The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 4: Oxford, Bodleian Library MS Laud Misc. 581 (S. C. 987) (L) – Passus 6William 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:

copyright 2004, by SEENET

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 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 vjus de visione vt supraPassus vjusSextust L.6.1: Three dots in brown ink arranged in a triangle appear in the left margin. ThisL.6.1: The ornamental character is six lines high and in blue with red flourishes and three sprays. A small guide letter <t> appears in the left margin amidst the flourishes. were a wikked way · but who-so hadde a gyde That wolde folwen vs eche a fote · þus þis folke hem mened Quatȝ Perkyn þe plouman · bi seynt Peter of Rome I haue an half acre to erye · bi þe ...heigh way Hadde I eried þis half acre · and sowen it after I wilL.6.6: LCYR read wil while other B witnesses have wolde. wende with ȝow · and þe way teche Þis were a longe lettiynge · quod a lady in a sklayre What sholde we wommen · worche þere-whilesL.6.8: The lection þere appears only in LMRF; most other B witnesses have þe. Somme shal sowe sakkeL.6.9: Sowe sakke appears only in L; most other B witnesses have sowe þe sak. quod Piers · for shedyng of þe whete And ȝe louely ladyes · with ȝoure longe fyngres Þat ȝe han silke and sendal · to sowe whan tyme is Chesibles for chapelleynes · cherches to honoure Wyues and wydwes · wolle & flex spynneth Maketh cloth I conseille ȝow · and kenneth so ȝowre douȝtres Þe nedy and þe naked · nymmeth hede how hijL.6.15: LM alone have the hij form at this point; most other B manuscripts have some form of þei. liggeth And casteth hem clothes · for so comaundeth treuthe For I shal lene hem lyflode · but ȝif þe londe faille Flesshe and bred bothe · to riche and to poreL.6.18: A large area in the right margin has been scraped. What was there is not legible. As longe as I lyue · for þe lordes loue of heuene And alle manere of men · þat þorw mete and drynke lybbeth Helpith hym to worche wiȝtliche · þat wynneth ȝowre fode Bi crist quod a knyȝte þo · he kenneth vs þe bestL.6.22: A large area in the right margin has been scraped. What was there is not legible. Ac on þe teme trewly · tauȝte was I neuere Ac kenne me quod þe knyȝte · and bi cryst I wil assaye Bi seynt Poule quod Perkyn · ȝe profre ȝow so faire Þat I shal swynke and swete · and sowe for vs bothe And oþer laboures do for þi loue · al my lyf-tyme In couenaunt þat þow kepe · holikirke and my-selue Fro wastoures and fro wykked men · þat þis worlde struyeth And go hunte hardiliche to hares and to foxes To bores and to brockes · þat breketh adown myne hegges And go affaite þe faucones · wilde foules to kille For suche cometh to my croft · and croppeth my whete Curteislich þe knyȝte þanne · comsed þise wordes By my power Pieres quod he · I pliȝte þe my treuthe To fulfille þis forward · þowȝ I fiȝte sholde Als longe as I lyue · I shal þe mayntene Ȝe and ȝit a poynt quod Pieres · I preye ȝow of more Loke ȝe tene no tenaunt · but treuthe wil assent And þowgh ȝe mowe amercy hem · late mercy be taxoureto landlordes And mekenesse þi mayster · maugre medes chekes And þowgh pore men profre ȝow · presentis and ȝiftis Nym it nauȝte an auenture · ȝe mowe it nauȝte deserue For þow shalt ȝelde it aȝein · at one ȝeres ende In a ful perillous place · purgatorie it hatte And mysbede nouȝte þi bonde-men · þe better may þow spede Þowgh he be þyn vnderlynge here · wel may happe in heuene Þat he worth worthier sette · and with more blisse Amice ascende superius For in charnel atteL.6.50: LHmM read atte, "at the," against all other B manuscripts' at. Since Hm routinely writes atte for at, only the agreement of LM is significant. chirche · cherles ben yuel to knowe Or a kniȝte fram a knaue þere · knowe þis in þin herte And þat þow be trewe of þi tonge · and tales þat þow hatie But if þei ben of wisdome or of witt · þi werkmen to chaste Holde with none harlotes · ne here nouȝte her tales And nameliche atte mete · suche men eschue For it ben þe deueles disoures · I do þe to vnderstande I assente bi seynt Iame · seyde þe kniȝte þanne Forto worche bi þi wordes · þe while my lyf dureth And I shal apparaille me