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OF 

SCOTTISH   POETRY; 

FROM 

THE  THIRTEENTH  CENTURY, 

TO 

THE   UNION  OF    THE   CROWNS: 

TO    WHICH    IS    ADDED 

A  GLOSSART, 

BY   J.    SIBBALD. 

J.  I  ■  ■"        SSI 

Multa  renafcentur  qua  jam  cecidere Hor. 

IN   FOUR  VOLUMES, 

VOLUME  I. 
EDINBURGH: 

PRINTED    FOR   J.    SIBBALD,    PARLIAMENT   CLOS£5 

By   C.  Stewart  IS?  Co.  Printers  to  the  Univerfity ; 

SOLD  BY  P.  HILL,  AND  ROSS  &  BLACKWOOD  : 

AND  BI  G.   &  W.  NICOL,  AND  LONGMAN  &  REES, 

LONDON* 

l8©2. 


v.  / 

CONTENTS  OF  VOLUME  FIRST. 


\Elegiac  Sonnet  on  the  death  of  Alexander  the   "Third, — 
See  Preface  to  Gloffary.] 

Page. 

Extract  from  the  Auentures  of  Sir  Gawane,  XV 
Speech  of  Robert  the  Bruce  before  the  Battle  of  Ban- 

nockburn  $  from  Barbour,  i 

Legend  of  St.  Serf ;  from  Wynton's  Chronicle,  J 
'The  King^s  Quair  ;  faid  to  have  been   compofed  by 

James  the  First  while  he  was  in  JLngland,  tz 
Song-  on  Abfence  ;  fuppofed,  by  Mr  Pinkertqn,  to  be 

a  cpmpofition  of  J  ames  th*.  First,           .  55 

The  Houlat,  or  Danger  of  Pride ,  by  Holland  j  61 
Account  of  the  execution  of  Sir  William  Wallace  ; 

by  Blind  Harry,             ...  83 

Robert  Henryson,             ...  87 

■ 'j  Prologue  to  his  Fables,  90 

— __— 1 — Wolf  and  Lamb,              .  94 

— — Dog,  Wolf,  and  Sheep,  100 

Twa  Mice,           .               .  107 

■   Robene  and  Makyne,          .  115 

Tejlametit  of  Crejfeid,  1 57 

9 Bludy  Serk,         .              .  178 

1 Abbay  Walk,         .            .  183 

Refining   betwixt    Aige   and 


Touth,               .                .                .  .  186 

Peblis  to  the  Play,              .             .    .  •  .           129 

Sir  Penny,  or  the  Power  of  Money,  .  139 

How  a  Merchant  betray' 'd  his  Wife,  . 


144 
Bala  d« 


IV 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 


Bulade  of  Contradictions,  .  . 

The  Three  Deid  Powis,  .  ... 

Perell  of  Paramours  ;  by  Mersar,  . 

Ballade  again/I  deceitful  women,  .  • 

Ballade  againjl  the  times, 

The  Murnifig  Maidin,  .  «  - 

William  Dunbar,  * 

'/  Three  Married  Women  and 


Widow, 


fermline, 


keep 


land, 


IJ3 
I9L 

l95 
197 
199 

201 
209 

211 

232 


Twa  Cummers, 
Dirige  to  the  King  {James  IV.')  234 
Defired  to  become  a  Friar,  240 
Wowing  of  the  King  at  Dun- 


243 
247 

251 

264 
274 


Ty dings  fra  the  Seffioun, 

— — .  Solicitors  at  Court, 
Golden  Terge,         . 

Thijlle  and  Rofe, 

— —  Aganis  the  Solijlars  at  Court 
Dance  in  the  ^hteen's  chamber,  275 

Upon  James  Doig,  wardrobe 

.  .  278 

Upon  the  fame, 

To  the  King,  . 

The  Dance, 

nil  The  Sweirers  and  the  Devil, 

Tejlament  of  Walter  Kennedy,  296 

Fenyet  Fryar  of  Tungland,       304 

Dream  of  the  Abbot  of  Tung. 

3I3 
1 ■    ■  Addrefs  to  the  King,  315 

Prayer  that  the  King  were 

John  Thomfouti's  man,  ,  .  322 

William 


279 
280 
282 
290 


CONTENTS.  v 

Page. 
■■■     ■      Lament  for   the  death  of  the 

Makars,              ....  325 

On  the  War  Id's  Injlabilitie,  333 

Lament  to  the  King,         .  339 

1  Advice  to  fpend ane's  awngudes,  342 

— — — — Ane  his  awn  Enemy,  345 

Quintyne  Schaw's  Advice  to  a  Courtier,  347 

Kennedy  and  Dunbar's  Fly  ting,        1          .  350 

M.y  Gudame  was  a  gay  Wife,            .                .  358 

Simmie  and  his  Brother,                .                 .  360 

Kennedy's  Inve&ive  againji  Mouth-thanklefs,  363 

Praife  of  Aige,              .               .  365 

Clerk's  Advice  to  Luvars,             .             .  368 

-  Brafh  of  Wooing,              .               .  370 

Sir  James  Inglis's  General  Satire,             .  373 

Gawin  Douglas's  Pa/ice  of  Honour,            ,  385 

.                Winter  Piece,               ,  427 

■              Defcription  of  May,           .  433 

■  Strength  and  lncommodities  of 

Lufe,              .              .               .               .  445 

■         1         Satyre  on  the  Tymes,         .  451 

-.  1        Extracl  from  his  Eneid,  459 


ERRATA. 


ERRATA. 


VOLUME  FIRST. 

P.  7. 1.  6.  read  "  Orygynale." 

P.  166. 1.  6.  read  «  Infelicite." 

P.  167. 1.  24.  read  «•  Crefeide." 

P.  168.  1.  21.  read  "  grofe." 

P.  453. 1.  12.  read,  as  in  the  MS.  u  at  the  gangat 
all  for  gate  woll  j"  or,  accordingto  the  editions,  "  and 
thay  gang  at.'*  ' 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


JL  he  purpofe  of  the  following  Volumes  is  to  prefent  a 
more  compleat  collection  of  the  antient  mifcellaneous 
Poetry  of  Scotland  than  has  hitherto  appeared  ;  and, 
by  arranging  it  chronologically,  or  according  to  the 
order  of  time,  to  exhibit  the  progrefs  of  the  Scottifh 
language.  This  defign  might  have  been  compleated 
in  two  volumes  of  moderate  fize  ;  but  it  foon  appear- 
ed that  three  fuch  volumes  would  contain  not  only  all 
that  was  valuable  in  our  mifcellaneous  poetry,  but 
fpecimens  of  the  larger  works  from  the  moil  antient 
production  of  the  Scottifh  Mufe  to  the  Union  of  the 
Crowns  in  1603,  when  the  belt  Poets  began  to  write 
in  the  fame  dialect  with  their  Southern  neighbours. 
An  enlarged  plan  was  therefore  adopted,  and  the  ori- 
ginal defign,  it  is  hoped,  thereby  confiderably  im- 
proved. 

The  greater  part  of  the  antient  Scottifh  poetry,  of 
a  mifcellaneous  nature,  has  been  handed  down  to  mo- 
dern times  in  two  large  manufcript  volumes  ;  one  of 
them  known  by  the  name  of  the  Maitland  ;  the  other 
by  that  of  the  Bannatyne  Manufcript.  The  mod  va* 
luable  articles  in  the  former  were  communicated  to 

the 


(       *       ) 

the  public  by  Mr  Pinkerton  in  two  vols.  1786;  to- 
gether with  an  excellent  biographical  lift  of  Scottifli 
poets.  Of  George  Bannatjne,  the  compiler  of  the  other 
Manufcript  (1568)  nothing  appears  upon  record,  ex- 
cept that,  according  to  Mr  Tjtler,  he  was  one  of  the 
canons  of  the  cathedral  of  Murray.  The  firlt  page  of 
the  book  bears,  in  an  old  hand,  the  name  of  "  'Jacobus 
Foulis,  1623." — that  is,  I  prefume,  Sir  James  Foulis 
of  Collington  ;  whofe  brother,  George  Foulis  of  Ra- 
vilftone,  in  1601  married  Jonet  Bannatjne,  proba- 
bly a  daughter  or  niece  of  the  compiler  of  the  Manu- 
fcript; which,  through  this  connection,  may  have 
come  into  the  pofleffion  of  the  family  of  Foulis.  In 
1 7 12,  Sir  William  Foulis  "  gifted  it"  to  William 
Carmichael,  advocate,  of  the  Hyndford  family  ;  and 
in  1772,  his  fon,  John  Earl  of  Hyndford  prefented  it 
to  the  Advocates'  Library  of  Edinburgh,  where  it 
now  remains* 

The  perfon  who  firft  perceived  the  value  of  this 
Mifcellany  was  Allan  Ramfay,  who  in  1724  publifh- 
ed  a  felection  from  it  under  the  title  of  The  Ever- 
green. But  in  that  feleclion,  the  antient  language  and 
antient  manners  of  his  country  were  but  fecondary 
obje£ls  with  the  Editor  ;  and  accordingly  his  tran- 
fcripts  being  not  only  incorrect,  but  fometimes  un- 
faithful, Lord  Hailes,  in  1770,  publiflied  in  a  more 
accurate  manner,  fiom  the  fame  Manufcript,  another 
fele&ion,  under  the  title  of  "  Antient  Poems."  Both 
thefe  publications  are  now  force,  and  the  Editor  of 
the  prefent  collection  has  been  led  to  think  that  a  new 
Edition  of  them  on  the  above  plan  might  be  accepta- 
ble to  the  Public. 

Besides 


(     xi     ) 

Besides  the  poems  in  the  publications  of  -Allan 
Ramfay  and  Lord  Hailes,  the  lovers  of  antient  poetry 
are  now  accommodated  with  a  better  edition  of  the 
Works  of  Sir  David  Lindfay  than  has  been  given  to 
the  public  for  thefe  two  hundred  years  They  will 
likewife  find  thofe  of  Alexander  Hume  of  Polwarth, 
'James  VI.  and  many  other  poems  not  to  be  had  in 
any  fimilar  mifcellany.  For  compleating  the  Works 
of  Dunbar,  and  for  many  of  the  moft  valuable  articles 
in  this  chronological  feries,  the  Editor  is  indebted  to 
the  Maitland  and  other  collections  of  Mr  Pinkerton, 
who  has  contributed,  in  an  eminent  degree,  to  excite 
a  fpirit  of  refearch  into  the  antient  monuments  of 
Scottifh  literature;  and  whofe  name,  as  an  hiftorian, 
promifes  to  defcend  to  polterity  with  thofe  of  Hailes 
and  Robertfon, 

The  Editor  makes  no  pretenfions  to  a  talent  for 
critic  il  difquifition  .  neither  does  he  conceive  it  allow- 
able in  any  pv.bh  flier  of*  antient  poems  to  anticipate 
the  reader,  and  by  officious  and  premature  obferva- 
tions  to  deprive  him  of  the  pleafure  of  judging  for  him- 
felf.  All  that  the  nature  of  his  plan  requires,  is  to 
flate  in  a  concile  manner  the  circumftances  upon 
which  he  has  formed  his  judgment  with  refpect  to  the 
sera  and  author  of  any  particular  poem,  in  cafes  of 
comparative  uncertainty.  If,  in  his  attempts  to  af- 
certain  thefe,  -t  (hall  be  found  that  he  has  not  often 
erred  ;  that  he  has  not  omitted  any  known  poem 
which  in  a  peculiar  degiee  throws  light  on  the  (late 
of  the  language,  manners,  or  t  fie  of  the  times,  he 
prefumes  the  chief  object  of  his  compilation  has  been 
attained.  From  fome  late  publications,  he  might  in- 
deed 


(     xii     ) 

fieed  have  added  one  or  two  pieces  to  thofe  under  the 
reign  of  James  VI.  but  the  merit  of  thefe  pieces 
would  not  have  compenfated  for  the  increafed  fize 
and  price  of  the  work. 

In  a  few  inftances,  fuch  as  the  allegories  of  the 
Cherry  and  Slae,  Hou/at,  at  d  Palice  of  Honour^  it 
was  found  impoffible  to  print  the  poems  at  full 
length,  without  greatly  exceeding  the  prefcnbed  li- 
mits :  while,  on  the  other  band,  the  entire  omifiion 
of  fuch  remarkable  compofitions  would  have  been 
confidered  as  a  great  impeife&ion.  It  was  therefore 
judged  expedient  to  adopt  a  middle  courfe,  by  omit- 
ting digreffions  and  redundant  pafTages,  fo  as  not  ma- 
terially to  injure  the  general  fcope  or  defign  of  the 
compofition.  This,  it  mud  be  confefled,  is  a  talk  of 
no  fmall  delicacy ;  and  punctilious  critics  will  proba- 
bly condemn  it  as  an  unwarrantable  liberty,  which 
upon  no  occafion  ought  to  be  taken.  To  this  the  E- 
ditor  has  to  anfwer,  that  fuch  liberties  have  been  ta- 
ken but  feldom  ;  and  chiefly  with  poems  of  the  alle- 
gorical kind:  that  the  alternative  was  curtailment 
or  total  rej«£ion  ;  and  that,  upon  the  whole,  a  judi- 
cious abridgement  feemed  preferable  to  mutilated 
quotations.  How  far  he  has  performed  this  part  of 
his  talk  with  discretion,  muft  be  decided  by  the  pub- 
lic. Perhaps  the  generality  of  readers  will  be  of  opi- 
nion that  the  pieces  alluded  to  are  ftill  fufficiently 
long.  u  Let  us,  for  a  moment,"  i^fays  the  late  inge- 
nious Mr  Headly,  on  a  fimilar  occafion,)  "  recollect 
the  fate  of  Cowley.  As  the  unnatural  relilh  for  tin- 
fel  and  metaphyfical  conceit  declined,  his  bays  gradu- 
ally loft  their  verdure  :  He  was  no  longer  to  be  found 


(     xiii    ) 

In  the  hands  of  the  multitude,  and  untouched  even  in 
the  clofets  of  the  curious  ; — in  fliort,  the  fhades  of 
oblivion  gathered  faff  upon  him.  In  confequence, 
however,  of  an  edition  in  which  the  mod  exceptiona- 
ble parts,  (which  had  operated  like  a  millftone,  and 
funk  the  reft,)  were  omitted,  he  has  now  a  dozen 
readers,  where  before  he  had  fcarce  one."  If  fuch 
be  not  alfo  the  fortune  of  the  Cherry  and  Slae,  the 
talk  of  abridgment  has  fallen  into  improper  hands. 

In  thefe  inftances  only,  or  in  thofe  of  palpable  mif- 
take,  has  any  liberty  been  taken  with  the  text  of  the 
authors.  At  the  fame  time,  all  pofllble  regard  has 
been  had  to  accuracy  j  the  merit  of  a  work  of  this 
nature  confifting  chiefly  perhaps  in  its  fidelity.  Ano- 
ther principal  recommendation,  being  a  moderate 
price,  the  publiHier  of  thefe  volumes  has  not  thought 
it  neceCWy  to  print  them  ypdn  a  fuperfine  wire-wove 
hot-preffed  paper.  He  believes,  that  Sir  David  Liud- 
fay,  "  were  he  now  on  lyve,"  would  be  as  well  re- 
ceived in  a  plain  fuit  of  home-fpun  gray,  as  in  the 
fuperb  mantle  of  Lyon  king  at  arms. 

The.  earlieft  production  of  the  Scottish  Mufe  extant, 
is  faid  to  be  a  voluminous  romance  called  Sir  Triftram, 
by  Thomas  of  Ercildon,  or  Earlllon,  who  flourished  in 
the  reign  of  Alexander  the  Third,  or  towards  the 
conclufion  of  the  thirteenth  century.  A  copy  of  this 
woik,  belonging  to  the  Advocates  Libr.  Edinb.  has 
for  fome  years  been  in  the  hands  of  a  gentleman  of 
the  faculty,  who  propofes  to  faV«ur  the  world  with 
an  edition  of  it  in  due  time.  If  it  fhall  appear  to  be 
a  genuine  "Scottiih  produclion  of  that  early  period,  the 

purchafers 


(    xlv   ) 

purchafers  of  this  compilation  will  be  fupplied  wit% 
a  f<  w  phages  as  a  fpecim$n  ;  without  which,  they 
Haig Qt  conlider  the  prefent  chronological  feries  as  in- 
compifat.  It  is  reported,  however,  that  the  ortho- 
graphy is  more  modern  than  that  of  the  Adventures 
of  Si'  Gavoane  ;  a  fpeeimen  of  which  is  fubjoined  to 
this  preface. 

The  publiiher  cannot  conclude  without  acknow- 
ledging his  obligati  >n  to  Mr  George  Paton  for  the  ufe 
of  tome  of  the  ra'  eft  volumes  which  he  had  occafion 
to  confult.  The  lberaliiy  with  which  this  Gentle- 
man communicates  his  valuable  Library,  has  been 
felt  with  gratitude  by  all  who  have  undertaken  to  e- 
lucidate  the  aitient  hiftory  or  literature  of  Scotland. 

For  fome  othei  observations  connected  with  the 
fqbjeft  i  I  thi  rdkimea,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the 
pieiace  to  the  Gloffary. 


SiPEClMiLN" 


^ECIMF.N  OF  THE  AUENTURES  OF  SIR  GAWANE,  SUPPOS- 

£D   i'O  HaVE  BEEN  WRITTEN   ABOUT  TaE    i  IME  OF 

DAVID  II.   134I 1371. 


Androw  of  Wynton,  in  1420,  mentions  a  poet  of  thi 
ttame  of  Huchown,  (or  Hugh,)  of  the  Awle  Ryale, 

That  cunnand  we*  in  literature, 

He  made  the  gret  Gejl  of  Arthur  e% 

And  the  Awntyre  of  Guwane  ; 

The  Piftil  als  of  $wete  Sufane. 

He  wes  curyws  in  his  flyle ; 

Fair  of  Facund,  and  fabtile  ; 

And  ay  to  plefans  of  dely te, 

Made  in  meter  meit  his  dyte.  .     . 

Of  Arthowris  gret  douchtynes, 
Hys  wyrfchype  and  hys  prys  pro  wes. 
Quhare  he  and  hys  rownd  tabyl  qwyte, 
Wes  undone  and  difcomfyte. 
Huchown  lies  tretyd  curyowflj'-, 
In  Geji  of  Broyttys  auld  ftory. 
But  of  his  dede  and  his  laft  end, 
I  fand  na  wryt  couth  make  that  kend. 
Syn  I  fand  nane  that  thareof  ivrate, 
I  wyll  fay  na  mare  than  I  wate. 

Apparently  this  is  not  the  manner  in  which  one  would 
fpeak  of  a  cotemporary.  On  the  contrary,  we  may 
prefume  from  this  pajfage,  that  Huchown  had  been 
dead  before  Wynton  began  to  collebl  materials  for 
his  hiflory,  or  even  before  he  had  arrived  at  the  age 
•f  manhood \   which  mujl  have  been  about  1375.     If  fot 

the 


iv£  AUENTURE  OF  SIR  GAWANL'. 

the  great  Geft  of  Broyttys,  which  in  all  probability  com- 
prehended  the  adventures  of  Sir  Gawane,  may  have  been 
written  early  in  the  fourteenth  century  ;  or,  at  the  lat- 
efl,  during  the  reign  of  David  the  Second  ;  that  is  be 
tween  the  years  1341  and  1371. 

A  Work  f  fuch  magnitude ,  and  of  fo  popular  a  na- 
ture,  could  not  eajily  be  Irjl.  B'rt,  of  all  the  romances  or 
fragments  which  have  hitherto  been  difcovered  upon  that 
fubjeil,  there  are  none  which  bear  fuch  evident  marks 
of  antiquity,  and  at  the  fame  time  have  fo  much  the  ap- 
pearance of  belonging  to  fome  great  work  as  the  two  po- 
ems publifhed  by  Mr  Piiikerton,  undtr  the  titles  of  ;>ir 
Gawane  and  Sir  Galai  on,  and  Gawane  and  Gologras, 
in  his  colleclion  of  "  Reprinted  Poems,  1792."  So  un- 
couth is  their  fly  le,  (fays  Mr.  P. )  that  they  prefent  dif. 
fcultiesfuffiient  to  puzzle  the  mcfl  fkilful  commentator, 
or  etymologijl."  Hence  it  feems  not  improbable  that  thefe 
romances  may  be  fragments  of  Huchown's  "  Gret  geft 
of  Arthur  *,"  or  at  leafl  that  they  may  be  co-eval  with 
it.  There  is  alfo  room  for  a  conjeBure  that  HlJchown 
(Hugh')  miy  be  the  chrijlian  name  of  Clerk  of  Tra- 
nent, 

u  That  made- the  overtures  of  S'r  Gawane." 

Dunbar's  Lament. 
Or  Huchown  may  be  the  fame  with  Sir  Hew  cf  Eglin- 
ton,  mentioned  in  the  fame  Lament  ;  in  either  of  which 
cafes,  or  until  fome  evidence  appear  to  the  contrary,  the 
Geft  of  Arthur  may  be  confdered  as  a  Scottifh 
compofttion,  of  which  Sir  Gawane  and  Sir  Galaron  is  a 
fragment.  As  fuch,  I  fhall  here  infer t  a  fpecimen,  affum- 
ing  for  its  era  the  reign  of  David  the  Second  ;  although 
the  extreme  rudenefs  of  the  language  might  warrant  us 
to  place  it  aimofl  a  century  farther  back.  Upon  a  flricl 
comparifon',  Holland's  allegory  of  The  Houlat  appears 
conftderably  more  intelligible  ;  a  circumflance  of  which 

I  was 


©AVID  II.   134T — I37I.  *V1Z 

1  was  not  fully  aware  when  the  abftratl  of  that  poem, 
{page  62.)  was  in  the  prefs. 

It  is  fcarcely  necejf.iry  to  mention,  that  Gaynor,  or 
Guenever,  ivas  the  wife  of  King  Arthur  ;  and  Sir 
Gawajne,  one  of  the  mojl  famous  knights  of  the  round  ta- 
ble. Upon  a  great  hunting  expedition,  while  Mr  Gawayne 
is  feparated  from  the  rejl  of  the  company,  the  Ghojl  of 
Guenever's  mother  is  reprefented  as  appearing  to  him  in 
the  following  manner  : 


.      I. 

In  the  tyme  of  Arthur,  an  aunter  betyddc, 

By  the  Turnewathelan,  as  the  boke  telles  ; 

Whan  he  to  Carlele  was  comen,  and  conqueror  kydd, 

With  Dukes  and  Duffiperes,  that  with  the  dere  dwelles. 

To  hunt  at  the  herdes,  that  longe  had  ben  hydde, 

On  a  day  thei  hem  deight  to  the  depe  delles  j 

To  fall  of  the  feniailes  in  foreft  and  frydde, 

Fayre  by  the  Firmyfthamis,  in  frithes  and  felles. 

Thus  to  wode  arn  thei  went,  the  wlonkeft  ia  wedes, 

Both  the  Kyng4  and  the  Quene : 

And  all  the  doucht;  by  dene;  ( 

Sir  Gawayn,  gayeft  on  grene, 

Dame  Gaynour  he  ledes. 

II. 
Thus  Schir  Gawayn,  the  gay,  Gaynour  he  ledes, 
In  a  gleterand  gide,  that  glemed  full  gay, 
With  riche  ribaynes  reidfett,  ho  fo  right  redes, 
Rayled  with  rybees  of  rial  aray. 
Her  hode  of  a  herde  huwe,  that  her  hede  hedes, 
Of  pillour,  of  palwerk,  of  perre  to  pay ; 

c  Schurde 


*VUI  AUJNTURE  OF  SIR  GAWAYN. 

Schurde  in  a  fhort  cloke,  that  the  rayne  fhedesy 

Set  over  with  faffres,  fothely  to  fay. 

With  faffres,  and  fcladynes,  fet  by  the  fides. 

Here  fadel  fette  of  that  ilke, 

Sande  with  fambutes  of  filke. 

On  a  mule  whyte  as  the  mylke, 

Gaili  flie  glides. 

III. 
Al  in  gleterand  golde  gayly  ho  glides 
The  gates,  with  Sir  Gawayn,  bi  the  grene  welle. 
And  that  barne,  on  his  blonke,  with  the  Quene  bides; 
Th.-.t  borne  was  in  borgoyne,  by  boke  and  by  belle. 
He  ladde  that  ladye  fo  long  by  the  lawe  fides, 
Under  a  lone  they  light  lore  by  a  felle. 
And  Arthur,  with  his  Erles,  erneftly  rides, 
To  teche  hem  to  her  triftres,  the  troutlie  for  to  tell. 
To  her  triftres  he  hem  taught,  ho  the  trouth  troweSj, 
Eche  lord,  withouten  lette, 
To  an  oke  he  hem  fette  ; 
With  bowe,  and  with  barfelette, 
Under  the  bowes. 

IV. 
Under  the  bowes  thei  bode,  thes  barnes  fo  bolde, 
To  byker  at  thes  baraynes,  in  boukes  fo  bare. 
There  might  hatheles  in  high  herdes  beholde  ; 
Herken  huntyng  in  haft,  in  holtes  fo  hare. 
Thei  keft  of  here  couples,  in  cliffes  fo  colde, 
Conforte  her  kenettes,  to  hele  hem  of  care ; 
Thei  fel  of  the  femayles  ful  thik  folde  : 
With  frefch  houndes,  and  fele,  thei  folowen  her  fayre. 
With  gret  queftes,  and  quelles, 
Both  in  frith  and  felles, 
All  the  deeren  in  the  delles 
Thei  durken,  and  dare. 


©AVID  II.  T34I — 1371.  «lS 

V. 

Thei  durken  the  dere,  in  the  dyme  fkuwes, 

That,  for  drede  of  the  deth,  droupis  the  do. 

Thai  werray  the  wylde  fwyne,   and  worchen  hem  w». 

The  huntis  thei  hallow,  in  hurftis  and  huwes  ; 

And  bluwe  rechas  ryally  thei  ran  to  the  ro ; 

They  gef  to  no  gamen,  that  on  grounde  gruwes : 

The  grete  grendes,  in  the  grenes,  fo  gladly  thei  jjo. 

So  gladly  thei  gon,  in  greves  fo  grene. 

The  King  blew  rechas  ; 

And  folowed  fafl  on  the  tras  ; 

With  many  fergeant  of  mas, 

That  folas  to  fene. 

VI. 
With  folas  thei  femble,  the  pruddeft  in  palle, 
And  fuwen  to  the  foveraine,  within  fchaghes  fchene, 
Al  but  Schir  Gawayn,  gayeft  of  all, 
Belenes  with  Dame  Gaynour  in  greves  fo  grene. 
Under  a  lorer  ho  was  light,  that  lady  fo  fmall, 
Of  box,  and  of  berber,  bigged  ful  bene. 
Fall  byfore  undre  this  ferly  con  fall, 
And  this  mekel  mervaile,  that  I  ihal  of  menc 
Now  wol  I  of  this  mervaile  mene,  if  I  mote. 
The  day  wex  als  dirke, 
As  hit  were  mydnight  myrke  ; 
Thereof  the  King  was  irke  j 
And  light  on  his  fote. 

vir. 

Thus  to  fote  ar  thei  faren,  thes  frekes  unfayn, 

And  fleen  fro  the  forefl  to  the  fewe  felles ; 

For  the  fuetand  fuawe  fuartly  hem  fuelles. 

There  come  a  Lede  of  the  Lawe,  in  londe  is   not  to 

layne, 
And  glides  to  Schir  Gawayne,  the  gates  to  gayne  ; 
Yauland,  and  yomerand,  with  many  loude  yelles, 
Hit  yaules,  hit  yamers,  with  waymyng  wete, 

And 


XX:  AUENTURE  OF  SIR  GAWAYN* 

And  feid,  with  liking  fare, 
"  I  ban  the  body  me  bare  !. 
**  Alas  now  kmdeles  my  care  ! 
"  I  gloppe,  and  1  grete:" 

viir. 

Then  gloppenet,  and  grete,  Gaynour  the  gay, 
And  feid  to  Sir  Gawen,   '«  What  is  thi  good  rede  ?'* 
tc  Hit  ar  the  clippes  of  the  fon,  I  herd  a  clerk  fay." 
And  thus  he  confortes  the  Quene  for  his  knighthede. 
"  bchir  Cadoir,  bchir  Clegor,  bchir  Coftandyne,  Schir, 

Cay, 
"  Thes  knyghtes  arn  curtays,  by  croffe .  and  by  crede, 
"  That  thus  oonly  have  me  laft  on  my  deythe  day, 
**  With  the  griuelift  Gooft,  that  ever  herd  I  grede." 

*  Of  the  goo<t,'  quod  the  grome,  '  greve  you  no  mare* 
c  For  I  flial  fpeke  with  the  fprete, 

*  And  of  the  wayes  I  m\\  wete, 
'  What  may  the  bales  bete, 

«  Of  the  bodi  bare.* 

IX. 
Bare  was  the  body,  and  blak  to  the  bone, 
Al  biclagged  in  clay,  uucomly  cladde. 
Hit  waried,  hit  wayment,  as  a  woman  ; 
But  on  hide,  ne  on  huwe,  no  heling  hit  hadde. 
Hit  (lemered ;  hit  ftonayde  ;  hit  ftode  as  a  (tone  : 
Hit  marred  ;  hit  memered  ;  hit  mufed  for  madde* 
Agayn  the  gr  fly  Gooft  Schir  Gawayn  is  gone  ; 
He  rayked  out  at  a  res,  for  was  never  drad  J 
Drad  wa    he  never,  ho  fo  right  redes. 
On  the  chef  of  the  cholle, 
A  pade  pk  on  the  polle  ; 
With  eighen  hoiked  full  holle, 
That  gloed  as  the  gledes. 

X. 
Al  glowed  as  a  glede,  the  gofte  there  ho  glides, 
Unbeclipped  him,  with  a  cloude  of  cleyng  unclere, 

Skeled 


DAVID  II.  I34I — I37I0  XXI 

Skeled  with  ferpentes,  all  aboute  the  fides  ; 

To  tell  the  todes  theron  my  tongue  wer  full  tere. 

The  barne  braide9  out  t.he  bronde,  and  the  body  bides, 

Therefor  the  chevalrous  knight  changed  no  chere. 

The  houndes  highen  to  the  wode,   and  her  hede  hides, 

For  the  grifly  good  m>de  a  grym  bere  : 

The  grete  greundes  wer  agail  of  the  grym  bere, 

The  birdes  in  the  bowes, 

That  on  the  gooft  glowes, 

Thai  fkryke  in  the  fkowes, 

That  hatheles  may  here. 

XI. 
Hathelefe  might  here  fo  fer  into  halle, 
How  chatered  the  cholle,  the  chalous  on  the  eliyne, 
Then  comred  the  Knight,  on  Crift  can  he  calle, 
4  As  thou  was  crucifized  on  croys,  to  clanfe  us  of  fyn, 

*  That  thou  fei  me  tne  fothe,  whether  thou  fhalle, 

*  And  whi  thou  walkeft  thes  wayes  the  wodes  within? 
**  I  was  of  figure,  and  face,  fairtft  of  alle  ; 

"  Criflehed,  and  knowen,  with  King  in  my  kyne  j 
"  1  have  King  in  my  kyn  knowen  for  kene. 
"  God  has  me  geven  of  his  grace, 
f*  Fo  dre  my  paynes  in  this  place. 
i(  I  am  comen,  in  this  cace, 
?'  To  fpeke  with  your  Quenc. 
XII. 
'*  Quene  was  T  fomwile,  brighter  of  browes, 
"  Then  Berell,  or  Drangwayn,  thes  burdes  fo  bolde  ; 
"  Of  al  gamen,  or  gle,  that  on  grounde  growes  ; 
"  Gretter  than  Dame  Gaynour.  of  garfon,  and  golde, 
*'  Of  palacis,  of  parkis,  of  pondis,  of  plowes  ; 
«'  Of  townis,  of  touris,  of  treflbur  untolde  ; 
"  Of  callellis,  of  contreyes,  of  craggis,  of  clowes. 
"  Now  am  I  caught  out  of  kide  to  cares'  fo  colde : 
"  Into  cave  am  I  caught,  and  couched  in  clay. 
V  Se,  Schir  curtays  Knight, 

«  How 


SCK1I  AUENTORZ.  OF   SIR   GAWAYK. 

«'  How  dolfulle  deth  has  me  dight, 
"  Lete  me  onys  have  a  fight 
P  Of  Gajnour  the  gay." 

XIII. 
After  Gaynour,  the  gay,  Schir  Gawayn  is  gon, 
And  to- the  body  he  hes  brought,   and  to  the  burd$ 

bright. 
*■'  Welcome  Waynour  !  I  wis  worthi  in  won. 
li  Lo  how  delfal  deth  has  thi  Dame  dight ! 
"  I  was  radder  of  rode  then  rofe  in  the  ron  ; 
€i  My  lever,  as  the  lele,  lonched  on  hight. 
"  Now  am  I  a  gracelefs  gaft  ;  and  grifly  I  gron, 
"  With  Lucyfer,  in  a  lake,  logh  am  I  light. 
c;  Take  truly  tent  right  nowe  by  me  $ 
Ci  For  al  thi  frefch  favoure 
*•'  Mufe  on  my  mirrour. 
"  For  King,  and  Emperour, 
V  Thus  fhal  ye  be. 

XIV. 
w  Thus  deth  wil  you  dight,  thare  you  not  doute  ; 
"  Thereon  hertly  take  hede,  while  thou  art  here. 
te  Whan  thou  art  richefl;  araied,  and  richeft  in  thi  route, 
u  Have  pite  on  the  poer,  thou  art  of  power. 
"  Barnis,  and  burdis,  that  ben  ye  aboute, 
"  When  thi  body  is  bamed,  and  brought  on  a  ber, 
"  Then  lite  wyn  the  light,  that  now  will  the  loute  ; 
u  For  then  the  helpes  nothing,  but  holy  praier. 
"  The  praier  of  poer  may  purchas  the  pes  : 
u  Of  that  thou  yeves  at  the  yete, 
"  When  thou  art  fet  in  thi  fete, 
"  With  all  merthis  at  mete, 
"  And  dayntes  on  des. 

XV. 
"  With  riche  dayntes  on  des  thi  drotes  art  dight ; 
**  And  I,  in  danger  and  doel,  in  donjon  I  dwelle  ; 
M  Naxte,  and  nedeful,  naked  on  night ; 

«*  Ther 


&avid  ii.  I341— 131t'  axUv 

**  Ther  folo  me  a  ferde  of  fendes  of  helle. 

"  They  hurle  me  unhendeley,  thai  harme  me  in  hight^ 

■*  In  bras,  and  in  brymfton,  I  bren  as  a  belle, 

"  Was  never  wrought  in  this  world  a  wofuller  wight. 

**  Hit  were  ful  tore  any  tonge  my  torment  to  telle.* 

"  Nowc  wil  I  of  my  torment  teL  or  I  go, 

"  Thenk  hertly  on  this, 

■*  Fonde  to  mende  thi  mys. 

"  Thou  art  warned  I  wys. 

"  Bewar  be  my  wo  !" 

XVI. 
'  Wo  is  me  for  thi  wo  !'  quod  Waynour,  *  I  wys.* 
'  But  one  thing  wold  I  wite,  if  thi  wil  ware. 
'  If  anyes  matens,  or  mas,  might  mende  thi  mys, 
'  Or  eny  meble  on  molde  ;  my  merthe  were  the  mard 
'  If  bedis  of  bifhoppis  might  bring  the  to  bliffe  ; 

*  Or  coventes  in  cloiftre  might  kere  the  of  care. 

*  If  thou  be  my  moder,  grete  wonder  hit  is 

'  Thai  al  thi  burly  body  is, brought  to  be  fo  bare.' 

"  I  bare  the  of  ray  body  ;  what  bote  is  hit  I  layn? 

"  I  brak  a  folempne  vow, 

P  And  no  man  will  hit,  but  thowe ; 

'*  By  that  token  thou  trowe 

Si  That  fothely  I  fayn." 

XVII. 
4  Say  fothely  what  may  ye  faven,  I  wys  ; 

*  And  I  fhal  make  fere  men  to  fingc  for  thi  fake. 
'  But  the  baleful  beftis  that  on  thi  body  is  ! 

'  Al  bledes  my  ble,  thi  bones  arne  fo  blake.' 
"  That  is  luf  paramour,  liftis,  and  delites, 
«'  That  has  me  light,  and  laft  logh  in  a  lake. 
4i  Al  the  welth  of  the  world,  that  awey  wites, 
"  With  the  wilde  wermis  that  worche  me  wrake. 
"  Wrake  thei  me  worchen,  Waynour,  I  wys  ! 
*•  Were  thritty  trentales  don, 
"  Bytwene  under  and  non, 

"Mi 


XXltf  AtTENTUltE  OF  SIR  GAWAfN. 

/'  Mi  foule  focoured  with  fon, 
"  And  brought  to* the  bljs." 

XVIII. 
«  To  blifle  bring  the  the  barn e,  that  bought  the  on  rode ! 
'  That  was  crucifiged  on  croys  and  crouned  with  thorne. 
,  e  As  you  was  criftened,  and  crefomed,  with  candle  and 
code, 
'  Folowed  in  fouteftone,  on  frely  byforne. 
«  Mary  the  mighti,  myldeft  of  mode, 
'  Of  whom  the  blisful  barne  in  Bedlem  was  borne, 

*  Geve  me  grace  that  1  may  grete  ye  with  gode  ; 

*  And  mynge  ye  with  matens,  and  mafles  on  morne.' 
<k  To  mende  us  with  mafles  grete  myfter  hit  were. 

"  For  him  that  ret!  on  the  rode, 
"  Gyf  faft  of  thi  goode 
<c  To  folk  that  fallen  the  fode, 
"  While  thou  art  here." 

XIX. 

*  Here  hertly  my  honde.  th^s  heftes  to  holde, 

*  With  a  myllion  of  mafles  to  make  the  mynyng. 

'  A  !'  quod  Waynour,  '  1  wys  yit  weten  I  wolde, 

*  What  wrathed  God  moll  at  thi  weting  ?' 

<(  Pride,  with  the  appurtenance  ;  as  prophets  toldc 

c<  Bifore  the  peple,  apt  in  her  preching. 

u  Hit  beres  bowes  bitter,  therof  be  thou  bolde, 

"  That  mak  barnes  fo  bly  to  breke  his  bidding  ; 

"  But  ho  his  bidding  brek,  bare  thei  ben  of  blys. 

«*  But  thei  be  falved  of  that  fare, 

*,*  Er  thei  hepen  fare, 

"  They  mon  weten  of  care, 

u  Waynour,  I  wys." 

XX. 

*  Wyfle  me,'  qirod  Waynour,  '  fom  wey,  if  thou  woft, 

*  What  bedis  might  me  bed  to  the  blifle  bring.' 

"  MekenefTe,  and  mercy,  thes  arn  the  mooft.       [king. 
M  And  fithen  have  pite"  on  the  poer  :  that  plefes  heven 

"  Si  then 


DAVID  II.  I34I — 1371.  XXV 

f  Sithen  charite  is  chef,  and  then  is  chafte  ; 

41  And  then  almelTe  dede  cure  al  thing. 

*'  Thes  arn  the  graceful  giftes  of  the  Holy  Gofle, 

"  That  enfpires  iche  fprete,  withoute  fpeling. 

!'  Of  this  fpiritual  thing  fpute  thou  no  mare. 

"  Als  thou  art  Quene  in  thi  quert, 

"  Hold  thes  wordes  in  hert. 

'?  Thou  fhal  leve  but  a  ftert : 

H  Hethen  ihal  thou  fare." 

XXI. 

*  How  Ihal  we  fare/  quod  the  Freke,  *  that  fonden  to 

•  fight, 
'  And  thus  defoulen  the  folke,  on  fele  king  londes, 

*  And  riches  over  reymes,  withoutten  eny  right, 

*  Wynnen  worfhipp  in    werre,  thprgh  wightnefle  of 

«  hondes?' 
f  Your  King  is  covetous,  I  warne  the,  Schir  Knight. 
{'  May  no  man  flry  him  with  Itrength,  while  his  whele 

"  ftondes. 
*f  "VJThan  he  is  in  his  magefte,  mood  in  his  might, 
"  He  fhal  light  ful  lowe  en  the  fe  fondes. 
c<  And  this  chivalrous  knight  chef  fhal  thorgh  chaunce 
"  Falfely  fordone  in  fight, 
"  With  a  wonderful  wight, 
*'  Shal  make  lordes  to  light ; 
"  Take  witneffe  by  Fraunce. 

XXIF. 
te  Fraunce  hath  haf  the  frely  with  your  fight  wonnen  j 
"  Freol,  and  his  folke,  fey  ar  they  leved. 
"  Bretayne,  and  Burgoyne,  al  to  you  bowen, 
u  And  all  the  Duffiperes  of  Fraunce  with  your  dyn 

"  deved. 
"  Gyan  may  grete  the  werre  was  bigonnen  ; 
*'  There  ar  no  lordes  onlyve  in  that  londe  leved. 
"  Yet  fhal  the  riche  remayns  with  one  be  overronen, 
u.  And  with  the  Rounde  Table  the  rentes  be  reved. 

d  «  Thus 


XXVI  AUENTURE  OF  SIR  GAWANE. 

"  Thus  fhal  a  Tyber  untrue  tymber  with  terie. 
<f  Gete  the  Schir  Gawayn, 
u  Turne  the  to  Tufkayn, 
*f  For  ye  fhal  lefe  Bretayn 
w  With  a  King  kene. 

XXIII. 
"  This  Knight  fhal  be  clanly  enclofed  with  a  crowne  j 
"  And  at  Carlele  fhal  that  comly  be  crowned  as  King* 
*'  A  fege  fhal  he  feche  with  a  feffioun, 
"  That  myche  baret,  and  bale,  to  Bretayn  fhal  bring* 
"  Hit  fhal  in  Tufkayn  be  tolde  of  the  trefoun, 
"  And  ye  fhullen  turne  ayen  for  the  tything. 
"  Ther  fhal  the  Rounde  Table  lefe  the  renoune, 
w  Befide  Ramfey  ful  rad,  at  a  riding, 
*'  In  Dorfetfhire  fhal  dy  the  doughtefl  of  alle. 
*'  Gete  the  Schir  Gawayn, 
"  The  boldeft  of  Bretayn  ; 
"  In  a  flake  thou  fhal  be  flayne. 
"  Sich  ferlyes  fhul  falle  ! 

XXIV, 
€i  Such  ferlies  fliul  fal,  withoute  eny  fable, 
'*  Uppon  Cornewayle  cooft,  with  a  knight  kene, 
"  Schir  Arthur  the  honeft,  avenant,  and  able, 
w  He  fhal  be  wounded,  I  wys,  woyeley  I  wene. 
"  And  al  the  rial  rowte  of  the  Rounde  Table, 
"  Thei  fhullen  dye  on  a  day,  the  doughty  bydene. 
*'  Supprifit  with  a  furget,  he  beris  hit  in  fable, 
«'  With  a  fauter  engreled,  of  filver  full  fhene  :    - 
"  He  beris  hit  of  fable,  fothely  to  fay. 
"  In  riche  Anhures  halle, 
«'  The  barne  playes  at  the  balle, 
'«  That  ontray  fhal  you  alle, 
"  Delfully  that  day. 

XXV. 
"  Have  gode  day  Gaynour,  and  Gawayn  the  gode ; 
il  I  have  no  lenger  to  me  tidinges  to  telle. 

«  I  mote 


JSavid  ii.  134* — I37I-  xtvit 

ic  I  mote  walke  on  my  wey,   thorgh  this  wilde  wode, 

u  In  my  wonyng-ftid,  in  wo  for  to  dwelle. 

"  Fore  him,  that  right  wisly  rofe,  and  reft  on  the  rode, 

"  Thenke  on  the  danger,  that  I  yn  dwell. 

"  Fede  folke,  for  my  fake,  that  failen  the  fode  ; 

f<  And  menge  me  with  matens,  and  maffes  in  melle. 

"  Maffes  arn  medecynes,  to  us  that  bale  bides. 

"  Us  thenke  a  maffe  as  fwete, 

"  As  eny  fpice  that  ever  ye  yete." 

With  a  grifly  grete, 

The  gofte  away  glides. 

xxvt. 

With  a  grifly  grete  the  gofte  awey  glides  ; 

And  goes,  with  gronyng  fore,  thorgh  the  greves  grene. 

The  wyndes,  the  weders,  the  welken  unhides  ; 

Then  unclofed  the  cloudes,  the  fon  con  fliene. 

The  King  his  bugle  has  blowen,  and  on  the  bent  bides, 

His  fare  folke  in  the  frith  thei  flokken  bydene. 

And  al  the  rial  route  to  the  Quene  rides. 

She  fayis  hem  the  felcouthes,  that  thai  hadde  yfeene  : 

The  wife  of  the  weder  forwondred  they  were. 

Prince  proudeft  in  palle, 

Dame  Gaynour,  and  alle, 

Went  to  Rondoles  halle, 

To  the  fuppere. 


Here  are  many  words  and  phrafes  which  fcem  to  belong  rather  to 
the  beginning  than  the  middle  of  the  fourteenth  century  ;  as  bo  and  bet, 
for  fie ;  ber  for  their  ;  hem  for  tbem  ;  none  of  which  can  be  faid  to  have 
Been  introduced  for  the  fake  of  alliteration.  Neither  is  it  probable  that 
they  have  been  fo  written  in  imitation  of  antient  language.  The  fol- 
lowing lines  from  the  Chronicle  of  Robert  of  Brunne,  who  wrote  be- 
tween 1303  and  1338,  will  enable  the  reader  to  form  forue  conjedure 
with  refpeel  to  the  antiquity  of  Sir  Caxvane; 

Gude  it  is  for  many  thynges 
For  to  here  the  dedes  of  kyuges, 

Whilk 


jCXViii  AUENTURE  OP  SIR  GAWAYN, 

Whilk  were  folcs,  and  whilk  were  wyfe, 

And  whilk  of  tham  couth  moll  quantyfe  ; 

And  whilk  did  wrong,  and  whilk  ryght, 

And  whilk  mayntened  pes  and  fyght. 

Of  thare  dedes  fall  be  mifawe, 

In  what  time,  and  of  what  law.     .     .     . 

Fro  Brutus  to  Cadwe  lad-res, 

The  laft  Briton  that  the  land  lees, 

All  that  kind  and  all  the  frute, 

That  come  of  Brutus,  that,  is  the  Brute, 

After  the  Bretons,  the  Inglis  cameo, 

The  lordfehip  of  this  land  that  namen, 

When  thai  firft  among  the  Bretons, 

That  now  are  Inglis,  than  were  Saxons.     .     .    • 

I  mad  noght  for  no  difours, 

Ne  for  feggers,  no  harpours, 

But  for  the  luf  of  fymple  men, 

That  ftrange  Inglis  cannot  ken  : 

For  many  it  ere  that  ftrange  Inglis, 

In  ryme  wate  never  what  it  is.     .     .    . 

I  fee  in  fong  in  fedgeyng  tale, 

Of  Erceldone  and  Kendale, 

Non  tham  fays  as  thai  them  wroght, 

And  in  ther  laying  it  femes  noght, 

That  may  thou  hete  in  Sir  Trijltem; 

Over  geftes  it  has  the  fteem, 

Over  all  that  is  or  was, 

If  men  it  fayd  as  made  Thomas. 

Thay  fayd  in  fo  quaynte  Inglis, 

That  manyone  wate  not  what  it  i». 

And  forfooth  I  couth  nought 

So  ftrange  Inglis  as  thai  wroght.     .     .     . 

Thefe  verfes  are  not  fo  obfolete  as  to  be  unintelligible ;  but  in  the 
Aumture  of  Sir  Ga-wayn,  there  are  not  a  few  words,  and  even  whole 
lines,  which  I  am  unable  to  explain.  Perhaps  it  ought  to  have  been 
placed  before  the  year  13*0,  or  under  the  reign  of  Alexander  III. 


CHRONICLE 


CHRONICLE 


OF 


SCOTTISH  POETRf. 

ROBERT  II.  137 1— 1390. 


$fbe  earliejl  fpecimen  of  the  language  of  the  Scottijh  Low* 
lands,  fo  far  as  hitherto  has  appeared,  is  an  elegiac 
fonnet  on  the  death  of  Alexander  III.  1285  ,•  which 
the  reader  ivillfnd  in  the  preface  to  the  Gloffury  ;  and 
it  is  well  worthy  of  particular  attention.  But  the  fir Jl 
genuine  work  of  importance  is  the  Life  OF  Bruce  by 
John  Barbour,  archdeacon  of  Aberdeen,  who  feems 
to  have  been  born  about  1326  ;  compofed  his  hifiory  in 
1375  ;  and  died  in  1396.  "the  only  edition  in  which 
the  antient  orthography  is  preferved,  is  that  of  Mr 
Pinkerton,  1790  ,•  printed  from  a  manufcript  of 
1489.  From  that  edition  the  following  fpecimen  is 
felecled. 


SPEECH  OF  KING  ROBERT  THE  BRUCE  ON  THE  EVENING 
BEFORE  THE  BATTLE  OF  BANNOCKBURN. 

VJuhen  the  gud  King  gan  thaim  le, 
Befor  him  fwa  afjgnjbj^t  be, 
Blythjind  glad,  that  thair  fayis  war 
Rabutjt  aponjfccjngijer ; 
A  litill  quhill  he  held  hyrajlill ; 
Syl^lon^hjsjy^fs  ^e  &"*  hys  w^* 

"  Lordings,  we  aucht  to  loyejand  luff— *N> 
Si  Almychty  God,  that  fitts  abuff, 

Vol.  I.  A  «.  Thrt 


%  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   fQETRY. 

"  That  fends  us  fa  fayr  beginnyng. 

"  It  is  a  gret  difcomforting 

"  Till  our  fayis,  that  on  this  wyfs 

"  Sa  fone  has  bene  rabutyt  twifs. 

f*  For  quhen  thai  off  thair  oft  fall  her? 

f*  And  knaw  futhly  on  quint  manner 

t*  Thair  waward,  that  wes  fa  ltout ; 

**  And  fjne  yone  othyr  joly  rout, 

P  That  I  trow  off  the  beft  men  war 

C(  That  thai  mycht  get  amang  thaim  thai 

f*  War  rabuty t  fa  fedanly ; 

**  I  trow,  and  knawis  it  fail  clerly, 

c(  That  mony  a  hart  fall  waverand  be, 

f  That  femyt  er  off  gret  bonnte. 

f  And,  fra  the  hart  be  difcumfyt, 

"  The  body  is  not  worth  a  myt. 

u  Tharfor  I  trow  that  gud  ending 

"  Sail  folow  till  out  begynnyng. 

■*  And  quheyr  I  fay  not  this  yow  till, 

f  For  that  ye  fuld  folow  my  will 

<*  To  fycht  :  bot  in  yow  all  fall  be. 

il  For  gift  yow  thinks  fpeidfull  that  we. 

"  Fecht ;  we  fall :  and,  giff  ye  will, 

«(  We  leve,  your  liking  to  fulfill. 

*'  I  fall  confent,  on  ali  kyn  wyfs, 

"  To  do,  rycht  as  ye  will  dewyfs. 

"  Tharfor  fiyis  off  your  will  planly.'' 

And  with  a  voce  than  gan  thai  cry  : 

*  Gud  King  !  forowtyn  mar  delay, 

*  To  morne  slfone  as  ye  fe  day, 

*  Ordane  yow  hale  for  the  bataill ; 

«  For  doute  of  dede  we  fall  not  faill. 

*  Na,  na  payn  fall  refufyt  be, 

«  Qnhill  we  haiff  maid  our  countre  fre  !* 

Quhen  the  King  had  hard  fa  manlily 
Thai  fpak  to  fechting,  and  fa  hardely, 


ROBERT    II.    I37I I39O.  3 

In  hart  gret  glaidfchaip  gan  he  ta. 

And  faid,  "  Lordings,  fen  ye  will  fua, 

"  Schaip  we  us  tharfor  in  the  mornyng, 

"  Swa  that  we,  be  the  fone  ryfing, 

"  HafF  herd  mefs  ,  and  bufkyt  weill 

<l  Ilk  man  intill  hys  awn  efchell, 

tl  Without  the  pailyownys,  arayit 

**  In  bataillis,  with  baners  difplayit. 

"  And  luk  ye  na  wyfs  brek  aray. 

**  And,  as  ye  luff  me,  I  yow  pray 

4i  That  ilk  man  for  hys  awne  honour, 

"  Purway  hym  a  gud  baneour. 

"  And,  quhen  it  cumys  to  the  fycht, 

"  Ilk  man  fet  hart,  will,  and  mycht, 

•*  To  ftynt  our  fayis'  mekill  prid. 

**  On  horfs  thai  will  arayit  rid  ; 

"  And  cum  on  yow  in  full  gret  hy. 

u  Mete  thaim  with  fpers  hardely. 

"  And  think  than  on  the  meikill  ill, 

u,  That  thai  and  thairs  has  done  us  till ; 

"  And  ar  in  will  yeit  for  to  do, 

"  Giff  thai  hafs  mycht  to  cum  tharto. 

"  And  certs  me  think  weill  that  ye 

*'  Forowt  abayfing  aucht  to  be 

"  Worthy,  and  off  gret  waffelags. 

"  For  we  haiff  thre  gret  awantags. 

*'  The  fyrft  is,  that  we  haiff  the  rycht  ; 

u  And  for  the  rycht  ay  God  will  fycht. 

M  The  tothyr  is,  that  thai  cummyn  ar, 

"  For  lyppynnyng  off  their  gret  powar, 

<{  To  fek  us  in  our  awne  land  ; 

"  And  has  broucht  her,  rycht  till  our  hand, 

"  Ryches  into  fa  gret  quantite, 

'*  That  the  powered  off  yow  fall  be 

<(  Bath  ryche,  and  mychty  tharwithall, 

"  Giff  that  we  wyne,  as  "Weill  may  fall. 

<«  The 


4  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

u  The  thred  is,  that  we  for  our  lyvys, 

*'  And  for  our  childre,  and  for  our  wywis, 

"  And  for  owr  fredome,  and  for  our  land, 

•*  As  ftrenyeit  into  bataill  Hand. 

"  And  thai,  for  thair  mycht  anerly, 

"  And  for  thai  lat  off  us  leychtly, 

*'  And  for  thai  wald  deftroy  us  all, 

11  Maifs  thaim  to  fycht :  bot  yeit  may  fall 

*  That  thai  fall  rew  thair  barganyng. 

**  And  certs  I  warne  yow  off  a  thing 

*'  That  happyn  thaim,  as  God  forbed 

"  That  deyt  on  roid  for  mankyn  heid  ! 

"  That  thai  wyn  us  cpynly, 

"  Thai  fall  off  us  haf  na  mercy. 

*'  And,  fen  we  knaw  thair  feloun  will, 

*•  Methink  it  fuld  accord  to  fkill, 

,{  To  fet  ftoutnes  agayne  felony  ; 

u  And  mak  fa  gat  a  juperty. 

*'  Quharfor  I  yow  requer,  and  pray, 

"  That  with  all  your  mycht,  that  you  may, 

*•  Ye  prefs  yow  at  the  beguining, 

u  Bot  cowardyfs  or  abayfing, 

'*  To  mete  thaim  at  thair  fyrfl  afiemble 

■'  Sa  ftoutly  that  the  henmaift  tremble. 

"  And  menys  off  your  gret  manheid, 

u  Your  worfchip,  and  your  douchty  dcid  ; 

$  And  off  the  joy  that  we  abid, 

"  Giff  that  us  fall,  as  weill  may  tid. 

"  Hap  to  wencufs  this  gret  bataill. 

"  In  your  handys  without  fayle 

"  Yeber  honour,  price,  and  riches  ; 

"  Fiedome,  welth,  and  blythnes  ; 

•*  Giff  ye  contene  ye  manlily. 

"  And  the  contrar  all  halyly 

*'  Sail  fall,  giff  ye  lat  cowardyfs 

'*  And  wykkytnes  yow  fupprifs. 

<'  Ye. 


ROBERT   II.    1371 — 139a.  5 

(t  Ye  mycht  haf  lewyt  into  threldome. 
M  Bot,  for  ye  yarnyt  till  haff  fredome, 
JP  Ye  ar  affemblyt  her  with  me. 
f  Tharfor  is  nedfull  that  ye  be 
M  Worthy  and  wycht,  but  abayfing. 
f*  And  I  warne  yow  weill  off  a  thing  ; 
"  That  mar  meyfcheifF  may  fall  us  nane, 
"  Than  in  thair  handys  to  be  tane  : 
**  For  thai  fuld  flaw  us  I  wate  weill 
"  Rycht  as  thai  did  my  brothyr  Nele. 
"  Bot  quhen  I  mene  ofF  your  floutnes, 
'f  And  off  the  mony  gret  prowes, 
f  That  ye  haf  doyne  fa  wotthely  ; 
"  I  traift,  and  trowis  fekyrly, 
tf  To  have  phme  wiftour  in  this  fycht. 
"  For  thouch  our  fayis  haff  mekill  mycht, 
u  Thai  haf  the  wrang,  and  fuccudry, 
"  And  cowartyfs  of  fenyowry, 
"  Amowys  thaim  forowtyn  mor. 
"  Na  us  thar  dreid  thaixri,  bot  befor  ; 
H  For  ftrenth  off  this  place,  as  ye  fe, 
"  Sail  let  us  enweronyt  to  be. 
"  And  I  pray  yow  als  fpecially, 
"  Bath  mar  and  les  commonaly, 
"  That  nane  off  yow  for  grcdynes 
"  Haff  ey  to  tak  off  thair  ryches  ; 
"  Na  prifoners  for  to  ta ; 
M  Quhill  ye  fe  thaim  contreryt  fa, 
"  That  the  feld  anerly  yowrs  be. 
*'  And  than,  at  your  liking,  may  ye, 
u  Tak  all  the  ryches  that  thar  is. 
"  Giff  ye  will  wyrk  apon  this  wyfs, 
"  Ye  fall  haiff  wiclour  fekyrl)r. 
'*  I  wate  not  quhat  mar  fay  fall  I. 
"  Bot  all  wate  ye  quhat  honour  is  : 
"  Contene  thaim  on  fie  awifs, 

"  That 


•  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

**  That  your  honour  ay  favyt  be. 
"  And  Ik  hycht  her  in  leaute, 
"  Giff  ony  deys  in  this  bataille, 
"  Hys  ayr,  but  ward,  releff,  or  taile, 
"  On  the  fyrft  day  fall  weld  ; 
"  All  be  he  neuir  fa  young  off  eld. 
"  Now  makys  yow  redy  for  to  fycht. 
"  God  help  us,  that  is  maift  off  uiycht ! 
"  I  rede  armyt  all  nycht  that  we  be, 
"  Purwayit  in  bataill  fwa,  that  we 
"  To  mete  our  fayis  ay  be  boune." 
Than  anfueryt  thai  all,  with  a  foune, 
'  As  ye  dewifs  all  fall  be  done.' 
Than  till  thair  innys  went  thai  fone  ; 
And  ordanyt  thaim  for  the  fechting. 
Syne  affemblyt  in  the  ewynyng, 
And  fwa  gat  all  the  nycht  bad  thai, 
Till  on  the  morn  that  it  wes  day  *, 


JAMES 


*  The  event  of  the  battle  is  well  known.  "  On  this  occafion," 
fays  Fabyan,  "  the  Scottes  made  this  ryme." 

Maydens  of  Englandc,  fore  may  yc  morne, 

For  your  lemmans  ye  have  loft  at  Bannocky's  Burne. 

With  a  heve  a  lowe. 
"What !  weneth  the  king  of  England 
So  foon  to  have  won  Scotland  ? 

With  rumhy  lowe ! 


JAMES  I.  1405— 1437. 


[It  is  not  known  that  any  Poet  Jiourijhed  in  Scot- 
land during  the  reign  of  Robert  III.  or  regency 
of  the  Dukes  of  Albany ,  until  about  the  year 
1420,  when  Andrew  Winton,  Prior  of  the 
Inch  of  Lechlevcn,  compofed  his  orygnale 
cronykil  of  Scotland,  from  Fergus,  fon  of 
Eric,  down  to  his  oiun  time.  It  was  firjl  pu~ 
blijhed  in  1795,  in  two  volumes,  royal  Bvo, 
The  following  Legend  is  a  fufficient  fpeci- 
men  of  hit  language  ;  and,  it  is  alfo  a  fpecimen 
of  thofe  ahfurd  tales  which  ferved  to  amufe  our 
anceflors  in  the  earlier  ages  of  Chriftianity.~\ 


LEGEND  OF  SANCT.  SERF. 

V^uiien  the  thrid  (Tope)  John  was  dede, 

Sanct  Serf  fevyn  yer  helde  that  itede. 

He  was  of  lif  a  haly  man  : 

The  kyng's  fon  of  Canaan. 

His  fader's  landes,  of  heritage, 

Fel  til  hym  be  cleyr  lynage, 

And  lauchful  leil,  befor  al  other, 

That  gaf  he  till  his  yongar  brother. 

All  fvvylk.  cumbyr  he  forfuyk  ; 

And  till  haly  lif  hym  tuke. 

God  fende  hym  a  fuet  angelic 

To  giff  hym  comfort  and  confell. 

And  wyth  the  angel  alfa  fail 

Fyrft  to#Alexandyre  he  pad. 

Tyl 


9  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRT. 

Tyl  Conftantynopile  fyne  he  come  : 

And  to  the  Cyte  (fra  thine)  of  Rome. 

Thar  than  vakyt  the  Popis  fe  : 

And  chofyn  fyne  til  it  was  he. 

Than  governyt  he  that  fevyn  yere. 

And,  quhen  thai  al  ourpaffit  wer, 

The  angel  that  his  lcdar  was 

Syne  hym  behufit  fra  Rome  to  paffe  : 

For  God  ordanyt  nocht  that  he 

Langar  in  that  lande  fuld  be  ; 

Than,  on  a  folempnyt  day, 

Or  he  begouthe  to  talc  his  way^ 

He  made  a  predicacion, 

And  a  folempne  fair  fermon, 

To  the  Romanys,  that  he  gert  cal 

Befor  hym  ;  and  thar  at  thaim  all 

His  leif  he  tuk,  but  mar  delay  : 

With  thar  bleffyng  he  paft  his  way. 

And  with  the  angel  apon  chaunfe 

Fra  theyne,  throw  the  realme  of  Fraunfe  j 

Straucht  to  the  fee  departande, 

Fra  Fraunfe,  the  kynrik  of  Inglande. 

Schippen  thar  he  gat  reddy  ; 

Withe  hym  a  hundyr  in  company. 

In  the  fchippis  he  made  entre  : 

Syne  tuk  up  fayl  and  helde  the  fe. 

Withe  wynde  at  wil  and  furth  he  paft, 
In  Forthe  quhil  thai  come  at  the  lait. 
And  arryvit  at  Inch  Keyth^ 
The  ile  betwix  Kyngorne  and  Lcitb. 
Of  Icolmkyl  the  abbot  than, 
Sanft  Adaman  that  holy  man, 
Come  til  hym  ;  and  thar  fermly 
Tvlad  fpirituale  bandc  of  company. 


And 


JAMES  I.  I405— 1437.  9 

And  tretit  hym  to  cum  in  Fyff, 

The  tyme  til  dryf  our  of  his  liff. 

Than  til  Difart  he  his  menyie, 

Of  that  confail,  f  urth  fende  he. 

Syne  at  Kynneil  he  come  to  lande  : 

Thar  our  the  watyr  he  kefl  his  wande, 

That  fuddandly  grew  in  a  tre, 

And  bare  of  appilis  gret  plente. 

And  that  ftede  eftyr  ay 

Morglas  was  callit  mony  day. 

Syne  our  the  watyr,  of  purpofe, 

Of  Forthe  he  paflit  til  Culrqffe. 

Thar  he  begouthe  to  rede  a  grounde, 

Quhar  that  he  thoucht  a  kyrk  to  founde. 

Brude,  Dargard's  fon,  in  Scotlande 

Kyng  our  the  Peychts  than  regnande, 

Was  movit  in  gret  crewelte 

Agane  Sanci  Serf,  and  his  menye. 

He  fende  felon  men  forthi, 

To  fla  thaim  aldon^  but  mercy. 

Bot  this  kyng  ourtakyn  was 

Suddandly  with  gret  feiknes  : 

And  at  the  prayer  fpecyale 

Of  SancT:  Serf  he  was  made  hail. 

The  kyng  than  fel  fra  that  purpoffe  ; 

And  gaf  til  Sancl  Serf  al  Culrqffe  ; 

With  alkyn  profits  all  frely. 

Syne  til  his  prayers  devotly 

Hym  he  commendit,  and  his  Hate  ; 

And  put  away  alkyn  debate  : 

And  reffavit  with  honefte 

Sandt.  Serf  thar,  and  his  menyie. 

Thar  fyrft  Sandl  Serf  tuk  his  reflet 

To  lif  on  that  at  he  mycht  get. 

And  thar  he  broucht  up  SancT:  Mongow> 

That  fyne  was  bifcbope  of  Glafgu. 

Vol.  I.  B  Syne 


10  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    rOETRY. 

Syne  fra  Culrojfe  he  pall  evyn 
To  the  Tnche  of  Louchlevjn. 
The  kyng  Brude,  of  devocion, 
Mad  til  Sancl  Serf  donacion, 
Of  that  Tnche  :  and  he  dwelt  thar 
Til  fevyn  yer  ourpaffit  war. 
In  Tulyhothy  ane  il  fprite 
A  criftyn-man,  that  tyme,  taryit. 
Of  that  fpyrit  he  was  than 
Delyverit  throw  that  haly  man. 
In  Tulycultry  til  a  wif 
Twa  fonys  he  rayftt  fra  ded  to  lyf, 

This  holy  man  had  a  ram, 
That  he  had  fed  up  of  a  lam  : 
And  oyfit  hym  til  folow  ay, 
Quherevir  he  paffit  in  his  way. 
A  theyf  this  fcheppe  in  Achren  ftal ; 
And  et  hym  up  in  pecis  fmalle. 
Quhen  SancT:  Serf  his  ram  had  myfl, 
Quha  that  it  ftal  was  few  that  will : 
On  prefumpcion  nevirtheles 
He  that  it  ftal  areflyt  was. 
And  til  SarnSl  Serf  fyne  Was  he  broucht, 
That  fcheipe  he  faid  that  he  Hal  noucht  : 
And  tharfor  for  to  fwer  ane  athe, 
He  faid  that  he  walde  nocht  be  lay  the. 
Bot  fone  he  worth  it  rede  for  fchayme  ; 
The  fcheype  thar  bletyt  in  his  wayme  ! 
Swa  was  he  tayniElyt  fchamfully  ; 
And  at  SancT:  Serf  alkyt  mercy. 

In  dubbyng  of  devocion, 
And  prayer,  he  flew  a  fel  dragon. 
Quhar  he  was  flajn  that  plalfe  was  ay 
The  Dragonys  den  callyt  to  this  day. 

Qnhil 


JAMES  I.  1405 1437.  II 

Quhil  Sancl  Serf,  in  til  a  ftede, 
Lay  eftyr  matynys  in  his  bede  ; 
The  devil  come,  in  foulle  intent 
for  til  fande  hym  with  argument. 
And  faid,  "  Sancl  Serf,  be  thi  werk, 
*'  I  ken  thow  art  a  connande  clerk." 
Sancl;  Serf  faid,  '  Gif  a  fwa  be  ; 

*  Foulle  vretche  quhat  is  that  for  the  .?' 
The  devil  faid,  "  This  queflion 

"  1  alk  in  our  colacion. 

"  '•■a  quhar  was  God,  wkt  ye  oucht, 

"  Befor  that  hevyn  and  erde  was  wroucht  ?" 

Sancl  Serf  faid,  '  In  hymfelf  ftedles 

'  Hys  Godheide  hamprede  nevir  wes.' 

The  devil  than  alkyt,  '«  Quhat  caufe  he  hade 

"  To  mak  the  creaturs  that  he  made  ?" 

To  that  Sancl  Serf  anfuerde  thar, 

*  Of  creaturs  made  he  was  makar. 
'  A  makar  mycht  he  nevir  be, 

*  Bot  gif  creaturs  made  had  he.' 

The  devil  aikyt  hym,  **  Quhy  God  of  noucht 
"  His  werks  al  ful  gud  had  wroucht  ?" 
Sancl  Serf  anfuerde,  •  That  Goddis  wil 

*  Was  nevir  to  mak  his  werks  ill. 

'  And  als  invyus  he  had  beyn  feyn  ; 

c  Gif  noucht  bot  he  ful  gud  had  beyn.' 

Sancl  Serf  the  devil  aikyt  than 

"  Quhar  made  God  Adam  the  fyrfi  man  ?" 

*  In  Ebron  Adam  formyt  was,' 

Sancl  Serf  laid.     And  til  hym  Sathanas 
"  Quhar  was  he  eft  that,  for  his  vice, 
"  He  was  put  out  of  Paradyfe  ?" 
Sancl  Serf  faid,  *  Quhar  he  was  made.' 
The  devil  alkyt,  "  How  lang  he  bade 
"  In  Paradyfe,  eftir  his  fyn." 

'  Sevyn 


12  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    P8ETRY. 

'  Sevyn  hours,'  Serf  faid,  l  he  bad  tharin.* 
"  Quhan  was  Eve  made  ?"  faid  Sathanas. 

*  In  Paradyfe,'  Serf  faid,  '  fcho  was.' 
And  at  Sanft.  Serf  the  devil  alkyt  than, 
M  Quhi  God  let  Adam,  the  fyrft  man, 
M  And  Eve  fynn  in  paradyfe  ?" 
Sancl  Serf  faid,  '  That  monywyfe, 

'  For  God  wilt  and  underftude 

f  Thairof  fuld  cum  ful  mekyl  gude. 

*  For  Crift  tuke  flefche,  mankynde  to  wyn, 

*  That  was  to  payne  put  for  thar  fyn.' 
The  devil  alkyt,  "  Quhy  mycht  not  be 
**  Al  mankynde  delyverit  fie, 

"  Be  thaim  felf,  fet  God  had  nocht 

«'  Thaim  with  his  precioufe  paffion  boucht." 

Saner.  Serf  faid,  '  Thai  fell  nocht  in 

«  Be  tharfelf  into  thar  fyn. 

«  Bot  be  the  fals  fuggeftion 

*  Of  the  devil,  thar  fa  fellorn. 

*  For  that  he  cheyfit  to  be  born 

*  To  fauf  mankynde,  that  was  forlorn.' 
The  devil  alkyt  at  hym  than, 

c'  Quhi  walde  noucht  God  mak  a  new  man, 
**  Mankynde  for  to  dclyver  fre  ?" 
Sand  Serf  faid,  «  That  fulde  nocht  be. 

*  It  fuffycit  weil  that  mankynde 

*  Anys  fulde  cum  of  Adamys  ftrynde.' 
The  devil  alkyt  u  Quhy  that  ye, 

"  Men,  ar  quyt  delyverit  fre, 

■f  Throw  Crift's  pafflon  precioufe  boucht, 

•'  And  we  devils  fwa  ar  noucht." 

Sanft  Serf  faid,  •  For  that  ye 

«  Fel  throw  your  awyn  iniquyte. 

«  And  throw  ourfelf  we  nevir  fel ; 

«  Bot  throw  your  fellon  fals  confell. 

And 


JAMES  I.  I405— 1437.  13 

<  And  for  the  devillis  was  noucht  wroucht 
f  Of  brukyl  kynde,  ye  walde  noucht 
f  Withe  ruthe  of  halt  forthynk  your  fyn, 
«  That  throw  yourfelf  ye  war  fallyn  in. 
f  Tharfor  Criftis  paffion 

•  Suld  noucht  be  your  redempcion.' 
Than  fawe  the  devil  that  he  couth  noucht, 
Withe  all  the  wilis  that  he  wroucht, 
Ourcum  San£t  Serf  :  he  faid  than 

He  kende  hym  for  a  wyfe  man. 
Forthi  thar  he  gaf  hym  quhit, 
For  he  wan  at  hym  na  profyt. 
Sancl  Serf  faid  '  Thow  wretche  ga 
'  Fra  this  ftede  ;  and  noye  na  ma 

*  Into  this  ftede,  I  bid  ye.' 
Suddandly  thine  paffit  he  : 

Fra  that  ftede  he  helde  his  waye  ; 
And  nevir  was  feyn  thar  to  this  daye. 

Eftyr  al  this  Sane!  Serf  pafl 
Weft  onto  Culrojfe  alfa  faft. 
And  be  his  ftate  that  he  knew 
That  til  his  endying  ner  he  drew ; 
This  wretchit  warlde  he  forfuyk  ; 
His  fapraments  thar  al  he  tuk, 
Withe  fchrift,  and  ful  contricion. 
He  yalde,  withe  gude  devocion, 
His  cors  till  halowit  fepulture  : 
And  his  faulle  to  the  Creatur. 


THE 


THE  QUAIR,  MAID  BE  KING  JAMES  OF  SCOTLAND 
THE  FIRST,  CALLIT  THE  KING'S  QJJAIR.  MAID 
QN.  HIS  MA.  WAS  IN  ENGLAND  *. 


[In  the  year  1405,  when  he  was  about  13  years 
old,  James  was  taken  prifoner  by  the  Engli/h  on 
his  pajfage  to  France  ;  and  was  not  liberated 
until  the  year  1424.     Previous  to  his  departure 

for  his  own  kingdom,  he  e/poufed  a  Princejs  of  the 
Blood-Royal  of  England,  (Lady  Jane,  daugh- 
ter of  the  Earl  of  Somerset,  and  firjl  coufin 
to  K.  Henry  V.)  the  fubjeci  of  the  following 
allegorical  Poem.      The  fcenery   which  he   de~ 

fcribes  in  Jlansza  nth,  cJV.  is  the  Royal  Gar- 
dens under  the  walls  of  Windfor  Cq/lle,  the 
place  of  his  confinement. ~\ 


I. 

In  Ver  that  full  of  vertu  is  and  gude, 
Quhen  nature  firft  begyneth  hir  enprife, 

That  quhilum  was  be  cruel  froft  and  nude, 
And  fchouris  fcharp  oppreft  in  monj  wife, 

And  Cynthius  gyneth  to  aryfe 

Heigh  in  the  eft,  a  morrowe  foft  and  fuete, 
Upward  his  courfe  to  drive  in  Ariete. 

II. 

*  Such  is  the  title  of  the  MS.  copy  in  the  Bodleian 
Library  at  Oxford.  Quair  is  Book.  The  Prologue  and  Epi- 
logue are  here  omitted,  a*  adding  only  to  the  prolixity  of  the 
Poem.     This  is  the  firft  ccrrefled  copy. 


JAMES  I.  I405— 1437.  15 

II. 

Paffit  bot  myd-day  foure  greis  ;  evin 

Of  lentil  and  brede,  his  angel  vvingis  bryt 

He  fpred  upon  the  ground,  doun  fro  the  hevin, 
That  for  gladneiTe  and  frefhneiTe  of  the  fight, 

And  with  the  tiklyng  of  his  hete  and  light, 
The  tender  flouris  opynit  thame  and  fprad, 
And  in  thair  nature  thankit  him  for  glad. 

III. 

Not  far  paffit  the  irate  of  innocence 

Bot  nere  about  the  nowmer  of  yehis  thre, 
Were  it  caufit  throu  hevinly  influence 

Of  Goddis  will,  or  other  cafualtee,   . 
Can  I  not  fay,  bot  out  of  my  contree, 

By  thair  avife  that  had  of  me  the  cure 

Be  fee  to  pas,  tuke  I  my  aventure. 

IV. 

Purvait  of  all  that  was  us  neceffarye, 

With  wynd  at  will,  up  airely  by  the  morowe, 
Streight  unto  fchip,  no  longere  wold  we  tarye, 

The  way  we  tuke  the  tyme  I  tald  to  forowe, 
With  mony  fare  wele,  and  San£l  Johne  to  borowe 

Of  falowe  and  frcnde  ;  and  thus  with  one  aflent, 

We  pullit  up  faile  and  furth  our  wayis  went. 

V. 

Upon  the  wevis  weltring  to  and  fro, 
So  infortunate  was  we  that  fremyt  day, 

That  maugre  plainly  quethir  We  wold  or  no, 
With  ftrong  hand,  by  forfe  fchortly  to  fay, 

Of  inymyis  taken  and  led  away, 

We  weren  all,  and  brot  in  thaire  contree, 
Fortune  it  fchupe  non  othir  wayis  to  be, 

VI. 


l6  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

VI. 

Quhare  as  in  ftrayte  ward,  and  in  ftrong  prifonj 
So  fere  forth  of  my  lyf  the  hevy  lyne, 

Without  confort,  in  forowe  abandoune, 
The  fecund  filtere  lukit  hath  to  tuyne 

Nere  by  the  fpace  of  yeris  twice  nyne, 
Till  Jupiter  his  merci  lift  advert, 
And  fend  confort  in  relefche  of  my  fmert. 

VII. 

Quhare  as  in  ward  full  oft  I  wold  bewaille 
My  dedely  lyf,  full  of  peyne  and  penance, 

Saing  ryght  thus,  quhat  have  I  gilt  to  faille, 
My  fredome  in  this  warld  and  my  plefance  ? 

Sen  every  wight  has  thereof  fuftifance, 
That  I  behold,  and  I  a  creature 
Put  from  all  this,  hard  is  myn  aventure  ? 

VIII. 

The  bird,  the  befte,  the  fifch  eke  in  the  fee, 

They  lyve  in  fredome  everich  in  his  kynd  5 
And  I  a  man,  and  lakith  libertee 

Quhat  fall  I  feyne,  quhat  refon  may  I  fynd, 
That  fortune  fuld  do  lb  ?   thus  in  my  mynd, 

My  folk  I  wold  argewe,  bot  all  for  noucht  ; 

Was  none  that  myght  that  on  my  peynes  rought. 

IX. 

Than  wold  I  fay,  Gift  God  me  had  devilit 

To  lyve  my  lyf  in  thraldom  thus  and  pyne, 
Quhat  was  the  caufe  that  he  more  me  comprifit, 

Than  othir  folk  to  1\  ve  in  fuch  ruyne  ? 
I  fuffere  alone  amang  the  figuris  nyne, 

Ane  wofull  wrache  that  to  no  wight  may  fpede; 

And  yit  of  every  lyvis  help  has  nede. 

X. 


JAMES  t,   I405— -1437*  *7 

X. 

The  long  dayes  and  the  nyghtis  eke* 

I  wold  bewaille  my  fortune  in  this  wife. 
For  quhich,  again  diftreffe  confort  to  feke, 

My  cuftum  was  on  mornis  for  to  rife 
Airly  as  day,  O  happy  exercife  ! 

By  the  come  I  to  joye  out  of  turment ! 

Bot  now  to  purpofe  of  my  firft  entent. 

XL 

Bewallling  in  my  chamber  thus  ailone, 
Defpeired  of  all  joye  and  remedye, 

For-tirit  of  my  thoucht  and  wo-begone, 
And  to  the  wyndow  gan  I  walk  in  hye, 

To  fee  the  warld  and  folk  that  went  forbye, 
As  for  the  tyme,  though  I  of  mirthis  fude 
Mycht  have  no  more,  to  luke  it  did  me  gude. 

XII. 

Now  was  there  maid  fafl  by  the  Touris  wall 
A  gardyn  faire,  and  in  the  corneris  fet, 

Ane  herbere  grene,  with  wandis  long  and  fmall, 
Railit  about,  and  fo  with  treis  fet 

Was  all  the  place,  and  hawthorn  hegis  knet, 
That  lyf  was  non,  walkying  there  forbye, 
That  mycht  within  fcarce  any  wight  afpye. 

XIII. 

So  thick  the  beuis  and  the  leves  grene 
Befchadit  all  the  allyes  that  there  were, 

And  myddis  every  herbere  mycht  be  fene 
The  fcharp  grene  fuete  jenepere, 

Growing  fo  fair  with  branches  here  and  there, 
That,  as  it  femyt  to  a  lyf  without, 
The  bewis  fpred  the  herbere  all  about. 
Vol.  I.  C  XIV. 


1 8  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

XIV. 

And  on  the  fmall  grene  twiflis  fat 

The  ljtil  fuete  njgtingale,  and  fong 
So  loud  and  clere,  the  yrnpnis  confecrat 

Of  luvis  ufe,  now  foft  now  lowd  among, 
That  all  the  gardynis  and  the  wallis  rong 

Rycht  of  thaire  fong  ;  and  on  the  copill  next 

Of  thaire  fuete  armony,  and  lo  the  text  : 

XV. 

Worfchippe  ye  that  loveris  bene  this  May, 
For  of  your  blifs  the  kalendis  are  begonne, 

And  fing  with  us,  Away  winter  away, 

Come  fomer  come,  the  fuete  fefon  and  fonne, 

Awake,  for  fchame  !  that  have  your  hevynis  wonne, 
And  amouroufly  lift  up  your  hedis  all, 
Thank  lufe  that  lift  you  to  his  merci  call. 

XVI. 

Quhen  thai  this  fong  had  fong  a  littil  thrawe, 
Thai  ftent  a  quhile,  and  therewith  unafraid, 

As  I  beheld,  and  keft  myn  eyen  a  la  we, 

From  beugh  to  beugh,  thay  hippit  and  thai  plaid, 

And  frefchly  in  thair  birdis  kynd  araid, 

Thaire  fatheris  new,  and  fret  thame  in  the  fonne, 
And  thankit  lufe,  that  had  thair  makis  wonne. 

XVII. 

This  was  the  plane  ditie  of  thaire  note, 
And  therewith  all  unto  myfelf  I  thoucht, 

Quhat  lyf  is  this,  that  makis  birdis  dote  ? 

Quhat  may  this  be,  how  cummyth  it  of  ought  ? 

Qnhat  nedith  it  to  be  fo  dere  ybought  ? 
It  is  nothing,  trowe  I,  bot  feynit  chere, 
And  that  me  lift  to  counterfeten  fherc. 

XVIII. 


JAMES   I.    I405— 1437.  19 

XVIII. 

Eft  wold  I  think,  O  Lord,  quhat  may  this  be  ? 

That  lufe  is  of  fo  noble  mycht  and  kynde, 
Lufing  his  folk,  and  fuich  profperitee 

Is  it  of  him,  as  we  in  bukis  fynd  ? 
May  he  cure  hertis  fetten  and  unbynd  ? 

Hath  he  upon  our  hertis  fuich  maiftrye  ? 

Or  all  this  is  bot  fey  nit  fantafye  ? 

XIX. 

For  giff  he  be  of  fo  grete  excellence, 

That  he  of  every  wight  hath  cure  and  charge, 

Quhat  have  I  gilt  to  him,  or  doon  ofFenfe, 
That  I  am  thrall,  and  birdis  gone  at  large, 

Sen  him  to  ferve  he  mycht  fet  my  corage  ?  s 

And,  gif  he  be  not  fo,  than  may  I  feyne 
Quhat  makis  folk  to  jangill  of  him  in  veyne  ? 

XX. 

Can  I  not  ellis  fynd  bot  giff  that  he 

Be  lord,  and,  as  a  god,  may  lyve  and  regne, 

To  bynd,  and  loufe,  and  maken  thrallis  free, 
Than  wold  I  pray  his  blifsful  grace  benigne, 

To  hable  me  unto  his  fervice  digne, 
And  evermore  for  to  be  one  of  tho 
Him  trewly  for  to  ferve  in  wele  and  wo. 

XXI. 

And  therewith  kefl  I  doun  myn  eye  ageyne, 
Quhare  as  I  faw  walkyng  under  the  Toure, 

Full  fecretely,  new  cumyn  hir  to  pleyne, 
The  faireft  or  the  frefcheft  young  floure 

That  ever  1  fawe,  methoucht,  before  that  houre, 
For  quhich  fodayne  abate,  anon  aftert 
The  blude  of  all  my  body  to  my  hert. 

XXII. 


2$  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

XXII. 

And  though  1  flood  abaifit  then  a  lyte, 

No  wonder  was  ,  for  quhy  ?  my  wittis  all 

Were  fo  ouercome  with  plefance  and  delyte, 
Only  through  latting  of  myn  eyen  fall, 

That  fudaynly  my  hert  become  hir  thrall 
For  ever  ;  of  free  wyll,  for  of  manace 
There  was  no  takyn  in  hir  fuete  face. 

XXIII. 

And  in  my  hede  I  drew  ryght  haflily, 

And  eft  fones  I  lent  it  forth  ageyne, 
And  faw  hir  walk  that  verray  womanly, 

With  no  wight  mo,  bot  only  women  tueyne. 
Than  gan  I  fludy  in  myfelf  and  feyne, 

Ah  fuete  I  are  ye  a  warldly  creature,  . 

Or  hevingly  thing  in  likenefle  of  nature  ? 

XXIV. 

Or  ar  ye  god  Cupidis  owin  princefle  ? 

And  cumyn  are  to  loufe  me  out  of  band, 
Or  are  ye  veray  Nature  the  goddefle, 

That  have  depayntit  with  your  hevinly  hand, 
This  gardyn  full  of  flouris,  as  they  Hand  ? 

Quhat  fall  I  think,  allace  !  quhat  reverence 

Sail  I  mefter  to  your  excellence  ? 

XXV. 

Giff  ye  a  goddefle  be,  and  that  ye  like 
To  do  me  payne,  I  may  it  not  aftert  ; 

Giff  ye  be  warldly  wight,  that  dooth  me  fike, 
Quhy  left  God  mak  you  fo,  my  dereft  hert  ! 

To  do  a  fely  prifoner  thus  fmert, 

That  lufis  you  all,  and  wote  of  noucht  but  wo, 
And,  therefore,  merci  fuete  !  fen  it  is  fo. 

XXXVI. 


james  I.  1405 — 1437.  ar 

XXVI. 

Quhen  I  a  lytill  thrawe  had  maid  my  mone, 
Bewailing  myn  infortune  and  my  chance, 

Unknawin  how  or  quhat  was  beil  to  done, 
So  ferre  I  fallying  into  lufis  dance, 

That  fodeynly  my  wit,  my  contenance, 

My  hert,  my  will,  my  nature,  and  my  mynd, 
Was  changit  clene  rycht  in  ane  other  kind. 

xxvir. 

Of  hir  array  the  form  gif  I  fal  write, 

Toward  her  goldin  haire,  and  rich  atyre, 

In  fretwife  couchit  with  perlis  quhite, 
And  grete  balas  lemyng  as  the  fyre, 

With  mony  ane  emerant  and  faire  faphire, 
And  on  hir  hede  a  chaplet  frefch  of  hewe, 
Of  plumys  partit  rede,  and  quhite,  and  blewe. 

XXVIIl/ 

Full  of  quaking  fpangis  brycht  as  gold, 
Forgit  of  fchap  like  to  the  amorettis, 

So  new,  fo  frefch,  fo  pleafant  to  behold, 
The  plumys  eke  like  to  the  floure  jonettis, 

And  other  of  fchap,  like  to  the  floure  jonettis  ; 
And,  above  all  this,  there  was,  wele  I  wote, 
Beautee  eneuch  to  mak  a  world  to  dote. 

XXIX. 

About  hir  neck,  quhite  as  the  fayre  anmaille, 

A  gudelie  cheyne  of  fmall  orfeverye, 
Quhare  by  there  hang  a  ruby,  without  faille 

Like  to  ane  hert  fchapin  verily, 
That,  as  a  fperk  of  lowe  fo  wantonly 

Semyt  birnying  upon  hir  quhite  throte. 

Now  gif  there  was  gud  pertye,  God  it  wote. 

XXX, 


*fc  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

XXX. 

And  for  to  walk  that  frefche  Mayes  morowe, 
Ane  huke  fhe  had  upon  her  tifiew  quhite, 

That  gudcliare  had  not  bene  fene  to  forowe, 
As  I  fuppofc,  and  girt  fche  was  alyte  ; 

Thus  halilyug  lowfe  for  hade,  to  fuich  delyte, 
}c  was  to  fee  her  youth  in  gudelihed, 
That  for  rudenes  to  fpeke  thereof  I  drede. 

XXXI. 

In  hir  was  youth,  beautee,  with  humble  aport, 
Bountee,  richefie,  and  womanly  faiture, 

God  better  wote  than  my  pen  can  report, 
Wiidome,  largeffe  eftate,  and  conyng  fure 

In  every  point,  fo  guydit  hir  mefure, 

In  word,  in  dede,  in  fchap,  in  contenance, 
That  nature  rnycht  no  more  hir  childe  auance. 

XXXII. 

Throw  quhich  anon  I  knew  and  underftude 
Wele  that  fche  was  a  warldly  creature, 

On  quhom  to  reft  myn  eye,  fo  mich  gude 
It  did  my  woful  hert,  I  yow  allure 

That  it  was  to  me  joye  without  mefure, 
And,  at  the  iaft,  my  luke  unto  the  hevin 
I  threw  furthwith,  and  faid  thir  verfis  fevin  : 

XXXIII. 

O  Venus  clere  !  of  goddis  ftellifyit, 

To  quhom  I  yclde  homage  and  facrifise, 

Fro  this  day  forth  your  grace  be  magnifyit, 
That  me  reflauit  have  in  fuch  wife, 

To  lyve  under  your  law  and  lo  feruife  ; 

Now  help  me  furth,  and  for  your  merci  lede 
My  hert  to  reft,  that  deis  ncre  for  drede. 

XXXIV. 


JAMES    I.    I4O5—I437.  23 

XXXIV. 

Quhen  I  with  gude  entent  this  orifon 
lhus  endit  had,  I  ftynt  a  lytili  ftound, 

Ar.d  eft  myn  eye  full  pitoufly  adoun 
I  kefl,  behalding  unto  hir  lytili  hound, 

That  with  his  bellis  playit  on  the  groiind  ; 
Than  wold  I  fay,  and  figh  therewith  a  lyte, 
Ah  !  wele  were  him  that  now  were  iu  thy  pJytc  V 

XXXV. 

An  othir  quhile  the  lytili  nyghtingale, 
That  fat  upon  the  twiggis,  wold  1  chide, 

And  fay,  rycht  thus,  Quhare  are  thy  notis  fmale, 
That  thou  of  love  has  fong  this  morowe  tyde  ? 

Seis  thou  not  hir  that  fittis  the  befyde  ? 

For  Venus'  fake,  the  blifsfull  goddefle  clerc, 
Sing  on  agane,  and  mak  my  Lady  chere. 

XXXVI. 

And  eke  I  pray,  for  all  the  paynes  grete, 

That,  for  the  love  of  Proigne,  thy  filter  dere, 

Thou  fufFerit  quhilom,  quhen  thy  breflis  weto 
Were  with  the  teres  of  thyne  eyen  clere 

All  bludy  ronne,  that  pitee  was  to  here 
The  crueltee  of  that  unknychtly  dede, 
Quhare  was  fro  the  bereft  thy  maidenhede. 

XXXVII. 

Lift  up  thyne  hert,  and  ling  with  gude  entent, 
And  in  thy  notis  fuetc  the  trefon  telle, 

That  to  thy  filter  trewe  and  innocent, 

Was  kythit  by  hir  hulband  falfe  and  fell, 

For  quhois  gilt,  as  it  is  worthy  well, 

Chide  thir-luifbandis  that  are  falfe,  I  fay, 
And  bid  them  mend  in  the  XX  deuil  way. 

XXXVIJI. 


24  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

XXXVIII. 

0  lytill  wreich,  allace  !   maift  thou  not  fe 
Quho  corny  th  yond  ?   Is  it  now  time  to  wring  ? 

Quhat  fory  thoucht  is  fallin  upon  the  ? 

Opyn  thy  throte  ;  haftoxv  no  left  to  fing  ? 
Allace  !   fen  thou  of  refon  had  felyng, 

Now,  fwete  bird,  fay  ones  to  me  pepe. 

I  dee  for  wo  ;  me  think  thou  gynis  llepe. 

XXXIX. 

Haflow  no  mynde  of  lufe  ?   quhare  is  thy  make  ? 

Or  artow  feke,  or  fmyt  with  jeloufye  ? 
Or  is  fche  dede,  or  hath  fche  the  forfake  ? 

Quhat  is  the  caufe  of  thy  melancolye, 
That  thou  no  more  lift  inaken  melodye  ? 

Sluggart,  for  fchame  !  lo  here  thy  golden  houre 

That  worth  were  hale  all  thy  lyvis  laboure. 

XL. 

Gif  thou  fuld  fing  wele  ever  in  thy  lyvcf 
Here  is.  in  fay,  the  time,  and  eke  the  fpace  : 

Quhat  woftow  than  ?  Sum  bird  may  cum  and  ftryve 
In  fong  with  the,  the  maiftry  to  purchace. 

Suld  thou  than  cefle,  it  were  great  fchame,  allace 
And  here  to  wyn  gree  happily  for  ever  •> 
Here  is  the  tyme  to  fyng,  or  ellis  never. 

XLI. 

1  thoucht  eke  thus  gif  I  my  handis  clap, 

Or  gif  I  coft,  than  will  fche  flee  away  ; 
And,  gif  I  hald  my  pes,  than  will  fche  nap  ; 

And  gif  I  crye,  fche  wate  not  quhat  I  fay  : 
Thus  quhat  is  bell,  wate  I  not  be  this  day, 

Bot  blawe  wynd,  blawe,  and  do  the  leuis  fchakc, 

That  fum  tuig  may  wag,  and  make  hir  to  wake. 

XLII. 


JAMES  T.  1405 1437.  25 

XLIL 

With  that  anon  rycht  fche  toke  up  a  fang, 
Quhare  com  anon  mo  birdis  and  alight  ; 

Bot  than  to  here  the  mirth  was  tham  amang  ; 
Ouer  that  to,  to  fee  the  fuete  ficht 

Of  hyr  ymage,  my  fpirit  was  fo  light, 

Methoucht  I  flawe  for  joye  without  areft, 
So  were  my  wittis  boundin  all  fo  fell. 

XLIII. 

And  to  the  nottis  of  the  philomene 

Quhilkis  fche  fang,  the  ditee  there  I  maid 
Direct  to  hir  that  was  my  hertis  quene, 

Wichoutin  quhom  no  fongis  may  be  glade  ; 
And  to  that  fancT:  walking  in  the  fchade, 

My  bedis  thus  with  humble  hert  entere, 

Deuocly  1  faid  on  this  manere. 

XLIV. 

Quhen  fall  your  merci  rew.upon  your  man, 

Quhois  feruice  is  yet  uncouth  unto  yow, 
Sen  quhen  ye  go,  there  is  not  ellis  than. 

Bot,  hert  !    quhere  as  the  body  may  not  throu 
Folow  thy  hevin  ;  quho  fuld  be  glad  bot  thou, 

That  fuch  a  gyde  to  folow  has  undertake  ? 

Were  it  throu  hell,  the  way  thou  noucht  forfake. 

XLV. 

And,  efter  this,  the  birdis  everichone 

Tuke  up  ane  other  fang  full  loud  and  clere, 

And  with  a  voce  faid,  Well  is  vs  begone, 
That  with  our  makis  are  togider  here  ; 

We  proyne  and  play  without  dout  and  dangere, 
All  clothit  in  a  foyte  full  frefch  and  newe, 
In  luffis  fervice  befy,  glad,  and  trewe. 
Vol.  I.  D  XLVI. 


l6  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

XL  VI. 

And  ye  frefch  May,  ay  mercifull  to  bridis, 
Now  welcum  be,  ye  floure  of  monethis  all, 

For  not  onely  your  grace  upon  us  bydis, 
Bot  all  the  war  Id  to  witnes  this  we  call, 

That  ftrowit  hath  fo  plainly  over  all, 

With  new  frefch  fuete  and  tender  grene, 
Our  lyf,  our  luft,  our  governoure,  our  quene. 

XL  VII. 

This  was  their  fang,  as  femyt  me  full  heye, 
With  full  mony  uncouth  fwete  note  and  fchill, 

And  there  withall  that  faire  vpward  hir  eye 
Wold  caft  amang,  as  it  was  Goddis  will, 

Quhare  I  micht  fe,  Handing  alone  full  Hill, 
The  faire  failure  that  nature,  for  maiftrye, 
In  hir  vifage  wroucht  had  full  lufingly. 

XLV1II. 

And,  quhen  fche  walkit,  had  a  lytill  thrawe 

Under  the  fuete  grene  bewis  bent, 
Hir  faire  frefch  face,  as  quhite  as  any  fnawe, 

Sche  turnyt  has,  and  furth  hir  wayis  went. 
Bot  then  began  myn  axis  and  turment  ! 

To  fene  hir  part,  and  folowe  I  na  mycht ; 

Methoucht  the  day  was  turnyt  into  nycht. 

XLIX. 

Than  faid  I  thus,  Quharto  lyve  I  laager  ? 

Wofullefl  wicht,  and  fubjccl  unto  peyne  : 
Of  peyne  ?  no  :  God  wote  ya,  for  thay  no  flrangcr 

May  wi'rk  in  ony  wicht,  I  dare  wele  feyne. 
IIow  may  this  be,  that  deth  and  lyf  both  tueyne  ? 

Sail  bothe  atonis,  in  a  creatute 

Togidder  dwell,  and  turment  thus  nature  ? 

L. 


JAMES  I.  1405— 1437.  27 


L. 


I  may  not  ellis  done,  bot  wepe  and  waile 
Within  thir  cald  wallis  thus  ylokin : 

From  hensfurth  my  reft  is  my  travaile  ^ 
My  drye  thirfl  with  teris  fail  I  flokin, 

And  on  my  felf  bene  all  my  harmys  wrokin  : 
Thus  bute  is  none  ;  bot  Venus,  of  hir  grace, 
Will  fehape  remede,  or  do  my  fpirit  pace. 

LI. 

As  Tantalus  I  travaile,  ay  buteles 

That  ever  ylike  hailith  at  the  well 
Water  to  draw,  with  buket  bottemlefs, 

And  may  not  fpede,  quhois  penance  is  ane  hell , 
So  by  myfelf  this  tale  I  may  well  telle, 

For  unto  hir  that  herith  not  I  pleyne, 

Thus  like  to  him  my  travaile  is  in  veyne* 

LII. 

So  fore  thus  fighit  I  with  myfelf  allone, 
That  turnyt  is  my  ftrength'  in  febilnefle, 

My  wele  in  wo,  my  frendis  all  in  fone, 
My  lyf  in  deth,  my  lycht  into  dirknefs, 

My  hope  in  feere,  in  dout  my  fekirnefle  ; 

Sen  fche  is  gone,  and  God  mote  hir  conuoye, 
That  me  may  gyde  fro  turment  and  to  joye. 

LHI. 

The  long  day  thus  gan,  I  prye  and  poure 
Till  Phebus  endit  had  his  bemes  brycht, 

And  bad  go  farewele  every  lef  and  floure  j 
This  is  to  fay,  approch  gan  the  nycht, 

And  Efperus  his  lampis  gan  to  licht, 

Quhen  in  the  wyndow,  ftill  as  any  ftone, 
I  bade  at  lenth,  and,  kneeling,  maid  my  mone. 

LIV. 


28  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

LIV. 

So  lang  till  evin  for  lak  of  mycht  and  mynd, 
For  wepit  and  for-pleynit  piteoufly, 

Ourfet  fo  forrow  had  bothe  hert  and  mynd, 
That  to  the  cold  ilone  my  hede  on  wrye 

I  laid,  and  lenit,  amaifit  verily  ! 

H  ilf-fleping  and  half  fuoun,  in  fuch  a  wife, 
And  quhat  i  met  I  will  you  now  deuife. 

THE  VISION.     LV. 

Methoucht  that  thus  all  fodeynly  a  lyt, 
In  at  the  wyndow  come  quhare  that  I  leaf, 

Of  quhich  the  chambere  wyndow  fchone  full  bryt, 
And  all  my  body  fo  it  hath  ouerwent, 

That  of  my  ficht  the  vertew  hale  1  .blent, 
And  that  with  all  a  voce  unto  me  faid, 
I  bring  the  comfort  and  hele,  be  not  affrayde. 

LVI. 

And  furth  anon  it  paffit  fodeynly, 

Quhere  it  come  in,  the  rycht  way  ageyne, 
And  fone  methoucht  furth  at  the  dure  in  hye 

I  went  my  weye,  was  nathing  me  ageyne, 
And  haftily,  by  bothe  the  armes  tueyne, 

I  was  arailit  up  into  the  aire, 

Clippit  in  a  cloude  of  cryftall  clere  and  faire. 

LVII. 

Afcending  vpward  ay  fro  fpere  to  fpere, 

Throuch  aire  and  watere  and  the  hote  fyre, 

Till  that  I  come  vnto  the  circle  clere 

Off  Signifere,  quhare  fair  brycht  and  fchere 

The  fignis  fchone^  and  *'  In  the  glad  empire 
Off  blifsful  Venus  !"  ane  cryit  now 
So  fudaynly,  almoft  1  will  not  how. 

LV1II. 


JAMES  I.  I4C5—I437.  29 

lvqi. 

Off  quhich  the  place,  quhen  I  com  there  nye, 

Was  all  methoucht  of  chriftal  floais  wroucht, 
And  to  the  port  I  liftit  was  in  hye, 

Quhare  fodaynly.  as  quho  fais  at  a  thoucht, 
It  opnyt,  and  I  was  anon  inbroucht 

Within  a  chamber,  a  large  rowrn  and  faire, -. 

And  there  I  fand  of  people  grete  repaire. 

LIX, 

This  is  to  feyne,  that  prefent  in  that  place, 

Methoucht  I  faw  of  every  nacion 
Loueris  that  endit  thaire  lyiis  fpace 

In  lovis  fervice,  mony  a  my  lion 
Of  quhois  chancis  maid  is  ruencion 

In  diverfe  bukis  quho  thame  lift  to  fe, 

And  therefore  here  thaire  namys  lat  I  be. 

LX. 

The  quhois  aventure  and  grete  laboure 
Abone  their  hedis  writen  there  I  fand, 

Th:s  :s  to  feyne  martris,  and  confeffoure, 
Ech  in  his  ftage,  and  his  make  in  his  hand  ; 

And  therewith  all  thir  peple  fawe  I  {land, 
With  mony  a  folempt  contenance, 
After  as  lufe  thame  lykit  to  auance. 

LXI. 

Off  gude  folkis  that  faire  in  lufe  befell 
There  faw  I  fitt  in  order ;  by  thame  one 

With  bed  fa  horey  and  with  thame  ilude  gu  de  will 
To  talk  and  play  ;    and  after  that  anon 

Baiyde  thame  and  next,  there  faw  I  gone 
Curage,  amang  the  frefche  folkis  yong, 
And  with  thame  playit  full  merily,  and  fong. 

LXII. 


30  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

LXIL 

And  in  ane  other  ftage,  endlong  the  wall, 
There  faw  I  Hand  in  capis  wyde  and  lang 

A  full  grete  nowmer,  but  thaire  hudis  all 
Wift  I  not  why,  atoure  thair  eyen  hang, 

And  ay  to  thame  come  Repentance  amang, 
And  maid  thame  chere  degyfit  in  his  wede, 
And  downward  efter  that  yit  I  take  hede. 

LXIII. 

Rycht  ouer  thwert  the  chamber  was  there  drawe 
A  treveffe  thin  and  quhite,  all  of  plefance, 

The  quhich  behynd  Handing  there,  I  fawe 
A  warld  of  folk,  and  by  thaire  contenance 

Thair  hertis  fcmyt  full  of  difplefance, 
With  billis  in  thaire  handis  of  one  aflent, 
Vnto  the  judge  thaire  playntis  to  prefent. 

LXIV. 

And  there  withall  apperit  vnto  me 

A  voce,  and  faid,  Tak  hede,  man,  and  behold  : 
Yonder  there  thou  feis  the  hieft  rlage  and  gree 

Of  agit  folk,  with  hedis  hore  and  olde  ; 
Yone  were  the  folk  that  never  change  wold 

In  lufe,  but  trewly  fervit  him  alway, 

In  every  age,  vnto  thaire  ending  day. 

LXV. 

For  fro  the  time  that  thai  could  vnderiland 
The  exercife  of  lufis  craft  and  cure, 

Was  non  on  lyve  that  toke  fo  much  on  hand 
For  lufis  fake,  nor  langer  did  endure 

In  lufis  fervice  ;  for.  man,  I  the  allure, 
CKihen  thay  of  youth  reiTavit  had  the  fill, 
Yit  in  thaire  age  thame  lakkit  no  gude  will. 

lxvi, 


james  r.  1405— 1437.  3t 

LXVI. 

Here  bene  alfo  of  fuich  as  in  counfailis, 
And  all  thare  dedis  were  to  Venus  trewe ; 

Here  bene  the  Princis  faucht  the  grete  batailis, 
In  mynd  of  quhom  ar  maid  the  bukis  newe  ; 

Here  bene  the  poetis  that  the  fciencis  knewe, 

Throwout  the  warld,  of  lufe  in  thair  fuete  layes, 
Such  as  Ovide  and  Omere  in  thair  dayes. 

LXVII. 

And  efter  thame  down  in  the  next  ftage, 
There,  as  thou  feis,  the  yong  folkis  pleye  : 

Lo  !  thefe  were  thay  that,  in  thaire  myddill  age, 
Servandis  were  to  lufe  in  mony  weye, 

And  diverfely  happenit  for  to  deyeF 

Sum  forrowfully  for  wanting  of  thaire  makis, 
And  fum  in  armes  for  thaire  ladyes  fakis. 

LXVI1I. 

And  other  eke  by  other  diuerfe  chance, 

As  happin  folk  all  day,  as  ye  may  fe  ; 
Sum  for  difpaire,  without  recoverance ; 

Sum  for  defyre,  furmounting  thaire  degree  ; 
Sum  for  difpite,  and  other  inmytee  j 

Sum  for  vnkyndnefs,  without  a  quhy  ; 

Sum  for  to  mock,  and  fum  for  jeloufye. 

LXIX. 

And  efter  this,  vpon  yone  ftage  doun, 
Tho  that  thou  feis  ftand  in  capis  wyde  ; 

Yone  were  quhilum  folk  of  religion, 

That  from  the  warld  thaire  governance  did  hide, 

And  frely  fervit  lufe  on  every  fyde, 

In  fetret  with  thair"  bodvis  and  thaire  gudis, 
And  lo  !  quhy  fo,  thai  hingen  d-oun  thair  hudis. 

LXX. 


3^  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

LXX. 

For  though  that  thai  were  hardy  at  affayy 
And  did  him  fervice  quhilum  prively, 

Yit  to  the  warldis  eye  it  femyt  nay, 
So  was  thaire  fervice  half  cowardly, 

And  for  thay  firft  forfuke  him  opynly, 
And  efter  that  thereof  had  repenting,    - 
For  fchame  thaire  hudis  oure  thaire  eyen  theyhyng. 

Lxxr. 

And  feis  thou  now  yone  multitude  on  rawe, 
Standing  behynd  yone  travefle  of  delyte, 

Sum  bene  of  thame  that  haldin  were  full  lawc, 
And  take  by  frendis,  nothing  thay  to  wyte, 

In  youth  from  lufe,  into  the  cloiftere  quite, 
And  for  that  caufe  are  cummyn  recounfilit, 
On  thame  to  pley^e  that  fo  thame  had  begilit. 

LXXIT. 

And  othir  bene  amongis  thame  alfo, 

I  hat  cummyn  are  to  Court  on  lufe  to  pleyne, 

For  he  thair  bodyes  had  beftouit  fo, 

Quhare  bothe  thaire  hertes  bruckt  there  ageync, 

For  quhich  in  all  thaire  dayes  foth  to  feyne, 
Quhen  other  lyvit  in  joye  and  plefance, 
Thaire  lyf  was  noucht  bot  care  and  repentance. 

LXXIII. 

And  quhare  thaire  hertis  gevin  were  and  fet, 
Were  copilt  with  other  that  could  not  accord  ; 

Thus  were  thai  wranged  that  did  no  forfet, 
De-parting  thame  that  never  wold  difcord, 

Oft  yong  ladies  faire,  and  mony  lord, 

That  thus  by  maiftry  were  fro  thaire  chofe  dryve, 
Full  ready  were  thaire  playntis  there  to  gyve. 

LXX1V. 


James  i.  1405^1437.  33 

LXXIV. 

And  other  alfo  I  fawe  compleynyng  there 
Vpon  fortune  and  hir  grete  variance, 

That  quhere  in  love  fo  well  they  coplit  were 
With  thair  fuete  makis  coplit  in  plefance, 

So  fodeynly  maid  thair  difTeverance, 

And  tuke  thame  of  this  warldis  companye, 
Withoutin  caufe  there  was  non  other  quhy  : 

LXXV. 

And  in  a  chiere  of  eflate  befyde, 

With  wingis  bright,  all  plumy  t,  bot  his  face, 
There  favv  I  fitt  the  blynd  god  Cupide 

With  bow  in  hand  that  bent  full  redy  was, 
And  by  him  hang  thre  arowis  in  a  cafe, 

Off  quhich  the  hedis  grundyn  were  full  rycht, 

Off  diverfe  metalis  forgit  fair  and  bf ycht. 

LXXVI. 

And  with  the  firfl  that  hedit  is  of  gold, 
He  fmytis  foft,  and  that  has  efy  cure  ; 

The  fecund  was  of  diver,  mony  fold 

Wers  than  the  firfl,  and  harder  aventure  ; 

The  third  of  ftele  is  fchot  without  recure  ; 
And  on  his  long  yallow  lokkis  fchene, 
A  chaplet  had  he  all  of  levis  grene. 

LXXVII. 

And  in  a  retrete  lytill  of  compas, 

Depeyntit  all  with  fighis  wonder  fad, 

Not  fuich  fighis  as  hertis  doith  manace, 
Bot  fuich  as  dooth  lufaris  to  be  glad, 

Fond  I  Venus  vpon  hir  bed,  that  had 

A  mantill  caft  ouer  hir  fchuldris  quhite  : 

Thus  clothit  was  the  goddeffe  of  delyte. 

Vol.  I.  E  LXXVIII. 


34  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

LXXVIII. 

Stude  at  the  dure  Fair  calling  hir  vfchere, 
That  coude  bis  office  doon  in  eonyng  wife. 

And  Secretee  hir  thrifty  chamberere, 
That  bely  was  in  tyme  to  do  feruife  ;  " 

And  othir  mo  that  I  cannot  avife. 

And  on  hir  hede  of  rede  rofis  full  fuete, 

A  chapellet  fche  had,  faire,  frefch,  and  mete.' 

LXXTX. 

With  quaking  hert  aftonate  of  that  fight, 
Unethis  will  I,  quhat  that  I  fold  feyne  ; 

Eot  at  the  laft  febily  as  I  mycht, 

With  my  handis  on  bothe  my  kneis  tueyne,- 

There  I  begouth  my  caris  to  compleyne, 
With  ane  humble  and  lamentable  chere 
Thus  falute  I  that  goddefs  brycht  and  clere. 

LXXX. 

Hye  Quene  of  Lufe  !  fterre  of  benevolence  \ 
Pitoufe  princeffe,  and  planet  merciable  ! 

Appefare  of  malice  and  violence  ! 

By  vei  tew  pure  of  your  afpe&is  hable, 

V.  to  your  grace  lat  now  bene  acceptable 
My  pure  requeft,  that  can  no  forthir  gone 
To  feken  help,  bot  vnto  yow  allone  ! 

LXXXI. 

As  ye  that  bene  the  focoure  and  fuete  well 

Off  remedye,  of  carefull  hertes  cure, 
And  in  the  huge  weltering  wavis  fell 

Off  lufis  rage,  blifsfull  havim  and  fure, 
O  anker  and  trige,  of  oure  gude  aventure, 

Ye  have  your  man  with  his  gude  will  conqueft ; 

Merci,  thexefore,  and  bring  his  hert  to  reft  ! 

LXXXII. 


JAMES    I.    1 405—1 437.  35 

LXXXII. 

Ye  knaw  the  caufe  of  all  my  peynes  fmert 
Bet  than  myfelf,  and  all  myn  auenture 

Ye  may  conueye,  and,  as  yow  lift,  conuert 
The  hardeft  heit  that  formyt  hath  nature, 

Sen  in  your  handis  all  hale  lyith  my  cure. 
Have  pitee  now,  O  brycht  blifsfull  goddeffe, 
Off  your  pure  man,  and  rew  on  his  diftreiTe  ! 

LXXXIII. 

And  though  I  was  vnto  your  lawis  ftrange. 

By  ignorance,  and  not  by  felonye, 
And  that  your  grace  now  likit  hath  to  change 

My  hert,  fo  ferven  you  perpetualye, 
Forgiue  all  this,  and  fchapith  remedye, 

To  fauen  me  of  your  benigne  grace, 

Or  do  me  fteruen  furthwith  in  this  place. 

LXXXIV. 

And  with  the  ftremis  of  your  percyng  lycht, 

Conuoy  my  hert,  that  is  fo  wo-begone, 
Ageyne  vnto  that  fuete  hevinly  fight, 

That  I,  within  the  wal^is  -cald  as  ftone, 
So  fuetly  faw  on  inorow  walk,  and  gone 

Law  in  the  gardyn  rycht  tofore  mine  eye. 

Now,  merci,  Quene  !  and  do  me  not  to  deye, 

LXXXV. 

Thir  wordis  faid,  my  fpirit  in  difpaire 
A  quhile  I  ftynt,  abiding  efter  grace, 

And  therewith  all  hir  criflall  eyen  faire 
She  keft  afyde,  and  efter  that  a  fpace, 

Benignely  fche  turnyt  has  hir  face 
Towardis  me  full  plefantly  conueide, 
And  vnto  me  rycht  in  this  uife  fche  feide  : 

LXXXVI. 


3$  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

,     LXXXVI. 

Yong  man,  the  caufe  of  all  thyne  inward  forowe 

Is  not  vnknawin  to  my  deite, 
And  thy  requefl  bothe  nowe  and  eke  to  forowe, 

Quhen  thou  firft  maid  profeffion  to  me, 
Sen  of  my  grace  I  have  infpirit  the 

To  knawe  my  lawe,  contynew  furth,  for  oft, 

There  as  I  mynt  full  fore,  I  fmyte  bot  foft. 

LXXXVII. 

Paciently  thou  tak  thyne  auenture, 

This  will  my  fon  Cupide,  and  fo  will  I. 

He  can  the  ftroke,  to  me  langis  the  cure 
Quhen  I  fe  tyme ;   and  therefore  truely 

Abyde,  and  feme,  and  lat  gude  hope  the  gyet 
Bot  for  I  have  thy  forehede  here  pent, 
I  will  the  fchewe  the  more  of  myn  entent. 

LXXXVIII. 

This  is  to  fay,  though  it  to  me  pertene 

In  lufis  lawe  the  feptre  to  governe, 
That  the  effe&is  of  my  bemis  fchene 

Has  thair  afpeclis  by  ordynance  eterne, 
With  otheris  bynd ;   and  mynes  to  difcerne, 

Quhilum  in  thingis  bothe  to  cum  and  gone, 

That  langis  not  to  me  to  writh   allone. 

LXXXIX. 

As  in  thyne  awin  cafe  now  may  thou  fe,  * 
For  quhy,  lo  throu  otheris  influence, 

Thy  perfone  flandis  not  in  libertee. 

Quharfore,  though  I  geve  the  benevolence, 

It  flandis  not  yit  in  myn  advertence, 
Till  certeyne  courfe  endit  be  and  ronne, 
Quhillof  trew  feruis  thow  havehir  grace  y-wonne. 

XC. 


JAMES   I.    I405— 1437.  37 

xc. 

And  yit,  confidering  the  nakitneffe 

Bothe  of  thy  wit,  thy  perfone,  and  thy  mycht, 
It  is  no  match,  of  thyne  vnworthinefie 

To  hir  hie  birth,  eftate,  and  beautee  brycht, 
Als  like  ye  bene,  as  day  is  to  the  nycht, 

Or  fek-cloth  is  unto  fyne  cremefye, 

Or  doken  foule  to  the  frefche  dayefye. 

xcr. 

Vnlike  the  mone  is  to  the  fonne  fchene, 

Eke  Januarye  is  like  vnto  May, 
Vnlike  the  cukkow  to  the  phylomene  ; 

Thaire  tavartis  are  not  bothe  maid  of  aray  j 
Vnlike  the  crow  is  to  the  papejay, 

Vnlike,  in  goldfmythis  werk,  a  fifchis  eye 

To  pere  with  peril,  or  maked  be  fo  heye. 

xcir. 

As  I  have  faid,  vnto  me  belangith. 

Specially  the  cure  of  thy  feknefTe, 
Bot  now  thy  matere  fo  in  balance  hangith, 

That  it  requireth,  to  thy  fekerneffe, 
The  help  of  other  mo  that  bene  goddes 

And  have  in  thame  the  menes  and  the  lore, 

In  this  mater  to  fchorten  with  thy  fore. 

XCIII. 

And  for  thou  fall  fe  wele  that  I  entend, 
Vnto  thy  help  thy  welefare  to  prefer ue, 

The  ftreight  weye  thy  fpirit  will  I  fend 
To  the  goddeffe  that  clepit  is  My  nerve, 

And  fe  that  thou  hir  heftis  well  conferve, 
For  in  this  cafe  fche  may  be  thy  fupplye, 
And  put  thy  hert  in  reft  als  well  as  I. 

XCIV. 


38  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

XC1V. 

Bot  for  the  way  is  vncouth  vnto  the, 

There  as  hir  dwelling  is,  and  hir  fojurne, 

I  will  that  gudhope  feruand  tc  the  be, 
Youie  aliens  frende,  to  let  the  to  mum, 

Be  thy  condyt  and  gyde  till  thou  rtturne, 
And  hir  befech,  that  fche  will  in  thy  nede 
Hir  counfelle  geve  to  thy  welefare  and  fped«. 

xcv. 

And  that  fche  will,  as  langith  hir  office, 
Be  thy  gude  lady,  help  and  counfeiloure, 

And  to  the  fchewe  hir  rype  and  gude  auife, 

Throw  quhich  thou  may  be  procefle  and  laboure, 

Atteyne  vnto  that  glad  and  goldyn  floure, 

That  thou  wald  have  fo  fayn  with  all  thy  hart, 
And  fbrthirmore  fen  thou  hir  fervand  art. 

xctfi. 

Quhen  thou  defcendis  doun  to  ground  ageyne, 

Say  to  the  men,  that  there  bene  refident, 
How  long  think  thay  to  (land  in  my  difdeync, 

That  in  my  lawis  bene  fo  negligent, 
From  day  to  day,   and  lift  thame  not  repent, 

Bot  breken  loufe  and  walken  at  thaire  large  ? 

Now  is  none  that  thereof  gevis  charge. 

XCVII. 

Say  on  than,  Quhare  is  becummyn  for  fchame 

The  fongis  new,  the  frefch  carolis  and  dance, 
The  lufty  lyf,  the  mony  change  of  game, 

The  frefche  aray, .  the  lufty  contenance, 
The  befy  awayte,  the  hertly  obferuance 

That  quhilum  was  amongis  thame  fo  ryf  ? 

Bid  thame  repent  in  tyme,  and  mend  thaire  lyf. 

XCVIII. 


JAMES  I.    I405— 1437.  3J 

XCVIII. 

Or  I  fall,  with  my  fader  old  Saturne, 
And  with  alhale  oure  hevinly  alliance, 

Oure  glad  afpe&is  from  thame  writhe  and  turne, 
That  all  the  warld  fall  waile  thaire  governance, 

Bid  thame  betjme,  that  thai  haue  repentance, 
And  thaire  hertis  hale  lenew  my  lawe, 
And  I  my  hand  fro  beting  fall  withdrawe. 

XCIX. 

This  is  to  fay,  contynew  in  my  feruife, 

Worfchip  my  law,  and  my  name  magnifye, 

That  am  your  hevin  and  your  paradife, 
And  1  your  comfort  here  fall  multiplye, 

And,  for  youre  meryt  here  perpetualye, 
RefTaue  I  fall  your  faulis  of  my  grace, 
To  lyve  with  me  as  goddis  in  this  place. 

C. 

With  humble  thank,  and  all  the  reverence 
That  feble  wit  and  conyng  may  atteyne, 

I  tuke  my  leve  ;  and  from  hir  prefence 
Gude  Hope  and  I  togider  both  tueyne 

Departit  are,  ard  fchortly  for  to  feyne 
He  hath  me  led  redy  way  is  rycht 
Vnto  Minerve's  Palace,  faire  and  brycht. 

CI. 

Quhare  as  I  fand,  full  redy  at  the  yate, 
The  tnaijier  pdrtare,  callit  Patience, 

That  frely  lete  vs  in,  vnqueftionate, 

And  there  we  fawe  the  perfyt  excellence, 

The  feignoreye,  the  ftate,  the  reuerence, 

The  ftrenth,  the  beautee,  and  the  ordour  digne, 
Off  hir  court -riall,  noble  and  benigne. 

CIL 


40  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

CI1. 

And  ftraught  vnto  the  prefence  fodeynly 
Off  dame  Minerue,  the  pacient  goddeffe, 

Gude  Hope  my  gyde  led  me  redily, 

To  quhom  anon,  with  dredefull  humylneflfc 

Off  my  cummyng,  the  caufe  I  gan  expreffe, 
And  all  the  proceffe  hole,  vnto  the  end, 
Off  Venus  charge,  as  likit  her  to  fend. 

cm. 

Off  quhich  rycht  thus  hir  anfuere  was  in  bref : 
My  fon,  I  have  wele  herd,  and  vnderftondj 

Be  thy  reherfe,  the  mater  of  thy  gref, 
And  thy  requeft  to  procure,  and  to  fond 

Off  thy  penance  fum  comfort  at  my  hond, 
Be  counfele  of  thy  lady  Venus  clere, 
To  be  with  hir  thyne  help  in  this  matere. 

CIV. 

Bot  in  this  cafe  thou  fall  well  knawe  and  witt, 
Thou  may  thy  hert  ground  on  fuich  a.  wife, 

That  thy  laboure  will  be  bot  lytill  quit, 
And  thou  may  fet  it  in  otherwife, 

That  wil  be  to  the  grete  worfchip  and  prife  ; 
And  gif  thou  durft  Vnto  that  way  enclync, 
I  will  the  geve  my  lore  and  difcipline. 

CV. 

Lo,  my  gude  fon,  this  is  als  much  to  feyne, 

As  gif  thy  lufe  be  fet  all  uterly 
Of  nyce  luft,  thy  travail  is  in  veyne, 

And  fo  the  end  fall  turne  of  thy  folye 
To  payne  and  repentance,  lo  wate  thou  quhy  ? 

Gif  the  ne  lift  on  lufe  thy  vertew  fet, 

Vertu  fall  be  the  caufe  of  thy  forfet. 

CVI. 


JAMES   I.  I405 1437.  41 

CVI. 

Tak  him  before  in  all  thy  gouernance, 
That  in  his  hand  the  ftere  has  of  you  all, 

And  pray  vnto  his  hye  purveyance, 

Thy  lufe  to  gye,  and  on  him  traifl  and  call, 

That  corner-itone,  and  ground  is  of  the  wall, 
That  failis  not,  and  truft,  withoutin  drede, 
Vnto  thy  purpofe  fone  he  fall  the  lede. 

CVII. 

For  lo,  the  werk  that  firfl  is  foundit  fure, 
May  better  bere  apace  and  hyare  be 

Than  otherwife,  and  langere  fall  endure 
Be  mony  fald,  this  may  thy  refon  fee, 

And  ftronger  to  defend  aduerfitce  ; 

Ground  thy  werk,  therefore,  upon  the  ftone, 
And  thy  defire  fall  forthward  with  the  gone. 

CVIII. 

Be  trewe,  and  meke,  and  ftedfaft  in  thy  thoucht, 

And  diligent  her  merci  to  procure. 
Not  onely  in  thy,word,  for  word  is  noucht, 

Bot  gif  thy  werk  and  all  thy  befy  cure 
Accord  thereto,  and  vtrid  be  mefure, 

The  place,  the  houre,  the  maner,  and  the  wife, 

Gif  mercy  fall  admitten  thy  fervife. 

CIX. 

All  thing  has  tyme,  thus  fais  Ecclejiajle  ; 

And  wele  is  him  that  his  tyme  will  abit : 
Abyde  thy  tyme  ;  for  he  that  can  bot  haftc 

Can  not  of  hap,  the  wife  man  it  writ  ; 
And  oft  gud  fortune  flourith  with  gude  wit : 

Qubarefore,  gif  thou  will  be  well  fortunyt, 

Lat  wifedom  ay  to  thy  will  be  junyt. 

Vol.  I.  F  CX. 


42    .        CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

ex. 

Bot  there  be  mony  of  fo  brukill  fort, 

That  feynis  treuth  in  lufe  for  a  quhile, 
And  fetten  all  thaire  wittis  and  difport, 

The  fely  innocent  woman  to  begyle  ; 
And  fo  to  wynne  thaire  luftis  with  a  wile  ; 

Suich  feynit  treuth  is  all  bot  trechorye, 

Vnder  the  vmbre  of  ypocrifye. 

CXI. 

For  as  the  foulere  quhiftlith  in  his  throte, 

Diuerfely  to  counterfete  the  bird, 
And  fej'nis  mony  a  fuete  and  ftrange  note, 

That  in  the  bulk  for  his  defate  is  hid, 
Till  fche  be  faft  lok  in  his  net  amyd, 
"   Rycht  fo  the  feator,  the  falfe  theif,  I  fay, 

With  fuete  treafon  oft  wynith  thus  his  pray. 

CXII. 

Fy  on  all  fuch  !  fy  on  thaire  doubilneffe  ! 

Fy  on  thaire  luft,  and  beitly  appetite  ! 
Thaire  wolfis  hertis,  in  lambis  likneffe  ; 

Thaire  thoughtis  blak,  hid  vnder  wordis  quhite 
Fy  on  thaire  labour  !   fy  on  thaire  delyte  ! 

