Passus octauus de visione & hic explicit & incipit inquisicio prima de dowel
Bx.8.4KD.8.4
If ani wiȝte wiste · where dowel wasBx.8.4: was: alpha's subjunctive were is not supported by AC. at Inne
¶ WasBx.8.6: Was: LMWHm begin a paragraph here. Alpha instead begins And was (R) or But þere was (F), but beta is supported by AC. neuere wiȝte as I wentBx.8.6: as I went: R's in þis worlde is also the reading of Cx, and so could possibly represent a revision, but F has the beta reading. Schmidt (1995) conjectures that R's reading is contaminated
from Cx or is "a coincidental substitution of a familiar phrase" (377). The latter seems likely. · þat me wisse couthe
Bx.8.8KD.8.8
¶Bx.8.8: ¶: The paraph is in LR (M has a line-space). Tyl it bifel on a fryday · two freres I mette
MaistresBx.8.9: Maistres: Alpha begins And maistres, without support from AC. of þe Menoures · men of grete witte
And preyed hem parBx.8.11: par: LMWG; HmOF have pur (though in fact abbreviated in all except WHm). MED treats various forms as the same word (s.v. par prep.), and all scribes in all versions vary freely. CrCR have for, but this is not supported by AC. Cf. Bx.6.260, 13.30. charitee · ar þei passed forther
Bx.8.14-17: These four lines omitted in alpha are not paralleled in Ax but are in Cx. Here the omission can be accounted for as a result of homeoarchy (dowel and dwelle 8.13, 17) and skipping a paraph. ¶Bx.8.14: ¶: In the absence of alpha, the paraph is only in LC, with a line-space in M. For þei ben men onBx.8.14: on: The LM reading (supported by G) generally secures beta and hence Bx (in the absence of alpha). However, of in beta2 and CO is also the reading of Cx. We retain copy-text. þis molde · þat moste wyde walken
And seide sothliBx.8.21: seide sothli: The reading of LM is supported by Cx. The other beta mss. add a pronoun object. R has no pronoun and loses the alliteration by omitting sothli. F drops the line. Since both LM place the punctuation after sepcies (R is without punctuation here), that is probably beta or archetypal error. sepcies · in die cadit iustus
Bx.8.28KD.8.27
How seuene sithes þe sad man · on þeBx.8.28: on þe: LM and alpha, against on a in beta1. F's word-order is that of AC. day synneth
¶ Lat brynge a man in a bote · amydde aBx.8.30: a (3): LR supported by AC, against þe in other mss. brode water
Bx.8.32KD.8.31
Maketh þe man many aBx.8.32: many a: CrOR have many, as do AC. tyme · to falle and to stonde
For ȝif he ne arise þe rather · and rauȝte to þe stiereBx.8.35: stiere: The beta reading, vs. alpha (and Hm) sterne. Both words mean "rudder", and are used to translate "clavus" in Prov.23.34 from which the friar's example comes. Neither
is used elsewhere in the poem. See MED ster(e n.(2) and stern(e n.(2). A mss. also vary.
Bx.8.36KD.8.35
Þe wynde wolde wythBx.8.36: wyth: R's and is probably alpha, altered for sense to on by F. Beta is supported by Ax. þe water · þe bote ouerthrowe
Bx.8.40KD.8.39
Þe godis of þis grounde aren like ·Bx.8.40: Scribes vary in their placement of the punctus before or after aren like, responding to the awkwardness of the line. The hesitation is visibly expressed in M, with a punctus elevatus erased before
the phrase and inserted after it. to þe grete wawes
Þat as wyndes and wederes · walwethBx.8.41: walweth: The LM reading, which is therefore likely to represent beta. It is supported by Ax and the better C mss. against walketh in alpha and four mss. of C. KD, 154 and n. 73, argue that in context walweth is "an easier reading"; nevertheless it is a rarer word. The primary sense of walken is "roll about" (MED walken v.(1), 1) rather than "go on foot" (3a). For the same variation see Bx.9.56. aboute
Þat þorugh þe fende and þiBx.8.43: þi: LR, and so presumptively Bx. But choice is difficult. F has oure, perhaps from the previous line but also the reading of Cx, while the other beta mss. have þe, the reading of Ax. We follow copy-text. flessh · and þe freleBx.8.43: þe frele: The beta reading. F has þe false, which is the Ax reading. R has þis frele, the reading also of Cx. Possibly R's reading is a revision. We follow copy-text. worlde
Ay is þi soule sauf · butBx.8.49: but: LMR are supported by Ax against but if in the others. þi-selfBx.8.49: þi-self: M reads þou þi-seluen as does Ax; WCr alter the word-order to þow wole þi-selue to the detriment of the alliteration. woleBx.8.49: Following this line, F introduces a line from A (K.9.45).
