
Boþe kyngis . & knyghtis / & cayseris & popis.
Neyþir lewede ne lerede / he lefte non stande.
Þo þat he hitte evene / þat euere he sterede after.

[^1706: F.16.100: F's "he daschede hem" is unique. Beta and C witnesses have "passhed."]

¶ Þan many a lovely Lady / for hire levis sake.[^1707]
Swounede & sweltride / for sorwe of dentis de[th]is dyntis.

[^1707: F.16.104: F's reading is unique. Other B manuscripts have "and hir lemmans knyȝtes."]

¶ Þanne Conscience of his curtesie / to kende he be-sowhte.
To sese & suffre / & seen wheyþir þey wolde.
Leven pryȝde priuyly / & parfyȝtly lyve as cristene.

¶ & keende sesede sone[^1708] / to seen þe peple a-mende.
& þanne gan Fortune flatre / þo fewe þat weren on lyve.
& by-hyghte hem long lyf / & leccheryȝe hem sente.
A -mong alle manere of men / weddid & vn-weddid.
& gadred a gret hoost / a-non a-geyn consciense.

[^1708: F.16.109: F's sone is unique. Other B and C witnesses have þo.]

¶ Þis Leccheryȝe leyde oon / with lawhynge cheere.
& with prive speche / & propre peyntyd woordis.
& armed hym in ydelnesse / & in heyȝ berynge.

¶ He bar a bowe in his hond / & manye broode arwes.
Þ at were fedred with fair speche / & fele fals be-hestis.
& with vntyȝdy[^1709] talis / he teenede / ful ofte.
Consciense & his cumpany / of holy kyrke[^1710] techeris.

[^1709: F.16.119: Red ink marks are blots from the rubrication on the opposite page.]

[^1710: F.16.120: Alpha is responsible for correctly alliterating kyrke, and is joined by Cr in that reading. The remaining beta and all C witnesses have chirche.]

¶ Þanne cam Coueytyȝse / & caste how he myghte.
Ouer-come Consciense / & Cardinale vertues.
& he armed hym in Auerise / & vngryly he lyvede.
& his wepnes were whyȝlis[^1711] / to wynne & to holde.
W ith glosyngis & with gabbyngis / he gylede þe peple.
& Symonye he sente / to a-soyle[^1712] conscience.
& prechede to þe peple / & prelatis þey hem made.
To holde with antecrist / here temporaltes to save.
& come to þe kyngis conseyl / as a keene baroun.
& knelide to conscience / in court by-fore hem alle.
& maden good feythȝ to flee / & fals to a-byȝde.
& boldely bar doun / with manye a reed[^1713] noble.
Myche of þe wit & wyȝsdom / of west-menstre halle.
He Iusted a-geyn Iustises / & Iangled in his eere.[^1714]
& ouer-tylte al trewþe / with tak þis vp a-mendement

[^1711: F.16.124: A reverse spelling for wiles.]

[^1712: F.16.126: FY alone read a-soyle. Bx and Cx have assaille.]

[^1713: F.16.132: Alpha is responsible for reed. Beta witnesses and C have bright.]

[^1714: F.16.134: F's reading is unique. Bx has "He Iugged til a Iustice and Iusted in his eere."]

¶ & þanne in-to[^1715] þe Archis / in haste he wente after.
& turnede Cyvile to Symonye / & sytthe he took þe officiale.
& for a menyver mantyl / he made leele matrimonye.
To departyn er deeþ cam / & a devoos he schapede.

[^1715: F.16.136: F's þanne is unique. Alpha and Hm, as well as a number of C manuscripts, have into where most beta and some C witnesses have to.]

¶ Allas q uod Conscience & criȝede / wolde crist of his grace.
Þ at Coueytyse were cristene / þat is so keene to fyghte.
& bold / & a-byȝdynge / þe whyle his baggis lasten.

¶ & þanne lowhȝ lyf lyghtly / & leet daggen hise cloþis.
& armed hym in haste / in harlotrie woordis.
& he heeld holynesse a Iape / & hendenesse a wastour.
He leet lewte a cherl / & lyȝere a freeman.
& boþe conscience & conseyl / he cowntid it but folye.

