1 [1]Erthe oute of erthe is wondyrly wroghte,
Erthe vpon erthe gete nobley of noughte,
Erthe vpon erthe has sete all his thovghte
How erthe vpon erthe may be hye brovghte. 4
2 Erthe vpon erthe wolde be a kynge,
How erthe sall to erthe thenkys he nothyng,
For whan erthe byddes erthe his rent home brynge,
Þan sall erthe from erthe haf petus p{ar}tynge. 8
3 Erthe vpon erthe wynnes castells and tours;
Than says erthe vnto erthe: 'This is all ovres'.
But whan erthe opon erthe has bigged his borowes,
Than sall erthe for the erthe sofur sharpe shovres. 12
4 Erthe gothe vpon erthe os movlde opon movlde,
Erthe gothe opon erthe glyd{er}yng os golde,
Lyke as erthe to erthe neu{er} go shulde.
[Gh]yte shall erthe to erthe rather þan he wolde. 16
5 Why þ{a}t erthe loues erthe wond{er} me thynkes,
Vr why þ{a}t erthe vpon erthe swetys or swynkes,
Ffor whan erthe opon erthe is brente w{i}t{h}in þe brynkes,
Þan sall erthe of the erthe hafe a foule stynke. 20
6 Lo erthe vpon erthe consider þou may
How erthe comes into þe erthe nakyd all way.
Why sulde erthe vpon erthe go stovte or gay,
Sethen erthe oute of erthe sall passe in por aray? 24
7 I concell erthe opon erthe þ{a}t wykkydly has wrouthe,
The whyle þ{a}t erthe is vpon erthe to turn vp his thouthe,
And praye to God vpon erthe þat all the erthe wrouhte,
Þ{a}t erthe oute of erthe to blys may be browthe. 28
[Footnote 1: Printed, by kind permission, from H. G. Fiedler's
text (Mod. Lang. Review, _III. iii. 219_).]
7.
STRATFORD-ON-AVON INSCRIPTION. 15th century.
(Formerly in the Chapel of the Trinity.)
1 Erthe oute of erth ys wondurly wroght,
Erth hath gotyn vppon erth a dygnyte of noght,
Erth ypon erth hath sett[1] all hys thowht
How erth apon erth may be hey browght. 4
2 Erth vpon erth wold be a kyng,
But how that erth gott to erth he thyngkys[2] nothyng.
When erth byddys erth hys rentys whom bryng,
Then schall erth apon erth haue a hard p{ar}tyng[3]. 8
3 Erth apon erth wy{n}nys castellys and towrys;
Then seth erth vnto erth: 'Thys ys all owrys'.
When erth apon erth hath bylde hye[4] bowrys,
Then schall erth for erth suffur many hard schowrys. 12
4 Erth goth apon erth as man apon mowld,
Lyke as erth apon erth neu{er}[5] goo schold.
Erth goth apon erth as glisteryng gold,
And yet schall erth vnto erth rather then he wold. 16
5 Why that erth loueth erth wondur me thynke,
Or why that erth wold for erth other swett or swynke.
When erth apon erth ys broght w{ith}yn the brynke,
Then schall erth apon erth have a fowll stynke. 20
6 Lo erth on erth, consedur thow may
How erth co{m}myth to erth nakyd all way.
Why schall erth apon erth goo stowte or gay,
Seth erth out of erth schall passe yn poor aray? 24
7 I counsill erth apone erth that ys wondurly wrogt,
The w{h}yll[6] þ{a}t erth ys apon erthe to torne hys thowht,
And pray to God vpon erth þ{a}t all erth wroght,
That all crystyn soullys to þe[7] blis may be broght. 28
[Footnote 1: Fisher (Facsimile of inscription) _seth_; Reeves
(Mod. Lang. Notes, ix. 4, 203) _sett_.]
[Footnote 2: Reeves _thynkys_.]
[Footnote 3: Fisher, Reeves _ptyng_.]
[Footnote 4: Fisher _hye_, Reeves _hys_; cf. H. 4486 hath _bygged
hy his bowres_.]
[Footnote 5: Fisher _neuu_.]
[Footnote 6: Fisher, Reeves _w^{h}yll_.]
[Footnote 7: Fisher _y_ for _y^e_.]
8.