[20] Whan erthe hath erthe i-gette
And of erthe so hath i-nouȝ,
When he is therin i-stekke,
Wo is him that was in wouȝ.
where the idea and the two rime-words are the same as in MS. Harl. 2253—
Erþe toe of erþe erþe wyþ woh,
Erþe oþer erþe to þe erþe droh,
Erþe leyde erþe in erþene þroh,
Þo heuede erþe of erþe erþe ynoh.
It will be remembered that these two MSS. (Harl. 913 and 2253) are the two which preserve texts of the A version, and the opening lines of the Song on the Times would appear to give further proof of a connexion between the two A texts.