Alexander Scott :: An Anthology of 16th and Early 17th Century Scots Poetry

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Alexander Scott

1. [Rycht as the glass]
2. Off the Maister of Erskyn
3. Quhen his Wyfe left him
4. [May is the moneth maist amene]
5. [Up, helsum hairt]
6. [Luve preysis but comparesone]
7. A Rondel of Lufe
8. [Quhome sould I wyt]
9. [Leif, Luve, and lat me leif allone]
10. The Fyifty Pshalme
11. Ane New Ȝeir Gift to the Quene Mary, quhen scho come first hame,1562
11a. L'envoy
11b. Lectori

[Rycht as the glass]

Rycht as the glass bene thirlit thruch with bemis

thirlit: pierced

Of Phebus fair prefulgent visage bricht,

prefulgent: brightly shining

Or hornit Dyane, with hir paly glemis,

Perssis the cluddis sabill in the nicht,

And as the kocatrice keilis with hir sicht,

keilis: kills

Rycht so the bewty of my lady stoundis

stoundis: resounds

Outthroucht my breist, unto my hairt redoundis.

Behaild how far cristall or diamant,

Jassink, jasp, ruby jem or criselleit,

Jassink: jacinth

Carbunkile, emmerauld, perle or athamant,

athamant: adamany

Turkas, topas, marbill or margareit,

Turkas: turquoise

Exceidis the barrat stonis in the streit:

barrat: common

In lykwayis dois hir bewty undegraid

undegraid: matchless

Transcend all uthiris, wyfe, wedow, or maid.

Espy richt so how far the rosy gowlis

gowlis: marigolds

Passis the wallowit weidis in the vaill;

wallowit: withered

Or sound of lark aboif the revenous fowlis,

And somersday the nichtis hiemaill;

hiemaill: winter

Or as ane galay gayest undir saill

Bene plesandar nor taikles boitis small;

taikles: without tackle

So is my lady lustiest of all.

Off the Maister of Erskyn

Departe, departe, departe,

Allace, I most departe

Frome hir that hes my hart,

With hairt full soir,

Aganis my will in deid,

And can find no remeid;

remeid: remedy

I wait the panis of deid

Can do no moir.

Now most I go, allace,

Frome sicht of hir sueit face,

The grund of all my grace

And soverane;

Quhat chanss that may fall me,

Sall I nevir mirry be

Unto the tyme I se

My sweit agane.

I go, and wait nocht quhair,

I wandir heir and thair,

I weip and sichis rycht sair

With panis smart;

Now most I pass away, away,

In wildirness and wilsum way:

wilsum: desolate

Allace, this wofull day

We suld departe.

My spreit dois quaik for dreid,

My thirlit hairt dois bleid,

thirlit: bound

My panis dois exceid:

Quhat suld I say?

I, wofull wycht, allone,

Makand ane petouss mone,

Allace! my hairt is gone

For evir and ay.

Throw langour of my sueit

langour of: longing for

So thirlit is my spreit,

My dayis ar most compleit

compleit: satisfied

Throw hir absence.

Chryst, sen scho knew my smert,

Ingrawit in my hairt,

Becaus I most depairt

Frome hir presens.

Adew, my awin sueit thing,

My joy and conforting,

My mirth and sollesing

sollesing: delight

Of erdly gloir:

Fair weill, my lady bricht,

And my remembrance rycht;

Fair weill and haif gud nycht:

I say no moir.

Quhen his Wyfe left him

To luve unluvit it is ane pane;

For scho that is my soverane,

Sum wantoun man so he hes set hir

That I can get no lufe agane,

Bot brekis my hairt, and nocht the bettir.

Quhen that I went with that sweit may,

may: maid

To dance, to sing, to sport and pley,

And oft tymes in my armis plet hir,

plet: embraced

I do now murne both nycht and day,

And brekis my hart, and nocht the bettir.

