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Verba translatoris
O ȝee folkes / harde hertid as a stone
Wich to þe worlde / haue al ȝour aduertence
Liche as it shulde / laste euere in oone
Where is ȝour witt / wher is ȝour prudence
5
To se aforn / the sodeine violence
Of cruel dethe / þat be so wis and sage
Wiche sleeth allas / by stroke of pestilence
Boþe ȝong and olde / of lowe & hy parage
Deeth sparith not / lowe ne hy degre
10
Popes kynges ne worthy Emperours
Whan þei shyne / most in felicite
He can abate / þe fresshnes of her flours
The briȝt sonne / clipsen with his shours
Make hem plunge / from her sees lowe
15
Magre þe myȝt / of alle these conquerours
Fortune hath hem / from her whele ythrowe
Considerith þis / ȝe folkes that be wys
And it enprentith / in ȝoure memorial
Like þensaumple / wiche þat at Parys
20
I fonde depict / oones in a wal
Ful notably / as I reherce shal
Ther of frensshe clerkis / takyng aqueintaunce
I toke on me / to translatyn al
Oute of þe frensshe / machabres daunce
25
By whos avys / and counceil atte þe leste
Thoruȝ her steryng /and her mocioun
I obeide / vn to her requeste
Ther of to make / a playn translacioun
In englissh tonge / of entencioun
30
That proude folkes / wiche þat be stout & bold
As in a mirrour / to for in her resoun
Her ougly fine / may cleerly ther bihold
By exaumple / þat þei in her ententis
Amende her lif / in euery manere age
35
The wiche daunce / at seint Innocentis
Portreied is / with al þe surpluage
To shewe þis worlde / is but a pilgrimage
Ȝove vn to vs / our lyves to correcte
And to declare / the fyne of oure passage
40
Riȝt anoon / my stile I wole directe
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Verba auctoris
O creatures / ȝe that be reasonable
The lyf desiring / wiche is eternal
Ȝe may se here doctrine ful notable
Ȝoure lif to lede / wiche þat is mortal
45
Ther by to lerne / in especial
Howe ȝe shul trace / þe daunce of Machabre
To man & womman / yliche natural
For deth ne spareth / hy ne lowe degre
In þis mirrour / euery wiȝt may finde
50
That him bihoveth / to goo vpon þis daunce
Who goth to forn / or who shal goo behinde
Al dependith / in goddis ordinaunce
Wherfore eche man / lowly take his chaunce
Deeth spareth not / pore ne blood royal
55
Eche man þerfore / haue in remembraunce
Of o mater / god hath forged al
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Deeth to the Pope
O ȝee þat be set / most hie in dignite
Of alle estatis / in erthe spiritual
And like as Petir had þe souereinte
60
Overe þe chirche / and statis temporal
Vpon þis daunce / ȝe firste begyn shal
As moste worthy lorde / and gouernour
For al þe worship / of ȝoure astate papal
And of lordship / to god is the honour
The Pope aunswerith
65
First me bihoueth / þis daunce for to lede
Wich sat in erþe / hiest in my see
The state ful perillous / ho so takith hede
To occupie / Petris dignite
But al for that / deth I may not fle
70
On his daunce / with other for to trace
For wich / al honour / who prudently can se
Is litel worth / that doþe so sone pace
Deeth to the Emperour
Sir Emperour / lorde of al the ground
Souerein prince / and hiest of noblesse
75
Ȝe must forsake / of golde ȝour appil round
Septre and swerd / and al ȝoure hy prowesse
Behinde leve / ȝour tresour and ricchesse
And with othir / to my daunce obeie
Aȝein my myȝt / is worth noon hardinesse
80
Adamis children / alle þei moste deie
The Emperour answerith
I note to whom / þat I may (me) apele
Touching deth / wiche doth me so constreine
There is no gein / to helpe my querele
But spade / and pikois / my graue to ateyne
85
A simple shete / ther is no more to seyne
To wrappe in my body / and visage
Ther vpon sore / I may compleine
That lordis grete / haue litel avauntage
