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 9William 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 nonus de visione vt supra & primus de Dowel Sire dowel dwelleth quod witte · nouȝt a day hennes In a castel þat kynde made · of foure kynnesBx.9.2: kynnes: Alpha's non-alliterative maner is not supported by AC (K.10.2, RK.10.219) þinges Of erthe and eyre is itBx.9.3: is it: The order is reversed in HmOF. AC also vary. made · medled togideres With wynde and with water · witterly enioyned Kynde hath closed þere-Inne · craftily with-alle A lemman þat he loueth · like to hym-selue Anima she hatte · ac enuye hir hateth A proude pryker of Fraunce · prynceps huius mundi And wolde winne hir awey · with wyles and he myȝte ¶ AcAndBx.9.10: Ac / And: The beta reading is Ac, supported by Ax. Alteration to And in CrC is characteristic (cf. Bx.9.17, 57 etc.). But here the alpha reading is also And, and it is in turn the reading of Cx. kynde knoweth þis wel · and kepeth hir þe bettere And hath doBx.9.11: hath do: So LMR and GO, as in Ax and most C mss.; beta2 and CF have the simple present tense, as in some of the P family of C. hir with sireBx.9.11: sire: So AC, though omitted by alpha. dowel · isBx.9.11: is: Certainly Bx, though omitted by GOF and AC. duke of þisBx.9.11: þis: So AC. R has þe and F þat. marches Dobet is hir damoisele · sire doweles douȝter To serue þis lady lelly · bothe late and rathe Dobest is aboue bothe · a bisschopes pere Þat he bit mote be do · he reuleth hem alle Anima þat lady · is ladde bi his leryngeBx.9.16: lerynge: The beta reading (though M is a correction), with the late texts CrG altering as usual to lerneing. But alpha also has lernyng. The better C mss. have leryng. ¶ Ac þe constable of þat castel · þat kepeth al þe wacche Is a wys kniȝte with-al · sire Inwitte he hatte And hath fyue feyre sones · bi his first wyf Sire sewel and saywel · and herewelsire herewelBx.9.20: herewel / sire herewel: Beta is supported by Ax, but alpha's addition of sire is also in Cx. Beta alliterates aaa/bb, alpha aaa/abb. þe hende Sire worche wel wyth þine hande · a wiȝte man of strengthe And sire godfrey gowel · gret lordesBx.9.22: gret lordes: Beta's plural is supported by AC against the sg. in alpha. for-sothe Þise fyueBx.9.23: fyue: F's sixe is from A; it includes the constable. Cx has five. ben sette · to saue þis ladyBx.9.23: þis lady: Alpha drops lady, with F rewriting the b-verse. Cx for to saue Anima may offer slight support for R's reading. (Ax reads to saue þe castel.) anima Tyl kynde come or sende [·] to saue hir for euereBx.9.24: saue hir for euere: Agreement of beta and R confirms this as the Bx reading even if corrupt. F's kepen hire hym-selue is the AC reading, taken by F from his A ms. ¶ What kynnes thyng is kynde quod I · canstow me telle ¶ Kynde quod witte is aBx.9.26: a: Clearly established for Bx, though omitted by Cx and most A mss. KD record it as omitted in MR, but in both it is erased. Misunderstanding in Bx may have been caused, or further compounded, by reading creatour as creature (as in HmCO), though the spelling of the two words is often confused; see MED creatour and creature. creatour · of alle kynnes þinges Fader and fourmour · of al þat euere was maked AndBx.9.26: And: Beta1 reads And þat is, supported by Ax. M reads And þis is. But L originally agreed with R before correcting to the beta1 reading. F rewrites the a-verse. Cx rewrites as The which is. þe gret god [·] þat gynnynge had neuere Lorde of lyf and of lyȝte · of lysseBx.9.29: lysse: Alpha spoils alliteration with blisse, as does the corrector in M. The two late texts CrG adopt the easier reading to avoid the obsolete synonym. and of peyne Angeles and al þing [·] aren