Quhair I wes wont to se hir go

Rycht trymly passand to and fro,

With cumly smylis quhen that I met hir;

And now I leif in pane and wo,

And brekis my hairt, and nocht the bettir.

Quhattane ane glaikit fule am I

glaikit: foolish

To slay myself with malancoly,

Sen weill I ken I may nocht get hir?

Or quhat suld be the caus and quhy

To brek my hairt, and nocht the bettir?

My hairt, sen thow may nocht hir pleiss,

Adew, as gude lufe cumis as gaiss,

Go chuss ane udir and forȝ et hir;

God gif him dolour and diseiss,

That brekis thair hairt and nocht the bettir.

[May is the moneth maist amene]

May is the moneth maist amene

For thame in Venus service bene,

To recreat thair havy hartis;

May caussis curage frome the splene,

And every thing in May revartis.

revartis: returns (or (?) grows green again)

In May the plesant spray upspringis;

In May the mirthfull maveiss singis;

And now in May to madynnis fawis

fawis: falls

With tymmer wechtis to trip in ringis,

tymmer: timberwechtis: weights

And to play upcoill with the bawis.

upcoill: a ball game

In May gois gallandis bring in symmer,

And trymly occupyis thair tymmer

tymmer: time

With 'Hunts up', every morning plaid;

In May gois gentill wemen gymmer,

gymmer: neater

In gardynnis grene thair grumis to glaid.

In May, quhen men ȝeid everich one

With Robene Hoid and Littill Johne

To bring in bowis and birkin bobbynis,

birkin: birch

Now all sic game is fastlingis gone,

fastlingis: nearly

Bot gif it be amangis clovin Robbynis.

Abbotis by rewll and lordis but ressone,

Sic senȝ eouris tymis ourweill this sessone;

Upoun thair vyce war lang to waik,

Quhais falsatt, fibilnes and tressone

Hes rung thryis oure this zodiak.

rung: reigned

In May begynnis the golk to gaill;

golk: cuckoogaill: sing

In May drawis deir to doun and daill;

In May men mellis with famyny,

famyny: women

And ladeis meitis thair luvaris laill,

Quhen Phebus is in Gemyny.

Butter, new cheis, and beir in May,

Condamis, cokkillis, curdis and quhay,

Condamis: young coal fishcokkillis: cockles

Lapstaris, lempettis, mussillis in schellis,

Lapstaris: lobsterslempettis: limpets

Grene leikis and all sic, men may say,

Suppois sum of thame sourly smellis.

In May grit men within thair boundis,

Sum halkis the walteris, sum with houndis

halkis: fishwalteris: waters

The hairis owtthrowch the forrestis cachis;

Syne efter thame thair ladeis foundis,

foundis: go

To sent the rynnyng of the rachis.

rachis: hounds

In May frank archeris will affix

frank: free

In place to meit, syne marrowis mix,

To schute at buttis, at bankis and brais;

Sum at the reveris, sum at the prikkis,

reveris: casual targetsprikkis: fixed targets

Sum laich and to beneth the clais.

laich: low

In May sowld men of amouris go

To serf thair ladeis, and no mo,

Sen thair releis in ladeis lyis;

releis: release

For sum may cum in favouris so,

To kiss his loif on Buchone wyis.

In May gois dammosalis and dammis

In gardyngis grene to play lyk lammis;

Sum at the bairis they brace lyk billeis,

bairis: a gamebilleis: lovers

Sum rynis at barlabreikis lyk rammis,

barlabreikis: a game

Sum round abowt the standand pilleis.

pilleis: pillars

In May gois madynis till Lareit,

And hes thair mynȝ onis on the streit

mynȝ onis: lovers

To horss thame quhair the gait is ruch;

gait: streetruch: rough

Sum at Inchebukling bray thay meit,

Sum in the middis of Mussilburch.

So May and all thir monethis thre

Ar hett and dry in thair degre;

Heirfoir, ȝe wantoun men in ȝowth,

For helth of body now haif e

Nocht oft till mell with thankless mowth.

mell: mix

Sen every pastyme is at plesure,

I counsale ȝow to mel with mesure,

And namely now, May, June and Julij:

Delyt nocht lang in luvaris lesure,

Bot weit ȝour lippis and labor hully.