That  feynen  outward  all  to  hir  honour, 

And  in  thair  hert  her  worfhip  wold  denour. 

CXIII. 

So  hard  it  is  to  truften  now  on  dayes 

The  warld,  it  is  fo  double  and  inconftant, 

Off  quhich  the  futh  is  hid  be  mony  affayes  ; 
More  pitee  is  ;  for  quhich  the  remanant 

That  menen  well,  and  are  not  variant, 
For  otheris  gilt  are  fufpecl:  of  vntreuth, 
And  hyndrit  oft,  and  treuely  that  is  reuth. 

CXIV. 


JAMES  I.   1405—1437.  43 

CXIV. 

Bot,  gif  the  hert  be  gronndit  ferm  and  liable 

In  Goddis  law,  thy  purpofe  to  atteyne, 
Thy  labour  is  to  me  agreable, 

And  my  full  help  with  counfele  trew  and  pleyne, 
I  wjII  the  fchewe,  and  this  is  the  certeyne  ; 

Opyn  thy  hert,  therefore,  and  lat  me  fee 

Gif  thy  remede  be  pertynent  to  me. 

CXV. 

Madame,  quod  I,  fen  it  is  your  plefance 
That  I  declare  the  kynd  of  my  loving, 

Treuely  and  gude,  withoutin  variance, 
/  lufe  that  flour  abufe  all  other  thing, 

And  wold  bene  he,  that  to  hir  worfchipping 
Mycht  ought  availe,  be  him  KSwXjlarf  on  rude. 
And  nowthir  fpare  for  trauaile,  lyf,  nor  gude. 

CXVI. 

And,  forthirmore,  as  touching  the  nature 
Off  my  luling,  to  worfchip  or  to  blame, 

I  darre  wele  fay,  and  therein  me  aiTure, 
For  ony  gold  that  ony  wight  can  name, 

Wald  I  be  he  that  fuld  of  hir  gude  fame 
Be  blamischere  in  ony  point  or  wyfe, 
For  welc  nor  wo,  quhill  my  lyf  may  fuffife. 

CXVII. 

This  is  the  effect  trewly  of  myn  entent, 

Touching  the  fuete  that  fmertis  me  fo  fore, 

GifF  this  be  faynt,  I  can  it  not  repent, 

Allthough  my  lyf  fuld  forfaut  be  therefore  : 

Blifsfull  princeiTe  !  I  can  f eye  you  no  more, 
B  t  fo  delire.   my  wiltls  dooth  compace 
More  joy  in  erth,  kep'e.  I  noucht  bot  your  grace. 

CXVIII. 


44  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

cxvm. 

Defire,  quod  fche,  I  nyl  it  not  deny, 

So  thou  it  ground  and  fet  in  criilin  wife  ;, 

And  therefore,  fon,  opjn  thy  hert  playnly. 
Madame,  quod  I,  trew  withoutin  fantife, 

That  day  fall  I  neuer  vp  rife, 

For  my  delyte  to  couate  the  plefance 
That  may  hir  worfchip  putten  in  balance. 

CXIX. 

For  our  all  thing,  lo  this  were  my  gladnefTe, 
To  fene  the  frefche  beautee  of  hir  face  ; 

And  gif  it  mycht  deferue  be  proccffe, 

For  my  grete  lufe  and  treuth  to  ftond  in  grace, 

Hir  worfchip  fauf,  lo  here  the  blisfull  cace 
That  I  wold  afk,  and  thereto  attend, 
For  my  moll  joye  vnto  my  lyfis  end. 

cxx. 

Now  wele,  quod  fche,  and  fen  that  it  is  fo, 
That  in  vertew  thy  lufe  is  fet  with  treuth, 

To  helpen  the  I  will  be  one  of  tho 

From  hensforth,  and  hertly  without  fleuth, 

Off  thy  diftrefle  and  excefle  to  have  reuth, 
That  has  thy  hert,  I  will  pray  full  faire, 
That  fortune  be  no  more  thereto  contraire. 

cxxr. 

For  futh  it  is  that  all  ye  creatures, 

Quhich  vnder  vs  beneth  have  your  dwellyng, 
Reflauen  diuerfely  your  auenturis, 

Off  quhich  the  cure  and  principal  melling 
Apperit  is  withoutin  repellyng, 

Onely  to  hir  that  has  the  cuttis  two 

In  hand,  both  of  your  wele  and  of  your  wo. 

CXXIT. 


JAMES  I.  I405— 1437.  45 

CXXIT. 

And  how  fo  be,  that  fum  clerkis  trete, 
That  all  your  chance  caufit  is  tofore, 

Jleigh  in  the  hevin,  by  quhois  effe&is  grete, 
Ye  movit  are  to  wrething  lefs  or  more, 

Quhare  in  the  warld,  thus  calling  that  therefore, 
Fortune,  and  fo  that  the  diveriitee 
Off  thaire  werking  fuld  caufe  neceffitee. 

CXXIII. 

Bot  other  clerkis  halden  that  the  man, 
Has  in  himfelf  the  chofe  and  libertee 

To  caufe  his  awin  fortune,  how,  or  quhan, 
That  him  beft  left,  and  no  neceffitee 

Was  in  the  hevin  at  his  nativitee  ; 

Bot  yit  the  thingis  happin  in  commune, 
Efter  purpofe,  fo  cleping  thame  fortune.       .    >. 

CXXIV. 

And  quhare  a  perfone  has  tofore  knawing 

Off  it  that  is  to  fall  purpofely, 
Lo  fortune  is  bot  wayke  in  fuch  a  thing, 

Thou  may  wele  wit,  and  here  enfample  quhy, 
To  God  it  is  the  fir  ft  caufe  onely 

OiFeuery  thing,  there  may  no  fortune  fall,    * 

And  quhy  ?  for  he  foreknawin  is  of  all. 

cxxv. 

And  therefore  thus  I  fay  to  this  fentence, 
Fortune  is  moft  and  ftrangeft  euermore, 

Quhare,  Jefte  foreknawing  or  intelligence 
Is  in  the  man,  and  /one  of  wit  or  lore, 

Sen  thou  art  wayke  and  feble,  lo,  therefore, 
The  more  thou  art  in  dangere,  and  commune 
With  hir,  that  clerkis  clepen  fo  fortune. 

cxxvi. 


46  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

CXXVI. 

Bot  for  the  fake,  and  at  the  reuerence 
Off  Veuus  clere,  as  I  the  faid  tofore, 

I  have  of  thy  diltreffe  compacience, 

And  in  confort  and  relefche  of  thy  fore, 

The  fehewit  here  myn  avife  therefore, 

Pray  fortune  help  ;  for  fuich  vnlikely  thing 
Full  oft  about  fche  fodeynly  dooth  bring. 

CXXVII. 

Now  go  thy  way,  and  haue  gude  mynd  upon 
Quhat  I  have  faid,  in  way  of  thy  dochyne  : 

I  fall,  Madame,  quod  I,  and  rycht  anon 
I  tuke  my  leve,  als  draught  as  ony  lyne 

Within  a  beme,  that  fro  the  contree  dy  vine, 
Sche  percyng  throw  the  firmament  extendit, 
To  ground  ageyne  my  fpirit  is  defcendit. 

CXXVIII. 

Qnhare  in  a  lufty  plane  tuke  I  my  way, 

Eiidlang  a  ryuer,  plcfand  to  behold, 
E.nbi  iudin  all  with  frefche  flouris  gay, 

Quhare  throu  the  grauel,  brycht  as  ony  gold, 
The  cnital  water  ran  fo  clere  and  cold, 

That  in  myn  ere   maid  contynualy, 

A  maner  foun  mellit  with  armonyr. 

CXXIX. 

That  full  of  lytill  fifchis  by  the  biym, 

Now  here  now  there,  with  bakkis  blewe  as  lede, 
Lap  and  playit.  a  id  in  a  rout  can  fwym 

..rattily,  and  drcflit  tbame  to  fpiede 
Thai  re  curall  fynis,  as  the  ruby  rede, 

That  i,q  the  fonne  on  thaire  fcalis  brycht, 
As  gellerant  ay  glittcrit  in  my  fight. 

CXXX. 


JAMIS  I.  1405—1437.  -4? 

cxxx. 

And  by  this  ilke  ryucr  fyde  alawe 

Ane  hyeway  farid  i  like  to  bene, 
On  quhich,  on  euery  fyde,  a  long  rawe 

Off  trees  faw  I  full  of  levis  grene, 
That  full  of  fruyte  deli  table  were  to  fe'ne  ; 

And  alfo,  as  it  come  vnto  my  mynd, 

Of  beftis  fa  we  I  mony  diuerfe  kynd. 

CXXXL 

The  lyon  king  and  his  fere  lyoneffe, 
The  pantere  like  vnto  the  fmaragdync, 

The  ly till  fquerell  full  of  befynefle, 

The  flawe  afTe,  the  druggare  belle  of  pyne, 

The  nyce  ape,  the  werely  porpapyne, 
The  percyug  lynx,  the  lufare  vnicorn, 
That  voidis  venym  with  his  euoure  heme. 

CXXXIL 

There  fawe  I  dreffe  him,  new  out  of  hant, 

The  fere  tigcre  full  of  felony, 
The  dromydare,  the  ftandcr  oliphant, 

The  wyly  fox,  the  wedouis  inemye, 
The  clymbare  gayte,  the  elk  for  alblallrye, 

The  herknere  bore,  the  holfum  grey  for  hortii, 

The  haire  alio,  that  oft  gooth  to  the  wortis. 

CXXXITI. 

The  bug-ill  draware  by  his  hornis  gvete, 

The  mavtrik  fable,  the  foynzce,  and  mony  mo, 

The  chalk  quhite  ermyn,  tippit  as  the  jete, 
The  riail  hert,  the  conyng,  and  the  ro, 

The  wolf,  that  of  the  murthir  not  fay  ho, 
The  lefty  beuer,  and  the  ravin  bare, 
For  chamelot,  the  camel  full  of  hare. 

C  XXXIV. 


4  8  CHRONICLE  OF   SCOTTISH   fOETKi. 

CXXX1V. 

With  many  ane  othir  befte  diverfe  and  ftrange, 
That  cummyth  not  as  now  vnto  my  mynd ; 

Bot  now  to  purpofe  ftraught  furth  the  range, 
I  held  away  oure  hailing  in  my  mynd, 

From  quhens  I  come,  and  quhare  that  I  fuld  fynd 
Fortune,  the  goddefTe  unto  quhom  in  hye 
Gude  hope j  my  gyde,  has  led  mc  fedeynly. 

cxxxv. 

And  at  the  laft  behalding  thus  afyde, 
A  round  place  wallit  have  1  found, 

In  myddis  quhare  eftfone  I  have  fpide 

Fortune,  the  goddejfe,  hufing  on  the  ground, 

And  rycht  befor  hir  fete,  of  compas  round, 
A  quheley  on  quhich  clevering  I  fye, 
A  multitude  of  folk  before  myn  eye. 

CXXXVI. 

And  ane  furcote  fche  werit  long  that  tyde, 
That  femyt  to  me  of  diverfe  hewis, 

Quhilum  thus,  quhen  fche  wald  turn  afyde, 
Stude  this  goddefs  of  fortune,"^ 

A  chapellet  with  mony  frefch  anewis 

Sche  had  upon  hir  hede,  and  with  this  hong 
A  mantill  on  hir  fchuldries  large  and  long. 

CXXXVII. 

That  furrit  was  with  ermyn  full  quhite, 

Degoutit  with  the  felf  in  fpottis  blake, 
And  quhilum  in  hir  chere  thus  aljte 

Louring  fche  was,  and  thus  fone  it  wold  flake, 
And  fodeynly  a-maner  fmylyng  make 

And  fche  were  glad,  at  one  contenance 

Sche  held  not,  bot  ay  in.  variance. 

CXXXVIII. 


JAMES   I.    I405— 1437.  49 

CXXXVIII. 

And  vnderneth  the  quhele  fawe  I  there 

Ane  vglv  pit,  depe  as  ony  helle, 
That  to  behald  thereon  I  quoke  for  fere  ; 

Bot  a  thing  herd  I,  that  quho  therein  fell, 
Com  no  more  vp  agane  tidingis  to  telle  ; 

Off  quhich,  aflonait  of  that  ferefull  fycht, 

I  ne  will  quhat  to  done,  fo  was  I  fricht. 

CXXXIX. 

Bot  for  to  fe  the  fudayn  weltering 

Of  that  ilk  quhele  that  floppare  was  to  hold, 
It  femyt  vnto  my  wit  a  ftrong  thing, 

So  mony  I  fawe  that  than  clumben  wold, 
And  failit  foting,  and  to  ground  were  rold ; 

And  othir  eke  that  fat  above  on  hye, 

Were  overthrawe  in  twinklyng  of  ane  eye. 

CXL. 

And  on  the  quhele  was  lytill  void  fpace, 
Wele  nere  oure  flraught  fro  lawe  to  hye, 

And  they  were  ware  that  long  fat  in  place, 
So  tolter  quhilum  did  fche  it  to  wreye, 

There  was  bot  clymbe  and  rycht  downward  hye, 
And  fum  were  eke  that  fallyng  had  fore, 
There  for  to  clymbe,  thair  cor  age  was  no  more. 

CXLI. 

I  fawe  alfo,  that  quhere  fum  were  flungin, 
Be  quhirlyng  of  the  quhele  vnto  the  ground, 

Full  fudaynly  fche  hath  vp  ythrungin, 

And  fet  theme  on  agane  full  fauf  and  found, 

And  ever  I  fawe  a  new  fwarm  abound, 
That  to  clymbe  vpward  upon  the  quhele, 
Inftede  of  thame  that  mycht  no  langer  rele. 
Vol.  I  G  CXUI. 


$0  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

CXLII. 

And  at  the  laft,  in  prefence  of  thame  all 
That  {rude  about,  fche  clepit  me  be  name, 

And  therewith  upon  kneis  gan  I  fall 

Full  fodaynly  hailfing,  abaift  for  fchame  ; 

A:)d,  fmylyng  thus,  fche  faid  to  me  in  game, 
Quhat  dois  thou  here  ?   quho  has  the  hider  fe 
Say  on  anon,  and  tell  me  thyne  entent. 

CXLIII. 

I  fe  wele.  by  thy  chere  and  contenance, 
There  is  fum  thing  that  lyis  the  on  hert ; 

It  ftant  not  with  the  as  thou  wald,  perchance. 
Madame,  quod  I,  for  lufe  is  all  the  fmert 

That  euer  I  fele  endlang  and  ouerthwert ; 

Help  of  your  grace  me,  wofull  wrechet  wight, 
Sen  me  to  cure  ye  powere  have  and  mycht. 

CXLIV. 

Quhat  help,  quod  fche,  wold  thou  that  I  ordeyne, 

To  bring  the  vnto  thy  hertis  defire  ? 
Madame,  quod  I,  bot  that  your  grace  dedyne, 

Of  your  grete  mycht,  my  wittis  to  infpire, 
To  win  the  well,  that  flokin  may  the  fyre 

In  quhich  I  birn  :  Ah,  goddefs  fortunate  ! 

Help  now  my  game  that  is  in  poynt  to  mate. 

CXLV. 

Off  mate  !  quod  fche ;  a  verray  fely  wretch 
I  fe  wele,  by  thy  dedely  coloure  pale  j 

Thou  art  to  feble  of  thyfelf  to  ftreche 
Vpon  my  quhele,  to  clymbe  or  to  hale, 

Withoutin  help  ;  for  thou  has  fund  in  ftale 
This  mony  day  withoutin  werdis  wele, 
And  wantis  now  thy  veray  hertis  hele. 

CXLVI. 


james  i.  14^5— x437-  5l 

CXLVI. 

Welc  maiftow  be  a  wretchit  man  callit,     *■ 

That  wantis  the  confort  t-hat  fuld  thy  hert  glade, 

And  has  all  thing  within  thy  hert  ftallit,      . 
That  may  thy  youth  oppreffen  or  defade  ; 

Though  thy  begynyng  hath  bene  retrograde 
Be  froward  oppofyt  quharetill ;   afpert 
Now  fall  thai  turn,  and  luke  on  the  dert. 

CXLVII. 

And  therewith  all  vnto  the  quhele  in  hye 

Sche  hath  me  led,  and  bad  me  lere  to  clymbe, 
Vpon  the  quhich  I  fteppit  fudaynly  ; 

Now  hald  thy  grippis,  quod  fche,  for  thy  tyme, 
An  houre  and  more  it  rynis  ouer  prime 

To  count  the  hole  ;   the  half  is  nere  away  ; 

Spend  wele,  therefore,  the  remanant  of  the  day. 

CXLVIII. 

Enfample  (quod  fche)  tak  of  this  tofore, 
That  fro  my  quhele  be  rolli't  as  a  ball, 

For  the  nature  of  it  is  euermore 

After  an  hicht  to  vale,  and  geve  a  fall, 

Thus  quhen  me  likith  vp  or  down  to  fall. 
Farewele,  quod  fche,  and  by  the  ere  me  toke 
So  erneftly,  that  therewith  all  1  woke. 


CXLIX. 


O  befy  gofte,  ay  flikering  to  and  fro, 

That  never  art  in  quiet  nor  in  reft, 
Till  thou  cam  to  that  place  that  thou  cam  fro, 

Quhich  is  thy  firft  and  verray  proper  neft  ; 
From  day  to  day  fo  fore  here  artow  dreft, 

That  with  thy  flefche  ay  walking  art  in  trouble, 

And  fleping  eke  of  pyne,  fo  has  thou  double. 

CL. 


52  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

CL. 

Couert  myfelf  all  this  mene  I  to  loke, 
Thought  that  my  fpirit  vexit  was  tofore, 

In  fuenyng,  alTone  as  ever  I  woke, 
By  XX  fold  it  was  in  trouble  more, 

Be  thinking  me  with  fighing  hert  and  fore, 
That  nane  other  thingis  bot  dremes  had. 
Nor  fekernes  my  fpirit  with  to  glad. 

CLI. 

And  therewith  fone  I  dreffit  me  to  ryfe, 

Fulfild  of  thoucht,  pyne,  and  aduerfitee, 
And  to  myfelf  I  faid  in  this  wife, 

Quhat  lyf  is  this  ?  quhare  hath  my  fpirit  be  ? 
A  !  merci,  Lord  !  quhat  will  ye  do  with  me  ? 

Is  this  of  my  forethoucht  impreffion  ? 

Or  is  it  from  the  hevin  a  vifion  ? 

CLI1. 

And  gif  ye  goddis  of  youre  purviance 
;  Have  fchewit  this  for  my  reconforting, 

In  relefche  of  my  futicufe  penance, 
I  yow  befeke  full  truely  of  this  thing, 

That  of  your  grace  I  mycht  have  more  takenyng, 
Gif  it  fal  be,  as  in  my  flepe  before 
Ye  fchewit  have  :  and  forth  withoutin  more. 

CLIII. 

In  bye  vnto  the  wyndow  gan  I  walk, 
Moving  within  my  fpirit  of  this  fight, 

Quhare  fodeynly  a  turturet  quhitt  as  calk, 
So  evinly  vpon  my  hand  gan  lycht, 

And  vnto  me  fche  turnyt  hir,  full  rycht, 
Offquham  the  chere  in  hir  birdis  aport 
Gave  me  in  hert  kalendis  of  confort, 

CL1V. 


JAMES   I.    I405— T437.  53 

CLIV. 

This  fair  bird  rycht  in  hir  bill  gan  hold 
Of  redjeroffieris,  with  thair  Jlalkis  grene, 

A  fair  branche,  quhare  written  was  with  gold. 
On  eury  lift,  wicht  branchis  brycht  and  fchene, 

In  compas  fair  full  plefandly  to  fene, 

A  thine  fentence>  quhich,  as  I  can  deuife 
And  have  in  mynd,  faid  rycht  on  this  wife. 

CLV. 

"  Aw  ale  I  awake!  I  bring,  lufar,  I  bring 

The  flewis  glad,  that  blifsfull  ben  and  furc 
Of  thy  confort ;  now  lauch,  and  play,  and  fing, 

That  art  bend  fo  glad  an  auenture  : 
Fore  in  the  hevyn  decretit  is  thy  cure." 

And  vnto  me  the  flouris  fair  did  prefent ; 

With  wyrigis  fpred  hir  wayis  furth  fche  went. 

CLVI. 

Quhilk  vp  anon  I  tuke,  and  as  I  gefle, 
Ane  hundreth  tymes,  jor  I  forthir  went, 

I  have  it  red,  with  hertfull  glaidneffe, 

And  half  with  hope  and  half  with  dred  it  hent, 

And  at  my  beddis  hed,  with  gude  entent, 
I  have  it  fair  pynit  vp,  and  this 
Firft  takyn  was  of  all  my  help  and  bliffc. 

CLVII. 

The  quhich  treuly  efter  day  be  day, 
That  all  my  wittis  inaiftn't  had  tofore, 

Quhich  he  ofTerth,  the  paynis  did  away  ; 
And  fchortly,  fo  wele  fortune  has  hir  bore, 

To  quomkin,  treuly  day  by  day,  my  lore 
To  my  larges,  that  I  am  cum  ac^ayn 
To  bliile  with  hir  that  is  my  fovirane. 

CLVIII. 


54  CHRONICLJS    01    SCOTTISH    FOZTRT. 

CLVIII. 

To  rekjn  of  every  thing  the  circumftance, 
As  happint  me  quhen  lefieren  gan  my  fore, 

Of  my  rancoure  and  wofull  chance, 
It  war  to  long,  1  lat  it  be  tharefore. 

And  thus  this  jfouris  I  can  feye  no  more, 
So  hertly  has  vnto  my  help  aclendit, 
That  from  the  deth  hir  man  fche  has  defendit. 

CLIX. 

Go  litill  tretife,  nakit  of  eloquence, 
Caufing  fimplefs  and  poueitee  to  wit, 

And  pray  the  reder  to  have  pacience 
Of  thy  defaute,  and  to  fupporten  it, 

Of  his  gudneffe  thy  brukilnefle  to  knytt, 
And  his  tong  for  to  ruele  and  to  Here, 
That  thy  defautis  helit  may  bene  here. 

CLX. 

Vnto  impunis  of  my  maifleris  dere, 

Goivere  and  Chaucere,  that  on  the  fleppis  fatt 

Of  rethorike,  quhill  thai  were  lyvand  here, 
Superlatiue  as  poetis  laureate, 

In  moralitee  and  eloquence  ornate, 
I  recommend  my  buk  in  lynis  feven, 
And  eke  thair  faulis  vnto  the  bliile  of  hevin, 

amen! 

EXPLICIT,  zic,  zic. 

Quod  "jacobus  Primus  Scotorum  Rex  lllujlrijfimus. 

SONG 


X 


SONG  ON  ABSENCE. 

\PirJl  Publi/hed  in  1786,  from  the  Maitland 
Collection  in  the  Pepyjian  Library  at  Cam- 
bridge, by  Mr  PlNKERTON  ;  who  fuppofes  it  to 
be  the  Jong  beginning  with  Yas  fen,  mentioned  as 
a  compofition  of  James  I.  by  Majok,  in  bis 
De  Gestis  Scotorum.  Mr  Ritson,  in  his 
Efjay  on  Scottijh  Song,  appears  to  coincide 
with  this  opinion.  The  jirjl  line  in  the  Manu- 
fcript,  according  to  Mr  Pirrkerton's  accountt  is 
mutilated,  andjlands  thus, 

"  fen  that  eyen  that  works  my  welfair." 

Mr  Ritfon  thinks,  that  Major  might,  by  mif- 
take,  have  written  Yt  fen,  injlead  of  Sen  yt. 
It  is  here  given  in  the  way  Mr  Pinker  ton  fup- 
pofes it  ought  to  be  read,  as  it  feems  to  agree 
better  with  the  abrupt  clofe  of 

"  Ha,  now  my  mufe  !" 

James  1.  is  faid  to  have  written  many  fongs 

Major  fays  "  piuri?ni  ;"  the  language  of  this  is, 
evidently \  very  ancient,  and  not  unlike  that  of 
King's  Qhair  j  there  is,  therefore,  fome proba- 
bility that  it  may  be  the  Jong  mentioned  hy  Ma- 
jor ;  or,  at  leaf,  co-eval  with  James  I.J 


JL  as  !  fen  the  eyne  that  workis  my  welfair 
Dois  no  moir  on  me  glance, 
A  thoufand  fiches,  with  fuelling  fobbis  fair, 
Dois  throw  my  bowels  lance. 
I  die  y aiming  ; 
I  leif  pyning  ; 
Woe  dois  encres  ; 
I  wax  witles. 
O  findering,  O  woful  doleance  ! 

The 


56  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

The  day  quhen  as  the  fair  pairtit  me  fra, 

Plefour  left  me  alfo. 
When  that  from  her  I  finderit  was  away, 
Mifchance  me  hint  but  ho. 
I  waxit  wan, 
The  fame  hour  than  ; 
Sorow  fenfyne 
Dois  ft  ill  me  pyne 
O  that  gud  nicht  hes  caufit  mekil  wo  : 

Evin  as  men  may  the  turtil  trew  perfaif, 

Once  having  loft  hir  feir, 
On  the  dry  brainche,  ay  faithful  to  the  graif, 
Bewayling  perfeveir. 
So  my  defy  re, 
Kindlit  in  fyre, 
Dois  foir  lament 
My  luif  abfent. 
O  God,  gif  amour  be  ane  paine  to  beir  I 

Never  in  fomer  the  hait  canicular  day 

So  hote  with  beamis  brint, 
As  dois  that  fyre,  quhilk,  me  devoring  ay, 
Hes  faul  and  bodie  tint. 
And  never  a  dairt 
So  perced  my  hatrt, 
As  dois  the  bowt 
Quhilk  luif  me  fchot. 
O  god  Cupid,  gif  better  be  thy  dint  f 

As  he  that  fwimmis  the  moir  he  ettil  faft, 

And  to  the  fchoire  intend, 
The  moir  his  febil  furie,  throw  windis  blaft, 
Is  bakwart  maid  to  wend. 
So  wars  be  day 
My  greif  growis  ay. 

The 


JAMES  I.  1405—1437.  ff 

The  moir  I  am  hurte, 
The  moir  I  fturte. 
O  cruel  love,  bot  deid  thow  hes  none  end  ! 

The  faithful  mefiinger,  quhilk  is  the  nicht, 

To  luifars  langorous, 
Augments  my  woe  ;  and  als  the  dayis  licht 
Maks  me  more  dolorous. 
The  day  I  dwyne, 
The  nicht  I  pyne  ; 
Evin  eikis  my  forow 
Wors  then  the  Morow. 
O  God,  in  love  gif  I  be  malhourous  ! 

And  gif  that  neid  to  flumbir  me  conftraine^ 

Faint  throuch  melancolie, 
Unrefl:  dois  ^quikly)  walkin  me  agane 
To  mufe  my  miferie. 
Quhatevir  chance 
Dois  me  outrance, 
Saif  fals  thinking 
In  fueit  dteming. 
O  dreame  maift  fueit,  gif  it  war  not  a  lie  j 

In  cairful  bed  full  oft,  in  myne  intent, 

To  tuitche  I  do  appear 
Now  fyde,  now  breift,  now  fueit,  now  redolent; 
Of  that  fueit  bodye  deir. 
I  ftretche  my  hand, 
In  vain  ernand  ; 
My  luif  is  far, 
And  not  found  nar. 
O  fcorne  of  luifars  Cupid  blind  art  heir  ! 

Syne  quhen  the  morning,  (with  hir  mantil  grein) 
Opinis  the  dayis  face, 
Vol.  II.  H  With 


38  CHRONICLE    Or   SCOTTISH    rOETRT  = 

With  Phebus'  licht  the  cairful  thochtjs  dcin 
Renewis  thair  woful  raicc. 
My  fyrie  raige 
Dois  then  aggrage  : 
My  foir  torment 
Dois  moir  augment. 
O  gif  abfence  be  paine  in  luifis  caice  T 

So  mony  ftarris  ar  nocht  in  nichtis  fein  ; 

Nor  in  drawing  colouris  : 
Nor  fcipping  froggis,  amid  the  medow  grein  j 
As  I  thocht  of  dolouris. 
Noy  upon  noy 
Marks  to  deftroy 
My  woful  lyfe, 
Fechting  in  ftryfe'. 
O  gif  unhap  be  found  in  paramottris  ! 

The  Day,  befoir  the  fuddane  Nichtis  chaice, 

Dois  not  fo  fuiftlie  go  ; 
Nor  hare,  befoir  the  ernand  grewheund's  face, 
With  fpeid  is  careit  fo  ;■ 
As  I,  with  paine 
For  luif  of  ane, 
Without  remeid 
Rin  to  the  deid. 
O  God,  gif  dekl  be  end  of  mekil  woe  ! 

0  goddis  hiche  !  gif  in  the  hevin  be  found 
Sum  band  of  amitie, 

1  yow  befeik  be  movit  with  my  wound  ; 

And  have  fum  juft  pi  tie. 
My  proper  lyfe 
I  hate  as  ftryfe. 
I  me  forfaik 

For 


JAMES   I.  I405—I437.  J9 

For  other's  faik. 
■O  gif  luif  caufis  ftrange  inamitie  ! 

Ha  now,  my  Mufe  !  my  foucy,  and  my  cair  I 

Leif  of  thy  lamenting. 
Ceis  to  complane  of  mifchap  pny  mair. 
End  now.     I  ceis  to  fing. 
He  that  can  plaine 
Dois  thoill  leifl  paine. 
Soir  ar  the  hairtis 
But  playnt  that  fmartis. 
JSilence  to  dolour  is  ane  nourishing. 


JAMES 


JAMES  II.  1437—1460, 


THE  HOULAT,   OR  THE  DANGER  OF   PRIDE. 
MAID   BE   HOLLAND. 


[Ibis  allegorical  Poem,  apparently  a  fatyre  on 
James  II.  by  a  partisan  of  the  Houje  of  Dou- 
glas, was  firfl  publijhed  in  1792,  from  tbe  Ban- 
natyne  Manuscript  in  tbe  Advocates  Library 
of  Edinburgh,  by  Mr  Pinkerton.  Holland, 
tbe  author ,  has  mentioned  different  circumflances 
•which  afcertain  with  precijion  the  time  when  it 
was  written.  He  dates  it  from  Ternoway, 
the  feat  of  the  Earls  of  Moray,  and  fays, 

"  Thus  for  a  Dow  of  Dunbar  drew  I  this  dyte 

"  Dowit  with  a  Douglas,  and  baith  were  they  Dowis." 

*Ihe  Lady  here  meant,  is  Mary  Dunbar,  who 
brought  that  Earldom  to  her  hufband,  Archi- 
bald Douglas,  a  younger  fon  of  James,  Se- 
venth Earl  of  Douglas.  'The  author,  in  a  Jl 'range 
tedious  digrefjion  {here  omitted)  concerning  tbe 
armorial  bearings,  green  tree,  \3c.  of  Douglas, 
mentions  the  four  branches  ;  by  which  he  cer- 
tainly means  1.  James,  Eighth  Earl  of  Dou- 
glas ;  2.  Archibald,  Earl  of  Moray  ;  3. 
Hugh,  Earl  of  Ormond ;  4.  John,  Lord  Balve- 
nie.  Ln  1450,  the  favour  and  power  of the  Earl 
o/*Douglas  began  to  fail ;  in  1452,  he  was  Jlain 
}y  the  King  ;  in  1453,  Moray  was  forced  into 

exile  1 


402  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   FGITRT. 

exile  ;  in  1455,  all  the  brothers  were  attainted ; 
Moray  was  Jlain  in  battle  again/l  his  sovereign  ; 
and  his  brother  Ormond  was,  at  the  fame  time, 
taken  and  beheaded.  The  poem,  then,  mujl  have 
been  written  before  the  attainder ■,  and  after  the 
Houfe  of  Douglas  had  lojl  the  King's  favour  ; 
probably  in  1453.  fyf.  {^e  *  'oulat,  or  Owl,  in 
this  fatyrical  fable,  is  meant  James  II.  whofe 
face  was  fomewhat  deformed  by  a  fiery  rednefs 
in  one  of  his  cheeks.  The  Jlyle,  even  for  that 
time,  is  particularly  uncouth,  from  the  conjlant 
alliteration  and  confequent  necefjity  of  ujing  old 
and  uncommon  words.  The  metrical  romance  of 
Sir  Gawane,  by  Clerk  of  Tranent,  written 
probably  about  this  time,  and  in  the  fame  ai  lite- 
rat  he  meafure,  is  fill  more  barbarous  and  unin- 
telligible. The  reader  will  be  quite  fatisfied 
with  the  Houlat  at  a  fpecimen  of  this  counter- 
feit language,  formed  more  for  the  pufpofe  of 
found  thanfenfe.^ 


I. 

In  the  middis  of  Maii,  at  morne,  as  I  went 
Throw  mirth  markit,  on  mold  till  a  grene  meid, 
The  blemis  blytheft  of  blee  fro  the  fone  blent, 
That  all  brychnit  about  the  bordouris  on  breid. 
With  alkin  herbis  fo  ffair  that  war  in  erd  lent 
The  feildis  flowryfchit :   and  fretfull  of  fairhead, 
So  foft  was  the  feafons  our  fovrane  doun  fent, 
Throw  the  greabill  gift  off  his  godheid, 
That  all  was  amiable  ower  the  air  and  the  erd. 
Thus  throw  the  clifts  fo  clere 
Above,  but  fallow  or  fere, 
I  walkit  till  a  riweir 
That  ryallye  rered. 

II; 


JAMES   II.    I437 — 1460.  €5 

II. 

^his  riche  rywer  down  ran,  but  refting  or  rove, 
Throw  a  foreft  on  fauld,  that  ferlye  was  fair. 
All  the  brayis  of  that  buyrne  buir  brenchis  above ; 
And  birdis  blyitheft  of  ble  on  bloiTomes  bair. 
The  land  lony  was  and  lie,  with  lyking  and  love, 
And  for  to  lende  by  that  lak  thocht  me  levare, 
Becaufs  that  thir  hertis  in  herdis  coud  hove  ; 
Pranfand  and  pridyeand,  be  pair  and  be  pare, 
Thus  fat  I  in  folace,  fekrelye  and  fuire, 
Content  of  the  fare  firth, 
Mekle  mare  of  the  mirth  ; 
Als  was  blyith  of  the  birth, 
That  the  ground  buire. 

III. 

The  birth  that  the  ground  bure  wasbrondyn  inbredis, 
With  gerfs  gay  as  the  gold,  and  granis  of  grace, 
Mendis  and  medicine  for  all  menis  (neidis  ;) 
Help  till  hert,  and  till  hurt,  helefull  it  was. 
Under  the  circle  folar  thir  fanourous  fedis 
Were  nurifl  be  dame  Nature,  that  nobill  maiftres. 
Bot  all  thair  namys  to  nyum  as  now  it  nocht  nedis  ; 
It  wer  prolixit  and  lang,  and  lenthing  of  fpace. 
And  I  haif  mekle  matter  in  metir  to  glofs, 
Of  ane  uthir  fentence  , 
And  waik  is  my  eloquence. 
Thairfoir  in  haift  will  I  hence 
To  the  purpofe. 

IV. 

Of  that  purpoia  in  that  place,  be  pryme  of  the  day, 
I  hard  a  peteous  appeill,  with  a  pure  mane, 
Sowlpit  in  forow,  that  fadly  could  fay, 
**  Woes  me  wreche  !  in  this  warld  wilfum  of  wane, 

«  With 


64.  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRYV 

"  With  mair  murnyng  in  mynd,  than  I  mene  may, 
"  Rowpit  rewchfully  roulk  in  a  rud  rane." 
Off  that  ferly  onfold  I  fell  in  affray  ; 
Nyrar  that  noyis  in  neft  I  nycht  anane, 

I  faw  a  houlat  in  hailt,  under  aae  holyng, 
Lukand  the  lak  throw, 

And  faw  his  awin  fhadow, 
At  the  quhilk  he  culd  grow,' 
And  maid  a  gowling. 

V. 

He  gret  gryflie  grym,  and  gaif  a  grit  youle, 
Hydand  and  bydand  with  churlich  chere. 
«'  Quhy  is  my  fate,"  quoth  the  fyle,  "  faffeint  fo  foule  ? 
"  My  forme  and  my  fetherin  unfrenlie,  but  feir  j 
"  My  neb  is  nytherit  as  a  nob  ;  I  am  but  ane  oule. 
"  Againis  natur  in  the  nycht  I  waik  into  weir. 
"  I  dar  do  nocht  in  the  day  bot  droup  as  a  doule  J 
"  Nocht  for  fhame  of  my  fhaip  in  pert  till  appeir. 
"  Thus  all  the  foulis,  for  my  filth,  lies  me  at  feid ; 

II  That  be  I  fene  in  thair  ficht 
*'  To  luke  out  on  day  lycht, 

'*  Sum  will  me  dolefully  dycht, 
*'  Sum  ding  me  to  my  deid. 

VI. 

"  Sum  bird  will  bay  at  my  beke,  andfum  will  me  byte; 
"  Sum  fkirp  me  with  fcorne,  fum  fkyrine  at  myn  e. 
**  I  fee  be  my  fhaddow  my  fhap  hes  the  wyte. 
■•  Quhame  fall  I  blemeinthisbreth,abcfum  that  Ibe? 
*'  Is  none  bot  dame  Natur  I  bid  not  to  wyte 
**  Or  to  accufs,  in  this  caufs,  in  cais  that  I  de. 
"  Bot  quha  fall  make  me  amendisof  hir  worth  amyte, 
'*  That  this  hes  maid  on  the  mold  a  monfler  of  me  ? 
«•  I  will  appeill  to  the  Paip,  and  pafs  to  him  plane  ; 
"  For  happiu  that  his  Halynace, 

«  Throw 


JAMES   II.    I437 1460.  65 

**  Throw  prayer,  may  purchace 
"  To  reforme  my  foule  face  ; 
"  Aad  than  wer  I  fane. 

VII. 

**  Fane  wald  (I  ken),  quoth  the  fyle,  or  I  furth  fure, 

*'  Quha  is  fader  of  all  foule,  paftour  and  Paip  ? 

•'  That  is  the  plefand  Pacok,  pretious  and  pure, 

"  Couftant  and  kirklyk,  under  his  cleir  kaip  ; 

<c  Myterk,  as  the  maner  is,  manfuiet  and  demure  ; 

•'  Schrowd  in  his  fcheneweid,  and  fchane  in  his  fchaip  ; 

'*  Sad  in  his  fandthude,  fickerly  and  fure. 

"  I  will  go  to  that  guid,  his  grace  for  to  graip." 

Off  that  boure  I  was  blyeth  ;   and  baid  to  behald. 

The  Hozvlat,  violent  of  vyce, 

Raikit  under  the  ryce, 

To  the  Pacok  of  pryce, 

That  was  Pape  cald. 

VIII. 

Beffoir  the  Paip  quhen  that  puir  prefent  him  had, 

With  fit  courtaiTye,  as  he  coud,  on  knees  he  fell ; 

Said,  "  Ave  Rabye  !   Be  the  rude,  I  am  rycht  rade 

<J  To  behald  your  Halynes,  or  my  taill  tell. 

"  I  may  nocht  fuflife  to  fe  your  San&itude  fad." 

The  Paip  wyiflie,  I  wis,  of  worfchip  the  well, 

Gawe  him  his  braid  bennefoun  ;  and  balelie  him  bade, 

That  he  fuld  fpeanlie  fpeik,  and  fpair  nocht  to  fpell. 

"  I  com  to  fpeir,"  quoth  the  fpreit,  "  into  fpeciall, 

"  Ouhy  I  am  formit  fa  foull ; 

'*  Ay  to  yout  and  to  youll, 

"  As  ane  horuble  oull, 

"  Ougfum  owir  all? 


Vol  I.  I  IX. 


66  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH    rOETHY. 

IX. 

"  I  am  nycherit  ane  oule  thus  be  Nature, 

u  Lykar  a  fulle,  than  a  foull,  in  figure  and  face  ; 

*  Byflym  of  all  birdis,  that  evir  bodye  bure, 
"  Without  caws  or  crjme  kend  in  this  cace. 

ft  I  have  appeillit  to  jour  prefence,  pretious  and  puir, 

"  To  alk  help  into  haift  at  jour  Holynace, 

"  That  ye  wald  crje  upoun  Chrift,  that  all  hes  in  cuir, 

"  To  fchape  me  ane  fchand  bird  in  a  fchort  fpace. 

"  And  to  accufe  Nature,  this  is  no  waj. 

"  Thus  throw  jour  Haljnes  maj  je 

"  Make  a  fair  foull  of  me  j 

"  Or  ellis  dreidles  I  dee, 

"  Or  mj  end  daj." 

X. 

*  Off  thj  deid,'  quoth  the  Paip,  *  pitie  I  hawe  ; 
'  Bot  of  Nature  to  plejne  it  is  pariell. 

'  I  can  nocht  faj  fuddanlie,  fo  me  Chrift  fawe, 
'  Bot  I  fall  call  mj  cardinallis,  and  mj  counfell. 
'  Patriarkis  and  prophetis,  oure  lerit  all  the  lawe, 
'  Thai  fal  be  femblit  full  fone,  that  thow  fe  fall.' 
He  callit  on  his  Cubiculare  within  his  conclawe 
That  was  the  proper  Pape,  proud  in  his  apparrell: 
Bad  fend  for  his  fecretare,  and  his  fele  fone, 
That  was  the  'Turture  treweft 
Ferme,  fakhfull,  and  feft, 
That  bure  that  office  honeft  ; 
And  enterit  but  hone. 

XI. 

The  Paip  commandit,  but  hone,  to  wrjt  in  all  landis, 
Be  the  faid  fecretare,  that  the  fele  jemyt, 
For  all  ftaitis  of  kirk,  that  under  Chrift  ftandis, 
To  femble  till  his  fummondis,  as  it  weill  femjt. 

The 


JAMES  II.  1437— 1460.  67 

The  trew  Turture  has  tane  with  the  titgandis, 
Done  dewly  his  dett  as  the  dere  demyt : 
Sjne  beljve  fend  the  lettres  into  fere  landis, 
With  the  Swallow  fo  fwift  in  fpeanle  exprerait, 
The  Papis  herald  at  poynt  into  prefent  ; 
For  he  is  furthward  to  flee, 
And  ay  will  haif  enteree 
In  hous,  and  in  hall  hee, 
To  tell  his  entent. 

XII. 

Quhat  fall  I  tell  ony  mair  of  thir  materis  ? 

Bot  thir  lordis  belyve  thir  lettres  hes  tane, 

RefTavit  thame  with  reverence,  to  reid  as  efferis  ; 

And  richelye  the  heraldis  rewardit  ilk.  ane. 

Than  bulk  thai  but  blin  ;  monye  bewfckeris 

Graithis  thame,  but  growching,  that  gait  for  to  gane. 

All  the  ftaitis  of  kirk  out  of  fteid  fteris  . 

And  I  fall  note  you  richt  now  thair  namis  in  ane. 

How  thai  apperit  to  the  Paip,  and  prefent  thame  ay  ; 

Fair  farrand,  and  free, 

In  ane  guidlye  degree, 

And  manlyke  ;  as  thocht  me 

In  middis  of  May  *. 

XIII. 

Confefs  cleir  can  I  nocht,  nor  kyth  all  the  cas, 
The  kynd  of  thair  cunnyng,  thir  comparges  eke  ; 
The  manere,  nor  the  multitude  fomonyt  than  was. 
All  fe  foull,  and  fede  foull,  was  nocht  for  to  feke» 
Thir  ar  no  foulis  of  ref,  nor  of  rethnas, 
Bot  manfuete,  but  malice,  mandrit  and  meke, 
And  all  apperit  to  the  Paip,  in  that  ilk  place, 

Saluil 

*  Here  follows  a  verbofe  enumeration  of  the  birds  in  the  character  of 
Bilhops,  Abbots,  Monks,  &c.     The  names,  common. 


68  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Salufl  his  fanctitude  with  fpirituall  fpeke. 
The  Pape  gaif  his  benefon,  and  bliffit  thame  all. 
Quhen  thai  war  rank  it  on  tawis 
Off  thair  wing,  the  haill  cawis 
Was  faid  into  fchort  fawis, 
As  ye  here  fall. 

XIV. 

The  Pape  faid  to  the  Oule,  "  Propone  thine  appeie, 

M  Thy  lamentabill  langage,  as  lyke  the  beft." 

1  I  am  defcernint  of  the  foul,  with  faltis  full  fcle, 

'  Be  nature  nycherit  ane  oule  noy  quhar  in  nefl, 

*  Wrech  of  all  wrechis,  fra  wirfchip  and  wele  ; 

(All  this  tretye  lies  he  tald  be  times  inteft.) 

'  It  nedis  nocht  to  renew  all  my  unhele, 

'  Sen  it  was  menit  to  your  mynd,  and  maid  manifeuV 

Bot  to  the  poynt  pietous  he  prait  the  Pape 

To  call  the  clergye  with  cure 

And  fe  gif  that  Nature 

Mycin  reforme  his  figure 

In  a  fair  fchaip. 

XV. 

Than  fairly  the  Fader  thir  foulis  he  frainyt 

Off  thair  cunfele  in  that  cais,  fen  that  the  rycht  knew  ; 

Gyff  thaYthe  Houlat  mycht  help,  that  wasfo  hard  panyt. 

And  thai  verelye  avilit,  full  of  vertewe, 

The  mater,  the  manner,  and  how  it  remanyt  ; 

The  circumftance,  and  the  ftait,  all  coude  thai  argewe. 

Monye  alleageance  lele,  in  lede  nocht  to  laneit, 

Off  Aristotle,  and  all  men,  fchairplye  thai  fchewe. 

The  prelatis  thair  apperance  proponit  gecerall. 

Sum  faid  to,  fum  fra  ; 

Sum  nay,  and  fum  ya. 

Baith  pro  and  contra 

Thus  argewe  thai  all. 

XVI. 


JAMES  II.  I437 — 1460,  69 

XVI. 

Thus  argewe  thai  erniftlye  wone  offis  ; 

And  fyn  to  the  famyn  forfuth  thai  alien t  hole  ; 

That  fen  it  nychlit  Nature,  Chair  aliens  maiftris, 

Thai  coud  uocht  trete  but  ententof  the  feirperaie'. 

Thairfore  thai  counfele  the  Pape  to  wryte  on  this  wys, 

To  the  achil  Emprour,  fouerane  in  fale, 

Till  addrefs  to  that  diete,  to  deme  hia  avis, 

With  Dukis,  and  with  digne  Lordis,  cterreil  in  dale, 

Erlis  of  anceftry,  and  uthir  ynewe. 

So  that  Spirituale  State 

And  the  fee  ul  a  re  cordate^ 

Mycht  all  gang  in  a  gate 

Tendir  and  trewe. 

XVlf. 

The  trew  Nurture,  and  traift,  as  I  heire  tald, 

"VVrate  thir  lettres  at  lenth,  leleft  in  lede  ; 

Syne  throw  the  Papis  pretext  planelye  thame  yald 

To  the  Sivallcw  fo  fwift,  harrald  in  hede, 

To  ettill  to  the  Emproure,  of  anceftry  aid. 

He  wald  nocht  fpare  for  to  fpring  on  a  hind  fpede : 

Fand  him  in  Babilonis  tour,  with  bernis  fa  bald, 

Gruell  kingis  with  crouns,  and  ducks  but  drede, 

He  gave  thir  lordis  *  belyve  the  lettres  to  lnke  ; 

Quhilk  the  riche  Emproure, 

And  all  other  in  the  houre 

ReflTavit  with  honour, 

Bayth  Princis,  and  Duke. 

XVIII. 

Quhen  thai  confavit  had  the  ore,  and  t"he  credence, 
Be  the  herald  in  hall  hufe  thai  nocht  ellts, 

Bot 

*  Birds  of  prey,  as  temporal  Lords. 


7©  CHRONICLE   OP   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Bot  bownis  out  of  Babilon  with  all  obedience, 

Sekis  our  the  fait  fee,  fro  the  fouth  fellis, 

Enteris  in  Europy  free  but  offence, 

Waillis  wylie  the  wayis,  be  woddis  and  wellis, 

Till  thai  approch  to  the  Pape  in  his  prefence, 

At  the  foirfaid  trifle  quhar  the  trete  tellis. 

Thai  fand  him  in  a  forreft,  frelye  and  fare. 

The  Paip,  and  the  Patriarkis,  the  Prelattis,  I  will, 

Welcomit  thatne  wyflie,  but  weir, 

With  haly  farmondis  feir, 

Pardoun,  and  piayeir, 

And  blythly  thame  blifl. 

XIX. 

The  bliffit  Paip  in  the  place  prayd  thame  ilk  ane 

To  remane  to  the  meit,  at  the  midday  ; 

And  thay  grantit  that  gud,  but  gruching,  to  gane  : 

Than  to  ane  wortheleth  wane  went  thay  thair  way : 

Paffit  to  a  palice  of  price  plefand  allane, 

Was  ere&it  ryelly,  ryke  of  array, 

Pantit  and  apparalit  prowdly  in  pane, 

Sylit  femely  with  filk,  futhly  to  fay. 

Braid  burdis,  and  benkis,  our  beld  with  bancouris  of 

gold, 
Cled  our  with  clene  claithis, 
Raylit  full  of  richis, 
The  efrefl  wes  the  areflis 
That  ye  fe  fchold. 

XX. 

All  thus  thay  move  to  the  meit :  and  the  Marfchalc 
Gart  bring  watter  to  wefche,  of  a  well  cleir  ; 
Thar  wes  the  Falcone  fo  fair,  frely  but  faile 
Bad  bernis  burdis  upbred,  with  a  blyth  chere. 
The  Paip  pafl  to  his  place,  in  his  pontificale, 
The  athil  Emprour  annon  nycht  him  neir. 

Kings, 


JAMES   II.    I437 — I46o.  71* 

Kings,  and  Patrearkis,  kend  with  Cardynnallis  all, 
Addreffit  thame  to  that  defs,  and  Dukis  fo  deir. 
Bifchopis,  Baronis,  to  the  burd,   and  Marchonis    of 

michtis  ; 
Erlis  of  honoris, 
Abbottis  of  ordoris, 
Proveftis  and  Prions, 
And  many  kene  knychtis. 

XXI. 

Denis,  and  digneteis  as  are  demit, 

Schtiferis,  and  Sqyeris,  and  Bachelaris  blyth  : 

I  prefs  nocht  all  to  report ;  ye  hard  thame  exprimit. 

Bot  all  wer  marchellit  to  meit,  mekly  and  myth  : 

Syne  fervit  femely  in  fale,  forfuth  as  it  femit, 

With  all  curers  of  coft  that  cukis  coud  kyth. 

In  flefche  tyme,  quhen  the  fifche  wer  away  flcmit, 

Quha  was  Stewart  bot  the  Stork,  ftalwart  and  ftyth  : 

Syne  all  the  lentren  but  les,  and  the  lang  rede, 

And  als  in  the  advent, 

The  So/and  ftewart  was  fent ; 

For  he  coud  fra  the  firmament 

Fang  the  fifche  deid. 

XXII. 

The  Boy  tour  callit  was  Cuke,  that  him  weil  kend 

In  craftis  of  the  kifchin,  cofilyk  of  curis. 

Mony  fauouris  fawce  with  fewans  he  fend, 

And  confe&ionnis  of  forfs  that  phefick  furth  furis. 

Mony  mair  meitis,  gife  I  fall  mak  end, 

It  neidis  not  to  renew  all  thair  naturis  j 

Quhair  fit  ftaitis  will  fleir,  thair  flyle  till  oftend, 

Ye  wait  all  welth  and  worfchip  daily  induris. 

Syne,  at  the  middis  of  the  meit,  in  come  the  Menflral- 

lis, 
The  Mavifs  and  the  Merle  fingis 

OJiltis, 


fl  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

O/iflisy  and  Stirlingis  ; 

The  blyth  Lark  that  begynis, 

And  the  Nychingallis, 

XXIII. 

And  thair  notis  in  ane,  gif  I  rycht  nevin, 

Were  of  Mary  ihe  myld  •,  the  maner  I  wifs  ; 

'*  Hale  temple  of  the  tiinite,  crownit  in  hevin  ! 

"  Hale  muder  of  oui  makar,  and  medecyn  of  mifs  ! 

"  Hale  friite  and  falve  for  the  fynnis  fevin  ! 

u  Hale  but  of  e,  barret  and  beld  of  our  blifs  ! 

'*  Hale  granefull  of  grace  that  growis  fo  evin  ! 

°  Ferme  our  feid  to  the  fet  quhar  thy  fone  is, 

*'  Haill  lady  of  all  ladies,  lichteft  of  leiue  ! 

"  Haill  chalin  of  cheftite  ! 

"  Haill  charbuncle  of  cherite  ! 

"  Haill  !  Bliflit  mot  tliou  be 

"  For  thy  barne  feine. 

XXIV. 

"  Haill  bliflit  throch  the  bodwird  of  With  angellis  ! 

*'  Haill  princes  that  expleitis  all  profetls  pure  ! 

**  Haill  blyther  of  the  Bapteift,  within  thy  bowellis, 

*'  Of  Elizabeth  thy  aunt,  aganis  nature  ! 

"  Haill  fpritrous  moft  fpecifeit  with  the  fpirituallis  ! 

<4  Haill  ordanit  or  ordane,  and  ay  to  indure  ! 

tl  Haill  oure  hope,  and  oure  help,  quhen  that  harme 

ailis  ! 
*'  Haile  altarc  of  Ena  in  ane  briture  ! 
<l  Haile  well  of  our  weilfair  !  We  wait  nocht  of  ellis  ; 
<£  Bot  all  comittis  the, 
**  Saull,  and  lyfe,  Ladye  : 
"Now,  for  thy  fruyte,  mak  us  free 
*•  Fra  feindis  that  fellis, 

XXV. 


JAMES  II.  1437 1460.  73 


XXV. 


**  Fra  thy  gree  to  this  ground  lat  thy  grace  glyde  ! 

"  As  thow  art  gran tare  thairof,  and  the  gevare  ; 

"  Now  fovrane  quhair  thow  fittis,  be  thy  fonis  fyde, 

"  Send  fum  fuccor  doun  fone  to  the  fynnare  ! 

"  The  feind  is  our  felloun  fa,  in  the  we  confyde, 

"■  Thou  moder  of  all  mercye,  and  the  menare. 

"  For  ws  wappit  in  wo  in  this  warld  wyde, 

"  To  thy  fone  male  thy  mane  and  thy  makar. 

"  Now  ladye  luke  to  the  lede  that  ye  fo  lele  luifts, 

"  Thow  fekir  crone  of  Salomon, 

"  Thow  worthy  wand  of  Aaron, 

t(  Thow  joyis  flece  of  'Jedron, 

"  Us  help  the  tahufis  !" 

XXVI. 

All  thus  our  Ladye  thai  lofe,  with  lyking  and  lift, 

Menftralis,  and  muficians,  mo  than  I  mene  may. 

The  Pfa/try,  the  Citbolis,  the  foft  atharift, 

The  Cronde,  and  the  mony cordis,  the  gythomis  gay  ; 

The  rote,  and  the  'recordour,  the  ribus,  the  rift, 

The  trumps  and  the  taburn,  the  tympaae  but  tray  j 

The  lilt  pypey  and  the  lute,  the  cithill  andjift, 

The  duljate,  and  the  dulfacordis,  Xhzfchalin  of  affay ; 

The  amyable  organis  ufxt  full  oft ; 

Clarions  loud  knellis, 

Portatibis,  and  bellis. 

Cymbaellonis  in  the  cellis, 

That  found  is  fo  oft. 

XXVII. 

Quhen  thai  had  fangin,  and  faid,  foftly  a  fchoure  ; 

And  plaid  as  of  paradyfs  it  a  poynt  ware  ; 

In  come  japane  the  *$a,  as  a  Jugloure, 

With  caitis,  and  with  cantelis,  a  quynt  caryaje. 

Vol.  I.  K  He 


74  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

He  gart  thame  fee,  as  it  femyt,  in  famin  houre, 
Hunting  at  herdis,  in  holtis  fo  haire ; 
Soune  failand  on  the  fee  fchippis  of  toure  ; 
Bernis  batalland  on  burd,  brym  as  a  bare  ; 
He  coud  caiye  the  coup  of  the  kingis  des, 
Syne  leve  in  the  ftede 
Bot  a  blak  bunwede  : 
He  coud  of  a  henis  hede 
Mak  a  man  mes. 

XXVIII. 

He  gart  the  Emproure  trow,  and  trewlye  behald. 

That  the  Corncraih^  the  pundare  at  hand, 

Had  poyndit  all  his  pris  hors  in  a  poynd  fald, 

Becaus  thai  eite  of  the  corn  in  the  kirkland. 

He  could  wirk  windaris,  quhat  way  that  he  wald ; 

Mak  a  gray  gus  a  gold  garland, 

A  lang  fpere  of  a  bittill  for  a  berne  bald, 

Noblis  of  nutfchellis,  and  filver  of  fand. 

Thus  jowkit  with  juxters  the  janglane  jfa. 

Fair  ladyis  in  ringis, 

Knychtis  in  caralyngis, 

Bayth  danfis  and  fingis  ; 

It  femyt  as  fa. 

XXIX. 

Sa  come  the  Ruke  with  a  rerde,  and  a  ranc  roch, 

A  Bard  out  of  Irland  with  banochadee  ! 

Said,  gluntow  guk  dynydrach  hula  mifchty  doch  ; 

Reke  hir  a  rug  of  the  roll,  or  fcho  fall  ryve  the. 

Mifch  makmory  ach  much  momitir  moch  loch  ; 

Set  her  doun,  gif  her  drink  ;  quhat  deill  aylis  ye  ? 

0  Dermyn,  0  Donned,  0  Dochardy  droch  ; 

Thir  ar  the  Ireland  Kingis  of  the  Erchrye. 

O  Knewlyn,  0  Conoquhor,  0  Gregre  Al'Grane; 

The  Chenachy)  the  Charfchach, 

The 


JAMES  II.  I437— 1460.  75 

The  Benefchene,  the  Ballach, 
The  Krekrye,  the  Corach, 
Scho  kennis  thame  ilkane. 

XXX. 

Monje  lefingis  he  maid  ;  wat  lat  for  no  man 
To  fpeke  quhill  he  fpokin  had,  fparet  no  thingis. 
The  Dene  Rural,  the  Ravin,  reprevit  him  than, 
Bad  him  his  lefingis  leue  befoir  thai  Lordingis. 
The  bard  wes  branewod,  and  bitterlye  coud  ban, 
"  Thou  corby  meflinger,"  quoth  he,  **  with  forow  now 

fingis  ; 
"  Thow  ifchit  out  of  Noyis  ark,  and  to  the  erd  wan, 
*'  Tareit  as  tratour  and  brocht  na  tadingis  ; 
"  I  fall  riwe  the  Ravyn,  bayth  guttis  and  gall." 
Than  the  Dene  Rurall  worth  rede, 
Sail  for  fchame  of  the  ftede  ; 
The  bard  held  a  grit  plede 
In  the  hie  hall.' 

XXXI. 

In  come  twa  flyrand  Fulis  with  a  fond  fair, 

The  tuquheit,  and  the  gukkit  gowk,  and  yede  hiddie 

giddie  ; 
Rwifchit  bayth  to  the  Bard,  and  ruggit  his  hare  j 
Callit  him  thris  thevis  nek,  to  thraw  in  a  widdie. 
Than  fylit  him  fra  the  foirtop  to  the  fute  thare. 
The  Bard  fmaddit  lyke  a  fmaik  fmokit  in  a  fmiddie  : 
Ran  faft  to  the  dur,  and  gaif  a  grit  raire  ; 
Socht  watter  to  wefch  him  thairout  in  ane  ydy. 
The  Lordis  leuch  upoun  loft,  and  lyking  thai  had, 
That  the  Bard  was  fo  let. 
The  Folis  fend  in  the  net, 
And  monye  mowis  at  mete 
On  the  fluir  maid. 

XXXII. 


"]6  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

XXXII. 

Syne  for -a  figonale  of  frutt  thai  flrave  in  the  fiede  , 

The  tuquheit  gird  to  the  gowk,  and  gaif  him  a  fall, 

RaiiF  his  taill  fra  his  hcid,  with  a  rache  pleid  ; 

The  gowk  gat  up  agane  in  the  grit  hall, 

Tuc  the  tuquheit  be  the  tope,  and  owirtirllit  his  heid, 

Flang  him  flat  in  the  fyre,  fedderia  and  all. 

He  cryit,  **  AUace,"  with  a  rair,  *<  revin  is  my  reid  ! 

t(  I  am  ungretiouflye  gorrit  bayth  guttis  and  gall." 

Yit  he  lopd  fra  ye  low  bycht  in  lyne. 

Quhen  thai  had  remyllis  raucht, 

Thai  foirthocht  that  thai  facht  ; 

.Kiffit  fyne,  and  facht, 

And  fatt  doun  fyne. 

XXXIII. 

All  thus  thir  achilles  in  hall  herlie  remanit, 

With  all  welthis  at  wifs,  and  worfchip  to  waill  : 

The  Pape  beginnis  to  grace,  as  greablie  ganit  ; 

Wifch  with  thir  wirchypis,  and  went  to  counfale. 

The  puir  Howlattis  appele  compleitlie  was  plauit, 

His  fait  and  foull  forme,  unfrelie  but  fale  ;■ 

For  the  quhilk  thir  Lordis  in  lede  nocht  to  lane  it, 

He  befocht  of  focour,  as  fovrane  in  faile, 

That  thai  wald  pray  Nature  his  prefent  to  renew ; 

For  it  was  hale  his  behefte, 

At  thair  alleris  requefte, 

Mycht  dame  Nature  arefte 

Of  him  for  to  rewe. 

XXXIV. 

Than  rewit  thir  ryallis  of  that  rach  man, 

Bayth  Spirituale  and  Temporale,  that  kennit  the  cas  ; 

And,  conliderand  the  caus,  concludit  in  ane, 

That  thai  wald  Nature  befeke,  of  hir  grit  grace, 

To 


JAMES    II.    I437 1460.  57 

To  difcend  that  faim  hour  as  thair  Sovrane, 

At  thair  alleris  inftance,  in  that  ilk  place. 

The  Pape  and  the  Patriarkis,  the  Prelatis  ilk  ane, 

Thus  pray  thai  as  penitent ;  and  all  that  thair  was. 

Quhair  throw  dame  Nature  the  traift   difcendit  that 

tyde, 
At  thair  hale  inftance  , 
Quham  thai  reffawe  with  reverance 
And  bowfura  obeyfance, 
As  Goddcs,  and  gyde. 

XXXV. 

"  It  neides  nocht,"  quoth  Nature,  **  to  renew  ocht 

"  Oif  your  intent  in  this  tj'dc,  or  for  this  to  tell ; 

"  I  waitt  your   will,   and  quhat  way  ye  wald  that  1 

4<  wrocht 
'**  To  reafoun  the  Houlat,  of  faltis  full  fell. 
"  It  fall  be  done  at  ye  deme,  drede  ye  ryclit  nocht : 
"  I  confent  in  this  cais  to  your  counfell. 
"  Sen  myfelf  for  your  fake  hidder  lies  focht. 
"  Ye  fall  be  fpecialye  fped,  or  I  mair  fpell. 
"  Now  ilk  foull  of  the  firth  a  feddir  fall  ta, 
"  And  let  the  Houlat,  fen  ye 
"  Of  him  hes  pitie  ; 
t(  And  I  fall  gar  thame  famyn  be 
et  To  grow  or  I  ga. 

XXXVI. 

Than  ilka  foull  o'  his  facht  a  fether  has  tane, 
And  let  the  Houlat  in  hafte,  hurthy  but  hone. 
Dame  Nature  the  nobilleft  nychit  in  ane  ; 
For  fo  ferm  this  fetheren,  and  dochly  hes  done  ; 
Girt  it  ground,  and  grow  gaylye  and  gane, 
On  the  famin  Houlat,  femely  and  fone. 
Than  was  the  fchand  of  his   fchaip,   and   his   fchroud 
fchane 

Off 


78  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRT. 

Off  all  coloure,  maift  clere  beldit  abone  ; 

The  faireft  foull  of  the  firth,  and  hendeft  of  hewis  5 

So  clene,  and  fo  colourike, 

That  no  bird  was  him  lyke 

Fro  Byron  to  Beriviket 

Under  the  bewis. 

XXXVII. 

Thus  was  Houlat  in  herd  hcrdly  at  hichr, 

Floure  of  all  foulis,  throw  fetheris  fo  faire, 

He  iukit  to  his  licame  lemyt  fo  lycht, 

So  proper  plefand  of  prent,  proud  to  repaire. 

He  thocht  maid  on  the  mold  makles  of  mycht, 

As  Sovrane  him  awin  felf,  throw  beautie  he  baire^ 

Contitulate  with  the  Pape  our  princis,  I  plicht ; 

Sy  hielie  he  hyit  him  in  Luciferis  laire, 

That  all  the  foulis  of  the  firth  he  defoulit  fyne. 

Thus  lete  he  no  man  his  pere  ; 

Gif  ony  nygh  wald  him  nere, 

He  bad  thame  rebaldis  orere, 

With  a  ruyne. 

XXXVIII. 

'  The  Paip,  and  the  Patriarkis,  princis  of  prow, 
'  I  am  cum  of  thair  blud,  be  coufingage  knawin. 

*  So  fair  is  my  fetherin  I  haif  no  fallow  ; 

*  My  fchrcud  and  my  fchene  were  fchyre  to  the  fchaw- 

«in.' 
All  birdis  he  rebawkit,  that  wald  him  nocht  bow  ; 
In  breth  as  a  battell  wrycht  full  of  boft  blawin, 
With  unlowable  latis  nocht  till  allow, 
Thus  vitiit  he  the  Valantene  thraly  and  thrawinj 
That  all  the  foulis  with  affent  affemblit  agane, 
And  plenyeit  to  Nature 
Off  this  intollirable  injure  ; 

How 


JAMES   II.    I437 — 1460.  79 

How  the  Houlat  him  bure 
So  he,  arid  fo  hautane. 

XXXIX. 

So  pompeous,  impertinax,  and  reproviatle, 

In  exceffis  our  arrogant  thir  birdis  ilkane 

Befocht  Natur  to  ceifs  that  infufferable, 

That  with  that  Lady  allyt  lewch  her  allane. 

**  My  firft  making,"  quoth  fcho,  "  was  unamendable, 

u  Thocht  I  alterit,  as  ye  all  afkit  in  ane. 

"  Yit  fall  I  preif  you  to  pleifs,  for  it  is  poffible. 

Seho  callit  the  Houlat  in  haift,  that  was  fo  hautane, 

"  Thy  pryd,"  quoth  the  Princes,  u  approchis  our  he, 

"  Lyke  Lucifer  in  efiait, 

'*  And  for  thow  art  fo  elait, 

"  As  the  Evangelift  wrait, 

"  Thow  fall  law  be. 

XL, 

w  The  rent,  and  the  riches,  that  thow  in  rang, 

"  Wes  of  uthir  mer.is  all,  and  nocht  of  thyne  awin  ; 

"  Now  ilk  fowll  his  awin  feudir  fall  againe  fang; 

"  And  make  the  catyve  of  kynd,  to  thy  feif  knawin.'* 

As  fcho  hes  demyt  thay  haif  done  thraly  in  thrang. 

Thairwith  dame  Natur  hcs  to  the  hevin  drawin : 

Afcendit  fone,  in  my  ficht,  with  placenceand  fang, 

And  ilk  foule  tuke  the  flicht :  aiid,  fchortly  to  fchawin, 

Held  hame  to  thair  hant,  and  to  thair  harbry, 

Quhair  thay  wer  wont  to  rcmane, 

All  thir  gudly  and  gane  .• 

And  thair  lenit  allane 

The  Houlat,  and  I. 

XLI. 

Than  this  Houlat  hideous  of  hair  and  of  hyde, 
Put  u*iL  fia  poverty  to  prifs,  and  princes  awin  peir  -, 

Syne 


8a  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Syne  degradit  fra  grace,  for  his  grit  pryd,. 

Bannyt  bittirly  his  birth  belfully  in  beir. 

He  welterit,  he  wrythit,  he  wareit  the  tyd, 

That  he  \ves  wrocht  in  this  warld  wofull  in  weir. 

He  criplit,  he  cryngit,  he  carefully  cried, 

He  folpit,  and  forrowit,  in  fichingis  feir. 

He  faid,  u  Allace  I  am  loft,  latheft  of  all, 

u  Byfym  in  bale  bell ; 

«*  I  may  be  fimple  heireft 

"  That  pryd  yit  nevir  left. 

(i  His  feir,  but  a  fall. 

XLII. 

"  I  coud  nocht  won  into  welth  wreth  wayeft, 

"  I  wes  fo  wantoun  in  will,  my  werdis  ar  wan  , 

**  Thus  for  my  hicht  I  am  hurt  and  harmit  in  haift, 

"  Carfull  and  catife  for  craft  that  I  can. 

'  Quhen  I  wes  of  hevit  as  heir  all  thill  hieft, 

u  Fra  rewll,  reflfon,  and  rycht  redles  I  ran. 

■*  Thairfoir  I  ly  in  the  lymb,  lympet  the  lathaift  ; 

'*  Now  mek  your  mirrour  he  me,  all  manner  of  man, 

"  Ye  princis,  prelettis  of  pryd  for  ponnyis  and  prow, 

"  That  pullis  the  pure  ay\ 

u  Ye  fall  fing  as  1  fay, 

"  All  your  welth  will  away, 

'*  Thus  a  werne  yow. 

XLIII. 

tl  Think  how  bair  thow  wes  borne,  and  bair  ay  will 

"  be, 
"  For  ocht  that  fedis  of  thy  felf,  in  ony  fefon. 
"  Thy  cud,  thy  claithis,  thy  coift,  cumis  nocht  of  the, 
'«  Bot  of  the  frutt  of  the  erd,  and  Gods  fufron. 
*'  Quhen  ilka  thing  hes  tne  awin,  futhly  we  fe, 
**  J'hy  nakit  corfs  bot  of  rlay  and  foule  carion, 
u  Hatit,  and  hades  j  quhairof  art  thow  he  ? 

"  We 


JAMES   II.    I437 14&5.  8l 


**  We  cum  pure,  we  gang  pure,  bath  King  and  Comon. 
"  Bot  thow  rewll  the  richtoufs,  thy  crowne  fall  ourere.'* 
Thus  faid  the  Houlat  on  hicht. 
Now  God,  for  thy  grit  micht, 
Set  our  faulis  in  ficht 
Off  Sanctis  fo  feire  ! 

XLIV. 

Thus  for  a  Dow  of  Dunbar  drew  I  this  dyte, 

Dowit  with  a  Dowglas  ;  and  baith  were  thay  Doivis  :, 

In  the  forrefl  foirfaid,  frely  perfyte, 

Of  'Terivay,  tendir  and  tryd,  quhofo  treft  trowis. 

Wer  my  wit  as  my  will,  than  fuld  I  weill  wryte : 

Bot  gif  lak  in  my  leid,  that  nocht  till  all  owis, 

Ye  wife,  for  your  wirfchip,  wryth  me  no  wyte. 

Now  blyth  ws  the  blift  barne,  that  all  berne  bowis  : 

He  len  ws  lyking  and  lyfe  evirleftand  ! 

In  mirthfull  moneth  of  May 

In  middis  of  Murray^ 

Thus  in  a  tyme,  be  Ternwayt 

Hapnit  Holland. 


Explicit. 


Vol.  I.  L  The 


THE  ACTIS  AND  DEIDIS  OF  THE  ILLUSTER  AND  VAIL- 
TEAND  CAMPIOUN  SHYR  WILHAM  WALLACE,  KNYCHT 
OF  ELRISLEE,  BY  HENRY  THE  MINSTREL,  COMMONLY 
CALLED  BLIND  HARRY. 


[Johannes  Major,  in  his  hijiory  of  Scotland,,  fays, 
"  in  the  time  of  ray  infancy,  Henry,  who  was  blind 
from  his  birth,  compofed  a  book  confiding  entirely 
of  the  atchieveraents  of  William  Wallace.  By- 
reciting  his  hiftories  before  princes  and  great  men, 
he  earned  his  food  and  raiment. "  Major  was  borrf 
in  1446  ;  and  in  Dunbar's  lament  for  the  death  of 
the  Makars,  or  Poets,  Blind  Harry  comes  after 
Holland  and  Clerk  of  'Tranent.  Therefore,  we 
may  Juppofe  the  detached  hi/lorical  pieces  of  this  've- 
nerable minjlrel,  to  have  been  connected  together  fome 
time  between  1456  and  1460.  The  only  ancient  ma- 
nufcript  copy  that  has  reached  our  time,  is  that  in 
the  Advocates  Library  of  Edinburgh,  written  in 
1488  by  a  John  Ramsay  ;  who  alfo  tranfcribed,  in 
the  following  year,  Barbour's  life  of  Bruce,  now 
in  the  fame  Library.  To  thofe  readers  who  are  not 
inclined  to  dip  into  the  hi/lory  itfelf  which  cele- 
brate r,  as  Lord  Hailes  obferves,  the  acliont  that 
Wallace  did  not  perform,  as  well  as  thofe  which  he 
did,  the  folloiving  extract  willfhew  affuredly  the  true 
fate  of  the  living  language  in  Henry's  time ;  for, 
confidering  his  ftuation  as  a  wandering  mendicant, 
we  mujl  fuppofe  he  wrote  his  popular  Jlories  in  a 
language  that  was  univerfally  undcrflood ;  and  there 
is  no  ground  for  fufpeBing  that  Ramsay  ufed  any 
freedoms  either  in  altering  or  amending  (whatever  he 
might  do  in  arranging)  Henry's  Work.] 

account 


ACCOUNT  OF  THE  EXECUTION  OF  SIR  WILLIAM  WALLACE, 
AT  LONDON,  AUGUST  $d.  I305. 


Kjn  Wednyfday,  the  fals  Sothroune  furth  brocht, 
Till  martyr  him  as  thai  befor  had  wrocht. 
Rycht  futh  it  is,  a  martyr  Wallace  was, 
Als  Oflwald,  Edmunt,  Edwart,  and  Thomas, 
Of  men  in  armes  led  hym  a  full  gret  rout. 
With  a  bald  fpreit  gud  Wallace  blent  about  ; 
A  preyft  he  afkyt,  for  God  that  deit  on  tre. 
King  Edwart  than  commandyt  hys  clerge, 
And  faid,  I  charge,  on  payn  off  lofs  of  lyff, 
Nane  be  fa  bald  yon  tyrand  for  to  fchreiffj 
He  has  rong  lang  in  contrar  my  hienace. 

A  blyft  Byfchop  fone  prefent  in  that  place 
OffCanterbeiy  he  than  was  rychtwyfs  Lord, 
Agayn  the  King  he  maid  this  rycht  record  : 
And  myfelff  fall  her  hys  confeffioun, 
Gyff  I  haif  mycht  in  contrar  off  thi  croun  j 
An  you  throw  force  will  flop  me  off  this  thing, 
I  vow  to  God,  quhilk  is  my  rychtwyfs  King, 
That  all  Ingland  I  fall  enterdyt, 
And  male  it  knawn  yow  ar  ane  herretyk. 
The  facrement  of  kyrk  I  fall  hym  geyff ; 
Syn  tak  the  chos,  to  fhrive  or  lat  hym  leyff. 
It  war  mar  weill,  in  worfchip  off  thi  croun 
To  kep  fie  ane  in  lyk  in  thi  bandoun, 
Than  all  the  land  and  gud  that  yow  has  refyd  ; 
Bot  cowartyfs  ye  ay  fra  honour  drefyd. 
You  has  lyff  rongyn  in  wrangis  deid, 
That  fall  be  feyn  on  ye,  or  on  thi  feid. 


The 


84    \  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

The  King  gart  charge  thai  fuld  the  Byfchop  ta, 
Bot  fad  Lordys  confellyt  to  lat  hjm  ga. 
All  Inglifmen  fayd,  that  hys  defyr  was  rycht.      « 
To  Wallace  than  he  rakyt  in  thair  fycht, 
And  fadly  herd  his  confeflioun  till  ane  end. 
Humbly  to  God  hys  fpreit  he  thar  commend  ; 
Lawly  hym  fhrift  with  harry  devotioun. 
Apon  hys  kneis,  and  faid  ane  oryfoun. 
Hys  leyff  he  tuk,  and  to  Weft  Monaftyr  raid. 
The  lok-men,  than  thai  bur  Wallace,  but  baid 
On  till  a  place  hys  martyrdome  to  tak 
For  till  hys  ded  he  wald  na  forthyr  mak. 
Fra  the  fyrft  nycht  he  was  tane  in  Scotland, 
Thai  kepyt  hym  intill  that  famyn  band. 
Na  thing  he  had  that  fuld  haiff  doyn  hym  gud, 
Bot  Inglifmen  hym  feruit  off  carnaill  fud. 
Hys  warldly  lyff  defyrd  the  fuftenance, 
Thocht  he  it  gat  in  conirar  of  plefanee. 
Thai  thretty  dayis  hys  band  thai  durft  nccht  flaik, 
Quhill  he  was  boundyn  on  a  fkamyll  of  ayk, 
With  yrn  chenzies  that  was  bath  ftark  and  keyn. 

A  clerk  thai  fet  to  her  quhat  he  wald  meyn. 
Yow  Scott,  he  faid,  that  gret  wrang  has  don, 
Thi  fatell  hour,  you  feis,  approches  fon  ; 
Yow  fuld  in  mynd  remembyr  thi  myfdeid, 
That  clerkis  may,  quhen  thai  thair  pfalmis  reid 
For  Cryftin  faullis  that  makis  thaim  to  pray 
In  thair  nowmyr  yow  may  be  ane  off  thai ; 
For  now  yow  feis  on  forfs  yow  mon  decefs. 

Than  Wallace  faid,  for  all  thi  roid  raherfs 
Yow  has  na  charge,  fuppofs  that  I  did  myfs, 
Yon  bl)  ft  Byfchop  has  hecht  I  fall  haiff  blyfs  ; 
And  trew  I  weill,  that  God  fall  it  admyt, 
Thi  febyll  words  fall  nocht  my  confciens  fmit. 

Comfort 


JAMES    II.    I437 1460.  8j 

Comfort  I  haiff  off  way  that  I  fuld  gang  ; 
Maift  payn  I  byd  from  being  her  our  lang. 

Than  faid  this  clerk,  our  King  afft  fend  ye  till, 
Yow  mycht  haifF  had  all  Scotland  at  thi  will, 
To  hald  offhym  ;  and  ceflyt  of  thi  ftryff, 
So  as  a  Lord  rongyn  furth  all  thi  lyff. 

Than  Wallace  faid,  you  fpekis  off  mychty  thing. 
Had  I  leflyt,  and  gottyn  my  rychtwyfs  King 
Fra  worthi  Bruce  had  refavit  hys  croun, 
I  thocht  haiff  maid  Ingland  hys  bandoun  ; 
So  uttraly  it  fuld  beyn  at  hys  will, 
Quhat  pleffyt  hym,  to  fauff  thi  King  or  fpill. 

Weill,  faid  this  clerk,  than  yow  repentis  nocht 
Off  wykkednefs  yow  has  a  felloune  thocht  j 
Is  nayn  in  warld  that  has  fa  many  flane ; 
Tharfor  till  afk,  me  think  yow  fuld  be  bane, 
Grace  off  our  King,  and  fyn  at  hys  barnage. 

Than  Wallace  fmyl'd  a  litill  at  hys  langage. 
I  grant,  he  faid,  part  Inglifmen  I  flew 
In  my  quarrel,  me  thocht  nocht  halff  enew. 
1  movyt  na  wer,  bot  to  wyn  our  awin. 
Thi  fruftyr  words  dois  nocht  bot  taris  me, 
I  the  commaund  on  Godd's  halff  lat  me  be. 

A  Schyrreff  gart  this  clerk  fone  fra  hym  pafs  ; 
Rycht  as  thai  durft  thai  grant  quhat  he  wald  afs. 
A  pfaltyr  buk  Wallace  had  on  hym  evir 
Fra  his  child-heid  fra  it  wald  nocht  diffevyr  ; 
Better  he  trowit  in  viage  for  to  fpeid  ; 
Bot  than  he  was  difpulyeid  off  hys  weid. 
This  grace  he  aft  at  Lord  Clyffurd  that  Knycht, 
To  lat  hym  haiff  hys  pfaltyr  buk  in  fycht ; 
He  geit  a  preyft  it  oppyn  befor  hym  hauk!, 

Quhill 


85  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Quhill  thai  to  hym  had  done  all  that  thai  wauld. 
Stedfaft  he  red,  for  ocht  thai  did  hym  thar  ; 
Feill  Sothroune  faid,  that  Wallace  feld  na  fayr. 
Gud  devotioun  fa  was  hys  begynnyng, 
Conteynd  tharwith,  and  fair  was  hys  endyng, 
Quhill  fpech  and  fpreit  all  at  once  can  fayr 
To  leftand  blyfs,  we  trow,  for  evir  mair. 


FABLES 


TABLES   BY   ROBERT   HENRYSON, 


JT — the  only  other  Poet  known  to  have  flourifhed  in  this 
reign,  and  the  fir/l  clajjical  writer  of  tnifcellaneous 
Poetry  in  Scotland.  In  the  Harleyan  Library  is  a 
manufcript  copy  of  Henrtson's  Fables,  dated  1575  ; 
wherein  he  is  flyled  Schoolmq/ler  of  Dunfermling. 
Lord  Hailes  fuppofes  his  office  to  have  been  Precep- 
tor of  youth  in  the  Benedictine  convent  of  that  place  ; 

perhaps  what  was  then  called  Profeffor  of  Art  and 
fury.      'The  cera  of  his  writing  may  be  afcertained 

from  a  variety  of  concurring  circumjlances.  Dun- 
bar, in  his  Lament  for  the  death  of  the  Poets,  men- 
tions them  pretty  nearly  in  chronological  order.  Hen- 
Ryson  comes  after  Holland,  Clerk  of  Tranent , 
and  Blind  Harry;  and  mufl  have  been  dead  for 

fome  time  before  the  Lament   was  written  ;  for  the 

Jlanza,  fucceeding  that  in  which  he  is  mentioned ',  runs 
thus  : 

"  Ami  Death  has  now  tane,  lajl  of  aw, 
The  gentle  Stoho  and  Quentene  Schaw." 

Dunbar's  Poem  occurs  in  a  mifcellaneous  collection, 
(the  very  firfl  production,  it  is  believed,  of  the  Scot- 
tijh  Prejs,)  imprentit  at  Edinburgh  in  1508,  by 
Walter  Chepman,  and  Andrew  Millar  ;  and 
may  have  been  written  about  1505.  Suppo/e  Hen- 
RYSON  to  have  died  ten  years  before,  at  the  age  of 
feventy,  his  birth  will  be  brought  to  1425,  and  he 
might  begin  to  write  about  1450.  In  conformity 
with  this  fuppojition,  we  find  Henryson,  in  his  fable 
ef  the  Dog,  Wolf  and  Sheep,  mentioning  the  "  Pefii- 
lence"  as  having  been  jufil  then,fent  by  the  Almighty 
for  a  punifhment  of  the  fins  of  the  people  :  This  plague 

happened 


88  CHRONICLE    6F    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

happened  in  1456,  as  appears  from  AB  57  of  James 

II.  pajfed  in  that  year,  for  preventing  its  farther 
ravages — Alfo  again,  in  his  fable  of  the  Lyon  and 
Moufe,  there  appears,  according  to  Lord  Hailes, 
an  allujion  to  the  revenge  taken  on  Robert  HI.  by 
Dunbar,  Earl  of  March  ;  and  on  James  I.  by  Sir 
Robert  Graham,  as  recent  events.  James  II.  was 
at  variance  with  the  formidable  Houfe  of  Dou- 
glas, from  1451  to  1455  ;  and  Henryson,  in  the 
conclujion  of  this  fable,  exprefsly  warns  him  that  re- 
vengeful men 

"  Wait  alway  amendis  for  till  get ; 

For  hurt  men  wrytis  in  the  marble  ftane 
More  till  expone,  as  now,  I  lat  allane  ; 
Bot  King  and  Lord  may  weill  wit  quhat  I  mene. 
Figure  heirof  aft  tymes  has  been  fene." 

Thefe  lines  could  not  apply  to  the  minority  of  James 

III.  Probably,  indeed,  the  whole  of  Henry  son's 
Fables  were  written  nearly  about  the  fame  time  ;  that 
is,  from  1450  to  1460,  when  he  was  not  far  advanced 
in  years.     In  one  of  them  he  fpeaks  thus  of  Science  : 

"  Weill  war  the  man  of  all  uthir,  that  mocht 
All  his  lyfe  dayis  in  perfyte  ftudy  wair 
To  get  fcience ;  for  him  neidit  na  mair." 

•  In  the  Chartulary  of  Dunfermline,  Mr  Robert 
Henryson  of  For  del  is  witnefs  in  a  charter  to  Pa- 
trick Baron,  of  the  lands  of  Spit tlefi 'eld,  anno  1478. 
It  is  not  now  known  whether  this  Robert  Henryson 
and  the  Poet  be  the  fame  perfon,  but  appearances  are 
rather  in  favour  offuch  a  fuppofition.  The  eflate  of 
For  del,  during  the  life  of  this  Robert,  was,  it  fcems, 
under  wad-fet  ;  and  in  Henryson's  Poem  of  the  Ab- 
bay  Walk,  beginning  thus  : 

"  Alone  as  I  went  up  and  down 

In  ane  Abbay  was  fair  to  fee,"  &.c. 

(doub  tlefs 


JAMES  II.  1437 — 1460.  89 

{doubtlefs  written  about  the  fame  time)  we  find  him 
thus  lamenting  the  inconjlancy  of  Fortune  : 

Job  was  maift  riche,  in  writ  we  findj 
Thobe  moft  full  of  cheritie ; 
Job  woux  pure,  and  Thobe  blynd, 
Baith  tempit  with  adverfite.     .     .     •     ; 


Thy  gold  and  all  thy  gudis  gay, 
Quhan  fortune  lyft  will  fra'  the  fall. 
Sen  thou  fie  famples  feis  ilk  day, 
Obey  and  thank  thy  God  of  all.     .     . 

Thoch  thou  be  lord  attoiir  the  laifj 
And  eftirwart  maid  bound  and  thrall, 
Ane  pure  begger,  with  flcryp  and  llaifF, 
Obey  and  thank  thy  God  of  all."     .     . 


Thefe  lines  have  much  the  appearance  of  being  compof- 
•  ed  by  a  per/on  who  had  feen  better  days.  Bejidest  it 
was  not  until  the  year  1 494  that  the  Scottijh  legifla- 
ture  paffed  an  Aft  ordaining  the  Barons  and  Free- 
holders to  put  their  eldejl  fons  to  the  grammar  fchool. 
Whence  it  may  be  inferred  that  nofuch  cuflom  prevail- 
ed about  1460  or  1470  ;  Of  courfe  it  feems  rather  im- 
probable that  the  fon  of  R.  Henryfon  of  Fordel,  a 
gentleman  in  reduced  circumflances \  Jhould  about  that 
time  be  educated  for  the  bar.  Jet  we  learn  from 
Douglas's  Baronage ,  that  James  (jhe  fon  of  Robert) 
Henryfon,  "  having  been  bred  to  the  law,  became 
King's  Advocate  in  1494,  andfoon  afterwards  fuflicc 
Clerk:  'That  in  1508  he  obtained  a  charter  of  the  lands 
of  Straitton.  and  in  1510  and  15H  redeemed  the 
lands  of  Fordel"  All  this  might  indeed  happen,  not- 
withflanding  the  unfortunate  ftuation  of  the  family 
eflate  when  young  Henryfon  was  purfuing  hisfludies  : 
But  the  coincidence  of  name,  time,  and  place,  forms  an 
Vol.  I.  M  objeBion 


90        CHRONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  POETRY. 

objeBion  which  is  not  eafily  removed.  If  they  wer6 
not  the  fame  per/on,  we  may  at  leafi  fuppofe  that 
Henryfon  the  poet  was  allied  to  the  family  of  For- 
del. 

Of  the  fame  name  we  find  various  literary  perfons 
about  the  middle  of  the  next  century.  In  1534,  Hen- 
ry Henryfon,  majler  of  the  high  fchool  of  Edinburgh, 
is  accufed  of  the  Protejlant  herefy  ;  and  in  1566,  Ed- 
ward Henryfcm,  DoBor  of  Laws ,  and  an  Extraordi- 
nary Lord  of  SeJJion,  is  one  of  the  Qommiffioners  ap- 
pointed to  fuperintend  the  frjl  publication  of  the  Scottijh 
Atls  of  Parliament  from  James  I.  A.  D.  1424,  to- 
that  period  ;  commonly  called  the  Black  Acls  -r  with 
the  privilege  of  being  the  fole  vender  for  ten  years. 
Several  others  are  mentioned  by  Dempfter. 

Henryfon's  Fables  were  printed  at  Edinburgh  in 
16a  I  ,•  but  it  is  not  known  that  a  ftngle  copy  of  the 
book  is  now  in  exijlence.  MS.  copies  are  prefervedt 
however,  in  the  Harleian  and  Advocates  Library. 
This,  and  the  following,  are  feleBed,  chiefly  becaufe 
they  are  charaBeriflic  of  the  fate  of  Scotland  in  the 
fifteenth  century.  The  Prologue  deferves  particular' 
attention.~\ 


PROLOGUE. 
I. 

In  rnyddis  of  June,  that  joly  fueit  feflbun, 

Quhen  that  fair  Phebus,  with  his  beamis  brycht, 
Had  dryit  up  the  dew  fra  daill  and  down, 
And  all  the  land  maid  with  his  lemys  lycht  j 
In  a  morning,  betwene  mid-day  and  nycht, 

T 
A 


JAMES  II.  I437— 1460.  pi 

I  raifs  and  put  all  fleuth  and  fleep  on  fyde, 
Ontill  a  wod  I  went  allone,  but  gyd. 

II. 

Sueit  was  the  fmell  of  flouris  quhyt  and  reid, 

The  noyis  of  birdis  rycht  delitious  ; 
The  bewis  brod  blwmyt  abone  my  heid, 

The  grund  growand  with  grams  gratious  ; 

Of  all  pleafans  that  place  was  plenteous 
With  fueit  odours  and  birdis  armonie, 
The  mornyng  myld  my  mirth  was  mair  for  thy. 

III. 

The  rofeis  reid  arrayit  rone  and  ryfs, 

The  primrofe  and  the  purpure  viola  -f 
To  heir  it  was  a  poynt  of  paradyfs, 

Sic  myrth  the  mavyfs  and  the  merle  cowth  ma. 

The  bloflbms  blyth  brak  up  on  bank  and  bra, 
The  fmell  of  herbis,  and  of  foulis  the  cry, 
Contending  quha  fuld  have  the  victory. 

IV. 

Me  to  conferf  then  fra  the  fonnis  heit, 

Under  the  fhaddow  of  an  awthorn  greene, 

I  lenyt  down  amangft  the  flouris  fueit, 

Syne  maid  a  crofs  and  clofit  baith  myne  ein. 
On  fleep  I  fell  amang  the  bewis  bene, 

And,  in  my  dreme,  me  thocht  come  throw  the  fchaw 

The  faireft  man  before  that  eir  I  faw. 

V. 

His  goun  was  of  a  claith  als  quhyt  as  mylk, 
His  chymers  wer  of  chamelet  purpure  brown  3 

His  hude  of  ikarlet,  bordowrit  with  filk, 
In  heckle  wyfs,  untill  his  girdle  down. 
His  bonat  round  wes  of  the  auld  faffoun  ; 

His 


9*  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   FOETR5T. 

His  heid  was  quhyt,  his  ein  wes  grene  and  gray, 
With  lokar  hair,  quhilkour  his  fhulderis  lay. 

VI. 

A  row  of  paper  in  his  hand  he  bair  ; 

A  fwanis  pen  ftickand  under  his  eir  ; 
An  ynkhorn,  with  pretty  gilt  pennair, 

A  bag  of  filk  all  at  his  belt  he  weir. 

Thus  wes  he  gudlie  graithet  in  his  geir. 
Of  Mature  large,  and  with  a  feirful  face  ; 
Evin  quhair  I  lay  he  come  a  flurdy  pace  ; 

VII. 

And  faid,  God-fpeid,  my  fone  ;  and  I  was  faine 
Of  that  couth  word,  and  of  his  company. 

With  reverence  I  faluft  him  agane, 

Wekoin,  fader  j  and  he  fat  down  me  by. 
Difpleifs  you  not,  my  gude  maifter,  thocht  I 

Demand  your  birth,  your  facultie  and  name  ; 

Quhy  ye  com  her,  or  quhair  ye  dwell  at  hame. 

VIII. 

My  fone,  faid  he,  I  am  of  gentle  blude  ; 

My  natall  land  is  Rome,  withouttin  nay  ; 
And  in  that  town  firft  to  the  fcoullis  yude, 

And  fcience  (ther)  ftudiet  mony  a  day. 

And  now  my  winning  is  in  hevin  for  ay  : 
Efope  I  hecht  ;  my  wry  ting  and  my  wark 
Is  couth  and  kend  to  mony  cunnand  clerk. 

IX. 

O  maifter  Efope,  poet  laureat, 

Got  wat  ye  are  full  deir  welcum  to  me  j 

Ar  yc  not  he  that  all  thir  fabels  wrate, 
Quhilk  in  effeft,  fuppois  they  fenyeit  be, 
Are  full  of  prudens  and  moralitie  ? 


Fuir 


JAMES  II.    I437— 1460.  93 

Fair  fone,  faid  he,  I  am  that  famyin  man, 
God  wait  gif  that  my  hairt  was  merry  than. 

X. 

I  faid,  Efop,  my  maifler  venerable, 

I  you  befeik,  hairtlie  for  cheritie, 
Ye  wald  dedane  to  tell  a  pritty  fable, 

Concludand  with  a  gude  moralitie. 

Shakand  his  heid,  he  faid,  my  fone  lat  be  ; 
For  quhat  is  worth  to  tell  a  fenyet  tale, 
Quhen  haill  preaching  may  nothing  now  availl. 

XI. 

Now  in  this  warld  me  thinks  that  few  or  nanc 

Till  Godis  word  that  has  devotioun  j 
The  eir  is  deif,  the  hairt  is  hard  as  ftane  j 

Now  oppen  fyn,  without  corre&ioun, 

The  e  enclynand  to  the  eird  ay  doun  ; 
Swa  rouftit  is  the  warld  with  canker  blak, 
That  my  taillis  may  littel  fuccour  mak. 

XII. 

Yit  gentel  fir,  faid  I,  for  my  requeifl— 
Not  to  difpleifs  your  fader  heid,  1  pray 

Under  the  figur  of  fum  brutal  beift 
A  moral  fable  ye  wad  dedane  to  fay. 
Quha  waift  nor  I  may  leir,  and  beir  away 

Somthing,  thairby  herafter  may  avail. 

I  grant,  quo  he,  and  thus  began  a  taill. 


THE 


THE   WOLF   AND    THE    LAME. 


A  C  re  wall  Wolf,  revanus  and  fell, 
Upone  a  tyme  paft  till  a  revere, 
Difcending  fra  a  rock,  out  of  a  well, 
To  flaik  his  thirft  drank  of  the  watter  cleir  . 
Sa,  upone  cais,  a  filly  Lame  come  neir, 
Bot  of  this  Wolf  the  Lame  nothing  he  wift, 
And  in  the  ftreme  lapit  to  cule  his  thrift. 

Thus  drank  thay  baith,  bot  nocht  of  ane  intent ; 
The  Wolfis  thocht  wes  all  in  wicketnefs  : 
The  fijly  Lame,  meik  and  innocent, 
Upone  the  revir,  by  in  ane  uthir  place, 
Beneth  the  Wolf,  he  drank  in  ane  littill  fpace, 
Quhill  him  thocht  gude,  prefoumyng  thair  none  ill ; 
The  Wolf  this  faw,  and  carpand  come  him  till. 

With  girnand  teith,  and  angry  auftie  luke, 
Said  to  the  Lamb,  Thou  catyve  wrechit  thing, 
How  durft  thou  be  fo  bald  to  fyle  this  bruke, 
Quhair  I  fuld  drink,  with  thy  fowll  flavering  ? 
It  wer  almous  the  for  till  draw  and  hing, 
That  fuld  prefome,  with  flinkand  lippis  will, 
To  hurt  my  drink,  and  this  fair  wattir  fpill. 

The  filly  Lamb,  quakand  for  verry  dreid, 
On  kneis  fell,  and  faid,  Sir,  with  your  leif, 
Suppois  I  dar  nocht  fay  thairof  ye  leid  ; 
Bot,  be  my  faule,  I  wait  ye  carr  nocht  preifc, 
That  I  did  ony  thing  quhilk  fuld  yow  greif . 
Ye  wait  alfo  your  accufatioun 
Felyeis  fra  trewth,  and  contrair  till  reffown. 

Thocht 


JAMES  II.  1437 — 1460.  95 

Thocht  I  can  nocht,  nature  will  me  defend, 
And  of  the  deid  perfyt  experience  : 
All  hevinly  thing  mone  of  the  felf  difcend, 
Bot  gif  fum  thing  on  fers  mak  refiftence  ; 
Thane  may  the  ftreme  be  na  wayis  mak  offens, 
Na  ryn  bakwart :  I  drank  beneth  you  far  ; 
Ergo,  for  me,  your  drink  is  nevir  the  war. 

Alfo  my  lippis,  fen  that  I  was  a  lame, 

Touchit  no  thing  that  was  contagius  ; 

Bot  fowkit  mylk  fra  pawpis  of  my  dame, 

Rycht  naturall,  fweit,  and  delicious. 

Weill,  quoth  the  Wolf,  thy  languige  outragius,, 

Cumis  of  kynd  ;  fa  your  fader  befoir 

Held  me  at  bait  als  with  boftis  and  fchoir. 

He  wexit  me  ;  and  than  I  cowth  him  warne, 
Within  a  yeir,  and  I  brukit  my  heid, 
So  I  fnld  be  wrokin  on  him,  or  his  bairne  j 
For  his  exorbitant  and  thrawwart  pleid, 
Thow  fall  doutles,  for  his  deidis,  be  deid. 
i1  Sir,  it  is  wrang,  that  for  the  faderis  gilt, 
"  The  faikles  fone  fall  poneift  be,  and  fpilt. 

"  Haif  ye  nocht  hard  quhat  haly  fcriptour  fais, 
"  Dytit  with  the  mowth  of  God  Almycht, 
"  Off  his  awin  deid  ilk  man  fal  beir  the  pais, 
"  As  pyne  for  fyn,  reward  for  werkis  rycht : 
*'  For  my  trefpafs  quhy  fuld  my  fone  haif  plycht  ? 
"  Quha  did  the  mifs  lat  thame  fufleine  the  paine/' 
Ya,  quoth  the  Wolf,  yet  plyis  thow  agane; 

I  latt  ye  witt,  quhen  the  fader  offendis, 
Will  cheris  none  of  his  fucceflioun  ; 
And  of  his  bairnis  may  weill  be  tane  amendis 
Unto  the  nynt  degre  defcending  doun. 
The  fadir  thocht  to  mak  a  Itrang  pufown, 


$6  eimoNKLE  of  Scottish  tcetrt. 

And  with  his  mowth  into  my  wattir  fpew. 
Sir,  quoth  the  Lamb,  tha  twa  ar  nowys  trew. 

The  law  fayis,  and  ye  will  undirftand, 
Thair  fuld  no  man,  for  wrang,  no  violens, 
His  adverfar  puneis  at  his  awin  hand, 
Without  procefs  of  law  in  audiens  ; 
Quhilk  fuld  haif  leif  to  mak  lawchfull  defens  ; 
And  thairupon  fummon  peremptourly 
For  to  propone,  and  contra,  and  reply. 

Set  me  a  lawfull  court :  I  fall  compeir 
Befoir  the  Lion,  lord  and  leill  Juftys  ; 
And,  be  my  hand,  I  oblis  me,  rycht  heir, 
That  I  fall  byd  ane  unfufpecr.  aflys. 
This  is  the  way,  this  is  the  jufteft  wyfs  : 
Ye  fuld  proceed  thairfoir,  and  fummonds  mak 
Agane  that  day,  to  gif  reflbun  and  tak. 

Ha,  quoth  the  Wolf,  wald  thow  intrufs  reffoun, 
Quhair  wrang  and  reif  fuld  dwell  in  properte  ? 
That  is  a  poynt  of  oppin  fals  treflbun, 
For  to  gar  rewth  remane  with  creweltie. 
Be  Goddis  wondis,  fals  tratour,  thow  fall  de 
For  thy  trefpas,  and  for  thy  faderis  als. 
With  that  annone  he  hint  him  be  the  hals. 

The  filly  lame  mycht  do  no  thing  bot  blait ; 
Sone  wes  he  heidit ;  the  Waif  wold  do  no  grace 
Syne  drank  his  blud,  and  of  his  flefch  can  eit, 
Till  he  wes  fow  ;  fyne  went  away  apace. 
Of  this  murthour  quhat  fall  I  fay,  allace  ! 
Was  this  no  rewth  ?  was  this  nocht  grit  pete  ? 
To  heir  this  filly  lame  but  gilt  thus  de. 


M0R4L1TAS. 


james  ir.  1437 — x4^«  97 

MORALITAS. 

The  pure  peple  this  Lamb  may  fignify, 
As  male-men,  merchandis,  and  pure  laborers, 
Off  quhome  the  lyfe  is  half  a  purgatory, 
To  wyn  with  lawty  leving  as  effeiris. 
The  Wolf  betakynis  fals  extorteneiris, 
And  opprefiburis  of  pure  men,  as  we  fe, 
Be  violens,  be  craft,  or  futelte. 

Thre  kynd  of  wolffis  in  the  warld  now  ringis : 
The  firfl  ar  fals  pervertaris  of  the  lawis, 
Quhilk  undir  poleit  termes  falfet  myngis, 
Leitand  that  all  wer  gofpell  that  thay  fchawis  .* 
Bot  for  a  bud  the  trew  men  he  ourthrawis, 
Smorand  the  rycht,  garrand  the  wrang  proceid. 
Off  fie  wolffis  hell- fyre  fall  be  thair  meid. 

Ane  uthir  kynd  of  wolffis  ievanus 

Ar  mychty  men,  haifand  anouch  plente  ; 

Quhilk  ar  fo  gredy  and  fo  cowatus, 

Thay  will  nocht  thoill  in  peax  ane  pure  man  be, 

Suppois  that  he,  and  his  houfhald,  fuld  dc 

For  fait  of  fude  ;  thairof  thay  gif  no  rak, 

Bot  our  his  heid  his  maling  thay  wilj  tak. 

O  man  !  but  mychty,  quhat  is  in  thy  thocht  ? 
War  than  a  wolf,  and  thow  cowth  underftand  ; 
Thow  hes  eneuch  ;  the  pure  hufband  hes  nocht 
Bot  cote  and  crufe,  upone  a  clout  of  land. 
For  Goddis  aw,  how  dar  thow  tak  on  hand, 
And  thou  in  berne  and  byre  fo  bene  and  big, 
To  put  him  fra  his  tak,  and  gar  him  thig  ? 

O  man  of  law  !  lat  be  thy  futelte, 
With  wys  jympis,  and  frawdis  interkat, 

Vol.  I.  N  And 


98  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY., 

And  think  that  God,  of  his  divinite,. 

The  wrang,  the  rycht,  and  all  thy  worlds  wate ; 

For  preyer,  piyce,  for  he  nor  law  eftait, 

Of  fals  querrell  fe  thou  mak  no  defens  ; 

Hald  with  the  rycht,  hurt  nocht  thy  confciens. 

The  third  wolf  is  men  of  heretege  ; 
As  lordis,  that  hes  landis  be  Godis  lane, 
And  fettis  to  the  maillaris  a  willage, 
For  prayer,  pryce,  and  the  gerfum  tane  ; 
Syne  vexis  him  or  half  the  term  be  gane, 
With  pykit  querells,  for  to  mak  him  fane 
To  flitt,  or  pay  the  gerfum  new  agane. 

His  hors,  his  meir,  he  mone  len  to  the  laird, 
To  dring  and  draw,  in  court  and  cariege  ; 
His  fervand,  or  himfelf,  may  nocht  be  fpard, 
To  fwynk  or  fweit,  withouttin  meit  or  wage: 
Lo,  as  he  ftandis  in  lawbour  and  boundage, 
That  fkantly  may  he  purches.  by  his  maill, 
To  leif  upone  dry  breid  and  wattir  kaill. 

Hes  thow  no  rewth  to  gar  thy  tennent  fueit 

Into  thy  lawbour.  full  faynt  with  hungry  wame  ? 

And  fyne  hes  littill  gude  to  drink  or  eit, 

Or  his  menye,  at  evin  qUhen  he  cumis  hame  : 

Thow  fuld  be  rad  for  richtous  Godis  blame  j 

For  it  cryis  vengeance  to  the  hevin  fo  he, 

To  gar  a  pure  man  wirk,  but  meit  or  fe. 

O  thow,  grit  lord,  that  hes  riches  and  rent, 

Be  nocht  a  Wolf  thus  to  devoir  the  pure  ; 

Think,  that  no  thing  crewall  nor  violent 

May  in  this  warld  pcrpetualy  indure. 

This  is  a  fentens  futh,  I  yow  allure  ; 

For  till  opprefs  thow  fall  haif  als  grit  pane, 

A»  thow  the  pure  anis  with  thy  hand  had  flaine. 

*  God 


JAMES   II.    I437 — 1460.  99 

God  keip  the  Lame,  that  is,  the  innocent, 
Fra  Wolffis  bjt,  I  mene  extorteneiris  •, 
God  grant  that  wrangus  men  of  fals  intent, 
Be  manifeft,  and  puneift  as  effeiris  j 
And  God,  as  thow  all  richtous  prayer  heiris, 
Mot  faif  our  King,  and  gif  him  hairt  and  hand, 
All  fie  wolffis  to  benneifs  of  this  land. 


raft 


THE  DOG,  WOLF,  AND  SHEEP  J  BT  THE  SAME. 


[This  Jingular  performance,  fays  Lord  Hailes,  con? 
tains  the  form  of procefs  before  the  ancient  ecclejiajli- 
cal  court,  and  will  fuggefl  to  Lawyers  fome  ideas  that 
they  will  not  find  in  books.     The  fummons  or  writ  is 
ijfued  in  the  name  of  the  Wolf,  before  whom  the  caufe 
was  to  be  tried  at  a  lawlefs  hour,   when  the  fun  was 
down.     The  Wolf  having  been  declined  by  the  defen- 
der, he  appoints  the  parties  to  chufe  arbiters,  who 
might  judge  of  the  declinator.  Had  the  Wolf  judged 
of  the  declinator,  an  appeal  might  have  lain  to  afu- 
perior  court  ;  but  no  appeal  lay  from  the  judgment  of 
the  arbiters  •,•  for  parties  cannot  appeal  from  their 
own  deed.     It  is  remarkable  that  the  whole  fatyre  of 
the  fable  is  aimed  at  the  ecclejiajlical  judge,  whereas 
the  application  is  to  the  civil.     Henrtson,  probably, 
flood  more  in  awe  of  the  court  fpiritual  than  of  the 
temporal.     §>uery — Why  is  the  Fox  here  called  Law- 
rence, and  flill  in   Scotland   Tod-laury  ?    Pairtlefs 
means  impartial  ,•  borch,  bail ;    bud,  reward  ;    breidf 
a  loaf,  a  pittance  of  provifon  at  Jlated  times.  ~] 


.lLsope  a  taill  putis  in  memorie, 

How  that  a  Dog,  becaus  that  he  wes  pure, 

Callit  a  Scheip  unto  the  Confiftory, 

A  certane  breid  of  him  for  to  recure. 

A  frawdfull  Wolf  was  juge  that  tyme,  and  bure 

Au&oritie  and  jurifdi&ioun  ; 

And  on  the  Scheip  fent  furth  a  ftrait  fummoun. 

For 


james  ii.  1437 — Mw<  *&t 

For  by  the  ufe  and  courfe  of  commoun  ftyle, 

On  this  maner  maid  his  citatioun  : 

lt  per  me,  Wolf,  pairtles  of  frawd  or  gyle, 

Undir  the  painis  of  fufpenfiourt, 

And  gret  curling  and  maledi&ioun, 

Sir  Scheip  I  chairge  ye  ftraitly  to  compefrj 

And  anfueir  till  a  Dog  befoir  me  heir. 

Sir  Corby  Rawin  was  maid  a  procitour, 

Quilk  pyket  hes  full  mony  fchepis  ee*  ; 

His  chairge  hes  tane,  and  on  the  lettir  bure, 

Summond  the  Scheip  befoir  the  Wolf,  that  he 

Perimptourly,  within  tha  dayis  thre, 

Compeir  undir  the  panis  in  this  bill, 

And  heir  qnhat  burry  Dog  wald  fay  him  till. 

This  fummond  maid  befoir  witnefs  eneWj 

The  Revin  has  till  his  office  weill  affeird, 

Endoriit  hes  his  writ,  and  on  he  flew  : 

The  filly  Scheip  durft.  lay  no  mowth  till  erd, 

Till  fcho  befoir  that  awfull  juge  apperd, 

Be  hour  of  caus  quhilk  that  court  ufit  thane, 

Quhen  Efperus  to  fchaw  his  face  began. 

The  Fox  wes  clerk  and  notar  in  that  caus  ; 
The  Gled,  the  Grip  up  at  the  bar  couth  Hand 
As  advocatis  expert  in  to  the  lawis, 
The  Doigis  ply  togidder  tuk  on  hand, 
Quilk  wer  confident  ftret  into  ane  band, 
Agane  the  Scheip  to  procure  the  fentens  ; 
Thocht  it  wei  fals,  they  haif  no  confcience. 

The  clerk  callit  the  Scheip,  and  he  wes  thair  ; 
The  advocattis  on  this  wys  can  propone  : 
A  certane  breid,  worth  fyve  fchillingis  and  mair, 
Thow  aw  this  Dog,  of  quilk  the  ternae  is  gone. 
Of  hir  awin  heid,  but  advocat  allone, 

Awyfilly 


IOa  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   FOETRT. 

Awyfilly  gaif  anfwer  in  that  cais  : 

Heir  1  dccljne  the  juge,  the  tyme,  and  place- 

This  is  my  caus  and  motive  in  effect  : 
The  law  fayis,  it  is  rycht  perilous 
Till  interply  befoir  a  juge  fufpecl:  ; 
And  thou,  Sir  Wolf,  hes  ay  bene  odius 
To  me,  with  thyne  tuikis  revenus, 
Hes  ffaine  full  mony  kynifmen  of  myne  ; 
Thairfoir  as  juge  fufpedt,  I  the  declyne. 

And  fchortly,  of  this  court  the  members  all, 

JBayth  afTeflbris,  clerke,  and  advocat, 

To  me,  and  myne,  ar  ennemeis  immortall, 

And  ay  hes  bene,  as  mony  fcheiphird  watt ; 

This  place,  as  for  the  tyme,  is  feriat, 

In  quhilk  no  jugeis  fuld  fit  in  confiftory 

So  lait  at  evin  ;  I  yow  accus  for  thy. 

Quhen  that  the  juge  on  this  wyfe  wes  accufit,   • 
He  bad  the  parteis  cheis,  with  one  affent, 
Twa  arbi tours,  as  in  the  law  is  ufit, 
For  to  diflyd  and  gife  arbitrement, 
Quiddir  the  Scheip  fuld  byd  in  jugement 
Befoir  the  Wolf :   and  fwa  thay  did  but  weir, 
Of  quhome  the  names  eftir  ye  fall  heir. 

The  Beir,  the  Brok,  this  mater  tuk  on  hand 
For  to  dinyd,  gife  this  exceptioun 
Wes  of  na  ftrenth,  or  lawchtfully  mycht  Hand  : 
And  thairupoun,  as  jugeis,  they  fat  down, 
And  held  a  lang  quhyle  difputatioun, 
Seikand  full  mony  decretals  of  the  law, 
And  glofis  als,  the  veritie  to  knaw. 

Off  Civil  mony  volum  thay  rewoll, 
The  codys  and  digeftis  new  and  aid  } 


Proivc 


JAMES  II.  I437 — 1460.  I03 

Prowe  and  contra  ft  rait  argument  thay  refoll, 
Sum  a  doctryne,  and  fome  another  hald  ; 
For  prjs,  nor  prayer,  trow  ye,  thay  wald  fald, 
Bot  held  the  text,  and  gloifs  of  the  decreis, 
As  trew  jugeis,  I  fchrew  thame  that  leis. 

Schortly  to  mak  ane  end  of  this  debait, 
The  arbitroris  fummar  and  de  plane, 
The  fentens  gaif,  and  proces  fulminat, 
The  Scheip  fuld  pas  befoir  the  Wolf  agane, 
And  end  his  pleid  :  than  was  he  nothing  fane  ; 
For  fra  thair  fentens  he  mycht  nowayis  appeill  ; 
On  clerkis  doid,  gife  this  fentence  be  leill. 

The  Scheip  agane  befoir  the  Wolf  derenyeit, 

But  advocat,  abafitly  can  ftand. 

Up  rais  the  Dog,  and  on  the  Scheip  thus  pleyneit ; 

To  the  a  fowme  I  payit  befoir  hand 

For  certane  breid  ;  thairto  a  borch  I  fand, 

That  wrangufly  the  Scheip  held  fra  him  breid, 

And  he  denyit  ;  and  fo  began  the  pleid. 

Thus  quhen  the  Scheip  this  ftryfe  had  conteftat, 
The  jugfeis  into  the  caus  furth  cowth  proceid  : 
Laureuce  the  a£tis  and  the  proces  wrait, 
And  fone  the  ply  unto  the  end  thay  fpeid. 
This  curat  court  corruptit  all  for  meid, 
Agane  gud  fayth,  gud  law,  and  conference  j 
For  this  fals  Dog  pronuncit  the  fentence. 

And  it  to  put  in  executioun, 

The  Wolf  chargeit  the  Scheip,  without  delay, 

Uudir  the  pane  of  interdixHtioun, 

The  fowme  of  filver,  or  the  breid,  to  pay. 

Off  this  fentens,  allais  !   quhat  fall  we  fay  ? 

Quhilk  dampnit  hes  the  filly  innocent, 

And  inu.it  ut  to  wrangus  jugement. 

The 


X04  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

The  Scheip,  dreidand  moir  perfecutioun, 
Obejit  the  fentence  ;  and  cowth  tak 
His  way  untill  a  merchand  in  the  toun, 
A-id  fald  his  fleifs  that  he  bur  an  his  bak  ; 
Syne  bocht  the  breid,  and  to  the  dog  can  mak 
Reddy  payment,  as  he  foirjugeit  was  ; 
3Makit  and  bair,  fyne  to  the  feild  cowth  pas. 

MORALITAS. 

This  filly  Scheip  may  prefent  the  figure 
Of  pure  eommounis,  that  daylie  ar  oppreft 
Be  terrane  men,  that  fettis  all  thair  cure, 
With  fals  menys,  to  mak  a  wrang  conqueift, 
In  howp  this  prefent  lyfe  fall  evir  left  : 
Bot  all  begyld,  thay  will  in  fchort  tyme  end, 
And  eftir  deid,  to  crewall  panis  wend. 

This  Wolf  I  likin  unto  a  fcheref  flout, 
Quhilk  byis  a  forfalt  at  the  kingis  hand, 
And  hes  with  him  a  curfit  aflyis  about, 
And  dytis  all  the  pure  men  up-of-land, 
And  fra  the  crowner  lay  on  thame  his  wand  ; 
Suppois  he  be  als  true  as  was  San£t  Johne, 
Slane  fall  thay  be,  or  with  the  juge  compone. 

This  Revin  I  likin  till  a  fals  crownar, 

Quhilk  hes  a  porteous  of  the  endytment, 

And  paflis  furth  befoir  the  jullice  air, 

All  mifdoaris  to  bring  till  jugement : 

But  luke  gife  he  be  of  a  trew  intent, 

To  fkraip  out  Johne,  and  wryt  in  Will  of  wait, 

And  fo  a  bud  at  bayth  the  parteis  fkat. 

Of  this  fals  Tod,  becaus  I  fpak  befoir, 
And  of  this  Gled,  quhat  thay  mycht  fignify, 


JAMES  II.  1437— 1460.  I5-> 

Of  thair  natuiyas  now  I  fpeik  no  mcir  : 
Bot  of  the  Scheip,  and  of  his  cairfull  cry, 
I  fall  l-ehers  ;  for  as  I  paffit  by 
Quhair  that  he  lay,  on  caifs  I  lukit  down, 
And  hard  him  mak  this  lamentatioun. 

Allace  !  quoth  he,  this  curfit  Confiflory, 

In  middis  now  of  wintir  it  is  maid, 

Quhen  Boreas,  with  blaftis  bitterly, 

With  frawart  froftis,  the  flouris  down  can  faid ; 

Gn  bankis  bair  now  may  I  mak  nobaid  : 

And  with  that  wird  intill  a  corf  he  crap, 

jb'ra  hair  weddir,  and  froftis,  him  to  hap. 

Quakand  for  cald  and  murnyngis  foir  amang, 

Keft  up  his  ene  unto  the  hevins  hicht, 

And  faid,  O  Lord,  quhy  flypis  thou  fo  lang  ? 

Waik,  and  defcerne  my  caufs,  groundit  in  right  , 

Luk  how  I  am,  be  frawd,  maiftry,  and  flycht, 

Pelit,  full  bair  ;  and  fo  is  mony  one 

Now  in  this  warld,  rycht  wondir  wo-begone. 

Se  how  the  curilt  fyn  of  cuvatys 

Exylit  hes  bayth  lufe,  lawty,  and  law  ; 

Now  few  or  nane  will  execute  jmtice  j 

In  fait  of  quhome  the  pure  man  is  ourthraw 

The  verity,  albeid  the  juges  knaw, 

Thay  ar  fo  blindit  with  afFectioun, 

But  dveid,  for  meid,  thay  thoill  the  rycht  go  doun. 

Se  thou  nocht,  Lord,  this  warld  ourturnit  is, 
As  quha  wald  chenge  gud  gold  in  leid  or  tyn  ; 
The  pure  is  pelit,  the  lord  may  do  no  mifs  ; 
Now  fymony  is  haldin  for  no  fyn  : 
'Now  is  he  blyth  with  okir  can  mofr  wyn, 
Gentreis  is  flane,  and  pety  is  ago  ; 
Allace  !  Lord  God,  quhy  tholis  thou  it  fo  ? 

Vol.  I.  0  Thou 


Io6  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   fOETRY. 

Thou  tholis  this,  hot  for  our  grit  offens, 
Thou  fendis  us  truble  and  plaigis  foir, 
As  hungir,  derth,  wer,  and  the  peftilens  ; 
Bot  few  amendis  thair  lyfe :  now  thairfoir 
We  pure  peple,  as  now  may  do  no  moir 
Bot  pray  to  the,  fen  we  are  thus  oppreft 
In  to  this  erd,  Grant  us  in  hevin  gud  reft. 


SHE 


THE   TWA   MICE  ;    BY    THE    SAME. 


[This  Fable  is  written  with  much  naivete  ;  andy  being 

the  very  Jirjl  example  of  that  manner  in  the  Scotti/b 

language,   is  eminently  curious.     It   is  here  for   the 

firfl  time  given  corretlly  from  the  Bannatyne  M.  S-] 


JLLsoPE,  myne  autour,  makis  mentioun 
Of  tvva  myifs  ;  and  they  war  fiflers  deir  ; 
Off  quhom  the  elder  dwelt  in  borrowftown  ; 
The  yonger  wend  up-on-land,  weil  neir 
Rycht  folitair  ;  quhyle  under  buik  and  breirj 
Quhyle  in  the  corn,  in  uther  menys  fchacht, 
As  outlawis  dois  that  levis  on  ylin  wacht- 

The  rurall  moufs  into  the  winter  tyde 
Had  hungar,  cauld,  and  tholit  grit  diflrefs  ; 
The  tothir  moufs  that  in  the  burgh  can  byde 
Was  gilt  brother,  and  made  ane  free  burgefs. 
Tol-free  alfwa,  but  cuftom,  mair  or  lefs, 
And  freedom  had  to  ga  quhair  eir  fche  lift 
Amang  the  cheifs  and  meill,  in  ark  and  kilt. 

Ane  tyme  quhen  fcho  was  full,  and  on  fute  fure, 
Scho  tuk  in  mynd  her  fifter  up-on-land, 
And  langit  for  her  cheir,  and  her  welfair, 
And  fe  quhat  lyfe  fcho  led  under  the  wand  : 
Earefute  allane,  with  pykftaff  in  her  hand, 
As  pure  pilgrim,  fcho  paflit  out  of  town, 
To  feik  her  fifter,  baith  our  daill  and  down; ' 


Throw 


10 8  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Throw  mon y  vvilfum  wayis  couth:  fcho  walk, 
Throw  mure  and  mofs,   throwout   bank,  bufk,  and 

breyir, 
Fva  fur  to  fur,  cryand  fra  balk  to  balk, 
Cum  furth  to  me,  mvne  fueit  fifter  deir  ! 
Cry  peip  anis — with  that  the  moufe  couth  heir, 
And  knew  her  voce,  as  kynnifmen  will  do 
By  verry  kind  ;  and  furth  fcho  came  her  to; 

Their  hairtly  cheir,  Lord  God  !  gif  ye  had  feen, 
Was  kyind  quhen  thir  lifters  twa  wer  met, 
Quhilk  that  oft  fyfs  was  fchawin  thame  betwene  ; 
For  quhyles  thai  leuch,   and  quhyles  for  joy  thay 

gret; 
Quhyles  kifiit  fueit,  and  quhyles  in  armis  plet. 
And  thus  they  fure,  quhill  fobirt  was  their  meid, 
Then  fute  for  fute  onto  thair  chalmer  yeid. 

As  I  hard  fay,  it  was  a  fimpte  wane 

Off  fog  and  feme,  full  maikly  was  it  maid, 

A  filly  fcheill  under  a  yerd-faft  ftane, 

Of  quhilk  the  entry  was  not  hie  nor  bred  : 

And  in  the  fame  thai  went  hot  mair  abaid, 

"V/ithoutten  fyre  or  candell  burnand  bricht, 

For  commonly  fie  pykers  lykes  not  lycht. 

Quhen  they  war  lugit  thus,  thir  filly  myfs, 

The  yungeft  fifter  until  her  butrie  hyied, 

Brought  forth  nuttis,  and  peifs,  inftead  of  fpyfs  ; 

Gif  that  was  weilfarn  doit,  on  thame  befyd. 

This  burgefs  moufs  permyngit  full  of  pryd, 

Than  faid,  fifter,  is  this  your  daily  fude  ? 

Quhy  not,  quod  fcho,  think  ye  this  mefs  not  gude  ? 

Na,  be  my  faul,  me  think  it  but  a  fkorn  ; 

Ma  dame,  quod  fche,  ye  be  the  mair  to  blame  ; 

My  moder  faid,  after  that  we  wer  born, 

That 


JAMES   II.    I437 — x4^°.  %80 

That  ye  and  I  lay  baith  within  her  wame  ; 
I  kep  the  rjcht  auld  cuftom  of  my  dame, 
And  of  my  fyre,  lyvand  in  povertie, 
For  landis  haif  we  nane  of  propertie. 

My  fair  fitter,  quod  fcho,  haif  me  excufit ; 

This  rude  dyet  and  I  can  not  accord  ; 

With  tender  meit  my  ftomach  ay  is  ufit ; 

For  quhy,  I  fair  as  weill  as  ony  lord  ; 

Thir  widderit  peifs  and  nuttis,  or  thai  be  bord, 

Will  brek  my  teith,  and  mak  my  mouth  full  fklender, 

Quhilk  ufit  wer  befor  to  meit  mair  tender. 

Weill,  weill  fifter,  than  quoth  the  rural  moufs, 
Gif  that  ye  pleifs  fie  things  as  ye  fe  heir, 
Baith  meit  and  drink,  and  arbourie  and  houfe, 
Sail  be  your  awin — will  ye  remain  all  yeir, 
Ye  fall  it  haif,  with  blyth  and  hairtly  cheir  ^ 
And  that  fuld  make  the  mefTes  that  are  rude, 
Amang  frieudis  richt  tendir,  fueit  and  gude. 

Quhat  plefans  is  in  feifts  feir  dilicate, 

The  quhilk  ar  given  with  a  gloumand  brow  ; 

A  gentle  heart  is  better  recreate 

With  blyth  ufage  than  feith  to  him  a  cow  ; 

Ane  Modicum  is  better,  yeill  allow* 

Sae  that  gude-will  be  carver  at  the  defs, 

Than  a  thrawn  vult,  and  mony  a  fpycie  mefs. 

For  all  this  moral  exhortatioun, 

The  burges  mous  had  little  will  to  fing, 

But  hevely  fcho  keft  her  vifage  doun, 

For  all  the  daintys  fcho  couth  till  her  bring ; 

Yit  at  the  laft  fcho  faid,  half  in  hiething, 

Sifter,  this  vittell  and  your  vyal  feift 

May  weill  fuffice  for  fie  a  rural  beift. 

Let 


iro  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY, 

Let  be  this  hole,  and  cum  unto  my  place, 

I  fall  you  fchaw,  by  gude  experience, 

That  my  Glide  Fridays  better  than  your  Pafey 

And  a  dim  licking  worth  your  hale  expence  j 

Houfes  I  haif  enow  of  grit  defence, 

Of  cat,  nor  fall,  nor  trap,  I  haif  nae  dreid.     - 

I  grant,  quod  fche,  convinced,  and  furth  they  ye  id. 