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Deeth to þe cardinal
Ȝe be abaisshid / it semeth and in drede
90
Sir cardinal / it shewith by ȝoure chere
But ȝit for thy / ȝe folowe shulle in dede
With oþir folke / my daunce for to lere
Ȝoure grete aray / al shal bileven here
Ȝoure hatte of reed / ȝoure vesture of grete cost
95
Alle these þingis / rekenyd wele y fere
In greet honour / good avis is lost
The cardinal answerith
I haue grete cause / certis this is no faille
To bene abaisshid / and greetly drede me
Seth deeth is come / me sodeinly to assaille
100
That I shal neuere / her aftir clothed be
In grys ne ermyn / like to my degre
My hatte of reed / leue eke in distresse
By wiche I haue / lyved wel and see
Howe þat al Ioie / endith in heuynesse
Deeth to the kyng
105
O noble kyng / moste worþi of renoun
Come forþe anone / for al ȝoure worþinesse
That somtyme had / aboute ȝow enviroun
Greet rialte / and passing hy noblesse
But riȝt anoone / (for) al ȝoure grete hynes
110
Sool fro ȝoure men / in hast ȝe shul it lete
Who moste aboundiþ / here in greet ricches
Shal bere with hym / but a sengle shete
The kyng answeriþ
I haue not lernyd / here a forn to daunce
No daunce in sooth / of footyng so sauage
115
Wherfore I see / by clere demonstraunce
What pride is worth / force or hy lynage
Deeth al fordoþe / this is his vsage
Greet and smale / þat in þis worlde soiourne
Ho is most meke / I hold he is most sage
120
For he shal al to dede asshes tourne
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Deeth to þe Patriarke
Sir Patriarke / alle ȝoure humble chere
Ne quite ȝow not / ne ȝoure humilite
Ȝoure double crosse / of gold and stones clere
Ȝoure power hoole / and al ȝoure dignite
125
Some othir shal / of verrey equite
Possede anoone / as I reherce can
Trustiþ neuere / that ȝe shulle pope be
For foly hope / deceiveth many a man
The Patriarke aunsweriþ
Worldly honour / greet tresour & richesse
130
Han me deceivid / sothfastly in dede
Myn olde Ioies / be turned to tristesse
What vailith it / suche tresour to possede
Hy clymbyng vp / a falle hath for his mede
Grete estates / folke wasten oute of noumbre
135
Who mountith hy / it is sure and no drede
Greet berthen / doþe hym ofte encombre
Deeth to þe constable
It is my riȝt / to reste and ȝow constreine
With vs to daunce / my maister sir Constable
For more strong / þan euere was Charlemayne
140
Deeth hath aforced / and more worshipable
For hardines / ne knyȝthood / þis is no fable
Ne stronge armvre / of plates ne of mayle
What geyneth armes / of folkes moste notable
Whan cruel deeth / lest hem to assaille
The constable answeriþ
145
My purpos was / and hool entencioun
To assaille castelles / and miȝty forteresses
And bringe folke / vn to subieccioun
To seke honour & fame / and grete richesses
But I se wel / þat al worldly prowesses
150
Deeth can abate / wich is a grete dispite
To him al oone / sorwe and eke swetnesses
For aȝein deeth / is founden no respite
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Deeth to þe Archebisshop
Sir Archebisshoppe / whi do ȝe ȝow withdrawe
So frowardly / as it were by disdeyn
155
Ȝe muste aproche / to my mortel lawe
It to contrarie / it nere not but in veyn
For day by day / þere is noon othir geyn
Deeth at þe hande / pursueth euery coost
Prest and dette / mote be ȝolde aȝein
160
And at o day / men counten wiþ her oost
The Archebisshoppe answerith
Allas I woote not / what partie for to flee
For drede of dethe / I haue so grete distresse
To ascape his myȝt / I can no refute se
That who so knewe / his constreint and duresse
165
He wolde take resoun to maistresse
A dewe my tresour / my pompe and pride also
peintid chaumbres / my port & my fresshnesse
For thing that bihoveth / nedes must be do