¶ Þus relevede lyf / with a lytyl fortune.
& prikede forþ / with p ride / & preysyng of no vertues
Ne he careþ nowht þat kende fleyȝ [slowhȝ] / & shal come at þe laste.
& calle[^1716] alle erly[^1717] creatures / save conscience oone.

[^1716: F.16.151: Alpha is responsible for calle. Beta and C witnesses have kille.]

[^1717: F.16.151: erly, "earthly." The scribe elsewhere writes erthely (4.201, 15.96), and his usual nominal form is erthe. The spelling erly appears also at 7.413 and 11.190.]

¶ Lyf seyde occide[^1718] / & lawhte hym a lemman.
Heele & y q uod he / & hyȝnesse of herte.
Shal do þe nowht dreede / neyþir deeþ ne elde.
But to for-ȝeete sorwe / & ȝeve nowht of synne.

[^1718: F.16.152: Alpha is responsible for "seyde occide ." Beta and C witnesses have "lepte aside."]

¶ Þis lessoun lykede lyf / &[^1719] his lemman Fortune.
& geetyn in here glorie / a gadelyng at þe laste.
On þat mys-wroghte[^1720] / slewhte was his name.

[^1719: F.16.156: An otiose curl appears over the <&>.]

[^1720: F.16.158: Beta manuscripts read "Oon þat muche wo wroȝte." Wo had been omitted in alpha, and mys-wroghte is F's attempt to wrest sense from what remained.]

¶ Slewþe wex wondir ȝeerne / & was soone of age.
& weddide oon wanhope / a wenche of þe styves.
Hire syre was a sysour / þat neuere swoor trewþe.
On Thomme þe [two] tonge / a-teynt in euery qwestis.

¶ Slewþe was waar[^1721] of þis werre / and a slynge he made.
& þrew drede in dispayr / a doseyn[^1722] myle a-bowte.

[^1721: F.16.163: The scribe originally wrote waas but corrected himself.]

[^1722: F.16.164: The scribe originally wrote deseyn but corrected the error himself.]

¶ For care Conscience þo / cryȝede vpon Elde.
& bad fonde to fyghte / & a-feere whanhope.

¶ & Elde hente good hope / & hastely he hyȝed[^1723] hym.
& weyvid a-wey whanhope / & with lyf he fyghteþ.
& lyȝf fleyȝ for feere / to fysyȝk after helpe.
& by-sowhte hym of sokour / & of his salve he hadde.
& gaf hym gold good[^1724] whone / þat gladid his herte.
& he gaf hym a-geyn / a glasene[^1725] howe.
Lyf be-leevede þat lechecraft / lettyn sholde elde.
& to dryve[^1726] a-wey deþ / with dayes[^1727] þo [&] dragges.[^1728]

[^1723: F.16.167: F's hyȝed is unique. Most B witnesses have shifte.]

[^1724: F.16.171: An otiose curl appears over the <g>. Compare the flourish over initial <g> in glasene in the following line.]

[^1725: F.16.172: An otiose curl appears over the <g>. The scribe has written his characteristic final flourished <g> rather than his customary word-initial one.]

[^1726: F.16.174: Alpha is responsible for to dryve. Beta witnesses have dryuen.]

[^1727: F.16.174: The lection dayes occurred in alpha for dyas.]

[^1728: F.16.174: dragges, "drugs."]

¶ & Elde awntrid hym on lyf / & at þe laste hym hytte.
On a Fisisian with a furrid hood / þat he fel in a pallasy.
& þere dyȝede þat doctour / er thre dayes after.

¶ Now[^1729] see seyde lyf / þat surgeryȝe ne fysyȝk
May not a-vayle a myte / to medle a-geyn Elde.
& in hope of his heele / good herte he hente.
& rood so to revele ryght / a ryche myryȝe place.

[^1729: F.16.178: The scribe has almost certainly erased I, the reading of all other B witnesses. His reasons for doing so are not obvious.]

¶ Þe cumpanye of confort / men clepid it sum -tyȝme.
& Elde a-noon after hym / ouer myn heed wente.
& made me ballyd by-fore / & bare . on þe crowne.
So harde he ȝeede ouer myn heed / it wille be sene euere.

¶ Sire evele y-tawht Elde q uod y  vn-heende goo with þe.
Sytthe whanne was þe wyde way / ouer mennys heedis.
Haddist þou been hende quod y  þou woldist have askid leve.

