Bx.1 – PPEA

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Passus primus de visione

What this montaigne bymeneth · and þe merke dale

And þe felde ful of folke · I shal ȝow faire schewe

A loueli ladi of lere · in lynnen yclothed

Come down fram a castel · and called me faire

And seide sone slepestow · sestow þis poeple

How bisi þei ben · aboutenT þe mase

Þe moste partie of þis poeple · þat passeth on þis erthe

Haue þei worschip in þis worlde · þei wilneT no better

Of other heuene þan here · holde þei no tale

¶ I was aferd of her face · þeiȝ she faire were

And seide mercy Madame · what is þis to mene

[¶]T Þe toure vpT þe toft quod she · treuthe is þere-Inne

And wolde þat ȝe wrouȝte · as his worde techeth

For he is fader of feith · fourmedT ȝow alle

Bothe with fel and with face · and ȝaf ȝow fyue wittis

Forto worschip hym þer-with · þe while þatT ȝe ben here

And þerfore he hyȝte þe erthe · to help ȝow vchone

Of wollen of lynnen · of lyflode at nede

In mesurable manere · to make ȝow at ese

¶ And comaunded of his curteisye [·] in comune þree þinges

Arne none nedful but þo · and nempne hem I thinke

And rekne hem bi resoun · reherce þowT hem after

That one is vesture · from chele þe to saue

And mete atteT mele · for myseise of þi-selue

And drynke whan þow dryest · ac do nouȝt out of resoun

That þow worth þe werse · whan þow worche shuldest

¶ For loth in his lifdayes · for likyng of drynke

Dede bi his douȝtres · þat þe deuel lyked

Delited hym in drynke · as þe deuel wolde

And lecherye hym lauȝt · and lay bi hem boþe

And al he witt it wynT · þat wikked dede

InebriamusT eum vino · dormiamusque cum eo

Vt seruare possimus de patre nostro semen

Thorw wyn and þorw women · þere was loth acombred

And þere gat in glotonye · gerlis þat were cherlis

For-þi drede delitable drynke · and þow shalt do þe bettere

Mesure is medcyne · þouȝ þow moche ȝerne

It is nauȝt al gode to þe goste · þat þe gutte axeþ

Ne liflode to þi likam · [þat lief is to þi souleT

Leue not þi likam ·] for a lyer him techeth

That is þe wrecched worlde · wolde þe bitraye

For þe fende and þi flesch · folweth þeT to-gidere

This and þat see[th]T þi soule · and seith it in þin herte

And for þow sholdest ben ywar · I wisse þe þe beste

¶ MadameT mercy quod I · me liketh wel ȝowre wordes

Ac þe moneye of þis molde · þat men so faste holdeth / kepethT

Telle me to whom MadameT · þat tresore appendeth

¶ Go to þe gospel quod she · þat god seide hym-seluen

Tho þe poeple hym apposed · wiþ a peny in þe temple

Whether þei shulde þer-with · worschip þe kyng Sesar

And god axed of hem · of whome spake þe lettre

And þe ymage ilyke [·] þat þere-inne stondeth

CesarisT þei seide [·] we sen hym wel vchone

¶ Reddite cesari quod god · þat cesari bifalleth

Et que sunt dei deo · or elles ȝe done ille

For riȝtfulT reson · shulde rewle ȝow alle

And kynde witte be wardeyne · ȝowre welthe to kepe

And tutour of ȝoure tresore · and take it ȝow at nede

For housbonderye & hijT · holden togideres

[¶]T Þanne I frained hir faire · for hym þat hirT made

That dongeoun in þe dale [·] þat dredful is of siȝte

What may it be to meneT · ma-dame I ȝow biseche

¶ Þat is þe castel of care · who-so cometh þerinne

May banne þat he borne was · to body or to soule

Þerinne wonieth a wiȝte · þat wronge is yhote

Fader of falshed · and founded it hym-selue

Adam and Eue · he egged to ille

Conseilled caym · to kullen his brother

Iudas he iaped · with iuwenT siluer

And sithen on an eller [·] honged hym afterT

He is letter of loue · and lyeth hem alle

That trusten on his tresor · bitrayeth he / bytrayed arenT sonnest

¶ Thanne had I wonder in my witt · what womman it / sheT were

Þat such wise wordes · of holywrit shewed

And askedT hir on þe hieȝe name · ar heoT þennes ȝeode

What sheT were witterli · þat wissed me so faire

¶ Holicherche I am quod sheT · þow ouȝtest me to knowe

I vnderfonge þe firste · and þe feythT tauȝte

And brouȝtestT me borwes · my biddyng to fulfille

And to loue me lellyT · þe while þi lyf dureth

¶T Thanne I courbed on my knees · and cryed hir of grace

And preyed hir pitousely · [to]T prey for my synnes

And also ken[n]eT me kyndeli · on criste to bileue

T That I miȝte worchen his wille · þat wrouȝte me to man

Teche me to no tresore · but telle me þis ilke

How I may saue my soule · þat seynt art yholden

¶ Whan alle tresores aren tried quod she · trewthe is þe best

I do it on deus caritas · to deme þe soþe

ItT is as derworth a drewery · as dere god hym-seluen

¶ Who-soT is trewe of his tonge · & telleth none other

And doth þe werkis þer-with · and wilneth no man ille

He is a god bi þe gospel · agrounde and aloft

And ylike to owre lorde · bi seynte lukes wordes

Þe clerkes þat knoweþ þis · shulde kenne it aboute

For cristene and vncristne · clameþ it vchone

¶ Kynges & kniȝtes · shulde kepe it bi resoun

Riden and rappe downT · in reumes aboute

And taken tran[s]gressores · and tyen hem faste

Til treuthe had ytermyned · her trespas to þe ende

And þat is þe professioun appertly · þat appendeth forT knyȝtes

And nouȝt to fasten a fryday · in fyue score wynter

But holden wiþ him & with hir · þat woldenT al treuthe

AndT neuer leue hem for loue · ne for lacchyng of syluer

¶ For dauid in his dayes · dubbed kniȝtes

And did hem swere on here swerde · to serue trewthe euere

And who-so passed þat poynte · was apostata in þe ordre

¶ But criste kingene kynge · kniȝted ten

Cherubyn and seraphin · suche seuene and an othreT

And ȝaf hem myȝte in his maieste · þe murger hem þouȝte

And ouer his mene meyne · made hem archangeles

Tauȝte hem bi þe Trinitee · treuthe to knowe

ToT be buxome at his biddyng · he bad hem nouȝte elles

¶T Lucifer wiþ legiounes · lerned it in heuene

[Til]T he brake buxumnesse · his blisse gan he tyne

And fel fro þat felawship · in a fendes liknes

In-to a depe derke helle · to dwelle þere for eure

And mo þowsandes wiþT him · þan man couthe noumbre

Lopen out wiþ Lucifer · in lothelich forme

For þei leueden vpon hym · þat lyed in þis manere

Ponam pedem in aquilone · et similis ero altissimoT ·

¶ And alle þat hoped it miȝte be so · none heuene miȝte hem holde

But fellen out in fendes liknesse · nyne dayes togideres

Til god of his goodnesse · gan stable and stynte

And garte þe heuene to stekye · and stonden in quiete

¶ Whan thise wikked went out · wonderwiseT þei fellen

Somme in eyre somme in ertheT · & somme in helle depe

Ac lucifer lowest [·] lith of hem alle

For pryde þat he pult outT · his peyne hath none ende

And alle þat worche with wronge · wenden hijT shulleT

After her deth-day · andT dwelle wiþ þat shrewe

TAc þo þat worche wel · as holiwritt telleth

And enden as I ere seide · in treuthe þat is þe best

Mowe be siker þat her souleT · shal wende to heuene

Þer treuthe is in Trinitee · and tronethT hem alle

TFor-þi I sey as I seide ere · bi siȝte ofT þise textis

Whan alle tresores arneT ytried · treuthe is þe beste

Lereth it þisT lewde men · for lettred men it knowen

Þat treuthe is tresore · þe triest on erþe

¶ Ȝet haue I / I haueT no kynde knowing quod I · ȝet mote ȝe kenne meT better

By what craft in my corps · it comseth and where

T ¶ Þow doted daffe quod she · dulle arne þi wittes

To litel latyn þow lernedest · lede in þi ȝouthe

Heu michi qu[od]T sterilem duxi vitam iuuenilem

¶ It is a kynde knowyng quod heT · þat kenneth in þine herte

For to louye þi lorde · leuer þan þi-selue

No dedly synne to do · dey þouȝ þow sholdest

This I trowe be treuthe · who can teche þe better

¶ Loke þow suffre hym to sey · and sithen lere it after

For thus witnesseth his worde · worcheth þow þere-afterT

For trewthe telleþ þat loue · is triacle of heuene

May no synne be on him sene · þat [þat spise vseth]T

