The buik of Alexander Or the buik of the most noble and valiant conquerour Alexander the Grit: By John Barbour ... Edited in four volumes, from the unique printed copy in the possession of the Earl of Dalhousie, with introductions, notes and glossary, together with the French originals (Li Fuerres de Gadres and Les Voeux du Paon) collated with numerous mss.: By R. L. Graeme Ritchie |
 | I, II. |
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Heir beginnys the Avous. |
 | The buik of Alexander |  |
Heir beginnys the Avous.
“Lordingis,” said auld Cassamus the hare,
“Sen we all assemblit are,
I rede we mak ane myrre day
Of gamyng, solace and of play;
And ȝow, schir Porrus, I requere
To comfort ȝow and mak gude cheir.
Ȝe sall be lousit, I tak on hand;
Of ȝour lowsing I hard tithand;
And, be ȝour Goddis euir ilkane,
I wald nocht all ȝour oist war tane
In my presone in the manere
As [ȝe] ar in our presone heir!
Ȝour great wirship and ȝour auyse
Had fandit and sesit our pryse!”
“Schir,” said Porrus, “it is na skill
To ganesay; I na will!
Bot I wald weill, ay quhill I leif,
Ilk ȝeir, of my gudis geif,
To the percunnand that I
War ay into sik company
And at the weir had tane ending,
Of ws and ouris and ȝour King!”
Said Cassamus, “ȝe ar wourthy,
And said ȝour auyse richt courtasly!”
With that, he callit on Eliot,—
That was ane madin full mynȝeot
That seruit Gaudefere and Betys
And thare syster, the fare and wys—
“Gar bring the poun delyuerly,
On the maner of Massony!”
The maydin rais, and with hir ȝeid
Ane menstrale, playand wale gude spede,
Vpone ane tympane playit weill;
And before Cassamus can kneill.
The auld reioysed was and can cry
With ioyfull hart, richt myrrely,
“This mete for douchty ordaned is,
That worthy ar ladeis for to kis.
Heirto suld men avow heyly,
And syne fulfill douchtelly,
Of armes and of amouris samin;
And I sall first begin the gammin!”
“Schir Cassamus,” said Elyot,
“Ȝe ar the eldest of the floit,
And vmest sittis in cumpany!
Avow the richt avowery!”
“My sweit, I grant,” said Cassamus,
“And avowes to the God Marcus:
Gif that the feild discumfit be
Throw Alexander and his menȝe,
And I Clarus, the King of Inde,
May at myscheif or failȝeing finde
Into defoull of stedes stamping,
Sa that he mister haue of helping—
That he sall succour haue of me
And helping, quhill he horsed be;
Syne ourmare I sall me draw;
And all this that ȝe heir me shaw,
It sall be done for Porrus saik,
That can ken cowartis for to quaik,
That taken is and haldin heir,
Throw his worship, in our dangeir!”
“Schir,” said Porrus, “ane hundreth syse
I thank ȝow, for, on quhatkin wyse
Sa euer it fall, ȝit sall ȝour meid
Be quit ȝow weill, and this fordeid!
For gude dede, gude saw na gude bounte
Suld neuer mare vnȝoldin be!”
“Sen we all assemblit are,
I rede we mak ane myrre day
Of gamyng, solace and of play;
And ȝow, schir Porrus, I requere
To comfort ȝow and mak gude cheir.
Ȝe sall be lousit, I tak on hand;
Of ȝour lowsing I hard tithand;
And, be ȝour Goddis euir ilkane,
I wald nocht all ȝour oist war tane
In my presone in the manere
As [ȝe] ar in our presone heir!
Ȝour great wirship and ȝour auyse
Had fandit and sesit our pryse!”
“Schir,” said Porrus, “it is na skill
To ganesay; I na will!
Bot I wald weill, ay quhill I leif,
Ilk ȝeir, of my gudis geif,
To the percunnand that I
War ay into sik company
And at the weir had tane ending,
Of ws and ouris and ȝour King!”
Said Cassamus, “ȝe ar wourthy,
And said ȝour auyse richt courtasly!”
With that, he callit on Eliot,—
That was ane madin full mynȝeot
254
And thare syster, the fare and wys—
“Gar bring the poun delyuerly,
On the maner of Massony!”
The maydin rais, and with hir ȝeid
Ane menstrale, playand wale gude spede,
Vpone ane tympane playit weill;
And before Cassamus can kneill.
