Here is a comparison line by line of the Ellesmere manuscript against all other available sources.
In this comparison we ignore punctuation, accents, capitalization, double letters, final e's (and e before final s), differences caused by split words (e.g. "toforne" and "to forne"), and differences caused by interchange of aun/an and cion/cyon/tion.
Deletions are marked in red
and insertions in green:
In other words, the red words are from the Ellesmere-manuscript.
Verba Auctoris
Verba Auctoris Lenuoy
Trinity
Verba Auctoris The docture speketh.
Vespasian
Verba Auctoris The Wordes of the Translatour.
Tottel
Verba Auctoris The Words of the Translator.
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
O creatures ȝe / that ben resonable
O creatures ȝe/ that ben resonable be reasonable
Selden
O ye creatures ȝe/ that ben byn resonable
Trinity
O ye creatures ȝe/ that ben be resonable
Vespasian
O creatures ȝe/ Creature/ that ben byn resonable
Vossius
O creatures ȝe/ that ben resonable reasonable,
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
The life desiringe / whiche is eternal
The life desiringe/ whiche wiche is eternal
Selden
The life desiringe/ whiche is eternal that be naturall;
Vespasian
Ȝe mai sene here / doctryne ful notable
Ȝe mai sene se here/ doctryne ful notable
Selden, Trinity
Ȝe Here mai sene here/ you learne doctryne ful notable
Vespasian
Ȝowre life to lede / whiche that ys mortal
Ȝowre Ȝoure life to lede/ whiche wiche that ys mortal
Selden
Ȝowre Your life to lede/ whiche that ys mortal
Trinity, Lansdowne
Ȝowre Love life to lede/ lead whiche that ys mortal immortall.
Vespasian
Ȝowre Your life to lede/ the whiche that ys mortal
Vossius
Ȝowre Your life to lede/ lead[e], whiche that ys mortal
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Ther bi to lerne / in [e]special
Ther bi Whereby to lerne/ learne in [e]special
Vespasian
Ther bi Thereby to lerne/ learne in [e]special
Tottel
Ther bi Thereby to lerne/ learne in [e]special special
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
How ȝe schulle trace the daunce of machabre
How ȝe schulle shul trace the daunce of machabre
Selden
How ȝe schulle shall trace the daunce of machabre
Trinity, Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
How ȝe schulle trace the You must treed this daunce of machabre which you here se,
Vespasian
How ȝe schulle shal trace the daunce of machabre which that ye see
Lansdowne, Vossius
To man and woman / yliche natural
To man and woman/ yliche alyche natural
Trinity
To man and woman/ yliche and eche wight natural
Vespasian
To man and woman/ yliche that be natural
Vossius
To man and woman/ yliche ylike natural
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
For dethe ne spareth / hye ne lowe degre.
For dethe ne spareth/ doth not spaire hye ne nor lowe degre.
Vespasian
For dethe ne spareth/ hye ne sparith/ hih nor lowe degre.
Lansdowne
For dethe ne spareth/ hye ne hih nor lowe degre.
Vossius
For dethe death ne spareth/ hye ne lowe degre.
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
In this myrrow[r]e / eueri wight mai fynde
In this myrrow[r]e/ mirrour/ eueri wight mai fynde
Selden, Tottel
In this myrrow[r]e/ myrrour eueri wight man mai fynde
Trinity, Lansdowne
In this myrrow[r]e/ eueri wight miroure ech man mai fynde
Vespasian
In this myrrow[r]e/ merour/ eueri wight man mai fynde
Vossius
In this myrrow[r]e/ eueri myrrour every wight mai fynde
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
That hym behoueth / to go vpon this daunce
That hym behoueth/ bihoveth/ to go vpon this daunce
Selden
That hym behoueth/ to go vpon opon this daunce
Trinity
That yt behoveth hym behoueth/ to go vpon this treade his daunce
Vespasian
That hym behoueth/ behouyth/ to go goon vpon this daunce
Lansdowne
That hym behoueth/ be houeth/ to go gon vpon this the daunce
Vossius
That hym behoueth/ to go gone vpon this daunce
Tottel
That hym behoueth/ behoveth to go vpon gone upon this daunce
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Who gothe to-forne / or who schal go be-hynde
Who gothe to forne/ or who schal shal go be hynde behinde
Selden
Who gothe to forne/ before or who schal shall go be hynde behynde
Trinity
Who gothe to forne/ shall go before, or who schal go be hynde shall come behynde,
Vespasian
Who gothe to forne/ before/ or who schal go be hynde goth behynde
Lansdowne
Who gothe to forne/ or beforne/ & who schal go be hynde goth behynde
Vossius
Who gothe goeth to forne/ or who schal shall go be hynde behynde,
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
All dependeth / in goddes ordynaunce
All dependeth/ dependith/ in goddes goddis ordynaunce
Selden, Lansdowne
All dependeth/ in goddes ordynaunce ordenaunce
Trinity
All dependeth/ holy doth depende in goddes ordynaunce
Vespasian
All dependeth/ dependit in goddes goddis ordynaunce
Vossius
All dependeth/ in on goddes ordynaunce
Dugdale-1718
Where-fore eche man / lowely take his chaunce
Where fore eche man/ lowely lowly take his chaunce
Selden, Lansdowne, Tottel
Where fore eche yche man/ lowely lowly take his chaunce
Trinity
Where fore eche man/ lowely Let every one therefore take lowlye his chaunce
Vespasian
Where fore Werfor eche man/ lowely lowly take his chaunce
Vossius
Where fore eche Wherefore lowly every man/ lowely take his chaunce
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Deth spareth not / pore ne blode royal
Deth spareth not/ nat pore ne nor blode royal
Trinity
For Deth spareth doth not/ pore ne spaire powre nor blode royal ryall;
Vespasian
Deth spareth not/ nothir/ pore ne nor blode royal
Lansdowne
Deth spareth not/ sparith nouthir/ pore ne nor blode royal
Vossius
Deth Death spareth not/ nouther pore ne blode bloud royal
Tottel
Deth Death spareth not/ pore ne yet blode royal
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Eche man ther-fore / haue yn remembraunce
Eche Yche man ther fore/ haue thys yn remembraunce
Trinity
Eche Every man ther fore/ haue therefor have this yn remembraunce
Vespasian, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-1718
Eche man ther fore/ haue have this yn remembraunce
Lansdowne
Eche man ther fore/ haue this yn remembraunce
Vossius, Tottel
Eche Every man ther fore/ haue have this yn remembraunce
Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1818
Of oo matier / god hathe forged al.
Of oo matier/ mater/ god hathe forged al.
Selden
Of oo oon matier/ god hathe forged forgyd al.
Trinity
Of oo matier/ one substance god hathe forged haith formed hus al.
Vespasian
Of oo matier/ oon mateer/ god hathe forged Forgid al.
Lansdowne
Of oo matier/ oon mater/ god hathe forged hat forgid al.
Vossius
Of oo matier/ matter god hathe forged yforged al.
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818