The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 5: London, British Library, MS Additional 35287 (M) – Passus 4William LanglandEdited by Eric Eliason, Hoyt N. Duggan, and Thorlac Turville-PetreAssociate Editors: Patricia Riles Bart and Gail DugganTechnical Editor: Daniel Pitti Graduate Research Assistants Michael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Carrie Lindley, Janice McCoy, and Timothy L. Stinson. Computer Consultants and Programmers Shayne Brandon, Cynthia Girard, Kirk Hastings, Sue Munson, David Seaman, and John Unsworth.Society for Early English and Norse Texts ISBN (individual use) 1 84384 051 0 (institutional use) 1 84384 052 9

copyright 2005, by SEENET

2005 London, British Library, MS Additional 35287

 early 15th century Source copy consulted: London, British Library, MS Additional 35287

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LatinFrenchGerman14 Dec 2004 editor Hoyt N. Duggan New header created, and SGML converted to XML. Minor revisions in TOC, mainly alphabatization of names.Passus quartus de visione vt supraCCEsseth seith þe kynge . I suffre ȝyow no lengereȜYe shal sauȝtene for sothe . and serue me botheKisse hire quod þe kynge . Conscience I hote . Nay bi Criste quod Conscience . congeie me for euereBut resoun rede me þerto  rather wol I deie . # Rex mandauit Conscientiam adquirere RacionemAnd I comaunde þe quod þe kynge . to conscience þanneRape þe to ride . and resoun þow fecche . Comaunde hym þat he come . my conseille to hereFor he shal reule my rewme . and rede me þe besteAnd acounte with þe conscience . so me crist helpeHow þou lern....est þe p.eple . þe lered and þe lewedeI am fayne of þat forward . saide þe freke þanne . And rit riȝte to resoun . and rowneth in his ereAnd saide as þe kynge — badde — . and sithen to..ok his leueI shal arraie me to ride . quod resoun reste þe a whileAnd called Catoun his knaue . curteis of speche#M.4.17: The text from here to the end of the page is marked with a bracket in the left margin.And also tomme trewe tonge  telle me no talesNe lesynge to lawȝe of  for I loued hem neuere /SetteM.4.19: All other B manuscripts except F begin the line with And. M's omission of the word agrees with the A text. my sadel vpon suffre . tyl I se my tymeAnd lete warrok it wel  with witty wordes gerthesAnd hange on hym þe heuy bridul . to holde his hed loweFor he wol make wehe . twye er he be þere . iiijus passusThanne Conscience vpon his . caple . kaireth forth fasteAnd resoun with hym ritte  rownynge to-g.idresWhiche maistries Mede . makeþ on þis erthe . Oon waryn wisdom  and witt.y his fereFolwed hem faste  for heM.4.27: M's reading of he is not shared by other B manuscripts, most of which read þei. h....eadde to dooneIn þe chekkere and chauncerie  to be deschargede of þinges . And riden faste for resoun shulde  rede hem þe besteFor to saue hem for siluer  from shame and from harmesAnd Conscience knewe hem wel  þei louede coueitiseAnd bad resoun ride faste . and recche of here neyþereÞere arne wiles in h...ire wordes  and with Mede þei dwellethÞere as wratthe and wrangelynge is  þere wynne þei syluer . Ac þere is loue and lewte  þei wol not come þere . Contricio & infelicitas in vijs eorum & ceteraÞei ne g.yuen nouȝte of god  on gose wynge . Non est timor dei ante oculos eorumFor wot god þei wolde do more  for a dosein of ChikenesOr as many Capouns  or for a seem of OtesÞanne — for loue of oure lorde  or alle his leue seint..esFor-þi resoun l..eat hem ride  þo Riche by hem-selueneFor Conscience knoweth hem nouȝte . ne Crist as I troweAnd þanne resoun ....rood faste  þe riȝte heiȝe weyeM.4.44: M's reading of weye is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read