The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 8: Cambridge, Cambridge University Library MS Gg.4.31 (G)

The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 8: Cambridge, Cambridge University Library MS Gg.4.31 (G) William LanglandEdited by Judith JeffersonTechnical Editor: Patricia Bart and Daniel Pitti Graduate Research Assistants Michael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, and Nancy Renwick Clendennon. Computer Consultants and ProgrammersSusan Gants, Worthy Martin, Daniel Pitti, Thornton Staples, and John Unsworth.The Medieval Academy of America Cambridge, MA ISBN: 0-472-00

Commercially available:

???? Cambridge, Cambridge University Library, MS Gg.4.31

late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Cambridge, Cambridge University Library, MS Gg.4.31

Attribute Values br brown ink ab anglicana bastarda it italic lc Lombard Cap o[number] ornamented capital, N lines high rb rubricated tr touched in red tx textura ul underlined ur underlined in red gr green ink bl blue ink

Latin French German 30 Nov 2007 Gen. Ed. Hoyt N. Duggan New header created and corrections to file. hic incipit Petrus P......lowmande visione liber primusG.1.0: The two lines of the heading are bracketed together on the right. The script is more formal than that used in the body of the text and the heading may have been added by WH. See Introduction I.12. Compare finitur visionem in the left hand margin on f.32v

G.8.217.m.1. InG.1.1: The is in a different ink from that of the original transcription, and appears to have been added at the same time as the heading, and therefore probably by WH. See note to head. a someressomer seyson when soft was the sonne I shoope me In srowdes as I a shepe were In habyte as a heremyte vnholy off werkes went wyde yn thys world wonders to here & on a may mornyng on maluverne hylles me befell a ferly off fayry Inme thoght I was wery for-wandred & went me to rest vndre a brood bank by G.1.8: A virgule has been added to separate the words by and a, which were originally written without an intervening space. The ink used is very similar to that used for the to <v> changes and it therefore seems probable that this and other virgules may have been added by the original scribe (i.e. by hand1.1) as part of his later programme of corrections (see Introduction II.1.1 and II.1.1.3). a bornebornes syde and as I lay & leyned & loked vponinon the waters I slomered In-toin a slepyng InG.1.10: The scribe altered In to Itt but then crossed through and rewrote as yt. yt sweyd so merye then gan I to meten a meruvelouvs sweuvene that I was In wyldernes wyst I neuere where as I beheld In-to þe est on heygh to the sonne I seyghe a touvr on a toft tryelyche y-maked a depe dale byneth a dongeon thereynne wyth depe dychys & derke & dredefuvll off syght a fayre feld full off folke fond I þer-betwene off all maner off men þe meyne & þe ryche worchyng & wanderyng as þe world asketh some puvtten theym toto þe plogh / pledenpleyedG.1.20: The G Cr1 reading pleden could be a form of "played" (the reading of remaining B manuscripts) with northern loss of the dipthong, but it could also be read as the present tense of the verb "to plead" (="wrangle"?). full selde In settyng & In sowyng swonken full harde And wynnenwonnen that wasters Inwith glotonye dystroyen someAnd some puvtten theym to pryde & appareledapparailedG.1.23: Though not recorded as a G variant by Kane and Donaldson, the ampersand is definitely present, bringing G's reading into line with that of F and H. See George Kane and E. Talbot Donaldson, eds, Piers Plowman. The B Version: Will's Visions of Piers Plowman, Do-Well, Do-Better and Do-Best. An Edition in the Form of Trinity College Cambridge MS B.15.17, Corrected and Restored from the Known Evidence, with Variant Readings, rev. ed. (London: Athlone Press; Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1988). No other B manuscripts read & appareled (all lack "and"). theym therafter In covntenance off clothyng comen dysgysed In preyers & pennance puvtten þeim manye for þeAl for louve off ouvr lord lyuveden full streyte In hope to hauve afterhaue þerafterhaue to hyrehaue heuven-rych blysse &As ankers & heremytes þat heldholden þeim In þer selles & couvetenG.1.29: In addition to the alteration of to <v> in coueten, the loop of the first <e> has been re-outlined in brown ink. noght In contrey to cayren abowteG.1.29: Consideration of the scribe's usual practice suggests that the curl attached to the <t> of abowte is a residual <e> rather than an abbreviation mark. For no lycorouvs lyuvelod theyrG.1.30: The <r> of theyr is in slightly darker ink and may be a later addition. Note that it takes up most of the space between words and that the preceding <y> lacks the rising hairline stroke which normally precedes a following letter (compare the same word at G.1.34). lygham to please someAnd somme chosen chaffere þei cheuvene þe better as ytt semyth to ouvr syght þat suvch men thryuven and some myrthys to make as mynstrelles donneconneth & getten gold wyth theyr glee / synnles I troweleueG.1.34: The G H reading trowe (for remaining manuscripts leue) corresponds to that of Ax. buttAsAc Iapers & Ianguvlers Iuvdas chyldesren Feynen þem fantysyes & Foles themG.1.36: The minims here are ill-defined; it is possible that the scribe wrote theim rather than them, but the latter would be a more usual form for the G scribe. maken & hauve þer wytt att wyll to worche yff þei shuvld þat paule preychyth off them I wyllnel prouvenought preue ytt here qui loquitur turpeloquium ys lucyfers hyne A bydders & beggers fast abovte yeyd Wyth þer belyes bely & þer bagges obff bred G.1.41: The alteration from ob to off appears to have been made after the following word, bred, had already been written, since it uses up most of the space between the two words. fuvll cruvmmed ycrammed fast fayten Fayteden for þer fode fouvghten atte ale In glotonye god woot goo þei to bedde & rysen wyth rybawdye as tho roberdes knauves slepandslep and sorye slowthe shewyth seweth G.1.45:The G reading shewyth, shared with Cr12 C, may be a genuine variant but note that, since the spellings <sh> and <s> are to some extent interchangeable in G, especially in the earlier sections of the text (see Introduction III.4.1), the G spelling here may represent seweth, as in most remaining B manuscripts. theym euver pylgrimmes & palmers plyghten þem to-gedder for to seke seynt Iames and seyntes att rome þei went forth In þer way wyth many wyse tales & had leuve for to lye all þer lyuvys lyf after I seygh some þat seydon þat they þei had soght ysouȝt seyntes to yche a tale þei þat þei told ther tong was tempered to lye more þen to say soth / ytt semed by þer speche heremytes on a hepe wyth hoked stauvys wenten to walsyngam & þer wenchys after greyte lobyes & long þat loth were to swynke clothed þem In copys to be knowen from other and shoopen theym heremytes theyre easse for to to hauve IG.1.58:This is one of the capitals which indicate the beginnings of chapters. See the corresponding summary in the Table of Contents at f.101v

(the account of the second chapter of the first passus) and see also C. David Benson and Lynne S. Blanchfield, The Manuscripts of <title>Piers Plowman: the B-version (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 1997), 133. The large capital is presumably intended to replace the inline smaller capital. For large and decorated capitals at the beginnings of other chapters see Judith A. Jefferson, "Divisions, Collaborations and other topics: the table of contents in Cambridge University Library, MS Gg.4.31" in John A. Burrow and Hoyt N. Duggan, eds, Medieval Alliterative Poetry: Essays in Honour of Thorlac Turville-Petre (Dublin:Four Courts Press, 2010), 140-152, esp.141-44, and for evidence suggesting that the majority of such capitals may have been added by WH, see Jefferson, "Divisions", 148-50. This particular example, however, appears to have been added by the original scribe at the time of writing; presumably he recognised his error in failing to leave a space for a larger capital. I fond there freres all þe fouvre orders þat preychend Preched þe pepole for profytt off theym-seluven & glosen& gloseden Glosed þe gospell as þem gode lykythe lyked For couvetes off copes construved as it as þem lyked þei wolde many off thes masters mowe Freris mowe clothe theym att lykyng for þer money & marchandyce marchen to-gedders for sythe charyte was haþ be chapman & chefe to shryuveG.1.64: The first of these alterations (whereby sryue becomes shryue) appears to have been made by the original scribe and later re-outlined in brown ink. The faint mark of the original correction is still visible at the bottom of the tail of the <h>. Compare the similar - and also very faint - addition by the original scribe at G.1.89. lordes many farlyes hauve fallen In a fewe yeres but yff But holye chuvrche & they hold not holde better to-gedders þe most myscheyfe on mold ys mouvnyttyng vpvp wel wel G.1.67: G's reading vp for most manuscripts wel was originally shared by O. However, O adds wel to give vp wel, a reading shared with C2. fast þer prechyd a perdoner as he a prest were brouvght forth a bull wyth many with bysshopes seylles & sayd þat hym-selffe myght assoylen theym all off falsnes falshed &and of of fastyng & off a-wowes broken ybroken lewed men leuved hym hym wel & lyked hys wordes comen vp knelyng to kyssen hys bulles he buvnched þem wyth hys breyuvett & bleyred theyre eyne & rauvght hym with hys ragman rynges & broches þus they gyuven theym here gold glottuons to kepe & lenvenlouenbeleven leneth G.1.77: In the case of G, the G Cr12 reading leven results from the mistaken identification by the to <v> corrector (hand1.1) of the letter <n> as a (Most manuscripts read leneth). It seems possible that the reading in Cr12 was taken from G or from a G-related manuscript; see Introduction II.2.1.2. ytt suvch loseles þat leychyrye hawnten were þe bysshop ye blessed yblissed G.1.78: G misreads the y- past participle prefix as ye (cf. most manuscripts yblissed). For G's treatment of this prefix, see Introduction III.1. or and worth both hys yeres hys seyle shuvld not be sent to deceyue the poeple but Ac ytt ys noght butt by þe bysshope þat þei þe both boy preychythe for þe peryche prest & þe perdoner perten þe syluver that þe perycyoners poraille of þe parisch pore porayle of þe parisch shuvld hauve yff they y ne were persones & peryche prestes pleyned theym to the bysshop that theyr perychys were pore syth the pestelence tyme to hauve a lycence & leuve att london to dwell & syngen there for symonye syluver for siluer ys so is swete bysshopes & bachelers both masters & doctores that hauve cuvre vnder cryst and crownyng In tokne & sygne that they shuvlden shryuveG.1.89: The ink of the <h> added to sryue to give shryue is paler than that of the rest of the word, but exactly the same colour as the <as> of masters two lines above, and the form corresponds to that used elsewhere by the original scribe. It therefore seems likely that the correction was made by the original scribe. See also G.1.64. theyr perychynores paroschienes preychen & preyen for theym & for and þe pore fede lyggen at london In lenten & elles some seruven the kyng & hys syluver tellen In checker & In chauncerye chalangen hys dettes off wardes & wardemotes weyuvys and streyuvys some And some seruven as seruvantes lordes & ladyes & yn þe in styd off stuverdes sytten & demen theyr messe & theyr matyns & many off þeir houvrs are done vndeuotelyche drede ys att þe last lest cryst In constorye constryConsistorie a-cuvrse full many I perceyuved off þe poyer þat petuvr had to kepe to bynden & vnbynden as the boke tellyth how ~~þat~~ he ytt laft wyth louve as ouvr lord hyght amongest fowre wertews best þe best off all wertuves that cardynales bene called & ~~and~~ closyng gates there cryst ys In kyngdome to close & to shette & to open ytt to them & heyuven blysse shewe but Ac off þe cardynales att couvrte þat kaught off that name & power presuvmed In theym a pope for to to make to hauve þat power þat petur had Impuvngen I nyll for In louve & letteruvre the electyon belongyth for-thy I can & can noght off þatof þe of G.1.111: The brownish ink of added þat appears to be the same as that used for the change from to <v> in the following word. couvrt speke more Then cam þer a ~~knyght~~G.1.112: The original word replaced by kyng is unclear but the final <t> is visible. kyng knygthode hym ledde myght off the comuvnes made hym to reynge ~~and~~then And þanne G.1.114: Kane and Donaldson do not record G then for most manuscripts And þanne as a variant. came kynd wytt & clerkes he made for to covncell þe kyng and the comuvne sauve the kyng & knyghthode and clargye bothe casten þat the comunmvneG.1.117: As far as it is possible to tell, the original G reading was comune (as at G.1.115). However, the way the <v> has been written over the minims has obscured the <n>, making it necessary for the corrector to provide an abbreviation mark. shuvld theym-selfen hem-self fynd þis Þe G.1.118: Kane and Donaldson do not record this as a variant, and, since the superscript letters are rather unclear, it is possible that the G scribe did in fact intend to write þe. communvne contryuved off kynd wytt craftes & for þe for profett off þe alle þe people plomen ordened to tyll & to trauvell as treweG.1.120: Added <e> on trewe appears to be in the same ink as the alterations of to <v>. lyve askethe the kyng & þe comuvne & kynd wytt þe thyrd shop G.1.122: The loop of the <h> in shop has been enlarged in brown ink. law & loyalte ych man to know hys owene G.1.122: The majority of B manuscripts have final <e>, but hand1's preferred form elsewhere is without -e. See G.5.157, G.6.595, G.7.86 etc., though note the forms with final <e> at G.17.190 and G.17.199. Note also the similar deletion at G.1.207, where it seems possible that the deleted letter may have been an <s>. This deletion is in black ink. then loked vp a luvnatyke a leleneG.1.123: As far as the deleted letters before lene are concerned, it is possible that the scribe originally wrote <ke>-, but it seems more likely that the first letter was an <l> but that the second letter, i.e. the <e>, may have been ill-formed, that an attempt has been made to correct it, and that this has been abandoned. thyng wyth-all & knelyng to þe kyng clargeally he sayde cryst kepe the syr kyng & the þi G.1.125: O originally had þe þi for G the, most manuscripts þi, but in O þe has been cancelled. M's reading þi results from correction. kyngryche and lene the leyde thy land So loyalte þe louve and for þi ryghtfull reuvllyng be rewarded In heyuvun and sythen In þe eyre an heyht hiegh a angell off heyuven lowed todyd Lowed to G.1.129: In G's original reading (lowed to, which is also the reading of most B manuscripts) lowed is a verb (="descended"). The alteration to lowed dyd results from misinterpretation of lowed as an adverb, something which also occurs in F, where the a-verse reads & lowhde spak in Latyn. speke In latyn for lewde men ne koude Iangle ne Iuvgge þat Iuvstyfye theym shuold butt sufferen & seruven forthy seyd the angell sum rex sum princeps neutrum fortasse deinceps O qui Iura regis cristi specialia regis hoc vt quod G.1.134: The G Hm reading vt (for most manuscripts quod) is also present in the C version. In Hm this reading appears as part of a long passage written over an erasure (this particular section is written by Hm's Hand3, who is also the Hm rubricator). See note to this line in Michael Calabrese, Hoyt N. Duggan and Thorlac Turville-Petre, eds, The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol.6: San Marino, Huntington Library MS HM 128 (Hm, Hm2) (Woodbridge: Boydell and Brewer for SEENET and the Medieval Academy of America, 2008), and for further discussion of the relationship between Hm and G, see G's Introduction II.2.1.2. agas melius Iustus es esto pius nudum ius a te vestiri vult pietate qualia vis metere talia grana sere si Ius nudatur nudo de Iure metatur si seritur pietas de pietate metas then greuved hym a golyerdes a gloton off wordes & to the angell on heyhe answered after dum rex a regere dicatur nomen habere nomen habet sine re studeat nisi nisi studet G.1.142: In Hm the reading studeat nisi, which is shared with G (most manuscripts read nisi studet) appears over an erasure. Iura tenere then gan all þe commuvne crye In vers off latyn to the kynges covncell constrewe wo-so wold precepta regis sunt nobis vincula legis wyth that ran there a rouvte off rattons att ons þe profycy & small myse wyth theym mow then a thowsand off þe catt & comen to a covncell for the comuvn profytt For a catt off a covntrey courte come when hym lyked SG.1.150: The letter <S> is formed from a series of linked dots. This and similar marks enable the reader to find sections referred to in the table of contents. See f.101v.

As Benson and Blanchfield point out (Manuscripts, 132), the mark is referred to in this table, so it has clearly been added as part of the original preparation of the manuscript. The form of the letter, however, suggests the possibility that such marks were the work of WH rather than the original scribe; see the form of the capitals used by WH on ff.69v,

72v

and 103r,

and see further Jefferson, "Divisions," esp. 148-50. & ouverlepe theym lyghlycheG.1.150: Spellings of "lightly" without <t> are recorded by the MED. & laghte theym att hys wyll & pleyde wyth theym perylouvslyche & possed a-bovte for dovte off dyuers drede dredes G.1.152: Kane and Donaldson observe that the error in G's reading drede (for most manuscripts dredes) is "noted" but it is difficult to see what they mean unless they are referring to the following added virgule, something which would raise questions about other similar additions. /G.1.152: Once again, the colour of the added virgule is the same as that of the to <v> changes and it therefore seems likely that it was made by the original scribe at a later date (see further Introduction II.1.1 and II.1.1.3). Virgules are frequently omitted in the earlier stages of the original transcription but become more frequent as the text progresses. we dare not well loke but And yff we gruge att of hys gamme he wyll greuve vs all crache vs or clawe vs and In hys clochys hold that vs lothes owre þe lyfe or he lett vs passe myght we wyth any wytt hys wyll wythstand we myght be lordes a-loft & lyuven att oure easse A raton off reynowne most reynable off tonge seyd for a souvereyne help to hym-seluvenG.1.159: A brown-ink flourish, apparently an abbreviation for <n>, has been added to the final <e> of original selue. This is in the same ink as the earlier alteration of to <v>. The addition brings G's reading into line with that of O C2. Kane and Donaldson do not record this G reading, though they do record the readings of O and C2. I hauve senvese[n]e ysein G.1.160: The form of the alteration from sene to seve is unusual and it is possible that the corrector realised his mistake and tried to remedy it. seggys quodh he In the cyte off london beyren ~~bees~~ beȝes full bryght a-bovte theyre neckes & some colers wyth of crafty werke vncovpeled they wenten wenden G.1.162: M originally had wenden, as most manuscripts; the M reading wenten (shared with G Cr W Hm) results from correction. both In warren & In wast where theym- seluve leue lyked lyketh G.1.163: In M the <d> of "liked" (a reading which M shares with G Cr1 W H) is written over an erasure. Most manuscripts read lyketh. and other wyle they are elles-were as I here tell were ther a bell on hys here beygh by Iohn Ihesu as me thynkyth men myght wytt were they went & a-wey renne & ryght so quod the þat ratonG.1.167: The minims at the end of raton are poorly defined. Kane and Donaldson read rato. reyson me sheweth to bygen a bell off bras or off bryght syluver and .. knytten on a coler for ouvr comen profytt G.1.169: G Cr1 W Hm omit a line at this point: "And hangen it vp-on þe cattes hals · þanne here we mowen." whereG.1.170: The <w> of where is slightly odd and it seems possible that the scribe originally started to write an initial <h>. he ryt or rest or rennyth to playe and yff hym lyst for to layke / then loke they we mowen and peren In hys presence wyle þer-while hym pl play lykyth and yff he wrath hymhe wrathhe be wrothhim wrattheth beware and hys wasy shonye and Alle thys rouvte off ratons to thys reyson assented butt Ac thogh þe bell was broghtybrouȝt ybouȝt G.1.175: W's reading ybrouȝt, which is also the reading of a number of C manuscripts, is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson and Schmidt. Most B manuscripts have some form of "bought." & on the beygh hanged there nas ne was rotenr[a]ton ratoun In in alle the rouvte for all the realme off france that duvrst hauve bouvnden þe bell a-bovte þe cattes neck ne hangen hang it abovte þe cattes hales all england to wynne and helden theym vnhardy and theyre covncell feble and letten theyre labouvr lost & all theyre long studye a movsce þat moch good covld as me tho me thoght stroke forth sternely & stode before theym all and to þe rouvte off ratons rehersed thes wordes thogh we kyllenG.1.184: Cr W Hm Y H also use the present tense of the verb "to kill." Remaining B manuscripts have either the preterite or the pluperfect. þe catt yet shall sholde theyreG.1.184: Very residual <e> on theyre. come a-nother to kachen vs & all our kynd / thogh we crepe vndre benchys forthy I covncell all the commuvne to lett the catt pas worthe & be we neuer so bold the bell hym to shewe for I herde my syre seyne seyn is seyuven yers ȝere passed ypassed there the catt ys a kyten ys þe courte is full elenge that wyttnessyth woly wrytt wo-so wyll ytt rede ve terre vbi rex puer puer rex est & cetera. For may no renvkere[n]ke renke there rest hauve for ratons by nyght the wyle he caccheth conyngesG.1.193: For the dropping of the g of unaccented -yng in original conynges, see H. C. Wyld, A History of Modern Colloquial English, 3rd ed. (Oxford, Basil Blackwell, 1953), 289-90, E. J. Dobson, English Pronunciation 1500-1700, 2 vols (Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1957), 950-1, Richard Jordan, Handbook of Middle English Grammar: Phonology, translated and revised by Eugene Joseph Crook (The Hauge: Mouton, 1974), § 175. Jordan suggests that the change occurred in the fourteenth century in the North and North Midlands, but in the fifteenth century in the South. he couvytyth not our cayrencar[y]en caroyne butt fedyth hym all wyth weneson defame we hym neuer butt For better ys a lytull losse then a long sorowe theyÞe mase amonge vs all thoght we mysse a shreweG.1.196: The alteration from srewe to shrewe has been made in brown ink and is therefore clearly a later change. The form of the alteration, however, corresponds to that of similar changes made by the original scribe, see, e.g., that at G.1.89. for many mennes malt we mysse wold dystroy & also the rovte off ratons rend mennes clothys noere the catt off the couvrte þat canne youG.1.199: The minims at the end of you are residual; basically just a horizontal line. ouer ~~..pe~~ lerype for had ye ratons rattes your wyll ye covld not reuvle you-selue ȝowre-selue G.1.200: Once again, G's minims are poorly defined. Kane and Donaldson read yo for G you. I say for me quod the movsce I se so mykyll after shall neuer catt þe cat ne kyton þe kitoun by my covncell be greuved ne carpyng off thys colorescolerG.1.203: The alteration which results in colores brings G into line with the C version manuscripts. Remaining B manuscripts read coler. that costed me neuer & thogh ytt it had cost meme catel beknow Iit I nold but suffer as hym-selfe wyllwolde to do as hym lykyth couvplede & vncouvplede to cache watt they mowe forthy ech a wyse wyght I warne wytt well hys oweneG.1.207: Compare with the apparent deletion of final <e> on owene at G.1.122. However, the presence of a hairline riser may suggest that the original final letter here was a sigma <s>. / watt thys metallmeteles bemeneth ye menne that be merye deuvyneG.1.209: The alteration of to <v> which results in devyne is in a different ink from the main body of such corrections and the form of the letter is more elaborate. ye for I ne dare by dere god In heyuvenG.1.209: The alteration of to <v> in original heyuen has become just a residual brown smudge. yet houved there a huvndreth in howuves off sylke sargeantes theymþey it semed þat seruven serueden att the barre pleydenPleten Plededen for peynespen[y]es penyes and powndes the lawe and noght for þe for louve off our lord vnlose theyre lyppes onsce thow myghtest better mete mysteG.1.214: Final <e> on myste has been added half above and half below the cross of the <t> so that this now also forms the cross of the <e>. on maluveren hylles then gett a muomme off hyshere ~~moth.~~ mowthe tyll but money be shewed barons & buvrgesys burgeis & bondemen also als I sagh In þis assemble as ye shall here hereafter after baxters Baxsteres & brewsters and bochers many wollen websters & weyuvers off lynnen taylyouvres tynkers and tynkeres G.1.220: Kane and Donaldson adopt G's reading "tinkers" (for remaining B manuscripts and tynkeres). The majority of A manuscripts also lack "and" at this point in the line, but their reading is otherwise different. & tollers In markettes masones & mynvoresmy[n]ores mynours & many other craftys off alkynnes alkin laborers libbyng laboreres loppen forth some as dykers & deluvers that done þeir dedes allille & dryuve forth þe long day wyth / dieu soitvous saue dame emmnvyeEmme G.1.224: The third and fourth minims of original emme have been changed to a <v> and a tail has been added to the fifth and sixth. cokes & theyr knauves cryencrieden wott pyes wott good gees & gryses gris gowego we dyne gowego we tauerners vntyll theym told the same wyte wyne & of ossey & red wyne off gascoygne off þe ryne & the of þe rochell the rost to defyen all thys I sagh seiȝ I slepyng & seyuven sythes more explicit primus passus de visione What thys mownteyne meneth bymeneth G.2.1: The G F reading meneth (for remaining B manuscripts bymeneth) is shared by several A manuscripts. & the marke dale & the feld full off folke I shall you fayre shew mater ecclesia a louvely lady I off lere In lynnen clothed yclothed came downe from a castell & called me fayre & sayd sonneG.2.5: The spelling which results from the addition of the macron (which is in the same brown ink as the u to v alterations) results in a spelling (sonne) corresponding to that normally used by the original scribe (see Introduction III.2). slepest þou / seest thow thys poeple how besy they bynne all ben G.2.6: The shared G M Cr W Hm reading bynne all results from correction in M (the addition of alle by hand2). Remaining B manuscripts read ben. a-bovte the mase the most parte partie G.2.7: The G Cr H reading parte need not necessarily be considered a substantive variant. It may simply be a spelling of "party" (the reading of remaining B manuscripts) following the pattern of words such as pite (="pity") or words with -te suffixes such as "loyalty" and "plenty." For similar variants, see G.16.17. It seems unlikely, however, that the form parte can have originated with the G scribe, since he uses final -e for rather different purposes (see Introduction III.2), while the OED suggests that forms of "party" in -e died out during the fifteenth century. For a reading suggesting that the G scribe found -e = -y confusing (saffett for "safety"), see G.8.36. The scribe does also use spellings in <y>; see, e.g., partye at G.18.307. toff þe þis poeple that passeth on thys yerth haue they worshyp In þis world they kepe wilne no better off other heyuven then here / they tellholde þei no tale I was a-ferde off hyr face thogh she fayre were & sayd mercy madame what ys thys to meyne the touvr on vp þe toft quod she truvght ys thereynne & wold þat ye wroght as hys worde teychyth for he ys fadre off fayth that feith formed you all both wyth fell & wyth face & gauve you fyve wyttes for to to wurshyp hym wyth þer-with G.2.16: There is a small mark here in black ink, possibly an added punctuation mark. wyle ye byne here & therefore he heght /G.2.17: Only the bottom of this virgule is visible and it is not clear that the mark is intentional. þe yerthe to helpe you echone off wollen & of lynnen off lyuvelode att nede In meysurable maner to make you att easse & commanded on of hys couvrtesye In commen thre thynges ere non nedefull but thysþoG.2.21: For a possible source for the G reading thys (for most manuscripts þo), note the C reading thyo with cancelled <y>. & neuenveneue[n]e nempne G.2.21: G regularly has forms in neuen- for nempn-. Since the former is of Scandinavian origin and is a predominantly northern word, its use may reflect earlier northern influence, but the G scribe himself clearly does not recognise the word neuen- since, when he makes his later corrections, he regularly alters to neuev-. See further Introduction III.4.1. theym I thynke & reken theym by reyson & resoun reherce reherse ye G.2.22: Manuscript M originally shared the G Y reading reherce, but ye has been added later. Most manuscripts read reherse ye. theym after that on ys vesture from chele the to sauve and meyte att mele for mysease off thy-seluven and drynke when thow dryest but ac do ytt do G.2.25: The majority of A manuscripts share the G F H reading do ytt, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read do. not oft out of resoun that thow worth the worse worche when thow whan þow worche shuvldest lott for lottG.2.27: Two dots (like a colon) follow the word lott, one above and one below the cross bar of the <t>. The presence of marginal lott suggests that they may be there for emphasis. Since they are in brown ink, they have probably been added by the scribe when he was engaged in his later spelling corrections (hand1.1). In hys lyuve days for lykyng off drynke dyd by hys dowghters that the deuvell lyked delyted hym In drynk as the deuvell wold and leychery hym laght & lay by theym bothe and all he wyted ytt it þe wyne that wyked dede Inebriamus enim eum vino dormiamus dormiamus-que cum eo vt seruare possumusposs[i]mus possimus G.2.33: Given the G scribe's general carelessness with minims, it is difficult to draw any firm conclusions from the shared G F reading possumus. Remaining manuscripts read possimus. de patre nostro semen thruvgh wyne & and þorw women ther was loth Incomebred acombred G.2.34: The G Hm form Incomebred (beside remaining B manuscripts acombred) is shared by a number of C manuscripts, but the variation, in the case of G at least, may be a matter of date: according to the OED, accumber does not appear after 1600. & thater gatt yn glotonye gerles that were cherlesye cherlis forthy drede deylyectable delitable G.2.36: The change from deylytable to deylectable, apparently made by the original scribe as part of his programme of spelling corrections (i.e. by hand1.1), may reflect the date of the copy, since the OED does not record any instances of "delitable" after 1520. dryngke & þou shalt do þe better meysuvre ys medycyne thogh þouȝ þow moche yerne ytt ys notnauȝt al good to the gost that the guvtt askethe no lyuvelode to theþi lygham that leuve ys to þe þi G.2.39: L W Hm C have no witness for Bx þi, G M Y þe, since they lack the b-verse of KD.1.37 and the a-verse of KD.1.38. souvle G.2.39: G and F omit a line at this point ("Leue not þi likam . for a liere hym tec[heþ]"). In M, the line appears in the margin in a later hand. For readings in L W Hm C, see previous note. thysThat ys þe wrecched world that wold wolde the betrey for þe fend & thye flesshe folowen folweth þe to-geydderes take thys InThis and þat seest thy solwle & sett seith ytt yn thy herte & for þou shuldest beware / I vysewisse the the best madame mercy quod I me lykyth well thy ȝowre wordes butt Ac þe money Inon of thys mold that men so fast holden tell tome to whom madame that treysuvre appendyth go to the gospell quod she that god seyd hym-seluven when Tho the people hym apposed wyth a penne In the temple wheyther they shuvld woreshyp therwyth cesar the kyngþer-with worschip þe kyng Sesar & god ~~asketh~~ asked off theym off whom spake þe lettuvre & the Image lyke ilyke þat / thatþat thereynne standyth cesar Cesaris G.2.52: Most B manuscripts read Cesaris, but the G C H reading cesar is also the reading of most A manuscripts. For G's relationship with A, see Introduction II.2.2. þei seyden we see well hym wel G.2.52: Most A manuscripts share the G H reading well, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read hym wel. echon reddite cesari quod god that cesari belongethlongyth bifalleth & que sunt dei deo or elles do ye ȝe done yll for ryghtfull reyson shuvld ruvle you all & kyndwytt be warden youvr welth for to to kepe and tuvtor off youvr treysuvre & take you it ȝow att nede for f huvsbandrye & they holden to-gedders then I freyned hyr fayre for hym that me made + that dongeon In the dale þat dredfull ys off syght watt may ytt bemeyne be to mene G.2.61: The G Cr3 C2 F H reading bemeyne, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson, is also found in the majority of C manuscripts and in a number of A manuscripts (J Ra Ha K Ma). Remaining B manuscripts read be to mene. madame I you beseche that ys the castell off care wo-so coemythe therynne may banne that he borne was to bodye & or G.2.63: Most C manuscripts share the G O C2 H reading &. Remaining B manuscripts read or. to souvle therynne wonnyth a wyght that wrong ys I-hote father off falshed & fouvnded ytt hym-seluve adam & eve he egged to ylle covnceled keym to kyll hys brother Iuvdas he Iaped wyth the with Iuves syluver & sythen on a eller hanged hym after he ys a is G.2.70: Kane and Donaldson state that added <a> is in the same ink as that used for the original transcription, but in fact it is browner. lettuerer off louve and lyethe to lyeth G.2.70: Despite what Kane and Donaldson say, added to is in browner ink. theym all þat truvsten on hys treysuvre bytrayed ere bitrayeth he G.2.71: The G R F reading bytrayed ere, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson, agrees with that of most A manuscripts. Most B manuscripts read bitrayeth he. sonest þen had I wondre In my wytt whatt woman ytt were that suoche wysse wordes off holye wrytt shewyd and asked hyr on þe heye name or she thence yede watt she was were wytterly thatt wysshed me so fayre ecclesia holychuvrce I am quod she thow ovghtest me to knowe I vndrefonged þe fuvrst & þe thyeþe fayth tavght thowand thu And G.2.78:The G Cr F H reading thow, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson, is also the reading of A and C. Remaining B manuscripts read And or and thu. broghtest me borowes my byddyng to fullfyll & to louve me loyally / wyle þe while thye lyffe duvreddureth / Than I ~~couvrbed~~crouched courbed G.2.80: Added crouched has a instead of a <v> which might suggest a scribe other than main corrector. The alteration, in any case, clearly post-dates the to <v> changes, since the word which this addition replaces (covrbed) has already been subject to this type of correction. Note also that the form of the <c> differs from that normally employed by the main scribe but resembles that used in the reference on 106v, which in turn seems likely to have been written by "WH," who initials marginalia on ff.69v,

72v

and in the margin of the Table of Contents on f.103.

See also the signature on f.20r,

although the latter is more formal. on my knes & cryed hyr off grace & prayd hyr pytuouvsly to pitousely G.2.81: The G Hm R F H reading "piteously to" (for remaining manuscripts "piteously"), is also the reading of the majority of A manuscripts, and is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. pray for my synnes and also ~~kene~~ kenne me kyndly on cryste to beleuve that I myght worchen hys wyll þat wroght me to man teche me to no treysouvr butt telle me thys ylke how I may sauve my sovle that seynte are art holden yholden when allG.2.86: The addition of all brings G's reading into line with that of the remaining B manuscripts. treysuors are tryedItryed tried quod she G.2.86: The G C reading tryed (for most B manuscripts tried quod she), which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson, is also that of the majority of A and C manuscripts. It should be noted, however, that it is not unusual for G to lose "quod" clauses (see readings at G.6.240, G.6.261, G.6.490 etc.). truvght ys the best I do ytt on deus caritas to deme you deme the sothe ytt ys as derworthe a druvry as dere god hym-seluven th..ty The word trew is underlined in the text (see G.2.89), suggesting that the marginal annotation may refer to this word. wo-so ys trew off hys tonge & telleth non other & do doth þe werkes therewyth & wyll wilneth no man yll he ys a god by the gospell o-grouvnd & o-loftG.2.91: The colour of the ink makes it clear that these hyphens are later additions. & lyke ylike to ouvr lord by seynt by luvke lukes wordes the clerkes that ~~.....~~knowe thys / shuvld kenne ytt abovte for crystyen & vncrystyen cleymen ytt echon kynges & knyghtes shold kepe ytt by reason and ryden Riden G.2.96: The G F reading and ryden (for all other B manuscripts Riden) corresponds to that of Ax. & rappe a-downe down In realmes a-bovte and take trespacers transgressores & tyen theym fast tyll truvght had termyned ytermyned hys her tresspas to þe end and that ys is þe professyon apertely þat appendyth to knyghtes and not to fast a fryday In fyueG.2.100: The <f> of fyue appears to have been altered from something else, possibly the first stroke of a <w>. score wynters wynter G.2.100: According to the OED, the plural form of "winter" without inflexion (i.e. the form found in all manuscripts apart from G) died out during the sixteenth century. butt hold wyth hym orer & wyth hyr that asketh þe wolden al truvght & neuer leyuve theym for louve ne ne for lacchyng off syluver For dauid In hys days dovbbed ~~thy~~the dubbed knyghtes G.2.103: A letter <h> has been written in the bottom right hand margin. This cannot be a quire signature, but it may reflect numbering of the pages (this is the eighth page of the text). There is no evidence for such letters elsewhere, but some may possibly have been lost as the result of cropping. & dyd theym sweyre on hys here swerd to seruve trught euver & wo-so passed that poynt was a-postyta In the ordre but crist kyng off kynges kingene kynge knyghted tenne cherubin & seraphin suche seyuven & ~~other~~ on otherG.2.107: The alteration of other to on other results in a reading which corresponds to that of L M Cr23 C O C2 Y. Remaining manuscripts read "other." & gaue theym myght In hys mageste the meyryer theym thoght & ouer hyshis mene meyny made theymG.2.109: The minims here are not well-defined; the <m> looks very like an <n>. arkangeles &G.2.110: The added ampersand is in brown ink, and therefore at first sight seems likely to have been added by the original scribe as part of his programme of corrections. The form, however, is unusual; see material at the top of f.106v,

which in turn seems likely to have been written by "WH," who initials marginalia on ff.69v

and 72v,

and in the margin of the Table of Contents on f.103.

taw.ght Tauȝte þem by the trynyte the truvght treuthe for to to to knowe to be buvxuom att hys byddyng he bad theym noght elles lucifer luvcyferG.2.112: The word lvcifer has been partly boxed in brown ink, presumably not as part of the original transcription but at the time of the to <v> corrections. wyth leygyons lerned ytt In heyuven but for he brake ~~bvk~~ buvxommenes hys blysse can gan he tyne and fell from that felowshyp In a fendes lykenes In-to a depe darke hell to dwell there for euver & mo thowsandes wyth hym þen men man covld novmbre lopen ovte wyth luvcyfer In lothlyche forme for they lyuveden leueden vpon hym that lyed In þis maner ponam pedem meumsedem meam pedem In aquilone et ~~s..~~G.2.119: The original here may have been sul or sil, i.e. the abbreviation for m in similis may not have been noticed. The deletion of s.. has been made both in red and in the usual grey ink. similis ero altissimo and all that hoped ytt myght be so / no heyuven myght þem hold butt fell ovte In fendes lykenes neyne days to-geddre tyll god off hys goodnes gan stable & stynt & garred the heyuven to steyke & stonden In quvyete when þes wyked went ovte wondrefullyche wonderwise they fellen some In eyre þe Eyrertheþerthe some In yerthe some & somme In hell depe buttAnd Ac lucifer loest lyeth off theym all For pryde that he puvtt ovte / hys peyne hath no end & all that worchen wyth wrong wend they shall after theyr deth day & dwell wyth that shrewe butt Ac tho þat worchen well as holye wrytt tellyth & enden as I here ere G.1.131: M originally shared G's reading here, but this was a spurious agreement since in M's case the form was simply a spelling variant for most manuscripts ere, later corrected by the M reviser. G's spelling practice suggests that his variant is substantive. See Eric Eliason, Thorlac Turville-Petre and Hoyt N. Duggan, eds, Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, vol.5: London, British Library MS Additional 35287 (M) (Woodbridge: D. S. Brewer for SEENET and the Medieval Academy of America, 2005), note to this line. sayd In truvght that ys the best may be syker that theyre souvles shall wend to heyuvenG.2.132: The alteration of the of original heyuen to <v> is now just a residual brown smudge. theyre truvght ys In trynyte coroned full fayre and troneth hem alle forthy I seydsey as I seydseide ere by syght off thees textes when all treasuvres are tryed truvght ys the best lerne Lereth thys yeit ye it þis G.2.136: In the case of M's reading it ye (corresponding to G F thys ye, most manuscripts it þis), the word ye has been added in a later hand over an erasure. ~~ley~~G.2.136: The scribe appears to have tried to change <y> of original ley- to <w> and then decided to rewrite the whole word as lewde. lewde men for lettered men h ytt knowen that truvght ys treasouvr tresore þe G.2.137: Most A manuscripts (though not Ra U E) share the G M reading treasour. Most B manuscripts read tresore þe. tryedst triest In on yerth yet hauve I no kynd knowyng knowing quod I yet must ye kenne me bettre by watt craft In my corpes ytt comseyth & where thow doted daftedaffe quod she duvll are thy wyttys lytuvllTo litel laten thow lernedest lede In thy yovght heu mihi quia sterylem duxi vitam iuuenilem ytt ys a kynd knowyng quod she that comeyth kenneth In thye herte for to louve thy lord leyuver then thy-selffe no deydly synne to do / dye thoght thow shuvldest thys I trow be truvght wo canne teyche the better loke thow suffer hym to say / & sythen lere ytt afterG.2.147: G Cr W Hm H omit a line at this point ("For thus witnesseth his worde · worcheth þow þere-after"). For truvght tellythe that louve ys treacle off heyuven may no synne be on hym seene þat vseth that spyce andAnd alle hys workes he wroght wyth louve as hym lyst moises and lered ytt moyses for þe leuvest þing & most lyke to heyuven and also the plente off pease most precyouvs off vertues for heyuven myght not holden ytt / ytt was so heyuvy off ~~...~~hymselfe tyll ytt hadde off the yerthe ȝeten hys fyll & whan ytt had off thys fold flesshe & blode taken was neuer leyffe vpon lynde lyghter there-after and portatyuve & percyant as the poynt off a nedle that myght no armuvreG.2.158: The second letter of armure has been altered from a 2-shaped <r> to a long <r> by the original scribe at the time of writing. ytt lett / ne non heye wallys forthy ys louve leyder off þe lordys folke off heyuven and a meyn as þe meyreMaire is bytwene þe kyng & þe commuvne ryght so louve ysis loue a leydre & the law shapyth vpon man for hys mysdeedes þe marcement he taxethe forAnd for to know louveit kyndly ytt comsethe by myght and In the hert ysþere is theyþe heuved and they þeG.2.164: G they for remaining manuscripts þe may be a back formation resulting from the occasional appearance in G of þe as a weak form of they. See Introduction III.1. heye well for In kynd knowyng off in herte begynnyth a myghtþere a myȝte bigynneth and that falleth to the father that fouvrmed vs all loked on vs wyth louve and leet hys sonne dye mekely for owre myssdedes to amend vs all yetAnd ȝet wold he theym no wo / that wroght hym þat payne but meke-lyche wyth mowthe marcy he besoght to hauve pytye on theþat poeple that payned hym to dethe here myghtest thowmyȝtow se ensampleensamplesexample In hym-selfe onne that he was myghtymiȝtful & meke & mercy gan grauvantG.2.173: For use of otiose superscript <a> by the original scribe, see note to G.3.157. The similar practice by the brown ink corrector suggests that he and the original scribe were the same person. See Introduction IV.1.1. to theym þat hanged theymhim an heye & hys herte thyrleden forthy I reede you ryche hauve reuvgh on the poere thogh ye be myghtymyȝtfulG.2.176: All A manuscripts except Ha and all C manuscripts except Dc Mc share the G Cr reading myghty, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read miȝtful. to mote bees / meke offin G.2.176: Kane and Donaldson read the result of the correction of original off as of, i.e. they take the view that only one <f> has been deleted. This is possible but it would be unusual: forms of "of" with -ff are common in G and do not normally attract the attention of the corrector. youvrseluvenwerkes for the same meysuvrs yeþat ȝeG.2.177: Most A manuscripts share the G H reading ye (for remaining B manuscripts þat ȝe). meyten amys orother elles ye shalbeshal be weyuen therwyth when ye wend hennce eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis aliis remecieturremecietur vobis for thoght youȝeG.2.180.: G sometimes has the form you for the nominative where, as here, other manuscripts read ȝe. See G.5.148, G.6.580, G.7.10, G.7.132 etc. and Introduction III.1. be trew off youvr tounge & trewlych wynne & as chast as a chyld that In chuvrche lernythwepeth but yff ye louve loyally & lene the poere suych good as god sendyth youȝow sent / godlyche depertenparteth ye hauvene haue no more meyrytt In a messez masse G.2.184: Added <ȝ> on messez is in slightly browner ink than the original. As the original scribe does not normally use yogh for the plural, it seems unlikely that he is responsible for this change. For material by hand2, i.e. "WH," see marginalia on ff.69v,

70,

and 72v,

as well as in the Table of Contents (f.103).

It also seems likely that the note on f.106v

was by the same commentator. ne In houvrs than malkyn off hyr meydenheyd that no man desyryth for Iames the gentyle Iuvgged In hys bokes that fayth wyth-ovt dedeþe faite ys no-thynkgriȝte no-þinge worthy fides &And as deyd as a dorre nayletreG.2.188: All A and C manuscripts share the G H reading nayle, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read tre. wyth-ouvtebut ȝif þe dedededes folow fides sine operibus mortua est et cetera castitas forFor-thi chastyte wythowten charyte worth sheuvedcheyned In hell caritas ytt ys as lewde as a lampe that no lyght ys ynne many chapleynes are chast butac charyte ys away are nonno menG.2.193: All A manuscripts except Ra D V J K Wa N and all C manuscripts except Q share the G F reading non, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read no men. herderauarousere then they when þei ben avauvnced vnkynd to theyr kynne and to all crystyen they chewenChewen theyr charyte & chyden after more suoche chastyte wyth-ovt charyte worth sh sheuvedcheyned In hell many cuvrators kepen theym cleyne off theyre bodyes they are acombered wyth couvytouscoueitise & þei can not crye ovteout crepecrepe outdon it fram hem auaricia so hard hath auvaryce . G.2.199: Kane and Donaldson read the deleted letter as the prefix of the following past participle (hasped) but, whatever it was originally, it has clearly been crossed out. hasped theym to-geydderes & that ys no trewth off the trynyte / but trechery off hell & lernyng to lewd men the latter tofor to delen forthy thes wordes be wryten In þe gospell date et dabitur vobis for I deyle you all and &and And that ys the lock off louve / þat and lettyth owt my grace to comfort þe carefull acombered wyth synne louve ys lech off lyfe & next our lord hym-seluvenselue and also þe grayth gate that goyth In-to heyuven forthy I say as I seyd er by syght offbyG.2.208: The G H reading by syght off is shared by most A and C manuscripts, and is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read by. thesþeG.2.208: The A manuscripts Ra U Ch H2 J E K and all C manuscripts except for Dc P Sc share the G Hm reading thes (for remaining B manuscripts þe). textes when all treysouvrs are truyedG.2.209: A tail has been added to the of original trued to form tryed. trught ys þe best now I hauve haue Itold the watt treuvght ys &þat no treysouvr betteris bettere I may no lenger lengelenge þe with butnow looke þe owre lord explicit secundus passus de visione Iet couvrbed II courbed on my knes & cryed hyr off grace and sayd marcy madame for mercyMarie louve off heyuven that bare that blysfull barne that boght vs onon þe rode kenne me by some craft for toto kenneknowe the false loke vpon thy left haluve loand lo where he stondyth both false & fauinell fauel G.3.6: The number of minims in the middle of "favel" varies considerably in G and it is not always clear what was intended. See G.3.43, G.3.66, G.3.81, G.3.146, G.3.152, G.3.160, G.3.165, G.3.168, G.3.186, and G.3.195. Possibly the word was unfamiliar to the scribe (according to the OED, it died out in the sixteenth century). and theyr fers many I loked on my left haluve as the ladye me tavght and was warre off a voman wonderslychewortheli clothedyclothed puvrfelyd wyth pelouvre the fynest vpon yertheG.3.9: The cross in the bottom right hand margin is in modern pencil. coronedYcrounede wyth a crovne the kyng hath no better FeytlycheFeyt[is]lyche Fetislich hyr fyngers were fretted wyth ryngesgolde wyre & ther-on red ruvbyes as red as any glede and dyamontes off derrest pryce & dowble maner saphyres oryentales and ewages enue.nymes to dystroye hyr robe was full ryche off red skarlett Ingreyned wyth rybandes off red gold & off rych stonys hyr arrey me rauvyshed suvch ryches saghtG.3.17: The form saght is recorded by LALME as the main form of "saw" in LP497 (i.e. in the West Riding of Yorkshire) and as a minor form in other Northern locations. It therefore seems likely that this was one of a number of Northern forms present in the G scribe's exemplar (see Introduction III.4.1). I neuer I had wondre watt she was & woos wyfe she were watt ys thys woman quod I so worthyly attyred that ys mede the maydenMayde hathquod she hath noyed me fuvll offt and lakkedylakked my lemman that loyalte ys hoten and bealyedbilowen hyr towyth to lordes that lawys have to kepe In the popes ~~....~~ palys she ys pryuve as my-seluve butt sothnes wold not so / for she ys a bastard for falseeG.3.25: The original <e> at the end of false is small and the added <e> may simply be an attempt to clarify. was hyr father that hath a fykle touvnge and neuer soth sayd sythen he cam to yerthe and mede ys manerryd after hym ryght as kynd asketh qualis pater talis filius bonaG.3.28: There appears originally to have been some sort of tail on the <a>, partly erased. arbor bonum fructum facit I owght ben hyer then she I cam off thea better my father the greyte god ys & grouvndre grounde off all graces on god wyth-ovt begynnynggynnynge & I hys ownegode doghter and hath gyuven mercyme mercyG.3.32: Though M's initial reading is the same as that of G (i.e. "mercy" rather than "me mercy," which is the reading of the remaining B manuscripts), the missing word me is later supplied by the M corrector (hand2). to mary wyth my-seluven and watt man be marsyfull and leally me louve shalbeshal be my lord and I hys leefe In the ~~hey~~ he heyuven & watt man taketh mede my heyd dare I ley that he shall lese for hyr louve a lomplappe off leallof charytecaritatis how construvedconstrueth dauid the kyng off men that take mede & men off thys mold that meynteyne truvght & how ye shuoldshal sauve youvr-selffe þe sauvter beyryth wyttnes domine quis habitabit In tabernaculo tuo & cetera and now worth thys mede maryedymaried tovntoal toG.3.41: All C manuscripts share the G M F H reading to, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read vnto or al to. aa mansed shrewe to on fals fykell touvnge a feendes feerebiȝete FauvuellG.3.43: For "favel," see note to G.3.6 above. The number of minims used in this particular example is (unusually) correct. thruvgh hys fayre spech hath þis folke Inchanted and all ys lyers ledyng that she ys thuvs weddedywedded to-morow worth I-made the meydenmaydenes brydall therAnd þereG.3.46: All A manuscripts share the G H reading ther, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read And þere. myghtest þoumiȝte þow wytt yff þou wylt wyche þei bynne all that longen to that lordshyp the lasse & the more know theym ther yff þou kannest & kepe thow thy tonhge & lack theym noght but lett theym worth tyll loyalte be Iuvstece and hauve poyer to puvnnyche theym þatþanne put forth thy reason now I bekenne the cryst quod she & hys cleyne modre & lett no conscyence combreacombre þe for couvetyse off mede Thuvs leyft me þat ladye lyggyng on slepe and how mede was maryedymaried In meytayles me thoght that all the rych reytennvnaunceG.3.55: The corrector appears to have mistaken the first <n> of original reytenaunce for a and therefore overwritten it with a <v>, realised his error, attempted to correct his correction and then finally added a bar to indicate the <n>. þat reynyth wyth the fals were bydenbodenG.3.56: The G form of the past participle (i.e. byden) is unique; most manuscripts have forms in medial <o>. However, there is no change in meaning, and, given the confusion surrounding the verbs which descended from OE beodan and biddan, it would be reasonable to argue that this is not a substantive variant. to the brydeale on bothG.3.56: The loops of the s of both brydeale and both have been enlarged in brown ink. to sydys off all maner off men þe meyne & the ryche to marye thys meyden was many man assembled as off knygtes and off clerkes & other comen poeple as sysouvrs & somonors shreyuvys & theyr clarkys bydyles & belyffs and brodIors off chaffeyre Forgoers & vyteklersvitaillers and / aduvocatesvokates off þe arches I can not rekne þe rouvte that ranne a-bovte mede butAc symonye and cyuvyll & sysouvrs off ~~corn~~ couvrtesG.3.64:The original G reading here (corn- or possibly coru-) corresponds neither to B "courts" nor to C "countries" and seems likely to be simply an error. were most pryuvye wyth mede off any men me thoght buttAc fauvuell fauel G.3.66: For "favel," see note to G.3.6 above. was þe fuvrst þat settfette hyr ovte off bowre and as a brodger broght hyr / to be wythG.3.67: The scribe originally wrote superscript <t> above the <w> (for wyth) but then decided that this was not clear enough and added <yth>. The superscript letter <t> has not been deleted. fals enIoyned when symonye & scyuvyllG.3.68: For the alteration of the <s> of original syuyll to a <c>, see also G.3.144. ~~sey~~seyd to seiȝ G.3.68: The alteration resulting in seyd to does not appear to be in the hand of the original scribe. There is a backward <s> and the script is altogether more angular. For hand2, see marginalia on ff.69v,

70,

71,

72v

and 103,

as well as the note on f.106v.

According to the OED, forms of "saw" with weak ending date from the eighteenth century onwards, but the corrector may, of course, have intended "said." It seems possible that an attempt was made to alter the original word before the correction was written above. thhere G.3.68: The erasure here has resulted in a hole in the paper. both t~~youvr~~h..re boþer G.3.68: The original G reading was both your. The corrector has made the usual change of to <v> but the word your has then been altered again. The added initial <t> is clear and the <y> has been altered to an <h> but it is difficult to be certain what exactly the second corrector intended after that. The <o> does not appear to have been altered, but may have been intended to be read as an <e>. Kane and Donaldson read the corrected form as theire. wylleswille they assented for syluver to say as both wold then lepe lyer forth & sayd low here a charter that gyle wyth hys greyte othys gave them to-gedder & preyd symonyecyuile to se & cyuvyllsymonye to reede ytt then symonye & cyuvyll standen forth both & vnfoldyth the feoffament that fals hadhathG.3.74: A few A manuscripts as well as Cp share the G Hm H reading had (for remaining B manuscripts hath). mademakedymaked & thuvs begynnen thes gomes to greden greden G.3.75: It is not really possible to be certain who carried out the alteration from greden to reden, but the ink colour suggests hand1.1. full hye SiantS[c]iant Sciant presentes et futuri et cetera wytteth & wyttnessyth that wonien vponvpon þis yerth that mede ys maryed more for hyr goodes then for any vertuve off fayrnes or any fre kynd falsnes ys feyne off hyr for he woott hyr ryche & fauvinell fauel G.3.81: For "favel," see note to G.3.6. wyth hys FylkeFy[k]le fikel speche Feyffyth by hysþis charter to be pryncys In pryde and pouverte to dyspysse to backbytouvrsbakbite & to bosten & beyre fals wyttnes to scorne & to skold and sclandre to make vnbuxome & bold to breke the tenne hestys and the erldome off enuvye & wrath to-gedders wyth þe chastylett off chest & chateryng ovt off reason the couvnnteG.3.88: The original word was counte, though the minims of the <n> in particular were somewhat indistinct. Presumably this is why the corrector felt the need to add a macron. off couvetouscoueitise & all the costes a-bovte that ys vsure & auvaryce all I theym grauvnte In bargaynes &and inG.3.90: Approximately half the C manuscripts share the G Cr23 Hm F H reading &, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read and in. brokages wyth all þe burgh off theyft & all the lordshyp off leychery In lenght & In breyde as In workes and In wordes & weytyngwaityngesG.3.92: All C manuscripts except X P Dc Ec share the G Hm F reading weytyng, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts have the plural. offwithG.3.92: All C manuscripts share the G Hm reading off, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read with. eyene and In wedes & In wysshynges & wyth Idle thoghtys ther as wyll wold & workmanshyp faylyth glotonye he gaffe them yke & greyte othes to-geddre and all day to drynke att dyuers tauerens and ther to Iangell &and to Iape & Iuvge theyr euven-crystyen and onin fastyngG.3.98:There appears to have been an otiose abbreviation mark over the <n> of fastyng which has been smeared out. days to freet er full tyme were and then to sytten & sowpen tyll slepe theym assayle and breden as buvrgh swyne & bedden theym eassely tyll sloghte and slepe sleken hys sydes and then wanhope to awake theymhym wythso with no wyll to amend for he leuveth to bebe lost þis ys theyre last end andAnd þei to hauve & to hol~~...~~dG.3.104: Something strange has happened to the last letter of hold, which has clearly been re-outlined. This may have been because the paper at this point is very thin (because of the erasure at G.3.68). & theyr heyrs after a dwellyng wyth þe deuvell and damned forbe for euer wythWiþ al þe appuvrtenancespurteinaunce off puvrgatory toin-to the paynpyne off hell yeldyng for thys thyngG.3.107: Kane and Donaldson read thyg but the word should probably be read as thyng. There is plenty of space for an <n>, it just that, as is often the case in this manuscript, the minims are poorly defined. att on yers end theyre soules vn-toto sathan to suffer wyth hym peynes or& wyth hym to wonne wythin wo / wyle god ys yn heyuven In wyttnes off wych thyng wrong was the fuvrst & pers þe perdoner off pauvlyns doctryne bett þe byddell off bBuvkyngam-shyreG.3.112: The first letter of what seems to be Bvkyngam-shyre is such a mess that it is difficult to be certain about ink colour or hand. It would be unusual, however, for the original scribe or the to <v> corrector (who are probably one and the same) to use a capital in this position. reynold the reuve off ruvttland sokne muvnd þe mylner &G.3.114: It is possible that the deleted ampersand was originally written as or and then partly corrected. Note the problem with the ampersand five lines above at the beginning of the line. & many mo other In þe date off þe deuvell thys dede I Insealeassele by syght off syr simonye & cyuvyles leyuve then tened hym theologie when he þis tale herd and sayd to cyuvyle now sorow mote you þow G.3.118:Kane and Donaldson interpret G's reading here as þou but for that the scribe would normally have written thorn plus superscript . The use of inline <ou> makes it clear that the scribe intended "you." For the scribe's usual practice as far as the written forms of these two words are concerned, see G.1.199, G.2.2, G.2.14, G.2.15, G.2.17, G.2.19 etc. (for "you"), and G.2.5, G.2.36, G.2.43, G.3.46, G.3.48 etc. (for "thou"). The rule, in the case of these as well as other words (such as "the" and "ye") is that <þ> is always followed by superscript letters, and <y> by inline letters. That the scribe did sometimes confuse <y> and <þ> when they appeared in his exemplar is clear, for example, from the reading at G.3.204 where he writes <the> for <ye>. At G.4.351 the scribe himself corrects an error of this type, crossing out superscript <e> and replacing it with inline <e> (the correct reading is ye). hauve suoyche weddyngweddingesG.3.119: All A manuscripts except E N Ma share the G C2 reading weddyng, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts have the plural. C too has the singular but preceded by the indefinite article. to worche to wrath wyth truvght and er thys weddyng be wroght wo the betyde For mede not ays ais mulyer & offof amendes engendred and god grauvntyth to gyue mede vn-toto trught and thow hast gyuven hyr to a gylouvrgyloure now lordgod gyuve þe sorowe theThi texte tellyth þe natt so truvght wott þe sothe for dignus est operarius hys hyre for toto hauve & thow hast fast hyr wythtoG.3.126: All C manuscripts except Nc and all A manuscripts except for K Wa Ma share the G F reading wyth (for remaining B manuscripts to), and this is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. In C, however, the half-line differs in other ways. false fye on thy lawe for all by leysynges þou lyuvest & leycherouvs workes simony & thy-seluven shenden holye churche theesÞe notaryes & ye noyen offt noyeth the poeple ye shall byggenabiggen yt both by god þat me made well ye wytten wernerdes butt yff your wytt fayle þat fals ys Faythles & fykell In hys workes and was a bastard borneybore off belsabuvbes kynne and mede ys ais muvlyer a meyden off good and myght kysse þe kyng for cosyn & she shuvldwolde forthy worchyth by wyssdome & ~~wytt~~ by wytt also and leyde hyr to london there ys yttlawe isit is y-shoyde yff any law wyll loke they lyggen to-gedder and yffþouȝ Iuvstyces Iuvggen hyr to be Ioyned towith Fals yet be ware off the of weddyng for wytty ys trught and coscyenceco[n]scyence conscience ys aof his couvncell & knowyth you echonne and yff he Fynd you In defauvte & wyth þe Fals hold ytt shalbe sytt shal besytt your souvles full soresoureG.3.143: The C manuscripts X I P2 Uc Dc Rc Nc and all A manuscripts except J La K Wa N Ma share the G Cr reading sore (for remaining B manuscripts soure). attheat the last hyr-to assentyth scyuvyleG.3.144: See the similar alteration of syuyll to cyuyll at G.3.68. buttac simonye ne wold tyll he had syluver for hys servyce & also þe notaryes then fett Fauivvnell fauel G.3.145: For "favel," see note to G.3.6 above. forth floreynsesfloreynes ynowe & bad gyle go gyuve gold all a-bovte & namelych to þesþe notaryes þat theym non fayle and feoffe fals wyttnes wyth florensesflorencefloreines Inowe for þei mayG.3.150: This addition (may, in black ink) could conceivably have been made by the original scribe, but note the clear definition of the minims. Resemblences to the italic hand on, e.g. f.96v,

and in particular the hairline tail on the <y>, suggest hand3.G.3.150: The addition of may brings G into line with Bx. mede masteramaistrye & maken att my wyll tho thys gold was geuve greyte was þe thankyng to fals & to Fauuvvnell fauel G.3.152: For "favel," see note to G.3.6 above. For þer fayre gyftes & came to comforten from care the Fals and seyden certes syr ceasse shall we neuer tyll mede be thy weddyd wyffe thrught wytt wittisG.3.155: All A manuscripts except Wa (which lacks this b-verse) share the G F H reading ("wit" in the singular), which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts have the plural. off vs all for we hauve medeG.3.156: Once again, this alteration (the addition of mede) seems likely to have been made by the italic hand (hand3). See note to G.3.150 above.G.3.156: Added mede brings G into line with Bx. mastredamaistried wyth ouvr mery speche that she graaunt.ythG.3.157: The G scribe often provides an otiose superscript <a> in addition to the letters <ra>, perhaps because of confusion as to the significance of the former. See further Introduction IV.1.1. to goon wyth a good wyll to london to k loke yffȝif þat the lawe wold Iugge you Ioyntly In Ioy for euer then was falsnes Fayne & Fauuvvnell fauel G.3.160: For "favel," see note to G.3.6. as blythe toAnd lett somone all thealleG.3.161: Most A manuscripts share the G R reading all the (for remaining B manuscripts alle). seggys In þe shyreschires abovte and bad theym all to bebe bowne beggers & other to wend wyth theym to westmynsterG.3.163: The MED records spellings of "Westminster" without <n> so G's original spelling may not actually be an error. The original G spelling also appears in Hm and Cr1. to wyttnes þis dede butAc then cared they for caples to caryen theym thydder and Fauivvnell fauel G.3.165: For "favel," see note to G.3.6. fatt forthforth þanne fooles Inowe and sett mede onvponG.3.166: All A manuscripts share the G F reading on (for most B manuscripts vpon). a shreuve shod all a-newenewe and fals sat on a sysour þat softlye trottyd and fauivvnell fauel G.3.168: For "favel," see note to G.3.6. on a flatterer feytlychefetislich attyred tho had notaryes non / anoyyd therewythþei were for ~~then~~ G.3.170: The scribe intended to add the word then to the line below, q.v., but made a mistake which he then partially erased. simony & cyuvyll shuold on theyre feette gang and Ac then G.3.171: For added then, see note to G.3.170. sware symonye & cyuvyll both that somoners shuvld be sadeled & seruve þem echonne and lett apparellapparaille þisG.3.173: In the case of Hm, the shared G Hm F H reading apparell (for most B manuscripts apparaille þis) is the result of correction (original thes has been deleted). prouvysours In palfreys wyse syr symonye hym-seluve shall sytt onvpon theyr backes deynes & subdeanes draw you to-gedders archdeykens & offycyalles & all your ~~wolle~~ regesters lett sadle theym wyth syluver our synnyssynne to suffer as avovtrye & deuvorses and derne vsurye to beyre bysshopes a-bovte a-brode In wysytyng paulynes poeplepryuesG.3.180: All A manuscripts share the G F reading poeple (for most B manuscripts pryues). .For pleyntes In constoryeconsistorieG.3.180: Most A manuscripts share the G F H spelling constorye (for remaining B manuscripts consistorie). See also note to G.4.143. shuvldShul seruve my-selue that cyuvyll ys neuenvedneue[n]ednempned and cartsadle our comoy.ssary our cart shall he leyde and facchen vs wytayles att fornycatouvrsfornicatoresG.3.183: Most A manuscripts share the G spelling of "fornicators" (i.e. with -our). However, the majority B spelling fornicatores does not necessarily imply that the word was thought of as Latin; the OED lists this particular usage by Langland (with this particular spelling) as the first instance of this word in English. and make off lyerslyer a long carte to leyden all þes other as freres and feytouvrs þat on theyr fete rennen and thuvs fals & fauivvnell fauel G.3.186: For "favel," see note to G.3.6. faren forth to-gedders and medeG.3.187: There is a line over the <m> of mede but this does not seem to be deliberate; possibly it is a mirror image of the crossing out on the opposite page (at G.3.228). In the mydyst & all thys meynyþise menþes oþere after I hauve no tome to tell youtelle the talylle that hyrhem folowytheG.3.188: G Cr1 W Hm omit a line here ("Of many maner man þat on þis molde libbeth"). buttAc gyle was forgoer & gydedgyedG.3.189: Some A manuscripts share the G Cr reading gyded (for most B manuscripts gyed), but the variation could well to be due not to the influence of these but to date; guy became less frequent than guide after the fifteenth century (see OED guy, v.1 and guide, v.). theym all sothnes seetheseiȝ þem well and seyd butt lytell and pryked hys palfrey & passed theym all and came to þe kynges couvrt & conscyence toldit tolde and conscyence to the kyng karped ytt after now by cryst quod the kyng yffand I cache myght Fals &or fauivvnell fauel G.3.195: For "favel," see note to G.3.6. or any off theyrehis feres I wold be wroken onof tho wrecchys þat worchen so yll & done theym hang by þe hals & all that theym meynteyntheG.3.197: The final letters of ?meynteynthe are unclear because they are written over the pricking in the top right hand corner of the writing space. shall neuer man on thys mold meympryceG.3.198: Given the G scribe's carelessness with minims, the second <m> of meympryce may be an error. However, the OED records forms with <m> from the Middle English period to the fifteenth century. the lest butt ryght as the lawe wyll looke lett fall on theym all and commaundecomandedG.3.200: The difference between commaunde (as G Cr1) and comanded (as remaining B manuscripts) may not originally have been substantive, since command was a possible form of the preterite in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries (see OED command v.). a conestable þat heþat come att the fyrst to attache tho tyrantes for any thyng I hoote & fetter fast falsnes For anykynsany kyns gyftes and gyrd off gyles heyd & let hym go no fuvrther and yff theyȝeG.3.204:The original scribe has misread the letter <y> of ye as a thorn, giving the. See note to G.3.118. lache lyer / let hym not eskapen er he be putt on the pyllorye for any preaerpreyere I hote and bryng mede vn-toto me mavgre theym all drede at the dore stoode and the dome herd howAnd how the kyng commanded constables & sergeantes falsnes & hys felawshyp to fettren &and to bynden then drede went wythlyche & warned the fals and bad hym flee for fere and hys felowys all falsnes for ferefere þanneG.3.212: M originally shared the G Hm Hm2 F reading fere (for remaining B manuscripts fere þanne), but þanne has been added above the line by M's hand2. Most A manuscripts have Þanne at the beginning of the line. The C manuscripts P Ec Rc Mc Vc Ac Q Sc Kc Gc Nc share the G Hm Hm2 F reading. fleydd to the freres and gyle doyth hym to go agast for to dye butAc marcheantes mett wyth hym & made hym abyde & settbishetten hym In theyre shoppes to shoeuen theyr ware appareled hym as a prentys the poeple to seruve lyghtlyche lyer lept a-wasy thenceþanneG.3.217: All A manuscripts except E A Wa Ma share the G H reading thence as do a number of C manuscripts. Most B manuscripts read þanne. luvrkyng thruvgh lanys . to-luvgged off many he was morenawhere wellcome for hys many mery talestales ouver all I omyted yhowted G.3.220: B manuscripts vary between forms of "hunten" and "houten" and it is not always possible to tell which is intended. A form in —ow- seems most likely to have given rise to the G reading I omyted. & hotedyhote to cuvrsetrusse tyll perdoners had pyte & puvlled hym In-to houvse theyG.3.222: The final <y> here is not in the scribe's usual form and may be an addition. See, e.g., the form of <y> used by WH on f.72v

. wysshen hym & wypenwyped hym & wond hym In clouvtes and senttdden sente G.3.223: The alteration of sentten to sendden is difficult to see at first because of the tails of the letters above. The change brings G into line with the A manuscripts D V Ha La K. Remaining B manuscripts read sente. hym wyth seales on sondays to chuvrches and gaffe perdon for pence pouvndemayleG.3.224: The <y> added by hand1.1 (giving -mayle) has been squeezed in between the <a> and the <l>, making use of the <v> shape formed by the downward stroke of the former and the beginning of the upward stroke of the latter. abovte then louvred leches & letters they sent that he shuvld wone wyth theym waters to looke spycers speken wyth hym to spyen theyr ware For he couvthe off theyr crafte & ~~kew~~ G.3.228: The final stroke of the <w> of deleted kew is missing. knewe many goomesG.3.228: The reading goomes may be an error ("men" for "gums") but the OED records goome as a post-medieval (6-7) spelling of "gum" (see OED s.v. gum, n.2). butAc mynstrelles & messyngers mett wyth hym onnes & heldenhelden hym a halfe yere & a-leyuven days freres wyth fayre speche fett hym thence & for knoyng off commers coped hym as a frere butAc he hath leyuve to lepe ovt as oft as hym lykyth and ys welcoem when he wole & wonnyth wyth theym oft all they restAlleG.3.235: The script of added rest appears slightly more angular than that normally used by the original scribe, but this is probably simply because the word has had to be squashed in. fledden for fere & flyenflowen to In-to hernes sauve mede the meyde duvrst no mona mo durst abyde buttAc truvlye to tell she tremled for drede & eke wept & wrong when she was attached explicit tercius passus de visione Now ys mede the meyde and no mo off theym all wyth bedeles and baylyffes broght before the kyng the kyng called a clerekeG.4.3: The use of clere for clerc is not unusual for this scribe see, e.g., G.6.556, G.8.77, G.9.20, though Kane and Donaldson consistently read clerc, with final <c>. I knowcan I not hys name to take mede þe meydenmayde & make hyr att easse I shall assey hyr my-selfe & sothlyche apposen watt man vponof þis mold that hyr were leuvest and yff she worche by my wytt & my wyll folowe I wyll forgyuve hyr thys gylt so me god helpe couvrtyslyche the clerke then as the kyng hyght toke mede they meydebi þe MiddelG.4.10: Use of "they" for "the" (as in G they meyde) is recorded by LALME in Warwickshire and Wiltshire (LALME 4, item 1 and p.315), but the form here may just be a back formation influenced by the G scribe's occasional use of the for weak they; see Introduction III.1. & broght hyr In-to chambre and there was myrth & mynsteralcye mede for toto pleasse they that wonnen att westmynster worshypen hyr all gentyllych wyth Ioy the Iuvsteces camesomme busked theym to the bowre there the byrd dwellyth dwelled to comforten hyr kyndlych by clergyes leyuve and sayd morne noght mede ne make þou no sorowe for we wyll wysse the kyngdlye kynge G.4.17: Kane and Donaldson argue that the reading here is kyng altered from kyndlye, picked up from two lines above. However, examination of the colours of the ink makes it clear that the <g> is original. Note particularly the way in which the last few letters of kyndlye have had to be squashed in. Thus it is clearly the corrector who has made the mistake here. The uncertainty, if any, concerns the intended replacement, since the <l> and the <y> occupy the same horizontal space, though one is below and one above the line. and thy way shape to weddenbe weddedG.4.18: An active rather than a passive infinitive (i.e. "wed," as G, rather than "be wedded," as remaining B manuscripts) is found in all C manuscripts (although a number have "wend" rather than "wed"). att thy wyll & were thyþe leuve lyketh For all conscyence cast / or crafte as I trowe myldlych mede then r.emercyedmercyed theym all off theyr greyte goodnes and gaffe them echonne couvppesG.4.22: The corrector originally changed the as well as the <o> of coupes to a <v> but the resulting ascender of the second <v> has been semi-erased and a descender added to form a . off cleyne gold and peces coppis off syluver rynges wyth ruvbyes and rychesses many the leest man off theyr menye a moton off gold then laght they leuve / thys lordys at mede wyth that comen clerkes to comforten hyr the same & byddenbeden hyr be blyth for we be thye owen for to worche þi wyll þe wyle we mayþow myȝte last hendelychG.4.29: A superscript <e> has been written above and just to the right of the <d> of hendelych in the same ink as the main body of the text (this has been transcribed as the second <e>). In addition, there appears to have been a later attempt to improve the loop of the <d> in blacker ink. she then byhyght them the same to louven theym leally and lordes to make and In in þe constorye at the couvrte do call theyre names shall no lewdnes let þe lede / that I louve that he ne worth furst awauvnced for I am well knoenwel beknowebiknowen there konnyng clerkes shall clokken byhynde then cam there a confessor coped as a frere to mede the meyden he mouvthedmellud thes wordes and sayd full softlye In shryft as ytt were thoght lewde men & leredlered men had lyen by the bothe and falsnes had folowydyfolwed þe þisal þisG.4.39: All A manuscripts share the G F reading þis (for remaining B manuscripts al þis). fyftye wynter G.4.40: A pen change occurs here (newer and sharper). I shall assoyle the my-selffe for a seyme off weyte and also be thy beydman & beyre well thy message amongest knyghtes & clerkes conscyence to torne then mede for hyr myssdedes to that man kneled and shroove hyr off hyr sr shrodenes shameles I trowe told hym a tale & toke hym a noble For to ~~byn~~beG.4.46: The script of added be is more angular than that used by the original scribe and it seems probable that it the addition was made by WH (see, e.g., marginalia at ff.69v

and 70r

. hyr beydman & hyr bauvdG.4.46: The change from to <v> resulting in bavd is in a different ink from that of similar changes and the form of the <v> is more elaborate. afterbrokour als then he assoyled hyr sone & sythen he seyde wehe / G.4.48: It is impossible to be certain whether the original here read whe or who. hauve a wyndow In glasyngwirchyng wolle sytten vs vs ful ~~heye~~in hie cost heigh G.4.48: The script used for added in hie cost is more angular than that normally used by the original scribe, and seems to be closest to that of WH. See Introduction I.10 and I.12. woldest þou glasse that gable & grauve therynne thy name syker shuvld þi souvle be heyuven to hauve wyst I that quod that wommanG.4.51: The final stroke on the <n> of womman appears to be a flourish rather than a final -<e>. I wold not spare For to be your frend frere & Fayle you neuer wyle ye louve lordes that leychery havnten and lacke nonouȝt ladyes that louve well the same It ys a freylte off flesshe ye Fynd ytt yn bokys and a couvrs off kynd wheroff we coemmen all wo may skape the ~~sklandre~~ G.4.57:The scribe originally omitted the <l> of sklandre, added it but then decided to delete and rewrite the whole word. sklandre þe schathe ys sone amendyd ytt ys synne off the seyuven þe sonestsonnest relessed hauve marcy quod mede off men that ytt havnten and I shall couereG.4.60: The final <e> of couere may have been re-outlined. your kyrke your cloyster do maken walles Wowes do wythenG.4.61: The spelling wythen may be an error (the Bx reading is "whiten"), but given the large number of possible spellings for "white" (including forms with <th> for <t>) this cannot be assumed. See OED white, a. and wyndowes glasen do peynten & portrenG.4.62: The form portren may possibly be an error for purtraye (the majority B reading) but the existence of a past participle portred="portrayed" (see MED portred ppl.) suggests that G's may well have been a legitimate form of the infinitive. & pay for the makyng that euery segge shall sey I am suvster off youvr houvse butAc god to all gode menfolke suyche wrytynggrauynge defendyth to wryten In wyndowes off theyre~~yll dedes~~ well dedys for pryde ysOn auenture pruyde be pentyd there & pompe off the world andFor cryst knoyth thy conscyence & thy kynd wyll and thy coste & thy couvetyse & wo the catell ought forthy I lere you lordes leuveth suoyche workes to wryten In wyndowes off your well dedes or to greden after godesmen when ye deyle doles In An auentuvre ye hauve youvr hyre here & youvr heyuven hals Nesciat sinistra quid faciat dextra et ceteradextra let not thy left haluve late ne rathe wytt wat ye worchethþow worchest wyth theþi ryght syde For thys þus G.4.76: G's thys may be simply a variant spelling of "thus" (the reading of remaining B manuscripts). See LALME 4.315, and note similar spellings at G.14.435, G.16.148, G.16.302, G.19.415, G.20.156. byddyth the gospell good men done þer almes meryres & macesmaceresG.4.77: The G form maces may result from the omission of the abbreviation for er (cf. the majority B reading maceres), but note that mace can mean "a mace-bearer," see OED macen.2 2.b., where the earliest recorded example is in 1525. that meynes be betwene the kyng & the commuvnescomuneG.4.78: All A manuscripts except N Ra K J have the plural "commons" (as G O C2 F). Remaining B manuscripts have the singular. to kepe the lawes to punvnysshenpu[n]nysshen on pylloryes & pynyng stoles brewsters & baksters bochers & kokes for thes are men on thys mold þat most huvrteharme worchen to the pore people that percellmeyle beggen buggen G.4.82: The G Hm form beggen (for remaining manuscripts buggen) may simply be a variant spelling of "buy," but confusion with "beg" is clearly possible. for they poysen the poeple pryuyleche & oft they rysenrychen thruvgh regratrye & rentes them byggen wyth that þe poere poeple shuvld puvtt In theyre wombeswombe For tooke they ..not þei on G.4.86: Kane and Donaldson read the word overwritten with not as "on" but this is not at all clear. vn-truely trewly G.4.86: The addition of un- to original truely brings the G reading into correspondence with that of H. Remaining B manuscripts read trewly. A number of A and C manuscripts also include the word "untruly." they ~~the~~ tymbred not so hye ne boght no buvrgagys bybe þeȝeG.4.87: Kane and Donaldson take G's reading to be "ye" rather than þe. However, although <y> and <þ> have the same form in G, the scribe does not normally have superscript <e> where a <y> is intended. See the scribal alteration to G.4.351 and note. certeyneful certeyne butAc mede the meyde þe meyre hath besoght off all suoyche sellers syluver to take or presentes wyth-oute pence as peces off siluver rynges or other rychesesricchesse regratyersþe regrateres to meynteynge For my louve quod that ladye louve theym echonne & suvffer theym to sell somedeale a-geynst reyson salomon the sage a sermon he made toFor to amend meyrys & men þat kepe lawes and told theym thys teeme þat I tell thynke Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera amongest thes lettered menledes thys laten ys to meyne that fyre shall fall & brenne all to blo asshes the houvses & hoomesþe homes off theym that dysyren gyftes or yers gyftesG.4.101: Kane and Donaldson's reading of G at this point (yersgyues rather than yers gyftes) is incorrect. be cauvse off theyre offyces The kyng from thefro þefro covncell cam & called after mede and dyd seecheofsent hyr swytheas swiþe wyth sergeantes many that broghten hyr to bouvre wyth blysse & wyth Ioy courtyslyche the kyngkynge þanne gynnethcomsed to tell thentelle to mede the meyde mouvthedmelleth thes wordes vnwyttyly woman wroght hast thow oft butAc wors wroghtest þou neuer then whenþo þou fals tooke but I forgyve þe that gylte & grauvnte the my grace from hennes Hennes G.4.110: The script of the added from resembles that found in the note at the top of on f.106v.