¶ Ȝee  leeue lurdeyn quod he  & leyde on me with age.
& hytte me vndir þe eere / þat vnneþe may y heere.
& beet me a-bowte þe mowþ / & buscht out myn wang-teeþ.
& he be-gylede me with þe gowte / y may not goo at large.
& of þe woo þat y was Inne / my[^1730] wif hadde rewthe
& wischede often witterly / y hadde ben in hevene.
For þe lyme she lovid me fore / þat leef she was[^1731] feele.
On nyghtis namely / wan we nakyd weren.
I ne myghte in no manere / make it at hire wille
So eelde & þe gowte & she[^1732] / hadde yt for-beete.
Þus was y set with sorwe / y seeyȝ myn stat passede.
& deeþ drowh neer me / for drede y gan qwaken.
& y criede to kende / owt of care me brynge.
& seyde loo  Elde þe hoore / haþ myn lyf[^1733] be-seyȝe.
A -wreke me if ȝoure wille be / for wendyn hens y wolde.

[^1730: F.16.193: An otiose curl appears over the <m>.]

[^1731: F.16.195: F's revision of Bx's "and leef was to feele" is probably intentional. The omission of to before the infinitive is possibly simple error.]

[^1732: F.16.198: F's a-verse is unique. Beta manuscripts read "So Elde and she sooþly." R's reading is supported by C manuscripts: "So elde and hee," where hee is a relic meaning "she."]

[^1733: F.16.202: Alpha is responsible for "myn lyf." Beta and C witnesses have "me."]

¶ If þou wilt ben y-wroke quod he / wende vn-to vnyte.
& holde þe þere euere / tyl y seende for the.
& looke þou kunne sum craft / er þou come þennis.

¶ Conseyle me q uod y þo / what craft y myȝhte leerne.

¶ Leerne to love q uod keende / & leve alle oþire craftys.

¶ How shal y come to catel so / to cloþe me & feede.

¶ & þou love leelly / lakke shalt þou neuere.
Wede[^1734] ne worldly meete / whilis þy lyf lasteþ.
& þere be conseile of kende / he[^1735] comsede to roome.
Þorghȝ contricioun & con fessioun / tyl y cam to vnyte.
& þere he was mad a cunstable / cristene to saven.[^1736]

[^1734: F.16.211: An otiose curl is written over the first <e>.]

[^1735: F.16.212: Bx has I in place of he. R lacks a subject both here and in line 214, suggesting an error in alpha. F's he may represent an unintelligent revision by either the redactor or the scribe.]

[^1736: F.16.214: Omission of Conscience had occurred in alpha. F characteristically revises to make sense of what lay before him. Beta witnesses read "And þere was Conscience Conestable cristene to saue."]

¶ He was by-seged soþly / with sevene grete Geauntis.
Þ at with antecrist heelden / harde a-geyn conscience.

¶ Þan slewthe with his slynge / an hard sawht he made.
Prowde preestis keme with hym / passynge an hundred.
In paltokes & pikede schoos / & pisserys ful longe.[^1737]
Þey kemen a-geyn Conscience / & with coueytise þey helden.

[^1737: F.16.219: F's b-verse is unique. Both Bx/Cx read "and pisseris longe knyues." As Derek Pearsall notes, pissere is attested for "man," and this passage tends to support his further speculation that "it might be a cant term for a long knife" (Piers Plowman: the C-Text, 370 n. 219).]

¶ Be Marye quod a manschid prest / was of þe march of Irelond.
I a-cownte no more Conscience / be so y cacche syluer.
Þan y doo / to drynke a drawht / of good stale[^1738] ale.
& with hym swooren syxty moo / of þe same cuntre.
& gunne for for [to] scheete faste / þykke scheef oþis.[^1739]
& broode hokede arwes / with goddis herte . & nayles.
& hadden al-moost vnyte / & holynesse a-downe.

[^1738: F.16.223: F alone adds stale, having failed to recognize the caesura.]

[^1739: F.16.225: Bx reads here: "And shotten ayein wiþ shot many a sheef of oþes."]

