_a_ 11. _Þat ȝe han silke and sendal to sowe_: The construction changes as if Piers had begun: _Ich praye ȝow_, which is the reading in the C-text. The difficulty of excluding modern ideas from the interpretation of the Middle Ages is shown by the comment of a scholar so accomplished as M. Petit-Dutaillis: 'Il attaque les riches peu miséricordieux, les _dames charmantes aux doigts effilés_, qui ne s'occupent pas des pauvres' (_Soulèvement_, p. lxii). But there is no hint of satire or reproach in the text. The poet, always conventional, assigns to high-born ladies the work which at the time was considered most fitting for them. So it is reported in praise of the sainted Isabella of France, sister of St. Louis: _Quand elle fust introduicte des lettres suffisamment, elle s'estudioit à apprendre à ouurer de soye, et faisoit estolles et autres paremens à saincte Eglise_—'When she was sufficiently introduced to letters, she set herself to learn how to work in silk, and made stoles and other vestments for Holy Church.' (Joinville, _Histoire d. S. Louys_, Paris 1668, pt. i, p. 169.) _a_ 19. _for þe Lordes loue of heuene_: cp. l. 214, and notes to I 44, I 83, II 518. _a_ 23. _on þe teme_, 'on this subject'; _teme_ 'theme' is a correct form, because Latin _th_ was pronounced _t_. The modern pronunciation is due to the influence of classical spelling. _a_ 32. _affaite þe_, 'tame for thyself'; cp. l. 64 _(I shal) brynge me_ = 'bring (for myself)', and the note to II 289. _a_ 40-1. 'And though you should fine them, let Mercy be the assessor, and let Meekness rule over you, in spite of Gain.' This is a warning against abuse of the lord of the manor's power to impose fines in the manorial court with the object of raising revenue rather than of administering justice. Cp. Ashley, _Introduction to English Economic History_, vol. i (1894), pt. ii, p. 266. For _maugré Medes chekes_ cp. 151. _a_ 49. Luke xiv. 10. _a_ 50. _yuel to knowe_, 'hard to distinguish'. _a_ 72-5. These clumsy lines, which are found in all versions, exemplify the chief faults in _Piers Plowman_: structural weakness and superfluous allegory. _a_ 79. _I wil... do wryte my biqueste_, 'I will have my will written'; _make(n)_, _ger_ (_gar_), and _lete(n)_ are commonly used like _do(n)_ with an active infinitive, which is most conveniently rendered by the passive; so _do wryte_ 'cause to be written'; _dyd werche_ 'caused to be made' I 218; _mad sumoun_ 'caused to be summoned' VI 179; _gert dres vp_ 'caused to be set up' X 16; _leet make_ 'caused to be made' IX 223, &c. _a_ 80. _In Dei nomine, amen_: A regular opening phrase for wills. _a_ 84. 'I trust to have a release from and remission of my debts which are recorded in that book.' _Rental_, a book in which the sums due from a tenant were noted, here means 'record of sins'. _a_ 86. _he_: the parson, as representing the Church.