The Dance of St. Paul's, Beinecke 493

Translator

Translator

Verba translatoris

O ȝe folkes hard hertid as a stone
Which to þe world have all ȝour aduertence
Liche as it shold laste euere in one
Where is ȝour witt where is ȝour providence
5 To se aforne the sodein violence
Of cruell deth þat be so wis & sage
Which sleith alas, by stroke of pestilence
Both ȝonge and olde of lowe & hy parage.

Deth sparith not lowe ne hy degre
10 Pepes kynges ne worthy Emperours
Whan þey shyne most in felicite
He can a-bate þe fresshnes of her flowres
The bryght sonne clipsyn whith his shoures
Make hem plunge from þer sees lowe
15 Magre þe myght of all thes conquerours
Fortune hath hem from her wele y-throwe.

Considerith þis ȝe folkes þat be wys
And it emprentyth in ȝour memorall
Like þensaumple which þat at parys
20 I fonde depnt ones in a wall
Full notably as I reherce shall
Þer of french clerkes takyng a-queyntaunce
I toke on me to translatyn all
Out of þe Franch machabres daunce

25 By what awys and councell at þe leste
Thurght her steryng and her mocioun
I obeyde vn-to her requeste
Þer of to make a pleyn translacioun
In englissh tonge of entencioun
30 Þat prowde folkes which þat be stoute & bolde
As in a myrrour to-for in her resoun
Her ogly fyne may clerly þer-by holde

By exaumple þat þei in her ententes
Amend her lyfe in euere maner age
35 Þe which daunce a seynt Innocentes
Portreyd is with all þe surpluage
To shew þis world is but a pilgremage
Yove vn-to vs our lyves to correct
And to declare the fyne of our passage
40 Right a-non my stile I woll direct

The authority

The authority

Verba Auctoris

O creatures ȝe þat be resonable
Þe liif desiryng which is eternall
Ȝe may se here doctrine ful notable
Ȝour lyfe to leed which þat is mortall
45 There-by to lerne in especiall
How ȝe schull trace þe daunce of machabre
To man and woman ylich naturall
For deth ne sparith hy ne low degre

In þis mirrour euery wight may fynde
50 Þat hym byhoveth to go vp-on þis daunce
Who goth to-forne or who shall go by-hynde
All dependith in godds ordinaunce
Where-fore ech man lowly take his chaunce
Deth sparith not pore ne blode ryall
55 Ecch man þer-foor have in remembraunce
Of a mater god hath forged all

Death to the pope

Death to the pope

    Deth to þe pope
Ȝee that be sett most hy in dignite
Off [all] astates in erthe sprituall
And lik as petir had þe souereynte
60 Ouere þe chirche & statis temporall
vp-on þis daunce þe first begyn shall
As most worthy lord and gouernour
For all þe worshipp of ȝour astate papall
And of lordshipp to god is the honour

The pope

The pope answerith

65 Ferst me be-hoveth þis daunce for to lede
Which satt in erthe hyest in my see
Þe state full perilous who so takith hede
To occupye petris dignite
But all for þat deth I may not flee
70 On his daunce with oþer <odþr> for to trace
For which all honour who prudently can se
Is litill worthe þat doþe so sone pace.

Death to the emperor

Deth to þe Emp[e]rour

Sir Emperour lord of all the grownde
Sovereyne prynce & hyest of noblesse
75 Ȝe must for-sake of gold ȝour appill rownde
Septre and swerde and all ȝour hy provesse
Be-hynd leve ȝour tresour and ricchesse
And with other to my daunce obey
Aȝen my myght is worth none hardinesse
80 Adames children all þey must dey

The emperor

The emp[e]rour answerith.

I not to I-whom þat I may apele
Towching deth which doth me so constreyne
Þer is no gein to helppe my querele
But spade and pykoys my grave to ateyne
85 A simple shete there is no more to seyn
To wrappe yn my body and visage
There-vp-on sore I may compleyne
Þat lordis grete have litill avauntage

Death to the cardinal

Death to the cardinal

Deth to þe Cardinall

Ȝe be a-basshid itt semyth and in drede
90 Sir cardinall it shewyth by ȝour chere
But ȝet for-thy ȝe folow shull in dede
With other folke my daunce fore to lere
Ȝour grett aray all shall be leven here
Ȝour hatt of reed ȝour vesture of gret cost
95 All þese thinges rekenyd wele I-fere
In grett honour good a-wys is lost.