¶ Conscience criede help to Clergie / or ellis y now falle.
Þorghȝ inparfyȝt prestys / & prelatis of holy chirche.
Freris herden criȝen / & kemen hym to helpe.
But for þey cowde not wel here craft / conscience for-sook hem.

¶ Þanne neede neyȝhede hem neer / & conscience he tolde.
Þ at þey keme for no coueytyse[^1740] / to have cure of sowlys.
& for þey þey [are] poore / & patrymonye hem fayleþ.
Þey wille flatere to fare weel / of folk þat been ryche.
& sytthe þey chosen chele / & chastite & pouert[^1741]
Let hem cheve[^1742] as þey chose / & charge hem with no cure.[^1743]
For[^1744] sytthen Freris for-soke / felycite[^1745] of erthe.
Let hem been as beggerys / or lyve by angelis foode.

[^1740: F.16.233: Erroneous no appeared in alpha. C manuscripts support beta witnesses here in omitting it.]

[^1741: F.16.236: F's b-verse is unique. There is a good bit of variety among beta and C witnesses. LRW have "cheitiftee pouerte."]

[^1742: F.16.237: cheve, "chew." Cf. 14.203.]

[^1743: F.16.237: Alpha had omitted the following two lines: For lomere he lyeþ þat liflode moot begge Than he þat laboureþ for liflode and leneþ it beggeris.]

[^1744: F.16.238: Alpha is responsible for For. Beta and C witnesses have And.]

[^1745: F.16.238: Alpha is responsible for the omission of þe before felycite, though the reading is shared by G.]

¶ Þan Conscience for þis conseil / comsed[^1746] for to lawhe.
& curteysly he comfortyd hem / & callid in alle freris.
& seyde syres soþly / wolkome be ȝee alle.
To vnyte & to holy chirche / but .o. þyng y ȝow praye.
Holdiþ ȝow with vnyte / haþ non envyȝe.
To lewede ne to lerede / but lyveþ after ȝoure rewle.
& y wille be ȝoure borghȝ / ȝee shulle have breed & cloþis.
& oþire necessaries y-nowe / for ȝee shal no þyng lakke.
So þat ȝee leve logyȝk / & leerneþ for to lovye.
& þan leefte for love / lond . lordchepe & skole.[^1747]
Boþe fraunceys & domnyk / for love to ben holy.

[^1746: F.16.240: Alpha is responsible for the omission of þo before comsed.]

[^1747: F.16.249: Bx reads "For loue lafte þei lordshipe boþe lond and scole."]

¶ & if ȝee coueyte kures / kende wille ȝow tellyn.
Þ at in mesure god made / alle maner of þyngys.
& sette hem in a serteyn / & in a sykir numbre.
& nempned hem names / & newe numbred[^1748] þe sterris.
Qvi numerat multitudinem stellarum  & omnia[^1749] eis.[^1750]

[^1748: F.16.254: Alpha is responsible for this word order. Beta witnesses have "names newe and noumbrede."]

[^1749: F.16.255: F's omnia is unique. Bx has omnibus .]

[^1750: F.16.255: Alpha is responsible for the omission of nomina vocat after eis .]

¶ Kyngis & knyghtis . þat kepen men to defende hem /
Have officeris vndir hem / of ech of hem a serteyn.
& if þey wage men to werre / þey wryten hem in numbre
Ellys wille no tresorer take hem wages / trauayle þey ner so sore

¶ Alle oþire in batayle ben y-holde / but brybouris by-syȝde.
As Piloures & pyȝkharneys / in euery parsch a-cursyd.

¶ Boþe munkes & Monyalis / & alle men of relygioun
Þer is in here rewle wel[^1751] / to have a serteynn numbre.
Of lerede & of lewede / þe lawe wil it aske.
A serteyn for serteyn / save oonly þe frerys.
For-þy  q uod Consciense be crist / kende wit me tellyþ.
It is wikke to wage ȝow / ȝee wexen ouer ony[^1752] numbre.

[^1751: F.16.263: Alpha is responsible for a botched a-verse, which F attempted to revise. R reads "heraude here reule wol." Beta and C witnesses have "Hir ordre and hir reule wole."]

[^1752: F.16.267: F's "ouer ony" is unique. Beta and C manuscripts have "out of."]

