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 5William 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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2011

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LatinFrenchGerman Editor Hoyt N. Duggan New header created and structure reorganized. Passus quintus de visione vt supra The kyng and his knightes · to the kirke wente To here matynes of þe day · and þe masse after Þanne waked I of my wynkynge [·] and wo was with-alle Þat I ne hadde sleped sadder · and yseiȝen more Ac er I hadde faren a fourlonge · feyntise me hente That I ne myȝte ferther a foot · for defaute of slepynge And sat softly adown · and seide my bileue And so IBx.5.8: so I: Omitted by R, but F has y bablede so, and beta is supported by Ax. The line is not in Cx. babeled on my bedes · þei brouȝte me a-slepe ¶ And þanne saw I moche more · þan I bifore tolde For I say þe felde ful of folke · þat I bifore of seyde And how resoun gan arrayen hym · alle þe reume to preche And with a crosse aforBx.5.12: afor: On five occasions alpha and random beta mss. read the preposition as byfor; the others are Bx.5.23, 16.46, 17.311, 20.130. Probably this is regression to the commonplace, since afor is uncommon in the poem. Only in 12.91 does it have support from both branches. At 14.145 the adverb reads afore in beta, but tofore in alpha. þe kynge · comsed þus to techen ¶ He preued þat þise pestilences · wasBx.5.13: was: LMCOR have this as the plural form. It is also the form in Cx (RK.5.115) and some A mss. For parallels see Bx.13.368, 17.11, 19.47, 19.96. for pure synne And þe southwest wynde · on saterday at euene Was pertliche for prydeBx.5.15: pryde: Beta adds pure (from l. 13); alpha is supported by AC. · and for no poynt elles Piries and plomtrees · were puffed to þe erthe InBx.5.17: In: Alpha begins the line with And in, but AC support beta. ensample ȝe segges · ȝeBx.5.17: ȝe segges ȝe: WHm have þat ȝe segges. F's we is also the reading of Cx (RK.5.119). A mss. show considerable variation. shulden do þe bettere Beches and brode okes · were blowen to þe grounde [And]Bx.5.19: And: Dropped in beta, but supported by AC. torned vpward her tailleBx.5.19: taille: As often, the distributive sg. is to be preferred. In this case alpha is supported by AC. · inBx.5.19: in: Dropped by alpha, but supported by AC. tokenynge of drede Þat dedly synne ar domesday · shal fordon hem alle ¶ Of þis matere I myȝte · mamely ful longe Ac I shal seye as I saw · so me god helpe How pertly aforBx.5.23: afor: See note to Bx.5.12 for variation with byfor. þe poeple · resoun ganBx.5.23: gan: Strong support from LMR against bigan. F's word-order improves the alliteration of the b-verse, but cannot be archetypal. No doubt the order in Bx is a reminiscence of l. 11. The line is not in the other versions. to preche ¶ He bad wastoure goBx.5.24: go: Only R has to, which is, however, the reading of the X family of C. worche · what he best couthe And wynnen his wastyng · with somme manere crafteBx.5.25: crafte: Ax also has the sg. ¶ AndBx.5.26: And: Clear support from LMR and HmCO, against He in CrWGF. A mss. vary, but Cx has He, possibly the source for CrG by contamination. preyed peronelle · her purfyle to lete And kepe it in hir cofre · for catel at hire nede ¶ Thomme stowue he tauȝte · to take two staues And fecche filice home · fro wyuen[e] pyneBx.5.29: wyuene pyne: Having lost -e (OE -ena), beta adds the article to correct a short b-verse. A few AC scribes do the same. ¶ He warned watt · his wyf was to blame ÞatBx.5.31: Þat: Also the A reading. WHm For is also the C reading (RK.5.133). hire hed was worth halue markeBx.5.31: halue marke: LCrCG include the indefinite article, and M is corrected to include it. But alpha and WHmO are without it, as is Cx. Ax has a mark. · hisBx.5.31: his: CrWHmF have and his, as also do AC. But probably Bx omitted and, since it is not attested by LR and CGO. In M it is first added by the corrector and then deleted. hode nouȝteBx.5.31: nouȝte: The reading nouȝte worth looks suspiciously scribal. Six A mss. omit worth, as do all except one of the C mss. But attestation for Bx is uncertain: only HmG and R omit it. We follow the readings of R throughout this line. a grote And bad bette kut · a bow other tweyne And bete betoun þer-with · but if she wolde worche Bx.5.34: WHm and alpha have a paraph, though it is not particularly appropriate.And þanne he charged chapmen · to chastenBx.5.34: chasten: The form supported for Bx by LR and CrCG, as well as Cx and five A mss. Others have chastisen. her childeren Late no wynnynge [forweny hem]Bx.5.35: forweny hem: Beta has hem forweny. The word-order of alpha is uncertain, since R omits the pronoun, but F's for-wayne hem is the order of AC. · whilBx.5.35: whil: R alone has þe while, though it is in the X family of C. þei be ȝonge Ne for no pouste of pestilence · plese hem nouȝte out of resoun ¶ My syre seyde so to me · and so did my dame Þat þe leuere childe · þe more lore bihoueth And Salamon seide þe same · þat sapience made Qui parcit virge odit filium Þe Englich of þis latyn is · who-so wil it knowe Who-so spareth þe sprynge · spillethBx.5.42: spilleth: Alpha includes the pronoun he, but beta is supported by Cx. The line is not in A. his children ¶ And sithen he preyedBx.5.43: preyed: Evidently the beta reading, supported against the variants by AC. prelatz · and prestes togideres Þat ȝe prechen to þe peple · preue it on ȝowre-seluen And doth it in dede · it shal drawe ȝow to good If ȝe lyuen as ȝe lerenBx.5.46: leren: This varies with lerne also in A, but is supported by Cx. vs [·] we shal leue ȝow þe bettere ¶ And sithen he radde Religioun · here reule to holde Leste þe kynge and his conseille · ȝowre comunes appayre And ben stuwardes of ȝowre stedes · til ȝe be ruledBx.5.49: ruled: An obvious substitution in Bx for alliterating stewed, "governed", in AC. bettre ¶ And sithen he conseilled þe kynge · þeBx.5.50: þe (2): This is secure for Bx, though beta2 his is the Cx reading (RK.5.180). comune to louye It is þi tresore if tresoun ne wereBx.5.51: ne were: R's loss of ne suggests that alpha may have read nere, as in F, which would be a little less clumsy. The line is not paralleled in AC. · and triacle at þi nede [¶]Bx.5.52: ¶: The parallel with the paraphs for lines 43, 47 and 50 also beginning And sithen supports the paraph recorded in WHmCOR (with a new line-group in M). And sithen he prayed þe pope · haue pite on holicherche And er he gyue any grace · gouerne firste hym-selue ¶ And ȝe that han lawes to kepe · late treuthe be ȝowre coueytise More þan golde or otherBx.5.55: or other: M and beta2 (CrWHm) drop other, but it has support from LCHm and alpha. The line is not in AC. gyftes · if ȝe wil god plese For who-so contrarieth treuthe · he telleth in þe gospel That god knoweth hym nouȝte · ne no seynte of heuene Amen dico vobis nescio vos · ¶ And ȝe þat seke seynte Iames · and seintes of Rome Seketh seynt treuthe · for he may saue ȝow alle Qui cum patre & filio · þat feire hem bifalle Þat suweth my sermon · and þus seyde resoun ¶ Thanne ran repentance · and reherced his teme And gert wille to wepe · water with his eyen ¶ Peronelle proude-herte · platte hir to þe erthe And lay longe ar she loked · and lorde mercy cryedSuperbia ·Bx.5.67: The beta scribes have Latin titles for the sins in the main hand in the margin, and marked out by rubrication from other marginal annotations, but the alpha scribes do not have them. And byhiȝte toBx.5.67: to: Supported by Ax (K.5.47) and Cx (RK.6.5) against MO vn-to. hym · þat vs alle made She shulde vnsowen hir serke · and sette þere an heyre To affaiten hire flessh · þat fierce was to synne Shal neuere heiȝe herte me hente · but holde me lowe And suffre to be myssayde · and so did I neuere But now wil I meke me · and mercy biseche For alBx.5.73: al: Dropped by alpha, but supported by AC and alliterating. þis I haue · hated in myne herte ¶ Þanne lecchoure seyde allas · and on owre lady he cryedLuxuria · To make mercy for his mis-dedes · bitwene god and his soule With þat he shulde þe saterdayBx.5.76: þe saterday: R's on þe day probably represents alpha. Beta is supported by Ax and alliteration. · seuene ȝere þere-after Drynke but [with]Bx.5.77: with: Alpha is supported by A and C (RK.6.174); elsewhere (e.g. Bx.4.79) Langland uses myd to provide alliteration. For discussion of this variation, see note to Bx.7.26. þe doke · and dyne but onesInuidia ¶ Enuye with heuy herte · asked after scrifte And carefullich mea culpa · he comsed to sheweBx.5.79: shewe: R has schrewe, F has shryue, but beta is supported by Ax. The line is revised in Cx. He was as pale as a pelet · in þe palsye he semed And clothed in a caurimaury · I couthe it nouȝte discreue In kirtel and kourteby · and a knyf bi his syde Of a freres frokke · were þeBx.5.83: þe: Beta is supported by the majority of A mss., but six read his with alpha. forsleues And as a leke haddeBx.5.84: hadde: Beta2 (CrWHm) read þat hadde, supported by the majority of A mss., though four omit þat. It is more probably supplied than dropped. The line is not in Cx. yleye · longe in þe sonne So loked he with lene chekes · lourynge foule ¶ His body was to-bolle for wratthe · þat he bote his lippes And wryngy[ed]Bx.5.87: wryngyed: R (= alpha?). A has wroþliche he wroþ his fest (K.5.67) and C reads A wroth his fuste vppon wrath (RK.6.66). Apparently Bx misunderstood the pun (wroth