For ten rows of angels there were made then
And the tenth row fell down into pine (=pain) and woe
And still there are nine rows and therefore man is wrought
to fill up the tenth row that was brought out of heaven
soon as man was wrought sin he began to do
and foryielded (=forfeited) the merry mirth that he was made for
in hell he was with lucifer and with other lither (=loathsome) kind
for that our lord it bought in flesh and blood
the lither ghosts are thus about with their lither might
to beswike (=betray) wretched men and bring into their snare
And the good are also about with the might that there is
for to ward men from sin that they do amiss.
both the lither and the good alighteth oft downward
and to men in their sleep come as in a showing
and show in dreams many awobder deed
the good of good things the lither ever of evil
and harmeth men in their sleep and bodeth sorrow and care
and oft overlieth men and that men calleth the night-mare
for that is all their game when they may do men woe
as thieves they choose the night to fly and go about
most they make woebegone weak men when they lie upright
heavily they lie on them enough that were not them before so light
they lieth as a heavy sack that would a man choke
that he may not wave foot nor hand nor uneathe (=scarcely) any thing breathe
Death have ever such a lither bower-thane (=chamberlain) that wakes men so sore
and God give sorrow enough and ever as long as great
and all that loveth his fellowship! for he was never hende (=courteous)
if any man loveth him well our lord it him send
the shrew will also oft mankind beswike
alighting down in man's shape by night and day
and letteth men lie by him and beswiketh them outright
for they knoweth well which are the men that to lightness have will
alone in some durn (=private/secret) stead they stand well still
and many halfwit lieth them by in woods and in meads
but there is none that do so that they do not forthink the deed
their limbs swell soon and some out leap uneathe
and some dwindleth all away so that they are brought to death.
great wonder it is that any outleapeth alive
for a swith attry (=very poisonous/bitter ) thing it is to liefman or to wife
and oft in the shape of a woman in many durn ways
men see a great gang of them both hopping (=dancing) and playing
that elves are called and oft they come to town
and by day they are much in woods and by night up high downs
those are the wretched ghosts that out of heaven were taken
and many of them on doomsdsay yet shall to rest come.
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