2 Erthe vppon erthe wolde be a kynge; Howe erthe shalle vnto erthe thynkythe he noo thynge. 8 Whenne erthe byddys erthe hys rentys home brynge, Thenne shalle erthe of the erthe haue a pytyus partynge.
3 Erthe a-pon erthe wynnys castellis and towrys; Thenne erthe saythe vnto[2] erthe: "Thys ys alle owrys". 12 Whenne erthe a-pon erthe hathe bylde vppe hys bourys, Thenne shalle erthe for the erthe suffer sharpe schowrys.
4 Erthe goythe a-pon erthe as molde a-pon molde; Erthe gothe a-pon erthe alle gleterynge in golde, 16 Lyke as erthe vnto erthe neuyr [go][3] scholde, And yet shalle erthe vnto erthe rathyr thenne he wolde.
5 Why erthe louythe erthe woundyr I thynke, Or why erthe for the erthe swete wylle or swynke, 20 Ffor whenne erthe a-pon erthe ys brought{e} w{i}t{h}yn brynke, Thenne shalle erthe of erthe haue a foule stynke.
6 Loo erthe a-pon erthe consyder {o}u may Howe erthe comythe to erthe nakyd alle day. 24 Why scholde erthe a-pon erthe goo stowte and gay, Syn erthe vnto erthe shalle pas in pore a-ray?
7 I consylle erthe a-pon erthe {a}t wyckydly hathe wrought{e}, Whyle erthe ys a-pon erthe to turne vppe hys thought{e}, 28 And pray to G.o.d a-pon erthe that alle the erthe hathe wrought{e}, [fol. 55, v^o.]
That erthe owte of the erthe to blys may be brought.
Amen. Caue si vis.
[Footnote 1: The second line in omitted here and in No. 5, where a new line has been added.]
[Footnote 2: MS. _vnt_.]
[Footnote 3: Omitted in MS., but required by metre.]
5.
MS. HARLEIAN 1671. 15th century. [fol. 1*, r^o.]
1 Erthe apon erthe ys waxyne and wrought{e}, And erthe apon erthe hathe ysette all{e} hys thought{e} Howe that erth{e} apon erth{e} hye myght be brought{e}, But how that erth{e} scal to the erth{e} thyngketh{e} he noht{e}. 4
2 Erthe apon erth{e} wolde be a kyng, b.u.t.te how that erth{e} schal to erth{e} thynketh he no thynge, Ffor when erth{e} byddyth{e} erth{e} hys rente home[1] brynge, Than hath{e} erth{e} apon erth{e} heuy partyng. 8
3 Eerthe apon erth{e} wynnyth castells and touris, And erth{e} sayth{e} to the erth{e}: "Thys ys all{e} ourys".
Wanne erth{e} apon erth{e} syttyth{e} wyth-in hys bovrys, Ye?t schall{e} erth{e}[2] for the erthe suffre scharpe schourys. 12
4 Erth{e} goyth{e} on erth{e} as mowlde apon{ne} mowlde, And erth{e} goyth on erth{e} gletterant as golde, Like as erth{e} apon erth{e} neuer dye schoulde.
?yt schall erth{e} to the erth{e} rather than he wolde. 16
5 Why that erth{e} louyth erth{e} wond{er} me thynke, Or why that erth{e} apon erth{e} swete or swynke, Ffor whan{ne} erth{e} apon erth{e} ys brought wyth-in the brynke, Than ys erth{e} apon erth{e} botte a fowle stynke. 20
6 Erth{e} apon erth{e} knoweth{e} eche day Howe erth{e} cometh to the erth{e} naked all{e} waye.
Why schulde erth{e} apon erth{e} go stowte or gay, Syth erth{e} apon erth{e} schal pa.s.se in pore aray? 24
7 I cowncell{e} erth{e} apon erth{e} that wonderly hath wrought{e} Whyles that erth{e} ys apon erth{e} to turne all hys thought{e}, And y pray to G.o.d apon erth{e} that all{e} erth{e} hath wrought{e}, That erth{e} out of erth{e} to blysse may be brought{e}. Amen. 28
[3]Whanne lyf ys moste louyd, And dethe ys most hatyd, Dethe drawyth hys drawghte And maketh a man ful naked. 32 De t{er}ra plasmasti me.