The cardinal

The cardinall answerith

I have grete cause certis þis is no fayll
To ben abasshed and gretly drede me
Sith deth is come me sodenly to asseyle
100 Þat I shal neuer here afftyr clothid be
In grys ne ermyn like to my degre
My hatte of reede leve eke in distresse
By which I have lyved well & se
How þat all Joy endyth in heuenesse

Death to the king

Deth to þe kyng

105 O noble kyng most worthy in renoune
Cum forthe a-none for all ȝour wortheness
Þat some-tyme hade abowtt ȝow enviroune
Grette rialte and passyng hy nobles
But right anon all ȝour grett hynes
110 Sool fro ȝour men in hast ȝe shull it lete
Who most a-boundith here in grett recches
Shall bere with hym but a sengle shete.

The king

The kyng answerith

I have not lernyd here aforne to daunce
Noo daunce in sooth of foot so savage
115 Where-foor I sy be clere demonstraunce
What pride is worth force or hy lynage
Deth all for-dothe þis is his vsage
Grett & smalle þat in þis world soiourne
He is most meke I hold he is most sage
120 For he shall all to dede asshes tourne.

Death to the patriarch

Death to the patriarch

Deth to ȝe patriarke

Sir patriarke all ȝour houmble chere
Ne qwyte ȝow not ne ȝowr humylite
Ȝour doble crosse of gold and stones clere
Ȝour power hole and all ȝour dignite
125 Some other shall of verrey equite
Possede a-none as I reherce can
Trusteth neuere þat ȝe shull pope be
For foly hope deceyvith many a man

The patriarch

The patriarke answerith

Wordly honour gret tresur and recchess
130 Haue me deceyvid sothfastly in dede
Myn old Joyes be turned to tristesse
What vaylith it shull tresour to possede
Hy clymyng vp a fall hath for his mede
Grete astates folk wasten out of noumbre
135 Who mountith hy it is sure & no drede
Grete berthen doth hym oft encoumbre

Death to the constable

Deth to þe Constable

Itt is my right to rest and ȝow co[n]streyne
With vs to daunce my mayster sir constable
For more strong þan euere was charlemayne
140 Deth hath a-forced and more worshipable
For hardynes ne knyghthode þis is no fable
Ne strong armoure of plates ne of mayle
What ge[y]nyth armes of folkes most notable
Whan cruell deth lest hem to assayle.

The constable

The constable answerith

145 My purpos was and hool entencioun
To assayle castels and myghty to recesse
And bryng folke vn-to subieccioun
To seke honour and fame & grett ricches
But I se weel þat all wordly prowesse
150 Deth can abate which is a grete dispite
To hym <hym> a-lone sorowe & eke swetnesse
For aȝen deth is founden no respite.

Death to the archbishop

Death to the archbishop

Deth to þe Archbysshopp

Sir archebisshopp why do ȝe ȝow with-drawe
So forwardly as it were by disdeyn
155 Ȝe must a-proche to my mortall lawe
It to contrarie it were not but in vayn
For day be day þer is non oþer geyn
Deth at þe hand pursueth euery cost
Prest & dette mote be ȝold a-ȝen
160 And at o day men counten with her oost

The archbishop

The Archebisshopp answerith

Alas I wote not what partie for to fle
For drede of deth y have so gret distress
To ascape his myght I can no refute see
Þat who so knew his constreynt and duress
165 He wold take resone to maystres
A-dew my tresure my pompe and prid also
My peynted chaumbres my port & my fresshnes
For thing þat be-hoveth nedes must be doo

