Before 1 Incipit Macrobius. Three manuscripts of the B version of the poem (Lansdowne, Lincoln, and Leiden) include an attribution to Macrobius at the beginning of the poem, probably a misunderstanding or corruption of “Macabre” (the note in Leiden is in a later hand). Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius was a fifth-century Roman author whose Commentary on the Dream of Scipio, a treatise on the interpretation of dreams, was widely read in the Middle Ages; the ascription to Macrobius might also represent an attempt to associate the text with a known textual authority rather than the more mysterious “Macabre” (see Introduction, pp. 4–6). Two other manuscripts of the B version (Bodleian and Corpus Christi) identify it in their incipits as the “Dance of Pauls,” referring to the murals painted in the Pardon Churchyard of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. None of the A text manuscripts include references to either Macrobius or the St. Paul’s location.↩back to note source

Before 9 Angelus. The French Danse concludes, in some manuscripts, with a Latin stanza rubricated as “Angelus et doctor locuntur” (The Angel and the doctor speak) at line 543. Marchant’s edition opens and closes with woodcuts showing an angel hovering over an author figure (identifiable by his pose of reading at a lectern); this angel is holding scrolls containing the Latin texts that open and close the French work. If an angel was included at the beginning of the Parisian mural, it could explain the B version’s decision to give the second stanza to this character, who does not otherwise speak in the poem.↩back to note source

9 this myrrour. See A version’s note to line 49 above.↩back to note source

19 And lik to Petir have the sovereynté. See A version’s note to line 59 above.↩back to note source

35 Ye must forsake of gold your appill round. See A version’s note to line 75 above.↩back to note source

45 A symple shete — ther is no more to seyn —. See A version’s note to line 85 above.↩back to note source

54 Your hatt of red. See A version’s note to line 94 above.↩back to note source

Before 65 Imperatrix. This is a new character, who does not appear in the original French Danse macabre or in the A version.↩back to note source

77 Deth seith chekmat. The concept of a match of chess or a similar game played against Death or another supranatural figure is an ancient one. W. L. Nash writes, “[t]he ancient Egyptian game, which we call the game of draughts, has been the subject of many myths and legends. Plato quotes an ancient tradition that the game was invented by Thoth. Herodotus (II, 122) repeats the legend related to him by the Egyptian priests, that Rhampsinitus (Rameses III) descended into the lower world, there played at draughts with Isis, and returned, a victor, to Earth. Plutarch (de Isis, 12), probably referring to the same legend, says that Hermes (Thoth) played at draughts with the moon, and won five lunar days, which he added to the solar year” (341). In Chaucer’s Book of the Duchess, the Man in Black, lamenting his love, states that “fals Fortune hath pleyd a game / Atte ches with me” (lines 618–19). Several examples survive in visual art, most notably a large painting of a man playing chess with Death in Täby Church outside of Stockholm, painted by Albertus Pictor c. 1480–90, which is said to have inspired the similar scene in Ingmar Bergman’s 1957 film The Seventh Seal.↩back to note source

81 Sir Patriarch, ful sad and humble of cheere. See A version’s note to line 121 above.↩back to note source

83 Your dowble cros. See A version’s note to line 123 above.↩back to note source

Before 129 Princeps. In A (line 145), this speaker is identified as the Constable.↩back to note source

131 Carlemayn. See A version’s note to line 139 above.↩back to note source

132–33 worthy Arthour of . . . the Rounde Table. A central figure in medieval romance, King Arthur was a legendary ruler of England who was also understood as a historical figure in the later Middle Ages due to his central role in works like Geoffrey of Monmouth’s History of the Kings of Britain (c. 1136). Arthur was said to have gathered the knights in his service around a round table at his court at Camelot, which served as their base in their search for the Holy Grail, the chalice used by Jesus at the Last Supper. Many of the Knights of the Round Table, including Lancelot, Galahad, and Gawain, appear as the protagonists of their own romance narratives.↩back to note source

151 brouht to lure. The phrase is used in hawking to mean “to bring somebody under control” (MED lure [n.1], sense 1c).↩back to note source

Before 161 Comes et Baro. In A (line 177), this speaker is identified as “the Baroun or the Knyht.”↩back to note source

Before 177 Abbas et prior. In A (line 223), this speaker is identified only as the Abbot. B adds the Prior.↩back to note source

188 somwhat the lesse grevaunce. In A, this line reads “passinge grete grevaunce” (line 244), a somewhat stronger statement of dismay than the revised line.↩back to note source

Before 193 Abbatissa. This is a new character, who does not appear in the original French Danse macabre; she corresponds to the A version’s Abbesse (line 249).↩back to note source

Before 209 Iudex. This is a new character, who does not appear in the original French Danse macabre or in the A version.↩back to note source

216 Weel is hym that alwey weel doth. Proverbial. See Whiting D278.↩back to note source

225 Doctour of Canon and Cyvile. In medieval Europe, two legal systems operated alongside one another: canon law, which was made and enforced by ecclesiastical authorities and used throughout Europe, and civil law, which was made and enforced by local secular authorities. Medieval universities taught both systems of law; the doctor whom Death addresses in this stanza is a scholar of both, as indicated by his terminal degree (doctor utrisque juris). This is a new character, who does not appear in the original French Danse macabre or in the A version.↩back to note source

235 No man of his liff hath charter nor seele. A charter is a formal document granting certain rights or privileges; a seal attached to such a document would give it legal effect. Using legal language, Death asserts here that no one has authority over his or her own life.↩back to note source

Before 241 Miles et armiger. In A, both the speaker marker and line 217 name only the Squire. B adds the Knight.↩back to note source

Before 257 Maior. This is a new character, who does not appear in the original French Danse macabre or in the A version.↩back to note source

