It was very natural that the common phrase, and the one best adapted to serve as a title to the poem, should tend to replace others, but it seems probable that wherever the substitution occurs it may be taken as due to a later tradition, and consequently as a proof of non-originality or comparative lateness in the text in which it is found. A similar change, and one to be explained in a similar way, is the introduction of _wonderly_ for _wyckydly_ in the first line of verse 7 on the analogy of the first line of the poem, which occurs in MSS. Harl. 1671 and Stratford, and also in the late MSS. Maitland and Reidpeth. Other variations of reading are less noteworthy. In the second line of verse 1, ten MSS., ranging from the early Thornton and Lambeth to the late Maitland and Reidpeth, read _dignite_, while the others vary between _nobley_ (MS. Brighton, cf. the Cambridge text), _nobul þyng_ (Billyng), _worschyp_ (Selden), and _an abbey_, perhaps an error for _nobley_ (Harl. 4486). The remaining three MSS. omit the line. In the fourth line of verse 2, the alliterative _piteous parting_ of MSS. Billyng, Egerton, Brighton, Harl. 4486, Lamb., Laud, Titus, and Rawl. P., is replaced by _hard parting_ not only in the Stratford text and in the later MSS. (Porkington, Balliol, Maitland, Reidpeth), but also in MSS. Thornton and Rawl. C., while other readings are _dolful_ (MS. Selden, cf. the Cambridge text) and _heuy_ (MS. Harl. 1671). It is difficult here to decide between _piteous_ and _hard_, but the preference should probably rest with the alliterative phrase. In the fourth line of verse 3, the alliterative _scharpe schowres_ is evidently the original reading, and it occurs in all texts except Stratford, Rawl. P., and Balliol. In the first line of verse 4, _erthe goeth upon erthe as moulde upon moulde_ occurs in thirteen texts, and two others (Stratford and Balliol, cf. also the Cambridge text) keep the rime _mould_ while altering the line. The other two readings found, _colde opon colde_ (Rawl. C.), and _golde appone golde_ (Thornton), are obviously non-original, particularly the latter, which repeats the rime-word _gold_ in two successive lines. Other variations and occasional transpositions of lines occur in individual MSS., but are unimportant.