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 7William 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
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LatinFrenchGermanNovember 2005 revise header, update DTD and ent files Hoyt N. Duggan New header created Passus v . visPassus septimus de visione vt
supra .R.7.0: At the extreme right margin, on the same line as the passus
heading, there is the cropped fragment of a rubrication guide, very small and in a light
brown, contemporary hand: Passus v. Below this
fragment is another cropped line, partially obscured by the grain of the membrane: vis.Treuthe herd telle here-offe and to peres he sente . To taken his teme and tulyen þe erthe . And purchased hym a pardoun a pena et a culpa. For hym and for his eyres for euer-more after And bad hym holden hym at home and erien his leyes . And alle þat holpe hym to erie to setten or to sowe . Or any other mester þat miȝt peres auayle . Pardoun with peres þeR.7.8: Among the other B copies, only the B family (BmBoCot), a textually inferior group, shares
R's þe before plowman; the other beta copies omit any
determiner at this point, apparently reading the reference to Langland's central character as
a full proper name, pieres plowman; F omits everything from the a-verse
after Pers. However, among the C witnesses, the X
family agrees with R (against the P family's support of beta). plowman
treuthe hath I-graunted . ¶ Kynges and kniȝtes þat kepen holy cherchescherche .R.7.9:
R's plural is unique; all other B copies show the singular, cherche, which agrees with the reading of Ax. And riȝtfulliche in reumes reulen þe poeple .And[Han]HanR.7.11:And is unique error; most other B copies read Han, which agrees with the reading of Ax and Cx. pardoun þorȝ purgatorie to passe
ful liȝtly . With patriarkes and prophetes in paradis to
be felawesfelawe .¶¶ Bisshopes I-blessed if þei ben as þei schulden . Legistres of bothe lawes þe lewed þere-with to preche . And in as muche as þei mowe amenden alle
synfulle . Aren peres with þe aposteles þusþis pardoun peres schewes . And at þe daye of dome at heie dayes to sitte .¶¶ Marchauntes in þe margyne hauedhadde(n)R.7.18:
R's verb form here is unique and slightly archaic; most of the other manuscripts of all
versions read hadde(n). No difference in meaning is discernible.
many ȝeres .Ac nonone aR.7.19:
Alpha construes the opening of this phrase as English and omits the initial Latin
preposition; cf. beta's none a pena. The X family of the C version treats this phrase exactly as alpha does, while the reading of the P family
omits the negative and is obviously corrupt.pena et a culpa þepopeþe
pope wald hem nauȝtnilR.7.19:
In place of R's wald hem nauȝt, F has will(e) not
while beta reads nolde hem; no beta copy (nor any A
or C witness) attests the presence of alpha's nauȝt. Beta is likelier to be authorial. In a slightly revised version of this
half-line, the C version reads either nolde hem (P
family) or wolde hem (X family). The same disagreement between wolde and nolde divides the A copies
into two large groups. graunte . For þei holde nauȝt herehalydayhalidayesR.7.20:
Although M agrees with alpha on this singular form, most beta witnesses show the plural, halidayes. Most A copies agree with the majority beta
reading, but the C manuscripts divide into two large groups, the X
family (with some P- family support) atetsting alpha's form while the dominant P-family
reading agrees with beta. as holy cherche tellethtecheth .R.7.20: R's telleth is unique; Bx has techeth, the same reading found at this point, uniformly, in the other
versions . And for þei swere ofteby her soule andR.7.21:
In place of alpha's non-alliterating ofte, beta reads by her
soule, which agrees with the phrasing of both the A and C versions. so godR.7.21: Beta has and so god moste hem helpe. This is also the reading of the other two
versions.hem helpemoste hem helpe . Aȝeyne clene consience here catel to selle .¶¶ Ac vnder his secrete seel treuthe
sent hem a lettre . Þat þei schulde bugge boldely þat hem best likethlikedR.7.24:
In place of alpha's present-tense form, beta has a preterite, liked; all
but one C witness agrees with beta, but the A
manuscripts are split: a majority agree with beta's preterite, but a significant minority
attest alpha's form. Kane chooses the minority reading for his edition of A, but Kane-Donaldson endorse the beta reading in their edition of B. . And sitthenus sellen it vsnilR.7.25:
R's vs is a unique addition to the text of Bx, which
agrees here with that of Ax and Cx.
