Langland, William Edited by Alastair Bennett ca. xxx kilobytes SEENET 2018 William Langland 17 folios; vellum early fifteenth century Source copy consulted: Original source consulted, Lincoln's Inn early fifteenth century English French Latin Space has been left for an ornamental capital that was never executed. n a somer seson when softe was þe sonne y schaped me into schroudesa schroudCf. also Wa a shrowedes as y aschep a schep where In abite as an hermyte vn-worthyvnholy of werkes wentI wente wyde intoin þis world wondres to waytehere Bote onon a may morn on maluarne hulles Me by-feol aferly a ferly of fairy me thoghte y was wery for-wandred & wente me to reste vndur abrod a brod banke by a borne brymmesyde And as Ilay I lay & lened & loked on þe waterwatres Islomered I slomered on aslepyng a slepyng hit swyed so murye þan gan y mete merueilous sweuenesa meruelous sweuene þat ywas y was in awildernes a wildernes wisty wist y neuer where Ac yas I by-heold in-to þe est on hygh to þe sonne Isagh I sagh atour a tour on atofte a tofte treoweliche ytymbredimaket Adeop A deop dale by-neoþe adonioun a donioun þer-ynne with deope dyches & dark & dredful toof sighte Afaire A faire feld ful of folk fond y þer by-twene Of alle maner mesterof men makid vppon moldeþe mene and þe riche worchyng & wandryng as þe world tec wilnythaskeþ Somme putte hem to þe plough plaied ful seild In settyng & sowyng swonken welful soreharde þan þer ysygh y syghWan that thes wastours with glotonye destruyed And somme putte heom to pruyde aparayleden heom þerafterThis is a wrapped line. The scribe’s usual practice in this ms is to write wrapped text below the line, enclosed on two sides by a bracket, but here þerafter is written above the line as two words, þer beside La.P.20 and after beside La.P.21, and enclosed by a line that runs upwards from the hooked ascender of the h of heom. This unusual placement is determined by the deformed edge of the page. In continance of clothyng craftelichecomynCf. also V queinteliche. degysed In praiers & penaunce putten heom monye Al for loue of oure lord lyueden welful st:::: In hope tofor to haue afterhaue heouene to huyreheueneriche blisse As ancres & heremytes þat holden heom in heor housescelles Coueite noght in courtcuntre to kairen aboute For no likerous liflode heore likam to likeplese And somme chesen chaffare þei cheuenþei cheuideCf. also V K Wa to cheeuenKane records a superscript s above þei, but this appears to be a version of the c-shaped i-tittle that sometimes appears in this manuscript, rather than a superscript letter. þe bettre As hit semeth to oure sight þat suche men chewenthryvyn And somme murthes to make as mynstrals meledencunne & geten wiþ heore gleo goldgold wiþ her gleo gylelassynles god graunteI trowe Bote iapers & ianglers Iudas children Founden heom fantasyes forand foles heo heomhem feynenmaken And han wit at wille to worche ȝef they woldehem luste þat poule precheth of heom ydar y dar not proue hit here Bote QuiQui loquitur turpiloquium is lucifers hyne Bidders & beggers faste aboute ȝeode AndTil heore baliesbely &heore & heore baggesbaggeV and Ha also have the plural forms for Bagges and Balies, but in these manuscripts the terms are transposed. weore bretful y-crommed FaytoursFlite þanne for heore fode at þe nale foghtenfoughten at þe naale in glotony god wot gon þey to bedde And risyth vp wiþ rybaldy þoas robardes knaues Sory slepSleepCf. also H2 where a late corrector inserts sorye before sleuthe later in this line, agreeing with Bx.P.45 sori sleuthe. & slouthe euer heom sywithsuweþ hem euere Pilgryms & palmers to-gedres heom plyghtenplihten hem togederes Forto seche seynt Iame & rerykesre[l]ykesseintes at rome went forth onin heore way wiþ monytales mony tales wysemony wyse tales And haden leue to lyen al heore lyf tymeaftur Ermytes on an hep wiþ hoked staues hyedenstauys To wendeWent to walsynghramwalsyngham & heore wenches after Grete lobyes & longe þat loth weore to swynke ClothenCloþeden heom in copes to beo knowe from othir Schapen heom hermytes heore ayse to hauen cc yfond y fond þer þe freresfreres alle þe foure ordres Prechyng þe people for profite of þeheore paunchewombe Gloseden þeo gospel as heom leofgood likyth For couetise of copes þey construenconstruedCf. also Ha construen hit aȝeyn kyndeas þei wolde Mony of heoreþis (these) maistres wiþ couetise heom cloþenmowen cloþen hem at lyking For heore mone && heore marchaundise meten to-gedre Sen charite hath beo chapmon & chef to schryue lordes Mony ferlyes han fallen in afewe a fewe ȝeres Bote holy chirche & þeyhe holden to-gedrebet togedere þe moste meschef on molde is mountyng vp faste cc þer preched apardoner a pardoner as he apreost a preost weore Broghte forth abulle a bulle with mony bysschopesbisschopes seales And saide þat him-seolue myght soile heom vchonalle Of falsnes of fastyngesFastinge ofand of vowes ybroken Lewed men hit louedleued hymCf. also Wa it liked. wel & liked his leodenespeche Comen vp kneolyng to kusse his bulle And heAnd raughte wiþ his ragemon rynges & brochesThis line and the next are transposed uniquely in La. The equivalent B-text lines (Bx.P.74-5), are transposed in Hm (Hm.P.73-4). he bonched heom with his breued blered& blered heore eyȝnen cc þus ȝe ȝeuen oure gold glotones to gladenhelpen And leneth hit losels þat lecherie haunten Weore þeo bysschop y-blessed & worth bothe his eres his seal schulde not beon sent þeo people to deseyueto seyuyn þe peple hit is not by þe bisschop þat þe boy precheth Bote þeo paressch preost & heþe pardyner parten þe seoluer þat þe pore people of þe paresch schuld haue ȝef þay ne were cc Persons & parysch preostes playnenpleynyd hem to þeheore bisschop þat sen þe furste pestilence heore parysch weore porehere parishe was pore siþ þe pestilence tyme To haue licencea lycence & leue at london to dwelle To synge þersynggyn for symonye for seoluer is swete cc þer houed anhundred an hundred alle with selk howesin houues of selk Seriauntz hit semed þat serued at þe barre PlededenPleten for panyes & poundes þe lawe And not for loue of oure lord vnlouse heore lippes ones þou myghtest bettre meouenmetyn myst on maluarne hulles þen geten aMom a Mom of heore mouth til money beo schewed cc ysay y say bischopes bysybolde & bachelers of deuyne Bycome clerkis of acountes þeo kyng for to serue Erchedekenes & denes þat dignetes haueth To preche þe people & pore men to fede Beon lope to london by leue of heore bischopesbisshop And beon clerkes of þe chauncelleryþe kynges benche þe contreys to schende Barons & burgeys & bonde menbondige alse v::::::e ysay y say in þat semble as ȝe schullen here after Baxters & bouchiers & breusters monye and eken woln And eken wollenWollen webbesters & weouers of lynnen Taillours & tornorsTokers and tollers boþe Masons and mynors and mony oþir kraftes As dychers & deluers þat heore dedes donedon heore dedes ille þatAnd dryuen forth þe longe day with dieu saue dame emme kokes & heore knaues kryen hote pyes hote Gode grysgees & geesgrys gowe go we dyne gowe go we Tauerners to heom tolde treowelichetolde þe same whitwithCf. also Ra U E wiþ white wyn of asay and wyn of Gascoyne AndOf the ryne && of the rochell þe roste to defye Al þis y say slepyng & seoue sythes more cc What þe mounteyn bymeneth & eke þeo deopederke dale And eke þe feild ful of folk y schal ȝow faire schewe Alouely A louely lady of leer in lynnen yclothed Com doun from þatþe clyf & called me faire And saide sone slepestow seo þou þis people how bisy þey beon alleben aboute þe mase þeo moste partye of þis people þat passeth here inon þis eorþe han þey worscipedworschupe in þis world þey kepe nonno bettre Of oþir heouene þen her hold þey no tale cc y was aferd of here face þagh heo faire weore And saide mercy ma-dame what is þis to mene þe tour on þe tofte quod heo trouthe is þer-ynne And wolde þat ȝe wroghte as his word techeth For he is fadir of feith & formed ȝou alle Bothe wiþ fel & with face & ȝaf ow fyue wittes For to worschipe him þer-with whiles ȝe beon here And þerfore he byhyghtehihte þe eorþe to helpe ȝou vchone Of wollen of lynnen to liflode at nede In mesurable maner tomake to make ȝou atese at ese And comaunded of his curtesye in comune threo thynges Arn non nedful bote þo & nempnen heom ythenke y thenke And rykene byhem be reson reherce þeȝeKane notes that the reading in K E could be either þe as in La, or ȝe is in Wa Ra U Ma. heom after cc þe fursteÞat on is clothyngis vestureCf. also V Ha Cloþing is (marked for transposition in Ha); Wa vesture of cloþe. þat fromfrom coldechele ȝouþe kepethsaue þat oþir is mete at meel for meseise of þy-seoluen And drynk when þe thyrstesdryest &but do notdo hit not oute of reson þat ȝeþou þe worse worthenworthe þe worsworche þe worsThe La reading is uncertain because of the difficulty of distinguishing t and c in this manuscript (see Kane’s note on this variant); worthen could also be read as worchen. when ȝeþou worche scholde For Loth in his lif dayes for likyng of drynke Deode by his doghtres þat þeo deouel liked Delited him in drynken as þe deouel wolde And lecherie hym laghte & lay by heom bothe And al he wited hit wyn þeoþat worchyng of þewikkede dede Drede delitable drynke & þou schalt do þe bettre Mesure is medecyne þagh þou muchel ȝerne Al is not good to þe gottegost þat þe gostgutte axeth Neo lif fodelyflode to þe likam þat leof is to þe soule Leue not þy likam for aliere a liere hym techeth þat is ::::::echede world þe to by-traye For :::::: & þy flesch foleweth to-gedre And þa::::::tKane and Schmidt record that La omits þat, but the first part of the word is visible beneath the damage to the manuscript page. þy soule & sentset hit in þyn heorte And f::: scholdest beo war y wisse þe þe besteþe besteIn most mss, the end of this line reads I wisse þe þe beste. The La scribe has copied wisse þe beste, then added þe beste as a marginal correction, supplying the missing word, but also introducing a new error with the second beste; the supplied þe is now very faint, and is not noted in Kane’s variants. Amadame A madame mercy quod I me liketh wel oure wordes Bote þe money of þys molde þat men so faste holdeth Tel me to whom þat tresour apendeth Go to þe gospel quod heo þat god him-seolf saideseyde hymseluen þo þeo people him apposed with apeny a peny in þe temple ȝef þey scholde worscipe þerwith kaysercesar þe kynge And god asked of heom of wham spak þe lettre And vnto whomAndCf also V Ha And whom; E And qwom to. þe ymage is lykelikeCf. also V Ha was lik. þat þer-ynne stondeth Cesar þey saiden we seon hitseoþ wel vchone Reddite Cesari quod god þat to cesarCesar fallethbefallith Et que sunt dei deo ・ or elles don ȝeȝe don eoleeo[uel]ille For rightfulliche reson schulde reule ȝou alle And kynde wit beo warden oure weolþe to waytekepe And tutour of ȝoure tresour to& take hit ȝou in tymeat nede For hosbondry & he holdeth boþeholden to-gedre cc þan yfrayned y frayned hire faire for him þat hire formedmade þeo dongoun in þe dale þat dredful is of sight what hit myghtemay hit mene þat ȝe me wolde tellemadame Ich þe biseche heo saide segge sikerly þeo soþe for to sayThis line is only attested in La þat is þe castel of kare for whosohose cometh þer-ynne May banne þat he bore was to body or to soule þer-yn woneþ awyȝewiht a wyȝewiht þat wrong is yhoten fader of falsede he fond hit his-seoluen Adam & Eue he egged heom toto to ille And conseiledeCounseilede kaym to kullen his ownehis broþer Iudas he Iaped with Iewen seoluer And hasted himsyyn on an elrne to hongenhongede him aftre he is letter of loueloue and lacchethlyȝeþ heom alle þat trusteth on his tresour by-trayed arn sannest þan had y wondur in my wit what wommon hit weore þat suche wise wordes of holy wryt schewed And coniuredhalsede hire on cristesþe heiȝe name to telle me hire nameer heo þennys ȝede And whatWhat heo witerly wasweore witerly þat wised me so faire Owgh segg heo saide þou aghtest me to knowe La.1.74 and La.1.75 are elaborated from a single line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa T H2 Ch D Ra E Ma; in V, Holi churche Icham quaþ heo þou ouhtest me to knowe. For ycham ych am holy chirche & cheosed þe ones AndIch vndurfong þe furst & þy feith taghte þou broghtest me borewes my biddyng to worche And toTo loue lelly meme leellyThe unique reading lelly me may result from a misplacement of the chevron that indicates where the correction in the margin should appear in the line, but cf. lely me in B RF. whil þy lif dureth þan y kneoled on my kneoes & cryed hire of grace Praied hire pitousely to pray for my synnes A and eke kenne me knowlechkuyndely on crist to byleue þat y myght worchen his wille þat to mon me madewrouhte me to mon Teche me no tresour bot tel me þatþis ilke how Imyghte I myghtmay my soule sauesaue my soule fro synnes in þis eorþeþat seint art iholde þan þat louely lady wiþ laghynge chereThis line is only attested in La Saide whenWhon alle tresours arn tryed treuthe is þe beste ydo y do hit on deus caritas to deme þe sothe hit is als dereworth adrywery a drywery as deore god him-seoluen For whos is treowe of his tonge & telethtelleþ non oþer Doþ þe werkes þer-withþerwiþ and wilneþ no mon eouelille he is agod a god by þe gospel on ground & on lofte And eke like to oure lord by seynt lukes wordes ∴ þe clerkes þat knowen hit schulde kenne hit abowte For cristene & vncristene cleymeth hit vchone kynges & knyȝtis schulde kepe hit by resoun And riden & rapendoun rapen doun in realmes aboute Alle toillors andAnd take trespasours & ekeand tye heom faste Til treuthe had termyned heore trespas to þe eynde For d dauid in his dayes dubbed mony knyghtisknihtes DeodeMadeCf. also J K Ra & did, and Wa He dide heom swere on heore sweord trouþe euer to serueto serue treuþe euere þat is þe profession propurlichapertly þat to aknyȝt a knyȝt apentethapendeþ to knihtes And not to faste on friday in foure skoreFyue score wynter NoAnd neuer leue heom for loue no lacchyng of ȝiftes This line and the next are transposed uniquely in La. Bote holde wiþ hirehim & wiþ himheore þat asketh þe trouthe And whos passeth þat poynt is apostata in his order cc For crist creatour cried and kraftely madeLa.1.106 and La.1.107 substitute for two lines found at this point in Ha J K Wa T H2 Ch D Ra U Ma; in Ha, For crist kynge of knyȝtes knytted somtyme/ Cherubyn & seraphyn & alle þe foure ordres. (The first of these lines is omitted in V E, and only the second is