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Poems of John Stewart of Baldyneiss

From the MS. in the Advocates' Library, Edinburgh: Edited by Thomas Crockett

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THE . 11 . CANT.
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80

THE . 11 . CANT.

Perplexit Pen againe to paine apply,
Denunce the teirs that from thy dyt distels.
Now for ȝour ayde Ramnusia I cry
To reule arycht the rancor Intermels.
This trublous teine my tyrit toung compels
To dry for drouth that I may not declair,
Vithin this goulf, Quhair source of sorrow suels,
My sensis so suffuscat ar vith cair.
Vold god Bocace mycht in my place repair
This tragedie perfytlie to compyle;
Or Reuerent Ouid vold the sammyng spair
In Metamorphois of his steitlie style.
for lyk as myrth dois mak the visage smyle,
Or plesand lycht reiosis moir the ie
Than deip perbrouilȝeit dungeons dark and vyle,
So vanton verse moir aptlie dois aggrie
To pouse the pithles spreit vith sum supplie,
Quhilk I posses, laiking the curius vaine,
Than mirthles mateirs that amaȝis me,
And doubill duls my dolorus dullit braine.
Ȝit sen the burding dois on me remaine
To sport My Prence, Quhois courtasie bening
May mak me aide, As meed the gowldin graine,
Quhilk did Eneas to his Iournay bring,
I Indeuoir the remanent to sing
Of Rolands fall in furie at the last.
Help at this neid, O greiȝlie ghests maling,
Vith spedie pen to mak this propose past,

81

Compact in breiff this bailfull bittir blast,
Quhilk dois my style renwerse in disaray,
And all my sensis na les maks agast
Than Nabuchodonosors great decay.
The Monarck Ninus that in preson lay,
Of croune bereft, And captiwe to the deed,
The puissant Cyrus, king of perse, I say,
Quho vincust Cresus, Syn did lose his heed,
Great Alexander poysand but remeed,
Nor Mychtie Cesar, Quho vas schortlie slaine,
Skairse represents so lairge of fortouns feed
As Our Comte Roland quho did lose his braine.
O friuole fortoune fikile false and vaine,
Quhy dois thow vex this vorld vith sic annoy?
Thow hich exalts law to deiect againe,
Thy quheile ay tumbling vith decetfull toy.
All that suppons maist suirlie till InIoy
Thy hawtie vauering hairis vith the vind,
Vith subtile smyle oft tyms thow dois distroy,
And for reuard presents thy pow behind;
No force auails thy fikilnes to bind.
Dame Indiscreit, I sute of the no grace;
Thow art my fo, for I culd neuir find
No kynd of fauor in thy fenȝeit face.
His maiestie hes pouer in this cace
Vith sueit regarde Thy sournes till assuadge,
Quhois Royale feit Maist humylie I Imbrace
To saif me from thy rancor and thy radge.
Thy course Inconstant in till euerie adge
Pruife dois recorde, Thocht I not specifie.
Great Baiacet that turk thow did Incadge,
Quhom Tamberlan maist duilfullie meed drie
Ane extreme slawrie till that he did die;
The one thow did from bass estait awance,
And dang the vther doune from hich degrie,
So is the coustume of thy fatall chance.
for to record that potent king of france,

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Quho in the sporting of his manlie spreit
Vnto the deed vas percit vith ane lance,
Is pruife that thow in variance dois fleit.
King Alexander is exemple meit,
Quho reuld abowe the Antique Scottis keine;
The hardie force quhairvith he vas repleit,
Nor ȝit the prudence quhilk did in him scheine,
Could not eschew the rigor of thy teine,
Bot creuallie be the he vas forlorn
In picking of his horse as mycht be seine
Abowe the rock thair situat at kingorn.
for, as the rose annexit to the thorn,
So is thy plesour vith sum paine prepaird:
Or as the vyde Increscis vith the corn,
So thow perturbs the cheifest but regaird:
Quho valks at vill vithin thy vauering ȝaird,
And dois delyt to smell thy suggurit gall,
Vith suddan storm his stait sall not be spaird;
Bot as Pompey Or hardie Hanniball
So sall occur In fin thair fatale fall.
The strong redouttit dochtie Darius,
Quho lang did dant his mychtie nychtbours all,
Be venim of thy visage varius,
Quhan force of fois he fand contrarius,
New battell thryse he bauldlie did conveine,
Bot ruittit out he vas as Arius;
first did he lose his kingdome and his queine,
His mother, guids, And childrine all vas seine
In the possession of his enemie;
Syn lost his lyf, And mycht na vayis obteine
At his last breath so meikile laser frie
As natiwe freind Or seruiteur to sie,
Bot in his chariot vondit to the deed
He thocht it did his painfull spreit supplie,
Quhan till his fo his last regrait he meed.
Queine Semerame Thow lang did velthie leed,
Quha in hir courage disaguisde hir kynd,

