R.18 – PPEA

fol. 89v (cont.)I

passus xvjus

Passus xvjjusxv[ii]jusseptimus decimus[octauus] decimus de visione vt supra . — — R.18.0: An early user has attempted to correct the scribal passus number (which is now undercounted by two) by adding a single brown <j> after the <vj> of the heading.

W
R.18.1KD.18.1
                     						Wolward and wete-schode
                     						 wente I forth after .
                  
R.18.2KD.18.2 As a reccheles renke  þat of no wo recchetth
R.18.3KD.18.3 And ȝede forth like a lorel  al my Iif-tyme .
                  
R.18.4KD.18.4 Til I wex weri of þe worlde  and wilned efte slepeR.18.4:
                           							The other B witnesses read eft to for R's efte. Eight C manuscripts agree with R's omission of to but Cx presumably read as the B
                           							majority. .
                  
R.18.5KD.18.5 And lened me to a lentene  and longe tyme I sclepte .
R.18.6KD.18.9 And of cristes passioun and penaunce  þe
                     						poeple þat of-rauȝte .
                  
R.18.7KD.18.6 Rested me þere and rutte faste  til ramis
                        								palmarum .
                  
R.18.8KD.18.7 Of gurles and of gloria laus 
                     						gretliche me dremed .
                  
R.18.9KD.18.8 And how osanna by orgene  olde folke songen .

R.18.10KD.18.10 ¶ On semblable to þe samaritan  & sumdel
                     						to peres þe plowman .
                  
R.18.11KD.18.11 Barefoet on an asse bake  boteles cam
                     							prikyngeR.18.11: Only Cr agrees with R's form. Cf. beta's pryke. F reads springe, a variant that makes little sense.
                           							Presumably, in a copy between alpha and F someone had substituted the synonymous spurringe for alpha's prikynge, a mistake
                           							magnified by F's misreading. The reading of Cx here is uncertain, but a
                           							majority of the X family copies agree with R. .
                  
R.18.12KD.18.12 With-oute spores other
                     							spere  spraclicheR.18.12:
                           							This is an alpha variant; beta reads spakliche. However, Cx almost certainly agrees here with alpha. Cf. note at R.17.72: he lokede .
                  
R.18.13KD.18.13 As is þe kende of a kniȝt  þat cometh to be dubbed
                     						.
                  
fol. 90rI
R.18.14KD.18.14 To geten hym gulte spores  or galoches ycouped .R.18.14:
                           							After this line, the R scribe failed to leave a blank line, his usual custom for dividing
                           							verse strophes. No reason beyond oversight is apparent.

R.18.15KD.18.15 ¶ Þanne was feith in a fenestre  and criede a fili dauid .
                  
R.18.16KD.18.16 As doth an heraude of armes  whan auntrous cometh to iustes
                     						.
                  
R.18.17KD.18.17 Olde Iewes of iherusalem  for ioye þei songe .
R.18.18KD.18.17α
                     						Benedictus qui venit in
                           									nomine domini .

R.18.19KD.18.18 ¶ Þanne I frayned at feith  what alle þat
                     						fare bemente .
                  
R.18.20KD.18.19 And ho iusteR.18.20:
                           							After ho, R uniquely omits sholde. Cx confirms that this omission is an error. in iherusalem  ihesus he
                     						seyde .
                  
R.18.21KD.18.20 And fecchethR.18.21:
                           							Cf. F's fettyn and beta's fecche. Cx agrees with beta. þat þe fende claymeth  peres fruit þe
                     							plowman .
                  
R.18.22KD.18.21 Is peres in þis place quod I  and he prent
                     						on me .
                  
R.18.23KD.18.22 Þis ihesus of his gentrie  wol iuste in peres armes .
                  
R.18.24KD.18.23 In his helme and in his haubergoun  humana natura .
                  
R.18.25KD.18.24 Þat criste be nauȝt beknowe here  for consummatus
                        								deus .
                  
R.18.26KD.18.25 In peres paltok þe plowman  þis prikiare
                     						schal ride .
                  
R.18.27KD.18.26 For no dint schal hym dere  as in
                        							deitate patris .
                  

R.18.28KD.18.27

¶ Ho schal iuste with ihesus quod I  Iewes or scribes .

R.18.29KD.18.28 ¶ Nay quod faith
                     						but þeR.18.29:
                           							Where alpha reads faith but þe, beta has he þe foule.
                           								Cx agrees with alpha. fende  and fals dom to deye .R.18.29: For alpha's to deye, beta reads &
                              								deth. Cx agrees with alpha.
R.18.30KD.18.29 Deth seyth he schal fordo  and adoune bringe .
R.18.31KD.18.30 Alle þat lyueth andR.18.31:
                           							For alpha's and, beta reads or. A majority of C witnesses agrees with beta, but the P family subarchetype may have read
                           								oþer. loketh  in londe or in water .
                  
R.18.32KD.18.31 Lif seith þat he likthR.18.32:
                           							Among the beta manuscripts, only L shares alpha's lykth, a variant of lieth. Russell-Kane do not record any C manuscripts with
                           							this spelling.  and leith his lif to wedde .
                  
R.18.33KD.18.32 Þat for al þat deth can do  with-inne thre dayes .R.18.33: An early reader has marked this line in the right margin with a
                           							small red cross or star.
R.18.34KD.18.33 To walke and fecche fro þe fende  peres fruit þe plowman
                     						.
                  
R.18.35KD.18.34 And legge it þere hym liketh  and lucifer bynde .
R.18.36KD.18.35 And forbiteR.18.36:
                           							R's reading is unique; both F and beta show forbete; some beta copies have
                           							corrupted this to for to bete. In the C tradition,
                           							three X family manuscripts and most of the P family agree with R's reading. and doun
                     						bringe  bale deth for euere .
                  
R.18.37KD.18.35α
                     						O mors mors tua ero . —
                        							R.18.37: R's
                              								phrasing here is unique; the rest of the B manuscripts read O mors ero mors tua; however, the majority of the X family of C reads the line as R does.

R.18.38KD.18.36 ¶ Þanne cam pilatus with muche poeple  sedens pro tribunali .
                  
R.18.39KD.18.37 To se how douȝtiliche deth schulde do  & deme
                     							here
                     						beitherR.18.39:
                           							R's beither is a unique form; F has boþe; LWHm read botheres; M and Cr1 have boþes. There
                           							is a similarly wide variety of lections in the C manuscripts at this
                           							point, but none of them shows R's form. However, at C2.69 (Russell-Kane), manuscript F has
                           								beither. riȝte .
                  
R.18.40KD.18.38 Þe iewes and þe iustice  aȝeine ihesu
                     						þei were .
                  
R.18.41KD.18.39 And al hereR.18.41: Only L shares here with R; the other
                           							beta copies and F agree on þe. The C version agrees
                           							with the reading of F and the beta majority. court on ihesuR.18.41:
                           							R's ihesu is unique; Bx has hym. criede  crucifige scharpe .
                  

R.18.42KD.18.40 ¶ Þo put hym forth a piloure  bi-for pilat and seide .
                  
R.18.43KD.18.41 Þis ihesus of oureR.18.43: Here alpha omitted a
                           							stave word; cf. beta's iewes temple.
                     						temple  iapede and despisede .
                  
R.18.44KD.18.42 To fordoun it inR.18.44:
                           							R's in is an alpha variant; beta has on. Though four
                           								C manuscripts agree with RF, it is clear that Cx
                           							agrees with beta. a day  and in thre dayes after .
                  
R.18.45KD.18.43 Edifien it eft newe  here he stant þat seyde it .
fol. 90vI
R.18.46KD.18.44 And ȝut maken it as muche  in al manere
                     						poyntes .
                  
R.18.47KD.18.45 Bothe as longe and as large  a-lofteR.18.47:
                           							Cf. F's on lofte and beta's bi loft. Cx agrees with R. and bi grounde .
                  

R.18.48KD.18.46 ¶ Crucifige quod a
                     						cacchepole  I warante hym a wicche .
                  
