Part 13 (1/2)
[Footnote 2: MS. _deth is_.]
14.
MS. PORKINGTON 10. 15th century. [fol. 79, v^o.]
1 [1]Erthe vppo{n} erth{e} is wo{u}ndyr{e}ly wro{u}?te; Erthe vppo{n} erthe has set al his ou?te[2]
[fol. 80, r^o.]
How erthe vppo{n} erth to erthe schall{e} be[3] brou?te; Ther is no{n}e vppo{n} erth has. .h.i.t in ou?te.[4] 4 Take hede!
Whoso inkyse on[5] his end{e}, ful well{e} schal he sped{e}.
2 Erth vppo{n} erth wold{e} be a kynge; How erth schal to erthe he ink{is} no inge. 8 Whe{n} erth byddy erth his rent who{m}e brynge, The{n} schal erth fro e erth have a hard{e} parttynge, W{i}t{h} care; Ffor erth vppo{n} ere wott{is} neu{er} we{r} {er}for to far{e}. 12
3 Erth vppo{n} erth wy{n}nis castyll{is} & tovris.
The{n} saye erth to erth: 'Al {i}s is ourus'.
Whe{n} erth vpp{on} erth has bylde al his bovres, The{n} schal erth fro e erth soffyr{e} scharpe schorrys, 16 And{e} smarte.
Ma{n}, amend{e} e betyme, i lyfe ys but a starte.
4 Erth gose on erth as mold{e} vpon{ne} molde, Lyke as erth to e erth neu{er} a-gayne schold{e}; 20 Erth gose on erth glytteryng in gold{e}[6], [fol. 80, v^o.]
?et shale erth to e erth, ra{er} e{n} he wolde.
Be owris!
?efe i alm{is} w{i}t{h} i hand{e}. Trust to no secatovrs. 24
5 Why {a}t erth louis ere merwel me inke, [7]Or why erth vppo{n} erth wyl swet or swinke, [7]Ffor whe{n} erth vppo{n} erth is bro{u}t to e brynke, The{n} schal erth frov e erth have a fovl stynke 28 To smele, Wars e{n} e caryo{n} {a}t lyis in e fele.
6 Lo, erth vppo{n} erth, co{n}sayfe {i}s {o}u maye, That {o}u co{m}mys frome e erth nakyd{e} alway[{e}]; 32 How schuld{e} erth vppo{n} erth soe[8] prod{e} or gaye, Sen[9] erth v{n}to erth schal pase i{n} symple araye, Unclad{e}?
Cloth e nakyd whyl {o}u may, for so G.o.de e bade. 36
7 Erth vppo{n} erth, me inky? e ful blynd{e}, That on erth ryches to set al[10] i mynd{e}; In e gospel wrytty{n}e exampul I fynde, The pore went to heyuy{n}, e rych to hel I fynd{e}, 40 W{i}tt skyle: [fol. 81, r^o.]
The co{m}mandment{is} of G.o.d{e} wold{e} he not fulfyle.
8 Erth vppo{n} erth, deyle duly thy goode To e por{e} pepul {a}t favtt pe i fovde, 44 Ffor e loue of i Lord{e}, {a}t rent was on e roode, And{e} for i loue on e crose sched his[11] hart blode,-- Go rede!-- W{i}ttovte a{n}ny place to reste on his hede. 48
9 Erth vppo{n} erth, take tent to my steyuyne; Whyl {o}u leuyst, fulfyle e w{er}kys of mercy vij.
Loke {o}u lete, for oode ne for ewyne, Ffor o by{n}e e werk{is} at helpyne vs to heyuy{n}e, 52 In haste.
Tho ded{is} who so dose ar, hy{m}e neu{er} be agaste.
10 Erth vppo{n} erth, be {o}u neu{er} so gaye, Thow moue[12] wend{e} of {i}s world{e} an vnreydy waye; 56 Turne e betyme, whyle {a}t {o}u maye, Leste it lede e into hele, to logege {er} for[13] ay, In pyne; Ffor {er} is no{er} to gett bred{e}, ale, ne wyne. 60
11 Erth vppo{n} erth, G.o.d{e} ?eyf e grace, [fol. 81, v^o.]
Whyle {o}u leuuyst vppo{n} erth, to purway e a place In heywy{n} to dweyll{e}, whyl {a}t {o}u hast s.p.a.ce; That myrthe for to myse it w{er} a karful case. 64 Ffor whye?
That myrth is w{i}t{h}owtty{n} end{e}, I tel e securlye.
12 I co{n}cele erth vppo{n} erth {a}t wykyd{e}ly has wro?te, Whyl erth is on erth, to torn all{e} his ov?te, 68 And{e} pray to G.o.de vppo{n} erth, {a}t al mad{e} of nov[?te][14], That erth owte of erth to blys may be bov?te[15]