The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 1: Oxford, Corpus Christi College, MS 201 (F) – Passus 15William LanglandEdited by Robert Adams, Hoyt N. Duggan, Eric Eliason, Ralph Hanna, John Price-Wilkin, and Thorlac Turville-Petre Associate Editors: M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A. Farley Graduate Research Assistants William O. Albertini, Patricia Bart, Michael Blum, Cristina Maria Cervone, John H. Chaffin, Nancy L. Renwick Clendenon, Christopher J. Copeland, David Cox, Stephen C. Martin, Stephen J. Ramsay, and Dominique Woodall. Computer Consultants and Programmers Oludotun Akinola, Robert W. Bingler, David Cosca, Karen Dietz, Susan Gants, Nigel Kerr, Susan Munson, Daniel Pitti, David Seaman, Thornton Staples, John Unsworth, and Peter Yadlowsky.Medieval Academy of America Cambridge, MA ISBN: 0-472-002???

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copyright 2002, by SEENET

2002

SEENET A.1

Oxford, Corpus Christi College, Oxford, MS 201

 late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Oxford, Corpus Christi College, Oxford, MS 201

Attribute Values brown ink anglicana bastarda italic Lombard Cap ornamented capital, N lines high rubricated touched in red textura underlined underlined in red green ink blue ink

LatinFrenchGermanpoetry masculine 199901 cataloger Jackie Shieh New header created Incipit Passus .xvus. ANonF.15.1: The ornamental capital has a base of blue with red and green flourishes. The guide letter for the rubricator is still visible. y waknede & þan y wroot / what þat y dremede.& dyght me deerly / & dide me to kyrke.To heeren holyly / þe messe / & to be huslyd after.& myddis of þe messe / men wentyn to offre.& y fel on sleepe / & sodeynly y drempte.Þat pers þe plowhman / cam peyntyd aa[l] reede.& browhte with hym a cros / by-fore þe comoun peple.& ryȝtF.15.8: An otiose curl appears above <t>. lyȝk in alle lymes / to oure loord hym-selue.A-non y clepide conscyence / to kenne me þe soþ.Wheyþir he were Iesu þe Iustiere / þat þe Iewis dyden to deþe.Er ys he peers plowhman / þat is peyntyd so reede.Quod conscience & knelede doun / þese are cristisF.15.12: F's reading is unique in the B tradition. All other manuscripts have Piers. R is absent. armes.Hise coloures of his cote armeure / he comeþ / fram þe Iustis.F.15.13: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "ac he þat comeþ so blody."He ys crist with his cros / he haþ conqwereconqwere[d] alle cristene sowlis. Why calle ȝee hym crist quod heF.15.15: F uniquely reads he. Other B manuscripts have I.  sytthe Iewes named hym Iesus.& patriarkis & prophetis / þey profecyden by-fore.Þat alle kenne creatures / sholde knelyn & bowen.A-non as men nempned / þe name / of þat Ientyl Iesu.For In nomine Iesu  omne genu flectitur celestia terrestria / & infernorum.F.15.19: This line appears uniquely in F. Kane and Donaldson call attention to its similarity to F15.83. Note that the scribe at F15.82 adds first as an apparent reference back to this line.Ergo þere is no name / to þe name of Iesus.Ne non name so needful / to nempne / by nyghtis ne be dayes.For alle þe derke deuelis / are a-dred to heeren y-nempned.& synful soulis ben solaced / & savid be þat name. Why calle ȝee hym þanne crist / what cause ȝee me telle. For crist is moore of myght / & of more worthiere name.Þan Iesu er Iesus / þat al oure Ioyȝe of spryngeþ. Knowest þou weel quod conscience / & þou kone good resoun.Þat a knyght . & a kyng . & conquerour / may ben al on persone. To ben clepd a knyght is fayr / for men shulle knele til hym. To ben callid a kyng is fairere / for a kyng mai knyghtis make. For to ben conquerour calid / þat comeþ of goddis special grace.& of hardynesse of herte / & also of hendenesse.To maken lordis & ladijs / in londys þat þey wynne.& free men / fowle þralle / þat folwe not hise lawes. For þe Iewis þat weren Ientyl-men / Iesu þey dyspisede.Boþe his loore / & his lawe / & now be þey lowe cherlis.As wyȝd as þis world ys / whonen þere noone.But vndir tribut / & tallyage / as tykes & cherlys.& þo þat by-come cristene / by conseyl of bapteme.Arn Frankeleynes & free men / þorghȝ fullyng þat þei take.& Ientil-men with Iesu / for Iesu was y-fullid.Vpon Caluerye / on þe cros / & korouned kyng of Iewis.It be-comeþ wel to a kyng / to kepen his lond & to defende it.& conquerour of his conquest /. hyse lordis to ȝeve hem large. & so dyde Iesus to þe Iewis / he IustedF.15.45: F uniquely reads Iusted. Other B manuscripts have Iustified. The same variants appear in C. & tawhte hem.Þe lawe of lyf / þat lasten shal euere more.