Of him whom al this Erthe dradde,
Whan he the world so overladde
Thurgh werre, as it fortuned is,
[Sidenote: Hic declarat per exemplum contra istos Principes
seu alios quoscumque illicite guerre motores. Et narrat de
quodam pirata in partibus marinis spoliatore notissimo, qui
cum captus fuisset, et in iudicium coram Rege Alexandro
productus et de latrocinio accusatus, dixit, ‘O Alexander,
vere quia cum paucis sociis spoliorum causa naues tantum
exploro, ego latrunculus vocor; tu autem, quia cum[1055]
infinita bellatorum multitudine vniuersam terram subiugando
spoliasti, Imperator diceris. Ita quod status tuus a statu
meo differt, set eodem animo condicionem parilem habemus.’
Alexander vero eius audaciam in responsione comprobans,
ipsum penes se familiarem retinuit; et sic bellicosus
bellatori complacuit.]
King Alisandre, I rede this;
How in a Marche, where he lay,
It fell per chance upon a day
[Sidenote: =P. i. 359=]
A Rovere of the See was nome,
Which many a man hadde overcome 2370
And slain and take here good aweie:
This Pilour, as the bokes seie,
A famous man in sondri stede
Was of the werkes whiche he dede.
This Prisoner tofor the king
Was broght, and there upon this thing
In audience he was accused:
And he his dede hath noght excused,
Bot preith the king to don him riht,
And seith, ‘Sire, if I were of miht, 2380
I have an herte lich to thin;
For if the pouer were myn,[1056]
Mi will is most in special
To rifle and geten overal
The large worldes good aboute.
Bot for I lede a povere route
And am, as who seith, at meschief,
The name of Pilour and of thief
I bere; and thou, which routes grete
Miht lede and take thi beyete, 2390
And dost riht as I wolde do,
Thi name is nothing cleped so,
Bot thou art named Emperour.
Oure dedes ben of o colour
And in effect of o decerte,
Bot thi richesse and my poverte
Tho ben noght taken evene liche.
And natheles he that is riche
[Sidenote: =P. i. 360=]
This dai, tomorwe he mai be povere;
And in contraire also recovere 2400
A povere man to gret richesse
Men sen: forthi let rihtwisnesse[1057]
Be peised evene in the balance.
The king his hardi contienance
Behield, and herde hise wordes wise,
And seide unto him in this wise:[1058]
‘Thin ansuere I have understonde,
Wherof my will is, that thou stonde
In mi service and stille abide.’
And forth withal the same tide 2410
He hath him terme of lif withholde,
The mor and for he schal ben holde,[1059]
He made him kniht and yaf him lond,
Which afterward was of his hond
An orped kniht in many a stede,
And gret prouesce of armes dede,
As the Croniqes it recorden.
And in this wise thei acorden,
The whiche of o condicioun
Be set upon destruccioun: 2420
Such Capitein such retenue.
Bot forto se to what issue
The thing befalleth ate laste,
It is gret wonder that men caste
Here herte upon such wrong to winne,
Wher no beyete mai ben inne,
And doth desese on every side:
Bot whan reson is put aside
[Sidenote: =P. i. 361=]
And will governeth the corage,
The faucon which that fleth ramage 2430
And soeffreth nothing in the weie,
Wherof that he mai take his preie,
Is noght mor set upon ravine,
Than thilke man which his covine[1060]
Hath set in such a maner wise:
For al the world ne mai suffise[1061]
To will which is noght resonable.[1062]
[Sidenote: [WARS AND DEATH OF ALEXANDER.]]
Wherof ensample concordable
Lich to this point of which I meene,
Was upon Alisandre sene, 2440
[Sidenote: Hic secundum gesta Regis Alexandri de
guerris illicitis ponit Confessor exemplum, dicens quod
quamuis Alexander sua potencia tocius mundi victor sibi
subiugarat[1063] imperium, ipse tandem mortis victoria
subiugatus cunctipotentis sentenciam euadere non potuit.]
Which hadde set al his entente,
So as fortune with him wente,
That reson mihte him non governe,[1064]
Bot of his will he was so sterne,
That al the world he overran
And what him list he tok and wan.
