The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 4: Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 581 (S. C. 987) (L)

The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 4: Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 581 (S. C. 987) (L) – Passus 17William 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

Commercially available:

Published in the United Kingdom by Boydell and Brewer for The Medieval Academy of America and SEENET

Manufactured in the United Kingdom

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

2004

SEENET A.6

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 Valuesbrbrown inkabanglicana bastardaititaliclcLombard Capo[number]ornamented capital, N lines highrbrubricatedtrtouched in redtxtexturaulunderlinedurunderlined in redgrgreen inkblblue ink

LatinFrenchGerman2003 Editor Hoyt N. Duggan New header created and structure reorganized. passus xvijus & secundus de dobetPassus xvijusseptimus decimusI IL.17.1: The ornamental capital of seven lines is in blue ink with red flourishes. A small guide letter <I> appears in the left margin. am spes quod he a spye · and spire after a knyȝte That toke me a maundement vpon þe mounte of synay To reule alle rewmes with · I bere þe writte here Is it asseled I seyde · may men se þi lettres Nay he sayde I seke hym · þat hath þe sele to kepe ¶ And þat is crosse and crystenedome · and cryst þere-on to hange And whan it is asseled so · I wote wel þe sothe Þat Lucyferes lordeship · laste shal no lenger Late se þi lettres quod I · we miȝte þe lawe knowe ¶ Þanne plokked he forth a patent · a p..ece of an harde roche Wher-on wasL.17.11: LRF alone read was; most other B manuscripts have were. writen two wordes · on þis wyse yglosed Dilige deum & proximum tuum &c Þis was þe tixte trewly · I toke ful gode ȝeme Þe glose was gloriousely writen · with a gilte penne In hijs duobus mandatis tota lex pendet & prophetiaL.17.15: L's prophetia for prophete is an error shared by HmWR. ¶ IsL.17.16: LRF alone read Is; all other B manuscripts have Ben. here alle þi lordes lawes quod I · ȝe leue me wel he seyde And who-so worcheth after þis writte · I wil vndertaken Shal neuere deuel hym dere · ne deth in soule greue For þough I seye it my-self · I haue saued with þis charme Of men & of wommen · many score þousandes ¶ He seith soth seyde þis heraud · I haue yfounde it ofte Lo here in my lappe · þat leued on þat charme Iosue and Iudith · and Iudas Macabeus Ȝe and sexty þousande bisyde-forth · þat ben nouȝt seyen here ¶ Ȝowre wordes aren wonderful quod I tho · which of ȝow is trewest And lelest to leue on · for lyf and for soule Abraham seith þat he seigh · holy þe Trinite Thre persones in parcelles · departable fro other And alle þre but o god · þus abraham me tauȝte And hath saued þat bileued so · and sory for her synnes He can nouȝte segge þe somme · and some aren in his lappe What neded it þanne · a newe lawe to bigynne Sith þe fyrst sufficeth · to sauacioun & to blisse ¶ And now cometh spes and speketh · þat hath aspied þe lawe And telleth nouȝte of þe Trinitee · þat toke hym his lettres To byleue and louye · in o lorde almyȝty And sitthe riȝt as my-self · so louye alle peple ¶ Þe gome þat goth with o staf · he semeth in gretter hele Þan he þat goth with two staues · to syȝte of vs alle And riȝte so by þe Rode · resoun me sheweth It is lyȝter to lewed men · a lessoun to knowe Þan for to techen hem two · and to harde to lerne þe leest It is ful harde for any man · on abraham byleue And welawey worse ȝit · for to loue a shrewe It is liȝtor to leue · in þre louely persones Þan for to louye and lene · as wel lorelles as lele Go þi gate quod I to spes · so me god helpe Þo þat lerneth þi lawe · wil litel while vsen itAnd as we went þus in þe weye And as we