at his wille Ac man is hym mosteBx.9.31: hym moste: Alpha reverses, but beta's order is supported by AC. From here to the end of the passus C is rewritten or heavily revised. lyke · of marke and of schafte For þorugh þe worde þat he spake · wexen forth bestesBx.9.32: F follows with three unique lines, the third of which is based on K.10.34, and omits Bx.9.33. Dixit & facta suntid est adamBx.9.34: id est adam: This gloss appears above the line in LM, and was incorporated into the text in CrHmF. It was therefore presumably a feature of the archetypal text. In R man is a correction in a second hand, perhaps indicating the scribe's confusion. ¶ And made man likkest · to hym-self one And Eue of his ribbe-bon · with-outen eny mene For he was synguler hym-self · andBx.9.36: and: R (= alpha?) omits, and F has he. The passage is not in AC. seyde faciamus As who seithBx.9.37: seith: CrCGR have subjunctive sey. The line is not in AC. more mote here-to · þan my worde one My myȝte mote helpe · now with my speche Riȝte as a lorde sholde make lettres · and hym lakked parchemyn Þough he couth write neuere so wel · ȝif he had no penne Þe lettre for al þe lordship · I leue were neuere ymaked ¶ And so it semeth bi hym · as þe bibleBx.9.42: bible: Beta4 has book. telleth Þere he seyde [·] dixit & facta suntBx.9.43: dixit & facta sunt: (Psalm 148.5), repeating l. 33. L punctuates after dixit, but the punctuation after seyde in other mss. is more appropriate. F's faciamus hominem ad ymaginem &c (Gen.1.26), is from A (K.10.41a), where it follows the line equivalent to Bx.9.53. Cf. also Bx.9.36. He moste worche with his worde · and his witte shewe And in þis manere was man made · þorugh myȝte of god almiȝti With his worde and werkemanschip · and with lyf to laste And þus god gaf hym a goost · of þe godhed of heuene And of his grete grace [·] graunted hym blisse And þat is lyf þat ay shal last · to al [his]Bx.9.49: his: Lost in beta though independently restored by W on grounds of sense (Cr adds our instead). Alpha is supported by Ax. lynage after And þat is þe castel þat kynde made · caro it hatte And is as moche to mene · as man with a soule And þat he wrouȝt with werke · and with wordeBx.9.52: worde: Alpha's his word(es) is not supported by Ax. bothe Þorugh myȝte of þe maieste · man was ymaked ¶ Inwit and alle wittes [·] closed ben þer-inne For loue of þe lady anima · þat lyf is ynempned Ouer-al in mannes body · heBx.9.56: he: "she". See Introduction IV.1. walketh and wandreth AcBx.9.57: Ac: Supported by LO and alpha (since F alters to his usual But), and by Ax (K.10.45). After this line AC offer only sporadic correspondences with Bx until l. 191. in þe herte is hir home · and hir moste reste Ac Inwitte is in þe hed · and to the herte heBx.9.58: he: Omitted by CrR. loketh What anima is lief or loth · he latBx.9.59: lat: The variants confirm this as a form of "leads". hir at his wille For after þe grace of god · þe grettest is Inwitte ¶ Moche wo worth þat [wiȝte]Bx.9.61: wiȝte: Though not an unusual word, wiȝte is sporadically replaced by man (e.g. Bx.P.208 (R), 5.118 (F), 8.53 (Hm), 8.73 (O)). Alpha's alliterative pattern is aaa/xa (on /w/); beta's man gives the standard alliterative pattern aa/ax (on /m/). Cx does not help to establish the reading, but indicates dissatisfaction with whatever it was, reversing the b-verse: "And moche wo worth hym þat inwit myspeneth" (RK.10.175). · þat mys-reuleth his Inwitte And þat be glotouns globbares · her god is her wombe Quorum deus venter est For þei seruen sathan · her souleBx.9.64: soule: The reading of LMR is enough to establish Bx against the more obvious plural in other mss. Cf. the distributive sg. again in the next line. shal he haue Þat liueth