R.18.49KD.18.47
                     						Tolle tolle quod an-other  and toke of kene thornes .
                  
R.18.50KD.18.48 And bygan of kene thorne  a gerland to make .
R.18.51KD.18.49 And sette it sore on his heued  & seyde in
                     							enuye .
                  
R.18.52KD.18.50
                     						Aue rabi quod þeR.18.52:
                           							In this noun phrase, R's þe is unique; F has þo and
                           							beta has þat. Cx agrees with beta. As for the
                           							following noun, the plural is an alpha variant; beta shows rybaud and Cx concurs.
                     						ribaudes  and threwe redes at hym .
                  
foure
R.18.53KD.18.51 Nayled hym with threR.18.53: At this point, beta reads thre while F has fowre. Hand2 has written foure
                           							in the left margin and placed a caret before thre (the R scribe's choice).
                           							However, thre has not been struck through nor erased, and we see no
                           							evidence for Hand2's having had supervisory authority in the production of MS R. The marginal
                           							note engages a famous medieval controversy about the details of the Crucifixion. Skeat notes
                           							that a "long essay might be written on the wholly unimportant question whether three or four were used in the Crucifixion." The
                              								Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman, in Three Parallel Texts (Oxford:
                           							Clarendon, 1886): 2.251. Because of the commonplace nature of the nail dispute, the reading
                           							of alpha itself must remain in doubt, but the usual patterns of copying in R and F suggest
                           							that alpha was much likelier to have read thre than foure. Kane-Donaldson certainly saw it that way: since R's original reading has not
                           							been subpuncted or struck out, they treat R's intended reading as thre,
                           							ignoring the marginal foure. nailes  naked vp-onR.18.53:
                           							R's vp-on is unique; the other B witnesses show on. Nevertheless, vp-on may well represent Bx here since the X family of C manuscripts also attests this
                           							reading (the P family agrees with beta). þe rode .
                  
R.18.54KD.18.52 And poyson on a pole  þei putteR.18.54:
                           							R reads this line in harmony with beta except that after putte, R uniquely
                           							omits vp from the beta phrase. It is true that F also omits this word, but
                           							that fact has no importance for assessing the archetypal reading since F completely
                           							transposes the entire Bx line. The X family of C
                           							agrees with beta on this lection, but the P family agrees with R in omitting vp. to his lippes .
                  
R.18.55KD.18.53 And bede hym drinke his deth euel  hys dayes were I-done .
                  
R.18.56KD.18.54 And ȝif þat þow sotyl be  helpe now þi-seluen .
                  
R.18.57KD.18.55 Ȝif þow be criste and kynges sone 
                     						comme doune of þe rode .
                  
R.18.58KD.18.56 Þan schul we leue þat lif þe loueth  & wil nauȝt
                     						lete þe deye .
                  

R.18.59KD.18.57 ¶ Consummatum
                        							est quod criste  and comsed for to swowne .
                  
R.18.60KD.18.58 Pitousliche and pale  as a prison þat deyeth 
R.18.61KD.18.59
                     						Til loreR.18.61: F begins this line with Tyl þe lord; beta reads simply Þe lorde. For the spelling lore, see Richard Jordan,
                           								Handbook of Middle English Grammar: Phonology, translated and revised by
                           							Eugene Joseph Crook (The Hague: Mouton, 1974): §199, remark 3. Cf. R.5.409: and R.14.184:.
                     						of lif and of liȝt  þo leyde his eyȝes to-gidres .
                  

R.18.62KD.18.60 ¶ Þe day for drede with-drow
                     						 and derk bicam þe sonne .
                  
R.18.63KD.18.61 Þe wal waged and clef  and al þe worlde quauede .
R.18.64KD.18.62 Dede men for þat dene  come oute of hereR.18.64:
                           							Alpha had lost the alliterating stave from the b-verse, substituting here
                           							for depe (the reading of beta and of Cx).
                     						graues .
                  
R.18.65KD.18.63 And tolde whi þat tempest  so longe tyme dured .
R.18.66KD.18.64 For a bitter bataile  þe dede body seyde .
R.18.67KD.18.65 Lif and deth in þis derkenesse  her on fordoth her other
                     						.
                  
R.18.68KD.18.66 Schal no wiȝte witte witterly  ho schal haue þe
                     						maystirie .
                  
R.18.69KD.18.67 Er soneday aboute sonne risynge  and sanke
                     						with þat til erthe .
                  
R.18.70KD.18.68 Summe seyde þat he was godes sone 
                     							þat so faire deyede .
                  
R.18.71KD.18.68α
                     						Vere filius dei erat iste 
                     					
                  
R.18.72KD.18.69 And somme seyde he was a wicche  gode is
                     							assayeR.18.72:
                           							The beta b-verse (presumably = Bx) is good is þat we
                              								assaye. From this phrase, F omits þat and R leaves out þat we. Cx agrees with beta. .
                  
R.18.73KD.18.70 Where he be dede ar nauȝte dede  doun
                     						er he be takne .
                  

R.18.74KD.18.71 ¶ To theues also  tholed dede þat tyme .
R.18.75KD.18.72 Vpon a cros bisides crist  so was þe comune lawe .
R.18.76KD.18.73
                     						AcR.18.76:
                           							F begins the line with But a; beta omits both conjunctions and opens with
                           								A. The P family of C manuscripts reads Qikliche cam a, but the X family agrees with beta. a cacchepol cam forth
                     						 and craked bothe her legges .
                  
R.18.77KD.18.74 And her armes after  of eyther of þo theues .
R.18.78KD.18.75 Ac was no boy so bolde  godes body to touche .
fol. 91rI
R.18.79KD.18.76 For he was kniȝt and kynges sone  kynde forȝaf
                     						þat throwe .R.18.79: For alpha's throwe, beta has tyme.
                           							Although beta's reading seems clearly inferior, Cx agrees with
                           							it.
R.18.80KD.18.77 Þat non harlot were so hardy  to leyn an handR.18.80: Here F
                           							reads the plural hondys while R's singular form agrees with beta. R's
                           							phrase, an hand, adds the determiner to Bx's text
                           							(which reads leyne hande); the addition of an is shared
                           							by convergence with Bo, whose corrector caught and deleted it.  vppon hym .
                  

R.18.81KD.18.78 ¶ Ac þere cam forth a kniȝt  with a kene spere I-grounde .
                  
R.18.82KD.18.79 Hiȝt longeus as þe lettre telleth  and
                     						longe had lore his siȝte .
                  
R.18.83KD.18.80 Bi-fore pilat and other poeple
                     						 in þe place he houed .
                  
R.18.84KD.18.81 Maugre his many teth  he was made þat tyme .
R.18.85KD.18.82 To take þe spere in his honde  and iuste with
                     							ihesus .
                  
R.18.86KD.18.83 For alle þei were vnhardi  þat houed on hors or stede .R.18.86: For alpha's redundant noun stede, beta attests the verb
                           								stode. Although the C line is revised, its sense and
                           							its final stave agree with beta's stode.
R.18.87KD.18.84 To toucheR.18.87:
                           							The beta phrase is To touche hym. Though this line is slightly revised in
                           							the C version, it is clear that Cx agrees with beta
                           							on this variant. or to taste hym  or take hym doun of rode .
                  
R.18.88KD.18.85 But þis blinde bachelere  þatR.18.88:
                           							Some beta copies omit þat; others read þanne. Cx agrees here with alpha. bare hym thoruȝ þe
                     						herte .
                  
R.18.89KD.18.86 Þe blode sprange doune be þe spere  & opned
                     						R.18.89: Alpha
                           							had lost the alliterating stave from the b-verse, substituting the common synonym opned for beta's vnspered. Cx reads
                           							as beta. þe kniȝtes eyȝes .
                  
R.18.90KD.18.87 Þan fel þe kniȝte vpon knes  and criede ihesuR.18.90:
                           							Cf. F's crist and beta's hym. Cx
                           							agrees with R. mercy .
                  
R.18.91KD.18.88 Aȝeine my wille it was lorde  to wounde
                     						ȝow so sore .
                  
