 | Satirical poems of the reformation |  |
193
XXVIII. The Bischoppis lyfe and testament.
Calling to mynde the mutabiliteis
Of this Inconstant warld sa variabill,
Lyke to ane Schip that saillis on the seis,
Tost with winds & wallis Innauigabill;
Bot sen I se na plesure permanabill,
Bot as the weid it widderis sone away,
Lat vs go seik the gloir Inestimabill,
Quhair we man pas perpetually for ay.
Of this Inconstant warld sa variabill,
Lyke to ane Schip that saillis on the seis,
Tost with winds & wallis Innauigabill;
Bot sen I se na plesure permanabill,
Bot as the weid it widderis sone away,
Lat vs go seik the gloir Inestimabill,
Quhair we man pas perpetually for ay.
With spreit opprest, this plungit in to cair,
Remembring me quhat mater to compyle,
Endlang ane Park I past without repair
Be Snawdoun syde, the seuint day of Apryle;
And as I walkit, wandering not ane myle,
Ane pieteous spreit appeirit to my thocht,
Sayand: “allace! and waryit be the quhyle
That I was borne, or in this warld vpbrocht!”
Remembring me quhat mater to compyle,
Endlang ane Park I past without repair
Be Snawdoun syde, the seuint day of Apryle;
And as I walkit, wandering not ane myle,
Ane pieteous spreit appeirit to my thocht,
Sayand: “allace! and waryit be the quhyle
That I was borne, or in this warld vpbrocht!”
194
Can I nocht tell gif be Illutioun,
Or gif be feir sic fantaseis we tak;
Bot this he said in schort conclusioun,
Deplorit ane plaint, and planelie to me spak:
“Poetis of me hes mater for to mak,
In tragedie, quhat tyme I heir remanit.”
And with that word I went sum thing abak,
And bad say on, and, with God saif me, sanit.
Or gif be feir sic fantaseis we tak;
Bot this he said in schort conclusioun,
Deplorit ane plaint, and planelie to me spak:
“Poetis of me hes mater for to mak,
In tragedie, quhat tyme I heir remanit.”
And with that word I went sum thing abak,
And bad say on, and, with God saif me, sanit.
“I was,” said he, “ane Lord leuand on lyfe,
Ane bastard barne, that can I not deny:
My Father was ane Erle and had ane wyfe,
Thocht he abusit his body, and lay by.
In Goddis Ire begottin sa was I:
My mother was a Dame in Dundaf mure,
Bot quhidder it was in feild keipand the Ky,
Or fischand Lochis Lin, I am not sure.
Ane bastard barne, that can I not deny:
My Father was ane Erle and had ane wyfe,
Thocht he abusit his body, and lay by.
In Goddis Ire begottin sa was I:
My mother was a Dame in Dundaf mure,
Bot quhidder it was in feild keipand the Ky,
Or fischand Lochis Lin, I am not sure.
“As for my surname, seik my mothers aith:
Quhylis Cuninghame yai callit me heir & yair,
Bot gude John Cowane gaif me meit and claith,
Quhill I was seuin yeir auld and sū thing mair.
The Prouest of Hammiltoun, cūmand by, for cair
Fand me with Ky ane kyndlie occupatioun,
And Hammiltoun he me huif, I ȝow declair,
Ane sorie Surname, for my awin salutatioun.
Quhylis Cuninghame yai callit me heir & yair,
Bot gude John Cowane gaif me meit and claith,
Quhill I was seuin yeir auld and sū thing mair.
The Prouest of Hammiltoun, cūmand by, for cair
Fand me with Ky ane kyndlie occupatioun,
And Hammiltoun he me huif, I ȝow declair,
Ane sorie Surname, for my awin salutatioun.
“To preif my spreit and say my scharp Ingyne,
With John of Cliddisdail yai [ro]usit me to striue,
Be worsling first in faith the feild was myne,
I brak his heid to haue prerogatiue.
Quhat sall I wryte ȝow? in my wittis fiue
I was coequall with Achitophall,
Or subtill Sinone, knaifrie to discriue,
And all my deidis mair Diabolicall.
