William Dunbar(ea. 1460–ca. 1525)
Lament for the Makaris
I that in heill was and gladnes,health
Am trublit now with gret seiknes,sickness
And feblit with infermite:
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Our plesance heir is all vane glory
This fals warld is bot transitory,
The flesche is brukle, the Fend is sle;frail / sly
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
The state of man dois change and vary,
Now sound, now seik, now blith, now sary,happy / sorry
Now dansand mery, now like to dee;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
No stait in erd heir standis sickir;earth / securely
As with the wynd wavis the wickir,waves / willow
Wavis this warldis vanite;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
On to the ded gois all estatis,
Princis, prelotis, and potestatis,prelates / potentates
Baith riche and pure of al degre;poor
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He takis the knychtis in to feild,knights
Anarmir''under helme and scheild;armed
Victour he is at all mellie;battles
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
That strange unmercifull tyrandstrong
Takis on the moderis breist sowkandmother's I sucking
The bab, full of benignite;gentleness
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He takis the campion in the stour,champion I battle
The capitane closit in the tour,tower
The lady in bour full of bewte;bower, chamber
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He sparis no lord for his piscense,power
Na clerk for his intelligence;scholar
His awful strak may no man fle;stroke
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Art magicianis, and astrologgis, astrologers
Rethoris, logicianis, and theologgis,rhetoricians
Thame helpis no conclusionis sle;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
In medicyne the most practicianis,greatest
Leichis, surrigianis, and phisicianis,doctors
Thame self fra ded may not supple;death I deliver
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
I see that makaris amang the laifremainder
Playis heir ther pageant, syne gois to grave;then
Sparit is nocht ther faculte;spared I not
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He hes done petuously devourpiteously
The noble Chaucer, of makaris flour,oflower
The Monk of Bery, and Cower, all thre:
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
The gude Syr Hew of Eglintoun,8
And eik Heryot, and Wyntoun,also
He hes tane out of this cuntre;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
That scorpion fell hes done infeckinfected
Maister Johne Clerk and James Afflek,
Fra ballat making and tragidie;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Holland and Barbour he hes berevit;
Allace! that he nocht with us levitalas
Schir Mungo Lokert of the Le;lea, meado-w
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Clerk of Tranent eik he hes tane,
That maid the Anteris of Gawane;adventures
Sir Gilbert Hay endit has he;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He has Blind Hary, and Sandy Traill
Slaine with his schour of mortal hail,shower
Quhilko Patrick Johnestoun myght nochtwhich
flee;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He has reft Merseir his endite;'
That did in luf so lifly write,
So schort, so quyk, of sentence hie;lively
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He hes tane Roull of Aberdene,
And gentill Roull of Corstorphin;
Two bettir fallowis did no man se;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
In Dunfermelyne he has donee rounemade / a circuit
With Maister Robert Henrisoun;
Schir Johne the Ros embrast hes he;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
And he hes now tane, last of aw,
Gud gentill Stobo and Quintyne Schaw,
Of quham all wichtis has pete:whom / creatures / pity
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Gud Maister Waiter Kennedy
In poynt of dede lyis veraly,
Gret reuth it wer that so suld be;pity /should
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Sen he hes all my brether tane,brothers
He will nocht lat me lif alane,
On forse I man his nyxt pray be;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Sen for the deid remeid is none,remedy
Best is that we for dede dispone,prepare
Eftir our deid that lif may we;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.