In Ynde the superiour
Whan that he was ful conquerour,
And hadde his wilful pourpos wonne[1065]
Of al this Erthe under the Sonne, 2450
This king homward to Macedoine,
Whan that he cam to Babiloine,
And wende most in his Empire,
As he which was hol lord and Sire,
In honour forto be received,
Most sodeinliche he was deceived,
And with strong puison envenimed.
And as he hath the world mistimed
[Sidenote: =P. i. 362=]
Noght as he scholde with his wit,
Noght as he wolde it was aquit.[1066] 2460
Thus was he slain that whilom slowh,
And he which riche was ynowh
This dai, tomorwe he hadde noght:
And in such wise as he hath wroght
In destorbance of worldes pes,
His werre he fond thanne endeles,
In which for evere desconfit
He was. Lo now, for what profit
Of werre it helpeth forto ryde,
For coveitise and worldes pride 2470
To sle the worldes men aboute,
As bestes whiche gon theroute.
For every lif which reson can
Oghth wel to knowe that a man[1067]
Ne scholde thurgh no tirannie
Lich to these othre bestes die,[1068]
Til kinde wolde for him sende.
I not hou he it mihte amende,[1069]
Which takth awei for everemore
The lif that he mai noght restore. 2480
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Forthi, mi Sone, in alle weie
Be wel avised, I thee preie,
Of slawhte er that thou be coupable
Withoute cause resonable.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi fader, understonde it is,
That ye have seid; bot over this
[Sidenote: [ARE CRUSADES LAWFUL?]]
I prei you tell me nay or yee,
To passe over the grete See
[Sidenote: =P. i. 363=]
To werre and sle the Sarazin,
Is that the lawe?
Sone myn, 2490
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
To preche and soffre for the feith,[1070]
That have I herd the gospell seith;[1071]
Bot forto slee, that hiere I noght.
Crist with his oghne deth hath boght
Alle othre men, and made hem fre,
In tokne of parfit charite;
And after that he tawhte himselve,
Whan he was ded, these othre tuelve
Of hise Apostles wente aboute
The holi feith to prechen oute, 2500
Wherof the deth in sondri place
Thei soffre, and so god of his grace
The feith of Crist hath mad aryse:
Bot if thei wolde in other wise
[Sidenote: Nota.[1072]]
Be werre have broght in the creance,
It hadde yit stonde in balance.
And that mai proven in the dede;
For what man the Croniqes rede,
Fro ferst that holi cherche hath weyved
To preche, and hath the swerd received, 2510
Wherof the werres ben begonne,
A gret partie of that was wonne
To Cristes feith stant now miswent:
Godd do therof amendement,
So as he wot what is the beste.
[Sidenote: [GUILT OF HOMICIDE.]]
Bot, Sone, if thou wolt live in reste
Of conscience wel assised,
Er that thou sle, be wel avised:
[Sidenote: =P. i. 364=]
For man, as tellen ous the clerkes,
Hath god above alle ertheli werkes 2520
Ordeined to be principal,
And ek of Soule in special
He is mad lich to the godhiede.
So sit it wel to taken hiede
And forto loke on every side,
Er that thou falle in homicide,
Which Senne is now so general,
That it welnyh stant overal,
In holi cherche and elles where.[1073]
Bot al the while it stant so there, 2530
The world mot nede fare amis:
For whan the welle of pite is
Thurgh coveitise of worldes good
Defouled with schedinge of blod,
The remenant of folk aboute
Unethe stonden eny doute
To werre ech other and to slee.
So is it all noght worth a Stree,
The charite wherof we prechen,
For we do nothing as we techen: 2540
And thus the blinde conscience
Of pes hath lost thilke evidence
Which Crist upon this Erthe tawhte.
Now mai men se moerdre and manslawhte[1074]
Lich as it was be daies olde,
Whan men the Sennes boghte and solde.
[Sidenote: Facilitas venie occasionem prebet delinquendi.]
In Grece afore Cristes feith,
I rede, as the Cronique seith,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 365=]
Touchende of this matiere thus,
In thilke time hou Peleüs 2550
His oghne brother Phocus slowh;
Bot for he hadde gold ynowh
To yive, his Senne was despensed
With gold, wherof it was compensed:
Achastus, which with Venus was
Hire Priest, assoilede in that cas,[1075]
Al were ther no repentance.
