The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 9: The B-Version Archetype of <hi rend="it">Piers Plowman</hi>

The Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, Vol. 9: The B-Version Archetype of <hi rend="it">Piers Plowman</hi> – Passus 14William LanglandEdited by John Burrow and Thorlac Turville-PetreTechnical Editors: Daniel V. Pitti and Cindy Girard Graduate Research Assistants John Ivor Carlson, Erin Kelly, Britta Rowe, Christine Schott, and Timothy L. Stinson. Computer Consultants and Programmers Shayne Brandon, Cynthia GirardPublished for the Medieval Academy of America and The Society for Early English and Norse Electronic Texts (SEENET) by Boydell and Brewer Ltd. Cambridge ISBN (individual use) 1 84384 ????? (institutional use) 1 84384 ????

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LatinFrenchGerman Editor Hoyt N. Duggan New header created and structure reorganized. Passus quartus decimus I Haue but oneBx.14.1: one: L and alpha. Other mss. (including M) add hool, which KD (but not Schmidt) adopt on the basis that this is Haukyn's best cote (Bx.13.329). With the exception of the b-verse of l. 32, lines 1-42 have no parallel in C. hatere quod haukyn · I am þe lasse to blame Þough it be soiled and selde clene · I slepe þere-inne on niȝtes And also I haue an houswyf · hewen and children Vxorem duxy & ideo non possum venire Þat wolen bymolen it many tymeBx.14.5: tyme: G and alpha have tymes. See note to Bx.11.387 where there is the same variation. · maugre my chekes ¶ It hath ben laued in lente · and oute of lente bothe With þe sope of sykenesse · þat seketh wonder depe And with þe losse of catel · loth forto agulte God or any gode man · bi auȝte þat I wisteBx.14.9: F rewrites to repair the alliteration. And was shryuen of þe preste · þat gaue me for my synnes To penaunce pacyence · and pore men to fede Al for coueitise of my crystenedome · in clennesse to kepen it ¶ And couthe I neuereBx.14.13: neuere: Alpha has nouȝt. by cryste · kepen it clene an houre Þat I ne soiled it with syȝte · or sum ydel speche Or þorugh werke or þorugh wordeBx.14.15: þorugh worde: CGO omit þorugh, but it motivates alpha's non-alliterating thouȝt. F has þoruh in the b-verse. · or wille of myn herte Þat I ne flober it foule · fro morwe tyl eue ¶ And I shal kenne þe quod conscience · of contricioun to make Þat shal clawe þi cote · of alkynnes filthe Cordis contricio &c Dowel wasshenBx.14.20: wasshen: Beta2 and O supply shal (added by the M corrector) on the basis of ll. 18 and 22. it and wryngen it · þorw a wys confessour Oris confessio &c Dobet shal beten it and bouken it · as briȝte as any scarlet And engreynen it with good wille · and goddes grace to amende þe And sithen sende þe to satisfaccioun · for to so[nn]enBx.14.24: sonnen: "dry in the sun" after dyeing it, rather than beta's much easier sowen, "sew". Alpha's verb is sparsely cited in MED, but it is more appropriate for the process of cleaning. it after Satisfaccio dobestBx.14.25: Following this F has two extra lines. KD adopt the first on the grounds that it is "pre-archetypal" (p. 172). ¶Bx.14.26: ¶: The paraph is in beta only. In R the line is at the top of the page. Shal neuere mysteBx.14.26: myste: Presumably a Bx error for myske, "dirt" (MED mix). Beta2 alters to chyste / cheeste, "quarrelling". bimolen it · ne moth after biten it Ne fende ne false man [·] defoulen it in þi lyue Shal none heraude ne harpoure · haue a fairere garnement Þan haukyn þe actyf man · and þow do by my techyng Ne no mynstral be more worth · amonges pore & riche Þan Haukynnes wyf þe wafrere · w[hic]h isBx.14.31: which is: KD accept that alpha's reading is archetypal, but argue that "from the poor sense of wif (why should her clothes be compared with those of heralds and harpers?) this is unoriginal" (p. 187), and so emend wif to wil. Like beta, which reads with his, KD miss the significance of ll. 3-4, where Hawkin's wife is an aspect of activa vita. actiua vita ¶ And I shal purueye þe paste quod pacyence · þoughBx.14.32: þough: Alpha reads þouȝ þow, but beta is supported by the b-verse in Cx (RK.15.234). no plow erie And floure to fede folke with · as best be for þe soule Þough neuere greyne growed · ne grape vppon vyne AlleBx.14.35: Alle: Indirect object of fynde; WF supply prepositions. þat lyueth and loketh · lyflode wolde I fynde And þat ynough shal none faille · of þinge þat hem nedeth We shulde nouȝt be to busy · abouten owre lyflode Ne solliciti sitis &c [·] volucres celi deus pascit &c [·] pacientes vincunt &cBx.14.38: We separate the three quotations by punctuation. MR separate the first two by punctuation and the second and third by a line-break, but L runs the line on without punctuation. F ends with scitis. ¶ Þanne laughed haukyn a litel · and liȝtly gan swerye Who-so leueth ȝowBx.14.40: ȝow: R has ȝow noþer; F in a revised line has eyþir of ȝow. Perhaps alpha had ȝow either, i.e. either Conscience or Patience. Schmidt (1995) adopts yow either from alpha as "more precise" (p. 393). We retain copy-text. by owre lorde · I leue nouȝte he be blissed ¶ No quod pacyence paciently · and out of his poke hente Vitailles of grete vertues · for al manere bestes And seyde lo here lyflode ynough · if owre byleue be trewe For lente neuere was [þere]Bx.14.44: þere: Supported by R alone, since F rewrites the line and beta drops the word, but C mss. have either here or more commonly þere (RK.15.238). lyf · but lyflode were shapen Wher-of or wherfore · [and]Bx.14.45: and: Beta has or, though O reads &. F loses the line, but R's and is supported by Cx. where-by to lybbe ¶ Firste þe wylde worme · vnder weet erthe Fissch to lyue in þe flode · and in þe fyre þe crykat Þe corlue by kynde of þe eyre · moste clennest flesch of bryddes And bestes by grasse and by greyne · and by grene rotis In menynge þat alle men · myȝteBx.14.50: myȝte: Misunderstanding the syntax (þe same, "similarly"), scribes add do (MCrGOF) or se (C), but LWHmR are supported by Cx. þe same Lyue þorw lele byleue and loue · as god witnesseth Quodcumque pecieritisBx.14.52: pecieritis: Beta adds a patre. The P family of C reads patrem, the X family omits as does alpha. Biblical texts vary; see Alford (1992), 87. in nomine meo &c & alibi Non in solo pane viuit homo set in omni verbo quod procedit de ore dei ¶ But I loked what lyflode itBx.14.54: lyflode it: Beta is supported by Cx (though in a b-verse) against alpha's þat liflode. was · þat pacience so preysed And þanne wasBx.14.55: was: LWCG read was it, as in Cx, supplying a Bx omission preserved in MO before correction and in alpha. Cr has it was and Hm þat was. a pece of þe pater noster · fiat voluntas tua ¶ Haue haukyn quod pacyence · and ete þis whan þe hungreth Or whan þow clomsest for colde · or clyngest for dr[outh]eBx.14.57: drouthe: The alpha reading is supported by Cx against beta's drye. However, the latter is a good reading (cf. Bx.5.549), and it is possible that the alpha reading is a revision. [And]Bx.14.58: And: R (=alpha?) is supported by Cx, though beta omits and F has Þere. shal neuere gyuesBx.14.58: gyues: "shackles". Cx supports beta. Alpha substitutes non-alliterating feytoures, "deceivers"; presumably this was a misreading of a gloss feteres, "fetters" in Bx. For another case of a gloss being included in the text, cf. note to Bx.15.25. þe greue · ne grete lordes wrath Prisone ne peyne · for pacientes vincunt Bx.14.60: L's paraph is unsupported except for the line-space in M.Bi so þat þow be sobre · of syȝte and of tonge In etynge and in handlyng · and in alle þi fyue wittis Darstow neuere care for corne · ne lynnen cloth ne wollen Ne for drynke ne deth drede · but deye as god lyketh Or þorw honger or þorw hete · at his wille be it For if þow lyuest after his lore · þe sho[r]ter lyf þe betterBx.14.65: better: Alpha has leuere, perhaps by alliterative attraction; beta is supported by Cx. Si quis amat cristum mundum non diligit istum ¶ For þorw his breth bestes wexenBx.14.67: wexen: L's forms are inf. wax(en), pr. 3 sg. wexeth, waxeth, pr. pl. wexeth, pa. sg. wex, pa. pl. wexen, woxen, ppl. waxen, woxen. The readings of other beta mss. confirm that wexen is here past tense, as is ȝeden. R has the present; the most authoritative C mss. have the past. · and abrode ȝeden Dixit & facta sunt &c · Ergo þorw his breth mowen · men & bestes lyuen As holywrit witnesseth · whan men segge her gracesBx.14.70: graces: Beta's plural is supported by Cx. Aperis tu manum tuam · & imples omne animal benediccione ¶ It is founden þat fourty wynter · folke lyued with-outen tulying And oute of þe flynte spronge þe flode · þat folke & bestes dronke And in Elyes tyme · heuene was yclosed Þat no reyne neBx.14.75: ne: Omitted by MHmF and the P family of C. rone · þus rede menBx.14.75: rede men: This word-order is supported by Cx against the reversal in MF. in bokes Þat many wynt[er]Bx.14.76: wynter: There is the usual variation between the marked and unmarked forms of the plural. Here Cx supports CrR. men lyueden · and no mete ne tulyeden [¶]Bx.14.77: ¶: WHmR have a paraph here which in L has slipped to the next line. Seuene slepe as seith þe boke · seuene hundreth wynter And lyueden with-oute lyflode · and atte laste þei woken And if men lyued as mesure wolde · shulde neuere-moreBx.14.79: more: Although in alliterative position, this is omitted by all C mss. as well as by beta4 and F presumably by coincidence in a revised b-verse. be defaute Amonges cristene creatures · if crystes wordes ben trewe Ac vnkyndnesse carestia maketh · amonges crystene peple And ouer-plente maketh pruyde · amonges pore & riche Ac mesure is so moche worth · it may nouȝte be to dere For þe meschief and þe meschaunce · amonges men of sodome Wex þorw plente of payn · & of pure sleuthe Ociositas & habundancia panis peccatum turpissimum nutriuitBx.14.86: R ends the quotation at panis, and F omits altogether. Lines 81-110 have no parallel in C. For þei mesured nouȝt hem-self · of þat þei ete and dronke Diden dedly synne [·] þat þe deuel lyked So vengeaunce fel vpon hem · for her vyle synnes Þei sonken in-to helle · þoBx.14.90: þo: So LM and F, but R joins the others with þe. Either could be a substitution for the other. citees vchone ¶ For-þi mesure we vs wel · and make owre faithe owre scheltroun And þorw faith cometh contricioun · conscience wote wel Whiche dryueth awey dedly synne · and doth it to be venial And þough a man myȝte nouȝte speke · contricioun myȝte hym saue And brynge his soule to blisse · byBx.14.95: by: LCr + alpha; MW substitute for and others drop. For the idiom by so, "provided that", cf. Bx.11.76. so þat feith bere witnesse Þat whiles he lyued he bileued · in þe lore of holycherche Ergo contricioun feith and conscience · is kyndelich dowel And surgienes for dedly synnesBx.14.98: synnes: Apparently