The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 7: <list><item>London, British Library, MS Lansdowne 398 </item><item>Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson Poetry 38</item></list>
– Passus 1William LanglandEdited by Robert AdamsAssociate Editors: Patricia R. Bart, M. Gail Duggan and Catherine A.
FarleyTechnical Editor: Daniel PittiGraduate Research AssistantMichael Blum, John Ivor Carlson, Carrie Lindley, Janice McCoy, Ashley Opps, Timothy L.
Stinson, and Jordan Taylor.Computer Consultants and ProgrammersRobert Bingler, Shayne Brandon, Cynthia Girard, Chris Jessee, Daniel Pitti, David Seaman,
and John Unsworth.The Medieval Academy of America and SEENET by Boydell and
Brewer, LTDWoodbridge, SuffolkISBN: (Individual) 9781843840947 (Institutional): 9781843840930
Commercially available:
copyright 2011, by SEENET
2006 Combined facsimile & documentary edition.Identification of handsIRA = Robert Adams1 computer optical disk : col. ; 4 3/4 in.The Medieval Academy of America and SEENET, by Boydell and
Brewer, LTD.Woodbridge, SuffolkSource copy consulted: London, British Library, MS Lansdowne 398 and
Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Rawlinson Poetry 38
SEENET, A.9
Attribute Valuesbrown inkanglicana bastardaitalicLombard Capornamented capital, N lines highrubricatedtouched in redtexturaunderlinedunderlined in redgreen inkblue ink
LatinFrenchGermanNovember 2005 revise header, update DTD and ent files Hoyt N. Duggan New header created PassusR.1.0: The <P> of
Passus in the heading is partially visible, but its specific identity is
clear only from context. primus de visione petri plowman —What
þis montayne by-meneth and þe merke dale . It
is clear that the initials of line 1 and line 3 were oversized, and that they were executed
in blue and red respectively. But their specific identities are inferrable only from context;
hence, they are bracketed and marked as supplied.And þe felde ful of folke I schal ȝow
fayre schewe .Alufly lady of lere in lynnen I-clothed .Com doun from a castel and cald
me fayre .And seyde sone slepestow sest þow þis poeple
.How bysi þei ben a-bouten þe mase .Þe moste partie of þis poeple þat passeth on
þis erthe .Haue þeþe[i]þei worchippe in þis worlde þei willne no better .Of other heuene þan here holden þei no tale
.¶ I was aferd of here face þeiȝ she faire
were .And seyde mercy madame what is þis to mene¶ Þe toure vp þe tofte quod sche
treuthe is þere-inne .And wolde þat ȝe wrouȝte as his worde
techeth .For he is fader of feyth formede ȝow alle
.Bothe with fel and with face and ȝaf
ȝow fyue wittes .For to worchippe hym þere-with þe while þat ȝe ben here .ÞatAndR.1.17:
The cropping of R here makes any reading speculative, but it is obvious from the surviving
<t> that R's reading was unique; we conjecture Þat, but no other
manuscript, including those of the A version (which attests the same
line), shows this reading. þerefore he hiȝtteR.1.17: Or hiȝcte? In either case the form is unique in
the manuscript, and the scribe does not steadily distinguish these graphies. þe erthe
to helpe ȝow echone .Of wollen of lynnen of lyflode
at nede . An old ownership stamp for the British Library (in red) is found in the
right margin opposite these lines.In mesurable manere to make ȝow at ese
.¶ And comanded of his curteisye in
commoun thre thynges .Aren none nedful bute þo and nempne hem I thenke .And reken hem by resoun reherse þou hem after .Þat on hisR.1.23: Compare this erasure to a
similar instance at RP.89, where her was changed to er. vesture fram chele þe to saue .And mete at þe mele for mysayse of thy-selue .And drynk whan þow dryste ac do
nouȝte oute of resoun .Þat þow worthe þe wors whan þow werche
schuldeste¶For loth in his lif-dayes for
lykyng of drinke .Dede by his dowtres þat þe deuel lykede .Delyted hym in drynke as þe deuel wolde .And leccherye hym lauȝte and lay by hem bothe .And al he witte itit þe wyn þat wykked dede . In the space between these strophes, there
is red offset from the passus rubric on 78v.¶Inebriemus eum vino
dormiamusque cum eo .Vt seruare possimus de