The auld reioysed was and can cry
With ioyfull hart, richt myrrely,
“This mete for douchty ordaned is,
That worthy ar ladeis for to kis.
Heirto suld men avow heyly,
And syne fulfill douchtelly,
Of armes and of amouris samin;
And I sall first begin the gammin!”
“Schir Cassamus,” said Elyot,
“Ȝe ar the eldest of the floit,
And vmest sittis in cumpany!
Avow the richt avowery!”
“My sweit, I grant,” said Cassamus,
“And avowes to the God Marcus:
Gif that the feild discumfit be
Throw Alexander and his menȝe,
And I Clarus, the King of Inde,
May at myscheif or failȝeing finde
Into defoull of stedes stamping,
Sa that he mister haue of helping—
That he sall succour haue of me
And helping, quhill he horsed be;
Syne ourmare I sall me draw;
And all this that ȝe heir me shaw,
It sall be done for Porrus saik,
255
That taken is and haldin heir,
Throw his worship, in our dangeir!”
“Schir,” said Porrus, “ane hundreth syse
I thank ȝow, for, on quhatkin wyse
Sa euer it fall, ȝit sall ȝour meid
Be quit ȝow weill, and this fordeid!
For gude dede, gude saw na gude bounte
Suld neuer mare vnȝoldin be!”
Syne efter nixt sat Arrestes,
Richt at the first end of the des.
He was baith fare, courtes and wyse,
And douchty man of mekill pryse.
Eleos said him courtesly,
“Beaushir, ȝe that throw cheualry
Enchewis the weiris and the turnans
And is sa prysit with Grecians,
Avowes to our poun the richt!”
Arreste said, “fare madin bricht,
Ȝour peax be saued! I am nane of tha
That may sik michty maisteris ma!
Nocht-for-thy, I auow heir
And hechtis, that ȝe all may heir,
That throw-out all this mekill weir
I sall serue with sheild and speir
The folk that ar in the citie
And Fezonas, that is sa fre,
That of fyne farehede hes na peir!
I sall nocht be olk na ȝeir
Behynd, quhill ȝe appesit be
Of Clarus and of his menȝe,
Bot Alexanderis will, I say,
Haue me hyne with strenth away!”
“Beaushir,” said Fesonas the fre,
“Ȝour body ay mot blissit be!
And we sall, hale that heirin is,
Serue ȝow in worship at all deuis!”
Richt at the first end of the des.
He was baith fare, courtes and wyse,
And douchty man of mekill pryse.
Eleos said him courtesly,
“Beaushir, ȝe that throw cheualry
Enchewis the weiris and the turnans
And is sa prysit with Grecians,
Avowes to our poun the richt!”
Arreste said, “fare madin bricht,
Ȝour peax be saued! I am nane of tha
That may sik michty maisteris ma!
Nocht-for-thy, I auow heir
And hechtis, that ȝe all may heir,
That throw-out all this mekill weir
I sall serue with sheild and speir
The folk that ar in the citie
And Fezonas, that is sa fre,
That of fyne farehede hes na peir!
I sall nocht be olk na ȝeir
Behynd, quhill ȝe appesit be
Of Clarus and of his menȝe,
Bot Alexanderis will, I say,
256
“Beaushir,” said Fesonas the fre,
“Ȝour body ay mot blissit be!
And we sall, hale that heirin is,
Serue ȝow in worship at all deuis!”
Efter him nixt sat Perdicas,
Besyde the fare dame Fezonas
Mekill he was, stark and wele made,
Of courtassy yneuch he had,
Wyse and wele taucht in all hauing.
And hardy als, attour all thing;
He was bot xxx ȝeir of eild.
And Elyos blythly him beheld,
And said, “schir, ȝe that of valour,
Of worship and of honour,
Hes of all men rumor and cry,
Vowes the richt auowery!”
Said Perdicas, “my sweit thing,
I refuse nocht ȝour commanding,
Bot avowes and thareto hechtis:
Gif the King and Clarus fechtis
At set battell and certane day,
That, quhen the best cumis in array
Sa that the battell be purueyit,
To assemble hale arrayit,
That I sall licht in middes the feild
With helme, haubrek, spere and sheild,
To help the sariandis with my micht.
Thare sall I duell with thame and fecht,
Outher leif or dee quhether God will send,
Quhill that the battell cum to end
And be disconfit, that all may se!”