& fendid fram hem fowle evelis / boþe fyueres . & eek fluxis.& feendis þat in hem was / & eek fals by-leve.Þo was he Iesu of Iewis callyd / & þe Ientil prophete.& kyng of kyngdommF.15.50: F failed to mark the caesura. & crowne he bar of þornes.& þo conquerid he on þe cros / a conquerour noble.Myghte no deeþ hym for-do / ne noþyng doun brynge.Þat he a-roos & regnede / & ravischede helle.& þo was he conquerour cald / of qwike & of dede.For he ȝaf Adam & Eve / & oþere moo blysse.Þat longe hadde leyn by-fore / as lucyferis chirlys. & þanne took he lotthly lucifer / þat loord was of helle. These lines are attested only in F. R is absent here, and the lines may not with any security be attributed to alpha.& bond his as his bondemanF.15.58: F is the only B witness at this point. Cx reads "And bond him as he is bounde ...." / with bondis of yrene.Who was hardiere þan he / þat his herte blood he shedde.To maken alle folk free / þat folwen hise lawes. & sytthen he ȝeveþ largely / alle hise leele lygis.Places in paradis / at here departynge hennes.He may wel be cald a conquerour / & þat is crist to meene. But þe cause þat he comeþ þus / with his cros of his passioun.Is to wissen vs þere-with / whan we been y-temptyd.Þer-with / to fyghte & defende vs / fro fallyng in-to synne.& to seen be his sorwe / þat who-so loveþ Ioyȝe.To penaunce & to pouerte / he muste pyttyn hym-selue.& mychel woo / in þis world / wylnen & suffren. But to carpe more of crist / & how he cam to þat name.FaythlyF.15.71: Faythly is written over an erasure. / for to speke / his fyrste name was Iesus.Þoo he was boore in bedleem / as . bookys boldly tellyn.& cam to take mankynde / boþe kyngys & angelis.Reuerensed hym ryght fayre / with rycchesse of erthe.Angelis out of heuene / come knelynge & sungen.Gloria in excelcis deo. Kyngis kemen after / & kneled to hym & offreden.Ensens / & myrre . &F.15.78: An otiose curl is written over the <&>. myche gold / withF.15.78: The substitution of with for Bx's wiþouten in this theological context is typical of F. See also a similar revision at 13.297 and 13.304. myche mercy asked.Er of ony kenne Catele / þey knowlechid hym . here souereyn.Boþe of sunne . of sond . & see / & sythis hoom þey wentyn.In-to here kyngene kyþ / be kennynge of an angel.& þerwith was þe woord / ful-fyld / þe wiche first þou spekeOmnia celestia / terrestria flectantur in hoc nomine Iesu. For alle þe angelis of hevene / at his berthe þey kneliden.& al þe witt in þis world / was þoo in þre þynges.F.15.85: F alone reads þynges. All other B witnesses have kynges. R is absent for this passus.Resoun . & Ryghtwisnesse / & rewþe / þey offreden. Where-fore / & why  wyse men þat tyme.Boþe Maistris & men y-leernede / Magy hem nameden. Þe ton kyng cam with resoun / y-kouered vndir ensense.Þe toþir kyng sytthe / sooþly he offrede.Ryghtwyȝsnesse vndir reed gold / þat lasten shal euere.F.15.91: F omits the b-verse and following a-verse, making one line of two. Bx reads as follows: Rightwisnesse vnder reed gold Resones felawe Gold is likned to leautee þat laste shal euere. For it shal turne tresounF.15.92: F's a-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "And resoun to ryche gold." / to ryghtF.15.92: The scribe perhaps intended the flourish after <t> to serve as a virgule. & to trewthe.Þe þrydde kyng þo cam / & knelid to Iesu lowe.& presented hym with pite / a-peerynge be Mirre.For Mirre is mercy to meene / & myȝlde speche of tunge.Erthely onest þyng / was offred þus . at oonesa toonesÞorghȝ þre kenne kyngys / knelyng to IesuFor þese precious presentis / oure lord prince Iesus.Was neyþir kyng ne conquerour / tyl he gan to wexe.In þe manere of a man / & þat þorghȝ myche sleyghte.As it be-comeþ a conquerour / to knowe manye sleyghtes.& manye wyȝlis / & witt / þat wille ben a leedere.& so dide Iesu in hise dayes / who hadde tyme to telle.Sum-tyȝme he suffrede / & sum-tyme he hedde hym-selve.& sum-tyme he fawht faste / & he fleyȝ oyþer whyle.& sum-tyȝme he gaf good / & graunted heele boþe.& also lyȝf & leme / as he luste he wroghte. As keende is of a conquerour / so cumsede IesuTyl he hadde alle hem / þat he fore bledde.In his Iuvente þis Iesus / at Iewene feeste he turnede.Water in-to wyȝn / as holy wryt telleþ.& þere by-gan god / of his grace Dowel.For wyȝn y lykne to þe lawe / or lyf of holinesse.& lawe lakked þo / for men lovede not here enemyȝs.But crist conseyleþ þus vs / & comaundeþ vs boþe.To lerede & to lewede / for to love oure enemyȝs.So at þe feest first / as y be-fore tolde.By-gan god of his grace / & of his goodnesse to Dowel& þo was he clepid & cald / not oonly crist but Iesu.A fantekyn ful of wit / filius Marie.