Passus tercius de visione vt supra
With bedellus & wiþBx.3.2: wiþ (2): Supported for Bx by LR and WHmC, against MCrGOF (F reverses the half lines). Yet neither Ax or Cx repeats the preposition (Cx has Thorw Bedeles). bayllyues · brouȝt bifor þe kyng
I shal assaye hir my-self · and sothelichBx.3.5: sothelich: Beta supported by AC though the word (meaning "openly, plainly"? or "effectively"? as glossed by Kane (2005)) causes some problems in all versions.
R's couthliche is presumably the alpha reading, improved by F to sotilly. See Hanna (1996), 227. appose
What man of þis [worlde]Bx.3.6: worlde: R's reading is supported by AC. The beta reading molde is prompted by the common alliterative formula, just as F alters man to wyȝe for the same consideration. Alliteration may fall on What. · þat hire were leueste
And if she worche bi myBx.3.7: my(1): Omitted by beta2 and some A mss.; C rewrites. witte · and my wille folwe
Bx.3.8KD.3.8
I wil forgyue hir þis giltegiltesBx.3.8: gilte / giltes: Though beta and Ax have the sg., alpha and Cx have the pl. Hanna (1996), 228, regards this as "a possible product of Langlandian revision". · so me god help
Toke Mede bi þe Middel · and brouȝteBx.3.10: brouȝte: F's alliterating mente has no parallel in any version. Cx rewrites the b-verse. Following this line, F alone has a line without support from other versions. hir in-to chaumbre
A[c]Bx.3.11: Ac: R is supported in the less obvious reading by the X family of C. The P family omits the conjunction. Beta and F (where the beginning of the line is revised) read And, as do some A mss. (varying with But, Ac, Þan). Kane (2005), in a subtle entry for ac, glosses "moreover" here. þere was myrthe and mynstralcye · Mede to plese
Bx.3.12KD.3.12
[¶]Bx.3.12: ¶: In L the paraph is indicated by cc, but not inserted. The line is at the top of the page. They þat wonyeth [at]Bx.3.12: at: The reading of MG + alpha is supported by Ax. Cx rewrites. westmynstre · worschipedBx.3.12: worshiped: So LR and CrHmCO. C mss. and A mss. also divide between past and the easier present. hir alle
Bx.3.16KD.3.16
And seiden mourneBx.3.16: mourne: MHmO have mourne þow, a minor variant in all three versions. nought Mede · ne make þow no sorwe
For we [wil]Bx.3.17: wil: The omission in L, original M, and CO is probably a beta error corrected in other mss. wisse þe kynge · and þi wey shape
For al conscience caste · [and] craftBx.3.19: caste and craft: AC support beta's word-order against alpha's, and alpha's and against beta's or. as I trowe
Bx.3.28KD.3.28
Forto worche þi wille · þe while þow myȝte lasteBx.3.28: þow myȝte laste: Hm's thy lyfe lasteth is the reading of some A mss. For þow myȝte CrG have we moune / we may, the reading of the P family of C.
[¶]Bx.3.29: ¶: Though L has no paraph, the scribe leaves a blank line, and WHmC have the paraph. In R the left margin is cropped. Hendeliche heo þanne · bihight hem þe same
To loue ȝowBx.3.30: ȝow: Only LR switch to direct address with this line. M probably did too originally, though the corrector altered to hem, the reading of all other B mss., and also of AC. See note on ȝowre in the next line. Cr's additional line is from C (RK.3.33). lelli · and lordes to make
And in þe consistorie [at]Bx.3.31:
at: CrHmOR, supported by AC, against atte and at þe in LMWCG and in þe in F. (In L the form atte consistently represents "at the".) But cf. Bx.P.107n. courte · do calle ȝowreBx.3.31: ȝowre: Beta2 and G continue with the 3rd person pl., as does Ax. Cx has ȝoure. names
Bx.3.32KD.3.32
Shal no lewdnesse lette · þe leodeclerkesBx.3.32: leode / clerkes: The beta reading (alliterating aa/aa) is shared with Ax, but alpha's clerkes is shared with Cx (alliterating aa/xa), though Cx has the sg., whence Cr's clerke. þat I louye
That he neBx.3.33: ne: Beta is supported by AC against alpha's omission. worth first auanced · for I am biknowen
Bx.3.36KD.3.36
To Mede þeBx.3.36: þe: Beta is supported by AC against R's þis and F's þat. mayde · he mellud þis wordes
Forto ben hire bedeman · and hire brokour alsBx.3.46: hire brokour als: G's hyr bavd after is contamination from A.