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Bot all thy fauor turnit in to feed
At hir last battell vith the king of ynd.
Dame Panthasile, quhais hich magnanime mynd
Dill thrall the boldnes of the grecians stout,
Thocht for ane space thow prosperus Inclynd
Vith blast of fame to sound hir praisis out,
In tragedie aluayis thow brocht about
Hir proud attempt And mychtie mundan gloir;
Scho and hir ladies All that seimlie rout
Did vincust die, Quhilk dewlie I deploir.
Ȝenobia, Quham beuteis did decoir,
Hir profund prudence Nor hir hardie hand
Mycht not resist thy malice onie moir
fra ans scho did Aurelius gainstand,
Quho brocht hir captiw from hir natiwe land
And till triwmphe abowe this cairfull queine
Hir persone fixit at ane chariot band
And drew hir so throch Rome apertlie seine;
O crewall fortoune, noysum vas thy teine;
Thocht scho presumd all Asia to gyd,
Thy recompance maist freuch and friuole beine:
So all are serwed that dois in the confyd.
Thy slipprie solas dois als schortlie slyd
As yse dissolues vith flam of feruent fyre:
Thy douce delyt vith dolor is dewyd,
Quhan we beliwe to find our harts desyre:
Vith fikile fassone so thow dois Impyre
Quhill euerie stait may sie the facill flot:
Thow gifs no gaine to him quho merits hyre,
Bot at thy lust dois attribute the lot:
Thou maks the giltie sum tyme seime but spot,
And guid desert in to the dust dings doune:
Vit valkith oft in till ane raggit cot,
And folie set vp in ane veluet goune:
Ane laird be the becums ane meschant lowne,
Ane lowne againe be the is meed ane laird:
So In all things thow art ay blindlie bowne

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To rycht nor resone haifing no regaird.
Thow rakles rins, As rasche and restles baird,
Both vp, and doune, befoir, and now abak;
I knaw no puissant erdlie pomp prepaird
Thy friuole frailnes firmlie to coak.
Gif ether visdome, force, or vordie fak,
Mycht haif rebellit quhaire thy baile is boune,
Than Roland haid be the susteind na lak,
Bot euir hichlie borne the palmie croune;
Quhom thy deceit degressis na les doune
Nor Hector, traillit At Achylles steid,
Vas changeit from that hector of renoune,
Quho umquhyle reft Achylles of his veid.
Impolist pen to Propose new proceid,
Returne to text And dyt of Roland rycht.
He most Induir, And I most schaw Indeid,
This alteration quhilk did on him lycht.
Now eftir that this Strong redouttit knycht
Be ampill pruife all vthers did precell,
Quhill all the vorld abaisit of his mycht,
At last in schersing Mandricard so fell
He seis ane christall reuere douce distell
About the bordour of ane mydow fair,
Quhair flouris fresche maist sauoruslie did smell,
And monie seimlie frondise trie preclair,
Obumbrat all this situation rair.
Doune he descends amyds the blossoms greine
for to refresche him in the temperat air;
Sen dayis tuo he haid in trauell beine
In sutting of the foirsaid Sarraseine.
Bot heir depryuit vas he of repois,
And all his confort turnit in to teine,
Quhan that his vofull eine haid done disclois
The viwe handwreting of his onlie chois,
Ingrauit thair on monie growand graine;
for this vas ewen the veirray place formois,
Quhair scho and Medor vont vas to remaine.

