The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 3: Oxford, Oriel College, MS 79 (O) version of 30 December 2003 – Passus 7William LanglandEdited by Katherine Heinrichs Graduate Research Assistants Patricia Bart, Michael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Peter Eubanks, Paul Fyfe, Paul Gaffney, Janice McCoy, Chloe Smith, Timothy L. Stinson, Jordan Taylor, and Keicy Tolbert. Computer Consultants and Programmers Shayne Brandon, Kirk V. Hastings, Richard A. Peterson, Daniel Pitti, Jonathan Rodney, 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: 1843840251

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2004

SEENET A.5

Oxford, Oriel College, MS 79

late 14th or early 15th century Source copy consulted: Oxford, Oriel College, MS 79

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

LatinFrenchGermanMay, 2001catalogerPatricia BartNew header createdPassus . 7usseptimus .O.7.000: The hand which wrote this passus heading, one contemporary with the main scribe, is not seen elsewhere in the manuscript.TRuþe herde tell her-of  & to peers sente To taken hys teem  & tilie þe erþeA pena & a culpaO.7.3: The rubric is divided after a, so that it appears as two lines. Three ticks, the first underlined in red, follow it.And purchacede hym a pardouna pena & a culpaFor hym & for hise eires  for euere-more afterAnd bade hym holde hym at home  & erien hise leyesAnd alle þat holpen hym to erie  to sette or to soweOr any oþer myster  þat myȝte peers auaylePardoun wiþ peers plowman  truþe haþ ygrauntidKyngys & knyȝtis  þat kepen holy chircheAnd riȝtfulli in rewmes  rulen þe pepleHan pardoun þoruȝ purgatorie  to passe ful liȝtWiþ patriarkes & prophetis  in paradice to be felawe Bischoppis yblessid . if þei been . as þei schulden Legistres of boþe þe lawes  þe lewid . þer-wiþ to precheO.7.15: OC2 alone lack introductory And. In as myche as þei mowen  amende alle synfulArn peres wiþ þe apostelis  þis pardoun Peers schewiþAnd at þe day of doom  at þe hye deys to sitteMarchauntisO.7.18: Another hand, apparently hand 3, has substituted a supralinear <d> for the <t> in Marchauntis.Marchauntis in þe margyne  hadden many ȝeres Ac noon a pena &O.7.19: CrO alone lack a second a before culpa.culpa  þe pope nolde hem graunteFor þei holden not her halidayes  as holi chirche techiþAnd for þei sweren bi her soule  & so god muste hem helpeAȝens clene concience  her catel to selleAc vndir herO.7.23: OC2 alone have plural her in place of his. secreet sehel  truþe sente hem a lettreÞat þei schulden bigge boldli  þat hem likede bestO.7.24: OC2 alone transpose best likede.And siþen selle it aȝeyn  & saue þe wynnyngHow þou schalt do þin almesO.7.26: The rubric is divided after do, so that it appears as two lines.And amende mesondeux þer-myd  & myseyse folk helpe And wikkide weyes  wyȝtliche hem amendeAnd do bote to brygges  þat to-broken werenMarien maydenes  or maken hem nunnesPore peple & prysones  fynde hem her lijflodeAnd setten scolers to scole  or to summe oþere craftesReleue religioun  & renten hem betterAnd I schal sende ȝow my-self  seynt Myhel myn archaungelÞat no deuel schal ȝow dere  ne fere ȝow in ȝoure doyngeAnd wite ȝow fro whanhope  if ȝe wole þus worcheAnd send ȝoure soulis in-toO.7.36: OC2 alone have in-to in place of in. sauete  to my seyntis in IoyeÞanne weren marchaundis myrie  &O.7.37: YOC2M alone have and in place of correctly alliterating manye. wepten for IoyeAnd preyseden peers þe plowman  þat purchacede þis bulleMen of lawe leest pardoun hadde  þat pleteden for medeFor þe sauter saueþ hem not  swyche as taken ȝiftisAnd nameli of Innocentis  