Death to the baron/knight

Deth to Baroun

Ȝe þat among lordis and barons
170 Have had so long worshipp and renoune
Forȝet ȝour trumpetis and ȝour clarions
This is no dreme ne simulacioun
Sume-tyme ȝour custome and entencioun
Was with ladies to daunce in þe shade
175 Butt offt it happith in conclusioun
That a man brekith þat a-nothir made

The baron/knight

The baroun answerith

Full oft sithe I have ben autorised
To hy emprises and thinges of gret fame
Of hy and lowe my thank also devised
180 Cherisshed with ladies and women hy of name
Ne neuer on me was putt no defame
In lordis cowrt which þat was notable
But dethes strooke hath made me so lame
Vndre heven in erþe is nothing stable

Death to the princess

Deth to þe lady of grete astate

185 Come forth a-non my lady and princesse
Ȝe must also go vp-on þis daunce
Not may a-vayle ȝour grett straungenesse
Nouþer ȝour bevte ne ȝour grete plesaunce
Ȝour riche aray ne ȝour dalyaunce
190 Þat sume-tyme cowde so many hold on hend
In love for all ȝour double variaunce
Ȝe mote as now þis fotyng vndir-stonde

The princess

The lady answerith

Alas I see þer is non othir boot
Deth hath in erth no lady no maystres
195 And on his daunce ȝet must I nedis foot
For þere nys qwene contesse ne duchesse
Flouryng in bounte ne in feyrnesse
Þat she of deth mote deþes trace sewe
For to ȝour bevte and counterfett fresshnes
200 Ȝour rympled age seith fare-wele a-dewe.

Death to the bishop

Death to the bishop

Deth of þe bysshopp

My lord sir bisshopp with ȝour mytre and crosse
For all ȝour ricches sothly I ensure
For all ȝour tresour so long kept in closse
Ȝour wordly goodes and goodes of nature
205 And of ȝour sheep ȝe dredly gostly cure
With charge committed to ȝour prelacie
For to a-counte ȝe shull be broght to lure
No wight is sure þat clymbeth ouer hye

The bishop

The bysshopp answerith

Mi hert truly is nother glad ne merye
210 Of soden tithings which þat ȝe bryng
My festis turned in-to simple feyrye
Þat for discomfort me list nothing syng
The warld contrarie now vnto me in workyng
Þat all folkys can so disherite
215 He þat all with-halt alas at our partyng
And all shall passe save only oure merite

Death to the nobleman

Deth to þe sqwyer

Come forth sir squyer right fressh of ȝour aray
Þat can of daunces all þe new gyse
Þogh ȝe bar armes fressh horsed ȝesterday
220 With sper & shelde at ȝour vnkouthe devise
And toke on ȝow so many hy emprysse
Daunceth with vs it will no better be
Þere is no socour in no maner wyse
For no man may fro dethes stroke fle

The nobleman

The sqwyer answerith

225 Sethen þat deth me holdith in þis lace
Ȝet shall I speke o word or I pace
A-diev all myrth a-diev now all solace
A-diev my ladies some-tyme so fressh of face
A-diev bevte plesaunce and solace
230 Of deþes chaunge euere day is pryme
Thenkeyth on ȝour soules or þat deth manace
For all shall roote & no man wate what tyme

Death to the abbot

Death to the abbot

Deth to þe abbot

Come forth sir abbott with ȝour brod hatt
Beth not a-basshed is þogh ȝe haue right
235 Grete is ȝour hood ȝour bely large and fatt
Ȝe mote cum daunce þogh ȝe be nothing light
Leve vp ȝour abbay to some other wight
Ȝour eire is of age ȝour state to ocupye
Who þat is fattest I have hym be hight
240 In his grafe shall sonnest putrefy

The abbot

The abbot answeryth

Of þi thretis have I none envy
Þat I shall leve now all gouernaunce
But þat I shall as a cloysterer dye
This doth to me passyng grete grevaunce
245 My liberte nor my gret haboundance
What may avayle in eny maner wyse
Ȝett aske I mercy with hertly repentaunce
Thoght in dying to late men a-vyse

