Incipit Macrobius
Macrobius, or
the power of death over all.
|
O Creature / that byn resonable
The lyff desyryng / which is eternall
Ye may seen here / doctryne ful notable
Your lyff to lede / the which is mortall
5
Ther by to lerne / in especiall
Howe ye shal trace / the daunce which that ye see
To man & woman / that be naturall
For deth ne spareth / hih nor lowe degre
Angelus
In this merour / euery man may fynde
10
That hym be houeth / to gon vpon the daunce
Who goth beforne / & who goth behynde
Al dependit in goddis ordynaunce
Werfor ech man / lowly take his chance
Deth sparith nouthir / pore nor blod roiall
15
Ech man ther for / haue this in remembraunce
Off oon mater / god hat forgid all.
|
Papa
Ye that be sett / hih in dignyte
Of all estatis / in erthe spirituall
And lyke to peter / haue the souerente
20
Ouer the cherch / most in especiall
Opon this daunce / ye first begynne shall
As most worthy lord & gouernour
For all the worship / of your astat papall
And of lordship / to god is the honour
Responsum
25
First me behoueth / this daunce with deth to lede
Which sat in erthe / heyest in my see
The estat perilous who so take hed
To ocupye seynt petris dignyte
But for al that / fro deth I may nat flee
30
Vpon this daunce / with odir for to trace
For such honour / who cam preudently can see
Is lytil worth / that doth so sone passe.
Imperator.
Sir Emperour / lord of al the gronde
Most souereyn prince / surmountyng of nobles
35
Ye most forsake / of golde your appil rounde
Septre & swerd / & all your hih prowesse.
Behynd you / late tresour & richesse
And with othir / to my daunce obeye
Ageyn my myth / vaileth non hardinesse
40
That lordis gret / haue litil avauntage
Responsum
I not to whom / I may appele
Whan deth me saileth / that doth me constrayne
Ther is no geynne / to socour my quarele
But spad & picoys / my graue to atteyne
45
A symple shete / ther is no more to seyne
To wrappen in / my body & my visage
Whe[r] vpon I me sore compleyn
That lordis gret haue litil avauntage
|
Cardinal
Ye be abaissht / it semeth & in drede
50
Sir Cardinall / it semeth be your cher
But for al that / ye folwe shal in dede
With othir estatis / this daunce to lere
Your gret araye / al shal leuyn here
Your hat of red / your vesture of gret cost
55
All thes thynges / rekynyd will I fere
In gret worshep good auys is lost
Responsum
I haue gret cause / treuly it is no fayle
To byn abaissht / & gresly to dredyn me
Sith deth is comen / me sodynly tossayle
60
That [I] shal neuer [here] after / clothid be
In Grys nor Ermyn lyk to my degre
Myn hat of red / leuyn here in distresse
Bi the which / I haue lernyd will & see
How that all Ioie / endith in heuynesse
Death to the empress
Imperatrix.
65
Lat se your hand / my lady dame emperesse
Haue no disdyn / with me for to daunce
Ye may a side / leyn al your richesse
Your fressh attyres devises of plesaunce
Your solyn cheres / your straunge contenaunce
70
Your clothis of gold most vnkouthly wrouht
Hauyng of deth ful litil remembrance
But now I see well / all is come to nouht
The empress
Responsum
What availeth / gold richesse or perre
Or what availeth / hih blood or gentylnes
75
Or what availeth / fresshnesse or beute
Or what is worth / hih port or straungenesse
Deth sith chek mate to al such veyn nobles
All bodyly power now may me not availe
Raunsoun kynred frenshep nor worthynesse
80
Syn deth is come / my hih estat to assayle
|
Patriarcha
Sir patriarch full sad and humble of cheer
Ye mot with othir / gon on this daunce with me
Your double crosse of goold / & stonys clere
Your power hol / & al your dignyte
85
Som other shall / of trowth and equite
Be possessid in hast / as I rehers can
Trust neuer that ye / shal pope be.
For foly hope / deseyueth many a man
Responsum
Wordly honour tresour & richesse
90
Hath me disseyued sothfastly in dede
My Ioies olde / be tourned to distresse
What availeth [it] such honour to possed
Hih clymbyng vp / a fall hath to his mede
Gret estat folk waste out of noumbre
95
Who so mountith hihest / stondith most in drede
Such heuy berden / doth hem oftyn encoumbre.