Do a dedly synne · and drenche so þi souleBx.8.50: soule: R alone has selue, perhaps from the previous line, though it is the reading of all but three A mss.
God wole suffre wel þi sleutheBx.8.51: sleuthe: Alpha and Hm read soule, perhaps picked up from 49-50. F revises to make sense of this. The line is revised from Ax. · ȝif þi-self lyketh
And þat is witte aBx.8.53: a (1): "and" (LM). See note to Bx.P.227. KD, pp. 193-4, take Bx And þat is to be an interpolation, and their emendation makes much clearer sense of to ȝeresȝyue "(wit and free will) as a gift". Hence the variants two ȝeresȝevis in CrF and a yeresȝyue in WG in l. 52. In M, wit is a correction, possibly of with a fre wille. fre wille · to euery wyȝte a porcioun
¶ I haue no kynde knowyng quod I · to conceyue alle [þi]Bx.8.57: þi: Alpha agrees with Ax against beta ȝowre. Cx has this speche. wordes
Bx.8.59: W and alpha here supply a paraph, and also (see next note) have quod he, recognising that the speaker has changed. It may be, therefore, that the paraph was added to Bx to make this clear.I bikenne þe crystcryst quod heBx.8.59: cryst / cryst quod he: Alpha and WHm are supported by quod he in Cx, making clear that the friar is the speaker rather than Will. However, most beta mss. are supported by Ax. R's plural pronoun is presumably an error, though indeed there are two friars. · þat on þe crosse deyde
Bx.8.64KD.8.64
Blisse of þ[e]Bx.8.64: þe: Though this is the reading of most mss., LHmR give strong support to þo. However the birds have not been previously mentioned, and þe is supported by AC (but see next note). briddes · [abide] me [made]Bx.8.64: abide me made: Alpha's reading is obviously correct, since beta's brouȝte me aslepe sends the dreamer to sleep too early. Alpha is supported by Ax (made me abide) and Cx (RK.10.63). Beta's reading, anticipating l. 67, is puzzling, since the line is identical to K.9.58. The passage in A reads:
Blisse of þe briddes made me abide
And vndir a lynde vpon a launde lenide I me a stounde
To lerne þe laies þat [var. þat þe] louely briddes [var. foulis] maden
Blisse of þe [var. þise] briddis brouȝte me a slepe (K.9.55-8).
And vndir a lynde vpon a launde lenide I me a stounde
To lerne þe laies þat [var. þat þe] louely briddes [var. foulis] maden
Blisse of þe [var. þise] briddis brouȝte me a slepe (K.9.55-8).
To lythe þe layes · þ[e]Bx.8.66: þe (2): The reading of alpha. The beta reading is uncertain, since LCrWGO have þo against þe in MHmC. The latter has some support from A mss. (see previous note); Cx is revised. louelyBx.8.66: louely: Lost in alpha, but supported by AC and necessary for the alliteration. foules made
¶ A moche man as me þouȝteBx.8.70: me þouȝte: R drops me, anticipating the identification as Thought. F replaces the phrase with he was. Beta is supported by AC. · and lyke to my-selue
Bx.8.73: W and alpha have a paraph to mark Thought's answer.Þat þow wost wel quod he · and no wyȝte bettere
¶ Wote I what þow art Bx.8.74: what þow art: F's who art þou is the AC reading. ·Bx.8.74: The punctus elevatus after art in LMOR and F (rather than his usual virgule) must be archetypal, perhaps to indicate the question. LMO also have a punctus
following þought. On Hoccleve's use of the punctus elevatus to mark this sort of question, see Burrow (2002), 184-5. þought seyde he þanne
Bx.8.76KD.8.76
¶ Art þow thought quod I þo · þow couthest me wisseBx.8.76: wisse: F's telle is the reading of Ax.
Where þat dowel dwelleth · and do me þatBx.8.77: þat (2): The beta reading, where alpha has hym. AC have neither pronoun. We follow copy-text. to knowe
¶ Dowel and dobet · and dobest þe thridde quod heBx.8.78: quod he: F's placement of this after Dowel is that of Ax.
Aren three faire vertues · and beth nauȝte fer to fyndeBx.8.79: The line that follows in F only is from A (K.9.71).