Death to the abbess

Deth to þe abbass

And ȝe my lady gentil dame abbesse
250 With ȝour mantells furred large & wyde
Ȝour vayle ȝour wymple passing of gret ricches
And beddis soft ȝe mote now ley on syde
For to þis daunce I shall be ȝour gyde
Þogh ȝe be tendre and borne of gentil blood
255 While þat ȝe lyfe for ȝour selff provyde
For afftir deth no man hath no good

The abbess

The abbas answerith

Alas þat deth hath þus for me orde[y]ned
Þat in no wyse I may it not declyne
Thoght it so be full oft I have constreyned
260 Brest & throte my notes out to twynne
My chekes rounde vernesshed for to shyne
Ungyrt full ofte to walke at large
[Thus cruel deth doth al estates fyne]
Who hath no shipp mote rowe in boote or barge.

Death to the bailiff

Deth to þe Baly

265 Come forth sir baly þat knowen all þe gyse
By ȝour office of trouþe and rightwisnes
Ȝe must cume to a newe assise
Extorcions and wronges to redres
Ȝe be somenyd as law byt expres
270 To ȝolde a-countes þe Juge wol ȝow charge
Which hath ordenyd to exclude all falsnes
Þat euery man shall bere his owne charge.

The bailiff

The bayly answerith

O þou lord god þis is an hard Journey
To which a-forne I toke but littil hede
275 My chaunge is turnyd & þat forthinkyth me
Sume-tyme with Juges what me list to spede
Lay in my myght by favoure or be mede
But sethen þer is no rescws by batayll
I hold hym wyse þat cowde se in dede
280 Aȝen deth þat none apele may vaill.

Death to the astrologer

Death to the astrologer

Deth to þe astronomyer

Com forth mayster þat loken vp so ferre
With In[s]truments of astronamy
To take þe gres & height of euery sterre
What may avayl all ȝour astrolagie
285 Sethen Adam and all þe genolagie
Made ferst of god to walk vp-on þe ground
Deth dothe a-reste þus seith theologye
And all shall dye for an appill rownd

The astrologer

The astronomyer answerith

For all my crafte kunnyng or science
290 I can not fynde no provision
Ne in þe sterris serch out no defence
By domefying ne calculacion
Safe fynaly in conclusion
For to discrive our kunyng euere dele
295 Þer is no more by sentence of reson
Who livith a-right motte nedys dy wele

Death to the citizen

Deth to þe burges

Sir burges what do ȝe lenger tary
For al ȝour haver and ȝour gret rycches
Þo ȝe be stronge deynous and contrarie
300 To þis daunce ȝe mott ȝow nedis dress
For ȝour tresour plenty and largesse
From other it come & shall vn-to straungers
He is a foole that in such besenes
Woot not for whom he stuffyth his garners

The citizen

The burges answerith

305 Certis to me it is grete displesaunce
To leve all this and may it not assure
Hovses rentes tresour & substaunce
Deth all for-doth such is his nature
Þere-foor is wise no creature
310 Þat sett his hert on good þat mote disseuere
Þe worldne [it] lente and he mot it recouere
And who most hath loþest dieth euere.

Death to the canon

Death to the canon

Deth to þe chanon

And ȝe sir chanoun with many grete prebend
Ȝe may no lenger have distribucioun
315 Of gold & syluer largely to dispende
For þer is now no consolacioun
But daunce with vs for all ȝour hy renoun
For ȝe of deth stond vp-on þe brynke
Ȝe may ther-of haue no dilacioun
320 Deth cometh ay whan men lest on hym thinke.

The canon

The chanon answerith

My benefices with many personages
God wote ful lite may me now comforte
Dethe hat on me so grete a-vavntage
All my ricches may me not disporte
325 Amys of grys þei woll aȝen resorte
Vn-to þe world surplys and prebende
Al is vayne-glorie truly to reporte
To dye wele ech man shuld entende

Death to the merchant

Deth to marchaunt

Ȝe riche marchand ȝe mote look hyderwarde
330 Þat passid haue [ful] many divers lond
On hors on foote havyng most rewarde
To lucre & wynnyng as I vndirstonde
But now to daunce ȝe mot ȝeve me ȝour honde
For al ȝour labour ful litill avayleth ȝow
335 A-dew vayneglorie bothe of fre and bond
No more covytt þan þei þat have y-now

The merchant

The marchaunt answerith

By many an hill & many a straunge vale
I have travelid with [my] marchaundyse
Ouere the see do carie many a bale
340 To sundry Iles mo þan I can devise
My hert inward ay frett with covetyse
But all for noght now deth me constreyne
By which I see by record of þe wyse
Who all embraceth litill shall restreyne.