wenten þus in þe weye · wordyng togyderes Þanne seye we a samaritan · sittendeL.17.50: LRF have the -ende form of the present participle; most B manuscripts have sittynge. on a mule Rydynge ful rapely · þe riȝt weye we ȝeden Comynge fro a cuntre · þat men called Ierico To a iustes in iherusalem · he chaced awey fasteid est cristus Bothe þe heraud and hope · and he mette at ones Where a man was wounded · and with þeues taken He myȝte neither steppe ne stonde · ne stere fote ne handes Ne helpe hym-self sothely · for semiuyf he semed And as naked as a nedle · and none helpe aboute hym ¶ Feith had first siȝte of hym · ac he flegh on syde And nolde nouȝt neighen hym · by nyne londes lengthe ¶ Hope cam hippyng after · þat hadde so ybosted How he with Moyses maundement · hadde many men yholpe Ac whan he hadde siȝte of þat segge · a-syde he gan hym drawe Dredfully by þis day as duk · doth fram þe faucoun ¶ Ac so sone so þe samaritan · hadde siȝte of þis lede He liȝte adown of lyard · and ladde hym in his hande And to þe wye he went · his woundes to biholde And parceyued bi his pous · he was in peril to deye And but if he hadde recourereL.17.69: recourere (<OF recouvrer), "recover." LR alone read recourere; most B witnesses record recouerer. Cf. L.19.245 for similar alpha and L agreement. · þe rather  þat rise shulde he neure Wyth wyn & with oyle · his woundes he wasshed Enbawmed hym and bonde his hed · & in his lappe hym layde And ladde hym so forth on lyard · to lex cristi a graunge Wel six myle or seuene · biside þe newe market Herberwed hym at an hostrye · and to þe hostellere called And sayde haue kepe þis man · til I come fro þe iustes And lo here syluer he seyde · for salue to his woundes And he toke hym two pans · to lyflode as it were And seide what he speneth more · I make þe good hereafter For I may nouȝt lette quod þat leode · & lyarde he bistrydeth And raped hym to iherusalem-ward · þe riȝte waye to ryde ¶ Faith folwethL.17.81: LR alone read folweth; other B manuscripts have folwede. after faste · and fonded to mete hym And spes spaklich hym spedde · spede if he myȝte To ouertake hym and talke to hym · ar þei to toun come ¶ And whan I seyȝ þis I soiourned nouȝte · but shope me to renne And suwed þat samaritan · þat was so ful of pite And graunted hym to ben his grome · gramercy he seyde Ac þi frende and þi felawe quod he · þow fyndest me at nede ¶ And I thanked hym þo · and sith I hym tolde How þat feith fleigh awey · and spes his felaw bothe For siȝte of þe sorweful man · þat robbed was with þeues Haue hem excused quod he · her help may litel auaille May no medcyn on molde · þe man to hele brynge Neither feith ne fyn hope · so festred ben his woundis With-out þe blode of a barn · borne of a mayde And be he bathed in þat blode · baptised as it were And þanne plastred with penaunce · and passioun of þat babi He shulde stonde and steppe · ac stalworth worth he neure Tyl he haue eten al þe barn · and his blode ydronke+ For went neuere wy~~.....~~L.17.99: The s. xv addition may have been wyght originally. There is an erasure after wy. The error was marked by the corrector in the left margin with a <+>. in þis worlde þorw þat wildernesse Þat he ne was robbed or rifled · rode he þere or ȝede Saue faith & his felaw · spes and my-selue And þi-self now · and such as suwen owre werkis ¶ For outlawes in þe wode · and vnder banke lotyeth And mayL.17.104: LCrRF alone read may; other B manuscripts have some form of mowen. vch man se · and gode merke take Who is bihynde and who bifore · and who ben on hors For he halt hym hardyer on horse · þan he þat is a-foteL.17.106: LR alone read a-fote; the majority of B witnesses have on-fote. For he seigh me þat am samaritan · suwen feith & his felaw On my caple þat hatte caro · of mankynde I toke