& byfore hys moodir Marie / made he þat wondir.Þat she first & formest / scholde ferme þe beleve.Þat he þorghȝ grace was begete / & of no goome ellis.He wroghte þat / be no wit / but þorghȝ woord oone.After þe kende þat he com of / þere comsed he Dowel.& whan he was waxe moore / in his moodir presense.F.15.126: F alone reads presense. All other B witnesses have absence or absent (HmY). R is absent for this passus.He made lame to leepe / & he ȝaf lyȝht to blynde.& he fedde with tweyn fyschis / & with fyve loves.Folk soore an-hungrid / moore þan fyve þowsande Þus he confortyd þe careful / & kawhte a gret name.Þe wyche was dobet / where þat he wente.For deve þorghȝ his doynge / & dumbe speke & herde.& alle he helede & halp / þat hym of grace askede.& þo was he callid in cowrt / of þe comoun peple.For þe dedys þat he dede / Iesu fyly dauyd.For dauid was þe dowhtyeste / of dedis in his tyme.Þerfore men sungenF.15.137: The a-verse is written over an erasure. . Saul interfecit mille  & dauid decem milia.F.15.137: The scribe wrote a small <o> over the final <a>.For-þy þe cuntre þere Iesu cam / þey callid hym.F.15.138: The line is truncated, the rubricator having failed to supply fili dauid, attested in beta manuscripts.& named hym of nazarethȝ / & no man so worthy.To ben kayser or kyng / of þe kyngdom of Iuda.Ne ouer Iewis Iustise / as Iesus was hem thowte.Þerfore hadde kayphasF.15.142: Beta manuscripts transpose to kayphas hadde. F's agreement with Cx suggests that alpha better reflects Bx than beta witnesses. envyȝe / & oþire konynge Iewis.For to doon hym to deþe / day & nyght þey kastyn.& kulled hym on þe cros / on Caluerye on a fryday.& after beried þey his body / & beden þat men sholde.Kepen it . fram nyght-comeris / with knyghtys y-armed.For no freend sholde it fecche / for prophetis beforen tolde.Þat cristis blessid body / of berielis shulde vp ryse.& goon in-to Galile / & gladien hise apostlys.& his modir Marie / þus men by-forehond demede. Þan þe knyghtis þat keptyn it / be-knewen hem-selue.Þat angelis & Archangelis / er þe day gan springe.Comen knelynge to þat corps / & konyngly sunge. F's b-verse, with konyngly supplying an alliterating stave, is unique. Beta witnesses have the metrically anomolous reading "Come knelynge to þe corps and songen," followed by the tag line Christus resurgens. Lacking the evidence of R at this point, we cannot be certain that F's konyngly is not the alpha reading and thus probably original. However, in view of the agreement in 153b of Cx with beta and of 154 with F, F's konyngly is probably an intelligent conjectural emendation, while his 154 perhaps reflects Bx. Cristus resurgens a mortuis / & a-noon he roos after.Verry man by-fore hem alle / & forþ be-fore hem wente. Þe Iewis prayede hem of pees / alle þo propre knyghtis.F.15.156: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "and bisouȝte þe knyghtes." C has preide in place of beta's bisouȝte. R is absent at this point.& tellyn þe comoun / þat þere keme / a cumpany of hise postlis.& by-wichyd hem þat þere wooke / & awey stole þe body.But sone Marie Magdeleyn / mette hym in þe weye.Goynge towarde Galyle / boþe in godhede & in manhede.& lyvynge & lookynge / & with lowhde voyȝs he Though it perhaps reflects the immediate scribe's miscomprehension, he here and in the following line is possibly a relict form of heo, "she." R is absent here, but the beta reading in F15.162 is she. criȝede.In euery cumpanye þere he cam / Cristus resurgens.Þus cam it owt / þat crist ouer-cam / & recurede & levede.F.15.163: R is absent for this passus, so it is impossible to tell whether the loss of two lines here occurred in alpha or F alone, though since it occurs at the transition between recto and verso, the latter is perhaps slightly more likely. Beta witnesses read: Sic oportet Christum pati & intrare &c. For þat wommen witeþ may noȝt wel be counseille. Peter parceyvede al þis / & pursewede after& eek Iemes & Iohan / Iesu for to seken.& Thadeus & ten mo / with Thomas of ynde. & as alle þese wise weyȝes / weren to-gydres.In an hows al by-schet / & here dore y-barred.Cryst cam In & al closed / boþe dores & ȝatis.& a-pertly to hise a-postlys / he seide pax vobisF.15.170: The scribe has scraped out an error—the phrase þese wordis is decipherable with ultra-violet—and supplied the Latin tag pax vobis in the right margin. He neglected to supply the rubrication within the text.He took Thomas by þe hond / & tawhte hym to grope.