beta, though CrHm agree with alpha on the sg. We follow copy-text. · whan shrifte of mouth failleth ¶ Ac shrifte of mouth more worthy is · if man be i[n]licheBx.14.99: inliche: R reproduces alpha, as shown by F's error with (for within). MO also have ynlich, presumably a scribal restoration since other beta mss. have iliche. contrit For shrifte of mouth sleeth synne · be it neuere so dedly Per confessionem to a prest · peccata occiduntur Þere contricioun doth but dryueth it doun · in-to a venial synne As dauid seith in þe sauter · et quorum tecta sunt peccata Ac satisfaccioun seketh oute þe rote · and bothe sleeth and voideth And as it neuere had ybe · to nouȝt bryngeth dedly synne Þat it neuere eft is seen ne sore · but semeth a wounde yheled ¶ [Ȝe]Bx.14.107: Ȝe: Alpha only, but an opening discourse-marker that is characteristically Langlandian; cf. l. 113 below, Bx.11.145 etc. where woneth charite quod haukyn · I wiste neuere in my lyue Man þat with hym spake · as wyde as I haue passed ¶Bx.14.109: ¶: The paraph at the start of the speech is in beta and F. Cf. l. 107 above, and l. 111 below. Þere parfit treuthe and pouere herte is · and pacience of tonge Þere is charitee þe chief chaumbrereBx.14.110: chaumbrere: The form chambre in MHmCG and alpha could represent Bx, corrected by other scribes. See note to laborere in l. 338. [·] for god hym-selue ¶ Whether pacien[c]e pouerteBx.14.111: pacience pouerte: This, rather than paciente pouerte in LCrWO, is likely to be the beta reading, as in CG and MHm before correction. Scribes were understandably puzzled, not realising that Pacience is a term of address (as in l. 292). Evidence that W's exemplar may have read pacience is that W nowhere else spells paciente with final /e/. On this analysis, alpha, equally puzzled, added and, to read pacience and pouerte. Yet alpha's reading has support from Cx, pouerte and pacience (RK.15.277). quod haukyn · be more plesaunte to owre driȝteBx.14.111: driȝte: The difficult word is misread by C and glossed by G and alpha. Cx has instead "plese more god almyhty". Þan ricchesse riȝtfulliche ywonne · and resonablelich yspendedBx.14.112: yspended: Beta2 alters to dispended. ¶ Ȝe quis est ille quod pacience · quik laudabimus eum Þough men rede of richchesse · riȝt to þe worldes ende I wist neuere renke þat riche was · þat whan he rekne sholde Whan itBx.14.116: it: L's agreement with R against the easily adopted he (as in the b-verse) in the other beta mss. would be secure for Bx except that Cx reads he drow to þe deth. F omits the pronoun. See Introduction V.3.2. drow to his deth-day · þat he ne dred hym sore And þatBx.14.117: þat: The beta reading, but easily lost as in MGR. atte rekenyng in arrerage fel · rather þan oute of dette ¶ There þe pore dar plede · and preue by pure resoun To haue allowaunce of his lorde · by þe lawe he it cleymeth Ioye þat neuere ioye hadde · of riȝtful iugge he axeth And seith lo briddes and bestes · þat no blisse ne knoweth And wilde wormes in wodes · þorw wyntres þow hem greuest And makest hem welnyegh meke · and mylde for defaute And after þow sendest hem somer · þat is her souereigne Ioye And blisse to alle þat ben · bothe wilde and tame Þanne may beggeres asBx.14.126: as: So L, corrected M, CrW. Certainly a more meaningful reading than and in beta4 and alpha, and supported by the X family of C, though some of the P family also have and. bestes · after bote waiten Þat al her lyf han lyued · in langour and in defaute But god sent hem some-tyme · some manere ioye Other here or elles-where · kynde wolde it neuere For to wrotherhele was he wrouȝte · þat neuere was ioyeBx.14.130: was ioye: The word-order is supported by alliteration and Cx, against the reversal in Hm and alpha. shaped ¶ Angeles þat in helle now ben · hadden ioye some-tyme And diues in deyntees lyued · and in douce vye Riȝte so resoun sheweth · þat þoBx.14.133: þo: Beta2 has, less appropriately, þe. Lines 133-40 are not in C. men þat were richeBx.14.133: þat were riche: The phrase is lost in alpha. F repairs. And her makes also · lyued her lyf in murthe ¶ Ac god is of a wonder wille · by þat kynde witte sheweth To ȝiue many men his mercymonye · ar he it haue deserued Riȝt so fareth god by some riche · reuthe me it þinketh For þei han her hyre here · anBx.14.138: an: "and". The fact that the form is also in M may indicate that it is beta's. heuene as it were And isBx.14.139: is: "it is". Dropped by beta2 and F, and erased in M. gret lykyng to lyue · with-oute laboure of body And whan he deyeth ben disalowed · as dauid seith in þe sauter Dormierunt & nichil inuenerunt And in an other stede also · velud sompnum surgencium domine in ciuitate tua & adBx.14.142: & ad: Scribes have corrected this familiar quotation (Psalm 72.20). F reads sompnium, "dream", in place of sompnum, "sleep", and adds ymaginem, both as in the Vulgate. Alpha's ad for beta's & ad is probably a similar correction. Cx ends the quotation at surgencium. nichilum rediges Allas þat ricchesse shal reue · and robbe mannes soule Fram þe loue of owre lorde · at his laste ende ¶ Hewen þat han her hyre aforeBx.14.145: afore: Alpha has to-fore and Cx byfore. See note to Bx.5.12. · aren euermore nedy And selden deiethBx.14.146: deieth: Beta adds the pronoun he, but R (F rewrites) is supported by Cx in postponing the subject until the b-verse. out of dette · þat dyneth ar heBx.14.146: he: Beta