University of Virginia Library

THE . 1 . CANT.

Queins Venus Sone, The subtill smyling boy,
(Quhois valȝant valor vincus may ilk vycht),
Schot at this Roland ferslie vith esmoy
Ane feddrit flan, Quhilk in his brest did lycht,
And throch myd center of his hart did dycht,
Ane proper part to place tuo heauenlie eis,
Quhilks meid him thrall for all his mundan mycht
And humylie sute for mercie on his kneis:
No vonder vas, sen celest spreits aggreis,
All to this God of deuetie Inclynd:
Neptunus, dompter of the raging seis,
And prudent Pluto, both he hes constrynd:
Lord Ealus for all his haughty mind,
And bludie Mars, be Cupid beine supprest:
Grayt Iupiter he monie tyms hes pynd:
So Roland, randert vincust vith the rest,
Quho dyuers dochtie deids did manifest,
for till obtein his peirles ladie fair,
In Tartarie triumphantlie Increst
His famus fame. As mychtie Monarck rair,
Sum did him prayse, Sum thocht him but compair:
Throch India, And all the Orient,
Thay celebrat his acts heir and thair;
He onlie hes the vog armipotent.
To france Againe quhan he returning vent,
Persauing Paris seidged, that staitlie toune,
Be Numeds, Mors, and Espangols consent,
Quhois nummers cled the feildis vp and doune,
Conductit all be Agrammant thair boune,
Quhair he In force of armie did confyd
Of france to raif the Sceptor and the Croune,
Quhill Roland stout abaittit all his pryd,
Thair brasche of battell boldlie did he byd,
And in the valor of his hardie hand
Has hich Renoun Inritchit vonder vyd
Abowe his prayse obteind In forran land:
As lyon louse thair did his luik command,
His strenth surmonts so furius and fell,
That strengest steile mycht not his straik gainstand
The loud alarum, quhan his dints did knell:
As sillie Scheip dar not the volf Rebell,
So fants his fois, And from his fechting fleis;
At euerie Chok his courage dois excell:
Quho byds the danger, suddan deth he dreis:
His arms victorius hich auanst: Quho seis,
Bids all beuar, the thudding cums so soir;
And as thay speik, extinguist ar thair eis,
Doune skelps the sourd, And dois thair lyf deuoir:
As terrefeit haeir, that rins the honds befoir,
So troups gois hence, Quhair he begins to fume;
Quhair ans he hits, Remeid thair is no moir,
Deid at ane dint thay gaet no vther dume:
As lustie falcon litle larks dois plume,
So harneis flew, Quhair DVRANDAL discends.
Vas no defens, To flie thair vas no tume,
Gif he approtchd, Bot lyfs constryndlie ends:
The mortall cryis occurd quhair he Intends.
Plaine vas that part; All past and gaif him place.
Nocht suld ȝe heir about him, quhair he bends,
Bot hiddius schouts, cair, clamor, and alace,
His armeur, hands, his vapnis, and his face,
Bebathd in bluid of Campions about.
He cleifs, he cuts, he peirsis, and dois chace.
As Thunder throw the elements dois Rout,
Or lyk bold bubs, quhilk Boreas breath blaws out,
Or boustius Bombards, Quhan thay keinlie crak,
So Roland Rangeit all the Chiftans stout
Vith na les noyes; so staluartlie he strak,
Sum left his scheild, And schortlie turnd his bak;
Sum In Cauerne did creip to be assuird,
At euerie motion feiring ay thair vrak,
for dammest dreid thay thocht his dints Induird.
This pithie Paladeine hes sic prayse procuird
In schairpe persute of his disconfeit fais,
Quhom valȝantlie he in this sort InIuird,
Tham chaceing thence In hirns, in hols, and brais;
for suiftlie so amongs the prese he gais,
As fyrflacht fell from firmament fast flew,
Quhan mychtie Iowe his bittir blasts did rais,
And all the proud contemmyng Gyans slew:
The Bairdit horssis Mycht mak na Reskew
Vnto thair Ryders, all In harneis drest,
Bot both Renuerst, Quhan Dyrandal he drew;
The one Lyis slaine, The vther plaine opprest.