Quod Cassamus, “(sa mot I the!)
He na failȝeis that the vow hes hecht!
Na in the avow na in the knicht
Is nocht ane poynt of Cowardy,
Bot weill the mare he is hardy!”
Besyde the fare dame Fezonas
Mekill he was, stark and wele made,
Of courtassy yneuch he had,
Wyse and wele taucht in all hauing.
And hardy als, attour all thing;
He was bot xxx ȝeir of eild.
And Elyos blythly him beheld,
And said, “schir, ȝe that of valour,
Of worship and of honour,
Hes of all men rumor and cry,
Vowes the richt auowery!”
Said Perdicas, “my sweit thing,
I refuse nocht ȝour commanding,
Bot avowes and thareto hechtis:
Gif the King and Clarus fechtis
At set battell and certane day,
That, quhen the best cumis in array
Sa that the battell be purueyit,
To assemble hale arrayit,
That I sall licht in middes the feild
With helme, haubrek, spere and sheild,
To help the sariandis with my micht.
Thare sall I duell with thame and fecht,
Outher leif or dee quhether God will send,
Quhill that the battell cum to end
And be disconfit, that all may se!”
257
He na failȝeis that the vow hes hecht!
Na in the avow na in the knicht
Is nocht ane poynt of Cowardy,
Bot weill the mare he is hardy!”
Efter nixt sat Fesonas,
That ferly fare of figure and face.
Elyos said hir, “lady bricht,
Avow, madame, and hald ȝour hecht!”
“I grant thareto,” said Fesonas,
“And I avow and hechting mais
To Alexander the nobill King,
That cumis heir in our helping,
That for my saik the great riuage
Passis of Pharon the veage,
That I sall neuer maryed be
Na haue lemmen in priuate,
Bot I it haue throw his helping.
And quha-sa haldis this for lesing,
He knawes lytill my hart, I wis,
Or ȝit the will that tharein is!”
Cassamus said, “nece, be my fay,
Thow hes great ressoun sa to say!”
That ferly fare of figure and face.
Elyos said hir, “lady bricht,
Avow, madame, and hald ȝour hecht!”
“I grant thareto,” said Fesonas,
“And I avow and hechting mais
To Alexander the nobill King,
That cumis heir in our helping,
That for my saik the great riuage
Passis of Pharon the veage,
That I sall neuer maryed be
Na haue lemmen in priuate,
Bot I it haue throw his helping.
And quha-sa haldis this for lesing,
He knawes lytill my hart, I wis,
Or ȝit the will that tharein is!”
Cassamus said, “nece, be my fay,
Thow hes great ressoun sa to say!”
Qvhen Fesonas, the fare and wyse,
Had said hir will and hir auyse
That sho na lufe, loud nor still,
Suld haue but Alexanderis will,
To gude thay set it euerilk ane;
Of hir avow hir blamed nane.
And Elyos before Porrus
Arrested hir, and said him thus,
“Schir, leif the thocht that ȝow amouis,
And pay the poun that ȝow behouis!”
“Fare,” said Porrus, “with avowing
I may nocht dele, na with hechting,
Quhill that I am in presoun tane,
For of me power haue I nane.
Bot at my lousing wald I wele
Accord with ȝow euerilk dele.”
“Avow baldly!” said Floridas,
“For, be all goddis that euer was,
Ȝe may avow als hardelly
As all that ar in cheualry
May into armes to be ascheuit!
That I dar say, for I haue preuit
Ȝour strakes, and ȝour mekill micht
To-day hes fellit me in the ficht
And tuyse in suouning gart me ly!
Wald ȝe haue slane me, sikkerly
In all this warld thare was na man
That micht haue bene my warrand than!”
“Schir,” said Porrus full courtasly,
“To saue ȝour speke, I wald blythly
Be sik as ȝe deuyse me heir!”
“Ȝis,” said Floridas the feir,
“In ȝow is na thing to amend.
Sa great vertew hes God ȝow send
That, quha-sa micht in ten partis
Deale the worship that in ȝow is,
Men micht mak ten worthy and wicht,
Large and forssy for to ficht,
Of the outtragious worsheip
That God hes geuin ȝow to keip!”