273 Sir Chanon Reguler. The MED (canoun [n.2], sense 2a) defines a canon regular as “a canon living under a quasimonastic rule, a regular canon, an Augustinian or a Premonstratensian canon.” Such canons would have lived on the grounds of St. Paul’s during the time the Dance of Death was present in the Pardon Churchyard. This is a new character, who does not appear in the original French Danse macabre or in the A version.↩back to note source

289 Sir Dean or Chanon, with many gret prebend. See A version’s note to line 313 above. The B version adds the reference to a dean, the head of a chapter of canons associated with a cathedral or collegiate church (MED den [n.2]), which would be particularly appropriate for the Dance of Death’s setting at St. Paul’s.↩back to note source

297 My divers cures, my riche personages —. See A version’s note to line 321 above.↩back to note source

305 ye be barbid and claad in clothis blaake. See A version’s note to line 377 above. Although the Monk appears in both the French Danse macabre and the A version, his stanzas here are substantially revised.↩back to note source

306 Chastly receyved the mantil and the ryng. The mantle (a sleeveless overgarment worn by monks and nuns) and the ring were outward symbols of a vow of perpetual chastity typically bestowed by a bishop.↩back to note source

323 Sir Chartreux. See A version’s note to line 347 above.↩back to note source

337 Sir Sergeant. The Sergeant-at-Law is equivalent to the Man of Law in the A version of the text (lines 465–80) and is distinct from the Sergeant who appears in the B text from lines 401–16.↩back to note source

348–49 Tescape awey from . . . nor gret prudence. In A (lines 476–77), these lines appear in the opposite order.↩back to note source

Before 353 Generosa. This is a new character, who does not appear in the original French Danse macabre, but her exchange with Death corresponds to the A version’s Gentilwomman Amerous (line 449).↩back to note source

355 As fair as ye was whilom Polliceene. See A version’s note to line 451 above.↩back to note source

356 Penolope and the queen Eleyn. See A version’s note to line 452 above.↩back to note source

357 Yit on this daunce thei went bothe tweyn. See A version’s note to line 453 above.↩back to note source

376 And alle shul deie for an appyll rounde. See A version’s note to line 288 above. A similar image appears in line 35, in the description of the Emperor.↩back to note source

401 thou Sergeant with thi stately maas. See A version’s note to line 361 above.↩back to note source

414 And may nat flee, thouh I hadde it sworn. See A version’s note to line 374 above.↩back to note source

417 Maister Jurour. See A version’s note to before line 481 above.↩back to note source

433 Gentil menstral. Although the Minstrel appears in the A version (line 497), his stanzas here are substantially revised.↩back to note source

440 Bettir late than nevyr. Proverbial. See Whiting L89.↩back to note source

448 alle be nat mery that othirwhyle daunce. Proverbial. See Whiting A88.↩back to note source

Before 449 Famulus. This is a new character, who does not appear in the original French Danse macabre or in the A version.↩back to note source

456 the tyde abidith no man. Proverbial. See Whiting T318.↩back to note source

465–66 that loken so fast / In othir mennys watris what thei eyle. See A version’s note to lines 417–18 above.↩back to note source

472 al men shal repe as thei have sowe. Proverbial. See Whiting S542.↩back to note source

465–80 Ye phisiciens . . . fynaly no boote. Death’s dialogue with the Physician in B seems closer to the French Danse (lines 351–66) than the corresponding section in A (lines 417–32). Where the Danse reads: “Comme aultre vous convient mourir” (line 356: You must die like any other), the A version omits this, while the B version has: “For Deth comyng sodeynly doth assaile / As weel lechis as othir” (lines 469–70). Similarly, only B reproduces the Danse’s “Plus n’y vault herbe, ne racine, / N’autre remede” (lines 364–65: “Plants and roots and other remedies / Are no longer any good”) with “Wherfore shal helpe nothir herbe nor roote, / Nor no medycine . . .” (lines 478–79), while the A version omits the line. It is not clear why Lydgate may have gone back to his French source in revising this specific section.↩back to note source

480 For ageyns Deth is fynaly no boote. Proverbial. See Whiting D78.↩back to note source

Before 497 Artifex. This is a new character, who does not appear in the original French Danse macabre or in the A version.↩back to note source

509–12 She pershith sheeldis . . . be no deffence. In this passage, Death is referred to as feminine. In French, Death is feminine (la mort), but there is no section that corresponds to the Artifex stanzas in the Danse macabre.↩back to note source

544 For as sone deieth a yong sheep as an olde. The usage of “sheep” here is metaphorical; see A version’s note to line 543 above.↩back to note source

545 Ye that have lived long in wildirnesse. See A version’s note to line 609 above.↩back to note source

552 this liff heer is but a pylgrymage. The idea of a life as a pilgrimage is present in a variety of late medieval devotional texts, perhaps most notably in Guillaume de Deguileville’s Le pèlerinage de la vie humaine, which was translated twice into Middle English, once in prose as The Pilgrimage of the Life of the Manhood (dated to the 1420s) and once in verse as The Pilgrimage of the Life of Man (1426/27); the latter text is attributed to Lydgate, although the attribution remains questionable. Compare also Chaucer’s Knight’s Tale: “This world nys but a thurghfare ful of wo, / And we been pilgrymes, passynge to and fro. / Deeth is an ende of every worldly soore” (CT I[A] 2847–49). See also Whiting P201.↩back to note source

561 Ye folk that loken upon this scripture. “Scripture” seems to refer specifically to the written word; the A text uses “portrature,” a word with visual connotations, in the equivalent passage at line 633.↩back to note source

569–70 What is mannys liff but . . . a puff of wynde. See James 4:15. See also Whiting L242.↩back to note source