Deth to þe Baroun
Ȝe þat amonge lordis / and barouns
170
Han had so longe / worship and renoun
Forȝete ȝoure trumpetis / and ȝoure clariouns
This is no dreme / ne simulacioun
Somtime ȝoure custome / and entencioun
Was with ladies / to daunce in þe shade
175
But ofte it happith / in conclusioun
That o man brekith / þat a noþir made
The Baroun or the knyȝt answerith
Ful ofte siþe / I haue bene auctorised
To hie emprises / and þinges of greet fame
Of hie and lowe / my thanke also deuised
180
Cherisshed wiþ ladies / and wymmen hie of name
Ne neuere on me / was put no defame
In lordis court / wiche þat was notable
But deeþis strook / hath made me so lame
Vndre heuene / in erþe / is no thing stable
Deeth to þe lady of grete astate
185
Come forþe anone / my lady and Princesse
Ȝe muste also / goo vp on this daunce
Not may availle / ȝoure grete straungenesse
Nouþer ȝoure beute / ne ȝoure greet plesaunce
Ȝoure riche aray / ne ȝoure daliaunce
190
That svmtyme / cowde so many holde an honde
In loue for al / ȝoure double variaunce
Ye mote as nowe / þis footing vndirstonde
The lady answerith
Allas I see / ther is none othir boote
Deeth hath in erthe / no lady ne maistresse
195
And on his daunce / ȝit muste (I) nedis foote
For þere nys qwene contesse ne duchesse
Flouringe in bounte / ne in fairnesse
That she of deeth / mote deþes trace sewe
For to (oure) bewte / and countirfeet fresshnesse
200
(Oure) rympled age / seith fare wele a dewe
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Deeth to þe Bisshoppe
My lorde sir Bisshoppe / with ȝoure mytre & croos
For al ȝoure ricchesse / sothly I ensure
For al ȝoure tresour / so longe kept in cloos
Ȝoure worldly goodes / and goodes of nature
205
And of ȝoure sheep / þe dredly goostly cure
With charge committid / to ȝoure prelacie
For to acounte / ȝe shulle be brouȝte to lure
No wiȝt is sure / þat clymbeth ouere hie
The Bisshoppe answeriþ
My herte truly / is nouþer glad ne myrie
210
Of sodein tidinges / wiche þat ȝe bring
My fest is turned / in to a simple ferye
That for discomfort / me list no þing syng
The worlde contrarie nowe / vn to me in workyng
That alle folkes / can so disherite
215
He þat al withhalt / allas at oure parting
And al shal passe / saue only oure merite
Deeth to þe Squier
Come forth sir Squier / riȝt fresshe of ȝoure aray
That can of daunces / al þe newe gise
Thouȝ ȝe bare armes / fressh horsed ȝisterday
220
With spere and shelde / at ȝoure vnkouþe deuise
And toke on ȝow / so many hy emprise
Daunceth with vs / it wil no bettir be
Ther is no socour / in no manere wise
For no man may / fro deþes stroke fle
The Squier aunswerith
225
Siþen þat deþe / me holdith in his lace
Ȝet shal y speke / o worde or y pase
A dieu al myrþe / a dieu nowe al solace
A dieu my ladies / somtime so fressh of face
A dieu beute / plesaunce and solace
230
Of deþes chaunge / euery day is prime
Thinkeþ on ȝoure soules / or þat deth manace
For al shal rote / and no man wote what tyme
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Deeth to þe Abbot
Come forth sir Abbot / wiþ ȝoure brood hatte
Beeth not abaisshed / þouȝ ȝe haue riȝt
235
Greet is ȝour hood / ȝour bely large & fatte
Ȝe mote come daunce / þouȝ ȝe be no þing liȝt
Leve vp ȝoure abbey / to some othir wiȝt
Ȝoure eir is of age / ȝoure state to occupie
Who þat is fattest / I haue hym behiȝt
240
In his graue / shal sonnest putrefie
The Abbot answeriþ
Of thi þretis / haue I noon envie
That I shal nowe / leve al gouernaunce
But þat I shal / as a cloistrer dye
This doth to me / passinge grete grevaunce
245
Mi liberte / nor my greet habondaunce
What may availe / in any manere wise
Ȝit axe I mercy / with hertly repentaunce
Thouȝ in diynge / to late men hem avise
Deeth to the Abbesse
And ȝe my lady / gentil dame Abbesse