synful lyf here · her soule is liche þe deuel And alle þat lyuen good lyf · aren likeBx.9.66: like: The agreement of LR supports this against like to in beta1. Both locutions are used elsewhere. M originally read vnto, corrected to to, and F has lyk after. god almiȝti Qui manet in caritate in deo manet &c ¶ Allas þat drynke shal for-do · þat god dere bouȝte And doth god forsaken hem · þat shope [hem]Bx.9.69: shope hem: Beta's he shope gives an unmetrical b-verse (x x / x x / x), and the alpha reading is syntactically difficult enough to have generated it. However, KD, p. 143, ascribe the alpha reading to "parallelism induced by preceding forsaken hem". to his liknesse Amen dico vobis nescio vos · & alibi et dimisi eos secundum desideria eorumBx.9.70: & alibi et dimisi eos secundum desideria eorum: This (Psalm 80.13) is not in alpha: in fact F drops both quotations. It finds it way into Cx at this point (RK.10.165a). ¶ Foles þat fauten Inwitte · I fynde þat holicherche Shulde fynden hem þat hemBx.9.72: hem (2): Not in R (F is different). faute[th]Bx.9.72: fauteth: So CGO and R. LMW have the past tense, but the present seems required by sense. · and faderelees children And wydwes þat han nouȝte wher-with · to wynnen hem her fode Madde men and maydenes · þat helplees were Alle þise lakken Inwitte · and lore bihoueth ¶ Of þis matere I myȝte · make a longe tale And fynde fele witnessesBx.9.77: witnesses: The form in alpha and CGO is also plural. See note to Bx.2.150. · amonges þe foure doctours And þat I lye nouȝt of þatBx.9.78: of þat: Lost in alpha, and F further abbreviates to make sense of the omission. I lere þe · luke bereth witnesse ¶ Godfader and godmoder · þat sen her godchildren AtBx.9.80: At (1): The alpha reading is uncertain. myseise and atBx.9.80: at (2): Not in MCGOF. mischief · and mowe hem amende Shal haue penaunce in purgatorie · but ȝif þei hem helpe For more bilongeth to þe litel barne · ar he þe lawe knowe Þan nempnyng of a name · and he neuere þe wiser Bx.9.84: CO and alpha have a paraph.Shulde no crystene creature · crien atte ȝate Ne faille payn neBx.9.85: Ne ... ne: Alpha has And ... and. potage · and prelates did as þei shulden A Iuwe wolde nouȝte se a Iuwe · go iangelyng for defaute For alle þe moeblesBx.9.87: moebles: HmR nobles is a good example of coincidental error. on þis molde · and he amende it miȝte ¶ Allas þat a crestene creature · shal be vnkynde tilBx.9.88: til: So LWHmR against to in others. an other Sitthen Iuwes þat we iugge · Iudas felawes AytherBx.9.90: Ayther: Alpha's reading was evidently that of R, with F making a typical attempt to repair the line. See KD p. 142. of hem helpeth other · of þat þat hymBx.9.90: hym: Beta2, G and F repeat hem from the a-verse. nedeth Bx.9.91: Alpha has a paraph.Whi nel we cristene · of cristes good be as kyndeBx.9.91: kynde: The M corrector uniquely adds willed at the end of the line, perhaps to correct the alliterative pattern. See Duggan, YLS 1 (1987), 66. As Iuwes þat ben owre lores-men · shameBx.9.92: shame: R (= alpha?) has to schame, with F altering to It is shame. to vs alle Þe comune for her vnkyndenesse · I drede me shul abye ¶ Bisschopes shul be blamed · for beggeres sake He is worse þan Iudas · þat ȝiueth a iaper siluer And biddeth þe begger go · for his broke clothes Proditor est prelatus cum Iuda · qui patrimonium cristi minus distribuit // & alibi Perniciosus dispensator est · qui res pauperum cristi inutiliter consumit He doth nouȝt wel þat doth þus · ne drat nouȝt god almiȝty NeBx.9.100: Ne: Beta2 and F repeat He from the previous line. loueth nouȝt salamones sawes · þat sapience tauȝte Inicium sapiencie timor domini · ¶ Þat dredeth god he doth wel · þat dredeth hym for loueBx.9.102-03: Beta4 abbreviates these two lines and runs them together. And nouȝt for dredeBx.9.103: And nouȝt for drede: Alpha is derived from the previous b-verse. of veniaunce · doth þer-foreBx.9.103: doth þer-fore: Following on from its error in the a-verse, alpha reads to do. þe bettere He doth best þat with-draweth hym · by day and bi nyȝte To spille any speche [·] or any space of tyme Qui offendit in verboBx.9.106: verbo: This is probably Bx since it is the reading of LR and probably original M, corrected to vno in conformity with James 2.10. Beta1 also has vno, while F includes both words, vno verbo. The reading verbo is presumably Langland's adaptation of the quotation for the context, with some scribes reverting to the biblical text. (The line in L is marked for correction, perhaps significantly.) The quotation also occurs at Bx.11.326, where no ms. has verbo. While verbo must have been present in Bx, it may alternatively have been in the form of an interlinear gloss to vno. See Donaldson (1955), 198-9; Schmidt (1995), 379-80; Burrow (2003), 191-2. in omnibus est reus ¶ Lesyng of tyme · treuthe wote þe sothe Is moste yhated vpBx.9.108: vp: Supported by LCR and original M. For prepositional vp, cf. Bx.5.425. erthe · of hem þat beth in heuene And sitthe to spille speche · þat spyreBx.9.109: spyre: "offspring", as in L, beta4 and R, evidently puzzled other scribes. is of grace And goddes gleman · and a game of heuene Wolde neuere þe faithful fader · his fithel were vntempred Ne his gleman a gedelyng · a goer to tauernes ¶ To alle trew tidy men · þat trauaille desyren Owre lorde loueth hem and lent · loude other stille Grace to go to hemBx.9.115: to hem: R has to hem tille and F has hem to. The reversal could be right. · and agonBx.9.115: agon: "earn". W restores the more "correct" form ofgon (OE ofgan). her lyflode Inquirentes autem dominum non minuentur omni bono ¶ Trewe wedded libbing folk · in þis worlde is dowel For þei mote worche & wynne · and þe worlde susteyne For of her kynde þeiBx.9.119: þei: Alpha has the form he. See Introduction IV.1. come · þat confessoures ben nempned Kynges and kniȝtes · kayseres and cherlesBx.9.120: cherles: F's clerkys is the A reading (K.10.137). Maydenes and martires · out of o man come Þe wyf was made þe weyeBx.9.122: weye, "man, husband". Perhaps only F understood the word, for the usual spelling in L and elsewhere is wye. However C mss. regularly spell it wey(e). · for to help worche And þus was wedloke ywrouȝt · with a mene personeBx.9.123b-26a: Alpha omits as a result of homoarchy (And þus was wedloke ywrouȝt 123a, 126a). First bi þe faderes wille · and þe frendes conseille And sytthenes bi assent of hem-self · as þei two myȝte acorde And thus was wedloke ywrouȝte · and god hym-self it made In erthe þe heuene isBx.9.127: þe heuene is: The syntax of the a-verse, "the heaven (of wedlock) is on earth", puzzled alpha (þere / here heuen is) and CrW (and in heuene). M is altered to CrW's reading. · hym-self was þeBx.9.127: was þe: WCF have bereþ, attracted to the common collocation (Bx.2.39, 7.53, 7.93, etc.). witnesse ¶ Ac fals folke [and]Bx.9.128: and: Alpha is supported by Ax (K.10.139). faithlees · theues and lieres Wastoures and wrecches · out of wedloke I trowe Conceyued ben in yuelBx.9.130: yuel: Certainly the Bx reading, though Ax has alliterating cursid. tyme · as caym was on Eue Of such synful shrewes · þe sauter maketh mynde Concepit in doloreBx.9.132: in dolore: The beta reading is that of Cx (RK.10.212a) while alpha (and Hm by correction) have dolorem, as do some A mss. (K.10.150). The adaptation of scriptural dolorem (Job 15.35, Psalms 7.15) on the model of l. 130 in yuel tyme suggests scribal hypercorrection in alpha, as