For other marginal additions by hand2 (i.e. "WH"), see marginalia on ff.69v,

70,

71,

72v,

and 103.

to thy detheday do thowdoG.4.110: The majority of A manuscripts share the G H reading do thow (for most manuscripts do). so no more I hauve a knyght conscyence cam late fro byȝonde yff he wyllwilneth the to wyffe wyll thow hym hauve G.4.113: The word ye has been crossed out and "that" written in the margin and then partially erased. The word yea has then been inserted in the text. It seems likely that the incorrect marginal that has been written by hand2 (see material of 106v, which appears to have been written by "WH" who initials marginalia on ff.69v,

72v,

and 103,

and see also ff.70

and 71

). yeyea lord quod þat ladye ..G.4.113: The reading in F (oure Lord) suggests that the illegible addition which follows G's ladye may perhaps be intended to represent some form of "our." lord Forbed elles but I be hoolye att your heste thenlat hangieG.4.114: For the main scribe's treatment of class II weak verbs, see Introduction III.4.3. The corrector has presumably consulted the scribe's exemplar. me sone & thenG.4.115: G's original reading (without &), which is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson, corresponds to that of H and to the reading of all A manuscripts and all C manuscripts except Mc. Remaining B manuscripts share the corrected G reading. was conscyence called to come & appere before þe kyng & hys covncell clerkesas clerkesG.4.116: All A manuscripts except J K La share the G H reading (clerkes rather than as clerkes), and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. & other knelyng conscyence to the kyng he louvteda lowtid louted to wytt wat hys wyllG.4.118: The apparent double point (like a colon) following wyll does not appear to be intentional. were & wat he do sholde wylthowe wedde thys woman yffquod þe kynge ȝif I wyll assente sheFor she ys Fayne off þi Felawshyppe for to be thy make quod conscyence to the kyng cryst ytt me forbyd er I wedde suoyche a wyffe / wo me betyde for she ys Freyle off hyr Faythe fykell off hyr speche & maketh men mysdo many score~~ways~~ tymes In truvstTruste off hyr treasuore betreaythe treieth full many wyffys & wydowes wantennes teychythshe techeth & lernethlereth theym leychyrye that louven hyre gyftes your father she Falled thruvgh fals beheyste and hath poysonedapoysounde popes and peyred holye chuvrche Is nat a better bavde by hym that theme made betwene heyuven & hell In yerthe thogh men soght for she ys tykell off hyr tayle talwys off hyr tonge as comen as þeaG.4.133: All A manuscripts except U (which reads a) and D J (which omit) as well as all C manuscripts except Dc share the G H reading þe, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read a. carte-way to ycheche a knave that walkethe to monkes to mynstreles to meyselles In hegges sysours & somnors suyche men hyr preysen shreuvesShireues of shires were shent yff she ne were for she doth men lese theyr land & theyr lyuveslyf bothe she lettyth pas prysoners & paythe for theym offt & gyuvyth the gaylouvrgailersG.4.139: A number of A manuscripts, together with Cp share the G F H reading gaylour. Remaining B manuscripts have the plural. gold & grotes to-gedder to vnfetter the fals flee where hym lykyth & taketh the truve by the toppe & tyethe theymhym fast and hangeth theymhym for hatred that harme dyd neuer to be cuvrsed In constorye consistorie G.4.134: The G B R F reading constorye is simply a spelling variant of the majority B reading consistorie. Equivalent spellings are found in all A version manuscripts and in all C manuscripts except Rc (where ci has been added in another ink). she covnteth not a beynerusshe for she copeth þe comyssarye & cotethe hys clerkes she ys assoyled assone as hyr-selffe lykethe and mey nygh as moche do In a moneth ones as your secrete seale In syxscoresyx score days For she ys pryuvye wyth þe pope prouvysouvrs ytt knowen For syr symonye & hyr-selfe sellenselethG.4.149: Although the G scribe was clearly aware that single and double consonants could be used to indicate preceding long and short vowels, his practice in this respect was by no means consistent (see Introduction III.2), and it is therefore possible that, in G's case, the shared G H reading sellen (for most manuscripts seleth="seal") is simply a spelling variant. thehire buvlles she blessyth thes bysshopps thoght þei be lewde prouvendrethe persones & prestes meynteynnyth to hauve lemmanes & letebyesl[o]tebyes lotebies all theyr lyuve dayes & bryngen forth barnes ageynst forbyden lawes there she ys wele wyth the kyng wo ys the realme for she ys fauvorable to fals & fo.vletheG.4.155: The change to <v> which results in fovlethe is clear, but it is difficult to be certain of the original - possibly a <w>? truvethe offt by Iesu ihesus G.4.156: The G scribe often appears to use superscript <a> , as here, as a general mark of abbreviation. See Introduction IV.1.1. wyth hyr Iewelles youvr Iuvstecece she shendyth and lyeth ageynest þe law & letteth hym the gate þat Fayth may noght hauve ~~hys~~here his G.4.158: Added here is in black ink. The spelling is not that usually employed by the G scribe for "her" (he normally has hyr), and moreover the G scribe does not normally use long <r> plus flourish to indicate -re- (the only examples are at G.3.68 and G.6.269 where the <r>s appear to be later additions; see notes to these lines). It therefore seems probable that this addition has not been made by the original scribe and the more formal and upright script resembles that of WH (i.e. hand2). See marginal notes by WH on, e.g., ff.69v

and 72v

. Fortheforth here / flo.renzys floreines go so thyke she leydyth the lawe as hyr lyst & louvedayes maketh & doth men lese thruvgh hyr louve that lawe myght wynne the mase for a meyne man thogh G.4.161: The virgule present at this point is intended to separate the words thogh and he, i.e. it is not a metrical mark. he mootemote hirG.4.161: Nearly all A and C manuscripts share the G F reading moote, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read mote hir. euverG.4.161: Something very faint has been written at the bottom of the page: m or iii followed by S, h or 8. law ys so lordlyche and lothe to maken end wythowten presentes or pence she pleasethe well fewe barons & bugeysysbu[r]geysys burgeys G.4.164: For G's spelling bugeysys, see also also G.16.211. she bryngyth In sorowe and all þe commuvne In care þat couveyten to lyuvelyue In truvght For clergye & couvytesse she cowpleth to-gedders thys ys þe lyfe off that ladye / now lord gyuve hyr sorowe & all that meynten hyr men mychancemy[s]chance meschaunce þem bytyde for poere men may nothaue no powere to pleyne þem allthoghþouȝ they smerte suoyche a master ys mede amonge men off good then morned mede & menved mened G.4.171: The G corrector regularly replaces both and <n> with <v>, hence G meved, for most manuscripts mened. Cr shares the G reading, which Crowley probably drew from a G-related manuscript. See Introduction II.2.1.2. hyr to the kyng to hauve space to speke speede yff she myght the kyng granted hyr grace wyth a good wyll excuvse the yff þou canst I can no more seggen For conscyence accuvsethe þe to conguverecongeyG.4.175: G's reading conguere was presumably intended to be a form of "conjure" or conceivably "conquer," with the <y> of remaining B manuscripts congey misread as long <r>. the for euver nay lord quod that ladye leuveth hym þe worse when ye wytt wytterly where the wronge lyggeth ther þat myscheffe ys greyte mede may helpe & þou knowest conscyence I cam not to chyde ne deprauve thy persone wyth a prouvde herte well þou wast warnedwost wernard ~~b..~~G.4.181: The original here may also have been but, crossed out and rewritten because it was blotted. but yff þou wold wolt gabbe þou hast hangen on my haluve eleyuven tymes and also gryped my gold &goldeG.4.183: All A manuscripts except J La E N Ma share the G B F reading gold &, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts lack &. gyuven ytt where þe lyked & why þou wrathest þe now wondre me thynkethynketh yet I may as I myght menske the wyth gyftes and meyntenge þi manhood more þen thow knoest butAc þou hast famed me Fouvle before þe kyng here for kylled I neuer no kyng ne conseled ther-after ne dyd as þou demest I do ytt on the kyng In normandy was he noght noyed for my sake butAc þou þi-selffe sothly shamedest hym offt crope In-to a cabyne for cold off thye neyles wendest þou thatþat wynter wold hauve lasted euer & dredest to be deyde for aG.4.194: This letter (<a>) may have been rewritten because the original was blotted. a dymme clowde and hyedest homward for honger off þi wombe wyth-owt pyte pylouvr poere men thow robebdestG.4.197: Though the G scribe's use of double and single consonants is a somewhat unreliable guide to the length of the preceding vowel, he was clearly aware of the practice of using a double consonant to indicate a preceding short vowel (see Introduction III.2) and it seems likely that this alteration was made for this reason. & bare theyr bras onatG.4.197: All A manuscripts except La and K share the G H reading on (for remaining B manuscripts at). thy backe to caleys to sell there I lafte wyth my lord hys lyuve for to sauve I made hys men merye & mouvrnyng lett I battred theym on the backe & bolded theyre hertes and dyd theym hoppe for hoope to hauve me att wyll had I bynne marcyall off hys men by mary off heyuven I dorste hauve leyde my lyfe & no lesse wedde he shuvld hauve bene lord off that land In lenght & yn breyde & also kyng off þat kyth hys kynne for to helpe the leest brolle off hys blouode a barouns pere cowardlyche þou conscyence couvnceyldest hym thence to leyuven hys lordshyp for a lytuvll syluver that ys the rychest realme that reyne ouer-houvethe ytt becommyth ato a kyng that kepeth a realme to geuve mede to men þat mekelych hym seruven to alyens & to all men to honore þem wyth gyftes mede makyth hym belouved & for a man holden emperouvrs & el erles and all maner lordes for gyftes hauve yong men to renne & to ryde the pope & all thealle plrelates presentes vndrefongen and medethe men hym hem -seluvenG.4.217: The majority of A manuscripts have some form of "himself," as G Bm, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts have some form of hem-seluen. to meyntegne hyshere lawes sergeantesG.4.128: The B manuscripts are divided between "servants" and "sergeants," as are the C manuscripts. The majority reading in A is "servants." for theyre seruvyce we see well þe sothe take mede off theyr masters as þei mowe accorde beggers for þer beddyngbiddyngeG.4.220: The G reading beddyng may just be a spelling variant of remaining manuscripts biddynge. See note to G.3.56. bydden men mede mynstrelles for þer myrthe mede they aske the kyng hath mede off hys men to make peas In land men that teychen chyldre crauve off theym mede prestes þat preychen ~~chyldre~~ the poeple G.4.224: Examination of ascenders and descenders and the direction of loops suggests that the scribe picked up "chyldre" from the previous line. ttoG.4.224: The corrector adds a virgule after poeple in order to separate words. It runs through the original <t> of "to" and an extra <t> has therefore been added. good asken mede & masspence and theyre meyte att the meyle tymes allAlkynnes craftyescraftes crafty G.4.226: Note the similar correction of craftye to craftys at G.7.70. men crauven mede for theyr prentyces marcheantes & mede mote nede go to-gedders no wyght as I wene wyth-ouvte mede may lyuve quod þe kyng to conscyence by cryst as me thynketh mede ys well worthy the mastry to hauve nay quod conscyence G.4.231: The <c> in the middle of conscyence merges with the <s> and can only just be discerned as a separate letter. to the kyng & kneled to þe yerthe there are too maner manere of medes my lord wyth your leyuve that on god g off hys grace grauvnteth In hysbr blysse to tho that well worchen / wyle þei bene here the profette preychyth theroff & puvtt ytt In the sawter B domine quis habitabit In tabernaculo tuo & cetera lord wo-so dwellethshal wonye In thy blyssewones & wyth thyn holye seyntes or resten In thy holye hylles thys asketh dauvid & dauid assoyleth ytt hym-selffe as the sawter tellethe qui Ingreditur sine macula et operatur Iusticiam tho that entren off on colouvr & off on wyll and hathhan wroght workes wyth ryght & wyth reason and he þat vseth noght þe lyffe off vsuvrye and enfouvrmethe poere men & pouvrsueth truvght qui peccuvniam suam non dedit ad vsuriamvsuram vsuram/ et munera super Innocentem non accepit innocentem &c / & all that helpen the Innocent & holden wyth þe ryghtfull wyth-owte mede dothe theym goode & the truvght helpyth suoch maner off menmen shallmy lorde · shal hauve þis fuvrste mede off god attat a greyte nede when they gonne hence there ys a-nother mede meysuvrles þat maystres desyren to meyntegne myssdoers mede they take and theroff sayth the sawter In a salmes ennde In quorum manibus Iniquitates sunt dextra eorum repleta est muneribus and he þat grypyth hyr gold so me god helpe shall abyen ytt bytterlyebittere or the booke lyethe prestes & persons that pleysyng desyren that take mede & money for masses þat þei syngen taken theyre mede here as mathew ws teychythe amen amen dico vobisdico vobisamenG.4.259: The G Hm reading amen amen dico vobis results from correction in Hm (the addition of dico vobis over an erasure). F H read Amen dico vobis. Remaining B manuscripts read Amen amen. recipiebant mercedem suam . that laborenlaboreres asand low folke taken off theyre masters ytt ys no maner mede butt a meysuvrable hyre In marchandyse ys no mede I may ytt well awowe ytt ys a permuvtacyonpermutacioun apertly a penypenyworth for a-nother butAc reddest þou neuer regum thow recrayed mede sauvle Initial <s> of original saul is cropped. why þe wenIance fell on sauvlle andand on hys chyldren god sent to sauvl by samuvell the proffette that agag &ofG.4.267: The original O reading & (a reading shared with G Cr1 and F) has been corrected to of (the reading of remaining B manuscripts) by the original scribe. amnnalesamaleke & all hys poeple after shuold dye for a dede that done had theyre eldres forthy seyd samuvell to sauvl godgod hym-self þe hotethehoteth the be buxome at hys byddyng hys wyll to fulffyll wend vn-to amalesto amalec with þyn oost & þatal thatwhat þou fyndest þer sley ytt buarnes Biernes G.4.272: A line has been added in brown ink closing the top of the of burnes so that it now reads barnes. Even so, this could still be just a spelling variant of "burns"="men," although it seems more likely that the word has been misinterpreted as "barns" (for housing the beasts). & bestys buvrne theym to dethe wydowes & wyuves wommen & chylderen mouvebles & vnmouvebles & all þat þou maymay þeremyȝte fynd brenne ytt beyre ytt noght a-way be ytt neuer so ryche For mede ne for money looke thow dystroye ytt spyll ytt & spare ytt noght thow shalt spede the better and for he couveytyd theyr catell & the kyng spared Forbare hym & hys beystes both as the byble tellethewitnessethG.4.279: The majority of A manuscripts share the G F reading tellethe (for most B manuscripts witnesseth). other-wyse then he was warned off the profette god sayd to samuvell that sauvl shuvld dye and all hys seede for that synne shamfuvllycheshenfullich ende suoych a myschefe mede made ~~sale~~ sauvl þe kyng to hauve that god hatedG.4.284: Though the <a> of hated is touched in red ink, there is no reason to think that this was intentional. hym for euer & all hys heyrs after the colouvrculorum off thys case kepe I not to tellshewe In An auentuvre ytt noyed men nonwe none end wyll I make for so ys thys world wente wyth theym þat hauve poyeare þat wo-so seyyth thehem sothesthem sothesG.4.288: A high proportion of C manuscripts read sothest (as G W), although in no case is the preceding word the. Most B manuscripts read hem sothes. ys sonest blamedyblamed I conscyence know thys for kyndwytt ytt me taghtme it tauȝte that reason shall reygne & realmes gouveren and ryght as agag had happen shall some samuvell shall sleyne hym & sauvl shalbeshal be blamed and dauid shalbeshal be dyademed & dauvnten þem all and on crystyen kyng kepen theym all shall no more mede be master as she ys nownoutheG.4.295: As far as G and Cr are concerned, the G Cr C2 H reading now for most manuscripts nouthe may well be a matter of date, since forms in -<th> died out at the beginning of the sixteenth century. See OED nowthe, adv. asAc louve & lownes & loyalte to-gedders thes shalbeshal be masters on mold truvght for toto sauve & wo-so trespaseth toayein truvght or takyth ageynst hys wyll loyalte shall puvtdon hym lawe & no lyfe eles shall no sergeant for hys here seruvyce weyre a sylken howue ne no pylouvr pelure G.4.301: G's reading pylour may simply be an alternative spelling of Bx pelure="fur" (the OED records the spellings pillour and piloure) but possibly the scribe misinterprets as the similar word meaning "plunderer," "robber," "thief," and if that is the case pylour is presumably thought of as a person paralleling sergeant in the previous line. In hys cloke for pleydyng attheat the barre mede off mysdoers maketh many lordes and ouer lordes lawes rewlethe the realmes butAc kynd louve shall comecome ȝit & conscyence to-gedders and make off law a laborer suyche louve shall rysearise & suoyche a peasce amonge the poeple & a perfett truvght that Iuves shall wene In theyre wytt & wax wondres glad that moses or messyas be coemmenG.4.308: The abbreviation mark for the first <m> of coemmen is an odd bar, curling from the top of the <m> over what appears to be a very small <e>. In-to theþis yerthe and hauve wondre In theyre hertes that men be so trewe all that beyren baselard brode sworde or launce axe other hacchett or any weypen elles shalbeshal be demed toto þe dethe but yff he do ytt smythye In-to sykell or to sythe to share or to cuvltre conflabunt gladios suos In vomeres & cetera eche man to play wyth a plouvgh pykespykoys or spadesspade spynne or spreyd donge or spyll þemhym-selffe wyth slouvghe prestes & persons wyth placebo to huvnte & dyggen dyngen vp-on dauid eche day to endtil eue huvntyng or hauvkyng yff any off theym vse hys boost off hys benefyce worthe benome hym after shall neyther kyng ne knyght constable ne meyre ouvere-leyde the commuvne ne to the couvrte somondesompne ne put theym In pannell to done theym plyght þer truvght but after þe dede that ys done on dome shall rewarde mercy or no mercymercy as truvght wyll recordeacorde G.4.326: A scribe has drawn a

flag-like sign in the left-hand margin. This sign also appears in the Table of Contents see f.101v,

and is clearly intended to enable the reader to find the passage referred to in the Table. As Benson and Blanchfield observe (Manuscripts, 42) there is a tendency for such marks to occur next to references to prophecy. See Introduction I.10. kynges couvrte & comen couvrte constorye constryeconsistorie G.4.326: The G R F reading constorye is simply a spelling variant of most manuscripts consistorie. See also G.4.143. All C manuscripts share the reduced spelling. & chapyterchapiteleG.4.326: The majority of C manuscripts share the G Cr reading chapyter (for most B manuscripts chapitele). all shall beene but on couvrte & on baron be Iuvstece then worth trew tonge a tydye man þat tened me neuver battayles shall non be ne no man beyre weypen & wat smyth þat .. any smythyes be smyten toþerwith to dethe non leuabit gens contra gentem gladium et cetera and er thys fortuvne fall fynde men shall the worste a profycye by syx sonnes & a shyppe & haluve a sheyffe off arowes & the mydell off a mone shall make the Iuves tuvrneto torneG.4.334: C shares the G R F reading turne, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read to torne. and sarazenes for þat syght shall synge gloria In excelsis For machomete & mede mysshape shall that tyme For melius est bonum nomen quam duitied[i]uitie diuicie multe & ceteramulte as Also wrooth as the wynde wexe mede In a wyle I kanne no laten quod she clerkes wottG.4.339: The second, added <t> of wott, which is in brown ink, makes use of the extended cross-bar of the original <t>. the sothe see what salomon seyyth In sapyence bokes that they that gyuven gyftes þe vyctoreye wynnen and mostemoche worshyppe had therwyth as holye wrytte tellethe honorem adquiret qui dat munera et cetera I leuveleue wel quodlady quod conscyence that thy laten be trewe buttAc þou arte lyke a ladye that redde a lesson onesce was omnia brobate[p]robate probate & that pleased hyr wellherte for þat leefelyne was no lenger att the leyfys end had she loked theþat other haluve & the leyfe tornvnedG.4.348: The corrector has probably erred here (reading the first <n> of original tornned as a ) but the result (torvned) is a possible Middle English spelling. she shuold hauve fonden fellfeleG.4.349: The reading of G and Cr, i.e. fell (which is clearly correct), is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read fele. G.4.349:It is not clear that the G scribe recognised the distinction between fell and fele, since he normally writes <fell> for fele="many" (see variants at G.10.77, G.11.222, G.11.402 etc.). That fele could be confusing for him is clear from G.16.336, where he interprets it as the verb "to feel," and there may well be other occasions where he reads it as the adjective "fell"= "fierce, deadly" etc., though this seems less likely in lines such as G.14.319, (where the reading is "felefold") and G.14.329 (where the reading is "fele times"). wordes folowyng þer-after quod bonum est tenete trught that texte made and so fared yeG.4.351: The scribe initially wrote superscript <e> but then crossed it out and replaced it with online <e>. Given the scribe's usual practice, it seems likely that the superscript version would imply an initial thorn, and would thus have resulted in the reading "the" rather than "ye." See note to G.3.118. madame ye couvld no more fynde toTho ye loked on sapyence syttyng In youvr stuodye þis texte þat ye hauve tolde were good for lordes butAc yeȝowG.4.354: In the case of Hm, ye (as G F) is written over an erasure. Most B manuscripts read ȝow. fayled a connyng clerke þat couvld þe leyfe tornewel turnehaue torned forAnd yff ye seke sapyence .G.4.355: The deleted letter may possibly an <o>; note that Cr reads <oft>. efte fynd shall ye þat folowythe a full tenefull texte to theyme that taken mede and that ys animam autem aufert accipientium et cetera and that ys þe tayle off the text off þatþat þatG.4.357: The readings þat (as G Hm Bm) and þat þat (as most B manuscripts) are both unsatisfactory. Kane and Donaldson adopt the reading þat teme. See The B Version, 201 for their comments. sheȝeG.4.358: In the case of M, the reading shared with G Cr1 W Hm H (i.e. she) appears over an erasure. Most B manuscripts read ȝe. shewyd that thogh we wynne worshyppe & wyth mede hauve vyctorye the soule that þe sowed taketh by so moche ys bonde explicit quartus passus de visione Cessethe seyythe the kyng I suvffer ye ȝow no lenger ye shall saghtell forthefor the for sothe & seruve me bothe kysse hyr quod the kyng to kynge conscyence I hoote nay by cryste quod conscyence congey me rather but reason rede me there-to rather wole I dye I And I commauvnde G.5.6: The <n> of "command" has in fact three minims, the result of characteristic carelessness in this matter on the part of the original scribe. the quod þe kyng to conscyence then rape the to ryde & reason þou fecche commavnde hym þat he come my couvnseyle to here for he shall reuvle my realme & reyde me þe best and accouvnte wyth the conscyence so me cryste helpe how þou lernest the poeple þe lered & the lewde I am fayne off that forward sayde the freyke then & rydyth ryght to reason & rowneth In hys yere and seyde as the kyng bad & sythen toke hys leyuve I shall arrey me to ryde ride quod resoun rest the a whyle and called caton hys knauve couvrtes off speche and also thome trew tong tell me no tales no Ne leysynges lesyng to laghe off for I louved theym neuer and sett my sadle vp-on suffer / tyll I see my tyme and lett warrock hym well wyth wyttye wordes garthes and hang on hym the heyuvy brydle to hold hys heyde lowe for he wyll make wehe twyes er he comecomyt be there then conscyence on vppon G.5.23: All A manuscripts share the G H reading on, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read vppon. hys caple caryeth forthe faste and reason wyth hym rytt rounyng to-gedders wyche mastryes mede makethe on thys yerthe oon warryn wyssdome & wytty hys fere folowyd hym hem fast for they had to done In þe checker & þe in þe chancerye to be dyscharged off thynges and ryden fast for reason shuolde reyde theym the best for to sauve them for syluver from shame & from harmes and conscyence knew theym well þei louved couvetyse and bad reason ryde fast & reycche off them her neyther they Þere are wyles In þer wordes & wyth mede they dwellen there as wrothe wratthe G.5.34: The G spelling wrothe might conceivably reflect rounding after w plus r, but if so it would be an exceptionally early example; see Dobson, English Pronunciation, section 53 and note 7. It seems more likely that what we have here is a nominal use of the adjective, see OED wroth, n.1. & wrastylyng wranglyng ys þer wynne þei syluver but Ac there ys louve & loyalte they wole not come there contricio et Infelicitas In viis eorum et cetera they ne gyuve not off god a goose wynge non est timor dei ante oculos eorum et cetera for woote god they wold do more for a dozene chyckens or as many capones or for a seyme off otes then for the for louve off ouvr lord & or all hys leuve seyntes forthy reyson lett them ryde / the þo ryche by them-seluven for conscyence knoythe theym noght nonon ne cryst as I trowe and þen reason rode fast the ryght hygh gate and As conscyence hym kenned tyll he þei cam to þe kyng couvrteyslyche þe kyng then came ageynst reason betwene And bitwene hym-selfe & hys sonne sett hym on benche and wordeden well wysely a greyte whyle to-gedders and then came peas In-to parlement & puvt forthe a byll how wrong agaynst hys wyll had hys wyffe taken and how he rauvysshed rose reynaldes louve and margarett off hyr meydenhode mauvgre theyre here chekes both my gees & my gryses grys hys gadelynges fecchen I dare not for fere off theym hym fyght ne chyde he borowed oft mymy of me bayard he broght hym whom neuer ne no ferthyng therfore for ought that I I cowld pleyde he menteynyth hys men to morther my hewen Forstalleth my Fayrs & fyghtethe In my cheypyng and breykyth vp my barne dores & beyrythe a-way my weyte and taketh hym me by but a taylle off for ten quarters ootes yet And ȝet he bett me there þer-to & lyeth by my meyde I am not hardye for hym vnnethe to looke the kyng knewe he sayd sothe for conscyence hym tolde that wrong was a wyked luvst luft & wroght moche sorowe wrong was afeyrde then & wyssdome he soght to make peasce wyth hys pence & profered hym manye and seyde had I louve off my lord lorde þe kynge lytle wold I recche thogh peasce & hys power pleyned theym hym euver tho went wyssdome & syr warryn the wyttye for þat wrong had wroght ywrouȝte so wyked a dede & warned wrong tho wyth suoyche a wyse tale wo-so worchethe by wyll wrathe maketh offt I say ytt by my-selffe þou shalt ytt well fynd but yff mede ytt make þi myscheffe ys vppe for both þi lyfe & þi land lyeth bothe lyth In hyr his grace then wowed wrong wyssdome fuvll yerne to make hys peasce wyth hys pence In hand handi-dandi payed wyssdome & wytt þen wenten to-gedders & tooke mede wythe theym marcy to wynneG.5.79: There is a smudge in the right margin, but this comes from the following page. See note to G.5.118. peasce put forthe hys heyde & hys panne blodye wyth-owte gylt god yt woote gett gat G.5.82: Though preterites of "get" in <a> do occur in G (see, e.g., G.2.35), it seems likely that the form gett is also intended as a preterite, cf. the preterite in <e> at G.19.292. The G reading here is therefore probably not a substantive variant, even though most remaining B manuscripts read gat. I thys skathe conscyence & the commuvne knowen the sothe but Ac wyssdome & wytt where a-bowte fast to ouver-come the kyng wyth catell yff they myght the kyng sware by cryst & by hys crone bothe that wrong for hys workes shuold wo thole and commauvnded a constable to casten hym In yrenns and lett hym not thys seyuven yere seene hys fete onesce god woote quod wyssdome that were nat the best and he amendes mow make lett meymprysseG.5.90: For meymprysse with medial <m>, see note to G.3.198. hym hauve and be borowe for hys bale & byggen hym boote and so amend that ys myssdo & euer-more the better wytt accorded therwyth and seyde the same better ys þatG.5.94: The <þ> of þat has been altered in black ink, enlarging the head. boote bale a-downe bryng then baale be ybett / & boote neuer the better and then ganne mede Mede to meuve mengen hyr & mercy besoght and profered peasce a present all off puvre gold hauve þis man man of me quod she to amend thy scathe for I wole wage for wrong he wole do so no more pytyouvsly peasce then preyd to the kyng to hauve marcy off on þat man þat myssdyd hym offt so ofte G.5.101: In the case of M, the shared G M reading offt involves erasure and correction, and the original M reading may well have been so ofte (the reading of remaining B manuscripts). All A manuscripts except J share the G M reading, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. For he hath waged me well as wyssdome hym taght and I forgyuve hym þat gylt wyth a good wyll so that þe kyng assente I can sey no better ~~nay quod the kyng~~For mede hatheG.5.105: The form of the letters -ede in mede differs from that normally used by hand1 in the body of the text, but resembles that used in the more formal rubricated sections. See Introduction I.7. me amendys made made me amendes I may no more aske nay quod the kyng tho so me c.ryst G.5.106:Possibly the second letter of cryst was originally a 2-shaped rather than a long <r>. helpe wrong wendeth not so a-way or arst wil y wytt more For loope he so lyghlyeG.5.108: For "lightly" without medial <t>, see note to G.1.150. he laghen he wold and ofter efte G.5.109: The majority of A manuscripts read "oft" rather than ofter (as G) or efte (as remaining B manuscripts), and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. bolder þe balder be to beyte my men hewen but reason hauve ruvweth off on hym he shall rest In þe my stockes als And þat as long as he lyuvythe but lownes hym borowe some men redde reason tho to hauve rewthe off on þe þat ~~shewe~~G.5.112: An attempt has been made to correct shewe to shrewe before deletion and rewriting. shrewe & for to counseyle þe kyng & conscyence after that mede myght moste be meympernouvre reason þei besoght rede me not quod reason rewthe for to no reuthe to hauve tyll lordes & ladyes louven all trewthe and haten all harlotrye to here or to mowthe ytt a profycy The word profycy looks at first sight as if it may have been crossed out, but it is simply smudged. tyll pernelles puvrfyll be puvtt In huvr huvcche & chyldren charysshyng by be chastysyng wyth yerdes & harlottes holynes be holden for an hyne and Til clerkes couvetyse be to ch clothe þe poere & fede and relygyouvs romers recordare In theyr cloysters as seynt benett theym badde bernarde & frauvnceys and to til preychers plreychyng be proued off on theym-seluven tyll the kynges couvnceyle be the commuvne proffett tyll bysshopps byardes be beggers chambers theyre hauvkes & theyre houvndes help to pore rylygyouvse and tyll seynt Iame be soght there I shall assynge that no man go to gales but yff he go for euer and all rome renners for robbers byȝonde beyre no syluver ouer shey see G.5.131:The use of <sh> for <s> (in G shey, cf. most manuscripts see) probably reflects earlier Northern or East Midlands influence. See Introduction III.4.1 and Dobson, English Pronunciation, section 373 and notes. þat sygne off kyng shewythe nether grauve ne vngrauve gold nether syluver on Vppon forfatuvre off that fee who who-so G.5.133: A high proportion of A manuscripts share the G F reading who, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read who-so. fynd hym att douer but yff he be marchant or hys man or meysenger wyth letters prouvysour or preeste or penauvnte for hys synnes and yet quod reason by the rode I shall no rewthe hauve wyle mede hath the mastrye In thys mote halle but Ac I may shewe Insamples as I see other- whyles while I sey ytt by my- selffe self quod he & yff and G.5.139: Perhaps because the use of "and"="if" is confusing for him, the G scribe does sometimes have "and if" for B "and," as here. See also G.14.121 and G.15.29. At G.3.194, G.10.9 and G.18.243, G has "if" for "and." Occasionally these readings correspond to the readings of F or H (in this particular case, F shares G's original reading), but this is not always the case and such agreement therefore cannot be used as evidence of a relationship. ytt so were that I were kyng wyth crowne to kepe þe a realme shuold neuer wrong In thys worlde that I wytt myght bynne vnpuvnnyshed In my power for perell off my souvle ne gett my grace for gyftes so me god helpe saue ne for no mede hauve marcy buvt mekenes ytt make for nullum malum the man mett wyth Impunitum . and badde nullum bonum bene irremuneratum lett youvr confessor syr kyng constrew you thys þis vnglosed and yff you ȝe G.5.148: The vast majority of A manuscripts read "thou," which is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson and which may have given rise to the G reading you (with misreading of the thorn as a <y>). However, most B manuscripts read ȝe and it is worth remembering that the G scribe does employ "you" for the nominative plural elsewhere; see note to G.2.180. worchen that it worke in werke I wedde my heyrs that law shalbeshal be a laborer & leyde a-felde donge & louve shall leyde thy land as the leefe lykethe clerkes þat were confessouvrs couvpled theym to-gedders all to constrew thys clauvse for þe kynges profytt but Ac noght for comforte off þe comen ne for þe kynges souvle for I sygh mede In þe mote halle on men off lawe wynke and they laghyng loope to hyr & left reason many warren wyssdome wynked vpon mede & sayd madame I am your owen man wat so my mouvthe tellythe iangleth I fall In florenzys floreines quod þat freyke & fayle speche offte all ryghfullG.5.159:This spelling of "rightful" (without medial <t>) is recorded by the MED. For a similar spelling of "lightly," see G.1.150 and note. recorded that reason trewthe told and wytt accorded therwythe & commendyd hys wordes & þe most poeple In the hall & many off þe greyte and letten mekenes a maystrye maistre & mede a mansed ~~sre~~ shrewe louve lete off hyr lyght & loyalte yet lasse and sayd ytt so hye that all the halle ytt herd who-so wylnethe hyr to ~~welthe~~ wyffe / for welthe off hyr goodes but he beknowebe knowe for a cokewold kuvtt off my nose mede mouvrned tho & made heyuvy chere For the most comen off þat couvrte called hyr a hoore buvt Ac a sysouvr & and a somnouvr suvede hyr fast and a shreyuvys clerke beshrewyd all the rouvte Full For ofte hauve I quod he holpen you att the barre and yet gauve ye me neuer the worth off a rysshe the kyng called conscyence & after-ward reason and recorded that reason had ryghtfullyche shewed and modelyche vp-on mede wyth myght þe kyng loked and gan wexe wrothe wyth lawe for mede had nyghe almoste had shente ytt and seyde thruvghe your lawe lawe as I leuve I leese many cheytes mede ouermasterethe lawe & moche trewthe lettythe but Ac reason shall reyken wyth you yff I reygne any wyle and deme you by þis day as ye hauve deseruved mede shal not meympryce you by bi þe mary off heyuen I wole hauve loyalte yn lawe & lett be youvr al ȝowre Ianglyng and as most folke wyttnessyth wrong wel wronge shalbeshal be demed quod conscyence to þe kyng but þe commen assente wil assent ytt ys full herd by my heyd here-to / to bryng ytt all youvr leyge leedes to leyde thuvs euver euene by hym that raght on the rode quod reason to þe kyng but yff I reuvle thys þus G.5.188: For the G scribe's use of "this" for most manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. youvr realme rende ovte my guvttes yff ye byden boexomenes be off myne assente and I assente quod þe kyng by seynt marye my ladye by Be my couvnseyle comen off clerkes & off erles butt Ac reydylye reason þou shalt not ryde me fro fro me For as long as I lyuve leyuve lete þe I nyll I am all reydy quod reason to rest wyth you euver so conscyence be off of owre couvnseyle I kepe no better and I grauvnt quod the kyng god goddes G.5.196: Bm originally shared the majority B reading goddes but the inflexion was later erased, bringing Bm's reading into line with the G M Cr23 F H reading god. forbyd ytt fayle as long as our lyffe lastethe lyuve we to-gedders explicit quintus passus de visione G.5.197: The cross at the bottom right hand corner of the page is in modern pencil. The kyng & hys knyghtes to the kyrke went to here matyns off the day & the masse after then waked I off of my wynkyng & wo was wyth-all that I ne hadde slept sadder & seene yseiȝen more & Ac or I had faren a forlonge a fourlonge feyntnes feyntise me hente that I myght nomyth nouth ne myȝte fuorther ferther a foot for defauvte off slepyng and satt softlye a-downe & seyde my beleuve and so I babbeled on my beydes they brouvght me a-slepe and þen saghe I moche more then I before told I For I seghe the felde fuvll of for folke / that I ere bifore off sayde how And how reason gan arreyne hym all the realme to preache an and wyth a cros a-fore the kyng comsed þus to teychen he prouved þat theyre þise pestylences were for puvre synne and þe southewesteren wynd on sayterday att euvene was pertelyche for puvre pryde & for no poynte elles pyreys & plomtrees / were pvffedG.6.16: The <v> of pvffed may possibly be a correction; the scribe appears to have started to write a two-shaped <r> and then altered it. to the yerthe In ensample ye segges ye sholde do the better beeches & brode ookes were blowen to the grouvnde tuorned vpward theyre tayles In tokenyng off drede that dedely dedly synne ~~att~~ ar domesday / shall fordone theym all off thys matter I myght mamele full long but Ac I shall say as I saghe so me god helpe how pertly afore the poeple reason beganne gan to preyche he bad waster go worche watt he best couvlde and wynnen hys wastyng wyth some maner crafte he And preyyd pernell hyr puvrfell to lete and kepe ytt In hyr cofre for catell att nede hire nede G.6.27: The G F H reading nede (for remaining B manuscripts hire nede) is also the reading of Ax, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. thome stowue he taght to take two stauves and fecche Felyce hoome fro the wyuen pyne he warned watt hys wyffe þat wyf G.6.30: It seems possible that added þat is in the wrong place and that the G corrector meant to place it before hys, which would give a reading corresponding to that of B (the majority B reading is his). was to blame hyr Þat hire heyd was worth halffe a mare marke / hys hoode not a worth a grote and bad bette kuvtte a bowe other tweyne & bett kytone betoun therwyth but yff she wold worche & then he charged chapmen to chasten chastisen theyre chyldre lett no wynnyng theym wanye forweny wyle they be yonge ne for no post pouste G.6.36: G and Cr23 are alike in that they lack the final syllable (the e) of most manuscripts pouste (presumably the transcriber thought of the <e> as representing schwa rather than [i:]). off pestylence pleasse theym ovte nouȝte out off reason my syre seyd so to me & so dyd my dame that the leuvere chylde the more lore behouvethe and salamon seyde the same that sapyence made qui percit parcit virge odit filium et cetera filium the englysshe off thys laten ys wo-so wyll ytt knowe wo-so sparethe the spryng spylleth hys chydlldren & sythen he preyyde plG.6.43: Presumably the deleted <pl> is the result of failure to notice the abbreviation for re in prelates. Part of the <a> following the <l> also appears to be present. See following note. prelates & prestesG.6.43: The <r> of prestes is odd and may have started life as an <s>, once again, presumably, because of failure to notice the abbreviation mark. to-gydders that ~~they~~ ye preychen to the poeple prouve on it on yourseluven and dothe ytt In dede ytt shall drawe you to good G.6.45: The G scribe normally distinguishes between god="god" and good="good." See Introduction III.2. yff e ye wole ȝe lyuven as ye leyren vs we wyll shal leuve you þe better and sythen he radde relygyone theyr rewle to holde lest þe kyng & hysG.6.48: The <y> of hys is partly obscured by a brown ink stain caused by the alteration of brought to brovght on the previous page (at G.6.8). couvnceyle the commuvne ȝowre comunes apeyre and be stuerdes off your steedes to til ye be rewled better and sythen he counseylyd the kyng the commuvne to louve ytt ys thy tresouvr yff treyson ne were and tryakell att þi nede and sythen he prayyd the pope to hauve haue pyte off theof on holye churche and are he gyffe any grace goueren fuvrst hym-seluve and ye þat haue lawes to kepe lett trewthe be your couvytyse more then gold other gyftes yff ye wold wil god pleasse For wo-so contraryethe trewthe he telleth In the gospell that god knoweth hym noght ne no seynte In of heyuven amen dico vobis quia nescio nescio vos. & ye that seke seynt Iames & seyntes at of rome seketh seynt trewth for he may sauve you all qui cum patre et filio that fayre theym befall that shewenG.6.62: Remaining B manuscripts read suweth for G shewen. For the use of <sh> for <s> in G, see Introduction III.4.1. my sermon & thuvs sayd reyson then ranne repentance & rehersed hys teeme and gerte wyll to wepe water wyth hys eyene superbia PeronelleG.6.65: Note the combination of barred <l> and final <e> in Peronelle. prouvde herte platte hyr to the yerthe and leye long or she loked &G.6.66: The top half of the ampersand is not visible and has to be inferred. lord mercy cryed and byhyght to hym that vs all made she shuolde vnsowen hyr serke and sett there aG.6.68: There seems to be no particular reason for the deletion of <a>; the letter is not blotted. an heyre to affayten hyr flesshe that freyle fierce was to synne shall neuer heghe herte me hente but holde me lowe and suoffer to be myssayde and so dyd I neuer but now wyll I meke me & mercy byseche for all thys I hauve hated In my herte luxuria then lychouvre seyd alas & on our ladye cryed he cryed G.6.74: Kane and Donaldson adopt the G Hm O C2 H reading cryed (for remaining B manuscripts he cryed). No A or C version manuscripts have he. to make mercy for hys myssdedes betwene god & hys souvle wyth þat he sholde þe saterday seyuven yere þer-after drynke but myd the doke & dyne but onesce Inuidia enuvye wyth heyuvy herte asked after shryffte and carefullyche mea culpa he comsed to shewe he was was as pale as a pelet In þe palsye hym he semed & clothed In a kauvrymauvrye I couvld ytt not dyscryuve In kyrtell & couvrtyby and a knyffe by hys syde off a freres frocke were þe forsleues and as a leeke . hadde ~~i lye l~~G.6.84: The scribe first decided to emend to i-lye by supralinear addition, but then crossed the whole thing out and re-wrote. I-lye long yn þe sonne so loked he wyth leyne chekes lowryng fouvle hys ladye body was bolle to-bolle for wrathe that he boote hys lyppes wryngyng And wryngynge he went ȝede wyth þe Fyst wreyke to wreke hym-selfe he thoght wyth workes & or wordes with wordes when he seghe hys tyme eche Eche a word þat he werped warped warpe was off a neddres tong off chydyng & off chalengyng was hys cheffe lyuvelode wyth bakbytyng & bysmer & beyryng fals of fals wyttnes thys was was al hys couvrtysye where þat þat euere he shewed hym I wold be shryuve quod thys shrewe & I for shame dorste I wold be gladder by god þat gybbe had myschance then I þouȝe I had thys weeke wonne ywonne a weye off essex chesse I hauve a neyghbouvr nye me I hauve anoyede hym oft & lyen on hym to lordes to done hym leese hys syluver and made hys frendys hys ben his foone / thrugh my fals tong hys grace & hys good happes greuved greueth me full sore betwene many & many I make debate oft that both lyffe and lymme ys lost thruvgh my speche and when I mete hym In merkett þat I moste hate I haylsedhalsyd hailse hym hendelyche as I hys frende were for he ys dooghtyer then I I dare do non other but Ac had I maystrye & myght god wott my wyll and when I come to the kyrke & shold knele to þe rode and prey for þe pepole as the prest teychyth for pylgrymes & and for palmers & for all the poeple after then I crye on my knees that cryst gyuve hym hem G.6.109: G Cr hym, rather than the majority B reading hem, is clearly correct. There is confusion in the A manuscripts too, but a high proportion read "him," and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. sorowe that bare a-wey my bolle & my broken shete away from þe awter then torne I myn eyne & behold how hellen hath a new cote I wysshe þat þanne ytt were myne & all the webbe after off And of menes lesyng I lagh that lyketh my herte & for theyr wynnyng I wepe & weyle the tyme and deme that þei done yll / where þere I do well worse wo-so vndremoiynethe me me here-of I hate hym deydly after I wold that eche a wyght were my knave for wo-so hath more then I þat angreyth me sore & thys þus G.6.120: For the G scribe's use of "this" for "thus," see note to G.4.76. I lyuve louveles lyke a lyther dogge that all my bodye bolneth For bytter off my gall I myght not eyte many yers as a man oghte For enuvye & euvell wyll ys euvell to defyen mey no suvker ne swete thyng swage asswage my swellyng ne no dyapenidyon dryuve ytt from my herte ne neyther shryffte ne shame but wo-so sharpe schrape my mawe yes reydyly quod repentance & d radde hym to the best sorow off synnes ys saluvatyon off sowles I am sorye quod þat segge I am am but seld other that And þat maketh me thys þus G.6.130: For the G scribe's use of "this" for "thus," see note to G.4.76. meygre for I I ne may me not wenge venge a-mong buvrgeysys hauve I bynne dwellyng att london and made gert backbytyng be a broker to blame mennes ware when he sold & y noght then was I reydy to lye on and to loure on my neghbouvr & to lacke hys chaffeyre I wyll amend thys yff I mey thruvgh þe þorw myght off god allmyghtye Now awaketh wrathe wyth too wyte eyne Ira & sneuvelyng nyuelynge wyth þe nose & the his necke hangyng I am wrathe quod he I was some-tyme a frere and the couventes gardener for gryften for to graffe G.6.139: Forms of "graft" with <t> (as G gryften beside remaining manuscripts graffe) are first recorded by the OED at the end of the fifteenth century (see OED graft, v.1). yp ympesG.6.139: There is a superscript over the <y> of ympes. on lymytouvrsG.6.140: The alteration of lymytours to lymytovrs is in the original grey-black ink rather than the brown ink of most to <v> changes, and it therefore appears to have been made by the original scribe at the time of writing and not as part of his later corrections. Note that the original is not well formed - there is only one minim - so this may be the reason behind the change. & lysters leysynges I ymped tyll they bare leyuvys off low speche lordes to pleasse and sythen they blossomed a-broode In bower to here shryftes and now ys fall there þer-of a frrvyte þat folke hand han G.6.143: A loop and tail have been added to the <n> of original han in brown ink, probably by hand1.1 (giving had). Compare the resultant <d> with the <d> written by the scribe as part of his original transcription at the end of the first line on f.17v