it He was vnhardy þat harlot · and hudde hym in inferno Ac ar þis day þre dayes · I dar vndertaken Þat he worth fettred þat feloune · fast with cheynes And neure eft greue grome · þat goth þis ilke gate ¶ And þanne shal feith be forester here · and in þis fritth walke And kennen out comune men · þat knoweth nouȝte þe contre Which is þe weye þat ich went · and wherforth to iherusalem And hope þe hostelleres man shal be · þere þe man lith an helynge And alle þat fieble and faynt be · þat faith may nouȝt teche Hope shal lede hem forth with loue · as his lettre telleth And hostel hem and hele · þorw holicherche bileue Tyl I haue salue for alle syke · and þanne shal I retourne And come aȝein bi þis contree · and confort alle syke Þat craueth it or coueiteth it · and cryeth þere-after For þe barne was born in bethleem · þat with his blode shal saue Alle þat lyueth in faith · and folweth his felawes techynge ¶ A swete syre I seyde þo · wher I shal byleue As feith and his felawe · enfourmed me bothe In þre persones departable · þat perpetuel were euere And alle þre but o god · þus abraham me tauȝte And hope afterwarde · he bad me to louye O god wyth al my good · and alle gomes after Louye hem lyke my-selue · ac owre lorde aboue alle ¶ After abraham quod he · þat heraud of armes Sette faste þi faith · and ferme bileue And as hope hiȝte þe · I hote þat þow louye Thyn euene-crystene euermore · euene-forth with þi-self And if conscience carpe þere-aȝein · or kynde witte oyther Or heretykes with argumentz · þin honde þow hym shewe For god is after an hande · yhere now and knowe it ¶ Þe fader was fyrst as a fyst · with o fynger foldynge Tyl hym loued and lest · to vnlosen his fynger And profre it forth as with a paume · to what place it sholde Þe paume is purely þe hande · and profreth forth þe fyngres To mynystre and to make · þat myȝte of hande knoweth And bitokneth trewly · telle who-so liketh Þe holygost of heuene · he is as þe paume Þe fyngres þat fre ben · to folde and to serue Bitokneth sothly þe sone · þat sent was til erthe Þat toched and tasted · atte techynge of þe paume Seynt Marie a Mayde · and mankynde lauȝte Qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto &c Þe fader is þanne as a fust · with fynger to touche Quia omnia traham ad me ipsum &c Al þat þe paume parceyueth · profitable to fele Thus ar þei alle but one · as it an hande were And þre sondry siȝtes · in one shewynge Þe paume for he putteth forth fyngres and þe fust bothe Riȝt so redily · reson it sheweth How he þat is holygoste · sire & sone preueth And as þe hande halt harde · and al þynge faste Þorw foure fyngres and a thombe · forth with þe paume Riȝte so þe fader and þe sone · & seynt spirit þe þridde Halt al þe wyde worlde · with-in hem thre Bothe welkne and þe wynde · water and erthe Heuene & helle · and al þat þere is InneL.17.164: LRF alone read þere is Inne; other B manuscripts have therin is or is þerInne. Þus it is · nedeth no man · to trowe non other That thre þinges bilongeth · in owre lorde of heuene+ And aren serelepes by hem-self · asondry were neureL.17.167: The corrector's <+> in the right margin may refer to L's omission of þei before neure, an omission shared with the alpha manuscripts. Namore þan myn hande may meue with-outen fyngeresL.17.168: LHmFR alone omit my before fyngeres. ¶ And as my fust is ful honde · yfolde togideres So is þe fader a ful god · formeour and shepper Tu fabricator omnium &c And al þe myȝte myd hym is in makyng of þynges ¶ The fyngres fourrmen a ful hande · to purtreye or peynten Keruynge and compassynge · as crafte of þe fyngres Riȝt so is þe sone · þe science of þe fader And ful god as is þe fader · no febler ne no better Þe paume is purelich þe hande · hath power bi hym-selue Otherwyse þan þe wrythen fuste or