aȝeyn and sauen þe wynnyngeswynnynge .R.7.25: Beta shows a singular form, wynnyge. The Ax reading agrees with beta's, but the C manuscripts are split, a
majority (including the best witnesses in both major families) agreeing with alpha's plural
while a minority supports beta. And amenden mesondewes þere-with
& myseise folk helpe . And wikked wayes wiȝtliche hem amende . And do bote to brugges þat to-broke were . Marien maydenes or maken hem nonnes . Pore poeple orandR.7.30:
R's or is unique; Bx has and. prisones fynden hem here fode . And sette scoleres to scole or toR.7.31: The alpha b-verse lacks an
alliterative stave; beta reads to somme other
craftes. Beta's reading is supported by the analogous verse from A,
which reads to summe skynes craftis.othersomme other craftes . Releue religioun and renten hem bettere .¶¶ And I schal sende ȝow my-selue seint mychel myn archangel . Þat no deuel schal ȝow dere ne fere ȝow in
ȝoure deynge . And wyten ȝow fram wan-hope
if ȝe wil þus werche . And sende ȝoure soules in safte to my seintes in ioye
.¶¶ Þanne weremanye marchauntzMarchauntz mery þat wopenmany weptenR.7.37:
In place of alpha's manye marchauntz þat wopen, the beta
phrase is Marchauntz mery many wepten. The beta phrase agrees entirely
with the wording of Ax and Cx. for ioye
. And preiseden peres þe plowman þat purchaced
þis bulle . Men of lawe leste pardoun hadde .R.7.39: Here alpha
seems to have mislineated by truncation (as reflected in R's short line), which causes the
authorial b-verse to be cast as a following line (R7.40), fleshed out (uniquely in R) with
for þat craft is schrewed. F attempts an even more extensive smoothing,
rendering the two lines as follows:But men of Lawe of pardoun / þe leeste part þey haddyn.For þey for meede
pletyn moore / þan mychil for goddis helpe. Þat pleteden for mede for þat craft is schrewedþat pleteden for Mede . For þe sauter saueth hem nauȝt suche as taketh
ȝiftes . And nameliche of innocentes þat non euel ne cunneth .R.7.42: Hereafter
beta includes a Latin citation omitted by alpha:Super innocentem munera non accipies. ¶ Pledoures schuld peynen hem to plede for suche and helpe
. Princes and prelates schulde paye for here trauayle .A regibus et principibus erit merces
eorum . ¶ Ac many a iustice and iuroure walde for
Iohan do more . Þanne pro dei pietate
leue þow non other . ¶ Ac he þat spenethspendethR.7.48:
R's speneth is a unique reading (the other B
manuscripts read spendeth); however, R's verb derived historically from
spende(n), is synonymous with it, and occurs in free variation with it
throughout R (cf. R10.109). From its sometimes parallel occurrence in L (as at KD10.90), the
form seems likely to be an authorial relict. A majority of C copies
agree with R's form here, as does the text of Bodley 851, but most A
manuscripts agree with beta. his speche and speketh for þe pore . Þat is innocent and nedy and noman appayreth .AndnilR.7.50:
Beta omits And. The A version attests the same
a-verse and reads it exactly as beta does. conforteth hym in þat cas with-oute coueytise of ȝiftes . And scheweth lawe for oure lordes loue as he it hath I-lerned . Schal no deuel at his ded-day
deren hym a myte . Þat he ne worth saef and his soule þe sauter bereth witnesse
.Domine quis habitabit in tabernaculo tuo .
