University of Virginia Library

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HEIR FOLLOUIS THE DREME, OF SCHIR DAUID LYNDESAY, OF THE MONT, FAMILIAR SERUITOUR, TO OUR SOUERANE LORD KYNG IAMES THE FYFT. .&C.

THE EPISTIL.

Rycht Potent Prince, of hie Imperial blude,
Onto thy grace I traist it be weill knawin,
My seruyce done onto thy Celsitude,
Quhilk nedis nocht at lenth for to be schawin;
And, thocht my ȝouthed now be neir ouer blawin,
Excerst in seruyce of thyne Excellence,
Hope hes me hecht ane gudlie recompence.

Quhen thow wes ȝoung, I bure the in myne arme
Full tenderlie, tyll thow begouth to gang,
And in thy bed oft happit the full warme,
With lute in hand, syne, sweitlie to the sang:
Sumtyme, in dansing, feiralie I flang;
And, sumtyme, playand fairsis on the flure;
And, sumtyme, on myne office takkand cure;

And, sumtyme, lyke ane feind, transfegurate;
And, sumtyme, lyke the greislie gaist of gye;
In diuers formis, oft tymes, disfigurate;
And, sumtyme, dissagyist full plesandlye.
So, sen thy birth, I haue continewalye
Bene occupyit, and aye to thy plesoure;
And, sumtyme, seware, Coppare, and Caruoure,

Thy purs maister, and secreit Thesaurare,
Thy Yschare, aye sen thy Natyuitie,

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And of thy chalmer cheiffe Cubiculare,
Quhilk, to this houre, hes keipit my lawtie.
Louyng be to the blyssit Trynitie,
That sic ane wracheit worme hes maid so habyll
Tyll sic ane Prince to be so [a]greabyll.

Bot, now, thov arte, be Influence naturall,
Hie of Ingyne, and rycht Inquisityue
Off antique storeis and dedis marciall.
More plesandlie the tyme for tyll ouerdryue,
I haue, at lenth, the storeis done discryue
Off Hectour, Arthour, and gentyll Iulyus,
Off Alexander, and worthy Pompeyus,

Off Iasone, and Media, all at lenth,
Off Hercules the actis honorabyll,
And of Sampsone the supernaturall strenth,
And of leill Luffaris storeis amiabyll;
And oft tymes haue I feinȝeit mony fabyll,
Off Troylus the sorrow and the Ioye,
And Seigis all, of Tyir, Thebes, and Troye;

The Prophiseis of Rymour, Beid, & Marlyng,
And of mony vther plesand storye,
Off the reid Etin, and the gyir carlyng,
Confortand the, quhen that I sawe the sorye.
Now, with the supporte of the king of glorye,
I sall the schaw ane storye of the new,
The quhilk affore I neuer to the schew.

Bot humilie I beseik thyne Excellence,
With ornate termes thocht I can nocht expres
This sempyll mater, for laik of Eloquence,
Ȝit, nocht withstandyng all my besynes,
With hart and hand my mynd I sall adres,
As I best can, and moste compendious.
Now I begyn the mater hapnit thus.

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THE PROLONG.

The small fowlis in flokkis saw I flee
To Nature makand gret lamentatioun:

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Thay lychtit doun besyde me, on ane tree,
Off thare complaynt I hade compassioun,
And, with ane pieteous exclamatioun,
Thay said: blyssit be Somer, with his flouris;
And waryit be thow, wynter, with thy schouris.

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HEIR ENDIS THE PROLONG. AND FOLLOWIS THE DREME.

Me thocht ane lady, of portratour perfyte,
Did salus me, with benyng contynance;
And I, quhilk of hir presens had delyte,
Tyl hir agane maid humyl reuerence,
And hir demandit, sauyng hir plesance,
Quhat wes hir name: scho answerit courtesly:
Dame Remembrance, scho said, callit am I;

Quhilk cummyng is for pastyme and plesoure
Off the, and for to beir the companye,
Because I se thy spreit withoute mesoure
So sore perturbit be malancolye,
Causyng thy corps to vaxin cauld and drye.
Tharefor, get vp, and gang, anone, with me.
So war we boith, in twynkling of ane Ee,

Doun throw the eird, in myddis of the centeir,
Or euer I wyste, in to the lawest hell.
In to that cairfull coue quhen we did enter,
Ȝowtyng and ȝowlyng we hard, with mony ȝell.
In flame of fyre, rycht furious and fell,
Was cryand mony cairfull creature,
Blasphemand God, and waryand nature.

Thare sawe we diuers Papis and Empriouris,
Withoute recouer, mony cairfull kyngis.
Thare sawe we mony wrangous Conquerouris,
Withouttin rycht reiffaris of vtheris ryngis:
The men of kirk lay boundin in to byngis.
Thare saw we mony cairfull Cardinall,
And Archebischopis in thare pontificall,

Proude and peruerst Prelattis, out of nummer;
Priouris, Abbottis, and fals flattrand freris,

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To specifye thame all, it wer ane cummer;
Regulare channonis, churle monkis, & chartarer[i]s,
Curious clerkis, and preistis seculeris:
Thare was sum part of ilk Religioun,
In haly kirk quhilk did abusioun.

Than I demandit dame Rememb[e]rance
The cause of thir Prelattis punysioun.
Scho said, the cause of thare vnhappy chance
Was Couatyce, Luste, and ambysioun,
The quhilk now garris thame want fruitioun
Off God, and heir eternallie man dwell
In to this painefull poysonit pytt of hell.

