Copenhagen's Dance of Death, Part 30, Maid and Citizen

Copenhagen's Dance of Death, Part 30

met stribede klæder oc longe suantz
Nu skalt du strax vdi mit næd
her er end flere skulle følge mæd

Iomfruen Suarer

Eya motte ieg end bliffue i liffue
der om ville ieg mine klenodie giffue
Døden sparer intet menniskeligt køn
Thi hielp mig nu Marie Søn

Døden Suarer

Vi maa alt strax nu heden gaa
det hielper dig icke her lenger ath staa

Døden til Borgeren

Du Borger du vancker til strand oc land
ath du kant bliffue en riger mand
Stor falskhed brugede du met den arme
der offuer motte Gud sig forbarme
Du skalt icke lenger bruge sligt suig
Ieg er nu kommen hid effter dig

Borgeren Suarer

Ach huad haffuer ieg megit der til giort
at mit naffn kunde bliffue mangested sport
megit fick ieg met aager och suig
nu vil det ille bekomme mig

haffde jeg hiulpet de Fattige met flid,
Da vaare jeg gladere i denne tid.
Døden plager mig offuer maade,
O Gud, see til mig met din Naade.

Døden Suarer

Det hielper dig icke at bliffue her lenge,
Jeg vil nu strax følge dig til Senge.

… with striped clothes and long tails.
Now you must immediately into my net.
Here are still more who must follow.(1)

The Maid Answers

Eya,(2) if I might remain alive
for that I would give my jewels.
Death spares no human kin
therefore help me now, Mary's son.

Death Answers

We must go immediately away now;
it doesn't help you to stand here any longer.

Death to the Citizen

You Citizen, you walk to seashore and land
so that you can become a rich man.
You used great double-dealing with the poor;
may God have mercy over this.(3)
You shall no longer use such fraud;
I have now come here for you.

The Citizen Answers

Alas, how I have done much for that,
that my name could be requested many places.
I got much through usury and deceit,
now it won't go down too well for me.

Had I helped the poor with diligence,
then I would be happier at this time.
Death torments me beyond measure,
Oh God, look to me with your grace.

Death Answers

It doesn't help to remain here for long;
I will now immediately follow you to bed.

Two leaves are missing here, so the text (with red letter type) has been taken from Dødedantz. The picture of the citizen is taken from Des Dodes Dantz.

Click the little picture to the left to see the original page.

(1) Here are still more who must follow . . .: Quite an understatement. In Des dodes dantz, Death tells the maiden the names of 70 girls who must also join the dance.

(2) Eya . . .: exclamation of surprise.

(3) Lord have mercy . . .: an idiom meaning, "Good Lord! This is most shocking".