250
Wiþ ȝoure mantels / furred large and wide
Ȝoure veile ȝoure wymple / passinge of greet richesse
And beddis softe / ȝe mote nowe leie a side
For to þis daunce / I shal be ȝoure guyde
Thouȝ ȝe be tendre / and born of gentil blood
255
While þat ȝe lyve / for ȝoure silfe prouide
For aftir deeth / no man hath no good
The Abbesse answerith
Allas that deeth / hath þus for me ordeined
That in no wise / I may it not declyne
Thouȝ it so be / ful ofte I haue constreyned
260
Brest and throte / my notes out to twyne
My chekes round / vernysshed for to shyne
Vngirt ful ofte (to walke at þe large
Thus cruell deth doth all estates fyne
Who hath no chippe muste rowe in bote or barge)
Deeth to þe Bally
265
Come forþe sir bailly / that knowen al þe gise
By ȝoure office / of trouþe and riȝtwisnes
Ȝe must come / to a newe assise
Extorciouns / and wronges to redres
Ȝe be somonyd / as lawe bit expres
270
To ȝelde acountes / þe Iuge wole ȝow charge
Wiche hath ordeyned / to exclude al falsnes
That euery man / shal bere his owne charge
The Bayly answerith
O þou lorde god / this is an hard iourne
To suche a fourme / I tooke but litel hede
275
Mi chaunge is turned / and þat forthinkiþ me
Sumtyme wiþ Iuges / what me list to spede
Lay in my myȝt / by fauour or for mede
But sithen þere is / no rescws by bataille
I holde hym wys / þat cowde see in dede
280
Aȝein deeth / þat none apele may vaille
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Deeth to þe Astronomere
Come forþe maister / þat loken vp so ferre
With Instruments / of Astronomy
To take þe grees / and heiȝte of euery sterre
What may availe / al ȝoure astrologie
285
Sethen Adam and / alle the Genolagie
Made ferst of god / to walke vppon þe grounde
Deeth dooth areste / þus seith The(o)logie
And al shal die / for an appil round
The Astronomere answerith
For al my craft / kunnynge or science
290
I can not finde / no prouisioun
Ne in the sterris / serche oute no defence
By domefiynge / ne calculacioun
Safe finally / in conclusioun
For to discrive / oure kunnynge euerydele
295
Ther is no more / by sentence of resoun
Who lyueth ariȝt / mote nedis dye wele
Deeth to þe Burgeys
Sir burgeis / what do ȝe lenger tarie
For al ȝoure aver / and ȝoure greet ricchesse
Thouȝ ȝe be straunge / deynous & contrarie
300
To this daunce / ȝe mote ȝow nedis dresse
For ȝoure tresour / plente and largesse
From oþere it cam / and shal vnto straungers
He is a fool / that in suche bysynes
Woot not for whom / he stuffith his garners
The Burgeis aunswerith
305
Certis to me / it is greet displesaunce
To leve al this / and may it not assure
Houses rentes / tresour and substaunce
Deeth al fordoþe / suche is his nature
Therfore / wys is no creature
310
That set his herte / on good þat moot disseuere
The worlde it lente / and he mot it (recure)
And who most hath / loþest dieth euere
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Deeth to þe Chanoun
And ȝe sir Chanoun / with many grete prebende
Ȝe may no lenger / haue distribucioun
315
Of golde and siluer / largely to dispende
For þere is nowe / no consolacioun
But daunce with vs / for al ȝoure hie renoun
For ȝe of deeth / stonde vppon þe brink
Ȝe may ther of / haue no dilacioun
320
Deeth comyth ay / whan men lest on him þink
The Chanoun answeriþ
My benefices / with many personage
God wote ful lite / may me nowe comforte
Deeth hath of me / so grete avauntage
Al my ricches / may me not disporte
325
Amys of grys / þei wole aȝein resorte
Vn to þe worlde / surplys and prebende
Al is veinglorie / truly to reporte
To die wel / eche man shulde entende
Deeth to þe Marchaunt
Ȝe riche Marchaunt / ȝe mote loke hiderwarde
330
That passid haue / many diuers londe
On hors on foot / hauynge moste reward
To lucre and wynnyng / as I vndirstond