& felen with hise fyngris / his fleschly herte. Þan Thomas towchid it / & with his tunge he seyde.Dominus meus & deus meus . & doun he fel to grownde.F.15.174: F alone supplies an English b-verse. Since R is absent, we cannot determine whether the addition is F's or whether it had appeared in alpha.Þou art myn lord y be-leve / & greet love þou schewist.F.15.175: F's b-verse is unique. Other B manuscripts have "god lord Iesu."Þou dyedist & þoledyst deeþ / & deme þou shalt vs alle.& now þou lyvist & lokist / & laste þou shalt euere. Cryst carpede þanne / & curteysly he seyde.Thomas for þou trowist þis / & trewly it belevist.Blessid mote þou be / & be shalt for euere.& blessid mote þey been / in body & in sowle.Þat neuere shulle see me in syght / as þou doost nowþe.& leelly be-leven al þis / y love hem & blesse hemBeati qui non viderunt  & crediderunt. & whan þis dede was doon / Dobest he took soneF.15.185: F's b-verse is unique. Beta manuscripts have "do best he tauȝte," though C has thouhte.& ȝaf Peers power / & pardoun to graunte.To alle manere of men / mercy & for-ȝevenesse.& power to a-soyle hem / of alle manere of synnes.In connaunt þat þey come / & knowleche to payȝeTo peers plowhman pardoner ./ Redde quod debes. Þus Peers plowhman / for his pardoun prayede.F.15.191: F makes feeble sense. Bx reads "Þus haþ Piers power be his pardon paied."To byȝnden . & vnbynde / boþe heere & ellys.& a-soyle men of here synnys / save of dette oone. Þanne a-non after in hyȝ / vp in-to hevene.He wente & wooneþ þere / & wil come at þe laste.& rewarde hym ryght wel / þat rat . redde quod debes.F.15.196: F's b-verse is unique. Beta and most C manuscripts have "þat reddit quod debet."& peyȝeth parfyȝtly / as pure trewthe wolde.& what persone peyȝeþ not / pers þynkeþ hym to punche.F.15.198: The ink has filled the lobe of the <c> or <s>, and either form is possible, for both forms appear in this manuscript.& demen hem at domes-day / eyþir to deþ / or lyve.F.15.199: F's b-verse is unique. Beta and most C manuscripts have "boþe quyke and dede."& þe goode to þe godhede gon / in-to þe greete Ioyȝe.& þe wikkede to wonye / in woo / with-outyn ende. Þus þe consciense of crist / & of þe cros he carpede.& conseylide me to knele þerto / & þan cam me þowhte.Oon Spiritus paraclitus / to peers & hise felawes.In lyghtnesse of a lyȝghtnynge / & lyȝghte on hem alle.F.15.205: F omits through eye-skip on hem alle the following lines attested by beta family manuscripts: And made hem konne and knowe alle kynne langages I wondred what þat was and waggede Conscience And was afered of þe light for in fires liknesse Spiritus paraclitus ouerspradde hem alle. Quod consciense & knelede / þis is cristis messager.& comeþ fram þe grete god / grace is hys name.Knele now quod consciense / & if þou canst synge.Wolkome hym & worchepe hym / with F.15.209: The rubricator failed to supply veni creator spiritus, attested in beta manuscripts. Since he left a space for that text, it is likely to have been in his exemplar. In the absence of R we cannot be similarly confident that this was the case for the two following lines, attested by beta witnesses, also missing here: Thanne song I þat song and so dide manye hundred And criden wiþ Conscience help vs god of grace. veni creator spiritus & by-gan grace / to go with peers plowhman.& conseiled hym & conscience / þe comeune to sumne.For y wille to-day / doon dyviden grace.To alle kenne creatures / þat kan hise fyve wittis.A tresor to leve by / to here lyves ende.& a wepne to fyghte with / þat wille neuere fayle.For Antecrist & hyse / al þe world shal greve.& a-cumbre þe Conscience / but if crist þe helpe.For false prophetis / & fele flatererys & gloserys.Shulle comen & ben curatoures / ouer kyngis & knyghtis.& þan shal pryȝde ben pope / & prince of holy chirche.Coueytise & vnkendenesse / shul ben / cardinalis hym to lede.For-þy quod grace er y goo / y wille gyve ȝow tresor.& a wepne to fyghte with / whan antecrist ȝow asayleþ& gaf ech man grace / to gyȝe with hym-selue.Þat ydelnesse a-cumbre hym nowht / ne envyȝe ne priȝde.Diuisiones graciarum sunt. Summe he ȝaf wit / & woordes to schewe.& wit to wynne here lyfloode / as þe lond askeþ.As prechoures & preestis / & prentyȝs of þe lawe.Þey leelly to lyven / be labour of here tunge.& by here witt to wissen oþere / as grace wolde hem teche.& summe he kennede craft / & konynge of syghte.With sellynge & beggynge / here lyfloode to wynne.& summe he lernede to laboure / on londe & on watre. F alone attests these lines, beta having omitted them through eye-skip on labour. R is defective here, lacking the entire passus.