from writhen, and wrath), and substituted the past tense of wringen. Beta's wryngynge he ȝede is an expansion. Elsewhere in B the past tense of wring is wrong, as in F here. with þe fiste · to wreke hym-self he þouȝte With werkes or with wordes · whan he seighe his tyme Eche a worde þat he warpe · was of an addres tonge Of chydynge and of chalangynge · was his chief lyflode With bakbitynge and bismer · and beryng of fals witnesse Þis was al his curteisye · where þat euere he shewed hymBx.5.92: F entirely rewrites the line with much more emphatic alliteration. W omits. Lines 91-5 are not in AC, and lines 96-121 are not in C. ¶ I wolde ben yshryue quod þis schrewe · and I for shame durst I wolde be gladder bi god · þat gybbe had meschaunce Than þouȝe I had þis woke ywonne · a weye of essex chese ¶ I haue a neighbore neyȝe me · I haue ennuyedBx.5.96: ennuyed: The spellings anoyed, noyed, enuyed are all forms of "annoyed". hym ofte And lowen on hym to lordes · to don hym lese his siluer And made his frendes ben his foon · thorw my false tonge His grace and his good happes · greueth me ful sore Bitwene m[eyne] and m[eyne]Bx.5.100: meyne and meyne: We take R's reading ("retinue") to represent alpha, supported by Ax hym & his meyne. F thus revises, perhaps partly on the basis of A; beta regresses to the commonplace. · I make debate ofte Þat bothe lyf and lyme · is lost þorw my speche ¶ And whan I mete him in market · þat I moste hate I hailse hym hendeliche · as I his frende were For he is douȝtier þan I · I dar do non other Ac hadde I maystrye and myȝte · god wote my wille ¶ And whan I come to þe kirkeBx.5.106: kirke: Hm and alpha have non-alliterating cherche. See Introduction IV.1. · and sholde knele to þe Rode And preye for þe pople · as þe prest techeth For pilgrimes and forBx.5.108: and for: Support from LR and CrWCO, though MHmG lack for. F instead lacks and, as in Ax. palmers · for alle þe poeple after Þanne I crye on my knees · þat cryste ȝif hem sorwe Þat bar awey my bolle · and my broke schete ¶ Awey fro þe auter þanne ·Bx.5.111: The alpha scribes punctuate the line before þanne. turne I myn eyghen And biholde how [H]eleyneBx.5.112: Heleyne: F perhaps notices the unlikelihood of Envy envying a woman's coat, and substitutes Hervy. Initial H- is presumably archetypal: Ax has the male name, Heyne (cf. Bx.5.114-15). · hathBx.5.112: hath: Alpha's hath on is not supported by Ax. Following this line F adds rather a vivid line. a newe cote I wisshe þanne it were myne · and al þe webbe after ¶ And of [his]Bx.5.114: his: Bx alters the coatwearer from male (Ax has Heyne) to female Heleyne, and faces scribes with a problem, which they deal with characteristically. Beta and F revise to mennes, but R copies his exemplar regardless, ignoring the inconsistency. Ax also reads his, but there is nowhere evidence that R is contaminated by an A text. See notes to ll. 115 and 116. lesynge I laughe · þat liketh myn herte A[c]Bx.5.115: Ac: There is the same common variation with But in A mss., with three reading And, as beta does here. for h[is]Bx.5.115: his: Again R follows his copy-text, and on this occasion F is content to do the same, whereas beta logically replaces with her, "their". Ax again reads his. wynnynge I wepe · and waille þe tyme ¶Bx.5.116: ¶: The inappropriate paraph is in LR, with a new line-group in M, and so is apparently a Bx error. And deme [men]Bx.5.116: men: Again R is supported by A, with F supplying the object hem instead. Since beta already has a plural referent, men is unnecessary and is therefore dropped. þat hij don ille · þere I do wel worse Who-so vndernymeth me here-of · I hate hym dedly after I wolde þat vche a wyght · were my knaue For who-so hath more þan I · þat angreth me sore And þus I lyue louelees · lyke a luther dogge That al my body bolneth · for bitter ofBx.5.121: of: Probably R's in represents alpha (F has ys). Ax supports of. my galle ¶ I myȝte nouȝte eet many ȝeres · as a man ouȝte For enuye and yuel wille · is yuel to defye May no sugre ne swete þinge · asswage my swellynge Ne no diapenidion · dryue it fro myne herte Ne noyther schrifte ne shame · but ho-so schrape my mawe ¶ Ȝus redili quod repentaunce · and radde hym to þe beste Sorwe of synnes · is sauacioun of soules ¶ I am sorieuere soryBx.5.129: sory / euere sory: Beta agrees with Ax, while alpha's euere sory agrees with Cx. quod þat segge · I am but selde other And þat maketh me þus megre · for I ne may me venge Amonges Burgeyses haue I be · dwellynge at Londoun And gert bakbitinge be a brocoure · to blame mennes ware Whan he solde and I nouȝte · þanne was I redyBx.5.133: redy: R has aredy which may be right. It is the Cx form (RK.6.97). The passage Bx.5.131-89 is not in A. To lye and to loure on my neighbore · and to lakke his chaffareBx.5.134: chaffare: Alpha's ware presumably arises by eyeskip from l. 132, where F actually reads to lakke mennys ware. For the reverse situation see l. 209 and note. Cx is rewritten. I wil amende þis ȝif I may · þorw myȝte of god almyȝtyIra · ¶ Now awaketh wratthe · with two whyte eyen And nyuelynge with þe nose · and his nekke hangynge ¶ I am wrathBx.5.138: wrath: Alpha's wrothe is perhaps here the adjective, "I am angry"; alternatively it is the adjective used as a noun (see MED wroth), as in R's spelling in l. 136. The X family of C also has this form. quod he · I was sum-tyme a frere And þe couentes Gardyner · for to graffe ympes On limitoures and listres · lesynges I ymped Tyl þei bere leues of low speche · lordes to plese And sithen þei blosmed obrodeBx.5.142: obrode: Dropped by alpha, but supported by alliteration. · in boure to here shriftes And now is fallen þer-of a frute · þat folke han wel leuere Schewen her schriftes to hem · þan shryue hem to her persones ¶ And now persones [han]Bx.5.145: persones han: "Now that parsons have perceived" (as in beta2 and G), rather than, with the word-order in CO and alpha, "Now have parsons perceived". Either order could be Bx. L drops the auxiliary, while M drops the phrase, and persons han is added above the line in another hand. The line is not in AC. parceyued · þat Freres parte with hem Þise possessioneres preche · and depraue freres And freresBx.5.147: freres: Alpha drops the word, but the following line refers to the peripatetic activity of friars. fyndeth hem in defaute · as folke bereth witnes That whan þei preche þe poeple · in many placeBx.5.148: place: This is probably the beta form. As a romance loan ending in a sibilant, it may be singular or plural. aboute I wrath walke with hem · and wisse hem of my bokes Þus þei speken of spiritualteBx.5.150: spiritualte: Beta2 (and M by correction) and GR supply my, by contamination with the next line. It makes no sense here. See note on l. 151. · þat eyther despiseth other Til þei be bothe beggers · and by my spiritualteBx.5.151: by my spiritualte: Hm and alpha drop my, by confusion with the previous line. F, observing nonsense, revises to by almesse. libben Or elles alle riche [·] and riden aboute I wrath rest neuere · þat I ne moste folwe This wykked folke · for suche is my grace ¶ I haue an aunte to nonne · and an abbesseBx.5.155: abbesse: R is supported by Cx. Beta's addition of bothe and F's of eek are responses to the unusually light b-verse. Hir were leuere swowe or swelte · þan soeffre any peyne I haue be cook in hir kichyne · and þe couent serued Many monthes with hem · and with monkes botheBx.5.158: bothe: R's alse probably represents alpha (F rewrites), but beta is supported by Cx (RK.6.131). I was þe priouressesBx.5.159: priouresses: LMR and Hm have this form of the genitive, whereas other mss. have the unmarked form, as do most C mss. potagere · and other poure ladyes And made hem ioutes of iangelynge · þat dame Io[n]eBx.5.160: Ione: So MCrO and alpha, as well as C mss. It is the usual feminine form of the name in Middle English. was a bastard And dame Clarice a kniȝtes douȝter · ac a kokewolde was hire syre And dame Peronelle a prestes file · Priouresse worth she neuere For she had childe in chirityme · al owre chapitere it wiste ¶ Of wykked wordes I wrath · here wortes I-madeBx.5.164: I-made: Past tense; MED imaken. The prefix recorded in LOR makes the b-verse regular. Til þow lixte and þow lixte · lopen oute at ones And eyther hitte other · vnder þe cheke Hadde þei had knyues bi cryst · her eytherBx.5.167: her eyther: "each of them". LMWR include the genitive pronoun. had killed other ¶ Seynt Gregorie was a gode pope · and had a gode forwit Þat no Priouresse were prest · for þat he ordeigned Þei had þanne ben infamis þe firste dayBx.5.170: þe firste day: Dropped by M, G (in a rewritten line) and O to shorten a long a-verse. Cr replaces with two invented lines. The line is not in AC. · þei can so yuel hele conseille ¶ Amonge monkes I miȝte be · ac many tyme I shonye For þere ben many felle frekis · my feres to aspye Bothe Prioure an supprioure · and owre pater abbas And if I telle any tales · þei taken hem togyderes And do me faste frydayes · to bred and to water And amBx.5.176: And am: R's ȝeet, "furthermore", may be right, even though not in F. It gives good sense and has some support from Cx Ȝut am I. chalanged in þe chapitelhous · as I a childe were And baleised on þe bare ersBx.5.177: ers: Beta is confirmed by Cx. R initially read hers, altered to the euphemism bak by the correcting hand. F also reads bak. · and no breche bitwene For-þi haue I no lykyng · with þo leodes to wonye