legible in N.) Of aungles and archangles ordres nyne And ȝef heom myght in his maieste þe murier hem þouȝ::::La V Ha lack the line that follows this one in J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in J, & oueral his meyne made hem archangels. Taghte heom þorgh þe trinite þe trouþe to knowe To beo buxsum toat his byddyng he bad heom not elles And þe lyght lucifer illumyned ouer heom alleLa.1.111 substitutes for two lines found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in V, Lucifer with legiouns lerede hit in heuene/ he was louelokest of siht aftur ur lord. Til he brak buxsumnes þoruȝ bost of him-seoluen þen feol he wiþ his felaus & feondes bycomen Out of heouen in-to helle hobleden þey faste Summe in eyr somme in eorþe somme in helle deepe Bote lucifer lowest lyth of heom alle For his pompe & his pruydepruide þat he put out his pyne haþ non eynde And alle þat worchen with wronge wenden þey schulen After heore deth day & dwelle with þat schrewe cc And þeyþoo þat worchen þe word þat holy chirchewrit techeth And eynden as y er saide in parfite werkes Mown beo siker þat heore soules schule wende to heouen þer treuthe is in trynite toand treonenCorouneþ heom alle ForForthy y say as I er saidesaid arst by sight of þeose tixtes when alle tresours arn tryed treuthe is þe beste Lerith hit þus lewedemen lewede men for leredlettrede hit knoweth þat treuthe is þeis tresour triedesttriest on eorþe ȝet haue I no kynde knowyng quod I boteȝe motyn kenne me bet... By what kraft in my cors Imay I may hit ay fynde knowehit cumseþ and where þou dotest daffe quod heo dulle arn thy wittes hit is akynde a kynde knowyng þe kennesþat kenneþ in þyn heorte For to loue þy lord leouer þan þy-seolue No dedly synne to do dye raþerþauȝ þou schuldest þis Itrowe I trowe beo treuthe who-sowho treuly hit techethcon teche þe betere Loke þou soffre him to sayn & sethen lere hit after For þus witnesseth his word wryten in þe bibleworch þou þeraftur þat loue is þe leouest thyng þat oure lord askith And iseke þe plante of pes prochepreche hit in þy harpe þer þou art mury at mete ȝef men bidde þe ȝedde ForFor in kynde knowyng in heorte keneth þe þeo sothether comseth a might And& þat fulFalleþ to þe fadir þat formed vs alle Loked on vs wiþ loue & let his sone dye Meokelich for oure mysdedis to amenden vs alle AndAnd ȝit wolde he heom no woo þat wroght him þat pyne Bote meokelich wiþ mouthe mercy he by-souȝte To haue pite ofon þat people þat pyned him to dethe Here mightow seo ensaumples ofin himself al-oneone þat he þathe was myghtful & meke mercy& mercy gan graunte To heom þat honged him on croshim by & his heorte þurled cc For-þy yrede y rede þe riche haue reuthe on þe pore þagh ȝe beon myghty to mote beþ meke of oure werkis For þe same mesure þat ȝe meten amys oþir elles ȝe schule beo weyed þer-wiþ when ȝe wenden hennes For þagh ȝe beon treowe of oure wordus tongustonge & trewely wynnenThis is a wrapped line: wynnen is written below the line, roughly in line with La.1.155, and enclosed on two sides by a bracket. And eke as chast as achild a childþat in cradel criethchirche wepeþ Bote ȝef ȝe louen lelly & releue þe meseise & þe pore wiþOf suche good as god ȝou sentsent godliche parte ȝe haueþ no more merite in messesmasse no in houres þan malkyn of hire maydenhod þat nomon no mon desirith cc For Iames þe gentil IuggethiuggidAlthough most mss of the A and B versions have iugged in the past tense, most mss of the C version have iugeth in the present tense, as does Z. Schmidt argues that the verb may originally have taken the present tense in all versions (Schmidt, Parallel Text, 2.317). Kane preferred the reading ioynide, found only in T H2 and Ch, on the grounds that this reading, which implies both judgement and injunction, is harder (Kane, A text, p. 435). in his pistlebokys þat feith wiþ-oute feet is febler þen a fachenouȝt And as ded as adore-naill a dore-naill bote ȝef þe dede folewe Chastite wiþ-oute charite schalworth schryned beonchaynydCf. also Ra U schryned. in helle For hit is lewedore þenIt is as lewed as alaumpe a laumpe þat no light is ynne Mony chapeleyns beon chast bote charite is awey charredaweye Arn non hardur holdershardore þen þey when þey beon auaunsed vnkynde to heore kyn and eke to alle oþircristene Chewen heore charite & chiden after more Suche chastite wiþ-oute charite cheue schal illewrth chenyde in hell ȝe creatourscuratours þat arn contynent &kepyn yow clene of oure bodies ȝe beon combred wiþ couetise creopen out ȝe ne konneȝe conne nouȝt out crepe So harde haþ auarice happedihaspet ȝou to-gedre þat is no trouthe of þeof trinite bote atrichery a tricherytricherie of helle Aleornyng A leornyng to lewed men þeo latter to dele For þeose arn wordisþe wordus wryten in þe gospelewaungelye Date & dabitur vobis : for y dele ȝou alle þat is þe lessonlok of loue þat leteth out my grace To comforte þe karful þat arn combredacombred inwith synne Loue is þe leouest thyng þat oure lord asketh And eke þe greithe gate þat goth vp in-tointo heouen For-þy y say as I er saideseyde ere by sight of þe tixtes when alle tresours arn tried treuthe is þe beste Now hauy hauhaue y tolde þe what treuthe is þat no tresour is bettre Imay I may no lengor lenge now oure lord þe mote lokeloke þe oure lorde // ȝet kneoled y on my kneoes & cried hire of grace And saide mercy madame for mary loue of heouen That bar þatþe bliffulblisful barn þat boghte vs onon þe rode ken me by sum kraft to kenneknowe þeo false Loke on þy lifte half loand seoCf. also T H2 Ch E A Ma & lo wher ho stondeth Bothe fals & fauuel & his feres manye yloked y loked on my lifte half als þat lady me taghte And was war of awommon a wommon wondurly clothed ypurfiled wiþ peolour þe puyrest aponon eorthe Crouned wiþ acoroune a coroune þe kyng hath non bettre Alle hire fyue fyngres were fetredfrettet wiþ rynges Of riche rubies wel rede and oþir feole stonesLa.2.12 substitutes for the line found at this point in V J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ux1 Ux2 E A Ma; in V, Of þe preciousest perre þat prince wered euere. In red scarlet robed and wiþ gold rebendedirybaunt with gold þer is no quoyntre qweneqweene qweyntore þat quyk is on lyue cc what is þis wommon quod I so wortheliche atired þat is mede þe maidenmaide hath Inored noyed folme ful ofte And lakked lodlichlakked my lore to lordes aboute heo is more pryue wiþ þe pope þan y amIn the papes palays sche is prevye as my-seolue And so schulde heo not beon for wrong was hire fadirsyre Oute of wrong heo wax to wrotherhele manye I oght to beo herre þan heo I com of abettre a bettre cc To-morw wothwo[r]thworþ þe mariage mad of mede & of false Fawuel wiþ fair speche hath forged heom to-gedre Gyle hath by-gon here so heo graunteth al his wille And al is liers ledyng þat þay lyuenlyenCf. also Ha lyue so. to-gedre To-morwe worþ þe mariage mad as I er ofþe toldetelle þer may þoumight thou witen ȝef þou wolt wich þey beon alle þat longon to þeþat lordschipe þe lasse & þe more knowe heom þer ȝef þou kanst & kep þe from heom euerealle ȝef þou wilnest to wone wiþ treuthe in his blisse Imay I may no lengor lette bote lordlorde y þe by-kenne And for any couetise bycom agoode a goode monbicome a good mon for eny couetyse yrede y rede cc Al þe ryche retynaunce þat regneth with false weore boden to þisþe bridale on bo twoþe two þeboþeCf. also Ch E boþe þe two sydes Sir Symony was soneis sentassent to sele þeo chartres how false wold afyn a fyn rere & not wold he faileLa.2.36 is a corrupted form of the line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in V, þat Fals oþur Fauuel bi eny peyne heolden. To ȝeue al his lorschipes with londes & leodesThis line is only attested in La. And feoffe mede þer-myd in mariage for euer cc þer nas halle no hous to :::herberw::: þeo people þat iche feild no was ful of folk al aboute In myddes amounteyn a mounteyn at mydmorw tymetyde was pight vp apaueloun a paueloun proud for þe nones And ten thousand of tentes teilded by þer sidesbesydes ForOf ofknihtes of þe contrey & comunerscomersCf also E commons al aboute For sisors for sompnors for seollers &for buyers For lewedlerid for leridlewyd for laborers of kraftesþropes Alle to witnesse wel what þe writ wolde In what maner þat mede in mariage was feoffed To beo fastned with false þe fyn is arered þan fauuel fette forthhire forþ & to false taketh In forward þat falsede schal fynde hire for euer And beoheo be boun at his bode his byddyng to fulfulle At bedde & at borde buxum and hende And as sir symony wol segge to schewensuwen his wille Symony & Cyuyle stondeth forth bothe And vnfolden þe Feoffement þat fals hath yformedmade And þus bygynnen þeoseþe gomes & greden wel hyȝe cc // witen & witnessen þat wonen apon eorthe þat I fauuel Feffe falsenesse to mede To beo present in pryde for pore or for riche wiþ þe erldam of enuye euer-morefor euere to laste With al þe lordschipe of lecherie in leynthe & in brede wiþ þe kyndam of couetise y coroune heom to-gedre And al þe yle of vsurie and auarice alsethe faste Glotony & grete othes y graunteȝiue heom to-gedre þey to haue &and to holde and to heoreheore eyres aftreThis line is copied twice in La, out of sequence here, and below (La.2.69) at the point where it also appears in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma. wiþ allealle þe delites of lusteslust þe deouel forto for to serue In al þeo seignourry of slouthe y sese heom yferetogedere þey to haue &and to holde & heore ayres for euereaftreThis line is copied twice in La; it also appears above at La.2.66. wiþal wiþ al þe apurtinaunce of penauncepurgatorie into þe pyne of helle ȝeildyng for þeose thyngisþis þing at on ȝeres eynde heore soules to satanas to sogernesynkyn in sorwepyne þer to wone wiþ þat wyghtwrong whil god is in heouen In witnes of wich thyng wrong was þe furste And piers aþepardoner aþe pardoner paulynes doctor Bette þe beodil of Bokynham-schire Randulf þe reue of Roteland fokenesokene MaclumMonde þe meoleward & mony mo othir In þe date of þe :::: deouel þe dede was a-seelid By sight of sir symonye vndurand signes of noteryes cc þen teoned him teologie when he þis tale herde And saide to cyuyle now sorw on þy bokes Suche weddyng to worche to wrathe with treuthe And er þisþis weddyng beo wroght wo þe by-tide For mede is moillour of mendes engendred God graunteth to ȝeue mede menskelich toto treuthe And þou hast ȝeuen hire to agylour a gylour now god ȝef þe sorwe þe tixte tellith not so treuthe wot...þe sothe Dignus est operarius mercede sua &cetera worthy is þe werkman his mede for toto haue And þou hast fastened hire wiþ fals fy on þy lawe For al by lesynges þou lyuest & lechoresleccherous werkis Simony & þy-seolf schenden holy chirche hit is noted ȝeȝe & þe notories neyȝen þeo people ȝe schulen abugge bothe by god þat me made For welWel ȝe witen weornardes bote ȝef ow wit wanteȝor witte fayle þat fals is afaitour a faitour & feynteles of werkis And& as abastard a bastard y-born of bealsabubbes kynde And mede is amaidenmeylere a maidenmeylere amoiller a moillera mayden of goode heo might kusse þe kyng for cosyn y troweȝif she wolde worche ȝeWorcheþ by wisdam & wayfe a-way wrongebi wit aftur Ledith hire to london þer þe lawelawe is handled Lokith ȝefȝif lealte wol likeloken þey lengenliggen to-gedre And þaghȝif Iustisesþe iustise iuggen hire to þat fals ioyneto be ioynet with Fals ȝet beo war of þatþe weddyng for witty is treuthe For conciense is of his coynseil & knoweth ow vchone And ȝef he fynde ȝou in defaute & with fals holde hit schal sittebisitten ȝoure soules fulwel soure at þe laste herto asentith cyuyle bote symony no wolde Til he had seoluer for his seles & signes of notoriessygnysCf. also E, which has notary signes. þan fet forth fauuelfett fauel forth florens ful feoleinowe And bad gile go gyfe gold to vche gomeal aboute And namelich toto the notories þat þerhem non failed And feoffe false witnes wiþ floreyns feole ypraye y prayeinowe For he may mede amaistrien & maken at hismy wille Bote þoþoo þis gold was ygyue graunt mercy þey graddengret was þe thankyng To fals & to fawuel for heore faire ȝeftes And þenne fals from kare konne þey faste comforteLa.2.118 is a corrupted form of the line found at this point in Ha J K N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in Ha, many comen from care to counforte þe false. And saide certes insame in sameseyden sertis sese schal we neuer Til mede beo þy wedded wif þorgh wit of vs alle For we han mede amaistred þorghwiþ oure meory speche þat heo graunteth with vs toto gon with agoode a goode wille To london to loken ȝef þe lawe wolde Iugge ȝou ioyntly in ioye for euer cc þan was fals fayn & fauuel welalso blithe And lette sompne alle segges in schires aboute þatAnd vche beornealle beo boun beggerbeggers & othir To wende with heom to westmunster to witnesse þis dede þan karkedencareden heo for caples to karien heom þydre :::::pes AndThan fauuel fet forthfet fauuel foles of þe beste Sette mede on a schirref schoȝed al neowe And fals onsat on a sysour þat softely trotted And fauuel apon feyr speche fetosly atired þo hadde notories none annuyed sore þey weorenþei weore And eke þatÞat symony & cyuyle schulen on heore foet gang... þen swor cyuyle & said by þe rode þat sompnors schule beo sadeled & serue heom vchone And let apparaylen þis prouysours in palfreyen wise Sire symony him-seolf schal sitte on heore bakkes And allealle þe denes & sudenes as destreris heom dighte For þey schule bere þeþese bischopes & brynge heom to reste Paulyns people for pleyntis in þein constorie Schule serue my-seolf þat cyuyle am clepedhette & let cartsadlen þe commyssary oure kart schal he drawe And fet al oureur vitayles of fornycatoures And makith of lyer along a long carte to leden allealle þis oþer As Freresfoles & faitours þat on heore feet renneth Fals & fauuel faren forth on foles yferetogedere And mede in þe myddis & al þis meyne after Ihaue I haue ne tymetome to telle of þeþe tayl þat heom foleweth Of mony maner of men þat on þis molde libbeth Bote gile was for-goer & gyed heom alle Sothnes saysauh hem wel andand seide bote litel Bote prikithprikede forth on his palfray & passethpassede heom alle And com to þe kyngis court & concience tolde And consience to þe kyng carped hit aftur cc By crist quod þe kyng & kacche mowe II mihte cacche falseThis line division is unique to La. In V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U the line divides