Poems of John Stewart of Baldyneiss :: :: University of Virginia Library

THIR syndrie sequent sayings Imperfyt,
So suddan scriblit be my sklender skill,
Sum recentlie, And sum of my first dyt,
I haif Insert this papir blank to fill.
Thocht source I souck not on the sacred hill,
Bot poems spill, ȝit humylie I pretend
My paine to spend, Ay hoiping suirlie still
Ȝour hienes vill My minchit meiter mend.
So condiscend, And do the same defend,
Than sall be kend Quhat vertew in ȝow lyis,
Not to despyis my sempill versis pend,
Quhilks to my end Sall ay awance ȝour pryis.
My ruid dewyis, Sir, In guid part than tak;
Gif I could better, Better sould I mak.

104

ANE PRAYER IN ADVERSETIE.

In golfe of greif I grone,
Beset vith sorrow soir:
O lord till eise my mone
Thy mercie I Imploir.
Hyd not thy face heirfoir,
Bot heir me lord vith speid,
And me to helth restoir
Now at this tym of neid.

My dayes dois fast consume
Lyk viddrit girse vith vind:
My flesche for thochts doith fume,
My hart no rest may find.
I grant, lord, I haif sind
As did the Publican,
Bot now my vonds vpbind,
Thow sueit Samaritan.

The leuit And the Preist
But pitie ar past by,
Bot thow my bailfull breist
Cuir bleding quhair I ly.
Turne not from me, Bot spy
My saull at poynt to faill;
for help, O lord, I cry;
Thy help may mak me haill.

105

My fois thay brag and bost
To sie me thus decay:
My freinds thay think me lost,
Bot ȝit my hoip sayis nay.
Sen God he is my stay,
My saull awats to sie
The hour quhan I sall say,
“God hes reliwit me.”

My pansiwe spreit in paine
Dois sych and sute for grace,
As thristie ground for raine
That drouth hes dryed lang space.
Convert my cairfull cace
To Ioy againe ȝit ons,
And lat thyn heawenlie face
Scheine ower the bruisit bons.

Than sall my mirth renew,
Than sall I bathe in blis,
Than sall I thois eschew
That vickit vorkers is;
Than sall I haif my vis,
Than dascht sal bie my fois:
Quhan God sall grant me this,
Than sall my saull reiois.

Heirfoir, O lord, in haist
On me thy serwant spair,
Sum croms of grace at laist
fals from thy Childrins fair.
Thy buird is not so bair,
Nor ȝit my sins so large,
Bot thow hes mercie mair
To giwe me frie descharge.

106

Quhilk mercie thyn compone
Vith vprycht Iustice so
To dant my fois ilkone,
That thay may lowlie go.
Thus sall the prydfull tho
In feir acknawledge the,
And I vith monie mo
Ay prayse thy maiestie.

And thus I do attend
Thy guid and gratius vill:
As lyks thy visdome, send,
And so on me fulfill.
I do determeine still
At thy decrie to stand.
Now ether saif or kill,
for both lyis in thy hand.

Ȝit sall I still abyd
In hoip, And dois the pray
The king to saif and gyd,
My erdlie beild and stay:
Defend him nycht and day,
And thy guid spreit derect
for to exalt him ay,
And all his fois deiect.

107

ANE PRAYER AND THANKISGIWING.

O lord of lords, My God and gyd,
Maist humyle thanks I rander the,
That at all tyms hes done prowyd
So gratiouslie ay touarts me.
No recompance may in me be
To correspond the gifts of grace,
Quhilks thow of thy great mercie frie
Bestows on me in ewerie place.

Oft haif I fund thy mychtie strenth
In my delyurance from decay:
Oft haif I knawne thy treuth at lenth
In ansuering to my hoip alway:
Thy most precelling pitie ay
Haid of me, Thocht I synnit soir,
Assuirs me certanlie, I say,
Of thy great luife, O king of gloir.

I am vnvordie till explaine
Thy pouer Quhilk be pruif I knaw,
Ȝit my guidwill dois me constraine
Thir lynis in thy prayse to draw.
for thocht that I may not furthschaw
The greatnes of thy gloir dewyn,
Ȝit sall I quhill my breath may blaw
Confes the vith this toung of myn.

108

And Instantlie vith hart Inteir,
Sua far as in my pouer lyis,
I offer vp vnto the heir
The sacrafice of laud and pryis.
Thy mercie, lord, vill not despyis
The puir repentant painfull spreit,
Quhilk ernistlie vnto the cryis
for fauor of thy semblance sueit.

O lord, Remit my synnis all
In Christ quhom on I do depend:
Lat grace and mercie on me fall
My former lyf for till amend:
Derect thyn Angil to defend
My feibill force from all my fois,
Assuadge thair vraith And to me send
Pace in my dayis for till InIois.

Lat not my sinfull flesch so fraill,
The vorld, Nor subtile sathans slycht,
Nor ȝit the force of man preuaill
Abowe me vith thair mundan mycht.
Bot as thow art ane God of rycht,
So schaw thy self omnipotent,
And stay the prydfull in thy sycht
To vrack the puir man Innocent.

Lord God of hosts, my cause defend,
And all my enemeis deface,
Preserue my lyf quhill thow me end,
Syn let me, lord, depart in pace.
In conseruation of thy grace
My sawll and bodie I resing.
Be my protector in all place,
And gyd me rycht in euerie thing.

109

As thow hes ay beine my releif,
Leif me not, lord, now in my eild:
Returne in glaidnes all my greif,
That I may Iofull thanks the ȝield:
Be thow my boucklar and my beild
In ewerie tym quhan I haif neid;
Stand vp for me and fecht the feild,
And from all ewill me saif vith speid.

In the my trust dois onlie byd,
And thow alone art my supplie:
My God, gif thow for me prouyd,
I feirles am, And suir sall bie.
Than tak my part And stand be me,
So sall I cair no vorldlie chance,
And lat me neuir suerwe from the:
I crawe no mair for Recompance.

Thow king of kings and of all thing,
Thy hienes humilie I requyr
To bliss, preserwe, and gyd Our King
And grant him lang for till Impyr.
Reule vith thy visdome his desyr
In euerie thing to guid effect,
And confound all that dois conspyr
Agains his maiestie erect.

All prayse be to thy holie name
from age to age for euirmoir.
Laud, honor, thanks, and endless fame
Be to the hiest God of gloir.
His guidnes ȝit sall ons restoir
His seruant frie of euerie smart,
And I vill gif him thanks thairfoir
Vith humyle adettit Iofull hart.

110

TO ANE HONORABILL AND DISTRESSIT LADIE.

Ane guid and hardie hart,
To thois that dolor drie,
Consums the half of smart
And makith great supplie.
Heirfoir lat langor bie,
And on the lord depend,
So sall ȝe schortlie sie
Ȝour trubill brocht to end.

The Isralits in thrall
Lang vexit vas vith vo,
Bot God veill fred tham all
At last from bondage So
That Pharo thair fell fo
Thair drownit did remaine,
Quhair thay againe did go
Saif fro all perrile plaine.

The Vofull hester Queine,
Opprest vith miserie,
Hir cairfull cause did meine
Vnto the lord maist hie,
Quho of his mercie frie
Soone grantit hir desyre,
So that hir eis did sie
The thing Scho did requyr.

111

Quhan Innocent Susan
Vas damnit to the deed,
God mychtelie began
To mak hir than remeed,
Rewengeing all hir feed
To the false Iudgeis paine,
And lyf and vomanheed
Restorde to hir againe.

Heirfoir vith guid Intent
Cast all thy cair now hens
On God maist radie bent
To pitie thy pretens:
Quhan that all mortall sens
Leist help can understand,
His pouer and defens
Is radiest at hand.

He vill navayis ȝow lawe
In sic perplexit paine:
He bringith doune to grawe
And hich exalts againe:
The proud he dois desdaine,
Quhois force but dout sall faill,
And the meik mind humaine
At lenth be him prewaill.

Did not Iudith depart
And meed the toune remeed,
Quhan men grew fant in hart
for to susteine the feed?
Hir beutie quhyt and reed
Did Holifern alluir,
Quhill scho strack aff his heed
Be Gods assistans suir:

112

Quhois pouer ȝow preserwe
from ewerie kynd of greife,
fro quhom now neuir suerwe,
So sall ȝe find releife;
The quhilk I hoip in breife
for to sie cum ȝow till,
And vnto thair mischiefe
That dois ȝow onie ill.

113

TO HIS RYCHT INTEIRLIE BELOWIT FREIND.

The faithfull freind, In frendschip firmlie bound,
Vith constant hart dois so his treuth respect,
That chance of fortoune may navayis confound
His fidele fauor till his freind elect:
Quhilk in my part I neuir sall neglect
for onie greif that may vs tuo assaile.
In signe heirof I do thir lyns direct
Assuirring ȝow my freindschip sall not faile.

Gif ȝe be veill, Than am I veill also,
Gif ȝe be nocht, I am in hawines;
Gif ȝe be blyth, Rycht blythlie do I go;
Gif ȝe haif vo, My dolor dois Incres:
for paine or plesour I do ay posses
As I ȝow knaw in till estate to bie,
for in to mirth And also in distres
I am ewen he sall beir ȝow companie.