werkmanschip of fyngres For þe paume hath powere to put oute alle þe ioyntes And to vnfolde þe folden fuste atte þe fyngres wille So is þe holygoste god · nother gretter ne lasse Þan is þe sire and þe sone · & in þe same myȝte And alle ar þei but o god · as is myn hande & my fyngres Vnfolden or folden · my fuste & myn paume Al is but an hande · how-so I torne it Ac who is herte in þe hande · euene in þe myddes He may receyue riȝt nouȝte · resoun it sheweth For þe fyngres þat folde shulde · and þe fuste make For peyne of þe paume  powere hem failleth To clicche or to clawe · to clyppe or to holde ¶ Were þe myddel of myn honde · ymaymed or ypersshed I shulde receyue riȝte nouȝte · of þat I reche myȝte Ac þough my thombe & my fyngres bothe were to-shullen And þe myddel of myn hande · with-oute male-ese In many kynnes maneres · I myȝte my-self helpe Bothe meue and amende · þough alle my fyngres oke Bi þis skil me þynkeL.17.197: L alone reads þynke; other beta manuscripts have þynkeþ. · I se an euydence Þat who-so synneth in þe seynt spirit assoilled worth he neure Noither here ne elles-where · as I herde telle Qui peccat in spiritu sancto &c For he prikketh god as in þe paume · þat peccat in spiritu sancto For god þe fader is as a fuste þe sone is as a fynger The holy goste of heuene · is as it were þe pawme So who-so synneth in seynt spirit · it semeth þat he greueth God þat he grypeth with · and wolde his grace quenche ¶ And to a torche or a tapre · þe trinitee is lykned As wex and a weke · were twyned togideres And þanne a fyre flaumendeL.17.208: LR have the -ende form of the present participle; most B witnesses have flawmynge. See the Linguistic Description § III.3.5.1.3. · forth oute of bothe And as wex and weyke · and hote fyre togyderes Fostren forth a flaumbe · and a feyre leye So doth þe sire & þe sone · & also spiritus sanctus Fostren forth amonges folke · loue & bileue Þat alkyn crystene clenseth of synnes And as þow seest some-tyme sodeynliche a torche The blase þere-of yblowe out · ȝet brenneth þe weyke With-oute leye or liȝte · þat þe macche brenneth So is þe holygost god · & grace with-oute mercy To alle vnkynde creatures · þat coueite to destruye Lele loue other lyf · þat owre lorde shapte ¶ And as glowandeL.17.220: L alone has the -ende form of the present participle; all other B witnesses read glowynge. See the Linguistic Description § III.3.5.1.3. gledes · gladieth nouȝte þis werkmen Þat worchen & waken in wyntres niȝtes As doth a kex or a candel · þat cauȝte hath fyre & blaseth Namore doth sire ne sone · ne seynt spirit togyderes GrauntethL.17.224: L alone reads Graunteth; other B manuscripts have Graunte. no grace · ne forȝifnesse of synnes Til þe holi goste gynne · to glowe and to blase So þat þe holygoste · gloweth but as a glede Tyl þat lele loue · ligge on hym & blowe And þanne flaumbeth he as fyre on fader & on filius And melteth her myȝte in-to mercy · as men may se in wyntre Ysekeles in eueses þorw hete of þe sonne Melteth in a mynut-while · to myst & to watre So grace of þe holygoste · þe grete myȝte of þe trinite Melteth in-toL.17.233: L alone reads in-to; most other B manuscripts have to. mercy · to mercyable & to non other And as wex with-outen more · on a warme glede Wil brennen & blasen · be þei to-gyderes And solacen hem þat may se · þat sitten in derkenesse So wole þe fader forȝif folke of mylde hertes Þat reufulliche repenten · & restitucioun make In as moche as þei mowen · amenden & payen And if it suffice nouȝte for assetz · þat in suche a wille deyeth Mercy for his mekenesse · wil make good þe remenaunte And as þe weyke and fyre · wil make a warme flaumbe For to myrthe men with · þat in merke sitten So wil cryst of his curteisye · and men crye hym mercy Bothe forȝiue & forȝete · & ȝet bidde