¶ Hevene haþ evene numbre / & helle is owt of serteyn.[^1753]
For-þy y wolde wyttyrly / ȝee weren in þat registre.
& ȝowre numbre vndir notarie signe / neyþir mo ne lesse.

[^1753: F.16.268: F's serteyn is unique. Bx has noumbre.]

¶ Þanne Envie herde þis / & heet freris goon to scole.
& leerne logyk & lawe / & leeve Contemplacioun.
& preche men of plato / & preven it be Seneca.
Þat alle þyngis vndir heuene / awhte been in comoun.
He lyeþ as y leve / þat to þe lewede so prechen.
For god made to men a lawe / & Moyses hem tawhte.
Non concupisces rem proximi tui.
& evele is þis y-holde / in Innes[^1754] of Ingelond.
For p arsones & p arsche prestis / þat sholde þe peple shryve
Ben curatoures callide / to knowe & heele.
& alle þat been here parschenes / penances to en-Ioynen.
& been a-schamed / to telle here schryfte / & þerfore þey wende.
& fleen to þe frerys / as fals folk doon to westmenstre.
& borweth & beryþ it þidir / & þanne he byddis frendys.
Ful[^1755] ȝeerne forȝevenesse / or lengere þey bleve þere.[^1756]

[^1754: F.16.278: F's Innes is unique. Alliteration is defective in both Bx and C manuscripts which read parisshes.]

[^1755: F.16.285: The scribe began to write an <a> and overwrote the beginning of its upper lobe with <u>.]

[^1756: F.16.285: Bx reads "Yerne of forȝifnesse or lenger yeres loone," though the agreement of LR in reading leue (or lene) complicates the matter. It is not clear what F intended by bleve. For bleve, see MED, s. v. bilēven (v.1) 3., "remain, tarry."]

¶ Bu Bu[t] whille he is in westmenstre / he wille ben by-fore.
& makeþ hym meryȝe / with oþere mennys goodis.
& so it falliþ with myche folk / þat to Freres hem[^1757] schryuethȝ
As sysoures & executoures / þey shulle ȝeve þe freris.
A parcele to praye for hem / & with þe remnaunt make meryȝe.[^1758]
Of þe residue of þe good[^1759] / þat oþere men by-swonken.
& suffre þe dede in helle lyȝn[^1760] / tyl þe day of dome.

[^1757: F.16.288: FOW alone have hem. The same variation appears in C manuscripts.]

[^1758: F.16.290: F's b-verse is unique. Bx and Cx fail in alliteration, reading "and make hemself murye."]

[^1759: F.16.291: F's a-verse is unique. Bx reads "Wiþ þe residue and þe remenaunt."]

[^1760: F.16.292: F alone reads "in helle lyȝn." Bx has "in dette."]

¶ Þanne Envie herfore / hatede consciense.
& Frerys to philosophie / he fond hem to skole.
Whilis Coueytyse & vnkendenesse / Conscience a-saylede.
In vnyte holy chirche / & holy chirche withheld hym.[^1761]
& made Pees porter / to pynne wel þe ȝatys.
Of alle tale tellerys / & totelerys of ydelte.[^1762]

[^1761: F.16.296: Bx's b-verse reads "Conscience held hym."]

[^1762: F.16.298: F omits the following line from Bx: "Ypocrisie and he an hard saut þei made."]

¶ Þan ypocrisie at þe ȝate / harde gan fyghte.
& woundid wol wikkidly / many a wyȝs techere.
Þat with conscience a-cordid / & cardinale vertues.

¶ Þan Conscience callid a leche / þat cowde wel skryve.
To salue þo / þat syke weren / & þorghȝ synne y-woundid.
Schryfte shoop scharp salue / & made men don penaunce.
For here mysdedis / þat þey wroght hadden.
& þat peers were payed / Redde quod debes.

¶ Summe lykede nowht þis leche / & lettris þey sente.
If ony surgien were in þe sege / þat softere cowde plastre.
Sire lyf[^1763] to lyve in leccheryȝe / lay þere & gronede.
For fastynge of a fryday / he feerde as as [he] wolde dyȝe.

[^1763: F.16.309: Alpha and CrHm have lyf, as do the majority of C manuscripts. Most beta witnesses have leef.]

