11 Now thei þ{ a}t leve vpon erth, both yong & old, Thynk how ye shall to erth, be ye neu{ er} so bold; Ye be vnsiker, wheþ{ 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 þ{ a}t be here, ye may not long endure, But þ{ a}t ye shall torn to erth, I do you ensure; & yf ye lyst of þe trewth to se a playn fugure, Go to seynt Powlis, & see þ{ er} the portratowr{ e}[4]. 48
13 All ys erth, & shall be erth, as it shew{ i}t{ h} ther, [6]Þ{ 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, & þ{ er}-of haue no fere. 52
14 Now, sith by deth we shal al pas, it is to vs c{ er}teyn, For of þe erth we co{ m} all, & to þe erth shall torn agayn; Þ{ 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 passe in pore a-ray? 60
16 I co{ n}saill you vpon erth þ{ a}t wikkidly haue wrowght, Whill þ{ a}t erth is on erth, torn vp yo{ u}r thowght, & pray to God vppon erth, þ{ a}t all þe erth hath wrowght, Þ{ a}t erth owt of erth to blis may be browght. 64
[Footnote: Cf. Roman Dyboski, E.E.T.S. extra ser. ci _(1907), p. 90_.]
[Footnote 2: D. reads _rentes_, _castlles_.]
[Footnote 4: D. reads _-owr_ throughout.]
[Footnote 6: Line 50 would be better placed after l. 51.]
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 þ{ a}t wikyd hade wroȝt, Whyle erthe ys apon erthe to tu{ r}ne al his þoȝt, 4 And{ e} p{ r}ay to God þ{ a}t al þe world wroȝt[2] Þ{ a}t erthe out of erthe to blesse may be broȝt.
[Footnote 1: The previous leaf of the MS., which evidently contained the beginning of the poem, has been torn out.]
THE MAITLAND MS. (PEPYSIAN MS. 2553, p. 338.) c. 1555-1585.
1 [1]Eyrd vpone eird wondirfallie is wrocht, Eird hes gottin vpone eird ane dignite for nocht, Eird apone eird hes set all his thocht How þat[2] eird vpone eird till hicht may be brocht. 4
2 Eird apone eird wald fayne be a king, And how þat eird gois to eird thinkis he no thing. Quhone eird bydd{ is} eird his rentis hame to bring, Than sall eird haue to eird herd depairting. 8