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_. heill] health. bruckle] brittle, feeble. slee] sly. dansand] dancing. sicker] sure. wicker] willow. wannis] wanes. mellie] mellay. 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._ sowkand] sucking. campion] champion. stour] fight. piscence] puissance. straik] stroke. supplee] save. makaris] poets. the lave] the leave, the rest. padyanis] pageants. 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_.