patre nostro semen —Þorȝ wyn and þorȝ wymmen þere was loth
a-combred .And þere gat in glotonie gerles þat were cherles .¶Forthi drede delytable drynke and þow schalt do þe bettre .Mesure is medicyne þeiȝ þow muche
ȝerne .It is nouȝt al gode to þe goste þat þe gut
axeth .Ne lyflode to þi licam þat leef isis toþiþeR.1.39:
R's reading here is unique among the B copies; the others attest is to þi. Ax agrees with the B
majority (only Bodley 851 agrees with R) , but Cx is uncertain. Though a
majority of C witnesses also supports the predominant reading, a
significant minority of X family manuscripts (XICotBmBoUc) agrees with R in omitting to. soule .Lef nauȝt þi licame for a lyeȝer hym techeth .Þat is þe wrecched world wold þe bytraye .For þe fende and þi flesch folwen þe to-gydere .This and that suethseeþR.1.43:
Cf. F's sewe and beta's seeþ. Although three C witnesses (P2UcDc) support the alpha verb, it seems
clear that Cx had the same reading as beta. þi soule and
seith it in þin herte .And for þow schuldest ben Iwar I wisse þe þe beste .¶Ma-dame mercy quod I
me lyketh wel ȝoure wordes .Ac þe monee of þis molde þat men so fast kepethholdeth .R.1.46: For alpha's kepeth or kepe (= F), beta
reads holdeth. Beta agrees here with the A version
while alpha agrees with the C version.TellethTelleR.1.47:
R's verb inflection, Telleth, is unique among the B
copies (F and beta agree on Tel(le)). However, both Ax and Cx agree with R's form. me ma-dame to whomR.1.47: F omits madame from the
a-verse phrase, while beta transposes the phrase and reads to whom Madame.
F's reading agrees with that found in the other two versions of the poem. þat tresour
appendeth .¶Goo to þe gospelle quod sche þat god
seyde hym-selue .Þo þe poeple hym apposede with a peny in þe temple .Wheither þei schulde þere-with worchippe þe kyng sesar .And god axed of hem of whom spak þe lettre . And þe ymage Ilyk þat þere-inne stondeth The rubricating scribe failed to touch line-initial letters
in red on this opening. .¶Cesaris þei seyden we sen hym wel vchone .¶Reddite cesari quod god
þat cesari byfalleth .Et que sunt dei deo or elles ȝe
don ille . For riȝtful resoun schuld rewele
ȝow alle . And kende witt be wardeyn ȝoure welthe to kepe . And tutour of ȝoure tresor and taken it
ȝow at nede . For housbondrye and heohijR.1.59:Heo, "she."R.1.59: Beta reads hij for alpha's he(o). However, both Ax and Cx support F's
version of alpha's lection (= he). halden to-gyderes . An old ownership stamp, in black ink, runs
vertically downwards in the right margin opposite these lines; the label says MVSEVM BRITTANICVM.¶ Þanne I frayned hirehir faireR.1.60:
R uniquely omits faire at the end of the a-verse. for hym
þat hire made .Þat dongoen in þe dale þat dredful is of siȝtte .Whate may it be to mene madame I
ȝow by-seche .¶ Þat is a castelR.1.63: Both F and beta read þe castel. This is also the reading of both Ax and Cx. Among the B
manuscripts, only H agrees with R on this lection. of care who-so cometh þere-Inne .May banne þat he borne was to body or to soule
.Þere-Inne wonyeth a
wyȝth þat wronge is I-hote .Fader of falsed and founded it hym-selue .d d d eAdam and eue he egged to Ille .Conseyled caym to cullen his brother .Iudas he Iapede with Iewes siluer .And sethen on an ellerne honged hym after .He is lettere of loue and lyeth hem alleÞat tristeth on his tresor bytrayed arenR.1.72: Beta copies
show considerable variation in this phrase, but beta itself probably read bitrayeþ he. This is a simple reversal of the archetypal C
reading, which is he bytrayeth. By contrast, alpha's reading here is
identical to that of Ax. sonneste .¶ Þanne haued I wonder in my witt what
womman sche itR.1.73:
For alpha's sche, beta reads it. Beta's lection agrees
exactly with Ax, but the alpha reading is semantically the same as that
of C, which is he. were .Þat suche wyse wordes of holy wrytt schewed
.¶ And haskedR.1.75: Cf. F's halsede and beta's
asked. Though both variants are available in the A
tradition, Ax almost certainly agreed with F's reading. The same is true
for Cx, though a third variant, hanslede, is