[Up, helsum hairt]

Up, helsum hairt, thy rutis rais and lowp;

Exalt and clym within my breist in staige:

Art thow nocht wantoun, haill and in guid howp,

Fermit in grace and free of all thirlage,

Bathing in bliss, and sett in hie curaige?

Braisit in joy, no falt may the affray,

Having thy ladeis hart as heretaige

In blenche ferme for ane ballat every May:

blenche ferme: a form of lease involving a nominal rent

So neidis thow nocht now sussy, sytt nor sorrow,

sussy: troublesytt: sigh

Sen thow art sure of sollace, evin and morrow.

Thow, Cupeid, rewardit me with thiss;

I am thy awin trew liege withowt tressone;

Thair levis no man in moir eiss, welth and bliss;

I knaw no siching, sadnes, nor ȝit soun,

Walking, thocht, langour, lamentatioun,

Walking: waking

Dolor, dispair, weiping, nor jelosye;

My breist is woyd and purgit of pussoun;

woyd: empty

I feill no pane, I haif no purgatorye,

Bot peirles, perfytt, paradisall plesour,

With mirry hairt and mirthfulnes but mesoure.

My lady, lord, thow gaif me for to hird,

Within myne armes I nureiss on the nycht;

Kissing, I say: 'My bab, my tendir bird,

Sweit maistres, lady luffe and lusty wicht,

Steir, rewll and gyder of my senssis richt!'

My voice surmontis the sapheir cludis hie,

Thanking grit God of that tressour and micht:

I coft hir deir, bot scho fer derrer me,

coft: bought

Quhilk hasard honor, fame, in aventeur,

Committing clene hir corse to me in cure.

In oxteris cloiss we kiss and cossis hairtis,

cossis: exchange

Brynt in desyre of amouris play and sport;

Meittand our lustis, spreitles we twa depairtis.

Prolong with lasar, lord, I the exort,

Sic tyme that we may boith tak our confort,

First for to sleip, syne walk withowt espyis.

I blame the cok, I plene the nicht is schort;

Away I went, my wache the cuschett cryis,

cuschett: turtle dove

Wissing all luvaris leill to haif sic chance

That thay may haif ws in remembrance.

[Luve preysis but comparesone]

Luve preysis but comparesone,

Both gentill, sempill, generall,

And of fre will gevis waresone,

waresone: award

As Fortoun chansis to befall;

For luve makis nobill ladeis thrall

To bassir men of birth and blud;

So luve garris sober wemen small

Get maistrice our grit men of gud.

Ferme luve, for favour, feir or feid,

Of riche nor pur to speik suld spair,

For luve to hienes hes no heid,

Nor lychtleis lawlines ane air;

lychtleis: makes light ofair: jot

Bot puttis all personis in compair,

This prowerb planely for till preve:

That men and wemen, less and mair,

Ar cumd of Adame and of Eve.

So, thocht my lyking wer a leddy

And I no lord, ȝit nocht the less

Scho suld my serwyce find als reddy

As duke to duches docht him dress;

docht: shoulddress: address

For, as prowd princely luve express

Is to haif soverenitie,

So serwice cumis of sympilnes,

And leilest lufe of law degre.

So luvaris lair no leid suld lak,

lair: learning

A lord to lufe a silly lass;

A leddy als, for luf to tak

Ane propir page, hir tyme to pass.

For quhy, as bricht bene birneist brass

birneist: burnished

As silver wrocht at all dewyss,

And als gud drinking out of glass

As gold, thocht gold gif grittar pryss.

Suld I presome this sedull schaw,

sedull: document

Or lat me langouris be lamentit?

Na! I effrey, for feir and aw

Hir comlie heid be miscontenttit;

I dar nocht preiss hir to present it,

For be scho wreth I will not wow it;

Bot, pleiss hir proudens to imprent it,

Scho may persave sum Inglis throw it.