Death to the Carthusian

Death to the Carthusian

Deth to þe chartereux46

345 Ȝefe me ȝour hand with chekes dede & pale
Caused of wach and long abstinence
Sir chartereux ȝour silf a-vale
Vn-to þis daunce with houmble pacience
To stryve aȝen may be no resistence
350 Lenger to lyve set not ȝour memorie
Thogh I be lothsome as in aparence
Above al men deth hath [the] victorie.

The Carthusian monk

The chartereux answerith

Vn-to þe world y was dede long a-gon
By my ordre and my professioun
355 Thogh euere man be he neuer so strong
Dredith to die by kyndly mocioun
Afftyr his flessly Inclinacioun
But plese it to god my soule for to borow
Frome fendes myght & from dampnacioun
360 Some bene to-day þat shull not ben to-morow

Death to the sergeant

Deth to þe sargeaunt

Come forth sir sergeaunt with ȝour statly mace
Make no defence ne no rebellioun
Not may a-vale to grucche in þis case
Þogh ȝe be deynous of condicioun
365 For nother pele nor proteccioun
May ȝow fraunchisse to do nature wrong
For þer is non so sturdy champyoun
Þogh he be myghty a-noþer is as strong

The sergeant

The sargeant answerith

How dare þis deth sett on me areste
370 Þat am þe kynges chosen officere
Which ȝestirdai boþe west & est
Myn office did full surquydous of chere
But now þis day I am a-rested here
And may not fle [though] I hade it sworne
375 Eche man is loth to dye ferre & nere
Þat hath not lerned for to dye a-forne.

Death to the monk

Death to the monk

Deth to þe monke

Sir monk also with ȝour blake habite
Ȝe may no lenger hold here soioure
There is no thing þat may ȝow here respite
380 Aȝen my myght ȝow for to do socoure
Ȝe mott a-counte touchyng ȝour laboure
How ȝe haue spent it in dede word & thoght
To erthe and asshes turneþ euery flowre
The lyfe of man is but a thing [of] noȝt.

The monk

The monke answerith

385 I had leuere in þe cloystre be
At my book and stody my service
Which is a place contemplatyf to se
But I haue spent my lyfe in many vice
Lich as a foole dissolate and nyce
390 God of his mercy graunt me repentaunce
Be chere outward hard is to devise
All be not merye whiche þat men so daunce

Death to the usurer

Deth to þe vsurer

Thou vsurer lok vp and by-holde
Vn-to wynnyng þou settist all þi peyne
395 Whos couetyse wexith neuer colde
Thi gredy thurste so sore the doth constreyne
But þou shalt neuere thi desyre atteyne
Suche an etyk thin hert frete shall
Þat but of pete god his hand refreyne
400 Oo perilous strook shall make þe lese all

The usurer

The vsurer answerith

Now me be-hovith sodenly to dye
Which is to me grete peyne & gret grevaunce
Socour to fynde I se no maner way
Of gold ne syluer by no chevesaunce
405 Deth thrught his hast habit no purveaunce
Of folkes blynd þat can not look wele
Full oft hapith by kynde or fatall chaunce
Some have fayre eyen þat see neuer a-dele

The poor man

Deth to þe poor man

Vsure to god is full grett offence
410 And in his sight a grette abusioun
The poore borowith par cas for Indigence
The riche lent by fals collusyoun
Only for lucre in his entencioun
Deth shall hem bothe to a-countes fett
415 To make rekenyng by computacioun
No man <man> is qwytt þat is be-hynd of dett.