generated in some copies—apparently by metathesis—from a variant spelling of the
original (= halsnede) still found in manuscripts EcQSc. The evidence in
the B tradition seems easiest to explain on the supposition that R's
verb form, hasked, was that of Bx and that beta
merely normalized its spelling while F corrected the reading itself through his habitual use
of an A manuscript for proofing. hyre on þe hiȝe name
er heo þennes ȝode .What hesheR.1.76:He, "she." were witterly þat wissed me so faire .¶ Holy cherche I am quod hesheR.1.77:He, "she." þow hauȝtest me to knowe .I vnderfong þe ferst and þe faith tauȝte
.And brouȝtest me borwes my byddyng to
fulfille .And to loue lely meme lellyR.1.80:
Beta transposes alpha's lely me as me lelly. Beta's
word order is also that of the A version. þe while þi
lif dureth .Þanne I courbed on my knes and cryed hire of
grace . And preyed hire pytously to preyeR.1.82: For alpha's to preye, beta reads simply prey. Alpha's reading is supported by
that of Ax. for my synnes . And also kenne me kendely on cryst to byleue .R.1.83: Alpha omits
the following line found in beta:That I miȝte worchen his wille þat wrouȝte me to man. The line
is not present in the C version but is attested in the A version. Teche me to no tresor bute telle me þis ilke . How I may saue my soule þat seint art I-holde .¶ Whanne alle tresores aren tryed quod hesheR.1.86:He, "she." trewthe is þe beste . I do it on deus caritas
to deme þe sothe .Þat itItR.1.88:
For alpha's Þat it, , beta and the other two versional archetypes read It. is as derworthe a drewery as dere god hym-selue .¶¶HeWhosoR.1.89:
R's He is unique; F reads He þat while beta reads Whoso. The A-version reading agrees with beta's. The C-version has a revised b-verse, but for this variant the manuscripts
divide into the two large families usually seen, with the P family supporting R (For he) while the X family is closer to beta (For
who). is trewe of his tonge and telleth non other .R.1.89:
Ordinarily, throughout this manuscript, the scribe indicated where rubricated paraph markers
should be inserted—alternately blue and red—by leaving a small cc in the margin. Many of these survive in the latter part of the manuscript, where
very few rubricated paraphs were ever completed, but some have been erased, as is the case on
fol. 80, where only the blank line between strophes attests scribal intentions. And doth þe werkes þere-with and wilneth noman ille . He is a god by þe gospel a-grownde and a-lofte . And I-lyke to oure lorde by
seint lukes wordes . Þe clerkes þat knowe þis schulde kennen it a-boute . For cristene and vncristene claymeth it vchone .¶ Kynges and kniȝtes schulde kepe it by resoun
.BRyden and rappe adoun
in reumes aboute . And taken transgressores and
teyȝen hem fast . Til treweth hadde I-termined
here trespas to þende . And þat is þe professioun apertelyche
þat appendeth forR.1.99: Most B copies, including F, read to knyȝtes. The latter reading is also that of the
A and C version. kniȝtes And nouȝt to fasten a friday in fyue score winter
. But holden with him and wyth hire þat wolden alle
trewtheNeAndR.1.102:Ne is an alpha variant; beta reads And. Beta's reading
here is also that of Ax and Cx. neuere leue
hem for loue ne for lacchynge of seluer¶¶ For dauid in his dayȝes
dubbede kniȝtes And dede hem swere on here swerdesswerdeR.1.104:
The plural form is unique to R; the other B witnesses show swerde. Although three copies from the A tradition and one from
C agree with R's plural, it is clear that the archetype in both of the
other versions agreed with the B majority. to serue
trewth euere And who-so At this point there
was an original diagonal tear in the parchment (repaired by stitching). The scribe has
written around the tear, which also affects the spacing of R1.106 between crist and kyngene. passed þat poynt was apostata in þatordre¶ But crist kyngene kyngR.1.106: A partially erased <h> is visible,
occupying the space between the <g> of king and the punctus