Porrus him hard and changed hew,
For ane ȝarning of lufe all new
Him tuiched throw the hart, I hecht;
And that was throw any suddane sicht
Of Fesonas fresh colour;
And of ȝouthhede and amour
In him was assembled na foly,
Thocht he on hie cheualry
Set his intent and his etling,
For louers desyres to haue louing;
For-thy he wald enfors his vow
And doubill it, quha sall allow.
And Elyos can to him say,
“Schir, ȝe aucht not, na ȝe na may,
Forsaik this avow on na kin skill!”
“Fare,” said Porrus, “sen ȝe it will,
I will assent me but dangere,
And avow, and als will suere:
Discomfit I sall the great battale,
Quha-euer defend, quha-euer assale,
Gif God fra dede will saue me first,
Fra menȝeing and fra lymmes brist;
And with Emynedus first sall I
Iust and assay his cheualry;
His hors but dout sall ga with me,
Maugre quha-sa anoyit be!”
“Schir,” said Lyoun, “(sa God me rede!)
It is full hard to win that stede!
And gif that ȝe that hors may win
And bring him to marcat or chapin,
Wonnin vpone sik ane wyse,
I sall gar wey him fyfty syse
With the best gold that man may finde
In Arraby, in Egypt or in Inde!”
Had said hir will and hir auyse
That sho na lufe, loud nor still,
Suld haue but Alexanderis will,
To gude thay set it euerilk ane;
Of hir avow hir blamed nane.
And Elyos before Porrus
Arrested hir, and said him thus,
“Schir, leif the thocht that ȝow amouis,
258
“Fare,” said Porrus, “with avowing
I may nocht dele, na with hechting,
Quhill that I am in presoun tane,
For of me power haue I nane.
Bot at my lousing wald I wele
Accord with ȝow euerilk dele.”
“Avow baldly!” said Floridas,
“For, be all goddis that euer was,
Ȝe may avow als hardelly
As all that ar in cheualry
May into armes to be ascheuit!
That I dar say, for I haue preuit
Ȝour strakes, and ȝour mekill micht
To-day hes fellit me in the ficht
And tuyse in suouning gart me ly!
Wald ȝe haue slane me, sikkerly
In all this warld thare was na man
That micht haue bene my warrand than!”
“Schir,” said Porrus full courtasly,
“To saue ȝour speke, I wald blythly
Be sik as ȝe deuyse me heir!”
“Ȝis,” said Floridas the feir,
“In ȝow is na thing to amend.
Sa great vertew hes God ȝow send
That, quha-sa micht in ten partis
Deale the worship that in ȝow is,
Men micht mak ten worthy and wicht,
Large and forssy for to ficht,
Of the outtragious worsheip
That God hes geuin ȝow to keip!”
Porrus him hard and changed hew,
259
Him tuiched throw the hart, I hecht;
And that was throw any suddane sicht
Of Fesonas fresh colour;
And of ȝouthhede and amour
In him was assembled na foly,
Thocht he on hie cheualry
Set his intent and his etling,
For louers desyres to haue louing;
For-thy he wald enfors his vow
And doubill it, quha sall allow.
And Elyos can to him say,
“Schir, ȝe aucht not, na ȝe na may,
Forsaik this avow on na kin skill!”
“Fare,” said Porrus, “sen ȝe it will,
I will assent me but dangere,
And avow, and als will suere:
Discomfit I sall the great battale,
Quha-euer defend, quha-euer assale,
Gif God fra dede will saue me first,
Fra menȝeing and fra lymmes brist;
And with Emynedus first sall I
Iust and assay his cheualry;
His hors but dout sall ga with me,
Maugre quha-sa anoyit be!”
“Schir,” said Lyoun, “(sa God me rede!)
It is full hard to win that stede!
And gif that ȝe that hors may win
And bring him to marcat or chapin,
Wonnin vpone sik ane wyse,
I sall gar wey him fyfty syse
With the best gold that man may finde
260
Qvhen Porrus his awin avow had made,
All him beheld and ferly hade,
And said amang thame preually,
“This vow is outtragious and hardy!
Sa hie avow made neuer nane!
Quhare sall men find of fleshe or bane
Ony that may it fulfill?
Great pane and trauell lyis thare till!
Great hap and great hardement,
Great strenth and great auysment,
Him byrd to haue, forouttin faill,
That suld vincus the great battaill!
And for to reif the dukes stede,
It war ane vndemus hardy dede,
For quhen the fecht assembled is,
He salbe the worthyest, I wis,
That beis in that assemble,
Or euer was, or euer sall be!”
Fesonas him beheld and thocht
That but great hart he is nocht
That sik ane thing had vndertane;
And to hir-selfe sho said allane,
“Happy micht that lady be
That sik ane husband had as he
Thocht [he] to ruse haue na beute,
Of great worship and bounte
Attour all vther he sall appere;
And gif the avow be fare to here,
It will alwayes farar be.
The worthyest of the warld is he!”
Thus Fesonas in hir thinking
Delyted hir and had lyking.
All him beheld and ferly hade,
And said amang thame preually,
“This vow is outtragious and hardy!
Sa hie avow made neuer nane!
Quhare sall men find of fleshe or bane
Ony that may it fulfill?
Great pane and trauell lyis thare till!
Great hap and great hardement,
Great strenth and great auysment,
Him byrd to haue, forouttin faill,
That suld vincus the great battaill!
And for to reif the dukes stede,
It war ane vndemus hardy dede,
For quhen the fecht assembled is,
He salbe the worthyest, I wis,
That beis in that assemble,
Or euer was, or euer sall be!”
Fesonas him beheld and thocht
That but great hart he is nocht
That sik ane thing had vndertane;
And to hir-selfe sho said allane,
“Happy micht that lady be
That sik ane husband had as he
Thocht [he] to ruse haue na beute,
Of great worship and bounte
Attour all vther he sall appere;
And gif the avow be fare to here,
It will alwayes farar be.
The worthyest of the warld is he!”
Thus Fesonas in hir thinking
261
And Eleos before Ydeas
Said, “my lady fare of face,
Auowes heir-to quhat euer ȝe will!”
“Fare,” said that sueit, “I grant thairtill
And Auowes that the poune sall be
Restorit, that ȝe all may se,
Of purest gold richt fare and fyne;
And he that it wirkis, he sall set it syne
With sement vpone ane piller
Of marbill polist, fare and cleir.
That sall be the restoring,
That he and sho sall haue menyng
That euer it seis, of oure affere,
Of our vowis and our weir!”
“Dam,” said Porrus, “God gif ȝow meid
Thi great guerdoun and foredeid!”
Said, “my lady fare of face,
Auowes heir-to quhat euer ȝe will!”
“Fare,” said that sueit, “I grant thairtill
And Auowes that the poune sall be
Restorit, that ȝe all may se,
Of purest gold richt fare and fyne;
And he that it wirkis, he sall set it syne
With sement vpone ane piller
Of marbill polist, fare and cleir.
That sall be the restoring,
That he and sho sall haue menyng
That euer it seis, of oure affere,
Of our vowis and our weir!”
“Dam,” said Porrus, “God gif ȝow meid
Thi great guerdoun and foredeid!”
On athir half Dam Ydeas,
That was sa fare of fax and face,
The Bauderane sat with ferly fere;
And Eleas, that the poune couth beir,
To him said, “Beauschir, avowis heir-till!”
He said, “my fare thing, and I will
Avow, and tharto hechting mais:
Gif the mekill battale furth gais,
That I sall haue the burnist brand
Out of the ryall Kingis hand,
That hechtis and geuis sa largely.
I sall gang reif him sickerly
In myddis the flur of his menȝe!
Quha euer it help, sa sall it be!”
Amang thame great murmour rais;
And said amang thame that he was
Full of wodnes and foly
That had avowit sa hatandly.
That was sa fare of fax and face,
The Bauderane sat with ferly fere;
And Eleas, that the poune couth beir,
To him said, “Beauschir, avowis heir-till!”
He said, “my fare thing, and I will
Avow, and tharto hechting mais:
Gif the mekill battale furth gais,
That I sall haue the burnist brand
Out of the ryall Kingis hand,
That hechtis and geuis sa largely.
I sall gang reif him sickerly
In myddis the flur of his menȝe!
Quha euer it help, sa sall it be!”
Amang thame great murmour rais;
262
Full of wodnes and foly
That had avowit sa hatandly.
And Caulus ansuered, that was wraith,
“And I avow and sueris baith
That I sall haue thyne helm of steill
Thocht it be festnit neuer sa weill,
Or ellis thy hede I sall of ryf,
Or armis sall brek and all to-dryf!
Thow hes avowit outrageously
And vndemous hardely
Quhen thow the worthiast that leiffis
Wndir the heuin and maist gude geuis
Suld reif his suerd amang vs all!