A Rondel of Lufe

Lo! quhat it is to lufe!

Lerne ȝe, that list to prufe

Be me I say, that no wayis may

The grund of greif remufe,

Bot still decay both nycht and day:

Lo! Quhat it is to lufe.

Lufe is ane fervent fyre,

Kendillit without desyre:

Schort plesour, lang displesour --

Repentence is the hyre;

Ane pure tressour without mesour,

Lufe is ane fervent fyre.

To lufe and to be wyiss,

To rege with gud adwyiss,

Now thus, now than, so gois the game,

Incertane is the dyiss:

Thair is no man, I say, that can

Both lufe and to be wyiss.

Fle alwayis frome the snair;

Lerne at me to be ware;

It is ane pane and dowbill trane

trane: snare

Of endles wo and cair;

For to refrane that denger plane,

Fle alwayis frome the snair.

[Quhome sould I wyt]

Quhome sould I wyt of my mischance

wyt: blame

Bot Cupeid, king of variance?

Thy court without considerance,

Quhen I it knew

Or evir maid the observance

Sa far I rew.

Thow and thy law ar instrumentis

Off diverss inconvenientis:

Thy schervice mony soir repentis,

Knawing the quarrell,

Quhen body, honor and substance schentis,

And saule in perrell.

Quhat is thy manrent bot mischeif,

manrent: homage

Sturt, angir, grunching, yre and greif,

Sturt: strifegrunching: grumbling

Evill lyfe and langour but relief

Off woundis wan,

Displesour, pane and he repreif

Off God and man.

Thow loviss thame that lowdest leis,

And followis fastest on thame fleis;

Thow lychtleis all trew properteis

Off luve express,

And markis quhair nevir styme thow seis,

styme: a trace

Bot hittis be gaiss.

Blynd buk! bot at the bound thow schutis,

And thame forbeiris that the rebutis;

rebutis: reject

Thow ryvis thair hairtis ay fra the rutis

Quhilk ar thy awin,

And cureis thame curis nocht thre cutis

curis: care forcutis: jots

To be misknawin.

Thow art in freyndschip with thi fo

And fremmit to thy freynd also;

fremmit: hostile

Thow flemis all faythfull men the fro

flemis: drive

Of steidfast thocht,

Regarding non bot thame ago

That curis the nocht.

Thow chirreiss thame that with the chyddis

And baneissis thame with the abydis;

Thow hess thi horne ay in thair sydis

That can nocht fle:

Thay furdir werst in the confydis,

I say for me.

[Leif, Luve, and lat me leif allone]

Leif, Luve, and lat me leif allone

At libertie, subject to none,

For it may weill be sene upone

My bludless blaiknit ble,

blaiknit: pale

The tormenting in tym bygon

That skerss hes left bot skin and bon,

Throw fremmitness of the.

fremmitness: enmity

For thruch thy feid I fynd express

My only lady merciless;

Sa doggitless scho did me dress

doggitless: curelly

With wo and misery;

Quhen scho had welth and wantouness

I had bot dollour and distress,

Throw fremmitness of the.

To confort hir thow wes inclynd,

And hald my murnyng in my mynd;

I fand hir of ane staffage kynd,

staffage: obstinate

Bath staitly, strange and he;

Scho wes uncurtass and unkynd:

It wes hir play to se me pynd,

pynd: hurt

Throw fremmitness of the.

Thow held hir curage he on loft

And ted my tendir hairt lyk toft;

I knaw how costly I wes coft

Quhen scho ȝeid frank and fre.

Thow sufferit hir to sleip full soft,

Quhair mirthles I wes marterit oft,

Throw fremitness of the.

Cupeid, thow kennis I burd to knau

burd: yearned

The langsum leving in thy law,

Bot this is nocht the first ourthraw

That thow hes done to me;

Bot of the now I stand nocht aw,

Sen Ressoun dois my benner blaw

Aganis the feid of the.