after cacche; in E A Ma, where the last two words are transposed, the line divides after E Ma myght; A may. Or fauuel þat flaterer oror any of his feres y wolde beo wroken of þo wrecches þat worchen so ille And do heom honge by þe hals & alle þat heom meyntmayntenyth meynt extends to the edge of the page and the final letters are rubbed and faded; it is possible that the scribe originally wrote meynteniþ, or one of the other minority readings attested in other manuscripts, and that this was lost to cropping. Schal neuer mon ofon þis molde meyntenemeynpryse þe leste Bot right as þe lawe lokith let falle on heom alle And comaundithcommaunded aconstable a constable þat com atteat þe furste To atache þe tirraundes as tid as he myghtefor any tresour I hote Fetreth falnes faste he saithfaste for any kyns ȝeft... And gurdeth of gyles hed let himhim go no forthir And bryngeth mede to me maugrey heom alle Symoy Symo[n]y & cyuyleysendecyuyle y sende heom to warne þat holy chirche for heom worth harmed for euer and ȝef þouȝeCf. also Wa þou maight. lacche lyere let him not askape Er he beo put on þe pillary forfor eny praier or for poundesich hote Dred at þe dore stod & þat deonedome herde And wightly went on his waywenteCf. also A he wente awey to warne þe false And bad him fleo for fere & his feres alle cc þanne falsnes for fere f to þeo freres fleddefleih to þe Freres And gile doth him to go agast lest hefor to dye Bote marchaunismarchaun[t]is metten him withwith him & maden him to abide By-schetten him heorein hereE also omits in schoppes to schewen heore ware Apparailden him as a prentise þe people to deseyueserue Lyer launced lightly &Liȝtliche Lyȝere leop awey þennes Lorkyng þorgh lanes lodly tologgedtologged of mouthemonye he was nowher welcome for his mony tales Bote ouer-alOuer alle foule yhuntedihunted & hote to tressetrusse Til Pardoners haden pite & pulleden him to house wosschen him & wypenwyptyn him & wryenwounden wiþhim in clothes And senden him on asondaya sondaysonendayes wiþ seeles to chirche And gaf pardon for penyes penymelpoundmele aboute þen lowreden leches & lettres þey sendensent þat he woldeFor toCf. also Ha þat he sholde. wone wiþ heom watres to loke spicers speken with him to aspyen heore ware For he couthe on heore kraft & kneow mony gommes Bote mynstralsMunstrals & messangers metten wiþ him ones And wolde haue witholdenwithheode him to þe worldis eyndehalue a ȝere & elleuen dayesLa.2.193 and La.2.194 are elaborated from a single line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma; in J, & with heldyn hem halue a ȝere & elleuen dayes And when he had dwelled wiþ heom on half ȝere Freres wiþ heore fairfeir speche fetten him þennes For knowyng of cornerscomers þay copedcopeden him as abrother a brothera Frere Maden on heore maner him in abyt as afrere a frereThis line is only attested in La. Bote he has leue to lepen out as ofte as him likith And is welcome when he comethwile & iswoniþ wiþ heom ofte For as longe as he lyues he is with heom by-lefteThis line is only attested in La. with fees of flatery þat faile wol heom neuerThis line is only attested in La. For kyng no for knyght corouned vndur heouenThis line is only attested in La. Alle fledden for fere & flowen in-to huyrnes Saue mede þe maiden no mo durste abyden Bote treowely to telle heo trembled for fere And eke wept & wrong hire hondeswrung when heo was atached // Nowis Now is mede þe maiden & no mo of heom alle Wiþ beodels & bailifs to þe kyng ybroghteibrouht to þe kyng þe kynkyn[g] callith aclerk a clerk I kan not his name To take mede þe maiden & make hire atese at ese y wol sayassayen hire my-seolf & sothly appose What wyhemonCf. also N wiȝt. of þis world þat hire weore leouest And ȝef heo worche by mybe wit & my wille folewe ywol y wol for-gyfe hire þis gult so me god helpe Cortesly þe clerk þan as þe kyng hoted Tok mede by þe myddel & broghte hire to chaumbre Bote þer was murthe & mynstralsye mede to plese þat wonedenwoneþ at westmynster worschipedenworschipeþ hire alle Genteliche with ioye of þeþe iustises somme Boskeden heom to þe boure þer þe beorde dwelled Comforteden hire kyndelich by clergyes leue And saiden morne ȝemorneCf also V Wa Ch E A mourne þou not mede neo make ȝeþou no sorwe For wolwe wolen wisse þe kyng & thy way schapen AndFor al consience kraftecaste for-casten& crafteCf. also J is cast and V and Casten. as we trowenas I trouwe cc Myldeliche mede þan mercyed heom alle Of heore grete godnes & giftes gafȝaf heom vchone Couered coupesCoupes of goldclene gold wel clanliche y-wroghteand pecis of seluer Rynges wiþ rubies & riches manye þe menestlest mon of heore meyne amoten a moten of gold þan laghten þey leue þeose lordes at mede With þat come clerkis to comforte hire ekenþe same And beden hire beon blythe for we beon thyn owne For-to worchen oure wil whil oure lif lastes hendelich þan hem heo by-hatte heom þe same To louen heom lelly & lordes tohem make And þein courte of constoryconstorie at courtCf also Ha courte & in constrye. Kane describes La and Ha in agreement here. þat callescallen myheore namenames schal no lewednes him lette þeo leod þat y loue þat he no worth thorgh myn help hyghly auauncedfirst auaunced for I am beknowe Of chirches of chapels chese of þe besteThis line is only attested in La. wherÞer konnyng clerkis of clergyclerkes schal clocke by-hynde cc þan com þer aconfessour a confessour icoped as affrere a Frere To mede þe maiden meokelich he louted And saide wel softely in schryfte as hit were þagh lered & lewed han leyen by þe alleechone And þagh falsed had folewed þe þis fiftene wynter Ischal I schal asoile þe my-seolf for a seem of whete And eke beon þy baudekyn & beore wel thyn ernde Among clerkes & knyȝtis concience to felle þan mede for hire misdedes to þat man kneoled And schrof here of hire schrewednes schemelas Itrowe I trowe Tolde him atale a tale & tok him in hondhim anoble a noble For-to beon hire beodmon and hire baude after þanne he asoiled hire sone & sethen he saide we han awyndow a wyndow in worchyng wol stonden vs wel hyȝe woldestow glase þe gable & settegraue þer-in thy nome wel sikerSiker scholde þy soule beo heouen blisseheuen to haue ȝe wiste I þat quod þe womman wel weore me þanneLa.3.51 and La.3.52 are elaborated from a single line found at this point in V Ha J K T H2 Ch D Ra U A Ma; in V, wist I þat quod þe wommon þer nis nouþur wyndou ne auter. (E presents this single line and the next as three lines, while N omits both lines and substitutes a passage like Bx.3.51-62 or the equivalent C-text passage RK.4.55-66.) For þer nys wyndow no weoued wroght in ȝour wones þat y ne scholde make or mende & my name on writewrite þer-toÞat vche segg y schewe me nowsal see I am sustre of oure house Bote god to alle gode folk suche grauyng defendith cc And seith ・ Nesciat sinistra quid facit dextra Lat not þy lifte hond late no rathe Beo war what þy right hond worches or deles Bote so pryuely parte hit þat pryde beo not schewedseȝen Nouþer in sight no in þyin soule for god him-seolf knoweth Who is cortaise &or kynde couetous or elles For-þy ylere y lere ȝou lordes leueth suche writyngeswritynge To writen in wyndowes of ȝoure wel worchyngwel dedes Or to greden after godesmen godes men when ȝe dole delesȝyuen doles On auter ȝe hauen herhan ȝoure huyre resceyuedtherof here For oure saueour hit saide & him-seolf preched Amen dico vobis vobisvobis receperunt mercedem &cetera Meires & macers ȝe þatþat beon made menemene By-twene þeo kyng & þe comunes to kepe k the lawes As to punyschen onpillories on pillories & on pynyng stoles BreowestersBruers & baxtersbakers bochers and cokes For þeose arn men on þis molde þat most harm worchen To þeo pore people þat parcymel buggen For þey poisen þe people pryueliche wel ofte And richen þorgh regraterye & rentes þeyhem buggen Of þat þe pore people schulde putte in heore wombe For toke þey on treowely þey tymbred not so hyȝhe No boghten no borgatesborga[g]es beo ȝe wel certayne Bote mede þe maide þe mair heo by-soghte Of alle suche sullers seoluer for toto take Or presentes with-oute pans as peces of seoluer Rynges or oþir riches þeo regratours to meyntene For my loue quod þeþat lady loue heom vchone And suffre heom to selle somdel aȝeyn reson cc Salamon þe sage asermon a sermon he made For to amende maires & men þat keptekepeþ lawesþe lawes And tolde heom þis teoneteeme þat I telle thynke Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libere libenter accipiunt munera &cetera Among þis lettred lordes þis latyn amounteth þat fure schal fellefalle and brenne at þe laste þe houses & þe homes þat suche ȝeftesof hem þat desireth To ȝernehaue ȝeftes or ȝeresȝeftes in ȝouthe or in elde cc þeo kyng fro counseil com & called after mede And of-sent hire swytheas swiþe sergauns hire fette And broghte hire to boure wiþ blisse & with ioye And on hire kneoes heo kneoled when heo þe kyng syghLa.3.96 and La.3.97 substitute for a single line found at this point in V J Wa N T H2 Ch D U E A Ma; in V, Corteisliche þe kyng cumseþ to telle. (H and K conflate this single line with the line that follows it in V J Wa N T H2 Ch D U E A Ma.) Bote he hire tok vp by þe hond & hailsed wel faire And toTo mede þe maiden meledmelleth þeose wordes Womman vn-wittelyvnwittylichCf. also N vnwitly womman wroght hastow ofte Bot wors wraghtest þou neuer þan whan þou fals toke Bote Ifor-gyue I for-gyue þe þat gult & graunt þe my grace So þat hennesHennes to þy deth day þou do so no more Ihaue I haue aknyȝt a knyȝt consience com late from by-ȝonde ȝef he wilne þe to wif woltow him haue ȝe lord quod þat lady god for-beode elles Bot ȝefBote ybeo y beo holy at ȝor heste let hangehonge me hyesone cc þen was consience called to come & appere Byfore þe kyng & his counsail bothe clerkesclerkes & othir kneolyng consience to þe kyng he carpedloutede To wite whatWhat that his wille weore & what þat hehe scholdedo schulde Wole þou wedde þis womman ȝef y wol assente For heo is fayn of þy felaschipe for to beo þy feremake quod consience to þe kyng crist hit me for-beode Er ich wedde suche awif a wif wo me by-tide heo is frele of hire feith & fykelFikel of hire speche heo makith men mysdo mony score tymes In treost of hire tresour heo teoneth wel monye wyues & wydowes wantonesse techeth Al lerithLerideCf. also V Ha Leriþ. heom lecherie þat loueth heore ȝeftes ȝoure fadir heo felde þorgh false byhestes EnpoisenethApoysende popes enpairesapeirideCf also V Ha E and peyreþ holy chirche þer is notys notCf. also V Ha þer nis no abettre a bettre bawde by him þat me made By-tweone helleheuene & heouenhelle yholde y holde& erthe ȝefþauȝ men soghten heo is tikel of hire tayl talewys of wordeshire tonge Als comyn as þe kartway to knaues & othirto alleCf also E al other. To munkes to mynstrales to meseles in hegges Sisours & somnours suche men hire preyseth Schirreues of schires weoren schent ȝef heo no weore Heo doth men to leose heore lond & heore lif aftrebothe Ant leteth passe prisoners & paieth for heom ofte And ȝeueth to þeoþe iaylers gold oþir seoluerand grotes togedere For toTo vnfetre þe false to fleoflee wher him likith heo takith þe treowe by þe top & tyeth heom faste And hangeth him for haterede þat harmed neuer To beo corsed in constorie heo counteth not arysche a rysche For heo copeth þeo commyssary & koteth his clerkes heo is asoiled as sone als hire-seolseol[f] likyth heo may negh als muche don in amoneth a moneth ones As ȝoure secrete seal in sixeseuen skore dayes heo is pryue with þe pope prouysors hit knoweth Sir symony & hire-seolf seollen heore bulles heo blesses þeo Bisschopes þaghyfCf. also V D U þouȝ þat þey beon lewed Prouendrers persons and prouestpreostes heo maynteneth To holde lemmones & loteybes al heore lif dayes And bryngen forth barnes aȝeyn forboden hesteslawes þer heo is wel with þe kyng wo is þe rewme For heo is fauorable to fals & fouleth trouthe ofte Barons & burgeys heo bryngeth in sloutheserwe By Ihesu wiþ hire iewelis ȝoure iusticesIustyce heo schendith And combreth heom with hire kraft þat crist ȝef heom kareLa.3.150 substitutes for a line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in V, heo lihþ aȝeyn þe lawe and letteþ so faste. So þatÞat feith may not haue his forth forforþ florynshir Florins go so thykkeThis is a wrapped line: thykke is written below the line, in line with La.3.152, and enclosed on two sides by a bracket. heo ledith lawe as hire lust & louedayes makith þeo mase for amene a mene man þagh he mote euer Lawe is so lordlich and loth to make an eynde wiþoute presentpresentes ofor pans heo pleseth wel fewe Clergye & couetise heo coupleth to-gedre þis is þeo lif of þisþat lady godnow lordCf. also E now god. gyfe hire sorwe And alle þat meynteneth hire men meschaunse heom by-tide For pore men mown haue no power to playne þagh þey steruehem smerteThis is a wrapped line: sterue is written below the line, roughly in line with La.3.160, and enclosed on two sides by a bracket. Suche amaister a maister is mede among men of gode cc þan morned mede & mened hire to þe kyng To haue space to speke spede ȝef heo myghte þe kyng grauntethgraunted hire grace wiþ agood a good wille Escuse þe ȝef þou kanst y kan no more segge For consience þe acusethacusith þe to congey þe for-euer Nay lord quod þat la:::: ladyladiKane does not include the La reading la:::: lady in his list of variants for this line. The scribe probably copied lady twice in error, although neither instance is marked for deletion, and later damage makes it impossible to establish a reading of the first instance with certainty. leues him þe worse when ȝe witen witerly wher þeo wrong liggeth þer þat meschef is mostgrete mede may oftemay helpe And þou knowest consience y com not to chide No to dampnedepraue þy person with aproude a proude heorte wel þou wost consience bote ȝef þou wolt lye þou hast honged on myn half mony feoleenleue tymes And eken haste gropegripen my gold gyfe wher þe liketh And whyWhi þou wrathest þe now wondur me thynkith ȝet may yI may as y myghte menske þe with ȝiftes And meyntene þy monhode more þan þou knowest And þou hast famed me foule byfore þy kynþe kyng here For kulled y neuer no kyng no counseiled þer-aftre No dude as þou demest ydo y do hit on oure kyngis moutheþe kyng In normandy was he noght nuyed for my sake Bote þou þy-seolf sothely schamed him ofte þou cropecreptest into cabana caban for colde of þy nailes And wendestWendest wharþat wynter wold haue laste