\ 
In  flcugry-ay  throw  ranked  gras  and  corn, 

And  wonder  Hie  prively  throw  they  creip  ; 
The  eldeft  was  the  gyde,  and  went  beforrt, 
The  yunger  to  her  wayis  tuke  gude  keip  ; 
On  nicht  they  ran,  and  on  the  day  did  fleip, 
Till  on  a  morning,  or  the  Lav  rock  fang, 
They  land  the  toun,  and  blythly  in  couth  gang. 

Not  far  frae  thyne,  on  till  a  worthy  wane, 

This  burges  brocht  them  fune  quhair  they  fould  be; 

Without  God-fpeid, — thair  herboury  was  tane 

Intill  a  fpence,  wher  vittel  was  plenty, 

Baith  cheis  and  butter  on  lang  fkelfs  richt  hie, 

With  fiih  and  flem  enough,  baith  frcfh  and  fait, 

And  pokkis  full  of  grots,  baith  meil  and  malt. 

After,  quhen  they  difpofit  wer  to  dyne, 
Withouten  grace  they  wufh  and  went  to  meit, 
On  every  dim  that  cuikmen  can  divyne, 
Muttone  and  beif  ftrikin  out  in  tellies  grit  ; 
Ane  Lordis  fair  thus  can  they  counterfitt, 
Except  ane  thing, — they  drank  the  watter  cleir 
Infleid  of  wyne,  but  yit  they  made  gude  cheir. 

With  blyth  upcaft  and  merry  countenance, 

The  elder  fiftex  then  fpeird  at  her  gelt, 

Gif  that  fcho  thocht  be  refon  differance 

Betwixt  that  chalmer  and  her  fary  neft. 

Yea  dame,  quoth  fcho  ;   but  how  lang  will  this.left  ? 

For 


JAMES  II.  I437— 1460.  m 

For  eyirmair  I  wate,  and  langer  to. 

Gif  that  be  trew,  ye  ar  at  eife,  quoth  fcho. 

To  eik  the  cheir,  in  plenty  furth  fcho  brocht 

A  plate  cf  grottis,  and  a  difb  of  meil, 

A  threfe  of  caiks,  I  trow  fcho  fpairt  them  nocht, 

Habundantlie  about  her  for  to  deill ; 

Furmage  full  fyne  fcho  brocht  infteid  of  geil, 

A  quhyte  candle  out  of  a  coffer' flaw, 

Infteid  of  fpyce,  to  creifli  thair  teith  with  a. 

Thus  made  thej  mirry,  quhyle  they  micht  nae  mair, 

And  hail  yule  I  hail !  they  cryit  up  on  hie  ; 

But  after  joy  aftentymes  comes  cair, 

And  trouble  after  grit  profperitie  : 

Thus  as  they  fat  in  all  thair  folitie, 

The  fpenfar  came  with  keis  in  his  hand, 

Opent  the  dore,  and  them  at  dinner  fand. 

They  tarriet  not  to  wafti,  as  I  fuppofe, 

But  on  to  gae,  quha  micht  the  formoft  win  ; 

The  burges  had  a  hole,  and  in  fcho  goes, 

Her  lifter  had  nae  place  to  hyde  her  in ; 

To  fe  that  filly  mous  it  was  grit  fin, 

Sae  difalait  and  will  of  all  gude  reid, 

For  very  feir  fcho  fell  in  fwoun,  neir  deid. 

But  as  God  wald,  it  fell  a  happy  cafe, 
The  fpenfar  had  nae  laifar  for  to  byde, 
Nowthir  to  force,  to  feik,  nor  fkar,  nor  chaifs, 
But  on  he  went,  and  keft  the  dore  upwyde. 
This  burges  moufs  his  pafage  weil  has  fpyd, 
Out  of  her  hole  fcho  came,  and  cryt  on  be, 
How  !  fair  lifter,  cry  peip,  quhair  eir  thou  be. 


The  rural  mous  lay  flattings  on  the  ground, 
And  for  the  deid  fcho  was  full  dreidand, 


For 


II*  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

For  till  her  heart  ftrak  mony  waefull  ftound, 
As  in  a  fever  trymlin  fute  and  hand ; 
And  when  her  lifter  in  fie  plicht  her  fand, 
For  very  pitie  fcho  began  to  greit  ; 
Syne  comfort  gaif,  with  words  as  huny  fwek. 

Quhy  ly  ye  thus  ?   Ryfe  up  my  filler  deir, 

Cum  to  your  meit,  this  perell  is  owre-paft  ; 

The  uther  anfwert,  with  a  hevy  cheir, 

I  may  nocht  eit,  fae  fair  I  am  agaft : 

Lever  I  had  this  fourtie  dayis  fall, 

With  wafter  kail,  or  gnaw  beinis  and  peis, 

Then  all  your  feilt  with  this  dreid  and  difleifs. 

With  fair  tretie,  yit  gart  fcho  her  ryfe  ; 
To  burde  they  went,  and  on  togither  fat ; 
But  lkantly  had  they  drunken  anes  or  twice, 
Quhen  in  came  Gib  Hunter,  our  joly  cat, 
A  id  bad  God-fpeid — The  burges  up  than  gat, 
And  till  her  hole  fcho  fled  as  fyre  of  flint ; 
Badrans  the  uther  be  the  back  has  hint, 

Frae  fute  to  futp  Ihe  keft  her  to  and  frae, 
Quhyle  up,  quhyle  doun,  als  cant  as  ony  kid ; 
Quhyle  wald  Ihe  let  her  ryn  under  the  flrae, 
Quhyle  wald  flie  wink  and  play  with  her,  buk-hid  : 
Thus  to  the  filly  mous  grit  harm  Ihe  did  ; 
Quhyle  at  the  lad,  throw  fair  fortune  and  hap, 
Betwixt  the  dreffour  and  the  wall  fcho  crap. 

Syne  up  in  hafte  behind  the  pannaling, 

Sae  hie  fcho  clam,  that  Gilbert  might  not  get  her, 

And  be  the  cluks  craftylie  can  hing, 

Till  he  was  gane,  her  cheir  was  all  the  better. 

Syne  down  fcho  lap,  quhen  ther  was  nane  to  let  her. 

Then  on  the  burges  mous  loud  couth  flie  cry, 

Fairweil  lifter,  heir  I  thy  feifl  defy. 

Thy 


James  ii.  1437 — 1460.  113 

Thy  mangery  is  myngit  all  with  cair, 

Thy  gyfe  is  gud,  thy  gane-full  four  as  gall ; 

The  fafhion  of  thy  feris  is  but  fair, 

So  fall  thou  find  heirefterwart  may  fall. 

I  thank  yone  courtyne,  and  yone  parpane  wall, 

Of  my  dcfenfs  now  fra  yon  crewell  beift  ; 

Almichty  God,  keip  me  fra  fie  a  feift. 

Wer  I  into  the  place  that  I  cam  frae^ 
For  weil  nor  wae  I  fould  neir  cum  again." 
With  that  fcho  tuke  her  leif,  and  furth  can  gae, 
Quhyle  throw  the  corn,  quhyle  throw  the  plain, 
Quhen  fcho  was  furth  and  frie,  fche  was  rycht  fain^ 
And  merrylie  linkit  unto  the  mure, 
I  cannot  tell  how  afterwart  fcho  fure. 

But  I  hard  fyne  file  paffit  to  her  den, 

As  warm  as  wow,  fuppofe  it  was  not  grit, 

Full  beinly  ftuffit  was  baith  butt  and  ben, 

With  peis,  and  nuts,  and  beins,  and  ry  and  quheltj 

When  eir  fcho  lykt  fcho  had  eneiich  of  meit, 

In  quiet  and  eife,  withouten  dreid, 

But  till  her  lifter's  feift  nae  mair  fhe  yeid. 

MORALITAS. 

Freindis,  heir  may  ye  find,  will  ye  tak  heid, 

In  this  fable  a  gud  moralitie. 

As  fitchis  myngit  ar  with  noble  feid, 

So  intermellit  is  adverfitie 

With  erdly  joy  ;  fo  that  no  ftait  is  fre 

Without  truble  and  fum  vexatioun  ; 

And  namely  thay  that  clymis  up  mod  he, 

And  nocht  content  of  fmall  poflefiioun. 

Bliffit  be  fymple  lyfe,  withouttin  dreid  ; 
Bliflit  be  fobir  feift  in  quiete  ; 

Vol.  I.  P  Quha 


114  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY 

Quha  lies  enuche,  of  no  moir  hes  he  neid, 
Thocht  it  be  littill  into  quant«te. 
Grit  habowndance,  and  blind  profperite., 
Oft  tymis  maks  ane  evill  conclufioun  ; 
The  fueteft  lyfe,  thairfoir,  in  this  cuntre, 
Is  of  fickernefs,  with  fmall  poffeffioun. 

O  wantoun  man  !  quhilk  ufis  for  to  feid 
Thy  warae,  and  makis  it  a  God  to  be, 
Luke  to  thyfelf,  I  warne  the  weill,  on  deid  ; 
The  cat  cummis,  and  to  the  moufs  hewis  <?. 
Quhat  dois  availl  thy  feift  and  reyelte, 
With  dreidfull  hairt  and  tribulatioun  ? 
Thairfoir  beft  thing  in  erd,  I  fay,  for  me, 
Is  mirry  hairt,  with  fmall  poffeffioun. 

Thy  awin  fyre,  freind,  thocht  it  be  bot  a  gleid. 
It  warmis  weill,  and  is  worth  gold  to  the  : 
And  Salamone  fayis,  and  ye  will  reid, 
Under  the  bevm  I  can  nocht  bettir  fSy 
'Then  ay  he  blyth,  and  leifin  honejie  ; 
Quhairfoir  I  may  conclud  be  this  reflbnn,. 
Of  erdly  joy  it  beiris  moid  degre, 
Blythnefs  in  hairt,  with  fmall  poffeffioun. 


%*  St.  r.  1.  6.  " in  iiihen  fcbaucht"  probably  means "  of  others 

aucht  or  property."  Or,  it  may  mean  "  fkaith,"  from  the  Anglo-faxon 
fcbeatbt,  damage,  lofs ;  and  "  waucht,"  in  the  next  line,  will  then  be 
waith,  waif,  i.  e.  goods  not  claimed,  wreck. 

Page  113.  St.  1.  &.c.  This  ftanza  U  omitted  in  the  Evergnc*.  The 
meaning  of  the  2d  and  3d  lines  feerm  to  be,  "  The  face  of  ycur  affair* 
is  good,  but  your  mouthful,  or  meal,  is  bitter,  from  the  dangers  with 
which  you  are  furrounded  ;  and  the  deportment  of  your  companions  is 
deceitful,  as  you  foon  will  find  to  your  coft."    "  Parpane"  is  partition. 

Page  114.  St.  laft.  "  — -  gleid."  Not  a  temporary  blaze,  as  Lord 
Hailes  explains  it,  but  a  fmall  fire.  "  You  will  find  yourfelf  comforta- 
ble by  the  fide  of  your  own  fire,  though  it  be  a  fmall  one  "  The  word 
is  (till  common  in  this  fenfe. 

ROBENE 


ROBENE  AND  MAKTNE  ;  BY  THE  SAME. 


\This  beautiful illuf  ration  of  the  apophthegm ,  (t  He  that 
will  not  when  he  may,  lhall  not  when  he  would," 
has  been  preferred  in  the  Bannatyne  M.  S.  and  is 
there  afcribed  to  Henryson.  Not  tofpeak  of  its  po- 
etical merit,  it  is  curious  as  being  the  frjl,  and  per- 
haps fill  the  bef  paforal  poem  in  the  Scotti/h  lan- 
guage. It  appears  alfo  to  be  the  ear  lief  example  of  the 
ballad  fanza,  and  of  an  eafy  harmonious  verffica- 
tion  ;  nearly  indeed  without  an  in/lance  of  mif-placed 
emphafis  from  beginning  to  end.  RoBENE  AND  Ma- 
kyne  was  frf  printed  by  Ram  say  in  the  Ever- 
green, and  afterwards  by  Lord  Hailes  ;  not 
without  freedoms  being  ufed  with  it  by  both  Edi- 
tors. It  is  here  given  verbatim  from  the  ancient 
M.  5,] 


I. 


R 


obene  fat  on  gud  grene  hill, 

Keipand  a  flok  of  fie, 
Mirry  Makyne  faid  him  till, 

Robene,  thow  rew  on  me  ; 
I  haif  the  luvit  lowd  and  ftill, 

Thir  yeiris  two  or  thre  ; 
My  dale  in  dern  bot  gif  thow  dill, 

Doutles  bot  dreid  I  de. 

II. 

Robene  anfwerit,  Be  the  rude, 
Na  thing  of  lufe  I  knaw, 

Bot 


Il6  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Bot  keipis  my  fcheip  undir  yone  wud, 

Lo  quhair  thay  raik  on  raw- 
Quhat  hes  marrit  the  in  thy  mudc, 

Makyne,  to  me  thow  fchaw  ; 
Or  quhat  is  luve,  or  to  be  lude  ? 

Faine  wald  I  leir  that  law. 

III. 

At  luvis  lair  gife  thow  will  leir, 

Tak  thair  ane  A,  B,  C  ; 
Be  kynd,  courtas,  and  fair  of  feir, 

Wyfe,  hardy,  and  fie. 
Se  that  no  denger  do  the  deir, 

Quhat  dule  in  dern  thow  dre  ; 
Preifs  the  with  pane  at  all  poweir, 

Be  patient  and  previe. 

IV. 

Robene  anfwerit  her  agane, 

I  wait  nocht  quhat  is  luve, 
Bot  I  haif  mervell  incertaine, 

Quhat  makis  the  this  wanrufe  ; 
The  weddir  is  fair,  and  1  am  fane, 

My  fcheip  go  is  haill  aboif, 
And  we  wald  play  us  in  this  plane, 

Thay  wald  us  bayth  reproif. 

V. 

Robene,  tak  tent  unto  my  taill, 

And  wirk  all  as  I  reid, 
And  thow  fall  haif  my  hairt  all  haill, 

Eik  and  my  madinheid. 
Sen  God  fendis  bute  for  baill, 

And  for  murning  remeid, 
T  dern  with  the  ;  bot  gif  I  daill, 

Dowbtles  I  am  bot  deid. 


VI. 


JAMES  II.  I437 I4^c'.  XI J 


VI. 


Makyne,  to  morne  this  ilk. a  tyde, 

And  ye  will  meit  me  heir, 
Perventure  my  fcheip  ma  gang  befydA 

Quhyll  we  haif  liggit  full  neir  ; 
Bot  maugre  haif  I,  and  I  byd, 

Fra  they  begin  to  fteir  ; 
Quhat  lyis  on  hairt  I  will  nocht  hyd  j 

Makyne,  than  mak  gud  cheir. 

VII. 

Robene,  thou  reivis  me  roifs  and  reft, 

I  luve  bot  the  allone. 
Makyne,  adew,  the  fone  gois  weft, 

The  day  is  neirhaud  gone. 
Robene,  in  dule  I  am  fo  dreft,      ' 

That  lufe  will  be  my  bone. 
Ga  lufe,  Makyne,  quhair  evir  thou  lift, 

For  leman  I  lue  none. 

VIII. 

Robene,  I  ftand  in  lie  a  ftyle 

I  ficht,  and  that  full  fair. 
Makyne,  1  haif  bene  heir  this  quyle, 

At  hame  God  gif  I  wair. 
My  hinny,  Robene,  talk  ane  quhyle, 

Gif  thou  wilt  do  na  mair. 
Makyne,  fum  uthir  man  begyle, 

For  hamewart  I  will  fair. 

IX. 

Robene  on  his  wayis  went, 

As  licht  as  leif  of  tre  ; 
Makyne  murnit  in  her  intent, 

And  trowd  him  nevir  to  fc. 


Robene 


Il8  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Robene  brayd  attour  the  bent  ; 

Than  Makyne  cryit  on  hie, 
Now  ma  thow  fing,  for  I  am  fchent ! 

Quhat  alis  lufe  with  me  ? 

X. 

Makyne  went  hame  withouttin  faill, 

Full  werry  eftir  cowth  weip : 
Than  Robene  in  a  ful-fair  daill 

AfTemblit  all  his  fcheip. 
Be  that  fum  parte  of  Makyne's  ail 

Out-throw  his  hairt  cowd  creip  ; 
He  followit  hir  fail  thair  till  affaill, 

And  till  her  tuke  gude  keep. 

XI. 

Abyd,  abyd,  thou  fair  Makyne, 

A  word  for  ony  thing  ; 
For  all  my  luve  it  fall  be  thyne, 

Withouttin  departing. 
All  haill  !   thy  harte  for  till  haif  rnyne, 

Is  all  my  cuvating  ; 
My  fcheip  to  morn,  quhill  houris  nyne, 

Will  neid  of  no  keping. 

XII. 

Robene,  thou  hes  hard  foung  and  fay, 

In  geftis  and  floreis  auld, 
The  man  that  will  not  quhen  he  may> 

Sail  haif  nocht  quhen  he  wald. 
I  pray  to  Jefu  every  day, 

Mot  eik  thair  cairis  cauld, 
That  firft  preiflis  with  the  to  play, 

Be  firth,  forreft,  or  fawld. 


XIII. 


JAMES   II.    I437 — 1460.  II9 


xin. 


Makyne,  the  nicht  is  foft  and  dry, 

The  wedder  is  vvarme  and  fair, 
And  the  grene  woud  rycht  neir  us  by 

To  walk  attour  all  quhair  : 
Thair  ma  na  janglour  us  efpy, 

That  is  to  lufe  contrair  ; 
Thair  in,  Makyne,  bath  ye  and  I, 

Unfeae  we  ma  repair. 

XIV. 

Robene,  that  warld  is  all  away, 

And  quyt  brocht  till  ane  end, 
And  nevir  again  thereto  perfay, 

Sail  it  be  as  thou  wend  ; 
For  of  my  pane  thou  maide  it  play, 

And  all  in  vane  1  fpend  : 
As  thou  lies  done,  fa  fall  I  fay, 

Murne  on,  I  think  to  mend. 

XV. 

Makyne,  the  howp  of  all  my  heill, 

My  hairt  on  the  is  fett, 
And  evir  mair  to  the  be  leill, 

Quliile  I  may  leif  but  lett ; 
Nevir  to  faill,  as  utheris  faill, 

Quhat  grace  that  evir  I  gett. 
Robene,  with  the  I  will  not  deill ; 

Adew,  for  thus  we  mett. 

XVI. 

Makyne  went  hame  blyth  anewche, 

Attoure  the  holtis  hair  ; 
Robene  murnit,  and  Makyne  lewche ; 

Scho  fang,  he  fichit  fair  : 


And 


120  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

And  fo  left  him,  bayth  wo  and  wreuch, 

In  dolour  and  in  cair, 
Kepand  his  hird  under  a  huche, 

Amang  the  holtis  hair. 


*0*  St.  1. 1.  a.  Flock  of  Jit.  Fie  or  fa,  means  here  fheep,  from  the  An- 
glo-Saxon Feeb,  cattle.     Hailes. 

St.  1. 1.  7-  "  My  dulc  in  dern  bot  gi/tbotv  dill."  The  word  dill,  daill, 
ieill,  meant  Jbare.  The  fenfe  is,  "  Unlefs  thou  fbare  my  fecret  woe  ;" 
i.  e.  unlefs  you  return  love  for  lovtf.     H. 

St.  a.  1.  4.  "  Raik  on  raw."  Roam  or  extend  themfelves  in  a  row  ; 
as  the  manner  of  fheep  is  while  pafturing.  A  Jteef-raii,  and  a  Jbcep- 
toali,  are  fynonymous.     H. 

St.  3.  1.  3.  "  Fair  of feir."  The  word  fdr  has  various  fignification* ; 
as,  fear,  companion,  countenance.  I  think  that  it  is  here  taken  in  the 
fignification  laft  mentioned.  The  word  iv^fe  in  the  next  line  mult  be 
pronounced  as  a  diffyllable ;  and  the  word  lardy,  like  the  French  bardi, 
with  the  accent  on  the  laft  fyllable.     H. 

..  k  6.  "  Qubat  dulc  in  dern  tbtrw  dre  **  Whatever  forrow  or 
diftrefs  you  may  endure  in  fecret.  The  w<  rd  drc  is  flill  ufed  with  us  ; 
as,  «•  It  is  ill  to  die."    "  To  drc  penance,"  &c.     H. 

St.  4. 1.  4.  *'  Qnhat  makis  the  this  xvanrvfe."  The  A.  S.  privative 
is  vcait,  and  rcw  is  order :  fo  that  the  word  means  diforder.  What  is  it 
that  occafions  fuch  difturbance  in  your  mind  ?     H. 

■  i  1.  7.  8.     Were  we  to  amufe  curie  Ives  in  the  plain,  while  the 

fheep  roam  on  the  fide  of  the  hill,  they  would  be  neglected,  and  that 
n>.gle<3  would  turn  to  our  reproach. — To  fuppofe  that  the  fheep  them- 
felves wouid  cenfurc,  is  an  idea  too  refined  for  the  limited  apprehen- 
fions of  Robene.     H.  » 

St.  5. 1.  7.  "  Idem  -with  the,  bot gif  I  daill."  We  watch  together ; 
we  arc  alone ,  unlefs  I  fhare  of  your  ravour,  1  am  loft. — This  feems  to 
b;  the  import  of  the  expreffion.     H. 

St.  9.  1.  5.  "  Robene  brayd  attour  tbe  bent."  Haftily  traverfed  the 
ground  overgrown  with  rufhes,  or  coarfe  grafs.  The  expreffion  in 
Englifh  which  moft  nearly  refembles  this,  is,  "  Strode  along  the  brake." 

Sr  16.  1.  8.  "  Amangis  the  holtis  hair."  It  is  rafiy  gair  in  the 
Evergreen  ;  for  no  better  rtafon,  than  that  holtis  hair  was  in  1.  a.  of  the 
ftai.za,  and  that  the  publifher  faw  an  impropriety  in  the  repetition.  If 
I  nuftake  not,  Loltit  bair  means  tbe  bleak  uplands.  There  feems  no  fenfe 
ia  boary  ivoodtt  which  is  the  literal  interpretation  ci  the  phrafe.     H. 

PEBL1& 


OBSERVATIONS  RELATIVE  TO  THE  TRUE  XRA  AND  AU- 
THOR OF  THE  TWO  POEMS  CALLED,  PEBLIS  AT  THE 
PLAY,  AND  CHRIST'S  KIRK  ON  THE  GREEN. 


\A  variety  of  opinions  prevails  with  regard  to  the 
author,  or  authors  of  thefe  two  Poems.  "The  only  copy 
of  Peblis  at  the  play,  that  has  been  handed  down 
from  ancient  to  modern  times,  is  that  in  the  Maitland 
Colle&ion  ;  and  no  author's  name  is  mentioned.  But 
Major  in  his  hi/lory  of  Scotland  celebrates  James  I.  as 
a  compofer  of  Scottiffj  Songs,  and  particularly  mentions 
h  plea f ant  and  ingenious  fong  beginning,  At  Beltayne. 
And  Dr  Percy,  the  difcov'erer  of  Peblis  at  the  Play, 
happening  to  remark  that  it  began  with  the  fame  two 
words,  immediately  pronounced  it  to  be  the  fong  afcribed 
hy  Major  to  James  I. ;  and  it  was  foon  after  publifhed 
as  fuch  by  Mr  Pinkerton— Mr  Tytler  is  inclined  to 
concur  in  this  opinion,  chiefly  becaufe  the  language  re- 
fembles  that  of  Christ's  kirk  on  the  Green. 

Of  Christ's  Kirk,  two  ancient  copies  have  been  pre- 
served §  one  in  the  MaitlanD  M.  S.,  having  no  au- 
thor's name  ;  and  another  in  the  Bannatyne  M.  S., 
with  this fubfcription,  "  Quod  King  JaMEs  the  I."  Mr 
Tytler  relies  implicitly  on  this  authority.  Mr  Pin- 
kerton gives  the  poem  to  James  I.  from  the  flyle  being 
fimilar  to  Peblis  Play  :  "  /  do  not  found"  fays  he,  "  on 
"  the  authority  of  the  Bannatyne  M.  S-  for  in  the 
**  next  poem,  fave  one,  it  palpably  puts  James  the  I.  for 
•'  James  the  IV.  or  perhaps  V."  Bifhop  Gibson, 
however,  and  others  after  him,  have  pubhfjed  this  poem 
as  the  work  of  James  V.  but  without  any  authority 
whatever.     And  lqjllyf  the  learned  and  accurate  Lord 

Vol.  I.  Q^  Hail.es, 


122  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Hailes,  in  his  Notes  on  the  flatutes  of  James  I.  take* 
occajion  to  offer  the  following  remarks  on  this  fubjetl  : 

**  Upon  the  fuppajition  that  James  I.  was  the  author 
tf  of  Chrift's  Kirk  on  the  Green,  there  will  he  found 
"  in  that  poem  feveral  fevere  farcafms  again/l  the  Scot- 
"  tijh  Commons  for  their  unfkilfulnefs  in  the  art  of 
•'  archery  ;  the  following  pajfage  is  the  mofl  charaSfer- 
"  iflical : 

"  A  yaip  young  man,  &c."     Stanza  nth. 

"  'The  reader  will  obferve  that  I  fpeak  doubtfully  of 
"  James  I.  being  the  author  of  Chrift's  Kirk  on  the 
"  Green.  Allan  Ramsay,  in  his  edition  in  1724,  fays 
"  that  '  it  is  taken  from  an  old  manufcript  colleclion  of 
"poems  written  {50  years  ago,  where  it  is  found  that 
"  James,  the  firfl  of  that  name.  King  of  Scots,  was  the 
**  author  ;  thought  to  be  wrote  while  that  brave  and 
**  learned  prince  was  unfortunately  kept  prifoner  in  Eng- 
"  land  by  Henry  V.'  The  authority  of  a  M.  S.  writ- 
"  ten  about  1570,  more  than  a  century  after  the  death 
"  of  James  I.,  proves  nothing.  Both  Bellenden  and 
"  Major  report  that  James  I.  wrote  verfes.  Major 
f  has  preferred  the  firfl  words  of  fame  of  his  poems  ; 
"  (only  two-,  At  Beltane,  and  Yas  fen  ;)  but  neither  of 
"  them  fay  any  thing  of  Chrift's  Kirk  on  the  Green  ; 
"  which,  however,  was  a  great  and  voluminous  work  for 
*'  thofe  days.  That  James  I.  wrote  this  poem  during 
"  his  captivity,  ("or  even  after  it,  his  Lordfliip  might 
"  have  added,^)  is  exceedingly  improbable.  Educated 
"from  his  early  youth  in  England,  he  could  not  be  ac~ 
"  quainted  with  the  manners  of  the  Scottifh  Commons, 
"  nor  with  the  language  of  the  vulgar.  The  nth  line, 
"  where  mention  is  made  of  Peblis  at  the  Play,  feems  to 
0t  relate  to  a  more  modern  (era  than  that  of  James  I. 

"  Bifhop 


JAMES  II.  I437— 1460.  123 

{t  Bijhop  Gibson,  in  his  edition  in  1691,  and  the  pu- 
"  blijher  of  Gavin  Douglas's  Virgil  in  17 10,  attri- 
4i  Bute  the  poem  to  James  V." 

Here  it  mujl  be  ohferved,  that  Major  wrote  his  his- 
tory near  a  hundred  years  after  the  time  of  James  I.  ; 
therefore,  his  ipfe  dixit  can  no  more  of  certain  the  author 
of  At  Beltayne,  than  the  Bannatyne  Manufcript  can 
afcertain  the  author  q/Chrift's  Kirk.  Bejides,  it  might 
eqfily  happen  that  more  than  one  fong  or  poemjhouldbe-  > 
gin  with  thefe  two  words  j  for  At  Beltayne  means 
V  On  May-day." 

If  then,  the  authority  of  the  Bannatyne  M.  S.  proves 
nothing  with  regard  to  the  author  o/"Chrift's  Kirk,  and 
z/*Peblis  Play,  may,  or  may  not  be  the  fong  afcribcd  by 
Majors  James  I.,  the  quejiion  as  to  the  author  of 
both  poems  is  yet  undecided.  In  conformity,  however, 
with  the  opinions  of  Mr  Tytler  and  Mr  Pinkerton, 
itfhallhere  be  taken  for  granted  that  they  were  written 
Igy  the  fame  perfon. 

Had  Lord  Hailes  written  thefe  Notes  after  the  dif 
tovery  and  publication  of  Peblis  Play,  it  is  highly  pro- 
bable he  would  hav£  obferved  fame  internal  marks  of  its 
having  been  compofed  either  in,  or  very  foon  after  the 
year  1457.  For  the  *joth  AB  of  J  AMES  II.  made  in 
that  year,  contains  the  following  regulations  refpetling 
womens  apparel :  •*  That  the  wives  and  daughters  of 
"  men  living  in  burr  owes  and  of  landwart,  fould  not 
t(  wear  fumptuous  claithing,  but  be  abuilzied  in  manner 
"  correfpondent  to  thair  eflait  :  that  is  to  fay,  on  their 
**  heads  Jhort  curchies,  with  little  hudet,  as  are  ufed  in 
"  Flanders,  England,  and  uther  cuntrus  ;  and  that  na 
f<  woman  come  to  kirk  nor  mercat  with  her  face  muffal- 
"  ed  or  covered,  thatjhe  may  not  be  kend,  under  pain  of 

<«  efcheit 


124  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

*'  efcheit  of  the  curchieP  Now,  the  fecond  and  thh'ct 
flanzas  of  the  poem  feem  ohvioujly  to  refer  to  this  ve- 
ry curious  AB.  One  of  the  maidens y  when  drejjing  for 
Beltayne  fair,  or  May -day,  is  reprefented  as  being  a- 
fraid  to  fuffer  the  ends  of  her  tippet  or  neck-curchie  to 
hang  down,  or  even  to  be  tied  behind  her  back  ;  Jhe  af- 
fo  complains  of  being  fun-burnt,  from  want  of  muffal- 
ing,  or  a  proper  covering  for  her  face  :  And  we  find 
another  young  woman  propojing,  in  obedience  to  this 
flatute,  to  provide  herfelf  with  a  hude  ;  an  article  of 
dr  eft,  from  the  particular  manner  in  which  it  is  defer  ib 
ed  in  the  AB  of  Parliament*  certainly  then  unknown  in 
Scotland.  If  therefore,  thefe  two  Jlanxas  have  any 
meaning  at  all,  it  mujl  be  in  allufion  to  this  AB  ;  no  o- 
ther  of  our  fumptuary  laws,  in  any  fubfequent  period, 
defcending  tofuch  minute  particulars.  And,  if  Scotland, 
at  that  time,  could  boajl  of  a  poet  who  had  any  talent 
for  ridicule,  accompanied  with  a  turn  for  cbfervation 
of  public  affairs,  thefe  two  Jlanzas  of  Peblis  Play  are 
cxaBly  what  might  be  expeBed  from  his  pen  on  fuch  an 
occafon  ;  with  the  fear,  however,  of  fuch  a  decifve 
Prince  as  James  II.  before  his  eyes. 

There  is  no  neceffity  for  fuppofng  with  Lord  Hailes 
that  the  word  **  Play"  muji  refer  to  fome  eera,  compa- 
ratively modern.  The  'word,  at  that  time,  certainly 
■meant  any  kind  of  merry-making.  And  accordingly,  we 
find  from  flanza  gth,  that  the  play  alluded  to  in  the  ti- 
tle or  burthen,  was  no  other  than  the  fports  of  May- 
day. Be/ides,  three  other  plays  were  then  commonly 
performed  at  fairs,  viz.  Robin  Hude,  Little  John,  and 
the  Abbot  of  Un-reafon  :  all  of  whi-ch,  in  the  courfe  of 
time,  became  nuifances  ;  for,  by  AB  61  of  Queen  Mary, 
diino  1555,  they  were  prohibited  under  fevere  penalties  } 
particularly,  "  gif  ony  women,  or  uthers,  r.bout  fummer 
\(  tt'ee'if  fingis  and  makis  perturbation  tv  the  $$4t€ett4  lieges 

"  in 


JAMES  II.  I437 1460.  125 

*'  in  burrcwesor  landivart  towns,  the  women  perturbatours, 
%t  for  Jkuifrie  of  money,  or  other-wife,  fall  be  taken,  handled, 
u  and  put  upon  the  cuck-fules  of  the  towne,  £jV."  Any  of 
thfe  games  performed  at  Beltane  Fair,  would  naturally  be 
called  Peblis  Play.  //  was  then  the  great,  and  only  hiring 
day  for  Jcrvants  in  that  quarter  of  the  country  :  the  fair 
at  Selkirk  in  March,  and  that  at  Hawick  in  May,  not  ha- 
ving been  eflablijhed,  even  in  1599^  as  appears  from  an  E- 
dinburgh  kalendar  for  that  year,    "  prentit  by  Robert 

SiMYTH."* 

More  particularly  as  to  Christ's  Kirk,  (which,  by  the 
bye,  was  the  name  of  the  monajlery  o/*Red  Fryars  at  Pe- 
blis,) it  appears  evidently  from  fanza  ifl  to  have  been  writ- 
ten after  the  other  poem,  but  probably  within  a  year  or  two, 
The  one  poem  ferns  partly,  intended  to  ridicule  the  fumptuary 
flatute  above  mentioned  ;  and  it  is  natural  to  imagine  that 
the  other  might  be  occafoned  by,  or  have  fame  aUufwn  to  Acf 
6\  of  the  fame  Parliament  1457.  James  I.  in  14*4, 
and  1425,  had  pnjfed  two  Acls  recommending  the  prac- 
tice of  archery,  but  both  of  them  were  exprejfed  in  very  ge- 
neral terms  ;  an  J  on  that  account  were  probably  not  much 
attended  to.  But  thiifatute  of  14  57  goes  into  a  particular 
detail,  and  enr.cls,  "  That  fute  ball  and  golf e  be  utterly  cry- 
"  ed  down  ;  that  the  bono- marks  be  made  ;  at  ilk  paroche 
**  a  pair  of  buttes  ;  that  ilk  man  fchut  f.vfchottes  af  the 
(t  leaf,  under  the  pain  of  them  that  c  11  mm  is  not,  at  the  leaf 

"  iwa 

*  LIST  OF  ALL  THE  FAIRS  HELD  IN  SCOTLAND  IN  1599. 
In  January.  Glafgow. — February,  none, — March,  St  Mananis,  Dunbar- 
<on,  Langton,  Weft  Weniyfs. — Sprit,  none. — May,  Peebles,  Kinnocbar. 
—  Jum,  Lauder,  St  Johnftoun. — July  Linlithgow,  Pittcnweem,  Cupar 
in  Fife,  Lanark,  Auld  Roxburgh. — Avguft,  Innerleithen,  St  Andrews, 
Dunbarton,  Selkirk,  Dunblane,  Dundee,  Linlithgow,  Kincairn  of  Neil 
St  Johnftoun. — September,  Striviling,  Dundee,  Jedburgh,  Craii!,  Linlith- 
gow, Haddington,  Lcflie,  Air. —  Qdiber ,  Aiton  in  the  Mers,  Peebles 
Lauder,  Kinrofs, Rugland. — November,  Edinburgh,  Falkland,  Dunbar, 
Cupar  in  Fife,  ritmikon,  Dunfeitniing,  St  Andrews,  St  Johnftoun,  Pee- 
bles, Chirnfide.— J)eitrr.b:r,  Aberdeen,  Wiil  \Vcwyf». 


Il6  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

"  twa  pennies,  to  be  given  to  them  that  cummis  to  the  bow~' 
te  marks,  to  drink.  And  that  there  be  a  bower  and  afied- 
w  gear  in  ilk  towne  ;  and  that  the  toivne  fhall  furnifh  them 
"  with  fuffcient  Jlitff  and  graithy  after  as  neids  them  ts 
u  ferve  the  cuntrie.  tefc."  Before  the  pajfing  of  this  Aclt 
•where  the  penalty  is  altered  from  a  wedder  to  twa  pennies, 
it  would  appear  that  archerie  was  not  commonly,  if  at  allufed 
by  the  peafantry  of  Scotland  at  their  merty  makings  ;  even 
the  bow-marks,  appointed  by  former  Acls,  had  never  yet  been 
Jet  up.  At  any  rate,  they  feem  not  to  have  been  originally 
intended  for  the  common  people,  but  for  fuch,  as  could  afford 
to  pay  the  fine  of  a  wedder  in  cafe  of  ab fence. 

A  farther  proof  of  this  may  be  drawn  from  AB  $6,  an- 
no 1456,  which  ordains,  "  that  all  manner  of  men,  betwixt 
*K  fextie  and  fexteene,  be  reddie  te  come  to  the  bordures  and 
"  defend  the  land,  quhen  any  wittering  cummis  of  the  in- 
"  cumming  of  a  great  Englifh  hoaji.  But  that  na  puir 
"  many  nor  unarmed  be  charged  to  come  to  anie  raides  in 
"  England.  And  that  ilk  man  that  his  gudes  extendis  to 
Cl  twentie  marks,  (at  that  time  about  ten  pounds  Eng- 
*  lifti  money),  be  bodin  at  leajl  with  a  jack,  (a  coat  of 
"  mail  in  form  of  a  doublet,)  with  fleeveSy  (armour.) 
"  to  the  hand,  or  fplents.  and  ane  pricked  hat,  a  fiuord  and 
u  a  buckler,  a  bow  and  a  fchaijfe,  (quiver,)  gif  he  can 
'*  get  it ;  and  gif  he  cannot,  to  have  an  axe  and  ane  terge, 
"  Zsfc.'''  Probably  it  was  foon  found  that  bows  and  arrows 
were  not  to  be  got,  even  by  the  wealthy  yeomen  ;  and  that  cir- 
cum fiance,  no  doubt,  produced  in  the  following  year,  Act  64, 
which  ordains  that  there fhould  be  a  bower  and  fedgear  in 
ilk  head  town  of  the  fchire,  &C.  Before  this  time,  there- 
fore, it  is  very  improbable  that  fuch  a  poem  as  Christ's  Kirk 
could  be  at  all  compofed  ,  particularly,  with  a  view,  as  Mr 
TYTLER  contends,  to  encourage  the  praclice  of  Archery  by 
force  of  ridicule.  For,  what  poffible  effecl  could  a  fiu 
good-natured  farcaftm  contained  in  any  poem  produce  among 

a 


james  ii.  1437 — 1460.  127 

a  barbarous  peafantry,  who  could  neither  read  nor  writ? — 
feventy  years  even  before  an  A3' was  made,  ordaining  burins 
*nd  freeholders  offubfiance,  to  put  their  eldefl  (not  alt  their') 
fons  to  grammar  fchools  ;  and  near  a  hundred  years  before 
printed  books  were  known  in  the  counti  y  ?  No  fuch  poems 
could  at  that  time  be  written  fur  the  ufe  of  the  common  peo- 
ple. But  now.  that  the  ufe  of  fire-arms  was  beginning  to 
be  knowfiy  a  fatyrical  poet  might  conceive  archery,  and  this 
Acl  of  Parliament  refpe cling  it,  to  be  Jubjecls  proper  enough 
for  a  little  innocent  ridicule.  He  mighty  however,  think  it 
advifable  to  conceal  his  name. 

Here  a  circumflance  is  worthy  of  notict,  that  the 
name  of  James  I.  is  not  recorded  among  other  Scottifb 
poets,  either  by  Dunbar  in  his  Lament  for  the  Death  of 
the  Makers ;  or  by  Gawin  Douglas  in  his  Palace  of 
Honour  ;  or  David  Lindsay  in  his  Fapingo.  Tet  we 
cannot  fuppofe  thefe  poets  to  have  been  unacquainted  with  the 
poems  under  confi deration.  Lindsay  knew  at  leajl  one  of 
them  ;  for  in  his  interlude  of  Humanitie  and  Senfualitie, 
he  makes  Solace  mention  the  burthen, 

My  purchefs  is  not  worth  ane  prene, 
I  may  fing  Peblis  on  the  Green. 

Probably  they  believed  them  to  be  the  compofttions  of  fome  9- 
ther  perfon.  One  might  alfo  have  expebled  to  findfome  al- 
lufion  to  them  in  the  works  of  King  James  VI.  if  he  had 
known  them  to  be  the  produclions  of  his  ancejlor. 

Thus  there  feems  not  to  be  ajhadow  of  proof  that  either  of 
thefe  two  poems  was  written  by  James  I. — On  the  contra- 
ry i  they  bear  evident  marks  of  having  been  written  about 
14  J7 -1 460,  which  is  the  principal  point  to  be  afcertained. 
And  this  brings  the  queflion,  as  to  the  true  author,  into  nar- 
row bounds.  Only  four  poets,  of  whofe  works  we  now  have 
any  knowledge,  fiutrijhed  about  that    time:    Holland* 

Clerk 


11%  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    r(»ETR?. 

Clerk  of  Tranent,  Blind  Harry,  and  Henryson* 
The  bare  mention  of  thefe  names  mufl  immediately  lead  the 
attention  of  any  one  converfant  in  ancient  Scottj/h  poetry  U 
the  fatyrical  and  facetious  Henryson,  the  only  one  of  the 
four  {and  indeed,  the  only  poet  luho  had  hitherto  appeared 
in  Scotland}  in  the  leajl  qualified  to  write  fuch  poems  ; — 
*'  afabulijl"  fays  a  modern  hijiorian  of  Scotland,  "  lukofe 
•*  fables  are  not  unworthy  of  Esop  or  of  Phaedrus  ;  a 
"  pafioral poet  ivho  wrote  in  an  infinitely  truer  tajle  than 
**  that  of  the  contemporary  Italians  ;  whofe  Robene  and 
*'  Makyne  alone  is  fujficient  to  rank  him  very  high  among 
**  the  mrfl  eminent  pnjloral  poets  of  the  mojl  illujlrious  po- 
*(  ctical  ages?'' 

To  that  pnjloral  in  particular,  thefe  two  poems  bear  a  con' 
fiderable  refemblance  in  naivete  of  manner,  and  fmoothnefs 
«f  verification — very  rare  qualities  at  that  time.  They\ 
moreover,  contain  a  variety  of  words  and  phrafes  that  are 
almofi  peculiar  to  Henryson  ;  for  example,  lyre  was  like 
the  lily,  occurs  in  the  Tejlament  of  Crejfeid,  where  we  a/fo 
find  "  fire  of  flint,  fhill,  &c."  Janglour,  in  a  particular 
fenfe,  in  Robene  and  Makyne  ;  hofleit,  difponed,  with 
bales  beit,  firth  and  forreft,  in  Age  and  youth  ;  he  him 
(J.  e.  himfclf)  avyfit,  in  the  Poem  againjl  the  Tatlers  ;  fey- 
jnen,  or  fiemen  for  Jhepherds,  in  Robene  and  Makyne  ; 
heme  and  byre,  in  the  Wolf  and  Lamb,  &c. 

Laflly,  if  Henryson  thought  it  neceffary  or  prudent  to 
conceal  his  name  as  the  author,  we  may  almofi  be  afjurcd 
that  his  fori  the  Lord  Juftice  Clerk  would  not  divulge  it  ; 
or,  indeed,  give  any  countenance  to  poems  that  had  the  leaf 
tendency  either  to  ridicule  the  laws  of  the  country,  or  to  damp 
the  ardour  for  voluntary  exercife  of  arms.  But  this  gallant 
lawyer,  with  his  eldejl  fon,  lofing  their  lives  in  the  battle  of 
Flowden  in  1513,  with  them,  ptjfibly,  all  knowledge  of  the 
true  author  might  be  lojl."} 

PEBLIS 


JEBLIS   TO    THE   PLAT. 


*$he  twofirfl  words  of  this  poem  feem  equivalent  to  ie  On 
May  day."  Major  reports  about  1520,  that  a  Jong, 
beginning  with  the  fame  mark  of  time,  was  written  by 
James  I.  The  only  antient  copy  of  Peblis  to  the  Play 
appears  anonymously  in  the  Maitland  MS. ;  although, 
on  other  occajions,  the  tranfcriber  is  remarkably  careful 
in  fubjoining  the  names  of  the  reputed  authors ,  and  had 
alfo  the  very  befl  means  of  information.  I  therefore 
fufpetl  it  is  not  the  fong  mentioned  by  Major  ;  or,  even 
although  it  were,  that  he  was  mis-informed  with  refpeB 
to  the  author.  Itfeems  rather,  from  internal  evidence, 
to  have  been  written  fame  time  after  the  year  1457,  as 
fhall  be  more  particularly  mentioned  in  the  notes. 


I. 

XIlT  Beltane,  quhen  ilk  bodie  bownis 

To  Peblis  to  the  Play, 

To  heir  the  fingin  and  the  foundis, 

The  folace,  futh  to  fay  ; 

Be  firth  and  forreft  furth  they  found  j 

Thay  graythit  tham  full  gay  ; 

God  wait  that  wald  they  do  that  flound, 

For  it  was  their  feift  day, 

Thay  faid. 
Of  Peblis  to  the  play. 

II. 
All  the  wenchis  of  the  weft 
War  up  or  the  cok  crew ; 
For  reiling  thair  micht  na  man  reft, 
For  garray,  and  for  glew  ; 
Ane  faid  my  curches  ar  nocht  preft  ; 
Than  anfwerit  Meg  full  blew, 

Vol.  I  R  To 


j 30  CHRONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  POETRV. 

To  get  an  hude,  I  hald  it  bell ; 
Be  Goddis  faull  that  is  true, 

Quod  fcho,  &c, 

III. 

$he  tuik  the  tippet  be  the  end, 
To  lat  it  hing  fcho  leit  not ; 
Quod  arte,  thy  bak  fall  beir  ane  bend 
In  faith,  quod  fhe,  we  meit  not. 
Scho  was  fo  guckit,  and  fo  gend, 
That  day  ane  byt  fcho  eit  nocht ; 
Than  fpak  hir  fallowis  that  hir  kend. 
Be  ftill,  my  joy,  and  greit  not 

Now,  &c« 

IV. 

Evir  allace,  than  faid  fcho, 

Am  I  nocht  cleirlie  tynt  ? 

I  dar  nocht  cum  yon  mercat  to, 

I  am  fo  evil  fone-brint. 

Amang  yon  merchands  Maj-drejlfo  t 

Marie  !  I  fall  anis  mynt — 

Stand  of  far,  and  keik  thaim  to  ; 

As  I  at  hame  was  wynt, 

Quod  fcho,  &c. 

V. 

Hop-Calye,  and  Cardronow 
Gaderit  out  thik-fald, 
With  Hey  and  How  rohumbelovj  ; 
The  young  folis  were  full  bald. 
The  bygpyp  blew,  and  thai  out  threw 
Out  of  the  townis  untald. 

Lord  fie  ane  fchout  was  thame  amang, 

Quhen  thai  were  our  the  wald 
r  Thair  weft,  &c, 

VI. 


jamus  n.  1437— J46o.  I3I 

VI. 

Ane  young  man  itert  in  to  that  fteid, 
Als  cant  as  ony  colt,  . 

Ane  birkin  hat  upon  his  held, 
With  ane  bow  and  ane  bolt ; 
Said,  mirrie  madinis,  think  not  lang ; 
The  wedder  is  fair  and  fmolt. 
He  cleikit  up  ane  hie  ruf  fang, 
Th air  Jure  ane  man  to  the  holt, 

Quod  he,  See. 


vir. 

Thay  had  nocht  gane  half  of  the  gait 
Quhen  the  madinis  come  upon  thame, 

til  •  c   i_*  r  •*. 

11k  ane  man  gait  his  conlait, 
How  at  thai  wald  difpone  thame  : 
Ane  faid,  The  faireft  fallis  me, 
Tak  ye  the  laif  and'fone  thame. 
Ane  uther  faid,  Wys  me  '  lat  be 
On  Twee  ell  fyd  ;  and  on  thame 

Swyth,  &.c. 

.    VIII. 

Than  he  to  ga,  and  fcho  to  ga, 
And  never  ane  bad  abyd  you  : 
Ane  winklot  fell  and  her  taill  np  ; 
Wow,  quod  Malkin,  hyd  yow  ; 
Quhat  neidis  you  to  maik  it  fua  ? 
Yon  man  will  not  ourryd  you. 
Ar  ye  owr  gude,  quod  fcho,  I  fay, 
To  lat  thame  gang  befayd  yow 

Yonder,  &c. 

Than  thai  come  to  the  town  endis 
Withouttin  more  delai, 


He 


131  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

He  befoir,  and  fcho  befoir, 

To  fee  quha  was  maift  gay. 

All  that  lukit  thame  upon 

Leuche  fad  at  thair  array  : 

Sum  faid  that  thai  were  merkat  folk ; 

Sum  faid  the  Quene  of  May 

Was  cumit,  &.c. 

X. 

Than  thai  to  the  taverne  hous 
With  meikle  oly  prance  ; 
Ane  fpak  wi  wourdis  wonder  crous, 
A  done  with  ane  mifchance  ! 
Braid  up  the  burde,  he  byddis,  tyt ; 
We  ar  all  in  ane  trance — 
Se  that  our  napre  be  quhyt, 
For  we  will  dyn  and  daunce, 

Thair  out,  &e. 

XI. 

Ay  as  the  gudwyf  brocht  in, 

Ane  fcorit  upon  the  wauch. 

Ane  bad  pay,  ane  ither  faid,  nay, 

Byd  quhill  we  rakin  our  lauch. 

The  gud  wyf  faid,  Have  ye  na  dreid  j 

Ye  fall  pay  at  ye  aucht. 

Ane  young  man  flart  upon  his  feit, 

And  he  began  to  lauche 

For  heydin,  &c. 

XII. 

Ke  gat  ane  trincheour  in  his  hand, 
And  he  began  to  compt ; 
Ilk  man  twa  and  ane  happenie, 
To  pay  thus  we  war  wount. 
Ane  uther  ftert  upon  his  feit, 

And 


james  ii.  1437 — 14^°«  *33 

And  faid  thow  art  our  blunt 
To  tak  fie  office  upoun  haud ; 
Be  God  thow  fervite  ane  dunt 

Of  me,  8cc. 

XIII. 

Ane  dunt,  quod  he,  quhat  dewil  is  that  ?  ' 
Be  God  yow  dar  not  du'd. 
He  flert  till  ane  broggit  ftauf, 
Wincheand  as  he  war  woode. 
All  that  hous  was  in  an  reirde ; 
Ane  cryit,  *  The  halie  rude  ! 
*  Help  us  Lord  upon  this  erde 
'  That  thair  be  fpilt  no  blude, 

*  Heirin,  &c. 

XIV. 

Thay  thrang  out  at  the  dure  at  anis 

Withouttin  ony  reddin  ; 

Gilbert  in  ane  guttar  glayde, 

He  gat  na  better  beddin. 

Thair  wes  not  ane  of  thame  that  day 

Wald  do  ane  utheris  biddin. 

Thai  1  by  lay  thre  and  threttie  fum, 

Thrunland  in  ane  midding 

Off  draff,  &c. 

XV. 

Ane  cadgear  on  the  mercat  gait 

Hard  thame  bargane  begin  ; 

He  gaiff  ane  fchout,  his  wyff  came  out ; 

Scantlie  fcho  micht  ourhye  him  : 

He  held,  fcho  drew,  for  duft  that  day 

Micht  na  man  fe  ane  ftyme 

To  red  thame,  &c. 

XVI. 


134  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

XVI. 

He  ftert  to  his  greit  gray  meir, 
And  of  he  tumblit  the  creilis. 
Alace,  quod  fcho,  hald  our  gude  man  : 
And  on  hir  knees  fcho  knelis. 
Abjd,  quod  fcho  ;  why  nay,  quod  he, 
In  till  his  ftirrapis  he  lap  ; 
The  girding  brak,  and  he  flew  of, 
And  upftart  bayth  his  heilis 

At  anis,  &c. 

XVII. 

His  wyf  came  out,  and  gaif  ane  fchout, 

And  be  the  fute  fcho  gat  him  ; 

All  bedirtin  drew  him  out ; 

Lord  God  !  richt  weil  that  fat  him  ! 

He  faid,  Quhair  is  yon  culroun  knaif  ? 

Quod  fcho,  I  reid  ye  lat  him 

Gang  hame  his  gaites.     Be  God,  quod  he, 

I  fall  anis  have  at  him 

Yit,  &c. 

xvni. 

Ye  fylit  me,  fy  for  fchame  !  quod  fcho  : 

Se  as  ye  have  dreft  me  ; 

How  feil  ye,  fchir  ?   *'  Has  my  girdin  brak  ? 

*'  Quhat  meikle  devil  may  left  me  ! — 

**  I  wait  nocht  weil  quhat  it  wes — 

**  My  awin  gray  meir  that  keft  me  ; 

«'  Or  gif  I  wes  forfochtin  faynt, 

"  And  fyn  lay  doun  to  reft  me 

"  Yonder,  &c." 

XIX. 

Be  that  the  bargan  was  all  playit 
The  ftringis  ftert  out  of  thair  nokks  ; 

Sevin- 


JAMES   II.    I437 — 1460.  I35 

Sevin-fum  that  the  tulye  maid, 

Lay  gruffling  in  the  ftokks. 

John  Jakfoun  of  the  Nether-warde 

Had  lever  have  giffin  an  ox, 

Or  he  had  cuming  in  that  cumpanie, 

He  fware  be  Goddifokkis, 

And  mannis  bayth,  &c. 

XX. 

With  that  Will  Swane  come  fueitand  out, 

Ane  meikle  miller  man  ; 

Gif  I  fall  dance,  have  donn  ;  lat  fe — 

Blaw  up  the  bagpyp  than, 

The  fchamon's  dance  I  mon  begin  ; 

I  trow  it  fall  not  pane. 

So  hevelie  he  hochit  about 

To  fe  him,  Lord,  as  thai  ran 

That  tyd,  &c. 

XXI. 

Thay  gadderit  out  of  the  toun 
And  neirar  him  thai  dreuche  ; 
Ane  bade  gif  the  daunfaris  rowme, 
Will  Swane  makis  wounder  teuche. 
Than  all  the  wenfchis,  Te  he  !   thai  playit ; 
But,  lord,  as  Will  Young  leuche  ! 
Gude  goffip,  come  hyne  your  gaitis, 
For  we  have  daunfit  aneuche 

At  anis,  Sec. 

XXII. 

Sa  ferflie  fyr  heit  wes  the  day, 
His  face  began  to  frekill. 
Than  Tifbe  tuik  him  by  the  hand, 
(Wes  new  cuming  fra  the  heckill) 
Allace,  quod  fcho,  quhat  fall  1  do  ? 

And 


I36  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

And  our  doure  hes  na  flekill. 
And  fcho  to  ga  as  hir  taill  brynt ; 
And  all  the  cairlis  to  kekill 

At  hir,  &c. 

XXIII. 

The  pyper  faid,  Now  I  begin 
To  tyre  for  playing  to  you  ; 
Bot  yit  T  have  gottin  nathing 
For  all  my  pyping  to  you  j 
Thre  happenis  for  half  ane  day 
And  that  will  not  undo  you  ; 
And  gif  ye  will  gif  me  richt  nocht, 
The  meikill  dewill  gang  wi  you, 

Quod  he,  &c. 

XXIV. 

Be  that  the  daunfing  wes  all  done, 

Thair  leif  tuik  les  and  mair  ; 

Quhen  the  winklottis  and  the  wowarris  twynit 

To  fe  it  was  hart  fair. 

Wat  Atkin  faid  to  fair  Ales, 

My  bird,  now  weill-a-fayr  ! 

The  dewil  a  wourde  than  fcho  might  fpeik 

Bet  fwownit,  that  fweit-of-fwair, 

For  kyndnes,  &c. 

XXV. 

He  fippilit  lyk  ane  faderles  fole  ; 
And  faid,  "  Be  dill,  my  fweit  thing! 
«  Be  the  Halyrud  of  Peblis 
'  I  may  nocht  reft  for  greting.' 
He  quhiffillit,  and  he  pypit  bayth, 
To  mak  hir  blyth  that  inciting: 


Uj 


JAMES  II.  I437 — 1460.  137 

My  hony  hart  how  fayis  the  fang, 
*   Thair  fall  be  mirth  at  oar  meting 

Tit,  XSc. 

XXVI. 

Be  that  the  fone  was  fettand  faft, 

And  neir  done  wes  the  day  : 

Thair  men  micht  heir  fchukin  of  fchaftes 

Quhen  that  thai  went  thair  way. 

Had  thair  bein  mair  made  of  this  fang, 

Mair  fuld  I  to  yow  fay. 

At  Beltane  ilka  bodie  bownd 

To  Peblis  to  the  Play. 


This  poem,  after  having  been  attributed  to  James  the  Firft  by  fuoh 
eminent  writers  as  Dr.  Percy,  Mr.  Pinkerton,  and  Mr.  Ritfon,  cannor 
be  afligned  to  a  different  author,  or  to  a  later  reign,  without  pointing 
out  the  grounds  upon  which  that  judgment  ha?  been  formed.  Firft,  then, 
Lord  Hailes,  in  his  "  Obfervations  on  the  Statutes  of  "James  the  Firft" 
remarks  that  the  phrafeof  "  Peblis  to  the  play"  has  a  reference  to  a  later 
period  than  that  of  James  the  Firft :  And  moreover,  that  this  prince, 
"  educated  from  his  early  youth  in  England,  could  not  be  acquainted 
with  the  manners  of  the  Scottifh  commons,  or  with  the  language  of  the 
vulgar."  To  me,  I  confefs,  this  argument  appears  almoft  conclufive. 
But  there  are  two  other  objections  which  feem  alfo  of  confiderable 
weight.  The  firft  of  them  arifes  from  the  mention  which  is  made  of 
curcbies  and  budes  in  the  fccond  ftanza  of  the  poem.  By  the  70th  Stat, 
of  James  the  Second,  A.  D.  1457,  it  is  enacted,  that  "  the  wives  and 
daughters  of  men  living  in  burrowes,  and  of  landwart,  fould  not  wear 
fumptuous  clahhing,  but  fould  be  abuilzied  in  manner  correfpondcnt 
to  thair  eftait ;  that  is  to  fay,  on  their  heads  fhort  curcbies  with  little 
budes,  fuch  as  are  ufed  in  Flanders,  England,  and  uther  countries,"  &c. 
From  this  it  may  be  inferred  that  curcbies  and  budes  were  either  not 
known, or  not  commonly  ufed  by  "  landwart"  girls  in  Scotland,  before 
the  date  of  this  Act.  The  word  curcbie  does  not  appear  in  the  gloffa- 
ries  to  the  more  antient  Scottifh  poecs.  The  other  objection  is,  that 
the  poem  feems  not  to  agree  with  Major's  defcription  of  it.  His  words 
are:  "  In  vernacula  lingua  artificiofifiimus  compofitor ;  cujus  codices 
p'.urimi,  et  cantileiise,  memoriter  adhuc  apud  Scotos  inter  primos  ha- 
VoL.  I.  S  btntur- 


1^8  CARONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  POETRY. 

bentur.  Artificiofam  cantilenam  (compofuit) yas  fen,  &c.  et  jucundum 
artificiofumque  ilium  cantam  At  Beltayn  quern  alii  de  Dalkeith  et  Gargeii 
mutare  ftuduerunt,  quia  in  arce  aut  camera  claufus  fervabatur,  in  qua 
rnulier  cum  niatre  habitabat."  From  this  we  may  gather  that  the  Sub- 
ject of  the  poem  At  Beltayne  was  the  confinement  of  a  perfon,  otherwife 
there  would  not  have  been  that.correfpondence  becween  the  original 
and  the  parodies  which  Major  particularly  fpecifies.  1  he  occafion  or 
Subject  of  the  parodies,  he  feems  to  fay,  was  "  by  reafon  of  his  having 
beenfhut  up  in  a  toiver  or  chamber  in  -which  a  ivoman  refided  iviih  her  mo- 
ther." Surely  this  paffage  cannot  allude  to  "  Peblis  at  the  Play,"  which 
contains,  no  fuch  circumftance ;  and  which,  therefore,  appears  to  be  a 
different  poem  from  that  which  Major  attributes  to  James  the  Firft. 
He  alfo  mentions  it,  not  as  a  "  libdlus1*  or  "  codex"  (words  which  he 
ufes  in  the  fame  paffage)  but  as  a  "  cantus"  or  fong  ;  with  the  defini- 
tion of  which  it  does  not  feem  to  correfpond.  ChrifVs  Kirk  on  the  green 
(of  nearly  the  fame  length)  is  called  by  Lord  Hailes  "  a  great  and  vo- 
luminous work  for  thofe  days."  Sir  David  Lindfay,  indeed,  in  T540,  men- 
tions the  finging  of  Peblis  on  the  greene;  and  it  is  not  unlikely  that  the 
feats  of  Sir  William  Wallace  may  alfo  have  been  fung  ;  but  yet  they 
would  not  come  under  the  defcription  of  a  cantus  or  cantilena  It  may 
laftly  be  added,  that  the  verfification  is  much  fmoother  than  that  of  any 
Scottifh  poetry  antecedent  to  the  rime  of  Henryson  ;  and  that  a  re- 
semblance may  be  traced  between  "  At  Beltayne"  and  fome  of  that  po- 
et's corr.pofuions.  It  appears,  therefore,  not  urdikely  thit  this  poem 
may  have  been  written  foon  after  the  above  mentioned  Sumptuary  law 
was  enacted;  or  about  1457 — 1460.  Although,  at  the  fame  time,  I 
fufpcct  that  Time  will  difcover  the  true  sera  to  be  about  eighty  years 
later  ;  that  is,  towards  the  end  of  the  reign  of  James  the  Fifth.  If  it 
had  been  one  of  thofe  performances  of  James  the  Firft  which  frill  were 
popular  in  the  time  of  Major,  the  author  of  the  Complaint  of  Scotland 
could  fcarcely  have  omitted  to  mention  it,  either  in  his  lift  of  Scottifh 
fongs  or  metrical  fiories.  But  upon  the  fuppofirion  that  it  was  com- 
pofel  by  a  contemporary  of  Wedderburn  or  Sir  Jame8  Inglis,  the  omif- 
fior.  of  At  Beltane  is  no  matter  of  furprlfe. 

Attention  has  here  been  paid  to  the  corrections  furnifhed  by  Mr. 
Pinkerton,  p.  452  of  lhe  Maitland  Poems.  Alfo  in  St.  4. 1.  5.  "  Maj- 
dreft  fo"  has  been  adopted  inftead  of  my  drats  do ;  in  St.  10.  1.  5.  "  he 
byddis,  tyt,"  for  (he  hydes  tytj;  in  St.  18.  1.  5.  "  nocht"  is  Supplied  ; 
and  in  St.  24.  1.  6.  "  weill-a-fair,"  i.  e.  farewell,  is  put  for  -will  I  fayr. 
The  reader  may  find  various  conjectures  about  thei  ward  Beltane  in  the 
Gloffary. 


STR 


SIR   PENNY,    OR    THE    POWER    OF    MONEY. 


Extracted  from  Warton's  Hi/lory  of  Englijh  poetry, 
where  it  is  given  as  one  of  the  earliej}  fpecimens  of  al- 
legorical hurlefque ;  the  Manufcript  appearing,  (as 
Warton  fays,)  to  be  as  old  as  the  reign  of  Henry  the 
Sixth.  The  poem  is  fo  full  of  Scottijh  words  and 
phrafes,  that  1  have  not  the  leaf  doubt  of  its  being  en- 
titled to  a  place  in  this  feries  of  Scottijh  poetry .  Ano- 
ther poem  on  the  fame  fubjetl  feems  to  belong  to  the 
reign  of  Queen  Mary. 


I. 


In  eirth  thair  is  a  littill  thing 
Quhilk  ringis  as  a  rich  king, 

Quhair  he  is  lent  in  land  ; 
Schyr  Penny  is  hi3  naim  calde, 
He  maikis  baith  young  and  aide 

Bow  untill  his  hand. 

Paipis,  Kingis,  and  Empriouris, 
Bifchoppis,  Abbottis,  and  Priowris, 

Perfon,  Preift,  and  Knyght, 
Dukes,  Erlis,  and  ilk  Barowne, 
To  ferf  him  ar  thay  full  bowne, 

Baith  be  day  and  nyght. 


III. 


I4<5  CHRONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  POETRY. 

III. 

Schyr  Penny  chaunges  mannis  mode, 
And  garris  thame  oft  do  doun  thair  hode, 

And  to  ryfe  him  againe  ; 
Men  honoris  him  with  greit  revrence, 
Makkis  full  mekill  obedience 

Untill  that  lytill  fwaine. 
IV. 
In  Kingis  court  is  it  no  bote 
Aganis  Schyr  Penny  for  to  mote, 

Sa  mekill  is  he  of  might ; 
He  is  fa  witty  and  fa  ftrang, 
That  be  it  neuer  fa  mekill  wrang> 

He  will  mak  it  richt. 

V. 
With  Penny  may  men  wemen  till, 
Be  thai  neuer  fo  ft  range  of  will, 

So  oft  may  it  be  fene  ; 
Lang  with  him  will  thai  noght  chide, 
For  he  may  gar  thame  trayl  fide 

In  gude  ikarlet  and  greene. 
VI. 
He  may  by  baith  hevyn  and  hell, 
And  ilka  thing  that  is  to  fell, 

In  erth  lies  he  fwilk  grace : 
He  may  lefe  and  he  may  bind, 
The  pouer  ar  ay  put  behind, 

Quhair  he  cumis  in  place. 
VII. 
Quhen  he  beginnis  him  to  mell, 
He  maikis  meke  that  ayre  was  Fell, 

And  waik  that  bald  lies  bene  ; 
All  the  neids  full  fune  ar  fped, 
Baith  withoutten  brugh  and  wed, 

Quhare  Penny  gais  betuene. 


VIII. 


JAMES  II.  I437 — 1460.  J4JL 


VIII. 

The  dommys-men  he  mai's  fa  blind, 
That  he  may  nocht  the  right  find 

Ne  the  futh  to  fie  j 
For  to  gif  dome,  thame  is  full  laith, 
Thairwith  to  maik  Schyr  Penny  wraith, 

Full  deir  with  thame  is  he. 
IX. 
Thare  ftrife  was,  Penny  maikis  pefe, 
Of  all  angers  he  may  relefe, 

In  ]ande  quhair  he  will  leinde  ; 
Of  fais  may  he  maik  freindis  fad, 
Of  counfail  thay  may  neuer  be  rad, 

That  may  half  him  to  freind. 
X. 
•That  Syre  is  fet  on  heich  deifs, 
And  fervit  with  many  rich  meifg 

At  the  he  burde  ; 
The  mair  he  is  to  men  plentie, 
The  mair  yernit  alwai  is  he, 

And  halden  deir  in  hurde, 
XI. 
He  maikis  mony  be  foirfworne, 
And  fum  lyf  and  faul  forlorne, 

Him  to  get  and  win  ; 
Other  God  will  thai  non  have, 
Bot  that  lytill  round  knave, 

Thair  baillis  for  to  blin. 

XII. 
Of  him  haillie  thair  hairtis  fett, 
Him  for  to  luf  will  thay  nocht  lett, 

Nowther  for  gude  ne  ill ; 
He  may  baith  lend  and  gyf, 
He  may  gar  baith  fla  and  lyf, 

Baith  be  frith  and  fell. 


.XIII. 


14i  CHRONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  POETRY- 

XIII. 

Penny  is  ane  gude  fellaw, 

Men  welcumes  him  in  deid  and  faw, 

Cum  he  neuer  fa  oft  ; 
He  is  nocht  welcumit  as  a  geft, 
But  euermoir  fervit  with  thebefr, 
And  made  to  fit*  full  foft. 
XIV. 
Quhofo  is  fted  in  ony  neid, 
With  Schyr  Penny  mai  thai  fpeid, 

Howfoeir  thay  betyde  ; 
He  that  Schyr  Penny  is  withall, 
Sail  have  his  will  in  ftede  and  flail, 
Quhen  other  ar  fett  on  fyde. 
XV. 
Schyr  Penny  garris  in  rich  wede 
Full  monie  go  and  ryde  on  flede 

In  this  werld  wyde  : 
In  ilka  gamen,  and  ilka  play, 
The  maiflerie  is  given  ay 
To  Penny  for  his  pryde. 

XVI. 
Schyr  Penny  o'er  all  gets  the  grie, 
Baith  in  borough  and  citiev 

In  caftell  and  in  towre  j 
Withoutten  owther  fpere  or  fchelde? 
Is  he  the  beft  in  frith  and  felde, 
And  ftalwarthefl  in  ftowre. 
XVII. 
In  ilka  place  the  futhe  is  fene, 
Schyr  Penny  is  ouer  all  bidene, 

Maillermoft  in  mode  ; 
And  all  is  als  he  will  cummand  ; 
Againis  his  ftevyn  dar  no  man  ftand, 
Kowther  by  land  ne  flode. 


XVIII. 


JAMES  II.  I437 1461?.  145 


XVIII. 

Schyr  Penny  may  full  raekill  availe 
To  thame  that  hes  neid  of  counfaile, 

Als  fene  is  in  aflyze  ; 
He  lenkethes  lyfe,  and  faves  fra  deid  ; 
Bot  lufe  it  nocht  ouer  weill,  I  reid, 
For  fin  of  covaityfe. 

XIX. 
If  thou  have  happ  trefore  to  win, 
Delight  the  noght  to  mekill  thairin, 

Na  nything  thareof  be  ; 
But  fpend  it  als  weill  as  thow  can, 
So  that  thow  lufe  baith  God  and  man 
In  perfyte  charitie. 

XX. 
God  grant  us  grace  with  hert  and  will, 
The  gudes  that  he  has  given  us  till 

Wele  and  wyfelie  to  fpend, 
And  fo  our  lyves  heir  for  to  lede,     . 
That  we  may  have  his  blis  to  medc, 
Ever  withoutten  end. 


Words  and  phrafesthat  feem  to  belong  to  the  Scoftifh  rather  thin  to 
the  Englifh  dialed  are  ;  Sr.  I.  (aid  and  a}ds.  St.  5.  fide,  i.  e.  hanging 
low  down.  St.  b.fwilk,  fuch.  St.  7.  bald,  bold.  St.  %.  mats,  (Warton, 
tnafc,  which  he  explains  "  monks,")  makes ;  and  laltb  or  lath  for  loth. 
Sr.  9.  rad,  afraid  of  wanting.  St.  10.  deifs  or  defe,  high  feat ;  xe>nidx 
(Wart.)  yearned.  St.  II.  baillis  or  bales  to  blin,  to  caufe  their  forrow  « 
to  ceafe  ;  (according  to  Warton,  to  blind  their  eyes.)  St.  12.  by  frith 
and  fell,  in  improved  and  in  wafte  parts  of  the  country  ;  (Warton  fays, 
•*  by  fea  and  land.")  St.  15.  ilia,  every.  Sr.  16.  frith  or  felde,  as  be- 
fore. St.  18.  covaityfe,  covetoufnefs.  St.  19.  nything  for  iriddcring,  nig- 
gardly, fparing;  according  to  Warton,  carcleff. 


HOW 


HOW  A  MERCHAND  DID  HIS  WIFE  BETRAY. 


"This  poem  was  publijhed  by  Mr  Ritfon  in  his  "  Antient 
Popular  Poetry,"  1 791,  from  a  MS.  in  the  public 
library  at  Cambridge,  (written  apparently  about  the 
reign  ©/"Edward  IV.)  and  from  the  language  and  ortho- 
graphy,  pronounced  to  be  ofScottiJh,  or  at  leaf  of  North 
country  extraclion.  This  I  confder  as  a  fufficient  au- 
thority for  afjigning  to  it  a  place  in  this  collection  of 
Scotti/h  poetry.  But  as  the  orthography  may  have 
fuffered  fome  alteration  in  the  hands  of  the  JLnglifh 
compiler  of  the  MS.  I  have  here  ventured,  as  in  the 
preceding  article,  to  ufe  the  Quh  in/lead  of  Wh  ;  as 
alfo  her  for  hur  ;  I  (pronoun)  for  Y  ;  a/id  in  one  in- 
flance  where  it  was  required  by  the  rhyme,  aid  for 
old.  Whether  it  may  thus  agree  better  with  a  frag- 
ment of  the  fame  poem  in  a  MS.  of  Henry  the  Sixth's 
time  in  the  Britifh  Mufeum,  (Bib.  Har.  5396,)  can 
eqfily  be  afcertained. 


J^YSTENYTH,  lordyngyS,  I  you  pray, 
How  a  merchand  dyd  hys  wyfe  betray, 
Bothe  be  day  and  be  nyght, 
Yf  ye  will  herkyn  aryght. 
Thys  fonge  ys  of  a  merchand  of  thys  cuntr<r; 
That  had  a  wyfe  feyre  and  free  ; 
The  merchand  had  a  full  gode  wyfe, 
Sche  louyd  hym  trewly  as  her  lyfe, 

Qtthat 


JAMES  II.  1437— 1460.  J45 

Quhat  that  euyr  he  to  her  fayde, 
Euyr  fche  held  her  wele  apayde : 
The  merchand,  that  was  fo  gay, 
By  another  woman  he  lay  ; 
He  boght  her  gownys  of  grete  pryce, 
Furryd  with  menyvere  and  with  gryfi^ 
To  her  hedd  ryall  atyre, 
As  any  lady  myght  defyre. 
Hys  wyfe,  that  was  fo  trewe  as  Hon, 
He  wolde  ware  no  thyng  upon  : 
That  was  foly  be  my  fay, 
That  fayrenes  fchulde  tru  loue  betray. 
So  hyt  happenyd,  as  he  wolde, 
The  merchand  ouer  the  fee  he  fchulde; 
To  hys  leman  ys  he  gane, 
Leue  at  her  for  to  tane  j 
With  clappyng  and  with  kyffyng  fwete, 
Quhen  they  fchulde  parte  bothe  dyd  they  wepe. 
Tyll  hys  wyfe  ys  he  gan, 
Leue  at  her  then  hath  he  tan  ; 
Dame,  he  feyde,  be  goddys  are, 
'  Haft  any  money  thou  woldyft  ware  ? 
Quhan  I  come  beyonde  the  fee 
That  I  myzt  the  bye  fome  ryche  drewre\ 
Syr,  fche  feyde,  as  Cryft  me  faue, 
Ye  haue  all  that  euyr  I  haue ; 
Ye  fchall  haue  a  peny  here, 
As  ye  ar  my  trewe  feie, 
Bye  ye  me  a  penyworth  of  wytt, 
And  in  youre  hert  kepe  wele  hyt. 
Styll  ftode  the  merchand  tho, 
Lothe  he  was  the  peny  to  forgo, 
Certen  fothe,  as  I  yow  fay, 
He  put  hyt  in  hys  puree  and  yede  hys  way. 
A  full  gode  wynde  god  hath  hym  fende, 
Yn  Fraunce  hyt  can  hym  brynge  j 

Vol.  I.  T  A 


I46  CHRONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  PQET^Y. 


» 


A  full  gode  fchypp  arrayed  he 

Wyth  merchaundyce  and  fpycere. 

Certen  fothe,  or  he  wolde  refte, 

He  boght  hys  lemman  of  the  belle, 

He  boght  her  bedys,  brochys  and  ryngys, 

Nowchys  of  golde,  and  many  feyre  thyngys  : 

He  boght  her  perry  to  her  hedd, 

Of  fafurs  and  of  rubyes  redd  ; 

Hys  wyfe,  that  was  fo  trew  as  Hon, 

He  wolde  ware  nothyng  upon  : 

That  was  foly  be  my  fay, 

That  fayrenes  fchulde  trew  loue  betray. 

Quhen  he  had  boght  all  that  he  wolde, 

The  raerchand  ouyr  the  fee  he  fchulde. 

The  merchandys  man  to  hys  mayfter  dyd  fpeke, 

Oure  dameys  peny  let  us  not  forgete. 

The  merchand  fwpre,  be  feynt  Anne, 

Yyt  was  that  a  lewde  bargan, 

To  bye  owre  daine  a  penyvvorth  of  wytt, 

In  all  Frauuce  I  can  not  fynde  hyt. 

*  An'  olde  man  in  the  halle  ftode, 

The  merchandys  fpeche  he  underyode  ; 

The  olde  man  to  the  merchand  can  fay, 

A  worde  of  counfell  I  yow  pray, 

And  I  fchall  felle  yow  a  penyworth  of  wyt, 

Yf  ye  take  gode  hede  to  hyt : 

Tell  me,  merchand,  be  thy  lyfe, 

Quhethyr  hafte  thou  a  leman  or  a  wyfe  ? 

Syr,  I  have  bothe,  as  have  I  refte, 

But  my  paramour  loue  I  befle. 

Then  feyde  the  olde  man,  withowten  were, 

Do  now  as  I  teche  the  here  ; 

Qubcn  thou  corny  ft  ouyr  the  falte  fome, 

Olde  clothys  then  do  the  upon, 

To  thy  lemman  that  thou  goo, 

And  telle  her  of  all  thy  woo  ; 

Syke 


James  ii.  1437 — 1460.  i47 

(5yke  fore,  do  as,  I  the  fay, 

And  telle  her  all  thy  gode  ys  lofte  away, 

Thy  fchyp  ys  drownyd  in  the  fom, 

And  all  thy  god  ys  lofte  the  from  ; 

Quhan  thou  hafte  tolde  her  foo, 

Then  to  thy  weddyd  wyfe  thou  go  ; 

Quhedyr  helpytH  the  better  yn  thy  nede, 

Dwelle  with  her,  as  Cryfte  the  fpede. 

The  merchand  feyde,  wele  muft  thou  fare, 

Have  here  thy  peny,  I  have  my  ware. 

Quhen  he  come  ouer  the  falte  fome, 

Olde  clothys  he  dyd  hym  upon, 

Hys  lemman  lokyd  forthe  and  on  hym  fee,  . 

And  feyde  to  her  maydyn,  how  lykyth  the  ? 

My  love  ys  comyn  fro  beyonde  the  fee, 

Come  hedur,  and  fee  hym  wyth  thyn  eye, 

The  maydyn  feyde,  be  my  fay, 

He  ys  yn  a  febull  array. 

Go  down,  maydyn,  in  to  the  halle, 

Yf  thou  mete  the  march  and  wythalle, 

And  yf  he  fpyrre  aftyr  me, 

Say,  thou  fawe  me  wyth  non  eye ; 

Yf  he  wyll  algatys  wytt, 

Say  in  my  chaumbyr  I  lye  fore  fyke, 

Out  of  hyt  I  may  not  wynne, 

To  fpeke  wyth  none  ende  of  my  kynne, 

Nother  wyth  hym  nor  wyth  none  other, 

Thowe  he  were  myn  own  brother.  , 

Alias  !  feyde  the  maydyn,'  why  fey  ye  foo  ? 

Thynke  how  he  helpyed  yow  owt  of  moche  wo, 

Fyrft  when  ye  mett,  wyth  owt  lefynge, 

Youre  gode  was  not  worthe  xx.  milling, 

Now  hyt  ys  worthe  four  hundred  pownde,' 

Of  golde  and  fyluyr  that  ys  rounde  j 

Gode  ys  but  a  lante  lone, 

Some  tyme  men  haue  hyt,  and  fome  tyme  none  ; 

Thogh 


M8  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

Thogh  all  hys  gode  be  gon  hym  froo, 

Neuyr  forfake  hym  in  hys  woo. 

Go  downe,  maydyn,  as  I  bydd  the, 

Thou  fchalt  no  langer  ellys  dwelle  wyth  me. 

The  maydyn  wente  in  to  the  halle, 

There  fche  met  the  merchand  wythall. 

Quhere  ys  my  lemman  ?   quhere  ys  fche  ? 

Quhy  wyll  fche  not  come  fpeke  wyth  me  ? 

Syr,  I  do  the  wele  to  wy tt , 

Yn  hyr  chaumbyr  fche  lyeth  full  fyke, 

Out  of  hy t  fche  may  not  Wynne, 

To  fpeke  wyth  non  ende  of  her  kynne, 

Nother  wyth  yow  nor  wyth  non  other, 

Thowe  ye  were  her  owne  brother. 

Maydyn,  to  my  lemman  that  thou  go, 

And  telle  her  my  gode  ys  lofle  me  fro  ; 

My  fchyp  ys  drownyd  in  the  fom, 

And  all  my  gode  ys  lofte  me  from  j 

A  gentylman  have  I  flawe, 

I  dar  not  abyde  the  londys  lawe ; 

Pray  her,  as  fche  louyth  me  dere, 

As  I  have  ben  to  her  a  trewe  fere, 

To  kepe  me  preuy  in  her  chaumbyr, 

That  the  kyngys  baylyes  take  me  neuyr. 

Into  the  chaumbyr  the  maydyn  ys  gon, 

Thys  tale  fche  tolde  her  dame  anone. 

In  to  the  halle,  maydyn,  wynde  thou  downe,- 

And  bydd  hym  owt  of  my  halle  to  goon, 

Or  I  fchall  fend  in  to  the  towne, 

And  make  the  kyngys  baylyes  to  come ; 

I  fwere,  be  god  of  grete  renown, 

I  wyll  neuyr  harbur  the  kyngys  feloun. 

The  maydyn  wente  in  to  the  halle, 

And  thus  fche  tolde  the  merchand  alle  ; 

The  merchand  fawe  none  other  fpede, 

He  toke  hys  leve,  and  forthe  he  yede. 

Lrftenytb, 


JAMES  II.  I437— .1460.  *49 

Lyftenyth,  lordyngys,  curtes  and  hende, 
For  yit  ys  the  better  fytt  behynde. 

[the  second  fit.} 

Lystenyth,  lordyngys,  great  and  fmall  : 

The  merchand  ys  now  to  hys  own  halle  ; 

Of  hys  comyng  hys  wyfe  was  fayne, 

Anone  fche  come  hym  agayne. 

Hufbonde,  fche  feyde,  welcome  ye  be, 

How  haue  ye  farde  beyonde  the  fee  ? 

Dame,  he  feyde,  be  Goddys  are, 

All  full  febyll  hath  be  my  fare  ; 

All  the  gode  that  euer  was  thyn  and  myny 

Hyt  ys  lofte  be  feynt  Martyn  ; 

In  a  ftorme  I  was  beftadde, 

Was  I  neuyr  halfe  fo  fore  adrad. 

I  thanke  hyt  god,  for  fo  I  may, 

That  euyr  I  fkapyd  on  lyve  away  ; 

My  fchyp  ys  drownyd  in  the  fom, 

And  all  my  gode  ys  lofte  me  from ; 

A  gentylman  haue  I  flawe, 

I  may  not  abyde  the  londys  lawe  ; 

I  pray  the,  as  thou  louefl  me  dere, 

As  thou  art  my  trewe  weddyd  fere, 

In  thy  chaumber  thou  woldeft  kepe  me  dern. 

Syr,  fche  feyde,  no  man  fchall  me  warne  : 

Be  ftylle,  hufbonde,  fygh  not  fo  fore, 

He  that  hathe  thy  gode  may  fende  the  more ; 

Thowe  all  thy  gode  be  fro  the  goo, 

I  wyll  neuyr  forfake  the  in  thy  woo  ; 

1  fchall  go  to  the  kyng  and  to  the  quene, 

And  knele  before  them  on  my  kneen, 

There  to  knele  and  neuyr  to  cefe, 

Tyl  of  the  kyng  I  haue  getyn  thy  pees  : 

I  can 


t $0  CHRONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  POETRY- 

I  can  bake,  brewe,  carde  and  fpynne, 

My  maydenys  and  I  can  fylvyr  wynne, 

Euyr  quhyll  I  am  thy  wyfe, 

To  maynten  the  a  trewe  mannys  lyfe. 

Certen  fothe,  as  I  yow  fay, 

All  nyght  be  hys  wyfe  he  lay. 

On  the  morne,  or  he  forthe  yede, 

He  kafte  on  hym  a  ryall  wede,  , 

And  beftrode  a  full  gode  ftede, 

And  to  hys  lemmans  hows  he  yede. 

Hys  lemman  lokyd  forthe  and  on  hym  fee, 

As  he  come  rydyng  ouyr  the  lee, 

Sche  put  on  her  a  garment  of  palle, 

And  mett  the  merchand  in  the  halle  ; 

Twyes  or  thfyes,  or  euyr  he  wyfte, 

Trewly  fche  had  hym  kyfte. 

Syr,  fche  feyde,  be  feynt  John, 

Ye  were  neuyr  halfe  fo  welcome  home; 

Sche  was  a  fchrewe,  as  haue  I  hele, 

There  fc!e  currayed  fauell  well. 

Dame,  he  feyde,  be  feynt  John, 

Yit  ar  not  we  at  oon  ; 

Hyt  was  tolde  me  beyonde  the  fee, 

Thou  hafte  another  lemman  then  me. 

All  the  gode  that  was  thyn  and  myne, 

Thou  hafte  geuyn  hym,  be  feynt  Martyh. 

Syr,  as  Cryfte  bryng  me  fro  bale, 

Sche  lyeth  falfely  that,  tolde  the  that  tale  -} 

Hyt  was  thy  wyfe,  that  olde  trate, 

That  neuyr  gode  worde  by  me  fpake  ; 

Were  fche  dedd  (god  lene  hyt  wolde  !) 

Of  the  haue  all  my  wylle  I  fchulde  ; 

Erly,  late,  lowde  and  ftylle, 

Of  the  fchulde  I  haue  all  my  wylle  : 

Ye  fchall  fee,  fo  mufte  I  the, 

That  fche  lycth  falfely  on  BjA 


Sche 


JAMES  II.  I43—I460.  %$f 

Sche  leyde  a  canvas  on  the  flore, 

Longe  and  large,  ftyfFe  and  ftore  ; 

Sche  leyde  theron,  wythowten  lyte, 

Fyfty  fchetys  wafchen  whyte, 

Pecys  of  fyluyr,  mafers  of  golde  ; 

The  merchand  (lode  hyt  to  beholde  : 

He  put  hyt  in  a  wyde  fakk, 

And  leyde  hyt  on  the  hors  bakk  ; 

He  bad  hys  chylde  go  bely ve, 

And  lede  thys  home  to  my  wyve. 

The  chylde  on  hys  way  ys  gon, 

The  merchande  come  aftyr  anon  ; 

He  cafte  the  pakkdowne  in  the  flore> 

iLonge  and  large,  ftyf  and  ftore. 

As  hyt  lay  on  the  grounde, 

Hyt  was  wele  worthe  cccc  powndc  : 

They  on  dedyn  the  mouth  aryght, 

There  they  fawe  a  ryall  fyght. 

Syr,  fayde  hys  wyfe,  be  the  rode, 

Quhere  had  ye  all  thys  ryall  gode  ? 

Dame,  he  fayde,  be  goddys  are, 

Here  ys  thy  penyworth  of  ware. 

Yf  thou  thynke  hyt  not  wele  befett, 

Gyf  hyt  another  can  be  ware  hyt  bett  j 

All  thys  wyth  thy  peny  boght  I, 

And  therefore  I  gyf  hyt  the  frely  ; 

Do  wyth  all  quhat  fo  euyr  ye  lyfte,    f 

1  wyll  neuyr  afke  yow  accowntys,  be  Cry  fie. 

The  merchandys  wyfe  to  hym  can  fay, 

Quhy  come  ye  home  in  fo  febull  array  ? 

Then  fayde  the  merchand,  fone  ageyn, 

Wyfe,  for  to  affay  the  in  certeyn  ; 

For  at  my  lemman  was  X  before, 

And  fche  by  me  fett  lytyll  ftore, 

And  fche  louyd  bettyr  my  gode  then  me, 

And  fo  wyfe  dydd  neuyr  ve. 

To 


Ip  CHRONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  rOETRY. 

To  telle  hys  wyfe  then  he  began, 

All  that  gode  he  had  takyn  fro  hys  lemman 

And  all  was  becaufe  of  thy  peny, 

Therfore  I  gyf  hyt  the  frely  ; 

And  I  gyf  god  a  vowe  thys  how  re, 

I  wyll  neuyr  more  have  paramowre, 

But  the,  myn  own  derlyng  and  wyfe, 

Wyth  the  wyll  I  lede  my  lyfe. 

Thus  the  merchandys  care  began  to  kele, 

He  lefte  hys  folye  euery  dele, 

And  leuyd  in  clennefle  and  honefte  ; 

I  pray  God  that  fo  do  we. 

God  that  ys  of  grete  renownej 

Saue  all  the  gode  folke  of  thys  towne  : 

Jefu,  as  thou  art  heuyn  kynge, 

To  the  blys  of  heuyn  owre  foules  brynge. 


8ALADE 


BALADE. 


\_It  does  not  appear  that  any  other  exijiing  poem,  which 
could  ferve  either  to  illujlrate  the  manners  of  the  timey 
or  to  mark  the  Jlate  of  the  living  language,  can  with 
certainty  be  placed  under  this  reign.  ''The  tedious  me- 
trical romance  of  Gawan  and  Gologras,  fuppofed 
to  have  been  written  about  this  period  by  Clerk  of 
Tranent,  would  not  anfwer  either  of  thefe  purpofes. 
The  ancient  copy  of  itt  however,  (printed  in  1508,) 
concludes  with  this  ballad,  which  we  may,  therefore, 
prefume  had  been  accounted  a  produBion  of  the  fame 
author.  In  other  refpeBs,  it  is  but  of  little  value. 
After  the  ballad,  nve  have  this  imprimatur  :  "  Heir 
endys  the  knightly  tale  of  Gologras  and  Gawane, 
in  the  fouth  gait  of  Edinburgh,  be  Walter  Chepman 
and  Androw  Millar  the  viii  day  of  Aprile  the  yhere 
of  God  M,ccccc  and  viii  y  her  is.'1  The  romance  may 
he  feen  in  Mr  Pinkerton's  "Scotifh  Poems,  reprint* 
ed  from  fcarce  editions,  3  vols,  1792."] 


JL  Hingis  in  kynde  defyris  thingis  lyke  ; 
Bot  difcontrair  hatis  ewiry  thing  : 
Sauf  onely  mankinde  can  nevir  wele  lyke> 
Bot  gif  he  have  a  latioufe  lyving. 
Flefhly  defyre,  and  gaftely  nurifching, 
Intill  a  perfone  all  famyn  to  be  wrought ; 
Water  and  fyre  togeder  in  kyndelyng, 
It  may  wele  ryme,  bot  it  accordis  nought. 
Vol.  I.  U 


Ij4  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

A  man  at  one  for  to  ferve  lordis  twayn, 

The  quhilk  be  baith  contrair  in  opynion  ; 

To  plefe  thame  bath,  and  purches  no  difdayn, 

Talk  with  that  ane,  and  with  the  tothir  rown  : 

Be  trew  to  both,  without  tuigh  of  trefon, 

Tell  hym  of  hym  the  thing  that  nevir  was  wrought .; 

To  bring  all  this  to  gude  conclufion, 

It  may  wele  ryme,  bot  it  accordis  nought. 

To  have  a  gall,  clepit  a  gentill  dow  ; 

To  be  my  frende,  and  geve  me  falie  counfaill ; 

To  brek  my  hede,  and  fyne  put  on  a  how  j 

To  be  a  prefle,  and  formeft  in  bataill ; 

To  ly  in  bed,  and  ftrang  caftell  aflaill ; 

To  be  a  marchand,  quhare  na  gude  may  be  bought  J 

To  have  a  trew  wyf  with  a  wanton  taile, 

It  may  wele  ryme,  bot  it  accordis-  nought. 

To  be  of  no  conyng,  and  knaw  the  herbe  ; 
To  carp  langage  that  non  may  undirftand  ; 
A  fule  to  have  a  veray  wife  proverbe  ; 
Al  fre  born  barne  of  hir  that  is  a  bonde  ; 
Qhpouible  thingis  to  tak  on  hond ; 
'lo  big  a  caftell,  or  the  ground  be  wrought ; 
T«  geve  a  dome  be  law  that  may  nocht  ftond  ; 
It  may  wele  ryme,  bot  it  accordis  nought. 


A  w'regh  to  were  a  nobill  fcarlet  goun  ; 
A  badlyng,  furryng  parfillit  wele  with  fable  .; 
A  gude  hufyWyf  ay  rynnyng  in  the  toun  ; 
A  childe  to  thryve  quhilk  is  unchaftiable. 
To  be  content,  and  lightly  changeable  ; 
To  have  in  daynte  thing  that  newir  doucght  ; 
A  Rome-rynnar  without  lefing  or  fable  ; 
It  may  wele  ryme,  bot  itf^ccordis  nought. 


JAMES  II.  1437 — 146'©.  ,     155 

A  myghty  king  intill  a  pore  region  ; 
Ane  hafty  wit,  and  hye  thingis  to  devife  ; 
Meke  almoufe  dede,  and  falfe  detraction  ; 
Knyghtly  manhede,  and  fchamefull  paradife  ; 
A  hevynly  hell,  a  poynefull  paradife  ; 
A  haly  doctour  with  a  lecheroufe  thought ; 
To  wirk  on  hede,  fyne  efter  tak  avife ; 
4t  may  wele  ryme;  bot  it  accordis  nought. 

A  gilty  tong  colourit  with  eloquence  ; 

A  falfe  entend  within  and  dilTavable  ; 

A  blyth  vifage  with  frendely  apperence  * 

A  cruell  hert  invioufe  and  vengeable  ; 

A  gentill  horfe  intill  a  nakit  liable ; 

A  mery  fang,  the  hert  with  forow  fought ; 

To  feme  thir  all,  and  mak  thame  fufficiable, 

It  may  wele  ryme,  bot  it  accoi'dis  nought. 

Frely  to  fpend,  and  full  of  covatife ; 
To  feke  burgeons  out  of  ane  aid  dry  flok  j 
A  gay  temple  without  dyvine  fervice  j 
A  birdies  cage  ;  a  key  withoutyn  lok  ; 
A  toun  fchip  ay  ryding  in  a  rok  ; 
A  myghty  bifchop  in  a  cointre  of  nought ; 
A  wantoun  hird,  and  a  wele  reulit  flok  ; 
It  may  wele  ryme,  bot  it  accordis  naught. 


JAMES 


- 


JAMES  III.  1460— 1488. 


TESTAMENT    OF    FAIRE    CRESEIDE,   COMPYL1T   BE 
ROBERT    HENRYSON, 


as   a  continuation  of  Chaucer's  Troilus  and 

Creseide.  It  was  Jirjl  printed  in  Chaucer's 
Works  in  1532,  and  then  feparately  by  Charteris 
at  Edinburgh  in  I59I)  with  the  Author's  name  and 
dejignation.  'The  language  is,  doubtlefs,  an  imitation  of 
Chaucer  ,•  but  Jlill,  in  general,  it  is  Scottijh  ;  and 
therefore  the  Poem  is  entitled  to  a  place  in  this  feries, 
efpecially  as  it  poffeffes  dijlinguijhable  merits  and  has 
not  before  appeared  in  any  Collection  of  Scottijh  Poe- 
try.] 


Jt\.  doly  fefotin  till  a  cairfull  dyte 
Shuld  correfponde  and  be  equivalent ; 
Rycht  fo  it  was  quhan  I  began  to  wryte 
This  tragedy,  the  weder  rycht  fervent, 
Quhan  Aries  in  middis  of  the  Lent 
Schowris  of  haile  gan  fro  the  north  difcende, 
That  fcantly  fro  the  cold  I  mycht  me  defende. 

Yet  nerthelefle  within  mine  orature 

I  flode,  quhan  Titan  had  his  bemis  brycht 

Withdrawin  doun,  and  fkylid  undir  cure, 

And  faire  Venus  the  beaute  of  the  nycht, 

Upraife,  and  fette  unto  the  wefte  ful  rycht 

Her  goldin  face,  in  oppofitioun 

Of  god  Phoebus,  diredte  difcending  doun. 

Throughout 


I58  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Throuchout  the  glafle  her  bemis  braft  fo  faire 

That  I  mycht  fe  on  ever  y  fide  me  by, 

The  northrin  winde  hath  purified  the  aire, 

And  fhedde  his  mifty  cloudis  fro  the  flue, 

The  frofte  frefit,  the  blaftis  bittirly 

Fro  pole  Artike  cam  whilking  loud  and  (hill, 

And  caufit  me  remove  agenil  my  will  ; 

For  I  truftit  that  Venus,  Lovis  quene, 
To  quhom  fumtime  T  hicht  obedience, 
My  fadit  hert  of  love  fhe  would  make  grene, 
And  thareupon  with  humbii  reverence 
I  thoucht  to  praie  her  hie  magnificence, 
But  for  grete  colde  as  than  I  lettid  was, 
And  in  my  chambre  to  the  fyre  gan  pas. 

Thouch  love  be  hote,  yet  in  a  man  of  age 
It  kyndlith  nat  fo  fone  as  in  youthed, 
Of  quhom  the  blude  is  flowing  in  a  rage, 
And  in  the  olde  the  corage  dul  and  ded, 
Of  quhiche  the  fire  outwarde  is  belt  remed  : 
To  helpe  by  phifike  quher  that  natur  failed, 
I  am  experte,  for  bothe  I  have  aflailed. 

I  maid  the  fyre  and  bekit  me  aboute, 
Than  toke  a  drinke  my  fpirites  to  comforte, 
And  armit  me  weil  fra  the  colde  theroute  : 
To  cutte  the  wintir  nycht  and  mak  it  ihorte 
I  toke  a  quere,  and  lefte  al  othir  fporte, 
Wrytin  by  worthy  Chaucer  glorious 
Of  faire  Crefeide  and  lufty  Troilus  : 

And  thare  I  founde  aftir  that  Diomede 
R.ecevit  had  that  lady  brycht  of  hewe, 
How  Troilus  nere  out  of  his  witte  abrede, 
And  wept  full  fair,  with  vifage  pale  of  hewe 
For  quhich  wanhope  his  tcris  gan  renewe, 

While 


james  m.  1460 — 1488.  155 

Qtihile  Efperus  rejoyfit  him  againe  ; 

Thus  quhile  in  joie  he  lived  and  quhile  in  paine. 

Of  her  beheft  he  had  grete  comforting, 
Truftand  to  Troie  that  me  wald  mak  retour,. 
Quhiche  he  defirit  moft  of  al  erdly  thing, 
For  quhy  !   fhe  was  his  onely  paramour ; 
But  quhan  he  fawe  paffit  baith  day  and  hour 
Of  her  gaincome,  in  forowe  gan  oppreffe 
His  woful  herte  in  cair  and  hevinefle. 

Of  his  diftrefie  me  nedith  nat  reherfe, 
For  worthy  Chaucer  in  that  fame  boke 
In  gudely  termis  and  in  joly  verfe 
Compilit  hath  his  caris,  quho  will  loke  : 
To  break  my  flepe  anothir  quere  I  toke, 
In  quhich  I  founde  the  fatal  defliny 
Of  faire  Crefeide,  quhich  endit  wretchidly. 

• 
Quho  wote  if  all  that  Chancer  wrate  was  trewe  ? 
Nor  I  wote  nat  gif  this  narracion 
Be  authorifed,  or  forpit  of  the  newe 
Of  fome  poete  by  his  invencion, 
Made  to  reporte  the  lamentacion 
And  wofull  ende  of  this  lufty  Crefeide, 
And  qnhat  diftrefle  flie  was  in  or  me  deide, 

Quhan  Diomede  had  al  his  appetite 

And  more  fulfillit  of  this  faire  lady, 

Upon  anothir  fette  was  his  delite, 

And  fende  to  her  a  libel  repudy, 

And  hei  excludit  fra  his  company; 

Than  defolate  /lie  walkit  up  and  doun, 

As  fome  men  faine  in  the  courte  as  commoim, 

O  faire  Crefeide  !  the  floure  and  A  per  fe 

Of  Troie  and  Grece,  how  were  thou  fortunate 

To 


l6o  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRt. 

To  change  in  filthe  al  thy  feminite, 
And  be  with  flefhly  luft  fo  maculate, 
And  go  amang  the  Grekes  erly  and  late 
So  giglot-like,  takand  thy  foule  plefaunce  ! 
I  have  pite  the  mould  fall  fuche  mifchaunce. 

Yet  nerthelefle,  quhat  er  men  deme  or  fay 

In  fcornful  langage  of  thy  brutilneffe, 

I  fliall  excufe,  as  ferforth  as  I  may, 

Thy  womanhed,  thy  wifedome,  and  fairneffe, 

The  quhich  Fortoun  hath  put  to  fuche  diftreffe, 

As  her  plefit,  and  nothing  throughe  the  gilte 

Of  the,  through  wickid  langage  to  be  fpilte. 

This  faire  lady,  on  this  wife  deftitute 

Of  al  comforte  and  confalatioun, 

Rycht  prively,  without  felo'wfhip  or  refute", 

Difhevelid,  paffit  out  of  the  toun 

A  mile  or  twa  unto  a  manlioun 

Bildit  ful  gaie,  quhere  her  fathir  Calchas 

Quhich  than  among  the  Grekis  dwelland  was. 

Quhan  her  he  faw,  the  caus  he  gan  enquire 

Of  her  cuming  :  ihe  faid,  fighand  ful  fore, 

For  Diomede  had  gottin  his  deiire 

He  woxe  wery,  and  would  of  me  no  more. 

Quod  Calchas,  Douchtir  !   wepe  nat  thou  therfore, 

Paravinture  al  comith  for  the  beft  : 

Welcum  ;  to  me  thou  art  ful  dere  a  geft. 

This  olde  Calchas,  aftir  the  lawe  was  tho, 
Was  kepir  of  the  temple  as  a  preifte 
In  quhiche  Venus  and  her  fonne  Cupido 
Were  honourit,  and  his  chainbre  was  neift, 
To  quhich  Crefeide  with  bale  enewed  in  breifl 
Ufit  to  pafle,  her  prayirs  for  to  faie, 
Quhile  at  the  laft  upon  a,  folempne  daie-, 

As 


JAMES    III.    I460 — 1488.  l6l 

As  cuftome  was,  the  peple  ferre  and  nere, 
Befor  the  none,  unto  the  tempil  went 
With  facrifice  devout  in  ther  tnanere  ; 
But  ftil  Crefeide,  hevy  in  her  intent, 
Into  the  church  wald  not  herfelf  prefent, 
For  givand  of  the  peple'  any  deming 
Of  her  expulfe  fro  Diomede  the  King, 

But  paffit  into  ane  fecrete  oratore, 
Quhepe  fhe  micht  wepe  her  wo  full  defliny ; 
Behinde  her  bak  fhe  clofit  faft  the  dore, 
And  on  her  kneis  bare  fel  doun  in  hie  j 
Upon  Venus  and  Cupide  angirly 
She  cryit  out,  and  fayit  in  this  wife, 
Alas  that  er  I  made  you  facrifife  ! 

Ye  gaif  me  anis  a  divine  refponfaile 

That  I  fhuld  be  the  floure  of  luve  in  Troie  ; 

Now  am  I  made  ane  unworthy  outwaile, 

And  al  in  cair  tranflatit  is  my  joie  : 

Quho  fhal  me  gide  ?   quho  fhal  me  now  convoie, 

Sithe  I  fra  Diomede  and  nobil  Tioilus 

Am  clene  excludit,  abje£t,  odious  ? 

O  falfe  Cupide  !   non  is  to  wite  bot  thow, 
And  the  mothir  of  Love,  that  bhnde  goddace ; 
Ye  caufit  me  undirftande  alwaie  and  trow 
The  fede  of  luve  was  fowin  on  my  face, 
And  aie  grewe  grene  thorouch  your  fople  grace ; 
But  now,  alas  !  that  fede  with  froft  is  flaine, 
And  I  fro  luvirs  lefte  and  al  forlaine. 

Quhan  this  was  faid,doun  in  an  extafy, 
Ravifhit  in  fpirite^  in  ane  dreme  fhe  fel, 
And  by  apperaunce  herde  quhere  fhe  did  lie 
Cupide  the  King  tingand  a  filvir  bel, 
Quhich  men  micht  here  fro  hevin  into  hel, 
Vol.  I  X  At 


1 6$  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

At  quhofe  founde  before  Cupide  aperes 
The  fevin  planets  difcending  fro  %he  fpheres, 

Quhiche  hath  powir  of  al  thing  generabil, 
To  rewl  and  Mere  by  their  grit  influens 
Wedir  and  winde,  and  courfe  variabil. 
And  firft  of  al  Saturne  gave  his  fentens, 
Quhiche  gave  to  Cupide  litil  reverens, 
But  as  ane  boiftous  chorle  in  his  manere 
Came  crabbitly  with  auftrine  luke  and  chere. 

His  face  frounfit,  his  lyre  was  lyk  the  lede, 
His  tethe  chattrit,  and  fhiveret  with  the  chin, 
His  ejin  droupit,  quhole  fonkin  in  his  hede, 
Out  at  his  nofe  the'mildrop  fall  gan  rin, 
With  lippis  blew,  and  chekis  lene  and  thin, 
The  ifeickils  that  fro  his  hair  doune  hang 
"VYas  woncir  grete,  and  as  ane  fpere  was  lang  ^ 

Attour  his  belte  his  liart  lockis  laie 
Feltrit  unfaire,  or-fret  with  froftis  hore, 
His  garmond  and  his  gite  ful  gay  of  graie, 
His  widret  wede  fio  him  the  winde  out  wore, 
Ane  bouftous  bowe  within  his  hande  he  bore, 
Undir  his  girdle  a  fafhe  of  felone  flains 
Fedrit  with  iie  and  heidit  with  halftains. 

Than  Jupiter  rycht  faire  and  amiabil4 

God  of  the  fterris  in  the  firmament, 

And  norice  to  al  thing  generabil, 

Fro  his  fathir  Saturne  farre  difFerentt 

With  burly  face,  and  browis  brycht  and  brent, 

Upon  his  heid  ane  garlonde  wondris  gaie 

Of  flouris  faire,  as  it  had  ben  in  Maie  ; 

His  voce  was  clere,  as  criftal  was  his  eien„ 
As  goldin  wier  fo  glittrand  was  his  ha,re, 


Hi, 


JAMES  III.  1460 — I4§S.  i63 

His  garment  and  his  gite  ful  gaie  of  grene, 

With  goldin  Mis  gilte  on  every  gate, 

A  burly  brand  about  His  middle'  he  bare, 

And  in'  his  richt  hand  he  had  a  groundin  fpere^ 

Of  his  fathir  the  wrothe  fro  us  to  bere. 

Neift  aftir  him  cum  Mars,  the  god  of  ire, 
Of  flrife,  debate,  and  all  difcencioun, 
To  chide  and  fight  als  fierfe  als  ony  fire, 
In  harde  harneffe,  hewmonde  and  habergioiin, 
And  on  his  haunch  a  roufty  fel  fauchoun, 
And  in  his  hande  he  had  a  roufty  fworde, 
Writhing  his  face,  with  mony  angry  wofde  j 

Schaking  his  brande  before  Cupide  he  come, 

With  red  vifage  and  grifly  glowing  eien, 

And  at  his  mouth  a  blubbir  ftode  of  fome, 

Like  to  ane  bore  quhetting  his  tufkis  kenc, 

Rycht  tulfurelike    but  teriiperaunce  in  tene, 

An  home  he  blewe  with  mony  bouftous  bragge, 

Quhiche  al  this  world  with  warre  hath  made  to  waggc , 

Than  faire  Phcebus,  lanterne  and  lainpe  of  lichtj 

Of  man  and  beft  both  frute  and  nonfiling, 

Tendir  norice,  and  banifhir  of  nicht, 

And  of  the  worlde  caufand  by  his  muving 

And  influence  life  in  al  erdly  thing, 

Without  comforte  of  quhom  of  force  to  noucht 

Mud  go  dyin  all  that  this  warld  hath  wroucht. 

As  king  royall  he  rode  upon  a  chare, 

The  quhiche  Phaeton  fumtime  gidet  unrycht. 

The  brychtnefie  of  his  face  quhan  it  was  bare 

Non  mycht  beholde  for  perling  of  his  fichtj 

This  goldin  carte  with  fyry  bemis  brycht 

Foure  yokit  fledis  ful  different  of  hewe 

Bot  baite  or  tyring  through  the  fpheris  drew. 

The 


J  64  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

The  firft  was  fore,  with  mane  as  red  as  rofe, 
Callit  Eoye  in  the  orient ; 
The  feconde  ftede  to  name  hicht  Ethiofe, 
Quhitely  and  pale,  and  fomdele  afcendent  j 
The  third  Pyrois,  richt  hote  and  fervent ; 
The  fourth  was'blak,  and  callit  Phlegone  ; 
Quhich  rollith  Phoebus  doun  into  the  fe. 

Venus  was  thare  prefent,  that  goddes  gay, 
Her  fonnis  quarrel  to  defende,  and  mak 
Her  owne  complaint,  cladde  in  a  nice  aray, 
The  one  halfe  grene,  th'  othir  halfe  fable  blak, 
Quhite  hair  as  gold,  kembit  and  fhed  abak; 
Bot  in  her  face  femit  grete  variaunce, 
Quhiles  parfite  truth,  and  quhilis  inconftaunce. 

Undir  fmiland  fhe  was  diffimulate, 
Provocative  with  blirkis  amorous, 
And  fodainly  changit  and  alterate, 
Angry  as  ony  ferpent  venomous, 
Rycht  pungitive  with  wordis  odious  ; 
Thus  variaunt  fhe  was  ;  quho  lift  tak  kepe, 
With  one  eye  lauch  and  with  the  othir  wepe, 

In  tokening  that  al  flefhely  paramour, 
Quhich  Venus  hath  in  rule  and  govirnaunce, 
Is  fumtyme  fwete,  fumtyme  bittir  and  four, 
Rycht  unliable,  and  ful  of  variaunce, 
Minglit  with  careful  joye  and  falfe  plefaunce, 
Now  hette,  now  calde,  now  blyth,  now  ful  of  wo, 
Now  grene  as  lefe,  now  widrit  and  ago. 

With  boke  in  hand  than  cum  Mercurius, 
Richt  eloquent  and  ful  of  rethorie, 
With  polit  termis  and  delicious, 
With  penne  and  inke  to  reporte  al  redie, 
Settand  fongis  and  fingand  merily, 


Hia 


JAMES  III.  I460— 1488.  jf$ 

His  hair  was  red  heclit  attour  his  croun, 
Like  til  ane  poete  of  the  olde  laffoun. 

Boxis  he  bare  with  fine  elecluares 
And  fugrit  firopes  for  digeftion, 
Spicis  belongand  to  the  potiquares, 
With  mony  halfum  fwcte  confeftion, 
Dodlor  in  phifike,  cledde  in  fcarlet  goun, 
And  furrid  weil,  as  fuche  one  oucht  to  be, 
Honefl  and  gude,  and  not  ane  worde  couth  lie. 

Neift  after  him  cum  Lady  Cynthia 
The  lafle  of  al,  and  fvviftift  in  her  fph&re, 
Of  colour  blak,  bulkit  with  hornis  twa,   . 
And  in  the  nycht  fhe  liflith  beft  t'  apere, 
Hawe  as  the  leed,  of  colour  nothing  clere, 
For  al  the  light  fhe  borroweth  at  her  brother 
Titan,  for  of  her  felfe  me  hath  non  other. 

Her  gite  was  gray  and  ful  of  fpottis  blak, 

And  on  her  breift  ane  cairle  paintit  ful  even, 

Bering  a  bufhe  of  thornis  on  his  bak, 

Quhich  for  his  theft  micht  clime  no  ner  the  heven. 

Thus  quhen  thei  gadrit  wer  tha  goddis  feven, 

Mercurius  thei  chofet  with  one  aflent 

To  be  fore-fpekir  in  the  parliment. 

Quho  had  ben  there  and  likand  for  to  here 
His  faconde  tonge  and  termis  exquifite, 
Of  iethorike  the  pra&ike  he  mycht  lere, 
In  brefe  fermon  ane  preignant  fentence  write  v 
Before  Cupide,  valing  his  cappe  a  lite, 
Speris  the  caufe  of  that  vocacioun, 
And  he  anon  fhewde  his  entencioun. 

Lo,  quod  Cupide,  quho  wol  blafpheme  the  name 
Of  his  owne  god  either  in  worde  or  dede 

To 


l6*6  CHRONICLE  Of  SCOTTrSH  POETRl", 

To  al  goddis  he  doeth  bothe  loffe  and  fhame, 

And  fhould  haif  bittir  painis  to  his  mede  ; 

I  faie  this  bj  yondir  wretche  Crefeide, 

The  quhiche  throuch  me  was  fomtime  flour  of  Iuvd  ; 

Me,  and  my  mothir  fhe  ftately  can  repruve, 

Say  and  of  her  gret  infelicte 

I  was  the  caufe,  and  my  mothir  Venus 

She  callet  a  blinde  goddes  and  micht  not  fe, 

With  fclalindir  and  defame  injurious  ; 

Thus  her  livand  unclene  and  lechirous 

She  wald  retorte  on  me  and  on  my  muther, 

To  quhom  I  fhewde  my  grace  above  all  uther* 

And  fithe  ye  ar  al  fevin  deficate 

Participant  of  divine  fapience, 

This  gret  injury  done  to  our  hich  eftate 

Me  thinke  with  paine  we  fhuld  make  recompence  ( 

Was  ner  to  goddis  done  fuche  violence  ; 

As  wel  for  you  as  for  my  felfe  I  faie, 

Therefore  go  help  to  revenge  I  you  praie. 

Merciirius  to  Cupide  gave  anfwere, 
And  faid,  Sir  king,  my  counfaile  is  that  ye 
Referre  you  to  the  hyift  planet  here, 
And  tak  to  him  the  lowifl  of  degre, 
The  paine  of  Crefeide  for  to  modifie, 
As  god  Satume  with  him  tak  Cynthia. 
I  am  content  (quod  he)  to  tak  thei  twa. 

Than  thus  procedit  Satume  and  the  Mone, 
Quhan  thei  the  matir  ripely  had  digeft, 
For  the  difpite  to  Cupide  that  fhe'  had  done. 
And  to  Venus  opin  and  manifeft, 
In  al  her  life  with  pain  to  be  opreft, 
And  tufment  fare,  with  fikeneffe  incurable, 
And  to  al  luvirs  be  abhominable. 

This 


JAMES  III.    I460 — 1488.  167 

This  doleful  fentence  Saturne  toke  in  hande, 
And  paffit  cjoun  quhere  cairful  Crefeide  laic, 
And  on  her  hed  he  laide  a  frofty  wande, 
Than  laufully  on  this  wife  gan  he  faie  ; 
Thy  grete  fairnefie  and  al  thy  beauty  gaie, 
Thy  wanton  blude,  and  eke  thy  goldin  hair, 
Here  I  exclude  fra  the  for  evirmair ; 

I  change  thy  mirthe  into  melancoly, 
Quhiche  is  the  mothir  of  al  penuvenefle, 
Thy  moiflir  and  thy  hete  to  colde  and  dry, 
Thine  infolence,  thy  plaie  and  wantonnefle, 
To  grete  difefe  ;  thy  pompe  and  thy  richefie 
Into  mortal  nede  and  grete  penurie  ; 
Thou  fuffre  fha!t,  and  as  ane  beggir  die. 

O  cruil  Saturne  !  frowart  and  angrie, 

Harde  is  thy  dome  and  to  malicious  ; 

Of  faife  Crefeide  quhy  hall  thou  na  mercie, 

Q_uhiche  was  fo  fwete,  gentill,  and  amorous  ? 

Withdrawe  thy  fentence  and  be  gracious, 

As  you  were  nere  ;  fo  fhewith  throuch  thy  dedc 

Ane  wrekeful  fentence  giyin  on  Crefeide. 

T'^-an  Cynthia,  quhan  Saturne  paft  awaie, 
Out  of  her  fete  difcendit  doun  fcelyve, 
And  red  ane  bill  o    nrefeide  where  (he  laie, 
Containand  this  fentens  diflmitive, 
Fra  hele  of  body  hei*e  I  the  deprive, 
And  to  thy  fikeneffe  fhal  be  no  recure, 
But  in  dolour  thy  dayis  to  endure  ; 

Thy  criftal  eyen  myngit  with  blud  I  mak, 
Thy  voce  fo  clere  unplefaunt,  har,  and  hace> 
Thy  luftie  lyre  orfpred  with  fpottis  blak, 
And  lumpis  hawe  apperand  in  thy  face, 
Quhere  thou  comift  eche  man  iliall  fiie  the  place  , 

Thu. 


l68  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY, 

Thus  fhalt  thou  go  beggand  fra  hous  to  hous 
With  cuppe  and  clappir,  like  ane  Lazarous. 

This  dolie  dreme,  this  ugly  vifioun, 
Broucht  till  an  cnde,  Creieide  fra  it  awoke, 
And  all  that  couxte  and  convocacioun 
Vanifhit  awaie  ;  than  rafe  fhe  up  and  toke 
Ane  polifliit  glaffe,  and  her  fhadowe  couth  loke. 
And  quhan  fhe  fawe'  her  vifage  fo  deformate 
If  fhe  in  herte  were  wo  I  n'ote,  God  wate. 

Weping  ful  fore,  Lo  !   quhat  it  is  (quod  (he) 
With  frowart  langage  for  to  muve  and  Here 
Our  crabbit  goddes  !  and  fo  is  fene  on  me  ; 
My  blafphemand  now  haif  I  boucht  ful  dere, 
All  yerdly  joie  and  mirthe  I  fet  arere  ; 
Alas  this  daie,  alas  this  vvoful  tide, 
Quhan  I  began  with  my  goddis  to  chide  ! 

By  this  was  faied  ane  childe  cam  fra  the  hal 
To  warn  Crefeide  the  fuppir  was  redie, 
Firft  knockit  at  the  dore,  and  eft  couth  call, 
Madame,  your  fathir  biddith  you  cum  in  hie, 
He  hath  marveile  fo  long  on  grofe  ye  lie, 
And  faith  your  bedis  beth  to  long  fomdelc  ; 
The  goddis  wote  all  your  entent  lull  wele. 

Quod  fhe,  Faire  child,  go  to  my  fathir  dere, 
And  praie  him  cum  to  fpeke  with  rne  anon. 
And  fo  he  did,  and  faied,  Douchtir,  quhat  chere  ? 
Alas  !   (quod  (he)  fathir,  my  mirthe  is  gone. 
How  fo  ?   (quod  he)  and  ihe  gan  all  expone 
As  I  have  told,  the  vengeaunce  and  the  wrak 
For  her  trefpas  Cupide  on  her  couth  tak. 

He  lukit  on  her  ugly  lepir's  face, 

The  quhiche  before  was  quhite  as  lily  flour, 

Wringing 


jiMtS    III.    I460 I4S8.  <6j 

Wringand  his  handis  oftimis  faied  Alace 
That  he  had  leif  it  to  fe  that  wofull  hour  ! 
For  he  knewe  weil  that  thare  was  na  focour 
To  her  fikneffe,  and  that  doublit  his  pain : 
Thus  was  thare  cair  enow  betwixt  'hem  twain* 

Quhan  thei  togidir  moUrnit  had  full  lang, 
Quod  Crefeide,  Fathir,  I  would  not  be  kende, 
Therfore  in  fecrete  wyfe  je  let  me  gang 
To  yon  hofpitill  at  the  toun'is  ende, 
And  thidir  fum  mete  for  charite  me  fende 
To  live  upon,  for  all  mirth  in  this  yerth 
Is  fra  me  gone,  foche  is  my  wickid  werth. 

Quhan  in  a  mantill  and  a  bevir  hat, 
With  cuppe  and  clappir,  wondir  privily 
He  openet  a  fecrete  gate,  and  out  therat 
Conveyit  her  that  na  man  fhuld  efpie, 
Thare  to  a  village  halfe  a  mile  therebie 
Deliveret  her  in  at  the  fpittill  hous, 
And  daily  fente  her  part  of  his  almous. 

Sum  knew  her  weil,  and  fum  had  na  knowlege' 
Of  her,  bicaufe  fhe  was  fa  deformate, 
With  bilis  blak  orfpred  in  her  vifage, 
And  her  faire  colour  fadit  and  alt'erate  ; 
Yet  thei  prefumit  for  her  hie  regrate 
And  ftill  murning  ihe  was  of  noble  kin, 
With  bittir  will  thare  thei  tokin  her  in. 

The  daie  paffit,  and  Phoebus  went  to  reft, 
The  cloudis  blak  orwhelid  all  the  fkie, 
God  wote  if  Crefeide  were  a  forowfull  geil, 
Seing  that  uncouth  fare  and  herborie ; 
Bot  mete  or  drinke  ihe  dreffit  her  to  lie 
In  a  darke  cornir  of  the  hous  alane, 
And  on  this  wife  wepin  Ihe  made  her  mane, 

Vol.  I.  Y  Here 


*  7°  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Here  followetJj  the  Complaint  of  Crefeide. 

O  foppe  of  forowe  Tonkin  into  cair  ! 

O  caitife  Crefeide  now  and  ev innate  ! 

Gon  is  thy  joie  and  al  thj  mirthe  in  yerth  ; 

Of  all  blythneffe  now  art  thou  blak  and  bare  ; 

There  is  na  falve  that  helpin  raaie  thy  fare  \ 

Fell  is  thy  fortune,  wickid  is  thy  werthe, 

Thy  bliffe  is  banifhit,  and  thy  bale  unberde  ; 

Undir  the  grete,  God  gif  I  gravin  were, 

Quher  men  of  Grece  nor  yit  of  Troie  micht  here  | 

Quhere  is  thy  chambir  wantonly  befene, 
With  burly  bed  and  blankits  broudit  bene, 
Spicis  and  wine  to  thy  colatioun, 
The  cuppis  all  of  gold  and  filver  fhene, 
Thy  fwete  metis  fervit  in  platis  clene, 
With  favere  fauce  of  a  gude  fafhoun, 
Thy  gai  garmontes  with  mony  gudely  goun, 
Thy  plefaunt  laune  pinnid  with  goldin  pene  ? 
All  is  arere  thy  grete  roiall  renoun. 

Quhere  is  thy  gardein  with  thy  grecis  gane, 
And  freflie  flouris,  qivhich  the  quene  Floraie 
Had  paintit  plefauntly  in  every  plane, 
Quhere  thou  were  wont  full  meiily  in  Maie 
To  walke,  and, tak  the  dewe  by  it  was  daie, 
And  here  the  merle  and  mavife  mony  ane, 
With  ladies  faire  in  carolland  to  gane, 
And  fe  ther  roiall  renkis  in  ther  rate  ? 

This  lepir  loge  tak  for  thy  gudely  boure, 
And  for  thy  bed  tak  now  a  bunche  of  flro, 
For  wailid  wine  and  metis  thou  had  tho 
Tak  moulid  bred,  pirate  and  fidir  foure  : 
Bot  cuppe  and  clappir,  is  all  now  ego. 


My 


JAMES  III.  I460 1488.  171 

My  clere  voce  and  my  courtly  carolling 

Is  ranke  as  roke,  full  hidous,  har  and  hace, 

JDefprmit  is  the  figure  of  my  face, 

To  luke  on  it  no  peple  hath  liking, 

So  fped  in  fight,  I  faie  with  fare  fiching 

Lyand  amang  the  lepir  folke,  Alace  ! 

Q  ladies  faire  of  Troie  and  Grece  !  attende 

My  freile  fortoun,  mine  infelicite, 

My  grete  mifchefe  quhich  na  man  can  amend, 

And  in  your  minde  ane  mirrour  mak  of  me, 

As  I  am  now  paravinture  that  ye, 

For  al  your  micht,  may  cum  to  the  fame  ende 

Or  ellis  worfe,  if  any  worfe  maie  be  ; 

Beware  thareforc,  approchith  nere  your  ende. 

Noucht  is  your  fairnehe  but  a  fadyng  floure, 
Noucht  is  your  famous  laude  and  hie  honour 
But  winde  inflate  in  uthir  mennis  eres, 
Your  rofand  redde  to  roting  fhall  retoure, 
Exemple  mak  of  me  in  your  memoure, 
Quhich  of  fuche  thingis  wofull  witnes  beres, 
Al  welth  in  yerth  as  wynd  awaie  it  weres  ; 
JBewair  tharefore,  approchith  nere  your  hour- 

Thus  chidand  with  her  drerie  defline 
Weipand  fhe  woke  the  nicht  fra  ende  to  ende  : 
But  all  in  vain  ;  her  dole,  her  cakfull  crie, 
Micht  not  remede,  nor  yit  he,r  murnyng  mend ; 
Ane  lepir  ladie  rafe  and  to  her  wende, 
And  faied,  Quhy  fpurnift  thou  again  the  wall 
To  fle  thy  felf,  and  mende  nathing  at  all  ? 

Sith  that  thy  weipand  but  doublith  thy  wo, 
I  counfaile  the  mak  vertue  of  a  nede, 
Go  lerne  to  clappe  thy  clappir  to  and  fro, 
And  lerne  aftir  the  lawe  of  lepers  lede. 

There 


1JZ  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    PGETRT. 

Thare  Was  no  bote,  but  forthwith  than  fhe  yede 
Tra  place  to  place,  quhile  cald  and  hungir  fare 
Compellit  her  to  be  a  ranke  beggare. 

That  fame  tyme  of  Troie  the  garnifoun, 
Quhiche  had  the  cheftain  worthy  Troilus 
Throuch  jeoperdy  of  warre  had  ftrikjn  doun 
Knichtis  of  Grece  in  nombir  marveilous, 
"With  grette  triumphe  and  laude  victorious 
Agane  to  Troie  richt  roially  thei  rode 
The  waie  quher  Crefeide  with  the  lepirs  (lode. 

Seing  that  com  pan  ie  cum  with  a  ft  even 
Thei  gaif  a  crie,  and  fhoke  cuppis,  Gode  fpede, 
Worthie  lordis  !  for  Godd'is  luve  of  heren 
To  us  lepirs  part  of  your  almofe  dede  ! 
Than  to  her  crie  noble  Troilus  tuk  hede, 
Havyng  pite,  ner  by  the  place  gan  pas 
Quhere  Crefeide  fat,  not  wetand  that  fhe  was. 

Than  upon  him  fhe  kefl  up  bothe  her  eyen, 
And  with  ane  blinke  it  cum  intill  his  thoucht 
That  he  fumtyme  her  face  before  had  fein, 
But  fhe  was  in  foche  plicht  he  knew  her  nouchr, 
Yit  than  her  luk  into  his  minde  he  broucht, 
The  fwete  vifage  and  amorous  blenking 
Of  faire  Crefeide,  fumtyme  his  own  derling. 

