21.

I

Lament for the Makers

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 Death gois 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 astrologis,
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 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 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 Corstorphine;
Two better fallowis did no man see:-
Timor Mortis conturbat me.

aventeris] adventures.

fallowis] fellows.

schour] shower.

endite] inditing.

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 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 Dedth lies verily;
Great ruth it were that so suld be:-
Timor Mortis conturbat me.

Sen he has all my brothers tane,
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.

22

ANONYMOUS

May in the Green-Wood

N somer when the shawes be sheyne,

IN

And leves be large and long,
Hit is full merry in feyre foreste

To here the foulys song.

21. wichtis] wights, persons. mon] must.

disposition.

22. sheyne] bright.

15th Cent.

dispone] make

23.

To se the dere draw to the dale
And leve the hilles hee,

And shadow him in the leves grene
Under the green-wode tree.

Hit befell on Whitsontide
Early in a May mornyng,
The Sonne up faire can shyne,

And the briddis mery can syng.

'This is a mery mornyng,' said Litulle Johne,
'Be Hym that dyed on tre;

A more mery man than I am one
Lyves not in Christiantè.

'Pluk up thi hert, my dere mayster,'
Litulle Johne can say,

'And thynk hit is a fulle fayre tyme
In a mornynge of May.'

23. makeles] matchless.

ches] chose.