The Poems of William Dunbar/Volume 1/Lament for the Makaris
LAMENT FOR THE MAKARIS.
QUHEN HE WES SEIK.
I that in heill wes and glaidness,
Am trublit now with gret seikness,
And feblit with infirmitie;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Our plesance heir is all vane glory, 5
This fals Warld is bot transitory,
The flesche is brukle, the Feynd is slé;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
The stait of Man dois change and vary,
Now sound, now seik, now blyth, now sary, 10
Now dansand mirry, now like to die;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
No Stait in Erd heir standis sicker;
As with the wynd wavis the wickir,
So wavis this Warldis vanité; 15
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Unto the Deid gois all Estaitis,
Princis, Prellattis, and Potestaitis,
Baith riche and puire of all degré;
Timor Mortis conturbat me. 20
He takis the Knychtis in to feild,
Anarmit under helme and scheild;
Victour he is at all mellie:
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
That strang unmercifull tyrand 25
Takis on the Mutheris breist sowkand
The Bab, full of benignité:
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He takis the Campioun in the stour,
The Capitane closit in the tour, 30
The Lady in bour full of bewtie:
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He spairis no Lord for his piscence.
Nor Clerk for his intelligence;
His awfull straik may no man flé; 35
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Art Magicianis, and Astrologgis,
Rethoris, Logicianis, Theologgis,
Thame helpis no conclusionis slé;
Timor Mortis contui-bat me. 40
In Medicyne the most Practicianis,
Leichis, Surrigianis, and Phisicianis,
Thame self fra Deth may nocht supplé;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
I see that Makaris amang the laif 45
Playis heir thair padyanis, syne gois to graif;
Spairit is nocht thair faculté:
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He hes done peteouslie devour,
The noble Chawcer of Makaris flouir, 50
The Monk of Bery, and Gower, all thré;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
The gude Schir Hew of Eglintoun,
Etrik, Heryot, and Wyntoun,
He hes tane out of this Cuntré; 55
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
That Scorpioun fell hes done insek
Maister Johne Clerk, and James Afflek,
Fra ballat making and tragedee;
Timor Mortis conturbat me. 60
Holland and Barbour he has berevit;
Allace! that he nocht with us levit
Schir Mungo Lokert of the Lé:
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Clerk of Tranent eik he hes tane, 65
That maid the awnteris of Gawane;
Schir Gilbert Hay endit hes he:
Timor Mortis contm-bat me.
He hes Blind Hary, and Sandy Traill
Slaine with his schot of mortall haill, 70
Quhilk Patrik Johnestoun mycht nocht flé;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He hes rest Merseir his endyte,
That did in luve so lifly write,
So schort, so quyk, of sentence hie: 75
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
He hes tane Roull of Abirdene,
And gentill Roull of Corstorphine;
Two bettir fallowis did no man sé:
Timor Mortis conturbat me. 80
In Dumfermelyne he hes tane Broun,
With Maister Robert Henrisoun;
Schir Johne the Ross embraist hes hé:
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
And he hes now tane, last of aw, 85
Gud gentill Stobo and Quintyne Schaw,
Of quhome all wichtis hes petie:
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Gud Maister Walter Kennedy,
In poynt of dede lyis veraly, 90
Gret reuth it wer that so suld be;
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Sen he hes all my Brether tane,
He will nocht lat me leif alane,
On forse I mon his nyxt pray be; 95
Timor Mortis conturbat me.
Sen for the Deid remeid is non,
Bell is that we for deid dispone.
Eftir our deid that leif may we
Timor Mortis conturbat me. 100