I ete there vnthende fisshe · and fieble ale drynke Bx.5.180: Alpha has a paraph.Ac otherwhile whan wyn cometh · whanBx.5.180: whan (2): So LMR and G; W has þanne, the others read and or omit. I drynke w[el]Bx.5.180: wel: Beta's repetition of wyn gives weaker sense, though wel is repeated in the following line. Perhaps both alpha and beta are making up for a loss in Bx, since Cx has late instead (RK.6.160). at eue I haue a fluxe of a foule mouthe · wel fyue dayes after Al þe wikkednesse þat I wote · bi any of owre bretheren I couth it in owre cloistre · þat al owreBx.5.183: owre (2): The distribution of variants is odd here. LM, the two most reliable beta witnesses, are joined by CrW with owre; the other mss., including F, have þe, except for G with your and R which has nothing. It may be that R is faithfully copying a Bx error, with other scribes supplying the obvious omission. Cx has þe. couent wote it ¶ Now repent þe quod Repentaunce · and reherce þow neure Conseille þat þow cnowest · bi contenaunce ne bi [speche]Bx.5.185: speche: Alpha's reading is obviously correct and supported by Cx. And drynke nouȝte ouer-delicatly · ne to depe noyther Þat þi wille bi cause þer-of [·] to wrath myȝte torne Esto sobrius he seyde · and assoilled meBx.5.188: me: Here and in l. 189 Cr has third person pronouns in line with Cx, and M is altered to the same readings. after And bad me wilne to wepe · my wikkednesse to amendeAuaricia · ¶ And þanne cam coueytise · [I can]Bx.5.190: I can: Alpha's word-order is supported by AC. hym nouȝte descryue So hungriliche and holwe · sire henriBx.5.191: henri: There is reasonable support for this as Bx from LR and CG, and possibly M before correction, but AC have heruy, agreeing with WHmOF. Although F may have derived the correction from A, it is difficult to see how the other three mss. got it, although Bennett (1972), 163 quotes a parallel from Skelton, possibly an indication that Hervy was a traditional name for a miser. hym loked He was bitelbrowed · and baberlipped also With two blered eyghen · as a blynde hagge And as a letheren purs · lolled his chekes Wel sydder þan his chyn · þei chiueled for elde And as a bondman of his bacoun · his berde was bidraueled With [his]Bx.5.197: his: Alpha's reading is in agreement with Cx against beta's indefinite article. hode on his hed · a lousi hatte aboue And in a tauny tabarde · of twelue wynter age Al totorne and baudy · and ful of lys crepynge But ifBx.5.200: if: Beta has if þat; AC agree with alpha. a lous couthe · l[epe]Bx.5.200: lepe: Comparison with AC suggests that R represents Bx, with F and beta expanding an uncomfortably short line. A mss. show considerable variation in the b-verse, and Cx offers a desperate repair: But ȝif a lous couthe lepe y leue it as y trowe (quoting Skeat C.7.204). þe bettre [H]eBx.5.201: He: Whether masc. or fem., alpha's reading is supported by AC. sholde nouȝte walk[e]Bx.5.201: walke: Beta's haue walked follows on from its reading of the previous line. Alpha's infinitive is supported by AC, which, however, have wandre. on þat welcheBx.5.201: welche: "Welsh cloth", the reading of LR and AC, but mistranscribed or avoided by the other B scribes. · so was it thredebare ¶ I haue ben coueytouse quod þis caityue · I biknowe it here For some-tyme I serued · symme atte stile And was his prentis ypliȝte · his profit to wayte Bx.5.205: WHm and R have a paraph.First I lerned to lye · a leef other tweyne Wikkedlich to weye · was my furst lessoun To wy and to wynchestre · I went to þe faire With many manere marchandise · as my Maistre me hiȝte Ne had þe grace of gyle [·] ygoBx.5.209: Only LW punctuate the line after ygo. amonge my wareBx.5.209: ware: A good example of the superiority of LMR (joined by F here), supported in this reading by AC, against chaffare in other beta mss. (i.e. beta1). See Adams (2000), 176, and for the same variation see l. 134. It had be vnsolde þis seuene ȝere · so me god helpe ¶ Thanne drowe I me amonges draperes · my donet to lerne To drawe þe lyser alonge [·] þe lenger it semed Amonge þe riche rayes · I rendred a lessoun To broche hem with a bat-nedleBx.5.214: bat-nedle: The form in L and alpha, with M corrected to the majority beta form, paknedle. Adams (2000), 181. A mss. have the same variation, with the majority reading p- (K.5.126).The P family of C also has p-, but the X family has b-, and plaited is revised to bande so that the line alliterates on /b/ (RK.6.218). MED lists only this instance for bat-nedle. · and plaited hem togyderes And put hem in a presse · and pynedBx.5.215: pyned: "subjected to stress" in the presse, which is apparently a stretching frame. Schmidt (1995), 72, glosses "tortured". The reading is supported by LW and alpha against the easier and less appropriate pynned, glossed as "kept fastened" in Kane (2005). A mss. vary, but Cx has pynned. hem þerinne Tyl ten ȝerdes or twelue · tolledBx.5.216: tolled: LM and alpha, supported by AC; other scribes supply hadde. MED v.(1) interprets tollen as "stretch out to" (OE *tollian), while Kane (2005) glosses "tease, coax". It varies with tolde in A; in C the X family reads tolde, the P family has tilled. out threttene ¶ My wyf was a webbe · and wollen cloth made She spak to spynnesteresBx.5.218: spynnesteres: Alpha has the sg. A mss. are split, but Cx has the plural. Athlone adopts the sg. in all versions. · to spynnen it oute Ac þe pounde þat she payed by · poisedBx.5.219: poised: A variant of peised, though given a separate entry by MED. a quarterBx.5.219: quarter: Beta has quateroun (MED quartroun), but alpha is supported by AC. more Than myne owne auncere · who-so weyȝed treuthe ¶ I bouȝte hir barlyBx.5.221: barly: Though all B mss. except for R read barly malte, R is supported by AC. We assume that the easy addition was made by beta and F, with R as usual reproducing his exemplar. · she brewe it to selle Peny ale and podyng ale · she poured togideres For laboreres and forBx.5.223: for (2): Not in MCrCOF, or in most AC mss. low folke · þat lay by hym-Bx.5.223: hym-: LWHmR have sg.: "was set aside on its own", So in Cx, while A mss. vary with the plural. The odd use of hym to refer to a barrel of ale (cf. Cr it) perhaps confused scribes.selue ¶ The best ale lay in my boure · or in my bedchambre And who-so bummed þer-of · bouȝtehe bouȝteBx.5.225: bouȝte / he bouȝte: Beta, without the pronoun, agrees with Ax; alpha and Cx, add the pronoun he. it þer-after A galoun for a grote · god wote na lesse And ȝit it cam in cupmel · þis crafte my wyf vsedBx.5.227: vsed: Beta's past tense is supported by AC. Rose þe regratere · wasBx.5.228: was: Beta's past tense is supported by AC. hir riȝte name She hath holden hokkerye · al hire lyf-tyme ¶ Ac I swere now so the ik · þat synne wil I lete And neuere wikkedliche weye · ne wikkeBx.5.231: wikke "dishonest". So LMW. Particularly in context, the wikked of alpha and others is likely to be a scribal substitution. A mss. exhibit some uncertainty over the word; the line is not in C. chaffare vse But wenden to walsyngham · and my wyf als And bidde þe Rode of bromeholme · brynge me oute of dette ¶ RepentestowBx.5.234: Repentestow: Representing the past tense, as more "properly" in WHmR. (See MED repenten for pa.t. repente). C mss. show the same forms. In Bx.5.453 WHm again "improve" to Repentedestow, falsely on that occasion. LM (= beta?) treat the verb as reflexive, but þe is not in R (= alpha?) or C. HmF include þe but drop the subject pronoun. For a similar set of variants see Bx.5.453 and note. The passage Bx.5.234-308 is not in A. euere quod repentance · neBx.5.234: ne: Another example of LMR presenting a superior reading, here agreeing with Cx. See Adams (2000), 176. The syntax is, however, odd. restitucioun madest ¶ Ȝus ones I was herberwed quod he · with an hep of chapmen I roos whan þei were arest · and yrifledBx.5.236: yrifled: The form, though unmetrical (x x / x x / x), is supported by LR. here males ¶ That was no restitucioun quod repentance · but a robberes thefte Þow haddest betterBx.5.238: better: Although most mss. have be better, LR and original M give secure evidence for Bx, with be in the b-verse governing both worthy and hanged. Bx might have lost be in this context, with other scribes restoring it conjecturally, just as the M corrector did. Adams (2000), 183 judges this instead to be an accidental omission in RL. Cx revises the a-verse to "Thow wolt be hanged heye þerfore" (RK.6.238). worthy · be hanged þerfore Þan for al þat · þat þow hast here shewed ¶ I wende ryflynge were restitucioun quod he · forBx.5.240: quod he for: Probably in response to the length of the line, MHmGF drop quod he, while CGO drop for. The line is not in AC. I lerned neuere rede on boke And I can no frenche in feith · but of þe ferthest ende of norfolke ¶ Vsedestow euere vsurie quod repentaunce · in alle þi lyf-tyme ¶ Nay sothly he seyde · saue in my ȝouthe I lerned amonge lumbardes · [a lessoun and of iewes]Bx.5.244: a lessoun and of iewes: The word-order in alpha is alliteratively correct, and R's reading is shared with Cx. Beta simplifies; F revises. To wey pens with a peys · and pare þe heuyest And lene it for loue of þe crosse · to legge a wedde and lese it Suche dedes I did wryte · ȝif he his day breke I haue mo maneres þorw reragesBx.5.248: rerages: Alpha's regages is an obvious error. · þan þorw miseretur & comodat ¶ I haue lent lordes · and ladyes my chaffare And ben her brocour after · and bouȝte