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.

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 at[2] eird vpone eird till hicht may be brocht. 4

2 Eird apone eird wald fayne be a king, And how at 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

3 Eird apon eird wy{n}nis castellis and towris, Than sayis eird vntill eird: 'All ir ar owris'.

Quhone eird apone eird hes biggit all his bowris, Than sall eird vpone eird suffir scharp schowris. 12

4 Eyrd apone eird and mold vpone mold, Lyke as eird vnto eird never go sold.

Eird gois apone eird glitterand as gold, ?it sall eird go to eird sonar nor he wold. 16

5 How at eird luiffis eird grit wondir I think, Or quhy at eird will for eird owir swet or swynk.

Quhone at eird w{i}t{h}in eird is closit vndir bynk, Than sall eird w{i}t{h}in eird haue ane ewill stynk. 20

6 Lo eird vpone eird considdir ow may, How eird vnto[3] eird gois nakit away, Quhy sould eird apone eird go ow{er} proud or gay, Sen eird vntill eird sall wend in pure array? 24

7 I counsall eird vpone eird at wondirlie is wrocht, Q{uhi}ll[4] eird is apone eird to turne all his thocht, And pray to G.o.d apone eird at maid all of nocht, That eird vpone eird to blys may be brocht. 28 Q{uo}d marsar.

[Footnote 1: Printed by kind permission of the authorities of Magdalene College, Cambridge.]

[Footnote 2: MS. _yat_; __ regularly written as _y_.]

[Footnote 3: MS. _apone_ crossed out, _vnto_ written above.]

[Footnote 4: MS. _q^ll_.]

18.

JOHN REIDPETH'S MS. CAMBR. UNIV. LIBR. Ll. 5. 10. [fol. 43, v^o.]

(Transcribed from the Maitland MS. 1622-3.)

1 Eird vpoun eird wonderfull is wrocht, Eird hes gottin vpoun eird ane dignitie for nocht, Eird vpoun eird hes sett all his thocht How at[1] eird vpoun eird till hicht may be brocht. 4

2 Eird vpoun Eird wold fane be ane king, [fol. 44, r^o.]

And how at eird gois to eird thinkis he nothing.

Quhen eird bidd{is} eird his rentis hame to bring, Than sall eird haue to eird herd depairting. 8

3 Eird vpoun Eird wins castell{is} and towris; Than sayis eird vnto eird: 'All now ar ouris'.

Quhen eird vpoun eird hes biggit all his towris, Than sall eird vpoun eird suffer grit showris. 12

4 Eird vpoun eird and mold vpoun mold, Lyk as eird vnto eird neuer go sold, Eird gois vpoun eird glitterand as gold, ?itt sall eird go to eird sonear nor he wald. 16

5 How at eird luiffis eird grit wonder I think, Or quhy at eird will for eird owther sweit or swink, Quhen at eird w{i}t{h}in eird is closit vnder bink, Than sall eird w{i}t{h} eird haue ane evill stink. 20