and with the <d> added by hand1.1 (i.e. the same scribe, making later corrections) at G.6.89. well leyuvere showe theyr shryftes to them then þan shryue to theyre persouns & now persones hauve perceyuvyd that freresG.6.145: It is unusual for the G scribe to write <fr> (as in freres) without a long <r>, but the use of a 2-shaped <r> at this point is probably due to the fact that the addition lacks space. parte wyth theyme thees possessyoners preyche & deprauve the freres freres & freres fynden theym In fauvte defaute as folke beyre wyttnes that when they preyche the poeple In manye places abouvte I wrath walke wyth theym & wysse them off my bokes thuvs theG.6.150: The form the is the unstressed form of the pronoun "they." See also note to G.2.164 and the readings at G.6.195, G.12.235 etc. speken off my spiritualte þat eyther dysspyseth other tyll þei be both beggers & by my spiritualte ~~lywbben~~G.6.151: The scribe clearly did not immediately recognise lybben, which is a predominantly western form, and he appears to have written some other letter, possibly <w> for double . He then abandons this and writes what is presumably his own form lyven. lyven or eles all ryche & . ryden a-bowte I wrath rest neuer þat I ne mvste folowe thys wyked folke for suoyche ys my grace I haue an auwnte to nonne & an abbesse bothe hyr had were leyuer swone swowe G.6.156: G's reading could conceivably be swoue, which would correspond to the reading of most B manuscripts. However, G uses "swoon" elsewhere, where his reading cannot be in doubt (see G.15.339 and G.19.59). The verb "swow" is unusual and is not recorded by the OED after Langland (see OED swow, v.1). or swelte þen suffer any peyne I hauve bynne koke In þe hir kechyne and the couvent seruved manye monvthes monthes wyth theym & wyth monkes bothe I was þe pryoresse portagerpotager potagere & other poere ladyes and made þem Iowetes off Ianglyng þat dame Iohan was a bastard and dame claryce a kynges knyȝtes doghter a And a kockwold was hyr syre & dame peronell a prestes fyle pryoresse worthes worth she neuver For she had chyld In cheryetyme all our chapter ytt wyst off wykked wordes I wrathe theyre wortes made tyll þou lyest & þou lyest lopen ovte att onesce & eyther hytt other vndre-neythe vnder the cheeke had they had knyuves knyues bi cryst eyther had kylled other seynt gregory was a goode pope & had a good forwytt that no pryoresse were preest for that he ordened þei had ben euvell losed þanne ben infamis for þe firste day þei can can so heyle no yuel hele couvnseyle among monkes I mot miȝte be but ac many tymes tyme I shony for þer be many fell freykes my feres to aspye both pryouvr & subpryouvr & ouvr pater abbas & yff I tell any tales they taken theym to-gedders and do me fast frydays to breyde & to water & And am chalenged In in þe chapterhouvse as I a chylde were & baleced on þe bare arsce & no breche betwene Forthy I hauve haue I no lykyng wyth tho leedes to wonne I eyte þer vnthend fysshe and feble ale drynke but Ac other whyle when wyne comythe when andþanne I drynke wyne it at euve I hauve a fluvx or of G.6.181: The Bm reading "or" (as also G) is over an erasure. Most B manuscripts read of. a fouvle mouvthe well .v.fyue days after all þe wykkednes þat I woott by any off your owre brethren I cowthe couth it yn your owre cloyster þat all your theowre couvent woote ytt now repent quod þe quod repentance & reherce thow neuer couvnseyle þat þou knowest by couvnteynance ne by nyght riȝte & drynk not ouer dylycately ne to deepe nother that thy wyll be cauvse thereoff to wrathe mygheG.6.187: The spelling myghe is not necessarily an error; the OED records migh as a sixteenth century form of the past indicative and subjunctive of the verb "may" (OED may v.1, Spellings.4). torne esto sobrius he seyde and assoyled me after & bad me welne to wepe my wykednes to amend And then cam couvetyse can I hym noght dyscryuve auaricia so hongerly & holowe syr henry heruy hym loked he was bettell-browed & blabber baber -lyppedG.6.192: According to the OED, the combination "blabber-lipped" occurs first in 1483 (OED blabber, a.). also wyth too bleyred eyne as a blynd hagge and as a leythren puvrsce lolled hys chekes well sydder þen hys chyn theG.6.195: The form the is a weak form of the pronoun "they;" see also G.6.150, G.12.235. cheuveled for elde as And as a boundman off hys bacon hys berd was bedrauveled wyth a hoode on hys heyde a losye hatt abouve and In a tawny tabberd off tweluve wynter age all to-torne & bawdye & full off lyes crepyng but yff if þat a lowse couvlde hauve lopen the better she shold noght hauve walked theronG.6.201: The Bx reading for G theron is "on þat welche" ("welche"= "Welsh flannel"), but this causes trouble for the scribes and is found only in L and R. M, Cr1 and W have "welthe" for "welche;" Cr23 has "welte;" and most of the remaining manuscripts have either "there" or, as in G, "thereon." so was ytt threde-bare I hauve byn couvetyng coueytouse quod thys keytyffe I beknowe ytt here for some-tyme I seruved symme att h the style and was hys prentys plyght ypliȝte hys profytt to weyte Fuvrste I lerned to lye a leeffe other tweyne wyckedlyche to wey was my fuvrste lessone to wye & to wynchester I went to the feyre wyth many maner merchandyse as my master me hyght ne had þe grace off gyle gonne among my chaffer ytt had byn vnsolde þis seyuven yere / so me god helpe then drew I to me amonges drapers my donett to lerne to drawe þe lyst lyser G.6.212: A high proportion of A manuscripts share the G F reading lyst, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read lyser. a-long the lenger ytt semed among þe ryche reyes I rendered a lesson to broche theym wyth a packnelde & plett playte þem to-geddres and puvt theym In a presse & pynned theym therynne tyll .xen.ten yerdes or .xijffe.twelffe had told owte thyrtene my wyffe was a webbster webbe & wollen clothe made she spake to spynsters to spynnen ytt owte but Ac the pownd that she payyde by paysed a quvartren more then myne owne auvncer / wo-so weyyd trewthe I boght hyr berly malte she brewed brewe G.6.221: According to the OED, the strong forms of the past tense of "brew" did not survive into the sixteenth century, hence G Cr brewed for remaining manuscripts brewe. to it to sell pennye ale & puvddyng ale she pouvred to-gedders For laborers & for low lowe folke þat ley by them-seluve þe best ale lyeG.6.224: The OED records lye as a possible fifteenth century form of the preterite of the verb "to lie." Remaining manuscripts have lay. See also G.14.21, G.17.266. In my bouvre or yn my bed-chambre and wo-so buvmmed theroff boght ytt there-after a galon for a grote god wote no lesse and yet ytt cam yn cvpmele þis craft my wyfe vsed rose þe regrater was hyr ryght name she hathe holden huv~~cce~~kkerye all hyr lyuve tyme but Ac I shrewe swere now so þe yk / þat synne vo wole I lete and neuer wykedlyche ~~way~~ wey ne falsce wicked chaffere vse and But wenden to walsyngam & my wyfe als and byd the rode off bromholem bryng me ovte off dett repentest thow euver quod repentance or restytuvcyon made onesce ȝus ones I was herbored quod heeG.6.235: F shares G's original reading (herbored for most manuscripts herberwed quod he). wythe a heype off chapmen I ros when they were att rest arest & ryfeled theyr males that was no restytuvtyon quod he repentance buvt a robbers thefte thow haddest bynne better worthy ben hanged therfore then for all þat þouat þouG.6.239: Cr23 Hm C C2 Y B share G's original reading (þat þou). Most remaining manuscripts share G's corrected reading (þat þat þou). hast here shewed afore / shewed I wend ryfuvllyng had bynwere restytuvtyon I quod he I lerned neuer on boke and can I can no frenche butt in feith but off þe farrest end off norfolke vsedest thowe euer vsuvrye quod he repentaunce In all thye lyuve tyme nay sothely he seyde sauve In my youvthe I lerned among lomberdes & Iwes a lessone to wey pence wyth a peyse and pare the heyuvyest & leyne ytt for louve off the crosse to lygge a wed & lesseG.6.246: The form lesse is probably just a spelling variant (remaining B manuscripts read lese="lose"). The G scribe does often use <ss> to represent /z/. See Introduction III.2. ytt suoyche dedes I dyd wryte yff he hys day breyke I hauve no mo maners thruvgh reragys þen thruvgh / miseretur et comodat I hauve lent lordes & ladyes my chaffer and ben þer broger after & boght ytt my-selfe eschanges & cheuvysances wyth suche chaffer I deyle and leyne folke that leese wole a lyppe att euery noble and wyth lomberdes letters I ledde gold to rome and toke ytt by teyle here here and tolde hem þere lasse Lentestow euere lordes for louve off hyr meyntenance yet hauve I Ȝe I haue lent lordes louved me neuer after and hauve made many a knyght knyȝte bothe mercer & draperG.6.256: G omits a line at this point ("Þat payed neuere for his prentishode · nouȝte a peire gloues"). hastowe pyte on pore men that most mote nedes borowe I hauve as moche pyte on powre men as pedder hath on of cattes that wold kyll theym yff he myght for couvetyse off þer skynnes art thow manlyche among þi neghbouvrs off meyte & drynke I am holden as hendeas heende quod he also hende quod he quod he as hende as homydeho[un]de hounde In is in the kechynne kychyne among my neghbouvrs namely suoyche a name I hauve god Now god lenve lene neuere quod repentance but þou repent the rather the grace off on thys grouvnd thy good welle to besette ne thy heyrs after þe hauve Ioy off þat þou wynnest and Ne thyne execuvtorsG.6.266: There may be hyphen after the <ex> of execvtors but it is difficult to be certain that this is not just the result of continuous writing. Hyphens are unusual in G. wyll wel besett þi þe syluer þat þou þow hem leyuvest and þat was wonne wyth wrong wyth wycked men men be dyspende ytt despended for were I frere off that houvse þer goode faythe & charyte ys I nold cope vs wyth thyere þi G.6.269: It is possible that the <r> plus flourish which completes the word thyere in G may be a later addition: it appears to have been squashed in, leaving no room between words. catell ne ouvr kyrke amend ne hauve a pennye to my pyttance so god of þyne bi my souvle helpe hele For þe best boke yn ouvr houvse thoghe gold brent golde were the leyuvys and And I wyst wytterly þou were swyche as thowe tellest seruus es alterius cum sercula[f]ercula pinqua pinguia queris pane tuo pocius vescere liber eris thow art art an vnkynd creatuvre & I kan the noght assoyle tyll þou make restytuvtyon & rekne wyth theym all and sythen þat reason rolle ytt In þe regestre off heyuven tyllFor til That þou hast made eche man goode I may þe noght assoyle non dimittitur peccatum donec restitueatur ablatum for all that hauve off thy goode hauve god my troghe be holden att the heye dome to helpe þe to restytuvte restitue and wo-so leuveth not thys be sothe loke In the sawter boke glose In miserere mei deus where I meane trewthe ecce enim veritatem dilexisti et cetera. shall neuer workeman werkman in þis worlde thryuve wyth þat thowe wynnest cum sancto santussan[c]tus sanctus eris constrewe me þat yn on englysshe then waxt þat ~~sre~~ shrew In wanhope & wold hang haue hanged hym-selfe ne had repentance rather þe rather comforted reconforted hym In thys manere hauve mercy In þi mynd & wyth thy mouvthe beseche ytt for goddes mercye ys more þen all hys other werkes and all the wykkednes In þis world þat man myght myȝte worche or thenche ys Ne is no more to þe mercy off god then In þe see a gleede onniso[m]nis Omnis Iniquitas quantum ad misericordiamG.6.293: For the G scribe's use of superscript <a> (which appears as the abbreviation mark in misericordiam), see note to G.4.156 and Introduction IV.1.1. dei. est quasi sintilla In medio maris forthy hauve mercy In þi mynd & marchandyse louve leue ytt for thow hast no good grownde go to geyte þe wyth a wasteyle but yff ytt were wyth thy tonge or eles wyth thy þi two handes for þe good þat þou hast goten began all wyth falshed and as long as þou lyuvest thow þer-with þow yeldest noght but borowest and yff thow wytt ~~not~~ neuer to which ne whom to restytuvte restitue beyre ytt to þe bysshope & byd hym off hys grace bysett ytt hym-selfe as best ys for thye souvle For he shall answere for þe att þei þe G.6.303: The form þei for "the" is recorded by LALME in Warwickshire (LALME 4, item 1), so this may simply be a spelling variant. However, it seems more likely that it is a back spelling resulting from the frequent use in G of "the" for "they" (see note to G.6.150). heye dome For the & for many mo þat man shall gyuve a reykenyngG.6.304: Part of the <g> of reykenyng is missing because of cropping. watt he lerned you In lent leuve þou non other and And what he lent you off ouvr lordes goode to lett you fro synne CG.6.306: The letter <C> has also been written in the bottom right hand corner in modern pencil. Nowe bygynnyth gloton for to go to shryft gula and kayryth hym to the to kyrke-ward hys synnes coupe to shewe but Ac beton the brewster bad hym good morowe and asked off hym hym with þat wydderward he wolde to holye churche quod he for to here masse and sythen I wylbewyl be srhryuven & synne no more I hauve good ale gossep gossib quod she glottone wylt þou assey hast þou oght In thy puvrsce anye hoote spyces I hauve peppuvr and pyones quod he a and a pouvnd off garlycke a farthyng-worthe off feynell seede for fastyng-dayes then goyth glotone Inne & greyte othes after Cysse þe souvrseresse souteresse sat on þe benche watt þe werner & hys wyffe bothe thome Tymme& Tomme þe tynker & tweyne off hys prenteces prentis hycke þe hakneyman and huvgh the nedeler claryce off cokeslane & þe clerek off þe chuvrche daw þe dyker & a dozynne other syr pyers off pryde Pridie and puvelle Peronelle off flanders a rybybouvr a ratoner a raker off þe of cheype a roper a redyngkyng & rose þe dysshers dissheresdyscheredissheres douȝter godfrey off garlykhethe / & gryffen þe welche and vpholdres a heype / yerly by þe morowe gyuven gloton wyth glad chere good ale to hansell clement þe cobler cast off hys cloke & att þe newfayrenew fayre he neuenvedneue[n]ed nempned ytt to sell hycke þe hackneyman cast hitte hys hood after & bad bett þe bocher bene on hys syde þer were chapmen chose þis chaffre to pryce preise wo-so hauveth þe hoode shall shuld hauve a-mendes off þe cloke too rysen vp In þis in rape & romed rouned to-gedders and preysed þes penyworthes a-parte by theym-selffe þei couvldG.6.338: The <l> of "could" is blotted. not by þer conscyence acorden In trewthe tyll robyn þe roper aroose by the souvthe and nyuenvednyue[n]ed nempned hym for an nouvmpere þat no debate were nere hycke þe hosteler had þe cloke In couvenauvantG.6.342: An otiose superscript <a> has been added above the second <n> of "covenant" in brown ink. For treatment and use of superscript <a> in G, see Introduction IV.1.1. þat clement shall shulde þe coovppeG.6.342: The colour of the ink suggests that this particular correction of coope to covpe has been made by hand1 as part of his original transcription. fyll & hauve hyckes h..oode hosteler & holden hym seruved & wo who þat who-so repented rathest shuvld aryse after and grett syr ..G.6.345: As far as the deletion after syr is concerned, it seems possible that the scribe began to write <pyers> as at G.6.324. gloton wyth a galon off ale ale there was laghyng & lowryng & lett go þe cuppe & sytten seten G.6.347:The G Cr R form sytten has been recorded as a variant reading (most B manuscripts read seten) because it may be in the present tense. However, preterites with medial i/y are possible. See MED sitten (v.). Though Cr23 share the G R spelling, their reading differs in other ways (they read so sytten they, cf. C Y so setyn þey). See also G.6.538. so tyll euvensong & songen some-wyle vmwhile tyll gloton had I-globbed a galon & a gyll hys guvttes began to gowle gothlen as toogredyetoo gredye sowes he pyssed a potell In a pater noster whyle & blew hys rownd rowett att þe his ryggbones end that all þat herd þat horne held theyre noses nose G.6.352:In the case of M, the -es inflexion on "noses" (which brings M's reading into line with that of G W Hm Cot) has been written over an erasure. Remaining B manuscripts read nose. after and wysshend ~~had~~ ytt had be wexed wyth a wysspe off frysesf[yr]ses firses he myght nether steppe ne stand tyll er G.6.354: The shared G Bm reading tyll is by correction in Bm. Remaining manuscripts read er. he yhys staffe had then And þanne gan he to go lyke .G.6.355: As far as the deletion after lyke is concerned, Kane and Donaldson read this as <a> without deletion, but the original letter appears to have had a long tail. glewmanes byche and some Somme tyme a-syde & some-tyme arere as wo-so leyethe lynes for to kacche lacche fowles & when he drew to þe dore þen dymneddym[m]ed dymmed hys eyne he stomeled on þe thressfold & threwe to þe yerthe clement þe cobler kaght hym by þe mydle for to lyft hym a-loft & leyde hym-selfe him on hys knees but Ac gloton was a greyte karle cherle G.6.362:Since "karl" is of Scandinavian origin, its use may well be linked to the fact that one of G's ancestors clearly had Northern connections. See Introduction III.4.1. & grym In þe lyfftyng & coghed vp a kaudell In clementes lappe ys non so hongrye houvnde In herdfordshyre dorste lape off þe þat leyuvynges so vnlouvely they were smauȝte G.6.365: The past tense of "smatch" (see most manuscripts smauȝte for G were) is not recorded by the OED after the fifteenth century, although the present tense continues in use for some time. wyth all þe wo off thys worlde hys wyffe & hys wence bare hym hoome to hys bed & broght hym therynne and after all þis exses he had a acxces accidie that he slepteG.6.369: The majority of B manuscripts have the strong form of the preterite, i.e. slepe. The weak form (as G slepte) is, however, found in a high proportion of A manuscripts and note also Bm shleppet. saterday & sonday tyll sonne went to ȝede to rest then waked he off hys wynkyng & wyped hys eyne þe fuvrst worde þat he warped warpe / was where ys þe bolle hys wytt gan edwyte hym tho how wyckedlyche G.6.372: The middle of wyckedlyche is difficult to read and there may have been some alteration, probably by the original scribe. he lyuved & repentance ryght thoþoo so so rebuvked hym þat tyme as þou In with wordes & werkes hast wroght euvell In þi lyffe shryuve þe & be shamed & þer-of and shew ytt wyth þi mouvthe I glotone quod he þe grome gome gyltye me yelde that I hauve tresspassed wyth my tong I can not tel how offt sware sworen G.6.378: The use of medial <a> in G sware probably reflects the influence of bare, the preterite of bear. See OED swear v. godes souvle & so god me helpe & halydome there no nede was neyne huvndrethe tymes & ouversaye me at my soper & some-tyme att ones nones G.6.380: There is a brown smudge over G ones and it may have been altered to once as part of the scribe's later programme of spelling corrections. The ascender of the original sigma <s> is not very clear and may have been partially erased. that I gloton gyrte ytt vp er I had gone a myle and I-spylt þat myght besparedbe spared & spendyd on þe somme hongrye ouer-dylycately on fastyng-dayes dronken & eyten bothe & satte some-tyme so long there þat I slept & ete att onesce For louve off tales In tauerens to drynke þe more I dyned and hyed to þe meyte or none when fastyng-days were thys shewyng fuvrst shrifte quod repentance shalbe shal be merytt to þe and And þanne gan glotone grete & greyte dole maked to make For hys lyther lyuve þat he lyuved had and awowed fast to fast G.6.390: Manuscript M originally shared the G L R reading fast, but to has been added above the line, bringing M's reading into agreement with that of the remaining B manuscripts (i.e. "to fast"). for hongre or for thruvste Shall neuer Fyche on frydayes Friday dyfyne In my wombe tyll abstynence myne auvnyteG.6.392: Examination of the minims suggests that the original (altered by hand1.1. to the correct reading avnte) may well have been amyte, i.e. the original scribe misread the four minims of his exemplar as an <m> and an . hauve gyuven me leyuve and yet hauve I hyr hated hated hir all my lyuve tyme accidia Than came slewthe albeal be-slauered al bislabered wyth two slymye eyne I muvst sytt sayd þat þe segge or elles muvst shulde I nappe I mey not stond ne stowpe ne wyth-owte stoole a stole G.6.396: Most C manuscripts share the G Hm R F reading stoole, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read a stole. knele were I broghte a-bedde buvt yff my talent taille-ende made ytt it made shuold no ryngyng do me ryse er I were rype to dyne he began benedicite wyth a bolke & hys brest knocked and roxed & rored & ruvtted at the last awake renvkere[n]ke renke quod repentance & rape þe to shryfte yff I shuold dye by þis day me lyst not to loke I can not perfytlye my pater noster as þe prest yt syngethe but I can rymes off robyn hood & randolfe erle of chester but Ac neþer off our lorde ne our ladye þing þe leste þat euer was made I hauve made wowes fouvrtye & forgett þem on þe morowe I performed neuer pennance þat as þe preste me hyghte ne ryght sorye for my synnes yet was I neuver and yff I byd my any beydes but yff ytt be In wrathe þat I tell wyth my tonge ys two myle from my herte I am ocuvpyed eche day halyday & other wyth ydle tales att þe ale & other-whyle yn chuvrche cherches godes peyne & hys passyon passioun ful selde thynke I þeronne I wysyted neuer feble men ne fettered men folke G.6.414: The majority of C manuscripts read man for G M Hm men; remaining B manuscripts read folke. Kane and Donaldson adopt the G M Hm reading. In pyttes I hauve lyuver here here an harlotrye or a somer game off sowters or leysynges to laghe att or and belye my neghbouvrs then all þat euer marye Marke made mathew luvke Iohan or & Iohn lucas and vygylles & fastyngdayes all thes lett I passe and lygge yn bedde abedde In lentuon my an my lemman In my armes tyll matyns & masse be done & then go to þe freres come I to Ite missa est I am wellholde me wel holde me I-seruved I am not shryuven some-tyme but syknes ytt make noght twyes In too yeres ȝere & then vpon vp gesse I ~~sryu~~ shryuve me I hauve bene preste & person xxxtithritti wynters passyng passynge thretti wynter yet can I nother solfe ne syng ne seyntes lyuve lyues l reede yet kan I But I can fynd In a felde or a in a forlong a hare better then yn beatus vir or yn beati omnes constrew on clauvse well & kenne ytt to my perochenys I kan hold louvedayes & here a rewyuevsrewy[ve]s Reues G.6.429: Presumably the aim was to alter the of original reyues to <v> but the scribe has misplaced his correction.G.6.429: According to the OED, the form reyue (i.e. G's original form) is Southwest Midlands. rekenyng but Ac In canon ne yn þe in decretalles I can not rede a lyne yff I begge bigge G.6.431: G Cr1 R begge could be a variant spelling of "buy" (most manuscripts read bigge), but it may have been intended as "beg." See also G.4.82. or and borow owght but yff yt be tayled I forgett ytt as euvene ȝerne yff and ȝif men me ytt aske syxe sythes or seyuven I forsake ytt wyth othes and thuvs tene I trew men ten huvndreth tymes and my seruantys some-tyme þer salarye ys beynde reuvthe ys to here the rekenyng when we rede shal rede accomptes so wyth wycked wyll & wrathe my workemen I pay yff any man do me me a byenfayte & or helpe me at my at nede I am vnkynd ageynst hys couvrtysye & can not vndrestand yt for I hauve & hauve had somedeale hauvkes maners I am noght leyred lured wyth louve but oght lygge vndre þe thombe þe kyndnes that myne euven-crystyen kydde me fernȝere syxtye sythes I slothe haue forgett ytt sythen In speche & and in sparyng off speche I-spylte many a tyme both flesshe & fysshe & many other wytayles both bred & ale buvtter mylke & chesse Forslouvthed In my seruvyce tyll ytt wold myȝte seruve no man I ran a-bouvte In youvgh & gauve me noght to lerne and euer syth I hauve be begger for my fowle slouvghe heu mihi quia sterilem duxi vitam Iuuenilem // repentest þou not quod ~~.......~~repentance & & riȝte wyth þat he sowned tyll G.6.452: There may have been an erasure here; there is a long gap and a smudge between tyll and vigillate. Possibly the scribe originally failed to change the colour of his ink.vigillate þe weyle fette water at hys eyne and fell flatt flatte it G.6.453: According to the OED, the use of the word "flat" (from OF flatir/flater) to mean "to cast suddenly" or "to dash" had died out by the end of the fourteenth century (see OED flat, v.1), hence G fell flatt for most manuscripts flatte it. on hys face & fast on hym cryed & sayd war the fro wanhope wold the betrey I am sory for my synnes say to thy-selfe & beyte þi-selfe on þe brest & byd hym off grace for ys no gylt here so greyte butbut þat þat hys goodnes ys more then satt slouvthe vp & seyned hym swythe and made a wowe before to-fore god for all for hys fouvle slouvthe shall no sonday be þis seyuven yere but syknes ytt lett that I ne shall do me ar day to þe dere chuvrcheG.6.461: The second half of "church" has been written over a smudge and possibly over an erasure. However, it is difficult to see what the original could have been. and here masse & mattynsce matines and masse G.6.462: The additional <t> in "matins" is added by placing a downstroke over the line joining the original <t> and the <y>. as I a monke were shall non ale after meyte holde me thence tyll I hauve euvensong herd I hootehote now behote to þe rode and yet wyll I yelde a-geyne yff I so moche hauve all that I wykkedly wanne sythen I wytt had and thouvgh miny lyuvelodeG.6.467: The ink here is very faint and part of the <d> and the whole of the <e> of -lode have been re-outlined, probably by the original scribe. lakken lakke leten I nyll that eche man shall hauve hys ar I heythen hennes wende and wyth the þe residue and þe remnaunt by þe rode off chester I shall seke trewthe erst ar I see rome robert þe robber on reddite loked For And for ther was noght wheroff he wept swythe sore but Ac yet þe synfull shrew seyde to hym-seluve cryst þat on caluverye vp-on þe cros dyed tho dismas my brother by-soght you off grace and haddest mercy on þat man for memento sake so rewe on þis robbereG.6.477: The final <e> of robbere has been written over the ascender of the long <r>. G.6.477:As far as the addition of final <e> to "robber" is concerned, it seems possible that the scribe may have been influenced by the original omission and later addition of the <e> on reddere later in the line, i.e. the scribe appears to have treated the word "robber" as if it too were a Latin infinitive. that reddereG.6.477: The final <e> of reddere has been added over the ascender of the long <r>. See previous notes. ne hauve ne neuer wene for to to wynne wythe crafte þat I sheewe owe but for þi moche mykel mercy mytygatyon I beseche ne damme me not on at domesday for my dedes þat I did so ylle what befell on of þis fellone I can not fayre shewe well I wotte he wept fast water wythe hys boþe his eyne and knolegyd hys gylt to cryste cryst ȝete eft-sones that penetencia hys pyke he sholde pullysshe newe and leype wyth hym ouvere land all hys lyuve tyme for he had leynve leyne by latro luvcyferes auvnte then And þanne had repentance reuvthe & redde þem all knele to knele For I shall beseche ~~all~~ for all synfull our sauvyouvre off grace to amend vs off ouvr myssdedes & .do mercy to vs all now god god quod he þat off þi goodnes gan all the þe worlde make and off noght madest oght & man most lyke liche to thy-seluve and sythen soferdest to for to synne a syknes to vs all all And al for þe best ~~þe boke~~ as I beleuve wattG.6.492:Added watt is in paler ink than the words immediately adjoining it, but seems to be in the script of the original scribe. so euere the boke tellethe O felexfel[i]x felix culpa o nescessarium ade peccatum peccatum ade //G.6.494: All B manuscripts apart from G Cr23 R and F end this line with & cetera. for thruvgh that synne þi sonne seynt sent G.6.495: Probably G seynt is just a spelling variant for remaining manuscripts sent (see Introduction III.2). was to þe þis yerthe and became man off a meyde mankynde to sauve and madest þi-selfe wyth þi sonne & vs synffull I-lyche faciamus hominem ad Imaginem et similitudinem nostramG.6.498: There is an otiose minim at the end of the word nostram. : et alibi . qui manet In charitate In deo manet & deus In eo: and sythen wyth thye seluve sone In ouvr suvyte dyedest On goodfrydaygood fryday for mannes sake at full tyme off þe day there thyselfe & ne thy sone no sorowe In dethe feldest but In our secte was þe sorowe & þi sone ytt ladde captiuam duxit captiuitatem // the sonne for ~~for~~ sorowe þeroff lost syght att þat for a tyme att Aboute mydday when most lyght ys & meyle tyme off seyntes Feddest wyth thye flesshe & fresche blouvde our forfaders In derknes populus qui ambulabat In tenebris vidit Lucem magnam // & thruvgh þe lyght that cam lepe off oute of the luvcyfer was blente & Blew all thy blyssed In-to þe blysse off paradyse the thyrd day after þou wendest ȝedest In ouvr suvyte a synnfull maryeG.6.512: The deletion of final <e> oon marye, both here and later in the line, is in black ink. Compare uncorrected <marye> at G.6.515. þe seghe or seynte marye þi mother dame & all to solas synfull þou sufferedest ytt so wele were non veni vocare Iustos sed peccatores ad penetentiam . & all þat marye Marke hathe made ymade mathewe luvke Iohan & Iohan lucas G.6.515: The <a> in G Iohan is superscript and has been treated as an abbreviation mark. For use and treatment of superscript <a> in G, see Introduction IV.1.1. off þi doghtye dedes were done In ouvr armes verbum caro factum est et habitauit In nobis & by bi so moche me semethe þe sykererwesykerer weG.6.518: The addition of the second <er> of sykerer has left no space between words.G.6.518: Cr1 Y F share G's original reading syker. Most B manuscripts share the corrected reading sykerer. mowe byd & byseche yff ytt be thy wyll þat arte our father & our brother be mersyfull merciable to vs and hauve rewthe off on þes rybauvdes þat repent repente hem sore here sore G.6.521: Kane and Donaldson adopt the G Cot R F reading sore, which is also the reading of almost all C manuscripts (CQ reads soree). Most B manuscripts read here sore. þat euer they wrathed the In in þis worlde in word thoght or dede þen hente hope a horneG.6.523: The heads of the <h>s of hente, hope and horne are similar to those of rubricated letters in this manuscript (see Introduction I.7). off deus tu conuersus vivificabis nos viuificabis and blew ytt wyth beati quorum remisse sunt Iniquitates then Þat all þe alle seyntes In heyuven songen att onesce homines et Iumenta saluabis quemadmodumG.6.526 The scribe has added an supralinear minim in ordinary grey ink to correct original quenadmodum to quemadmodum. // multiplicasti miserecordiam tuam deus et cetera a thowsand off men tho thruvnged to-gedders cryed vpward to cryst to and to hys cleyne mother to hauve grace to go wyth theym thG.6.530: An attempt appears to have been made to alter the <h> of original <th> to a long <r> but this has been abandoned and the letters have been crossed out. trewthe to seke and Ac þer was wyght non so wyse þe way thydder couvldeG.6.531:The added <v> of covlde has faded. but bluvsteren blustreden forthe as bestes ouere bankes & hyllys tyll late was & long þat they a lede mett appareled as a peynym In pylgrymes wyse he bare a bouvrden I-bouvnde wyth a brode lyst In a wythywyndes wyse I-wyonvnden a-bowte a bolle & a bagge he bare by hys sydes syde an huvndrethe off appuvlles ampulles G.6.538: Kane and Donaldson record G's reading here as arpulles, but compare the same word in G.6.623. on hys hatt syten seten G.6.358: The G form syten has been recorded as a variant reading of remaining B manuscripts seten because it could be a present tense form. It may, however, be a variant spelling of the preterite. See note to G.6.347. sygnes off syney / and shelles of galyce and many a crouvche on hys cloke & keyes off rome &G.6.541: Benson and Blanchfield (p.132) see the ampersand here as a "reader's mark; possibly 'nota,'" but comparison with the scribe's usual form of the ampersand and with the reading of other B manuscripts makes it clear that the letter is <&>. The G scribe makes other, similar additions at, e.g., G.4.115, G.6.5. the wernakell before for men shold knowe and se by hys sygnes whome he soght had thys folke freynyd hym fuvrst from whence he cam fro syney he sayde & from our lordes sepuvlker In bethelem and In babyloyne I hauve bene In bothe In Iermonye ermonye yn alysandre In many other places ye mey se by my sygnes that sytten on my hatt that I hauve walked wyde ful wyde In wete & In drye & souvght good seyntes for my souvle helthe knowesthowe oght a corseynt þat men call trewthe couvldesthowe wysshen wissen G.6.551: In the case of G at least, the shared G Cr F reading wysshen (for remaining manuscripts wissen) need not necessarily be considered to be a substantive variant. For the use of <sh> for <s> in G, see Introduction III.4.1. vs the wey bwhereG.6.551: For the deletion of and its replacement with <w> in where, compare the confusion over <bb> in lybben at G.6.151. þat he dwellythe nay so me god helpe seyde þe gome then I seghe neuer palmere wyth pyke n ne wyth skryppe axen after hym er tyll now In þis place petre quod plouman a plowman & puvtt forthe hys heyd I know hym as kyndly as clerecler[k]e clerke dothe hys bokes conscyence and kyndwyttkynd wytt kennede me to hys place and dyd me suvren hym sykerly to seruven hym for euer bothe to sowe & to sett whyle þe while G.6.559: All C manuscripts except P2 share the majority B reading þe while but Ax agrees with G M F whyle and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. I swynke myght I hauve bene hys folower all thys fyftye wynters wyntre G.6.560: The G scribe replaces remainng manuscripts wyntre with an inflected plural. See note to G.2.100. bothe sowen hys seede & suven sued hys bestes wyth-ynne & wyth-ouvte weytyd hys profytt I dyke & deluve I delue & do I do þat trewthe hotethe some-tyme I sowe & some-tyme I thresshe In teylyers crafte & tynkers what crafte what trewthe can deuvyse I weue & I wynde & do watt trewth hootethe For thogh I sey ytt my-selfe I seruve hym to pay I hauve myne hyre well and other-whyles more he ys þe preystest payer þat poere men fynden knoweth he wythholdytheG.6.570: The M corrector alters to the form of the present tense used by G (i.e. M's corrected reading is withholdeþ). Remaining manuscripts have with-halt. non hyne hewe G.6.570: The Hm reading hyne (shared with G Bo Cot) is a correction over an erasure. The majority manuscript reading is hewe. hys hyre but þat he he ne hath yt at euven G.6.570: The scribe originally wrote euen but, because of the pricking in the manuscript at the corner of the writing space, it was not easy to write legibly and therefore a bar has been used in addition to make it clear that final <n> is intended. he ys as lowe as a lambe & louvelyche off speche and yff ye wylnen to wytt where that he dwellythe I shall wysshe you wytterly þe wey to hys place Leuve Ȝe leue pyers quod thes pylgrymes & profered hym hyre For to wend wyth theym to trewthes dwellyng place nay by my sowles helthe quod pyers & gan for to swere I nold fang a farthyng for seynte thomas shryne trewthe wold louve me lasse þe lasse a long wyle tyme after but Ac yff ye wylneth to wende well / þis ys þe way thydder you Ȝe G.6.580: For the G scribe's use of you instead of Ȝe for the nominative form of the pronoun, see note to G.2.180. mote go thruvgh mekenes both men & wyues tyll ye coevmG.6.581: Forms of "come" with medial <oe> occur twice in the early part of the G text, at G.3.234 (welcoem) and at G.4.56 (coemmen). Such forms were clearly not the preferred form of the original scribe, who presumably found the <ov> spelling useful for correction, although his usual form is com-. to conscyence þat cryst wytt þe sothe that ye louven our lord god leuvest off all thynges and þen youvr neghbouvrs next In non wysse apeyre other-wyse then þou woldest be he wroght to thy-seluve and And so bowethe forthe by a broke / be boxome off speche tyll ye fynden a ~~forthe~~G.6.586: Spellings of "ford" with <th> rather than <d> are found in L O R F and originally in M where the corrector alters to <d>. As far as the G scribe was concerned, the <the> spellings were probably outdated (they are not recorded by the OED after the fifteenth century). forde your fadres honerythe honora patrem et matremG.6.587: A virgule has been added at this point to separate matrem and et. It does not appear to have been intended as a punctuation or metrical mark. et cetera // wadeth In that water & wasshe ye ȝow G.6.588: G's use of ye here may simply be an example of the extension of "ye" from the nominative to the objective (the opposite of what happens with "you" at, for example, G.6.580). Remaining manuscripts read ȝow. However, a nominative would be possible in this construction, as at G.6.592 (where the majority of manuscripts read come þow for β4 come). The meaning of the b-verse would then be "and wash well there" rather than "and wash yourselves well there." well there and ye shall leype the lyghtlyer liȝtloker all your lyuve tyme so And so shall thowe se sweyre noght but but if G.6.590: The majority of A and C manuscripts share the G B F reading but (for remaining B manuscripts but if), and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. ytt be for nede and namelyche In an Idle þe name off god almyghtye then shalthowe come by a crofte but come not therynne þe That G.6.593: The majority of A and C manuscripts share the G R F reading þe, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read That. crofte hett couvett noght mennes catell ne theyr wyuves ne non off theyr seruvantes þat noyen theym myght loke ye breke no bowys there but yff þei it be your owen two stockes there stonden but ac stynt ye not there they hett / steyle not / & ne sley not / G.6.597: The G scribe often appears to use brackets or virgules as highlighting marks. This is especially the case with names (as here: / steyle not / etc). See also the similar highlighting of thought in the Table of Contents (at the top of f.102v)

. stryke forthe by bothe and leyuve theym on þe þi left haluve & loke not therafter and hold well thyne halyday hyghe tyll euvene then shalthowe blenche att a brygge bergh / beyre no fals wyttnes /G.6.600: For the use of virgules and brackets for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. he hys frytthed In wyth floreyns & other fees manye loke þou pluvcke no plant þer for perell off þi souvle then shall þou ȝe se / say sothe /G.6.603: For the use of use of virgules or brackets for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. so ytt be to done done ~~well~~ In no maner elles noght for no mannes byddyng then shalthowe come to a couvrte as clere as þe sonne the mootte ys off mercy the maner all a-bowte aboute and all þe walles byn off wytt / to holden wyll owte and kyrnelled wyth crystendome mankynd to sauve eG.6.609.m.1:There seems to be no codicological reason for added <e> here. botrased wyth byleuve / so or þou best not sauved and all þe houvses byn hylled halles & chambres wyth no leyde but / wyth louve /G.6.611: Once again, the virgules here are probably being used as a means of highlighting rather than punctuation. See note to G.6.597.& low speche as brethrene the brygge was is off / byd well /G.6.612: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. þe better mey þou spede eche a Eche pyllore ys off / pennnvancepen[n]ance penaunce /G.6.613: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. off preyers off to seyntes off / almes dedes /G.6.614: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. are þe hookes þat þe gate hangyth gates hangen on grace hett þe gateward / a good man for sothe hys man hett / a-mend you /G.6.616: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. for many men þem him knowen tellyth hym þis toknneG.6.617: Possibly the corrector reads original tokne as tokue and emends to tokune. þat trewthe wyte þe sothe I perfouvrmed þe pennnvancepen[n]ance penaunce þe preste me InIoyned I And am full sorye for my synnes & so shall I shal euver when I thynke þeron thogh I were a pope byddyth amend you meke hym to hys master onesce to weyue vp þe wykett that þe woman shuvtte tho adam & euve eyten appuvlles vnrosted per euam cuntiscun[c]tisG.6.624:Forms of cunctis without medial -c- also occur in L W O C2 and F. clausa est: et per mariam virginem patefacta est. for he hath þe kay off and the clykett thogh þe kyng slepe & yff grace grauvnt þe to go In after in G.6.626:Added after does not appear to be in the hand of the original scribe. Note the double-sectioned <a>, and compare the note on f.106v

and the marginalia on ff.69v,

70,

71,

72v

and 103.

thys wyse thow shalt se In þi-selfe / trewtht In sitte in thy hert In a cheyne off charyte as þou a chyld were to suvffer hym & to and sey noght ageyn þi syres wyll be Ac be ware þen off wrath þe wratthe that ys a wycked shrewe he hath enuvy to hym þat In thy herte syttethe and prykketh pokeþ forthe pryde to preyse thy-seluven þe boldnes off þi byenfaytes make þe blynd then þen And þanne beest þou worstow dryuven out as dewe & the dore closed keyyd & klyketed to kepe þe wyth-owten happyly a huvndrethe wynters wyntre G.6.636: For the G scribe's treatment of the uninflected plural wyntre (as all other manuscripts), see note to G.2.100. er þou eft enter þus myghtesthowe lesen hys louve to lete well by þi-seluve & neuer happylyche eft entre but þou but grace hauve þow haue but Ac þer are seyuven systrens þat seruven trewthe euver and are porters off the posternes þat to þe place longethe the Þat on hett / abstynece / & huvmylyte /G.6.641: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. a-nother /charyte & / chastyte /G.6.642: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. bene hys cheffe meydens /pacyence / & peasce /G.6.643: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. moche poeple they helpen /largenes /G.6.644: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. þat þe ladye she lettyth In fuvll manyeG.6.644: The added <e> on manye is forward-facing and is not the form normally used by the main scribe, even in the rubricated sections. The letter is also in very black ink, and seems likely to have been added by the annotator responsible for the marginal comments on 42v, 44v and 72v. she hathe holpen a thowsand out off þe deuvelles pynfold and wo-so ys sybbe to thes seyuven so me god helpe he ys wonderlyche welcome & fayre vnderfongen but And but yff ye be sybbe to some off þes seyuven ytt ys full hard by my heyd for quod Peres for any off you all to gett Ingong att any gate ther but grace be þe more now by cryst quod quod a cuvttpuvrs / I haue no kynne there nor I quod an apeward / by oght þat I knowe woldA wolde Wite god quod a waferer wafrestre wyst I þus þis G.6.653: G þus for remaining manuscripts þis is probably a back spelling, cf. frequent G "this" for "thus" and see note to G.4.76. for sothe shuvld I neuer forther a foote for no freres preychyng yes quod pyers the plouvman & pryckedpikked pokud þem hem alle G.6.655: A version manuscripts read hym for B hem alle, G F þem. Kane and Donaldson adopt the A reading. to good mercy ys a meyden there hath myght ouer all and she ys sybbe to all synfull & hyr sonne also & thruvgh þe helpe off theym two ~~helpe~~ hope hope þow non other thow myght gett grace there so þou go betyme by seynt powle quod a perdoner I trowe parauenture I be not knowe þer I wyll go fecche my my box with my breyuvettes & a buvll wyth letters bisshopes lettres by cryst quod a comen woman thy company wyll I folowe þou ~~mast~~ meyst shalt say I am þi suvster I not ne wot where they become explicit sextus passus de visione Thys were a wycked way ~~bote~~G.7.1: The first stroke of the <w> of "whoso" is written here and crossed out. but wo-so had a gyde that wold folowen vs eche eche a G.7.2: The majority of A and C manuscripts share the G Cot reading eche, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read eche a. foote þus þis folke he hem menved mened quod perkyn þe plouvman by seynt petre off rome I hauve an haluve acre to erye by the hygh way had I eryede thys halfe acre and sowen ytt after I wold wend wyth you & you and the way teyche thys were a long lettyng quod a ladye In a sklayere when What shold we wymmen ~~.....~~worche to þe whyles some shold shal sowe þe sacke quod he Piers / for shedyng off þe weyte & you ȝe G.7.10: For the G scribe's use of you for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. louvely ladyes wythe your b longe fyngers that ye hauve sylke & sendell s to sowe when tyme ys chesybleys for chapleynes cherchers to honouvre wyuves & wydowes woleleG.7.13: The scribe has added an extra <l> to indicate that the vowel in wolle="wool," is short; see Dobson, English Pronunciation, p.509, note 2. The correction leaves little space before the following ampersand and the overwriting of original <e> results in a second <l> which resembles a . For the G scribe's spelling practices, see Introduction III.2. & flax spynnethe makethe clothe I couvnsell you & kyennyth so youvr doghters the nedye & þe naked taketakes nymmeth heede howe they lyggen & castethe theym clothes for so commauvnded comaundeth trewthe for I shall leynven lene þemn hem G.7.17: The final minim of the superscript <m> of original G þem has been crossed out in brown ink (the same ink as that used for the alterations from to <v>). lyuveloode / but yff þe land fayle Flesshe & breed bothe to ryche and to poere as long as I lyuve for the lordes louve off heyuven and all maner men of men that thruvgh meyte & drynke lyuven helpe theym hym to worke wyghtlyche þat wynnen wynneth your foode by cryst quod a knyght tho he kennyth vs the best but Ac on þe teme trewly tawght was I neuver ~~but Ac kenne me quod the knyght &~~ but kenne me quod the knyght & I wyll assayG.7.24: It is impossible to be certain of the reading of the second half of the line but the tails of two consectutive long <s>s appear to be present. by seynt powle quod perkyn ye profre you so fayre that I shall sweyte swynke & swynke swete & sowe for vs bothe and other laborosur do for þi louve all my lyfe tyme In couvenaunt G.7.28: For the use of superscript <a> as an abbreviation mark in G, see Introduction IV.1.1. þat þou kepe holychurche & my-seluve from wasters & from wykked men þat þis world stroyen and go hyvnte hardelyche att to hares & att to foxes to borres & to brockes þat breken downe adown mennesmen myne heggys and go assey þe affaite þi fawkenes wyld fouvle foules to kyll for suoyche comen to my crofte & coroppen my weyte couvrtyslyche þe knyght þen comsed thes wordes by my power pyers quod he I plyght þe my troght to fuvssllfyll thys forward thogh I fyght shuolde as longe as I lyuve I shall the menteygne he Ȝe & yet a poynte quod pyers I prey you off more loke ye tene no tenant but trewtheG.7.39: The first vowel of what is transcribed here as trewthe may perhaps be an <o>, but see yeld at G.7.44. wyll assente & thogh ye mowe a-mercy them lett mercy be taxouvre and mekenes þi master maugre medes chekes and thogh pore pore men profre you presentes & gyftes nym ytt noght In auentuvre ye may ytt not deseruve for youye þow G.7.44: It is impossible to tell whether the G reading you results from misreading of "thou" as "you" (most B manuscripts read þow) or from the extension of "you" from the accusative to the nominative (Cr Hm read ye). See note to G.2.180. shall shalt yeld ytt a-gayne att on yeres end In a full perylyche perillous G.7.45: Neither the OED nor the MED records the G form perylyche. Remaining manuscripts read perillous. place puvrgatorye ytt hett and myssbyd noght þi bouvndmen þe better mey þou spede thogh he be þi vndrelyng well here wel mey happe yn heyuven that he worthyer sytt sette & wyth more blysse amice assende superius & cetera superius for In chernels charnel at chuvrches chirche cherles been yll yuel to knowe or a knyght from a knauve knowe þis In þi herte & be trew off thy tong & tales thowe þat þow hate but But if þei be wyssdome of wisdome or wytt thy workemen to chaste hold wyth non herlottes ne here not theyre tales & namelyche at atte G.7.55: Most A manuscripts share the G O C2 Y reading (at rather than atte= "at the"), and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. meyte suoche men eschewe for þei it þe ben þe deuvelles dysouvrs I do þe to vndre-stond I assent by seynt Iame quod seyde the knyght then for to worchen by þi wordes whyleþe while my lyuve duvrethe and I shall apparell me quod perkyn In pylgrymes wyse and wende wyth you I wyll tyll we fynd trewthe & cast on my clothes clouvted yclouted & hole my cokkers & my cuvffes for cold off my nayles and hang my hopper at my halsce In styd off a scryppe a buvsshell busshel of breeyd corne bryng me therynne For I wyll sowe ytt my-seluve & sythe wole I wende to pylgrymes pylgrymage & as palmers done perdone to forto G.7.66: The G O C2 F reading to is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read forto. hauve but Ac wo-so helpeth to me to erye or sowen er I wende shall hauve leyuve by our lorde to lese theryn here in heruvest & make þem merye ther-myd / maugre wo-so gruvggethe and askffenor alkyn G.7.70: G originally read asken, presumably altered by the corrector to as ffor because it does not make sense. craftyes crafty G.7.70: Note the similar correction from crafty to craftyes at G.4.226. men / that can lyuve In trewthe I shall fynd them foode þat faythfullyche lyuven saue Iacke þe Ioygoler & Iohenett off the stewes and danyell þe dyssepleyer & dyote denote þe bawde and frere þe faytouvr & folke off hys ordre and robyn þe rybauvder for hys rouvstye wordes trewthe told me onesce & bad me tell ytt after deleantur de libro viuentium I shuvld not deale wyth þem For holy churche ys hoote off theym no tythes tythe to take quia cum Iustis non scribantur // they been eskaped good auventuvre / god þem amend dame worche when tyme ys pyers wyffe hyght hys doghter hyght do ryght so or þi dame shall þe beyte hys sonne hett / suffer þi suffereyns to hauve theyr wyll deme þem not for yff þou do þou shalte ytt deere bygge abugge lett god worche yworth wyth all for so hys worde teychythe for now am I I am olde and hoor & hauve myne of myn owen to pennvancepen[n]ance penaunce & pylgrymage I wyll pas wyth with þise other Forthy I wyll or I wende wryte do wryte my bequvest In died[e]i dei nomine amen I make ytt my-seluven he shall hauve my souvle þat best hathe I-seruved ytt and fro þe fend ytt defend for so I beleuve tyll I come to hys acomptes as as my credo me tellythe to hauve a relees & and a G.7.93: Most A and C manuscripts share the G O C2 Cot reading &, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read and a. remyssyon on þat rentall I ley.uve G.7.93: The <y> of original leyue has been written over the pinhole in the corner of the writing space and both it and its replacement are therefore difficult to read. The erased tail, however, is still clearly visible. For the spelling with <y> see, e.g., G.7.278. the kyrke shall hauve my caryon & kepe my bonnys for off my corne & catell he crauved the tythe I payd ytt hym prestlye for peryll off my souvle forthy he ys For-thy is he holden I hope to hauve me In hys masse and mengen In hys memorye among all crystyen my wyffe shall hauve off þat I wanne wyth trewthe & no more and deale among my doghters & my deer chyldren For thogh I dye to-day my dettes are quvyte I bare whom þat I borowed er I to bed yede & wyth the resydewe & þe remnauvnte by þe rode off luvkes I wole worshype ther-wyth trewthe by my lyuve & been hys pylgrym att plouvgh for poere menesG.7.105: C Y R share G's original reading men. Remaining B manuscripts share G's corrected reading menes. sake my plowe-foote shalbeshal be my pykestaffe & pyche atwo þeG.7.106: Parts of atwo and þe (both originally very faint) have been re-outlined in blacker ink. rotes and helpe my cuvltur to keruve & clence þe forowes now ys perkyn & hys pylgymespylg[r]ymes pilgrymes to þe plouvgh faren to erye hys þis halffe acre holpen hym many dykers & deluvers dygged vp the balkes therwyth was perkyn apayde & preysed hym hem G.7.111: The minims of G hym lack definition. Kane and Donaldson read hyn. fast other workemen þer were þat wroghten full yerne eche man In hys maner made hym-seluve to done & some to pleasse perkyn pyked vp the wedes att hygh pryme / pyers lett the plowe stand to ouerseen þem hym-selffe & wo-so best wroghte he shuold be hyred þerafter when heruvest heruest tyme cam and þen seten some & songen atte nale and helpen hulpen erye hys halfe acre / wyth howe troly loly by Now bi þe peryll off my souvle quod pyers all In puvre tene but ye aryse the rather & rape you to worche shall no greyne þat growethe glade you att nede and yff þough ye dye for doole þe deuvell ytt haue þat recchethe tho were faytouvrs afered & feyned theym blynd some leyde þer legges a-lyrye / as swyche loselles canne & made þer mone to pers & preyed hym off grace we For we hauve no lymmes to labouvre wyth lord graced ygraced be ye & Ac we pray for you pyers & for youvr plowe bothe that god off hys grace your greyne muvltyplye & yelde you for of your almesse þat ye gyuve vs here for we may not swynke ne sweyte suoche syknes vs eylythe yff ytt be sothe soth quod Piers þat you ȝe G.7.132: For the G scribe's use of you for most manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. seyne I shall ytt sone espye ye been wastors I wott well & trewthe wottethe wote þe sothe and I am hys old hyne & hyght hym to warne wyche þei were In þis worlde hys workmen ympeyrenapayreth appeyred G.7.135: It is not entirely clear whether G's form ympeyren should be considered the same lexical item as that used by R and F (i.e. apayreth). See OED appair, apair, v. and impair, v.. Most B manuscripts have the preterite. ye wasten þat men wynnen wyth trauvell & wyth tene but Ac trewthe shall teyche youG.7.137: The minims of you lack definition; they are basically just a straight line. hys teme to dryue G.7.137: A horizontal line runs from the end of the <e> of dryue into the margin. or ye shall eyte barlye bred & off þe brooke drynke but yff he be blynd or broken-legged or bolted wyth yrens he shall eyte wheyte bred & drynke wyth my-seluve tyll god off hys goodnes amendement hym send but Ac ye myght trauvell as trewthe wold & take meyte & hyre to kepe kyen In the felde the corne from þe bestes dyken or deluven &or dyngen vp the vppon sheyuvys or helpe make morter or beyre muvckeG.7.145: An additional minim has been added to the beginning of mucke, in the same ink as the original. Without it, there would only be four minims. a-feldese In lecherye & losyngerye ye lyuven & In slothe and all ys thruvgh suvfferance þat wengeance you ne takethe but Ac ankers & herymytes that eyten nat but but at onsce nones and no more er morowe myne almes shall they hauve & off catell to kepe cope þem wyth þat hanve cloyesters & chuvrches but Ac / robert renabowte /G.7.151: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. shall not hauve off myne ne posteles but þei preyche kan & hauve power off þe bysshoppe they shall hauve payne & potage to & make theym at easse ytt For it ys an vnreasonable relygyon þat hathe noght riȝte nouȝte off certeyne and then gan a wastouvr to wrathe hym & wold hauve foghte & to pyers the plowman he profered hys glouve a brettonerG.7.157: There is a brown ink stain over the <tt> of brettoner. / a bragger /G.7.157: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. he bosted abostede G.7.157: G's he bosted is not necessarily a variant reading; the reading found in most manuscripts (i.e. abostede) represents the only instance of the verb aboast recorded by the OED and the a- may well be just a form of "he." pyers alsce & bad hym go pysse hym wyth with hys plowe forpyned shrewe wylt þou or nylt þou we wyll hauve our wyll off thye flower & off thye flesshe fecche when vs lykethe & maken vs merye therwyth mauvgre thy chekes then pyers þe plouvman pleynyd hym to the knyght to kepe hym as couvenaunt was from cuvrsed shrewys & fro þe þis wastouvrs off woluves wolues kynd kynnes þat make þis þe worlde deere for þei þo wasten & wynne noght & that ylke whyle worthe neuer plente amonge þe poeple whyle þe while my plow lyggetheG.7.166: A virgule has been placed between plow and lyggethe (apparently by the main scribe) in order to separate the words. couvrteyslye þe knyght then as hys kynd wold G.7.167: The ink has been growing gradually fainter and the first three letters of wold have been overwritten in blacker ink. warned wastouvr & wyssed hym better or þou shalt abye by þe lawe by þe ordre that I beyre I wroght neuer was nouȝt wont to worche quod wastouvre & nowe I nyll begynne & lett lyght off the lawe & lasse off the knyght & sett pyers att a peyse & hys plowe bothe and maneced peres & hys men yff they mete mette G.7.173: Though the G scribe was clearly aware of the possibility of using single and double consonants to indicate preceding long and short vowels, his practice in this respect is not consistent and the use of a single <t> in mete does not therefore necessarily indicate a present rather than a preterite. For the G scribe's spelling practices, see Introduction III.2. eft- sones sone by Now by þe peryll off my souvle quod pyers I shall apayre you all and called houped affter honger þat herd hym at þe Fuvrste awreke me off thes wastouvrs that quod he þat þis worlde shenden hongre In hast tho hente wastouvre by þe mawe & wrong hym so by þe wombe þat hys bothe his eyne watered he buvffeted the bretoner a-bowte bothe aboute G.7.179: Added bothe is in black ink. It is not impossible that it was written by the original scribe (for the form of the <h>, see, e.g., the second <h> of trughthes (G.8.57 f.30v,

l.7)). However, the form of this letter also resembles that used by WH (see, e.g., Byschoppes in the note in the right hand margin on f.103r)

and since the script used for the addition is altogether more angular than that normally used by hand1, it seems probable that it was in fact made by WH. See also G.7.183. the chekes that he loked lyke a lanterne all hys lyuve after he bett þem so bothe he brast nye nere theyre guvttes ne had pyers wyth a peyse loofe preyed hongre to ceasse they had be doluven depe bothe ne G.7.183: The ink colour of added depe here is the same as that of the addition at G.7.179. Once again, it seems likely that it may have been made by WH: though the script is not dissimilar to that used by the original scribe, it is more angular and more upright. deme þou non other suffer theym lyue he seyde & lett theym eyte wyth hogges or elles beaensbe[a]nsG.7.185: The first <e> of original beens has been altered to an <a> by the addition of a downward stroke on the right hand side of the letter. Presumably the wrong vowel has been altered. See beanes at G.7.198. & branne baken ybaken to-gedders or elles mylke & meane ale thus preyed pyers for theym Faytouvrs for feere there her-oftherof ~~fledde~~ flowen In-to bernes & flapten on wyth fleyles from morowe tyll euven that hongre was not G.7.189: Added not appears to be in the hand of the original scribe. Compare, however, the additions at G.7.183 and G.7.179. hardye so hardy G.7.189: Almost all C manuscripts and a high proportion of A manuscripts share the G R F reading hardye, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read so hardy. on theym for to loke For a pott fuvll off peyses þat poyers had made ymaked an heype off herymytes hente theym spades and kuvtten þer copes & couvrtypyes theym made and went as workemen wyth spades & wyth shouvelles and doluven & dyggen dykeden to dryuve a-way hongre blynd & bedreden were botened a thowsande that sytten seten G.7.196: For G Cr C2 sytten (remaining manuscripts seten), see note to G.6.347. to begge syluver sone were they heyled for þat was bake for bayarde was bote for manye hongrye and many a begger for beanes boxome was to swynke and eche eche a poere man ~~haue~~wellG.7.199: The ink of well is blacker than might be expected but this is probably due to the fact that erasure has damaged the surface of the paper. payed to hauve peyse for hys hyre & watt pyers preyed þem do to do as prest as a sparrhauvke & theroff was pyers prowde & puvtt theym to worche gauve And ȝaf þem meyte as he myght a-forthe a and meysuvrable hyre then had pyers pyte & preyed hongre to wende home to in-to hys owen yerthe & holden hym there for I am well I-wrooke awroke off wastouvrs thruvgh thye myght but Ac I prey þe or thowe pas quod pyers vn-to to hongre off beggers & off bydders wat best be to done for I wote wele be þou weynte þei wole worche yll ful ille G.7.208: Manuscript M originally shared the majority B reading ful ille but M ful has been erased, thus bringing M's reading into line with that of G (i.e. yll). The G M reading is also that of a high proportion of A manuscripts, and is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. for myscheffe ytt makethe they be so meke nowe nouthe G.7.209: For the G Cr C C2 reading nowe for remaining manuscripts nouthe, see note to G.4.295. & for defauvte off þeir foode / þis folke ys att my wyll they are my my blody brethren quod pyers pieres for g~~uod~~odG.7.211:The scribe appears to have begun by misreading the initial <g> of "god" as a <q> (and has thus initially misread the whole word as quod). boght vs all treuvght taght me onsce to louven theym echone and And to G.7.213: All A manuscripts and most C manuscripts share the G Cr reading and, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B mansucripts read And to. helpen off hem of all thyng ay as theym nedethe and nowe wold I wytten witen of þe where what were the best & how I myght mastre amaistrien theym & make þem to worche here nowe quod hongre & hold ytt for a wyssdome bold beggers & bygge þat mow þer brede byswynke wyth hoondes bred & hors brede hold vp theyr hartes abate Abate hem wyth beanes for bollyng off theyr wombe and yff þe gomes gruvge byd theym go swynke & he shall souvpe swetter when he hathe deseruved ytt it hath deseruid and yff þou fynd any freyke þat fortuvne hath apayred or any maner falsce men fond þou suoyche to knowe comfort theym wyth thye catell for crystes louve off heyuven louve theym & leyne theym so þe lawe off god teychethe alter alterius onera portate et cetera portate // and all maner off men that thow myght aspye that nedye been & noghtnoȝt han nauȝty / G.7.228: This virgule is at an unusual angle and may simply be present to separate words. helpe theym wyth thye goodes louve þem & lacke theym noght lett god take the wengeance thogh they done euvell lett god worche yworþe michi vindictam et ego retribuam et cetera retribuam // & yff þou wylt be gracyouvs to god do as the gospell teychythe belouve And biloue þe amongest lewde low men so shalt þou lacche grace facite vobis amicos de mammona Iniquitatis et cetera iniquitatis // I nolde wolde nouȝt greuve god / pers seyde quod piers / for all þe good on grouvnde myght I synles do as þou seyest seyd pers then I Ȝe I þe hoote bihote þe G.7.237: Kane and Donaldson read ye for G's þe, but in G superscript <e> normally only occurs after a thorn. See note to G.3.118. quod hongre or elles the byble lyethe go to genesis þe geant þe engenderouvr off vs all In swete sudore & In swynke þou shalt thye mete tylye & labouvr for thy lyuvelode & so our lord hyght and sapyence sayethe the same G.7.241: There is a smudge on the final <e> of same and the letter may have been re-outlined. I sawe ytt In þe bybleG.7.241: The cross in the bottom right hand corner of the page is in modern pencil. piger pro frigore no felde nold tylye & þerfore he shall begge & bygge bidde & no man bete hys hongre mathewe wyth mannes face mouvthed thes wordes that seruus nequam had a beysant Mnam G.7.245: Mnam, the majority B reading, is glossed besaunt in L M W Hm, and this may well be the source of the G Cr12 reading beysant. & for he wold not chaffare he had maugre off hys master euver-more after & bynam hym hys beysant Mnam for he nold ne wolde G.7.247: Almost all A manuscripts share the G M Cot reading nold, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read ne wolde. worche & gaffe þat besant Mnam to hym þat ten besantes Mnames hadde & wyth þat he seyde þat holy chuvrche ytt harde he þat had hath shall hauve & helpe þer ytt nedythe & he þat hathe noght nouȝt hath noght shall shal nouȝt hauve & no man hym helpe & þat he weneth well to hauve I wyll ytt hym bereyuve kynd wytt wolde þat eche a wyght wroght G.7.253: The ink used for wroght was very faint and the word has been re-outlined in black ink. other Or In dykyng or In deluvyng or trauvell trauaillynge In preyers contemplatyuve lyffe or actyuve lyffe cryste wold þei wroght the sauvter seyethe In þe sauvlme off vbeati omnes // the freyke þat fedeth hym-selffe wyth with his feythfull labouvr he ys blessyd by the boke in bodye & yn souvle labores manuum tuarum et cetera // YetG.7.260: The form of the decorated capital <Y> is unusual, but since the word "yet" is elsewhere consistently spelled with initial <y> it seems likely that this, rather than, say, a capital must be the letter here. I prey you quod pyresG.7.260: The <r> of pyres appears to have been added in the wrong place. See, however, G.14.240. par charyte yff and youþou ȝe G.7.260: G's reading you could conceivably be a misreading of þou, as F, but it may also be an alternative form of the nominative plural, ie. equivalent to ȝe, which is the reading of the remaining B manuscripts. See note to G.2.180. can any leyffe off lechecrafte lere ytt me my dere For some off my seruvantes & my-seluve bothe off all a weeke worche not so our wombe akethe I wote well quod hongre watt syknes you ayelethe ye hauve yeyten maunged ouver moche & þat makethe your grone but Ac I hoote þe quod hongre ~~þat~~as þou ~~........~~ thyn heale wylnest that þou drynke no day or þou dyne somwatt eyte nat I hoote þe / er honger the take and send the off hys sauvce to sauvore wyth thye lyppes & kepe some tyll suoppertyme & sytt not to long & ryse vp er appetyte hathe haue eyten hys fyll lett noght syr suvrfett sytten att thy borde leuve hym . not nouȝt for he ys leycherouvs & lykorouvs off tong & after manye maner meytes hys mawe ys a-hongred & yff þou dyote þe þus I dare legge my eyres þat fysyke shall hys fuvrred hoodes /for hys foode sell & hys cloke off calabre wyth all hys þe knapes off gold & be fayne by my faythe fysyke his phisik to leyuve lete & lerne to labouvr wyth lond for lyuvelode ys swete for mortherers are many leches our lord lorde þem amend they do men to dye deye thruvgh þer drynkes er destynye wold by seynt powle quod pyers thes are profytable wordes wende now hongre when þou wylt well þat wel be þou euver for þis ys a louvely lesson lord ytt þe foryelde I hoote By-hote G.7.285: Kane and Donaldson adopt the reading I bihote (found in BB and in all C and most A manuscripts) for G F I hoote, most manuscripts By-hote. god quod hongre hennsce ne wold wil I wendeG.7.285: The word wende was originally very faint and has been re-outlined in black ink. tyll I hauve dyned by þis day and y drynke ydronke G.7.286: G's reading y drynke (for most manuscripts ydronke) is probably at least partly influenced by confusion about the y- past participle prefix, see Introduction III.1.4. bothe I hauve no pennye quod pyers puvllettes to bygge ne neyther gees ne gryses grys but two grene cheses a fewe cruvddes & creyme & a hauver kake and two louves off beanes & branne bake ybake for my fauvntes & yet I sey by my souvle I hauve no salte bakon ne no kokeney by cryst colopes for to make but Ac I hauve percyle & porrettes & manye cole plantes and And eke a cowe & a calffe & a carte mare to drawe a-feld my dong whyle þe while G.7.295: The majority of A manuscripts share the G B F reading whyle, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most B manuscripts read þe while. þe drouvght lastethe and by þis lyuvelode we movste mot G.7.296: Though Cr and F share the G form of the verb ("must" rather than remaining manuscripts "mot"), they both, unlike G, have a singular subject. lyuve tyll lammas tyme & by þat I hope hauve to haue heruvest In my crofte & then may I dyght þi dynner as my me dere lykethe all the pouvere poeple then þo peyscoddes fecchenfeccheden fetten beynes & baken appuvlles þei broght yn theyr lappes chybolles & ~~rype~~ cheruelles & rype cheryes manye & profered pyers þis present to please wyth hongre all hongre ete In hast & asked after more then pouvere folke for fere fed hongre ȝerne wyth grene porrett & peasone to poysone ~~þem ..~~hym þei thoghtG.7.305: The added words hym þei have had to be squashed in. Note the virgule inserted after þei in order to separate it from thoght. by þat hytt neghyd ney nere heruvest newe corne cam to cheypyng þen was folke feyne & fed hongre wyth þe best wyth good ale as gloton taght & garte hongre to go G.7.308: The majority of A manuscripts share the G Cr3 Hm C2 reading to, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read go. slepe tho And þo wold wastouvr not worche but wandre a-bowte ne no begger eyte bred þat beanes yn were but off cokett & or cleremeyne clerematyn or elles off cleyne wheyte ne non halpenye ale In no wyse drynke but But of þe best & the of þe brounest þat yn bruvghe ys to sell laborers þat hauve no land to lyuve on but þer handys deyned noght to dyne a day / nyht olde wortes may no penny ale theym pay no ne no pece off bakon but yff ytt be fresshe flesshe or other fysshe fryed or other bake and that clauvdec[h]aude chaude & pluvs chauved for chyllyng off þer mawe and but yff he be hyghlyche hyred elles wole heG.7.319: The letter <h> of he may have been altered, though it is difficult to tell what the original might have been. Certainly the <e> of he appears to be a later addition: the form is that normally used by the scribe in rubricated Latin passages and it uses up the space between words. chyde and þat he was workeman wroght waylle þe tyme ageynst catons couvnseyle comsethe he to Iangell paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento // he greuvethe hym ageynst god & gruvggethe ageynst reason and And þanne cauvsethe curseth he þe kyng all and al hys couvnseyle after suoyche r lawes to loke laborers to greuve but Ac whyle hongre was here master / non off þem woldnot one of hem wold þere wolde none of hem chyde ne stryuve ageynst þeis his G.7.327: The <s> of corrected G þis appears over the <e> of original þe, the in front of it.G.7.327: Bo Cot and F share G's original reading þe, and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. The majority B reading is his. statuvte so sternleche he loked but Ac I warne you workemen wynne wyle ye meyowe for hongre hydderward hastethe hym fast he shall awake wyth watre wastouvrs to chaste er fyue be fullfylled suoyche fanynefa[m]yne famyn shall aryse thruvgh fluvddes & fouvle wedders fruvytes shall fayle a profecy and so seyde satuorne þat and seynt you to warne G.7.334: A scribe has added a

decorated cross in the margin. This corresponds to a similar cross in the table of contents (on f.102)

and is one of a number of signs clearly intended to help the reader find particular items in the text. See Introduction I.10. when ye se þe sonne a-mys & two monkes heydes and yaG.7.335: Note the use of what is, for this scribe, an unusual double-lobed <a> for overwriting. The ink is the same as the original. meyde hauve þe mastrye & muvltyplye by heyght þen shall dethe wyth-drawe & derthe be Iuvstece & daw þe dyker dye for hongre but yff god off hys goodnes graunt vs a trewe explicit septimus passus de visione // Trewthe herd tell here-off & to pyers sente he sent to maken taken hys teeme & tylye hys þe yerthe he And puvrchased hym a pardone aG.8.3: The mark before the first rubricated letter is probably a mistake; a failure to recognise the need for a change of ink. pena et a culpa // for hym & hys for his heyres for euver-more after & bad hym hold hym att whome & eryen hys leyes and all þat helpen halpe themG.8.6: Kane and Donaldson read theym for G them but there is no visible <y>. hym to erye to sett or to sowe or any other master myster þat myght pyers auveyle pardone wyth pyers plouvman trewthe hath grauvnted kynges & knyghtes that kepen holye chuvrche & ryghtfuvllyche In realmes ruvelen þe poeple hauve pardone thruvgh puvrgatorye to passen fuvll lyghtlye wyth patryarkes & profettes In paradyse to be fellowes felow bysshops y-blessed yff G.8.13: The top half of the double <f> of yff has been partly lost because of a hole in the paper. þei beene as they shuvlde legysters off bothe the lawes þe lewde men lewed þer-wyth to preyche & in G.8.14: A virgule has been added to separate the words in and als. It appears to have no metrical significance. als moche as þei mowe amenden all synfull ere pyers wyth þe postelles apostles thys p.ardone pyers shewythe & att the day off dome att þe hye deyse to sytt marcheantes In þe mergen / had many yers but Ac non a pena et a culpa . the pope wolde nolde graunte hem graunte for þei hold not theyr halydays as holye chuvrche teychethe & for they sware swere G.8.21: G's sware could be a preterite, but it is also a possible present tense form. See OED swear, v. Dobson suggests (English Pronunciation, 733, Note 1) that infinitive forms such as sware and tar for "swear" and "tear" may well be due to the analogical influence of the past tense, and that such forms were more likely in the North and the East. For Northernisms in G, see Introduction III.4.1. by þer souvle & by so god hym-seluve moste hem helpe ageyn cleyne conscyence theyre catell to sell but Ac vndre hys seycrete seale trewthe send them a letter that þei sholde byggeG.8.24: The word bygge has been re-outlined in darker ink, apparently by the original scribe at the time of writing. boldlye that them best lykyd and sythen sell ytt ageyne & sauve þe wynnyng amend And amende mys endwayes mesondieux ther- wyth myde & mesylye myseyse folke helpe and wycked weyes wyghtlyche amend and do boote bote to brydges that to-broken were maryen meydens & or maken theym nonnes pouvre poeple & prysoners fynd theym theyr foode and sett scolers to scole or to some other craftes releuve relygyon & rent theym better and I shall send you my-selfe seynt mychaell þe myn arkeangell that no deuvell shall you dere ne fere you In your dyeyng & wyten you from wanhope yff you ȝe G.8.35: For the G scribe's use of you for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. wyll þus worche and sende your souvles In safettsafett[e] safte G.8.36: G's erroneous form safett presumably arises because of confusion over the significance of -e for [i:]. See note to G.2.7. to my seyntes In Ioy then were marchantes merye manye wepte for Ioy & preysed / pyers plouman þe plowman /G.8.38: For the use of virgules as a means of highlighting, see note to G.6.597, and for an alternative method, see the boxing in C. þat p.vrchasedG.8.38: The scribe may originally have misread an abbreviation for ur as one for re and therefore have written <pr> instead of <pur> at the beginning of "purchased." thys bull men off þe of lawe s leyste perdon ghadde hadde þat pleteden for mede for þe sauvter sauvethe theym noght suoyche as take gyftes and namelych off ynnocentes þat noon euvell ne kanG.8.41: Most manuscripts have some form of konneþ for G kan. However, according to the OED, "can" was the usual plural form of this verb in the sixteenth century. super innocentem muneneramunera munera non accipies pleydouvrs shuolde peynen theym to pleyde plede for suoyche to and helpe prynces & preelates shuold pay for theyre trauvell a regibus et principibus erit merces eorum // but Ac many a Iuvstes & a and Iuvrouvr wold for Ihon do more then pro dei pietate leuve you þow non other but Ac he þat spendythe hys speche & speykethe for þe powere þat ys Innocent & nedye & no man appayrythe comforte hym In þat cas wyth-owte couvetyse off gyftes and show lawe for our lordes louve as he hytt hatheG.8.51: The word hathe was originally very faint and appears to have been re-outlined in black ink. lerned shall no deuvell att hys deydeG.8.52: Forms of "death" in -d(e (dede, ded etc.) are common in the North in ME, though they are not confined to it, and the spelling deyde may therefore reflect earlier Northern influence in G. See Introduction III.4.1. day deren hym a myte that he ne worthe saffe sauf and his sowle G.8.53: The word saffe was initially faint and has been re-outlined in black ink. þe sawter weyttnessythe bereth witnesse G.8.53: The word witnesse was initially faint and has been re-outlined in black ink. domine quis habitabit In tabernaculo tuo & cetera // but Ac to bygge water ne wynde ne wytt yne fyre þe ferthe thyese fowre þe father In of heyuven made to þis folke folde In comen thyese beene truvghthes tresores trewe folke to helpe that neuer shall wexe ne wane wyth-owteG.8.58: The word owte was originally faint and has been re-outlined in black ink. god hym-selfe when þei drawen tovntoone toin to on to dye þe deþdeth G.8.59: The confusion between dye (the reading of G L M Cr W) and deth or þe deþ in remaining manuscripts presumably arose from the misreading of thorn as <y>. Note the L W spelling deye. / & Induvlgences wold hauve theyre perdones are pardoun is full peytyte / att þer partyngG.8.60: The word partyng was originally faint and has been re-outlined in black ink. hence that any mede off meane men for theyre motyng taken ye legysters & laweeyersG.8.62: The word laweeyers was originally faint and the first three letters have been re-outlined in black ink. holden thys for trewthe that yff þat I lye mathewe ys to blame for he bad me make you thys & thys prouverbe me tolde quodcumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines facite eis // all lyuvyng laborers þat lyuven wyth theyre handes that trewlyche taken & trewlyche wynnen and lyuven In louve & in lawe for theyre lowe hertes hauve þe same absoluvcyon þat seynt was to pyers beggers ne bydders ne beythe noght In the byll bulle but yff þe suggestyon be good soth þat ~~.....~~shapethG.8.71: The form of the first <h> of shapeth is that normally found in the rubricated sections, which were also written by the scribe who copied the main body of the text (see Introduction I.7). The addition has been written in a space which is too small for it, hence the virgule before þem which is simply present to separate words. þem go to begge For he that beggethe or byt but yff he hauve nede he ys falsce wyth the fende & defrauvdethe þe nedye and And also he begyleth þe gyuere ageynst hys wyll for yff he wyst he were not nedye he wold gyuve yt ȝiue þatit gifgiue þat to another that were more nedye þen he so the nedyest shold be holpe caton kennythe me thus & the clerecler[k]e clerke off storyes cuius des videto ys caton catounes teychyng and In þe storyes he teychethe how to to bestowe þin almes sit elimosina tua In manu manu tua donec studeas studes G.8.80: C2 originally read studes, which is the majority B reading, but an <a> has been added above the line, giving studeas, as G. cui des // but Ac gregorye was a good man & bad vs gyuven all that asken for hys louve that vs all lenethe ne Non eligas cui miserearis ne forte preterias pretereas illum qui meretur accipere quia Incertum est pro quo deo magis placeas // wote For wite you ȝe G.8.84: For the G scribe's use of you for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. neuer wo ys worthye but ac god wote wo hathe nede In hym þat takethe ys þe trechyrye yff any treason walke for he that gyuvythe yeldethe & yarkythe hym to rest and he þat d byddethe borowethe & bryngethe hym-selfe In dett for beggers borowe euermore þer and her bruvgh ys god allmyghtye to yelden þeim that gyuven theym & yet vsuvrye more quare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam vt ego veniens cum vsuris exigere exegissem et cetera forthy byddeth not ye beggers but yff ye hauve nede for wo-so hathe to byggen hym bred þe boke beyryth wyttnes he hath Inoghe hathe þat hath bred I-noghe thoghe he hauve no þing nouȝt elles satis diues est qui non Indiget pane // lett vsage be your solas off seyntes lyuves redyng the boke bannethe beggerye & blamethe In thys maner Iunior fui etenim senui et non vidi Iustum delrelictum nec semen eius eius querens panem et cetera // for ye lyuve In no louve ne no lawe holde manye off you ȝow ne wed noght þe wemen ye wyth deale but as wylde bestes / wyth we-he /G.8.101: The virgules here could simply be punctuation marks but they may possibly be intended as a means of highlighting. See note to G.6.597. worthen vp & worchen and bryng forthe barnes þat basterdes men callen other Or þe bake or some bonne he brekythe yn þe his youvght and sythen go fayten wyth your fauntes euer for euer -more after there ys mo mysshape poeple among thees beggers then off all maner off men men þat on þis mold walkethe & they that lyuve thuvs theyre lyuve / may lothe theyre þe tyme that euer he was man wroght when he shall hence fare but Ac olde men & hoore þat helples been off strenght & women wyth chylde þat worche ne mowe blynd & bedred & broken theyre membres that taken meschefes þise myschiefs mekely as meyseles & other hauve as pleyne perdone as the plowman hym-selfe for louve off theyre lowe hertes our lord hathe þem graunted theyr pennvancepen[n]ance penaunce & þeir puvrgatorye here on thys yerthe Pyers quod a preeste þen þo thy perdone movste I rede I For I woleG.8.117: A virgule has been added at this point to separate the words wole and constrewe. constrewe eche clauvse & kenne þe it þe G.8.117: Definitely þe, despite Kane and Donaldson's reading þi. The <e> is forward facing, resembling that used by the original scribe in the rubricated sections. In on enghlysshe & pyers att hys preyer the perdone vnfoldethe & I beynde theym bothe /G.8.119: The addition of this virgule is accompanied, not by a pointed caret mark, but by two diagonal parallel lines. It is in any case unusual for the insertion of a virgule to be indicated by any sort of mark. This particular virgule has in fact the shape of a closing bracket, but, though the reference to the dreamer could conceivably be thought of as the sort of aside suitable for enclosure in brackets, there is no evidence of any corresponding opening bracket. byheld all the buvll In Al in two lynes ytt ley and noght a leyfe more & was wryten ryght thuvs In wyttnes off trewthe et qui bona egerunt Ibunt In vitam eternam qui vero mala In ingnemi[gn]em ignem eternumG.8.123: These two rubricated lines are bracketed together in red on the right. petre quod the preest tho I can no perdone fynd but do well & hauve well & god shall hauve þi souvle & do yuvell & hauve yuvell hope þou non other but after þi deyde day þe deuvell shall hauve þi souvle and pyers for puvre tene puvlled ytt In tweyne atweyne and seyde si ambulauero In vmbrae medio medio vmbre G.8.129: Kane and Donaldson record G's reading here as vmbra medio. However, though in fact the scribe originally wrote a single-lobed <a>, he has erased the tail of this and added a loop on top of it to form a backwards facing <e>. mortis . non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es // I shall ceasse off my sowyng & quod pieres and swynke not so harde ne abouvte my balye Ioy so bysye be no more off preyers & pennvancepen[n]ance penaunce my plowe shalbeshal be here-after & wepe when I sholde slepe thogh wheyte bred me faylle the prophete hys payne eyte / In pennvauncepen[n]aunce penaunce & yn sorowe by that þe sauvter seyethe so dyd other manye that louveth god loyally hys lyuvelode ys fuvll eysyeG.8.137: The script in which this added line is written corresponds to that of the rubricated sections rather than that of the main body of the text. This is particularly true of the <l>s. Since the evidence suggests, however, that the rubricated sections were also written by the main scribe (see Introduction I.7), this does not imply a change of hand. Probably the scribe chose to use these particular letter forms in order to make certain that the lengthy section of overwriting was clear. The traces of the original line which remain suggest that it may have been equivalent to G.8.139. This correction was clearly made before the brown ink corrections.G.8.137: There appear to be traces in the margin of a mark indicating the position in which the addition should appear. fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte but And but yff luvkeG.8.139: The alteration of luke to lvke has been made in a different ink from that normally used for these corrections, i.e. black rather than brown, and the form of the <v> is also different. lye he leyrethe vs by fouvles we shold not be to besye abouvte þe wordldes blysse ne soliciti sitis he sayethe In the gospell & shewythe vs by ensamples vs-seluvees to wysse the fouwles In þe felde wo fyndethe þem meyte & at watre wynter they hauve Haue þei no graner gerner G.8.144: Although the OED records the G and the Bx forms graner and gerner as separate words, it is not entirely clear that they should be so regarded, since OF grenier is cited as a possible source for both. to go too butt god fyndeth þem all watt quod þe preest to perkyn / petuvr as me thynkethe þou arte lettered a lytull wo lerned þe on boke abstynence þe abbesse quod pyers my . a . b . c . me taght & conscyence cam after-warde & teychyd kenned me better moche more were thow a prest quod pieres quod he þou myghtest preche where þou shuldestG.8.149: The first few words of the supplied section can to some extent be verified by considering the position of the descenders still visible at the top of the page. This does not, however, apply to the last three words. G.8.149:The place where this material should be inserted is indicated by a line in the margin. The ink appears to be the same as that used for the to <v> corrections and this insertion was therefore presumably made at the same time. as diuvinouvr off in dyuvynyte wyth dixit Insipiens to þi teyme lewde lorell quod pyers lytleG.8.151: The second <l> of lytle has a smudge which makes it look a little like an <h> but this was probably not deliberate. lokedest þou lokestow on the byble on salamones sawes seld selden þou beholdestG.8.152: The last two words of this line have been re-outlined in darker ink. ecce derisores et iurgia cum eis ne crescant crescant & cetera .// the preeste & perkyn apposed eyther other and I thruvgh theyreG.8.155: The word theyre has been re-outlined in darker ink. wordes arose awoke & loked waited abouvte and segh þe sonne In þe souvthe sytt that tyme meteles & monelesG.8.157: The word moneles could equally well be interpreted as moueles, which is the reading of Cr1. on maluverne hylles muvsyng on thes meteles my and my way I yede many a tyme tyme theesG.8.159: The letter <s> of thees has been re-outlined in browner ink. There is a hole in the paper at this point which may have affected the original. metaylles haue made me to stodye off þat I seghe sleplyng yff ytt be so so be myght and for also for pers þe plouvman pensyfe ful pensyf In herte and wyche a perdon pers had þe alle þe G.8.162: The G F reading þe (for remaining manuscripts alle þe), gives a more metrical b-verse (though see Hoyt N, Duggan, "Notes on the Metre of Piers Plowman: Twenty Years On," in Approaches to the Metres of Alliterative Verse, ed. Judith Jefferson and Ad Putter, Leeds Texts and Monographs, New Series 17 (2009), 159-186, and especially 168-70). The GF reading is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. poeple to comfort and how þe preest ympungned ytt wyth two propre wordes but Ac I hauve no sauvore In songwarye I for I see ytt oft fayle caton & canonysters couvnseyllen vs to leyuve & To sett sadnes In songwarye for somnia ne cures but Ac for þe boke þe of the byble beyrythe wyttnes how danyell dyuvyned the dremes off a kyng that was nabigodonasor nyuynvednyuy[n]ed nempned off clerkes danyell seyde to þe sire kyng thy dremels betokne that vnkowde knyghtes shall come þi kyngdome to cleuve cleime among lower lordes thye land shalbeshal be deperted and as danyell dyuvyned In deed ytt fell after the kyng lost hys lordshyp & lower men ytt had & Iosepfhe met meruvyouslye howe þe mone & þe sonne and þe elleyuven starres haylsed hym all then Iacob Iugged Iosephes swene beau fytz quod hys father for defauvte we shuollenG.8.178: It is difficult to be certain whether the alteration made to the of shullen was intended to result in an <o> or an <a>. I my-selfe & my sonnes seche þe for nede ytt befell as hys father seyde yn pharoos tyme that Iosephe was Iuvstece egypte to loken ytt befell as hys father told hys freendes þer hym soght and all þis makethe me on thys meytaylles to thynke & how þe preest prouved no perdone to dowell & demed þat dowell Induvlgences passed byennvalesbyen[n]ales Biennales & tryennvalestryen[n]ales triennales and bysshops letters & how dow-well at þe day off dome ys dynglycher dignelich vndrefongen and passed passeth all the perdone off seynt petuvrs chuvrche now hathe þe pope ~~perdone~~ power perdone to graunt to þe þe poeple wyth-ouvte any pennvancepen[n]ance penaunce to passen In-to heyuven thys ys ouvr byleuve as lettered men vs teychen quodcumque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum et in celis & cetera & so I leuve loyally ouvr lordoure lordis lordes G.8.193: Most B manuscripts have "lords" for G Hm Cot F "our lord." Hm and Cot also originally had the plural but the inflexion has been erased. The reading of Ax and of most C manuscripts is "lord," and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. forbyd forbode elles then Þat perdone & pennvauncepen[n]aunce penaunce & preyers done sauve souvles þat hauve synned seyuven sythes deydly but Ac to truvste on to G.8.196: Most A manuscripts share the G F reading on (remaining manuscripts have to), and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. thes tryennttalestrenttalestrentals triennales G.8.196: For similar treatment of "triennals" (i.e. correction to "trentals"), see G.8.199 below. According to the OED the use of "triennal" meaning "a dispensation or indulgence for three years" did not survive the fourteenth century (see OED triennal, n.). trewly me thynkethe ys noght so syker for þe souvles soule certes as ys dowelle forthy I red you renvkesre[n]kes renkes þat ryche be on þis yerthe vp-on truvste on of youvr treysuvre tryennttales triennales G.8.199: For the G scribe's treatment of the word "triennals," see G.8.196. to hauve be ye neuer þe boldre to breke þe ten hestes & namelyche ye Masters meyrs & Iuvgges that hauve þe welth off thys world & wyse menG.8.202: Kane and Donaldson record G's reading here as me rather than men, but the abbreviation for final <n> takes the form of of a high backward curve over the <e>. be holden to puvrchace you perdon & þe popes buvlles att þe dredefuvll dome when deade shall ~~...~~arysseG.8.204: It is impossible to be absolutely certain of the original reading which has been corrected to arysse, but the scribe perhaps began to copy bulles from the previous line. and comen all a-fore bifor cryste accomptes to yelde how þou laddest þi lyfe lyf here & here his lawes keptest & how þou dydest day by day þi þe dome wole reherce a poke full off perdon there & ne prouvyncyalles letters thogh ye be be founde yn þe fraternyte off all þe fouvre ordres & hauve Induvlgence indulgences douvble-folde but but if G.8.210: The G R F reading but (for remaining manuscripts but if) is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. This reading provides a more metrical b-verse (though see Duggan, "Notes on the Metre," especially 168-70), and is the reading of all A and C manuscripts. do-well you heklpe I sett your patentes & your perdone att a pyes heele and For-þi I conseyle all crystyen to crye god mercye & marye hys mother be our meane betwene that god gyuve vs grace here or we go hence suoyche workes to worke whyle we beene here that after our deyd day do-well reherce finitur visionem Note that this script is very similar to that used for the title on f.1r.

