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Skelton Laureat, uppon a deedmans hed, that was sent to hym from an honorable Jentyllwoman for a token, devysyd this gostly medytacyon in Englysh: Covenable in sentence, Comendable, Lamentable, Lacrymable, Profytable for the soule.
Youre ugly tokyn
My mynd hath brokyn
From worldly lust;
For I have dyscust
We ar but dust,
And dy we must.
It is generall
To be mortall:
I have well espyde
No man may hym hyde
From Deth holow eyed,
With synnews wyderyd,
With bonys shyderyd,
With hys worme etyn maw,
And hys gastly jaw
Gaspyng asyde,
Nakyd of hyde,
Neyther flesh nor fell.
Then, by my councell,
Loke that ye spell
Well thys gospell;
For wher so we dwell
Deth wyll us qwell,
And with us mell.
For all oure pamperde paunchys,
Ther may no fraunchys,
Nor worldly blys,
Redeme us from this.
Oure days be datyd,
To be chekmatyd
With drawttys of deth,
Stoppyng oure breth;
Oure eyen synkyng,
Oure bodys stynkyng,
Oure gummys grynnyng,
Oure soulys brynnyng!
To whom, then, shall we sew
For to haue rescew,
But to swete Jesu
On us then for to rew?
O goodly chyld
Of Mary mylde,
Then be oure shylde!
That we be not exyld
To the dyne dale
Of boteles bale,
Nor to the lake
Of fendys blake.
But graunt us grace
To se thy face,
And to purchace
Thyne hevenly place,
And thy palace,
Full of solace,
Above the sky
That is so hy,
Eternally
To beholde and se
The Trynyte!
Amen.
Myrres vous y.
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