This lady is so gud ane gyd

Scho lattis me nevir gang on syd,

Bot teichis me both tyme and tyd,

Recent befoir myne e,

Quhome in to lippin and confyd;

I slip, and lattis all ourslyd

Aganis the feid of the.

The Fyifty Pshalme

Lord God, deliver me, allace!

For Thy grit mercy, rewth and grace,

Soir mornyng, grufling on my face:

grufling: grovelling

Rew on my miserie!

Als, for the multitud and space

Off Thy heich clemenss, heir my cace

And my trespass expell and chace:

Lord God, deliver me.

Wesche me and mak my sawle serene

Frome all iniquite that bene;

Clenge me of cryme and make me clene

All vycis for to fle.

For my transgressioun haif I sene,

Quhilk tormentis me with tray and tene,

tray and tene: trouble and anger

And ay my syn forgane myne ene:

Lord God, deliver me.

Only to The I did offend;

May non my miss bot Thow amend,

As by Thy sermoundis Thow art kend

Ourcum all contrarie.

In filth, lo! I begyn and end;

By syn maternall I am send;

With vyce I vaneiss and mon wend:

Lord God, deliver me.

Thow had to veritie sic zeill

That of Thy wisdome did reweill

Incertane hid thingis for my weill,

And laid befoir myne e;

For quhen Thy fowth of grace I feill

I salbe clengit clene as steill,

clengit: cleansed

And quhyttar than the snaw gret deill:

Lord God, deliver me.

Thow sall gif glaidnes unto heir,

Me in to joy and mirthfull cheir,

Quhen all my febill bonis efeir

Sall gif The lovingis hie.

Heirfoir avart Thy visage cleir,

So that my synnis cum not The neir;

Off my misdeidis, quhilk dois me deir,

Lord God, deliver me.

Creat within me and infound

Ane hart immaculait and mound,

Ane steidfast hairt renew and ground

Within my breist to be!

Fleme me nocht fra Thy face fecound,

[]

Bot lat Thy Haly Spreit abound:

Lord God, deliver me.

Restoir me to the exultatioun

I had in The of my salutatioun,

And with Thy Spreit of cheif probatioun

[Upstirre hairt to The].

I sall to synnaris mak narratioun,

And wicket men in deviatioun,

I sall thame ken to consolatioun:

Lord God, deliver me.

Lord God, deliver me, and gyd

From schedding blude, and homicyd;

My tung sall preiss The, just, but pryd,

And petefull, all thre:

Lowse Thow my lippis, that tyme and tyd

I may gif to The lovingis wyd,

That all that fermely list confyd:

Lord God, deliver me.

Knew I Thow covet sacrifyiss,

Or offerand holocast wald pryiss,

holocast: burnt offering

I sowld thame gif, bot Thow dennyiss

Sic to ressaif in gre;

For Thy oblatioun, Lord, it lyiss

oblatioun: offering

In humill hairt, contreit alwyiss;

Pennens of spreit Thow nolt despyiss:

Lord God, deliver me.

Sweit Lord, to Syon be suave

And strenth the wallis of Thy conclave,

Jerusalem, Thy haly grave,

Quhilk makis ws ransome fre;

This sacrifice than Thow salt have

Off Thy just pepill, and ressave

Thair laill trew hairtis with all the lave:

laill: loyal

Lord God, deliver me.

Gloir to the Fader he aboif;

Gloir to the Sone for our behoif;

Gloir to the Haly Spreit of loif

In trenefald unitie;

trenefald: threefold

As wes, is, salbe ay, bot roif,

Ane thre, and thre in ane, to proif

Thy Godheid nevir may remoif:

Lord God, deliver me.

Ane New Ȝeir Gift to the Quene Mary, quhen scho come first hame, 1562

Welcum, illustrat Ladye, and oure Quene!

Welcum, oure lyone with the Floure-delyce!

Welcum, oure thrissill with the Lorane grene!