for vs To þe fader of heuene · forȝyuenesse to haue ¶ Ac hew fyre at a flynte · fowre hundreth wyntre Bot þow haue towe to take it with · tondre or broches Al þi laboure is loste · and al þi longe trauaille For may no fyre flaumbe make · faille it his kynde So is þe holy gost god · & grace with-outen mercy To alle vnkynde creatures · cryst hym-self witnesseth Amen dico vobis nescio vos &c · ¶ Be vnkynde to þin euene-cristene · and al þat þow canst bidden Delen & do penaunce · day & nyȝte euere And purchace al þe pardoun of Pampiloun & Rome And indulgences ynowe · & be ingratus to þi kynde Þe holy goste hereth þe nouȝt · ne helpe may þe by resoun For vnkyndenesse quencheth hym · þat he can nouȝte shyne Ne brenne ne blase clere · for blowynge of vnkyndenesse Poule þe apostle preueth wher I lye Si linguis hominum loquar &cX For-thy beth war ȝe wyse men · þat with þe woldewo[r]ldeL.17.263: The corrector's <X> in the margin notes the scribe's erroneous wolde for worlde. deleth That riche ben & resoun knoweth · reuleth wel ȝowre soule Beth nouȝte vnkynde I conseille ȝow · to ȝowre euene-crystene For many of ȝow riche men · bi my soule men telleth Ȝe brenne but ȝe blaseth nouȝte · þat is a blynde bekene Non omnis qui dicit domine domine intrabit &c ·notaL.17.269: A musical note is drawn in the right margin here as a pun on nota. ¶ Diues deyed dampned · for his vnkyndenessenotaL.17.270: A musical nota is drawn in the left margin. Of his mete & hisL.17.270: LCM omit the of found in many B manuscripts before his. moneye to men that it neded Vch a riche I rede · rewarde at hym take And gyueth ȝowre good to þat god · þat grace of ariseth For þat ben vnkynde to his · hope I none other But þei dwelle þere diues is · dayes with-outen ende Þus is vnkyndenesse þe contrarie · þat quencheth as it were Þe grace of þe holy gooste · goddes owne kynde For þat kynde dothe vnkynde fordoth · as þese cursed theues Vnkynde cristene men · for coueityse & enuye Sleeth a man for his moebles · wyth mouth or wyth handes For þat þe holygoste hath to kepe · þo harlotes destroyeth Þe which is lyf & loue · þe leye of mannes bodye For euery manere good man · may be likned to a torche Or elles to a tapre · to reuerence þe Trinitee And who morthereth a good man · me thynketh by myn Inwyt He fordoth þe leuest lyȝte · þat owre lorde louethnotaL.17.286: A musical nota is drawn in the left margin. ¶ Ac ȝut in many mo maneres · men offenden þe holygoste Ac þis is þe worste wyse · þat any wiȝte myȝte Synnen aȝein þe seynt spirit · assenten to destruye For coueityse of any kynnes þinge · þat cryst dere bouȝte How myȝte he axe mercy · or any mercy hym helpe Þat wykkedlich & willefullich · wolde mercy anynte Innocence is nexte god · & nyȝte and day it crieth Veniaunce veniaunce · forȝiue be it neuere That shent vs & shadde owre blode · forshapte vs as it were Vindica sanguinem iustorum Thus veniaunce veniaunce verrey charite asketh And sith holicherche & charite chargeth þis so sore Leue I neure that owre lorde wil loue þat charite lakketh Ne haue pite for any preyere · þere þat he pleynethnota peccato contra spiritus sancto ¶ I pose I hadde synned so · and shulde now deye And now am sory þatL.17.301: LR alone omit I after þat. so · þe seint spirit agulte Confesse me & crye his grace · god þat al made And myldliche his mercy axe · myȝte I nouȝte be sauednotaL.17.304: A musical nota is drawn in the left margin. ¶ Ȝus seide þe Samaritan · so wel þow myȝte repente Þat riȝtwisnesse þorw repentance · to reuthe myȝte torne Ac it is but selden yseye · þere sothenesse bereth witnesse Any creature þat is coupable · afor a kynges iustice Be raunsoned for his repentaunce · þere alle resoun hym dampneth For þere þat partye pursueth · þe peleL.17.309: LRF alone read pele; most other B