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The Argument of the Vision of Piers Plowman

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2021

Elizabeth Deering Hanscom
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Extract

The fourteenth century was for England a period of storm and stress. The Saxon genius does not achieve its conqueste lightly; it does not march to victory with furled flags or muffled drums; it is profoundly conscious of its own effort and the object to be realized. True, it often attains more than it hopes or even knows; but it attains the larger result through the accomplishment of the immediate purpose. The internai struggles are those that cost, with nations as with men; and it is no small part of the greatness of England that she has been able to see and strong to resist those dangers whieh, rising from within, have threatened to overthrow that stability which outward foes have in vain assailed. In that century which marked the close of the middle ages and the beginning of the modem era, England was busy taking cities and ruling her own spirit, and only the wise knew which was the better.

Type
Research Article
Information
PMLA , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , 1894 , pp. 403 - 450
Copyright
Copyright © Modern Language Association of America, 1894

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References

Note 1 page 409 W. W. Skeat's 3-Text Edition of the Vision of Pien Plowman, Vol. II, p. 286.

Note 2 page 409 XXI, 472–474. In giving extracts from the poem, I quote from Mr. Skeat's admirable 3-Text Edition by passus and line, and, if not otherwise stated, from the C-text.

Note 1 page 410 cried.

Note 2 page 410 XXIII, 386.

Note 3 page 410 See pp. 415 ff.

Note 1 page 411 I adopt throughout the dates proposed by Mr. Skeat

Note 1 page 412 I, 10.

Note 2 page 412 I, 19.

Note 3 page 412 I, 20 and 21.

Note 4 page 412 face.

Note 1 page 413 II, 3-72.

Note 2 page 413 VI, 111-201.

Note 1 page 414 VII; VIII, 1–157.

Note 2 page 414 afterwards.

Note 3 page 414 acknowledged.

Note 4 page 414 ribalds.

Note 5 page 414 then.

Note 6 page 414 VIII, 144–151, 155–157.

Note 1 page 415 proved.

Note 2 page 415 will be.

Note 3 page 415 received.

Note 4 page 415 X, 318-323.

Note 5 page 415 XI, 2.

Note 6 page 415 fellow Christans.

Note 7 page 415 holds.

Note 8 page 415 given to drinking.

Note 9 page 415 disdainful.

Note 10 page 415 spare.

Note 11 page 415 crosier.

Note 12 page 415 lit. muck; money.

Note 13 page 415 movable property.

Note 14 page 415 seithstand.

Note 15 page 415 commanded.

Note 16 page 415 XI, 76–84, 92–98.

Note 17 page 415 natural.

Note 18 page 415 XI, 108.

Note 1 page 416 Nature.

Note 2 page 416 sweet-heart.

Note 3 page 416 is called.

Note 4 page 416 rider.

Note 5 page 416 places.

Note 6 page 416 early.

Note 7 page 416 teaching.

Note 8 page 416 XI, 127–141.

Note 9 page 416 lit. lend; here, give.

Note 10 page 416 believe.

Note 11 page 416 protect.

Note 12 page 416 XI, 304–308.

Note 13 page 416 teach.

Note 1 page 417 loyalty.

Note 2 page 417 XII, 142–148, 161 and 162.

Note 3 page 417 showed.

Note 4 page 417 blame.

Note 5 page 417 forbidden.

Note 6 page 417 waste.

Note 7 page 417 lose.

Note 8 page 417 vex.

Note 9 page 417 matter.

Note 10 page 417 know.

Note 11 page 417 XV, 3–16.

Note 12 page 417 man.

Note 13 page 417 XVI, 112–114, 124–127.

Note 14 page 417 youth.

Note 15 page 417 Jews.

Note 1 page 418 was lacking.

Note 2 page 418 learned.

Note 3 page 418 ignorant.

Note 4 page 418 commenced.

Note 5 page 418 “an hungred.”

Note 6 page 418 deaf.

Note 7 page 418 helped.

Note 8 page 418 XXII, 108–116, 123–131, 182–188.

Note 9 page 418 VIII, 189.

Note 1 page 419 X, 287.

Note 2 page 419 evil.

Note 3 page 419 X, 289–291.

Note 4 page 419 according to.

Note 5 page 419 head.

Note 6 page 419 try.

Note 7 page 419 property.

Note 8 page 419 become.

Note 9 page 419 XVI, 138–150.

Note 10 page 419 XVI, 195.

Note 1 page 420 XVII, 337.

