The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount :: :: University of Virginia Library

Compylit be Schir Dauid Lyndesay of ye Mont Knycht alias, Lyone Kyng of Armes. And is Deuidit in Foure Partis. As efter Followis. .&c. And Imprentit at the Command and Expensis off Doctor, MACHABEUS In Copmanhouin. Absit Gloriari, Nisi in Cruce Domini nostri Iesu Christi.

THE EPISTIL TO THE REDAR.

Thov Lytil quair of mater miserabyll,
Weil auchtest thou, couerit to be with sabyl,
Renunceand grene, the purpur, reid, & quhit.
To delicat men thou art nocht delectabyll,
Nor ȝit tyll amorous folkis amiabyll:
To reid on the, thai wyll haf no delite.
Warldlye Peple wyll haue at the dispyte,
Quhilk fyxit hes thare hart and hole intentis
On sensuall Luste, on Dignitie, and Rentis.

We haue no Kyng, the to present, allace.
Quhilk to this countre bene ane cairfull cace:
And als our Quene, of Scotland Heretour,
Sche dwellith in France; I pray God saif hir grace.
It war to lang, for the to ryn that race,
And far langar, or that ȝoung tender flour
Bryng home tyll ws ane Kyng and Gouernour.
Allace, tharefor, we may with sorrow syng,
Quhilk moste so lang remane without one kyng.

199

I nott quhome to thy Simpylnes to sende.
With Cunnyng Men, frome tyme that thou be kende,
Thy Vaniteis no waye thay wyll aduance,
Thynkand the proude, sic thyngis to pretende.
Nochtwithstanding, the straucht way sal thou wende
To thame quhilk hes the realme in gouernance.
Declare thy mynde to thame, with circumstance.
Go first tyll Iames, our Prince, and Protectour,
And his Brother, our Spirituall Gouernour,

And Prince of Preistis in this Natioun.
Efter Reuerend Recommendatioun,
Under thare feit thow lawlye the submyt,
And mak thame humyll supplicatioun,
Geue thay in the fynd wrang Narratioun,
That thay wald pleis thy faltis to remyt:
And of thare grace, geue thay do the admyt,
Than go thy waye quhare euer thow plesis best:
Be thay content, mak reuerence to the rest.

To faithfull Prudent Pastouris Spirituall,
To Nobyll Erlis, and Lordis Temporall,
Obedientlye tyll thame thow the addres,
Declaryng thame this schort memoriall,
Quhow Mankynd bene to miserie maid thrall.
At lenth to thame the cause planelie confesse,
Beseikand thame all lawis to suppresse
Inuentit be Mennis Traditioun,
Contrar to Christis Institutioun.

And cause thame cleirlye for tyll vnderstand
That, for the brekyng of the Lordis command,
His Thrynfald wande of Flagellatioun
Hes Scurgit this pure Realme of Scotland,
Be mortall weris, baith be sey and land,
With mony terrabyll trybulatioun.

Re. xxiiii. & The. .ii.

Tharefor mak to thame trew narratioun,
That al thir weris, this derth, hunger, and Pest
Was nocht bot for our Synnis manefest.

i. Cor. iii.

200

Gene. vii.

Declare to thame quhow, in the tyme of Noye,
Alluterlye, God did the warld distroye,
As Holy Scripture maketh mentioun;

Gene. xix.

Sodom, Gomor, with thare Regioun and Roye,
God sparit nothir Man, Woman, nor Boye;
Bot all wer brynt for thare offentioun.

Matthew xxiii.

Iherusalem, that moste tryumphant town,
Distroyit wes for thare Iniquytie,

Luc. xiii.

As in the Scripture planelye thay may se.

Declare to thame this mortall miserie,
Be sweird and fyre, derth, pest, and pouertie,

Iere. xv.

Procedis of Syn, gyf I can rycht discryue,
For laik of Faith, and for Ydolatrye,
For Fornicatioun, and for Adultrye,
Off Princis, Prelatis, with mony ane man & wyue.
Expell the cause, than the effect belyue
Sall cease: quhen that the peple doith repent,
Than God sall slak his bow, quhilk ȝit is bent.

Mak thaim requeist, quhilk hes the Gouernance,
The Sinceir word of God for tyll Auance,
Conforme to Christis Institutioun,
Without Ypocrisie or dissimulance;
Causyng Iustice hauld ewinlye the Ballance;
On Publicanis makyng punyssioun;
Commendyng thame of gude conditioun.
That beyng done, I dout nocht bot the Lorde
Sall of this countre haue Misericorde.

Thoucht God with mony terrabyll effrayis
Hes done this cuntrie scurge by diuers wayis,
Be Iuste Iugement, for our greuous offence,
Declare to thame thay sall haue mery dayis
Efter this trubyll, as the Propheit sayis:
Quhen God sall se our humyll Repentence,
Tyll strange pepyll thoucht he hes geuin lycence
To be our scurge Induryng his desyre,
Wyll, quhen he lyste, that Scurge cast in the fyre.

201

Pray thame that thay putt nocht thare esperance
In mortall Men onelye, thame tyll aduance,
Bot principallye in God Omnipotent.

Psalme c.xvii.

Than neid thai not to charge the realme of France
With Gounnis, Galayis, nor vther Ordinance.
So that thay be to God Obedient,
In thir promyssis be thay nocht negligent,
Displayand Christis Banar hie on heycht,
Thare Ennimeis of thame sall haue no mycht.

Go hence, pure Buke, quhilk I haue done indyte
In rurall ryme, in maner of dispyte,
Contrar the warldlis Variatioun:
Off Rethorick heir I Proclame the quyte.
Idolatouris, I feir, sall with the flyte,
Because of thame thow makis Narratioun.
Bot cure thow nocht the Indignatioun
Off Hypocritis, and fals Pharisience,
Quhowbeit on the thay cry ane lowde vengence.

Requeist the Gentyll Redar that the redis,
Thocht Ornat termes in to thy park not spredis,
As thay in the may haue experience.
Thocht Barran feildis beris nocht bot weidis,
Ȝit brutall beistis sweitlye on thame feidis.
Desyre of thame none vther recompence
Bot that thay wald reid the with pacience;
And, geue thay be in ony way offendit,
Declare to thame it salbe weill amendit.

FINIS. HEIR ENDIS THE EPISTIL & FOLLOUIS THE PROLOGE. .&C.

202

THE PROLOGE.

Mvsing And maruelling on the miserie
Frome day to day in erth quhilk dois incres,
And of ilk stait the instabilitie
Proceding of the restles besynes
Quhairon the most part doith thair mynd addres
Inordinatlie, on houngrye couatyce,
Uaine glore, dissait, and vthir sensuall vyce,

Bot tumlyng In my bed I mycht nocht lye,
Quhairfore I fuir furth, in ane Maye mornyng,
Conforte to gett of my malancolye,
Sumquhat affore fresche Phebus vperysing,
Quhare I mycht heir the birdis sweitlie syng.
Intyll ane park I past, for my plesure,
Decorit weill be craft of dame Nature.

Quhov I ressauit confort naturall
For tyll discryue at lenth it war to lang;
Smelling the holsum herbis medicinall,
Quhare on the dulce and balmy dew down dang,
Lyke aurient peirles on the twistis hang;
Or quhov that the Aromatik odouris
Did proceid frome the tender fragrant flouris;

Or quhov Phebus, that king etheriall,
Swyftlie sprang vp in to the orient,
Ascending in his throne Imperiall,
Quhose brycht and buriall bemes resplendent
Illumynit all on to the Occident,
Confortand euerye corporall creature
Quhilk formit war in erth be dame Nature;

Quhose donke impurpurit vestiment nocturnall,
With his imbroudit mantyll matutyne,
He lefte in tyll his regioun aurorall,
Quhilk on hym watit quhen he did declyne
Towarte his occident palyce vespertyne,
And rose in habyte gaye and glorious,
Brychtar nor gold or stonis precious.

203

Bot Synthea, the hornit nychtis quene,
Scho loste hir lycht, and lede ane lawar saill,
Frome tyme hir souerane lorde that scho had sene,
And in his presens waxit dirk and paill,
And ouer hir visage kest ane mistye vaill;
So did Uenus, the goddes amorous,
With Iupiter, Mars, and Mercurius.

Rychtso the auld Intoxicat Saturne,
Persauyng Phebus powir, his beymes brycht,
Abufe the erth than maid he no sudgeourne,
Bot suddandlye did lose his borrowit lycht,
Quhilk he durst neuir schaw bot on the nycht.
The Pole artick, wrsis, and sterris all
Quhilk situate ar in the Septemtrionall,

Tyll errand schyppis quhilks ar the souer gyde,
Conuoyand thame, vpone the stromye nycht,
Within thare frostie circle, did thame hyde.
Howbeit that sterris haue none vthir lycht
Bot the reflex of Phebus bemes brycht,
That day durst none in to the heuin appeir,
Tyll he had circuit all our Hemispeir.

Me thocht it was ane sycht celestiall,
To sene Phebus so angellyke ascend
In tyll his fyrie chariot tryumphall,
Quhose bewte brycht I culd nocht comprehend.
All warldlie cure anone did fro me wend,
Quhen fresche flora spred furth hir tapestrie,
Wrocht be dame Nature, quent, and curiouslie.

Depaynt with mony hundreth heuinlie hewis,
Glaid of the rysing of thare royall Roye,
With blomes breckand on the tender bewis;
Quhilk did prouoke myne hart tyl natural Ioye.
Neptune, that day, and Eoll held thame coye,
That men on far mycht heir the birdis sounde,
Quhose noyis did to the sterrye heuin redounde;

204

The plesand Powne, prunȝeand his feddrem fair;
The myrthfull Maues maid gret melodie;
The lustye Lark ascending in the air,
Numerand hir naturall notis craftelye;
The gay Goldspink; the Merll rycht myrralye.
The noyis of the nobyll Nychtingalis
Redundit throuch the montans, meids, and valis.

Contempling this melodious armonye,
Quhov euerilke bird drest thame for tyl aduance,
To saluss Nature with thare melodye,
That I stude gasing, halflingis in ane trance,
To heir thame mak thare naturall obseruance
So royallie that all the roches rang
Throuch repercussioun of thare suggurit sang.

I lose my tyme, allace, for to rehers
Sick vnfrutful and vaine discriptioun,
Or wrytt, in to my raggit rurall vers,
Mater without edificatioun;
Consydering quhov that myne intentioun
Bene tyll deplore the mortall misereis,
With continuall, cairfull calamiteis

Consisting in this wracheit vaill of sorrow.
Bot sad sentence sulde haue ane sad indyte,
So termes brycht I lyste nocht for to borrow.
Off murnyng mater men hes no delyte:
With roustye termes, tharefor, wyl I wryte,
With sorrowful seychis ascending frome the splene,
And bitter teris distellyng frome myne eine,

Withoute ony vaine inuocatioun
To Minerua or to Melpominee.
Nor ȝitt wyll I mak supplicatioun,
For help, to Cleo nor Caliopee:
Sick marde Musis may mak me no supplee.
Proserpyne I refuse, and Apollo,
And rycht so Ewterp, Iupiter, and Iuno,

205

Quhilkis bene to plesand Poetis conforting.
Quharefor, because I am nocht one of tho,
I do desyre of thame no supporting.
For I did neuer sleip on Pernaso,
As did the Poetis of lang tyme ago,
And, speciallie, the ornate Ennius;
Nor drank I neuer, with Hysiodus,

Off Grece the perfyte poet souerane,
Off Hylicon, the sors of Eloquence,
Off that mellifluus, famous, fresche fontane:
Quharefor I awe to thame no reuerence.
I purpose nocht to mak obedience
To sic mischeand Musis nor malmontrye
Afore tyme vsit in to poetrye.

Raueand Rhammusia, goddes of dispyte,
Mycht be to me ane Muse rycht conuenabyll,
Gyff I desyrit sic help for tyll indyte
This murnyng mater, mad and miserabyll.
I mon go seik ane muse more confortabyl,
And sic vaine superstitioun to refuse,
Beseikand the gret God to be my muse,

Be quhose wysdome al maner of thing bene wrocht,

Genes. i.

The heych heuinnis, with all thair ornamentis,
And without mater maid all thing of nocht,
Hell in myd Centir of the Elementis.
That heuinlye Muse to seik my hole intent is,

iii. Re. iii.

The quhilk gaif sapience to king Salomone,

Psalme. lxxxix.

To Dauid grace, strenth to the strang Sampsone,

Iuges xiii.

And of pure Peter maid ane prudent precheour,

Mat. iiii.

And, be the power of his deitee,
Off creuell Paule he maid ane cunnyng techeour.

Actis. ix.

I mon beseik, rycht lawly on my knee,
His heych superexcellent Maiestie,
That with his heuinlye spreit he me inspyre
To wrytt no thyng contrarye his disyre.

206

Luc. i.

Beseikand als his Souerane Sonne, Iesu,
Quhilk wes consauit be the holy spreit,
Incarnat of the purifyit Uirgin trev,
In to the quhome the Prophicie was compleit,
That Prince of peace, moist humyll & mansweit,

Luc. xxiii.

Quhilk onder Pylate sufferit passioun,
Upone the Croce, for our saluatioun.

And be that creuell deith intollerabyll
Lowsit we wer frome bandis of Balyall;
And, mairattouir, it wes so proffitabyll
That to this hour come neuir man, nor sall,
To the tryumphant ioye Imperiall

Hebr. ix.

Off lyfe, quhowbeit that thay war neuer sa gude,
Bot be the vertew of that precious blude.

Quharefor, in steid of the mont Pernaso,
Swyftlie I sall go seik my Souerane.
To Mont Caluare the straucht waye mon I go,
To gett ane taist of that moist fresche fontane.
That sors to seik my hart may nocht refrane,
Off Hylicone, quhilk wes boith deip and wyde,

Iho. xix.

That Longeous did graue in tyll his syde.

From that fresche fontane sprang a famous flude,
Quhilk redolent Reuer throuch the warld ȝit rynnis,
As christall cleir, and mixit bene with blude;
Quhose sound abufe the heyest heuinnis dinnis,
All faithfull peple purgeing frome thare synnis.
Quharefor I sall beseik his Excellence
To grant me grace, wysedome, and Eloquence,

And bayth me with those dulce & balmy strandis
Quhilk on the Croce did spedalie out spryng,
Frome his moste tender feit and heuinly handis,
And grant me grace to wrytt nor dyte no thyng
Bot tyll his heych honour and loude louyng;
But quhose support thare may na gud be wrocht
Tyll his plesure, gude workis, word, nor thocht.

207

Tharefor, O Lorde, I pray thy Maiestie,
As thov did schaw thy heych power Diuyne
First planelie in the Cane of Galelee,
Quhare thov conuertit cauld watter in wyne,

Ihon. ii.

Conuoye my mater tyll ane fructuous fyne,
And saue my sayingis baith frome schame and syn.
Tak tent: for now I purpose to begyn.

FINIS. HEIR ENDIS THE PROLOGE, AND BEGINNIS THE MATER.

THE FIRST BVKE OF THE MONARCHE.

Into that Park I sawe appeir
One ageit man, quhilk drew me neir,
Quhose beird wes weil thre quarter[is] lang.
His hair doun ouer his schulders hang,
The quhilk as ony snaw wes quhyte;
Quhome to behald I thocht delyte.
His habitt Angellyke of hew,
Off culloure lyke the Sapheir blew.
Onder ane Hollyng he reposit,
Off quhose presens I was reiosit.
I did hym saluss reuerendlye;
So did he me, rycht courteslye.
To sitt down he requeistit me,
Onder the schaddow of that tre,
To saif me frome the Sonnis heit,
Amangis the flowris softe and sweit,
For I wes werye for walking.
Than we began to fall in talking:
I sperit his name with reuerence.

I am (said he) Experience.

208

COUR[TIOUR].
Than, Schir (said I) ȝe can nocht faill
To gyff ane desolate man counsaill.
Ȝe do appeir ane man of faime;
And, sen Experience bene ȝour name,
I praye ȝow, Father venerabyll,
Geue me sum counsell confortabyll.

EXPE[RIENCE].
Quhate bene (quod he) thy vocatioun,
Makand sic supplycatioun?

COUR[TIOUR].
I haif (quod I) bene, to this hour,
Sen I could ryde, one Courtiour.
Bot now, Father, I thynk it best,
With ȝour counsell, to leif in rest,
And frome thyne furth to tak myne eais,
And quyetlie my God to pleais,
And renunce Curiositie,
Leueyng the Court, and lerne to de.
Oft haue I salit ouer the strandis,
And traualit throuch diuers landis,
Boith south, and north, and est, and west;
Ȝitt can I neuer fynd quhare rest
Doith mak his habitatioun,
Withoute ȝour supportatioun.
Quhen I beleif to be best easit,
Most suddantlye I am displeasit;
Frome trubbyll quhen I fastast fle,
Than fynd I most aduersate.
Schaw me, I pray ȝow hartfullye,
Quhow I may leif most plesandlye,
To serue my God, of kyngis Kyng,
Sen I am tyrit for trauellyng.

209

And lerne me for to be content
Off quyet lyfe and sobir rent,
That I may thank the kyng of glore,
As thocht I had ane Mylȝeoun more.
Sen euerilk Court bene variant,
Full of Inuy, and inconstant,
Mycht I, but trubbyll, leif in rest
Now in my aige, I thynk it best.

EXPE[RIENCE].
Thow art ane gret fuill, Sonne (said he);
Thynk to desyre quhilk may nocht be,
Ȝarnyng to haue prerogatyue
Aboue all Creature on lyfe?
Sen Father Adam creat bene
In to the Campe of Damassene,
Mycht no man say, on to this hour,
That euer he fand perfyte plesour,
Nor neuer sall, tyll that he se
God in his Diuyne Maiestie:
Quharefore prepair the for trauell,
Sen mennis lyfe bene bot battell.

Job. vii.

All men begynnis for tyll de
The day of thare Natiuite,
And Iournelly thay do proceid
Tyll Atrops cute the fatell threid;
And, in the breif tyme that thay haue
Betuix thare byrth on to thare graue,
Thow seis quhat mutabiliteis,
Quhat miserabyll Calamiteis,
Quhat trubbyll, trauell, and debait
Seis thow in euere mortall stait.
Begyn at pure lawe Creaturis,
Ascending, syne, to Synaturis,
To gret Princis and Potestatis,
Thow sall nocht fynd, in non estatis,
Sen the begynning, gennerallie,

210

Nor in our tyme now, speciallie,
Bot tiddious, restles besynes,
But ony maner of sickarnes.

COUR[TIOUR].
Prudent Father (quod I) allace,
Ȝe tell to me one cairfull cace.
Ȝe say that no man, to this hour,
Hes found in erth perfyte plesour
Without infortunat variance.
Sen we bene thrall to sic myschance,
Quhy do we set so our Intentis
On Ryches, Dignitie, and Rentis?
Sen in the erth bene no man sure
One day but trubbyll tyll Indure;
And, werst of all, quhen we leist wene,
The creuell deith we mon sustene.
Geue I ȝour Fatherheid durste demand,
The cause I wald faine vnderstand.
And als, Father, I ȝow Implore,
Schaw me sum trubbyll gone afore,
That, heryng vtheris Indigence,
I may the more haif patience.
Marrowis in trybulatioun
Bene Wracheis consolatioun.

EXPE[RIENCE].
Quod he: efter my small cunnyng
To the I sall mak answeryng.
Bot, Ordourlie for to begyn,
This Misarie procedis of Syn.
Bot it wer lang for to defyn it
Quhow all men ar to Syn Inclynit.
Quhen Syn aboundantlye doith ryng,
Iustly God makith punyssing:
Quharefore gret God in to his handis,

211

To dant the warld, hes diuers wandis.
Efter our euyll conditioun
He makis on ws punytioun,
With hunger, darth, and Indigens;
Sum tyme, gret plagis and pestilens,
And sum tyme with his bludy wand,
Throw creuell weir be sey and land:
Concludyng, all our misarie
Proceidis of Syn, alluterlie.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (quod I) declare to me
The cause of this Fragyllitie,
That we bene all to Syn inclynde,
In werk, in word, and in our mynde.
I wald the veritie wer schawin,
Quho hes this seid amang ws sawin,
And quhy we ar condampnit to dede,
And quhow that we may get remede.

EXPE[RIENCE].

(Quod he) the Scripture hes concludit
Men frome felicitite wer denudit
Be Adam, our Progenitour,
Umquhyle of Paradyse possessour,

Gen. iii.

Be quhose most wylfull arrogance
Wes Mankynd brocht to this myschance.
Quhen he wes Inobedient,
In breking Godis commandiment.
Be solystatioun of his wyfe
He loste that heuinlye plesand lyfe.
Etand of the forbiddin tre,
Thare began all our miserrie.
So Adam wes cause Radicall

Rom. v.

That we bene fragyll Synnaris, all.

212

Adam brocht in this Natioun
Syn, Deith, and als Dampnatioun.

i Ioh. i.

Quho wyll say he is no Synnar,
Christ sayis he is ane gret lear.
Mankynde sprang furth of Adamis Loynis.
And tuke of hym flesche, blude, and bonis,
And so, efter his qualytie,
All ar Inclynit Synnaris to be.

Bot ȝit, my Sonne, dispare thow nocht;
For God, that all the warld hes wrocht,
Hes maid ane Souerane remede,
To saif ws boith frome syn and dede,
And frome etarne dampnatioun.
Tharefore tak consolatioun,
For God, as Scripture doith recorde,
Haueyng of man Misericorde
Send doun his onelye Sonne, Iesu,
Quhilk lychtit in one Uirgin trew,
And cled his heych Diuynitie
With our pure vyle Humanytie;
Syne frome our synnis, to conclude,

Apocal. ii.

He wysche ws with his precious blude.

Rom. v.

Quhowbeit throw Adam we mon dee,
Throuch that Lord we sall rasit bee,

Hebre. x.

And euerilk man he sall releue
Quhilk in his blude doith ferme beleue,
And bryng ws all vnto his glore,
The quhilk throw Adam bene forlore,
Without that we, throw laik of faith,
Off his Godheid incur the wraith.
But quho in Christ fermely beleuis

Ioh. iii. 5.

Sall be releuit frome all myscheuis.

COUR[TIOUR].
Quhat faith is that that ȝe call ferme?
Schir, gar me vnderstand that terme.

213

EXPE[RIENCE].
Faith without Hope and Charitie

Hebr. xi.

Aualit nocht, my Sonne (said he).

COUR[TIOUR].
Quhat Charite bene, that wald I knaw.

EXPE[RIENCE].

Quod he: my Sonne, that sall I schaw,
First, lufe thy God aboue all thyng,

1 Corin. xiii.

And thy Nychtbour but fenȝeyng.
Do none Iniure nor villanie,
Bot as thow wald wer done to the.
Quyk faith but cheretabyll werkis

Iaco. ii.

Can neuer be, as wryttis Clerkis,
More than the fyre, in tyll his mycht,
Can be but heit, nor Sonne but lycht.
Geue charitie in to the failis,
Thy Faith nor Hope no thyng auailis.
The Deuyll hes Faith, and trymlis for dreid,
Bot he wantis Hope and lufe in deid.
Do all the gude that may be wrocht,
But charitie, all auailis nocht.
Quharefore pray to the Trinite
For tyll support thy Charite.

Now haue I schawin the, as I can,
Quhow Father Adam, the first man,
Brocht in the warld boith Syn and Dede,
And quhow Christ Iesu maid remede,
Quhilk, on the day of Iugement,
Sall ws delyuer frome torment,
And bryng ws to his lestyng glore,
Quhilk sall indure for euer more.
Bot in this warld thow gettis no rest,
I mak it to the manifest.

214

Tharefore, my Sonne, be diligent,
And lerne for to be patient,
And in to God sett all thy traist:
All thyng sall than cum for the best.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, I thank ȝow hartfullye
Off ȝour conforte and cumpanye,
And heuinlye consolatioun;
Makand ȝow supplicatioun,
Geue I durst put ȝow to sic pyne,
That ȝe wald pleis for to defyne,
And gar me cleirlye vnderstand,
Quhow Adam brak the Lordis command,
And quhow, throw his transgressioun,
War punyst his Successioun.

EXPE[RIENCE].
My Sonne (quod he) wald thow tak cure
To luke on the Diuyne Scripture,
In to the Buke of Genesis
That storye thare thow sall nocht mis.
And alswa syndrie cunnyng Clerkis
Hes done rehers, in to thare werkis,
Off Adamis fall full Ornatly,
Ane thousand tymes better nor I
Can wrytt of that vnhappy man.
Bot I sall do the best I can,
Schortlie to schaw that cairfull cace,
With the support of Goddis grace.

215

ANE EXCLAMATIOUN TO THE REDAR, TWYCHEYNG THE WRYTTYNG OF UULGARE AND MATERNALL LANGUAGE.

Gentyl Redar, haif at me non dispyte,
Thynkand that I presumptuously pretend,
In vulgair toung, so heych mater to writ;
Bot quhair I mys I pray the till amend.
Tyll vnlernit I wald the cause wer kend
Off our most miserabyll trauell and torment,
And quhow, in erth, no place bene parmanent.

Quhowbeit that diuers deuote cunnyng Clerkis
In Latyne toung hes wryttin syndrie bukis,
Our vnlernit knawis lytill of thare werkis,
More than thay do the rauyng of the Rukis.
Quharefore to Colȝearis, Cairtaris, & to Cukis,
To Iok and Thome, my Ryme sall be diractit,
With cunnyng men quhowbeit it wylbe lactit.

Thocht euery Commoun may nocht be one Clerk,
Nor hes no Leid except thare toung maternall,
Quhy suld of god the maruellous heuinly werk
Be hid frome thame? I thynk it nocht fraternall.
The father of heuin, quhilk wes & is Eternall,
To Moyses gaif the Law, on mont Senay,

Exo. xx.

Nocht in to Greik nor Latyne, I heir say.

He wrait the Law, in Tablis hard of stone,
In thare awin vulgare language of Hebrew,
That all the bairnis of Israell, euery one,
Mycht knaw the law, and so the sam ensew.

216

Had he done wryt in Latyne or in Grew,
It had to thame bene bot ane sawrles Iest:
Ȝe may weill wytt God wrocht all for the best.

Arristotyll nor Plato, I heir sane,
Wrait nocht thare hie Philosophie naturall
In Duche, nor Dence, nor toung Italiane,
Bot in thare most ornate toung maternall,
Quhose fame and name doith ryng perpetuall.
Famous Uirgill, the Prince of Poetrie,
Nor Cicero, the flour of Oratrie,

Wrait nocht in Caldye language, nor in Grew,
Nor ȝit in to the language Saraȝene,
Nor in the naturall language of Hebrew,
Bot in the Romane toung, as may be sene,
Quhilk wes thair proper language, as I wene.
Quhen Romanis rang Dominatoris in deid,
The Ornat Latyne wes thare propir leid.

In the mene tyme, quhen that thir bauld Romance
Ouer all the warld had the Dominioun,
Maid Latyne Scolis, thare glore for tyll auance,
That thare language mycht be ouer all commoun,
To that intent, be my Opinioun,
Traistyng that thare Impyre sulde ay Indure:
Bot of fortune alway thay wer nocht sure.

Gene. xi.

Off Languagis the first Diuersytie
Wes maid be Goddis Maledictioun.
Quhen Babilone wes beildit in calde,
Those beildaris gat none vther afflictioun:
Affore the tyme of that punyssioun
Wes bot one toung, quhilk Adam spak hym self,
Quhare now of toungis thare bene thre score and twelf.

Nochtwithstandyng, I thynk it gret plesour,
Quhare cunnyng men hes languagis anew,

217

That, in thare ȝouth, be deligent laubour,
Hes leirnit Latyne, Greik, and ald Hebrew.
That I am nocht of that sorte sore I rew:
Quharefore I wald all bukis necessare
For our faith wer in tyll our toung vulgare.

Christ, efter his glorious Ascentioun,

Actis. ii.

Tyll his Disciplis send the holy Spreit
In toungis of fyre, to that intentioun,
Thay, beand of all languagis repleit,
Throuch all the warld, with wordis fair and sweit,
Tyll euery man the faith thay suld furth schaw
In thare awin leid, delyuerand thame the Law.

Tharefore I thynk one gret dirisioun
To heir thir Nunnis & Systeris nycht and day
Syngand and sayand psalmes and orisoun,
Nocht vnderstandyng quhat thay syng nor say,
Bot lyke one stirlyng or ane Papingay,
Quhilk leirnit ar to speik be lang vsage:
Thame I compair to byrdis in ane cage.

Rycht so Childreyng, and Ladyis of honouris,
Prayis in Latyne, to thame ane vncuth leid,
Mumland thair matynis, euinsang, & thare houris,
Thare Pater Noster, Aue, and thare Creid.
It wer als plesand to thare spreit, in deid,
God haue mercy on me, for to say thus,
As to say Miserere Mei, Deus.

Sanct Ierome in his propir toung Romane
The Law of God he trewlie did translait,
Out of Hebrew and Greik, in Latyne plane,
Quhilk has bene hid frome ws lang tyme, god wait,
Onto this tyme: bot, efter myne consait,
Had Sanct Ierome bene borne in tyll Argyle,
In to Yrische toung his bukis had done compyle.

218

1 Cor. xiiii.

Prudent sanct Paull doith mak narratioun
Twycheyng the diuers leid of euery land,
Sayand thare bene more edificatioun
In fyue wordis that folk doith vnderstand,
Nor to pronunce of wordis ten thousand
In strange langage, sine wait not quhat it menis:
I thynk sic pattryng is not worth twa prenis.

Unlernit peple, on the holy day,
Solemnitlye thay heir the Euangell soung,
Nocht knawyng quhat the preist dois sing nor say,
Bot as ane Bell quhen that thay heir it roung.
Ȝit, wald the Preistis in to thare mother toung
Pas to the Pulpitt, and that doctryne declare
Tyll lawid pepyll, it wer more necessare.

I wald Prelattis and Doctouris of the Law
With ws lawid peple wer nocht discontent,
Thocht we in to our vulgare toung did knaw
Off Christ Iesu the lyfe and Testament,
And quhow that we sulde keip commandiment.
Bot in our language lat ws pray and reid
Our Pater Noster, Aue, and our Creid.

I wald sum Prince of gret Discretioun
In vulgare language planelye gart translait
The neidfull lawis of this Regioun:
Than wald thare nocht be half so gret debait
Amang ws peple of the law estait.
Geue euery man the veryte did knaw,
We nedit nocht to treit thir men of law.

Tyll do our nychtbour wrang we wald be war,
Gyf we did feir the lawis punysment.
Thare wald nocht be sic brawlyng at the bar,
Nor men of law loup to sic royall rent.
To keip the law gyf all men war content,
And ilk man do as he wald be done to,
The Iugis wald get lytill thyng ado.

219

The Propheit Dauid, Kyng of Israell,
Compyld the plesand Psalmes of the Psaltair
In his awin propir toung, as I heir tell.
And Salamone, quhilk wes his sone and air,
Did mak his buke in tyll his toung vulgare.
Quhy suld nocht thare sayng be tyll ws schawin
In our language? I wald the cause wer knawin.

Lat Doctoris wrytt thare curious questionis,
And argumentis sawin full of Sophistrye,
Thare Logick, and thare heych Opinionis,
Thare dirk Iugementis of Astronomye,
Thare Medecyne, and thare Philosophye;
Latt Poetis schaw thare glorious Ingyne,
As euer thay pleis, in Greik or in Latyne;

Bot lat ws haif the bukis necessare
To commoun weill, and our Saluatioun,
Iustlye translatit in our toung Uulgare.
And als I mak the Supplicatioun,
O gentyll Redar, haif none Indignatioun,
Thynkand I mell me with so hie matair.
Now to my purpose fordwart wyll I fair.

FINIS.

HEIR FOLLOWIS THE CREATIOUN OF ADAM AND EUE.

[EXPERIENCE.]

Qvhen God had maid the heuinis brycht,
The Sone & Mone for to geue lycht,
The sterry heuin & Christellyne,
And, be his Sapience diuyne,

Gene. i.

The planetis, in thair circlis round

220

Quhirling about with merie sound,
Off quhome Phebus was principall,
Iuste in his Lyne Eclipticall,
And gaue, be Diuyne Sapience,
Tyll euery Ster thare Influence,
With motioun continuall,
Quhilk doith indure perpetuall,
And, farrest frome the heuin Impyre,
The erth, the walter, air, and fyre,
He cled the erth with herbis and treis.
All kynd of fysches in the seis,
All kynd of best, he did prepair,
With fowlis fleyng in the air.
Thus, be his word all thyng was wrocht
Without materiall, maid of nocht.
So, be his wysedome Infinyte,
All wes maid plesand and perfyte.

Quhen heuin and erth, and thare contentis,
Wer endit, with thare Ornamentis,
Than, last of all, the Lord began
Off most vyle erth to mak the man.
Nocht of the Lille, nor the Rose,
Nor Syper tre, as I suppose,
Nother of gold, nor precious stonis,
Off erth he maid flesche, blude, and bonis.
To that intent God maid hym thus,
That man sulde nocht be glorious,
Nor in hym self no thyng suld se
Bot matere of humylite.
Quhen man wes maid, as I haue tald,

Gene. ii.