With John of Cliddisdail yai [ro]usit me to striue,
Be worsling first in faith the feild was myne,
I brak his heid to haue prerogatiue.
Quhat sall I wryte ȝow? in my wittis fiue
I was coequall with Achitophall,
Or subtill Sinone, knaifrie to discriue,
And all my deidis mair Diabolicall.
195
“In leirning letters lang tyme at ye Scule,
My pregnant spreit surpassit all the laif,
Quhill I was cowit, and cled vp lyke ane Fule,
In Stemming Rokket, riches to ressaif.
Than twa ȝeiris Noueis, notit for ane Knaif,
Ȝond in Kiluinning my prentischip I past:
Bella fortuna to me sic giftis gaif,
To want na graith, and ay the Gallous last.
My pregnant spreit surpassit all the laif,
Quhill I was cowit, and cled vp lyke ane Fule,
In Stemming Rokket, riches to ressaif.
Than twa ȝeiris Noueis, notit for ane Knaif,
Ȝond in Kiluinning my prentischip I past:
Bella fortuna to me sic giftis gaif,
To want na graith, and ay the Gallous last.
“Thā my Lord Arrane from Albany ye Duke
Obtenit the gift of Murray be ane myance,
Quhen Abbotschaw sic hauie haitrent tuik
At the haill hous of Lennox and thair alliance;
Quhaitfoir he coist and left thame at defyance.
Than I fund Jok was into Paslay plaist,
Smart in my schuitting & singular in my Sciēce,
And sum men sayis the bybill I Imbraist.
Obtenit the gift of Murray be ane myance,
Quhen Abbotschaw sic hauie haitrent tuik
At the haill hous of Lennox and thair alliance;
Quhaitfoir he coist and left thame at defyance.
Than I fund Jok was into Paslay plaist,
Smart in my schuitting & singular in my Sciēce,
And sum men sayis the bybill I Imbraist.
“For feir of that thay gart me fle to France,
In waryit tyme, I trow, I went of towne,
Quhair I begouth with guthorne for to dance,
To loup on Lassis, lait, and play the Lowne.
My Stēming Sark & Rokket was laid doun,
Fra tyme that I hard tell the King was deid:
Than I began, haill Tutour to the Crowne,
To steir my tyme the temporall lawis to leid.
In waryit tyme, I trow, I went of towne,
Quhair I begouth with guthorne for to dance,
To loup on Lassis, lait, and play the Lowne.
My Stēming Sark & Rokket was laid doun,
Fra tyme that I hard tell the King was deid:
Than I began, haill Tutour to the Crowne,
To steir my tyme the temporall lawis to leid.
“The first that euer vaikit was Dunkell,
And I was gaipand lyke ane gredie gled;
The Cardinall deit, and than Sanctandros fell;
My power haill vnto the Paip I sped;
Quhen thay had rypelie all my bawes red,
Aganis thair Cannoun Law thay gaif decreit,
For I was bastard borne of vnlawfull bed,
Ȝit furtherit I becaus thay fand me meit.
And I was gaipand lyke ane gredie gled;
The Cardinall deit, and than Sanctandros fell;
My power haill vnto the Paip I sped;
Quhen thay had rypelie all my bawes red,
Aganis thair Cannoun Law thay gaif decreit,
For I was bastard borne of vnlawfull bed,
Ȝit furtherit I becaus thay fand me meit.
196
“Without respect to God or feir of faith,
Plumand but pietie I did oppres the pure;
Be fenȝeit causis I confiscat graith;
Men criminall to accuse I tuke na cure;
Quhen it was gottin I gaif it to my hure,
Quhome I possest in speciall, Stanehous wyfe;
Of all the barnis my Lady Jeltoun bure,
Scho me constranit to mak Ilk ane a lyfe.
Plumand but pietie I did oppres the pure;
Be fenȝeit causis I confiscat graith;
Men criminall to accuse I tuke na cure;
Quhen it was gottin I gaif it to my hure,
Quhome I possest in speciall, Stanehous wyfe;
Of all the barnis my Lady Jeltoun bure,
Scho me constranit to mak Ilk ane a lyfe.