Woldestow glase þat gable · and graue þere-inneBx.3.49: þere-inne: R's þere merits consideration, since it is the reading of some A mss. and of Cx. Hanna (1996), 228, suggests the reading þere-inne arose from dittographic attraction, þ'in þi-n|ame. þi name
Bx.3.51-62: In place of these twelve lines in beta, alpha has three lines garbled from two lines of A (K.3.50-1). C has the expanded passage from B, but rewrites Bx.3.50-1 as RK.3.53-4. The Bx archetype may have had the cancelled A lines which had been rendered illegible, with an expanded passage on a separate sheet, followed by beta but for some reason
not available to alpha. Or alpha's exemplar may have lost the passage by eyeskip from one paraph to the next. On the other
hand Hanna (1996), 316 n.26, suggests that the omission "may be an outright case of shocked scribal censorship with partial
restoration", pointing out that "the memorial quality of this reading [in alpha] implies quite precisely that the archetypal
scribe had no direct access to a manuscript version of A" (217). [¶]Bx.3.51: ¶: The paraph is attested by alpha and WHmC and an indented line in Cr. It is the first line on the leaf in L, where a paraph
is sometimes missed, as on the previous leaf (Bx.3.12). Wist I that quod þat wommanBx.3.51: þat womman: MCr's þe womman could be correct, since it is supported by Ax. Cx rewites. · I wolde nouȝt spare
It is synne of seueneBx.3.58: seuene: So LMC; beta2 and GO have þe seuene. Cx has as of seuene. · sonnest relessed
That euryBx.3.63: eury: The beta reading, supported by Cx. Alpha's vch a finds some support in A mss. segge shal se[e]nBx.3.63: seen: Alpha is supported by Ax and by the X family of C; the P family has see and seye. On grounds of sense, seen is preferable to beta's seyn. · I am sustre of ȝowre housBx.3.63: of ȝowre hous: Beta is supported by Ax and by the derived of ȝoure ordre in Cx against alpha's weak to ȝow alle.
For cristBx.3.67: crist: The reading of all except R, whose god might have been picked up from l. 64, although it is also the reading of Cx (the passage is not in A). K-D argue, perhaps rightly, that R's reading is original, and that F's agreement with beta is the common variation of a
more explicit reading (p. 168 and n. 89). knoweþ þi conscience · and þi kynde wille
Bx.3.68KD.3.68
AndBx.3.68: And: As in the previous line, R's reading without And is unique in B mss. but it is the reading of the P family of C (the X family conflate this line with the previous). Here F has Boþe þe for And þi. þi coste and þi coueitise · and who þe catel ouȝte
For þise aren men onBx.3.81: on: Alpha again reads vppoun; A mss. divide between on and of (as in HmC); Cx rewrites. þis molde · þat moste harme worcheth
¶ For theyBx.3.83: For they: Beta is supported by Ax against alpha's & or And also. poysoun þe peple · priueliche and oft
With þat þe pore people [·] shulde put in here wombeBx.3.85: wombe: The distributive sg. is supported by AC.
Ne bouȝte non burgagesBx.3.87: burgages: The plural is supported by AC against the sg. in alpha (F bargayn). · be ȝe ful certeyne
Bx.3.92KD.3.91
¶ For my loueBx.3.92: loue (1): Beta is supported by Ax and by Cx (RK.3.119), against alpha's lord, perhaps substituted to avoid repetition. quod that lady loue [·] hem vchone
Ignis deuorabit tabernacula eorum qui libenter accipiunt munera &cBx.3.97: Alpha's version of the quotation, omitting the last two words, is not supported by AC.
Bx.3.104KD.3.103
ThatBx.3.104: That: W's agreement with Ax on And is presumably coincidental. brouȝten hir to bowre · with blisse and with ioye
¶ Curteisliche þe kynge þanne · comsedBx.3.105: comsed: R has the present, presumably by attraction to melleth, yet it agrees with Ax. The verb is past tense in the rewritten passage in Cx. to telle
But I forgyue [þe]Bx.3.109: þe (1): Omitted in L and added in W. Supported by AC. þat gilte · and graunte þe my grace
Hennes to þi deth-day · do so namoreBx.3.110: The short b-verse of beta is expanded variously in G, R and F. Ax has do þou for Bx do.
