The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 1: Oxford, Corpus Christi College, MS 201 (F) – Passus 6William 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 This folio marker does not represent a leaf boundary at this point, but it is included to make it possible to display the facsimile image from this passus file. Incipit Passus Sextus.ANdF.6.1: The ornamental capital is red with green flourishes which extend over half way up the page in the left margin. wanne y awakid was / y wondred were y were. These lines appear only in F.Tyl þat y be-þowhte me / what þyng y dremede.& y RobertF.6.3: The last four characters are virtually illegible because of bleed through and the translucency of the manuscript.F.6.3: The reading "y Robert" is unique to F. Bx reads yrobed. in russet / gan rome a-bowhte.F.6.3: F omits the following line: "Al a somer seson for to seke dowel."& freynede fulF.6.4: The manuscript is almost completely illegible here. ofte / folk þat y mette.If ony whyght wiste / where Dowel wereF.6.5: Alpha is responsible for were; beta witnesses (and A,C) read was. ostagid.F.6.5: ostagid, "lodged, dwelled, resided." This form is rare in Middle English. MED lists only one other occurrence.F.6.5: A rubricated "VI:" appears in the top right margin with red flourishes to indicate the passus number.& what man he myghte be / of many a man y askede.But þere waswas [neuere] wyght as y went / þat me wysshe cowthe.Where þat leede lengede / neyþir lesse ne more.Tyl it fel on a Fryday / with tweye Freris y mette.&F.6.10: Alpha is responsible for &. weryn Maystrys of þe Menourys / & men weel y-lernede.F.6.10: F omits the following line from Bx: "I hailsed hem hendely as I hadde ylerned." I prayede hem pur charite / er y passede furthere.If þey knewe in ony cowrtF.6.12: Alpha is responsible for cowrt, a reading shared by Cr2,3. Beta witnesses read contree. / or in coostys þereF.6.12: Alpha is responsible for þere. Beta witnesses read as. þey wentyn.Where þat Dowel dwellyþ / y praye ȝow ȝee me wisse.F.6.13: Alpha lacks the following lines present in beta witnesses: For þei be men of þis moolde þat moost wide walken And knowen contrees and courtes and many kynnes places Boþe princes paleises and pouere mennes cotes And dowel and do yuele where þei dwelle boþe. Marye quod þo Menoures / a-mongys vs he dwellyþ.& euere haþ as y hope / & euere shal here-after.Contra quod y / as a Clerk / & comsed to disputyn.F.6.16: F omits the following line from Bx: "And seide hem sooþly Sepcies in die cadit Iustus."For sevene tymes / as seyþ þe book / slyȝdiþ þe ryghtful.& who þat synneþ in doynge / he doþ evele me þynkiþ.& dowel & doevele / mowe not dwelle to-gydre.Ergo he is nowht alwey / at hoom a-mong ȝoure freres.But he is ellis-wher / for to wisse þe peple. I shal seyȝe þe my sone / seyȝde þe toþe frere þanne.How sevene sythis þe sad man / synneþ on þe day-tyȝde.Be a propre resoun / y shal þe redyly shewe.Lete brynge a man in a boot / a-myddis þe brode watur.Þe wynd / & þe watur / & the boot waggynge.Makþ þe man many a tyme / to meve / & to stakere.For stonde he neuere so stef / he stumbleþ & falleþ.& ȝit is he saf & sownd / & so hym by-hoveþ.For but he ryse þe rathere / & rawhte to hym þe sterne.F.6.30: Alpha has sterne, a reading shared by HmC2. Other beta witnesses read steere. The same pattern of variation appears in A manuscripts.Þe wynd wolde / on þe watur / þe boot ouer-terve.& þanne were his lyf loost / þorhȝ lacchesse of hym-selue. Ryght þus fareþ it quod þe Frere / by folk on þis growndeÞe watur y lykne to þis world / þat wanyeþ & wexiþ.& þe goodis on þis grownde / be lykned þe grete wawis.& as þe wynd & þe wedir / walkyn a-bowte.