& lyve by þat labour / a leel lyf & trewe.& summe he tawhte to tylie / to diche & to þresche.To wynne with here lyfloode / by loore of his techyng& summe to dyuyne & dyvyde / numbris to knowe.& summe to cumpasse craftyly / & coloures to make.& summe to see / & to seyȝe / what sholde be-falle.Boþe of wele & of woo / to telle it er it felle.As AstrononyensAstrono[m]yens of astronomye / & philosoferis wyȝsdom.& summe to rekne / & rekewreF.15.243: As Richard Beadle notes, spellings like this or recure when the word means "regain, repossess" are very narrowly East Anglian. "The Medieval Drama of East Anglia: Studies in Dialect, Documentary Records and Stagecraft," (unpublished D. Phil. thesis, University of York, 1977), 66. / þat vnryghtfully was wonne.F.15.243: F omits the following line attested by beta family manuscripts: "He wissed hem wynne it ayein þoruȝ wightnesse of handes."& fecchen it fram false men / with folvyles lawe& summe he leernede to lyve / in longynge to ben hennys.As in pouerte & in pacience / to preyȝe for alle cristene.& alle lernede to ben leeleF.15.247: The scribe may have intended to cancel the final <e>, for a mark very like the virgule in the preceding line appears through it. The scribe wrote both forms in apparent free variation. / & ech craft to love oþer.& for-bad hem / Debate / þat noon were a-mong hem.Þey summe ben clennere þan summe / ȝee see wel quod grace.Þat he þat vseþ fayr craft / to þe foulest y cowde a pyt hym.& he þat is ȝoure althir drevel / myghte mayster ben holden. These four lines occur only in F. With R absent, it is not possible to determine whether they originated in alpha.If grace wolde haue grantyd hym / but þynk þou wel þerafter.If he leede weel his lyf / his Ioyȝe shal encresen.And al þat he swynkeþ harde heere / to blysse it shal hym turne.Þynkeþ alle now quod grace / þat grace comeþ of myn gifte.& looke non ne lakke oþir / but loveþ alle as bretheryn.& who þat moost mastries can / be myȝldest of berynge.& crowneþ Conscience kyng / & makeþ craft ȝoure styward.& after Craftes conseyle / ȝee clothe ȝow / & feede.For y make Pers plowhman / myn procour & myn reve.& registrer to receyve / Redde quod debes.My procour & myn plowhman / peers shal ben on erthe.& for to tylyeF.15.263: The scribe initially wrote tylee before correcting <e> to <y>. trewly / a teeme / shal he have. Þan grace gaf peers a teem / fowre greete oxen.Þe firste was LewkF.15.265: The flourish may be intended to serve as a virgule here. a large beeste / & a ful lowh cheere.& Mark / & Mathewh / þe þrydde / myghty beestis boþe.He Ioynede to hem oon Iohan / moost Ientyl of hem alle.& prysest of peersys plowhȝ / & passynge alle oþere.& ȝit grace of his goodnesse / gaf peers foure stottys.Al þat hise Oxen ereden / þey to harwe it after.Þe firste hyȝhte Austyȝn / & Ambrose is a-noþire.& Gregorie þe greete clerk / & Ieroom þe fowrthe.& þese fowre þe feyþ techen / & folwen peersys teeme.& harwen in hand-wlylew[h]yle / Al holy scripture.With tweye hayȝtesF.15.275: F alone reads hayȝtes, possibly a form of the nonce-word (at least in Middle English) aiþes, "harrows," < OE egeþe, egþe, for which beta has the more common term harewes. R is defective here, lacking the entire passus. þat þey hadden / þe olde lawe & þe newe.Id est vetus testamentum & nouum testamentum.F.15.276: F alone repeats testamentum. & grace gaf Peers greynes / kardynalys vertues& he sew it in mannys sowle / & sitthe he tolde here names./ [¶] Spiritus prudencie / þe fyrste seed hette.Þat who eetyþ of þat frut / ymagene he sholde.Er he dyde ony dede / dyvyse he sholde þe ende.& leerned hym a ladil to bygge / with a long steele.For he caste to keepe a crokke / & keepe þe fatte a-bove. Þe secunde seed þat he sew / was spiritus temperancie.He þat eetiþ of þat seed / he shal have swich a kyȝnde.Sholde neuere meete ne myschef / maken hym to swelle.Ne sholde no skornere / out of skylle hym brynge.Ne wynnynge ne welthe / of no wordly rycchesse.Ne wast woord of ydelnesse / ne wikkid speches meve.& also sholde non koryows clooþ / comen on hys regge.Ne non meete in his mowthȝ / þat Mayster Iohan it spyedespy[c]ede/ [¶] Þe þrydde seed þat peers sew / was spiritus fortitudinis.& who-so eet of þat seed / hardy he was euere.To suffre al þat god sente / seeknessis & angrys.Þer myghte no lesyngys of lyȝere / ne los of wordly catel.Maken hym for ony murnynge / þat he was[n]as meryȝe in sowle.& boold / & abydynge / bysmeerys to suffre /& he pleted euere with pacience / and parce michi domine.