Als, thay did nocht instruct the Ignorent,
Prouocand thame to pennence, be precheing,
Bot seruit wardlie Prencis insolent,
And war promouit be thare fenȝeit flecheing,
Nocht for thare science, wysedome, nor techeing.
Be Symonie was thare promotioun,
More for deneris nor for deuotioun.

Ane vther cause of the punysioun
Off thir vnhappy prelattis Imprudent;
Thay maid nocht equale distributioun
Off haly kirk the Patrimonie and rent,
Bot temporallie thay haue it all mispent,
Quhilkis suld haue bene trypartit in to thre:
First, to vphauld the kirk in honestie;

The secunde part, to sustene thare aistatis;
The third part, to be gewin to the puris.
Bot thay dispone that geir all vther gaittis,
On cartis, and dyce, on harllotrie, and huris.
Thir catyuis tuke no compt of thair awin curis,
Thare kirkis rewin, thare ladyis clenely cled,
And rychelye rewlit, boith at burde and bed.

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Thare bastarde barnis proudely thay prouydit;
The kirk geir larglye thay did on thame spende.
In thare difaltis, thare subdetis wer misgydit,
And comptit nocht thare God for tyll offend,
Quhilk gart tham want grace at thair letter end.
Rewland that rowte I sawe, in Capis of Bras,
Symone Magus, and byschope Cayphas.

Byschope Annas, and the treatour Iudas,
Machomete, that Propheit poysonabyll,
Choro, Dathan, and Abirone thare was.
Heretykis we sawe vnnumerabyll.
It wes ane sycht rycht wounderous lamentabyl[e],
Quhow that thay lay, in to tha flammis fletyng,
With cairfull cryis, girnyng, and greityng.

Religious men wer punyste panefullie
For vaine glore, als, for Inobedience;
Brekand thare constitutionis wylfullie,
Nocht haiffand thare Ouermen in reuerence.
To knaw thare rewle thay maid no delygence:
Unleifsumlie thay vsit propertie,
Passing the boundis of wylfull pouertie.

Full sore wepyng, with vocis lamentabyll
Thay cryit lowde: O Empriour Constantyne,
We may wyit thy possessioun poysonabyll
Off all our gret punysioun and pyne.
Quhowbeit thy purpose was tyll ane gude fyne,
Thow baneist frome ws trew deuotioun,
Haiffand sic Ee tyll our promotioun.

Than we beheld ane den full dolorous,
Quhare that Prencis and lordis temporall
War Cruciate with panis regorous.
Bot, to expreme thare panis in speciall,
It dois exceid all my memoriall.
Importabyll paine thay had, but confortyng:
Thare blude royall maid thame no supportyng.

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Sum catyue kyngis for creuell oppressioun,
And vther sum, for thare wrangus conquest,
War condampnit, thay and thare Successioun.
Sum, for publict adultrye and incest:
Sum leit thare peple neuer leif in rest,
Delyting so in plesour sensuall,
Quharefor thare paine was, thare, perpetuall.

Thare was the cursit Empriour Nero,
Off euerilk vice the horrabyll weschell;
Thare was Pharo, with diuers Prencis mo,
Oppressouris of the barnis of Israell;
Herode, and mony mo than I can tell:
Ponce Pylat was thare, hangit be the hals,
With vniuste Iugis, for thare sentence fals.

Dukis, Merquessis, Erlis, Barronis, Knychtis,
With thay Prencis, wer punyst panefullie;
Partycipant thay wer of thare vnrychtis.
Fordwarte we went, and leit thir Lordis lye,
And saw quhare ladyis, lamentabyllie,
Lyke wod Lyonis, cairfullie cryand,
In flam of fyre rycht furiouslie fryand:

Emprices, Quenis, and ladyis of honouris,
Mony Duches, and Comptas, full of cair.
Thay peirsit myne hart, thay tender creaturis,
So pynit, in that pytt, full of dispare,
Plungit in paine, with mony reuthfull rair:
Sum, for thare pryde; sum, for Adultrye;
Sum, for thare tyisting men to Lechorye;

Sum had bene creuell and malicius;
Sum, for making of wrangous heretouris.
For to rehers thare lyffis vitious,
It wer bot tarye to the auditouris:
Off Lychorye thay wer the verray luris;
With thare prouocatyue Impudicitie,
Brocht mony ane man to Infelicitie.

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Sum wemen, for thare pussillamytie,
Ouerset with schame, thay did thame neuer schryue
Off secreit Synnis done in quietie,
And sum repentit neuer in thare lyue:
Quhairfor, but reuth tha ruffeis did thame ryue,
Regoruslie, withoute compassioun:
Gret was thare dule and lamentatioun.

That we wer maid, thay cryit oft, allace,
Thus Tormentit with panis Intollerabyll.
We mendit nocht, quhen we had tyme and space,
Bot tuke, in eird, our lustis delectabyll.
Quharfor, with feindis, vgly and horrabyll,
We ar condampnit for euer more, allace,
Eternalie, withouttin hope of grace.

Quhare is the meit and drynke delicious,
With quhilk we fed our cairfull cariounis,
Gold, syluer, sylk, with peirlis precious,
Our ryches, rentis, and our possessionis?
Withouttin hope of our remissionis,
Allace, our panis ar Insufferabyll,
And our tormentis to compt Innumirabyll.

Than we beheld quhare mony ane thousand
Comoun peple laye flichtrand in the fyre:
Off euerilk stait thare was ane bailfull band.
Thare mycht be sene mony sorrowfull Syre;
Sum for Inuy sufferit; and sum, for Yre;
And sum, for laik of restitutioun
Off wrangous geir, without remissioun.