But nowe to daunce / ȝe mote ȝeue me ȝoure honde
For al ȝoure labour / ful litel availeth ȝow
335
A dieu veinglorie / boþe of free and bonde
No more coueite þan þei þat haue ynow
The Marchaunt answeriþ
By manie an hil / and many a straunge vale
I haue traueilid / with my marchandise
Ouere þe see / do carie many a bale
340
To sundry Iles / mo þan I can deuise
My herte Inwarde / ay fret with couetise
But al for nouȝt / nowe deeth doiþ me constreine
By wiche I seie / by recorde of the wise
Who al embraceth / litel shal restreine
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Deeth to þe Chartereux
345
Ȝeue me ȝoure hond / wiþ chekis dede & pale
Causid of wacche / and longe abstinence
Sir chartereux / and ȝoure silfe avale
Vn to this daunce / with humble pacience
To stryve aȝein / may be no resistence
350
Lenger to lyve / set not ȝoure memorie
Thouȝ I be lothsom / as in apparence
Aboue alle men / deth hath þe victorie
The Chartereux aunswerith
Unto þe worlde / I was dede longe agone
By my ordre / and my professioun
355
Thouȝ euery man / be he neuere so stronge
Dredith to die / by kindly mocioun
Aftir his flesshly Inclinacioun
But plese it to god / my soule for to borowe
From fendis myȝt / and from dampnacioun
360
Some bene to day / þat shulle not be to morwe
Deeth to þe Seriaunt
Come forþe sir Sergant / with ȝoure statly mace
Make no defence / ne no rebellioun
Not may availe / to grucche in þis cace
Thouȝ ȝe be deynous / of condicioun
365
For nouther pele / ne proteccioun
May ȝow fraunchise / to do nature wrong
For þere is noone / so sturdy champioun
Thouȝ he be myȝty / anoþer is as stronge
The Sergant answerith
Howe dare þis deþe / sette on me areste
370
That am þe kinges chosen officere
Wiche ȝisterday / boþe west and este
Min office dide / ful surquidous of chere
But nowe þis day / I am arestid here
And may not flee / þouȝ I hadde it sworn
375
Eche man is lothe / to die ferre and nere
That hath not lerned / for to die aforn
|
Deeth to þe Monke
Sir monke also / with ȝoure blak habite
Ȝe may no lenger / holde here soiour
Ther is no þing / þat may ȝow here respite
380
Aȝein my myȝt / ȝow for to socour
Ȝe mote acounte / touching ȝoure labour
Howe ȝe haue spent it / in dede worde & þouȝt
To erþe and asshes / turneth euery flour
The life of man / is but a þing of nouȝt
The monke answerith
385
I hadde leuere / in þe cloistre be
At my book / and studie my seruice
Wiche is a place / contemplatif to se
But I haue spent / my life in many vice
Liche as a fool / dissolut and nyce
390
God of his mercy / graunt me repentaunce
By chere outwarde / harde (is) to deuise
Alle be not mery / wich þat men se daunce
Deeth to þe vsurere
Thou vsurer / loke vp and biholde
Vn to wynnygne / þou settist al þi peine
395
Whos couetise / wexiþ neuere colde
Thy gredy þrust / so sore þe doth constreine
But þou shalt neuere / þi desire ateyne
Such an etik / thin herte frete shal
That but of pite / god his hande refreine
400
O perillous strook / shal make þe lese al
The vsurere answerith
Nowe me bihoueth / sodeinly to dey
Wiche is to me / grete peine & greet grevaunce
Socour to finde / I see no maner wey
Of golde ne siluer / by no chevesaunce
405
Deeth þoruȝ his haste / abit no purveaunce
Of folkes blinde / þat can not look wel
Ful ofte happith / by kinde or fatal chaunce
Some haue faire eyȝen / þat see neuere a dele
The pore man to þe vsurere
Vsure to god / is ful grete offence
410
And in his siȝt / a grete abusioun
The pore borwith / par cas for indigence
The riche lent / by fals collucioun
Only for lucre in his entencioun
Deeth shal hem boþe / to acountes fette
415
To make rekenynge by computacioun
No man is quit / þat is bihinde of dette
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Deeth to þe Fisician