& he coueryth hym vndir conseyl / of Catoun þe wyse.Esto forti animo . cum sis dampnatus inique. Þe ferthe seed þat Peers sew / was spiritus Iusticie.& he þat eet of þat seed / sholde be euere trewe.& of god nowht a-gast / but of gyle oone.For gyle gooþ so priuyly / þat good feythȝ oþirwhyle.May not ben a-spyed / for spiritus Iusticie.Spiritus Iusticie / spareþ nowht to spylle.Hem þat ben gylty / & for to corecte.F.15.307: The scribe has added the terminal punctus in red ink, suggesting that when terminal punctuation is missing it is more likely to be oversight than intention.Þey men falle a-geyn þe kyngF.15.308: F's a-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "The kyng if he falle." Bx is corrupt. / in gelte or in trespas.He coueyȝteþ no keene wrattheF.15.309: Bx reads "For counteþ he no kynges wraþe." F has changed the sense of this entire passage, though the failure of alliteration suggests that beta too has problems. R is absent at this point. / whan he in court syttiþ.To demen ryght as a domesman / adrad is he neuere.Neyþir of dewk ne of deeþ / if he doo þe lawe.For present or for prayere / er for ony princes lettris.He dede qwite[e]qwite to alle men / euene-forþ his power.Þese foure seedis peers sew / & sytthe he dyde hem harwe.With þe olde lawe & þe newe lawe / þat love myghte wexe.A-mong þese foure vertues / & vycys to distroyȝe.& comounly groweth in cuntres / kammokys & weedisÞey fowle þe frut in feeldis / þere þey growen to-gydres.Ryght so dooþ vices / worthy fayre vertues.Quod Peers harweth alle þat knowen witt / be conseyl of þis doctour.& tylyeþ after here techynge / þese Cardynale vertues./ [¶] A-geyn þe tymeF.15.322: F alone reads tyme. All other B witnesses have greynes, and that is preceded in most beta manuscripts by þi instead of F's þe. R is absent for this passus. quod grace / þat þy frut gynneþ rype.Peers ordeyne þe an hows / to herborwe in þyn cornes.By goddis grace quod Peers / ȝee moote gyve me tymbir.& ordeyne & caste þat hows / er ȝee hens wenden. & grace gaf hym þe cros / & þe crowne of þornys.Þat crist vpon Caluerye / for mankeende kawhte.& of his bapteme & of þe blood / þat he bledde on roode.He made a maner morteer / mercy it hyȝghte.& þerwith grace by-gan / to make a good fowndement.& he peyntyde þe wallis / with þe woundis of his passioun.& of al holy writ / he wroghte þe roof after.& callyd þat hows vnyte / holy chirche on englyschȝ./ [¶] & whan þis dede was doon / grace dyvisede.A Carte þat hette cristendom / to carie hoom schevis.& gaf peers caplis to his carte / contricion and confessionF.15.336: The scribe neglected to supply Bx's "contricion and confession."& he made preesthod heyward / þe while hym-selue wenteAs wyȝde as þe world is / with peers to tylye trewthe.& þe loore of by-leeve / & þe lawe of holy chirche.F.15.339: This line is attested only in F. R is defective here, lacking the entire passus. Now is peers to þe plowhȝ / & priȝde it a-spyede.& he gadreþ hym a gret ost / greven hym he þynkiþ./ [¶] & Conscience & cristendom / & cardynale vertues.Blewe hem doun & breeken hem / & beetyn doun here maneres.& sentyn forþ surquidoures / were sergawntys of armes.& his spyȝes spille love / & speke evyl by-hyȝnde. Þese two kemen to consciense / & to cristene peple.& tolden hem tydyngys / þat þey wolde stroye þo seedys.Þat peers plowhman seew / alle þe cardinal vertues.& Peersis doore worþ y-broke / & þey þat been in vnyte.Shul come to vs conscience / & ȝoure two caples.Boþe Confessioun & contricioun / & þe carte of beleve.Shal be coloured so qweyntely / & couered vndir sofistreÞat Consciense ne contricioun / shal not ben knowe.Ne be confessioun / who is cristene or heþene.Ne no marchawnt / þat with monee deleþWheyþir he wynneþ with ryght / or with wrong / or with vsure. With swiche coloures y-peyntid / comeþcomeþ [pryde] y-armed.With þe loord þat lyveþ after þe lustys of his herte.F.15.358: F alone reads lustys and herte. Beta witnesses have lust and body. R is absent for this passus.To waaste & wel faren / & wikkednesse he meyntiþ.F.15.359: Beta reads "To wasten on welfare and in wikked kepyng."Al þe world in a while / þorghȝ oure wit . quod priȝde. Quod conscience to cristene þo / y conseyle þe to wende.Hastely . to vnyte / & wee shulle holde vs heere.& praye we / þat pees were / in Persys beerne plowhman[þe] Plowhman.For witterly y woot wel / we ben not of strengþe.To goon a-geyn priȝde / but grace were with vs. & þan cam keende wit / conscience to teche.& cryede & comandide / alle cristene peple.For to delue & dyke depe / alle abowte vnyte.