R.18.92KD.18.89 He siȝede and seyde  sore it me athenketh .
R.18.93KD.18.90 For þe dede þat I haue do  I do me in
                     							ȝoure grace .
                  
R.18.94KD.18.91 Haue on me reuthe riȝtful ihesu  and
                     						riȝt with þat he wepte .
                  

R.18.95KD.18.92 ¶ Þanne gan feith felli  þe fals iewes despise .
R.18.96KD.18.93 Called hem caytyues  acorsed hemR.18.96:
                           							Beta omits the second hem from this line. Cx agrees
                           							with beta. for euere .
                  
R.18.97KD.18.94 For þis foule vilenye  veniaunce to ȝow alle .
R.18.98KD.18.95 To do þe blinde bete hym I-bounde
                     						 it was a boies conseile .
                  
R.18.99KD.18.96 Cursed caityues  knyȝthod was it neuere .
R.18.100KD.18.97 To mys-do a dede body  bi
                     						day or bi niȝte .
                  
R.18.101KD.18.98 Þe gre ȝut hath he geten  for alle his grete wounde
                     						.
                  

R.18.102KD.18.99 ¶ For ȝoure champion chiualere  chef
                     						kniȝt of ȝow alle .
                  
R.18.103KD.18.100 Ȝelt hym recreaunt rennynge 
                     						riȝt at ihesus wille .
                  
R.18.104KD.18.101 For be this derkenesse I-do
                     						 deth worth I-venkesched .R.18.104: In place of alpha's deth worth I-venkesched, beta's
                           							b-verse reads his deth worth avenged. Cx agrees with
                           							alpha.
R.18.105KD.18.102 And ȝe lordeynes han I-loste
                     						 for lif schal haue þe maistri .
                  
R.18.106KD.18.103 And ȝoure fraunchise þat fre was  fallen is in
                     						thraldam .
                  
R.18.107KD.18.104 And ȝe cherles and ȝoure children
                     						 cheue schal ȝe neuere .
                  
R.18.108KD.18.105 Ne haue lordeschippe in londe  ne none
                     						lond tulye .
                  
R.18.109KD.18.106 But alle barayne be  and vsurie vsen  
R.18.110KD.18.107 Whiche is lif þat oure lorde  in alle lawes acorseth
                     						.
                  
R.18.111KD.18.108 Now ȝoure gode dayes be do  as daniel
                     							prophecide .
                  
R.18.112KD.18.109 Whan crist cam þe kyngdomR.18.112: R's þe kyngdom is unique; F shows to his
                              								kyngdom while beta reads her kyngdom (though the CrWHm subset
                           							attests of hir kyngdom).  þe crounne schulde
                     							lese .
                  
n iiijusR.18.112: A fragment of a signature remains at the bottom right margin of this
                           							leaf: n ii.
fol. 91vI
R.18.113KD.18.109α
                     						Cum veniat sanctus
                           								sanctorumR.18.113: Alpha omits the rest of the verse, which beta completes by adding cessabit vnxio vestra. The beta version of this citation is also that
                                 									of the P family of C manuscripts; the X family shows more internal
                                 									variation, with some of the best witnesses ending the citation at cessat. .

R.18.114KD.18.110 ¶ What for fere of þis ferly  and of þoR.18.114: R's þo is unique; F and beta have þe.
                           							Some C manuscripts read thes, but Cx agrees with beta and F. fals iewes .
                  
R.18.115KD.18.111 I drouȝ me in þat derknesse  to descendit ad inferna .
                  
R.18.116KD.18.112 And þere I seiȝ sothly  secundum scripturas .
                  
R.18.117KD.18.113 Out of þe west cost  a wenche as me thouȝte .
R.18.118KD.18.114 Cam walkynge in þatR.18.118: R's þat is unique; F and beta read þe.
                           								Cx agrees with the B majority. weye
                     						 to helwarde sche lokede .
                  
R.18.119KD.18.115 Mercy hiȝt þat mayde  a meke thynge
                     							with-alle .
                  
R.18.120KD.18.116 A ful benygne burde  and buxum of speche
                     						.
                  
R.18.121KD.18.117 Hire suster as it semede  cam sofly
                     							walkynge .
                  
R.18.122KD.18.118 Euene out of þe est  and westwarde sche lokede .
R.18.123KD.18.119 A ful commely creature 
                     						treuthe sche hiȝte .
                  
R.18.124KD.18.120 For þe vertue þat hire folwed  aferde was
                     						sche neuere .
                  
R.18.125KD.18.121
                     						And whanR.18.125: Beta omits alpha's And. Cx agrees
                           							with beta. þis maydenes mette  mercy and treuthe .
                  
R.18.126KD.18.122 Eyther asked other  of þis grete wonder .
R.18.127KD.18.123 Of þe dene and of þe derkenesse  & how þe day rowede
                     						.
                  
R.18.128KD.18.124 And swichR.18.128: For alpha's swich, beta reads which.
                           								Cx agrees with beta. a liȝte and a lem  lay byfor
                     						helle .
                  
R.18.129KD.18.125 Ich haue ferly of þis fare  in feith seide treuthe .
R.18.130KD.18.126 And am wendynge to witte  what þis wondewonde[r] meneth .
                  

R.18.131KD.18.127 ¶ Haue no meruayle quod
                     							mercy  murthe it betokneth .
                  
R.18.132KD.18.128 A mayde þat hat marie  and moder with-oute
                     							felynge .
                  
R.18.133KD.18.129 Of any kendeR.18.133: For alpha's kende, beta reads kynnes.
                           								Cx reads either kynde (X family) or kynde of (P family). creature  conseyued
                     						thoruȝ speche .
                  
R.18.134KD.18.130 And grace of þe holy gost  wex grete with childe .
R.18.135KD.18.131 With-outen wem  in-to þis worlde sche brouȝte hym .
                  
R.18.136KD.18.132 And þat my tale be trewe  I take god to witnesse .
R.18.137KD.18.133 Sith þis barne was bore  ben thretty wynter passed .
R.18.138KD.18.134 Wich deyede and deth tholede  þis day aboute mydday .
R.18.139KD.18.135 And þat is cause of þis clipps  þat
                     						closeth now þe sonne 
                  
R.18.140KD.18.136 In menynge þat man schal  fro merkenesse
                     						be drawe .
                  
R.18.141KD.18.137 Þe while þis liȝte and þis lem  schal lucyfer
                     						ablende .
                  
R.18.142KD.18.138 For patriarkes and prophetes  han
                     							preched here-of often .
                  
R.18.143KD.18.139 Þat man schal man saue  thoruȝ a maydenes helpe
                     						.
                  
R.18.144KD.18.140 And þat was tynt þoruȝ tre  tre schal it wynne .
R.18.145KD.18.141 And þat deth doun brouȝt  deth schal
                     						releue .
                  

R.18.146KD.18.142 ¶ Þat þow tellest quod treuthe  is but a
                     						tale of waltrott
                  
fol. 92rI
R.18.147KD.18.143 For adam & eue  and abraham with other
                     						.
                  
R.18.148KD.18.144 Patriarkes and prophetes  þat in peyne
                     						lygen .
                  
R.18.149KD.18.145 Leue þow neuere þat ȝone liȝte 
                     						hem on lofteR.18.149: In place of alpha's on lofte, beta reads alofte. Cx agrees with beta. brynge .
                  
R.18.150KD.18.146 Ne haue hem oute of helle  halde þi tonge mercy .
R.18.151KD.18.147 It is but trufle þat þow telleste  R.18.151: Beta begins the b-verse with a reiterated
                           							pronoun reference: I treuth wote. Cx agrees with beta.
                     						treuthe wote þe sothe .
                  
R.18.152KD.18.148 For þat is ones in helle  out cometh it neuere .
R.18.153KD.18.149 Iob þe prophete patriarche 
                     							repreueth þi sawes .
                  
R.18.154KD.18.149α
                     						Quia in inferno nulla est
                           									redempcio .