Maister of phisik / wiche on ȝoure vryne
So loke and gase / and stare aȝein þe sonne
For al ȝoure craft / and studie of medicine
420
Al þe practyk / and sience þat ȝe konne
Ȝour lyves cours / so ferforþe is Ironne
Aȝein my myȝt / ȝoure craft may not endure
For al þe golde / þat ȝe ther by haue wonne
Good leche is he / þat can him silfe recure
The Fisician answerith
425
Ful longe a goo / that I vn to phisik
Sette my witt / and my dilligence
In speculatif / and also in practik
To gete a name / þoruȝ myn excellence
To finde oute / aȝens pestilence
430
Preseruatives / to staunche it and to fine
But I dar seie / shortly in sentence
Aȝens deeth / is worth no medicine
Deeth to þe Amerous Squier
Ȝe þat be gentil / so fresshe and amerous
Of ȝeres ȝonge / flouringe in ȝoure grene age
435
Lusty free / of herte eke desirous
Ful of devises / and chaunge in ȝoure corage
Plesaunt of port / of look and of visage
But al shal turne / in to asshes dede
For al bewte / is but a feint ymage
440
Wiche steliþ a weye / or folkes can take hede
The Squier answeriþ
Allas allas / I can nowe no socour
Aȝens dethe / for my silfe provide
A dieu of ȝouþe / þe lusty fresshe flour
A dieu veinglorie / of bewte and of pride
445
A dieu al seruice / of þe god Cupide
A dieu my ladies / so fressh so wel be sein
For aȝein dethe / no þing may abide
And windes grete / goo doun with litil reyn
Deeth to þe gentil womman amerous
Come forþe maistresse / of ȝeris ȝonge and grene
450
Wiche holde ȝoure silfe / of bewte souereyne
As faire as ȝee / was somtyme Polycene
Penolope / and the quene Eleyne
Ȝit on þis daunce / þei wente boþe tweine
And so shulle ȝe / for al ȝoure straungenesse
455
Thouȝ daunger longe / in loue haþ lad ȝoure reine
Arestid is / ȝoure chaunge of doubilnesse
The gentil womman answerith
O cruel deeth / þat sparest none estate
To old and ȝonge / þou art indifferent
To my bewte / þou hast yseide chekmate
460
So hasty is / thi mortal Iugement
For in my ȝouþe / this was myn entent
To my seruice / many a man to haue lured
But she is a fool / shortly in sentement
That in hir bewte / is to moche assurid
|
Deeth to the man of lawe
465
Sir aduocate / short processe for to make
Ȝe mote come plete / afore þe hiȝe Iuge
Many a quarel / ȝe haue vndirtake
And for lucre / to do folke refuge
But my fraunchise / is so large & huge
470
That Counceile none / availe may but trouþe
He skapiþ wisely / of deeth þe greet deluge
To fore þe doom / who is not teint wiþ slouþe
The man of lawe answerith
Of riȝt and resoun / by naturis lawe
I can not putte / aȝein deeth no defence
475
Ne by no sleiȝte / me kepe ne wiþdrawe
For al my wit / and my greet prudence
To make apele / from this dredful sentence
No þing in erthe / may a man preserve
Aȝeins his myȝt / to make resistence
480
God quite al men / like as þei deserve
Deeth to þe Iourrour
Maister Iurrour / wiche þat at assise
And atte Shires / questes doste embrace
Departist londe / like to þi deuise
And who most ȝaf / moste stode in þi grace
485
The pore man / lost londe and place
For golde þou cowdest / folkes disherite
But nowe lete se / with þi teint face
To fore þe Iuge / howe þou canst þe quite
The Iourour answerith
Somtyme I was clepid / in my cuntre
490
The belle wedir / and þat was nat a lite
Nouȝt loued / but drad / of lowe and hie degre
For whom me list / by craft I coude endite
And hange the trewe / and þe theef respite
Al þe cuntre / by my worde was lad
495
But I dar sey / shortly for to write
Of my dethe / many a man is glad
Deeth to þe Minstral
O thou mynstral / þat canst so note and pipe
Vnto folkes / for to do plesaunce
By þe riȝt honde / I shal anoone þe gripe
500
With these other / to goo vp on my daunce
There is no scape / neiþer avoidaunce
