Part 12 (1/2)

4 Erthe gothe vpon erthe as molde vpon molde[1], So gothe erthe vpon erthe all{e} glytryng in golde, Lyke as erthe into erthe never goo sholde; And y{e}t shal[2] erthe in to erthe rathar then he wolde. 16

[fol. 153, v^o.]

5 O thou wreched erthe that on erthe trauayles nyght & daye To fflorysshe[3] and paynt e erthe w{i}t{h} wanton araye; Y{e}t sshalle ou, erthe, for all{e} thy erthe, make {o}u it neu{er} so queynt or gaye, Oute of thys erthe in to erthe to klyng as clot in claye. 20

6 O wrechyd man, why[4] art {o}u[5] prowde that of erth art maked, And hyder thou broght no shrowde, bot pore com and nakyd?

Lewe thy syne and lyffe in ryght, And than shalt thou lyffe in heuyn as a knyght. 24

[Footnote: Final _n_ is written _n~_ as a rule in this text, so _m~_.]

[Footnote 1: MS. _moldee_.]

[Footnote 2: MS. _shal do_ or _de_, the second word crossed out.]

[Footnote 3: MS. _To fflorysshe e erthe_, the last two words crossed out, cf. MS. Lambeth, _v. 5_, MS. Rawl. Poet., _v. 15_.]

[Footnote 4: MS. _why at_, _at_ crossed out.]

[Footnote 5: MS. _^t_.]

13.

MS. RAWLINSON POETICAL 32. After 1450. [fol. 32, v^o.]

A descripture alchimicall of erthe & the nature of man[1].

Whanne life is most louyd, And deth is most hatid, Deth drawith his drau?te And makith a man nakid. 4

1 Erthe oute of erthe Is wonderly wrou?te; Erthe hath of the erthe ?etyn a dignite of noughte. 8

2 Erthe a-pon erthe Hath set alle his thoughte How erthe apon erthe May be hiere y-broughte. 12

3 Erthe a-pon erthe Wolde be made a kyng, How erthe schal to erthe Thynkyng no thyng. 16

4 Whanne erthe biddith erthe Than he his rente hom brynge, Thanne schal erthe for erthe Haue a petous partynge. 20

5 Whanne erthe apon erthe Hath billid al his bowris, Thanne schalle erthe for erthe Suffre ful harde schowris. 24

6 Erthe a-pon erthe [fol. 33, r^o.]

Wynnyth castellis and towris.

Thanne saithe erthe to erthe: 'This is alle owris'. 28

7 Erthe gothe apon erthe As molde a-pon molde, Erthe gothe apon erthe Gleteryng alle in golde, 32

8 As thouh erthe to erthe Neu{er} a-yen go schulde, But yit schal erthe to {e} erthe Rather thanne he wolde. 36

9 Oute of the erthe cam the erthe Wantynge his garnament, To hide the erthe, to lappe the erthe, To hym was clothing y-lent. 40

10 Now goth the erthe apon erthe Disgesily ragged and to-rent, Therfore schal erthe vnder erthe Suffer ful grete turment. 44

11 Whi that ere loue erthe Wonder y may thinke, Or whi that erthe for the erthe Unresonably swete wol or swynke, 48