gate.As Conscience hym kenn..ed . til þei come to þe kynge# Rex obuiauit cum racioneCurteisly þe kynge þanne . come aȝein resounAnd bitwene hym-self and his sone . sette .. — hym on bencheAnd wordeden wel wysely . a gret while tog.idres# conquestus est pax contra IniuriamAnd þanne come pees in-to parlement . and put forth a billeHow wro...eong aȝeins his will  had his wif takenAnd h.how heM.4.51: The original reading may have omitted how, as F. rauysshede Rose . Re..ignaldes loueAnd mMargreteM.4.52: It was evidently important to someone reviewing the text that the proper name begin with a capital letter. of hire maydonhoedeM.4.52: The form maydonhode has been altered to maydonhede, the reading of WCrF. . mawgre hire chek..esBoþe my gees and my grys / his gadlinges .fecchethI dar nouȝte for feere of hym . fiȝte ne Chide # the borowing off bayerdHe .......borwede of me bayard . he brouȝte h.ym home neue..re..Ne no ........ferthyng þerefore  for nouȝte I coude pledeHe mainteigneth his men . to morthere my...?...ne hewenM.4.57: For rewritten hewen RF have hennes.corForstalleth my feires . and fiȝteth in my chepingeAnd breketh vp myn berne dore . and bereth awey my wheteAnd taketh me but a taille . for ten quartereM.4.60: M shares the reading quarter with Cr. Kane and Donaldson record the erased letter as <s>, which would agree with the form in all other B manuscripts, but the letter seems clearly to be an <e>. Ot.esAnd ȝyet he beteth me þerto  and liiyth by my mayde . I hnamM.4.62: M's revised reading, motivated by the otiose initial <h>, is shared with CL. nouȝt hardy for hym . vnnethe to lokeÞe kynge knewe he saide sothe . for conscience hym tolde . Þat wronge was a wikked li..ftM.4.64: This use of lift puzzles the scribes, who write lust GBR, luske Cr, as well as wilder variants. and wrouȝte moche sorweWronge was a-fer..ed þanne . and wisdome he souȝte...To — make pees with his pens . heM.4.66: M's he agrees with F; other B manuscripts have and. proferede hym manyeAnd saide hadde IM.4.67: M's original reading without I agreed with F. loue of my lorde þe kynge  litul wolde I reccheTheiȝe pees and his powere  playnede hym euere# wyt & warin wisdomÞo w....enteM.4.69: The altered word brings M into line with most B manuscripts, though LR read wan, and CBoCot read whan. w..isdome . and sire warin þe wittyFor þat wronge had y-wrouȝte . so wikkede a dedeAnd warned wronge þo . with suche a w..ys tale . Whoso worcheþ by my wille . wratthe makeþ ofteI seie it by ..myM.4.73: M's altered reading my agrees with most B manuscripts. YOC2LRF read thy.-self . þou shalt it wel fynde . But ȝif Mede it make  þi meschief is vppeFor bothe þi lif and þi lond  lith in his grace . Þanne wowede wronge . wisdome ful ȝyerne#To make hisM.4.77: M's original reading without his agreed with WH. pees with his pens  handi-dandi payedeWisdom and witte  þanne wenten to-g.idresAnd tooken m..yede myd hem  mercy to wynne . Pees put forth his hede  and his panne blodyWith-outen gilte god it wot . gat I þis skaþeConscience and þe comune . knowen þe sotheAc wysdom and wittyM.4.83: M's reading witty is not attested in other B manuscripts, which read wit. . weren abouten fasteTo ouercome þe kynge . with catel ȝif þei miȝteÞe kynge swo..or by crist . and by his crowne boþeÞat wronge for his werkes . shulde wo þolieAnd comaunded a Conestable  to caste hym in yrensAnd lete hym nouȝt  þis seuen ȝyere seen his fe..et ones . God wot quod wysdom  þat were nouȝt þe besteAnd he ...?...amendes mowe make . lat meymprise hym haue . corAnd be borwe for his balecorijusiiijus passusAnd be borwe for his bale . and biggen hym boteAnd so amende þat is mysdo . and euer-more þe bett..re# notaM.4.93: This paragraph is marked with lines in the right margin.Wit. accord.ed hereM.4.93: M's reading here is unattested among other B manuscripts, which read þer.