Thair is no freind except ane freind in neid
Of thair freinds paine for to susteine sum part.
The fengȝeit freind he is no freind indeid,
Bot seikith out the plesour of his hart,
And susseis not to leif his freind in smart.
Bot as to me I sall be none of thois,
for stedfastlie my freindlie hart Inwart
Sall vith ȝow duill And with ȝow als reiois.

114

from miserie exchange ȝour thochtful hart
In plesand place of plesour to remaine;
Be not ourcum vith melancolius smart,
Hich mychtie mynds from dolor vill refraine.
The lyf is sad quhilk euir suffers paine,
Strong linckit lyons quhyls begins to loup;
Heirfoir vith courage schaw ȝow blyth againe,
Schaik aff despair, And confort ȝow in houp.

for God vith trubill dois his chosin try,
As gowld be fyre is brychtlie birnist cleine;
Ȝit vill he not in languor lat tham ly,
Bot gifith glaidnes efter cairfull teine.
The blaiknit trie, the quhilk in vinter beine
Most lyk ane Stock all viddrit vorne and bair,
In symmer seimlie sproutith growand greine
Vith leifs and fruite both flurist fresche and fair.

Thus may ȝe sie be patent pruife expres
That nixt to sorrow solas dois depend;
Heirfoir in paine ay patience posses;
In myds of greif God guid releif vill send:
Quhois grace from dolor dalie ȝow defend,
And be his prudent prouidence conwoy
Ȝour noy and myn both schortlie till ane end;
So ȝe and I sall giwe him thanks vith Ioy.

115

IN NAME OF ANE AMORUS LADIE.

Perturbit is my pansiwe spreit,
Beset about vith saddest smart,
Sutch contrarieteis dois fleit,
Oppressing my perplexit part.
It veill accordis vith my hart
To luife quhair luife hes meed me thrall,
Bot Reson sayis, “pull back that dart,
And rather chose thy peregall.”

Sen I am frie to scherse my peir,
I knaw my freinds vill so desyn;
Bot than sall I vith cairfull cheir
Drywe out my duilfull dayis in pyn,
Sen that this luifing hart of myn
Hes chosin ane Inferior,
To quhom my nature dois Inclyn
To luif as my superior.

The falcon fair in till hir flycht,
Espying furth hir plesand pray,
Quhyls on ane litle lark vill lycht
And for ane greatter foull effray.
Sir Icarus, In till his vay
Quhan he for fleing meed him boune,
So hichlie did him self assay,
His feddrum faild, And he fell doune.

116

I mycht exemples monie find
for this my mening manifest:
Gods law in lykwayis dois me bind
To chose the man quhom I luif best.
for better var vith mynd at rest
So till obteine my harts desyr,
Than dalie ay in dolor drest
To reule abowe ane great Impyr.

The meine estate in mirrines
But dainger standith maist secuir;
The moir of mycht that we posses,
The moir of trubill ve Induir.
The prowerbe plaine doith vs assuir
Thay haif aneuch that ar content,
And suddan fall may tham InIuir
Quho clymmyng vp dois suiftlie sprent.

Bot ȝit my honor dois reclame
from this my foirsaid sentence far.
Sall I my former famus fame
So for my vanton vill debar?
Me to guwerne It better var
Be counsell of my freindis vyse,
And not to schaw my self so har
In ane venerian Interpryse.

Remembring on my nobill race,
And to lat sic effection cuill,
In this contrarius state, alace,
I plungit am in painfull puill.
for sall I So in dalie duill
Doune cast my self, abiectit so
In playing schamfullie the fuill
As Medea, And vthers mo?

117

Na. first sall I torment in greife,
Quhill cairfull corps consume in ly,
Or that I virk sic mad mischeife.
O than quhat frantick fuill var I?
Ȝe luifers leill, that standis by,
haif reuth vpon my endles paine:
O Cupid keine, on the I cry
for to pull bak thy dart againe,

Quhilk griwouslie brings me to grawe
Vith hawie hart And mirthles mynd:
And him agains my vill I lawe
To quhom I am So far Inclynd.
Quhan sall my dayis to end be pynd?
Quhan sall my vofull veird compleit,
Quhan I efter my constant kynd
May rander vp ane faythfull spreit?

118

THE AUTHOR VITH DERECTION HEIROF TO THE FOIRSAID LADIE.

O happie man, thow may reiois,
And on this lustie ladie muiss,
Quho vold elect the for hir chois,
And vith sic feruent hart the luiss.
Alace, ourfar scho dois abuiss
Hir freindlie fauor for thy saik.
Och vold to God Scho vold refuiss
And turne to luife ane vther maik.
As I could vis,
Concluding this,
Guid God ȝow blis,
And ay defend.
Excuse my mis,
Gif onie is:
Ȝour hand I kis
And so I end.

119

THE AUTHORS ADWYCE TO THE FOIRSAID LADIE.

Althocht the fruite dois fairest spring
That hichest on the trie dois grow,
In greatest dainger dois it hing
Quhan Boreas begins to blow.
The hicher set, The sooner low,
As be experience ve sie:
The faster knet, the harder throw:
Heirfoir vith the myd meine aggrie.

120

TO ANE HONORABILL LADIE

The varians of this vorld so vaine
Vith pen quhat Poet may furthschaw?
So great diuersetie for gaine
Dois ring, And eik so litle law,
That happie ar thay quho may knaw
Ane faythfull freind from fenȝeit fo,
And from thair dowbill deilling draw
That sueitlie sayis, And thinks not so.

Thus far, Madam, I do declair,
Sen God hes plesit to restoir
Ȝour ladischip throch meikill cair,
The quhilk I vat hes vext ȝow soir,
And ay hes done ȝour state decoir
By expectation of ȝour fois;
Quhois guidnes ȝit vill grant ȝow moir
Gif dewlie in him ȝe repois.

for lyk as vofull Hester queine
Vith sorrow reuthfullie arrayit,
Quhan hir peuple sould perist beine,
And all hir kingdome cleine decayit:
So vas ȝour vordines assayit
Vith great distres deiectit doune,
Quhill God restoird ȝour velth delayit
In veill deserwit guid renoune.

121

Althocht in stormie blast of raine
Sum clouddis syle Apollo cleir,
His birnand beams moir brycht againe
Than birnist gould will fair appeir:
So thois, quho flout dois perseueir
for to resist the vinter schours,
In seimlie sesone of the ȝeir
Sall smell againe the symmer flours.

In trubill thay ar comptit vyse,
Quho dois thair paine in patience tak;
And thay are vordiest of pryse
That suffers vo, And vill not vrak.
Ȝour fois that faschrie did ȝow mak,
Thocht monie did agains ȝow ryis,
Vith prudent hart ȝe pat abak,
And pourchast hes ȝour Interpryis.

In God heirfoir vith eis reiois,
Quho euir hes beine ȝour supplie,
And in him constantlie Repois;
He vill ay ȝour reliwar bie.
I hoip his guidnes vill aggrie
To grant the thing ȝe maist requyre,
And ȝow extoll, that I may sie
According to my harts desyre.

122

IN THE END OF ANE LETTER TO ANE HONORABILL LADIE.

I think rycht lang heir myn alon,
And has no plesour bot to reid;
Sen our depart my sport is gon.
Heirfoir I vill returne vith speid,
And wissis ȝow in verray deid
Guid helth and plesour to posses.
Now symmer craifs no vinter veid,
Bot sould melancolie suppres,
Now flora all the feilds dois dres
Vith fresche and fragrant flouris fair,
And euerie bird both moir and les
Reiosis in the temperat air.
Dam Melpomene suld not repair
Now in the signe of gemenie,
Quhan all the gratius Nymphs preclair
Bestows thair lywelic liquor frie.
Now mychtie Musis dois aggrie
To sing thair heawenlie sangis sueit,
And venus vith hir smyling ie
from Mychtie Mars now raifs the spreit.
Great Iupiter vith luif repleit
Descends now in ane gouldin schour,
That he may vith his ladie meit

123

In hir parfumit balmie bour.
Now Phaunus veyld vill no moir lour,
Bot gloirs in to Dam Naturs varks,
And skyis maist cleir at euerie hour
Ar perst throw schowting of the larks.
Now sprouts the proper plesand parks,
Now is the sesone maist formois,
All lewing thing to mirth now marks:
Than Now Amongs the rest reiois.

124

TO HIS FAMILIAR FRIEND IN COWRT.

Heyis not ourhich in prosperus air,
Nor ȝit for stormie blast dispair,
Bot soundlie saell vith modest vind,
And sickerlie thy ancker bind:
Tyds hich dois flow, Bot ebs als fast,
Than Rychtlie row, for courts vill cast:
Great velth vill velter oft to vo,
And vo rewert in veill also,
As plesis fortoune change hir quheill
Quhyls to distres, And quhyls to veill:
Sen erdlie state is so molest,
Lat Reson reull, And do the best,
first serwing God, And nixt Our king,
Vith loyal hart Abowe all thing.