elevatus. The <h> in question may connect with a partially erased ampersand above kyngene earlier in the line and indicate the occurrence of a fairly extensive
erasure / correction in this passage. kniȝtede ten . Cherubyn and seraphyn suche seuene and othere . And ȝaf hem miȝt in his maieste þe murgur hem
thouȝte And ouer his mene meyne made hem archangeles TauȝteR.1.110: The <e> of Tauȝte has been partially rubbed out but is still legible. hem by þe
trinite trewthe to knowe .AndToR.1.111:
For alpha's And, beta reads To, which is also the
reading of the A version. be buxum at his biddynge
he badde hem nauȝt elles Lucifer with legiouns lerned it in heuene .Const fol. 80.TilBut for he brak buxumnesse his blisse gan he tyne And fel froo þat felaschyppe in a fendes
lyknesse . In-to a deepe derke
helle to dwelle þere fore euere . And mo thousantes with hym þan man couthe
noumbre . Loupen ouȝt with lucifer in lothelyche forme . For þei leueden vppon hym þat lyede in þis manere .Ponam pedem in aquilone &ceteraet similis ero altissimoR.1.119: R uniquely omits the end of this tag, as represented by the other B witnesses, as well as by C: et
similis ero altissimo. .¶ And alle þat hopede it miȝt be so none heuene miȝt
hem holde . But fellen outȝ in fendes lyknesse nyne dayes to-gyderes . Til god of his goodenesse gan stable and stynte . And garte þe heuene to stekye and stonden in quiete .¶ Whanne þis wykkede wente ouȝt wonderwyse þei fellen .Somme in erthe somme in
eyreertheR.1.125:
Most beta copies (M being a notable exception) transpose the order of alpha's elements to Somme in eyre somme in erthe. This
is also the order of Ax. However, Cx agrees with
alpha's phrasing. and somme in helle deepe .Ac lucifer lowest lyth of hem alle . For pruyde þat he peltpultR.1.127:
R's pelt is unique in spelling but substantively the same as the reading
of Cr and L (= pult). F has pitte. Beta reads putte, which is also the reading of A. ouȝt
his peyne hath none ende .¶ And alle þat worche with wronge wende þei
schulle .After here deth-day .
toandR.1.129:
For alpha's to, beta reads and, which is also the
reading of the A and C versions. dwelle with
þat schrewe¶ Ac þoo þat werche wel as holy writt telleth
.And enden as I oer[e]rere seyde in trewthe þat is þe beste .Mowe be siker þat here soule schal
wende to heuene .Þere trewthe is in trinite for toandsauetronethR.1.133:
In place of alpha's relatively vague saue(n), beta shows the properly
alliterating troneth. The entire b-verse in beta (and
troneth hem alle) is identical to that found in the A version .
Although the C version is revised at this point, the appearance of trone in the P sub-archetype of its cognate line (X = tour) also suggests
beta's superiority here. R's for to preceding the verb in question is
unique; F has þat shal while beta reads and. hem
alle .¶ For-þi I seye as I
seyde ere bybi siȝte of þis tixtes .R.1.134: Evidently, alpha had dropped the third stave of this line, producing a short
b-verse; beta, which agrees exactly with Ax here, reads bi
siȝte of þise textis.Whan alle tresores benR.1.135: Beta reads arn(e), which is also the probable reading of Ax. The C version is revised at this point. Itried trewthe is
þeR.1.135: The scribe has allocated a long space (approx. 1.8 cm.) between þe and beste to accommodate the original tear in the parchment
described at R1.105. beste .¶ LerethR.1.136: Beta adds it after Lereth. This is also the reading of the A and C archetypes.thisit þis lewed men for lettrede men it knoweth .Þat trewthe is tresor þe triest on eerthe .¶ I haueȜet haue IR.1.138:
For alpha's I haue, beta reads Ȝet haue I, which
is also the reading of Ax. However, the reading of alpha agrees with
that of Cx. no kende knowyng quatz I ȝette mote
Iȝelernekenne meR.1.138:
Once more, R's (and alpha's) third stave was defective in alliteration; cf. beta's b-verse,
which offers ȝet mote ȝe kenne me to R's ȝette mote I lerne. Beta's reading agrees with that of the other two
versions. bettre .By what craft in my corps it comseth and where
.¶ Þow dotede daffe quatz sche dulle arn þi
wittes .R.1.140: Hereafter, R's text is lost for KD1.141 through KD2.40.