Rex
Ryth noble kyng / most worthy of renon
Com forth anon / for all your worthynesse
That somtyme had / so gret possession
100
Rewmys obeyeng vnto your hih noblesse
Ye most of nature / to this daunce you dresse
And fynally / your crowne & sceptre lete
For who so most / haboundith in gret richesse
Shal ber with hym / but a sengle shete.
Responsum
105
I haue not lerned / here afforn to daunce
No daunce in soth / of fotyng so savage
Wherby I see / ful clerly in substance
What pride is worth / force or hih parage
Deth all fordoth / this is his vsage
110
Gret & smal / that in this world soiourne
Who that is most mek / hath most avauntage
For we shall all / to dede asshis tourne
|
Archiepiscopus
Sir Archebisshop why do ye so withdrawe
Your lok your face / as it wer bi disdeyne
115
Ye most obeye / to your mortal lawe
It to constreyn / it wer but a veyne
For day be day / be rith wyll certyn
Deth at hond / pursueth euery cost
Prestis & deth may not be holdyn ageyn
120
For at oon hour / men countyn with ther hoste
Responsum
Allas I wot nat / what party for to fle
For drede of deth / I stand in such distresse
Tescape his power / I can no refute see
But who that kneuh / his constreynt & duresse
125
He wold take reson to maistrasse
And seyn ad[i]eu / pomp & pride also
My paynted pales / my tresour & richesse
Thyng that behouyth / nedys must be do
Princeps
Ryth myht[y] prynce / be rith wyll certyn
130
This daunce to you / is myschessable
For more mythy / than euer was Charlemeyn
Or worthy Arthour / in prowesse ful notable
With al his knyhtys / of the rounde table
What dede ther platys / ther armour or ther mayle
135
Ther strong corage / ther sheldys deffensable
Ageyns deth availe / whan he hym dede assaile.
Responsum
My purpos was / & myn entencion
To assegid castelis / & mythy porteressis
Rebellys to bryng / vnto subieccion
140
To seke worshepis / fame & worthyhesse
But I see wil / that all wordly prowesse
Deth can abate / whereof I haue despyt
To hym all oon / sorwe & swetnesse
For ageyn deth / is founde no respyt
|
Episcopus
145
Com ner sir bisshop / with your myter & Cros
For al your richesse / soth I [yow] ensure
For al your tresoure / so long kepte in clos
Your werdly goodis / & goodis of nature
And of your shep / the gostly dredful cure
150
With charge committid / to your prelacye
For the counte / ye shal be brouht to lure
Nouht is sure / that clymbith on hihe
Responsum
Off thes tydynges / I am no thyng glad
Whych deth to me / so sodeynly doth bryng
155
It makit my face / & countenaunce ful sade
That for disconfort / me list no thyng to syng
O world contrary / to me in werkyng
Whych al estatis / can so dis[h]erite
And nedis we must / vnto our departyng
160
And shal passe / sauff oonly our merite.
Comes & Baro
Erle & baron / which that thoruh regiouns
Haue sore labourid / for w[o]rshep & renon
Forget your trompetis / & your clariouns
This [is] no drem / nor symulacion
165
Somtyme your custom / & your entencion
Was in estat / & wordly worship to glade
But oft tymes it happith in conclusion
Oo man brekyt that a othir made
Responsum
Ful often tymes / I haue ben autorised
170
To hih emprise / & thyng of gret fame
Off gret estatys / me thank also devisid
Chersshid with / princes / & lordis gret of name
Nor neuer on me was put no defame
In roiall courtis / which that were notable
175
But deth on warly / al power makit lame
And vndir heuyn / in erthe is no thyng stable
|
Abbas & Prior
Sir Abbot & prior with your brod hatt
To byn abaissht / ye haue a maner riht
Gret is your hed / your body round & fatt
180
Ye most com daunce / thouh ye be nat lyth
Leuyn your lordship / to som othir wiht
You heyer is of age / the stat to ocupye
Who so is fattist / to hym I haue behiht
In his graue sonnest / shal putrefye
Responsum
185
Of thy manace / I haue no gret envye
That I shall leve / al maner gouernance
But that I shal / as a cloisterer dye
This doth to me / somwaht the les gravance
My libertes / nor my gret haboundance
190
What may they availe in any maner wise