¶ Ȝe lorde quod þat lady · lorde forbedeBx.3.113: forbede: LCrCGOF are supported by Ax; WHm read forbede it, and M is corrected to that reading. R's b-verse is that found in Cx. It may therefore represent alpha, and an authorial revision to avoid metrical demotion of the verb. However, since F agrees
with beta, R's reading is more probably attracted to the b-verse of l. 121 below. elles
For she is frele of hir feith · fykeland fykelBx.3.123: fykel / and fykel: fykel is the beta reading, despite Hm; supported by Ax. R's and fykel is the alpha reading (F has & fals), supported by Cx. of here speche
Truste of hire tresore · treiethBx.3.125: treieth: CrWG have betrayeth, a reversion to the commoner form. AC are not parallel here. ful manye
And hath apoysounde popis · [ap]peiredBx.3.129: appeired: Alpha and most beta mss. read and (ap)peired, but L, original M, and C are without and, as is Ax, which suggests that scribes supplied it for a smoother reading. Most beta mss. have the aphetic form of the verb, but appeired is the form in alpha + Hm, supported by Cx and the majority of A mss. R's present tense may represent alpha, since it is shared with Cx. holicherche
Bitwene heuene and helle · [and]Bx.3.131: and (2): R's reading appears to represent alpha. It is supported by most A mss. (though five have in) and the X family of C (the P family has alle). The apparent illogicality of the expression (what lies between heaven, hell and earth?) perhaps prompted beta to revise
to in and F to revise to þey men al erthe sowhte. Schmidt (1995) and Kane (2005) interpret and as "if". erthe þough men souȝte
Bx.3.132KD.3.131
For she is tikil of hire taile · talwis of tongeBx.3.132: tonge: Beta reads hir tonge, prompted by the parallel of hire taile, but alpha's omission of the pronoun is paralleled by many A mss. and by Cx.
To monkes toBx.3.134: to (2): R's and to may represent alpha (cf. F), joined by Cr. Beta seems to have the support of AC, though some mss. have and. mynst[r]alles · to meseles in hegges
Bx.3.140KD.3.139
To vnfettre þe fals [·] fle where hymBx.3.140: hym: Supported by most AC mss. against the plural in MC. lyketh
And takeþ þe treweBx.3.141: þe trewe: Alpha has trewthe, perhaps rightly, but cf. notes to ll. 155 and 247. There is similar variation in A and C mss. The X family of C has treuthe, with the P family reading trewe or improving to þe trewe. bi þe toppe · and tieth hymBx.3.141: hym: MWG have plural (cf. l. 140). The sg. is supported by A and the X family in C. faste
And may neiȝe as moche do · in a moneth one[s]Bx.3.146: ones: Alpha, supported by Ax and the X family of C, against the probable beta reading one.
For sire symonye and hir-selue · seleth hireBx.3.149: hire: LMWCOR, supported by Cx, against þe. A mss. split. bulles
¶ She blesseth þise bisshopes · þeiȝe þey be lewedBx.3.150-51: R's conflation into one line represents loss in alpha, which F makes good by invention.
Prouendreth persones · and prestes [she]Bx.3.151: she: Alpha, despite the disruption, retains the pronoun, supported against beta by AC. meynteneth
And bringenBx.3.153: bringen: The infinitive is supported by most A mss., but Cx has bringeth as does beta2. forth barnes · aȝein forbode lawes
For she is fauorable to þeBx.3.155: þe: Beta2 and GF are without the article, treating fals as a personification. This is attractive and appropriate, and has the support of Ax and the P family of C. However, the most reliable B mss. (LMR) and CO read þe fals, with the support of the X family of C. Cf. þe fals in l. 140 above, and the note to l. 141. fals · and fouleth trewthe ofte
Bx.3.156KD.3.155
¶ Bi ihesus with here ieweles · ȝowreþeBx.3.156: ȝowre / þe: The beta reading ȝowre is shared with Ax; alpha's þe is shared with Cx. iustices she shendeth
Þe mase for a mene man · þouȝ he mote hirBx.3.161: hir: A Bx error, dropped by GF, presumably by contamination from AC or on grounds of sense. The verb mote, "litigate", is intransitive. eure
With-oute presentz or pens · she pleseth welBx.3.163: wel: CrR have ful, perhaps by alliterative attraction, though it is shared with Cx and half the A mss. fewe
¶Bx.3.171: ¶: The paraph is in beta, with an enlarged rubricated capital in F. The margin is lost in R, and the line is at the bottom
of the page. Thanne morned Mede · and mened hire to the kynge