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In thowsand wayis that part did all explaine
Thair schyphert nams, As I haif schawne befoir,
Bot euerie lettir bruist his bailfull braine,
And percit throch his vondit hart als soir
As duilfull deedlie dart him to deuoir.
Vith monie vayis maist cairfullie he socht
till schift the sorrow that so did him schoir,
And not to credit sic ane noysum thocht,
Efforcing him vith feirfull spreit afflocht
for to beliwe that Scho, of hir guid grace,
In his remembrance haid thois vordis vrocht,
Him so surnaming Medor in this place;
Or that sum vther Angelique percace
So in this sort haid done thair luif furthschaw.
Bot full assuirit vas he ȝit alace,
for the characters suirlie did he knaw,
Quhilk his awne ladie vsit ay to draw,
Bot could navayis him self beliwe at all.
So vith opinions he the treuth did thraw,
As doutfull trust did in his fancie fall
Him self to suadge vith sum assurance small.
Bot as hote collis vith sum vattir cold
first seims to slaik, ȝit eftiruart thay sall
Vpblais in fyre moir feruentlie and bold,
Ewen so the moir that he extinguise vold
His glowing greif, the sam the moir did ryis.
As feltert foule, quhilk glew Or girn dois hold,
The moir scho flychters, Scho the faster lyis,
The moir also that he did deip dewyis
This mortall pansiwe terror till eschew,
The moir profound his paine did him suppryis,
Quhilk force nor visdom mycht navayis reskew.
In this estate approtching neir he drew
Till the cawerne, Abowe ane fontane cleir,
Quhair vodbind and vyn brainchis linkit threw
Ane plesand tortur at the entress heir,
Decoring all this proper part so deir

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To both the foirsaid luifers euerie day;
for quhan fair Phebus vith his heit seueir
Did brymlie byrne, heirin Imbrast thay lay;
Quhairfoir thair nams both in and out I say
Heir drawne vas ofter than in onie place.
Vith cake, vith coll, And pensile scharp alway,
Both heir, and thair, vas schawne thair happie cace.
The Cairfull Comte vith sad deiectit face
full monie luiflie dictums heir did vew
Be Medor vrocht, Quhilks at the sammyng space
Als recent fair and viwelie formit schew
As Instantlie thay haid beine forgit new.
And for the feruent vonderfull delyt
That heir did to this Adonis Insew,
In verse he drew this subsequent Indyt,
Quhilk vretin vas maist plainlie and perfyt
In his awne langage, As I do suppois,
Quhairof the sentence I sall heir recyt,
Thocht I exactlie may it not disclois.
O herbis greine, And prettie plants formois,
O limpid vattir springing suawe and cleir,
O cawe obscuir aggriabill to thois
Quho vold tham cuile in thy fresche vmber deir,
Quhair Angelique maist beutifull but peir,
In vaine desyrd be vthers monie mo,
Oft nakit lay betuix my armes heir,
I medor puir, quhom ȝe haif esit so,
May not requyt ȝow moir, Bot quhair I go
Ȝour praise sall euir stedfastlie Induir.
Lords, ladies, knychts, And lustie luifers tho,
And euerie gentle hart I will procuir
To viss ȝow veill And frie of dainger suir.
Both sone, and mone, and Nymphs ȝow saif from tort,
And neuir Pastor vith his troup InIuir
Ȝour verduir ritche, O seimlie fair resort.
Bot ay about ȝow birdis blythlie sing,
And vnmolestit be ȝour siluer spring.