— &cetera . ¶ Ac to bugge waternone wynd ne witt ne fire þe ferthe . Þise foure þe fader of heuene made to þis folde
in comune . Þes ben treuthes tresores trewe folke to helpe . Þat neuere schal wex ne wanye with-oute god hym-selue ¶ Whan þei drawen in-toontoR.7.59:
Beta reads on(e) to (LMCrW), followed by deye(n)
(LMCrWCG) . Cx agrees exactly with F's to þe deþ
. deth and indulgences wolde haue . His pardoun is ful petyt at hisherR.7.60:
R's second his in this line is unique; all other B
manuscripts read a plural form like W's hir. However, Cx agrees exactly with R's rendering of this line, including the singular posessive
here. partyng hennes . Þat medeany MedeR.7.61:
R uniquely omits any before mede. F and beta agree with
Ax in attesting the presence of this determiner, but R has the support
of Cx in omitting it. of mene men for her motyng taketh
. Þe legistres and þenilR.7.62:
R's þe is a unique addition to this line. Although R's þ and y tend oftentimes to overlap in form, this word was probably
mistranscribed by Kane and Donaldson, who read it as ye, an error also
implicit in their earlier omission of R from the lemma for witnesses beginning this line with
Þe; that group includes R's sibling F. lawyeres holdeth
þis for treuthe . Þat if þat I lye mathew is to blame . For he bad me make ȝow þis and þis
prouerbe me tolde .Quodcumque wltis vt faciant
vobis homines facite eis . ¶ Alle libbyng laboreres þat lyuen with here hondes . Þat treweliche taken and treweliche wynnen . And lyuen in loue and in lawe for here lowe
hertehertis .R.7.68: Beta shows the plural hertis. The C
version omits this line, and the A manuscripts are divided, with
slightly more than half supporting alpha's singular and the rest agreeing with beta's
plural. Haueth þe same absolucion þat sent was to
peres .R.7.69: The scribe omitted the customary space between this line and the new verse
paragraph below, but he often does so when, as here, the new unit begins on the last line of
a side. ¶ Beggeres ne bydderes ne beth nauȝt in þe
bulle . But ȝif þe sugestion be soth þat schapeth hymhemR.7.71:
R's hym is unique among the B manuscripts. The others
read hem. Ax agrees with the reading of the B majority, but the C manuscripts are divided by major
groups, the X family supporting R while the P group supports the other B
copies. to begge . For he þat beggeth or bit but if he haue nede . He is fals with þe fende and defraudeth þe nedy . And also he gylethbigilethR.7.74:
Both beta and F read bigileth. However, R's unique verb form agrees
exactly with the reading of Ax and Cx. þe
gyuere ageynes his wille . For if he wist he were nauȝt nedy he walde ȝif þat
another Þat were more nedyernedyR.7.76:
Alpha and M have nedyer (with the final <ere> erased in M) where the
other beta copies read nedy.and nauȝtierþan heR.7.76:
R's and nauȝtier is unique; beta has þan he while
F shows an almost identical þan he &. so þe nedyest
schuld be hulpe .¶¶R.7.77: R
alone marks this line with a paraph. Caton kenneth men þus and þe clerke of
þenilR.7.77:
Most beta copies omit alpha's þe, but it is likely to be original since LM
attest it. stories .Cui des videto is catones teching . And in þe stories he techeth to bystowe þin almes .Sit elemosinaelemosina tuaR.7.80: Most beta copies read elemosina tua in manu
tua, but LM support alpha's omission of the first tua. in manu tua donec studes cui des .¶¶ Ac gregorie iswas aR.7.81: In place of R's is a, beta reads was a.