for-euereuere And þouAndCf. also Wa N þou. draddest to beo ded for adym a dym cloude And hastedest hamwardþee hamward for hunger of þy w wombe wiþ-oute pite þou robbe pylour pore men þou robbedest And bere heore bras aton þy bak to caleys to seolle cc þer I lafte wiþ my lord his lif for to saue And made him muche murthemyrtheCf. also V murþe ful muche and J mychel myrthe. mornyng to leue And batrede him on þe bak boldedand bolded heore heortes Deode heom hoppe for hope to haue me at wille hade I beon marchal of his men by mary of heouene y durste haue leide my lif and no lasse wedde he scholde haue beon lord of þat lond in leynthe & in brede And eke kyng of þat kyth his kyn for to helpe þeo leste brolle of his blod abarouns a barouns pere Cowardly þou consience conceiledest him þennes To leuen þer hishis lordschipe for alitel a litel seoluer þat is þe rycheste rewme þat reyn ouer-hongethouerhoueþ hit by-cometh to akyng a kyng þat kepeth arewme a rewme To ȝeuen his men mede þat meokely him serueth To aliens to alle othiralle menCf. also Ma oþer men. &to honouren heom wiþ ȝiftes mede makith him beo loued & for amon a mon yholde cc Emperoures & eorles & alle maner ofmaner lordes þorgh ȝeftes han ȝongemen ȝonge men to rennen abowteand to ride þeo pope &with his prelates presentes vndurfongeth And meden men heom-seoluen to meyntene heore lawes Seruauns for heore seruyse we seon wel þe sothe Taken mede of heore maistres as þey may acorde Beggers for here byddyng byddyth men mede Mynstrales for heore murthes mede þey sechenasken And for to reule þe rewme þe kyng mede ȝefesLa.3.212 is a corrupted form of the line found at this point in V Ha J K T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in V, þe kyng meedeþ his men to maken pees in londe. (The line is omitted in Wa N.) Men þat clergye konnenbyn clerkesCf. also J Wa N kennyn clerkis. krauen afterof hym mede Preostes þat prechen þeo people crist for to pleeseto goode Asken mede & masse pans & heore mete alse Alle maner mester men moten medlen with medeLa.3.216 substitutes for the line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in V, Alle kunne craftes men craueþ meede for heore prentys. Mede & marchaundisesmerchaundise moten alweys nedenede go to-gedre No wight as y wene wiþ-outen mede myghte libbe kynge Quod þe kyng to consience by crist as me þynkith Now is medeMeede is worthy þe maistry to weldehaue cc consciens Nay quod consience to þe kyng & kneoled to þe eorthe þer arn two maner of medes my lord wiþbeoþ þyȝoure leue þat on god of his grace gyueth in his blisse To heom þat worchen wel whiles þey beon here þeo prophete prechede hit and putte hit in þe sauter Qui peccuniam suam non dedit ad vsuram &cetera Tak no mede my lord of men þat beon treowe Loue & leue heom for þeur lordes loue of heouene Godis mede & his mercy þerþerwith myght þou wynne cc þer is amede a mede mesurelas þat maistres desireth To meyntene mysdoers mede ofte þeyþei take And þer-of seith þe sawter in a salmes eynde In quorum manibus iniquitates sunt dextera eorum repleta est muneribus &cetera And he þat gripeth heore ȝeftes so me god helpe schalabugge schal abugge hit welit bytter or ellesor þe book lyeth cc Preostes & parsones þat plesyngesplesyng desiren þat taken mede & monee for masses þat þey syngen Schal haue mede ofon þis molde þat mathew hath graunted Amen dico vobis receperunt mercedem suam þat laborers & lowe folk taken of heore maistres ys no maner of mede bote amesurable a mesurable huyre In marchaundise is no mede I may hit a-vowewel auoue hit is apermytacioun a permytacioun apertelich apenyworth a penyworth for anoþir Bote reddest þou neuer regum þou recreyed mede why þeo vengaunce worchedfel on saul & on his children God sende him to sayn be samueles mouthe þat Agag of amalek and al his people after scholde dye for adede a dede þat don haden his aldres Aȝeyn yraels & aron & moyses his brother Samuel saide to saul god sendes þe & hoteth To beo buxum & boun his byddyng to fulfulle wend þider wiþ thyn oste alle wymmenwymmen þouto qwelleculle Children & cheorles choppe of heore hedeshem to deþe Loke þou kulle þe kyng & coueyte not his godes For any multitudemilions of money mordre heom vchone Beornes & bestes brutnebrenne heom to dethe And for he kulled not þe kyng as crist him bode sende Coueyted heore katel kulled not heore bestes Bote broghte with him þe bestaile as þe bible telleth God seide to samuel þat saul schulde dye And al his seed for þat synne schenfulliche eynde Suche amescheif a mescheif mede made þe kyng for toto haue þat god hated him for euer & al his ayres after þe culorum of þis no kepekepe y not to schewe On aunter hit nuyed me non eynde wol y make I consience knowe hitþis for kynde wit me taghte þat reson schal regne and rewmes gouerne And right as agag happed happen schule somme Samuel schal slen him & sc saul schal beo blamed And dauid schal beo dyademed & daunten heom alle And on cristene kyng kepe vs vchone Schal no more mede beo maister aponon eorthe Bote loue & lowenes & lewte to-gedre And who-so trespaseth to trouthe or aȝeyn him takithtakyth ageyn his will Lewte schal leggen him lowedon him lawe orand leose his lif elles Schal no seriaunt for þat seruys weore aseolk a seolk howue No no ray robe rechely yforredwiþ riche pelure Mede of misdoers maketh heom toso riche þat lawe is alord a lordlord waxen and lewte is pore vnkyndenes is acomaundour a comaundourcomaundour & kyndenes is bannedbanescht Bote ȝet schal kynde wit comekuynde wyt schal come ȝit & consience to-gedre And make of lawe alaboreir a laboreir suche loue schal arise // Sesseth seide þe kyng y soffre ȝou no leyngre ȝe saghteneschulle sauȝtene for-sothe and serue me bothe kusse hire quod þe kyng consience yhote y hote Nay by crist quod consience congeye me rathere Bote reson rede me þer-til arst wol y dye And Icomaundecomaunde þe I comaundecomaunde þe quod þe kyng to consience þanne Rape þe to ryden and reson þat þou facche Comaunde him toþat he come my counseil to here For he schal rewle my rewme & rede me þe beste Of mede þe maiden& of mo other & whatqwat mon schal hire wedde And counptecounte with þe consience so me crist helpe how bothe lered & lewed þou lerest þe peopleLa.4.12 is a corrupted form of the line that appears at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in V, How þou ledest my peple lered and lewed. (The line is omitted in A.) y am fayn of þat foreward saith þe freke þanne And ryd rightriȝt renneþCf. also V J rod riht. to reson & rowneth in his here Saide him as þe kyng sent & seothe tok his leue ::::s I schal araye me to ride quod reson reste þe awhile a while And kalled katon his knaue þat com at þe furstecurteis of speche Sat my sadel apon suffre til y seo my tyme And lat warrok him wel with witful gurthes hang on him þe heuy bridel to holde his hed lowe And ȝet wol he weheen & wynchmakyn many we he or we come þere þan consience on his capel kairethcaryethcaried forth faste And reson with him ryd redeliche nyghe& rapiþ hym ȝerne At on asent weoreBut one warynCf. also Ra A ton were; U At on were. wisdam and witty his fere Foleweden heom faste for þey haden to done In þeIn chauncelleryesscheker & þe& in chekerechauncelrie to beo descharged of thynges And riden faste for reson scholde reden heom þe beste For to sauen heom-seolf fro schame & fro harmes Bote consience com arst to courte by amyle a myle And romed forth with reson ::::: right to þe kyng Cortesly þe kyng þanne come vn-toin to reson And by-twene him-seolf & his sone set him on benche And wordeden agrete a grete while wel wiselich to-gedre pees cc þan com pees in-to parlement & put vp abille a bille how wrong aȝeyn his wille hadde his wif taken And hehow he rauyssched rose Reignaldes lemmanloue And margarete of hire maydenhod maugre hire chekes Boþe my gees & my gryse his gadelynges feccheth Idar I dar not for fere of him fyghte no chide he borewed of me bayard & broghte him neuer aȝeyn Ny no ferthyng him foreþerforeCf. also Ha K for hym. for noght þat y kouthe plede He meynteneth his men to mordre myn ownehynen Forstalleth my feires & fyghtethFihteþ in my chepyngeschepynge Brekith vp my berne dores & beoreth away my whete And makithtakeþ me bote ataile a taile for ten quarters of otesoten And ȝet he beteth me þerto & lyth by my maiden I am not hardy for him vnnethe to loke þe knynThe second minim of the second ‘n’ in this deleted word has not been executed. kyng kneow he saide soth for consience him tolde Wrong was afard þo & wisdam he soghte To make withhis pees with panshis penyes & profered him monyemany And saide had Iloue I loue of my lord þe kyng litel me roghtewolde I recche þagh &pees and his power pleyned heom euer wisdom wan outwan þo & so dude wit alse For þat wrongh hadde ywroght so wiked adede a dede And warneden wrong þo with suche awys a wys tale Who-so worches by wil woo wakenethwraþþe makeþ ofte Isay I say hit by þy-seolfmyself þou schalt hit sone yfynde Bote ȝef mede hit make þisþi mescheif is vppe For boþe þy lif & þy land lyth in his grace Wrong þan on wisdam weoped wel sorewepteThis line division is unique to La. The most commonly-attested line division, found in V Ha T H2 Ch D E A Ma, is after helpe. To helpe himhim to helpeCf. also Ra U to helpe hym at nede for of his handy dandy paied þanne wisdom & wit wenten homwente to-gedre And nometoke mede with heom mercy to wynne cc Pees putte forth his hed & his panne blody With-oute gult god wot gat y þis skathe Consience & þe kyng kneow wel þe sothe And wisten wel þat wrong euer was aschrewe a schrewewas a schrewe euere Bote wisdam & wit weoren aboute faste To ouercome þe kyng with katel ȝef þay myghte The kyng swor by crist & by his coroune bothe þat wrong for his werkes scholde muche wowo soffreþole And comaunded aconstable a constable to kasten him in yrnes he schal not þis seouen ȝeir seon his feet ones cc God wot quod wisdam þat weore not þe beste And he mendes mowe make let maynpris him haue And beo borugh for his bale & buggen him bote Amende þat he mys-dude & euer-more þe bettre Witte acordeth þerwith & saide þe same Bettre is þat bote bale adoun brynge þan bale beo beten and bote neuer þe bettre þan gan mede meokento mekyn hire & mercy by-soghte And profered pes apresent a present al of puyred golde haue þis of me mon toquad heo to mendeamendynCf. also Wa N mende wiþ þy skathe For ywol y wol wage for wrong þat hehe wol sodo so no more Pees þan pitousely praied to þe kyng // To haue mercy ofon þat mon þat mysdeode oftehim ofte For he hath waged me wel as wisdam him taghte yfor-gyue y for-gyue him þat gult with agood a good wille So þat ȝe assenten ykan y kan say no more For mede hath made my mendes ymay y may no more as... Nay quod þe kyng so god ȝeue me blisse Wrong wendeth not so away er y wite more Lepe he so lightely þe loselawei laghen wolde he l londehe wolde And efte beo þe balderþe boldere ben to beten myne buxumehyen Bote reson haue reouthe on him he schal in þe stokkes resterest in the stokkesThis is a wrapped line: reste is written below the line, roughly in line with La.4.96, and enclosed on two sides by a bracket.Kane omits the final reste from his list of variants for this line (the word is rubbed and faded and written below the main line; see codicological note). Als longe as I leue with leautees leuebote more loue hit make Some radde reson to haue reuthe ofon þat schrewe And concelyngto counseile þe kyng & concience bothe þat mede moste beo meynpernor resoun they bysoghte cc RedRede me not quod reson no reouthe to haue Til lordes and ladies louen alle trowthe And peornels porfile beo put in perkyns pouchehire hucche Til children chere cheryschestchereschinge beon chastised with ȝerdes And harlotes holynes beo holden for an hyne AndTil clerkes & knyghtes beon corteise of heore mouthe And haten to heren of any harlotriesharlotrie ȝelpyngoþer mouþe it with tungisor mouþe hit hem selue Til preostes heore prechyng preoue hit heom-seoluen And do hit in :::: dede to drawe vs to goode Til seynt Iame beo ysoght þer I schal asigne þat no mon go to Galys bote he go for euer And alle rome renners for robbors of by-ȝonde Beore no signe of seoluer þat of kyng Beore no seoluer ouer see þat signe of kyng schewethLa lacks the two lines that follow this one in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma; in V, nouþer grotes ne gold I graue with þe kynges coroune/ Vppon Forfet of þat Fei hose hit fynde at douere. Bote ȝefBote hit beo amarchaunt a marchaunt or his man or messanger with lettres Or prouysor or preost þat þe pope auaunseth And ȝet quod resonquad Reson bi þe Roode y wolI schal no reowthe haue Whil mede hath þe maistrie to moten in þeþis halle Bote y may schewe ensaumples as y seo othir I sey hit for my-seolf and hit so weore þat Iweore I weore kyng wiþ acoroune a corounecroune to kepen arewme a rewme Schulde neuer wrong in þis world þat y wite myghte Beon vn-punyssched byin powermy pouwer for peril of my soule Neo my grace getengete my grace þorgh gifte so me god helpe Neo for no mede haue mercy bote meokenes hit made For multum bonumnullum malum ・ þe mon mette with irremuneratuminpunitum Nec multum malum lawe wolde þat schulde beo InpunitumLa.4.125 is a corrupted form of the line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma; in V, And bad nullum bonum be irremuneratum. Lat þy confessour sir kyng construe þe hitþis in englyssch And ȝef þou worche hit in werk I wedde bothe mynmyn eres þat lawe schal beo alaborer a laborer & lede on feild donge And loue schal lede þy lond in leynthe & in bredeas þe leof lykeþ Clerkes þat weore confessours coupled to-gedrehem togedere For to construe þis clause & declyneddeclyned faste Bote þowhon reson among þeose renkes rehersed þeose wordes And þerÞer wasnas mon in þe mote-halle more ny lasse þatThat he no huld resoun amaister a maister & mede meochela muche wreche Loue lat of hire light and lough hire to skorne And saide hit with so loude steueneso loude þat sothfastnes herdehit herde Who-so wilneth hire to wif for weoleweolþe or for worschipeof hire godes Bote ȝefBote he beo kokewold of kyndecallid kutte of my nose Waryn wisdom þo ny witty his fere kouþen not karpenwarpen aword a word to with-segge resoun Bote stareden for studyeng and stoden al stonyedas bestes The kyng acorded & kneow sothbi crist to resones sawas And rehersed þat reson hadde right-fullich schewed Bote hit is wel hard by myn hed to bryng þis abowteherto to bryngyn it And