# The Poems of William Dunbar/Volume 1/Lament for the Makaris

A makar is a poet or bard, often thought of as a royal court poet.
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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 conturbat 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 conturbat 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