Xa  wondir  was  fuppofe  in  mind  that  he. 
Tuke  her  figur  fo  fone  ;  and  lo  !  now  quhy 
The  ydea  of  ane  thing  in  cais  maie  be 
So  depe  emprentit  in  the  fantafie 
That  it  deludith  the  wittes  outwardly, 
And  fo  apperith  in  forme  and  like  eftait 
Within  the  minde  as  it  was  figurat. 


JAMES   III.    I460 — 1488.  I73 

Ane  fperke  of  luve  than  til  his  hert  couth  fpryng, 

And  kindilit  his  body  in  ane  fire 

With  hote  fevir,  in  fwette,  and  trembilyng 

Him  tuke,  quhile  he  was  redie  to  exfpire  j 

To  here  his  fhelde  his  hreft  begon  to  tire, 

Within  a  quhile  he  changit  mony  ane  hewe, 

And  nertheles  not  ane  anuthir  knewe. 

For  knychtly  pite  and  memoriell 
Of  faire  Crefeide  ane  girdill  gan  he  take, 
A  purfe  of  goJde,  and  mony  ane  gaie  Jewell, 
And  in  the  lkirte  of  Crefeide  doun  gan  fhake, 
J  han  rade  awaic,  and  not  ane  worde  he  fpake, 
Pealife  in  hcrte,  quhile  he  cam  to  the  toune, 
And  for  grete  cair  oft  fith  al-mofte  fell  doune. 

The  lepre  folke  to  Crefeide  than  couth  draw, 

To  fe  the  equall  diftrabucioun 

Of  the  almofe  ;  but  quhan  the  golde  they  fawc 

Eche  on  to  uthir  privily  gan  roun, 

And  faied,  Yon  lorde  hath  mare  afFectioun, 

Hower  it  be,  unto  this  Lazarous 

Than  to  us  al,  we  knewe  by  his  almous. 

Quhat  lorde  is  yon,  ^quod  fhe},  have  ye  no  feje, 

That  doeth  to  us  fo  grete  humanite  ? 

Yes,  quod  a  lepre  man,  1  knowe  him  wele, 

Tr oilus  it  is,  a  knicht  gentil  and  f/e. 

Quhan  Crefeide  undirftude  that  it  was  he, 

Stiflir  than  frele  there  lierte  ane  birtir  ftound 

Throuchout  hir  he  it,  and  fell  doune  to  the  ground 

Quhan  ihe,  orcome  with  fichand  fare  and  fad, 
With  mony  ane  care  full  crie  and  cald  atone, 
Now  is  my  breft  with  ftormie  ftoundis  ftad, 
"Wrappit  in  wro,  oh  wTretchfull  will  of  on  ! 
'l*han  fell  in  fwoun  fj.il  oft  or  Ihe  would  tone. 

And 


174  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   rOETRY. 

And  evir  in  her  fwouning  cried  ihe  thus, 

0  falfe  Crefeide,  and  true  knicht  Troiius  ! 

Thy  luve,  thy  laude,  and  all  thy  gentilnefle, 

1  comptit  fmal  in  my  profperite, 
So  effiatit  I  was  in  wantonnefle, 

And  clambe  upon  the  fickle  whele  fo  hie, 
All  faithe  and  luve  I  promittit  to  the 
Was  in  its  felf  fikill  and  furious  ; 

0  falfe  Crefeide,  and  true  knicht  Troilu^  ! 

For  luve  of  me  thou  kept  thy  continuance 

Honeft  and  chaft  in  converfacion  ; 

Of  all  women  piotedtour  and  defence 

Thou  were,  and  helpit  ther  opinion  : 

My  minde  on  fleihly  foule  affe&ion 

Was  enclynit  to  luftis  lecherous  ; 

Fie,  falfe  Crefeide  !  O  true  knicht  Troiius  ! 

Luvirs,  beware,  and  tak  gude  hede  about 
Quhom  that  ye  luve,  for  quhan  ye  fuffre  pain 

1  let  you  wit  there  is  richt  fewe  throuchout 
Quhom  ye  maie  truft  to  haif  true  luve  again  ; 
Prove  quhan  you  woll,  your  labour  is  in  vain  ; 
Therfore  I  red  ye  tak  them  as  ye  fynde, 

For  thei  are  fad  as  wedircocke  in  wynde 

Bicaufe  1  knowe  the  grete  unftabilneiTe, 
Brittle  as  glafs,  unto  my  felfe  I  faie, 
Truftand  in  uthir  as  grete  brutilneffe, 
As  inconftaunt,  and  as  untrew  of  faie  ; 
Thouch  fum  be  trew  I  wot  richt  few  ar  thei : 
Who  findith  truthe,  let  him  his  lady  rufe  j 
None  but  my  felf  as  now  I  woll  accufe. 

Quhan  this  was  fayd,  with  papir  {he  fat  doun, 
And  in  this  manir  made  her  Teftament : 


Here 


JAMES  III.  I460 — 1488.  I?3 

Here  I  bequeth.  my  corfe  and  carioun 
With  wormis  and  with  todis  to  be  rent, 
My  cuppe,  my  clappir,  and  mine  ornament, 
And  all  my  gold,  thefe  lepre  folke  flial  haif, 
Quhan  I  am  dedde  to  burie  me  in  graif. 

This  ioiall  ring,  fet  with  this  rubie  redde, 
Quhiche  Troilus  in  dowrie  to  me  fende, 
To  him  again  I  leve  it  quhan  I  am  dedde, 
To  make  my  cairful  deth  unto  him  kende  : 
Thus  I  conclude  fhortly  and  make  an  ende  ; 
My  fp'rit  I  leve  to  Diane,  quheve  me  dwelles, 
To  walke  with  her  in  waft  wodis  and  welles. 

O  Diomede  !  thou  haft  bothe  broche  and  berfe 
Quhiche  Troilus  gave  me  in  tokining 

Of  his  true  luve And  with  that  worde  me  fwelt. 

And  fone  a  lepirman  tuke  off  the  ring, 
Than  buriet  her  withoutin  tarying. 
To  Troilus  forthwith  the  ring  he  bare, 
And  of  Crefeide  the  deth  he  gan  declare. 

Quhan  he  had  herd  her  gTete  infirmite, 

Her  legacie,  and  lamentacionn, 

And  how  fbe  endit  in  fuch  poverte, 

He  fwelte  for  wo,  and  fell  doune  in  a  fwoun, 

For  forowe  his  herte  to  braft  was  boun, 

Siching  full  fadly  faied  I  can  no  more, 

She  was  untrue,  and  wo  is  me  therfore. 

Sum  faith  he  made  a  tombe  of  marble  graie, 
And  wrote  her  name  and  fuperfcripcioun, 
And  laid  it  on  her  grave  wheras  fhe  laie, 
In  golden  lettirs,  conteining  this  refoun  ; 
Lo  !  faire  ladies,  Crefeide  of  Troie  toun, 
Sumtyme  comptit  the  floure  of  womanhed, 
Uridir  this  ftane,  late  lepir,  lyith  dedde  !   ' 

Now 


I*j6  CHRONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  FOETRT. 

Now  worthy  women,  in  this  balade  fhort, 
Made  for  your  worfbip  and  inflruction,, 
Of  charite  I  monilhe  and  exhorte, 
Mynge  not  your  luve  with  fals  difcepcion, 
Bere  in  your  ininde  this  fore  conclufion 
Of  faire  Crefeide,  as  I  have  faied  before  ; 
Sith  ihe  is  dedde  ITpeke  of  her  no  more. 


P.  169.  St.  a.  With  cup  and  clapper.  Henrysone  probably  defcrioe? 
here  the  manner  of  begging  ufed  by  leprous  perfons  in  his  own  time. 
Leprofy  was  then,  and  long  had  been  a  very  common  difeafe  in  Scot- 
land. So  far  back  as  the  middle  of  the  12th  century,  we  find,  from  the 
Burrow  laws,  cap.  64.  that  hofpitals  for  the  reception  of  perfons  afflicted 
with  that  malady,  were  common,  we  may  fuppofe,  in  all  the  larger 
towns.  "  Gif  ony  man  dwelland  in  the  King's  Burgh  is  ftricken  with 
"  leprotic,  he  fell  be  put  into  the  hofpital  of  that  Burgh  ;  and  gif  he  has 
cc  nathing  to  Lve  upon,  the  burgeffes  fall  make  a  collection  of  twenty 
"  millings  for  tueit  and  claith  to  him.  Lepper  folke  fall  not  gang  fra 
"  dure  to  dure,  but  fall  fit  at  the  ports  of  the  burgh,  and  feik  almes 
»:  (■with  cup  and  clapper)  fra  them  that  paffes  in  and  forth.  Na  man 
0  within  burgh  fall  be  fa  bauld  as  to  harbcre  an  lepper  man,  under  ane 
*♦  full  amerciament."  James  F.  Act  106,  anno  1427,  ordains  that 
"  Na  lepper  folke  fit  to  thig,  (beg),  nouther  in  kirk  nor  kirk-yard,  nor" 
«•  uther  place  within  the  burrowes,  bat  at  their  awin  hofpital,  or  at  the 
"  port  of  the  townc."     Lord  Hailes  has  the  following  Notes  on  this 

'«  A<a." 

"  The  general  rendezvous  of  beggars  ufed  to  be  in  the  kirk- yard*. 
Concerning  thiscultom,  aremaikable  paffage  occurs  in  JExz as  Sylvius, 
WJloria  de  Euro/a,  c.  46.  Ulud  nobis  in  Scotia  miraculum  reprefenta- 
tum  eft ;  nam  pauperes  pasne  nudos  ad  templa  mendicantes,  acceptis  la- 
pidibus  eleniofy ta  gratia  d.ttis,  l.Ttos  abiiffe  confpeximus:  id  genus  la- 
pidis,  live  fuiphurca  live  alia  pingui  materia  pracditum,  pro  ligno,  quo 
regio  nuda  eft,  comburitur." 

^neas  Sylvius  came  to  Scotland  as  the  Pope's  legate  in  the  reign 
of  James  1.  It  is  plain  from  this  paffage,  that  coals  were  in  ufe  to  be 
diftributcd  to  the  poor  at  the  church  doors;  but  how,  at  that  period, 
Scotland  fhciiM  have  Keen  confi^-red  as  deflitutc  of  wood,  is  hard  to 

explain. 
■ 


JAMES   III.    I460 $488.  1 77 

explain.  His  hiftorian  Gibkllinus  fpcaks  more  cautioufly.  "  De  Sco- 
tia hsc  relatu  digna  invenit,— terram  magna  ex  parte  arboribus  caren- 
tem." 

Tn  flat.  40.  of  Robert  III.  anno  1386,  it  is  faid  that "  corrupt  fwine  or 
"  falmon  brought  to  the  market,  fal  be  taken  by  the  Baillies,  and  in- 
"  continent  fall  be  fent  to  the  lepper  folke  ;  and  gif  there  be  na  lepper 
"  folke,  they  fall  be  deftroyed  alluterlie."  The  feeding  of  leprous  per- 
fons  with  corrupted  fwine's  flefh,  may  feem  ftrange ;  and  yet,  at  this 
day,  after  the  improvements  of  40x3  years,  meat  unfit  for  the  market  is, 
in  fome  parts  of  the  kingdom,  condemned,  and  fent  to  feed  the  poor. 

%*  It  is  to  be  obferved.that  Henryson  follows  Chaucer's  ftory  of 
Troilus  and  Creflida,  and  not  that  of  Homer  or  any  other  ancient  au- 
|hor. 


Vol.  I.  Z  THE 


THE   BLUDY    SERK,   ANE    PIOUS    BALADE, 


—  Preferved  in  the  Bannatyne  M.  S.  with  the  fub- 
fcription  qjjod  MR.  R.  henrici.  It  is  worthy  of  no- 
tice, from  its  being  one  of  our  earlieft  fpecimens  of 
the  Ballad  Stanza  ;  and  alfo  of  fmooth  verjification 
a  quality  which  Henrysone  poffeffed  in  a  fuperlative 
degree,  at  a  period  when  it  was  almofl  a  phenomenon 
to  write  verfes  of  any  kind.  In  the  preceding  poem, 
we  find  our  author  fpeaking  of  himfelf  as  an  nged 
man.  From  the  moral  turn  of  this,  and  the  others 
that  follow,  we  may  fuppofe  them  to  he  his  latefl  per- 
formances, written  probably  when  this  mofl  ingenious 
and  accompli/hed  pcrfon  had  approached  his  feventieth. 
year.'] 


I. 

J.  his  hundir  yeir  I  have  been  tald, 
Thair  was  a  worthy  King  ; 
Dukis,  Erles,  and  Barronis  bald, 
He  had  at  his  bidding. 
The  Lord  was  anceane,  and  aid, 
And  fixty  yeiris  cowth  ring  ; 
He  had  a  dochter,  fair  to  fald, 
A  lufty  lady  ying. 

II. 

Off  all  fairheid  fcho  bur  the  flour  ; 
And  eik  her  fadris  air  : 
Off  lufty  laitis,  and  he  honour  ; 
Meik,  botand  debonair. 

Sch? 


james  m.  1460—1488. 

Scho  wynnit  in  a  bigly  bour  ; 
On  fold  wcs  nane  fa  fair 
Princis  luvit  her  peramour, 
In  cuntreis  our  all  quhair. 

III. 

Thair  dwelt  a  lyt  befyde  the  King 
A  fowll  Gyane  of  ane  ; 
Stollin  he  hes  the  lady  ying, 
Away  with  hir  is  gane. 
And  keft  hir  in  his  dungering, 
Quhair  licht  fcho  micht  fe  nane. 
Hungir  and  cauld,  and  grit  thrifting, 
Scho  fand  into  hir  wame. 

IV. 

He  wes  the  loUthliefl  on  to  luk 
That  on  the  grund  mycht  gang  : 
His  nailis  wes  lyk  ane  hellis  cruk, 
Thairwith  fyve  quarteris  lang. 
Thair  wes  nane  that  he  ourtuk, 
In  rycht  or  yit  in  wrang, 
Bot  all  in  fchondir  he  thame  fchuk  j 
The  Gyane  wes  fo  flrang. 

V. 

He  held  the  lady  day  and  nycht, 

Within  his  deip  dungeoun  ; 

He  wald  nocht  gif  of  hir  a  licht 

For  gold  nor  yit  ranfoun. 

Bot  gif  the  King  mycht  get  a  Knycht, 

To  fecht  with  his  perfoun, 

To  fecht  with  him,  both  day  and  nycht, 

Quhill  ane  wer  dungin  doun. 


vr. 


l8o  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

VI. 

The  King  gart  feik  bath  fer  and  nere, 

Beth  be  the  fe  and  land, 

Off  ony  knjcht  gife  he  micht  heir, 

Wald  fecht  with  that  Gyand. 

A  worthy  prince,  that  had  na  peir, 

Hes  tane  the  deid  on  hand, 

For  the  luve  of  the  lady  cleir  ; 

And  held  full  trew  connand. 

VII. 

That  prince  cotne  proudly  to  the  toun^* 

Of  that  Gyane  to  heir  ; 

And  faucht  with  him,  his  awin  perfoun, 

And  tuke  him  prefonier. 

And  keft  him  in  his  awin  dungeoun, 

Allane  withouttin  feir, 

With  hungir,  cauld,  and  confufioun, 

As  full  Weill  worthy  weir. 

VIII. 

Syne  brak  the  bour,  had  hame  the  bricht, 

Unto  hir  fadir  he. 

Sa  evil  wondit  was  the  knycht, 

That  he  behuvit  to  de. 

Unlufum  was  his  lynkome  dicht  j 

His  fark  was  all  bludy  ; 

In  all  the  warld  was  nair  a  wicht 

So  petious  for  to  fe.  ( 

IX. 

The  lady  murnyt,  and  maid  grit  mane, 
With  all  her  mekle  micht : 
"  I  lufit  nevir  lufe,  bot  ane, 
«  That  dolfull  now  is  dicht  ! 

«  God 


jaMes  lit.  I46d-—I488.  181 


M  God  fen  my  lyfe  wer  fra  me  tane, 
*'  Or  I  had  fene  yone  iicht ; 
'*  Or  ellis  in  begging  evir  begane, 
•'  Furth  with  yone  curtafs  knycht." 

X. 

He  faid,  '  Fair  lady  now  mone  I 
'  De,  treftly  ye  me  trow, 

*  Tak  ye  my  fark  that  is  bludyj 
3  And  hing  it  forrow  you. 

*  Firft  think  on  it,  and  fyne  on  me, 

*  Quhen  men  cumis  yow  to  wow.' 
The  lady  faid.  "  Be  Mary  fre, 

*'  Thairto  I  mak  a  vow." 

XI. 

Quhen  that  fcho  lukit  to  the  ferk, 

Scho  thocht  on  the  perfoun  : 

And  prayit  for  him  with  all  her  harte, 

That  lowfd  her  of  bandoun, 

Quhair  fcho  was  wont  to  fit  full  merk 

In  that  deip  dungeouh. 

And  ever  quhill  fcho  wes  in  quert, 

That  wafs  hir  a  lefioun, 

XII. 

So  weill  the  lady  luvit  the  Knycht, 
That  no  man  wald  fcho  tak. 
Sa  fuld  we  do  our  God  of  micht 
That  did  all  for  us  mak  ; 
Quhilk  fullely  to  deid  wes  dicht, 
For  finfull  manis  faik. 
Sa  fuld  we  do,  both  day  and  nycht, 
With  prayaiis  to  him  mak. 


XIII. 


1 82  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY, 

XIII. 

This  King  is  lyk  the  Trinitie 

Baith  in  hevin  and  heir. 

The  manis  faule  to  the  lady  : 

The  Gyane  to  Lucefcir. 

The  Knycht  to  Chryft,  that  deit  on  tre, 

And  coft  our  fynnis  deir  : 

The  pit  to  hell,  with  panis  fell ; 

The  fyn  to  the  woweir. 

XIV. 

The  lady  was  woud,  but  fcho  faid  nay^ 
With  men  that  wald  hir  wed  ; 
Sa  fuld  we  wryth  all  fyn  away, 
That  in  our  breift  is  bred. 
I  pray  to  Jefu  Chryft  verrey 
For  us  his  blud  that  bled, 
To  be  our  help  on  domyfday, 
Quhair  lawis  ar  ftrontly  led. 

XV. 

The  faule  is  Goddis  dochtir  deir, 
And  eik  his  handewerk, 
That  was  betrafit  with  Lucifeir, 
Quhafittis  in  hell,  full  merk. 
Borrowit  with  Chryftis  angell  cleir, 
Hend  men  !  will  ye  nocht  herk  ? 
For  his  lufe  that  bocht  us  fa  deir,  , 
Think  on  the  Bludy  Serk  ! 


St.  8  1.  5.  Lynlome  dkht.  In  the  M .  S.  llhame,  certainly  an  error  of 
the  tranfcriber  for  lynkome,  linen  ;  "  his  linen  was  rendered  unlufum." 
The  word  occurs  no  where  elfe  but  in  ChrijTs  Kirk  on  the  Grene;  an  ad- 
ditional prefurription  that  the  two  poems  were  written  by  the  fame  per- 
fon.  A  refemblance  can  eafily  be  traced.  Compare  St.  2-  of  this  with 
St.  2.  of  the  other;  St.  4.  with  St.  19. ;  Sc.  II.  with  St.  17.,  &c.  The 
alliteration  would  require  thib  phrafe  to  be  lyncamc  licit,  and  probably 
Henryson  wrote  it  fo. 

THE 


THE    ABBAY   WALK,  BY    ROBERT   HENRYSOUE, 


-  Preferred  in  both  the  Bannatyne  and  Mait- 
LAND  ManufcriptSy  but  fubfcribed  only  in  the  former. 
Lord  Hailes  gives  this  title  to  the  poem  from  a  like 
title  of  a  popular  poem,  mentioned  by  Wedderburn 
(not  Sir  James  InglisJ  in  his  "  Complaint  of  Scot' 
land,"  a  clajjical  compofition  in  Scottijh  profe  printed 
in  1549.  Probably  this  is  the  very  poem  there  call- 
ed the  "  Cheapcl  Walk."  In  Jlanza  >jth  Henry- 
sone  applies  to  the  Divinity  what  Chaucer  fays  of 
love  in  his  tl  Cuckowe  and  Nightingale."'} 

"  For  he  can  maken  of  lowe  herds  hie, 
And  of  hie  lowe." 

Forfome  other  obfervatiom  on  this  poem  fee  p.  88  &c. 


I. 

XjLllone  as  I  went  up  and  doun 
In  ane  abbay  was  fair  to  fe, 
Thinkand  quhat  confolatioun 
Was  bell  in  all  adverfitie  , 
On  caifs  I  keft  on  fyd  myne  ee, 
And  faw  this  writtin  on  a  "wall, 
In  quhat  eftait,  man,  that  thow  be, 
Obey,  and  thank  thy  God  of  all. 

II. 

Thy  kindome  and  thy  grit  empyre, 
Thy  tyaltie,  nor  riche  array, 
Sail  nocht  endeur  at  thy  defire, 
Bot,  as  the  wind,  will  wend  away  ; 


Tli 


$&4  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY» 

Thy  gold,  and  all  thy  gudis  gay, 
Quheh  fortoun  lift  will  fra  the  fall : 
Sen  thou  fie  fampillis  feis  ilk  day, 
Obey,  and  thank  thy  God  of  all. 

III. 

Job  wes  maift  riche,  in  writ  we  find, 
Thobe  maift  full  of  cheritie  ; 
Job  woux  pure,  and  Thobe  blynd, 
Baith  tempit  with  adverfitie. 
Sen  blindnes  wes  infirmitie, 
And  povertie  wes  naturall  ; 
Rycht  patiently  bath  he  and  he 
Qbeyit,  and  thankit  God  of  all. 

IV. 

Thocht  thow  be  blind,  or  haif  ane  halt, 
Or  in  thy  face  deformit  ill, 
Sa  it  cum  nocht  throw  thy  defalt, 
Ka  man  fuld  the  repreif  by  Ikill. 
Blame  nocht  thy  Lord,  fa  is  his  will  ; 
Spurn  nocht  thy  fute  againis  the  wall ; 
Bot  with  meik  haitt,  and  prayer  ftill, 
Obey,  and  thank  thy  God  of  all. 

V. 

God  of  his  juftice  mon  correct., 
And  of  his  mercy  petie  haif ; 
He  is  ane  judge,  to  nane  fufpecl, 
To  pUneis  fynfull  man  and  faif. 
Thocht  thow  be  lord  attour  the  laif, 
And  eftirwart  maid  bound  and  thrall, 
Ane  pure  begger,  with  ikrip  and  ftaiff, 
Obey,  and  thank  thy  God  of  all. 


VI. 


JAMES  HI.  I460 1488.  185 

VI.  - 

This  changeing,  and  grit  variance, 

OIF  erdly  ftaitis  up  and  doun, 

Comes  nowder  throw  fortoun  nor  chance, 

As  fum  men  favis,  without  reflbwa  : 

Bot  be  the  grit  provifioun 

Of  God  aboif  that  rewll  the  fall ; 

Thairfoir  evir  thow  make  the  boun 

To  obey,  and  thank  thy  God  of  all. 

VII. 

In  welth  be  meik,  heich  not  thyfelf ; 
Be  glaid  in  wofull  povertie  ; 
Thy  powir,  and  thy  warldis  pelf, 
Is  nocht  bot  verry  vanitie. 
Remembir  him  that  deit  on  tre, 
For  thy  faik  taiftit  the  bittir  gall  ; 
Quha  heis  law  hairtis,  and  lawis  he, 
Obey,  and  thank  thy  God  of  all, 


Vol.  I.  A  a  the 


% 

. 

■ 

THE  RESSONING   BETWIXT   AIGE    AND    TOWTH  J   $£ 
R.    HENRYSONE. 


[Copies  of  this  Moral  Dialogue  are  preferred  in  both 
the  MAITLAND  and  Bannatyne  Manufcripts.  The 
variations,  as  noted  by  Mr  Pinkerton,  are  not  in- 
conjiderable,  and  have  therefore  been  carefully  attend- 
ed to."] 

- 

vJuhen  fair  Flora,  the  godes  of  the  flowris, 
Baith  firth  and  fieldis  fo  frefchely  had  ouifret 
And  perly  droppis  of  the  balmy  fchowris 
All  woddis  grene  had  with  thair  water  wet ; 
Muvard  allone,  in  mornjng  myld,  I  met 
A  merry  man,  that  all  of  mirth  cowth  mene, 
Singand  the  fang  that  richt  fweetly  was  fett  i 

0  yowth  be  glaid  into  thy  flowris  grene. 

AIGE. 

1  luckit  fuith  a  litill  me  befoir 

And  faw  a  cat  ire  on  ane  club  cumand, 
With  cheikis  lene,  and  lyart  lokis  hoir  : 
His  ene  wes  how,  his  voce  wes  hers,  norland, 
Wallowit  and  wan,  and  waik  as  ony  wand  j 
Ane  bill  he  beure  upoun  his  breift  abone, 
In  letteris  leill  bm  lyis,  with  this  legand, 
O  yowth  thy  flowris  fedis  ferly  fone. 

TOWTH. 


James  iii.  1460— .1488.  187 

YOWTH. 

This  yung  man  lap  upoun  the  land  full  licht 
And  mervell  mekle  of  his  makdome  maid. 
Waddin  I  am,  quoth  he,  and  wounder  wicht, 
With  bran  as  bair,  and  breift  burly  and  braid  ; 
Na  growine  on  ground  my  guerdon  may  degraid, 
Nor  of  my  pith  may  pair,  wirth  haif  a  prene ; 
My  face  is  fair,  my  fegour  will  not  faid  ; 

0  yowth  be  glaid  into  thy  flowris  grene. 

AIGE. 

This  fenyiour  fang,  bot  with  a  fober  flevin, 
Schakand  his  berd,  he  faid,  My  bairne,  lat  be  ; 

1  was  within  thir  fextie  years  and  fevin 
Ane  freik  on  feld,  als  frank,  forfy  and  fre ; 
Als  glaid,  als  gay,  ais  ying,  als  yaip  as  yie  : 
But  now  tha  dayis  ourdrevin  ar  and  done ; 
Luke  thow  my  laikly  luking,  gif  I  lie  ; 

O  yowth  thy  flowris  fadis  ferly  fone. 

YOWTlt. 

This  merry  man  of  mirth  yit  muvit  mair  : 
My  corps  is  clene,  without  corruptioun  ; 
Myfelf  is  found  fra  feiknefs  and  fra  fair  ; 
My  wittis  fy ve  in  deW  proportioun : 
My  curage  is  of  clene  complexioun  ; 
My  hairt  is  haill,  my  levar,  and  my  fplene  5. 
To  reid  thy  foil  then  I  haif  no  reifoun  : 
O  yowth  be  glaid  into  thy  flowris  grene. 

AIGE. 

The  bevar  hoir  faid  to  this  birly  berne, 
This  breif  thow  fall  abyd  fone,  be  thow  bald  J 
Thy  flait,  thy  ftrenth,  thocht  it  be  flark  and  flerne 
The  feveris  fell,  and  eild  fall  gar  the  faid  5 

Thy 


3 88  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

Thy  corps  fall  cling,  thy  curage  fall  wa"x  cald, 
Thy  helth  fall  hynck,  and  tak  a  hurt,  but  hone  ; 
Thy  wittis  fyve  fall  vaneis,  thocht  thow  not  wald  : 
O  yowth,  thy  flowris  fadis  fellone  fone. 

YOWTH. 

Ane  uthir  vers  yit  this  yung  man  couth  fing  : 
At  luvis  layr  a  quhyle  I  think  to  leit, 
In  court  to  cramp,  clenely  in  my  clething, 
And  luke  amangis  thir  lufly  ladeis  fueit ; 
Of  mariage  to  mell,  with  mowthis  meit, 
In  fecreit  place,  quhair  we  ma  not  be  fene, 
"With  birdis  blyth  in  bonre  my  bailis  to  beit  j 
O  yowth  be  glaid  into  thy  flowris  grene. 

AIGE. 

This  ancient  man  gaif  anfwer  angrelie : 

For  thy  cramping  thow  fait  baith  cruke  and  cowre  ; 

Thy  flefchely  luft  the  fait  alfo  defy, 

And  pane  fall  the  put  fra  all  paramour : 

Than  will  no  bird  be  blyth  of  the  in  boure  ; 

Quhen  thy  manheid  fall  mynifh  as  the  mone  ; 

Than  fall  thow  fay  gif  that  my  fang  be  feur  : 

O  yowth  be  glaid  into  thy  flowris  grene. 


This  gaylyart  grutchit  and  began  to  grief 

And  on,  full  fone,  he  went  his  wayis  bot  wene ; 

This  lene  auld  man  luthe  not,  but  tuk  his  leif, 

And  I  abayd  under  the  levis  grene : 

Of  tha  fedullis  the  futhe  quhan  I  had  fene, 

Of  trewth,  methocht,  thay  triumphit  in  thair  tone  ; 

O  yowth  be  glaid  into  thy  flowris  grene  : 

O  yowth  the  flowris  fadis  fellone  fone. 

Sf. 


JAMES  III.  146c — 1488.  1S9 


St.  3.  1.  5.  Crozvlne  from  groine,  hanging  lip,  discontent.  Guerdon, 
reward,  recompence.  "  No  worldly  vexation  fhall  prevent  me  from 
uijoying  the  pleafures  of  youth." 

St.  4.  Ane  frelh  on  feld.      In  Cbrijlt  Kirh  on  the  Grene,  we  have 
"  Freiks  to  the  felds  than  flokkit." 
Gawin  Douglas  ufes  the  word  once, 

"  Ha,  W3lJ  thou  fecht,  quod  the  f.-eik." 
Jt  fecms  to    have   the   fame    Signification   as  brave  had  in  the  days  at 
Brantome  ;  or  tall  man,  m'the  days  of  Sh  akespeare.     Tiie  on'jr  re- 
mains of  the  woid  in  modern  Englifh  are,  freak,  a  whim  ;  and  freaii/b, 
capricious.     H. 

S-.  6.  This  brcif,  probably  ought  to  be  bairfb,  that  is  "  bnrthen,"'  the 
fame  word  thac  occurs  in  Cbrijii  Kirk  on  the  Grene,  St.  J  8.  Thi-*  load  of 
wretchedness  (hall  foon  bt  your  fate,  however  vigorous  you  may  be  ar 
prefent. 

Thy  be! lb  fall  byni,  an  £  tab  a  hurt,  but  bone.  Thy  heilth  Shall  inconti- 
nently V.afte  away,  nor  will  there  be  any  relief  or  intermifTion  frofn  CiS- 
eafe.  Hynk  is  from  the  Ang.  Sax.  bigan,  fefHnare  ;  hence  to  bit:  but 
bone  means  "  without  ho.".  Mr  Ruddiman  obferves,  that1'  hone," 
is,  met.  gr.  for  bo,  an  interjection,  commanding  to  defift.  It  was  ufed 
by  the  judge  of  the  lifts,  in  the  days  of  chivalry,  when  he  ordered  the. 
champions  to  ceafc  frooi  combat.  In  French  tola,  or  bo  la.  Bassom- 
pierre  relates,  that  when  Charles  I.  and  he  were  talking  wa  mly, 
Buckingham  Slept  in  and  tried,  *' Je  mets  I  bola  entre  vous  deux"' 
Herein  this  petulant  minifter  affsmed  the  character  of  j-idge  of  the  iiics 
between  his  mafler  and  ^n  ambafTidor.     H. 

St  7.  With  bird'u  blyth  in  boure  my  bailit  to  bat.  Birde  is  ufed  in  CbaTT- 
cf r  for  a  millrefs.  In  an  old  Scotrifh  fong,  <l  Burd  Ifobel"  means  a 
young  lady  caller  Isabella.  Burd  is  flill  ufed  as  an  appellation  of 
complacency  by  Superiors  to  women  of  lower  degree  L/lerfar  in  his 
"  Perell  of  Paramours"  Speaks  of  "  birdis  bricht  in  bowris,"  by  which 
he  mean«,  ycung  women  in  their  chambers.  Bailis  belt,  abate  mv  firts; 
fo  fa\s  Lord  Kaii.e3,  hut  erroneously  It  prob.ibiy  means  the  very 
reverfe,  to  help.  increaSe,  or  rouSc  my  amorous  lite.  To  beit  the  fre, 
is  an  expreffion  flill  quite  common. 

Three  other  pieces  by  Henrysonf  have  been  published  by  Lo».d 
Hailes,  but  being  of  inferior  merit,  it  would  be  ufclefsto  rtjinnt  their, 
efpecialry  as  they  are  without  Notes. 

The 


Ifp  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH  POETRY. 

The  Moral  of  his  fable  (the  trite  one)  of  the  Msufs  and  Frog,  de  - 
fervesj  however,  to  be  kept  in  remembrance  : 

My  bruder,  gif  thow  wil  tak  advertens, 

Till  this  fabill,  thow  may  perfaif  and  fc, 

It  palfis  far  alkynd  of  peftilens,       ~~- 

A  wicket  mynd,  with  wirdis  fair  and  flc : 

Be  war  thairfor,  quhom  with  thow  fellowis  the  ; 

For  thow  war  better  beir  of  {lane  the  barrow  ; 

Or  fueitand,  dig  and  delf  quhill  thow  may  drc, 
Than  to  be  machit  with  a  wicket  marrow. 

A  fa!s  intent,  undir  a  fair  pretence, 
Has  cawfit  mony  innocentis  to  d£; 
Grit  folly  is,  thairfor,  to  gif  credence 
Our  fone  to  all  that  fpeikis  fair  to  the. 
A  filkand  tong,  a  hairtof  crewelte, 
Smytis  mair  foir  than  ony  fchot  of  arrow. 
Bruder,  gif  thow  be  vyis,  I  red  the  fie, 
Na  mach  the  with  a  frawart  fenyeit  marrow. 

I  warn  the  al=,  it  is  grit  negligence, 

To  bind  the  faft  quhair  thow  was  frank  and  fre  { 

Fra  thow  be  bund,  thow  may  mak  na  defens 

To  faif  thy  lyf,  or  yit  in  libertie. 

This  ftmpil  counfale,  bruder,  tak  at  me, 

And  it  to  conn  perqueer  fe  nocht  thow  tarrow ; 

Better  bot  ftryfe  to  leif  allone  in  le,  v 

Than  to  be  machit  with  a  wicket  marrow. 

Here,  then,  we  take  leave  of  "  Gude  Maifter  Robert  Henrt- 
sovne."  He  probably  died  about  1490;  and  that  he  continued  to 
rhvmc  to  the  laft,  appears  from  an  anecdote  recorded  by  Sir  F.  Kymas- 
toun.  All  phyficiaii9  (fays  he)  having  given  him  over,  there  came  an 
old  woman  unto  him  who  was  held  a  witch,  and  affced  him  whether  he 
would  he  cured  ;  to  whom  he  faid,  Very  willingly.  Then,  quod  fhe, 
there  is  a  Willey  tree  :n  the  lower  end  of  your  Orchard,  and  if  you 
will  go  and  walk  but  thiice  about  it,  and  thrice  repeat  thefe  words, 
Willey  tree,  willey  tree,  take  away  this  flux  from  me,  you  fhall  prc- 
fently  be  cured.  He  told  her,  that  being  extreme  weak  and  faint,  it 
was  impoffible  ;  but,  pointing  to  an  oaken  table  in  the  room,  afked  her 
if  it  would  not  do  as  well  to  give  three  knocks  upon  it,  and  thrice  re- 
peat thefc  words, 

Oaken  burde,  oaken  burde 
Gar  me  *****  ane  hard  ****. 
The  woman  feeing  herfclf  derided,  ran  out  of  thchoufe,  and  Henrysoh 
died  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 

THE 


THE  THRE  DEID  POWIS, 


-  In  the  Maitlakd   M.  S.  afcribed  to  Henryson,  in 
the  Bannatyne  to  Patrick  Johnstoun.  The  fancy 

of  introducing  three  death's-heads'  is  odd ;  and  the 
more  Jo,  becaufe  they  all  /peak  at  once,  The  fenti- 
ments  are  fuch  as  the  contemplation  of  mortality  na- 
turally produces.  If  likenefs  inferred  imita:.'-<vt 
Shakespeare,  in  thefcene  of  the  grave-diggers,  mi?ht 
he  fuppofed  to  have  copied  from  Patrick  Johnstoln, 
an  ohfcure  vetffer,  of  whom  he  never  heard.l 


I. 

\J  sinfull  man  !   into  this  mortall  fe, 
Quhilk  is  the  vaill  of  mournyng  and  of  cair  - 
With  gaiftly  ficht,  behold  our  heidis  thre, 
Oure  holkit  eine,  oure  peilit  powis  bair. 
As  ye  ar  now,  into  this  warld  we  wair, 
Als  frefche,  als  fair,  als  lufly  to  behald  ; 
Quhan  tliow  Jukis  on  this  futh  exemplair, 
Off  thy  felf,  man,  thow  may  be  richt  unbahL 

IL 

for  futh  it  is,  that  every  man  mortall 
Mon  fufFer  deid,  and  de,  that  lyfe  has  tane  ; 
Na  erdly  ftait  aganis  deid  ma  prevail^ ; 
The  hour  of  deth  and  place  is  uncertane, 
Quhilk  is  referrit  to  the  hie  God  allane  : 
Herefoir  haif  mynd  of  deth,  that  thow  mon  dy  ; 
This  fair  exampill  to  fe  quotidiane, 
Sowld  caufe  all  men  fro  wicket  vycis  flie  ? 

TIL 


ICfZ  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    FOETRY. 

O  wantone  ycwth  !  als  frcfcbe  as  lufty  May, 
Fared  of  flowris,  renewit  quhyt  and  reid, 
Behald  our  heidis,  O  lufty  gallauds  gay  ! 
Full  laithly  thus  fall  ly  thy  lufty  heid, 
Hulkit  and  how,  and  wallowit  as  the  weid, 
Thy  crampland  hair,  and  eik  thy  criftall  ene  ; 
Full  eairfuliy  conclud  fall  dulefull  deid, 
Thy  example  heir  be  us  it  may  be  fene. 

IV. 

O  ladeis  quhyt  in  claithis  corrufcant, 
Poleift  with  perle,  and  mony  pretius  ftane  j 
With  palpis  quhyt,  and  hals  elegant, 
Sirculit  with  gold    and  fapheris  mony  ane  ; 
Your  fingearis  final  1,  quhyt  as  quhailis  bane, 
Arrayit  with  ringis,  and  mony  rubeis  reid  j 
As  we  ly  thus,  fo  fall  ye  ly  ilk  ane, 
With  peilit  powis,  and  holkit  thus  your  heid. 

V. 

O  wofull  pryd  !  the  rute  of  all  diftrefs, 
With  humill  hairt  upoun  our  powis  pens  : 
Man,  for  thy  mifs,  alk  mercy  with  meiknefs ; 
Againis  deid  na  man  may  mak  defens. 
The  emperor,  for  all  his  excellens, 
King  and  quene,  and  eik  all  erdly  ftait, 
Peure  and  riche,  fall  be  but  differens, 
Turnit  in  as,  and  thus  in  erd  tranflait. 

VI. 

This  queftioun  quha  can  obfolve  lat  fee, 
Quhat  phifnamour,  or  perfyt  palmefter, 
Quha  was  fareft,  or  fowleil  of  us  thre  ? 
Or  quhilk  of  us  of  kin  was  gentillar, 
Or  maift  excellent  in  fcience  or  in  lare, 
In  art,  mufic,  or  in  aftronomye  ? 


Heir 


JAMES  HI.  I460— 1488.  19$ 

Heir  fould  be  your  ftudy  and  repair, 

And  think,  as  thus,  all  your  heidis  mon  be. 

VII. 

O  febill  aige  !  drawand  neir  the  dait 

<Df  duly  deid,  and  hes  thy  dayis  compleit, 

Behald  our  heidis  with  murning  and  regrait ; 

Fall  on  thy  kneis,  afk  grace  at  God  greit, 

With  orifonis,  and  haly  falmis  fweit, 

Befeikand  him  on  the  to  haif  mercy, 

Now  of  our  faulis  bydand  the  decreit 

Of  his  Godheid,  quhen  he  fall  call  and  try. 

VIII. 

Als  we  exhort,  that  every  man  mortal], 

For  his  faik  that  maid  all  thingis  of  nocht, 

For  our  fawlis  to  pray  in  generall, 

To  Jefu  Chryil,  of  hevyn  and  erd  the  king, 

That  throuch  his  blude  we  may  ay  leif  and  ring, 

With  the  hie  Fader  be  eternitie, 

The  Sone  alfwa,  the  Haly  Gaifl  conding, 

Thre  knit  in  ane  be  perfyt  unitie. 


St.  4.  Pearl.  The  Scottifh  pearls  were  much  efteemed  iji  ancient 
times.  Nicolas,  prior  of  Worckster,  thus  writes  to  Eadmer,  Eleci 
of  St  Andrews,  in  the  reisrn  of  Alexander  I.  anno  1120.  "  Prasterea, 
"  rogo,  et  valde  obfecro,  ut  margaritas  Candidas  quantum  poteris  mini 
"  acquiras.  Uniones  etiam,  quofcunque  grpffiffimos  adquirere  pores, 
"  faltem  quatuor,  mihi  adquiri  per  te  magnopere  poftulo._  Si  alitrr 
"  non  vales,  faltem  a  rege,  qui  in  hac  re  omnium  bominum  ditijptnum  ejl, 
*'  pro  munere  expete."  *  I  entreat  you  to  let  me  have  as  many  of  the 
"  faireft  pearh  as  you  can  procure.  In  particular,  1  defire  four  of  the 
"  largeft  fort.  If  you  cannot  procure  them  otherwife,  of:  tlem  in  a  pre- 
"  fertt  from  the  King,  ivl/o,  I  know,  has  a  moji  abundavt  /?ure."  Whar- 
Vol.  F.  E  b  ton'« 


194  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

ton's  Anglia  Sacra.  Among  the  jewels  which  Henry  V.  loft,  when 
his  camp  was  plundered  at  Agincoun,  there  is  mention  made  of  ♦*  una 
ferula  Scotia,"  Rtmer's  Ftedera.  James  I.  made  a  prefent  of  one  pearl 
to  Eneas  Sylvius,  the  Pope's  Legate.  Boece  fays,  "  Nee  vcro  mini- 
"  mi  funt  pretii  quos  noftra  fert  regio  uniones :  fplendefcentem  enim 
"  fere  candorem  referunt,  optime  orbiculati  laevefque,  ac  magnitudine 
rx  interdum  unguis  minimi  manus  digiti  excedentes,  quantum  et  nos  a.li- 
«  quando  habuimus""    H. 


fERELL 


PERELL   OF    PARAMOURS,  A   BALLADE,   BY   MERSAR, 


—  A  Poet  of  "whom  no  other  compofition  novo  remains  ; 
or,  at  leajl,  is  known.  He  is  mentioned  by  Dunbar, 
and  by  Sir  David  Lindsay  ;  by  the  former  thus, 
in  his  "  Lament  for  the  death  of  the  Makars  j" 

**  That  did  in  lufe  fo  lyflie  wryte 

So  fchort,  fo  quick,  of  fentens  hie." 
His  name  is  introduced  before  that  of  HenrYson  ; 
but  there  feems  no  reafon  to  place  him  earlier  than  this 
reign.     In  the  Bann.  M.  S.  the  poem  is  fubfcribedf 
"  Quod  Mersar."3 


I. 

x\llace  !  fo  fobir  is  the  micht 
Of  wemen  for  to  mak  debait, 
Incontrair  mennis  fubtell  flicht, 
Quhilk  ar  fulfillit  with  diflait  ; 
With  trefione  fo  intoxicait 
Are  mennis  mowthis  at  all  ouris, 
Quhome  in  to  treft  no  woman  wait ; 
Sic  perrell  ljis  in  paramouris. 

II. 

Sum  fueris  that  he  luvis  fo  weill, 
That  he  will  de  without  remeid, 
Bot  gife  that  hehir  freindfchip  feill, 
That  garris  him  fie  langour  leid ; 
And  thocht  he  haif  no  dout  of  fpeid, 
Yet  will  he  fich  and  fchaw  grit  fchouris, 
As  he  wald  flerfe  in  to  that  fteid  j 
Sic  perrell  lies  in  paramouris. 

III. 


196  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

III. 

Athis  to  fuere,  and  giftis  to  hecht, 
Moir  than  he  has  thretty  fold, 
And  for  hir  honour  for  to  fccht, 
Quhill  that  his  blude  becummis  cola. 
Bot  fra  fcho  to  his  willis  yold, 
Adew,  fair  weill  thir  fomer  flouris, 
All  grows  in  glafs  that  femit  gold  ; 
Sic  perrell  Lyis  in  paramouris. 

IV. 

Than  turnis  he  his  faill  annone, 
And  paffis  to  ane  uthir  port  j 
Thocht  fcho  be  nevir  fo  wo-begone, 
Hir  cairis  cauld  ar  his  confort. 
Heirfoir  I  pray  in  termys  fchort, 
Chryft  keip  thir  birdis  bricht  in  bowris, 
Fra  fals  luvaris,  and  thair  refort  j 
Sic  perrell  lyis  in  paramouris. 


BALLADE 


BALLADE   AGAINST   DECEITFUL   WOMEN, 


•.from  the  Edinburgh  printed  ColleEtion  1 508;  intro- 
duced here  as  a  counter-part  to  the  preceding  Ballad, 
and  apparently  co-eval  with  it.~\ 


JL/Evise,  prowes,  and  eke  humilitee, 

That  maidenis  have  in  euerich  wyfe, 

Tranfmovit  is  in  ferpentis  crueltee, 

Fra  thay  in  warld  be  weddit  wyth  thir  wyis. 

No  manis  wit  to  wonder  may  fuffice 

Quhare  ar  becumyn  thir  maidenis  myld  of  mude? 

Of  all  this  wyfis  that  non  are  found  gude. 

O  maidynhede  of  virtue  nobileft, 
Flnrifching  in  joy,  and  perfyte  lawlynes  ! 
O  wyf  hede  wariit  of  wyis  wickitefl, 
Moder  of  vice,  and  hertis  hye  diftreffe  ! 
The  caufe  caufing  of  ruyne,  as  1  gefle, 
That  all  this  warld  has  brocht  to  confufion 
Begonnyn  was  throu  thy  perfwafion. 

Enfample  is  how  thyne  iniquitee 
Ourcumyn  has  wyfedom,  and  ftrenth  of  hand  ; 
Be  Salomon  the  firft  may  provit  be, 
Wifeft,  but  were,  in  warld  that  was-  lyfand, 
llis  grete  wifedome  mycht  not  agayn  the  ftand ; 
Thou  gert  hym  err  into  his  latter  elde, 
Declyne  his  God,  and  to  the  Mawmentis  jreld. 

Samfson 


I98  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETR?. 

Sampson  the  ftrongeft  that  ewir  was  borne 
Off  manly  forfe  throu  the  diftroit  was, 
Both  his  eyne  blyndit,  and  eke  forlorn. 
David  that  flew  the  gyant  Golyas  , 
And  mony  mo,  the  quhilk  I  have  na  fpace 
Foi  to  reherfe,  for  lak  of  tyme  and  wit, 
And  for  grete  labour  tharfore  I  mon  ourfett. 

Thou  devillis  member,  thou  ciirfit  homycide, 

Thou  tigir  tene,  fulfild  of  birnyng  fyre, 

Thou  fchryne  fecrete  of  ftynkand  doke,  and  pride, 

Thou  cocatras,  that  with  ficht  of  thy  ire 

Affrayit  has  full  mony  a  gudely  fyre, 

That  eftward  in  warld  had  newir  plefance, 

Grete  God  I  pray  to  take  on  the"  vengeance. 

In  maidynhede  fen  was  oure  firft  remede, 
And  fra  the  hevyn  oure  haly  fader  fent 
The  fecund  perfone,  his  fone,  in  a  Godhede, 
To  tak  mankynde  upon  the  maidyn  gent, 
Clene  of  hir  corfe,  and  clenar  of  entent, 
That  bure  the  baine  quhilk  couerit  us  fra  care 
Scho  being  virgyn  clenar  than  fcho  was  are. 

Grete  was  the  lull  that  thou  had  for  to  fang 
The  frute  vetit,  throu  thy  falle  counfailing 
Thou  gert  mankynde  confeht  to  do  that  wrang, 
Declyne  his  God,  and  brek  his  hie  bidding, 
As  haly  write  beris  futhfaft  witnefling. 
Tharfor  thou  fro  the  joy  of  paradife, 
And  th)'ne  oispring,  was  banyfl  for  thy  vice. 


BALLADE. 


BALLADE    AGAINST   THE    TIMES, 


-from  the  Edinburgh    Colle&ion  1 508.     It  feems  to 
point  unequivocally  to  the  feeble  Reign  of James  III/] 


V_/F  ferlyis  of  this  grete  confufion 

I  wald  fum  clerk  of  conyng  wald  declerde  ; 

Quhat  gerris  this  warld  be  turnyt  up-fo-doun  ; 

Thare  is  na  faithfull  f alines  found  in  erd. 

Now  ar  noucht  thre  may  traiftly  trow  the  ferde  : 

Welth  is  away,  and  wit  is  worthin  wrynkis : 

Now  fele  is  forow,  this  is  a  wofull  werde, 

Sen  want  of  wyfe  men  makis  fulis  to  fit  on  binkis. 

That  tyme  quhen  (rang)  the  lovit  king  Saturnus, 
For  gudely  governance  this  warld  was  goldin  cald  ; 
For  untreuth  we  wate  noucht  quhare  to  it  turnis. 
The  tyme  that  Octovian  the  monarch  could  hald, 
Our  all  wes  pes,  wele  fet  as  hertis  wald  ; 
Than  regnyt  reule,  and  refon  held  hjs  rynks. 
Now  lakkis  prudence  ;  nobilitee  is  thralde, 
Sen  want  of  wyfe  men  makis  fulis  to  lit  on  binkis. 

Arestotill  for  his  moralitee, 

Austyn,  or  Ambrose  for  dyvine  fcripturc  ; 

Quha  can  placebo,  and  noucht  half  dirige, 

That  pra&ik  for  to  pike,  and  pill  the  pure  ; 

He  fall  cum  in,  and  thay  Hand  at  the  dure. 

For  warldly  wynfik  walkis,  quhen  wyfar  wynkis  : 

Wit  takis  na  worfchip,  lie  is  the  aventure, 

Sen  want  of  wyfe  men.  makis  fulis  to  fit  on  binkis. 

Now 


200  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   FOETH.Y* 

Now,  but  defenfe,  rycht  lyis  all  defolate, 
Rjcht  na  refon,  under  na  rufe  has  reft. 
Youth  is  but  raddour,  and  age  is  obftynate, 
Mycht  but  mercy,  the  pore  ar  all  opprefl. 
Lerit  folk  fuld  tech  the  peple  of  the  bell, 
Thouch  lare  be  lytill,  fer  lefle  in  tham  finkis. 
It  may  noucht  be  this  warld  ay  thus  fuld  left, 
That  want  of  wyfe  men  makis  fulis  to  fit  on  binkis. 

For  now  is  exilde  all  aid  noble  corage, 

Lautee,  lufe,  and  liberalitee. 

Now  is  ftabilitee  fundyn  in  na  ftage, 

Nor  digeft  cpunfele  wyth  fad  maturitee. 

Peas  is  away  all  in  perplexitee  ; 

Prudence,  and  policy,  are  banyft  our  al  brinkis. 

This  warld  is  ver  fa  may  it  callit  be, 

That  want  of  wyfe  men  makis  fulis  fit  on  binkis. 

Quhare  is  the  balance  of  juft  and  equitee  ? 

Nothir.meryt  is  preifit,  na  punyfl  is  trefpas. 

All  ledis  lyvis  lawles  at  libertee, 

Nouch  reulit  be  refon,  mare  than  ox,  or  afie. 

Gude  faith  is  flemyt,  worthin  fraillar  than  glas  5 

Trew  lufe  is  lorn,  and  lautee  haldis  no  lynkis  ; 

Sic  gouemance  I  call  noucht  a  faffe, 

Sen  want  of  wyfe  men  makis  fulis  fit  on  binkis. 

O  Lord  of  Lordis  !  God  and  Governour  ! 

Makar,  aud  movar,  bath  of  mare  and  lefle  ! 

Quais  power  wifedome  and  honoure 

Is  infynite,  fal  be,  and  ewirwas  wes, 

As  in  the  principall  mencio  1  of  the  mefle, 

All  thir  fayd  thingis  reform   as  thou  bell  thinkis, 

Quhilk  ar  degradit  for  pare  pi  tee  redrefie, 

Sen  want  of  wyfe  men  maids'  fulis  lit  on  binkis. 


THE 


THE   MURNING    MAIDIK. 


[It  is  impofjible  to  afcertain  with  precifion  the  ara  of 
the  ancient  amatory  Ballads  ;  hut  the  language  of  this 
is  evidently  very  old,  and  refembles  Henryson's 
more  than  that  of  Dunbar,  or  any  other  Poet  of 
the  Reign  of  James  IV.  It  is  mentioned  under  the 
title  of  "  Still  under  the  levis  gvene"  in  the  lifl  of 
Songs  given  by  Wedderburne,  {in  his  "  Complaint 
of  Scotland"  1549^)  who  'does  not  feem  to  bring  dow?i 
that  lifl  any  lower  than  the  ti??ie  of  James  IV. — and 
it  has  been  preferved  in  the  Mai TL and  Manufcript, 
1586, 

u  This  capital  piece?  fays  Mr  Pinkertqn,  "  nar- 
rated with  exquifite  fmplicity  and  beauty ,  is  a  hind  of 
rival  of  the  Ephefian  Matron  ;  and,  for  the  age  in 
which  it  was  ivritten,  is  almofl  miraculous.  The 
iender  pathos  is  finely  recommended  by  an  excellent 
cadence.  An  age  'that  produced  this  might  produce 
almofl  any  perfe&ion  in  poetry ."  And,  perhaps,  it 
may  be  added,  that  no  Poet  of  that  age  was  equal  to 
the  tufk  but  one  who  could  produce  fueh  a  poem  as 
••  Robene  and  Makyne."  With  thefc  two  beautiful 
compojitions ,  not  one  ■poem  of  Dunbar  has  (he  leafl 
affinity. ~] 


OTILL  under  the  levis  grene, 

This  hinder  day,  I  went  alone  : 

I  hard  ane  may  fair  murne,  and  meyne  ; 

To  the  king  of  love  fcho  maid  hir  mone. 

Scho  fychit  fely  foir  ; 

Vol.  I.  C  c  Said 


2G2  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Said  •  Lord,  I  luif  thi  lore  ; 

*  Mair  wo  dreit  never  woman  one. 

'  O  langfum  lyfe,  and  thow  war  gone, 
\  Than  fuld  I  murne  no  moir  !' 

As  rid  gold-wyir  fchynit  hir  hair  ; 
And  all  in  grene  the  may  fcho  frlaid. 
Ane  bent  bow  in  hir  hand  fcho  bair ; 
Undir  hir  belt  war  arrowis  braid. 
I  followit  on  that  fre, 
That  femelie  wes  to  fe. 
Withe  dill  murning  hir  mone  fcho  maid. 
That  bird  under  a  bank  fcho  baid, 
And  lenit  to  ane  tre. 

*  Wanweird  !'  fcho  faid,  *  Quhat  have  I  wrocht, 
'  That  on  me  kytht  hes  all  this  cair  ? 

'  Trew  lufe  fo  deir  I  have  the  bocht  I 

*  Certis  fo  fall  I  do  na  mair. 
'  Sen  that  I  go  begyld 

*  With  ane  that  fay  the  has  fyld. 

'  That  gars  me  of-  fyis  fich  full  fair  ; 

*  And  walk  amang  the  holtis  hair, 
\  Within  the  woddis  wyld. 

c  This  grit  difefe  for  luif  I  dre 

*  Thair  is  no  toung  can  tell  the  wo  ! 
«  I  lufe  the  luif,  that  lufes  not  me  ; 

'  I  may  not  mend — but  murning  mo. 
<  Quhill  God  fend  fum  remeid, 
'  Throw  deftany,  or  deid. 
'  I  am  his  freind — and  he  my  fo. 
'  My  fueit,  alace  !  quhy  dois  he  fo  ? 

*  I  wrocht  him  never  na  feid  ! 

*  Withoutin  fevn  I  wes  his  freynd, 

«  In  word,  and  wark.     Grit  God  it  wait ! 

'  Quhair 


JAMES   III.    I460 — 1488.  203 

c  Quhair  he  wes  placitj  thair  lift  I  leynd, 
'  Doand  him  fervice  ayr  and  late. 
He  kepand  eftir  fyne 

*  Till  his  honour  and  myne. 

*  Bot  now  he  gais  ane  uther  gait ; 
'  And  hes  no  e  to  my  eftait ; 

*  Quhilk  dois  me  all  this  pyne. 

'  It  dois  me  pyne  that  I  may  prufe, 

*  That  makis  me  thus  murning  mo. 
'  My  luif  he  lufes  ane  uther  lufe — 

*  Alas,  fweithart  !   Quhy  does  he  fo  ? 
'  Quhy  fould  he  me  forfaik— . 

'  Have  mercie  on  his  maik  ! — 

'  Thairfoir  my  hart  will  bird  in  two. 

*  And  thus,  walking  with  da  and  ro> 

*  My  leif  now  heir  I  taik.' 

Than  wepit  fcho,  luftie  in  weyd ; 
And  on  hir  wayis  can  fcho  went. 
In  hy  eftir  that  heynd  I  yeyd, 
And  in  my  armis  culd  hir  hent. 
And  faid,  "  Fayr  lady  at  this  tyde, 
"  With  leif  ye  man  abyde. 
"  And  tell  me  quho  yow  hidder  fent  ? 
"  Or  quhy  ye  beir  your  bow  fo  bent 
tS  To  fla  our  deir  of  pryde  ? 

"  In  waithman  weid  fen  I  yow  find 

*'  In  this  wod  walkand  your  alone, 

*'  Your  mylk-quhyte  handis  we  fall  bind 

"  Quhill  that  the  blude  birft  fra  the  bone. 

"  Chairgeand  yow  to  preifoun, 

"  To  the  king's  deip  dungeoun. 

**  Thai  may  ken  be  your  fedderit  flane 

"  Ye  have  bene  mony  beiftis  bane, 

t{  Upon  thir  bentis  broun." 

That 


2©4  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

That  fre  anfvverd  with  fayr  afeir, 

And  faid,  '  Schir,  mercie  for  your  mycht  ! 

Thus  man  I  bow  and  arrowis  beir, 

Becaus  I  am  ane  baneift  wycht. 

So  will  I  be  full  lang. 

For  God's  luif  lat  me  gang  ; 

And  heir  to  yow  my  treuth  I  plyehr, 

That  I  fall,  nowder  day  nor  nycht, 

No  wyld  bsift  wait  with  wrang. 

Thoch  I  walk  in  this  foreft  fre, 

With  bow,  and  cik  with  fedderit  flane, 

It  is  weill  mair  than  dayis  thre, 

And  meit  or  drink  yit  faw  I  nane. 

Thoch  I  had  never  fie  neid 

My  felfe  to  wyn  my  breid, 

Your  deir  may  walk,  fchir,  thair  alane  j 

Yet  wes  I  nevir  na  beiftis  bane. 

I  may  not  fe  thame  bleid. 

Sen  that  I  never  did  yow  ill, 

It  wer  no  Ikill  ye  did  me  Ikayth. 

Your  deir  may  walk  cmhairevir  thai  will : 

I  wyn  my  meit  with  na  fie  waithe. 

I  do  bot  litil  wrang, 

Bot  gif  I  flouris  fang. 

Gif  that  ye  trow  not  in  my  aythe, 

Tak  heir  my  bow  and  arrowis  baythe, 

And  lat  my  awin  felfe  gang.' 

e  I  fay  your  bow  and  arrowis  bricht  ! — 
(  I  bid  not  have  thame,  be  Sanft  Bryd  j 
'  Bot  ye  man  reft  with  me  all  nycht, 

*  All  nakit  fieipand  be  my  fyd." 
I  will  not  do  that  fyn  ! 

Leif  yow  this  warld  to  wyn  !' — 

•  Ye  ar  fo  haill,  of  hew  and  hyd, 

«  Luif 


)am£s  Jit.  1460 — 1488.  i&f 

"  Luif  hes  me  fangit  iu  this  tyd. 
u  I  may  not  fra  yow  twyn." 

Than  lukit  fcho  to  me,  and  leuch  j— . 
And  faid,  •  Sic  luf  I  rid  yow  layne. 

*  Albeid  ye  mak  it  never  fa  teuch, 
'  To  me  your  labour  is  in  vane. 

*■  Wer  I  out  of  your  fycht, 

*  The  fpace  of  halfe  a  nycht, 

'  Suppois  ye  faw  me  ncVer  agane — 

1  Luif  hes  yow  ftreinyeit  with  litle  paitie  j 

'  Thairto  my  treuth  I  plycht.' 

I  faid,  w  My  fueit,  forfuythe  I  fall 

"  For  ever  luif  yow,  and  no  mo. 

'•  Thoch  uthers  luif,  and  leif,  with  all ; 

"  Maift  certanlie  I  do  not  fo. 

"  I  do  yow  trew  luif  hecht, 

"  Be  all  thi  bewty  bricht  ! 

**  Ye  ar  fo  fair  be  not  my  fo  ! 

•'  Ye  fall  have  fyn  and  ye  me  flo 

"  Thus  throw  ane  fuddan  fycht." 

«  That  I  yow  11a,  that  God  forfcheild  ! 
'  Quhat  have  I  done,  or  faid,  yow  till  ? 

*  I  wes  not  wont  wapyns  to  weild — 

*  Bot  am  ane  woman — gif  ye  will. 

*  That  fuirlie  feiris  yow, 
'  And  ye  not  me,  I  trow. 

*  Thairfor,  gude  fchir,  tak  in  none  iXl : 
'  Sail  never  berne  gar  breif  the  bill 

*  At  bidding  me  to  bow* 

*  Into  this  wode  ay  walk  I  fall, 

4  Ledand  my  lyf  as  woful  wycht ; 
'  Heir  I  forfaik  bayth  bour  and  hall, 
'  And  all  thir  bygings  that  are  brycht  ! 


206  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   rOETRT. 

1  My  bed  is  maid  full  cauld, 

*  With  beiftis  bryme  and  bauld 

■  That  gars  me  fay,  bayth  day  and  nychtt 
c  Alace  that  even  the  toung  fould  hecht 
«  That  hart  thocht  not  to  bauld  lr 

Thir  words  out  throw  my  hart  fo  went 
That  neir  I  wepit  for  hir  wo. 
But  thairto  wald  I  not  confent  ; 
And  faid  that  it  fould  not  be  fo. 
Into  my  armis  fwythe 
Embrafit  I  that  blythe. 
Sayand,  "  Sweit  hart,  of  harmis  ho  ! ' 
"  Found  fall  I  never  this  foreft  fro, 
"  Quhill  ye  me  comfort  kyth. 

Than  knelit  I  befoir  that  cleir  ; 
And  meiklie  could  hir  mercie  craif. 
That  femelie  than,  with  fobir  cheir. 
Me  of  hir  gudlines  forgaif. 
It  wes  no  neid,  I  wys, 
To  bid  us  uther  kys  ; 
Thair  mycht  no  hairts  mair  joy  refaif, 
Nor  ather  culd  of  uther  haif. 
Thus  brocht  wer  we  to  blys. 


*„•  There  does  not  appear  any  other  Scottifh  Poem,  Ballad,  or  Song 
that  could  with  certainty,  or  even  probability,  be  placed  under  the  reign 
of  James  III. 

In  the  Bannattnx  M-  S.  the  copy  of  Dunbar's  "  Lament  for  the 
death  of  the  Potts"  as  publi&ed  by  Allan  Ramsay  and  by  Lord 
Hailes,  contains  this  line,  in  the  ftauza  where  the  name  of  Robert 
HenrtTson  is  recorded, 

"  In  Dunfermling  he  has  tane  Brown." 

And 


JAMES   III.    1460 — 1488.  207 

And  Lord  Haiies  givrs  from  the  Bannattnk  M.  S.  the  following 
extract  of  a  Poem  fubfcribed  Brown,  whom  his  Lordfhip  fuppofes  to 
be  the  Poec  mentioned  by  Dunbar  : 

Ye  men  of  kirk  that  care  hes  tane 
Of  fawlis,  for  to  wetche  and  keip, 
Ye  will  be  tynt,  and  ye  tyne  ane, 
In  your  defalt,  of  Goddis  fcheip ; 
Be  walkand  ay  that  ye  nocht  fleip, 
Luke  that  your  bow  be  reddy  bent, 
The  wolf  about  your  flok  will  leip, 
Ye  mon  make  compt  at  jugement. 

Be  gude  of  lyfe,  and  biffie  ay 
Your  gud  examples  for  to  fchaw, 
Stark  in  the  faith,  and  luk  allway 
That  na  mar  cry  me  unto  you  knaw. 
Let  ay  your  deid  follow  your  faw, 
And  to  this  taill  ye  tak  gud  tent 

ISayxveil,  tot  do-weil  is  nocht  worth  a  ftraW 
For  you  to  fchaw  in  jugement. 

But  thefe  lines  feem  to  belong  to  a  later  period, — probably  after  the 
New  Teftament  had  been  tranflated.  Befides,  there  are  two  other  an- 
cient copies  of  Dunbar's  Lament,  one  in  the  Maitland  M.  S.  and  a- 
nother  in  the  Edinburgh  Collection  of  Poems  1508,  printed,  doubtlefs, 
under  the  eye  of  Dunbar  himfelf,  in  both  of  which  the  above  line  runs 
thus : 

"  In  Dunfermling  he  has  done  roune 
Gud  Mr  Robert  Henryfoune,"  &c. 

So  that  the  name  Brown  in  the  Bannatyne  M.  S.  muft  be  an  er- 
ror of  the  tranferiber. 

With  due  deference  to  the  opinion  of  fuch  an  exquifite  judge  as  Mr 
Pinkerton,  the  competitions  of  Dean  David  Steil  are  to  be  placed 
Jower  down  in  this  feries,  for  reafons  there  to  be  offered. 


JAMES 


JAMES  IV.  1488— 15 13, 


Warton,  in  his  hi/lory  of  JLngli/h  poetry,  remarks,  that 
the  latter  part  of  the  fifteenth  century  was  "  adorned 
by  a  few   Scottijh  writers  with  a  degree  of  fentiment 
and  fpirit,  a  command  of  phrafeology ,  and  a  fertility 
of  imagination,   not  to  be  found  in  any  Engli/h  poet 
Jince  Chaucer  and  Lydgate."    Be/ides  Henryfon,  who 
wrctt -chiefly  in  the  preceding  reigns,   the  perfons  here 
alluded  to  are  William  Dunbar  and  Gawin  Douglas, 
two  of  the  greatejl  poets  that  Scotland  has  produced, 
Dunbar  feems  to  have  rejided  chiefly  in  Ed'mburgh  ; 
but  the  place  of  his  birth  has  not  hitherto  been  afcer- 
tained  ;  there  being  no  ground  for  ajjigning  that  honour 
to  Sal  ton  in  Eajl  Lothian,  as  flhall  more  particularly 
be  fhewn  in  a  note  fuhjoined  to  his  "  Flyting"  with 
Kennedy.     From  various  poffages  in  his  works,  it  ap- 
pears that  he  was  born  about  1455  »  ^a^  'n^s  voxtnger 
years  he  was  a  travelling  noviciate   of  the  Francifcatt 
order;  that  he  returned  from  the  Continent,  and  began 
to  write  about  the  year  1 490  /  and  that  ks  died  aboui 
1520.     Mr  Pinkerton  places  his  birth  about  ten  year? 
later  ;  but  the  date  here  ajfumed  feems  nearer  the  truth, 
from  the  following  circumflances  :  Douglas,  in  his  Pa- 
lice  of  Honour,  written  in  1501,   mentions  Dunbar 
*•  as  yet  undead  ;"  an  expreffion  which  implies  that  he 
had  pa/l  the  flower  of  his  age.  and  agrees  better  with 
the  age  of  46  than  36  :   And  in  our  poet's  Lament  for 
the  death  of  the  Makars,  we  fee,  (as  Lord  Hailes  cb- 
ferves,)  the  once  gay  Dunbar,  now  advanced  in  years, 
deprived  of  his  joyous  companions,  and  probably  juflled 
out  of  court  by  other  wits,  younger  and  more  fajhiona- 
ble.   Jhis  Lament  was  printed  by  Miller  and  Chapman 
in  1508  ;  and  may  have  been  written  forfte  years  before 
that  time  \  or  when  Dunbar  was  about  the  age  of  50  ; 
Vol.  I.  D  d  which 


aid  Chronicle  of  Scottish  poetry. 

which  corref ponds  better  than  the  age  of  40  with  the  toni 
or  tenor  of  the  poem.  Although  our  poet  lived  in 
habits  of  familiarity  with  James  the  Fourth,  and  fre- 
quently in  his  ftnaller  pieces  addreffes  him  as  an  humble 
fupplicant  for  fome  ecclefiajlical  benefice,  it  does  not  appear 
that  he  ever  fucceeded.  After  the  death  of  the  King.,  it 
is  probable  that  he  attached  himfelf  more  to  the  party  of 
the  Duke  of  Albany  than  to  that  of  the  §h/een  and  the 
Karl  of  Angus y  and  that  his  hopes  were  compleatly  blafted 
when  the  Regent  finally  retired  to  France. 

Dunbar's  principal  works  are  two  **  firiiing  fpecimens 
of  allegorical  invention,"  viz.  The  Thiftle  and  Rofe,  and 
Golden  Terge  ;  but  as  the  order  of  time  is  here  adopted 
for  the  rule  of  arrangement,  it  ferns  neceffary  to  give  pre- 
cedence to  his  tale  of  The  two  married  women  and  the 
widow,  as  being  probably  one  of  his  youthful  performan- 
ces. Trots  admirable  tale  has  been  preferved  both  in  the" 
Maitland  Collection  and  in  that  q/*Miilar  and  Chapman 
1508.  In  thefe  are  found  a  few  fight  variations,  which 
have  been  properly  attended  to  in  this  edition. 

THE    TWA    MARIIT   WOMEN    AND  THE   WEDO  ;    A  TALE, 
WRITTEN  BE  MA1STER  WILLIAM  DUNBAR. 

U  pon  the  Midfumer  ewen,  mirrieft  of  nichtis, 
I  muvit  furth  alane,  quhen  as  midnicht  wes  paft, 
Befyd  ane  gudlie  grene  garth  full  of  gay  fiouris, 
Hegeit,  of  ane  huge  hicht,  with  hawthorne  treeis  ; 
Quhairon  ane  bird  on  ane  branche  fo  bird  out  hirnotis 
That  nevir  ane  bly  thf  uller  bird  was  on  the  beuche  hard, 
Quhat  throw  the  fugarat  found  of  hir  fang  glaid, 
And  throw  the  favour  fanative  of  the  fueit  flouris, 
I  drew  in  derne  to  the  dyke  to  dirken  efter  myrthis  ; 
The  dew  donkit  the  dail,  and  dynnit  the  feulis. 
I  hard,  under  ane  holyn  hewmlie  grein  hewit, 
Ane  hie  fneiche,  at  my  hand,  with  hautand  wcmrdis. 

With 


JAMlES  IV.  I488 — I5I3.  '     211 

f 

With  tbat  mhajfi  to  the  hege  fo  hard  I  inthrang 
That  I  was  heildit  with  hawthorne  and   with  heynd 

leveis : 
Throw  pykis  of  the  plet  thorne  I  prefandlie  luikit, 
Gif  ony  perfoun  wald   approche   within   that  plefand 

garding ; 
I  faw  thre  gay  ladeis  lit  in  ane  grene  arbeur, 
All  grathit  into  garlaneis  of  frefche  gudelie  flouris  ; 
So  glitterit  as  the  gowd  wer  thair  glorious  gilt  trelfis,. 
Quhil  all  the  greffis  did  gleme  of  the  glaid  hewis  ; 
Kemmit  was  thair  cleir  hair,  and  curioivflie  fched 
Attour  thair  fchoulderis    doun,  fchyre  fchyning  full 

bricht  ; 
With  kurches,  caflin  thame  abone,  of  krifp  cleir  and 

thin. 
Thair  mantillis  grein  war  as   the  grefs   that  grew  in 

May  fefoun  ; 
Faftnit  with  thair  quhyt  fingaris  about  thair  fair  fydis. 
OfFferliful  fyne  favour  war  thair  faces  meik» 
All  full  of  flurift  fairheid,  as  flourjs  in  June, 
Quhyt,  feimlie,  and  foft,  as  the  fweet  lillies  j 
New  upfpred  upon  fpray  as  new  fpynift  rofe. 
Arrayit  ryallie  about  with  mony  riche  wardonr, 
That  Nature,  full  nobilie,  annamilit  fine  with  flouris 
Of  alkin  hewis  under  hewin,  that  ony  heynd  knew, 
Fragrant,  all  full  of  frefche  odour  fyneft  of  fmell. 
Ane  marbre  tabile  coverit  wes  befoir  thai  thre  ladeis, 
With  ryche  copjs  as  I  wys  full  of  ryche  wynis. 

And  of  thir  fair-loukes  quhyte  tua  weddit  war  with 

lordis, 
Ane  wes  ane  wedow,  I  will,  wantoun  of  laitis. 
And,  as  thai  talkit  at  the  tabil  of  mony  taill  funde, 
Thay  wauchit  at  the  wicht  wyne,  and  warit  out  wour- 

dis, 

And 


212  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

And  fyne  thai  fpak  more  fpedelie,  and  fparit  no  mate- 


ns. 


Bewrie,  faid  the  wedo,  ye  weddit  werren  yjng, 
Quhat  mirth  ye  fand  in  maryage,  fen  ye  war  menis 

wyffis  : 
Reveil  gif  ye  rewit  that  rakles  conditioun. 
Or  gif  that  ever  ye  luffit  leyd  upon  lyfe  mair 
Nor  quhame  that  ye  your  faythe  hes  feftnit  to  for  ever. 
Or  gif  ye  think,  had  ye  chois,  that  ye  wald  cheis  better » 
Think  ye  it  nocht  ane  blift  band  that  bindis  Co  faft 
That  none  unto  it  adew  may  fay  bot  the  deithe  lane  ? 

Than  fpak  ane  lufty  belyf,  with  luftie  effeiris, 
It,  that  ye  call  the  bJift  band  that  bindis  fo  faft 
Is  bair  of  blis,  and  baleful,  and  greit  barrat  wirk  ! 
Ye  fpeir,  had  I  fre  chois,  gjif  I  wald  cheis  better  ? 
Chenyeis  ay  ar  to  efchew  ;  and  changes  are  fweit. 
Sic  curfit  chance  till  efchew  had  I  my  chois  anis, 
Out  of  the  chanyeis  of  ane  churle  I  fcaip  fuld  for  ever. 
God  gif  matrimony  wer  made  to  mell  for  ane  yeir, 
It  war  bot  monftrous  to  be  mair  bot  gif  our  mindij 

pleifit. 
It  is  againe  the  law  of  luif,  of  kynd,  and  of  nature, 
Togidder  hairtis  to  flreine,  that  ftryvis  with  uthar. 
Birdis  hes  ane  better  law  na  bernis  be  meikil, 
That  ilk  yeir,  with  new  joy,  joyis  ane  maik  ; 
And  fangis  thame  ane  freihe  feyr,  unfulyeit,  and  con* 

ftant ; 
And  lattis  thair  fukert  feyris  flie  quhair  thai  pleis. 
Chryft  gif  fie  ane  confuetude  war  in  this  erth  holdin 
Than  weil  war  us  wemen,  that  ever  we  may  be  fre, 
We  fuld  have  feiris  as  frefche  to  fang  quhen  we  wald, 
And  gif  all  larbaris  thair  leveis,  quhan  thai  lak  curage. 
Myfelf  fuld  be  full  femlie  with  filkis  array  it  j 
Gymp,  jolie,  and  gent,  richt  joyous,  and  gentryce, 
t  fuld  at  faris  be  found,  new  facis  to  fpy ; 

At 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  213 

At  playis,  and  preichings,  and  pilgrimages  greit, 
To  fchaw  my  renoun  royaly,  quhair  preis  wasof  folk; 
To  manifeft  my  makdome  to  multitude  of  pepil, 
And  blaw  my  bewtie  on  breid,  quhair  bernis  war  mo- 

ny: 
That  I  micht  chois,  and  be  chofin,  and  change  quhen 

me  lykit. 
Than  fuld  I  wail  ane  full  weil,  our  all  the  wyde  realme, 
That  fuld  my  womanheid  weild  the  lang  winter  nicht. 
And  quhen  I  gottin  had  ane  grume,  ganeft  of  uther, 
Yaip,  and  ying,  in  the  yok  ane  yeir  for  to  draw  ; 
Fra  I  had  preveit  his  picht  the  firft  plefand  month, 
Than  I  fuld  caft  me  to  keik  in  kirk,  and  in  market, 
And  all  the  cuntrie  about,  kingis  court,  and  uther, 
Quhair  I  ane  gall  and  micht  get  aganis  the  next  yeir, 
For  to  perfurneis   furch  the  werk  quhen  faikeit   the 

tother. 
A  forky  fere,  ay  furthwart,  and  forfy  in  draucht  ; 
Nothir  febil,  nor  fant,  nor  fulyeit  in  labour  j 
Bot  als  frefche  of  his  forme,  as  flouris  in  May : 
For  all  the  fruit  fuld  I  fang  thoch  he  the  flour-burge- 

oun. 

1  have  ane  wallidrag,  ane  worm,  ane  auld  wobat  carle, 
A  waiftit  wolroun,  na  worthe  bot  wourdis  to  clatter  ; 
Ane  bumbart,  ane  dron-bee,  ane  bag  full  of  fleume, 
Ane  fcabbit  fkarth,  ane  fcorpion,  ane  fcutarde  behind : 
To  fee  him  fcart  his  awin  flsyn  grit  feunner  I  think. 
Quhen  kiflis  me  that  carybald,  than  kyndillis  all  my 

forow  ; 
As  brifs  of  ane  brym  bair  his  berd  is  als  flifF, 
Bot  foft  and  foupil  as  the  lilk  is  his  fary  lume. 
He  may  weil  to  the  fyn  affent,  bot  fakles  is  his  deidis. 
And  gory  is  his  tua  grym  ene  gladderit  all  about, 
And  gorgit  lyk  twa  guttaris  that  wer  with  glar  flop- 
pit  ; 

Bot 


214  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Bot  quhen  that  glourand  gaiit  grippis  me  about, 
Than  think  I  hiddowus  Mahoune  hes  me  in  armes : 
Than  ma  na  fynyne  me  fave  fra  that  aula*  Sathane ; 
For  thoch  I  wefh  me  all  cleine,  fra  the  croun  downe, 
He  will  my  corfe  all  beclip  and  clap  me  to  his  breift. 
Quhan  fchaifien  is  that  auld  fhak  with  ane  fcharp  ra- 

four, 
He  fchowis  on  me  his  fchewal  mouth,  and  fcheddis  my 

lippis  ; 
And  with  hard  hurchepn  fkyn  fa  heclis  he  my  cheikis, 
That  as  a  glemand  jrleid  glowis  my  chaftis  ; 
I  fchrenk  for  the  fcharp  ltound,  but  fchout  dar  I  not, 
For  fchore  of  that  auld  fchrew,  fchame  him  betyde  ! 
The  luif  blenkis  of  that  bogil,  fra  his  bleirit  ene, 
As  Belzebub  had  on  me  blent,  abafit  my  fpreit 
And  quhen  the  my  on  me  fmirks  with  his  fmaik  fmoet 
He  fipillis  Iyk  ane  farfy  aver,  that  flyris  on  ane  fillok. 
Quhen  that  the  found  of  his  faw  fynkis  in  my  eiris, 
Than  ay  renewis  my  noy  ;  or  he  be  neir  cumand, 
Quhen  I   heir  nemmyt  his  name,  than    mak   I  nyne 

croces, 
To  keip  me  fra  the  commerance  of  that  carle  mangit  ; 
That  full  of  elduring  is,  and  anger,  and  all  ewil  thewis. 
I  dar  nocht  luik  to  my  luif  for  that  lene  gib  ; 
He  is  fa  full  of  jelofy,  ard  ingyne  fals  ; 
Ever  imagining  in  mynd  materis  of  ewill, 
Comparand  and  caftand  caftis  ane  thoufand 
How  he  fall  tak  me  with  ane  trane  atryft  of  ane  uther. 
I  dar  nocht  keik  to  the  knaip  that  the  cop  fillis, 
For  eldning  of  that  auld  ihrew,  that  ever  on  ewill 

thinkis. 
For  he  is  waiftit,  and  worne  fra  Venus'  werkis  ; 
And  may  not  beit  wourth  ane  bein  in  bed  of  my  myf- 

tirs. 
He  trows  that  young  folk  iyerne  yeild  for  he  gane  is. 
Bot  I  may  yuik  all  this  yeir,  or  his  yerde  help ; 

And- 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  21$ 

And  quhan   that  carybauld  carle  wald  clyme  on  my 

wame, 
Than  am  I  dangerus,  and  daue,  and  dour  of  my  will. 
Yeit  leit  I  never  that  larbar  my  leggis  ga  betwene, 
To  fyle  my  flefche,  na  fummil  me,  without  a  fee  gret. 

And  thoch  his  pen  puirlie  me  payis  into  bed, 
His  purs  payis  richlie  in  recompens  after  : 
For  er  he  clim  on  my  corfe,  that  carybauld  foxlane, 
I  have  conditioun  of  ane  curchef  krifp,  or  {ilk  9 
Ane  gown  of  engranit  clayth,  richt  gaylie  furrit ; 
Ane  ring  with  ane  ryal  ftane  ;  or  uther  ryche  juell. 
Or  reft  of  his  roufty  raid,  thoch  he  were  redewmyod 
For  all  the  buddis  of  John  Blunt,  quhen  he  abone  clymis 
Methink  the  baid  deir  aboucht,  fa  bawth  ar  his  wer- 

kis. 
And  thus  I  fell  him  folace,  thoch  I  it  four  think. 
Fra  fie  a  fyre  God  you  faif,  my  fueit  fillers  deir  ! 

Quhen  that  the  feitnlie  had  faid  hir  fentence  to  end, 
Than  all  thay  leuche  upon  loft,  with  latis  full  mirry; 
And  raucht-the  cop  round  about  full  of  ryche  wynis  ; 
And    ralyeit    lang,    or   thay   wald    reft,  with   ryatus 
fpeiche. 

The  wedo  to  the  tother  wlonk  warpit  thir  wordis  : 
Now,  fayr  filter,  fallis  yow  but  fenyeing  to  tell, 
Sen  men  firft  with  matrimonie  yow  menkit  in  kirk, 
How  have  ye  fame   be'  your   fayth  ?    Confes  us  the 

truith. 
That  band  to  blis,  or  to  ban,  quhilk  yow  beft  thinkis  j 
Or  yow  the  lyk  lyf  to  leyd  into  leil  fpoufage. 
And  fyne  myfelf  you  exame  on  the  famen  wyfe  ; 
And  I  fall  fay  furth  the  futh,  diflembland  na  word. 

The  pleifand  faid,  I  proteft  the  treuth  gif  I  fchaw, 

That 


2l6>  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

That  of  your  tounges  ye  be  traifl.     The  uther  tu& 

grantit. 
"With-  that  fprang  up  her  fpreit  be  an  fpan  heichar. 
To  fpeik,  quoth  fche,  I  fall  nocht  fpair ;  thair  is  no 

fpy  neir. 
I  fall  ane  iagment  reweil  fra  the  rute  of  my  hairt ; 
A  rouft  that  is  fo  ranklit  quhil  ryfi s  my  ftomak  ; 
Now  fall  the  byll  all  out  brift,  that  beild  hes  bein 

lang  | 
For  it  to  beir  on  my  breill  is  burden  our  hevie  : 
I  fall  the  venum  avoyd  with  ane  vent  large  ; 
And  me  affuage  of  that  fwalme,  that  fuellit  was  greit. 
My  hufband  was  ane  huremafter,  the  hugeafl  in  erd  : 
Thairfoir  I  hait  him  with  my  hairt,   fo  help  me  our 

lord. 
He  was  ane  young  man  richt  yaip,  but  not  in  yowthis 

fiouris  ; 
For  he  is  fadit  full  far,  and  feiblit  of  ftrenth. 
lie  was  aue  flurriffing  frefche  within  thir  few  yeirs  ; 
Rot  he  is  failyet  full  far,  and  fulyeit  in  labour. 
He  hes  bein  lichour  fa  lang  quhil  loft  his  nature  s 
His  lumc  is  waxit  larbar,  and  lyis  into  fwowne. 
Was  never  fugeorne  war  fet  na  on  that  fnail  tyrit , 
For  efter  fewen  owks  reftit  will  nocht  rap  anis. 
lie  hes  bene  waiftit  upon  wemen,  or  he  me  wyf  chei- 

fit: 
And  in  adulterie,  in  my  tyme,  I  haif  him  tane  oft. 
And  yet  he  is  als  brankand  with  bonet  on  fyde, 
And  blenkand  to  the  brichteft  that  in  the  burgh  duels ; 
Als  courtiie  of  his  cleything,  and  kemmingof  his  hair, 
As  he  that  is  mair  valyeant  into  Venus  chalmer. 
He  femis  to  be  fumthing  wourth,  that  fyphir  in  bour, 
He  luikis  as  he  watd  luvit  be,  thoch  he  be  lytil  of  va- 
lour. 
He  dois  as  ane  dotit  dog  that  dams  on  all  buffis  ; 
He  lifts  his  leg  upon  loft,  tho'  he  nocht  lift  to  pifche. 

He 


JAMES   IV.   I488 — 15  13.  217 

He  hes  ane  luik  without  luft,  and  lyfe  without  en- 
rage; 

He  hes  ane  forme  without  force,  and  faffioun  but  ver- 

.1 
tew  ; 

And  fair  wourdis  but  effeft,  all  fruftar  of  deidis. 

He  is  for  ladeis  in  luif  ane  richt  luftie  ihadow. 

Bot  into  derne,  at  the  deid,  he  fall  be  droup  funding. 

He  railyes,  and  maks  rippet  with  ryatus  wourdis, 

Ay  ruling  him  of  his  rardis,  and  rageing  in  chalmer  j 

Bot  God  wait  quhat  I  think  quhen  he  fo  thra  fpeikis  . 

And  how  it  fettis  him  fo  fyd  to  fege  of  lie  materis. 

Bot  gif  himfelf,  of  fum  ewin,  micht  ane  fa  amang 

thame 
Bot  he  nocht  ane  is,  bot  nane  of  nature's  ponellouris, 
$che  that  has  ane  auld  man  nocht  all  is  begylit : 
He  is  at  Venus'  werkis  na  war  nor  he  femis. 
I  weind  I  had  chofin  ane  jeme,  and  I  have  ane  geit  got- 

tin  ; 
He  had  the  gleyming  of  gold,  and  was  bot  glas  fundin 
Thoch  men  be  fers,  weil  I  find,  fra  failje  thair  curage, 
Thair  is  bot  oldnyng  or  anger  thair  hairtis  within. 

Ye  fpeik  of  birdis  on  beuch  :  of  blis  may  thai  fing, 
^That,  on  SancT:  Valentine's  day,  ar  vakandis  ilk  yeir. 
Had  I  that  plefand  prevelege  to  part  quhan  me  lykit  j 
To  change,  and  ay  to  cheis  agane  j  than,  Chaftitie,  a- 

dew  ! 
Than  fuld  I  have  ane  frefche  feir  to  fang  in  my  armis: 
To  hald  ane  freik,  quhil  he  fant,  may  folie  be  callit. 
Upon  lie  materis  I  mus  at  midnicht  full  aft ; 
And  murnis  fo  in  my  mynd,  I  murdres  myfelf  in  kair. 
Than  ly  I  walkand  for  wa,  and  welteris  about  : 
Waryand  of  my  wickit  kin,  that  me  away  call — 
To  lie  ane  crandoun  but  curage  that  knyt  my  clere 

beawtie  ! 
And  thair  fo  mony  kein  knichtis  this  kynrik  within  : 
Vol.  I.  E  e  Than 


2l8  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH  POETRY. 

Than  think  I  on  a  feimlier,  the  futh  for  to  tell, 
Na  is  our  fjr  be  fie  fewin.     With  that  1  £ch  oft. 
Than  he  full  tenderlie  dois  turne  to  me  his  tume  per- 

foun, 
And,  with  ane  yoldin  yerd,  dois  yok  me  in  armes  : 
And  fayis  '  My  foverane  fweit  thing,  quhy  fleip  ye 

'  nocht  better  ? 

*  Me  think  thair  haldis  yow  ane  heit,  as  ye  fum  harme 

■  ailit.' 
Quoth  I,  *  My  hinny,  hald  abak  ;  and  handle  me  nocht 
«  fair. 

*  Ane  haefhe  hes  happenit  haftelie  at  my  hairt  rute.'- 
With  that  I  feim  for  to  fwoun,  thoch  I  no  fwerf  tak : 
And  thus  befweik  I  that  fwane,  with  my  fweit  wourds, 
I  cad  on  him  a  crabbit  e  :  and  quhen  the  cleir  day  is^ 

cuming, 
And  leitis  it  is  ane  luif  blenk,  quhen  he  about  gleymis, 
I  turne  it  in  ane  tendir  luik,  that  I  in  tene  waryat ; 
And  him  he  haldis  hamelie,  with  bartlie  fmyling. 

I  wald  ane  tendir  peronall  that  micht  no  put  thole  ; 
That  hathit  men  with  hard  geir,  for  hurtyng  of  flefche  j 
Had  my  gude  man  to  hir  gaift  :  for  I  dar  God  fueir, 
She  fuld  nocht  ftert  for  his  ftraik  ane  ftray  breid  of 

erd. 
And  fyne  I  wald  that  ilk  band,  that  ye  fa  blift  call, 
Had  band  him  fo  to  that  bricht,  quhil  his  bak  werkit : 
■  And  I  war  abeid  brocht  with  berne  that  me  lykit  j 
Trow,  that  bird  of  my  blis  fuld  ane  burde  want. 

Anone  quhen  this  aimable  had  endit  her  fpeche, 
Loud  lauchand  the  laif  allowit  her  meikill. 
Thir  gay  wyffis  maid  game  amang  the  grene  leiffis ; 
Thai  drank  and  did  away  dule  under  derne  bewis. 
Thai  fuppit  at  the  fueit  wyne,  thai  fwan-quhyt  of 
hewis  ; 

Bot 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  11$ 

Bot  all  the  pertliar  in  plane  thai  put  out  thair  voceis. 

Than  faid  the  wedo,  I  wis  thair  is  no  way  uther  : 
Now  tydis  me  for  to  talk.     My  taill  it  is  nixt. 
God  my  fpreit  now  infpyrej  and  my  fpeiche  quicken, 
And  fend  me  fentence  to  fay,  fubftantious  and  nobill ! 
Sa  my  preiching  may  pers  your  perverfl  hartis  : 
And  mak  yow  meikar  to  men  in  maneris  and  condi- 

tiouns. 
I  fchaw  you  fifteris  into  fchryft,  I  was  ane  fchrew  e- 

ver  j 
Bot  I  was  fcherie  in  my  fchroude,  and  (hew  me  inno- 
cent. 
And  thoch  I  dour  was,  and  daue  ;  diipitous,  and  bauld , 
I  was  diffemblit  fubtelie  in  ane  fan&is  liknes. 
I  femit  fobir,  and  fueit,  and  fempil  without  fraude  ; 
Bot  I  couth  fextie  defave  that  fubtiHar  war  haldia. 

Onto  my  leftbun  ye  lith,  and  leir  at  me  wit. 

Gif  ye  nocht  lift  be  foir  forleit  with  lofengeris  un* 

trew^ 
Be  conftant  in  your  governance,  and  counterfeit  gud 

maneris : 
Thoch  ye  be  kene^  and  inconftantj  and  cruel  of  mynd  j 
Thoch  ye  as  tygaris  be  terne,  be  tretabil  in  luif. 
And  be  as  turtouris  in  your  talk,  tho'  ye  have  taillis 

brukill ; 
Be  dragounis  bayth  and  dowis,  ay  in  doubill  forme ; 
And  quhen   it  neidis   you  anone   note  bayth  thair 

ftrenthis. 
Be  aimabil  with  humil  face,  as  angels  apperand  ; 
And  with  ane  terrible  tail  be  llangand  as  edderis. 
Be  of  your  luik  lyk  innocentis,  thoch  ye  have  ewil 

myndes. 
Be  courtlie  ay  in  claything,  and  coftlie  arrayit. 

That 


22«  CHRONICLE   OF  SCOTTISH  POETRY. 

That  hurtis  yow  not  wourthe  ane  hen.    Yourhufband 
payis  for  all. 

Twa  hufbands  I  have  had,  that  held  me  bayth  deyr ; 
Thoch  I  defpytit  thame  agane,  thay  fpyit  nathing. 
Ane  was  ane  hair  hachart,  that  hoftit  out  fleume  ; 
I  haitit  him  lyk  ane  hund,  thoch  I  it  hid  previe. 
With  kiffing,  and  with  clapping,  I  gart  the  carle  fon  ; 
Weil  couth  I  keyr  his  cruik  bak,  and  keme  his  cowit 

nodil ; 
And  with  ane  bukkie  in  my  cheik  bo  on  him  behind  ; 
And  with  ane  bek  gang  about  and  blier  his  auld  ene  ; 
And  with  ane  kynd  countenance  kys  his  krynd  chiek: 
Into  my  mynd  makand  mokis  at  that  mad  .fader, 
Trowand  me  with  trew  luif  to  treyt  him  fo  faire. 
This  couth  I  do  without  dule,  and  no  difeis  tak  ; 
Bot  ay  mirrie  in  my  mynd,  and  mefchefous  of  cheyr, 
I  had  ane  luftyar  leyd,  my  luft  for  to  floken  ; 
That  couth  be  fecreit  and  fure,  and  ay  faif  my  renoun  : 
And  few  bot  at  certan  tymes,  and  in  fecreit  places. 
Ay  quhan  the  auld  did  me  anger  with  akwart  wour- 

dis, 
Apon  the  galand  for  to  goif  it  glaidit  me  agane, 

I  had  fie  wit  that  for  wo  weipit  I  bot  litel ; 

Bot  leit  the  fueit  ay  the  four  to  gude  feffoun  bring, 

Quhen  that  the  chuf  wad  me  chyde,   with  gyrnand 

chaftis, 
I  wald  him  chuk,  cheik  and  chyn,  and  chereis  him  fo 

meikil, 
That  his  cheif  chymmis  had  the  wift  to  my  fone, 
Suppois  the  churle  wes  gone  chaift,  or  the  child  was 

gottin. 
As  wyfe  woman  ay  I  wrocht,  and  nocht  as  wode  fule  ; 
For  mair  with  wylis  I  wan  na  rertuoufnes  of  hand  is- 

Syne 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 1513.  Sii 

Syne  mareit  I  ane  marchand,  michtie  of  gudis. 

He  was  ane  man  of  myd-eild,  and  of  meyn  ftatour  ; 

Bot  we  na  fallowis  war  in  freyndfchip,  nor  blude, 

In  fredome,  nor  furthbeiring,  na  fayrnes  of  perfoun, 

Quhilk  ay  the  fule  did  forget,  for  febilnes  of  knaw- 
lege; 

Bot  I  fo  oft  thocht  him  on  quhill  angerit  his  hart. 

And  quhilnm  1  put  furth  my  voce,  and  pedder  him 
callit ; 

I  wald  richt  twitchandly  in  talk  be  :  I  was  twys  ma- 
reit. 

For  endit  was  my  innocence  with  my  aid  hufband ; 

I  was  appeirand  to  be  pairt  within  perfyt  eild. 

Sua  fayis  the  curat  of  our  kirk,  that  knew  me  full 

He  is  our  famous  to  be  fals,  that  fair  wourthy  prelot  j 
I  fall  be  layth  to  let  him  lie,   quhill  I  may  luik  fucht. 
I  gar  the  butchman  obey  j  thair  was  na  bute  ellis. 
He  maid  me  richt  hie  reverance,  fra  he  me  richt  knew  : 
For,  tho  I  fay  it  myfelf,  the  feveranis  wes  meikle 
Betwix  his  baftarde  blude,  and  my  birth  nobill, 
That  page  wes  never  of  lie  pryce  for  to  prefume  anis 
Unto  my  perfoun  to  be  peir,  had  pitie  nooht  grantit. 
Bot  mercie  into  womanheid  is  ane  grit  vertew  ! 
For  never  bot  in  ane  gentil  hart  is  generit  ony  reuth. 
I  held  ay  grein  into  his  mynd  that  I   of  grace  tuik 

him ; 
And  that  he  culd  ken  himfelf  I  curteflie  him  lierit. 
He  durft  fit  anis  my  fummonds  ;   for  fecond  charge, 
He  was  ay  reddie  for  to  ryn ;  fo  f  ayd  he  was  for  blame. 
Bot  ay  my  will  was  the  war  of  womanlie  nature  ; 
The  mair  he  loutit  for  my  luif,  the  lefs  of  him  I  rakit. 
And  eik  this  is  ane  farlie  thing,    or  I  him  faith  gaif 
I  had  fie  favour  to  that  freik,  and  feid  fyne  for  evir. 


VL1  CHRONICLE   OF  SCOTTISH  POETRY. 

Quhen  I  the  cure  had  all  clein  ;  and  him  ourcumiri 

haill  ; 
I  crew  abone  that  crawdoun,  as  cok  that  was  viftor. 
Quhen  I  him  faw  fubjectit,  and  fet  at  my  bidding, 
That  I  him  lichtleit  as  ane  loune  \  and  laithit  his  ma- 

neris. 
Than  wox  I  fo  unmerciful,  to  martyr  him  I  thocht ; 
For,  as  ane  beift,  I  broddit  him  to  all  boyis  labour  : 
I  wald  have  rydden  him  to  Rome,  with  ane  raip  in  his 

heid; 
War  nocht  ruffill  of  my  renoun,  and  rumour  of  pepil* 
And  yit  hatrent  I  hid  within  my  hart  all ; 
Bot  quhillis  it  hapit  fo  huge,  quhil  it  befid  out. 
Yet  tuk  I  never  the  wifp  clein  out  of  my  Wyd  throt, 
Quhill  I  ocht  wantit  of  my  wil,  or  quhat  I  Wald  de- 

fyr, 
Bot  qnhan*  I  feverit  had  the  fyr  of  fubftance  in  erde  ; 
And  gottin  his  biggings  to  my  barne,  and  his  borow-* 

landis  ; 
Than  with  ane  flew  ftert  out  the  floppel  of  my  hals  : 
That  he  all  fiunneift  of  that  Hound,  as  of  ane  fteil  wa- 

pin. 
Than  wald  I,  after  lang  froft,  fa  fane  have  bein  wro- 

kin, 
That  I  to  flyt  was  als  fers  as  ane  fell  dragoun: 
I  had  for  flattering  of  that  fule  fenyet  fo  lang, 
My  evidentis  of  herytage  or  thai  war  all  felit, 
My  breift  that  was  greit  beild,   and   bowden  was  fa 

huge, 
That  neir  my  barrat  out  brifl  or  the  band  making. 
Bot  quhen  my  billis  and  my  bauthles  was  all  braid  fe» 

lit, 
I  wald  na  langer  beir  on  brydil,  bot  braid  up  my  heid : 
Thair  micht  na  mollat  mak  me  moy,  nor  hald  my 

mouth  in ; 
1  gar  the  reinyes  rak,  and  ryf  into  fchundyr. 

1  maid- 


JAMES  IV.    1488-^-1513.  213 

I  maid  that  wyf-carl  to  wirk  all  wemtnenis  werkis  ; 
And  kid  all  manlie  materis,  and  menfk  in  this  erde : 
Than  faid  I  to  my  cummeris,  in  confale  about, 
*  See  how  I  cabeld  yon  cowt  with  ane  kein  brydil ! 
«  The  capill,  that  the  crelis  kuyft  in  the  caff  middin, 
t  Sa  courtlafslie  the  carte  drawis,  and  keanis  no  plungc- 

'ing, 
'  He  is  nocht  fkeych,  nor  yet  fkeir,  na  fkippis  nocht  on 

1  fyde.' 
And  thus  the  fcorne  and  the  Ikaith  fcapit  he  nother. 

He  was  na  glaidfum  gaift  for  ane  gay  lady  : 
Tharfor  I  gat  him  again,  that  ganyt  him  better  ; 
He  wes  a  grit  goldit  man,  and  of  gudis  riche. 
I  leit  him  be  my  lumbart  to  lous  all  my  mifleris  5 
And  he  was  fane  for  to  fang  fre  me  that  fayr  office : 
And,  thocht  my  favouris  to  find  throw  his  fell  gift  is.. 
He  graythit  me  in  gay  filk,  and  gudelie  arrayis  ; 
In  gounis  of  ingraint  clayth,  and  greit  goldin  chenyeis. 
In  ringis  ryallie  fet  with  ryche  rubie  ftanis  j 
Quhill  all  helie  rais  my  renoun  amang  the  rude  peipil. 
Bot  I  full  craftelie  did  keip  thai  courtlie  weidis 
Quhill  efter  deid  of  that  drowp,  that  dochf  not  in  chal- 

mer. 
Thoch  he  of  all  my  clathis  maid  cofl  and  expens, 
Ane  uther  fall  the  wirfhip  have,  that  weilds  me  efter. 
And  thoch  I  lyjdt  him  bot  lytil,  yet  for  the  luif  of  u- 

theris, 
I  wald  me  prein  plefandlie  in  precious  wedis, 
That  luffaris  micht  upon  me  luik,  and  young  luflie 

gallandis, 
That  I  held  mair  in  dayntie,  and  deirar  be  full  mekill, 
Na  him,  that  dreflit  me  fa  denk.     Full  doytit  was  his 

heid. 
Ouhan  he  was  beriet  out  of  hand,  to  hee  up  my  ho* 

nour, 

And 


9*4  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

And  payntit  me  as  pacok,  proudeft  of  fedderis, 

I  him  mifkend,  be  Cryil ;   and  cukkald  him  maid. 

I  him  fprleit  as  ane  lad,  and  laithit  him  mekil : 

I   thocht  myfelf  ane  papingay,  and  him  ane  pluchit 

herle. 
And  thus  euforfit  he  his  fa,  and  fortifyt  my  ftrenth  j 
And  maid  ane  ftalwart  itaff  to  ftrack  himfelf  doune. 

Bot  of  ane  bourd  into  bed  I  fall  yow  breif  yit. 

Quhan  he  ane  haill  yeir  was  haint,  and  him  behuvit 
rage, 

And  I  wes  layth  to  be  loppin  with  fie  ane  lob  aver, 

Als  lang  as  he  was  on  loft,  I  luikit  on  him  never  ; 

And  leit  never  in  my  thocht  that  he  my  thing  percit  ; 

Bot  ay  in  mind  ane  uther  man  imaginit  that  I  had  ; 

Or  ells  I  had  never  mirrie  bein  of  that  mirthlefs  raid, 

Quhen  I  that  grome  geldit  had  of  gudis,  and  of.  na- 
ture, 

Methocht  him  grafles  onto  goif,  fa  me  God  help. 

Quhen  he  had  warit  all  on  me  his  welth,  and  his  fub- 
flance, 

Methocht  his  wit   wes  quyt  went  away  with  the  laif ; 

And  fo  I  did  him  difpys,  I  fpittit  quhen  I  faw  him, 

That  fuperexpendit  ewil  of  fpreit,  fpulyeit  of  all  ver- 
tew. 

For,  Weil  ye  wit  wyffis,  that  he  that  wantis  ryebes, 

And  valeandnes  in  Venus  play,  he  is  full  vyl  haldin  j 

Full  frufter  is  his  frefch  array,  and  fairnes  of  per- 
foune. 

All  is  bot  fruitles  his  efFeir,  and  failyes  at  the  upwith. 

I  bufkit  up  my  barnis  lyk  barounis  fonnis, 
And  maid  his  fulis  ;  (of  the  fry  of  his  firft  wyf.) 
I  baneift  fra  my  bounds  his  brether  ilkane  : 
His  freyndis  as  my  fay  is  I  had  at  feid  ever  ; 
Be  this  ye  beleif  may  I  lufit  nocht  himfelf ; 

For 


James  iv.  1488 — 151 3.  225 

For  never  I  lykit  ane  leid  that  langit  till  his  bluid. 
And  yit  thir  wyfe  men  wait  that  all  wyfis  ewil 
Ar  kend  with  thair  conditiouns,   and  knawin  with  the 
famen. 

Deid  is  now  that  divyr,  and  dollyne  in  erde. 
With  him  deit  all  my  dule,  and  my  drery  thochtis. 
Now  done  is  my  dullie  nicht ;  my  day  is  upfpringin, 
Adew  dolour  !  Adew  !  My  daynte  now  beginnis. 
Now  ame  I  ane  wedow  I  wys  ;  and  weil  am  at  eis. 
I  weip  as  I  war  woful,  bot  weil  is  me  for  ever  : 
I  bufk  as  I  war  bailful,  bot  blyth  is  my  hart : 
My  mothe  makis  murning,  and  my  mynd  lauchis. 
My  clokis  thai  ar  cairful  in  colour  of  fabil ; 
But  courtlie  and  curious  is  my  corps  thairunder. 
I  droup  with  ane  deid  luik  in  my  dule  habite, 
As  with  mannis  dail  I  done  had  for  dayis  of  my  lyf. 

Quhen  that  I  go  to  the  kirk,  cled  in  cairweids, 

As  fox  in  ane  lambis  fleife  feinye  1  my  cheir  : 

Than  lay  I  furth  my  bricht  buik  in  breid  on  my  knc, 

With  mony  luftie  letter  illuminit  with  gold  j 

And  drawis  my  clouk  fordwart  our  my  face  quhyt, 

That  I  may  fpy,  unfpyit,  ane  fpace  be  my  fyde. 

Full  oft  I   blenk  by  my  buke,   and  blinnis  of  devo- 

tioun, 
To  fe  quhat  berne  is  bell  brannit,  or  braided  in  fchul- 

deris, 
Or  forgeit  is  maift  forflie,  to  furneis  ane  bankat 
In  Venus  chalmer,  valiantlie  withouttin  vane  rufe. 
As  the  new  mone  all  pale,  oppreflit  with  change, 
Kythis  quhillis  hir  cleir  face  throw  cluddis  of  fabill^ 
So  keik  I  throw  my  clouks,  and  caftis  kynd  Jukis 
To  knychtis,  and  to  clerkis,  and  to  courtlie  perfouns. 
Quhen  freyndis  of  my  hufbandis  beholds  me  on  far, 
Vol.  I.  F  f  I  havf 


226  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

I  have  my  wattir  fponge  for  wa,  within  my  wide  clo- 

kis, 
Than  wring  I  it  full  wylelie,  and  weitis  my  cheikis  ; 
With  that  watteris  my  ein,  and  welteris  doun  teiris. 
Than  fay  they  all,  that  fittis  about,  *  Se  ye  nocht,  a- 

lace  ! 
'  Yon  luftles  leid  fo  lilelie  fcho  luffit  hir  hufband  ! 
'  Yone  is  a  pete  to  emprent  in  a  princes  hart, 
'  That  fie  ane  perle  of  plefaunce  fuld  yon  pain  drie  !' 
I  fane  me  as  I  war  ane  fanct,  and  femis  ane  angel ; 
At  language  of  lichorie  I  leit  as  I  war  crabbit : 
I  fich,  without  fair  harte,  or  feiknes  in  bodie  ; 
According  to  my  fabill  weid  I   maun  have  fad  mane- 

ris, 
Or  thai  will  fee  all  the  futh.     For,  certis,  we  wemen 
We  fet  us  all  fra  the  fichte  to  fyle  men  of  treuth  : 
We  dule  for  na  evil  deidis  fa  it  be  derne  halden. 
Wyfe  wemen  hes  wayis,  and  wounderful  gydingis, 
With  greit  ingyne  to  begaik  thair  jeleous  hufbandis  : 
And  quietlie  with  fie  craft  gydis  our  materis, 
That,  under  Chryft,  no  creature  kennis  of  our  doingis. 
Bot  folk  ane  cure  may  miflcuke,  that  knawlegis  wan- 

tis  ; 
And  hes  no  colouris  for  to  cover  thair  awin  kyndlie 

faltis ; 
And  dois  as  thir  damifellis,  for  derne  doytit  luf 
That  dogonis  haldis  in  dawte,  and  delis  with  thame  fa 

Jang, 
Quhill  all  the  cuntre  knaw  thair  kyndnes  of  fayth. 
Fayth  hes  ane  fair  name,  bot  faint  faris  better. 
Fy  on  hir  that  can  nocht  fenye  hir  awin  fame  to  fave  ! 
Yet  am  I  wys  in  fie  wark,  and  was  all  my  tyme  ; 
Thoch  I  want  wit  in  wardlines,  I  wylis  have  in  luif  : 
As  ony  happie  woman  hes  that  is  of  hie  blude. 
Hutit  be  the  halok  lafs  ane  hundreth  yeir  of  eild 
Quha  is  cald  to  Venus'  werkis,  and  to  fueit  plefour  ! 

I  have 


JAMES  IV.  I4S8 1513-  227 

1  have  ane  fecreit  fervand,  richt  fobir  of  his  bung, 

That  me  fupp'ortis  of  fie  nedis,  quhen  I  a  fyne  mak. 

Thoch  he  be  fempil  to  the  ficht,  he  has  ane  tung  fa- 
ker ; 

Full  mony  femlyar  fege  war  fervice  dois  mak. 

Thoch  I  have  cayr  under  clouk  the  cher  day  to  the 
nicht, 

Yet  I  have  folace  under  fark  quhil  the  fone  rys. 

Yet  am  }  haldea  ane  halie  wyfe  our  all  the  haill 
fchyre  ; 

I  am  fo  peteous  to  the  pure,  quhen  thair  is  perfouns 
many  ; 

In  pafiing  of  pilgramage  I  pryd  me  full  meikill ; 

Mair  for  the  preis  of  the  pepil,  nor  ony  pardouu  win- 
ning, 

BoJ  yet  me  think  the  belt  bourd,  quhen  barounis  and 

knichtis, 
And  uther  bacheluris,  blyth  blumyng  in  youth, 
And  all  my  lufaris  leill,  my  lugeing  perfewis. 
Sum  fillis  me  wyne   wantounlie,   with  weil  fayr  and 

joy: 
Sum  rownys  :  fum  railyeis  :  and  fum  reidis  ballatis  ; 
Sum  raveis  full  rudelie  with  riatus  fpeche  : 
Sum  plenis  ;  and  fum  prayis  :   fum  prayfis  my  bewte. 
Sum  kiffis  me  j  fum  clappis  me  j  fum  kyndnefs  me  pro- 

fairis. 
Sum  karvis  to  me  curtaflie  ;  fum  me  the  cope  gevis  : 
Sum  ftalwardlie  fteppis  ben,  with  ane  flout  curage, 
And  ane  fliff  ftandand  thing  ftavis  in  my  neif. 
And  mony  blenkis  ben  our  that  but  our  fktis, 
That  may  nocht,  for   the   thik  thrang,  thryf  as  thai 

wald. 
But  with  my  fair  calling,  I  comfort  them  all  ; 
For  he  that  fittis  me  nixt,  I  nip  on  his  fyngar ; 

I  ferve 


4 

128  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETYR. 

I  ferve  him  on  the  tother  fide  on  the  famyn  faflbun  ; 

And  he  that  behind  me  fittis,  hard  on  him  I  lene  ; 

And  him  befoir  me,  with  my  fute  faft  on  his  I  tramp  ; 

And  to  the  bernis  fer  but  fweit  blenkis  I  call. 

To  every  man  in  fpecial  I  fpeik  fum  wourdis, 

Sa  wyflie,  and  fa  womanlie,  quhil  warmis  thair  har- 
tis, 

Thair  is  no  levand  leid  fa  law  of  degre 

That  fall  me  luif  unlufit ;  I  am  fo  luik  hartit. 

And  gif  his  luft  be  fo  lent  to  my  lyre  quhyt, 

That  he  be  loft  or  with  me  lig,  his  lyf  fall  have  no  dan- 
ger. 

I  am  fo  merciful  in  mynd,  and  menis  all  wichtis, 

My  fillie  faul  fall  be  fauf,  quhen  fall  not  all  jugeis. 

Ladeis  leyjr_thjr_j£Jloiins  ;  and  be  nocht  lams  fundin. 

This  is  the  legeant  of  my  lyfe,  thoch  latyne  it  be  nane, 

Quhen  endit  had  hir  ornat  fpeche  this  eloquent  wedo, 
Loud  than  leuch  all  the  laif,  and  lovit  hir  mekle. 
And  faid,    "  Thai  fuld  exemple  tak  of  hir  fovrane 

**  teiching  : 
il  And  wirk  after  hir  wourdis  that  woman  was  fa  pru- 

•  dent." 
Than  culed  thai  thair  mouthis  with  comfortable  drin- 

kis  ; 
And  parpit  full  cummerlyke,  with  cop  gqlngjioand. 

Thus  draif  thai  our  that  deir  nicht  with  danteis  full 

noble.  ,/, 

Quhill  that  the  day  did  updaw,  and  dew  donkit  flou- 

ris.  ' 

The  morrow  my  Id  was  and  meik  ;  the  mavis  did  fing, 
And  all  removit  the  mift,  and  the  meid  fmellit ; 
Silver  fchouris  doun  fchuik,  as  the  fchein  criftell : 
And  birdis  fchoutit  in  the  fchaw  with  thair  fchill  no- 

tis. 

The 


JAMES  IV.  1488—1513.  22$ 

The  goldin  glitterand  gleme  fo  glaidit  thair  Jhaittis, 
Thai  maid  ane  gloreus  gle  amang  the  grene  bewis. 
The  foft  fouth  of  the  fwyre,  and  found  of  the  ftremes, 
The  fweit  favour  of  the  fwairde,  and  ringing  of  fewlis, 
Micht  confort  any  creature  of  the  kyn  of  Adam  j 
And  kyndil  agane  his  curage,  though  it  war  cauld  flok- 

nit. 

■ 

Than  rais  thir  royal  rofis,  in  thair  riche  wedis, 
And  raikit  hame  to  thair  reft,  throw  the  rys  blumels. 
And  I  all  prevelie  paft  to  ane  plefand  arbeir, 
And  with  my  pen  did  report  thair  paftyme  mofl  mir- 
rie. 

Ye  auditours  mod  honorabill,  that  eris  lies  giffin 
Pnto  this  unkouth  adventure,  quhilk  airlie  me  hap- 

pint, 
Of  thir  thre  wantoun  wyffis,  that  I  have  writtin  heir, 
Quhilk  wald  ye  waill  to  your   wyf,   gif  ye  fulcl  wed 

ane  ? 


%*  The  reader  will  here  perceive  a  greater  appearance  of  antiquity 
than  in  many  of  the  preceding  poems  ;  but  this  is  owing  folely  to  the  al- 
literation, and  corifrquent  ufe  of  old  and  uncommon  words.  The  verfc 
approaches  near  to  the  Latin  heroic  meafure;  and  feems  to  be  the  ear- 
lieft  example  of  blank  veife  in  the  Scottifh  language.  It  requires  to  be 
read  in  the  fame  manner  as  Holland's  Howlat,  and  p<  filbly  may  have 
been  written  to  the  meafute  of  fome  mniical  chaunt  or  tune.  Another 
Angularity  in  the  ci;:fttuclion  of  this  kind  of  verfe  wa«,  that  three  or 
more  words  in  each  line  fhnnki  begin  with  one  letter,  and  thefe  letters 
have  been  (tyled  iitcrx  canar*  ■>  but  not  always  with  good  xeifon,  for 
the  mulical  accent  fomctknes  fall*  fyllabically  upon  none  of  them. 

For  elegance  of  defcripticn,  and  knowledge  of  life,  this  tale  is  certain- 
ly equal  to  any  of  Chaucet  ;  unfortunately,  it  has  alfo  that  feature  of 
Chaucer's  tales,  his  immodefty,  which  would  have  excluded  it  from  this 
collection,  had  not  the  tale  been  eminently  curious  as  a  picture  of  the 
times;  when  vice  i c ;. i-.i s  to  have  "  ilalked  about  in  naked  deformity." 

P,  sir. 


23<3  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

P.  210.I  4.  Hawthorn  irels.  Compare  the  defcription  of  a  garden 
in  •  ■  <.  poena  0  Kin^t  <$>ujir  by  Juries  I.  In  the  preceding  line,  gartb, 
from  th?  i  r.  ■    ;fie<.  an  indofxrt j  torn  which  the  ward  garden,    1  he 

hawthorn  hedges  that  fur:  >und«d  th*  rays]  garvien  at  Wtnolbr  were  in- 
terfperfecl  wirh  juii'per.  in  line  iltb,  Dunbar  mention*  the  bolyn,  or 
hoi'y,  a  btuutiful  tree  that  anciently  was,  .and  is  now,  frequent  in  Scot- 
land, where  it  grows  to  gre-t  fize  in  the  woods.  As  fuch  it  is  mention- 
ed in  the  Life  of  Wallace. 

L.  9.  Dirien  efter  myrtbh.  Probably  "  to  hide  myfelf  in  obfeurity 
after  a  merry  day."  Dynnlt,  in  the  M.  S.  is  dynit,  with  the  end  of  the 
y  turned  up  backwards.  Mr  Pinkerton  puts  it  dynarit,  to  Ggnify  fid, 
Tho  copy  in  the  printed  collection  1508,  wants  fome  leaves  at  the  be- 
ginning. 

P.  ail.  1.  9.  So glitter'tt  at  the goivd,  &.C  Compare  with  Henry- 
fon's  defcription  of  a  ladies  drefs,  p.  151,  and  that  of  James  the  I.  in  his 
^uair,  p.  21.  A  fine  defcription  of  the  drefs  of  a  lady  of  rank  alib  ocr 
curs  in  Lindfay's  hiftory  of  Squire  Meldrum  : 

Her  kirtle  was  of  fcarlet  reid  : 
Or  gold  ane  garland  on  her  head, 
D  coired  with  ennamelyne  : 
Belt,  and  brotches  of  filver  fyne. 
Of  yallow  taffetie  was  her  farke, 
B'garyed  all  with  broderite  wark> 
Right  craftelic  with  gold  and  fiik. 

K.rifp  mult  fignify  cambric  or  fine  linen. 

P.  211. 1.  23.  Arrayit  ryallie,  &c.  "  They  fat  in  an  arbour  which  w^s 
furrounded  with  many  a  rich  plot  of  flowers  of  every  hue  and  deli- 
cious fmell." 

P.  211.  1.  31.  IVlouls.  Mr  Pit  kerton  does  not  offer  any  conjecture 
•with  rtfpedt  to  the  meaning  of  this  word  ;  nor  is  there  any  word  fimi- 
jar  to  it  in  Ruddiman's  Gloffary  to  Douglas's  Virgil.  But  Ltuie  occurs 
in  Chaucer,  and  Mr  Tyrrwhit  fuppofes  it  may  be  formed  from,  or  fy- 
nonimous  to  lo-wt,  lot  el,  &c. ;  fignifying  an  idle  fellow.  Here  it  may 
be  uftd  for  gofiip,  or  talkative  woman. 

P.  113.  1.21.  Flour-burgeon.  Though  the  meaning  of  burgeon  be  clear, 
namely  a  bud,  yet  that  of  the  line  is  not  very  apparent.  Perhaps,  f*ys 
IVIr  Pinkerton,  it  is,  "  For  though  he  difplayed  but  the  flower  of  youth, 
yet  I  fhould  gather  fruit  of  him."  May  it  not  rather  be,  "  I  would 
gather  the  ivbole  of  the  fruit,  although  the  bloffuiua  flounfhed  in  the 
higheft  profufion." 

In  the  next  four  lines  we  have  a  tolerable  famplc  of  thofe  opprobrious 
epithets  with  w"hich  the  old  Scottifh  language  fecms  to  have  abounded. 

Mr 


James  iv.  1488 — 15 13.  431 

Mr  Pinkerton  puts  the  following  among  the  -words  not  undtrfaod ;  -wobaf, 
ivolroun,  carybuld,Jkartb.  The  laft  certainly  means,  "  a  fomething  nei- 
ther male  nor  female,"  the  woiv  bein^  ft  ill  in  common  ufe  among 
fhepherds.  Wobat,  or  wobtit,  may  be  -wobcyd,  -web-ey'd,  the  eye  cover- 
ed with  a  web  or  film.  Carybald,  is  perhaps  from  knarry-bald ;  knarry 
means  "  full  of  bard  knots,"  and  therefore  this  epithet  may  fignity, 
"  Bald  pate  covered  with  excrefcencies,"  as  frequently  is  the  cafe  with 
old  people.  Wolroun  rvarjfit,  probably  may  be  a  -well-run,  or  ftreamtec 
of  a  well,  parched  or  dried  up  -well,  in  fome  patts  of  Scotland,  being 
Commonly  pronounced  -well. 

P.  3i 8. 1.  32.  Allvwjt,  commended,  or  praifed.  When  a  perfon  ap- 
proved of  what  was  laid  or  done  by  another,  the  common  pbrafe  in 
Scotland,  even  lately,  was  al  lo-w,  or  "  I  lo-w"  equivalent  to  well  faid, 
or  well  done. 

P.  220.  1.  32.  Clymmls,  in  Ruddiman's  Gloflary,  is  Lovfet,  but  here  it 
fecms  to  have  fome  other  meaning.  Can  it  be,  His  favourite  or  con- 
flant  theme  was  expreffiens  of  fondnefs  for  my  fon  ?  A  few  lines  before 
this,  the  word  di/eii  means  fimply  uneafmefs. 

P.  224. 1. 11.  Farfy  a-uer,  a  poor  horfe  having  that  difeafe  called  "  the 
farfey."  Aver  and  tappul,  or  cafil,  were  fynonymous.  The  firft  is  ftill 
ufed  occafionally  ;  and  A-venar,  in  old  Englifh,  is  hofller. 

P.  226.  1.  27.  Dogonis.  Doguin,  Fr.  is  whelp.  Does  this  mean  lap-dogs, 
or  followers  ?  P.     It  feems  to  be  fome  cant  term  for  paramours. 

Quha  is  cauld,  &.c.  This  line  is  neither  in  the  M.  S.  nor  ancient 
printed  copy,  but  is  fupplied  by  Mr  Pinkerton,  as  being  nrcefiary  to  the 
fenfe.  P.  227  and  228  prefent  us  with  a  moil  curious  picture  of  a  routs 
in  the  reign  of  James  IV. 


THE 


THE    TWA   CUMMERS, 


- — by  Dunbar,  is  found  in  both  the  ancient  Manufcriptst 
but  with  fever  al  variations  which  have  here  been  at- 
tended to.  It  prefents  us  with  a  curious  piclure  from 
the  life t  in  the  burlefque  flyle  of  the  Flemi/h  painters. ~\ 


AvYCHT  airlie  on  Am  Wede'nefday, 
Drynkand  the  wync  fatt  cummeris  tway ; 
The  tane  couth  to  the  tother  complene  ; 
Graneand  and  fuppand  can  fcho  fay, 
This  lang  Lentrune  has  maid  me  lene. 

Befyd  the  fyr,  quhair  that  fcho  fatt, 
God  wait  gif  fcho  was  grit  and  fatt ; 
Yet  to  be  febil  fcho  did  her  fene, 
And  ay  fcho  faid,  lat's  preif  of  that, 
That  Lentrune  fall  nocht  mak  us  lene. 

My  fair  fueit  cummer,  quod  the  tother, 
Ye  tak  that  nigartnefs  of  your  muther, 
All  wyne  to  teft  fcho  wald  difdene 
Bot  mavafie,  fcho  bad  nane  uther 
That  Lentrune  fuld  nocht  mak  her  lene. 

Cummer,  be  blythe  bayth  evin  and  morrow, 
And  let  your  hufband  dre  the  forrow, 
Fra  our  lang  fading  you  refrene 
Thocht  ye  fuld  bayth  beg  and  borrow 
That  Lentrune  fuld  nocht  mak  you  lene. 

Your 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  233 

Your  counfale,  cummer,  is  gud  quod  fcho 
All  is  to  teme  him  that  I  do, 
In  bed  he  is  nocht  worthe  ane  bene  j 
Fill  fou  the  cop,  and  drynk  me  to* 
That  Lentrune  fall  nocht  mak  us  lene. 

Of  wjne  out  of  ane  choppyne  ftoup 

Thai  drank  thre  quartis  foup  and  foup, 

Sic  drouth  and  thrift  was  them  betwene  j  . 

Bot  than  to  mend  thai  had  gud  houp 

That  Lentrune  fuld  nocht  mak  them  lencJ 


St.  3.  1.  2.  &c.    The  Mait.  M.  S.  reads 

Ye  tak  that  migarnefs,  &c. 
Ill  wyne  to  teft,  &c. 

Mavajie,  Fr.  Malmfey.      It  mult  here  mean  fome  inferior  fort  ef 
•frlne, 


Vol.  I.  (3  g  Dunbar's 


DUNBAR'S    DIRIGE    To    THE    KING 
BYDAND   OUR   LANG    IN    STIRLING. 