alle my lege leodes to lede þus euene cc By him þat resterauhteCf. also Ha rest hym. on þe rode quod resoun to þe kynge Bote y reoule þus oureþi rewme rent owt my rybbes ȝef þat hithit beobeo so þat buxsumnes beo of myn assent By goode god& I asent quod þe kyng y graunte wel þannebi seinte marie mi ladiKane identifies La.4.149 as a corrupt line. Beo my counseil come of clerkes & eorles Bote redeliche reson þou schalt notA short diagonal line, perhaps an uncancelled first attempt at the upward stroke that leads into the descender of the long ‘r’, appears between not and ryden. ryden hennes For as longe as me is lant the lyfI lyue leete þe ynulle y nulle y am redy quod reson to reste with ȝow euer consciens & reson con::: conselle So consience beo of ȝoure counseil kepe y no bettre y graunte welgraunte quod þe kyng so me god helpegod forbeode he fayle Als longe as y libbe schallyue lyue we to-gedre // The kyng & his knyghtis to þe kirke wenten To here matyns & masse & to mete after þenne waked I of my wynkyng & wo was mewasCf. V me was with-al þat I no hadde sleped sadder and y-seyen more Ar yhadde y hadde faren aforlong a forlong feyntise me henteLa lacks the line that follows this one in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch Ra D U E A Ma; in V, þat Forþer miht i not a fote for defaute of sleep. ysat y sat softely dounadoun and saide my byleue And so ybabled y babled on my bokes beodes þey broghte me onslepe on slepe þanne saw y mychel more þan I fore-tellebeofore tolde For ysaw y saw þe feld ful of folk þat y byfore of toldetoulde And consience with acros a cros come for the prechyngefor to preche And preyed þeo people haue pite on heom-seoluen Bote heAnd proued þat þe pestilence was for heorepuire synne And the southwesternewynd southwesterne wynd aton satteresday at euene was apertely for pruyde & for no poynt elles Piryes & plomtrees were poffet to þe eorthe In ensaumple seggesto mensent godCf. also K that ye segges þat ȝe scholde do þe bettre Beches & brode okes weore blowe to þe grounde And torned vppeward þe tayl in tokenyng of drede þat dedly synne ar domesday schal for-don heom alle cc Of þis mater y myghte muche mamele &mamelyn longewel longe Bote Ischal I schal sayn as I sygh so me god helpe how consience with acros a cros kraftyliche kancomsede to prechen he bad wastour go worche what he best couthe And wynne þat he wasted wiþ some maner werkecraft And praied peornel hire proude porfileporfil to leue And kepe hit in hire coffre for catel at nede Thomas he taughte to take toughetwey staues And facchen felice homhom Felice fro wymmenwyuene pyne he warned war watte witerly hishis wife was to witeblame þat hire hed was of hygher pris þan feol for hire stateLa.5.30-32 are elaborated from a single line found in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma; in V, þat hire hed was worþ a mark & his hod worþ a grote. For hit passed apound a pound þe pletes weore so monye And his hyhood hyghely yholde hit worth agrotea grote he charged chapmen to chastisen heore children Lat no wonnyng for-wanyen heom whil they beon ȝonge cc he praied prelates & preostes putten heom to-gedretogedere preche to :::::: dede AndÞat þei preche þe people & preoue hit heom-seoluen And libbeth as ȝe leren vs we woln loue ȝou þe bettre monk And sithe he radde religioun heore reoule to holdeA line in the same ink as Anthony Foster’s marginal annotation runs down the left margin of the page from La.5.35 to La.5.46. And lyue with alowe a lowe heorte oure lord for to serueLa.5.39 substitutes for the line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in V, Leste þe kyng & his counseil ȝor comunes apeire (this line is omitted in A). La and A lack the line that follows this one in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma; in V, And beo stiward in oure stude til ȝe be stouwet betere. And ȝe þat sechen seynt Iame and seyntes at rome sechith seynt treouthe for he may ȝou sauensauen ow alle Qui cum &ceterapatre &cetera filio faire mote ȝe fallebefalle Than ran repentaunce & reherced his teme And made wil to weopen water with his eyghnen Peornel proudherte plat hire to ::: þe eorthe And lay longe or heo loked & oure lordlordCf. also V to ur ladi mercy cried And by-hyghte to him þat vs alle maked with his myghtmaade he wolde vnsowen heore schorteserk & sette þer an here For to affeyten heore flesch þat freschfers was to synne schal neuer hyghe heorte me hente bote holde me lowe And suffre to beo myssaide & so dude y neuer Bote now wol I meoke me & mercy by-seche Of þatal þat I haue had enuye in my heorte þe lechoureLechour saide alas & on oure lady graddecriede To make mercy offor his misdede by-tweone god and his soulehym with þat he scholde þe setteresday seuen ȝeir þer-after Drynke bote wiþ þe doge & dyne bote ones Enuye with heuy heorte asked after schryfte And karfulliche his gultCulpeCf. also V Ha gultus. by-gynneth hebiginneþ to schewe he was as pale as apolet a polet in þe palsye he semethseemedeJ also has semyth, but with -th corrected to -d. AndHe was clothed in akaury-maury a kaury-maury coude yI couþe hit not discrye Akirtel A kirtel & acourtepy a courtepy aknyf a knyf by his syde Of afrere a frere frocke weoren hisþe fore-sleues As a:::le leekleek þat hedde longe leyenleiȝen longe in the hoteþe sonne So loked he with lene chekes lourynge foule his body was y-bolned for wrathe þat he bot his lippes And wrothly he wrong his fuste to wreken him he thoghte with werkes oror with wordes when he sawe his tyme Of leosardes or of lobbes venym hath me laghte La.5.69 substitutes for the line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma; in V, venim or vernisch or vinegre I trouwe. And walwethWalwith in my wombe & worchethwaxeþ me wratheas I wene þat I myghteI miȝt not mony day don as aman a man aughtemyhttn: This is one of five indicative r2 readings postulated by Schmidt that are present in La. The others are found at La.7.12, La.7.129, La.7.161, and La.7.283. J agrees with r1 here, while Wa has sholde, agreeing with m. Suche wynd in my wombe waxeth ar y dyne cc Ihaue I haue aneygheboure a neygheboure nygh me I haue nuyed him ofte And blamed him by-hynde his bak to brynge him into defamefame To apeire him by my power I haue pursuedpursued feole sitheswel ofte And ekeAnd bylowen him to lordes to don him leose seoluer And maddonCf. also Ha I made. his freondes beon his fon þorgh my false wordestonge La and Ha lack the three lines that follow this one in V K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma (the third of these lines is also lacking in J); in V, his grase and his good hap greueþ me ful sore/ Bitwene him and his meyne Ichaue I mad wraþþe/ Boþe his lyf and his leome was lost þorw my tonge. when I mette him in market þat I so muchemost hated y halsed him soas hendeliche soas I his freonde weore he is doghtier þan I y dar none harm him donedon him Bote hadde I maistry & myght y wolde him maymemortheryn him Cf. also Ha hadde maymed for euere cc when Icome I come to þe kirke & kneole to þe rode yto pray for þe people as þe preost techethLa V Ha J K N T H2 Ch D Ra U omit the line that follows this one in Wa E A Ma; in Wa, For pilgrimes for palmers for al þe peple after. Both Kane and Schmidt consider the omitted line to be part of Ax. þan crie II crie on my kneoes þat crist ȝef homhim sorwe þat bar away my bollesbolle & my broken schetesschete La lacks the line that follows this one in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma; in V, From þe auter I turne myn eiȝe and biholde. Kane observes that the line lacking in La is mislineated in all other manuscripts, most likely owing to the omission of a word at the start of the line early in the transmission of the text. Kane, , 441. yand by-holde by-holdeby-holde by-hynde me on aneowe a neowe kote hauehou heyne haþ a newe cote þanne wyssche yhit y hitIch wussche hit weore myn & al þe web after Of his leosyng ylaghwe y laghwe hit lightenes myn heorte Bote of his wynnyng y weope & weyle þe whiletyme Ideme I deme men þey donþere þei don eouel & ȝet do yI do worse y woldewolde þat vche wyȝe weore my knaue in þis world wonyngknaue And whad þatwhoso hath more þan I heþat angereth myn heorte Thus y lyue loueles lyk aleother a leother dogge þat al my breste bolneth for bittre of my galle may no sugre no swete thyng w swageswage hit an yncheThe scribe executes a loop before swage, apparently the first stroke of an uncancelled letter, perhaps the w of swage, or the top of a two-compartment a, for aswage, a variant attested in K and J. Ny no diapendion dryue hit fro myn heorte And þanne ȝefȜif any schryftshrift scholde hit saueschope semed hit aa gret wondurThis is a wrapped line: wondur is written above the line, in line with La.5.96, and enclosed on two sides by a bracket. ȝus redely quod repentaunce & radde him to gode And saide sorweSorwe for synne saueth ofte welwel manye I am sory quod enuye y am bote seilden othir AndAnd þat maketh me so mad þat I no may me venge cc þanne come couetise y can him noght discryue BoteSo hongurliche & loweholewe sir heruy he lokethloked he was sno::: bitelbrowed & baberlipped with twey blered ygh-nenThis is a wrapped line: nen is written below the line, in line with La.5.105, and enclosed on two sides by a bracket.This line divides after yghnen only in Schmidt’s r2 group: La V Ha J K Wa N. Elsewhere, the line divides after boþe T H2 Ch; after baberlypped Ra D Ma; and after biterbrowed U. E A Ma H present an expanded version of the b-verse as a separate line. And eken asas alethren a lethren pors lolleden bothe hishis chekes In a torn tabard of twentytwelue wynter age Alous A lous myghte not launce þer-on for failyng of foteLa.5.107 and La.5.108 substitute for a single line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma H; in V, But ȝif a lous couþe lepe I con hit not I leue. Bote he hadde beo schod with forstnaile schrap al abowete he scholde not haue wandredwandreCf. also Wa H2 E A H not wandre. on þat wedewalsshe scarlet for wantyng of wolleso was it thredebare I haue quod þat kaityf couetouse beobe couetous quaþ þat caitif I knowe hit now hereheere For some tyme y serued to symond atte nokkeþe noke And was his prentise plight his profite to loke And furstefurst I leorned to lyen alef a lef oroþer tweye wickedly to weyen was my furste lesson To wynchestre & to woborneWye I went to þe faire with many maner marchandise þatas my maister myd medledhihte No had þe grace of gyle gon among my ware hit had vn-sold beonben vnsold þis seouen ȝeir so me god sauehelpe // þan drogh I me among d drapers my donet to lere To drawe þe listeslyste along on teyntre we hit tiledenþe lengore hit semede Among þe riche raynes I rendred þe samea lesson And brochedBrochede hem with apak a pak nelde & plattedpletede heom to-gedres Putte heom in apressour a pressour & peyned heom þer-ynne Til ten ȝardes or twolue tolden oute þrettene My wif was awynnester a wynnester for to spynne hit softeLa.5.125 conflates the a- and b- verses from two successive lines found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma H; in V, And my wyf at Westmunstre þat wollene cloþ made/ Spak to þe spinsters for to spinne hit softe. þe pound þat heo paied heom byby passed aqwartera qwarterThis line divides after qwarter in La E A Ma H, and after more in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U. more þan myn owne deodeauncel dude when y weye trewthe y boghte hire barlich heo brewed hit to seolle Peny ale & pylewile ofte heoheo poured to-gedres For laborers & litellouh folk þat lyued by heom-seoluen þe beste in my bedchaumber lay by þe benchewowe And who-so drongBummede þer-of boght hit þer-after Agalon A galon for agrote a grote god wot no lasse when hit come in coppemal þat crafte my wif vsethvsede Rose þe regratour whose rykeneth right waswas hire namrihte name heo hath holden hoxtre wel elleoueelleuen wynter Bot Iswere I swere now to þesoþely þat synne schal y leuelete And neuer wickedlich weye no wicked chaffare make Bote wenden to walsyngham & my wif alse And bid þe Rode of Bromholm brynge me oute of synnedette // Now by gilleginneþ glotoun for to go to schrifte And kaireth him to chircheward his schriftsynnes for to schewe And beton þe bribesterbreustere bad him god morwen And ekeheo asked of him whideward he wolde To holy chirche quod he for to here amasse a massemasse And seothen beo schryuen wol yI wol be shryuen & synnen no more I haue good aleale gossib quod heo to glotoungloten with good heortewiltou assaie hastow oghthast thouCf. also V Ha Hastou ouȝt in þi pors and N ȝe hastow ought in þi purse. quod he of anyeny hote spices ya glotoun gossipe quod heo I am not al boutegod wot wel hote Ihaue I haue garlek & greyn de Parys & fenelsed for men fast:::La.5.150 is a corrupt form of two lines that appear at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma H; in V, I haue peper and piane and a pound of garlek/ A Ferþingworþ of Fenelseed for þis Fastyng dayes. & þou kepest bote þe coos of aknyues a knyues haft tofore þe :::::This line is only attested in La For I wot in my wit what þy wombe wilnethThis line is only attested in La þanne goth glotoun yn & grete othes after And kytteSesse þe sowester þat sat softesat on hire benche Watte þe weuerwafferar and his wyf bothe Tomme þe tynkere & tweyne of his knawes hykke þe hakeneyman þat coude wel heue þe coppeand hogge þe neldere Clarice of kockeslane þat klatre can fasteand þe clerk of þe churche Dawe þer was & dolfynþe disschere & adoseyn a doseyn othir harry bribourA RibibarCf. also J A bribure aratoner a ratoner & araker a raker of chepe Aroper A roper & aredyng-kyng a redyng-kyng & Rose þe disscher Of vp-holders an hepe erly by þe morwenmorwe ȝeuen glotoun with glad chere to hansel agalon a galon of good alegood ale to honselCf. also E a gallon of ale to hansele and Wa, where the whole line reads Eche man for hansel to gloton drank a galon ale. Clement þe kobler caste of his cloke And at þe neowe faire nempned hit to seolle hikke þe ostiler hitte his hod sone afteraftur And bad Bette þe bocher beon on his by-halueside þer weore chapmen chosen þat chaffare to preysen For who-sohose þe hod haddehedde þe hod scholde amendes hauehaue amendesLa.5.169 and La.5.170 are elaborated from a single line found in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma H; in V, hoso hedde þe hod schulde haue amendes. Of him þat þe cloke had & þat heom