And þowBx.3.179: þow: So beta and Ax; alpha has þat þow, reflected in Cx þat. With þat þow, Mede refers back to the previous line. knowest conscience · I cam nouȝt to chide
Bx.3.204KD.3.203
He shulde haue be lorde of þat londe · aBx.3.204: a (1 & 2): We follow copy-text and CRO (M has been altered in the second case) against the in of most other mss. in all three versions. The archetype is not determinable, but preservation of the less usual form (contrast
Bx.2.91) in the two most reliable mss. is at least a guide. lengthe and a brede
Þe leste brolle of his blodeBx.3.206: blode: Supported by AC against alpha's non-alliterating lond. · a barounes pere
[Thorw]Bx.3.215: Thorw: Alpha has firm support from AC against beta's For. ȝiftes han ȝonge menȝoumenBx.3.215: ȝonge men / ȝoumen: These are perhaps just forms of the same word (see MED yong man and yeman). Beta has the former, agreeing with Ax. Alpha has the latter, agreeing with Cx. · to [ȝerne]Bx.3.215: ȝerne: A metathesised form of renne, as in OE, used for the alliteration but frequently altered by scribes. Here beta and Ax have the non-alliterating form, while alpha and Cx have ȝerne. and to ride
Bx.3.216KD.3.215
The pope and alleBx.3.216: alle: LMCOR, as Cx; CrWG supply the, Hm his. Ax has wiþ his. prelatis · presentz vnderfongen
SeruauntzBx.3.218: Seruauntz: Beta2 (CrWHm) + G have Sergeauntz, which is a corrected reading in M, as does the P family of C. Otherwise AC agree on seruauntz. for her seruise · we seth wel þe sothe
Taken Mede of here maistre[s]Bx.3.219: maistres: The distributive sg. of LOF, though generally to be preferred, is not supported by AC. · as þei mowe acorde
Bx.3.220KD.3.219
Beggeres for here biddyngeBx.3.220: biddynge: Alpha's beggynge is not supported by Ax; Cx rewrites. · bidden men Mede
Bx.3.224KD.3.223
Prestis þat precheth þe poeple · to godeBx.3.224: to gode: "to (adopt) good behaviour" (rather than an inflected form of "God", which is not found in L). It is supported by AC against alpha + Hm to/of god, though in AC Asken mede begins the next line. asken mede
Alkynnes craftyBx.3.226: crafty: Supported by AC against craftes in CrWG. men · crauen Mede for here prentis
Mede is worthiBx.3.230: worthi: Beta has wel worthi, probably to beef up the alliteration, but the adverb is not supported by AC. Ax has the a-verse as in R; Cx improves the alliteration by adding me thinketh. · þe maistrye to haue
Lorde who shal wonye in þi wones · andBx.3.237: and: Alpha omits; there is no parallel in AC, and nothing to choose between the variants. with þine holi seyntes
Or resten onBx.3.238: on: The reading of LM + alpha; others have in. Notice that two lines above F quotes the Vulgate, "in monte sancto eius", memory of which may have prompted the reading
of other mss. þi holy hilles · þis askethBx.3.238: asketh: Alpha has past tense; there is no parallel in AC, though the present has the support of the surrounding context. dauid
Of god at aBx.3.249: a: CrHm read her, with M altered to that reading. F has his and GO omit. grete nede · whan þei gone hennes
[¶]Bx.3.250: ¶: The paraph, certainly appropriate, is recorded in WHmC and alpha. There is an other Mede mesurelees · þat maistres desireth
Amen amen recipiebantBx.3.259: recipiebant: There is variation in the form of the verb in all three versions (as at K.3.64a). The Vulgate has receperunt. mercedem suam ·
It is aBx.3.263: a (1): Dropped in alpha, but supported by AC. permutacioun apertly · a penyworth for an othre
TheBx.3.270: The: Undoubtedly Bx; LWM follow it with punctuation in response to the line-break between verb and object. HmO have The to. AC instead have To. For discussion see Duggan (1987), 47. · be boxome at [my]Bx.3.270: my: Alpha, against beta's his, which arises by attraction to the pronoun of the b-verse and ignoring the shift to direct speech. The line is revised from
Ax, with alpha reading as Cx. Further support for alpha's my biddynge is provided by the source, in which Saul says to Samuel after his disobedience: "Peccavi quia praevaricatus sum sermonem
Domini et verba tua" (1 Kings 15.24). biddynge · his wille to fulfille
¶ The culorum of þis cas · kepe I nouȝte to sheweBx.3.285: shewe: LMCOR, supported by AC, against telle of Beta2 (CrWHm) and G; F has expowne. There seems no explanation for the variation.
