Copenhagen's Dance of Death, Part 21, Vicar and Monk

Copenhagen's Dance of Death, Part 21

Her Kirckeherre cum licentia kommer ieg til dig
du skalt nu strax følge mig
Du haffuer nogen stund verit en hyrde
offuer Christi faar som han køffte dyrde
Dog ath du est en viser mand
du mot alt dantze ved min hand

Sogne presten Suarer

Loff oc ære, vere dig euige Gud
for du sender nu til mig dit bud
O Gud, til dig staar alt min lid
vdi velmacht och i dødzens tid
Dit ord som du fickst mig ath føre
Det haffuer ieg ladit alle høre
och bad dem der effter gøre och det geme
i hiertet det beuare och aldri gleme
Saa kunde de bliffue der vidt tryg
ath vere hoss dig i glæde euindelig
O Herre beuare dine faar fra vlffue grume
och for de hunde som ere stumme
O Herre lad aldrig komme mære
vdi vort hierte, den falske dieffuels lære
Ieg giffuer mig aldelis vnder din mact
thi giff icke paa mine synder act

Døden Suarer

Du skalt nu til en hellig stad
Der skalt du euindelig vere glad
Hoss din frelsermand Iesum Christ
den du haffuer bekent for verden vist

Døden til Muncken

Mr Parish Priest, cum licentia, I come to you
you shall now immediately follow me.
You have for a while been a shepherd
for Christ's sheep whom he bought dearly.
Even though you are a wise man
you must still dance by my hand.

The Parish Priest Answers

Praise and glory to you forever, God
because you are now sending your messenger to me.
Oh God, all my confidence is in you,
in my prime and in the time of death.
Your word that you gave me to proclaim,
this I have let everybody hear
and asked them to follow it and save it
in the heart, keep it, and never forget.
By this they become sure of
being with you in eternal bliss.(1)
Oh Lord, spare your sheep from grievous wolves(2)
and from the dogs who are dumb.(3)
Oh Lord, never more let
the false devil's teachings come into our heart.
I totally surrender myself to your power,
therefore pay no heed to my sins.

Death Answers

You shall now to a holy town,
there you shall be eternally happy
with your saviour Jesus Christ
whom you have made known to the world.

Death to the Monk

Click the little pictures to see the original pages.

Dat narren schyp

Tuenne Skiøne Viser

The woodcut of the monk was also used for the book "Dat Narren Schyp" ("The ship of fools") published in 1497 (picture to the left). The chapter is »Van gheystlik werden«.

In Denmark it was used in the book »Tuenne Skiøne Viser Den første Om Løgen oc Sandhed Den anden om Muncke Cappen«, 1547 (i.e. "two beautiful ballads, the first about lie and truth, the other about the monk coat").

Footnotes: (1) (2) (3)

The priest sounds like a wonderful persen. Meyer suggests this may indicate that the author himself is a vicar.

grievous wolves . . .: Acts of the Apostles 20:29, »For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock«.

The dumb dogs are a metaphor for bad preachers - Isaiah 56:10, »His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber«.