87

In toung Arabic vretin vas this thing,
Quhilk langage Roland rycht expertlie knew,
And oft he red it contrarie to vring
The veirray sentence from the mening trew.
Bot ay the moir that he did so persew,
Moir plaine and ampill did the text appeir,
Quhilk to the death his thirlit hart neir threw.
Assault of sorrow socht him so seueir,
That staring still he stuid astonist heir,
for vo almaist void of his vittis all,
Vith hawie fixit eis And cairfull cheir,
Vpon the stone As sensles stonie vall.
His chin declyning on his brest did fall,
And cloud of cair held doune his cumlie front,
Quhair left vas no audacitie to brall,
for boyling baile his boudin braine haid blont.
Great egar greif so griwous did surmont,
That he onnavayis mycht relasche his vo
Vith vofull vords as vmquhyle he vas vont;
Nor ȝit no teiris from his eine could go,
His liquid humor suffocat vas so,
As quhan in veschell vyd vith narrow throt
The vattir choks And may not flow thairfro
for great aboundance that dois in it flot.
No vonder now althocht his brest be blot
Vith dainger deip of deedlie duill in deid,
Bot ȝit his hoip could not dissolue the knot
Quhilk in his ladies loyaltie did breid.
So vith sum trust betosd and meikill dreid
He scherst his thochts to think this thocht vntrew,
(Quhairon his fancie for ane space did feid
And feruentlie dois viss it till Insew),
That sum ewillviller all thois dictums drew
for to diffame his constant ladie frie,
And be sic bittir blame his baile to brew,
That suddanlie quhan he the same suld sie
for percing paine mycht at that Instant die.
“O lord,” sayis he, “quhat vehement dispyt

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hes he declaird, Quhom euir so it be.
Veill Imitat hes he hir hand perfyt
In drawing of this nochtie noysum dyt.”
So vith this feibile esperance at last
sum thing assuagit vas his former fyt,
And thus againe on Bridedor he past.
The day declynd And nycht approtchit fast;
fair tytans steids haid rune thair vtter race,
Quhois giltit hairs disparpling bak did cast
Throche asurit sky quhilk elss obscuird his face,
Till his palle sister Phebe giffing place,
Quhan that the pynit Paladeine did tend
His course na les Incertaine at this space
Than schip but rudder quhilk dois vilsum vend.
Bot ȝit or he his voyage far did spend,
from tops of houssis till him did appeir
The smok of fyrie vapeur vp ascend.
Bald barking doggis also did he heir,
And monie flokis making meikill beir,
sum routting loud, And sum did semplie blait.
Vnto the village quhan the Compt cam neir,
He lychtit doune because it vas so lait,
Quhair radelie ane boy discreit and fait
Did tak the gydment of his horse in cuir;
Sum did desarme his person of estait,
Sum loust the giltit spurris quhilk he buir,
And Sum attending stuid vpon the fluir
for till obey as plesit him command.
Now this vas ewen the verray ludging suir,
Quhair vondit Medor all his veilfair fand.
The stressit knycht All stupefact did stand,
And wold to bed but onie kynd of fuid;
Sic gripping greif about his bosom band,
That appetyt from meit vas far excluid.
for fillit full of hawie rancor ruid,
He did behold vith goustlie visage palle
The vofull vreat, quhilk friȝit vp his bluid;

89

Depaint on posts And vindocks of the hall,
On durs, on tabils, And on euerie vall,
Both Angelique and Medor schyphert beine,
Vith luiflie knottis Interlasit small,
In thousand sorts apertlie to be seine.
The trublit Comte could not abstract his eine
from sycht of that quhilk vrocht him greatest paine,
And tending oft to crawe quhat it sould meine,
feir for to find his feirfull thocht meed plaine
Caust him againe his lippis close restraine.
So from him self he vold the treuth oscuir
Vith trembling dreid in his perturbit braine
sum suadgement schersing be consait vnsuir.
Bot Crewall fortone at sic feid him buir,
That Scho no paine vold from his persone spair,
Bot tuik delyt this Chiftan till InIuir,
His musing mynd mischiwing mair and mair.
No thing awalit his obfuscat cair
Vith cloud of dout quhairin he held his pace,
for ane at lenth did all the trewth declair
But Inquisition of this cairfull cace;
Quhilk vas the pastor, Quho in to that place,
Be broikin sychis did persawe his vo,
And till appaise his pansiwe spreit ane space,
Began the histoir of the luifers tuo;
first quhow that Medor, deedlie vondit so,
He thair did bring at Angeliques desyre,
Quha cuird his hurt; Than quhow that scho did go,
for him consuming all in luifis fyre,
Sua that of honor thochtles or Impyre
Scho to this sempill souldart did Inclyn,
And Band wp mariage for to quenche desyre.
Thus he the histoir rycht in euerie lyn
Did so discus Quhill that hir braslat fyn
He representit at that Instant steed.
This vas the ax at last descendan syn