And alle his werkes he wrouȝte · with loue as him liste

And lered it Moises for þe leuest þing [·] and moste like to heuene

And also þe plenteT of pees · moste precious of vertues

¶ For heuene myȝte nouȝte holden it · it was so heuy of hym-self

Tyl it hadde of þe erthe · yetenT his fylle

¶ And whan it haued of þis folde [·] flessh & blode taken

Was neuere leef vpon lynde · liȝter þer-after

And portatyf and persant · as þe poynt of a nedle

That myȝte non armure it lette · ne none heiȝ walles

¶ For-þi is loue leder [·] of þe lordes folke of heuene

And a mene as þe Maire is · bitwene þe kyng and þe comune

Riȝt so is loue a ledere · and þe lawe shapeth

Vpon man for his mysdedes · þe merciment he taxeth

And for to knowe it kyndely · it comseth bi myght

And in þe herte þere is þe heuede · and þe heiȝ welle

¶ For in kynde knowynge in herte · þere a myȝte bigynneth

And þat falleth to þe fader · þat formed vs alle

Loked on vs with loue · and lete his sone deye

Mekely for owre mysdedes · to amende vs alle

And ȝet wolde he hem no woo · þat wrouȝte hym þat peyne

But mekelich with mouthe · mercy he bisouȝte

To haue pite o[n]T þat poeple · þat peynedT hym to deth

¶ Here myȝtow see ensamplesT · in hym-selue one

That he was miȝtful & meke · and mercy gan graunte

To hem þat hongen him an heiȝ · and his herte þirled

¶ For-thi I rede ȝow riche · haueth reuthe ofT þe pouere

Thouȝ ȝe be myȝtful to mote · beth meke in ȝowre werkes

¶ For þe same mesur[e]T þat ȝe mete · amys other elles

Ȝe shullen ben weyen þer-wyth · whan ȝe wende hennes

Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis · remecietur vobis ·

¶ For þouȝ ȝe be trewe of ȝowre tonge · and trewliche wynne

And as chaste as a childe · þat in cherche wepeth

But ifT ȝe louen lelliche · and lene þe poure

[Of] suchT goed as god ȝow sent [·] godelich parteth

Ȝe neT haue na more meryte · in masse ne in houres

Þan Malkyn of hire maydenhode · þat no man desireth

¶ For Iames þe gentil · iugged in his bokes

That faith with-oute þe faiteT · is riȝteT no-þinge worthi

And as ded as a dore-tre · but ȝif þe dedes folwe

Fides sine operibus mortua est &c

¶ For-thi chastite with-oute charite · worth cheyned in helle

It is as lewed as a laumpe · þat no liȝte is Inne

¶ Many chapeleynes arne chaste · ac charite is awey

Aren no men auarousereT þan hij · whan þei ben auaunced

Vnkynde to her kyn · and to alle cristene

Chewen here charite · and chiden after more

Such chastite wiþ-outen charite · worth cheyned in helle

¶ Many curatoures kepen hem · clene of here bodies

Thei ben acombred wiþ coueitise · þei konne nouȝt out crepe / nouȝt don it fram hemT

So harde hath auarice · yhasped hem togideres

And þat is no treuthe of þe trinite · but treccherye of helle

And lernyng to lewde men · þe latter for to deleT

¶T For-þi þis wordes [·] ben wryten in þe gospelT

Date & dabitur vobis · for I dele ȝow alle

And þat is þe lokke of loue · andT lateth oute my grace

To conforte þe careful · acombred wiþ synne

¶ Loue is leche of lyf · and nexte owre lorde selue

And also þe graith gate · þat goth in-to heuene

For-þi I sey as I seide · ere by þeT textis

Whan alle tresores ben ytryed · treuthe is þe beste

Now haue I tolde þe what treuthe is · þat no tresore is bettere

I may no lenger lenge þe withT · nowT loke þe owre lorde

Bx.1.6: abouten: The variation is between trisyllabic abouten in L, unrevised M, C and alpha, and alle aboute in corrected M, CrWHmG. Both are metrical, the former supported by Ax and Cx.↩

Bx.1.8: wilne: G has kepe from Ax.↩

Bx.1.12: ¶: The paraph in WHm is supported by the new line-group in R (the paraph and first word are lost).↩

Bx.1.12: vp: CrF have vpon, WHmG have on. Prepositional vp is not uncommon, but usually altered to vpon by W and later texts: e.g. Bx.9.109. Though it is certainly Bx, it is not here supported by AC mss.↩