R.18.155KD.18.150 ¶ Þanne mercy ful myldly  mouthed þes
                     						wordes .
                  
R.18.156KD.18.151 Þoruȝ experience quod he I
                     						hope þow schaltR.18.156: R's þow schalt is unique; F has y shal
                           							while beta reads þei shal. Cx agrees with
                           							beta. be saued .
                  
R.18.157KD.18.152 For venym fordoth venym  and þat I proue
                     						be resoun .
                  
R.18.158KD.18.154 For of alle venymes  foulest is þe
                     							scorpioun .
                  
R.18.159KD.18.155 May no medicyne helpe  þe place þere he stengeth .
R.18.160KD.18.156 Til he be dede and do þere-to
                     						 þe euel he destruyeth .
                  
R.18.161KD.18.157 Þe furst venymouste  þoruȝ vertueR.18.161: For alpha's vertue, beta reads venym.
                           								Cx agrees with alpha. of hym-sulue .
                  
R.18.162KD.18.158 So schal þis deth doR.18.162: Cf. beta's fordo. Cx agrees with
                           							beta.  I dar my lif legge .
                  
R.18.163KD.18.159 Alle þat deth dede furste  þoruȝ þe deueles
                     							entysynge .
                  
R.18.164KD.18.160 And riȝt as þoruȝ gile  man was bigyled .
R.18.165KD.18.161 So schal grace þat bigan  make a gode sleyȝte .
R.18.166KD.18.162α
                     						Ars vt artem fallerethfalleret R.18.166: This obvious Latin spelling mistake is probably attributable to the same
                                 									general pattern of final <-t> being often equated to final <-th> in this
                                 									tradition's English spellings (discussed in the Introduction III.2.2.10.
                     					
                  

R.18.167KD.18.163 ¶ Now suffre we seyde treuthe  I se as me thenketh .
R.18.168KD.18.164 Oute of þe nippe of þe north  nauȝt ful fer hennes
                     						.
                  
R.18.169KD.18.165 Riȝtwisnesse come rennynge  rest we
                     						þe while  
                  
R.18.170KD.18.166 For heR.18.170:
                           							He, "she." wote more þan we  heR.18.170:
                           							He, "she." was er we bothe .
                  
R.18.171KD.18.167 Þat is soth seide mercy  & I se here
                     						bi southe .
                  
R.18.172KD.18.168 Where cometh pesR.18.172: R's phrase is reversed in F and beta to pees cometh, but
                           								Cx agrees with R. pleyinge  in pacience I-clothed .
                  
R.18.173KD.18.169 Loue hath coueyted hire longe  leue I non
                     						other
                  
R.18.174KD.18.170 But he sent hir somme lettre
                     						 what þis liȝt bimeneth .
                  
R.18.175KD.18.171 Þat ouerhoueth helle þus  heR.18.175:
                           							He, "she."R.18.175: Where alpha and L read he (altered to
                           								she in L), the other beta copies read she. Cx agrees with alpha and L's original reading. vs schal telle .
                  

R.18.176KD.18.172 ¶ Whan pes in pacience clothed  aproched
                     							nere hem tweyne .
                  
R.18.177KD.18.173 Riȝtwisnesse hire reuerenced  for
                     							hire riche clothynge .
                  
R.18.178KD.18.174 And preied pes to tel hire  to what place
                     							heR.18.178: R's he is an alpha variant; beta has she, and Cx agrees with beta. wolde .
                  
R.18.179KD.18.175 And in hire gay garmentz  wham heR.18.179:
                           							He, "she."R.18.179: R's he is an alpha variant; beta has
                           								she, and Cx agrees with beta. grete
                     						thouȝte .R.18.179: R omits his usual blank line between verse strophes after this line,
                           							presumably because the next line is the last ruled one on this side.

R.18.180KD.18.176 ¶ Mi wille is to wende quod heR.18.180:
                           							He, "she."R.18.180: R's he is an alpha variant; beta has
                           								she.  and welcome hem alle .
                  
fol. 92vI
R.18.181KD.18.177 Þat many day miȝte I nouȝte se  for merknesse
                     						of synne .
                  
R.18.182KD.18.178 Adam and eue and other mo in helle .
R.18.183KD.18.179 Moyses and many mo  mercy schal haue .R.18.183: Alpha
                           							omits the following line from Bx:

                           							And I shal daunce þerto do þow so sustre. This beta-attested line also
                           							occurs in the C version.
R.18.184KD.18.181 For ihesus iusted wel  ioye bigynneth dawe
                     						.
                  
R.18.185KD.18.181α
                     						Ad vesperum demorabitur fletus & ad
                           									matutinum leticia .
R.18.186KD.18.182 Loue þat is my lemman  suche
                     							lettres heR.18.186: R's he me is unique among the B
                           							copies, the others all omitting he. However, a majority of the X family of
                           								C reads this phrase in agreement with R. The other C manuscripts agree with beta. me sent .
                  
R.18.187KD.18.183 Þat mercyR.18.187: Alpha has obviously dropped a stave. Beta manuscripts add my
                              								sustre after mercy. Cx agrees with beta.
                     						and I  mankende schulde saue .
                  
R.18.188KD.18.184 And þat god hath forgyue  & graunted me pes &
                     							mercy .
                  
R.18.189KD.18.185 To be mannes meynpernoure 
                     						for euere-more after .
                  
R.18.190KD.18.186 Lo here þe patent quod pees  In pace in idipsum .
R.18.191KD.18.187 And þat þis dede schal dure  dormiam & requiescam .

R.18.192KD.18.188 ¶ What rauestow quod riȝtwisnesse  or
                     						þow art riȝt dronke .
                  
R.18.193KD.18.189 Leuestow þat ȝonde liȝte  vnlouke miȝte
                     						helle .
                  
R.18.194KD.18.190 And saue mannes soule  suster wene þowR.18.194: Beta omits alpha's þow. Cx agrees
                           							with beta. it neuere .
                  
R.18.195KD.18.191 At þe bigynnynge god  gaf þe dome hym-sulue .
                  
R.18.196KD.18.192 Þat adam and eue  and alle þat hem sued .
R.18.197KD.18.193 Schulde deye doun-riȝt  and dwelle in peyne after .
                  
R.18.198KD.18.194 Ȝif þat þei touched a tre  and þe fruit eten .
R.18.199KD.18.195 Adam afterwarde  aȝenes his defence .
R.18.200KD.18.196 Frette of þat fruit and forsoke as it were .
R.18.201KD.18.197 Þe loue of oure lorde and his lore bothe .
R.18.202KD.18.198 And folwed þat þe fende tauȝte  & his felawes
                     						wille .R.18.202: Hereafter, alpha omits a line preserved in beta and in most C version witnesses:

                           							Aȝeines resoun I riȝtwisnesse recorde þus with treuth. A related
                           							problem is that the single best B witness, manuscript L, reads I rather than and in the middle of the line, a superior
                           							choice also attested by a select group of the C manuscripts
                           							(XYcI).
R.18.203KD.18.200 Þat here peyne be perpetuel
                     						 & no preyere hem helpe .
                  
R.18.204KD.18.201 For-thi late hem chewe as þei
                     						chose  & chide we nauȝte sustres .
                  
R.18.205KD.18.202 For it is botles bale  þe bitte þat þei eten .

R.18.206KD.18.203 ¶ AndR.18.206: L and Y join R in merely implying, rather than stating, the
                           							pronoun subject here, but F agrees with the other beta copies in reading explicitly And I shal. Cx agrees with F and the beta
                           							majority. schal preieR.18.206: R's preie is an alpha variant. Beta has preue. Cx agrees with alpha. quod pees
                     						 here peyne mote haue ende .
                  
R.18.207KD.18.204 And wo into wel  mowe wende at þe laste .
R.18.208KD.18.205 For þei wisteR.18.208: Beta reads had þei wist. Almost
                           							certainly alpha omitted had since the only evidence for it in that family
                           							is in the form of a supralinear correction in the scribal hand of F, which, as a result,
                           							reads þey hadde wiste. Cx agrees
                           							with beta. of no wo  wele hadde þei nauȝte knowe .
                  