Yit aske I mercy / with devout repentance
Thouh toforn deth / to late men them avise
Abbatissa
And ye my ladye / gentil dame abbasse
With your mantyl / furrid large & wyde
195
Your veil your wymple / your ryng of gret richesse
And beddis soffte / ye must now ley on syde
For to this dance / I must be your guyde
Thouh ye be tendre / borne of gentyl blod
Will that ye leff / your self provide
200
For affter deth / no man hath [no] goode
Responsum
Allas that deth / hath so for me ordeyned
That in no wyse / I may nat hym eschew
Vnto this [daunce] / of rith I am constreyned
That here with othir / I must this trace sew
205
This pilgrymag / to euery man is dewe
An ernest mater / a mater of no Iape
Who that is alwey redy / shal neuer rewe
The hour abydyng / that god hath to hym shape
Døden til Iudex
Iudex
That hand of your / my lord Iustyce
210
That have rewlid / so long the lawe
Wyll may men hold you / war & wyse
So that this drawht / be well drawe
Escape shal ye nat / wold ye neuer so fawe
Such doom to haue / as ye hau youen in soth
215
Wherfor men seyn / of an old sawe
Well is hym that alwey well doth
Iudex
Responsum
Allas ne were that myne entent
Was wel dresside / thouh I other while erred
Now shold I wetterly / be shamed & shont
220
For many causis / that I haue oftyn deferred
Sauff mercy oonly / now were I marrid
Blissid therfor is euery wyht
As bi holy scriptur / may ben averred
That in all tyme / doth law & kepyth riht
Døden til Doctor vtriusque Juris
Doctor vtriusque Iuris
225
Com forth doctor / of Canon & Cyvyle
In bothe the lawys / with long contynuaunce
Your tyme hau spent / bewar ye ded no guyle
In your maters / for to hau fortheraunce
Now must ye lerne / with me for to daunce
230
Al your law may you nat avayle
Gyff me your hand / & mak no perturbance
Your hour is come / this is withouten fayle
Doctor vtriusque Juris
Responsum
A merci Ihesu / how mankynd is feel
And litil tyme in this world abydyng
235
No man of his lyff / hat nouther charter nor sel
Therfor it may be likned in al thyng
Vnto a flour / so amerously florshyng
Which with a frost / riht sone bigynnet to fade
Whan creuel deth / his massag list to bryng
240
All lyffly thyng / he bryngeth in the shade.
Miles et Armyger
Knyht or squere / riht fressh of your araye
That can of daunces / all the new guyse
Thouh ye bar armys / well horsyd yesterday
With sper & sheld / at your vnkouth devise
245
And take vpon you / many strang emprise
Dansith with vs / it well no better be
Ther is no socour / in no maner wyse
For no man may / fro dethis power fle
Responsum
Sith that deth / me holdit in his lace
250
Yet shal I spek a word or I passe
Ad[i]eu al merth / adieu now al solace
Adieu my ladies / somtyme so fresshe of face
Adieu beute / that lastith but short space
Off dethis chau[n]g euery day is pryme
255
Thynk on your sowles / or that deth manace
For [all] shal rote / & no man wot what tyme
Death to the mayor
Maior
Com forth sir Mayr / which had gouernaunce
By polycie / to rewle this Cete
Thouh your [power] / wer notable in substaunce
260
To fle my daunce / ye haue no liberte
Estat is non / nor worly dygnyte
That may escape / out of my daungeris
To fynd rescew / exaumple ye may see
Nouthir bi rechisse / nor forsse of officers
The mayor
Responsum
265
What helpith now / the stat in <the> which I stod
To rewle Citeis / or comouns to gouerne
Plente of richesse / or incres of god
Or old wynnyng / that comet to me so yerne
Deth all deffaceth / who so list to lerne
270
Me for tareste / he cometh on so fast
Ech man therfor / shold a forne discerne
Prudently / to thynk vpon his last
Death to the Canonicus Regularis
Canonicus Regularis
Lat see your hand sir chanon reguler
Somtyme I shorne / to religion
275
As humble soget / & obediencer
Chastly to levyn / lik your proffession
But ther may be / no consolacion
Ageyn my sawes / sodein & creuell
Except oonly / for short conclusion
280
Who levith in vertu / mot nedis deye well
Canonicus Regularis
Responsum
Why shold I gruchch / or dissobye.