125

TO HIS MAIESTIE IN FASCHERIE.

Precelling Prence, Thy Prudent spreit Prepair
Till ouerpass thy pains in patiens;
Ane valiant hart ourcums the half of cair,
And duill dissolwes, Quhair visdome maks defens;
Durabile est nihil vehemens.
Lyk as in tym of ane tempestius blast
The greatest schour maist spedelie gois hens,
Syn skyis vill cleir quhan bittir storme is past.

At first assault the souldior sould not ȝeild
That dois ane constant courage represent,
And he is boldest that abyds the feild
And be guid confort cums to his Intent.
Bot quho in sorrow dois thair self torment,
Decayis in duill, And finds no gaine thairbie;
Quhair virile visdome in the brest Imprent
Expellith greif, Syn is victorius frie.

Cast on The lord Thy gydment And Thy stay,
Repose in Christ, So sall Thy cair decres,
for soone sall cum that happie Iofull day,
Quhan of all dolor Thow sall find redres.
Thy Royal hart vithdraw frome pansiwenes,
And vith king Dauid Lat Thy spreit aspyre;
The lord of hosts ȝour fois vill all suppres,
And send ȝow help Conforme to ȝour desyre.

126

Liwe still heirfoir in esperance alway;
Maist plesour purchest is be pryce of paine.
Thois that Induirs the vinters scharp assay
sall sie the seimlie symmer scheine againe.
Quho sups the sour, And that vithout desdaine,
Is vordiest to haif the sueit at vill,
And thay that vold to thair desyr attaine
first fix on god, And God he vill fulfill:

Quhois gratious Godheed humylie I requyre
Ȝow to preserwe, And all ȝour fois bait doune,
And send ȝow lang and prosperus Impyre
Vith ofspring, rytches, helth, and hich renoune,
Abowe all kings beiring Imperiale croune
Ay moir and moir till his eternale gloir,
Quhairtill ȝour Godlie naturale is boune,
Quhilk monie vordie vertews dois decoir.

127

TO HIS MAIESTIE THE FIRST OF IANVAR. 1582.

Long lyf and welth vith veilfair and great gloir
Be to thy Peirles Person euirmoir,
Perfyt precelling puissant prudent Prence,
Quhois manlie maners dois Thy mycht decoir,
Obtening praise be pruifis past befoir
Of monie storms apaist be thy Prudence.
Ground the on God Quho suir is thy defence,
And he but dout Ȝour harts desyre sall send,
My lyf in pledge, or this ȝeir cum till end.

The lawrer croune of glorie Infeneit
And palme victorius vith hich praise repleit
Thy diademe for euir sall auance.
Possessor suir of Alexanders spreit,
Thy monarchie throch all this vorld sall fleit,
And God vith grace sall gyd thy Guuernance
Cair till ourcum And all contrarius chance.
Thy fois sall fall And thow triumphand ring,
for new ȝeirs gift, O maist magnanime king.

I haife no Perle, Nor Royale pretious stone,
Nor gift of gould, meit for thy maiestie,
Except ane treuthfull luifing hart alone,
Quhilk sall ȝow serwe maist faythfull till I die.
Thocht mycht be small, Guidwill sall last vith me
Auance the one, The vther sall pretend
In ampill pruife apertlie to be kend
Vith Indeuoir moir feruent thane I dyt:
In sing this thing tak as the vidows myt.

128

TO HIS MAIESTIE THE FIRST OF IANVAR VITH PRESENTATION OF ANE LAWRELL TRIE FORMIT OF GOULD.

.1583.

Lamp of all laud, Resawe this laurell sing
As mychtie Monarck And victorius king,
To quhom God grant all erdlie guid succes:
And lyk as thow precels in euerie thing,
So Nestors ȝeirs thy maiestie mot ring,
And all thy fois perpetuallie suppres.
Aboundant velth And vorschip ay Incres,
for new ȝeirs gift, thy hienes to decoir,
Vith my guid wiss. And thus I say no moir.

129

AT COMMAND OF HIS MAIESTIE IN PRAISE OF THE ART OF POŒSIE.

SONNET.

Laud, honor, thanks, And reuerence conding
Be to thy Pregnant qualitie diuyn,
Of science source, sueit and aboundant spring,
Maist vorscipit amongs the Musis nyn.
My sclender skill thy gloir may not defyn,
Cheif chose of art thow Poesie but peir,
Nane may the teist bot vychts of quhik Ingyn,
Thow daintie Nectar to the Gods maist deir.
for lyk as Tytan in his Puissant spheir
Precels the rest vith bemes aureat,
So is thy hewenlie harmonie to heir
from suggurit lips of Poets laureat,
As pruif is plaine in versis quhilk ve sie
Perfyt composit be his maiestie.

130

TO HIS MAIESTIE THE DAY OF HIS CORONATION VITH LAURELL.

O Laureat king be Influence celest,
Renount vith Iowe supreme abowe the best,
Long may the verdeur of thy vertew spring
In ȝeiris ȝing quhilk hes so hich Increst.
The Croune Imperiale be thy Birth possest
Maks manifest that Thow dois rychtlie ring,
Bot ȝit this vther secund Croune dois bring
Moir hich triumphe to thy Precelling gloir,
Deseruing now ane Doubill croune And moir.

131

IN NAME OF ANE LOYALE LADIE.

My trustie hart is setlit firme and suir,
As diamant dour, Or lyk the stabile steill,
Rather to die than ons my fayth abIuir,
God hes contentit my desyr so veill.
Abowe the rest great force of luif I feill
Reule in my brest for him that dois precell,
Electit myn. No quhirle of fortouns quheill
Treuth may doune cast, quhilk in vs both doith duell.
Vith suggurit sop as Recent Rois dois smell
Ewen so resemblith my maist comlie chois,
My sensis all in solas sueit dois suell
In the beholding of his face formois:
So as the sone maks mariguld disclois,
Luik of his vult disuails my Inwart hart,
And quhan his Person absent from me gois,
Destrest I am And closit vp vith smart.
In euerie thing my luifing constant Part
Ewen as the trew Penelope sall scheine.
Cair sall I not no force of Cupids dart,
Rycht Reuld I am be Prudent Pallas queine.
Ewen as lord Phebus lyks the lawrell greine,
Contentit so for euir I Remaine;
He for his daintie dame ȝit suffers teine,
Trewth of my luif Reconforts me againe.

132

IN NAME OF SUM GUID LADIES VPON THE VATER OF FORTH TO ANE HONORABLE PERSON QUHO CONWOYT THAM TO THE SCHOIR.

Ve vyreit vichts in to lord Neptuns hands
Dois viss ȝow veill, Althocht ve be in vo;
In great destres our dolorus state it stands
Sic faythfull freinds as ȝow to part now fro;
Assuring ȝow quhair euir our bodies go
Ȝe sall Posses the thochts of our guid mynd
And pruif sall try our part perpetuall kynd.

My Ladie treulie luifs ȝow rycht Inteir,
Ȝowr maistres als, And all the rest now heir,
And hes vs to ȝour comlines commend
Vith spedie purpose Imperfytlie pend.
The Nobile Nymphs lyks not thir vauering Iaws
That hants the valeyis And the seimlie schaws,
Nor ȝit the Musis vith thair mychtie spreit
Vpon this forth hes no delyt to fleit.
Great differrence is betuix fair Helecon
And this salt sie Quhilk seik ve saell vpon.
Our petit barge is not for Cleo drest,
for var scho heir hir Prudence var supprest.
Ȝit ve presume In to this hamwart style
To ȝow thois lynis hamlie to compyle,

133

Desyring ȝour guid freindschip to remaine
Vnto vs all ve sall acquyt againe.
Vreat from amongs the vater Nymphs on forth,
Approtching nar the cost lyis to the north,
At houris aucht the tuentie fyft of may,
Quhan vpvart vent the birnand torche of day.

134

IN PRAISE OF LUIF AT THE DESYRE OF ANE NOBILE LADIE.

from Secret Seit And ceinter of my hart,
Pen inexpert, depaint sum speitche expres
In mychtie praise of that celestiall art
Quhilk vordie vychts behuifs for till profes.
Great Gods abowe And men below dois dres
All Reuerence dew vnto thy gouldin bow,
O lord of luif, lowing thy luiflie low.

king priams sone The Trustie troylus stout
Did bind his brows about vith myrtle greine:
Achilles als cheif of the grecian rout
Becam thy slawe for lustie Polixeine,
And monie mo to the hes thrallit beine.
Nane may resist thy dintis douce and kynd
Bot sluggische sauls that laiks couragius mynd.

The Musis nyn, as Poets maks record,
Ons did the link in chains of Rosis reed:
Nymphs of Pernase accompts the for thair lord:
Mars thow maks smyll for all his feruent feed:
Thow Rings ourall, Thy force hes vincust deed,
And to be schort, scripture dois condiscend
All things in erthe Bot onlie luif hes end.

L'enwoy to the foirsaid ladie
Quha possessit Cupid inclosit
In ane tablat of christall.