R.18.209KD.18.206 For no wiȝt wote what wele is  þat
                     							neuere wo suffrede .
                  
R.18.210KD.18.207 Ne what is hote hungere  þat hadde
                     							neuere defaute .
                  

R.18.211KD.18.208 ¶ If no niȝt ne were  no man as I leue .
R.18.212KD.18.209 Schuld witte witterly  what day is to mene
                     						.
                  
R.18.213KD.18.210 Schuld neuere riȝt riche man  þat
                     						lyueth in reste and ese .
                  
R.18.214KD.18.211 Wite what wo is  ne were þe deth of kende
                     						.
                  
fol. 93rI
R.18.215KD.18.212 So god þat bigan alle  of his gode wille .
R.18.216KD.18.213 Bycam man of a mayde  mankende to saue .
R.18.217KD.18.214 And suffreR.18.217: R's error here (Bx = suffred) is almost unique, being shared only with Cr2-3. Cx agrees with the B majority. to be solde
                     						 andR.18.217: For alpha's and, beta reads to. Cx agrees with beta. se þe sorwe of deyinge .
                  
R.18.218KD.18.215 Þe whiche vnknitteth alle care  and
                     							comsynge is of rest .
                  
R.18.219KD.18.216 For til modicum
                     						mette with vs  I may it wel auowe .
                  
R.18.220KD.18.217 Wote no wiȝte as I wene  what is nouȝteR.18.220: R's is nouȝte is unique; F shows it
                              								is, while beta has is ynough. Cx agrees with
                           							beta, reading is ynow. to mene .
                  
R.18.221KD.18.218 Forthi god of his godenesse  þe furste gome adam .
R.18.222KD.18.219 Sette hym in solace  and in souereyne ioye .R.18.222: Beta has myrthe in place of alpha's ioye. Cx agrees with beta.
R.18.223KD.18.220 And sitthen he suffred hym synegeR.18.223: R's synege is a unique form here; cf. R.17.242:.  sorwe to fele .
                  
R.18.224KD.18.221 To wite what wele isR.18.224: Beta has the past form, was. Cx
                           							agrees with beta.  kendeliche to knowe it .
                  
R.18.225KD.18.222 And after god auntred hym-selue
                     						 & toke adames kende .
                  
R.18.226KD.18.223 To wite what he hath sufred in thre sundri places .
R.18.227KD.18.224 Bothe in heuene and in herthe  and nowe til helle he
                     						thenketh .
                  
R.18.228KD.18.225 To wite what alle wo is  þat wote of alle ioye .

R.18.229KD.18.226 ¶ So it schal fare be þis folke  here foly
                     						and here synne .
                  
R.18.230KD.18.227 Schal lere hem what langoure is  and
                     							blisseR.18.230: R's blisse agrees only with G; F omits the word, merging
                           							this b-verse with the next line, while beta has lisse. Cx agrees with beta. with-outen ende .
                  
R.18.231KD.18.228 Wote no wiȝte what werre is  þere þat
                     						pees regneth .
                  
R.18.232KD.18.229 Ne what is witterly wele  til weyleweye
                     						hym teche .
                  

R.18.233KD.18.230 ¶ Þanne was þere a wiȝte  with to
                     						brode eyȝes .
                  
R.18.234KD.18.231 Boek hiȝte þat bewpere  a bolde man of speche .
R.18.235KD.18.232 By godes body quod þis boke  I wil bere
                     						witnesse .
                  
R.18.236KD.18.233 Þat þo þis barne was I-bore
                     						 þere blased a sterre .
                  
R.18.237KD.18.234 Þat alle þe menR.18.237: Alpha's men breaks the alliterative pattern of the
                           							a-verse; cf. beta's wyse. Cr may have consulted both alpha and beta copies
                           							and tried to split the difference with its wise men. Cx agrees with beta.
                     						in þis worlde  in o witt acordeden .
                  
R.18.238KD.18.235 Þat swilk a barn was yborn  in bethlem þeR.18.238: R's þe is supported only by W; all other B copies, including
                           							F, omit it. However, Cx agrees with RW on the presence of þe here. cite 
                  
R.18.239KD.18.236 Þat mannes soule schulde saue  and synne destuyedest[r]uye .
                  
R.18.240KD.18.237 And alle þe elementz quod þe boke 
                     							here-of bereth witnesse .
                  
R.18.241KD.18.238 Þat he was god þat alle wrouȝte  þe walkne furste
                     						schewede .
                  
R.18.242KD.18.239 Þo þat weren in heuene  token stella
                        							comata .
                  
R.18.243KD.18.240 And tendeden here as a torche  to
                     							reuerencen his burthe .
                  
R.18.244KD.18.241 Þe liȝte folwed þe lorde  in-to þe lowe erthe
                  
R.18.245KD.18.242 Þe water witnesseth þat he was god  for he wente on it
                     						.
                  
R.18.246KD.18.243 Peter þe apostle parceyued his gate .
R.18.247KD.18.244 And as he wente on þatR.18.247: R's þat is unique; the other B
                           							witnesses have þe. Cx agrees with the B majority. water  wel hym knewe and seyde .
                  
R.18.248KD.18.244α
                     						Iube me venire ad te super aquas .
R.18.249KD.18.245 And lo how þe sonne gan loke  hire liȝte in hire-selue .
                  
fol. 93vI
R.18.250KD.18.246 Whan sche sey hym suffre  þat sonne and moneR.18.250: Beta reads se in place of alpha's mone. Cx agrees with beta. made .
                  
R.18.251KD.18.247 Þe erthe for heuynesse  þat he wolde suffre .
R.18.252KD.18.248 Quakede as quikke thynge  & al biquascheR.18.252: R's biquasche is an alpha variant; beta shows a preterite
                           							form, biquasht. Though many C manuscripts agree with
                           							beta on the tense of the verb (= toquasched), the best X family copies, as
                           							well as some in the P family, read toquasch, agreeing with alpha.
                     						þe roche .
                  
R.18.253KD.18.249 Lo helle miȝte nouȝte holde  but opnede þo god
                     						tholed .
                  
R.18.254KD.18.250 And lete oute symondes sones  to sen hym hange on rode
                     						.
                  
R.18.255KD.18.251 And now schal lucifer itlucifer [lese] itR.18.255: R uniquely omits an essential word at this point; the beta manuscripts read
                           								leue while F reads leese. Cx
                           							agrees with beta.  þow hym lothe thenke .R.18.255: Immediately hereafter,
                           							alpha omitted the following lines from Bx: 

                           							For gygas þe geaunt with a gynne engyned 
 To breke & to bete dounn þat
                              								ben aȝeines ihesus. A revised version of these two lines appears in the C version.
R.18.256KD.18.255 And I boek wil be brente  but ihesus rise
                     						to lyue .
                  
R.18.257KD.18.256 In alle miȝtes of a manR.18.257: Beta omits the determiner, reading simply of man.
                     						 and his moder gladie .
                  
R.18.258KD.18.257 And conforte al his kyn  and oute of care
                     						brynge .
                  
R.18.259KD.18.258 And alle þe iewene ioye  vnioynen and vnlouken .
R.18.260KD.18.259 And but þei reuerencen  his rode & his
                     							resurreccioun .
                  
R.18.261KD.18.260 And bileue on a newe lawe  be lost lif and soule .

R.18.262KD.18.261 ¶ Suffre we seide treuthe  I here and se
                     						bothe .
                  
R.18.263KD.18.262
                     						AR.18.263: Beta begins this line with How a; Cx
                           							agrees with alpha in omitting How. spiriȝt speketh to helle
                     						 and bitt vnsperre þe ȝates .
                  
R.18.264KD.18.262α-263
                     						Attollite portas  a uoys loude in þat liȝt
                        							 to lucifer crieth .R.18.264: Beta reads this passage as two lines, dividing alpha's line
                           							between the Latin and the English. Though most C manuscripts agree with
                           							the line division of beta, some of the best X family witnesses (XIP2K)
                           							agree with alpha.
R.18.265KD.18.264 Princes of þis place  vnpinneth & vnlouketh .
R.18.266KD.18.265 For here cometh with croune  þat
                     							kynge is of glorie .
                  