The thyng the which / of verray kynly riht
Was I ordeyned / and borne [for] to dye
As in this world / is euery maner wyht
285
Which to remembre / is no thyng liht
Prayeng the lorde / that was sprad on ye rode
To medle merci / with his eternall myht
And save the sowles / that he bouht wiht his blod
|
Decanus
Sir dean or chanon / with many gret prebend
290
Ye may no lenger / hau distribuciouns
In gret aray / your tresour to dispende
With al your riches / & your pocessiouns
For kynd hath sett / her revoluciouns
Ech man som daye / to daunce on dethis brynk
295
Therof ye may / hau no dilacioun
For deth cometh / ever whan men list on hym [thynk]
Responsum
My dyvers curis / my rich personages
Allas ful litil / they may me now conforth
Deth vpon me / hat gotyn his awantages
300
All my richesse / can make me now no sport
Amys of Grey / they must ageyn resort
Vnto the world / with many a gret prebende
For which trewly / as clarkis can report
To deye well / ech man shold entende
|
Monialis
305
Thouh ye be barbid / & clad in clothis blake
Chastly receyuid / the mantil & the ryng
Ye may nat the coursse of nature forsake
To daunce with othir / now at my comyng
In this world / is non abydyng
310
Nouther of mayde / widwe nor wyff
As ye may seyn here / clerly be wrytyng
That ageyns deth is founde no preseruatiff
Responsum
It helpith nat / to stryve agayn nature
Namly whan deth / begynneth to assayle
315
Wherfore I consail / euery creature
To byn redy / ageyns this fel bataile
Vertu is siwer than othir plate or mayle
Also nothyng / may help at such ned
Than to provide / a sur acquytayle
320
With the hand of almasse / to loue god & drede
|
Chartrux
Yeue me your hand / with chekis ded & pale
Causid of watch / & long abstynence
Sir Chartreux / doth your chyne vale
Vnto the daunce / with humble paciens
325
To stryve ageyn / may be no resistens
Lenger to lyve / set nat your memorye
Thouh I be lothsom / outward in apperance
Above all men deth hat the victorye
Responsum
Vnto this world / I was ded ago ful long
330
Bi my ordre / & my profession
Euery man be he neuer so strong
Dredit hym to dye / bi natural mocion
After his flesshly / inclynacion
Plese it my lorde / my sowle for to borwe
335
Fro fendis myht / & fro dampnacion
Som arn today / that shal not be tomorwe.
Death to the Sergeant in lawe
Sergant of lawe
Com ner sir sergante / short processe to make
Ye must com plete / affor the Iustice on hih
Many a quarel / thouh ye haue vndirtake
340
And for lucre / don ful gret remedye
Ther shal your sotil wittis / be demyd ful hih
Yeff slayhte & covetise / be nat exiled
Be war betymes / & labor for merci
For they that most trust them silf ar sonnest biguyled
The sergeant in lawe
Responsum
345
Off rith & reson / bi natures of lawe
I can aleggen / nor make no defence
Nor be sleihte / nor statut me withdrawe
Tescape away / from this dredful sentens
For all my wit / nor gret prudence
350
No thyng in erth may no thyng preserue
Ageyns hys myht / to make resystence
But god quyth men / better than th[e]y desserue
Death to Generosa
Generosa
Com forth mastras / of yeris yong & grene
Which hold your selfe / of beaute souereyne
355
As fayre as [ye] was somtyme Pollicene
Penolope or the queen Eleyne
Yet on this daunce / they went both tweyn
And so shal ye for all your straungenesse
Thouh deynous / daunger long hat led your reyn
360
Vnto this daunce / ye mot your fotyng dresse
Generosa
Responsum
O cruel deth / that sparist non estat
To old & yong thou art indefrent
To my beute thou hast seyd chek mate
So hasty is thi mortal Iugement
365
For in my youthe / this was myn entent
To my servise / many a man to haue lurid
But she is a fool / shortly in sentensse
That in her fayrnesse is to mych assurid
|
Magister in Astronom[i]a
Com forth [mayster] / that lokyn vp so ferre
370
With instrumentis / off astronomye
To take the grees / & hihte of euery sterre
What may availe / all your astrologie
Sith of Adam / all the genologie
Mad first of god / to walkyn vpon [the] grond
375
Deth doth arest / thus sith theologye
And [all] shul dye / For an appil ronde
Responsum
For al my crafft / konnyng or sience
I can fynd / no provision
Nor in [the] sterris / serche out no deffence
380
Bi domefyeng / or calculacion
Sauff fynally in conclusion
For to descryvyn / our konnyng euery del
Ther is no mor / bi sentence of reson
But he that well levith / most nedis deye well
|
Frater
385
Com forth thou Freer / to ye myn hand is rauht
Vpon this daunce / the to conveye & lede
Which in thi techyng / hast ful oft tauht
How that I am / gastful for to drede
All thouh that folk / take therof non hed
390
Yet is ther non so strong nor so hardye
But [I] dar arrest hym / & lette for no mede
For deth ech hour / is present & redeye
Responsum
What may this be / that in this world no man
Heer for tabide / may hau no surete
395
Strengthe nor riches / nor what that he can
Or wor[dly] wesdam / al is but vanyte
In gret estat / nor in pouerte
Is no thyng founde / that may fro deth deffende
For which I sey / to hih & lowe degre
400
Wysse is the synner / that doth his liff amende.