This could be a more formal version of the script of the main scribe but it bears a somewhat closer resemblance to the marginalia initialled by WH (ff.69v,

70r

and 103r).

See Introduction I.10 and I.12. nota Marginal nota is in brown ink. Compare with the marginalia by WH on ff.69v

and 70r.

The explicit has been underlined in the same brown ink. att þe day off dome we dyd as he hyght explicit octauus passus de visioneG.8.217:The brown underlining has been added by the scribe who provides the marginal comments finitur visionem and nota. See previous note. hic incipit primus passus de dowell Thuvs I robbed yrobed G.9.1: The majority B reading is yrobed. Whether G Bm I robbed is actually a substantive variant is unclear. Although the G scribe was clearly aware of the practice of using a double consonant to indicate a preceding short vowel, his practice in this respect was by no means consistent (see Introduction III.2). On the other hand, G's general problems with the y- past participle prefix (see Introduction III.1.4) suggest that he may well have misread this as a pronoun. In ruvssett I romed abowte all a somer seyson to for to seeke dowell and freyned full ofte off folke þat I metteG.9.3: The second (added) <t> of mette is formed by a brown ink line crossing the horizontal line linking the first <t> and the <e>.G.9.3: Cr1 shares G's original reading mete. The correction brings G's reading into line with that of remaining B manuscripts. yff any wyght knewe wiste whare dowell was att ynne & what man he myght be off many man I axed was neuer wyght as I went þat me wvysse couvlde where þis lede lenged lasse ne more tyll ytt befell on a fryday twoo G.9.8: A virgule has been added at this point to separate twoo and freres. freres I mette masters off þe mynouvrs men off greyte wytt I heylsed þem hendly as I had lerned & preyed theym par charyte or they passed forther yff they knewe In any any contrey c or costes as they went where þat / doowell /G.9.13: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. dwellythe doythe me to wytten for they be men on of thys molde þat most wyde walken & knowen contreys & couvrtes & manye kynnes places bothe pryncys paleys paleyses & pouvere menes cootes and do well & do euvell & where where þei dwell bothe amongest vs quod þe mynouvrs / þat man ys dwellyng & euer hathe as I hoope & euer shall here-after contra quod I as a clerecler[k]e clerke & comsed to dyspuvten and seyd þem sothely sepcies In die cadit Iustus seyuven sythes seyethe þe boke synnethe the ryghtfull and wo-so synnethe I seyde dothe euvell as me thynkethe & dowell & doeuvell may noght dwell to-gedders ergo he ys noght alway among you freres he ys other-wyle elles-where to wvysse the poeple I shall sey þe my sonne sayde þe frere then similitudo howe seuven sythes þe sad man on a day synnethe by a forbyzyne quod þe frere I shall þe fayre shewe lett bryng a man In a bootteG.9.30: The downward stroke of the second (added) <t> of bootte has been written across the line joining the first <t> to the <e> in browner ink. amydest þe brod water the wynd & þe water & þe bootteG.9.31: For the alteration of added boote to bootte, see note to previous line. waggyng makethe a man many a tyme to fall & to stande for stand he neuer so styffe he stomelythe yff he mouvethe and yet ys he sauve & sonvnde so and so hym behouvethe for yff he ne arysse the rather & raght to þe stere the wynd wolde wyth þe water þe bootteG.9.36: For the alteration of boote to bootte, see note to G.9.30. ouerthrowe then And þanne were hys lyffe lost thruvgh lacches off hym-seluve & þus ytt farethe falleth G.9.38: The G F reading farethe, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson, is also that of the A version. Remaining B manuscripts read falleth. quod þe frere by folke here on thys on yerthe the water ys lykened to þe worlde þat wanyethe & waxethe the goodes off þis grounde are lyke to þe greyte wawes þat as wyndys & wedders walkethe a-bowte þe bootteG.9.42: For the alteration of boote to bootte, see note to G.9.30. ys lykened to our bodye þat brytyll ys off kynde that thruvgh þe fende þe and þe Flesshe & the freyle worlde synnethe þe sad man on a day a day seyuven tymes sythes but Ac deydly synne dothe he nat for dowell hym kepethe and þat ys charyte þe chapman þe champioun cheffe helper help ageynst synne for he strenghythe man to stond & sterethe mannes souvle thogh And þowgh þe þi bodye bowe as bootteG.9.48: For the alteration of boote to bootte, see note to G.9.30. dothe In þe water ay ys þe þi souvle sauvfe but yff þi-selffe wole do a deydly synne & drenche þe þi souvle god wyll suffer well þi slought yff þi-seluve lykethe for he gauve þe a to yeresgyfte to seme ȝeme well þi-seluve & þat ys wytt & frewyll to euery wyght a portyon to flyeng fowles to fysshes & also to beystes and Ac man hathe most theroff & most ys to blame but yff he worche well þerwyth as dowell hym teychythe I hauve no kynd knoyng quod I to conceyuve all your wordes but Ac yff I mey lyuve & loke I shall go lerne better I bekenne þe cryste þat on on þe crosse dyed & I seyd þe same sauve you from myschance & gyuve you grace on thys grouvnde goode men to worthe & þus I wente wyde-whare walkyng myne oone by a wylde wyldrenes & by a woddys syde blysse off þe bryddes broght me a-slepe and vndre a lynde on vppon a lauvnde leynydeG.9.65: The first <e> of leynyde appears to be a correction. It seems likely that the scribe began to write <ly>- but realised his mistake before he had written the descender of the <y>. I a stouvnde to lythe þe leyes tho louvelyche fouvle foules made myrthe off theyre mouvthes made me þer to slepe the meruvyolouvseste meytelles mett me then that euer dreymyd wyght In worlde as I wenvewe[n]e wene a moche man as me thoght & lyke to my-seluve came & called me by my ryght kynde name watt arte þou quod I tho / þat þou my name knowest that þou wootest well quod he & no wyght better woot I whatt þou arte thoght seyde he then I hauve suvede þe þis seyuven yere syegh þou me no rather Art þou thoght quod I tho þou coudest me wisse where þat dowell dwellythe do and do me that to knowe dowell dowell & dobettre & dobest þe thyrde quod he arne there fayre wertuves & be not farre to fynde wo-so ys trewe off hys tong & off hys too handes & thruvghe þe his labouvre offCr23 C O C2& or þorugh hys handys londehand hys lyuvelode wynnethe and ys truvsty off of his taylleende & takethe taketh buvt hys owen and ys not dronnkelewe ne dysdeynouvs dowell hym folowethe dobettre As Benson and Blanchfield point out (pp.42 and 132.1) the form of the letters here suggests that the scribe and rubricator are the same using different scripts. See also Introduction I.7. dobet dothe ryght þus & he doythe ryght moche moche more he ys as lowe as a lambe & louvelyche off speche and helpethe all men after þat þeim nedethe the bagges & þe bygerdelles he hathe broken to-broken þem all that þe ~~yel~~ erle auvarouvs helde & hys heyres & þus wyth mammones money he hathe made hym frendes & ys ronne to relygyon & hathe rendered þe byble & preyched to þe poeple seynte powles wordes libenter suffertis insipientes cum sitis ipsi sapientes and suvffer þe vnwysse wythe you to forto G.9.93: A high proportion of A manuscripts share the G F reading to (for remaining B manuscripts forto),and this is the reading which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. lyuve & wyth gladde wyll do þem goode for so god you hoothethe dobest dobest ys abouve bothe & beyrythe a bysshopes crosse ys hoked on þe þat on hende to halye men from hell ~~that weyten any wyckednes dowell to tene~~ G.9.96: This deleted line has been written in the wrong place and appears as G.9.98 below. a pyke ys on þe potente to puvt a-downe þe wycked that wayten any wyckednesse dowell to teene & dowell & dobetter amonge G.9.99: Kane and Donaldson apparently interpret the final backward curve on the <g> of "among" as an abbreviation for <es> (unless they do not consider the form amonge to be a variant). However, G would normally have a loop for such an abbreviation, and it seems more likely that the final letter should be read as a residual <e>. Compare the form of "among" at G.12.51. þem ordeynyd to crowne on to be kyng to reuvlen þem bothe that yff dowell or dobet do diddoþ ageynst dobest then shall þe kyng come & cast theym In Irens & but yff dobest byd for theym þei be to be þer for euver thuvs dowell & dobetter & do-best þe thyrde crowned on to be kyng to kepen theym all & to reuvle þe realme by theyre thre wyttes & noon other wyse buvt as they ther thre assentyd I thanked thoght tho / þat he me thuvs taght but Ac ytt ȝete sauverythe me noght thy seggyng &I couveyte to lerne how dowell dobetter & dobestG.9.110: Kane and Donaldson record that G shares Cr's variant reading dobetter (for remaining B manuscripts dobest). However, the penultimate letter in G is a long <s>, giving dobest. doon amogestamo[n]gest amonges þe poeple wytt But witte can wysse þe quod thoght / where tho thre dwell elles woote I non þat kanne þat now ys a-lyuve thoght / & . y / thuvs thre dayes yedene dyspuvtyng vpon dowell day after other & er we were I-warre war wyth wytt gan we mete he was long & leyne & lyche liche to non other was no pryde In on hys apparell ne pouverte nother sadde off hys semblant & off softe chere I dorste moue no matter to make hym to Iangell but as I bad thoght tho be meane betwene & putt forthe some purpose to prouven hys wyttes what was dowell fro dobetter & dobest from þem bothe then thoght In þat tyme seyde thes wordes where dowell do-better & dobest be In lande there Here ys wyll wold wytt / yff wytt couvde hym teyche teche hym G.9.125: G's reading, hym teyche, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson, provides a metrically more satisfactory b-verse than the majority B reading teche hym (though see Duggan, "Notes on the Metre"). & wether he be man or woman þis man wold aspye and worchen as þei þer thre wold þis ys hys Intent explicit primus passus de dowell SIr dowell dwellythe quod wytt noght a day hence In a castell þat kynde made off fouvr kynnes thynges off yerthe & eyre ys ytt made meydeled to-gedders wyth wynd & wyth watre wytterlye enIoygnede kynd hathe closed þerynne craftylye wyth-all a lemman þat he louvethe lyke to hym-seluve anima she hatte but ac enuvye hyr hatethe a prouvde prycker off france princeps huius mundi // & wold wynne hyr a-way wyth wyles yff and he myght but Ac kynd knowethe hyr þis well & kepethe hyr þe bettre & hathe done hyr wyth syr dowell duvke is duke off thes merches dobetter ys hys hir damosell syr dowelles doghter to seruve hyr þis ladye leally bothe late & rathe dobest ys a-bouve bothe a bysshopes pere that he byddethe movste be done he reuvlethe þem all anima þat ladye ys ladde by hys lernyng lerynge but Ac þe constable off that castell þat kepethe all þe wacche ys a wysse knyght wyth-all syr In-wytt he hatte & hathe fyuve fayre sones by hys fyrste wyffe syr se well & sey well & here well the hende syr worche well wyth thye hande a wyght man off strenght & syr godfray go well / greyte lordys for-sothe thes fyuve be sett to sauve þis ladye aG.10.23: The deletion of <a> results from a failure to recognise the need for a change of ink.anima tyll kynd come or send to sauven hyr for euer what thyng ys kynd quod I canste þou me tell kynd quod wytt ys a cratouvrcr[e]atour creatour ~~all~~off all kynnes thynges fader & formouvr off all / þat euer were was maked and that ys þe greyte god / þat gynnyng had neuer lord off lyfe & off lyght / off blysse & off payne angelles & all thynges þing G.10.30: G uses thynges rather than the old uninflected plural þing (found in all other manuscripts). See Introduction III.1.1. are att hys wyll but Ac man ys hym most lyke off marke & off shapepe schafte G.10.31: The G Cr C C2 reading "shape" (for most B manuscripts schafte) is also the reading of all A manuscripts except Ma, H and A, and is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. C2 originally shared the majority reading, but this has been corrected to schape in a different ink. for thruvgh þe worde þat he spake wexen forthe bestes dixit et facta sunt //et cetera // and made man lykest to hym-seluve one and euve off hys rybbe boone wythe-owten any meane for he was synguvler hym-seluve & seyde faciamusG.10.36: The bar is missing from the <f> of faciamus. as wo sey seith more moste þerto here-to then my worde oone my myght myght mote helpe now wyth my speche ryght as as a lord shuolde make letters & hym lacked perchement thogh he couvld wryte neuer so well yff he had no penne þe letter for all þe lordshyppe I leuve / were neuer maked ymaked so And so ytt semethe by hym as þe boke tellethe there he seyethe dixit et facta sunt et cetera sunt G.10.43: M originally shared the majority reading sunt, but & cetera has been added in a different hand and in a different ink, bringing the M reading into line with that of G and Y. // he most worche wyth hys worde & hys wytt shewe & In þis maner was man made trhruvgh myght off god almyghtye wyth hys worde & workemanshyppe & wyth lyffe to laste & þus god gaffe hym a goste off þe godheyde off heyuven & off hys greate grace grauvnted hym blysse & þat ys lyffe þat euer ay shall laste to all lynages after & þat b ys the castell þat kynde made caro ytt hyghte and a ys as moche to meane as man wythe a souvle & þat he wroght wyth werke & wyth worde bothe thruvgh myght off þe magestee man was maked ymaked Inwytt & all wyttes closed be therynne for louve off þe ladye anima þat lyffe ys y-neuenvedy-neue[n]ed ynempned ouer all In mannes bodye he walkethe & wanderethe butAnd Ac In þe herte ys hyr home / & hyr most rest but Ac Inwytt ys yn þe heyde / & to þe herte he lokethe whatt anima ys leuve or lothe he lett hyr at hys wylle for after þe grace off god þe greatest ys Inwytte moche wo worthe þat man þat mysruvlethe hys Inwytt and þat be glotons globbers theyr god ys theyre wombe quorum deus venter est et cetera est // for þei seruven sathan theyre souvles shall he hauve that lyuven synfull lyffe here theyre souvle ys lyke þe deuvelle and all þat lyuven good lyffe are lyke to god almyghty qui manet In caritate In deo manet et cetera // alas þat drynke shall fordeford[o] for-do þat god dere a-bouoghte and doythe god forsaken theym þat he shope to hys lykenes amen dico vobis nescio vos et alibi et dimisi eos secundum disederia & ceteraG.10.70: The two rubricated lines are bracketed together in red on the right. Foles þat fauvten Inwytt I fynd þat holy chuvrche sholde fynden theym þat theym fauvtethe & faderles chyldren & wydowes þat hauve noght wheron wher-with to wynnen þeir hem her foode madde men & meydens þat helples were all þes lacken In-wytt & loore by-houven bihoueth G.10.75: The -en ending of G byhouen means that G's verb must be plural, whereas the verb as it appears in the majority of B manuscripts (bihoueth) could be either singular or plural. See the Kane and Donaldson reading [hem] bihoueþ, which interprets the verb as singular and impersonal. Off þis mattyer I myghte make a longe tale & fynd fell fele G.10.77: For G's treatment of fele (the reading of the remaining B manuscripts), here appearing as G fell, see note to G.4.349. wyttnes amonge þe fouvre doctors & þat I lye not (off þat I leere þe) luvke beyryth wyttnes godfadre & godmodre þat sene theyr god-chyldrene & At myssease & mysscheffe & mowe þem amende shall hauve pennvancepen[n]ance penaunce In puvrgatorye but þei þem helpe For more longer bilongeth to þe lytull barne er he þe lawe knowe þen neuenvyngneue[n]yng nempnyng off a name & he neuer þe wyser shuolde no crystyen creatuvre cryen att þe gate ne fayle payne & ne potage / & prelates dyd as þei shuolde a Iewe wold noght seen a Iewe go Iangle iangelyng for defauvte for all þe movebleys moebles In on þis worlde molde & he amend ytt myght alas þat a crystyen creatouvre shalbeshal be vnkynd to an-other sythen Iewes þat we Iuvggen Iuvdas felowes eyther off theym helpethe other off þat þat theym hym nedythe wye nyll we crystyen off crystes goode be as kynde as Iewes þat beene our loores men shame to vs all they come Þe comune G.10.93: G's reading, they come, for the majority reading Þe comune, probably results in part from the scribe's use of the as a weak form of "they" (see, e.g., G.6.150, G.6.195, G.12.235). ~~thrugh~~ for þeir vnkyndnes I drede me shall abye bysshopes shalbeshal be blamed for beggers saake he ys wors þen Iuvdas that gyuvethe Iapers ~~beggers~~ syluver & byd þe beggers begger go for hys brooke clothes proditor est prelatus cum Iuda qui patrimonium cristi minus distribuit: et alibi : perniciosus dispensator est qui res pauperum Invtiliter consummitG.10.97: The rubricated lines are bracketed together in red on the right. he doythe not well þat doyethe þus & ne ne dredethe not god almyghty ne louvethe nat salomones sawes that sapyence taght Inicium sapientie timor domini // G.10.101: G shares the reading of this line with remaining β4 manuscripts (except that all these apart from G read & þou doste wel for G doest well). The remaining B manuscripts have a two-line version.drede god for louve doest well / but not for venIange & þou doest better thow doest best yff þou wythdrawe by day & by nyght to spyll any speche or any space off tyme qui offendit In vno In omnibus est reus : // lesyng off tyme trewthe wootethe þe sothe ys most hated on apon yerthe off theym þat be In heyuven & sythe to spyll speche þat spyre ys off grace and godes gleeman & a game off heyuven wold neuer þe faythfull fadre / hys fythyll were vntempered now ys Ne his gleeman a geydelyng & a a goer to tauernes to all trewe tydymen that trauvell desyren our lorde louvethe theym & lent louvde other styll grace to go to theym / & agon theyr leyuvelode Inquirentes autem deum dominum non minienturmin[u]entur minuentur omni bono .// trew wedded lyuvyng folke In thys worlde ys dowell for þei mote worche & wynne & þe worlde suvsteyne for off theyr kynde they cam / þat confessouvr confessoures be neuenvedneue[n]ed nempned kynges & knyghtes kaysers & chuvrles meydens & martoers owte off a man came D þe wyffe was made þe way for to helpe to worche worche & þus was wedlocke wroght ywrouȝt wythe a meane persone Fyrst by þe faders wyll & þe freendes counseyle & sythe by assente off theym-selfe as þei two myght acorde & þus was wedlocke wroght ywrouȝte god and god hym-selffe ytt made In yerthe þe heyuven ys hym-seluve was þe wyttnesG.10.125: The corrector appears to have altered the last letter of wyttnes to <ce> and then changed his mind and altered it back again. but Ac falsce folke faytheles theuves & lyers wasters & wrecches owte off wedlocke I trowe conceyuved be In euvell tyme as chayme was on euve off suoyche synfull shrewes þe sauvter makethe mynde concepit In dolore et peperit Iniquitatem iniquitatem & cetera :// & all þat came off þat kayme cam to euell ende for god send to seem & seyd by an angell thyn yssuve In thyn yssuve I wyll þat þei be wedded & nat þi kynd wyth kaymes couvpled ycoupled ne spouvsed yet some ageyne þe sond off ouvr sauvyouvr off heyuven kaymes kynd & hys kynd couvpled to-gedders tyll god wratthed wyth þeir workes & suoyche a worde sayde that I maked man nowe me ytt forthynkethe penetet me fecisse hominem & cetera hominem .// & cam to noye a-non & badde hym noght lett swythe go shape a shyp off shydes & off boordes thye-selfe & þi thre sones & sythen youvr wyuves boske you to that bootteG.10.143: For the alteration of boote to bootte, see note to G.9.30. & bydythe yeeG.10.143: As far as "ye" is concerned, the G scribe's usual practice means that superscript <e> implies a preceding thorn whereas an inline <e> implies a preceding <y>. The correction here therefore brings G's reading into line with that of the majority of B manuscripts (i.e. ȝe). See also note to G.3.118. therynne tyll fortye G.10.144: The <y> of fortye has been re-outlined in black ink. dayes be fuvllfylled þat floode hauve y-wasshen cleane a-way þe couvrsed bloode þat kame hath maked ymaked beystes þat now be shall banne the tyme þat euer cuvrsed þat cursed G.10.147: The majority of A version manuscripts share the G Hm reading "cursed," which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read þat cursed. kayem cam on thys yerthe all shall dye for hys dedes by dales & by hylles & þe fowles þat flyen forthe wyth other beestes excepte onlyche off yche kynd a couvple þat In þi syngledG.10.150: Given the occasional use of forms with <s> for <sh> in G (see Introduction III.4.1), it seems unlikely that syngled (for remaining manuscripts shyngled) is a lexical variant . shyppe shall beene y-sauved ther Here boght abouȝt þe barne þe bel syre syres gyltes & all for þeir fornefadres forfadres þei farden the worsce þe gospell ys þer here -agayne In on degre I fynde filius non portabit Iniquitatem patris et pater non non portabit iniquitatem filij & cetera. // but Ac I fynd yff þe fadre be falsce & a shrewe þat somedeale þe sone shall hauve the syres tacches ympe off on a eller & yff thyne appuvll be swete moche meruveyle me thynkethe & more off a shrewe that bryngethe forthe any barne but but if he be the same and hauve a sauvouvr after þe syre seylde seest þou other nunquam colligimus de spinis vuas nec de tribulis ficus .// & þus thruvgh cuvrsed kayem cam care vp-on yerthe & all for they wroght wedlocke ageynst goddes wyll forthy hauve þei mauvgre G.10.165: At this point, β4 manuscripts lack "of/for their marriages." & þat so maryen theyre chylder for some as I see nowe sothe for to tell for couvetyse off catell vnkyndly be weddyd a As carefull conceptyonnG.10.168: G's original spelling of the suffix of "conception" was presumably -youn. comythe off suoyche maryeges as befell to of þe folke as þat I before off tolde for good shulde wed goode thogh they no goode had I am via et veritas seyeth cryste I may auvaunce all ytt ys an vncomely couvple by cryste as me thynkethe to gyuven a yonge wenche to an old feble or wedden any wydowe for weltheG.10.174: The <h> and the <e> of welthe have been rewritten, apparently because the originals were very faint (they are only just visible). There does not appear to be any alteration here and the hand appears to be that of the original scribe. off hyr goodes that neuer shall barne beyre but but if ytt be In armes many a pairyre sythe þe pestylence hauve plyght þem to-geddres þe fruvte þat they bryng forthe are fouvle wordes In Ielosye IoyeslesIoyeles ioyeles Iangelyng and ianglyng In on bedde hauve þei no chyldren but chest & choppyng theym betwene & thogh they do theym to donmowe but but if þe deuvell helpe to folowen after þe flycche / fecche they ytt neuer & but þei bothe be forsworne that bakon they tyne forthy I couvnseyle all crystyen couveyte not be wedded for couvetyse off catell ne off kyndred ryche but Ac meydens & meydens mache you to-geddres wydowes & wydoers worchethe the same for no landes but for louveG.10.187: The form of the <l> of "love" at first sight suggests a capital, but in fact it simply corresponds to the lower case form of this letter as used in the rubricated sections. See, e.g., the second letter of alterius at G.6.273 (f.20r).

The G scribe does sometimes use the more formal script in the non-rubricated passages, for no evident purpose. See, e.g., the first letter of beyte at the top of f.22v

(G.6.456). loke ye be wedded and þen gett ye þe grace off god & good ynoghe to lyuve wyth and euery maner seculer that may not contynewe wysely go wedde & warre þe hym fro synne for leychery In lokyng ys a is lymeyarde off hell wyle þou art yong & thye weypen kene wreke þe wyth wyvyng yff þou wylt beene excuvsed cum sis vir fortis ne des tua robera scortis scribitur in portis meretrix est Ianua mortisG.10.195: The two rubricated lines are bracketed in red on the right. when ye hauve wyved beware & worche In tyme noght as adam & euve when kayem was Ingendred for In vntyme trewly betwene man & woman ne shuold no bouvrde In on bed be but yff þei bothe were cleane bothe off lyfe & off souvle & In perfytt charyte þat ylke derne dede do no man ne sholde but AndAc yff þei leyden þis þus G.10.202: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. theyre lyfe yt lykethe god almyghty for he made wedlocke fuvrste & hym-seluve ytt seyde bonum est vt vnuusvnus vnus quisqueG.10.204: Kane and Donaldson record 8 minims between the <v> and the <s> of vnuus; in fact there are only 6. vxorem suam habeat propter fornicationem & þei that other-gates be getten for gedelynges beene holden as falsce folke / fondlynges faytouvrs & lyers vngracyouvse to gett good or louve off the poeple wandren & wast what þei cacche mowe ageynst dowell þei do ~~elu~~ euvell & þe deuvell seruve & after þer deyd day shall dwell wyth the same but god gyuve þem grace here theym-seluve to amend dowell my frend ys to done as the lawe teychethe to louve þi frende & thy foo leuve me þat ys do-better to gyuven & to ȝemen bothe yong & olde to healen & to helpen ys dobest off all dowell And dowel ys to drede god & doo better ys to suvffer G.10.216: The initial s of "suffer" could perhaps be interpreted as a double letter (i.e. a capital), but such usage would be unusual for the G scribe. & so semeythe cometh doo-best off bothe & bryngethe downe adoun þe modye & þat ys wycked wyll that manye worke shendythe & dryuvethe a-way dowell thruvgh deydly synne explicit secundus passus de dowell Then had wytt a wyfe w~~ych~~asG.11.1: Kane and Donaldson read G was altered to wych, but in fact the <a> and the sigma <s> with a long riser have clearly been written over the <y>and the <ch> respectively. hoote dame studye that leyne was off leyer & off lyche bothe she was wonderly wrogheG.11.3: Spellings of the adjective "wroth" with <gh> for <th> (as G wroghe) are recorded by the OED for the fourteenth century. LALME records "earth" with the spelling <ergh> in the East Riding of Yorkshire and "north" with the spelling <norgh> in North Yorkshire (LALME 4, items 107 and 194), but since neither item is recorded for the South, it is difficult to be certain of the distribution of these spellings. Brunner suggests that the use of yogh for thorn resulted from errors by Anglo-Norman scribes; see Karl Brunner, An Outline of Middle English Grammar, trans. Grahame Johnston (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1963), 38, note 5. þat wytt me þus taght & And al staryng dame studye sternelyche she sayde seyde well art thow wyse quod she ~~any~~ to wytt G.11.5: A virgule has been added at this point to separate wytt and any. any wyssdome wysdomes G.11.5:The second half of wyssdome has been written in small letters, presumably because the error earlier in the line has resulted in a lack of space. to tell to flaterers or to foles that frantyke beene off wyttes & blamed hym & banned hym & bad hym be stylle wyth suoyche wyse wordes to wysse any sottes & seyd noli mittere man mageryema[r]gerye margerye pearles amongest hogges þat hawes hauve han hawes Inowe at wille they doone but dryuvell theron / draffe were þem leuer then all þe preycyouvse pyrrye þat In paradyse wexethe I sey ytt by suoyche quod she þat showen by theyre workes that them were leuver londe & lordshype on yerthe or ryches or rentes & rest att theyre wyll then all þe sothe sawes that salamon seyde euver wyssdome & wytt nowe ys not worthe a kerse but But if G.11.18: Most A manuscripts and all C manuscripts share the G M F reading but (for remaining B manuscripts But if), and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. ytt be carded wyth couvetyse as clothyers kemben wole wo-so can contryuve deceytes / ande conspyre wronges and leyde forthe a louve-day to lett wyth trewthe he þat suoyche craftes can to couvnceyle ys cleped they leyde lordes wyth leysynges & belyethe trewthe Iob Iob þe gentyle In hys gest gestes greatly wyttnessythe that wycked men welden þe welthe off þis worlde and And þat þei be lordes off eche lande þat ow~~ght~~t off lawe lyuven quare impij viuntvi[v]unt viuunt bene est hominibus qui preuericantur & Inique agunt // the sauvter seyethe the same by suoyche þat done yll ecce e ipsi peccatores habundantes In seculo obtinuerunt diuitiasG.11.28: Most of the final <s> of diuitias has been lost as a result of cropping but the very bottom of the letter is still visible. lo sayeth holye letteruvre suoyche whiche lordes are thees shrewes thylke þat god most gyuvethe geueth mostemoost good gyuethmost greueth leyst good they delenynedele[n] deleth & most vnkynd to þe commuvne þat most catell welden que perfecisti destruxerunt Iustus autem & cetera // herlottes for theyre herlotrye may hauve off theyre goodes and Iapers & Iogelers & Iangelers off gestes but Ac he þat hathe wholye wrytte aye In hys mouvthe and can tell off thobye & off the tweluve apostelles or preychen off pennance þat pylate wroght to Iessu þe gentyll that Iewes to-drewen Lytuyll ys he louved þat suoyche a lessone shewethe or dauvnted to or drawe forthe I do ytt on god hym-seluve but tho þat faynen theym fooles & wyth faytyng lyuven ageyne þe lawe off our lorde & lyen on theym-seluve spytten & spewen & speyke fouvle wordes drynken & dryuvylen & do men to for to gape kykne[l]ykne Lickne men and lyen on theym þat leynethe þem no gyftes they can no more mynstrallcye ne muvsyke men to gladde thenG.11.47: Originally the final letter of then appears to have had three minims, the last of which has been crossed out by the original scribe. muvnde þe mylner off / multa fecit deus. // ne were theyre vyle harlotrye haue god my trewght shuvld neuer kyng ne knyght ne chanon off seynt pouvles gyuve theym to theyr rewarde ȝeresȝiue þe walew ȝifte G.11.50: All A manuscripts except K Wa J share the G O C2 Y reading "value" (for most B manuscripts ȝifte), and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. off a groote but Ac myrthe & mynstrallcye ys among men amonges men is nowe nouthe G.11.51: For the G scribe's replacement of most manuscripts nouthe with nowe, see note to G.4.295. leychery & losengerye & loselles tales glotony & greyte othes thys myrthe they louven but Ac yff þei carpyn off cryst clerkes þis clerkis & lewede þis lewed at meyte In myrthes when mynstrelles byn stylle then tell they off þe trynyte a tale other twey & bryng forthe a bald reason & taken bernard to wyttnes & putten forthe a presuvmpsyon to prouve the sothe thuvs þei dryuvell att þer dynnere deyse þe deyyte to knowe & gnawen god wyth the gorge when þer guvttes er fylled fulle G.11.60: Most B manuscripts have readings with the verb "to be" followed by the adjective "full" (or, in the case of G, the past participle fylled). The readings of A and C, however, suggest an original with "full" as an active verb (as W guttes fullen="bellies grow full"). butt Ac þe carefull may crye & carpen att þe gate bothe a-hongred & a-thuvrste & for chele quvake ys noone to nymen them hym neere hys noye to amend but heonG.11.64: For heon, see MED heuen (v.3),"to shout" or "to halloo." on hym as an houvnde & hoten þem hym go thence lytull louveth he þat lorde þat lent hym all þat blysse that thus pertethe wyth the pouvre a percell when þem hym nedythe ne were mercy In meane men more then In ryche mendymantes meytles myght go to bedde god ys moche In þe gorge off the þise greyte master maystres butt Ac amongestG.11.70: The bar over the <o> of amongest is only faintly visible. meane men hys mercy & hys workes G.11.70: The last letter of workes is odd, a cross between an <e> and an <s>. It is possible that it was added after the manuscript had been bound, which would explain the awkwardness of the writing (i.e. it is in the gutter). & þus so sayethe the sawter I haue sene ytt offte ecce audiuimus eam In effrata : Inuenimus eam In campis silue // clerkes & other othere kynnes men carpen off god fast & haue hym moche yn þer þe mowthe but ac meane men In herte freres & faytouvrs haue fonde suoyche quvestyons to pleasse wyth prouvde men syth þe pestylence tyme and preychen att at seint poules for puvre enuvye off clerkes that folke ys not fyrmed In þe faythe ne fre off þer goodes ne sory for theyre synnes so ys pryde wexen In relygyon & and in all the realme bothe amonges ryche & pouvre that preyers haue no power þe pesteylence to lett & yet þes þe wrecches off thys worlde ys non y-warre by other ne for drede off of þe dethe wythdrawe noght theyreG.11.83: The <r> in theyre appears to have been re-outlined. The small hook at the end of the word has been interpreted as a residual <e>, but it could be an abbreviation mark. pryde ne be plenteouvse to þe pore as puvre charyte wolde but In gaynes & glotonye forglotte theyre goodes theyr-seluve goode hem-selue & breykyth not to the begger as þe boke teychythe frange esurienti panem tuum et cetera // & þe more he wynnethe & welte welthes & ryches and lordethe In landes the lasse goode he dealethe thobye tellethe you not so take hede the ȝe ryche how þe boke off þe byble off hym beyryth wyttnes G.11.92: G.11.92 and G.11.93 are bracketed together in red on the right.si tibi copia sit habundanter tribue si autem exiguum impertire impertiri stude libenter // wo-so hathe moche spende moche meanetheso seiþmeþsemeþseyþ so meneth thobye & wo-so lytle weldythe reuvle hym therafter for we haue no letter off our lyfe how long yt shall duvre suoyche lessons lordes shuolde louve to here & how how he myght moste meannemeyn meyne manlyche fynde & nat Nouȝt to fare as a fydeler or a frere to forto G.11.99: Kane and Donaldson adopt the G Cr Hm R reading to. Remaining B manuscripts read forto. seke feastes homelyche att other mens houvses & haten theyre owne elenge ys þe halle eche day In the weeke there þe lord & the ladye lykethe not to sytte now hathe eche ryche a reuvle to eyte by hym-seluve In a pryuvye parlouvr for powerG.11.104: G power is recorded by the OED as a possible spelling of "poor" (which is the reading of Bx) and this is therefore probably not a substantive variant. menes saake or In a chambre wyth a chymney & leyuve þe cheffe halle that was made for meales men to eyten ynne & all to spare to spyll þat spend shall a-nother I hauve herd hygh men eytyng att the table carpen as þei clerkes were off cryst & off hys myghtes & leyden fauvtes on þe fadre that fouvrmed vs all & carpen a.geyneG.11.111:The <g> of ageyne has been written over a deleted letter - possibly the scribe began to write "carpen as," as in G.11.109. clerkes crabbed wordes why wolde our sauvyouvr suffre soche a worme In hys blysse that begyled þe woman & þe man after thruvgh wyche wyles & wordes they wente to hell & all theyr seede for theyre synne þe same dethe suvffered here lyethe your loore thees lordys gan gynneth dyspuvte off þat þe clerkes vnv[s] vs kenne off cryste by þe gospell filius non portabit Iniquitatem patris & cetera // why shuold we þat now beene for þe werkes off adam roten & rende reason wold ytt neuer vnusquisque portabit onus suum et cetera // suoyche motyuves þei move þes masters In theyre glorye & make men In myssbeleuve þat muvse moche on þer wordes ymagynatyve here-afterwarde shall answere to your puvrposce auguvstyne Austen to suoyche arguveers tellethe thys teeme non plus sapere quam oportet et cetera // wylneth neuer to wytt why that god wolde suoffer sathan hys seede to begyle but Ac beleuveth loyally yn þe loore off holychurche and prey theym hym off perdone & pennaunce In þi lyuve & for hys moche marcy to amende you here for all þat wylnethe to wytt þe / whyes weyes /G.11.132: For the virgules here, see note to G.6.597. off god almyghty I wold hys eye were In hys arsce & hys fynger after that euer wylnethe to wytt why þat god wolde suvffer sathan hys seede to begyle or Iuvdas to the Iewes Iesu bytraayeG.11.136: The G scribe writes the <ra> of "betray" out in full but he also provides an otiose superscript <a>. See note to G.3.157. all was was as þou woldest lorde worshyped be thowe and all worthe as þou wolt what-so-euer what-sowhat-euere we dyspuvte and tho þat vsen vseth þis hauvylounvshavylou[n]shanylowes hauelounes to blynde mennes wyttes what ys do-well fro do-betterG.11.140: The abbreviation for <er> (giving better) is present though not recorded by Kane and Donaldson. now deefe may mote he worche worthe sythe he wylneth to wytt wyche þei beene bothe but yff he lyuve In þe lyfe þat longethe to dowell For I dare be hys bolde borowe þat dobetter wyll he neuere thogh dobest drawe on hym day after other & when þat wytt was warre ywar watt þat what dame stuodye tolde he became so confuvse he cowthe not looke and as doumbe & as deaffe deth & drewe hym arere & for no carpyng I couvlde after ne knelyng to þe grouvnde I myght gett no greyne off hys greate wyttes but all laghynge he lowted & looked vp-on stuodye In sygne þat I shuolde beseche hyr off grace & when I was warre off hys wyll to hys wyffe gan I lowte & seyd mercy madame your man shall I worthe as long as I lyuve bothe late & rathe for to worche your wyll þe whyle my lyffe duvrethe wyth þat ye kenne me kyndlye to knowe whatt ys dowell For thy mekenes mekenesse man quod she & for þi mylde speche I shall kenne þe to my cosyn þat claregy ys y-hooten hoten he hathe wedded a wyffe wyth-yn þis syx monethes ys sybbe to þe seyuven artes scryptuvre ys hyr name they two as I hoope after my teychyng shall wysshen þe to do-well I adare ytt vndertake then was I as also fayne as fowle off fayre morowe and gladder þen the gleeman þat gold hathe to gyfte & axked hyr þe hye way where where þat G.11.165: All A manuscripts except A and K share the G F reading where, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read where þat. clargye dwelte & tell me some tokne quod I for tyme ys þat I wende axe þe hye way quod stuodye hence to suvffer bothe well & wo & yff ȝif þou þat þow wylt lerne & ryde forthe by rychesce & ac rest not therynne for yff þou couvple couplest þe þerwyth to claregye comesthowe G.11.170: A virgule has been added at this point to separate comesthowe and neuere. neuere & also þe lycorouvs lauvnde þat lechyrye hatte leyuve ytt on þi lefte halfe a large myle & more tyll þou come to a couvrte kepe well þi tonge from leasynges & lyther speche & lycorouvs drynkes þen shalthowe see / sobryete /G.11.175: For the virgules here, see note to G.6.597. & symplenes symplete off speche that eche wyght be In wyll hys wytt þe to shewe þus And þus shalthowe come to clargye þat kanne manye thynges sey hym þis sygne I sett hym to scole & þat I grete well hys wyffe I for I wroote hyr many bokes & sett hyr to sapyence & to the sauvter & glosseG.11.180: The letter which precedes glosse is not entirely clear and, in any case, it appears to have been crossed out. Kane and Donaldson read ?iglosse. logyke I lerned hyr & manye other lawes and all þe muvsons In musyke I made hyr to knowe plato þe poet I puvtt hym fuvrste to booke arestotell & other mo to arguve I taght gramere for gerles I garte furste wryte & bett þem wyth a baleyes but but if þei wolde lerne off alkynnes craftes I contryuved tooles off carpenters carpentrie G.11.188: All A version manuscripts share the G Cr3 F reading carpenters, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Most C manuscripts share the majority B reading carpentrie. & of keuruvers and compassede masons & lerned þem leyuvell & lyne thogh I looke dymme theologie hathe tened me ten score tymes þe more I muvse therynne þe mystyer ytt semethe & þe depper I dyuvyne þe derker me ytt thynkethe NotaG.11.193: The reading Nota is that suggested by Benson and Blanchfield. The mark is, as they point out (132.IV.C), different from that on f.23v

G.6.541, but see note to that line. ytt ys no syence forsothe / for to sotyle ynne a full leythy thyng ytt were / yff þat louve nere and for yt let best by louve I louve ytt the better for ther þat louve ys / leydre /G.11.196: For the virgules here, see note to G.6.597. ther ne lackethe no grace looke þou louve loyally yff þe lykethe dowell for dobetter & dobest be off louves kynne In other sapyence science ytt seyethe I segh ytt In caton qui simulat verbis nec corde est fidus amicus tu quoque fac simile sic ars deluditur arteG.11.200: The two rubricated lines are bracketed together in red on the right. wo-so glosen gloseth G.11.201: The G scribe, or more probably an ancestor (see Introduction III.1.4), has mistakenly read B "gloseth" as a plural verb and has replaced it with glosen. as gylouvrs doone do theym þe same & so shalthowe falsce foolke & faythles begyle thys ys catons kennyng to clerkes þat he lernedlernethlerne lereth theololgye Ac theologye teycheth noght so / wo-so taketh ȝeyme & kennythe vs þe contrarye ageynst catons wordes for he byd vs beene as brethren & bydde for our enmyes & louven þem þat lyen on vs & leyne þem when þem nedethe & do goode agaynst aȝeines euvell god hym-seluve yt hootethe dum tempus habemus operemur bonum ad omnes maxime aivtemG.11.209: At first sight the change resulting in avtem appears to be one of the usual changes of to <v>, but in fact this particular alteration seems to have been prompted by a shortage of minims, i.e. it is instead a change of to <v>. ad domesticos fideiG.11.209: The two rubricated lines are bracketed together in red on the right. pauvle preyched the poeple þat perfettnes louved to doG.11.211: The loop on the <d> of do appears to have been added later in brown ink. good for godes Louve & gyuve men þat askene & namlyche to suvyche as þat showenscheweth sueth our byleuve and all þat lakken vs or leynd lyeth vs god teycheth vs to louve and not nouȝt to greuve theym þat greuve vs god þat forbyddethe michi vindictam et ego retribuam & cetera // forthy loke þou louve as long as þou duvrest for ys no ~~con~~scyenceG.11.217: G's original reading conscyence as well as the correction to the majority B reading "science" are also present in Bm. The original, uncorrected reading remains in C O C2 Y. vndre sone so souereygne for þi þe souvle but Ac astronamye ys a harde thyng & euvyll for to knowe geomytrye & geomysye ys gylefull ginful off speche wo-so thynkethe worche wyth tho two / thryuvethe full late For sorcerye ys þe souereygesouereyg[n]e souereyne boke þat to thatþo þe G.11.221: Most A manuscripts share the G B reading that, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read þe or þo. scyence longethe yet are ther fybyches yn forcers off felle fele G.11.222: For G's treatment of fele (the majority B reading, here appearing as G M Cr C felle), see note to G.4.349. In M, the reading fell results from correction. menes makyng experymentes off alkanamye the poeple to deceyuve yff þou thynke to do well deale therwyth ~~ner~~ neuere all þes scyences I my-seluve subtyled & ordyned & fouvnded þem formost folke to dysceyuve tell clargye thes tokens & scrypture after I couvnseale þe kyndlye to knowe what ys dowell I sayd grauvnt mercy ma-dame & mekelyche hyr grette and went wyghtlye a-way wyth-oute more lettyng and tyll I cam to clargye I couvlde neuere stynt and grette þe goodman well as stodye me taght and after-warde þe wyffe & worshyphyde þem bothe and tolde þem þe toknes þat me taght were was neuer goome vp-on grouvnde þis grounde sythe god made þe worlde fayrer vnderfongen ne frendlyker att easse then my-seluve sothlye soone so he wyste þat I was off wyttes houvsse & wyth hys wyffe dame stodye I seyde to hym sothely þat sent was I thydder dowell & dobetter & dobest to lerne ytt ys is a comenlye comune quod lyf quod G.11.241: Although both G and F read quod rather than lyf quod (as remaining B manuscripts), the preceding -lye ending on G comenlye (most manuscripts comune) suggests that some form of "life" was in fact present in G's exemplar. clargye on holy chuvrche to beleuve wyth all þe artycles off þe faythe þat fallethe to be knowe & þat ys to beleuve loyally bothe lered & lewde on þe greate god þat gynnyng had neuverG.11.244: The alteration of to <v> in "never" has become a residual brown smudge. and on þe sothfast sonne þat sauved mankynde from Fro þe deydly dethe & þe deuvelles power thruvgh helpe þe helpe off þe holye gooste wych þe whiche gooste ys off bothe thre persones but ac noght In þe in pluvrell nombre For all ys but on god & eche ys god hym-seluve deus pater deus filius deus spiritus sanctus .// god þe fadre god þe sonne god þe holy holi gost off bothe maker off mankynd & off bestes bothe auguvstyne Austyn þe olde hereoff made bookes and hym-seluve ordened to sadde vs In beleuve waosG.11.255: The scribe began to write was then realised his error and altered it to wo. was hys auwter all þe fouvre euangelystes & cryste cleped hym-seluve as so þe euangelyst beyrythe wyttnesG.11.256: There may be a vowel between the second <t> of wyttnes and the <n>. ego in patre et pater in me est & qui videt me videt & patrem meum et cetera meum // all þe clerkes vndre cryste ne couvlde þis assoyle but þisþus þus it G.11.259: For G's use of "this" for "thus," see note to G.4.76. longethe bilongeth to byleuve to men þat wole dowell For had neuer freyke fyne wytt þe feythe to dyspuvte ne man had no meyrett myght ytt beene y-prouved fides non habet meritum vG.11.262: This letter <v> has been smudged and therefore re-written. vbi humana racio prebet experimentum .// then ys dobett to suffer for thye souvles sake & Al þat þe boke byddethe by holycherche teychyng & þat ys man by þi myght for mercyes saake loke þou worche ytt yn worke þat þi worde shewethe suoyche as þou semest In syght be In assay fouvnde yfounde appare quod es vel esto quod appares ..// & lett no bodye be by thy beyryng begyled but suoyche In þi souvle as þou semest wyth-owte then ys dobest to be bolde to blame the gyltye sythe þou seeste thy-selffe as In souvle cleane but Ac blame þou neuer bodye & þou be blame-worthye G.11.274: G.11.274 and G.11.275 are bracketed together in red on the right.si culpare velis culbabiliscul[p]abilis culpabilis esse cauebis dogma tuum sordet cum te tua culpa remordet god yn þe gospell grymly reprouvethe all þat lakken any lyffe & lakkes haue þem-seluve quid consideras festucam In oculo fratris tui trabem & cetera // why mouveste þou þi mode for a moete ys yn in þi brothers eye sythen a beame yn thyne owne ablyndethe þi-seluve eice primo trabem de oculo tuo et cetera // wych lettethe þe to looke lesse other more I rede eche eche a blynd bosarde do boote to hym-seluve for abbottes & pryouvrs & all maner prelates as persones & perysshe prestes þat preche sholde & teyche all maner men to amend by theyre myght the This text was tolde you to bewarre er you ȝe G.11.287: For G's use of "you" for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. taghte that ye were suoyche as ye seyde to saluve wyth other for goddes worde wolde not be lost for þat worchethe euer yff ytt auveyled not þe comen / ytt myght auveyle your-seluve but Ac ytt semethe sothely now sothly to þe worldes syght that goddes worde worchethe not on lerede ne ne on lewde but In suoyche maner as marke menvethemeviþ meneth yn þe gospell dum cecus ducit cecum ambo In foueam cadunt // lewde men mowe lykne you / þe þat þe G.11.295: M's original reading was þat þe (as most B manuscripts), but the word þat has been deleted, bringing M into line with G F reading þe. beame lyethe yn your eyne and þe festuve ys fallen for your defauvte In all maner off men men thrugh mansed preestes the byble beyrethe wyttnes that all the folke off ysraell bytterlyFul bitterli Byttere boght þe gyltes off two bad preestes offyne & fynees for theyre couvetyse archa dei mysshapedG.11.301: Most B manuscripts read myshapped, but use of a single in G mysshaped does not necessarily imply a substantive variant: the G scribe was clearly aware of the possibility of using single and double consonants to indicate preceding long and short vowels, but his practice in this respect was by no means consistent. See further Introduction III.2. & hely brake hys necke forthy correctouvrs clowethe þer her on correcteth and corecteth fuvrste your-seluve & þen may you ȝe G.11.303: For G's use of "you" for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. sauvely say as dauyd made the sauvter G.11.304: G.11.304 and G.11.305 are bracketed together in red on the right.existimasti inique quod ero tui similis arguam te et statuam contra faciem tuam þen sholde shal borell clerkes be asshamed abasched to blame you or or to greuve & carpen noght as þei do nowe & call youdomeyou dome houvndes canes non valentes latrare : // & drede to wrathe you In any worde your workmanshyp to lett & be prestyer att your preyer þen for a pouvnde off nobles & all for your holynes haue you ȝe G.11.311: For G's use of "you" for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. þis In herte In scole there ys a scorne / but yff a clerke wyll learne & greate louve & lykyng for eche off þem louvethe other & now ys relygyon a rydre a romer by stretes G.11.315: Lines G.11.315 and G.11.316 appear in reverse order in the manuscript. Line G.11.316 has a square bracket placed round it in the left hand margin, i.e. it is marked for reversal in the original ink. The numbering of these lines and the order in which they appear in this edition reflects the intention thus indicated.a leyder off . louvedayes & a land buyggerG.11.315: In addition to the alteration from bugger to bygger, there appears to have been some attempt to alter the medial <gg> but the intention here is unclear; possibly the corrector wished to write byer. G.11.315: See note to G.11.315.a prycker on a palfray from maner to manereG.11.315: The cross in the bottom right hand corner is in modern pencil. A treweG.11.317: The addition A trewe also appears in the top left hand corner, partially erased. It appears to be a comment on the marginal addition below. See G.11.318.m.1. an heype off houvndes att hys arsce as he a lorde were profycy off & but yff hys knauve knele þat shall hymhym þe his covppe brynge relygyon he louvrethe on hym & askethe wo taght hym couvrtysye IG.11.320: This capital corresponds to a similar mark in the table of contents, see f.102v,

and is intended to help the reader find particular material in the text. lytell had lordes to done to gyuve land fro þer heyres to relygyouvse þat haue no reuvthe thogh yt reygne on þer auvters In many places þer þer hij persones be / by theym-seluve att easse off þe pouver haue þei no pyte & þat ys theyre charyte & þei letten them as lordes þer lond lyethe so broode nota bene but Ac þer shall come a kyng & confesse you relygyouvseG.11.325: It seems likely that, as Benson and Blanchfield suggest (p.132.IV.B), the underlining of this line and of the following lines was carried out by the scribe who added the marginalia (i.e. by hand3). The colour of the ink, however, is not quite the same. & beyte you as þe byble tellethe for breykyng off your ruvelle & amend monales monkes & chanons & put þem to theyr pennance ~~ad pr~~ ad prestinumpr[i]stinum pristinum statum statum ire // & lBarons G.11.329: The use of the capital on "Barons" is unusual and it appears that the scribe has written an <l> and then altered it and that the capital is used for the sake of clarity. & ~~elr~~ erles Erles beten hem thurugh . beatus vir . teychyng that theyr ~~barons~~ barnsG.11.330: Note the Cr1 reading barons for G and remaining manuscripts barns. It seems possible that "barons" was the original G reading, either because the scribe was copying from an exemplar with this reading or because his eye was caught by "barons" in the line above (the Cr1 reading may perhaps suggest the former). There seems to have been some attempt to alter original barons by overwriting, which is why the middle letters are particularly unclear. cleymen / & blamen ~~fowle~~ you fowle hij in curribus & hij in equis ipsi obligati sunt sunt & cetera .// & then freres yn þeir fratour shall fynden a key ~~þat gregoryes good chyldren~~ off constantynes coffer coffres In G.11.333: The ink has spread in this first half line; the surface of the paper may have been damaged by the erasure process. wyche ys the catell þat gregoryes good god G.11.334: Though the use of double and single vowels in G is not altogether consistent, the distinction between "god" with a single <o> and "good" with <oo> is normally maintained. See Introduction III.2. Hm F R share G's reading good, but remaining manuscripts read god. chyldren haue euvell dyspendyde habbott of then And þanne shall þe abbott off abyndon & hys al his yssuve for euere abyngdoun haue a knocke wyth of a kyng & vncuvrable incurable þe wouvnde that þis worthe sothe seke ye þat offte ouver-se þe byble quomodo cessauit exactor / quieuit tributum contriuit dominus. baculum impiorum & virgam dominancium credencium plaga Insanabili . but Ac er þat kyng come kayem shall awake and dowell shall dyng hym downe adoune & dystroye hys myght then ys dowell & dobett dobet quod I dominus & knygthoode I nyll not scorne quod scryptuvre but yff scryuvynors scryueynes G.11.342: G's use of "scrivener" may well be due to date. According to the OED, this form replaced "scrivein" in the first half of the fifteenth century. lye kynghoode & knygthoode by noght I can awayte helpethe not to heyuven-ward not a one heyres end ne ryches ryght nat ne ryallte off lordes paule preuvethe ytt vnpossyble inpossible ryche men haue heyuven salomon sayethe also þat syluver ys worste to louve nichil impius iniquius quam amare peccuniam . // & caton kennethe vs to couveyten noght but vs nedithe as nede techethas it nedes dilige denarios denarium sed perce dilige formam .// & patryarkes & profettes & poettes bothe wryten to wyssen vs to wylne no ryches & preysed pouerte wyth pacyence þe appostelles wyttnessen bereth witnesse that þei haue heyrytage In heyuven & by trewe ryght there ryche men no ryght mey cleame but off ruvthe off and grace contra quod I by cryste that kan I reprouve & prouve ytt by petur & by pouvle bothe that beene baptysed ben sauved be þei ryche or pouvre that ys In extremis quod scryptuvre among amonges saresens & Iewes they mow be sauved so & þat ys our byleuve then Þat a vncrystyen yn þat case mey crysten a heythen & for hys loall beleue when he þe lyuve tynethe haue þe herytage off heyuven as any man crystene but Ac crystyen men wyth-owte more mey not come to heyuven for þat cryst for crystyen men dyeede & confyrmed þe lawe that wo-so wold or and wylnethe wyth cryste to aryse si cum cristo surrexistis & cetera // he sholde louve & leynde lene & the lawe fullfyll that ys louve þi lorde god leuvest abouve all thyng & after all crystyen creatuvres In comen eche man other & thuvs belongethe to louve þat leuvethe to be sauved and butt we do þis þus G.11.372: For G's use of "this" for "thus," see note to G.4.76. Cr1 shares the G reading. In dede or þe day off dome ytt shall besytten vs full sore soure þe syluver þat we kepen and our ~~backes~~Bagges bakkes G.11.374: Compare the form of the <g>s in Bagges with the <g> found in the marginalia on the previous page.G.11.374: In C2 as in G, the reading baggis (for most manuscripts bakkes) results from a later correction. þat moghteyten beene & se beggers go naked or delyte vs In wyne or and wyllfouvleG.11.375: For a similar spelling of "wildfowl," see the sixteenth century wyelfoyle recorded by the OED s.v. wild-fowl. & wott any In defauvte for euery crysten creatuvre shuolde be kynd to an til -other & sythen heypenhey[þ]en hethen to helpen In hoope off amendement god hootethe bothe hyghe & lowe þat no man huvrte other & seyde seith sley not þat semblyable ys is to myne owne lyknes but yff I send þe some tokne / & seyth non mnechaberis mechaberisnecabis G.11.380: In both G and L, original mechaberis (as most B manuscripts) has been altered to nechaberis by the delition of the first minim. Cr23 Y share this reading.: // ys sley not but suffer and all for the best for I shall puvnnysshe þem In puvrgatorye or In þe pytt off hell eche man for hys myssdedes but mercy ytt lett thys ys a long lesson quod I & lytle am I the wyser where dowell ys or dobetter derklyche ye shewen many tales ye tell that theologye lernethe & þat I man made was & myne name entred yentred In þe legend off lyffe long ere I were or Or elles wryten vnwriten for wyckednes as holy wrytt wyttnessythe nemo ascendit ad celum nisi qui de celo descendit. // I leuve yt well by our lord quod he I & no on no letteruvre better for salomon þe sage that sapyence taght god gauve hym grace off wytt & all hys goodes after he demed well & wysely as holye wrytt tellethe arestotell & he wo wyssed men bettre masters þat off goddes mercyes mercy preychen techen men & techen prechen off theyr wordes they wyssen vs for wysest yn as in þeir tyme & all holye churche hold þem bothe y-damned & yff I shuolde worche by hys here workes to wynne me heyuven þat for þer workes & wytt now wonnethe yn payne pyne þen wroght I vnwysely what-so-euer you ȝe G.11.401: For G's use of "you" for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. preyche and off fell fele G.11.402: For G's treatment of fele (the reading of all other manuscripts, here appearing as G fell), see note to G.4.349. wytty In faythe lytle farlye I haue thogh theyr gost be vnhappy vngraciouse god for to pleasse for many beene men on þis molde more sett theyr hertes In good then In god sythe for-þi þem grace faylethe but AtAc þe most myscheffe when they shall lyuve leete as salomon dyd & suoyche other þat shewed greate wyttes but Ac hys her workes as holye wrytte seyethe was euer þe contrarye forthy wyse wytted men & well lettered ylettred clerkes as þei seyen theym-seluve seelde do there-after super cathedram moysi et cetera .// but Ac I wene yt worthe off many as was In noyes tyme tho he shoope þat shyppe off shydes & boordes was neuer wryght sauved that wroght þeron ne other workman ellesG.11.414: The line overruns the space available and elles is boxed in below the line proper. but bryddes & beastes & they þe G.11.415: For G's use of "they" for "the," see note to G.6.303. blyssed noy & hys wyfe wyth hys sonnes & also theyre wyuvesG.11.416: A line is omitted by β4 manuscripts at this point ("Of wriȝtes þat it wrouȝte was none of hem ysaued"). god lenve lene ytt fare noght so by folke þat þe faythe teychen off holy cherche þat harborowe ys / & goddes houvse to sauve & shyld vs fro shame þerynne / as noyes shyppe dyd bestes & men þat made ytt / amyd þe floode dreynten adreynten the colouvr culorum off þis clauvse curatouvrs ys to meane that be carpynters holycherche to make for cryst crystes owne bestes homines et iumenta saluabis domine domine & cetera : // on good fryday & I fynd a fellon was sauved ysaued that had lyuved all hys lyffe wyth leasynges & wyth thefte & for he beknewe on þe crosse & to cryste shrouve hym he was sonner sauved then seynt Ihon the baptyst and er adam or ysay or any /G.11.428: This virgule is smudged and may have been partially erased. off thes þe profettes that had leyne yleineleyȝen lowe wyth lucyfer manye long yeres a robber was rauvncsa~~eun~~eonydeG.11.430: The second half of this word (corresponding to modern English "ransomed") has been so comprehensively fiddled about with that it is hard to tell what is going on. Note that the original has an apparently otiose superscript <a> with a long bar over it, presumably present in the scribe's exemplar as an abbreviation, but reproduced here apparently without understanding. See note to G.3.157. rather þen they all wyth-oute pennance off puvrgatory to perpetuvall blysse & mary magdelyne watt woman dyd worsceG.11.432: Note the spelling of "worse" in the following line. & Or wo wors þen dauyd þat vryes dethe conspyred or poule the apostell that no pyte hadde moche crysten kynd to kyll to the to dethe & nowe be ben þise as soueregnes & seyntes In heyuven tho þat wroght wyckedest In worlde tho they were and tho þat wysely wordeden & wryten many bookes off wytt & off wyssdome wyth dampned souvles wonne that salomon sayeth I trowe be sothe & certen off vs all siue Iusti atque sapientes & opera eorum In manu dei sunt . // ther er wytty & well lyuvyng & there workes byn hydde yn þe handys off allmyghty god & he woote þe sothe wherforewher fore louve aG.11.444: The <a> here ends with a dot and it appears that a second letter may have been anticipated, but none has been written. man / worthe a-lowed þer / & hys leele workes or elles for hys euvell wyll & enuvye off herte & be alowed as he lyuvede lyued so / forby lyther men knowe þe good & were-by wytty wist G.11.447: B manuscripts have a wide variety of readings for G wytty, some the result of correction. Most, however, have some form of "witen." men wyche ys wyte yff all thyng blake were & wo were a good man but yff I þere were some shrewe forthy lyuve we forthe wyth lyther men & I leuve fewe be good for quvant oportet comethe In place il nad qui que pati & he þat moeyG.11.451: An additional loop has been placed on top of original <o> to form a backward facing <e> in mey. all amende haue mercy on vs all þe ForFor þe sothest worde þat euer god seyde was tho he sayde nemo bonus .// clergye tho off crystes mouvthe commendyd was lytle for he sayde to seynt petur & to suoyche as he louved dum steteritis ante reges et presides presides & cetera . // thogh c ye come before kynges & clerkes off þe lawe beythe not abasshed for I shalbeshal be In your mouvthes & gyuve you wytt & wyll & connyng to concluvde them all þat ageynst you off crydendomecry[st]endome crystenedome dyspuvten dauid makethe mencyon he spake amongest kynges & myght no kyng ouercome hym by as bi kennyng kunnyng off speche but wytt ne wysdome ne wanne wan neuer the mastrye when man was att mysscheffe wythowte þe more grace þe doghtyest doctor & dyuvynouvr off the trynyte was auguvstyne Austen þe olde & þe and hyest off þe fouvre sayd þou þus In a sermon I segh ytt wrytten onesce ecce Ipsi idiote rapiunt celum vbi nos sapientes in Inferno mergimur . // G.11.467: The two rubricated lines are bracketed together in red on the right. & to is to meane In toon englyshe to more & to lasse ere non rather rauvesshed frfomr fro þe ryght byleuveG.11.469: G omits two lines at this point ("Þan ar þis cunnynge clerkes · þat conne many bokes | Ne none sonner saued · ne sadder of bileue"). then plowmen & pastouvrs & other comen laborers nota sowters & shepperdes & suoche lewde Ideottes iottes percen wyth a pater nosterG.11.473: What looks as if it may be a punctus after noster is in fact simply the point at which the scribe has lifted his pen from the paper. þe paleyes off heyuven & passen puvrgatorye pennanceles att þer hence partyng In-to þe blysse off paradysse for þeir puvre byleuve that imperfetly here knewe & eke lyuved ye men knowe clerkes / þat hauve cuvrsed þe tyme þat euer ye þeiþe couvlde on þe boke more þen credo in deum & pryncypallye theyr pater noster many many a person hath wysshed I see ensample ensamples myselfe & so may many other þat seruvantes þat seruven lordes seylde fall yn arerage but tho þat kepen þe lordes katell clerkes & rentes reues ryght so lewde men & off lytle knowyng seld fall þei so fo.wle & so farre In synne as clarkes off holychurche þat kepe crystes treasore þe wych ys manes sowle to sauve as god seyeth yn þe gospell Ite vos In vineam meam et cetera // explicit tercius passus de dowell Then scryptuvre scorned me & a skylle tolde & lakked me In latyn & lyghtG.12.2: The loop on the <l> of lyght has been added in brown ink. by me sett and sayde multi multa sciunt & se ipsos nesciunt : // tho wept I for whoo & wrathe off hyr speche & In a vyndyng wrathe wexe I a-slepe a merueliouvse sweuvene mett me then that I was rauvysshed ryght there & fortuvne me fette & In-to þe londe off longyng alone she me broght & In a myrrouvr þat hyght mydleyerthe she made me beholde sythen she sayde to me here meysthowe þou meysthowemyȝtow see wondres & knowe þat þou couveytyst & come þerto perauventuvre then had fortuvne folowyng toohir two fayre doghters damoyseles concupiscencia carnis men called the elder meyde & couvetyse off heyghtes eyes G.12.14: The form resulting from this alteration (i.e. heyghtes for earlier heyghes) is the form regularly employed by the original scribe when "eyes" occurs in this particular phrase ("covetise of eyes" translating "concupiscentia oculorum;" 1.John 2:16). See G.12.32, G.12.40 etc. However, the G scribe's usual form for "eyes" is ey(e)ne and it seems likely that the spelling found here and elsewhere in this passus results from a misunderstanding. The form found in the scribe's exemplar was probably heyghes (or possibly, given the spelling at G.12.32 and the correction at G.12.52, heghes). Elsewhere in the text the scribe has, presumably, recognised this as a form of "eyes" and replaced it with his own usual spelling. There is, after all, no possibility of confusion at, for instance, G.1.74 where heyghes appearing after "bleared their" could scarcely mean anything else. However, the expression "covetise of eyes," though common in medieval pastoralia, may not have been so familiar by the sixteenth century, and there would then be nothing in the words "covetise of" to suggest that "eyes" must follow. The scribe, both in his original transcription and here as the brown ink corrector, appears to have interpreted the phrase as meaning something like "covetousness of rank or position"(see OED height, n., 7). called was theþat other pryde off perfytt lyuvyng puvrsued theym bothe & bad me for my couvntenance acoumpte clergy lyght conpuciscentiacon[c]u[p]iscentia Concupiscencia carnis colled me abowte þe necke & seyde þou arte yongȝonge and ȝepe & hast yeres I-nowe for to lyuve long & ladyes to louve deus & yn þeþis myrrouvr þou myghtest se myrthes fuvlmanyfuvl many that leyde þe woyleG.12.21: The alteration of wole to wyle is in slightly blacker ink than the surrounding letters but no blacker than that of other sections of the original on the same page. The scribe has also re-outlined the original <l>. to lykyng all þi lyffe-tyme þe second sayde þe same ~~leue~~I shall shewsuweG.12.22: Given the frequent appearance in G of <s> for <sh> and vice versa G's reading shew for remaining B manuscripts suwe="follow" is not necessarily a substantive variation. See Introduction III.4.1. þi wyll tyll þou be a ~~borde~~lorde & hauve lande lett þe I nyll butÞat I shallne shal folowe þi felowshyppe yff ~~fortuene~~ fortuvne ytt lyke he shall fynd me hys frende quod fortuvne hereþer-after the freyke þat folowed my wyll fayled neuer blysse then was þer onone þat heghte elde / þat heuvy was off chere man quod he Iff y mete wyth þe by mary off heyuven & þou shalt fynd fortuvne þe fayle att thye most nede and concupiscentia carnis cleyne þe forsake beytterly shalthowe blamebanne þanne bothe dayes & nyghtes couvetyse off heght eyghe G.12.32: For G heght for most manuscripts eyghe, see note to G.12.14. þat euer þou ytt knewe & pryde off perfytt lyuvyng to moche peryll þe bryng ye recche þe neuer quod recchlesrecchelesnes & stoodestode forth& stode forth In ragged clothes folowe forthe þat fortuvne wyll þou hasthast wel farre to elde a man may stowpe tyme ynoghe when he shall losetyne hysþe crowne homo proponit quod a poett and plato he hyght & deus disponit quod he lett god done hys wyll yff trewthe wyll wyttnes ytt be well do fortuvne to folowe concupiscencia carnis ne couvetyse off heghtes eyes G.12.40: For G heghtes for most manuscripts eyes, see note to G.12.14. shall Ne shal not greuve þe greatly ne begyle þe wyth-owtebut þou wolte ye fare well phyppe quod fauvntelte & forthe gan me drawe tyll concupiscencia carnis acorded all my workes allas heyghe quod elde & holynes bothe that wytt shall torne to wrecchednes for wyll to haue hys lykynge couvetyse off heyghtes eyghes G.12.46: For G heyghtes for remaining manuscripts eyghes, see note to G.12.14. conforted me sone after & fowlowed me fortye wynters wynter or fyftye orand a fyfteor fifty and more þat off dowell ne do-better no deynte me thoght I had no likyng ne no lust off þem ought to knowe couvetyse off heyghtes eyes G.12.50: For G heyghtes for most manuscripts eyes, see note to G.12.14. came offter In my in mynde then dowell or dobetter amonge my dedes all couvetyse off heyghtes eyes G.12.52: For G heyghtes for most manuscripts eyes, see note to G.12.14. G.12.52: Immediately after the first <e> of heyghtes, the scribe began to write <g> and then changed it to <y>. Compare the spelling at G.12.32. comforted me offte and seyde hauve no conscyence how þou come to goode go confesse þe to some frere & shewe hym þi synnes for wyles fortuvne ys þi frende / freres wyll þe louve and fecchefecche þe to þer fraternyte & for þe byseke to theyre pryouvr prouvyncyall a pardon toforto hauve & prey for the pole by pole yff þou be . peccuniosus .// sed peciapena peccuniaria non sufficit pro spiritualibus delictis.// by wysshyng off þis wenche I wroght theyr wordes were sweeteso swete tyll I forgate yought & thenȝarn In-to elde & then was fortuvne my foo for all hyrhir faire bybheste & pouerte puvrsuved me and puvtt me lowe and I fouvndeþo fonde I þe frere a-fearde & flytyng bothe agayn our fyrste forwarde for I seyde I nolde be buvryed att theyre houvse but att my peryche churche for I herde onesce how conscyence ytt tolde þat þer a man waswere crystened by kynd he sholdG.12.68: The word shold has been re-outlined in black ink. be buvryed or where he were perysshen þerriȝt þere he shuvldG.12.69: The <d> of "should" has been re-outlined by hand1.1. be grauven and for I seyde þus to freres / a fole þei me helden & louved me þe lesse for my loyall speche & yet I cryed on my confessour þat heþat held hym-seluve so connyngG.12.72: The scribe has run out of space and writes the last word (connyng) above the line, partly boxed in grey ink. by my faythe frere quod I / ye fare lyke thes wowers that wedde no wydowes but toforto welde theyr goodes ryght so by þe roode roght ye neuer where my body were buvryed sobi soG.12.76: The G M F reading so (for most manuscripts bi so), results in a b-verse without an alliterating syllable. ye hadde þe syluver I hauve moche merueyle off you & so hathe manye other wye your couvent couvetythe ~~not~~ to confesse & to buvrye rather þen to baptyze barnes / that beene katykuvmynes babptyzyngG.12.80: The colour of the ink here suggests that the spelling of the word "baptizing" has been corrected by the original scribe. Note the spelling at G.12.82. & buvryeng bothe bene full nedefull butAc moche more merytoryouvsemerytorie me thynkethe toit is to baptyze for a baptyzed man may as masters tellen thruvgh contrycyon come toto þe hyghe heyuven sola contricio delet peccatum & ceterapeccatum. // butAc a barne wyth-oute baptyme may not be sauved nisi quis renatus fuerit ex aqua & cetera . // loke ye lettered men wether I lye or noght and lealte loked on me & I louvred after wherfore louvresthowe quod lealte & loked on me herde yff I dorstedurste quod I a-monge men þes metteles a-wowe ye by petur & by poule quod he & taketoke bothe to wyttnes non oderis fratres secrete in corde tuo sed publice argue illos . // they wyll alegge also quod I & by þe gosspell prouve nolite Iudicare quemquam & ceteraquemquam // & wheroff seruvethe lawe quod lealte yff no lyfe vndertooke ytt falsheydeFalsenesse &ne faytouvrye for somewhatt þe apostell seyde non oderis fratrem & yn þe sauvtersauter also seydeseithe dauyd þe prophete existimasti inique quod ero tui similis et cetera // ytt ys locutuml[i]c[i]tumlicitum to for lewde meme[n] men to segge the sothe yff þem lykethe & lyst echeeche a lawe ytt guvntetheg[ra]untethe graunteth G.12.100: G's erroneous form of Bx graunteth is probably yet another indication of the G scribe's failure fully to understand the significance of superscript <a>. See notes to G.3.157 and G.4.156 and Introduction IV.1.1. except persones and prestes & prelates off holyechurche ytt fallyth not to þisfor þat folke talesno tales to tell thogh the tale were trew / & ytt towchyd synne thyng þat all þisþe worlde woote ~~arate deydly synne~~ wherfore shuvldesthowe spare and redyn yttG.12.105: C2 shares G's original omission of ytt. The addition brings G's reading into line with that of remaining B manuscripts. In retoryke to arate deydly synne butAc be neuer-more þe fuvrste þe defauvte to blame thoghe þou se euvell seysey it noghtnouȝte fyrste be sorye / ytt e ~~....~~nere amendG.12.107: G alone uses the contracted form of the past participle (amend). a thyngNo þingeAnd thyng þat ys pryuvye puvblyce yttþow it neuer nether for louve loouelaude ytt not none lakke yt notit for enuvye parum lauda vitupera parcius & ceteraparcius // he sayetheseith sothe quod scryptuvre tho & starteskipte an heygh & preyched butAc þe matter þat he meuved yff lewde men ytt knewe the lesse as I leuve louve ytt þei wolde thys was theyreher teyme & theyreher texte I toke full good hede multi to a mangerye / & to þe meyte were sompnede and when þe poeple was comeplenere comen þe porter vpynnedv[n]pynned vnpynned G.12.116: No abbreviation mark is visible over the initial <v> of G vpynned. þe gate and puvlledplukked ynne pauci priuvyleche & leete þe remnant romego rowme all for tene off þather texte trembled myne herte and yn a weyrye were gan I wexe & wyth my-selfe dyspuvte whether þeiI were chosen or noght on holy churche I thoghte that vndrefonge me atttheatt the fouvnte for on off goddes chosen For cryste cleped vs all come yff we wolde sarazenes & sysmatykes & so he dyd þe Iewes O vos omnes scientessicientesscicientes venite ad aquas et cetera& cetera //G.12.124: The phrase ad aquas, found in G and Hm, is absent from most B manuscripts but present in all C manuscripts. However, the correspondence beween the C and G Hm readings may well, like the shared readings at G.19.268, simply be due to shared recollection of the biblical passage (Isaiah 55:1). and bad theym sowke for synne sauvely att hys brest and drynkedrynke bote for bale brouvke ytt wo-so myght then may all crystyen mencome quod I cleameand cleyme þer entre by þe bloode heþat he boght vs wyth / & thruvgh baptyme after qui credederit et baptisatus fuerit et cetera// for thogh a crysten man couveytecoueyted hys crystedome to renye ryghfullyche to renye nG.12.131: This letter <n> has been abandoned because it was blotted. no reason ytt wolde for may no chuvrle chartare make / ne hys catell sell wyth-owte leyuve off hys lord / n.oG.12.133: A single letter appears to have been erased here and replaced by no. It is impossible to tell what the original letter was, but a tail is faintly visible. The virgule was probably added at the time of the correction and it acts as a word separator, but its position in the line suggests that it may also have metrical significance. lawe wyll ytt grauvnte butAc he may renne In areragysarreragereragis & rome froso froG.12.134: The G R F reading fro (for remaining manuscripts so fro) is adopted by Kane and Donaldson, and is also shared by almost all C manuscripts. hys ownehome and as a renyed kayteffe recheleslye a-bowte butAc reason shall rekne wyth hym & cast hym yn arerage and put theymhim after In pryson In puvrgatorye to brenne for hys arerage rewarde hym there to þe day off dome butBut if contrycyon wyll come & crye by hys lyuve mercy for hys myssdedes wyth mouvthe or wyth herte that ysis soth quod scryptuvre may no synne lette mercy all to amend and mekenesmekenesse hir folowe for they beene asas owre bookesbokes telleth abouve goddes workes misericordia ~~domini~~ eius super omnia opera eius // G.12.144: The first example of eius is smudged and may possibly have been lined through. ye bawe for bookes onquod one was broken owte off hell hyght troianus was ahad ben a trew knyght toke wyttnes at the pope how he was deyde & dampned to dwellen In payne for on vncrystyen creatouvre clerkes woote þe sothe that all the claregye vndre cryste myght hymme cracche fro hell but only louve & loyalte & hysmy lauvfull domes gregorye wyst thys well & wylnethe to my souvle saluvatyon for sothe~~les~~nes þat he syeghe yn my workes and after þat he wepte & wylned me were grauvnted grace wyth-owte beydeany bedeG.12.154: Kane and Donaldson adopt the G reading beyde. Most B manuscripts read any bede. byddyng hys bone was vndrefonge & y sauved as ye may se wyth-owte syngyng off masses by louve & by lernyng & byof lyuvyngmy lyuyng In trewthe broght me fro bytter payne þer no byddyng myght low ye lordys watt loyalte dyd by an emperouvr off rome þat was a vncrysten creatuvre as clerkes fynd In bokes noght thrugh preyer off þea pope but for hys puvre trewthe was that sarzene sauved as gregoryseynt Gregorie beyrythe wyttnes well ought lordesȝe lordes þat lawes kepe thys lesson haue In mynde and on troianus trewthe to thynke & toand do thG.12.163: Kane and Donaldson record cancelled <th> as the, later cancelled, but the word seems to have been abandoned before any <e> could be written. trew treuthe to þe poeple lawe wyth-owte louve quod troianus ley ther a beane or any scyence vndre sonne þe seyuven artes & all but þei be lerned for our lordes louve lost ys all the tyme for no cauvse to cacche syluver neþer-by ne to be called a master but all for louve off our lorde &and þe better to louve the poeple for seynt Ihon sayde ytt & sothe are hys wordes qui non diligit manet In morte et ceteramorte . // wo-so louvethe noght leuve me he lyuvethe In dede dyenge and þat all maner off menmen enmyes & frendes leuvenLouen there ether other and leyndlene hymhem att hys nedeas her-selue wo-so leynethe noght he louveth noght god woote þe sothe & commauvndethe eche creatuvre to confyrmeconfourme hym to louve and souereygnlyche poere poeple & theyre enmyes after for theym that haten vs / ys our merytt to louve & poere poeple to pleasse þeir preyers may vs helpe for our Ioy & our heale Iesu cryst off heyuven In a pouvere manes apparell puvrsuedepursueth vs euver & lokethe v on vs ~~wyth~~ ynG.12.181: A virgule has been added between vs and yn to separate these words after the correction. theyr kyknes[l]yknes liknesse & þat wyth louvely chere to knowe vs by our kynde herte & castyng offof owre eyghe wedre we louve þe lordes here before þe lorde off heyuvenblisseG.12.183: The to <v> alteration made to the word heyuen has faded until it just looks like a faint brown smudge. & excytethe byvs bi the euvangylye whenþat when we make feastes we sholde not clepe our kynne þerto ne no kynne kynnes ryche cum facitis conuiuia nolite inuitare amicos .// butAc call þe carefull therto the croked & the o poere for your frendes wyll feden you & fond you to quvyte your feastyng & your fayre gyftes ech frend quvytethe otherso otherG.12.189: In the case of M, the reading other (as G, cf. remaining manuscripts so other) results from the erasure of original so. butAc for þe pore I shall pay & puvre well quvyte theyr trauvell that gyuvethe þem meyte or money & louvethe þem for my sake for þe best been some ryche & some beggers & pouere for all we eralle are we crystes creatuvres & off hys cofers ryche & bretheren as off bloode as well beggers as erles for on caluvere off crystes blode crystendome gan sprynge and blodye bretheren we bycomeG.12.196: The second and third letters of bycome are partly obscured by a blot, but there is no doubt about the reading. offþere of on bodye wonneywonne as quasi modo geneiti . & gentyll men echoone no begger ne boy amonge vs but yff synne yttit synne made qui facit peccatum seruus est peccati & cetera In þe old lawe as holy letter tellethe mennes sonnes men called vs echone off adamesG.12.202: It is possible that something (a minim?) has been deleted between the second <a> and the <m> of adames. yssue & euve ay totil god-man dyede & after hys resurreccyon / redemptor / was hys name & we hys brethren thruvgh hym boght bothe ryche & poere forthy louve we asas leue bretheren shall & eche man laghe onoferG.12.205: The scribe originally wrote ouer. After the deletion of the abbreviation for -er the two minims function as the <n> of on. other & yff eche þat eche man mey forbeyre amende þer ytt nedythe & euery man helpe other for hence shall we all alter alterius onera portate & cetera // & be we noght vnkynd off our catell nene of our connyng nether for woote no man how ytt ys to be ynome fro bothe forthy lak no lyfe other thoghe he more laten knowe ne vndremyne noght fouvle for ~~ytt~~ G.12.212: The deletion of ytt is made with a thin line in black ink. ys notn wyth-ouvte fauvte For what-euer clerkes carpe off crystendome or elles cryste to a comen woman seyd In comecomune at þe feaste that fides sua shuvlde sauven hyr & saluvenG.12.215: The letters of original saluen have been re-outlined in black ink. of hyr synnes then ys byleuve a leall helpe abouve logyke &or lawe off logyk ne off lawe yn legenda sanctorum .// ys lytle alowance made butbut if byleuve them helpe for ytt ys ouerlong er logykG.12.219:There is possibly a second very tiny <o> here (giving loogyk). any leyssone assoyle and lawe ys lothe to louve but yff he lacche syluver bothe logyk & lawe that louvethe noght to lye I couvnseyle all crysten men cleuve noght þeron to sore for some wordes I fynd wryten þat were off faythes teychyng þat sauved synfull men as seynt Ihon beyrythe wyttnes eadem mensura qua mensi fueretis remecietur vobis . // forthy lerelerne we þe lawe off louve as our lorde taght and as seynt gregory sayetheseide for manes souvle helpehelthe melius est scrutari scelera nostra quam naturas rerum . // why I meeue thys matter ys most for the pouvere for In hys lycknes our lorde offt hathe beene knoweyknowe wyttnes In þe pasque weeke when he yede to emaus cleophas knewe hym noght þat he cryste were for hys pouvre aparell asand pylgrymes wedes tyll he blysshed & brake þe breyd þat they eyten so by theshis wordeswerkes the þei G.12.235: For the G scribe's use of the for remaining manuscripts þei, see also note to G.2.164 and readings at G.6.150, G.6.195. wyst heþat he was I. Iesus . butAc by clothyng they knewe hym notheG.12.236: The spelling <nothe> for "not" probably results from the use of superscript <t> to represent both t and th, see, e.g., abbreviations for "with." byne by carpyng off tong & all was In ensample to vs synfull here that we sholde be lowe & louvelyche off speche & apperell vs noght prowdly for pylgrymes are we all and Inin þe apperell off a poere man & pylgrymes lycknes many tayme god hathe beene mett among nedy poeple theyÞer neuer segh segge hym segge seigh In þein secte off the ryche seynte Ihon & other seyntes were seene In pouvere clothyng & as poere pylgrymes preyed menes goodes Iesus Ihesu Incryste on a Iewes doghter a-lyght gentyll woman thogh she were was a puvre pouvere meyde & to a poere man wedded martha on mary magdelyneG.12.247: The <a> of magdelyne is written above the line. an huvge pleynte she made and to our sauvyouvr hym-seluveself sayd thes wordes domine non est tibi cure quod soror mea reliquit me solamG.12.249: The reading solam basically corresponds to that of β4 manuscripts, though the remainder add & cetera. The majority B reading is solam ministrare. . // and hastylyche god answered & ethers wyll folowed bothe in mathama[r]thaMarthaes & In maryeMaries as mathew beyrethe wyttnes butAc pouerte god puvtt before & preysed ytt þe bettre maria optimam partem elegit que non auferetur ab ea // &G.12.254: The line initial ampersand, which overlaps the margin, may be an addition by the original scribe. All other B manuscripts have some form of "And." all þe wyse þat euer were by ought I can aspye preysen pouerte for best lyffe yff pacyencepacience it folowe E & bothe better & blysseder by manyfolde þen ryches & thogh ytt be souvre to suffer there commethe swete after as anon a walnote wythoute ys a bytter barke and after þat bytter barke be þe shell a-way ys a kernell off conforte kynd to restore so ys after pouerte or pennance pacyentlyche takenytake for ytt makethe man to haue mynd In god aand a greate whylewille to wepe ~~& to~~G.12.263:Possibly the ampersand was originally something else (or?) and the scribe has attempted to alter it, then given up and deleted. and to well bydde wheroff wexethe mercye off wyche cryste ys a kernell to conforte þe souvle & well sykerer he slepethe þe man þat ys poere & lesse he dredethe dethe and yn derke to be robbed then he þat ys ryght ryche reason beyrethe wyttnes pauper ego ludo dum tu diues meditaris .// all-thogh salomon sayde as folke seyneseeth In þe byble diuitias nec paupertates & cetera // wyser þen salomon was beyren wyttnes & taght that perfytt pouerte was no possessyon to haue & lyffe most lykyng to god as ly luvke beyrethe wyttnes si vis perfectus esse vade et vende & cetera // and ys to meane to men þat on thys mold lyuven wo-so wyll be puvre parfett moote possessyon forsake or sell ytt as seyethe þe boke and the syluver deale to beggers þat goone & begge & bydde for godes louve for fayled neuer man meyte þat myghtfull god seruved as dauyd sayethe In þe sauvter to suoyche asþat been In wyll to seruve god godelyche ne greuvethe hym no pennance nichil impossibile volenti et ceteravolenti ne lakkethe neuer lyuvelode lynnen ne wollen Inquirentes autem dominum non minuenturG.12.284: There is an otiose bar over the first letter of minuentur. omni bono .// yff prestes were perfytt they wold no syleuer take for masses ne for matyns noght þeher mete off vsuvrers ne neyther kyrtell ne cote thoghe þei for colde shold dye and þei þer deuvoyer dyd as dauyd sayeth yn þe sauvter Iudica me deus et discerne causam meam & cetera spera in deo et ceteraG.12.289:The et cetera is in the gutter and may not be visible in the image. spekethe off prestes þat haue no spendyng syluver that yff þei trauveyle treuvlyche & truvst In god almyghtye them shallshulde lacke no lyuvelode neyther wollen ne lynnen & þe tytle þei take ordre by tellethe ye been auvauncede then nedethe not you take syluver for masses þat ye syng for he þat toke you your tytle shallshulde take you your wages off þe bysshope þat blysshethe you yff that ye be worthye for made neuer kyng no knyght but he had cattell to spend as byfell for a knyght or fond hym for hys strenght ytt ys a carefull knyght & off kaytyffe kynges makyng þat hathe no land ne lynage ryche ne good loos off hys handes the same I sey forsothe by all suoyche prestes that haue nether connyng ne kynne but a crowne onne and a tytle a tale off noght to hys lyuvelode at mysscheffe he hathe more byleue as I leuve to lacche thruvgh hys crouvne cuvre þen for connyng or knowyng orforor for cleane off beyryng I haue wondre þat& whye & wherfore þe bysshope makethe suoyche prestes þat lewde men betreyen a chartre ys chalengeable aforebyfor a cheffe Iuvstece yff falsceG.12.309: The alteration of fals to falce uses up the space between this word and latyn. latyn be In þat lettre þe lawe ytt ympuvgnethe or peynted parentrelynarye percelles ouer-skypped the gome þat glosethe so charters for a gokye hys holden so ys ytt a goky by god / þat In þehis gospell faylethe or In masse or matyns makethe any defauvte qui offendit In vno In omnibus est reus . et cetera . // and also In þe sawter sayethe dauyd to ouerskyppers psallite deo nostro psallite quoniam rex terre deus israel psallite sapienter the bysshoppe shalbeshal be blamed a-forebifor god as I leuve that crounedcrouneth suoyche goddes knyghtesG.12.318: The word knyghtes has been re-outlined in much blacker ink, but there does not appear to be any alteration. that kannethe nat wyselysapienter syng ne psalmes rede ne segge a mas off þe day butAc neuer nether ys blameles þe bysshoppe nethene the chapeleyne for euereher euer her eyther ys Indyted & þat off /ignorantia .// non episcopos excusatexcusat episcopos nec ydyotes prestes thys lokyng offon lewde prestes hathe done me leype fro pouerte wyche I preysse theyre pacyence ys more perfytt þen ryches & butAcAndG.12.325: Despite the addition of but, there appears to have been no attempt to cross out the ampersand at the beginning of the line. Most manuscripts read Ac. moche more In metyng þus wyth me gan on dysspuvte & slepyng I seghe all þis & sythen came kynde and neuenvedneue[n]ednempned me by name & bad me nymen heede and thruvghe þe wouvnders off thys worlde wytt for to take & on a montagne þat mydleyerthe hyghe hyȝte as me tho thoght I was fet forthe by ensamples to knowe thruvghe eche a creatuvre & kynde my creatouvr to louvye I sehe þe sonne & þe see and þe sond after & where þat bryddes & bestes by þer makesmake yedeneþei ȝeden wylde wormes in woddeswodes and wonderfowle fowles wyth flecked fethers and off fell fele G.12.335: For G's treatment of B fele (here appearing as G Cr fell), see note to G.4.349. colouvrs man & hys make I myght bothe beholde pouerte & plente bothe peasse & warre blysse & bale bothe I seghe att onesce and how men toke mede & mercy refuvsed reason I seghe sothely sewen all bestes In eytyng & drynkyng Inand in engenderyng off kynd and after couvrsce off conceptyon non toke kepe off other and when þei had rydyen In rotye-tyme anon ryght þer-after males drewen þem to males oIn mouvrnesa-mornynges by þem-seluve and In euvenynges also / þe males fro females þer was kow þ ne kow-kynd þat conceyuved had þat wold belwe after buvlles ne boore after sowe bothe hors & houvndes & all other bestes medeled not wyth þer makes þat wyth foole were bryddes I behelde þat In buvskes made nestes had neuer wye wytt to worche the leaste I had wondre att whome & where þe pye lerned to legge þe stykkes In wyche he lyetheleythe & bredethe þer nys wryght as I wene sholde worche hyr nest to paye yff any mason made a mold þerto moche wondre ytt were & yet me merveled more offhow many other bryddes hydden & hylleden theyr egges full derne In marres & moores þatfor men shold þem not fynde & hydden þer egges when þei þer-fro wente for fere off other fowles & for wylde beestes & some tradden þer makes & on trees breden bredden G.12.361: In the case of G, the spelling shared with Cr23 F (i.e. breden rather than the majority B reading bredden) does not necessarily indicate a substantive variant. Although the G scribe was clearly aware of the possibility of using single and double consonants to indicate preceding long and short vowels, his practice in this respect was by no means consistent (see Introduction III.2).

