Whanne liif is moost loued, and deeþ is moost hatid:
Þanne dooþ deeþ drawe his draw[gh]t, & makiþ ma{n} ful nakid.
De terra plasmasti me, _&c._
1 Erþe out of erþe is wondirly wrou[gh]t, 4
Erþe of erþe haþ gete a dignyte of nou[gh]t,
Erþe upo{n} erþe haþ sett al his þou[gh]t,
How þat erþe upon erþe may be hi[gh] brou[gh]t.
2 Erþe upon erþe wold he be a king; 8
B{u}t how erþe schal to erþe þenkiþ he no [fol. 36] þing;
Wha{n}ne þat erþe biddiþ erþe hise rentis hom bring,
Þan schal erþe out of erþe haue a piteuous parting.
3 Erþe vpon erþe wy{n}neþ castels & touris, 12
Þan seiþ erþe to erþe: 'Now is þis al houris'.
Wha{n}ne erþe upon erþe haþ biggid up hise boure[s],
Þanne schal erþe upo{n} erþe suffir scharpe schouris.
4 Erþe gooth vpon erþe as molde upon molde, 16
So gooth erþe upon erþe al gliteringe in golde,
Like as erþe vnto erþe neu{er}e go schulde,
And [gh]it schal erþe vnto erthe raþ{er} þan he wolde.
5 O þ{o}u wrecchid erþe þat on erþe traueilist ny[gh]t and day, 20
To florische þe erþe, to peynte þe erþe wit{h} wantowne aray,
[Gh]it schal þou erþe for al þi erþe,
make þou it neu{er}e so queynte & gay,
Out of þis erþe in-to þe erþe,
þ{er}e to clinge as a clot of clay. [fol. 37.]
6 O wrecchid man whi art þ{o}u proud, þat art of þe erþe makid? 24
Hid{er} brou[gh]ttist þou no schroud,
but poore come þou and nakid.
Whanne þi soule is went out, & þi bodi in erþe rakid,
Þan þi bodi þat was rank & undeuout, of alle men is bihatid.
7 Out of þis erþe cam to þis erþe þis wrecchid garnement; 28
To hide þis erþe, to happe þis erþe, to hi{m} was cloþinge lente;
Now gooþ erþe upon erþe, ruli raggid and rent,
Þ{er}fore schal erþe vndir þe erþe haue hidiose turment.
8 Whi þat erþe to myche loueþ erþe wondir me þink, 32
Or whi þat erþe for sup{er}flue erþe
to sore sweete wole or swynk;
Ffor wha{n}ne þat erþe upo{n} erþe is brou[gh]t
w{i}t{h}i{n}ne þe brink,
Þan schal erþe of þe erþe haue a rewful swynk.
9 Lo erþe upon erþe considere þou may, 36
How erþe comeþ i{n}to erþe nakid al way, [fol. 38.]
Whi schulde erþe upon erþe go now so stoute or gay,
Wha{n}ne erþe schal passe out of erþe in so poore aray?
10 Wolde God þ{er}fore þis erþe, while þat he is upon this erþe,
Vpon þis wolde he{r}tili þinke, 40
& how þe erþe out of þe erþe schal haue his a[gh]en-risynge,
And þis erþe for þis erþe schal [gh]eelde streite rekenyng;
Schulde neu{er}e þan þis erþe for þis erþe mysplese heuene king.
11 Þerfore þou erþe upon erþe put so wickidli hast wrou[gh]t, 44
While þat þou erþe art upon erþe turne a[gh]en þi þou[gh]t,
And praie to þat God upo{n} erþe þat al þe erþe haþ wrou[gh]t,
Þat þou erþe upon erþe to blis may be brou[gh]t.
12 O þou Lord þat madist þis erþe for þis erþe & suffridist
heere peynes ille, 48
Lete neu{er}e þis erþe for þis erþe myscheue ne spille,
But þat þis erþe on þis [fol. 39] erþe
be eu{er}e worchinge þi wille,
So þ{a}t þis erþe from þis erþe may stie up to þin hi[gh] hille.
Amen.
Memento homo quod cinis es, et i{n} cinere{m} reu{er}teris, 52
Ffac bene dum viuis. post mortem viu{er}e si uis.
Tangere qui gaudet. meretricem qualiter audet.
Palmis pollutis. regem tractare salutis.
Credo in deum patrem omnipotentem. 56
(_Here follows the Creed in English verse._)
11.