Note 2 page 420 XXI. 21 and 22.

Note 3 page 420 till.

Note 4 page 420 XXII, 261.

Note 5 page 420 bullocks.

Note 6 page 420 ploughed.

Note 7 page 420 harrow

Note 8 page 420 XXII, 267 and 268.

Note 1 page 421 XXII, 312 and 313.

Note 2 page 421 XXII, 330.

Note 3 page 421 horses.

Note 4 page 421 lit. hedge-warden; keeper of cattle.

Note 5 page 421 XXII, 331–386.

Note 1 page 422 but.

Note 2 page 422 nuns.

Note 3 page 422 children.

Note 4 page 422 refectory.

Note 5 page 422 VI, 169–180.

Note 1 page 424 XVII, 242–246.

Note 2 page 424 IV, 184 and 185.

Note 3 page 424 pillages.

Note 4 page 424 XXII, 444–448.

Note 5 page 424 first.

Note 6 page 424 war.

Note 1 page 425 dove.

Note 2 page 425 earth.

Note 3 page 425 XVIII, 233–238; 243–251.

Note 4 page 425 XVIII, 125.

Note 5 page 425 one.

Note 6 page 425 kinds of.

Note 7 page 425 lying.

Note 8 page 425 XVIII, 125–129.

Note 9 page 425 dreams.

Note 1 page 426 sinned.

Note 2 page 426 times.

Note 3 page 426 trust.

Note 4 page 426 safe.

Note 5 page 426 X, 317–331.

Note 6 page 426 I, 49 and 50.

Note 7 page 426 Assisi.

Note 8 page 426 shells.

Note 9 page 426 Gallica.

Note 10 page 426 cross.

Note 11 page 426 VIII, 166–168.

Note 12 page 426 saint.

Note 13 page 426 call.

Note 14 page 426 VIII, 177

Note 15 page 426 VIII, 179–181.

Note 1 page 427 XVII, 29–32, 37–39.

Note 2 page 427 lit. bidding of beads; praying of prayers.

Note 3 page 427 lit. pence-dealing; almsgiving.

Note 4 page 427 XXII, 375–378.

Note 5 page 427 body.

Note 6 page 427 cure.

Note 7 page 427 XX, 81–88, 92 and 93.

Note 8 page 427 believe.

Note 9 page 427 XIX, 199 and 200.

Note 1 page 428 mistier.

Note 2 page 428 truly.

Note 3 page 428 steadfast.

Note 4 page 428 XII, 129–133.

Note 1 page 429 contradict.

Note 2 page 429 I, 138.

Note 3 page 429 I, 134–136.

Note 1 page 432 VI, 56.

Note 2 page 432 XXI, 473.

Note 3 page 432 VI, 23–25.

Note 4 page 432 XXI, 473.

Note 5 page 432 VI, 44.

Note 6 page 432 VI, 2.

Note 7 page 432 XVI, 3.

Note 8 page 432 VI, 44–52.

Note 9 page 432 VI, 36–37.

Note 1 page 433 II, 3.

Note 2 page 433 pledges.

Note 3 page 433 II, 72–75.

Note 4 page 433 XIII, 52.

Note 5 page 433 XIII, 57 and 58.

Note 6 page 433 devil.

Note 7 page 433 B-text, XIV, 190.

Note 1 page 434 J. J. Jusserand, L'Épopée Mystique de William Langland, p. 67.

Note 2 page 434 canst thou.

Note 3 page 434 pitch.

Note 4 page 434 stock key.

Note 5 page 434 head-reaper.

Note 6 page 434 lie.

Note 7 page 434 shape, make.

Note 8 page 434 make hedges.

Note 9 page 434 VI, 12–19.

Note 1 page 435 L'Épopée Mystique de William Langland, p. 72.

Note 2 page 435 knaves'.

Note 3 page 435 crowned with the tonsure.

Note 4 page 435 toil.

Note 5 page 435 sweat.

Note 6 page 435 van.

Note 7 page 435 choir.

Note 8 page 435 VI, 54–62.

Note 9 page 435 L'Épopée Mystique de William Langland, p. 75

Note 10 page 435 wedded.

Note 1 page 436 bondmen's.

Note 2 page 436 lords'.

Note 3 page 436 pledge.

Note 4 page 436 mendicants.

Note 5 page 436 sanctuary.

Note 6 page 436 VI, 63–67, 70–81.