135

fair luiflie dame, In quham all bontie beine,
Thy proper persone dois approwe thy mycht,
Quhilk keips incloist in rock of christall cleine
This lord of luif quho dantons euerie vycht:
Thocht he be vechtie ȝit thow beirs him lycht.
Laith venus is hir bonie boy to vant,
Ȝit gifs him liwe thy vordie brest to hant.

136

TO HIS AWIN MAISTRES.

Vith spreit opprest, Quhan I haid done depart
from my Renownit Dian maist formose,
Quhais companie did reconfort my hart,
for plesours past to panse vas my repose.
In this estate, vncertane quhat to chose,
Dame fortoune led me solitar alon
In to ane garth, Quhair fouth of flours vprose
Depaint vith hews of monie pretius ston;

Sum Rubie Reed, And Sum lyk topas scheine,
Sum Iassink hewit, And sum as sapheir blew,
In valeis fair all cled vith emerauld greine,
Quhois blossums clein maist seimlie schaddows schew;
sum purpour fyn, And sum of cramsie hew,
Sum quhyt, Sum van, broune, blae, and violat,
Vith holsum smell my sensis to renew
All glorious gilt in glansing aureat.

I did espy thair perfyt properteis,
Rycht curabill for all contagius thing;
Than said I thus, “O floras tapestreis,
Great vertew rair ȝour qualiteis dois bring,
Bot ȝit, helas, no vertew sic dois spring
Vithin ȝour verdeur as may ons remeed
The maladie of luif quhilk dois me vring
Vith dalie dolor duynyng to the deed.”

137

Soft vas the seson, Blomit vas the meid,
Apollo brycht his baneir so desplayt,
That Eolus durst not approtche for dreid:
Thair euerie trie agains him stuid arrayt.
Dianas troup mycht bathe tham vneffrayt
In ane depurit siluer spring past by,
Quhais christall streams maist purefeit essayt
To sound maist sueit beneth the sproutand spray.

The osile and the mawes meed great beir,
Quhois suggurit throts did monie nots out bring,
fair Philomela also did I heir,
Quhill all the rocks did vith the Echo ring:
And vther birdis merelie did sing
On tender tuists about me quhair I sat,
And sum surmonting in the air did spring
Vith heawenlie vocis hicher eleuat.

The christall skyis vith color cleir celest
Maist cleinlie glistrit sched in siluer slops:
The bussie bies thair doucest honie drest,
Rycht blythlie buming on the flurist crops,
Decorit all vith daintie balmie drops,
As perle preclair, or Proper opals fyne,
All tuinkling on the flouris tender tops,
Quhill birnand Tytan vith his vult deuyne

Drank vp for drouthe that recent liquor sueit,
Ascending in his Royal gouldine chair.
“Helas,” thocht I, “God gif I var, repleit
Vith mycht as thow, O fyrie Phebus fair,
Than suld I sie my ladie maist Preclair,
Vith quham my thrallit hart dois ay remaine;
for heir all confort turns me vnto cair
Be laik of hir, So that I most complaine

138

That tractiwe Dictane is ane souueraine cuir
for to pull bak againe the deedlie dart
from sauuage deir, Bot I sic duill Induir,
That nothing suir may eise my painfull part.
I froune, I fant, I freise, I flam, I smart,
Vpheyst vith hoip, And drounit in despair;
The onlie Reullar of my martrit hart
Is absent now, quha may confort my cair.”

139

IN COMMENDATIONE OF HIS LUIFING FREIND.

At Nycht Sir Morpheus opprest
Vith dreidfull dreame this hart of myn;
Me thocht I vas vp hichlie drest
Amongs the mychtie Musis nyn,
Quhair Iupiter his place possest
Vith all the glorious gods celest.

The vatrie Neptune did I sie
Vith aufull statlie stalwart Mars,
Quhom venus vith hir smyling ie
Alluird, And did his raidge dispars:
And Mercure als in his degrie
Cam vith the smythe vulcanus slie.

The brycht Apollo thair did scheine
Amyds tham vith his harpe deuyn:
And litill cumlie Cupid keine
Vith boudin Bachus set vas syn
Besyd the christall fontan cleine,
That Pegasus did perce I meine.

Both demie Gods And Nymphis ran,
And Atropus amyds the thrang,
Quha cuts the threid that cloto span,
The quhilk lachesis draws out lang:
proud Pluto als that elresche man
Comperit vith the pastor Pan.

140

The prudent puissant Pallas queine
Vith gentill Iuno did I sie,
And chast Diana cled in greine
Quha causit Acteon to die,
Because he haid hir nakit seine
At bathing vith hir virgins scheine.

The frostie auld Saturnus snell
Austeirlie sat amongs the rest,
Quhois scharpe seueir resemblance fell
Did all the heawenlie Gods molest,
Quhois qualetie quyt did expell.
Maist gentill Iowe the forme did tell;

“Ve vill,” (sayis he), “bring to this place
Sum amiabill man discreit,
Quhois plesand speitche And cumlie face
May all our sour translait in sueit:
Than chose him at this instant space,
Quho is adornd vith euerie grace;

And I my Egle sall derect
Doune from the loftie skyis cleir,
for to transport this man elect
To be deificat vp heir.”
That gratious Gods than did expect
fair Phebus vill in this effect,

Quho promeissit to scherse him far,
In compassing this vorld about,
Quho mycht Saturnus baill debar.
Bot than of ȝow I haid sik dout,
That from my sleip soon did I skar
And feruentlie bids ȝow bewar.

141

ANE ANSUEIR TO THE LETTER OF ANE HONORABILL LADIE.

Now mychtie Musis, from ȝour sacred seats
Defound sum douceur in my barran braine,
My sclender skill And Indeuoir debeats.
O Naturall Nymphs, I pray ȝow not disdaine
To view the vigor of my viddrit vaine,
And vith sum liquor of ȝour lywelie springs
Supplie at neid, And mollifie againe
My lost Ingyn, that langor ay malings.

Procelling spreits, Apollos sisters fair,
That plesandlie vpon Pernasso sports,
Renew my versis vith ȝour holsum air,
And lat me smell ȝour seimlie sueit resorts;
Confort me now that humyllie ȝow exhorts,
Prepair my purpose spedelie perfyt,
And ayd me vith ȝour pithie guid reports
Ewen for hir saik that to me did Indyt.

I do presum to speik Quhair Pallas spyis,
Quhair grace dois grow, And vordie vichts adoirs:
Quhair Cleo serwes My pen to hir replyis.
O Gods dewyn, that in hir guidnes gloirs,
Now vith sum Prudence perce my spreit and poirs
To pleis hir courtas comlie hautie hart,
for I persawe hir suggurit styll restoirs
My Muse, dismayd vith melancolius smart.

142

Immortall praise agmenting moir and moir
To dew deseruing of ȝour vertew rair,
The laurer croune of euirlasting gloir
Is grantit ȝow be wyse Minerua fair.
Perll of all Praise, that on me hes don spair
Maist vordie verse, Quhat thanks sall I resing?
Renownit Rose, my rym may not declair
The gloir quhilk ȝe to Helicon doith bring.

All Nymphs preclair, that hants thois blomit banks
And schruds amongs the semlie schaddouit schaws,
To ȝow, Madam, dois Rander humyll thanks,
Quhais hich Ingyn vorschips thair sacred laws.
Thair is No Muse ȝour ladischip misknaws,
Bot honors ȝow as Patrone principall,
The sisters thrie ȝour famus fame furthblaws,
Sibilla sayis ȝe salbe speciall.

Rycht loth I am ȝour prudent spreit to griwe
Vith prolixt purpose formit Imperfyt:
Excuise my Muse quhilk ruidlie dois Imbriwe,
And with the luisteur of ȝour color quhyt
Annamell all my blobit dull Indyt,
As I beliwe ȝour courtassie so vill:
Concluding thus, God giwe ȝow ay delyt,
Lyk as my seruice salbe stedfast still:

Ȝours als assurit quhill my lyf prolong
As steill Indurit forgit stif and strong.

143

IN COMMENDATION OF TVO CONSTANT LVIFERS.

In dyuers volums haif I don reuolwe
Quhow constant luif hes purchest hich commend.
Be tym all thingis erdlie dois dissolwe,
Bot onlie luif for luif Sould haif no end.
Quhair luifers luif till honest luif dois tend,
Syn in effect firm fund And stabill trew,
All vordie vychts sould schortlie condiscend
To rander tham renoune for guerden dew.

Spreits of pernass, than pouss my pen ane space
To praise Quhair praise deseruit dois abound.
O brycht Apollo, vith thy schyning face,
Thy harp deuyn this subiect sueit sould sound,
That throch the heawenis hichlie mycht redound
Sutche mychtie mater vith Immortall gloir:
Of tuo I mein, Quhois ampill luif profound
Be way of vertew growith moir and moir.

The nobill nature deulie to defyn
In him And hir quhilk plainlie dois appeir
I haif guidwill, Bot sclender skill of myn
May clipse that lycht Quhilk schyns in both so cleir.
The fyrie fyn and pretious diamant deir,
Or perfyt perll Thair self preclair vill schaw:
Than vith my langage neids me navayis heir
To blaise thair praise of quhom thir lyns I draw.