Death to the physician

Death to the physician

Deth to þe Fisician

Mayster of phisik which on ȝour vryne
So look and gase and stare a-ȝen þe sone
For all ȝour crafte & study of med[i]cyne
420 All þe practik and science þat ȝe kune
Ȝour lyves cours so ferforth is y-ronne
A-ȝen my myght ȝour crafte may not endure
For all þe gold þat ȝe þer-by haue wonne
Good lech is he þat can hym selff recure

The physician

The Fisician answerith

425 Full long agoo þat I vn-to phisik
Sett my witt and my diligence
In speculatyf and also in practike
To gete a name thurgh myn excellence
To fynde outt a-ȝens pestilence
430 Preseruatyfes to staunche it & to fyne
But I dare sey shortly in sentence
Aȝens deth is worth no medicyne

Death to the suitor

Deth to þe amerus sqwyer

Ȝe þat be gentill so fressh and amorous
Of ȝeres ȝong flouryng in ȝour grene age
435 Lusty free of hert [and] eke desirous
Full of devises & chaunge in ȝour corage
Plesaunt of port of look and of visage
Butt all shall turne in-to asshes dede
For all bevte is but a faynt ymage
440 Which stelith a-way or folkes can take hede.

The suitor

The sqwyer answerith

Alas alas I can now no socoure
A-ȝens deth for my selff provide
A-diev of ȝouth þe lusty fressh floure
A-diev vaynglorie of bevte & of pride
445 A-diev all servise of þe god Cupyde
A-diev my ladyes so fressh so wel be-seyne
For a-ȝen deth nothing may abyde
And wendys grete go doun with littil reyne

Death to the gentlewoman

Deth to þe gentilwoman amorous

Come forth maystres of ȝeres ȝong and grene
450 Which hold ȝour selff of beute souereyne
As fayr as ȝe was sometyme polycene
Penelope and þe qwhen Eleyne
Ȝett on þis daunce þei went both tweyne
And so shull ȝe for all ȝour strangeness
456 A-rested is ȝour chaunge of doubleness
455 Thogh danger long in loue haþ lad ȝour reine

The gentlewoman

The gentil woman answerith

O cruell deth þat sparest non astate
To olde and ȝong þou art indefferent
To my beute þou hast y-seid chek-mate
460 So hasty is thi mortall Juggement
For in my ȝouth þis was myn entent
To my servise many a man to haue lured
Butt she is a foole shortly in sentement
Þhat in her bevte is to mych assured

Death to the lawyer

Death to the lawyer

Deth to þe man of law

465 Sir aduocate short processe for to make
Ȝe mote complete a-for the hy Juge
Many a quarell ȝe haue vndurtake
And for lucre to do folk refuge
But my fraunches is so large & huge
470 Þat cauncell none availe may but trouth
He skapeth wisly of deth þe grete deluge
To for þe dome who is not teynt with slouth.

The lawyer

The man of law answerith

O[f] right and reson by natures law
I can not put a-ȝen deth no defence
475 And be no slight me kepe ne with-drawe
For all my witt & my grett prudence
To make apele from his dredfull sentence
No thing in erth may a man preserue
A-ȝens his myght to make resistence
480 God qwyte all men like as þei deserve

Death to the juror

Deth to þe iurour

Maister iurour whiche þat [at] assyse
And has shires questes doste embrace
Departist lond lik to þi devise
And hoo most ȝaf most stood in þi grace
485 Þe poore man lost lond and place
For golde þou cowdist folkes desherite
But now lett see with thi teint face
To-for þe Juge howe þou cause þe qwyte

The juror

The iorour answerith

Sume-tyme I was clepid in my cuntre
490 Þe belwedur and þat was not a lite
Not loved but drad of lowe & hy degre
For whom me list by crafft I cowde endite
And hang þe trew[e} and þe thefe respite
All þe cuntre by my word was lad
495 But I dare sey shortly for to write
Of my deth meny a man is glad.

Death to the minstrel

Deth to þe mynstrall

O þou mynstrall þat canst so note & pipe
Vn-to folkes for to do plesaunce
By þe right hond y shall a-none þe gripe
500 With thies oder to goo vp-on my daunce
There is no scape neither avoydaunce
On no syde to contrary my sentence
For in musik by crafte and a-cordaunce
Who maystir is shewe his science.

