Death & Dying
Erthe toc of erthe
From Harley Lyrics (British Library, MS Harley 2253)
Erþe toc 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.
Codex Note
The earliest English version of the ‘Erthe upon erthe’ memento mori, four lines copied about 1307: earth took earth with woe, earth laid earth in an earthen trough, and then had earth enough. Later versions grow into long moral poems. Text from Hilda M. R. Murray, Erthe upon Erthe (Early English Text Society, 1911).
Cite this poem
MLA
Anonymous (Middle English). “Erthe toc of erthe.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-middle-english/10/.
Chicago
Anonymous (Middle English). “Erthe toc of erthe.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/anonymous-middle-english/10/.
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