Welcum, oure rubent roiss upoun the ryce!

rubent: ruby-redryce: twig

Welcum, oure jem and joyfull genetryce!

Welcum, oure beill of Albion to beir!

beill: support

Welcum, oure plesand Princes maist of pryce!

God gif the grace aganis this guid new ȝeir.

This guid new ȝeir, we hoip, with grace of God,

Salbe of peax, tranquillitie, and rest;

This ȝeir sall rycht and ressone rewle the rod,

Quhilk sa lang seasoun hes bene soir supprest;

This ȝeir ferme fayth sall frelie be confest,

And all erronius questiones put areir;

areir: to the back

To laboure that this lyfe amang ws lest

God gife the grace aganis this guid new ȝeir.

Heirfore addres the dewlie to decoir

And rewle thy regne with hie magnificence;

Begin at God to gar sett furth his gloir,

And of his gospell gett experience;

Caus his trew Kirk be had in reverence;

So sall thy name and fame spred far and neir:

Now, this thy dett to do with diligence,

God gif the grace aganis this guid new ȝeir.

Found on the first four vertewis cardinall,

On wisdome, justice, force, and temperans;

Applaud to prudent men, and principall

Off vertewus lyf, thy wirschep till avance;

Waye justice, equale without discrepance;

Strenth thy estait with steidfastnes to steir;

To temper tyme with trew continuance

God gife the grace aganis this guid new ȝeir.

Cast thy consate be counsale of the sage,

consate: mind

And cleif to Christ hes kepit the in cure

Attingent now to twentye ȝeir of aige,

Attingent: reaching

Preservand the fra all misaventure.

Wald thow be servit, and thy cuntre sure,

Still on the commoun weill haif e and eir;

Preiss ay to be protectrix of the pure;

So God sall gyde thy Grace this gude new ȝeir.

Gar stanche all stryiff, and stabill thy estaitis

In constance, concord, cherite, and lufe;

Be bissie now to banisch all debatis

Betuix kirkmen and temporall men dois mufe;

mufe: prevail

The pulling doun of policie reprufe,

And lat perversit prelettis leif perqueir;

perqueir: completely

To do the best, besekand God above

To gife the grace aganis this guid new ȝeir.

Att croce gat cry, be oppin proclamatioun,

Undir grit panis that nothir he nor scho

Off halye writ haif ony disputatioun,

Bot letterit men, or learnit clerkis thereto;

For lymmer lawdis and litle lassis lo

lymmer: vulgar

Will argun bayth with bischop, preist, and freir;

To dantoun this thow hes aneuch to do:

dantoun: supress

God gife the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

Bot wyte the wickit pastouris wald not mend

Thair vitious leving all the warld prescryvis;

Thai tuke na tent thair traik sould turne till end,

traik: business

Thai wer sa proud in thair prerogatyvis;

For wantonnes thay wald not wed na wyvis,

Nor ȝit leif chaste, bot chop and change thair cheir;

Now, to reforme thair fylthy licherous lyvis,

God gife the grace aganis this guid new ȝeir.

Thai brocht thair bastardis, with the skrufe thai skraip,

skrufe: money

To blande thair blude with barrownis be ambitioun;

blande: mix

Thai purchest pithles pardonis fra the Paip,

To caus fond folis confyde he hes fruitioun,

As God, to gif for synnis full remissioun,

And saulis to saif frome suffering sorowis seir;

To sett asyde sic sortis of superstition

God gife the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

Thai lost baith benefice and pentioun that mareit,

And quha eit flesch on Frydayis was fyrefangit;

fyrefangit: burned

It maid na mis quhat madinnis thai miscareit

On fasting dayis, thai wer not brint nor hangit:

Licence for luchrie fra thair lord belangit

luchrie: lechery

To gif indulgence, as the devill did leir;

To mend that menȝe hes samonye mangit

God gif the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir

Thai lute thy liegis pray to stokkis and stanes

lute: allowed

And paintit paiparis, wattis nocht quhat thai meine;

wattis: know

Thai bad thame bek and bynge at deid mennis banes,

bek: bowbynge: cringe

Offer on kneis to kis, syne saif thair kin:

Pilgrimes and palmaris past with thame betuene

Sanct Blais, Sanct Boit, blait bodeis ein to bleir.

bleir: simple

Now, to forbid this grit abuse hes bene,

God gife the grace aganis this guid new ȝeir.