F reads þat. good man and badde vs gyuen alle . Þat asketh for his loue þat vs alle leneth .Non eligas cui miserearis ne forte
pretereas illum qui
meretur accipere .Quia incertum est pro quo
deum magis placeas .¶¶ For wite ȝe neuere who
is worthi ac god wote who hath nede .AllenilR.7.86:
Beta omits Alle, beginning the line with In; F begins
this line with For in. in hym þat taketh is trecherieþe treccheryeR.7.86:
Alpha lacks beta's þe before treccherye.
if any treson walke . For hehe þatȝiftȝiuethR.7.87:
F reads the opening of this a-verse as For þe man þat ȝifte; beta has
For he þat ȝiueth. It seems clear from these overlapping agreements
that R is responsible uniquely for omitting þat, that F replaces
archetypal he with þe man, and that the ȝifte / ȝiueth dichotomy reflects an alpha / beta
difference. ȝeldeth and ȝarketh hym to reste . And he þat bitbiddethR.7.88:
R's bit is a unique verb form here. F makes extensive revisions to the
entire line, while most beta copies read biddeth. boreweth
and bryngeth hym-selue in detteFor-thiForR.7.89:
Beta reads For. beggeres borewen euere-mo and her borȝ is god almiȝti . To ȝelden hem þat ȝyueth hem and ȝut vsure
amoremoreR.7.90:
R alone reads amore; other B witnesses correctly have
more. .Quare non dedisti peccuniam meam ad mensam
Vt ego venieniss cum vsuris &nil exigissem ¶¶ For-thi
biddeth nauȝt ȝe beggeres but if ȝe haue grete nede . For ho-so hath to
buggen hym brede þe boke bereth witnesse . He hath I-nowe þat hath brede I-nowe þauȝ he haue nauȝt elles .Satis diues est qui indiget[non] indigetnon indigetR.7.96: R's omission of non before indiget is unique. pane .¶¶ Late vsage be ȝoure
solas of seyntes lyues redynge . Þe book banneth beggarie and blameth hem in þis
manere .Iunior fui etenim senui & non vidi iustumiustum derelictum nec semen eius &c . For ȝe lyue in no loue ne no lawe holde . Many of ȝow ne wed nauȝt þe wommen
þat ȝe with delen . But as wilde bestes with wehe worthen vp and werchen . And bryngen forthe barnes þat bastardes men calleth . Or þe bak or þesomeR.7.104:
Both beta and F read some bone. This agrees with the
reading of Cx. Ax had read his bon. bone þeiheR.7.104:
Beta manuscripts have he breketh for alpha's þei
breken. The A manuscripts are divided, some attesting a singular
and others a plural, but Cx agrees with alpha, treating the phrase as a
plural. breken in herehis ȝouthe . And sitthen gon faiten with hereȝoureR.7.105:
Although OC2 support alpha's reading, beta has ȝoure for alpha's here. Both Ax and Cx agree with alpha. fauntes for euere-more after . Þere is mo mischape poeple amonges þise beggeres . Þanne of alle manere men þat on þis molde walketh .ÞoAnd þeiR.7.108:
In place of alpha's Þo or For þo (= F), beta reads And þei. Both Ax and Cx agree with
R's version of the entire a-verse. þat lyueth þus here lif mowe lothe þe tyme
. Þat euere he was man wrouȝte whan he
schal hennes fare . ¶ Ac olde men and hore þat helples ben of strength . And wymm..en with childe þat werche ne mowe . Blynde and bederede and broken innilR.7.112:
R's in is a unique reading; this preposition is omitted by the other B witnesses but is attested in two of the A copies (Ma
and H) and in Cx. here membres . Þat taketh þis meschief mekelich as meseles and othere
. Haue as pleynepardounpleyne
pardoun as þe plowman hym-selue
. For loue of here lowe hertes oure lorde hath hem graunted
. Here penance and here purgatorie here vpononR.7.116:
F garbles the entire b-verse; beta reads here on in place of R's here vpon. The reading of A for this half-line seems
uncertain, but six A witnesses attest the presence of here at the beginning of this phrase and five read here vpon . C omits B's here from the phrase;
the full Cx reading is vppon this puyre erthe.
