The seuin Seages Translatit out of prois in Scottis meter be Iohne Rolland in Dalkeith, with ane Moralitie efter euerie Doctouris Tale, and siclike efter the Emprice Tale, togidder with ane louing and laude to euerie Doctour efter his awin Tale, & ane Exclamation and outcrying vpon the Empreouris wife efter hir fals contrusit Tale ... Edited, with introduction, notes, and glossary, by Geo. F. Black |
 |
|
Moralitas. |
 | The seuin Seages |  |
Moralitas.
We will continew at this place,
The Doctouris taill ane lytill space
And sum thing we will tell
Of the Emprice comparisoun
How scho comparit the Kingis persoun
Unto ane theif sa fell.
The Doctouris taill ane lytill space
And sum thing we will tell
Of the Emprice comparisoun
How scho comparit the Kingis persoun
Unto ane theif sa fell.
Scho compairit the Empreour
To the fals Knicht that brak the Towre
Quhen he suld sauld his land,
For pureteth was compellit to steill,
Luik ȝe gif scho compairit it leill
And sa weill scho it fand.
To the fals Knicht that brak the Towre
Quhen he suld sauld his land,
For pureteth was compellit to steill,
Luik ȝe gif scho compairit it leill
And sa weill scho it fand.
This Knicht committit tratourie
That staill fra the Authoritie
Outher greit thing or smaw
Quhairfoir he seruit for to hing
For quha that steillis ocht fra ane King
Thay may not byde the Law.
That staill fra the Authoritie
Outher greit thing or smaw
102
For quha that steillis ocht fra ane King
Thay may not byde the Law.
Siclyke this Knicht as was weill knawin,
Out throw the Cietie he was drawin
To his greit lack and schame
Syne hangit on the Gallow treis,
Persaue gif thir twa weill aggreis
To the Kingis greit defame.
Out throw the Cietie he was drawin
To his greit lack and schame
Syne hangit on the Gallow treis,
Persaue gif thir twa weill aggreis
To the Kingis greit defame.
And hir awin Empreour comparit,
To ane pure Knicht was all disparit,
Ane Tratour and ane theif.
That scho sa wald was maist lyklie,
That the Empreour sa suld be,
God send hir ane mischeif.
To ane pure Knicht was all disparit,
Ane Tratour and ane theif.
That scho sa wald was maist lyklie,
That the Empreour sa suld be,
God send hir ane mischeif.
As to the Knicht wald sauld his land,
And wor sa wonder pure in hand,
And alwayis superspendit:
Quha euer spendis by thair dew rent,
But faill sall efter sair repent,
Quhen he may not amend it.
And wor sa wonder pure in hand,
And alwayis superspendit:
Quha euer spendis by thair dew rent,
But faill sall efter sair repent,
Quhen he may not amend it.
Thairefter cummis necessitie,
Hounger, pureteth, and pouertie,
To steill that he must neidis.
Than tynes he honour and manheid,
And thairon followis schame and deid,
Of Ill spending this spreidis.
Hounger, pureteth, and pouertie,
To steill that he must neidis.
Than tynes he honour and manheid,
And thairon followis schame and deid,
Of Ill spending this spreidis.
Had this Knicht spendit with measure,
According to his awin treasour,
Efter his facultie,
He suld not neid to brek ane Towre
Nor stollin gold fra the Empreour
Nor pure neidit not be.
According to his awin treasour,
Efter his facultie,
He suld not neid to brek ane Towre
Nor stollin gold fra the Empreour
Nor pure neidit not be.
103
Gude Schirs that hes rent and riches,
Be not in spending sa rekles,
Bot with ressoun and richt:
For than on force ȝe mon sell land,
Or ellis tak sum euill deid on hand
As did this heidit Knicht.
Be not in spending sa rekles,
Bot with ressoun and richt:
For than on force ȝe mon sell land,
Or ellis tak sum euill deid on hand
As did this heidit Knicht.