-wiþ . and saide þe sameBett..re is þat b...ote . bale a-doun bringeÞan bale be y-bet.ee . and bote neuer þe bett..reAnd þanne gan mMede to mongenM.4.96: M's reading of mongen is not shared by other B manuscripts. The majority reading is mengen. here . and mercy she bisouȝte M.4.96: This paragraph is marked with a bracket.notaAnd profred pees a present . al of pure golde . Haue þis man of me quod she  to amende þi skaþe . For I wol wage for wronge  he wol do so namorePitousely pees þanne . praide to þe kyngeTo haue mercy on þat man . þat mysd...?...ide hym ofteM.4.101: It is likely that the original reading was him so ofte as in most B manuscripts. Only G shares M's omission of so, though it is the reading of A manuscripts. Here there are apparently two correctors at work. The first is responsible for ide hi, while a second has altered the second <i> to <y> and added <m> for hym. . For heM.4.102: M alone among B manuscripts lacks haþ at this point. waged me wel . as wisdome hym tauȝteAnd I for....giue him þat gilte . with a gode willeSo þat þe kynge assente  I can seie no bett..reFor mMede haþ made me amendes . I canM.4.105: M's reading of can is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read may. no more axen . notaNay quod þe kynge þo . so me crist helpeWronge wendeth not so away . arst wil I wite more# Bene Iudicatus est RexFor loupe he so liȝtly . lawghen he woldeAnd efte þe balder be . to beten myn hynenBut resoun haue reuthe on him . he shal reste in my stokkus . And þat as longe as he liueþ . but lowenesse hym borweSumme men redde Resoun  toM.4.112: The reading to is shared with H. Other B manuscripts have þo to. ruweM.4.112: M's reading of ruwe is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read have ruþe. on þat shreweAnd for to concseille þe kynge . and connscience aft.erÞat Mede moste be mainpernour . resoun þei bisouȝteRede me nouȝte quod resoun . no reuthe to haue# optime dicit RacioTil lord.es and ladies . louen alle truthe . And haten al harlotrie . to heren itM.4.117: M's revised reading agrees with WHmCrG. Other B manuscripts have heren it. or to mouthe it#M.4.118-125: These lines are marked with a bracket in the right margin.Til pernels purfil . be put in here hucche . And Children cherisshinge  be chastinge with ȝyerd.es . And harlotes holinesse . be holden for an hyne . Til clerken coueitise be  to clothe poreM.4.121: The reading pore is shared with Hm. Other B manuscripts have þe pore. and fede . And religious rom.eres . Recordare in hire cloistres . As seint Bernard hem bad . BeneteM.4.123: All other B manuscripts have the names Bernard and Benet in the other order. and FraunceisAnd til prechours prechinge  be preuede on hem-seluenTil þe kynges concseille . be þe comune profit . Til bisshopes baiardes . be beggers chambresHire haukes and hire houndes . helpe to pore ReligiousAnd til seint Iames be souȝte . þere I shal assigneÞat no man go to Galis . but ȝif he go for euereAnd alle Rome renneres  for robbers of biȝendeBere no siluere ouere see  þat signe of kynge sheweþNeithur graue ne vngraue  gold neith.er siluer.Vpon forfeture of þat fee  whoso fynt him at DouereBut it be marchaunt or his man  or messagere with lettresProuisour or preest  or penaunt for his synn..esAnd ȝyet quod Resoun by þe Rode  I shal no reuthe haueWhil Mede haþ þe maistrie . in þis mote halleAc I may shewe emsamples  as I se othere-whileI saie it by my-self quod he  and it so wereThat I were kynge with crowne  to kepen a reume . Shulde neuere wronge in þis worlde . þat I .wyte