þis erthe . ¶ Peres quod a prest þo þi
pardoun moste I rede . For I schalwilR.7.118:
Beta reads wil. Ax agrees with alpha. construe
vche clause and kenne it þe an englys . ¶ And peres at his preyere þe pardon henilR.7.119:
R's he is a unique addition to the text as witnessed by the other B copies. Both Ax and Cx agree
with the B majority. vnfoldeth . And I be-hynde hem bothe
by-helde alle þe bulle . Alle in to lynes it lay and nauȝt a lef more . And was I-writenwriten riȝt þus In witnesse of treuthe .Et qui bona egerunt ibunt in vitam
eternam .Qui vero mala in ignem eternum— ¶ Peter quod þe prest þo I can no
pardoun fynde . But do wel and haue wel and god schal haue þi soule . And do yuel and haue yuel hope þow non other .ÞatButR.7.128:
R's Þat is an alpha variant supported by LM. Most other beta copies read
But. Y reads And. Ax agrees with
the RFLM reading. after þi deth-day þe deuel
schal haue þi soule . ¶ And peres for puer tene pulled it a-tweyne .And seyde . Si ambulauero in medio vmbre
mortisNon timebo mala quoniam tu mecum es
.R.7.131: Here the scribe omits the customary space between strophes,
presumably because the next verse paragraph begins on the last line of this side. ¶ I schal sese of my sowyng quod peres and
swynke nauȝt so harde . Ne aboute my bely ioye so bysy be namore . Of preyeres and of penauncespenaunceR.7.134:
Beta shows the singular penaunce. Although two A
witnesses (DMa) agree with alpha, it is clear that Ax read the same
singular form as beta. my plow schal ben here-after . And wepen whanne I schulde slepe þouȝ whete brede me
faile .¶¶ Þe prophete his payn eet
in penaunce and in sorwe . By þat þe sauter seith so dede
othermanyeother manye . Þat loueth god lely his liflode is ful esy .Fuerunt michi lacrime mee panes die ac nocte
.¶¶ And but if luke lye orheR.7.140:
Beta reads he. Ax agrees with the beta
reading. lereth vs bebifolesfoulesR.7.140:
Alpha has foles; all other B witnesses have some form of foules, "birds." . We schuld nauȝt be to bysi aboute þe werldes blisse
.Ne solliciti sitis he seyth in þe
gospelle . And scheweth vs by ensaumples vs-selue to wisse . Þe foules ofinR.7.144:
R's of is unique; F and most beta copies read in. LM
have on. The A version reads the key phrase of this
half-line as foulis in þe firmament. þe felde
ho fynt hem mete at wynter . Haue þei no gerner to gotogo to
but god fynt hem alle .¶¶ What quod þe prest to perkyn
peter as me thenketh . Þow art lettred a lytel ho lerned þe on boke .¶¶AbstinenceAbstinence þe abbesseR.7.148:
After Abstinence, beta adds þe abbesse. The passage
does not appear in C but is phrased in A exactly as
in beta. quod peres myn a b c me tauȝte . And consience come afterward and kenned me muche more
.¶¶ Were þow a prest peres quod
he þow miȝtest preche where þow woldestsholdestR.7.150:
Beta reads where þow sholdest while F condenses the line's final phrase to
abowte.R.7.150: The <t> of woldest
disappears into the gutter of the binding, so it is impossible to see whether a final punctus
is present. As dyuinor ofinR.7.151:
Beta reads in. diuinite with dixit
insipiens to þi teme .¶¶ Lewed lorel quod peres
litel lokestow on þiR.7.152: Both F and beta read þe, which is also the
reading of Ax. bible . AndR.7.153: Beta reads On; F rephrases the entire
a-verse, beginning it with Þere. salamounes sawes selden
þow beholdest .EcceR.7.154: Many B manuscripts
read Eice, including F and numerous beta copies; however, the
most authoritative beta copies (including LMCrW) all agree with R on Ecce. The latter variant is clearly erroneous with regard to the original
Vulgate text, but it probably already existed as a Vulgate variant long before Langland's
day since the same paleographic factors that would have induced multiple independent errors
in both directions among Piers Plowman scribes already were in place. Even
Kane-Donaldson fall into this pit, mistranscribing R's Ecce
as Eice because it is barely possible to construe
(generously) the <cc> as <ic> joined at the top by a ligature—until one
notices, in the preceding tag at R7.142, that the R scribe does not avail himself of a
ligature when writing the <ic> of solliciti. There is
no way to know which word Langland himself wrote, but since all A
manuscripts attest Ecce, the odds are, as Rigg and Brewer
theorize in Piers Plowman: The Z Version (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of