Þat holy chirch stoode strong / as it a pyȝl were. ConscieceConscie[n]ce comaundide þo / alle cristene to delue.& maken a mychil moot / þat myghte been of strengþe.To helpyn holy chirche / & hem þat it keepiþ. Þanne alle kenne cristene / save comoun wommen.Repentyd & refused synne / save þey aloone.& false men & flateris / & vsereris & þevis.Lyeris / & qwest-mongeris / þat ben for-swore ofte.Wytynge & wilful / & with þe false helde.& for syluer ben for-sworeF.15.378: An otiose curl appears above the <s>. / & soþly knowe þe contrarie.F.15.378: F alone reads "knowe þe contrarie." Beta witnesses have "þei wiste it." R is absent for this passus. Þer was no cristene creature / þat keende wit hadde.Save shrewis oonly / & swiche y spak of to-forehond.Þat he ne halp a qwantite / holynesse make to wexe.Summe þorghȝ beedis byddynge / & þorghȝ pilgrimage.Summe þorghȝ pens delyng / & summe þorghȝ priue penaunces.& þanne walmede water / for wykkede werkys.Ful egrily ernynge / owt of mennys eyȝes.Clennesse of þe comoun / & clerkys cleene lyvynge.Made Vnite in holychirche / holylyche stoonde. I care nowht quod conscience / þey keme[pryde] keme nowthe.& þe lord of lust shal be lettyd / al þis lentene y trowe.Comeþ with me quod conscience / ȝee cristene & dyghneþ.Þat han laboured lelly / al þis lentene tyȝme.Heere is breed y-blessed / & goddis body þere-Inne.Þan Grace þorghȝ goddis word / gaf pers his power.& myght for to maken yt / & men to eete it after.In helpe of here heele / ones in a twelfmoneþ.F.15.395: The F redactor's substitution of "twelfmoneþ" for Bx's "Monþe" perhaps reflects some sense of excess. Eamon Duffy, The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England, 1400-1580 (New Haven: Yale U P, 1992), notes that "frequent communion was the prerogative of the few. Lady Margaret Beaufort received only monthly, and even so was considered something of a prodigy. For most people receiving communion was an annual event ..." (93).Er as ofte as þey hadde neede / þo þat hadde payed.To peers plowhmann-ys pardoun / redde quod debes. Ow  quod alle þe comoun / þou comandist vs to ȝeldyn.Al þat we owen ony wyght / er þat we come to huslyng.Þat is myn conseyl / quod conscience / & cardynale vertues.Or ony for-ȝeve oþir / & þat wille the pater noster.F.15.401: The line up to wille is written over an erasure.Et dimite nobis debita nostra.& so to been a-soyled / & setthen to been y-huslyd./ [¶] Ȝee  baw wawh  quod a Brewere / y wille not so be rewlyd.Ne Iustefied be Iesu so  for al ȝoure Ianglynge here.F.15.405: F's line is unique. Bx has the following unmetrical line: "By Iesu for al youre Ianglynge with Spiritus Iusticie."Ne after þe Conscience / but y can wel selle.Boþe dreggis & draf / & drawe out an oon hole tappe.Boþe þykke ale & þenne / þat is myn craft cleene.& nowht hakke after holynesse / now hold consciense þyn tunge.Of Spiritus Iusticie  / þou spyllyst ydel speche. ACaytyf quod Conscience / þou art a cursyd wrecche.Vn-blessid art þou brewere / but if god þe helpe.& but þou lyve be þe loore / of spiritus Iusticie.Þe cheef seed þat Peers sew / savid worþ þou neuere.& but conscionceconsci[e]nce be þyn comoun foode / & cardynale vertues.Leve me wel þou art loost / boþe lyf & sowle./ [¶] Þan is many a man loost / quod a lewed vykery.I am a curatoure of holy chirche / & cam neuere in my tyme.Man þat cowde me telle / of Cardynale vertues.Þat euere a-cowntyd conscience / oon cokkys fedre.I knewh neuere Cardynal / þat cam fram þe Pope.F.15.421: F's b-verse is unique. Beta and C witnesses have "þat he ne cam fro þe pope."For we vykeres wan þey kome / for here comonys paye& for here palfreis meteF.15.423: F's a-verse is unique. Beta and C witnesses have "For hir pelure and palfreyes mete." / & for pyloures þat hem folweth.& þe comewnys clamant cotidie / ech man tyl oþir.Þat þe cuntre is þe cursedere / þere Cardynalis comen Inne.& þere þat þey lyggyn moostF.15.426: F's omission of "and lenge" following "lyggyn" led to his misplacing the caesura marker. The a-verse in Bx reads "And þer þei ligge and lenge." R is absent at this point. / leccheryȝe þere reygneþ. Þerfore quod þat vikery / by verry god y wolde.Þat neuere Cardynal keeme / a-mong þe comoun peple.But been at hoom in here holynesse / & þere holde hem stille.At Avyoun a-mong Iewis / cum sancto sanctus eris.Or in Rome as here rewle woole / þe relykys keepen.& þou conscience in kyngis cowrt / & come þens sholdist þou neuere.& grace þat þou gredist so of / sholde be gyȝere of alle clerkis.