Gefe me 3owre honde / with chekes dede & pale
Caused of wacche / & longe abstinence
Sire Chartereux / & 3owre selfe a-vale
Vn-to this daunce / with humble pacience
To stryue a3en / mai be no resistence
Lenger to lyve / sette not 3owre memorie
Thowgh I be lothsome / as yn apparence
Above al men / deth hath the victorie.
Gefe me 3owre honde: Give me your hand
stryue a3en: fight against
The Chartereux answereth
Vn to the worlde / I was dede longe a-gon
Be my ordre / and my professioun
Thowgh eueri man / be he neuer so strange
Dredeth to dye / be kyndeli mocioun
After his flessheli / Inclynacioun
But plese hit to god / my sowle for to borowe
From fendes my3t / & fro dampnacioun
Somme ben to dai / that shul not be to morowe.
hit: it
from the Fiend's might and from damnation
[there] are some [people] today who shall not be here tomorrow
Dethe to the Sergeaunt
Come forthe Sire Sergeaunt / with 3owr stateli mace
Make no defence / ne no rebellioun
Not may availe / to grucche in this cace
Thowgh 3e be deynous / of condicioun
For nowther peele / ne proteccioun
Mai 3ow fraunchise / to do nature wronge
For ther is noon / so sturdi Champioun
Thowgh he be my3ti / a-nother is as stronge.
deynous: disdainful peele: appeal fraunchise: make free
The Sergeant answereth
How dar this dethe / sette on me a-reste
That am the kynges / chosen officere
Whiche 3esterdai / bothe este & weste
Myn office dede / ful surquedous of chere
But now this dai / I am a-rested here
And mai not fle / thowgh I had hit sworne
Eche man is lothe / to dye ferre and nere
That hath not lerned / for to dye a-forne.
Medieval dances of death
St. Paul's, London