The exact date of the text in MS. Titus is indeterminate, but, as stated above, it is evidently based on MS. Lambeth or its original, and might be ascribed to c. 1450 or later. The text in MS. Harl. 4486 has been added by some later owner of the MS. on the last leaves of a fifteenth-century transcript of _Le Livre de Sydrac_. The handwriting of _Erthe upon Erthe_ is also fifteenth century, but the exact date again cannot be determined. The text, however, is far simpler and nearer to the original than that of the other four MSS., and evidently represents an earlier type than these, though the actual transcript may be later. With the exception of these five MSS., it is not easy to group the eighteen texts of the B version on any system based upon the additional stanzas, since these fail to bear out any theory as to closer relationship between individual MSS., though the connexion of ideas is often close owing to the similarity of the theme. Thus the nine additional stanzas in MS. Balliol contain a digression upon the nine worthies with an interesting reference in verse 12 to the Dance of Powlis, i.e. the Dance of Death formerly depicted outside St. Paul’s Cathedral (v. Notes, p. 36). It is in the Cambridge text alone that the additional stanzas supply an interesting connexion with the A version, which places this text, unfortunately corrupt and difficult to decipher, in an important position as a link between A and B. With regard to possible relationships dependent upon variations in the order or arrangement of the lines in the seven common stanzas, it may be pointed out that the first verse in MS. Egerton consists of three lines only, the usual second line being omitted, and that both MS. Harl. 1671 and MS. Porkington omit the same line, though each of these supplies a new and independent fourth line to fill the gap:-- (_MS. Egerton_ 1995) Erthe owte of þe erthe ys wounderly wrought, Erthe vppon erthe hathe sette hys thought How erthe a-pon erthe may be hy brought. (_MS. Harl._ 1671) Erthe apon erthe ys waxyne and wrought, And erthe apon erthe hathe ysette all hys thought How that erth apon erth hye myght be brought, _But how that erth scal to the erth thyngketh he noht_. (_MS. Porkington 10_) Erthe vppon erthe is woundyrely wrouȝte; Erthe vppon erthe has set al his þouȝte How erthe vppon erth to erthe schall be brouȝte; _There is none vppon erth has hit in þouȝte._ Take hede! Whoso þinkyse on his ende, ful welle schal he spede.