þat noon yuel kunnenSuper Innocentem munera non accipiesPledours schuldenO.7.43: O alone has the form schulden; most B manuscripts have sholde. pyne hem  to plede for swiche & helpePrynces & prelatis schulden  paye . for her trauayleA regibus & principibus erit merces eorumAc many iustises & iurour  wolden for ion do moreÞan pro dei pietate  leue þou noon oþerAc he þat spendiþ his speche  & spekiþ for þe poreÞat is Innocent & nedy  & no man appeyreþCounfortiþ hym in þat caas  wiþ-outen coueytise of ȝiftisAnd schewiþ lawe for oure lordis loue  as he it haþ lernedSchal no deuel at his deþ-day  deren hym a myteÞat he ne worþ saaf & his soule  þe sauter bereþ witnesseDomine quis habita...bit in tabernaculo tuo .Ac to bigge water ne wijnd  ne witt ne fijr þe ferþeÞeise foure þe fadir of heuene  made to his folde in comuneÞeise been truþis tresoris  trewe folk to helpeÞat neuere schul waxe ne wanye  wiþO.7.58: OC2 alone lack oute(n) after wiþ, so that the sense of the line is destroyed. god hym-selueWhanne þei drawen vn-to þe deþ  & Indulgences wolden haueHis pardoun is ful petyt  at her partyng hennysÞat any mede of mene men  for his motyng takiþȜe legistres & lawyers  holden þis for truþeÞat if þat I lye  mathew is to blameFor he bade me takemakeO.7.64: OC2 alone have take. ȝow þis  & þis prouerbe me toldeO.7.64: Kane and Donaldson (193) conjecturally exclude this line on grounds of "prosiness and verbosity" as well as its failure to alliterate.Quodcumque vultis vt faciant vobis homines  facite eisAlle libbynge laborers  þat lyuen wiþ her handisÞat trulich taken  & truliche wynnenAnd lyuen in loue & in lawe  for her lowe hertisHanO.7.69: OC2 alone have Han; variants include Haueþ (WCrYLMR), haue (HmG), þey have (F), Has (C), and Haþ (B). þe same absolucioun  þat sent was to peersBeggers ne bidders  ne been not in þe bulleBut if þe suggestioun be soþ  þat schapiþ hem to beggeFor he þat beggyþ or bit  but if he haue nedeHe is fals wiþ þe feend  & defraudiþ þe nedyAnd also he bigyleþ þe gyuer  aȝeynys his willeFor if he wiste he were not nedy  he wolde it gyue an-oþerÞat were more nedy þan he  so þe nedyest schulde be holpenCatoun kenneþ me þus  & þe clerk of storiescatoun of almes-dedisO.7.78: The rubric is divided after of, so that it appears as two lines.Cui des videto  is catounys techyngeAnd in þe stories he techiþ  to bestowe þin almesSiþSi[t] elemosina tua in manu tua donec studes cui desAc gregori was a good man  & bade vs ȝyuenO.7.81: OC2 alone have the form ȝyuen in place of gyuen. alleÞat asken for his loue  þat vs alle leneþNon eligas cui miserearis ne forte pretereas illum qui meretur accipere / QuiaIncertum est pro quo deum magis placeasFor ȝe woten neuere who is worþi  ac god woot who haþ nedeIn hym þat takeþ is þe trecherie  if any tresoun walkeFor he þat ȝyueþ ȝeldiþ  & ȝarkeþ hym to restAnd he þat biddiþ borweþ  & bryngeþ hym-self in detteFor beggers borwen euere-moo  & her boruȝ is god almyȝtiTo ȝelden hem þat ȝyuen hem  & ȝit vsure moreQuare non dedisti pecuniam meam ad mensam vt ege O.7.91: OC2 alone have ege in place of ego. veniens cum vsuris exigere & ceteraOf falseO.7.92: The <l> and <s> in false are connected by a ligature because of a cut in the vellum. beggerisO.7.92: The rubric is divided after beg-, so that it appears as two lines.For-þi biddeþ not ȝe beggers  but if ȝe han nede For who-so may bigge hym breed  þe book beriþ witnesseHe haþ ynow þat haþ breed ynow  þowȝ he haue not ellisSatis dyues est qui non indiget paneLatte vsage be ȝoure be ȝoure solace  of seyntis lyues redyngÞe book banneþ beggrie  & blameþ in þis manereIunior fui etenim