Part 9 (1/2)

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.