Mansworne merchandis, for thar wrangus winning;
Hurdaris of gold, and commoun Occararis;
Fals men of Law, in Cautelis rycht cunning;
Theiffis, reuaris, and publict oppressaris.
Sum part thair was of vnleill Lauboraris;
Craftismen thair saw we, out of nummer.
Off ilke stait to declare it wer ane cummer.

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And, als, langsum to me for tyll Indyte
Off this presoun the panis in speciall,
The heit, the calde, the dolour, and dispyte,
Quharefor, I speik of thame in generall;
That dully den, that furneis Infernall,
Quhose reward is rew, without remede,
Euer deyand, and neuer to be dede;

Hounger and thrist, in steid of meit and drynk,
And, for thare clethyng, tadis and Scorpionis.
That myrke Mansioun is tapessit with stynk;
Thay se bot horrabyll visionis;
Thay heir bot scorne and derysionis
Off foule feindis, and blasphemationis;
Thare feillyng is Importabyll passionis;

For melody, miserabyll murnyng;
Thare is na solace, bot dolour Infinyte,
In bailfull beddis bitterlye burnyng,
With sobbyng, syching, sorrow, and with syte.
Thare conscience thare hartis so did byte,
To heir thame flyte, it was ane cace of cair.
So in dispyte, plu[n]geit in to dispair,

A lytill aboue that dolorous doungeoun,
We enterit in ane countre full of cair,
Quhare that we saw mony ane legioun
Greitand and gowland, with mony reuthful rair.
Quhat place is this, quod I, of blys so bair?
Scho answerit (and said) Purgatorye,
Quhilk purgis Saulis, or they cum to glorye.

I se no plesour heir, bot mekle paine,
Quharefor (said I) leif we this sorte in thrall:
I purpose neuer to cum heir agane;
Bot, ȝit, I do beleue, and euer sall,
That the trew kirk can no waye erre at all.
Sic thyng to be gret Clerkis dois conclude;
Quhowbeit, my hope standis most in cristis blud[e].

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Abufe that, in the thrid presoun, anone
We enterit in ane place of perditione
Quhare mony babbis war, makand drery mone
Because thay wantit the fruitioun
Off God, quhilk was ane gret punytioun:
Off Baptisme thay wantit the Ansenȝe.
Upwart we went, and left that myrthles menȝe,

In tyll ane volt, abone that place of paine,
Unto the quhilk, but sudgeorne, we ascendit.
That was the Lymbe, in the quhilk did remaine
Our Forefatheris, because Adam offendit,
Etand the fruit the quhilk was defendit.
Mony ane ȝeir thay dwelt in that doungeoun,
In myrknes and in desolatioun.

Than, throuch the erth, of nature cauld and dry[e],
Glaid to eschaip those places parrelous,
We haistit ws, rycht wounder spedalye:
Ȝit we beheld the secretis maruellous,
The Mynis of gold, and stonis precious,
Off syluer, and of euerilk fyne mettell,
Quhilk to declare it wer ouer lang to dwell.

Up, throuch the walter, schortlie we Intendit,
Quhilk Inuirons the erth, withouttin doute.
Syne, throw the air schortlie we ascendit,
His Regionis throuch, behaldyng in and out[e],
Quhilk erth and walter closis round aboute:
Syne, schortlie vpwarte throw the fyre we went,
Quhilk wes the hiest and hotest Eliment.

Quhen we had all thir Elimentis ouer past,
That is to saye, Erth, walter, air, and fyre,
Upwart we went, withouttin ony rest.
To se the Heuynnis was our maist desyre,
Bot, or we mycht wyn to the heuin Impyre,
We behuffit to passe the way, full ewin,
Up throuch the Speris of the Planetis sewin.

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First, to the Mone, and vesyit all hir speir,
Quene of the see, and bewtie of the nycht,
Off nature wak and cauld, and no thyng clere,
For, of hir self, scho hes none vther lycht
Bot the reflex of Phebus bemes brycht.
The twelf singnis scho passis rounde aboute
In aucht and twenty dayis, withouttin dout[e].

Than we ascendit to Mercurious,
Quhilk Poetis callis god of Eloquence,
Rycht Doctourlyke, with termes delicious,
In arte exparte, and full of sapience.
It wes plesour to pans on his prudence.
Payntours, Poetis ar subiect to his cure;
And hote and dry he is, of his nature.

And, als, as cunnyng Astrologis sayis,
He dois compleit his cours, naturallie,
In thre houndreth, and aucht, and thretty dayis.
Syne, vpwart we ascendit, haistelye,
To fair Uenus, quhare scho rycht lustelie
Was set in to ane sett of syluer schene,
That fresche Goddes, that lustie luffis quene,

Thay peirsit myne hart, hir blenkis amorous;
Quhowbeit that, sumtyme, scho is chengeabyll,
With countynance and cheir full dolorous,
Quhylummis rycht plesand, glaid, and delectabyll,
Sumtyme, constant, and, sumtyme, variabyll,
Ȝit hir bewtie, resplendand as the fyre,
Swagis the wraith of Mars, that god of Yre.

This plesand Planeit, geue I can rycht discriue,
Scho is baith hote and wak, of hir nature.
That is the cause, scho is prouocatyue,
Tyll all thame that ar subiect to hir cure,
To Uenus werkis tyll that thay may Indure:
Als, scho completis hir coursis naturall
In twelf monethis, withouttin ony fall.