~~& broght~~

& broght forthe þer bryddes so all abouve þe grouvnde & some bryddes at the byll thruvghe breythyng conceyuved & some kakeled I toke kepe howe peykokes breden bredden G.12.364: For the use by G in particular of the form breden (as also Cr R) for most manuscripts bredden, see note to G.12.361. moche merueled me what mastre they had & wo taght þem on trees to tymbre so heyghe þatÞer nether barne ne beast myghtmay þer bryddes reyche and sythen I loked on þe see & so on þe sterres many selkouvthes I segh be noght to seye nowe nouthe G.12.369: For G Cr C nowe for remaining manuscripts nouthe, see note to G.4.295. I segh flouwersG.12.370: It is probably too early for the change of flouers to flowers to indicate a spelling distinction between the homophones "flour" and "flower," since this only appears to have taken place in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries; see Manfred Görlach, Introduction to Early Modern English (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991), 56. The alteration is in black ink rather than the brown normally used by hand1.1, and appears to have been made at the time of writing rather than as part of the scribe's later programme of spelling corrections. In þe frytthe & þer fayre colouvrs & how among þe grene gresse grewe so manye hewes & some souvre & some swete selcouvthe me thoght off hyr kynd & hyr colouvre to carpe yt were to long but Ac that most meved me & my mode changed þat reason rewarded & reuvled all beastes sauve man & hys make many tyme & offte no reason them folowed & þat þanne I rebuvked reason & ryght to til hym-seluve seyde I haue wondre off þe quod I þat wytty arte holden whye þou ne sueste man & hys make þat þem þat no myssfayte folowe hem folwe & reason arated me & seyde reche þou þe neuere why I suffer or noght suffer þi-seluve hast noght a to doone amend þou yff þou myght my for my tyme ys to abyde sufferance ys souvereygne wertuve & a swyffte wengeance wo sufferythe more þen god quod he no goome as I leuve he myght amend In a mynuvte wyle all þat mysstandethe but Ac he sufferythe for some mannes good & so ys our better the wyse & þe wyttye wroote þis þus G.12.388: For the G scribe's use of "this" for most manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. In the byble de re que te non molestat noli certare & cetera certare // for be a man fayre or fouvle ytt fallethe not to forto G.12.390: The majority B reading (i.e. forto rather than to) results in a very long b-verse dip and Kane and Donaldson adopt the G O C2 reading to. See, however, Duggan, "Notes on the Metre." lacke the shappe ne þe shafte þat god shoope hym-seluve for all þat he dyd was weldoowel doo ydo as holy wrytt weyttnessythe et vidit deus cuntacun[c]ta cuncta que fecerat & erant valde bona : // & bad euery creatuvre In hys kynd Increasse all to muvrthe wythe man that most woo tholye In fouvndyng off þe flesshe & the of þe feende bothe for man was made off suoyche amattera matter he mey not well astarte that ne some-tyme hym betyd to folowen hys kynde caton acordethe þerwyth nemo sine crimine viuit.// tho caght I colouvr a-non & compsed to be shamed aschamed and awaked þer-wyth woo was me thene that I yn meytelles ne myght more haue y-knowen then seyd I to my-selffe and chydde þat tyme now I watt what dowell ys by quod I by dere god as me thynkethe & as I cast vp myne eyne oone loked on me & asked off me what thyng yt were Iwys syr I seyde to se moche & suffer more certes quod he It quod I G.12.407: Kane and Donaldson state that original I is altered to he It by the main hand. Given that the original scribe and the later brown ink corrector appear to have been the same person, this may well be the case but it is clear that any such alteration must have been carried out in two stages, since the <t> of It is in pale grey ink whereas he has been added in brown ink. ys dowell haddesthowe suffered suffred he seyde slepyng tho thowe were þou sholdest haue knowenG.12.409: The added bar over the final <e> of knowe is in brown ink. þat clargye can & conceyuved more by þorugh reason for reason wold haue rehersed þe ryght as clargye seyde and for theryne þine entremetyng there here / arthowe forsake philosophus esses si tacuisses et cetera tacuisses . // adam wyles he spake not he had had paradysse att wyll but Ac when he mameled aboute meyte & entremete hym to knowe the wyssdome off þe wytt off god he was put fro blysse and ryght so fared reason by the þou wyth rewde speche lackedest & losest losedest thyng that longethe noght to be done tho had he no lykyng for to lere the more pryde nowe & presuvmpsyon peraventuvre wyll þe appeyle þat clarge thye companye ne kepethe not to sawesue shall neuer chalyngyng ne chydyng chastye man a man so sone as shall shame & shenden hym & shape hym to amend for lett a dronken daffe In a dyche fall lett hym lygge looke not on hym tyll hym lyst ryse to ryse for thogh reason rebuked hym þen ytt were but puvre synne & when nede nymmethe vp hym vp for douvte lest he steruve and shame ~~sha~~ G.12.427: The scribe has tried to emend <sha> to <shra> by overwriting and then abandoned the attempt. shrapethe hys clothes & hys shynnes wasshethe þen woote þe drouvnken daffe werefore he ys to blame ye seggen sothe quod I yche haue sene yseyne ytt offte þer smytt no thyng so smerte ne swellethe smelleth so sore soure as shame þer he shoythe hym for euery man hym shendethe shonyeth whye ye wysse me þus quod I was for I rebuvked reason certes quod he þat ys sothe & shope hym for to walke & I aroos vpryght wyth þat & folowed after hym after & preyed hym off hys couvrtesye to tell me hys name explicit quartus passus de dowell· // I am ymagynatyve quod he Idle was I neuer thogh I sytt by my-seluve In syknes & yn helthe I haue folowed þe In feythe þis fyuve & fortye wynters wyntre G.13.3: For the G scribe's replacement of remaining manuscripts wyntre (an uninflected plural) with the inflected plural wynters, see note to G.2.100. & many tymes haue mouved the to thynke on thye end & howe fell fele G.13.5: For G's treatment of B fele (here appearing as G C fell), see note to G.4.349. fenvenyeresfe[r]n[e]yeres fernȝeres ere faren & so fewe to come & off thy wylde wantonnesse tho þou yong were to amend þe it In þi mydle age lest myght þe fayle In þin old elde þat yuvell can suffer pouverte or pennance or preyers bydde sG.13.10: This letter <s> has simply been abandoned. The scribe appears to have had rather too much ink on his pen. si non In prima vigilia nec In secunda secunda & cetera :// amend þe whyle þou myghteste þou hast be warned offte wyth poostes off pestelences wyth pouverte & wyth angres & wyth thes bytter baleyzes god beytethe hys dere chyldren quem diligo castigo ·// for And dauyd In the sauvter sayethe off suoyche as þat louve Iesus. virga tua et baculus tuus ipsa me consolata sunt .// allthoghe þou stryke me wyth þi staffe . wyth stycke or wyth yarde ytt ys but muvrthe as for me to amend my souvle and þou medelest þe wyth mastryes & myght go say G.13.19: A virgule has been added at this point to separate say from the. the þi sauvter & byd for þem þat gyuvethe þe bred for there are bokes Inowe to tell men whatt dowell ys dobetter & dobest bothe & preychars to prouve whatt yt ys / off manye many a peyre freres I syghe well he sayde me sothe & somewhatt me to excuvse sayd caton comforted hys sonne sone þat clerke thoghe he were to solace hym some-tyme as I doo when I make Interpone tuis Interdum gaudia curis ·// & off holy men I herde howe quod I how þei other-whyle pleyden þe perfytter to beene In manye places butt Ac yff þer were any wyght þat wold me tell what were dowell and dobetter and dobest at þe last wold I neuer do worke but wende to holy churche and there byddeG.13.32: Both <d>s in bydde have been re-outlined in black ink. The word is very faint. my beades but when I eyte or slepe pauvle In hys epystle pistle quod he prouvethe watt ys dowell spes fides Fides spes charitas & maior horum & cetera // faythe hope & charyte and all beene goode & sauve men sondrye tymes but ac non so sone as charyte for he dothe well wyth-oute douvte þat doethe as leallte teychethe that ys yff þou be man maryed þi make þou louve & lyuve forthe as lawe wyll whyle ye lyuven here ryght so & if þou be relygyouvse renne þou neuer forther to rome ne to rochemadoure but as þi ruvle teychethe & hold þe vndre obedyence that hyghe way ys to heyuven G.13.43: Each of the following three added lines (G.13.43, G.13.44 and G.13.45) is immediately followed by a horizontal line across the margin, indicating that the line in question is complete. & yf ye þow be meyden to marye & myghtest contynewe seke ye þow neuer seynt further for no soule heyltheG.13.44: The line break after he- (the first two letters of "health") means that the rest of this word starts at the very edge of the page. There may possibly have been another letter before the <y> (an <l>?), but cropping makes it impossible to be certain. for wat made luvcyfer to lese the hye heyuven or salomon hys sapyence or sampson hys strenght Iob þe Iewe hys Ioy dere ytt dere it hedere he it a-bouvghte arystotell & other mo ypocras & wyrgyll alysandre þat all wanne elenglyche endede catell & kynde wytte was combracecombra[n]ce combraunce to theym all Felyce hyr feyrnes fell hyr all to sklandre & rosamound ryght so rewfully besette the beauvte off hyr bodye In badnes she dyspendyd off manye suoyche I myght rede bothe off of men & off wymen that wyse wordes can say & worche þe contrarye sunt homines nequam de virtute bene loquentes . // & ryche rennvkesG.13.57: The brown ink corrector has altered the <n> of renkes to <v> and hand3 has then crossed this out and added a macron above the <e>. This macron is nothing like that normally used by the original scribe or WH. Compare the similar abbreviation which appears as part of the marginalia on f.96v.

ryght so gardyden gaderen & sparden sparen & tho men þat þei most haten mynystren att þe it atte lest laste G.13.58: G C lest and remaining manuscripts laste are probably the same word, the variation in vowel simply resulting from the date of shortening (see Brunner, Outline, section 9, note). & for þei sufferen & se so manye nedye folkes & louven þem noght as god bytd bytte lesen theyre souvles date et dabitur vobis et cetera ·// & ryches ryght so but yff þe roote be trewe but Ac grace ys a gresse þeroff þe greuvance to abate but Ac grace ne growethe noght but amongest lowe pacyence & pouerte þe place ys where þere G.13.65: The G reading where for remaining manuscripts þere probably results from the date of the G copy. According to the OED, the use of "there" meaning "where" died out during the sixteenth century; see OED there, adv. (a., n.) II.9. ytt growethe & In leall lyuvyng men & In lyfe holye & thrughe þe gyffte off þe holyegosteholye goste as þe gosspell tellethe spiritus vbi vult spirat et cetera claregye & kynd wytt comethe off syght & teychyng as þe boke beyrethe wyttnes to buvrnes þat can rede quod scimusG.13.71: The second letter of scimus is odd and could conceivably be a minim but since there is a dot over the it would be impossible to read the word as sumus. loquimur quod videmus vidimus testamur. // off quod scimus comethe connyng & clargye clergye and connynge off heyuven & off quod videimusG.13.73: G's original reading, with the present tense (videmus) instead of the perfect (vidimus, as remaining B manuscripts), parallels that found at G.13.71. commethe kynd wytt & of syght of dyuers poeple & grace ys a gyffte off god & off greate louve spryngethe knewe neuer clerke howe ytt comethe forthe ne kynd wytt þe wayesG.13.75: The line wraps around and the last two words are boxed in grey at the end of the following rubricated line. nescit aliquis vnde venit audG.13.76: Probably not "and" (as Kane and Donaldson) but aud, i.e. a form of "aut," (note that the word is rubricated). For this spelling, see, e.g., Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch, ed. Otto Prinz, with the assistance of Johannes Schneider (Munich: C. H. Beck, 1967), s.v. aut. quo vadit & cetera // & Ac yett ys clargye to commend & kynd wytt bothe & namely clargeye for crystes louve þat off clargye ys roote for moyses wytnessethe þat god wrote for to wysse the poeple In þe olde lawe as þe lettre tellethe was þat was þe lawe off þe of Iuves þat what woman were In awowtre taken ryche other pouvre wyth stones men shuold hyr stryke & stonon hyr to dethe a woman as we fynden was gyltyffe off þat dede but Ac cryste off hyrsG.13.84: The scribe anticipated more about the actions of the woman mentioned in the previous line and so began to write "her" but then altered this to the correct reading "his." couvrtesy thrughe clargye hyr sauved For thrugh carectes þat cryste wroght wrot þe Iewes knewe þem-seluve more gyltye Gultier as before afor god & gretter In synne þen þe woman þat þer was & went a-way for shame þe clargye þat there was comforted the woman holye kyrke knowethe þis þat crystes wrytyng sauved so claregye ys comforte to creatuvres þat repenten & to mansed men myscheffe att theyre ende for goddes bodye myght noght be off bred wyth-ouvte clargye the wyche bodye ys bothe boote to the ryghtffull & dethe & dampnatyon to theym þat dye yuvell as crystes carectes conforted & bothe cuvlpable shewed the woman þat þe Iewes broght þat Iesus thoght to sauve nolite Iudicare et non Iudicabimini · & cetera.// ryght so goddes bodye body bretheren but ytt be worthylye taken dampnethe vs att þe day off dome as þe carectes dyd þe Iewes forthy I couvnseyle þe for crystes sake clargey to louve for kynd wytt ys off hys kynne & nyghe cosuvns bothe to our lorde leuve me / louve þem forthy for-þi loue hem I redde for bothe be as myrrouvrs to amend our defauvtes & leyders for lewde men & for lettered bothe forthy lack þou neuer logyk law ne thes his costomes ne contrepleyde clerkes I couvnseyle þe for euver for as a man may noght see þat myssethe hys eyne no more can a no clarke but but if he caght ytt it first thrugh bokes all-thogh men made bokes god was þe master & seynt spyryte hys samplarye & sayde whatt men shuolde wryte & ryght as syght seruvethe a man to see þe hye streete ryght so leydethe lettuvre letterure lewde men to reason & as a blynd man In batell beyrethe weypen to fyght & hathe no happe wyth hys axe hys enmye to hytte no more can a kynd wytted man but clerkes hym teyche come for all hys kynd wytte to creystendome & be sauved whyche ys þe coffre off crystes treasouvr & clerkes kepe þe kayes to vnlocken ytt atotG.13.118: Note the double-lobed <a>, in att, a letter form not normally used by the original scribe but occasionally employed for corrections (presumably because it was clearer). tlheyr ~~poeple~~lykyngeG.13.118: The final backward curving flourish on the <g> of lykynge has been interpreted as a residual <e>. The original reading of the first half line appears to have been to vnlocken ytt to ley poeple. & to þe lewde poeple gyffe mercye for þer myssdedes yff men ytt wole aske boxomeleche & benynglyche and bydden ytt off grace archa dei / In þe old lawe leuvytes ytt kepten had neuer lewde man leuve to ley hand on þe cheyste but he were preste or prestes sonne / patriarke /or prophete for claregy ys keper vndre cryste off heyuven was þer neuer no knyght but claregye hym made butt Ac kynd wytt comethe off alkynnes syghtes off bryddes & off bestes off tastes off trewthe & of deceytes lyuvyers before to-forn vs vseden the to marke the selcouvthes þat þei see þer sonnes to for to G.13.129: L originally shared the G reading to for remaining manuscripts forto, but for has been added above the line. teyche and helde an it an hyghe scyence theyr wyttes to knowe as Ac thrugh theyr scyence sothely was neuer solewle sauved ne broght by þer bokes to blysse ne to Ioy for all theyre kynd knowyng comethe come G.13.133: As far as the majority of manuscripts are concerned, the verb (come) is presumably in the preterite, though for some (L M Cr W Hm) where come follows a plural subject the present tense plural is possible. The G scribe, who uses -e or-en or zero for the plural, clearly intends a present tense singular. but off dyuers syghtes patryarkes & prophetes reprouved theyre scyence & seyden þer wordes ne þer wyssdomes were not nas but a folye & asAnd As to þe clargy off cryste ys couvnted but a tryfuvll sapientia huius mundi stulticia est apud deum et cetera deum // for þe hyghe holygoste holy goste heyuven shall to-cleuve and louve shall leype oute after In-to þis lowe yerthe and cleynnesses shall cacchen ytt & clerkes shall yt fynd pastores loquebantur ad Inuicem et cetera // he speykethe þer off ryche men noght ne off ryght wyttye ne off lordes þat were lewdemenlewde men but but of þe hyeste lettered oute Ibant magi ab oriente et cetera // yff any frere were fond there I gyuve þe fyuve fyngers shillynges ne In no beggers cote was þat barne borne but In a burgeys place off bethelem the best set non erat locus In diuersorio & pauper non habet diuersorium. // to pastouvrs & to poeetes appered the angell & bad theym go to bethelem goddes byrthe to honouvre & song a song off solasce / gloria in excelsis deo .// clerkes knewen ytt well & came wyth theyr presentes & dyd theyr homage honerably to hym þat was almyghtye G.13.154: This line, found only in β4 manuscripts, is treated by Kane and Donaldson and Schmidt as spurious.& goddys sonne þat syttethe yn heyuven & shall sauve vs all whye I haue tolde þe all þis I toke full good hede howe þou contraryest clarelgy wyth crabbed wordes how þat lewde men lyghlyerliȝtloker G.13.157: For the G spelling lyghlyer (without medial <t>), see note to G.1.150.þen lettered were sauved then clerkes or kynd wytted men off crysten poeple & þou seydest sothe off some but ac se ytt sese ȝit yn whatt manereremanere manere G.13.159: G's original manere has been re-outlined in black ink. The new version adds an unnecessary abbreviation and the mark for this is more elaborate than is usual. See note to G.13.57. take two strong men & In temse cast them bothe And bothe naked as a nelde non her none sykerer then other þe Þat on hathe connyng & can smwymmyn & dyuven þe Þat other ys lewde off þat labour & lerned lerned neuer to swymme wyche trowesthowe off þes þo two In temse ys yn most drede he þat neuer dyuved ne noght can off swymmynge or þe swymmere þat ys sauve so bi so hym-seluve lyke therys Þere G.13.167: Kane and Donaldson record G's reading here as an alteration of thes to ther. However, the <s> does not appear to have been deleted and the addition above the line is clearly ry (note the dot above the <y> and the tail curling round to the right). It seems likely that this is an erroneous correction and that the resultant ys duplicates following hys (cf. M There is felawe beside the L reading Þere his felaw). The scribe may have become confused because of the form of the pronoun. Forms without h- in G are clearly not his own although they do occur occasionally (as at G.13.257) and were presumably found in his exemplar. hys felow fletethe forthe as þe flouvde lykethe & ys In drede to drenche þat neuer dyd swymme þat swymme can noght ytt I seide it semethe to my wyttes ryght so quod þe renvkere[n]ke Renke reason ytt showethe that he þat knowethe claregy can soner aryse oute off synne & be sauve thoghe he synne offte yff hym lykethe & lyst þen any lewde leally for yff a þe clerke be connyng he knowethe what ys synne and how contrycyon wyth-owte confessyon confortethe þe souvle þou As þowand þu seest yn þe sauvter In psalmes on or twey how contrycyon ys commendyd ytt for it cacchethe away synne beati quorum remisse sunt Iniquitates et quorum quorum tecta et cetera // & þis confortethe eche vch a clerke & couerethe hym fro whanhope In wyche floode þe fende fondethe a man hardest there þe lewde lyen lith styll & loken loketh after lenten lente & hathe no contrycyon er he go come to shryfte þen & þanne can he lytle tell & as hys loores man lernethe leres hym beleuvethe & trowethe & þat ys after persone or perysshe preeste & perauventure vnconnyng to leere lewde men as luke beyrethe wyttnes dum cecus ducit cecum et cetera ·// wo was hym marked þat wade motvste wyth the lewde well may þe berne blysse þat hym to boke sette þat lyuvyng G.13.189: There is a vertical mark in the text between "living" and "after," possibly the first stroke of a letter which was then abandoned. after letterure sauved hym lyuve & souvle dominus pars hereditatis mee & cetera ys a myry versett that hathe taken fro tyburne xxtitwenti strong theuves ther lewde theuves ben ~~saued~~ lolled vp loke how þei be sauved the theffe þat had grace off god on good fryday as þou spake was for he yolde hym creante to cryste on þe cros & knew hym gylty & grace axed off god & he ys euver redye þat boxomely byddethe ytt & and ben In wyll to amend hym hem and thogh þat theffe had heyuven he had no hygh blysse as seynt Ihon & other seyntes þat deseruved ytt hadde better ryght as some men gyuve me meyte & sytt sette me amydde þe floore Iche haue meyte more þen Inoghe but ac not so moche worshyppe as tho þat sytten at þe table wyth or with soueregnes yn of the hall but sytt as beggers bredles bordelees by my-seluve on the grownde so ytt farethe by þat felon þat on goodfrydaygood fryday was sauved he syttethe not neither by seynt Ihon nether symon Symondene Symond ne Iuvde ne wyth meydens ne martyres confessouvrs ne wydowes by But by hym-selfe as a soleyn and seruved on the yerthe for he þat ys onesce a theffe ys euer-more In dauvngere and as lawe lykethe to lyuve or to dye de peccato propiciato noli esse sine metu & cetera metu // and for to seruve a seynte & suoyche a theffe to-gedders ytt were nether reason ne ryght to reward þem bothe ylyche and as riȝt as troianus þe trewe knyght tylde not depe In hell but Þat our lorde had ne had hym lyghtlyche oute so leuve I þe theffe thef be yn heyuvenG.13.213: The line is too long and wraps around. The last two words are written underneath the rest of the line and are boxed in grey ink. for he ys In þe lowest heyuven yff our byleuve be trewe & well lowselyche he lollethe þer by by þe law off holye churche omnia QuiaQui reddit vnicuique Iuxta operaG.13.216: It seems probable that the need for the line through the tail of the of opera was recognised by the scribe as he wrote the following line i.e. when he had already returned to his ordinary ink. sua & cetera // & why þat on theffe on the cros creauntG.13.217: For the G scribe's treatment and use of superscript <a> (the abbreviation mark here), see note to G.4.156. hym yelded rather then þe þat other theffe thogh þou wold apposse all þe clarkes vndre cryste ne couvld þe skylle assoyle quare placuit quia voluit et cetera voluit // and so I say by þe þat sekest after þe whyes and reasonedest aresonedest reason a rebukyng as ytt were & off þe flouvres yn þe frythe & off þierG.13.223: The spelling of þier is unusual for the G scribe ("their" usually has -ei- rather than -ie-) and the position of the immediately before the supralinear abbreviation for <er> suggests that it is an afterthought and that the scribe originally read the word as þer="there." feyre hewes whereoff þei cacche theyr colouvrs so fayre clere & so bryght & wyllest of bryddes & bestes & off þeir bredyng knowe whye some be a-lowe & some be a-lofte alofte þi lykyng yt were & off þe stones & and of þe sterres / thow studyest as I wene leue how euery euere beaste or byrde hathe so breeme wyttes clargye ne kynd wytt witte ne knewe neuer the cauvse but Ac kynd knowethe ytt þe cause hym-seluve & no creature elles he ys þe pyes patrone & puttethe In hys hire yere that þer þe thorne ys thyckest to bylden & breede & kynd kennethe þe peycocke to kauken In suoyche a kynde & kenned adam to knowe hys pryuvye membres and taght hym & euve to hyllen þem wyth leyuves lewde men manye tymes masters apposen why adam hylled not furste hys mouvthe or þat þat heteG.13.237: The G scribe's reading or þat (for most manuscripts þat) followed by deleted <h> suggests that he anticipates a line with the meaning "Why Adam didn't cover his mouth before he ate the apple" instead of Bx's "Why Adam didn't cover his mouth that ate the apple." The scribe writes or þat for "before" and is about to write he but realises this is not in his exemplar and changes it to ete. þe apple rather then hys lykhame a-lowe / lewde axen thuvs clerkes kynd knowethe whye he dyd so & no clerke elles but Ac off bryddes & off beastes men off by olde tyme ensamples token & termes as tellen thees poettes~~& that the fayrest sothell off flyght ys þat flyethe or swymmethe~~ & that the fayrest sothely foule G.13.241: The <y> of G sothely, which has had to be squashed in and which is therefore very small, is clearly a later addition. It is, however, in the same ink as the original and presumably results from the scribe's attempt to make sense of sothel, a misreading of fowel. þe fowlest Ingenderethe & febelest fowle off flyght ys þat flyethe or swymmethe that And þat ys the peycock & þe powen prouvde ryche men þei betokene for For þe peycock yff and men pursewe hym may noght flye hyghe for For þe trauvylyng traillyng off hys teyle ouver-taken ys he sone & hys flesshe ys fowle flesshe & hys feete bothe & vnlouvelyche off leden / & laythe for to here ryght so the ryche yff he hys ryches kepe & deale deleth ytt noght tyll hys dethe day hys þe tayle off all sorowe ryght as þe pennes off þe peycock peined paineth hym In hys flyght so ys possessyon peyne off peynnes or and off nobles to all þem þat þat it holden to til þeir taylles taille be pluvcked & thogh þe ryche repent þen & rewe birewe the tyme þat euer he gadered so greate & gauve þeroff so lytle thogh he crye to cryste cryst þanne wyth kene wyll I leeuve ys leden ys In our lordys yereG.13.257: The deletion of initial <y> of yere is in black ink. It seems unlikely to be have been carried out by the original scribe since he regularly uses <yere> for "ear" (and note his addition of <y> to eyre ("ear") at G.21.131). Since hand3 uses black ink, he may have been responsible for this alteration. lyke a peyse pyes G.13.257: G's muddle over B pyes (="magpie's"), which he transcribes as peyse, probably results at least in part from the loss of the following word ("chittering" or "chattering") from a high proportion of B manuscripts (L C G O C2 Y B R). At G.13.231 G shares the majority reading pyes. & when hys caryonG.13.258: The double-lobed <a> in caryon is unusual and may result from a correction (from <o>?). shall come In cauve to be buryed I leuve yt flauvmbe full fowle foule þe folde all abowte & all other þe other þer he it lyethe enuvenymethe thrugh hys actera[t]ter attere by þe poo feete ys vndrestand as I lerned In auynette execuvtors false frendes þat fullfylnotfullfyl not hys wyll that was wryten & þer þei wyttnes to worche as yt wolde þis Þus G.13.264: For the G scribe's use of "this" for most manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. þe poett prouvethe þat þe peycock for hys feythers ys reuverensed G.13.264: The cross at the bottom right hand corner of the page is in modern pencil. ryght so ys þe ryche by þe bi reasonG.13.265: The word reason has been re-outlined in blacker ink. off hys goodes the larke þat ys a lasse fowle ys more louvelyche off leden & well away off weyngeG.13.267: The <y> of wynge has been touched up by the brown ink corrector who has partly filled in the loop left by the original <e>. swyfter þen the peycocke and off flesshe by fell fele G.13.268: For G's treatment of B fele (here G Cr fell), see note to G.4.349. folde fatter & swetter to lowe lyuvyng men þe larke ys resembeled alyzandre Arestotle þe greate clerecler[k]e clerke suoyche tales tellethe thuvs he lykenethe hyn hys logyk þe leeste soghellfouleG.13.271: The G scribe, or an ancestor of this scribe, presumably interpreted Bx foule as a form of "soul," hence soghell. ouvte & whedre he be sauve or noght þe sothe whoote þe no clargye ne off sortes ne salomon no scrypture can tell but Ac god ys so good I hope þat sythen he gauve þem wyttes to wyssen vs wayes wyth þere-with þat wysen vs to be sauved & þe better for theyr bokes to bydde we be holden that god for hys grace gyuve theyr souvles rest for lettered men were lewde yet nereG.13.278: The type of abbreviation used for final <e> on nere (a bar over the <r>) is unusual for this scribe. loore off þeir bokes all þes clarkes quod I tho that on crysteG.13.279: The second, fourth and fifth letters of cryste have all been re-outlined in black ink. leeuven syggen yn þer sermones þat no sarezenes ne Iewes ne no creature of crystes lyknes wythoute crystendome worthe sauved contra quod Imagynatyuve & þo and comsed to for to louvre and seyde saluabitur vir vix Iustus in die Iudicij ergo saluabitur quod he & sayd no more laten troianus was a trew knyght & toke neuer crystendome & he ys sauve so sayethe the booke & hys souvle In heyuven for þer ys fullyng off fonte and fullyng In bloodshedyngblood shedyng & thrugh fuyreG.13.288: The two dots over the <y> of fyre are unusual but are presumably present to make it absolutely clear what letter the corrector intended. ys fullyng and þat ys ferme byleuve aduenit ignis diuinus non comburens set illuminans & cetera // but Ac trewthe þat tresspassed neuer ne trauversed ageynst hys lawe and But lyuvethe as hys lawe teychethe & leuvet.h þer be non bettre and yff þer were he wolde amend & In suoche wyll dyethe ne wolde neuer trewe god but trewthe were alowed and were ytt worthe or noght worth nouȝt þe byleuve ys greate of trewthe and an hope hangyng þer-yn to hauve mede for hys trewthe quia deus dicit dicitur quasi quasi dans vitam eternam suis hoc est fidelibus et alibi si ambulauero In medio vmbre mortis et cetera // the glosse grauvntethe vs on vpon þat vers a greate medeG.13.298: The <d> of mede has been re-outlined in grey ink. to trewthe & wytt & wyssdome quod þat vyȝe wye G.13.299: G's vyȝe may simply be a back spelling; note the frequent use of <w> for <v> (see Introduction III.4.2). was some-tyme treysorye tresore to kepe wythe a comen no catell katel was holden better & moche muvrthe & manhoode & ryght wyth þat he wanesshed explicit quintus passus de dowell . // G.14.1: A mark is present in the upper right hand corner, possibly a <c>. There seems to be no codicological reason for its presence.And I awaked ther-wyth wyttles nerhande and as a freyke þat free were fortheG.14.2: The <r> and <t> of forthe have been re-outlined in black ink. gan I walke In maner off a mendynant many yeres ȝere after & off thys metyng many tymes tyme moche thoght I hadde furst how fortuvne me faylled at my most nede & how þat elde manesed me we myght neuver mete & how þat freres folowden folke þat were was ryche & folke þat was pouvre att lytle pryce they sett & no corps In theyre kyrkyarde ne In theyr kyrke was buryed but quvycke he byquvethe ought hem auȝte or or shulde helpe quvyte þer dettes & how couvetyse ouercame clerkes & preestes & how þat lewde men be ladde but our lorde þem helpe thrughe vnconnyng cuvratours to vncuvrable paynes & how þat ymagynatyve In dremles me tolde off kynd & off connyng & how couvrteys he ys to beestes & how louvyng he ys to bestes on land & on water leynvethe Leneth he no lyffe lasse ne more þe creatures þat crepen off kynd beene engendered and sythe how Imagynatyve sayde vixG.14.19: The left hand side of the <x> of vix is faint and may have been subject to erasure (leaving vir, as in G.13.283). Iustus saluabitur . // & when he had seyde so how sodenlyche he passed I lyeG.14.21: The form lye is a possible preterite of the verb "to lie." See G.17.266 and note to G.6.224. downe long yn þis thoght & at þe last I slepte & as cryste wold wolde þere coameG.14.22: The top loop of the double-lobed <a> in the alteration of come to came together with the descender have been added in black ink. The alteration is very neat and it seems probable that it was carried out by the scribe who added the marginalia in an italic hand on ff.42v