God in his face did hym behald,
Brathand in hym ane lyflie spreit.
Quhen all thir werkis wer compleit,
He maid man, to his simylitude,
Precelland in to pulchritude,
Dotit with gyftis of Nature
Aboue all erthlye creature;
Syne plesandlye did hym conuoye

221

To ane regioun repleit with Ioye,
Off all plesour quhilk bair the pryce,
And callit erthly Paradyce;
And brocht, be Diuyne prouience,
All beistis and byrdis tyll his presence.
Adam did craftelye Impone
Ane speciall name tyll euery one,
And to all thyngis materiall,
He namyt thame in speciall:
Quhow he thame namyt Ȝitt bene kend,
And salbe to the warldlis end.
In to that gardyng of plesance
Two treis grew, most tyll auance,
Aboue all vther quhilk bair the pryce,
In myddis of that Paradyce.
The one wes callit the tre of lyfe,
The vther tre began our stryfe,
The tre to knaw boith gude and euyll,
Quhilk, be perswatioun of the Deuyll,
Began our misarie and wo.
Bot lat ws to our purpose go,

Quhow God gaue Adam strait commande
That tre to twyche nocht with his hand.
All vther fructis of Paradyce
He bad hym eit at his deuyce,
Sayand, gyf thow eit of this tre,
With dowbyll deith than sall thow dee.
Tharefore I the command, be war,
And frome this tree thow stand afar.
Ȝitt Father Adam wes allone,
But cumpanye of ony one.
Than thocht the Lord it Necessare
Tyll hym to Creat ane helpare.

God patt in Adam sic Sapour
That for to sleip he tuke plesour,
And laid hym down apone the grounde.
And quhen Adam wes slepand sounde,
He tuke ane Rib furth of his syde,

222

Syne fyld it vp with flesche and hyde,
And maid ane Woman of that bone:
Fairar of forme wes neuer none.
Than tyll Adam Incontinent
That fair Lady he did present,
Quhilk schortlye said, for to conclude,
Thow art my flesche, my bonis, and blude.
And Uirago he callit hir, than,
Quhilk is, Interpreit, maid of man,
Quhilk Eua efterwart wes namyt,
Quhen, for hir falt, sche wes diffamyt.
Than did the Lord thame Sanctyfie,
Saying Incres and Multyplie.
Be this men suld leif all thare kyn,
And with thare Wyffis mak dwellyn,
And, for thare saik, leif Father and Mother,
And lufe thame best aboue all vther:
For God hes ordanit thame, trewlye,
To be two saulis in one bodye.

My wytt is waik for tyll Indyte
Thare heuinlye plesouris Infinyte.
Wes neuer none erthlye Creature
Sen syne had sic perfyte plesoure.
Thay had puyssance Imperiall
Aboue all thyng materiall.
Als cunnyng Clerkis dois conclude,
Adam preceld in pulchritude
Most Naturall, and the farest man
That euir wes, sen the warld began,
Except Christ Iesu, Goddis Sonne,
To quhome wes no comparisone,
And Eua, the fairest Creature
That euer wes formit be nature.
Thocht thay wer naikit as thay wer maid,
No schame ather of vther haid.
Quhat plesour mycht ane man haif more
Nor haif his Lady hym before,
So lustye, plesand, and perfyte,

223

Reddy to serue his appetyte.
Thay had none vther cure, I wys,
Bot past thare tyme with Ioye and blys.
Wyld Beistis did to thame repair,
So did the Fowlis of the air,
With noyis most Angelycall
Makand thame myrthis Musicall.
The fyschis soumand in the strandis
Wer holelye at thare commandis.
All Creaturis, with ane accorde,
Obeyit hym as thare souerane Lorde.
Thay sufferit nother heit nor cald,
With euery plesour that thay wald.
Als, to the deith thay wer nocht thrall,
And rychtso suld we haue bene all,
For he and all his Successouris
Suld haue possedit those plesouris,
Syne frome that Ioye materiall
Gone to the glore Imperiall.
Thay had, geue I can rycht discryue,
Gret Ioy in all thare wyttis fyue,
In heiryng, seyng, gustyng, smellyng,
Induryng thare delytesum dwellyng:
Heiryng the byrdis armoneis,
Taistyng the fructis of diuers treis,
Smellyng the balmye dulce odouris
Quhilk did proceid frome fragrant flowris,
Seyng so mony heuinlye hewis
Off blomes brekyng on the bewis.
Off twycheyng, als, thay had delyte,
Off vtheris bodeis soft and quhyte.
But doute, Induryng that plesour
Thay luffit vther Paramour.
No maruell bene thocht swa suld be,
Consyderyng thare gret bewte.
Als, God gaue thame command expres
To multyplie and tyll incres,
That thare seid and successioun

224

Mycht pleneis euery Natioun.

I lyst nocht tarye tyll declare
All properteis of that place preclare:
Quhow herbis and treis grew ay grene,
Nor of the temporat air serene;
Quhow fructis Indeficient,
Ay alyke rype and redolent;
Nor of the Fontane, nor the fludis,
Nor of the flowris pulchritudis;
That mater Clerkis dois declare;
Quharefore I speik of thame na mare.
The Scripture makis no mentioun
Quhow lang thay rang in that Regioun.
Bot I beleue the tyme wes schorte,
As diuers Doctouris dois reporte.

FINIS.

OF THE MISERABYLL TRANSGRESSIOUN OF ADAM.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, Hov happinnit the mischance?
(Quod I) schaw me the circumstance,
Declaryng me that cairfull cace,
Quhow Adam lost that plesand place
Frome hym and his Successioun.
Quhow did proceid that transgressioun?

EXPE[RIENCE].

(Quod he) efter my rude Ingyne
I sall rehers the that rewyne.
Quhen God, the Plasmatour of all,
In to the heuin Imperiall

225

Did Creat all the Angellis brycht,
He maid one Angell most of mycht,
To quhome he gaif preheminence,
Aboue thame all, in sapience.
Because all vther he did prefer,
Namit he wes brycht Lucefer.
He wes so plesand and so fair,
He thocht hym self without compair,
And grew so gay and glorious,
He gan to be presumptuous,
And thocht that he wald sett his sait
In to the north, and mak debait
Agane the Maiestie Diuyne,
Quhilk wes the cause of his rewyne.
For he incurrit Goddis Yre,
And banyst frome the heuin Impyre
With Angellis mony one Legioun,
Quhilkis wer of his opinioun.
Innumerabyll with hym thare fell.
Sum lychtit in the lawest hell,
Sum in the sey did mak repair,
Sum in the erth, sum in the air.
That most vnhappy cumpanye
Att Father Adam had Inuye,
Parsaueyng Adam and his seid
In to thare places to succeid.
The Serpent wes the subtellest

Gene. iii.

Aboue all beistis, and craftyest.
Than Sathan, with ane fals intent,
Did enter in to that Serpent,
Imagenyng sum craftye wyle,
Quhow he mycht Adam best begyle,
And gar hym brek commandiment.
Bot to the woman first he went;
Traistyng the better to preuaill,
Full subtellye did hir assaill.
With facund wordis, fals and fair,
He grew with hir familiair,

226

That he his purpose mycht auance;
Beleuand in hir Inconstance.

Quhat is the cause, Madame (said he)
That ȝe forbeir ȝone plesand tre,
Quhilk bene, but peir, most pretious,
Quhose fruct bene moste delytious?
I Nyll (quod sche) thare to accord.
We ar forbyddin be the Lord,
The quhilk hes geuin ws lybertie
Tyll eait of euery fruct and tre
Quhilk growis in to Paradyse:
Brek we command, we ar nocht wyse.
He gaue tyll ws ane strait command
That tre to twyche nocht with our hand.
Eit we of it, without remede,
He said but dout we sulde be dede.
Beleue nocht that (said the Serpent)
Eit ȝe of it Incontinent.
Repleit ȝe sall be with Science,
And haif perfyte Intelligence,
Lyke God hym self, of euyll and gude.
Than, haistellye for to conclude,
Heiryng of this prerogatyue,
Sche pullit doun the fruct belyue,
Throw counsall of the fals Serpent,
And eit of it, to that intent,
And patt hir Husband in beleue,
That plesand fruct gyf he wald preue,
That he suld be als Sapient
As the gret God Omnipotent.
Thynk ȝe nocht that ane plesand thyng,
That we, lyke God, suld euer ryng?
He, herand this Narratioun,
And be hir solistatioun,
Mouit be prydefull ambitioun,
He eit, on that conditioun.
The principall poyntis of this offence
War pryde and Inobedience,

227

Desyring for to be Equall
To God, the Creature of all.
Allace, Adam, quhy did thow so?
Quhy causit thow this mortall wo?
Had thow bene constant, firme, and stabyll,
Thy glore had bene Incomparabyll.
Quhare wes thy consyderatioun,
Quhilk had the Dominatioun
Off euery leuyng Creature
That God had formit be Nature,
Tyll vse thame at thy awin deuyse?
Wes thow nocht prince of Paradyse?
Wes neuer man, sen syne, on lyue,
That God gaue sic Prerogatyue.
He gaif the strenth aboue Sampsone,
And sapience more than Salomone.
Ȝoung Absolone, in his tyme moste fair,
To thy bewte wes no compair.
Arestotyll thow did precell
In to Phylosophie naturell.
Uirgill, in tyll his Poetrye,
Nor Cicero, in tyll Oratrye,
War neuer half so Eloquent.
Quhy brak thow Goddis commandiment?
Quhare wes thy wytt, that wald nocht flee
Far frome the presens of that tree?
Gaif nocht thy Maker the fre wyll
To take the gude and leif the euyll?
Quhow mycht thy forfalt be excusit,
That Goddis commandiment refusit,
Throuch thy wyffis perswasioun?
Quhilk hes bene the occasioun,
Sen syne, that mony nobyll men,
Be the euyll counsall of wemen,
Alluterlye distroyit bene,
As in the Storeis may be sene,
Quhilk now we neid nocht tyll declair,
Bot fordwart tyll our purpose fair.

228

Quhen thay had eaitin of the frute,
Off Ioye than wer thay destitute.
Than gan thay boith for to thynk schame,
And to be naikit thocht defame,
And maid thame Breikis of leuis grene,
That thair secreitis suld nocht be sene.
Bot in the stait of Innocence
Thay had none sic experience,
Bot, quhen thay war to Syn subiectit,
To schame and dreid thay war coactit.
And in ane busk thay hid thame cloce,
Aschamit of the Lordis voce,
Quhilk callit Adam be his name.
(Quod he) my Lord, I thynk gret schame
Naikit to cum to thy presence.
Thow had none sic experience,
Quod God, quhen thow wes Innocent.
Quhy brake thow my commandiment?
Allace (quod Adam) to the Lorde,
The veritie I sall recorde:
This woman that thow gaif to me
Gart me eit of ȝone plesand tre.
Rychtso the woman hir excusit,
And said: the Serpent me abusit.
Than to the Serpent God said thus:
O thow Dissauer venimous,
Because the woman thow begylit,
Frome thyne furth sall thow be exylit.
Curst and waryit sall thow be;
So sall thy seid be, efter the:
Cauld erth salbe thy fude, also,
And creipand on thy breist sall go.
Als, I sall putt Inamite
Betuix the woman, euer, and the.
Betuix thy seid and womanis seid
Salbe continuall mortall feid.
Quhowbeit thow hes wrocht thir myscheuis,
It sall nocht be as thow beleuis.

229

Sic seid salbe in woman sawin,
That thy power salbe doun thrawin,
Treddyng thy heid that thow may feill,
And thow sall tred hym on the heill.
This was his promys and menyng,
That the Immaculat Uirgyng
Sulbe beir the Prince Omnipotent,
Quhilk suld tred doun that fals Serpent,
Sathan, and all his companye,
And thame confunde alluterlye.

COUR[TIOUR].
Quod I: geue Sathan, prince of hell,
Spak in the Serpent, as ȝe tell,
And beistis can no way syn at all,
Quhy wes the Serpent maid so thrall?
I heir men say, affore that hour
The Serpent had ane fair figour,
And ȝeid straucht vp vpone his feit,
And had his membris all compleit,
As vtheris beistis vpone the bent.

EXPE[RIENCE].

(Quod he) for he wes Instrument
To Sathan, in this Miserie,
Puneist he wes, as ȝe may se.
As, be experience, thow may knaw,
Expres in to the commoun Law,
Ane man conuickit for bewgrye,
The beist is brynt als weill as he,
Quhowbeit the beist be Innocent:
And so befell of the Serpent.
It was the Feynd, full of dispyte,
Off Adamis fall quhilk had the wyte,
As he hes had of mony mo:
Bot tyll our purpose lat ws go.

230

Than to the woman, for hir offence,
God did pronunce this sore sentence.
All plesour that thow had afforrow
Sall cheangit be in lestyng sorrow.
Quhare that thow suld, with myrth and Ioy,
Haue borne thy byrth, butt pane or noy,
Now all thy bairnis sall thow bair
With dolour and continuall cair.
And thow salbe, for oucht thow can,
Euer subiectit to the man.

Be this sentence God did conclude
Wemen frome lybertie denude,
Quhilk, be experience, ȝe may se,
Quhow Quenis of moste hie degre
Ar vnder moste subiectioun,
And sufferis moste correctioun.
For thay, lyke byrdis in tyll ane cage,
Ar keipit ay vnder thirlage.
So all wemen, in thare degre,
Suld to thare men subiectit be.
Quhowbeit, sum ȝit wyll stryue for stait,
And for the maistrye mak debait,
Quhilk gyf thay want, boith ewin and morrow
Thare men wyll suffer mekle sorrow.
Off Eue thay tak that qualite,
To desyre Soueranite.

And than tyll Adam said the Lord:
Because that thow hes done accord
Thy wyll, and harknit to thy wyfe,
Now sall thow lose this plesand lyfe.
Thow wes tyll hir obedient,
Bot thow brake my commandiment.
Curste and baren the erth salbe
Quhare euer thow gois, tyll that thow de.
But laubour, it sall beir no corne,
Bot Thirsyll, Nettyll, Breir, and Thorne.
For fude thow gettis none vther beild,
Bot eait the herbis apone the feild.

231

Sore laubouryng, tyll thy browis sweit,
Frome thyne furth sall thow wyn thy meit.
I maid the of the erth, certane,
And thow in erth sall turne agane.
Than maid he thame Abilȝement,
Off skynnis ane raggit rayment,
Thame to preserue frome heit and cauld.
Than grew thare dolour mony fauld.
Now, Adam, ar ȝe lyke tyll ws,
With ȝour gay garment glorious:
To thame thir wordis said the Lorde.
Than cryit thay boith Misericorde,
Quhen frome that Garth, with hartis sore,
Baneist thay wer, for euer more,
On to this wracheit vaill of sorrow,
With daylie laubour, ewin and morrow.
Efter quhose dolorous departyng,
The Lorde gaue Paradyce in kepyng
Tyll ane Angell of Ierubin,
That none suld haue entres thare in.
Att the quhilk entres he did stand,
With flammand fyrie sweird in hand,
To keip that Adam and his wyfe
Sulde nocht taist of the tre of lyfe.
For, geue thay of that tre had preuit,
Perpetuallye thay mycht haue leuit.
So Adam and his Successioun
Off Paradyce tynt possessioun,
And, be this syn Originall,
War men to Miserie maid thrall.
My Sonne, now may thow cleirly se,
This warld began with misere.
With miserie it doith proceid,
Quhose fyne sall dolour be and dreid.

232

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (quod I) quhat kynd of lyfe
Led Adam with his lustye wyfe,
Efter thare bailfull banesyng?

EXPE[RIENCE].
(Quod he) continuall womentyng.
My hart hes ȝitt compassioun,
Quhow thay went wandryng vp and doun,
Weipyng, with mony lowde allace,
That thay had lost that plesand place,
In wyldernes to be exilde,
Quhare thay fand nocht bot beistis wylde,
Manesyng thame for tyll deuore,
Quhilkis all obedient war affore.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (quod I) in quhat countre
Did leif Adam, efter that he
Was banesit frome that delyte?

EXPE[RIENCE].
Clerkis (quod he) hes put in wryte
Quhow Adam dwelt, with mekle baill,
In Mamber, in that lusty vaill
Quhilk efter was the Iowis land,
Quhare ȝit his Sepulture dois stand.

Gene. iiii.

I lyste nocht tary tyll discryue
The wo of Adam nor his wyue.
Nor tell quhen thay had Sonnis two,
Cayn and Abell, and no mo.
Nor quhow curst Cayn, for Inuy,
Did slay his Brother creuelly.
Nor of thare murnyng, nor thare mone,
Quhen thay but Sonnis wer left allone;

233

Abell lay slane vpone the ground,
Curst Cayn flemit and Uacabound.
Nor quhow God, of his speciall grace,
Send thame the thrid Sonne, fair of face,
Most lyke Adam of flesche and blude,
Seth was his name, gratious and gude.
Nor quhow blynd Lameth, raikleslye,
Did slay Cayn, vnhappelye.
Adam, as Clerkis dois discriue,
Begat with Eue, his wofull wyue,
Off men Childryng thretty and two,
And of Dochteris alyke also.
Be this thow may weill vnderstand,
That Adam saw mony ane thowsand
That of his body did discend,
Or he out of the warld did wend.
Adam leifit in erth, but weir,

Gene. v.

Compleit nyne hundreth and thretty ȝeir,
And all his dayis war bot sorrow,
Rememberyng, boith ewin and morrow,
Off Paradyce the prosperitie,
Syne of his gret miseritie.
His hart mycht neuer be reiosit,
Remembryng quhow the heuin wes closit
Frome hym and his successioun,
And that, be his transgressioun.
Efter his deith, as I heir tell,
His Saul discendit to the hell,
And thare remanit presoneir,
In that Dungeoun, thre thousand ȝeir
And more, so did boith euyll and gude,
Tyll Christ for thame had sched his blude.
Than, be that most precious ransoun,
Thay wer delyuerit of presoun.
I haue declarit now, as I can,
The miserie of the first man.

FINIS.

234

HEIR FOLLOWIS QUHOV GOD DISTROYIT ALL LEUEAND CREATURE IN ERTH, FOR SYN, AND DROWNIT THAME, BE ANE TERRIBYLL FLUDE, IN THE TYME OF NOYE.

COUR[TIOUR].
Prvdent Father Experience,
Declare to me, or ȝe go hence,
Quhat wes the cause God did distroye
All Creature, in the tyme of Noye.

EXPE[RIENCE].
(Quod he) I trymmyll for to tell,
That Infortune, quhow it befell,
The cause bene so abhominabyll,
And the mater so miserabyll.
Bot, for to schaw the Circumstance,
Manefestlye, of that myschance,
First I mon gar the vnderstand

Gene. vi.

Quhow Adam gaif expresse command
That those quhilkis come of Sethis blude,
Because thay wer gratious and gude,
Suld nocht contract with Cainnis kyn,
Quhilkis wer Inclynit, all, to Syn.
Tyll obserue that commandiment,
Cain past in the Orient,
With his wyfe, callit Calmana,
Quhilk was his awin Syster alswa,
Quhare his offspryng did lang remane,
Besyde the Montane of Tarbane.
And Seth did lang tyme lede his lyfe
With Delbora, his prudent wyfe,

235

Quhilk wes his Syster, gude and fair;
In Damassene maid thare repair.
In that countre of Sethis clan
Discendit mony holy man.
So lang as Adam wes leueand,
The peple did obserue command.
Quhen he wes dede, and laid in ground,
And peple greitly did abound,
And Cayn slane, as I haue schawin,
And Sethis dayis all ouer blawin,
The Sonnis than of Sethis blude,
Seand the plesand pulchritude
Off the Ladyis of Caynnis kyn,
Quhowbeit thay knew weill it wes Syn,
Opprest with sensuall lustis rage,
Did tak thame in to Mariage,
And so corruptit wes that blude,
The gude with euyll, and euyll with gude.
Than, as the peple did incres,
Thay did abound in wickitnes,
As holy Scripture dois rehers:
Quhilk I abhor to putt in vers,
Or tell with toung I am nocht abyll,
The suthe bene so abhominabyll:
Quhow men and wemen schamefullye
Abusit thame selfis vnnaturallye;
Quhose foull abhominatioun
And vncouthe fornicatioun
I thynk gret schame to putt in wryte.
All that Paull Orose doith indyte,
Quhilk gyf I wald at lenth declair,
It wer yneuch to fyill the air.
Gret Clerkis of Antiquiteis
Hes wryttin mony trew storeis
Quhilkis ar worthy to be commendit,
Quhowbeit thay be nocht comprehendit
At lenth in the Diuyne Scripture.
Bot I sall do my besye cure

236

To tak the best (as I suppose)
That moste pertenis my purpose,
And, with support of Christ, our kyng,
I purpose to confirme no thyng
Off the Auld Hystoricience
Contrarious tyll his excellence.
Quhowbeit, sum mennis Traditionis,
Contrar Chrystis Institutionis,
Off thame thocht sum thyng I declair,
Now latt ws proceid forthermair,
And, with ane Language lamentabyll,
Declare this mater miserabyll.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, the causis wald I knaw
Quhy thay of nature brak the Law.

EXPE[RIENCE].
I traist (quod he) that wyckitnes
Generith, throw sleuthfull ydilnes.
The Deuyll, with all the craft he can,
Quhen he persauis ane ydill man,
Or woman geuin tyll ydilnes,
He gettis eaisalye entres.
And so, be this occasioun,
And be the Feindis perswasioun,
The hole warld, vniuersalye,
Corruptit was alluterlye.

COUR[TIOUR].
Quhat wes the cause thay ydill ware?
That cace (quod I) to me declare.

237

EXPE[RIENCE].

(Quod he) be my Imaginatioun,
For laik of vertuous Occupatioun.
For of Craftis thay had small vsage,
Off Marchandyce, nor lawborage.
The erth than, wes so plentuous
Off fruct and Spyce delicious,
The herbis wer so confortabyll,
Delytesum, and Medicinabyll,
The Fontannis, fresche and redolent,
To laubouryng thay tuke lytill tent.
All maner of beistis, at thare plesour,
Did multyplie, without laubour.
The tyme betuix Adam and Noye
To se the erth it wes gret Ioye,
Plantit with precious treis of pryce.
Four famous Fludis of Paradyce
Ran throw the erth in syndrie partis,
Spreddyng thare branchis in all airtis.
The walter was so strang and fyne,
Thay wald nocht laubour to mak wyne.
The fruct and herbis wer so gude,
Thay maid no cair for vther fude,
And so the peple tuke no cure,
Bot past thare tyme at thare plesure,
Ay fyndand new Inuentionis,
To fulfyll thare Intentionis.
So that the Lord Omnipotent
That he maid man did hym repent,
And schew on tyll his Seruand Noye,
That he wald all the warld distroye,
Except hym self and his Meinȝe.

Allace (quod Noye) quhen sall that be?
Than said the Lord: sen thow so speris,
I sall Prolong sax score of ȝeris,
Tarying vpone thare repentence,
Or I fulfyll my Iust Sentence.

238

In the mene tyme fall thow to warke
Incontinent, and beild ane Arke,
Quhilk Noye began, Obedientlye,
And wrocht on it Continuallye,
And to the peple daylie precheit.
To cry for grace he to thame techeit,
And to thame planelye did declair
That God his wand no more wald spair,
Bot on thame he wald wyrk vengence.
To Noye ȝit gaue thay no credence,
And so thay wer Incounsolabyll,
Usyng thare luste abhominabyll,
And tuke his precheyng in dispyte,
Ay followyng thare foull delyte
More and more, tyll that dulefull day
Quhilk all the warld pat in affray.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, ȝe gart me vnderstand,
Quhen Adam brak the Lordis command,
Tyll agment his afflictioun,
God gaue his Maledictioun
On to the erth, quhilk wes so fair,
That it suld barren be and bair,
And, without laubour, beir no corne,
Nor fruct, bot thirsyll, breir, and thorne.
Now say ȝe, in the tyme of Noye
To se the erth it wes gret Ioye,
Plantit with fructis gude and fair.
The suthe of this to me declair.
Thir sayingis two gar me consydder,
Quhow ȝe mak thame agre to gydder.

239

EXPE[RIENCE].

God maid that promys, sickerlye;
Quhowbeit, it come nocht instantlye,
(Quod he) as Clerkis dois conclude.
Bot efter, quhen the furious Flude
Distroyit the erth alluterlye,
Than come that promys, sickerlye.
Ewin siclyke as God gaue command
Adam to twyche nocht with his hand,
Nor eait of, the forbiddin tree,
Geue he did so, that he sulde dee,
Quhowbeit, he deit nocht, but weir,
Efter that day nyne hundreth ȝeir.
Rychtso, the Propheit Esayas,

Esay. ix.

Speikand of Christ, the gret Messias,
Sayand, the Bairne is tyll ws borne,
To saif mankynd quhilk is forlorne,
As he had bene borne Instantlye.
Ȝit wes he nocht borne, veralye,
Efter that saying mony one ȝeir,
As in the Scripture thow may heir.
Ane thousand ȝeir, quho reknyth rycht,

ii. Pet. iii.

Is bot one hour in Goddis sycht.
Exemplis mony I mycht tell,
Wer it nocht tedious for to dwell.
Tyll our purpose latt ws proceid,
Schawand the heycht, and lenth, and breid,
And qualitie of Noyis Arke,
Quhilk wes ane rycht excellent warke,
Off Pyne tre maid, bound weill about,
Laid ouer with pik, within and out,
Iunit full close with nalis strong,
And wes thre hundreth Cubittis long,
Fifty in breid, thretty in heycht;
Thre Chalmeris, Iunit weill and wycht,
And euerilk loft aboue ane vther,
Withouttin anker, air, or ruther.

240

Ane rycht Cubeit, as I heir tell,
Off misour now mycht be ane ell.
In the myd syde ane dur thare wes,
For Beistis ane easy entres.
This Ark, quhilk was boith lang and lairge,
Maid in the bodum lyke one Bairge,
Couerit with brudis weill abufe,
Moste lyke ane housse with sett on rufe,
Quhose rigyng wes ane Cubeit braid,
Quharein thare wes ane wyndo maid,
Sum sayis, weill closit with Christall cleir,
Quharethrouch the day lycht mycht weil appeir.
This work the more wes to be prysit,
Because be God it was deuysit.

Gene. vii.

The makyng of this Ark, but weir,
Indurit weill ane hundreth ȝeir.

Quhen Noye had done compleit this wark,
God did hym close within the Ark;
With hym, his wyfe, and Sonnis thre,
With thare thre wyfis, but no menȝe.
And of all foulis of the air,
Off euerilk kynd enterit ane pair,
Rychtso, two Beistis of euerilk kynde.
For quhy, it wes the Lordis mynde
That generatioun suld nocht faill.
Quharefor of Fameill and of Maill
Off euerilk kynd wer keipit two.
Bot to rehers myne hart is wo
The dolent Lamentatioun,
That tyme, of euerilk Natioun,
Sayand allace, ane thousand syis,
Quhen wynd and rane began to ryis.
The Roikis with rerd began to ryue,
Quhen vglie cluddis did ouerdryue,
And dirkynnit so the Heuinnis brycht
That Sonne nor Mone mycht schaw no lycht.
The terrabyll trymling of erth quaik
Gart Biggyngis bow, and Cieteis schaik.

241

The thounder raif the cluddis sabyll,
With horrabyll sound appouentabyll.
The fyreflauchtis flew ouerthorte the fellis.
Than wes thare nocht bot ȝowtis and ȝellis,

Quhen thay persauit without remede,
All Creature to suffer dede.
All Fontains frome the erth vp sprang,
And frome the Heuin the rane doun dang
Fourty dayis and fourty nychtis.
Than ran the Peple to the heychtis.
Sum clam in cragis, sum in treis,
And sum to heychast montanis fleis,
With more terrour nor I can tell,
Bot all for nocht: the fludis fell,
And wynd did rowt with sic ane reird
That euerilk wycht waryit his weird,
Cryand, allace, that thay wer borne,
Into that flude to be forlorne.
Men mycht no help mak to thare wyfis,
Nor ȝit support thare bairnis lyfis.
The Fludis rose with so gret mychtis,
That thay ouer couerit all the heychtis.
Thay mycht no more thare lyuis lenth,
Bot swame so lang as thay had strenth,
And so, with cryis Lamentabyll,
Endit thare lyuis Miserabyll.
Aboue montanis that wer moste hie
Fifty Cubitis rose the see.
Men may Imagyne, in thare mynd,
All Creature, in to thare kynd,
Boith Beistis and Foulis in the air,
In thare maneir maid mekle cair.
The Fyschis thocht thame euyll begyld,
Quhen thay swame throuch the woddis wyld;
Quhalis tumbland amang the treis,
Wyld Beistis swomand in the seis.
Byrdis, with mony pietuous pew,
Afferitlye in the air thay flew

242

So lang as thay had strenth to flee,
Syne swatterit doun in to the see.
No thyng in erth wes left on lyue,
Beistis nor Foulis, Man nor Wyue.
God holelye did thame distroye,
Except thame in the Ark, with Noye,
The quhilk lay fleittand on the flude,
Welterand amang the stremes wode,
With mony terrabyll affrayis.
Remanit ane hundreth and fyfty dayis,
In gret langour and heuynes,
Or wynd or rane began to ceis.
Sumtyme effectuouslye prayand,
Sumtyme the Beistis vesiand,
For, be the Lordis commandiment,
He maid prouisioun suffecient.

For Noye dwelt in that Ark, but dout,
Ane ȝeir compleit, or he come out,

Gen. viii.

Quhow, at more lenth in holy wryte
This dulefull storye bene Indyte,
And quhow that Noye gan to reiose,
Quhen Conductis of the heuin did close,
So that the Rane no more discendit,
Nor the flude no more ascendit.
Quhen he persauit the heuinnis cleir,
He send furth Corbe, Messingeir,
In to the Air, for to espy
Geue he saw ony montanis dry.
Sum sayis the Rauin did furth remane,
And come nocht to the Ark agane.
Furth flew the Dow, at Noyis command,
And, quhen scho did persaue dry land,
Off ane Olyue scho brak ane branche,
That Noye mycht knaw the walter stanche,
And thare no more scho did sudiorne,
Bot with the branche scho did returne,
That Noye mycht cleirly vnderstand
That felloun Flude was decressand.

243

And so it did, tyll, at the last,
The Ark vpone the ground stak fast,
On the tope of ane Montane hye,
Into the land of Armanye.
And, quhen that Noye had done espye
Quhow that the erth began to drye,
Than dang he doun the durris all,
And lowsit thame the quhilk wes thrall.
The foulis flew furth in the air,
And all the Beistis, pair and pair,
Past furth to seik thare pastorages.
Thare wes, than, bot aucht Personages,
Noye, his thre Sonnis, and thare wyuis,
On erth that left was with thare lyuis,
Quhome God did blys and Sanctyfie,
Sayand, incres and multyplie.
God wait geue Noye wes blyith and glaid,
Quhen of that presoun he wes fraid.

Quhen Noye had maid his Sacrifyce,
Thankand God of his Benifyce,
He standand on mont Armanye,
Quhare he the countre mycht espye,
Ȝe may beleue his hart was sore,
Seyng the erth, quhilk wes affore
The Flude so plesand and perfyte,
Quhilk to behald wes gret delyte,
That now was barren maid and bair,
Afore quhilk fructuous was and fair.
The plesand treis beryng fructis
Wer lyand rewin vp be the rutis.
The holsum herbis and fragrant flouris
Had tynt boith vertew and cullouris.
The feildis grene and fluryst meidis
Wer spulȝeit of thare plesand weidis.
The erth, quhilk first wes so fair formit,
Wes, be that furious flude, deformit.
Quhare vmquhyle wer the plesand planis,
Wer holkit Glennis and hie montanis.

244

Frome clattryng cragis, gret and gray,
The erth was weschin quyte away.

Bot Noye had gretast displesouris,
Behauldand the dede Creatouris,
Quhilk wes ane sycht rycht Lamentabyll.
Men, Wemen, Beistis Innumerabyll,
Seyng thame ly vpone the landis,
And sum wer fleityng on the strandis.
Quhalis and Monstouris of the seis
Stickit on stobbis, amang the treis,
And, quhen the Flude was decressand,
Thay wer left welteryng on the land.
Affore the Flude duryng that space,
The sey wes all in to ane place.
Rycht so the erth, as bene desydit,
In syndrie partis wes nocht deuydit,
As bene Ewrope and Asia
Deuydit ar frome Africa.
Ȝe se, now, diuers Famous Ilis
Stand frome the mane land mony mylis:
All thir gret Ilis, I vnderstand,
War, than, equall with the ferme land.
Thare wes none sey Mediterrane,
Bot onely the gret Occiane,
Quhilk did nocht spred sic bulryng strandis
As it dois, now, ouirthort the landis.
Than, be the ragyng of that flude,
The erth of vertew wes denude,
The quhilk afore wes to be prysit,
Quhose bewtie than wes dissagysit.
Than wes the Maledictioun knawin
Quhilk wes be God tyll Adam schawin.
I reid quhow Clerkis dois conclude,
Induryng that moste furious flude.
With quhilk the erth wes so supprest,
The wynd blew furth of the southwest.
As may be sene, be experience,
Quhow, throw the watteris violence,
The heych montanis, in euery art,

245

Ar bair forgane the southwest part,
As the Montanis of Parraneis,
The alpis, and Rochis in the seis,
Rycht so, the Rochis, gret and gray,
Quhilk standis into Norroway,
The heychast hyllis, in euery art,
And in Scotland, for the moste part.
Throuch weltryng of that furious flude,
The Cragis of erth war maid denude:
Trauellyng men may consydder best
The montanis bair nyxt the southwest.