"  'This  performance"  fays  Lord  Hailes,  "  is  a  bold 
"  and  profane  parody  of  the  litanies  of  the  church  of 
"  Rome.  Protejlants  cannot  be  fully  fenfble  of  its 
"  irreligious  nature.  Had  James  V.  retained  the 
"  leafl  appearance  of  devotion,  no  poet  durjt  have  ad- 
*  dreffed  him  in  fuch  a  Jlyle.  Tet  Lesley  extols 
"  JaMES for  his  ardent  zeal again/l  heretics" 

"The  King  whom  Dun  BAR  here  addrej/es,  cannot  fure- 
ly  he  James  V.  hut  James  IV.  Lord  Hailes,  on 
another  occaJion,fays  that  Dunbar's  Lament  for  the 
Death  of  the  Poets  mujl  have  been  written  when  he 
was  far  advanced  in  years.  His  Lordjhip  did  not 
then  know  that  the  Lament  was  printed  fo  early  as 
1508,  and  written  probably  fome  years  before,  let  us 
fippofe  in  1505,  that  is,  about  the  50th  year  of  the 
Poet's  age.  If  this  poem  was  addreffed  to  James  V. 
the  King  mufl  have  been  then  at  leaf  twenty  or  twen- 
ty-five  years  old,  and  the  age  of  Dunbar  would  thus 
be  about  75,  or  80,  which  is  contrary  to  every  pro- 
bability ;  the  pieces  written  by  Dunbar  in  his  latter 
years,  being  entirely  of  a  religious  or  moral  cafl. 

Spottiswood,  in  his  Hiftory  of  Religious  Houfes, 
fays  that  James  IV.  ufed,  efpecially  in  lent  time,  to 
become  Francifcan  Monk  at  Stirling,  where  be  found- 
ed a  convent  for  that  order  in  1494.  "This  poem 
might  probably  be  written  a  few  years  afterwards  g 
as  alfo  the  fubfequent  one,  which  informs  us  that  it  had 
been  recommended  to  Dunbar,  perhaps  from  high  au- 
thority, 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 1 5 13.  235 

thority,  that  he  Jhquld  become  a  Friar  of  this  the 
King's  favourite  order.  The  life  or  charaEier  of  a 
Monk,  however,  not  being  to  his  liking,  the  propofal 
was  rejecled.     His  views,  at  that  time,  were  higher  : 

— —  ga  bring  to  me  ane  Bifchop's  weid 
Gif  ever  thow  wald  my  faul  gaid  unto  hevin. 

Great  mujl  have  been  the  Poet's  humiliation  when 
in  old  age  he  thus  addreffes  the  King .: 

I  wes  in  yowth  on  nureis  kne 
"  Dandely,  Bifchop,  dandely." 
And  when  that  age  now  do  is  me  greif, 
Ane  femple  Vicar  I  may  nocht  be. 

And  again,  on  another  occajion, 

Greit  abbais  grayth  I  nill  to  gadder, 
Bot  ane  kirk,  fcant  coverit  with  hadder, 
For  I  of  lytil  wald  be  fane,  &c. 

Even  this,  it  does  not  appear,  that  he  ever  obtained. 


W  e  that  ar  heir  in  Heaven's  glory, 
To  you  that  ar  in  purgatory, 
Commends  us  on  our  hearty  ways, 
I  mene  we  folk  in  paradyce, 
In  Edinbrugh  with  all  mirrynefs, 
To  you  in  Stirvling  in  diftrefs, 
Quhair  nowther  pleafance  nor  delyt  is. 
For  pity  this  epiilell  wrytis. 

O  ye  hermits  and  hankeriaidlis, 

That  takis  your  penance  at  your  tables. 

And  eitis  nocht  meit  reiterative. 


Nor 


2$6  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Nor  drink  no  wyne  confortative, 
But  ale  and  that  is  thin  and  fmall. 
With  few  courfes  into  your  hall, 
Bot  company  of  Lords  or  Knychts, 
Or  ony  uther  guidly  wichts, 
Solitar  walkand  your  alone, 
Seing  naething  but  ftock  or  Hone 
Out  of  your  painfull  purgatory, 
To  bring  you  to  the  blefs  of  glory  : 
Of  Edinbrugh  the  mirry  toun 
We  fall  begin  a  cairfull  foun, 
Ane  dregy  kynd,  devout  and  meik, 
The  bleft  abune  we  fall  befeik 
You  to  delyvir  out  of  your  noy, 
And  bring  you  fune  to  Edinbrugh's  joy, 
Thair  to  be  mirry  amang  your  freiris, 
And  fae  the  dregy  thus  begins- 

LECTIO   II. 

The  fader,  the  fon,  and  haly  gaift, 
The  mirthfull  Mary,  virgin  chaft, 
Of  angels  all  the  orders  nyne, 
And  all  the  heavenly  court  divyne, 
Sune  bring  ye  frae  the  pyne  and  wae 
Of  Stirvling,  ilka  court  mans  fae, 
Again  to  Edinbrugh's  joy  and  blifs, 
Quhair  worfchip,  wealth  and  weilfair  is, 
Play,  pleafance,  and  eik  honefly, 
Say  ye  amen,  for  Charity. 

Refponfio,  tu  autem  Domine, 

Tak  confolation  in  your  pain 
In  tribulation,  tak  confolation, 
Out  of  vexation  cum  hame  again, 
Tak  confolation  in  your  pain. 


JAMES  IV.   I488 15  13.  23^ 

Jube  Dom.  benedicite. 

Out  of  diftrefs  of  Stirvling  toun 

To  Edinbrugh  blefs,  God  mak  ye  boun. 

lectio  11. 

Patriarchs,  prophets  and  apoftles  deir, 
Virgins,  confeffouris,  martyris  cleir, 
And  all  the  feat  celeftiall, 
Devoutly  we  upon  them  call, 
That  fune  out  of  your  painis  fell, 
Ye  may  in  Heaven  heir  with  us  dwell, 
,  To  eat  cran,  pertrick,  fwan,  and  pliver, 
And  every  fifch  that  fwyms  in  river, 
To  drink  with  us  the  new  frefch  wyne 
That  grew  upon  the  river  Ryne, 
Frefch  fragrant  Clarits  out  of  France, 
Of  Angiers  and  of  Orliance, 
With  mony  comforts  of  grit  dainty, 
Say  ye  Amen,  for  charity. 

Refponjio,  tu  autem  Dom. 

God  and  Sancl  Jeil  heir  yon  convoy 
Baith  fune  and  weil,  God  and  Sancl  Jeil, 
To  fonce  and  feil,  folace  and  joy, 
God  and  Sanft  Jeil  heir  you  convoy, 
Out  of  Stirvlings  painis  fell, 
In  Edinbrugh  joy,  fune  mot  ye  dwell. 

LECTIO    III. 

We  pray  to  all  the  faints  in  Heaven, 
That  ar  abune  the  ftarnis  feven, 
You  to  bring  out  of  your  penance, 
That  ye  may  fune  fing,  play  and  daunce 
In  Edinbrugh  heir,  and  mak  gude  cheir, 
Quher  wealth  and  weilfare  is  bot  weir  ; 

And 


438  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

And  I  that  do  your  pains  difcryve 

Intend  to  vifTy  you  bely ve, 

In  defart  not  with  you  to  dwell, 

But  as  the  angel  faint  Gabriell 

Dois  go  betwein,  frae  Heaven's  glory, 

To  them  that  at  in  purgatory, 

Sum  confolation  them  to  give, 

Quhyle  they  in  tribulation  live, 

And«fchaw  them,  quhen  thair  pains  ar  paft. 

They  fall  cum  up  to  Heaven  at  laft  ; 

IHou  nane  deferves  to  haif  fweitnefs, 
That  nevir  taftit  bittternefs  ; 
And  therfor  hou  fuld  ye  confidder 
Of  Edinbrugh's  blefs,  quhen  you  cum  bidder 
But  gif  ye  taftit  had  befoir 
Of  Stirvling  toun,  the  painis  foir, 
And  therefore  tak  in  patience 
Your  penance  and  your  abftinence, 
And  ye  fall  cum  or  yule  begin 
Into  the  blefs  that  we  ar  in  ; 
Quhilk  grant  we  pray  to  all  on  hy. 
Say  ye  Amen,  for  charity. 

Refponf.  tu  autem  Dotn. 

Cum  hame  and  dwell  nae  mair  in  Stirvling^ 
Frae  hydious  hell  cum  hame  and  dwell, 
Quhair  fifch  to  fell  ar  nane  but  fpirrling, 
Cum  hame  and  dwell  nae  mair  in  Stirvling. 

Et  ne  nos  inducas  in  temptationem  de  Stirvling, 

Sed  libera  nos  a  malo  ilhus. 

Requiem  Edinburgi  dona  Us,  Domtne, 

Et  lux  ipjius  luce  at  Us  ; 

A  porta  trijlici*  de  Stirvling, 

Ornay  Domine,  animas  et  corpora  eorum  : 

Credo  gujlare  Jlatim  vinum  Edinburgi, 

/* 


James  iv.  1488 — 15 13.  339 

In  villa  viventium, 
Requiefcant  Edinburgi.     Amen". 

Deus,  quijuflos  in  cortte  humiles 

Ex  omnium  eorum  iribuldtione  liberare  dignatus  esf 

Libera  J "amnios  tuos  dpud  villam  Stirvling  verfitnttfj 

A  pcenis  i$  triftitiis  ejufdemt 

Et  ad  Edinburgi  gaudia  eos  perdutatt 

Ut  requiefcat  Stirvling.     Amem 


HOW 


HOW  DUNBAR  WAS  DESYRED  TO  BE  ANE  FRIAR. 


\See  introduBion  to  the  preceding  poem,  p.  234.  It 
has  been  urged  as  an  argument  againft  the  antiquity 
of  that  fine  ballad,  The  Flowers  of  the  Foreft,  that 
preachings  were  unknown  till  the  reformation.  This, 
however,  is  a  mijlake.  In  this  poem  we  find  Dunbar 
hoafiing  of  his  having  preached  in  the  pulpit  at  Can- 
terbury ;  and  David  Lindsay,  in  his  Papingo,  writ- 
ten in  iS$Q,fayst 

War  nocht  the  prechlng  of  the  beggyng  freris, 
Tint  war  the  faith  amang  the  fecularis. 

The  preaching  Friars  had  been  infiituted  in  the  thir- 
teenth century,  with  the  intention  of  refioring  that  du- 
ty, often  negletled  by  the  fuperior  clergy,  and  of  op- 
posing the  popular  preaching  of  the  Lollards.  Preach- 
ings are  mentioned  by  Chaucer  in  the  Wife  of  Bath's 
Prologue,  and  in  the  Second  Merchants  Tale  afcribed 
to  him  ;  alfo  by  Dunbar  in  his  tale  of  the  Twa  Ma- 
jriit  wemen  and  the  wedo,  p.  213. 


I. 

1  his  nytht  hefoir  the  da  wing  cleir 
Methocht  Sancl  Francis  did  to  me  appeir, 
With  ane  religious  habite  in  his  hand, 
And  faid,  In  this  go  cleith  the  my  fervand, 
Refufe  the  warld,  for  thow  mon  be  a  freir. 

II. 

With  him  and  with  his  habelt  bayth  I  Ikarrir, 
Like  to  ane  man  that  with  a  gaifl  wes  marrit : 

Methocht 


JAMES   IV.    I488  — 1513.  24I 

Methocht  on  bed  he  layid  it  me  abone  ; 

Bot  on  the  flure  delyverly  and  fone 

I  lap  thairfra,  and  nevir  wald  cum  nar  it. 

III. 

Quoth  he,  quhy  (karris  thow  at  fhis  holy  weid  ? 
Cloith  the  tharin,  for  weir  it  thow  mpft  neid  \ 
Thow  that  hes  lang  done  Venus  lawis  teiche, 
Sail  now  be  freir,  and  in  this  habeit  preiche  : 
Delay  it  nocht,  it  mon  be  done  but  dreid. 

IV. 

Quoth  I,  San<3:  Francis,  loving  be  the  till, 
And  thank.it  mot  thow  be  of  thy  gude  will 
To  me,  that  of  thy  clayis  ar  fo  kynd  ; 
Bot  thame  to  weir  it  nevir  cpme_in  my  mynd  : 
Sweet  confeflbur,  thow  tak  it  nocht  in  ill. 

V. 

In  haly  legend  is  have  I  hard  allevin, 
Ma  fan&is  of  bifchoppis,  nor  freiris,  be  fie  fevin ; 
Of  full  few  freiris  that  has  bene  fanctis  I  reid  j 
Quhairfoir  ga  bring  to  me  ane  bifchopis  weid? 
Gife  evir  thow  wald  my  faule  gaid  unto  hevin. 

VI. 

My  brethir  oft  hes  maid  the  fupplicatiouns, 
Be  epiflillis,  fermonis,  and  relatiounis, 
To  tak  this  habeit ;  bot  thow  did  poftpone  ; 
Bu{  forder  procefs  cum  on  ;  thairfoir  anone 
All  circumftance  put  by  and  excufationis. 

VII. 

Gif  evir  my  fortoun  wes  to  be  a  freir, 
The  dait  thairof  is  pad  full  mony  a  yeir  5 
For  into  every  lufty  toun  and  place, 

Vol.  I.  H  h  Oft 


242  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   F0F.TRY. 

Off  all  Yngland,  from  Berwick  to  Calice, 
1  haif  into  thy  habeit  maid  gud  cheir. 

/  VIII. 

In  freiris  weid  full  fairly  haif  I  fleifchit, 

In  it  haif  I  in  pulpet  gone  and  preichit 

In  Derntoun  kirk,  and  eik  in  Canterberry  ; 

In  it  I  paft  at  Dover  our  the  ferry, 

Throw  Piccardy,  and  thair  tl>e  peple  teichit. 

IX. 

Als  lang  as  I  did  beir  the  freiris  ftyle, 
In  me,  God  wait,  wes  mony  wiink  and  wyle; 
In  me  wes  falfet  with  every  wicht  to  flatter, 
Quhilk  mycht  be  flemit  with  na  haly  watter  ; 
I  wes  ay  reddy  all  men  to  begyle. 

X. 

This  freir  that  did  Sanc"t  Francis  thair  appeir, 
Ane  fieind  he  wes  in  liknes  of  ane  freir  ; 
He  vaneift  away  with  ftynk  and  fyrrie  fmowk  ; 
With  him  methocht  all  the  houfe  end  he  towk, 
And  I  awoik  as  wy  that  wes  in  weir.  - 


FOLLOWS 


FOLLOWS   THE   WOWING   OF  THE    KING 
QJJHEN   HE   WES   AT   DUNFERMLING. 


[This  is  certainly  ajlrange  production  coming  from  the 
pen  of  a  candidate  for  church  preferment,  hut  it  is 
attributed  to  D UNBAR  in  both  of  the  ancient  Manii* 
fcripts.  - 

Hijiorians  inform  us  that  the  piety  or  fuperftition  of 
jAMfcs  IV.  was  not  more  violent  than  his  difpojitioti 
to  amorous  fin  ;  that  he  ufed  frequently  to  travel,  dif- 
guifed  and  unknown  through  a  great  part  of  his  king- 
dom, and  to  lodge  in  the  hovels  of  the  meanejt  of  his 
fubjecls  ;  partly,  no  doubt,  with  a  view  of  gratify* 
ing  his  propenfity  to  vague  and  fugitive  amours* 
"  While  the  people  enjoyed  his  equitable  and  projpe- 
rous  government,  they  feem  to  h  ive  fmiled  at  his  ir- 
regularities.''1 Even  the  daughters  of  the  nobles 
yielded  to  his  attratlions  of  perfon  and  rank.  By 
Mary  Boyd,  daughter  of  Archibald  Boyd  of  Bon- 
fhaw,  he  had  iffue,  Alexander,  Archbifhop  of  St. 
Andrews,  and  Catharine,  wedded  to  the  Earl  of 
Morton  ;  by  Jean  Kennedy,  daughter  of  the  Earl 
of  Cassilis,  he  had  James,  Earl  of  Murray  ;  by 
Margaret,  daughter  of  Lord  Drummond,  he  had 
Margaret,  wedded  to  the  heir  of  Huntley  ;  and 
by  Isabel  Stuart,  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Bu- 
chan,  he  had  Jean,  married  to  Malcolm,  Lord 
Fleming.] 


I 


244  OiiRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 


I. 

L  His  hinder  nicht  in  Dunfermeling,. 
To  me  wes  tauld  ane  wonder  thing, 
That  lait  ane  Tod  wes  with  ane  Lame, 
And  with  hir  playit,  and  mait  gud  game  ; 

Syne  till  his  breift  did  hir  imbrace, 
And  wald  haif  rydden  hir  lyk  ane  ram, 

And  that  methocht  ane  ferly  cafe. 

II. 

He  brairt  hir  bonny  bodie  fweit, 

And  halfl  hir  with  his  forder  feit, 

Syne  fchuke  his  tail  with  whindge  and  yelp  j 

And  todlit  with  hir  lyke  ane  quhelp, 

Then  lourit  on  growf,  and  aikit  grace  ; 
And  ay  the  Lame  cryd,  lady  help, 

And  that  methocht  ane  ferly  cafe. 

III. 

The  Tod  was  nowthir  lein  nor  fcowryj 
He  wes  ane  lufty  reid-haird  Lowry, 
Ane  lang  taild  beiil  and  grit  withall  ; 
The  filly  Lame  was  all  to  fmall, 

To  fie  ane  tribbel  to  hald  ane  bafe  : 
Scho  fled  him  not.  fair  mot  hir  fall, 

And  that  methocht  ane  ferly  cafe. 

The  Tod  wes  reid,  the  Lame  wes  quhyte, 
Scho  wes  ane  morfell  of  delyte  ; 
He  luvit  nae  yowis  auld,  teuch  and  fldender, 
Becaufe  this  Lame  wes  yung  and  tender. 

He 


JAMES  IV.    I488 — 15 13.  245 

He  ran  upon  hir  with  a  race, 
And  fcho  fchup  nevir  till  defend  hir, 
And  this  methocht  ane  ferly  cafe. 

V. 

He  grippit  hir  about  the  weft, 
And  handilt  hir  as  he  had  heft  ; 
This  innocent  that  neir  trefpaft, 
Tuke  heart  thoch  fcho  wes  handilt  faft, 

And  lute  him  kifs  hir  lufty  face : 
His  girnand  gams  hir  nocht  agaft, 

And  that  methocht  ane  ferly  cafe, 

VI. 

He  held  hir  till  him  be  the  hals, 
And  fpak  full  fair  thocht  he  wes  fals  J 
Syne  faid  and  fwore  to  hir  be  God, 
That  he  fuld  not  twich  hir  piein-cod. 

The  filly  thing  trow'd  him,  allace  ! 
The  Lame  gaif  creddance  to  the  Tod, 

And  that  methocht  ane  ferly  cafe. 

VII. 

I  will  nae  leifings  put  in  verfe, 
Lyke  as  fum  janglers  do  reherfe  ; 
But  be  quhat  manner  they  wer  mard, 
Quhen  licht  wes  out  and  dores  were  bard ; 

I  wate  not  gif  he  gaif  hir  grace  5 
But  all  the  hollis  wer  ftoppit  hard, 

And  that  methocht  ane  ferly  cafe. 

VIII. 

Quhen  men  dois  fleit  in  joy  maift  far, 
Sune  cummis  wae  or  they  be  war, 
Quhen  carpand  wer  thir  twa  maift  croufs^ 
The  wowf  he  ombefet  the  houfe, 

Upoa 


346  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   FOETRITo 

Upon  the  Tod  to  male  ane  chace  : 
The  Lame  than  cheipit  lyke  ane  moufe, 
And  that  methoch    ane  ferlj  cafe. 

.  IX. 

Throw  hyddowis  howling  of  the  wowf, 
This  wylie  Tod  plat  doun  on  growf  j 
And  in  the  filly  Lames  flcin, 
He  crap  as  far  as  he  micht  win, 

And  hid  him  thair  ane  weill  lang  fpace  j 
The  yowis  befyde  they  made  nae  din, 

A,*d  that  methocht  ane  ferly  cafe.    * 

X. 

Qiihen  of  the  Tod  wes  hard  no  peip, 
The  wowf  went  all  had  bene  aflvip  ; 
And  quhyle  the  Tod  had  llriken  ten, 
The  wowf  he  dreft  him  to  his  den, 

Proteftand  for  the  fecond  place  : 
And  this  report  I  with  my  pen, 

How  at  Dunfeimling  fell  the  cafe. 


TIDINGS 


TYDINGS    FRA   THE    SESSIOK. 


k  ''this  poem  is  in  both  the  ancient  Manufcripts,  and  mujl 
allude  to  the  old  Court  of  SeJJion,  created  in  14251  re- 
gulated anew  in  1457,  and  apparently  abolijhed  in 
1503,  at  leaf  in  fome  degree,  by  the  in/lit ution  of  the 
Lords  of  Daily  Councils  who,  in/lead  of  fitting  by 
Terms  or  Seffions,  were  ordained  to  Jit  continually,  to 
decide  on  all  civil  matters,  isfc.  To  thit  permanent 
Court,  the  title  of  THE  SESSION  does  not  feem  quite 
applica7«e  ;  and  the  College  of  jfii/lice,  in  its  prefent 
form,  was  not  inflituted  until  1532,  about  ten  years 
after  the  death  of  Dunbar.  We  maj/  therefore  f up- 
pofe  'the  poem  to  have  been  written  about  the  year 
1500.  The  Lords  of  SeJJion  then  conffled  of  com- 
mittees of  members  of  the  Parliamentary  EJlates, 
who  fat  by  turns.  One  of  the  regulations  of  1 457  is 
curious  :  "  As  tuitching  the  expences  of  the  J aid  Jud- 
ges, the  Lordes  of  the  three  ejlaites  thinks  that  the 
Lordes  of  Seflion,  of  their  awin  benevolence,  Jould 
bear  thair  awin  cojlis,  confidering  the  Jhortnefs  of  the 
time  of  thair  fitting,  the  quhilk  is  but  for  tie  days,  and 
peradventure,  in  fevin  yeire  not  to  come  again  to 
them.'*  They  were,  however,  allowed  a  fhare  of  fome 
trifling  fries  for  offences,  that  feemingly  did  not  affect 
life  or  limb.^ 


I. 

XA.NE  murelandis  man  of  uplandis  mak, 
At  hame  thus  to  his  nychbour  fpak, 

Quhat 


*4&  CHRONICLE   OF  SCOTTISH  POETRT, 

Quhatjidings,  goflep  ?  peax  or  weir  ? 

The  tother  rounit  in  his  eir, 

I  tell  yOw  this  under  confeffioun, 

Bat  laitly  lichtit  of  my  meir, 

I  come  of  Edinburgh  fra  the  feffioun. 

n. 

Quhat  tydinjgi^hard^y^Xhair,  Iprayyow  ? 
The  tother  anfwerit,  I  fall  fay  yow  ; 

Eeip  this  all  fecreit,  gentill  brother, 
Is  na  man  thair  that  treftis  ane  uther : 
Ane  common  doer  of  tranfgreffioun, 
Of  innocent  folkis  prevenis  a  futher  : 
Sic  tydings  hard  I  at  the  feffioun. 

III. 

Sum  with  his  fallow  rownis  him  to  pleis 

That  wald  for  anger  byt  aff  his  neis. 

His  fa  fum  by  the  oxtar  leidis  ; 

Sum  patteris  with  his  mowth  on  beids, 

That  hes  his  mynd  all  on  oppreffioun ; 

Sum  beckis  full  law,  and  fchawis  bair  heidis^ 

Wald  luke  full  heich  war  not  the  feffioun. 

IV. 

§um  bidand  the  law,  layis  land  in  wed  j 
Sum  fuperfpendit  gois  to  his  bed  ; 
Sum  fpeidis,  for  he  in  court  hes  meins  j 
Snva.  of  partialitie  complenis, 
How  feid  and  favour  flemis  difcretioun  ; 
Sum  fpeikis  full  fair,  and  falfsly  fenis  : 
Sic  thingis  hard  I  at  the  feffioun. 

V. 

Sum  cafts  fummondis,  and  fum  exceptis  ; 
Sum  {land  befyd  and  ikaild  law  keppis  j 


Sum 


JAMES   IV.    I488 1 5 13.  249 

Sum  is  continarit,  fum  wins,  fum  tynes  J 
Sum  makis  him  mirry  at  th$  wyn^s  ; 
Sum  is  put  out  of  his  poffeffioun  ; 
Sum  herreit,  and  on  credens  dynis  : 
Sic  tydipgs  hard  I  at  the  feffioun. 

VI. 

Sum  fweiris,  and  forfaikis  God  ; 

Sum  in  ane  lamb-fkin  is  ane  tod  ; 

Sum  in  his  tung  his  kyndnefs  turfis  ; 

Sum  cuttis  throattis,  and  fum  cuttis  purfis  ; 

Sum  gois  to  gallows  with  proceflioun  ; 

Sum  fains  the  fait,  and  fum  thame  curfis  : 

Sic  tydingis  hard  I  at  the  feffioun. 

VII. 

Religious  men  of  divers  placis 

Cum  thair  to  wow,  and  fe  fair  faces  ; 

Baith  Carmelitis  and  Cordilleris 

Cumis  thair  to  genner  and  get  ma  freiris, 

And  ar  unmindfull  of  thair  profeffioun  ; 

The  yunger  at  the  eldair  lei r is  : 

Sic  tydings  hard  I  at  the  feffioun. 

VIII. 

Thair  cumis  yung  monkis  of  het  complexioun, 

Of  devoit  mynd,  luve,  and  afFe&ioun  ; 

And  in  the  courte  thair  proude  flefche  dantis, 

Full  fader-lyk,  with  pechis  and  pantis  j 

Thay  ar  fo  hummill  of  inteiceffioun, 

All  mercifull  wemen  thair  errand  grantis  : 

Sic  tydings  hard  I  at  the  feffioun. 


Vol.  I.  I  i  St.  3, 


25©  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY- 


St.  3. 1.  I.  "  Sum  with  hisfaflczo  rownis  him  to  plcis."  One  wlm- 
pers  in  a  familiar  infinuating  manner  to  his  companion,  or  the  perfun 
next  him.     Hailes. 

St.  3. 1.  4.  "  Sum  patteris  with  his  mowth  on  beids."  One  mutters 
his  prayers,  and  tells  his  beads  over.  Pitter-patter  is  an  expreflion  ftil' 
ufed  by  the  vulgar ;  it  is  in  allufion  to  the  cuftom  of  muttering  fater- 
r.ofiers.     H. 

St.  4.I.  I.  "  Sum  lidand the  la-w  layis  land  in  vied"  One  mortga- 
ges his  eftate  while  his  fuit  is  depending.     H. 

1.  5.    "  How  feid  and  favour  femis  difcretioun."     How  enmity 

and  favour  banifh  difcernment.    H. 

St.  5.  This  ftanza  will  be  both  intelligible  and  entertaining  to  thofe 
who  are  acquainted  with  the  forms  of  procedure  in  the  court  of  feffion ; 
to  thofe  who  are  not,  a  commentary  would  be  nearly  as  obfeureas  the 
text.    H. 

1        '.   3.    '4  Sum  is  canilnarity     The  Bann.  MS.  reads  concludit. 

St.  6. 1.  6.  -  Sum  fains  the  fait,  and  fum  thame  curGs."  Some  blefs, 
others  curfe  the  judges.  Lords  ef  the  feat,  for  judges  of  the  court  of 
feffion,  is  ufed  in  act  S3-  parliament  5.  James  V.  and  is  an  expreflion 
ftill  remembered  by  the  vulgar.    H. 

St,  7. 1.  3.  "  Baith  Carmelitis  and  Cordilleris."  In  order  to  point 
this  fatyre  more  keenly,  the  author  has  fele&ed  his  examples  of  inconti- 
nency  from  the  feverer  orders  of  regular  clergy.     H. 

Allan  Ramfay,  in  his  Evergreen,  has  added  two  ftanzas,  which  are 
not  only  modern,  but  alfo,  as  it  would  feem,  fitiricully  aimed  at  indi- 
viduals. Speaking  of  the  great  number  of  unemployed  advocates,  ho 
fays. 


■  But  weil  I  wate,  ane  of  ilk  ten 

«•  Micht  very  weil  gane  all  the  feffioun." 


He  did  not  advert,  that  at  the  inftitution  of  the  college  of  juftice,  there 
were  no  more  than  eight  advocates  in  all;  Aft  64  parliament  5.  James 
V.    H. 

In  the  time  of  the  old  Court,  the  number  was  probably  ftill  fmaller. 

THE 


THE  BEfrlFITE   OF  THEM   WHO  HAVE  LADIES  WHA  CAtt 
BE    GUDE    SOLIClTERS   AT   COURT. 


[Written  by  D unbar,  probably  about  the  fame  timt 
with  the  preceding  poem. ~\ 


I. 

J.  hir  ladys  fair,  that  mak  repair, 

And  at  the  court  are  kend, 
In  three  days  thair,  they  will  do  mair, 

Ane  matter  for  till  end, 
Than  ther  gudemen  will  do  in  ten, 

For  any  craft  they  can, 
Sae  weil  they  ken,  what  time  and  quhen^ 

jfhair  manes  they  fuld  mak  than. 

II. 

With  little  noy  they  can  convoy 

A  matter  finally, 
Richt  myld  and  moy,  and  keip  it  coy, 

On  evens  quietly  } 
They  do  no  mifs,  but  gif  they  kifs. 

And  keips  collation  ; 
Quhat  reck  of  this,  thair  matter  is 

Brocht  to  conclusion. 

Iff. 

Wit  ye  weil,  they  haif  grit  feil, 

And  mater  to  folift, 
Treft  as  the  fteil,  fyne  neir  a  deil, 

i^hen  they  come  hame  is  mill. 


Thir 


2j2  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH   P0ET&7, 

Thir  lairds  they  are,  methink  richt  far, 

Sic  ladies  behalden  to, 
That  fae  weil  dar  gae  to  the  bar, 

Quhen  there  is  ocht  to  do. 

IV. 

Therefore  I  reid,  gif  ye  haif  pleid, 

Or  matter  into  pley, 
To  mak  remeid,  fend  in  your  fteid 

Your  ladys  graitht  up  gay  ; 
They  can  deffend,  even  to  the  end, 

And  matters  forth  exprefs  ; 
Suppofe  they  fpend,  it  is  unkend, 

Thair  geir  is  nocht  the  lefs. 

V. 

In  quiet  place,  thocht  they  have  fpace, 

Within  lefs  nor  twa  houis, 
They  can  percafe,  purchace  fum  grace, 

At  the  compofitours  ; 
Thair  compofition  but  fufpicioun 

Thair  finally  is  endit, 
With  expedition,  full  remiffiourt 

Thair  feals  then  are  to  pendit. 

VI. 

AH  hale  almoft  they  make  the  coll, 

With  fober  recompence, 
Richt  little  loft,  they  get  indorft, 

All  hale  their  evidence, 
Sic  ladys  wyfe,  they  are  to  pryze, 

So  fay  the  verity, 
Sae  can  devyfe,  and  nOne  fupjpryfe 

Thamo  nor  thair  honefty. 


tH& 


HERE  BEGYNNIS  ANE  LITIL  TRETIE,  INTITULIT  THE  GOL- 
DIN  TERGE,  COMPILIT  BY  MAISTER  WILYAM  DUNBAR. 


//  will  not  afford  much  entertainment  to  thofe  who,  in 
ancient  poems,  feek  for  the  manners  of  a  remote  age  ; 
but  it  is  rich  in  defcription  and  allegory,  and  appears 
to  have  been  much  admired  in  the  days  of  its  author* 
By  it  Sir  David  Lindsay  ejlimates  the  poetical  me* 
rit  of  Dunbar, 

—  "  Who  langage  had  at  lerge 

As  may  be  feen  into  his  Goldeti  'Tergei" 

It  is  found  in  both  of  the  Ancient  Manufcripts,  and 
alfo  in  Miller  and  Chepman's  Mifcellany  1508, 
printed  in  the  author's  life- time,  and  probably  under 
his  own  infpe&ion.  This  curious  Mifcellany  was  un- 
known to  the  former  puhli/hers.~j 


I. 

avicht  as  the  fterne  of  day  begouth  to  fchyne, 
Quhen  gone  to  bed  was  Vefper  and  Lucyne, 
I  raife,  and  by  ane  rofere  did  me  reft ; 
Upfprang  the  goldyn  candill  matutine, 
With  cleir  depurit  bemys  chriftallyne, 
Glading  the  mery  fowlis  in  thair  neft, 
Of  Phoebus  wes  in  purpour  cape  reveft  ; 
tJpraife  the  lark,  the  hevenis  menftral  fyne 
In  May  intill  a  morrow  mirthfulleft. 

II. 

Full  angelyk  thir  birdis  fang  thair  houris 
Within  thair  courtyngis  grene,  into  thair  bouris> 

Apperrellit 


254  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Apperrellit  quhite  and  reid,  with  blumys  fweit ; 
Ennamelit  wes  the  feild  with  all  cullouris, 
The  perlie  droppis  fchuke  in  filver  fchouris  ; 
Quhyle  all  in  balme  did  branche  and  levis  fleit. 
To  pairt  fra  Phoebus  did  Aurora  greit ; 
Hir  crillall  teiris  I  faw  hing  on  the  flouris, 
Quhilk  he  for  lufe  all  drank  up  with  his  heit. 

III. 

For  mirth  of  May,  with  Ikippis  and  with  hoppis, 
The  birdis  fang  upon  the  tendir  croppis, 
With  curious  note,  as  Venus  chapell-clarks. 
The  rofis  yung,  new  fpreiding  of  their  knoppis, 
Were  powderit  bricht  with  hevinly  berial  droppis, 
Throw  bemis  rede,  burning  as  ruby  fparkis  ; 
The  Ikyis  rang  for  fchoutyng  of_the  larkis, 
The  purpour  hevin  our-fcailit  in  filver  floppis, 
Owregilt  the  treis,  branchis,  lef,  and  barkis. 

IV. 

Doun  throu  the  ryce  ane  revir  ran  with  ftremis 

So  luflely  agayn  the  lykand  lemys, 

That  all  the  lake  as  lamp  did  leme  of  licht, 

Quhilk  fliaddowit  all  about  with  twynkline  glerais  ; 

The  bewis  baithit  war  in  fecund  bemis, 

Throu  the  reflex  of  Phoebus  vifage  brvcht. 

On  every  fyde  the  hegies  raife  on  hicht : 

The  bank  wes  grene,  the  bruke  wes  full  of  bremys,- 

The  ftanneris  cleir  as  ftern  in  froily  nycht. 

V. 

The  cryftall  air,  the  fapher  firmament, 

The  ruby  Ikyis  of  the  orient, 

Keft  berial  bemis  on  emerant  bewis  grene, 

The  rofy  garth  depaynt  and  redolent 

With  purpour,  azure,  gold,  and  goulis  gent, 

Arrayit 


JAMES    IV.    I488— .1513.  Zj$ 

Arr&yit  wes  be  Dame  Flora  the  Quene 
Sa  nobilly,  that  joy  wes  for  to  fene. 
The  roch  agane  the  rivir,  refplendent 
As  low,  enlumynit  all  the  levis  fchene. 

VI. 

Quhat  throu  the  mery  foulys  armony, 

And  throu  the  ryveris  found  rycht  ran  me  by, 

On  Florayis  mantill  I  ilepit  as  I  lay ; 

Quhair  fone  into  my  dremes  fantafy 

I  faw  approche  agane  the  orient  iky, 

An  faill,  as  quhyte  as  blofiom  upon  fpray, 

Wyth  mall  of  gold,  bricht  as  the  flerne  of  day. 

Quhilk  tendit  to  the  land  full  lufkly, 

As  falcoun  fwift  defyroufe  of  bir  pray. 

VII. 

And  hard  on  burd  into  the  blumyt  medls, 
Amang  the  grene  rifpis  and  the  redis, 
Arryvit  fcho  quhairfro  anon  thair  lands  ; 
Ane  hundreth  ladeis  luftie  intill  weids, 
As  frefche  as  flouris  that  in  May  upfpredis, 
In  ki'rtills  grene,  withoutyn  kell  or  bandis. 
Thair  bricht  hairis  hang  gleting  on  the  ftrandis 
In  trefiis  cleir,  wyppit  with  goldin  threidis, 
With  papis  quhyt,  and  middills  fmall  as  wands. 

VIII. 

pifcryve  I  wald,  bot  quho  cowth  weill  endyte 

How  all  the  fieldis,  with  thair  lilleis  quhyte, 

Depaint  war  bricht,  quhilk  to  the  hevyn  did  glcte  : 

Noucht  thou,  Omer,  als  fair  as  thou  coud  wryte. 

For  all  thy  ornat  ftylis  fo  perfyte  ; 

Nor  yit  thou,  Tullius,  quhois  lippis  fwete 

Of  rethorike  did  intill  termis  fleit ; 

Your 


2$6  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY, 

Your  aureat  tongis  baith  bene  all  to  lyte, 
For  to  compyle  that  paiadyfe  compleit. 

IX. 

Thair  faw  I  Nature,  and  Dame  Venus  Quene, 

The  frefche  Aurora,  and  Lady  Flora  fchene, 

Juno,  Latona,  and  Proferpina, 

Dyane  the  goddes  chaift  of  woddis  grene, 

My  Lady  Clio,  that  help  of  Makaris  bene, 

Thetes,  Pallas,  and  prudent  Minerva, 

Fair  faynit  Fortoun,  and  lemand  Lucina, 

Thir  michty  Quenis  with  crownis  mycht  be  fene 

With  bemis  blyth,  bricht  as  Lucifera. 

X. 

Thair  faw  I  May,  of  myrthfull  monethis  Quene, 
Betwixt  Apryle  and  June,  hir  fifteris  fchejoe, 
Within  the  gardyne  walkand  up  and  doun 
Quham  of  the  fouhs  gladdith  all  bedene  ; 
$cho  was  full  tendir  in  her  yeeris  grene. 
Thair  faw  I  Nature  prefent  her  a  goun, 
JRich  to  behald,  and  nobil  of  renoun, 
Of  every  hew  undir  the  hevin  that  bene 
Depaynt,  and  broud  be  gude  proportioun. 

XI. 

Full  luftily  thir  ladyes  all  in  fere 
Enterit  within  this  park  of  maift  plefere, 
Quhair  that  I  lay  ourhelit  with  levis  ronk  ; 
The  mery  fowlis,  blifsfulleft  of  chere, 
Saluft  Nature,  methocht,  on  thair  manere, 
And  every  bloine  on  brenche,  and  eke  on  bonk, 
Opnyt  and  fpred  thair  balmy  levin  donk, 
Full  low  enclyneyng  to  thair  Quene  full  cleir, 
Quhame  of  thair  noble  norifing  thay  thonk. 

xir. 


JAMES    IV.    I488— 1 5 ij.  l$j 

xir.     f 

Syne  to  Dame  Flora,  on  the  famyn  wyis, 
They  faluft,  and  thay  thank,  a  thoufand  fyis  ; 
And  to  Dame  Venus,  Luvis  michty  quene, 
They  fang  balletis  ofluye?  as  wajrthe  gyis, 
With  amoious  nottis  lufty  to  devyis  ; 
As  thay  that  had  luye  in  thair  hairtis  grene 
Thair  hony  throttis  openit  fro  the  fplene, 
With  werbills  fwete  did  pers  the  hevinly  fkyes^ 
Quhyll  loud  refounit  the  firmament  ferene. 

XIII. 

Ane  uthir  court  thair  faw  I  consequent, 
Cupeid  the  King,  wyth  bow  in  hand  y-bent, 
And  dredeful  arrowis  grundyn  fcharp  and  fquair; 
Thair  faw  I  Mars,  the  god  armipotent 
Awfull  and  fterne,  ftrong  and  corpolent. 
Thair  faw  I  crabbit  Saturne,  aid  and  haire, 
His  luke  wes  lyk  for  to  perturb  the  air. 
Thair  wes  Mercurius,  wife  and  eloquent^ 
Of  rethorik  that  fand  the  flouris  fair. 

XIV. 

Thair  wes  the  god  of  gardynis  Priapus, 

Thair  wes  the  god  of  wildernes  Phanus, 

And  Janus>  god  of  entree  delytable ; 

Thair  was  the  god  of  fludis,  Neptunus  ; 

Thair  was  the  god  of  windis,  Eolus, 

With  variahd  luke,  like  rycht  ane  lord  unliable  j 

Thair  was  Bachus,  the  gladder  of  the  table  j 

Thair  was  Pluto,  the  elrich  incubus, 

In  cloke  of  grene,  his  court  ufit  nofable. 

XV. 

And  eyjry  one  of  thir  in  grene  array  it, 
On  herp  or  lute  full  merely  thai  playit, 

Vol,  ii  Kk  And 


258  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY, 

And  fang  ballettis  with  michty  nottis  cleir  : 
Ladeis  to  daunfe  full  fobirly  aflayit, 
Endland  the  lufty  rjver  fo  thay  mayit, 
Thair  obfervance  rycht  hevynly  wes  to  heir ; 
Than  crap  I  throw  the  levis,  and  drew  neir, 
Quhair  that  1  was  rycht  fudaynly  affrayir, 
All  throw  a  luke  quhilk  I  haif  boucht  full  deir% 

XVI. 

And  fchortly  for  to  fpeke,  be  Luvis  Quene 
I  was  efpyit,  fcho  bad  hir  archeris  kene 
Go  me  arreft  ;  and  thay  no  tyme  delayit ; 
Than  ladeis  fair  lete  fall  thair  mantils  grene. 
With  bowis  and  bag,  in  treffit  hairis  fchene, 
All  fudaynly  thay  had  a  felde  arrayit ; 
And  yit  rycht  gretly  was  I  noucht  affrayit ; 
The  pairty  was  fo  plefand  for  to  fene, 
A  woundir  lufty  bikkar  me  affayit. 

XVII. 

And  firfl  of  all,  with  bow  in  hand  ybent, 

Come  Dame  Bewtee,  richt  as  fcho  wald  me  fchent  ; 

Syne  follow: t  all  her  damofalls  yfeir, 

With  mony  divers  awfull  inftrument. 

Unto  the  pres  fair  Having  with  hir  went ; 

Syne  Portrature,  Plefance,  and  lufty  Cheir. 

Than  come  Reflbun,  with  fchelde  of  gold  fo  cleir, 

In  plate  and  maille,  as  Mars  armipotent, 

Defendit  me  that  noble  chevellere. 

XVIII. 

Syne  tender  Youth  come  wyth  hir  virgyns  ying, 
Grene  Innocence,  and  ftiame-full  Abafing, 
And  quaking  Drede,  with  humyll  Obedience  ; 
The  Golden  Terge  harmyt  thay  nothing  j 
Curage  in  thame  wes  nocht  begonne  to  fpring  : 

Full 


JAMES   IV.    1488 — 15  13.  259 

Full  foire.thay  dred  to  do  a  violence. 
Swete  Womanheid  1  faw  cum  in  prefence, 
Of  Artilye  a  warld  fcho  did  inbring, 
Svirvit  with  ladeis  full  of  reverence. 

XIX. 

Scho  led  with  hir  Nurtour  and  Lawlines, 
Contenence,  Pacience,  Gudfame,  and  Stedfaftnes, 
Difcretioun,  Gentrife.  and  Confiderans, 
Levefull  Cumpany,  and  Honeft  Befynes, 
Benigne  Luke,  Myld  Cheir,  and  Sobirnes. 
All  thir  bure  ganyeis  to  do  me  greevance  ; 
Bot  Reflbun  bure  the  Terge  with  fik  conftance  j 
Thair  fcharp  affayes  might  do  no  dures, 
To  me  for  all  thair  awfull  ordy vance. 

XX. 

Unto  the  pres  purfewit  hie  Degre, 
Hir  followit  ay  Eftait  and  Dignitie, 
Comparifoun,  Honor,  and  Nobill  Arrey, 
Will,  Wantonnes,  Renown,  and  Libertee, 
Richeffe,  Fredome,  and  eik  Nobilitee  ; 
Wit  ye  thay  did  thair  baner  hye  difplay, 
A  cloud  of  arowis  as  hayle-fchour  loufit  thay^ 
And  fchott  quhill  waiftit  wes  thair  artelyeg 
Syne  went  abak  reboytit  of  thair  pray. 

XXI. 

Quhen  Venus  had  perfavit  this  rebute, 
Diflymilance  fcho  bad  go  mak  perfute, 
At  all  powere  to  perfe  the  Goldyn  Terge  j 
And  fcho  that  was  of  doubilnes  the  rute, 
Alkit  her  chois  of  archciiis  in  refute. 
Venus  the  beft  bad  her  go  wale  at  lerge, 
-Scho  tuke  Prefens  plicht  ankers  of  the  berge, 

And 


a5o  CfiRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY, 

And  Fair  callyng,  that  weill  a  flayn  coud  fdiutc 
And  Cherriffing  for  to  compleit  hir  charge. 

XXII. 

Dame  Hamelynes  fcho  tuke  in  cumpany, 

That  hardy  was,  and  heynd  in  archery,        "^  /  ?'  * 

And  broucht  Dame  Bewty  to  the  felde  agane  ; 

With  all  the  choife  of  Venus  chevalry 

They  come,  and  bikkerit  unabafitly  ; 

Thejhour  of  arrow  is  rapjjit  on  as  raine, 

Periloufe  Prefens,  that  mony  fyre  lies  flainef 

The  battell  brocht  on .  bordour  hard  us  by, 

The  fait  was  all  the  farar  futh  to  fayn. 

XXIII. 

Thik  was  the  fchott  of  grundyn  dartis  kene  ; 

Bot  RefToun,  with  the  Scheld  of  Gold  fo  fchcne, 

Warly  defendit  quhofevir  aflayit  : 

The  aw_fullJtour  he  manly  did  fuftene, 

Quhill  Prefens  keft  ane  puldir  in  his  ene, 

And  than  as  drunkin  man  he  all  for-vayit ; 

Qahen  he  wes  blynd  the  fule  with  him  thay  playit, 

And  baneift  him  amang  the  bewis  grene  ; 

That  fory  ficht  me  fuddanly  affray  it. 

XXIV. 

Than  was  I  woundit  till  the  deth  wele  neir, 

And  yoldin  as  ane  wofull  prifoneir 

To  Lady  Bewty,  in  a  moment  fpace. 

Methocht  fcho  femit  luftyar  of  cheir, 

After  that  RefToun  tynt  had  his  ene  cjeir, 

Than  of  befoir,  and  lufliare  of  face  : 

Quhy  was  thou  blindit,  RefToun  ?  quhy,  allace  ! 

And  gert  ane  hell  my  paradyfe  appeir, 

And  mercy  feme  quhair  that  I  fand  no  grace. 

XXV. 


JAMES   IV.    I488  — 1513.  l6l 

XXV. 

Diffimulance  was  befy  me  to  fyle,  . 
And  Fair  Calling  did  oft  apon  me  fmyle, 
And  Cheriffing  me  fed  with  wordis  fair  ; 
New  Acquentance  embrafit  me  a  quhyle, 
And  favoryt  me  quhyll  men  micht  ga  ane  myle, 
Syne  tuk  her  leif,  I  faw  hir  nevir  mair : 
Than  faw  I  Dengir  toward  me  repair,  ' 
I  cowth  efchew  hir  prefens  be  no  wyle, 
On  fyde  fcho  lukit  with  ane  fremyt  fare. 

XXVI. 

And  at  the  lafl  deperting  c'oud  hir  drefle, 

And  me  deliverit  unto  Hevynes 

For  to  remane,  and  fcho  in  cure  me  tuke  ; 

Be  this  the  lord  of  wyndis,  with  wodenefs 

God  Eolus  his  bowgill  blew  I  gefs  ; 

That  with  the  blaft  the  levis  all  to  fchuke, 

And  fudaynly  in  the'fpace  of  a  luke 

All  wes  hyne  went,  thair  wes  bot  wildirnefs, 

Thair  wes  no  moir  bot  birdis  bank  and  bruke, 

XXVII. 

In  twynckHng  of  ane  ee  to  fchip  thay  went, 
And  fwyth  up  faill  unto  the  top  thay  ftent, 
And  with  fwift  courfe  attour  the  flude  thay  frak  ; 
Thay  fyrit  gunnis  with  powder  violent, 
Till  that  the  reik  raife  to  the  firmament, 
The  rockis  all  refounyt  with  the  rak, 
For  rede  it  femyt  that  the  rane-bow  brak  ; 
With  fpreit  affrayit  apoun  my  feit  I  fprent 
Amangis  the  clewis,  fa  cairfull  wes  the  crak. 

XXVIII. 

And  as  I  did  awake  of  this  fweving, 
The  joyfull  birdis  merily  did  fing 

For 


l6%  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   fOETR*. 

For  mirth  of  Phebus  tendir  bemis  fchene  ; 
Sweit  war  the  vapouris,  foft  the  morrowing, 
Hailfum  the  vaill,  depaynt  with  flouris  ying, 
The  air  attemperit  fobir  and  amene  ; 
In  quhyt  and  reid  was  all  the  felde  befene, 
Throw  Naluris  nobill  frefch  annameling, 
In  mirthfull  May,  of  every  moneth  Quene. 

XXIX. 

O  reverend  Chaucere,  rofe  of  Rethoris  all, 
As  in  oure  toug  ane  flour  imperial, 
That  raife  in  Britane  evir,  quha  reidis  richt, 
Thou  beris  of  makaris  the  tryumph  jyall, 
Thy  frefche  annamallit  termes  celicall  ; 
This  mater  coud  illumynit  have  full  brycht ; 
Was  thou  noucht  of  our  inglifch  all  the  lycht, 
Surmounting  every  tong  terreftriall, 
Als  fer  as  Mayis  morrow  dois  midnycht  ! 

XXX. 

0  morale  Gower,  and  Lydgait  laureat, 
Your  fugarit  lipjpis,  and  tongis  aureat, 
Bene  to  our  eiris  caufe  of  grit  delyte  : 
Your  angel  mouthis  moft  mellifluate, 
Our  rude  langage  hes  cleir  illumynat, 
And  fair  ourgilt  our  fpeche,  that  imperfyte 
Stude,  or  your  goldin  pennis  fchup  to  wryt 
This  yle  befoir  wes  bair,  and  diflblate 

Of  rethorik,  or  lufty  frefche  indyte. 

XXXI. 

Thou  litill  quair  be  evir  obedient, 
Humyll,  fubje£t,  and  femple  of  intent, 
Befoir  the  face  of  every  conning  wicht, 

1  knaw  quhat  thou  of  rethoric  may  fpent, 
Of  all  hir  lufty  roifis  redolent, 


Is 


James  iv.  1488 — 1 J13.  263 

Is  nane  into  thy  gerland  fett  on  hicht ; 
Efchame  tharof,  and  draw  the  out  of  iicht : 
Rude  is  thy  weid,  defteynit,  bair,  and  rent, 
Wele  aucht  thou  be  affeirit  of  the  licht. 


St.  29.  Every  one  mufl  admit  the  juftice  of  the  panegyric  here  in- 
troduced on  Chaucer,  who  was  indeed  a  prodigy, 

O  reverend  ChaOsere,  rofe  of  rethouris  all,  &c. 
Was  thou  nocht  of  our  inglifch  all  the  licht ! 

From  this  paflage  we  find  that  Dunbar  called  the  language  in  which 
he  wrote  Englijh  ;  in  oppofition  to  the  Irifb,  as  fpoken  in  the  Highlands 
of  Scotland,  which  was  then  called  Scotti/b.  Sir  David  Lindsay  ufes 
the  fame  erpreffion  when  fpeaking  of  Gavin  Douglas. 

— —  "  In  our  ingttt  rhetorick  the  rofe." 

The  phrafe  is  therefore  mifinterpreted  by  Lord  Hailes,  who  fays 
that  Dunbar,  from  ufing  it,  "  feems  to  have  looked  upon  himfelf  as  an 
Anglo-Saxon,  becaufe  he  was  born  in  Eaft  Lothian."  The  colloquial 
language  of  the  low-lands  of  Scotland  was  not  diftinguiihed  by  the  title 
of  Scottish,  till  a  cohVfHon  of  poems,  fome  of  them  of  that  defcrip- 
tion,  was  pubiifhed  by  James  Watfon  in  1706-9-II. ;— apparently  the 
firft  poetical  Mifcellany  printed  in  Scotland  after  that  of  Millar  and 
ChepMan  in  1508 — a  period  of  two  hundred  years! 

St.  30.  And  has  our-gilt  our  fpeiche,  Sec  Nothing,  (fays  Lord 
Hailes.)  diftinguifhes  the  genius  of  the  En^lifh  language  fo  much  as 
its  general  naturalization  of  foreigners.  DrVden,  in  the  reign  of 
Charles  II.  printed  the  following  words  as  pure  French,  new'y  im- 
ported. Amour,  billet-doux,  caprice,  chagrin,  converfation,  double  entendre ', 
embarajfed,  fatigue,  figure,  foible,  gallant,  good  graces,  grimace,  incendiary,  le- 
'jee,  maltreated,  rallied,  repartee,  ridicule,  tender,  tour  ;  with  ieveral  others, 
which  arc  now  confidered  as  natives.     Marriagi-a.la.mtdi, 

THE 


THE   THISTLE   AND    THE    ROSE. 


["this  is  a  poem  of  acknowledged  merit :  Every  reader 
will  remember  Mr  Langhorne's  encomiu?n  : 

'•  Time  ftill  fpares  the  Thifile  and  the  Rofe." 

It  was  occajioned  by  the  nuptials  of  James  IV.  King 
of  Scots,  and  Margaret  Tudor,  the  eldejl  daughter 
©/"Henry  Vil.  King  of  England  :  An  event  on  which 
the  fate  of  the  two  nations  has  turned  tht  oughout  eve± 
ry  fuccteding' age ;  to  it  we  owe  the  union  of  the 
crowns,  the  union  of  the  kingdoms,  and  the  Protefiant 
fuccefjion. 

^The  poem  was  finifhed,  as  Dunbar  himfelf  informs 
us%  on  the  gth  of  May,  1 503,  near  three  months  before 
the  arrival  of  the  §>ueen  in  Scotland.  She  was  the 
pattonefs  of  Poetry  at  its  early  dawn  with  us.  Stkw- 
art,  in  his  poem  called  Lerges,  lerges,  thus  grateful" 
ly  fpeais,fanza  to. 

f  Grit  God  releif  Margaret  our  Qucne, 
*'  For  and  fcho  war  as  fcho  hes  bene, 

**  Schcwald  be  lerger  of  lufray 
*'  Than  all  the  laif  that  I  of  mene, 

"  For  lerges  of  this  new-yeir  day."]] 


i. 

v^uhen  Merche  wes  with  variand  windis  paffc,- 
And  Appryll  had  with  hir  filver  fhouris, 
Tane  leif  at  nature,  with  ane  orient  blaft, 
And  lufty  May,  that  muddir  is  of  flouris, 


Ha<T 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1 5 13.  265 

Had  maid  the  birdis  to  begyn  thair  houris, 
Amang  the  tendir  odouris  reid  and  quhyt, 
Quhois  harmony  to  heir  it  wes  delyt. 

it. 

In  bed  at  morrow,  fleiping  as  I  lay, 
Methocht  Aurora,  with  her  criitall  ene, 
In  at  the  window  lukit  by  the  day, 
And  hailit  me,  with  vifage  paile  and  grene  ; 
On  quhois  hand  a  lark  fang  fro  the  fplene, 
Awalk  luvaris  out  of  your  flemering, 
Se  how  the  lufty  morrow  dois  upfpring. 

III. 

Methocht  frefche  May  befoir  my  bed  upflude, 
In  weid  depaynt  of  mony  diverfe  hew, 
Sober,  benyng,  and  full  of  manfuetude, 
In  bright  atteir  of  floiiris  forgit  new, 
Hevinly  of  color,  quhyt,  reid,  brown,  and  bleWj 
Balmit  in  dew,  and  gilt  with  Phebus  bemys  ; 
Quhyl  all  the  houfe  illumynit  of  her  lemys. 

IV. 

Slugart,  fcho  faid,  awalk >annone  for  fchame, 

And  in  my  honor  fumthing  thoW  go  wrytr; 

The  lark  hes  done  the  mirry  day  proclame, 

To  rais  up  luvaris  with  comfort  and  delyt, 

Yet  nocht  increfs  thy  curage  to  indyt, 

Quhois  hairt  fumtyme  hes  glaid  and  blifsfull  bene, 

Sangis  to  mak  undir  the  levis  grene. 

V. 

Quhairto,  quoth  I,  fall  I  upryfe  at  morrow, 
For  in  this  May  few  birdis  herd  I  ling  ; 
Thay  haif  moir  caufe  to  weip  and  plane  their  forrow ; 
Vol.  I.  L I  Thy 


l66  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   t OETRT. 

Thy  air  it  is  nocht  holfum  nor  benyng  ; 
Lord  Eolus  dois  in  thy  feflbne  ring : 
So  bufteous  ar  the  blaftis  of  his  home, 
Amang  thy  be  wis  to  walk  I  haif  forborne. 

VI. 

With  that  this  lady  fobirly  did  fmyll, 
And  faid,  Uprife,  and  do  thy  observance  * 
Thou  did  promyt,  in  Mayis  lirfty  quhyle, 
For  to  difcryve  the  Rofe  of  moft  plefance. 
Oo  fe  the  birdis  how  thay  fing  and  dance, 
Illumynit  our  "with  orient  fkyis  brycht, 
Anamyllit  richely  with  new  afur  lycht. 

VII. 

Quhen  this  wes  faid,  departit  fcho  this  quene, 
And  enterit  in  a  lufty  gardyng  gent  j 
And  than  methocht  full  heftely  befene, 
In  ferk  and  mantill  after  her  I  went 
Into  this  garth  moft  dulce  and  redolent, 
Of  herb  and  flour,  and  tendir  plantis  fweit, 
And  grene  levis  doing  of  dew  down  fleit. 

• 
VIII. 

The  purpoui  fone,  with  tendir  bemys  reid, 
In  orient  bricht  as  angell  did  appeir, 
Throw  goldin  fkyis  putting  up  his  heid, 
Quhois  gilt  treffis  fchone  fo  wondir  cleir, 
That  all  the  world  tuke  comfort,  fer  and  neir, 
To  luke  upone  his  fiefche  and  blifsfull  face, 
Doing  all  fable  fro  the  Hevyhis  chace. 

IX. 

And  as  the  blifsfull  foune  of  cherarehy 
The  foulis  fung  throu  comfort  of  the  lycht ; 


The 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 1 5 13.  ZCJ 

The  burdis  did  with  oppin  vocis  cry 
To  luvaris  fo,  Away  thow  duly  nicht, 
And  welcum  day  that  conafortis  every  wicht ; 
Hail  May,  hail  Flora,  hail  Aurora  fchene, 
Hail  princes  Nature,  hail  Venus,  Luvis  quene. 

X. 

Dame  Nature  gaif  ane  inhibitioun  thair 
To  fers  Neptunus,  and  Eolus  the  bauld, 
Nocht  to  perturb  the  wattir  nor  the  air, 
And  that  no  fchouris  and  no  blaftis  cawld 
Effray  fuld  flouris  nor  fowlis  on  the  fauld  : 
Scho  bad  eik  Juno,  goddes  of  the  &y, 
That  fcho  the  hevin  fuld  keip  amene  and  dry. 

XL 

Scho  ordaind  eik  that  every  bird  and  beift 
Befoir  her  Hienes  fuld  annone  compeir, 
And  every  flour  of  vertew,  moll  and  leift, 
And  every  herb  be  feild  baith  fer  and  neir, 
As  they  had  wont  in  May  fro  yeir  to  yeir, 
To  hir  thair  makar  to  mak  obediens. 
Full  law  inclynand  with  all  due  jeverens. 

XII. 

With  that  annone  fcho  fend  the  fwyift  ro 
To  bring  in  beiftis  of  all  conditioun  j 
The  reftles  fwallow  eommandit  fcho  alfo 
To  fetch  all  foull  of  fmall  and  greit  renown  ; 
And  to  gar  flouris  compeir  of  .all  faflbun, 
Full  craftely  conjurit  fcho  the  yarrow, 
Quhilk  did  forth  fwirk  as  fwift  as  ony  arrow. 

XIII. 

All  prefent  wer  in  twynkling  of  ane  ee, 

Baith  beift,  and  bird,  and  flour,  befoir  the  Queue. 

At 


• 


268  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   PO£TRY. 

At  firft  the  Ljone,  gretaft  of  degre, 
Was  callit  thair  ;  and  he  molt  fair  to  fene, 
With  a  full  hardy  countenance  and  kene, 
Befoir  Dame  Nature  come,  and  did  inclyne, 
With  vifage  bauld,  and  courage  leonyne, 

XIV. 

This  awfull  beift  full  terrible  of  cheir, 
Perfing  of  luke,  and  ftout  of  countenance, 
Rycht  ftrpng  of  corpes,  of  faflbun  fair,  but  feir, 
Lufty  of  fliaip,  lyeht  of  deliverance, 
Reid  of  his  cullour,  as  the  ruby  glance, 
In  feild  of  gold  he  ftude  full  mychtely, 
With  floure-de-lycis  firculit  luftely. 

XV. 

This  lady  liftit  up  his  cluvis  cleir, 
And  leit  him  liftly  lene  upone  hir  kne, 
And  crownit  him  with  dyademe  full  deir, 
Of  raydous  ftonis,  moll  ryall  for  to  fe  ; 
Saying,  The  King  of  Beiftis  mak  I  the, 
And  the  proteftor  cheif  in  wodds  and  fchawis, 
To  thy  leigis  go  furth,  and  keip  the  lawis. 

XVI. 

Exerce  juflice  with  mercy  and  confciens, 
And  lat  no  fmall  beift  fuffir  fkaith  na  fcornis 
Of  greit  beiftis  that  bene  of  moir  puifence  : 
Do  law  alyk  to  aipis  and  unicornis, 
And  lat  no  bowgle  with  his  bufteous  hornis 
The  meik  pluch-ox  opprefs,  for  all  his  pryd, 
Bot  in  the  yok  go  peciable  him  befyd. 

XVII. 

Quhen  this  was  faid,  with  noyis  and  foun  of  joy 
All  kynd  of  beiftis  into  thair  degr6 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — I  5  13.  2G9 

At  onis  cryit  laud,  Vive  le  Roy, 

And  till  his  feit  fell  with  humilite  j 

And  all  thay  maid  him  homege  and  fewte  ; 

And  he  did  thame  reffaif  with  princely  laitis, 

Quhois  noble  yre  is  Prpteir  Proftratis. 


XVIII. 

Syne  crownit  fcho  the  Egle  King  of  Fowlis, 

And  as  fteill  dertis  fcherpit  fcho  his  pennis, 

And  bad  him  be  als  juft  to  awppis  and  owlis, 

As  unto  pakpkkis,  papingais,  or  crenis, 

And  mak  ae  law  for  wicht  fowlis  and  for  wrenni*, 

And  lat  no  fowll  of  ravjne  do  efFray, 

Nor  birdis  devoir,  bot  his  awin  pray, 

xix. 

Than  callit  fcho  all  flouris  that  grew  on  feild, 
Difcryving  all  thair  faffiouns  and  effeirs  ; 
Upon  the  awfull  Thrissil'l  fcho  beheld, 
And  faw  him  keipit  with  a  bufche  of  fpeiris  ; 
Confidering  him  fo  able  for  the  weiris, 
A  radius  crown  of  rubies  fcho  him  gaif, 
And  faid,  in  feild  go  furth,  and  fend  the  laif. 

XX. 

And  fen  thou  art  a  King,  thou  be  difcreit ; 
Herb  without  vertew  thow  hald  nocht  of  pryce 
As  herb  of  vertew  and  of  odor  fweit  ; 
And  lat  no  nettill  vyle,  and  full  of  vyce, 
Hir  fallow  to  the  gudly  flour-de-lyce  ; 
Nor  lat  no  wyld  weid  full  of  churlifhnefs 
Compair  her  till  the  lilleis  nobilnefs. 

XXI. 

Nor  hald  no  udir  flour  in  fie  denty 

As  the  frefche  Rose,  of  cullor  reid  and  quhyt  : 

For 


IfO  CHRONICLE   OF  SCOTTISH  POETRY. 

For  gif  thou  dois,  hurt  is  thyne  honefty  ; 
Confiddering  that  no  flour  is  fo  perfyt, 
So  full  of  vertew,  plefans,  and  delyt, 
So  full  of  blifsfull  angelik  bewty, 
Imperial  birth,  honour,  and  dignite. 

XXII. 

Than  to  the  Rose  fcho  turnit  hir  vifage, 

And  faid,  O  lufly  dochtir  moft  benyng, 

Aboif  the  lilly  luftrare  of  lynage, 

Fro  the  ftok  jyall  ryfing  frefche  and  ying, 

But  ony  fpo£  or  macull  doing  fpring  ; 

Cum  bloume  of  joy  with  jemmis  to  be  cround, 

For  our  the  laif  thy  bewty  is  renound. 

XXIII. 

A  coftly  crown,  with  clarefeid  flonis  bricht, 

This  cumly  Quene  did  on  hir  heid  inclofe, 

Quhyll  aU  the  land  illumynit  of  the  lycht  j 

Quhairfoir  methocht  the  flouris  did  rejoiie» 

Crying  at  anis,  Haill  be  thou  richefl  Rofe, 

Haill  hairbis  Empryce,  haill  frefcheft  Queue  of  flouris^ 

To  the  be  glory  and  honour  at  all  houria. 

XXIV. 

Than  all  the  birdis  fong  with  voce  on  hicht, 
Quhois  mirthfull  foun  wes  marvellus  to  heir  ; 
The  mavys  fang,  Haill  Rofe  moft  riche  and  richt, 
That  dois  upflureifs  under  Phebus  fpheir  ! 
Haill  plant  of  youth,  haill  Princes  dochtir  deir, 
Haill  blofome  breking  out  of  the  blud  royall, 
Quhois  pretius  vertew  is  imperial. 

XXV. 

The  merle  fcho  fang,  Haill  Rofe  of  moft  delyt, 
Haill  of  all  fluris  quene  and  foveiane. 

The 


jAMtS  IV.  I488 — IjiS.  2ji 

The  lark  fcho  fang,  Haill  Rofe  both  reid  and  ouhvt, 
Moft  pleafand  flour,  of  michty  coullors  twane. 
The  nichtingaill  fong,  Haill  Naturis  fufFragene 
In  bcwty,  nuitour,  and  everj  nobilnefs, 
In  riche  array,  renown,  and  gentilnefs. 

XXVI. 

The  Common  voce  upraife  of  burdis  fmall 
Upon  this  wys,  O  bliffit  be  the  hour 
That  thou  wes  chofiu  to  be  our  principal!  j 
Welcome  to  be  our  Princes  of  honour, 
Our  perle,  our  plefans,  and  our  paramour, 
Our  peace,  our  play,  our  plane  felicite  j 
Chryft  the  conferf  frome  all  adverfite\ 

XXVII. 

Than  all  the  burdis  fong  with  fie  a  fchout 
That  I  anone  awoilk  guhair  that  I  lay, 
And  With  a  braid  1  turnit  me  about 
To  fe  this  court  j  bot  all  wer  went  away : 
Then  up  I  leinyt,  halflinges  in  affrey, 
Callt  to  my  Mufe,  and  for  my  fubject  chois 
To  ling  the  Ryel  Thriffill  and  the  Rofe. 


St.  1. 1.  T.    a  Quhen  Merche  wes  with  wri-end  windis  paft." 

Allan  Ramsay,  not  attending  to  the  rules,  or  rather  to  the  licence, 
of  Scottish  profoay,  changed  the  e*prefiion  into 

"  Quhen  Merche  with  variand  winds  was  over-pad." 

This  may  be  a  better  line  than  what  Dunbar  could  make ;  but  it  is 
the  bufinefs  of  a  pubHfher  to  fet  forth  other  mens  works,  not  his  owe* , 

— —  1.  a.  ••  Appryle."  This  word  is  to  be  pronounced  as  a  truTyl- 
labie.  The  Scots  ftill  pronounce  April  thus,  Aftril;  Lat.  Aprilit.  Pof- 
fibly  Donbak.  wrote  Afrilis,  as  in  the  very  firfl  line  of  his  matter, 
Chavcbk. 

St.  ft. 


»7*  CHRONICLE    Of    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

St.  1. 1.  4.  "  Thair  Louris."  Hours,  biuret,  means  their  matin's  or 
mcrning-onfons.  Chaucer  has  made  a  full  choir  of  birds:  p.  570. 
Urie's  edition, 

"  On  May-day  when  the  lark  begin  to  ryte, 
"  To  Matins  went  the  lufty  nightingal,  &c." 

la  the  E-vcrgrecn,  Donjah's  verfe  is  turned  thus  :  "  Begin  by  timous 
houts  ;"  which  is  both  profaic,  and  wide  of  the  fenfe  of  the  poet. 

St.  a.  1.  5.  "  Fro  tlu  fplene!"  From  the  fplene,  or,  as  we  would  now 
fay,  from  the  heart,  afliduoufiy,  ardently.  It  appears  to  have  been  * 
falhionable  phrafe  in  the  16th  century,  but  is  now  forgotten. 

St.  7. 1.  7.  "  Doing  of  dew  down  fleit  ;'€  i,  e.  quickly  dropping 
dew. 

St.  9. 1,  r.  "And  as  the  Miff  all  fine  of  cberarcby."  Inftead  of  ofcbe. 
rarchy,  the  Evergreen  has,  "  orave  up  the  fky."  "  The  blifsfull  fone  of 
cherarchy,"  means  the  thankfgiving  of  the  angels,  in  allufion  to  Job 
xxxviii.  the  holy  fhout  of  the  hod  angelical. 

St.  10.  1.  4.  "  No  fJiour'u."  The  word  "  fibturis,"  muft  be  pro- 
nounced as  a  triffy liable,   Scbo  u-ris.      In  the  Evergreen  ther<:  is  fubfli- 

tutcd, 

"  That  nowther  blafhy  fhower,  nor  hlafts  mair  cauld." 

A  line  adapted  to  modern  profody,  making  fibouris  from  three  fylla. 
bles,  and  llaftii  from  two,  to  become  one  J  adding  blafhy,  a  fuperfluoua 
epithet,  and  mail-,  an  unmeaning  comparative. 

St.  12.  1.  6.  "  Full  craftely  conjurit  fcho  the  yarrow."  The  yarrow 
is  Achillea,  or  Millefolium,  vu]g^l\yf/ieefwort.  I  know  no  reafon  (or  fe- 
lecling  this  plant  to  go  on  the  mtfijge  to  all  flowers,  but  that  its  name 
has  been  fuppofed  to  be  derived  from  airoto,  being  held  a  remedy  for 
fleffc  wounds  infli&ed  by  that  weapon.  The  poet,  in  apology  for  per- 
iomiy'mg  fneefwort,  htrt  added,  u  full  craftily  conjurit  (<. ho."  A  ridicu- 
lous enough  example  of  the  ratio  ultima  vatum,  the  0EO2  Alio  MH- 
XANH2. 

St.  13.  1.  7.  "  And  courage  leonyne.'"  Allan  Ramsay  obferveS> 
M  this  perhapa  may  be  fm.led  at ;  but  there  is  as  much  to  laugh  at  in  the 
modern  phrafe,  of  one's  looking  like  himfelf."  I  cannot  admit,  as  a 
fufficient  apology  for  an  old  phrafe,  that  a  newer  one  equally  abfurd  is 
ftill  employed.  Indeed  the  expreffion  cturage  leonyne,  ufed  of  a  lion,  has 
nothing  at  which  *■  one  may  fmile,"  unlets  that  one  be  of  the  vulgar, 
who  judge  of  language  without  learning,  and  deride  what  they  do  not 
■underlland.  The  expreffion  means  no  more,  than  "  with  a  heart  fuch 
as  befits  a  lion."  In  old  French,  courage  means  cocur.  Thus  courage  fe. 
rninine,  would,  from  analogy,  mean  the  tender  fenfibility  which  befits 
the  nature  of  woman. 

St.  14 


V     !         JAMES   IV.    I4S8 15 13.  473 

St.  14.  The  manner  of  blazoning  the  Scottifh  arms  is  ingenious  and 
elegant. 

St.  17.  I.  7.  "  Quhois  noble  yre  is  proUir  projlratis"  This  obfcure 
eiprefiion  was  not  underftood  by  Allan  Ramsay.  In  place  of  it  he 
1:j.%  happily  enough,  fubftituted  "  his  greitnes  mitigates."  There  is, 
juohably,  fonie  error  in  the  MS.  From  thg  word  projlrat'/s  being  ufed, 
a  very  intelligent  gentleman  concludes,  that  the  paffige,  however  cor- 
rupted, has  an  al  ufion  to  the  manly  fentimentof  Virgil, parcere  fubjcc- 
tii :  Thus  expreffed  in  the  motto  of  an  illuftrious  family,  "  Eft  nobilis 
ira  Ieonis." 

St.  21.  This  is  an  ingenious  exhortation  to  conjugal  fidelity,  drawn 
from  the  high  birth,  beauty,  and  virtues  of  the  Princefs  Margaret. 

St.  22.  1.  3.  "  Aboif  the  lllly.  luftrare  of  lynage."  Of  more  noble 
lineage  than  the  lilly.  He  prefers  Tudor  to  Valois  ;  for  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  lilly  means  France. 

St.  25. 1.  4.  "  Of  michty  coullors  tivane"  The  white  of  York,  and 
the  red  of  I.ancafter.  The  medal  of  James  I.  is  well  known  :  "  Rafas 
Henricus,r^<t  Jacobus;"  Evelyn  of  medals,,  p.  102.  May  there  never 
be  occaCcn  to  add,  "  As  quis  cotuordet  animos  ?" 

St.  27.  The  conclufion  of  this  ftanza  is  taken  from  Allan  Ramsay* 
who  caught  the  fpirit  of  Dunbar,  which  Dunbar  himfelf  feems  to 
have  let  efcape,  by  his  bald  and  profaic  conclufion. 

"  And  thus  I  wret  as  ye  haifhard  to  forrow, 
"  Of  lufty  May  upone  the  nynt  morrow." 

A  conclufion  worfe,  if  worfe  may  be,  than  the  lines  of  Ben  Ton  son 
%o  Sir  Kenelm  Digby  : 

"  JVitncfs  thy  victory  gained  at  Scanderoon, 
**  Upon  thy  by:ih  day  the  eleventh  of  June ." 


Vol.  I.  Mm 


AGANTS 


AGANIS    THE    SOLISTARIS   AT    COURT. 


[This  poem  has  been  handed  down  in  the  Maitland  MS. 
collection,  and  prefents  us  with  a  curious  piclure  of  the 
Court  of  James  IV.  probably  after  his  marriage. 
"  Advocats  in  chaumer,"  are  pretty  wives,  concern- 
ing whom  fee  p.  251.] 


.Be  divers  wayis  and  operatiouns 

Men  maks  in  court  thair  foliftatiouns. 

Sum  be  fervice,  and  diligence  : 

Sum  be  continual  refidence  : 

On  fubftance  fum  men  dois  abyde, 

Quhill  fortoun  do  for  thame  provyde. 

Sum  rings.     Sum  dances.     Sum  tell  ftoryis. 

Sum  lait  at  ewin  brings  in  the  moryis. 

Sum  flj^ds.     Sum  fenyeis  :  and  fum  flatters. 

Sum  playjsjhe  fuil,  and  all  owt  clatters. 

Sum  man,  mufand  be  the  waw, 

Luiks  as  he  mycht  nocht  do  at  aw. 

Sum  ftandis  in  a  nuik,  and  rownes  : 

For  covatyce  ane  uthair  neir  fwownes. 

Sum  beris  as^  he  wald  ga  wud 

For  h'  it  defyr  of  warlds  gud. 

Sum  at  the  aiefs  levis  all  devotioun. 

And  bvfy  labours  for  promotion. 

Sum  hes  thair  advocatts  in  chaumir, 

And  ttiks  thamefelf  thairoff  no  glawmir. 

My  fempilnes,  amang  the  laifF, 
Wait  of  na  way,  fa  God  me  faif, 
Bot,  with  ane  humble  cheir  and  face, 
Referrs  me  to  the  kyngis  grace. 
Methink  his  gracious  contenance 
In  ryches  my  fufheiance. 

ON 


ON    A    DANCE   IN    THE    QJJEEn's    CHAMBER. 


XfTbis  piece  feems  evidently  not  meant  for  broad  day ',  hut 
a  mere  poefie  de  fociete.  The  third  Jlanza,  and  a  fuh- 

fequent  line,  give  us  odd  ideas  of  the  court  of  Que  EN 
Margaret  ;  hut  certainly  they  are  mere  faljitie,  of 
buffoonery  to  make  the  perfons  ridiculous.  Miss 
Musgrave  was  probably  an  Englijh  Lady,  the  name 
not  being  Scottijh.  Dunbar  hints  that  his  love  for 
her  was  the  talk  of  the  court,  and  his  praifes  do  not 
confute  it.  This  cir cunt/lance,  with  his  appearance  in 
a  dance  at  court ,Jhews  that  the  poet  was  a  perfon  of 

fome  confequence,  or  ejlimation.  The  Queen's  Dogt 
(without  doubt,)  is  DoiG,  her  wardrobe-keeper, 
whom  we  find  hitched  into  rime  in  the  two  fubfeauent 

poems.] 


Ochir  John  Sinclair  begowth  to  dance, 
For  he  wes  new  cum  out  of  France. 
For  ony  thing  that  he  do  micht, 
His  an  futt  jeid  aj  owr  hycht, 
And  to  the  tother  would  not  gree. 
Quoth  ane,  '  Tak  up  the  Quenis  knycht.' 
A  mirrear  dance  micht  na  man  fee. 

Than  cam  in  Maiftir  Robert  Schaw : 
He  lukit  as  he  culd  lern  them  a  ; 
Bot  ay  his  an  futt  did  waver  j 


He 


2/6  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    r6ETRT. 

He  ftackerit  lyke  ane  flrummal  aver 
Hop-fchakelit  abone  the  knee. 
To  feik  fra  Stirling  to  Stranaver 
A  mirrear  dance  micht  na  man  fee. 

Than  cam  in  the  maifter  Almafer, 

Ane  homelty-jomelty  juffler, 

Lyke  a  ftirk  ftackarand  in  the  ry  : 

His  hippis  gaff  mony  heddous  cry. 

John  Bute  the  fule  faid  *  Wowes  me  ! 

'  He  is  bedirtin.     Fy  !  O  fy  !' 

A  mirrear  dance  micht  na  man  fee. 

Than  cam  in  Dunbar  the  mackar  ;    • 
On  all  the  flure  thair  was  nane  frackar, 
And  thair  he  dauncet  the  Dirry-duntoun  : 
He  hoped,  lyk  a  piller  wantoun  j 
(For  luff  of  Mufgraeffe  men  fulis  me.) 
He  trippet  quhill  he  tuir  his  pantoun. 
A  mirrear  dance  micht  na  man  fee. 

Than  cam  in  Maeftris  Mufgraeffe  : 
Scho  mycht  haff  lernit  all  the  laeffe. 
Quhen  I  faw  hir  fa  trimlye  dance, 
Hir  gud  conwoy  and  contenance  5 
Than  for  hir  faek  I  wiffit  to  be 
The  grytaft  erle,  or  duke,  in  France. 
A  mirrear  dance  micht  na  man  fee. 

Than  cam  in  dame  Doutebour : 
God  waitt  giff  that  fcho  lukit  four  ! 
Scho  maid  fie  morgeounis  with  hir  hippis, 
For  Jauter  nane  mycht  hald  thair  lippis. 
Quhen  fcho  was  danceand  biflilye, 
Ane  blaft  of  wind  foun  fra  hir  flippis. 
A  mirrear  dance  micht  na  man  fee. 


Quhen 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 1513.  177 


Quhen  thair  wes  cum  in  fyve  or  fax, 
The  Quenis  Dog  begouth  to  rax. 
And  of  his  band  he  maid  a  bred  ; 
And  to  the  dancing  foun  he  him  med. 
How  nrafterlyk  about  yeid  he  ! 
He  flimiket  lyk  a  tjk,  fum  faid. 
A  mirrear  dance  micht  na  man  fee. 


St.  2.  Hop  fcbakelif  •  the  two  fore-legs  fattened  together.  Thephrafc 
is  £1  ill  corr.mon. 

St.  4.  He  hoped  lyk  a  piller ;  feems  equivalent  to  Doll  Common's 
jeft. 

'  Falstaff.  The  rogue  fled  from  me  like  quick  Clver. 
*  Doll.  Aj%  and  thou  fol!o.vedft  him  like  a  cburcb.' 

Pantoun  hjlipper  or  pump. 

St.  7.  And  of  bit  band  be  maid  a  bred  1  perhaps  means,  "  And  tied 
his  neckcloth  with  a  bow  or  fiip-knot."  Mr  Pinkerton,  however, 
puts  this  down  as  a  pafiage  not  ur.derftood. 


ETPOtf 


UPON   JAMES  D0IG,    KEPAR    OF   THE  QUEIN'S  WARDREP. 


— -  feemingly  becaufe  he  had f erupted  to  deliver  to  Dun- 
bar a  doublet,  or  fuit  of  clothes  _ivhich  had  been  or- 
dered him  by  the  ^ueen.~\ 


TO    THE    QJJEIX. 

Jl  HE  wardiaipper  of  Venus'  bour 
To  giff  a  doublet  he  is  als  doure, 
As  it  war  off  ane  futc  fyd  frog. 
Madame,  ye  heff  a  dangerous  Dog. 

Qnhen  that  I  fchaw  to  him  your  marki?jr 
He  rums  to  me  agane  and  barkis, 
As  he  war  wurriand  ane  hog. 
Madame,  ye  heff  a  dangerous  Dog. 

Quhen  that  I  fchaw  to  him  your  wrytin, 
He  girnis  that  I  am  'red  for  by  tin  : 
I  wuld  he  had  ane  havy  clog  ! 
Madame,  ye  heff  a  dangerous  Dog. 

Quhen  that  I  fpeik  to  him  friendlyk, 
He  barkis  lyke  ane  midding  t^ke 
War  chafand  catel  thro  a  bog. 
Madame,  ye  heff  a  dangerous  Dog. 

He  is  ane  maftyf,  mekle  of  mycht, 
To  keip  your  wardrip  ovir  nicht 
Fra  the  grit  fowdan  Gogvnagog. 
Madame,  ye  heff  a  dangerous  Dog. 

He  is  our  mekil  to  be  your  meffoun, 
Madame  I  red  you  get  a  les  on  ; 
His  gangarris  all  your  chalmers  fchog. 
Madame,  ye  heff  a  dangerous  Dog. 

UPON 


UfON    THE    SAME. 


TO    THE    SAME. 


KJ  gracious  princes  guid  and  fair  ! 
Do  weill  to  James  your  wardraipair ; 
Quhais  faythful  brudermaift  freiud  1  am. 
He  is  no  Do?  :  he  is  a  lam. 

Thoch  I  in  ballat  did  with  him  bourde, 
In  malice  fpak  I  never  a  word  : 
Bot  all,  Madame,  to  do  you  gam. 
He  is  no  Doo-  ;  he  is  a  lam. 

o   ' 

Your  hienes  cannot  get  ane  meter 
To  keip  your  wardreip  ;  nor  difcreter 
To  rewle  your  robbis,  and  dres  the  fam. 
He  is  no  Dog  ;  he  is  a  lam. 

The  wyfF,  that  he  had  in  his  innysf 
That  with  the  tangs  wald  birs  his  fchynnis, 
I  wald  fcho  drount  war  in  a  dam. 
He  is  no  Dog ;  he  is  a  lam. 

The  wyf  that  wald  him  kuckald  mak, 
I  wald  fcho  war,  bayth  fyde  and  bak, 
Weill  batterit  with  ane  barrow  tram. 
He  is  no  Dog  ;  he  is  a  lam. 

He  hes  fo  weill  done  me  obey 
Ourtill  all  thing,  thairfoir  I  pray 
That  nevir  dolour  mak  him  dram. 
He  is  no  Dog ;  he  is  a  lam. 


Ta 


TO    THE    KING. 


£  "this  addrefs  appears  to  have  been  written  while  the 
Poet  was  yet  in  the  praclice  of  "  fettiug  himfeif  to, 
fing  and  dance."  Lord  Hailes  conjeBures  the  mean- 
ing of  the  firjl  line  to  bet  "  A  divine  hand  has  vifited 
me  with  the  pains  of  poverty." — the  phrafey  "  fil- 
ver  forrow,"  feeming  to  imply  the  anguijh  arijing 
from  the  want  of  ready  money.  Our  fore -father  s>  in 
.  their  meal  for  making  faints ,  were  pleafed  to  make  a 
Sanct  Salvatour. 

"We  may  fuppofe  this  to  be  one  of  the  earliefl  of  Dun- 
bar's addreffcs  to  James* IV.  as  it  contains  no  requefi 
for  a  benefice.  Hitherto  he  probably  thought  himfclf 
fecure  of  promotion.'] 


I. 

Oanct  Salvatour  fend  filver  forrow 
It  grevis  me  both  evin  and  morrow, 
Chafing  fra  me  all  cheritie  ; 
It  makis  me  all  blythnes  to  borrow  t 
My  panefull  purs  fo  priclis  me. 

II. 

Quhen  I  wald  blythlie  ballattis  breif, 
Langour  thairto  givis  me  no  leif  •, 
Did  nocht  gud  howp  my  hart  uphie, 
My  verry  corps  for  cair  wald  cleif ; 
My  panefull  purs  fo  priclis  me. 


III. 


JAMES    IV.    1405 15  13. 

III. 

Quhen  J  fett  me  to  fing  of  dance, 
Or  go  I  to  plefand  parlance, 
Than  paufing  of  penuritie 
Revis  that  fra  my  rememberance  ; 
My  panefull  purs  fo  priclis  me. 

IV. 

Quhen  men  that  hes  purfes  in  tone, 
PafTes  to  drynk  or  to  disjone, 
Than  mon  I  keip  ane  ,gravetie, 
And  fay  that  I  will  fail  quhill  none  ? 
My  panefull  purs  fo  priclis  me. 

V. 

My  purs  is  maid  of  lie  ane  fkin, 
Thair  will  na  corfes  byd  it  within ; 
•Strait  as  fra  the  feynd  thay  fie, 
Quha  evir  tyne,  quha  evir  win  ; 
My  panefull  purs  fo  priclis  me, 

VI. 

Had  I  ane  man  of  ony  natioun, 
Culd  mak  on  it  ane  conjuratioun, 
To  gar  fiiver  ay  in  it  be, 
The  devill  fuld  haif  no  dominatioun 
With  pyne  to  gar  it  prickill  me. 

VII. 

I  haif  inquyrit  in  mony  a  place, 
For  help  and  confort  in  this  cace, 
And  all  men  fay  is,  my  Lord,  that  ye 
Can  befr  remeid  for  this  malice, 
That  with  fie  panis  prickills  me. 

Vol.  I.  Nn 


TJIF. 


TIIK    DAXJNCE. 


[The  drawing  of  this  piBure  is  bold,  and  the  figures  welt 
grouped.  ^  I  do  not  recolleB,  (Lord  Haii.es  oh- 
ferves^)  ever  to  have  feen  the  feven  deadly  fins  paint- 
ed by  a  more  majlerly  pencil  than  that  of  Dunbar. 
His  defigns  certainly  excel  the  explanatory  peacocks 
and  ferpents  of  Callot."  In  fever al  paffages,  the 
poem  appears  to  have  fome  fatyrical  allujion  to  real 
life  ;  its  precife  date  may  he  afcertained,  being  that 
year  of  the  reign  of  James  IV.  when  Lent  began  on^ 
the  l6th  February.'] 


I. 

-      4 

\j¥  Februar  the  fiftene  nycht, 
Richt  lang  befoir  the  dayis  lycht, 

I  lay  intill  a  trance  ; 
And  than  I  faw  baith  heviu  and  hell, 
Methocht  amangis  the  feyndis  fell, 

Mahoun  gart  cry  ane  dance, 
Of  fhrewis  that  wer  never  fchrevin, 
Againft  the  feift  of  Fafternis  evin, 

To  mak  thair  obftrvance  ; 
He  bad  gallands  ga  giaith  a  gyis, 
And  cait  up  gamountis  in  the  fkyis, 

As  varlats  dois  in  Fiance. 

II. 

Lat  fe,  quoth  he,  now  quha  beginis  : 
With  that  the  fowll  fevin  deidly  finis 
Begowth  to  leip  atanis. 


And 


JAMES  IV.  I488 I5I3.  283 

Arid  flrft  of  all  in  dance  wes  Pryd, 
With  hair  tollit  bak,  bonet  on  fyd, 

Lyk  to  mak  vaiflie  wanis  ; 
And  round  about  him  as  a  quheill, 
Hang  all  in  riimpillis  to  the  heill, 

His  heich  cot  for  thd  nanis. 
Mony  proud  trumpour  with  him>trippit ; 
Throw  Ikaldan  fjre  aj  as  they  fldppit, 

They  girnd  with  hyddous  granis. 

III. 

Heilie  Harlottis  in  hawtane'wyis 
Come  in  with  mony  findrie  gyis, 

Bot  yet  luche  nevir  Mahoun, 
Quhill  preiftis  cum  with  bair  fcheviri  nekks, 
Than  all  the  feynds  lewche,  and  maid  gekks, 

Black-belly  and  Bawfy-Brown. 

IV. 

Than  Trt  come  in  with  fturt  and  flryfe  .; 
His  hand  wes  ay  upoun  his  knyfe, 

He  brandeiil  lyk  a  beir  ; 
Boftaris,  braggaris,  and  barganeris, 
Eftir  him  paffit  into  pairis, 

All  bodin  in  feir  of  weir. 
In  jakkis,  flryppis,  and  borinetiig  o£fteillr 
Thair  leggjs  wer  chenyiet  to  the  heill, 

Frawart  wes  thair  affeir  ; 
Sum  upoun  uder  with  brandis  beft, 
Sum  jagit  utheris  to  the  heft, 

With  knyvis  that  fcherp  Coud  fcheir. 

V. 

Next  in  the  dance  followit  Invyf 
Fild  full  of  feid  and  fellony, 
Hid  malice  and  difpvte. 


1%\  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

For  pryvie  haterit  that  tratour  trymlit,        -    •    ; 
Him  followit  mony  freik  diitymlir, 

With  fenyeit  wordis  quhyte  ; 
And  flattereris  into  rcenis  facts, 
And  back-byttaris  in  fecreit  placis, 

To  ley  that  had  delyte, 
With  rownaris  of  fals  lefingis  ; 
Allace  !   that  courtis  of  noble  kingis, 

Of  thame  can  nevir  be  quyte. 

VI. 

TsText  him  in  dans  come  Cuvatyce, 
Rute  of  all  evill,  and  grund  of  vyce, 

That  nevir  cowd  be  content ; 
Catyvis,  wrechis,  and  Ockeraris, 
Hud-pykis,  hurdars,  and  gadderaris, 

All  with  that  Warlo  went : 
Out  of  thair  throttis  they  fhot  on  udder 
Hett  moitin  gold,  methocht,  a  fudder 

As  fyjre-flaucht  maift  fervent ; 
Ay  as  thay  Jumit  thame  of  fchot, 
Feynds  filt  thame  well  up  to  tha.  thrott, 

With  gold  of  all  kynd  prent. 

VII. 

Syne  Sweirnes,  at  the  fecound  bidding, 
Com  lyk  a  fow  out  of  a  midding, 

Full  flepy  wes  his  grunyie. 
Mony  fweir  bumbard  belly-huddroun, 
Mony  flute  daw,  and  flepy  duddroun, 

Him  fervit  ay  with  founyie. 
He  drew  thame  furth  intill  a  chenyie, 
And  Belliall,  with  a  brydill  renyie, 

Evir  lafcht  thame  on  the  lunyie. 
In  dance  thay  war  fo  flaw  of  feit, 


They 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  285 

The j  gaif  thame  in  the  fyre  a  heir, 

And  maid  them  quicker  of  couayie. 

VIII. 

Than  Lichery^  that  lathly  corfs, 
Cam  berand  lyk  a  bagit  horfs, 

And  Idilnefs  did  him  leid  ; 
Thair  wes  with  him  an  ugly  fcrr, 
And  mony  ftinkand  fowll  tramort, 

That  had  in  fyn  bene  deid  : 
Quhen  thay  wer  enterit  in  the  daunce, 
Thay  wer  full  ftrengc  of  countenance, 

Lyk  turkas  burnand  reid  ; 

All  led  thay  uddir  by  the  t , 

Suppoifs  thay  fyckit  with  thair  a , 

It  mycht  be  na  remeid. 

IX. 

Than  the  fowll  monftir  Glutteny% 
Of  wame  unfafiable  and  gredy,  - 

To  dance  fyn  did  him  drefs  ; 
Him  followet  mony  foull  drunckhart, 
With  can  and  collep,  Copland  quart, 

In  furffet  and  excefs. 
Full  mony  a  waiftlefs  wally- drag, 
With  waimis  unweildable,  did  furth  wag, 

In  creifche  that  did  increfs. 
Drynk,  ay  thay  cryit,  with  mony  a  gaip  j 
The  feynds  gave  them  hait  leid  to  laip, 

Thair  lovery  wes  na  lefs. 

X. 

Na  menftralls  playit  to  thame  but  dowt, 
For  gle-men  thair  wer  haldin  out, 

Be  day,  and  eik  by  nycht  ; 
Except  a  menftrall  that  flew  a  man ; 

Sa 


286  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRf, 

Sa  till  his  heretage  he  wan, 

And  entirt  be  breif  of  richt. 

XI. 

Than  cryd  Mahoun  for  a  Heleand  Padyane  : 
Sjn  ran  a  feynd  to  fetch  Makfadyane, 

Far  nor  thwart  in  a  nuke; 
Be  he  the  Corienoch  had  done  fchout, 
Erfche  men  fo  gadderit  him  about, 

In  hell  grit  rume  thay  tuke  : 
Thae  tarmegantis,  with  tag  and  tatter, 
Full  lond  in  Erfche  begowt  to  clatter, 

And  rowp  lvk  revin  and  ruke. 
The  dcvill  fa  devit  wes  with  thair  yell, 
That  inthe  depefl  pot  of  frfi!], 

He  fmorit  thame  with  fmuke. 


St..  r.  I.  6.  "  Mahoun"  According  to  Mattb.  Parts,  p  189.  16 
an.  1236,  Mabo  is  the  fame  with  Mahomet.  I)u  Cange,  voc  Mabum, 
has  quoted  various  paiTages  from  the  old  French  poetF,  which  he  thinks 
proves  this.  A  more  direct  proof  is  to  be  found  in  the  fragment  of  a 
Fairy  tale,  in  the  Bann.  MS.  where  the  following  lines  occur  : 

M  The  carling  now  for  difpyte, 

"  Is  mareit  with  Maohomyte, 
"  Senfyne  the  cokkis  of  Crawmound  crew  nevir  a  day, 
•*  For  dule  of  that  devillifh  deme  was  with  Maboun  mareit,"  Sec, 

Here  Maboun  and  Mabomet  are  evidently  fynonymoue.  It  would  feem 
that  the  Franks  hearing  the  Saracens  fwear  by  their  prophet,  imagined 
him  to  be  fome  evil  fpirit  which  they  worfhipped  :  Hence  all  over  the 
weftern  world  Maboun  came  to  be  an  appellation  of  the  devil.  Hailes. 

I.  y.  "  Sbrewi  that  wer  never  fchrevin."  Accurfed  perfoni 
who  had  never  made  confefiion  to  the  prieft,  nor  of  confequeuce  obtain- 
ed abfolution. 

— —  1.  10.  "  Gallands  ga  graltb  a  gyis."  Gallants  prepare  a  malic. 
The  exhibitions  of  gyfarts  are  ftill  known  in  Scotland,  being  the  fame 
with  the  Chriftmas  mummery  of  the  Englilh.  In  Scotland,  even  till 
the  beginning  of  this  century,  maOcers  were  admitted  into  any  fafhion- 

ablc 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513. 


18; 


able  family,  if  the  perfon  who  introduced  them  was  known,  and  became 
anfwerable  for  the  behaviour  of  his  companions.  Dancing  with  the 
maikers  enfued. — This,  probably,  was  the  promifcuous  dancing,  the  fub- 
jedi  of  many  a  fad  declamation,  borrowed  from  Prynne,  and  other 
writers  of  that  fort. 

L  13.     "  Gamounlis."      Gambade,   crurum  jaUatio,  of  the  neweft 

French  fafhions. 

St.  a.  1.  4.  ••  And  frji  of  all  in  dance  wes  Pryd."  Pride  properly 
takes  place  of  all  the  other  deadly  fins.  By  that  fin  fell  the  angeis.— 
He  is  defcribed  in  the  ceremony-habit  of  thofe  times,  in  his  bonnet  and 
gown,  his  hair  loofely  thrown  back,  his  cap  awry  ;  his  beich-coat  cafoqui, 
or  gown,  induftrioufly  made  to  fall  down  to  his  feet  in  ample  folds. 
Line  6th  is  obicure. 

1.  IO.  "  Trumpour."  There  is  no  word  in  Englifh  that  ap- 
proaches fo  nearly  to  the  fenfe  of  this  as  the  vulgar  one,  rattle jkull.  1% 
(he  Low  Dutch,  tromp  is  a  rattle  ;  trompen,  to  rattle.  It  is  more  imme- 
diately derived  from  the  French,  trempour,  when  underflood  as  that 
whereby  one  is  deceived ;  for  the  context  will  not  admit  of  our  undcr- 
ftanJmg  it  in  the  fenfe  of  an  active  cheat.' 

St.  3.  1.  1.  "  Hc'rfie  Harlottis  on  howtane  wyis."  This  is  a  bold 
line,  if  it  implies,  as  I  think  it  does,  "  Holy  whores  in  haughty  guile." 

1.6.  "  Black-Idly  and  Bawfy- Brown."  Popular  names  of  cer- 
tain fpirits.  Baivfy-Bio-ivn  feems  to  be  I  he  Englifh  Robin  Gootllellow, 
known  in  Scotland  by  the  name  of  Broivnla.  In  the  Bannatyne 
JV1S.  p.  104.  among  ether  fpirits  there  occurs, 

"  Browny  als  that  can  play  know 

"  Behind  the  claith  with  mony  mow." 

St.  4.  !.  4.  "  Boflaris,  braggaris,  apd  bargancris."  Huffers,  (or 
tlireatners,)  boaflcrs,  and  they  who  pick  quarre'f. 

— —  1.  6.  "  All  budin  in  fcir  of  ivcir."  Literally,  all  arrayed  in  fea- 
ture of  war.  "  Bodin  ami /eir  afwttr.  are  both  in  the  fiatutc-book.  Sir 
David  Lindsay  thus  fpeaks  of  the  flatc  of  Scotland  during  the  mino- 
rity of  Jaues-V. 

"   Opprtflion  did  fa  loud  his  htigil  hlaw, 

"    That  uane  duifl  tiJe  but  into  feir  of  weir.'' 

i.  e.  His  horn  fb  loudly  did  opprtflion  blow, 

That  none  durft  journey  but  in  martial  ftjew. 

■  1.  7-  "  ln  jakfcis,  (hyppis,  and  bontietis  of  ftcill."  With  fiiorf. 
coats  of  mail,  and  fleet  head-pieces.  Siiyppis  may  fignify  Jlirrups.  It 
is  oidly  joined  writ  armour. 

1.8.     "  Thair.lcggk   wer  chenyiet   to  the  beil!."     Probably 

their  legs  were  all  covered  with  iron  net-work. 

St.  <;, 


288  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRT, 

St.  5.1. 10.  "  With  rowniris  of  fals  lefingis."  Rounders  or  whim- 
perers of  falfe  injurious  reports.  Dunbar,  with  a  generous  indignation, 
laments  that  the  gates  of  princes  were  not  fliut  againft  the  plague  of 
fuch  vermin. 

St.  6. 1.  6.  "  All  with  that  Warlo  went."  "  Warloch"  is  dill  ufed 
f>r  a  male  witch  or  magician.  See  1  ri  in  his  additions  to  Junius,  voc. 
Warlo~b      Hud  J>yis,  was  ufed  in  ti  at  ag-  ^r  ^  mifer. 

1    8.     "  \  f udder  or  Jidder."      It  '*  properly  128  lb.  weight,  but 

here  it  is  ufed  for  any  indefinite  great  quiiuity. 

St.  7.I.4-  "  Mony  fweir  bumhard  belly-huddroun."  Siieir,  lazy, 
fltiggim.  In  modern  1  nguage,  the  tonfequence  only  is  ufed  ;  for  Jkveir 
means  unwilling.  Bumbard:  The  meaning  of  this  word  is  to  be  tound 
in  Pierce  Ploughman,  p.  24.  p.  2.  quoted  by  Skinner.  "  And  who  fo 
bummed  thereof,  oought  it  thereafter,  a  gallon  for  a  grote."  Skinner 
fays  ""Vioetur  fx  contextu,  qnicunque  earn  cerevifiam  guftavitv  vel 
"  q:iicut"q<ie  earn  appetiit  feu  concupivit  "  Hence  bummard,  bumbard, 
bumpard,  mufl  be  a  trier  or  a  tafier,  "  Celui  qui  goute."  A  drummer 
will  be  found  to  have  a  like  Cgnification ;  he  who  drinks  often  in  fmall 
quantities.  "  Belly -buddroun.'"  The  word  buddroun  is  flill  ufed  f<Mf 
♦»  a  flovenljr  difordcrly  perfon," 

1.  5.     "  Mony   flute   daw,  and   flepy  duddroun."      Slute,  Jle-wtb, 

flothful.  Datv,  idle,  ufelcfs,  creature.  G.  Douglas  fays,  Prologue  to 
Mafhjeus's  fupplement,  p.  452. 1.  23. 

"  I  wyl  not  be  anc  datv,  I  wyl  not  flcip." 

"  Duddroun."  Probably  it  means  a  ghoft,  from  A.  S.  dydrun\ha.  Phan- 
tafmata.     See  Benson  Vocabular'mm  Anglo-Saxonkum. 

1.  6.    "  Him  fervit  ay  with  founyit."    Attended  on  him  with 

care. 

1.  12.    "  Quicker  of  counye."  Quicker  of  cunning  or  apprehen- 

fjon,  or,  perhaps,  quicker  of  coin,  of  circulation  or  courfe.  The  law  of 
the  meafuie  which  Dunbar  ufes,  required  that  the  3d,  6th,  9th,  and 
1 2th  lin^s  of  each  ftanza  fhould  rhyme  together.  This  has  fettered  the 
poet,  and  obliged  him  to  ufe  feveral  expreffion3,  not  becaufe  they  were 
the  apteft,but  becaufe  they  anfwered  the  meafure  beft. 

-  St.  8. 1.  2.  ■  Berand  lyk  a  bagit  horfs."  Neighing  like  a  ftone  horfe. 
The  meaning  of  the  Fr.  baguette  i»  weil  known. 

1.  j.     "  Tramort."     Dead  body,  corpfe. 

1.  9.     "  Lyk  turias  burnand  reid."     Like  red-hot  pincers  ? 

St.  9.  1.  7.  "  Full  mony  a  tvaijilefs  tutlly  drag."  Wally-dragle  is  a 
word  ftill  ufed  for  the  weakeft  biid  in  the  Deft,  or  the  wr.akeft  chicken 
in  the  ftock.     It  feems  corrupted  from  •wallnvit  dreg,  a  withered  outcaft, 

and 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 15 13.  289 

and  thence  by  an  eafy  metonymy,  fignifies  aoy  thing  ufelefs  or  unpro- 
fitable. 

St.  9.  1.  la.  "  Thair  lo-uery  wes  na  lefs."  Their  defire  was  not  di. 
minifhed  ;  their  thirft  was  infatiable. 

St.  to.  1.  2.  "  Glemen."  Glee-men,  or  minftrels.  See  Piercy's 
Dijfertation  on  minjtrels,  wherein  many  curious  illuftrations  of  Britiih  an- 
tiquities are  to  be  found. 

; I.  6.     "  And  entirt  be  breif of richt."    Was  admitted  to  the  pof- 

feflion  of  his  inheritance  in  hell  by  the  Brew  de  reclo. 

St.  1  r.  This  whole  ftanza  is  employed  in  fatyrizing  the  Highland- 
ers.    Such  was  the  illiberal  practice  of  former  times ! 

■  1.  a.  "  Macfadyane."  Mahoun  having  expreffed  his  defire 
to  fee  an  Highland  pageant,  a  fiend  hailed  to  fetch  Macfadyane.  I  lup- 
pofe  this  name  was  chofen  by  the  poet  as  one  of  the  harfheft  that  occur- 
red to  him.  In  the  Bannatvne  MS.  there  is  a  poem  by  Captain 
Montgomery,  the  elegant  author  of  The  Cherry  and  the  Slae,  which 
begins  thus : 

"  Finlay  Macconnoquhy  ful  Macfadyan. 

The  reft  of  the  poem  is  equally  illiberal  and  fcurrilous,  and  {hews  how 
poor,  how  very  poor,  genius  appears,  when  its  competitions  are  debafed 
to  the  meaneft  prejudices  of  the  meaneft  vulgar. 

1.  4.    "  Be  he  the  Correnoek  had  done  fchout."      As  Toon  as  he 

had  made  the  cry  of  diftrefs,  or  what  in  old  French  is  called  a  ('aide.  So 
in  the  ballad  of  the  Battle  of  Harlaw.  St,  1. 1.  7.  •»  Cryand  the  Cory- 
noch  on  hie." 

— —  1,  7.  "  Thae  tarmegantis."  See  an  account  of  the  word  terma- 
gant in  Lye's  edition  of  Junius,  That  article,  however,  might  have 
been  more  ample.  I  fufpedt  that  Dunbar  meant  another  word  than 
termagant,  or,  "  heathenilh  crew."  The  Ptarmigan  is  a  fpecies  of  wild- 
fowl well  known  in  the  Highlands  of  Scotland,  and  is  called  in  our  fla- 
tnte-book  termigant—- Dunbar  may  h>vc  likened  the  Highlanders  to  a 
flock  of  their  country  birds;  the  context  favours  this  interpretation,  and 
thus  his  illiberal  raillery  will.be  like  that  of  Effex  calves,  Hampfhire  hogs, 
Middlefex  mungrils,  Norfolk  dumplings,  W<dch  goats,  &c,  and  his  wit 
will  be  upon  a  footing  with  that  of  Cleveland. 

«  ■■  when  the  Scots  deceafe, 

"  Hell,  like  their  nation,  feeds  on  barnacles  : 
"  A  Scot,  when  from  the  gallows-tree  got  loofe, 
"  Falls  into  Styx,  and  turns  a  folarid  goefc. 

Vol.  I.  O  o  the 


THE   SWEIRERS   AND    THE   DEVILL. 


{From  the  Bann.  MS.  compared  with  the  Variations  in 
the  MAITLAND  MS.  The  copy  publifloed  by  Allan 
Ramsay  in  the  Evergreen,  is  altered  from  the  origi- 
nal in  almojl  every  line.  Injlead  of  the  Jimple  bur- 
den, he  has  inferted  many  lively  repartees  on  the  De- 
vil's part,  and  Jbme times  has  made  him  /peak  again/1 
his  own  interejly  as  injlanza  13th. 

t(  Quoth  Nick  thoult  get  far  lefs  with  me." 

It  is  remarkable  that  many  of  the  oaths  that  fell  un- 
der the  lafh  of  Dunbar's  fatire,  are  a&ually  recited 
in  the  16th  Acl  of  Queen  Mary,  1551,  "Devil 
flick,  cummer,  (i.  e.  cum  over,  or  our,)  gore,  roift, 
or  rieve  them."  Penalties  are  inflicled  by  that  flat  - 
ute  on  the  ufers  offuch  oaths  :  hi  particular  it  is  pro- 
vided, that,  ane  Prelate  of  Kirk,  Earle,  or  Lord% 
*'  Jhall,  for  the  fir  ft  offence,  be  fined  in  twelve  pen- 
nies, and  for  the  fourth  fault,  be  banifhed  or  commit- 
ted to  prifon  during  a  complete  year,  and  ft k- like  of 
all  uther  ejlaites,  after  their  qualitie  ;  and  wemen  to 
be  weyed  and  confideted  conform  to  their  bloude  and 
c/tazte."'] 


I. 

1  his  nycht  in  fleip  I  was  agaft, 
Methocht  the  devill  wes  tempand  fail 
The  people  with  aithis  of  crewaltie, 
Sayand,  as  throw  the  merkat  he  paft, 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 


II. 


JAMES  IV.  I488— 15 13.  29I 

IL 

Methocht  as  he  went  throw  the  way, 
Ane  preift  fweirit  braid,  be  God  verey, 
Quhilk  at  the  alter  reffavit  he  ; 
Thow  art  my  tlerk,  the  devill  can  fay, 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

III. 

The  court  man  be  Chryftis  woundis  did  fweir 
He  wald  ferve  Satan  for  fevin  yeir 
For  fair  claithis,  and  gold  plentie. 
The  devil  faid,  "  Thairc's  fum  for  geir 
Wald  God  renunce  to  dwell  with  me." 

/  IV. 

Ane  merchand*  his  geir  as  he  did  fell, 
Renuncit  his  part  of  hevin  and  hell ; 
The  devill  faid,  Welcum  mot  thow  be, 
Thou  fall  be  merchand  for  my  fell, 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

V. 

Ane  goldfmith  faid,  The  gold's  fa  fyne 

That  all  the  warkmanfchip  I  tyne  ; 

The  femd  rejTaif  me  gif  I  lie  ; 

Think  on,  quoth  the  devill,  that  thow  art  mine, 

Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

VI. 

Ane  tailyor  faid,  In  all  this  toun, 
Be  thair  ane  better  fhappin  gown, 
I  gif  me  to  the  feynd  all  fre  j 
Gramercy,  tailyor,  faid  Mahoun, 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

VII. 


292  CHRONICLE    Of   SCOTTISH   POETR.Y. 

VII. 

Ane  fouttar  faid,  In  gud  efFek, 

Nor  I  be  hangit  be  the  nek, 

Gife  bettir  butis  of  ledder  ma  be  ; 

Fy,  quoth  the  fejnd,  thou  fawris  of  blek, 

Oa  clenge  the  clene,  and  cum  to  me. 

VIII. 

Ane  baxftar  faid,  I  foifaik  God, 

And  all  his  werkis,  evih  and  od, 

Gif  fairar  breid  neidis  to  be  ; 

The  devill  luche,  and  on  him  cowth  nod, 

With  thy  licht  leves  cum  thou  to  me. 

IX. 

The  flefchour  fweiris  be  Godis  woundis, 
Cam  never  fie  beif  into  thair  boundis, 
Aud  fatter  muttoun  cannot  be. 
Fals  !  quoth  the  feynd,  and  till  him  roundis  ; 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

X. 

The  maltman  fay  is,  I  God  forfaik, 
And  that  the  devill  of  hell  me  taik, 
Gif  ony  bettir  malt  may  be, 
And  of  this  kill  I  haif  inlaik. 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

XI. 

Ane  browftar  fwore  the  malf  wes  ill, 
Baith  reid  and  reikit  on  the  kill, 
That  it  will  be  na  aill  for  me, 
Ane  boll  will  not  fex  gallonis  fill ; 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 


XII. 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 1 5 13.  293 

XII. 

Be  Godis  bluid,  quoth  the  taverneir, 

There  is  lie  wyne  in  my  felleir 

Hes  never  cum  in  this  cuntrie. 

Tut,  quoth  the  devill,  thou  fells  our  deir 

With  thy  fals  mett  \  cum  doune  to  me. 

XIII. 

The  fmith  fwoir  be  rude  and  raip, 
Intill  a  gallowis  mot  I  gaip, 
Gif  I  ten  dayis  wan  pennies  thre, 
For  with  that  craft  I  can  nocht  thraip  -r 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

XIV. 

Ane  menftiall  faid,  The  feind  me  ryfe, 
Gif  I  do  ocht  but  drynk  and  fwyfe. 
The  devill  faid,  Than  I  counfal  the, 
Exerce  that  craft  in  all  thy  lyfe, 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

XV. 

Ane  dyfour  faid,  with  words  of  ftryfe, 
The  devill  mot  ftik  him  with  a  knyfe, 
But  he  keft  up  fair  fyffis  thre  ; 
The  devill  faid,  Endit  is  thy  life, 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

XVI. 

Ane  theif  faid,  111  that  evir  I  chaip, 
Nor  ane  ftark  widdy  gar  me  gaip, 
But  I  in  hell  for  geir  wald  be  ; 
The  devill  faid,  Welcum  in  a  raip, 
Renunce  thy  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

xvn.  . 


294  CHRONTCLE   07   SCOTTISH -POETRY. 

XVII. 

The  fifche-wyffis  flet,  and  fwoir  with  grainis, 
And  to  the  fejnd  fauld  flefche  and  banis  ; 
Sa  did  the  hukftars  haillilie  ; 
The  devill  faid,  Welcum  all  at  ainis, 
Renunce  jour  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

XVIII. 

The  reft  of  craftis  grete  aithis  fwair 
Thair  wark  and  craft  had  na  compeir  j 
Ilk  ane  into  their  qualitie. 
The  devill  fpak  thane  withouten  mair, 
Renunce  your  God,  and  cum  to  me. 

XIX. 

To  ban  and  fweir  na  ftaits  flude  aw ; 
Man  or  woman,  grit  or  fma. 
Ryche  and  puir,  nor  the  clargie. 
The  devill  faid  than,  Of  comoun  la, 
All  men-fworne  folk  maun  cum  to  me. 


I  have  never  been  able  to  difcover,  fays  Lord  Hailes,  from  what 
caufe  our  anceftors  became  fo  monftroufly  addicted  to  profane  fwearing- 
Tom  Brown  fome  where  ufes,  "  fwear  like  a  Scotfman,"  as  a  prover- 
bial expreffion.  There  certainly  mud  be  a  tradition  upon  the  continent^ 
that  the  inhabitants  of  the  whole  ifland  were  apt  to  fwear  in  common 
convcrfation  ;  for  in  Holland,  the  children,  when  tiny  fee  any  Britifh 
people,  fay,  ■  there  come  the  G—damt"  and  the  Portuguefe,  when 
they  acquire  a  fmattering  of  Englifh,  fay,  "  How   do   you  do,   Jack  > 

G—  damn  you." Queen  Elisabeth  was  a  common  fwearer.  Au- 

BERY  LE  Maurier,  in  his  Mcmoires  de  la  Holland/,  p.  31 3.  o!)ferve9 
that  Queen  Elisabeth  did  not  pronounce  French  properly;  for  that 
fhe  faid,  Maa  foi,  and  faar  Dieu.  This,  by  the  way,  is  one  proof,  a- 
mong  many  others,  that,  in  the  i6:h  century,  the  Englifh  made  more 
ufe  of  the  open  a,  than  they  do  now.  Had  Queer.  Elisabeth  lived  in 
the  piefent  age,  fhe  would  have  been  more  apt  to  fay,  mat  and  per. 
There  is  another  example  of  this  kind  in  Walpole's  Noble  Autbon, 
art.  Effex.    ««  The  Qiiecn  dawned." 

Brantomk 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 1513-  295 

Brantome  fays,  that  the  French  were  taught  fwearing  by  the  Spa- 
niards. The  mpdern  French  oaths  are  generally  of  the  Gafcogpe  dia- 
lect, introduced  by  Henrt  IV.     H. 

St.  r.  1.  3.  «  Aithis  of  trrwaltie ,-"  that  is,  in  the  words  of  the  ftat- 
ute  juft  quoted,  grievous  oaths.  In  vulgar  Englifh,  bloody  is  ftill  ufed  in 
afimilar  fenfe. 

St.  3. 1.  r.  "  Ane  preift  fweirit  braid."  The  fcandalous  oath  here 
alluded  to,  as  peculiar  to  the  clergy,  and  to  butchers,  ftanza  9.  is  much 
ufed  in  Germany.  The  French  alfo  ufe  it,  but  politely  minced  down , 
as  is  their  practice  in  fwearing. 

St.  4. 1.  2.  "  His  part  of  hevin  and  hell."  Allan  Ramsay  took 
the  trouble  to  make  fenfe  of  this  oath,  by  printing,  for,  inftcad  of  and. 

St.  7,  "  Ane  foivtar  faid,"  &c.  From  this  and  other  paffagcs  in 
Dunbar's  poems,  it  appears  that  he  had,  a  ftrange  antipathy  at  {hoe- 
makers.  The  oaths  which  he  appropriates  to  the  fhoemakers  may  not 
have  fo  much  of  the  ban  ton  of  infidelity  as  thofe  of  the  churchmen  and 
butchers.  They  are,  however,  lefa  exceptionable,  being  no  more  than 
"  ifackins ;"  and,  "  may  I  be  hanged  elfe." 

St.  10.  This  ftanza  is  aimed  at  the  extortion  of  maltmakers,  who 
took  a  profit  of  fix  /killings  on  the  boll  of  barley.  This  would  be  in- 
credible, were  it  not  proved  by  act  29.  par.  4.  James  V.  which  limits 
their  profit  to  tivo  fhillings  on  the  boll. 

St.  13. 1.  4.  "  For  with  that  craft  I  can  nocht  tbraip."  The  fenfe 
of  this  line  is  obfcure.  I  apprehend  that  it  means,  in  demanding  high 
or  exorbitant  prices-  for  my  woik,  I  cannot  threap,  affirm,  or  perfift,  as 
other  artificers  do  ;  for  every  cuftomcr  knows  the  juft  price  of  riiy  work, 
coyfifting  folely  of  horfe-fhoes  and  plough-irons.  It  1?  probable  that 
thtoughout  the  country  men  were  aftricted  or  thirled  to  the  fmith's 
fhop  of  the  barony,  as  much  as  to  the  mill ;  fo  that  the  complaint  of  the 
fmith,  concerning  the  fmall  gains  of  his  profefiion,  is  to  be  confidered  as 
highly  affected.     Poffibly  tbraip  rmy  be  the  fame  as  thrive. 

St.  15.  "  Ane  dyfour  faid,"  Sec.  In  a  difpute  at  play,  a  gameirer 
fwore,  that  he  had  thrown  three  fixes  with  fhree  dice.  This  is  the 
higheft  throw  known  excepting  that  of  St  Gkislain,  who  playing  ar 
gaicft  the  devil  threw  /evens. 

St.  16.  1.  1.  "  111  that  evir  I  chaip."  The  MS.  inftead  of  ill  has  God. 
The  word  chaip  is  ufed  for  efcape.  So  that  the  fenfe  is,  "  I  will  not  de- 
fift  from  my  vocation  till  I  be  hanged. 


THE 


THE   TESTAMENT   OF    MR   WALTER   KENNEDY. 


£D  unbar,  in  this  fingular performance ;  represents  his  co- 
temporary  Kennedy,  the  Poet,  under  the  characler 
of  a  drunken  gracelefs  fcholar.  The  alternate  lines 
are  compofed  of  Jhreds  of  the  breviary,  mixed  with 
what  we  call  Dog- Latin,  and  the  French  Latin  de 
cuifine.  Stanzas  13th  and  iqtb  contain  a  bold  ridi- 
cule of  the  funeral  ceremonies  ufed  in  the  Komifb 
church.  The  poem  appears  in  Millar  and  Chep- 
man's  printed  Mifcellany  1508,  and  may  have  been 
written  about  1506.  The  Lord  mentioned  by  Dun- 
Par  as  the  chief  of  the  name  of  Kennedy,  cannot, 
therefore,  as  Lord  Hailes  fuppofes,  be  the  Second* 
but  the  First  Earl  of  Caffilis,  who  was  Jlain  at 
Flowden  in  1 51 3.  It  feems  probable  .that  Kennedy 
was  yet  alive  when  Dunbar  wrote  this  fatire,  and 
therefore  it  is  placed  before  the  **  Lament  for  the 
Death  of  the  Poets,"  where  his  name  is  mentioned  by 
Dunbar,  feemingly  for  the  fir Jl  time  with  tendernefs, 
now  that  their  bickerings  were  at  an  ehd.~\ 


I. 

J.  Master  Walter  Kennedy, 
A  cunno  quando  fum  vocatus, 
Begotten  with  fum  incuby, 
Or  with  fum  freir  infatuatus  ,- 
In  faith  1  can  nocht  tell  redely, 
Unde  aut  ubifui  natus, 
Bot  in  truth  I  tiow  trewly, 
^uodfum  dyabolus  incarnatus. 


II. 


JAMES  IT.   Id88— 15  13.  299 

H. 

Cum  nihil  Jit  certius  morfe. 

We  mon  all  de  quhen  we  haif  done  ; 

Nefcimus  quando,  vel  qua  forte, 

Nor  blynd  allane  wait  of  the  mone. 

Ego  patior  in  pecJore, 

This  nicht  I  mycht  nocht  fleip  a  wink  ; 

Licet  eeger  in  corpore,  , 

Yet  wald  my  mouth  be  wett  with  drink. 

III. 

Nunc  condo  tejiamentum  meumt 

I  leif  my  faule  for  evirmair, 

Per  omnipotentem  Deum, 

Into  my  lordis  wyne  cellar  : 

Semper  ibi  ad  remanendum 

Quhill  domifday ;  without  diffiver 

Bonum  vinum  ad  bibendum 

With  fweit  Cuthbeit  that  lufit  me  nevir. 

IV. 

Ipfe  eft  dulcis  ad  amandum. 

He  wuld  oft  ban  me  in  his  breth, 

De t  mihi  modo  ad  potandum. 

And  Iforgaif  him  laith  and  wreth. 

Quia  in  cellario  cum  cervi/ia, 

I  had  lever  ly  baith  air  and  lait, 

Nudus  folus  in  camifia, 

Than  in  my  lordis  bed  of  ftait. 

V. 

Ane  barrel  bung  ay  at  my  bofum, 
Of  warldly  gude  I  bad  na  mair  } 
Corpus  meum  ebriofum 
I  leif  onto  the  toun  of  Air  ; 
Vol.  I.  Pp  In 


298  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH  POETRY 

In  ane  draff  midding  evir  and  ay, 
Ut  ibifepeliri  que  am, 
Quhair  drink  and  draff  may  ilka  day 
Be  cafTyn  fuper  faciem  meam. 

VI. 

I  leif  my  hairt  that  nevir  wes  ficker, 

Bedfemper  variabiles 

That  evermair  wald  flow  and  nicker, 

Confortimeo  jfacobo  \Lee^\ 

Thoch  I  wald  bind  it  with  a  wicker, 

Verum  Deum  renui ; 

Bot  and  Ihecht  to  tume  a  bicker. 

Hoc  pa  Bum  femper  tenui. 

vn. 

Syne  leif  I  the  beft  aucht  I  bocht, 
§>uod  eft  Latinum  propter  caupe, 
To  heid  of  kin  i  but  I  waite  nocht, 
SQuis  eft  Me,  than  fchro  my  fkaupe. 
I  callit  my  Lord  my  heid,  but  hiddill, 
Sed  nulli  alii  hoc  dixerunt. 
We  wer  als  fib  as  feif  and  riddill, 
In  unajilva  quce  creverunt. 

VIII. 

Omnia  mea  folatia 

They  wer  bot  lefingis  all  and  ane, 

Cum  omnifraude  etfallacia. 

I  leive  the  maifter  of  Sand  Anthane 

Guillimo  Gray,  fine  gratia, 

Myne  awne  deir  cufine,  as  I  wene, 

Qui  nunquam  fabric  at  mendacia, 

But  auhen  the  Holene  growis  grene. 


IX. 


JAMES  IV.  1488 — 1 51 3.  299 

IX. 

My  fenyeing,  and  my  fals  wynyng, 

Relinquo  faljis  fratribus  ; 

For  that  is  Goddis  awin  bidding, 

DiJ par/it ,  dedit  pauperibus. 

For  mennis  faulis  thai  fay  and  ling, 

Metientes  pro  muneribus  ; 

Now  God  give  thaime  ane  evill  ending. 

Pro  fuis  pravis  operibus. 

X. 

To  Jok  the  fule,  my  foly  fre 

Lego  poji  corpus  fepultum  ; 

In  faith  I  am  mair  fule  than  he, 

Licet  ojlendo  bonum  vultum. 

Of  corne  and  cattell,  gold  and  fee, 

Ipfe  habet  valde  multum, 

And  yit  he  bleiris  my  lordis  ee, 

Fingendo  eum  fore Jlultum. 

XL 

To  Maifter  Johney  Clerk  fyne, 

Do  et  lego  intime 

Gods  braid  malefone,  and  myne  ; 

Nam  ipfe  efl  caufa  mortis  mece. 

Wer  I  a  doig  and  he  a  fwyne, 

Multi  mirantur  fuper  me, 

Bot  1  fould  gar  that  lurdoun  quhyne, 

Scribendo  denies  fne  D. 

XII. 

Refduum  omnium  bonorum 
For  to  difpone  my  lord  fal  haif, 
Cum  tutela  puerorum, 
Adie,  Kittie,  and  all  the  laif. 

In 


300  CHRONICLE  OF  SCOTTISH  POETRT. 

In  faith  I  will  na  langer  raif, 
Pro  fepultura  or  dins 
On  the  new  gyfe,  fa  God  me  faif, 
Nonficut  more  folito. 

XIII. 
In  die  mece  fepultura, 
I  will  have  nane  but  our  awin  gang, 
Kt  duos  rujlicos  de  rure 
Berand  ane  barrell  on  a  ftang, 
Drinkand  and  playand  cop-out ;  evin 
Sicut  egomet  folebam, 
Singand  and  gieitand  with  hie  ftevin, 
Potum  meum  cumjletu  mifcebam. 

XIV. 

I  will  no  preiftis  for  me  fing, 

Dies  ille,  dies  irce  ; 

Nor  yet  na  bellis  for  me  ring, 

Sicut  femper  folet  fieri  ; 

But  a  bag-pyp  to  play  a  fpring, 

Et  unum  ale-wifp  ante  me  ; 

Infteid  of  torchis,  for  to  bring 

Quatuor  lagenas  cervijice, 

Within  the  graif  to  fett,  fit  thing, 

In  modum  cruris  juxta  met 

To  fie  the  feyndis,  than  hardely  fing 

De  terra  tu  plafmafli  me. 


