#B# VERSION.
1.
WILLIAM BILLYNG'S MS. c. 1400-1430 ?.
1 [1]Erth owte of erth is wondyrly wroght,
Ffor erth hath geten of erth a nobul thyng of noght,
Erthe uppon erthe hath set alle hys thoght
How erthe uppon erthe may be hygh broght. 4
2 Erthe uppon erthe yet wolde be a kynge,
But how erth shall to erth thynketh he nothyng;
But when erth byddyth erth his dute hom bryng,
Than shall erth fro erth have a peteus[2] partyng. 8
3 Erth wynnyth uppon erth both castellys and towris;
Than sayth erth unto erth: 'This is alle owres'.
But whan erth uppon erth hath byllyd all his bowrys,
Thanne shalle erth for erth suffer sharpe showres. 12
4 Erth byldyth uppon erth as molde uppo{n} molde,
And erth goth uppo{n} erth glyttryng alle gold,
Lyke as erth unto erth neuer goe sholde;
Ann justly tha[n][3] shalle erth go to erth
rather þa{n}[4] he wolde. 16
5 Why man erth loveth erth wondyr me thynke,
Or why that erth for erth swet wylle or swynke,
Ffor whan erth uppon erth is broght w{i}t{h}i{n} þe[5] brynke,
Than shal þe[6] erth of erth have a ryght fowle sty[n]ke[6]. 20
6 Memento[7] ho{mo} quod cinis es {e}t in cinere{m} reverteris.
Ffac bene du{m} vivis, post morte[m][8] viv{er}e si vis.
Wha{n} lyffe is most louyd and deth most hated,
Than deth drawyth hys drawght and maketh ma{n} ful naked. 24
[Footnote 1: From Bateman's print (William Billyng, Five Wounds of
Christ, Manchester, 1814).]
[Footnote 2: Bateman _petrus_.]
[Footnote 3: B. _tha_.]
[Footnote 4: B. _yã_.]
[Footnote 5: B. _w^{t}i y^e_.]
[Footnote 6: B. _y^e_; _styke_.]
[Footnote 7: B. _momento_.]
[Footnote 8: B. _morte_.]
2.