Mediaeval Studies, 1983): 111, that various B scribes attempted to do
for Langland what Kane-Donaldson unconsciously do for R: repair the damage quietly. See
John A. Alford, Piers Plowman: A Guide to the Quotations
(Binghamton: MRTS, 1992), p. 57, for discussion of this tag.derisoresderisores et iurgia cum eis ne crescant &cetera .R.7.154: R omits the end of this citation, which in
beta reads: iurgia cum eis ne crescant &c. F's version of
the rest of the citation is, typically, unique: & exibit cum eo
iurgium cessabitque cause & contumelie.¶¶ Þe prest and perkyn apposed eyther
other .¶¶ And I thorȝ her wordes R.7.156: R alone
misplaces the caesura indicator. a-woke and wayted
aboute . And seyȝ þe sonne in þe south sitte þat tyme . Meteles and moneles on maluerne hulles . Musyng on þis meteles aandR.7.159:A, "and." my weyR.7.159: Beta reads this phrase as and
my waye; F has as y my way. All three versions of the phrase are
likely to be corrupt, with R closest to the presumed original attested in Ax and Cx: a myle way. ich ȝede
. Many tyme þis meteles hath maked me to stodie .of þat I seyȝ slepyng Of þat I seyȝ slepyng if it so be miȝte . And al-so for peres þe plowman
ful pensif in herte . And which a pardon peres hadde al þe poeple to conforte
. ¶ And how þe prest inpugned it with to
propre wordes . Ac I haue no sauour in song.ewarie for I se it ofte faile . Caton and canonistres conseileth vs to leue . To sette saddenesse in songewarie for sompnia ne cures . ¶ Ac for þe bok byble bereth witnesse . How daniel diuined þe dremeR.7.169: F and most beta witnesses
attest the plural dremes. of a kyng . Þat was Nabagodonosor I-nempnednempned of clerkes . Daniel seyde sire kyng þi dremeles beto
kenethbeto-keneth . Þat vnkouth kniȝtes schul come þi kyngdom to reuecleue .R.7.172: In place of alpha's reue, beta witnesses are divided
between cleyme (CrWHmC) and cleue (LMGOC2). Ax reads cleyme, but the stemmatic array
of the two variants from beta actually suggests that its form was somewhat likelier to have
been cleue. Amonges lowere lordes þi lond schal be departed . And as daniel dyuined in dede it fel after . Þe kyng les his lordschippe and lowere men
it hadde . ¶ And Ioseph mette merueylously how þe mone and þe sonne
. And þe elleuene steres haylsed hym alle . ¶ Þanne Iacob iugede Iosepes sweuene .Beau filtz quod his fader for defaute we
schullen . I my-self and my sones
seche þe for nede . ¶ It byfel as his fader seyde in pharaoes tyme . Þat Ioseph was Iustice egipte to loke . It byfel as his fader tolde his frendes hym þereþere hym souȝteR.7.183: Reversing R's hym þere souȝte, beta reads þere hym souȝte; F has sowtyn þere. . And alle þis maketh me on þis meteles to thenke . ¶ And how þe prest preuede no pardoun to
do-wel . And nempneddemedR.7.186:
R's nempned is a unique error, failing in alliteration; F and beta agree
on demed, which is also the reading of Cx and of some
of the A manuscripts (most of the others read various forms of another
alliterating verb, e.g., manuscript A's deuyned). þat dowel
indulgence passed Byennales and triennales and bisshopes
lettres . And how dowel at þe day of dome is dignelich vnderfonge And passeth alle pardounþe pardounR.7.189:
R uniquely omits þe before pardoun. Only one A manuscript duplicates this error (the others all agree with Bx). of seinte petres chercheR.7.189: Here the scribe omits the
customary space between strophes, presumably because the next verse paragraph begins on the
last line of this side. ¶ Now hath þe pope pouere pardoun to
graunte þe poeple .f j With-oute any penance to
passen in-to heuene .Þis oureÞis [is] oureÞis is owreR.7.192:
R uniquely omits is before beleue. beleue
as lettred men vs techeth .Quodcumque
ligaueris super terram erit ligatum & in celis
. And so I leue lelly lordes forbode elles . Þat pardoun and penance and preyeres don
saue . Soules þat haue synned seuen sythes dedly . Ac to trist to þis triennales trewely me thenketh .Itnil isR.7.198: Beta omits It and begins the line with Is. Seven A witnesses (UDVJAWaN) agree with beta in this
omission, but the others agree with alpha. Among the C copies, it seems
likely that the progenitor of the P family agreed with beta's omission, but the X family
clearly supports the inclusion of Hit at the head of this line.