& also peers plowman / with his newe plowh & þe olde.Sholde be Emperoure ouer al þe world / & alle men weren cristene. For Inparfyȝt is þe pope / þat al þe peple shulde helpe.For he sendiþ hem / þat sleeþ swiche / as he sholde save.But weel worþ peers plowman / þat purseweþ god in dede.Qvi pluit super iustos / & in-iustos bothe at onesatones.For he sent þe sunne to shyȝne / onF.15.440: F alone has "shyȝne on." All other B witnesses have saue. R is absent for the entire passus. a cursed manne tylthe.& as bryght as to þe beeste man / or to þe beeste womman.Ryght so peers plowhman / peyneþ hym to tylye.F.15.442: F omits the following lines attested by beta family manuscripts: As wel for a wastour and wenches of þe stewes As for hymself and hise seruauntz saue he is first yserued. The presence of the following line in Cx suggests that a third line was lost through eye-skip from Bx: "So blessed be Piers þe Plowman þat peyneþ hym to tilye."& trauayleþ & toyleþ / for a tretour as soore.As for a trewe tyȝdy man / alle tymes in lyke.& worchepeþ hym / þat wroghte al / boþe good & wikke.& he suffreþ þo þat synful ben / tyl tyme þat þey repente. Grete god a-mende þe pope / þat pylyeþ so holy chirche.& cleymeþ by-fore þe kyng / to be kepere ouer cristene.& a-cownteþ not þei cristene / be kyllyd & robbid.& fyndis folk to fyȝte / & cristene blood to spille.A-geyn þe olde lawe & þe newe / as lewk beriþ witnesse.F.15.451: The scribe's intention is clear, but the <n>, if it is indeed present, is written over a <t>.Non occides . // Iterum . Michi vindictam & ego retribuam.F.15.452: F uniquely has Iterum and the completion of the quotation after vindictam.It seemeþ by so / hym-selue / hadde his owne wille.He ne rowhte ryght nowht / how þe remnaunt fareþ. But crist of custesyȝecu[r]tesyȝeF.15.455: The second character is malformed, and we have read it variously as a single lobed <a>, as <o>, and as <u>. It is not likely to be <a>, for the scribe never elsewhere writes a single-lobed <a> after <c> and before <st>. Bx reads curteisie. / þo Cardynalis save.& turne here witt / to wisdom / & here welþe to sowle helpe.For þe comeunes ofF.15.457: F's of is unique. Beta and C witnesses have quod. þis curatour / a-cownten but lytyl.F.15.457: An otiose curl appears above the <t> in lytyl.Þe conseyl of Conscience / of Cardynale vertues.But if þey sowne as to syghte / sumwhat to wynnyngis. Ne of Gyle ne gabbynge / gyve þey neuere tale.For Spiritus prudencie / a-mong þe peple is gyle.F.15.461: The scribe appears in this instance to have left the line blank after For and to have then written the black ink conclusion of the line after he had rubrished Spiritus prudencie, a practice more common toward the end of the manuscript than at the beginning when he tended to leave spaces for the rubricated letters, as indeed he does on the following leaf. Note there that Spiritus intellectuS has extra space, while in the following line Spiritus Fortitudinis is crowded.& alle þo fayreF.15.462: An otiose curl appears above <fa> in fayre. vertues / as vices þey semen.For euerey man sotyleþ a sleyȝte / synne to hyȝde.& coloureþ it for konynge / & a klene lyuynge. Þan lowrede þere a lord / & by þis lyght he tolde.I holde it ryght & resoun / of myn reve to take.Al þat myn Auditour haþ herd / or ellis myn styward.& conseyleþ me / be here a-cowntes / & by myn clerkis wrytyng.ÞatÞat [wiþ] Spiritus intellectusF.15.469: The <ct> is indistinguishable from <tt>. / þey tooken þe revis rolles.& with Spiritus Fortitudinis / þey fecchid hym to presoun.F.15.470: F's b-verse is unique. Beta witnesses have "fecche it I wole." & þan kam þere a kyng / & be his crowne he seyde.I am kyng with krowne / þe comounes to rewle.& holy kyrke & Clergye / fram þe cursede defende.& if y lakke / to lyve by / by lawe wil y take it.Þere y may hastlyere have it / for y am heed of lawe.For ȝee been but membris / & y am a-bove ȝou alle.& sytthe y am ȝoure alther heed / y am ȝoure althir hele.& holy chirche cheef helpe / & cheuyntyn of þe comonis.& what y take of ȝow / me to / y take it at þe techynge.Of Spiritus Iusticie / for y Iugge ȝow alle.& so y may boldely be hoseled / for y borwe neuere.Ne crave of mynn comounys / but as myn kende askeþ.In condicioun quod conscience / þat þou kunne hem defende.& rewle þy rewme in resoun / in ryght & in trewþe.Þat þou þyn lykyngF.15.485: The word lykyng is written over an erasure. F alone reads alliterating þyn lykyng where beta and C witnesses have in reson. have / as þe lawes asken.Omnia sunt tua ad defendendum . sed non ad deprehendum.Þe vykere hadde fer hoome / & faire he took his leve.& y a-wakned þere-with / & y wroot as y mette. Explicit Passus .xvus.