University of Virginia Library

THE . 12 . CANT.

fast throch the deip vnto the port I tend,
far haifing compast monie vilsum schoir.
Thow Cleo cleir, sum confort to me send
Now at the last my dytment to decoir.
I change my sang, quhilk soundit sad befoir,
from dolent dyt to Ioyfull verse againe.
Mirth nixt approtchithe eftir sorrow soir,
Thocht fortoune frowne, Scho vill not ay disdaine;
Bot I beliwe it is ane mateir vaine
for to suppone that quhirling of hir quheill
May cast vs ether in to Ioy or paine,
Bot onlie God, quho vorking for our veill,
Of his paternall fauor lats ws feill
Sum tym correction of his holie hand,
That resonles we not but reingȝie reill,
Bot in his godlie feir may stabile stand;
And be his prudence he prepairs the vand
As best accordis for the sam effect,
Quhilk his awne chosine children euir fand,
Quhan that thay did thair deweteis neglect.
As Roland now, Quho vas be him elect
The Christians from trubill to defend,
Syn did his course to vanitie derect,
for the quhilk cause God Iustlie did extend
His punisment, And him sic vodnes send
That as ane Oule he singlie meed repair
In vildernes, Of all his freinds miskend,
And gaȝit on be birdis of the air
Amongs bawld beistis, Quhair he did misfair
His fortitud vith monie brainles brall,
And all his fois reiosing les and mair
To spy or heir of his vnhappie fall.
Bot our Guid God Quho rycht guuernis all
Vill veill delyuer from maist deip distres:
Quhan force and Iudgement of all men is small
In onie vayis for to prepair redres,
By expectation than his mycht expres
Maist suddanlie dissoluith strongest snair.
Heirfoir in goulf of greatest hawines
Of his refuge ve neuir sould despair.
Exempls monie mycht I heir declair
for till appruif this propose patent plaine.
The Godlie Ioseph vrappit vas in cair
Quhom all his brethir dalie did disdaine,
Ȝit thocht in presone long he did remaine,
far from his freindis, And with fremmit fois,
God meed of him ane Instrument againe
for to reconfort both the sorts of thois.
The Holie Dauid vas at poynt to lois
His lyf oft tyms be Saulis feruent feed,
Bot at the last he did obteine repois
And from distres Ane sacred king vas meed.
Quhan the Bethulians vas in dreid of deed,
God fred tham frilie from that mortall dout
Be sempill Iudith, that strak aff his heed
Quho did beseidge thair citie round about.
Quhat neids me schers sic deuyn histoirs out
To testifie of Gods eternale mycht?
This onlie subiect of Our Chiftan stout
Dois schaw the sam: for first his vigor vycht,
And exploitis abowe all vther knycht,
His great decay, And guid releif at last
I say dois giwe vs perfyt knawledge rycht
That God extoll may hichlie, And doune cast,
Syn giwe remeed quhan all remeed is past.
Heirfoir vith velth we sould be humyle still,
And in distres not vtterlie agast,
for God may change tham both at his guidwill:
As in great mercie he dois so fulfill
On Roland now, vith vodnes vexit soir,
That he not onlie send his sens him till,
Bot visdome, force, and vertew, meikill moir
Nor euir he did posses in tym befoir;
His former fancie from him vas excluid,
And all his strenth Imployd he to restoir
The Churche of God, quhilk in great dainger stuid
Be pert persute of Sarrasins so ruid,
Quhom he be battels bold oft pat abak,
And schew him self ane mychtie member guid
for to preserwe the Christians from vrak.
My pen omittis for till vndertak
Quhow Astolphe did to Paradice ascend,
And with the Godlie vyss Apostle spak
The maladie of Roland for till mend.
My bruisit braine dar not so hich pretend,
Bot in this beild now frie from bittir blast
I vill but moir, My longsum course till end,
Pull in my saell, And heir my anckir cast.