And as the bok makth remembrance,
It telleth of Medee also;
Of that sche slowh her Sones tuo, 2560
Egeüs in the same plit
Hath mad hire of hire Senne quit.
The Sone ek of Amphioras,
Whos rihte name Almeüs was,
His Moder slowh, Eriphile;
Bot Achilo the Priest and he,
So as the bokes it recorden,
For certein Somme of gold acorden[1076]
That thilke horrible sinfull dede
Assoiled was. And thus for mede 2570
Of worldes good it falleth ofte
That homicide is set alofte
Hiere in this lif; bot after this[1077]
Ther schal be knowe how that it is
Of hem that suche thinges werche,
And hou also that holi cherche
Let suche Sennes passe quyte,
And how thei wole hemself aquite[1078]
[Sidenote: =P. i. 366=]
Of dedly werres that thei make.
For who that wolde ensample take, 2580
The lawe which is naturel
Be weie of kinde scheweth wel
That homicide in no degree,
Which werreth ayein charite,
Among the men ne scholde duelle.
For after that the bokes telle,
To seche in al this worldesriche,[1079]
Men schal noght finde upon his liche
A beste forto take his preie:
And sithen kinde hath such a weie, 2590
Thanne is it wonder of a man,[1080]
Which kynde hath and resoun can,
That he wol owther more or lasse
His kinde and resoun overpasse,
And sle that is to him semblable.
So is the man noght resonable
Ne kinde, and that is noght honeste,
Whan he is worse than a beste.
[Sidenote: [A STRANGE BIRD.]]
[Sidenote: Nota secundum Solinum contra homicidas de natura
cuiusdam Auis faciem ad similitudinem humanam habentis, que
cum de preda sua hominem juxta fluuium occiderit videritque
in aqua similem sibi occisum, statim pre dolore moritur.]
Among the bokes whiche I finde
Solyns spekth of a wonder kinde, 2600
And seith of fowhles ther is on,
Which hath a face of blod and bon
Lich to a man in resemblance.
And if it falle him so per chance,
As he which is a fowhl of preie,
That he a man finde in his weie,
He wol him slen, if that he mai:
Bot afterward the same dai,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 367=]
Whan he hath eten al his felle,
And that schal be beside a welle, 2610
In which whan he wol drinke take,
Of his visage and seth the make
That he hath slain, anon he thenketh
Of his misdede, and it forthenketh
So gretly, that for pure sorwe
He liveth noght til on the morwe.
Be this ensample it mai well suie
That man schal homicide eschuie,
For evere is merci good to take,
Bot if the lawe it hath forsake 2620
And that justice is therayein.
For ofte time I have herd sein
Amonges hem that werres hadden,
That thei som while here cause ladden[1081]
Be merci, whan thei mihte have slain,
Wherof that thei were after fain:
[Sidenote: [MERCY.]]
And, Sone, if that thou wolt recorde
The vertu of Misericorde,
Thou sihe nevere thilke place,
Where it was used, lacke grace. 2630
For every lawe and every kinde
The mannes wit to merci binde;
And namely the worthi knihtes,
Whan that thei stonden most uprihtes
And ben most mihti forto grieve,
Thei scholden thanne most relieve
Him whom thei mihten overthrowe,
As be ensample a man mai knowe.[1082]
[Sidenote: [TALE OF TELAPHUS AND TEUCER.]]
[Sidenote: =P. i. 368=]
He mai noght failen of his mede
That hath merci: for this I rede, 2640
In a Cronique and finde thus.
[Sidenote: Hic ponit Confessor exemplum de pietate contra
homicidium in guerris habenda. Et narrat qualiter Achilles
vna cum Thelapho filio suo contra Regem Mesee, qui tunc
Theucer vocabatur, bellum inierunt; et cum Achilles dictum
Regem in bello prostratum occidere voluisset, Thelaphus
pietate motus ipsum clipeo suo cooperiens veniam pro Rege
a patre postulauit: pro quo facto ipse Rex adhuc viuens
Thephalum Regni sui heredem libera voluntate constituit.]
Whan Achilles with Telaphus[1083]
His Sone toward Troie were,
It fell hem, er thei comen there,
Ayein Theucer the king of Mese
To make werre and forto sese
His lond, as thei that wolden regne
And Theucer pute out of his regne.
