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 LUXURIE.

Thenne seide lecherie 'alas!' · and to oure lady cryede, [A page 55] [B page 60] "Lady, to þy leue sone · lowte for me nouthe, [to] for M.] That he haue pyte on me putour · of hus pure grace and mercy, [putour] putrour I; F om. of] for MF. grace and] IMFS om.] Line 172 With þat ich shal," quath þat shrewe · "saterdayes, for þy loue, [B page 61] [With] Whit P. saterdayes] saturday F. þy loue] þy moder loue I; euere F.] Drynke bote with þe douke · and dyne bote ones. [bote (1)] M om.] Ich, gulty in gost · to god ich me shryue [Ich] For i F.]

As in lykynge of lecherie · my licames gultes, Line 176 In wordes, in wedes · in waitynge of eyen. [wordes] worde and I. in (3)] on I.] To eche maide þat ich mette · ich made hure a sygne [B page 228] [To eche] To eche a F; For ich a I. hure] to hure P; but IMF SE omit to.] Semynge to synne-warde · and somme gan ich taste [gan ich] I gan I.] A-boute þe mouthe, and by-nythe · by-gan ich to grope, [þe] F om. by-gan] gan S.] Til oure boþers wil was on; · to werke we ȝeden [oure boþers] boþe oure IM. boþers] beiþur F; beyres E; boþe IMS. to] & to S; and to þe I.] Line 181 As wel fastyngdaies [as] frydaies · and heye-feste euenes, [B page 229] [As wel] F om. [as IE] and PFSG. as frydaies] M om. heye] eye P; heie I; hi M; hye F. euenes] eues MFE.] As luf in lente as oute of lente · alle tymes liche— [As] And M. luf] lef E; lief I; leef FS; wel M. tymes] tyme IM. liche] yliche IMS.] Suche werkus with ous · were neuere out of seson— Til we myghte no more; · þanne hadde we murye tales Of puterie and of paramours · and proueden þorw speches, [and (1)] F om. proueden þorw] perelous F. speches] speche IM.] Line 186 Handlynge and halsynge · and al-so þorw cussynge [Handlynge] And handelyng I. also—cussynge] hory kissyngus F.] Excitynge oure aiþer oþer · til oure olde synne; [oure (1)] ous S; IM om. oure (2)] I om. olde IFSE] elde M; holde P.] Sotilede songes · and sende out olde baudes [sende] sente IMF.] For to wynne to my wil · wommen with gyle; [For] I om.] Line 190 By sorcerye som tyme · and som tyme by maistrye. [som—maistrye] alle suche sleiȝtus F.] Ich lay by þe louelokeste · and loued hem neuere after. [hem] hir I.] Whenne ich was old and hor · and hadde lore þat kynde, [lore] y-lore I; i-lorn M; lost F.] Line 193 Ich had lykynge to lauhe · of [lecherous] tales. [lauhe] lauȝe E; lauȝȝe S; liȝe M; lithe I. [lecherous MF] lecherye PIES; lecheryes G.] Now, lord, for þy leaute · of lechours haue mercy!" [for] of S. of] on IMF.]