¶ Þere is a surgyen in þis seege / þat softe can handle.
& moore of fysyȝk he can be feer / & fayrere he plastreþ.
On frere flatere ys boþe fysisen & surgyen.
Q uod Contricioun to conscience / do hym come to vnyte.
For heere heere [is] many a man hert / þorghȝ ypocrisyȝe.

¶ We have no neede quod conscience / I not no[^1764] bettre leche.
Þan P arsoun or p arsche prest / pentawncer or bischop.
Save Pers þe plowman / þat power haþ[^1765] ouer al.
& Indulgence may doo / but if dette it lette.

[^1764: F.16.316: An otiose curl appears above <n>.]

[^1765: F.16.318: F's "power haþ" is unique. Bx and Cx have unmetrical "haþ power."]

/ [¶] I may wel suffre quod conscience / sytthe ȝee disyre.
Þ at Frere flaterere be feet / & fysyȝk ȝow seeke.

¶ Þe Frere here-of heerde / & hyȝede ful faste.
To a loord for a lettre / leeve to have to curen.
And as a curatour he were / he cam with his lettre.[^1766]
Boldely to þe byschop / & hys breef he hadde.
In cuntrees þere he cam / confessionys to heere.
& he cam þere Consciense was / & knokkyde at þe ȝate.

[^1766: F.16.324: Alpha has singular lettre. Beta witnesses have the plural form. The same variants appear in C manuscripts.]

/ [¶] & pees vn-pynned it / þat was porter of vnyte.
& in haste he askede / what þat his wille were.

¶ In feyþ quod þis Frere / for profyȝt & for helthe.
Carpen y wolde with Contricioun / & þis is my cawse.[^1767]

[^1767: F.16.331: F's b-verse is unique. Bx has "and þerfore cam I hider."]

/ [¶] He is seek / seyde pees / & so are manye oþere.
Ypocrisye haþ hurt hym / hard is if he kyuere.

¶ I am a surgyen seyde þe Frere / salues can y make.
Conscience knoweth me wel / & what y can do boþe.

/ [¶] I praye þe quod pees þoo / er þou passe furthere.
What hattist þou hyghtly[^1768] / & hele nowht þy name

[^1768: F.16.337: Bx/Cx are metrically less regular than F here, but make superior sense, reading "What hattestow I praye þee."]

¶ Þe Frere seyde properly[^1769] / syre penetrans domos .[^1770]

[^1769: F.16.338: F's a-verse is unique. Bx reads "Certes seide his felawe."]

[^1770: F.16.338: The name is written in the text hand in the same brown ink as the text, but it is given emphasis by the characters being slightly larger than the adjacent text.]

/ [¶] Ȝee goo þy gate quod pees / by god for al þy fysyȝk.
But þou kunne more craft / þou komest nowht heere -Inne.
I knew swich oon ones / nowht oo[^1771] ȝeer y-passid.
Cam þus In y-cooped / at a court þere y wiste.
& was my lordis leche / & my ladies boþe.
& at þe laste þat lymytour / þo myn lord was owte.
He saluede so oure wommen / tyl sixe or seuene were grete.[^1772]

[^1771: F.16.341: F's oo is unique. Bx has eighte.]

[^1772: F.16.345: F's b-verse is unique. Bx reads "til some were wiþ childe."]

¶ Hende speche bad[^1773] Pees þoo / to opene[^1774] þe ȝatis.
& lete in þe frere & his felawe / & mak hem fair chere.
He may seen his syknesse / er so may be-falle.[^1775]
Þ at lyf þorghȝ his loore / shal leven Coveytyse.
& ben a-dred of deeþ / & with -drawe hym fram pride.
& a-corde with conscience / & kissen eyþir oþir.

[^1773: F.16.346: F's bad is unique. Bx has heet.]

[^1774: F.16.346: An otiose curl appears over <o>.]

[^1775: F.16.348: F's reading is unique. As the testimony of C manuscripts suggests, Bx probably had "He may se and here here so may bifalle." Beta manuscripts have "He may se and here so it may bifalle."]

/ [¶] Þus þorghȝ heende speche / in entrid þo frerys.
& kemen in to Conscience / & curteysly hym grette.

