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 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 from Death 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 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 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 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, 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.

heill] health. bruckle] brittle, feeble. slee] sly. dansand] dancing. sicker] sure. wicker] willow. wannis] wanes. mellie] mellay. sowkand] sucking. campion] champion. stour] fight. piscence] puissance. straik] stroke. supplee] save. makaris] poets. the lave] the leave, the rest. padyanis] pageants. anteris] adventures. schour] shower. endite] inditing. fallowis] fellows. wichtis] wights, persons. man] must. dispone] make disposition.