Passus primus de visione
How bisi þei ben · aboutenBx.1.6: abouten: The variation is between trisyllabic abouten in L, unrevised M, C and alpha, and alle aboute in corrected M, CrWHmG. Both are metrical, the former supported by Ax and Cx. þe mase
Bx.1.8KD.1.8
Haue þei worschip in þis worlde · þei wilneBx.1.8: wilne: G has kepe from Ax. no better
Bx.1.12KD.1.12
[¶]Bx.1.12: ¶: The paraph in WHm is supported by the new line-group in R (the paraph and first word are lost). Þe toure vpBx.1.12: vp: CrF have vpon, WHmG have on. Prepositional vp is not uncommon, but usually altered to vpon by W and later texts: e.g. Bx.9.109. Though it is certainly Bx, it is not here supported by AC mss. þe toft quod she · treuthe is þere-Inne
For he is fader of feith · fourmedBx.1.14: fourmed: LMCOR, so Bx. Others read and formed (WF), that formede (HmG), and former of (Cr). Cr shares the reading of Cx. A mss. vary between and fourmide and that formed. ȝow alle
Bx.1.16KD.1.16
Forto worschip hym þer-with · þe while þatBx.1.16: þe while þat: LMCR, contested by WHm whil þat. Ax and the P family of C have whyle or whyles; the X family has þe whiles. ȝe ben here
And al he witt it wynBx.1.31: wyn: LG and alpha, with beta2 and MC reading þe wyn. Most A mss. have the former; Cx has the latter. · þat wikked dede
Bx.1.32KD.1.31α
InebriamusBx.1.32: Inebriamus: ROC correct to the subjunctive, "Let us get him drunk". C mss. vary similarly. eum vino · dormiamusque cum eo
Ne liflode to þi likam · [þat lief is to þi souleBx.1.39-40: LMWHmC dropped the b-verse of l. 39 and the a-verse of l. 40 through eyeskip on likam. M is later corrected. Cr dropped l. 39 altogether; FG dropped l. 40.
For þe fende and þi flesch · folweth þeBx.1.42: folweth þe: WHmG omit þe, as do Ax and Cx. Bx perhaps picked it up from the previous line. to-gidere
This and þat see[th]Bx.1.43: seeth: The beta reading is supported by Cx (RK.1.39), though alpha has sueth (F sewe). Ax has instead shendith. þi soule · and seith it in þin herte
¶ MadameBx.1.45: Madame: F's interjection A is in agreement with AC. Probably it is derived from an A text. mercy quod I · me liketh wel ȝowre wordes
Ac þe moneye of þis molde · þat men so faste holdethkepethBx.1.46: holdeth / kepeth: Beta agrees with Ax; alpha's kepeth is in agreement with Cx. See Introduction II.2.
Telle me to whom MadameBx.1.47: Madame: This is secure for Bx, though it is not in either Ax or Cx. Its position in the line is uncertain. It is likely enough, as KD argue (p. 168), that it is caught up from two lines above.
As in that line, F's agreement with Ax may reflect contamination, as Schmidt (1995), 365, suggests. · þat tresore appendeth
CesarisBx.1.53: Cesaris: Of those that have a genitive, LOR have the Vulgate form (Matt 22.21), while M and beta2 (CrWHm) have Cesares. þei seide [·] we sen hym wel vchone
Bx.1.56KD.1.54
For riȝtfulBx.1.56: riȝtful: The adjective seems clearly the Bx reading, but W shares the adverb with Ax and Cx. The latter is superior in sense; possibly an independent correction in W. reson · shulde rewle ȝow alle
For housbonderye & hijBx.1.59: hij: The plural in beta, referring to Reason and Kind Wit, probably represents Bx. Alpha, taking the reference to be to Kind Wit alone, alters to the singular, with fem. in R (perhaps as alpha), masc. in
F as in AC. If Bx had read he, it would be difficult to understand that causing confusion. · holden togideres
What may it be to meneBx.1.62: be to mene: Schmidt (1995), 365, suggests GF's bemene is from AC versions. · ma-dame I ȝow biseche
Iudas he iaped · with iuwenBx.1.69: iuwen: CrG and alpha have Iewes or þe Iewys. There is some variation in AC, but iuwen is probably archetypal in all three versions. siluer
And sithen on an eller [·] honged hym afterBx.1.70: hym after: The variation hym-selue as in WF is also in A. The b-verse is revised in C.
