Death to The Apothecary

Wolher aptheker an meynen tancz
Seyn nw die species schyre gancz
Dy do synt wedir todis craft
Beweyst nw ewir meysterschaft

Well then, Apothecary, to my dance.
Is the potion(1) quite ready now,
which [works] against the force of Death?
Prove now your mastery.

Ich kunde syrop vnd confect machen
Electuaria vnd vil ander sachen
Wer nw erne eyns gut vor den tot
Is wer mir czu dezer stunden not

I could make sirup and confectionary,
electuary(2) and many other things.
If one of these were good against Death,
I would need it in this hour.

(1) Potion . . .: The word used is "species". Notice how close it is to "spices" and old-fashioned German "spezerei". Spices and drugs are the same thing. The pharmacist was also know as a "spezereihändler" in German.

As the text shows, apothecaries used to sell goods (including chocolate and wine) that you don't expect to see in a modern pharmacy.

(2) Electuary . . .: An electuary is a medicinal paste composed of powders, or other ingredients, incorporated with some jam, honey, syrup, etc, for the purposes of oral consumption. (From Wikipedia /Webster)