etc. (i.e. hand3). conscyence to conforte me þat tyme & bad me come to hys couvrte wyth clargye shuvlde I dyne & for conscyence off claregy spake / I comeG.14.24: It appears from Kane and Donaldson's edition that G omits "come" but that is not the case. wyll wel þe rather & þer I sygh a mastre what man he was I nyste that low lowted & louvelyche to scrypture conscyence knewe hym well & welcomede hym fayre they wassheden & wypeden & wenten to dynner but Ac pacyence In þe paleyesce stoode In pylgrymes clothes and preyed meyte par forpurpor charyte for a pouvre heremyte conscyence called hym yn & couvrtesslyche sayed welcome wysse wye go & whasshe you þow G.14.32: The correct reading is clearly þow (as remaining B manuscripts), but the use of inline <ou> instead of superscript makes it clear that the G scribe has misread this word as "you." For scribal practice in this matter, see note to G.3.118. shallt sytt sone thys master was made sytte & for þe most worthye thenG.14.34: G's original reading the (i.e. the reading without added macron) is unique. clargy & conscyence & pacyence cam affter pacyence & I were put to be macches & sytten seten by our-seluve att a syde boorde conscyence called after meyte & þen came scrypture and seruved þem þus soone wyth of sondrye meytes manye off austyne & of ambros & ambrose off all þe foure euvangelytstes edentes et bibentes que apud eos sunt & Ac thys master ne hys man no maner flesshe eyten but Ac þei eyte meyte off more coste mortrases mortrewes G.14.42: G uses the plural mortrases (i.e. "stews" as opposed to "stew"), while the reading of the remaining manuscripts (i.e. mortrewes) is a singular (see OED mortress, n.). & potages off þat men mysswonne þei made them well att easse & Ac theyr sauvce was euer souvre and vnsauvourly grouvnde In a morter post mortem off manye byttre paynes peyne but yff they syng for tho souvles & wepe salte teyres vos qui peccata hominum comeditis nisi pro eis lacrimas & oraciones effuderitisG.14.47: The M and Hm correctors both delete the letter <n> from original effunderitis, thus bringing their reading into line with that of G and other β4 manuscripts. Remaining manuscripts have the form with <n>. ea que In dilicijs comoedetis in tormentis euometis :// conscyence couvrtesly tho commanded scrypture before pacyence bredde to bryng & me that was hys make he sett a souvre loofe afore to-for vs & sayde agite penetentiam // & sythe he drew vs drynke diu dia G.14.51: In both M and Bm, the reading diu (shared with G O C2) results from correction, in the case of M from the majority B reading dia. The G M O C2 B reading is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. perseuerans // as long quod I as y lyuve & lygham may dure G.14.52: There is a line running from the top of the page to the place where this line should be inserted. here ys propre seruvyce quod pacyence þer fareth no knyght prynce bettre & then he broght forthe other meyte off niserere[m]iserere Miserere mei deus : andG.14.55: β4 manuscripts lack "he brought vs" after "and." beati of Beati quorum off beatus vir ~~In a dysshe~~ makyng et quorum tecta sunt peccata In a dysshe off derne shryfte dixi and confitebor tibi bryng pacyence some pytance pryuvylye quod concyence and then came to pacyence a pytance y-broghte off pro hoc orabit ad te omnis sanctus in tempore oportuno// and conscyence conforted vs & carped vs mery tales cor contritum et humiliatum deus non dispicies:// pacyence was prouvde off that propre seruvyce & made hym myrthe wyth hys meyte but ac I moned morned G.14.64: Kane and Donaldson interpret G's reading as moued rather than moned, but compare G's reading mowne at G.14.194. euer for thys doctor on þe hygh dayes dronke wyne so faste ve vobis qui potentes estis ad bibendum vinum et cetera vinum // he eyte manye sondrye meytes mortreses mortrewes G.14.67: For G mortreses (for remaining B manuscripts mortrewes), see note to G.14.42. & puddynges wombe clouvtes and wylde brauvne & egges fryed wyth greyce þen sayd I to my-selfe so pacyence ytt herde ytt ys not fouvr dayes þat þis freyke before þe deane of pouvles preyched off pennances þat paule þe apostle suffered In fame & fryigore G.14.72: With the exception of the very first stroke, the whole of the <y> of original frygore has been crossed out and a dot added to the resulting . The G scribe does not normally use spellings in <y> for Latin. & shflappesG.14.72: The initial <s> has been provided with a cross bar, the bottom of the <h> has been deleted and an additional line through the loop of the has created a double letter (all in black ink) (result: flappes). off scouvrges ter cesus sum & a Iudeis quinquies quadragenas et cetera // but Ac on worde þei ouerhyppen at eche tyme þatG.14.73: F shares G's original reading (i.e. tyme rather than tyme þat). G's corrected reading corresponds to that of remaining B manuscripts. þei preychen that poule In hys pystle to allG.14.75: O C2 F share G's original reading (i.e. to). The correction (to to all) brings G's reading into line with that of remaining B manuscripts. þe poeple tolde periculum est in falsis fratribus ·// holy wrytt byddethe men beware I wole not wryte ytt here oIn englysshe Inf in anynen G.14.78: The ink used for added in suggests a correction by the original scribe, but the use of a lower case suggests otherwise. However, the choice of letter may simply result from lack of room for a capital. auventure ytt were sholde be rehersed offte to ofte & greuve therwyth þat goode beene but ac gramaryens shuolde shul rede vnusquisque a fratre suo sesuo se G.14.80: The word suo has been crossed out in the usual greyish ink and a caret mark inserted, but the word stet has been written above the deleted word, also in grey ink. This practice presumably comes from printing and is a very early usage; the earliest instance cited by the OED is in the mid-eighteenth century (though the quotation in question clearly refers to a practice already established). custodiat quia vt dicitur periculum est in falsis fratribus I Ac I sagh wist neuver freyke þat as a frere yede en englysshe byfore men bifor men on englissh take ytt for hys teme & tell ytt wyth-oute glosyng they preychen þat pennance ys profetable to the soule and what mysscheffe & malyce malese G.14.84: Given the G scribe's spelling practices (see Introduction III.2), it is difficult to be certain that the the G reading malyce is actually a different lexical item from that of Bx malese. cryste for man tholed but Ac þus þis G.14.85: G's use of "thus" for remaining manuscripts "this," is probably a back formation, resulting from frequent G use of "this" for "thus." See note to G.4.76. goddes glotton quod I wyth hys greate chekes hathe no pyte on vs pouvre men he perfouvrmethe yuvell that he preychethe he prouvethe noght to pacyence I tolde and wyssed wisshed G.14.88: As far as G at least is concerned, the shared G C reading wyssed (for most manuscripts wishhed) is not necessarily a substantive variant, since at some stage in the G tradition <s> was clearly often used for <sh> (see Introduction III.4.1). wytterly wythe wyll full egre that dysshes & dublers before thys ylke doctor were molten leade In hys mawe & mawhouvnde yn þe mydest amyddes I shall Iangell to þis Iordane wyth hys Iuvste wombe to tell me whatt pennance ys off wyche he preyched rather pacyence perceyuved watt I thoght & wynked on me to be stylle & sayd þou shalte see þis þus G.14.94: For the G scribe's use of "this" for most B manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. soone when he may no more he shall haue a pennance In hys pauvnche & puffe at eche worde & þen shall hys guvttes grothell gothelegodele & he shall galpen after for now he hathe dronke so deepe he wyll denyedynye deuyne G.14.97: The Bm Bo reading dynye may be equivalent to G denye, though it is not recorded as a spelling variant of "deny" by either the OED or the MED. Most B manuscripts read deuyne. soone and prouve ytt by theyre apocuvlyppes pocalipsapocalipsis & passyon off seynte auveryze Auereys G.14.98: In G Cr23, aueryze presumably means "avarice" (as far as G is concerned, note the spelling at G.15.250), but whether this should be considered a variant reading depends on the interpretation of the majority B reading Auereys. See Schmidt's note to this line. that nether bakon ne brawne blankmangere ne morteresse ys nether fysshe ne flesshe but foode for a penauvnte & then shall he testyfye off a trynyte & take hys felowes to wyttnes what he fouvnde In a freyle after freres leyuvyng lyuyng G.14.102: The G C2 R reading leyuyng (for most B manuscripts lyuyng) is not necessarily a substantive variant since forms of "live" in <e>/<ey> are possible. See OED live, v.1 and LALME 1, Dot Map 467. but And but yff þe furste leyeffelynelyuelif G.14.103:The G O C2 Cot reading leyeffe, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson, is also the reading of Cx. Remaining B manuscripts read lyne, lyue or lif. be lesyng leuve me neuer after & then ys tyme to take & to appose thys doctor off dowell & dobetter & yff dobestG.14.105: The end of the word dobest has been re-outlined in black. be be any pennance & I sett st.yll as pacyence seyde & and þus soone þus þis G.14.106: The G scribe's use of "thus" for most manuscripts "this" is probably a back formation reflecting frequent G use of "this" for "thus." See note to G.4.76. doctouvr as ruvddy as a roos ruvbbed hys chekes coghed & carped & conscyence hym herde & tolde hym off a trynyte & towarde vs he loked what ys dowell syr doctoivr quod I ys dowell any pennacepenna[n]ce penaunce dowell quod thys doctouvr & toke þe covppeG.14.111: The ink colour used for the change from coppe to cvppe is not quite the same as that normally used for corrections by hand1.1, but the form and type of correction are typical of this corrector. See, e.g., the similar change at G.11.318. & dranke do non yuvell to þi euven-crystyen t noght to by thye power by þis day syr doctouvr quod I then be ye noght In dowell for ye han harmed vs two In that ye yete þe puddyng mortres & other meyte & we no morssell hade & yff you ȝe G.14.116: For the G scribe's use of you for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. fare so In your fermyerye farlye me thynkethe but chest chest be theyre charyte shuolde be & chyldre dorste playne I wold permuvte my pennance wyth yours ȝowre I for I am In poynt to dowell then conscyence couvrteslyche a couvntenance made and preynte vp-on pacyence to prey me be styll and seyde hym-selffe syr doctour & yff and ytt be your wyll whatt ys dowell dobetter and dobet ye deuvynours knowen dowell quod thys doctour do as clerkes teychen & dobetter ys he þat teychethe & trauveylethe to teyche other & do-best hym-seluve doth hym-self so as he sayethe & teychethe precheth NotaG.14.126: The symbol expanded here as "Nota" corresponds to that found at G.11.193, which Benson and Blanchfield interpret as "Nota." See note to that line. qui facit et docuerit magnus vocabitur in regno celorum. // now þou clargy quod conscyence carpethecarpe vs carpest watt ys dowell I haue seyuven sonnes he sayed seruven att a castell ther þe lorde off lyffe wonnethe to lerne þem watt ys dowell tyll I see thos þo seyuven & my-seluve accorden I am vnhardye quod he to any wyght to preuve~~nte~~G.14.131: The letters <nte> appear to have been crossed out more than once, both horizontally in black ink and vertically with thin lines in brown ink. Presumably the scribe originally read "preven it" as "prevent it." Note also that the form of the plus bar is that normally used as the abbreviation for pro (see, e.g., prouysours at G.4.148), but the scribe must originally have intended the abbreviation here to represent <pre> (i.e. prevente rather than provente). ytt for on pyers þe plowman hathe ympuvngned vs all and sett all scyenses att a soppe sauve louve alone one & no text ne takethe to meynteygne hys cauvse but dilige deum and domine quis habitabit et cetera// & sayethe þat dowell & dobetter are two InsermytyesIn[fyn]ytyes infinites G.14.136: Kane and Donaldson read G Infinytyes but the scribe has clearly written a long <s> with a slanting bar to indicate an abbreviation of er. Compare, e.g., the similar abbreviations at G.1.95 and contrast with <fy>- in fynden at G.14.137. Where the language is English, the G scribe normally uses <y> rather than after <f>. Note also the apparent correction to the word Infynytes in the following line. wyche Inf.ynytesG.14.137: For the G scribe's problems with the word "infinities," see previous line. wyth a faythe fynden oute dobeste wych shall haue saue mannes souvle þus sayethe pyers plowman I can not heyren her-on quod conscyence but ac I knowe pyers plowman pieres he wyll nott ageynst holy wrytte speke I dare dar wel vndretake þen passe we ouer tyll pyers come & preuve we þus þis In dede pacyence hathe bynne In manye places & perauventure knowethe þat no clerecler[k]e clerke ne can as cryste beyrethe wyttnes pacientes vincunt et cetera att your preyere quod pacyence þen þo so no man dyspleasse hym disce quod he doce & dilegedil[i]ge dilige inimicos disce & dowell doce & dobetter dilige & dobest thus taght me onesce a leymman þat I louved louve was hyr name wyth wordes & werkes quod she & louve wille off thyne herte thow louve leally thye soule all thy lyffe tyme and so þou lere þe to louve for þe lordes louve off heyuven thyne enmye In all wyse euvene-forthe wyth thy-seluven cast coles on hys heyde & all kynd speches speche both wyth worke & worde fonde hys louve to wynne & ley on hym þus wyth louve tyll he laghe on the & but he bowe for þis beytyng blynd mote he worthe but Ac to for to fare þus wyth thye frende folye ytt were for he þat louvethe þe leally lytle off thyne couvetethe kynd louve couvetethe naght no catell but speche wyth halfe a loumvnge laumpe G.14.161: Kane and Donaldson see the <g> and the <e> of G lovnge as resulting from an alteration by the main scribe. However, though the alteration of <um> to <vng> has been carried out in the brown ink used by hand1.1 (i.e. the original scribe making later spelling corrections), the final <e>, though dark, is written in the usual grey-black ink, and thus appears to be original. lyne In laten ex vi transicionis // I bere therynne a beauvte aboutea beaut fast y-bouvnde doowell In a sygne off aþe saterday þat sett furst þe kalendre & all þe wytt off þe wensday off þe next weke after the mydle off þe moone ys þe myght off bothe & ther here wyth am I welcome ther I haue ytt wyth me vndoo ytt lett þis doctour deme yff dowell be theryn for by hym þat me made myght neuer pouverte myssease ne myscheffe ne man wyth hys tonge colde ne care ne companye off theuves ne neyther heate ne haelle ne non hell pouvke ne nother fyre ne floode ne feere off thyne enmye teene þe att any eny tyme & þou take ytt wyth the charitas nichil timet et cetera timet // ytt ys but a dido quod thys doctour a dysouvrs tale all þe wytt off þis worlde & wyght menes strenght can not confyrme confourmen a peasce betwene þe pope & hys enmyes ne betwene two crysten kynges can no wyght peasce make profytable to eyther poeple & put þe table fro hym & toke claregy & conscyence to couvnseale as ytt were that pacyence þo movste passe for pylgrymes can kunne wel lye but Ac conscyence carped louvde & couvrteslyche sayde Freendes farethe well & fayre spake to claregye for I wyll goo wyth thys goome yff god wyll gyve me grace & be pylgryme wyth pacyence tyll I haue prouved more what quod clargye to coscyenceco[n]scyence conscience are you ȝe G.14.186: For the G scribe's use of you for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. couvetouvs nowe nouthe G.14.186: For G Cr nowe for remaining manuscripts nouthe, see note to G.4.295. after yersgyfftes ȝeresȝyuesyeresegyft and gyfftes or yerne to rede rydylles I shall bryng you a byble a boke off þe old lawe & lerne lere you yff you lyke þe best poynt to knowe that pacyence þe pylgryme perfyttly knewe neuer nay by cryst quod conscyence to claregye god þe foryelde For all þat pacyence me proferethe prouvde am I but lytle but Ac þe wyll off þe wyȝe & þe wyll off folke here hathe mouved my moode to mowne mourne G.14.194: For G "moan" (for Bx "mourn"), compare the reading at G.14.64. for my synnes þe good wyll off a wyght was neuer boght to þe full for þer ys no treasouvr ther-to to a trewe wyll had not mary nouȝt magdelyne more for a box off saluve then sacheuvs for he seyde dimidium bonorum meorum do pauperibus and þe pouvere wydowe for a payere off mytes þen all þo þat offered yn-to gazaphilacium.// thuvs couvrteslyche conscyence congeryde the fyrst þe frere and syth sothelyche softlichesotlyche he seyde In clargyes yere me were lyuer by our lorde and I lyuve sholde haue pacyence perfyttly þen halffe þi packe off bokes clergye off conscyence no congye wolde take but seyd full sobrelyche þou shalte see þe tyme when þou arte wery for-walked wylne me to couvnseyle thys Þat ys sothe quod conscyence so me god helpe yff pacyence be our partyng felowe & pryuvye wyth vs bothe there ys no wo In þis worlde þat we ne shuolde amende and confyrmen confourmen kynges to peasce & all kynnes landes sarazenes & surrye & so forthe all the Iewes torne In-to þe trew faythe & In- to til oone byleuve that ys sothe quod clargye I se what þou meynest I shall do well dwelle as I doo my deuvoyer to showe & confouvrmen confermen fantykynnes & other folke lered ylered tyll pacyence haue prouved þe & perfytt þe maked conscyence þo wyth pacyence passed pylgrymes as þei it were then had pacyence as pylgrymes hauve In hys pooke wytayles sobreete & symple speche & sothefast byleuve to conforte hym & conscyence yff they come In place þer vnkyndnes & couvetyse þes are is hongre couvntreyes bothe & as þei went by þe way off dowell þei carped they mett wyth a mynstrell as me tho thoght pacyence apposed hym furste & preyede he shold thyem tell to conscyence watt craft he couvde & and to what couvntrey he wolde I am a mynstrell quod þat man my name ys / actiua vita : / all Idle y hate for off actyuve ys my name a wafrere wole þe ȝe G.14.229: The grammatical construction makes it clear that the correct reading is "will ye" (as all manuscripts except G), but the G scribe appears to have misread this as wole þe (i.e he reads the second element as either "thee" or "the"). The G scribe's practice is to use superscript letters after <þ> and inline letters after <y>. See note to G.3.118. wytt & seruve many lordes and fewe robes I fonge or furred gownes couvlde I lye to do men laghe then lacchen I sholde other mantell or money amongest lordes mynstrelles but Ac for þat I am I can nother taber ne trompe ne tell no gestes farten ne fythelen att feastes ne harpen Iape ne Iogle ne gentylyche pype ne neyther salye ne sawte ne syng wyth þe gyttren I haue no goode gyfftes off thees greate lordes for no bred þat I bryng forthe sauve a benyson on þe sonday when þe preste preyeth the poeple þe theyr her pater noster to bydde for pyres þe plowman and þat hym profytt weyten and þat I am actyuve & þat Idlenes hate for all trewe trauvylours & tyllouvrs off yerthe for Fro mychylmas to mychylmas I fynd them wyth waffres beggers & bydders off my bred crauven Faytouvrs & freres and folke wyth broode crouvnes I fynd payne for þe pope & prouvendre for hys palferey and I had neuer off hym haue god my trewght nother prebend prouendreprebendre ne personage yet off of the popes gyfte sauve a perdone wyth a pece off leade and two polles In þe myddes amydde hatde eche a clerecler[k]e clerke þat couvde wryte I wold cast hym a byll that he send sent G.14.251: The G B reading send (for most manuscripts sent) is ambiguous: the verb could be in the preterite or in the present tense. Note, however, that send does appear as a preterite in G in less ambiguous contexts (see G.8.23 and G.10.132). me vndre hys seale a saluve for þe pestylence and þat hys blyssyng & hys bulles bocches myght destroye In nomine meo demonia eicient & super egros manus imponent et bene habebunt et cetera habebunt G.14.253: The two rubricated lines are bracketed in red on the right. and then wold I be preste to þe poeple past for to make and buxome & bysye a-bouvte breyd & drynke for hym & for all hys / fond I that hys perdone myght lechen a man as I beleuve ytt sholde for sythe he hathe þe power þat petur hym-seluve hadde he hathe þe pott wyth þe saluve sothely as me thynkethe argentum et aurum non est michi quod autem habeo tibi do In nomine domini surge et ambula G.14.260: The two rubricated lines are bracketed in red on the right. but Ac yff myght off myracle fayle hym faille yt ys for men be not worthy to haue þe grace off god and no gylt off the pope For may no blyssyng done vs bote but yff we wyll amend ne mannes masse make peasce among crystene poeple tyll pryde be puvrelyche fordoo and þat thrughe payne defauvte for er I haue bredde or of meyle erst most mote I sweyte and er þei come þe comune haue corne Inowe many colde mornynges mornyng so er my waffres be wroght moche wo I tholye all london I leeuve lykethe well my wafres and louvren when þei lacken ytt hem ytt ys not long passed there was a carefull comen when no carte cam to towne wyth bredde fro strettforde then þo ganne beggers wepe & werkmen were agast a lytle þis wylbewyl be thoght long In þe date off our drythe In a drye aprell a thowsand & thre huvndrethe twysse twenty & tenne my waffres were geyson when chechester was meyre I tooke goode kepe by cryste & conscyence bothe off haukyn þe actyuve man and how þat he he was clothed he had a cyte cote off crystendome as holye churche byleuvethe but Ac ytt was moled In many places wyth many sondry plaottes G.14.280: This and the two examples of "plots" in the following line have all been altered in the same way. Compare plottes at G.14.317 and note the different position of the line linking the vowel to the following <t>. off pryde here a plaotte & þer a plaott off vnboxome speche off scornyng & off scoffyng & off vnscyllfull beyryng as yn apparell and In porte prouvde amonge þe poeple other wayes wyse then he hathe wyth herte or eyghe shewyng hym wyllyng þat all men wend he were þat he ys noght forthy For-why he bostethe & braggethe wyth many greate bolde othes and Inobeydyent to to ben vndrenomme off any lyfe lyuvyng and so synguvler by hym-seluve ne non so pope holye habytyd Yhabited as an herymyte an ordre by hym-seluve relygyon saansceG.14.290: The superscript <a> added by the brown ink corrector may be intended as an abbreviation mark (with resultant saunce). For the treatment of superscript <a> in G, see notes to G.3.157, G.4.156, and Introduction IV.1.1. ruvle and reysonable obeydyence lakkyng lettered men & lewde men bothe In lykyng off leall lyfe and a lyere In souvle wyth yn-wytt & wyth oute-wytt ymagenyng ymagenen & stuodye as best for hys bodye be to haue a badde name & entermetten hym ouer all þer he hathe nothyng nouȝt a doone to done wylnyng þat men wend hys wytt were þe beste and yff he gyuvethe ought to þe tothe pouvre gomes tell whatt he deylethe pouvre yn of possessyon yn pursce & In cofers bothe and as a lyon on to looke and lordlyche off speche boldest off beggers a booster þat noght hathe In townes towne & In tauerens tales to tell and segge thynges þinge G.14.302: Probably G interprets "thing" as an uninflected plural and therefore adds -es; see, e.g., G thynges for remaining manuscripts þyng at G.10.30. þat he sygh neuer neuere seigh & for sothe sweyre ytt off dedys þat he neuer dyd demen & bosten and off workes þat he well dyd seggen witnesse & wyttnessen seggen loo yff þou leeuve me noght or þat I lye wenestwene wenen G.14.305: The form of the verb used by G here (i.e. wenest) is consistent with the subject "thou." Most manuscripts read "ye" but all β4 manuscripts read "thou," though the form of the verb in witnesses other than G is either wene or, less acceptably, wenen. aske att hym or at hym and he you can tell what y suffered & seghe & some-tymes hadde & what I couvld & knewe & whatt kynne I cam off G.14.308: A line from the boxed section indicates where this material is to be inserted. all he wold þat men wyst off werkes & off wordes wyche myght pleasse þe poeple & preysen hym-seluve G.14.310: The words hym-selue appear to have been re-outlined in black ink, before the corrector altered to <v>. si hominibus placerem Cristi seruus non essem et alibi: nemo potest duobus dominis seruireG.14.312: The two rubricated lines are bracketed in red on the right. be cryst quod conscyence þo thy best cote haukyn hathe many mooles & spottes ytt wold moste beene y-wasshen ye wo-so tooke kepe hede quod haukyn byhynd & byfore whatt on backe & on what on bodye and by þe two sydes men sholde fynd many frouvnces & many foule plottes & he torned hym as tyte and then toke I hede yt was fowler by fell fele G.14.319: For G's treatment of B fele (here appearing as G Cr R fell), see note to G.4.349. folde that þan ytt fustfu[r]st firste semed G.14.319: A line leading from the boxed section indicates where this material should be inserted. ytt was by-dropped wyth wrathe and wycked wyll wyth enuvye & yuvell wyll speche entysyng to fyght lyeyng & laghyng and a and G.14.322: Kane and Donaldson state that G's added <a> is "above line main ink" but in fact the ink is brown. leeuve tong to chyde all þat he wyst wycked by any wyght tell ytt and blame men byende þer ~~l..~~ backes bakke & byd þem myschance and þat he wyste by wyll / tellen ytt watt and þat watt wyste / wyll wyste ytt after and made off frendes foos thrugh a falsce tonge or wyth myght or ofor with mowthe or wyth þorugh mannes strenght auvenge me fell fele tymes or other freyte my-seluve wythyn as a shepster shepsteres shere I shrewed men & cuvrsed cuius malidictione os plenum est et amaritudo amaritudine sub lingua eius & cetera et alibi : filij hominum dentes eorum arma & sagitte I sagitte & G.14.332: Kane and Donaldson appear to read G's deleted as an ampersand, but although some form of et is the majority reading, the mark in the text is nothing like the G scribe's usual form for <&>. lingua eorum gladius acutus there ys no lyfe þat I louve lastyng any whyle for tales þat I tell no man truvstethe to me & when I may noght haue þe mastrye wyth malyncoly I take that I cacche þe crampe þe cardyacle some-tyme or an aguve yn suoche a angre & some-tyme a feuver and Þat takethe me all a twelmonthe tyll þat I dyspyse lechecrafte off our lorde & take me leue to on a wycche and segge þat no clerke can ne can ne cryste as I leeuve to þe sowter off sothwarke off or of shordyche dame emme and segge þat no goddes worde gauve me neuer boote but thrugh a charme had y chaunce & my cheffe heale I wayted more buvsyly wislokerbisiloker & þen was ytt soyled wyth lykyng off leycherye and lokyng by lokyng off hys eyghe for eche vche a meyde þat he mette he made hyr a sygne semyng to synwarde & some-tyme he gan taste abowte þe mowthe or bynethe begynnethe to groope tyll ether wyll waxe waxeth kene & to þe werke yeden as well In fastyngdayesfastyng dayes as frydayes & other and forbydden nyghtes as And as well In lent as owte off lente all tymes ylyche suoche werkes wyth them were neuer owte off season tyll þei myght no more & then hadde mery tales and how þat lecherouvs louven laghen & Iapen & off þer harlotrye & woredome yn theyr elde tellethe then pacyence perceyuved off poyntes off hys cote was colomy thrugh couvetyse and vnkynd desyre desyrynge more to good þen to god þe gome hys louve cast and ymagened how he ytt myght haue wyth falsce measuvrs and mett & wyth falsce wyttnes leyned for louve off þe wedde & lothe to do trewthe & awayted thrugh wyche way to begyle and menged hys marchadyzesmarcha[n]dyzes marchaundyse & made a good muvstre þe worste wythyn was a greate wyte I leete ytt and my neghbour had any hynde hyne or any beaste elles more profytable then myne many shleygthes I made how I myght haue ytt all my wytt I caste and but I hadde by other way att þe last I stale ytt or pryuvylyche hys pursce shookeG.14.369: The words "purse" and "shook" look as if they have been written as one, but that is just because the alteration adds a letter. vnpyked hys lockes or by nyght or by day a-bouvte was I euver thrugh gyle to geddre þe goode þat y haue yff I yede to þe plouvghet I pynched so narowe that a foote land or a forowe facchen I wolde off my next neghbour nymen off hys yerthe and yff I reype ouverreyche & or gauveG.14.375: The alteration of gaue to gave has been made in black ink, and therefore does not appear to be part of the G scribe's later programme of spelling corrections. It may simply result from the correction by the original scribe of a poorly formed letter. þem rede þat ropen & seyse to me wyth my sycle þat I sewe neuver & wo who-so borowethe off me abouvte aboughte þe tyme wyth presentes pryuvylyche or payed somme certayne so wold he or he nold wynne I wolde & bothe to kyth & to kynne vnkynd off þat I hadde & wo-so cheypythe cheped my chaffayre chyden I wolde but he profered me to pay a pennye or tweyne more þen ytt was worthe & yet wolde I sweyre that ytt coste me moche more sware manye othes In halydayes yn at holychurcheholy churche when I herd mas I had Hadde I neuer wyll woote god / wytterly to byseche mercy for my myssdedes þat I ne mouvrned more For losse off good leuve me then for my lyghames gylte giltes and As yff I had deydly synne done I drede nothG.14.389: For the spelling <<noth>, see note to G.12.236. þat so soore & As when I leyned I and leeuved ytt lost / or long or yt were payed so yff I kydde any kyndnes myne euven-crysten to helpe vpon a cruvell couvetyse my herte gan hange & yff y sent ouer þe sey see my seruvantes to brydgys or yn-to spruvce land Pruslondesprws my prentyse my profytt to awayte wayten to marchandye marchaunden G.14.395: Forms of "marchandie" in -y(e are not recorded as verbs by either the MED or the OED but it seems likely that G's reading reflects the extension of such forms from the noun. Most B manuscripts read marchaunden. wyth money & make þer her eschanges myght neuer man me me conforte In þe meane tyme neyther masse ne matyns ne no nother manere syghtes ne neuer pennance performed ne pater noster sayed þat my mynd ne was more ~~In a dowte~~ on my good In in a dowte then yn þe grace off god & In andor in hys greate helpes vbi thesaurus tuus ibi et cor tuum et cetera tuum tuum est // wych beene þe branches þat bryng a man to sloghte hys woman Is qwan manIs whanne a manHe þatþat mouvrnethe noght for hys myssdedes makethe ne maketh no sorowe but AndAc pennance þat þe preste enIoygnethe perfouvrnethe yuvell doyth / non almese dede ~~dede~~G.14.405: Deletion and subsequent addition of dede suggest that the scribe thought that he should have written drede and then realised he had been right in the first place. drede hym off no synne lyuvethe ageynst þe byleuve & no lawe holdethe eche day is an is halyday wyth hym or a hygh feyrye and yff he oght wyll here ytt ys an harlotes tong when men carpen off cryst or cleynnes off soule he waxeth wrothe & wyll not here but wordes off myrthe pennance and pouvre men & þe passyon off seyntes F he hatethe to here þeroff and all þat ytt tellythe thes be þe branches bewarre þat bryng amana man to whanope the Ȝe lordes & ladyes & legates off holychercheholy cherche that fedethe (fooles sages)G.14.415: For the G scribe's use of brackets for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. flaterers and lyers & haue lykyng to to leyen lythen to hem to do you ȝow to laghe ve vobis qui reidetis & cetera // & gyuvethe meyte hem mete & mede & pouvre men refuvse II[n] In your dethe dyenge I dreede me full sore lest þe thre maner men to moche sorowe you bryng consencientes et agentes pari pena punientur :// patryarkes & prophetes & preychers off goddes wordes sauve thrugh þer sermone mannes souvle from hell ryght so flaterers & fooles & the fendes dyscyples to entyse men thrugh þer tales to synne & to and G.14.425: M originally read and, as most manuscripts. The word "to" has been added above the line by hand2, bringing M's reading into line with that of G and W (& to). harlottrye but Ac clerkes þat knowe wolyG.14.426: For forms in <who>- for earlier <ho>- (of which G's reading woly is presumably a development), see Wyld, Modern Colloquial English, 307, and see also note to G.18.208. wrytte sholde kenne lordes what dauyd sayethe off suoche men as þe sauvter tellethe non habitabit in medio domus mee qui facit superbiam et qui loquitur ~~mendatia~~ iniquaG.14.428: The two rubricated lines are bracketed in red on the right. sholde non harlott haue auvdyence In hall ne yn chambre ther wyse men were wyttnessen goddes wordes ne no myssprouvde man among lordes beene alowed but Ac flaterers & fooles thruvgh theyre fowle wordes leyden þem þo þat louven theym to ly lucyfers feaste wyth turpiloquio a lay off sorowe & lyvcyfers fydle thys Thus G.14.435: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. haukyn þe actyuve man had soyled ysoiled hys cote tyll conscyence couvped acouped hym theroff In a couvrteyse maner why he ne hadde whasshen ytt or wyped ytt wyth a bruvsshe explicit passus sextus de dowell YG.15.1: For the interpretation of the first letter in the line as a <Y>, see note to G.7.260. haue but on hoole hater quod haukyn I am þe lasse to blame thogh ytt be soyled and fowle I slepe þerynne on nyghtes also And also I haue a wyffe hewene & chyldren vxorem duxi & ideo non possum venire et cetera // that wold be mouvlled bymolen it G.15.5: Kane and Donaldson record G's reading as bemoulled but there is a clear break after be. many tymes tyme mauvgre my chekes ytt hathe ben lauved In lent and oute off lent bothe wyth þe soope off sycknes that sekethe wondre depe & wyth þe losse off catell lothe for to aguvlte god or any good man by ought þat I wyste & was shryuven off þe preste he þat gauve me for my synnes to pennacepenna[n]ce penaunce pacyence & pouvre men to feede & Al for couvetyse off my crystendome yn cleynnes to kepe ytt & couvld I neuer by cryste kepe kepen it cleane an houvre that I ne soyled ytt wyth syght or some ydle speche or thrugh worke off or worde or wyll off myne herte but y ne slobered flober slober flobered ytt fowle fro morowe to tyl euve & I shall kenne þe k quod conscyence off contrycyon to make that shall clawe þi cote off alkynnes fylthe cordis contricio & cetera // dowell whasshe ytt and wryng ytt thrugh a wyse confessor oris confessio & cetera // dobetter shall beyten ytt & bouvke ytt as bryght as any skarlett & engreynnen ytt wyth good wyll & goddes grace to amende the & And sithen send þe satysfactyon for to sowen ytt after satisfactio et cetera // dobest shall neuer myst bymouvllen ne it ne mooght after byten ytt ne fende ne falsce man defowlen ytt yn þi lyuve shall no harrouavde ne harper hauve a fayrer garment then haukyn þe actyuve man & yff and þou do by my teychyng ne no mynstrell be more worthe amonge pore & ryche then haukyns wyffe waffrere þe wafrere wyth hys / actiua vita:// and I shall puvrwye þe paste quod pacyence þo no plowgh errye and flower to feede folke wyth as best be for þi souvle thogh neuer greyne growed ne grape vpon vyne all þat lyuvethe & lackethe loketh lyuveloode wolde I fynde and þat ynoghe shall non Fayle thyng of þinge þat theym nedethe we shold not be to buvsye abouvte our lyuveloode ne soliciti scitissitis sitis & cetera volecresvol[u]cres volucres celi deus pascit & cetera pacientes vincunt vincunt & cetera then laghed haukyn a lytle & lyghtlye gan sweyre wo-so leuvethe you by our lorde & I leuve not he be blyssed no quod pacyence pacyently & oute off hys pooke hente wytayles off greate vertuves for all maner beastes & seyde low here lyuveloode ynoghe yff our byleuve be trewe for lent neuer was lyffe but lyuvelood were shape wheroff or wherfore or wherbye to lyuve furstG.15.46: An otiose superscript <2>appears above the <r> of furst. In the scribe's exemplar this may well have been an abbreviation for <ur>, but, though he copies it, the scribe does not appear to grasp its significance (for similar treatment of superscript <a>, see note to G.3.157 and Introduction IV.1.1). Alternatively, it is possible that the scribe originally omitted the <r> and squashed it in later - the letters appear to be crammed together - and, if this is the case, the superscript 2 might simply be present to make sure that the reading is unambiguous. þe wylde worme vndre wheete yetrthe Fysshe to lyuve In þe floode and In þe fyre þe krykett þe cuvrlew by kynd off þe eyre most cleane clennest flesshe off byrdes & beastes by gras & granyneG.15.49: The first four letters of grayne were originally gran but the scribe then added a tail to the minims of the <n> to form the letter <y>. & by greene rootes In meanyng þat all men myght do the same lyue thrughe leall byleuve & louve as god wyttnessythe quodcumque pecieritis a patre in nomine meo & cetera et alibi: non in solo pane vivit homo set in omni verbo quod procedit & cetera de ore dei but I loked whatt lyuveloode ytt was þat pacyence so preysed and then was ytt a pece off the pater noster: fiat voluntas tua haue haukyn quod pacyence & eyte þis when the hongerethe or when þou clomsest for colde or clyngest for drye shall neuer gyves þe greuve ne greate lordes wrathe pryson ne payne for : pacientes vicuntvi[n]cunt vincunt :// so Bi so þat þou be sobre off syght & off tonge yn eytyng & yn handylyng & all thye foyuve wyttes there the Darstow neuer care for corne ne lynnen clothe ne wollen ne for drynke dreede no dethe ne deth drededeþ drede but dye as god lykethe or thrughe hongre or thrughe heyteG.15.63: The loop of the <h> of heyte has been re-outlined in brown ink. att hys wyll be ytt For yff thow lyuve after hys loore þe shorter lyffe þe better si quis amat Cristum mundumG.15.65: There were originally too many minims in the first part of the word mundum; the first two have been blocked in by the original scribe to form one. non diligit istum for For þorw hys breythe beastes wexen and abroode yeden dixit et facta sunt : et cetera // ergo thrugh hys breythe may men & beastes lyuven as holy wrytt wyttnessythe G.15.69: A virgule has been added at this point to separate wyttnessythe and yt. yt when whan men sayen þer graces aperis tu manum tuam & imples omne animal benedictione: ytt ys fouvnden þat fouvrty wynters wynter folke lyuved wyth-oute tyllyng and oute off þe flynt sprang þe floode þat folke & beastes dronke and In elyes tyme heuven was I-closed that no reyne ne reyne ronereynyd G.15.74: Kane and Donaldson read G reynd rather than reyne, but the second <e> is exactly the same as those elsewhere in the line. G.15.74: According to the OED, forms such as rone (preterite of rine and the reading found most B manuscripts) were not used after the end of the fourteenth century, hence the G reading (see OED rine v.2). þus rede men In bokes that manye wynters men lyuvyden & no meyte mete ne tyllyden seyuven slept as sayetheG.15.76: The final <e> on sayethe appears to have been an afterthought and is not continuous with the <h>. Compare hundrethe later in the line. The addition of the <e> has filled the space between words and the following thorn has therefore been deleted and rewritten. þ þe boke seyvyne huvndrethe wynters wynter & lyuvyden wyth-oute lyvelode & att þe last they woken and yff men lyuved as measure wolde shold neuer be defauvte amongest crysten creatures yff crystes wordes be trewe but Ac G.15.80: Though G and F share the reading but (for most manuscripts Ac), in all other respects F has a completely different a-verse. vnkyndnes caristia makethe amogesamo[n]ges amonges crysten poeple & ouer pleynte makethe pryde among poere & ryche but Ac measure ys so moche worthe ytt may notgh be to dere For þe myscheffe & þe myschance amonges men off sodome was Wex thrugh plentye off foode payn & off pure slothe osiositas et abundantia panis peccatum turpissinumturpissi[m]um turpissimum nutriuitG.15.85: The two rubricated lines are bracketed together on the right in red. for þei measured noght þem-seluve off þat þei eyte & drynke dronke dyden deydly synne þat the deuvell lyked so wengeance fell vpon theym for þeir fowle vyle synnes they sonken In-to hell the cytees echonne forthy measure vs we vs well & make our feaythe our shyltren & thrugh faythe commythe contrycyon conscyence woote well wyche dryuvethe a-way dedlye synne & doethe ytt to be weynyall and thogh a man myght not speke contrycyon myght hym sauve and bryng hys soule to blysse so þat faythe beyre wytnes that whyles he lyuved lyuede he bileuedbe-levede þe loore off holy cherche he beleuved cherchechirche he leevede ergo contrycyon fayhte & coscyenceco[n]scyence conscience be is kyndlyche dowell and surgyens for deydly synnes when shryfte off mouvthe faylethe but Ac shryfte off mouvthe more worthye ys yff man be verylyche ilicheynliche contryte for shryfte off mouvthe sleyethe synne be ytt neuer so dedlye per passionem confessionem to a preeste peccata occiduntur there contrycyon dothe but dryuve dryueth ytt it doun to in-to a ~~deadly~~venyall synne and dauyd sayethe yn þe sauvter . et quorum tecta sunt peccata :// but Ac satysfactyon sekethe oute þe roote & bothe sleyethe & woydethe and as ytt neuer had y-be to noght bryngethe deydly synne that ytt ys neuer efte seene ne soore but semethe a wouvnd heyled where wonnethe charyte quod haukyn I wyst neuer In my lyuve man þat wyth hym spake as wyde as I haue passed there perfytte trewthe & pore herte ys & pacyence off tonge ther ys charyte þe cheffe chambre for god hym-seluve whether pacyence pacyence orpacience andpaciente pouerte quod haukyn be more plesant to our lorde driȝte G.15.110: In the case of G, the G R variant lorde (for most manuscripts driȝte) may reflect the manuscript's late date: according to the OED, the word dright(en was no longer used after the end of the fifteenth century. then ~~rygh~~ ryches ryghtfullyche wonne & resonable resonablelich G.15.111: The -le ending on G resonable could be a form of -ly, in which case G too would have the adverb (cf. remaining manuscripts resonablelich and see LALME 4, item 278). spente ye quis est ille quod pacyence quyk et laudabimus laudabimus eum : thogh men rede off ryches ryght to þe worldes ende I wyst neuer renvkere[n]ke renke that ryche was þat when he rekne sholde when he drewe to hys deyd day þat he ne drad hym sore and att þe þat atte rekenyng yn a-rerage fell rather þen ovte off dette there þe pore dare pleade & prouve by puvre reason to haue alowance off hys lorde by by þe lawe he ytt claymethe Ioy þat neuer Ioy had off ryghtfull Iuvge he askethe & sayethe low bryddes & beastes þat no blysse ne couvthe and wylde wormes yn woddes thrugh wynters þou þem greuvestG.15.121: G omits a line at this point ("And makest hem welnyegh meke · and mylde for defaute"). and after þou sendest them somer that ys theyr souveregne Ioy and blysse to all þat be bothe wylde & tame then may beggers & beastes after heate bote weyten that all þeir lyffe haue lyuved In languvor & and in G.15.125: All C manuscripts except Dc and Nc share the G B reading &, and this reading is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B mansucripts read and in. defauvte but god send sentwold sende G.15.126: G's send (for most B manuscripts sent) could be read as a present subjunctive (cf. F's periphrastic reading wold sende), but G does in fact have forms of "send" in -d for the preterite (see note to G.14.251). The majority of C manuscripts have forms with <d>. them some-tyme some maner IoyG.15.126: G omits a line at this point ("Other here or elles-where · kynde wolde it neuere"). for to ouer moche wo wrotherhele was he wroght þat neuer was Ioy shapen angelles þat In hell nowe beene had Ioy some-tyme and diues yn dentyes lyuved & yn (dovce vie) ryght so reason ~~she~~ shoythe þat þo men þat were ryche and theyr makes also lyuved In moche her lyf in myrthe but Ac god ys off a wondre but wille by þat kynd wytt shewythe to gyve many man men hys mercymoney or he ytt haue deseruved ryght so farethe god by suoyche some ryche reuvthe me yt thynkethe for þei haue theyre hyre here and heyuven as ytt were and ys greate lykyng to lyuve wyth-oute lyabour off bodye and when he dyethe be dyssalowed as dauid sayeth yn þe sauvtre dormierunt et nichil inuenerunt and In a-nother stydde also velut sompnum surgentium domine:// In ciuitate tua et ad nichilum rediges:// alas þat ryches shall reuve & robbe mannes soule fro þe louve off our lorde att hys last end hewen þei þat haue theyr hyre before afore / oere euermore nedy selden And selden dyeth ~~þei~~he ovte off dett þat dynenth or ~~þei~~he deseruve ytt & tyll he haue done hys & deuvoyre & hys dayes Iouvrney & For when a werkman hathe wroght þen may men se þe sothe what he were worthy for hys worke & what he hathe deseruved and not to fong before for drede off dyssalowyng so I say by you ryche ytt semethe noght þat ye shall haue heyuven here yn your beyryngG.15.150: Scribes had difficulty with this a-verse and there are various versions. The Kane and Donaldson a-verse reads as follows: "Haue heuene in youre her[berw]yng." G's reading of the a-verse is also found in Hm. & heyuven ther heralso þer after ryght as a seruvant takethe hys salarye before / & sythen wold cleym moreG.15.151: The line wraps round and the last two words are written below it and boxed in grey. as he þat had none hadde & hathe hyre att the last ytt may noght be ye ryche men or mathew on god lyethe de delicijs ad dilicias difficile est transire :// and yff þe ye ryche haue ruvthe & rewarde well þe pore and lyuvethe as lawe teychethe doone laoyalte to þem all cryste off hys couvrtysye shall conforte you att atte laste and rewarde all douvble ryches þat reuvfull hertes haue and as an hyne þat had hys hyre or he to worche beganne bygonnebygonne to wurchehis werk bygynne & when he hathe done hys deuvoyre well men done þem hym other bouvnte gyuvethe hym a cote aboue hys counaunt ryght so cryst gyuvethe heyuven bothe to ryche & to noght ryche þat reuvfullyche lyuven & all þat done þeir deuvoyr well haue douvble hyre for þeir trauveylle forgyvnes Here forȝyuenesse off hys her G.15.164: Kane and Donaldson do not record G hys as a variant, but the last letter is definitely a sigma <s>. synnes and heyuven blysse after but Ac ytt ys but selde seene as by holysayntesholy sayntes bokes that god rewarded douvble rest to any ryche wyght wye for moche muvrthe ys amonges þe ryche riche as as in meyte & clothyng & moche myrthe yn may ys amongest wylde beastes and so forthe whyle somer lastedthe þeir solace endurethe dureth but Ac beggers aboute mydsomer bredles they souvpe & yett ys wynter for them worsce for wettshodde þei gange a-thurste soore & a-hongered & fouvlyche rebuked & arated off ryche men þat reuvthe ytt ys is to here now lorde send them somer and some maner Ioy heyuven after theyre hence goyng þat here haue suoyche defauvte for all myghtest þou haue made non meaner then other and y-lyche wyttye & wyse yff thy wyll had lyked and haue reuvthe off thes ryche men þat rewarde not thye prysoners off thy þe good þat þou theym gyuvest ingrati beene manye but Ac god off þi goodnes gyuve þem grace to amend For may no derthe be them dere drought ne wete nether Ne noyther heate ne heyle haue they theyre heale off that þei wylne & wolde þem wantethe wanteth hem noght here but AcBut þe pouvre poeple & þiin prysoners lorde yn þe pytt off myscheffe comforte þo creatures þat moche woo care sufferen thrughe derthe & druvght all theyr dayes here wo In wynter tymes for wantyng off clothes & In somer tyme selde souvpe to the full comfort thye carefull chryste In thy ryche for For how þou comfortest all creatures clerkes beyren wyttnes conuertimini ad me et salui eritis ..// thuvs In genere off gentryse Iesu cryste sayed to robbers & to reyuvers to ryche & to poere thow taghtest þem yn þe trynyte to take baptesme and be cleane thrugh þat crystynyng off alkynnes ~~thynges~~ synnes and fell vs fel thrughe folye to fall In synne after confessyon & knolegyng & crauvyng thy marcye shold amend vs as many sythes as man wold desyre but AndAc yff þe pope wolde pleyde there here -ageyn & punnysshe vs In conscyence he shuold take þe quvyttance acquitance as quvyke / & to þe quvede shewed schewe ytt pateat & cetera per passionem domini et cetera // and puvtten of þe pouvke & pynnen preuen vs vndre borowe but Ac þe perchemyn off thys patent off pouverte be movste and off pure pacyence & perfytt byleuve off pompe & off pryde þe perchemyn decowrethe & prynsypallyche off all poeple but they be pouvre In of herte elles ys all In an Idle all þat euver we wryten pater noster and pennance & pylgrymages pilgrimage to rome but our spenses & spendyng spryng off a trew wyell elles ys all. ~~yn Idle~~ our labouvr lost loo howe men wryten In fenestres att atte freres yff falsce be þe fouvndment for þe For-þi crystyen shuolde be en comen ryche / non couveyte for hym-seluve for seyuven synnes þer be þat þat þere benther be assaylen man vs euver the fende folowethe theyme all & fouvndethe þem to helpe but Ac wyth ryches þat rybalde l rathest theym men begylethe for þer þat ryches reygnethe reuverence folowethe & þat ys pleasant to pryde In pouvre & yn ryche & þe ryche ys reuerensed by þe by reason off hys ryches there þe poere ys putt byynde & perauventure can more off wytt & off wyssdome þat farre a-wasyG.15.220: There is evidence of improvement of the left side of the head of the <y> in a different ink. ys better then ryches or ryalte ~~þat~~ and rather herde In heyuven for þe ryche haue hath G.15.222: As far as G haue for remaining manuscripts hath is concerned, it is often the case that G has an -e(n verb ending for other manuscripts -eth where this is simply a matter of accidentals, i.e. where both verbs are plural. However, the expected plural form for "have" in L etc. would be habbeth or han and it seems to be the case here that, while G treats the subject ryche as a plural, the remaining manuscripts treat it as singular. moche to rekne off rekene and ryght softe walken walketh the ryght heigh way to heyuven-warde ofte ryches lettethe Ita possibile diuiti et cetera // there the pore pressythe before þe ryche wyth a packe at hys rygge opera enim illorum sequntur eos illos // bantalychebata[n]tlyche Batauntliche as beggers doone & baldelyche he g.crauvethe G.15.227: Probably the original G reading was grauethe and the corrector altered the <g> to <c> and then simply re-outlined the <r>. G.15.227:The alteration brings G's reading into line with the remaining B manuscripts. for hys pouverte & pacyence a perpetuall blysse beati pauperes spiritu pauperes quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum :// & pryde yn ryches reygnethe rather þen In pouverte arste In þe master then In þe man some mansyon he hathe but Ac yn pouerte þer pacyence ys pryde hathe no myght ne non off þe seyuven synnes sytt mow ne mowe þer long ne haue power In pouerte yff pacyence ytt folowe For þe pore ys ay prest to pleasse þe ryche & buxome att hys byddyng for hys broken louves and buxomnesse & booste are euer-more att warre and either hatethe other In all maner workes yff wrathe wrestelethe wrastel wyth þe pouvre he hathe þe worsce end for yff þei bothe pleyne the pouvre ys but feble & yff he chyde or chattre hym cheuvethe þe woarsceG.15.241: This and the following line (where erroneous and lined-through "worse" also has <o> altered to <a>) are the only places where G has a form of "worse" with this spelling. As this is also one of only two places where the B manuscript C has "worse" with medial <a>, it seems possible that there may be some connection. & yff couvetyse cacche þe pouvre ~~he hathe þe woars end~~ þei may noght come togeddres & by ne þe neck namlye non her none may hent other for men knowe well þat couvetyse ys off a kene wyll and hathe handes & armes off a long lenghte and pouverte ys but a petyt thyng / ytt perethe appereth not to hys nauvell and louvely layke was neuer betwene þe long and and þe shorte and thogh auvaryse wold angre þe pouvre he hath but lytle myght for pouverte hathe but pookes to putten yn hys goodes ther auvaryze hathe almbyryes and yren bond coffres & whether be lyghter to breyke lasse bost ytt makethe a beggers bagge þen an yren bouvnden coffer leycherye louvethe hym not he for he gyuvethe but lytle syluver ne donitheG.15.254: The of doithe is formed by dotting the first minim of the original <n> of done. The <t> is added above the line with a caret mark and the <h> is written over the remainder of the <n>. hym noght dyne dylycately ne drynke wyne offte a strawe for þe stewes ytt stoode noght I trowe had þei noght no þing but off pouvre men / theyre houvses stoode vntyled thogh And þough slouvght sewe pouerte & seruve not god to pay mescheyffe ys hys master & makethe hym to thynke that god ys hys greatest helpe & no gome elles and hys seruvant as he sayethe and off h.ys seutes sute bothe and wheydre he be or noght be be nouȝte / he beyrethe þe sygne off pouerte and In that secte our sauvyouvre sauved all man-kynd forthy all pouerte þat pacyent ys may cleymen & asken after theyr endyng here heyuven-ryche blysse moche hardyer may he asken þat here myght haue hys wyll In lond & In lordshyppe and lykyng off bodye & for goddes louve leyuvethe all & lyuvethe as a begger and as a meyde for mannes louve hyr modre forsakethe hyr fadre & all hyr freendes & folowethe hyrG.15.269: The third example of the word hyr has been re-outlined in black ink. make moche ys a suche a meyde to louve off hym þat suoche on takethe more þen a meyden ys þat ys maryed thrugh brogage and by assent off sondrye partyes & syluver to boote more for couvetyse off good þen kynd louve off bothe so ytt farethe by a eche a persone þat possessyon forsakethe & puvttethe hym to be pacyent & pouerte weddethe the wyche ys sybbe to god hym-seluve & so to hys seyntes haue god my trought quod haukyn ye preyse fast pouerte whatt ys pouerte wyth pacyence quod he properlye to meane paupertas quod pacience est odibile bonum : remocio curarum : possessio sine calumpnia : donum dei: sanitatis mater :absque solicitudine semita : sapiencie temperatrix : negotium sine dampno inctainc[er]ta Incerta : fortuna absque solicitudine felicitas :G.15.279: The final word appears on the right hand side of the page beneath solicitudine and is boxed in red to separate it from G.15.280. These rubricated lines are bracketed in red on the right. I can not constrewe þis quod haukyn ye moste sayG.15.280: B manuscripts have a wide variety of readings for G say: kenne þis (L M Cr), kenne me þis (W R), telle þis (Hm), seye it (O C2 B), kenne it (F), and say (G C Y). en englysshe In englysshe quod pacyence ytt ys well harde to wel to expouvnd but Ac somedeale I shall say ytt so by so þou vndrestande pouerte ys þe furst poynt þat pryde most hatethe then ys yttG.15.284: C shares G's original reading (ys for most manuscripts is it). good by good skyll all þat agastethe pryde ryght as contrycyon ys comfortable confortable þinge conscyence woote well and a sorowe to of hym-seluve / and solas to þe souvle so pouerte properlyche pennance & Ioy ys to the bodye pure spyrytuall healthe ergo paupertas est odibile bonum & contrycyon conforte and cura animarum þe second selde syttethe pouerte þe sothe to declare or as Iuvstece to Iuvgge men enIoyned ys no pouerrepoure pore G.15.292: There is an otiose abbreviation mark over the of poure; presumably the scribe anticipated pouerte. See G.15.298 and G.16.158 and compare with other B manuscripts. ne to be meyre aboue men ne mynystre vndre kynges seld ys any pore put to punnysshe the any poeple remocio curarum : ergo pouverte & pouvre men perfourmen þe commandementes comaundement nolite Iudicare quemquam : the thyrde seld ys any pouerte pore G.15.298: For the G reading pouerte for remaining manuscripts pore, see also G.15.292 and G.16.158. ryche off any but of ryghtfull herytage wynnethe he noght wyth falsce weyghtes weghtes fals weight false ne vnsealed measuvres ne borowethe off hys neghbouvrs but þat he may well pay possessio sine calumpnia the forthe ys a fortuvne þat flouvresshethe þe souvle wyth sobreyete from all synne & also yet more ytt affaytethe þe flesshe from folyes full manye a colaterall conforte crstescr[y]stes crystes owen gyfte donum dei : the fyfte ys mother off helthe a frende In all fondynges & for þe lewde euer a leche a lemman off of al cleannes sanitatis mater : þe syxt ys a pathe off peasce þe ȝe G.15.310: The use of superscript rather than inline <e> indicates that the scribe has misread ye as þe, as at G.14.229. For the G scribe's treatment of thorn and <y> and the letters which follow, see note to G.3.118. thrughe paasse þe pas to of aulton pouerte myght pas wyth-oute perylle off robbyng for þer þat pouverte passethe peas folowethe after and euer þe lasse þat he beyrethe þe harder hardyer G.15.313: C2 originally shared the G Cr1 C reading harder but in C2 this has been corrected to the majority reading hardyer. he ys off herte forthy seyethe / seneca pauperteasG.15.314: In order to make his correction to paupertas clear, the scribe has used a double lobed <a>. est absque solicitudine semita : & an hardye man off herte amonge an heape off theuves cantabit paupertas coram latrone viator : þe seyuventhe ys well off wyssdome & fewe wordes shewethe For lordes alowen hym lytle or lystenethe to hys reason he temperythe þe tong to trewthwarde & no treasure couvetythe sapientie temperatrix the eghte a is a leele laboure and loothe to take more then she he may well deseruve In somer or In wynter and yff he chaffere he chargethe / no losse mey he charite wynne negotium sine dampno: þe y neynthe ys swete to þe souvle & no no suger swetter for pacyence ys payn for pouerte hym-seluve and sobryete sweete drynke and good leche In sycknes thys Þus G.15.328: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. lered me a lettered man for our lordys louve seynt augustyne had austynaustyn ledde ~~had~~ a blyssed lyuve wyth-oute buvsynes for body & soule / absque sollicitudine felicitas :// now god þat all good gyuvethe grauvnt hys souvle rest that þus furst wroote to wysse men what pouerte was to meane alas quod haukyn þe actyuve man þen þo / þat after my crystendome I ne had be dede & doluven for dowell dowelesde wel sake so hard ytt ys quod haukyn to lyuve & to doo ~~synne~~ well synne synne sewethe vs euver quod he and sory gan wexe & wepte water wyth hys eyene & wayled the tyme that euer he dyd dede þat he þat deere god dyspleased swowned & sobbedde & sykedde full offte that euer he had land or lordshyppe lasse or other more or mastrye ouer any man mo þen off hym-seluve I were not worthye goquod haukyn to weyre anye clothes ne neyther shurte ne shoone sauve for shame oon to couer my carryon quod he & cryed fast mercye & wepte & wayled & therewyth I waked awaked explicit septimus et vltimus passus de dowell Incipit primus passus de dobetter But Ac after my wakyng ytt was wondre long er I couvlde kyndly knowe whatt was dowell and so my wytt vexe & vanyed tyll I a foole were and some lacked my louyve & alowed allowed ytt fewe and leten for a lorell ~~to serue lordes & ladyes~~ & lothe to reuerensen lordes or ladyes or any lyffe elles as psounsp[er]souns persones In pelouvr wythe pendantz off syluver to sergeantes ne to suoyche seyde noght oonesce god looke you lordes & ne louvted fayre that folke helde me a foole & In that folye I rauved tyll reason had reuvthe on me and rocked me a-slepe tyll I seygheG.16.12: There is a faint otiose bar over seyghe. as ytt sorcerye were a subtyle thyng wyth-all oon wythoute tong & teethe tolde me whydre I sholde & wheroff I came & what kynd I coniuIvred hym at þe last yff he were crystes creature for crystes louve me to tell I am crystes creature quod he & crysten In many many a places place In crystes couvrte I-knowe well & off hys kynne apartea parte a partye G.16.17: For G parte for "party," see note to G.2.7. ys nether petur þe porter ne poule wyth hys fawchoune that wole defend me þe doore dyng I neuer so late att mydnyght att mydday my voyce voice so ys well is I-knowe that eche eche a creature off hys couvrte welcomethe me fayre what are ye called In þat couvrte quod I amogestamo[n]gest amonges crystes poeple wyle Þe whiles I quycke was In þe corps quod he called am I anima and when I wylne & wold animus I hatte for And for þat I can & knowe called am I mens & when I make moone to god memoria ys my name & when I deme domes & doo as trewthe teychethe then ys ratio my ryght name and name reason In an englysshe & when I feele þat folke tellethe me my my name firste name ys :sensus: & þat ys wytt & wyssdome þe well off all craftes and when I chalenge or chaleng noght cheape or refuvse then am I conscyence called goddes clerke & hys notarye and when I louve leally our lord & all other then ys leall louve my name and In latyn amor & when I flee fro þe Flesshe and forsake þe caroygne then am I spyryte specheles /spiritus/ þen I hatte augustyne Austyn & Isodorus & eyther ayther off theym bothe neuenvedneue[n]ed Nempned me þus to name now thowe may myȝte chosse how þou couvetyst to call me nowe knowesthowe my alle my names anima pro diuersis accionibus diuersa nomina sortitur /: dum vivificat corpus anima est : dum vult animus est : dum scit mens est: dum recolit memoria memoria est : dum Iudicat ratio est: dum sentit sensus est: dum amat amor est: dum negat vel conscentit conscientia est: dum spirat spiritus est: ye been asG.16.41: Bo Cot share G's original omission of as. a bysshoppe quod I all bouvrdyng that tyme for bysshops y-blessedd beyre many names G.16.43: A scribe has added

an arabic <5> with a line through it, followed by ten medieval forms of this number as pen trials. See Benson and Blanchfield p.43. presul and pontifex and metropolitanus and other names an heape as hepe episcopus and pastor that ys sothe seyde he nowe I see þi wyll thow woldest knowe & konne ~~theyre names~~ þe cauvse off all þeir names & off myne yff þou myghtest me thynke þinketh by thye speeche ye syr he I sayde so by so þat no no man were greuved all þe scyences vndre sonne & all þe subtyle craftes I wold knowe I knewe & konne couth perfytelyche kyndely In my herte then arte thow vnperfytt quod he & on off prydes knyghtes for suoche a luvst & lykyng ~~bucy~~G.16.52: There appears to have been an attempt to add an upright stroke altering the of bucy to an <l> but this attempt has been abandoned. lycyfer fell from heyuven ponam pedem meum in aquilone et similis ero altissimo : ytt were ageynst kynd quod he & alkynnes reason that any creature shuolde konne all except cryste a-lone one ageynst suoche salamon speykethe & dyspysethe theyre wyttes and seyethe / sicut qui mel comedit multum non est ei bonum : sic qui scrutator est magestatis opprimitur a gloriaG.16.58: The two rubricated lines are bracketed together in red on the right. to englysshe men thys ys to meane þat may speake & here the man þat moche hony eytethe hys mawe ytt englaymethe and þe more þat a man off good matter heyrethe but he do therafter ytt dothe hym douvble skathe beatus vir est sayethe senynteG.16.63: The first three letters of seynte were originally sen- but the scribe has added a tail to the <n> and a bar above. bernarde qui scripturas legit et verba vertit in opera fullyche to hys power couvetyse to konne & to knowe scyence put oute off paradyse adam & euve scientie appetitus hominem immortalitatis gloriam spoliauit but And ryght as hony e ys yuvell to defye & engleymethe þe mawe ryght so þat thrughe reason wolde þe roote knowe off god & off hys myghtes hys grace ytt lettethe for yn þe lykyng lyethe a pryde & In a lykehames couvetyse ageynst crystes couvnseyle & all clerkes teychyng that ys non plus sapiresap[e]re sapere quam oportet sapere : freres & and fele other masters that to þe lewed men preychen mouven matters vnmeysurables inmesurables to tellen off þe trynyte that offte tymes þe lewde poeple off þeir byleuve dowten bettre to leyuve were many doctouvrs suoyche teychyng & tell men þe of þe tenne commandementz & touvche þe seyuven synnesG.16.78: G, C and B omit a line at this point ("And of þe braunches þat burgeouneth of hem · and bryngeth men to helle"). & how þat folk In folyes myspenden theyr fyuve wyttes G.16.79: The cross in the bottom right hand margin is in modern pencil. as well freres as other folke folysshlyche folilichfolichfolish spenden In howsyng yn hatteryng yn intoand in-toand hygh claregye shewyng more for pompeG.16.82: The final <e> of pompe, though in the original ink and in the hand of the original scribe, has been squashed in as an afterthought; a virgule has then been added to separate pompe from the following word. thern for pure charyte þe poeple woote þe sothe that I lye noght loo / for lordesG.16.83: The word lordes has been re-outlined, apparently in the original ink and by the original scribe. ye pleysen and reuverensen þe ryche the rather for theyr syluver confundantur omnes qui adorant sculptilia & cetera et alibi: vt quid diligisdilig[it]is diligitis vanitatem & queritis mendatiumG.16.86: The two rubricated lines have been bracketed together in red on the right. go ye Go to the glose off the werse ye greate clerkes &G.16.88: The ampersand is clearly in the hand of the original scribe, but it may be an addition as it appears in the margin. yff If I lye on you to my lewde wytt leydethe me to brynnyng for as ytt semethe ye forsake no mannes almes off vserers off hoores off auvarouse chapmen & louvten to thes lordes þat may lenve lene you nobles ageyne your ruvle & relygyon I take recorde off Iesus that seyde to hys descyples ne sitis personarum acceptores: off thys mattyer I myght make a long byble but Ac off curatouvrs off crystyen poeple as clerkes beyren wytnes I shall tell ytt for trewthe truthes sake take hede wo-so lokethe lyketh as holynes and honeste owte off holy churche spreydethe thrugh leall lyuvyng men / that goddes lawe teychen ryght so owte off holy churcehe all euvell yueles G.16.99: In Bm, the shared G Y B reading "evil" (for remaining manuscripts yueles) may result from a correction, since the word is followed by an erasure. spreydethe there ymperfytt preesthoode ys preychouvrs & teychouvrs and se ytt by ensample In somer tyme on trees there some bowes beene leyuved and some beyre non there ys a myscheffe In the more off suoyche maner bowes ryght so persones & prestes and preychouvrs off holycherche holy cherche that are rootes rote off the the riȝte faythe to ~~reule~~ reuvle þe poeple but Ac there þe roote ys roten reason woote þe sothe shall neuer flower ne fruvyte ne fayre leyffe be grene for-thy wold ye lettered leyuve / þe leccherye off clothyng and be kynd as fell bifel for clarkes & couvrteyse of crystes gooddes trewe off your tonges tonge & off your tales taille bothe & hate to here harlottrye & not to vndrefong ~~the~~ tythes off trewe vntrewe thyng tylyed ytilied & or chaffered loothe were lewde men but they your ruvle lore folowed and amende þem þat myssdoone more thrugh for your ensamples then for to preyche & prouve ytt noght ypocrasy ytt semethe for ypocrysy yn latyn / ys lykened to a duvnghyll that were bysnowed wyth snowe & snakes wythynne G.16.117: G Hm C B omit a line at this point ("Or to a wal þat were whitlymed · and were foule wyth-inne"). ryght so many preestes preychers & preelates ere enblauvnchede wyth ( beale paroles)G.16.119: For the G scribe's use of brackets for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. & wyth clothes also but Ac your werkes & wordes thervndre be vnlyche ful vnlouelich G.16.120: Most manuscripts read ful vnlouelich for G vnlyche. Y Bo Cot share G's omission of ful but no manuscripts apart from G read vnlyche. Iohannes crisostomus off clerkes speykethe & preestes sicut de templo omne bonum egreditur / sic de templo omne malum procedit si sacerdotium integrum fuerit tota floret ecclesia : si autem corruptum fuerit omnis omnium G.16.122: Kane and Donaldson do not record G "omnis" (for remaining manuscripts omnium) as a variant. fides martida est : si sacerdotium fuerit In peccatis totus populus couertiturco[n]uertitur conuertitur ad peccandum : si Sicut cum videris arborem martidam et pallidam intelligis quod vicium habet In radice: Ita cum videris populum indisciplinatum & irreligiosum sine dubio sacerdotium eius non est sanum:// yff lewde men wyst what þis laten meanethe and wo was myne auvtore moche wondre me thyngkethe but yff manye a preeste beyre for hys baselard here baselardes & hys here brooches a payre beydes In hys her hand & a boke vndre hys her arme syr Ihon & syr geffrey hauve a gyrdell off syluver a baselarde & a ballock knyffe wyth botons ouer-gylte but Ac a portuvos sholde þat shulde be hys plowe placebo to sygge had he neuer seruvyce to sauve syluver þerto / seyethe ytt wyth ydle wyll alas ye lewde men moche leese they ȝe on preestes but Ac þing þat wyckedlyche ys wonne & wyth falsce sleyghtes wold neuer off wytty god þe wyt / but wyked men ytt hadde wyche Þe which are preestes ymperfytt and preychouvrs after syluver sectouvrs & souvthdeanes somonouvrs & theyre lemmanes thys that wyth gyle was gotten vngracyouvslye ys spended so harlotes and hoores ere helpen wyth suoyche gooddes & goddes folke for defauvte theroff forfaren and spyllen cuvratouvrs off holychurcheholy churche as clerkes þat beene auvarous lyghtlyche þat they leyuven loselles ytt hauvethe or dyethe Intestate & þen the bysshoppe enterethe and makethe myrthe therwythe & hys men bothe and say he was a nygarde that no goode myght spare to frend ne to frembde the fende haue hys souvle for a wrecched hoouvse he helde all hys lyffe tyme and þat he spared & byspared spend we yn myrthe by lered & by by lewde þat lothe are isben to spende thys Þus G.16.148: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. goon theyre gooddes / by be e the goost faren but Ac for goode men god woote greate doole ~~..y~~menG.16.149: The word replaced by men is barely visible, but it seems possible that a small mark beneath the <n> may represent the remains of a <y>, in which case it may have been "they." maken & by-meannen good meyte-gyuvers & In mynd hauven ye In prears & and in pennance and yn perfytt charyte whatt ys charyte quod I tho / a chyldysshe thyng he sayde nisi efficiamini sicut paruuli non intrabitis in regnovm celorum wythoute fauvntelte or folye a fre lyberall wyll where sholde men men fynde suoche a frende wyth so fre an harte I haue lyuved In londe quod I my name ys long wyll and fouvnde I neuer full charyte byfore ne beynde men beene mercyable to mendynantz & to pouerrepoure bothe pore G.16.158: There is an otiose expansion mark over the of poure as if the scribe anticipated "pouerte." See note to G.15.292 and the reading at G.15.298. & wyll leane there þei leuve leally to be payde but AcBut not for charyte þat paule preysethe best & most pleasethe our sauvyour non As nonIs non G.16.161: C shares the G C B reading non, which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read As non or Is non. inflatur non est ambiciosa non querit que sua sunt I seygh neuer suoche a man so me god helpe that he ne wolde aske after hys & other-whyle couveyte thyng þat nedythe hym noght & nyme yt yff he myght clerkes kenne me that cryste ys In all places but Ac I segheG.16.166: The words I seghe have been re-outlined in darker ink. hym neuer sothely but as my-selfe yn a myrrouvr Ita in enigmate tunc facie ad faciem: & so I trowe trewly by þat men tell off charyte ytt ys no nouȝt G.16.169: Hm's reading no, shared with G F, is over an erasure. Remaining manuscripts read nouȝt. champyons fyght / ne chaffayre as I trowe charyte quod he ne chafferethe noght ne chalegethechale[n]gethe chalengeth ne crauvethe as prouvde off a peny as off a pouvnd off golde & ys as glade off a gowne off a grey ruvssett as off a tuvnycle off tarce or off tryed trye skarlett he ys gladde to with all gladde & goode to til all wycked & lenvythebeleviþ leneth & louvethe all þat our lorde made cuvrsethe he no creature ne he can beyre no wrathe ne no lykyng hathe to lye ne lauvghe men to scorne & all Al þat men seyne he letethe let it sothe & yn solace takethe & all maner myscheffes In myldenes he sufferethe couvetethe he non yerly erthly erly G.16.180: Since in G an initial letter <y> is often added to words beginning with <e> (see Introduction III.4.4), it seems likely that G's reading yerly (for most manuscripts erthly) is effectively the same as the reading in F (i.e. erly). goode but heyuven-ryche blysse hathe he any rentes or ryches or any any riche frendes off rentes ne off ryches recchethe he neuver for a frende þat fyndethe hym fayled hym neuer at nede fiat voluntas tua : fynt hym euver-more & yff he souvpe he eytethe but a soppe off spera in deo he can pourtrye well þe pater-noster & paynte yt wyth auvees & other-wyle he wont he is wonedis his wonehe is wonne to wend wend on pylgyrymages there pore men & prysoners lyggen ther perdone to haue thogh he beyre theyme noG.16.189: The G reading here could possibly be ne rather than no. bred he beyrethe bereth hem swetter lyuveloode louvethe as hem as our lorde byddythe & lokethe how they fare & when he ys wery off that worke þen wole he some-tyme laboren yn lauvendrye well þe lenght off a myle and yerne In-to trouvghtþout ȝouthe & ȝepelyche speke pryde wyth all þer þe appuvrtenancys & packen þem to-gydders & bouvken theym att hys brest & bowken beten theym cleyne & lyggen leggen on long wyth laboraui in gemitu meo : & wyth warme water att hys eyen wasshen theym after & þen he syngethe when he doethe so & some-tyme sayethe wepyng cor contritum et humiliatum deus non dispicies : but By cryst I wolde I þat I knewe hym no creature leuvere wyth-oute helpe off pyers plowman quod he hys person seeste þou neuer where clerkes knowe hym quod I þat kepen holy cherche clerkes haue no knowyng quod he but by workes & wordes but Ac pyers þe plowman perceyuvethe more depper where ys þe wyll & wherfore þat many a many G.16.205: C2 originally shared the majority B reading many, but a superlinear a has been added, bringing C2's reading into line with that of G O (i.e. many a). wyght sufferythe et vidit deus cogitationes eorum :// for þer are full prouvde herted men pacyent off tong and buxome as off beyryng to burgesys & to lordes & to pouvre poeple haue peppur In þe nose and as a lyon he lokethe ther men lakken hys workes for þer are bugeysysbu[r]geysys beggeres G.16.211: For the G spelling bugeysys, see also G.4.164. & bydders beydemen as ytt were loken as lambren & semyn lyffe-holy but Ac ytt ys more to haue þer meyte In suoyche maner esy manere then for pennance or perfyttnes the pouverte þat suoche takethe therfore by colouvr ne by clargy knowe shalt þou hym neuer nether thrugh wordes ne workes but thrugh wyll alone one & þat knoethe no clerke ne creature yn yerthe but pyers þe plowman : :petrus id est cristus : for he ys noght yn lollers ne yn lewde lande lepers hermytes ne at ankers there a box hangethe all suoyche þei fayten Fye vp-on on Faytouvrs and on in fautores suos for charyte to is goddes champyon & as a goode chylde hende & þe meryest off mouvthe att meyte wher he syttethe the louve þat leyethe yn hys herte makethe hym ~~hym~~ lyght of speche & ys compaygnable & confortyve confortatyf as cryst bytt hym-seluve nolite fieri sicut ipocrite tristes :// for I haue seene hym in sylke & some-tyme InG.16.227: Capital plus abbreviation mark is unusual as a spelling of "in" in this manuscript, and it seems likely that the scribe anticipated a clause with I as subject. ruvssett bothe yn grey & yn grys and yn gylte harnes and as gladlyche he ytt gaffe to goomes þat ytt neded edmuvnd & edward ether were kynges and seyntes y-sett tyll charyte theym folowed I haue seene charyte also syngen & reden bydden Ryden & rennen yn ragged weedes for Ac byddyng as beggers doone beggeres byheld I hym neuer but Ac In ryche roobes rathest he walkethe y-called & crymaylled ycrimiled & hys crowne shauve & clenlyche y-clothed In cypres & In tartaryne and In a freres frocke he was fouvnde oonesce but Ac ytt ys fare a-goo In seynte franceyes tyme and In þat secte ~~sylde~~ sythe to selde hathe he be knowen ryche men he recommendythe & and of theyre robes takethe that wythowten wyles leyden theyre lyuves beatus est diues qui et cetera// yn þe In kynges couvrte he comethe oft þer þe counseyll ys trewe but Ac yff couvetyse be off of þe couvnseyle wehe wyll not comme þerynne In couvrt among Iapers he comethe but not but G.16.246: Kane and Donaldson emend to the G L M R reading but, which is also the reading of Cx, though the latter has a different a-verse. Most B manuscripts read not but. selde For brauvlyng & backbytyng & beyryng off falsce wyttnes In In þe consystorye before þe commyssorye he comethe not full ofte for þer lawe duvrethe ouer long but yff þei lacche syluver & matrymoygne for ~~off~~ money maken & vnmaken and þat coscyenceco[n]scyence conscience & cryste hathe knytt yknitte faste they vndone yt vnworthylye þes þo doctouvrs off lawe but Ac I ne lack no lyffe but lord amend vs all & gyve yvs grace good god charyte to folowe for wo who-so myght mete wyth hym suoche maners hym aylethe nether he bannethe ne blamethe ne bostethe bosteth ne preysethe G.16.257: This and the following line appear in reverse order in Bx. All β4 manuscripts share G's order.crauvethe ne couvetythe ne cryethe after more lackethe ne losethe ne lookethe vp sterne In pace inidipsumin idipsum dormiam et requiescam & cetera& requiescam & cetera :// þe most loyuveloode he lyuvethe by ys louve yn goddes passyon nether he byddethe ne beggethe ne borowethe to yelde myssdoethe he no man ne wyth hys mouvthe greuvethe amongest crystyen men thys mylednes shuolde laste In all maner angres haue þis In at herte that thogh þei suffered all thys godG.16.265: The form of the <d> in god resembles that used in the rubricated sections of the text. fsufferedG.16.265: Possibly the initial letter of suffered was originally <ff>. In any case, this letter has been blocked in so that the cross-bar is no longer visible. for vs more In ensample we shuolde do soo and take no wengeance off our foos þat doone vs falssnes that .ys our fadres wyll for well may euery man wytte yff god god hadde wolde hym-seluve shulde neuer Iudas ne Iewe haue Iesu doone on roode ne haue martered petur ne poule In ne in G.16.270: M originally shared G's reading In, but supralinear ne has been added by M's hand2, giving ne in, which corresponds to the reading of remaining B manuscripts. pryson holden but Ac he suffered yn ensample þat we we shulde suffre also and seyde to suoyche þat suffer wolde þat pacientes vincunt : verbi gracia quod he & verrey ensamples manye In ligenda sanctormsanctor[u]m sanctorum the lyffe off holy seyntes what pennance & pouverte & passyon the þei G.16.275:The G scribe regualarly uses the weak form of the pronoun, "the," for remaining B manuscripts "they." See note to G.6.195. suffered yn hongre & yn heate yn all maner angres antony & egydy & other holy fadres woneden In wyldernes amongest wylde beastes monkes & mondynantzm[e]ndynantz mendynauntz men by theym-seluve In spekes & speklonvkesspelo[n]kes spelonkes G.16.280:The original shared G C Y B misreading (speklonkes for spelonkes) has been corrected in Cot. seelde speke to-gyddres but Ac neuer noyther antonye ne egydy ne herymytes heremite þat tyme off lyons ne ne of leopardes no lyuveloode ne tooke but off fouvles þat flyghen þus fynd men In bookes except þat egyde after an hynde cryed and thrughe þe mylke off þat mylde beaste þe man was susteyned and day by day had he hyr noght hys hongre for to slake but selde selden & sondrye tymes as sayethe þe boke & teychethe antonye a dayes abouvte noone tyme had a bryd þat broght hym breyd þat he by lyuved & thoghe þe goome had a gest : god fond theym bothe poul primus heremita had parrokked hym-seluve that no man myght hym see for mosse & for leyuves Fouvhles hym fedde fell fele G.16.293: For G's treatment of B fele (appearing here as G Cr fell), see note to G.4.349. wynters wythe all tyll he fownded freres off auvguvstynes austines ordre poule after hys preychyng panȝers he made and wanne wyth hyns G.16.296: A curved stroke has been added to the bottom of the <n> of original hyn, forming a loop, and this then continues upwards to form the riser of a sigma <s>. handys þat hys wombe nedethe neded petur fysshed for hys foode & hys felowe andrewe some þei solde & some they soothe / & so they lyuved bothe & also marye magdalyne by moores lyuved & dewes but Ac most thrughe deuvotyon and mynd off god almyghtye I shold not thys seyuven dayes seggen theym all that lyuvyden thys þus G.16.302: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. for oure lordys louve many long yeres but Ac there ne was lyon ne leoparde that on landes laundeslonde G.16.303: The G Cr B reading landes may simply be a variant spelling of the majority reading laundes. See OED laund. wenten nether Noyther bere ne borre ne other beaste wylde that ne fell to theyre feete and fauvned wyth þer þe tayles and yff þei couvlde haue carped ycarped by cryste as I trowe they wold haue feedde y-fed þat folke byfore wylde fowles but Ac god send þem foode by foughles & by no wylde fierse beastes In meanyng þat meke thyng / mylde thyng sholde feede as wo seyethe relygyouvse ryghtfull men sholde fynde and lawfull men to lyffholy men lyuveloode bryng & þen wolde lordes & ladyes be lothe to agylte & to take off theyre tenantes more then trowgh wolde Fond þei þat freres wold forsake theyre almes & bydden them beyre ytt þer ytt was y-borowed for we be goddes fowheles & abyden allway tyll bryddes bryng vs meate þat we shuolde lyuve by For had ye potage & payne & ynough and penny ale y-noghe to drynke and a meyse þer-mydde off any maner kynd ye had ryght ynowghe ye rylygoyouvse so and so your reuvle me tolde numquam dicit Iob rugit onager cum herbam habuerit : aut : mugiet bos cum ante se ante plenum presepe steterit: brutorum animalium natura te condemnat: quia cum eis pabulum comune sufficiat ex adipe prodijt iniquitas tua:// G.16.322: The following nine lines have been bracketed by WH, who has added a note in the margin. See G.16.325. yff lewde men knewe thys laten: þei wolde loocke to whom þei gyuve and auyse þem a-fore bifore fyuve a fyue dayes ~~off~~ or syxe er they amortysed to monkes & or chanons þer rentes WH nota hic alas lordes & ladyes lewde couvnceyle haue ye de Religione to gyuve fro your heyres þat your ayeles had ȝow lefte and gyuvethe to bydde for you to suoche þat beene ryche and beene fouvnded & feasted feffed eke to bydde for other who perfouvrnethe þis profecye off þe poeple þat nowe lyuvethe dispersit dedit pauperibus:// nota de fratribus This marginal comment is in the same hand as the addition by WH at the bottom of the previous page. A vertical line in the same ink runs from G.16.333 to G.16.347. yff any poeple perfomeperfo[r]me perfourme þis texte ytt are þe pore freres For þat þei beggen aboute In beeldyng they spende spenespend itit spende G.16.332: Kane and Donaldson emend to the G C2 B R reading "spend." Remaining B manuscripts read spene, spend it or it spende. on And on theyre hem -seluve some & on and suoche as beene þeir laborouvrs & off of hem þat haue þei taken and gyve theym þat ne hauvethe but Ac clerkes & knyghtes & comuvners þat beene ryche feele how Fele of G.16.336: For G's treatment of B fele (appearing here as feele), see note to G.4.349. you faren / & as yff I a forest hadde that were full off fayre trees & y fouvnded & caste G.16.337: Parts of the last two words of this line appear to have been re-outlined in black ink. how I myght moo therynne amonges þem sett ryght so ryche ȝe riche ye robbe þem þat þat be ryche & helpen þem þat helpen you & gyuvethe there no nede ys as wo-so fyllede a tonne off a fresshe ryuver & went forthe wyth þat water / to awoke woke wyth tensmsse ryght so ye ryche robbetheG.16.343: The majority of manuscripts share G's reading "robbeth," but the correct reading is clearly "robeth," i.e. "clothe." The G scribe himself was clearly aware of the possibility of indicating long and short vowels by means of single and double consonants, but his practice in this respect was by no means consistent and it is therefore unclear which word he intended (see Introduction III.2). & fedethe them þat haue as ye haue ye hem ȝe make att ease butt Ac relygyouvse þat ryche beene shuolde rather feaste beggers then burgesys þat ryche beene as þe booke teychethe quia sacralegium est res pauperum non pauperibus dare: Item peccatoribus ~~est~~ dare est demonibus immolare : Item: monache si indiges & accipis pocius das quam accipis: si autem non eges et accipis rapis : porro non indiget: monacus si habeat quod nature sufficit ://G.16.347: The rubricated section is bracketed in red on the right. Although some of the line breaks coincide with the end of a quotation, this is not true of all and the arrangement therefore does not seem to be deliberate. forthye I couvnseyle all crystyen to confouvrme them to charyte For charyte wythoute chalyngyng vnchargethe þe souvle & many a prysoner prisoneprisoners fro puvrgatorye thrugh hys preyers delyuerythe but Ac þer ys a defauvte yn þe folke þat the lawe faith kepe wherfore folke ys the febylyer & not fyrme off byleuve and In luvsburwes a is a lyther a-lay / a and yete lokethe he lyke a sterlyng the merke off þat money ys good / but ac þe meytell ys feble & so ytt farethe by some folke nowe þei haue a fayre speche crowne & crystendome the kynges merke off heyuven but Ac þe mettell þat ys mannes souvle wyth synne ys fowle alayedG.16.358: G C B F omit a line at this point ("Bothe lettred and lewede · beth allayed now with synne"). that no lyfe ne lyf louvethe other ne our lorde as ytt semethe for thrugh warre & wycked workes & wedders vnreasonable wyther Weder wysse shyppmen & wytty clerkes also haue no byleuve to þe . lyst lifte / ne to þe loore off phylossophers astronomyens all day In theyre artes arte fayllen that wyllhome warned byfore what shuolde fall after shypmen & sheppardes that wyth shypp & shepe wenten wysten by þe welkne what sholde betyde as off wedders wyndes and wyndes they warned men ofte tylyers þat tylyed þe yerthe toolden theyre masters by þe seede þat þei shewe sewe G.16.368: Given the variation beween <s> and <sh> spellings in G (see Introduction III.4.1), G shewe for remaining manuscripts sewe may be a spelling variant rather than a separate lexical item. / what they sell myght & what to leyuve & what to lyuve by þe lande was so trewe now faylethe þe folke off the floode & off the land bothe shepperdes & shypmen & so do thes tylyers nether Noither þei konne ne knowenG.16.372: The last two words of this half line are in a slightly more formal script: the riser of the <k> in particular resembles those of letters used in the rubricated sections. oon couvrse a-fore bi-for a-nother astromonyens also are att theyr wyttes ende off þat was calclede off þe elymentes þe contrary þei fynde gramere þe grounde off all bygylethe now chyldren For ys non off þes newe clerkes who-so nymmethe hede that canne versyfye fayre or ne fouvrmelyche endyte ne not on amonge an huvndrethe an þat an auvtour can constrewe ne rede a l.etter In any langage but latyn & enghlysshe go now to any degre but and but yff gyle be mastre & flatterer hys felowe vndre hym to fouvrme moche wondre me thynkethe among vs all doctouvrs off decrees / & off dyuynyte masters that sholde konne & knowe alkynnes clargye and answere to arguvmentes and also to a quodlibet I dare not segge ytt for shame yf suoche were apposed they sholde fayle yn of þeir phylosophy & yn þeir in physyck bothe wherfore I am a-ferde off folke off holy churche lest þei ouerhyppen as other done yn offyce & yn houvrs but Ac yff þei ouerhyppe as I hope noght our byleuve suffysethe as clerkes yn corpus cristi feaste syngen & reden that sola fides sufficit to sauve suoche with lewde poeple and so may sarazenes be sauved scrybes & Iewes alas þen but our loorsmen lyuven as þei teyche leren vs þat And for þeir lyuvyng lyuynge þat lewdmenlewd men be be þe lother god to agylte agulten For sarazenes haue somewhat semyng to our byleuve For þei louve & byleuve In on person almyghty and we lered & lewde In on god byleuve and on (macomethe)G.16.399: For the G scribe's use of brackets, see note to G.6.597. a man yn myssbyleuve broght sarazenes off surre and see In whatt maner theys macomethe was crystyen & for he myght moste not be p.apeG.16.401: The scribe uses an unusual double-lobed <a> for the alteration to pape. In-to surre he soght & thrugh hys subtyle wyttes he davn.ted Daunted a dove and day & nyght hyr fedde the corne þat she cropped / he cast ytt yn heys eyre and yff he among þe poeple preyched / or yn place came then wolde þe cuvluver come In-to to the clerkes eyre menyng as after meyte (þus macomethe) hyr enchanted and dyd folke folke þanne G.16.408: Manuscript O originally shared the G Cr Y F reading folke (for remaining manuscripts folke þanne), but supralinear þanne has been added in O. fall on knees / for he sware In hys preychyng that þe cuvluver þat came so came from god off heyuven as mesenger to macomethe men for to teyche & þus thrugh wyles off hys wytt and a whyte dowe macchomett yn myssbyleuve men & wemen broght þat lered & lewde yett leeuen on hys lawes & sythe our sauvyour suffered þe sarazenes so begyled thrugh a cuvrsed crystene clerke acuvrsed In hys soule nota bene Marginal nota bene has clearly been written by WH. For an initialled marginal addition in this hand, see G.16.325.m.1. & for drede off dethe þe deth I dare nott tell þe trewthe treuthe how englysshe clerkes a coluver feden þat couvetouvse coueityse hatte & bynne manered after macomethe þat no man vsethe trewthe ancres & heremytes moonkes and monkes & freres peren to appostels thrugh þeir perfytt lyuvyng wold neuer þe feythfull father þat hys mynysters sholde off tyrantes þat teene trew men taken any almesse but doone as antony dyd domynycke & fraunceys benett & bernard wyche þe which theym furst taght to lyuve by ly.ttulleG.16.425: The first <t> of "little" apparently started out as another letter; the upright stroke rises above the usual level and the top has been lined through in brown ink. & yn lowe howses / by leelle menes almesse grace shold growe & be greene thrugh þeir good lyuvyng & folkes sholde fynde þat been In greate dyuerse sycknes the better for theyr byddyng byddynges In bodyes body & yn souvles soule theyr preyers & theyre pennances to peasce sholde brynge all þat bynne att debate and redemen been bedemen were trewe petite et accipietis & cetera// salt sauvethe catell seggen thes wyuves vos esteis sal terre et cetera the beydes heuedes off holy churche and þei holye were cryste callethe þem salt for crysten soules et si sal euanerit in quo salietur : but Ac fresshe flessehe other fysshe when ytt salt faylethe ytt ys vnsauery for-sothe y-soothe or bake ybake so ys mannes soule sothely þat seethe no good ensample off theym off holycherche þat þe hyghe way sholde teyche and be gyde & go before as a goode baner & hardye þem þat be beynde bihynde ben / & gyuve þem goode euvydence elleuene holye men all þe worlde tuvrned In-to leele byleuve þe lyghtlyer liȝtloker me thynkethe shold all maner men / we haue so many masters prestes & preychouvrs & a pope above that goddes salte sholdbeshold be / to sauve mannes soule all was hethenes some-tyme england & wales tyll gregory made gerte clerkes to go & to preyche auguvstyne Austyn att cantuvrbury crystyned þe kyng & thrugh myracles as men mowe rede all þat marche touvrned he torned to cryste & to crystendome þe and cros to honore and fulled folke fast and þe faythe taghte more thrugh myracles þen thrugh moche preychyng as well thrughe hys werkes as wyth hys woly wordes & seyde þem what fullyng & faythe was to meane clothe þat commethe fro wetyng þe weuyng ys not comelye to weyreG.16.457: What may appear to be an extra character at the end of the line is red ink transferred from the opposite page. tyll ytt be fulled vndre foote or yn fullyng stockes whassen well wyth water & wyth taseles cracched y-touvked & y-teynted & vndre teylyouvrs hande & soo ytt farethe by a barne þat borne ys off wombe tyll yt be crystyned In crystes name & consermedcon[f]ermed of of þe bysshope ytt ys heythen as to heyuvenwarde & helples to þe soule heythen ys to meane after hethe & vntyled yerthe as In wylde wyldernes wexen wylde beastes ryvde & vnreysonable rennyng wyth-owte crepreskeperescropiers cropers ye nymmethe takemenenmennenmynnen well what how mathew sayethe how a man made a feaste he fedde þem wyth no weneson ne pheysandes y-bake but wyth fouheles þat from hym nolde but folowed hys wystylyng ecce altilia mea et omnia parata sunt et cetera : & wythe caluves flesshe he fedde þe folke þat he louved the calffe betokenethe cleynnes In theym þat kepe þe kepeth lawes for as þe kowe thrughe ..kynd mylke þe calffe norysshethe to til an oxe so louve & lealte lewde lele men susteyane and meydens & mylde men marcy desyren ryght as þe kowe kalffe coueytythe sweete mylke so doone ryghfull men mercy & trewthe G.16.477: Fourteen lines which appear at this point in Kane and Donaldson's edition (KD.15.472-85) are found only in R. but Ac who beene þat excuvsen þem / þat are persones & preestes that hedes off holye churche beene / þat haue þeir wyll here wythoute trauvell þe tythe dole del / þat trewe men byswynken they wylbewyl be wrothe þat I wroote for I write þis þus G.16.481: Once again, in the case of G at least, it is possible that "this" (for remaining manuscripts "thus") is simply a spelling variant. See note to G.4.76. / but ac to wyttnes I take bothe mathewe & marke & memento domine dauid:// what pope or prelate nowe perfouvrmethe þat cryste hyght Ite in vniuersum mundum et predicate et cetera :// alas þat men so longe on machomethe shoolde byleuve so many preelates to preche as þe pope makethe off nazarethe off nynyuve off neptalyn off and damaske that þei ne went as cryst wyssethe sythe þei wyll hauve name to be pastouvrs & preyche þe passyon off :Iesus : & as hym-selffe sayde to so to lyuve & dye bonus pastor animam suam ponit & cetera // and seyde ytt yn saluvatyon off sarazenes & Iewes other for crystene & vncrystene cryst sayde to preychers Ite vos in vineam meam et cetera & sythe þat þes sarazenes scrybes and Iewes haue a lyppe off our byleuve / þe lyghtlyer me thynkethe þei sholde torne wo who-so trauveyle wolde to teyche þem off þe trynyte querite et inuenietis et cetera // G ytt ys reuvthe to rede howe ryght-wysmenwys men lyuvyden how þei defouvlled þeir flesshe forsooke theyr owen wyll farre fro kythe & from kynne yuvell clothed yclothed yeden badly clade ybedded no booke but conscyence ne no ryches but þe roode to reiIoyce theym ynne absit nobis gloriari nisi in cruce domini nostri et cetera // and þo was pleynte & peasce among pouvre & ryche and now ys reuvthe to rede how þe redde noble ys reuerensed are þe roode receyued for þe worthyer then crystes cros þat ouercame dethe & deadly synnes synne WH prophycie WH also adds the bracket around the following six lines. & nowe ys warre & wo & who-so whye askethe For couvetyse after cros þe crowne stand In golde bothe ryche & relygyouvse that roode they honoren that yn þe grote grotes ys I-grauaeG.16.512: For the G scribe's treatment of superscript <a>, see note to G.3.157. / & yn þe in gold nobles For couvetyse off þat cros men off holye kyrke shall torne as templers dyd þe tyme approchethe fast wote ye nat ye wysse wyse men howe þo men honored more treasure þen trewthe I dare not tell þe sothe reason & ryghtfull dome þo relygyouvse demed ryght so ye clerkes for your couvetyse er long shall þei deemen / dos ecclesie / & your pryde depoosseG.15.519: The original <o> of deposse is blotted so the supralinear <o> may simply be there to replace it. There is no caret mark. deposuit potentes de sede & cetera // yff kynghthoodek[ny]ghthoode knyȝthod & kynd wytt & comuvne conscyence to-geddres louve leely leuvethe ytt well ye bysshopes the lordshyppe off lande londes for euver ye shall lese and lyuven as leuvytes leuitici as our lorde you teychethe per primitias et ~~diuitias~~decemasG.16.525: G's original reading diuitias is also the reading of C Y B. Remaining B manuscripts share G's corrected reading decemas. & cetera when constantyne off couvrtesye holy cherche dowed wyth landes & leedes lordshyppes & rentes an angell men herd an hyghe att rome crye dos ecclesie thys day hathe dronke ydronke wenome and þo þat haue peturs power are empoysoned apoysoned all nota bene a medycyne movste þerto þat may amend preelates pro episcopis that shold pray for þe peas possessyon þem lettethe take theyre landes ye lordes & lett þem lyuve by þeir dymes dymes yff possessyon be poysone & ymperfytt þem make good were to dyscharedyschar[g]e dischargen þem for holy cherches sake & puvrgen þem off poyson er more peryll fall yff preesthoode were perfytt þe poeple wold shulde amend that contraryen crystes lawe & crystendome despyse for all paynemes preyen & perfyttlye byleuven In þe holy greate god and hys grace þei asken & make þeir moone to macomethe þeir message to shewe thus In a faythe ~~lyue~~ leeuve þat folke / & yn a falsce meane & þat ys reuvthe for ryghtfull men þat yn þe realme wonynenG.16.543:The tail of the <y> of original wonyen (altered to wonnen) is faintly visible. For other class II weak verbs in G, see Introduction III.4.3. & ynin a a perell for to þe pope & preelates þat he makethe that beyre bysshoppes names off bethelem & off babylon that hyppe a-bowte en englande to halowe mennes awtres & crepe amonge curatouvrs confessyon confessen / g ageynst þe lawe nolite mittere falcem in messem alienam :// many man for crystes louve was martered yn romaygne er any creystendome was knowe þ.er / or any cros honouvred euery bysshoppe þat beyrythe cros by that he ys holden thrugh hys prouvynce to passe & to hys poeple shewe hym tellen þem & teychen þem on þe trynyte to byleuve & feden þem wyth gostlye foode & gyuve there ytt nedethe In domo mea non est panis neque vestimentum et ideo nolite constituere me in regemG.16.556: These two rubricated lines have been bracketed together in red on the right. ozias sayethe þat for for suoyche as þat seeke bene & feble Inferte omnes decimas in orreum meum vt cibus in domo & cetera// but Ac we crysten creatures þat on þe cros byleuven are fyrme en as in þe feythe god goddes G.16.560: M originally shared the majority B reading goddes, but the genitive inflexion -us has been deleted, giving god, as also G Cr23 Hm. forbyde forbode elles & haue clerkes to kepe vs therynne / & þem þat þat shal comethe come after and Iewes leyuvenG.16.562: For original G leuen, compare C2 leuen, F beleven. Most B manuscripts have lyuen. See also note to G.14.102. In leele lawe / our lorde wrote hym-seluve In stonne for ytt stydfaste ys & stand shall sholde for euer eure dilige deum et proximum : ys perfytt Iewes lawe heAnd heAc he And G.16.565: Kane and Donaldson do not record G's variant he; presumably they read it as <&>. In fact it is a careless <h> followed by a backwards facing <e>. Contrast with the two ampersands immediately below. toke ytt moyses to teyche men tyll messye came & on þat lawe þei leeuven yett & letten ytt þe best & yett knowe þei cryste þat crystendome taghte for a perfytt prophete þat moche poeple sauved off selcouvthe soores þei seyen ytt offte bothe Bothe of myracles & merweles & howe he men feasted wyth two fysshes & fyuve looves fyuve thowsand poeple & by þat mangerye men myght see wel se þat messye he semed & when he lyffte vp lazar that leyde was yn grauve and vndre stonne deyde & stanke wyth styffe woyce & hym called lazare veni foras : dyde hym ryse & roomvnerov[m]e rowme G.16.576: The corrector has written <v> over the second <o> of original roome and the first minim of the <m>, but the intention was probably to end up with rovme. ryght before þe Iewes but Ac þei seyden & sware wyth sorcyrye he wroght and stuvdyeden hym to stroye to stroyen hym and stroiden þemseluve and thrugh pacyence his pacyence þeir powere to puvre noght he broght pacientes vincunt : danyell off þeir vndoyng dyuvyned & seyde cum sanctus sanctorum veniat cessabit vnccio vestra : & yett wenen þo wrecches þat he were pheudop[s]eudo pseudo -propheta : and þat ys loore be leysynges & lakken ytt all & hoope þat he be to come þat shall þem releuve mosyes efte or messye theyr masters þei dyuvynen ȝet deuyneth but Ac sarazenes pharaseyes sarazens and pharaseespharesewes and sarsenes scrybes & greekes ere folke off on faythe þe fadre god they honouvren & sythe þat þe sarazenes & also þe Iewes cane þe furste clauvse off our byleuve credo In deum patrem patrem omnipotentem prelates and of crysten prouvyncez sholde prouve yff þei myght lere þem by hem lytle litlum & lytle lytlum et in Iesum cristum filium eius & cetera: tyll þei couvlde speeke & spell et in spiritum sanctum & cetera & d reden reden it & recorden ytt wyth remissionem peccatorum carnis resurrexionem et vitam eternam amen explicit primus passus de doobetter Nowe fayre fall you quod y þo / for your fayre shewyng for haukyns louve þe actyuve man euer I shall you louve but Ac yett I am In a were / whate charyte ys to meane ytt ys a full tryed trye tree quod he trewly to tell mercy ys þe more þeroffe þe mydle stokke ys reuvthe þe leyuves beene leele workdesG.17.6: The correction of work- to word- has affected the <s> of speche in the line below. / þe lawe off holy cherche þe blossomes beene buxome speche & benyng lokyng pacyence hatt þe puvre tree & puvre symple off herte & so thrugh god & good men growethe þe fruvte charyte I wold trauvell quod I þis tree to se xxtitwenti honderethe myles myle & to haue my wyll fylle off þat fruvyte forsake all other sauvlees saulee lorde quod I yff any wyght wytte whydre owte ytt growethe ytt growethe yn a garden quod he þat god made hym-seluve amyddes mannes bodye the more off is of þat stocke herte hatte þat herbouvre / þat yn ytt it in growethe and liberum arbitrium: hathe þe lande to ferme vndre pyers þe plowman to pyken ytt & weden ytt pyers þe plowman quod I þo & all for puvre Ioy that I harde nyuynvenyuy[n]e nempne hys name anon I swoned after & lay long yn a louve dreame & at þe last me thoght that pyers þe plowman all þe place me shewede & bad me toten on þe tree on top & on roote wyth ~~theyr~~iijthreG.17.23: It looks as if some attempt may have been made to overwrite (i.e. to alter theyr to thre) but this has been abandoned and iij has been added above the line. pyles was ytt pyght vndre vnder-piȝte I perceyuvyd ytt soone pyers quod I I pray þe whoy stand thes pykes piles here for wyndys wyllthowe w~~ith~~ytte quod he to wytten ytt from fallyng cum ceciderit Iustus non collidetur quia dominus supponit manum suam and yn bloowyng tyme abyte thees flowers but yf þes pyles helpe the worlde ys a wycked wynde to þem þat wyllen trewthe couvetyse comethe off þat wynde & crepethe amonge þe leyuves and forfreytethe neghe þe fruvyte thrugh many fayre syghtes then wyth þe fuvrste pyle I pull hym downe potentia þat is potencia dei patris: the flesshe ys a fell wynd & yn floweryng tyme thrugh lykyng & luvstes so lowde he gynnethe blawe þat norysshyng it norissheth nyce syghtes & some-tyme wordes & wycked werkes theroff wormes off synne and forbytethe þe blossomes ryghte so the bare leyuves then sett y to þe second pyle sapientia dei ~~patris~~ : filijj patris that ys þe passyon & þe power off our prynce Iesu thrugh prears & pennances & goddes passyon yn mynd I sauve ytt tyll I se ytt rype & somedeale y-fruvyted & þen fondethe þe fende my fruvyte to dystroye wyth all þe wyles þat he can & wacchethe waggeth the roote & castethe vp yn-to to þe croppe vnkynd neghbouvrs bakbyters breyke-crheste brauvlers & chydres & leyethe a ladder therto off leysynges are þe longes ronges and facchethe a-way my flowers floures sumtyme before afor bothe myne eyne but Ac liberum arbitrium lettethe hym some-tyme that ys leuvetenauntG.17.48: For the G scribe's treatment of superscript <a> (here used as an abbreviation for <n>), see note to G.4.156. to loke ytt well by leyuve off my-seluve videatis qui peccat in spiritum sanctum numquam remittetur et cetera hoc est idem qui peccat per liborum arbitrium non renpugnatrepugnat repugnat :G.17.49: The rubricated lines are bracketed together in red on the right. but Ac when þe fende & þe flesshe & forth forth wyth þe worlde manasetheG.17.51: The <s> of manasethe is heavily filled in in black ink and there may be some overwriting here. byhynde me my fruvyte for to fecche then liberum arbitrium lacchethe þe fuvrste plante and pallothe downe adown þe pouke puvrelyche thruvghe grace and helpe off þe holye gooste and þus hauve I the mastrye now fayre fall you pyers quod y so fayre you ȝe G.17.55: For the G scribe's use of you for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. dyscryuve the power off þes postes & theyre propre myght and y haue thoghtes a ~~the~~Feve threve off thes thre pyles In what woode þe þei G.17.58: For the G scribe's use of the weak form of the third person plural pronoun (i.e. "the" for remaining manuscripts "they"), see note to G.6.150. wexen woxenwaxen G.17.58: The verb as it appears in G M Y (i.e. wexen, for most manuscripts woxen) could be in either the preterite (as Bx) or the present tense. & where þat they growed for all alle ar þei ylyche longe non lasse then other & to my mynde as me thynkethe on oone more þei growe growedgrewe & of oon greytnes & grene of greyne they semen that ys sothe quod pyers so so it myght may byfalle I shall tell þe as tyte whatt þis tree hatte the grownde þer ytt growethe goodnes ytt hyght I And I haue tolde þe whatt ytt hyght hiȝte þe tree þe trynyte ytt meaneth & egrelyche he loked on me & þerfore y spared to aske hym any more þeroff & bad hym full fayre to descryuve þe fruvte þat so fayre hangethe here Here now byneythe quod y he þo / yff y nede hadde & matrymoygne Matrymonye I may y nymme a moyst fruvyte wythall þat Þanne conscyence contenence ys nere þe croppe as kalawey basterde then beyrythe þe croppe kynde fruvyte & cleynnes clenneste off all mayden-heyde angeles pyeres & rathest wylbewyl be rype & swete wyth-oute swellyng sore soure worthe ytt neuver I preyed pyers to pull downe adown an appuvll & he wolde & suffer me to assay what sauvoyre ytt hadde & pyeres cast to þe croppe / & þen comsed ytt to crye & wagged wydowhoode & ytt wepte after & when ytt mouved matrymoygne ytt made a fowle noyse that y hadde ruvethe when pyers rogged yt greadeG.17.80: For the G scribe's treatment of superscript <a>, see note to G.3.157. so rewfullyche for euer as þei dropped downe adown þe deuvell was redye & gadered theyme all to-gedders bothe greate & smale adam & euve abraham & ysaye þe ~~profete~~prophete sampson & samuvell & seynte Ihon the baptyst bare theym forthe boldly no bodye theym hym letted & made off holye men myne his hoorde in limbo inferni : there ys derknes & derede & the deuvell master & pyers for puvre teene þat oone pyle he lauvghte & hent hitte after hym h~~ent~~appe howe ytt myght filius by the fadre wyll & frenesse off spiritus sanctus sancti G.17.90: It is difficult to be certain what is intended here. Both "spiritus" and "sanctus(?)" end with the same abbreviation (a backward curve rising from the bar of the <t>). : to go robbe þat ragman & reyuve þe fruvyte from hym & then spake spiritus sanctus : In gabryelles mowthe to a mayde þat hyght marye a meke thyng wyth-all that oon Iesu a Iuvstyce sonne most Ioyuvke yn hyr chambre tyll plenitudo temporis fully come were that pyers fruvyte flouvred & fell to be rype and then sholde Iesu Iuvst therfore by Iuvgment off armes whether sholde fong þe fruvyte the fende or hym-seluve the mayden mayde ~~mydl~~ myldelyche þo / þe messangre graunted G.17.99: For the G scribe's treatment of superscript <a> (here treated as an abbreveiation for <n>), see note to G.4.156. & seyde hendlyche to hym lowe me hys hand meyden for to worchen hys wyll wyth-owte any synne ecce ancilla domini fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum : & yn þe wombe off þat wenche was he fouvrty wekes tyll he wexe a fauvnte thruvgh hys her flesshe & off fyghtyng ~~koug~~couvthe to haue foght wyth þe fende ere full tyme came & pyers the plowman perceyuved plenere tyme & lered hym lechecrafte hys lyve for to sauve þat thogh he were wouvnded wyth hys enmye to warrysshe hym-seluve & dyd hym assay hys suvrgerye on þem þat syke were tyll he were was perfytt practysouvr yff any perell fell & soght owte þe syke & synnfull bothe & sauved salued sycke & synnfull bothe blynde & croked & commen women conuerted & to good touvrned non est sanis opus medicine medicus set in & cetera: bothe mesels & dombe mute & yn þe menycen blodye oft he heyled suoyche he ne held ytt no for no mastrye sauve tho þat he had þo he leched lazar þat had lye yleye yn grauve quatriduanus quvelt quvyk dyd hym walke but Ac as he made þe mastrye mestus cepit esse & wepte water wyth hys eyene / þer syhen ytt many some þat þe syght seen / seyd that tyme that he was leche off lyfe & lorde off hygh heyuven Iewes Iangeled þerageynst and Iuvgged lawes & sayed he wroghtG.17.124: The word wroght has been re-outlined, apparently in the original ink. See also G.17.126. wyth wychcrafte & wyth the deuveles myght demonium habes habes & cetera : then are ye cherles quod y & your chyldre G.17.126: The word chyldre appears to have been re-outlined in black ink. bothe & sathan your sauvyoure / your-seluve nowe ye wyttnes for y haue sauved your-selfe seyethe cryste & youvr sonnes after your bodyes your beastes & blynd men holpen & fedde you wyth fysshes & wyth fyuve louves & lafte baskettes full off brooke bredde beyre a-way wo-so wolde & myssayede þe Iewes manlyche & manaced þem to beyte & knocked on theym wyth a corde & cast downe adown theyre stalles that yn cherche chaffereden or chalenged chaungeden any money & sayed yn it in syght off theym all so þat all harden I shall ouer-torne thys temple & adowne throwe & yn thre dayes after edyfyed ytt newe & make as it as moche or other more yn all maner poyntes as euer ytt was & as wyde wherfore I hoote you off preyers & and of perfyttnes thys place þat ye call domus mea domus orationis vocabitur:// enuvy & yuvell wyll was yn þe Iewes þei cast & contryuvyden to kyll hym when þei myght eche day after other theyre tyme they wayted awaited tyll ytt byfell on a fryday a lytle byfore þe pasque Paske the thursday byfore there he made heys mauvnde syttyng att hys atte supper he sayde thes wordes I am sold thrugh on off you he shall shal þe tyme rewe that euer he hys sauvyour solde for syluver or elles Iudas Iangled þer-ageynst but ac Iesu hym tolde hytt was hym-seluve sothely & sayed tu dicis then went forthe þat wykked man and wyth þe Iewes mette & tolde t.hem a token to how to G.17.153: G's reading "to" is clearly preferable to most manuscripts "how to," and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. k.nowe wyth Iesu & wyche token to thys day ys to moche to moche is vsed that ys kyssyng & fayre couvntenance & vnkynd wyll & so was wyth Iuvdas tho he Iesu betrayede ave raby: quod þat rybavde & ryght to hym he yede & kyst hym to be cauvght þerby / & kylled off þe Iewes then Iesu to Iuvdas & to the Iewes seyde falssnesce I fynde yn thye falsyreG.17.160: F shares G's original reading false. G's corrected reading fayre corresponds to the reading of remaining B manuscripts. speche & gyle yn thye gladde chere / & gall yn is in þi laghyng thow shalt be myrrouvr to manye men the poeple to to deceyuve but Ac þe worsce for and thy wyckednes shall worthe on vpon thy-seluve necesse est vt veniant scandulascand[a]la scandala ve homini illi & cetera per quem scandalum venit // thogh I by treason be take att your owne wyll sufferethe myne apposteles yn peasce pays and yn peasce gang on a thrusday yn thesternesse / thuvs was he taken thrugh Iudas & Ii Iewes Iesu was hys name that on þe fryday folowyng for mankynd sake Iuvsted yn Ieruvsalem a Ioy for to vs all on cros vp-on caluarye cryste toke þe battayle ageynst dethe & þe deuvell to dystroye destruyed bothe theyr her botheres myghtes deyde & dethe fordyd & day & of nyght made & I awaked therwyth & wyped myne eyene & after pers plowman pryed & stared estwarde & westwarde I wayted after faste & yede forthe as an Ideotte yn contrey to aspye after pyers þe plowman many a place heyG.17.178: The loop of the <h> of deleted he has been erased and the <e> may also have been subject to erasure (though as it was already very faint erasure may have been thought unnecessary). It seems likely, in fact, that the original reading was y and that this has been partially altered to he and then changed back again. The <e> seems to have been squashed in between the <y> and soght, while he is written in the margin, apparently by the original scribe (for the form of the <h>, see he at G.17.180), in order to indicate the required correction. soght A scribe has drawn a

