The Middle English Poem, Erthe Upon Erthe

English poetry -- Middle English, 1100-1500
[Footnote 1: The second line in omitted here and in No. 5, where a
    new line has been added.]

    [Footnote 2: MS. _vnt_.]

    [Footnote 3: Omitted in MS., but required by metre.]


5.

MS. HARLEIAN 1671. 15th century.                         [fol. 1*, r^o.]

  1   Erthe apon erthe ys waxyne and wrought{e},
      And erthe apon erthe hathe ysette all{e} hys thought{e}
      Howe that erth{e} apon erth{e} hye myght be brought{e},
      But how that erth{e} scal to the erth{e}
              thyngketh{e} he noht{e}.                                 4

  2   Erthe apon erth{e} wolde be a kyng,
      Butte how that erth{e} schal to erth{e} thynketh he no thynge,
      Ffor when erth{e} byddyth{e} erth{e} hys rente home[1] brynge,
      Than hath{e} erth{e} apon erth{e} heuy partyng.                  8

  3   Eerthe apon erth{e} wynnyth castells and touris,
      And erth{e} sayth{e} to the erth{e}: ‘Thys ys all{e} ourys’.
      Wanne erth{e} apon erth{e} syttyth{e} wyth-in hys bovrys,
      Yeȝt schall{e} erth{e}[2] for the erthe
              suffre scharpe schourys.                                12

  4   Erth{e} goyth{e} on erth{e} as mowlde apon{ne} mowlde,
      And erth{e} goyth on erth{e} gletterant as golde,
      Like as erth{e} apon erth{e} neuer dye schoulde.
      Ȝyt schall erth{e} to the erth{e} rather than he wolde.         16

  5   Why that erth{e} louyth erth{e} wond{er} me thynke,
      Or why that erth{e} apon erth{e} swete or swynke,
      Ffor whan{ne} erth{e} apon erth{e} ys brought wyth-in the brynke,
      Than ys erth{e} apon erth{e} botte a fowle stynke.              20

  6   Erth{e} apon erth{e} knoweth{e} eche day
      Howe erth{e} cometh to the erth{e} naked all{e} waye.
      Why schulde erth{e} apon erth{e} go stowte or gay,
      Syth erth{e} apon erth{e} schal passe in pore aray?             24

  7   I cowncell{e} erth{e} apon erth{e} that wonderly hath wrought{e}
      Whyles that erth{e} ys apon erth{e} to turne all hys thought{e},
      And y pray to God apon erth{e}
              that all{e} erth{e} hath wrought{e},
      That erth{e} out of erth{e} to blysse may be brought{e}. Amen.  28

            [3]Whanne lyf ys moste louyd,
            And dethe ys most hatyd,
            Dethe drawyth hys drawghte
            And maketh a man ful naked.                               32
                De t{er}ra plasmasti me.

    [Footnote 1: MS. _hime_ crossed out, and _home_ written in same
    line.]

    [Footnote 2: MS. _erht{e}_.]

    [Footnote 3: written parallel with the poem in the right-hand
    column. A signature apparently follows, but is indecipherable.]


6.

MS. BRIGHTON. 15th century.                              [fol. 90, v^o.]

  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
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The Middle English Poem, Erthe Upon Erthe

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