And thus the Marches thei assaile,
Bot Theucer yaf to hem bataille;[1084] 2650
Thei foghte on bothe sides faste,
Bot so it hapneth ate laste,
This worthi Grek, this Achilles,
The king among alle othre ches:
As he that was cruel and fell,
With swerd in honde on him he fell,
And smot him with a dethes wounde,
That he unhorsed fell to grounde.
Achilles upon him alyhte,
And wolde anon, as he wel mihte, 2660
Have slain him fullich in the place;
Bot Thelaphus his fader grace
For him besoghte, and for pite
Preith that he wolde lete him be,
And caste his Schield betwen hem tuo.
Achilles axeth him why so,
And Thelaphus his cause tolde,
And seith that he is mochel holde,
[Sidenote: =P. i. 369=]
For whilom Theucer in a stede
Gret grace and socour to him dede, 2670
And seith that he him wolde aquite,[1085]
And preith his fader to respite.
Achilles tho withdrowh his hond;
Bot al the pouer of the lond,
Whan that thei sihe here king thus take,
Thei fledde and han the feld forsake:
The Grecs unto the chace falle,
And for the moste part of alle
Of that contre the lordes grete
Thei toke, and wonne a gret beyete. 2680
And anon after this victoire
The king, which hadde good memoire,
Upon the grete merci thoghte,
Which Telaphus toward him wroghte,[1086]
And in presence of al the lond
He tok him faire be the hond,
And in this wise he gan to seie:
‘Mi Sone, I mot be double weie
Love and desire thin encress;
Ferst for thi fader Achilles 2690
Whilom ful many dai er this,
Whan that I scholde have fare amis,
Rescousse dede in mi querele
And kepte al myn astat in hele:
How so ther falle now distance
Amonges ous, yit remembrance[1087]
I have of merci which he dede
As thanne: and thou now in this stede
[Sidenote: =P. i. 370=]
Of gentilesce and of franchise
Hast do mercy the same wise. 2700
So wol I noght that eny time
Be lost of that thou hast do byme;
For hou so this fortune falle,
Yit stant mi trust aboven alle,
For the mercy which I now finde,
That thou wolt after this be kinde:
And for that such is myn espeir,
As for my Sone and for myn Eir
I thee receive, and al my lond
I yive and sese into thin hond.’ 2710
And in this wise thei acorde,
The cause was Misericorde:
The lordes dede here obeissance
To Thelaphus, and pourveance
Was mad so that he was coroned:
And thus was merci reguerdoned,
Which he to Theucer dede afore.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Lo, this ensample is mad therfore,
That thou miht take remembrance,
Mi Sone; and whan thou sest a chaunce, 2720
Of other mennes passioun
Tak pite and compassioun,
And let nothing to thee be lief,[1088]
Which to an other man is grief.
And after this if thou desire
To stonde ayein the vice of Ire,
Consaile thee with Pacience,
And tak into thi conscience
[Sidenote: =P. i. 371=]
Merci to be thi governour.
So schalt thou fiele no rancour, 2730
Wherof thin herte schal debate
With homicide ne with hate
For Cheste or for Malencolie:
Thou schalt be soft in compaignie
Withoute Contek or Folhaste:
For elles miht thou longe waste
Thi time, er that thou have thi wille
Of love; for the weder stille
Men preise, and blame the tempestes.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi fader, I wol do youre hestes, 2740
And of this point ye have me tawht,
Toward miself the betre sawht
I thenke be, whil that I live.
Bot for als moche as I am schrive
Of Wraththe and al his circumstance,
Yif what you list to my penance,
And asketh forthere of my lif,
If otherwise I be gultif
Of eny thing that toucheth Sinne.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, er we departe atwinne, 2750
I schal behinde nothing leve.
[Sidenote: Amans.]
Mi goode fader, be your leve
Thanne axeth forth what so you list,
For I have in you such a trist,
As ye that be my Soule hele,
That ye fro me wol nothing hele,
For I schal telle you the trowthe.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Mi Sone, art thou coupable of Slowthe
[Sidenote: =P. i. 372=]
In eny point which to him longeth?
[Sidenote: Amans.]
My fader, of tho pointz me longeth 2760
To wite pleinly what thei meene,
So that I mai me schrive cleene.