COUR[TIOUR].
Declare (quod I) or ȝe conclude,
Quhow lang leuit Noye efter the flude.

EXPE[RIENCE].
(Quod he) in Genesis thow may heir
Quhow that Noye wes sax hundreth ȝeir,
The tyme of this gret punysment,

Gene. ix.

And aye to God obedient,
And wes the best of Sethis blude.
And als he leuit, efter the Flude,
Thre hundreth and fyfty ȝeris,
As the sam scripture wytnes beris,
And wes, or he Randerit the spreit,
Nyne hundreth and fyfty ȝeris compleit.
To schaw this storie Miserabyll
At lenth my wyttis ar nocht abyll.
And als, my Sonne, as I suppose,
It langis nocht tyll our purpose
To schaw quhow Noyis Sonnis thre
Gan to Incres and multyplie,
Nor quhow that Noye plantit the wyne,
And drank tyll he wes dronkin, syne,
And sleipit with his membris bair,
And quhow Cham maid for hym no cair,

246

Bot leuch to se his Father so,
Quhowbeit his Brether wer rycht wo.
Nor quhow Noye, but restrictioun,
Gaue Cham his Maledictioun,
And put hym vnder Seruytude
To Sem and Iaphet, that war gude.
Nor quhow God maid ane conuenent
With Noye, to mak no punysment,
Nor be no Flude the peple droun.
In signe of that conditioun,
His Rane Bow sett in to the air,
Off diuers Heuinlye colouris fair,
For to be ane perpetuall sing
Be Flude to mak no punyssing.
This Story geue thow lyste to knaw,
At lenth the Bibyll sall the schaw.

FINIS

HEIR ENDIS THE FIRST PART. AND FOLLOWIS THE SECUNDE PART.

IN THE FIRST, THE BEILDYNG OF BABILONE BE NEMROD. AND QUHOW KYNG NYNUS BEGAN THE FIRST MONARCHE. AND OF THARE YDOLATRYE. AND QUHOW SEMERAMIS, GOUERNIT THE IMPYRE, EFTER HIR HUSBANDE KYNG NYNUS. AS FOLLOWIS.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, I pray ȝow to me tell
The First Infortune that befell
Immediatlye efter the Flude,
And quho did first sched saikles blude,
And quho Ydolatrye began.

247

EXPE[RIENCE]
(Quod he) I sall do as I can.
Efter the Flude I fynde no Storye
Worthy to putt in Memorye,
Tyll Nemrod began to Ryng

Gene. x.

Aboue the Peple as ane Kyng,
Quhilk wes the Principall man of one,
That beilder was of Babilone.

COUR[TIOUR]
That Story, Maister, wald I knaw,
(Quod I) geue ȝe the suthe wald schaw,
Quhy and for quhat occasioun
Thay beildit sic ane strang Dungeoun.

EXPE[RIENCE]

Than said to me Experience:
I sall declare, with Deligence,
Those Questionis, at thy command.
Bot first, Sonne, thow mon vnderstand
Off Nemrod the Genologie,
His strenth, Curage, and Quantitie;
Quhowbeit Moyses, in his first Buke,
That Story lychtlye did ouer Luke;
Off hym no more he doith declare,
Except he was ane strang Huntare.
Bot vtheris Clerkis Curious,
As Oroce doith, and Iosephus,
Discryuis Nemrod at more lenth,
Boith of his stature and his strenth.
This Nemrod was the fourt persoun
Frome Noye be lyne discendyng doun.
Noye generit Cham, Cham generit Chus,
And Chus, Nemrod; the suthe bene thus.
This Nemrod grew ane man of mycht;
That tyme in erth wes none so wycht.

248

He wes ane Gyane stout and strang;
Perforce wyld beistis he doun thrang.
The peple of that hole Regioun
Come vnder his Dominioun.
No man thare wes, in all that land,
His stalwartnes that durst ganestand.
No maruell wes thocht he wes wycht:
Ten Cubitis large he wes of hycht,
Proportionat, in lenth and breid,
Afferand to his hycht, we reid.
He grew so gret and glorious,
So prydefull and presumptuous,
That he come Inobedient
To the gret God Omnipotent.
This Nemrod was the principall man
That first Ydolatrye began.

Than gart he all the peple call
To his presens, boith gret and small,
And, in that gret conuentioun,

Gene. xi.

Did propone his Intentioun.
My Freindis (said he) I mak it knawin
The gret wengeance that God hes schawin,
In tyme of our fore Father Noye,
Quhen he did all the warld distroye,
And dround thame in ane furious flude:
Quharefor I thynk we sulde conclude
Quhov we maye make one strang defence
Aganis sick walteris violence,
For to resyste his furious Yre,
Contra[r]ye boith to flude and fyre.
Latt ws go spye sum plesand feilde,
Quhare one strang biggyng we maye beilde,
One Cityie, with ane strang Dungeoun,
That none Ingyne may ding it doun,
So heych, so thike, so large, and lang,
That Gode tyll ws sall do no wrang.
Itt sall surmonte the Planetis sewin,
That we frome Gode may wyn the hewin.

249

Those peple, with one ferme intent,
All tyll his counsell did consent,
And did espy one plesand place
Harde on the flude of Euphratace.
The peple thare did thame prepair,
In to the plane feilde of Synear,
Quhilk now of Caldie beryth the name,
Quhilk did lang tyme flureis in fame.

Thare gret Fortres than did thay founde,
And kaiste tyll thay gat souer grounde.
All fell to warke, boith man and chylde:
Sum holkit claye, sum brynt the tylde.
Nembroth, that curious Campioun,
Deuysar wes of that Dungeoun.
No thyng thay sparit thare laubouris,
Lyke besy beis vpone the flouris,
Or Emottis trauelling in to Iune:
Sum vnder wrocht, and sum abone:
With strong Ingenious masonrye,
Upwarte thare wark did fortifye.
With brynt tylde stonis, large and wycht,
That Towre thay rasit to sic hycht
Abufe the airis Regioun,
And Iunit of so strong fassioun,
With Syment maid of pyk and tar,
Thay vsit none vther mortar,
Thocht fyre or walter it assalit,
Contrare that Dungeoun nocht aualit.
The land aboute wes fair and plane;
And it rose lyke one heych montane.
Those fuliche peple did intende
That to the Hewin it sulde ascende.
So gret one strenth wes neuir sene,
In to the warld, with mennis eine.

The wallis of that wark thay maid
Two and fyftye faldome braid.
One faldome than, as sum men sayis,
Mycht bene two faldome in our dayis:

250

One man wes, than, of more stature
Nor two be now: thareof be sure.

Josephus haldis opinioun,
Sayand the heycht of this Dungeoun
Off large pasis of mesure bene
Fyue thousande, aucht score, and fourtene.
Be this raknyng, it is full rycht
Sax mylis and ane half in hycht.
Ane thousande pais tak for ane myle,
And thow sall fynd it neir that style.
This towre, in compass round aboute,
Wer mylis ten, withouttin doute.
Aboute the Cetie of stagis
Foure houndreth and four score, I wys.
And, be this nommer, in compas,
Aboute three score of mylis It was;
And, as Orotius reportis,
Thare wes fyue score of brasin portis.

The translatour of Orotius
In tyll his Cronicle wryttis thus,
That, quhen the Sonne is at the hycht,
Att nonne quhen it doith schyne most brycht,
The schaddow of that hydduous strenth
Sax myle and more it is of lenth.
Thus maye ȝe Iuge, in to ȝour thocht,
Gyfe Babilone be heych, or nocht.

FINIS.

251

QUHOV GOD MAID THE DYUERSITIE OF LANGUAGIS. AND MAID IMPEDIMENT TO THE BEILDARIS OF BABILONE.

EXPE[RIENCE].

Than the gret God Omnipotent,
To quhom al thingis bene present,
That wer, and is, and euir salbe,
Ar present tyll his Maiestie;
The hid secretis of mannis hart
From his presens may not depart;
He, seand the Ambitioun
And the prydefull Presumptioun,
Quhov thir proude peple did pretende
Upe throuch the heuinnis tyll ascende;
Quhilk wes gret folye tyll deuyse
Sick one presumptuous interpryse;
For, quhen thay wer moste delygent,
Gode maid thame sick impediment,
Thay wer constranit, with hartis sore,
Frome thyne depart, and beild no more.
Sick Languagis on thame he laid,
That none wyste quhat ane vthir said.
Quhare wes bot ane Language affore,
Gode send thame Languagis three schore.

Affore that tyme all spak Ebrew.
Than sum began for to speik Grew,
Sum Duche, sum language Saraȝyne,
And sum began to speik Latyne.
The Maister men gan to go wylde;
Cryand for treis, thay brocht thame tylde:
Sum said, bryng mortar heir atonis,
Than brocht thay to thame stoks and stonis.

252

And Nembroth, thare gret Campioun,
Ran rageand lyke one wylde Lyoun,
Manassyng thame with wordis rude:
Bot neuir one worde thay vnderstude.
Affore thay fand hym gude and kynde;
Bot than thay thocht hym by his mynde,
Quhen he so furiouslie did flyte.
Than turnit his pryde in to dispyte,
So dirk Eclipsit wes his glore,
Quhen thay wald wyrk for him no more.

Beholde quhov God wes so gratious
To thame, quhilk wer so outtragious.
He nother braik thare leggis nor armis,
Nor ȝit did thame none vther harmis,
Except of toungis diuysioun.
And, for fynall conclusioun,
Constranit thay wer for tyll depart,
Ilke cumpanye in one syndrie arte
Sum paste in to the Orient,
And sum in to the Occident,
Sum south, sum north, as thay thocht best;
And so thare poleysie left west.
Bot quhov that Citie wes reparit
Heir efter it salbe declarit.

FINIS.

OF THE FIRST INUENTIOUN OF YDOLATRIE. QUHOW NEMBROTH COMPELD THE PEPLE TYLL ADORE THE FYRE IN CALDIA.

COUR[TIOUR].
Now, Schir (said I) schaw me the man
Quhilk first Ydolatrie began.

253

EXPE[RIENCE].

That sall I do with all my hart,
My Sonne (said he) or we depart.
Quhen Nembroth saw his purpose falit,
And his gret laubour nocht aualit,
In maner of contemptioun
Departit furth of that regioun,
And, as Orotius doith rehers,
He past in to the land of Pers,
And mony one ȝeir did thare remane,
And syne to Babilone come agane,
And fand huge peple of Caldie
Remanand in that gret Citie,
That wer glaid of his returnyng,
And did obey hym as thare kyng.
Nembroth, his name for tyll auance,
Amang tham maid new ordinance,
Sayand, I think ȝe ar nocht wyce,
That to none God makis Sacrifyce.

Than, to fulfyll his fals desyre,
He gart be maid ane flammand fyre,
And maid it of sic breid and hycht,
He gart it byrn boith day and nycht.
Than all the peple of that land
Adorit the fyre, at his command,
Prosternit on thare kneis and facis,
Beseikand thare new God of gracis.
To gyf thame more occasioun,
He maid thame gret perswasioun.
This God (said he) is moist of mycht,
Schawand his bemys on the nycht.
Quhen Sonne and Monne ar baith obscure,
His hewinlie brychtnes doith indure.
Quhen mennis memberris sufferit calde,
Fyre warmyth thame, ewin as thay walde.

Than cryit the Peple, at his desyre,
Thare is no God except the fyre.

254

Or thare was ony Ymagerie,
Began this first Ydolatrie.
Att that tyme thare wes none vsage
To carue nor for to paynt Image.
Than maid he proclamatioun,
Quho maid nocht adoratioun
To that new God, without remede
In to that fyre sulde suffer dede.
I fynd no man, in to that lande,
His tyrrannie that durste ganestande,
Bot Habraham, and Aram his brother.
That disobeyit I fynd none vther,
Quhilk dwelland war in that cuntre,
With thare Father, callit Thaire.
Thir brether Nembroth did repreue,
Sayand tyll hym, Lord, with ȝour leue,
This fyre is bot ane Element:
Praye ȝe to God Omnipotent,
Quhilk maid the Heuinnis be his mycht,
Sonne, Monne, and sterris, to gyf lycht.
He maid the fyschis in the seis,
The erth, with beistis, herbis, and treis;
And, last of all, for to conclude,
He maid Man, to his similitude.
To that gret God gyfe pryse and glore,
Quhose Ring induris euermore.

Than Nembroth, in his furious yre,
Thir brether boith keste in the fyre.
Habraham be God he wes preseruit,
Bot Aram in the fyre he staruit.
Quhen Thara harde his sonne wes dede,
He did depart out of that stede,
With Habraham, Nachor, and thare wyffis,
As the Scripture at lynthe discryffis,
And left the land of Caldia,
And paste to Mesopotamia,
And dwelt in Tharan all his dayis,
And deit thare, as the story sayis.

255

The lyfe of Habraham, I supose,
No thyng langith tyll our purpose.
In to the Bibyll thov may reid
His verteous lyfe in worde and deid.
Now to the I haue schawin the man
That firste Ydolatrie began.

FINIS.

OF THE GRET MISERE AND SKAYTHIS THAT CUMIS OF WERIS. AND QUHOW KING NYNUS BEGAN THE FIRST WERIS, AND STRAIK THE FIRST BATTELL.

[COURTIOUR].

Father, I pray ȝov, with my hart,
Declair to me, or we depart,
Quho first began thir mortall Weris,
Quhilk euerilk faithfull hart efferis,
And euere polesye doun thrawis,
Express agane the Lordis lawis,
Sen Christe, our kyng omnipotent,
Left Peace in tyll his Testament.
Quhov doith proceid this creueltie
Aganis Justice and Equitie?
In lande quhare ony Weris bene,
Gret Miserrie thare may be sene.
All thyng on erth that God hes wrocht
Weir doith distroye, and puttis at nocht.
Ceteis, with mony strang Dungeoun,
Ar brynte, and to the erth doung doun.
Uirginis and Matronis ar deflorit;
Templis that Rychelie bene decorit
Ar brynt, and all thare Preistis spulȝeit;
Pure Orphelenis vnder feit ar fulȝeit,
Mony auld men maid childerles,

256

And mony childer fatherles.
Off famous Sculis the Doctryne,
Boith natural science and Diuyne,
And euerilk vertew, trampit doun;
No reuerence done to relegioun;
Strenthis distroyit alluterlie;
Fair Ladyis forcit schamefullie;
Ȝoung Wedowis spulȝeit of thare spousis;
Pure Lauborars houndit frome thare housis.
Thare dar no Merchand tak on hand
To trauell nother be sey nor land,
For Boucheouris, quhilk dois thame confounde;

Sum murdrist bene, and sum ar drounde;
Craftis men of curious Ingyne
Alluterlie put to rewyne;
The Bestiall reft, the commonnis slane,
The land but lauboring doith remane.
Off Pollesye the perfyte warkis,
Beildingis, Gardyngis, and plesand parkis,
Alluterlie distroyit bene.
Gret graingis brynt thare may be sene;
Ryches bene turnit to powertie,
Plentie in tyll penuritie.
Deith, Hounger, Darth, it is weill kende,
Off Weir this is the Fatell ende:
Iustice turnit in tyrrannye,
All plesour in aduersitye.
The Weir alluterlie doun thrawis
Boith the Ciuill and Cannoun lawis.
Weir generit Murthour and myscheif,
Sore lamentyng withoute releif.
Weir doith distroye Realmes and kyngis;
Gret Princis weir to presoun bryngis;
Weir scheddis mekle saikles blude.
Sen I can saye of weir no gude,

Declare to me, Schir, gyf ȝe can,
Quho first this Miserrie began.

FINIS.

257

HEIR FOLLOWITH ANE SCHORTE DISCRIPTIOUN OF THE FOUR MONARCHIS. AND QUHOW KYNG NYNUS BEGAN THE FIRST MONARCHIE.

EXPE[RIENCE].

Of Weris (said he) the gret outtrage
Began in to the secunde aige,
Be creuell, prydefull, couytous kyngis,
Reuarris, but rycht, of vtheris ryngis.
Quhowbeit Cayam, afore the flude,
Wes first schedder of saikles blude,
Nynus was first and principall man
Quhilk wrangus conquessing began,
And was the man, withouttin faill,
In erth that straik the first battell,
And first Inuentit Imagerye,
Quhare throw came gret Idolatrye.

We moste knaw, or we forthair wend,
Off quhome king Nynus did discend.
Nynus, gyf I can rycht defyne,
He was frome Noye the fyft, be lyne.
Noye generit Cham; Cham generit Chus;
And Chus, Nembroth; Nembroth, Bellus;
And Bellus, Nynus, but lesing,
Off Assiria the secund king,
And beildar of thar gret Citie,
The quhilk was callit Nyniue,
And wes the first and principall man
Quhilk the first Monarchie began.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (said I) declaire to me
Quhat signifyis one Monarchie.

258

EXPE[RIENCE].
The suith (said he) sonne, gyfe thov knew,
Monarchie bene one terme of Grew:
As, quhen one Prouince principall
Had hole power Imperiall,
During thare Dominationis,
Abufe all Kyngis and Nationis,
One Monarchie that men doith call,
Off quhome I fynd four principall,
Quhilk heth rong sen the warld began.

COUR[TIOUR].
Than (said I) Father, gyf ȝe can,
Quhilk four bene thay, schaw me, I pray ȝow.

EXPE[RIENCE].

My sone, said he, that sall I say ȝow.

First, rang the kings of Asserianis;
Secundlye, rang the Persianis;
The Grekis, thridlye, with swerd and fyre
Perfors optenit the thrid Impyre;
The fourte Monarche, as I heir,
The Romanis brukit mony one ȝeir.
Latt vs first speik of Nynus king,
Quhov he began his Conquessing.

The auld Greik Historitiane
Diodorus he wryttis plane,
Att rycht gret lenth, of Nynus king,
Off his Impyre and conquessing,
And of Semeramis, his wyfe,
That tyme the lustyest one lyfe.
Itt wer to lang to putt in wryte
Quhilk Diodore heth done indyte,
Bot I sall schaw, as I suppose,
Quhilk maist belangith thy purpose.

259

Quhen Nembroth, Prince of Babilone,
Oute of this wrechit warld wes gone,
And his Sonne, Bellus, deid, alswa,
The first Kyng of Asseria,
This Nynus, quhilk wes secunde kyng,
Tryumphandlie began tyll ryng,
And wes nocht satifyit nor content
Off his awin Regione nor his rent.
Thynkand his glore for tyll aduance
By his gret peple and puissance,
Throuch Pryde, Couatyce, and vaine glore,
Did him prepare to conques more,
And gadtherit furth ane gret Armie
Contrare Babilone and Caldie,
Quhareof he had ardent desyre
Tyll Iune that land tyll his Impyre,
Quhowbeit he had thareto no rycht.
Bot, by his tyrranry and mycht,
Withouttin feir of God or man,
His Conquessing thus he began.

His peple beand in arraye,
To Caldia tuke the reddy waye.
Quhen that the Babilonianis,
To gidther with the Caldianis,
Hard tell Kyng Nynus wes cumand,
Maid proclamationis throuch the land,
That ilke man, efter thare degre,
Sulde cum, and saif thare awin cuntre.
Quhowbeit thay had no vse of weir,
Thay past fordwart, withouttin feir,
And pat thame selfis in gude order,
To meit kyng Nynus on the border.
In that tyme, ȝe sall vnderstande,
Thare wes no harnes in the lande,
For tyll defende nor tyll Inuaid,
Quharethrow more slauchter thare wes maid.
Thay faucht, throw strenth of thare bodeis,
With gaddis of Irne, with stonis, and treis.

260

With sound of horne, and hydduous cry,
Thay ruschit to gidther rycht rudly,
With hardy hart and strenth of handis,
Tyll thousandis deid lay on the landis.
Quhare men in battell nakit bene,
Gret slauchter, sone, thare may be sene.
Thay faucht so lang and creuellie,
And with vncertane victorie,
No man mycht Iuge, that stude on far,
Quho gat the better nor the war,
Bot, quhen it did approche the nycht,
The Caldianis thay tuke the flycht.
Than the kyng and his cumpanye
Wer rycht glaid of that victorye,
Because he wan the first battell
That strykkin wes in erth, but faill,
And peceably of that Regioun
Did tak the hole Dominioun.
Than wes he king of Caldia,
Alsweill as of Asseria;
As for the king of Arrabie,
In his conquest maid hym supplie.

Off this ȝit wes he nocht content,
Bot to the Realme of Mede he went,
Quhare Farnus, king of that cuntre,
Did meit hym, with one gret armie.
Bot king Nynus the battell wan,
Quhare slane wer mony nobyll man,
And to that king wald gyf no grace,
Bot planelie, in one publict place,
With his sewin Sonnis and his Ladie,
Creuellie did thame Crucifie.
Off that tryumphe he did reiose;
Syne fordwart to the feilde he gose.
Than conquest he Armenia,
Perce, Egypt, and Pamphelia,
Capadoce, Leid, and Maritane,
Caspia, Phrigia, and Hyrcane,

261

All Affrica and Asia,
Except gret Ynde and Battria,
Quhilk he did conques efterwart
As ȝe sall heir, or we depart.
Now wald I, or we forther wend,
That his Ydolatrye wer kend:
Syne, efter that, withoute sudiorne,
Tyll our purpose we sall returne.

FINIS.

QUHOV KING NYNUS INUENTIT THE FIRST YDOLATRIE OF YMAGIS.

Nynvs one Ymage he gart mak
For King Bellus, his Fatheris saik,
Moist lyke his Father of figoure,
Off quantite, and portratoure.
Off fyne Golde wes that figour maid;
Ane crafty Croun apone his haid,
With precious stonis, in toknyng
His father Bellus wes ane Kyng.
In Babilone he ane tempyll maid,
Off crafty work, boith heych and braid,
Quharein that Ymage gloriouslie
Wes thronit vpe tryumphandlie.

Than Nynus gaif ane strait command
Tyll all the peple of that land,
Alsweill in tyll Asseria
As in Synear and Caldia,
Under his Dominatioun,
Thay suld make Adoratioun,
Apone thare kneis, to that figour,
Under the pane of forfaltour.
Thare wes no Lorde, in all that land,
His summonding that durst ganestand.

262

Than ȝoung and auld, boith gret and small,
Tyll that Ymage thay prayit, all,
And cheangit his name, as I heir tell,
Frome Bellus to thare gret God Bell.
In that tempyll he did deuyse
Preistis, for tyll mak sacrifyse.
Be conswetud than come one law,
None vther God that thay wald knaw;
And als he gaif to that Ymage
Off Sanctuarie the Priuilage;
For, quhat sum euer transgressour,
One homicede or oppressour.
Seand that Ymage in the face,
Off thare gylt gat the kyngis grace.

COUR[TIOUR].
Declare to me, sweit schir (said I)
Wes there no more Ydolatry,
Efter that this fals Idole Bell
Wes thronit vp, as ȝe me tell?

EXPE[RIENCE].

My Sonne (said he) incontinent
The nowellis throuch the warld thay went,
Quhow king Nynus, as I haif said,
One curious Image he had maid,
To the quhilk all his natioun
Maid deuote adoratioun.
Than euerye cuntre tuke consait,
Thay wald king Nynus contrafait.
Quhen ony famous man wes deid,
Sett vp one Image in his steid,
Quhilk thay did honour, from the splene,
As it Immortall God had bene.
Imagis sum maid, for the nonis,
Off fyne gold, sum of stokis and stonis,

263

Off syluer sum, and Euyr bone,
With diuers namis tyll eueryone.
For sum thay callit Saturnus,
Sum Iupiter, sum Neptunus;
And sum thay callit Cupido,
Thare god of lufe; and sum Pluto;
Thay callit sum Mercurius;
And sum the wyndie Eolus;
Sum Mars, maid lyke ane man of weir,
Inarmit weill with sword and speir;
Sum Bacchus; and sum Apollo;
Off namis thay had ane houndreth mo.

And, quhen one Lady of gret fame
Wes dede, for tyll exalt hir name,
One Image of hir portratour
Wald set vpe in one oratour,
The quhilk thay callit thare goddes;
As Uenus, Iuno, and Palles;
Sum Cleo, sum Proserpina,
Sum Ceres, Uesta, and Diana,
And sum the gret goddes Mynarue
With curious collouris thay wald carue.
Amang the Poetis thow may see
Off fals godis the genologee.

So thir abhominationis
Did spred ouerthort all nationis,
Except gude Habraham, as we reid,
Quhilk honourit God in word and deid;
For Habraham had his beginnyng
In to the tyme of Nynus king.
Nynus began with tyrranrie,
And Habraham with humylitie.
Nynus began the first Impyre;
Habraham of weir had no desyre;
Nynus began Idolatrye;
Habraham, in spreit and veritye,
He prayit to the Lorde allone;
Fals Imagry he wald haue none.

264

Off hym discendit, I heir tell,
The twelf gret Trybis of Israell.
Those peple maid adoratioun,
With humyll supplicatioun,
Tyll hym quhilk wes of kyngis king,
That hewin and erth maid of no thing.
Dede Ymagis thay held at nocht,
That wer with mennis handis wrocht,
Bot the almychtie God of lyue.
My sonne, now haif I done discryue
Thir questionis, at thy command,
The quhilkis thow did at me demand.

COUR[TIOUR].
Quhat wes the cause (schir, mak me sure)
Ydolatrye did so lang indure
Outthrouch the warld so generalie,
And with the Gentilis, specialie?

[EXPERIENCE].

(Quod he) sum causis principall
I fynd in my memoriall.
First, wes throuch princis commandiment,
Quhilk did ydolatrye inuent;
Syne, singulare proffeit of the preistis,
Payntours, Goldsmythis, Masonnis, Wrychtis.
Those men of craft full curiouslie
Maid Imagis so plesandlie,
And sauld thame for ane sumptuous pryce;
So, be thare crafty Merchandyce,
Thay wer maid ryche abone mesure.
As for the Priestis, I the assure,
Large proffeit gat, ouerthort all landis,
Throuch sacrifyce and offerandis,
And, be thare fayned sanctitude,
Abusit mony one man of gude;

265

As, in the tyme of Daniell,
The preistis of this Idoll Bell.
Quhen Nabuchodonosor king
In Babilone royallie did ring,
Those preistis the kyng gart vnderstand,
That ymage, maid be mennis hand,
He wes one glorious God of lyfe,
And had sic ane prerogatyfe.
That, by his gret power deuyne,
Wald eait Beif, Muttone, Breid, and wyne.
And so the king gart, euery daye,
Affore Bell, on his Aulter, laye
Fourty fresche Wodderris, fatt and fyne,
And sax gret Rowbouris of wycht wyne,
Twelf gret Louis of bowtit floure,
Quhilk wes all eaitin in one houre,
Nocht be that Image, deif and dum,
Bot be the prestis, all and sum,
As in the Bibill thow may ken,
Quhose nummer wer thre score and ten.
Thay and thare wyfis, euerilk day,
Eait all that on the Aulter lay.
Than Daniell, in conclusioun,
Schew the king thare abusioun,
And of thare subtelty maid hym sure,
Quhow, onderneth the tempyll flure,
Throuch ane passage they cam, be nycht,
And eait that meit with candell lycht.

The king, quhen he the mater knew,
Those preistis, with all thare wyffis, he slew.
Thus subtellie the kyng was sylit,
And all the peple wer begylit.
My sonne (said he) now may thow ken
Quhov, by the Preistis and craftismen,
And be thare craftines and cure,
Idolatrye did so lang indure.

Behauld quhow Ihone Boccatious
Hes wryttin workis wounderous

266

Off Gentilis superstitioun,
And of thare gret abusioun,
As in his gret Buke thow may see,
Off fals Goddis the geneologie,
Off Demogorgon, in speciall,
Fore Grandschir tyll the Goddis all,
Honourit amang Archadience,
And of the fals Philistience,
With thare gret deuilische god Dagone,
With vtheris Idolis mony one.
Bot I abhore the treuth to tell
Off the Princis of Israell,
Chosin be God Omnipotent,
Quhow thay brak his commandiment.

iii. Reg. xi.

Kyng Salomone, as the scripture sayis,
He doitit in his latter dayis.
His wantoun wyffis to compleis,
He curit nocht God tyll displeis,
And did committ Idolatrye,
Wyrschipyng caruit Ymagerye,
As Moloch, god of Ammonitis,
And Chamos, god of Moabitis,
Astaroth, god of Sydoniains.
So, for his inobediens
And fowle abhominatioun,
Wer puneist his successioun.
His sonne Roboam, I heir tell,
Tynt the ten Trybis of Israell,
For his fatheris Ydolatrye,
As in the scripture thow may see.

FINIS.

267

OFF IMAGEIS VSIT AMANG CRISTIN MEN.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, ȝit ane thyng I wald speir.
Behald, in euery kirk and queir
Throuch Christindome, in burgh and land,
Imageis maid with mennis hand,
To quhome bene gyffin diuers names;
Sum Peter, and Paull; sum Ihone, & Iames;
Sanct Peter, caruit with his keyis;
Sanct Mychaell, with his wyngis and weyis;
Sanct Katherine, with hir swerd and quheill;
Ane hynde sett vp besyde sanct Geill
It war to lang for tyll discryue
Sanct Frances, with his woundis fyue.
Sanct Tredwall, als, there may be sene,
Quhilk on ane prik heth boyth hir eine;
Sanct Paull, weill payntit with ane sworde,
As he wald feycht at the first worde;
Sanct Apollin on altare standis,
With all hir tethe in tyll hir handis;
Sanct Roche, weill seisit, men may se,
Ane byill new brokin on his thye;
Sanct Eloy he doith staitly stand,
Ane new hors schoo in tyll his hand;
Sanct ringane, of ane rottin stoke;
Sanct Duthow, boird out of ane bloke;
Sanct Androw, with his croce in hand;
Sanct George, vpone ane hors rydand;
Sanct Anthone, sett vp with ane soow;
Sanct Bryde, weill caruit with ane koow,
With coistlye collouris fyne and fair.
Ane thousand mo I mycht declair,
As sanct Cosma, and Damiane,

268

The Sowtars sanct Crispaniane.
All thir on altare staitly standis,
Preistis cryand for thare offrandis,
To quhome we Communnis, on our kneis,
Doith wyrschip all thir Ymagereis;
In Kirk, in Queir, and in the closter,
Prayand to thame our Pater noster,
In pylgramage frome town to toun,
With offrand and with orisoun,
To thame aye babland on our beidis,
That thay wald help ws in our neidis.
Quhat differis this, declare to me,
Frome the Gentilis Idolatrye?

EXPE[RIENCE]

Gyff that he trew that thow reportis,
It goith rycht neir thir samyn sortis.
Bot we, be counsall of Clargye,
Hes lycence to mak Imagerye,
Quhilk of vnleirnit bene the buikis,
For, quhen lauid folk vpone thame luikis,
Itt bringith to rememberance
Off Sanctis lyuis the circumstance;
Quhow, the faith for to fortifye,
Thay sufferit pane rycht pacientlye.
Seand the Image of the Rude,
Men suld remember on the Blude
Quhilk Christ, in tyll his Passioun,
Did sched for our Saluatioun.
Or, quhen thow seis ane portrature
Off blyssit Marie, Uirgen pure,
One bony Babe vpone hir kne,
Than, in thy mynde, remember the
The wordis quhilks the Propheit said,
Quhow sche suld be boith Mother and Maid.

Bot quho that sittis doun on thare kneis,
Prayand tyll ony Imagereis,

269

With oritioun or offerand,
Kneland with cap in to thare hand,
No difference bene, I say to the,
Frome the Gentilis Idolatrye.

Rycht so, of diuers nationis
I reid abominationis,
Quhow Grekis maid thare deuotioun haill
To Mars, to saif thame in battaill.
Tyll Iupiter sum tuke thare vayage,
To saif thame frome the stormys rage;
Sum prayit to Uenus, from the splene,
That thay thare luffis mycht obtene;
And sum to Iuno, for ryches,
Thare pylgramage thay wald addres.

So doith our commoun populare,
Quhilk war to lang for tyll declare
Thare superstitious pylgramageis
To mony diuers Imageis.
Sum to sanct Roche, with deligence,
To saif thame from the pestilence;
For thare teith, to sanct Apollene;
To sanct Tredwell, to mend thare eine:
Sum makis offrande to sanct Eloye,
That he thare hors may weill conuoye;
Thay ryn, quhen thay haif Iowellis tynte,
To seik sanct Syith, or euer thay stynte;
And to sanct Germane, to get remeid
For maladeis in to thare heid.
Thay bryng mad men, on fuit and horsse,
And byndis thame to sanct Mongose crosse;
To sanct Barbara thay cry full faste,
To saif thame frome the thonder blaste;
For gude nouellis, as I heir tell,
Sum takis thare gait to Gabriell;
Sum wyffis sanct Margret doith exhort
In to thare byrth thame to support;
To sanct Anthony, to saif the soow;
To sanct Bryde, to keip calf and koow;

270

To sanct Bastien thay ryn and ryde,
That frome the schote he saf thare syde;
And sum, in hope to gett thare haill,
Rynnis to the auld Rude of Kerrail.
Quhowbeit thir simpyll peple rude
Think thare intentioun be bot gude,
Wo be to Priestis, I say for me,
Quhilk suld schaw thame the verratie.
Prelatis, quhilkis hes of thame the cure,
Sall mak answeir thareof, be sure,
On the gret day of Iugement,
Quhen no tyme beis for to repent,
Quhare manyfest Idolatrye
Sall puneist be perpetuallye.