demonstrated directly in Hm. See Alford (1992), 61-2. et peperit iniquitatem &c And alle þat come of þat caym [·] come to yuel ende For god sent to seem · and seyde bi an angel Þyne issue in þyne issue · I wil þat þei be wedded And nouȝt þi kynde with caymesBx.9.136: caymes: Alpha has caym, but the possessive is supported by Ax (K.10.158). · ycoupled ne yspoused ¶ Ȝet someBx.9.137: some: The reading of Bx; Cr has Sem on the basis of l. 134, and M is corrected to that reading. aȝein þe sonde [·] of owre saueoure of heuene Caymes kynde & his kynde · coupled togideres Tyl god wratthed forBx.9.139: for: The reading of L, beta2 and R; it is perhaps harder than MGOF with, which however has some support from Ax was wroþ wiþ (K.10.161). her werkis · and suche a worde seyde Þat I maked man · now it me athynkethBx.9.140: athynketh: LMCO. It may have given rise to R's þinketh and the commoner forþynkeþ as in WHmCrGF. The form is secure at Bx.18.92. Yet Ax has forþinkeþ (K.10.164). We follow copy-text. Penitet me fecisse hominem ¶ And come to Noe anon · and bad hym nouȝt lette Swithe go shape a shippe · of shides and of bordes Þiself and þi sones three · and sithen ȝowre wyues Buske ȝow to þat bote · and bideth ȝe þer-inne Tyl fourty dayes be fulfilde · þat flode haue ywasshenBx.9.146: ywasshen: Beta is supported by AC against alpha's Iwasted. Clene awey þe cursed blode · þat caym hath ymaked ¶ Bestes þat now ben · shulle banne þe tyme Þat euere þat cursed caym · come on þis erthe Alle shal deye for his dedes · bi dales andBx.9.150: and: So M and R (=alpha?), supported by Ax and most C mss. against and bi in L and beta1. F drops the line. hulles And þe foules þat fleeghen · for[th]Bx.9.151: forth: L has for. with other bestes Excepte oneliche [·] of eche kynde a couple Þat in þiBx.9.153: þi: R has þis (F omits the line). Ax has þe; Cx supports beta. shyngled shippe · shul ben ysaued Here abouȝt þe barne · þe belsyres gultes And alle for her forfadres · þei ferden þe worse Þe gospel is here-ageine · in o degre I fynde Filius non portabit iniquitatem patris & pater non portabit iniquitatem filij &cBx.9.157: & pater non portabit iniquitatem filij &c: Ezek. 18.20. Alpha abbreviates. We follow copy-text, though it is quite likely that Bx ended the quotation at patris, as Cx does, and as at Bx.10.119. · ¶ Ac I fynde if þe fader [·] be false and a shrewe Þat somdel þe sone · shal haue þe sires tacches ¶ Impe onBx.9.160: on: So beta, though Hm has vpon, C in and G off. Alpha has vp-on. The line is not in AC. an ellerne · and if þine apple be swete Mochel merueile me þynketh · & more of a schrewe Þat bryngeth forth any barne · but if he be þe same And haue a sauoure after þe sire · selde seestow other Numquam colligitur de spinis vuasBx.9.164: colligitur de spinis vuas: So LM and R, therefore Bx. F has the Vulgate reading "colligunt de spinis uvas" (Matt. 7.19). Other scribes correct to a grammatical reading in which vua is subject of colligitur (beta2 and corrected M), or vuas object of colligimus (CGO). · nec de tribulis fycus [¶]Bx.9.165: ¶: There is no paraph in L, but the line appears at the top of the leaf and the rubricator probably missed it. WHmR have a paraph and M a line break. And þus þourw cursed caym · cam care vppon erthe And al for þei wrouȝt wedlokes · aȝein goddis wille For-þi haue þei maugre forBx.9.167: for: Supported by LMR. Other mss. have of. here mariages · þat marye soBx.9.167: þat marye so: R has as men maryen now; F rewrites. her childeren For some as I se now · soth forto telle For coueitise of catel [·] vnkyndeliche ben wedded As careful concepcioun [·] cometh of suche mariagesBx.9.170: of such mariages: R's to þat mariages presumably represents alpha, with F