quod Perkyn · in pilgrimes wise And wende with ȝow I wil · til we fynde treuthe And cast on meL.6.61: LR alone read me; other B manuscripts omit it. my clothes · yclouted and hole My cokeres and my coffes · for colde of my nailles And hange myn hoper at myn hals · in stede of a scrippe A busshel of bredcorne · brynge me þerinne For I wil sowe it my-self · and sitthenes wil I wende To pylgrymage as palmers don · pardoun forto haue Ac who-so helpeth me to erie · or sowen here ar I wende Shal haue leue bi owre lorde · to lese here in heruest And make hem mery þere-mydde · maugre who-so bigruccheth it And alkyn crafty men · þat konne lyuen in treuthe I shal fynden hem fode · þat feithfulliche libbeth Saue Iakke þe iogeloure · and Ionet of þe stues And danyel þe dys playere · and denote þe baude And frere þe faytoure and folke of his ordre And Robyn þe Rybaudoure · for his rusty wordes Treuthe tolde me ones · and bad me tellenL.6.76: The lection tellen appears only in LR; other B witnesses have telle, permitting elision of the final <e> and a metrical half-line. it after Deleantur de libro viuencium I shulde nouȝte dele with hem For holicherche is hote of hem · no tythe to take Quia cum iustis non scribantur They ben ascaped good auenture · nowL.6.80: The lection now appears only in LMRF; most other B witnesses omit it. god hem amende Dame worche whan tyme is · Pieres wyf hiȝte His douȝter hiȝte do riȝte so · or þi dame shal þe bete His sone hiȝte suffre þi souereynes · to hauen her wille Deme hem nouȝte for if þow doste · þow shalt it dere abugge Late god yworth with al · for so his worde techeth For now I am olde and hore · and haue of myn owen To penaunce and to pilgrimage · I wil passe with þise other For-þi I wil or I wende · do wryte my biquestepiers testament In dei nomine amen · I make it my-seluenL.6.89: A sixteenth-century scribe has written piers testament in the right margin. The end of testament has been cropped, perhaps removing -um. He shal haue my soule · þat best hath yserued it And fro þe fende it defende · for so I bileue Til I come to his acountes · as my credo me telleth To haue a relees and a remissioun · on þat rental I leue Þe kirke shal haue my caroigne · and kepe my bones For of my corne and catel · he craued þe tythe I payed it hym prestly · for peril of my soule For-thy is he holden I hope · to haue me in his masse And mengen in his memorye · amonge alle crystene My wyf shal haue of þat I wan · with treuthe and nomore And dele amonge my douȝtres · and my dere children For þowgh I deye to-daye · my dettes ar quitte I bare home þat I borwed · ar I to bedde ȝede And with þe residue and þe remenaunte · bi þe Rode of Lukes I wil worschip þer-with · treuthe bi my lyue And ben his pilgryme atte plow · for pore mennes sake My plow-fote shal be my pyk-staf · and picche atwo þe rotes And helpe my culter to kerue · and clense þe forwes Now is perkyn and his pilgrymes · to þe plowe faren To erie þis halue acre · holpyn hym manye Dikeres & delueres · digged vp þe balkes Þere-with was perkyn apayed · and preysed hem faste Other werkemen þere were · þat wrouȝten ful ȝerne Eche man in his manere · made hym-self to done And some to plese perkyn · piked vp þe wedes At heighe pryme peres · lete þe plowe stonde To ouersen hem hym-self · and who-so best wrouȝte He shulde be huyred þer-after · whan heruest tyme come And þanne seten somme · and songen atte nale And hulpen erie his half acre · with how trolli lolli Now bi þe peril of my soule quod Pieres · al in pure tene But ȝe arise þe rather · and rape ȝow to worche Shal no greyne þat groweth · glade ȝow at nede And þough ȝe deye for dole · þe deuel haue þat reccheth Tho were faitoures aferde · and feyned hem blynde Somme leyde here legges aliri as suche loseles conneth And made her mone to pieres · and preyde hym of grace For we haue no lymes to laboure with · lorde ygraced be ȝe Ac we preye for ȝow pieres · and for ȝowre plow bothe Þat god of his grace · ȝowre grayne multiplye And ȝelde ȝow of ȝowre almesse · þat ȝe ȝiue vs here For we may nouȝte swynke ne swete · suche sikenesse vs eyleth If it be soth quod pieres þat ȝe seyne · I shal it sone asspye Ȝe ben wastoures I wote wel · and treuthe wote þe sothe And I am