Dødedans i London



	Ærkebiskop & baron.

Dethe to the Archebisshop

Sire archebisshop / whi do 3e 3ow with-drawe
So frowardli / as hit were bi disdeyne
3e moste a-proche / to my mortal lawe
Hit to contrarie / hit were not but yn veyne
For dai be dai / ther is none other geyne
Deth at honde / pursueth eueri coost
Preste & dette / mote be 3olde a-3eyne
And atte oo day / men counten with her hooste.

Døden til ærkebiskoppen

3e: I, eder, 3ow: jer
frowardli: modvillig, hit: it

coost: region
Lån og gæld må betales(1)
og en dag må mennesker afregne med deres vært.

The Archebisshop answereth

Alas I wote not / what partie for to fle
For drede of dethe / I haue so grete distresse
To a-scape his myght / I can no refute se
That who so knewe / his constreynt & duresse
He wolde take reasoun / to maistresse
A-dewe my tresowr / my pompe & pride al-so
Mi peynted chambres / my porte & my fresshnesse
For thynge that behoueth / nedes mote be do.

Ærkebiskoppen svarer

I wote not: Jeg véd ikke

A-dewe: adieu, farvel

behoueth: behooves, behøves, er nødvendige

Dethe to the Baroun

3e that amonge / lordes and barouns
Hau had so longe / worship & renoun
For3ete 3owre trumpettes / & yowre clariowns
This is no dreme / ne symulacioun
Somme-tyme 3owre custome / & entencioun
Was with ladies / to daunce yn the shade
But ofte hit happeth / In conclusioun
That oo man breketh / that another made.

Døden til baronen

3e: I, eder

For3ete 3owre: Forget your
dreme: drøm
Somme-tyme: Engang

oo: en

The Baroun or the kny3t answereth

Baronen eller ridderen svarer

Ful ofte sithe / I haue ben auctorised
To hye Emprises / & thynges of grete fame
Of hie and lowe / my thanke also deuysed
Cherisshed with ladies / and wymmen hye of [n]ame
Ne neuer on me / was putte no defame
In lordes courte / whiche that was notable
But dethes stroke / hath made me so lame
Under heuene in erthe / is no thynge stable.

sithe: siden

Høj og lav har været mig taknemmelige

(1) Denne linie kunne let læses som "noget med præster og Død", men ordet "dette" svarer til moderne engelsk "debt" - det fik først sit "b" i det 16^de århundrede.