On no side / to contrarie my sentence
For in Musik / by craft and acordaunce
Who maister is / shewe his (science)
The minstral answeriþ
505
This newe daunce / is to me so straunge
Wondir diuerse / and passingly contrarie
The dredful fotyng / doth so ofte chaunge
And þe mesures / so ofte sithes varie
Wiche nowe to me / is no þing necessarie
510
If it were so / þat I myȝt asterte
But many a man / if I shal not tarie
Ofte daunceth / but no thing of herte
Deeth to þe Tregetour
Maistir Iohn Rikele / some tyme Tregetour
Of noble Harry / kyng of Engelond
515
And of Fraunce / þe miȝty conquerour
For alle þe sleiȝtes / and turnyng of þin hond
Thou must come ner / this daunce to vndirstond
Nouȝt may auaile / al thi conclusions
For deeth shortly / nouþer on see ne lond
520
Is nouȝt deceivid / by none illusions
The Tregetour answerith
What may availe / magik natural
Or any craft / shewid by apparence
Or cours of sterres / aboue celestial
Or of þe heuene / al the influence
525
Aȝeins deeth / to stonde at defence
Legerdemeyn / nowe helpiþ me riȝt nouȝt
Farewel my craft / and al suche sapience
For deth moo maistris / ȝit þan I hath wrouȝt
|
Deeth to / þe Persoun
O sir curat / þat bene nowe here present
530
That had ȝoure worldly Inclinacioun
Ȝoure herte entire / ȝoure studie and entent
Moste on ȝoure tithes / and oblacioun
Wiche shulde haue bene /of conuersacioun
Mirrour vn to othir / liȝt and exaumplarie
535
Like ȝoure desert / shal be ȝoure guerdoun
And to eche labour / dewe is þe salarie
The Persoun answerith
Maugre my wille / I must condiscende
For deeth assailiþ / euery lifly thing
Here in þis worlde / who can comprehende
540
His sodein stroke / and his vnware comyng
Farewele tithis / and farewel myn offryng
I mote goo counte / in ordre by and by
And for my shepe / make a iust rekenyng
Whom he aquyteth / I holde he is happy
Deeth to þe laborer
545
Thou laborer / wiche in sorwe and peine
Hast lad þi life / in ful greet trauaile
Thou moste eke daunce / and þerfore not disdeyne
For if þou do / it may þee not auaile
And cause why / þat I þee assaile
550
Is oonly þis / from þee to disseuere
The fals worlde / þat can so folke faile
He is a fool / þat weneth to lyue euere
The laborer answerith
I haue wisshed / aftir deeth ful ofte
Al be þat I wolde haue fled hym now
555
I had leuere / to haue leyn vnsofte
In winde and reyn / & haue gone at plow
With spade & pikoys / and labourid for my prow
Dolve and diched / and at þe carte goone
For I may seie / and telle pleinly howe
560
In þis worlde here / ther is reste none
|
Deeth to þe frere menour
Sir cordeler / to ȝow myn hand is rauȝt
To þis daunce / ȝow to conveie and lede
Wiche in ȝoure preching / haue ful ofte Itauȝt
Howe þat I am / moste gastful for to drede
565
Al be þat folke / take þerof noon hede
Ȝit is þer noon / so stronge ne so hardy
But deth dare reste / and let for no mede
For deeth eche hour / is present and redy
The frere answeriþ
What may þis be / þat in þis world no man
570
Here to abide / may haue no surete
Strengþe ricchesse / ne what so þat he can
Worldly wisdom / al is but vanite
In grete astate / ne in pouerte
Is no þing found / þat may fro deþe defende
575
For wiche I seie / to hie and lowe degre
Wys is þat synner / þat dooth his life amende
Deeth to the childe
Litel enfante / þat were but late yborn
Shape in þis worlde / to haue no plesaunce
Thou must with other / þat goone here to forn
580
Be lad in haste / by fatal ordinaunce
Lerne of newe / to goo on my daunce
Ther may noon age / escape in soth þerfroo
Lete euery wiȝt / haue þis in remembraunce
Who lengest lyveth / moost shal suffre woo
The childe answerip
585
A A A o worde I can not speke
I am so ȝonge / I was bore ȝisterday
Deeth is so hasty / on me to be wreke
And list no lenger / to make no delay