The minstrel

The mynstrall answerith

505 This new daunce is to me so straunge
Wondur divers & passingly contrarie
The dredfull fotyng doth so offt chaunge
And þe mesures so oft sithes varie
Which now to me is nothing necessarie
510 If it were soo þat I myght asterte
But many a man if I shall not tarie
Ofte daunceth but no thing of herte.

Death to the conjuror

Deth to þe tregetour

Maister Jon Rikele some-tyme tregetour
Of noble harry kyng of Ynglond
515 And of fraunce þe myghty conquerour
For all þe slightnes and turnyng of thyn hond
Thou must come nere this daunce to vndurstond
Noght may a-vaile all thi conclusions
For deth shortly nother on se ne lond
520 Is not decevid be noo illusions.

The conjuror

The tregetour answerith

What may avayle magik naturall
Or my crafte shewyd by apparencis
Or cours of sterres above celestiall
Or of þe heven all þe Influence
525 A-ȝens deth to stonde at defence
Largerdemeyn now helpith me right noght
Fare-wele my crafte & all such sapience
For deth moo maystries get þan y hath wroght

Death to the priest

Death to the priest

Deth to person

O sir curat þat ben now here present
530 Þat had ȝour wordly inclinacioun
Ȝour hert entiere ȝour stody & entent
Most on ȝour tithes and oblacioun
Which shuld haue ben of conuersacioun
Mirrour vn-to other light & exsaumplarie
535 Lik ȝour desert shall be ȝour guerdoun
And to ech labourer dewe is the salarie.

The parish priest

The person answerith

Maugre my will I must condecende
For deth assaylith euery lufly thing
Here in þis world who can comprehende
540 His sodeyn stroke & his vnware comyng
Fare-wele tithes & fare-wele myn offeryng
I mot go counte in ordre by and by
And for my shepe make a iust rekenyng
Whom he a-quytith I hold he is happy

Death to the peasant

Deth to þe laborer

545 Thou laborer which in sorow and peyne
Hast had þi lif in full grete travayle
Ȝow must eke daunce & þer-foor not disdeyne
For if þou doo it may þe not avaylle
And cause why þat I the assayll
550 Is only this from the to disseuere
Þe fals worlde þat can so folk fayll
He is a foole þat weneth to lyfe euere.

The peasant / labourer

The laboror answerith

I haue wisshid after deth full ofte
All-be þat I wold have fled hym now
555 I had leuer to have leyn vnsofte
In wynde & reyne and haue gon at þe plow
With spade & pikoys & labored for my prow
Dolve and diched and at þe carte gone
For I may sey and tell pleynly how
560 In þis world here there is rest none.

Death to the Franciscan

Death to the Franciscan

Deth to þe frere minouer

Sir cordeler to ȝow my hand is raught
To þis daunce ȝow to conveye and lede
Which in ȝour prechyng haue ful oft y-taught
How þat I may most gastfull for to drede
565 Albe þat folk take þer-of none hede
Ȝett is þer none so strong nor so hardy
Butt deth dare rest and let for no mede
For deth ich oure is present and redy.

The Franciscan monk

The frere answerith

What may þis be þat in þis world no man
570 Here to a-byde may have no surete
Strenght ricches ne what so þat he can
Wordly wisdom all is but vanite
In grete a-state ne in pouerte
Is nothing founde þat may fro deth defend
575 For which I sey to hy and low degre
Wys is þat synner þat doth his lyf amend

Death to the child

Deth to þe Chyld

Litill infaunte þat were but late i-borne
shape in þis world to have no plesaunce
Þou must with other þat gon here to-forne
580 Be lade in haste by fatall ordenaunce
Lerne of new to go to my daunce
There may non age escape in sothe þer froo
Latt euery wight have þis in remembraunce
Who lengest lyveth most shall suffre woo