it my-self Eschaunges and cheuesances · with suche chaffare I dele And lene folke þat lese wol · a lyppe at euery noble And with lumbardes lettres · I ladde golde to Rome And toke it by taille hereBx.5.254: here: R alone reads þere, presumably by anticipation. Lines 247-51 and 254 have no parallel in AC. · and tolde hem þere lasse [¶]Bx.5.255: ¶: The line is at the top of the page in L, and the rubricator presumably missed the paraph which is in WHmC and alpha, with a new line-group in M, to mark the opening of the speech. Len[t]estowBx.5.255: Lentestow: L's present tense Lenestow is not supported by Cx. euere lordes · for loue of her mayntenaunce ¶ Ȝe I haue lent lordes · louedBx.5.256: loued: Alpha alone has quod he, but it is not in Cx. CrHmOF supply the subject pronoun that, as in Cx, but its omission, supported by LMWCGR, is idiomatic. me neuere after And haue ymade many aBx.5.257: a: Not in COR, but in Cx. knyȝte · bothe mercere & drapere Þat payed neuere for his prentishode · nouȝte a peire gloues ¶ Hastow pite on pore men · þat mote nedes borwe ¶ I haue as moche pite ofBx.5.260: of (1): The reading of LR and WC, against on, likely to have been prompted by the phrase in the previous line. pore men · as pedlereBx.5.260: pedlere: Alpha has þe pedlere, which is perhaps over-specific. For want of guidance from other versions, we follow copy-text. hath of cattes Þat wolde kille hem yf he cacche hem myȝte · for coueitise of here skynnes ¶ Artow manlyche amonge þi neiȝbores · of þi mete and drynke ¶ I am holden quod he as hende · as hounde is in kychyne Amonges my neighbores namelich · such a name ich haue ¶ Now god lene neure quod repentance · but þow repent þe rather Þe grace on þis grounde · þi good wel to bisette Ne þine [v]sueBx.5.267: vsue: This is the initial spelling in L, then corrected to ysue. R and possibly uncorrected M share the word, against heires in all others mss. except F with houswif! R spelling vssue explains F's reading as an attempt to make sense of vssue via hussie. Schmidt (1995), lxvii-iii, supposes this is shared error in LR; and see Adams (2000), 181-2. We take it to represent the reading of Bx, despite the fact that Cx has heyres, by error or revision. after þe · haue ioye of þat þow wynnest Ne þi excecutours wel bisett · þe siluer þat þow hem leuest And þat was wonne with wronge · with wikked men be despended For were I frere of þat hous · þere gode faith and charite is I noldeBx.5.271: nolde: Beta shares this reading with the P family of C, against alpha's wolde nouȝt. At RK.7.202 the P family again has nolde, as do all B mss. (Bx.5.578) against ne wol(d) in the X family. cope vs with þi catel · ne owre kyrkeBx.5.271: kyrke: Alpha has the non-alliterating cherche. amende Ne haue a peny to my pitaunce of þyneBx.5.272: of þyne: Well supported by LMCOR, though omitted by beta2 and GF, presumably because of its metrical clumsiness. The C reviser's text evidently had the phrase, for the line is rewritten as Ne take a meles mete of þyn and myn herte hit wiste (RK.6.289). LC, confused by its clumsiness, punctuate before the phrase; MOR punctuate after it. [·] bi my soule heleBx.5.272: bi my soule hele: Clearly Bx, despite its lack of alliteration. Beta2 and G have so God my soul help, with W increasing alliteration by altering the verb to saue. For þe best boke in owre hous · þeiȝe brent golde were þe leues And I wyst wytterly · þow were suche as þow telle[st]Bx.5.274: tellest: L has telleth, though the line is marked for correction. Following this line CO have the line Or elles þat I kouþe knowe it by any kynnes wise, and it is supplied in Cr23. It is the first of four spurious lines recorded by CO in this passus; see notes to Bx.5.308, 342, 580. Seruus es alterius · cum fercula pinguia queris Pane tuo pocius · vescere liber eris · ¶ Thow art an vnkynde creature · I can þe nouȝte assoille Til þow make restituciounBx.5.278: restitucioun: Only R adds quod repentaunce as a second alliterating stave in the a-verse. The Bx reading without it seems to have been the basis for the revision in C alliterating on ymad ... myhte ... men. · and rekne with hem alle And sithen þat resoun rolle it · in þe regystre of heuene That þow hast made vche man good · I may þe nouȝte assoille Non dimittitur peccatum · donecBx.5.281: donec: Perhaps alpha and Cr alter the reading to nisi on the basis of a well-known maxim of canon law; see Alford (1992), 46. In Bx.17.316, RK.6.257a and RK.19.290a the quotation is in many mss. abbreviated to Numquam dimittitur peccatum &c. (the form recorded in the Speculum Christiani), with some mss. expanding to donec.... and others to nisi.... On this occasion the former is marginally more appropriate than the latter ("until" vs. "unless"; cf. l. 278 Til). Not in AC. restituatur ablatum &c ¶ For alle þat hathBx.5.282: hath: LMR have the sg., "everyone who has", smoothed to the pl. after alle in other mss. See next line. of þi good · haue god my trouthe IsBx.5.283: Is: LMR continue with the sg., as does F, although rewriting the line. Many C mss. have Is here, though they have the pl. in the previous line. hold[ynge]Bx.5.283: holdynge: "obliged". R's curious pres. ppl. form, revised out by F, must represent alpha, since it is also the form in the X family of C. Indeed R's whole line is reproduced by that family. See next note. at þe heighe dome · to helpe þe restitueBx.5.283: restitue: Beta has to + infinitive, but R is supported by Cx. And who-so leueth nouȝte þis be soth · loke in þeBx.5.284: þe: Beta supported by Cx, against R's a. F has four unsupported lines in place of this one. sauter glose In miserere mei deus · where I mene treuthe Ecce enim veritatem dilexisti &cBx.5.286: The line that follows this in alpha, Þere is no laborere wolde leue with hem . þat knoweth peres þe plowman, appears to be spurious. Its reference to peres þe plowman who has not yet been introduced "relates the immediate discussion to a consideration earlier and subsequently expressed" (KD, p. 193). ¶ ShalBx.5.287: Shal: Alpha begins For schal, tying this line to the added line preceding it. There is no parallel for this passage in AC. neuere werkman in þis worlde · þryue wyth þat þow wynnest Cum sancto sanctus eris · construe me þat on englische ¶ Thanne wex þatBx.5.289: þat: Beta, against alpha's þe. We follow copy-text. shrewe in wanhope · and walde haue hanged himself Ne hadde repentaunce þe rather · reconfortedBx.5.290: reconforted: R (= alpha?) loses alliteration with conforted (as do HmG independently). F repairs with reersyd. hym in þis manere Haue mercye in þi mynde · and with þi mouth biseche it For goddes mercye is more · þan alle hise other werkes Misericordia eius super omnia opera eius &c ·Bx.5.293: The Latin line is only in LMOR. It is translated in l. 292 above (which KD exclude), but that does not seem sufficient explanation for other mss. to lose it. For the first eius (as in the Vulgate) R reads domini, which gives a precise translation of l. 292 and may be right. The verse is quoted again as Bx.17.325, where both R and F read domini. ¶ And al þe wikkednesse in þis worlde · þat man myȝte worche or thynke Ne is no more to þe mercye of god · þan in þe see a glede Omnis iniquitas quantum ad misericordiam dei · est [quasi]Bx.5.296: quasi: Omitted in L and added in M, but in all other B and C mss. For the source see Alford (1992), 47. sintilla in medio maris ¶ For-þi haue mercy in þi mynde · and marchandise leue it For þow hast no good grounde · to gete þe with a wastel But if it were with thi tonge · or ellis with þi two hondes For þe good þat þow hast geten · bigan al with falsehede And as longe as þow lyuest þer-with · þow ȝeldest nouȝte but borwest ¶ And if þow wite neuere to whiche · ne whom to restitueBx.5.302: restitue: The form is supported by Cx (RK.6.344) against GR restitute and CrF restore. See l. 283. Bere it to þe bisschop · and bidde hym of his grace Bisette it hym-selue · as best is for þi soule For he shal answere for þe · at þe heygh dome For þe and for many mo · þat man shal ȝif a rekenynge What he lerned ȝow in lente · leue þow none other And what he lent ȝow of owre lordes good · to lette ȝow fro synneBx.5.308: The line following this in CO is obviously scribal, to compensate for the error his goode for owre lordes goode.Gula · ¶ Now bigynneth glotoun · for to go to schrifte And kaires hym to kirke-ward · his coupe to schewe ¶ Ac Beton þe brewestere · bad hym good morwe And axed of hym with þat · whiderward he wolde ¶ To holicherche quod he · forto here masse And sithen I wil be shryuen · and synne namore ¶ I haue gode ale gossib quod she · glotown wiltow assaye Bx.5.316: W and alpha have a paraph here to mark the start of direct speech.Hastow auȝte in þi purs · any hote spices ¶ I haue peper and piones quod heBx.5.317: he: We preserve copy-text's form for "she". It was beta, though, not alpha, since it is the original form in M, and also survives in CrCG (by misunderstanding?). · and a pounde of garlike A ferthyngworth of fenel-seed · for fastyngdayes ¶ Þanne goth glotoun in · and grete othes after Cesse þe souteresse · sat on þe benche Watte þe warner · and his wyf bothe TymmeBx.5.322: Tymme: The probable source of the variants Tomme and Symme. A and C mss. vary similarly; see note to Kane's A Version, p. 443. þe tynkere · and tweyne of his prentisBx.5.322: prentis: The plural form of a romance loan ending in a sibilant. Hikke þe hakeneyman · and hugh þe nedeler