Part 14 (1/2)
8 Alisand{er} was but erth, {a}t all the world wan, & Ector vpon erth was hold a worthy ma{n}, & Julius Cesar {a}t e empire first be-gan; & now, as erth w{i}t{h}in erth, ei lye pale & wan. 32
9 Arthur was but erth, for all his renown; No more was kyng Charlis, ne G.o.dfrey of Bolown; But now erth hath t{o}rned {er} n.o.blenes vpsodown; & thus erth goth to erth, by short co{n}clusion. 36
10 Who so rekyn also of Will{iam} Conquerowr{e}[4], Kyng Harry e first, {a}t was of knyghthode flowr{e}[4]; Erth hath closed the{m} ful streytly i{n} his bowr{e}[4]; Loo, the ende of worthynes! here is no more socowr{e}[4]. 40
11 Now thei {a}t leve vpon erth, both yong & old, Thynk how ye shall to erth, be ye neu{er} so bold; Ye be vnsiker, whe{er} it be i{n} hete or cold, Like as yo{u}r brether[5] did beffore, as I haue told. 44
12 Now ye folk {a}t be here, ye may not long endure, But {a}t ye shall torn to erth, I do you ensure; & yf ye lyst of e trewth to se a playn fugure, Go to seynt Powlis, & see {er} the portratowr{e}[4]. 48
13 All ys erth, & shall be erth, as it shew{i}t{h} ther, [6]{er}-for, or dredfull deth w{i}t{h} his dart you dere, & for to torn i{n} to erth, no ma{n} shall it forbere, Wisely pu{r}vey you beffore, & {er}-of haue no fere. 52
14 Now, sith by deth we shal al pas, it is to vs c{er}teyn, For of e erth we co{m} all, & to e erth shall torn agayn; {er}-for to strive of grucche it were but i{n} vayn, For all is erth, & shall be erth, no thyng more c{er}tayn. 56
15 Now erth vppon erth, co{n}sydre thow may, How erth co{m}meth to erth nakyd all way.
Why shuld erth vpon erth go stowt or gay, Sith erth owt of erth shall pa.s.se in pore a-ray? 60
16 I co{n}saill you vpon erth {a}t wikkidly haue wrowght, Whill {a}t erth is on erth, torn vp yo{u}r thowght, & pray to G.o.d vppon erth, {a}t all e erth hath wrowght, {a}t erth owt of erth to blis may be browght. 64
Amen.
[Footnote: Cf. Roman Dyboski, E.E.T.S. extra ser. ci _(1907), p. 90_.]
[Footnote 1: D. erron. _hat[h]_.]
[Footnote 2: D. reads _rentes_, _castlles_.]
[Footnote 3: MS. _worder_.]
[Footnote 4: D. reads _-owr_ throughout.]
[Footnote 5: D. erron. _brother_.]
[Footnote 6: Line 50 would be better placed after l. 51.]
16.
MS. HARLEIAN 984. 16th century. [fol. 72, r^o.]
6 [1]How schuld{e} erthe vpon erthe be prud & gay Whe{n} erthe schal to erthe in so por{e} aray?
7 I consell erthe vpon erthe {a}t wikyd hade wro?t, Whyle erthe ys apon erthe to tu{r}ne al his o?t, 4 And{e} p{r}ay to G.o.d {a}t al e world wro?t[2]
{a}t erthe out of erthe to blesse may be bro?t.
[Footnote 1: The previous leaf of the MS., which evidently contained the beginning of the poem, has been torn out.]
[Footnote 2: MS. _wo?t_.]
17.
THE MAITLAND MS. (PEPYSIAN MS. 2553, p. 338.) c. 1555-1585.