[Sidenote: Confessor.]
Now herkne, I schal the pointz devise;[1089]
And understond wel myn aprise:[1090]
For schrifte stant of no value
To him that wol him noght vertue
To leve of vice the folie:
For word is wynd, bot the maistrie
Is that a man himself defende
Of thing which is noght to comende, 2770
Wherof ben fewe now aday.
And natheles, so as I may
Make unto thi memoire knowe,
The pointz of Slowthe thou schalt knowe.
=Explicit Liber Tercius.=
LINENOTES:
[837] 7 _margin_ primo] prima H₁XERCL primum B₂ _om._ G
[838] 9 f. he ... he] it ... it XRC. W it ... he H₁GELB₂
[839] 12 enemy] euermore (euer more) H₁ ... B₂
[840] 49 mi seluen A
[841] 51 walkend(e) H₁ ... CB₂, B wawende L
[842] 62 al forlore (alle for lore) H₁, B, H₃
[843] 68 fer AJ, STΔΛ, FH₃ for M ... B₂, AdB, W
[844] 86 wolde AM
[845] 109 þat þilke AM
[846] 148 _margin_ malencolia H₁ ... B₂
[847] 162 _margin_ concupiscencia H₁XR ... B₂
[848] 168 Whan ... in a] Whan þat ... in SAdBTΔ Whenne ... in W
[849] 176 tawht (taught) AJ, B, F tawhte S overmore] euermore
AMH₁XGRCLB₂, TΔ, W
[850] 181 in sihte (in siht) AJM
[851] 186 that] al B
[852] 200 drowe AM
[853] 254 it schal] sche schal H₁ ... B₂, Ad
[854] 286 For thee] ffor þi B
[855] 290 vnto H₁ ... B₂
[856] 313 modres (moderis, moders) H₁ ... B₂, Δ
[857] 315 baskleþ AMH₁Sn, SΔΛ basked C
[858] 331 that] þo AM, Ad, Magd hyt W
[859] 354 I may H₁ ... B₂
[860] 355 What þing nature haþ set in lawe A ... B₂, S ... Δ
[861] 390 menable H₁XG, AdΔ, F menabe J meuable (?) AMB₂, ST,
H₃ mevable R moeuable EC, B mouable (movable) L, W
[862] 402 Al one] Along(e) H₁G ... B₂ All longe X
[863] 408 Save] Saufly B
[864] _Latin Verses_ ii. 6 Vincit] Viuat H₁ ... CB₂ Viuit L
[865] 445 makeþ ... at H₁ ... B₂, BΔ
[866] 446 He] His FWKH₃ It Magd
[867] 476 yit _om._ AM
[868] 478 synge (sing) H₁XECB₂, AdBΛ, H₃
[869] 480 be schrewed FK
[870] 490 no þinges suche H₁XGRCB₂ no thynge suche W
[871] 504 wolde I] wolde (_om._ I) FKH₃ wolle I W
[872] 519 meueþ(?) JMXELB₂, W moeueþ GC
[873] 532 the] hir (hire) H₁ ... B₂
[874] 536 hire B
[875] 573 S _has lost three leaves_ (ll. 573-1112)
[876] 581 Thus] That B
[877] 611 destrance AM
[878] 612 vnto H₁ ... B₂
[879] 619 overcomth t] ouercomeþ C
[880] 624 wich F
[881] 626 world (worlde) AM, AdTΔ, FH₃ word JH₁ ... B₂, BΛ, W
[882] 633 teche YEC, B of] in AM, H₃
[883] 639 a man to] for to B
[884] 647 assaie _om._ A (_p.m._) to assaie M, H₃ assayed X did
assai Δ
[885] 663 axex F
[886] 679 bad] bad him AM, H₃
[887] 704 Him] He H₁ ... B₂
[888] 732 teche XERCB₂
[889] 733 on] in H₁XE ... B₂, AdΔ, W of G, B
[890] 741 aborde A, FK
[891] 743 _margin_ constituebat H₁ ... B₂