scroll-like pattern in the right-hand margin extending downwards for approximately 7 lines. & þen mette I wyth a man on mydlenten sonday as hoore as an hawthorne & habraham he hyght y frayned hym furste from whennces he came & off whennces he were & wedre he þat he thoght I am faythe quod þis freyke ytt fallethe not to lye & off abrahams house an harauvde off armes I seke after a segge þat y ~~seghones~~ seghe oonesce a fulde bolde bacheler I knowe knewe hym by hys blasen what beyrethe þat barne quod y tho so blysse þe betyde thre leedes on oone lyethe non lengre then other off oone mochell & myghtG.17.189: The word myght looks at first sight as if it may have been altered but in fact it appears more likely that the paper has not taken the ink well (because the surface was greasy?) and that some re-outlining has been necessary. & maIeste yn in measuvre & and in lenght that oon doethe all doone & eche doethe by hym his owene the fyrst hathe myght & mageste maker off all thyngeesG.17.191: β4 manuscripts and R share G's original reading "thing." Remaining B manuscripts share the form with plural inflexion which results from G's correction. For the G scribe's treatment of uninflected plurals, see Introduction III.1.1. pater ys hys name oone persone by hym-seluve the second ys off that syre sothefastenes filius wardeyn off þat wytte witte hath was euer wythe-owte gynnyng þe thyrde hatte þe holye gost a person by hym-seluve þe lyght off all þat lyuve haue hath on land & on watre confouvrtor off creatuvres off hym cometh all blysse so thre bylongen for a lorde þat lordshyppe cleamethe myght and a meane to knowe hys owene myght off hym & off hys seruvant & what þei suffer bothe so god þat gynnyng had neuer but tho hym goode thoght sent forthe hys sonne as for seruvante þat tyme to ocupyen hym here tyll ysseuve were spronge that ys chyldren off charyte & holye cherche þe modre patryarkes and prophetes & apposteles were þe chyldrene & cryste & crystendome and crysten holy cherche yn meanyng þat man moste on oon god byleuve & there hym lyked & louved yn thre persones hym shewed & þat ~~þat~~G.17.209: Kane and Donaldson record that G has the word þat twice, but the second of these is very definitely lined through. ytt may be so & sothe manhoode ytt shewethe wedlocke & wydowed wyth virgynyte I-neuenvedI-neue[n]ed ynempned In tokenyng off þe trynyte was taken owte off of o G.17.211: Though G M Cr W and F all read of for most manuscripts of o, Cr and W have a different word order from that found in G, and F has mankynde for G man. G's closest relationship here is therefore with M. man adam our aller father euve was off hym-seluve & þe yssuve þat he had ytt was off theym bothe & ether ys other otheres Ioy yn thre sondrye persones and yn heyuven & here on synguvler name & þus ys mankydmanky[n]d mankynde or manhoode off matromoygne y-sprong G.17.216: β4 manuscripts omit a line at this point ("And bitokneth þe Trinite · and trewe bileue"). myght ys matromoygne þat muvltyplyethe þe yerthe and bytokenethe treuvly tell ytt yff y dorste he þat furste fouvrmed all þe father off heyuven þe sonne ys yff I dorste say resembelant to þe wydowe deus meus deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me : that ys creatouvr was wex creatuvre to knowe what was bothe a As wydow wyth-owte wedlock was neuer yete y-say no more myght god be man but yff he modre hade so wydowe wyth-oute wedlocke may noght well stande ne matromoygne wyth-oute muvlyere ys not moche to preyse malidictus homo qui non reliquit semen in israell : thuvs yn thre persones ys perfyttlyche manhoode that ys a is man & hys make & muvlyere chyldren ytt And ys not but gendred gendre off generatyon byfore Iesu In cryst in heyuven so ys þe fadre forthwythe þe sonne & frewyll fre wyll off bothe spiritus procedens a patre et filio et cetera // wyche ys þe holye gost off all & all ys but on god thuvs yn in a somer y hym syghe as y satte yn my porche y rose vp & reuerensed hym & ryght fayre hym grette thre men to my syght I made well att easse wysshe þeir feete & wyped theym & afterwarde þei eyten caluves flesshe & kakebred & knewe what y thoght full trewe tokens betwene vs are benis to tell when me lykethe furste he fonded me yff y louved better hym or ysacke myne heyre þe wyche he bad hiȝte me kyll he wyst my wyll by hym he wyll ytt me it alowe I am full syker yn souvle þeroffe & my souvle sone bothe I cyrcumsysed my sonne sythe for hys sake my-seluve & my menye & all þat males male were bleden Bledden G.17.246: Although the G scribe was clearly aware of the possibility of using single and double consonants to indicate preceding long and short vowels, his practice in this respect is by no means consistent (see Introduction III.2), and it is therefore difficult to be certain whether the G scribe considered bleden to be in the present tense or (like remaining manuscripts Bledden) in the preterite. bloode for þat lordes louve & hope to blysse þe tyme my affyance & my faythe ys fyrme yn þis byleuve for hym-seluve byhyght to me & to myne ysseu bothe lond & lordshyppe & lyffe wythowten ende to me & to myne yssue more yett he me grauvnted mercy for our myssdedes as many tymes tyme as we askene quam olim abrahe promistiprom[is]isti promisisti & semini eius :// and sythe he send me to saye I sholde do sacrafyce & done hym worshyppe wyth bredde & wyth wyne bothe & called me stott fote off hys faythe hys poeple folke for to sauve & defendyd defende þem from þe fende folke þat on me leuved thuvs haue y beene hyrs harauvde here & yn hell & conforted many carefull þat after hys commyng wayten & þus y seeke hym he seyde for y harde seyne late off a barne þat baptysed hym Iohn babptyst was hys name that Þat to patryarkes & prophetes & other poeple yn derknes sayde þat he seghe hym here þat sholde sauve vs all ecce agnus dei et cetera I had wondre off hys wordes & off hys wyde c..lothes for yn hys bosome he bare a thyng þat he blessed euver and y loked on hys lappe a lazare lyeG.17.266: The verb lye may be a preterite. See G.14.21 and note to G.6.224. Remaining manuscripts read lay. therynne among patryarkes & prophetes pleyeng there pleying to-gedders what weytesthowe awaytestow quod he & wote what woldesthowe hauve I wold wytt quod y tho what ys yn your lappe loo quod he & lett me see lorde mercye y seyde thys ys a present off moche pryce what pryce Prynce shall ytt haue ytt ys a precyouvse present quod he but ac þe pouvke ytt hathe attatched ~~tyll he come þat y carpe off cryste ys hys name~~G.17.273: The deleted line appears below. See G.17.276. & me þer- wyth myde quod þat man may no wedde vs quvyte ne no barne be our borowe ne bryng vs fro hys danger oute off þe pouvkes pynfolde ne no meynpryce may vs facche tyll he come þat y carpe off cryste ys hys name that shall dyleuer vs some day owte off þe deuveles power and better wedde for vs lygge legge þen we be all worthye that ys lyuve for lyuve or lygge þus euer lollyng yn my lappe tyll suoche a lorde vs facche alas y seyde þat synne so long sholde shal lett the myght off goddes mercy þat myght vs all amend I wept wyth thes for his wordes wyth þat y saghe sawe I an-other rapelyche renne forthe þe ryght way he went and y I frayned hym furste from whence he came & whatt he hyght & whedre he wolde & wyttelyche wightlich he tolde explicit secundus passus de dobetter YG.18.1: For the interpretation of the first letter of this line as a <Y>, see note to G.7.260. am spes quod he a spye & spure after a knyght þat toke me a mandement vp-on þe monvtmo[n]t mounte off synay to reuvle all realmes wyth y beyre þe wrytt here ytts ysttG.18.4: Cr C2 Cot share G's original reading ytt ys. Remaining manuscripts share G's corrected reading ys ytt. ensayled he I sayde may men se þe letters nay he sayethe sayde y seeke hym þat hathe þe seale to kepe & þat ys cros & crystendome & cryst þeron to hange & when ytt ys ensaeled asseled so / I wote well þe sothe þat lucyfers lordshyppe shall last laste shal no lengre lett vs Late se þe þi letters quod I we myght þe lawe knowe then pluvcked he forthe a patent a pece off an harde roche wheron were wryten two wordes on thys wyse glosed yglosed dilige deum et proximum tuum et cetera thys was þe texte trewly I tooke full goode ȝeme the glose was gloryouvsly wryten wyth a gylt penne In hijs duobus mandatis tota lex pendet et prophete :// beene þer here all thye lordes lawes quod y / ye leuve me me wel G.18.16: Most C manuscripts share the G Cr R F reading me (for majority B me wel), and this is the reading adopted by Kane and Donaldson. he sayede who-so worchethe after þis wrytt I wyll vndretake shall neuer deuvell hym deere ne dethe yn souvle greuve for thoghe y say ytt my-seluve y haue sauved wyth þis charme off men & off women many score thowsandes he sayethe sothe sayde þe harauvde I haue fouvnden ytt ofte loo here yn my lappe þat leuved on þat charme Iosuve & Iuvdethe & Iuvdas machabeuvs ye & andand and syxtye thowsand bysyde forthe þat beene noght seene here your wordes beene wondrefull quod y / wyche off you ys trewest & leelest to leeuve on for lyuve & For souvle habraham sayethe þat he see holye the trynyte thre persones yn percelles depertable from other & all thre but on god thus abraham me taght & hathe sauved þat byleeuve bileued so / & sorye for þer synnes he can not segge þe some & some are yn hys lappe what nedethe ytt þen / a new lawe to begynne sythe þe furste suffysethe to saluvatyon & to blysse & now comethe spes & speykethe þat aspyed hath aspied þe lawe & tellethe noght off þe trynyte þat toke hym þes his lettres to byleuve & louve yn on lord allmyghtye & sythe ryght as þi my -seluve so louve all poeple the goome þat goethe wyth a staffe he semethe yn greater heale then he þat goethe wyth two stauves to syght off vs all and ryght so by þe roode reason me shewethe ytt ys lyghter to lewde men a lessone to knowe then for to teychen þem two & harde to harde to lere þe lest ytt ys full harde for any man on abraham to abraham byleuveG.18.43: The cross in the bottom of the right hand margin is in modern pencil. & wellaway worsce yet for to louve a shrewe ytt ys lyghlyer liȝtor G.18.45: For the spelling of "lightlier" without a <t>, see note to G.1.150. to leeuve / yn thre louvelye persones then for to louve & leenve lene aswellas well lorelles as leales go thy gate quod I spes so me god helpe tho þat lernen þi lawe lawe wel lytle wyle wsen ytt & as we went þus by in þ.e way we wordyng togeddres then seghe we a samarytan syttyng on a muvle rydyng full rapely þe ryght way we yedene comyng fro a contrey þat men called Ierico to a Iuvstyce iustes yn Ierusalem he chased a-way faste bothe þe herauvde & hope & he mette at oonesce where a man was wouvnded & wyth theuves y-take taken he myght nether steppe ne stand ne styrre foote ne handes ne helpe hym-seluve sothely / for semyvyf / he semed & as naked as a nedle & noon helpe abowte hym feythe had furst seght off hym but ac he flygh on syde & wold nolde not nyghe hym by nyen landes lenghte hoope came hyppyng after / & þat had so y-boosted howe he wyth moyses mandement had many man men yholpe but Ac when he had syght off þat segge asyde he gan gan hym drawe dredfully by þis day as ducke doethe fro þe fawkon but Ac so sone so þe samarytane had syght off þis leede he lyght downe adown off lyarde & lad hym yn hys hand & to the way wye he went hys wouvndes to beholde & perceyuved by hys pouce / he was yn perell to dye & but he had recouere recouerer G.18.69: The G Cr23 C2 reading recouere may well result from a failure to notice an abbreviation, but, in any case, as far as G and Crowley are concerned, it is worth noting that, according to the OED, the use of "recoverer"="remedy" dies out during the fifteenth century (see OED recoverer, n.1). the rather ryse þat rise shold he neuer wyth wyne & wyth oyle hys wouvndes he wasshed enbalmed hym & bond hys heyde & yn hys lappe hym leyde & lad hym so forthe to on lyarde to lex cristi a grauvnge well syx myle or seyuven fro biside þe new markett harbored hym at an hostrye & to þe hosteler called & seyde haue kepe þis man tyll I come fro þe Iuvstece iustes & . loo here syluer he sayde for saluve to hys wouvndes & he toke hym too pence to lyuvelode as ytt were & sayde what he spendethe more I make þe goode hereafter for y may not lett quod þat leede and l..yarde he bestroode & raped hym to Ierusalem-warde þe ryght way to ryde faythe folowed after fast and fouvnded to mete hym and spes spaklyche hym spedde / spede yff he myght to ouer-take hym & talke to hym er þei to towne came & when I seye þis / I soiouvrned nat / but shoope me to renne and suved þat samarytan / þat was so full off pyte & grauvnted hym to be hys goome grome G.18.86: Bm also originally shared the G R F reading goome, but in Bm this has been corrected to grome, as all other manuscripts. / grauvnt mercy he sayede but Ac thy frende & and þi felowe thowe fyndest me att nede & y thanked hym tho & sythen he me I hym tolde howe þat feythe flede a-way and spes hys felowe bothe for syght off þe sorowfull man / þat robbed was wyth theuves haue theym excuvsed quod he / theyr helpe may lytle auvayle may no medycyne on molde / þe man to heale bryng nether faythe ne fyne hoope / so festered beene hys wouvndes wyth-oute þe bloode off a barne borne off a meyde & he be bathed yn þat bloode baptysed as ytt were & þen plastered wyth pennance ~~wyth~~ G.18.96: A downward stroke, possibly that of the of passyon but also possibly the downward stroke of a thorn (see the F reading with þe passioun), has been written and deleted after deleted wyth. & passyon off þat body babi he sholde stande & steppe but ac stallworthe worthe he neuer tyll he haue eyten all þe berne & hys bloode y-dronke for went neuer wyȝe In þis ~~word~~ world thrugh þat wyldernes that he ne was robbed or ryfelde / rode he þer or yede sauve faythe & hys felow spes & y my my -seluve and thy-seluve nowe & suoyche as suvene our workes for owtlawes yn þe woodde & vndre bancke lowtethe lotyethlowten & mowe eche man see & good marke take who ys behynd & who ys who before & who beene on horse for he þat he holdethe hym herdyer on hors þen he þat ys on foote for he seytheseeth seigh me a þat am samarytan sewe faythe & hys felowe on my caple þat hette caro off mankynd I tooke ytt he was vnhardye þat harlott & hydde hym in inferno : but Ac are thys day thre dayes I dare vndretake þat he worthe fettered þat fellone fast wyth cheynes & neuer efte greuve goome þat goethe by thys þis ilke gate & then shall faythe be forster here & yn þis frythe walke and kenne comune out comune men þat knowe not þe contrey wyche ys þe way þat I went & wherforthe to Ierusalem & hoope þe hostelers mane shalbeshal be / þer þe man lyethe to an heale helynge & all þat fyeble & faynte beene / þe þat faythe may not teyche hoope shall leyde theym forthe wyth louve / as hys letter tellethe & hostyle þem & heale themhele hym hele / & þen shall I retorne þorw holicherche bileue G.18.119: G's b-verse is taken from the following line (KD.17.122b). tyll y haue saluve for al syk & þen I shall shal I G.18.120: The G scribe has the correct word order (shall I rather than I shall) in his erroneous use of this b-verse in the previous line (G.18.119). re-torneG.18.120: A line extending from the box indicates the place where this material should be inserted. & come agayne by þis contrey & conforte all sycke that crauven ytt or couveyten ytt & cryen therafter for þe barne was borne yn bethelemG.18.123:The remainder of this line in the majority of manuscripts reads þat with his blode shal saue, material which does not appear in G until the following line. G's reading of the b-verse is shared, with some minor differences, with C C2 Y and B. The result of added material both here and later means that these manuscripts have three lines instead of two. on of a cleane meyde G.18.124: For G's a-verse (the b-verse of KD.17.125), see note to previous line (G.18.123).that shall wyth hys bloode sauve all þat lyuven yn faytheG.18.124: G's b-verse here is the a-verse of KD.17.126. G's reading of this line is shared with C C2 Y B. See note to G.18.123. & folowen þe teychyng off hoope that ys hys felowe his felawes techynge G.18.125: The G C C2 B reading expands on most manuscripts his felawes techynge in order to turn what was originally only a half line (the b-verse of KD.17.126) into a full line; the a-verse found in most manuscripts has already been used in G.18.124. See also note G.18.123. Y also shares the G C C2 B reading, except that Y has holpe for G C C2 B hoope. a swete syr seyde y I seyde tho where shall y byleuve and As faythe & hys felow enfouvrmethe me bothe In thre persones depertables departable / þat perpetuvell were euver & all thre but on god thuvs abraham me taght & hoope afterwarde bad he bad me to louve on god wyth all my good / & all my alle goomes after louve theym lyke my-seluve but ac our lorde abowe all after abraham quod he þat harauvde off armes sett faste thye faythe & fyrme byleuve & as hoope hyght þe I hoote þat þou louve thyne euvyncrysten euer-more euven forthe wyth thy-seluve & yff conscyence carpe cherysshym þere-aȝein / or kynd wytt other or herytykes wyth arguvmentes thyn hand þou hym showe for god ys after an hand y-here nowe & knowe ytt the fadre f was furst a fyst wyth on fynger foldyng tyll hym louved & lyst to vnlosen hys fynger & profer forthe it forth as wyth a pavme to what place yt sholde the pavme ys puverly þe hand & proferethe forthe þe fynger fyngres to mynysteer & to make þat myght off hand knowethe & betokenethe treuvly tell who-so lykethe the holy gost off heyuven he ys as þe pavme the fyngers þat fre beene to folde & to seruve bytokenethe sothely þe sonne þat sent was to þe til yerthe þat towched & tasted all þe at teychyng off þe pavmbe seynt mary a meyde & mankynd kaght lauȝte qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto natus et cetera et cetera // the fadre ys then as a fyst wyth fyngre to touvche quia omnia traham ad meipsum et cetera// all þat þe pavme perceyuvethe profytable to feele thuvs are they all but on as ytt an hand were & thre sondrye syghtes yn on shewyng the pavme for he puttethe forthe fyngers & þe fyst bothe ryght so redylye reason me it shewethe how he þat ys holy gost syre & sonne prouvethe & as þe hand holdeth hard & all thyng fast thrugh four fyngers & a thombe forthe wyth the pavme ryght so þe father & þe sonne & seynt spyryte þe thyrde holdethe all þe wyde worlde wythe-ynne þem thre bothe þe Bothe welkyn & þe wynd water & yerthe heyuven & hell & all þat þerynne ys thys Þus G.18.166: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. ytt nedethe no man trow non other that thre thynges beylongen In our lorde off heyuven and ere sereplessere[l]e[p]esG.18.168: The G scribe's erroneous spelling sereples is shared by Hm C C2 Y B (Hm by correction). Cr23 have Serples. Only L and M have the correct spelling. by theym-seluve sondreye asondry were they neuer no more þen myne hand may move wyth-ovte my fyngers and as my fyst ys full hand folden yfolde to-gedders so ys þe fadre a full god fouvrmore & shaper tu fabricator omnium & cetera// all þe myght wyth myd hym ys yn makyng off all thynges the fyngers fouvrmen a full hand to pouvrtrey or paynte keruvyng & compassyng as crafte off þe fyngers ryght so ys þe sonne þe scyence off the fadre & full god as ys þe fadre no febelre ne no better the pavme ys purelyche þe hand hathe power by hym-seluve otherwyse þen þe whrythen fyst or workmanshyppe off fyngers for þe pavme hathe power to putt ovte all þe Ioyntes & to vnfoslden þe folden fyst as atte þe fyngers wyll so ys þe holy gost god nether greater ne lasse then ys þe syre & þe sonne & yn þe same myght & all they are ar þei but on god as as is myne hand & my fyngers vnfolden or folden my fyst & my pavme all ys but on hand euvene In the ~~myddest~~ myddesG.18.186: The b-verse of KD.17.186 and the a-verse of KD.17.187 ("how-so I torne it Ac who is herte in þe hande") are omitted by G W Hm C C2 Y B (as a result of eyeskip on hand). This omission was originally also present in M but has been corrected. KD.17.188 ("He may receyue riȝt nouȝte · resoun it sheweth") is omitted by G C C2 Y B. for þe fyngers þat folde sholde & the fyst make for payne off the pavme power them faylethe to cluvche or to clawe to clyppe or to holde were þe myddell off myn hande ymaymed or perysshydde y shold receyuve ryght noght off þat I G.18.191: A virgule has been added to separate I from reyche. reyche myght but Ac thogh my thombe & my fyngers bothe were to-shuvllene & þe mydle off myne hand wythe-oute male-easse In many kynnes maner maneres I myght my-seluve helpe bothe moeue & amend / thogh all my fyngars oke by thys skyll me thynkethe y see an euvydence that wo-so synnethe yn / sente spyryte / assoyled worthe he neuere nether here ne elles-where as y herd tell qui peccat in spiritu sancto et cetera// for he pryckethe god yn as in G.18.200: C originally read as in, as most manuscripts. However, as has been cancelled, bringing C's reading into line with that of G C2 F. The line in C is, however, so different from that of other B manuscripts, including G, that it seems unlikely that this change indicates a relationship. þe pavme þat peccat in spiritu sancto:// for god þe fadre ys as þe a fyste þe sonne as is as a fynger the holye goste off heyuven ys / as ytt were þe pauvme & So wo who-so synneth yn seynt spyryte ytt semethe þat he greuvethe god þat he grypethe wyth and wold hys grace quvenche and to a torche or a taper þe trynyte he is lykened as waxe & a weyke were twyned to-geddres & then a fyre flamyng forthe oute off bothe and as waxe & weyke & wooteG.18.208: G's spelling of "hot" here (i.e. woote) results from the extension (from the fifteenth century onwards) of wh- spellings to words with initial h- followed by an o sound, a spelling retained in words such as whole. See note to G.14.426, and OED under wh. For the use of <w> for wh, see Dobson, English Pronunciation, section 414 (Dobson sees it as a dialect development), and note also G's use of <wo> for "who" at, e.g., G.2.146. fyre to-geddres fostreenG.18.209:The deletion of the original e of fostren is not intentional; the original <e> has been blotted and the addition has been made to clarify the reading. forthe a flauvmbe and a fayre lyght leye so done þe syre & þe sonne & also spiritus sanctus: fostren forthe ~~as leele~~ amonges folke louve & leele byleuve bileue that alkynnes crysten clenseth off synnes & as þou seest some-tyme sodenlyche a torche the blasse þeroff blowen yblowe owte yet brynnethe þe weyke wyth-oute leye or lyght that þe smacche macche swelethe brenneth so ys þe holy gost god and grace wyth-oute mercye to all vnkynd creatuvres þat couveten to dystroye leele louve other lyffe þat our lord gave shapte & as a glowyng gleede ne gladen gladieth nouȝte þes workmen that worchen & walken waken In wynters nyghtes as doethe a kex or a candell þat cauvghtG.18.221: The alteration of to <v> in "caught" is in a different colour ink from the usual hand1.1 corrections, but the form is exactly the same. hathe fyre & blasethe no more dothe syre ne sonne ne seynt spyryte to-geddres grauvnt no grace ne forgyvenes off synnes tyll þe holy gost gynne to glowe & to blasse so þat þe holy gost glowede gloweth but as a glede tyll þat leele louve lygge on hym & blowe & then flamethe he as fyre on pater fader & on filius & meltethe theyr myght to in-to mercy as men may see yn wynter yse-ykeles yn euveysynges thrugh heate off þe sonne meltethe yn a mynuvte whyle to myste & to water so grace off þe holye goste / þe greate myght off þe trynyte meltethe to mercye to marcyable & to non other and as waxe wyth-oute more / on a warme gleede wyll brenne & blasse be they to-geddres & solacen þem þat may se þat sytten yn derknes so wyll þe fadre forgyve / folke off mylde hertes þat rufullyche repenten & resytutyon make In as moche as þei mowen / amenden & payen for And yff ytt suffyce noght for a seght assetz / þat yn suoyche wyll dyethe mercy for hys mekenes wyll make good þe remnant & as þe weyke & fyre wyll make a warme flammbe for to myrthe men wyth þat yn marke sytten so wyll cryste off hys couvrtysye yff and men crye hym mercye bothe forgyuve / & forgett / & yett byd for vs to þe fadre off heyuven forgyvenes to haue but Ac hewe fyre att a flynt fouvre hondrethe wynters wyntre but þou haue towe to take ytt wyth / tyndre or broches all þi labouvr ys lost & all þi long trauvayle for may no fyre flauvmbe make / fayle yt hys kynd so ys þe holy gost god / & grace wyth-owte mercye to all vnkynd creatures / cryste hym-seluve wyttnessythe amen dico vobis / G.18.251: This may be a deleted letter rather than a virgule. nescio vos & cetera // be vnkynd to y thyne euven-crystyen & all þat þou canst bydde deylen or do pennance day & nyght euver & puvrchace all þe perdone off pampylyon & rome and Indulgences y-nowe / & be ingratus to thy kynde the holy gost herethe the noght / ne helpe may þe by reason for vnkyndnes quvenchethe hym / þat he ne cane can nouȝte shyne ne brenne ne blasse clere / for blowyng off vnkyndnes paule þe apostle prouvethe where y lye si linguis hominum loquar & cetera forthy beethe warre ye wyse men þat wyth þe worlde dealen þat ryche beene & reason knowen / reuvlethe well your soule beethe noght vnkynd I couvnseale you to your euvencrystyen for many off you ryche men / by my souvle men tellen ye brenne but ye blase noght / that ys a blynd beyken non omnis qui dicit domine domine & cetera// diues dyed dampned for hys vnkyndnes off hys meyte & off hys money to men þat ytt neded eche Vch a ryche I redde rede G.18.270: The G form redde (for remaining manuscripts rede) does not necessarily imply a substantive variant. The G scribe was clearly aware of the possibility of using single and double consonants to indicate preceding long and short vowels, but his own practice in this respect was by no means consistent (see Introduction III.2). / rewarde att hym take & gyuvethe your good to þat god / þat grace off arysethe for þei þat beene vnkynd to hys / hoope I non other but þei shall þei dwell þer diues ys dayes wyth-owten ende thus ys vnkyndnes þe conrtrarye / þat quvenchethe as .ytt were the grace off þe holye gost goddes owne kynde for þat kynd doethe vnkynd fordoethe / as thes cuvrsed theuves vnkynd crysten men for couvetyse ~~off~~&G.18.277: G's original reading off is also found in C2. G's corrected reading & is that of the rest of the B manuscripts. enuvye sleyethe a man for hys moebles / wyth mouvthe & or wyth handes for þat þe holy gost hathe to kepe / the þo harlottes destroyen the wyche ys lyffe & louve / þe lyght leye off mannes bodye for euery maner good man / may be lykened to a torche or elles to a taper / to reuverence þe trynyte & wo-so morderethe a good man / me thynkethe by my wytte Inwyt he fordoethe þe leuvest lyght / þat our lorde louvethe for Ac yet yn many mo maners men offend þe holy goste but Ac þis ys þe worst wayes wyse þat any wyght myght synnen ageyne seynt spyryte / assenten to destroye for couvetyse off any thyng off þyng / that cryste dere boghtG.18.288: G W Hm C C2 Y B omit a line at this point ("How myȝte he axe mercy · or any mercy hym helpe"). that wyllfullyche wykkedlich & wyckedlyche willefullich / wold mercy anyentyce Innocence ys next god / and nyght & day ytt cryethe Wengeance Wengeance / forgyve be ytt neuver that shent vs & shedde our bloode forshapte vs as ytt were G.18.293: The first stroke of the <v> of vindica has been written in grey-black ink and then cancelled and rewritten in red. vindica sanguinem Iustorum & cetera iustorum /// thuvs wengeance wengeance verray charyte askethe & sythe holy cherche & charyte / chargethe thys so sore leuve y neuer þat our lorde wyll louve / þat charyte ~~askethe~~ lakkethe ne haue pyte for any preyer / there þat he pleynethe I pose I had synned so / & shold ~~not~~ dye & now am sory þat y so / þe seynt spyryte agylte confesse me & crye hys grace / god þat all made & mydldelyche hys mercye aske / myght y not be sauved thus Ȝus sayde þe samarytan so well / þou myght repente that ryghtyouvsnes thrughe repentance to reuvthe myght torne but but ȝetAc ytt ys but seldome seene / þer sothenes beyrethe wyttenes any creature þat ys cuvlpable afore a kynges Iuvstece be rauvnsomed for hys repentance / þer all reason hym dampnethe for þer þat partye puvrsuvethe þe poeple ys so huvge that þe kyng may do no mercy to til bothe men acorde & ether haue equvyte as holy wrytte tellethe nunquam dimittitur peccatum et cetera / / thuvs ytt farethe by suoche folke / þat falsly all þeir lyuves yuvell lyuven & leete noght tyll lyfe theym forsake goode hoope & þat G.18.313: The scribe clearly noticed the omission of þat when he was in the process of transcribing the rubricated material at G.18.317, and he has corrected in red ink. helpe sholde / to whanhoope touvrnethe noght off þe non-power off god / þat he ne ys myghtfull to amend all þat amys ys / and hys mercy greater then all our wycked werkes / as holy wrytte tellethe misericordia eius super omnia opera eius & cetera / / but Ac er þis his ryghtfulnes to reuvthe torne some restytuvtyon behouvethe hys sorowe ys satysfacyton for hym þat may noght pay thre thynges there beene / þat done a man by strenght fleen Forto fleen hys owne houvse / as holye wrytte shewethe that on ys a wycked wyffe þat wyll not be chastysed hyr feere flyethe from hyr / for fere off hyr tong & yff hys houvse be vnhylled & reyne on hyrsG.18.324: The original alteration (replacement of long <r> of hyr by supralinear sigma <s>) is in the main scribe's usual grey ink. However, the crossed-out <r> has later been erased and replaced with an inline sigma <s> in brown ink which partly encroaches on the supralinear <s>. bedde he sekethe all abovte tyll he lyggeliggith slepe drye & when smoke or smodre smolder / smytethe yn hys syght ytt doethe hym wors þen hys wyffe / or wete to slepe for smoke & smoldre smytethe smyteth in G.18.328: M originally shared the G L C reading smytethe, but supralinear in has been added after the verb, bringing M's reading into line with that of remaining B manuscripts. hys eyne tyll he be bleyre-eyed or blynd / & hoos G.18.329: Kane and Donaldson too read G hoos but there is a mark above this word, possibly a later addition, which may be intended as an abbreviation for -er-. While β4 manuscripts read hoos; other manuscripts read hors. yn þe throte he coghetheThan Coughethe heþan kenely he Cougheth & cursethe / þat cryst gyue hym sorowe þat shold bryng yn better wode / or blowe blowe it tyll ytt brent thes thre þat y tell off beene þis þus G.18.332: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. to vndrestande the wyffe ys our wyked flesshe / þat wyll not be chastysed for kynd cleuvethe on hym euer / to contrarye þe souvle & thogh ytt fall ytt fyndethe skylles / þat freylte ys it made & þat ys lyghtlyche forgyuven & forgeten bothe to a To man þat mercy askethe / and amend thynkethe the reyne þat reynethe þer we rest sholde been sycknes & sorowes þat we sufferen offte as paule þe apostell to þe poeple taght virtus in infirmitate perficitur et cetera // & thogh þat men make moche dole yn theyre angre and ympacyentz inpacient yn þer pennance pure reason knowethe that they haue cauvse to þe to contrarye by kynd off þer syknes & lyghtlyche our lorde att our her lyuves ende hathe mercy on suoyche men þat so yuvell may suffer but Ac þe smoke & þe smoldre þat smyte yn oure eyne ys couvetyse & vnkyndnes þat quvenchethe goddes mercy for vnkyndnes ys þe contrarye / off alkynnes reason for þer y nys sycke ne sory ne non so moche wreche þat he ne may louve & hym lyke / and lenve lene off hys herte good wyll & good worde bothe wysshen & wyllen all maner men mercy & forgyvenes and louvethe louye them lyke hym-seluve / & hys lyve amend I may no lenger lett quod he & harde prycked & went a-way as þe as wynd & therwyth I waked awaked explicit tercius passus de doobetter G.18.356: There is a small <e> in the right hand margin. There appears to be no codicological reason for this, but note the small <c> in the same position at the beginning of G14 (f.55r).