HEIR FOLLOWIS ONE EXCLAMATIOUN AGANIS IDOLATRIE.

EXPE[RIENCE].

Imprvdent Peple, Ignorant and blynd,
By quhat reasone, law, or authoritie,
Or quhat attentyck scripture, can ȝe fynd
Leifsum for tyll commyt Idolatrie?
Quhilk bene to bow ȝour body or ȝour kne,
With deuote humyll adoratioun,
Tyll ony Ydoll maid of stone or tre,
Geueand thame offerand or oblatioun.

Quhy did ȝe gyf the honour, laude, and glore,
Pertenyng God (quhilk maid all thyng of nocht,
Quhilk wes, and is, and salbe euirmore)
Tyll Ymagis by mennis handis wrocht?
O fulysche folke, quhy haif ȝe succour socht
Off thame quhilk can nocht help ȝow in distres?

271

Ȝit reasonably reuolfe, in to ȝour thocht,
In stok nor stone can be non holynes.

In the desert the peple of Israell,
Moyses remanyng in the mont Synaye,
Thay maid one moltin Calf of fyne mettell,

Exodi. xxxii.

Quhilk thay did honour as thare God verraye;
Bot, quhen Moyses discendit, I heir saye,
And did consydder thare Ydolatrye,
Off that peple thre thousand gart he slaye,
As the scripture at lenth doith testifye.

Because the holye propheit Daniell

Daniell. .xiiii.

In Babilone Ydolatrie repreuit,
And wald nocht worschip thare fals Idoll Bell,
The hole peple at him wer so aggreuit,
To that effect that he suld be myscheuit,
Delyuerit hym tyll rampand Lyonis sewin;
Bot of that dangerous den he wes releuit
Throuch myrakle of the gret God of hewin.

Behald quhow Nabuchodonosor king

Dan. iii.

Into the vaill of Duran did prepare
One image of fyne Gold, one meruallous thing,
Thre score of cubyts heycht, and sax in square,
As more cleirlye the scripture doith declare,
To quhome all peple, by proclamatioun,
With bodeis bowit, and on thare kneis bare,
Rycht humelye maid adoratioun.

Ane gret wounder, that day, wes sene, also,
Quhow Nabuchodonosor, in his yre,
Tuke Sydrach, Misach, and Abednago,
Quhilks wald nocht bow thare kne, at his desyre
Tyll that Idoll, gart kast thame in the fyre,
For to be brynt, or he sterit of that steid.
Quhen he beleuit thay wer brynt, bone and lyre,
Wes nocht consumit one small hair of thair heid.

272

The Angell of the Lord wes with thame sene,
In that hait furneis passing vpe and doun,
In tyll ane rosye Garth as thay had bene,
None spott of fyre distenyng cote nor goun.
Off victorie thay did obtene the croun,
And wer, to thame that maid adoratioun
To that Ydoll, or bowit thare body doun,
One wytnessing of thare dampnatioun.

Quhat wes the cause, at me thow may demande,
That Salomone vsit none Ymagrye
In his tryumphand Tempyll for tyll stande,
Off Abraham, Ysac, Iacobe, nor Iesse,
Nor of Moyses, thare sauegarde throuch the see,
Nor Iosue, thare valȝeant Campioun?
Because God did command the contrarye
That thay sulde vse sic superstitioun.

Exodi. xx. Deut. v.

Behald quhow the gret God Omnipotent,
To preserue Israell frome Idolatrye,
Derectit thame one strait commandiment,
Thay suld nocht mak none caruit ymagrye,
Nother of gold, of syluer, stone, nor tre,
Nor gyf worschip tyll ony simlytude
Beand in hewin, in erth, nor in the see,
Bot onelye tyll his souerane celsitude.

Baru. vi.

The Propheit Dauid planely did repreue
Ydolatrye, to thare confutioun
In grauit stok or stone that did beleue,
Declaryng thame thare gret abutioun;
Spekand, in maner of dirysioun,
Quhow dede Idolis, be mennis handis wrocht,
Quham thay honourit with humyll orisioun,
Wer in the markat daylie sauld and bocht.

The Deuyllis, seand the euyll conditioun
Off the Gentylis, and thare vnfaithfulnes,

273

For tyll agment thare superstitioun,
In those Ydolis thay maid thare entres,
And in thame spak, as storyis doith expres.
Than men beleuit of thame to gett releif,
Askand thame help in all thare besynes;
Bot, finallye, that turnit to thare myscheif.

Traist weill, in thame is none Diuinitie,
Quhen reik & rowst thare fair colour doith faid:
Thocht thay haue feit, one fute thay can not flee,
Quhowbeit the tempyll byrn abone thair haid.
In thame is nother freindschip nor remaid.
In sic fyguris quhat fauour can ȝe fynd?
With mouth, and eris, & eine thocht thay be maid,
All men may se thay ar dum, deif, and blynd.

Quhowbeit thay fal doun flatlyngis on the flure,
Thay haif none strenth thare self to rais agane;
Thocht Rattonis ouir thame ryn, thay tak no cure;
Quhowbeit thai breik thare neck, they feil no pane.
Quhy sulde men psalmes to thame sing or sane?
Sen growand treis that ȝeirly berith frute
Ar more to pryse, I mak it to the plane,
Nor cuttit stockis, wanting boith crope and rute.

Off Edinburgh the gret Idolatrye
And manifest abominatioun,
On thare feist day, all creature may se.
Thay beir ane auld stock Image throuch the toun,
With talbrone, troumpet, schalme, and Clarioun,
Quhilk hes bene vsit mony one ȝeir bigone,
With preistis and freris in to processioun,
Siclyke as Bell wes borne throuch Babilone.

Aschame ȝe nocht, ȝe seculare prestis and freris,
Tyll so gret superstitioun to consent?
Ydolateris ȝe haue bene mony ȝeris,
Expresse agane the Lordis commandiment.

274

Quharefor, brether, I counsall ȝow, repent.
Gyff no honour to caruit stock nor stone;
Geue laude and glore to God Omnipotent
Allanerlie, as wyselie wryttis Ihone.

Fy on ȝow Freris that vsis for to preche,
And dois assist to sic Idolatrye.
Quhy do ȝe nocht the Ignorant peple teche
Quhow ane dede Image, caruit of one tre,
As it wer holy sulde nocht honourit be,
Nor borne on Burges backis vp and doun?
Bot ȝe schaw planely ȝour Ipocrasie,
Quhen ȝe passe formest in processioun.

Fy on ȝow fostraris of Idolatrye,
That tyll ane dede stock dois sic reuerence,
In presens of the peple, publykelie.
Feir ȝe nocht God, to commit sic offence?
I counsall ȝow, do ȝit ȝour diligence
To gar suppresse sic gret abusioun.
Do ȝe nocht so, I dreid ȝour recompence
Salbe nocht ellis bot clene confusioun.

Had sanct Frances bene borne out throuch the toun,
Or sanct Domnick, thocht ȝe had nocht refusit
With thame tyll haif past in processioun,
In tyll that cais sum wald haif ȝow excusit.
Now men may see quhow that ȝe haue abusit
That nobyll town, throuch ȝour Ipocrasye.
Those peple trowis that thay may rycht weill vs it,
Quhen ȝe pas with thame in to cumpanye.

Sum of ȝow hes bene quyet counsallouris
Prouocand princis to sched saikles blude,
Quhilk neuir did ȝour prudent predecessouris.
Bot ȝe lyke furious Phariceis, denude
Off charitie quhilk rent Christ on the rude.
For Christis floke, without malyce or yre,

275

Conuertit fragyll faltouris, I conclude,
Be Goddis worde, withouttin sweird or fyre.

Reid ȝe nocht quhow that Christ hes gyffin command,
Gyff thy brother doith oucht the tyll offend,

Math. xviii.

Than secretlye correct hym, hand for hand,
In freindly maner, or thow forther wend.
Gyff he wyll nocht heir the, than mak it kend
Tyll one, or two, be trew narratioun.
Gyf he, for thame, wyll nocht his mys amend,
Declare hym to the congregatioun.

And, gyf he ȝit remanith obstinat,
And to the holy kirk Incounsolable,
Than lyke ane Turke hald hym excomminicat,
And with all faithfull folk abhominabyll,
Banysing hym, that he be no more able
To dwell amang the faithfull cumpanye.
Quhen he repentis, be nocht vnmerciable,
Bot hym ressaue agane rycht tenderlye.

Bot our dum Doctoris of Diuinitie,
And ȝe of the last fonde religioun,
Off pure Transgressouris ȝe haue no petie,
Bot cryis to put thame to confusioun;
As cryit the Iowis, for the effusioun
Off Christis blude, in to thare byrnand yre,
Crucifige, so ȝe, with one vnioun,
Cryis fy, gar cast that faltour in the fyre.

Unmercifull memberis of the Antichrist,

Roma. xvi. Ephe. v.

Extolland ȝour humane traditione
Contrar the Institutione of Christ,
Effeir ȝe nocht Diuine punytione?
Thocht sum of ȝow be gude of conditione,
Reddy for to ressaue new recent wyne,
I speik to ȝow auld bosis of perditione,
Returne in tyme, or ȝe ryn to rewyne,

276

As ran the peruerst Prophetis of Baall,

iii. Reg. xviii.

Quhilkis did consent to the Idolatrye
Off wickit Achab, king of Israell,
Quhose nommer wer four hundreth and fyftie,
Quhilkis honourit that Idoll opinlye.
Bot, quhen Elias did preue thare abusioun,
He gart the peple sla thame creuellye;
So at one hour came thare confusioun.

I pray ȝow, prent in ȝour rememb[e]rance
Quhow the reid Freris, for thare Idolatrye,
In Scotland, Ingland, Spane, Italy, & France,
Upone one day wer puneissit pietuouslye.
Behald quhow ȝour awin brether, now laitlye,
In Ducheland, Ingland, Denmark, and Norowaye,
Ar trampit doun, with thare Ipocrasye,
And, as the snaw, ar meltit clene awaye.

I maruell that our Byschoppis thynkis no schame
To gyf ȝow freris sic preheminens,
Tyll vse thare office, to thare gret diffame,
Precheing for thame in opin audiens.
Bot, mycht A Byschope eik tyll his awin expens,
For ilk Sermone, ten Ducatis in his hand,
He wald, or he did want that recompens,
Go preche hym self, boith in to burgh and land.

I traist to se gude reformatione
From tyme we gett ane faithfull prudent king
Quhilk knawis the treuth and his vocatione.
All Publicanis, I traist, he wyll doun thring,
And wyll nocht suffer in his realme to ring
Corruppit Scrybis, nor fals Pharisiens,
Agane the treuth quhilk planely doith maling:
Tyll that kyng cum we mon tak paciens.

Now fairweill, freindis, because I can nocht flyte.
Quhowbeit I culde, ȝe mon hald me excusit,

277

Thocht I agane Ydolatrye Indyte,
Or thame dispyte that wyl nocht ȝit refus it.
I praye to God that it be no more vsit
Amang the rewlaris of this Regioun,
That commoun peple be no more abusit,
Bot gyf hym glore that bair the creuell croun,

Quhilk techeit ws, be his deuine Scripture,
Tyll rycht prayer the perfyte reddy way;
As wrytith Matthew, in his sext Chepture,
In quhat maner and to quhome we suld pray
One schort compendious orisone, euerilk day,
Most proffitabyll for boith body and saull;
The quhilk is nocht derectit, I heir say,
To Ihone, nor Iames, to Peter nor to Paull,

Nor none vther of the Apostlis twelf,
Nor to no Sanct, nor Angell in the Hewin,
Bot onely tyll our Father, God hym self.
Quhilk orisione it doith contene, full ewin,
Most proffitabyll for ws, petetionis sewin,
Quhilk we lawid folk the Pater Noster call.
Thocht we say Psalmis nyne, ten, or alewin,
Off all prayer this bene the principall,

Be reasoun of the makkar quhilk it maid,
Quhilk wes the Sonne of God, our Saluiour,
Be reasoun, als, to quhome it suld be said,
Tyll the Father of hewin, our Creatour,
Quhilk dwellis nocht in tempyll nor in tour.
He cleirlye seis our thocht, wyll, and intent:
Quhat nedith ws at vtheris seik succour,
Quhen in all place his power bene present?

Ȝe princis of the preistis, that suld preche,
Quhy suffer ȝe so gret abutioun?
Quhy do ȝe nocht the sempyll peple teche
Quhow and to quhome to dresse thare orisoun?

278

Quhy thole ȝe thame to ryn frome toun to toun,
In Pylgramage tyll ony Ymagreis,
Hopand to gett, thare, sum Saluatioun,
Prayand to thame deuotlye on thare kneis?

This wes the prettike of sum pylgramage.
Quhen fillokis, in to Fyfe, began to fon,
With Ioke & Thom than tuke thay thare vayage
In Angusse, tyll the feild Chapell of Dron.
Than Kyttoke thare, als cadye as ane Con,
Without regarde other to Syn or schame,
Gaiff Lowre leif at layser to loupe on:
Far better had bene tyll haif biddin at hame.

I haue sene pass one meruellous multytude,
Ȝong men and wemen, flyngand on thare feit,
Under the forme of feynit sanctytude,
For tyll adore one Image in Loreit.
Mony came with thare marrowis for to meit,
Committand, thare, fowll fornicatioun.
Sum kyst the claggit taill of the Armeit.
Quhy thole ȝe this abominatioun?

Off Fornicatioun and Idolatrye
Apperandlye ȝe tak bot lytill cure,
Seand the maruellous Infelicitye
Quhilk heth so lang done in this land indure,
In ȝour defalt quhilk heth the charge and cure.
This bene of treuth, my Lordis, with ȝour leue,
Sic pylgramage heth maid mony one hure,
Quhilk, gyf I plesit, planelye I mycht preue.

Quhy mak ȝe nocht the scripture manifest
To pure peple, twyching Idolatrye?
In ȝour precheing quhy haif ȝe nocht exprest
Quhow mony kyngis of Israell creuellye

279

Wer puneissit, be God, so rigorouslye?
As Ieroboam, and mony mo, but doute,
For wyrschippyng of caruit Imagerye,
War frome thare realmes rudlye rutit oute.

iii. Reg. xiii.

Quhy thole ȝe, onder ȝour Dominioun,
Ane craftye preist, or fenȝeit fals armeit,
Abufe the peple of this Regioun,
Onely for thare perticular profeit,
And, speciallye, that Heremeit of Lawreit?
He pat the comoun peple in beleue
That blynd gat seycht, and crukit gat thare feit,
The quhilk that palȝard no way can appreue.

Ȝe maryit men that hes trym wantoun wyffis,
And lusty dochteris of ȝoung tender aige,
Quhose honestie ȝe suld lufe as ȝour lyffis,
Permyt thame nocht to passe in pylgramage,
To seik support at ony stok Image.
For I haue wyttin gud wemen passe fra hame,
Quhilk hes bene trappit with sic lustis rage,
Hes done returne boith with gret syn and schame.

Gett vpe, thow slepist all to lang, O Lorde,
And mak one haistie reformatioun
On thame quhilk doith tramp doun thi gratious worde,
And hes ane deidly Indignatioun
Att thame quhilk makith trew narratioun
Off thy Gospell, schawing the verytie.
O Lord, I mak the supplicatioun,
Supporte our Faith, our Hope, and Charytie.

FINIS.

280

HEIR FOLLOUIS QUHOV KYNG NYNUS BEILDIT THE GRET CITIE OF NYNIUE, AND QUHOW HE UINCUSTE ZOROASTES, THE KYNG OFF BACTRIA.

[EXPERIENCE].

This Nynus, of Asseria king,
Quhen he had maid his conquessing,
To beild one Citie he hym drest,
Chosing the place quhare he thocht best,
Quhare he had first dominioun,
In Asseria, his awin regioun.

Gene. x.

Thocht Assur, as the scriptur says,
Quhilk come affore king Nynus dayis,
And foundit that famous Citie,
The quhilk was callit Nyniue,
Bot, as rehersis Diodore,
Nynus that Citie did decore
So maruellous tryumphantlye,
As ȝe sall heir Immedeatlye,
Upone the flude of Euphrates,
Quhilk to behauld gret wounder wes.
One hundreth and fyftye stagys
That Citie wes of lenth, I wys.
The wallis, one hundreth fute of heycht,
No wounder was thocht thay wer wycht.
Sick breid, abufe the wallis, thare was,
Thre cartis mycht sydlingis on thame pas.
Four hundreth stageis and four score
In circuit, but myn or more.
Off towris, aboute those wallis, I wene,
Ane thousand and fyne hundreth bene,
Off heycht two hundreth fute and more,
As wryttis famous Diodore.

281

The scripture makis mentioun,

Jona. iii.

Quhen God send Ionas to that toun,
To schaw thame of his puneisment,
Outthrouch the Citie quhen he went,
Thre dayis Iornay tyll hym it wes:
The Bybill sayis it wes no les.

My Sonne, now haif I schawin to the
Off the beildyng of Nyniue.
For the agmentyng of his fame,
Nynus gart call it efter his name.

Quhen he that gret Citie had endit,
To conques more ȝit he intendit,
And did depart frome Nyniue,
And rasit vp one gret arme
Off the most stalwarte men and stoute
Off all his Regionis rounde aboute,
In gret ordour tuke thare Iorna,
Towarte the realme of Bactria.
Off wycht fute men, I vnderstande,
He had sewintene hundreth thousande,
Withoute hors men and weirlyke cairtis,
Quhome he ordourit in sindry partis,
Quhilk tyll discryue I am nocht abyll,
Quhose nummer bene so vntrowabyll.

Zoroastes, that nobyll kyng,
Quhilk Bactria had in gouernyng,
That prudent Prince, as I heir tell,
Did in Astronomye precell,
And fand the Art of Magica,
With naturall science mony ma,
Seand king Nynus on the feilde,
Fordwart he cam, with speir and scheilde;
Foure hundreth thousand men he wes,
In his Armie thare wes no les;
And mett king Nynus, on the bordoure,
Rycht vailȝantlie, and in gude ordoure.
On the Uangarde of his Armie,
On thame he ruscheit rycht rudelie,

282

And of thame slew, as I heir saye,
One hundreth thousand men, that day.
The rest that chapit wer vnslane,
To Nynus gret oiste fled agane.

Off that king Nynus wes so noyit,
He restit neuir tyll he distroyit
All hoill that Regioun, vpe and doun,
And frome the King did reif the croun,
And maid the realme of Bactria
Subiectit tyll Asseria.
And in that samyn land, I wys,
He tuk to wyfe Semeramis,
Quha (as myne Author dois discryue)
Was, than, the lustiest on lyue.
That beand done, without sudgeorne
Tyll Nyniue he did returne,
With gret tryumphe of victorie.
As myne Authore dois specifie,
Boith Occident and Orient
War all tyll hym obedient.
It wald abhore the tyll heir red
The saikles blude that he did sched.
Quhen he had roung, as thow may heir,
The space of thre and fourtye ȝeir,
Beand in his excelland glore,
The dolent deith did hym deuore.
In quhat sorte, I am nocht certane.
Sum Author sayis that he wes slane,
And left, tyll bruke his Heretage,
One lytill Babe of tender aige.
Ȝoung Nynus wes the chyldis name,
Quhilk efter fluryste in gret fame.
Sum sayis that, be his wyffis treasoun,
Kyng Nynus deit in presoun,
As I sall schaw, or I hyne fair,
Quhow Diodore hath done declair.

FINIS

283

HEIR FOLLOWIS SUM OF THE VVOUNDERFULL DEDIS OF THE LUSTIE QUENE SEMERAMIS.

[EXPERIENCE].

Nynvs luffit so Ardentlye
Semeramis, his fair Ladye,
Thare wes no thyng scho wald command
Bot al obeyit wes fra hand.
Scho, seand hym so Amorous,
Scho grew proude and presumptuous,
And at the king scho did desyre
Fyue dayis to gouerne his Impyre.
And he, of his beneuolence,
Did grant hir that preheminence,
With Sceptour, Crown, and Robroyall,
And hole power Imperiall,
Tyll fyue dayis wer cum and gone,
That scho, as king, sulde ring allone.

Than all the Princis of the land
Duryng that tyme maid hir ane band.
With bankat Royall myrrellie
Scho treatit thame Tryumphantlie.
So, the first day, the peple all
Came tyll hir seruyce, bound and thrall.
Bot, or the secunde day wes gone,
Scho tuke sic glore to ryng allone,
Be one decreit, maid thame amang,
The king scho patt in presone strang.
I reid weill of his presoning,
Bot nocht of his delyuering.
Quhow euir, it wes in tyll his flowris
He did of deith suffer the schowris,
Any mycht nocht lenth his lyfe one houre,
Thocht he wes the first Concreoure,

284

Quhose Conquessing, for to conclude,
Wes nocht bot gret schedding of blude.
Now haue ȝe hard of Nynus king,
Quhow he began, and his ending,
Quhowbeid myne Author, Diodore,
Off hym haith wryttin mekle more.
Princis, for wrangus conquessing,
Doith mak, oft tymes, ane euyll ending.
Thocht he had lang prosperitie,
He endit with miseretie.

FINIS.

OFF KYNG NYNUS SEPULTURE.

EXPERIENCE.

The Quene a sepultur sche maid,
Quhar sche king Nynus body laid,
Off curius crafty wark & wycht,
The quhilk had stagis ix. of hycht,
& ten stagis of breid it wes:
Diodore saith it wes no les.
For aucht Stagis one myle thow tak,
And thairefter thy nummer mak.
So, be this compt, it wes, full rycht,
One myle als and one stage of hycht.
Except the Towre of Babilone,
So heych one wark I reid of none.

Semiramis, this lustye Quene,
Consyddring quhat dainger bene
To haif on King of tender aige,
Quhilk mycht nocht vse no vassalage,
Scho tuke one curagious consait,
Thinkand that scho wald mak debait,

285

Geue ony maid rebellioun
Contrar hir Sonne, or his Regioun,
Quhome sche did foster tenderly,
And kepit hym full quyetly.
Scho laid apart hir awin cleithyng,
And tuke the Rayment of ane king.
Quhen scho wes in tyll Armour dycht,
Mycht no man knaw hir be one knycht.
Scho valȝeantlye went to the weir,
And to gyf battell tuke na feir,
Dantyng all Realmes rounde aboute,
That all the warld of hir had doute,
More fortunat, in hir conquessing,
Nor wes hir Husband, Nynus king.

Babilone scho did fortyfie.
Templis and towris, tryumphandlie,
So plesandlye did thame prepair,
Quhilk in the erth had no compair.
Quhowbeid Nemrod, of quhome I spake,
The hydduous dungeoun he gart make,
And of the Citie the Fundiment,
To quhome God maid Impediment,
Quhare Nemrod left, thare scho began,
And pat to wark mony one man
Off all the Realmes round aboute.
Off most Ingyne scho socht thame oute.
Scho had, wyrkand with tre and stonis,
Twelf hundreth thousand men at onis.
Go reid the buke of Diodore,
And thow sall fynd the nummer more.
On euerilk syde of Euphrates
That nobyll Citie beildit wes,
And so that ryuer of renown
Ran throuch the mydpart of the town.
Ouerthort that flude scho bryggis maid
Off maruellous strenth, boith lang and braid.
Thay wer fyue stagis large of lenth:
On euerilk bryg scho maid ane strenth.

286

The circuit, as I said affore,
Foure hundreth stagis and four score.
The wallis hycht, quho wald discryue,
Thre hundreth fute, thre score, and fyue.
Sax Cairtis mycht pas, rycht easalie,
Abufe the wallis of that Citie,
Sydlingis, withoute Impediment.
Consydder, be ȝour Iugement,
Geue those wallis wer hie, or nocht,
And also curiouslye wer wrocht,
As Diodore hes done defyne,
Quhilk doith transcend my rude Ingyne,
Off Babilone the magnificens,
To quhome ȝe wald gyf no credens,
Geue I at lenth wald put in wryte,
Quhilk Diodore hes done indyte.
Compare of Cities fynd I none
Tyll Nyniue and Babilone.
Frome Nyniue in Asseria,
Tyll Babilone in Caldia,
By Bryggis plesandlye ȝe may pas,
Upone the flude of Euphratas.
Amang the fludis of Paradyce
This Euphratas maye beir the pryce.
All warkis quhilkis the Quene began
Transcendit the ingyne of man.
The proude Quene Pantasilia,
The Princes of Amasona,
With hir Ladyis tryumphandlye,
Att Troye quhilk faucht so wailȝeantlye,
Nor ȝit the fair Madin of France,
Danter of Inglis Ordinance,
To Semeramis, in hir dayis,
Wer no compare, as bukis sayis.
Except tryumphand Iulyus,
Strong Hanniball, or Pompeyus,
Or Allexander the Concreoure,

287

I fynd no gretter Werioure.

Wald I rehers, as wryttis Clerkis,
Hir wounderfull and vailȝeand werkis,
It wer to me one gret laubour,
And tiddious to the Auditour.
Quhat scho did in Ethopia,
And in the lande of Medea,
Beildand Cities, Castellis, and Towris,
Parkis, and Gardyngis of plesouris,
For the exaltyng of hir name,
And Immortall to mak hir fame.
Off Iarcieus the heych Montanis
Scho gart ryue down and mak thame planis.
Gret Orontes, that Montane wycht,
Twenty and fyue stagis of hycht,
Tyll hir Palyce to draw ane louche,
By fors of men scho raif it throche.

Had scho kepit hir Chastitie,
Scho mycht haue bene one A. per se.
Quhen scho had ordorit hir Impyre,
Off Uenus wark scho tuke desyre.
One secreit Mansioun scho gart mak,
Quhare scho maist plesandlye mycht tak
Ȝoung Gentyll men, for hir plesour;
The quhilk scho vsit abufe mesour.
One man allone mycht nocht be abyll
To stanche hir luste insaciabyll.
Quhen scho wes satifyit of one,
Scho gart ane vther cum anone.
The Lustiest of all the land
Come quyetlye, at hir command.
Quhen thay, at lenth, had lyin hir by,
Scho slew thame all, rycht creuelly.
Quhen hir Sone come tyll aige perfyte,
Off hym scho tuke so gret delyte,
Scho causit hym with hir to lye,
Amang the rest, rycht quyetlye.

288

Sum sayis, throuch sensuall lustis rage,
Scho band hym in to Mariage,
And held hym vnder tutorye,
To vphald hir auctoritye.

FINIS.

QUHOV THE QUENE SEMERAMIS, WITH ONE GRET ARMIE, PAST TO YNDE, AND FAUCHT WITH THE KYNG STAWROBATES. AND OF HIR MISERRABYLL END.

EXPE[RIENCE].

Qvhen Scho had lang tyme leuit in rest,
To conques more scho hir addrest,
Because of diuers scho hard tell
Quhow that the Ynde Orientell
Preceld in gret commoditeis,
As Bestiall, Cornis, and fructfull treis,
Al kynde of Spyce delicious,
Golde, Syluer, stonis precious,
And quhow that plentuous land did beir
Corne, Frute, and Wyne twyse in the ȝeir,
With Oliphantis Innumerabyll,
In Battell wounder terrabyll.
Scho, herand this, and mekle more,
Beleuand tyll agment hir glore,
Gart mak strait Proclamationis
In all and syndrie Nationis,
Schawand quhow it wes hir desyre,
All princis vnder hir Impyre,
In Egypt, and Arrabia,
In Perce, in Mede, and Caldia,

289

In Grece, in Caspia, and Hyrcane,
In Capadoce, Leid, and Maritane,
In Armanie, and Phrigia,
In Pamphilie, and Asseria,
That ilke Land, efter thare degre,
Sulde bryng tyll hir ane gret Armie,
In all the gudlye haist thay may,
And meit hir in tyll Bactriay,
Declaryng thame that hir intent
Was tyll pas to the Orient,
And mak Weir on the king of Ynde.
From tyme thay knew quhat wes hir mynde,
Than, be thare selfis, ilke Regioun
Come fordwart, with thare Garnisoun.
Tryumphantlye, in gude array,
Tyll Bactria tuke the reddy way,
And maid thare Mostouris to the Quene.
Bot sic ane sycht wes neuer sene,
In Battell ray so mony one Man
Att onis, sen God the warld began.
Bot Spanȝe, France, Scotland, Ingland,
Ducheland, Denmark, nor ȝit Yrland
War nocht Inhabit in those dayis,
Nor lang efter, myne Author sayis.

Cthesias he dois specifie
The noumber of this gret Armie,
Sayand, thare come, at hir command,
Fute men threttye hundreth thousand,
Off hors men, montit galȝeardlye,
Fyue hundreth thousand, veralye,
One hundreth thousand Camelis wycht;
On euerilk Cameill raid ane knycht
Preparit tyll passe in to all partis.
Thare wes ane hundreth thousand Cairtis;
Twoo thousand boittis with hir scho careis,
On Hors, Camelis, and Dromodareis.
Bryggis for to mak scho did conclude
Ouerthort Yndus, that furious flude,

290

Quhilk bene of Ynde the vtmoist bordoure.
On the quhilk flude, with rycht gude ordoure,
Off hir Bairgis sche bryggis maid,
Quhareon hir gret Oiste saifly raid.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, I wald men vnderstude
Quhow sic ane maruellous multytude
Mycht be attonis brocht to the feild,
Reddy to feycht with speir and scheild.
Sum men wyll Iuge this be ane fabyll,
The mater bene so vntrouabyll.

EXPE[RIENCE].

Itt may weill be, my Sonne (said he)
As be exempyll, we may se
Quhow Dauid, king of Israell,
His peple gart nummer and tell
Be Ioab, his cheif Capitane,
As holy Scripture schawis plane.
Off feychtand men, in to that land,
He fand threttyne hundreth thousand.
Sen Dauid, in that small countre,
Mycht haue rasit sic ane Armie,
To this Lady it wes no wounder,
The quhilk had greter Realmes ane hunder
Nor Dauidis lytill Regioun,
Thocht scho had mony A Legioun
Off men mo nor I tauld affore.
Tharefor, my Sonne, maruell no more.

Stawrobates, the kyng of Ynde,
Gretlie perturbit in his mynd,
Heryng of sic ane multytude,
To mak defens he did conclude,
And send one Message to the Quene,
Prayand hir Maiestie serene

291

That scho wald, of hir speciall grace,
Gyf hym Licence to leif in peace.
Failand of that, thocht he suld dee,
That he suld gar hir fecht or flee.
And tyll his God ane wowe he maid,
Gyff no peace mycht of hir be had,
And gyf he wan the victorye,
That he the Quene suld Crucifye.

At this bostyng the Quene maid bourdis,
Sayand, it sall nocht be: no wourdis
Sall gar me passe frome my purpose,
Bot mychtie straikis, as I suppose.
The Messingeir schew to the kyng
Off hir presumptuous answeryng.
Than Stawrobates, wyse and wycht,
Come fordwart, lyke ane nobyll Knycht,
With mony one thousand speir and scheild,
Arrayit Royallie on the feild,
Thynkand he wald his land defend,
Or in the Battell mak ane end.

The Quene, apone the vther syde,
Full of presumptioun and of pryde,
Hir Banaris plesandly displayit,
With hardy hart and vneffrayit.
Apone Indus, that famus flude,
Thay mett, quhare sched wes mekle blude.
In Bote, in Balingar, and Bargis,
The twa Armyis on vtherris chargis.
Semeramis the Battaill wan,
Quhare drownit and slane wer mony one man,
So that the walter of the flude
Ran reid, myxit with mannis blude.
The king of Ynde, with all his mycht,
Frome Yndus flude he tuke the flycht.
Tyll his cheif Citie he reterit
Quhare in his presens thare apperit,
In Battell raye, ane new armye.
Off rycht Inuincibyll Cheualrye,

292

With Elephantis ane hyddous nommer,
Quhilk efterwart maid mekle cummer.

Semeramis and hir cumpanye,
In the mene tyme, full creuellie
Distroyit the bordouris of that land,
Tuke presonaris mo than ten thousand.
Sche tuke one curagious consait,
Gret Elephantis to contrafait.
Sche had ten thousand Oxin hydis,
Weill sewit to gydder, bak and sydis,
With mouth, and nois, teith, Eris, and eine,
Quyke Elephantis as thay had bene,
Rycht weill stuft full of stray and hay,
Quhareof the Yndianis tuke affray.
Apone Camelis and Dromodareis
Those fals figouris with hir scho careis.
Sere Yndianis, quhen thay saw that sycht,
Afferitlye thay tuke the flycht,
For sic one sycht wes neuir sene,
Gyff naturall beistis thay had bene.
The Kyng hym self wes rycht afferit,
Tyll he the veritie had sperit,
And knew, be his exploratouris,
Thay wer bot fenȝeit fals figouris.

Than manfullye lyke men of weir,
Fordwart thay came withouttin feir.
Rycht so Semeramis the Quene,
Quhilk for one man wes, aye, fyftene.
Thir two Armeis full creuellye
Thay ruscheit to gydder so rudlie,
With hyddous cry and trumpettis sound,
Tyll thousandis dede laye on the ground.
Semeramis had sic one nummeir,
Tyll order thame it wes gret cummeir.
Than the gret Elephantis of ynde,
Rycht strang and hardy of thare kynde,
Fordwart thay came, and wald nocht ceis,
Tyll throcht the myddis of the preis

293

Off the gret oist thay rudlye ruscheit,
That men and horsse tyll erth trabuscheit.
Those fenȝeit beistis, withouttin spreit,
Wer fruschit and fulȝeit vnder feit.
The king of Ynde, with curage kene,
Mett with Semeramis the quene,
He rydand on ane Eliphand.
Bot scho with hym faucht hand for hand,
And gaif the king so gret assaye,
That he wes neuir in sic affraye.
To stryke at hym scho tuke no feir,
So weill sche vsit wes in weir.
His strakis scho had bot lytill comptit,
Wer nocht the king wes so weill montit.
Athir at vther straik so faste
Tyll thay wer tyrit at the laste.