144

for fauor feruent, And for famus fame,
for stedfast mynd, And vprycht vertew rair
His comlie front may crounit be but blame
Vith lawrell hich And Myrtle branchis fair.
In the obtening of his luif preclair
He compast hes In to his pregnant spreit
Als monie vayis vith dalie constant cair
As vilsum vas in laborinthe of Creit.

And Scho againe of qualitie perfyt
In luif elects him for hir onlie chois,
for lyk vith lyk dois communlie delyt,
So lyklihod hes so conIonit thois
That fortouns force may not thair luif dispois,
king Cupids craft, nor venus vanton vill,
Minerua so dois in tham both reiois,
Quha hes tham linkit vith hir sacred skill.

Than Mychtie Iowe, And velthie Iuno queine,
Ȝour godlie gifts vpon thir tuo Incres:
Confound the sycht of all Inuyous eine,
That dois desyre to sie thair luif grow les:
Tham both auance And all thair fois suppres
from tym to tym perpetuall to the end:
In euerie thing grant tham ane guid succes
To perseueir in thair begun commend.

Gif hich Ingyns be curius for to knaw
The persons both quhombie my pen dois meine,
Spy veill, And thay thair semlie selfs sall schaw
Be luiflie blinkis of thair amorus eine:
Thair vertew rair Or els thair beutie scheine
May tham discrywe, Bot gif ȝe ȝit forway,
Behold Rosmarie Spring and lustie greine,
Bebatht vith vapor of the morning Gray.

145

TO HIS DARREST FREIND

In signe of fauor stedfast still
vith suir guidwill Thois lyns I send;
Ȝe most amend Quhair as I spill
This litill bill In meitir pend
Vnto the end It salbe kend
That I pretend vith constant part
In Ioy and smart for to defend
Ȝour grand commend vith luifing hart.

My luifing hart dois veill aggrie
Vith ȝow to bie Quhair euir I go;
In veill And vo It conforts me
The freindschip frie Betuix vs tuo.
But fleing fro thair is no mo
Quhom I luif so vith firm effect.
As ȝe derect gif I say no,
Ewen as ȝour fo than me reiect.

Lyk as the recent rubie rois
Is maist formois of flouris fair,
So but compair quhill lyf I lois
Ȝe ar my chois for vertew rair.
Thus I declair, And mair and mair
Sall on ȝow spair Quhat in me lyis.
As ȝe dewyis Both lait and air
To eise ȝour cair my vill applyis.

146

As Adamant dois yrne alluir,
So in ȝour cuir I do remaine
Vithout disdaine, subdewit suir,
Ay till induir, vnto ȝow plaine.
I am in pain Gif ȝe refraine
To quyt againe my thocht synceir,
Quhilk is Inteir, Thocht verse be vaine,
Vith bruisit braine composit heir.

147

TO HIS MAISTRES

O Rair
Preclair
Most fair,
My chois,
Repair
My cair
And spair
My lois.
O Rois
formois,
That gois
vith sort of thois, In dians rout,
Suppois
Quhat vois
Dois clois,
As fremmit fois, My hart about.

Restoir
To gloir
My soir,
O Deir;
My roir,
Thairfoir
Dois schoir
Deth neir:
Ewen heir
Synceir
I beir
Vith cairfull cheir In sorrow still:
But peir
Maist cleir
Vpsteir
My lyf seueir, At poynt to spill.

148

TO HIS MAIESTIE.

SONNET.

Sir, vith ȝour liwe, Navayis ȝour grace to griwe,
My pen procliwe Sall now Imbriwe Sum dyt
for ȝour delyt. Thocht Imperfyt I priwe,
Ȝour vertew viwe vill soon forgiwe me quyt.
Sum be ane ryt, And vthers of dispyt
Vill me Bakbyt, ȝit not ane myt I cair,
for nane thay spair Quhan thay prepair to flyt:
Blak thay call quhyt, And hes the vyt that rair
Men dois declair Thair happie skair of lair.
Sic filthie air Ay mair And mair dois spring
from mouths maling, Inding of blissing bair,
That in thair snair Thay ay misfaie all thing.
I hing hoiping, Quhan thay vrang vring my sence,
In prudence And defence of ȝow my Prence.

149

[Ane New sort of rymand rym]

Ane New sort of rymand rym,
Rymand alyk in rym and rym,
Rymd efter sort of guid Rob steine;
Tein is to purches Robs teine.

This Rym I form to ȝour excellent grace,
Grace gyd ȝow ay for god ȝow hes lent grace.
Grace lent from god guwerns fra all misdeid:
Misdeid finds grace be doing almisdeid:
Deid dochtie done is Iustice to menteine,
Menteind vith mycht thocht it do to men teine.
Tein sould ve not thocht vickit men vold greif vs:
Greif ws men may: Bot ȝow to greif is greifus.
Greifus it is gif rycht be not defend;
Defend rycht ay, Not turnyng ȝour def end.
End is the but to try all men plainlie.
Liers not cairs for to mak ane plain lie,
Lieing als suyft thay lat ane li till flie,
flieing as dois ane filthie litill flie;
flie Sir from Sic And lerne to vnderstand.
Stand quhair ȝe vill, firm be ȝour vnder stand;
Stand stabill stout And kynd not contrauell.
trauell In guid As dois the Con trauell.
Trauell I tak to mak my rym Rymles;
Rymles heirfoir I sall mak my Rym les;
Less sall I rym Than in my versis former;
former verse dois also vith this form er.
Errer I grant to Poets is noysum.
Sum tym god spaird at the fluid of noy sum.

150

Sum vill this rym so rusti call vaine,
Vainlie proceding from my rusticall vaine;
Vaine men vith vords vill heli contend,
Contending I do to helicon tend.
Tending navayis ȝour grace to miscontent,
Content I am gif ȝe vith my mis content.
Tentie, Sir, be, And grant not all thair asking.
Asking quho gains may liwe als veill as king.
kings rairlie sould prouockit be till anger.
Anger this ȝow than vill I vreit na langer.
Langer rym may my rymyng mak vnradie.
Vnradie cocks maks men on flesche ra die.
Die not in duill, guid confort vndertak.
Tak quho vold ȝow to ewill, tham thunder tak.
Tak in guid part this rym quhilk I essey;
Assey dois sum Quho skairs can ane as sey.
Seying my chance sum tym I visie sorow;
Sorow I mak to sie fortoune so row;
Row as scho vill thair monie taks no sousie.
Sousie to laik is quho vold ane sow sie:
Sousie I haid quhan I cam by allaway;
vay vas rycht vilsum for kynmond tuik all away:
Away, Sir, vith greif, And haif compasscience.
Science I laik Bot ȝit vold compas Science.
Science and Sin begins vith ane letir.
Hirs vold sin haif ȝow Bot ȝit god sall let hir:
hir perwers persuasions ȝour grace dois refell.
fels he not fynlie quho may ane re fell.
fell is my fortoun And ewill ar my versis.
Versis I vant And vats not quhat vers is.
Is it not vousting vaine to say ve Men
Mend may all thing by help of guid vemen?
Vemen I vat vold byd vnder ȝour standard
Hardelie, Sir, gif ȝe haif ane guid stand hard.
Hard is my speitche Bot ȝit it is no fabill.
fabill veill formd is sum tym effabill.

151

Effabill freinds dails frilie in freindschip;
freindschip he finds quho sails in his freind schip.
Schip of ane freind veill eisis euere member.
Members veill eist ve sould thairof remember.
Remember me And do me Not foirȝeit;
foirȝeit I am debard at ȝour foir ȝeit:
Ȝeit ȝe may giwe me And sum land also;
So thocht I laik ȝe do not to all so;
So in this neid perhaps I may be seik,
Seik Sir and haill ȝour help I ay beseik,
Beseikand humlie the hewenlie god halie
Halie to sie ȝour grace ewenlie go dalie.
Dalie to sie ȝour grace is my disyre.
Disyre to do veill till eschew godis yre.
yre cheiflie owerpas at tym of dennar.
Dennar is bettir than heir dog in den nar.
Nar vord vith vord I force me to draw.
Draw tham I rather than eit ane tod raw.
Drawing tham albeit I seim navayis morall.
Moir all dois disyre, And for moir ve clamor all.
All sould presum treuthfull Iust to be,
Being als charitabill as vas the Iust tobe.
Beis bussie dois mak be thair vit honie,
Honie is holsum to be eitin vith onie.
Onie man sall not sie me kill monie.
Monie in thair Purse may not sie mekill monie.
Monie myrrie man moniles I heir men say.
Say veill I vold for I wis heir mens ay.
Ay Sir be glaid And nane ȝow may molest.
Lest may ȝe this may And monie may mo lest.
Molestit be all Quho luifs craftie lourking.
Lourking god disclois And gyd ȝow veill Our king.

152

OF ANE FONTANE.

