The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 4: Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 581 (S. C. 987) (L) – Passus 1William LanglandEdited by Hoyt N. Duggan and Ralph HannaAssociate Editors: Patricia R. Bart, M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A. FarleyTechnical Editors: Daniel V. Pitti and Jonathan Rodney Graduate Research Assistants Heather Blatt, Michael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Nancy Renwick Clendenon, Carri Cregar, Paul Fyfe, Paul Gaffney, Matthew Gibson, Bethany Mabee, Stephen C. Martin, Chloe Smith, Timothy L. Stinson, and Keicy Tolbert. Computer Consultants and ProgrammersShayne Brandon, Nathaniel Garson, Matthew S. Gibson, Kirk V. Hastings, Janice McCoy, Susan Munson, David Seaman, and John Unsworth.Published for the Medieval Academy of America and The Society for Early English and Norse Electronic Texts (SEENET) by Boydell and Brewer Ltd. Cambridge ISBN: 184384026X

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Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud misc. 581 (S. C. 987)

late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Laud misc. 581 (S. C. 987)

Attribute Valuesbrown inkanglicana bastardaitalicLombard Capornamented capital, N lines highrubricatedtouched in redtexturaunderlinedunderlined in redgreen inkblue ink

LatinFrenchGerman2003 Editor Hoyt N. Duggan New header created and structure reorganized. Passus Primus de Visione...?...?...Passus primus de visioneL.P.000: The passus heading is written over an erasure. WhatL.1.1: The five-line ornamental capital is in blue on red fill. this montaigne bymeneth · and þe merke dale And þe felde ful of folke · I shal ȝow faire schewe A loueli ladi of lere · in lynnen yclothed+ Come down fram a castel · andL.1.4: The corrector marked an for correction with a <+> in the right margin. It has been partially erased. called me faire And seide sone slepestow · sestow þis poeple How bisi þei ben · abouten þe mase Þe moste partie of þis poeple · þat passeth on þis erthe Haue þei worschip in þis worlde · þei wilne no better Of other heuene þan here · holde þei no tale I was aferd of her face · þeiȝ she faire were And seide mercy Madame · what is þis to mene Þe toure vp þe toft quod she · treuthe is þere-Inne And wolde þat ȝe wrouȝte · as his worde techeth For he is fader of feith · fourmed ȝow alle Bothe with fel and with face · and ȝaf ȝow fyue wittis Forto worschip hym þer-with · þe while þat ȝe ben here And þerfore he hyȝte þe erthe · to help ȝow vchone Of wollen of lynnen · of lyflode at nede In mesurable manere · to make ȝow at ese And comaunded of his curteisye in comune þree þinges Arne none nedful but þo · and nempne hem I thinkethe iij þinges requisite And rekne hem bi resoun · reherce þow hem after That one is vesture · from chele þe to saue And mete atteL.1.24: LCMR alone read atte or at þe. Other B manuscripts omit þe. mele · for myseise of þi-selue And drynke whan þow dryest · ac do nouȝt out of resoun That þow worth þe werse · whan þow worche shuldest For loth in his lifdayes · for likyng of drynke Dede bi his douȝtres · þat þe deuel lyked Delited hym in drynke · as þe deuel wolde And lecherye hym lauȝt · and lay bi hem boþe And al he witt it wyn · þat wikked dede Inebriamus eum vino · dormiamus-que cum eo Vt seruare possimus de patre nostro semen · wyne and wemen Thorw wyn and þorw · women · þere was loth acombredL.1.34: A hand of s. xvi med. has written in the right margin wyne and wemen. And þere gat in glotonye · gerlis þat were cherlis For-þi drede delitable drynke · and þow shalt do þe betteremesure ys medicyne Mesure is medcyne · þouȝ þow moche ȝerneL.1.37: A hand