The king he thocht hym self eschamit
With one woman to be diffamit,
And wes determit nocht to flee,
Thocht in that Battell he suld dee.
As man the quhilk disparit bene,
He rudely ran vpone the quene,
And throuch the arme gaif hir ane wound,
Quhilk tyll hir hart gaif sic one stound
That sche constranit wes to fle.
Than all the rest of hir Armie,
Quhen thay persauit that scho wes gone,
Tyll yndus flude thay fled, ilk one.
The Quene ouerthort the flude sche raid
On bryggis quhilkis wer of botis maid.
With hir, one sobir cumpanye,
Quhilk with hir fled affray[i]tlie
The Yndianis followit on the chace.
Than on the Bryggis come sic one prace
Off fleand folkis, quhilk wes gret wounder,
So that the Bargis brake in schonder.
Sum sank, sum doun the reuar ran.
Than drownit thare mony one nobyll man,

294

Quhilk wer gret piete tyll deplore,
As wryttis famous Diodore.

And, fynallie, for to conclude,
Wes neuer sched so mekle blude
At one tyme sen the warld began,
Nor slane so mony one saikles man;
And all throw the occasioun
And the prydefull perswasioun
Off this ambitious, wyckit Quene.
Sick one wes neuir hard nor sene.

Staurobates, the king of Ynde,
Gretlye Reioysit, in his mynde,
Off this tryumphe and victorye.
Semeramis, with hart full sorye,
Seand sa mony tane and slane,
Tyll hir countre returnit agane,
Lamentand fortunis variance,
Quhilk brocht hir to so gret myschance,
Affore quhilk wes so fortunat,
And than of confort desolat.

Hir Sonne, one man of perfectioun,
Consyddrand his subiectioun,
His lybertie he did desyre,
That he mychte gouerne his Impyre.
Seand his Mother vitious,
And, with that, so ambitious,
As myne Author doith specifye
He slew his Mother creuellye.
Quhat vther cause, or Intentioun,
I fynd no speciall Mentioun;
Sum sayis, to be at Lybertie
Sum sayis, for hir Adultrie.
None vther cause I can defyne,
Except punissioun deuyne.

Off this fair Lady coragious
Behald the endyng dolorous,
Quhilk wes bot twenty ȝeir of aige,
Quhen scho began hir vassalage,

295

And rang tryumphandlye, but weir,
The space of two and fourtye ȝeir.
Quhen scho wes slane, scho was thre score,
With ȝeris two, scho wes no more,
As Diodore wryttis in his buke,
His Cronikle quho lyste to luke.

Off this Lady I mak ane end,
Thynkand no way I can commend
Wemen for tyll be to manlye,
Nor men for tyll be womanlye.
For quhy, It bene the Lordis mynde
All Creature tyll vse thare kynde;
Men for tyll haue preheminens
And wemen vnder obediens,
Thocht all wemen inclynit be
Tyll haif the Soueranite,
As this Lady, quhilk wald nocht rest
Tyll scho hir Husband had subprest,
Tyll that intent that scho mycht ryng,
Allone to haif the gouernyng.

Ladyis no way I can commend
Presumptuouslye quhilk doith pretend
Tyll vse the office of ane kyng,
Or Realmes tak in gouernyng,
Quhowbeit thay wailȝeant be and wycht,
Goyng in Battell lyke one knycht,
As did proude Pantasilia,
The Princes of Amasona,
In mennis habyte, aganis reassoun.
Siclyke, I think dirisioun
One prince to be effaminate,
Of knychtlye corage desolate,
Neglectand his auctoritie,
Throuch beistlye sensualitie,
Accompanyit, boith day and nychtis,
With wemen, more than wailȝeant knychtis.
Sic kyngis I discommend at all,
Exempyll of Sardanapall.

296

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (said I) schaw me quhow lang
The successioun of Nynus rang.

EXPE[RIENCE].
That sall I do, with diligens,
My Sonne (said he) or I go hens.
Sen I haif schawin, at thy disyre,
Quhat man began the first Impyre,
Now wald I it wer to the kend
Off that Impyre the fatell end.

FINIS

QUHOV KING SARDANAPALUS, FOR HIS VITIOUS LIFE, MAID ANE MISERABILL END.

[EXPERIENCE].

Betvix this Conquerour Nynus
And sensuall Sardanapalus
I can nocht fynd no speciall storye,
Worthy to put in memorye,
Except quhilk I haif done discryfe
Off Semerame, king Nynus wyfe.
Bot I can fynd no gude at all
To wrytt of kyng Sardanapall,
Quhilk wes the saxt and threttye kyng
Be lyne frome Nynus discendyng.
At lenth his lyfe for to declare
I thynk it is nocht necessare,
Because that mony cunnyng clerkis
Hes hym discryuit in thare werkis.

297

Quhow he wes last of Asserians
Quhilk had the hole preemynans,
That tyme of the first Monarche,
In Cronicles as thow may se,
The last and the most vitious kyng
Quhilk in that Monarche did ryng.
That Prince wes so effeminate,
With sensuall luste intoxicate,
He did abhor the cumpanye
Off his most nobyll chewalrye.
That he mycht haue the more delyte
Tyll vse his beistlye appetyte,
Conuersit with wemen nycht and daye,
And clothit hym in thare arraye,
So that na man that hym had sene
Could Iuge ane man that he had bene.
So, in huredome and harlatrye
Did keip hym self so quyetlye,
The Princis of Asserience
Off hym thay could gett no presence.
Thus leuit he contynualye,
Agane nature Inordinatlye.

Quhen to the Peirsis and the Medis
Reportit wer his vitious dedis,
With the Rewlaris of Babilone,
Thay did conclude, all in tyll one,
Thay wald nocht suffer for tyll ryng
Abufe thame sic ane vitious kyng.
Bot Arbates, ane Duke of Mede,
He Darflye tuke on hand that dede.

Bot first he come to Nyniue,
To see the kyngis Maiestie,
And tyll one of the kyngis gaird
He gaif one secreit ryche rewaird,
Tyll put hym in ane quyet place,
Quhare he mycht se the kyngis grace,
And be onsene with ony wycht.
Bot he saw nother King nor Knycht

298

In tyll his maisteris cumpanye,
Except wemen, allanerlye.
And as ane woman he wes cled,
With wemen counsalit and led,
And schamefullye he wes syttand,
With Spindle and with Rock spinnand.
Quhen Arbates that sycht had sene,
His corage rasit frome the splene,
And thocht it small difycultie
For tyll depryue his Maiestie.

Than rasit he the Persianis,
With Medis and Babilonianis.
Inarmit weill with speir and scheildis,
Tryumphantlye thay tuke the feildis.

The king rasit Asserianis,
To gidther with the Caldianis,
And thame resystit as he mycht,
Bot, fynallie, he tuke the flycht,
To saif hym self, in Nyniue.
Than segit thay that gret Citie,
Contynuallie, two ȝeir and more,
As wryttis famous Diodore,
Tyll that the flude of Euphrates
Arrose with sic one furiousnes,
Quhare throuch ane gret part of the toun
By violence wes doungin doun.
Than, quhen the kyng saw no remeid
Bot to be takin, or to be deid,
As man disparit, full of yre,
Gart mak ane furious flammand fyre,
And tuke his gold and Iowellis all,
With Sceptur, Croun, and Robe Royall,
With all his tender seruituris
That of his Corps had gretest curis,
To gydder with his lustye Quenis,
And all his wantoun Concubenis,
And in that fyre he did thame cast,
Syne lape hym self in, at the last,

299

Quhare all wer brynt in poulder small.
Thus endit kyng Sardanapall,
Withouttin ony repentence,
As may be sene be this sentence,

Heir followyng, quhilk he did indyte,
Affore his deith, in gret dispyte,
Quhilk is ane rycht vngodly thing,
As ȝe maye se be his dyting.

FINIS.

Epitaphium Sardanapali.

CVM te mortalem noris, presentibus exple
Delitijs animum, post mortem nulla voluptas,
Et venere, & cœnis, & plumis SARDANAPALI.
Now haif I schawin, with deligence,
The Monarche of Asserience,
The quhilk at Kyng Nynus began,
And endit at this myscheant Man,
And did Indure, withouttin weir,
Ane thowsand, twa hundreth, and fourty ȝeir,
As dois Indyte Ewsubius.
Reid hym, and thow sall fynd It thus.

FINIS.

HEIR ENDIS THE SECUND PART. AND BEGYNNIS THE THRID PART.

300

AND, IN THE FIRST, MAKAND NARRATIONE OF THE MISARABYLL DISTRUCTIOUN OF THE FYUE CIETEIS CALLIT SODOME, GOMORE, SYBOIN, SEGORE, AND ADAMA, WITH THARE HOLE REGIOUN, AND ANE SCHORT DISCRIPTIOUN OF THE SECUND, THRID, AND FERD MONARCHEIS; WITH THE MISARABYLL DISTRUCTIOUN OF IERUSALEM AND, LAST, OF THE SPIRITUALL MONARCHIE.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, I pray ȝow to me tell
Quhat notabyll thyngis that befell
Duryng the Ryng of Asseriens,
Quhilk had so lang prehemynens;
I mene of vther Nationis
Under thare dominationis.

EXPE[RIENCE].

That may be done in termys schorte,
(Said he) as storyis doith reporte.
Induryng this first Monarchie
Become that wofull misarie
Off Sodome, Gomore, and thare Regione,
As Scripture makis Mentione,
Quhose peple wer so sensuall
In fylthie Synnis vnnaturall,
The quhilk in to my vulgar veirs.
My toung abhorris to reheirs.
Lyke brutall beistis, by thare myndis,
Unnaturally abusit thare kyndis,

301

By fylthie stynkand Lychorie,
And most abhominabyll Sodomie.
As holy scripture doith discryue,
In that countre wer Citeis fyue,
Quhilk wer Sodome, and Gomora,
Seboin, Segore, and Adama.
Amang thame all funde wes thare none
Undefylit, bot Lott allone.

Holy Abraham dwelt neir hand by,
Quhilk prayit for Lott effectuously.
For God maid hym aduertysment,
That he wald mak sic punyschement.
To Lott two Angellis God did sende,
Hym frome that furye tyll defende.
Quhen the peple of that regioun
Saw the Angellis cum to the toun,
Transformit in to fair ȝoung men,
Thay purposit thame for to ken,
And abuse thame vnnaturallye,
With thare foule stynkand Sodomye.
Off that gude Lott wes wounder woo,
And offerit thame his Douchteris twoo,
Thame at thare plesour for tyll vse,
Bot thay his Douchteris did refuse.
And then the Angellis, be thare mycht,
Those men depryuit of thare sycht,
And so, perfors, leitt thame allone.
To Lottis lugyng quhen thay wer gone,
Thay hym commandit haistelie
For tyll depart of that Citie.
That foule vnnaturall Lychorie
A vengeance to the hewin did crye,
The quhilk did mofe God tyll sic yre,
That frome the hewin Brintstone and fyre,
With awfull thoundryng, ranit doun,
And did consume that hole regioun.
Off all that land chapit no mo
Except Lott and his Douchteris two.

302

His wyfe wes turnit in A stone,
So wyfles wes he left allone,
For scho wes Inobedient,
And kepit no commandiment.
Quhen the Angell gaif thame command
Sone tyll depart out of that land,
He monyste thame, vnder gret pane,
Neuer to luke bakwart agane.
Quhen Lottis wyfe hard the thoundring
Off flammand fyre and lychtnyng,
The vgly cryis lamentabyll
Off peple most appouentabyll,
For none of thame had fors to flee,
Scho ȝarnit that sorrowfull sycht to see,
And, as scho turnit hir, anone
Scho wes transformit in a stone,
Quhare scho remanis tyll this daye.
Off hir I haue no more to saye.

To schaw at leynth I am nocht abyll
That pietious proces lamentabyll,
Quhow Ceteis, Castellis, Tounis, and Towris,
Uillagis, Bastailȝeis, and Bowris,
Thay wer all in to poulder drewin;
Forrestis be the ruttis vprewin;
Thare Kyng, thare Quene, and peple all,
Ȝong and auld, brynt in poulder small.
No Creature wes left on lyfe,
Foulis, Beistis, Man, nor Wyfe;
The erth, the Corne, herb, frute, and tre,
The Babbis vpone the Noryse kne,
Rycht suddantlye, in one Instent,
Unwerly come thare Iugement,
As it come in the tyme of Noye,
Quhen God did all the warld distroye,
For that self Syn of Sodomye,
And most abhominabyll bewgrye.
That vyce at lenth for tyll declare,
I thynk it is nocht necessare.

303

Quhen all wes brynt, flesche, blud, & bonis,
Hyllis, valais, stokis, and stonis,
The Cuntre sank, for to conclude;
Quhare now standith ane vglye flude,
The quhilk is callit the dede see,
Nixt to the cuntre of Iudee,
Quhose stynkand strandis, blak as tar,
The flewre of it men felith on far.
In tyll Orocius thow may reid
Off that cuntre the lenth and breid.
Of lenth, fyftye mylis and two,
And fourtene myle in breid, also.

Lott of his wyfe wes so agast
That he tyll A wyld Montane past.
Off cumpanye he had no mo
Except his lustye Douchteris two,
And, be thare prouocatioun,
As Moyses makith narratioun,
Allone in to that montane wylde,
His Douchteris boith he gat with chylde.
For thay beleuit, in thare thocht,
That all the warld wes gone to nocht,
As it become of that Natioun,
Thynkand that Generatioun
Wald faill, withoute thay craftellye
Gar thare Father with thame to lye.
And so thay fand ane crafty wyle,
Quhow thay thare Father mycht begyle,
And causit hym to drynk wycht wyne,
Quhilk men to Lychorye doith Inclyne.
Quhen he wes full, and fallin on sleip,
His Douchteris quyetlye did creip
In tyll his bed, full secreitlye,
Prouokand hym with thame to lye.
And knew nocht quhow he wes begylde,
Tyll boith his Douchteris wer with chylde;
And bure two Sonnis, in certane,
Thay beand in that wyld Montane,

304

Off quhome two Nationis did proceid,
As in the scripture thow may reid.
In the quhilk scripture thow may se
Att lenth this wofull misarie.

This misarie become, but weir,
From Noeis flude thre hundreth ȝeir,
To gidther with four score and alewin,
As comptit Carione, full ewin.
And efter Noeis deith, I ges,
Ane and fourtye ȝeir thare wes,
Quhen Abraham was of aige, I wene,
Foure score of ȝeris and nynteine,
Quhen this foule Syn of Sodomye,
Was puneisit so regorouslye.
Gret God Preserue ws, in our tyme,
That we commit nocht sic ane cryme.

Tiddius It wer for me to tell
This Monarche duryng quhat befell,
And wounderis that in erth wer wrocht,
Quhilk to thy purpose langith nocht.

Exod. i.

As quhow the peple of Israell
Did lang tyme in to Egypt dwell,
And of thare gret puneisioun,
Throuch Pharois persecusioun;
And quhow Moyses did thame conuoye

Exod. xiiii.

Throuch the reid sey, with mekle Ioye,
Quhare kyng Pharo, rycht misarably,
Wes drownit, with all his huge army;
And quhow that peple wandrand wes
Fourtye ȝeiris in wyldernes.

Exod. xx.

Moyses, that tyme, as I heir saye,
Ressauit the Law on Mont Sinay.

Iosue iii.

That tyme, Iosue throuch Iordan
Led those peple to Canaan,
Quhare Saule, Dauid, and Salamone,
With Hebrew Kyngis mony one,
Did rychelye ryng in that countre,
Induryng this first Monarche.

305

The Sege of Thebes, misarabyll,
Quhare blude wes sched, Incomparabyll,
Off nobyll men, in to those dayis,
With vtheris terribyll affrayis.
As quhow the Grekis wrocht vengeance
Apone the nobyll Troyiance,
Because that Pareis did conuoye,
Perfors, fair Helena to Troye,
Quhilk wes king Menelaus wyfe,
Quhare mony one thousand loste thare lyfe.

That tyme, the vailȝeant Hercules
Out throuch the warld did hym addres,
Quhare he did mony ane douchtye deid,
As in his storye thow may reid;
And quhow, throuch Dyonere, his wyfe,
That Campione did lose his lyfe.
In flammand fyre full furiouslye
The deith he sufferit creuellye.

That tyme, Remus and Romolus
Did found that Citie most famous
Off Rome, standing in Italie,
As in thare storye thow may se.
Wald thow reid Titus Leuius,
Thow suld fynd warkis wounderus,
Quhose douchtye deidis ar weill kende,
And salbe to the warldis ende,
Thocht thay began with creueltie,
And endit with misaritie,
As bene the maner, to conclude,
Off all scheddaris of saikles blude.

In Grece the ornat Poetry,
Medecene, Musike, Astronomy,
Duryng this first Monarche began,
Be Homerus, that famous man,
To gydder with Hesiodus,
As diuers Auctoris schawis ws.
It wer lang to put in ryme
The bukis quhilk thay wret in thare tyme,

306

Thir wer the actis principell
That Monarche duryng quhilk befell.

Gen. xvii.

As for gude Abraham and his seid,
In to the Bibyll thow may reid,
Quhow, in this tyme, as I heir tell,
Began the Kyngdome Spirituell,
As I haue schawin to the affore,
Quharefor I speik of thame no more.

FINIS.

ANE SCHORT DISCRIPTIOUN OF THE SECUND, THRID, AND FERD MONARCHE.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (said I) quhilk wes the man
That the nyxt Monarchye began?

EXPE[RIENCE].

Cyrus (said he) the kyng of Pers,
As Cronicles hes done rehers,
Prudent, and full of Pollicye,
Began the secunde Monarchye,
For he wes the most godly kyng
That euer in Pers or Mede did ryng.
For he, of his Benyngnitie,
Delyuerit frome Captyuitie,
The hole Peple of Israell,
In to the tyme of Daniell,
The quhilkis had bene presoneris,
In Babilone, sewin score of ȝeris.
Tharefor God, of his grace benyng,
Gaif hym ane diuyne knawleging.

307

Duryng his tyme, as I heir tell,
He vsit counsall of Daniell.
Carione at lenth doith specifie
Off his maruellous Natyuitie,
And of his vertuus vpbrynging,
And quhow he vincuste Cresus king,
With mony vther vailȝeant deid,
As in to Carione thow may reid,
Quhose Successioun did indure
Tyll the tent Kyng; thareof be sure.

Bot, efter his gret conquessyng,
Rycht miserabyll wes his endyng.
As Herodotus doith discryfe,
In Scythia he lost his lyfe,
Quhare the vndantit Scethianis
Uincuste those nobyll Persianis.
And, efter that Cerus wes dede,
Quene Tomyre hakkit of his hede,
Quhilk wes the quene of Scethianis,
In the dispyte of Persianis.
Scho kest his heid, for to conclude,
In tyll ane vessell full of blude,
And said thir wourdis, creuellye:
Drynk, now thy fyll, gyf thow be drye,
For thow did aye blude schedding thryste.
Now drynk at laser, gyf thow lyste.
Efter that, Cyrus successioun
Off all the warld had possessioun,

Tyll Allexander, with swerd and fyre,
Obtenit, perfors, the thrid Impyre,
Quhilk wes the king of Macedone,
With vailȝeant Grekis mony one,
In battell fell and furious,
Uincuste the mychtie Darious,
Quhilk wes the tent and the last kyng
Quhilk did efter king Cyrus ryng.
As for this potent Empriour,
Allexander the Conquereour,

308

Geue thow at lenth wald reid his ryng,
And of his creuell conquessyng,
In Inglis toung, in his gret buke,
Att lenth his lyfe thare thow may luke:
Quhow Allexander, that potent Kyng,
Wes twelf ȝeris in his Conquessyng,
And quhow, for all his gret conquest,
He leuit bot ane ȝeir in rest,
Quhen be his Seruand secretlye
He poysonit wes, full pietuouslye.

Lucane doith Allexander compair
Tyll thounder, or fyreflaucht in the air,
One creuell Planeit, A mortall weird
Doun thryngand peple with his sweird.
Ganges, that most famous flude,
He myxit with the Indianis blude,
And Euphrates, with the blude of Pers.
Quhose creueltie for to rehers,
And saikles blude quhilk he did sched,
War rycht abhominabyll to be red.
Efter his schort prosperitie,
He deit with gret miseritie.

Itt wer to lang for to dissydit
Quhow all his realmes wer deuydit.
Aye quhill that Cesar Iulyus,
Quhen he had vincust Pompeyus,
Wes chosin Emperiour and kyng,
Abufe the Romanis for tyll ryng,
That potent Prince wes the first man
Quhilk the ferd Monarche began,
And had the hole Dominioun
Off euerilk land and Regioun,
Quhose successouris did ryng, but weir,
Ouer the warld, mony one hundreth ȝeir.
Bot gentyll Iulyus, allace,
Rang Empriour bot lytill space,
Quhilk I thynk petye tyll deplore.
In fyue Moneth and lytill more,

309

By fals exhorbitant treasoun,
That prudent Prince wes trampit doun
And murdrest, in his counsall hous,
By creuell Brutus and Cascius.

Efter that Iulyus wes slane,
Did ryng the gret Octauiane,
Off Empriouris one of the best.
Duryng his tyme wes peace and rest
Ouer all the warld, in ilk regioun,
As storyis makith mentioun.
And als I mak it to the plane,
Duryng the tyme of Octauiane,
The Sonne of God, our Lord Iesew,
Tuke mankynd of the Uirgine trew,
And wes, that tyme, in Bethelem borne,
To saif mankynde, quhilk wes forlorne,

Math. ii.

As Scripture makith narratioun
Off his blyst Incarnatioun.

Now haif I tald the, as I can,
Quhow the four Monarchyis began.
Bot, in thy mynde, thow may consydder
Quhow warldly power bene bot slydder,
For all thir gret Impyris ar gone.
Thow seis thare is no Prince allone
Quhilk hes the hole Dominioun,
This tyme, of euery Regioun.

COUR[TIOUR].

Father, quhat reasone had those kyngis
Reuarris to be of vtheris ryngis,
But ony rycht or Iuste querrell,
Quhairthrouch that thay mycht mak battell,
And commoun pepyll to dounthyrng?
To this (said I) mak answeryng.

310

My Sonne (said he) that sall be done,
As I best can, and that rycht sone.

Thir Monarcheis, I vnderstand,
Preordinat wer by the command

Dani. vii.

Off God, the Plasmatour of all,
For to doun thryng and to mak thrall
Undantit Peple vitious,
And als for to be gratious
To thame quhilk vertuous wer and gude,
As Daniell heth done conclude
At lenth, in tyll his Propheseis,
Quhow thare suld be four Monarcheis.
His secund Chepture thow maye see,
Quhow, efter the first Monarchie,
Quhen Nabuchodonosor kyng
Ane Ymage sawe, in his slepyng,
With austeir luke, boith heych and breid
And of fyne pure Gold wes his heid,
His breist and armes of syluer brycht,
His wamb of Copper, hard and wycht,
His loynis and lymmis of Irne rycht strong,
His feit of clay Irne myst among.
Frome A montane thare come allone,
But hand of man, A mekle stone,
Quhilk on that Figouris feit did fall,
And dang all doun in poulder small.

Off quhose Interpretatioun
Doctouris doith mak Narratioun.
The hede of gold did signifye,
First, of Asserianis Monarchye.
The syluer breist thay did apply
To Persianis quhilk rang secundly.
The wambe, of copper or of brasse,
Thridly, to Grekis comparit wasse.
His loynis and lymmis of Irne and steill,
Clerkis hes thame comparit weill

311

To Romanis, throuch thare diligence
To haue the Feird Preemynence
Abufe all vther Natioun.
Be this Interpretatioun,
The myxit feit with Irne and clay
Did signifye this letter day,
Quhen that the warld sulde be deuydit,
As efterwart salbe disydit.
To Christ is signifyit the stone,
Quhose Monarche sall neuer be gone;
For vnder his Dominioun
All Princis sall be trampit doun.
Quhen that gret kyng Omnipotent
Cumis to his generall Iugement,
His Monarche, than, salbe knawin,
As efter sall be to the schawin.

And als the Scripture sall the tell
Quhow, in the aucht of Daniell,
He saw, in to his visioun,
Be ane plane expositioun,
Quhow that the Grekis sulde wyrk vengeence
Upone the Medis and Persience;
Comparand Grekis tyll ane Gote
With ane horne, fers, furious, and hote,
Quhilk slew the Ram with hornis two,
Comparit tyll Pers and Mede, all so.
And so, be Daniellis prophesyis,
All thir gret mychtie Monarchyis,
The quhilkis all vther realmes supprysit,
Be the gret God thay wer deuysit.
As he of Tytus, the Romane,
Sonne and Air to Uespasiane,
Maid hym ane Furious Instrument,
To put the Iowis to gret torment,
Quhilk I purpose, or I hyne fair,
Schortlie that processe to declair.

FINIS.

312

OF YE MOST MISERABYL AND MOST TERRABILL DISTRUCTIOUN OF IERUSALEM.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (said I) declare to me,
Induryng this ferd Monarchie
The maist Infortune that befell.

EXPE[RIENCE].

My Sonne (said he) that sall I tell.
The moist and manyfest misarie
Became apon the gret Cetie
Ierusalem, quhen it wes supprest,
As storyis makis manifest.

Baru. vi.

Bot, as the Scripture doith deuyse,
Ierusalem wes distroyit twyse.
First, for the gret Idolatrye
Quhilk thay commyttit in Iowrye.
The honour aucht to God allone
Thay gaif Figuris of stoke and stone.
Affore Christis Incarnatioun
Come this first desolatioun,
Fyue hundreth ȝeris, four score, and ten,
In Cronicles as thow may ken.
Quhow Nabuchodonosor, kyng,
That famous Citie did doun thryng;
Thare Kyng, with peple mony one,
Brocht thame, all bound, to Babilone,
Quhare thay remanit Presoneris
The space of thre score and ten ȝeris.
And that first desolatioun
Wes callit the Transmigratioun.
Wes no man left, in all thare landis,
Bot Purellis lauborand with thare handis,

313

Tyll mychtie Cyrus, king of Pers,
As Daniell heth done rehers,
Wes mouit, be God, for tyll restore
The Iowis quhare that thay wer afore.

Geue I neglect, I wer to blame,
The last Sege of Ierusalem,
Quhose rewyne wes most miserabyll,
And for to tell rycht terrabyll.
Wes neuer, in erth, Cetie nor toun,
Gatt sic extreme distructioun.
The townis of Tyre, Tebes, nor Troye,
Thay sufferit neuer half sic noye.
The Emprioure Uespasiane
He did deuyse that Sege, certane.

Thare wes the Prophesie compleit
Quhilk Christ spake on mont Olyueit.
Quhen he Ierusalem beheld,

Luc. xix. & xxi. Mark xiii.

The teris frome his eine disteld.
Seand, be Diuyne prescience,
The gret distructioun and vengence
Quhilk wes to cum on that Cetie,
His hart wes persit with Petie,
Sayand: Ierusalem, and thow knew
Thy gret rewyne, sore wald thow rew.
For no thyng I can to the schaw,
The veritie thow wyll nocht knaw,
Nor hes in consydderatioun
Thy holy visitatioun.
Thy peple wyll no way considder,
Quham gadtherit I wald haif to gidder,

Mathew xxiii.

As errand scheip bene with thare hirdis,
Or as the Hen gadderis her byrdis
Under hir wyngis, tenderlye,
Quhilk thay refusit dispitfullye.
Quharefor sall cum that dulefull day,
That no remedy mak thow may:
Thy Dungiounis sall be dung in schounder,
So that the warld sall on the wounder;

314

Thy tempyll, now most tryumphand,

Mathew xxiiii.

Sall be tred doun amang the sand.
And, as he said, so it befell,
As heir efter I sall the tell.

COUR[TIOUR].
Schaw me (said I) with circumstance,
The speciall cause of that myschance.

EXPE[RIENCE].

(Quod he) as scripture doith conclude,
For scheddyng of the saikles blude
Off Prophetis quhilkis God to thame send,
And, als, because that thay myskend
Iesu, the Sonne of God Souerane,
Quhen he amang thame did remane.
For all the Myraklis that he schew,
Maliciouslye thay hym mysknew;
Thocht, be his gret power diuyne,

Ihon. ii.

The walter cleir he turnit in wyne,
And, be that self power and mycht,
To the blynde borne he gaif the sycht,
And gaif the crukit men thair feit,
And maid the lypir haill compleit.

Ihon. xi.

He halit all, and rasit the dede,
Ȝit held thay hym at mortall fede.

Math. x.

Because he schew the veritie,
Thay did conclude that he sulde de.

The Byschoppis, princis of the preistis,

Mathew xxvii.

They grew so boildin, in thare breistis,
The Scrybis, the Doctouris of the law,
Off God nor man quhilkis stude none aw,
On Christ Iesu to wyrk vengeance.
Rycht so, the fals Pharesiance,
Ane Sect of fenȝeit Religioun,
Deuysit his confusioun,

315

And send thare seruandis, at the last,
And with strang cordis thay band hym fast,

Iho. xix.

Syne scurgit hym, boith bak and syde,
That none for blude mycht se his hyde.
Thare wes nocht left ane penny breid
Unwoundit, frome his feit tyll heid.
In maner of dirisioun,
Thay plett for hym ane creuell croun
Off prunȝeand thornis scharpe and lang,
Quhilk on his hewinlye heid thay thrang,
Syne gart hym, for the gretter lack,
Beir his awin Gallous, on his back,
Tyll the vyle place of Caluare,
Quhare mony ane thousand man mycht se.

That Innocent thay tuke, perforce,
And platt hym bakwart to the Croce.
Throuch feit and handis gret nalis thay thryst,
Tyll blude aboundantlye out bryst.
Without grunschyng, clamor, or crye,
That pane he sufferit patientlye.
And, for agmentyng of his grefis,
Thay hangit hym betuix two thefis,
Quhare men mycht se the bludy strandis
Quhilkis sprang furth of his feit and handis.
Frome thornis, thristit on his heid,
Ran doun the bulryng stremis reid.
In the presens of mony one man,
That blude royall on roches ran.
Schortly to say, that heuinlye Kyng
In extreme dolour thare did hyng,
Tyll he said Consumatum est;
With A loude crye, he gaif the gaist.
Quhen he wes dede, thay tuke one dart,
And peirst that Prence outthrouch the hart,
Fra quham thare ran walter and blude.
The erth than trymblit, to conclude.

Phebus did hyde his beymes brycht,
That throuch the warld thare wes no lycht.

316

The gret vaill of the tempyll raue.
The dede men rais out of thare graue,
And in the Cetie did appeir,
As in the Scripture thow may heir.
Than Ioseph of Abaramathie,
Did bury hym rycht honestlie.
Bot ȝit he rose, full gloriouslye,

Ihon. xx.

On the thrid day, tryumphandlye.
With his Disciplis, in certane,
Fourtye dayis he did remane;

Actis. i.

Efter that, to the heuin ascendit.
Thir Iowis no thyng thare lyfe amendit,
Nor gaif no credens tyll his sawis,
As at more lenth the storye schawis,
Bot creuellye thay did oppres
All men that Christis name did profes,
And persecutit mony one.

Actis. v.

Thay presonit boith Peter and Ihone,
And Stewin thay stonit to the dede.
Frome Iames the les thay straik the hede.

Actis. vi.

This wes the cause, in conclusioun,
Off thare creuell confusioun.

The prudent Iow, Iosephus, sayis
That he wes present in those dayis,
And, in his buke, makith mentioun,
Quhow, efter Christis Ascentioun
The space of twa and fourty ȝeris,
Began those creuell mortall weris,
The secund ȝeir of Uespasiane,
Quhare mony takin wer and slane.
Iosephus planely doith conclude,
Wes neuer sene sic one multytude,
Affore that tyme, in to the toun,
Quhilk come for thare confusioun.
Thare gret Infortune so befell,
That all the Princis of Israell
Conuenit agane the tyme of Peace,
Bot tyll returne thay had no grace

317

The bald Romanis, with thare Chiftane,
Tytus, the Sonne of Uespasiane,
Thare Army ouer Iudea spred.
Than all men to the Ciete fled,
Beleuand thare to get releif;
Bot all that turnit to thare myscheif.

The Romanis lappit thame about,
That be no waye thay mycht wyn out.
Sax Moneth did that Sege indure,
Quhare loste wer mony one creature,
Quhilkis thare in misary did remane,
Tyll thay wer takin all, or slane.
Duryng the tyme of this assailȝe,
Thare meit, and drynk, and all did failȝe.
For thare wes sic ane multytude
That thousandis deit for falt of fude.
Necessitie gart thame eit, perforsse,
Dog, Catt, and Rattone, Asse, and horsse.
Ryche men behuffit tyll eait thare gold,
Syne deit of hunger mony fold.
Sic hunger wes, without remeid
The quik behufit tyll eit the deid.
The fylth of Closettis mony eit;
To lenth thare lyfe thay thocht it sweit.

