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.
The kynge liggyng dede & eten with wormes
The kynge liggyng dede & eten with of wormes
Selden
The kynge liggyng dede & eten with wormes Rex mortuus
Trinity
The kynge liggyng dede & eten with wormes Conclusio
Lansdowne, Vossius
The kynge liggyng dede & eten with eaten of wormes
Tottel
The kynge liggyng dede & eten with eaten of wormes
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Ȝe folke that loken / vpon this purtrature
Ȝe folke that loken/ lokyn/ vpon this purtrature portrature
Selden
Ȝe folke that loken/ vpon opon this purtrature portreture
Trinity
Ȝe folke that loken/ vpon this purtrature scripture
Lansdowne
Ȝe folke that loken/ lokyn/ vpon this purtrature scripture
Vossius
Ȝe folke that loken/ loke vpon this purtrature portrature,
Tottel
Ȝe folke that loken/ vpon look upon this purtrature portrature,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Beholdyng here / alle the estates daunce
Beholdyng Biholdyng here/ alle the estates states daunce
Selden
Beholdyng here/ alle the estates astats daunce
Trinity
Beholdyng Conceyveth here/ that alle the estates estatis daunce
Lansdowne
Beholdyng Conceyueth here/ that alle the estates estatis daunce
Vossius
Beholdyng here/ alle the estates daunce
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Seeth what ȝe ben / & what is ȝowre nature
Seeth what ȝe ben/ & what is ȝowre ȝoure nature
Selden, Tottel
Seeth what ȝe ben/ be & what is ȝowre your nature
Trinity, Lansdowne, Vossius
Seeth what ȝe have ben/ & what is ȝowre your nature
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Mete vnto wormes / not elles yn substaunce
Mete vnto wormes/ not elles ellis yn substaunce
Selden
Mete vnto wormes/ not elles nought allys yn substaunce
Trinity
Mete vnto wormes/ not elles wormys/ nat ellis yn substaunce
Lansdowne, Vossius
Mete Meat vnto wormes/ not nought elles yn substaunce
Tottel
Mete vnto Meat unto wormes/ not nought elles yn substaunce
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
And haue this myrroure / euer yn remembraunce
And haue haueþ this myrroure/ euer ay yn remembraunce
Trinity, Tottel
And haue have this myrroure/ euer ay yn remembraunce
Lansdowne, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
And haue this myrroure/ euer ay yn remembraunce
Vossius
[H]ow I lye here / som-tyme crowned kynge
[H]ow I lye here/ som tyme crowned crownyd kynge
Selden
[H]ow I lye here/ som tyme crowned whylom a myghty kynge
Trinity
[H]ow I lye here/ som tyme crowned kynge Be fore your mynde/ a boven al thyng
Lansdowne
[H]ow I lye here/ som tyme crowned kynge Before your mynd/ abovyn al thyng
Vossius
[H]ow I lye here/ som tyme crowned whylom crouned [a] kynge
Tottel
[H]ow I lye here/ som tyme whilom crowned kynge
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
To al estates / a trewe resemblaunce
To al estates/ astats a trewe resemblaunce
Trinity
To al estates/ estatis/ a trewe resemblaunce
Lansdowne, Vossius
To al estates/ a trewe true resemblaunce
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
That wormes fode / is fyne of owre lyuynge.
That wormes fode/ is fyne of owre oure lyuynge.
Selden, Tottel
That wormes fode/ is fyne þe ende of owre your lyuynge.
Trinity
That wormes fode/ is fyne ende of owre lyuynge. your lyvyng.
Lansdowne
That wormes wormys fode/ is fyne end of owre lyuynge. your lyffvyng
Vossius
That wormes fode/ is the fyne of owre lyuynge. your living.
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Machabre the Doctoure
Doctor Machabre the Doctoure
Trinity
Man is nowght elles / platli for to thenke
Man is nowght elles/ not ellis/ platli for to thenke thinke
Selden
Man is nowght nat elles/ platli playnly for to thenke þynke
Trinity
Man MANS lyfe* is nowght nought elles/ platli for to thenke thinke.