altering for sense. As bifel of þeBx.9.171: þe: Beta is supported by Ax (K.10.185) against alpha's þat. folke · þat I bifore of toldeid est boniid est bonas Bx.9.172-3: Both lines are omitted in alpha skipping from paraph to paraph (though R has an erased line after l. 171). They are not present in Ax but are transmitted to Cx (RK.10.254-5). See Hanna (1996), 217. ¶Bx.9.172: ¶: The paraph, in L alone, is perhaps not archetypal, yet eyeskip from paraph to paraph would account for the loss of ll. 172-3 in alpha. See Burrow (2010), 24-6. For goode shulde wedde goodeBx.9.172: goode (1) and (2): Glossed id est boni and id est bonas above the line in LM in the main hand, suggesting that this was a feature of beta. Although the line is not in alpha, we take this to be derived from Bx and include the glosses in the text. Cf. the gloss above l. 34. · þough hij no good hadde I am via & veritas seith cryst · I may auaunce alle ¶ It is an oncomelyBx.9.174: an oncomely: L originally wrote an comely, but the line is noted for correction and then corrected. F also has an komely. M omitted the adjective altogether, then correcting a to an vncomely above the line. couple · bi crystBx.9.174: cryst: Alpha has Ihesus, but beta is supported by Ax and by the alliteration. as me þinketh To ȝyuen a ȝonge wenche · to an olde feble Or wedden any widwe · for welth of hir goodis Þat neuere shal barne bere · but ifBx.9.177: if: As in LCrWCOR, though omitted by MHmG (F rewrites) and Ax. it be in armes Many a peire sithen þe pestilence · han pliȝt h[e]mBx.9.178: hem: L's form hom is perhaps a miswriting; the scribe uses it nowhere else. togideres Þe fruit þat þei brynge forth · aren foule wordes In ialousye ioyeles · and ianglyng on beddeBx.9.180: The line is omitted by alpha, but is in AC. Haue þei no children but chesteBx.9.181: cheste: "strife". Beta is supported by AC and alliteration against alpha's synonym iangelynge. · anBx.9.181: an: "and". choppyngBx.9.181: choppyng: "striking". So LCGO. CrW read clappyng and Hm carpynge. M is revised to chidynge, Alpha was probably even more confused, since R has gaying (sic), and F omits altogether. AC have choppes. hem bitwene Bx.9.182-4: Beta's readings of these lines on the Dunmow flitch are supported by AC. Lines 182b-4 in RF are clearly scribal replacements. Perhaps they were damaged in alpha and were invented independently by R and F, but this is unprecedented behaviour for R. Furthermore, although they are independent, there are enough similarities to suggest a common original. 182b to fecche hom here bakon (R), & fecche þere bakoun (F) must be alpha, and it signals the disruption. 183 is quite different in the two mss., but similarities in 184 are þus þei lyuen in (R), lyven þus in (F), and þe deuel (R), þe develys (F). Bx.9.182: The paraph, in LC only (with a new line-group in M), interrupts the argument. And þough þei don hem to donmowe · but if þe deuel help To folwen after þe flicche · fecche þei it neuere And but þei bothe be forsworne · þat bacoun þei tyne ¶ For-þi I conseille alle crystene · coueite nouȝt beBx.9.185: be: MCrR read to be. AC mss. vary similarly, but while Ax is perhaps the latter, Cx is certainly the former. wedded For coueitise of catel · ne of kynrede riche Ac maydenes and maydenes · maccheBx.9.187: macche: Beta, supported by Ax. F's marye probably reflects dissatisfaction with alpha's synonym make (as in R), yet it is the reading of Cx. ȝow togideres Widwe[r]s and widw[e]sBx.9.188: Widwers and widwes: Alpha's word-order has the support of Ax and the P family of C, though the X family has beta's order. · worcheth þe same For no londes but for loue · loke ȝe be wedded And þanne gete ȝe þe graceBx.9.190: þe grace: Alpha has grace. In