R.18.267KD.18.266 ¶ Þanne siȝedeR.18.267: Alpha's form (i.e., R's siȝede), though semantically identical to beta's syked, was
                           							sufficiently unfamiliar to the F scribe to cause him to flounder, producing seyde. However, Cx's syhed is clearly
                           							identical to alpha (phonologically) and distinct from beta. sathan  and seide
                     						to helle .
                  
R.18.268KD.18.267 Swiche a liȝte aȝeynes oure leue
                     						 lazar it fette .
                  
R.18.269KD.18.268 Kare and combraunce  is come to vs alle .
R.18.270KD.18.269 If þis kynge come in  mankende wil he fecche .
R.18.271KD.18.270 And lede hemR.18.271: Beta reads it in place of alpha's hem.
                           								Cx agrees with beta. þere lazar is  and liȝtliche me bynde .
                  
R.18.272KD.18.271 Patriarkes and prophetes  han parled
                     							here-of longe .
                  
R.18.273KD.18.272 Þat swhich a lorde and a liȝte  schalR.18.273: For alpha's schal, beta reads shulde.
                           							Although a few C manuscripts support beta, Cx
                           							agrees with alpha. lede hem alle hennes
                     						.
                  

R.18.274KD.18.273 ¶ Listeneth quod lucifer  for I þis lorde
                     						knowe .
                  
R.18.275KD.18.274 Bothe þis lorde and þis liȝte  is longe ago I knewe
                     						hym .
                  
R.18.276KD.18.275 May no deth þis lordeR.18.276: For alpha's phrase, þis lorde, beta reads hym. Cx agrees with alpha. dere  ne no deueles
                     						queyntise .
                  
R.18.277KD.18.276 And where he wil is weyeR.18.277: R uniquely omits a word here; all but one of the other B copies, including F, read is his waye; Bm transposes to his is. Cx agrees with the B
                           							majority.  ac ware hym of þe perils .
                  
R.18.278KD.18.277 If he reue me ofR.18.278: Beta apparently omitted of. But Cr agrees with alpha on
                           							the presence of this preposition; Cx concurs. my riȝte
                     						 & robbeR.18.278: For alpha's & robbe, beta reads he
                              								robbeth. Cx agrees with beta. me be maistrie .
                  
R.18.279KD.18.278 For be riȝt and be resoun  þe renkes
                     						þat ben here .
                  
R.18.280KD.18.279 Body and soule be myne  bothe gode and ille .
R.18.281KD.18.280 For hym-self seide  þat
                     						sire is of heuene .
                  
R.18.282KD.18.281
                     						ÞatR.18.282: Beta omits Þat. ȝif adam eteR.18.282: R uniquely omits þe apple from the end of this
                           							a-verse.  alle schulde deye  
                  
R.18.283KD.18.282 And dwelle with vs deueles  þis thretynge
                     						he made .
                  
fol. 94rI
R.18.284KD.18.283
                     						AndR.18.284: R uniquely omits he from the Bx
                           							phrase And he þat. Bx was
                           							already lacking an alliterating initial stave. þat sothenesse is
                     						 seide þese wordes .
                  
R.18.285KD.18.284 And I sitthen I-sessedR.18.285: The
                           							readings of alpha and of Bx are doubtful here. Cf. F's Sytthe y was sesed. Beta reads And sitthen I seised.
                     						 þise seue hundreth wynter .
                  
R.18.286KD.18.285 I leue þat lawe nil nauȝte  late hym þe leste .

R.18.287KD.18.286 ¶ Þat is soth seide sathan  but I me sore drede .
R.18.288KD.18.287 For þow gete hem with gile  and his gardyn breke .
R.18.289KD.18.288 And in semblaunce of a serpent  sete on þe
                     						appeltre .
                  
R.18.290KD.18.289 And eggedest hem to ete  eue be hire-sulue .
                  
R.18.291KD.18.290 And toldest hire a tale  of tresoun were
                     						þe wordes .
                  
R.18.292KD.18.291 And al-soR.18.292: R's al-so is the alpha
                           							reading; beta has so. The X family of C agrees with
                           							beta. The P family reads Thus at this point. þow haddest hem oute
                     						 and hider atte laste .
                  
R.18.293KD.18.292 It is nouȝt greythely gete  þere gile is þe rote
                     						.
                  
R.18.294KD.18.293 For god wil nouȝt be bigiled  quod
                     						gobelyn ne be-iapede .
                  
R.18.295KD.18.294 We han no trewe tilyleti[t]yle to hem  for þoruȝ tresoun were þei dampned .
                  
R.18.296KD.18.295 Sertes I drede me quod þe deuel  lest
                     						treuthe wil hem fecche .
                  

R.18.297KD.18.296 ¶ Þis thretty winter as I wene  he wente abouteR.18.297: Cf. alpha's he wente aboute to beta's hath
                              								he gone. Beta's reading is obviously defective in alliteration. Cx
                           							agrees here with alpha. & prechede .
                  
R.18.298KD.18.297 Ich haue assailed hym with synne  and someR.18.298: In place of alpha's some, beta reads sometyme. Cx agrees with beta. I asked .R.18.298: RF's
                           							basic agreement here attests that alpha read I asked (F reads the b-verse
                           							as summe y have hym asked). Cx agrees with R, reading
                           								ich askede. By contrast, beta (reflected by LMW) appears to have
                           							construed this form as a past-participle, yasked.
R.18.299KD.18.298 Where he were god or godes sone  he gaf me schorte
                     							answere . In the right margin opposite these lines, there is a
                           							partially erased and illegible (under ultraviolet light) note in a near-contemporary hand. It
                           							is ten lines long: 4 lines + a signature line and then the same pattern repeated with the
                           							same signature, which might be Robert Smith or Robin
                              								Swift.
R.18.300KD.18.299 And þus he hathR.18.300: Beta transposes this phrase as hath he. Cx agrees with beta. trolled forth  þis to and thretty wynter
                  
R.18.301KD.18.300 And whan I seyȝ it was so  slepynge I
                     						wente .
                  
R.18.302KD.18.301 To warne pilates wif  what done man was
                     							ihesus .
                  
R.18.303KD.18.302 For iewes hateden hym  and han don hym to deth
R.18.304KD.18.303
                     						AndR.18.304: Beta omits the conjunction And. Cx
                           							agrees with beta. I wolde haue lengthed his lif  for I leueR.18.304: This is an alpha reading; beta shows the preterite, leued. Cx agrees with beta. ȝif he deyede .
                  
R.18.305KD.18.304 Þat his soule walde nauȝtR.18.305: Beta omits nauȝt. suffre  no synne
                     							in his siȝte .
                  
R.18.306KD.18.305 For þe body while it on bones ȝede  aboute was euere
                     						.
                  
R.18.307KD.18.306 To saue men fram synne  ȝif hem-self wolde .
                  
R.18.308KD.18.307 And now I se where a soule  cometh
                     						hyderward sailynge .
                  
R.18.309KD.18.308 With glorie andR.18.309: Beta reads & with. Cx agrees
                           							with beta. grete liȝte  god it is I wote wel .
                  
R.18.310KD.18.309 I rede we fle quod he  fast alle hennes
                     						.
                  
R.18.311KD.18.310 For vs were better nauȝt be  þan biden his
                     						siȝte .
                  
R.18.312KD.18.311 For thi lesinges lucifere  lost is alle
                     							oure preye .
                  

R.18.313KD.18.312 ¶ Furst þoruȝ þe we felle  fram heuene so hiȝe
                     						.
                  
R.18.314KD.18.313 For we leuede þi lesynges  we loupen oute alle with þe . These verses are attested only in alpha, beta having lost them by
                           							eyeskip. In addition, only R shows the final phrase of 314b, with þe. The
                           								C version attests the authenticity of alpha's phrases in a revised
                           							version, where the second of these half-lines is clearly derived from a source common with
                           							alpha (cf. Russell-Kane 20.348: And now for a later lesynge).
R.18.315KD.18.313, 314 And now for thi last lesynge  I-lore haue we adam .
                  