This  mingling  of  fentcntes  from  the  Breviary,  with  verfes  in  the  vul- 
gar language,  founds  very  ftrange  to  modern  ears,  but  our  forefathers 
fcem  not  to  have  perceived  its  impropriety.  In  a  rare  and  curious  book, 
intitled,  "  A  detection  of  egregious  impoflures,"  by  Samuel  Harj- 
n  r.  r,  afterwards  Archbifhop  of  York,  a  ludicrous  example  of  the  kind 
occurs :  "  Out  of  thefe  is  fhaped  as  the  true  idea  of  a  witch,  an  old 
"  weather-beaten  crcanne,  having  her  chinne  and  her  knees  meeting 

•  for 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 1513.  3*P 

■  for  age,  walking  like  a  bow,  leaning  on  a  (haft,  hollow  eyed,  un- 

"  toothed,  furrowed  on  her  face,  having  her  lips  trembling  with  the 

m  palfy,  going  mumbling  in  the  ftreetes,  one  that  hath  forgotten  her 

*'  fater-nojler,  and  yet  hath  a  fhrewd  tengue  in  her  head,  to  call  a  drab, 

*'  a  drab.     If  fhce  have  learned  of  an  old  wife  in  a  chimnies  end,  Pax, 

"  max,  fax,  for  a  fpell ;  or  can  fay  Sir  John  of  Grantam'scurfe,  for  the 

"  Miller's  eeles  that  were  flolne, 

"  All  you  that  have  ftolne  the  Miller's  eeles, 

Laudate  Domino  de  calit ; 
"  And  all  they  that  have  confented  thereto, 
Benedicamus  Domino. 
"  Why  then,  ho!  beware,  look  about  you,  my  neighbours,"  &c 

St.  4. 1.  4.  "  Laitb  ?Lnd  ivretb."  Let  him  but  give  me  drink,  and  f 
forgive  both  his  difgufts  and  his  anger. 

I.  8.  "  My  Lordis  bed  of  Jlait."  The  bed  in  the  principal  bed- 
chamber, called  "the  chawmyr  of  dice,"  i.  e.  chambre  au  dait,  having  a 
canopy^ 

St.  j.  I.  %.  "  Of  warldly  gude  I  bad  na  mair."  I  prayed  or  wifhed 
for  no  other  worldly  goods. 

■  ■  1  1.  5 .  "  Draff  midding."  After  having  configned  his  foul  ta 
the  wine-cellar,  he  orders  his  body  to  be  laid  on  a  heap  of  brewer's 
grains. 

St.  6. 1.  4.  "  Conforti  meo  Jaeobo."  So  it  is  written  in  the  MS. ;  but 
thecorrefpondent  wo#d,  -variabile,  looks  as  if  it  fhould  be  facobo  Lee,  or 
perhaps  Wyllie.  It  has  been  fuggefted  to  me,  that  jtcabili  is.  the  better 
reading.  "  To  my  playfom  confort."  The  reft  of  the  franza  means,- 
notwithflanding  my  mult  folemn  vows,  I  denied  or  difobeyed  God ;  but 
when  I  made  a  vow  to  empty  a  pot,  I  religioufly  obferved  it.     H. 

St.  7. 1.  1.  «  Tbebrfl  aucht  I  bodrt."  In  the  Law-Latin  of  that  age, 
"   Melius  averium  de  conqueftv." 

— —  1.  2.  "  <%uod  efl  Latinum  propter  caupe."  Propter  caupe,  By 
way  of  caupes.  Skene,  De  verborum  figiiifteatiotie,  fays,  *»  Caupes,  calpes 
u  in  Galloway  and  Carritl,  quhairof  mention  is  maid  in  the  ades  of 
"  parliament,  James  IV.  p.  a.  c.  18  19.  fignifies  ane  gift,  quilk  an  man 
•'  in  his  awin  lifetime,  and  liege  pouftie,  gives  to  his  maifter,  or  to  onie 
"  uther  man,  that  is  greateft  in  power  aad  aurhorkie,  and  fpecially  to 
'•  the  bead  and  chiife  of  the  cldnn,  for  his  maintenance  and  protection." 

1.  4.    "  Than  febro  myjiawpe ;"  i.  e.  Then  "  fhrew  my  fcalp." 

Curfe  my  head,  or,  may  evil  light  on  my  head. 

1.  5.     "  I  callit  my  Lord,  my  held,   bot  biudill."      I  privately 

called  the  Earl  of  Caffilis  my  chief,  as  being  chief  of  the  name  of  Ken-' 
xeby.  H. — Bat  hiddill  feems  rather  to  mean,  openly. 

r 

St.  7. 


302  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

St.  7. 1.  7.  "  We  wer  als/A  as/«/and  riddill,"  We  were  as  nearly 
related  as  fieves  of  different  bores  and  finenefs,  made  of  wood  from  the 
fame  foreft. 

St.  8. 1.  4.  ■  The  maifter  of  Sant  Antbane"  The  preceptor  of  St, 
Anthony's  hofpital.  The  order  of  St.  Anthony  had  only  one  monafte- 
ry  in  Scotland,  at  Leith,  now  called  the  South  Kirk ;  Spottiswood's 
Religious  boufes  in  Scotland,  C.  3. 

St.  9.  1.  I.  "  My  falfe  wynyng."  To  -wetne,  is  to  lament ;  hence 
the  word  tvbine :  as  if  he  had  faid,  «'•  I  leave  my  hypocritical  whining 
"  to  the  knavifh  friars,  qui  conducli  plarant  in  future" 

St.  ic.  1.  I.  "  To  Jok  the  fule."  In  the  family  of  every  perfon  of 
diftin&ion,  there  was  a  jefter  maintained,  generally  a  compoEtion  of 
knave  and  fool.  Pitscottie  fays,  Hiflory  of  James  V.  «(  The  Lords 
•«  difcharged  all  his  old  officers,  and  put  new  in  their  {leads  ;  that  is  to 
"  fay,  treafurer,  comptroller,  fecretary,  Mr  Macer,  Mr  Houfehold,  cap- 
«  per,  carver,  Mr  Stabler,  Mr  Hnnter,  Mr  Falconer,  Mr  Porter,  and  z 
*•  fool  called  John  Maciilrie." 

In  Scotland  the  veftiges  of  this  fort  of  eftablifhment  ftill  remain. 

In  thofe  days  it  was  the  cuftom  for  men  to  aflume,  or  receive,  names 
from  their  offices.  Hence,  D.  Dempfter,  or  Doomfter ;  i.  e.  he  who 
publifhes  the  doom  or  fentence;  until  lately,  the  executioner.  A.  Scif- 
far,  B.  Tindor,  C.  Textor,  D.  Molendinariu-,  and  many  more  of  the 
fame  nature  in  our  old  chartularies.  There  is  a  curious  inftance  of  this 
cufloni  in  Hijloria  Ingulpbi,  p.  103.  Anno  1091.— W.  Barbour  qui  ve- 
niens  coram  conventu,  juramentum  praeftitit  quod  fidus  et  fidelis  nobis 
foret :  recitavimHfque  tunc  illi  officium  fuum  ;  fcilicet  radet  totum  con- 
ventual in  ordine  fuo,  abfque  aliqua  perfonarum  acceptatione,"  &c. 
Thus  alfo  among  the  leaders  of  the  Kentifh  rebellion,  in  the  reign  of 
Richard  II.  of  England  there  were  Tom  Tyler,  Wat  Miller,  Hob 
Carter.  Their  names  are  elfewhere  recited  in  a  manner  fomewhat  dif- 
ferent :  Thomas  Baker,  Wat  Tyler,  called  Jack  Straw,  Jack  Miller 
Jack  Carter.  Ma  Home  fays,  that  the  populace  was  "  headed  by  the 
mofl  audacious  and  criminal  of  their  affociates,  who  had  affumed  the 
feigned  names  of  Wat  Tyler.  &c.  by  which  they  were  fond  of  denoting 
their  mean  origin."  We  have  feen  from  Knyghton  that  this  Wat 
Tyler  was  al(6  denominated  Jack  Straw.  Thofe  eminent  perfonages 
had  'namci,  and  therefore  were  obliged  to  diftinguifh  tbemfelves  by 
defer  ^tioDs,  arifir.g  from  their  refpec"live  profeffions:  Jack  Straw  ap- 
pears to  have  been  the  only  feigned  appellation,  or  nom  de  guerre.  Ano- 
ther example  of  furnames,  offumed  from  particular  occupations  occurs 
in  RrMra's  Fce.lern.  Among  the  minftrels  of  Henry  V.  of  England* 
there  occur  Peut.  Tiomjier,  Richard  Pyper,  Snyth  Fydelcr,  &c  This  cuf- 
tom prevailed  in  Fngland  down  to  the  times  of  Camden.  "  In  every 
place  we  fee  the  youth  very  commonly  called  by  the  ram«  of  their  oc- 
cupation;, as  John  Baker,  &c."  Remains,  p.  14-. 

St.  XS. 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1 513.  303 

St.  IT.  This  ftanza  is  obfcure,  becaufe  we  are  not  acquainted  with 
JMaiftcr  Johnie  Clerk.  He  was,  probably,  an  ignorant  practitioner  in 
phytic,  who  took  upon  him  to  prefcribe  in  Latin  without  understanding 
the  language.  Such  a  perfon  prefcribing  for  the  teeth,  might  lay,  R. 
'•  ad  euranios  entet ;"  catching  at  an  imperfect  found,  as  the  ignorant: 
univerfally  do :  a  trifling  circumftance  of  this  kind  was  fufficicnt  to  point 
the  fatire  of  the  poet  at  Maifter  Johnie  Clerk. 

St.  13. 1.  6.  ■  With  lie  ftcvin"  So  it  ftands  in  the  Mait.  MS.  and 
in  the  edition  1508,  fignifying  «  with  a  loud  voice."  The  Bann.  MS* 
reads  erroneoufly,  "  tbefevin" 

After  ftanza  5th  in  the  Mait.  MS.  we  find  thefe  four  lines ;  fecm- 
ingly  an  interpolation : 

Their  wald  I  be  bereit  methink  ; 
Or  beir  my  bodie  ad  tabtrmam, 
Quheir  I  may  feil  the  favour  of  drynk, 
Syn  fyng  for  me  rtquitm  tternam. 

St  14. 1.  ir,  "  Than  bardtly  fing."  Then  ng  harHHy,  or  with  con- 
fidence. 


rrac 


THE   FEOTTET   FRIER   OF   TUNGLAND. 


\\About  this  time  (i  503-7)  a  certain  Italian  came  into 
Scotland,  who  pretended  to  great  knowledge  in  Alche- 
my, and  gave  the  King  hopes  of  being  put  in  pofftfjion 
of  the  philofophers  Jlone.  It  is  f aid,  that  the  King 
collated  him  to  the  Ahhay  of  Tungland  in  Galloway. 
This  fellow  was  a  cheat  at  firjl,  hut,  by  no  very  un- 
common gradation,  he  rofe  to  be  an  enthufiafl.  He 
made  unto  himfelf  wings,  and  engaged  to  fly  to  France 
from  the  walls  of  Stirling  caflle  ;  he  tried  the  expe- 
riment, fell,  and  broke  his  thigh  bone.  Bishop  Les- 
ley has  given  an  ample  account  of  the  feats  of  this 
extraordinary  perfonage,  and  likened  him  to  Simon 
Magus  :  there  is,  however,  this  difference  between  the 
Jiories,  that  the  fanatic  Italian  did  attempt  to  fly, 
whereas  the  adventure  of  Simon  Magus  is  a  flupid, 
inconjiflent,  impojjible  fable.  Lesley  fays  that  the 
Abbot  of  "Tungland  thus   accounted  for  his  misfor- 

-  tune  :  l<  My  wings,  faid  he,  were  compofed  of  vari- 
ous feathers  ;  among  them  were  the  feathers  of  dung- 
hill fowls  ;  and  they,  by  a  certain  fort  of  fympathy, 
were  attracted  towards  the  dunghill;  whereas,  bad 
my  wvngs  been  compofed  of  the  feathers  of  eagles  a- 
lone,  the  fame  fympathy  would  have  attratled  them 
into  the  region  of  air.'*  A  fit  apology  during  the 
reign  o/*fympathies  and  antipathies  !  The  preferment 
of  this  adventurer  feems  to  have  roufed  the  indigna* 
tion  ©/"Dunbar, — who  was  then  alfo  a  declared  can- 
didate for  fome  appointment  in  the  Churcb.~] 

I. 


JAMES  IV.    I488 — 15 13.  305 

I. 

I\S  young  Aurore  with  chryftall  haile, 
Iu  orient  fchewed  her  vifage  paile, 
A  fwenyng  fwyth  did  me  affaile 

Of  fonis  of  Sathanis  feid  ; 
Methocht  a  Turk  of  Tartary 
Cum  throw  the  boundis  of  Barbary, 
And  lay  forloppin  in  Lombardy, 

Full  long  in  wachman's  weid. 

II. 

Fra  baptafing  for  to  efchew, 
Thair  a  religious  man  he  flew, 
And  cled  him  in  his  abeit  new, 

For  he  cowth  wryte  and  reid. 
Quhen  kend  was  his  diflimulance, 
And  all  his  curfit  governance, 
For  feir  he  fled,  and  come  in  France, 

With  litill  of  Lumbard  leid. 

Ill, 

To  be  a  leiche  he  fenyt  him  thair ; 
Quhilk  mony  a  man  might  rew  evirmair  ; 
For  he  left  nowthir  fick  nor  fair 

Unflane,  or  he  hyne  yeid  : 
Vane-organis  he  full  clenely  carvit ; 
Quheri  of  his  ftraik  fae  mony  ftarvit, 
Dreid  he  had  gottin  quhat  he  defaivit, 

He  fled  away  gude  fpeid. 

IV. 

In  Scotland  than,  the  narreit  way, 
He  come,  his  cunning  till  aflayy 
To  fum  man  thair  it  was  no  play 

The  preving  of  his  fciens. 
In  pottingry  he  wrocht  grit  pyne, 
Vol.  I.  Q^q  He 


$o6  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

He  murdreift  mony  in  medecyne  ; 
The  Jow  was  of  a  grit  engyne, 
And  generit  was  of  gyans. 

V. 

In  leichecraft  he  was  homecyd, 
He  wald  haif  for  a  nycht  to  byd 
A  haiknay  and  the  hurtraan's  hyd, 

So  meikle  he  was  of  myance. 
His  yrins  was  rude  as  ony  rawchtir, 
Quhaire  he  leit  blude  it  was  no  lawchtir. 
Full  mony  inftrument  for  flawchtir 

"Was  in  his  garde vyance. 

VI. 

He  cowth  gif  cure  of  laxatife 

Wald  gar  a  wicht  horfe  want  his  lyfe  j 

Quha  evir  aflayd  it,  man  or  wyfe, 

Thair  hippis  yied  hiddy-giddy. 
His  praclikis  never  war  put  to  preif, 
Bot  fuddane  deid  or  grit  mifchief. 
He  had  purgatioun  to  mak  a  theif 

To  die  without  a  widdy. 

VII. 

Unto  no  mefs  preffit  this  prelat, 
For  found  of  facring  bell  nor  fkellat, 
As  blackfmyth  bruikit  was  his  pellatt 

For  battring  at  the  ftudy. 
Thocht  he  come  hame  a  new  maid  channounR 
He  had  difpenfit  with  matynis  cannoun, 
On  him  come  nowthir  ftole  nor  fannoun 

For  frauking  of  the  fmydy. 

VIII. 

Methocht  feir  faffonis  he  aflailyeit 
To  mak  the  guintefiance,  and  failyeit  j 


And 


JAM"ES   IV.    I488  — 1513.  Z°1 

And  quhen  he  faw  that  nocht  availyeit, 

A  fedrene  on  he  tuke  : 
And  fchupe  in  Turky  for  to  fhe  ; 
And  quhen  that  he  did  mont  on  hie, 
All  fowill  ferleit  quhat  he  fowld  be, 

That  evir  did  on  him  luke. 

IX. 

Sum  held  he  had  bene  Dedalus, 
Sum  the  Menatair  marvelus, 
And  fum  Martis  fmyth  Vulcanust 

And  fum  Saturnus  kuke. 
And  evir  the  cufchettis  at  him  tuggit, 
The  rukis  him  rent*  the  ravynis  him  druggit. 
The  hudit-crawis  his  hair  furth  ruggit, 

The  hevin  he  micht  not  bruke. 

x.    • 

The  myttaine  and  Saint  Martynis  fowle 
Wend  he  had  bene  the  hornit  howle, 
Thay  fet  upon  him  with  a  yowle, 

And  gaif  him  dynt  for  dynt. 
The  golk,  the  gormaw,  and  the  gled, 
Beft  him  with  buffets  quhill  he  bled  ; 
The  fpar-halk  to  the  fpring  him  fped 

Als  fers  as  fyre  of  flynt. 

XL 

The  tarfall  gaif  him  tug  for  tug, 
A  ftanchell  hang  in  ilka  lug, 
The  pyot  furth  his  pennis  did  rug, 

The  flork  ftraik  ay  but  ftint } 
The  biflart  bifly  but  rebuik, 
Scho  was  fo  cleverus  of  her  cluik, 
His  lugs  he  micht  not  langer  bruk»f 

Scho  held  thame  at  ane  hint, 

XII, 


308  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH    POETR*. 

xi  r. 

Thik  was  the  clud  of  kayis  and  crawis, 
Of  marleyonis,  mittanis,  and  of  mawis, 
That  bikkrit  at  his  herd  with  blawis, 

In  battell  him  abowt. 
Thay  nybbillit  him  with  noyis  and  cry, 
The  rerd  of  thame  raife  to  the  Iky, 
And  evir  he  cryit  on  Fortoun,  Fy, 

His  lyfe  was  into  dowt. 

XIII. 

The  ja  him  fkrippit  with  a  flcryke, 
And  ikornit  him  as  it  was  lyk  ; 
The  egill  ftrong  at  him  did  flryke, 

And  raucht  him,  mony  a  rout : 
For  feir  unkennandly  he  cawkit, 
Quhill  all  his  pennis  war  drownd  and  drawkit, 
He  maid  a  hundreth  nolt  all  hawkit, 
Beneath  him  with  a  fpowt. 

XIV. 

He  fcheure  his  fedderene  that  was  fchene, 
And  flippit  out  of  it  full  clene, 
And  in  a  myre,  up  to  the  ene, 

Amang  the  glar  did  glyd. 
The  fowlis  all  at  the  fedrem  dang 
As  at  a  monfter  thame  amang, 
Quhyl  all  the  pennis  of  it  owtfprang 

Intill  the  air  full  wyde. 

XV. 

He  at  the  plunge  lay  evir  mair 
Sa  lang  as  any  ravin  did  rair ; 
The  crawis  him  focht  with  cryis  of  cair 
In  every  fchaw  befyde. 

■     Had 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  309 

Had  he  reveild  bene  to  tho  ruikis, 
Thay  had  him  revin  with  thair  cluikis. 
Thre  dayis  in  dub  araang  the  dukis 
He  did  with  dirt  him  hyde. 

XVI. 

The  air  was  dirkit  with  the  fowlis 

That  come  with  yawmeris,  and  with  yowlis, 

With  fkryking,  ikryming,  and  with  fcowlis, 

To  tak  him  in  the  tyde. 

I  walknit  with  noyis  and  fchowte, 

So  hiddowis  beir  was  me  abowte. 

Senfyne  I  curft  that  cankirit  rowte 

>  Quhair  evir  I  go  or  rydej 


St.  1. 1.  3.  "  A  fivening  fivyth  did  me  aflaile."  A  vifion  fuddenly 
came  upon  me. 

1.  5.    "  A  Turk  of  Tartary"    The  Turks  were  firft  known  b? 

the  name  of  Tartars,  from  the  country  out  of  which  they  iffued.  There 
is  a  cuiious  account  of  the  Turks  in  the  Chronicle  of  Melros,  much  in 
the  form  of  a  Newfpaper. 

Here  let  me  obferve,  in  paffing,  that  the  origin  of  Newfpapers  is 
probably  to  be  afcribed  to  the  circular  letters  from  the  Pope  to  thi 
clergy,  or  from  the  generals  of  the  different  religious  orders  to  their 
conventual  brethren.  Anciently  thofe  Newfpapers  were  occafional  and 
rare;  but  now  things  are  changed.  13  Evening  Pofts  make  a  Maga- 
zine, 12  Magazines  make  a  Regifter,  and,  it  is  fuppofed,  20  Regifters 
may  make  a  Hiftory.     H. 

— —  1.  7.     "  Forloppin."     Fer-loivpen,  a  fugitive  or  vagabond. 

— —  1.  8.  "  In  ivachmans  weid."  In  the  drefs  of  a  ftrolleror  wan- 
derer. Waif  pronounced  ivaff,  is  ajlray.  The  Englifh  flill  pronounce 
cb  as  jf,  faff  for  locb. 

St.  2. 1.  1.  "  Fra  baptafing  for  to  efchew."  To  avoid  being  bap. 
tized  ;  for  had  he  been  difcovcred,  he  would  have  been  made  a  flave, 
or,  by  way  of  alternative,  forced  to  profefs  Chriftianity. 

1.  4.    "  For  he  cowth  wryte  and  reid."     The  meaning  is,  as  he 

could  read  and  write,  he  was  able  to  pafs  for  a  frier  under  the  habit 
which  he  had  aflumed. 

1.  8.     "  With  litill  of  Lumbard  but."     Either  "  with  fmall 

knowledge 


310  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

knowledge  of  the  Italian  language,"  or  "  wi-h  a  little  or  a  (mattering 
of  Italian  literature,"  or  "  with  fame  knowledge  of  the  Lombard  buii- 
nefs  of  a  broker." 

St.  3.  1.  4.    «  Or  he  byneyeid."     Before  he  went  from  thence. 

— —  1.  5.  •  Vane  organis  he  full  clenely  carvit."  Seems  to  mean 
the  veins  of  the  head  ;  and  then  the  fenie  will  be,  He  was  dextrous  in 
bleeding  at  the  veins  of  the  head.  This  is  commonly  performed  by 
cupping-glaffes,  which  no  doubt  would  be  confidered  in  Scotland  as  a 
curious  operation. 

— —  1.  6.  «  Of  his  ftraik  fae  mony  ftatvit."  When  fo  many  died 
by  his  ftroke.  The  word  flraik,  or  ftrote,  feems  to  confirm  the  notion* 
that  cupping-glaffes  are  here  meant.  Starvh  is  a  word  (till  preferved 
in  Englifh,  implying  a  violent  death  by  hunger.  To/tarvc  of cold,  is  ftill 
a  Scottifh  expreffion,  from  the  wordjlorten,  to  die. 

St.  4.  1.  5.  "  In  pottingry  he  wrocht  grit  pyne."  Acting  in  the  cha- 
racter of  apothecary  he  did  much  mifchief.  The  poet  diftinguifhes  the 
three  branches  of  the  healing  art  all  joined  in  this  cmpyric, '«  Pottingry 
medecyne,  and  leiche-craft."     Leicbe,  is  phyfician. 

1.  7.  '  This  Joiv."  Not  this  Jew,  but  this  juggler  or  magi- 
cian. The  words  to  jo-wk,  to  deceive,  and  joivkcry-paivkry,  juggling 
tricks,  are  (till  in  ufe. 

In  the  Bann.  MS.  p.  136.  there  is  a  fragment  of  a  fort  of  fairy  tale, 
where  "  Scho  is  the  Quene  of  Joivis  t  means,  fhe  is  the  queen  of  ma- 
gicians. 

St,  5. 1.  2*  3.    "  He  wald  haif  for  a  nycht  to  byd, 

"  A  hacknay  and  the  hurtman's  hyd." 

His  fees  were  fo  exorbitant,  that  one  night's  attendance  coft  a  horfe, 
the  moft  fumptuous  of  prefents  in  thofe  days,  and  the  flcin  of   the  pa- 
tient ;  ftill  alluding,  as  it  would  feem,  to  the  manner  in  which  the  monn- 
.  tebank  applied  his  cupping-  glajTes.      Hyd  may,  however,  mean  bidden 
treafure.  or  board.     H. 

— — —  1.  4.  "  So  meikle  he  was  olmyancc"  Probably  corrupted  from 
mtient.     It  means  expedients  for  gain. 

— —  1.  j.  "  His  yrint  was  rude  as  ony  rawchtir."  Hi*  chirurgical 
inftruments  were  like  thofe  ufed  in  torture.  Ungrammatical  phrafeSj 
fuch  as  "  yrins  was,"  are  very  frequent  in  this  collection. 

1.  8.     u  Gardrvyance."     Literally  garde  de  wiande,  or  cupboard  ; 

but  here  it  implies  his  cabinet.  The  gloffary  fubjoined  to  the  Evergreen, 
ridiculoufly  enough  explains  it  to  be  a  cafe  of  infrumentt. 

In  this  ftanza  and  the  following,  the  poet  defcribes  his  hero  bufied  in 
the  laboratory.  "  This  dignitary  of  the  church,"  fays  he,  "  never  chofe 
to  go  to  mafs,  although  warned  by  the  holy  bell,  or  (kellat.  (This 
name  is  ftill  given  to  a  fort  of  rattle  which  criers  ufe.)  Hi»fkin.  with 
beating  at  the  anvil,  was  befouled  like  a  blackfmith's;"  the  MS.  reads 
briukit,  probably  an  error  of  the  tranferiber  for  bnukit,  I  e.  ftreaked  with 

black 


JAMES  IV.  I488 I5I3.  311 

black  and  brown.  "  Although  a  new  made  canon,  he  difobeyed  the  ec- 
clefiaftical  law,  which  requires  perfons  of  that  ft.ition  to  fay  matins.  He 
neither  put  on  Jiole  nor  fanon,  (ftola  and  manipulus,  or  fudarium,  parts 
of  the  veftments  of  an  officiating  pried,)  left  they  fhould  have  been 
defiled  with  che  fnioke  of  his  laboratory." 

St.  8. 1.  t.  "  To  mak  the  quintejfance  and  failyeit."  Of  alchemy  and 
its  royal  bubbles,  there  is  a  good  account  in  a  tract  by  J.  F.  Buddeus. 
"  An  alchemifa  fint  in  republica  tolerandi  ;"  Halts  Saxonum,  1 7 12,  l2tno. 
This  tract  contains  a  curious  anecdote,  which  appears  to  have  a  free  cir- 
culation in  Germany.  §  3.  Martin  Delrio,  1.  1.  Difq.  Mag.  c.  5.  9. 
4.  fayi,  that  "  there  was  formerly  a  law  in  England  againfl  any  perfon 
esercifing  the  practice  of  Alchynr.y,  without  3  licence  from  the  King, 
under  pain  of  death.  But  Henry  IV.  of  the  fame  kingdom  propofed 
a  contrary  law,  enacting  by  four  ediils,  that  all  and  Angular  his  fubjects 
fhould  beftow  their  utmoft  attention  in  preparing  the  philofophers  flone, 
to  relieve  the  commonwealth  of  debt.  And  a  pleafant  reafon  is  given 
for  inducing  the  clergy  to  devote  themfelves  to  the  ftudy  of  the  trans- 
mutation of  metals  viz.  that  as  they  -were  able  to  change  bread  and  wine  in- 
to the  body  and  blood  of  Chrijl,  they  ivould  eajdy  convert  the  bafer  metals  into 
gtld.  Jo.  Pettus,  an  Englifhman,  mentions  thele  edicts  in  his  Fodinit 
mincralibus,  or,  the  hiflory,  laws,  and  places  of  the  chief  mines  and  mi- 
neral works  in  England,  p.  1.  c.  27.  from  whom  George  Paschjus 
relates  them  in  his  book  de  in-ventis  nov-antiquis,  c.  6.  p.  332.  who  alfo 
brings  the  teftimony  of  MorrhoOus  to  the  fame  purpofe,  Be  tranfmuta- 
titne  metallorum,  §  12.  p  287.  who,  enquiring  into  the  above  fa«it,  was 
told  by  the  keeper  of  the  public  records,  that  the  original  document  was 
ftill  extant  in  the  archive  V.  The  four  acts  of  parliament,  H.  4.  recom- 
mending the  ftudy  of  alchemy,  in  order  to  pay  the  national  debt,  would 
be  a  curious  acceffion  to  the  ftatute-book.  James  IV.  of  Scotland  was 
a  profeffed  admirer  of  alchemy  In  a  letter  from  him  to  Mr  James 
Inglis,  epift.  reg.  Scot,  v,  r.  p.  1 19.  he  fays,  "  We  have  thankfully  re- 
ceived your  letter,  by  which  you  inform  us  that  you  are  in  pofkffion  of 
the  abftrufe  books  of  the  found philfopby  ;  which,  as  certain  mod  deferv. 
ing  perfons  have  begged  them  of  you,  you  with  difficulty  prefervc  for 
cur  ufe,  having  heard  that  ive  are  addiEled  to  the  ftudy  of  that  art."     H. 

— —  1.  4.  "  Afedrene  on  he  tukr."  After  having  in  vain  attempted 
to  make  the  grand  elixir,  he  put  on  wings ;  fedrem  or  fedderome,  is  fea- 
thering. 

1.  5.     "  Andfchupe  in  Tuiky  for  to  fie."     Shaped  his  courfe,  cr 

prepared  hiuifelf  to  fly  back  into  the  land  of  the  Turks,  which  the  poet 
has  thought  proper  to  n-prefent  as  the  native  country  of  this  friar. 

St.  9.  &c.  The  author  has  introduced  the  names  of  many  different 
fowls.  Inflead  of  cumbering  the  gloffary  with  the  explication  of  a  mul- 
titude of  words  which  occur  but  once,  1  will  explain  them  here  as  well 
as  I  am  able.      CleJ,  fparhaH,  tarfal,ftanchel,  bijart,  marlyen,  mitlane,  are 

all 


312  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

all  'ifFerent  kinds  of  hawks.  Py*t,  magpie;  era-wh-  common  crows ; 
tnarvis,  mew;  gormcrw,  cormorant;  Jtayis,  jack-daws ;  ja  jay;  egill, 
eagle  ;  hornet  hoivle,  great  horned  owl ;  rukit,  rooks  ;  St  Martinis  fuivl, 
the  marten  or  irnrtlei,  ^hich  is  fuppofed  fo  leave  thi»-  country  about  St 
Martin's  day  in  the  beginning  of  winter  ;  cufcbtttis,  is  ring-doves  ;  but 
from  the  company  they  are  placed  in,  may  be  underftood  of  chouctte, 
common  owl.    H. 

St.  to.  I.  7.  "  To  ihcfpring  him  fped."  Betook  himfelf  haftily  to 
his  fp ring  or  flight. 

St.  11. 1.8.  "  Scho  held  them  at  a  hynt."  Literally,  held  them  by  a 
hold,  i.  e.  held  them  faft. 

St.  13. 1.  1.  "  Siriffit  with  a  ftxyke."  The  word  Jhrippit  fignifies 
to  make  mouths  in  fign  of  derifion. 

1.  5.     "  Unkennandly  he  cawkit."    Unknowingly  he  bewrayed 

himfelf.     The  MS.  reads  uncunnandly. 

— —  1.  7.  "  Hawkit."  Horned  cattle  are  called  batviit  when  they 
have  ftreaks  of  white  on  their  IkiD,  and  particularly  on  their  foreheads. 


DREAM. 


DREAM  OF  THE  ABBOT  OF  TUNGLAND. 


I. 

J-JUciNA  fchynyng  in  filence  of  the  riicht, 
The  hevin  being  all  full  of  ftemis  bqcht, 
To  bed  I  went  j  bbt  thair  I  tuke  no  reft, 
With  havy  thocht  I  wes  fo  foir  oppreft, 
That  fair  I  langit  eftir  dayis  licht. 

II. 

Of  Fortoun  I  compleinit  hevely, 
That  fcho  to  me  ftude  fo  contraroufly  ; 
And  at  the  laft  quheri  1  had  turny^  oft 
For  werines,  on  me  an  Hummer  foft 
Come,  with  ane  dreming,  and  a  fantefy. 

Ill 

Methocht  Deme  Fortoun,  with  ane  fremit  chen", 
Stude  me  beforne,  and  faid  on  this  maneir  : 
Thow  fuffir  me  to  work  gif  thow  do  Weill, 
And  preifs  the  nocht  to  ftryfe  aganis  my  quheill, 
Quhilk  every  wardly  thing  dois  turne  and  fteir. 

■  _ 

Full  mony  ane  man  I  turne  into  the  hicht, 

And  maks  als  mony  full  law  to  doun  licht. 

Up  on  my  ftaigis  or  that  thow  afcend, 

Treift  weill  thy  trouble  neir  is  at  ane  end, 

Seing  thir  taiknis,  quhairfoir  thow  mark  them  richt; 

V 
Thy  trublit  gaift  fall  neir  moir  be  degeft, 
Nor  thow  into  no  benefice  polfeft, 
Quhill  that  ane  abbot  him  cleith  in  earnis  penhis* 
And  ne  up  in  the  air  amangis  the  crennis, 
And  als  ane  falcone  fair  fro  eift  to  weft. 

Vol.  I.  R  r  IV. 


314  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETR?* 

VI. 

He  fall  afcend  as  ane  horreble  grephoun, 
Him  meit  fall  in  the  air  ane  fcho  dragoun  ; 
Thir  terrible  monfteris  fall  togidder  thrift, 
And  in  the  cludis  gett  the  Antechrift, 
Quhill  all  the  air  infcck  of  their  pufoun. 

VII. 

Undir  Saturnus  fyrie  regioun 
Symone  Magus  fall  meit  him,  and  Mahoun  ; 
And  Merlyne  at  the  mone  fall  hym  be  bydand, 
And  Jonet  the  widow  on  ane  beffome  rydand, 
Of  wichis  with  an  windrous  gaiefoun  ; 

VIII. 

And  fyne  thay  fall  difcend  with  reik  and  fyre, 
And  preiche  in  erth  the  Antechryft's  impyre. 
Be  than  it  fall  be  neir  this  warld's  end. 
With  that  this  lady  foue  fra  me  did  wend. 
Sleipand  and  walkand  wes  fruftrat  my  defyre. 

IX. 

Quhen  I  awoke  my  dreme  it  wes  fo  nyce, 
Fra  every  wicht  I  hid  it  as  a  vyce  ; 
Quhill  I  hard  tell  be  mony  futhfafl  wy 
Fie  wald  an  abbot  up  into  the  fky, 
And  all  his  fetherine  maid  wes  at  devycc. 

X. 

Within  my  hairt  confort  I  tuke  full  fone, 

Adew,  quoth  I,  my  drery  dayis  are  done.  . 

Full  weill  I  wift  to  me  wald  nevir  cum  thrift, 

Quhill  that  twa  monis  wer  fene  up  in  the  lift, 

Or  quhill  an  abbot  flew  aboif  the  mone. 
—  ■" 

TO 


TO    THE   KING. 


f_  In  this  addrefs,  and  feveral  others  of  inferior  note,  we 
find  Dun bar  foliciting  earnefily  for  a  benefice,  which 

now  feems  to  have  been  the  utmoji  of  his  wijhes.  In 
fome  of  thefe  he  eomplains  grievoufly  of  the  unequal 

difiribution  of '  ecclefiaflical  good  things  : 

I 
Of  benefyce,  at  everie  feift, 

Quha  monyaft  has  maks  maift  requeifl ; 

Ryche  befoir  puir  fpraids  ay  thair  net  ;        uq 

Quha  nothing  hes  can  nothing  get 

Sum  fwallis  fwan,  fum  fwallis  duik, 
And  I  Hand  faftand  in  a  nuik  ;  .  .  .  . 

Schir,  quhidder  is  it  merit  mair 
To  gif  him  drynk  that  thriftis  fair  ; 
Or  fyll  ane  fu  man  quhyll  he  brift, 
And  lat  his  fallow  dye  for  thrift  ? 

Feift  of  benefyce,  repeatedly  mentioned  by  Dunbar, 
means  "  vacation  of  a  benefice,''  according  to  Mr 
PiNKERTON.  It  feems  rather  to  have  been  fome  u  hie 
feafil  of  fanEl  in  glory ^  as  Dunbar  exprejjes  it  m 
one  of  thefe  addreffes.  In  thisf  the  $th  fian-za  alh- 
gorically,  and  the  6th  more  diretlly  accufe  the  King 
of  an  injurious  partiality  to  foreigners.  From  the  na- 
ture of  the  allegory,  it  would  appear -that  the  feath- 
erene  and  good  fortune  of  the  Abbot  of  Tungland 
were  filill  frefih  in  the  poet's  tecolletlion — -we'may 
therefore  fuppofe  this  addrefs  to  have  been  ivritten 
foon  after  the  preferment  of  thai  juggling  foreign  cr.~\ 

J. 


316  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

.      I. 

Ochir,  yit  remembir  as  of  befoir, 
How  that  my  yowth  is  done  forloir 
In  your  fervice  with  pane  and  greif, 
Gud  confciens  cryis,  reward  thairfoir  j 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

II. 

Your  clerkis  ar  fervit  all  about, 
And  I  do  lyk  ane  reid  halk  fchout, 
To  cum  to  lure  that  hes  no  leif, 
Quhair  my  plumyis  begynis  to  mout  ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

III. 

Foryett  is  ay  the  falconis  kynd  ; 
But  evir  the  myttane  is  hard  in  mynd  ; 
Oft  quhon  the  gled  dois  peirtrikkis  preif, 
The  gentill  goifhalk  gois  undynd  ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

IV. 

The  pyet  with  hir  pairtie  cot, 
Fenyeis  to  fing  the  nychtingalis  not ; 
Bot  fcho  can  nevir  the  corchat  cleif, 
For  harflines  of  hir  carlich  throt  ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif* 

V. 

Ay  fareft  faderis  hes  farreft  fowlis  ; 
Suppois  thay  haif  no  fang  bot  youlis, 
In  filver  caigis  thay  fit  bot  grief; 
Kynd  natyve  ncft  doi:  clek  bot  owlis  ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 


VI. 


james  rv.  1488 — 1513.  317 

VI. 

O  gentill  egill,  how  may  this  be, 
That  of  all  fowlis  dois  heeft  fle  ; 
Your  legis  quhy  will  ye  nocht  releif, 
And  chereis  eftir  thair  degre  ? 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif, 

VII. 

Quhen  fervit  is  all  udir  man, 
Gentill  and  femple  of  every  clan, 
Ralph  Colyar's  kyn,  and  Johne  the  reif, 
Nathing  I  get,  nor  conqueis  can  ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

VIII. 

Thocht  I  in  court  be  maid  refus, 

And  naif  few  vertewis  for  to  rus  ; 

Yet  am  I  cumin  of  Adame  and  Eif,  ;, 

And  fane  wald  leif  as  uderis  dois  : 

Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif- 

IX. 

Or  1  fuld  leif  in  lie  mifchance, 
Gif  it  to  God  war  no  grevance, 
To  be  a  pyk-thank  I  wald  preif, 
For  thay  on  warld  wantis  no  plefans  j 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

X. 

In  fum  parte  on  my  felf  I  plenye  ;    . 
Quhen  udir  folkis  dois  flattir  m;d  fenye, 
Allace  !  I  can  bot  ballattis  breif, 
Sic  bairnheid  leidis  my  brydill  renye  ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif, 


XI. 


3l3  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

XI. 

I  grant  rnyfervice  is  bot  licht ; 
Thairfoir  of  mercy,  and  nocht  of  richt, 
I  afk  you,  Schir,  no  man  to  greif, 
Sum  medecyne  gife  that  ye  micht  ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

XII. 

May  nane  remeid  my  malady 
Sa  weill  as  ye,  Schir,  yeraly  ; 
For  with  a  benefice  ye  may  preif 
Gif  that  I  mend  nocht  heflely  ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

XIII. 


I  wes  in  yowth,  on  nureis  kne, 
Call'd  dandely,  Bifchop,  dandely  ! 
And  quhen  that  ege  now  dois  me  greif, 
Ane  femple  vicar  I  can  nocht  be  ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

XIV. 

Jok  that  wes  wont  to  keip  the  ftirkis, 
Can  now  draw  him  ane  cleik  of  kirkis, 
With  ane  fals  cairt  into  his  fleif, 
Worth  all  my  ballattis  undir  the  birkis  j 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

XV. 

Twa  curis  or  thre  hes  upolandis  Michell, 
With  difpenfatiouns  in  a  kjnitchell  ; 
Thocht  he  fra  nolt  had  new  tane  leif 
He  play  is  with  totum,  and  I  with  nichell ; 
Excefs  of  thccht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

XVI. 


JAMES  IV.  I488 1513.  319 

XVI. 

How  fuld  I  leif  that  is  nocht  landit, 
Nor  yit  with  benefice  am  blandit  ; 
I  fay  nocht,  Schir,  you  to  repreif, 
Bot  doutles  I  ga  rycht  neir  hand  it ; 
Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 

XVII. 

-. 

As  faulis  into  purgatorie, 

Leving  in  pane  and  houp  of  glorie  ; 

So  is  myfelf  ye  may  belief, 

In  howp,  Schir,  of  your  adjutory  ; 

Excefs  of  thocht  dois  me  mifcheif. 


St.  a.  1.  3.  "  To  cum  to  lure  that  hes  no  leif."  Who  is  not  permit- 
ted to  come  to  lure,  or  to  his  matter's  hand  ;  A  term  of  falconry. 

St.  3. 1.  3.  "  Oft  quhon  the  gled  dois  pe irti -iliis  preif."  Often  when 
the  gled  feeds  upon  partridges.  The  Eann.  MS.  reads  erroneoufly, 
"  Of  quhome  the  gled  dois  prcttihii  preif. " 

St.  4. 1.  3.  "  The  corchat  cleif."  Divide  a  crochet.  A  term  of  mu- 
fic. 

St.  5.  The  meaning  is  this,  "  Faireft  fowls  have  always  fan-eft  fea- 
thers, although  they  fcream  inftead  of  finging  :  They  fit  at  eafe  in  ca- 
ges of  filver,  but  in  our  own  home-bred  neft,  nothing  is  hatched  buc 
owls." 

St.  7.  1.  3.  "  Rauf  Colyar's  kyn,  and  Johne  the  reif."  Ralph  Collier, 
fays  Lord  Hailes,  is  a  robber  of  no  name,  "  caret  quia  -vate  fat.ro." 
Thi3,  however,  is  not  ftrictly  true,  a  popular  fong  or  ballad  under  the 
name  of  Ralph  Colyer,  being  mentioned  by  Wedeerburn  in  his 
"  Complaint  of  Scotland,  154.8"  It  feems  now  to  be  loft.  Johne  the 
reif,  or  Johny  Armftrong,  is  immortalized  in  popular  ballads.  Buchan- 
an fays,  1.  14.  c.  39.  "  Johannes  Armiftrangius,  princeps  unius  factio- 
nis  latronum— fracta  gula  periit ; — cum  Angli  fuerint  ejus  morte  vche- 
menter  lxtati,ut  qui  gravi  hofte  liberati  effent."  Wretched  is  the  ftate 
of  princes,  their  moft  laudable  actions  cannot  efcape  unblamed.  Buch- 
anan obliquely  cenfures  James  V.  for  this  great  act  of  public  juftice, 
becaufe  the  Englifh  rejoiced  at  the  death  of  a  robber,  formidable  to  the 
snemies  of  his  country,  as  well  as  to  his  country.    Armstrong,  after 

having 


3^0  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

having  infefted  the  borders  for  many  year-,,  was  executed  in  1S29-  Mi* 
name,  therefore,  muft  have  been  well  known  in  Scotland  about  the  end 
of  the  reign  of  James  IV.  or  this  John  might  be  quite  a  different  per- 
fon. 

St.  8. 1.  2.  "  And  haif  few  vortewis  for  to  rus."  Have  few  good 
qualities,  for  which  I  may  applaud  niyfelf. 

1.  3.  4.    "  Yet  am  I  cumin,"  &.c.    As  if  he  had  faid, 

'•  Yet,  come  of  Adam  and  of  Eve, 
"  I  wlfh  to  thrive  as  ethers  do." 

Sc  9.  1.  3.  "  To  be  a  fyk-tbaak  I  walJ  preif."  I  would  attempt  to 
turn  fpy,  informer,  or  tale-bearer. 

St.  10. 1.  4.  "  Sic  baircheid  leidis  my  brydc'l  renye."  Such  child- 
ifh  employment  leads  me  aflray  in  my  courfe  to  preferment.  Literally, 
fach  an  infant  leads  me  as  with  bridle  rein?.  The  Bank.  MS.  errone- 
ously has  hidJ'n. 

St.  12.  Indeed  yon,  Sir,  en  beft  cure  my  difeafe  :  be  flow  a  benefice 
□pun  me,  and  fee  whether  thai  will  not  recover  me  at  once. 

St.  13.  When  I  Was  an  infant,  my  nurfe  dandling  me  on  her  knees, 
called  me  bifhop,  and  yet,  ftricken  as  I  am  in  yL'ars,  I  have  not  attained 
to  a  curacy. — A  lingular  argument  for  obtaining  preferment, .  and  a 
reafon  no  kfs  lingular  for  repining  at  the  waiit  of  preferment !  The 
prognoftications  of  nurfes  and  goffips  have  been  more  fortunate  in  other 
cafes  than  in  that  of  poor  Eunbar.  Bifhnp  Duppa  fays  of  Arciibifhop 
Spottiswood,  "  he  was  no  fooner  brought  into  the  world,  but  a  re- 
markable pajfagc  accompanied  it ;  for  among  the  reft  that  were  ptefent, 
not  ordinary  goffipers,  but  women  of  good  note,  there  was  one  among 
them,  who  in  a  fober,  though  in  a  prophetic  Jit,  taking  the  child  in  her 
arms,  called  aloud  to  the  reft,  in  thefe  or  the  like  terms,  You  may  all  ve- 
ry ivcll  rejoice  at  the  birth  of  this  child,  for  he  tvill  become  the  prop  and  pillar 
of  this  church,  and  the  main  and  chief  injlrumcnt  in  the  defending  it.  From 
wli3t  principle  this  prediction  came,  or  boiv  Jbe  -zvas  thus  irfpired,  I  will 
not  fearch  into  ;"  Life  of  Arcbbifhop  Spottiswood,  p.  2.  Were  it  not 
too  prefumptuous,  I  would  attempt  to  fearch  into  what  the  Bifhop  fo 
reverently  touches. — A  child  was  born  to  a  Prefbyterian  minifter  ;  one 
of  the  goflipers,  of  good  note  indeed,  but  (till  a  golliper,  cried  out,  "  Be 
blych,  cummcris,  we  haif  gottin  a  lad-bairn  ;  1  warrant  he  will  be  a  bra 
minifter  bclyve."  Such  is  the  very  Cmple  goffiping  ftory,  when  diveft- 
cd  of  rhetorical  ornaments.     H. 

St.  14.  Jot,  formerly  a  keeper  of  bullocks  and  heifer?,  makes  a  hawl 
of  benefices,  by  means  of  fecret  calumny  and  falfe  fuggeflion,  of  more 
value 

"  Than  all  my  lays  beneath  the  birchen  fhade." 

St.  is. 


james  iv.  1488 — ^513.  321 

St.  15. 1:  a.  "  With  difpenfatiouns  bund  in  a  initcicll."  Probably  the 
fame  &%fatcbcll.  With  a  wa!let-ful  of  dil'penfations,  for  incapacity,  noru 
refidtna,  &c. 

St.  15.  1.  4.  "  He  playis  with  totum,  and  I  with  jHebtiL"  Alluding 
to  that  game  of  chance  calleJ  T  totum,  exploded  from  the  facility  of  per- 
verting icto  deceit,  See  Rabelais,  1.  1.  c.  %%.  and  the  notes  to  the 
words,  '«  pille,  nade,  jb.  que*  (ore."  '• 

St.  16. 1.  4.  "  Botdoutles  I  ga  rycht  neir  hand  it."  I  do  not  pre- 
fume  to  cenfure  your  Majefty's  conduct,  but  furely  I  go  near  to.  cen- 
Ture  it. 


P.  S.  Add  to  note  on  St.  7.  Gawin  Douglas,  in  his  "  Pallet  of 
Honour"  written  in  1501,  mentions  the  fame  two  perforages  among 
other  fictitious  or  mock-heroes  of  former  times,  fuch  as  Goivmacmorne, 
Fyn  Mac  Cowl,  (Ossian's  heroes,)  Robene  Hude,  Hay  of  Naucbton,  Crw- 
ielble  and  his  fow,  Gilbert  with  the  white  hind,  &c. 

*'  I  faw  Raf  Coilyear  with  his  thrawin  brow, 

"  Craibit  Jobne  the  Reif,  and  auld  Coiu&elbi's  fow,'   &c. 


VOL.  I.  S  S  PRAYER 


PRAYER    THAT    THE    KING    WAR    JOHNE    THOMSOUN* 
MAN. 


The  original  of  this  proverbial  exprejjion  was  probably 
Joan  Thomson's  man  :  Man,  in  Scotland, Signifying 
either  Hufband  or  Servant.  Colvnxe,  in  his  Scot- 
ti£b.  Hudibras,  /ays, 

«■  We  read  in  greateft  warrior's  lives, 

**  They  oft  were  ruled  by  their  wives. 

"  So  the  imperious  Roxalan, 

"  Made  the  great  Turk  Johne  Thomforis  man.'1* 

'The  intent,  therefore,  of  the  poem  it,  u  That  the 
King  were  ruled  by  the  Queen"  Margaret,  Queen 
of  James  IV.  had,  in  all  likelihood,  promifed  Dun- 
bar her  ajjijlance  in  procuring  him  a  benefice  ;  but  he 
found  that  her  influence  with  the  King  was  not  very 
flrong,  and  wrote  this  poem  in  confequence.~\ 


Ochir,  for  your  Grace,  bayth  nicht  and  day, 

Richt  hartlie  on  my  kneis  I  pray, 

With  all  devotioun  that  I  can, 

4  God  gif  ye  war  Johne  Thbmfounis  man  ! 

For  wir  it  fo,  than  weill  war  me  ; 
But  benefice  I  wald  nocht  be. 
My  hard  fortoun  wer  endit  than. 
God  gif  ye  war  Johne  Thomfounis  man  ! 

Than  wald  fum  reuth  within  yow  reft 

For  faik  of  hir,  faireft  and  beft 

In  Bartane  fyn  hir  tyme  began. 

God  gif  ye  war  Johne  Thomfounis  man  ! 


For 


James  iv.  i<i88 — 15 13.  3C3 

For  it  micht  hurt  in  no  degre 
That  on,  fo  fair  and  gude  as  fche, 
Throw  hir  vertew  fie  worfchip  wan, 
As  yow  to  mak  Johne  Thomfousis  man. 

I  wald  gif  all  that  ever  I  have 

To  that  conditioun,  fa  God  me  faif, 

That  he  had  vowit  to  the  fwan, 

Ane  yeir  to  be  Johne  Thomfounis  man. 

The  merfy  of  that^fweit  meik  ros 
Suld  faft  yow  thairtill  I  fuppois  ; 
Quhois  pykes  throw  me  fo  reuthles  ran. 
God  gif  ye  war  Johne  Thomfounis  man  ! 

My  advocat,  bayth  fair  and  fueit, 
And  the  hale  rowfing  of  my  fpreir, 
Wald  fpeid  into  my  erands  than  ; 
And  ye  war  anis  Johne  Thomfounis  man. 

Ever  quhen  T  think  yow  hard  or  dour, 
Or  merciles  in  my  fuccour, 
Than  pi  ay  I  God,  and  fvveit  Sanft  An, 
*  Gif  that  ye  war  Johne  Thomfounis  man  ! 


St.  3.  Li  Bartane ;  that  is,  in  Britain,  for  fo  the  okl  Scottifh  pom 
fpell  ir. 

St.  J.  "  That  ye  had  vowif  to  the  fwan."  The  ftanza  containing 
this  line  is  quoted  from  the  Mait.  MS.  hy  Mr  Ttrwhytt  in  his  ex- 
rellent  Gioffary  to  Chaucer  ;  who  there  adduces  a  Angular  inflance  01 
this  vow  from  Mattiuw  of  Weftininfter.  When  Edward  III.  was 
fttting  out  on  his  laft  expedition  to  Scotland  1306,  a  feftival  was  heli, 
3t  which  "  Allati  funt  in  pompatica  gloria  duo  cvgni,  vel  olores,  ante  re- 
"  gem,  phalcrati  retibus  aureis,  vel  fiftulis  deaurati',  defiderabilc  fpec- 
a  taculutn  inttientihus.  Quibus  vifis,  Rex  •voium  wait  Deo  caii  tt  cyg»h 
«'  fe  prnfjcifci  in  Scotiam."  In  the  days  of  chivalry,  it  w  as  cufromsry 
for  the  Knights  to  make  vows  to  God  over  a  roafted  fwan,  peacf»cjr, 
pheafant.,  heron,  cr  other  bird  ;  and  thefe  vow  were  held  to  be  invio- 
.Uble.    The  bird  was  afterwards  carried  10  the  table. 

In 


3*4  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY 

In  the  6th  ftanza,  Dunbar  ventures,  without  ambiguity,  to  exprefs 
the  deep  imprefllon  which  the  charms  of  the  Queen  had  made  upon  his 
heart.  Such  was  the  freedom  both  of  fpecch  and  manners  of  that  age  ! 
But  the  moft  extraordinary  inflance,  is  his  addrcfs  to  the  farr.e  Queen 
at  a  Fafrenis-tvin,  in  the  Mait.  MS.  The  burden,  although  fome- 
times  a  little  varied  in  the  expreffion,  ends  throughout  with  the  word 
"  pedis"  and  cannot  now  be  repeated  without  difguft. 

Sum  of  your  men  fie  curage  hed, 
Dame  Venus'  fyte  fa  hatde  thame  (led, 
Thai  brak  up  dtirris,  and  raef  up  lokkis, 
To  get  ane  pamprette  on  ane  pled, 
Th%t  thai  mycht,  &c 

Sum  that  war  ryatus  as  rammis, 
Ate  now  maid  tame  lyk  ony  tammis, 
And  fettin  doun  lyk  far)  e  crokkis  ; 
And  hes  forfaiken  all  fie  gammis 
That  men  calls,  &c. 

Sum,  thocht  thamfelfcs  {lark  lyk  gyanus, 
Are  row  maid  waek  lyk  willy  wands; 
With  fchir.nis  fhsrp  and  fmall  lyk  rokkis, 
And  gottin  thair  br.k  in  baith  thair  hands, 
For  ower  oft,  &c 

This  feems  to  be  the  earliefc  mention  of  Lues  Venerea  by  the  Scot* 
tlfh  poets.  The  firft  ieeds  of  it  nsuft  have  been  f«wn  in  Scotland  in,  or 
before  I497.  And  it  was  then  believed  to  be  epidemical.  On  Sept. 
Zld.  of  that  year,  the  Privy  Council  fent  the  Magiftratts  of  Edinburgh 
the  following  order  :  "  That  all  maner  of  perf  ns  within  the  fredome 
a  of  this  burgh,  quhilk  ar  inft&ir,  cr  hes  bene  infefiit  of  the  faid  con- 
"■  izgioxs  plague  callit  the  grand- go:e,  devoyd,  red  and  pafs  fur th  of  this 
"  town,  and  compeir  up<un  the  iandisof  l,eith,at  ten  hours  befoir  none, 
"  and  thair  Jhall  thai  have  and  lynd  boatis  redie  in  the  bavifi,  ordaint 
"  to  thame  be  the  officers  of  this  burgh,  reddeiy  furneift  with  victuals 
u  to  have.thetn  to  the  Inch,  (the  liland  of  Inck.lt.hh,)  and  there  to  re- 
'■  mane  quhill  God  prcvyde  for  thair  heahh.  And  that  all  uthcr  per- 
"  fous  quhilk  take  upon  them  to  hale  the  faid  conraigious  ii.firmitie, 
"  fail  devoyd  and  pafs  with  them  ;  fua  that  nane  of  thir  perfoni  q  <hilk 
"  take  fie  cure  upoun  thame,  ufe  the  fair.yn  cure  within  th:«  burgh." 
The  penalty  of  contraveption,  either  by  the  diieafed  or  their  phyficiar.*, 
was  "  brynning  on  the  cheik  with  the  marking  irn.-,  that  thai  may  be 
"  kenni'.  in  tyme  to  cum  ;  and  thairaftir,gif  ony  of  thanic  remains,  that 
•  thai  fall  be  banift  but  favour."  Hence  it  appears  that  this  difeafe 
was.  known  in  Ldn. burgh  within  five  years  after  tic  difcovtry  of  A- 
^ncri:a    In  th?  above  mentioned  poem,  it  is  once  called  '.lie  Sper.vupodit. 

LAMENT 


LAMENT  FOR  THE  DEATH  OF  THE  MAKARS. 


iPrinted  from  the  copy  in  Millar  and  Chepman's 
Mifcellany  1508,  compared  with  thofe  of  the  Bannt. 
and  Mait.  Manufcripts.  **  "This  general  elegy? 
fays  Lord  Hailes,  "  has  not  the  fpirit  of  fame  of 
the  earlier  compoftions  of  Dunbar.  The  folemn 
burden  ferves  to  Jhezu  under  what  imprejjions  it  was 
compofed  by  the  aged  poet, — deprived,  we  may  fup- 
pofe,  of  his  joyous  companions  ;  and  probably  joflled 
out  of  court  by  other  wits ,  younger  and  more  fafhion- 
able.  It  is  far,  however,  from  being  defitute  of  po- 
etical effeB.  He  mentions  the  names,  and  mourns  the 
death  of  no  lefs  than  twenty-three  Scottifh  poets  ;  of 
about  twelve  of  whom,  not  a  fngle  memorial  now  re- 
main* ;  or,  at  leaf,  is  known.  Their  fate  is  like  that 
of  thofe  writers  in  the  Auguflan  age  whom  Ovid  ce- 
lebrates. 

"  Ponticus  Heroo,  Baffus  quoqueclarus  Jambo, 
• — —  magnique  Rabirius  oris." 

All  that  is  known  relative  to  the  others^  has  either 
been  alrcadf  mentioned,  or  will  be  found  in  the  notes 
fub joined  to  this  poem.  It  is  rtmnrkahle  that  Dun- 
Bar  does  not  record  the  name  of  James  the  First  as 
a  poet  /] 


I. 


I 


that  in  heill  wes  and  glaichiefs, 
Am  trublit  now  with  grit  feikm'.fs, 
Andf'eblit  with  inflrmitie  ; 
'Tincr  mortis  ccnturhat  me. 

1 1, 


0 


26  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRT. 


II. 


Oar  plefans  heir  is  all  vane  glory, 
This  falfe  warld  is  bot  tranfitory, 
The  flefche  is  bruckle.  the  feynd  is  fie  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturhat  me. 

III. 

The  ft  ait  of  man  dois  chainge  and  vary, 
Now  found,  now  feik,  now  blyth,  now  fary, 
Now  dan  fan  d  mirry,  nowvJyjc_tojdie  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturhat  me. 

IV. 

No  ftait  in  erd  heir  ftandis  ficker  ; 
As  with  the  wind  wnvis  the  wicker, 
So  waivis  this  warlds  vanitie  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturhat  me. 

V. 

On  to  the  ded  gois  all  eflaitis, 
Princis,  prelottis,  and  poteftaitis, 
Bayth  riche  and  pur  of  all  degre  j 
Timor  mortis  conturhat  me. 

VI. 

He  takis  the  knychtis  into  the  feiid, 
Anarmyt  undir  helme  and  fcheild, 
Wiclor  he  is  at  all  mellic  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturhat  me. 

VII. 
y 

That  flrang  unmercifull  tyrand 
Taks,  on  the  mod<  ris  breift  fowkand. 
The  bab,  fall  i -■  '  -  ?tie; 

Timor  mortis  conturhat  me. 


VIII. 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — ^1513.  327 

VIII. 

He  taikis  the  campioun  in  the  flour, 
The  capitane  clofit  in  the  toux, 
The  lad j  in  bour  full  of  bewtie  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturhat  me. 

IX. 

He  fparis  no  lord  for  his  puifcence, 
Na  clerk  for  his  intelligence  ; 
His  awfull  flraik  may  no  man  Ac  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

X. 

Art  magicianis  and  aftrologgis, 
Rethoris,  logicianis.  theologgis, 
Thame  helpis  no  conclufionis  fie  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XI. 

In  medicyne  the  mofl  praflitianis, 
l^eichis,  farngianU^andjlUifigianis, 
Thamefelf  fra  deth  ma  not  fupple  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

xir. 

I  fee  the  Makkaris  amang  the  laif 

Play  is  heir  thair  pageant,  fyne  gois  to  graif, 

Spairit  is  nocht  thair  facultie  j 

Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XIII. 

He  hes  done  petuouflie  devour, 
The  Noble  Chawfer  of  Makaris  flowlf, 
The  monk  of  Berry,  and  Gowyr,  all  thrc  \ 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XIV. 


328  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POZTRY., 

XIV. 

The  gude  Schir  Hew  of  EglintouD, 
Etrik,  Heryot,  and  Wyntoun, 
He  hes  tane  out  of  this  cuntrie  s 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XV. 

That  fcorpioun  fell  hes  done  infek 
Maifter  Johne  Clerk,  and  James  AfHek, 
Fra  balat  making  and  trigide  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me.   . 

XVI. 

Holland  and  Barbour  he  has  berevit  ■ 
Allace  !  that  he  nocht  with  us  Ievit 
Schir  Mungo  Lockhart  of  the  Lee  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XVII. 

Clerk  of  Tranent  eik  he  hes  tane, 
That  made  the  auntris  of  Gawane  , 
Schir  Gilbert  Hay  endit  he3  he  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XVIII. 

He  hes  Blind  Hary  and  Sandy  Traill 
Slane  with  his  fchour  of  mortall  haill, 
Quhilk  Patrik  Johnftoun  mycht  nought  fle  : 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XIX. 

He  hes  reft  Merfar  his  endyte, 

That  did  in  luve  fo  lyfly  wryte, 

So  fchort,  fo  quyk,  of  fentens  hie  ; 

Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XX. 


JAMES  IV.  1488 Ij;l3.  32p 

XX. 

He  hes  tane  Rowll  of  Aberdene, 
And  gentill  Rowll  of  Corftorphyn  ; 
Twa  bettir  fallowis  did  no  man  fie  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XXI. 

In  Dunferroling  he  hes  done  roune 
With  Maifter  Robert  Henrifoun ; 
Schir  Johne  the  Ros  enbraift  hes  he  j 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XXII. 

And  he  hes  now  tane,  laft  of  aw, 
The  gentill  Stobo  and  Quintyne  Schaw, 
Of  quhome  all  wichtis  hes  pete  j 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XXIII. 

Gud  Maifter  Walter  Kennedy, 
In  poynt  of  dede  lyis  veraly, 
Gret  reuth  it  wer  thatjo  fuld  be  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XXIV. 

Sen  he  hes  all  my  brether  tang, 
He  will  naught  let  me  leif  ajane, 
Onforfe  I  man  his  nyxt  pray  be  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

XXV. 

Sen  for  the  ded  remeid  is  none, 
Bell  is  that  we  for  dede  difpone, 
Eftir  our  dede  that  leif  may  we  ; 
Timor  mortis  conturbat  me. 

Vol.  I.  Tt  St.  8. 


33°  CHRONIPLE   OF   SCOTTISH  POETRT. 


St.  8. 1.  t-  *«  In  the  four."  In  the  duft  of  war.  Sec  glofary  to 
Douglas's  Vrgil,  v.  Stoure.  Sir  George  Mackenzie  obferves, 
Pleadings  before  the  fuf  rente  courts  of  {Scotland,  p.  1 7.  V  Sometimes  our 
fiery  temper  has  made  us,  for  hade,  exprefs  feveral  words  into  one,  as 
four,  for  duf  in  motion"  This  obfer  vation,  now  become  an  axiom  with 
us,  affords  a  ftriking  example  of  national  prejudices :  for  the  Englifli 
duf,  reflects  motion  as  well  as  reft,  and  the  Scottifh/o«r,  reft  as  well  89 
motion. 

1.  2.     "  The  capitane  clofit  in  the  touir."      By  captane  is  meant, 

governor  of  a  fortified  place,  as  captain  of  Norham,  of  Berwick,  of  Ca- 
lais. 

St.  14.  1. 1.  "  Schir  Hew  of  Eglin-toun."  Wintodn,  in  his 
Chronicle  mentions  a  Hucheon  of  the  Aule  Ryall  who  wrote  the  roman- 
ces of  "  Arthur"  and  ••  Gawan  "  and  the  Epiftle  of  Susawna. 
Huchetn  being  the  old  Scottifh  mode  ot  Hetii  or  Hugh,  a  fufpicion  arifes 
that  this  poet  is  the  Schir  Hew  here  mentioned. 

I.  a.    "  Wintoun."    Andrew  Winton  composed  a  Chronicle 

Original  in  Scottifh  metre.     See  page  7. 

St.  15. 1  2.  "  Clerk."  In  the  Bann.  MS.  arc  two  poems  fub- 
fcribed  "  Clerk."  One,  or  both  of  them  will  be  found  near  the  end 
of  this  reign. 

— —  1.  J.  "  Trigide."  It  would  feem,  that  in  the  language  of 
thofe  times,  tragedy  meant  any  moral  defcriptive  poem.  Thus  in 
a  poem  by  Rowll,  (fee  next  page.) 

"  This  tragedy  i$  callit,  but  drcid 
"  Rtivl'u  curfing,  quha  will  it  reid." 

The  poem  here  called  a  tragedy,  is  an  invective  againft  thofe  who  de- 
fraud the  clergy  of  their  dues,  and  has  no  refemblance  to  any  fort  cf 
dramatic  compoCtion.  The  name  of  tragedy,  for  a  dramatic  compofi. 
tion,  was  not  known  in  England  before  the  reign  of  Henkt  VIII.  See 
PtRCEY,  Origin  of  the  Englijbfage,  p.  JO. 

St.  16. 1.  X.  "  Holland."  Author  of  a  poem  called  the  Hoivtat. 
Seep  .61. 

— —  I.  t.  "  Barbour."  John  Barbour,  Archdeacon  of  Aber- 
deen, drew  up  the  ads  cf  Robert  I.  in  Scottifh  metre.    See  p.  1. 

— —  1.  3.  "  Schir  Mungo  Lockhart  of  the  Lee."  Ido  not  find  thi9 
name  in  the  family  of  Lee,  one  of  the  moil  ancient  and  honourable  in 
Scotland.  I  fufpelc  that  the  perfon  here  meant  has  been  fome  prieft, 
officiating  in  a  chapel  belonging  to  that  family.  Everyone  knows  that 
Sir  was  the  common  appellation  of  l'ecular  priefts,  the  Pope's  knights,  as 
they  were  vulgarly  denominated.    Jrl 

St.  lJi 


J4ME*  iv.    1488—1513,  33I 

St.  17.  1.  2.  "  That  made  the  auntris  of  Gawani."  Perckt, 
in  his  EJfay  en  the  ancient  metrical  romances,  p.  2$,  36.  mentions  three  dif- 
ferent poems  of  the  adventures  of  Sir  Gawane.  From  the  fpelling  of 
the  fpecimens  which  he  exhibits,  I  incline  to  think  that  all  the  three 
were  compelled  by  Englilhrnen.  H.  See  p.  6l.  and  l$  ?.  Sir  Gaw- 
ane was  the  hero  of  many  a  romantic  tale;  and  his  character  was  as 
well  known,  and  as  diftinctly  marked  among  our  anct.lors,  as  Homer's 
heroes  were  among  the  Greeks. 

■  1.  3.  Schir  Gilbert  Hat  was  chamberlain  to  Charles 
VII.  of  France ;  and,  in  1456,  translated  from  French  into  Scottim,  the 
book  of  Bonet,  prior  of  Salon,  upon  Battles.  From  this  teftimony  of 
Dunbar,  it  appears  that  Sir  Gilbert  alfo  wrote  poems;  but  his  fub- 
fcription  does  not  occur  in  any  of  the  ancient  collections. 

St.  18.  i.  1.  *<  Blind  Hart."  A  popular  poet,  who  celebrated  the 
actions  of  Wallace.     See  p.  82. 

1.  3.    "  Patrick    Johkstoun."      One  poem  intitled,  lie 

''re  dcid po-wit,  is  afcribed  to  him.     See  p.  191. 

St.  19.  1.  1.  "  Mersar."  See  his  poem,  intitled,  PerrM  in  Para' 
tnourt,  p.  195. 

St.  ao.  1. 1.  "  Rowll."  There  is  a  poem  in  the  Ban**.  MS.  called, 
Sowlfs  curfmg.  The  following  paflage  in  it  determines  the  *ra  at 
which  he  lived. 

.  "  and  now  of  Rome  that  beiris  the"  rod, 

"  Undir  the  hevin  to  lowfe  and  bind, 
"  Paip  Alexander." 

The  Pontiff  here  meant  muft  have  been  the  virtuous  Alexander  VI, 
who  was  Divine  Vice-gerent,  from  1492  to  1,503.— Ljndesat  alfo  men- 
tions Rowll  ;  but  there  is  no  diftinguifhing  between  the  two  poets  of 
that  name. 

Rowll's  invective  being  a  iolitary  memorial,  it  would  be  hard  to 
rejefl  it  entirely.     Take  therefore  the  following  fpccimrn  : 

Devyne  power  of  micbtis  maid, 
Of  Fader,  Sone,  and  Haly  ghaift  ; 
Jefu  Chryft,  and  his  appoftiilis  ; 
Petir,  Paull,  and  his  difappilis, 
And  all  the  power  under  God, 
And  now  of  Rome  that  beiris  the  rod, 
Undir  the  hevin  to  lowfe  and  bind, 
Paip  Alexander  that  we  do  fynd 
With  that  power  that  Peter  gaif ! 
Gudis  braid  malefone  mot  thay  haif, 
And  all  the  blude  about  thair  hairt, 
Blak  be  thair  hour,  blak  be  thair  pairf, 
Tor  fy  ve  fat  geife  of  Schir  John:  Ro-wtth, 

With 


33*  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH  POETRY". 

With  capons,  hennis,  and  uthcr  fowllis ; 

Baith  the  haldaris  and  confeilaris, 

Reffcttaris,  and  the  previe  ftcilaris ! 

And  he  that  faulis  faiffes,  and  dammis, 

Bekith  the  devill  thair  guttis,  and  gammis, 

Thair  toung,  thair  teith,  thair  hands,  thair  feit, 

And  all  thair  body  hai'l  compleit, 

That  brak  his  yard  and  flail  his  frutt, 

And  raif  his  erbis  up  be  the  rute ; 

His  quheit,  his  aitis,  his  peifs,  his  beir 

In  ftowk  or  ftak  ;  to  do  hira  deir 

In  barn,  in  houfs,  in  kill  or  mill, 

Except  it  had  been  his  awin  will : 

His  wow,  his  lamb,  his  cheis,  his  ftirk, 

Or  ony  teynds  of  haly  kirk 

Now  curlit  and  wareit  be  thair  werd 
Quhyll  thiy  be  levand  on  this  erd ;     - 
Hunger,  fturt,  and  tribulation, 
And  never  to  be  without  vexation.  ...... 

The  panefull  gravel  and  the  gutt, 
The  gulfoch  that  thay  nevir  be  bur, 
The  fkranyolis,  and  the  grit  glengor. 
Thehairfchott  lippis  them  before,  &c.  &c. 

This  tragedy  is  callk,  but  drei 

RotuIU  curfing,  quha  will  it  reid. 

£>uod  Rowll.' 

St.  41. 1.  I.  "  Hesdone  roune"  has  rounded,  or  whifpered  in  the  ear, 
The  Bann.  MS.  reads  "  has  tane  Brown."  And  Lord  Hailes  ob- 
ferv.s,  that  in  the  fame  MS.  thrre  is  a  poem  of  a  judgement  to  come,  by 
Waiter  Brown,  probably  the  pctfon  here  meant.     See  p.  ao6. 

■  1.  %.    "  With  Mr  Robert  Henrysoun;"  an  excellent  poet. 
See  p.  87.  &c. 

— —  1.  3.  "  Schir  Johne  the  Ros."  To  this  perfon  Dunbar  ad~- 
drefles  his  invective  agairft  Kennedy.  The  diftinclion  of  Sir,  probably 
relates  to  his  ecclefiaftical  character.  It  fecms  uncertain  whether  Iios  was 
his  name,  or  only  the  place  of  his  refideuce. 

St.  2J.  1.  4.  "  Quintene  Schaw."  Some  notice  will  be  found  of 
Tiim  towards  the  end  of  this  reign;  alfo  of  Kennedy,  mentioned  in  the 
23d  ftanza. 

%*  In  the  above  poem  "  watch  le  thair  werd,"  is,  execrated  be  their 
fate.  Gulfoch  is,  jaundice.  Strattyolis ,  ftrangury.  Glengor,  lues  ven. 
See  p.  344. 

Throughout  the  whole  of  Millar  and  Chetman's  copy  of  Dun- 
bar's Lament,  the  cppnlativc  and  is  printed  et. 

o.sr 


on  the  world's  instability. 


[Preferved  in  the  Mait.  MS.  "  It  w,"  fays  Mr  Pin- 
KERTON,  "  a  well  written  poem,  though  beginning 
with  a  morality r,  and  ending  with  a  petition  for  a  be- 
neficed    Of  the  objeB  in  view  the  poet  fayst 

11  It  cumis  by  King,  it  cumis  be  $hie?iet 
11  But  ay  fie  fpace  is  us  betwene,"  &c. 

And  in  the  next  Jlanza, 

n  It  micht  have  cumtnun  in  fchortar  quhyl 
"  Fra  Calyecot,  and  the  new  fund  Tie"  Sec. 

That  is  "  from  America,"  difcovered  in  1492.  Thefe 
exprefjions  fhew  clearly  that  the  poem  mufl  have  been 
written  about  this  time.  America  would  not  be  call- 
ed the  new  fund  Yle  after  the  marriage  of  James  V. 

™  1537  3 


TO    THE    KING. 


J[  his  waverand  warldis  wretch idnes, 
The  failyand  and  fruitles  biffines, 
The  mifpent  tyme,  the  fervice  vaine, 
For  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

The  flydant  joy,  the  glaidnes  fchorr, 
The  fenyeid  luif,  the  fals  conforr, 
The  fueit  abayd,  the  flichtful  tranc. 
For  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

The  fugurit  mouthis,  with  myndis  thairfra  ; 
The  figurit  fpeiche,  with  faceis  tua  ; 

The 


334  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   FOETRY. 

The  plefand  toungis,  with  harts  unplanc, 
For  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

The  labour  loft,  and  leil  fervice  ; 
The  lang  availl  on  hi; mil  wyfe, 
And  the  lytill  rewarde  agane. 
For  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

Nocht  I  fay  all  be  this  cuntre, 
France,  Ingland,  Ireland,  Almane, 
Bot  all  be  1  talie,  and  Spane, 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

The  change  of  warld  fra  weill  to  wo ; 
The  honourable  ufe  is  all  ago 
In  hall  and  bour,  in  burgh  and  plaiJe  ; 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

Beleif  dois  hyp,  traifl  dois  nocht  tarie  ± 
Office  dois  flit,  and  courtis  dois  varie; 
Purpojs  dois  change,  as  wynd  or  rane  ; 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

Gud  rewl  is  banift  our  the  bordour, 
And  rangit  rings,  bot  ony  ordour, 
With  reird  of  rebalds,  and  of  fwane  j 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

The  pepil  fo  wickit  ar  of  feiris, 
The  frutles  erde  all  witnes  beiris, 
The  ayr  infectit  and  prophane  ; 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

The  temporale  ftait  to  gryp  and  gather 
The  fone  difheris  wald  the  father, 
And  as  ane  dyvour  wald  him  deraane  ; 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 


Kirkmen 


james  iv.  X488r- 1513.  33$ 

Kirkmen  fo  halle  ar  and  gude, 
That  on  their  confcience  rowne  and  rude, 
May  turn  audit  oxin  and  ane  wane  ; 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

I  knaw  nocht  how  the  kirk  is  gydit, 
Bot  benefices  ar  nocht  leil  devydit ; 
Sum  men  hes  fevin,  and  I  nocht  ane. 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

And  fum,  unworthy  to  brouk  ane  ftall, 
Wald  clym  to  be  ane  cardinall : 
Ane  bifchopric  may  nocht  him  gane* 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

Unwourthy  I,  amang  the  laif, 
Ane  kirk  dois  cr_aif,  and  nane  can  have  ; 
Sum  with  ane  thraif  playis  pafiage  plane, 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

It  cumis  be  king,  it  cumis  be  quene  ; 
Bot  ay  fie  fpace  is  us  betwene, 
That  nane  can  fhut  it  with  ane  flane. 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

It  micht  have  cummin  in  fchortar  quhyl 
Fra  Calyecot,  and  the  new  fund  Yle, 
The  partis  of  tranfmeridiane. 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

It  micht  be  this,  had  it  bein  kynd, 
Cummin  out  of  the  deferts  of  Ynde, 
Our  all  the  grit  fe  oceane. 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 


It  micht  have  cummin  out  of  all  ayrtis  } 
Fra  Paris,  and  the  orient  partis  ; 


And 


336  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

And  fra  the  Ylis  of  Aphrycane. 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

It  is  fo  lang  in  cuming  me  till, 
I  dreid  that  it  be  quhyt  gane  will  j 
Or  bakwart  it  is  turnit  agane. 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

Upon  the  heid  of  it  is  hecht 
Bayth  unicornis,  and  crowns  of  wecht : 
Quhen  it  dois  cum  all  men  dois  frane. 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

I  wait  it  is  for  me  provydit; 

Bot  fa  done  tyrfum  it  is  to  byd  it. 

It  breiks  my  hairt,  and  burfts  my  brane. 

Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

Greit  abbais  grayth  I  nill  to  gather, 
Bot  ane  kirk  fcant  coverit  with  hadripr  ; 
For  I  of  lytil  wald  be  fane. 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

And  for  my  curis  in  findrie  place, 
With  help,  Schir,  of  your  nobil  grace. 
My  fillie  faule  fall  never  be  flane  j 
Na  for  fie  fyn  to  fuffer  pane. 

Experience  dois  me  fo  infpyr 
Of  this  fals  failyeand  warld  I  tyre, 
That  evermore  flittis  lyk  ane  phane. 
Quhilk  to  confidder  is  ane  pane. 

The  formeft  hoip  yit  that  I  have 

In  all  this  warld,  fa  God  me  fave, 

Is  in  Your  Grace,  bayth  crop  and  grayne. 

Ouhilk  is  ane  leefing  of  my  pane. 

?>33. 


JAMES  IV.  I488— 1 513.  S31 


P.  534.  St.  a.  "  Nocht  I  fay  alt  be  this  cuntre"  &c.  I  do  not  confine 
rhy  obfervatiort  to  this  country,  but  It  extends  to  France:  &c.  nay  to  Ita- 
ly and  Spain.     P. 

St.  5.     *  Ribalds"  that  is,  fcoundrels.    •'  Roy  des  Ribaux,  c'etoit 

autrefois  une  qualite  d'  un  homme  fuivant  la  cour,  dontla  fnn&ion  etoit 
de  faire  fortir  de  la  cour,  ou  de  la  fuite  du  Roy,  tous  les  fripons,  mal- 
faiteurs,  et  gens  fans  aveu."     Glojaire  du  Roman  de  la  Ro/e,  1735. 

P-  335'  St.  r.  "  May  turn  aucht  oxin  and  ane  wane."  The  MS. 
and  Mr  Pinkerton's  copy  read,  no  doubt  erroneoufly,  opin  instead  o£ 
toxin.  The  meaning  is  palpable,  "  May  turn  a  waggon  drawn  by  eight 
oxen."  Little  ufe  feems  then  to  have  been  made  of  horfes  by  the  huf- 
bandmen.  In  the  days  of  James  I.  eight  oxen  were  ufed  in  a  plough: 
Act  81.  anno  1426  ordains  that  "  ilk  man  teilland  with  a  pleuch  of 
"  aucht  oxen,  fall  faw  at  the  leaft  flk  year,  (i.  e.  befidcs  oats  and  bar- 
«'  ley,)  a  firlot  of  quheate,  half  a  firlot  of  pesfe,  and  foUrty  beanes,  un- 
♦*  derthe  paine  of  ten  millings  to  the  Barronne  of  the  land."  Here  the 
41ft  Act  of  the  fame  King  alfo  deferves  notice."  "  It  is  ordained  that 
«'  ilk  man  of  fimple  eftaitc,  that  fuld  be  of  reafon  labourers,  have  outher 
"  halfe  ane  oxe  in  the  pleuch,  or  elfe  delve  ilk  day  feven  fine  of  length, 
«'  and  feven  fute  of  breadth,  under  the  paine  of  halfe  ane  oxe  to  the 
"  King."  This  fbture,  fays  Lord  Hau  es,  maybe  interpreted  in  a 
confident  and  probable  manner,  if  we  read  U  half  an  oxen  pleugh"  m- 
ftead  of  "  half  an  ox  in  the  plcugb.'*  For  it  may  be  obferved  that  the 
original  records  of  the  ltatutes  of  James  I.  are  loft;  and  that  we  are 
pofTeffed  of  nothing  moic  than  a  tranfeript,  into  which  errors  may  have 
crept  by  the  carelefsnefs  or  ignorance  of  tranfenbersi  IF  this  interpre- 
tation be  true,  the  Act  of  James  I.  will  be  found  to  be  no  more  than 
a  ratification  oi  the  law  of  Alexander  II.  c.  r.  §  3.  Anno  1214.  "  All 
"  hufbandmen,  qsha  hes  leffe  nor  four  kye,  albeit  they  can  nocht  la- 
•'  bour  and  teill  land  t  yit  with  hand  and  fute  they  fall  delve  the  land, 
u  and  faw  as  mcikiil  as  they  may,  for  fuftenation  of  the  life   of  them 

"  and  thers. Muirover,  quha  hes  mae  nor  foUre  kye,  fall  take  land 

"  fra  their  maifters,  and  fall  labour  it  be  telling  and  fawing.  And  gif 
"  he  neglects  to  doe  this,  his  maifter  fall  take  for  an  amends,  (or  fine,) 
"  ane  kow  and  ane  fcheip  :  and  theirafter  fall  compell  him  to  doe  aga- 
"  nis  his  will,  quhilk  he  wald  not  doe  with  his  will." 

,'  St.  3.  1  he  tranfition  to  the  poet's  own  cafe  is  arch.  In  the 
next  ftanza,  "  Ane  bifhopric  may  nocht  him  gane,  fignifies  "  may  not 
avail,  or  be  of  any  ufe  to  him." 

■■  St.  6.  The  new  fund  Tie,  muft  be  America  by  eminence,  difco- 
vered  by  Chriftophcr  Colon,  Aug.  149a.     The  family  name  was  Co- 

VOL.  I.  U  U       .  tOMBO 


338  CHRONICLE  OF   SCOTTISH  FOETRT. 

j.ombo  originally;  but  Chriftopher  leaving  his  country,  changed  it  to 
Colon,  and  he  always  figns  it  fo ;  as  did  his  brother  and  all  his  family. 
See  his  life  by  his  fon  Don  Fernando. 

P.  235.  St.  2.  "  Bayth  unicornis,  and  crovms  of  wicht."  Thefe  are 
coins;  the  firft  Scottifh,  the  latter  French.  James  III.  was  the  firft 
who  coined  unicorns,  or  gold  coins  damped  with  an  unicorn.  Sec 
Pinker-ton's  Effay  on  Medals,  App.  No.  III.  In  a  preceding  poem 
by  Dun  bah,  page  281.  Stanza  jth,  crojfes  alfo  are  ceins. 


LAMENT 


LAMENT   TO   THE   KING. 


[From  the  Mait.  MS.  The  lines  are  here  tranjpofed, 
fo  as  to  make  the  Jirji,  fecond,  and  fourth  to  rhime, 

according  to  Dunbar's  ufual  praclice.  "  It  is  en  of- 
feBing  piece"  fays  Mr  Pinkerton,  " though  upon  a 
poor  allegory  /"  and  probably  has  been  written  near 

the  end  of  the  reign  of  James  IV.] 


bci 


SHIR,  lat  it  neir  in  towne  be  tald 
That  I  fould  be  ane  owtlir  hald. 

Suppois  I  war  ane  aid  yaid  aver, 

Schott  furth  our  cleuchs  to  fquifhe  the  clevk, 

I  wald  at  Youl  be  houfit  and  flald 

And  get  the  ftrenth  of  awftrene  bayvar. 

Schir  lat  it  neir  in  towne  be  tald. 

I  am  ane  auld  hors,  as  ye  knaw, 
That  er  in  duil  dois  drup  and  draw. 
To  fang  the  fog  be  firthe  and  fald 
Gryt  court  hors  puts  me  fra  the  flaw. 
Schir  lat  it  neir  in  towne  be  tald. 

I  hef  run  lang,  furth  in  the  feild, 
On  paftours  that  ar  plaine  and  peld  ; 
My  boks  are  fptuning  he  and  bauldj 
I  mycht  be  now  tane  in  for  eild. 
Schir  lat  it  neir  in  towne  be  tald; 


My 


34°  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY 

My  maine  is  turnit  into  quhyt, 
And  thai  r of  ye  hef  all  the  wyt. 
I  gat  bot  grefs,  grype  gi'f  I  wald, 
When  uthir  hors  hed  bran  to  byt : 
Schir  lat.it  neir  in  towne  be  tald. 


Exord.  1.  1.  "  Ane  otvtlir  held,"  confidered  as  an  «ut-tyer,  or  negleeV 
ed  perfon.  The  word  fignifies  literally,  a  horfe,  or  horned  beaft  that  is 
npt  houfed  during  the  winter.  The  MS.  reads  bozvllis,  which  (eem» 
inexplicable. 

St.  1.  "  Ane  auld  yaid  aver."  An  old  workout  horfe  ;  yaid  or  yedt 
fignifying  gone;  fpent  or  wafted.  «'  Tofquiflie  the  elevir"  can  be  noth- 
ing elfe  but  to  mumble  or  feed  upon  foft  grafs.'fuch  as  clover.  The 
MS.  read*  tlcvis,  which  neither  rimes  with  aver-,  nor  can  be  explained. 
"  And  get  the  ihenthe  of  anvjirene  bayvtf,  or  ajlrenc  bayard"  i.  C.  '*  of  & 
fpirited  horfe."  The  MS.  reads,  "  And  hed  the  ftrCnthis  of  all  ftrene 
Levis,"  apparently  nonfenfc, 

St.  3.  "  My  boh  are  fpruning  he  and  bauld,"  probably  means  "  My 
corner  teeth  are  growing  long  apd  bare." 

St.  4. 1.  2.  ♦«  And  thairofye  hef  all  the  wyt."  Ic  is  remarkable  that 
molt  of  the  addreffes  to  James  IV.  and  V.  in  this  collection  partake 
more  of  the  nature  of  fatire  or  reproof,  than  of  panegyric.  In  a  frag- 
ment which  Mr  Pinkerton  calls  Dunbar's  Complaint,  the  author 
fpeaks  of  thefe  whom  the  King  had  been  pleafed  to  prefer  to.  him,  with 
fupreme  indignation  and  contempt ; 

Men  of  vertew  and  cunnirg 
Of  wir,  and  wyfdome  in  gyding 
Thai  nccht  can  in  this  court  conqiiyfg 
For  lawte,  luif,  nor  lang  (eryyfs; 
Bot  fowl  jow,  jourdane-heidtd  jevels 
Covvktns,  henfcis,  and  culroun  kevels.  .... 
Druncarts,  dyfours,  dyvours,  drevels? 
Mifgydit  membeis  of  the  devels, 
Ewill  horrible  monfteris,  fals  and  fowl. 
Sum  caufis  clcik  till  hirri  ane  cowl, 
Ane  gryt«convent  fra  fyn  to  'tyce, 
And  he  himfell  exampil  of  vyce, 
Enterand  for  dcrne  ar,d  not  devotioun, 
The  dcvel  is  gled  of  his  promotioun.  ' 
And  him  that  gaits  ane  perfonage, 
Thinks  it  a  prefent  for  a  page, 

And 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 15 13.  341 


And  on  no  wayls  content  is  he, 

My  Lord  quhill  that  he  callit  be. 

The  Jerit  fon  of  Eric  or  Lord, 

Upon  this  ruffie  to  remord, 

That  with  auld  callings  hes  him  bred. 

His  erands  for  to  ryn  and  red, 

Seeing  his  odius  ignorance, 

Put  on  ane  prelottis  contenanc» ; 

And  far  above  him  fet  at  tabel, 

That  wont  wes  for  to  muk  the  ftabel ;  .  . 

Ane  pyk-thank  in  a  prelqtts  chayfe, 

With  his  wawil  feit  and  virrok  tais.  .... 

And  evir  mair  as  he  dois  rys, 

Aid  nobles  of  bluid  he  dors  difprys, 

And  helpis  for  to  hald  thame  downe, 

That  thai  rys  neir  to  his  renowne. 

Thairfoir,  O  Prjnce  maid  by  and  abil ! 

Be  op  this  mater  merciabil3  Sec,  &c. 


AD  VIC  I 


ADVICE   TO   SPEND   ANIS  AWIN    GUBES. 


Preferred  in  both  of  the  ancient  Manufcripts.  The 
advice  to  be  liberal,  as  commonly  happens  in  fuch  ca- 
fes, exhorts  to  profujion  ;  in  vitium  virtus.  Ano- 
ther poem  by  Dunbar  on  the  fame  fubjetl  has  the 
following  exprejjion,  which  ought  to  be  kept  in  remem- 
brance, as  containing  more  good  fenfe  thanfome  entire 
fyjlems  of  ethics  : 

f*  Thoch  all  the  werth  that  euir  had  levand  wycht 
te  Wer  onlie  thyne,  no  raoir  thy  pairt  dois  fall, 
"  Bot  meit  diink,  clais,  and  of  the  laif  a  ficht, 
"  Yit  to  the  juge  thow  fall  gif  compt  of  all." 

In  modern  language  DUNBAR  probably  would  have 
expreffed  himfelf  thus : 

What  riches  gives  us,  let  us  then  explore  j   . 
Meat,  drink,  and  cloaths  j  what  elfe  ?  ajight  of  more'. 


I. 

JVIan,  fen  thy  lyfe  is  ay  in  weir, 

And  deid  is  evir  drawand  neir, 

Thy  time  unficker  and  the  place, 

Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  quhil  thow  hes  fpace. 

II. 

Thow  may  to-day  haif  gude  to  fpend, 
And  heftely  to-morne  fra  it  wend, 
And  leif  ane  uthir  thy  baggis  to  brais  ; 
Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  quhil  thow  hes  fpace. 

III. 


JAMBS  IT.  148&— r"5$3fc  343- 

III. 

Gif  it  be  thyne,  thy  felf  it  ufts, 

Gif  it  be  not,  thow  it  refufis  ; 

Ane  uthir  of  it  the  profeit  hes  j 

Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  <jub.il  thow  hes  fpace, 

IV. 

Cjuhile  thow  hes  fpace,-  fe  thow  difpone, 
That  for  thy  geir,  quhen  thow  art  gone, 
No  wieht  ane  uder  flay  or  chace  ; 
Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  quhil  thow  hes  fpace. 

V. 

Sum  all  his  dayis  dryvis  our  in  vane, 
Ay  gadderand  geir  with  forrow  and  pane, 
And  nevir  is  glaid  at  Yule  nor  Pais  ; 
Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  quhil  thow  hes  fpace, 

VI. 

Syne  cams  ane  uder  glaid  of  his  forrow, 
That  for  him  prayit  no  evin  nor  morrow, 
And  fangis  it  all  with  mirry  face  ; 
Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  quhil  thow  hes  fpace. 

vir 

Sum  grit  gud  gaddefis,  and  ay  it  fpairis, 
And  efter  him  thair  cumis  yung  airis, 
That  his  auld  thrift  fettis  on  ane  ace  ! 
Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  quhil  thow  hes  fpace. 

VIII. 

It  is  all  thyne  that  thow  heir  fpends, 

And  nocht  all  that  on  th£  depends, 

Bot  his  to  fpend  it  that  hes  grace  ; 

Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  quhil  thow  hes  fpace. 

IX. 


344  CHRONICLE   OF  SCOTTISH   POETRY^ 

IX. 

Luk  how  the  bairne  dois  to  the  rhuder, 

And  tak  example  be  nane  udder^ 

That  it  nocht  eftir  be  thy  cace  ; 

Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  quhil  thow  hes  fpace, 

X. 

.»  « 
Treft  nocht  ane  uther  will  do  the'  to, 

It  that  thyfelf  wald  nevir  do  ; 

For  gif  thow  dois,  ftrenge  is  the  cace  i 

Man  !  fpend  thy  gude  quhil  thow  hes  fpacc 


St.  7. 1.  3.  «  That  his  auld  thrift  fettis  on  ace."  This  age  is  not  to 
be  told  what  "  feittis  oh  ane  ace"  implies.  It  may  be  more  ncccfTwy 
to  explain  the  phrafe  *'  auld  thrift."  It  is  wealth  accumulated  by  the 
fucceffive  frugality  of  his  aneeftors. 

St.  9.  and  10.  The  words  in  thefe  two  fhnzas  are  plain,  but  the 
meaning  obfeure.  The  fenfr  is  probably  this  :  The  child  draws  milk 
from  its  mothei's  breaft,  but  gives  nothing  in  rerurn.  In  like  manner 
do  not  expect  that  another  will  do  for  you,  that  which  you  would  ne- 
ver do  for  yourfelf.  H.  The  meaning  fcems  rather  to  be  :  As  an  ii>- 
fant  fubfifts  entirely  upon  the  milk  which  it  draws  from  its  mother's 
breaft,  fo  your  heir  will  probably  fpend  all  ihe  wealth  which  you  leave 
to  him,  before1  he  thinks  of  any  otht  r  means  of  fhbfiftence.  It  will  theii 
be  impoffible  for  him  to  make  you  enjoy  after  death,  that  which  you 
could  not  enjoy  while  you  was  in  life. 


AK& 


ANE   HIS    1WIN    ENNEMY. 


£<{  The  third  flan%a  of  this  poem?  fays  LoRp  Hailes, 
contains  an  allegory  of  pleafures  lawful  and  forbid- 
den, and  will  not  bear  a  particular  explanation* 
"  Fleis  of  Spenye/'  are  cantharides.      This  circum- 

filance  gives  us  an  HIGH  idea  of  the  elegance  and  refine- 
ment of  our  forefathers"     Or,   the  phrafe  may  here 

fignify  metaphorically,  the  «'  Spenyie  difeis,"  men- 
tioned in  a  former  poem   p.  234.3 


I. 

JLIE  that  hes  gold  and  grit  richefs. 
And  may  be  into  myrrinefs, 
And  dois  gladnefs  fra  him  expell, 
And  lcvis  daylie  in  diftrefs, 
He  wii  kis  forro w  to  him  fell. 

II. 

He  that  may  be  but  fturt  or  ftryfe. 
And  leif  an.e  lulty  plefand  lyfe, 
Ard  fyne  with  mareige  dois  him  mell. 
And  weddis  with  ane  wicket  wyfe, 
He  wirkis  forrow  to  him  fell. 

III. 

He  that  hes  for  his  awin  gainyie 
Ane  pltfand  prop,  bot  mank  or  mennye, 
And  fhuttis  fyne  at  an  uncow  fchell, 
And  is  forfairn  with  the  fleis  of  Spenyie, 
He  wirkis  forrow  to  him  fell. 

IV. 

And  he  that  with  gud  lyfe  and  trewth, 
But  variance  or  uder  flewth, 

Vol.  I.  Xx  Dois 


34^ 


CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    FOETR7 


A 


Dois  evir  mair  with  ane  maifter  dwell, 
That  nevir  of  him  will  haif  no  rewth, 
We  wirkis  forrow  to  him  fell. 

V. 

Now  all  this  tyme  let  us  be  mirry, 
And  fet  nocht  by  this  warld  a  chirry  ; 
Now  quhyll  thair  is  gude  wyne  to  fell, 
He  that  dois  on  dry  breid  wirry, 
I  gif  him  to  the  devill  of  hell. 


St.  5. 1.  3.  "  Now  quhyll  thair  hgude  vuyne  to  fell."  Great  care  vu 
taken  in  thofe  days  that  the  Urges  fhould  drink  no  wine  but  what  was 
both  good  and  cheap.  In  the  Reign  of  James  III.  ar.no  1482,  it  was 
ordained  by  Parliament  that  "  na  man  fail  tak  upon  hand  to  mix  or 
corrupt  wine,  under  pain  of  death."  Alfo,  in  the  Reign  of  Queen  Mary, 
anno  is 51,  "  for  fa  meikle  as  the  wines  that  are  commonly  fold  by  ta- 
verneirs  are  mixt  with  auld  corrupt  wines,  or  with  water,  to  the  greit 
appearand  danger  and  feiknefs  of  the  buyers,  and  greit  perelle  of  the 
faulis  of  the  fellars,  it  is  enacted,  that  na  manner  of  taverneirs  fall  tak 
upon  hand  to  make  onie  Cc  mixtion,  under  the  paine  of  cfcheiting  all 
and  Cndrie  thair  wines,  and  tinfell  of  thair  freedome  for  evir.  Alfo, 
that  na  taverneir  fall  tak  upon  hand  to  bye  onie  wines  at  onie  dearer 
prices  nor  tweutie  pounde  the  tar.  of  Burdeaute  wine,  and  the  Rachel 
wine  for  fextene  pounde  the  tun,  and  that  nane  of  them  fell  the  famin 
of  onie  dearer  price  nor  ten  pennies  the  pint  (or  Englifh  half-gallon) 
of  Burdeaux  wine,  and  the  Rachel  wine  for  aucht  pennies  the  pynt" 
The  fame  wines  coming  in  by  the  Weft  feas  are  ordained  to  be  fold  at 
aucht  pennies  and  fex  pennies  the  Scotch  pint,  that  i9,  4a.  and  3d.  per 
quart  bottle.  At  that  time  rhe  Scottifh  penny  was  about  one-fourth  of 
the  Englifh  penny.  The  reader  cannot,  however",  form  a  oorred  judg- 
ment of  thefe  prices,  unlefs  he  know  the  value  of  fome  other  articles  at 
the  fame  period.  The  next  ftatute  of  that  Parliament,  ann»  T551, fixes 
thus  the  prices  of  wild  and  tame  fowls,  &c.  :  The  cran  at  five  (hillings ; 
the  fwan,  five  (hillings;  the  wild  gufe,  twa  (hillings;  the  claik,  (barnacle,) 
quink,  and  rute,  (bittern,)  auchteen  pennies  the  peecc;  plover,  and 
fmall  mure  fowle,  four  pennies  ;  black  cock,  and  gray-hen,  fex  pennies; 
the  doufane  of  powtts,  twelve  pennies  ;  the  quhaip,  (curlew.)  fex  pen- 
nies ;  the  cunning,  twelve  pennies ;  the  wooddc-cocke,  four  pennies ; 
the  doufane  of  lavrockes,  and  uthir  fmall  birds,  four  pennies ;  thefnipe, 
and  quailzie,  twa  pennies ;  the  tame  gufe,  fe^teen  pennies ;  the  capone, 
twelve  pennies ;  hen  and  pultrie,  aucht  pennies  j  the  chicken,  four  pen- 
nies ;  the  gryfc,  auchteen  pennies. 

ADVYCE 


ADVYCE     TO     A     COURTIER* 
BY    QUINTYNE    SCHAW. 


-  ah  allegory  ajjimulaiing  a  fate  to  a  Jhip,  after  the 
example  of  Horace  $  and  preferred  in  the  MaIT. 
MS.  The  author  of  this  folitary  memorial  feems  to 
have  been  a  native  of  Ayr  Jhiret  and  to  have  died  a- 
bout  1500-1505  ;  fdr,  Dunbar  in  his  "  Lament," 
mentions  him  as  recently  dead.  As  a  poet  he  is  alfo 
recorded  with  applaufe  by  Sir  David  Lindsay  in  the 
u  Complaint  of  the  Papingo,"  and  by  Gavin  Dou- 
glas in  his  "  Palice  of  Honour."  By  this  lajl,  and 
in  one  or  -two  infantes  by  Dunbar,  he  is  called 
Quintyne,  withbut  any  addition.  Kennedy,  in  his 
inveclive  againft  Dunbar,  fpeaks  of  him  as  his  rela» 
tion,  and  fometimes  calls  him  his  "  Commif^ar.,, 

If  we  may  believe  the  account  of  Scottish  Writers 
given  by  Dempster,  and  after  him  by  Mackenzie, 
"  In  the  troublefome  times  of  the  Bruce  and  BauoLj 
ts  there  flourijhed  a  famous  poet,  called  QtJiNTYNE, 
"  who  went  over  to  France,  and  lived  at  Paris, 
tf  where  he  wrote  and  publiihed,  in  elegant  verfe, 
u  Querela  de  Patriae  miferia,  1511."  If  Quin- 
TYNE  wrote  that  elegant  poem  in  the  times  of  the 
Bruce  and  Baliol,  and  lived  to  publifb.  it  in  15 11, 
he  might  vie  in  longevity  with  the  celebrated  Johan- 
nes a  temporibus.1 

suppoia 

- 


348  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETR?, 


Ouppois  the  courte  yow  cheir  and  tretis, 
And  Fortoun  on  you  fchynis  and  beiis, 
I  rid  yow  than,  war  lufe  I   war  le  ! 
Suppois  ye  fole  betwix  twa  fcheittis  y 
Utheris  has  falit  als  weil  as  ye. 

Gif  changes  the  wynd,  on  force  ye  mon 
Bolyn,  huke.  haik,  and  fcheld  hald  on. 
Thairfoir  bewar  with  ane  fcharpe  blawar  s 
Gif  ye  be  wys  avyfe  heiron  ; 
And  fet  your  fale  a  litle  lawar. 

For  gif  ye  hauld  your  fale  ouir  ftrek, 
Thair  may  cum  bubbis  ye  not  fufpek  ; 
Thair  may  cum  contrair  ye  not  knaw  } 
Thair  may  cum  ftormes  and  caus  a  lek  j 
That  ye  man  cap  by  wynd  and  waw. 

And  tho'  the  air  be  fair,  and  ftormles, 
Yit  thair  hauld  not  your  fale  ouir  pres  : 
For  of  hie  landis  thair  may  cum  flaggis, 
At  Saint  Tabbis  Heid,  and  Buchan  Nes, 
And  ryve  your  foir-faill  all  in  raggis. 

Be  thou  vexit,  and  at  undir, 
Your  freinds  will  fra  and  on  yow  wondir. 
Thairfoir  bewar  with  our  hie  lands, 
Sic  flags  may  fall,  fuppois  a  hundir 
War  yow  to  help  thai  have  no  hands. 

Dreid  this  danger,  gud  freind  and  brudir, 
And  tak  example  befoir  of  uther. 
Knaw  courtis,  and  wynd,  has  oftfys  vareif. 
Keip  Weill  your  cours,  and  rewle  your  rudir ; 
And  think  with  kingis  ye  ar  not  mareit. 

St.  1. 


j^m£s  iv.  1488-— 1513.  349 


St.  T.     War  lufe  !  -war  le  !  evidently,  fea  terms.     Sole,  foil. 

St.  2.  Bclyn  feems  equivalent  to  tofs;  bolja  flu&ns.  Goth. — Hail  i» 
anchor,  it  is  fuppofed.  Hak,  unco  prtbendcie  Goth.  Hake  is  ahidi  ; 
•bnka,  defiderc,  conquiefcere. 

Sr.  J.  *'  That  ye  man  cap  by  ivynd  and  tvaiv."  Thefc  you  muii  en- 
counter from  the  wmus  and  waves. 

St.  4.  Slagcrh,  in  another  ftanza^a^-x,  feems  from  _/?*£,  -calidiu,  z  c«s» 
ning  blaft. 


• 


- 


THE   FLTTTNG   OF  DUNBAR.   AND   KENNEDY. 


[Walter  Kennedy,  fometimes  by  mijlahe  Andrew, 
from  Dunbar's  account  feems  to  have  been  a  native 
of  Carrick,  and  to  have  rejided  at  Ayr,  which  he 
tails  "  hame."  He  mujl  have  been  a  poet  of  conjide- 
rable  repute,  though  few  of  his  works  be  now  extant. 
They  are  only  the  two  fatires  on  Dunbar  in  their 
*'  Fljting,"  an  "  Invective  againft  Mouth-thank- 
lefs,"  and  "  The  Prais  of  aige." 

The  Fly  ting  between  Dunbar  and  Kennedy  appears 
to  have  taken  place  foon  after  Dunbar's  return  from 
the  Continent.  It  is  in  many  places  obfcure,  in  many 
more  utterly  unintelligible.  "  /  incline  to  think" 
fays  Lord  Hailes,  "  that  this  altercation,  which 
for  fcurrility  is  unexampled,  may  have  been  a  play  of 
illiberal  fancy ,  without  any  real  quarrel  between  the 
antagonifls.  'This  idea  is  confirmed  by  the  affe&ion- 
ate  manner  in  which  Dunbar  fpeaks  of  Kennedy 
and  '^uintene  Schaw  in  his  Lament  for  the 
death  of  the  Poets."  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  entire 
poems  cannot  now  be  read  with  patience.  Some  parts 
of  them,  however,  are  curious,  and  probably  contain 
fome  authentic  particulars  of  the  hi/lory  and  external 
appearance  of  the  two  rival  bards.  Ihe  firfl  four- 
teen fianzas  are  printed  from  the  Bank.  MS.  The 
remaining  eleven,  from  MlLLAR  and  Chepman's  Mif- 
cellany  1508.] 


DUNBAR 


JAMES  IT.    1488— 1513,  3;f 


DUNBAR    TO    KENNEDIE. 
I. 

Ochir  Johnc  the  Ros, 

Ane  thing  ther  Is  compyld 

In  generale,  be  Kennedie  and  Quinting, 
(Quhilk  has  themfelf  aboif  the  fternis  ftyld  ;) 

But  had  thay  maid  of  manace  ony  mynting 

In  fpecial,  fie  ftryfe  fuld  ryfs  bot  ftynting, 
Howbeit  with  boft  thair  breiftis  wer  als  bendit 
As  Lucifer,  that  fra  the  Hevin  difcendit; 

Hell  fould  not  hyd  thair  harnis  fra  harm  hynting. 

II. 

The  eard  fuld  trymble,  firmament  fuld  fchaik, 

And  all  the  air  in  vennom  fuddane  ftink, 
And  all  the  devillis  of  hell  for  redour  quaik 

To  heir  quhat  I  fuld  wryt  with  pen  and  ink  ; 

For  and  I  fiyt,  fum  fege  for  fchame  fuld  fink, 
The  fe  fuld  birn,  the  mone  fould  thoill  eclipis, 
Roches  fuld  ryve,  the  warld  fuld  hald  nae  gvipis  ; 

Sa  loud  of  cair  the  fewan  bell  fuld  clink. 

KENNEDIE    TO    DUNBAR. 
III. 

D;eid,  dirtfail  dearch,  that  thow  has  difobeyt 
My  coufin  ^umtinet  and  my  Commiflar. 

Fantaliick  fule,  treft  weil  thow  fall  be  fieyt, 
Ignorant  elf,  ape,  owl,  yiregular, 
Skaldit  Ikaitbird  and  common  ikandclair  ; 

Wanfukkit  funling,  that  Nature  maid  ane  Yrle, 
Baith  John  the  Rofs  and  thow  fall  fqueil  and  ikirle, 

Gif  eir  I  heir  ocht  of  jour  making  mair. 

DUNBAR 


5J-2.  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

■DUNBAR    TO    KENXEDIE. 

*brul  t»H 
IV. 

Erfch  brybour  baird,  vyle  beggar  with  thy  brattis, 

C-2S^oitcir!  Kennedie,  cowart  of  kynd, 
Ill-fart  and  dryit,  as  Den/men  on  the  rattis, 

Lyke  as  the  gledds  had  on  thy  gule  fnowt  dynd  ; 

Thow  purport;  for  to  undo  our  Lord  Chief 
In  Paiflay,  with  ane  poyfon  that  wes  fell, 

For  quhilk,  brybour,  yit  fall  thow  thoill  a  breif  j 
Pelor,  I  fall  it  preif  on  thee  my  fell. 

V.  ftSXftU  ai 

Or  thow  durft  move  thy  mynd  malitious, 

Thow  faw  the  fail  abone  my  heid  updraw  ; 
But  Eolus  full  woid,  and  Neptunus, 

Mirk  and  monclefs,  was  met  with  wind  and  waw, 

And  mony  hundreth  myle  hyne  coud  us  blaw 
By  Holand,  Seland,  and  the  Northway  coaft, 

In  defertis,  quhair  we  wer  famift  aw  ; 
Tit  cum  I  hame,  fals  baird,  to  lay  thy  boift. 

VI. 

Forworthin  fule,  of  all  the  warld  refafe,      '  **** 

Quhat  ferly  is  thocht  thow  rejoyce  to  flyte  ? 
Sic  eloquence  as  they  in  Erfchry  ufe, 

In  fie  is  fet  thy  thrawarf.appityte  j 

Thow  has  full  litle  fell  of  fair  indyte, 
I  haif  on  me  ane  pair  of  Loivthiane  hipps, 

Sail  fairer  Inglis  mak,  and  mair  parfyte, 
Than  thow  can  blabber  with  thy  Carrik  lipps. 

VII. 

Comerwald  crawdon,  na  man  compts  the  a  kerfs  ; 
Sweir  fwapit  fwanky  fwyne,  keppar  ay  for  fwaitis 

Thy 


JAMES  IV.  1488—1513.  353 

Thy  Commiffar  ®>uintyne  bids  the  cum  kis  his  eLLSj 
He  luvis  not  fie  a  loun  forlane  of  laits  ; 
He  fays,  thow  fkaiffs  and  begs  mair  beir  and  aits; 

Nor  ony  criple  in  Carrik  land  about : 

Uther  Dure  beggars  and  thow  ar  at  debates, 

Decripit  callings  on  Kennedie  cry  out. 

j  TTTTT 

Matter  enneuch  I  haif*  I  neid  not  fenyie, 

Thocht  thow,  foul  trumper,  has  upon  me  lied  j 

Corrupt  carrion,  he  fall  I  cry  thy  fenyie  ; 

Thinkis  thow  not  hou  thow  came  in  grit  neid  ? 
Greitand  in  Gallawayy  lyke  to  ane  gallow  breidj 

Ramand  and  rolpand,  beggand  koy  and  ox, 
I  faw  thee  there  into  thy  wathmans  weid, 
Quhilk  wes  not  worth  ane  pair  of  auld  gray  focks. 

TV 

Erfch  Katherene  with  thy  polk,  breik  and  rilling, 

Thow  and  thy  Quean  as  greidy  gleds  ye  gang 
With  polks  to  mill,   and  begs  baith  meil  and  fchilling^ 

Thair  is  but  lyfs  and  lang  nails  you  amang  ; 

Foul  heggerbald,  for  hens  this  will  ye  hang  ; 
Thow  has  ane  prelus  face  to  play  with  lammis  ; 

Ane  thoufand  kids  wer  they  in  falds  full  ftrang, 
Thy  limmerfull  luke  wald  fley  them  and  thair  dammit 

X 

Intill  a  glen  thow  has,  out  of  repair, 

Ane  laithly  luge  that  wes  the  lipper  mennis, 
With  thee  ane  foutars  wyfe,  of  blifs  als  bair, 

And  lyk  twa  (talkers  fleils  in  cocks  and  hens  ; 

Thow  plukks  the  poltre,  fcho  pulls  of  the  pennis. 
All  Karrik  cryis,  God  gif  this  dowf  be  drownd  ; 

And  quhen  thow  heirs  ane  gufe  cry  irt  the  glens, 
Thow  thinkft  it  fweiter  than  fewand  bell  of  found. 

Vol.  I.  Y  y  XI, 


354  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   F0ETR7. 

XI. 

Thow  held  the  burch  lang  with  ane  borrowit  gown, 

And  an  caprowfy  barkit  all  with  fweit ; 
And  quhen  the  ladis  faw  thee  fae  like  a  foun, 

They  bickert  the  with  mony  bae  and  bleit. 

Now  upola-ad  thow  leives  on  rubbit  quhiet, 
Oft  for  ane  caufs  thy  burdclaith  neids  na  fpredding,- 

For  thow  has  nowther  for  to  drink  or  eit, 
But  like  a  berdlefs  bard  that  had  na  bedding. 

XI F. 

Straitgibhons  air,  that  nevir  owreftrade  ane  horfs, 

Blae  berfute  beirne,  in  bair  tyme  wes  thow  borne  -9 
Thow  bringis  the  CarriJe  clay  to  Edinburgh  corfs, 

Upon  thy  botingis  hobland  hard  as  home  ; 

Stra  wifp»  hingis  out  quhair  that  the  wattis  arworne, 
Cum  thow  agane  to  fkar  us  with  thy  ftrais, 

We  fall  gar  fkale  our  fculis  all  the  to  fcorn, 
And  ltane  thee  up  the  cawfy  quhair  thow  gaes. 

xiir. 

Of  Edinburgh  the  boy  is  as  beis  OTit  thraws, 

And  cryis  out  ay,  Heir  cuins  our  awin  quier  clerk  ; 
Then  fleis  thow  lyk  ane  houlat  chieft.  with  craws, 

Quhyll  all  the  bichis  at  thy  botings  bark. 

Then  carlings  cryis,  Keip  curches  in  the  merk, 
Our  gallowis  gaipis,  lo  quhair  ane  gracelefs  gais  : 

Ane  uthir  fays,  I  fe  him  want  a  fark, 
I  reid  ye,  cummer,  tak  in  your  lynning  clais. 

XIV. 

Then  rins  thow  doun  the  gate,  with  gild  of  boys, 
And  all  the  town  tykes  hingand  at  thy  heils ; 

Of  lads  and  lowns  ther  ryfeis  fie  ane  noyis, 

Quhyll  reifyrs  rynnis  away  with  cart  and  quheils, 

And 


JAMES    IV.    I488— I  513.  355 

And  cadgers  avers  caflis  bayth  coals  and  creilis  ; 
For  rerd  of  thee,  and  rattling  of  thy  butis- 

Fifche-wyves  cry  fy,  and  caft  down  Hulls  and  fkeils, 
Sum  clalhes  thee,  fum  eloddis  thee  on  the  cutis. 

KENNEDIE    TO    DUNBAR. 

XV. 

Infenfuate  fow,  cefs  fais  Eujlales  air, 

And  knaw,  kene  fcald  I  hald  of  Alathyu, 

And  gar  me  not  the  caufe  lang  to  declair, 
Of  thy  curft  kin  Deulber  and  his  Allia  1 

.    Cum  to  the  corfs  on  kneis  and  mak  a  crya, 

Confefs  thy  cryme,  hald  Kennedie  thy  king, 

And  with  ane  hawthorn  fcourge  thyfelf  and  dyng, 

Thus  drie  thy  pennaunce  deliquijii  quia. 

XVI. 

Fas  to  my  Commifare  and  be  conteit, 

Cour  before  him  on  kneis,  and  cum  in  will  j 

And  fyne  ger  Stobo  for  thy  lyf  proteft  : 

Renunce  thy  rymis,  baith  ban  and  birn  thy  bill, 
Heve  to  the  hevyn  thy  hands,  and  hald  thee  ftil!. 

Do  thow  not  thus,  brigane,  thow  fall  be  brynt 
With  pik,  tar,  fyre,  gun-poldre  and  lynt, 

On  Arthuris-fete,  or  on  ane  hyar  hyll. 

XVII. 

I  ambulate  of  Pemafo  the  mountayn, 

Infpyrit  with  Mercury  fra  his  goldyn  fpere, 
And  dulcely  drunk  of  eloquence  the  fountayne, 

Quhen  purifit  with  froft,  and  flowand  cleir  ; 

And  thow  cum  fule  in  Merche  or  Februere , 
There  till  ane  pule  and  drunk  the  padok  rod. 

That  gerris  the  ryme  in  termes  to  thy  glod, 
And  blaberis  that  noyis  mennis  eiis  to  here. 

'  XVIII. 


356  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

XVIII. 

Thow  lufis  nane  Erfche  elf,  I  underftand, 
But  it  fuld  be  all  true  Scottifmennis  lede  j 

It  was  the  firft  gud  langage  of  this  land, 

And  Scota  it  caufit  to  multyplie  and  fprede, 
Quhill  Corfpatrick  that  we  of  treflbn  rede, 

Thy  fore-fader,  made  Erfche  and  Erfchemen  thin, 

Throu  his  treafon  brocht  Inglis  rumplis  in, 

Sa  wald  thyfell,  micht  thow  to  him  fucceed. 

iriT 

XIX. 

Quhairas  thow  fays,  that  I  ftall  hennis  and  lamms  ; 

I  let  thee  wit  I  haif  land,  ftore  and  ftakkis  ; 
Thow  wald  be  fain  to  gnaw,  lad  with  thy  gamms, 

Under  my  burde-fmoch,  banis  behynd  dogs  bakkis. 

Thow  has  a  tome  purfe,  I  haif  baith  ftedis  andtakkis j 
Thow  tint  cultur,  I  haif  coulter  and  pleuch  ; 

i^or  fubftance  and  geir,  thow  has  a  widdy  teuch, 
On  mount  talconny  about  thy  crag  to  rax. 

XX. 

And  yit  mount  Talconn  gallows  is  owre  fair, 

For  to  be  fylde  with  lie  ane  frutles  face  ; 
Cum  hame  and  hyng  on  our  gallowis  of  Ayr  ; 

To  eard  thee  under  it,  1  fall  purchafe  grace  ; 

To  eit  thy  flefh  the  dogs  fall  haif  nae  fpace. 
The  ravens  fall  ryve  naething  but  thy  tung  rutes  ; 

For  thow  lie  malice  of  thy  mafter  mutes, 
It  is  weil  fet  that  thow  fie  barat  brace. 

XXI. 

A  fmall  fynance  amang  thy  freinds  thow  beggit, 

To  flanche  the  florm  wyth  haly  muldis,  thow  lofte  : 

Thow  failit  to  get  a  dowcar  for  to  dregg  it  ; 
It  lyes  clofit  in  ane  clout  on  Seland  coail, 

Sic 


james  iv.  1488— 1 513.  357/ 

Sic  reule  gerris  the  be  fervit  with  cald  roft, 
And  fit  unfoupit  oft  beyond  the  fey,  ~~,"~J~ 

Cryant  Caritas,  at  duris,  amore  Dei> 
Barefute,  brekeles,  and  all  in  duddis  updoft. 

YYTT 

In  Ingland,  owl,  fald  be  thyne  habitacione  ; 

Homage  to  Edward  Langfhanks  made  thy  kin  j 
In  Dunbar  thai  refaivit  him  thy  fals  nacione  : 

They  fuld  be  exylt  Scotland,  mair  and  myn. 

Ane  ftark  gallows,  a  widdy  and  a  pin, 
The  heid  poynt  of  thy  elders  armis  are ; 

Written  abune  in  poyfie,  Hang  Dunbar, 
Quartered  draw,  and  make^tEat  furname  thin. 


' 


I  am  the  kings  blude,  his  trew  and  fpecial  clerk. 

That  nevir  yit  ymaginit  his  offenfc, 
Conflant  in  myn  allegeance,  word,  and  wark,    • 

Only  dependand  on  his  excellence, 

Traiftand  to  have  of  his  magnificence, 
Gwerdoun,  reward,  and  benefice  bedene, 

Quhen  that  the  ravins  fall  ryve  out  baith  thyne  ene, 
And  on  the  rattis  fall  be  thy  refidence., 

XXIV  nt' 

Fra  Ettrick  foreft  furthward  to  Drumfrefe, 

Thow  beggit  with  a  pardon  in  all  kirks, 
Collapis,  cruddis,  meil,  grotis,  gryce,  and  geis, 

And  undermcht  quhyle  flail  thow  flaigs  and  flirks. 

Becaufe  that  Scotland  of  thy  begging  irks, 
Thow  fchaips  in  France  to  be  a  knicht  of  the  felde  ; 

Thow  has  thy  clam  fhellis  and  thy  burdoun  kelde, 
Unhoneft  ways  all,  wolron,  that  thow  wirkis. 


35^  CHRONICLE   OF  SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

XXV. 

Ane  benefice  quha  wald  gyfe  fie  ane  belle  ; 

Bot  gif  it  war  to  gyngle  Judas  bellis, 
Tak  thee  a  fid  ill  or  a  floyte  and  jeft, 

Undought  thow  art,  ordainyt  to  nocht  ellis  ; 

Thy  cloutit  cloke,  thy  ikyrp  and  thy  clam-fchellis, 
Cleke  on  thy  corfs,  and  fare  on  into  France, 

And  cum  thow  neir  again  but  a  mifchance  ; 
The  feynd  fare  wyth  the  forthward  our  the  fellis. 


St.  10. 1.  I.  «  On  Mount  Falconn."  So  it  Hands  difUn&ly  ifl  Mil- 
lar and  Chepman's  Mifcellany  1508  ;  and  Faltoneia  the  Bann.  MS. 
But  Allan  Ram  sat  in  his  Evergreen  thought  proper  to  change  it  to 
Mount  Saltone ;  and  Lord  Hailes  happening  to  overlook  this  falfc 
reading,  was  led  to  fix  upon  Saltan  in  Eafl  Lothian  as  the  place  of  Dun- 
bar's birth  or  refidencc.  Mr  Pinkerton,  partly  from  contempt 
of  the  poem,  fell  into  the  fame  miftake.  The  truth  is,  there  is  no 
ground  for  any  fuch  fuppofition ;  nor  is  there  a  Angle  paffage  in  all 
Dunbar's  works  that  can  lead  us  to  afcertain  the  county  to  which  he 
belonged.  It  appears  that  he  often,  if  not  chiefly,  refided  in  Edin- 
burgh ;  and  probably  that  was  the  only  reafon  he  had  for  boafting  that 
he  wore  "  ane  pair  of  Lowthiane  hipps."  There  is,  however,  a  proba- 
bility that  he  belonged  to  the  county  of  Fife.  Upon  the  forfeiture  of 
Dunbar,  Earl  of  March,  anno  1434,  the  barony  of  KHcenptbar,  or  Kin- 
tiebar,  in  Fife,  (probably  becanfe  it  did  not  hold  of  the  crown,)  wasfuf- 
fered  to  remain  with  the  family,  who  continued  in  the  pofleffion  of  it 
until  the  reign  of  Queen  Mary.  Kennedy  lays  cxprefsly  that  Dun- 
bar was  of  the  tin  of  that  family.  Falkland  being  fituated  very  near  to 
the  Lowmond  hills,  one  of  them  may  have  been  drftinguifhed,  at  leaft  in 
poetical  language,  by  the  name  of  Falkland  Mount ;  and  in  thofe  days  it 
was  alfo  natural  enough  that  there  fhould  be  a  gallows  in  the  vicinity  of 
a  royal  refidence.  Thus  the  true  reading  of  the  paffage  may  be  Falkland 
Mount ;  by  corruption  Fclcann,  or  Falconn. 

Moreover,  in  Millar  and  Chepman's  Mifcellany  ijo8,  we  find 
the  following  ludicrous  ballad,  which  probably  alludes  to  Dunbak, 
from  the  circumftance  of  its  being  placed  in  the  midft  of  a  number  of 
potms  by,  or  relative  to  him.     It  may  be  a  competition  of  Kennedy. 

My  gudame  wes  a  gay  wif,  bot  fcho  wes  ryght  gend  ; 
Scho  duelt  fer  into  Fyfe  apon  Falklann  fellis  ; 
Thai  callit  her  kynd  Kittok,  quhafa  hir  Weill  kend  ; 
Scho  wes  like  a  caldrone  cruke,  cler  under  kellys. 

Thai 


James  nr.  1488— 15 13.  3$$- 

Thai  threpit  that  fcho  deit  of  thrift ;  and  maid  a  gudc  end. 

Eftir  hir  dede  fcho  dredit  nought  in  hcvin  for  to  duell : 

.And  fa  to  hevin  the  hieway  ireidles  fcho  wend, 

Yit  fcho  wandn't,  and  yeid  by  to  ane  elriche  Welt. 

Scho  met  thar,  as  I  wene, 

Ane  afk  rydand  on  a  fnaill, 

And  cryit,  "  Our-tane  fallow,  haill !" 

And  raid  ane  incbe  behind  the  taill, 

Till  it  wes  neir  evin. 

Sa  fcho  had  hap  to  be  horfit  to  hir  herbry  ; 

Ate  ane  ailhous  neir,  it  nyghttit  thaim  thare. 

Scho  deit  of  thrift  in  this  Warld,  that  gert  hir  be  fo  drf, 

Scho  neuer  eit,  bot  drank  our  mefure  and-mair. 

Scho  flepit  quhill  the  morne  at  none,  and  rais  airly, 

And  to  the  yectis  of  hevin  fa  ft  can  the  wif  fair, 

And  by  San&  Petir,  at  the  yet,  feho  flail  prevely. 

God  luk.it  and  faw  hir  lattin  in,  and  lewch  his  hert  fair. 

And  thar,  yeris  fevin, 

Scho  levit  a  gud  lif ; 

And  wes  our  ladyis  hen- wif ; 

And  held  San&  Peter  at  ftrif, 

Ay  quhill  fcho  wes  in  hevin. 

Scho  lukit  out  on  a  day,  and  thoght  ryght  lang,' 

To  fe  the  ailhous  befide,  intill  ane  evill  hour ; 

And  out  of  hevin  the  hie  gait  conth  the  wif  gang, 

For  to  get  hir  ane  frefche  drink,  the  aill  of  hevin  wes  fouV. 

Scho  come  agane  to  hevinis  yet,  quhen  the  bell  rang, 

Saint  Petir  hat  hir  with  a  club,  quhill  a  grete  ciour 

Rais  in  hir  heid,  becaus  the  wif  yeid  wrang. 