Be all our Goddis, gif it mycht fall
That thow it wyn on sik manere
And thow may bring it to vs heir,
I sall gar pay the, in ane stound,
Of siluer ane houndreth thousand pund,
That nocht ane penny sall be ill!
Now may thow win gif weirdis will!”
The Bauderane said, “Beauschir, perfay,
Heir fallis na wraith nor ȝit deray!
The auowis ar to all men common,
Bot ȝit, or all the play be done,
The hardest lyis at the escheuing.
Thare fallis in armis mony thing,
And mare ferly ane houndreth syse,
Than man can wit how it may ryse.
And wyse men in ane prouerb sayis,
That to laute hes E aluais,
That quhen ane deid wele and sadly
Beginning is and hardely,
It is, to gude vnderstanding,
Weill neir brocht to gude ending.”
“Lordingis, I rede,” said Cassamus,
“We schute this speke, for, be Marcus,
I hope that ilk wounder weill,
[OMITTED] ore ilka deill,
[OMITTED] thede and strenth, I wis.
[OMITTED] assemblit Is,
[OMITTED]d hardement weill dar prufe,
Illuminit with the low of lufe,
And he haue winning weill to do
And weill geuis his assent thairto,
It is ferly that na hart bristis,
Or ellis that luffar leuand lestis!”
“And I avow and sueris baith
That I sall haue thyne helm of steill
Thocht it be festnit neuer sa weill,
Or ellis thy hede I sall of ryf,
Or armis sall brek and all to-dryf!
Thow hes avowit outrageously
And vndemous hardely
Quhen thow the worthiast that leiffis
Wndir the heuin and maist gude geuis
Suld reif his suerd amang vs all!
Be all our Goddis, gif it mycht fall
That thow it wyn on sik manere
And thow may bring it to vs heir,
I sall gar pay the, in ane stound,
Of siluer ane houndreth thousand pund,
That nocht ane penny sall be ill!
Now may thow win gif weirdis will!”
The Bauderane said, “Beauschir, perfay,
Heir fallis na wraith nor ȝit deray!
The auowis ar to all men common,
Bot ȝit, or all the play be done,
The hardest lyis at the escheuing.
Thare fallis in armis mony thing,
And mare ferly ane houndreth syse,
Than man can wit how it may ryse.
And wyse men in ane prouerb sayis,
That to laute hes E aluais,
That quhen ane deid wele and sadly
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It is, to gude vnderstanding,
Weill neir brocht to gude ending.”
“Lordingis, I rede,” said Cassamus,
“We schute this speke, for, be Marcus,
I hope that ilk wounder weill,
[OMITTED] ore ilka deill,
[OMITTED] thede and strenth, I wis.
[OMITTED] assemblit Is,
[OMITTED]d hardement weill dar prufe,
Illuminit with the low of lufe,
And he haue winning weill to do
And weill geuis his assent thairto,
It is ferly that na hart bristis,
Or ellis that luffar leuand lestis!”
Qvhen the Bauderane on his wyse
Had maid his vow and his empryse,
Dam Ydorus, that sat him neir,
Maid hir avow on this manere:
Scho [said], “I haue to my lemman
Hecht my lufe of lang tyme gane,
That myne hes ȝarnit and gaif me his,
And thocht I gif him myne, I wis,
I bird nocht blamit for to be,
For he fulfillit is of all bounte,
Baith hardy and worthy, I wis,
And voydit of all cowardys,
Ȝoung, fare and auenand,
Of sueit and gracious sembland.
And I avow, for his gentrice,
I sall him lufe forout fantice,
With steidfast hart and trew and fyne!”
Quod Cassamus, “fare cousine,
Thow hes great ressoun, sen amour
The leares to leif in that labour!”
Had maid his vow and his empryse,
Dam Ydorus, that sat him neir,
Maid hir avow on this manere:
Scho [said], “I haue to my lemman
Hecht my lufe of lang tyme gane,
That myne hes ȝarnit and gaif me his,
And thocht I gif him myne, I wis,
I bird nocht blamit for to be,
For he fulfillit is of all bounte,
Baith hardy and worthy, I wis,
And voydit of all cowardys,
Ȝoung, fare and auenand,
Of sueit and gracious sembland.
And I avow, for his gentrice,
I sall him lufe forout fantice,
With steidfast hart and trew and fyne!”
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Thow hes great ressoun, sen amour
The leares to leif in that labour!”
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