senui & non vidi iustum derelictum nec semen eius querens panem & ceteraFor ȝe lyuen in no loue  ne no lawe holdenMany of ȝow ne weddenO.7.100: OC2 alone have ne wedden; most B manuscripts have ne wedde. not  þe womman ȝe wiþ delenBut as wylde beestis wiþ we-he  &O.7.101: OC2 alone include this ampersand, which weakens the sense of the line. worþ vp & worchenAnd bryngen forþ barnes  þat basterdis men callenOr þe bak or sum boon  he brekiþ in his ȝouþeAnd siþþen goon faiten wiþ herO.7.104: OC2 alone have her; most B manuscripts have youre. fauntis  for euere-more afterÞer is moo mysschappid peple  amongys þeise beggersÞan of alle manere men  þat on þis moolde walkenAnd þei þat lyuen þus her lijf  mowen loþe þe tymeÞat euere he was man wrouȝt  whanne he schal hennys fareAc olde men & hore  þat helples been of strengþeÞe pardoun of peris Plowman .O.7.110: The rubric is divided after pardoun and peris, so that it appears on three lines.And wommen wiþ childe  þat worche ne mowen Blynde & bedrede  & broken her membresÞat taken þeise mescheues mekeliche  as meseles & oþereHan aO.7.113: OC2F alone have a; most B manuscripts have as. pleyn pardoun  as þe plowman hym-seluenFor loue of her lowe hertis  oure lord haþ hem grauntid Her penaunce & her purgatorie  heer on þis erþePeers quod a preest þoo  þi pardoun muste I redeFor I wole construe ich a clause  & kenne it þee on englischAnd peers at his preyer  þe pardoun vnfoldiþAnd I bihynde hem boþe  bihelde al þe bulleAl in two lynes it lay  & not a leef moreAnd was writen riȝt þus  in witnesse of truþeEt qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam eternam . qui vero mala in ignem eternumPeter quod þe preest þoo  I can no pardoun fyndeBut do wel & haue wel  & god schal haue þi souleAnd do yuele & haue yuele  hope þou noon oþerBut after þi deþ day  þe deuel schal haue þi souleAnd peers for pure tene  pullede it atweyneAnd seide . si ambulauero in medio vmbro mortis non timeboO.7.128: OC2 alone lack mala or malum following timebo. quoniam tu mecum esO.7.128: Line 128 is divided after tu, and a red parasign precedes the second line of text.I schal cecen of my sowyng quod peers  & swynke not so hardeO.7.129: Line 129 is divided after not, and a red parasign precedes the second line of text.Ne be aboute my beli ioye  so bisili no moreOf preyeris & pen.aunce my plow  schal be her-afterAnd wepe whan I schulde slepe  þouȝ whete breed me fayled 2Þe prophete his payn eete  in penaunce & in sorweBi þat þe sauter seiþ  so diden many oþereÞat loueþ god lelly  his lijflode is ful esyeFuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocteAnd but if luke lye  he lereþ vs bi foulisWe schulden not be to bisye  aboute þe werldis blisNe soliciti sitis  he seiþ in þe gospelAnd schewiþ vs bi ensaumples  oure-seluen to wisseÞe foules in þe feeld  who fynt hem mete at wynterHaue þei no gerner to go to  but god fynt hem alleWhat quod þe preest to perkyn  peter as me þinkeþÞou art letterid a litil  who lernede þee on bookeAbstynence þe abbesse quod peers  myn a b c me tauȝteAnd concience come afterward  & kende me myche moreWere þou a preest peers quod he  þou myȝtist preche where þou schuldistAs dyuynour in dyuynyte  wiþ dixit insipiens to þi temeLewid lorel quod peers  litil lokest þou on þe bibleOrO.7.150: OC2 alone include Or. on salomons sawes  selden þou biholdistEice derisores & iurgia cum eis ne crescant & ceteraÞe preest & perkyn  apposede eyþer oþerAnd I þoruȝ her wordis  a-woke & waytede abouteAnd seyȝ þe sunne in þe souþ  sate þat tymeMeteles & monyles  on maluerne hillesMusynge on þeise metelis  & my weye ich ȝedeMany tyme þeise metelis  han maad me studieOf þat I seyȝ slepynge  if it so be myȝteAnd also for peers þe plowman  ful pensyf in herteAnd whych a pardoun peers hadde  alle þe peple to counforteAnd how þe preest impugnede it  wiþ two propre wordisAc I haue no sauour in sompnewarieO.7.162: OC2F alone have the form sompnewarie in place of songewarie.  