Bx.1.14: fourmed: LMCOR, so Bx. Others read and formed (WF), that formede (HmG), and former of (Cr). Cr shares the reading of Cx. A mss. vary between and fourmide and that formed.↩

Bx.1.16: þe while þat: LMCR, contested by WHm whil þat. Ax and the P family of C have whyle or whyles; the X family has þe whiles.↩

Bx.1.22: þow: Supported by LWCR, against ȝe in CrHmOF and in M as an addition. In ll. 13-19 Holychurch addresses her remarks to the world at large; here and in the next lines she directs her attention to Will. Ax supports þow; Cx rewrites.↩

Bx.1.24: atte: "at the" (see Bx.19.110, 487, etc.). Supported by LMCR, though Ax has at, as do CrWHmGOF. ↩

Bx.1.31: wyn: LG and alpha, with beta2 and MC reading þe wyn. Most A mss. have the former; Cx has the latter.↩

Bx.1.32: Inebriamus: ROC correct to the subjunctive, "Let us get him drunk". C mss. vary similarly.↩

Bx.1.39-40: LMWHmC dropped the b-verse of l. 39 and the a-verse of l. 40 through eyeskip on likam. M is later corrected. Cr dropped l. 39 altogether; FG dropped l. 40.↩

Bx.1.42: folweth þe: WHmG omit þe, as do Ax and Cx. Bx perhaps picked it up from the previous line.↩

Bx.1.43: seeth: The beta reading is supported by Cx (RK.1.39), though alpha has sueth (F sewe). Ax has instead shendith.↩

Bx.1.45: Madame: F's interjection A is in agreement with AC. Probably it is derived from an A text.↩

Bx.1.46: holdeth / kepeth: Beta agrees with Ax; alpha's kepeth is in agreement with Cx. See Introduction II.2.↩

Bx.1.47: Madame: This is secure for Bx, though it is not in either Ax or Cx. Its position in the line is uncertain. It is likely enough, as KD argue (p. 168), that it is caught up from two lines above. As in that line, F's agreement with Ax may reflect contamination, as Schmidt (1995), 365, suggests.↩

Bx.1.53: Cesaris: Of those that have a genitive, LOR have the Vulgate form (Matt 22.21), while M and beta2 (CrWHm) have Cesares.↩

Bx.1.56: riȝtful: The adjective seems clearly the Bx reading, but W shares the adverb with Ax and Cx. The latter is superior in sense; possibly an independent correction in W.↩

Bx.1.59: hij: The plural in beta, referring to Reason and Kind Wit, probably represents Bx. Alpha, taking the reference to be to Kind Wit alone, alters to the singular, with fem. in R (perhaps as alpha), masc. in F as in AC. If Bx had read he, it would be difficult to understand that causing confusion.↩

Bx.1.60: ¶: The paraph in WHm is supported by a new line-group in alpha.↩

Bx.1.60: hir (2): LMCO and alpha, as in AC. Beta2 and G have me.↩

Bx.1.62: be to mene: Schmidt (1995), 365, suggests GF's bemene is from AC versions.↩

Bx.1.69: iuwen: CrG and alpha have Iewes or þe Iewys. There is some variation in AC, but iuwen is probably archetypal in all three versions.↩

Bx.1.70: hym after: The variation hym-selue as in WF is also in A. The b-verse is revised in C.↩

Bx.1.72: bitrayeth he/bytrayed aren: The beta reading is essentially that of Cx, he bytrayeth. Alpha's reading bytrayed aren is shared with Ax. G's reading is presumably contaminated from an A source (Schmidt (1995), 365).↩

Bx.1.73: it/she: Beta agrees with Ax; alpha's fem. pronoun is in agreement with Cx. ↩

Bx.1.75: asked: F alone has halsede, probably by contamination from A; see Schmidt (1995), lxiii. C mss. have halsede or halsnede. The verb does not occur elsewhere in the poem, and it was perhaps obsolescent.↩

Bx.1.75: heo: The form is secure for Bx, with LMR support.↩

Bx.1.76: she: R alone has the form he. See also l. 87 and note to l. 77.↩

Bx.1.77: she: R again has he, as in the previous line. The form is not necessary for the alliteration.↩

Bx.1.78: þe feyth: The apparent agreement of Hm and F recorded by KD, þe feyþ þe, is not significant, since Hm's reading results from a misdivision of feythe.↩