of s. xvi med. has written in the right margin mesure ys medicyne. It is nauȝt al gode to þe goste · þat þe gutte axeþ Ne liflode to þi likam · for a lyer him techethL.1.39: LCHmW alone divide the line as here; most other B manuscripts read as follows: Ne liflode to þi likame þat leef is to þi soule Lef nauȝt þi likame for a liere hym techeþ. That is þe wrecched worlde · wolde þe bitraye For þe fende and þi flesch · folweth þe to-gidere This and þat seest þi soule · and seith it in þin herte And for þow sholdest ben ywar · I wisse þe þe beste Madame mercy quod I · me liketh wel ȝowre wordes Ac þe moneye of þis molde · þat men so faste holdeth Telle me to whom Madame · þat tresore appendeth Go to þe gospel quod she · þat god seide hym-seluen Tho þe poeple hym apposed · wiþ a peny in þe temple Whether þei shulde þer-with · worschip þe kyng Sesar And god axed of hem · of whome spake þe lettre And þe ymage ilyke þat þere-inne stondeth Cesaris þei seide we sen hym wel vchone Reddite cesari quod god · þat ces.ari bifalleth Et que sunt dei deo · or elles ȝe done ille For riȝtful reson · shulde rewle ȝow alle And kynde witte be wardeyne · ȝowre welthe to kepe And tutour of ȝoure tresore · and take it ȝow at nede For housbonderye & hij · holden togideres Þanne I frained hir faire · for hym þat hir made That dongeoun in þe dale þat dredful is of siȝte What may it be to mene · ma-dame I ȝow bisechethe meninge of the Dongeon L.1.62: A hand of the s. xvi med. has written the meninge of the Dongeon in the left margin. Þat is þe castel of care · who-so cometh þerinne May banne þat he borne was · to body or to soule Þerinne wonieth a wiȝte · þat wronge is yhote Fader of falshed · and founded it hym-selue Adam and Eue · he egged to ille Conseilled caym · to kullen his brothertempted Iudas he iaped · with iuwen siluerL.1.68: A hand of the s. xvi med. has written in the right margin tempted as a gloss on iaped. The same hand is responsible for the underlining. And sithen on an eller honged hym after He is letter of loue · and lyeth hem alle That trusten on his tresor · bitrayeth he sonnest Thanne had I wonder in my witt · what womman it were Þat such wise wordes · of holywrit shewed And asked hir on þe hieȝe name · ar heoL.1.74: LMR alone retain original heo, meaning "she"; all other manuscripts have a form of she. þennes ȝeode What she were witterli · þat wissed me so faire Holicherche I am quod she · þow ouȝtest me to knowe I vnderfonge þe firste · and þe feyth tauȝte And brouȝtest me borwes · my biddyng to fulfille And to loue me lelly · þe while þi lyf dureth Thanne I courbed on my knees · and cryed hir of grace And preyed hir pitousely · prey for my synnes+ And also kendeken[n]eL.1.82: A corrector marked the line with a <+> in the left margin, but the correction of kende to ken[n]e was not made. me kyndeli · on criste to bileue That I miȝte worchen his wille · þat wrouȝte me to man Teche me to no tresore · but telle me þis ilke How I may saue my soule · þat seynt art yholden Whan alle tresores aren tried quod she · trewthe is þe best I do it on deus caritas · to deme þe soþe It is as derworth a drewery · as dere god hym-seluen Who-so is trewe of his tonge · & telleth none other And doth þe werkis þer-with · and wilneth no man ille He is a god bi þe gospel · agrounde and aloft And ylike to owre lorde · bi seynte lukes wordes Þe clerkes þat knoweþ þis · shulde kenne it aboute For cristene and vncristne · clameþ it vchone Kynges & kniȝtes · shulde kepe it bi resoun Riden and rappe down · in reumes aboute And taken trangressorestran[s]gressores · and tyen hem faste Til treuthe had ytermyned · her trespas to þe ende And þat is þe professioun appertly · þat appendeth forL.1.99: LCR alone read for; all other B manuscripts have to. knyȝtes And nouȝt to fasten a fryday · in fyue score wynter But holden wiþ him & with hir · þat wolden al treuthe And neuer leue hem for loue · ne for lacchyng of syluer For dauid in his dayes · dubbed kniȝtes And did hem swere on here swerde · to serue trewthe euereapostata And who-so passed þat poynte · was apostata in þe ordreL.1.105: A later hand (s. xvi) has written apostata in the right margin. But criste kingene kynge · kniȝted ten Cherubyn and seraphin · suche seuene and an othre And ȝaf hem myȝte in his maieste · þe murger hem þouȝte And ouer his mene meyne · made hem archangeles Tauȝte hem bi þe Trinitee · treuthe to knoweobedient To be buxome at his biddyng · he bad hem nouȝte ellesL.1.111: A s. xvi hand has underlined buxome and glossed it in the right margin as obedient. Lucifer wiþ legiounes · lerned it in heuene But for he brake buxumnesse · his blisse gan he tyne And fel fro þat felawship · in a fendes liknes In-to a depe derke helle · to dwelle þere for eure And mo þowsandes wiþ him · þan man couthe noumbre Lopen out wiþ Lucifer · in lothelich forme For þei leueden vpon hym · þat lyed in þis manere Ponam pedem in aquilone · et similis ero altissimo · And alle þat hoped it miȝte be so · none heuene miȝte hem holde But fellen out in fendes liknesse · nyne dayes togideres Til god of his goodnesse · gan stable and stynte And garte þe heuene to stekye · and stonden in quiete Whan thise wikked went out · wonderwise þei fellen Somme in eyre somme in erthe · & somme in helle depe Ac lucifer lowest lith of hem alle · For pryde þat he pultL.1.127: The west midlands form pult appears only in Cr and L, but R has the same word spelled pelt. MED, s.v. pilten v.3.(b) glosses the phrase pult out as "exhibit (pride), display." Note that LR read pulte/pelte against most other B witnesses in L.8.97 and L.15.67. In the latter, pulte out means "thrust out, expelled." out · his peyne hath none ende And alle þat worche with wronge · wenden hij shulle After her deth-day · and dwelle wiþ þat shrewe Ac þo þat worche wel · as holiwritt telleth+ And enden as I ere seide · in treuthe þat is þe bestL.1.131: The <e> of best is possibly altered from <i> in response to the corrector's marginal <+>. Mowe be siker þat her soule · shal wende to heuene Þer treuthe is in Trinitee · and troneth hem alle For-þi I sey as I seide ere · bi siȝte of þise textis Whan alle tresores arne ytried · treuthe is þe beste Lereth it þis lewde men · for lettred men it knowen Þat treuthe is tresore · þe triest on erþe Ȝet haue I no kynde knowing quod I · ȝet mote ȝe kenne me better By what craft in my corps · it comseth and where Þow doted daffe quod she · dulle arne þi wittes To litel latyn þow lernedest · lede in þi ȝouthe Heu michi quia sterilem duxi vitam iuuenilemdiliges dominum super omnia It is a kynde knowyng quod heL.1.143: LCCrM (M before alteration) read he, meaning "she"; all other B manuscripts have a form of she. · þat kenneth in þine herteL.1.143: A s. xvi scribe has written diliges dominum super omnia in the left margin. For to louye þi lorde · leuer þan þi-selue No dedly synne to do · dey þouȝ þow sholdest This I trowe be treuthe · who can teche þe better Loke þow suffre hym to sey · and sithen lere it after For thus witnesseth his worde · worchethL.1.148: L uniquely has the -eth inflection for the imperative plural here. þow þere-after For trewthe telleþ þat loue · is triacle of heuene May no synne be on him sene · þat vseth þat spise And alle his werkes he wrouȝte · with loue as him liste And lered it Moises for þe leuest þing and moste like to heuene And also þe plente