Maister of phisik / whiche [o]n 3owre vryne
So loke and gase / & stare a-3enne the sunne
For al 3owre crafte / & studie of medicyne
Al the practik / & science that 3e cunne 3owre lyues cours / so ferforthe ys I-runne
A3eyne my myght / 3owre crafte mai not endure
For al the golde / that 3e ther-bi bane wonne
Good leche is he / that can hym self recure.
3owre vryne: your urine(1)
look, gaze and stare against the sun
leche: physician (leech)
The Phecissian answereth
Ful longe a-gon / that I vn-to phesike
Sette my witte / and my diligence
In speculatif / & also in practike
To gete a name / thurgh myn excellence
To fynde oute / a3ens pestilence
Preseruatifes / to staunche hit & to fyne
But I dar saie / shortli in sentence
A3ens dethe / is worth no medicyne.
in theory and in practice thurgh: through
hit: it, fyne: end
Dethe to the amerous Squyere
3e that be Jentel / so fresshe & amerous
Of 3eres 3onge / flowryng in 3owre grene age
Lusti fre of herte / and eke desyrous
Ful of deuyses / and chaunge yn 3owre corage
Plesaunt of porte / of loke & [of] visage
But al shal turne / in to asshes dede
For al beaute / is but a feynte ymage
Whiche steleth a-wai / or folkes can take hede.
eke: also
The Squyer answereth
Allas allas / I can now no socoure
A-3eyns dethe / for my selfe prouyde
Adieu of 3owthe / the lusti fressh floure
Adieu veynglorie / [of bewte and of pride]
Adieu al seruyse / of the god cupide
Adieu my ladyes / so fresshe so wel be-seyne
For a3eyne dethe / no thynge mai abide
And wyndes grete / gon doune with litel reyne
Dethe to the Gentilwoman amerous
Come forthe Maistresse / of 3eres 3onge & grene
Whiche holde 3owre self / of beaute souereyne
As feire as 3e / was sum tyme pollicene
Penelope / and the quene Eleyne 3itte on this daunce / thei wenten bothe tweyne
And so shul 3e / for al 3owre straungenesse
Though daunger longe / yn loue hathe lad 3ow reyne
A-rested is / 3owre chaunge of dowblenesse.
sum tyme: formerly
3itte: yet
The Jentilwoman answereth
O cruel dethe / that sparest noon a-state
To olde and 3onge / thow arte indefferente
To my beaute / thou haste I-seide checke-mate
So hasti is / thi mortal Jugemente
For yn my 3owthe / this was myn entente
To my seruyce / many a man to a lured
But she is a fole / shortli yn sentemente
That in her beaute / is to moche assured.
(1)Urine....: the doctor is always portrayed with a urine glass, which he holds up
against the sun to check for diseases.
When Death speaks of 3owre vryne, it makes you wonder
if it's the physicians own urine that is being investigated.
Notice how Death (in Paris) is tugging at the doctor's dress in the crotch area. The picture to the right is from the dance of death
in Bern (Switzerland), where the doctors grasps his own crotch. Maybe to show the source of the urine sample.
Medieval dances of death
St. Paul's, London