And þorugh his laboure or þorughBx.8.81: þorugh (2): Clear support for Bx from LMWHmR. It is not in Ax. Cx rewrites. his londe · his lyflode wynneth
And is nouȝt dronkenlew ne dedeignousBx.8.83: dedeignous: CF have the aphetic form deygnous, and R subpuncts initial de-. The best X family mss. of C have dedeynus, but the P family and Ax have deynous. · dowel hym folweth
Þe bagges and þe bigurdeles · he hath to-brokenBx.8.87: to-broken: WCO have to-broke which improves the metre of the b-verse. There is the same variation in C mss. HmGF have broke(n), as do A mss. hem alle
AndBx.8.89: And: Beta's And þus is not supported by AC. with Mammonaes mone · he hath made hym frendes
And is ronne in-toBx.8.90: in-to: The reading of LM and alpha, with support from some A mss. and the best C mss. of both families. Religioun · and hath rendred þe bible
And prechethBx.8.91: precheth: Beta4 and R have the past tense, but AC support the present. to þe poeple · seynt Poules wordes
¶ Dobest is aboue bothe · and bereth a bisschopes cro[c]eBx.8.95: croce: "crosier", the reading of MO and alpha (OFr croce), to be distinguished from cross (OE and ON from Irish) in other mss. The description is clearly that of a crosier rather than a cross. In Bx.15.598, however, the bishop's crosse is presumably a pectoral cross, unless a pun is intended on crosse in 15.608.
A pyke is on þat potente · to pulteBx.8.97: pulte: The reading in LOR (MED pilten), the source of putte or pul in other mss. There is the same variation in C mss. (RK.10.95). adown þe wikked
Bx.8.100KD.8.101
Bx.8.100: to reule hem bothe: The b-verse (beta only) is defective in alliteration and metre, and is presumably corrupted from K.9.98-9, Corounid on to be kyng & be here counseil werche / And rewele þe reaum. Bx has reversed the positions of the parallel lines 100 and 105 (= K98 and 91). The reversal is retained in Cx, which however repairs the alliteration by completing this line to kull withoute synne (RK.10.101).Bx.8.100-05: Alpha as represented by R is here deficient, omitting through eyeskip from kynge to kynge five lines present in beta, so omitting 100b-105a. The lines in beta are a revised version of Ax, K.9.91-8, omitting 9.93 and 95, and replacing 9.98 with 91.
F repairs the gap from his A text, thus:
F.6.96 And þus dowel . & dobet . & dobest þe thrydde. (K.9.97)
F.6.97 Haue crowne oon to be kyng / & be here conseyl wirche (K.9.98)
F.6.98 & to rewle al þe rewhme / be reed of hem alle. (K.9.99)
F.6.99 & be non oþir-wyse / but as þey þre wille assente. (K.9.100)
F.6.100 For if þat dowel or dobet / dyden a-geyn dobest. (K.9.92)
F.6.101 & weryn vn-buxum to don his byddyngge / & bown to do Ille. (K.9.93)
F.6.102 Þanne sholde þe kyng come / & comawnde hem to presoun. (K.9.94)
F.6.103 & pitte hem þere in penawnce / with-oute pite or grace. (K.9.95)
The lines are rewritten in Cx. To croune one to be kynge [·] to reule hem bothe
F.6.97 Haue crowne oon to be kyng / & be here conseyl wirche (K.9.98)
F.6.98 & to rewle al þe rewhme / be reed of hem alle. (K.9.99)
F.6.99 & be non oþir-wyse / but as þey þre wille assente. (K.9.100)
F.6.100 For if þat dowel or dobet / dyden a-geyn dobest. (K.9.92)
F.6.101 & weryn vn-buxum to don his byddyngge / & bown to do Ille. (K.9.93)
F.6.102 Þanne sholde þe kyng come / & comawnde hem to presoun. (K.9.94)
F.6.103 & pitte hem þere in penawnce / with-oute pite or grace. (K.9.95)
The lines are rewritten in Cx. To croune one to be kynge [·] to reule hem bothe
Þanne shal þe kynge come · and casten hem in yrensBx.8.102: yrens: Ax has presoun, which is also F's reading. See note to ll. 100-05.
And to reule þe Reume · bi her thre wittesBx.8.106: bi her thre wittes: F again follows Ax (K.9.99). Cx follows Bx, despite the defective alliteration.
And ar we were ywarBx.8.115: were ywar: R 's order war were may be right, since it is that of Ax as well as the X family of C. Beta and F are in line with the P family. We follow copy-text. · with witte gan we mete
Bx.8.124KD.8.128
WhereBx.8.124: Where: R interprets this as Whether, which, in this case, it is not. dowelBx.8.124: dowel: F's dowel & may be from Ax, but it is also the Cx reading. dobet [·] and dobest benBx.8.124: ben: Lost in alpha, with F recasting to make sense. It is added above the line in M, suggesting the possibility that the omission
was a Bx error, with beta scribes making the obvious correction. in londe
Here isBx.8.125: is: R (= alpha?) loses this, and F rewrites. wille wolde ywyte · ȝif witte couthe teche hym
And whether he be man or [no] manBx.8.126: no man: L's man is obviously an error, though it may represent confusion in beta or Bx, with other scribes repairing. Alpha and C have no man; most beta mss. have womman. The line is not in AC. · þis man fayneBx.8.126: fayne: Dropped in Hm and beta4, and erased in M. wolde aspye