of pees · moste precious of vertues For heuene myȝte nouȝte holden it · it was so heuy of hym-self Tyl it hadde of þe erthe · yetenL.1.155: LG alone read yeten. Other manuscripts have variously eten (C2HmMOWY), yoten (Cr), yheten al (F), and heten (C). his fylle And whan it haued of þis folde flessh & blode taken Was neuere leef vpon lynde · liȝter þer-after And portatyf and persant · as þe poynt of a nedle That myȝte non armure it lette · ne none heiȝ walles For-þi is loue leder of þe lordes folke of heuene And a mene as þe Maire is · bitwene þe kyng and þe comune Riȝt so is loue a ledere · and þe lawe shapeth Vpon man for his mysdedes · þe merciment he taxeth And for to knowe it kyndely · it comseth bi myght And in þe herte þere is þe heuede · and þe heiȝ welle For in kynde knowynge in herte · þere a myȝte bigynneth And þat falleth to þe fader · þat formed vs alle Loked on vs with loue · and lete his sone deye Mekely for owre mysdedes · to amende vs alle And ȝet wolde he hem no woo · þat wrouȝte hym þat peyne But mekelich with mouthe · mercy he bisouȝtechrist iesus To haue pite of þat poeple · þat peyned hym to deth Here myȝtow see ensamples · in hym-selue one That he was miȝtful & meke · and mercy gan graunte To hem þat heongen him an heiȝ · and his herte þirled For-thi I rede ȝow riche · haueth reuthe of þe pouere Thouȝ ȝe be myȝtful to mote · beth meke in ȝowre werkesin qua mensura metioritis For þe same mesures þat ȝe mete · amys other ellesL.1.178: A s. xvi hand has written in qua mensura metioritis in the right margin over a bracket written by the earlier scribe we have called "hand16b." Ȝe shullen ben weyen þer-wyth · whan ȝe wende hennes Eadem mensura qua mensi fueritis · remecietur vobis · For þouȝ ȝe be trewe of ȝowre tonge · and trewliche wynne+ And asL.1.182: A partially erased <+> appears in the left margin, reflecting the scribe's correction of a to as. The same error was marked and corrected in L.4.138. chaste as a childe · þat in cherche wepeth But if ȝe louen lelliche · and lene þe poure Such goed as god ȝow sent godelich parteth Ȝe ne haue na more meryte · in masse ne in houres Þan Malkyn of hire maydenhode · þat no man desirethIacobus For Iames þe gentil · iugged in his bokesL.1.187: A s. xvi hand has written Iacobus in the right margin. That faith with-oute þe faite · is riȝte no-þinge worthi And as ded as a dore-tre · but ȝif þe dedes folwe Fides sine operibus mortua est &cnihill prodest castitas sine charitate. For-thi chastite with-oute charite · worth cheyned in helleL.1.191: A s. xvi hand has written in the right margin nihill prodest castitas sine charitate. It is as lewed as a laumpe · þat no liȝte is Inne Many chapeleynes arne chaste · ac charite is awey Aren no men auarousere þan hij · whan þei ben auaunced Vnkynde to her kyn · and to alle cristene Chewen here charite · and chiden after more Such chastite wiþ-outen charite · worth cheyned in helle Many curatoures kepen hem · clene of here bodies Thei ben acombred wiþ coueitise · þei konne nouȝt don it fram hem So harde hath auarice · yhasped hem togideres And þat is no treuthe of þe trinite · but treccherye of helle And lernyng to lewde men · þe latter for to dele For-þi þis wordes ben · wryten in þe gospel Date & dabitur vobis · for I dele ȝow alle And þat is þe lokke of loue · and lateth oute my grace To conforte þe careful · acombred wiþ synne Loue is leche of lyf · and nexte owre lorde selue And also þe graith gate · þat goth in-to heuene For-þi I sey as I seide · ere by þe textis Whan alle tresores ben ytryed · treuthe is þe beste Now haue I tolde þe what treuthe is · þat no tresore is bettere I may no lenger lenge þe with · now loke þe owre lorde