Þe boot y lykne to oure bodijs / þat brotyl is of kyȝnde.Þat þorgh þe feend . & oure flesh / & þe false world also.Synneþ þe sade man / ech day sevene syȝþys. But dedly synne doþ he non / for Dowel hym helpiþ.& þat is Charite þe Champioun / cheef a-geyn synne.For he strengþ man / to stonde / & steriþ mannys wille.Þat þeyhȝ þy body bowe / as þe boot in þe watir.Euere ys þy sowle saf / but if þy-selue wille.If þou folwe þy fowle fleshȝ / & þe feend þere-after.F.6.45: F alone among B manuscripts has this line, otherwise attested only by A manuscripts.& doost dedly synne / þou drenchist þanne þy sowle. But god wille þou save þi sowleF.6.47: F's a-verse is unique, and the agreement of FHmR in reading sowle in place of the other beta manuscripts' reading sleuþe makes it difficult to determine the archetypal reading. It is likely to have read "God wole suffre wel þi sowle (or sleuþe)." / þyf[ȝ]ifF.6.47: Though Norman Davis notes that isolated cases of scribal confusion of <þ> and <ȝ> occur occasionally elsewhere, the examples he cites are mainly from East Anglian texts. "A Scribal Problem in the Paston Letters," English and Germanic Studies 4 (1951-1952): 39. It is perhaps equally possible that this form represents the scribe's effort at the Worcester form yef or yif. þi-selue lyke.F.6.47: F revises this line radically. Bx reads "God wole suffre wel þi sleuþe if þiself likeþ." Alpha must have had soule in place of sleuþe, and later F revised "suffre wel" to "þou save" in an attempt to salvage some sense.He ȝaf þe / two ȝeresȝevis / to ȝeeme wel þy-selue.& þo ben wit / & frewil / to euery wyght a porciounTo man & to foulis / to fyschis & to beestisBut man haþ moost þereof / & moost he is to blame.But he wyrche wel þer-with / as dowel hym techiþ. Ȝee y have no kyȝnde knowynge quod y  to conseyve þy wordis.But if y may lyve & looke / y shal goo leerne bettre. I be-kenne þe Cryst quod he / þat on þe croys dyȝede.& y seyde / þe same lord / save þe fram myschaunce.& graunte þe grace on þis grownde / good ende to make./ [¶] & wente y wyȝde-where / walkynge by myn oone.In a whilde wyȝldirnesse / by a wode-syȝde.Þanne blysse of þe bryddis / a-byȝde me made.F.6.60: Beta attests a different b-verse for this line: "brouȝte me aslepe." Alpha's reading corresponds to Cx.& vndir a lyȝnde on a lawnde / lay y a stounde.To lystne þe layȝes / þe Nytyngalis madenF.6.62: Bx reads for the b-verse: "þe louely foweles made," though R also omits the alliterating stave louely. That suggests that alpha had lost the alliterating word and that F had revised his defective exemplar. Cf. F's substitution of larkys for foweles at 5.358.& þe merthe of here mowthis / made me on sleepe.& þe mervylokest metelis / mette y þat stownde.Þat euere wyȝght / in þis world / as y wene dremede. Me þowhte oon com / & callyd me / be my ryght name These lines in F are transposed in relation to Bx.A mychil man he was / mychil lyȝk my-selue. What art þou quod y þo / þat þowhȝ my name knowist Thow wost wel quod he þo / & no whyȝt bettre.I not neuere . who art þou  thowht y am he seyde.& have sewid þe þis sevene ȝeer / ne seyȝe þou me no rathere. Art þou þowht / quod y tho / canst þou me telle.Where þat dowel dwellyþ / þou do me hymF.6.73: Alpha has hym. Beta witnesses read þat. to knowe.Dowel quod he . & dobet / & dobest þe thryddeAre þre faire felowis / & dwelle not feer o twynne.For who is trewe of his tunge / & of hise two hondis.& meeke in his herte / & myȝlde of his speche.F.6.77: This line uniquely appears in F in the B tradition. It appears in A, though it has correctly alliterating mouþ in place of herte. The line is omitted in C.