manuscripts have peple. is so huge Þat þe kynge may do no mercy · til bothe men acorde And eyther haue equite · as holywrit telleth Numquam dimittitur peccatum &cnota Þus it fareth bi suche folke · þat falsely al her lyuesL.17.313: A musical nota appears in the left margin. Euel lyuen & leten nouȝte · til lyf hem forsake Good hope þat helpe shulde · to wanhope torneth Nouȝt of þe nounpowere of god · þat he ne is myȝtful To amende al þat amys is · and his mercy grettere Þan alle owre wykked werkes · as holiwrit telleth Misericordia eius super omnia opera eiusnotaL.17.320: There is a musical nota drawn in the left margin and a second, similar nota in the right margin.nota Ac ar his riȝtwisnesse to reuthe tourne · some restitucioun bihoueth His sorwe is satisfaccioun for hym þat may nouȝte payeFumus Mulier & stillicidia Expellunt hominem a domo proverbia...... ¶ Thre þinges þere ben · þat doth a man by strengthe Forto fleen his owne hous · as holy wryt sheweth Þat one is a wikked wyf · þat wil nouȝt be chasted Her fiere fleeth fro hyr · for fere of her tonge And if his hous be vnhiled · and reyne on his beddeL.17.326-327: This line and the next are bracketed in the right margin. He seketh and seketh · til he slepe drye And whan smoke & smolder smyt in his syȝte It doth hym worse þan his wyf · or wete to slepe For smoke & smolder · smyteth his eyen Til he be blere-nyedL.17.331: This form appears only in LR. Most other B manuscripts read blereighed. or blynde · and hors in þe throte Cougheth and curseth · þat cryst gyf hem sorwe Þat sholde brynge in better wode · or blowe it til it brendenota ¶ Þise thre þat I telle of · ben þus to vnderstondeL.17.334-339: This line group has been bracketed in the right margin and a nota added in the form of a musical note. Further to the right are three more marginal additions: near the top of the line group is the word vxor; near the middle is a small bracket, and in the space between this line group and the next is the word stillicida.vxor The wyf is owre wikked flesshe · þat wil nouȝt be chasted For kynde cleueth on hym euere · to contrarie þe soule And þowgh it falle it fynt skiles · þe frelete it made And þat is liȝtly forȝeuen · and forȝeten bothestillicida To man þat mercy asketh · and amende þenkethnota ¶ The reyne þat reyneth · þere we reste sholdeL.17.340: This line group has been bracketed in the right margin with a nota added in the form of a musical note, as was the previous line group. As before, there is an additional smaller bracket to the right, this time between the mid-point and bottom edge of the line group. Ben sikenesses & sorwes · þat we suffren oft As Powle þe Apostle · to þe peple tauȝte Virtus in infirmitate perficitur &c · And þowgh þat men make  moche deol in her angre And inpacient in here penaunce · pure resoun knoweth Þat þei han cause to contrarie · by kynde of her sykenesse And liȝtlich owre lorde · at her lyues ende Hath mercy on suche men · þat so yuel may suffre ¶ Ac þe smoke and þe smolder þat smyt in owre eyghenL.17.349358: This line group is bracketed in the right margin with a nota musical pun added as in the previous two line groups. Again, there are more marginal additions further to the right: this time the word fumus near the top of the line group and a small bracket slightly below the mid-point. Þat is coueityse and vnkyndenesse · þat quencheth goddes mercy For vnkyndenesse is þe contrarie · of alkynnes resounfumus For þere nys syke ne sori · ne non so moche wrecche Þat he ne may louye & hym lyke · and lene of his herte Goed wille & good worde  bothe wisshen and willen Alle manere men · mercy & forȝifnesse And louye hem liche hym-self · and his lyf amende I may no lenger lette quod he · and lyarde he pryked And went away as wynde · and þere-with I awaked