supported by the X group of C, while alpha's plural has support from the P group. The plural is probably prompted by the previous line. deserue it And til he haue done his deuor · and his dayes iourne For whan a werkman hath wrouȝte · þanne may men se þe sothe What he were worthi for his werke · and what he hath deserued And nouȝt to fonge bifore · for drede of disalowynge ¶ So I segge by ȝow riche · it semeth nouȝtBx.14.151: nouȝt: Lost by alpha making nonsense; F rewrites the b-verse to improve the sense. þat ȝe shulle Haue [two] heuene[s]Bx.14.152: two heuenes: Alpha is supported by Cx. Probably beta misunderstood the sense of a line which causes scribes problems in other respects also. It involves an unusual disjuncture after the first stress: "(You shall not) have two heavens: (one) in your present existence and (another) in heaven afterwards". In Cx the line is simplified by dropping the b-verse: "(You shall not) have two heavens in return for your present existence" (RK.16.9). inBx.14.152: in: Though R's for is shared with Cx, it makes no sense in the context of the line as in Bx. ȝowre here-beyngBx.14.152: here-beyng: Only recorded here and in C by MED, her adv. 7(a). Beta2 and G corrupt to here beryng (? OED harbouring), prompting W to guess at here dwellyng. · and heuene her-afterBx.14.152: her-after: This is perhaps Bx, though it could have been prompted by here in the a-verse. WGR have þere-after. Riȝt as a seruaunt taketh his salarye bifore · & sitth wolde clayme moreBx.14.153: R (reproducing alpha) divides the line at the end of the unusually heavy a-verse, but is left with an impossibly short line. F therefore expands freely. Hm divides at the same point as alpha, and then fills out the following line independently. Alpha's huire for beta's more anticipates Bx huyre in l. 154. The passage up to l. 169 is dropped in C. As he þat none hadde · and hath huyreBx.14.154: huyre: Alpha's heuene is a consequence of its muddle in the previous line. atte laste It may nouȝt be ȝe riche men · or matheu on god lyeth De delicijs ad delicias · deficile est transireBx.14.156: transire: Alford (1992), 89, quotes Jerome in support of this reading rather than ascendere in alpha, who still has his eye on heuene. ¶Bx.14.157: ¶: The paraph, following the Latin line, is in beta and F. Ac if [ȝ]eBx.14.157: ȝe: LMCrGF þe is an easy misreading. It may, however, represent Bx, with WHmCOR making an obvious correction. riche haue reuthe · and rewarde wel þe pore And lyuen as lawe techeth · done leute to alleBx.14.158: alle: All beta mss. except L have hem alle (referring to the poor) but alle is probably the alpha reading, as in R, with F expanding a short b-verse to his brothir. On M's agreement with beta1, see Introduction III.2. Criste of his curteysie · shal conforte ȝow atte laste And rewarde alle dowble ricchesse · þat reuful hertes habbeth And as an hyne þat hadde · his hyre ar he bygonne And whan he hath done his deuor wel · men doth hym other bounte Ȝyueth hym a cote aboue his couenaunte · riȝte so cryst ȝiueth heuene Bothe to riche and to nouȝte riche · þat rewfullichBx.14.164: rewfullich: Cf. l. 160. Alpha adopts the easier reading riȝtfullich. lybbeth And alle þat done her deuor wel · han dowble hyre for her trauaille Here forȝyuenesse of her synnes · and heuene blisse after Bx.14.167-71: These five lines are lost in alpha, jumping from Ac to Ac and paraph to paraph. ¶ Ac it nys but selde yseyn · as by holy seyntes bokesBx.14.167: bokes: M shares the error liues with O. Þat god rewarded double reste · to any riche wye For moche murthe is amonges riche · as in mete and clothyng And moche murthe in Maye is · amonges wilde bestes And so forth whil somer lasteth · her solace dureth [¶]Bx.14.172: ¶: An appropriate paraph, recorded by WHm and alpha. AcBx.14.172: Ac: Alpha must have had this reading, though R omits it. F has (as usual) But. beggeres aboute Midsomer · bredlees þei soupe And ȝit is wynter for hem worse · for wete-shodde þei gange Afyrst sore and afyngred · and foule yrebuked And arated of riche men · þat reuthe is to here Now lorde sende hem somer · and some manere ioye Heuene after her hennes-goynge · þat here han suche defaute For alle myȝtest þow haue made · none mener þan other And yliche witty & wyse · if þe welBx.14.179: þe wel: In L the scribe has first written þi followed by five letters; the /i/ has been altered to /e/ followed by wel and a punctus. There can be little question that L's original reading was þi wille as in MCGOF. Rather doubtfully we follow L's corrected reading, supported by beta2 (CrWHm) and R, on the grounds that þe wel was more likely to have been mistaken for þi wille than vice versa. Cx revises the b-verse and offers no guide. hadde lyked Bx.14.180: Alpha's paraph is not appropriate.And haue reuthe on þise riche men · þat rewarde nouȝte þi prisoneresBx.14.180: prisoneres: For R's form prisones, see note to Bx.3.138 and l. 186 below. Here and elsewhere we follow copy-text. Lines 180-209 are not in C. Of þe good þat þow hem gyuest · ingrati ben manye Ac god of þi goodnesse · gyue hem grace to amende For may no derth ben hem dere · drouth ne weet Ne noyther hete ne haille · haue þei here hele Of þat þei wilne and wolde · wanteth hem nouȝt here ¶ Ac pore peple þi prisoneres · lordeBx.14.186: lorde: R has lore, either as a spelling of lorde as at Bx.5.407, 18.61, or as the ppl. "lost". Perhaps