R.18.316KD.18.315 And al oure lordschippe I leue
                     						 a londe and a water .
                  
R.18.317KD.18.315α
                     						Nunc princeps mundi huiusR.18.317: R here shows a unique transposition of the Bx
                                 									phrasing, huius mundi. Cx agrees with
                                 										B majority on the order of this phrase. eicitur foras
                           								.R.18.317: In the left margin, beginning at this point, the leaf was torn
                           							on an inward and downward diagonal for a space of some 5.5 cm.; it was long ago repaired by
                           							stitching. No text is affected.

fol. 94vI

R.18.318KD.18.316 ¶ Efte þe liȝt bad vnlouke  and lucifer answered
                     						.
                  
R.18.319KD.18.317, 316α What lorde art þow quod lucifer
                     						 quis est iste .
                  
R.18.320KD.18.317α, 318
                     						Rex glorie þe liȝte seide  þe lord of miȝt & of man & alle
                        								maner vertues . Alpha obviously had a different
                           							arrangement of text here from the beta witnesses, which read: 
Rex glorie
                              								þe liȝte sone seide 
And lorde of myȝte & of mayne & al manere
                              								vertues. 
Dominus virtutum
                              								
Dukes of þis dym place anon vndo þis ȝates.
By contrast, R makes two
                           							lines of the passage, omits beta's sone before seide
                           							(as does F) and, with W, reads ma(n) for beta's mayne
                           							(F here reads man(er)e). F deviates from the line division found in R
                           							(which presumably reflects alpha) and abbreviates the passage, omitting Dominus virtutum.
                     					
                  
R.18.321KD.18.318α-319
                     						Dominus
                           									virtutum .
                     						DukR.18.321: The singular is an alpha variant; beta has Dukes. Among
                           							the C manuscripts, the P family agrees with alpha while the X family
                           							agrees with beta. of þis dym place  anone vndo þis ȝates .
                  
R.18.322KD.18.320 Þat crist may come in  kyngesR.18.322: Here R shows a unique omission; the other B witnesses
                           							have þe kynges sone. Cx agrees
                           							with the B majority. sone of heuene .
                  
R.18.323KD.18.321 And with þat breth helle brasteR.18.323: The beta variant here is brake, which agrees with the
                           							reading of Cx.  with belialles barres .
                  
R.18.324KD.18.322 For any wey or warde  wide opned þe ȝates .

R.18.325KD.18.323 ¶ Patriarkes and prophetes  populus in tenebris .
                  
R.18.326KD.18.324 Songen seint Iohanes songe  Ecce
                        							agnus dei .
                  
R.18.327KD.18.325 Lucifer loke ne miȝte  so liȝt hym a-blente .
                  
R.18.328KD.18.326 And þo þat oure lorde loued  in-to his liȝt he lauȝte .
                  
R.18.329KD.18.327 And seide to sathan  lo here my soule to amendes .
R.18.330KD.18.328 For alle synful soules  to saue þo þat be worthi .
R.18.331KD.18.329 Myne þei ben and of me  I may þe bet hem cleyme .
R.18.332KD.18.330 Alle-þouȝ reson recorde
                     						 and riȝt of my-sulue .
                  
R.18.333KD.18.331 Þat ȝif þei ete þe apple  alle schulde deye .
R.18.334KD.18.332 I be-hiȝt hem nouȝt here
                     						 helle for euere .
                  
R.18.335KD.18.333 For þe dede þat þei dede  þi deseite it made .
R.18.336KD.18.334 With gile þow hem gete  ageynes alle
                     							resoun .
                  
R.18.337KD.18.335 For in my paleis paradys  in persone of an
                     						addre .
                  
R.18.338KD.18.336 Falsliche þow fecchest þere  þinge þat I louede .
                  

R.18.339KD.18.337 ¶ Þus I-like a lusarde 
                     						with a ladi visage .
                  
R.18.340KD.18.338 Theueliche þow me robbedest  þe olde lawe graunteth .
R.18.341KD.18.339 Þat gilours be bigiled  and þat is gode
                     							resoun .
                  
R.18.342KD.18.339α
                     						Dentem pro dente
                           									et oculum pro oculo .
R.18.343KD.18.340
                     						Ergo soule schal soule quite  and synne to synne wende
                     						.
                  
R.18.344KD.18.341 And al þat man hath mys-do
                     						 I man wol amende itR.18.344: R's it is unique in line-terminal position and is
                           							entirely omitted by beta. Nevertheless, while R's phrasing here differs from F's, their
                           							common witness to the presence of the pronoun indicates that alpha's b-verse, unlike that of
                           							beta, attested it. Cx, which is revised here, also
                           							shows the pronoun in line-terminal position, reading to amenden it.
                     						.
                  
R.18.345KD.18.342 Membre for membre  be þe olde lawe was amendes .
R.18.346KD.18.343 And lif for lif al-so  and
                     						be þat lawe I clayme .
                  
R.18.347KD.18.344 Adam and alle his issue  at my wille here-after .
                  
R.18.348KD.18.345 And at[þ]at deth in hem fordede  my deth schal releue .
                  
R.18.349KD.18.346 And bothe quik and quite  þat quent was þoruȝ synne
                     						.
                  
R.18.350KD.18.347 And þat grace gile destruyeth  gode feith it asketh .
                  
R.18.351KD.18.348 So leue it
                     						neuereR.18.351: For alpha's neuere, beta reads nouȝte. Cx agrees with beta. lucifere
                     						 aȝeyne þe lawe I fecche hem .
                  
R.18.352KD.18.349 But bi riȝt and resoun 
                     							raunsoun here my leges .
                  
fol. 95rI
R.18.353KD.18.349α
                     						Non veni soluere legem sed implereR.18.353: R's verb here is unique; the other B manuscripts read
                                 										adimplere. Cx also reads adimplere. 
R.18.354KD.18.350 Þow fetteste myne in my place  aȝeynes resounR.18.354: In place of R's resoun, the beta phrase reads al resoun while F shows ryght & resoun. .
                  
R.18.355KD.18.351 Falsliche and felounliche  gode feith me it tauȝte
                     						.
                  
R.18.356KD.18.352 To recouer hem thoruȝ raunsoun  and
                     						be non resoun elles .
                  
R.18.357KD.18.353 So þat withR.18.357: For L's and alpha's with, most beta witnesses have þorw. Among the C copies, the P family agrees with the
                           							beta error while most of the X family agrees with L and alpha. gile þow gete 
                     						þoruȝ grace it wasR.18.357: Beta reads is. Cx agrees with
                           							beta. I-wonne .
                  
R.18.358KD.18.354 Þow lucifer in liknesse  of a lither addre .
R.18.359KD.18.355 Gete be gile  þingeR.18.359: For alpha's þinge, beta reads þo. þat god louede .
                  

R.18.360KD.18.356 ¶ And I in liknesse of a lede  þat lorde
                     						am of heuene .
                  
R.18.361KD.18.357 Graciousliche þi gile haue quit  go gile a-gayne gile .
                  
R.18.362KD.18.358 And as adam and alle  thoruȝ a tre deyeden . .
R.18.363KD.18.359 Adam and alle þoruȝ a tre  schule turneR.18.363: Beta reads torne aȝeine; Cx
                           							agrees with alpha. to lyue .
                  
R.18.364KD.18.360 And gile is begiled  and in his gile fallen  
R.18.365KD.18.360α
                     						Et cecidit in foueam quam fecit
                           							.
R.18.366KD.18.361 Now begynneth þi gile  agayne þe to turnen .
R.18.367KD.18.362 And my grace to growen  ay grettere and
                     							grettere .R.18.367: Rather than repeat grettere as alpha does, beta reads wyder. Cx agrees with beta.
R.18.368KD.18.363 Þe bitternesse þat þow hast browe  now brouke it þi-selue .
                  