Sergant
Com forth sergant / with thi statly maas
Make no defence / nor no rebellion
It may not availe / to gruchchen in this caas
Thouh thou be deynous / of condicion
405
For nouthir appil / nor protection
May the franches / to do no man wrong
For ther is non / so sturdy a champion
Thouh he be mythy / I am more strong.
Responsum
How darst thou deth / on me set arest
410
Which am the kyngis officere
And yesterday / waIkyng est & west
My office dede / with ful spitous cher
But now this day / I am arestid here
And may not fle / thouh I had it sworn
415
Ech man is loth / to deye ferr or nerr
That hath not lerned / to dey afforne
Iurour
Maister Iurour / which that at assises
And at shires / questis didist enbrace
Departyd lond / after thi devises
420
And who most gaff / most stod in thi grace
The pore man / lost both lond & place
For gold thou koudist / folk disherite
But lat se now / that withyne so short a space
By for the Iuge how thou canst the aquite
Responsum
425
Somtyme I was / callid in my contre
The bellewedder / & that was nat a lyte
Nat lovyd but dred / of hih nor lowe degre
For as me list bi crafft I could endyte
Hang the trewe / & the theffis aquite
430
Al the contre / bi my word was lede
But I dar sey / shortly for to wryte
Off my deth / many on wold be ful glad
Mimus
Gentil menstrel / shew now thi witt
How thou canst pley / or fote the daunce
435
I dar wel say / [that] an harder fytt
Than this fel neuer to thi chaunce
Loke therfore / what may best avaunce
Thi sowle as now / & vse that I rede
Reffuce nyce play / & veyn plesaunce
440
Bettir late than neuer / to do good dede
Responsum
Ey benedicite / this world is frel
Now glad now sory / what shal men vse
Harpe lute & fidel / fareweell
Sawtre sitol & shalmuse
445
All wordly merth / I here refuse
God graunt me grace / of such penaunce
As may my old synnes excuse
For all be nat mery / that other while daunce
Death to the Famulus
Famulus
Seruant or officer / in this office
450
Yeff haddist ben / as god wold & riht
To pore & rich / don pleyn Iustice
Fled extorcion / with al thy myth
Than mayst thou / in this dance go lyth
Or ellis ful hevy / shalt you be than
455
Whan al domys / shal fynally be dytht
Go we hens / the tyde abydith no man
The Famulus
Responsum
Shal I so sone / to dethis daunce
That wend to haue levid / yeris many
And sodenly forsake / all my plesaunce
460
Of offices / & profitis that long ther too
Yet o[on] thyng I consel or I goo
In his office / lat no man don outrage
For dred of god / and peyne also
Also servyce is non heritage.
|
Phisicus
465
Ye phisiciens / for many that lokyn so fast
In othir mennys wateris / what the eyle
Lok well to your self / or atte the laste
I wot what your medicynes / or craft wol availe
For deth comyng / sodeynly doth assayl
470
As wel lechis / as othir that shal ye knowe
Atte last Iugement / withouten any fayle
Whan al men shal repe / as they hau sowe
Responsum
Allas to long / and to mych in phisik
For lucre I plye / al my besinesse
475
Bothe in speculacion / and in practik
To knowe & konne / al bodyli siknesse
But of gostly helthe / I was reklesse
Wherfor may help / nouther erbe nor rote
Nor no medicyne / sauff goddisse goodnesse
480
For ageyns deth / is fynally no bothe
Mercator
Come rich marchant & lok hiddirward
Wich hat passid many dyuerse lond
On hors & fote / havyng most reward
To lucre & wynnyng / as I vndirstond
485
But now to daunce / thou most yeff me thyn hond
All thyn old labour / whe[r] is [it] become nowe
Adieu veynglory both of fre & bonde
Non more coverth / than he that hat Inow.