Quha chaipit anis, and past againe
Still ay in stouth for to remaine,
Quhilk all men suld forbeir.
It may chance anis a man to sin
But he suld na way ly thairin,
Nor still to perseueir.
Still ay in stouth for to remaine,
Quhilk all men suld forbeir.
It may chance anis a man to sin
But he suld na way ly thairin,
Nor still to perseueir.
For as that ane Knicht fand a wyle
That vther Knicht for to begyle
And tak him in the net,
Euin sa the Feind is fyndand ay
Sum new gait to fang in his pray
Quhilks ay to sin ar set.
That vther Knicht for to begyle
And tak him in the net,
Euin sa the Feind is fyndand ay
Sum new gait to fang in his pray
Quhilks ay to sin ar set.
The birdlyme is to hald thame still:
And ay in plesure tak thair will,
For as the gold was sweit.
That causit this Knicht to cum againe
That is in sin ay to remaine,
Quhill thay ȝald vp the Spreit.
And ay in plesure tak thair will,
For as the gold was sweit.
That causit this Knicht to cum againe
That is in sin ay to remaine,
Quhill thay ȝald vp the Spreit.
Than art thow sicker in the snair,
Quhen deid cummis thow dow do na mair
Bot to the Gallous led.
That is to hell without remeid,
Than all thy gold that was sa reid
It standis the in na steid.
Quhen deid cummis thow dow do na mair
Bot to the Gallous led.
That is to hell without remeid,
Than all thy gold that was sa reid
It standis the in na steid.
104
Thairfoir quha wald leif in honour
Se thay thair geir spend with measour
Be not ouir Liberall.
Spend not in Prodigalitie,
Bot as affeiris thy Facultie
Or doutles want thow sall.
Se thay thair geir spend with measour
Be not ouir Liberall.
Spend not in Prodigalitie,
Bot as affeiris thy Facultie
Or doutles want thow sall.
Sum tyme may chance a man spend mair
Upon ane day, nor he may spair
To spend in vther nyne
I grant, bot ȝit ȝe suld considder
Put spairing dayis and thame togidder
And sa small sall ȝe tyne.
Upon ane day, nor he may spair
To spend in vther nyne
I grant, bot ȝit ȝe suld considder
Put spairing dayis and thame togidder
And sa small sall ȝe tyne.
Of spending is thre kinde of branches,
The first to spend he neuer stanches,
Sa lang as he hes heill,
Bot euer spendand in ane rane,
Quhill all that he hes is quyte gane,
On force this man mon steill.
The first to spend he neuer stanches,
Sa lang as he hes heill,
Bot euer spendand in ane rane,
Quhill all that he hes is quyte gane,
On force this man mon steill.
The secund spendis with greit honour,
With honestie and greit measour
Nouther mekill nor skant,
Bot sum tyme spairis and sum tyme spendis
And gydis weill that God him sendis,
Sa this man can not want.
With honestie and greit measour
Nouther mekill nor skant,
Bot sum tyme spairis and sum tyme spendis
And gydis weill that God him sendis,
Sa this man can not want.
The thrid he is sa greit negart,
To spend hes nouther hand nor hart,
And ay sayis he hes nocht.
Euer spairand and euer wantis,
And to haue geir he neuer grantis
For all that euer he wrocht.
To spend hes nouther hand nor hart,
And ay sayis he hes nocht.
Euer spairand and euer wantis,
And to haue geir he neuer grantis
For all that euer he wrocht.
105
Of thir thre let vs tak the middis,
The wise man that expreslie biddis
Thairfoir I ȝow beseik,
This is na honest man to greif,
Bot se that ȝe put not ȝour sleif
Farther nor hand may reik.
The wise man that expreslie biddis
Thairfoir I ȝow beseik,
This is na honest man to greif,
Bot se that ȝe put not ȝour sleif
Farther nor hand may reik.
| The seuin Seages | |