Bx.1.79: brouȝtest: Bx idiomatically lacks the subject pronoun, added in CrHmGOF, bringing them into line with AC versions.↩

Bx.1.80: me lelly: Reversed in alpha. Beta is supported by Ax. Cx rewrites.↩

Bx.1.81: ¶: The paraph is in beta and F. The line is at the bottom of the page in R.↩

Bx.1.82: to: Omitted by beta. Alpha is supported by Ax and Cx, though the addition of to before an infinitive is a common scribalism.↩

Bx.1.83: kenne: L has kende, with the line marked for correction.↩

Bx.1.84: The line is attested by beta and Ax, but omitted in alpha and Cx.↩

Bx.1.89: It: Alpha's Þat it has no support from AC.↩

Bx.1.90: Who-so: The beta reading, but alpha has He (R) or He þat (F). Ax supports beta; in C the P family begins For who, the X family has For he.↩

Bx.1.97: down: This varies in all three versions with adoun, though Ax has the former and Cx the latter.↩

Bx.1.100: for: So LCR, which is good evidence for Bx. But AC have the obvious to, as in all other mss.↩

Bx.1.102: wolden: G's alliterating asketh is from Ax. Cx rewrites.↩

Bx.1.103: And: The beta reading is supported by AC against alpha's Ne.↩

Bx.1.108: an othre: The reference is to the ten orders of angels at Creation; see the comprehensive note in Skeat (1886), ii. 24-5. Beta2 and R (perhaps additionally confused by preceding and) miss the point and drop an, but AC support an othre.↩

Bx.1.112: To: Beta has the support of Ax against alpha's And. Nevertheless, the latter may be the better reading: "God taught them to know truth and be obedient".↩

Bx.1.113: ¶: The paraph is in beta and F. The line is at the bottom of the page in R.↩

Bx.1.114: Til: Alpha is supported by Ax against beta's But for. Bx lost the preceding line, "And was þe louelokest of siȝt aftir oure lord" (K.1.110), leaving the argument that Lucifer learned obedience until he lost it. Beta rewrote to avoid nonsense. See Donaldson (1955), 208-09.↩

Bx.1.117: wiþ: As at Bx.P.147, W alters to myd to create the standard alliterative pattern, on the model of Bx.4.79. The line is not in AC. See also Bx.17.243.↩

Bx.1.120: et ... altissimo: R omits, and F loses the line. Beta is supported by Cx.↩

Bx.1.125: wonderwise: Beta2 has in wonderwise, as does the P family of Cx in a revised line.↩

Bx.1.126: eyre ... erthe: The versions vary, with Ax having the order of most beta mss., and Cx the order as in MO and alpha. The beta order is more logical.↩

Bx.1.128: pult out: The West Midlands form pult appears only in LCr, while R has the spelling pelt. Ax has put out as do the remaining B mss; Cx has pokede. MED pilten v., 3(b) glosses the phrase pult out as "exhibit (pride), display", though records no other instance of this sense. In Bx.8.97 LR again read pulte/pelte against pull or putte in other B witnesses. See also note to Bx.15.66.↩

Bx.1.129: hij: Only LC, though M's þei is a correction. See Introduction IV.1.↩

Bx.1.129: Alpha has a new line-group here.↩

Bx.1.130: and: Supported by AC against alpha's to.↩

Bx.1.131: W and alpha have a paraph here.↩

Bx.1.133: soule: Beta2 and G have the plural, and M is altered to that reading. Ax supports the distributive sg.↩

Bx.1.134: troneth: Alpha has non-alliterating saue. Beta's b-verse reproduces Ax; Cx rewrites.↩

Bx.1.135: Alpha has a new line-group here.↩

Bx.1.135: siȝte of: Alpha's b-verse is defective; beta is supported by Ax. The line is repeated at Bx.1.210.↩

Bx.1.136: arne: Beta's form is supported by most A mss. Cx revises. ↩

Bx.1.137: it þis: So LWCO. M is corrected to it ye; CrHm read on thys; GF have thys ye, and R this. The variation reflects a Bx error, since AC read it þus.↩

Bx.1.139: Ȝet haue I/I haue: The beta reading is that of Ax, whereas alpha (and Cr) is Cx.↩

Bx.1.139: ȝet mote ȝe kenne me: Presumably R represents alpha, and F repairs the alliteration. For some reason A mss. have much trouble with this b-verse, and C mss. only slightly less, though there the X group has the beta reading we take to be Bx, while the P group has ȝe mot kenne me, as does W here.↩