The famous Ladyis of the toun,
For falt of fude, thay fell in swoun.
Quhen thay mycht gett none vther meit,
Thay slew thare propir Bairnis to eit.
Bot all for nocht: dispytfullye,
Thare awin sowldiouris, full gredelye,
Reft thame that flesche most misarabyll,
And thay, with murnyng lamentabyll,
For extreme hunger, ȝald the spreit.
Thare wes the Prophesie compleit,

Luc. xxiiii.

As Christ affore maid narratioun,
The day of his grym Passioun.
Quhen that the Ladyis for hym murnit,
Full pietuouslye he to thame turnit,

318

And said: douchterris, murne nocht for me;
Murne on ȝour awin posteritie.
Within schort tyme sall cum the day
That men of this Ciete sall say,
Quhen thay ar trappit in the snair,
Blyst be the wamb that neuer bair.
The baren papis, than, thay sall blys;
That dulefull day ȝe sall nocht mys.
This prophesie it come to pas,
That day, with mony lowde allas.
Sic sorrowfull lamentatioun
Wes neuer hard in that natioun.
Seand those lustye Ladyis sweit
Deand for hunger in the streit,
Thare husbandis nor thare chyldring
Mycht geue to thame na conforting,
Nor ȝit releif thame of thare harmis,
Bot atheris deand in vtheris armis.
Efter this wofull Indigence,
Amang thame rose sic Pestilence,
Quhare in thare deit mony hounder,
Quhilk tyll declare it wer gret wounder.

And, for fynall conclusioun,
Those weirlyke wallis thay dang doun.
Prince Tytus, with his Chewalrye,
With sound of trompe, Tryumphandlye,
He enterrit in that gret Ciete.
Bot tyll declare I thynk piete
The panefull clamour horrabyll,
Off woundit folk most miserabyll.
Thare wes nocht ellis bot tak and slay,
For thare mycht no man wyn away.
The strandis of blude ran throuch the stretis
Off dede folk trampit vnder fetis.
Auld Wedowis in the preis wer smorit;
Ȝoung Uirginis, schamefully deflorit;
The gret Tempyll of Salamone,
With mony A curyous caruit stone,

319

With perfyte pynnakles on hycht,
Quhilkis wer rycht bewtyfull and wycht,
Quhare in ryche Iowellis did abound,
Thay ruscheit rudlye to the ground,
And sett, in tyll thare furious yre,
Sancta Sanctorum in to fyre,
And, with extreme confusioun,
All thare gret Dungionis thay dang doun.

Thare bursin wer the boildin breistis
Off Byschoppis, princis of the preistis.
Thare takin wes the gret vengeence
On fals Scrybis and Pharisience.
All thare payntit Ipocrasie
That tyme, mycht mak thame no supplie.
That day thay dulefullye repentit
That to the deith of Christe consentit:
Thocht it wes oure Saluatioun,
Itt wes to thare Dampnatioun,
The vengeance of the blude saikles,
Frome Abell tyll Zacharies,
That day apon Ierusalem fell.
Bot tiddius it wer to tell
The gret extreme confusioun,
And of blude sic effusioun.
Wes neuer slane so mony ane man,
At one tyme, sen the warld began.
The Iowis, that day, gat thare desyre,
Quhilk thay did aske, in to thare yre,
As bene in Scripture specifyit,
The day quhen Christe wes Crucifyit.
Quhen Ponce Pylat, the precedent,
Said to thame, I am Innocent

Math. xxvii.

Off the Iust Blude of Christ Iesus,
Thay cryit, his Blude lycht vpon ws,
And on our Generatioun.
Thay gat thare Supplicatioun.
That day, with mony cairfull cry,
Thare blude wes sched aboundantly.

320

Iosephus wryttith, in his buke,
His Cronicle quho lyste to luke,
Duryng that creuell Sege, certane,
Wer alewin hundreth thowsand slane;
Off Presonaris, weill tauld and sene,
Foure score of thousandis, and sewintene.
Out of the land thay did expell
All the peple of Israell,
And, for thare gret Ingratytude,
Thay leif ȝit vnder Seruytude.
Thare is no Iow, in no cuntre,
Quhilk hes one fute of propertie,
Nor neuer had, withouttin weir,
Sen this day fyuetene hundreth ȝeir,
Nor neuer sall, I to the schaw,
Tyll that thay turne to Christis law.

Sum sayis that Iowis mony fald
Wer thretty for ane penny sald;
As Iudas sauld the Kyng of Glore
For thretty pennyis, and no more.

Efter that mony wer myscheuit,
Quhen nouellis past quhow lang thay leuit
Apone thare Gold, withouttin doute,
Thay slyt thare bellyis, to sers it oute.
The rest in Egypt thay did sende,
Presonaris to thare lyuis ende.
Tytus tuke, in his cumpanye,
Gret nummer of the most worthye.
With hym to Rome he led thame bound,
Syne creuelly did thame confound,
His victory for tyll decore,
And for agmentyng of his glore.
Gart put thame in to publict placis,
Quhare all folk mycht behald thare facis;
Syne with wyld Lyonis creuellye
He gart deuore thame dulefullye.

This hie, Tryumphand, mychtie toun
At Pasche wes put to confusioun,

321

Because that in the tyme of Peace
Thay Crucifyit the Kyng of grace.
Sum hes this mater done indyte
More Ornatly than I can wryte,
Quharefor I speik of it no more.
Onely to God be laude and glore.

FINIS.

OFF YE MISERABYLL END OFF CERTANE TYRANE PRINCIS. AND, SPECIALLYE, THE BEGYNARRIS OF THE FOUR MONARCHEIS.

[EXPERIENCE.]

Now haue I done declare, at thy desyris,
As thow demandit, in to termys schort,
And quhow began the principall impyris,
As Cronicle and Scripture dois report.
Quhairfor, my Sone, I hartly the exhort,
Perfytlie prent in thi rememb[e]rance
Off this Inconstante warld the variance.

The Princis of thir foure gret Monarcheis,
In thare most hiest pompe Imperiallis,
Traistyng to be moist sure sett in thare seis,
The fraudful warld gaif to thame mortall fallis,
For thare rewarde, bot dyrk memoriallis:
Thocht ouir the warld thay had preheminence,
Off it thay gat none vther recompence.

For, siclyke as the snaw doith melt in May
Throuch the reflex of Phebus bemys brycht,

322

Thir gret Impyris rychtso ar went away.
Gone bene thare glore, thair power, & thair mycht,
Because thay wer reuaris withouttin rycht,
And blude scheddaris full creuell, to conclude:
Rycht creuellye, tharefor, wes sched thare blude.

Behald quhow God, aye sen the warld began,
Hes maid of tyrrane Kyngis Instrumentis
To scurge peple, and to keill mony one man,
Quhilkis to his law wer Inobedientis.
Quhen thay had done perfurneis his ententis,
In dantyng wrangus peple schamefullye,
He sufferit thame be scurgit creuellye.

Ewin as the scule Maister doith mak ane wand,
To dant and dyng Scollaris of rude ingyne,
The quhilkis wyll nocht study at his command:
He scurgis thame, and only to that fyne,
That thay suld to his trew counsall inclyne.
Quhen thay obey, and mesit bene his yre,
He takis the wand and castis in to the fyre.

Exo. vii.

God of kyng Pharo maid one Instrument,
Quhilk wes the gret kyng of Egyptience,
His awin peculier peple to torment.
That beand done, he wrocht on hym vengence,
And leit hym fall throuch Inobedience.
And fynallie, he, with his gret armye,

Exo. xiiii.

In the reid sey thame drownit dulefullye.

Rycht so, of Nabuchodonosor kyng,
God maid of hym ane furious Instrument,
Ierusalem and the Iowis to doun thryng,
Quhen thay to God wer Inobedient;
Syne reft hym frome his ryches and his rent,
And hym transformit in ane beist brutell,

Dan. iii.

Sewin ȝeris and more, as wryttis Daniell.

323

Alexander, throuch prydefull tyrrannye,
In ȝeris twelf did mak his gret conquest,
Aye scheddand saikles blude full creuellye.
Tyll he wes kyng of kyngis, he tuke no rest.
In all the warld quhen he wes full possest,
In Babilone thronit tryumphantlye,
Throuch poysoun strang deceisit dulefullye

Duke Hanniball, the strang Cartagiane,
The danter of the Romanis pompe and glorye,
Be his power wer mony one thousand slane,
As may be red at lenth in tyll his storye.
At Cannas, quhare he wan the victorye,
On Romanis handis that dede lay on the ground,
Thre hepit Buschellis wer of Ryngis found.

In to that mortall battell, I heir sane,
Off the Romanis moste worthy weriouris,
By presonaris, wer fourty thousand slane,
Off quhom thare wes thretty wyse Senatouris,
And xx. Lordis, the quhilkis had bene Pretouris,
That deit in to defence of thare cuntre,
And for tyll hald thare lande at lybertie.

Quhat rewarde gatt this creuell Campioun,
Quhen he had slane so gret one multytude,
And quhen the glasse of his glorye wes roun?
Ane schamefull deith, and, schortlye to conclude,
This bene reward of all scheddaris of blude.
For he gat sic extreme confusioun,
He slew hym self in drynking strang poysoun.

Behald the two moste famous Campionis,
(That is to say) Iulyus and Pompey,
Quhilkis did conquesse all erthly Regionis,
Alsweill maine land as Ylis in the sey,
And to the toun of Rome gart thame obey:

324

For Pompeyus subdewit the Orient,
And Iulyus Cesar, all the Occident.

Bot, fynaly, thir two did stryue for stait,
Quhare throw thre hundreth .M. men wer slane.
Bot Pompeyus, efter that gret debait,
He murdreist wes; the storye tellis plane.
Than Iulyus wes Prince and Souerane,
Abufe the hole warld Empriour and kyng;
Bot, in to rest, schorte tyme indurit his ryng.

For, within fyue moneth and lytill more,
Amyd his Lordis in the counsall hous,
He murdreist wes; quhat nedeth proces more?
As I haue said, be Brute and Cascius.
Geue thow wald knaw thare dethis dolorous,
Thow most at lenth go reid the Romane storye,
Quhilk hes this mater put in memorye.

Gone is the Goldin warld of Asserianis,
Off quhome kyng Nynus wes first & principall:
Gone is the syluer warld of Persianis:
The Copper warld of Grekis now is thrall:
The warld of Irne, quhilk wes the last of all,
Comparit to the Romanis in thare glore,
Ar gone, rychtso: I heir of thame no more.

Now is the warld of Irne myxit with clay,
As Daniell at lenth hes done indyte.
The gret Impyris ar meltit clene away;
Now is the warld of dolour and dispyte.
I se nocht ellis bot troubyll infinyte.
Quharefor, my Sonne, I mak it to the kend,
This warld, I wait, is drawand to ane end.

Tokynnis of darth, hunger, and pestilence,
With creuell weris, boith be sey and land,
Realme aganis realme with mortall violence,

325

Quhilk signifyis the last day ewin at hand.
Quharefor, my Sonne, be in thy faith constand.
Rasyng thy hart to God, and cry for grace,
And mend thy lyfe, quhil thow hes tyme & space.

FINIS.

HEIR FOLLOWIS THE FYFT SPIRITUALL, AND PAPALL MONARCHIE.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, Is thare no Prince ringand,
Quhilk hes the warld, now, at command,
As had the Kyngis of Asserianis,
The Persis, Grekis, or the Romanis?
Quho hes, now, most Dominioun
Off euerilk land and Regioun?

EXPE[RIENCE].

Thare is no Prince, my Sonne (said he)
That hes the principall Monarche
Abufe the warld vniuersall,
With hole power Imperiall,
As Alexander, or Darius,
Or as had Cesar Iulyus:
For Orient and Occident
To thame wer all obedient.
Nochtwithstandyng, I fynd one kyng
Quhilk in tyll Europe doith ryng,
That is, the potent Pope of Rome,
Impyrand ouir all Christindome,
To quhome no Prince may be compare,
As Canon lawis can declare.
All Princis of the Occident
Ar tyll his grace obedient;

326

For he hes hole power compleit,
Boith of the body and the spreit,
Quhilk neuer had no prince affore,
Except the mychtie kyng of glore.
To Christe he is gret Lewtennand,
In holy Peteris Saitt syttand.
So he is of all kyngis Kyng,
Quhilkis in to Europe now doith Ryng.

And, as the Romane Empriouris,
Hauyng the warld vnder thare curis,
Had Princis, Knychtis, and Campionis,
Rewlaris in tyll all Regionis,
Uphaldyng thare Aucthoritie,
Usyng Iustice and polisie,

Rycht so, this potent pope of Rome,
The Souerane kyng of Christindome,
He hes, in tyll ilk countre,
His Princis of gret grauytie:
In sum countreis, his Cardinallis,
In thare moste precious apparallis;
Archibyschoppis, Byschoppis, thow may se,
Defendyng his auctoritie,
With vther potent Patriarkis;
Collegis full of cunnyng Clerkis;
Abbottis and Priouris, as ȝe ken,
Misrewlaris of relegious men;
Officiallis, with thare Procuratouris,
Quhose langsum law spolȝeis the puris;
Archidenis and Denis of dignitie;
Gret Doctouris of Diuynitie;
Thare Chantouris, and thare Sacristanis,
Thare Tresoureris, and thare subdenis;
Legionis of preistis Seculeris,
Personis, Uicaris, Monkis, and Freris,
Off diuers Ordouris mony one,
Quhilk langsum wer for tyll expone,
In syndrie habitis, as ȝe ken,
Diffrent frome vther Christin men;

327

Fair Ladyis of Relegioun,
Proffessit in euery Regioun;
Fals Heremitis, fassonit lyke the freris;
Proude parische clerkis, and pardoneris,
Thare Gryntaris, and thare Chamberlanis,
With thare temporall Courtissianis.
Thus, all the warld, be land and sey,
His Sanctitude thay do obey.
Nocht onely his spirituall kyngdome,
Bot the gret Empriour of Rome,
And Kyngis of euerilk regioun,
That day quhen thay resaue thare crown,
Thay mak aith of fidelytie
Tyll defende his auctorytie.
Moreouir, with humyll reuerence,
Thay mak tyll hym obedience,
Be thare selfis, or Ambassaldouris,
Or vtheris ornate Oratouris.
Quho doith ganestand his Maiestie,
His lawis, or his Lybertie,
Or haldis ony opinioun
Contrar his gret Dominioun,
Outher be way of deid or wourdis,
Ar put to deith, be fyre or swourdis.
Sanct Peter stylit wes Sanctus,
Bot he is callit Sanctissimus.
His style at lenth gyf thow wald knaw,
Thow moste go luke the Canon law,
Boith in the Sext and Clementene.
His staitly style thare may be sene:
Thare sall thow fynd, reid gyf thow can,
Quhow he is nother God nor man.

COUR[TIOUR].
Quhat is he, than, be ȝour Iugement?
Quod I. Me thynk hym different
Far, frome our Souerane, Lord Iesus,

328

And tyll his kynd contrarious.

Ihon. i.

For Christ wes God and naturall man;
Gyf he be nother, quhat is he, than?

EXPE[RIENCE].
The Canon law, my Sonne (said he)
That questioun wyll declare to the.
It doith transcend my rude Ingyne
His Sanctitude for tyll defyne,
Or to schaw the aucthoritie
Pertenyng to his Maiestie.
So gret one Prince quhare sall thow fynd,
That Spiritually may louse and bynd,
Nor be quhame synnis ar forgyffin,
Be thay with his Disciplis schrewin?
Quhame euer he byndis by his mycht,
Thay boundin ar in Goddis sycht.
Quhame euer he lowsis in erth heir doun,
Ar lousit be God in his Regioun.
Als, he is Prince of Purgatorie,
Delyuering Saulis frome paine to glorie.
Off that dirke Dungeoun, but doute,
Quham euir he plesis he takis thame oute.
Oure secreit synnis, euery ȝeir,
We mon schaw to sum preist or freir,
And tak thare absolutioun,
Or ellis we gett no remyssioun.
So, be this way, thay cleirly ken
The secretis of all seculare men.
Thare secretis we knaw nocht at all;
Thus ar we to thame bound and thrall.
Quhat euir thare Ministeris commandis
Most be obeyit, without demandis.
Quharefor, my Sonne, I say to the,
This is ane maruellous Monarche,
Quhilk hes power Imperiall
Boith of the body and the Saull.

329

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (quod I) declare to me
Quhow did begyn this Monarche.

EXPE[RIENCE].

(Quod he) Christ Iesus, God and Man,
That Impyre gratiouslye began,
Nocht be the fyre, nor be the swourde,

Ephi. i

Bot be the vertew of his wourde,
And left, in tyll his Testament,

Luc. ix.

Mony ane deuote document,
With his Successouris to be vsit,
Thocht mony of thame be now abusit.
For Peter and Paull, with all the rest
Off thare Brethrin, maid manifest
The law of God, with trew intent,
Precheing the Auld and New Testament.
Thay led thare lyfe in pouertie,
Deuotioun, and Humilytie,
As did thare Maister, Christ Iesus,
And war nocht half so glorious
As thare Successouris now in Rome,
Impyrand ouer all Christindome.

Efter the deth of Peter and Paull,
And Christis trew Disciplis all,
Thare Successouris, within few ȝeris,
As at more lenth thare storye beris,
Full craftelye clam to the heycht,
Frome Spirituall lyfe to temporall mycht.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, or we passe forther more,
Quhen did begyn thare temporall glore?

330

EXPE[RIENCE].

Sonne (said he) thow sall vnderstand.
Or euer ane Pape gat ony land,
Two and thretty gude papis in Rome
Ressauit the crown of Martyrdome,
Bot nocht the Thrinfald Diadame.
To weir thre crownis thay thocht gret schame,
Tyll Syluester the Confessoure
Frome Constantene the Emprioure
Ressauit the Realme of Italie,
Rychtso, of Rome the gret Cetie.
That wes the rute of thare ryches.
Than sprang the well of welthynes.
Quhen that the Pape wes maid ane kyng,
All Princis bowit at his biddyng.
This Act wes done, withouttin weir,
Frome Christis deith thre hundreth ȝeir.

Than Lady Sensualitie
Tuke Lugeing in that gret Cetie,
Quhare scho sensyne hes done remane,
As thare awin lady Souerane.
Than Kyngis, in tyll all Nationis,
Maid Preistis gret fundationis.
Thay thocht gret mereit and honour
To contrafait the Empriour,
As did Dauid, of Scotland kyng,
The quhilk did founde, duryng his ryng,
Fyftene Abbayis, with temporall landis,
Withouttin teindis and offerandis;
Be quhose holy simplicite
He left the Crown in pouerte.
Now haif I schawin the, as I can,
Quhow thare temporall Impyre began,
Ascendyng vp, aye gre by gre,
Abufe the Empriouris Maieste.
So, quhen thay gat amang thare handis
Off Italie all the Empriours landis,

331

Efter that, in ilke cuntrie
Sprang vp thare temporalite,
With so gret ryches and sic rent,
That thay gan to be negligent
In makyng Ministratioun
To Christis trew Congregatioun,
And tuke no more paine in thare precheing,
And far les trauell in thare techeing,
Changeing thare Spiritualitie
In temporall Sensualitie.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, thynk ȝe that thay ar sure
That thare Impyre sall lang indure?

EXPE[RIENCE].
Apperandlye it may be kende,
Quod he, thare glore sall haue ane ende.
I mene, thare temporall Monarchie
Sall turne in tyll humylitie.
Throuch Goddis wourde, without debait,
Thay sall turne to thare first estait;
As Daniellis Prophesie apperis,
Thareto sall nocht be mony ȝeris.
Quhowbeit, Christis faith sall neuer faill,
Bot more and more it sall preuaill,
Thocht Christis trew congregatioun
Suffer gret trybulatioun.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (said I) be quhat reassoun
Thynk ȝe thare Impyre may cum doun?

332

EXPE[RIENCE].

Consydderyng thare preheminence,
Quod he, for Inobedience,

Math, xxviii. Ihon xv. Acti. i.

Abusyng the commandiment
Quhilk Christ left in his Testament,
Usyng thare awin traditioun
More than his Institutioun.

For Christ, in his last conuentioun,
The day of his Ascentioun,
Tyll his Disciplis gaif command,
That thay suld passe in euery land,
To teche and preche, with trew intent,
His law and his commandiment.
None vther office he to thame gaif.
He did nocht bid thame seik nor craif
Cors presentis, nor offerandis,
Nor gett Lordschipis of temporall landis.

Bot now it may be hard and sene,
Baith with thyne eiris and thyne eine,
Quhow Prelatis, now, in euery land,
Takis lytill cure of Christis command,
Nother in to thare deidis nor sawis,
Neglectyng thare awin Canon lawis,
Usyng thame selfis contrarious,
For the most part, to Christ Iesus.

Mat. iiii.

Christ thocht no schame to be ane Precheour,
And tyll all peple of trewth ane techeour.
Ane pope, byschope, nor Cardinall,
To teche nor preche wyll nocht be thrall.
Thay send furth Freris for to preche for thame,
Quhilk garris the peple now abhor thame.

Ihon vi.

Christ wald nocht be ane temporall kyng,
Rychely in to no realme to ryng,
Bot fled temporall auctorite,
As in the Scripture thow may se.
All men may knaw quhow popis ryngis,
In Dignitie abufe all kyngis,

333

Als weill in temporalitie
As in to Spiritualitie.
Thow may se, be experience,
The popis Princely preheminence,

In Cronicles geue thow lyst to luke
Quhow Carion wryttis, in his buke,
Ane Notabyll Narratioun.
The ȝeir of oure Saluatioun
Alewin hundreth and sax and fyftie,
Pope Alexander, presumptuouslie,
Quhilk wes the thrid pope of that name,
To F[r]edrike Empriour did diffame.
In Ueneis, that tryumphand town,
That nobyll Empriour gart ly down
Apone his wambe, with schame and lake,
Syne tred his feit apone his bake,
In toknyng of obedience.
Thare he schew his preheminence,
And causit his Clergy for to syng
Thir wourdis efter following:

SVPER Aspidem & basiliscum ambulabis,
Et conculcabis leonem & draconem.

Than said this humyll Empriour:
I do to Peter this honour.
The Pope answerit, with wordis wroith:
Thow sall me honour, and Peter, boith.

Christ, for to schaw his humyll spreit,
Did wasche his pure Disciplis feit.
The Popis holynes, I wys,
Wyll suffer Kyngis his feit to kys.
Birdis had thare nestis, and toddis thare den;

Luc. ix.

Bot Christ Iesus, Saiffer of men,
In erth had nocht ane penny breid
Quhare on he mycht repose his heid.

Quhowbeit, the Popis excellence
Hes Castellis of Magnifycence.

334

Abbottis, Byschoppis, and Cardinallis
Hes plesand palyces royallis.
Lyke Paradyse ar those prelattis places,
Wantyng no plesoure of fair faces.
Ihone, Androw, Iames, Peter, nor Paull
Had few housis amang thame all.

Actis. iiii.

Frome tyme thay knew the veritie
Thay did contempne all propertie,
And wer rycht hartfully content
Off meit, drynk, and Abilȝement.

Ihon xix.

To saif Mankynde, that wes forlorne,
Christ bure ane creuell crown of thorne;
The Pope, thre crownis, for the nonis,
Off gold, poulderit with pretious stonis.
Off gold and syluer, I am sure,
Christ Iesus tuke bot lytill cure,
And left nocht, quhen he ȝald the spreit,
To by hym self ane wynding scheit.

Bot his Successoure, gude Pope Iohne,
Quhen he deceisit in Auinione,
He left behynd hym one treassoure
Off gold and syluer, by mesoure,
Be one Iuste computatioun,
Weill fyue and twentye myllioun,
As dois Indyte Palmerius.
Reid hym, and thow sall fynd it thus.

Christis Disciplis wer weill knawin
Throuch vertew, quhilk wes be thame schawin,
In speciall feruent charitie,
Gret pacience, and humylite.
The popis floke in all regionis,
Ar knawin best be thare clyppit crounis.

Ihon. ii.

Christ he did honour Matromony
In to the Cane of Galaly,
Quhare he, be his power Diuyne,
Did turne the walter in to Wyne,
And, als, chesit sum Maryit men
To be his seruandis, as ȝe ken.

335

And Peter, duryng all his lyfe,
He thocht no Syn to haif ane wyfe.
Ȝe sall nocht fynd, in no passage,
Quhare Christ forbiddith mariage;
Bot leifsum tyll ilk man to marye,
Quhilk wantis the gyft of Chaistitye.

The Pope hes maid the contrar lawis
In his kyngdome, as all men knawis.
None of his preistis dar marye wyfis,
Under no les paine nor thare lyfis.
Thocht thay haif Concubynis fyftene;
In to that cace thay ar ouersene.
Quhat chaistytie thay keip in Rome
Is weill kend ouer all christindome.

Christ did schaw his obedience

Mat. xvii.

On to the Empriouris excellence,
And causit Peter for to pay
Trybute to Cesar for thame tway.
Paull biddis ws be obedient
To Kyngis, as the most excellent.

The contrar did Pope Celistene,
Quhen that his Sanctytude serene
Did crown Henry the Empriour.
I thynk he did hym small honour,
For with his feit he did hym crown,
Syne with his fute the crown dang doun,
Sayand: I haif Auctoritie
Men tyll exalt to dignitie,
And to mak Empriouris and kyngis,
And Syne depryue thame of thare Ryngis.
Peter, be my Opinioun
Did neuer vse sic Dominioun.
Apperandlye, be my Iugement,
That Pope red neuer the new Testament.
Gyf he had lernit at that lore,
He had refusit sic vaine glore,
As Barnabas, Peter, and Paull,
And, rycht so, Christis Disciplis all.

336

Actis. x.

The Capitane Cornelius,
Quhen Sanct Peter come tyll his hous,
Tyll worschyp hym, fell at his feit.
Bot Sanct Peter, with humyll spreit,
Did rais hym vpe with diligence,
And did refuse sic Reuerence.

Rychtso, Sanct Iohne the Euangelist
The Angellis feit he wald haif kist.

Apoca. xix. & xxii.

Bot he refusit sic honoure,
Sayand: I am bot Seruitoure,
Rychtso, thy fallow and thy brother.
Gyff glore to God, and to none vther.

Act. xiiii.

Alykewyis, Barnabas and Paull
Sic honour did refuse at all.
In Listra, quhare thay wroucht gret werkis,
The preist of Iupiter, with his clerkis,
And all the peple, with thare auyse,
Wald haif maid to thame Sacrifyse.
Off quhilk thay wer so discontent,
That thay thare clothyng raif and rent.
And Paull amang thame rudely ran,
Sayand: I am ane mortall man.
Gyf glore to God, of kyngis kyng,
That maid heuin, erth, and euery thyng.
Sen Peter and Paull vaine glore refusit,
With Popis quhy sulde sic glore be vsit?
Peter, Andro, Iohne, Iames, and Paull,
And Christis trew Disciplis, all,
Be Goddis worde thare faith defendit.
To byrne and skald thay neuer pretendit.
The pope defendis his traditioun
Be flammand fyre without remissioun.
Quhowbeit men breik the law Diuyne,
Thay ar nocht put to so gret pyne.
For huredome, nor Ydolatrye,
For Incest, nor Adultrye,
Or quhen ȝoung Uirginnis ar deflorit,
For sic thyng men ar nocht abhorit.

337

Bot quho that eitis flesche in to lent
Ar terriblye put to torment.
And gyf ane preist happinnis to marye,
Thay do hym baneis, cursse, and warye,
Thocht it be nocht aganis the law
Off God, as men may cleirlie knaw.
Betuix thir two quhat difference bene,
Be faithfull folke it may be sene.
Sic Antithesis mony mo
I mycht declare, quhilkis I lat go,
And may nocht tary to compyle
Off ilk ordour the staitlye style.
The seilye Nun wyll thynk gret schame,
Without scho callit be Madame.
The pure Preist thynkis he gettis no rycht,
Be he nocht stylit lyke ane Knycht,
And callit schir affore his name,
As schir Thomas and schir Wilȝame.
All Monkrye, ȝe may heir and se,
Ar callit Denis, for dignite.
Quhowbeit his mother mylk the kow,
He man be callit Dene Androw,
Dene Peter, dene Paull, and dene Robart.
With Christ thay tak ane painfull part,
With dowbyll clethyng frome the cald,
Eitand and drynkand quhen thay wald;
With curious Countryng in the queir;
God wait gyf thay by heuin full deir.
My lorde Abbot, rycht venerabyll,
Ay marschellit vpmoste at the tabyll;
My lord Byschope, moste reuerent,
Sett abufe Erlis in Parliament;
And Cardinalis, duryng thare ryngis,
Fallowis to Princis and to Kyngis;
The Pope exaltit, in honour,
Abufe the potent Empriour.
The proude Persone, I thynk trewlye,
He leidis his lyfe rycht lustelye;

338

For quhy he hes none vther pyne,
Bot tak his teind, and spend it syne.
Bot he is oblyste, be resoun,
To preche on tyll perrochioun:
Thoucht thay want precheing sewintene ȝeir,
He wyll nocht want ane boll of beir.
Sum Personis hes at thare command
The wantoun Wencheis of the land.
Als, thay haue gret prerogatyffis,
That may depart, ay, with thare wyffis,
Without Diuors or summondyng,
Syne tak ane vther but woddyng.
Sum man wald thynk ane lustye lyfe,
Ay quhen he lyst, to chenge his wyfe,
And tak ane vther of more bewte.
Bot Secularis wantis that lyberte,
The quhilk ar bound in mariage.
Bot thay, lyke Rammis in to thair rage,
Unpissillit rynnis amang the ȝowis,
So lang as Nature in thame growis.

And als, the Uicar, as I trow,
He wyll nocht faill to tak ane kow,
And vmaist claith (thoucht babis thame ban)
Frome ane pure selye housband man.
Quhen that he lyis for tyll de,
Haiffeing small bairnis two or thre,
And hes thre ky, withouttin mo,
The Uicare moist haue one of tho,
With the gray cloke that happis the bed,
Howbeit that he be purelye cled.
And gyf the wyfe de on the morne,
Thocht all the babis suld be forlorne,
The vther kow he cleikis awaye,
With hir pure coit of roploch graye.
And gyf, within tway dayis or thre,
The eldest chyild hapnis to de,
Off the thrid kow he wylbe sure.
Quhen he hes all, than, vnder his cure,

339

And Father and Mother boith ar dede,
Beg mon the babis, without remede.
Thay hauld the Corps at the kirk style,
And thare it moste remane ane quhyle,
Tyll thay gett sufficient souerte,
For thare kirk rycht and dewite.
Than cumis the Landis Lord, perfors,
And cleiks tyll hym ane herield hors.
Pure laubourars wald that law wer doun,
Quhilk neuer was fundit be resoun.
I hard thame say, onder confessioun,
That law is brother tyll Oppressioun.

My Sonne, I haue schawin, as I can,
Quhow this fyft Monarchie began,
Quhose gret Impyre for to report
At lenth the tyme bene all to schort.

FINIS

HEIR FOLLOWIS ANE DISCRIPTIOUN OF THE COURT OF ROME.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (said I) quhat rewll keip thay in rome,
Quhilk hes the Spirituall Dominatioun
And Monarchie abufe all Christindome?
Schaw me, I mak ȝow supplicatioun.

EXPE[RIENCE].

My Sonne, wald I mak trew narratioun
(Said he) to Peter & Paul thocht thay succeid,
I thynk thay preue nocht that, in to thare deid.

340

For Peter, Androw, & Iohne war fyschearis fyne
Off men and wemen, to the christin faith.
Bot thay haif spred thare Net, with huik and lyne,
On rentis ryche, on gold, and vther graith.
Sic fyscheing to neglect thay wylbe laith;
For quhy, thai haif fyscheit in ouerthort the strandis,
Ane gret part, trewlye, of all temporall landis:

With that, the tent part of all gude mouebyll,
For the vphaldyng of thare digniteis.
So bene thare fyscheing wounder profitabyll
On the dry land, als weill as on the seis.
Thare herywalter thay spred in all countreis,
And, with thare hois nett, daylie drawis to Rome
The most fyne gold that is in Christindome.

I dar weill say, within this fyftie ȝeir,
Rome hes ressett, furth of this Regioun,
For Bullis & Benefyce (quhilk thay by full deir)
Quhilk mycht, ful weil, haif payit a kingis ransoun.
Bot, war I worthye for to weir ane crown,
Preistis suld no more our substance so consume,
Sendyng, ȝeirlye, so gret ryches to Rome.

In to thare Tramalt nett thay fangit ane fysche,
More nor ane quhaill worthye of memorye,
Of quhome thay haue had mony dayntay dysche,
Be quhome thay ar exaltit to gret glorye.
That maruelous monstour callit Purgatorye,
Howbeit tyll ws it is nocht amyable,
It hes to thame bene veray profytable.

Latt thay that fructfull fysche eschaip thare nett,
Be quhome thay haif so gret commoditeis,
Ane more fatt fysche I traist thay sall nocht gett,
Thocht thay wald sers ouerthort the occiane seis.
Adew the daylie dolorous Derigeis.
Selye pure preistis may syng with hart full sorye,
Want thay that painefull palyce, Purgatorye.

341

Fairweill, Monkyre, with Chanoun, Nun, & Freir.
Allace, thay wylbe lychtleit in all landis.
Cowlis wyll no more be kend in kirk nor queir,
Lat thay that fructfull fysche eschaip thare handis.
I counsall thame to bynd hym fast in bandis,
For Peter, Androw, nor Iohne culde neuer gett
So profytable ane Fysche in to thare nett.