Thai tyrit God with tryfillis, tume trentalis,

tume: emptytrentalis: groups of thirty prayers

And daisit him with daylie darigeis,

daisit: laments

With owklie abitis to augment thair rentalis,

owklie: weeklyabitis: obits

Mantand mort mumlingis mixt with monye leis.

Mantand: stammeringmort mumlingis: mumblings over the dead

Sic sanctitude was Sathanis sorcereis,

Christis sillie scheip and sobir flok to smeir:

smeir: smear

To ceis all sindrye sectis of hereseis

God gif the grace aganis this guid new ȝeir.

With mes nor matynes nowayis will I mell:

To juge thame justlie passis my ingyne;

Thai gyde nocht ill that governis weill thame sell,

And lelalie on lawtie layis thair lyne:

lawtie: fidelity

Dowtis to discus for doctouris ar devyne,

Cunnyng in clergie to declair thame cleir;

To ordour this the office now is thyne:

God gife the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

As beis takkis walx and honye of the floure,

So dois the faythfull of Goddis word tak frute;

As waspis ressavis of the same bot soure,

So reprobatis Christis buke dois rebute:

rebute: reject

Wordis without werkis availȝeis not a cute:

cute: jot

To seis thy subjectis so in lufe and feir

That rycht and reason in thy realme may rute

God gife the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

The Epistillis and Evangelis now ar prechit

But sophistrie, or ceremoneis vaine;

Thy pepill, maist pairt, trewlie now ar techit

To put away idolatrie prophaine:

Bot in sum hartis is gravit new agane

Ane image, callit cuvatyce of geir;

Now, to expell that idoll standis up plane,

God gif the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

For sum ar sene at sermonis seme sa halye,

Singand Sanct Davidis Psalter on thair bukis,

And ar bot biblistis fairsing full thair bellie,

fairsing: stuffing

Bakbytand nychtbouris, noyand thame in nwikis,

nwikis: corners

Ruging and raifand up kirk rentis lyke ruikis;

Ruging: tearingraifand: ripping

As werrie waspis aganis Goddis word makis weir:

Sic Christianis to kis with Chauceris kuikis

God gife the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

Dewtie and dettis ar drevin be dowbilnes;

Auld folkis ar flemit fra yung fayth professouris;

The grittest ay the grediar, I ges,

To plant quhair preistis and personis wer possessouris;

Teindis ar uptane be testament transgressouris;

Teindis: tithes

Credence is past off promeis, thocht thai sweir:

To punisch papistis and reproche oppressouris

God gif the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

Pure folk ar famist with thir fassionis new,

Thai fail for falt that had befoir at fouth;

at fouth: plenty

Leill labouraris lamentis and tennentis trew,

That thai ar hurt and hareit north and south;

The heidismen hes cor mundum in thair mouth,

cor mundum: in the heart of the world

Bot nevir with mynd to gif the man his meir:

To quenche thir quent calamiteis so cowth,

quent: odd

God gife the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

Protestandis takis the freiris auld antetewme,

Reddie ressavaris, bot to rander nocht;

So lairdis upliftis mennis leifing ovir thy rewme,

And ar rycht crabit quhen thai crave thame ocht;

Be thai unpayit, thy pursevandis ar socht

To pund pure communis corne, and catell keir:

pund: impoundkeir: carry off

To wisy all thir wrangus workis ar wrocht

wisy: search into

God gife the grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

Paull biddis nocht deill with thingis idolatheit,

Nor quhair hypocrasie hes bene committit;

Bot kirkmennis cursit substance semis sweit

Till land men with that leud burd lyme ar lyttit;

leud: filthylyttit: stained

Giff thow persave sum sen3eour it hes smittit,

smittit: infected

Solist thame softlie nocht to perseveir:

Solist: solicit

Hurt not thair honor, thocht thy hienes wittit,

Bot gratiouslie forgife thame this gude ȝeir.