Than  to  the  ailhous  agane  fcho  ran,  the  pycharis  to  pour ; 

And  for  to  brew,  and  baik. 

Frendis,  I  pray  yow  hcrt  fully, 

Gif  yc  be  thrifty,  or  dry,     . 

Drink  with  my  guddame,  as  ye  ga  by, 

Anys  for  my  faik. 

It  may  alfo  be  added,  that  probably  there  never  was  a  gallows  at  Sal- 
tan ;  and  certainly  there  is  neither  hill  nor  mount. 

Stanza  24th  and  25th.  In  thefe  ftanzas  Kennedy  paints  his  antago- 
nift  in  the  drefs  and  accoutrements  of  the  antient  $>uxJH*narii,  or  beg- 
ging friars.  In  the  Bann.  MS.  there  is  a  poem  called  "  Symmyt  and 
bh  Bruder"  wheTe  the  fame  particulars  are  enumerated  with  greater 
minutenefs.  "  It  is  obfeure,"  fays  LofcD  Hailes,  "  but  fecms  to  im- 
port that  thefe  two  perfons  were  what  is  turned  qu*fiionarii  in  the 
Scottifh  canons  1x4*  and  iao6."  The  narrative  appears  imperfect,  and 

like 


360  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

like  "  Chrifts  Kirk  on  the  Greene,"  ends  in  a  fcuffle,  but  the  dclcnp- 
live  part  of  the  poem  is  worthy  of  notice  : 

SYMMYE    AND    HIS    BaUDER. 

Thair  is  na  ftorjr  that  I  of  heir, 

Of  yobne  nor  Robene  Hudt, 
Nor  yit  of  Wallace  w:cht  but  weir, 

That  we  think  half  fa  gude 
As  of  thir  Palmars  twa  but  peir. 

To  heir  how  thay  conclude. 
Into  begging  I  trow  fyve  yeir 

In  Santi- Andre  s  thay  ftude 

Togidder, 
Bayth  Symmye  and  his  Brtsdcr. 

Thocht  thay  war  wicht,  I  watrand  you, 

Thay  had  no  will  to  wirk  : 
Thay  maid  them  burdowns  nocht  to  bovtt 

Twa  bewis  of  the  birk  ; 
Weil  ftobbit  with  fteil,  1  trow, 

To  ftik  into  the  mirk  ; 
Bot  fen  thair  bairds  grew  on  thair  mow, 

Thay  faw  nevir  the  kirk 

Within, 
Nowr  Symmye  nowr  his  Bruder. 

Syne  fchnpe  thame  np,  to  Iowp  owr  lejfsi 

Twa  tabartis  of  the  tartane  ; 
Thay  comptit  nocht  what  thair  clowtis  wes— 

Quhan  lewit  thaim  on,  in  certain  : 
Syne  clampit  up  San<5t  Peter's  keif?, 

Bot  ot  ane  auld  reid  gartane : 
San&  Jameis  fchrlls  on  the  tothir  fyd  fhei* 

As  pretty  as  ony  partane 

Toe, 
On  Symmye  and  his  Bruder. 

Thus  quhan  thay  had  reddit  the  raggis, 

To  roume  ihay  wer  infpyrit; 
Tuk  up  thair  taipis,  and  all  thair  taggis, 

Fure  furth  as  thay  war  fyrit ; 
And  ay  the  eldift  bure  the  baggis 

Quhan  that  the  yungifl;  tyrit ; 
Tuk  counfall  at  Kirkeiv  craggis, 

Than  hame  as  thay  war  hyrit 

Agane, 
Cum  Symmye  and  his  Bruder. 

Thau 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 15 13.  361 

Than  held  th*y  houfs,  as  men  me  tells,  >  »jtil 

And  fpendit  of  their  fcis; 
Quhen  meit  was  went,  thay  flew  owr  fells 

As  biffy  as  ony  bei*. 
Syne  clengit  thay  SanA  Jameis  fcbells 

And  pecis  of  palm  treis  : 
To  fee  quha  bell  the  pardoun  fpells, 

I  lenrew  thame  that  ay  feifs 

:  Botlauchtcr, 

Ouod  Symmye  to  his  Bruder.  .    „, 

Quhen  thay  wox  welthfnl  in  thair  winning, 

Thay  puft  thame  up  in  pryd ; 
But  quhen  that  Symmye  evit  in  finning, 

His  Bruder  wald  haif  ane  bryd  ; 
Hir  wedoheid  fra  the  begynniner 

Was  neir  ane  moncth  tyd  ; 
G.ffchowasfpedyaymfpynn.ng, 

Tak  witnefs  of  thame  befyd 

Ilk  ane, 

Bayth  Symmye  and  his  Bruder. 
j        j        j 

TL  !•      .1.  ...11   v    i     n    •  1       , 

The  earns  thay  thikkit  faft  in  cluds, 

Agane  the  man  was  mareit,  •  >\ 

With  breid  and  beif,  and  uthir  buds, 

Syne  to  the  kirk  thame  kareit; 
But  or  thay  twynd  him  and  his  dudis, 

The  tyme  of  none  was  tareit. 
Wa  worth  this  wedding,  fo/*  by  thir  rudis 

The  meit  is  all  milkureit 

To  day  ! 
Quod  Symmye  to  his  Bruder. 

The  canon  refpe&ing  thefe  qtiuflienarii,  (or  as  they  3Te  fbmetimes 
called  Eleemcfynarum  qua/lores,  and  predicaUres^)  runs  in  thefe  words  : 
««  Quoniam  quidam  quaflionarii  variis  illufionibus  animas  fimplicis  po- 
puli  feducunt,  ftatuimus,"  &c.  that  is,  "  As  certain  Queftionaries,  by 
various  deceits,  fedi*ce  the  minds  of  the  unfufpefting  people,  we  ordain, 
that  when  any  Queftionary  comes  to  a  church,  the  minifler  of  that 
church  (hall,  on  the  fame  day,  rcligioufly  explain  to  his  parifhionersthe 
bufinefs  of  the  faid  Qu^flionary,  according  to  the  regulations  contained 
in  the  letters  of  the  Pope  and  of  the  Diocefan  ;  fo  that  he  (hall  in  no- 
wife  exceed  the  tenor  of  the  faid  letters.  But  upon  no  other  day  in  that 
year  {hall  he  on  any  account  admit  the  fame  Queftionary  into  that 
church  on  the  fame  bufinefs.  We  further  ordain  it  to  be  ftrictly  ob- 
served, that  from  the  beginning  of  Lent  to  Eafter,  the  contribution  for 
the  building  of  the  church  of  Glafgow,  on  all  Sundays  and  Holiday, 

Vol.  I.  Zz  flull 


362  CHRONICLE   OF  SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

fliall  be  faithfully  and  -diligently  propofed  to  the  parifhioners  in  all 
churches  after  Mafs,  and  the  indulgence  granted  to  the  contributors  to 
that  building,  which  we  command  to  be  fet  up  in  writing  in  every 
church,  fliall  be  openly  and  diftinduy  explained  to  the  parifhioners  in  the 
vulgar  tongue ;  and  that  their  alms,  and  the  effects  of  thofe  who  die 
inteftate,  and  likewife  all  pious  legacies,  according  to  the  cuftom  hither- 
to approved  of,  (hall  be  faithfully  collected,  and  given  without  diminu- 
tion to  the  deacons  of  the  places  in  the  neat  eft  chapter ;  and  that  within 
the  faid  period  no  one  fliall  admit  folicitations  for  other  contributions  in 
parochial  churches". 

In  the  Cbrtiutlt  of  Mtlro/e,  John  Bifhop  of  Glafgow  is  faid  to  have 
built  the  cathedral  church  in  1136,  and  Joceunc  is  faid  to  have  re- 
built it  in  1197.  But  we  learn  from  this  Canon,  that  fifty  years  »ftejr 
the  death  of Jocbline,  the  building  was  not  completed-* 


THE 


INVECTIVE   AGAINST    MOUTH-THANKLESS. 
— i 
I. 


A 


NE  agit  man  twyce  fourty  yeirs, 
Aftir  the  haly  days  of  Yule, 

I  hard  him  fay  amang  the  freirs, 
Of  order  gray,  makand  grit  dule, 
Richt  as  he  war  a  furious  fule  ; 

Oft-tymes  he  ficht,  and  faid  alace  ! 
Be  Chryft,  my  cair  ma  nevir  cule, 

That  evir  I  fervt  Mouth-thanklefs. 

"• 

Throch  ignorance,  and  folly,  youth, 

My  preterit  tyme  I  wald  neir  fpair, 
Plefance  to  put  into  that  mouth, 

Till  aige  faid,  fule,  lat  be  thy  fare ; 

And  now  my  heid  is  quhyt  and  lair, 
For  feiding  of  that  fowmart  face, 

Quhairfor  I  murn  baith  late  and  air, 
That  evir  I  fervt  Mouth-thanklefs. 

III. 

Gold  and  filver  that  I  micht  get 

Brotches,  beifands,  robbis,  and  rings, 
Frely  to  gif,  I  wald  nocht  let, 

To  pleife  the  mulls  attour  all  things. 

Rycht  as  the  fwan  for  forrow  fings, 
Befoir  her  deid  ane  litill  fpace, 

Rycht  fa  do  I,  and  my  hands  wrings, 
That  evir  I  fervt  Mouth-thanklefs. 


IV 


364  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH   POETR*. 

IV. 

Bettir  it  were  ane  man  to  ferve 

With  worfchip,  and  honour,  under  ane  fheild, 
Nor  her  to  pleis,  thocht  thou  fuld  fterve, 

That  will  not  luke  on  the  in  eild, 

Fra  that  thou  has  na  hair  to  heild 
Thy  heid  frae  harming  that  it  hes, 

Quhen  pen  and  purfe  and  all  ar  peild, 
Tak  then  a  meifs  of  Mouth-thanklefs. 

V. 

And  in  example  it  may  be  fene, 

The  grund  of  truth  quha  underftude, 
Frae  in  ane  bag  thou  beir  thyne  ene, 

Thou  gets  na  grace  but  for  thy  gude  ; 

At  Venus  clofet,  to  conclude, 
Call  ye  not  this  ane  cankerit  cafe  : 

Now  God  help  and  the  haly  rude, 
And  keip  all  men  frae  Mouth-thanklefs, 

VI. 

O  brukil  youth  in  tyme  behald, 

And  in  thy  heart  thir  wordis  graif, 

Or  thy  complexion  gadder  cald, 
Amend  thy  wifs,  thy  felf  to  faif, 
The  hevynis  blifs  gif  thou  wald  haif, 

And  of  thy  gilt  remit  and  grace. 
All  this  I  hard  an  auld  man  raif, 

After  the  Yule  of  Mouth-thanklefs. 

Kennedy. 


THE- 


THE   PRAIS    OF   AIG£, 


I. 


/xt  matyne  houre,  in  midis  of  the  nicht, 
Walkeit  of  fleip,  I  faw  befyd  me  fone, 
Ane  aigit  man,  feimit  fextie  yeiris  be  ficht, 
This  fentence  fett,  and  fong  it  in  gud  tone  ; 
O  thrjn-fold,  and  eterne  God  in  trone  ! 
To  be  content  and  lufe  the  I  haif  caus, 
That  my  licht  yowtheid  is  our  pad  and  done  ; 
Honor  with  aige  to  every  vertew  drawis. 

II. 

Grene  yowth.  to  aige  thow  mon  obey  and  bow* 
Thy  fulis  lufl  leftis  fkant  ane  May  ; 
That  than  wes  witt,  is  naturall  foly  now, 
Warldy  witt,  honor,  riches,  or  frefche  array  ; 
Deny  the  devill,  dreid  deid  and  domifday, 
For  all  fall  be  accufit,  as  thow  knawis  j 
Bleflit  be  God,  my  yowtheid  is  away  ; 
Honor  with  aige  to  every  vertew  drawis. 

III. 

O  bittir  yowth  !  that  femit  delicious  j 

O  fweteft  aige  !   that  fumtyme  femit  foure  ; 

O  rekles  yowth  !  hie,  hait,  and  vicious  ; 

O  haly  aige  !  fulfillit  with  honoure  ; 

O  flowand  yowth  !  frutles  and  fedand  flour, 

Contrair  to  confcience,  ley  th  to  luf  gud  lawis, 

Of  all  vane  gloir  the  lanthorne  and  mirroure ; 

Honor  with  aige  till  every  vertew  drawis. 

This 


$66  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY- 

IV. 

This  warld  is  fett  for  to  diflaive  us  evin  ; 
Pryde  is  the  nett,  and  covetece  is  the  trane ; 
For  na  reward,  except  the  joy  of  hevin, 
Wald  I  be  yung  into  this  warld  agane. 
The  fchip  of  fayth,  tempeftous  winds  and  rane 
Of  Lollerdry,  dryvand  in  the  fey  hir  blawis  j 
My  yowth  is  gane,  and  I  am  glaid  and  fane, 
Honor  with  aige  to  every  vertew  drawis. 

V. 

Law,  luve,  and  lawtie,  gravin  law  thay  ly  ; 
Diffimulance  hes  borrowit  confcience  clayis  ; 
Writ,  wax,  and  felis  ar  no  wayis  fet  by ; 
Flattery  is  foftent  baith  with  freinds  and  fayis. 
The  fone,  to  bruik  it  that  his  fader  hais, 
Wald  fe  him  deid  ;  Sathanas  fie  feid  fawis  : 
Yowtheid,  adew,  ane  of  my  mortall  fais, 
Honor  with  aige  to  every  vertew  drawis. 

Kennedy. 


St.  4.    — —  "  Tempeft6us  winds  and  rane 
«  Of  LolLrdly  dryvand." 

Kennedy,  from  this  expreffion,  appears  to  have  been  a  zealous  par- 
tifan  of  what  was  termed  the  oldfa'Ub ;  whereas  the  poets  his  cotempo- 
raries  were  either  lukewarm  in  thair  religious  tenets,  or  inclined  to  the 
tiirw  opinions.  The  name  of  Lollard  is  well  known  both  on  the  conti- 
nent and  in  Britain.  The  derivation  is  faid  to  be  from  the  German 
/alien,  in  allufion  to  the  drawling  unifon  which  they  appear  to  have  af- 
fected in  their  prayers  and  religious  hymns.  When  the  Lollards  were 
firft  difcovcred  in  England,  the  Bifhops  were  at  a  lofs  how  to  defcribe 
their  tenets.  In  1387,  Henry,  Bifhop  of  Worcefter  informed  his  cler- 
gy that  they  were  "  followers  of  Mahomet."  Some  of  their  cenclufions 
or  tenets,  as  prcfented  by  themfelves  to  Parliament  in  the  reign  of 
Richard  II.  are  expreffed  with  a  Cngular  naivety.  Thns,  agalnft  the 
cthbacy  of  the  clergy,  it  is  faid  "  Delicata  cibaria  virorum  ecclefiafli- 
corum,  volunt  habere  naturalem  purgationem,  vel  pejurcm."— That 

▼fere 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 1513.  367 

were  holy  water  as  efficacious  as  is  pretended,  it  would  be  a  cure  for  all 
fores,  the  contrary  whereof  experience  teaches  : — And  again,  if  all  the 
inftruments  of  the  paffion,  fuch  as  the  nails  and  the  fpear  are  to  be  ve- 
nerated, the  lips  of  Judas  Ifcariot,  could  they  be  procured,  would  prove 
excellent  relics.  The  recantation  of  one  William  Dfnot,  a  Lollard, 
made  in  1396  before  the  Archbifhop  of  York,  contains  the  following 
expreffions:  "  I  fwere  to  God,  and  to  all  his  fayntis  upon  this  holy  goi- 
pell,  that  fro  this  day  forward  I  Jball  •worfiip  ymages  with  praying,  and 
offering  unto  them  in  the  worfchop  of  the  layntis,  that  they  be  mad« 
after ;  and  alfo  I  fhall  be  buxum  to  the  lawes  of  haly  chirche  ;  and  alfo 
1  fhall  (land  to  your  declaration  (as  to)  ivbieb  is  herefy  or  errour,  and 
do  thereafter." 

It  is  generally  held,  that  in  England  before  the  days  of  Henry  IV. 
heretics  were  not  capitally  convicted.  But  the  horrid  writ  anno  1401, 
in  Rimer's  Fcedera,  ordains  the  heretic  "  igni  committi,  et  in  eodem 
igne  realiter  comburi."  It  was  not  enough  to  pafs  through  the  fire  to 
Moloch:  Holy  Church  required  an  un-equivocal  burning.  In  Scotland, 
anno  1407,  during  the  regency  of  Robert  Duke  of  Albany,  the  clergy, 
for  the  firft  time,  ventured  on  the  experiment  of  burning  a  heretic  : 
And  it  is  remarkable  that  this  firft  victim  of  holy  feverity  was  an  Eng- 
liihman,  by  name  James  Resby  ; — "  propter  certas  conclufioncs,  qua- 
rum  prima  eft,  Papa  defatlo  non  ejl  Cbrijii  vicarius  j  Nullui  eft  Papa,  net 
Qkrifii  vicarius,  nift  fit  fanclus  :  de  talibus  et pejoribus  tenuit  XL.  conclufwna 
cujus  libri  adbuc  rcjiant  curiofeftrvanturfcr  LoiARDOS  in  Scotia."  fonL 
Contin, 


ADYTCE 


ADVYCE    TO    LUVARI3. 


£pUNBAR,  in  his  "  Lament  for  the  death  of  the  Ma- 
kers," Jlanza  i$tb,  mentions  a  MaiSter  Johns 
Clerk  as  having  been  taken  by  death 

"  Fra  ballat  making  and  trigide." 

And  in  the  Bann  MS.  we  find  this  and  the  fucceeding 
poem,  with  the  fignature,  $>uod  Clerk.  Their  file 
zV  quite-  different  from  that  of  Clerk,  the  author  of 
•f  Sir  Gawane."  It  is  therefore  probable  that  they 
are  compactions  of  the  fame  Maister  Johne  ;  as 
we  ean  hardly  fuppofe  that  before  the  year  1568,  {the 
date  of  the  Bann.  MS.)  there  had  been  a  THIRD  poet 
of  the  fame  name.^ 


Jl  ain  wald  I  luyeT  bot  quhair  about, 
Thair  is  fo  mony  luvaris  thairout, 
That  thair  is  left  no  place  to  me  j 
Quhairoff  I  levit  haif  in  dowt, 
Gif  I  fowld  luve,  or  lat  it  be. 

Sa  mony  ar  thair  ladeis  treitis, 
With  triumphand  amoros  balletis  ; 
And  dois  thair  bewties  pryfs  fo  he, 
That  I  find  nocht  but  daft  confaitis 
To  fay  of  luve — Bot  lat  it  be. 

Sum  thinks  his  lady  luftieft ; 
Sum  haldis  his  lady  for  the  befl  j 


Sum 


JAMES  IV.    I488 — 1513.  369 

Slim  fayis  his  luve  is  A  per  fe  ,• 
Bot  fum,  forfuth,  ar  fo  oppreft 
With  luve,  war  bettir  lat  it  be. 

Sum  for  his  ladyis  luve  lyes  feik, 
Suppois  fcho  compt  it  nocht  a  leik  ; 
And  fum  drowpes  down  as  he  wald  die ; 
Sum  ftreykis  down  a  threid  bair  cheik 
For  luve,  war  bettir  lat  it  be. 

Sum  luvis  lang,  and  lyes  behind  ; 

Sum  luvis,  and  freindfhip  can  nocht  fynd  ; 

Sum  feftnit  is,  and  ma  not  fle  ; 

Sum  led  is  lyk  the  belly-blynd 

With  luve,  war  bettir  lat  it  be. 

Thoch  luve  be  grene  in  gud  curaige, 
And  be  difficill  till  aflwaige, 
The  end  of  it  is  miferie. 
Mifgovernit  youth  makis  gowfty  aige, 
Forbeir  ye  mot,  and  lat  it  be. 

Bot  quha  and  fytly  wald  imprent, 
Sowld  find  his  luve  maift  permanent, 
Luve  God,  thy  prince,  and  freindy  all  thr e, 
Treit  weill  thyfelf,  and  fland  content, 
And  lat  all  uthir  luvaris  be. 

Clerk. 


Vol.  I*  A  a  a         ane  BrtASfl 


ANE  BRASH  OF  WOWING. 


I. 

In  fecret  place  this  hinder  nicht, 

I  heard  a  bairn  fay  till  a  bricht, 

My  hinny,  my  howp,  my  heart,  my  heily 

1  haif  been  lang  your  luivar  leil, 

And  can  of  you  get  comfort  nane  ; 
How  lang  will  ye  with  danger  deil  ? 

Yebiekmy  heart,  my  bony  ane. 

II. 

Quod  he,  my  heart,,  fweit  as  the  hinny", 
Sen  that  I  bora  was  of  my  minny, 
I  nevir  wouit  an  uther  but  you  ; 
My  wame  is  of  your  luve  fa  fbu, 

That  as  a  ghaift  I  glowr  and  giane,. 
I  trymbil  fa  ye  wadna  trow, 

Ye  brek  my  heart,  my  bony  ane. 

III. 

Tehei,  quod  fcho,  and  gaif  ane  gawf, 
Be  ftill  my  cowfyne.  and  my  cawf, 
My  new  fpaind  howphyn  frae  the  fouk, 
And  all  the  blythnefs  of  my  bouk, 

My  fwanky  fweet,  faif  thee  alane 
Na  leid  haif  I  luivd  all  this  owk  ; 

Fow  leis  me  on  that  graceles  gane. 

IV. 

Quod  he,  my  claver,  my  curledody, 
My  hinnyfopps,  my  fweit  poffody, 


Be 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  371 

Be  not  owre  bowftrous  to  your  billy, 
Be  warm  Jier  tit,  not  ill  willy  ; 

Your  hals  as  whyt  as  quhalis  bane, 
Gars  rife  on  loft  my  quilly-lilKe  ; 

Ye  brek  my  heart,  my  bony  ane. 

V. 

Quod  fcho,  my  clip,  my  unfpaynd  lam, 
With  mithers  milk  yit  in  your  gam, 
My  belly-hudi  om,  my  hurle-bawfy, 
My  honneyguks,  my  filler  tawfy, 

Your  pleins  wad  perfs  a  heart  of  flane  j 
Tak  comfort,  my  greit  headit  gawfy  ; 

Fou  leis  me  on  your  gracelefs  gane. 

VI. 

Quod  he,  my  kid,  my  capercalyeane, 
My  bony  bab  with  the  ruch  brilyeane, 
My  tender  girdil,  my  wally  gowdy, 
My  tirly  mirly,  my  fowdy  mowdy, 

Quhen  that  our  mouths  do  meit  in  ane, 
My  Hang  dois  cork  in  with  your  towdy  ; 

Ye  brek  my  heart,  my  bony  ane. 

VII. 

Quod  fcho,  then  tak  me  be  the  hand, 
Welcom  my  golk  of  Maryland, 
My  chirry  and  ray  maiklefs  mynyeon, 
My  fucker  fweit  as  ony  unyeon, 

My  ftrummil  ftirk  yit  now  to  fpane, 
I  am  applyd  to  your  opinyion  j 

Fou  leis  me  on  that  graceles  gane. 

VIII. 

He  gaif  till  hir  ane  aple-rnby  ; 
Gramerce,  quod  fcho,  my  kind  cowhubby  ! 

Syne 


3?  a  CHRQNICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRT 

Syne  thay  twa  till  a  play  began, 
Quhilk  that  they  call  the  dirrydan. 

Quhile  baith  thair  fancies  met  in  ane, 
O  wow  !  quoth  (he,  quhair  will  ye  man, 

Leil  leis  me  on  lhat  graceles  gane. 

Clerk. 


The  Maitiamq  MS.  afcribes  this  poem  to  Donbab, 


A    GENERAL 


A   GENERAL    SATYRE, 


• 

-  Attributed  in  the  Bann.  MS.  to  Dunbar  ;  in  the 
Maitland,  with  more  appearance  of  truth,  to  Sir 
James  Inglis  ;  the  conJlniBion  offianza,   and  divi- 

fon  of  meafure  being  conjiderably  different  fro?n  the 
manner  o/"  Dunbar.  James  Inglis,  (or  English,^ 
denominated  Sir  becaufe  he  was  a  dignified priejl,  ap- 
pears from  authentic  documents,  to  have  been  Secretary 
to  Queen  Margaret,  and  afterwards  Abbot  of 
Cujrofs.  We  muji  alfo  fuppofe  him  to  be  the  per f on 
to  whom  James  IV.  addrejfes  a  letter  on  the  fubJeSi 
of  Alchemy  ;  fee  page  311  of  this  Volun\e.  Sir 
David  Lindsay  in  his  "  Teftament  of  the  Papingo," 
written  in  1530,  commemorates  him  thus  : 

?'  Quho  can  fay  more  than  Schir  James  Englifli  fays 
"  In  balletis,  fairies,  and  in  pleafaunt  plaies  ! 
t(  Redd  in  cunnyng,  in  pra&yck  rycht  prudent ; 
*'  But  Culrofs  hath  his  pen  made  impotent.'* 

He  was  murdered  in  March  153*,  by  the  Baron  of 
Tulliallan,  who  foon  after  fujfered  decapitation  for 
the  crime.  It  has  been  already  remarked  that  Dun- 
bar muji  have  died  about,  or  foon  after  1520.  Con- 
fequently  the  fir Jl  line  of flan%a  tenth  cannot  allude  to 
the  College  of  Juftice,  injlituted  in  1532,  hut  to  the 
Lords  of  Daily  Council,  appointed  in  1503  /  and 
thus  the  poem ,  whether  by  Sir  James  Inglis,  or  by 
Dunbar,  muji  have  been  written  between  1 503  and 
1 5 13,  when  agreeable  to  Jlanza  fourteenth,  the  good 
people  of  Scotland  had  an  opportunity  of  reviling  both 
a  King  and  §hteen.  Lord  Hailf.s  feems,  therefore, 
erroneous  in  his  chronology  of  this  poem,     lie  fays  it 

muji 


374  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

mfift  have  been  written  after  the  marriage  of  James 
V.  in  1538  ;  that  is,  about  feven  years  after  the  death 
of  Sir  James  Inglis,  or  feventeeh  after  the  death  of 
Dunbar  ;  and  we  have  no  right  to  afcribe  it  to  any 
other  perfon.  Of  the  other  "  Balletis,  fairies,  an4 
plays"  mentioned  by  Sir  David  LlNDSAT,  not  a  vef. 
tige  is  now  known.'} 


I. 


D, 


"evorit  with  dreim,  devifing  in  my  fluiriber, 
How  that  this  realme,  with  nobillis  out  of  number 
Gydit,  provydit  fa  mony  years  hes  bene ; 
And  now  fie  hunger,  fie  cowartis.  and  fie  cumber, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 


II. 

£ic  pryd  with  prellattis,  fo  few  till  preiche  and  pray, 
Sic  hant  of  harlottis  with  thame,  bayth  nicht  and  day. 
That  fowld  haif  ay  thair  God  afore  thair  ene, 
So  nice  array,  fo  ltrange  to  thair  abbay, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 


HI, 

So  mony  preiftis  cled  up  in  fecular  weid, 
With  blaring  breiftis  calling  thair  claiths  on  breid, 
It  is  no  need  to  tell  of  quhome  I  mene, 
Sa  few  to  reid  the  dargey,  and  the  beid, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

IV. 

So  mony  maifleris,  fo  mony  guckit  clerkis, 
So  mony  weftaris,  to  God  and  all  his  warkis, 
So  fyry  fparkis,  of  difpyt  fro  the  fplene, 


Sic 


JAMES  IV.  I488— 1 513,  ||| 

Sic  lofin  farkis,  fo  mony  glengour  markis, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

V. 

So  mony  lords,  fo  mony  naturall  fules, 
That  bettir  aceordis  to  play  thame  at  the  trulis, 
Nor  ftanche  the  dulis  that  commons  dois  fuftene  $" 
New  tane  fra  fculis,  fo  mony  anis  and  mulis, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

VI. 

Sa  meikle  treflbne,  fa  mony  partial  fawis, 
Sa  littill  reflone,  to  help  the  common  cawis, 
That  all  the  lawis  ar  not  fet  by  ane  bene  ; 
Sic  fenyiet  flaw  is,  fa  mony  waft  it  wawis, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

VII. 

Sa  mony  theivis  and  murderts  weil  kend, 
Sa  grit  releivis  of  lords  thame  to  defend, 
Becauis  they  fpend  the  pelf  thame  betwene  ; 
Sa  few  till  wend  this  mifcheif  till  amend, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

VIII. 

This  to  corre£t,  they  fchow  with  mony  crakkis, 
But  littil  efFecl  of  fpeir  or  battar  ax, 
Quhen  curage  lakkis  the  corfs  that  fould  mak  kene  ; 
Sa  mony  jakkis,  and  brattis  on  beggaris  bakkis, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

IX. 

Sic  vant  of  wouflours  with  hairtis  in  findrie  ftatures, 
Sic  brallaris  and  bofteris,  degenerait  fra  their  natures, 
And  fie  regratouris,  the  pure  men  to  prevene  ; 

Sa 


yt6  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY* 

Sa  mony  traytouris,  fa  mony  rubeatouris, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

Sa  mony  jugeis  and  lords  now  maid  of  late  ; 
Sa  fmall  refugeis  the  pure  man  to  debait  ; 
Sa  mony  eft  ate,  for  commoun  weil  fa  quhene? 
Owre  all  the  gait,  fa  mony  thevis  fa  tait, 
Within  this  land  was  nevii  hard  nor  fene. 

XI. 

Sa  mony  ane  fentence  retreitit,  for  to  win 
Geir  and  acquentarrce,  or  kyndnefs  of  thair  kin  ; 
Thay-think  no  fin,  quhair  proffeit  cumis  betwene ; 
Sa  mony  a  gin,  to  haifl  thame  to  the  pin, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

XI  I. 

Sic  knavis  and  crakkaris,  to  play  at  carts  and  dyce, 
Sic  halland-fcheckaris,  quhilk  at  Cowkelbyis  gryce, 
Are  haldin  of  pryce,  when  lvjjjaris  do  convene, 
Sic  itore  of  vyce,  fa  mony  wittis  unwyfe, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

XIII. 

Sa  mony  merchandis,  fa  mony  aythis  fworne, 
Sic  pure  tenandis,  fie  courfing  evin  and  morn, 
Quhilk  flayis  the  corn,  and  frucl:  that  growis  grene : 
Sic  fkaith  and  fcorne,  fa  mony  paitlattis  worne, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

XIV. 

Sa  mony  rackettis,  fa  mony  ketche-pillaris  ; 

Sic  ballisj  fie  nachettis,  and  fie  tutivillaris, 

And  fie  evil-willaris  to  fpeik  of  King  and  Quene, 

Sic 


-< 


james  iv.  1488— 1513.       377 

Sic  pudding-fillaris,  defcending  doun  fronl  miliaria, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

XV. 

Sic  farthingaillis  on  flaggis  als  fatt  as  quhailis, 
Sic  faceit  lyk  fules  with  hattis  that  littil  availis  j 
And  fie  fowill  tailis  to  fweip  the  caufay  clene, 
The  duft  upfkaillis,  mony  fillok  with  faik  falis, 
Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 

XVI. 

Sa  mony  ane  Kittie,  drefl  up  with  goldin  chenye ; 

Of  Satan's  feinye  fie  arte  unfell  menye 

With  apill-renyeis  ay  fhaWand  thair  femblance  fchene. 

Sa  few  witty,  that  weil  can  fabillis  fenyie, 

Within  this  land  was  nevir  hard  nor  fene. 


St.  a.  1.  I.  "  Prellatis,  fo  few  till  prciche  and  pray."  For  illuflration 
•f  this  charge,  fee  preface  to  Archbifliop  Hamilton's  Catecbifm  1553, 
&nd  the  firft  book  of  Knox's  Hiftory. 

— —  1.  2.  **  Sic  hant  of  harlottis  with  thame  bayth  nicht  and  day.'* 
Lord  Hailes,  miflaking  the  chronology  of  this  poem,  had  an  op- 
portunity of  introducing  the  following  curious  commentary  on  this 
line.  David  Bethune,  Abbot  of  Aberbrothock  in  1525,  afterwards 
Archbifliop  of  St  Andrew's,  and  a  Cardinal  under  the  title  of  Sanfli 
Stepbani  in  Coelio  Monte,  had  three  baftards  legitimated  in  one  day ;  Rec 
b.  26.  No.  330.  William  Stewart,  Bifhop  of  Aberdeen,  from  153* 
to  1545,  had  a  baflard  fon  legitimated ;  ibid.  b.  28.  No.  360.  Willi- 
am  Chisolme,  Bifhop  of  Dumblane,  from  1527  to  1564,  gave  great 
portions  to  his  baflard  fon  and  two  baflard  daughters ;  Keith,  Catalogue 
of  Scottifh  Bifhops,  p.  105.  Alexander  Stewart,  Bifhop  of  Moray, 
from  1527  to  1534*  had  a  baflard  daughter  legitimated ;  Rec.  b.  30. 
No.  116. :  and  a  baflard  fon  legitimated;  ibid.  b.  30.  No.  374.  But 
they  were  all  excelled  by  Patrick  Hepburn,  Bifhop  of  Moray,  from 
1535  until  the  Reformation,  for  he  had  fivt  baflard  fons  all  legitimated 
in  one  day;  ibid.  b.  30.  No.  585.:  and  two  baflard  daughters,  b.  30. 
No.  572.  Such  were  the  goodly  fruits  of  clerical  celibacy  !  They  among 
the  reformed  who  looked  back  to  Rome,  always  revered  the  pure  poli- 
tic celibacy  of  that  church. 

Vol.  I.  B  b  b  St.  2, 


37^  CHRONICLE!    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

St.  2. 1.  4-  "  So  Grange  to  thair  abbay."  The  practice  of  holding 
benefices  in  commendam,  became  prevalent  under  the  reign  of  James  IV. 
Of  this  there  are  various  examples  in  Epifiolce  Reg.  Sett.  vol.  I.  From 
that  period  until  the  Reformation,  benefices  were,  by  a  fhort-fighted 
policy,  heaped  on  the  relations  or  the  retainers  of  the  nobility:  mean- 
time, learning,  morals,  and  even  difcipline,  were  neglected.  A  clergy 
without  knowledge  and  without  virtue,  could  neither  withstand  the 
affaults  of  innovators,  nor  maintain  authoiity  over  the  minds  of  the 
people. 

St.  3.  1  1.  '«  Cled  up  in  fecular  weid."  This  affectation  of  wearing 
the  drefs  of  laymen  was  very  ancient.  The  Scottiih  Canon  XI.  annu 
114a,  ordains,  "  That  the  Clergy  fhall  be  decently  arrayed,  both  in  the 
ftate  of  their  minds,  and  in  the  drefs  of  their  perfons;  that  they  Ihall 
not  wear  red,  or  green,  or  tartan  attire,  nor  doathes  remarkable  for 
their  fhortnefs.  Vicars  too,  and  priefts,  fhall  have  their  garments  clofe 
above ;  they  fhall  wear  a  fuitable  tonfure,  left  they  offend  the  fight  of 
beholders,  to  whom  they  mould  be  a  pattern  and  example.  But  if  they 
fhall  refute  to  amend  when  admonifhed  by  the  Ordinaries,  they  fhall  be 
fufpended  from  their  office,"  &c. 

St.  4. 1.  1.  "  So  mony  maiferis,  fo  mony  guelit  "  clerkis."  So  many 
matters  of  arts  among  the  clergy,  and  yet  fuch  general  ignorance.  Guilt 
gozvd  is  properly  the  enckow. 

1  3.     "  Of  difpyt  fro  the  fplene."     From  the  fpleen ;  and  the 

fenfe  of  the  expreffion  feems  to  be,  fo  thoroughly  infolent  and  over- 
bearing. 

1.  4.    «  Lofin  farks."    So  many  loft  fhirts;  fuch  petty  larceny  ? 

"  Glergour  markis."     Luis  venerea  indicia. 

St.  $.  1.  %.  "  To  play  thame  at  the  trulis."  This  is  obfenre.  Trouil% 
in  the  dialect  of  Poitou,  means  a  fpindle  :  fo  that  to  play  at  the  trulis, 
may  imply  to  hold  the  diftaff,  to  amufe  one  felf  in  female  occupations. 

St.  6.  1.  t.  "  Sa  mony  partial  /aiuei.u  So  many  partial  fentences  or 
decrees. 

1.  4.    "  Sic  fenyet  fiatois"     Poffibly  pretended  defects  in  the 

title-deeds  of  eftates,  ufed  as  an  engine  of  oppreffion  ;  or  it  may  mean 
falfe  tales  in  general. 

St.  8. 1. 1.  —3.  The  Nobles  loudly  declared  their  refolutions  to  reme- 
dy this  grievance  ;  but  they  are  like  cowards,  who  arm  while  they  dare 
not  fight. 

St.  9. 1.  I.  "  Vant  of  locvfere."  A  wofter  is  ufed  in  Pierce  Ploiuman 
for  a  tbrafo,  or  milet  gioriofus.  It  is  the  fame  as  ioa/Itr.  In  modern 
Englifh,  b  and  w  are  often  reciprocal  letters. 

1.  3.     "  Regratourit."      Engroffers  and    foreftallers ;  of  whofe 

offences,  moftly  imaginary,  the  ftatutc.book  ia  both  kingdoms  is  full. 

Sfa.*?. 


james  iv.  1488 — 1513.  •  379 

St.  10. 1.  %.  "  Sa  fmall  refugeb  the  pure  man  to  debait."  As  if  he 
had  faid,  "  Such  little  quirks  to  lay  the  poor  man  low."  Refuge,  in 
Cotgnw,  is  faid  to  be  demurrer. 

1.  3.    -  For  common  weil  fa  quhene."      So  few  zealous  for  the 

public  good.     We  ftill  ufe  tuhcent  in  the  fenfe  of  a  few. 

i.  4.    "  Sa  mony  thevis  fa  tail."     Probably  tate,  tyte,  ready  and 

expedite  in  every  highway  :  So  many  active  thieves. 

St.  II.  1. 1.  **  Sa  mony  ane  fentencc  rttreitlt  for  to  win,"  &c.  So 
many  judgements  reverfed  in  order  to  obtain  money,  or  the  friendfhip 
and  patronage  of  the  parties. 

I.  4.     M  Haift  thame  to  the  pin."    So  many  devices  to  forward 

their  preferment.     Pin  is  point  or  pinnacle. 

St  12. 1.  2.  w  Sic  balland-fcbeckaris."  From  builkns,  rags,  and  Jhalers  ; 
a  word  ftill  ufed  to  exprefs  1  beggarly  knave. . 

'  I.  a.  "  Quhilk  at  Cowielbyis gryce."  This  alludes  to  a  popu- 
lar poem  preferved  in  the  Bann.  MS.  One  Cowkelbe  had  a  black 
/ow  which  he  fold  for  three  pennies.  He  loft  one  of  thofe  pennies  ;  it 
was  found  by  a  perfon  who  purchafed  a  pig  with  it.  A  very  numerous 
company  was  invited  to  feaft  upon  this  pig.  The  guefts  are  enumerat- 
ed m  the  tale.  It  would  be  tirefome  to  mention  them  ;  they  are,  in  ge- 
neral, wicked,  lewd,  and  diforderly  perfons  ot  every  degree.  The  lift 
is  thus  doled  up, 

"  And  twa  lerit  men  thairhy, 

.'•  Schir  Ochir,  and  Schir  Simony." 

which,  as  I  underftand  it,  would  be  thus  exprefTed  in  modern  language: 
•'  And  alfo  two  learned  perfonages,  the  Reverend  Da.  Usurv,  and  the 
Reverend  Dr  Simony." 

The  poem  is  tedious,  and  as  to  verfification,  below  contempt.  It 
contains,  however,  fome  curious  particulars  concerning  the  manners  of 
the  vulgar;  and  muft  be  of  confiderable  antiquity.  Gawin  Douglas, 
in  his  Palue  of  Honour,  written  in  1501,  mentions  it  among  other  re- 
nowned hiftories,  fuch  as  Robene  Hude,  Ralph  Colyear,  Fyn  MacCovi!, 
&c.  that  were  recited  by  the  ancient  bards  tor  the  entertainment  of  our 
forefathers.  The  following  lift  of  the  fafhionqblc  dances  may  be  accep- 
table to  the  Mufical  Antiquary  : 

Than  all  the  menftralis,  attonis, 
Blew  up  and  playit  for  the  nonis, 
Shepherdis,  nolt-herdis, 
And  fwynherdis  out-gerdis. 
Ane  led  the  daDs  and  began, 
Play  us  foly  Lemman ; 
Sum  trottit  Iras  andtrevafi, 
Sum  balterit  The  Bafs ; 
Sum  Perdelly,  fum  Trolly  lully. 

Suip 


380  CHRONICLE   OF  SCOTTISH  POETRY. 

Sum  Cok  crate  thoixi  quhill  day% 
Ttoys-bani,  and  Terivay. 
Sum  Ltncolmc,  fum  LinJfay, 
Sum  Lemman,  dawis  it  nocht  day  ; 
Sum  Be  yon  tvode-ftde  fingis, 
Sum  Lait  lait  on  evinnyngh  ; 
Sum  movit  moil  Mai  revill, 
Sum  Symontfonnis  of  Qubynfcll ; 
Sum  Maijler  Pier  de  Conyate  ; 
And  udir  fum  in  confaite 
At  lcfer  dreffit  to  dans 
Sum  Our-futt,  fum  Our-brant. 
Sum  Rujly  bully  with  a  bck, 
And  eviry  noce  in  udiris  nek; 
Sum  the  Tane  of  Tartary, 
Sum  the  Soldan  of  Surry. 
Than  all  arrayit  in  a  ring, 
Danfit  My  deir  darlyng. 

The  reader  will  now  understand  who  they  were, 

■  "  quhilk  at  Cowkelbyis  gryce 
u  Are  halden  of  pryce,  when  lymaris  do  convene." 

Limmer  is  fuppofed  to  mean  mungrill.  It  is  here  underftood  of  every 
worthlefs  perfon.  In  the  modern  Scottifh  language,  it  is  fuppofed  to 
mean  a  loofe  woman  ;  and  indeed,  if  Lye's  derivation  of  the  word  in 
his  additions  to  Jomvs  be  right,  that  was  its  original  and  proper  figni- 
fication. 

St.  13. 1.  2.  "  Sic  curftng  even  and  morn."  Such  conftant  courCng 
or  hunting  with  greyhounds,  as  appears  from  the  context. 

— —  1.  4.  "  Sa  mony  paitlattis  worne."  Parpailautty  pat  telet,  parte- 
lot,  is  a  woman's  ruff.  In  page  324  of  this  volume,  line  11,  the  word 
pamprette  ought  probably  to  be  parplet,  or  partelot,  a  word  ufed  by 
Gavin  Doiclas;  corrupted  apparently  from  Chaucer's  popelote, 
which  Tyrrwhitt  fays  may  be  confidered  as  a  diminutive  of  the 
French  ptuple,  or  the  Latin  pupula,  a  puppet ;  or  as  a  corruption  of  pa- 
pellot,  a  butterfly  ;  in  either  fenfe  Signifying  a  young  wench,  comptula, 
delicatula.  Pamprette  might,  however,  be  formed  to  fignify  a  baccha- 
nalian nymph,  from  the  French  pampre,  decked  with  vine  leaves. 

St.  14. 1. 1.  "  Sa  mony  ractetth."  Chaucer,  Teflament  of  love,  p. 
<8».  ufes  the  phrafe,  "  playing  raiet,"  for  being  inconftant.  If  the 
word  is  here  taken  in  that  fenfe,  the  meaning  is,  fo  much  inconftancy 
either  in  private  life,  or  in  political  principles. 

— —  1.  r.  "  Sa  mony  ketcbe-plllarh."  Probably  a  corruption  of  the 
French  gafpilfar,  a  fpendthrift    Mait.  MS.  reads  taitbaris  and  gillarist 

which 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  381 

which  from  the  Ang.  Sax.  and  Ifl.  may  Ggnify  oftentatiotu  and  clamo- 
rous talkers. 

St.  14. 1. 1.  "  NattcttU."  A  nacqutt,  in  French,  is  a  lad  who  marks 
at  tennis.     It  is  now  ufed  for  an  infignificant  perfon. 

— —  1.  4.  «  futivillaris"  Junius  in  etymol.  voc.  Tromperies,  has  the 
following  note :  "  Res  nihili,  things  of  no  -worth,  olim  titivilitia  puto  dic- 
ta ;  prout  antiquis  titi-vilitierum  nomen  denotabat  fila  pmrida,  quae  de 
colo  cadunt,  plurefque  id  genus  res  vilifiimas,  quas  proborum  mercimo- 
niorum  loco  fimplicioribus  obtrudunt  impoftores." 

Among  the  other  guefts  at  Cockelbe's  feaft,  there  is  a  tuttivillus. 
This  {hews  how  loofc  our  orthography  was  while  there  were  few  books, 
and  men  fpelt  by  the  ear. 

1.  4.     "  Sic  pudding-fillars   defcending  doun   from   tnillarh" 

Such  gluttons  defcended  of  miliars,  feems  to  be  perfonal  fatire,  and,  at 
this  diftance  of  time,  inexplicable.  H,  Probably  the  poet  had  in  his 
eye  the  following  ftory,  related  by  Winton. 

Dunkan  be  nay  me,  intil  Scotlande, 
Sex  wyntir  ful  was  kyng  regnande. 
He  gat  tua  fonnys  of  lauchful  bede ; 
Yit  nevirtheles,  in  his  youtheide, 
As  he  paft  apon  a  day, 
Intil  huntyng  hym  to  play, 
With  honeft  cowrt  and  company, 
On  his  gamyn  al  thouchty, 
The  liable,  and  the  fetis  fet  ; 
Hymfelf  with  bow,  and  brcflet  ; 
Fra  flak  til  hil,  our  holme  and  hicht, 
He  travalit  al  day,  quhil  the  nycht 
Hym  partit  fra  his  company. 
Than  was  he  wil  of  herbery, 
Yit  nevirtheles,  fwa  waverand  wil, 
He  hapnyt  to  cum  to  the  myl 
Of  Fortevyat  the  myller, 
That  hym  reffavit,  on  gud  maner, 
Til  met,  and  drynk,  and  til  herbery  ; 
And  fervit  hym  richt  curtafly. 

Thi3  myllar  had  a  douchtyr  fayr,- 
That  to  the  kyng  had  oft  repayr. 
That  til  her  fadyr  difpleyflit  noucht  \ 
To  be  relevit  for  that  he  tboucht. 
Of  that  repayr  bathe  he  and  fcho, 
His  wil  the  bettyr  was  tharto  : 
§a  fcho  broucht  hym  a  preffande, 
That  fcho  trowit  til  hym  pleyfande. 
Hir,  and  hir  prefande,  thankfully 
He  reffavit,  and  curtafly. 

An* 


5$2  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

And  char  he  cheyfit  that  woman 
To  be  fra  thyne  hij  luffi    .eman. 
That  ilk  ny'rht,  that  the  kyng 
Tiik    nth  themyller  th;<  reftyng, 
Into  bede  withe  hir  he.  lay, 
And  gat  on  ltir  a  fon  or  day  ;  _ 

That  was  Malcolm  of  Scotlande, 
Tharefter  crownyt  kyng  regn*nde. 

St.  15. 1. 1.  "  Sic  farthippfalhs."  From  the  Fr.  verdugalle,  a  corrup. 
tlon  u.  vertu-garde,  a  hoop  petticoat.  It  wih  icrcely  he  believed  in  this 
age.  that  in  the  laft,  the  city  ladies  reformed  th^ir  heieditary  far?v  'rig- 
ales,  after  the  Scottifh  fafhion.  In  a  comeuy  called  Eafl-wari  H*e, 
Act  1.  Doosley's  Collection  of  old  plays,  vol.  4.  p.  155.  157.  "  En- 
ter Foldavy,  a  French  tailor,  with  a  Scottifh  farthingale  and  a  French 
fall  in  his  arms."  Mildred  fays,  "  Tailor  Poldavy,  prythee  6t,  fit  it« 
Is  this  a  right  Scot  ?  Does  it  clip  clofe  ?  and  bear  up  round  ?" 

I.  I.    "  On  jlaggis."     On  flanks  as  fac  as  the  fides  of  a  whale. 

1.  a.    "  Hattis  fiat  little  avail"     Of  little  avail,  or  little  worth, 

according  to  the  Scottifh  idiom,  means  more  than  a  negative  ;  not  ufe- 
lefs,  but  highly  cenfurable.  This  line  probably  alludes  to  the  drefs  of 
tht  women,  who  covered  their  faces  in  fuch  a  manner  as  to  call  for  the 
fage  interpofition  of  the  lcgiflature;  Act  70.  James  II.  That  ftatute 
provides,  "  That  no  woman  cum  to  kirk  nor  mercac  (into  places  of 
public  refort)  with  her  face  muffaled  or  covered,  that  fcho  may  not  be 
kend."     See  p.  123  of  this  vol. 

This  Act  of  Parliament  to  the  contrary  notwithstanding,  the  ladies 
continued  muffaled  during  three  reigns.  In  the  days  of  James  V.  SiK 
David  Lindsat  thus  cenfures  them. 

Quhen  thay  go  to  quyet  places, 


"  I  thame  excufe  to  hide  thair  faces, 
"  Quhen  thay  wald  make  collatioun 
"   With  onie  luftk  compattyeoun  ; 
"  Bot  in  the  kirk  and  market-places, 
"  I  think  thay  fuld  not  hide  thdr  faces.'' 

— - —  1.  3.  *  And  Gc/oul  tailis  to  fweip  the  caufy  clene."  The  enor- 
mity of  long  trains  was  provided  againft  by  the  fame  ftatute  of  James 
II.  "  That  na  woman  wear  tailes  unfit  in  length."  The  legiflature 
has  not  determined  what  tails  were  fit  in  length  ;  that  perhaps  may  be 
gathered  from  a  mandate  iffued  by  a  Papal  legate  in  Germany  to  the 
nations  under  his  care  :  "  Tht  veils  likewife  of  worm  n,  which  were  al- 
lowed them  as  a  token  of  modclly,  but  which  are  now,  by  their  folly, 
grown  into  an  article  of  lafcivioufi:  fs  and  luxury;  and  the  immoderate 
length  of  their  petticoats  and  cloaks,  by  which  »^ey  fweep  the  duft, 
fhall  be  reftrained  to  a  moderate  lcngtl  ,  as  bee  mi. s  he  modefty  of  the 
fex,  by  fentence  of  excommunication,"    Tranfcribcd  from  a  MS.  of  the 

14th 


JAMES  IV.    148'$— 1 5  13.  383 

14th  century  by  L udewig,  Reliq.  diplem .  torn.  2.  p  441.  This  man- 
date docs  not  precifely  aicerrahi  tlic  orthodox  ftancUrd  of  pettic  ; 
but  as  it  excommunicates  the  "  tailes  to  fwepe  the  oufy  clene,"  .tad 
fays  that  the  moderate  ufe  of  petticoats,  for  modefty'.  fake,  is  to  >e  ju 
doited,  it  may  be  concluded,  that  ladies  who  covered  their  feet  wtare" 
fufficiently  conformifts:  an  inch  or  two  lefs  might  be  ii:?modeftv,  aa 
inch  or  two  moiv  might  be  vanity. 

what  .ffedls  fallowed  from  this  provifional  fentence  »f  excommuni- 
cation, I  have  not  learnt :  certain  it  is,  that  the  Scottifh  Act  ox  Partta- 
ment  agauift  'ong  tails,  was  equally  fruitlefs  with  that  .gainft  mSffaJ- 
ing;  for  in  the  reign  of  James  V  Six  David  Lindsav  wrote  a.lonjr 
poem,  called,  "  An  fupplication  diredttc  from  Sir  David  Linbksat 
of  the  Mont,  Knicht,  to  the  Kingis  Grace,  in  contemptiouti  of  fydc 
tailiis." 

St.  15.  1.  3.  "  Fillok.'^  I  cannot  explain  this  better  than  in  the  words 
of  Horace. 

«*  Quae,  velut  latis  equa  trima  campis, 
"  Ludit  exultim,  metuitque  tangi 
"  Nuptiarum  expers,  et  adhuc  protervo 
M  Cruda  marito." 

St.  16. 1. 1.  "  Sa  mony  ane  Kittle  dreft  up  with  goldin  chenye." 
As  if  he  had  faid,  "  So  many  whores  with  golden  <hains  adorned." 
Sometimes  Kittle  feems  to  import  a  giddy  young  woman,  though  not 
difLIute.     It  is  nor  uncommon  to  ufe  che  caufe  for  the  effecl. 

——1.  2.  "  Ot  Satan's  feinye,  fie  ane  unfell  menye."  In  words 
derived  from  the  French,  ending  with  what  is  called  the  *  mute,  our  an- 
ceftors  were  wont  to  give  the  e  ftronger  found  than  wht  the  French 
did.  The  Dutch  are  lliil  diftinguiflied  for  this,  pronunciation.  Thus 
they  pronounce  eaurte  faille,  as  if  it  was  written  courteb  paiHeb,  and  be- 
fogne'  carogne,  nearly  *«,  if  they  were  written  befogna,  carogna.  In  like 
manuer  w<*,  from  foigne,  chaine,  falne,  (Lat.  fanietj  compofed  foinye 
chenye fulnye,  or  fenye.  The  fame  word  in  the  fame  fenfe  occurs,  Dun- 
bar's Invective,  flanza  8. 1.  3.  Upon  the  fame  principle,  dotufy  peiris 
Jauze paires.  See  Scot's  Jutting,  ftanza  2  1.  2.  The  learned  gloflator 
on  Gavin  Douglas  is  at  a  lofs  what  to  make  ot  the  word  fen  in  the 
defcription  of  harpies. 

"  Bot  the  vile  bellyis  of  thay  curfit  fchrewis, 
"  Haboundis  of  fen  maifl  abhominabill. 

He  fays  "  It  may  be  an  error  both  in  print  and  MS.  for  fent,  fmell." 
It  is,  in  truth,  nothing  but  the  Frenchyi/Vir  or  fames  abridged,  z%fenye\% 
the  fame  word  extended.  tlnfell  13  from  the  Ang.  Sax.  unfaelig,  un- 
happy.   The  Goitticfel  and  unfel  fignify  good  and  bad. 

The 


384  CHRONICLE   OF  SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

The  meaning  then  of  ftanza  16. 1.  4.  is,  "  Such  an  unhallowed  com' 
pany  fprung  from  the  corruption  of  Satan." 

It  has  been  fuggefled,  that  fcinye  in  our  old  language  means  fymd- 
This  interpretation  makes  good  fenfe,  and  is  confirmed  by  Knox,  p.  63. 
The  reader  will  determine  whether  it  or  the  other  contains  the  moft 
probable  fenfe  of  the  paffage. 

St.  16.  1.  3.  "  With  ttpill-renytis  ay  fliawand  thair  femblance  fchene." 
/Lpill-rtnyrit,  firings  of  an.ber-beads.  The  French  phrafe  *•  f>»mmi 
J'ambre*  means  an  amber  head,  in  fhape  and  colour  like  an  apple.  By 
analogy  or  imitation,  the  word  a  fill,  or  apple,  feems  to  have  had  the 
fame  fenfe  with  us. 

The  fafhion  of  wearing  amber  necklaces,  by  degrees,  went  down  a- 
mong  the  lower  fort  of  people  in  Scotland ;  it  is  now  almoft  exploded 
even  among  them.  I  fuppofe  fome  future  age  will  be  to  fetk  among 
the  vulgar  for  the  definition  of  cardinal:  and  cafueine,  while  curches 
(tenvre-cbtf)  and  plaids  again  cover  the  head  and  fhoulders  of  a  woman 
of  fafhion. 

It  ought  to  have  been  mentioned  in  the  introduction  to  this  poem, 
that  Sir  James  Inglis,  in  a  charter  dated  9th  Sept.  J527,  is  deDgncd 
Chancellor  of  the  Royal  Chapel  of  Stirling. 


GAVfif 


GAVIN    DOUGLAS. 


*The  only  remaining  Poet  of  this  reign,  wLofe  name 
and  works  are  known,  is  Gavin  Douglas,  the  third 
Jon  of  Archibald,  the  fifth  Earl  of  Angus.  He  was 
horn  in  147  5  ,•  was  Reclor  of  the  church  of  Hawick  in 
I496  ;  and  in  <  509  Dean  of  the  collegiate  church  of  St 
Giles,  Edinburgh.  By  the  ^ueen  Regent,  who  had 
married  his  nephew  the  Earl  of  Angus,  he  was  recdm- 
mended  in  1514  ft)  the  Ahhay  of  Aherhrothwick,  and  al- 
fo  to  the  fee  of  St.  Andrews  ;  hut,  partly  by  violence,  and 
partly  by  intrigue,  he  was  difappointed  of  both.  He 
ivas  next  prefented  to  the  fee  of  Dunkeld ;  and  a  re- 
conciliation at  lafl  taking  place  between  the  ®>ueen  and 
the  Earl  of  Angus  on  the  one  part,  and  the  Regent  Al- 
bany on  the  other,  Gavin  Douglas  entered  into  pof- 
fejjion  of  the  Bifhopric  in  15 16.  The  particulars  of  his 
public  life  form  a  conjiderable  portion  of  the  Scottiflj 
hijlory  from  1514*0  1 5  2  2,  when  he  died  of  the  plague 
at  London. 

His  works  now  extant  are,  "The Palace  of  Honour," 
compofed  in  1501,  and  a  "  Tranflation  o"  Virgil's 
Eneid,'?  fini/hed  in  1513  ;  both  of  them  fir  J]  printed  at 
London  in  1553.  An  allegorical  poem  called  King 
Hart  is  alfo  afcribed  to  him  in  the  M  ait  land  Collec- 
tion of  poems.  His  other  works,  fuppofed  now  to  be 
lofil,  are,  i.  A  tranflation  of  Ovid's  Book  "  De  Re- 
meriio  Amoris."  2.  Corncdise  Sacrae.  3.  Aurese 
Narrationes. 

Vol.  I.  Ccc  THE 


THE   FALICE   OF   HONOUR. 


[The  author,  in  a  vijion,  finds  himfelf  in  a  wildernefs, 
where  he  fees  troops  of  perfons  travelling  to  the  Pa- 
lace of  Honour.  He  joins  himfelf  to  the  train  of  the 
M.ufes,  and  in  their  company  proceeds  to  the  happy 
place.  In  his  lafl  adventure  he  feems  to  allude  to  the 
law  of  Celibacy.  The  habitation  of  the  honourable 
ladies  is  furrounded  by  a  deep  ditch,  over  which  is  a 
narrow  bridge,  fuppofed  to  reprefent  the  ceremony  of 
marriage.  Upon  his  attempting  to  pafs  over  by  this 
bridge,  he  falls  into  the  water ,  and  awakes  from  his 

dream- 

■ 

This  allegorical  poem,  Hie  many  other  modern  fables^ 
is  liable  to  the  charge  of  prolixity.  In  particular,  it 
is  overloaded,  according  to  the  pratlice  of  that  time, 
with  tedious  regiflers  of  clafjical  names,  to  fhow  that 
the  author  had  not  gone  to  fchool for  nothing.  Mofl 
ofthefe  are  here  left  out :  alfo,  two  or  three  godly  pa- 
rabolical digrejfions  ,•  it  is  hoped,  without  injury  tq 
the  poem.'} 


I. 

v<uhen  paill  Aurora  with  face  lamentabili 
Her  ruffet  mantill  bordeiit  all  with  fabill, 
Lappit  about,  be  hevinly  circumflance, 
The  tender  bed  and  aires  honorabill 
Of  Flora  quene  till  flowris  amiabill, 
In  May  I  rais  to  do  my  obfervance  : 
And  entevit  in  a  gardyne  of  plefance 
With  fol  depaint,  as  Paradice  dele&abil, 
And  blifsfull  bewis,  with  ulomed  varyance. 


II. 


JAMES  IV.  I488—I513.  387 

II. 

Sa  craftily  dame  Flora  had  ouir  fret 

Hir  hevinly  bed,  powderit  with  mony  a  fet 

Of  ruby,  topas,  perle  and  emerant ; 

With  balmy  dew,  bathit  and  keyndlie  wet ; 

Quhill  vapours  hote,  richt  frefche  and  weil  ybet, 

Dulce  of  odour,  of  flour  maift  fragrant, 

The  filver  dropis  on  dafies  diftillant : 

Quhilk  verdour  branches  ouir  the  alars  yet, 

With  fmoky  fence  the  myflis  reflecTtanC 
III. 

The  fragrand  flowris  bloumand  in  thair  feis, 

Ouirfpred  the  levis  of  natures  tapeflries  ; 

Abone  the  quhilk  with  hevinly  harmonies 

The  birdis  fat  on  twiftis  and  on  greis, 

Melodioufly  makand  thair  kyndlie  gleis, 

Whaife  fchill  nottis  foidinned  all  the  lkyis. 

Of  repurcuft  air  the  echo  cryis  ; 
Amang  the  branches  of  the  blomit  tries, 

And  on  the  laurers  filver  droppis  lyis. 

IV. 
Quhill  that  I  rowmed  in  that  Paradice, 
Replenifchit,  and  full  of  all  delice, 
Out  of  the  fey  Eolus  alift  his  heid, 
I  mene  the  hors  whilk  drawis  at  device 
The  afliltrie  and  goldin  chair  of  price 
Of  Tytan  ;  whilk  at  morrow  feemis  reid  ; 
The  new  colour  that  all  the  nicht  lay  deid 
Is  reflorit.     Baith  fowllis,  flowris,  and  rice, 
Recomfort  was,  throw  Phebus  gudlyheid. 

V. 
The  dafy  and  the  maryguld  unlappit, 
Quhilks  all  the  nicht  lay  with  their  levis  happit, 
Thame  to  referve  fra  rewmes  pungitive. 
The  umbrate  trees  that  Tytan  about  wappit 
War  portrait,  and  on  the  eirth  yfchappit, 

Be 


388  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETR*. 

Be  goldin  bemis  viuificative 

Quhais  amene  heit  is  raaift  reftorative. 

The  grefhoppers  amangis  the  vergers  gnappit, 

And  beis  wrocht  material  for  thair  hyve. 

VI. 
Richt  hailfome  was  the  feffoun  of  the  yeir, 
Phebus  farth  yet  depured  bemis  clear, 
Maift  nutritive  till  all  things  vegetant. 
God  Eolus  of  wind  lift  nocht  appear, 
Nor  auld  Saturne  with  his  mortal  fpeir, 
And  bad  afpeft  contrair  till  evrie  plant. 
Neptunus  nold  within  that  palice  hant. 
The  beriall  itremis  rynning,  men  micht  heir, 
By  bankis  grene  with  glancis  variant. 

VII. 
For  till  behald  that  hevinly  place  complete, 
The  purgit  air  with  new  engenderit  heit, 
The  fol  enbroued  with  colour  ure,  and  (tone ; 
The  tender  grene,  the  balmy  droppis  fweit, 
Sa  rejoycit  and  comfort  was  my  fpreit, 
I  not  was  it  a  vifion  or  fantone. 
Amyd  the  bufkis  rowming  myne  alone, 
Within  that  garth,  of  all  plefance  repleit, 
A  voice  I  hard  preclair  as  Phebus  fchone, 

VIII. 
Singand,  O  May  !   thow  mirrour  of  folefs, 
Maternall  moneth,  lady  and  maiitres, 
Till  evrie  thing  adown  refpirature, 
Thyne  hevinlie  werk  and  worthie  craftinefs 
The  fmall  herbis  conftranis  till  incres. 
O  verray  ground  till  werking  of  nature  ! 
Quhais  hie  curage  and  aflucurat  cure 
Caufis  the  eirth  his  fruits  till  expres, 
Diffundant  grace  oa  everie  creature. 


) 


:hy 


JAMES  IV.    1488 — 1513.  389 

IX. 

Thy  gudly  lore,  cunning  incomparabill, 
Dantis  the  favage  beiftis  maifl  unftabill, 
And  expellis  all  that  nature  infeilis. 
The  knoppit  fyonis  with  levis  agreeabill, 
For  till  revert  and  burgione  ar  maid  abill. 
Thy  mirth  refrefches  byrdis  in  thair  neftis, 
Quhilkis  the  to  praife  and  nature  neuer  reftis  : 
Confeffand  yow  maift  potent  and  lowabill 
Amang  the  brownis  of  the  olive  twiftis. 

X. 
In  the  is  rute  and  agment  of  curage, 
In  the  enforces  Martis  vaffalage  j 
In  the  is  amorous  lufe  and  harmonie, 
With  incrementis  frefche  in  luflie  age. 
Quha  that  conftrainit  ar  in  luifis  rage, 
Addrefland  them  with  observance  airlie, 

Weill  auchtis  the  till  glore  and  magrufie 

And  with  that  wordT  raized  my  vifage 
Soir  affrayit ;  half  in  an  frenefie. 

XI 
O  Nature  Quene  !  and  O  ye  lufly  May  ! 
Quod  I  thon,  How  lang  fall  I  thus  foruay 
Quilk  yow  and  Venus  in  this  garth  defervis  ? 
Recounfel  me  out  of  this  greit  affray, 
That  I  may  ling  yow  laudis  day  be  day, 
Ye  that  all  mundane  creatures  prefervis 
Comfort  your  man  that  in  this  fanton  ftervis, 
With  fpreit  arraifit  and  everie  wit  away, 
Quaiking  for  feir,  baith  pulfis,  vane,  and  nervis. 

XII. 
My  fatal  weird,  my  febill  wit  I  warjr, 
My  defie  heid    quhome  lake  of  brane  gart  vary, 
And  not  fuftene  fo  amiabill  a  foun. 
With  eiy  courage,  febill  flrenthis  fary, 
Bounand  me  hame,  and  lift  na  lunger  tary, 

Out 


39°  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Out  of  the  air  come  ane  impreffioun, 
Throw  whais  licht  in  extafie  or  fwoun, 
Amyd  the  virgultis,  all  intill  a  fary, 
As  feminine  fa  febilit  fell  I  down. 

XIII. 
And  wilh  that  gleme  fa  defyt  was  my  micht, 
Quhill  thair  remanit  nouther  voice  nor  ficht, 
Breith,  motion,  nor  heiring  natural, 
Saw  never  man  fo  faynt  a  levand  wicht  ; 
And  na  ferly,  for  ouir  excelland  licht 
Corruptis  the  witt,  and  garris  the  blude  awaill 
Untill  the  hart,  thocht  it  na  danger  aill ; 
Quhen  it  is  fmorit,  memberis  wirkis  not  richt, 
The  dreidfull  terrour  fwa  did  me  aflaill. 

XIV. 
Yet  at  the  laft,  I  not  how  lang  a  fpace, 
A  lytle  heit  appeirit  in  my  face, 
Whilk  had  to  foir  been  paiil  and  voyde  of  blude. 
Thon  in  my  fwoun  I  met  a  ferly  cace  ; 
I  thoucht  me  fet  within  a  defert  place 
Amyd  a  forreft,  by  a  hyddeous  flude 
"With  gryfly  fifche  ;  and  fchortly  till  conclude, 
I  fall  difcryve,  as  God  will  give  me  grace, 
Myne  vifioun  in  rural  termis  rude. 

XV. 
Bydand  the  deid  thus  in  my  extafie, 
Ane  dyn  I  hard  approaching  fall  me  by, 
Quhilk  movit  fra  the  plage  Septentrionall, 
As  heird  of  beaflis  ftamping  with  loud  cry. 
Bot  than  God  wait,  how  affrayit  was  I ! 
Traiftand  to  be  ftranglit  with  beftiall. 
Amid  a  ftock  richt  privelie  I  flail, 
Quhair  luikand  out  anon  I  did  efpy 
Ane  luftie  rout  of  behefl  rationall, 


XVI. 


JAMES   rV.    I488—I513.  39* 

XVI. 

Of  Ladyis  fair,  and  guidlie  men  arrayit 

In  conftant  weid,  that  weill  my  fpreitis  payit ; 

With  degeft  mind,  quhairin  all  wit  aboundit, 

Full  foberlie  their  haiknayis  thay  affayit. 

Efter,  the  faitis  auld  (and  nocht  forwayit) 

Their  hie  prudence  fchaw  furth,  and  naithing  roundit, 

With  gude  efFeir  -y  quhairat  the  wod  refoundit. 

In  fteidfaft  ordour,  to  vefie  unaffrait, 

Thay  ryding  furth,  with  ftabilnefs  ygroundit. 

XVII. 
Amiddis  quhom  born  in  ane  goldin  chair, 
Ouirfret  with  perle,  and  ftains  maift.  preclair, 
That  c^a^wJu)  was  by  haiknayis  all  milk  quhite, 
Was  fet  Minerve,  as  lyllie  fweit  of  fwair, 
In  purpour  rob,  hemmit  with  gold  ilk  gair, 
Quhilk  gemmit  clafpis  clofed  all  perfite. 
A  diademe  maift  plefandlie  polite, 
Set  on  the  treffis  of  her  giltin  hair, 
And  in  her  hand  a  fcepter  of  delyte. 

XVIII. 
Syne  nixt  hir  raid  in  granate  violat 
Twolf  Damifellis,  ilk  ane  on  thair  eftait, 
Quhilks  femit  of  her  counfell  maift  fecre. 
And  nixt  them  was  a  luftie  rout,  God  wait, 
Lords,  Ladys,  and  mony  fair  Prelatt, 
Baith  born  of  hie  eftait,  and  law  degre  ; 
Furth  with  thair  Quene,  thay  all  by  paflit  me. 
Ane  efie  pais,  thay  ryding  furth  the  gait, 
And  I  abaid  alone  within  the  tre. 

XIX. 
Sine  ladyis  come  with  luftie  gilten  treffis, 
In  habit  wilde  maift  like  till  forftereffis  ; 
Amiddis  quhom  heich  on  ane  eliphant, 
In  figne  that  iho  in  chaftitie  increffis, 
Raid  Diane  that  Ladyis  hartis  dreilis 

Till 


39*  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Till  be  ftabill,  and  na  way  inconftant. 
God  wait  that  nane  of  thame  is  variant  ! 
All  chaift  and  trew  virginity  profeflis, 
I  not ;  bot  few  I  faw  with  Diane  hant. 

XX. 
My  daifit  heid,  fordullit  difiele, 
I  raifit  up.  half  in  ane  lithargie, 
As  dois  ane  cative  ydrunkin,  in  fleip. 
And  fa  appeirit  to  my  fantafie, 
A  fchynand  licht  out  of  the  northeift  Iky, 
The  whilk  with  cure  to  heir  I  did  tak  keip. 
Proportion  founding  dulceft,  hard  I  peip, 
In  mufick  number,  full  of  harmony, 
Diftant  x>n  far  was  carit  be  the  deip. 

XXI. 
Sa  dulce,  fa  fweit,  and  fa  melodious, 
That  everie  wicht  thairwith  micht  be  joyous, 
Bot  I  and  catives  dullit  in  difpair. 
For  quhen  a  man  is  wraith  or  furious, 
Melancholick  for  wo,  or  tedious, 
Than  till  him  is  all  plefance  maift  contrair  : 
And  femblablie,  than  fa  did  with  me  fair  ; 
This  melodie  intonit  hevinlie  thus, 
For  profound  wo,  conftrainit  me  mak  cair. 

XXII. 
And  murnand  thus,  as  ane  maift  wofull  wicht, 
Of  the  maift  plefant  court  I  had  a  licht, 
In  warld  adoun  fen  Adam  was  creat. 
Quhat  fang,  quhat  joy,  quhat  harmony,  quhat  licht ! 
Quhat  mirthfull  folace,  plefance  all  at  richt  ! 
Quhat  frefche  bewtie,  quhat  excelland  eftate  ! 
Quliat  fweit  vocis,  quhat  wordis  fuggurait ! 
Quhat  fair  debaitis,  quhat  luifsum  ladyis  bricht  ! 
Quhat  luftie  gnllandis  did  on  thair  fervice  wait ! 

XXIII. 


james  iv.  1488— 1513.        39S 

XXIII. 
Quhat  gudlie  paftance  and  quhat  minftrellfie  ? 
Quhat  game  thay  maid,  in  faith  not  tell  can  I, 
Thocht  I  had  profound  wit  angelicall-. 
The  hevenlie  foundis  of  thair  harmonie, 
Hes  dynnit  fa  my  drerie  fantaue, 
Baith  wit  and  reflbun  half  is  loift  of  all. 
Yet  (as  I  knaw)  als  lichtlie  fay  I  fall, 
That  angellike  and  godlie  company- 
Till  fe,  me  thocht  a  thing  celeftiall. 

XXIV. 
Proceidand  furth  was  draw  ane  chariote, 
Be  courfouris  twelf,  trappit  in  grene  velvote, 
Of  fine  gold  wer  junctures  and  harnaffingis — - 
The  lymnaris  wer  of  burnifhit  gold  God  wote, 
Baith  aixtre  and  quheillis  of  gold  I  hote. 
Of  goldin  cord  wer  lyamis,  and  the  ftringis 
Feftinnit  conjunct  in  maflle  goldin  ringis  ; 
Evor  haims  convenient  for  fie  note, 
And  raw  filk  brechamis  ouir  thair  halfis  hingi$. 

XXV. 
The  bodie  of  the  cairt  of  evor  bone, 
With  crifolitis  and  mony  precious  ftone 
Was  all  ouirfret,  in  dew  proportioun, 
Like  fternis  in  the  firmament  quhilks  fchone, 
Reparrellit  was  that  Godlike  plefand  one, 
Tyldit  abone,  and  to  the  eirth  adoun, 
In  richefl  claith  of  gold  of  purpure  brdun  j 
But  fas,  nor  uther  frenyies,  had  it  none, 
SaifF  claith  of  gold  anamillit,  all  faifioun. 

XXVI. 
Quhair  fra  dependant  hang  thair  megir  bellis — . 
Sum  round,  fum  thraw,  in  found  the  quhilks  excellis, 
All  wer  of  gold  of  Araby  maift  fine, 
Quhilks  with  the  wind  concordandlie  fa  knellis 
That  to  be  glaid  thair  found  all  wicht  compellis^ 

Vol.  I.  Ddd  The, 


394  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH  POETRY, 

The  harmonie  was  fa  melodious  fine, 
In  mannis  voice  and  inftrument  devine, 
Quhairfa  thay  went  it  feemit  nathing  ellis 
Bot  ierarchies  of  angellis,  ordours  nine. 

XXVII. 
Amid  the  chair  fulfillit  of  plefance, 
Ane  lady  fat  at  quhais  obeyfance, 
Was  all  that  rout :  and  wonder  is  to  heir 
Of  her  excelland  luftie  countenance 
Her  hie  bewtie  quhilk  maift  to  avance 
Precellis  all,  thayr  may  be  na  compeir. 
For  like  Phebus,  in  heift  of  his  fpheir, 
Hir  bewtie  fchane,  caftand  fa  greit  ane  glance^ 
All  fairheid  it  oppreft  baith  far  and  neir. 

XXVIII. 
Scho  was  peirlefs  of  fchap  and  portraiture, 
In  her  had  nature  finifchit  hir  cure, 
As  for  gude  havingis  thair  was  nane  bot  fcho# 
And  hir  array  was  fa  fine  and  fa  pure, 
That  quhairof  was  hir  robe  I  am  not  fure, 
For  nocht  bot  perle  and  ftanis  micht  I  fee. 
Of  quhom  the  brightnefs  of  hir  hie  bewtie 
For  to  behald,  my  ficht  micht  not  indure, 
Mair  nor  the  bricht  fone  may  the  bakkis  ee. 

XXIX. 
Hir  hair  as  gold  or  topafis  was  hewit, 
Quha  hir  beheld,  hir  bewtie  ay  renewit. 
On  heid  fho  had  a  creft  of  dyamantis. 
Thair  was  na  wicht  that  gat  a  ficht  efchewit, 
War  he  never  fa  conftant  or  waill  thewit, 
Na  he  was  woundit,  and  him  hir  feruant  grantis. 
That  hevinlie  wicht,  hir  criftall  ene  fa  dantis, 
For  blenkis  fweit  nane  paflit  unperfewit, 
Bot  gif  he  wer  preferuit  as  thir  fan&is. 


XXX 


james  iv.  X488—*-i5i3i  395 

XXX. 
I  wondert  fair  and  fall  in  mind  did  flair, 
Quhat  creature  that  micht  be  that  was  fa  fair, 
Of  fa  peirlefs  excellant  womanheid. 
And  farlyand  thus  I  faw  within  the  chair 
Quhair  that  a  man  was  fet  with  lymmis  fquair, 
His  bodie  weill  entailyeit  everie  fteid  ; 
He  bair  a  bow  with  dartis  haw  as  leid  ; 
His  claithing  was  als  grene  as  ane  huntair  : 
3ot  he  forfuith  had  na  eine  in  his  heid. 

XXXI. 
I  underftude  be  fignes  perfavabill 
That  was  Cupyd  the  God  maift  diflavabillj 
The  lady,  Venus,  his  mother,  a  Goddes  ; 
I  knew  that  was  the  court  fa  variabill, 
Of  eirdly  lufe  quhilk  fendill  ftandis  ftabill, 
Bot  yet  thair  mirth  and  folace  neuerthelefs 
In  mufick  tone  and  menflrallie  expres 
Sa  craftilie  ;  With  curage  agreabill 
Hard  neuer  wicht  fie  melodie  I  ges. 

XXXII. 
Accompanyit  luflie  yonkeirs  withail, 
Frefche  ladyis  fang  in  voice  virgineall, 
Concordis  fweit,  divers  entoned  reportis, 
Proportionis  fine,  with  found  celeftiall, 
Duplat,  triplat,  diatefferiall^ 
Sefque  altera,  and  dccupla  refortis, 
Diapafon  of  mony  fundry  fortis, 
War  foung,  and  playit  be  feir  cunning  menflrali 
On  lufe,  ballatis  with  mony  fair  difportis. 

XXXIII. 
In  modulation  hard  I  play  and  fing 
Faburdoun,  prickfang,  difcant,  countering, 
Cant  organe,  figuratioun,  and  gemmell ; 
On  croud,  lute,  harp,  with  mony  gudlie  fpring, 
Schalmes,  clariounis,  portatives,  hard  I  ring, 

Monycor4, 


396  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Mon ycord,  organe,  tjrjjipane,  and  cymbell  ; 
Sjtholl,  pfalterie,and  voices  fvveet  as  bell, 
Soft  relefchingis  in  dulce  delivering, 
Fraclionis  divide,  at  reft,  or  clois  compel!. 

XXXIV. 
Na  mair  I  underftude  thair  numbers  fine, 
Be  God,  than  dois  of  Greik  a  fwine, 
Saif  that  me  think  fvveit  foundis  gude  to  heir. 
Na  mair  heiron  my  labour  will  I  tyne, 
Na  mair  I  will  thir  werbillis  fweit  define, 
How  that  thair  mufick  tones  war  mair  cleir 
And  dulcer  than  the  moving  of  the  fpheir, 
Or  Orpheus  harp  of  Thrace  with  found  divine, 
Glaskeriane  maid  na  noyis  compeir. 

XXXV. 
Thay  condifcend  fa  weill  in  ane  accord, 
That  by  na  joint  thair  foundis  bene  difcord, 
In  everie  key  thay  werren  fa  expert. 
Of  thair  array  gif  I  fuld  mak  record, 
Luftie  fpringaldis  arid  mony  gudlie  lord, 
Tender  younglingis  with  pieteous  virgin  hart. 
Elder  ladyis  knew  mair  of  luftis  art. 
Divers  uthers  quhilks  me  not  lift  remord, 
Quhais  lakkeft  weid  was  filkis  ouirbroudert. 

XXXVI. 
In  veftures  quent  of  mony  findrie  gyfe, 
I  faw  all  claith  of  gold  men  might  devife, 
Purpour  colour,  punik,  and  fcarlote  hewis, 
Velvot  robbi3  maid  with  the  grand  aflyfe, 
Dames  fatyne,  begaryit  mony  wife, 
CramefTie  fatine  veluot  enbroude  in  divers  rewis, 
Satine  figures  champit  with  flouiis  and  bewis, 
DamisHure,  tere-pyle  quhairon  thair  lyis, 
Peirle  Oipany  quhilkevrie  itait  renewis. 

XXXVII. 


james  iv.  1488 — 1513.  '  397 

XXXVII. 

Thair  riche  entyre  maiit  peirles  to  behald 

My  wit  can  not  difcrive  howbeit  I  wald. 

Mony  entrappit  fleid  with  filkis  feir, 

Mony  pattrell  nervit  with  gold  I  tald, 

Full  mony  new  gilt,  harnaiing  not  aid, 

On  mony  palfray  luifsum  Ladyis  cleir. 

And  nixt  the  chair  I  faw  formefl  appeir, 

Upon  a  bardit  cuifer  flout  and  bald, 

Mars,  God  of  ftrife  enarmit  in  birneifl  geir. 
XXXVIII. 

Everie  invafibill  wapon  on  him  he  bair, 

His  luik  was  grym,  his  bodie  large  and  fquair, 

His  lymmis  weill  entailyiet  to  be  ftrang, 

His  neck  was  greit,  a  fpan  lenth  weill  or  mair, 

His  vifage  braid,  with  crifp  broun  cuiland  hair, 

Of  ftature  not  ouir  greit,  nor  yet  ouir  lang. 

Behaldand  Venus,  O  ye  my  lufe  !  (he  fang.) 

And  fcho  agane,  with  dallyance  fa  fair. 

Hir  knicht  him  cleipis,  quhair  fa  he  ryde  or  gang. 

XXXIX. 
Of  gudlie  folk  in  everie  rank  and  age, 
With  blenkis  fweir  frefche  luftie  grene  curage, 
And  dalyance  thay  riding  furth  in  feir, 
Sum  levis  in  hope,  and  fum  in  greit  thirlage 
Sum  in  difpair,  fum  findis  his  panis  fwage. 
Garlandis  of  flouris  and  rois  chaipletis  feir, 
Thay  bair  on  heid ;  and  famin  fang  fa  cleir, 
Quhill  that  thair  mirth  commovit  my  curage, 
Till  fing  this  lay  quhilk  followand  ye  may  heir. 
XL. 
f  Conftrainit  hart  !  belappit  in  diftres, 
I    Groundit  in  wo,  and  full  of  hevines, 
I    Complane  thy  panefull  cairis  infinite, 

*  Bewaill  this  warldis  frail  unfteidfaunefs^ 
Havand  regrait,  fen  gain  is  thy  gladnes, 

*  And 


398  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

And  all  thy  folace  returnit  in  difpite, 
O  cative  thrall  involupit  in  defpyte, 
Confes  thy  fatall  wofull  wretchednefs, 
Devide  in  twane  and  furth  diffound  all  tyte 
Aggrevance  greit  in  miferable  indyte. 

XLI. 
My  cruell  fate  fubjettit  to  pennance 
Predeftinate,  fa  void  of  all  plefance, 
Hes  everie  greif  amid  my  hart  ingrave, 
The  Aide  inconftant  deflenie  or  chance^ 
Unequallie  dois  hing  in  thair  balance, 
My  demerites  and  greit  dolour  I  have, 
This  purgatorie  redoublis  all  the  lave, 
Ilk  wicht  hes  fum  weilfair  at  obeyfance, 
Saif  me,  byfning,  that  may  na  grace  refave, 
Deid  the  addres,  and  do  me  to  my  grave. 

XLII. 
Wo  worth  lie  ftrang  misfortune  anoyous, 
Quhilk  hes  oppreft  my  fpreits  maift  joyous, 
Wo  worth  this  warldis  freuch  felicitie, 
Wo  worth  my  fervent  difeis  dolorous, 
Wo  worth  the  wicht  that  is  not  piteous, 
Quhair  the  trefpaflbur  penitent  thay  fe. 
Wo  worth  this  deid  that  daylie  dois  me  die, 
Wo  worth  Cupyd,  and  wo  worth  fals  Venus, 
Wo  worth  thame  baith,  ay  waryit  rnot  thay  be, 
Wo  worth  thair  court  and  curfit^deftenie. 

XLIII. 
Loud  as  I  mocht,  in  dolour  all  deftrenyiet, 
This  lay  I  fang,  and  not  ane  letter  fenyeit. 
Thon  faw  1  Venus  on  hir  lip  did  bite. 
And  all  the  court  in  hafte  thair  horfis  renyeit, 
Proclamand  loude,  Quhair  is  yone  poid  that  plenyeit, 
Quhilk  deith  defervis,  comittand  fie  defpite  ? 
Fra  tre  to  trc  thay  feirching  but  refpite, 

Quhill 


james  iv.  1488— 1513.        399 

Quhill  ane  me  fand,  quhilk  faid  and  greit  difdenyeit, 
Avant  villane  !  thow  reclus  imperfite. 

-— "  XLiV. 

All  in  ane  fevir,  out  of  my  mufkane  bowr, 

On  kneis  I  crap,  and  law  for  feir  did  lowre. 

Than  all  the  court  on  me  thair  heidis  fchuik  ; 

Sum  glowmand  grim,  fum  girnand  with  vifage  fowre  ; 

Sum  in  the  nek  gave  me  feil  dyntis  dowre. 

Pluck  at  the  craw,  thay  cryit,  deplome  the  ruik ; 

Pulland  my  hair,  with  blek  my  face  they  bruik  j 

Sk'rymmorie  Fery  gave  me  mony  a  clowre, 

For  chyppynutie  ful  oft  my  chaftis  quuik. 

XLV. 
With  pane  torment,  thus  in  thair  tenefull  play, 
Till  Venus  bound,  thay  led  me  furth  the  way, 
Quhilk  than  was  fet  amid  a  goldin  chair  ; 
And  fa  confoundit  into  that  fell  affray, 
As  that  I  micht  confidder  thair  array. 
Me  thocht  the  field  ouirfpred  with  carpettis  fair 
(Quhilk  was  to  foir  brint,  barrane,  vile  and  bair) 
Wox  maift  plefand,  bot  all  (the  fuith  to  fay) 
Micht  nocht  ameis  my  grevous  panefull  fair. 

XLVi. 
Enthronit  fat  Mars,  Cupyd,  and  Venus  : 
Thon  rais  ane  clerk  was  cleipit  Varius, 
Me  till  accufen  as  of  a  deidlie  crime, 
And  he  begouth  and  red  ane  dittay  thus  : 
Thou  wickit  cative,  wod  and  furious, 
Prefumpteouflie  now  at  this  prefent  time 
My  lady  hes  blafphemit  in  thy  rime. 
Hir  fone,  hir  felf,  and  hir  court  amoious, 
For  till  betraig,  awaitit  heir  fen  Prime. 

XLVII. 
Now,  God  thow  wait,  me  thocht  my  fortune  feyt 
With  quaikand  voce,  and  hart  cald  as  a  key, 
On  knelsui  kneillit  and  mercy  culd  imploir, 

"""Submittand 


4^3  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Submittand  me,  but  ony  langer  pley, 
Venus  mandate  and  plefure  to  obey. 
Grace  was  denyit,  and  my  travell  forloir, 
For  fcho  gave  charge  to  proceed  as  befoir. 
Than  Varius  fpak  richt  ftoutlie  me  to  fley, 
Injoynand  f Hence  till  afk  grace  ony  moir. 

XL  VII  I. 
He  demandit  my  anfwer,  Quhat  1  faid  ? 
Than  as  I  mocht  with  curage  all  mifmaid, 
Fra  time  I  underftude  na  mair  fupplie, 
Sair  abaifit,  belive  I  thus  out-braid  : 
Set  of  thir  pointis  of  crime  now  on  me  laid, 
I  may  be  quite  guiltlefs  in  veritie  : 
Yit  firft  agane  the  Judge  quhilk  heer  I  fe, 
This  inordinate  court,  and  proces  quaid, 
I  will  object,  for  caufes  twa  or  thre: 

XLIX. 
Inclynand  law  (quod  I)  with  piteous  face, 
I  me  defend,  Madame,  pleis  it  your  grace. 
Say  on,  (quod  fcho),  Than  faid  I  thus  but  mair  ; 
Madame  ye  may  noe  fit  into  this  cace, 
For  Ladyis  may  be  judges  in  na  place. 
And  mairattour  I  am  na  feculair, 
A  fpirituall  man  (thocht  I  be  void  of  lair) 
Cleipit  I  am,  and  aucht  my  lives  fpace 
To  be  remit  till  my  Judge  ordinair. 

L. 
I  yow  bezeik,  Madam,  with  biffie  cure 
Till  give  ane  gracious  interlocuture, 
On  thir  exceptiones  now  proponit  lait. 
Thane  fuddenlie  Venus  (I  you  aflure) 
Deliverit  foner  and  with  a  voice  fo  Mure, 
Anfwerit  thus,  Thow  fubteil  fmy,  God  wait, 
Quhat  wenis  thow  to  degraid  my  hie  eftait, 
3\le  to  decline  as  Judge,  curd  creature  ? 
It  beis  not  fa,  the  game  gais  uther_gait. 

LI. 


JAMES   IT.    I488— 1 513.  461 

LI. 

As  we  the  find,  thow  fall  thoill  Judgement, 

Nocht  of  a  clerk  we  fe  the  reprefenf, 

Saif  onlie  falfet  and  disfaithfull  taillis. 

Firil  quhen  thow  come  with  hart  and  haill  intent^ 

Thow  the  fubmittit  to  my  commandement. 

Now  now  thairof  methink  to  fone  thow  faillis* 

I  wene  na  thing  but  follie  that  the  aillis. 

Ye  clerkis  bene  in  fubtell  wordis  quent, 

And  in  the  deid  als  fchairp  as  ony  fnaillis. 

LII. 
Ye  bene  the  men  beywrayis  my  commandis, 
Ye  bene  the  men  difturbis  my  fervandis, 
Ye  bene  the  men  with  wickit  wordis  feill, 
Quilk  blafphemis  frefche  luftie  young  gallandis* 
That  in  my  fervice  and  retinew  ftandis. 
Ye  bene  the  men  that  cleipis  yow  fa  leill, 
With  fallis  beheft  quhill  ye  your  purpois  fteill, 
Sine  ye  forfweir  baith  bodie,  treuth,  and  handis,. 
Ye  bene  fa  fals  ye  can  na  word  conceill. 

LUI. 
Have  done  (quod  fcho)  Schir  Varius,  alfwyth 
Do  write  the  fentence  ;  lat  this  cative  kyth 
Gif  our  power  may  demen  his  mifdeid. 
Than  God  thow  wait  gif  that  my  fpreit  was  blyth  ! 
The  feverous  hew  intill  my  face  did  myith 
All  my  mal-eis  ;  for  fwa  the  horribill  dreid. 
Haill  me  ouir  fet,  I  micht  not  fay  my  creid  : 
For  feir  and  wo  within  my  fldn  I  wryith, 
I  micht  not  pray  forfuith  thocht  I  had  neid. 

LIV. 
Yet  of  my  deith  I  fet  not  half  ane  fle^ 
For  greit  effeer  me  thocht  na  pane  to  die  •, 
But  fair  Idred  me  for  fome  uther  jaip, 
That  Venus  fuld,  throw  her  fubtillitie, 
Intill  fum  byfning  beift  transfigurat  me, 

Vol.  I.  E  e  e  As 


401  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

As  in  a  beir,  a  bair,  ane  oule,  ane  aip  ; 
I  traiftit  fa  for  till  have  bene  mifchaip, 
That  oft  I  wald  my  hand  behald  to  fe 
Gif  it  alterit,  and  oft  my  vifage  graip. 

LV. 
Lo  thus  amid  this  hard  perplexetie, 
Awaitand  ever  quhat  moment  I  fuld  die, 
Or  than  fum  new  transfiguratioun. 
He  quhilk  that  is  eternal  veritie, 
The  glorious  Lord,  ringand  in  perfounis  thre, 
Provydit  he3  for  my  falvatioun, 
Be  fom  good  fpreitis  revelatioun, 
Quhilk  interceffioun  maid  I  traift  for  me, 
I  foryet  all  imaginatioun. 

LVI. 
All  haill  my  dreid  I  tho  foryet  in  hy, 
And  all  my  wo,  bot  yet  I  wift  not  quhy, 
Save  that  I  had  fome  hope  till  be  relevit. 
I  raifit  than  my  vifage  hjjjftelie, 
And  with  a  blenk  anone  I  did  efpy, 
A  luik  ficht  quhilk  nocht  my  hart  engrevit  : 
Ane  hevinlie  rout  out  throw  the  wod  efchevit 
Of  quhome  the  bountie  gif  I  not  deny, 
Uneth  may  be  intill  ane  fcripture  brewit. 

LVII. 
With  lawreir  crownit  in  robbis  fide  all  new, 
Of  a  faffoun  and  all  of  fteidfaft  hew, 
Arrayit  weill  ane  court  I  faw  come  neir, 
Of  wife  digeft  eloquent  fathers  trew, 
And  plefand  lady  is  quhilks  frefche  bewtie  fchew, 
Singand  foftlie  full  fweit  on  thair  maner 
On  Poet  wife,  all  divers  vcrfis  feir, 
Hiftoryis  greit  in  Latine  toung,  and  Grew, 
With  frefche  indite  and  foundis  gude  to  heir. 


LVIII. 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  403 

LVIII. 

And  futn  of  thame  ad  Lyram  plajit  and  fang 

Sa  plefand  verfe  quhill  all  the  roches  rang  ; 

Metir  Saphik,  and  alfo  Elygie. 

Thair  inftrumentis  allmaifl  war  fidillis  lang, 

But  with  a  firing  quhilk  never  a  wreifl  yeid  wrang  ; 

Sum  had  an  harp,  and  fum  a  fair  pfaltrie, 

On  lutis  fum  thair  accentis  fubtelle, 

Devydit  weill  and  held  the  meafure  lang, 

In  foundis  fweit  of  plefand  melodie. 

LIX. 
I  had  greit  wonder  of  thay  Ladyis  feir, 
Quhilks  in  that  airt  micht  have  na  compeir, 
Of  caflis  quent,  rethorik  colouris  fine, 
Sa  poetlike  in  fubteill  fair  maUeir, 
And  eloquent  fir  me  cadjence  regulair. 
Thair  veyage  furth  contenand  richt  as  line, 
With  fang  and  play  (as  faid  is)  fa  devine, 
Thay  fafl  approching  to  the  place  weill  neir, 
Quhair  I  was  torment  into  my  greit  pine. 

LX. 
And  as  that  hevinlie  fort  now  nominate, 
Removit  furth  on  gudlie  wife  thair  gait. 
Toward  the  court  quhilk  was  tofoir  expremit, 

My  curage  grew,  ^2^^^s^^^^^%'^^> 
Saif  that  I  held  me  payit  of  thair  eftait ; 
And  thay  wer  folk  of  knowledge  as  it  femit. 
Als  into  Venus  court  full  fafl  thay  demit ; 
Sayand,  yone  luflie  court  weill  flop  or  meit, 
To  juftifie  this  byfning  quhilk  blafphemit. 

LXI. 
The  fuddane  ficht  of  that  firme  court  forefaid, 
Recomfort  weill  my  hew,  befoir  as  faid, 
Amid  my  fpreit  the  joyous  heit  redoundit, 
Behalding  how  the  luflie  Mufis  raid, 
And  all  thair  court  quhilk  was  fa  blyth  and  glaid, 

Quhaie 


404  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Quhais  merines  all  hevines  confoundit. 

Thair  faw  I  weill  in  poetrie  y-groundit, 

The  greit  Hqmeir,  quhilk  in  Greik  language  faid 

Maift  eloquentlie,  in  quhome  all  witt  aboundit. 

LXII. 
Sa  gi*eit  ane  prefs  of  pepill  drew  us  neir, 
The  hundredth  part  thair  names  ar  not  heir', 
Yit  faw  I  thair  Brutus  of  Albyon, 
Geffray  Chaucer,  as  a  per  fe  fans  peir 
In  his  vulgare  ;  and  morall  John  Goweir  ; 
Lydgate  the  monk  raid  mufing  him  alone. 
Of  this  natioun  I  knew  alfo  an  one, 
Greit  Kennedie  and  Dunbar  yit  undeid, 
And  Quintine  with  ane  huttock  on  his  heid. 

LXIII. 
Howbeit  I  culd  declair  and  weill  indite, 
The  bounties  of  that  court  dewlie  to  write, 
War  ouir  prolixit  tranfcending  mine  ingine. 
Tuitching  the  proces  of  my  panefull  fite, 
Belive  I  faw  thir  luftie  Mufis  qnhite, 
With  all  thair  rout  toward  Venus  decline,  s 
Quhair  Cupide  fat  with  her  in  throne  divine, 
I  ftandand  bundin  in  ane  ibrie  plite, 
Bvdand  thair  grace,  or  than  my  deidlie  pine. 

LXIV. 
Straicht  to  the  Quene  thir  famin  Mufis  raid, 
Maift  eloquentlie  thair  falutationis  maid  j 
Venus  again  yaid  thame  thair  falufing, 
Richt  reverentlie,  and  on  hir  feit  upbraid, 
Befeikand  thame  to  licht  :  nay,  nay  thay  faid, 
We  may  not  heir  mak  na  lang  tarying. 
Calliope  maift  facund  and  laeding, 
Inquirjt  Venus  quhat  wicht  had  hir  mifmaiil, 
Or  quhat  was  caufe  of  hir  thair  fojourning. 


LX\  . 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 1513.  4°5 

LXV. 

Sifter,  faid  fcho,  behald  yone  byfning  fchrew, 
A  fubtell  fmy,  confider  weill  his  hew, 
Standis  thair  bound  ;  (and  bekinit  hir  to  me,) 
Yone  cative  ha9  blafphemit  me  of  new; 
For  to  degraid,  and  do  my  fame  adew, 
A  laithlie  ryme  difpiteful  fubtelle 
Compylet  hes,  reheirfand  loud  on  hie, 
Sclander,  difpite,  forrow  and  velanie,        •*, 
To  me,  my  fone,  and  eik  our  court  for  aye. 

LXVI. 
He  hes  defervit  deith,  he  fall  lie  deid, 
And  we  remaine  forfuith  into  this  fteid. 
To  juftifie  that  rebald  rennegait, . 
Quod  Calliope,  filler  away  all  feid, 
Quhy  fuld  he  die,  quhy  fuld  he  lois  his  heid  ? 
To  flay  him  for  fa  fmall  ane  cryme,  God  wait, 
Greitar  degrading  war  to  your  eftait, 
To  fie  as  he  to  mak  counter  pleid, 
How  may  ane  fule  your  hie  honour  chek  mait  ? 

LXVII. 
Quhat  of  his  lak  !    Sa  wide  vour^fame  is  blaw, 
Your  excellence  maifL  peirles  is  fa  knaw, 
Na  wretchis  word  may  depair  your  hie  name. 
Give  me  his  life,  and  modifie  the  law, 
For,  on  my  heid,  he  flandis  now  fie  aw, 
That  he  fall  e£fcer  deferve  never  mair  blame, 
Nocht  of  his  deith  ye  may  report  bot  fcharne. 
In  recompence  for  his  miflettand  faw, 
He  fall  vour  heft  in  everie  part  proclame. 

LXV1II. 
Than,  Lord  !  how  glaid  became  my  febijl  goifl, 
My  curage  grew,  the  whilk  befoir  was  loift, 
Seand  I  had  fa  greit  ane  advocait, 
That  expertlie  but  prayer,  price  or  coft, 
Obtenit  had  my  fiiwoll  actioun  almoft, 

Quhilk 


406  CHRONICLE   OP   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Quhilk  was  befoir  perifchit  and  defolait : 
This  quhile  Venus  ftude  in  ane  ftudie  flrait, 
Bot  finallie  fcho  fchew  till  all  the  oifl 
Scho  wald  do  grace,  and  not  be  obftinait. 

LXIX. 
I  will,  faid  fcho,  have  mercie  and  petie, 
Do  flaik  my  wraith,  and  let  all  rancour  be  ; 
Quhair  is  mair  vice  than  to  be  quer  cruell  ? 
And  fpecially  in  women  fie  as  me. 
A  lady,  fy  !  that  ufis  tyrannie, 
A  vennomous  ather  and  a  ferpent  fell. 
A  vennemous  dragoun  or  ane  devill  of  hell, 
Is  na  compeir  to  the  iniquitie 
Of  bald  wemen,  as  thir  wife  clerkis  tell. 

LXX. 
Greit  God  defend  I  fuld  be  ane  of  tho, 
Quhilk  of  thair  feid  and  malice  never  ho, 
Out  on  fie  gram,  I  will  have  na  repreif. 
Calliope,  filler,  (faid  to  hir  Venus  tho,) 
At  your  requeift  this  wretche  fall  freily  go. 
Heir  I  remit  his  trefpas  ;  and  all  grief 
Sail  be  forget,  fa  he  fall  fay  fum  breif, 
Or  fchort  ballat,  in  contrair  pane  and  wo, 
Twitching  my  laude,  and  his  plefand  relief. 

LXXI. 
And  fecundlie,  the  nixt  reffonabill  command, 
Quhilk  I  him  charge,  fe  that  he  nocht  gane  Hand. 
On  thir  conditiounis  filler  at  your  requeifl, 
He  fall  gang  fre.     Quod  Calliope  inclinand, 
Grant  mercie  filler,  I  obleis  be  my  hand, 
He  fall  pbferye  in  all  poinds  your  behefl. 
Than  Venus  bade  do  flaik  fone  my  arreifl. 
Bellyve  I  was  relevit  of  evrie  band, 
Uprais  the  court,  and  all  the  parlour  ceiil. 


LXXH. 


JAMES  IV.   I488 — 15 13.  407 

LXX1I. 

Tho  fat  I  down  lawlie  upon  my  kne, 

At  command  of  prudent  Calliope, 

Yeildand  Venus  thankis  ane  thoufand  fyith, 

For  fa  hie  friendfhip,  and  mercifull  petie, 

Excelland  grace,  and  greit  humanitie, 

The  quhilk  to  me  trefpaflbur  did  fcho  kyith. 

I_the  forgive,  quod  fcho.     Than  was  I  blyth ; 

Doun  on  ane  flock  I  fat  me  fuddenlie 

At  hir  command,  and  wrait  this  lay  alfwyth, 

LXXIII. 
Unwemmit  witt  deliverit  of  dangair, 
Maift  happelie  deliverit  fra  the  fnair, 
Relevit  fre  of  feryice  and  bondage, 
Expell  dolour,  expell  difeifis  fair, 
Avoid  difplefure  womenting  and  cair, 
Reflave  plefance,  and  do  thy  forrow  fwage, 
Behald  thy  glaid  frefche  luftie  grene  curage, 
Rejoice  amid  thir  Joyers  but  difpair, 
Provide  ane  place  to  plant  thy  tender  age, 
In  leftand  blis  to  remane  and  repair. 

LXXIV. 
Quha  is  in  welth  ?  Quha  is  weill  fortunate  ? 
Quha  is  in  pes  diffeverit  fra  debait  ? 
Quha  levis  in  hope,  Quha  levis  in  efperance, 
Quha  ftandis  in  grace,  Quha  flandis  in  firm  eftait  ? 
Quha  is  content,,  rejoycit  air  and  lait, 
Or  quha  is  he  that  fortoun  dois  avance  ? 
Bot  thow  that  is  replenifchit  of  plefance, 
Thow  hes  comfort,  all  weilfair  delicate, 
Thow  hes  glaidnes,  thow  hes  the  happie  chance, 
Thow  hes  thy  will,  thow  be  nocht  defolait. 

LXXV. 
Incres  in  mirthfull  confolatioun, 
In  joyous  fweit  imaginatioun, 
Abound  in  lufe  of  purify  t  amouris, 

With 


40&  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY- 

With  diligent  trew  deliberatioun, 

Rander  lovingis  for  thy  falvatioun, 

Till  Venus,  and  under  her  guerdon  all  houris, 

Reft  at  all  eis,  but  fair  or  fitefull  fchouris, 

Abide  in  quiet,  maift  conftant  wcillfair, 

Unwemmit  wit  deliverit  of  all  dangeir. 

LXXVI. 
This  lay  was  red  in  oppin  audience, 
Of  the  Mufis  and  in  Venus  prefence. 
I  Hand  content  thow  art  obedient, 
Quod  Calliope,  my  companion  and  defence. 
Venus  faid  eik  it  was  fome  recompence, 
For  my  trefpas,  I  was  fa  penitent. 
And  with  that  word  all  fuddanelie  fcho  went, 
In  ane  inftant  fcho  and  hir  court  was  hence  : 
Yit  Hill  abaid  thir  Mufis  on  the  bent. 

LXXVIL 
Inclynand  then,  I  faid,  Calliope, 
My  prote£tour,  my  help,  and  my  fupplie, 
My  fpverane  lady,  my  redemptioun, 
My  mediatour,  quhen  I  was  dampnit  to  die, 
I  fall  befeik  the  godlie  majeftie, 
Infinite  thankis,  laude  and  benifoun, 
Yow  till  acquite,  according  your  renoun. 
It  langis  nocht  my  polfibilitie, 
Till  recompence  ten_part  of  this  guerdoun. 

'  LXXVI1I. 
Gloir,  honour,  laude,  and  reverence  conding,    ' 
Ouha  may  foryeild  yow  of  fa  hie  ane  thing  : 
And  in  that  part  your  mercie  I  imploir, 
Submitting  me  my  life-time  induring, 
Your  plefance  and  mandate  till  obeyfing. 
Silence,  faid  fcho,  I  have  eneuch  heirfoir, 
I  will  thow  wend  and  vefie  wonderis  moir. 
Than  fcho  me  hes  betaucht  in  keiping, 
Of  ane  fweit  nymphe  maift  faithfull  and  decoir. 

LXXIX. 


JAMES  IV.    1488—^1513.  409 

LXXIX. 

Ane  hors  I  gat  maift  richelie  befene, 

Was  harneift  all  with  wodbind  levis  grene  ; 

Of  the  fame  fute  the  trappours  law  doun  hang  j 

Ouir  him  I  fir  aid  at  command  of  the  quene. 

Then  famin  furth  we  ryding  all  bedene, 

Als  fwift  as  thocht  with  mony  a  merie  fang. 

My  nymph  alwayis  convoyit  me  of  thrang^ 

Amid  the  Mufis  to  fe  quhat  thay  wald  mene 

Quhilks  fang  and  playit,  but  never  a  wreifl  yeid  wrang% 

LXXX. 
Throw  countreis  feir,  holtis,  and  rockes  hie, 
Ouir  vaillis,  planis,  woddis,  wallis,  fey  ; 
Ouir  fludis  fair,  and  mony  ilrait  mountane, 
We  war  caryit  in  twinkling  of  ane  eye. 
Our  horns  flaw,  and  raid  nocht,  as  thocht  me. 
We  paffit  Eryx,  and  hill  of  Helicon, 
Baith  dedicate  to  Venus  in  certain. 
Ouir  mont  Cinthus,  quhair  God  Apollo  fchone^ 
Straicht  to  the  Mufis  Cabaline  fountane* 

LXXXI. 
Befide  that  criftall  well,  fweit  and  digeft, 
Thame  to  repois,  thair  hors  refrefche  and  reft, 
AHchtit  iioun  thir  Mufis  cleir  of  hew. 
The  companie  all  haillelie,  leift  and  beft, 
Thrang  to  the  well  to  drink,  quhilk  ran  fouth  "weft. 
Throw  out  ane  me|d  quhair  alkin  flouris  grew. 
Amang  the  laif  full  fail  I  did  perfew, 
To  drink,  bot  fa  the  greit  preis  me  oppreft, 
That  of  the  water  I  micht  not  tafte  a  drew. 

LXXX1I. 
Ouir  horfis  pafturit  in  ane  plefand  plane, 
Law  at  the  fute  of  ane  fair  greene  montane, 
Amid  ane  meid  fchaddowit  with  Ceder  treis. 
Saif  fra  all  heit,  thair  micht  we  weil  remain. 
All  kinde  of  herbis,  flouris,  frute,  and  graine, 

Vol.  I,  Fff  With 


qiQ  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   F02TRY. 

With  evrie  growand  tre  thair  men  micht  cheis. 
The  beryall  ftreams  rinnand  ouir  ftanerie  greis, 
Made  fober  noyis  ;  the  fchaw  dinnet  agane, 
For  birdis  tang,  and  founding  of  the  beis. 

LXXXIII. 
The  ladyis  fair  on  divers  inftrumentis, 
Went  playand,  fingand,  danfand,  ouir  the  bentis, 
Full  angellik  and  hevinlie  was  their  foun. 
Quhat  creature  amid  his  hart  imprintis, 
The  frefche  bewtie,  the  gudelie  reprefentis, 
The  merrie  fpeiche,  fair  havingis,  hie  renown, 
Of  thame,  wald  fet  a  wife  man  half  in  fwoun. 
The  womanlines  wryithit  the  elementis, 
Stoneift  the  hevin,  and  all  the  eirth  adoun. 

LXXXIV. 
The  warld  may  not  confidder  nor  defcrive 
The  hevinlie  joy,  the  blis  I  faw  belive, 
Sa  ineffable,  abone  my  witt  fa  hie. 
I  will  na  mair  thairon  my  foreheid  rive, 
Bot  briefly  furth  my  febill  procefs  drive. 
Law  in  the  meid  an  palyeon  picht  I  fe, 
Maift  gudlieft,  and  richeft  that  micht  be : 
My  governour  oftner  than  times  five, 
Unto  that  hald  to  pafs  commandit  me. 

LXXXV. 
Swa  finally  ftraicht  to  that  royall  deed, 
In  fellowfchip  with  my  leidar  I  yeid. 
We  enterit  fone,  the  portar  was  not  thra, 
Thair  was  na  flopping,  lang  demand,  nor  pleid. 
1  kneillit  law,  and  unheilded  my  heid, 
And  thon  I  faw  our  ladyis  twa  and  twa, 
Sittand  on  deiflis  ;  familiars  to  and  fra, 
Servand  thame  fall  with  ypocras  and  meid, 
Delicate  meitis,  dainteis  feir  alfwa. 


LXXXVI. 


JAMES  IV.  I488— 1513.  4** 

LXXXVI. 

With  mirthis  thus  and  meitis  delicate, 
Thir  ladyis  feiftit  according  thair  eftait. 
Uprais  at  laft,  commandand  till  tranoynt. 
R^&eitLjwas  Wawnjoude  ,  and  than  God  waitq, 
Men  micht  have  fene  fwift  horlis  haldin  hait, 
Schynand  for  fweit,  as  thay  had  bene  anoynt. 
Of  all  that  rout  was  never  a  prick  disjoynt, 
For  all  our  taty,  and  I  furth  with  my  mait, 
Mountit  on  hors,  raid  famin  in  gude  point. 

LXXXVII. 
Ouir  mony  .gudlie  plane  we  raid_bedene, 
Ouir  waters  wan,  throw  worthie  woddis  grene. 
And  fwa  at  laft  on  lifting  up  our  ene, 
We  fe  the  final  end  of  our  travail, 
Amid  ane  plane  a  plefand  roche  to  waill ; 
And  everie  wieht  fra  we  that  ficht  had  fene, 
Thankand  greit  God,  their  heidis  law  devaill. 
With  finging,  lauching,  merines  and  play, 
Unto  this  roche  we  rydand  furth  the  way. 

LXXXVIII. 
^Now  briefly  to  my  purpoife  for  till  gone, 
About  the  hill  lay  wayis  mony  one, 
And  to  the  hicht  bot  ane  paffage  ingrave, 
Hewin  in  the  roche  of  Aid  hard  marbell  flone. 
Agane  the  fone  like  to  the  glas  it  fchone, 
The  afcence  was  hie,  and  (trait  for  till  confave. 
Yit  than  thir  Mufis  gudelie  and  fuave, 
Alichtit  down  and  clam  the  roche  in  hie, 
With  all  the  rout,  out-tane  my  nimphe  and  I. 

LXXXIX. 
Still  at  the  hillis  fute  we  twa  abaid  ; 
Than  fuddanlie  my  keipar  to  me  faid, 
Afcend  galland  :  than  for  feir  I  quuik. 
Be  not  afFrayit,  fcho  faid,  be  not  difmayit. 
And  with  that  word  up  the  ftrait  rod  abraid, 

Ifol- 


411  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   POETRY, 

I  followit  faft,  fcho  be  the  hand  me  tuick, 
Yit  durfl  I  never  for  dreid  behind  me  luik. 
With  meikle  pain  thus  clam  I  neir  the  hicht, 
Quhair  fuddanelie  I  faw  ane  griflie  ficht. 

XC. 
As  we  approchit  neir  the  hillis  heid, 
Ane  terribill  fewch  birnand  in  flammis  reid, 
Abhominabill,  and  how  as  hell  to  fee, 
All  full  of  brinftane,  pick,  and  bulling  leid, 
Quhair  mony  wretchit  creature  lay  deid, 
And  miferabill  catives  yelland  loud  on  hie, 
I  faw  :  quhilk  den  micht  weill  compairit  be, ' 
Till  Xanthus  the  nude  of  Troy  fa  fchill, 
Birnand  at  Venus'  heft  contrair  Achill. 

XCI. 
Amid  our  paffage  lay  this  uglie  ficht, 
Nocht  braid,  but  fa  horribill  to  everie  wicht, 
That  all  the  warld  to  pafs  it  fuld  have  dreid. 
Weil  I  confidderit  na  upper  mair  I  micht, 
And  to  defcend  fa  hidious  was  the  hicht, 
I  durft  not  aventure  for  this  eird  on  breid. 
Trimbland  I  flude  with  teith  chatterand  guide  fpeid, 
My  nymphe  beheld  my  cheir,  and  faid  let  be, 
Thow  fall  nocht  aill,  and  lo  the  caus  (quod  fche.) 

XCI  I. 
To  me  thow  art  commit,  I  fall  the  keip. 
Thir  pieteous  pepill  amid  this  laithlie  deip, 
War  wretchis  quhilks  in  luftie  yeiris  fair, 
Pretendit  thame  till  hie  honour  to  creip  ; 
Bot  fuddanlie  thay  fell  on  flewthfull  fleip, 
Followand  plefance,  drownit  in  this  loch  of  cair. 
And  with  that  word  fcho  hint  me  be  the  hair, 
Carpit  me  till  the  hillis  heid  anone, 
As  Abacuk  was  brocht  in  Babylone, 

XCM. 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  413 

XCIII. 

This  may  fuffice,  quod  fcho,  twitchand  that  part. 
Return  thy  heid,  behald  this  uther  art ; 
Confidder  wonders  and  be  vigilant, 
That  thow  may  better  endyten  efterwart, 
Things  quhilkis  I  fall  the  fchaw  or  we  depart, 
Thow  fall  have  fouth  of  fentence  and  not  fcant. 
Thair  is  na  welth  nor  weillfair  thow  fall  want, 
The  greit  Palice  of  Honour  thow  fall  now  fe  j 
i<ift  up  thy  heid,  behald  that  ficht,  quod  fche. 

XCIV. 
At  hir  command  I  raifit  hie  on  hicht, 
My  vifage  till  behald  that  hevinlie  ficht ; 
Bot  to  difcrive  this  matter  in  effecl:, 
Impoffibill  war  to  ony  eirdlie  wicht. 
It  tranfcendis  feir  abone  my  micht, 
That  1  with  ink  may  do  bot  paper  blek. 
I  mofl  draw  furth,  the  yok  lyis  on  my  nek, 
As  of  the  place  to  fay  my  leude  avife, 
Plcneift  with  plefance  like  to  Paradice. 

xcv. 

I  faw  a  plane  of  peirles  pulcritude, 

Quhairin  aboundit  alkin  thingis  gude, 

Spyce,  wine,  corne,  oyle,  tre,  frute,  flour,  herbis  grene  5 

All  foullis,  beiftis,  birdis,  and  alkin  fude. 

All  maner  fifches  baith  of  fey  and  flude, 

War  keipit  in  pondis  of  poleift  filver  fchene, 

With  purifyit  water  as  of  the  criflall  clene. 

To  noy  the  fmall  the  greit  beiftis  had  na  will, 

Nor  ravenous  foulis  the  lytill  volatill. 

XCVI. 
Still  in  the  feflbun  all  thingis  remanit  thair 
Perpetuallie,  but  outher  noy  or  fair ; 
Ay  rypit  war  baith  herbis,  frute,  and  flouris. 
Of  everie  thing  the  namis  to  declair, 
Unto  my  febill  wit  impoffibill  wair. 

Amid 


4?4  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Amid  the  meid  replet  of  fweit  odouris, 
The  Palice  ftude  with  mony  royal  towris, 
Quhair  kyrnellis  quent  feill  turets  men  micht  find, 
And  goldin  fanis  waifand  with  the  wind. 

xcvir. 

Finnakillis,  fyellis,  turnpekkis  mony  one, 

Gilt  birneifl  torris,  quhilk  like  to  Phebus  fchone, 

Skarfment,  reprife,  corbell,  and  battellingis, 

Fullyery,  bordouris  of  many  precious  ftone, 

Subtill  muldrie  wrocht  mony  day  agone, 

On  buttery s,  jalme,  pillaris  and  plefand  fpringis. 

Quick  imagerie  with  mony  luftie  fyngis, 

Thair  micht  be  fene  :  and  monie  worthie  wichtis, 

Befoir  the  yet  arrayit  all  at  richtis. 

XCVIII, 
Furth  paft  my  nymphe,  J  followit  fubfequent  ; 
Straicht  throw  the  plane  to  the  firft  waird  we  went 
Of  the  Palice,  and  enterit  at  the  port. 
Thair  faw  we  mony  ftaitlie  tournament, 
Lancis  brokin,  knichtis  laid  on  the  bent  ; 
Plefand  paftance,  and  mony  luftie  fport, 
Thair  faw  we  als,  and  fum  time  battell  mort ; 
All  thir,  quod  fcho,  on  Venus  fervice  vaikis, 
Jfi  deidis  of  armis  for  thair  ladyis  faikis. 

xcix, 

Vefyand  I  ftude  the  principal  place  but  peir, 

That  hevinlie  Palice  all  of  criftall  cleir, 

Wrocht  as  me  thocht  of  polift  berial  ftone. 

Bofiliall  nor  Oliab  but  weir, 

Quhilk  fanBa  fanEtorum  maid  maift  riche  and  deir, 

Nor  he  that  wroucht  the  temple  of  Salomon, 

Nor  he  that  buildit  the  royall  Ylion, 

Nor  he  that  forgit  Darius  fepulture, 

Culd  not  per  forme  fa  craftilie  ane  cure. 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — I  jl^.  415 

c. 

Studiand  heiron  my  nymphe  unto  me  fpak, 
Thus  in  a  Hair  quhy  ftandis  thow  flupifak, 
Gouand  all  day,  and  nathing  hes  vefite  ? 
Ihow  art  prolixt,  in  haul  returne  thy  bak, 
Ga  efter  me,  and  gude  attendance  tak, 
Quhat  now  thow  feis  luik  efterwart  thow  write, 
Thow  fall  behald  all  Venus  blis  perfite. 
Thairwith  fcho  till  ane  garth  did  me  convoy, 
Quhair  that  I  faw  eneuch  of  perfite  joy. 

CI. 
Amid  ane  throne  with  flanis-  riche  ouirfret. 
And  claith  of  gold,  Lady  Venus  was  fet  j 
By  hir,  hir  fone  Cufide  quhilk  nathing  feis^ 
Quhair  Mars  enterit  na  knawledge  micht  I  get,* 
Bot  flraicht  befoir  Venus  vifage  but  let, 
Stude  emeraut  ftages  twelf,  grene  precious  grels, 
Quhairon  thair  grew  thre  curious  goldin  treis, 
Suftentand  weill  the  goddes  face  beforne, 
Ane  fair  mirrour  be  thame  quently  upborne. 

CII. 
Quhairof  it  makit  was  I  have  na  feill, 
Of  beriall,  criitall,  glas,  or  birniil  fteill, 
Of  diamant,  or  of  the  carbunkill  gem  ; 
Qiihat  thing  it  was  define  may  I  not  weill, 
Bot  all  the  bordour  circulair  everie  deill, 
Was  plait  of  gold,  cais,  flock,  and  utter  hem, 
With  vertious  flanis  piclit  that  blude  wald  ftem. 
For  quha  that  woundit  was  in  the  tornament, 
Wox  haill  fra  he  upon  the  mirrour  blent. 

cm. 

This  royall  rillik  fa  riche  and  radious, 

Sa  polift,  plefand,  purifyit,  precious, 

Quhais  bounteis  half  to  write  I  not  prefume. 

Thairon  to  fe  was  fa  delicious, 

And  fa  excelland  fchaddowis  gracious, 

Surmounting 


4l6  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY* 

Surmounting  far  in  brichtnes,  to  my  dome, 
The  coiftlie  fubtill  fpektakill  of  Rome, 
Or  yet  the  mirrour  fent  to  Can  ace, 
Qnhairin  men  micht  ful  mony  wonders  fe. 

CIV. 
Thair  breiflie  everie  famous  douchtie  deid, 
That  men  in  ftorie  may  fe,  or  chronikill  reid  5 
I  micht  behald  in  that  mirrour  exprefs, 
The  miferie,  the  crueltie,  the  dreid, 
Pane,  forrow,  wo,  baith  wretchitnes  and  neid, 
The  greit  invy,  covetoufnefs,  doublenes, 
Tuitchand  warldlie  unfaithfull  brukilnefs. 
I  faw  the  feind  fall  folkis  to  vices  ryft, 
And  all  the  cumming  of  the  Antechrift. 

cv. 

Plefand  debaitments  quha  fa  richt  reportis* 
Thair  micht  be  fene,  and  all  maner  difportis  $ 
The  falcounis  for  the  river  ;  at  thair  gait 
Mewand  the  foullis  in  periculo  mortis y 
Layand  thame  in  be  companeis  and  fortis, 
And  at  the  plunge  part  faw  I  handillit  hait. 
The  werie  hunter  befie  air  and  lair, 
With  quefting  houndis  feirching  to  and  fra, 
To  hunt  the  hart,  the  bair,  the  da,  the  ra. 

CVI. 
I  faw  RaF  Coilyear  with  his  thrawin  brow ; 
Craibit  Johne  the  Reif,  and  auld  Cowkelbeis  fow  j 
And  how  the  wran  came  out  of  AilfTay. 
And  Peirs  Plewman  that  maid  his  workmen  few  ; 
Greit  Gowmacmorne  and  Fyn  Mac  Cowl,  and  how 
Thay  fuld  be  goddis  in  Ireland  as  thay  fay. 
Thair  faw  I  Maitland  upon  auld  Beird  Gray ; 
Robene  Hude  ;  and  Gilbert  with  the  quhite  heind, 
How  Hay  of  Nauchton  flew,  in  Madin  land. 

CVII. 


JAMES    IV.    1488—151^.  41? 

CVIIi 

The  Nigromancic  thair  faw  I  eik  anone^ 
Of  Benytas,  Bongo,  and  Frier  Bacone, 
With  mony  fubtill  point  of  juglairie  ; 
Of  Flanders  piis  made  mony  precious  ftone^ 
Ane  greit  laid  fadill  of  a  fiching  bone, 
Of  ane  nutmug  thay  maid  a  Monk  in  hy, 
Ane  paroche  kirk  of  ane  penny  pye  : 
And  Benytas  of  an  murTell  maid  an  aip, 
With  mony  uther  fubtill  mow  and  jaip. 

CVIII. 
And  fchortlie  to  declair  the  verity, 
All  plefand  paftance  and  gammis  that  micht  be* 
In  tnat  mirrour  war  prefent  to  my  licht. 
And  as  I  wonderit  on  that  greit  ferlie, 
Venus  at  laft,  in  turning  of  her  eye, 
Knew  weill  my  face,  and  faid  be  goddis  micht, 
Ye  bene  welcome,  my  perfonair,  to  this  hicht. 
How  pafTit  yow,  quod  fcho,  this  hiddeous  deip  ? 
Madame,  quod  I,  I  not  mair  than  ane  fcheip. 

CIX. 
Na  force  thai*  of  faid  fcho,  fen  thow  art  heir, 
How  plefis  the  our  paftance  and  efFeir  ? 
Glaidlie  (quod  I)  madame,  be  God  of  hevin. 
Rememberis  thow,  faid  fcho,  withoutin  weir, 
On  thy  promit  quhen  of  thy  greit  dangeir, 
I  the  deliVerit,  as  now  is  not  to  nevin. 
Than  anfwerit  I  agane  with  fober  ftevin, 
Madame,  your  precept  quhat  fa  be  your  will, 
Heir  I  remane  ay  reddy  to  fulfill. 

CX. 
Weill  weill,  faid  fcho,  thy  will  is  fufficient, 
Of  thy  bowfome  anfwet  I  ftand  content. 
Than  fuddanlie  in  hand  ane  buik  fcho  hint, 
The  quhilk  to  me  betaucht  fcho  or  I  went, 
Commandand  me  to  be  obedient, 

Vol.  I.  G  g  g  And 


41 8  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

And  put  in  ryme  that  proces  than  quite  tint. 
I  promifit  hir  forfuith  01  fcho  wald  ftint, 
The  buik  reffavand,  thairon  my  cure  to  preif, 
Inclynrmd  fine,  lawlie  I  tuik  my  leif. 

CXL 
Tuitchand  this  buik  peraventure  ye  fall  heir, 
Sum  time  after  quhen  I  have  mair  lafeir. 
My  nimphe  in  haifl  fcho  hint  me  be  the  hand, 
And  as  we  famyn  walkit  furth  in  feir, 
I  the  declair,  quod  fcho,  yone  mirrour  cleir, 
The  quhilk  thow  faw  befoir  Dame  Venus  Hand, 
Signifyis  nathing  ellis  to  underfland, 
Bot  the  greit  bewtie  of  thir  ladyis  facis, 
Quhairin  lovers  thinks  thay  behald  all  graces. 