SONNET.

fresche fontane fair And springand cald and cleine,
As brychtest christall cleir vith siluer ground,
Close cled about be holsum herbis greine,
Quhois tuynkling streames ȝeilds ane luiflie sound,
Vith bonie birkis all vbumbrat round
from violence of Phebus visage fair,
Quhois smelling leifs Suawe ȝephir maks rebound
In doucest souching of his temperat air,
And titan new hich flammyng in his chair
Maks gaggit erth for ardent heit to brist,
Than passinger, quho Irkit dois repair,
Brynt be the Son, And dryit vp vith thrist,
Heir in this place thow may refreschment find
Both be the vell, The Schaddow, And the vind.

153

QVADRAIN.

The hounter, hart, And hound,
furth ryds, fast rins, loud cryis,
Vith horss, Vith feit, vith sound;
He slais, He deis, He lyis.

154

TO ECHO OF INVART HAVINES.

SONNET.

O Elresche Echo, that dois schout so schill,
Quham NARCISS luif constraneth to complaine
Throch daill, throch vaill, throch forrest, Rock, And hill,
In cair consumit for his cald desdaine,
Supplie my speitche now till exprime my paine
In euerie thing coequall to thy smart,
That grewous gronyng may sum confort gaine
Be the furthschawing of my painfull part.
Sen that we sie ane boyling baill Inwart
Behuifs to break or birst the boudin brest,
I most relasche at last my hawie hart,
Quhilk duilfull death doith vith hir dart arrest.
So reuthfull cryis sum part my cair sall suadge
Quhilk holdin In vold suell me in ane radge.

155

OF AMBITIOUS MEN.

SONNET.

As dryest dust—vinddrift in drouthie day—
Quhyls lychts on lords And ladies of renoune,
Quhyls on thair face And quhyls on thair array
And quhyls vpon Ane kingis statlie croune,
Ȝit as it cums sum ay are bussie boune
To cleinge it thence so that it finds no rest,
Quhill to the erth it be againe Snipt doune:
So mortall men quho dois thair mynd molest
To be in gloir coequall vith the best,
Thocht for ane space thay volt vith valtring vind,
Doune to the ground thay sall againe be drest;
for few aloft may fortouns firmtie find,
Bot ay the suyfter And moir hich thay brall,
Moir low And suddane cums thair feirfull fall.

156

VPONE THE PORTRAIT OF CVPID.

SONNET.

Luif ȝoung is paintit lyk ane prettie boy
In signe that ȝouth of him hes greatest cuir:
Vith semblant sueit he smylith sum thing moy
To schaw he dois be craft his sute alluir:
His bodie quhyt all nakit dois Induir
for his delyt but onie schame at all:
His laik of sycht Also dois ws assuir
His snappring state And Iudgement verray small:
The schaft And bow quhilk both he beirs so tall
Declairs him prompt All persons to persew:
Thay giwe him vings hich vith the vind to brall
Because he is so vauering and vntrew:
Auld painters hes this form for luif prepaird
To lerne ws vit quhan ve do luif regaird.

157

OF THE QVALITEIS OF LVIF.

SONNET.

Luif is ane aigre douce delyt and greif:
Greif is in luif ane lustie langing lyf:
lyf may not last Quhair luif pretends mischeif:
Mischeif of luif is euirlasting stryf:
Stryf reuling luif, than rancor raidgeis ryf:
Ryf raidge is not, gif luifers luif abound:
Abounding luif is scharp as scharpest knyf:
knyf may not kill moir scharplie vith ane vound,
Vound deip vith vo, And schortlie haill and sound,
Sound syn to suell in syching sour and sueit:
Sueit luif heirvith dois suffer monie stound,
Stound both vith cair And confort lairge repleit:
Repleit vith luif hes bein both gods and men:
Men luif obeyis, Gods vill not luif misken.

158

[Thir verse disschyphre rycht as I tham bind]

Thir verse disschyphre rycht as I tham bind,
Or than ȝe sall no perfyt sentence find.

Ane man, Ane beist, Ane plant,
Is meid, Is Thrall, Is guid,
To Serwe, T' obey, To hant,
for God, for man, for fuid.
The bone, The flesche, The bluid,
Dois faill, Dois feid, Dois suage,
Vith tym, vith cair, vaxt ruid,
In graif, In erth, In age.
The slawe, The knawe, The page,
Dois schrink, Dois Drink, Dois play,
To serwe, To suerwe, To gage,
Ilk vycht, Ilk nycht, Ilk day.

159

IN PRAISE OF HIS MAIESTEIS VORK.

SONNET.

Ane Sacred Sang heir Soundit is so sueit
In Gloir of God, Be Ane maist Godlie king,
That Muse of mortall men may not be meit
His dew deserwit lowing loud to sing.
Bot thow, Iehowach, Quho dois hichest ring,
And vith Thy Spreit His prencelie spreit dois gyd,
Sum holie Angill from abowe most bring
Vith heawenlie voce to spred his praisis vyd
Throch all this vorld, Ay permanent to byd;
lyk as his Person in Suprem degrie
Of royall bluid Thow hes don rycht prowyd,
To reull vith Iustice vit And mercie frie
Bot onie matche, And in to vertew best
Vp from Pernass Clymyng thy Thron celest.

160

TO THE FORMER EFFECT.

ANE VTHER SONNET.

The palme of praise And laurell of renoune,
Be pruif obteind, as all may plaine persawe,
Amongs the Rubeis of thy Royall croune,
Maks The, O Monarck, Glance abowe the lawe.
The Mychtie Muse is no Subiectit Slawe
To mundan mater, Bot vith dyt celest
The Gloir of God Immortall thow dois crawe,
Quho dois deteine thy Peirles spreit possest
Vith heawenlie gifts of grace abowe the rest,
Disstelling doucelie from Thy Sacred vaine.
Quhill phebus fair in purpur Spher dois lest,
Ay sall the vertew of Thy Blissit Braine
Abound so brod that not may it distroy:
No tym sall tyn The tym Thow dois Imploy.

161

TO THE FORMER EFFECT.

ANE VTHER SONNET.

Gyf perfyt Poet vold depaint thy pryise,
Pryise so surpassing ewerie pregnant spreit,
Spreit most Aspyre to Sum celest dewyise,
Dewyise celest is in the so repleit.
Repleit vith prudent Saying Sad and sueit,
Sueit Smels the Sentence of thy Sacred Muse.
Muse, than assist me vith sum mater meit,
Meit mychtie mater As his Muse dois wse.
Vse thow my Muse that I his grace may ruse.
Ruse may I not As he deserwes Nor nane;
Nane of ȝow all Bot stands agast confuse,
Confust as I to spy his vorks ilk ane.
Ilk ane he vars vithin his tender ȝeirs:
Ȝeirs sall not vaist the gloir his ȝowth vpsteirs.

162

TO THE FORMER EFFECT.

ANE VTHER SONNET.

Quhat neids to gilt the glansing gould maist fyne?
Quhat neids the perfyt pretious stone to pryis?
Quhat Stream may Strenth the recent mychtie vyne?
Quhat foull may matche the Phenix in the skyis?
Quhat styll may set out Salomon moir vyis
Than be his prudent precepts may appeir?
Quhat neids to speik Quhair Pruif maist plainlie tryis,
As quho vold say Apollo Schynis cleir?
I grant in deid the charbunckill is deir,
And phebus foull, Because thay ar so rair,
Than In lykmaner lo behold him heir
Quho far Surmonts all vthers but compair,
And nane exprim may all his praise perfyt,
Except thay haid his awne deuyn Indyt.

163

QVADRAIN.

Ane king, Ane lord, Ane knycht,
Dois liwe, Dois spend, Dois strywe,
Vith rycht, Vith gloir, Vith mycht,
To ring, To game, To thrywe.

164

OF TREWTH.

SONNET.

Treuth is the tuitche that euerie turne dois try,
Treuth is as steill ane strong and stabill scheild,
Treuth dois the liar hardelie defy,
The trust of treuth is ane maist blissit beild,
Treuth is victorius of all fois in feild,
Treuth for na troubill sturtsum vill not tyir,
Bot treuth all treuthles trifils hes reueild,
And treuth contentis euerie trew desyir.
Quhan treuth vas tryit quho deserwed the hyir
Conserning vyn, The vemen, And the king?
Treuth vith Immortall praise than did Impyir,
Heirfoir of treuth I vill both say and sing
That treuth my treuthfull cause hes maid preuaill,
And treuth my treuthles fois hes maid to faill.

165

IN PRAISE OF HIS FREINDS VORK.

SONNET.

Ȝe laureat scholers of the Sisters nyne,
That on the hautie forkit pernass hill
from Sacred source Soucks Science maist deuyne,
Giwe dew commend heir to the Authors skill,
Quhois guid desert my sempill speitche may spill.
Gif I the sam presum vold to recyt,
I langage laik, Bot ȝit hes feruent vill
Hiche till extoll his leirnit muse perfyt.
Thocht ackuart ȝoile beir him at dispyt,
Quhois coustum ay agains the best is bent,
Ȝit sall the sueitnes of his sound indyt,
Imployed in vertew, prudent spreits content,
Quhom from his ȝouth I knaw vith bonteis blist.
Lat vthers praise his volum as thay list.