Foirgifaniss grant, with glaidnes and gude will,

Gratis till all into ȝour parliament;

Syne stabill statutis, steidfast to stand still,

stabill: establish

That barrone, clerk, and burges be content;

Thy nobillis, erlis, and lordis consequent,

Treit tendir, to obtene thair hartis inteir;

That thai may serve and be obedient

Unto thy Grace aganis this gude new ȝeir.

Sen so thow sittis in saitt superlatywe,

Caus everye stait to thair vocatioun go,

Scolastik men the scriptouris to descrywe,

And majestratis to use the swerd also,

Merchandis to trafique and travell to and fro,

Mechanikis wirk, husbandis to saw and scheir;

So salbe welth and weilfaire without wo,

Be grace of God, aganis this guid new ȝeir.

Latt all thy realme be now in reddines

With coistlie clething to decoir thy cors;

Ȝung gentilmen for dansing thame addres,

With courtlie ladyes cuplit in consors;

Frak ferce gallandis for feild gemis enfors,

Frak: strong

Enarmit knychtis at listis with scheild and speir,

To fecht in barrowis bayth on fute and hors,

barrowis: lists

Agane thy Grace gett ane guid man this ȝeir.

This ȝeir salbe embassattis heir belyffe,

belyffe: soon

For mariage, frome princes, dukis, and kingis;

This ȝeir, within thy regioun, sall aryse

Rowtis of the rankest that in Europ ringis;

rankest: of highest rank

This ȝeir bayth blythnes and abundance bringis,

Naveis of schippis outthrocht the sea to sneir,

sneir: scud

With riches, raymentis, and all royall thingis,

Agane thy Grace get ane gude man this ȝeir.

Giffe sawis be suth to schaw thy celsitude,

Quhat berne sould bruke all Bretane be the see?

berne: manbruke: enjoy

The prophecie expreslie dois conclude

The Frensch wyfe of the Brucis blude suld be:

Thow art be lyne fra him the nynte degree,

And wes King Frances pairty maik and peir;

pairty: partner

So be discence the same sowld spring of the,

By grace of God, agane this gude new ȝeir.

Schortlie to concluid: on Christ cast thy confort,

And chereis thame that thow hes under charge;

Suppone maist sure he sall the send support,

And len the lustie liberos at large;

liberos: children

Beleif that Lord may harbary so thy bairge

harbary: shelter

To mak braid Britane blyth as bird on breir,

And the extoll, with his triumphand targe,

Wictoriuslie agane this guid new ȝeir.

L'envoy

Prudent, maist gent, tak tent, and prent the wordis

209

gent: gentle

Intill this bill, with will thame still to face,

Quhilkis ar not skar to bar on far fra bawrdis,

skar: shy

Bot leale, but feale, may haell avaell thy Grace;

Sen, lo! thow scho this to now do hes place,

Resaif, swaif, and haif, ingraif it heir:

swaif: cherish

This now, for prow, that thow, sweit dow, may brace

prow: reward

Lang space with grace, solace, and peace, this yeir.

Lectori

Fresch, fulgent, flurist, fragrant flour formois,

217

formois: beautiful

Lantern to lufe, of ladeis lamp and lot,

Cherie maist chaist, cheif charbucle and chois,

Smaill sweit smaragde, smelling but smit off smot,

smaragde: emeraldbut smit: without a stainsmot: blemish

Noblest natour, nurice to nurtour, not

This dull indyte, dulce, dowble dasy deir,

Send be thy sempill servand Sanderris Scott,

Greting grit God to grant thy Grace gude yeir.