[203]. ofþinche: see 30/10.
[204]. sorȝe: see 40/194.
[206]. eðe: sore E J M.
[208]. an helle pine &c.: e M go with L; E with T; in pyne ⁊ on vnwunne J.
[209]. ledden: the other MSS. have the present tense. mid unriht: comp. ‘Ne wurþ þer vnryht ne wrong,’ OEM 143/85.
[210]. buten—do, unless God’s mercy intervene. longe: comp. 48/327, 169/342.
[212]. bi þan ilke iwichte, by the same measure, i.e. as great as his might; comp. 53/384: ah al by one wyhte J; nis him no þing litlinde, | ac bi emliche wihte D (litlinde, decreasing, see 126/327; emliche, equal). In T 216 mihte is a mistake for milce.
[213]. ‘Nuls ne pot tant pecher com deus pot parduner,’ Guischart 948.
[214]. hit bigunne, made a beginning, took the first step, i.e. repentance, hit being indefinite; comp. ‘Li sires est tut prest certes de nus aider | Se il en fust alkun kil uosist comencer,’ Guischart 703, 4. Less probable is, began to show mercy, Einenkel, Anglia iv., Anz. 92. Morris takes bigunne as subjunctive of bigan, to seek for. E reads, it bidde gunne.
[218]. wallinde: the other MSS. add pich, and have bed instead of bað: see 44/245, 120/104.