/lit/ - Literature

from 1505, but despite some differences in orthography i think it's still comprehensible

I that in heill wes and gladnes, [hale/healthy]
Am trublit now with gret seiknes, [sickness]
And feblit with infermite;
Timor mortis conturbat me.

Our plesance heir is all vane glory,
This fals warld is bot transitory,
The flesche is brukle, the Fend is sle; [brittle, Fiend, sly]
Timor mortis conturbat me.

The stait of man dois change and vary,
Now sound, now seik, now blith, now sary, [sorrowful]
Now dansand mery, now like to dee; [dancing]
Timor mortis conturbat me.

No stait in erd heir standis sickir; [secure]
As with the wynd wavis the wickir,
Wavis this warldis vanite.
Timor mortis conturbat me.

On to the ded gois all estatis,
Princis, prelotis, and potestatis, [prelates, potentates]
Baith riche and pur of al degre;
Timor mortis conturbat me.

He takis the knychtis in to feild,
Anarmit under helme and scheild;
Victour he is at all mellie;
Timor mortis conturbat me.

He sparis no lord for his piscence, [puissance = authority]
Na clerk for his intelligence;
His awfull strak may no man fle; [stroke]
Timor mortis conturbat me.