nauȝt so siker for þe soule certes as is dowel .¶ For-thi I rede ȝow thenkerenkesR.7.199:
Alpha was corrupt here and R presumably mirrors its reading with ȝow
thenke; cf. beta's presumptively authentic ȝow renkes. F offers
a typical job of smoothing alpha's error: ȝow alle. Cx agrees with beta. þat riche ben on þis erthe . Vppon triste of ȝoure tresor
triennales to haue . Be ȝe neuere þe boldere to breke þe
ten hestes . And nameliche ȝe maystres mayres and Iuges . Þat haue þe welth of þis worlde . andand for wise men ben holden . To purchace ȝow pardoun and þe popes
bulles . At þe dredful dome whanne dede schullen risen . And comen alle byfore criste andnil acountesR.7.206: Alpha adds and at the head of this b-verse; although
several A manuscripts do the same, it is obvious that both Ax and Cx agree with beta in omitting this
conjunction. to ȝelde . How þow hladdest þi lif here and his lawes keptest . And how þow dostdedestR.7.208:
Beta has dedest; F reads a present form, don. Ax agrees with beta. day by day þe dome wil reherce . A pouhȝ-fulpokeR.7.209:
This unusual form appears only in R. The word pouhȝ, "sack, bag," is
synonymous with poke, the form attested by other manuscripts. This form is
possibly original, since it appears in A's Vernon manuscript, and
Kane-Russell have adopted it for their critical text of C of
pardoun þere ne prouinciales lettres
. Þowe ȝe be founde in þe fraternite of
alle þe fyuefoureR.7.210:
R's fyue is a unique variant among the B witnesses;
beta and F read foure. Ax agrees with the B majority, but Cx agrees with R. ordres . And haue indulgences dubblefolde butbut if dowel wilnil ȝowR.7.211: Beta has the unmetrical reading but if dowel ȝow. R's
wil is a unique addition. helpe . I sette ȝoure patentes and ȝoure pardoun
at on pyes hele .¶Forthi I conseile alle cristene to crie god mercy
.R.7.213: Although he left the job of ornamenting R far from complete, the rubricator
usually took care to alternate blue with red paraph markers. However, on this page the
pattern is broken (two red parasigns in a row), presumably through inadvertency. The verse
strophe preceding this one is fairly long, but there is no evidence that a paragraph division
was overlooked by the copyist. Only one of the older B manuscripts shows
any division between KD7.187 and KD7.201 (Hm, at KD7.193); the rest agree with R in marking
none. And marie his moder be oure mene by-twene . Þat god gyue vs grace here ar we go hennes . Suche werkes to werche þenilR.7.216:
Beta omits þe. Ax agrees with beta, as does the P
family of C witnesses; however, the X family agrees with alpha.
while we ben here . Þat after oure deth-day
dowel reherce . At þe day of dome we dede as he hiȝte .