Bx.1.72KD.1.70
That trusten on his tresor · bitrayeth hebytrayed arenBx.1.72: bitrayeth he/bytrayed aren: The beta reading is essentially that of Cx, he bytrayeth. Alpha's reading bytrayed aren is shared with Ax. G's reading is presumably contaminated from an A source (Schmidt (1995), 365). sonnest
¶ Thanne had I wonder in my witt · what womman itsheBx.1.73: it/she: Beta agrees with Ax; alpha's fem. pronoun is in agreement with Cx. were
And askedBx.1.75: asked: F alone has halsede, probably by contamination from A; see Schmidt (1995), lxiii. C mss. have halsede or halsnede. The verb does not occur elsewhere in the poem, and it was perhaps obsolescent. hir on þe hieȝe name · ar heoBx.1.75: heo: The form is secure for Bx, with LMR support. þennes ȝeode
¶ Holicherche I am quod sheBx.1.77: she: R again has he, as in the previous line. The form is not necessary for the alliteration. · þow ouȝtest me to knowe
I vnderfonge þe firste · and þe feythBx.1.78: þe feyth: The apparent agreement of Hm and F recorded by KD, þe feyþ þe, is not significant, since Hm's reading results from a misdivision of feythe. tauȝte
And brouȝtestBx.1.79: brouȝtest: Bx idiomatically lacks the subject pronoun, added in CrHmGOF, bringing them into line with AC versions. me borwes · my biddyng to fulfille
Bx.1.80KD.1.78
And to loue me lellyBx.1.80: me lelly: Reversed in alpha. Beta is supported by Ax. Cx rewrites. · þe while þi lyf dureth
¶Bx.1.81: ¶: The paraph is in beta and F. The line is at the bottom of the page in R. Thanne I courbed on my knees · and cryed hir of grace
And preyed hir pitousely · [to]Bx.1.82: to: Omitted by beta. Alpha is supported by Ax and Cx, though the addition of to before an infinitive is a common scribalism. prey for my synnes
And also ken[n]eBx.1.83: kenne: L has kende, with the line marked for correction. me kyndeli · on criste to bileue
Bx.1.84KD.1.82
Bx.1.84: The line is attested by beta and Ax, but omitted in alpha and Cx. That I miȝte worchen his wille · þat wrouȝte me to man
ItBx.1.89: It: Alpha's Þat it has no support from AC. is as derworth a drewery · as dere god hym-seluen
¶ Who-soBx.1.90: Who-so: The beta reading, but alpha has He (R) or He þat (F). Ax supports beta; in C the P family begins For who, the X family has For he. is trewe of his tonge · & telleth none other
Riden and rappe downBx.1.97: down: This varies in all three versions with adoun, though Ax has the former and Cx the latter. · in reumes aboute
Bx.1.100KD.1.100
And þat is þe professioun appertly · þat appendeth forBx.1.100: for: So LCR, which is good evidence for Bx. But AC have the obvious to, as in all other mss. knyȝtes
But holden wiþ him & with hir · þat woldenBx.1.102: wolden: G's alliterating asketh is from Ax. Cx rewrites. al treuthe
AndBx.1.103: And: The beta reading is supported by AC against alpha's Ne. neuer leue hem for loue · ne for lacchyng of syluer
Bx.1.108KD.1.106
Cherubyn and seraphin · suche seuene and an othreBx.1.108: an othre: The reference is to the ten orders of angels at Creation; see the comprehensive note in Skeat (1886), ii. 24-5. Beta2 and
R (perhaps additionally confused by preceding and) miss the point and drop an, but AC support an othre.
Bx.1.112KD.1.110
ToBx.1.112: To: Beta has the support of Ax against alpha's And. Nevertheless, the latter may be the better reading: "God taught them to know truth and be obedient". be buxome at his biddyng · he bad hem nouȝte elles
¶Bx.1.113: ¶: The paraph is in beta and F. The line is at the bottom of the page in R. Lucifer wiþ legiounes · lerned it in heuene
[Til]Bx.1.114: Til: Alpha is supported by Ax against beta's But for. Bx lost the preceding line, "And was þe louelokest of siȝt aftir oure lord" (K.1.110), leaving the argument that Lucifer learned
obedience until he lost it. Beta rewrote to avoid nonsense. See Donaldson (1955), 208-09. he brake buxumnesse · his blisse gan he tyne
Bx.1.120KD.1.119
Ponam pedem in aquilone · et similis ero altissimoBx.1.120: et ... altissimo: R omits, and F loses the line. Beta is supported by Cx. ·
¶ Whan thise wikked went out · wonderwiseBx.1.125: wonderwise: Beta2 has in wonderwise, as does the P family of Cx in a revised line. þei fellen
Somme in eyre somme in ertheBx.1.126: eyre ... erthe: The versions vary, with Ax having the order of most beta mss., and Cx the order as in MO and alpha. The beta order is more logical. · & somme in helle depe
Bx.1.128KD.1.127
For pryde þat he pult outBx.1.128: pult out: The West Midlands form pult appears only in LCr, while R has the spelling pelt. Ax has put out as do the remaining B mss; Cx has pokede. MED pilten v., 3(b) glosses the phrase pult out as "exhibit (pride), display", though records no other instance of this sense. In Bx.8.97 LR again read pulte/pelte against pull or putte in other B witnesses. See also note to Bx.15.66. · his peyne hath none ende
Mowe be siker þat her souleBx.1.133: soule: Beta2 and G have the plural, and M is altered to that reading. Ax supports the distributive sg. · shal wende to heuene
Þer treuthe is in Trinitee · and tronethBx.1.134: troneth: Alpha has non-alliterating saue. Beta's b-verse reproduces Ax; Cx rewrites. hem alle
Bx.1.136KD.1.135
Whan alle tresores arneBx.1.136: arne: Beta's form is supported by most A mss. Cx revises. ytried · treuthe is þe beste
Lereth it þisBx.1.137: it þis: So LWCO. M is corrected to it ye; CrHm read on thys; GF have thys ye, and R this. The variation reflects a Bx error, since AC read it þus. lewde men · for lettred men it knowen
¶ Ȝet haue II haueBx.1.139: Ȝet haue I/I haue: The beta reading is that of Ax, whereas alpha (and Cr) is Cx. no kynde knowing quod I · ȝet mote ȝe kenne meBx.1.139: ȝet mote ȝe kenne me: Presumably R represents alpha, and F repairs the alliteration. For some reason A mss. have much trouble with this b-verse, and C mss. only slightly less, though there the X group has the beta reading we take to be Bx, while the P group has ȝe mot kenne me, as does W here. better
For thus witnesseth his worde · worcheth þow þere-afterBx.1.149: The line is lost by beta2 (CrWHm) and G. It is in Ax but not Cx.