Thare Merchandyce, in tyll all Nationis,
As prentit lede, thare walx, and perchement,
Thare pardonis, and thare Dispensationis,
Thay do exceid sum temporall princis rent.
In sic trafyke thay ar nocht neglygent.
Off benefyce thay mak gude marchandyce,
Throuch Symonye, quhilk thay hald lytill vyce.

Christ did command Peter to feid his scheip,

Ioh. xxi.

And so he did feid thame full tenderlye.
Off that command thay take bot lytill keip,
Bot Christis scheip thay spolȝe petuouslye,
And with the woll thay cleith thame curiouslye.
Lyk gormand wolfis, thay tak of thame thare fude,
Thai eit thair flesche, & drynkis boith mylk & blude.

For that office thay serue bot lytill hyir.
I thynk sic Pastouris ar nocht for to pryse,
Quhilk can nocht gyde thare scheip about the myir,
Thay ar so besye in thare merchandyse.
Thocht Peter wes porter of Paradyse,

Mat. xvi.

That plesand passage craftelye thay close.
Throuch thame rycht few gettis entres, I suppose.

Christ Iesus said (as Mathew did report)

Mathow xxiii.

Wo be to Scribes and to Pharisience,
The quhilkis did close of Paradyse the port.
Off thame we haif the sam experience.
To enter thare thay mak small deligence,
Thay tak sic cure in temporall besynes,
Rychtso, frome ws thay stop the plane entres.

342

Those spiritual keis quhilkis Christ to Peter gaif,
Thare colour cleir with reik and rowst ar fadit.
Unoccupyit thay hald thame in thare neif.
Off that office thay serue to be degradit,
With Goddis worde without that thay remeid it,
Oppinyng the port quhilk lang tyme hes bene closit,
That we may enter, with thame, and be reiosit.

Iohn x.

Contrar tyll Christis Instytutioun,
To thame that deis in habit of ane Freir,
Rome hes thame grantit full remissioun,
To passe tyll heuin straucht way, withoutin weir,
Quhilk bene in Scotland vsit mony ane ȝeir.
Be thare sic vertew in ane Freris hude,
I thynk in vane Christ Iesu sched his blude.

Wald God the Pope, quhilk hes preheminence,
With aduyse of his counsall generall,
That thay wald do thare detfull deligence,
That Christis law mycht keipit be ouir all,
And trewlye precheit baith to gret and small,
And geue to thame Spirituall Auctorite,
Quhilk culde perfytlie schaw the Uerite.

Quho can not preche a preist sulde not be namit,
As may be preuit be the law Diuyne,
And, be the Canon law, thay ar defamit
That takis Preistheid bot onely to that fyne.
Tyll all vertew thare hartis thay suld inclyne,
In speciall, to preche with trew intentis,
And minister the neidfull Sacramentis.

As for thare Monkis, thair chanounis, and thare Freris,
And lustye Ladyis of Religioun,
I knaw nocht quhat to thare office efferis.
Bot men may se thare gret abusioun.
Thay ar nocht lyke, in to conclusioun,
Nother in to thare wourdis nor thare warkis,
To the Apostolis, Prophetis, nor Patriarkis.

343

Geue presentlye thare Prelatis can nocht preche,
Than latt ilke Byschope haif ane Suffragane,
Or successour, quhilk can the peple teche,
On thare expensis ȝeirlye to remane,
To cause the peple frome thare vyce refrane,
And, quhen ane prelate hapnith to deceace,
Than put ane perfyte precheour in his pleace.

Do thay nocht so, on thame sall ly the charge,
Geueand vnhable men auctorite.
As quho wald mak ane steirman tyll ane barge
Off ane blynd borne, quhilk can no dainger se.
Geue that schyp drown, forsuth, I say for me,
Quho gaif that steirman sic commissioun
Suld of the schip mak restitutioun.

The humane Lawis that ar contrarius
And nocht conformyng to the Law diuyne,
Thay suld expell, and hald thame odius,
Quhen thay persaue thame cum to no gude fyne,
Inuentit bot be sensuall mennis Ingyne,
As that law quhilk forbiddis mariage,
Causyng ȝoung Clerkis byrne in lustis rage.

Difficill is Chaistite tyll obserue,

Rom. vii.

But speciall grace, lauboure, and abstinence.
In tyll our flesche aye ryngith, tyll we sterue,
That first Originall syn, Concupiscence,
Quhilk we, throuch Adamis Inobedience,
Hes done Incur, and sall indure for euer,
Quhill that our saull and body deith disseuer.

Tharefor God maid of Mariage the band,
In Paradyse (as Scripture doith recorde)

Gene. ii.

In Galelie, rycht so, I vnderstand
Wes mariage honourit be Christ our Lorde.
Auld Law and New thare to thay do concorde.

Ihon ii.

I thynk for me, better that thay had sleipit,
Nor tyll haue maid ane law and neuer keip it.

344

Math. i.

Tuke nocht Christ Iesu his Humanitie
Off ane Uirgene in mariage contractit,
And of hir flesche cled his Diuynitie?

Luc. i.

Quhy haif thay done that blysfull band deiectit,
In thare Kyngdome? Wald God it wer correctit,
That ȝoung prelattis mycht mary lustye wyffis,
And nocht in sensuall luste to leid thare lyffis.

Did nocht Christ cheis of honest maryit men,
Alsweill as thay that kepit Chaistitie,
For to be his Disciplis, as ȝe ken?
As in the Scripture cleirlye thay may se,
Thay keipit, styll, thare wyffis, with honeste;
As Peter, and his spousit Bretherin, all,
Obseruit Chaistitie Matrymoniall.

i. Tim. iiii.

Bot now apperis the prophesie of Paull,
Quhow sum suld ryis, in to the latter aige,
That frome the trew faith sulde depart and fall,
And suld forbid the band of Mariaige.
Als thow sall fynd, in to that sam passaige,
Thay sulde command frome meitis tyll abstene,
Quhilk God creat, his pepyll to sustene.

Bot, sen the Pope, our Spirituall prince & kyng,
He dois ouerse sic vyces manifest,
And in his kyngdome sufferith for to ryng
The men be quhome the veritie bene supprest,
I excuse nocht hym self more than the rest.
Allace, how suld we membris be weill vsit,
Quhen so our spirituall heidis bene abusit.

The famous ancient, Doctor Auiceane,
Sayis: quhen euyl rewme descendis frome the heid
In to the membris, generith mekle peane,
Without thare be maid, haistalye, remeid.
Quhen that cald humour dounwart dois proceid,
In Senownis it causis Arthetica,
Rychtso, in to the handis, crampe Chiragra.

345

Off Malideis it generis mony mo,
Bot gyf men gett sum Souerane preserue,
As, in the theis, Siatica Passio,
And, in the breist, sumtyme, the strang Caterue,
Quhilk causis men rycht haistellye to sterue,
And podagra, difficill for to cure,
In mennis feit quhilk lang tyme dois indure.

So, to this moste tryumphant court of Rome
This simylitude full weill I may compare,
Quhilk hes bene heirschyp of all Christindome,
And to the warld ane euyll examplare,
That vmquhyle was Lod sterre & Lumynare,
And the moste sapient Sors of sanctytude,
Bot now, allace, bair of Beatytude.

Thare Kyngdome may be callit Babilone,

Apo. xviii.

Quhilk vmquhyle was ane brycht Hierusalem,
As planelye menis the Apostill Iohne.
Thare moste famous Citie hes tynt the fame;
Inhabitaris thareof, thare nobyll name.
For quhy, thay haif of Sanctis Habitacle
To Symon Magus maid ane Tabernacle,

And horribyll vaill of euerilk kynd of vyce,
Ane laithlye Loch of stynkand Lychorye,
Ane curssit Coue, corrupt with Couatyce,
Bordourit aboute with pryde and Symonye,
Sum sayis, ane systerne full of Sodomye,
Quhose vyce in speciall, gyf I wald declair,
It wer aneuch for tyll perturbe the air.

Off treuth, the hoill Christin Religioun
Throuch thame ar scandalizat and offendit.
It can nocht faill bot thare abusioun
Affore the Throne of God it is ascendit.
I dreid, but doute, without that thay amend it,

Luc. xiii. Apo. xviii.

The plaiges of Iohnis Reuelatioun
Sall fall vpone thare Generatioun.

346

O Lord, quhilk hes the hartis of euerilk kyng
In to thy hand, I mak the Supplicatioun,
Conuert that Court, that, of thair grace benyng,
Thay wald mak generall reformatioun
Amang thame selfis, in euerilk Natioun,
That thay may be ane holy exemplair
Tyll ws, thy pure lawid commoun populair,

Hungrit, allace, for falt of Spirituall fude,
Because frome ws bene hyd the veritie.
O Prince, quhilk sched for vs thy precious blude,
Kendle in ws the fyre of Charitie,
And saif ws frome Eterne Misaritie,
Now lauboryng in to thy Kirk Militant,
That we may, all, cum to thy kirk Tryumphant.

AMEN.

HEIR ENDIS THE THRIDE PART. AND BEGYNNIS THE FOURT, MAKAND MENTIOUN OF THE DEITH. AND OF THE ANTICHRIST. AND GENERALL IUGEMENT. AND OF CERTANE PLESOURIS OF GLORIFIET BODYIS. AND QUHOW EUERY CREATURE DESYRIS TO SE THE LAST DAY. WITH ANE EXHORTATIOUN, BE EXPERIENCE, TO THE COURTIOUR. .&C.

COUR[TIOUR].
Prvdent Father Experience,
Sen ȝe, of ȝour beneuolence,
Hes causit me for to consydder
Quhow warldlye Pompe and glore bene slydder,
By diuers Storyis Miserabyll,
Quhilkis to reheirs bene Lamentabyll,

347

Ȝitt, or we passe furth of this vaill,
I pray ȝow geue me ȝour counsaill,
Quhat I sall do, in tyme cumyng,
To wyn the glore Euirlestyng.

EXPE[RIENCE].

My Sonne (said he) sett thy intent
To keip the Lordis Commandiment,
And preis the nocht to clym ouer hie
To no warldly Auctoritie.
Quho in the warld doith moste reiose
Ar farrest, aye, frome thare purpose.
Wald thow leue warldlye vaniteis,
And thynk on foure extremeteis
Quhilkis ar to cum, and that schortlye,
Thow wald neuer syn wylfullye.
Prent thir four in thy memorye,
The Deith, the Hell, and heuinnis glorye,
And extreme Iugement Generall,
Quhare thow man rander compt of all,
Thow sall nocht faill to be content
Off quyet lyfe and sobir rent.
Considdryng no man can be sure
In erth one hour for tyll indure,
So all warldly prosperitie
Is myxit with gret miseritie.

Wer thow Empriour of Asia,
Kyng of Europe and Affrica,
Gret Dominator of the sey,
And thocht the Heuinnis did the obey,
All Fyschis sowmyng in the strand,
All Beist and Fowle at thy command,
Concludyng, thow wer kyng of all
Under the heuin Imperiall,
In that moste heych auctoritie
Thow suld fynd leist tranquilitie.
Exempyll of kyng Salamone,

ii. Par. ix.

348

More prosperous lyfe had neuir none.

Eccle. ii.

Sic ryches, with so gret plesoure,
Had neuer kyng nor Emprioure,
With moste profunde Intelligence,
And superexcelland Sapience.
His plesand Habitationis
Precellit all vtheris Nationis;
Gardyngis and Parkis for Hartis and Hyndis,
Stankis with fysche of diuers kyndis,
Moste profunde Maisteris of Musike,
That in the warld wes none thame like.
Sic treasour of Gold and pretious stonis
In erth had neuir no kyng att onis.

iii. Re. xi.

He had sewin hundreth lustye Quenis,
And thre hundreth fair Concubenis.
In erth thare wes no thyng plesand
Contrarious tyll his command.
Ȝitt all this gret prosperitie
He thoucht it vaine and vanitie,
And mycht neuir fynd repose compleit,
Without afflixioun of the spreit.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (quod I) it maruellis me,
He haueand sic prosperite,
With so gret ryches by mesoure,
Nor he had infynite plesoure.

EXPE[RIENCE].
My Sonne, the suth gyf thow wald knaw,
The veritie I sall the schaw.
Thare is no warldly thyng, at all,
May satysfie ane mannis Saull.
For it is so Insaciabyll,
That Heuin and Erth may nocht be abyll
One Saull allone to mak content,

349

Tyll it se God Omnipotent.
Wes neuer none, nor neuer salbe,
Saciate, that sycht tyll that he se.
Quharefor, my Sonne, sett nocht thy cure
In erth, quhare no thyng may be sure,

Math. vi. Luc. xii.

Except the deith allanerlye,
Quhilk followis man continuallye.
Tharefor, my Sonne, remember the,
Within schorte tyme that thow mon de,
Nocht knawing quhen, quhow, in quhat place,
Bot as plesit the Kyng of Grace.

FINIS.

OFF THE DEITH.

Of Misarie moste Miserable
Is Deith, and most abhominable,
That dreidful Dragone, with his dartis
Aye reddy for to peirs the hartis
Off euerilk Creature on lyue,
Contrar quhose strenth may no man stryue.

Off dolent Deith this sore sentence
Wes gyffin throw Inobedience
Off our Parentis: allace tharefore,
As I haue done declare affore,
Quhow thay and thare Posteritie
Wer, all, condampnit for to dee.
Quhowbeit the flesche to deith be thrall,
God hes the Saull maid Immortall,
And so, of his benignytie,
Hes myxit his Iustice with mercie.
Tharefor, call to rememb[e]rance
Off this fals warld the variance,
Quhow we, lyke Pylgramis, ewin and morrow,
Ay trauellyng throw this vaill of sorrow,

350

Sum tyme in vaine prosperitie,
Sum tyme in gret Misaritie,
Sum tyme in blys, sum tyme in baill,
Sum tyme rycht seik, and sum tyme haill,
Sum tyme full ryche, and sum tyme pure.
Quharefor, my Sonne, tak lytill cure
Nother of gret prosperitie
Nor ȝitt, of gret misaritie.
Bot plesand lyfe, and hard myschance,
Ponder thame boith in one ballance.
Considdryng none auctoritie,
Ryches, wysedome, nor dignitie,
Empyre of Realmes, bewtie, nor strenth,
May nocht one day our lyuis lenth.
Sen we ar sure that we moste de,
Fairweill all vaine felyscitie.

Gretlye it doith perturbe my mynde,
Off dolent Deith the diuers kynd.
Thoucht Deith tyll euery man resortis;
Ȝitt strykith he in syndrie sortis;
Sum, be hait Feueris violence;
Sum, be contagious Pestilence;
Sum, be Iustice executioun
Bene put to deith without Remissioun;
Sum, hangit; sum doith lose thare heidis;
Sum, brynt; sum, soddin in to leiddis;
And sum, for thare vnleifsum actis,
Ar rent and rewin apone the ractis;
Sum ar dissoluit by poysoun;
Sum on the nycht ar murdreist doun;
Sum fallis in to frynasie;
Sum deis in Idropesie,
And vtheris strange Infirmeteis,
Quharein mony ane thousand deis,
Quhilk humane Nature dois abhor,
As in the Gutt, grauell, and gor;
Sum, in the flux, and feuir quartane,
Bot, ay, the houre of deith vncertane.

351

Sum ar dissoluit suddantlye,
Be Cattarue, or be Poplesye;
Sum doith distroy thame self, also,
As Hanniball and wyse Cato,
Be thounder deith sum doith consume;
As he did the thrid kyng of Rome,
Callit Tullius Hostulius,
As wryttis gret Ualerius;
For he and his houshald attonis
Wer brynt be thounder, flesche, and bonis.
Sum deith be extreme excesse
Off Ioy, as Ualeri doith expresse;
Sum be extreme Malancolye
Wyll de, but vther Maladye.
In Cronicles thow may weill ken,
Quhow mony hundreth thousand men
Ar slane, sen first the warld began,
In battell; and quhow mony one man
Apone the see doith lose thare lyuis,
Quhen schyppis apone roches ryuis.
Thocht sum de Naturally, throuch aige,
Fer mo deis raiffand in one raige.
Happy is he the quhilk hes space
Att his last hour to cry for grace.
Quhowbeit deith be abhominabyll,
I thynk it suld be confortabyll
Tyll all thame of the faithfull nummer,
For thay depart frome cair and cummer,
Frome trubyll, trauell, sturt, and stryfe,
Tyll Ioy and euirlestand lyfe.

Polidorus Uirgilius
To that effect he wryttis thus:
In Trace, quhen ony chylde be borne,
Thare kyn and freindis cumis thame beforne,
With dolent Lamentatioun,
For the gret trybulatioun,
Calamitye, cummer, and cure,
That thay in erth ar to indure.

352

Bot, at thare deith and burying,
Thay mak gret Ioy and Bankettyng,
That thay haue past frome misarie
To rest and grett felycitie.

Sen deith bene fynall conclusioun,
Quhat valis warldly prouisioun,
Quham wysedome may nocht contramand,
Nor strenth that stoure may nocht ganestand.
Ten thousand Mylȝeone of treasoure
May nocht prolong thy lyfe one houre,
Efter quhose dolent departyng,
Thy spreit sall passe, but tarying,
Straucht way tyll Ioye Inestimabyll,
Or to strang pane Intollerabyll.
Thy vyle corruptit carioun
Sall turne in Putrefactioun,
And so remane, in pulder small,
On to the Iugement Generall.

FINIS.

ANE SCHORT DISCRIPTIOVN OF THE ANTECHRISTE.

COUR[TIOUR].
(Qvod I) Father, I heir men say
That thare sall ryse, affore that day
Quhilk ȝe call generall Iugement,
One wyckit man, form sathan sent,
And contrar to the law of Christ,
Callit the creuell Antechrist.
And sum sayis that myscheuous man
Discende sall of the Trybe of Dan,
And suld be borne in Babilone,
The quhilk dissaue sall mony one.

353

Infydelis sall, of euery art,
With that fals Propheit tak one part;
And quhow that Enoch and Elias
Sall preche contrar that fals Messias,
Bot, fynally, his fals Doctryne,
And he, sall be put to rewyne,
Bot nother be the fyre nor swourd,
Bot be the vertew of Christis wourd.
And, gyf this be of veryte,
The suith, I pray ȝow, schaw to me.

EXPE[RIENCE].

My Sonne (said he) as wryttis Iohne,
Thare sall nocht be one man allone,
Hauyng that name in speciall.
Bot Antechristis in generall
Hes bene, and now ar, mony one.
And, rycht so, in the tyme of Iohne

i. Iohn ii.

Wer Antechristis, as hym self sayis.
And presentlye, now in thir dayis,
Ar rycht mony, withouttin dout,
Wer thare fals lawis weill soucht out.

Quha wes one greter Antechrist,
And more contraryous to Christ,
Nor the fals Propheit Machomeit,
Quhilk his curste Lawis maid so sweit?
In Turkye ȝit thay ar obseruit,
Quhare throuch the hell he hes deseruit.
All Turkis, Saraȝenis, and Iowis,
That in the Sonne of God nocht trowis
Ar Antechristis, I the declare,

ii. Iohn i.

Because to Christ thay ar contrare.

Daniell sayis, in his propheseis,
That, efter the gret Monarcheis,

Dan. viii.

Sall ryse ane maruellous potent Kyng,
Quhilk with ane schameles face sall ryng,
Mychtie and wyse in dirk speikyngis,

354

And prospir in all plesand thyngis.
Throuch his falsheid and craftynes,
He sall flow in to welthynes.
The Godlye pepyll he sall noye
By creuell deith, and thame distroye.
The kyng of Kyngis he sall ganestand,
Syne be distroyit withouttin hand.

ii. Tessa. ii.

Paull sayis, affore the Lordis cumyng,
That thare salbe one departyng,
And that man of Iniquitye
Tyll all men he sall opened be,
Quhilk sall sitt in the holy sait,
Contrary God to mak debait.
Bot that Sonne of Perditioun
Salbe put to confusioun
Be power of the haly Spreit,
Quhen he his tyme hes done compleit.

Beleue nocht that, in tyme cumyng,
One gretar Antechriste to ryng
Nor thare hes bene, and presentlye
Ar now, as Clerkis can espye.
Tharefor, my wyll is, that thow knaw,
Quhat euer thay be that makis one law,
Thocht thay be callit Christin men,
By naturall reassoun thow may ken,
Be thay neuer of so gret valour,
Pape, Cardinall, Kyng, or Empriour,
Extolland thare Traditionis
Abufe Christis Institutionis,
Makand Lawis contrar to Christe,
He is ane verray Antechriste.
And quho doith fortifye or defend
Sic Law, I mak it to the kend,
Be it Pape, Empriour, Kyng, or Quene,
Gret sorrow sall be on thame Sene,
Att Christis extreme Iugement,
Without that thay in tyme repent.

FINIS.

355

HEIR FOLLOUIS A SCHORT REMEMBRANCE OF THE MOSTE TERRABYLL DAY OF THE EXTREME IUGEMENT.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (said I) with ȝour Lycence,
Sen ȝe haith sic Experience,
Ȝitt one thyng at ȝow wald I speir.
Quhen sall that dreidfull day appeir
Quhilk ȝe call Iugement Generall?
Quhat thyngis affore that day sall fall?
Quhare sall appeir that Dreidfull Iuge?
Or quhow may Faltouris gett refuge?

EXPE[RIENCE].

(Quod he) as to thy first questioun,
I can mak no solutioun:
Quharefor, perturbe nocht thyne intent
To knaw day, hour, nor moment.
To God allone the day bene knawin,
Quhilk neuer was to none Angell schawin.
Howbeit, be diuers coniectouris,
And principall Expositouris
Off Daniell and his Prophicie,
And be the sentence of Elie,
Quhilkis hes declarit, as thay can,
How lang it is sen the warld began,
And for to schaw hes done thare cure,
How lang thay traist it sall indure,
And, als, how mony ages bene,
As in thare warkis may be sene.

356

Bot, tyll declare thir questionis,
Thare bene diuers opinionis.
Sum wryttaris hes the warld deuidit
In sex ageis (as bene desidit
Into Fasciculus Temporum
And Cronica Cronicarum).
Bot, be the sentence of Elie,
The warld deuydit is in thre;
As cunnyng Maister Carioun
Hes maid plane expositioun,
How Elie sayis, withouttin weir,
The warld sall stand sax thousand ȝeir,
Off quhome I follow the sentence,
And lattis the vther Bukis go hence.
Frome the Creatioun of Adam
Two thousand ȝeir tyll Abraham.
Frome Abraham, be this narratioun,
To Christis Incarnatioun,
Rychtso, hes bene two thousand ȝeris.
And, be thir Prophiceis, apperis
Frome Christ, as thay mak tyll ws kend,
Two thousand tyll the warldlis end,
Off quhilkis ar by gone, sickirlye,
Fyue thousand, fyue hundreth, thre, & fyftye.
And so remanis to cum, but weir,
Four hundreth, with sewin and fourtye ȝeir.
And than the Lorde Omnipotent
Suld cum tyll his gret Iugement.

Mathow xxiiii.

Christ sayis the tyme salbe maid schort;
As Mathew planelye doith report,
That, for the warldlis Iniquite,
The letter tyme sall schortnit be,
For plesour of the chosin nummer,
That thay may passe frome care and cummer.
So, be this compt, it may be kend,
The warld is drawand neir ane end.
For legionis ar cum, but doute,
Off Antechristis, wer thay soucht out.

357

And mony toknis dois appeir,
As efter, schortlye, thow sall heir;
Quhow that Sanct Iherome doith indyte,
That he hes red, in Hebrew wryte,
Off fyftene signis in speciall,
Affore that Iugement Generall.
Off sum of thame I tak no cure,
Quhilk I fynd nocht in the scripture.
One part of thame thocht I declare,
First wyll I to the Scripture fare.

Christe sayis, affore that day be done,

Mar. xiii.

Thare salbe signis in Sonne and Mone.

Mathew xxiiii.

The Sonne sall hyde his beymes brycht,
So that the Mone sall gyf no lycht.
Sterris, be mennis Iugement,
Sall fall furth of the Firmament.

Off this signis, or we forther gone,
Sum morall sence we wyll expone,
As cunnyng Clerkis hes declarit,
And hes the Sonne and Mone comparit,
The Sonne, to the stait spirituall,
The Mone, to Princis temporall,
Rychtso, the sterris thay do compare
To the lawd common populare.
The Mone and sterris hes no lycht,
Bot the reflex of Phebus brycht.
So, quhen the Sonne of lycht is dyrk,
The Mone and sterris man be myrk.
Rychtso, quhen Pastouris spirituallis,
Popis, Byschopis, and Cardinallis,
In thare beginnyng schew gret lycht,
The Temporall stait wes rewlit rycht.

Bot, now, allace, it is nocht so
Those schynand Lampis bene ago,
Thare Radious beymes ar turnit in reik.
For now in erth no thyng thay seik,
Except ryches and Dignitie,
Followyng thare sensualitie.

358

Mony prelatis ar now ryngand,
The quhilkis no more dois vnderstand
Quhat doith pertene to thare offyce,
Nor thow can kendyll fyre with yce.
Wo to Papis, I say for me,
Quhilk sufferis sic Enormite,
That Ignorant warldly creaturis
Suld in the kirk haif ony curis.
No maruell thocht the peple slyde,
Quhen thay haue blynd men to thare gyde.
For ane Prelat that can nocht preche,
Nor Goddis law to the peple teche,

Esay lvi.

Esaye comparith hym, in his wark,
Tyll ane dum Dog that can nocht bark.

Iohn x.

And Christ hym callis, in his greif,
Moste lyke ane murdrer, or ane theif.
The cunnyng Doctour Augustyne
Wolfis and Deuyllis doith thame defyne.
The Canon Law doith hym defame
That of ane Prelat beris the name,
And wyll nocht preche the Diuyne Lawis,
As the Decreis planelye schawis.
Bot those that hes Auctorite
To prouyde spirituall Dignyte
Mycht, geue thay plesit to tak pane,
Gar thame lycht all thare Lampis agane.
Bot euer, allace, that is nocht done;
So dirknit bene boith Sonne and Mone.

War Kyngis lyuis weill declarit,
The quhilkis ar to the Mone comparit,
Men mycht consydder thare estate
Frome Charitie degenerate.
I thynk thay sulde thynk mekle schame
Off Christ for to tak thare Surname,
Syne leif nocht lyke to Christianis,
Bot more lyke Turkis and to Paganis.
Turke contrar Turke makis lytill weir,
Bot Christiane Princis takis no feir,
Quhilkis suld aggre as brother to brother,

359

Bot now ilk ane dyngis doun ane vther.
I knaw no ressonabyll cause quharefore,
Except Pryde, Couatyce, and vaine glore,
The Empriour mouis his Ordinance
Contrar the potent Kyng of France,
And France, rychtso, with gret regour,
Contrar his freinde the Empriour,
And, rycht swa, France agane Ingland;
Ingland, alsso, aganis Scotland.
And, als, the Scottis, with all thare mycht,
Doith feycht, for tyll defend thare rycht.
Betuix thir Realmes of Albione,
Quhare Battellis hes bene mony one,
Can be maid none Affinitie,
Nor ȝit no Consanguinitie.
Nor, be no waye, thay can consydder
That thay may haue lang Peace to gydder.
I dreid that weir makis none endyng,
Tyll thay be, boith, onder ane kyng.
Thocht Christ, the Souerane kyng of grace,
Left, in his Testment, lufe and peace,
Our Kyngis frome weir wyll nocht refrane,
Tyll thare be mony ane thousand slane,
Gret heirschipis maid be see and land,
As all the warld may vnderstand.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father, I thynk that temporall kyngis
May fecht, for tyll defend thare ryngis.
For I haif sene the spirituall stait
Mak weir, thare rychtis tyll debait.
I saw Pape Iulius manfullye
Passe to the feild tryumphantlye,
With ane rycht aufull ordinance,
Contrar Lues, the kyng of France,
And, for to do hym more dispyte,
He did his Regioun interdyte.

360

EXPE[RIENCE].

My Sonne (said he) as I suppose,
That langith weill tyll our purpose.
How Sonne and Mone ar boith, denude
Off lycht, as Clerkis dois conclude,
Comparying thame, as ȝe hard tell,
To Spirituall stait and Temporell,
And commoun peple, half disparit,
Quhilk to the sterris bene comparit.
Lawd peple followis, ay, thare heidis,
And, speciallye, in to thare deidis.
The moste part of Religioun
Bene turnit in abusioun.
Quhat dois auaill religious wedis,
Quhen thay ar contrar in thare dedis?
Quhat holynes is thare within
Ane wolf cled in ane Wodderis skin?
So, be thir toknis, dois appeir,
The day of Iugement drawis neir.
Now latt ws leif this morall sens,
Proceidyng tyll our purpose hens,
And of this mater speik no more,
Begynning quhare we left affore.

Mathew xxiiii. Mar. xiii. Luc. xxi.

The Scripture sayis, efter thir signis
Salbe sene mony maruellous thyngis.
Than sall ryse trybulationis
In erth, and gret mutationis,
Als weill heir vnder as aboue,
Quhen vertewis of the heuin sall moue.
Sic creuell weir salbe, or than,
Wes neuer sene sen the warld began,
The quhilk sall cause gret Indigence,
As darth, hunger, and pestilence.
The horribyll soundis of the sey
The peple sall perturbe and fley.
Ierome sayis, it sall ryse on heycht
Abone montanis, to mennis sycht.

361

Bot it sall nocht spred ouir the land,
Bot, lyke ane wall, ewin straycht vpstand,
Syne sattell doun agane so law
That no man sall the walter knaw.
Gret Quhalis sall rummeis, rowte, and rair,
Quhose sound redound sall in the air.
All fysche and Monstouris maruellous
Sall cry, with soundis odious,
That men sall wydder on the erd,
And wepyng, wary sall thare weird,
With lowde allace and welaway,
That euer thay baid to se that day,
And, speciallye, those that dwelland be
Apone the costis of the see.
Rycht so, as Sanct Ierome concludis,
Sall be sene ferleis in the fludis.
The sey, with mouyng maruellous,
Sall byrn with flammis furious.
Rychtso sall byrn fontane and flude.
All herb and tre sall sweit lyk blude;
Fowlis sall fall furth of the air;
Wylde beistis to the plane repair,
And, in thare maner, mak gret mone,
Gowland with mony gryslye grone.

Ezechiel xxxvii.

The bodeis of dede creaturis
Appeir sall on thare Sepulturis.
Than sall boith men, wemen, and bairnis
Cum crepand furth of howe Cauernis,
Quhare thay, for dreid, wer hyd affore,
With seych, and sob, and hartis sore,
Wandryng about as thay war wode,
Affamysit for falt of fude.
Non may mak vtheris confortyng,
Bot dule for dule, and Lamentyng.
Quhat may thay do bot weip and wounder,
Quhen thay se roches schaik in schounder,
Throw trimlyng of the erth and quakyng?
Off sorrow, than, salbe no slakyng

362

Quho that bene leuand, in those dayis,
May tell of terrabyll affrayis.
Thare ryches, rentis, nor tressour,
That tyme, sall do thame small plesour.
Bot, quhen sic wonderis dois appeir,
Men may be sure the day drawis neir,

Dan. xiii.

That Iuste men pas sall to the glore,
Iniuste, to pane for euer more.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (said I) we daylie reid
One Artekle, in to our creid,
Sayand that Christe Omnipotent,
In to that generall Iugement,
Sall Iuge boith dede and quik also.
Quharefore, declare me, or ȝe go,
Geue thare sall ony man, or wyue,
That day be funding vpon lyue.

EXPE[RIENCE].
(Quod he) as to that questione,
I sall mak, sone, solutione.

Mat. xxiiii.

The Scripture planelye doith expone,
Quhen all tokynnis bene cum and gone,
Ȝitt mony one hundreth thousand
That samyn day salbe leuand,
Quhowbeit, thare sall no Creature
Nother of day nor hour be sure.
For Christ sall cum so suddantlye,
That no man sall the tyme espye,
As it wes in the tyme of Noye,
Quhen God did all the warld distroye.
Sum on the feild salbe lauborand;
Sum, in the templis Mariand;
Sum, afore Iugis makand pley;
And sum men, saland on the sey.

363

Those that bene on the feild going
Sall nocht returne to thare luging.
Quho bene apone his hous aboue
Sall haif no laser to remoue.
Two salbe in the Myll grindyng,
Quhilkis salbe taking, but warnyng,
The one tyll euerlestyng glore,
The vther loste for euer more.
Two salbe lying in one bed,
The one to plesour salbe led,
The vther salbe left allone,
Gretand with mony gryslie grone.
And so, my Sonne, thow may weill trow,
The warld salbe as it is now,
The peple vsyng thare besynes,
As holy Scripture doith expres.
Sen no man knawis the hour, nor day,
The Scripture biddis ws walk and pray,
And for our Syn be penitent,
As Christ wald cum Incontinent.

FINIS.

THE MANER QUHOW CHRIST SALL CUM TO HIS IUGEMENT.

EXPE[RIENCE].

Qvhen al takinnis bene brocht till end,
Than sall the sone of god discend.
As fyreflaucht haistely glansyng,

Hebre. xii.

Discend sall the most heuinly kyng.
As Phebus in the Orient,
Lychtnis, in haist, the Occident,
So plesandlye he sall appeir
Amang the heuinlye cluddis cleir,

Luc. xxi.

364

With gret power and Maiestie,
Aboue the cuntrie of Iudee,
As Clerkis doith concludyng, haill,
Direct aboue the lustye vaill

Actis. i.

Off Iosaphat and Mont Olyueit.
All Prophesie thare salbe compleit.

Mat. xxv.

The Angellis of the Ordoris Nyne
Inueron sall that throne Diuyne,
With heuinlye consolatioun,
Makand hym Ministratioun.
In his presens thare salbe borne
The signis of Cros, and Croun of thorne,
Pillar, Nalis, Scurgis, and Speir,
With euerilk thyng that did hym deir,
The tyme of his grym Passioun.
And, for our consolatioun,
Appeir sall, in his handis and feit,
And in his syde, the prent compleit
Off his fyue Woundis Precious,
Schynand lyke Rubeis Radious,
Tyll Reprobatt confusioun,
And, for fynall conclusioun,
He Sittand in his Trybunall
With gret power Imperiall.

i. Corin. x.

Thare sall ane Angell blawe a blast

Mathew xxiiii.

Quhilk sall mak all the warld agast,
With hydous voce, and vehement,
Ryse, dede folk, cum to Iugement.
With that, all Reasonabyll Creature
That euer wes formit be Nature
Sall suddantlye start vp attonis,
Coniunit with Saull, Flesche, Blude, & Bonis.
That terribyll Trumpat, I heir tell,
Beis hard in Heuin, in erth, and hell.

Apoc. xx.

Those that wer drownit in the sey
That boustious blast thay sall obey.
Quhare euer the body buryet wase,
All salbe fundyng in that plase.

365

Angellis sall passe in the four airtis

Mar. xiii.

Off erth, and bryng thame frome all partis,
And, with one instant diligence,
Present thame to his excellence.

Sanct Ierome thoucht continuallye
On this Iugement, so ardentlye,
He said: quhidder I eit, or drynk,
Or walk, or sleip, forsuth me thynk
That terrabyll Trumpat, lyke ane bell,
So quiklye in my eir doith knell,
As Instantlye it wer present,
Ryse, dede folk, cum to Iugement.
Geue Sanct Ierome tuke sic ane fray,
Allace, quhat sall we Synnaris say?

All those quhilk funding bene on lyue
Salbe Immortall maid belyue.
And, in the twynkling of one Ee,

i. Pe. iiii.

With fyre thay sall translatit be,

i. Cori. xv.

And neuer for to dee agane,
As Diuine scripture schawis plane,
Als reddy, boith for pane and glore,
As thay quhilk deit lang tyme affore,

The scripture sayis thay sall appeir
In aige of thre and thretty ȝeir,
Quhidder thay deit ȝoung or auld,
Quhose gret nummer may nocht be tauld.
That day sall nocht be myst one man
Quhilk borne wes sen the warld began.

Mathew xxvi.

The Angellis sall thame separate,
As Hird the Scheip doith frome the Gate.
And those quhilk bene of Baliallis band
Trymling apone the erth sall stand,
On the left hand of that gret Iuge,
But espirance to gett refuge.

Bot those quhilk bene Predestinate

i. Tess. iiii.

Sall frome the erth be Eleuate.
And that moste happy cumpanye
Sall ordourit be tryumphantlye,

366

Att the rycht hand of Christe, our kyng,
Heych in the air, with loude louyng.

Full Gloriouslye thare sall compeir,
More brycht than Phebus in his speir;
The Uirgene Marie, Quene of Quenis,
With mony ane thousand brycht Uirgenis.
The Fatheris of the auld Testament,
Quhilk wer to God obedient,
Father Adam sall thame conuoye,
With Abell, Seith, Enoch, and Noye,
Abraham, with his faithfull warkis,
With all the prudent Patriarkis.
Iohne the Baptiste thare sall compeir,
The Principall and last Messyngeir,
Quhilk come bot half ane ȝeir affore
The cumyng of that kyng of glore.
Moyses, Esayas honorabyll,
With all trew Prophetis Uenerabyll;
Dauid, with all the faithfull kyngis
Quhilk verteouslye did rewle thare ryngis;
The nobyll Cheiftane Iosue,
With gentyll Iudas Machabe,
With mony one nobyll Campioun,
Quhilk, in thare tyme, with gret renoun,
Manfullye, tyll thare lyuis ende,
The Law of God thay did defende.

With Eue that day salbe present
The Ladyis of the Auld Testament:
Delbora, Adamis Douchter deir,
With the four lusty Ladyis cleir
Quhilk kepit wer in the Ark with Noye;
Sara, and Cithara, with Ioye,
The quhilkis to Abraham wyffis bene,
With gude Rebecka thare salbe sene;
The prudent wyffis of Israell,
Gude Lya, and the fair Rachell,
With Iudeth, Hestar, and Susanna,
And the rycht sapient Quene Saba.

367

Thare sall compeir Peter and Paull,
With Christis trew Disciplis, all;
Lawrence and Stewin, with thare blyst band
Off Martyris, mo than ten thousand;
Gregor, Ambrose, and Augustyne,
With Confessoris, ane tryumphand tryne;
With sanct Francois, and Dominic,
Sanct Bernard, and sanct Benedic,
With small nummer of Monkis, and Freris,
Off Carmeletis, and Cordeleris,
That for the lufe of Christ onlye,
Renuncit the warld vnfenatlye.

With Elezabeth and Anna
All gude wyffis sall compeir that da;
The blyst and holy Magdelane,
That day, affore hir Souerane,
Rycht plesandlye scho sall present
All Synnaris that wer penitent,
Quhilk of thare gylt heir askit grace:
In Heuin with hir sall haue ane place.

Bot wo beis to that bailfull band
Quhilk sall stand Lawe at his left hand.
Woo, than, to Kyngis and Empriouris
Quhilkis wer vnrychteus Conquerouris,
For thare glore and perticular gude,
Gart sched so mekle saikles blude.
But Ceptour, Crown, and Robe Royall,
That day thay sall mak compt of all,
And, for thare creuell tyrrannye,
Sall punyste be perpetuallye.

Ȝe Lordis and Barronis, more and les,
That ȝour pure Tennantis dois oppres,
Be gret Gyrsome and dowbyll maill,
More than ȝour landis bene auaill,
With sore exhorbitant cariage,
With merchetis of thare mariage,
Tormentit boith in peace and weir,
With birdyngis more than thay may beir.

368

Be thay haif payit to ȝow thare maill,
And to the Preist thare teindis haill,
And quhen the land agane is sawin,
Quhat restis behynd I wald wer knawin.
I traist thay and thare pure houshauld
May tell of hunger and of cauld.
Without ȝe haif of thame piete,
I dreid ȝe sall gett no Mercie,
That day quhen Christ Omnipotent
Cumis tyll his generall Iugement.

Wo beis to publict Oppressouris,
To tyrrannis, and to transgressouris,
To Murdararis, and commoun theifis,
Quhilk neuer did mend thare gret mischeifis.
Fornicatoris, and Ockararis,
Commoun publict Adulteraris,
All pertinat wylfull Arratykis,
All fals dissaitfull Sysmatykis,
All salbe present in that place,
With mony Lamentabyll allace.

The cursit Cayn, that neuer wes gude,
With all scheddaris of saikles blude;
Nemrod, fundar of Babilone,
With fals Ydolatris mony one;
Nynus, the kyng of Asseriay,
With gret dule sall compeir that day,
Quhilk first Inuentit Ymagery,
Quharethrouch come gret Ydolatry.
For makyng of the Image Bell,
That day his hyir salbe in hell.

The gret Oppressour, kyng Pharo,
The tyranne Empriour Nero,
Sall with thame cursit kyng Herode bryng,
With mony vther cairfull Kyng.
The creuell kyng Antiochus,
With the moste furious Olofernus,
Gret Oppressour of Israell,
That day thare hyre salbe in hell.

369

With Iudas sall compeir one clan
Off fals Tratouris to God and man.
Thare sall compeir, of euerilk land,
With Ponce Pylat, one bailfull band
Off temporall and of spirituall statis,
Fals Iugis, with thare Aduocatis.
Thare sall our Senȝeouris of the cessioun
Off all thare faltis mak cleir confessioun.
Thare salbe sene the fraudfull failȝeis
Off Schireffis, Prouestis, and of Bailȝeis.
Officiallis, with thare Constry Clerkis,
Sall mak compt of thare wrangus werkis,
Thay, and thare peruerst Procuratouris,
Oppressouris boith of ryche and puris,
Throw Delaturis full of dissait,
Quhilk mony one gart beg thare mait
Gret dule, that day, to Iugis bene,
That cumis nocht with thare conscience clene.
That day sall pas be Peremptoris,
Without cawteill or Dilatoris;
No Duplycandum, nor Tryplicandum,
Bot schortlye pas to Sentenciandum,
Without Contineuationis,
Or ony Appellationis.
That sentence sall nocht be retratit,
Nor with no man of Law debatit.

Ȝe Lauboraris be sey and landis,
Perfyte Craftismen, and ryche Merchandis,
Leif ȝour dissait and crafty wylis,
Quhilk syllie simpyll folk begylis.
Mak recompence heir, as ȝe may,
Remembryng on this dreidfull day.

With Machomeit sall compeir, but doute,
Off Antechristis one hydduous route.
Byschope Annas, and Cayphas,
With hym in cumpany sall pas,
With Scrybis and fals Pharisianis,
Quhilk wrocht on Christ gret violensis.

370

With mony one Turk and Sariscene
With gret sorrow thare salbe sene
Papis, for thare traditionis
Contrar Christis Institutionis,
With mony one cowle and clyppit crown,
Quhilk Christis Lawis strampit down,
And wald nocht suffer for to preche
The veritie, nor the peple teche,
Bot Lawit men pat to gret torment,
Quhilk vsit Christis Testament.
All Kyngis and Quenis thare salbe kend,
The quhilk sic Lawis did defend.
In that court sall cum mony one
Off the blak byik of Babilone.
The Innocent blude, that day, sall crye
One loude vengeance, full petuouslye,
On those creuell bludy bowchouris,
Martyreris of Prophetis and Prechouris,
Sum with the fyre, sum with the sworde,
Quhilk planely precheit Goddis worde.
That day thay sall rewardit be,
Conforme to thare Iniquitie.

The Sodometis and Gomoriance
On quhome God wrocht so gret vengeance,
With Choro, Dathan, and Abyrone,
With thare assistance, mony one,
The holy Scripture wyll the tell,
Quhow thay sank all doun to the hell.
With Symon Magus sall resort
Off proude Preistis ane schamefull sort.

That samyn day thare salbe sene
Mony one creuell cairfull Quene:
Quene Semeram, kyng Nynus wyfe,
Ane Tygir full of sturt and stryfe,
To gydder with Quene Ieȝabell,
Quhilk wes boith couetous and creuell;
The fals desaitfull Dalyda;
The creuell Quene Clitamistra,

371

The quhilk did murdres, on the nycht,
Agamenon, boith wyse and wycht,
The quhilk wes hir awin souerane Lorde,
As Grekis storyis dois recorde;
With creuell Quenis mony one,
Quhilk langsum wer for tyll expone.

Ȝe wantoun Ladyis, and burgis wyuis,
That now for sydest talis stryuis,
Flappand the fylth amang ȝour feit,
Rasyng the duste in to the streit,
That day, for all ȝour pomp and pryde,
Ȝour talis sall nocht ȝour hyppis hyde.
Thir vaniteis ȝe sall repent,
Without that ȝe be penitent.

With Phitonissa, I heir tell,
Quhilk rasit the Spreit of Samuell,
That day, with hir, thare sall resorte
Off rank Wycheis one sorrowfull sorte,
Brocht frome all partis, mony one myle,
Frome Sauoy, Athell, and Argyle,
And frome the ryndes of Galloway,
With mony wofull Wallaway.

Ȝe Brether of Religioun,
In tyme leif ȝour abusioun,
With quhilk ȝe haif the warld abusit,
Or ȝe, that day, salbe refusit.
I speik to ȝow all, generallye,
Nocht tyll one Ordoure speciallye.
That day all Creature sall ken
Geue ȝe war Sanctis, or warldly men,
Or gyf ȝe tuk the Skapellarye
That ȝe mycht leif more plesandlye,
And gett ane gude grosse Portioun,
Or for Godlye Deuotioun.
That day, ȝour faynit Sanctytudis
Sall nocht be knawin be ȝour Hudis.
Ȝour Superstitious Ceremoneis,
Participand tyll Ydolatreis,

372

Corde, cuttit schone, nor clippit hede,
That daye sall stande ȝow in no stede.
For cowlis blak, gray, nor begaird,
Ȝe sall that day get no rewaird.
Ȝour polit payntit flatterye,
Ȝour dissimulat Ypocrasye,
That day thay sall be cleirlye knawin,
Quhen ȝe sall scheir as ȝe haue sawin.
Tharefore, in tyme be penitent,
Or ellis that day ȝe wylbe schent.

I pray ȝow hartlie, as I may,
Remember on that dreidfull day.
Ȝe Abbot, Pryor, and Pryores,
Consydder quhat ȝe did profes,
And quhow that ȝour promotioun
Wes no thyng for deuotioun.
Bot tyll obtene the Abbasye,
Ȝe maid ȝour wow of Chaistitye,
Off powertie, and obedience.
Tharefor, remord ȝour conscience,
Quhow thir thre wowis bene obseruit,
And quhat rewarde ȝe haue deseruit.
Quharefore repent, quhill ȝe haue space,
Sen God is lyberall of his grace.

COUR[TIOUR].
Father (quod I) declare to me
Quhare sall our Prelatis ordorit be,
Quhilk now bene in the warld leuand.
With quhome sall cum that Spirituall band?

EXPE[RIENCE].
(Quod he) as sanct Barnard discryuis,
Without that thay amend thare lyuis,
And leif thare wantoun vitious warkis,
Nocht with Prophetis nor Patriarkis,

373

Nocht with Martyris nor Confessouris,
The quhilkis to Christ wer trew prechouris.
Thare Predecessouris, Peter and Paull,
That day wyll thame mysken at all.
So sall thay nocht, I say for me,
With the Apostlis ordourit be.
I traist thay sall dwell on the bordour
Off Hell, quhare thare salbe non ordour,
Endlang the Flude of Flagitone,
Or on the brais of Acherone,
Cryand on Caron, I conclude,
To ferre thame ouer that furious flude,
Tyll eternall confusioun,
Without thay leif thare abusioun.
I traist those Prelatis, more and les,
Sall mak cleir compt of thare ryches,
That dreidfull day, with hartis sore,
And quhat seruice thay did tharefore.
The Princely pomp nor apparell
Off Pope, Byschope, nor Cardinall,
Thare Royall Rentis, nor Dignite,
That day sall nocht regardit be.
Thare sall no talis, as I heir say,
Off Byschoppis be borne vp, that day.
Cum thay nocht with thare conscience clene,
On thame gret sorrow salbe sene,
Without that thay thare lyfe amend
In tyme. And so I mak ane end.

FINIS.

374

HEIR FOLLOWIS THE MANER QUHOV CHRIST SALL GEUE HIS SENTENCE.

EXPE[RIENCE].

Qvhen all thir Congregationis
Beis brocht furth frome al nationis,
Quhilk wilbe without lang proces,
Thocht I haif maid sum lang degres,
For in the twinkling of one E,
All mankynd sall presentit be
Affore that Kyngis Excellence,

Mat. xx.

Than schortlye sall he geue sentence,
First sayand to that blysfull band
Quhilk beis ordourit at his rycht hand,
Cum, with my Fatheris Bennysoun,
And ressaue ȝour possessioun,
Quhilk bene for ȝow preordinat,
Affore the warld wes first creat.
Quhen I wes hungry, ȝe me fed;
Quhen I wes naikit, ȝe me cled;
Oftymes ȝe gaue me Herberye,
And gaif me drynk quhen I wes Drye,
And vesyit me with myndis meik,
Quhen I wes presonar and seik.
In all sic trybulatioun,
Ȝe gaif me consolatioun.

Than sall thay say, O Potent Kyng,
Quhen saw we the desyre sic thyng?
We neuer saw thyne excellence
Subdewit to sic Indigence.
Ȝit (sall he say) I ȝow assure,
Quhen euer ȝe did ressaue the pure,
And for my saik maid thame supple,
That gyft, but doute, ȝe gaif to me.

375

Tharefor sall now begyn ȝour glore,
Quhilk sall indure for euer more.

Than sall he luke on his left hand,
And say onto that bailfull band,
Pas, with my Maledictioun,
Tyll Eternall Afflixtioun,
In cumpany with feindis fell,
In euerlestyng fyre of Hell.
Quhen I stude, naikit, att ȝour ȝett,
Houngry, thristy, cauld, and wett,
Rycht febyll, seik, and lyke to de,
I neuer gat of ȝow supple.
And, quhen I lay in presoun strang,
For ȝow I mycht haif lying full lang,
Without ȝour co[n]solatioun,
Or ony supportatioun.

Trymling for dreid, than sall thay say,
With mony hydous harmesay,
Allace, gude Lorde, quhen saw we the
Subiect to sic necessitie?
Quhen saw we the cum to our dure,
Houngry, thristy, naikit, pure?
Quhen saw we the in presoun ly,
Or the refusit herbery?

Than sall that most precelland Kyng
Tyll those wrachis mak answeryng,
That tyme quhen ȝe refusit the puris
Quhilkis neidfull cryit at ȝour duris,
And of ȝour superfluitie
For my saik maid thame no supplie.
Refusand thame, ȝe me refusit,
With wrecheitnes so ȝe wer abusit.
Tharefor ȝe sall haue, to ȝour hyre,
The euerlestyng byrning fyre,
But grace, but peace, or confortyng.
Than sall thay cry, full sore weipyng,
That we wer maid; allace, gude Lorde,
Allace, is thare non Misericorde?

376

Bot thus, withouttin hope of grace,
Tyne presens of thy plesand face?
Allace for ws; it had bene gude,
We had bene smorit in our cude.

Than, with one rair, the erth sall ryue,
And swolly thame, boith man and wyue.
Than sall those Creaturis forlorne
Warie the hour that thay wer borne,
With mony ȝamer, ȝewt, and ȝell,
Frome tyme thay feill the flammis fell
Apone thare tender bodeis byte,
Quhose torment salbe Infinyte.
The erth sall close, and frome thare sycht
Sall taking be all kynde of lycht.
Thare salbe gowlyng and gretyng,
But hope of ony confortyng.
In that Inestimabyll pane
Eternallye thay sall remane,
Byrnand in furious flammys rede,
Euer deand, bot neuir be dede,
That the small Minuth of one hour
To thame salbe so gret dolour,
Thay sall thynk thay haif done remane,
Ane thousand ȝeir in to that pane.
Allace, I trimyll tyll heir tell
The terribyll Turmentyng of hell.
That panefull pytt quho can deplore,
Quhilk mon indure for euer more?

Than sall those glorifyit Creaturis,
With myrth and infinyte plesouris,
Conuoyit with Ioy Angelicall,
Passe to the Heuin Imperiall,
With Christ Iesu, our Souerane Kyng,
In glore Eternallye to ryng,
Off man quhilk passis the Ingyne
The thousand part for tyll defyne,
Allanerlie, of the leist plesoure
Preordinat for one Creature.

377

Than sall one Fyre, as Clerkis sane,

ii. Pet. iii.

Mak all the hyllis and valais plane.
Frome erth, vp to the Heuin Impyre,
All beis renewit by that fyre,
Purgeyng all thyng materiall
Under the heuin Imperiall.
Boith erth and walter, fyre and air,
Salbe more perfyte maid, and fair,
The quhilkis affore had myxit bene,
Sall than, be purifyit, and maid clene.
The erth lyke Christall salbe cleir,
And euerilk Planeit in his speir
Sall rest, withouttin more moueyng.
Boith sterny heuin and Christellyng,
The first and hiest heuin mouabyll,
Sall stand, but turnyng, firme and stabyll.
The Sonne in to the Orient
Sall stand, and in the Occident
Rest sall the Mone, and be more cleir
Nor now bene Phebus in his speir.
And als that Lantern of the Heuin
Sall gyf more lycht, be greis sewin,
Nor it gaue sen the warld began.
The Heuin renewit salbe than.
Rychtso, the erth, with sic deuyse,
Compair tyll heuinlye Paradyse.

So heuin and erth salbe allone,

Apo. xxi.

As menith the Apostill Iohne.
The gret sey sall no more appeir,
Bot lyke the Christall pure and cleir,
Passyng Imaginatioun

i. Cor. ii.

Off Man to mak narratioun.
Off glore, quhilk God haith done prepair
Tyll euery one that cumis thare,
The quhilk with eris, nor with eine,
Off man may nocht be hard nor sene;
With hart it is vnthynkabyll,
And with toungis Inpronunciabyll;

378

Quhose plesouris salbe so perfyte,
Haueyng in God so gret delyte,

ii. Pet. iii.

The space now of one thousand ȝeir
That tyme sall nocht one hour appeir;
Quhilk can nocht comprehendit be,
Tyll we that plesand sycht sall se.

ii. Cor. xii.

Quhen Paull wes reuyst, in the spreit,
Tyll the thrid Heuin, of glore repleit,
He sayith, the Secretis quhilk he saw
Thay wer nocht leifsum for to schaw
To no man on the erth leueand.
Quharefor preis nocht tyll vnderstand,
Quhowbeit thare to thow haif desyre,
The Secretis of the heuin Impyre.
The more men lukis on Phebus brycht,
The more febyll salbe thare sycht.
Rychtso latt no man sett thare cure
To Sers the heych Diuyne Nature.
The more men studye, I suppose,
Salbe the more frome thare purpose.
To knaw quhareto sulde men Intend,
Quhilk Angellis can nocht comprehend?
Bot, efter this gret Iugement,
All thyng tyll ws salbe patent.

Latt ws with Paull our mynde addres,
He beand full of Heuinlynes,
Full humilye he techeit ws,
Nocht for to be to curious,
Quhowbeit men be of gret Ingyne,
To seik the heych Secretis Diuyne,

Rom. xi.

Quhose Iugementis ar vncersiabyll,
And strange wayis Inuestigabyll,
(That is to say) past out fynding,
Off quhome no man may fynd endyng.
It sufficith ws for tyll Implore
Gret God to bryng ws to that glore.

FINIS.

379

OFF CERTANE PLESOURIS OF THE GLORIFEIT BODEIS.

EXPE[RIENCE].

Sen thare is non in erth may comprehend
The Heuinlye glore & plesouris Infinyte,
Quhairfor, my Sone, I pray the not pretend
Ouer far to seik that maner of delyte,
Quhilk passit Naturall reasoun to Indyte,
That God, affore that he the warld creatt,
Preparit to thame quhilk ar predestinat.

All Mortall men salbe maid Immortall,
(That is to say) neuer to de agane,
Impassabyll, and so Celestiall
That fyre nor swerd may do to thame no pane.
Nor hete, nor cald, nor frost, nor wynd, nor rane,
Thocht sic thyng wer, may do to thame no deir.
Those Creaturis, rycht so, salbe als cleir

As flammand Phebus in his Mantioun.
Considder, than, gyf thare salbe gret lycht,
Quhen euery one in to that Regioun
Sall schyne lyke to the Sonne, and be als brycht.
Lat ws, with Paull, desyre to se that sycht.
To be dissoluit Paull had A gret desyre,
With Christ to be in tyll the heuin Impyre.

And, more attour, as Clerkis can discryue,
Thare maruellous myrthis beis incomparabyll.
Amang the rest, in all thare wyttis fyue
Thay sall haue sensuall plesouris delectabyll.
The heuinlye sound, quhilk salbe Innarrabyll,
In thare eris continuallye sall ryng.
And als the sycht of Christ Iesus, our Kyng,

380

In his tryumphant throne Imperiall,
With his Mother, the Uirgene Quene of quenis,
Thare salbe sene: the Court Celestiall,
Apostolis, Martyris, Confessoris, and Uirgenis,
Brychtar than Phebus in his speir that schynis,
The Patriarkis, and Prophetis Uenerabyll,
Thare salbe sene, with glore Inestimabyll.

And with thare Spirituall Eis salbe sene
That sycht quhilk bene most Superexcelland,
God, as he is, and euermore hes bene.
Continuallye that sycht contempland,
Augustyne sayis, he had leuer tak on hand
To be in Hell, he seyng the assence
Off God, nor be in Heuin but his presence.

Quho seis God in his Diuynitie,
He seis in hym all vther plesand thyngis,
The quhilk with toung can nocht pronuncit be.
Quhat plesour bene to se that kyng of Kyngis.
The gretest pane the dampnit folk dounthryngis,
And, to the Deuyllis, the most punytioun,
It is of god to want fruitioun.

And, mairattour, thay sall feill sic ane smell
Surmountyng far the fleure of erthly flowris,
And, in thare mouth, ane taist, as I heir tell,
Off sweit and Supernaturall Sapowris.
Als, thay sall se the heuinlye brycht colowris
Schenyng amang those Creaturis Diuyne,
Quhilk tyll discryue transcendith mannis Ingyne.

And, als, thay sall haif sic agilitie
In one Instant to passe, for thare plesour,
Ten thousand mylis in twynkling of one E.
So thare Ioyis salbe without missour.
Thay sall Reioyis to se the gret dolour
Off dampnit folk in hell, and thare torment,
Because of God it is the Iuste Iugement.

381

Subtellyte thay sall haue maruellouslye.
Subponyng that thare wer ane wall of bras,
One glorifeit body may rycht haistellye
Out throw that wall, without Impediment, pas,
Siclyke as doith the Sone baime throw the glas,
As Christ tyll his Disciplis did appeir,
All entres clos, and non of thame did steir.

Quhowbeit, in heuin, thocht euerilk Creature

i. Cor. xv.

Haue nocht alyke filicitie nor glore,
Ȝitt euerilk one sall haif so gret plesure,
And so content, thay sall desyre no more.
To haue more Ioye thay sall no way Implore,
Bot thay salbe all satyfeit and content,
Lyke to this rude exempyll subsequent.

Tak ane crowat, one pynte stope, and one quart,
One galloun pitschair, one puntioun, & one twn,
Of wyne, or balme; gyf euerilk one thare part,
And fyll thame full, tyll that thay be ouir rwn.
The lytill crouat, in comparisoun,
Salbe so full that it may hald no more
Off sic missouris, thocht thare be twenty score.

In to the Twn, or in the Pontioun.
So all those vesschellis, in one qualitie,
May hald no more, without thay be ouir rwn,
Ȝitt haif thay nocht alyke in quantitie.
So, be this rude exempyll, thow may se,
Thocht euerilk one be nocht alyke in glore,
Ar satyfeit so that thay desyre no more.

Thocht presentlye, be Goddis prouiance,
Beistis, fowlis, and fyschis in the seis,
Ar necessar now for mannis sustenance,
With cornis, herbis, flowris, and fructfull treis,
Than sall thare be non sic commoditeis.
The erth sall beir no plant, nor beist brutall,
Bot, as the Heuinnis, brycht lyke buriall.

382

Suppone sum be on erth, walkand heir doun,
Or heycht abone, quhare euer thay pleis to go,
Off God thay haue ay cleir fruitioun,
Boith est, or west, vp, doun, or to, or fro.
Clerkis declaris plesouris mony mo,
Quhilk dois transcend al mortal mannis Ingyne
The thousand part of those plesouris deffyne.

In to the Heuin thay sall perfytlie knaw
Thare tender freindis, thare father, & thare mother,
Thare Predecessouris quhilkis thay neuer saw,
Thair spousis, bairnis, syster, & thare brother.
And euerilk one sall haue sic lufe tyll vther,
Off vtheris glore and Ioy thay sall reioyse,
As of thare awin, as Clerkis doith suppose.

Apoc. xxi.

Than salbe sene that brycht Ierusalem
Quhilk Ihone saw, in his Reuelatione.
We mortall men, allace, ar far to blame,

Esa. lxvi.

That wyll nocht haif consideratione,
And one continuall contemplatione,
With hote desyre to cum on to that glore,
Quhilk plesour sall indure for euer more.

Ro. viii.

O Lorde, our God and Kyng Omnipotent,
Quhilk knew, or thow the heuin and erth creatt,
Quho wald to the be inobedient,
And so disarue for to be Reprobatt,
Thow knew the nomer of predestinat,
Quhome thow did call, and hes thame Iustifeit,
And sall in Heuin with the be Glorifeit.

Grant ws to be, Lorde, of that chosin sort
Quhame, of thy mercy superexcellent,
Did puriffy, as scripture doith report,
With the blude of that holy Innocent,
Iesu, quhilk maid hym self Obedient
On to the deth, and steruit on the Rude.
Lat ws, O Lorde, be purgit with that blude.

383

All Creature that euer God Creat,

Ro. viii.

As wryttis Paull, thay wys to se that day,
Quhen the Childryng of God, predestinat,
Sall do appeir in thare new fresche array,
Quhen Corruptioun beis clengit clene away,

i. Cor. xv.

And cheangit beis thare Mortall Qualitie
In the gret glore of Immortalitie.

And, moreattour, all dede thyngis corporall,
Onder the Concaue of the Heuin Impyre,
That now to laubour subiect ar, and thrall,
Sone, Mone, & Sterris, Erth, walter, air, & Fyre,
In one maneir thay haue ane hote desyre,
Wissing that day, that thay may be at rest,
As Erasmus Exponith Manifest.

We se the gret Gloube of the Firmament
Continuallie in moueyng maruellous.
The Sewin Planetis, contrary thare intent,
Ar reft about, with coursse contrarious.
The wynd, and See, with stormys furious,
The trublit Air, with Frostis, Snaw, and Rane,
On to that day thay trauell euer in pane.

And all the Angellis of the Ordouris Nyne,
Haueand compatioun of our Misareis,
Thay wys efter that day, and to that Fyne,
To se ws fred frome our Infirmiteis,
And clengit frome thir gret Calamiteis
And trublus lyfe, quhilk neuer sall haue end
On to that day: I mak it to the kend.

FINIS.

384

ANE EXHORTATIOUN GYFFIN BE FATHER EXPERIENCE VNTO HIS SONE THE CURTEOUR.

EXPE[RIENCE].

My Sone, now mark weil in thy memory,
Of this fals warld the trublus transitory,
Quhose dreidfull dayis drawis neir a[ne] end.
Tharfor, cal god to be thi adiutory,
And euery day my Sonne Memento Mori,
And watt not quhen, nor quhare that thow sal wend.
Heir to remane I pray the nocht pretend,
And, sen thow knawis the tyme is verray schort,
In Christis Blude sett all thy hole confort.

Math. vi.

Be nocht to myche solyst in temporall thyngis,
Sen thow persauis Pape, Empriour, nor Kyngis
In to the erth haith no place parmanent.
Thow seis the deith thame dulefully doun thringis,
And rauis thame frome thare rent, ryches, & ringis.
Tharefor on Christ confirme thyne hole intent,
And of thy callyng be rycht weill content.
Than God, that fedis the fowlis of the air,
All neidfull thyng for the he sall prepair.

Iob. xiiii.

Consydder, in thy contemplatioun,
Ay, sen the warldlis first Creatioun,
Mankynd hes tholit this misary mortall,
Ay tormentit with trybulatioun,
With dolour, dreid, and desolatioun.
Gentiles, and Chosin peple of Israell,

385

To this vnhap, all subiect ar, and thrall;
Quhilk Misary, but doute, sall euer indure,
Tyll the last day: my Sonne, thareof be sure.

That day, as I haue maid narratioun,
Salbe the day of consolatioun
Tyll all the Childryng of the chosin noumer.
Thare endit beis thare desolatioun.
And als, I mak the supplycatioun,
In erthlye materis tak the no more cummer.
Dreid nocht to dee, for deith is bot ane slummer.
Leue ane Iuste lyfe, & with ane Ioyus hart,
And of thy guddis tak plesandlye thy part.

Off our talkeing now latt ws mak ane end.
Behald quhow Phebus dounwart dois discend
Towart his palyce in the Occident.
Dame Synthea, I se, scho dois pretend
In tyll hir wattry Regioun tyll ascend,
With vissage paill, vp frome the Orient.
The dew now dounkis the rossis redolent.
The Mareguldis, that all day wer reiosit
Off Phebus heit, now craftelly ar closit.

The blysfull byrdis bownis to the treis,
And ceissis of thare heuinlye armoneis.
The Cornecraik in the croft, I heir hir cry.
The bak, the Howlat, febyll of thare eis,
For thare pastyme, now in the ewinnyng fleis.
The Nychtyngaill, with myrthfull melody,
Hir naturall notis persith throw the sky,
Tyll Synthea, makand her obseruance,
Quhilk on the nycht dois tak hir dalyance.

I se Polartike in the North appeir,
And Uenus ryssing, with hir bemes cleir,
Quharefor, my Sonne, I hald it tyme to go.
Wald God (said I) ȝe did remane all ȝeir,

386

That I mycht of ȝour heuinlye Lessonis leir:
Off ȝour departyng I am wounder wo.
Tak pacience (said he) it mone be so:
Perchance I sall returne with deligence.
Thus I departit frome Experience,

And sped me home, with hert sychyng full sore,
And enterit in my quyet Oritore.
I tuke paper, and thare began to wryt
This Miserie, as ȝe haue hard afore.
All gentyll Redaris hertlye I Implore
For tyll excuse my rurall rude Indyte.
Thoucht Phareseis wyll haue at me dispyte,
Quhilkis wald not that thare craftynes wer kend,
Latt God be Iuge: and so I mak ane end.

FINIS.

Quod Lyndesay, .1552.