the form represents alpha, since F supposes it to be a verb, reading lyȝn, "lie". Note also the addition of final /d/ in O's lord. in þe put of myschief Conforte þo creatures · þat moche care suffren Þorw derth þorw drouth · alle her dayes here Wo in wynter tymesBx.14.189: wynter tymes: Alpha has wyntres tyme. In the same a-verse in C at RK.9.78, the X family has beta's reading, the P family has wynter tyme. Cf. somer tyme in the next line. · for wantyng of clothes And in somer tyme selde · soupen to þe fulle Conforte þi careful [·] cryst in þi rycheBx.14.191: ryche: Beta2 corrupts to rychesse, and M is altered to that reading. For how þow confortest alle creatures · clerkes bereth witnesse Conuertimini ad me & salui eritis ¶ Þus in genere of his genitriceBx.14.194: in genere of his genitrice: "by the very nature of his nobility". Alpha must have had alle his, as R, but beta copies apart from L have neither word. · Ihesu cryst seyde To robberes and to reueres · to riche and to pore [To hores to harlotes . to alle maner poeple]Bx.14.196: The line is in alpha only, beta missing the second line beginning To. For to (2) F has & to, possibly correctly, since R uniquely drops & in the parallel position in the line above. F's b-verse is, however, rather meaninglessly inclusive. Þow tauȝtest hem in þe Trinitee · to take baptesme And be clene þorw þat crystennynge · of alle kynnes [synnes]Bx.14.198: synnes: Dropped by L after kynnes. W alone has the sg. AndBx.14.199: And: "if". Alpha underlines the sense with And if, adopted also by CrW. In M a word is first inserted and then erased. vs fel þorw folye · to falle in synne after Confessioun and kne[w]lechyngBx.14.200: Confessioun and knewlechyng: Reversed in alpha. [·] & crauyng þi mercy Shulde amende vs as many sithes · as man wolde desire AcBx.14.202: Ac: Beta2, C and alpha have And. if þe p[ouke]Bx.14.202: pouke: Beta's pope is an odd error, especially in view of l. 205. KD, p. 147 suggest "a preferred villain substituted". wolde plede here-aȝeineBx.14.202: here-aȝeine: Alpha has þere-aȝeine, adopted also by G. · and punyssh vs in conscience HeBx.14.203: He: Either Christ, or more probably "the one affected". R's Ho is perhaps an alpha error, altered by F to We for the sense. shulde take þe acquitance as quik · and to þe qued schewe it Pateat &c per passionem domini And putten of so þe pouke · and preuen vs vnder borwe Ac þe perchemyn of þis patent · of pouerte be moste And of pure pacience · and parfit bileue Bx.14.208: The paraph in W and alpha is not adopted.Of pompe and of pruyde · þe parchemyn decorreth And principaliche of alle peple · but þei be pore of herte Ellis is al an ydel · al þat euere we writen Pater nostresBx.14.211: Pater nostres: CrCGOR have the singular. Cx has preyeres (RK.16.38). and penaunceBx.14.211: penaunce: Here and elsewhere, romance loans ending in a sibilant may be unchanged in the plural, hence frequent variations between penaunce and penaunces, e.g. Bx.P.25, 7.132, 15.153, 16.39. Here Hm and alpha have the marked plural, as does the X family of C. It is worth observing that of 44 instances of penaunce from the C text in Wittig's Concordance, 16 are emendations of penaunces in the X family. · and pilgrimageBx.14.211: pilgrimage: CrWG have the plural, as do most C mss. See Bx.15.189 and 19.387 for a similar situation. to Rome ButBx.14.212: But: "unless". Beta is supported by Cx. R has And; F begins With in a rewritten a-verse. owre spences and spendyngBx.14.212: spendyng: R has oure spendynge, as the X family of C. sprynge ·Bx.14.212: The punctuation follows sprynge (aaa/xx) in LR and probably in original M, though there another punctus appears before springe, as in other mss. (aa/ax). of a trewe welleBx.14.212: welle: The obviously superior reading is supported by Cx over wille in CrWCO (G corrects). Elles is al owre laboure loste · lo how men writeth In fenestres atte freres · if fals be þe foundement For-þi crystene sholde ben in comune riche · none coueitouse for hym-selue ¶ For seuene synnes þatBx.14.216: þat: Dropped in CO, and postponed to the b-verse in WGF. Cx has þat in both positions. þere ben · assaillen vs euere Þe fende folweth hem alle · and fondeth hem to helpe Ac wiþ ricchesse þ[o] ribaude[s]Bx.14.218: þo ribaudes: Alpha, supported by Cx, referring to the sins. Beta has þat Ribaude referring to the devil. · rathest men bigyleth For þere þat richesse regneth · reuerence[s]Bx.14.219: reuerences: i.e. expressions of deference. Alpha has the plural, as do the best C mss. Beta's form might be construed as plural without ending, as often with romance loans ending in a sibilant. See note to l. 211. folweth And þat is plesaunte to pryde · in pore and in riche AndBx.14.221: And: Beta supported by the X family of C against alpha's Ac/But. The P family has no conjunction. þe riche is reuerenced · by resoun of his richchesse Þere þe pore is put bihynde [·] and par-auenture can more Of witte and of wysdom · þat fer [w]eyBx.14.223: fer wey: R only, since the line is lost in F, but supported by Cx against beta's fer awey. Neither phrase occurs elsewhere in the poem. is better Þan ricchesse or reaute · and rather yherde in heuene For þe riche hath moche to rekene · and riȝte softeBx.14.225: riȝte softe: Corruption in beta2 leads CrW to invent and Hm to correct. Perhaps beta2 read ofte, and lost the word in the next line. walketh Þe heighBx.14.226: heigh: Alpha and G repeat riȝt from the previous line. Beta's a-verse is as in Cx. waye to heuene-ward · oft ricchesseBx.14.226: ricchesse: Beta against alpha's riche. The b-verse is rewritten in C. letteth Ita possibileBx.14.227: possibile: "It is as (ita) possible for a rich man etc." Quoted in this form also in RK.11.201a. MW alter to impossibile, in view of Matt. 19.23 which has "quia dives difficile ...". diuiti &c ¶ Þere þe pore presethBx.14.228: preseth: Beta is supported by Cx. Alpha has precheth (R) or procheth (in both cases <p> with abbreviation). bifor þe richeBx.14.228: þe riche: Certainly Bx, though Cx omits, as does F by contamination or coincidence. · with a pakke at his rugge Opera enim illorum sequntur illos Batauntliche as beggeres done · and baldeliche he craueth For his pouerte and hisBx.14.231: his (2): Omitted by MCGO, as in the P family of C. (F loses ll. 229-31). pacience · a perpetuel blisse Beati pauperes · quoniam ipsorum est regnum celorum ¶ AndBx.14.233: And: Alpha has Ac (F But); C mss. have And or Also. Cf. l. 221. pryde in ricchesse regneth · rather þan in pouerte [Or] in þe Maister [or]Bx.14.234: Or ... or: Beta has Arst ... þan, but alpha is supported by Cx. Beta supposes that the master would have more pride than his man, but Skeat (1886), ii, 211 explains that by man Langland refers to "the arrogant manners of the retainers in a great household". in þe man · some mansioun heBx.14.234: he: Omitted by R, but supported by Cx. hath Ac in pouerte þere pacyence is · pryde hath no myȝte Ne none of þe seuene synnes · sitten ne mowe þere longe Ne haue powere in pouerte · if pacyence it folwe For þe pore is ay prest · to plese þe riche And buxome at his byddyng · for his broke loues And buxomenesse and boste · aren euer-more at werre And ayther hateth other · in alle manere werkes Bx.14.242: A paraph might be expected here, as for the other sins, but only WCF have one.If wratthe wrastel with þe pore · he hath þe worse ende For if þey bothe pleyne · þe pore is but fieble And if he chyde or chatre · hym chieueth þe worse Bx.14.245-55: These eleven lines are lost in beta, probably by eyeskip from And if 244 to ¶ And if (in beta only) 256. Cx is closely parallel except for the last two lines, and generally supports R over F. [For lowelich he loketh · and loueliche is his speche Þat mete or money · of other men mote asken Bx.14.247: The paraph in F marks the introduction of gluttony.And if glotonye greue pouerte · he gadereth þe lasse For his rentes wolBx.14.248: wol: R has ne wol. Cx has neither ne in the a-verse nor no in the b-verse. nauȝte reche · no riche metes to bugge And þouȝ his glotonye be to gode ale · he goth to cold beddynge And his heued vnhiled · vnesily ywrye For whan he streyneth hym to strecche · þe strawe is his shetesBx.14.251: shetes: Cx supports R's plural. So for his glotonye and his grete sleuthe · he hath a greuous penaunce Þat is welawo whan he waketh · and wepeth for colde And sum-tyme for his synnes · so he is neuere merye Withoute mornynge amonge · and mischiefBx.14.255: mischief: The b-verse in Cx, "so meschief hym folleweth" (RK.16.78) offers no support to F's myche myschef. to bote] ¶ And [þouȝ]Bx.14.256: þouȝ: Alpha is supported by Cx against if in beta. coueitise woldeBx.14.256: wolde: Only L + alpha, but supported by Cx "wolde with þe pore wrastle". cacche þe pore · þei may nouȝt come togideres And by þe nekke namely · her none may hente other For men knoweth wel þat coueitise · is of a kene wille And hath hondes and armes · of a longe lengthe And pouerte nis but a petit þinge · appereth nouȝt to his naule And louely layke was it neuere · bitwene þe longe and þe shorte And þough auarice wolde angre þe pore · he hath but litel myȝte For pouerte hath but pokes · to putten in his godis Þere auarice hath almaries · and yren-bounde coffres And whether be liȝter to breke · lasse boste itBx.14.265: lasse boste it: M alters its reading to agree with CrW; Cx supports the other mss. maketh A beggeres bagge · þan an yren-bounde coffre ¶ Lecherye loueth hym nouȝt · for he ȝeueth but lytel syluer Ne doth hym nouȝte dyne delycatly · ne drynke wyn oft Bx.14.269-70: The lines are in beta only, but supported by Cx. Perhaps alpha censored them, though KD, p. 68, suggest eyeskip from A...stuwes 269 to And...suwe 271. A strawe for þe stuwes · it stode nouȝt I trowe Had þei noneBx.14.270: none: Cx has alliterating noen haunt. We suppose that Bx or beta lost haunt, with L preserving the reading none, beta1 altering to no þing for sense, and G further altering to noght. If so, then M is perhaps dependent on beta1. but of pore men · her houses wereBx.14.270: were: All beta mss. except L read stoode, perhaps repeated from the previous line. Cx loses the b-verse. vntyled ¶ And þough sleuthe suwe pouerte · and serue nouȝt god to paye Mischief is his maister · and maketh hym to thynke Þat god is hisBx.14.273: his: Omitted by R and misplaced by F, but supported by Cx. grettest helpe · and no gome elles And [he is]Bx.14.274: he is: The reading of R alone, but supported by Cx (RK.16.97). The beta reading, as in L, original M, and HmGOC, appears to have been his. CrWF make an obvious correction to he his, and this is followed by the M corrector. The sense is that Poverty is a servant in God's retinue. seruaunt as he seith · and of his sute bothe And whereBx.14.275: where: "whether", the spelling of LR. he be or be nouȝte · he bereth þe signe of pouerte And in þat secte owre saueoure · saued al mankynde For-thi al poreBx.14.277: pore: CrCGO have pouertie, influenced by l. 275. Cx supports pore. þat paciente is · may claymen and askenBx.14.277: may claymen and asken: The b-verse does not alliterate. Cx has instead of puyr rihte may claymen. After her endynge here · heuene-riche blisse ¶ Moche hardier may he axen · þat here myȝte haue his wille In londeBx.14.277: In londe: F's reading suggests that R's In lorde is an alpha error. and in lordship · and likynge of bodye And for goddis loue leueth al · an lyueth as a beggere And as a mayde for [a]Bx.14.282: a (2): R is supported by Cx against omission in all other B mss. mannes loue · her moder forsaketh Hir fader and alle her frendes · and folweth hir make Moche is suche a maydeBx.14.284: suche a mayde: LMHmCO are supported by Cx (RK.16.107). Alpha reads þat mayde, G drops suche, and CrW reflect a corrupt exemplar anticipating more in the following line. to louie · of hymBx.14.284: hym: Cx has a man to carry the alliteration. þat such one taketh More þan a mayden is · þat is maried þorw brokage As bi assent of sondry partyes · and syluer to bote More for coueitise of good · þan kynde loue of bothe ¶ So it fareth bi eche a persone · þat possessioun forsaketh And put hym to be pacient · and pouerte weddeth Þe whichBx.14.290: Þe which: Supported by Cx against R Which and Cr Such. is sybbe to god hym-self · and so [neighe is pouerte]Bx.14.290: so neighe is pouerte: This is the reading of R and presumably of alpha, which F attempts to clarify by altering pouerte to þat persone. Beta is quite different, so to his seyntes, which makes superficial but inappropriate sense and can hardly have given rise to alpha. The readings of this b-verse and that of the next line suggest that Bx was damaged or unclear. Cx has a rather feeble repair: "The whiche is syb to Crist sulue and semblable bothe" (RK.16.113), and drops the next line. ¶ Haue god my trouthe quod Haukyn · ȝe preyse faste pouerteBx.14.291: ȝe preyse faste pouerte: Beta's b-verse at least makes sense but it lacks alliteration. R, presumably representing alpha, is nonsense, and F skilfully rewrites. It may be that Bx read ȝe herie faste pouerte, with preyse as a gloss to avoid confusion with "hear", a gloss then incorporated by the scribes. It may be also that Bx was only partly legible; see previous note. What is pouerte pacienceBx.14.292: pacience: R only, but supported by Cx, where Actyf is addressing Patience. F drops the word and beta has with pacience. quod he · proprely to mene ¶Bx.14.293: ¶: The paraph in LWHm introduces four Latin lines. Paupertas quod pacience · est odibile bonum Remocio curarum · possessio sine calumpnia · donum dei · sanitatisBx.14.294: sanitatis: CrWC and original M have erroneous sanitas, as again at l. 326; R anticipates semita. mater Absque solicitudineBx.14.295: solicitudine: O and Alpha have the error solitudine, as again at l. 331. Many C manuscripts have the same error. semita · sapiencie temperatrix · negocium sine dampno Incerta fortuna · absque solicitudine felicitas · ¶ I can nouȝt construe alBx.14.297: al: Dropped by Hm and beta4, but supported by Cx. þis quod haukyn · ȝe moste kenneBx.14.297: kenne: Scribes add me (WR) or alter to telle (Hm) or say (beta4). þis on englisch Bx.14.298: MWHmCF mark the start of Patience's speech with a paraph or line-space.In englisch quod pacyence it is wel harde · welBx.14.298: wel (2): Lost by CrHmG who move the punctuation to follow pacyence. F also loses the word and expands the b-verse. to expounen Ac somdel I shal seyne it · by so þow vnderstonde Pouerte is þe first poynte · þat pryde moste hateth Thanne is it good by good skil · al þat agasteth pryde Riȝte as contricioun is confortable þinge · conscience wote wel And a sorwe of hym-self · and a solace to þe sowle So pouerte propreliche [·] penaunce and ioye Is to þe body [·] pure spiritual helthe Ergo paupertas est odibile bonum Bx.14.307: Alpha has a paraph which beta more logically postpones to l. 308.And contricioun confort [·] & cura animarumBx.14.307: CGO add þe second, no doubt incorporated from a marginal note. But cf. l. 314. ¶ Selde sitte pouerte · þe sothe to declare OrBx.14.309: Or: CrW read For, and M is altered to that reading. Hm takes Or as to be Latin, so writes horas justicie in display script. Many C scribes are puzzled by the syntax at this point. as iustyce to iugge men · enioigned is no poreBx.14.309: enioigned is no pore: The b-verse has been lost in alpha, with F patching. Ne to be aBx.14.310: a: Dropped by beta2 and G, as by some C scribes. Maire [ouer]Bx.14.310: ouer: Probably alpha as in R, misread as on in F. It has support from Cx against beta's aboue. men · ne mynystre vnder kynges Selden is anyBx.14.311: any (1): Beta supported by Cx. R's nonsensical enemye presumably reproduces alpha, revised to þe by F. pore yput · to punysshen any peple Remocio curarum Ergo pouerte and pore men · parfornen þe comaundement Nolite iudicare quemquam þe þriddeBx.14.314: þe þridde: Supported by all B mss., though not in Cx and quite possibly incorporated from a marginal note. Cf. l. 307. ¶ Selde is pore [riȝt]Bx.14.315: pore riȝt: Alpha is supported by Cx and alliteration over beta's any pore, picked up from l. 311. riche · but of [his]Bx.14.294: his: Omitted by all except R (rephrased in F), but supported by Cx. riȝtful heritage Wynneth he nauȝt with weghtesBx.14.316: weghtes: Alpha must have had wittes as in R but revised in F. C mss. show some confusion, the majority reading wihtes, "weights", but with variants including wittes, whittus and whites (RK.16.130). fals · ne with vnseled mesures Ne borweth of his neghbores · but þat he may wel paye Possessio sine calumpnia · ¶ Þe fierthe [it]Bx.14.319: it: Omitted by all except R, but it is in the most reliable mss. of C, and easily lost. Cf. ll. 324, 327, 334, 338, 342, where R again uniquely reads it. is a fortune · þat florissheth þe soule Wyth sobrete fram al synne · and also ȝit more It affaiteth þe flesshe · fram folyes ful manye A collateral conforte · crystes owne ȝifte Donum dei ¶ Þe fyfte [it]Bx.14.324: it: Omitted by all except R; cf. note to l. 319. C mss. have instead Ȝut is hit or Ȝut hit is. is moder of helthe [·] a frende in alle fondynges And for þe la[w]d[e]Bx.14.325: lawde: The range of variants suggests that this spelling (as in CR) or possibly laude was the reading of Bx. Schmidt (1995), 394, plausibly proposes that it was an error for lowe, "humble people". Most beta scribes suppose the intended reading to be lande, but GO take it as the northern spelling of lewde. F's lawe presumably means "law" rather than "low", which is lowe, lowh, lowhȝ. Cx rewrites (RK.16.138) euere a lecheBx.14.325: a leche: Alpha's a-liche / y-lyche, though adopted by KD, is an obvious error. In its rewritten line Cx has of foule eueles leche. · a lemman of al clennesse SanitatisBx.14.326: Sanitatis: For the error Sanitas in CrWC and uncorrected M and G, cf. l. 294. mater ¶ Þe sexte [it]Bx.14.327: it: Omitted by all except R; cf. note to l. 319. Most C mss. have it. is a path of pees · ȝe þorw þe pas of altoun Pouerte myȝte passe · with-oute peril of robbyng For þere þat pouerte passeth · pees folweth after And euere þe lasse þat he bereth · þe hardyer heBx.14.330: he (2): R drops and Cx rewrites. The line is lost in F. is of herte For-þi seith seneca · paupertas est absque solicitudineBx.14.331: solicitudine: See note to l. 295. semita And an hardy man of herte · amonge an hepe of þeues CantabitBx.14.333: Cantabit: Cr and alpha have the imperfect in error. (KD and Schmidt wrongly record Cantabit as F's reading). paupertas coram latrone viator ¶ Þe seueneth [it]Bx.14.334: it: Omitted by all except R; cf. note to l. 319. Most C mss. have it. is welle of wisdome · and fewe wordes sheweth For lordes alloweth hym litel · or lysteneth to his reson He tempreth þe tonge to treuthe-ward · [þat]Bx.14.336: þat: Alpha is supported by Cx against beta's easier and. no tresore coueiteth Bx.14.337: The Latin tag (from l. 295) is recorded only in beta and is not in C. Sapiencie temperatrix ¶ The eigteth [it]Bx.14.338: it: Omitted by all except R; cf. note to l. 319. Most C mss. have it. is a lele laborereBx.14.338: laborere: The form has strong support for Bx from LCr and alpha, though Cx has labour. MED labour 6 gives the sense "laborer", with examples almost entirely from A mss, and it is quite a frequent variant in all three versions. Cf. flateres for flatererers in Bx.13.450 and 477, and MHmCG + alpha chambre for chaumbrere in Bx.14.110. · and loth to take more Þan he may wel deserue · in somer or in wynter And if [he]Bx.14.340: he (1): Omitted in L, where the line is marked for correction. chaffareth he chargeth no losse · mowe he charite wynne Negocium sine dampno ¶ The nyneth [it]Bx.14.342: it: Omitted by all except R; cf. note to l. 319. Most C mss. have it. is swete to þe soule · no sugre is swettere For pacyence is payn · for pouerte hym-selue And sobrete swete drynke · and good leche in sykenesse Þus lered me a le[r]edBx.14.345: lered (2): Alpha supported by Cx. To avoid the repetition, beta adopts lettred, while a number of C mss. have, oddly, lewid. man · for owre lordes loueBx.14.345: loue: Supposing an omission, WCr and F add of heuene on the model of Bx.6.19, 13.151, etc. Cx ends lordes loue seynt Austyn (RK.16.153), taking up the first words of the following line. Seynt austyn a blissed lyf · with-outen bysynesseBx.14.346: bysynesse: CrW add ladde to complete the b-verse, and M is corrected to that reading. Cx redivides ll. 345-7, so that this line becomes "A blessed lyf withoute bisinesse bote onelyche for þe soule" (RK.16.155). For body and for soule · absque solicitudine felicitas Now god þat al good gyueth · graunt his soule reste Þat þusBx.14.349: þus: Beta2 has þis, but Cx reads þus. fyrst wrote to wyssen men · what pouerte was to mene ¶ Allas quod haukyn þe actyf man þoBx.14.350: þe actyf man þo: Lost in alpha. These lines to the end of the passus are not in Cx. · þat after my crystendome I ne hadde ben ded and doluen · for doweles sake So harde it is quod haukyn · to lyue and to do synne Synne suwethBx.14.353: suweth: Alpha's error scheweth prompts F to rewrite. vs euere quod he · and sori gan wexe And wepte water with his eyghen · and weyled þe tyme Þat euere he dede dede · þat dere god displesed Swowed and sobbed · and syked ful ofte Þat euere he hadde londe or lordship · lasse other more Or maystrye ouer any man · mo þan of hym-self I were nouȝt worthy wote god quod haukyn · to were any clothes Ne noyther sherte ne shone · saue for shame one To keure my caroigne quod he · and cryde mercye faste And wepte and weyled · and þere-with I awaked