[892] 750 the cas] þis cas BΛ, W
[893] 756 hise] her B
[894] 762 were him leuere H₁ ... B₂ hadde leu_er_ W
[895] 765 Bot] Lo H₁ ... B₂
[896] 773 many a time CL, B, W
[897] 778 it _om._ AJM, KH₃ hem Δ
[898] 784 _margin_ Quia] Qualiter H₁ ... B₂
[899] 788 happe (hap) H₁ ... CB₂, W happeþ L
[900] 795 _margin_ fuerit H₁XRCLB₂ fuerat GE
[901] 798 that] þe H₁ ... B₂, B
[902] 807 snow whyt J, B, F snowwhyt A
[903] 808 colblak A, F col blak J, B
[904] 817 the _om._ B
[905] 818 For] Lo H₁ ... B₂, B More W
[906] 822 god] and B
[906m] 822 _margin_ secretam AMH₁XRCLB₂, H₃
[907] 831 _margin_ Amans A
[908] 848 _margin_ velud B, F
[909] 858 gadarende F
[910] 868 me] mo AM
[911] 900 thanne] þan wiþ H₁XGECLB₂, B þan in R
[912] 901 hire F
[913] 906 I schal AM, KH₃Magd
[914] 918 ouermor F eueremore (euer mor etc.) A ... B₂, AdBTΔ,
WKH₃
[915] 921 finde] haue AM, KH₃Magd be put L
[916] 941 tho] þe H₁ ... B₂, AdB, W
[917] 970 þe whilom H₁XGCL
[918] 973 destrucciou_n_ AJ, B destruction F
[919] 979 _margin_ assequentur A
[920] 982 _margin_ proditorum H₁XRCLB₂
[921] 983 _margin_ patroque X ... B₂ pater Δ
[922] 1005 _margin_ Et sic quoq_ue_ H₁ ... B₂
[923] 1007 _margin_ latitantem B
[924] 1000 wolde hem AM, Δ, WH₃
[925] 1014 behihte] he hight(e) GCL, W
[926] 1028 this] my B
[927] 1029 The king B
[928] 1031 Here] His AM, H₃ Hir(e) J, T
[929] 1044 afterward B
[930] 1047 This schip H₁ ... B₂, B
[931] 1060 frenschipe A, F frenschip J frendschip B
[932] 1065 dai] tyme H₁ ... B₂, B war] what X ... B₂, B what
that H₁
[933] _Latin Verses_ iv. 1 sit] sic H₁ ... B₂, B, WH₃
[934] 1094 to drede] togidre B to geder H₁
[935] 1108 thei] þe F
[936] 1112 Bot that] But (Bot) at H₁XCLB₂
[937] 1113 S _resumes_
[938] 1118 ne _om._ MH₁L, Δ, WH₃
[939] 1119 my] me EL, W me my H₁
[940] 1122 as of] as for M, Ad of L
[941] 1123 was neuer(e) H₁, Ad, WH₃
[942] 1145 þong J, F þing BΛ, W
[943] 1164 I _om._ H₁XRCLB₂, H₃
[944] 1166 put AJ, F putte C, B
[945] 1171 thei tellen] to telle B
[946] 1173 jeupartie] champartie H₁ ... B₂
[947] 1174 wihssinge AJ, F wissching (wisshing) C, B
[948] 1179 I] it AM
[949] 1187 this] his H₁ ... B₂, WH₃
[950] 1190 will] wel H₁ ... B₂, WH₃
[951] 1198 evere _om._ H₁ ... B₂, H₃
[952] 1208 That] But B
[953] 1211 _margin_ opponente H₁ ... B₂, H₃
[954] 1212 Wherof] Wher(e) H₁XRCB₂, H₃
[955] 1222 so] þo L, B
[956] 1241 he was SAdBTΔ
[957] 1253 king B
[958] 1258 wold(e) M ... CB₂, AdTΔ, WH₃
[959] 1276 As] Of B And W
[960] 1295 wisdom] wordes H₁ ... B₂, H₃
[961] 1296 gostly B
[962] 1307 mi] þe A
[963] 1312 This] The B
[964] 1318 How þer(e) H₁G ... B₂, H₃
[965] 1330 forto] þat þou SAdBTΔ