& trewe of his tayl-ende / & takþ but his owne. These lines in F are transposed in relation to Bx.& þorghȝ þe labour of his hand / his lyfloode wynneþ.& nowht drunkelewhȝ ne deygnous / dowel hym folweþ.And dobet doþ ryght / but he doþ michil moore.He is as lowhȝ as a lomb / & lowhly of speche. & helpiþ alle men / & eseþ hem at neede.Þe baggys bownde with brygerdlisF.6.84: F's use of the form brygirdel (See MED s.v. brech-girdel) to mean bi-girdel, "money-belt," had already taken place in the manuscripts of the A text of Piers Plowman, but it does not occur in other B witnesses. / he haþ broke hem alleÞat þe Erl / sire Averouse / held for hise eyȝres.& with Mammones mone / he haþ maad freenschepis.& ys runne in-to religious / to rendre þe byble.& precheþ þe peple / seynt Powlys woordis. Libenter suffertis incipientes . cum ipsi scitis sapientes.He seyþ ȝee sholde gladly suffre þe vnwyse / with ȝow to lybbe.& with glad wil don hem good / for god so ȝow hoteþ. But dobest beriþ a bisshopis croos / & is a-bove hem boþe.It is hoked at þe ende / to halye men fram helle.& in þat potente ys a pyȝk / to pytten doun þe wykkede.Þat wayten with wrong / sire dowel to teene.F.6.95: F lacks KD8.100-101 and re-orders several other lines. Alpha had already omitted KD8.106. The missing lines read: And dowel and dobet amonges hem ordeyned To crowne oon to be kyng to rulen hem boþe (=KD8.101). But dobest bede for hem þei to be þer for euere (=KD8.106). And þus dowel . & dobet . & dobest þe thrydde. In this and the next two paragraphs, a scribe subsequent to alpha augmented his text, probably from an A manuscript, but possibly, as Kane and Donaldson believe, a superior B manuscript.Haue crownecrowne[d] oon to be kyng / & be here conseyl wircheF.6.97: F's b-verse reading is unique. Bx reads "to kepen hem alle."& to rewle al þe rewhme / be reed of hem alle.F.6.98: F's b-verse reading is unique. Bx reads "by hire þre wittes."& be non oþir-wyse / but as þey þre wille assente. For if þat dowel or dobet / dyden a-geyn dobest.& weryn vn-buxum to don his byddyngge / & bown to do Ille.F.6.101: F alone among B manuscripts attests this line, which is found in A, but not in C.Þanne sholde þe kyng come / & comawnde hem to presoun.& pitte hem þere in penawnce / with-oute pite or grace.F.6.103: This line from the A version appears only in F among B manuscripts. Alpha omits the following line found in beta: "But dobest bede for hem þei to be þer for euere." Þanne þankede y thowht þo / þat he so faire me tawhte.& seyde / me savoureþ not ȝyt wel / so me crist helpe. This b-verse and the following a-verse, found in Ax and Cx, are not attested in other B manuscripts.For more kyȝnde knowynge / y coveyte of ȝow to leerne.Where þat dowel & dobet & dobest / doon on þis molde.Trewly but . witt kan wisshe þe quod thowt / where þat þey dwelle.Ellis knowe y non þat can / þat now ys on lyve. Þo þowht & y / thre dayes we wentyn.Disputynge on dowel / day after oþir.& er þat we weryn war / with witt gunne we meetynHe was long & leene / & lyȝk to non oþir.Was no priȝde in his a-parayle / ne pouerte neythir.But sad of his semblaund / & softe he was of chere.I durste meve no matere / for to make hym Iangle.But as y bad þowht þo / be meene be-twene.To pytte furþ sum purpos / to prevyn hise wittis.What was dowel fram dobet / & dobest fram hem bothe. Þanne þowht in þat tyme / seyde þese woordys.Where dwellyþF.6.121: F uniquely has dwellyþ, which then requires the omission of Bx's ben from the b-verse after dobest. Curiously, R also omits ben. dowel & dobet / & dobest in londe.F.6.121: F revises the next three lines, converting Thought's third person discourse into first person. Bx reads as follows: Here is wil wolde wite if wit koude teche hym And wheiþer he be man or no man þis man wolde aspie And werchen as þei þre wolde this is his entente.Fayn wolde y wete witt / If þou cowdist me telle.F.6.122: Bx reads here: "Here is wil wolde wite if wit koude teche hym."Wheyþir he be man / or noon / y wolde fayn a-spyȝe.