Clarice of cokkeslane · and þe clerke of þe cherche Bx.5.325-6: We follow the order of alpha; beta reverses the two lines. Line 325 is not in Ax; Cx has the alpha order, although adding a line between these two. [SireBx.5.325: Sire: Alpha begins And sire, but without support from Cx. Piers of Pridie · and Peronelle of Flaundres Dawe þe dykere [·] and a dozeine other] A ribibour a ratonere · a rakyer of chepe A ropere a redyngkyng · and Rose þe dissheresBx.5.328: dissheres: See MED disheresse. Alpha supposes it is genitive of dishere, and so adds douȝter. AC have disshere. Godfrey of garlekehithe · and gryfinBx.5.329: gryfin: Both this and R's grifyth are forms of Welsh Gruffudd. Ax and the P family of C have the former, while the X family has the latter. þe walsh And vpholderes an hepe · erly bi þe morwe Geuen glotoun with glad chere · good ale to hansel ¶ Clement þe cobelere · cast of his cloke And atteto þeBx.5.333: atte / to þe: Beta's atte is the reading of Ax (K.5.169). R's to þe is the reading of Cx (RK.6.377). new faire · nempnedBx.5.333: nempned: The reading of R. Beta and F (by convergence?) add the pronoun he, but it is not supported by AC. it to selle Hikke þe hakeneyman · hitte his hood after And badde bette þe bochere · benBx.5.335: ben: Alpha's to ben is found in some AC mss. on his side Þere were chapmen ychose · þis chaffare to preise Who-so hauethBx.5.337: haueth: WHmO have the past tense, as in AC. þe hood · shuldBx.5.337: shuld: M has shal, though it is an addition above the line; R has schul, which is probably present tense, though LALME 4, 41, records examples of this as a past-tense form. AC have the past. haue amendes of þe cloke ¶ [Þo]Bx.5.338: Þo: The reading of R (= alpha, with F glossing as Þan.) Beta reads Two. Choice is difficult, since A and C mss. also have both readings, with Tho the majority A reading, and Two the majority C reading. Perhaps scribes felt the lack of a subject; note that F supplies a pronoun. risen vp in rape · and rouned togideres And preised þeseBx.5.339: þese: So beta and the X family of C, but alpha's þe is the reading of Ax and the P family. We follow copy-text. penyworthes · apart bi hem-selueBx.5.339: hem-selue: Original M, Hm and alpha have hym-, as do a few C mss. Þei couth nouȝte bi her conscience · acorden in treuthe Tyl Robyn þe ropere · [arise] þe southeBx.5.341: arise þe southe: R's nonsensical b-verse explains the attempts by F and beta to correct it, but it is a corruption of Cx aryse they bisouhte (RK.6.387). Ax has was red to arisen (K.5.178). See KD, p. 90; Hanna (1996), 217. And nempned hym for a noumpere · þat no debate [w]ereBx.5.342: were: The reading of HmGR, and probably the alpha reading (F rewrites). It agrees with the majority of A mss. and all C mss. but one. Beta's nere is perhaps due to alliterative attraction.Bx.5.342: Following this line, a non-alliterating line occurs in Cr23 and OC. ¶ Hikke þe hostellere · hadde þe cloke In couenaunte þat Clement [·] shulde þe cuppe fille And haue hikkes hode hostellere · and holde hym yserued And who-so repented rathest · shulde arise after And grete sire glotoun [·] with a galoun ale ¶ Þere was laughyng and louryng · and let go þe cuppe And seten so til euensonge · and songen vmwhile Tyl glotoun had yglobbed · a galoun an a Iille His guttis gunne to godlyBx.5.351: godly: The form is supported for Bx by LMR, and 11 C mss. have -d- forms. See MED gothelen, and the variants for Bx.13.95, where LR again have god(e)le. · as two gredy sowes He pissed a potel · in a pater noster while And blew his rounde ruwet · at his rigge-bon[es]Bx.5.353: rigge-bones: Scribes vary in treating one or both parts of the compound as appositive or genitive. Most AC mss. support rygbones. ende That alle þat herde þat horne · held her nose after And wissheden it had be wexed · with a wispe of firses ¶ He myȝte neither steppe ne stonde · er he his staffe hadde And þanne gan he goBx.5.357: go: The infinitive without to, as in LMC and alpha, is supported by Cx and most A mss. · liche a glewmannes bicche Somme-tyme aside · and somme-tyme arrere As who-so leyth lynes · forto lacche foules ¶ AndBx.5.360: And: R's Ac has no support from AC, and may be picked up from l. 364. whan he drowgh to þe dore · þanne dymmed his eighen He trembledBx.5.361: trembled: The word is supported for Bx by LR, with the M corrector revising to stombled in line with beta1 to make better sense in context. The word that lies behind this must be the rare verb thromblede, "tripped", as in the X family of C, which causes confusion in all versions. OED needlessly divides thrumble into two verbs, though it is true that the predominant sense recorded is "to crowd in, to jostle". The line in L is marked for correction, but probably this refers to an for and. on þe thresshewolde · an threwe to þe erthe Clement þe cobelere · cauȝte hym bi þe myddel For to lifte hym alofte · and leyde him on his knowes Ac glotoun was a gret cherle · and a grym in þe liftynge And coughed vp a caudel · in clementis lappe Is non so hungri hounde · in Hertford-schire Durst lape of þeBx.5.367: þe: LMR against þat or þo in other mss. (F rewrites). But Cx has þat. leuyngesBx.5.367: leuynges: R has the sg., as does Cx, and may be right. See next note. · so vnlouely [it]Bx.5.367: it: Supported by MHm and alpha as well as Cx. Presumably other beta scribes altered to plural in concord with the plural subject. See MED hit 4a(b) for its use as the grammatical subject relating to an abstract plural. smauȝte ¶ With al þe wo of þis worlde · his wyf and his wenche Baren hymBx.5.369: hym (1): Beta has hym home, but alpha is supported by AC. to his bedde · and brouȝte hym þer-inne And after al þis excesse · he had an accidie Þat he slepe saterday and sonday · til sonne ȝede to reste Bx.5.372: A paraph would be appropriate here, but only WR have one.Þanne waked he of his wynkyng · and wiped his eyghen Þe fyrste worde þat he warpe · was where is þe bolle His witteBx.5.374: witte: The reading of all B mss. except wif in CrW and revised M. Ax has wife, but Cx has His wyf and his inwit. See Schmidt (1995), 371, who suggests that Bx corrupted the reading represented in Cx. gan edwite hym þo · how wikkedlich he lyued And repentance riȝte so · rebuked hym þat tyme ¶ As þow with wordes and werkes · hast wrouȝte yuel in þi lyue Shryue þe and be [a]shamedBx.5.377: ashamed: CrHmO and alpha have the prefix, as do the equivalent lines in AC (K.5.206, RK.6.422). There are only two other examples of either form: Bx.3.191 shamedest, and Bx.20.284 ashamed. þer-of · and shewe it with þi mouth ¶ I glotoun quod þe gome · gylti me ȝelde [Of]Bx.5.379: Of: In the absence of F which misses the line, the presumed alpha reading which is also that of Cx. The passage Bx.5.378-89 is not in A. þat I haue trespassed with my tonge · I can nouȝte telle how ofte Sworen goddes soule [and his sydes]Bx.5.380: and his sydes: R is supported by the X family of C. The P family drops the pronoun as does F, while beta omits the phrase altogether. · and so [help me god]Bx.5.380: so help me god: Alpha's word-order is also that of Cx. M's agreement, with selpe me god, is probably coincidental. Otherwise beta, having lost the second alliterating stave in the a-verse, brings the noun forward so that the line alliterates on /g/ rather than /s/. and halidom Þere no nede neBx.5.381: ne: Dropped by beta2 (CrWHm), and GF. C mss. vary. was · nyne hundreth tymes ¶ And ouer-seye me at my sopere · and some-tyme at nones Þat I glotoun girt itBx.5.383: it: LR and WHmG, but omitted in MCrCO (F rewrites as vp a-geyn). The line is not in C. vp · er I hadde gone a myle And yspilte þat myȝte be spared · and spended on somme hungrie Ouerdelicatly on fastyng-dayes · drunken and eten bothe And sat some-tyme so longe þere · þat I slepe and ete at ones For loue of tales in tauernes · to drynke þe more I dynedBx.5.387: to drynke þe more I dyned: R and F are flummoxed by the sense. Bennett (1972) translates the line: "I dined in taverns, where I could hear tales, in order to satisfy my thirst more easily". Lines 386-89 have no parallel in AC. And hyed to þe mete er none · whan fastyng-dayes were ¶ This shewyng shrifte quod repentance · shal be meryte to þe ¶ And þanne gan glotoun greteBx.5.390: grete: HmR have to grete. · and gret doel to make For his lither lyf · þat he lyued hadde And avowed fastBx.5.392: fast: The idiomatic use of infinitive without to is found in LRG and original M. Nevertheless, Ax has to faste. Donaldson (1955), 198, takes faste as adverb. There is no parallel in C. See Adams (2000), 182. · for hunger or for thurst Shal neuere fisshe on þeBx.5.393: þe: Supported by LR only. AC mss. are split. fryday · defien in my wombe Tyl abstinence myn aunte · haue ȝiue me leue And ȝit haue I hated hir · al my lyf-tymeAccidia ¶ Þanne come sleuthe al bislabered · with two slym[ed]Bx.5.396: slymed: The form in alpha and many C mss., with beta adopting the commoner form slymy. The passage Bx.5.396-453 is not in A. eiȝen I most sitte seyde þe segge · or elles shulde I nappe I may nouȝte stonde ne stoupe · ne with-oute aBx.5.398: a: HmC and alpha drop the article. C mss. are split (RK.7.3). stole knele Were I brouȝte abedde · but if my taille-ende it made Sholde no ryngynge do me ryse · ar I were rype to dyne Bx.5.401: Alpha has a paraph.He bygan benedicite with a bolke · and his brest knocked And roxed and rored · and rutte atte laste [¶]Bx.5.403: ¶: The paraph