miȝteBen vnpunisshede in my powere . for peril of my souleNe gete my grace for gift.es . so me god saue . Ne for no mede haue mercy  but mekenesse it make . notaFor nullum malum þe man . mette with inpunitumAnd bad nullum bonum . be irremuneratum .Lat ȝyoure confessour sire kynge . construe þis vnglos.ed# quod lex laborabit & lede a-Feld dongAnd ȝif ȝye werken it in werke . I wedde myn eres . Þat lawe shal ben a laborer . and lede a-fielde dongeAnd loue shal lede þi londe  as þe lief likeþ . Clerkes þat were confessours . coupled hem to-gedres . Alle to construe þis clause . for þe kynges ProfitAc nouȝte for conforte of þe comune  ne for þe kynges souleFor I seiȝe Mede in þe moothalle . on men of lawe wynkenAnd þay lawghynge lope to hire . and lafte resoun manyeWaryn wisdome . wynkede vpon mede . And saide ma-dame I am .youre man . what so my mouthe iangelethI ...?...failleM.4.158: M's altered reading faille agrees with Cr. Hm also alters the word to fayle. Most B manuscripts read falle in, and an erased in is likely here. Flor.ynes quod þat freyke . and faille speche ofte . iiijus passus¶ Alle riȝtful recorded . þat resoun truthe toldeAnd witte accord.ed here-withM.4.160: M's reading of her-with is not shared by other B manuscripts, which read þerwith. . and comend.ed his word.esAnd þe mooste p.eple in þe halle . and manye of þe greteAnd leten mekenesse a maister . and Mede a mansud shrewenotaLoue le..et of hire liȝte . and lewte ȝyet lasseAnd saide it so heiȝe . þat alle þe halle it herdeWhoso wilneþ hire to wif  for welthe of hire god.esBut he be knowe for a cokewolde  kutte of my nose . Mede mournede þo  and made heuy chere . # þat mede is Callyd a horeFor þe mooste comune of þe courte callud hire an horeAc a sisoure and a sompnorur  suwed hire fasteAnd a shireues clerke  bishrewed al þe route . For ofte haue I quod sheM.4.171: M's original he agrees with FH. Hm also alters he to she.  holpe .yow at the ba...rreAnd ȝyet ȝyeue ȝye me neuere  þe worth of a russheThe kynge called conscience . and aft.erwardes resounAnd recorded þat resoun  had riȝtfulliche shewed.e . And modiliche vpon mede  with miȝte þe kynge lokedAnd gan waxe wroth with lawe . for mede . hadde almoosteM.4.176: All other B manuscripts except Y reverse the order of hadde almoost. shent it . And saide þorwgh ȝyoure lawe as I leue . I lese many chetesMede ouermaistreth lawe . and mochul truþe letteþAc resoun shal rekene with ȝyow  ȝif I regne any while . And deme ȝyow by þis day . as ȝye han deseruedeMede shal nouȝt mainprise ȝyow . by þe marie of heueneI wil haue lewte in lawe . and lette al ȝyowre iangelingeAnd as mos..ost folk wittnesseth wel . wronge shal be demedQuod conscence to þe kynge . but þe comune wil assenteIt is ful harde by myn hede  herto to bringe it . Alle ȝyoure lige leodes . to lede þus eueneBy hym þat rauȝte on þe Rode  quod resoun to þe kyngeBut ȝif I rule þus ȝyowre rewme  rende out my gutt.es....If ye bidden buxomn....sse buxomn....[e]sse ben of myn assentAnd I assente .....seithM.4.190: B manuscripts vary considerably at this point between quod and various forms of seith. þe kynge  by seinte marie my ladyBe my conseill .ycomen  of clerk.es and of erles . Ac redily resoun  þow shalt nouȝt ride from mexFor as longe as I l.yue . lete þe I nilleI am aredy quod resoun . to reste with ȝyow euereSo connscience be of ȝyowreM.4.195: M and C2 agree in reading yowre, corrected from ȝowre in M; all other B manuscripts have oure, except for H which has my. The majority of A manuscripts have ȝour. conseille . I kepe no bett.rereAnd I graunte quod þe kynge . god forbede it falileAs longe as ȝowreM.4.197: All B manuscripts read oure. lif lasteth . lyue we to g.idres