thoghte skilleof the clokeof the clock, from which this line is elaborated in La, is omitted in all r2 manuscripts except K þo risen vp in rape & rowneden to-gedresLa and K lack the three lines that follow this one in V J Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma H; in V, And preiseden þe peniworþes & parteden bi hem seluen/ þer weoren oþes an hep hose þat hit herde/ þei couþe not bi heore concience acorde togedere. The first of these lines is also lacking in Ha, and the third in A. Kane proposes that the omission of these lines in La may result from homeoteleuton, skipping from 'togederes' at the end of K.5.174 to 'togederes' at the end of K.5.177 Til robyn þe roper was Irad to rise And nempned him for noun-piere þat no debate aroswere hicke þeo hostiler þanne hadde þe cloke In couenaunt þat clement scholde fulle þe coppeþe cuppe schuld fille And haue hicke hod hostilerþe ostiler & holde him yserued AndAnd hoso repentidrepenteþCf. also Ha J repentid hym rathest scholde arise after And grete sir glotoun with agalon a galon ale þer was laghyng & louryng & let go þe coppe Bargayns & beuerages by-gonnen to arise And seten so til euesong & songon wel muriesumwhile Til glotoun þorgh þe golet let glidehedde ygloupet to galonsa Galoun & a gille vche tyme þat he pissed more þen apotel a potel þer passedLa.5.183 is a corrupted form of the line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma H; in V, he pissede a potel in a pater noster while. And with þat heAnd blew þe rounde rewet at hisat þe ruggebones eynde þat alle þat herde þat horn heold heore nose after And wissched þat hitit had beon waxed with a wisp of firses he had no streynthe to stondon ar he his staf hadde And þanne can he gon god wot þe sothelyk a gleomonnes bicche hiderward & þedirward auaunt & arereLa.5.189 is a corrupted form of the line found at this point in V Ha Wa N U E A Ma H; in V, sum tyme asyde and sum tyme arere. (In J K T H2 Ch D Ra, this line is combined with the previous line.) As whos laide lynes to lacche allewiþ foules When he drogh to þe dore þen dymmed his eyghnen he stomblod on þe þrosschald & threw to þe eorthe þat with al þe woo of þis world his wif & his wenche Beren him to his bed &broghten & broghten him þer-ynne And after al hisþis sorfet an accesse he hadde þat he slepte settresday & sonday til sonne ȝede to softereste þan waked he of his wynkyng & wiped his eygnen þe furste word þat he spak was wher is þe bolle þan his wif at his word wratthede soreThis line is only attested in La Andhis wyf blamed him þat he wolde ay beon so bold toþan of wyckydnesse & synnen And for to leden suche lif þat leosed wel monyeThis line is only attested in La And made heom haue heore home in helle for euerThis line is only attested in La þan was he aschamed þat schreweþe shrewe ashamedCf. also Wa he shamed þe shrewe; D Ma he asschamed þe schrewe & gan schrapenschraped hise eyneeren And by-gan to gredegreton grymly & gret deol to make For his luther lif þat he so longe lyuediliued hadde And avowed welto faste for hongor or for thirste Schal neuer fisch on friday defye in my wombe Ar abstinence myn aunte haue ȝeuen me leue And ȝet yhaue y hauehaue I hated hire al my lif tyme Slouthe for sorwe feol doun y-swowe Til vigilate þe veile fet water at his eyghnen And flat hit on his face & faste on him cried And saide war þe for wanhope he wolwil þe bytraye I am sory offor my synnes say to þy-seoluen AndAnd bet þy-seolf on þyþe brest & bid him of grace For is þeris no gult here so gret þat his godnes is more cc þan sat slouthe vp & signed him faste And made a vowe to-fore god for his foule slouthe Schal no sondeday beo þis seouen ȝeir bot seknes hit make þat I no schal dightedo me ar day & do me toto þe chirchedore churche And here masse & matyns als I amonk a monk were Schal none ale after mete holden me þennes Til Ihaue I haue euensong herd Ihote I hote to þe rode And ȝet wol Iȝelden I ȝelden aȝeyn ȝef Iso I so muche haue Al þat Iwickedly I wickedly wan seothe I wit hadde And þagh my liflode lacke leueletten I no wol þat vche mon schal haue his or I hennes wende And with þe resydewe & þe remenant by þe rode of chester y wol seche seynt treouthetreuþeCf. also N and H2 where later correctors add seynt or Iseo I seo rome Robard þe robbour on reddite he lokedloked Bote for þer was not wher-with he weopte welswiþe sore BoteAnd ȝet þe synful schrewe saide to him-seoluen Crist þat on caluarie apon þe cros dyedest þo dismas my brother by-soghte þe of grace And þou hadest mercy on þat mon for memento sake þy wil worth apon me as I haue wel deserued To haue helle for euer ȝef þat hope no weore So reowe on þis Robart þat red nonno red no haueth No neuer wene to wynne wiþ crafte þat heI knowe Bote for þy muchel mercy mytigacioun I by-seche And dampneDampne me not onat domesday for I dude so ille Bote what by-feol of þis feoloun I kan not faire schewe wel I wot he weopte faste water with his eyghnen And knoweleched his gult to crist ȝet efte-sones þat penitencia his pyk scholde polessche neowe And lepe with him ouer lond al his lif tyme For he had leye by latro lucifers aunte Athousand A thousand þomen þo thryngen to-gedres Weopyng & weylyng for heore wicked dedes kryeden vpward to crist & to his leoueclene modur To haue grace to gon with agood a good willegraceLa.5.251 and La.5.252 are elaborated from a single line found in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma H; in V, To haue grace to seche seint treuþe god leue þei so mote. To seche seynt treouthetreuþe god leue þat þey sothey mote // Agh þer weore fewe men so wys þat þe waywei þider couthe Bote bleoseden forth blusteryngblustrid forth as bestes ouer hulles & dalesvaleyes & hulles Cf. also Ma H dales & helles. Til late & longe þat þey aleod a leod metten Iparailed as apalmare a palmarepaynymCf. also H2, where a later corrector has altered paynym to palmer in pilgrymes wise he bar abordon a bordon ybounden with abrod a brod liste In awrethewyndeswyse a wrethewyndes wyse y-wounden al abouteaboute Abagge A bagge & abolle a bolle he bar by his syde An hundred of saumplesampolles on his hat seten Synes of synay and schelles of galys And mony acrouche a crouche on his cloke and keyes of rome And aþevernycle aþe vernycle byforn for men scholde him knoweknoweCf also Wa knowe hym. And seon by his signes whom he soght hadde This folk frayned him faire fro whennes þat he come Fro synay he saide & fro þe seynt sepulcresepulcre At beedlehem at babiloyne I haue beon in bothe In Ermony in alisaunder in mony othir places ȝe mowe seon onbe myn signes þat sitten on myn hatte þat Ihaue I haue walked wel wide in wete & in drye And soght gode seyntis for my soule helthe knowest þou oght acorseynt a corseynt quod þey þat men callen trouthe konst þou wissen vs þe wey þerwher þat wyghe dwelleth Nay so me god helpe saide þe gome þanne ysaw y saw neuer palmer with pyk no with skryppe Asken euer afterafter him er now in þis place cc Peter quod aploghmon a ploghmon and putte forth his hed y knowe him as kyndelich as clerk doth his bokes Clene consience & wit me kennethkenned meCf also Ra A kennyþ me to his place And dude me ensurenme to sureCf. also V enseure me; H2 me to ensure him sithen toto serueserue him for euer Bothe sowe & sette whiles y swynke myghte Ihaue I haue beon his folewer al this fourty wynter Bothe sowen hishis is overwritten with darker ink seed & sywed his bestes And keped his korn & caried hit to houseThis line has been overwritten with darker ink Dyked & doluen and don what he hoted With-ynne &With-ynne & has been overwritten in darker ink with-oute & wayted his profite þer is no laborer in þishis lordschipe þat he loueth better For þaugh Isay I say hit my-seolf Iseruedserue I seruedserue him to paye y haue myn huyre of himhim wel & othir-whiles more he is þeo prestest paier þat pore men knowen he with-halt non hyne his huyre þat he no hit hathne haþ itCf. also V hit naþ at eue he is als lowe as alombe a lombe & loueliche of speche And ȝef ȝe wilneth to witewite wher þat he dwellyth y schal wissen ow wel riȝt homrihtCf. also V þe wey hom. to his place ware to others ȝe leoue Piers quodquaþ þe pilgryms & profereden him huyre Nay by þe peril of my soule quod pers & cangan for to faste swereswereCf. also E A Ma H swere faste, and Ha where this line concludes & fast he dide swere. Inolde I nolde fonge aferthyng a ferthyng for seynt thomas schryne cc Trouthe wolde loue me þe lassewors along a long whiletyme þer-afterafter Bote ȝe þat wilnen to wende þis is þe way þyder ȝe mot go þorgh meokenesse bothe men & wyues Til ȝe come to consience þat crist wite þe sothe þat ȝe louen him leuer þan þe lif in ȝoure heortis And ȝoureþan ȝor neyghebours nexte in none wise apaire Oþer-wise þan ȝeþou wolde men wroghte to or-seolueþiseluen And so bowes forth by abrok a brok beoth boxom of speche for-to ȝe fynde aforde a forde ȝoure fadres ȝe honourehonourethCf. also Ma ȝe honnourdd and J hem ȝe honoure. wadyth into þat water & wassche ȝe ow wel þere And ȝe schule lepe þe lythtloker al ȝour lif aftertyme So schal ȝe seo swer not bote ȝef beo hit beo for nede And namelich on ydel þe name of god almyghty þanne schule ȝe come by acroft a croft bote come not þer-ynne covitise þe crofte hatte coueite not nonot mannes catellThe line divides after catell in La and J; in V N T H2 Ch D Ra U E A Ma H, the line divides after wyues. No heore wifes noNe non of heore seruauns þat nuyen heom myghte Loke þou breke no bogh þer bote ȝef hitit beo þyn owne Two stockes þer stondeth bote stynt þou noght þere stele not and slea not þay hatten steol not no slee not stryk forth by bothe Lef heom on þy lifte half & loke not þer-after And hold wel þyn haliday hye til euen þanne schaltow blenche atat a berwh bere no fals witnes he is fretted with floryns and feesoþer feese wel manyemany Loke þou plukke no plante þer for peril of þy soule AndÞeneAnd þan schaltow seo sithesei soþ so hit beo to done And loke þat þou lie not for no mannes byddyng þanne schaltow come to acourte a courte as cler as þe sonne þeo mote is of mercy þat þeþe maner enclosethal aboute And alle þe walles beon of wit to holden wil þer-owte þeo cornels beon of cristendom þat kynd is for totoCf. also E for to. kepensaue And boterased with byleue so or þou bes notes saued Alle þe houses beon heoled halles & chaumbres with no led bote with loueloue & louȝnesseCf. also J pure loue as bretheren of awombe a wombe þeo tour þer treouthe is him-seolf is vp to þe sonne he may do wiþ þe day steorre what him deore likyth Deth dar not don thyng þat he defendeth Grace hatte þe gateward agood a good mon for-sothe his man hatte amende þouȝowKane notes that the E reading is uncertain and could be either þou or you. for mony menman he knoweth Tel him þis tokene treouthe wot þe sothe yperformed y performed þe panaunce þe prest me enioyned And am sory for my synnes & so schal I euer When Ithenke I thenke þeron þeygh I weore apope a pope Biddeth amende þou meokyn him to his maisterThe line divides after maister in La J Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U, and after ones in V J E Ma H. Ones to wayue vp þe wyket þat þe whye schette WhenÞoCf. also Wa Whan þat. adam & Eue eten heore bane For he hath þe keye of þe clyket þagh þe kyng slepe And ȝef grace graunte þe to gon yn inin þis tymewyse þou schalt seon trouthe him-seolf wel sitte in þyn heorte This is a wrapped line: the last two letters of heorte are written below the line, roughly in line with La.6.94, and enclosed on two sides by a bracket. And lere þouþe for to loue himloueCf. also V loue him wel. & his lawes holden And beo war þenne of wratthe þat wicked schrewe For he hath enuye to him þat in þyn heorte sitteth And poketh forth pruyde to preisen þy-seoluen þe boldnes of þy bienfaitz makith þe blynd þanne SoAnd so worst þou dryuendriuen out as dew & þe dore closed y-keyed & y-clyketed to kepe þe þer-oute happely an hundred wynter or þou efte entre þus myghtestow leosen his loue to lete wel by þy-seoluen & hit getengete hit aȝeyn þorgh grace & þorgh no ȝefte elles Bote þer arn seouen sustres þat seruen trouthe euer And beon porters to þe postornes þat to þe place longeth þat on hatte abstinence & humylite anothir Charite & chastite beon hisher tweyechefCf. also V tweyne ful Choyse. maydenes Pacience & pees muchel folkpeple þey helpen Largenesse þe lady lat yn wel manye Bote whohose is sib to þis sustres so me god helpe he is is wondurlich welcome & faire vndurfonge Bote þaghboteȝif ȝe bee sibbe to somme of þeose seouen hit is wel hard by myn hed to anyeny of ȝou alle To gete in-ȝongingate at eny gate bote grace beo þe bettermore By crist quod akutte-purs a kutte-purs yhaue y haue no kyn þere Ne I quod an apewart by oght þat I knowe wite god quod awafrer a wafrer wiste I þat for-sothe scholde neuer afote a fote fortherferþere a foote for no frerefreres prechyng ȝus quod Piers ploghmonpers þe plouȝmon & plockedpokyd hirehym to gode Mercy is amaiden a maiden þer hath myth ouer heom alle And heo is sibbe to alle synful & hire sone alse And þorgh þe help of heom two hope þou none othir þou myght gete grace þer so þou go by tyme // Thys weore awel a wela wicked wey bot hohose hadde agyde a gyde þat myghte folewe vs vche afote a fotefote fortofor totil we weore þere Quod Perkyn þe ploghmon by seynt poule apostelþe apostel yhaue y haue an half acre of hered londto herieCf. also Ch of erþe. by þe hyghe-weye yschal y schal hye me in haste til I haue hit doneLa.7.5 substitutes for the line found at this point in V Ha J N T H2 Ch E A Ma H; in V, weore he wel ieried þene withou wolde I wende. (This line is omitted in Wa D, and run together with the following line in K Ra U.) And þanne wol I wandreI would wend with you til ȝe beonwer there þis weore along a long lettyng quod alady a lady þat loured inin hirea skleyre what schule we wymmen worche in þe meneþe while Somme schal sowe þe sak for schedyng of wheteþe whete And ȝe wyues þa hauen wolle worches hit faste Spynneth hit spedlich spareth not ȝoure fyngres Bote ȝef hit beo halyday or ellesoþerThis is one of five indicative r2 readings postulated by Schmidt that are present in La. The others are found at La.5.71, La.7.129, La.7.161, and La.7.283. holy euen Loketh forth oure lynnen & laboreth þer-on faste þe nedy & þe naked nymeth ȝemehede how þey lyggen kasteth heom clothes for colde for so wilneth trouthe for Ischal I schal lene heom liflode bote ȝef þe lond