[Footnote 1: MS. _hime_ crossed out, and _home_ written in same line.]
[Footnote 2: MS. _erht{e}_.]
[Footnote 3: written parallel with the poem in the right-hand column. A signature apparently follows, but is indecipherable.]
6.
MS. BRIGHTON. 15th century. [fol. 90, v^o.]
1 [1]Erthe oute of erthe is wondyrly wroghte, Erthe vpon erthe gete n.o.bley of noughte, Erthe vpon erthe has sete all his thovghte How erthe vpon erthe may be hye brovghte. 4
2 Erthe vpon erthe wolde be a kynge, How erthe sall to erthe thenkys he nothyng, For whan erthe byddes erthe his rent home brynge, an sall erthe from erthe haf petus p{ar}tynge. 8
3 Erthe vpon erthe wynnes castells and tours; Than says erthe vnto erthe: "This is all ovres".
But whan erthe opon erthe has bigged his borowes, Than sall erthe for the erthe sofur sharpe shovres. 12
4 Erthe gothe vpon erthe os movlde opon movlde, Erthe gothe opon erthe glyd{er}yng os golde, Lyke as erthe to erthe neu{er} go shulde.
?yte shall erthe to erthe rather an he wolde. 16
5 Why {a}t erthe loues erthe wond{er} me thynkes, Vr why {a}t erthe vpon erthe swetys or swynkes, Ffor whan erthe opon erthe is brente w{i}t{h}in e brynkes, an sall erthe of the erthe hafe a foule stynke. 20
6 Lo erthe vpon erthe consider ou may How erthe comes into e erthe nakyd all way.
Why sulde erthe vpon erthe go stovte or gay, Sethen erthe oute of erthe sall pa.s.se in por aray? 24
7 I concell erthe opon erthe {a}t wykkydly has wrouthe, The whyle {a}t erthe is vpon erthe to turn vp his thouthe, And praye to G.o.d vpon erthe at all the erthe wrouhte, {a}t erthe oute of erthe to blys may be browthe. 28
[Footnote 1: Printed, by kind permission, from H. G. Fiedler"s text (Mod. Lang. Review, _III. iii. 219_).]
7.
STRATFORD-ON-AVON INSCRIPTION. 15th century.
(Formerly in the Chapel of the Trinity.)
1 Erthe oute of erth ys wondurly wroght, Erth hath gotyn vppon erth a dygnyte of noght, Erth ypon erth hath sett[1] all hys thowht How erth apon erth may be hey browght. 4
2 Erth vpon erth wold be a kyng, But how that erth gott to erth he thyngkys[2] nothyng.
When erth byddys erth hys rentys whom bryng, Then schall erth apon erth haue a hard p{ar}tyng[3]. 8
3 Erth apon erth wy{n}nys castellys and towrys; Then seth erth vnto erth: "Thys ys all owrys".
When erth apon erth hath bylde hye[4] bowrys, Then schall erth for erth suffur many hard schowrys. 12
4 Erth goth apon erth as man apon mowld, Lyke as erth apon erth neu{er}[5] goo schold.
Erth goth apon erth as glisteryng gold, And yet schall erth vnto erth rather then he wold. 16
5 Why that erth loueth erth wondur me thynke, Or why that erth wold for erth other swett or swynke.
When erth apon erth ys broght w{ith}yn the brynke, Then schall erth apon erth have a fowll stynke. 20
6 Lo erth on erth, consedur thow may How erth co{m}myth to erth nakyd all way.
Why schall erth apon erth goo stowte or gay, Seth erth out of erth schall pa.s.se yn poor aray? 24
7 I counsill erth apone erth that ys wondurly wrogt, The w{h}yll[6] {a}t erth ys apon erthe to torne hys thowht, And pray to G.o.d vpon erth {a}t all erth wroght, That all crystyn soullys to e[7] blis may be broght. 28