Responsum
Bi many an hil / & many a strong vale
490
I haue travailed / with many marchaundisse
Bi strong seis / I caried many a male
In sondri ylis / mo than I can devise
My hart inward / evir fret with couetise
But all for nouth / deth doth me constreyne
495
For which I sei / be record of the wyse
Who so enbrasith / he litil shal restreyn
Death to the Artifex
Artifex
Yeue hiddir thyn hand / thou artificer
For ther is founde / no subtilite
But witt of man / that fro my daunger
500
To saue hym selfe / can haue no liberte
My strok is sodeyn for the which no man may flee
Bi corioust / nor konnyng of fressh devise
Kynd hat ordyned / it wil non othir be
Ech man mot passe / whan deth settith assyce
The Artifex
Responsum
505
Ther is no craft / cerchid out nor souht
Cast nor compasid / bi old nor new entayle
I see ful well withyne my owne thouht
Ageyns deth / ther may nothyng availe
She pershith sheldis / she pershith plat & mayle
510
Ageyns her strok / konnyng nor siensse
Whan that her list mortally tassaile
Allas allas / ther may be non defence
Laborarius
Thou laborer / which in sorwe & peyne
Hast lad thi liff / & in gret travaile
515
Thou must here daunce / & ther to nat disdeyn
For thouh thou do / it may the nat availe
And cause whi / that I the assayle
Is oonly fro the / for to disseuer
This falce world / that causith folk to fayle
520
For he is a fool / that wenyth to leff evir
Responsum
I haue wisshid / affter deth ful offte
Althouh I wold / ha fled hym now
I had lever / to haue lyen vnsoffte
In wynd & reyn / & go forth to the plouh
525
With spade & picoyse / labourid for my prouh
Dolvyn & diked / & at the carte gon
For I may seyn / & pleynly avowe
In this world here / rest is ther non
Infans
Lytil childe / that wer but lat borne
530
Shape in this werld / to haue no plesaunce
Thou must with othir / that gon here toforne
Be lad with hym / with sotil ordynaunce
Lerne of new / to gon vpon this daunce
Ther may non age / in soth scape ther fro
535
Late euery wiht / ha this in remembraunce
Who so lyngest levith / most shal soffer woo
Responsum
A. A. A. a word I can nat speke
I am ful yong / I was born yesterday
Deth is ful hasty / on me to be a wrek
540
And of his st[r]ok / I list make no delay
I cam but now / and now I go my way
Off me no more / no tale shal be told
The wyll of god / no man withstond may
For as sone dieth / a yong shep as an old
Heremita
545
Ye that ha levid / long in wyldernesse
And continyd / long in abstynence
Tyme is com / that ye mot you dresse
Off my daunce / to haue experience
For ther ageyns / is no resisstence
550
Take now leve of thyn hermytage
Wherfor ech man / aduertise this sentens
That this lyff her / is but a pilgrymage
Responsum
Lyff in desert / callid solatori
May ageyns deth / hau no respit nor spas
555
At vnset hour / his comyng doth not tarye
And for my part / wilcom be goddis grace
Thankyng my lord / with humble cher & face
Off his yefftis / such as I haue assaide
Fynally / affermyng in this place
560
No man is rich / but he that halte hym payd
|
Conclusio
Ye folk that lokyn / vpon this scripture
Conceyueth here / that al estatis daunce
Seth what ye be / & what is your nature
Mete vnto wormys / nat ellis in substaunce
565
And haue this myrour / ay in remembraunce
Before your mynd / abovyn al thyng
To alle estatis a trew / resemblaunce
That wormys fode / is end of your lyffvyng
What is manys lyff / but a contenaunce
570
Or as a puff of wynd / that is transitorie
As may be well perseyued / bi this daunce
Therfor ye that redyn this storye
Kepe thentent / in your memorye
And it shal steer you / into gostly lyff
575
To eschew peyn / & com vnto glorye
And be your socour / in al gostly striff
Responsum
Be nat afferd this scripture in tyme of play
In your mynd / to revolue & rede
For trust verily / ye shal neuer the sonner dye
580
But it shal you synne for to drede
The which refusid / ye shal hau gret mede
Therfore among / haue mynd on this letter
And vse vertu / prayer & allmese dede
And than I dar sey / ye shal don the bettir
Explicit Macrabiorum
