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2. Errors of Addition
Since S is held to be a copy of A there ought not to be many examples that fall in this category and those that there are have been carefully checked to make sure they do not constitute contradictory evidence. That the S-scribe was prepared to supplement what was in his exemplar is shown by the following three instances. All of them, however, are easily explained as copying errors.
2.1 Addition of Words
| A | S | |||
| 2.1.1 | on to bettir vse | (364r/30; 27/3) | onto þe better vse | (223/5) |
Here one idiom has simply been substituted for another.
2.1.2 The Latin word capitulum is added to a chapter heading before the number xii (A 365r/19 (29/10); S iv/8). What is implied in A is supplied in S.
| A | S | |||
| 2.1.3 | At mydnyth loke e be redy alle in dikys and. . . | (366r/33; 32/20) | at mydnyght | loke ye þer be redy all' in dykis and . . . | (119v/18-19) |
Here the construction has been changed so that some subject other than A's e is required in S but none is forthcoming, so the sense is seriously impaired by the alteration.
There is one instance of straightforward dittography over a line division in S, possibly induced by the line division in A.
| A | S | |
| 2.1.4 | lich as I wil ride | Alle þis (366r/30-31; 32/18) | liche as I will' ride all' | all' þis (119v/15-16) |
Here may also be included a similar instance where only the first letter of a word is repeated over the line division in S.
| A | S | |||
| 2.1.5 | þerfor owt | (364v/41; 28/20) | þerfore o | oute | (ir/11-12) |
In three instances words have been added through retentive assimilation.
| A | S | |||
| 2.1.6 | Too grete hor|ses þere be and too naked men standyng be hem | (365r/20-21; 29/12-13) | To gre|te horsis þer be and to naked men | and standing' be hem | (iv/11-13) |
| 2.1.7 | Tho hith he hem grete ricchesse and had hem in ful grete reue|rens | (365r/37-38; 30/9-10) | Tho hight he | hem grete richesse and had hem in full' grete riche|sse and reuerence | (118r/2-4) |
| 2.1.8 | distroye a cite man & woman wal and | hous | (365v/24-25; 31/4-5) | di|stroy a cyte a man and woman wall' and hous | (118v/11-12) |
In all of these instances the sense is affected adversely.
There is one clear instance of a word being added through anticipatory assimilation.
| A | S | |||
| 2.1.9 | hath bore a | child | (364v/22-23; 28/3) | ha | the a bore a child' | (224/17-18) |
In another instance only the first letter of a word is anticipated.
| A | S | |||
| 2.1.10 | mor' bounde to do | (365r/11; 29/4) | more bounde d to do | (ir/29) |
Both of these last two errors are easily spotted and the sense thus recovered.
2.2 Addition to Words
Dittography of groups of letters occurs in two instances, the second possibly induced by the line division in A.
| A | S | |||
| 2.2.1 | euene a noon | (364r/39; 27/10) | euenen anonone | (223/15) |
| 2.2.2 | go|uernauns | (365v/20-21; 31/1) | goueruernauns | (118v/7) |
Dittography of a single letter occurs in a further instance over a line division in S.
| A | S | |||
| 2.2.3 | philisophr' | (365v/31; 31/11) | philosop | phir' | (118v/21-22) |
Dittography of letter-strokes (minims) also occurs.
| A | S | |||
| 2.2.4 | coupled | (364v/17; 27/28) | compled | (224/11) |
| 2.2.5 | sumtyme | (366r/8; 31/28) | sumityme | (119r/17) |
With the possible exception of 2.2.4, which as it stands makes nonsense of the text, all these errors are easily spotted and the sense thus restored.
There is one instance of a word being added through retentive assimilation.
| A | S | |||
| 2.2.6 | In þe tyme | of tiberius þe emperour' | (365r/24-25; 29/15) | In þe tyme of tyberus oþe emperoure | (iv/17-18) |
Here there may be an element of syntactic confusion, the scribe perhaps thinking of a reading such as * þe tyme of þe emperoure tyberus*. As it stands the text is clearly rendered nonsensical in S but again the error is easily corrected.
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