for I see it ofte fayleCatoun & canonystres  counceylen vs to leueTo sette sadnesse in sompnewarie  for sompnia ne curesAc for þe book of þe bible  bereþ wittenesseHow danyel dyuynede  þe dremes of a kyngÞat was Nabugodonosor  nempned of clerkisDanyel seyde sire kynge  þi dremelis bitokenenÞat vnkouþe knyȝtis schul come  þi kyngdam to cleueAmongys lower lordis  þi loond schal be departidAnd as danyel dyuynede  in dede it fel afterÞe kyng lees his lordschip  & lower men it haddeAnd Ioseph mette merueylouslich  how þe mone &O.7.173: OC2F alone lack þe before sunne. sunneAnd þe elleuene sterres  haylesede hem alleÞanne iacob iuggede  iosephs sweueneBew fitz quod his fadir  for defaute we schullen I my-self & my sones  seche þee for nedeIt bifel as his fadir seyde  in pharaoes tymeÞat ioseph was iustise  egypt to lokenIt bifel as ahis fadir tolde  hise frendis þere hym souȝtenAnd al þis makiþ me  on þeise meteles to þenkeAnd how þe preest preuede  no pardoun to do-welAnd demede þat . do-wel  indulgences passedeByennalis & tryennalis  & bischoppis lettresAnd how do-wel at þe day of doom  is dignelich vndirfongeAnd passeþ al þe pardoun  of seynt peteris chircheO.7.186: OC2 alone lack the following nine lines attested by all other B manuscripts: "Now haþ þe pope power pardon to graunte [Th]e peple wiþouten penaunce to passen [to ioye] This is [a leef of] oure bileue, as lettred men vs techeþ Quodcumque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum & in celis & And so I leue lelly, lor[d] forb[e]de ellis, That pardon and penaunce and preieres doon saue Soules þat haue synned seuen siþes dedly. Ac to trust [on] þise triennals, trewely, me þynkeþ It is noȝt so siker for þe soule, certes, as is dowel."now haþ þe per .O.7.187: The marginal addition is divided after þe, so that it appears as two lines. Any text that may have followed has been lost to cropping; it would have appeared as a continuation of the first marginal line, since per appears alone on the second with blank space following it. It would seem to have been a version of the first missing line following l. 186, "Now haþ þe pope power pardon to graunte."For-þi I rede ȝow renkes  þat riche been on þis erþe Vp-on trist of ȝoure tresore  triennalis to haueBe ȝe neuere þe balder  to breke þe ten hestisAnd namelich ȝe maystris  meyres & iuggesÞat han þe welþe of þis werld  & wise men been holdenTo purchace ȝow pardoun  atO.7.192: OC2 alone have at; all other beta witnesses have and. þe popes bullesAt þe dredeful doom  whanne dede schul ariseAnd comeO.7.194: OC2 alone have the form come in place of comen. al bifore crist  acountis to ȝeldeHow þou laddist þi lijf heer  & hise lawes keptestAnd how þou didist day bi day  þe doom wole reherceOf pardoun .A poke-ful of pardoun þere  ne prouyncialis lettres Þouȝ ȝe be founden in þe fraternyte of alle þe foure ordrisAnd haue indulgences double-foold  but if do-wel ȝow helpeI sette ȝoure patentes & ȝoure pardoun  at a pies heleFor-þi I counceyle alle cristen  to crye god mercyAnd marie his modir  be oure mene bitweneÞat god gyue vs grace heer  er we goon hennysSwiche werkis to wirche  whyle we been heerÞat after oure deþ-day  do-wel reherceAt þe day of doom  we didenO.7.206: OC2 alone have the form diden in place of dide. as he hyȝte