Cr1.3.151KD.3.149 She blysseth these bushops though they be lewde
C.3.150KD.3.149 Scho blisses þise bisschopes · thyo þey be lewed
R.3.141KD.3.149-150
¶
He blisseth þes bisshopes and prestes am.eyntenetha m.eynteneth .R.3.141: R's phrasing in this line represents a unique compression of two lines from
Bx, apparently necessitated by textual loss in alpha since F also
improvises at this point. Beta, which here appears to reflect Bx better, reads:
She blesseth þise Bisshopes þeiȝe þey be lewed
Prouendreth persones,
and prestes meynteneth.
Nevertheless, when R and F witness an alpha variant in
this last half-line, with their inclusion of a reasserted pronoun (cf. F's & prestys she meynteneþ), they are presumably attesting Bx accurately since both the A and C versions agree on this point.
F.4.138KD.3.149& she blessiþ bisshopis / & beggerys she hateþ. A problem in alpha has led F to invent new b-verses for these two lines. Beta witnesses attest:
She blesseþ þise Bisshopes þeiȝ þei be lewed
Prouendreth persones, and preestes maynteneþ