May no synne be on him sene · þat [þat spise vseth]Bx.1.151: þat þat spise vseth: F's inverted order is metrical, and perhaps authorial, with K.7.137 þat no werk vsiþ (alliterating on /n/) providing a parallel. Even so, it may be a scribal sophistication, and this is one of the occasions
where R is sorely missed. The line is not in AC.
And also þe plenteBx.1.154: plente: "fullness"; and cf. the proverb "peace maketh plenty" which may have influenced the Bx scribe. Cr's plant may have been taken from his C ms.; it is probably also Ax. See Adams (1991), 7-15. of pees · moste precious of vertues
Bx.1.156KD.1.154
Tyl it hadde of þe erthe · yetenBx.1.156: yeten: "eaten". See Schmidt (1995), 366. Cr's yoten it-selue (MED yeten v.3, "poured out") is the reading of Cx. his fylle
To haue pite o[n]Bx.1.173: on: MCrHmGO as well as F (= alpha?) are supported by AC versions against of in LWC. Yet the latter might be Bx; cf. l. 177 for a similar case, and note that MCrHmGOF have pity on for pity of in Bx.5.260. þat poeple · þat peynedBx.1.173: peyned: A mss. have predominantly pinede (MED pinen), as do MHmF, whereas C mss. have paynede (MED peinen), but the verbs were often confused. hym to deth
¶ Here myȝtow see ensamplesBx.1.174: ensamples: The singular of WCGF varies with the plural in all three versions. For the argument that the plural is "more exact", see
Schmidt (2008), 316. · in hym-selue one
Bx.1.184KD.1.181
But ifBx.1.184: if: Dropped by MF, but supported by Cx. A mss. vary. ȝe louen lelliche · and lene þe poure
[Of] suchBx.1.185: Of such: Of is easily lost, as in beta. F is supported by AC. goed as god ȝow sent [·] godelich parteth
Ȝe neBx.1.186: ne (1): Dropped by MCrGF, but supported by AC. haue na more meryte · in masse ne in houres
That faith with-oute þe faiteBx.1.189: þe faite: G reads dede, F has fewte, and in M the definite article is inserted by the corrector. The article in this phrase is more easily lost than added, and
beta probably had it. Ax is without the article; Cx is divided, though the best representatives of the X family have it. We follow copy-text. · is riȝteBx.1.189: riȝte: F's omission of the word may represent Bx, but the b-verse is corrupt in any case. The AC reading is is feblere þan noȝt. no-þinge worthi
Aren no men auarousereBx.1.195: no men auarousere: G's non herder is by contamination from AC. F's non for beta's no men may be from A, but may represent Bx. þan hij · whan þei ben auaunced
Bx.1.200KD.1.196
Thei ben acombred wiþ coueitise · þei konne nouȝt out crepenouȝt don it fram hemBx.1.200: nouȝt out crepe: Beta has nouȝt don it fram hem, with G's not cry ovte an independent improvement or indebted to AC, which both have variously not crepe out and not out crepe. This supports F's out crepe (omitting nouȝt by oversight), though it may be by contamination.
And lernyng to lewde men · þe latter for to deleBx.1.203: for to dele: The beta reading, though G omits for, aligning it with most A mss. F has to leve synne. C rewrites.
Bx.1.204KD.1.200
¶Bx.1.204: ¶: L's paraph is shared only with C, but the line is at the top of the page in M (which marks paraphs only with a blank space). For-þi þis wordes [·] ben wryten in þe gospelBx.1.204: Because of the short line, scribes misplaced the punctus. Only L has it awkwardly after ben. We follow MWCO.
And þat is þe lokke of loue · andBx.1.206: and (2): Clearly the beta reading, supported by the X family of C. CrGF have þat (M is revised to that reading), as does Ax and the P family of C. Again, F may be alpha or an A reading. lateth oute my grace