& worchen as ȝee[þ]e[y] þre wolde / þis were myn entente. Sire dowel dwelliþ quod witt / nowht a day henne.In a Castel þat Keende made / of foure manere of þyngis.Of Erthe & eyȝr it ys maad / & medlyd to-gydres.With wynd & with watur / wyttyrly en-Ioyned.Syre Keende haþ closed þer-in / craftly withalle.His lemmanF.6.130: The <a> in lemman is written, for no apparent reason, much larger than usual. þat he loveþ wel / she is lych hym-selue.Anima she hatte / but Envie hyre hateþ.He is a prowd prikere of Fraunce / princeps huius mundi.He wolde wynne hire a-weyȝ / with wyȝles if he myȝhte.F.6.133: The <y> is corrected from <u>.& þat knoweth Kynde wel / & kepeþ hire þe bettre.& doþ hire dwelle with dowelF.6.135: Alpha is responsible for the omission of sire before dowel. / Dewk of þat marches.F.6.135: F's þat is unique. R has þe, and beta manuscripts þise.& dobet ys hire Damysele / sire dowellis dowhtir.She serueþ þat Lady leelly / boþe late & rathe.& dobest ys above hem boþe / a Bisshopis peere.& þat he byddis mote be doon / for he rewhliþ hem alle.And Anima þat lady / ys lad by his leernynge. But þe Cunstable of þe Castel / þat kepeþ alle þe wacche.Is a wyȝs knyght with-alle / sire Inwitt he hatte.& haþ fyve faire sones / by his firste Lady.sire Seewel & seywel / & sireF.6.144: Alpha's sire is matched by the C reading. Beta is like A in omitting it. herewel þe heende.& sire wyrche wel with þyn hond / a whyht man of strengþe.& sire Goweel on groundeF.6.146:F's reading is unique. Other witnesses have "Godefray Go-wel" in place of "Goweel on grounde." / a gret LordF.6.146: Alpha is responsible for singular "a gret Lord." Beta witnesses have "grete lordes." for-sothe.Þese sixeF.6.147: Though the archetypal reading was fyue, F has almost certainly supplied the correct reading. ben set / to save sown þys Anima.F.6.147: Alpha's omission of beta's lady is matched by the C reading.Tyl Kynde come or sende / to kepen hire hym-selue. What kenne þyng ys Kynde quod y  canst þou me telle.Quod wit  Kynde is a creatour / of alle kenne þyngys.Fader & formere / of alle þynge on erthe.He is grete god / þat by-gynnynge hadde neuere.& lord of lyf & of lyth / of blysse & of peyȝne.Angelys & alle þynge / ben at his wille.But man ys moost hym lyȝkF.6.155: Alpha is responsible for the word order "moost hym lyȝk." Beta witnesses have "hym moost lik." / of makynge & of chafte.F.6.155: chafte, "shaft."For þorghȝ þe word þat he spak / wentyn forþ beestys.F.6.156: The next three lines are unique to F, replacing the Latin tag "Dixit et facta sunt." Kane and Donaldson reject the first two as spurious and accept the substance of the third, though they emend it. Schmidt, Parallel-Text Edition, rejects all three.& grene gres grew sone / on grownde al a-bowhte.& trees weryn frawht with frut / fayre vpon erthe.& al was maad þorgh his word / as his wille wolde./ [¶] But he made Adam a man / lykkest hym-selue.& Eve was maad of Adam-is ryb / with-outyn ony meene.