Tottel
Man is nowght nought elles/ platli for to thenke think,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
But as a wynde / whiche is transitorie
But as a wynde/ whiche wiche is transitorie
Selden
But as a wynde/ whiche is transitorie
Trinity, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Passyng ay forthe / whether he wake or wynke
Towarde this daunce / haue this yn memorie
Towarde this daunce/ haue haueth this yn memorie
Tottel
Towarde this daunce/ haue haveth this yn memorie
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1818
Towarde Towards this daunce/ haue haveth this yn memorie
Dugdale-1718
Remembr[ing]e ay / ther is [no] bette victory
Remembr[ing]e ay/ ther is [no] bette better victory
Trinity, Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
In this life here / than fle synne atte leste
In this life here/ than fle synne atte þe leste
Selden, Trinity
In this life here/ than fle synne atte leste the least;
Tottel
In this life here/ than fle then fly synne atte leste the least:
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1818
In this life here/ than fle then fly synne atte leste the least:
Dugdale-1718
Than shul ȝe reigne / yn Paradyse with glorie
Than shul ȝe reigne/ regne/ yn Paradyse with glorie
Selden
Than shul Then shall ȝe reigne/ yn Paradyse with glorie
Trinity, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Than shul shal ȝe reigne/ yn Paradyse with glorie
Tottel
Happi is he / that maketh yn heuene his feste.
Happi is he/ that maketh yn heuene heuyn his feste.
Trinity
Happi is he/ that maketh yn heuene heauen his feste. feast!
Tottel
Happi is he/ that maketh yn heuene heaven his feste. feast.
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Ȝitte ther be folke / mo than sixe or seuene
Ȝitte ther be folke/ mo than sixe or seuene sevene
Selden
Ȝitte Yet be ther be folke/ folks mo than þen sixe or seuene seuyn
Trinity
Ȝitte Yet been ther be folke/ mo than sixe or seuene
Tottel
Ȝitte YEt ther be folke/ mo than sixe or seuene seven,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Reckeles of life / yn many maner wyse
Reckeles Reckles of life/ yn many maner wyse
Selden
Reckeles Reklese of life/ yn many maner wyse
Trinity
Reckeles Recheles of life/ yn many maner wyse
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Like as ther were / helle noon ne heuene
Like as ther were/ helle noon ne nor heuene
Selden
Like as ther were/ nowþer helle noon ne heuene nor heuyn
Trinity
Like as ther were/ helle noon ne heuene nor heauen.
Tottel
Like as ther were/ helle noon ne heuene nor heaven,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Suche fals errowre / lete eueri man despice
Suche fals errowre/ errour/ lete eueri man despice dispice
Selden
Suche fals errowre/ lete errour lat eueri man despice dyspyse
Trinity
Suche fals errowre/ errour lete eueri man despice despise;
Tottel
Suche fals errowre/ errour lete eueri every man despice despise,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1818
Suche fals errowre/ error lete eueri every man despice despise.
Dugdale-1718
For holi seyntes / & olde Clerkes wise
For holi seyntes/ seintis/ & olde Clerkes clerkis wise
Selden
For holi seyntes/ saynctes & olde Clerkes wise
Tottel, Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Writen contrarie / her falsnes to deface
Writen Wretyn þe contrarie/ her falsnes falsenes to deface
Trinity
Writen contrarie/ her falsnes falsenes to deface
Tottel
Writen contrarie/ her falsnes falseness to deface defame,
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
To lyue welle / take this for beste Emprise
To lyue welle/ take this for beste Emprise emprice
Selden
To lyue welle/ take this for hyt ys þe beste Emprise
Trinity
To lyue liuen welle/ take this for the beste Emprise
Tottel
To lyue liven welle/ take this for the beste Emprise
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818
Is moche worthe / when men shul hennes pace.
Is moche worthe/ when whan men shul hennes pace.
Selden
Is moche worthe/ To euery man when men shul he shall hennes pace. pase
Trinity
Is moche much[e] worthe/ when men shul hennes pace. shall* hence passe.
Tottel
Is moche worthe/ much when men shul hennes pace. should hence pass.
Dugdale-1658, Dugdale-monasticon, Dugdale-1718, Dugdale-1818