Note 7 page 436 Rotuli Parliamentorum, v. III, p. 294.

Note 8 page 436 build.

Note 9 page 436 weavers.

Note 10 page 436 little.

Note 11 page 436 espied, saw.

Note 12 page 436 impostors.

Note 13 page 436 friars'.

Note 14 page 436 morning.

Note 15 page 436 very.

Note 1 page 437 reverend father.

Note 2 page 437 worked.

Note 3 page 437 belly.

Note 4 page 437 vileness.

Note 5 page 437 X, 203–210, 242–256.

Note 6 page 437 full of care, wretched.

Note 7 page 437 praise.

Note 8 page 437 crown, tonsure.

Note 9 page 437 livelihood.

Note 10 page 437 spoil.

Note 11 page 437 wicked.

Note 12 page 437 XIV, 110–116.

Note 13 page 437 B. XI, 294 and 295.

Note 1 page 439 X, 259 ff.

Note 2 page 439 I, 140.

Note 3 page 439 XXII, 479–481.

Note 1 page 440 I, 152–157

Note 2 page 440 correct.

Note 3 page 440 an, if.

Note 4 page 440 XXII, 303–305.

Note 1 page 441 I, 165–198.

Note 2 page 441 killed.

Note 3 page 441 scratch.

Note 4 page 441 be.

Note 5 page 441 wretched.

Note 6 page 441 present.

Note 7 page 441 could.

Note 8 page 441 I, 199–207, 212–215.

Note 9 page 441 X, 223.

Note 1 page 442 surely.

Note 2 page 442 destroy.

Note 3 page 442 boldly.

Note 4 page 442 hedges.

Note 5 page 442 tame.

Note 6 page 442 IX, 23–34.

Note 7 page 442 one.

Note 8 page 442 in spite of Meed's cheeks, i. e. in spite of all that Meed can do.

Note 9 page 442 take.

Note 10 page 442 lest peradventure.

Note 11 page 442 repay.

Note 12 page 442 suffer for it.

Note 13 page 442 injure.

Note 14 page 442 better.

Note 15 page 442 peradventure.

Note 16 page 442 sooner.

Note 17 page 442 more reverently.

Note 18 page 442 quean.

Note 19 page 442 queen.

Note 20 page 442 kind.

Note 21 page 442 story-tellers.

Note 22 page 442 IX, 85–63.

Note 1 page 443 talk.

Note 2 page 443 XII, 52 and 53.

Note 3 page 443 XIII, 140–143.

Note 4 page 443 suffered.

Note 5 page 443 trouble.

Note 6 page 443 destinies.

Note 7 page 443 XIII, 201–209.

Note 8 page 443 talk.

Note 9 page 443 man.

Note 10 page 443 drew.

Note 11 page 443 dreaded.

Note 12 page 443 possessions.

Note 13 page 443 XVI, 284–287, 305–309.

Note 14 page 443 duty.

Note 1 page 444 receive.

Note 2 page 444 is seemly, befits.

Note 3 page 444 knows.

Note 4 page 444 royalty.

Note 5 page 444 considers.

Note 6 page 444 back.

Note 7 page 444 hastily.

Note 8 page 444 XVII, 3–9, 49–57.

Note 1 page 445 retail dealing.

Note 2 page 445 rents, income.

Note 3 page 445 buy, produce.

Note 4 page 445 built.

Note 5 page 445 tenements.

Note 6 page 445 enquire.

Note 7 page 445 trade.

Note 8 page 445 borough (town).

Note 9 page 445 retail dealers.

Note 10 page 445 IV, 81–85, 108–114.

Note 1 page 447 A. VII, 106–311; B. VI, 114–332; C. IX, 119-355.

Note 2 page 447 B. XX, 79–178; C. XXIII, 80-179.

Note 1 page 448 IX, 122–204.

Note 2 page 448 IX, 326–335.

Note 3 page 448 IX, 338.

Note 4 page 448 IX, 340 and 341. Statutes of Laborers, &c., 1349, 1350, 1376, &c.

Note 5 page 448 dashed.

Note 6 page 448 lovers.

Note 7 page 448 swooned.

Note 8 page 448 died.

Note 9 page 448 blows.

Note 10 page 448 XXIII, 100–105.

Note 11 page 448 XXIII, 110.

Note 12 page 448 bold.

Note 13 page 448 made.

Note 14 page 448 XXIII, 129–131.

Note 15 page 448 Despair.

Note 16 page 448 XXIII, 80–160.