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Vith deedlie dint quhilk did ding of his heed.
Lang speitchles lay he strukin almeist deed,
Quhill source of sorrow mycht no moir susteine,
Bot furiuslie outbirstit but remeed
Sobs from his mouth And teiris from his eine.
Bot most of all quhan solitar he beine,
Ane fluid aboundant bouting out besprent
His boudin brest all suellit vp In teine,
And both his cheaks bebathing but relent.
Deip in him now vas cauld dispair Imprent,
Ȝit from his birnand bosome fast did flow
Hote flammyng sychs quhilk neuir could be spent;
So fell and feruent vas the fyrie low,
Quhilk in his hart ay moir and moir did grow,
But onie slaiking thocht it fumit out,
his breath bot onlie did as belleis blow
To kindle all his bodie round about,
And als his eine did serue bot for ane spout
The vitale humeur from his lyf to draw.
for sorrow suir not cled vith former dout
did all his arters view aschunder thraw.
Quho may the strese Intolerabile schaw
Quhilk did this valȝant varior so torne?
leile lychtleit luifers onlie may it knaw,
Quho haples fruite of Ielousie hes schorne.
In bed he restles tumblit thus forlorne,
Quhilk did moir dour than dourest stone appeir;
Ilk softest fedder vas as poyntit thorne
To prick his persone, or the scharpest breir.
The valkryf thochtis of his cair seueir
Permits him nocht to sleip ane moment space;
Turne as he vold both hither thair and heir,
Raidge of his rancor did him ay Imbrace,
And in his torment he bethocht, alace,
That his vnkyndlie darrest ladie quhyt
Haid Interteind hir Medor in this place;
Heirfoir the sammyng (plinist vith dispyt)

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He did abhorre, And from it bendit quyt.
As quhan ane pastor schersing eisment lyis
Amongs the tender flouris of delyt,
Syn at his feit ane yssing serpent spyis,
Maist quyklie and astonist vp vill ryis,
So Roland full of dolor and desdaine
Vith diligence for all his harneis cryis,
And in that ludgeing vold no moir remaine,
Bot montit on his Bridedor againe,
And vold not tarie quhill Aurora brycht
Haid spred hir siluer schaddow on the plaine,
Bot throch the feilds ryds all this vilsum nycht.
He plains, he pains, and as ane furious vycht
Blasphems the heawens, the stars, and gods deuyn,
Vith trickling teirs beblubring all his sycht,
And syching ay Insatiantlie for pyn.
Ȝea, thocht the morrow cleir arryuit syn,
But Interwall his sorrow did Induir.
from brochs and citeis far he did declyn,
Eschewing sycht of euerie creatuir,
To dern deserts And partis maist obscuir
Vith vofull vult he vandrit all the day,
But onie knawleidge quhair his horse him buir;
And with maist griwous great regraitting ay
Did fill the heawen, the air, and feilds alway.
He fround for furie, feilling in his heed
The storms of raidge pelmell about fast play.
In vinter Bald Neptunus neuir meed
Moir motion fell In fomie fluidis reed,
As tumults strong tormoyling to and fro
Of braying baile quhilk in his brest abeed,
Vith trublit tempest him tormenting so.
Than In the nycht quhan all to rest did go
He doune descendit in ane bocage greine,
Vith cairfull skrychis euir valtring tho;
And sic scharp schours of sorrow did susteine,
That sleip mycht neuir close his veping eine,