faile Als longe as I lyue for þe lordes loue of heouene And ȝe louely ladyes with oure longe fyngres þat han seolk & sandel sowe hit when tyme is Chesibles for chapeleyns chirches to honoure And alle maner of men þat by þe mete libbeth helpe heom worche wightelich þat wynneth ȝoure fode cc By crist quod aknyȝt a knyȝt þo þou kennest vs þe beste Bote abetter a betteron þe teme taughttrewly tawte was me neuer Bote kenne me nowme quod þe knyght for cristes loue of heouene& I wile lerne to eren how y schal my lif lede & libbe þer-afterThis line is only attested in La. By seynt Poule quod Perkyn þoufor þou proferest meþe welso lowe And þer-fore schal Iswynke I swynkeI schal swynken & sowe for vs bothe And eke labouren for þy loue al my lif tyme In couenaunt þat holi chirche þou kepeþou kepe holi chirche & my-seoluenThis line division is common to Schmidt’s r2 and m groups (in N, the line ends me); in the r1 group, the line divides after holychirche in T H2 Ch D, and after riȝt in Ra U. From wastours & wicked men þat wolden vsme destruye And go honte hardiliche to hares & to foxe To Roesborys &and to bokkes þat breketh myn hegges And facche hom faukons þe foules to kulle For theose cometh to my croft & croppeth my whete // þe knyght konned him thonk and cortesly saideLa.7.36 substitutes for the line found at this point in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U E Ma H; in V, Ful curteisliche þe kniht conseiued þeose wordes. By my power Piers I plighte þe my trouthe To ful-fulle þis foreward whil þatqwylisCf. also U whiles þat. I may stande ȝe and ȝet apoynt a poynt quod Perkyn I pray þe more Loke þou teone no tenaunt bote trouthe wol assente And þaugh pore men profre ȝouþee presens & ȝeftes Nyme hit not Nyme hit not on auter þou may ::::::::::: For þou schalt ȝeilde hit aȝeyn at on ȝeres ende In a wel perilouse place þat purga::: hatte And mysbeode not þy bonde-men þe bet þou schaltshaltow spede And þat þou beo treowe of þy tonge & tales þou hate Bot ȝef hit beo of wisdom or of wit þy werkemen to chasten hold with none harlotes no here not here tales And namelich at þeatte mete suche men eschewe For hit arn þe deoles dysours ydo y do þe to vndurstonde y asente by seynt Iame quodseide þe knyght þenne For to worche by thy word ȝe whilwhile my lif dureth And I schal apparaile me quod perkyn in pilgryms wise And wende with ȝou þe wey til we fynde treuthe he caste on his clothes clouted and hole his cokeres & his coffes for colde of his nayles And hang his hopre at his hals in steode of a scripe Abosschel A bosschel of bred corn bryng me he badbryng me her-ynne For I wol sowen hit my-seolf &seothen I wolwole y wende And who-so helpeth me to eryen or any thyng to swynkeswynk Schal haue by heoueneur lord þe more hyre in heruest ::: maken him mury with þe corn who-so hit by-grucche And alle maner ofkunnesCf. also Ha manere. crafty men þat konne lyue in truthe yschal y schal fynde heom fode þat feythfulliche liben saue Iacke þe Iogelour and Ionete at þeof þe styues And Robyn þeo rybauder for his rousty wordes Treuthe tolde me hittolde meCf also V tauhte hit me. ones & bad me tellen hit fortherforth // Deleantur de libro · Ischolde I scholde noght dele with heom For of heom holy chirche askith no titheholichirche is holde of hem no tiþe to aske · Et cum iustis non scribant:::The Latin phrase continues the Middle English line in La J; in V Ha K N T Ch D Ra U E Ma H it appears as a separate, subsequent line (K.7.68α). In K, this Latin phrase is combined with the following line, while in Wa, it is combined with the previous line, but copied later. þat þeyÞei beon ascaped goode auenture now god heom amende Dame worche when tyme is Piers wif is cleped his doghter hatte do right so or þou schalt abuggeþi damme schal þe bete his sone hitte suffre þy souereynes for to haue heore wille And deme heom noght for ȝef þou dost þou schalt hit soredeore s:::es Lat god worche with-al for so his word techeth For now I am old and hor and haue of myn owne To penaunce & to pilgrymage I wol passe with þeose oþer For-þy I wol ar I wende don wryte my by-quyste In dei nomine Amen Imake I make hit my-seoluen he schal haue my soule þat best hath deserued And defende hit fro þe feond for so I by-leue Til y come to his acountes as my crede techethme techith To haue arelees a releesreles & aremyssion a remyssionremission on þat trentalRentalKane suggests that the La Ch reading might result from mechanical error, arising when a scribe wrote from his ‘auditory memory,’ either reading aloud to himself or copying from dictation. (Kane, , 118) Itrowe I troweI leue þe chirche schal haue my kareyne & kepe my bones For he ofof my corn & ofand my catel crawedcra[u]ed þeo toyþe y paied hit himhim prestly for peril of my soule he is halden Ihope I hope to haue me in mynde And mengen inme in his memory among alle cristen My wif schal haue of þat I wan ofwon with trouthe & namore And delen among my freondis & my deore children For þagh I dye to-day my dettes beon paiedquit y bar hom þat Iborewed I borewed er Ito I to bedde ȝeode And with þe resydue & þe remenaunt by þe rode of ch:::ster y wol worschipe þer-with treuthe in my lyue And beon his pilgrym at þe plogh for pore mennes sa ::: My plogh-pot schal beon my pyk-staf & pycheputte at :::: es And helpe my coltre to kerue & clanseclose þe forewes Now is piers & þe pilgryms to þe plogh faren To heryen þis half acre holpen him monye Dychers & deluers doluendykeCf. also H þat deluyn. vp þe balkes þer-with was Perkyn paied & preised heom ȝeorne Other werkmen þer were þat wroghten welful faste vche mon on his maner made him-seolf to done And somme to pleese perkyn pyked vp þe weodes At hygh prime Piers lette þe plough stonde To ouer-seon heom him-seolf who-so best wroghte Scholde beon hyred þerafter when heruest tyme come þan seten somme & songen faste at þeat þe nale And holpen to heryen þe half acre with hey trolly lolly By þe prynce inof paradys quod Piers þo in wrathe Bote ȝef ȝe rise þe rathere & rape ȝou to worche Schal no greyn þat here groweth glade ȝou at nede And þaugh ȝe dye for defautedoleCf. also Ha þe defaut. þe deouel haue þat recche þenne weore faitours aferd and feyned heom blynde Somme leyden heore leges on-lyry as suche losels konne And pleyned tohem to Piers with suche pytouse wordes We hauen no lymes to labouren with lord IthankedIgraced be ȝe Bote we preyen for ȝou Piers & for ȝoure plogh bothe þat god of his grete grace oure greyn multeplie And ȝeilde ȝou forof oure almes þat ȝe ȝeuen vs here For we mowe nouþer swynke no swete suchseknes such seknes vs aileþ ȝef hit beo sothsoþe quaþ peris þat ȝe sayn Ischal I schal soneit sone aspie ȝe beon wastours ywot y wot wel & trouthe wot þe sothe And Iam I am his hold hyne & aughte him to warne Suche wastours inin þis world his werkmen distryeth Ȝe eten þat þey scholde eten þat heryen for vs alle Bote trouthe schal teche ȝou his teme for to dryue Bothe to setten &and to sowe and sauen his tilthe kaireChase crowesgeesThis is one of five indicative r2 readings postulated by Schmidt that are present in La. The others are found at La.5.71, La.7.12, La.7.161, and La.7.283. from his korn kepenand kepen his bestes Or ȝe schulen ete barly bred &and of þe brok drynke Bote ȝefBote he beo blynd or broke-schanked or bedrede ligge þey schuln ete as good Iso I soas I so me god helpe Til god of his grete gracegrace grauntegar hom to arise Ancres & heremytes þat holden hom in heore celles Schulen haue of myn almes al þe while y libbe ynogh vche day at none &but no more ertil morwe Leste heoreþe flesch & þe feond fouled heore souleshis sowle Ones at none is ynogh þat no werk vseth he abideth wel þe bettre þat bommeth not ofteto ofte cc þanne can wastour arise & wolde haue yfoughte To Piers þe ploghman he profered his gloue Abretoner A bretoner abragger a bragger he bostethbostede him alse And bad him go pisse with his plogh pelled schrewe weltow or nyltowneltou we woln haue oure wille Of þy flour & of þy flesch fettefeccheCf. also H2 Ch Ra U fette awey. when vs likyth And maken vs mury with-alþerwiþ maugre þy chekes þanne Piers þe ploghmon pleyned him to þe knyght To kepen him aascouenaunt aas couenaunt was for corsed schrewes Fro wastours þat wayten wynners to schenden Curtesly þe knyȝt þanne as his kynde wolde Warned wastour to worche and wynne bettre& wissyd him bettur Or by þe ordre þat I beore þou schalt hit deore abuggeþou shat abyen be þe lawe, be þe orde þat I bere // I was not wont to worche quod wastour now Iwol I wolwol I not bygynne And let lightlichliȝt of hisþe lore & eke of him-seoluenlasse of þe kniht And acountethcountede Cf also Ha J Ma H acountid. Piers at apeose a peose & his plogh afterboþe And manassed him & ekeand his men when þey nexst mette Now by perilþe peril of my soule quod pers Ischal I schal enpeire ȝou alle And hoped after honger þat herde him atteat þe firste Awreke me on wastors quod piers þat þis world schendith hongur onin hastehast than hente wastour by þe mawe And wrong him so by þe wombe þat boal his eynen wattredwatride his eiȝenThis is one of five indicative r2 readings postulated by Schmidt that are present in La. The others are found at La.5.71, La.7.12, La.7.129, and La.7.283. And boffetBuffetede soþeCf also A H so þe. bretoner wel abouteaboute þe chekes þat he loked lyk alaunterne a launterne al his lif after he beot heom so bothe he barst ner heore mawes No hadde Piers with apeose a peose lof preied him byleue And with abene a bene batte busked heomhe hadde by-twene And hitte hongour þer-with amydde botheþeCf. also V Ha boþe his. lippes þat he bledde in-to þe bodyward abolle a bolle ful of growel No hadde þe fisysien furst defended him water To abate þe barly bred & þe bonesbenes ygrounde þey had beo ded by þis day & doluen al warme // Faytours for fere flowen in-to bernes And flapten on with flayls from morwe til euen þat hongor nas not hardy on heom for to loken For apotful a potfula potel of peoses þat Piers hadde ymaked Agret A gret hepeAn hep of heremytes henten heom spades And doluen dryt & donge to dutte oute hongor Blynd & bedreden weore botened athousand a thousand þat layen for blyndblynde & for brokelegged by þe hygh-wayeIn V Ha J N, this line is presented as two lines, dividing after legget. Schmidt postulates this line division and expansion as an indicative r2 group reading, although it is not attested in La K or Wa. hongor heom helen wel sone with an otehot kake And lame mennes lymes weore lechedlyþet þat tyme And by-come knaues to kepe peirs bestes And preyeden pytouslypreyeden par charite with piers for to dwelle Al for couetise of his korn to kayrecachen awey hongor And Piers þer-of was proudwas proud þerof & putte heom in officesoffys And ȝaf heom mete & mone as þey myghte deserue þanne had Piers pite & preied hongor to wende hom in-to his owne erthe & holden him þerfor þer for euerþer euere And þatȝit I praypreye þe quod Piers er þou passe forther Of beggers & bydders what best beois bestSchmidt describes this as one of two authentic Ax readings that are unique to La; the other is at La.7.255. Kane rejected the La reading in the Athlone edition of A, but Athlone B and C have best be. to done For I wot wel beo þou went þay wol worche wel illeilleCf. also V Ha Wa N H ful ille. mescheif hit maketh þey beon so meoke nouthe And for defaute of fode þus faste þey worchen And þey beon my blody brethren for god madebouȝte vs alle Treuthe taghte me ones to loue heom vchone And helpen heom of al thyng after þat heom nedeth Now wold I witen ȝef þou wistest whad weore þe beste And how I myghte amaistren heom & make heom to worche here now quod hongryhungir & hold hit for awisdam a wisdam Bolde beggers & bygge þat mowe heore bred byswynke With houndes bred & hors bred hold vp heore heortes And abateabaueCf. also Ra bate. heom with benes for bollyng of heore wombes & ȝef þe gromes grucche bid heom go & swynke And he schal soupe swetter when he hath hitit hath deser:::yd Bot ȝef þou fynde any freke þat fortune hath enpeiredThis is a wrapped line: the final word, which is faded and difficult to read, is written below the line and enclosed on two sides by a bracket. with fuyr or with fals men fond suche to knowen Comforte heom with katelþi catel for cristes loue of heouen Loue heom & lene heom &for so þe lawe of kynde wolde And ekeAnd al maner of men þat þou myght aspyen þat nedy beon or naked & noght han to despendespende With mete or with monee let heom beo þe bettre Or with werk or with word þe while þou art here mak þiþeKane records the variant þi in U and E but not in La. frendes þerwith & so mathew vs techeth : facite vobis amicosThis is a wrapped line: amicos is written above the line, roughly in line with La.7.212. A line extends from the e of facite up into the margin above amicos, forming a rough bracket around amicos. ywold y wold not greue god quod Piers for al þe goodgold on eortheground myghty myght y synnelas don as þou saist saide Piers þanne ȝe I by-hotehote þe quod hongour or elles þe bible lyeth Go to genesis þe geaunt engendror of vs alle In sudore & swynk þou schalt þy mete tilye he schal go begge & bidde & nomon no mon bete his hongourThis line is copied out of sequence. It is repeated below in the usual line order, at La.7.223. The repetition is unique to La. BoteAnd laboure for þy liflode & so oure lord hyghte And sapience saith þe same Isaw I saw hit in þe byble Piger propter frigus no fold wolde hewild tylye he schal go beoge & bidde & nomon no mon bete his hongur Mathew with þe mannes face techethmowthith þeose wordes þat seruus nequam hathhedde aname a name & for he nolde hit vse he hadde amaugrea maugremaugre of his maister for euermoreeueremore þerafteraftur And by-nome hishim his name for he nolde worche And ȝaf hit him onin haste þat had ten of his owenbifore And sithen sone heheCf. also Ma sone after he. saide þat his seruaunt herdeit herde he þat hath schal haue to helpe þer nede is & he þat noght nathhaþ noght schal haue ny no mon him helpe And þat he weneth wel to haue Iwol I wol þat hit fro him beoit be hym reuedebireuet kynde wit wolde þat iche wight scholde worchewrouhte Or with techyng or withorCf. also Ha oþer wiþ. tellyng or trauailyng of hondes Actif lif or contemplatyf crist wolde hit alse þeo sauter seith in aþespalmepsalme aþe spalmepsalme of beati omnes A vers þat bygynnethThe English phrase A vers þat bygynneth is unique to La. labores manuum tuarum quia >manducabis he þat geteth his fode her with trauaile of his hondes God ȝeueth heom his blessyng þat heore liflode so wynneth // ȝet y pray þe quod Piers par charite ȝef þow konne Any leef of lechecrafte þou lerelere hit me anonemy deore For somme of my seruauns beon seke othir-whiles Of al þe weke þey worcheth not so heore wombe akethLa lacks the line that follows this one in V Ha J K Wa N T Ch D Ra U A Ma H; in V, I wot wel quod hunger what seknesse hem eileþ. þey had manged toouer mukelmuche þat maketh heom grone ofte Bote I hote þe quod hongor as þou þyn hele wilnest þat þou drynke no day or þou somwhad dynedyne sumwhat EteAnd ete no-thynnouȝtCf. also V Ha J K Wa not Ihote I hoteI hote þe er honger þe take And send þe of his sause to sauoure thy lippes And kepe some fortil sopertyme & sitte noght to longe Arise vp ar appetite haue eten his fulle Lat not sir sorfete sitten at þy borde Loue him not for he is alechour a lechour & lykerous of tonge And after mony maner metes his mawe is alonged And ȝef þou dyote þe þus Idar I dar leye myn hedarmys þat fysyk schal his forred hodeshodSchmidt describes this as one of two authentic Ax readings that are unique to La; the other is at La.7.190. The Athlone editors reject this reading across all three texts, however. for his fode selle And eke his cloke of kalabre & þe knoppes of golde And beo fayn by my fay his fysyk to leten And leorne to laboren with lond lest liflode him faile þer arn mo lyers þan leches lord heom amende þey don men dye þorugh heore drynkes er desteny hit wolde By seynt Poule quod Piers þeose arn profitable wordesLa lacks the line that follows this one in V Ha J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U A Ma H; in V, þis is a loueli lesson ur lord hem amende. wend þounou when þy wille is þat wel beo þou euer Iby-hote I by-hote þe quod hongour þat hennesheonnes nul y wende Er yhaue y haue dyned by þis day & ydronke bothe Ihaue I haue no peny quod Piers puulletes to bugge Nouþer gees no grys bote two grene cheses Afewe A fewe croddes & crem and an hauer kake Alof A lof of benes & bren y-bake for my children And ȝet Isay I say by my soule y haue no salt bacoun Ny no kokeney by crist colopes with toto fryemaken Bote Ihaue I haue percile & porret and mony cole plantes And eke akow a kow & akalf a kalf and a kart mare To drawe on feld my donge whiles þe droghte lastes By þis liflode y moste lyue vntotilCf. also J N to. lammas tyme By þat I hope to haue heruest at home in my krofte þanne may Idighte I dighte þy dyner atte fulle asas þe deore likyiþ Alle þe pore people peosekoddes þey fettefettenCf. also A þei fechedyn. Benes & bake apples þey broghten in heore lappes Chibols & chiryuels and ripe chiryes manye And profered Piers þis present to plese þer-with hongur hongor eet in þatþis in haste and axed after more þanne þis folk for fere fetten him suche monyemonye Of greneGrene porets and peoses to plesenpoysynCf. also V þei hem plese. him þey woldeþouȝtheThis is one of five indicative r2 readings postulated by Schmidt that are present in La. The others are found at La.5.71, La.7.12, La.7.129, and La.7.161. By þatþat it nyghed neor heruest þat neowe korn com to chepyng þanne was folk fayn & fedde hongur with þe beste with good ale & glotony þey garte him swythe toto slepe And þo nolde wastour worchenot worche bote wandren aboute Ny no begger ete bred þat benes or barlychbenes yn come Bote koket or clermatyn mador of clene whete Ny no halpeny ale in none wise drynken Bote of þe beste & ofand þe bronneste þat breowesters sellen Laboreres þat hauen no lond to lyuen on bote heore hondes DeynedDeyne tonouȝt to dyne on dayesa day nyghte holde wortes May no peny ale heom paye ny no pece of bakoun Bote ȝef hit beo fresch flesch or fresch fyschFisch yfryed And chaud & plus chaud for chillyng of heore nailesmawe Bote he beo hyghliche Ihuyred elles wol he chyden þat he was werkmon wroght warye þe tyme And þanne korse þe kyng & al þe counseil after Suche lawes to loken laborers to chasten Bote whil hongor was heore maister wold þer nonchyde non chyde NoNe stryue aȝeyn hisþe statute so steornely he loked y warne ȝou werkmen wynneth while ȝe mowe For hongour hyderward hasteth him faste he schal awake þorugh water wastors to chasten Or synFyue ȝer beo fulfulled suche fomenFamyn schal arise Thorgh flodesflode & þorgh foule wedres fruytes schule fallefayle And þusso seith satorne and sent ȝou to warne Treuthe herde telle her-of and to Piers sente To taken his teme and tilye þe eorthe And purchased him apardoun a pardoun : apena a pena & aculpa a culpa For him and for his heyres for euermore a::: And bad him holden him at home & eryen his layes And alle þat holpen hendelyhelpyn hym to heryen &or to sowen OfOr any maner mester þat myghte Piers availehelpen Part in þat pardon þe pope hath y-grauntedhem grauntyd kynges & knyghtes þat kepen holy chirche And rightfulliche in rewme reulen þe people han pardoninþorw pardon inþorw purgatorie to passen wel sone with patriarkes in paradys to pleynepleyen þer-after Bisschopes þat blessen and bothe lawes konne Loken on þat laweon lawe & lere men þat othir And beoreth heomhem boþe on heore bak as heore baner scheweth And prechen heore persons þeo peryles of synne And howHou þeþat scabbedschabbede schep schal heore wolle sauen han pardon with apostles when þey passen hennes At þeAnd at þe day of dome at heore dayes to sytten // Marchauns in þe margyn haden mony ȝeres Bote none apena a pena & aculpa a culpa þe pope noldewold heom graunte For þei holdith noght heore halydayes as holy chirche techeþ And for þey swereth by hisheore soule & so god moste heom helpe Aȝeyn clene consience heore catel to selle Bote vndur his secret seel trouthe sent heom alettre a lettre And bad heom bugge boldely what heom best likythlykede And sithen sellen hit aȝeyn & saue þe wynnyng And maken maisen dieux þerwith meseise men totoCf. also A men so to. helpe wicked weyes wide wher nedful weorewihtly to amende And feblebeetebynde brugges aboute þat to-broke weore Maydenes mayntene & maryeMarie maydens or maken heom nonnes And porePore wydewes þat wilnen no wyues to beonben no wyuesnot be wyues aftir Fynde heomsuche heore fode for þeoure lordes loue of heouen Sette scolers to sclolescole or to som kynnes kraftes Releue pore religiounReligion and renteth heom bettre And y schal sende my-seolf seynt mychel myn aungel þat no deouel schal ȝou dere when ȝe to deth godey qwan ȝow deye þat Ino I no schal senden hisȝor soule sauf in-to heouen And byfore þe face of my fader forme hisor seteseetes Vsure and auarice and othes y defende þat no gyle go with ȝou bote þe greyth trouthe þan weore marchauns wel muryemurieCf. also Wa so mery. &many weopen for ioye And ȝauen wille for his wrytyng wollen clothes For he coped þus heore clause þey konnedȝeueCf. also Ra konne. him gret mede men of lawe hadde leste for lettred þey beon alle And so seith þe sawter and sapientis bothe Super innocentem munera non accipiens aregibus a regibus et principibus erit merces eius &cetera Of prynces and prelates heore pensioun schal arise And of þeno pore people no penyworth to take Bote he þat spendeth his speche & spekith for þe pore þat is innocent and nedy & no mon empeyreth Comforteth him in þat cas coueyteth not his godes Bote for oure lordes loue lawe for him scheweth Schal no deouel at his deth day to derederen him haue myghtea myte þat he no worth sikerly saufesafe sikerly & so þeand so sauter wittenesseþseiþ þe psauter Bote to bugge water no wynd no wit is þe thridde No wolde neuer holy writte god wot þe sothe þeose threo frofor thalles beon throwen among vs alle To waxen and waytenwonien wher þat god lykith his pardon in purgatory wel petitelitelCf. also V, which has is petit where La has wel petite is. is ytrowe y trowe þat any mede forof mene men for motyng resceyueth ȝe legystres & lawyers ȝe witen ȝef y lye sithen ȝe seon hit is þus schewethsewith to þe beste Alle lybbyng laborers þat libben by heore hondes þat treuliche taken & with trouthetreuliche wynnen And lyue louein loue & in lawe for heore lowe heorteshert hadde þe same absolucioun þat sent was to Piers Beggers noand bydders beoth not in þe bulle Bote þe suggestioun beo soghtsoþ þat makithschapeþ hom to begge For he þat beggeth or byd bote he haue gret nedeneode he is fals with þe feond & defraudeth the nedy And eke by-gylethgyleþ þe gyuer by godȝiuere agaynes willehis wille þay lyueth not in loue ny no lawe holden They wedden no wymmenwommon þat þey with delen Bote as wylde bestes when heowith we he worthen vp to-gedre And bryngen forth no barnesbarnes botþat barnesbastardes þey beonbeon holden ForOr his bake or his bon heheo breketh in his youthe And gon & fayten with heore fautesfauntis for euer-more after þer beon mo mysschapen among heom who-so taketh hede þen of alle oþer maner men þat on þis molde wandreth þo þat þus lyuenlyuen þus heore lif mowe lothe þe tyme þat euer was hehe was mon wroght when he schal hennes fare Bote olde men & oþerhoreCf. also Wa oþer boþe. þat helplas beon of streynthe And wymen with childe þat worchen none mowe Blynde & bedreden and broken heore membres þat taken þis mecheifmeschef meokelich as mesels and oþer han as pleyn pardon as þe ploghmon him-seoluen For þeFor loue of heore lowe heorte oure lord hath heom graunted heore penaunce & heore purgatory here aponvponCf. also V is her vppon. eortheþis pure erthe // Piers quod apreost a preost þo þy pardon moste y rede For y schal construe vche aclause a clauseclause & ken hit heomþe on englysh And Piers at his preier þe pardon vn-foldeth And y by-hynden heom bothe by-huld al þe bulle In two lynes hit lay and alitel a litelnot a lettre more And was y-wryten ryght þus in witnesse of trouthe Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam Qui vero mala in ignem eternum Peter quod þe preost þo y kan no pardon fynde Bote do wel and haue wel & god schal haue thy soule And do yuel & haue yuel & hope þou non oþir þat after thy deth day to helle shaltow wende And Piers for pure teone pulled heomhit asondir & seide Si ambulauero in medio umbre mortis Non timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es ::::: y schal sese of my sowyng quod P:::s & sw:::ke :::::: The phrase quod Piers, partially visible in La, is omitted in Ha J Wa N U A Ma H Ny aboute my liflode so bysy beo no m:::: Of preyers &and of penaunce my plogh shal beo her-after Kane observes that La is badly faded from this point, and many readings are difficult to discern. And byloure þat Iloughbeo louh I loughbeo louh er þaugh liflode me faile Þe prophete his payn eet in penaunce & in weopyng By þat þe sauter vs saithe & so duden mony oþir þat louueth god lelly his liflode is wel methþe moreCf. also V K U wel muche. Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte And bot ȝef luke lye he lereth vs anoþer by þe foulesfowlysThe line divides after foules in La N (Wa has birdes, while A Ma H have folis); in V J K T H2 Ch D Ra U, the line divides after anoþer (Ha non oþer). þat we no scholde notshuld notCf. also T ne shuln nouȝt. beo to bysybe besyCf. also J to besy ben. aboute þe lifbely ioye Ne soliciti sitis · he seith in his gospel & sheweth hit vs inbe ensaumple vs seurlyour selven to wisse þe foules in þe firmament who fynd heom a wynter when þe frost freosyth fode heom byhoueth haue þey no gerner to go to bot god fynd heom alle What quod þeo preost to Perken peter as me thynketh þou art lettred alitel a litel who leredlerned þe on boke Abstynence myneþe abbesse a b cmyn a b ce me taughte And consience com afterwardaftur & kenned me bettre weore þou apreost a preost Piers quod he þou myght preche when þe ...Kane notes that the end of this line was already ‘lost in sewing’ when he consulted the manuscript, before its rebinding in 1972. Quoniam literaturam non cognoui þat myght beo thy teme Lewed lorel quod Piers litel lokestow on þe bible On salamons sawes seldenluitel þou by-holdist Ecce derisores & iurgia cum eis crescant þeo preost and perkyn aposed eyther othirLa is largely illegible from this point. From this line until the end of the manuscript, Kane includes only secure readings in his list of variants. And þorgh heore wordes I wok & wayted aboute And sygh þe sonne euene south sitten þat tyme metelas & moneylas on maluarne hulles ::::::yng on þis metlells a myle wey I ȝeode Mony tyme þis metels hath mad me to studye And for Piers loue þe ploghmon wel pensif in heorte For þat ysay y say slepyng ȝef þat hitȝif hit be soso be myghte Bote Caton construeth :::ay & canonystres bothe And seggenAndCf. also K And saith; Wa Caton saiþ heom-seoluen This line begins with a Middle English a-verse in La V J K Wa Ra U, while Ha N T H2 Ch D present the Latin alone.Sompnia ne cures Bote for þe bible bereth witnes how daniel deuynedThe line divides after deuyned in La V; the most commonly-attested line division, found in T Ch D Ra, is after how. þeo dremes with-oute douteof a kyng ofþat NabagodonosorIn La and V, which divides after Nabugodonosor hette, the first part of the subsequent line found in Ha J K Wa T H2 Ch D Ra U A Ma forms the end of this line, and the rest of the subsequent line is omitted. In Ha, the subsequent line reads Nabugodonosore þese clerkis hym nempneþ. AndDaniel said ser king þy sweuene is to ::::: þat anþat vnkouthe knyghtknihtes shal come þy kyndam to cleyme Among lower lordes þy lond schal be dep:::::d As Daniel deuyned in dede hyt feol after þe :::: lost his lordschipe & lassemen hit hadde :::::: mette ::::lich for sotheLa.8.147, La.8.148 and La.8.149 are elaborated from two lines found at this point in J K Wa N T H2 Ch D Ra U A Ma; in J, And Joseph met meruelusly how þe mone & þe sunne/ And þe eleuene sterrys haylsedyn him alle. Another three-line version is found in V: And Ioseph mette metels ful meruilous alse / Hou þe sonne and þe mone and enleuene sterres/ Falden bifore his Feet and heildeden him alle. how þe sonne & þe :::: & :::: eileouene sterres :::::::::::::::::::: to him thoghte þanne Beaȝ:::::::::::::: defaute schullewe schulle ::::::::::::::::e þe for nede hit byfel as :::: fader saide in pharaoes tyme þat :::::: justice Egypt to kepen :::::::::::: me on metels to thenke :::::: at m::::nyght whan Imen scholde slepen ::::: P:::::: & which apardoun a pardoun he hadde ::::::::::ugned hit al by pure resoun ::::::::::::: dowel þat indulgense passed :::::::::::::ennials & bischopes lettres ::::::::::ome is dignely vndurfonde