[966] 1331 this] þus H₁E ... B₂, H₃
[967] 1332 Semiranus E ... B₂, H₃
[968] 1336 _margin_ ipsos H₁ ... B₂, H₃ _om._ Δ
[969] 1358 so _om._ AM
[970] 1384 the] by (be) H₁ ... B₂, H₃ a W
[971] 1394 fleigh (fleih &c.) H₁G ... B₂, H₃ flew X
[972] 1406 al fordrawe (al for drawe) H₁XRCB₂, H₃ alto gnawe L
[973] 1422 afrighte (afriht &c.) H₁G ... B₂, H₃
[974] 1430 fulhast (fulle haste &c.) AMH₁XCLB₂, Ad, W foule
haste Δ
[975] 1433 As] And H₁ ... B₂, H₃
[976] 1440 miht (might) J, B, F mihte A
[977] 1448 fforþ sche X ... B₂, Δ, WH₃ And sche T
[978] 1462 art cleped L, AdBTΔ
[979] 1473 hertes H₁ ... B₂, SAdBTΔ, WH₃
[980] 1479 as for me H₁ ... B₂, H₃
[981] 1487 gret EC, SB grete AJ, F
[982] 1489 And sche H₁ ... B₂, H₃
[983] 1496 that of] of þat H₁XE ... B₂
[984] 1503 loue F
[985] 1512 was] is BT
[986] 1562 And þus daunger my fortune ladde H₁ ... B₂, H₃
(chaunce _for_ fortune E)
[987] 1597 a _om._ H₁ ... B₂, BΔ, H₃
[988] 1603 so deie] to deie JH₁GE, BT, WH₃ forto deie L
[989] 1605 such (suche) YXGECLB₂, BΛ, W in such AJM, SAdTΔ, F
such a H₁R, H₃Magd
[990] 1611 tell me] telle ȝe AM
[991] 1641 and _om._ H₁, B
[992] 1649 Schal best B Lest schal H₁ ... B₂, H₃
[993] 1661 outdrowh F out drowh (drough) AJ, B
[994] 1671 a res GEC, B ares AJ, S, F
[995] 1686 such was] þer was H₁ ... B₂, H₃
[996] 1704 _margin_ p_ro_secutus T, F p_er_secutus AC, B, W
[997] 1732 me _om._ AML, KH₃Magd (no man so me W)
[998] 1777 _margin_ feroure_m_ AM
[999] 1783 _margin_ micius] inicius H₁GECL
[1000] 1763 þe cas H₁ ... B₂
[1001] 1767 liege B
[1002] 1800 weren þer(e) H₁XE ... B₂ weren þanne G
[1003] 1806 come] nome XCLB₂
[1004] 1830 a _om._ H₁GECL, B
[1005] 1832 the] þo AJM, SBTΔ, K _om._ R
[1006] 1835 _margin_ No_ta_ F _om._ A, B
[1007] 1859 _margin_ Not_a_ F _om._ A, B
[1008] 1866 Thourgh F
[1009] 1885 at thilke] þilke B, H₃ þat ilke W of þilke L
[1010] 1893 thing] king ERL, BT
[1011] 1899 _margin_ crudelissima seueritate A ... B₂, BT &c.
[1012] 1908 hadde B
[1013] 1913 worþi noble AM
[1014] 1914 ferste (firste) AJ, B ferst F
[1015] 1924 and _om._ BT
[1016] 1930 herde AJ, B herd F
[1017] 1935 and] a AM _om._ WMagd
[1018] 1939 Grece MH₁XGRCLB₂ Crece E
[1019] 1968 Unto] Vnto to F Grece M ... B₂ (_except_ EC)
[1020] 1979 gan his journe] gan his money XGE gaue his money
H₁RCLB₂
[1021] 1989 he _om._ B
[1022] 2003 of] þus B
[1023] 2005 and þan (þanne) GL, BT
[1024] 2023 Phogeus H₁ ... B₂ Phoreus TΔ Plorence W
[1025] 2041 is] was H₁ ... B₂
[1026] 2042 herd telle of þis cas H₁ ... B₂
[1027] 2044 entre] purpos H₁ ... B₂
[1028] 2046 lieged AM
[1029] 2056 þou þin (þi) AJM, SAdΛ, F þou in þin (þi) H₁ ...