The child

Þe chylde answerith

585 A. A. A. o worde I can not speke
I am so ȝong y was bore ȝesterday
Deth is so hasty on me to be wreke
And list no lenger to make no delay
I came but now and now I go my way
590 Of me no more no tale shall be told
The will of god no man with-stond may
As soon dieth a ȝong man as an olde

Death to the clerk

Death to the clerk

Deth to þe clerke

O ȝe sir Clerke suppose ȝe to be free
Fro my daunce or ȝour selfe defende
595 Þat wend have risen vn-to hy degre
Off benefices or some grete prebende
Who clymbeth hyest some-tyme shall decende
Lat no man grucche a-ȝens his fortune
But take in gre what euere god hym sende
600 Which ponyssheth al whan tyme is oportune

The clerk

The clerke answerith

Shall I þat am so ȝong a clerk now dyee
Fro my servise and have no bett gwerdoun
Is þer no geyn ne no bettir way
No sure fraunches ne proteccioun
605 Deth maketh alway a short conclusioun
To late ware whan men bene on þe brinke
Þe world shall fayll & all possessioun
For mych faileth of thing þat foles thinke

Death to the hermit

Deth to þe Ermett

Ȝe þat have lyvid long in wildernesse
610 And þer contenued long in abstinense
At þe last ȝet ȝe mote ȝow dresse
Off my daunce to have experience
For þer-aȝen is no resistence
Take now leve of thyn Ermytage
615 Wher-foor eche man aduerte þis sentence
Þat þis lyff here is no sure heritage

The hermit

Þe armytt answerith

Lif in desert callid solitarie
May a-ȝen deth have no respitt ne space
At vnsett oure his commyng doþ not tarie
620 And for my parte welcome be godds grace
Thankyng hym with humble chere and face
Off all his ȝifts and grete habondaunce
Fynaly affermyng in þis place
No man is riche þat lackith suffisaunce

Death

Deth aȝen to þe Ermytt

625 That is weel seyd and þus shuld euery wight
Thanke his god and all his witts dresse
To love and drede hym with al his hert & myght
Seth deth to ascape may be no sykernesse
As men deserue god qwytt of rightwisnesse
630 To riche and poore vn on euery syde
A better lesson þer can no clerke expresse
Þan tull to-morow is no man sure to abyde.

The dead king

The dead king

The kyng liggyng ded & eten with wormes

Ȝe folk þat loken vp-on this portrature
By holdyng here all þe astates daunce
635 Seeth what ȝe bene & what is ȝour nature
Mete vn-to wormes not ellis in substaunce
And have þis mirroure euere in remembraunce
How I ly here some-tyme crownyd kyng
To all astates a trewe resemblaunce
640 Þat wormes foode is fyne of oure lyvyng

The authority

The authority

Macabre þe doctor

Man is not ellis plattly for to thinke
Butt as a wynd which is transitorie
Passyng ay forth wedur he wake or wynke
Toward þis daunce have þis in memorie
645 Remembryng ay þer is no bett victorie
In þis lyff here than fle synne at þe leste
Þan shull ȝe regne in Paradisse with glorie
Happy is he þat makith in heven his feste

Ȝet þer be folk mo þan six or seven
650 Recles of lyffe in many maner wise
Lik as þer were hell non nor heven
Such fals errour lat euere man disspisse
For holy seyntes and old clerkes wisse
Writen contrarie her falsnes to deface
655 To lyve [welle] take þis for þe beste Emprise
Is mych worth whan men shul hens passe

The translator

The translator

Lenvoy de translatoure

O ȝe my lordes and maysters all in feere
Off aventure that shull þis daunce rede
Lovli I pray with all my hert entere
660 To correcte where as ȝe se nede
For noght ellis I axe for my mede
Butt goodly support of his translacioun
And with fauoure to sowpowayle drede
Benyngly in ȝour correccioun

665 Outt of þe franche I drew it of entente
Nott word by word bott folowyng þe substaunce
And fro Parys to Englonde it sente
Only of purpos ȝow to do plesaunce
Rude of langage I was not borne in Fraunce
670 Have me excused my name is John lidgate
Off her tonge I have no suffisaunce
Her corious metris in Inglisshe to translate.