Wollward and whettshode went y forthe after & as a reccheles renvkere[n]ke renke / þat off no wo recchedroughte reccheth & yede forthe lyke a lorell all my lyfe tyme tyll y were wex wery off þe worlde / and wylned efte to slepe & leyned me to to a lenten & long tyme y slepte & off crystes passyon & pennance þe poeple þer þat off taght rest me þer and ruvtt fast tyll ramis palmarum off gerles & off gloria laus greatly me dreymed and how ozanna by orgonye old ~~song~~folkeG.19.9: An attempt has been made to alter the word song instead of crossing it out, but this has been abandoned. songen on sembleable to þe samarytan / & somedeale pyers to Piers plowman barefoote on an asse backe booteles gan prycke wyth-oute spuvrres other speyre / spakelyche he loked as ys þe kynd off a knyght þat comethe to be dowbbed to gett hym gylt spurres / and galoches y-coweped then was feythe a in in a fenystre / & cryed cryde a fili dauid as doethe an harauvde off armes / when auvnterers aunturos comethe to Iuvstes old Iewes off / Ierusalem /G.19.17: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. for Ioy they songe benedictus qui venit in nomine domini & cetera // þen I frayned att faythe / what all þat fare ment be-mente & who sholde Iuvst In Ierusalem Iesus he sayde & fecche þat þe fende cleymethe / pyers fruvyte þe plowman ys pyers In thys place quod I . and he preynte on me thys Iesu In of hys gentryes / wole Iuvst In pyers armes In hys helme & & in hys habergynne /humana natura that cryste be noght y-knowe here for consumatus est In pyers paltock þe plowman þis prycker shall ryde for no dynt shall hym dere as yn deitate patris wo shall Iuvst wyth Iesus Iewes quod I iuwes or scrybes nay quod he þe fouvle feende / & also fals doome & deathe deethe seethe seith he shall fordoo / & downe adown bryng argumentt all þat lyuvethe or lokethe yn land or yn watre off lyf & lyfe sayethe þat he lyethe & leyethe hys lyffe to wedde dethe that for all þat dethe can doo wythynne thredayesthre dayes / / to walke & to and fecche fro þe fende pyers fruvyte þe plowman to And legge hym it þer hym lykethe / & lucyfer bynd & for to beyte & downe bryng bale & bale deathe for euer o mors ero mors tua & cetera // then came pilatus wyth poeple sedens pro tribunali // to se how doghtely dethe shuld doo / & deme þer brothers botheres ryght the Iewes & the Iuvstece ageynst Iesu were þei were & all þe couvrte on hym cryed crucyfige sharpe tho put hym forthe a pylouvr pylate bifor pilat & sayede thys Iesus off oure Iewes temple Iaped & despysed to fordoone ytt yn on on day & yn thre dayes after edyfye ytt efte newe / here he standethe þat seyde ytt & yet maken maken it as moche / yn all maner off manere poyntes bothe as long & as large / by lofte & by grouvnde crucifige quod a cacche-polle / I warrant hym a wycche tolle tolle quod an-other / and tooke / of kene thornes & byganne off kene thorne / a garland to make & sett ytt sore on hys heyde / and seyde yn enuvye ave raby / quod þat rybauvde & threwe reedes att hym nayled hym wyth thre nayles / naked on the roode and poyson on a polle þei putt vp to hys lyppes & bad hym drynke hys deathe yuvell / hys dayes were dooneG.19.55: The line is too long and doone appears underneath were, boxed in grey to distinguish it from G.19.56. & yff þat þou subtyle be / help now þi-seluven / yff þou be cryst & kynges sonne / come downe off þe roode then shall we leuve þat lyffe þe louvethe / & wole not lett toþe dye consummatum est quod cryste & comsed for to swowne pytyouvslyche & pale as a prysoner prisoun þat dyethe þe lorde off lyffe & off lyght / þer þo leyde hys eyne to-geddres þe day for drede wythdrewe / & darke bycame þe sonne þe wall wagged & clauve & all þe worlde quvauved deade men for þat dymme dyne / came owte off of depe grauves & told why þat tempest so long tyme duvred for a bytter battayle þe deade bodye seyed lyve & dethe yn thys derknes on her one fordooethe a-noþer her other shall no wyght wytt wytterly who shall haue þe mastrye er sonday abowte sonne rysyng / and sanke wyth that toyllG.19.69: Cr C2 share G's original reading to. G's corrected reading tyll corresponds to that of most B manuscripts. yerthe some sayde þat he was goddes sonne þat so fayre dyed vere filius dei erat iste & cetera & some sayde he was a wycche / good ys þat we assey where he be deyd or noght deyde downe or he be take two theuves also tholyed deathe that tyme vpon a cros bysyde cryste / so was þe commuvne lawe a cacche-polle cam forthe & cracked bothe theyre legges & þer armes after off ether off tho theuves but Ac was no body boy so bold goddes body to toche for he was knyght & kynges sonne / kynd forgave þat tyme that non herlott were so hardye to ley hand vpon hym but Ac there came forthe a knyght wyth a kene speare y-grouvnde hyght longeus as þe letter tellethe / & long had loore hys syght before pylate & other poeple yn þe place he houved maugre hys his many teethe he was made þat tyme to take þe speyre In hys hand & Iuvsten wyth Iesu ihesus for all þei weren vnhardy / þat houved on hors & stoode to touvchen hym or tasten hym / or take hym downe off roode but þis blynd bacheler then / bare hym thruvgh þe herte the bloode sprange downe by þe speyre / & vnsperred hys eyne then fell þe knyght vp-on knees / & cryed hym mercye ageyne my wyll ytt was lorde / to wouvnd you so sore he seghed & seyde / sore ytt me athynkethe for þe dede þat I haue doone I do me yn your grace haue on me reuvthe ryghtfull Iesus ihesu / & ryght wyth þat he wepte then gan feyetheG.19.95: The deletion affecting feyethe is a little careless and it is difficult to be certain exactly which letters are supposed to have been crossed out. felly /& felly the falsce Iewes despyce called þem caytyffes y-cuvrsed acursed for euere for þis fouvle wyllany wengeance to you fall to do þe blynd beate hym y-bouvnde ytt was a boyes couvnseale cuvrsed cayteffe knyghthoode was ytt neuver to myssdoo a deade bodye by day or by nyght the gree yet hathe he goten / for all hys greate wouvndeG.19.101: The reading here is clear in spite of the damage to the manuscript. Note that the spilled ink appears to be the same colour as that used for the various spelling changes. for your champyon chyuvalouvr cheffe knyght off you all H yelt hym recreant rynnyng ryght as at Iesus wylle for be thys derknes I-doo hys deathe worthe auvenged and þe ȝe G.19.105: Kane and Donaldson apparently interpret G's reading as ye rather than þe but superscript <e> is normally only used after a thorn. See note to G.3.118. luvrdeanes haue y-lost / for lyffe shall haue þe mastrye & your francheys þat free was / fallen ys yn thraldome & ye chevrlesG.19.107: C Y B read clerkes for Bx cherles but G's original reading appears to have been cheles. The corrector appears to have added a very small <e> to replace that deleted by the addition of <r> before replacing this in turn with a <v>. & your chydrenechy[l]drene children cheuve shall ye neuver ne haue lordshyppe yn land ne no land tylye but all barreyne be & vsurye to vsen vsen wych ys lyfe þat our lorde yn all lawes acovrsethe now your goode dayes are done / as danyell prophesyed when cryste came þier kyngdome / & crowne sholde ceasse cum veniat sanctus sanctorum cessabit vnccio vestra :// what for feere off thys ferlye / and off þe falsce Iewes I drewe me yn that derknes to discendit ad inferna & þer I saghe sothely secundum scripturas :// oute off þe west coste / a wenche as me thoght come walkyng by in the way / to hellward she loked mercy hyght þat meyde / a meke thyng wyth-all a full benyng buyrde / and buxome off speche hyr suster as ytt semed came softlye walkyng euven owte off þe est / and westwardeG.19.123: The <s>, <t> and part of the second <w> of westwarde have been re-outlined in darker ink. she loked a full comely creature / treuvthe she hyght for þe wertue þat hyr folowed / afered was she neuer when þes meydens mett mercy & trewthe eyther asked other off thys greate wondre off þe dynne & þe derknes & how þe day rowed & wyche a lyght & a leyme / leye lay G.19.128: The form lee is not recorded as a preterite of "lie" by either the OED or the MED but it is difficult to imagine what else the corrector intended. before hell I haue farlye off þis fare y faythe sayed trewthe & am wendyng to wytt whatt þis wondre meanethe haue no mervayle quod mercy / myrthe ytt betokenethe a meyde mayden þat hett marye / and modre wyth-oute felyng off any kynnes creature / conceyuved thrugh speche & grace off þe holy gost wexedG.19.134: All other manuscripts share G's original strong preterite wexe. greate wyth chylde wythoute wemme yn in-to thys worlde she broght hym & þat my tale be trewe / I take god to wyttnes sythe þis barne was borne / been xxxti"thritti wynters wynter passed wyche dyed & deathe tholed / þis day abovte mydday and þat ys cauvse off thys clypse / þat closethe now þe sonne In meanyng þat man shall / froo merkenes be drawe the whyle thys lyght & þis leame shall lucyfer ablynd for patryarkes & prophetes haue preyched þer her off often that man shall man sauve / thrugh a meydens helpe and þat was tynt thrugh tree / tree shall ytt wynne & þat dethe downe broght deathe shall releuve þat þou tellest quod trewthe / ys but a tale off waltrotte for adam and euve & abrahame & with other patryarkes & prophetes þat yn payne lyggen leeuve þou neuer þat yonnder ȝone G.19.149: Note the alteration of "yonde" to "yonder" at G.19.193. lyght / a-lofte shall bryng ne haue þem ovte off hell holde þi tong mercye ytt ys a is but a G.19.151: For G ys a, most manuscripts is but a, Kane and Donaldson adopt the reading is (found in the majority of C manuscripts). tryfull þat þou tellest / I troghet wootteG.19.151: A brown ink descender has been added, crossing the line joining the <t> and the <e> of original woote and thus forming a second <t>. þe sothe for þat ys onesce yn hell owte comethe ytt neuvere Iob þe prophete patryarke reprouvethe thy sawes quia in inferno nulla est redemcio:// then mercy full myldlye mouvthed thes wordes thrughe experyence quod she / I hoope þei shalbeshal be sauved for wenyome fordoethe wenyome & þat I prouve by reason For off all venyomes fouvlest ys þe scorpyon may no medecyne helpe þe place there he styngethe tyll be he be deyde & done therto / þe yuvell he destroyethe the furste wenomythe venymouste thrughe wenyome off hymseluve so shall þis dethe fordoo I dare my lyffe lygge legge all þat dethe dyd furste thrughe þe deuveles entysyng and ryght as thrughe gyle / man was begyled so shall grace þat byganne make a good end sleighte ars vt artem falleret & cetera falleret // nowe suffer me we sayde trewthe / I se as me thynkethe owte off þe nyppe off þe northeG.19.168: There may possibly be a virgule after northe, obscured by the red ink stain. not farre from ful fer hence ryghtyouvsnes come revnnyng / rest we þe wyle for he woote more þen we / he was er we bothe that ys sothe quod seyde mercy & y se here by souvthe where peasse comethe pleyng / yn pacyenche y-clothed G.19.173: A line of verse, possibly in blacker ink than the main body of the text, has been written and erased at the top of the page i.e. outside the normal writing space. louve hathe couveytyd hyr long / leuve I noon other but he sent hyr some lettre / what þis lyght bymeanethe that ouvere-houvethe hell thuvs / she shall vs vs shal tell when peasse yn pacyence clothed approochethdeG.19.176: The alteration from "approacheth" to "approached," which appears to have been made by hand1.1, brings G's reading into line with that of Bx. negh þem tweyne ryghtyouvsnes hyr reuverensed for hyr ryche clothyng and preyed peasse to tell hyr / to p what place sheG.19.178: R and F share G's original reading he. G's corrected reading she corresponds to that of the remaining B manuscripts. For G's treatment of the feminine pronoun, see Introduction III.1.3. wolde and yn hyre gay garmentes / whom she grete thoght my wyll ys to wend quod she & welcome þem all þat many a many day myght y noght see / for merkenes off synne adam & euve & other mo yn hell moses & many mo mercye shall hauve I shall dauvnce therto / do do þow so susterG.19.184: G and C2 omit a line at this point ("For ihesus iusted wel · ioye bygynneth dawe"). ad vesperum demorabitur fletus & ad matutinum leticia// louve þat ys my lemman suoyche lettres me sent that mercy my suyster & I mankynd sholde sauve & þat god hathe forgyuven & graunted me peasce & mercy to be mannes meynpernouvr / for euer-more after lo here þe patent quod peasce In pace in idipsum and þat þes þis dedes dede shall dure dormiam et requiescam what rauvestowe quod repentance riȝtwisnesse or þou arte halfe riȝt dronke leuvestowe Leuestow þat yonder ȝonde G.19.193: Note the similar, isolative alteration to "yonder" at G.19.149. lyght vnloucke myght hell and sauve mannes souvle / suyster wene ytt neuver att þe gynnyng bygynnynge god gave þe dome hym-seluve þat adam & euve & all þat þem suvede sholde dye downe-ryght / & dwell yn pyne after yff If þat þei touvched a tree / & þe fruvyte eyte adam afterwarde agenste hys defence freyte off þat fruvyte & forsooke as ytt were the louve off your owre lorde / & hys loore bothe & folowed þat þe fende tauvght / & hys felowes wyll agenst reason & ryghtwyssnesce recorde þis þus G.19.203: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. wyth trewthe þat þer payne be perpetuall / & no preaer þem helpe forthye lett þem chewe as þei chase / & chyde we nat sustre for ytt ys bootles bale / þe bytt that þei eyten & I shall prouve quod peasce / þeir payne movste hauve end & wo yn-to weale may wende att þe last for had þei wyst off no wo well had þei not knowen for no wyght wootteG.19.210: For the correction to wootte, see note to G.19.151, and compare woote without alteration at G.19.221. what weale ys / þat neuer wo suffered ne what ys wootteG.19.211: For the correction to wootte, see note to previous line.G.19.211: For the spelling of what appears in other manuscripts as hoot/hot(e (= "hot" or "is called") with initial <w>, see note to G.18.208. In this particular instance, there may also be some influence from the verb in the previous line. G's spelling may have influenced that found in Cr (i.e. whote); see Introduction II.2.1.2. hongre þat neuver had had neuere defauvte yff no nyght ne were no man as I ~~wene~~ leeuve sholde wytt wytterly / what day ys to meane shold neuer ryght ryche man þat lyuvethe In rest & ease wytte where what wo ys / ne were þe deathe off kynd so god þat bygan all off hys good wylle bycame man off a meyde / mankynd to sauve & suffered to be solde / to se þe rsorowG.19.218: The initial letter of sorrow was originally a 2-shaped <r>. off dyenge the wyche vnknyttethe all care / and comsyng ys off rest for tyll modicum / mett wyth vs I may ytt well awowe woote no wyght as I wene what ys y-noghe to name mene forthy god off hys goodnes þe furste goome adam sett hym yn solace & yn souereygne muvrthe & sythe he suffered hym synne / sorowes sorwe to fele & To wytt what weyle was / & kyndlyche kyndelich knowe to knowe ytt & after god grauvnted hym-seluve & tooke adams kynd to wytt what he hathe suffe.red / yn þe þre sondrye places bothe yn heyuven & yn yerthe / & now tyll hell he thynkethe to wytte what all woo ys / þat woote what of all Ioy ys ioye so ytt shall fare by þis folke / theyre folye & theyre synne shall leeren þem what languvore ys / and blysse lisse wythowten end whatt Wote G.19.232: Given G's spelling practice and dialect, the G reading whatt (for remaining manuscripts Wote) may not actually be a substantive variant. For "woot" with medial <a> see G.12.404, and for the use of <wh> for <w>, see the forms of "wash" at G.14.32 and G.15.20. no wyght what warre ys þer þat peasce reygnethe ne what ys wytterly weale / tyll wellaway hym teyche then was þer a wyght wyth two broode eyne booke hyght þat beauvpere / a bolde man off speche by goddes body quod þis booke I wyll beyre wyttnesce that þo þis barne was borne ybore / there blased a sterre that all þe wyse off þis worlde / yn oone wytt acorden that suoyche a barne was borne / yn beythelem cete that mannesG.19.240: The <s> of mannes is in browner ink. It seems possible that the corrector erased original <s> with the intention of replacing it with <ce> but that he realised his error and reinstated it. Compare pryncece (for "princes") at G.19.270. soule shold sauve / & synne destroye & all þe elementes quod þe booke hereoff beyren wyttnesce tha.t he was god þat all wroght / þe welkene furste shewed tho þat were yn heyuven / tooken stella cometacom[a]ta comata and tenteden hyr as a torche / to reuverence hyr his buvrthe the lyght folowed þe lorde yn-to þe lowe yerthe that þe ÞatThe water wyttnessythe þat he was god þat for he went on on it peter þe apostell perceyuved hys gate & as he went on þe water well knewe he hym hym knewe & seyde Iube me venire ad te super aquas:// and lo howe þe lyght sonne gan louvke / þe her lyght yn hym her -seluve when he seyghe hym suffer / þat sonne & see made the yerthe for heyuvynes þat he wold suffer quvaked as quvycke thyng / & all byquvassethe biquasht þe roche lo hell myght not hold but opened þer þo god tholed and lete owte symondes sonnes / to seene hym hang on roode & now shall lucyfer leyuve ~~leaue~~ ytt / thogh hynhy[m] hym lothe thynke for gygas þe gyauvnte wythe a gynne engyned to breake & to beate downe a-doun that beene ageynst Iesus and I booke wylbewyl be brent but Iesus ryse to lyuve In all myghtes off man / and hys modre gladye and conforte all hys kynne & owte off care bryng and all þe Iewes Ioy vnloken vnioignen and vnbynden vnlouken and but þe þei G.19.263: For the G scribe's use of the weak form of the pronoun ("the") for remaining manuscripts "they," see note to G.6.150. reuerence hys roode & hys resurextyon and leuven on a new lawe beene lost lyffe & souvle G.19.265: This line is only present in β4 manuscripts. all þis I boke wyttnesce & yett moche more sufferre we sayed trewthe / I here & se bothe how a spyryte speykethe to hell / & byd vnsparre þe gates attollite portas principes vestras portas et ceteraG.19.268: A number of C manuscripts share the G Hm reading portas principes vestras (most B manuscripts just read portas), but once again, as with the correspondence at G.12.124, these shared readings may simply result from shared recollection of biblical material (in this case, Psalm 23:9). // a woyce lowde yn þat lyght to lucyfer cryed cryeth pryncesce Prynces G.19.270: The spelling change from prynces to pryncece is probably an error on the part of hand1.1, since plurals in <s> are not normally altered to <ce>. See the apparent correction of a similar alteration at G.19.240. off þis place vnpynnethe & vnlockethe for he here comethe wyth crowne þat kyng ys off glorye then syked sathan & seyde to theym all suoche a lyght ageynst our leyuve lazare yt fett care & combrance ys come to vs all yff thys kyng come ynne mankynd wyll he fecche & leyde ytt þer hym lykethe / & lyghtlyche vs me bynde patryarkes & prophetes haue parled þer her off long þat suoyche a lorde & a lyght sholde leyde þem all hence lystynethe quod lucyfer for I þis lorde knowe bothe þis lorde & þis lyght / ys longe a-goo I knewe hym may no dethe hym deere ne no deuvelles quveyntyance queyntise & where he wyll ys hys way but ac warre hym off the perelles yff he reyuve me my ryght / he robbethe me wyth by mastrye by For by ryght & by reason / tho renvkesre[n]kes renkes þat been here bodye & souvle been myne / bothe good & yllG.19.285: β4 manuscripts omit a line at this point ("For hym-self seyde þat sire is of heuene"). yff adam eyte þe apple all shold dye and dwell wyth vs deuvelles / thys thereytyng he made and he þat sothenes ys / sayed thes wordes and sythen ys Iy was ysayde seised / seyuven hondrethe wynters wyntre I leeuve þat þat þat lawe wole nil nat / letten hym þe leaste þat ys sothe sayd sathan / but I me sore drede for þou gett þem wyth gyle / & hys garden brakest breke and yn semblant semblaunce off a serpent / sattest sat on þe apple tree and eggest eggedest þem to eyte / and euve Eue by hyr-seluve and toldest hyr a tale / off treason were þe wordes & so þou haddest þem owte & hyddre att atte last ytt ys not greathelye gotten / þer gyle ys þe rote For god wyll not be bygyled quod gobolyn ne by-Iaped we haue no trewe tytle to theym / thrugh for þorwgh t.reason were þei dampned certesce I drede me quod þis þe deuvell / lest truvgh wyll þem fecche G.19.301: This line is only present in Cr23 and β4 manuscripts. owte off our pouvste / & leyden þem hensceG.19.301: The ink colour suggests that the alteration from hens to hence was probably made by the original scribe. Forms of "hence" in -s were probably present in his examplar and occur occasionally in the early part of the text (thus hennes at G.4.110 and henns altered to hence by hand1.1 at G.7.285) but by this stage the spelling is regularly hence. According to the OED, forms in -s died out in the sixteenth century. thys thurty wynter as I wene / hathe he goone & preached I haue assayled hym wyth synne / & some-tyme asked yasked where he were god or goddes sonne / he gaue me short answere & thuvs hathe hath he trolled forthe þis xxxijtithritti-two wynters wyntre & when I seghe ytt was soo / slepyng I went to warne pylates wyffe / what doonmesdones done man was Ihesus for þe For Iewes hateden hym / & haue done hym to deathe I wold haue lengthed hys lyfe / for I leuved yff he dyed that hys soule wold suffer no synne yn hys syght for þe bodye wyle ytt on bones yede / aboute was euver to sauve men from synne yff þem-seluve wolde & nowe I se where a soule comethe hydderwarde seyllyng wyth glorye & wyth greate lyght / god ytt ys I woote well I red we fle quod he fast a-way alle hence for vs were better not be / then byden hys syght for thy leasynges lucyfer / lost ys all our preaye ~~fust~~ furste thrugh þe we fellen fro heyuven so heghe for þat For we leuved þi leasynges / yloore we hauve adam and all our lordshyppe I leuve /a lond & on watre nunc primcepspri[n]ceps princeps huius mundi eicietur foras : efte þe lyght bad vnloucke / & lucyfer answeyred what lorde art þou quod lucyfer quis est iste rex glorie / the lyght sone sayede & lord off myght & off mayne / & all maner wertues dominus virtutum & cetera virtutum // duvkes off þis dymme place / anon vndo þes gates þat cryste may come ynne / þe kynges sonne off heyuven & wyth þat breythe hell brake / wyth belyall barres for any wysse wye or warde / wyde open þe gates patryarkes & profetes / populus in tenebris songen seynt Iohans songe ecce agnus dei // lucyfer loke ne myght / so lyght hym ablente & tho þat our lord louved / yn-to hys lyght he laght & sayd to sathan / lo here my soule to amend amendes for all synfull souvles / to sauve tho þat be worthye myne þei been & off me I may þe better þem cleame all-thoghe reason recorde / & ryght off my-seluve that yff þei eyte þe apple all sholde dye I byhyght þem not here / hell for euver for þe dede þat þei dyd þi deceate ytt made wyth gyle þou þem gatteste gete / agenst all reason for yn my place paleys paradyse / In lyknesce persone off an naddre falsly þou fattest þer / thyng þat I louved thuvs lyke ylyke a lysard wyth a ladyes lady vysage theuvelyche þou me robbedest: þe old lawe grauntethe that gylouvrs be begyled / & þat ys good reason dentem pro dente et oculum pro occulo :// ergo soule shall soule quvyte & synne to synne wende & all þat man hathe myssdo / I man wyll amend membre for membre / by þe old law was amendes & lyffe for lyffe also / & by þat lawe I cleame ytt adam & all hys ysseuve att my wyll here-after & þat deathe yn theym fordyd / my deathe shall releeuve & bothe quvyk & quvyte / þat quveynte was thrugh synne and þat grace gyle destroye / good faythe ytt askethe so leeuve þou I G.19.357: In G, the letter now read as the initial thorn of þou must originally have been intended as a <y> (for "I," as most B manuscripts). G.19.357: M originally shared the majority reading I, but this has been crossed out and thow added above the line in a different ink, bringing M's reading into line with G's own corrected reading. not lucyfer ageynst þe lawe y facche theyme but by ryght & reason / ranvnsome my here my G.19.358: M originally shared the G C2 reading my, but here has been added above the line to give here my, as remaining B manuscripts. lyeges non veni soluere legem set amdimplereG.19.359: The change to "adimplere" results in an otiose minim before the .:// thowe fettest myne yn my place agenst aȝeines all reason falslyche & felonysslyche felounelich / good faythe me ytt taght to recouer þem thrughe ~~þem~~ / rauvnsome & by no reason ellesce so þat thrughe gyle þou gett / thrughe grace ys it is wonne þou lucyfer yn lyknes off a lyther nadder gettedest GetestGettistdestGete by gyle / tho that god louved and yn lyknes off a leede / þat lorde am In of heyuven gracyouvslyche thy gyle haue quvytte / go gyle ageyn gyle & as adam & all / thrugh a tre dyeden adam & all thrugh a tre / shall torne agayne to lyuve & gyle ys begyled & In hys gyle fallen et cecidit in foueam quam fecit et cetera fecit // now begynnethe thy gyle / ageyne / G.19.372: It is difficult to be sure of the reason for the two virgules on either side of ageyne. Possibly they were intended to indicate the necessity for a change in word order, but if so they have not been written in quite the right place (immediately following this, G has to the for remaining manuscripts þe to). to the þe to torne & my grace to growe growe ay / greater & wydder the bytternes þat þou brewe / brouvke ytt thy-seluve that art doctouvr off deathe / drynk þat þou madest for y þat am lord off lyffe / louve ys my drynke & for þat drynk to-day / I dyed vpon yerthe I fouvght so me thruvsted þrestes / for ȝet for mannes soule sake may no drynk me moyste / ne my thruvst slake tyll þe vendage falle / yn þe wale off Iosaphath that I drynk ryght rype muvste / resurreccio mortuorum then And þanne shall I come as a kyng crowned wyth angelles & haue owte off hell / all mennes soules fendes & fendkynnes / byfore me shall stand & beene att my byddynges biddynge where-so-euer me lykethe & to be mercyable to man / then my kynd ytt askethe for we beene brethren off bloode / but not yn baptysme all but Ac all þat beene my .hole brethren yn bloode & yn baptysme shall not be dampned to þe deathe / þat ys wythowten hend tibi soli peccaui et cetera// ytt ys not vsed yn yerthe to hongen a fellon ofter þen oonesceG.19.392: The alteration from oones to oonce has not been made very effectively, and the original is more clearly visible than is usually the case. / thogh he were a treytour and yff þe kyng off þat kyngdome come yn þat tyme there þe felon tholed thole sholde / dethe or other I.ouvnesse wyseIuwise G.19.394: According to the OED, the word "juise" (= "judicial punishment") was uncommon after the fifteenth century (the only instances recorded after that are in Cockeram's English Dictionary), and the scribe clearly does not know what to make of it. law wold he gauve ȝeue hym lyffe / yff he loked vpon on hym & y þat am kyng off kynges / shall come soche a tyme where doome to þe dethe dampnethe all wykked & yff lawe wole I loke on þem / ytt lyethe yn my grace wether þei dye or dye not / for þat þei dyden ayll be ytt any thyng þyng abouȝte þe boldnes off þer synnes I do mercy thrugh ryghtyouvsnes / & all my wordes trewe & thoghe woly wrytte wole I þat I be wroke / off þem þat dyd yll nullum malum impunitum & cetera // they shalbeshal be wasshen clensed clerelyche / & clensed wasshen off þer synnes In my pryson purgatory / tyll parcyeparce parce ytt hote & my mercy shalbeshal be showyd to many off my brethren for blood may suffer bloode bothe hongre hungry & colde akale but Ac blood may not se blood / blede but hym rewe audiui archana verba que non licent licet homini loqui & cetera loqui // but Ac my ryghtyouvsnes & ryght shall ruvle all hell and mercye all mankynd before me yn heyuven for I were an vnkynd kyng but I my kynd holpe & namelyche at suoche a nede / þer nedes helpe behouvethe non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo & cetera thys Þus G.19.415: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. by lawe quod our lorde / leyde I wyll hence fro hennes tho þat me louved & leuved yn my connmyngG.19.416: Y shares G's original reading connyng. G's corrected reading comyng corresponds to that of all remaining B manuscripts. & for þi leysyng lucyfer / þat þou leygh to til euve þou shalt abye ytt bytterly bittre / & bouvnd hym fast hym wyth chenes astarothe & all þi þe rouvte / hydden þem yn hernes þei dorste not loke on our lorde / þe boldest off þem all but lett hym leyde forthe what hym lyked & lete G.19.421:The last three words of this line appear below on the right hand side of the page, boxed in grey to distinguish them from G.19.422. what hym lyst many .c.ethe.hundrethe off angelles harpeden & songen culpat caro purgat caro regnat deus dei caro then pyped peasce / off a of poyse a note clarior est solito post maxima nebula phebusG.19.425: The emendation to phebus is in ordinary grey ink. post inimicitias clarior est et amor :G.19.426: The two rubricated lines are bracketed together in red on the right. after sharpe showres quod peasce clereclene moste shene ys þe sonne ys no weddre warmer / þen after watyrye clowdes ne no louve leuver / ne leuvere frendes then after warre & wo when louve & peasce be masters was neuer warre yn þis worlde ne wyckednes so kene that ne louve & hym lyst / to laghyng ne broght & peasce thrugh pacyence all perelles stopped trewesce quod trewght thow tellest vs sothe by Iesus clyppe we yn conuenauntcouenaunt couenaunt / & eche off vs kysse other & lett no poeple quod peasce perceyuve þat we chyde for ympossyble ys nothyng to hym þat ys almyghty þou seyest sothe quod ryghtyousnes / & reuerentlyche hyr kyste peasce & peasce there here per omnia per secula seculorum/ misericordia & veritas obuiauerunt sibi : Iusticia et pax osculate sunt & cetera// trewght tromped tho & song te deum laudamus & cetera laudamus // & then luted louve / In a lowde note ecce quam bonum et quam Iocundum et cetera // tyll þe day dawed þes damoseles dawnced þat men rong to þe resurreccyon / & ryght wyth þat I waked & called kytt my wyfe / & calott my doghter aryse & reuverence goddes resurreccyon & crepe to þe crosce on knees / & kysse ytt for a Iuvell for goddes blessed body / ytt bare for our boote & ytt afferethe þe fende / for suoche ys þe myght may no grysslye goste glyde þer ytt shadowethe extrailer: The deletion of ex- may have been necessary because the ink had run. explicit quartus passus de dobetter Thuvs I awaked and wroote what I had dereamed & dyght me deerly / & dyd me to cherche to here hooly þe masse / G.20.3: At this point β4 manuscripts omit the second half of KD.19.3 and the first half of KD.19.4 (i.e. "& to be houseled after In myddes of þe masse").tho men yede to offerryngG.20.3: β4 manuscripts omit the following line ("I fel eftsones a-slepe · & sodeynly me mette"). that pyers þe plowman / was peynted all bloody & came ynne wyth a cros / byfore þe commuvne poeple and ryght lyke yn all lymmes / to our lorde Iesu then called y conscyence / to kenne me þe sothe ys þis Iesus the Iuvster quod y / þat Iewes dyd to deathe or ys ytt it is pyers þe plowman / wo peynted hym so redde quod conscyence & kneled tho / thes are pyers armes hys colouvrs & hys cote armore / but ac he þat comethe so blodye ys cryst wyth hys cros / conquverouvr off crystene why call ye hym cryste quod I / sythe Iewes called hym Iesus patryarkes & prophetes profycyed byfore that alkynnes creatuvres / shold knelen & bowen anon as men nyuynvednyuy[n]ed nempned / þe name off god Iesu ergo there ys is no name / to þe name off Iesus ne noone so nedefull to neuenveneue[n]e nempne / by nyght ne by day for all derke deuvelles / ere dradde adradde to here ytt & synfull are solaced & sauved by þat name & ye callen hym cryste / for what cauvse tellethe me ys cryste more off myght / & more worthye name then Iesu or Iesus / þat all our Ioye came off thow knoest well quod conscyence / & þou knowest konne reason that knyght kyng conquverour / may be on persone to be called a knyght ys fayre / for men shall knele to hym to be called a kyng ys feyrer / for he may knyghtes make & to be conquverour called / þat comethe off speycyall graaceG.20.28: For the G scribe's treatment of superscript <a>, see note to G.3.157. & off herdynes off herte / & off hendenesse to make lordes & of lydyesl[a]dyes laddes off land that he wyonnethe wynneth & fre men foule thralles / that folowe hys nouȝt his lawes the Iewes þat were gentylmen / Iesu they dyspysed bothe hys loore & hys lawe / nowe are þei lowe cherles as wyde as þis þe worlde ys / wonnethe þer noon but vndre trybute & tallyage / as tykes & cherles & tho that bycome crystyene / by couvnseyle off þe baptysme are frankeleyns fre men / thrughe fully fullyng þat they tooke and gentylmen wyth Iesu for Iesus was y-fulled & vp-on caluverye on cros / crowned& korouned ycrouned kyng off Iewes ytt bycomethe to a kyng / to kepe & to defend & conquverouvrG.20.41: There is a blot over the <n> and the <q> of "conqueror." off conquvest / hys lawes & hys large & so dyd Iesus þe Iewes / he Iuvstyfyed & taght theym the lawe off lyfe þat last shall euver and fend ytt fended fro fouvle yuvelles / feuvers & flyxes & from feendes that yn theym were / and falsse byleuve tho was he Iesus off Iewes called gentyll prophete & kyng off theyre kyngdome / & crowne beyre off thornes & tho conquvered he on cros / as conquverouvr noble myght no deathe hym fordoo / ne adowne bryng that he ne rose naroos & regned / and rauvesshed hell & tho was he conquverouvr called / off quvycke & off deyde for he gauve adame & euve & other mo blysse that long had lyene byfore / at as lycyfers cherles & sythe he gauve largely / all hys leele lyeges places In paradysse / att theyr partyng hence he may be wel be called conquverouvr / & þat ys cryste to meane but Ac þe cauvse þat he comethe thuvs / wyth cros off passyon ys to wyssen vs ther-wyth / þat when þat we be tempted therwyth to fyght & fenden vs / fro fallyng yn-to synne & se by hys sorow þat wo louvethe Ioy to pennance & to pouerte he muvst putt hym-seluve & moche wo yn þis worlde / wyllen & sufferen but Ac to carpe more off cryste / & howe he cam to þat name feythfullyfeyfuly Faithly for to speyke / hys furste name was Iesus tho he was borne yn bethelem as the boke tellethe & came to make take mankynd kynges & angelles reuverenced hym fayre wyth ryches off yerthe angelles owte off heyuven came / knelyng & sange gloria in excelsis deo & cetera // kynges came after / kneled & offerred myrre w and moche golde / wythe-owte mercye askyng or any kynnes catell / but knoleched knowlechyng hym souvereygne bothe off sond sonne & see / & sythen þei went In-to theyr kyngdomes kyngene kyth G.20.74: Bx kyngene kyth gives rise to a large number of variants in addition to G kyngdomes: see Cr kingdome kyth, C kyngenelich, O kyngnelith, Y kyngenlith, C2 kyngelich, B kyngriche. / by couvnseyle off angelles & þer was þat word fulfylled / þe wyche þou off spake omnia celestia terrestria flectantur In hoc nomine Iesu : // G.20.76: The cross in the bottom right hand margin is in modern pencil. for all þe angeles off heuven / att hys byrthe kneled & all þe wytt off thys þe worlde was yn tho thre kynges reason & ryghttyouvsnes / and G.20.79: The mark which follows and could be either a deleted letter or an ink blot. reuvthe they offered wherfore & whye wyse men þat tyme masters & lettered men magi theym called that on kyng came wyth reason offerryd keuered vndre sense the second kyng eke sittheech sothely offered ryghtyouvsnes vndre redde golde / reasons felowe gold ys lykened to loyalte / þat last shall euver & reason to ryche golde / to ryght & to trewe treuthe the thyrde kyng tho / canca[m] cam knelyng to Iesu & presented hym wyth pyte / apperyng by myrre for myrre ys mercye to meane / & myld speche off tong thre ylyche honest thynges / were offered vp þus att oonesce thrugh iijthre kynne kynges / knelyng to Ihesu but Ac for all þes precyouvse / presentes /G.20.92: The two virgules may possibly be intended as a highlighting device. See note to G.6.597. our lord prynce Iesus was nether kyng ne conquverour / tyll he gan to waxe In þe maner off a man / & þat by moche sleyght as ytt bycomethe a conquverouvr / to konne many sleyghtes and many whyles & wytt / þat wole been a leyder and so dyd Iesu In hys dayes / wo who-so had tyme to tell ytt some-tyme he suofferred and some-tyme he hyd hym & some-tyme faght he fauȝte fast / & fleyghe other whyle & some-tyme he gauve goode / & graunted heale bothe lyuve & lymme / as hym lyst / he wroght as kynd ys off a conquverouvre / & so so compsed Iesu tyll he had all þem / for whome þat he þat he fore bledde In hys Innocence iuuente thys Iesus / att Iewene feaste water In-to wyne he torned tourned / as holy wrytt tellethe and þer bygan god off hys grace dowell for wyne ys lykened to lawe / & lyfe off holynes & lawe lacked tho / for men louved not theyr enmyes and cryste couvnseylythe vs / & commandethe bothe bothe to lered & to lewde / to louve our enmyes so att þe feast furst / as I byfore tolde bygan god off hys grace / & goodnes to do well & tho was he cleped & called / not holy cryst but Iesus Ihesu a fauvnt fyn full off wytt filius marie : // for byfore hys modre mary / made he that wondre that she furst & formest / ferme shold byleuve that he thrughe grace was gette / & no goome elles he wroght þat by no wytt / but thrugh worde alone one after þe kynd þat he came off / ther comsed he dowell & when he was waxen more / In hys moders moder absence he made lame to leype / & gaffe syght liȝte to blynde & fedde wyth two fysshes / & wyth fyuve loouves sore aofuhnongered G.20.123: A brown horizontal line has been added to the bottom of the initial <a> of original G afungered. The loop on the third letter and the tail are in brown ink, turning it into an <h>. The colour of the ink of the tail makes it clear that this letter was not originally a <y>. The original <n> has been altered to <o> and an abbreviation bar added above it.G.20.123: The OED and MED record afingered and ofhungered as separate lexical items but it seems likely that they are in fact simply spelling variants (both from OE ofhingrod). folke / mo then fyuve thowsandes thousande thuvs he confouvrted carefull / & cauvght a gretter name the wyche was dobetter / where þat he went for deaffe thrugh hys doynges / to here / & dombe speke he made & all he healed & halpe / þat hym off grace asked & tho was he called yn contre / off þe commuvne poeple for tho þe dedes that he dyd Iesu fili dauid // for dauid was doghtyest / for of dedes yn hys tyme the byrdes þat songe saul interfecit mille & dauid decem millia .// forthy þe contrey ther Iesu came / called hym fili dauid // & nyuenvednyue[n]ed nempned hym off nazarethe / & no man so worthye to be cesare kaisere or kyng / off þe kyngdome off Iuda ne ouer Iewes Iuvstyce / as Iesus was theym thoght wheroff cayphas had enuvye / & other off the Iewes & for to doone hym to deathe / day & nyght they cast kyllede hym on crosse wyse / att caluvarye on fryday and sythe buryed hys bodye / and badde þat men sholde kepen ytt fro nyght-comers / wyth knyghtes y-armed for no frendes shold hym fecche / for prophetes þem tolde that þat blyssed bodye / fro of byryales shold ryse and goone In-to galylye / to and gladen hys appostelles & hys modre marye þus men byfore demed the knyghtes þat kept hym / byknewe ytt theym-seluve that angelles & arkangelles ere þe day sprange came knelyng to þe corps / & songe cristus resurgens verray man byfore þem all / & forthe wyth theym he yede the Iewes preyed theym peasce / & bysouvght the knyghtes tell þe commuvne þat þer came / a company off hys apostelles and bywycched þem as they wooke / & away stolen ytt but Ac marye magdelyne mett hym / by the way goyng toward galylye / yn godhed & manhoode and alyuve lyues & lokyng / & she alowde cryed yn eche eche a company ther sh.e came cristus resurgens thys Þus G.20.156: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. came ytt owte / þat cryste ouercame / recouvered & lyuved sic oportet Christum pati et intrare & cetera // for þat þat þat G.20.158: Kane and Donaldson adopt the G L Cr reading þat, a reading also found in a number of C manuscripts. Remaining B manuscripts read þat þat. women wootethe /G.20.158: The virgule here replaces one overwritten by the added <the> of wootethe. may not well be couvnseale petur perceyuved all þis / & puvrsued after bothe Iames & Iohn / Iesu for to seke thadde & ten moo / wyth thomas off Indye & And as G.20.162: C2 originally shared the G B reading &, but the word as has been added above the line, bringing its reading into line with that of most remaining B manuscripts (i.e. And as). all thes wyse wyghtes wyes / / weren to-geddres In an houvse & al bysett bishet / and þer dore y-sparred cryst cam ynne all closed / bothe dorres dore & gates to petur & to hys appostelles / & sayde / pax vobis & toke thomas by þe hand / & taght hym to grope & fele wyth hys fyngers / hys flessly / herteG.20.167: G omits a line at this point ("Thomas touched it · & with his tonge seyde"). deus meus & dominus meus et cetera meus // þou arte my lorde I byleuve / god lord Iesu þou dyedest & deathe tholest þoledest / & dome deme shall vs all & now arte lyuvyng & lokyng & last shalt euver cryst carped þen / & couvrtyeslyche sayede thomas for þou trowest thuvs þis G.20.173: For the G scribe's use of "this" for most manuscripts "thus" and the corresponding back spelling "thus" for "this," see notes to G.6.653 and G.4.76. / & trewlyche beleuvest ytt blessed mote þou be / & be shalt euver for euere & blessed mote þei be alle be G.20.175: All C manuscripts share the G C2 F reading be. Remaining B manuscripts read alle be. In bodye & yn soule þat neuer shall see me yn syght / as þou doest nowe nouthe G.20.176: For the G scribe's use of "now" (as also Cr C C2 B) for most manuscripts "nowthe," see note to G.4.295. and leallyche byleeuve all þis / I louve þem & blysse theym beati qui non viderunt & crediderunt & cetera // & when þis dede was done dobest he taght & gauve pyers power / & perdone he grauntted to all maner men / mercye & forgyuvenes hys Hym myght may myȝte men assoyle to assoille off all maner off synnes synnes In counaunt þei þat þei come & knolege to pay to pers perdone þ.G.20.184: There has been an attempt to overwrite the original word (þ?), but this has been abandoned. þe plowman / redde quod debes: thys Thus G.20.185: For the G scribe's use of "this" for remaining manuscripts "thus," see note to G.4.76. hathe pyers power / bee hys perdone payde to bynd & vnbynd / bothe here & elles-where G.20.187: The writing which is visible at the top of the page and which has been cropped was probably the original folio number. & assoyled soilledassoille men off all synnes / sauve off dett alonne one anoone after on heygh / vp to þe in-to heyuven he went & wonnethe there / & wole come at þe last and wyll And reward hym ryght well / þat reddit quod debet & payeth Payeth perfyttly / as puvre trewthe wolde & what persone payethe ytt noght to puvnnysshe punysshen he thynkethe & domen demen theym on at domesday bothe quvyck & deade the good to þe godhed / & to greate Ioy and wyked to wonye / yn wo wythowten end thuvs conscyence off cryste / & off þe cros carped & couvnsealed me to knele there þer-to / & then came me thoght on spiritus paraclitus to pyers & to hys felowes In lykenes off a lyghnynge / he lyght on þem all & made þem konne & knowe / all maner kyn langages I wondred what þat was / & wagged conscyence & was a-ferde off þat lyght / for yn fyres lykenes spiritus paraclitus ouver-sp.redde theym all quod conscyence & kneled þis ys crystes meyssenger & comethe fro þe greate god / & grace ys hys name knele nowe quod conscyens / & yff þou can syng welcome hym & worshyp hym wyth veni creator spiritus:/ þen song I þat song / & so dyd many hondrethe & cryden wyth conscyence / helpe vs / god off grace & tho þanne bygan grace to god go / wyth pyers plowman & couvnseylyd hym & conscyence / þe commnvneG.20.211: The original form of commvne had either too many minims or too few, depending on whether the word was spelled with double or single <m>. to somond for I wyll deale to-day / & deuvyde grace to alkynnes creatuvres / þat haue theyr fyuve wyttes treasore to lyuve by / to theyre lyuves end G.20.215: β4 manuscripts omit the second half of KD.19.218 and the first half of KD.19.226, together with the lines in between.and weypen to fyght wyth / when antecryste you asseylethe & gaffe eche man a grace / to go wyth hym-seluve that Iduvlnes encombre hym noght / enuvye ne pryde diuisiones gratiarum sunt & cetera // some he gafe wytte / wyth wordes to shewe wyth Witte to wynne þeir lyuvelode wyth / as þe worlde askethe as preychouvrs & preestes / & preynteces off the of lawe they leally to lyuve / by labouvr off theyr of tong & by wytt to wyssen other / as grace þem wold teache & some heG.20.224: The word he is followed by either a deleted letter or a blot. kenned crafte / and konnyng off syght wyth sellyng & byggyng / theyr beyleuve to wynne G.20.226: All β manuscripts omit the second half of KD.19.236 and the first half of KD.19.237 ("on londe & on watre & lyve by þat labour"). & some he lered labour to laboure / a lele lyuve & trewe & some he taght to tyllye / to dyche & to hegge to wynne wyth theyre lyuveloode / by loore off hys teachyng & some to dyuvyne & dyuvyde / nombres to kenne & some to compasce craftylye / & colouvrs to make and some to se & some to sey / what shold byfalle bothe off well & off wo / telle ytt ere ytt fell as astryomyens thrugh astronomye / & phylosophers wyse & some to ryde & some to recouer / þat vnryghtfully was wonne he wyssed þem wynne ytt ageyn / thrugh ryghtyouvsnes rithwyssnesewightnesse off handes & fecchen ytt fro falsce men / wyth fovlwyles foluylesG.20.236: G folwyles may simply be a spelling variant of Bx foluyles, but the change of <o> to <v>> suggests that the scribe may not have recognised the word. lawes and some he lerned lered to lyuve / yn longyng to be hence In pouerte & yn pennance / to pray for all crystyen and all he lered to be lele / & eche eche a crafte louve other & forbedde þem all debate / that non were among theym thogh some be cleynner þen some / ye se well quod grace þeat he þat vsethe þe fayrest crafte / to þe fowlest I couvld hauve put hym looke þat non lacke other / but louve to-geddre alle as bretheren & wo þat most mastryes can / be myldest off beyryng & crowne conscyence kyng / & maketh crafte your stuverde & after craftes couvnseyle / clothe you & fede for I make pyers Pieres þe plowman / my procuvratouvr & my reuve & regester to receyuve redde quod debes :/ my purwyouvr & my plowman / pyers shalbe shal be on yerthe and for to tylye trewthe / a tyme teme shall he hauve grace gauve pyers a teame / four greate oxen the Þat on was / luke /G.20.252: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. a large beast & a lowe chered & marke & mathewe þe thyrde / myghty beastes bothe & Ioyned to theym on Ihon / most gentell off all þe prysce of þe prys neyte off pyers plowe / passyng all other & grace gauve pyers / off hys goodnes fouvre stottes that all Al þat hys oxen eryed / þei harrowed to harwe after on hyght augustyne Austyne / & ambrose an-nother gregory þe greate clerke / and Ierome þe goode thyesse fouvre þe faythe to teyche / folowen pyers teame and harowed yn an handwyle / all holy scrypture wyth two harrowes þat þei had an old & a newe vetus testamentum et novum ./// & grace gaffe greanes / þe cardynales wertuves and sewe yn ytt it in mannes soule / & sythen told þer names spiritus prudentie the furst seyde hyght and wo-so eyte þat / ymagyne he sholde er he dyd any dede / avyse deuyse well the ende & lered lerned men a ladell bygge wyth a longe steale that cast for to kepe a crocke / to sauve þe fatt abouve the second he seyedheedþat he sew seed hyght spiritus temperantie he þat eyte off þat sede / hadde suoche a kynde shold neuer meyte / ne moche drynk / make hym to swelle ne shold no skorner ne skolde / hym scolde ovte off skyll bryng hym brynge G.20.274: β4 manuscripts omit a line at this point ("Ne wynnynge ne welthe · of wordeliche ricchesse"). wast word off Idulnesce / ne no ne wycked speche move shold no cuvryous clothe / comen on hys rygge ne no meyte yn hys motvtheG.20.277: The original scribe uses <v> here for the purpose of correction, possibly because it is clearer than . but þat mestre Iohan spyced the thyrd sede þat pyers sewe / ys was spiritus fortitudinis : / & wo-so eyte off that sede / hardye was euver to suffer all that god sent / sycknes & angers myght no leysynges ne lyer / ne losse off worldlye ~~catell~~G.20.281: The word catell was probably erased because it had been smudged. cattell make hym for any mournyng / but euer þat he nas merye yn soule and bold & abydyng / busynesce bismeres to suffer and pleayethe all wyth pacyensce / and perce michi domine :// & couver hym vndre couvnseale / off caton þe wyse esto forti animo cum sis dampnatus inique : // þe forthe sede þat pyers sewe was spiritus Iusticie : & he þat eyte þ of þat sede shold be euver trewe wyth god & noght agaaste / but off gyle alone one for gyle goethe so pryuvylye / þat good feythe other wyle may noght been espyed / for spiritus Iusticie / spiritus Iusticie sparethe noght to spylle theym þat been gyltye / and for to correcte the kyng / yff þat he he fall yn gylt or yn any in tresspasce for couvntethe he no kynges wrathe / when he yn couvrt syttethe to demen as a domes-man / dradde adradde was he neuver nether off duvke ne off deathe / that he ne dyd lawe for preysent or for preyare / or any pryncys letters he dyd equvyte to all / euvene-forthe to hys his power thes four seedes pers sewe / & sythe he dyd theym harrowe wyth old lawe & new lawe / þat louve myght waxe among þe fouvre wertuves / and vyces destroye for comuvnelyche yn contreys / cammokes & wedes fouvlethe the fruvte yn þe felde / þer þei growe to-geddres so And so done vyces / wertuves worthye quod pyers harowethe all þat can kyndlye wytt / by couvnseyle off doctours þis doctours and tylyethe after hys her teychyng / þe cardynall wertuves ageynst þi greynes quod grace to pyers / bygynnethe bigynnethto Peris þat þi greyneþ to for to rype ordeyne þe an houvse / to herbouvre yn thy corne cornes by god / grace quod pyers / ye muvst moten gyuve tymbre and ordeyne þat houvse or ye hence wende and grace gaffe hym þe cros / wyth þe crowne off thornes that cryst vp-on caluverye / for mankynd on pyned and off hys baptysme & bloode / þat he bledde on roode he made a manere morter / and mercye yt hyght and þerwyth grace bygan to make a good fouvndement and watteled ytt & walled ytt / wyth hys peynes & hys passyon and off all holy wrytte / he made a rooffe after & called þat houvsse vnyte / holy churche en englysshe & when þis dede was done / grace anon grace deuvysed a carte hyght crystendome / to carye pyers sheauves & gaffe hym caples to hys carte / contrycyon & confessyon and made preesthoode heyward / whyle þe while hym-seluve went as wyde as þe worlde ys / wyth pyers / to tylye trewthe nowe ys pyers to þe plowght / & pryde ytt aspyed and gedered hym a greate host / to greuve hym he he thynkethe G.20.326: β4 manuscripts omit a line at this point ("Conscience and al crystene · and cardinale vertues"). blew Blowe theym downe & breke þem / & byte atwo þe mores and sent forthe / surquidous /G.20.328: For the G scribe's use of virgules for highlighting, see note to G.6.597. hys sergeant off armes & hys spye spyll-louve / oon speyke yuvell byheyndG.20.239: It is difficult to be certain whether byhend has been changed to byhynd or vice versa. However, the tail of the <y> suggests a form used for correction, not for continuous writing. thes two came to conscyence / & to crystyen poeple & told theym tythynges / þat tyne they sholde the seedes that pyers ther had y-sowen / the carydynall wertuves & pyers byerne worthe broke & þei þat ~~were~~been yn vnyte shall come owte & conscyence / & your two caples confessyon & contrycyon / and your carte the beleuve shalbeshal be coloured so quvyentlye / & couered vndre our sophestrye that conscyence shalt not / knowe by contrycyon ne by confessyon who ys crystyen or heythen ne no maner marchant þat wyth money dealethe where he wynne wyth ryght / wyth wrong / or wyth vsurye wyth suoche colouvrs & quventyse / comethe pryde yarmed G.20.341:A brown ink virgule has been added after the initial <y> of yarmed, presumably to make it clear that the <y> is not simply an initial consonant (i.e. that it should not be pronounced /j/). wyth the lorde þat lyuvethe / after lust þe luste off hys bodye to wasten on wellfare / & and on wycked kepyng all the world yn a whyle / thrugh our wytt off quod pryde quod conscyence to all crysten tho / my couvnseale ys to wende hastylyche yn-to vnyte / & hold vs well we vs þer & preye we þat a peasce were / yn pyers byerne þe plowman for wytterly I woote well / we be not off strenght to goone ageynst pryde / but grace were wyth vs then came kynd wytt / conscyence to teache and cryed & commanded / all crystyen poeple for to deluven a dyche depe / a-bowte vnyte that holye churche stoode yn vnyte / as ytt a pyle were coscyenceco[n]scyence Conscience commanded tho / all crystyen to deluve & make a moche mootte / þat myght be off a g strenght to helpe holy churche / & theym / þat ytt kepen that Thanne alkynne crystyen / sauve comuvne women repenteden & refuvsed synne / sauve þei alone one and falsce men flaterers / vsurers & theuves lyers & quvestmongers / þat were forswore offte wyttyngly Wytynge & wyllfully / wyth the falsce helden and for syluver were / forswore / sothely they wyst ytt there nas no crystyen creatuvre / þat kynd wytt had sauve shrewes & one suoche / as I spake off that he ne halpe a quantyte / holynes to waxe some thrughe beades byddyng / & some thrughe pylgrymage & other pryuvye pennaunce / & some thrugh pennaunce penyes dealyng / & then welled water / for wycked workes egrelyche rennyng / owte off mennes eyne clennesce off þe commuvne / & clerkes cleane lyuvyng made vnite holy cherche / In holynesce to stonde I care not quod conscyence / thogh pryde come nowe nouthe G.20.372: For G's use of "now" (as also Cr) for remaining manuscripts "nowthe," see note to G.4.295. the lorde off luvst / shalbeshal be letted / all þis lent I hoope comethe quod conscyence / ye crystyen & dynethe that hauve labored loyally / all thys lent tyme here ys bred blessed yblessed / and goddes bodye therevndre grace thrugh goddes worde / gaffe pyers power myghtes to maken ytt / and mete men to eyte ytt after In helpe off theyre heale / oonesce yn a monythe or as ofte as they had nede / they þo þat had y-payed to pyers perdone the plowman redde quod debes how quod all þe commuvne / þou couvnseylest vs to yelde all þat we owen any wyght / ere we goon to howsell that ys my couvnseyle quod conscyence / & cardynall wertuves that eche man forgyve other / that and þat wole þe pater noster et dimitte nobis debita nostra & cetera // and so to been assoyled & sythen to be howseled ye how bawe G.20.388: Y reads bow for G C2 B how, and this, according to Kane and Donaldson, was the original reading of C, then altered to how. The direction of the alteration in C is, however, unclear. The majority B reading is bawe. quod a brewer / I wyll not be rewled by Iesu for all your Iangylyng / wyth spiritus Iusticie ne after conscyence by cryst / whyle I can sell bothe dregges & draffe / & drawe ytt att on hoole thycke ale & thynne ale / for þat ys my kynd & not hakke after holynes / hold thye tonge conscyence off spiritus Iusticie þou spekest moche yn an Idle caytyfe quod conscyence / cuvrsed wrecche vnblyssed arte thowe brewer / but yff þe god helpe but thow lyuve by loore / off spiritus Iusticie þe cheffe seede þat pyers sewe / ysauved worthestowe neuver but conscyence þe comecome[n] comune seede fede / and cardynall wertuves leeuve ytt well they be lost / bothe byG.20.400: It is possible that the scribe originally started to write body instead of lyfe (as in the C manuscripts T H2 Ch Sc) and that he attempted to correct this and then abandoned the attempt. lyfe & souvle then ys many a man lost / quod a lewde wykorye I am a cuvratour off holy kyrke / & cam neuer In my tyme man to me þat couvlde me couth tell / off cardynall wertuves or þat couvnted conscyen.ce / att a cockes fether or a hennes I knewe neuer cardynall / þat he ne came fro the pope & we clerkes when þei came come / for theyr commyns payen for theyre pelluvre & theyre palfreyes meyte / & pyllouvrs þat theym folowen the commuvne clamant clamat cotidie eche eche a man to other the contrey ys the cr cursyder / that cardynalles come ynne & there they lygge & lenge / most leychyrye ther reygnethe forthy quod thys wycorye / by verray god I wolde that no cardynall come amonge þe commuvne poeple but yn theyr holynes / healden theym stylle att auyon among þe I. Iewes cum sancto sanctus eris & cetera // or yn rome as þeir reuvle wyll / relequves þe reliques to kepe & thow conscyence yn kynges couvrte / & sholdest neuer come thence & grace þat þou gredest so off / guvyoudor gyour G.20.417: The G Cr variant reading "guider" is probably the result of date: according to the OED, "guyour" (as most manuscripts) died out at the end of the fourteenth century. off vs of all clerkes & pyers wyth hys newe plowe / & eke wyth hys olde emperouvre off all þe worlde / that all men were crysten ymperfytt ys þat pope / þat all þe poeple sholde helpe and sendethe theym þat sleyethe / suoyche as he shold sauve & well worthe pyers piers þe plowman that puvrsuethe god yn doyng qui pluit super Iustos & Iniustos / att oones & sent þe sonne to sauve a cuvrsed mannes tylthe as bryght as to the best man / & to þe best woman ryght so pyers the plowman / peynethe hym to tylye al asG.20.427: Kane and Donaldson record G as having as twice but the first word is clearly either al or als and has been lined through. well asto for a wastouvre / and wenches off the stewes as for hym-seluve or & hys seruvantes / sauve he ys furst seruved & trauvylethe & tylyethe / for a treatouvr also soore as for a trewe tydye man / all tymes ylyke & worshypphed be he þat all wroght wrouȝte al / bothe good & yll wykke & suffer suffreth þat synfull be / tyll some-tyme they þat þei repente & god amend þe pope / that pyllethe holye cherche & cleamythe byfore þe kyng / to be keper ouver crystyen & couvntethe noght / thogh crystyen be kylled or & robbed & fyndethe folke to fyght / & crystyen bloode to spylle ageynst þe old lawe & newe lawe / as luk þeroff wyttnessythe non occides & cetera. michi michi vindictam et cetera // ytt semethe by so by he by so G.20.439: Kane and Donaldson see the correction from so by to by so as being by the main scribe and the subsequent alteration to so he as being by another hand. It seems likely, however, that the original scribe was responsible for all these alterations. As far as the <h> of he is concerned, compare, for instance, that in semethe at the beginning of the line. hym-seluve / hadde heG.20.439: Note that the lining through of added he is done in red ink and therefore clearly at the time of rubrication and most probably by the original scribe. hys wyll that he ne recchethe noght riȝte nouȝte / off all the remnaunte & cryste off hys couvrtysye / þe cardynalles sauve & torne theyre ~~willfull~~G.20.442: Added willfull appears to have been lined through but it may just have been smudged. wytt to wysdome / & to weale off souvle for þe commuvne quod þis cuvratouvr / couvnten full lytull the couvnseale off conscyence / or cardynall wertuves but yff they se seie as by syght / some-what to wynnyng off gyle ne off gabbyng / gyve they no neuere tale for spiritus prudencie among þe poeple ys gyle and all the fayovre faire wertuves as wyces they semed eche man subtylethe a sleyght / synne for to hyde & colouvrethe ytt wyth konnyng a kunnynge / & a cleane lyuvyng then loghe there a lorde / & by thys lyght sayede I hold ytt ryght & reason / off my reeuve to take all þat myne audytour / or elles my stuverde couvnseylythe me / by theyr acompte / & my clerkes wrytyng wyth spiritus .G.20.455: The unclear material may well have been the first two minims of intellectus, abandoned because the ink ran too freely. intellectus to seeke þe reeuves rolles and wyth spiritus fortitudinis fecche ytt I wyll & then came þer a kyng / & by hys crowne seyede a profecy I am a am kyng wyth crowne the commuvne to reuvle G.20.459: An

X-like sign has been added in the margin. This corresponds to a similar sign in the table of contents. See f.103r

and for the possibility that these marks were made by WH, see Introduction I.10 and I.12. and holy churche & claregye / fro cursed men to defend & yff me lackethe to lyuve by / by by þe lawe wole I take ytt there I may hastylyche hastlokest hauve ytt it haue / for I am heyde off laweG.20.461: The line wraps around and the words off lawe appear below, boxed in grey. for þei ȝe beene but membres / & I aboven all & sythe I am your aller heyde / I am your aller heale & holy cherche cheffe helpe / & chefteyne off þe commuvne & what I take off you two / I take ytt at þe teachyng off spiritus Iusticie for I Iuvgge you all so I may bowldlye be howseled / for I borowed borwe neuer ne craue off my commuvne / but as my kynd askethe In condycyon quod conscyence / þat þou konne defend & reuvle þi realme yn reason / ryght well / & yn trewth take þou maest In reason / as thy lawe askethe omnia tua sunt ad defendendum set non ad opprimendum depredandumdeprehendendum the vyckerr hadde farre home / & fayre toke hys leauve & I awaked þerwyth / and wrote as me mette explicit quintus & vltimus passus de dobetterG.20.474: The word dobetter has been wrapped around to the end of previous line and is boxed in red. The explicit is indented so the usual centering was probably intended but the line in this case proved to be too long. Incipit primus passus de dobest // Then as I went by þe way / when I was thuvs awaked heyuvy chered I yede / and elenge yn herte I ne wyst where to eyte / ne yn at what place & yt nyghed nere þe none / & wythe nede I mette that afrouvnted / me fouvle / and saytouvr[f]aytour faitour me called kansthowe not excuvse þe / as dyd þe kyng & other that þou tooke to thye byleeuve / to clothes & to sustenance & by teachyng & tellyng / off spiritus temperancie// and þou nome no more / then nede the taght and nede ne hathe no lawe / & ne neuer shall fall yn dett for thre thynges he takethe / hys lyffe for to sauve that ys meyte when men yt hym warnethe / & he no money weldethe ne no Ne wyght wyght none wylbewyl be hys borowe / ne wedde hathe non to lygge legge & he be he kaght yn þat caasce / & come therto by sleyght he synnethe not sothelyche / þat so wynnethe hys foode & thoghe he come to so to a cloothe / & cane no better cheuvysance nede anon ryght / nymmethe hym vndre maynprysse & yff hym lyst to lappe G.21.18: The apparent virgule here is in red ink and may not be deliberate. the lawe off kynd wolde that he dranke att eche dyche / or he for thruvst dyed so nede att greate nede / may nymmen as for hys owne wythowte couvnseale off conscyence / and or cardynall wertuves so þat he sewe & sauve spiritus temperantie spiritus for ys no wertuve by farre to spiritus temperantie nether spiritus fortitudinis iusticie ne spiritus Iustitie fortitudinis for spiritus fortitudinis sufferethe forfaiteth full ofte he shall do no moreG.21.26: G's original reading no more is shared with B, but Bm and Cot, as well as G, cancel no. G's corrected reading is shared with remaining B manuscripts. then measure / many tymes a tymetyme & ofte & beyte men ouer bytterly / & some off theym to lytle and greeuve men greater / then good faythe wolde and spiritus iustitie shall Iuvgge wyll or he orhe nyll he after þe kynges couvnseale / & þe comuvne lyke and spiritus prudentie In manye a poynte shall fayle off þat he wenethe wolde fayle falle / yff hys wytt ne were wenyng ys no wyssdome / ne wyse ymagynatyon I homo proponit & deus disponit & gouernethe all good wertuves & Ac nede ys nexte hym for a-nonneG.21.35: The second <n> of nonne has been re-outlined in brown ink. he mekethe & as low as a lambe / for lacke lakkyng off þat hym nedethe wysse men forsoke wealthe wele for they wold be nedye & woneden In wyldernes / & wold not be ryche & god all thes his greate Ioyes ioye / goostlye he lafte & came & toke mankynd / and bycame nedye so nedy he was as seyethe the booke / yn manye sondreye places that he seyede yn hys sorowe / on þe seluve roode . bothe fox & fowle / may fle / & go fle and go fleighe to hole & creepe & þe fysshe hathe fynne / to flete wyth & toG.21.44: Kane and Donaldson read & to, but the & is clearly lined through. rest there nede hathe ynome me / þat I mot nede abyde and suffer sorowes full sore sowre / þat shall to Ioy torne forthy be not abasshed / to byddeG.21.47: Though the G scribe was clearly aware of the possibility of using single and double consonants to indicate preceding long and short vowels, his own practice in this respect was by no means consistent and it is therefore unclear whether G bydde should be interpreted as "bid" or "bide." The remaining β4 manuscripts read "bid" (which may well be the G scribe's intention); most other manuscripts read "bide." & to be nedye sythe he þat wroght all the worlde / ys was wylfullyche nedy ne neuer non so nedye / ne so ne poere pouerere G.21.49: Both agreements between G and Hm in this line (ne so for most manuscripts ne, and poere (as also Cr C) for remaining manuscripts pouerere) result from correction in Hm. dyed when nede had vndrenome me thuvs / anon I fell on slepe & mette mette ful meruyouvslychemeruy[ll]ouslyche merueillously / þat yn mannes fouvrme ipsa papaG.21.52:The gloss ipsa papa has been added in black ink above the word antecryst. G.21.52: A line in black ink, clearly written by hand3, is present in the left hand margin, and extends from this point downwards for seven lines (or possibly originally further). antecryst came then / & all the croppe off trewthe torned Torned it vp so downe / & ouer-tylde the roote ipsa papaG.21.52:The gloss ipsa papa has been added in black ink above the word "false." The addition is smudged and may have been added in the wrong place and then partially deleted. See G.21.52 above. & falsce sprang sprynge G.21.54: The preterites in this line result from the loss in β manuscripts of RF made (compare F & made fals springe etc.). All C manuscripts have "made". & spredde sprede / & spedde spede mennys nedys yn eche eche a contrey þer he came & he cut a-way trewthe & gerte gyle growe there / as he a god were Nota howe freres folowed þat fende / for he gave þem coopes fallshedd & relygyouvse reuerenced hym / & rong þer belles fyrst krept & all the couvent forthe came / to welcome þat tyrant In by the pope & all thes hise as well as thes hym / sauve onelyche fooles and his flock wyche fooles were were wel leuvere / to dye then to lyuve lenger sythe lenten / was so sore sosore rebuked & a falsce frend fende antecryste ouer all folke reagned & that were mylde men & holyeG.21.64: The deletion of the final <e> of holye is in black ink. It seems likely that it was carried out by the original scribe since, though at the beginning of the text he regularly writes "holy" with final <e> forms without the <e> gradually begin to dominate. / þat no myscheffe dreden defyed all falsnesce / & folke þat ytt vsed & what kyng þat þem conforted / knowyng þem any whyle they cuvrsed all and theyr couvnseale / were yt clerk or lewde antecryste had þus sone / huvndrethes att hys banere & pryde ytt bare / boldlye a-bovte wyth a lorde þat lyuvethe after lykyng off hys of b.odye þat came ageynst conscyence þat keper was & guvydour gyoure G.21.71: For G Cr "gydour" for remaining manuscripts "gyour," see note to G.20.417. ouer kynd crysten / & cardynall wertuves I couvnseale quod conscyence ye þo come wyth me you ȝe G.21.73: For the G scribe's use of you for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. fooles In-to vnyte holy churche / and hold we vs there & crye we to kynd / þat he come to & defend vs fooles fro þe þis feendes lymes / for pyers louve þe plowman & crye we to all þe communes comune / þat theye come to vnyte and there abyde & byker / ageynst baylyalles chyldren kynd conscyence tho harde / & came owte off þe planettes & send forthe hys forruvnners foreioures / feuvers & fluyxes coghes & cardyacles crampes & tothehaches rewmes & radegouvndes / & ruvynoseG.21.82: The spelling change which results in rvynose is of the usual type but the ink is black instead of brown and the shape of the letter <v>is more formal than usual. scalles byles & bocches / and brennyng aguves feuvers Frenesyes & fouvle yuvelles / forgoers forageres off kynd had yprycked & preyed / polles off the poeple that largely a legyon / losten þeir lyuve sone ther was harrowe & helpe / here comethe kynde wyth deathe þat ys dredfull / to vndone vs all the lord þat lyuved after luvst / tho alowde cryed after conforte a knyght / to come & beyre hys banere alarum alarum quod þat lorde / eche man lyf kepe hys owne & þen mett þes men / er mynstrelles myght pype & er harrouavdes off armes / had descryuved lordesG.21.93: β4 manuscripts omit two lines at this point ("Elde þe hore · he was in þe vauntwarde And bare þe banere bifor deth · by riȝte he it claymed"). kynd came after / wyth meanyG.21.94: The ink beneath the <n> of many has been transferred from added sore at G.21.62, i.e. from the previous page. keene sorowes sores as pockes & pestylence pestilences / & moche poeple shente so kynd thrugh corruvptyons / kylled full many deathe came dryuvyng after / & all to duvst passhed kynges & knyghtes / kaysers & popes lered ne lewde / he lett no man stande that he hytt euven euene þat / styrryd ~~nere~~ neuver after G.21.100: The mark in the bottom right hand margin is just a smudge. many a louvely ladye / & lemmans off knygtes swoned & swelted for / sorowe off deathes dyntes conscyence off hys couvrtysye / to kynd he besoght to cesse & suffer / & se where they wolde leauve pryde pryuvylye & be perfytt crystyen & kynd ceassed tho / to see the poeple amend fortuvne gan flateren / then / tho fewe þat were alyuve & byhyght theym long / lyuve / & lechery he sent amonges all maner / men wedded & vnwedded and geydered a greate host / all agaynst conscyence thuvs This G.21.111: For G "thus" for remaining manuscripts "this," see note to G.6.653. leychery leyde on / wyth a laghyng chere as And wyth pryuvye speche / & paynted wordes & armed hym yn Iduvlnes / & yn hyghe beyryng he bare a bowe In hys hande / & many blodye arrowes fethered Weren fethered wyth fayre speche biheste / & many a falsce treuvthe wyth hys vntydye tales / he tened me full ful ofte conscyence & hys company / off holy cherche þe teachers then came couvetyse & cast howe he myght ouercome conscyence / & cardynall wertuves & armed hym yn auvaryse / and hongerlyche lyuved hys weypen was all wyles / to wynnen & & to hyden wyth glosynges & gabbynges / he gyled the poeple symony hym sent / to assayle conscyence & preached to þe poeple / & prelates þei þem made to holden wyth antecryste / theyr temperalytyes to sauve & came to þe kynges couvnseale / as a kene baron & kneled to conscyence In couvrte byfore þem all & gert good faythe flee / and falsce to abyde & boldlyche bare a-downe / wyth many a bryght noble moche off þe wytt & wysdome / off westmynstre halle he Iuvgged tyll a Iustyce / & Iusted yn hys yeyreG.21.131:A virgule has been added to separate the words hys and yeyre after the addition of the <y>. & ouertylt all al his treuvthe / wyth take þis to vp amendement & to þe arches yn hast / he yede a-non after & tourned cyuvyle to in-to symonye / & sethe toke he took þe offycyall for a mantell off mynyuvere / he made leele matrymoynge deperten ere deathe came / and dyuorse shapen shupte alas quod conscyence & cryed / tho wold god criste off hys grace that couvetyse were crysten / þat ys so kene kene a fyghter and bold & byddyng bidyng G.21.139: Although the G scribe was clearly aware of the possibility of using single and double consonants to indicate preceding long and short vowels, his practice in this respect is by no means consistent and G byddyng may therefore simply be spelling variant of most manuscripts bidyng. See Introduction III.2. / whyle hys bagge lastethe & then loghe lyfe / & lett dagge hys clothes and armed hym In hast / hyn herlottes wordes & held holynes a Iape / & hendenes a wastouvre & lett loyalte a cherle / & lyer a fre man conscyence & couvnseale / he couvnted ytt folye thuvs reyled relyed lyfe / for a lytle fortuvne & prycked forthe wyth pryde / preysed preyseth he no wertuve he carethe not how kynd slowe / & shall come at þe laste & kyll all yerthely creatouvrs / sauve conscyence alone one lyfe leepe a-syde / & laght hym a leymman heale & I quod he / & hyghnes off herte shall do þe noght drede / nether deathe ne elde & to forgett sorowe / & gyve noght off synne thuvs This G.21.153: For the G scribe's use of "thus" for remaining manuscripts "this," see note to G.6.653. lyked lyffe / & hys leymman fortuvne & gattenG.21.154: The brown-ink <t> added to original gaten is formed by a downstroke crossing the line joining the original <t> and the <e>. yn theyre glorye / a gadelyng at þe last on þat moche wo wroght / slewghe was hys name sleughG.21.156: There is a black ink mark on the <e> of sleugh which may possibly have been intended to alter this letter to an <o>. wexe wondre yerne / & soone was off age and wedded on whanhoope / a wenche off the stewes hyr syre was a sysor / that neuer sware trewthe oon thom two tonged tonge / atteynte att eche a quvest thys sleuovgthe wexedG.21.160: Only G has the weak form of the preterite (wexed). Remaining B manuscripts have either wex (β4 manuscripts) or was. werre off warre / & a slyng made & threw drede off dyspayre / a dowsen myle abowte for care conscyence tho / cryed vp-on elde and bad hym fonde to fyght / & afere whanhoope & eld hent good hoope / & hastylyche he shyffte hym & wayued a-way wanhoope / & wyth lyfe he fyghted & lyffe fleethe fliethfleigh for feere / to physyke after helpe & bysoght hym off socouvr / & off hys saluve hadde & gave hym golde good wone / þat gladed hys herte & they gyuven hym ageyne / a glasen howue lyfe leeuved þat lechecrafte / lett shold elde & dryuven a-way deathe wyth diapenidion dyas and dragges G.21.171: The G scribe clearly did not understand the majority B reading dyas and dragges and he makes use of another technical medical term which he has already encountered, i.e. diapenidion, defined by Kane as a "medical confection of sugar candy." See G.6.125, and George Kane, <title>Piers Plowman Glossary: Will's Visions of Piers Plowman, Do-Well, Do-Better and Do-Best, A Glossary of the English Vocabulary of the A, B, and C Versions as Presented in the Athlone Editions (London and New York: Continuum, 2005). and eld auvntred hym on lyfe / & att þe last he hytt a physysyon wyth a fuvrred hoode / þat he fyll yn a palsey and ther dyed þe þat doctouvr / ere thre dayes after now I see sayed lyffe / þat suvrgyens ne physycke may not a myte awvayleG.21.176: The first part of the <w> of original awayle has been blocked in. / to medle ageynst elde and yn hoope off hys heale / good herte he hent & rode so to reuvell to a a ryche place & a myrrye that was þe The companyeG.21.179: The centre of the <o> of companye is inked in, but there is no evidence of any letter change. off couvrte / men cleped cleped it some-tyme & elde anon after me / & ouver myne heyde yede and made me balde byfore / & bare on the crowne so herde he yede ouer myne heyde / yt wole be seene euver syr yuvell taght ytauȝte elde quod I / vnhende go wyth the sythe when was thy þe way / ouver mennes heyddes haddesthow been hend quod I / þou woldest haue asked leauve ye leauve lordayne quod he / & layed on me wyth age & hytt me vndre þe eyere / vnnethe may I here he buffeted me aboute þe mouvthe / & bett me on þe tethe & guvyded gyued me yn gowtes / I may not goone att large & off þe wo þat I was ynne / my wyfe had reuvthe and wysshed full wytterly / þat I were yn heyuven for þe lymme þat she louved me for / & leefe was to feele off On nyghtes namely / when we naked were I ne myght In no maner / make ytt att hyr wyll so elde & she sothely / hadden ytt for~~byden~~beyten & as I satt yn þis sorowe / I sawe how kynd passed & deathe drewe nyghe me / for dreede gan y quvake & cryed to kynd owte off / care /G.21.198: Possibly the two virgules are present to highlight the word care. See note to G.6.597. me bryng lo h elde þe hoore / hathe me byseged biseye wreke Awreke me yff thye ȝowre wylbewyl be / for I wold beene hence yff þou wylte been y-wroke / wende In-to vnyte & hold þe there euver / tyll I send for the & looke þou konne some crafte / or þou come thence couvnseale me kynd quod y what crafte ys best to lere lerne lerne to lyouve quod kynd / & leeuve off all other how shall I come to catell so / to clothe me & and to G.21.206: M originally shared the majority B reading and to, but erasure of to has brought M's reading into line with that of G Hm F. fede and þov louve leally quod he / lacke shall þe neuver meate ne worldly wede / whyle thy lyfe lastethe & there by couvnseale off kynd / I comsed to roomnne rowme G.21.209: Since the change from roome to roonne simply involves the addition of a minim, it is difficult to be certain who made it, but the ink colour suggests hand1. thrugh contrycyon and confessyon / to tyl I came to vnyte & þer was conscyence constable / crysten to sauve & byseged sothely / wyth seyuven / greate gyantes that wyth antecryste helden / herde ageyne conscyence sleuovthe wyth hys slyng / an hard assauvte made prouvde preestes came wyth hym / mo then a thowsand In paltockes & pyked shewes / and gypsers pisseres long knyuves comen ageynst conscyence / wyth couvetyse they helden by marye quod a mansed preest / off þe marche off yreland I couvnt hitt counte G.21.219: Added hitt is in black ink. It is possible that it may be by the original scribe, but note that the form of the <h> in particular resembles that used by WH (see, e.g., the marginalia in the right-hand margin of f.103r

). no more conscyence / so bi so I cacche syluver then I do to drynke / a draught off good ale and so sayde syxtye / off the seyd same contrey and shoten ageyn wyth shotte / wyth many sheaffe off othes & brod hoked arues / wyth arwes goddes herte & hys nayles & hadden almost vnite / and holynes vndone adowne conscyence cryed helpe claregy / or elles I fall thrugheG.21.226: The loop of the second <h> of thrughe has been re-outlined in brown ink. ym-perfett preestes / & preelates off holy cherche freres herden hym crye / & comen hym to helpe & for þei couvld not well theyre crafte / conscyence forsooke theym nede nyghed þo nere / & conscyence he tolde that they came for couvetyse to hauve cuvre off souvles & for þei are pouvre perauventuvre / for patrymones patrimoigne þem faylethe they wyll flatter to fare well /G.21.232: This virgule may have been added to separate words, but it could equally represent a correction of the punctation provided by the original scribe (virgule after folke). folke / þat been ryche & seyen þei chosen chylle / & chaytyffe pouverte they Lat þem chewe as þei hauve chosen chesechosen / & charge þem wyth no cuvre for lomngere lomer G.21.235: The alteration from lomere to longere does not appear to have been made by the original scribe. Hand3 seems the most likely candidate. he lyethe / þat lyuvelood mot bygge begge then he þat laborethe for lyuveloode / & lenethe ytt beggers and sythe freres forsooke / fylycyte þe felicite off the of G.21.237: Though M originally shared the G Cr reading off the, the corrector has erased þe, thus bringing M's reading into line with that of all remaining B manuscripts (i.e. of). yerthe lett them be as beggars / & or lyuve by angeles foode conscyence off thys couvnseale tho comsed to for to laghe and couvrtyslyche conforted þem / & called yn all freres & sayed syrs sothelyche / welcome be ye all to vnyte & holy cherche / but ac on thyng y you praye holdethe you yn vnyte / & hauvethe non enuvye to lered ne to lewde / but lyuvethe after your ruvle & I wylbewyl be your brogh / ye shall hauve bred & clothes & other necessaryes ynowe / you shall no thyng fayle wyth þat ye leauve logyck / & lernethe for to louve for louve þei lafte laft þei lordshyppe / bothe land & scole frere franceys & domynyk / for louve to been holye & yff ye couveteythe cuvre / kynd wytt kynde wyll you teache that yn measure god made / all maner thynges and sett ytt yn at a certeyne / & yn at syker a syker nombre and neuenvedneue[n]ed nempned names newe / & nombered þe preestes prestes sterrezsterres qui numerat multitudinem stellarum & omnibus eis & cetera kynges & knyghtes / that kepen & defenden haue offycers vnder theym / & eche off þem certeyne and yff þei wage men warre to werre / þei wryte þem yn nombre wole no treysorer þem pay / trauveyle þei neuer so long sore all other yn batelles bataille G.21.259: G's reading batelles is not recorded as a variant by Kane and Donaldson but the abbreviation for es is definitely present. / been yholden brybouvrs pylouvrs & pyke-hernes / In eche eche a place acorsed monkes & monyales / & all men off relygyon G.21.262: The mark in the left hand margin is just a smudge. theyr ordre & þer ruvle wyll / to haue a certeyne nombre off lewde & off lered / þe lawe wole & askethe a certayne for a caerteyne / sauve onlyche off freres forthy quod conscyence by cryste / kynd wytt me tellethe ytt ys wycked to wage you / you ȝe G.21.266: For the G scribe's use of you for remaining manuscripts ȝe, see note to G.2.180. wax oute off nombre heyuven hathe euven nombre / & hell ys wyth-owte nombre forthy I wold wytterly / þat ye were yn þe regestre & your nombre vndre notarye notaries sygne / nother & noyther mo ne lasse enuvy herd þis / & hyght freres goo to scole & lerned lerne logyck & lawe / & eke contemplatyon and preyche men off plato & prouve ytt by seneca that all thynges vndre heyuven / oght to beG.21.273: Added be is in ink darker than that normally used by the original scribe and the script is more formal and upright. The addition appears to have been made by WH. See marginalia on f.71v

and f.103r.

en comuvne & yet he lyethe as I leeuve / þat to þe lewde so preachethe for god made to men a lawe & moses ytt taght non concupisces rem proximi tui & cetera // & yuvell ys þis to hold yholde / yn perysshys en of england for persones & perysshe preestes / þat sholde þe poeple shryuve beene cuvratouvrs called / to knowe & to heale all þat been þeir perysshens / pennance to enIoynge & shold be shamed ashamed yn þer shryfte / but ac shame makethe þem wende & fleen to the freres / as falsce folke to westmynster that borowen & beyre thydre / & then bydden freendes yeres Ȝerne off forgyuvenes / or lengere yeres loone but Ac whyle he ys yn westmynster / he wylbewyl be byfore and maken themr hym merye / wyth other mennes gooddes and so so it farethe wyth moche folke / þat to þe freres shryuven as syrovrssy[s]ovrs sysours & execuvtours / they wyll gyuve the freres a percell to prey for þem / and make þem-seluve merye wyth þe resydewe & the remnant / þat other men byswonke & suffer þe dead yn dett / byfore to the day off dome enuvy ther her fore / hated conscyence & freres to phylosophye / he fouvnde þem to scole the whyles couvetyse & vnkyndnes / conscyence assayled In vnyte holye cherche / conscyence held hym & made peasce porter / to vnpynne pynne the gates off all tale tellers / and tycyrers to tyterers in Idle ypocrysy & he / hard an hard assauvte they made ypocrysy att þe gate / hard gan fyght & wouvnded full wel wyckedly / many wysse teachers that wyth conscyence acorded / and cardynall wertuves conscyence called a leche / þat well couvlde shryve go saluve þou þo þat syk beene / thrugh synne y-wouvnded shryft shoope sharpe saluve / & made men do pennance for theyre myssdedes / þat þei wroght hadde & that pyers were payed redde quod debes some lyked not thys leche / & letters they sent yff any surgeon were þe segge / þat fofter[s]ofter softer couvlde plaster syr leyuve to lyuve yn leycherye / lyeG.21.309: The form lye is a possible preterite. See G.14.21, G.17.266 and note to G.6.224. Remaining manuscripts read lay. there & groned for fastyng off a fryday he fared as he wolde dye there ys a surgyon yn thys / ..segeG.21.311: The initial letter of sege was possibly originally an <f>, but it has been overwritten in black ink (probably by the main scribe, though the ink is darker). See the similar alteration by the main scribe later in this line. /þat fsofteG.21.311: The downstroke of the original <f> has been thickened, thus hiding the bar and providing the first letter of softe. Compare the similar mistranscription at G.21.308, and the similar alteration earlier in this line. can handle and more off physyk by farre / & fayrer he plasterethe on frere flaterer / ys physycyon & surgyen quod contrycyon to confessyon conscience / do hym come to vnyte for here ys many many a man / hurte / thrugh ypocrysye we haue no nede quod conscyence / I woote no better leche then persone or perysshe preeste / penytanser or bysshope sauve pyers þe plouman / þat hathe power ouver all hem alle G.21.318: The majority of C manuscripts share the G R F reading "all," which is adopted by Kane and Donaldson. Remaining B manuscripts read hem alle. & ynduvlgence may do but yff dette lett ytt I may well suffer sayed conscyence / sythen ye desyren that frere flaterer be fette / & physyke you seke the frere ther her off herd / & hyed faste to a lorde for a lettere / leauve to hauve cuvres curen and as a cuvratour he were / & came wyth hys letters boldely to the bysshope / & hys breuves brief hadde In contreys þer he came ynne / confessyons to here & came þer conscyence was & knocked att þe gate peasce vnpynned ytt / þat was was porter off vnyte & yn hast asked / what hys wyll were In faythe quod þis frere / for profytte & for healthe carpe I wyll wolde wyth contrycyon / & þerfore came I hydder he ys seeke sayde peasce / & so are many other ypocrysye hathe hath herte hym hem / full herd ys yff þei couver I am a surgyen sayde þe segge / & saluves can make conscyence knowethe me well / & what I can do bothe I praye þe quod peasce þo / are thow pas fortherer ferther what h~~a...~~ettestG.21.337: The letters <ette> of hettest appear to have been written over a partial erasure, but the <s> and the <t> seem to be written over a space (the result is that the ink looks slightly different). It does not seem likely that the word was originally "hightest" (as M and possibly originally Hm), since the second letter seems most likely to have been an <a>. The third letter had a tail which is still visible and it seems probable that the original reading was hast (see the C manuscript Ch, though the readings are probably coincidental). þou I pray þe / heale not thye name sG.21.338: Kane and Donaldson read the initial letter here as sir, but it is definitely deleted. The scribe may have decided to write "sir" (as does BB) but if so he changed his mind. It is also possible that this is just a spelling change and that the scribe began to write the word "certes" with initial <s> and then decided to spell with a <c> as is his usual practice. certes he sayde seyde his felowe / syr penetrans domos ye go þi gate quod peasce / by god for all thye physyke but þou konne some crafte / þou comest not hereynne I knewe suoyche on oonesceG.21.341: The letters <o> and <n> of "once" have been re-outlined in brown ink. / not eyght wynters wynter hence passed came ynne þus y-coped / att a couvrte þer I dwelte & was my ladyes leeche / & my lordes bothe & at þe last thys lymytoure / tho my lorde was owte he saluved so our women / tyll some were wyth chylde hende speche heete peasce / openG.21.346: A virgule has been added at this point to separate open from þe. þe gates lett yn þe frere & hys felowe / & make þem fayre chere he may se & here / so ytt may befall þat lyffe thrughe hys loore / shall leauve couvetyse & be adradde off deathe / & wythdrawe hym from pryde & acorde wyth conscyence / & kysse kisse her ether other thuvs thrughe hend speche / entered the frere & came yn to conscyence / & couvrteyslyche hym grette þou arte welcome quod conscyence / cansthowe heale þe sycke here ys contrycyon quod conscyence / my cosuvne y-wouvnded conforte hym quod conscyence / & take kepe off to hys soores the plasters off þe persoune / & poudres byten soore to sore G.21.357: W originally shared the G Hm reading soore, but supralinear to has been added, bringing W's reading into line with that of most B manuscripts (to sore). he lett þem lygge ouver-long / & lothe ys to change theyme fro lenten to lenten / he lett hys plasters byte that ys ouer-long quod þis lymytour / I leeuve I shall amend ytt & goethe & gropethe contrycyon / & gyuvethe gaf hym a plastere off a pryuvye payment / & I shall prey for you & for all þat ye been hold to / all my lyve tyme and make you my ladye / yn masse & yn matensce as freres off our fraternyte / for a lytle syluver thuvs he goethe & gedderethe / & glosethe þer he shryuvethe tyll contrycyon had forgetten clene forȝeten / to crye & to wepe & wake for hys wycked workes / as he was wouvnte to done for comforte off hys confessoure / contrycyon he leffte that ys þe souveregnest saluve / for al kynnes kyn synnes sleowthe seethe seithe seigh þat / & so dyd pryde & came wyth a kene wyll / conscyence to assayle conscyence cryed efte / & bad claregye helpe & also contrycyon / for to kepe the gate he lyethe & dreamethe sayde peasce / & so do many other the frere wyth hys physyke / folke þis folke hathe enchauvnted & plastered þem so easely / they drede no synne by cryst quod conscyence tho / I wyll bycome a pylgrymme & walken as wyde / as all þe worlde lastethe to seeke pyers þe plowman / þat pryde may destroye & þat freres had a fyndyng / that for nede flateren & convterpleydetheco[n]terpleydethe contrepleteth me conscyence / nowe kynd me awenge & send me happe & heale / tyll I hauve pyers þe plowman & sythe he gradde after grace / tyll I gan awake explicit hic diolagus petri plowman