DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61385#0041
Chapter III.—Description of the MSS. MS. If xxxv
The twelve lines concluding the poem, 11. 829—840, contain
an apostrophe to the Virgin. An extensive gap, 11. 459—814, and
the omission of Hues 841—1034 characterize MS. H2. Numerous
illustrations of the omission of characteristic readings are as follows :
lines 11, 12, 197, 198, 251, 252, 295—300, 305, 306, 309, 310,
357, 358, 435—444, 451, 452, 823—826. Lines 108, 133, 283,
323, 328, 342, 378 (328 in 7/2 and 790 in Af), and 447, 448 have
adopted original readings. Lines 111, 112 are transposed. Lines
819, 820, omitted in the normal sequence of the poem, are inter-
polated between 828, 829. Two lines are interpolated after 160 and
454 respectively, one after 138, one after 322, and three after 4. It
may be noted that MSS. D and H2 often coincide in readings so
far as 1. 400. Although copyist’s errors are few, yet in the trans-
mission of the text, If is in some degree a revision of the original.
If deviates through paraphrase of the true text, through use of
synonyms of terms offered by other MSS., and it alters the poem by
means of omission, amplification, and circumlocution. Illustration
occurs as follows : Waryed gostys 447 are to suffer, not hote (A1), but
hello fyre 282, in the pytte (stronge Alt stynkynge H1 fyre) of hello
449, condemned with angry eye 446, at the daye of (heie Af) dome
415. In plea for charity Guy is appealed to as generous friend :
ffrende so free 323. Compare also formeste (forme AJ 223 ; lethere
(foule AJ 72 ; to thys goodnesse (hem Af) 100 ; Vncerteynnesse (pister-
nesse A1) 114 ; maye he be (worp he Aj) 128. See variants 133, 138,
160, 343, etc.
The inflectional system is governed by uniform laws illustrated in
terminations transmitting -y for the normal -e in unaccented syllables
as follows: godys (gen.) 38, 81, 139, etc.; slewthys 121; fadyrys
254, 255 ; Londys (plu.), rentys 152, 163; metys 155 ; synnys 91 ;
thewys 97 ; thewys : shrewis 102; Savyd 128; wykkyd 116, 122;
fallyn (inf.) 170 ; 5efo/Tzl75; suffyr 176,184 ; ekynlSS ; Herkenythe
(imp. plu.) 1, 137 ; Wasshythe 816 ; bryngype (3. sing.) 114; makype
124. Redundant h begins a word : Habraham (cf. D) 347.—Initial
h is omitted : ys (for his) 227.—f occurs for u (v) of : Ioffe 424.—
Metathesis exists in tharlle 238. 7/', belonged earlier to the Cotton
collection. It was in possession of Robert Cotton and bears his
autograph.
Besides the MSS. already enumerated, some have been traced
that, in description at least, belong in this chapter. MSS. W and
B may be introduced with some certainty as giving information
regarding the poem.
The twelve lines concluding the poem, 11. 829—840, contain
an apostrophe to the Virgin. An extensive gap, 11. 459—814, and
the omission of Hues 841—1034 characterize MS. H2. Numerous
illustrations of the omission of characteristic readings are as follows :
lines 11, 12, 197, 198, 251, 252, 295—300, 305, 306, 309, 310,
357, 358, 435—444, 451, 452, 823—826. Lines 108, 133, 283,
323, 328, 342, 378 (328 in 7/2 and 790 in Af), and 447, 448 have
adopted original readings. Lines 111, 112 are transposed. Lines
819, 820, omitted in the normal sequence of the poem, are inter-
polated between 828, 829. Two lines are interpolated after 160 and
454 respectively, one after 138, one after 322, and three after 4. It
may be noted that MSS. D and H2 often coincide in readings so
far as 1. 400. Although copyist’s errors are few, yet in the trans-
mission of the text, If is in some degree a revision of the original.
If deviates through paraphrase of the true text, through use of
synonyms of terms offered by other MSS., and it alters the poem by
means of omission, amplification, and circumlocution. Illustration
occurs as follows : Waryed gostys 447 are to suffer, not hote (A1), but
hello fyre 282, in the pytte (stronge Alt stynkynge H1 fyre) of hello
449, condemned with angry eye 446, at the daye of (heie Af) dome
415. In plea for charity Guy is appealed to as generous friend :
ffrende so free 323. Compare also formeste (forme AJ 223 ; lethere
(foule AJ 72 ; to thys goodnesse (hem Af) 100 ; Vncerteynnesse (pister-
nesse A1) 114 ; maye he be (worp he Aj) 128. See variants 133, 138,
160, 343, etc.
The inflectional system is governed by uniform laws illustrated in
terminations transmitting -y for the normal -e in unaccented syllables
as follows: godys (gen.) 38, 81, 139, etc.; slewthys 121; fadyrys
254, 255 ; Londys (plu.), rentys 152, 163; metys 155 ; synnys 91 ;
thewys 97 ; thewys : shrewis 102; Savyd 128; wykkyd 116, 122;
fallyn (inf.) 170 ; 5efo/Tzl75; suffyr 176,184 ; ekynlSS ; Herkenythe
(imp. plu.) 1, 137 ; Wasshythe 816 ; bryngype (3. sing.) 114; makype
124. Redundant h begins a word : Habraham (cf. D) 347.—Initial
h is omitted : ys (for his) 227.—f occurs for u (v) of : Ioffe 424.—
Metathesis exists in tharlle 238. 7/', belonged earlier to the Cotton
collection. It was in possession of Robert Cotton and bears his
autograph.
Besides the MSS. already enumerated, some have been traced
that, in description at least, belong in this chapter. MSS. W and
B may be introduced with some certainty as giving information
regarding the poem.