Bx.1.141: This is the last line of the Lansdowne fragment of R; the Rawlinson ms. begins with Bx.2.42. On editorial policy where R is lacking, see note to Bx.P.2.↩

Bx.1.143: quod: The quotation is repeated in this form at Bx.5.452. In both cases alpha's quod for beta's quia is also the wording in Cx. See Alford (1992), 35-6.↩

Bx.1.144: he: "she".↩

Bx.1.149: The line is lost by beta2 (CrWHm) and G. It is in Ax but not Cx.↩

Bx.1.151: þat þat spise vseth: F's inverted order is metrical, and perhaps authorial, with K.7.137 þat no werk vsiþ (alliterating on /n/) providing a parallel. Even so, it may be a scribal sophistication, and this is one of the occasions where R is sorely missed. The line is not in AC.↩

Bx.1.154: plente: "fullness"; and cf. the proverb "peace maketh plenty" which may have influenced the Bx scribe. Cr's plant may have been taken from his C ms.; it is probably also Ax. See Adams (1991), 7-15.↩

Bx.1.156: yeten: "eaten". See Schmidt (1995), 366. Cr's yoten it-selue (MED yeten v.3, "poured out") is the reading of Cx.↩

Bx.1.173: on: MCrHmGO as well as F (= alpha?) are supported by AC versions against of in LWC. Yet the latter might be Bx; cf. l. 177 for a similar case, and note that MCrHmGOF have pity on for pity of in Bx.5.260.↩

Bx.1.173: peyned: A mss. have predominantly pinede (MED pinen), as do MHmF, whereas C mss. have paynede (MED peinen), but the verbs were often confused.↩

Bx.1.174: ensamples: The singular of WCGF varies with the plural in all three versions. For the argument that the plural is "more exact", see Schmidt (2008), 316.↩

Bx.1.177: reuthe of: The beta reading, as in LMWCO. HmCrG have the more usual ruthe on (as in Bx.4.110, 112, 5.523, 14.180, 15.11), agreeing here with AC, by coincidence or contamination. F has mercy on.↩

Bx.1.179: mesure: LMWCGO (hence beta) have the plural, but CrHmF have sg., as AC. The plural is presumably a beta error, since the word is sg. in the Latin, l. 181.↩

Bx.1.184: if: Dropped by MF, but supported by Cx. A mss. vary.↩

Bx.1.185: Of such: Of is easily lost, as in beta. F is supported by AC.↩

Bx.1.186: ne (1): Dropped by MCrGF, but supported by AC.↩

Bx.1.189: þe faite: G reads dede, F has fewte, and in M the definite article is inserted by the corrector. The article in this phrase is more easily lost than added, and beta probably had it. Ax is without the article; Cx is divided, though the best representatives of the X family have it. We follow copy-text.↩

Bx.1.189: riȝte: F's omission of the word may represent Bx, but the b-verse is corrupt in any case. The AC reading is is feblere þan noȝt.↩

Bx.1.195: no men auarousere: G's non herder is by contamination from AC. F's non for beta's no men may be from A, but may represent Bx.↩

Bx.1.200: nouȝt out crepe: Beta has nouȝt don it fram hem, with G's not cry ovte an independent improvement or indebted to AC, which both have variously not crepe out and not out crepe. This supports F's out crepe (omitting nouȝt by oversight), though it may be by contamination.↩

Bx.1.203: for to dele: The beta reading, though G omits for, aligning it with most A mss. F has to leve synne. C rewrites.↩

Bx.1.204: ¶: L's paraph is shared only with C, but the line is at the top of the page in M (which marks paraphs only with a blank space).↩

Bx.1.204: Because of the short line, scribes misplaced the punctus. Only L has it awkwardly after ben. We follow MWCO.↩

Bx.1.206: and (2): Clearly the beta reading, supported by the X family of C. CrGF have þat (M is revised to that reading), as does Ax and the P family of C. Again, F may be alpha or an A reading.↩

Bx.1.210: by þe: G's alliterating by syght of thes is supported by AC, but is derived by contamination and is not Bx. See KD p. 154, Schmidt (1995), 366. Alpha also omits siȝte of in the same b-verse at Bx.1.135.↩

Bx.1.213: þe with: In omitting the phrase G again shows contamination from A.↩

Bx.1.213: now: Supported by Ax though omitted by F and replaced by but in G. Cx is rewritten.↩