Lament for the Makers

I THAT in heill was and gladnèss
Am trublit now with great sickness
And feblit with infirmitie: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Our plesance here is all vain glory,
This fals world is but transitory,
The flesh is bruckle, the Feynd is slee: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

The state of man does change and vary,
Now sound, now sick, now blyth, now sary,
Now dansand mirry, now like to die: —
      Timor Mortis conturbat me.

No state in Erd here standis sicker;
As with the wynd wavis the wicker
So wannis this world's vanitie: —
      Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Unto the ded gois all Estatis,
Princis, Prelatis, and Potestatis,
Baith rich and poor of all degree: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

He takis the knichtis in to the field
Enarmit under helm and scheild;
Victor he is at all mellie: —
      Timor Mortis conturbat me.

That strong unmerciful tyrand
Takis, on the motheris breast sowkand,
The babe full of benignitie: —
      Timor Mortis conturbat me.

He takis the campion in the stour,
The captain closit in the tour,
The lady in bour full of bewtie: —
      Timor Mortis conturbat me.

He spairis no lord for his piscence,
Na clerk for his intelligence;
His awful straik may no man flee: —
      Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Art-magicianis and astrologgis,
Rethoris, logicianis, and theologgis,
Them helpis no conclusionis slee: —
      Timor Mortis conturbat me.

In medecine the most practicianis,
Leechis, surrigianis, and physicianis,
Themself fra ded may not supplee: —
      Timor Mortis conturbat me.

I see that makaris amang the lave
Playis here their padyanis, syne gois to grave;
Sparit is nocht their facultie: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

He has done petuously devour
The noble Chaucer, of makaris flour,
The Monk of Bury, and Gower, all three:—
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

The good Sir Hew of Eglintoun,
Ettrick, Heriot, and Wintoun,
He has tane out of this cuntrie: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

That scorpion fell has done infeck
Maister John Clerk, and James Aflek,
Fra ballat-making and tragedie: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Holland and Barbour he has berevit;
Alas! that he not with us levit
Sir Mungo Lockart of the Lee: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Clerk of Tranent eke he has tane,
That made the anteris of Gawaine;
Sir Gilbert Hay endit has he: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

He has Blind Harry and Sandy Traill
Slain with his schour of mortal hail,
Quhilk Patrick Johnstoun might nought flee: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

He has reft Merseir his endite,
That did in luve so lively write,
So short, so quick, of sentence hie:—
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

He has tane Rowll of Aberdene,
And gentill Rowll of Corstorphine;
Two better fallowis did no man see:—
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

In Dumfermline he has done roun
With Maister Robert Henrysoun;
Sir John the Ross enbrast has he: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

And he has now tane, last of a,
Good gentil Stobo and Quintin Shaw,
Of quhom all wichtis hes pitie: —
      Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Good Maister Walter Kennedy
In point of Death lies verily;
Great ruth it were that so suld be: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Sen he has all my brether tane,
He will naught let me live alane;
Of force I man his next prey be:—
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Since for the Death remeid is none,
Best is that we for Death dispone,
After our death that live may we: —
       Timor Mortis conturbat me.

                           —William Dunbar    (1465-1520)

                           Note on modern equivalents:

                              heill=health, bruckle=brittle, dansand=dancing, 
                              sicker=sure, wannis=wanes, sowkand=sucking, 
                              campion=champion, stour=fight, piscence=puissane, 
                              straik=stroke, supplee=save, makaris=poets, eke=also, 
                              padyanis=pageants, anteris=adventures, fallowis=fellows, 
                              wichtis=people, man=must, dispone=prepare for.
                              
                                             (from the Oxford Book of English Verse, Sir Arthur 
                                             Quiller-Couch editor, 1940-some consider this the best edition—ed )