“Rowpand for riches quhill all my barnis wer staikit,
As houngrie Lyoū, lousit out of a band,
Sum benefice I bocht or euer it vaikit;
And sum I wardit waitand on thair land;
Kilburnie haldis Drumry behind the hand,
Raith, and Bernbowgall, & mony honest man:
Na wrangous conqueis Christ wil thoil to stād:
Euill was it wairit and weill war I it wand.
As houngrie Lyoū, lousit out of a band,
Sum benefice I bocht or euer it vaikit;
And sum I wardit waitand on thair land;
Kilburnie haldis Drumry behind the hand,
Raith, and Bernbowgall, & mony honest man:
Na wrangous conqueis Christ wil thoil to stād:
Euill was it wairit and weill war I it wand.
“Be iustice airis I pledgit all the pepill,
Than spairit nane thocht thay wer Innocent;
To Magnifie my name I maid ane Stepill;
Of euerie pleuch I tuik fyue pund of Stent:
Swa of this lyfe the Lord was miscontent,
Seand my faith not foundit on ane Roik:
As babell fell, sa Paslay may repent
That I the maid of Malesounis of foik.
Than spairit nane thocht thay wer Innocent;
To Magnifie my name I maid ane Stepill;
Of euerie pleuch I tuik fyue pund of Stent:
Swa of this lyfe the Lord was miscontent,
Seand my faith not foundit on ane Roik:
As babell fell, sa Paslay may repent
That I the maid of Malesounis of foik.
“Than was I Legat licent be the Paip,
With dispensatiounis, sawis for euerie sair;
To eik my pois I leit thame pas gude chaip;
By quha sa wald, I wantit na sic wair.
For holynes thay heipit on me mair,
Greit Metropolitane of the Kirk of God;
Quhen I was Hird the scheip was in ane snair,
Lyke till ane flok of hennis befoir ane Tod.
With dispensatiounis, sawis for euerie sair;
To eik my pois I leit thame pas gude chaip;
By quha sa wald, I wantit na sic wair.
For holynes thay heipit on me mair,
Greit Metropolitane of the Kirk of God;
Quhen I was Hird the scheip was in ane snair,
Lyke till ane flok of hennis befoir ane Tod.
197
“Quha landit than bot Lennox out of France?
To battell boun with him was bernis bauld;
Sair I in dreid, quhill I deuysit that dance
Of Glasgow Castell, gat it bocht and sauld:
Greit was the riches fund within that hauld,
Plaitter nor pois we neuer left ane plak;
Coistlie apparell that can not weill be tauld;
We left him bair till all was on his bak.
To battell boun with him was bernis bauld;
Sair I in dreid, quhill I deuysit that dance
Of Glasgow Castell, gat it bocht and sauld:
Greit was the riches fund within that hauld,
Plaitter nor pois we neuer left ane plak;
Coistlie apparell that can not weill be tauld;
We left him bair till all was on his bak.
“Efter the feild we followit him sa fast,
Spuilȝeit his places, & tuik baith gudis & geir,
Quhill all the land he left vs at the last,
Quhair Lawrence Neisbit chaipit verray neir;
Contrair my conscience and the actis of weir,
Murdreist his men that micht me nocht resist:
That saikles blude rang fer and twentie ȝeir,
Quhill Palmsoneuin that same day I deceist.
Spuilȝeit his places, & tuik baith gudis & geir,
Quhill all the land he left vs at the last,
Quhair Lawrence Neisbit chaipit verray neir;
Contrair my conscience and the actis of weir,
Murdreist his men that micht me nocht resist:
That saikles blude rang fer and twentie ȝeir,
Quhill Palmsoneuin that same day I deceist.
“Bot to my taill heir I returne agane:
Quhen ȝe began in godlynes to gloir,
I tuik my womit wickitlie, in vane:
Contrair my conscience I profest befoir,
My mynd was than the Messes to restoir;
Bot now, to lait, I lat that Law allane:
Had I fund graith my honour to decoir,
I caird not by quhat way the warld had gane.