& for he was nowht synguler / he seyȝde faciamus.As who seyȝþ  more mote here-to / þan my word oone.For my myght mote helpe / forþ with my speche.Ryght as a lord shold make a lettre / & only lakkede parchemynOr þeyȝ he cowhde wryte neuere so wel / & he lakkede a penneÞe Lettre for al his lordshepe / y leve sholde not be makydRyght so it semeþ be god / as þe byble telleþÞere god seyde þis sawe / faciamus hominem ad ymaginem &c.F.6.169: The Latin tag is attested only in F at this point. Bx reads "dixit et facta sunt." F's reading mirrors Ax.He wroghte þus with his word / & with his wit gan shewe& in þis manere man was maad / þorhȝ þre persones oone.With his word he wroghte man / & ȝaf hym lyf after.F.6.172: F has extensively revised this line. Bx reads "Wiþ his word and werkmanshipe and wiþ lif to laste."& god gaf hym a goost / of þe godhed of hevene.& of his grete grace / he grawntyd hym blysse.Þere is lyf þat euere shal laste / to alle his lynage after.& þat Castel þat Kynde maade Caro itF.6.176: The rubricating scribe, whom we take to be the main text scribe, noticed that the <i> was not dotted and supplied it in red ink. hatte.& is as mychel to mene / as man with a sowle.& þat he wroughte it as[with] werk / & with hisF.6.178: Alpha is responsible for his, which is not in beta. word boþe.Þorgh myght of þe Mageste / þus was man y-maked.Inwit & alle wittys / y-closed ben þere-Inne.For love of þat Lady anima / þat lyf is sprenklydF.6.181: Bx reads ynempned. F's reading is not easily accounted for by recourse to unconscious scribal substitution and perhaps reflects a conscious intention, but we find no appropriate sense for sprenklyd in this context.Ouer al in mannys body / heF.6.182: he, "she." walweþ & wandreþ.But in þe herte . ys here hoom / & hereF.6.183: F rarely writes here for singular "her." However, since he probably did not recognize he in the preceding b-verse as "she," he probably took here in both cases to be plural "their," referring to "Inwit & alle wittys." moost reste. & Inwit ys in þe hevid / & to þe herte he lookeþ.What anima is leef or looþ / he ledeþ hire at his wylle.For after þe grace of grete god / Inwit neest folwiþ.Mychil wo worþ þat wyght / þat Inwit may not rewle.& þo been glotones & gloseris / þat god is in here wombe.Qvorum deus venter est.For swiche seruyn Sathan / & here sowlis he shal welde.For þey levyn synful lyf / here sowle ys lyȝk þe powke.& þo þat lyvyn good lyf / lyk after goddis techyngSeynt Iohan seyþF.6.193: F uniquely attributes the Latin quotation to Saint John. qui manet in caritate in deo manet & deus in eo. Allas  þat drynk shal for-doon / þat god dere bowhte.& doþ god for-saken hem / þat shoop hem after his lyknesse.F.6.195: F omits the following line from Bx: "Amen dico vobis nescio vos Et alibi Et dimisi eos secundum desideria eorum."I fyȝnde þat holy chirche / sholde neuere faylyn foolys. F has heavily revised Bx, which reads as follows: Fooles þat fauten Inwit I fynde þat holy chirche Sholde fynden hem þat hem fauteth and faderlese children.Ne knowe non defawhte / of faderlesF.6.197: An otiose curl appears above the <r>. chyldryn.Ne wedewys þat have nout wherwith / to wynnyn here foode.And madde men & maydenys / þat helpeles weryn.For alle þese lakkyn Inwit / & loore hem by-hoveþ. But of þis matere y myghte / maken a long tale.& fyȝnde fele wytnesse / of þe foure doctoures.& þat y lyȝe nowht / seynt Luk beryþ witnesse.Þat boþe godfadir . & godmodire / þat seen here god-childryn.In myssese & myscheef / & may hem wel a-mende.Þey shulle haue penaunce in purgatorye / but if þey hem helpe.For more longiþ a lytyl barn / er he þe lawe knowe.Þan nempne first his name / & he be neuere þe wysere. For þere sholde no cristene creature / cryȝen at þyn ȝate&F.6.210: The ampersand is owed to alpha. Beta reads Ne. For a similar variation, see 11.8. faylen payn & potage / &F.6.210: The ampersand represents here an, "if." prelatys dyden here devir.A Iew wolde not seen a Iew / goo Ianglynge for defawhte.For alle þe mone on þe moolde / & he a-mende it myghte.Allas þanne þat a cristene man / sholde so ben vn-kyȝnde.Sytthyn þe Iewis þat we for-Iuggen / to ben Iudas felawe.Þat ech helpiþ oþir of hemF.6.215: Alpha's a-verse differs from beta's "Eyþer of hem helpeþ ooþer." F's ech is substituted for Bx's Eyþer. / of good þat hem neediþ./ [¶] Why wille[ny]lle we cristene of cristis good / ben also kyȝnde.As Iewis þat ben for-lore menF.6.217: F's reading is unique, whether it is interpreted as "for lore-men," meaning "standing in place of teachers," or as we punctuated it here as "for-lore men," meaning "lost (or damned) men." Bx must have read "As Iewes þat ben oure loresmen shame to vs alle." / It is shame to vs alle.Þe ryche for here vnkyȝndnesse / shulle yt ful sore a-byȝe./ [¶] Bisshopis shulle be blamed / for beggerys sake.HeHe [is] werse þanne Iudas / þat ȝeviþ a Iapere syluer.& byddis þe beggere gon a-wey / for hise broke cloþis.Proditor est prelatus cum Iuda qui patrimoniiumpatrimonium cristi minus distribuit.F.6.222: F omits the second clause attested by Bx: "Et alibi, Perniciosus dispensator est qui res pauperum christi inutiliter consumit."/ [¶] He doþ not wel þat doþ þus / he drediþ not god almyghty.He lokyþ not Salomonys sawis / þat sapyence is named.He seyþ Inicium sapiencesapienc[i]e  timor domini.For he þat drediþ god doþ wel / he drediþ god his makere.F.6.226: At least partly because of error in alpha, F confuses the sense of this line and the following. Bx reads as follows: That dredeþ god he dooþ wel þat dredeþ hym for loue And drad hym noȝt for drede of vengeaunce dooþ þerfore þe bettre." He dredyþ nowht for loveF.6.227: This is the alpha reading. Beta manuscripts read drede. of vengaunce / for to don þe bettre.F.6.227: Beta's b-verse reads "dooþ þerfore þe bettre."But he doþ best þat withdraweth hym / by day / & by nyghte.To spillyn ony speche / or ony space of tyme. Qui offendit in vno verbo  in omnibus reus est. Lesyngys & ydilnesse / trewþe whot þe soþe.Is moost hatyd huttyrly / of hem heyȝe in hevene.& alle swiche þat spillyn speche / here spiryȝt haþ no grace.F.6.233: Bx reads "And siþþe to spille speche þat spire is of grace." Alpha has swiche in place of siþþe.For þey semen goddis glemen / to gamen hem in heuene.Wolde neuere þe feyþful fader / his fythele were vn-tempryd.Ne his gleeman a galyngga[de]lyng / a goere to tauerne./ [¶] For to alle trewe tydy men / þat travayle dysyre.Oure lord loveþ hem & lent  lowhde oyþer stylle.Grace  to goon hem to  to getyn here lyf-loode. Inquirentes autem dominum  non inuenientur [m]inuentur omni bono. Trewe weddid lyvyngge folk / in þis world is dowel.For þey motyn wirche to wynne / & þe world sosteyne.For of here kyȝnde heF.6.243: Beta witnesses read þei for alpha's relict form he. com þat confessoures be nempnyd.& bothe kynggys & knyghtys / & kayseres & Clerkys.& Maydenys & Martyres / out of man kemen.& womman was maad a weyȝ / for to helpe wirche.& þus was wedloke wroght / & god hym-selue it made.F.6.247: Alpha omits the following lines from Bx through eye-skip on identical a-verses: ... wiþ a mene persone First by þe fadres wille and þe frendes conseille And siþenes by assent of hemself as þei two myȝte acorde And þus was wedlock ywroȝt . . . .In erthe hereF.6.248: Alpha has here, "their," where most beta witnesses have þe. hevene ys / hym-selue beryþ wytnesse./ [¶] But false folk &F.6.249: Beta omits &. feyþles / boþe þevys & lyeris.& wastoures & wrecchis / out of wedloke y trowe.Are conceyvid in evil tyme / as Cayn was of Eve.Of swiche synful shrewis / þe sawhter seyþ þis sawe. Concepit dolorem & peperit iniquitatem.