92

Quhairfra ten thowsand teiris did distell,
As Quhan from bourn that lang hes dammit beine
streams breaks aboundant quhilk thairin did suell.
Him self astonit could not think nor tell
Quhow possibill so monie teiris mycht
Poure from his eis, quhilks lyk ane springing vell
Did neuir stay thair rynning day nor nycht.
Than syching soir he said, “this liquor brycht
Is no moir teirs; Teirs may not end my vo,
Quhilk bot begins; And spent ar from my sycht
My teiris all. This source quhilk springis so
I knaw it is viwe vapor fleing fro
The feruent flams, quhilk birns my hart to deed,
Vp throch my soddin brest, syn out dois go
At my tuo eis, And sall draw but remeed
My lyf and dolor both at ons to feed;
Bot sen so is, Sched out thy course vith speid,
And my vnhappie dayis to end soon leed.
And ȝe, O sychs, quhairwith my cair dois feid,
Ȝe are no sychs: Sychs may not ay proceid
But onie cease As thois that I exspyre.
The moir I sych, Moir panting breath dois breid.
The lord of luife, Quho birns me all in fyre,
Maks vith his vings this vind, And will not tyre
To cause my kendlit flammes euir flow
Quhill I destroyit be both bon and lyre.
Bot O great meruell, that my hart now dow
So long Induir in luifis feruent low,
And vnconsumit vtterlie to nocht!
Bot quhom am I in quhom sic raidge dois grow?
am I that Roland quho hes vonders vrocht?
No. Roland treulie in his grafe is brocht;
His dame Ingrait hes vranguslie him slaine.
I am bot onlie his puir spreit afflocht
In vildernese heir forcit to complaine.
My desperat maist great Infernale paine
To beir record be my profoundest vo,

93

Quhat euerie ane may hoip for till attaine,
Quho thrallit in the links of luife dois go.”
This nycht till end Roland lamentit so,
And quhan the vermell Matutina sched
In celest hews hir adgeit husband fro,
Him lewing sleipand in his donckie bed,
And quhan the vorldis lycht began to spred
Brycht rubie sparkis throch the purpur sky,
Be destenie the Comte haid so beine led
That in the part he him persauit ly
Besyd the rock, Quhilk he befoir did spy
Vith Angelique And Medor grauit all.
for force of furie than his flesche did fry;
Be dints and stogs of dochtie Durandal
The craig and wreat he claiwe in skelpis small.
So dois he go hich radgeing in dispyt,
And suddanlie to ground renwersit all
Quhair onie trait vas of the luiflie dyt.
The sauuage pastor And his troup may quyt
Cauld cumlie vmbrage of this cawe for ay,
And that fair fontan, springand siluer quhyt
Vith restles rumor throch the sprutand spray.
Thocht recent liquor, clarifeit alway,
It spoutit out as colorit christall cleine,
Ȝit could the same in nothing quenche I say
The coler fell quhilk in him birnand beine.
Great stoks, and stons, And monie brainchis greine
Thairin he suackit, And did neuir spair,
Quhill all that vattir cleir as Saphir scheine
Vas drumlie trublit in ilk conduict clair.
Than Irkit full of suet and hawie cair
But poust he breathles on the mydow fell,
In sorrou sowpit syching sad and sair,
Concluding heir continewallie to duell.
No heit, No cauld, No raine, Nor vindis snell
Mycht mak him ons to leif againe this place,
Quhairin he lay (as dois the histoir tell)

94

But speitche, And euir vith affixit face
The firmament beholding all the space;
And so but meet or drink did still Induir,
Quhill that the dririe nycht haid rune hir race
Thryse cled in till hir clouddie robbe obscuir,
And quhill Apollo thryse haid montit suir
In gouldin cart to luminat the day.
And grewous rigor Quhilk his bodie buir
In feibling him It moir agmentit ay,
Quhill at the last all vincust quhair he lay
Be paine heirof out of his sens he start,
And all his Iudgement from him fled away.
Than the fourt day vorking his proper smart,
His hands outragius did his visage skart
Maist horribile, And vith ane hiddeus brall
for raidge he roird, And restles did dispart
His scheild, his gantlat, and his corslat tall;
Heir fell the brassats, Thair lyis Durandal,
Strong nails he breaks, His Cuissots aff did slyd;
His helm, His gorget, And his harneis all
In thousand peicis he disparplit vyd.
Ay moir And moir his furie did him gyd
from hour till hour, Quhill It Increscit so
That in no part he permanent vold byd,
Bot, rawand vodlie, suift and rasche did go.
His clothing all And sark he reft him fro,
And nakit schew his vombe, his brest, and bak,
Vith flyring face his mouth did morgeon tho
And syndrie sounds maist terribile did mak,
Ay clawerand loud, And not to propose spak.
Syn quhan his raidge vold reull him moir seueir,
He at ane pull vold suddanlie vptak
The greatest oike Or fir that he cam neir
As bled of buss Or berrie aff the breir.
Great rocks, cawerns, And montans all about
He meed resound, And vith ane luik austeir
Abaist the pastors, Chaceand euerie rout