Bx.3.288KD.3.283
That who-so seyth hem sothesBx.3.288: sothes: Pl. noun, or less probably adverb. WG's soþest is easier and prompted by sonnest in the b-verse, although it is the reading of Cx. Galloway (2006), 362, cites other versions of the saying. · is sonnest yblamed
¶ I conscience knowe þis · for kynde witt me itBx.3.289: me it: LHmCRF (and unrevised M); it is differently placed in other B mss. and omitted in C and most A mss. tauȝte
And one cristene Kynge · kepen hem alleBx.3.294: hem alle: Before correction L read alle, and M may have had the same, revised to hem echone in line with Cr. R has hem alle, as do all others except F which alters inventively. Bx is in error (as several times in these lines), repeating the end of the previous line. AC read vs ichone.
¶ Shal namore Mede ·Bx.3.295: LR punctuate after Mede, having regard to alliteration; others punctuate after maistre, paying more attention to rhythm. The phrase as she is nouthe replaces Ax on erþe, with a metrical revision in Cx. be maistre as she is nouthe
Bx.3.300KD.3.295
Shal no seriaunt for hereBx.3.300: here: Even if not strictly grammatical, this is clearly Bx, as in L, original M, HmOC and R. CrWG have corrected to his, followed by the corrector of M. Most AC mss. read þat. seruyse · were a silke howue
And such peesBx.3.306: pees: So alpha, supported by Cx; beta adds the article. Ax does not have this or the succeeding lines to the end of the passus. amonge þe peple · and a parfit trewthe
Bx.3.316KD.3.310
Spynne or sprede donge · or spilleBx.3.316: spille: Alpha has non-alliterating lese. Beta is supported by Cx. hym-self with sleuthe
And dyngen vpon dauid · eche aBx.3.318: eche a: LMCR and O (corrected), against eche WHmG or euery CrF. The line is not in AC. day til eue
Bx.3.328KD.3.322
ThanneBx.3.328: Thanne: Undoubtedly Bx. Cx reads That. worth trewe tonge a tidy man · þat tened me neuere
And what smyth þat ony smyt[hie]Bx.3.330: smythie: Cx supports alpha's subjunctive. LC's smyteth has no support. · be smyte þer-with to dethe
And þe myddel of a mone · shal make þe iewes torneBx.3.334: torne: Alpha + G, supported by Cx, against beta's to torne.
And saracenes for þat siȝteBx.3.335: þat siȝte: Beta is supported by Cx against alpha's þe siȝte þere-offe. · shulle synge gloria in excelsis &c
That hijBx.3.341: hij: The form is supported by LMCR against þei in others. See Introduction IV.1. þat ȝiueth ȝiftes · þe victorie wynneth
& mocheBx.3.342: moche: So LMCO + alpha, supported by Cx, against moost in beta2 (CrWHm) and G. worschip hadBx.3.342: had: CrHmF have the expected present tense. The form in the other mss. may be understood as an absolute past participle: "With
much honour gained" (Mustanoja, (1960), 559). þer-with · as holiwryt telleth
Bx.3.348KD.3.341
Had [she]Bx.3.348: she: The reading is obviously correct and supported by Cx, but here and in the next line the reading of L is ȝe and M's original reading is altered to she. This suggests that beta had an ambiguous form for she, perhaps even ȝe, recorded in Gloucs. and Worcs. (LALME, 4, 8). loked þat other half · and þe lef torned
Bx.3.351-58: A series of lines that alliterate irregularly in Bx. The lines are omitted or heavily revised in C. F makes several b-verse improvements for the sake of alliteration, but they cannot be regarded as derived from Bx. F's reading in 352 is an easy substitution of seyȝe for loked; ȝee takyn nout þe ende in 353, and þat ȝe to me pitte (356) are inspired by 358 which F omits. F also omits l. 357. ¶ And so ferde ȝe madame · ȝe couthe namore fynde
Þat þeiȝe we wynne worschip · and wiþ medeBx.3.359: mede: Alpha's me is clearly an error. haue victorie