& alle þat kemen of Cayn / kemen to evil ende.For god hym to seyn / & þus seyde þe angel.F.6.255: Bx is corrupt, and F produced only nonsense. Bx reads "For god sente to Sem and seide by an Aungel." There Sem is an error for Seth, confusing the names of Adam's and Noah's sons.Þyn Issew with þyn Issew / y wille þat þey be weddid.& nowht þyn kyȝnde with Cayn / neyþir cowpled ne spoused. But summe ȝit / a-geyn þe sonde / of oure saviouris heeste.Cayn-is keen & his kynde / weryn cowpledF.6.259: An otiose curl appears above the <p>. to-gydreTyl god þey wratthid with here werk / & þis word he seyde.Þat y on moolde maked man / now it me for-þynkyþ. Penitet me hominem fecisse./ [¶] & þanne god cam to Noe / & bad hym nowht lettyn.He seide goo shape þe a ship / of shyȝdys & of boordys.Þy-selue & þyn sones þre / & sytthen ȝoure wyvys.Buske ȝow / into þat boot / & a-byȝdeþ þere-Inne.Tyl fourty dayes ben fulfild / & þe flood haþ y-wastyd.F.6.267: y-wastyd is alpha's reading. Beta witnesses read ywasshen.Al cleene þe cursed blood / þat Cayn haþ y-maked. Beestis þat now been / shulle banne þe tyme.Þat euere þat cursed Cayn / com vpon þis erthe.F.6.270: F omits one line from Bx: "Alle shul deye for his dedes by dales and hulles."& þe foulis þat fleen / shulle forþ . with þo beestys.Except oonly / of euery keyȝnde a couple.F.6.272: F omits one line from Bx: "That in þi shyngled ship shul ben ysaued."Þan dere a-bowhte þe barn / his beel-sires gyltes.Þat after for here fore-fadres / þey ferdyn þe werse.But þe gospel ys þere-ageyn / in þis degre y fyȝnde.Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris . nec paterF.6.276: Alpha is responsible for abbreviating the Latin text. Beta manuscripts have "et pater non portabit" for alpha's "nec pater." iniquitatem filij./ [¶] But y fyȝnde if þe fadir / be fals / or a shrewe.Þat sumdel þe sone shal have / of his syres tacchys. For ympe vponF.6.279: Alpha reads vpon for beta's on. an Ellerne / & if þyn appylF.6.279: An otiose curl appears above the first <p>. be soote.Myche merveyle me þynkþ / & ȝit moore of a shrewe.Þat bryngþ forþ ony barn / but he be þe same.& savoure after þe syre / seelde seest þou oþir. Numquam coligunt de spinis vuas . nec de tribulis ficus.& þus þorghȝ cursede Cayn / Com care first on erthe.& al for þey wroghtyn wedlokys / a-geyn goddis wille.For-þy  þey haddyn mawgrees / for maryagys vnkende. F makes two lines of the following line in Bx: "Forþi haue þei maugre of hir mariages þat marie so hir children."/ [¶] & on þe same maner now / men maryen here chyldryn.For summe men as y see / soþ for to telle.For coveytyse of Catel / vn-kendely ben weddyd.Þan a kareful concepcioun / komeþ of þatF.6.290: Alpha reads þat for beta's swiche. Maryage.As yt be-fel / of þatF.6.291: Alpha reads þat for beta's þe. folk / þat y befor-hond tolde.F.6.291: Alpha omits two lines attested by beta witnesses: For goode sholde wedde goode þouȝ þei no good hadde I am via & veritas seiþ crist I may auaunce alle. It isF.6.292: This is a poor piece of vellum, occasionally almost translucent. Abrasion and cockling on the recto and either mildew damage or abrasion on this side make is very difficult to see. an komely[vn]komely cowple / by IesusF.6.292: Alpha is responsible for Iesus. Bx has correctly alliterating crist. as me semeþ.To ȝeve ȝong[a] ȝong Mayde / to an old baslard.F.6.293: Though it is possible that F's baslard reflects a slang usage unrecorded elsewhere, he probably meant to write bosard, "buzzard, old fool." See F7.285. Bx reads "an olde feble." What we have interpreted as <s> could equally well be an <f>.Er a ȝong man an old wydeweF.6.294: F's a-verse is unique. Bx reads "Or wedden any wodewe." / for welþe of hire goodis.Þat neuere shal barn bere / but in two armys.Many a peyre syþe þe pestelence / have plyȝt hem to-gydres.