B₂, BΔ, W in thyn T
[1030] 2077 and to] vnto BΔΛ
[1031] 2082 herd J, SB, F herde A
[1032] 2100 false AJ, S, F fals C, B
[1033] 2107 Tho AJM, ST, F The H₁ ... B₂, AdBΔΛ, WH₃ hire] his
C the H₁ _om._ AM
[1034] 2139 at large H₁XGECL, B, W
[1035] 2166 wiþsatt his wille X ... B₂ withsit hit wille H₁
with seith hys wille Δ, W
[1036] 2168 þei alle X ... B₂
[1037] 2177 herde AJ, B herd F
[1038] 2206f. _margin_ Hic queritur--occidere _om._ B
[1039] 2207 _margin_ hominem FWH₃ homini hominem A ... B₂, STΔΛ
[1040] 2209 to] may B _om._ AM
[1041] 2220 _margin_ Seneca _om._ B
[1042] 2221 _margin_ parcit] parat H₁G ... B₂
[1043] 2225 _margin_ Apostolus--portat _om._ H₁ ... B₂
[1044] 2235 _margin_ Pugna pro patria] Pugna pro patria ·
licitum est vim vi repellere SBT Pro patria pugna &c. Λ _om._ H₁
[1045] 2244 Is such an homicide good H₁ ... B₂ (In _for_ Is R)
[1046] 2248 techeþ FWH₃Magd it techeþ A ... B₂, S ... ΔΛ
[1047] 2256 anglis C, F angelis AJ aungels B
[1048] 2259 be _om._ AM
[1049] 2287 and _om._ B
[1050] 2293 of] in AM
[1051] 2299 _margin_ Apostolus--mors est _om._ B
[1052] 2318 werre H₁ ... B₂, T
[1053] 2343 herte] cause H₁ ... B₂ (_line om._ X)
[1054] 2346 trew S, F trewe AJ, B
[1055] 2379 _margin_ cum _om._ H₁ ... B₂, B
[1056] 2382 the] þy (thi) XL
[1057] 2402 rihtwisne F
[1058] 2406 to him JH₁ ... B₂
[1059] 2412 schulde (sholde) BT
[1060] 2434 is couine JMCLB₂, Ad
[1061] 2436 ne mai] may nought (not &c.) A ... B₂, S ... Δ
[1062] 2437 To will] To him H₁ ... B₂
[1063] 2444 _margin_ subiugauerat H₁ ... B₂, SΔ
[1064] 2443 non] nought (not) JMCB₂, B, W
[1065] 2449 wilsful F
[1066] 2460 it was quit (quite &c.) H₁ ... B₂, TΔ was hyt quyt W
he was aquit M
[1067] 2474 Oghþ SAdT, F Oght (Ought &c.) AMGC, Δ, W Oweþ
JH₁XERLB₂, B, H₃
[1068] 2476 othre] olde B
[1069] 2478 mihte (myght) FWH₃ mai (may) A ... B₂, S ... Δ
[1070] 2491 fei SΔ feie Ad
[1071] 2492 sei SΔ seie Ad
[1072] 2505 _margin_ No_ta_ AJ, F _om._ B
[1073] 2529 and] as AJX ... B₂, BT
[1074] 2544 manslawte F
[1075] 2556 assoiled him H₁XE ... B₂ assoileþ him G
[1076] 2568 For] Of A ... B₂
[1077] 2573 lif] world B
[1078] 2578 wold M, B
[1079] 2587 _Paragraph here_ AJ, F
[1080] 2591 it is G ... B₂, Δ
[1081] 2624 That] But BT
[1082] 2638 And BT
[1083] 2642 Telaphus J, F Thelaphus A, SB
[1084] 2650 Bot] That H₁ ... B₂
[1085] 2671 wol B
[1086] 2684 Telaphus F Thelaphus AJ, SB
[1087] 2696 remembrance] in remembrance AM
[1088] 2723 belief FK
[1089] 2763 the] þo AJG ... B₂, SBTΔ
[1090] 2764 myn] þis B
Incipit Liber Quartus.
[Sidenote: [SLOTH.]]
[Sidenote: =P. ii. 1=]
i. _Dicunt accidiam fore nutricem viciorum,_
_Torpet et in cunctis tarda que lenta bonis:_
_Que fieri possent hodie transfert piger in cras,_
_Furatoque prius ostia claudit equo._
_Poscenti tardo negat emolumenta Cupido,_
_Set Venus in celeri ludit amore viri._[1091]