Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
I THAT in heill was and gladnèss | |
Am trublit now with great sickness | |
And feblit with infirmitie:— | |
Timor Mortis conturbat me. | |
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Our plesance here is all vain glory, | 5 |
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, | 10 |
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:— | 15 |
Timor Mortis conturbat me. | |
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Unto the Death gois all Estatis, | |
Princis, Prelatis, and Potestatis, | |
Baith rich and poor of all degree:— | |
Timor Mortis conturbat me. | 20 |
|
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 | 25 |
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, | 30 |
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:— | 35 |
Timor Mortis conturbat me. | |
|
Art-magicianis and astrologgis, | |
Rethoris, logicianis, and theologgis, | |
Them helpis no conclusionis slee:— | |
Timor Mortis conturbat me. | 40 |
|
In medecine the most practicianis, | |
Leechis, surrigianis, and physicianis, | |
Themself from Death may not supplee:— | |
Timor Mortis conturbat me. | |
|
I see that makaris amang the lave | 45 |
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, | 50 |
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:— | 55 |
Timor Mortis conturbat me. | |
|
That scorpion fell has done infeck | |
Maister John Clerk, and James Afflek, | |
Fra ballat-making and tragedie:— | |
Timor Mortis conturbat me. | 60 |
|
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, | 65 |
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, | 70 |
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:— | 75 |
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. | 80 |
|
In Dunfermline he has tane Broun | |
With Maister Robert Henrysoun; | |
Sir John the Ross enbrast has he:— | |
Timor Mortis conturbat me. | |
|
And he has now tane, last of a, | 85 |
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; | 90 |
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:— | 95 |
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. | 100 |