166

OF ANE SYMMER HOUS.

Thow bonie bour, obumbrat all vith bews,
Quhairin my maistres vmquhyll did delyt,
Quhan flouris fair of monie heawenlie hews
Decorit all thy plesand pairts perfyt,
Thow may lament And I vith duill Indyt
for laik of hir quham now, alace, we lois:
for I reiosit in hir color quhyt,
And be the same Thow semet moir formois.

Quhat Nymphe or Dian Sall posses the now,
O Plesand place so desolat alon?
Thy leifs dois fead And all thy branchis bow
for verray hawie sorrow, I suppon,
Because thy ladie far is from the gon,
My solas cheiflie, And thy gloir also;
As ring quhilk lossit hes the pretious ston,
So thow dois stand, And I am vext vith vo.

The lywelie luisteur of hir vult deuyn,
The quhilk I lang maist ernistlie to sie,
Vold schortlie eis this hawie hart of myn,
That for hir absence dois sic dolor drie:
And thow, o bour, maist blissit vold thow bie,
Gif thow hir presens mycht InIoy againe.
God grant me grace that happie hour to sie
Quhan I in the vith hir may blyth remaine.

167

Thy branchis bair, that now so viddrit beine,
Sall than reuert fresche flurissit and fair,
And all thy feadit leifis grow sall greine,
Quhair chirming birdis myrthfull sall repair;
Than temperat salbie the celest air
for fauor of this lustie ladie brycht;
Syn I hir awn salbie, Denud of cair
In spying of so sueit ane semlie sycht.

168

FOR CONFIRMING OF ANE FAITHFULL PROMEIS.

SONNET.

The suelling sie sall first rewert in fyre,
And mollifeit salbie ilk dourest stone,
The erth abowe the heawenis sall Impyre,
Of sone And mone the lycht sall als be gone,
Ȝea, godis vorks decay sall euerie one,
Befoir that I the sacred oth repent,
Maist firmlie meid to ȝow my luif alone
Vith fixit faith, And euir salbie bent
As plesith ȝow to stand alway content.
O onlie reuler of my trustie hart,
So deip ȝe beine vithin the sam Imprent,
That non bot ȝow may occupie that part.
Och vold to god I mycht be pruif explaine
My Inwart treuth quhilk constant sall remaine.

169

TO HIS WEILBELOWIT COWSIN AND LUIFING FREIND.

Gif fauor firm may faythfull freindschip find,
My luifing hart of ȝow deseruith so:
Gif kynred constant kyndnes may vpbind,
God hes apoyint the sam betuix ws tuo:
Gif trustie promeis both in veill and vo
Of amitie may mak ane mutuall luif,
Than certanlie quhair euir our bodeis go
Our mynds heirfro vill In navayis remuif.

Gif equall age, form, fortoune, and degrie
Of ȝow and me Agment may our guidwill,
We most fulfill than be ane suir decrie
Of nature frie Ane stabill fauor still.
In signe this bill I haif now send ȝow till
Vith sclender skill for to declair my mynd
Heirto Inclynd, And or I freindschip spill
Deth sall me kill Gif ȝe againe be kynd.

170

OF THE SIGNIFICATION OF COLORS.

SONNET.

The color reed of hardiment is sing:
And quhyt ane lyf vnspottit dois declair:
Greine schaws that confort in the hart dois spring:
The purpur luif: Blak stedfastnes and cair:
Broune bourdsum is: And brycht Incarnat fair
In honest deling takith ay delyt:
And glansing cleir columbie maist preclair
Presents ane Royall courtassie perfyt:
The blew is trew, And sanguine hew dispyt:
Orange content: And gray dois hoip to speid:
The tannie lykith craft and to Bakbyt:
And blaiknit ȝallow is forsaikin veid.
Quhan I this sonnet of thir hews did mak,
for my estate, thocht I, aggreis the blak.

171

ANE REPLY TO ANE LETTIR DERECT FROM HIS VEILBELOUIT COUSIN.

As dewie drops distels in drowthie day
On vallowit veids all viddrit vith the vind,
That syn vith sauorus sop dois sprout on spray,
Quhill nymphis fair vith tham doith garlands bind:
Rycht so ȝour firm effection quhilk I find
My emptiwe vaine doith varp vith nectar full,
And valkith vp my Muse that erst vas dull.

for sen ȝe souck Ambrosiane liquor sueit
from sacred source of the Aonian band,
My pansiwe spreit vith plesour is repleit,
And poussith me to tak my pen in hand,
first for to thank ȝow that dois stabill stand
In amitie my guidwill to requyt,
Syn for to praise ȝow for ȝour suggurit dyt.

On pindo mont Althocht I do not hant,
Ȝit spair I not to rym this ruid reply:
Bot ȝe vith vorschip may ȝour self awant,
Quho dalie dois that peirles pean spy,
Quho may arrouse ȝour brains, thocht thay var dry,
Vith the pegasien siluer celest spring,
Quhan solitar I most my wersis sing.

172

The lord of Delos do ȝour dyt decoir,
And mychtie Minerwe mot ȝour muse amend:
The Thespian Rout vith science ȝow restoir,
And Sueit Polymnia hich ȝour harp vpbend
Abowe the vell Castalia till ascend
Amyds the sisters of pernasso scheine:
Apollo Syn ȝow croun vith laurell greine.

173

TUITCHING THE COMMODITIE OF TROWBILL.

SONNET.

Be fyrie flam the glansing gould is dycht,
Be turnyng toyll teyld is the fertill ground:
So paine And troubill maks the vofull vycht
from vickit vyce in vertew till abound.
The mychtie maker of this mapamound
hes for this cause preordinit expres
Sum visitation to saif suir and sound
His chosine childrine: lyk as I confes
My pairt heirof, And thanks him not the les
In deipest dolor of my great annoy
Than gif I haid maist prosperus succes:
for veill I vat he vill me not distroy,
Bot suir I hoip in till his grace celest
That all occurs vnto me for the best.

174

TO HIS FAITHFVLL AND WEILWILLING FREIND.

HVICTAIN.

Thocht fickill fortoune froune vith furious face,
In euerie cace I sall ȝour freind remaine,
Than but desdaine, Sen I do suir Imbrace
Guidwill all space, Be constant kynd againe.
No ioy Nor paine Nor absence may constraine
Me to refraine from this my freindlie vow.
As turtill dow, Quhan that hir maik is slaine,
So I complaine to laik the sycht of ȝow.

175

OF FIDELITIE.

SONNET.

fors of firm faith No fortoune may confound,
for fidell faith is of itself so fair,
That faithfullie but spot it dois abound,
As Armein dois from filthines repair,
preseruing so hir fynnest furring clair
Of euerie tasche, that scho dois rather chois
The duilfull death than ons hir bodie spair
Quhair scho hir cumlie color quhyt may lois.
The dourrest nails dois not so suirlie clois
Tuo hardnit buirds conIonit both in one,
As faythfull freinds be faith affixit gois,
Quhan mutuallie thay do thair faith dispone:
Ȝea, in guid faith my faith in dout dois stand
Gif death it self may break ane faithfull band.

176

TO HIS MAISTRES.

DIȜHUICTAIN.

That vofull hour quhan I ȝour presence left,
Thocht ȝe estemd the sam bot to depart,
Ȝit moir to me it bein, Quhois spreits vas reft
from all the syntirs of my troublit hart.
I neuir ȝit did find sic ioy Inwart
Be presence sueit, Quhilk peirles did me pleis,
As absence now vith scharpest schours of smart
Ten thousand vayis dois moir my mynd miseis.
As fyrie vod in feruent flamme dois bleis,
Consumit am I so vith thochtfull cair,
And laiking ȝow, Quha may my murnyng meis,
Ay duyning dies in dalie deip dispair.
O paragon of pulchritude preclair,
Quhais beutie both my bliss and baill hes bred,
lat ons thy seruant sie thy visage fair
Tormentit heir vithin my restles bed,
So lyf or death than sall I suirlie knaw,
Ewen as ȝour breath the oracle doith blaw.

177

OF AMITIE.

SONNET.

Quhat solas is so sound sinceir and sueit
As freindschip flowing from effection frie?
Quhat mundane myrth may man obtein so meit
As sutche guid hap to find for his supplie?
for freindis tuo, quhois nature dois aggrie,
Ar lyk vyn branchis linkit growand greine
About the stoupis of that kyndlie trie,
Quhilk luifinglie againe dois tham susteine.
Quhan Nobill Nisus creuallie haid seine
His captiwe freind in dainger schord to die,
for feruent luif his courage grew so keine
Oft than he cryid, “conwert ȝour glawe in me,”
Syn facht to deed, And, quhan he mycht no moir,
fell on his freind, Quhom so he luift befoir.

178

QVADRAIN.

The bird, The fische, The trie,
Dois flie, Dois suym, Dois stand,
Vith vings, Vith fyns, Rycht hie,
In air, In sie, In land.

179

OF CHASTITIE.

SONNET.