R.18.369KD.18.364 Þat art dottourR.18.369: This form is unusual but not unparalleled;
                           							cf. R.13.117: of deth  drinke þat þow
                     						madeste .R.18.369: After this line, the R scribe failed to leave a blank line, his usual custom
                           							for dividing verse strophes. No reason beyond oversight is apparent.

R.18.370KD.18.365 ¶ For I þat am lord of lif  loue is my drinke .
R.18.371KD.18.366 And for þat drinke to-daye
                     						 I deyede vppon erthe .
                  
R.18.372KD.18.367 I fauȝte so me thurstesR.18.372: The verb form is that of
                           							alpha, but it also occurs in L; cf. the majority beta form þursteþ. The
                           							inflectional ending of Cx (= fursteth) agrees with
                           							the prevalent beta form. ȝut  for mannes soule sake .
                  
R.18.373KD.18.368 May no drinke me moiste  ne my threst slake .
R.18.374KD.18.369 Til þe vendage falle  in þe vale of iosephath .
R.18.375KD.18.370 Þat I drinke riȝt ripe most  resurrexio mortuorum .
                  
R.18.376KD.18.371 And þan schal I come as a kynge  crouned with angeles
                     						.
                  
R.18.377KD.18.372 And han oute of helle  alle mennes soules .

R.18.378KD.18.373 ¶ Fendes and fendekynnes  bifor me schul stonde .
R.18.379KD.18.374 And be at my bidynge  where-so-euere me liketh
                     						.
                  
R.18.380KD.18.375
                     						AcR.18.380: R's Ac is unique among the B
                           							witnesses; F has But while beta reads And. However, Ac is also the reading of Cx.
                     						merciableR.18.380: R's reading is unique, presumably because alpha here suffered a loss of
                           							text; cf. beta's to be merciable." F weakly attempts
                           							a repair with not so merciable. Cx agrees with beta. to man   my kende þanne itR.18.380: Beta shows a transposed form of R's phrase: þanne my
                              								kynde. F rephrases the entire b-verse as my keende may not aske. Cx agrees with beta. asketh .
                  
R.18.381KD.18.376 For we beth bretheren of blode  but nouȝte in
                     						bapteme alle .
                  
R.18.382KD.18.377 Ac alle þat beth myn hole bretheren  in
                     						blode and in bapteme .
                  
R.18.383KD.18.378 Schal nouȝt be dampned to þe deth  þat is with-outen ende .
                  
R.18.384KD.18.378α
                     						Tibi soli peccaui .
R.18.385KD.18.379 It is nouȝt vsed onR.18.385: R's preposition is unique; the other B witnesses show
                           								in. Nevertheless, though a few C manuscripts support
                           							the B majority reading, Cx agrees here with
                           							R. erthe  to hangen a feloun .
                  
R.18.386KD.18.380 Ofter þen ones  þouȝ he were a tretour .
R.18.387KD.18.381 And if þe kynge of þat kyngedom  come in þat tyme .
fol. 95vI
R.18.388KD.18.382 Þere þe felon thole shulde  deth or other-wise .
                  
R.18.389KD.18.383 Lawe wolde he ȝaf hym lif  andR.18.389: In place of alpha's and, beta reads if. Cx agrees with alpha. he loked on hym .
                  
R.18.390KD.18.384 And I þat am kynge of kynges  schal come suche a tyme
                     						.
                  
R.18.391KD.18.385 Þere dome to þe deth  dampneth alle wikked .
R.18.392KD.18.386 And ȝif lawe wil I loke on hem  it lyth in my grace
                     						.
                  
R.18.393KD.18.387 Whether þei deye or deye nauȝte  for þat þei deden
                     						ille .
                  
R.18.394KD.18.388 Be it any-thinge abouȝte
                     						 þe boldenesse of here synnes .
                  
R.18.395KD.18.389 I mayR.18.395: L here uniquely joins the alpha reading (the other beta copies omit may). Cx agrees with alpha and L. do mercy
                     						þoruȝ riȝtwisnesse  and alle my wordes trewe .
                  
R.18.396KD.18.390 And þouȝ holy writ wil IR.18.396: In place of R's wil I, beta reads wil þat I. Cx agrees with beta. be wroke  of hem pat deden ille .
                  
R.18.397KD.18.390α
                     						Nullum
                           									malum
                           								inpunitum .
R.18.398KD.18.391 Þei schul be clensed clereliche  & waschen of
                     							here synnes .
                  
R.18.399KD.18.392 In my prisone purgatorie  til parce it hote .
                  
R.18.400KD.18.393 And my mercy schal be schewed  to many of my bretheren
                     							.R.18.400: There is a long, superfluous bar extending from above the <-en> of bretheren far into the right margin beyond the vertical ruling.
R.18.401KD.18.394 For blode may suffre blode  bothe hungri and akale .
R.18.402KD.18.395 Ac blode may nouȝte se hisR.18.402: Beta omits his. Cx agrees with
                           							beta. blode  blede but hym rewe .
                  
R.18.403KD.18.395α
                     						Audiui archana verba 
                           									que non licet homini loqui
                           						.
R.18.404KD.18.396 Ac my At the beginning of these two
                           							lines there is a slight ink stain from offset of the Bodleian ownership stamp in the margin
                           							of 96r. riȝtwisnesse and riȝte  schal reulen alle helle .
                  
R.18.405KD.18.397 And mercy al mankende  by-for me in heuene .
                  
R.18.406KD.18.398 For I were an vnkende kynge  but I my kynR.18.406: Beta reads kynde. Cx agrees with
                           							beta. holpe .
                  
R.18.407KD.18.399 And namelich at swich a nede  þere nedes
                     							helpe bihoueth .
                  
R.18.408KD.18.399α
                     						Non intres in
                           									iudicium cum seruo tuo .
R.18.409KD.18.400 Þus be lawe quod oure lorde
                     						 lede I wil fram hennes .
                  
R.18.410KD.18.401 Þo þat IR.18.410: For alpha's I, beta reads me. Cx agrees with alpha. louede  & leuede in
                     						my comynge .
                  
R.18.411KD.18.402 And for þi lesinge lucifer  þat þow
                     							loweR.18.411:
                           							This form, found in alpha and L, is an obsolete past tense and past participle of LIE (= "to
                           							tell an untruth"); the majority beta reading, leighe, is substantively the
                           							same. Cx's form for this verb is the same as in alpha and L. to
                     						eue .
                  
R.18.412KD.18.403 Þow schalt a-bye it
                     							bittere  and bonde hym with cheynes .
                  
R.18.413KD.18.404 Astarot and alle þe route  hudden hem in hurnes .
R.18.414KD.18.405 Þei durst nauȝt loke on oure lorde 
                     						þe boldest of hem alle .
                  
R.18.415KD.18.406 But leten hym lede forth  what hym liked  &
                     						lete what hym lyste .
                  

R.18.416KD.18.407

¶ Many hundreth of angeles  harpeden and songen .

Culpat caro purgat caro regnat deus dei caro .

¶ Þanne pipede pees  of poysye a note .

☞

Clarior est solitusR.18.419: R's uninflected form of this word is unique; the other B copies read solito. Cx agrees with the B majority.  post maxima nebula phebus .R.18.419: In the left margin opposite this line, there is a pointing hand, drawn in black ink.

R.18.420KD.18.408β

Post inimicicias  clarior est et amor .

After scharpestR.18.421: Beta reads sharpe. Though a few C manuscripts concur with beta's reading, Cx agrees with alpha's scharpest. schoures  quod pes  moste schene is þe sonne .

desuntR.18.422: In the bottom right margin of this page, there is a symbol resembling a modern script capital H, beneath which is written the word desunt in what appears to be an early-modern italic hand. The note was clearly intended to draw attention to the textual gap that occurs here. Leaves including the last twenty-three lines of Passus 18, all of Passus 19, and the first twenty-six lines of Passus 20 were detached from R and lost long ago.

Is no weder warmer  þan after wateri cloudes .