Ay, ay ! quo' he, an' shook his head,It's e'en a lang, lang time indeedSin' I began to nick the thread,

An' choke the breath:Folk maun do something for their bread,

An' so maun Death.Sax thousand years are near hand fledSin I was to the hutching bred,\n' mony a scheme in vain's been laid,

To stap or scar me."

limns.

Death came dryvyng after, and all to dust pushedKings and kaysers, knightes and popes ;Many a lovely lady, and lemman of knightes,Swoned and swelted for sorrowe of Death's dyntes."

Vision of Pierce Plowman, 1350.