his olde hyne · and hiȝte hym to warne Which þei were in þis worlde · his werkemen appeyred Ȝe wasten þat men wynnen · with trauaille and with tene Ac treuthe shal teche ȝow · his teme to dryue Or ȝe shal ete barly bred · and of þe broke drynke But if he be blynde andL.6.139: L uniquely has and. Other B witnesses have or. broke-legged · or bolted with yrnes He shal ete whete bred · and drynke with my-selue Tyl god of his goodnesse · amendement hym sende Ac ȝe myȝte trauaille as treuthe wolde · and take mete & huyre To kepe kyne in þe felde · þe corne fro þe bestes Diken or deluen or dyngen vppon sheues Or helpe make morter · or bere mukke afelde In lecherye andL.6.146: The <d> is inserted in red ink. in losengerye · ȝe lyuen and in sleuthe And al is þorw suffrance · þat venIaunce ȝow ne taketh Ac ancres and heremytes · þat eten but at nones And namore er morwe · myne almesse shul þei haue And of myL.6.150: LMRF alone have And of my; other B manuscripts have either And alone or And of. catel to cope hem with · þat han cloistres and cherches Ac robert renneaboute · shal nouȝte haue of myne Ne posteles but þey preche conne · and haue powere of þe bisschop They shal haue payne and potage · and make hem-self at ese For it is an vnresonable Religioun · þat hath riȝte nouȝte of certeyne And þanne gan a wastoure to wrath hym · and wolde haue yfouȝte And to Pieres þe plowman · he profered his gloue A Brytonere a braggere · abosteda bostedL.6.157: he, "he." pieres als And bad hym go pissen with his plow · for-pyned schrewe Wiltow or neltow · we wil haue owre wille Of þi flowre and of þi flessche · fecche whan vs liketh And make vs myrie þer-myde · maugre þi chekes Thanne Pieres þe plowman · pleyned hym to þe knyȝte To kepe hym as couenaunte was · fram cursed shrewes And fro þis wastoures wolueskynnes · þat maketh þe worlde dere For þo waste and wynnen nouȝte · and þat ilke while Worth neuere plente amonge þe poeple · þerL.6.166: LCM have þer. Most other B witnesses read þe. while my plow liggeth Curteisly þe knyȝte þanne · as his kynde wolde Warned wastoure · and wissed hym bettere Or þow shalt abugge by þe lawe · by þe ordre þat I bere I was nouȝt wont to worche quod wastour · and now wil I nouȝt bigynne And lete liȝte of þe lawe : and lasse of þe knyȝte And sette Pieres at a pees · and his plow bothe And manaced pieres and his men · ȝif þei mette eft-sone Now by þe peril of my soule quod Pieres · I shal apeyre ȝow alle And houped after hunger · þat herd hym atte firste Awreke me of þise wastoures quod he · þat þis worlde schendeth Hunger in haste þo · hent wastour bi þe mawe And wronge hym so bi þe wombe · þat bothe his eyen wattered He buffeted þe Britoner aboute þe chekes Þat he loked like a lanterne · al his lyf after He bette hem so bothe · he barste nere here guttes Ne hadde Pieres with a pese lof · preyed hunger to cesse They hadde ben doluen bothe · ne deme þow non other Suffre hem lyue he seyde · and lete hem ete with hogges Or elles benes and bren · ybaken togideres Or elles melke and mene ale · þus preyed pieres for hem Faitoures for fere her-of · flowen in-to bernes And flapten on with flayles · fram morwe til euen That hunger was nouȝt so hardy · on hem forto loke For a potful of peses · þat peres hadde ymaked An heep of heremites · henten hem spades And ketten here copes · and courtpies hem made And wenten as werkemen · with spades and with schoueles And doluen and dykeden · to dryue aweye hunger+ Blynde and bedreden · were botened a þousande Þat seten to seten to[seten to]L.6.196: This line has a <+> in the left margin, but the dittographic error was never corrected. begge syluer · sone were þei heled For þat was bake for bayarde · was bote for many hungry And many a beggere for benes · buxome was to swynke And eche a pore man wel apayed · to haue pesen for his huyre And what pieres preyed hem to do · as prest as a sperhauke And þere-of was peres proude · and put hem to werke And ȝaf hem mete as he myȝte aforth · and mesurable huyre Þanne hadde peres pite · and preyed hunger to wende Home in-to his owne erdL.6.204: LR alone have erd, though HmMW have the related spelling yerd. Other B witnesses have erthe (BCC2OY). · and holden hym þere For I am wel awroke now · of