The vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman, together with Vita de Dowel, Dobet, et Dobest, secundum Wit et Resoun, by William Langland (about 1362-1393 A. D.)

CONFESSIO INUIDIE. [A page 55] [B page 61]

Enuye with heuy herte · asked after shrifte, [heuy] hi M.] And criede 'mea culpa' · corsynge alle hus enemys. Line 64 Hus cloþes were of corsement · and of kene wordes; [corsement] curse-men I.] He wroth hus fust vp-on wratthe · hadde he wysshes at wille, [wroth] so also in IFMS; wrong E. hadde he] he hadde M; hadde I. wysshes] wysch F.] Sholde no lyf lyuye · þat on hus londe passede. [lyuye] lyue IE. hus] þis M.] Chidynge and Ianglyng · þat was hus chef lyflode, [and] or I. Ianglyng FM] Ianglenge P; Iangelyng S; yanglyng E; chalangyng I. þat was] is M.] Line 68 And blame men by-hynde hure bak · and bidde hem meschaunce. [B page 227] [bidde] bad F.] Al þat he wiste by wylle · to watkyn he told hit, [Al] And M. watkyn IFSE] watekyn P; wadekyn M; so in l. 71.] And þat he wiste by watkyn · tolde hit wille after; [þat] al þat IE. tolde] he tolde MFE. hit] hit to PE; but IMFS omit to.] And made foos of frendes · þorw fals and fykel tonge: [foos—frendes] of freendes foos I. fals—fykel] fikel & fals I. and] of E.] "Oþer þorw myghte of mouthe · oþer þorw meny sleyghthes [M omits. Oþer] & F. mouthe] moneye F. meny] mannes I. oþer—meny] & many mo F.] Line 73 Venged me fele tyme[s] · oþer brend my-self with-ynne [fele] vele I; many FG. tymes IMSG] tyme PEF. brend] so E; brent I; vrede F; vride S; wreþed M; but the right word is fret; cf. B. xiii. 330. my-self] me FMS.] Lyke a shappesters sheres · and shrewede myn em|cristyne, [B page 228] [shappesters] shapesters F; shepsteres MI; schyppesteres ES. sheres] shere MI. emcristyne] euen|cristene IF.] Aȝens þe consail of crist · as clerkes fynden in bokes:

Cuius maledictione os plenum est & amari|tudine [& dolo]: sub lingua eius labor & dolor.

Filij hominum, dentes eorum arma & sagitte, & lingua eorum gladius acutus.

[[& dolo FSM] PEI om.]

Whenne ich ne may haue þe maistrie · suche malan|colie ich take, [Whenne] And whan I; Wenne P. ne may] mai nouȝt M. ne—maistrie] may nat þe maistrie haue I.] Line 77 Þat ich cacche þe crampe · þe cardiacle som tyme, [þe (2)] and þe M; & F.] Oþer an ague in suche an angre · and som tyme a feuere, [in suche] with F. an (2)] I om. som—feuere] a feuour aftur F.] Þat takeþ me al a twelfmonthe · til þat ich dispice [twelfmonthe] twelfmonnthe P.] Line 80 Leche-craft of oure lorde · and leyue on a wicche, [of] or F. leyue] leue IFS; bileue ME. a] E om.] And sigge þat no clerk can · ne crist, as ich leyue, [can] ne can I. leyue] leue IMFSE.] To þe souter of south-werk · such is hus grace. [To] Bute M.] For god, ne godes wordes · ne grace ne halp neuere, [ne (1)] and M. wordes] worde I. ne halp] halp me M; halp F; ȝit halpe me I.] Line 84 Bote þorw a charme hadde ich a chaunce · and my chief hele. [a (2)] MIF om.] Ich myghte nat ete meny ȝer · as a man auhte, [B page 63] For enuye and vuel wil · ys vuel to defye. [vuel] yuel IES; euel M; euyl F.] May no suger ne swete þyng · A-swage my swellynges, [A page 57] [ne] ne no I. swellynges] swell|ing IF.] Ne dereworthe drynke · dryuen hit fro myn herte, [Ne] Ne no I; Ne non M.] Line 89 Neyþer shame ne shrift · bote ho so shraped my mawe?" [Neyþer] Ne neiþer I. shraped] schrape F; schaued S.] "Ȝus, redilyche," quath repentaunce · "and þow be ryght sory, [Ȝus] ȝis F; Thus (sic) I. and] ȝif F.] For þy synne soueraynliche · by-sechyng god of mercy." [synne] synnes IMFS. by|sechyng] and biseke IM. of] E om. mercy] grace F.] "Ich am euere sory," sayde enuye · "ich am bote selde oþer; [A page 58] [Ich—euere] Euer am I F. sayde] quod F. am (2)] nam I.] Line 93 Þat makeþ me so megre · for ich ne may me Auenge. [Þat] And þat I. me (2)] F om. Auenge] venge I.]

Ȝut am ich brocor of bakbytynge · and blame mennes ware [ȝut] And ȝut M. am ich] i am a M. bakbytynge SIMF] bagge|bytynge PE. blame] to blame I.] Line 95 A-mong marchauns many tymes · nameliche in londoun; [tymes] tyme FM. nameliche] and nameliche IMF.] Whanne he solde and ich noght · þenne was ich a-redy [Whanne] Wanne P. he] hy E. a-redy] redy IFS.] To lye and to loury · and to lacke myn neghebores, [loury and] loure on him F. to lacke] lacke M. myn neghebores] my neiebore M; neȝburhade F.] Here werkes, here wordes · wher-so ich sete. [Here] & here F. werkes] werke I. here] and heore M; with my F. wher] wer P. so] þat I. sete] so also MFE; sette S; sitte I.] Now hit a-thynkeþ me in þouht · þat euere ich so wrouhte; [in] in my I.] Line 100 Lord, er ich lyf lete · for loue of þy-selue, [lyf] þe lijf M. lete] leue I.] Graunte me, goode lorde · grace of amendement." [B page 64] [of amendement] to amende F.]