The additional verses in MS. Cambr. bear some slight resemblance to other additional lines found in MSS. of the B type, and this is interesting as showing that the writer worked on the same lines in expanding his text, and was perhaps acquainted with some of the longer B texts. On the other hand characteristic differences in the treatment of the theme would seem to support the view that these verses are really individual additions and not derived from any of the other texts. The lines in question are given below:—

MS. Cambr. ll. 71-82.MS. Rawl. C. v. 8.

God walkyd in erth as longe as he wolde,

He had not in this erth but honger & colde,

And in this erth also his body was solde,

Here in this erth, whan þat he was xxxtiȝere olde.

Now he þat erthe opon erthe ordande to go

Graunt þat erthe vpon erthe may govern hym so,

Þat when erthe vnto erthe shalle be taken to,

Þat þe saule of þis erthe suffre no wo.

God lytyd in erth, blyssed be that stounde!

He sauyd hijs herth with many a scharpe wounde,

Ffor to sawe erth owght of hell grounde,

He deyd in erth vpon þe rode with many a blodyvounde.

MS. Rawl. P. vv. 31, 32.

Lord God that erthe tokist in erthe,

And suffredist paynes ful stille,

Late neuer erthe for the erthe

In dedly synne ne spille.

And God ros ovght of the est this erth for to spede,

And went into hell as was gret nede,

And toke erth from sorowe þis erth for to spede,

The ryght wey to heuen blys Iesus Cryst vs lede!

But that erthe in this erthe

Be doynge euer thi wille,

So that erthe for the erthe

Stye up to thi holi hille.
(Cf. Harl. 4486, v. 8; Lamb. v. 12; Laud v. 12).

It is therefore evident that the Cambridge text shows knowledge of both the A and the B versions, but the text in its existing form must represent either a corrupt copy of the original with frequent dislocation of lines, or, what is perhaps more likely from the instances of repetition of the same words or ideas which occur, a clumsy compilation from the two made by some one who perhaps had B before him and remembered portions of A imperfectly. Such repetitions occur in verses 2 and 18, the latter repeating three of the rime-words of the former verse, as well as the phrase scharpe schowris; and again in verses 4 and 19, and in verses 6, 7, and 13. In any case the text must be regarded as later than the A and B versions, and not as forming a link between them. The dialect is Northern, but not uniformly so.

[ Origin and Growth of the Poem.]

The question as to the source of the poem Erthe upon Erthe, and the relationship of the A and B versions to the original, and to each other, is a difficult one. The existence of a parallel Latin version in one of the oldest MSS. is clearly an important point to be taken into consideration in any attempt at an investigation of the origin of the poem, and it will be well before proceeding further to form some conclusion as to the relation in which the English and Latin stanzas in MS. Harl. 913 stand to each other. The correspondence of the two versions is not strictly verbal, but it is evident that either the English or the Latin stanzas represent a rather free rendering of the verses which accompany them. In favour of a Latin origin it may be pointed out that the metrical form of the Latin stanzas is one frequently employed in Latin poems of the time, that the subject is a favourite monastic theme, and that the manner of the poem is in keeping with contemporary Anglo-Latin compositions, such as the well-known Cur mundus militat sub vana gloria. The natural tendency would be to attribute a poem of the kind to Latin origin, especially if, as in this case, a Latin version were forthcoming.

On the other hand, it may be pointed out that the Latin text is not known to exist in any other MS., and appears indeed to have no separate existence from the English stanzas which accompany it, whereas English texts of the poem without trace of a Latin rendering or original are very common.[14] The text was one frequently used in epitaphs, but no Latin epitaph of the kind is known to have existed, although Latin was commonly used in epitaphs at the time when the poem was most widely popular.

Further, word-plays of the kind found here upon the word erthe are certainly not common in Latin verse of the time, and the Latin text does not render the play as effectively as the English does, employing alternately the three terms terra, vesta, humus, in place of the English erthe, and failing to maintain these consistently. The play on the word earth, which is the most essential feature of the poem, could not have been given with the same effect as in English either in Latin or in any mediaeval language.[15]

Thirdly, in support of an English origin it may be urged that close verbal connexion can be traced between the English text of both versions, but more especially of the earlier (A), and other poems dating from the twelfth to the fifteenth century, particularly the various Dialogues of The Soul and the Body:—

MS. Harl. 913, l. 17 (A). When erþ is in erþe, þe rof is on þe chynne. MS. Cambr. Univ. Libr. Ii. 4. 9, l. 25 (C) When erthe is in erth for wormys wyn, Þe rof of his hows xal ly on his chyn. Cf. Dialogues of Soul and Body, (Worcester fragment) 12th cent. ‘nu þu havest neowe hus inne beþrungen, lowe beoþ helewes. Þin rof liþ on þine breoste, ful . . . colde is þe ibedded. (Bodl. Fragm.) 12th cent. Þe rof bið ibyld þire broste ful neh.
(MS. Auchinleck) 13th cent. Wiþ wormes is now ytaken þin in, Þi bour is bilt wel cold in clay, Þe rof shal take to[16] þi chin. (MS. Harl. 2253) 14th cent. When þe flor is at þy rug, Þe rof ys at þy neose. Cf. Death 152 (13th cent.) in Morris, O. E. Misc., p. 168 (Jesus MS.). Þi bur is sone ibuld Þat þu schalt wunyen inne, Þe rof & þe virste[17] Schal ligge on þine chynne. Nu þe schulen wurmes Wunyen wiþinne.
MS. Harl. 913, l. 66 (A). Erþ bilt castles, & erþe bilt toures; Whan erþ is on erþe, blak beþ þe boures. MS. Harl. 4486 (B); so other B texts. Erthe apon erthe wynnethe castelles & towres. Then seythe erthe to erthe: ‘These bythe alle owres’. When erthe apon erthe hath byggede vp his bowres, Then schalle erthe for the erthe suffre scharpe schowres. MS. Cambr. 63 (C). Erthe bygyth hallys & erth bygith towres, When erþ is layd in erth, blayke is his bours; ibid. 5-8 Erthe vpon erthe has hallys & towris &c. Cf. Soul & Body Dialogues (MSS. Auchinleck, Digby, Vernon, Laud). Whare be þine castels & þine tours, Þine chaumbres & þine heiȝe halle, .   .   .   .   . Wrecche, ful derk it is þi bour To morn þou schalt þerin falle. (ibid.) Halles heiȝe & bours briȝt Y hadde y bilt & mirþes mo. (MS. Harl. 2253). thi castles & thy toures. Cf. Death 29. Ah seoþþen mony mon By-yet bures & halle, Forþi þe wrecche soule Schal into pyne falle.
MS. Harl. 913. 42 (A). Be þou þre niȝt in a þrouȝ, þi frendschip is ilor.[18] Cf. Visio Philiberti (MS. Porkington). When þou art dede þi frenschype is aslepe. Cf. Soul & Body (MS. Auchinleck). that alle þine frend beon fro þe fledde. Cf. Death 97. Hwer beoð alle þine freond Þet fayre þe bi-hehte And fayre þe igretten Bi weyes and bi strete. Nu heo walleþ wrecche Alle þe forlete Nolde heo non herestonkes[19] Nu þe imete.
MS. Cambr. l. 21 (C). When erth has gotyn erthe alle that he maye He schal haue but seven fote at his laste daye. Cf. Soul & Body (MSS. Auchinl., Digby). Now schaltow haue at al þi siþe Bot seuen fet, vnneþe þat.

The play upon the word earth recurs in other English poems. Cf. A Song on the Times (MS. Harl. 913), early fourteenth century—