Þe frut / þat þey brynge forþ / are but foule wordis.F.6.297: Alpha omits the following line attested by beta witnesses: "In Ielousie ioyelees and ianglynge on bedde." Note that Kane-Donaldson and Schmidt re-arrange the lines, placing this line after 6.295.Þey have no children / but Ianglyng hem be-twene.F.6.298: Alpha's reading was apparently defective, and R and F found different unsatisfactory solutions. Bx must have read "Haue þei no children but cheste and choppyng hem bitwene."Þey sholde gon to Dunmowe / & fecche þere bakoun. Alpha's lections here contrast with beta family manuscripts which read: And þouȝ þei do hem to Dunmowe but if þe deuel helpe To folwen after þe flicche fecche þei it neuere And but þei boþe be forswore þat bacon þei tyne. F differs considerably from R for these lines as well. R reads as follows: And for to go to dunmowe to feche hom here bakon And whan þei haue brouȝt it hom to whom is best to selle it And þus þei lyuen in coueytise þe deuel and þei togydres.But for þe caryage is karkful / þey dore non fecche.But lyven þus in Ianglyng / þoru þe develys loore. For-þy  y conseile alle men / ȝee coveyte not be weddyd.For coueytyse of Catel / ne of kenrede ryche.But Maydenys with Maydenys / marye ȝow to-gydre& wydewerys with wydwis / werche ȝee / þe same.For no lond / but for love / loke ȝee ne wedde.& þanne gete ȝee grace of god / & good y-nou to welde.F.6.307: Alpha omits nine lines present in beta witnesses: And euery maner seculer þat may noȝt continue Wisely go wedde and ware hym fro synne For lecherie in likynge is lymeyerd of helle Whiles þow art yong and þi wepene kene Wreke þee wiþ wyuyng if þow wolt ben excused Dum sis vir fortis ne des tua robora scortis Scribitur in portis meretrix est ianua mortis Whan ye han wyued beþ war and wercheþ in tyme Noȝt as Adam and Eue whan Caym was engendred For sum-tyȝme[in vn]-tyȝme trewly / be-twene man & womman.F.6.308: F has made syntactic chaos of this sentence. Bx reads as follows: For in vntyme trewely bitwene man and womman Ne sholde no bourde on bedde be but if þei boþe were clene Of lif and of soule and in parfit charite.Ne sholde not lyggyn In bedde / but þeiF.6.309: The <i> has an extra stroke and looks to some degree like an <r>. boþe were clene.Boþe in lyf & in sowle / & also in parfyȝt charyte.Þat ilke derne dede / sholde non man don ellis.& nou  if men ledde þus here lyf / It wolde lyke almyȝty.For he made wedloke first / & þus hym-selue seyde. Bonum est vt vnusquisque vxorem suam habeat.F.6.314: Alpha lacks the end of this Latin tag, which in beta manuscripts reads "propter fornicacionem."And þey þat oþir-gatis be getyn / for gadelyngis be holde.& false folk & foundelyngis / & faytoures / & lyerys.& vn-gracious to getyn good / or love / of þe peple.But þey wandren / & wastyn / what þey wynne mowe.A-geyn Dowel þey do evele / & þe deuyl serve.& after here deþ-day / þei shul dwelle with here Mayster.But god gyve hem grace here / hem-selue soone amende.F.6.321: Alpha omits the following lines attested by beta family manuscripts: Dowel my frend is to doon as the lawe techeþ To loue þi frend and þi foo leue me þat is dobet To ȝyuen and to yemen boþe yonge and olde To helen and to helpen is dobest of alle. Þus ys DowelF.6.322: The reading is owed to alpha. to drede godF.6.322: The scribe perhaps intended the <g> to cancel a misplaced virgule? / & Dobet to suffre hym.& þan comeþ Dobest of boþe / & bryngþ a-doun þe Mody.& þat ys wikkid wille / þat manye werkysF.6.324: Alpha has the plural form werkys for beta's werk. shendiþ.& dryveþ a-wey dowel / oonly þoru dedly synne. Explicit Passus Sextus