wastoures þorw þi myȝte Ac I preye þe ar þow passe · quod Pieres to hunger Of beggeres and of bidderes · what best beL.6.207: L uniquely has be, omitting to, though the other B manuscripts vary between be to and is to. done For I wote wel be þow went · þei wil worche ful ille For myschief it maketh · þei beth so meke nouthe And for defaute of her fode · þis folke is at my wille Þey are my blody bretheren quod pieres · for god bouȝte vs alle Treuthe tauȝte me ones · to louye hem vchone And to helpen hem of alle þinge · ay as hem nedeth And now wolde I witen of þe · what were þe best+ AnL.6.215: The corrector's <+> marks the scribe's An for And. how I myȝte amaistrien hem · and make hem to worche Here now quod hunger · and holde it for a wisdome Bolde beggeres and bigge · þat mowe her bred biswynke With houndes bred and hors-bred · holde vp her hertis Abate hem with benes · for bollyng of her wombe And ȝif þe gomes grucche · bidde hem go swynke And he shal soupe swettere · whan he it hath deseruid And if þow fynde any freke · þat fortune hath appeyred Or any maner fals men · fonde þow suche to cnowe Conforte hym with þi catel · for crystes loue of heuene Loue hem and lene hem · so lawe of god techeth Alter alterius onera portate And alle maner of men · þat þow myȝte asspye That nedy ben and nauȝty · helpe hem with þi godis Loue hem and lakke hem nouȝte · late god take þe venIaunce Theigh þei done yuel · late þowL.6.230: LR alone read þow; other B manuscripts omit it. god awortheL.6.230: LMR alone have aworthe. Other B witnesses have yworþe, worthe, or worche. Michi vindictam & ego retribuam · And if þow wilL.6.232: L uniquely has wil; other B manuscripts have wilt. be graciouse to god · do as þe gospel techeth+ And bilowL.6.233: LMR alone have bilow; most other B manuscripts have biloue. The corrector has noted this difference with a marginal <+>. þe amonges low men · so shaltow lacche grace Facite vobis amicos de mamona iniquitatis I wolde nouȝt greue god quod piers · for al þe good on grounde Miȝte I synnelees do as þow seist · seyde pieres þanne Ȝe I bihote þe quod hunger · or ellis þe bible lieth Go to Genesis þe gyaunt · þe engendroure of vs alle In sudore and swynke · þow shalt þi mete tilye And laboure for þi lyflode · and so owre lorde hyȝte And sapience seyth þe same · I seigh it in þe bible Piger pro frigore · no felde nolde tilye And þerfore he shal begge and bidde · and no man bete his hunger Mathew with mannes face · mouthed þise wordisa besaunt Þat seruus nequam had a nam · L.6.245: The scribe added a besaunt (besaunt, "coin" or "talent") above the line to gloss nam or mnam, "a Biblical coin." He was, perhaps, drawing attention to the source of the tale, the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. A similar gloss appears in HmMW. and for he wolde nouȝte chaffare He had maugre of his maistre · for euermore after And binam hisL.6.247: L uniquely omits hym before his. Mnam · for he ne wolde worch.e And ȝaf þat Mnam to hym · þat ten Mnames hadde And with þat he seyde · þat holicherche it herde He þat hath shal haue · and helpe þere it nedeth And he þat nouȝt hath shal nouȝt haue · and no man hym helpe And þat he weneth wel to haue · I wil it hym bireue Kynde witt wolde · þat eche a wyght wrouȝte Or in dykynge or in deluynge · or trauaillynge in preyeres Contemplatyf lyf or actyf lyf · cryst wolde men wrouȝteL.6.255: LMRY alone read men wrouȝte; most other B witnesses have þei wroȝte. Þe sauter seyth in þe psalme · of beati omnes Þe freke þat fedeth hym-self · with his feythful laboure He is blessed by þe boke · in body and in soule Labores manuum tuarum &c · Ȝet I prey ȝow quod pieres · par charite and ȝe kunne Eny leef of lechecraft · lere it me my dere For somme of my seruauntz · and my-self bothe Of al a wyke worche nouȝt · so owre wombe aketh I wote wel quod hunger · what sykenesse ȝow eyleth Ȝe han maunged ouer-moche · and þat maketh ȝow groneX Ac I hote þe quod hunger · as þow þyne hele wilnest L.6.266: A corrector's <X> appears in the right margin which is atypically large and oddly placed, extending two lines in height. Þat þow drynke no day · ar þow dyne somwhat Ete nouȝte I hote þe · ar hunger þe take And sende þe of his sauce · to sauoure