Quhen ȝe began in godlynes to gloir,
I tuik my womit wickitlie, in vane:
Contrair my conscience I profest befoir,
My mynd was than the Messes to restoir;
Bot now, to lait, I lat that Law allane:
Had I fund graith my honour to decoir,
I caird not by quhat way the warld had gane.
“At Haryis Mariage I bure him Inuy,
Feirand he procreat children with the Quene:
His putting doun I publictly deny,
Ȝit botis & hūmis declairis ȝow quhat I mene.
And scho wer wrakit, all the warld may wene,
Than sould the Duke but dout ressaif ye croun.
This was my purpois planely to obtene,
Under sum craft, to cow the Stewartis doun.
Feirand he procreat children with the Quene:
His putting doun I publictly deny,
Ȝit botis & hūmis declairis ȝow quhat I mene.
And scho wer wrakit, all the warld may wene,
Than sould the Duke but dout ressaif ye croun.
This was my purpois planely to obtene,
Under sum craft, to cow the Stewartis doun.
198
“Than was scho caryit captiue, as thay tell,
And quha nor I was fainer of that fact?
Except the countrie cum not with our sell,
Quhilk was the only caus we bure abak.
For feir of Murray sic myance gart I mak,
Be fraud and gyle we gat hir of Lochleuin:
Seikand our gloir we gat baith schame and lak:
Our fals intent was sa tryit out in heuin.
And quha nor I was fainer of that fact?
Except the countrie cum not with our sell,
Quhilk was the only caus we bure abak.
For feir of Murray sic myance gart I mak,
Be fraud and gyle we gat hir of Lochleuin:
Seikand our gloir we gat baith schame and lak:
Our fals intent was sa tryit out in heuin.
“Ȝit cuttit I away their worldly strenth,
James, Erll of Murray, Regent of Renoun,
As I sall schaw ȝow schortly at mair lenth,
I being captiue tane to Striuiling Toun:
Dunbartane Castell—Deuill mot ding the doun!—
Quha wald beleif bot thow was wicht aneuch?
Bot ȝit the Lord is Maister of Mahoun,
Inspyrit thair spreitis, & gart thame speil that heuch.
James, Erll of Murray, Regent of Renoun,
As I sall schaw ȝow schortly at mair lenth,
I being captiue tane to Striuiling Toun:
Dunbartane Castell—Deuill mot ding the doun!—
Quha wald beleif bot thow was wicht aneuch?
Bot ȝit the Lord is Maister of Mahoun,
Inspyrit thair spreitis, & gart thame speil that heuch.
“Bot quha may leif fra tyme his glas be run?
As I haue schawin, heir schortly to conclude,
Sone was I helterit fra the hous was wun,
To Snawdoun syne, accusit with men of gude
Of pointis four, bot stifly I withstude:
Except the Regentis deith I nocht denyit;
I was the only man gart spill his blude,
And mekle mair gif all the treuth wer tryit.
As I haue schawin, heir schortly to conclude,
Sone was I helterit fra the hous was wun,
To Snawdoun syne, accusit with men of gude
Of pointis four, bot stifly I withstude:
Except the Regentis deith I nocht denyit;
I was the only man gart spill his blude,
And mekle mair gif all the treuth wer tryit.
“Gude pepill heir, to haue ȝow not abusit,
Just ordour led, I lat ȝow vnderstand,
In parliament I was forfalt and accusit,
Quhair I was baith conuict of lyfe and land,
Denuncit Rebell, and fugitiue fra hand;
Quhairfoir I knew my deid gif I wer gottin:
Thay socht na law bot thay befoir yame fand,
And will he vsit quhill we be deid and rottin.
Just ordour led, I lat ȝow vnderstand,
In parliament I was forfalt and accusit,
Quhair I was baith conuict of lyfe and land,
Denuncit Rebell, and fugitiue fra hand;
Quhairfoir I knew my deid gif I wer gottin:
Thay socht na law bot thay befoir yame fand,
And will he vsit quhill we be deid and rottin.