in WHmC (with a new line-group in M) and alpha marks the speech-opening. Cf. l. 255. What awake renke quod repentance · and rape þe to shrifte ¶ If I shulde deye bi þis dayBx.5.404: day: Alpha adds quod he, as in the P family of C. Beta reads as the X family. Schmidt (1995), 372, argues that the phrase is required for its liaison alliteration on /d/. Cx has a revised b-verse. · me liste nouȝte to loke I can nouȝte parfitly my pater noster · as þe prest it syngeth But I can rymes of Robyn hood · and Randolf erle of Chestre Ac neither of owre lorde ne of owre lady · þe leste þat euere was made ¶ I haue made vowesBx.5.408: vowes: This is the form of Cx, against avowes in WHmF. fourty · and forȝete hem on [morwe]Bx.5.408: on morwe: O, F (= alpha?) and corrected M have this form, which receives support from Cx amorwe(n). R has uniquely or morwe, C has at morwe, LCrWHmG supply the definite article. I parfourned neure penaunce · as þe prest me hiȝte Ne ryȝte sori for my synnes · ȝetBx.5.410: ȝet: F supplies soþly for the alliteration of the b-verse, which Cx rewrites. was I neuere And ȝif I bidde any bedes · but if it be in wrath Þat I telle with my tonge · is two myle fro myne herte I am occupied eche day · haliday and other With ydel tales atte ale · and otherwhile in cherchesBx.5.414: cherches: Beta2, G and alpha have the sg., but the plural is supported by Cx. Goddes peyne and his passioun · ful selde þynke I þere-on ¶ I visited neuere fiebleBx.5.416: fieble: There is no support for alpha's non-alliterating seke. Cx agrees with beta. men · ne fettered folke in puttes I ha[dd]eBx.5.417: hadde: Alpha is supported by Cx against beta's present tense. leuere here an harlotrie · or a somer game of souteres Or lesynges to laughe [of]Bx.5.418: of: Alpha is supported by Cx, though in a revised line in which the phrase to lauhen of comes finally (RK.7.22). · and belye my neighboreBx.5.418: neighbore: LM and alpha agree on the sg. (though F has another noun). ÞanBx.5.419: Þan: Beta's conjunction (supported by Cx) is necessary to the sense. al þat euere Marke made · Mathew Iohan & lucas And vigilies and fastyng-dayes · alle þise late I passe And ligge abedde in lenten · an my lemman in myn armes Tyl matynes and masse be do · and þanne go to þe freres Come I to ite missa est · I holde me yserued I [am]Bx.5.424: am: Alpha and Cx against nam, probably beta. nouȝte shryuen some-tyme · but ifBx.5.424: if: LR and beta2 (CrWHm) and Cx, but omitted by MCGOF. sekenesse it make Nouȝt tweies in two ȝere · and þanne vp gesse I s[ch]ryue me ¶ I haue be prest and parsoun · passynge thretti wynter Ȝete can I neither solfe ne synge · ne seyntes lyues rede But I can fynde in a felde · or in a fourlonge an hare Better þan in beatus vir · or in beati omnes Construe [it] clause[mel]Bx.5.430: it clausemel: Beta's oon clause wel is prompted by the unusual compound, "clause by clause". KD omit it, on the grounds that it lacks a referent (p. 186). Note that the L scribe left spaces for oon and wel which were later written in, suggesting that he was unable to read or make sense of his copy. Cx rewrites, blending Bx.5.430 and 432 as one line, RK.7.34. · and kenne it to my parochienes I can holde louedayes · andBx.5.431: and: Alpha reads or. Cx has and in a revised line. here a Reues rekenynge Ac in canoun ne in þeBx.5.432: þe: LMR and G, but omitted in others. Cx's revised line offers no evidence. decretales · I can nouȝte rede a lyne ¶ Ȝif I bigge and borwe itBx.5.433: it (1): Despite the auȝt of beta2 (CrWHm) and G, Bx appears to have read it, and shares the reading with the X family of C. The P family has the more specific ouht. · but ȝif it be ytailled I forȝete it as ȝerne · and ȝif men me it axe Sixe sithes or seuene · I forsake it with othes And þus tene IBx.5.436: tene I: So beta; the phrase is reversed in alpha. C has haue y tened and so offers no grounds for choice. trewe men · ten hundreth tymes ¶ And my seruauntz some-tyme · her salarye is bihynde Reuthe is to here rekenyngeBx.5.438: rekenynge: So LM and alpha, supported by the X family of C. Other B mss. and the P family add the definite article. · whan we shal rede acomptes So with wikked wille and wraththe · my werkmen I paye ¶ Ȝif any man doth me a benfait · or helpeth me at nede I am vnkynde aȝein his curteisye · and can nouȝte vnderstonde it For I haue and haue hadde · some-dele haukes maneres I [am]Bx.5.443: am: The form is supported by Cx. LMO have nam. Cf. ll. 424, 459. nouȝte lured with loue · but þere ligge auȝte vnder þeBx.5.443: þe: Alpha omits, as does the P family of C. The X family, however, has the article. thombe ¶ The kyndenesse þat myne euene-cristene · kidde me farnere Sixty sythes I sleuthe · haue fo[r]ȝete it sith In speche and in sparynge of speche · yspilte many a tyme Bothe flesche & fissche · and many other vitailles Bothe bred and ale · butter melke and chese Forsleuthed in my seruyse · til it myȝte serue noman ¶ I ran aboute in ȝouthe · and ȝaf me nouȝte to lerne And euere sith beBx.5.451: be: So LR and original M. The M corrector inserts haue, in line with other mss. (haue I in WHmO). Cx includes haue I be in a reordered a-verse. beggere · for my foule sleuthe Heu michi qu[od]Bx.5.452: quod: For the same quotation see Bx.1.143. In both cases alpha's quod for beta's quia is also the form in Cx. See Alford (1992), 35-6. sterilem vitam duxi Iuuenilem ¶ Repentest þeBx.5.453: Repentest þe: The reading of alpha and Cx. LM presumably record the form of beta, Repentestow þe, which the other witnesses simplify by dropping the reflexive pronoun. Cf. the variants at Bx.5.234, where we again follow alpha and Cx. nauȝte quod repentance · and riȝte with þat he swowned Til vigilate þe veille · fette water at his eyȝen And flatte it on his face · and faste on hym criede And seide ware þe framBx.5.456: fram: CrWO read for, and CrW punctuate after þe (1), taking for as a conjunction. AC mss. are divided. wanhope · wolde þe bitraye I am sori for my synnes · sey soBx.5.457: so: LM and alpha, thus secure for Bx, but AC are without it. to þi-selue And bete þi-selue on þe breste · and bidde hym of grace For is no gult here so grete · þat his goodnesse [i]sBx.5.459: is (2): Supported by AC against L, corrected M, and W nys. See ll. 424 and 443 for LM's preference for the negative forms of the verb. In l. 474 M alone has the negative. more ¶ Þanne sat sleuthe vp · and seyned hym swithe And made avowe to-fore god · for his foule sleuthe Shal no sondaye be þis seuene ȝere · butBx.5.462: but: MHmR have but ȝif, as in the X family of C, but not in Ax. F omits the line. sykenesse it lette Þat I ne shal do me er day · to þe dere cherche And heren matines and masse · as I a monke were Shal none ale after mete · holde me þennes Tyl I haue euensonge herde · I behote to þe Rode And ȝete wil IBx.5.467: And ȝete wil I: Beta is supported by Ax. The a-verse is rewritten in C (RK.6.309). R's reading, What I nam, apparently represents alpha, revised by F. ȝelde aȝein · if I so moche haue Al þat I wikkedly wan · sithen I wytte hadde ¶ And þough my liflode lakke · leten I nelle Þat eche man shalBx.5.470: shal: Alpha and HmGO; the presumed beta reading is ne shal in LMCrWC, but with little support from AC. Cf. ll. 424, 443, 459 for the preference for an extra negative. haue his · ar I hennes wende And with þe residue and þe remenaunt · bi þe Rode of chestre I shal seke treuthe arst · ar I se Rome ¶ Robert þe robbere · on reddite lokede And for þer was nouȝte where-of [·]Bx.5.474: All except L punctuate the line after where-of. he wepeBx.5.474: wepe: LM and alpha use the strong form of the past tense. (In M it is respelt.) Contrast l. 484, where all mss. have the weak form. swithe sore Ac ȝet þe synful shrewe · seyde to hym-selue Cryst þat on caluarye · vppon þe crosse deydest Tho dismas my brother · bisouȝte ȝow of grace And haddest mercy on þat man · for memento sake So rewe on þis robbereBx.5.479: þis robbere: Certainly Bx, though F has me Robbere, and Hm is altered to that reading. Most mss. of A have þis Robert, though four A mss. and the P family of C have me Robert, while the X family has simply Robert (K.5.241, RK.6.321). See Schmidt (2008), 351. · þat reddere ne haue Ne neuere wene to wynne · with crafte þat I [kn]oweBx.5.480: knowe: The reading of alpha, Ax and Cx (from where Cr derives it). Beta has owe. But for þi mykel mercy · mitigacioun I biseche Ne dampne me nouȝte at domesday · for þat I did so ille ¶ What bifel of þis feloun · I can nouȝte faire schewe Wel I wote he wepte faste · water with boþe his eyen Bx.5.485: The line is omitted by alpha, but it is in AC. And knowleched his gult · to cryst ȝete eftsones Þat penitencia his pyke · he shulde polsche newe And lepe with hym ouer londe · al his lyf-tyme For he had leyne bi latro · luciferes aunte ¶ And þanne had repentaunce reuthe · and redde hem alle to knele For I shal biseche for al synful · owre saueoure of grace To amende vs of owre mysdedes · and do mercy to vs alle ¶ Now god quod he þat of þi goodnesse · gonne þe worlde make And of nauȝte madest auȝte · and man moste liche toBx.5.493: to: LR and WHmCO, but not in MCrGF or most C mss. (RK.7.123). Bx.5.489-528 are not in A. þi-selue And sithen suffredest [hym]Bx.5.494: hym: Beta reads for, but alpha is supported by Cx. to synne · a sikenesse to vs alle And al for þe best as I bileue · what-euere þe boke telleth O felix culpa o necessarium peccatum adeBx.5.496: peccatum ade: The