I cam but nowe / and nowe I goo my way
590
Of me no more / no tale shal be told
The wil of god / no man with stonde may
As sone dieth / a ȝonge man as an old
|
Deeth to the Clerke
O ȝe sir clerke / suppose ȝe to be free
Fro my daunce / or ȝoure selfe defende
595
That wende haue rysen / vn to hie degre
Of benefices / or some greet prebende
Who clymbeth hiest / some tyme shal dissende
Lat no man grucche / aȝens his fortune
But take in gree / what euere god hym sende
600
Wiche ponissheth al / whan tyme is oportune
The clerke aunswerith
Shal I þat am / so ȝonge a clerke nowe deye
Fro my seruice / and haue no bettir guerdoun
Is ther no geyn / ne no bettir weye
No sure fraunchise / ne proteccioun
605
Deeth makith alweie / a short conclusioun
To late ware / whan men bene on þe brinke
The worlde shal faile / and al possessioun
For moche faileth / of þing þat foles thinke
Deeth to þe Hermyte
Ȝe þat haue lived / longe in wildernesse
610
And þere contynued longe in abstinence
At þe laste / ȝet ȝe mote ȝow dresse
Of my daunce / to haue experience
For þere aȝein / is no recistence
Take nowe leue / of þin Ermytage
615
Wherfore eche man / aduerte this sentence
That þis life here / is no sure heritage
The Hermite answeriþ
Life in desert / callid solitarie
May aȝein deþe / haue no respite ne space
At vnset our / his comyng doth not tarie
620
And for my part / welcome be goddes grace
Thonkyng hym / with humble chere and face
Of al his ȝiftes / and greet habondaunce
Fynally / affermynge in this place
No man is riche / þat lackith suffisaunce
Deeth aȝein to þe Hermite
625
That is wel seide / and þus shulde euery wiȝt
Thanke his god / and alle his wittis dresse
To loue and drede hym / with al his herte & myȝt
Seth deeth to ascape / may be no sikernesse
As men deserue / god quit of riȝtwisnesse
630
To riche and pore / vppon euery side
A bettir lessoun. / þer can no clerke expresse
Than til to morwe / is no man sure to abide
|
The kyng ligging dede and eten of wormes
Ȝe folke þat lokyn / vpon this portrature
Biholdyng here / alle the states daunce
635
Seeth what ȝe bene / and what is ȝoure nature
Mete vn to wormes / not ellis in substaunce
And haue þis mirrour euere in remembraunce
Howe (I) lie here / somtyme crownyd kyng
To alle estates a trewe resemblaunce
640
That wormes food / is fyne of oure lyuyng
Machabre þe doctour
Man is not ellis / platly for to thinke
But as a winde / wiche is transitorie
Passinge ay forþe / wheþer he wake or winke
Towarde þis daunce / haue þis in memorie
645
Remembringe ay / þer is no bet victorie
In þis life here / þan fle synne at þe leste
Than shul ȝe regne / in paradys with glorie
Happy is he / þat maketh in heuene his feste
Ȝit ther be folke / mo þan six or sevene
650
Reckles of lyf / in many maner wise
Like as þer were / helle none nor heuene
Suche false errour / lete euery man dispice
For hooly seintis / and oolde clerkis wise
Writen contrarie / her falsnes to deface
655
To lyue wel / take this for best emprice
Is moche worth / whan men shul hens pace
|
Lenvoye de Translatour
O ȝe my lordis / and maistres alle in fere
Of auenture / þat shal þis daunce rede
Lowly I preie / with al myn herte entere
660
To correcte / where as ȝe see nede
For nouȝt ellis / I axe for my mede
But goodly support / of this translacioun
And with fauour / to sowpouaile drede
Benignely / in ȝoure correccioun
665
Out of þe frensshe / I drewe it of entente
Not worde by worde / but folwynge þe substaunce
And fro Paris / to Engelonde it sente
Oonly of purpos / ȝow to do plesaunce
Rude of langage / I was not born in fraunce
670
Haue me excusid / my name is Iohn Lidgate
Of her tunge / I haue no suffisaunce
Her corious metris / in englisshe to translate
Here endith the daunce of Deeth