95

That for to spy his folie Ischit out;
And quhair he cam but mercie or remeed
Vprais amongs tham ane maist feirfull schout:
Sum vith his fist lay fellit in that steed,
Sum dammest doune, Sum bruisit to the deed,
Sum gat thair brest quyt broikin, or thair bak,
fra sum he puld the arme, the leg, or heed:
Syn in his hand the bluidie boulk vold tak,
And at ane vther egarlie it suak.
Tham ranging thus vith ronklit front vpbend
He meed great heaps of this vnhappie pak,
And nane of all agains him durst pretend.
for as the veyld and furius Ours dois stend
But onie feir or sussie for to sie,
The Russians hunters tym and trauell spend
for to persew hir throche the montans hie;
Thocht than approtche hir ane great cumpanie
Of litle hounds, Quhowsoon scho blinks about,
That feibile sort all skattrit bak dois flie;
Ewen so quhan Raging Roland ruschit out
The peuple all fast fled in deedlie dout
Vith all the speid and diligence thay mycht,
And so dissowerit vas this rakless rout.
Sum closit tham In ludgeings strong and vycht,
Sum montit vp on tours or templs hicht,
And sum low spying vnder couuert lay
Of this maist sensles fole till haif ane sycht,
Quho on the feilds dismembrit euerie day
Bauld Buls And Beufils in his sport and play.
He raifs, he rugs, he bruisis, breaks, and ryfs
Vith hands, vith feit, vith nails, and teith aluay;
He byts, he stricks, he tumbls, he turns, he stryfs,
He glaiks, he gaips, he girns, he glours, he dryfs
Throw moss, and montane, forrest, firth, and plaine,
The birds, the beists, the boyes, the men, and vyfs,
Vith bruit moir hiddeus from his trublit braine
Than force of fluidis hurlland in great raine.

96

foull glar and dust his face all filthie meed,
Quhairin no former beutie did remaine,
And both his eis for vraith vas boudin reed,
Quhilks vp and doune ay turnit in his heed,
Vith fearce regard vpcasting all the quhyt.
Both nycht and day he in the feilds abeed,
And for to fill his houngrie appetyt
fuid quhair he mycht he reft vith great dispyt.
Suyft harts and hynds he also vold deuoir,
And to the death in rageing furie smyt
The sangler strong, The Tygar, Or the Boir,
And tham in gobbats gredelie all toir,
Thair bluid vpsucking, Quhairvith blubbrit beine
His visage quhilk appeird so bawld befoir.
far mycht he now defigurat be seine
from that Renownit vordie Chiftane keine,
Vmquhyle the beild and piller firm of france.
In this estate perbrouilȝit all vncleine
Vpon the bounds of Spaine he cam be chance,
Quhair Angelique and Medor did awance
Thair Iournay rycht alongs the riuage fair;
Bot quhan the fole beheld hir beutie glance
Hir to persew he did vith speid prepair;
Not that he knew hir persone maist preclair,
Bot as ane chyld sum bonie bird vold crawe
To sport thairwith, And kill it syn but mair,
for sic effect fast efter hir he drawe,
And Medor all astonist did he lawe,
Quhois horse lay fellit vith his fist so snell.
Bot be the ring quhilk did sic vertew hawe
The ladie fred vas from his furie fell.
This vas the fole of quhom I erst did tell
That rageit on the luifers passand by,
Vith the quhilk tuo no moir I vill me mell.
Sum spreits poetique moir perfyt than I
To paint expertlie may thair pen apply
Quhow thay did both from thence directlie dres

97

Quhair hir great kingdome velthelie did ly,
That Medor mycht the croune thairof posses.
I lawe also for to declair expres
His faictes all that did sic furie drie,
for Imperfyt and tedius I confes
The mateir els all manckit is be me.
Vaeik creȝit barge vpon the suelling sie
To euerie vind vill not hir saell vpbend,
So may I not expone in ilk degrie
The histoir veill As it at lenth is pend.