The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount ... Edited by Douglas Hamer |
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THE EPISTIL TO THE REDAR. |
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 | The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount |  |
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.
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.
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.
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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,
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.
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.
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.
Tharefor mak to thame trew narratioun,
That al thir weris, this derth, hunger, and Pest
Was nocht bot for our Synnis manefest.
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.
Tharefor mak to thame trew narratioun,
That al thir weris, this derth, hunger, and Pest
Was nocht bot for our Synnis manefest.
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Declare to thame quhow, in the tyme of Noye,
Alluterlye, God did the warld distroye,
As Holy Scripture maketh mentioun;
Sodom, Gomor, with thare Regioun and Roye,
God sparit nothir Man, Woman, nor Boye;
Bot all wer brynt for thare offentioun.
Iherusalem, that moste tryumphant town,
Distroyit wes for thare Iniquytie,
As in the Scripture planelye thay may se.
Alluterlye, God did the warld distroye,
As Holy Scripture maketh mentioun;
Sodom, Gomor, with thare Regioun and Roye,
God sparit nothir Man, Woman, nor Boye;
Bot all wer brynt for thare offentioun.
Iherusalem, that moste tryumphant town,
Distroyit wes for thare Iniquytie,
As in the Scripture planelye thay may se.
Declare to thame this mortall miserie,
Be sweird and fyre, derth, pest, and pouertie,
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.
Be sweird and fyre, derth, pest, and pouertie,
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.
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.
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.
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Pray thame that thay putt nocht thare esperance
In mortall Men onelye, thame tyll aduance,
Bot principallye in God Omnipotent.
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.
In mortall Men onelye, thame tyll aduance,
Bot principallye in God Omnipotent.
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.
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.
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.
| The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount | |