The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount ... Edited by Douglas Hamer |
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| 1. | THE FIRST BVKE OF THE MONARCHE. |
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 | The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount |  |
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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,
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
That we bene fragyll Synnaris, all.
Adam brocht in this Natioun
Syn, Deith, and als Dampnatioun.
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.
Men frome felicitite wer denudit
Be Adam, our Progenitour,
Umquhyle of Paradyse possessour,
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
That we bene fragyll Synnaris, all.
212
Syn, Deith, and als Dampnatioun.
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,
He wysche ws with his precious blude.
Quhowbeit throw Adam we mon dee,
Throuch that Lord we sall rasit bee,
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
Sall be releuit frome all myscheuis.
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,
He wysche ws with his precious blude.
Quhowbeit throw Adam we mon dee,
Throuch that Lord we sall rasit bee,
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
Sall be releuit frome all myscheuis.
COUR[TIOUR].
Quhat faith is that that ȝe call ferme?
Schir, gar me vnderstand that terme.
213
Faith without Hope and Charitie
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,
And thy Nychtbour but fenȝeyng.
Do none Iniure nor villanie,
Bot as thow wald wer done to the.
Quyk faith but cheretabyll werkis
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.
First, lufe thy God aboue all thyng,
And thy Nychtbour but fenȝeyng.
Do none Iniure nor villanie,
Bot as thow wald wer done to the.
Quyk faith but cheretabyll werkis
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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,
Nocht in to Greik nor Latyne, I heir say.
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,
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.
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.
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
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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,
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.
Quhare cunnyng men hes languagis anew,
217
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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;
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.
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,
The planetis, in thair circlis round
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.
The Sone & Mone for to geue lycht,
The sterry heuin & Christellyne,
And, be his Sapience diuyne,
The planetis, in thair circlis round
220
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,
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
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,
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,
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
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.
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,
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.
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
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,
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
Mycht pleneis euery Natioun.
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
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
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.
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
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
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,
That he his purpose mycht auance;
Beleuand in hir Inconstance.
I sall rehers the that rewyne.
Quhen God, the Plasmatour of all,
In to the heuin Imperiall
225
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
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
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,
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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
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.
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
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,
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
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
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
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
(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.
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.
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.
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
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
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,
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,
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.
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.
The makyng of this Ark, but weir,
Indurit weill ane hundreth ȝeir.
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,
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,
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
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.
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.
The thounder raif the cluddis sabyll,
With horrabyll sound appouentabyll.
The fyreflauchtis flew ouerthorte the fellis.
Than wes thare nocht bot ȝowtis and ȝellis,
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
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
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.
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
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,
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.
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.
Ane ȝeir compleit, or he come out,
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
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.
Frome clattryng cragis, gret and gray,
The erth was weschin quyte away.
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
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,
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.
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
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,
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
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
| The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount | |