Earth^[1] out of earth is wondrously wrought, Earth of earth hath got a dignity of naught, Earth upon earth hath set all his thought,

How that Earth upon earth may be high brought.

Earth upon earth would be a King;

But how Earth shall to earth thinketh nothing;

When that earth biddeth Earth his rentes home bring, Then shall Earth out of earth have a piteous parting.

Earth upon earth winneth castles and towers, Then saith Earth to earth: “Now all this is ours!”

When that Earth upon earth hath built up his bowers, Then shall Earth upon earth suffer sharp showres.

Earth goes upon earth as mold upon mold,

So goes Earth upon earth all glittering in gold, As though Earth unto earth never go should,

And yet Earth shall to earth before that he would.

O thou Earth that on earth travailest night and day, To deck thee, Earth, to paint thee with wanton array;

Yet shalt thou, Earth, for all thy earth, make thou it never so quaint and gay, Out of this earth into the earth, there to cling as a clod of clay.

O wretched man, why art thou proud that art of earth maked? Hither broughtest thou no shroud, but poor came thou and naked! When thy soul is gone out, and thy body in earth raked,

Then thy body that was rank and undevout, of all men is hated.

Out of this earth came to this earth this wretched garment,

To hide this Earth, to hap this Earth, to him was clothing lent; Now goes Earth upon earth, rueful, ragged, and rent, Therefore shall Earth under earth have hideous torment.

Why that Earth too must love earth, wonder me think,

Or why that Earth for superflue earth, too sore sweat will or swink; For when that Earth upon earth is brought within the brink,

Then shall Earth of the earth have a rueful swink.

So, Earth upon earth, consider thou may How Earth cometh into earth naked alway,

Why should Earth upon earth go now so stout or gay When Earth shall pass out of earth in so poor array?

Therefore, thou Earth upon earth that so wickedly hast wrought, While that thou, Earth, art upon earth, turn again thy thought, And pray to that God upon earth that all the earth hath wrought, That thou, Earth upon earth, to bliss may be brought.

O Thou Lord that madest this earth for this Earth, and suffered here paines ill, Let not this Earth for this earth evil e’er spille,

But that this Earth on this earth be ever working Thy will. So that this Earth from this earth may fly up to Thy high hill.