the absence of a parallel in AC, this could be right, but þe is easily lost after ȝe. of god · and good ynogh to lyue with Bx.9.191-9: These nine lines are omitted in alpha. They are not in Ax, but are transmitted to Cx. The cause of the omission is not obvious. KD, p. 68, suggest eyeskip from maner ... man 191 to man and womman 200, but this is unconvincing, especially as man 191 is their emendation and not Bx. More probably alpha jumped from the paraph at 191, since at the point of resumption alpha (but not beta) has a paraph. ¶ And euery maner seculer [·] þat may nouȝt continue Wysly go wedde · and war hym fro synne For leccherye in likyng · is lymeȝerde of helle Whiles þow art ȝonge · and þi wepne kene Wreke þe with wyuynge · ȝif þow wilBx.9.195: wil: For this subjunctive form in L, cf. Bx.6.232. The other beta witnesses have the indicative. The line is not in A, and the b-verse is revised in C. ben excused Dum sis vir fortis · ne des tua robora scortis Scribitur in portis · meretrix est ianua mortis ¶ Whan ȝe haue wyued bewar · and worcheth in tyme Nouȝt as Adam & Eue · whan caym was engendred Bx.9.200: Alpha has a paraph.For in vntyme trewli · bitwene man & womman Ne shulde no bourde on beddeBx.9.201: bourde on bedde: "fun in bed". Beta's reading is the basis of the RF variants, and is supported by AC bedbourd (K.10.203; RK.10.290). be · but if þei bothe were clene Bothe of lyf andBx.9.202: and (1): L has & and in error. of soule · and in parfyte charitee Þat ilke derne dede [·] do noman sholdeBx.9.203: sholde: Beta has ne sholde, but Cx supports alpha (though F is revised) without ne. A mss. are divided. Beta needs to lengthen the b-verse as a result of placing the punctuation after do rather than before it. See Smith (2008), 90-1. And if þei leden þus her lyf · it likedBx.9.204: liked: The LR reading, supported by F's wold lyke against the present tense of other mss. The line is not in AC. god almiȝti For he made wedloke firste · and him-self it seide Bonum est vt vnusquisque vxorem suam habeat propter fornicacionemBx.9.206: propter fornicacionem: Omitted in alpha, but beta is supported by Cx. ¶Bx.9.207: ¶: The paraph is in LWHm, with a new line-group in M. In R the line is at the foot of the page. And þei þat oþergatis ben geten · for gedelynges ben holden A[nd]Bx.9.208: And: Alpha is supported by AC against beta's As. false folke fondelynges · faitoures and lyars Vngracious to gete goode · or loue of þe poeple Wandren and wasten · what þei cacche mowe Aȝeines dowel þei don yuel · and þe deuel serue And after her deth-day · shulle dwelle with þe sameBx.9.212: þe same: Beta is supported by Ax. R (= alpha?) repeats þe deuel from the previous line, with F, here Mayster, varying the expression. Cx has instead dwellen shollen in helle. But god gyue hem grace here · hem-self to amende Bx.9.214-17: Lines omitted in alpha, skipping from Dowel to dowel and from paraph to paraph. Once again they are not in Ax, but are transmitted to Cx. Compare the same situation in Bx.9.172-3 and 191-9. In all three instances skipped paraphs are involved. ¶ Dowel my frende is ·Bx.9.214: Scribes have understandable uncertainty about the placing of the mid-line punctus. to don as lawe techeth To loue þi frende and þi foo · leue me þat is dobet To ȝiuen and to ȝemen · bothe ȝonge and olde To helen and to helpen · is dobest of alle ¶ And [þus is] dowelBx.9.218: And þus is dowel: Alpha's word-order is supported by Cx. Ax has Þanne is dowel. to drede god · and dobet to suffre And so cometh dobest of bothe · and bryngeth adoun þe mody And þat is wikked wille · þat many werkeBx.9.220: werke: Beta's distributive sg. is supported by Ax. shendeth And dryueth away dowel · þorugh dedliche synnes