199
“And quhair ȝe speik of auld perticular,
Without auise of thair Nobilitie,
The Erll of Angous and my Lord of Mar,
Glencarne, Ruthuen, Cathcart, and Ouchiltrie,
Methuen, Lochleuin, with Lairds aboūdantlie,
The Justice Clerk my dittay red perqueir:
Than fra I saw I was condampnit to die,
This was my haill Confessioun ȝe sall heir.
Without auise of thair Nobilitie,
The Erll of Angous and my Lord of Mar,
Glencarne, Ruthuen, Cathcart, and Ouchiltrie,
Methuen, Lochleuin, with Lairds aboūdantlie,
The Justice Clerk my dittay red perqueir:
Than fra I saw I was condampnit to die,
This was my haill Confessioun ȝe sall heir.
Sequitur Confessio.
“Gude pepill all, I pray ȝow to pray for me,
Quhat may my rent of riches now decoir me?
This far I speik in presence of ȝow all,
Complenand heir with pietie I deploir me,
Quha is the Lord to lyfe may now restoir me.
Heirfoir, go mark this in Memoriall,
Twyse being bischop with sic beriall,
Hard to beleif sum tyme to se me hing,
Gif I had seruit my God and syne my King.
Quhat may my rent of riches now decoir me?
This far I speik in presence of ȝow all,
Complenand heir with pietie I deploir me,
Quha is the Lord to lyfe may now restoir me.
Heirfoir, go mark this in Memoriall,
Twyse being bischop with sic beriall,
Hard to beleif sum tyme to se me hing,
Gif I had seruit my God and syne my King.
“Quhair ȝe accuse me of the Kingis d[eid],
Gif I it knew, God nor I want my heid!
Exceptand quhen I hard the hous was fyrit,
I feirit myself and dred sum deidly feid.
Than I persauit that he was past remeid,
I knew sum Tratouris had his deith conspyrit,
Thocht Johne, my seruand, said as he desyrit,
Under Confessioun speikand to ane Preist:
Mair beist was he that bure it not in his breist.
Gif I it knew, God nor I want my heid!
Exceptand quhen I hard the hous was fyrit,
I feirit myself and dred sum deidly feid.
Than I persauit that he was past remeid,
I knew sum Tratouris had his deith conspyrit,
Thocht Johne, my seruand, said as he desyrit,
Under Confessioun speikand to ane Preist:
Mair beist was he that bure it not in his breist.
“My former faith I can not weill Recant,
Nane I accuse, I come not heir to Sant,
Gif to reueild may help me heir, I dout.
As to the Regentis deith in deid I grant,
I weill awow it, becaus he leit me want:
That ȝe may tell till all that standis about.
My voce is waik, I may not weill speik out,
And of my ‘Manus tuas’ I haue sic haist,
With ‘ite missa est’ said, I gaif the Gaist.”
Nane I accuse, I come not heir to Sant,
Gif to reueild may help me heir, I dout.
As to the Regentis deith in deid I grant,
I weill awow it, becaus he leit me want:
200
My voce is waik, I may not weill speik out,
And of my ‘Manus tuas’ I haue sic haist,
With ‘ite missa est’ said, I gaif the Gaist.”
This being said, the cludis obscurit the sky,
And I was feirit, and hamewart did me hy,
Maid to the Towne and steppit vp the streit,
And, as I past, the Potence I espy,
Quhair the anoyntit Bischop hung to dry.
I was Sanct Thomas quhill I tuichit his feit.
On Palmsoneuin this paper I compleit,
Euin word be word, as to the treuth belang[it]
And, gif I lie, God nor the liers be hangit.
And I was feirit, and hamewart did me hy,
Maid to the Towne and steppit vp the streit,
And, as I past, the Potence I espy,
Quhair the anoyntit Bischop hung to dry.
I was Sanct Thomas quhill I tuichit his feit.
On Palmsoneuin this paper I compleit,
Euin word be word, as to the treuth belang[it]
And, gif I lie, God nor the liers be hangit.
Finis.
| Satirical poems of the reformation | |