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Than past we to the speir of Phebus brycht,
That lusty lampe and lanterne of the heuin,
And glader of the sterris with his lycht,
And principall of all the planetis sewin,
And satt in myddis of thame all, full ewin,
As Roye royall, rollyng in his speir,
Full plesandlie, in to his goldin Cheir;

Quhose Influence and vertew excellent
Geuis the lyfe tyll euerilk erthlie thyng.
That Prince of euerilk planeit, precellent.
Dois foster flouris, and garris heirbis spryng
Throuch the cauld eirth, and causis birdis syng:
And, als, his regulare mouyng in the hewin
Is Iuste vnder the Zodiack, full ewin.

For to discryue his diadame Royall,
Bordourit aboute with stonis schyning brycht,
His goldin Cairt, or throne Imperiall,
The foure stedis that drawis it full rycht,
I leif to Poetis, because I haue no slycht.
Bot, of his nature, he is hote and drye,
Completand, in ane ȝeir, his cours, trewlie.

Than vp to Mars, in hye, we haistit ws,
Wounder hote, and dryer than the tounder,
His face flamand, as fyre rycht furious.
His bost & brag, more aufull than the thounder,
Maid all the heuin most lyk to schaik in schonder.
Quha wald behauld his countynance and feir,
Mycht call hym, weill, the god of men of weir;

With colour reid, and luke malicious,
Rycht colerick of his complexioun,
Austeir, angrye, sweir, and seditious,
Principall cause of the distructioun
Off mony gude and nobyll Regioun.
War nocht Uenus his yre dois metigate,
This warld of peace wald be full desolate.

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This god of greif, withouttin sudgeornyng,
In ȝeris twa his cours he doith compleit.
Than past we vp quhare Iupiter, the kyng,
Satt in his speir, rycht amiabyll and sweit,
Complexionate with waknes and with heit,
That plesand Prince, fair, dulce, and delicate,
Prouokis peace and banesis debait.

The auld Poetis, be superstitioun,
Held Iupiter the Father principall
Off all thare goddes, in conclusioun,
For his prerogatyuis in speciall.
Als, be his vertew, in to generall,
To aulde Saturne he makis resistance,
Quhen, in his malice, he walde wyrk vengeance.

This Iupiter, withouttin sudgeornyng,
Passis throw all the twelf planetis, full ewin,
In ȝeris twelf: and, than, but tarying,
We past vnto the hiest of the sewin,
Tyll Saturnus, quhilk trublis all the hewin
With heuy cheir, and cullour paill as leid.
In hym we sawe bot dolour to the deid;

And cauld and dry he is, of his nature,
Foule lyke ane Oule, of euyll conditioun:
Rycht vnplesand he is of portrature.
His Intoxicat dispositioun,
It puttis all thyng to perditioun,
Ground of seiknes and malancolious,
Peruerst and pure, baith fals and Inuyous.

His qualite I can nocht loue, bot lack.
As for his mouyng, naturallie, but weir,
About the singis of the Zodiack,
He dois compleit his cours in thretty ȝeir:
And so we left hym in his frosty speir.
Upwarte we did ascend, Incontinent,
But rest, tyll we come to the Firmament,

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The quhilk was fixit full of sterris brycht,
Off figour round, rycht plesand and perfyte,
Quhose influence, and rycht excellent lycht,
And quhose nummer, may nocht be put in wryte.
Ȝit, cunnyng Clerkis dois naturallye indyte,
How that he dois compleit his cours, but weir,
In space of sewin and thretty thousand ȝeir.

Than the nynt Speir, and mouare principall
Off all the laif, we vesyit, all that heuin
Quhose daylie motioun is contyneuall.
Baith firmament and all the planetis sewin,
Frome est to west, garris thame [turne] full ewin,
In to the space of four and twenty houris.
Ȝit, be the myndis of the Austronomouris,

The sewin Planetis, in to thare proper speris,
Frome west to est, thay moue, naturallie,
Sum swyft, sum slaw, as to thare kynde afferis,
As I haue schawin, afore, speciallie,
Quhose motioun causis contynewallie
Rycht melodious harmonie and sound,
And all throw mouyng of those Planetis round.

Than montit we, with rycht feruent desyre,
Up throw the heuin callit Christallyne.
And so we enterit in the heuin Impyre,
Quhilk to discryue it passis myne Ingyne,
Quhare God, in to his holy throne deuyne,
Ryngis, in to his glore Inestimabyll,
With Angellis cleir, quhilkis ar Innumirabyll.

In Ordouris nyne thir spretis glorious
Ar deuydit, the quhilkis excellentlye
Makis louyng with sound melodious,
Syngand Sanctus rycht wounder feruentlye.
Thir ordouris nyne thay ar full plesandlye
Deuydit in to Ierarcheis three,
And thre Ordouris in eurilk Ierarche.

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The lawest ordoure ar of Angelis brycht,
As Messingeris send vnto this law Regioun.
The secund ordour, Archangelis, full of mycht;
Uirtus, Potestatis, Principatis of renoun;
The saxt is callit Dominatioun;
The sewint, Thronus; the auchtin, Cherubin;
The nynt, and heast, callit Seraphin.

And, nyxt, on to the blyssit Trynitie,
In his Tryumphant throne Imperiall,
Thre in tyll one, and one substance in thre,
Quhose indiuisabyll essens eternall
The rude Ingyne of mankynd is to small
Tyll comprehend, quhose power Infinyte
And deuyne nature no Creature can wryte.