with þi lippes And kepe some tyl soper tyme · and sitte nouȝt to longe AriseL.6.271: LMR alone have Arise; most other B manuscripts have And rys. vp ar appetit · haue eten his fulle Lat nouȝt sire surfait sitten at þi borde Leue him nouȝt for he is lecherous · and likerous of tonge And after many manere metes · his maw is afyngred And ȝif þow diete þe þus · I dar legge myne eres Þat phisik shal his furred hodes · for his fode selle And his cloke of calabre · with alle þe knappes of golde And be fayne bi my feith · his phisik to lete And lerne to laboure with londe · for lyflode is swete For morthereres aren mony leches · lorde hem amende Þei do men deye þorw here drynkes · ar destine it wolde By seynt Poule quod pieres · þise aren profitable wordis Wende now hunger whan þow wolt · þat wel be þow euere For þis is a louely lessoun · lorde it þe forȝelde By-hote god quod hunger · hennes ne wil I wende Til I haue dyned bi þis day · and ydronke bothe I haue no peny quod peres · poletes · forto bigge Ne neyther gees ne grys · but two grene cheses A fewe cruddes and creem · and an hauer cake And two loues of benes and bran · ybake for my fauntis And ȝet I sey by my soule · I haue no salt bacoun Ne no kokeney bi cryst coloppes forto maken Ac I haue percil and porettes · and many kole plantes And eke a cow · and a kalf · and a cart mare To drawe afelde my donge · þe while þe drought lasteth And bi þis lyflode we mot lyue · til lammasse tyme And bi þat I hope to haue · heruest in my croft And þanne may I diȝte þi dyner · as me dere liketh Alle þe pore peple þo · pesecoddes fetten Benes and baken apples · þei brouȝte in her lappes Chibolles and cheruelles · and ripe chiries manye And profred peres þis present · to plese with hunger Al hunger eet in hast · and axed after more Þanne pore folke for fere · fedde hunger ȝerne With grene poret and pesen · to poysoun hunger þei þouȝte By þat it neighed nere heruest · newe corne cam to chepynge Þanne was folke fayne · and fedde hunger with þe best With good ale as glotoun tauȝte · and gerte hunger go slepe And þo wolde wastour ..nouȝt werche · but wandren aboute Ne no begger ete bred · þat benes Inne were But of coket or clerematyn · or elles · of clene whete Ne none halpeny ale · in none wise drynke But of þe best and of þe brounest · þat in borgh is to selle L.6.314: The scribe's paraph indicator in the left margin was not executed by the rubricating scribe, probably because the original scribe failed to skip a line. ¶ Laboreres þat haue no lande · to lyue on but her handes Deyned nouȝt to dyne a-day · nyȝt-olde wortes May no peny-ale hem paye · ne no pece of bakoun · But if it be fresch flesch other fische · fryed other bake And þat chaude or plus chaud · for chillyng of here mawe And but if he be hieghlich huyred · ellis wil he chyde And þat he was werkman wrouȝt · waille þe tyme Aȝeines catones conseille · comseth he to iangle Paupertatis onus pacienter ferre memento He greueth hym aȝeines god · and gruccheth aȝeines resoun And þanne curseth he þe kynge · and al his conseille after Suche lawes to loke · laboreres to greue Ac whiles hunger was her maister · þere wolde none of hem chyde Ne stryue aȝeines his statut · so sterneliche he lokedL.6.327: A later hand put a bracket in the right margin which extends to include the next line. The ink is darker than the text. Ac I warne ȝow werkemen · wynneth while ȝe moweL.6.328: A later hand has bracketed this verse paragraph and added a nota in the form of a pointing hand. The bracket includes all but the first and last lines of the line group. The ink is lighter than text ink and of a finer pen stroke with three cross hatches and a final loop. For hunger hideward · hasteth hym faste He shal awake with water · wastoures to chaste Ar fyue be fulfilled · suche famyn shal aryse Thorwgh flodes and þourgh foule wederes · frutes shul faille And so sayde saturne · and sent ȝow to warne Whan ȝe se þe sonne amys · and two monkes hedes And a Mayde haue þe maistrie · and multipliedL.6.335: LMRF alone have the preterite form. All other B manuscripts have multiplie. bi eight Þanne shal deth withdrawe · and derthe be iustice And dawe þe dyker · deye for hunger But if god of his goodnesse · graunt vs a trewe