| WILLIAM DUNBAR'S
LAMENT FOR THE MAKARIS QUHEN HE WAS SEK
1 I that in heill wes and gladnes,
2 Am trublit now with gret seiknes,
3 And feblit with infermite;
4 Timor mortis conturbat
me.
5 Our plesance heir is all vane
glory,
6 This fals warld is bot transitory,
7 The flesche is brukle, the Fend is sle;
8 Timor mortis conturbat
me.
9 The stait of man dois change and
vary,
10 Now sound, now seik, now blith, now sary,
11 Now dansand mery, now like to dee;
12 Timor mortis conturbat me.
13 No stait in erd heir standis sickir;
14 As with the wynd wavis the wickir,
15 Wavis this warldis vanite.
16 Timor mortis conturbat me.
17 On to the ded gois all estatis,
18 Princis, prelotis, and potestatis,
19 Baith riche and pur of al degre;
20 Timor mortis conturbat me.
21 He takis the knychtis in to feild,
22 Anarmit under helme and scheild;
23 Victour he is at all mellie;
24 Timor mortis conturbat me.
25 That strang unmercifull tyrand
26 Takis, on the moderis breist sowkand,
27 The bab full of benignite;
28 Timor mortis conturbat me.
29 He takis the campion in the stour,
30 The capitane closit in the tour,
31 The lady in bour full of bewte;
32 Timor mortis conturbat me.
33 He sparis no lord for his piscence,
34 Na clerk for his intelligence;
35 His awfull strak may no man fle;
36 Timor mortis conturbat me.
37 Art-magicianis, and astrologgis,
38 Rethoris, logicianis, and theologgis,
39 Thame helpis no conclusionis sle;
40 Timor mortis conturbat me.
41 In medicyne the most practicianis,
42 Lechis, surrigianis, and phisicianis,
43 Thame self fra ded may not supple;
44 Timor mortis conturbat me.
45 I se that makaris amang the laif
46 Playis heir ther pageant, syne gois to graif;
47 Sparit is nocht ther faculte;
48 Timor mortis conturbat me.
49 He hes done petuously devour,
50 The noble Chaucer, of makaris flour,
51 The Monk of Bery, and Gower, all thre;
52 Timor mortis conturbat me.
53 The gude Syr Hew of Eglintoun,
54 And eik Heryot, and Wyntoun,
55 He hes tane out of this cuntre;
56 Timor mortis conturbat me.
57 That scorpion fell hes done infek
58 Maister Johne Clerk, and Jame Afflek,
59 Fra balat making and tragidie;
60 Timor mortis conturbat me.
61 Holland and Barbour he hes berevit;
62 Allace! that he nocht with us levit
63 Schir Mungo Lokert of the Le;
64 Timor mortis conturbat me.
65 Clerk of Tranent eik he has tane,
66 That maid the Anteris of Gawane;
67 Schir Gilbert Hay endit hes he;
68 Timor mortis conturbat me.
69 He hes Blind Hary and Sandy Traill
70 Slaine with his schour of mortall haill,
71 Quhilk Patrik Johnestoun myght nocht fle;
72 Timor mortis conturbat me.
73 He hes reft Merseir his endite,
74 That did in luf so lifly write,
75 So schort, so quyk, of sentence hie;
76 Timor mortis conturbat me.
77 He hes tane Roull of Aberdene,
78 And gentill Roull of Corstorphin;
79 Two bettir fallowis did no man se;
80 Timor mortis conturbat me.
81 In Dumfermelyne he hes done roune
82 With Maister Robert Henrisoun;
83 Schir Johne the Ros enbrast hes he;
84 Timor mortis conturbat me.
85 And he hes now tane, last of aw,
86 Gud gentill Stobo and Quintyne Schaw,
87 Of quham all wichtis hes pete:
88 Timor mortis conturbat me.
89 Gud Maister Walter Kennedy
90 In poynt of dede lyis veraly,
91 Gret reuth it wer that so suld be;
92 Timor mortis conturbat me.
93 Sen he hes all my brether tane,
94 He will nocht lat me lif alane,
95 On forse I man his nyxt pray be;
96 Timor mortis conturbat me.
97 Sen for the deid remeid is none,
98 Best is that we for dede dispone,
99 Eftir our deid that lif may we;
100 Timor mortis conturbat me
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Lament for the Makers
Modern Rendering
I THAT in heill was and gladness
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 Death gods all Estatis,
Princis, Prelattis, 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 astrologic,
Rethoris, logicianis, and theologis,
Them helpis no conclusionis slee: --
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
In medecine the most practicianis,
Leechis, surrigianis and physicianis,
Themself from Death may nocht supplee: --
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
I see that makaris amang the lave
Playis is here their padyanis, syne gods 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 Afflek,
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 aventeris 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 nocht flee: --
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He has reft Mersar 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 Cortorphine;
Two better fallowis did no man see: --
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
In Dunfermline he has tane Broun
With Maister Robert Henrysoun;
Sir John the Ross enbrasit has he: --
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
And he has now sane, 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 Dedth lies verily;
Great ruth it were that so suld be: --
Timor Mortis conturbat me
Sen he has all my brothers sane,
He will nocht let me live alane;
Of force I mon 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 (1460?-1520?)
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