¶ Þ ou art wolkome quod Conscience / canstow heele syke.
Here is Contricioun quod Conscience / myn cosyn y-woundyd.
Conforte hym with conseyl[^1776] / take keep to hise soores.
Þe plastris of þe parsoun / & þe powdres byte so soore.
He leet hem lyggyn ouer -longe / & looþ is to change hem.
Fram lentene tyl lentene / he leet hise plastris[^1777] byȝte.

[^1776: F.16.356: F's "with conseyl" is unique. Bx reads "quod Conscience."]

[^1777: F.16.359: An otiose curl appears above the <p>.]

¶ Þ at is ouer-longe quod þis lymytour / y leeve y shal a-mende it.
& he gooþ & gropeþ contricioun / & gaf hym a plastre.
Of a prive pynement / y shal preyȝe for ȝow.
& for alle þat been holde too / al my lyf-tyme.
& make of ȝow memory[^1778] / in messe & in matynys.
Alle þe Freris of oure fraternete / for a lytyl syluer.

[^1778: F.16.364: F's "of ȝow memory" is unique. Bx reads "yow my lady."]

/ [¶] Þus he gooþ & gadreþ gold / & glosen[^1779] þere he schryveþ.
Tyl contricioun haue cleene for-ȝeete / for criȝeng & for wepynge.[^1780]
& for wakyng for hise wikkide werkis / þat he was whont to doone.
For confort of his confessoure / contricioun he leefte.
Þ at is þe souereynest salue / for alle kenne synnes.

[^1779: F.16.366: The scribe initially wrote gloseþ and then wrongly "corrected" it to glosen. The ink on the overwritten <n> is darker than that on the thorn. An otiose curl appears over <g>.]

[^1780: F.16.367: F's b-verse is unique. Bx has "to crye and to wepe."]

¶ Þ at seeyȝ slewthe wel / & ryght so dyde priȝde.
& keme with a keene wille[^1781] conscience to asayle.
& Conscience criede eft / & bad Clergie helpe hym.
& also contricioun / for to keepe þe ȝaate.

[^1781: F.16.372: F omitted the virgule to mark the caesura but left a larger than usual space between words.]

/ [¶] He lyȝþ & dreemeþ seyȝde pees / & so dooþ many a-noþir.
Þe frere with his fysyȝk / þis folk haþ so[^1782] enchawntyd.
& plastred hem so esely / þey dreedyn no syȝknesse.[^1783]

[^1782: F.16.376: Alpha's so is absent from all other B manuscripts.]

[^1783: F.16.377: F's syȝknesse is unique. Bx has synne.]

¶ By crist quod Conscience þo / y wille be-come a pilgrym.
& walken as wyde / as þe world askeþ.[^1784]
To seke peers Plowhman / þat pryȝde he myȝhte stroyȝe.[^1785]
For he countrepletyþ me conscience / now kende me avenge.
& sende me hap & heele / tyl y have pers plowhman.
So sore he gradde after grace / þat be-gan [y] be-gan[^1786] a-wake.

[^1784: F.16.379: F's askeþ is unique. Bx has lasteþ.]

[^1785: F.16.380: F's b-verse is unique. Bx read "þat pryde myȝte destruye." A drypoint "X" appears in the right margin, probably to call attention to F's omission of the following line from Bx: "And þat freres hadde a fyndyng þat for nede flateren."]

[^1786: F.16.383: Having erased erroneous he after þat, the scribe failed to supply the necessary first person pronoun.]

E xplicit

[One of the later hands supplied a second Explicit .]

[A line drawing of a bird fills the remainder of this page. See Kathleen L. Scott, "The Illustrations of Piers Plowman in Bodleian Library MS. Douce 104," YLS 4 (1990): 2n, who describes this as "a tinted drawing of a stork holding a blank phylactery, possibly meant as an ownership mark." A.V. C. Schmidt in a review of Derek Pearsall's facsimile edition of Bodleian Library, MS Douce 104 in Medium Aevum 63.1 (1994): 130, rightly notes that the drawing is of a pelican, "the emblem of Corpus Christi College," and "has nothing whatever to do with Langland (though doubtless testifying to the loyalties of the one-time owner, a Fellow of the College)" (130). Ms. Christine Butler, Archivist of Corpus Christi College, agrees that the pelican is likely to have been supplied for William Fulman, who gave the manuscript to the college.]