CXII. 
Cum  on,  faid  fcho,  this  Ordinance  to  vifite. 
Than  paft  we  to  the  criftall  Palice  quhite, 
B,ut  I  abade  the  entrie  to  behold, 
I  bad  na  mair  of  plefance  nor  delite, 
Of  luftie  ficht,  of  joy  and  blifs  perfite, 
Nor  mair  weilfare  to  have  abone  the  mold, 
Than  for  to  fee  that  ye£t  of  birnifhed  gold, 
Quhairon  thair  was  moil  curiouflie  ingrave, 
All  naturall  thingis  men  may  in  eird  confave. 

cxiir.. 

Within  that  Palice  than  I  gat  ane  ficht, 
Quhair  walkand  weat  full  mony  worthie  wicht 
Amid  the  clois,  with  all  mirthis  to  waill. 
[For  like  Phebus  with  fyrie  bemis  bricht, 
The  wallis  fchane,  caftand  fa  greit  ane  licht, 
It  femit  like  the  hevin  Imperiall. 
And  as  the  cedar  furmountis  the  rammal 
In  perfite  hicht,  fa  of  that  Court  a  glance 
Exceidis  far  all  eirldlie  vane  plefance. 

CXJV. 


james  iv.  1488— 1513.  4*9 

CXIV. 
For  lois  of  ficht  confidder  micht  I  nocht, 
How  perfitelie  the  riche  wallis  war  wrocht. 
Swa  the  reflex  of  chriftall  ftanis  fchone, 
For  brichtnes  fcarflie  blenk  thairon  I  mocht : 
The  purifyit  filver  furelie  as  me  thocht, 
Infteid  of  fyment  was  ouir  all  that  wone  ; 
Yit  round  about  full  mony  ane  beriall  ftone, 
And  thame  conjunctlie  jonit  faft  and  quernit. 
The  clois  was  paithit  with  filver  as  it  femit. 

cxv. 

'The  durris  and  the  windois  all  were  breddit 
With  maffie  gold,  quhairof  the  fynes  fcheddit. 
With  birneift  Evir  baith  Palice  and  Towris 
War  theikit  weill,  maift  craftilie  that  cled  it, 
For  fa  the  quhitely  blaafchit  bone  ouirfpred  it, 
Midlit  with  gold,  anamalit  all  colouris, 
Importurait  of  birdis  and  lweit  fiowris, 
Curious  knottis,  and  monie  hie  devife, 
Quhilks  to  behald  war  perfite  paradice.] 

CXV1. 
Thefe  war,   faid  fcho,  quha  fa  the-richt  difcrives, 
Maift  valyeand  folk  and  verteuous  in  thair  lives. 
Now  in  the  court  of  Honour  thay  remain, 
Verteouflie,  and  in  all  plefance  thrives. 
For  thay  with  fpeir,  with  fwordis,  and  with  knives, 
In  juft  battell  war  fundin  maift  of  mane  : 
In  thair  promottis  thay  ftude  ever  firme  and  plane : 
In  thame  aboundit  worfchip  and  lawtie, 
Illuminate  with  liberallitie. 

CXVII. 
Honour,  quod  fcho,  to  this  hevenlie  ring, 
Differs  richt  far  fra  warldlie  governing, 
Quhilk  is  bot  pompe  of  eirdlie  dignitie, 
Given  for  eftait  of  blude,  micht  or  fie  thing  : 
But  in  this  countrie  Prince,  Prelate,  or  King, 

AUanarlif 


420  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY, 

Allanarlie  fall  for  vertew  honourit  be. 
For  eirdlie  gloir  is  nocht  bot  vanitie, 
That  as  we  fe  fa  fuddenlie  will  wend, 
Bot  verteous  honour  never  mair  fall  end, 

CXVIII. 
Now  thow  fall  fe,  furely,  fen  thow  art  heir, 
My  Ladyeis  Court  in  thair  gudelie  atteir  ; 
For  to  behald  thair  myrth,  cum  on  thy  way. 
(Than  hand  in  hand  fwyith  went  we  furth  in  feir, 
At  a  poftern  towart  ane  fair  herbeir.) 
Thair  the  fweit  flouris  of  Rethoray 
Our  Ladyeis  gadderis,  and  mony  tender  plant, 
For  with  all  plefance  plenieiht  is  yone  hant 
Quhair  precious  itanis  on  treis  dois  abound 
Infteid  of  frute,  chargit  with  peirles  round. 

CXIX. 
Unto  that  gudlie  garth  than  we  proceid, 
Quhilk  with  a  large  foufie  far  on  breid, 
Inveronit  was,  quhair  fifches  war  anew  j     .  - 
All  water  foullis  war  fwemand  thair  gude  fpeid. 
Alfe  out  of  growand  treis  thair  faw  I  breid, 
Fowlis  that  hingand  be  thair  nebbis  grew. 
Out  ouir  the  {lank  of  mony  divers  hew, 
Was  laid  ane  tre  ouir  quhilk  bchovit  us  pafs, 
Bot  I  can  not  declair  quhairof  it  was. 

cxx. 

My  nymphe  went  ouir,  chargeand  me  follow  fait, 

Hir  till  obey  my  fpreitis  wer  agaft, 

Sa  perrilous  was  the  paffage  till  efpy. 

Away  fcho  went :  and  fra  time  fcho  was  part, 

Upon  the  brig  I  enterit  at  the  laft, 

Bot  fa  my  harnis  tremblit  befily, 

Quhill  I  fell  ouir,  and  baith  my  feit  flade  by 

Out  ouir  the  heid,  into  the  flank  adoun, 

Quhair  as  me  thocht  I  was  in  point  to  drpuOt 


cxxi. 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  441 

CXXI. 

Quliat  throw  the  birdis  fang,  and  this  affray, 
Out  of  my  fwoon  I  walkinit  quhair  I  lay, 
In  the  garding  quhair  I  firfl  doun  fell, 
About  I  blent,  for  richt  clier  was  the  day, 
Bot  all  this  luftie  plefance  was  away. 
Allace,  allace,  I  thocht  me  than  in  pane, 
And  langit  fair  for  to  have  fwounit  agane. 
Till  make  an  end,  fittand  under  a  tree, 
In  laud  of  Honour  I  wrait  thir  verfis  thre. 

CXXII. 
<f  O  hie  Honour,  fweit  hevinlie  flour  digeft  ! 
Gem  verteuous,  maift  precious,  gudlieft, 
For  hie  renonn  thou  art  guerdown  conding, 
Of  worfchip  kend  the  glorious  end  and  reft, 
But  quhome  in  richt  na  worthie  wicht  may  left, 
Thy  greit  puiiTance  may  maift  avance  all  thing, 
And  pouerall  to  meikall  availl  fone  bring. 
I  the  require  fen  thow  but  peir  art  beft, 
That  efter  this  in  thy  hie  blis  we  ring. 

CXXIII. 
"  Of  grace  thy  face  in  everie  place  fa  fchynis, 
That  fweit  all  fpreit  beith  heid  and  feit  inclynis, 
Thy  gloir  afoir  for  till  imploir  remeid. 
He  docht  richt  nocht  quhilk  out  of  thocht  the  tynis, 
Thy  name  bot  blame  and  royal  fame  divine  is, 
Thow  port  at  fchort  of  our  comfort  and  reid, 
Till  bring  all  thing  till  glaiding  efter  deid, 
All  wicht  but  iicht  of  thy  greit  micht  ay  crinis^ 
O  fchene  I  mene  nane  may  fuftene  thy  feid. 

CXXIV\ 
"  Haill  rois  maift  chois  till  clois  thy  fqis  greit  micht, 
Haill  ftone  quhilk  fchone  upon  the  throne  of  licht, 
Vertew  quhais  trew  fweit  dew  ouir  threw  all  vice, 
Was  ay  ilk  day  gar  fay  the  way  of  licht, 
Amend  offend  and  fend  our  end  ay  richt, 

Thow 


422  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Thow  ftant,  or  dant,  as  fant  of  grant  maift  wife, 
Till  be  iupplie  a  id  the  hie  gre  of  price, 
Delite  the  cit    me  quite  of  lite  to  dicht, 
For  I  apply  fchortly  to  thy  devife." 


the  Author  dire&is  his  buik  to  the  Richt  Nohill  and 
Illujler  Prince  James  the  Feird,  King  of  Scottis. 

Triumpous  laud  with  palme  of  vi&orie, 

The  lawret  crowne  of  infinit  glorie, 

Maift  gracious  Prince,  ouir  foverain  James  the  FEird. 

Thy  Majeftie  mot  have  eternallie, 

Supreme  honour,  renoun  of  chevalrie, 

Felicitie  perdurand  in  this  eird, 

With  eterne  blis  in  heivin  by  fatal  weird  ! 

Reffave  this  rouftie  rural  rebaldrie, 

Laikand  cunning,  fra  thy  pure  laige  unleird  ; 

Quhilk  in  the  ficht  of  thy  magnificence, 

Confidand  in  fa  greit  benevolence, 

Proponis  thus  my  vulgar  ignorance  ; 

Maift  humbillie  'with  dew  obedience, 

Befeikand  oft  thy  michtie  excellence, 

Be  grace  to  pardoun  all  fie  variance 

With  fum  beneing  refpecl  of  firm  conftance 

Remittand  my  pretended  negligence,       . 

Thow  quhais  micht  may  humble  thing  avance. 

Breif  breiyal  quhair  !  of  eloquence  all  quite, 

With  rufiet  weid  and  fentence  imperfite, 

Till  cum  in  plane,  fe  that  thow  nocht  pretend  the. 

Thy  barrant  termis,  and  thy  vile  indite 

Shall  not  be  mine,  I  will  not  have  the  wite  ; 

For 


JAMES   IV.    I488 — 15  13.  423 

For  as  for  me  I  quit  clame  that  I  kend  the  ! 
Thow  are  bot  ftouth  thift,  louis  Hcht  bot  lite, 
Not  wortli  ane  mite,  pray  ilk  man  to  amend  the  ! 
Fair  on,  uit-fite  !   and  on  this  wife  I  end  the. 

FINIS. 

VINCIT    TANDEM    VERITAS. 

-  — 

Mackenzie  and  others  have  written  that  &awin  Douglas  was 
Rector  of  Herlot ;  and  the  authority  they  refer  to  is  Miln's  Hiftory 
of  the  Bifhops  of  Dunk'.ld  MS.  in  the  Advocates'  Library  of  Edin- 
burgh. But,  upon  confulting  that  MS.,  the  word  is  found  to  be  neither 
Heritt,  nor  (as  a  late  Biographer  has  it)  Hatvici,  but  Huvicb  ;  which, 
however,  muft  mean  Haivict.  The  family  of  Angus,  at  that  timej 
having  extenfive  eflates  in  Jedward  and  Selkirk  Forefts,  Liddifdale,  &c. 
Gavin  Douglas  was  there  in  the  midft  of  his  kindred  ;  and,  fortu. 
nately  for  his  poetical  genius,  in  the  midft  of  the  Scottilh  Arcadia. 
There,  it  is  probable,  he  wrote  his  Pslice  of  Honour ;  perhaps  alfo  his 
Tranjlation  of  Fhril,  finifhed  in  July  15.13.  Under  the  date  of  Septem- 
ber  30th,  of  the  fame  year,  his  father,  the  Earl  of  Angus,  being  then 
Provoft  of  Edinburgh,  the  following  article  occurs  in  the  Town  Coun- 
cil Recordf,  with  the  marginal  title  Ane  preiji  made  Burgefs  ;  "  Magifter 
"  Gavinus  Douglas,  prcpoficus  ecclefix  collegiatse  bcati  Egidii  hujus 
"  burgi  effeclus  eft  BurgenCs  pro  commune  bona  villae,  gratis."  He 
was  then  the  Earl's  only  fon,  the  two  elder  having  periftiedwith  their 
Sovereign  at  Flodden  on  the  9th  of  that  fame  month. 

The  article  immediately  preceding  this  in  the  Council  Records,  is 
not  only  curious  but  highly  interefting.  It  is  a  proclamation  dated  loth. 
September,  the  day  after  the  battle  ;  and  evinces  clearly  that  the  report 
of  that  difaftrous  day  had  then  reached  Edinburgh,  although  the  battle, 
did  not  commence  till  four  o'clock  in  the  afcernoon.  Ic  is  in  thefc 
words : 

"  We  do  you  to  witt,  forfamekill  as  thait  is  ane  greit  rumber  now 
"  laitlie  ryfm  wiihin  this  toun  tutching  our  Sovrane  Lord  and  his  ar- 
"  my,  of  the  quhilk  we  underftand  thair  is  cummin  na  veritie  as  yit, 
"  quhairfoir  we  chairge  ftraitlie,  and  commandis  in  our  faid  Sovrane 
«'  Lord  the  Kingis  nume,  and  the  PreOdentis  for  the  Provoft  and  Bail- 
"  lies  within  this  burgh,  that  all  maneir  of  perfoins,  nychtbours  within 
''  the  famyn,  have  reddy  thair  fenfabill  geir  ana  wapponis  for  weir, 
0  and  compcir  thairwith  to  the  faid  Prefidentis,  at  jotvyng  of  the  com- 
,  "  mon 


424  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

"  mon  bell,  for  the  keiping  and  defenfs  of  the  town  aganis  any  that 
"  wald  invaid  the  famyn — And  alfo  chairgis  that  all  wcmen,  and  fpe- 
u  cialie  vagabondis,  that  thai  pafs  to  thair  labours,  and  be  nocht  fene  a- 
**  poun  the  gait  clamorand  and  cryand,  under  the  pane  of  banefing  thair 
"  perfounis  but  favour  ;  and  that  the  uther  wemen  of  gu^e  (fort)  paf» 
■  to  the  kirk,  and  pray  quhane  tyme  requires,  for  our  foverane  Lord 
"  and  his  army,  and  nychtbouris  being  thairat,  and  hald  thame  at  thair 
"  previe  labours,  off  the  gar,  within  thair  houffes  as  effeiris." 

The  Prefident  here  mentioned  was  George  of  Towns,  (perhaps a 
Douglas,)  who  on  the  19th  of  Auguft  had  been  chofen,  with  four  o- 
thcr  perfons,  "  by  the  Provofr,  Baillies,  and  Community,  in  refpecT;  that 
"  they  war  to  pafs  to  the  Kingis  army,  till  have  jurifdicxioun  during 
"  their  abfcnce."  From  this  proclamation  it  alfo  appears  that  thcfe 
Prefidents,  or  Commiffioners,  were  convinced  that  all  was  loft ;  and 
yet  their  orders  are  accurate  and  firm  ;  without  that  pomp  of  words 
which,  as  Lord  Hailes  obferves,  by  ftudying  to  conceal  fear,  betrays 
it.  This  was  an  eventful  period  to  the  Houfe  of  Angus.  The  Pro- 
voft  in  a  few  months  died  of  grief;  and  his  Grandfon  and  heir,  the  ne. 
phew  of  Gawin"  Douglas,  in  the  following  Auguft  married  Queen 
/  Margaret,  the  widow  of  James  IV.  From  the  progeny  of  this,  and 
of  the  Queen's  former  marriage,  united  in  the  perfons  of  her  two  grand- 
children, Lord  Darnley  and  Queen  Mary,  both  of  them  Stew- 
arts, are  defcended  not  only  the  Royal  Family  of  Great  Britain,  but 
moft  ef  the  crowned  heads  in  Europe. 

St.  106.  Ralph  Coilyear,  John  the  Re'if,  &c.  Thcfe  appear  to  be  the 
heroes  of  popular  tales,  the  greater  pait  of  which  probably  now  loft. 
Robene  Hude  and  Pierfs  Ploivman  are  well  known.  Of  Co-wkelbie  fomc 
account  his  been  given  in  page  379.  Ralph  Colyear,  as  mentioned  be- 
fore, was  printed  in  1572  by  1  ekprevik,  but  no  copy  feems  now  to  be 
extant.  Lord  Hailes  fuppofes  John  the  Reif  (mentioned  by  Dunbar) 
to  be  Joun  Armstrong  of  Gilnockic-hall,  executed  in  1529.  No 
ballad  relative  to  him  is  now  known,  excepting  that  which  gives  an  ac- 
count of  his  death.  The  probability  is,  that  they  are  two  different  per- 
fons. Gctu  Mac-morn,  and  Pyn  Mac-Coul,  "  reputed  as  gods  in  Ireland," 
are  the  great  heroes  of  Ossian,  who  appear  to  havo  betn  fo  generally 
known  to  our  ancient  Low-land  poets  and  hiftorians,  that  one  is  almoft 
inclined  to  think  that  tranflations  of  fome  of  their  ftories  into  Scoto. 
Saxon  may  have  exifled  two  or  three  hundred  years  ago.  Their  namet 
arc  thus  mentioned  by  Barbour  in  1375. 

Quhan  that  the  Lord  of  Lorn  faw 
His  menyie  ftand  of  hym  fie  aw, 
That  thai  durft  nocht  folow  the  chaice, 
Rycht  angrc  in  hys  hairt  he  wes, 
And  foir  wondert  that  he  fuld  fa 
Stonie  thame,  hym  alane  bot  m», 

He 


JAMES    IV.    I488  — 1 513.  _         42  5 

He  fayd,  "  M«think  Martbeoku  fon 
"  Rycht  as  Gow-Mac-morne  wes  won, 
w  Tyl  haif  fra  Fyngal  his  menzie 
"  Rycht  fua  fra  us  all  hes  hee." 

The  following  account  of  the  principal  hero  is  given  by  Hector  Eo- 
ETBIUS,  {anno  1517)  as  tranflated  by  Bellendyne.  «  It  is  faid  that 
'•  Fyn  Mac-Coule,  the  fonne  of  Coelus  Scottifman,  was,  in  thir 
"  days,  (of  Kvno  Eugenius,  fifth  century,)  ane  man  of  huge  ftatoure 
"  of  feventeen  cubits  of  hycht.  He  was  ane  gret  hunter,  and  rycht 
*•  terrybill  for  his  huge  quantitie  to  the  pepyll  ;  or  quhom  ar  mony  vul- 
"  S.ar  fabyllis  amang  uf,  nocht  unlyke  to  thir  f  3  by  His  that  ar  reherfit  of 
"  Kyng  Arthurs.  But  becaus  his  dedis  is  nocht  authorift  by  autentic 
1  authouris,  I  wyll  rehers  na  thyng  thairof,  bot  declair  the  remanent 
11  geftis  of  Kyng  Eugenius." 

Bifhop  Lesley's  account  (anno  1570)  is  in  thefe  words:  "  Multo- 
"  rum  opinio  eft,  Finnanum  qucndam.Cceli  filium, noftra  lingua  Fyn- 
"  Mac-Coul  dictum,  ingentis  magnitudinis  virum,  ea  tempeftate 
*  (A.  D.  430)  aptid  nofiros  vixiffe,  et  tanquam  ex  veterum  gigantum 
■  flirpe  exortum." 

In  the  Armorican  Romance  of  the  Britifh  Hiftory,  written  in  the  loth  » 
or  nth  Century,  and  tranflated  into  Latin  by  Geoffry  of  Monmouth 
about  1140,  we  have  an  account  of  a  Gow  Magog,  a  giant  of  12  cubits 
high,  who,  with  others  of  the  fame  (lately  family,  moft  uncourteoufly 
oppofed  the  landing  of  the  great  grandfon  of  Eneas  in  Britain.  He 
could  unroot  an  oak  as  eafily  as  an  hazel  wand.  This  Gow  Magog, 
(fays  Mr  Warton  in  his  Hiftory  of  Englifl)  Poetry,)  is  evidently  bor- 
rowed by  the  Armorican  author,  from  the  giants,  Gog  and  Magog, 
fo  frequently  introduced  by  the  Arabians  into  their  extravagant  fictions; 
his  Britifh  fable  having  many  other  allufions  to  Oriental  Hiftory. 
A  Tale  of  this  nature  muft  have  become  known  to  the  Irifh  and  Scottifh 
Bards  foon  after  it  had  got  among  their  brethren  in  Wales.  A  fufpicion 
then  here  arifes,  that  the  giant  Gow-Magog  of  Geoffry  of  Mon- 
mouth, might  very  eafily  by  them  have  been  transformed  int,o  Gow. 
Mag-mor,  that  is,  Gow-Mag  the  Great,  which  afterwajvls  would  na- 
turally be  written  Gow^Mac-mor  ;  atid  by  the  Scoto-Saxons,  or  Pi<ft«, 
Gow-Mac-morn.  Or,  the  truth  oi  the  Irijb  flory  may  be  this  :  (-ow 
Mag  hting  fet  down  as  the  enemy  of  their  Fin-Gael,  or  Pin- 
Coille,  it  became  neceffary  in  felf  defence,  to  raife  up  a  friendly 
giant  of  equal  prowefs;  and  him,  according  to  Boethius,  (and  alio 
to  the  Limeric  Schoolmafter,  anno  1566,)  they  chriftenud  Fyn  Mac- 
Coul,  or  FrN  Mac-Huyle;  to  whom  Gow  Mag  the  Great  wus  but 
is  a  pigmy,  for  his  height  was  feventeen  cubits.  The  firft  Celtic  LegcfecU 
of  their  exploits  may  therefore  have  been  compofed  about  the  end  of 
the  twelfth,  cr  beginning  of  the  thirteenth  cemury.  Sir  David  Likd- 
say,  {anno  ijjo,)  in  his  interlude  of  Tie  Droicbs,  gives  a  ludicrous  ac- 
Vol.  I.  H  h  h  count 


4^6  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

count  of  Gog  Magog,  Gow  Mac-Morn,  and  Ftn  Mac-Kowll,  all 
under  the  character  of  giants;  but  errs  egregioufly  in  their  genealogy, 
making  Gow  Mac-Morn  to  be  the  fon,  and  Ftn  Mac-Cowll  the 
father  of  old  Gog,         » 

Who,  quhan  he  danfir,  the  warld  wald  fchog, 

Ten  thowfand  ellis  yied  in  his  frog 
Of  Htland  plaid,  and  mair. 

He  had  a  wyfe  we*  mekile  of  clift, 

Hir  heid  wes  heichar  nor  the  lyft ; 

The  hevin  rerdit  quhan  fcho  wad  rift ; 
The  lafs  wes  nathing  fchlender. 

Scho  fpatt  Loch  Lowmond  with  hir  lippis, 

Thunder  and  fyre  flawght  fra  her  hippis; 

Quhan  fcho  was  crabbit,  the  fone  thold  clippis  ; 
The  feynd  durft  nocht  offend  her. 

Dr  Keating,  in  his  Hiftory  of  Ireland,  throws  feme  light  on  this  fub- 
ject.  He  fays,  however,  it  wag  not  Magog  himfdf,  but  his  great-grea:- 
grandfon  Gjgas  Partholanus,  that  landed  on  the  coaft  of  Munfter 
the  14th  day  of  May,  in  the  year  of  the  world  1978,  and  fucceeded  in 
his  great  enterprife  ;  but  the  loofe  behaviour  of  his  wife  rendered  his 
domeftic  liie  very  unhappy,  and  provoked  him  to  fuch  a  degree,  that  he 
killed — her  favourite  grey-hound.  This,  as  the  learned  aiftorian  very 
properly  obferves,  was  the  firjl  inflance  of  female  falfehood  and  infideli- 
ty ever  known  in  Ireland. 

How  and  when  thefe  giants  dwindled  down  to  the  fize  of  ordinary 
mortals,  is  a  fubject  worthy  of  ferioui  investigation. 

Of  the  other  perfonages  recorded  in  this  fianza,  nothing  feems  now 
to  be  known. 

St.  107.  Bongo  and  Bcnytai.  The  firft  may  be  Thomas  Bungev,  a 
Francilcan  Monk,  and  fellow  labourer  in  Alchemy  and  other  occult 
iciences  with  the  celebrated  Roger  Bacon,  in  the  reign  of  Henrt 
III.  It  is  reported  that  they  wrought  together  feven  years  to  forge  a 
Brazen  Head  which  was  to  anfwer  all  queftions  propounded  to  it.  Be- 
nttas  may  probably  be  an  error  of  a  tranferiber  or  printer  for  the  Re- 
man Boetius,  who,  from  his  exteufive  knowledge  in  a  dark  age,  was 
reported  by  the  Necromancers  to  have  been  an  adept  in  their  profun- 
dities. 


▲    DESCRIP- 


. 


A   DESCRIPTION     OF     WTNTER     "WYTH     HT5    GRETE 
STORMIS    AND    TEMPESTIS. 


[7*  was  mentioned  above  that  Gavin  Douglas  finijhed 
his  tranjlation  of  Virgil's  Eneid  in  July  1513.    To 

this  purpofe  he  informs  us  in  the  concluding  verfes  : 

v 

Completit  was  this  werk  Virgiliane 

Apoun  the  feift  of  Marye  Magdalene, 

Fra  Chriftis  birth,  the  date  quha  lift  to  here 

Ane  thoufand  fyve  hundreth  and  threttene  yere  : 

Quhilk  for  uthir  grete  occupacioh  lay 

Unfterit  clois  befide  me  mony  ane  day  : 

And  neuirthelefs,  quhidder  I  ferf  thank  or  wyte, . 

Fra  tyme  I  thareto  fet  my  pen  to  wryte 

Apoun  this  wyfe,  as  God  lift  len  me  graice, 

It  was  compylit  in  auchtene  monethis  fpace  : 

Set  I  feil  fyith  fie  twa  monethis  in  fere 

Wrate  neuir  ane  word,  nor  micht  the  volume  Here 

For  grave  materis,  and  grete  folicitsde, 

That  all  fie  laboure  fer  befyde  me  ftude. 

What  thefe  "  grave  materis"  were;  whether  they  re- 
lated to  the  affairs'  of  the  family  of  Douglas,  or  of 
the  nation,  has  never  been  conjeElured.  It  feems  pro- 
bable that  this  intermijjion  of  his  labour  was  from 
Oclober  to  December  15T2. 

In  his  Epiflle  Dedicatory  to  Lord  Stirling,  fon 
and  heir  of  the  Earl  of  Orkney,  he  thus  alfo  afcer- 
tains  the  time  when  he  wrote  his  "  Palice  of  Ho- 


nour. 


>> 


To 


428  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

To  you,  my  Lord,  quhat  is  thair  mare  to  fay 
Reffave  your  werk,  defyrit  mony  ane  day, 
Quhairin  alfo  now  am  I  fully  qnytt, 
As  twichand  Venus,  of  my  auld  promytt, 
Quhilk  I  hir  maid,  weill  twelf  yeris  to-fore, 
As  witnefleth  my  Palice  of  Honoure, 

To  each  of  the  twelve  Books ■,  Douglas  thought  Jit  to 
prefix  a  Prologue^  two  of  which  have  heenjujlly  ad- 
mired as  natural  and  luxuriant  defcriptions  of  Win- 
.  ter,  and  of  a  May  Morning  j  they  are  the  Prologues 
to  the  Seventh  and  Twelfth  Books. ~\ 


fx  S  bricht  Piiebus  fchene,  foverane  hevinnis  E, 

The  oppofit  held  of  his  chymes  hie, 

Clere  fchynand  hemes,  and  goldin  fumeris  hew, 

]n  lattoun  cullour  altering  hale  of  new  ; 

Kything  no  figne  of  heit  be  his  viffage, 

So  nere  approchit  he  his  wjrnter  ftage  $ 

Reddy  he  was  to  enter  the  thrid  morne 

In  cludy  fkyes  under  Capricorne  : 

All  thoucht  he  be  the  lampe  and  hert  of  hevin, 

Forfeblit  wox  his  lemand  gilty  levin, 

Throw  the  declyning  of  his  large  round  fpere. 

The  frofty  regioun  ryngis  of  the  yere, 

The  tyme  and  fefloun  bitter,  cauld  and  pale 

Th ay  fchort  dayis,  that  clerkis  clepe  ErUiMALE  : 

Quhen  brym  blailis  of  the  northyn  art 

Ouerquhelmyt  had  Neptunus  in  his  cart, 

And  all  to  fchaik  the  levis  of  the  treis, 

The  rageand  ftormes  ouerwelterand  wally  feis. 

Ryveris  ran  rede  on  fpate  with  wattir  broun, 

And  burnis  harlis  all  thare  bankis  doun, 

And 


JAMES  IV.  I488 I5I3.  429 

And  landbirft  rumbland  rudely  with  fie  were, 
Sa  loud  nevir  rummyft  wyld  lyoun  nor  bere  : 
Fludis  monftouris,  fie  as  merefwynis  or  quhalis 
For  the  tempeft  law  in  the  depe  devalis  : 
Mars  occideht  retrograde  in  his  fpere, 
Provocand  ftryfFe,  regnit  as  lord  that  yere. 
Rany  Oriotjn  with  his  ftormy  face 
Bywavit  oft  the  fchipman  by  hys  race  : 
Frawart  Saturne  chil  of  complexioun, 
Throw  quhais  afpect.  darth  and  infe&ioun 
Bene  caufit  oft,  and  mortall  peflilence, 
Went  progreffive  the  greis  of  his  afcence  : 
And  lufty  Hebe,  Junois  dochter  gay, 
Stude  fpulyete  of  hir  office  and  array  : 
The  fole  yfowpite  in  to  wattir  wak, 
The  firmament  ourecaft  with  clndis  blak  : 
The  ground  fadit,  and  fauch  wox  al  the  feildis, 
Mountane  toppis  flekit  with  fnaw  over  heildis  : 
On  raggit  rolkis  of  hard  harik  quhyn  itane, 
With  frofyu  frontis  cald  clynty  clewis  fehane  : 
Bewty  was  loift,  and  barrand  fchew  the  landis, 
With  froftis  hare  ouerfret  the  feildis  ftandis. 
("Sere  birtir  bubbis  and  the  fchoutis  fnell 
Semyt  on  the  fwarde  in  fimilitude  of  hell, 
Reducing  to  oure  mynde  in  every  ftede 
Goufty  fchaddois  of  eild  and  grifly  dede  :) 
Thik  drumly  fkuggis  dirkinnit  fo  the  hevin, 
Dym  fkyis  oft  furth  warpit  fereful  levin, 
Flaggis  of  fyre,  and  mony  felloun  flaw, 
Scharp  foppis  of  fleit,  and  of  the  fnyppand  fnaw  : 
The  dolly  dichis  war  al  donk  and  wate, 
The  law  valis  flodderit  all  wyth  fpate, 
The  plane  flretis  and  every  hie  way 
Full  of  flufchis,  dubbis,  myre  and  clay  ; 
Laggerit  leyis  wallowit  fernis  fchew, 
Broun  muris  kythit  thare  wiflinyt  mofly  hew  j 

Bank, 


43°  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   F0ETR7. 

Bank,  bray  and  boddum  blanfchit  wox  and  bare  j 

For  gourl  weddir  growit  beiftis  hare. 

The  wynd  maid  waif  the  rede  wede  on  the  dyk, 

Bedowin  in  donkis  depe  was  every  (ike  : 

Oaer  craggis  and  the  frontis  of  rochys  fere 

Hang  grete  yte  fchokkilis  lang  as  ony  fpere  : 

The  grund  ftade  barrane,  widderit,  dofk  and  gray, 

Herbis,  flouris  and  gerffis  wallowit  away  : 

Woddis,  foreflis  with  naket  bewis  blout 

Stude  ftripit  of  thare  wede  in  every  hout : 

Sa  buftouflie  Boreas  his  bugill  blew, 

The  dere  full  derne  doun  in  the  dailis  drew  : 

Small  birdis  fiokand  throw  ilk  ronnys  thrang, 

In  chirmynge,  and  with  cheping  changit  thare  fang, 

Sekand  hidlis  and  hirnys  thame  to  hyde 

Fra  ferefull  thuddis  of  the  tempeiluus  tyde  : 

The  wattir  lynnys  rowtis,  and  every  lyiid 

Quhiflit  and  brayit  of  the  fouchand  wynd  : 

Pure  lauboraris  and  byffy  hufband  men 

Went  weet  and  wery  draglit  in  the  fen. 

The  cilly  fchepe  and  thare  litill  hird-gromes 

Lurkis  under  lye  of  bankis,  woddis  and  bromes  : 

And  utheris  dantit  greter  beiftial, 

Within  thare  ftabill  Tefit  in  thare  flail, 

Sic  as  mulis,  hors,  oxin  or  ky, 

Fed  tufkit  baris,  and  fat  fwyne  in  fly, 

Suflenit  war  be  mannis  governance 

On  herviil  and  on  fomeris  purviance  : 

Widequhare  with  fors  fo  Eolus  fchoutis  fchill, 

In  this  congelit  fefoun  fcharp  and  chill, 

The  callour  are  penetrative  and  pure 

Dafing  the  blude  in  every  creature, 

Made  feik  warme  ftovis  and  bene  fyris  hote, 

In  doubill  garmont  cled,  and  welecate, 

With  mychty  drink,  and  metis  confortive, 

Aganis  the  ft  erne  wynter  for  to  ftrivc. 

Repatirrit 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  43I 

Repatirrit  wele,  and  by  the  chymnay  bekit, 
At  evin  be  tyme  doun  in  ane  bed  me  ftrekit, 
Warpif  my  hede,  keft  on  claithis  thrynfald 
For  to  expell  the  perrellus  perfand  cald  : 
I  crofit  me,  fyne  bownit  for  to  flepe  : 
Quhare  lemand  throw  the  glas  I  did  tak  kepe 
L  atom  1 A  the  lang  irkfum  nycht 
Hir  fubtell  blenkis  fched  and  watry  lychr, 
Full  hie  up  quhirlit  in  hir  regioun, 
Till  Phebus  richt  in  oppoficioun, 
Into  the  Crab  hir  propir  manfioun  draw, 
Haldand  the  hicht  althocht  the  fon  went  law  : 
The  hornyt  byrd  quhilk  we  clepe  the  nicht  oule, 
Within  hir  caverne  hard  I  fchout  and  youle, 
Laithely  of  forme,  with  crukit  camfcho  beik, 
Ugfum  to  here  was  hir  wyld  elrifche  Ikreik. 
The  wyld  geis  eik  claking  by  nychtis  tyde 
Attour  the  ciete  fleand  hard  I  glyde. 
On  Hummer  I  flade  full  fone,  and  flepyt  found, 
Quhill  the  horifont  upwart  can  rebourid  : 
Phebus  crounit  bird,  the  nichtis  orlagere, 
Clappin  his  wingis  thryis  had  crawin  clere  : 
Approching  nere  the  breking  of  the  day, 
Within  my  bed  I  walkynnyt  quhare  I  lay, 
Sa  fail  declynnys  Cynthia  the  mone, 
And  kayis  keklys  on  the  rufe  abone  : 
Palamedes  birdis  crowpand  in  the  fky, 
Fleand  on  randoun,  fchapin  lyk  ane  Y, 
And  as  an  trumpit  rang  thare  vocis  foun, 
Quhais  cryis  bene  pronofticacioun 
Of  wyndy  blaftis  and  ventofiteis. 
Faft  by  my  chalmer  on  hie  wifnit  treis 
The  fary  gled  quhifsllis  with  mony  ane  pew, 
Quharby  the  day  was  dawing  wele  I  knew  j 
Bad  bete  the  fyre,  and  the  candyll  alicht, 
Syne  blifiit  me,  and  in  my  wedis  dicht ; 

Ane 


432  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Ane  fcbot-wyndo  unfchet,  ane  litel  on  char, 
Perfavyt  the  mornyng  bla,  wan  and  har, 
Wyth  cloudy  gum  and  rak  ouerquhelmyt  the  are  ; 
The  fulye  fliche,  hafwert,  rouch  and  hare  ; 
Branchis  braltlyng  ;   and  blaiknyt  fchew  the  brayis, 
With  hirftis  harfk  of  waggand  wyndil  flrayis. 
The  dew  droppis  congelit  on  ftibbil  and  rynd, 
And  fcharp  hailftanys  mortfundyit  of  kynd, 
Hoppand  on  the  thak,  and  on  the  caufay  by  : 
The  fchote  I  clofit,  and  drew  inwart  in  hy, 
Cheverand  of  cald,  the  feflbun  was  fa  fnell, 
Schupe  with  hait  flambis  to  Heme  the  fiefing  fell. 
And  as  I  bounit  me  to  the  fire  me  by, 
Baith  up  and  doun  the  houfe,  I  did  efpy  ; 
And  feand  Virgill  on  ane  letteron  ftand, 
To  wryte  anone  I  eynt  my  pen  in  hand, 
And  as  I  culd,  with  ane  fald  diligence 
This  nixt  buke  followand  of  profouud  fcience 
Thus  has  begun  in  the  chill  wynter  cald, 
Quhen  froftis  dois  ouer  flete  baith  firth  and  fald. 

EXPLICIT    TRISTIS    PROLOGUS. 


P.  43T.  I.  I.  Repatirrlt  ivtle,  i.  c.  Having  repeated  a  good  number  of 
Pattr  jiefttrs.  In  the  Editions  it  is  erroneoufly  printed  RttreaU.  Several 
other  errors  are  corrected  in  this  and  the  following  Prologues,  by  the 
lift  of  various  readings  v*hich  Ruddiman  made  from  an  ancient  MS. 


A  MAY 


A    DESCRIPTION    OF    MAY,   BY    GAWIN    DOUGLAS. 


JLJionea,  nycht  bird,  and  wache  of  day, 

The  fteines  chafit  of  the  hevin  away  ; 

Dame  Cynthia  doun  rolling  in  the  feye, 

And  Venus  loift  the  bewte  of  hir  eye, 

Fleand  efchamet  within  CyllEnius  cave  ; 

Mars  umbedrew  for  all  his  grundin  glave  ; 

Nor  frawart  Saturve  from  his  mortall  fpere 

Durft  langare  in  the  firmament  appere, 

Bot  ftal  abak  yound  in  his  regioun  far, 

Behynd  the  circulate  warld  of  Jupiter  ; 

Nyctimene  affrayit  of  the  licht 

Went  under  covert,  for  gone  was  the  nycht ; 

As  frefche  Aurora,  to  mychty  Titiione  fpous, 

Ifchit  of  hir  fafferon  bed  and  evyr  hous, 

In  crammefy  clede  and  granit  violate, 

With  fanguyne  cape,  the  felvage  purpurate, 

Unfchet  the  wyndois  of  hir  large  hall, 

Spred  all  with  rolisj  and  full  of  balme  riall, 

And  eik  the  hevinly  portis  criftallyne 

Upwarpis  brade,  the  warlde  till  illumyne. 

The  twynkling  ftremouris  of  the  orient 

Sched  purpour  fprayngis,  with  gold  and  afure  ment, 

Perfand  the  fabil  barmkin  no&urnall, 

Bet  doun  the  fkyes  cloudy  mantil  wall ; 

Eolus  the  ftede,  with  ruby  hammys  rede, 

Abufe  the  feyis  liftis  furth  his  hede, 

Of  culloure  fore,  and  fum  dele  broune  as  bery, 

For  to  alichtin  and  glade  our  emyfpery  j 

The  flambe  out  braftin  at  the  neifs  thirlis, 

So  fall  Phaeton  with  the  quhip  him  quhirlis, 

Vol.  I.  I  i  i  To 


434  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

To  roll  Apollo  his  faderis  goldin  chare, 
That  fchroudith  all  the  hevynnys  and  the  are  ; 
Quhil  fchortlie  with  the  blefand  torche  of  day, 
Abulyeit  in  his  lemand  frefche  array, 
Furth  of  his  palice  riall  ifchit  Phebus, 
With  goldin  croun  and  village  glorius, 
Crifp  haris,  bricht  as  chriflblite  or  thopas, 
For  quhais  hew  mycht  nane  behald  his  face ; 
The  fyrie  fparkis  brafting  from  his  ene, 
To  purge  the  are,  and  gilt  the  tendir  grene, 
Defoundand  from  his  fege  etheriall 
Glade  influent  afpe&is  celicall ; 
Before  his  regal  hie  magnificence 
Myfly  vapoure  upfpringand  fwete  as  fence, 
In  fmoky  foppis  of  donk  dewis  wak, 
.With  hailfum  flouis  ouerheildand  the  flak. 
The  auriate  phanis  of  his  trone  foverane, 
With  glitterand  glance,  ouerfpred  the  ocliane, 
The  large  fludis  lemand  all  of  licht, 
Bot  with  ane  blenk  of  his  fupernale  ficht ; 
For  to  behald  it  was  ane  glore  to  fe 
The  ftabillyt  wyndys,  and  the  calmyt  fe, 
The  foft  feiToun,  the  firmament  ferene, 
The  loune  illuminate  are,  and  firth  amene  ; 
The  filver  fcalit  fyfchis  on  the  grete, 
Ouer  thowrt  clere  ftremes  fprinkilland  for  the  hete, 
With  fynnys  fchinand  broun  as  fynopare, 
And  chefal  talis,  ftourand  here  and  thare  5 
The  new  cullour  alichting  all  the  landis 
Forgane  the  ftanryis  fchene,  and  beriall  llrandis : 
Quhil  the  reflex  of  the  diurnal  bemes 
The  bene  bonkis  keft  ful  of  variant  glemes. 
And  lufty  Flora  did  hir  blomes  fprede 
Under  the  fete  of  Phebus  fulyeart  ftede  : 
The  fwardit  foyll  enbrode  with  felkouth  hewis, 
Wod  and  foreft  obumbrate  with  the  bewis, 

Quhais 


james  iv.  1488 — 1 5 13.  435 

Quhais  blysful  branchis  porturate  ou  the  ground 

With  fchaddois  khene  fchew  rochis  rubicund, 

Towris,  turettis,  kirnalis,  and  pynnakillis  hie 

Of  kirkis,  cailellis,  and  ilk  faire  ciete, 

Stude  pajntit,  every  fane,  phioli  and  ftage 

Apoun  the  plane  ground,  by  thare  awin  umbrage  : 

Of  Eolus  north  blaftis  havand  na  drede, 

The  fulye  fpred  hir  brade  bofum  on  brede, 

Zephyrus  confortabill  infpiratioun 

lor  tyll  refiave  law  in  hir  barne  adoun  : 

The  cornis  croppis,  and  the  here  new  brerde 

Wyth  gladefum  garmont  revelling  the  erd  ; 

So  thyk  the  plantis  fprang  in  every  pete, 

The  feildis  ferlyis  of  thare  frucfcuous  flete : 

Byfly  dame  Ceres,  and  proude  Priapus 

Rejoling  of  the  planis  plentuous, 

Plennyft  fo  plefand,  and  mailt  propirly 

By  nature  nuriffit  wounder  tendirly, 

On  the  fertyl  ikyrt  lappis  of  the  ground 

Strekand  on  brede  under  the  cyrkil  round : 

The  varyant  vefture  of  the  venuft  vale 

Schrowdis  the  fcherand  fur,  and  every  fale 

Ouerfrett  wyth  fulzeis,  and  fyguris  ful  dy vers, 

The  pray  byfprent  wyth  fpryngand  fproutis  dyfpers, 

For  callour  humours  on  the  dewy  nycht, 

Rendryng  fum  place  the  gyrs  pylis  thare  licht, 

Als  fer  as  catal  the  lang  foraerys  day 

Had  in  thare  pafture  ete  and  gnyp  away  ; 

And  blysful  bloilbmys  ia  the  blomyt  yard 

Submyttis  thare  hedys  in  the  young  fonnys  fafgard  : 

Ive  levis  rank  ouerfpred  the  barmkyn  wall, 

The  blomit  hauthorne  cled  his  pykis  all, 

Furth  of  frefche  burgeouns  the  wyne  grapis  ying 

Endlang  the  trazileys  dyd  on  twiflis  hingj 

Theloukit  buttouns  on  the  gemyt  treis 

Ouerfpredand  levis  of  naturis  tapeftryis, 

Joft 


436  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Soft  grefy  verdoure  eftir  balmy  fchouris, 

On  curlaud  ftalkis  fmyland  to  thare  flowris  : 

Behaldand  thame  fa  mony  divers  hew 

Sum  peirs,  fum  pale,  fum  burnet,  and  fum  blew, 

Sum  gres,  fum  gowlis,  fum  purpure,  fum  fanguane, 

Blanchit  or  broun,  fauch  yallo-.v  mony  ane  ; 

Sun  hevinly  colourit  in  celeftial  gre, 

Sum  wattry  hewit  as  the  ha*w  wally  fe, 

And  fum  departe  in  freklis  rede  and  quhyte, 

Sum  bricht  as  gold  with  aureate  levis  lyte. 

The  dafy  did  on  brede  hir  crownel  fmale, 

And  every  flour  unlappit  in  the  dale  ; 

In  battil  gers  burgeouns,  the  banwart  wyld, 

The  clavir,  catcluke,  and  the  cammomylde  ; 

The  flourdelyce  furth  fprede  his  hevynly  hew, 

Floure  damas,  and  columbe  blak  and  blew  ; 

Sere  downis  fmal  on  dentilioun  fprang, 

The  young  grene  blomit  ftrabery  levis  amang  ; 

Gimp  jereflouris  thareon  levis  unfchet, 

Frefche  prymrois,  and  the  purpour  violet ; 

The  rois  knoppis,  tetand  furth  thare  hede, 

Gan  chyp,  and  kyth  thare  vernale  lippis  red  ; 

Cryfp  Ikarlet  levis  fum  fcheddand  baith  attanis, 

Keil  fragrant  fmel  amyd  fra  goldin  granis  ; 

Hevinlie  lyllyis,  with  lokkerand  toppis  quhyte, 

Opynnit  and  fchew  thare  creiftis  redemyte, 

The  balmy  vapour  from  thare  fylkyn  croppis 

Diftilland  halefum  fugurat  hony  droppis, 

And  fylver  fchakeris  gan  fra  levys  hing, 

With  cryftal  fprayngis  on  the  verdure  ying  : 

The  plane  pouderit  with  femelie  feitis  found, 

Bedyit  ful  of  dewy  peirlys  round  ; 

So  that  ilk  burgeoun,  fyon,  herbe,  or  floure, 

Wox  all  enbalmyt  of  the  frefche  liquour, 

And  baithit  hait  did  in  dulce  humouris  flete, 

Quharcof  the  beis  wrocht  thare  hony  fwete, 


Be 


james  iv.  1488—1513.  437 

Be  mychty  Phebus  operatiouns, 

In  fappy  fubtell  exhalatiouns  : 

Forgane  the  cummyn  of  this  prynce  potent, 

Redolent  odour  up  from  the  rutis  fprent, 

Halefum  of  fmel,  as  ony  fpicery, 

Triakil,  droggis,  or  electuary, 

Seropys,  fewane,  fuccure,  and  fynamome, 

Pretius  inuntment,  faufe,  or  fragrant  pome, 

Aromatike  gummes,  or  ony  fyne  potioun, 

Muft,  myr,  aloyes,  or  confe&ioun. 

Ane  paradife  it  femyt  to  draw  nere 

Thir  galyeard  gardingis,  and  eik  grene  herbere : 

Mayft  amyabil  waxis  the  emerant  medis  ; 

Swannis  fouchis  throw  out  the  refpand  redis, 

Ouer  all  the  lochis  and  the  fludis  gray, 

Serfand  by  kynd  ane  place  quhare  thay  fuld  lay. 

Phebus  rede  fule  his  curale  creifl  can  ftere, 

Oft  ftrekand  furth  his  hekkil  crawand  clerc 

Amyd  the  wortis,  and  the  rutis  gent, 

Pikland  hys  mete  in  alayis  quhare  he  went, 

His  wyffis,  Toppa  and  Partelot,  hym  by, 

As  bird  al  tyme  that  hantis  bygamy. 

The  payntit  powne  payfand  with  plumy  s  gym, 

Keft  up  his  tale,  ane  proud  plefand  quheil-rym, 

Ifchrowdit  in  his  fedderane  bricht  and  fchcne, 

Schapand  the  prent  of  Argois  hundreth  ene. 

Amang  the  bronys  of  the  olyve  twiflis, 

Sere  fmale  foulis,  wirkand  crafty  neftis, 

Fndlang  the  hedgeis  thik,  and  on  rank  akis 

Ilk  bird  reiofand  with  thare  mirthful  maku. 

In  corneris  and  clere  fenefteris  of  glas, 

Full  befely  Arachne  wevand  was, 

To  knyt  hyr  nettis  and  hyr  wobbis  fle, 

Therewith  to  caucht  the  litil  mige  or  fle. 

So  dully  pouder  upltouris  in  every  ftrete, 

Quhil  coxby  gafpit  for  the' fervent  hete. 

Under 


438  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Under  the  bewis  bene  in  lufely  valis, 

Within  fermance  and  parkis  clois  of  palis, 

The  buftuous  bukkis  rakis  furth  on  raw  ; 

Heirdis  of  hertis  throw  the  thyck  wod  fchaw, 

Bayth  the  brokittis,  and  with  brade  burnift  tyndis  ; 

The  fprutillit  calfys  foukand  the  rede  hyndis, 

The  young  fownys  folio  wand  the  dun  days, 

Kiddis  fkippand  throw  ronnys  eftir  1  ais  ; 

In  lefuris  and  on  leyis  litill  lammes, 

Full  tait  and  trig,  focht  bletand  to  thare  dammes  ; 

Tydy  ky  lowis,  velis  by  thaym  rynnis, 

And  fnod  and  flekit  worth  thir  beiftis  ikinnis. 

On  fait  ftremcs  wolk  Dorida  and  Thetis  ; 

By  rynnand  ftrandis,  Nymphes  and  Naiades, 

Sic  as  we  clepe  wenfchis  and  damyffellis, 

In  gerfy  gravis  wanderand  by  fpring  wellis, 

Of  blomed  branfchis  and  flouris  quhyte  and  rede 

Plettand  thare  lufty  chaplettis  for  thare  hede  : 

Sum  fang  ring  fangis,  dancis,  ledis,  and  roundis, 

With  vocis  fchil,  quhil  all  the  dale  refoundis  ; 

Quharefo  thay  walk  into  thare  karoling, 

For  amourus  layis  dois  all  the  rochis  ring  : 

Ane  fang,   The  /chip  falis  ouer  the  fait  fame, 

Will  bring  thir  merchandis  and  my  lemane  hame  ; 

Sum  uther  fingis,  I  wil  be  blyith  and  licht,    ' 

My  hert  is  lent  apoun  fa  gudly  wicht. 

And  thochtful  luffaiis  rownyis  to  and  fro, 

To  leis  thare  pane,  and  plene  thare  joly  wo  ; 

Eftir  thare  gife,  now  fingand,  now  in  forow, 

With  hertis  penfive,  the  lang  fomeris  morow  : 

Sum  ballettis  lift  endite  of  his  lady, 

Sum  levis  in  hope,  and  fum  alluterly 

Difparit  is,  and  fa  quyte  oute  of  grace, 

Hys  purgatory  he  fyndis  in  every  place. 

To  pleis  hys  lufe  fum  thocht  to  natter  and  fene, 

Sum  to  hant  bawdry  and  unleifsum  mene  j 

Sum 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — I5I3.  439 

Sum  rownys  till  his  fallow,  thaym  betwene, 
Hys  mery  ftouth  and  paftyme  lait  yiftrene  : 
Smyland  fais  ane,  I  couth  in  private 
Schaw  the  ane  burd.     Ha,  quhat  be  that,  quod  he  ? 
Quhat  thing  ?  That  moil!  be  fecrete,  faid  the  uthir. 
Gude  lord  !    myfbeleve  ye  your  verry  brothyr  ? 
Na  nevir  ane  dele,  bot  herkys  quhat  I  wald, 
Thou  man  be  prevy  :  lo  my  hand  uphald  : 
Than  fal  thou  wend  at  evin  :   quod  he,  quhiddir  ? 
In  fie  ane  place  here  weft,  we  baith  togiddir, 
Quhare  fche  fo  frefchlye  fang  this  hinder  nicht  : 
Do  cheis  the  ane,  and  I  fall  quench  the  licht. 
1  fall  be  thare,  quod  he,  I  hope  ;  and  leuch  ; 
Ya,  now  I  knaw  the  mater  wele  yneuch. 
Thus  oft  divulgate  is  thys  fchameful  play, 
Na  thing  accordyng  to  our  halefum  May, 
Bot  rathir  contagius  and  infe&yve, 
And  repugnant  that  feffoun  nutritive  ; 
Quhen  new  curage  kitillis  all  gentil  hertis, 
Seand  throw  kynd  ilk  thing  fpryngis  and  revertis. 
Dame  naturis  menftralis,  on  that  uthyr  parte, 
Thare  blisful  bay  intonyng  every  arte, 
To  bete  thare  amouris  of  thare  nychtis  bale. 
The  merle,  the  mavys,  and  the  nychtingale, 
Wyth  mirry  notis  myrthfully  furth  brift, 
Enforcing  thaym  quha  micht  do  clink  it  bell  : 
The  kowfehot  croudis  and  pyrkis  on  the  ryfe, 
The  ftirling  changis  divers  ftevynnys  nyfe  j 
The  fparrow  chirmis  in  the  wallis  clyft, 
Goldfpink  and  lintquhite  fordynnand  the  lyft  \ 
The  gukkow  galis,  and  fo  quhitteris  the  quale, 
Quhil  ryveris  reirdit,  fchawis,  and  every  dale, 
And  tendir  twiflis  trymblit  on  the  treis, 
For  birdis  fang,  and  bemyng  of  the  beis, 
In  werblis  dulce  of  hevinlie  armonyis, 
The  larkis  loude  releifchand  in  the  Ikyis, 

Lovis 


44'3  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Lovis  thare  lege  with  tonys  curious ; 

Bayth  to  dame  Natur,  and  the  frefche  Venus^ 

Rendring  hie  laudis  in  thare  observance, 

Quhais  fuggourit  throttis  made  glade  hartis  dance, 

And  al  fmal  foulis  fingis  on  the  fpray. 

Welcum  the  lord  of  licht,  and  lampe  of  day, 
Welcum  fofterare  of  tender  heibis  grene, 
Welcum  quhikkynnar  of  ilurifl  flouris  fchene, 
Welcum  fupport  of  every  rute  and  vane, 
Welcum  confort  of  al  kind  frute  and  grane, 
Welcum  the  birdis  beild  apoun  the  brere, 
Welcum  maifter  and  reulare  of  the  yere, 
Welcum  welefare  of  hulbandis  at  the  plewis, 
Welcum  reparare  of  woddis,  treis,  and  bewis, 
Welcum  depaynter  of  the  blomyt  medis, 
Welcum  the  lyffe  of  every  thing  that  fpiedis, 
Welcum  florare  of  al  kynd  beflial, 
Welcum  be  thy  bricht  bemes  gladand  al, 
Welcum  celeftiall  myrrour  and  efpye, 
Atteiching  all  that  hantis  fluggardry. 

And  with  this  wourd,  in  chawmer  quhare  I  lay, 
The  nynt  morow  of  frefche  temperit  May, 
On  fute  I  fprent  into  my  bare  fark, 
Wilful  for  to  complete  my  langfum  wark, 
Twiching  the  lattir  buke  of  Dan  Virgil, 
Quhilk  me  had  taryit  al  to  lang  ane  quhyle  : 
And  to  behald  the  cummyng  of  this  King, 
That  was  fo  welcum  to  al  warldly  thyng, 
With  fie  triumphe  and  pompus  curage  glaid, 
Than  of  his  foverane  chymmes,  as  is  faid. 
Newlie  arifir«g  in  his  eftate  ryall, 
That  by  his  hew,  but  orliger  or  dyal, 
I  knew  it  was  pafl  four  houris  of  day, 
And  thocht  I  wald  na  langare  ly  in  May, 
Les  Phebus  fuld  me  lofingere  attaynt : 
For  Progne  had  or  than  foung  hir  complaynt, 

And 


JAMES    IV.    I488 I5I3.  441 

And  elk  hir  dredful  lifter  Philomene 
Hir  layis  endit,_and  in  wod.dis  g.rene 
Hid  hir  felvin,  efchamit  of  hir  chance  : 
And  Esacus  completit  his  pennance, 
In  ryveris,  fludis,  and  on  every  laik  : 
And  Peristera  biddis  luffaris  awake, 
Do  ferf  my  lady  Venus  here  with  me, 
Lerne  thus  to  make  your  obfervance,  quod  fche, 
Ladyis  into  my  fwete-hartis  prefence  , 

Behaldis  how  I  beinge,  and  dois  reverence. 
Hir  neck  than  fcho  w*inklis,  traling  mony  fold 
With  plum  is  glitter  and,  afure  apoun  gold, 
Rendring  ane  cullour  betwix  grene  and  blew, 
In  purpure  glance  of  hevinlie  variant  hew  ; 
I  mene  our  awin  native  bird,  the  gentil  dow, 
Singand  on  hir  kynde,  /  come  bidder  to  wow  ; 
So  prikking  hir  grene  curage  for  to  crowde 
In  amorus  voce,  and  wowar  foundis  lowde  ; 
That  for  the  dynnyng  of  hir  wantoun  cry, 
I  irkit  of  my  bed,  and  mycht  not  ly, 
Bot  gan  me  blis,  fyne  in  my  wedis  dreffis : 
And  for  it  was  are  morow,  or  tyme  of  meffis, 
I  hint  ane  fcripture,  and  my  pen  furth  tuke  j 
Syne  thus  began  of  Virgil  the  twelt  buke. 


In  his  Prologue  fo  the  13th  Book,  or  Maffeus'  Supplement,  our 
author  prefen's  us  with  the  following  picture  of  a  Summer  Evening  : 

Towart  the  tvyn,  amyc!  the  fomeris  hcte, 
Qjihen  in  the  Crah  Apollo  held  hys  fete, 
During  the  joyus  moneth  tyme  of  yune, 
As  pone  nere  was  the  day,  and  fupper  done  ; 
I  walkit  furth  about  the  feildis  tyte, 
Quhilkis  tho  replenift  frude  ful  of  delyte, 
With  herbis,  comes,  cattel  and  frute  treis, 
Phnte  of  ftore,birdis  and  befy  bet's, 

Vol.  I.  Kkk  :* 


44*  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

In  emerand  medis  fleand  eft  and  weft, 

Eftir  labour  to  tak  the  nychtis  reft. 

And  as  I  lukit  on  the  lift  me  by, 

All  birnand  rede  gan  waxin  the  evin  fky ; 

The  fon  enfyrit  hale,  as  to  my  ficht, 

Quhirllit  about  his  ball  with  bemes  bricht, 

Declynand  faft  towart  the  north  in  dede, 

And  fyrie  Phlegon  his  dym  nychtis  ftedc 

Doukit  fa  depe  his  hede  in  fludis  gray, 

That  Phebus  rollis  doun  under  helaway : 

And  Hesperus  in  the  weft  with  bemes  bricht 

Upfpringis,  as  fore  rydare  of  the  nycht. 

Amyd  the  hawchis,  and  every  lufty  vale, 

The  recent  dew  begynnis  doun  to  Scale, 

To  meis  the  birning  quhare  the  fone  had  fchyne, 

Quhilk  tho  was  to  the  nether  warld  declyne  : 

At  every  pylis  poynt  and  comes  croppis 

The  teicheris  ftude,  as  lemand  beriaJl  droppis, 

And  on  the  halefum  herbis,  clene  but  wedis, 

Like  c  rift  a  11  knoppis  or  fniall  Giver  bedis : 

The  licht  begouth  to  quenfehyng  out  and  fall, 

The  day  to  dirken,  declyne  and  devall : 

The  gummis  rifis,  doun  fallis  the  donk  rym, 

Bay th  here  and  thare  flcuggis  and  fchaddois  dym : 

Up  gois  the  bak  with  hir  pelit  leddren  flicht, 

The  larkis  difcendis  from  the  flcyis  hicht, 

Singand  hir  complene  fang  eftir  hir  gife, 

To  take  hir  reft,  at  matyne  houre  to  ryfe ; 

Out  ouer  the  fwyre  fwymmys  the  foppis  of  myft, 

The  nicht  furth  fpred  hir  cloik  wyth  fabyl  lyft; 

That  al  the  bewty  of  the  fruftuous  feild 

"Was  wyth  the  erthis  umbrage  clene  ouerheild  : 

Bayth  man  and  beift,  firth,  flude,  and  woddis  wylde 

Involvit  in  the  fchaddois  war  infylde  : 

Styll  war  the  foulis  fleis  in  the  arc, 

All  ftore  and  cattail  fclit  in  thare  lare  ; 

All  creature  quhare  fo  thame  lykis  beft 

Bownis  to  tak  the  halefum  nychtis  reft, 

Eftir  the  dayis  laubour  and  the  hete  : 

Clois  warren  all  and  at  thare  foft  quiet, 

But  fterage  or  removyng,  he  or  fche, 

Outhir  beift,  bird,  fyfthe,  foul  by  land  or  fe. 

And  fchortly  every  thyng  that  doith  repare 

In  firth  or  feild,  flude,  foreft,  erth  or  are,    . 

Or  in  the  fcroggis,  or  the  bufkis  ronk,  » 

Lakis,  marcflis,  or  thare  poulis  donk : 

AlUblit 


james  iv.  1488— 1513.        443 

Aftablit  Iyggis  ftyl  to  fleip  and  reftis 
Be  the  fmall  biidis  fyttand  on  thare  neftis, 
The  lytil  mydgis,  and  the  urefum  fleis, 
Lauborius  emettis,  and  the  bifly  beis; 
Als  wele  the  wyld  as  the  tame  beftiall, 
And  every  uthir  thingis  grete  and  fmall: 
Out  tak  the  mery  nychtyngale  Pbilomtne, 
That  on  the  thorne  fat  fyngand  fro  the  fplene. 

Day.break,  or  the  dawning  of  the  day,  he  defcribes  thus : 

Younder  doun  dwynis  the  evin  iky  away, 

And  upfpringis  the  bricht  dawning  of  the  day  : 

In  till  ane  uthir  place,  not  fer  in  founder,  ■ 

That  to  behald  was  plcfance,  and  half  wounder, 

Furth  quencheing  gan  the  fternes  ane  be  ane. 

That  now  is  left  bot  Lucifer  allane. 

And  forthirmore,  to  blafin  this  new  day, 

Quhay  micht  difcryve  the  birdis  blislul  lay  ?  ^ 

Belyve  on  wyng  the  biffy  lark  upfprang, 

To  falute  the  bricht  morow  with  hir  fang  : 

Sone  ouer  the  feildis  fchynes  the  licht  clerc, 

Welcum  to  pilgryme  baith  and  lauborere  : 

Tyte  on  his  hynes  gaif  the  Greif  ane  cry  ; 

Awalk,  on  fute,  go  tyl  our  husbandry  : 

And  the  hird  callis  furth  apoun  his  page, 

To  drive  the  catall  to  thare  pafturage  : 

The  hyneswiffe  clepis  up  Katberine  and  Gyl; 

Ya,  dame,  faid  thay,  God  wate,  with  na  gude  will. 

The  dewye  grene  powdeiit  with  dafyis  gay 

Schew  on  the  fwarde  ane  cullour  dapil  gray  : 

The  myfty  vapouris  fpryngand  up  ful  fwete, 

Maid  comfortabil  to  glaid  al  mannis  fprete : 

Thareto  thir  birdis  fingis  in  thare  fchawis, 

As  menftralis  playis,  The  joly  day  noiv  da-wis. 

In  thefe  two  Prologues  Gawin  Dovglas  records  the  firft  lines  of  a 
few  fongs,  undoubtedly  the  favourites  of  his  day : 

The  fchip  falls  ouer  tbe  fait  fame, 

Will  bring  tbir  mercbandis,  and  my  lemane  bame. 


J  ivill  be  blyitb  and  licht, 

My  hert  it  lent  apoun  fa  gudly  tvhbt. 

I  tome  bidder  to  zvozu. 
The  joly  day  now  davits. 


A1V 


444  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

All  of  them  feem  now  to  be  irretrievably  loft — both  words  a»d  ma- 
fic ;  excepting  the  lalf,  the  air  of  which  is  generally  fuppofed  to  be  the 
Well  known  Hey  tutty  taity  ;   or, 

Landlady  count  thelawin, 
The  day  is  near  the  da-win,  &C. 

No  Scottifh  air  poff.ffes  more  genuine  firhplicity ;  and  to  no  other  is 
Wedderhurns  godly  parody  on  Hey  now  the  day  da-tvis ,  fo  well  adapted 
as  to  Hey  tutty  taity.  The  meafure,  or  conftrudtion  of  ftanza,  and  the 
melody  are  lingular  ;  and  appropriate  to  each  other,  to  all  appearance, 
exclufively. 

Of  this  there  feeming  no  reafon  to  doubt,  we  may  fafely  pronounce  it 
to  be  at  lcaft  as  old  as  the  time  of  James  IV.  There  is  even  a  tradition 
that  it  was  Robert  the  Bruce's  march  at  the  battle  of  Bannockburn  > 
but  probably  no  martial  mufic,  or  mufical  instrument  was  there  ufed, 
excepting,  by  every  man  his  own  bugle,  or  bullock-horn.  Be  that 
as  it  may,  it  muft  be  acknowledged  that  there  is  no  evidence  of  any 
other  known  Scottifh  Air  being  older  than  Hey  now  the  day  daivis.  It 
feems  to  be  mentioned  as  a  dance  in  the  tale  of  Co-wtelbie ;  lee  p.  308. 
According  to  Dunbar's  account,  the  menjlralis  (or  pipers)  of  Edinburgh 
in  his  time  knew  hatdly  any  other  tune.  In  a  fatirical  addrefs  to  the 
merchants,  he  fays, 

Your  commone  menftralis  hes  no  tunc 
Bot  No-w  the  day  da-wit,  and  Into  youn. 

To  this  day  it  is  often  fung  at  merry-makings  as  a  Ring-fong,  witli 
the  following  words : 

Weel  may  we  a'  be  I 
Til  may  we  neu'r  fee  ! 
God  blefs  the  Kicg 

And  this  companie  ! 
Hey  tutti  taity, 
Hey  lilly  pretty, 
Hey  tutti  taity, 

Merry  let  us  be. 

P.  437.  \.  21.  Toppa  and  Partelot.  Thefe  are  fictitious  names  gi- 
ven to  two  hens,  the  cocks  paramours,  or  wyffis,  as  our  author  calls 
them.  Toppa  from  the  top  or  creft  upon  her  head ;  Partelot,  a  darling, 
fee  p.  380. 


OF  LUF ; 


Of    LUFi    THE    STRENTH   AND    INCOMMODYTYS   OF    THE 
SAMYN;    BY   GAWIN   DOUGLAS. 


W  ith  bemys  fchene,  thow  bricht  Cytheria, 
Quhilk  only  fchaddowift  amonge  fterris  lite  ; 
And  thy  blynd  wyngit  fon  Cupid,  ye  tua 
Fofteiaris  of  birnyng  carnale  hete  delite  j 
Your  joly  wo  neidlingis  moift  I  endite, 
Begynnyng  with  ane  fenyeit  faynt  plefance, 

Continewit  wyth  luft,  and  endit  wyth  penance. 

i 

In  fragil  flefche  your  febill  fede  is  faw, 

Rutit  in  delyte,  welth,  and  fude  delicate, 

Nurift  with  fleuth,  and  mony  unfemly  faw, 

Quhare  fchame  is  loift.  tharfpredis  your  burgeons  hate, 

Oft  to  revolve  ane  unlcful  confate, 

Ripis  your  perellus  frutis  and  uncorne  : 

Of  wikkit  grane  how  fal  gude  fchaif  be  fchorne  ? 

Quhat  is  your  force,  bot  febling  of  the  flrenth  ? 
Your  curius  thochtis  quhat  bot  mufardry  ? 
Your  fremmit  glaydnes  leflis  not  ane  houris  lentb, 
Your  fport  for  fchame  ye  dar  not  fpecifye, 
Your  frute  is  bot  unfructuous  fantafye, 
Your  fory  joyis  bene  bot  janglyng  and  japis, 
And  your  trew  fervandis  filly  goddis  apis. 

Your  fueit  myrthys  ar  myxt  wyth  byttirnes, 
Quhat  is  your  drery  game  and  mery  pane  ? 
Your  werk  unthrift,  your  quiet  is  reflles, 
Your  luft  lyking  in  langour  to  remane, 
Frendfchyp  torment,  your  traifl  is  bot  ane  trane  : 

Oluf 


446  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

O  luf,  quhidder  art  thou  joy,  or  fulyfchnes, 
That  makys  folk  fo  glayd  of  thayr  dyftres  ? 

Salomon's  wit,  Samfsoun  thou  revifl  his  force, 

And  David  thou  bereft  his  prophecy, 

Men  fayis  thou  brydillit  AristotELL  as  ane  hors, 

And  crelit  up  the  floure  of  Poetry  ; 

Quhat  fall  I  of  thy  mychtis  notify  ? 

Fare  weil,  quhare  that  thy  lufty  dart  affalis, 

Wit,  ftrenth,  riches,  na  thinge  hot  grace  avalis. 

Thow  chene  of  luf,  ha  benedicite  \ 

How  hard  ftrenyeis  thy  bandis  every  wicht  ! 

The  God  above,  for  his  hie  majefte, 

With  the  ybou:  d,  law  on  ane  maid  did  licht. 

Thou  vincufl  the  ftrang  gyand  of  grete  mycht  ; 

Thou  art  mair  forfy  than  the  dede  fa  fell; 

Thou  plennyft  paradyfe,  and  thou  heriit  hell. 

Thou  makis  febil  wicht,  and  thou  lawefl  hie  ; 

Thou  knyttis  freyndfchip,  quhare  thare  be  na  parage ; 

Thou  Jonathas  confident  with  Davye, 

Thou  dantit  Alexander  for  all  his  valTakge, 

Thou  feftynnyt  Jacob  fourtene  yeris  in  bondage, 

Thou  teichit  Hercules  go  lerne  to  fpyn, 

And  reik  Deianire  his  meis  in  lioun  Ikyn. 

For  luf  Narcissus  perifl  at  the  well, 

For  luf  thou  ftervift  moifl  douchty  Achill, 

Theseus  for  luf  his  fallow  focht  to  hell. 

The  fnaw  quhite  dow  oft  to  the  gray  tnaik  will ; 

Allace  for  luf,  how  mony  thame  felf  did  fpill ! 

Thy  fury,  luf,  moderis  tacht,  for  difpite, 

To  fyle  handis  in  blude  of  ther  ying  childrin  lite. 

O  Lord,  quhat  writis  myne  autor  of  thy  force, 
In  his  Georgikis  ?  How  thy  undantit  mycht 

Conftreni3 


JAMES  IV.  I488 — 1513.  44^ 

Conftrenis  fome  tyme  fo  the  ftonyt  hors, 
That  by  the  fent  of  ane  mere,  fer  of  fycht, 
He  bradis  brayis  anon,  and  takis  the  flicht ; 
Na  bridill  may  him  dant,  nor  buftuous  dyntr 
Nor  bra,  hie  roche,  nor  brade  fludis  ftynt. 

The  buftuous  bullis  oft  for  the  young  kye 

With  home  to  home  wirkis  othir  mony  wound  j 

So  rummefin  with  mony  law  and  cry, 

The  feildis  all  doith  of  their  routing  refound. 

The  meik  hartis  in  belling  oft  ar  found 

Mak  feirs  bargane,  and  rammys  togiddir  ryn, 

Baris  with  thare  tufkis  will  frete  otheris  fkyn. 

Lo  how  Venus  can  hir  fervandis  acquite, 
Lo  how  hir  paffiouns  unbridlis  all  thare  wit ; 
Lo  how  thay  tyne  thame  felfe  for  fchort  delite, 
Lo  from  all  grace  how  to  myfcheif  thay  flit, 
Fra  weill  to  Hurt,  fra  pane  to  dede  ;  and  yit 
Thare  bene  bot  fewe  exampill  takis  of  other, 
Bot  wilfully  fallis  in  the  fire,  leif  brother. 

Be  never  ouerfet,  myne  auftor  teichis  fo, 
With  luft  of  wyne  nor  werkis  veneriane  , 
Thay  febil  the  ftrenth,  revelis  fecrete,  boith  tuo 
Strife  and  debait  engeneris,  and  feil  has  flane. 
Honeft  proues,  drede,  fchame  and  luk  ar  gane 
Quhare  thay  habound :  attempir  thame  forthy  ; 
Childer  to  engendir  ufe  Venus,  and  not  in  vane, 
Mant  na  forfet,  drink  not  bot  quhen  thou  art  dry. 

Quhat  ?  Is  this  luf  nyce  luffaris,  as  ye  mene, 
Or  fals  diflait,  fare  Ladyis  to  begyle  ? 
Thame  to  defoule,  and  fclient  your  feli  betuene, 
Is  all  your  liking  with  many  fubtell  wile. 
Is  that  trew  luf,  gude  faith  and  fame  to  fyle? 

Gif 


44&  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY, 

Gif  luf  be  vertevv,  than  is  it  leful  thing  ; 
Gif  it  be  vice,  it  is  your  undoing. 

Say  is  not  jour  fentence  thus,  fkant  worth  ane  fas  ; 

Quhat  honefte  or  renowne,  is  to  be  dram  ? 

Or  for  to  droup  like  ane  fordullit  as  ? 

Lat  us  in  rjot  leif,  in  fport  and  gam, 

In  Venus  court,  fen  born  thareto  I  am, 

My  tyme  wel  fall  I  fpend  :  wenys  thou  not  fo  ? 

Bot  all  yon;  folace  ;all  returne  in  gram  ; 

Sic  thewles  luftis  in  bittir  pane  and  wo. 

Thou  auld  hafard  leichoure  !  fy  for  fchame, 
That,  flotteris  furth  evermare  in  fluggardry  : 
Out  on  the,  auld  trat,  agit  wyffe  or  dame, 
Efchames  ne  time  in  rouft  of  fyn  to  ly  : 
Thir  Venus  werkis  in  youtheid  ar  foly, 
But  into  eild  thay  turn  in  fury  rage. 
And  wha  fchameles  dou^.is  thar  fyn,  ha  fy  ! 
As  dois  thir  vantouris  owthir  in  youth  or  age  ? 

Wald  God  ye  purcheft  but  youre  awin  mifchance. 

And  ware  na  banereris  for  to  perys  mo  ; 

God  grant  fum  time  ye  turne  you  to  pennance, 

Refrenyng  luftis  inordinat,  and  cry  ho  ; 

And  thare  affix  your  luf,  and  myndis  alfo, 

Quhare  ever  is  venny  joy  without  offence, 

That  all  fie  beiftly  fury  ye  lat  go  hence. 

Of  brokaris  and  (Ic  baudry  how  fuld  t  write  ? 
Of  quham  the  fylth  flynketh  in  Goddis  neis. 
With  Venus  hen  wyffis,  quhat  wyfe  may  I  flyte  ? 
That  ftraykis  thir  wenfehis  hedes,  them  to  pleis  : 
Douchter,  for  thy  luf  thh  man  has  grete  difeis, 
Quod  the  bifrnere  with  the  flekit  fpeche  : 
Rew  on  him,  it  is  merit  his  pane  to  meis. 
Sic  pode-makrellis  for  Lucifer  bene  leche. 

E  fchame 


JAMES    IV.    I488— 1513.'  4.49 

Efchame  young  virgins,  and  fair  damycellis, 
Furth  of  wedlok  for  to  diftyne  your  kellis  ; 
Traift  not  all  talis  that  wantoun  wowaris  tellis, 
You  to  defloure  purpofyng,  and  not  ellis  : 
Abhore  fie  price  or  prayer.;  wourfchip  failis 
Quhare  fchame  is  loift,  and  fchent  is  womanhede  ; 
Quhat  of  beute  quhare  honefle  lyis  dede  ? 

Rew  on  your  felf,  ladyis  and  madynnys  ying  ; 
Grant  na  fie  reuth,  that  ever  may  caus  you  rew  : 
Ye  frefche  gallandis,  in  hate  defire  byrnyng, 
Refrene  your  curage,  fie  peramouris  to  perfew  ; 
Ground  your  amouris  on  cherite  all  new, 
Found  you  on  refloun  ;  quhat  nedis  mare  to  preche  ? 
God  grant  you  grace  in  luf  as  I  you  teich. 

Lo,  thare  quhat  thocht,  quhat  bittirnes  and  pane, 

Luf  un-fely  bred  is  in  every  wicht, 

Quhou  fchort  quhile  dois  his  fals  plefance  remane  ? 

His  reftles  blis  how  fone  takis  the  flicht  ? 

His  kyndnes  alteris  in  wraith  within  ane  nycht ; 

Quhat  is  bot  torment  all  hys  langfum  fare  ? 

Begun  with  fere,  and  endit  in  difpare. 

Quhat  fufly,  cure,  and  flrange  ymagyning  ? 
Quhat  wayis  unlefull,  his  purpois  to  atteyne, 
Has  this  fals  luft  at  his  firfl  begynnyng  ? 
How  fubtell  wilis,  and  mony  quiet  niene  ? 
Quhat  flicht  diflait  quentlie  to  flat  and  fene  ? 
Syne  in  ane  thraw  can  not  him  felfyn  hyde, 
Nor  at  his  firfl  eflate  no  quhile  abide. 

Thou  fwelth  devourare  of  tyme  unrecoverabill, 
O  luft  infernale  !  furnes  inextinguibill, 
Thy  felf  confuming  worthis  infaciabiJl. 
Qiient  feyndis  net,  to  God  and  man  odibil : 
Of  thy  tragetis  quhat  toung  may  tell  the  tribyll  ? 
Vol.  I.  L 1 1  With 


450  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRT. 

With  the  to  wreftil,  thou  waxis  euermare  wicht ; 
Efchewe  thyne  hant,  and  mynnis  fall  thy  mycht. 

Se  how  blynd  luffis  inordinate  defire 
Degradis  honour,  and  reffoun  dois  exile  ; 
Dido  of  Cartage  floure,  and  lampe  of  "tyre, 
Quhais  hie  renoune  na  flrenth  nor  gift  mycht  fyle, 
In  hir  fanyt  luft  fo  mait  within  fchort  quhile, 
That  honeftye  bayth  and  gude  fame  war  adew, 
Syne  for  difdene,  allace  !  hir  felfin  flew. 

O  quhat  avalit  thy  brute  and  glorious  name, 

Thy  nobyll  treflbur  and  werkis  infinyt  ? 

Thy  cyeteis  beilding,  and  thy  riall  hame, 

Thy  realmes  conqueft,  welefare  and  delyte  ? 

To  ftynt  all  thinge  fayf  thyne  awne  appetite, 

So  was  in  luf  thy  frawart  deftany. 

Allace,  the  quhile  thou  knewe  the  ftrange  Erne  ! 


P.  448.  laft  line.  Sit  fede-maireilii  for  Lucifer  itnt  letht.  Malrellit 
from  the  French  majvereilt,  or  Dutch  makeiatrfer,  a  Bawd.  ►  For  fuch 
filthy  bawds,  Lucifer  is  the  fitted  Lege,  or  Superiour ;"  or  perhaps, 
1  fuch  filthy  (trumpet*,  are  the  loyal  or  heart;  Lieges  or  fubjtda  of  Lu- 
ctfer.u 


SA.TYRZ 


SATYRE  ON  THE  TYMES;  QUHAIRiN  THE  AUCTOR  SCHAWI5 

THE  STAIT  OF  THYS  FALS  WARLD,  OJJHOU  ALL 

THYNG  IS  TURNIT  FRA  VERTUE  TYL  VYCE. 


[*'  Maister  Gavin  Douglas,  fwe  read,  J  was  ane 
"  cunning  clerk  of  many  faculties ,  and  the  bejl  poet 
"  in  our  vulgar  tongue  that  ever  was  horn  in  our 
"  nation-"  u  In  his  prologues,  where  he  hath  his 
liberty  (fays  Hume,  in  his  Hiftory  of  the  Family^ 
he  fheweth  a  natural  and  ample  vein  ofpoefy,fo  pure, 
pleafant,  and  judicious,  that  I  believe  there  is  none 
that  hath  written  before  or  Jince,  but  cometh  fhort  of 
him :  Particularly,  there  is  not  fuch  a  piece  to  be 
found,  as  his  prologue  to  the  eighth  book,  beginning 
Of  drevilling  and  dremys,  &c.  at  leaf  in  our  la?i- 
guage.'7 

This  being  the  tefimony  of  a  competent  judge  of  Foe* 
try,  it  would  be  a  glaring  defect  in  this  work  to  omit 
fuch  a  favourite  compq/ttion.2 


Uf  drevilling  and  dremys  quhat  doith  to  endite? 
For  as  1  lenit  in  an  ley  in  Lent  this  laft  nycht, 
I  flaid  on  ane  fwevynyng,  flomerand  ane  lite, 
And  fone  ane  felkouth  fege  1  faw  to  my  fycht, 
Swownand  as  he  fwelt  wald,  and  fowpit  in  fite  ; 
Was  never  wrocht  in  this  warld  mare  woful  ane  wicht. 
Ramand  :  "  Refoun  and  ryeht  ar  rent  be  fals  ryte, 

Frendfchip 


45  2  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Frenclfchip  flemyt  is  in  France,  and  faith  has  tane  flicht, 
Lejis,  lurdanry  and  luft  ar  oure  laid  fterne : 

Pecc  is  put  out  of  play, 

Welth  and  welefare  away, 

Luf  and  lawte  bayth  tway 

Lurkis  ful  derne. 

Langour  lent  is  in  land,  al  lichtnes  is  loift, 
Sturtin  ftudy  has  the  ftere  dyftroyand  our  fport, 
Mufing  merris  our  myrth,  half  mangit  almoift ; 
So  thochtis  thretis  in  thra  our  breiftis  ouerthort, 
Baleful  befynes  bayth  blis  and  blythnes  gan  boift : 
Thare  is  na  fege  for  na  fchame  that  fchrynkis  at  fchortc 
May  he  cum  to  hys  caft  be  clokyng  but  coifl, 
He  rekkys  nowthir  the  richt,  nor  rekles  report : 
All  is  wele  done,  God  wate,  weild  he  his  wyll. 

That  berne  is  beft  can  not  blyn 

Wrangwis  gudis  to  wyn  j 

Quhy  fuld  he  fpare  for  ony  lyn 
Hys  luft  to  fulfil  ? 

All  ledis  langis  in  land  to  lauch  quhat  thame  leif  is, 
Luffaris  langis  only  to  lok  in  thare  lace 
Thare  ladyis  lufely,  and  louk  but  lett  or  relevis, 
Quha  fportis  thame  on  the  fpray  fparis  for  na  fpace  : 
The  galyeard  grume  gruntfchis,  at  gamys  he  grevis, 
The  tillok  hir  deformyt  fax  wald  have  ane  fare  face, 
To  mak  hir  maikles  of  hir  man  at  myfler  mycheivis  : 
The  gude    wyffe    gruffling    before    God    gretis    eftir 

grace, 
The  lard  langis  eftir  land  to  leif  to  his  are  ; 

The  preift  for  ane  perfonage, 

The  fervand  eftir  his  wage, 

The  thrall  to  be  of  thirlage 
Langis  ful  fare. 

The 


JAMES  IV.    I488— 15 13.  4J3 

The  myllare  mythis  the  multure  wyth  ane  mettfkant, 
For  drouth  had  drunkin  up  his  dam  in  the  dry  yere  ; 
The  cageare  callis  furth  his  capyl  wyth   ciakkis  wele 

cant, 
Calland  the  colyeare  ane  knaif  and  culroun  full  quere  : 
Sum  fchepehird  flais  the  lardis  fchepe,  and  fais  he  is 

ane  fant, 
Sum  grenis  quhil  the  gers  grow  for  his  gray  mere, 
Sum  fparis  nowthir  fprituall,  fpoufit  wyfFe,  nor  ant, 
Sum  fellis  folkis  fuftenance,  as  God  fendis  the  fere, 
Sum  glafteris,  and  thay  gang  at  al  for  gate  woll : 

Sum  fpendis  on  the  auld  ufe, 

Sum  makis  ane  tume  rufe,s 

Sum  grenis  eftir  ane  gufe, 

To  fars  his  wame  full. 

The  wrache  walis  and  wryngis  for  this  warldis  wrak 
The  mukerar  murnys  in  his  mynd  the  meil  gaif  na 

pryce, 
The  pirate  preiflis  to  peil  the  peddir  his  pak, 
The  hafartouris  haldis  thame  haryit,  hant  thay  not  the 

dyfe, 
The  burges  bringis  in  his  buith  the  broun  and  the  blak, 
Byand  befely  bayne,  huge,  beuer  and  byce  ; 
Sum  ledis  langis  on  the  land,  for  luf  or  for  lak, 
To  fembyl  with  thare  chaftis,  and  fett  apoun  fyfe  ; 
The  fchipman  fchrenkio  the  fchour,  and  fettis  to  the 

fchore ; 

The  hyne  cryis  for  the  come, 

The  brouftare  the  bere  fchorne, 

The  feift  the  fidler  to  morne 
Covatis  ful  fore. 

The  railyeare  rekkinis  na  wourdis,    bot  ratlis  furth 

ranys, 
For  rude  and  rj  ot  refouns  bayth  roundalis  and  ryme, 

Sweyngeouris 


454  CHRONICLE    OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Sweyngeouris  and  ikuryvagis,  fwankys  and  fwanys, 
Gevis  na  cure  to  cun  craft,  nor  comptis  for  na  cryme, 
Wyth  beirdis  as  beggaris,  thocht  byg  be  thare  banys, 
Na  laubour  lift  thay  luke  tyl,  thare  luffis  are  bierd 

lyme  : 
Get  ane  bifmare  ane  barne,  than  al  hyr  blys  gane  is, 
She  wyl  not  wyrk  thocht  fche  want,  hot  waiftis  hir 

tyme, 
In  thigging,  as  it  thryft  war,  and  uthir  vane  thewis, 

And  flepis  quhen  fche  fuld  fpyn, 

Wyth  na  wyl  the  warld  to  wyn, 

This  cuntre  is  ful  of  Caynes  kyn,       v 
And  fyc  fchyre  fchrewis. 

Quhat  wykkitnes,   quhat   wanthryft   now   in   warld 
walk  is  ? 

Bale  has  banift  blythnes,  boifl  grete  brag  blawis, 

Prattis  are  repute  policy  and  periellus  paukis, 

Dygnite  is  laide  doun,  derth  to  the  dur  drawis  ; 

Of  trattillis  and  of  tragedyis  the  text  of  al  talk  is  ; 

Lordis  are  left  landles  be  unlele  Jawis, 

Burges  bryngis  hame  the  bothe  to  breid  in  the  balkis  ; 

Knychtis  ar  cowhubyis,  and  commouns  plufckis  craw- 
is  ; 

Clerkis  for  uncunnandes  myfknawis  ilk  wycht ; 
Wyffis  wald  haif  al  thare  wyl, 
Yneuch  is  not  half  fyl, 
Is  nowthir  reffoun  nor  fkyl 

In  erd  haldin  rycht. 

Sum  latit  lattoun  but  lay  lepis  in  lawde  lyte, 

Sum  pynis  furth  ane  pan  boddum  to  prent  fals  plak- 

kis  ; 
Sum  goukis  quhil  the  glas  pyg  grow  al  of  gold  zyt, 
Throw    curie    of   quentaffence,    thocht    clay   muggis 

crakkis ; 


JAMES  IV.    I488 — I £13.  455 

Sum  wernoure  for  this  warldis  wrak  wendis  by  hys 
wytj 

Sum  treitcheoure  crynis  the  cunze,  and  kepis  corne 
ftakkis  ; 

Sum  prig  penny,  fum  pyke  thank  with  prevy  promit, 

Sum  jarris  with  ane  jed-ftaff  to  jag  throw  blak  jakkis. 

Quhat  fenyete  fare,  quhat  flattry,  and  quhat  fals  ta- 
lis ? 

Quhat  myfery  is  now  in  land  ? 
How  many  cvakkit  cunnand  ? 
For  nowthir  aithis,  nor  band, 
Nor  felis  avalis. 

Preiftis  fuld  be  patteraris,  and  for  the  pepyl  pray, 
To  be  Papis  of  patrymone  and  prelatis  pretendis  ; 
Ten  teyndis  ar  ane  trumpe,  bot  gyf  he  tak  may  ; 
Ane  kinrik  of  parifch  kyrkis  cuplit  with  commendis. 
Quha  ar  wirkaris  of  this  were,  quha  walknaris  of  wa, 
Bot  incompetabyl  clergy,  that  Chriftindome  ofFendis  ? 
Quha  reiffis,  quha  ar  ryotus,  quha  rekles  bot  thay  ? 
Quha  quellis  the  pure  commouns  bot  kyrkmen,  wele 

kend  is  ? 
Thare  is  na  Hate  of  thare  flyle  that  ftandis  content  j 

Knycht,  clerk  nor  commoun, 

Burges,  nor  barroun, 

All  wald  have  up  that  is  doun, 
Welterit  the  went". 

And  as  this  leid,  at  the  laft,  liggand  me  feis. 
With  ane  luke  unluflum  he  lent  me  fie  wourdis  : 
Quhat  berne  be  thou  in  bed  with  hede  full  of  beis  ? 
Graithft  lyke  fum  knappare,  and  as  thy  grace  gurdis 
Lurkand  lyke   ane  longcoure  ?  Quod  I,  Loune,  thou 

leis. 
Ha,  wald  thou  fecht,  quod  the  freik,  we  have  bot  few 

fwordis  ; 

Thare 


4j6  CHRONICLE   OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 

Thare  is  fie  haifl  in  thy  hede,  I  hope  thou  waldneis, 
That  brangiilis  thus  with  thi  boift  quhen  bernis  with 

the  bourdis. 
Quod  I,  Churle,  ga  chat  the,  and  chide  with  ane  uthir. 

Moif  the  not,  faid  he  than, 

Gyf  thou  be  ane  gentyl  man, 

Or  ony  curtafy  can, 

Myne  awin  leif  bruthir  : 

I  fpeik  to  the  into  fport ;  fpel  me  thys  thyng, 
Quhat  lykis  ledis  in  land  ?  Quhat  maift  langis  thou  r 
Quod  I,  Smaik,  lat  me  flepe  ;  fym  fkynnar  the  hing  : 
I  wene,  thou  biddis  na  beitir  bot  I  brek  thy  brow  : 
To  me  is  myrk  myrrour  ilk  mannis  menyng  ; 
Sum  wald  be  court  man,  fum  clerk,  and  fum  ane  cache 

kow, 
Sum  knycht,  fum  capitane,  fum  Caifer,  fum  King, 
Sum  wald   have  welth  at  thare  wil,    and    fum   thar 

waime  fow, 
Sum  langis  for  the  levJr  ill  to  lik  of  ane  quart, 

Sum  for  thare  bontay  ar  boune, 

Sum  to  fe  the  new  mone  ; 

I  lang  to  haif  our  buke  done, 
I  tel  the  my  part. 

Thy  buke  is  bot  bribry,  faid  the  berne  than, 
Bot  I  fall  lere  the  ane  leflbun  to  leis  al  thy  pane  : 
With  tha,t  he  raucht  me  ane  roll :  to  rede  I  begane, 
The  royeteft  ane  ragment  with  mony  ratt  rime, 
Of  all  the  mowis  in  this  mold,  fen  God  merkit  man, 
The  moving  of  the   mapamound,  and  how  the  mone 

fchane, 
The  pleuch,  and  the  poles,  the  planettis  began, 
The  Son,  the  fevin  fternes,  and  the  Charle  wane, 

The 


James  nr.  1488— 1513.  457 

The  elwand,  the  dementis,  and  Arthuris  hufie, 
The  Home,  and  the  Hand  ftaffe, 
Prater  Jhone  and  Port  Jaffe, 
Quhy  the  corne  has  the  caffe, 

And  kow  weris  clufe. 

Thir  romanis  ar  hot  ridlis,  quod  I  to  that  ray^ 

Lede,  lere  me  ane  uthir  leffoun,  this  I  ne  like. 

I  perfaif,  fyr  Perfoun,  thy  purpois  perfay, 

Quod  he,  and  drew  me  doun  derne  in  delf  by  ane  dyk£, 

Had  me  hard  by  the  hand,  quhare  ane  hurd  lay, 

"Than  prively  the  pennys  begouth  up  to  pike  : 

Bot  quhen  I  walknyt,  al  that  welth  was  wifkit  away* 

I  fand  not  in  all  that  feild,  in  faith,  ane  be  bike  : 

For  as  I  grunfehit  at  that  grume,  and  glifnyt  about, 

I  gryppit  graithlie  the  gil, 

And  every  modywart  nil  j 

Bot  I  mycht  pike  thare  my  fyl, 
Or  penny  come  out. 

Than  wox  I  tene,  that  1  tuke  to  fie  ane  tf uffuris  tent, 
For  fwevinnys  and  for  fwevyngeouris  that  flumberis 

not  wele, 
Mony  marvellus  mater  never  merkit  nor  ment 
Wil  fegeis  fe  in  thare  flepe,  and  fentence  but  fele  : 
War  al  lie  fawis  futhfaft,  with  fchame  war  I  fchent^ 
This  was  bot  faynt  fantafy,  in  faith,  that  I  feil  j 
Never  wourd  in  verite,  bot  al  in  waift  went^ 
Throw  riotnes  and  raving,  that  made  myne  ene  reilj 
Thus  lyfnyt  I  as  lofingere  fie  lewdnes  to  luke  ; 

Bot,  quhen  I  faw  nane  uthir  bute, 

I  fprent  fpedily  on  fute, 

And  under  ane  tre  rute 

Begouth  this  aucht  buke* 

Vol.  I.  M  »  m 


458"  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH    POETRY. 


St.  1. 1.  4.  Selkouthfege,  ftrange  perron;  from  the  Aug.  Sax.  ftl-totbt 
rarus ;  znd/ttg,  miles,  or  Amply,  vir.     In  the  ad  line,  ley  means  bed. 

P.  453. 1.  ia.  Glajlert  at  the gongator'u.  Rails  againft,  or  teizea  the 
gangiat*rtt,thit  i«,  the  officers  appointed  to  infpedt  weights  and  meafures. 
The  edition  1710  reads  "  Sum  giafteris,  and  thay  gang  at  all  for  gate 
woll."  In  the  firft  line  of  this  page  it  alfo  reads  "  wyth  anc  mett  fkant.'' 

■  1.  33-     Bayne,  huge,  bever,  and  byce.     In  Belg.  Bautvcit  is  a  wo- 

mans  gown,  and  buys,  a  foldiers  coat.  Buge ,  lambs-fur.  It  is  doubtful 
if  bever  then  meant  the  fkin  of  the  animal  now  fo  called.  The  firft 
word  of  the  line  probably  means  "  Calling  out." 

P.  454. 1.  30.  Sum  laltit  lattoun,  &c.  This  difficult  line,  according 
to  Ruddimas,  means  "  Some,  contrary  to  law,  make  counterfeit  mo- 
ney of  mixt  or  foft  metal  wafhed  over  with  white  lead."  His  edition 
reads  "  lep'w  in  lawde  lyte"  apparently  an  error,  for  loud-wyt,  Btlg, 
Cerufs,  or  white  lead.  The  next  line  but  one,  "  Some  Alchemyfts  fool" 
ifhly  wait  to  fee  their  cryftal  veffel  filled  with  gold  duft." 

P.  455. 1.  6.  Jed-faf.  "Jedburgh  ftaves  are  thus  defcribed  by  John 
Major,  f.  48.  "  Ferrum  chalybeum  4  pedibus  longum  in  robufti  ligni 
'«  extremo  Jeduardienfes  artifices  ponunt."  So  that  the  meaning  of  the 
line  feems  to  be,  "  Some  fpend  their  time  in  learning  to  ufe  the  Jed- 
ftaff,  or  fpear  with  dexterity." 

1.  38.    Welterit  tb*  %etnt !  "  Thus  the  courfc  of  human  affairs 

is  turned  upfide-dowa." 


•F 


A  Specimen  of  Virgil's  iEneid,  as  tranjlatit  be 
Gawin  Douglas. 


■■     

OF   ENEAS    SACRIFYCE    BY    NYCHT, 

AND  HOW  TO  HEL  HE  TUIK  THE  WAY  FUL  RYCfiT. 

X  his  beand  done,  Sibyllais  commandement 
Eneas  addres  performe  incontinent. 
Thare  ftude  ane  dirk,  and  profound  cave  faft  by, 
Ane  hidduous  hoi,  depe  gapand  and  gryfly, 
All  ful  of  cragis,  and  uthir  fcharp  flynt  ftanys, 
Quhilk  was  weil  dykit  and  clofit  for  the  nanys 
With  ane  foule  laik,  als  blak  as  ony  craw, 
And  fkuggis  dym  of  ane  ful  derne  wod  fchaw  ; 
Above  the  quhilk  na  foule  may  fle  but  ikaith, 
Exalatiouns  or  vapouris  blak  and  laith 
Furth  of  that  dedely  golf  thrawis  in  the  are, 
Sic  wyfe  na  bird  may  thidder  mak  repaire  ; 
Quharfore  Grekis  Avernus  clepis  this  ftede, 
The  place  but  foulis,  to  fay  ;  or  pit  of  dede. 
Here  firft  Enee,  at  this  ilk  entre  vyle, 
Foure  young  flottis  addreflit,  blak  of  pyle  ; 
The  Nun  Sibylla  refavis  thaym,  and  fyne 
Amyd  thare  forhedis  quhelmyt  on  coupis  of  wyne  j 
And  of  thare  top,  betuix  thare  homes  tuay, 
The  ouermeft  haris  has  fche  pullit  away, 
And  in  the  haly  ingill,  as  was  the  gife, 
Kelt  thaym,  in  manere  of  the  firft  facrifyce, 
Apoun  Hecate  cryand  with  mony  ane  yell, 
Mychtfull  in  hevin,  and  depe  doungeoun  of  hel. 
Sum  fleuit  knyffis  in  the  beiftis  throttis, 
And  utheris  (quhilk  war  ordant  for  fie  notis) 
The  warme  new  blude  keppit  in  coup  and  pece : 
Enee  hymfelf  ane  yow,  was  blak  of  flece, 
Brytnit  with  his  fwerd  in  facrifice  ful  hie 

Unt© 


4^»  CHRONICLE   OF   SCOTTISH   POETRY. 

Unto  the  moder  of  the  furies  thre, 

And  hir  grete  filler,  and  to  Proserpyne 

Ane  veld  kow  all  to  trinfchit :   and  eftir  fyne 

To  the  infernale  King,  quhilk  Pluto  hate, 

Hys  nycht  altaris  begouth  to  dedicate  ; 

The  haile  boukis,  of  beiftis  bane  and  lyre 

Amyd  the  flambis  keift  and  haly  fyre  ; 

The  fat  olye  did  he  yet  and  pere 

Apoun  the  entrellis,  to  mak  thaym  birne  clere, 

Bot  lo  ane  litil  befor  the  fon  rifing 

The  ground  begouth  to  rummys,  croyn  and  ryng 

Under  thare  fete,  and  woddy  toppis  hie 

Qf  thir  hillis  begin  to  move  thay  fe  ; 

Amang  the  fchaddois  and  the  fkuggis  merk 

The  hell  houndis  herd  thy  youle  and  berk, 

At  cummyn  of  the  Goddes  Proserpyne. 

Sibylla  cryis,  the  prophetes  divyne, 

Al  ye  that  bene  prophane,  away,  away, 

Swyith  outwith,  al  the  fandtuary  hy  you  hay  : 

And  thou  quod  fche,  hald  on  thy  way  with  me  j 

Draw  furth  thy  fweid,  for  now  is  nede,  Enee, 

To  fchaw  thy  manhede,  and  be  of  ferme  curage. 

Thus  fer  fche  fayd,  fmyte  with  the  godlie  rage, 

And  thenvith  enteris  in  the  opin  caif : 

Eneas  unabafit,  fra  al  the  laif, 

Fallowis  his  gyde  with  equale  pace  ful  richt.  .  .  , 


Thay  walkit  furth  fo  dirk  oneith  thay  wyft 
Quhidder  thay  went  amyddis  dym  fchaddois  thare, 
Quhare  ever  is  nicht,  and  neuer  licht  doith  repare, 
Throw  out  the  waift  dungeoun  of  Pluto  king, 
Thay  vode  boundis,  and  that  goufty  ring  : 
Sicklyke  as  quha  wald  throw  thick  woddis  wend, 
In  obfcure  light  quhare  none  may  not  be  kend, 
As  Jupiter  the  King  Etherial 
With  erdis  Ikug  hydis  the  hevynnys  al, 


Ani 


JAMES   IV.    I48S — 151$.  4*>« 

And  the  myrk  nycht  wyth  hir  vyfage  gray 

From  every  thing  has  reft  the  hew   away 


Fra  thine  ftrekis  the  way  profound  anone, 

Pepe  unto  hellis  flude  of  Acherone, 

With  holl  bifme,  and  hidduous  fwelth.  unrude, 

Drumly  of  mude,  and  fkaldand  as  it  war  wode, 

Populand  and  boukand  furth  of  athir  hand, 

Unto  Cocytas  al  his  flike  and  fand  : 

Thir  riveris  and  thir  watteris  kepit  war 

Be  ane  Charon,  ane  grifly  ferryar, 

Terribyl  of  fchape,  and  fluggard  of  array, 

Apoun  his  chin  feill  chanos  haris  gray, 

Liart  felterit  tatis  ;  with  birnand  ene  rede, 

Lyke  tua  fyre  blefis,  fixit  in  his  hede  ; 

His  fmottrit  habit  ouer  his  fchulderis  lidder, 

Hang  peuagely  knyt  with  ane  knot  togidder. 

Himfelf  the  cowbil  with  his  bolm  furth  fchewe? 

And  quhen  him  lift  halit  up  falis  fewe. 

This  aid  hafard  caryis  ouer  fludis  hote 

Spretis  and  figuris  in  his  irne  hewit  bote, 

All  thocht  he  eildit  was,  or  ftep  in  age, 

Als  fery  and  als  fwipper  as  ane  page. 

For  in  ane  God  the  age  is  frefche  and  grene, 

Infatigabil  and  immortall  as  thay  rnene. 

Thidder  to  the  bray  fwermyt  al  the  rout 

Of  dede  goiftis,  and  ftude  the  bank  about : 

Baith  matrouns,  and  thar  hulbandis  al  yferis, 

Ryall  princis,  and  nobyl  cheveleris, 

Small  childer  and  young  damifellis  unwed, 

And  fair  fpringaldis  lately  dede  in  bed, 

In  faderis  and  moderis  prefence  laid  on  bere : 

Als  grete  nowmer  thidder  thikkit  infere, 

As  in  the  firft  froft  eftir  hervift  tyde 

Levis  of  treis  in  the  wod  dois  flyde  ; 

Or  byrdis  flokki?  ouer  the  fludis  gray, 

Untq 


4.4*2  CHRONICLE    OF    SCOTTISH   fOETRT. 

Unto  the  land  fekand  the  nerteft  way, 

Quhen  the  cauld  feHoaa  thame  cachis  ouer  the  fee, 

Into  fum  benar  realme  and  warme  cuntre. 

Thare  flud*  thay  prayand  fum  fupport  to  get, 

That  thay  micht  wyth  the  formefl  ouer  be  fet, 

And:  gan  upheving  pietuoufly  handis  tway, 

Langand  to  be  apoun  the  forthir  bray. 

Bot  this  foroufull  boteman,  wyth  bryme  luke, 

Now  thir,  now  thame  within  his  wefchell  tuke  j 

And  uthir  fum  expellit,  and  made  do  {land. 

Fer  from  the  river  fyde  apoun  the  fand  j 

Awounderit  of  this  ilerage.  and  the  preis, 
Say  me,  virgine,  fayd  Enee,  or  thou  ceis, 
Quhat  menis  fie  confluence  on  this  wattir  fyde  ? 
Quhat  wald  thir  faulis  ?  quhy  will  thay  not  abyde  ? 
Quhilk  caufis  bene,  or  quhat  diverfite, 
Sum  fra  the  brayis  thame  withdraw  1  f e  j 
Ane  uthir  fort  eik  of  thir  faulis  dede 
Rollit  ouer  this  ryver  cullourit  as  the  lede  ? 

This  ancient  religious  woman  than, 
But  mare  delay,  to  anfure  thus  began. 
Anghises  get  !  heynd  childe,  curtes  and  gude, 
Difcend  undoutable  of  the  God.lis  blude  ! 
The  deip  flank  of  Cocytus  dois  thou  fe, 
And  eik  the  hellis  pule  hate  Styx,  quod  fche, 
Be  quhais  mychtys  the  Goddis  ar  ful  laith, 
And  dredis  fare  to  fwere,  fyne  fals  thare  aith  : 
Al  thir  thou  feis  ftoppit  at  the  fchore, 
Bene  helples  folk  unerdit  and  forlore  : 
Yone  griflie  ieriare,  to  name  Cuaron  hate, 
Thay  bene  al  beryt  he  caryis  in  his  bate  : 
It  is  not  til  him  leful,  he  ne  may 
Thame  ferry  ouer  thir  rowtand  fliulis  gray, 
Nor  to  the  hidduous  yonder  coiftis  have, 

Quhil 


J  AMIS  IT.  I488 1513.  463 

Quhil  thare  banis  be  laid  to  reft  in  grave. 

Quha  ar  unberyit  ane  hundreth  yere  mon  bide 

Waverand  and  wandrand  by  this  bankis  fyde. 

Than  at  the  laft  to  pas  ouer  in  this  bote 

Thay  bene  adnaittit,  and  coiftis  thaym  not  ane  grote. 


A    PROTESTATION    TO    THE    READER. 


IN  OW  I  proteft,  gud  Readers,  be  your  leif, 

Be  weill  avifit  my  werk  or  ye  repreif, 

Confider  it  werly,  rede  offer  than  anys, 

Weil  at  ane  blenk  fle  poetry  not  tane  is. 

And  yit  forfoith  I  fet  my  befy  pane 

(As  that  I  couth)  to  mak  it  brade  and  plane, 

Kepand  no  Sodroun,  bot  oure  awin  langage, 

And  fpeke  as  I  lerned  quhen  I  wes  ane  page  ; 

Na  yit  fo  clene  all  Sudroun  I  refufe, 

Bot  fum  worde  I  pronunce  as  nychboure  dots  j 

Like  as  in  Latlne  bene  Grewe  termes  fum, 

So  me  bchuffit  quhiluin,  or  be  dum  ; 

Sum  baftard  Latyne^  Freti/che^  or  Ynglis  ois, 

Quhare  fcant  wes  Scottis,  I  had  nane  uther  chois  ; 

(Not  that  oure  toung  is  in  the  felvin  lkant, 

Bot  for  that  I  the  fouth  of  langage  want,) 

Quhare  as  the  cullour  of  his  propirte, 

To  keip  the  fentence,  thareto  conftrenit  me  j 

Or  that  to  mak  my  fayng  fchort  fum  tyme, 

Mare  compendius,  or  to  likly  my  ryme. 

Tharfor  gude  freyndis,  for  ane  gympe  or  ane  board, 

I  pray  you  note  me  not  at  every  worde. 

Bot  rede  lele,  and  tak  gude  tent  in  tyme, 

Ye  nouthir  magil,  nor  mifmeter  my  ryme, 

Nor  alter  not  my  wourdia,  I  you  pray  : 

Lo  this  is  all,  bew  fchirris,  have  gude  day. 

ANE 


ANE  EXCLAMACIOUN  AGANIS  DETRACTOURIS  AND  UN- 
CURTAS  REDARIS,  THAT  BENE  OUER  STUDIOUS,  BUT 
OCCASIOUN,  TO  NOTE  AND  SPYE  OUT  FALTIS  IN  THYS 
VOLUM,  OR  ONY  UTHIR  THRIFTY  WERKIS. 


M^iO  quhat  dangere  is  ocht  to  compile,  allace  ! 
Herand  thir  detraclouris  in  evry  place, 
Or  euer  thay  rede  the  werk,  biddis  birne  the  buke  : 
Sum  bene  fa  frawart  in  malice  and  wangrace, 
Quhat  is  wele  fayd  thay  loif  not  worth  ane  ace, 
Bot  caftis  thame  euir  to  fpy  out  fait  and  cruke, 
Al  that  thay  find  in  hiddillis,  hirne,  or  nuke, 
Thay  blaw  out,  fay  and  in  evry  mannis  face  ; 
Lo  here  he  failyeis,  lo  here  he  leis,  luke. 

Fer  ethar  is,  quha  lift  fyt  doun  and  mote, 

Ane  uthir  fayaris  faltis  to  fpye  and  note, 

Than  but  offence  or  fait  thame  felf  to  wryte. 

Bot  for  to  chyde  fum  bene  fo  birnand  hote, 

Hald  thay  thare  pece,  the  word  wald  fkald  thare  throte  j 

And  has  lie  cuftume  to  jangil  and  bakbyte, 

That,  bot  thay  fchent,  fum  thay  fuld  bird  forfytej 

I  fay  no  more,  quhen  al  thare  rerde  is  roung, 

That  wicht  mon  fpeik,  that  cannot  hald  his  toung. 


ADDITION*! 


ADDITIONAL  NOTES  TO  THE  REIGN  OF  JAMES  THE 
THIRD. 


In  the  reign  of  Edward  the  Fourth,  correfporiding  with 
that  of  our  Jamjs  the  Third,  a  Chronicle  of  Eng- 
land was  compofed  in  rhyme  by  John  Harding,  "  of 
Northern  extraction,  and  educated  in  the  family  of 
Lord  Henry  Percy.  He  appears,  fays  Wharton,  to 
have  been  indefatigable  in  examining  original  records, 
chiefly  with  a  dejign  of  afcertaining  the  fealty  duefrsm 
the  Scottijh  Kings  to  the  crown  of  England  :  and  he 
carried  many  inflruments  from  Scotland  for  the  eluci- 
dation of  this  important  enquiry,  at  the  hazard  of  his 
life,  which  he  delivered  at  different  times  to  Henry  the 
V.  and  VI.  and  to  Edward  I V ."  A  favourite  topic  of 
Harding  feems  to  have  been  the  fubjugation  of  Scot- 
land by  force  of  arms,  as  appears  from  the  following 
inflruBions,  delivered  by  him  to  Edward  the  Fourth 
about  the  year  1462  ;  which  may  afford  fbme  amufe- 
tnent  to  thofe  readers  who  fearch  for  curiqjities  rather 
than  for  poetry. 


JOHN  HARDYNG'S  ITINERARIE  THROUGH  SCOTLAND, 

NO  WE  to  expreffe  unto  your  noble  grace, 
The  verie  waie.  bothe  by  lea  and  lande, 
With  the  diftaunce  of  townes,  and  every  miles  fpace, 
Through  the  chiefeft  parte  of  all  Scotlande, 
To  conveigh  an  armic  that  ye  maie  take  in  hande  ; 
Herafter  fhall  folowe,  in  as  good  ordie  as  I  maie, 
The  true  defcription  and  diftaunce  of  the  waic. 

Vol,  I.  N  n  n  From 


466  APPENDI*. 

From  Berwike  to  Donbarre,  twentie  miles  it  U, 
And  twentie  miles  forward  unto  Haddyngtoune, 
And  twelf  miles  from  thence  to  Edenburgh  I  wis. 
To  Lithko  twelfe  ;  and  fo  North-weft  to  bowne, 
Twelfe  miles  it  is  unto  Sterlyng  toune, 
Befouth  Foorth,  that  river  principall, 
Of  right  faire  waie,  and  plentifull  at  all. 

Where  that  your  navy  at  Leith  maie  reft  fafely, 
With  all  your  vitailes,  a  mile  from  Edenburgh. 
And  after  at  the  Blakneffe  whiles  as  ye  ly, 
At  Sterlyngtowne,  which  is  the  Kynges  burgh. 
And  wynne  that  fhire,  all  whole  out  through, 
So  {hall  your  navy  at  your  neceflitie, 
Bee  at  your  hande  ftill  your  armie  to  fupplie. 

From  Sterlyng  than,  oner  the  river  of  Foorth, 

Paff  alongeft  the  bridge  to  Camfkinelle  ; 

And  if  it  be  broken  toward  the  North, 

Unto  the  fonrde  of  Frew,  under  the  fell, 

Then  fpede  you  Weftward  thre  miles  as  men  tell, 

Where  ye  maie  paffe  to  the  Doune  of  Menteth, 

Which  paffcth  from  the  Foorth  thrc  miles  unneth. 

Then  from  the  Doune,  a  waie  ye  have  right  faire, 
Through  out  Menteth,  and  eke  Clakmannan  fhire, 
And  fo  through  Fiffe  to  Falklande  to  repaire, 
Thirty  long  miles  without  mofle  or  mire, 
For  fo  it  is  compted  with  horfe  and  carte  to  hire. 
From  Strrlyng  Eaftward,  and  the  high  Oghilles, 
Which  fome  men  call  m'ontaignes,  and  fome  felles. 

From  Falkland  then,  to  Difert  toune  fouth-eaft, 
Twelfe  miles  it  is  of  faire  ready  waie; 
And  from  Falklande  to  Sainct  Andrewes,  eaft, 
But  other  twelfe  miles  without  any  naif, 
Wher  the  Bifhoppis  fee  is,  and  caftle  as  thei  faie. 
And  at  Kyngorne  and  Difert  maie  ye  mete, 
You  for  to  vitaill,  all  your  Englifhe  flcte. 

Then  ride  north-weft  from  St.  Andrewes  tounc, 

Alongeft  the  fouthe  fide  of  the  water  Taye, 

Up  to  the  burgh  of  Sainct  Jhonftowne, 

Ri^ht  north  from  Fiffe,  a  countrie  frefhe  and  gaie, 

And  from  St.  Andrewes  twenty-four  miles  theifaie, 

A  pleafant  grounde,  and  frutefull  countree 

Of  cornc  and  cattell  with  profperitee. 


Which 


REIGN  OF  JAMES  III.  4^7 

fSfhkh  ceuntric  of  Fife  along  the  Scotifhe  fee, 
And  from  St.  Andrew  es  to  the  Oghles,  thei  faic, 
Is  fortie  thrie  miles  long  of  good  conntree, 
And  fometyme  in  bredth  fixe  miles  of  faire  wait. 
But  from  Loch  Leven,  eaftward  without  naie, 
Of  right  good  waie,  briefly  to  conclude, 
Twell'e  miles  contein  it  dooeth  in  latitude. 

At  Ennerkethen,  and  St-  Margaretes-hope 
Your  navy  maie  receive  vitail  in  that  countrie, 
Alongeft  the  water  of  Foorth,  as  I  can  grope, 
With  hulke  and  barge  oi  no  fmall  quantitee, 
You  to  fupporre  in  your  neceflitee, 
So  that  ye  maie  not  in  thofe  countrees  faill, 
To  have  for  your  armie  ready  vitaill. 

Then  to  St.  Jhon'g  toune,  upon  the  water  of  Tay, 

Within  Strathren,  that  ftandeth  faire  and  ftrongr 

Ditched  aboute  fixtene  foote  I  faie, 

And  twenty  feete  on  bredth  ouerthwarte  to  fong. 

It  is  north-eaft  twenty  miles  full  long, 

And  nere  to  Scone  Abbay  within  miles  three, 

Where  alwaies  thei  crounc  their  kynges  majeftec. 

Which  the  water  of  Tay  is  fo  navigable, 

From  the  Eaft  to  St.  Jhon's  toune, 

For  all  fuch  ihippes  as  bee  able 

Fourty  tunne  of  wyne  to  cary  up  and  dourje. 

For  vitaillyng  and  kepyng  of  the  toune, 

Unto  the  whiche  fo  floweth  the  water  of  Tay, 

That  all  the  ditches  it  filleth  night  and  daie. 

At  the  whiche  toune,  paife  ouer  the  bridge  ye  (hall 
With  all  your  armie  hoftyng  through  that  land ; 
Where  in  Angus,  that  cr.untree  principall, 
The  Kerfe  of  Gowry  dooth  lie  I  underftande. 
A  plentiful!  countree,  I  you  warrande, 
Of  come  and  tatell,  and  all  commoditecs, 
You  to  fupporte  in  your  necefikecs. 

Betwixt  the  mounthes  and  the  water  of  Tay, 
Whiche  fbme  do  call  mountaignes  in  our  language, 
Pafle  Eaftward  with  your  armie  daie  by  daie, 
From  place  to  place  with  fmall  cariage. 
For  your  navie  fhall  you  mete  in  this  voyage 
At  Portincragge,  fhorte  waie  from  Dundc, 
With  vjtailes  to  refreft«.e  your  whole  armie. 

Bcfidi 


4^5 


APPENDIX. 


BeGde  the  ftuff  and  vitaill  of  that  lande, 
Which  ye  (hall  6nde  in  the  countree  as  ye  go, 
And  market  made  alwaies  to  your  hande, 
Of  all  their  vitailes  although  they  bee  your  fo. 
Now  from  St.  Jhon's  toune/the  fothe  to  faie  is  fin, 
IJightene  miles  it  is  to  the  toune  of  Dundee, 
The  principal  burgh  by  North  the  Scotifhe  fee. 

Then  ride  north-eaft  all  alongeft  the  fee, 

Right  from  Dundee  to  Arbroith  as  I  mene ; 

Then  to  Monrojfe  and  to  Barvie, 

And  fo  through  the  Meernes  to  Cowy  as  I  wene. 

Then  twelfe  miles  or  more  paffe  to  Abcrdyne, 

Betwene  Dee  and  Done,  a  goodly  citee, 

A  marchauot  toune  and  univerfitee. 


Of  the  whiche  waie,  thirty  miles  there  is 

Of  good  come  lande,  and  twenty  large  extente 

Full  of  catell  and  other  goodes  I  wiffe, 

As  to  moor  lande,  and  heth  dooth  well  appente. 

From  Brichan  citee  to  the  orient, 

Where  dooth  ftande  upon  the  fee, 

A  goodly  porte  and  haven  for  your  navie. 

Where  that  the  fame  maie  eafely  you  mete, 
To  vitaile  your  armie  wherefoever  you  go, 
Ouer  all  the  mountaignes,  drie  moffes  and  wete, 
Where  the  Wild  Scottes  do  dwell  then  paffe  unto; 
That  is  in  Mare  and  Garioch  alfo, 
In  Athill,  Roffe,  Sutherlande  and  Chatneffe, 
Mureffe,  Lenox,  and  out  ifles  I  geffe. 

And  when  ye  have  that  lande  whole  conquered, 
Returne  againe  unto  Strivelync  ; 
And  from  thence  to  Glafco  homeward, 
Twenty  and  foure  miles  to  St.  Mongo's  fhrine, 
Wherwith  your  offryng  ye  fhall  from  thence  declynr, 
And  pafle  on  furthwarde  to  Dumbertaync, 
A  cattle  ftrong  and  harde  for  to  obtayne. 

In  which  caftle  St.  Patrike  was  borne, 
That  afterward  in  Irelande  did  winne, 
About  the  whiche  floweth  even  and  morne, 
The  wefterne  feas  without  noyfc  or  2inne; 
When  furthe  of  the  fame  the  flreames  dooe  rinnc, 
Twife  in  twenty-foure  houres,  without  any  faile, 
That  no  mannc  maic  that  ftrong  caftle  aflailc. 


Upo* 


REIGN  OF  JAMES  III,  46$ 

Upon  a  rocke  fo  hie  the  fame  dooth  ftande, 

That  if  the  walles  wcr  beaten  to  the  rochc, 

Yet  wcr  it  full  heard  to  climbe  with  foote  or  hande, 

And  fo  to  wynne,  if  any  to  them  approche. 

So  ftrong  it  is  to  gette  without  reproche, 

That  without  honger  and  cruell  famifhement, 

It  cannot  bee  taken,  to  my  judgement. 

Then  from  Glafgo  to  the  toune  of  Aire, 
Are  twenty  miles  and  foure,  well  accompted ; 
A  good  countree  for  your  armie  every  where, 
And  plenteous  alfo,  by  many  one  recounted. 
For  there  I  was,  and  at  the  fame  I  mounted 
Toward  Lamarke  toune,  twenty-foure  miles 
Hemeward  trudgyng,  for  fere  of  Scottifli  gile?. 

From  the  toune  of  Aire  in  Kile  to  Galloway, 

Through  Carri.fl  paffe  unto  Nithifdale, 

Where  Dumfrife  is  a  prettie  toune  alwaie, 

And  plentifull  alfo  of  all  good  vitaill, 

For  all  your  armie  without  any  faile. 

So  that  keping  this  journey  by  my  inflruccion, 

That  realme  ye  fhall  bryng  in  fubjeccion. 

Then  from  Domfrife  to  Carlill  ye  fhall  ride, 
Twenty  and  foure  miles  of  very  redy  waie  ; 
So  maie  ye  wynne  the  lande  on  every  fide 
Within  a  yere  withouten  more  delaic. 
For  caftles  there  is  none  that  withftande  you  maie, 
Nor  abide  your  fiege  againft  your  ordinance, 
So  Gmple  and  weake  is  their  purveyance. 

And  if  ye  like,  good  lorde,  at  home  to  abide, 
With  little  coft  your  wardens  ye  maie  fende, 
Chargyng  theim  all  with  hoftes  for  to  ride 
In  propre  perfone  ,   through  winter  to  fende 
With  morow  fotraies,  thei  maie  them  fore  offende 
And  burne  Jedburgh,  Hawike,  Melrofe,  and  Lauder, 
Codyngham,  tDonglaffe,  and  the  toune  of  Dombarre. 

Then  fende  an  hofte  of  footcmen  in 

At  LammtfTe  next  thrnugh  all  Lawderdale  ; 

And  Lammermore  woddes  and  moffis  ouer  rin, 

And  eke  therwith  the  Stowe  of  Wedtiale, 

Meliofe  lande,  Etrike  forreft,  and  Tividale, 

Liddifdale,  Ewifdale  and  Ryngwodfeld, 

To  the  Crike  crofle,  that  riden  is  ful  feld. 

The 


47»  APPENDIX. 

The  wardens  then,  of  bothe  the  marches  two, 
To  be  their  ftaile,  and  eke  their  caftles  ftrong, 
Them  to  reskewe  from  enemies  where  euir  thci  go, 
With  fleying  ftailes  to  folow  them  ay  emong. 
Leffe  nor  their  fooes  theim  fupprcffe  and  fong, 
And  every  night  to  releve  to  the  hofte, 
And  lodge  together  all  upon  a  cofte. 

And  alfo  then,  at  the  next  Mighelmeffe, 
The  weft  warden  tc  Domfrife  ride  he  maie  , 
Foure  and  twenty  miles  from  Carelil,  as  I  geffe, 
And  then  paffe  forthward  through  Galowaie. 
To  Carr-ike  after,  into  good  araic, 
And  then  from  thence  to  the  townc  of  Aire, 
In  Kile  that  countree,  plcntifull  and  faire. 

Next,  then  from  Aire  unto  Glafgow  go, 

A  goodly  citee  and  univerfitce, 

Where  plentifull  is  the  countree  alfo, 

Replenifhed  well  with  all  commoditee. 

There  maie  the  warden  of  the  eaft  marchc-  bee  . 

And  mete  the  other  twaine,  as  I  wene, 

Within  ten  daies,  or  at  the  mod  fiftene. 

The  thirde  armie  from  Barwike  paffe  it  fhall, 
Through  Dumbarre,  Edenburgh,  and  Lithko  ; 
And  then  to  Sterlyng  with  their  power  all, 
And  next  from  that  unto  Glafgo, 
Standing  upon  Glide,  and  where  alfo 
Of  corne  and  cattell  is  abouodaunce, 
Your  armie  to  vitaill  at  all  fuffifauuccr 

Thus  thefe  three  armies  at  Glafgo  fhall  mete, 

Well  araied  in  their  armoure  clene, 

Which  homward  from  thence  thci  fhall  retume  complete, 

Foure  and  twenty  miles  to  Larrrarke  fo  fhene. 

To  Pebles  on  Twede  it  fmene  miles  I  wene, 

To  Solray  as  muche,  then  twenty  miles  with  fpede 

Ironi  thence  retume  thei  fhall  to  Wark  on  Twedc, 

Within  a  rnoneth  this  lande  maie  be  dcftroicd, 
All  a  fouth  Furth,  if  wardens  will  affente, 
So  that  our  enemies  fhall  be  fore  annoied, 
And  wafted  bee,  and  rke  for  ever  fhente. 
If  wardens  thus  woorke  after  myne  intente, 
They  maie  well  quenche  the  cruel  enmitce 
This  daie  be  fouth  all  the  Scotifhe  fee. 

JLike 


REIGN  OF  JAMES  III,  47 1 

Like  as  I  could  efpie,  and  diligently  enquire, 
Which  of  it  maie  your  highneffe  well  contente  , 
It  is  the  thyng  that  I  hertely  defire, 
.And  of  your  grace  no  more  I  dooe  require, 
liut  that  your  grace  will  take  in  good  parte 
Not  onely  my  paines,  but  alfo  my  true  harte. 

Of  Ebranke,  the  great  grand-fon  of  Brutus,  and  king 
of Albion ,  our  poet  gives  us  the  following  information  : 

In  Albany  he  made  and  edefyed 

The  caftell  of  Alclude,  which  Dumbrytain, 

As  fome  autoures  by  Chronicles  hath  applyed; 

And  fome  fay  on  the  Pig ht  wall  certain, 

At  the  weft  end  it  ftoode,  that  now  is  plaine. 

He  made  alfo  the  Mayden-cajlell  ftronge, 
That  men  now  calleth  the  caftell  of  Edenb.nrgh, 
That  on  a  rocke  ftandeth  full  hye  out  of  throng, 
On  mount  Agiuet,  where  men  may  fe  out  through 
Full  many  atoune,  caftle  and  borough. 

Refpecting  the  name  of  Mayden-cdjllc,  a  conjecture  fhall  be  offered  in 
the  preliminary  obfervations  to  the  Glojfury.  Whether  Agiuet  be  the 
fame  with  the  Guidi  of  Bede,  muft  be  left  to  the  decifion  of  Antiqua- 
ries. 

In  the  above  Itinerarie,  no  difficulty  occurs  in  the  names  of  places, 
excepting  Solray,  which  may  have  been  erroneoufly  tra'nfcribed  or 
printed  for  Selkirk ;  or  Soltray,  Soutray,  as  Camjkinelle  may  alfo  have 
leen  for  Cambujkenneth  ;   and  Weddale  for  TiviedJale. 


tf 


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