So, myne Ingyne is nocht suffecient
For to treit of his heych Deuinitie.
All mortal men ar Insufficient
Tyll considder thay thre in vnitie.
Sic subtell mater I man, on neid, lat be:
To study on my Creid it war full fair,
And lat Doctouris of sic hie materis declare.

Than we beheld the blyste Humanitie
Off Christe, sittand in to his Sege Royall,
At the rycht hand of the Deuynitie,
With ane excelland courte Celestiall,
Quhose exersitioun contynewall
Was in louyng thair Prince with reuerence,
And on this wyse thay kepit ordinance.

Nyxt to the Throne we saw the Quene of Quenis,
Weill cumpanyit with Ladyis of delyte.
Sweit was the sang of those blyssit Uirginnis:
No mortall man thare solace may indyte.
The Angellis brycht, in nummer infinyte,
Euerilk ordour in thare awin degre,
War officiaris vnto the deite.

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Patriarkis and Prophetis honorabyll,
Collaterall counsalouris in his consistorye,
Euangellistis, Apostolis venerabyll,
War Capitanis on to the Kyng of Glorye,
Quhilk Chiftane lyke had woun the Uictorye.
Off that tryumphand courte celestiall
Sanct Peter was Lufetenand generall.

The Martyris war as nobyll stalwart Knychtis,
Discomfatouris of creuell battellis thre,
The flesche, the warld, the feind, & all his mychtis;
Confessouris, Doctouris in Diuinitie,
As Chapell clerkis on to his deite.
And, last, we sawe infinyte multytude
Makand seruyce vnto his Celsitude,

Quhilkis, be the hie Deuyne permissioun,
Filicitie thay had Inuariabyll,
And of his Godhed cleir cognitioun.
And compleit peace thay had, Interminabyll;
Thare glore and honour was Inseparabyll.
That plesand place, repleit of pulchritude,
Innumirabyll it was of magnitude.

Thare is plentie of all plesouris perfyte,
Euident brychtnes, but obscuritie;
Withouttin dolour, dulcore, and delyte;
Withouttin rancour, perfyte Cheritie;
Withouttin hunger, Sasiabilitie.
O happy ar those Saulis predestinate,
Quhen Saule and body sall be glorificate

Thir maruellous myrthis for to declare,
Be Arthimatik thay ar Innumirabyll.
The portratour of that p[a]lace preclare,
By Geomatre it is Inmesurabyll;
By Rethorike, als, Inpronunciabyll.
Thare is none eiris may heir, nor Eine may se,
Nor hart may thynk, thare [greit] felycitie.

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22

Quhare to sulde I presume for tyll indyte
The quhilk Sanct Paule, that doctour sapient,
Can nocht expres, nor in to paper wryte,
The hie excelland worke Indeficient,
And perfyte plesoure, euer parmanent,
In presens of that mychtie kyng of glore,
Quhilk was, and is, and sall be euer more.

At Remembrance humilye I did inquyre,
Geue I mycht in that plesour styll remane.
Scho said: aganis reasoun is thy desyre;
Quharefor, my freind, thow mon returne agane,
And, for thy Synnis, be pennance, suffer paine,
And thole the dede, with creuell panis sore,
Or thow be ding to ryng with hym in glore.

Than we returnit, sore aganis my wyll,
Doun throw the speris of the heuinnis cleir.
Hir commandiment behuffit I fulfyll,
With sorye hart, wyt ȝe, withouttin weir.
I wald full faine haif taryit thare all ȝeir,
Bot scho said to me: thare is no remede;
Or thow remane heir, first thow mon be dede.

Quod I: I pray ȝow hartfullye, madame,
Sen we haue had sic Contemplatioun
Off heuinlye plesouris, ȝit or we passe hame,
Lat ws haue sum consideratioun
Off eirth, and of his Situatioun.
Scho answerit and said: that sall be done.
So wer we, boith, brocht in the air, full sone,

Quhare we mycht se the Erth all at one sycht,
Bot lyke one moit, as it apperit to me,
In to the respect of the heuinnis brycht.
I haue maruell, quod I, quhow this may be:
The eirth semis of so small quantitie,
The leist Sterne fixit in the Firmament
Is more than all the eirth, be my Iugment.

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THE QVANTITE OF THE ERTH.

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24

THE DEUISIOUN OF THE EIRTH.

Then, certanlye, scho tuke me be the hand,
And said: my sone, cum on thy wayis with me.
And so scho gart me cleirly vnderstand
How that the eirth trypartit wes in thre,
In Affrik, Europe, and Assie,
Efter the myndis of the Cosmographouris,
That is to say, the wardlis Discriptouris.

First, Asia contenis in the Orient,
And is, weill, more than baith the vther twane.
Affrik and Ewrope, in the Occident,
And ar deuydit be ane sey, certane,
And that is callit the see Mediterane,
Quhilk at the strait of Marrok hes entre,
That is betuix Spanȝe and Barbarie.

Towart the southwest lyis Affrica;
And, in the northwest, Europa doith stand;
And all the est contenis Asia:
On this wyse is deuydit the ferme land.
It war mekle to me to tak on hand
Thir regionis to declare in speciall;
Ȝit, sall I schaw thare names in generall.

In mony diuers famous Regionis
Is deuydit this part of Asia,
Weill planesit with Cieteis, towris, and townis:
The gret Ynde, and Mesopotamia,
Penthapolis, Egypt, and Seria,
Capadocia, Seres, and Armenye,
Babilone, Caldia, Perth, and Arabye,

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25

Sedone, Iudea, and Palestina,
Euer, Sethea, Tyir, and Galelie,
Hiberia, Bactria, and Phelestina,
Hircanea, Compagena, and Samarie.
In lytill Asia standis Galathie,
Pamphilia, Isaria, and Leid,
Regia, Arathusa, Assiria, and Meid.

