0 ȝe that ben sette / moste hye In dygnite
Of al estatis / in erthe spiritual
And liche as Petur / had the souerente
Ouer the churche / and states temporal
Vp-on this daunce / [ȝe] firste begyn shal
As moste worthi lorde / and gouernowre
For al the worschip / of ȝowre astate papal
And of lordschip / to god is the honowre.
Døden til Paven
ben: be, are erthe: world liche as Petur: ligesom St. Peter(1)
ȝowre: your
X, The Pope answereth
FIrst me be-houeth / this daunce for to lede
Whiche sate yn erthe / hyest yn my see
The state ful parilous / who so taketh hede
To occupie / Petirs dignitie
But for al that / deth I mai not flee
On his daunce / with other for to trace
For whiche al honoure / who prudentely can see
Is litel worthe / that doth soo sone pace.
Paven svarer
Jeg er nødt til at lede denne dans (be-houeth = behøver) see: seat
pace: go
Dethe to the Emperowre
SIr Emperowre / lorde of al the grounde
Soueren Prince / ande hyest of noblesse
ȝe most forsake / of golde ȝowre appil rounde
Sceptre and swerde / & al ȝowre hie prouesse
Be-hinde leue / ȝowre tresowre & richesse
And with other / to my daunce obeie
Aȝens my myght / is worth noon hardynesse
Adames children / alle thei mosten deie.
Døden til Kejseren
appil rounde: Runde æble = rigsæble
leue: leave
Aȝens: Against
All Adam's children must die.(2)
The Emperowre answereth
I not to whom / that I mai appele
Towchyng dethe / whiche dothe me so constreyne
Ther is no geyne / to helpe my quarele
But spade & picoys / my graue to atteyne
A simple shete / ther is no more to seyne
To wrappe yn / my bodi and visage
Ther-vp-on sore / I may compleyne
That lordes grete / have [so] litle a-vauntage.
Kejseren svarer
not: véd ikke
picoy: pickaxe (hakke)
visage: ansigt
De første dansere er paven og kejseren - de to mægtigste mennesker på Jorden. De fleste af danserne
er skiftesvis gejstlige og verdslige.
Billedet er taget fra danse macabre i Paris.
Fodnoter:
(1)(2)
Ligesom St. Peter...: Paven er St. Peters efterfølger.
Døden fra Lübeck
St. Pauls i London