O cumlie celest chastitie preclair,
Quhilk hich exaltit in the heawens dois ring,
To Quhat sall I thy vertew great compair?
No charbunckill Nor vther Erthlie thing
Dois not as thow sic pretious beutie bring:
The Phenix onlie or the vermell Rois
Maist rycht resemblith to thy grace conding;
The one is rair, The vther maist formois.
for as the Rois of flouris all the chois
Maist semlie sproutith from the scharpest thorne,
So thow (I dout not) dois vith paine Inclois
All sort of thois be quhom thy blis is borne;
Quhilk sort now rair As Phenix fair is seine,
And thingis rair of greatest valeur beine.

180

OF ANE SALUTATION OF ANE HOST TO HIS HOSTES.

SONNET.

Guid day, madam, vith humyll thanks also,
That me vnto ȝour ludgeing lairge did gyd.
Ȝea, skairs I knew quhan I thairin did go
Quhair I sould vend, the vallis var so vyd.
Thocht than I slippit quhan ȝe bad me byd,
Excuise my part, the falt vas not in me:
Ȝour pathed pathment meid my paessis slyd,
That I vas forst to bow vpon my kne.
Bot ȝit I thank ȝow of ȝour ludgeing frie,
I grant in deid ȝe hold ane oppine port,
Bot inexpert I am to suym the sie
Quhilk flows on bordor of ȝour brod resort,
Quhairin I vat is furnissing but dout
To serwe the turck And all his camp about.

181

THE ANSUIR OF THE FOIRSAID HOSTES.

SONNET.

Ȝour feruent folische furreour far feils,
Quho for ȝour herbrie meid so meikill beir,
Be feckles tratils of his trifling teils
I thocht ȝour tryn sould haif cum greater heir.
None sutche as ȝow sould to my palice speir
Quho may be eisit soon in smallest hall,
Ȝour sthomack seruith bot for sempill cheir,
I ȝow againe sall not to banket call.
Quhan on ȝour kneis for foibilnes ȝe fall,
Ȝe say my pathed pathment meid ȝow slyd,
Bot laik of boldnes on the sam to brall
Meid ȝow to slip: Ȝe haid no strenth to byd.
Heirfoir ȝour pithles person to repois
Tak my bak chalmer for ȝour guckit nois.

182

OF THE ASSAULTIS OF LUIF.

SONNET.

The deedlie dolor quhilk I do Induir
So dois combuir my bodie all in baill,
That I laik haill And may find no recuir,
Sic sorrow suir so soir dois me assaill.
In vaill and daill all fredome dois me faill,
In seis I saill Schersing remeid thairfoir,
Bot moir And moir My vois I do beuaill,
No vattir paill may quenche my flammes soir.
My reuthfull roir maist humyllie dois Imploir
The mychtie gloir of the bold blindit boy,
Quhois dart of noy my death dois dalie schoir,
As bullering boir me brewelie till distroy,
Och, ons sic ioy to grant me or I die,
That paine I drie may pleis my ladie frie.

183

OF DETH.

SONNET.

Sen that our saull of deuyn mater meid
Is closit captiwe in our corps of cair,
Quhilk, formd of erth, vnto the erth dois leid
The sammyng spreit as in ane goulf or snair,
O plesand death, Quho onlie dois prepair
The fatall key this preson to disclois,
Our saull vpsending to the heawen preclair,
Thow art great confort to all sort of thois
Quho in celestiall thingis dois reiois.
O verray deir thy deidlie dart sould bie,
for frie from paine to endles suir repois
Thow dois ws bring, Thocht we lyk not to sie
The frownyng of thy dririe visage pall,
Quhilk ay approtchis dalie to ws all.

184

QVADRAIN.

The heawen, The erth, The hell,
Is fair, Is Rytche, Is ewill,
To bie, To sie, To dwell,
Vith God, Vith man, Vith dewill.

185

ANE LITERALL SONNET.

Dull dolor dalie dois delyt destroy,
Vill vantith vit vaist vorn vith vickit vo,
Cair cankert causith confortles conwoy,
Seueir sad sorrow scharplie schoris so.
My myrthles mynd may meruell monie mo,
Promp peirles proper plesand perll preclair,
fair fremmit freind, firm fellest frownyng fo.
Rythche rubie rycht renownit royall rair,
Send succor soone, so suadge sall sourest sair,
Grant griwous gronyng gratious guerdon guid,
for fauor flowing from fresche faces fair
Restorit rychtlie restles rancor ruid,
Bot beutie breding bittir boudin baill
Dois dalie deedlie duynyng dartis daill.

186

OF ANE CERTANE COURTEOUR. QUADRAIN.

E CONUERSO.

Vit but veals vith vertew but vyce
He doith posses, now all may persawe.
Sit sall he still suir nocht semyng nyce;
Sie may ȝe him trew nocht leing knawe.

187

OF ANE THOCHTLES AND FRIE HART FROM VORLDLIE CAIR.

SONNET.

Thocht I in cauldest Caucasus did duell,
Or quhair the son maist feruentlie dois scheine,
Or vith veyld beists of Libia maist fell,
Ȝit in ane vprycht conscience and cleine,
Not farder vexit bot vith luif I meine
Of my renownit ladie vyis and fair,
I former hassard harmles mycht susteine,
for giltles hart suir varrand is from cair.
Ane giltles hart vith Tygers may repair,
Ane giltles hart may all assauts Induir,
Ane giltles hart triumphith euirmair
Abowe all thing that vold the sam InIuir,
Ane giltles hart possessit bot vith luif
Is suir as Rock that storms may not remuif.

188

IN GOING TO HIS LUIF.

SONNET.

O siluer hornit Diane, nychtis queine,
Quha for to kis Endimeon did discend,
Gif flamme of luif thow haid don than susteine,
As I do now that instant dois pretend
T' embrasse my luif, Not villing to be kend,
Vith mistie vaill thow vold obscuir thy face
for reuth of me that dois sic trauell spend.
And finding now this vissit grant of grace,
Bot lett it be thy borrowit lycht alace,
I staying stand in feir for to be seine,
Sen yndling eine Inwirons all this place,
Quhois cursit mouths ay to defame dois meine.
Bot nether thay Nor ȝit thy schyning cleir
May cause appeir my secret luif synceir.

189

OF ANE POET.

SONNET.

Thocht schollers of Caliope attaine
To douce Indyt, it drawith dour decay,
for quhan sic rage rings in thair restles braine,
Thair spreit perturbit may not sport nor play;
All vorldlie velth als from tham slyds away,
Ay thay ar puir And dois Induir desdaine,
for thocht thay paine thair self both nycht and day,
perfume of candill is thair greatest gaine.
All solitar and sad thay do remaine
Vith feruent furie for to flie aloft,
Syn for to pen thair purpois prompt and plaine
Both to and fro thay pouse the tabill oft,
And byts thair nails, And vreyis thair fingers vrang,
To thraw thair versis ether schort or lang.

190

AGAINE OF ANE POET.

SONNET.

O ȝe quhois blissit brows both circuat beine
Vith greine triumphall laurell fresche and fair,
Quhois suggurit lips sueit celest liquor cleine
Distels also vpon pernass preclair,
Quho sups the sacred Nectar but compair
And drinks the doucest Ambrose maist deuyn,
Quho fouth of langage laiks not to declair
The curious knawledge of ȝour hich Ingyn,
Thocht velth ȝe vant, ȝit vorschip dois Inclyn
for guerdon dew vnto ȝour guid desert.
Ȝour paine is plesour, And ȝour plesour syn
Pretends to praise be giltit pen expert.
Expert and douce ȝe varpe ȝour vordie verse,
And frilie flows in ȝour maist sound reherse.

191

TO FAME.

SONNET.

The greatest soucie nixt eternall gloir,
Quhartill Ilk nobill nature sould pretend,
Is that guid name thair doings may decoir,
Quhan that the parks hes spone thair fatall end.
O famus fame, than grant me guid commend
fra tym my vofull veirie dayis be past,
for veill I vat bot trauell lost I spend
To crawe it now quhill this my lyf doith last,
Because so monie bittir bailful blast
from mouths maling maliciouslie brists out,
That but regard our guid desert thay cast
Doune in the dust, And wreyis it vrang about.
heirfoir, O fame, reserwe for me guid name,
And giwe tham schame, Quho speikith to my blame.

192

TO HIS MAIESTIE VITH PRESENTATION OF THIS VOLUME.

SONNET.

All vorldlie velth that onie hart may wis,
Helth and Renoune, vith euirlasting Gloir,
Vnto ȝour Grace I Represent vith this,
Quhilk of ȝour Gratious bontie, Sir, decoir.
Ȝour praise Immortall salbie meikill moir,
My sempill gift auancing be ȝour mycht,
Than thois quho gains the glancing gould in stoir
Vith great contentment to thair blindit sycht.
Accept guid vill: Guidwill ȝe vey nocht lycht,
So in the coustom of ȝour Royall hart
Ȝour maiestie vill think it Reson rycht
My trew Guidwill to tak in to guid part,
for as ȝour vit deuyn is and profound,
So in all meiknes dois ȝour grace abound.