Secundlie, we considderit Africa,
With mony fructfull famous regioun,
As Ethiope, and Tripolitana,
Ȝewges, quhare standis the tryumphant toun
Off nobyll Cartage, that ciete of renoun;
Garamantes, Nadabar, Libia,
Getulia, and Maritania,

Futhensis, Numedie, and Thingetane:
Off Affrick thir ar the principall.
Than Ewrope we considderit, in certane,
Quhose Regionis schortlie rehers I sall.
Foure principallis I fynd abone thame all,
Quhilkis ar Spanȝe, Italie, and France,
Quhose Subregionis wer mekle tyll auance:

Nether Scithia, Trace, and Garmanie,
Thusia, Histria, and Panonia,
Denmark, Gotland, Grunland, and Almanie,
Pole, Hungarie, Boeme, Norica, Rethia,
Teutonia, and mony diuers ma.
And was in foure deuidit Italie,
Tuskane, Ethuria, Naiplis, and Champanye;

And subdeuydit sindry vther wayis,
As Lumbardie, Ueneis, and vther ma,
Calaber, Romanie, and Ianewayis.
In Grece, Eperus, and Dalmatica,
Tessalie, Athica, and Illeria,
Achaya, Boetia, and Macedone,
Archadie, Pierie, and Lacedone.

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And France we sawe deuydit in to thre,
Belgica, Rethia, and Aquitane,
And subdeuydit in Flanderis, Picardie,
Normandie, Gasconȝe, Burguinȝe, & Bretane,
And vtheris diuers Duchereis, in certane,
The quhilk[i]s wer to lang for to declare;
Quharefor, of thame as now I speik na mare.

In Spanȝe lyis Castelȝe and Arrogone,
Nauerne, Galice, Portigall, and Garnat[e].
Than sawe we famous Ylis mony one,
Quhilks in the Occiane sey was situate.
Thame to discryue my wyt wes desolate;
Off Cosmographie I am nocht exparte,
For I did neuer study in that arte.

Ȝit I sall sum of thare names declare,
As Madagascar, Gardes, and Taprobane,
And vtheris diuers Ylis gude and fair,
Situate in to the sey Mediterrane,
As Syper, Candie, Corsica, and Sardane,
Crete, Abidos, Thoes, Cecilia,
Tapsone, Eolie, and mony vther ma.

Quho wald at lenth heir the Discriptioun
Off euerilk Yle, als weill as the ferme land,
And properteis of euerilk Regioun,
To study and to reid man tak on hand,
And the attentike werkis vnderstand,
Off Plenius, and worthy Tholomie,
Quhilks war exparte in to Cosmographie.

Thare sall thay fynd the names and properteis
Off euery Yle, and of ilke Regioun.
Than I inquirit of eirthly Paradyce,
Off the quhilk Adam tynt Possessioun.
Than schew scho me the Situatioun
Off that precelland place, full of delyte,
Quhose properteis wer lang for to Indyte.

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OF PARADICE.

This Paradyce, of all plesouris repleit,
Situate I saw in to the Orient.
That glorius gairth of euery flouris did fleit:
The lusty Lillyis, the Rosis redolent,
Fresche holesum fructis Indeficient,
Baith herbe and tree, thare growis euer grene,
Throw vertew of the temperat air serene.

The sweit hailsum arromatyke odouris,
Proceidyng frome the herbis Medicinall,
The heuinlie hewis of the fragrant flouris,
It was ane sycht wounder celestiall.
The perfectioun to schaw, in speciall,
And Ioyis, of that Regioun deuyne,
Off mankind it exceidis the Ingyne.

And, als, so hie in Situatioun,
Surmountyng the myd Regioun of the air,
Quhare no maner of perturbatioun
Off wodder may ascend so hie as thair,
Four fludis flowyng frome ane Fontane fair,
As Tygris, Ganges, Ewphrates, and Nyle,
Quhilk, in the est, Transcurris mony ane myle.

The countre closit is aboute, full rycht,
With wallis hie, of hote and birnyng fyre,
And straitly kepit be ane Angell brycht,
Sen the departyng of Adam, our Grandschyre,
Quhilk, throw his cryme, Incurrit Goddis Yre,
And of that place tynte the Possessioun,
Baith frome hym self and his Successioun.

Quhen this lufesum lady Rememb[e]rance
All this foresaid had gart me vnderstand,

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I prayit hir, of hir beneuolence,
To schaw to me the countre of Scotland.
Weill, sonne (scho said), that sall I tak on hand.
So, suddanlie scho brocht me, in certane,
Ewin Iuste abone the braid Yle of Bertane,

Quhilk standis northwest, in the Occiane see,
And deuydit in famous Regionis two,
The south part, Ingland, ane full ryche countre,
Scotland, be north, with mony Ylis mo.
Be west Ingland, Yriland doith stand, also,
Quhose properteis I wyll nocht tak on hand
To schaw at lenth, bot only of Scotland.

OF THE REALME OF SCOTLAND.

Quhilk, efter my sempyll Intandiment,
And as Remymbrance did to me report,
I sall declare the suith and verrayment,
As I best can, and in to termes schort.
Quharfor, effecteouslie I ȝow exhorte,
Quhowbeit my wrytting be nocht tyll auance,
Ȝit, quhare I faill, excuse myne Ignorance.

Quhen that I had ouersene this Regioun,
The quhilk, of nature, is boith gude and fair,
I did propone ane lytill questioun,
Beseikand hir the sam for to declare.
Quhat is the cause our boundis bene so bair?
Quod I: or quhate dois mufe our Miser[i]e?
Or quhareof dois proceid our pouertie?

For, throw the supporte of ȝour hie prudence,
Off Scotland I persaue the properteis,

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29

And, als, considderis, be experience,
Off this countre the gret commoditeis.
First, the haboundance of fyschis in our seis,
And fructuall montanis for our bestiall;
And, for our cornis, mony lusty vaill;

The ryche Ryueris, plesand and proffitabyll;
The lustie loochis, with fysche of sindry kyndis;
Hountyng, halkyng, for nobyllis conuenabyll;
Forrestis full of Da, Ra, Hartis, and Hyndis;
The fresche fontanis, quhose holesum cristel strandis
Refreschis so the [fair] fluriste grene medis:
So laik we no thyng that to nature nedis.

Off euery mettell we haue the ryche Mynis,
Baith Gold, Syluer, and stonis precious.
Howbeit we want the Spyces and the Wynis,
Or vther strange fructis delycious,
We haue als gude, and more neidfull for ws.
Meit, drynk, fyre, clathis, thar mycht be gart abound,
Quhilkis als is nocht in al the Mapamound;

More fairer peple, nor of gretar ingyne,
Nor of more strenth gret dedis tyll indure.
Quharefor, I pray ȝow that ȝe wald defyne
The principall cause quharefor we ar so pure;
For I maruell gretlie, I ȝow assure,
Considderand the peple and the ground,
That Ryches suld nocht in this realme redound.

My Sonne, scho said, by my discretioun,
I sall mak answeir, as I vnderstand.
I say to the, vnder confessioun,
The falt is nocht, I dar weill tak on hand,
Nother in to the peple nor the land.
As for the land, it lakis na vther thing
Bot laubour and the pepyllis gouernyng.

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30

Than quharein lyis our Inprosperitie?
Quod I. I pray ȝow hartfullie, Madame,
Ȝe wald declare to me the veritie;
Or quho sall beir of our barrat the blame?
For, be my treuth, to se I thynk gret schame
So plesand peple, and so fair ane land,
And so few verteous dedis tane on hand.

Quod scho: I sall, efter my Iugement,
Declare sum causis, in to generall,
And, in to termes schorte, schaw myne intent,
And, syne, transcend more in to speciall.
So, this is myne conclusioun fynall:
Wantyng of Iustice, polycie, and peace,
Ar cause of thir vnhappynes, allace,

It is deficill Ryches tyll incres,
Quhare Polycie makith no residence,
And Policey may neuer haue entres,
Bot quhare that Iustice dois delygence
To puneis quhare thare may be found offence.
Iustice may nocht haue Dominatioun,
Bot quhare Peace makis habitatioun.

Quhat is the cause, that wald I vnderstand,
That we sulde want Iustice and polycie
More than dois France, Italie, or Ingland?
Madame, quod I, schaw me the veritie:
Sen we haue Lawis in [to] this countre,
Quhy want we lawis Exersitioun?
Quho suld put Iustice tyll exicutioun?

Quhare in dois stand our principall remeid?
Or quha may mak mendis of this myscheif?
Quod scho: I fynd the falt in to the heid;
For thay in quhome dois ly our hole releif,
I fynd thame rute and grund of all our greif.
For, quhen the heddis ar nocht delygent,
The membris man, on neid, be necligent.

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So, I conclude, the causis principall
Off all the trubyll of this Natioun
Ar in to Prencis, in to speciall,
The quhilkis hes the Gubernatioun,
And of the peple Dominatioun,
Quhose contynewall exersitioun
Sulde be in Iustice Exicutioun.

For, quhen the sleuthful hird dois sloug and sleip,
Taking no cure in kepyng of his floke,
Quho wyll go sers amang sic heirdis scheip,
May, habyll, fynd mony pure scabbit crok,
And goyng wyll at large, withouttin lok.
Than Lupis cumis, and Lowrance, in ane lyng,
And dois, but reuth, the sely scheip dounthryng.

Bot the gude hird, walkryfe and delygent,
Doith so, that all his flokis ar rewlit rycht,
To quhose quhissill all ar obedient.
And, geue the wolffis cumis, daye or nycht,
Thame to deuore, than ar thay put to flycht,
Houndit, and slane be thare weill dantit doggis:
So ar thay sure, baith ȝowis, lambis, & hoggis.

So, I conclud[e] that, throw the necligence
Off our infatuate heidis Insolent,
Is cause of all this realmes indigence,
Quhilkis in Iustice hes nocht bene delygent,
Bot to gude counsall inobedient,
Hauand small Ee vnto the comoun weill,
Bot to thare singulare proffect euerilk deill.

For, quhen thir Wolffis, be oppressioun,
The pure peple but piete doith oppres,
Than sulde the prencis mak punisioun,
And cause tha Rebauldis for to mak redres,
That ryches mycht be, and Policey incres.
Bot rycht difficill is to mak remeid,
Quhen that the falt is so in to the heid.

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THE COMPLAYNT OF THE COMOUN WEILL OF SCOTLAND.

And, thus as we wer talking to and fro,
We saw a boustius berne cum ouir the bent,
But hors, on fute, als fast as he mycht go,
Quhose rayment wes all raggit, rewin, & rent,
With wisage leyne, as he had fastit lent:
And fordwart fast his wayis he did aduance,
With ane rycht malancolious countynance,

With scrip on hip, and pyikstaff in his hand,
As he had purposit to passe fra hame.
Quod I: gude man, I wald faine vnderstand,
Geue that ȝe plesit, to wyt quhat wer ȝour name.
Quod he: my Sonne, of that I think gret schame;
Bot, sen thow wald of my name haue ane feill,
Forsuith, thay call me Ihone the comoun weill.

Schir Commoun weill, quho hes ȝow so disgysit?
Quod I: or quhat makis ȝow so miserabyll?
I haue maruell to se ȝow so supprysit,
The quhilk that I haue sene so honorabyll.
To all the warld ȝe haue bene proffitabyll,
And weill honorit in euerilk Natioun:
How happinnis, now, ȝour tribulatioun?

Allace, quod he, thow seis how it dois stand
With me, and quhow I am disherisit
Off all my grace, and mon pas of Scotland,
And go, afore quhare I was cherisit.
Remane I heir, I am bot perysit.
For thare is few to me that takis tent,
That garris me go so raggit, rewin, and rent.

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My tender friendis ar all put to the flycht;
For polecey is fled agane in France.
My Syster, Iustice, almaist haith tynt hir sycht,
That scho can nocht hald ewinly the ballance.
Plane wrang is plane capitane of Ordinance,
The quhilk debarris Laute and reassoun,
And small remeid is found for oppin treassoun.

In to the south, allace, I was neir slane:
Ouer all the land I culd fynd no releiff;
Almoist betuix the Mers and Lowmabane
I culde nocht knaw ane leill man be ane theif.
To schaw thare reif, thift, murthour, and mischeif,
And vecious workis, it wald infect the air:
And, als, langsum to me for tyll declair.

In to the hieland I could fynd no remeid,
Bot suddantlie I wes put to exile.
Tha sweir swyngeoris thay tuke of me non heid,
Nor amangs thame lat me remane ane quhyle.
Als, in the oute Ylis, and in Argyle,
Unthrift, sweirnes, falset, pouertie, and stryfe
Pat polacey in dainger of hir lyfe.

In the law land I come to seik refuge,
And purposit thare to mak my residence.
Bot singulare proffect gart me soune disluge,
And did me gret Iniuris and offence,
And said to me: swyith, harlote, hy the hence;
And in this countre se thow tak no curis,
So lang as my auctoritie induris.

And now I may mak no langer debait;
Nor I wate nocht quhome to I suld me mene;
For I haue socht throw all the Spirituall stait,
Quhilkis tuke na compt for to heir me complene.
Thare officiaris, thay held me at disdane;
For Symonie, he rewlis vp all that rowte;
And Couatyce, that Carle, gart bar me oute.

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Pryde haith chaist [far] frome thame humilitie;
Deuotioun is fled vnto the freris;
Sensuale plesour hes baneist Chaistitie;
Lordis of Religioun, thay go lyke Seculeris,
Taking more compt in tellyng thare deneris
Nor thay do of thare constitutioun,
Thus ar thay blyndit be ambitioun.

Oure gentyll men ar all degenerat[e];
Liberalitie and Lawte, boith, ar loste;
And Cowardyce with Lordis is laureate;
And knychtlie curage turnit in brag and boste;
The Ciuele weir misgydis euer[ilk] oist.
Thare is nocht ellis bot ilk man for hym self,
That garris me go, thus baneist lyke ane elf.

Tharefor, adew; I may no langer tarye.
Fair weill, quod I, and with sanct Ihone to borrow.
Bot, wyt ȝe weill, my hart was wounder sarye,
Quhen comoun weill so sopit was in sorrow.
Ȝit, efter the nycht cumis the glaid morrow;
Quharefor, I pray ȝow, schaw me, in certane,
Quhen that ȝe purpose for to cum agane.

That questioun, it sall be sone desydit,
Quod he: thare sall na Scot haue confortyng
Off me, tyll that I see the countre gydit
Be wysedome of ane gude auld prudent kyng,
Quhilk sall delyte hym maist, abone all thyng,
To put Iustice tyll exicutioun,
And on strang tratouris mak puneisioun.

Als ȝit to the I say ane vther thyng:
I se, rycht weill, that prouerbe is full trew,
Wo to the realme that hes ouir ȝoung ane king.
With that, he turnit his bak, and said adew.
Ouer firth and fell rycht fast fra me he flew,
Quhose departyng to me was displesand.
With that, Remembrance tuk me be the hand,

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And sone, me thocht, scho brocht me to the roche,
And to the coue quhare I began to sleip.
With that, one schip did spedalye approche,
Full plesandlie saling apone the deip,
And syne did slake hir salis, and gan to creip
Towart the land, anent quhare that I lay:
Bot, wyt ȝe weill, I gat ane fellown fraye.

All hir Cannounis sche leit craik of at onis:
Down schuke the stremaris frome the topcastell;
Thay sparit nocht the poulder, nor the stonis;
Thay schot thare boltis, & doun thar ankeris fell;
The Marenaris, thay did so ȝoute and ȝell,
That haistalie I stert out of my dreme,
Half in ane fray, and spedalie past hame,

And lychtlie dynit, with lyste and appityte,
Syne efter, past in tyll ane Oritore,
And tuke my pen, and thare began to wryte
All the visioun that I haue schawin afore.
Schir, of my dreme as now thov gettis no more,
Bot I beseik God for to send the grace
To rewle thy realme in vnitie and peace.

HEIR ENDIS THE DREME AND BEGYNNIS THE EXHORTATIOUN TO THE KYNGIS GRACE.

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