word-order ade peccatum in MGO is also recorded in four C mss. &c [¶]Bx.5.497: ¶: The paraph has support from WHmCR. For þourgh þat synne þi sone · sent was to þisBx.5.497: þis: Better supported for Bx than þe in MCrG. F omits, as does Cx. erthe And bicam man of a mayde · mankynde to saue And madest þi-self with þi sone · and vs synful yliche Faciamus hominem ad ymaginem et similitudinem nostram Et alibi qui manet in caritate · in deo manet & deus in eo ¶ And sith with þi self sone · in owre sute deydest On gode fryday for mannes sake · at ful tyme of þe daye Þere þi-self ne þi sone · no sorwe in deth feledest But in owre secte was þeBx.5.505: þe: Alpha has þat. Without a parallel in C, we follow copy-text. sorwe · and þi sone it ladde Captiuam duxit captiuitatem ¶ Þe sonne for sorwe þer-of · les syȝteBx.5.507: syȝte: So LHmCG and alpha, and secure for Bx. M (corrected) and CrWO read light; if this is an error picked up from the following line, as the alliterative pattern suggests, it nevertheless became Cx. for a tyme Aboute mydday whan moste liȝte is · and mele-tyme of seintes Feddest [þo]Bx.5.509: þo: Alpha's reading is supported both by sense ("at that time fed ...") and by Cx. with þi fresche blode · owre forfadres in derknesse Populus qui ambulabat in tenebris · vidit lucem magnam Bx.5.511: WHm and R have a paraph.And thorw þe liȝte þat lepe oute of þe · lucifer [it]Bx.5.511: it: R's reading of the b-verse is supported by Cx, which revises the a-verse to avoid the syntactic difficulty (what does it refer to?), which is smoothed in different ways by beta and F. blent And blewe alle þi blissed [þennes]Bx.5.512: þennes: Alpha's adverb is included in the revised line in C. · in-to þe blisse of paradise ¶ Þe thrydde daye after · þow ȝedest in owre sute A synful Marie þe seighe · ar seynte Marie þi dame And al to solace synful · þow suffredest it so were Non veni vocare iustos · set peccatores ad penitenciam ¶ And al þat Marke hath ymade [·] mathew Iohan and lucas Of þyne douȝtiestBx.5.518: douȝtiest: LM and alpha have the superlative; a good example of the superiority of LMR in representing Bx. All except four C mss. also have the superlative. See Adams (2000), 177. dedes · were don in owre armes Verbum caro factum est et habitauit in nobis Bx.5.520: WHm and R have a paraph.And bi so moche [it]Bx.5.520: it: Alpha's reading, supported by Cx against beta's me. semeth · þe sikerere we mowe Bydde and biseche · if it be þi wille Þat art owre fader and owre brother [·] be merciable to vs And haue reutheBx.5.523: reuthe: Alpha's mercy is obviously a substitution. on þise Ribaudes · þat repente hemBx.5.523: hem: Most beta mss. have hem here, but we do not include here since it is not supported by Cx. On the other hand the adverb would easily be dropped from the phrase, and it pertinently foreshadows in þis worlde, on which see note. sore Þat euere þei wratthed þe in þis worldeBx.5.524: in þis worlde: The inclusion of the phrase, omitted by alpha, gives the usual alliterative pattern. It may, however, represent beta's desire to emphasise here, added in the previous line. It is not in the heavily revised line in C. · in worde þouȝte or dedesBx.5.524: dedes: The plural is supported by LWR. The rest have sg., as does C in a revised line. ¶ Þanne hent hope an horne · of deus tu conuersus viuificabis [nos]Bx.5.525: nos: Dropped in beta (supplied in CrG); supported by Cx. A prayer from the Mass; see Alford (1992), 50. And blew it with Beati quorum · remisse sunt iniquitates Þat alle seyntes in heuene · songen at ones Homines & iumenta saluabis quemadmodum multiplicasti misericordiam tuam deus &c · ¶ A thousand of men þo · thrungen togyderes Criede vpward to cryst · and to his clene moder To haueBx.5.531: To haue: Since beta's reading is supported by Cx, alpha (= R?) must have offered a defective a-verse rewritten by F. grace to go with hem [·] treuthe to seke ¶Bx.5.532: ¶: The paraph is in beta only. Ac þere was wyȝte non so wys · þe wey þider couthe But blustreden forth as bestes · ouer bankes and hilles Til late was and longe · þat þei a lede mette Apparailled as a paynym · in pylgrymes wyse He bare a burdoun ybounde · with a brode liste In a withewyndes wise · ywounden aboute A bolleBx.5.538: bolle: Beta is supported by AC against alpha's bulle (K.6.7, RK.7.164). and a bagge · he bare by his syde An hundreth of ampulles · on his hatt seten Signes of [a-sise]Bx.5.540: a-sise: i.e. Assisi, on which see Skeat (1886), 101. This is R's reading alone, but probably represents alpha. F rewrites, and beta has synay. Most A mss. have the beta reading, but a few (including Bodley 851 (Z)) refer to Assisi instead. Cx has syse. The reference to synay in l. 545 may have prompted beta's reading here; alternatively alpha may record an authorial revision. [·] and shelles of galice And many a cruche on his cloke · and keyesBx.5.541: keyes: Alpha has the definite article, but it is not supported by AC. of Rome And þe vernicle bifore · for men shulde knowe And se bi his signes · whom he souȝte hadde ¶ Þis folke frayned hym firste · fro whennes he come ¶ Fram synay he seyde · and fram owre lordes sepulcre In bethleem and in babiloyne · I haue ben in bothe In ermonye in alisaundre · in many other places Ȝe may se bi my signes · þat sitten on myn hatte Þat I haue walked ful wyde · in wete and in drye And souȝte gode seyntes · for my soulesBx.5.550: soules: MHmG and alpha have the uninflected genitive, as in Ax and most C mss. For the same expression, again with variation of the genitive form, see Bx.10.265, 11.239, 12.44. helth ¶ Knowestow ouȝteBx.5.551: ouȝte: CrF have not / nawht. a corseint · þat men calle treuthe Coudestow auȝteBx.5.552: auȝte: LMWR and revised Hm, so presumably Bx, repeated from the line above. A few A mss. include the word, but it is not in C. The repetition perhaps prompted the other B scribes, CrCGOF, to drop it. wissen vs þe weye · where þat wy dwelleth ¶ Nay so me god helpe · seide þe gome þanne I seygh neuere palmere · with pike ne with scrippe Axen after hym er [·] tilBx.5.555: er til: MF drop er and CO drop til. L's mispunctuation of the line suggests why scribes found one or other otiose. Ax has er only; C mss. divide between er and but. now in þis place [¶]Bx.5.556: ¶: The line is at the top of the page in L, and the rubricator presumably missed the paraph which is in WHmC and alpha, with a new line-group in M. Peter quod a plowman · and put forth his hed I knowe hym as kyndely · as clerke doþ his bokes Conscience and kynde witte · kenned me to his place And deden me suren hymBx.5.559: hym(1): Alpha's plural recognises the two characters of the previous line, but receives no support from AC. sikerly · to serue hym for euere Bothe to sowe and to sette [·] þe whileBx.5.560: þe while: In dropping þe, MGF have the reading of Ax; the other mss. have the Cx version. I swynke myghte I haue ben his folwar · al þis fourtyBx.5.561: fourty: LM and alpha, against fifty in other mss. Support from AC again demonstrates the superiority of this set of mss. See Adams (2000), 177. wyntre Bothe ysowen his sede · and sued his bestes With-Inne and with-outen · wayted his profyt I dyke and I delue · I do þat [he]Bx.5.564: he: Alpha has some support from the parallel b-verse of K.6.33: & do what he hiȝte. The line is not in C. Beta's treuthe is likely to have been picked up from l. 567. hoteth Some-tyme I sowe · and some-tyme I thresche In tailoures crafte andBx.5.566: and: In the absence of AC parallels, R's in remains a possibility as the less obvious reading. tynkares crafte · what treuthe can deuyse I weue an I wynde · and do what treuthe hoteth ¶ For þouȝe I seye it my-self · I serue hym to paye Ich haue myn huire [of hym]Bx.5.569: of hym: Alpha's phrase, omitted by beta, is supported by AC. wel · and otherwhiles more He is þe prestest payer · þat pore men knoweth HeBx.5.571: He: Beta has He ne, but it is not supported by Cx or by most A mss. with-halt non heweBx.5.571: hewe: Clearly beta's reading, though avoided by CrG, and revised by Hm. Alpha has men. See variants at Bx.4.109 for similar avoidance. The majority A reading is hyne; C mss. have hewe and higne. his hyre · þat he ne hath it at euenBx.5.571: at euen: Presumably alpha corrupted to a none, understood by R as "anon" and very characteristically improved by F to soone. Though Ax has the same b-verse as beta, Cx drops þat he ne hath it. He is as low as a lombe · and loueliche of speche And ȝif ȝe wilneth to wite · where þat he dwelleth I shal wisse ȝow witterly · þe weye to his place ¶ Ȝe leue Pieres quod þis pilgrymes · and profered hym huire For to wende with hem · to treuthes dwellyng-place ¶ Nay bi my soules [perel]Bx.5.577: soules perel: The reading of R (= alpha?), with support from AC which both read bi þe perel of my soule. The beta reading was probably the commonplace soule(s) helth (cf. Bx.5.550 and note), with helth lost in CO, possibly as a result of misunderstanding an endingless genitive. On this assumption, F dropped perel, perhaps to accentuate alliteration on /s/. quod pieres · and gan forto swere I nolde fange a ferthynge · for seynt Thomas shryne Treuthe wolde loue me þe lasse · a longe tyme þere-afterBx.5.579: þere-after: Supported for Bx by LR and WHm and Cr (therfor after), although other mss. omit þere. But either Bx itself or LR and beta2 may have added the word to improve an unmetrical (x / x / x) b-verse, since there is no support from AC. Ac if ȝe wilneth to wende wel · þis is þe weye thiderBx.5.580: CO follow this with a line that is certainly spurious. ¶ Ȝe mote go þourgh mekenesse · bothe men and wyues Tyl ȝe come in-to conscience [·] þat cryst wite þe sothe Þat ȝe louen owre lorde god · leuest of alle þinges And þanne ȝowre neighbores nexte · in non wise apeyre Otherwyse þan þow woldest · he wrouȝte to þi-selue ¶ And so boweth forth bi a broke · beth buxum ofBx.5.586: of: Alpha's of þi is not supported by Ax. Cx rewrites the b-verse. speche Tyl ȝe fynden a forth · ȝowre fadres honoureth Honora patrem & matrem &c · Wadeþ in þat water [·] and wascheth ȝow wel þere And ȝe shul lepe þe liȝtloker · al ȝowre lyf-tyme And so shaltow se swere nouȝte · but if it be for nede And namelich an ydel · þe name of god almyȝti ¶ Þanne shaltow come by a crofte · but come þow nouȝte þere-Inne [Þe]Bx.5.594: Þe: Alpha's reading is supported by Cx, although A mss. split between this and beta's reading That. We take into account the scribal tendency to emphasise. crofte hat coueyte nouȝte · mennes catelBx.5.594: mennes catel: Another very characteristic example of the practices of the two alpha scribes. It appears that R represents alpha in reading men, and F rewrote inventively, no doubt puzzled by the non-scriptural imputation of homosexuality. ne her wyues Ne none of her seruauntes · þat noyen hem myȝte Loke ȝeBx.5.596: ȝe: R alone (= alpha?) has þow (F rewrites), but it is supported by AC. However ȝowre in the b-verse in all B witnesses suggests that a-verse ȝe is also Bx. The odd, apparently random, switching to the sg. in Piers' speech, when he is speaking to the group, is a feature of all three versions. Ax matches Cx except at K.6.52 (sg.) = RK.7.212 (pl.) = Bx.5.585 (sg.). But Bx differs from the other two versions with pl. in Bx.5.596-7 and 604 (despite the surrounding sg.). breke no bowes þere · but if it be ȝowre owne ¶ Two stokkes þere stondeth · ac stynte ȝe nouȝte þere They hat stele nouȝte ne slee nouȝte [·] stryke forth by bothe And leue hem on þi left halfe · and loke nouȝte þere-after And holde wel þyne haliday [·]Bx.5.600: L misplaces the punctus after heighe. heighe til euen Thanne shaltow blenche at a bergh · bere no false witnesseBx.5.601: Following this line F alone has a rather competent line. He---Bx.5.602: He / ---: Beta and Ax have the pronoun, but R and Cx are without. F smooths to It. is frithed in with floreines · and other f[e]esBx.5.602: fees: So WHmCG and alpha supported by Cx as well as most A mss. LMCrO have foes, which may be a beta error. many Loke þowBx.5.603: þow: Alpha has ȝe, and R has ȝoure soules in the b-verse (F rewrites). Beta is supported by AC. See the note to l. 596, and note the plural in the next line. plukke no plante þere · for peril of þi soule ¶ Þanne shal ȝe se sey soth · so it be to done In no manere ellis nauȝte · for no mannes biddyng ¶ Þanne shaltow come to a courte · as clere as þe sonne Þe mote is of mercy · þe manere aboute And alle þe wallis ben of witte · to holden wille oute And kerneled with crystendome · [þat] kyndeBx.5.609: þat kynde: "that essential substance, distinctive feature" (of the courte). All B mss. apart from R have man kynde, but R has the reading of AC. Both beta and F made the easy error. to saue Boterased with bileue so · or þow beest nouȝte ysauedBx.5.610: ysaued: Though the prefix creates two long dips in the b-verse (x x / x x / x), it is supported by LMR (and Hm has be-). Some C mss. have it also. ¶ And alle þe houses ben hiled · halles and chambres Wit[h]Bx.5.612: With: L has Wit, with the line marked for correction. It is the same at Bx.20.119. no lede but with loue · and lowe speche as bretheren Þe brugge is of bidde wel · þe bette may þow spede Eche piler is of penaunce · of preyeres to seyntes Of almes-dedes ar þe hokes · þat þe gates hangen on ¶ Grace hatte þe gateward · a gode man for-sothe Hys man hatte amende ȝow · for---Bx.5.617: for / ---: Beta and Ax have the conjunction, but alpha and Cx are without it. many manBx.5.617: man (2): LM and alpha, supported by AC. The other mss. have the plural. him knoweth Bx.5.618: Alpha has a paraph.Telleth hym þis tokene · þat treuthe wite þe sothe I parfourned þe penaunce · þe preest me enioyned And am ful sori forBx.5.620: for: So beta and Ax, but alpha and some C mss. have, less expectedly, of. Cf. Bx.5.410, 457. my synnes · and so I shal euere Whan I þinke þere-on · þeighe I were a pope ¶ Biddeth amende ȝow meke him · t[o]Bx.5.622: to: MGO and alpha, against til in LCrWHmC. Although there is total support in favour of to from AC, that cannot in this case determine the reading of Bx. Some mss., notably HmCrGF, commonly have to when others have til in the sense "to", but R is not generally among them. See Bx.9.88, 10.390, 11.390, 17.149, 18.69, 18.417 (where alpha has to), and 19.429. In Bx.5.144 R has til (2x) against to in others; in 5.632 CO have til against to in others. his maistre ones To wayue vp þe wiket · þat þe womman shette Tho Adam and Eue · eten apples vnrosted Per euam cuntis clausa est · & per mariam virginem [iterum] patefacta estBx.5.625: iterum patefacta est: Alpha has iterum, beta has patefacta est, and Cx has both. The line is not in A. See Alford (1992), 51. ¶ For he hath þe keye and þe clikat · þouȝ þe kynge slepe And if grace graunte þe · to go in inBx.5.627: in in: So the best beta mss., LM, but the second in is almost inevitably lost in all others including R (F omits the line). Half the A mss. and the majority of C mss. are also without it. þis wise Þow shalt see in þi-selue · treuthe sitte in þine herte In a cheyne of charyte · as þow a c[h]ilde were To suffre hym and segge nouȝte · aȝein þi sires wille ¶ Ac bewar þanne of wrath þeBx.5.631: þe: So LWHmGR, but not supported by AC, and presumably a result of false division in Bx (wraþþe as in O > wraþ þe). Note, however, that wrath can be reflexive, and that Schmidt (2008), 360-1, adopts the reading. · þat is a wikked shrewe He hath enuye to hym · þat in þine herte sitteth And pukketh forþBx.5.633: forþ: Omitted by alpha (and part of a correction in L), but supported by most A mss. and by Cx, as well as by sense. pruyde [·] to prayse þi-seluen Þe boldnesse of þi bienfetes · maketh þe blynde þanne And þanne worstow dryuen oute as dew · and þe dore closed Kayed and clikated · to kepe þe with-outen Happily an hundreth wyntre · ar þow eft entre Þus myght þow lesen his loue · to late wel by þi-selue And neuere happil[i]che efte entre · but grace þow haue ¶ Ac þere ar seuene sustrenBx.5.640: sustren: Beta is supported by AC. R's ȝiftes probably represents an alpha error, smoothed by F to seruauntys. · þat seruen treuthe euere And aren porteres ofouerBx.5.641: of / ouer: Beta and Ax have of, but R and Cx have ouer. F reads at. þe posternes · that to þe place longeth Þat one hat abstenence · and humilite an-other Charite and chastite · ben his chief maydenes Pacience and pees · moche poeple þei helpeth Largenesse þe lady · heoBx.5.645: heo: Probably the h- form is Bx, here and in the next line. In both cases R has he(o) and M is altered to she, the form in other mss. (AC omit the pronoun). Elsewhere in L heo is preserved in lines alliterating on /h/: Bx.1.75, 3.29. See Introduction IV.1. let in ful manye Heo hath hulpe a þousande outeBx.5.646: OF punctuate this line of uncertain structure before oute. It has no parallel in AC. · of þe deueles ponfolde ¶ And who is sibbe to þis seuene · so me god helpe HeBx.5.648: He: R has Heo and F rewrites. Ax has He and Cx omits the pronoun. is wonderliche welcome · and faire vnderfongen And but ifBx.5.649: if: Omitted by MCrF, and by nine A mss. (the line is not in C). ȝe be syb · to summe of þise seuene It is ful harde bi myne heued quod PeresBx.5.650: quod Peres: Not in AC, dropped in G by contamination, and anticipated in the previous line by F. · for any of ȝow alle To geten ingonge at any gate þere · but grace be þe more ¶ Now bi cryst quod a cutpurs · I haue no kynne þere NeBx.5.653: Ne: The form is supported by LM and alpha and AC against Nor in others. I quod an apewarde · bi auȝte þat I knowe ¶ Wite god quod a wafrestreBx.5.654: wafrestre: Ax has waferer, as do MGO, but Cx has the female. · wist I þis forBx.5.654: for: R omits, and F is essentially the same. Some mss. of the other versions agree with alpha, but Ax and the X family of C have the beta reading. sothe Shulde I neuere ferthere a fote · for no freres prechyng ¶ Ȝus quod Pieres þe plowman · and pukked hem alle to gode Mercy is a maydene þere · hath myȝte ouer hemBx.5.657: hem: Omitted by WHmCGO, but supported by AC. alle And she is syb to alle synful · and her sone also And þoruȝe þe helpe of hem two · hope þow none other Þow myȝte gete grace þere · biBx.5.660: bi: Omitted by MWG, and treated as the second element of therby in CrC. The word is not in AC. The phrase bi so means "provided that", as at Bx.11.76, 12.183. so þow go bityme ¶ By seynt Poule quod a pardonere · parauenture I be nouȝte knowe þereBx.5.661: knowe þere: Alpha instead reads welcome. Neither reading is compelling: beta's is prosaic, but on the other hand welcome is not elsewhere used to end a line. The line is not in AC. I wil go fecche my box with my breuettes · and a bulle with bisshopes lettres [¶]Bx.5.663: ¶: The usual paraph at the start of a speech is supported by WHmC and alpha. By cryst quod a comune womman · þi companye wil I folwe Þow shalt sey I am þi sustre · I ne wot where þei bicome