University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The Poems of Alexander Montgomerie

Edited by James Cranstoun
Montgomerie, Alexander (1545?-1598)

expand section 
SONNETS.
collapse section 
MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
 I. 
I. A DESCRIPTION OF TYME.
 II. 
II. THE OPPOSITIONE OF THE COURT TO CONSCIENCE
 III. 
III. ANE INVECTIONE AGAINST FORTUN;
 IV. 
IV. THE POETS COMPLAINT OF HIS NATIVITIE.
 V. 
V. THE POETS COMPLANTE AGAINST THE WNKYNDNES OF HIS COMPANIONS VHEN HE WES IN PRISONE.
 VI. 
VI. A LATE REGRATE OF LEIRNING TO LOVE.
 VII. 
VII. A COUNSELL AGANST DISPAIR IN LOVE.
 VIII. 
VIII. ECHO.
 IX. 
IX. [ADDRESS TO LOVE.]
 X. 
X. A DESCRIPTIONE OF VANE LOVERS.
 XI. 
XI. THE WELL OF LOVE.
 XII. 
XII. OF THE SAME WELL.
 XIII. 
XIII. THE COMMENDATIONE OF LOVE.
 XIV. 
XIV. [AGAINST LOVE.]
 XV. 
XV. [THE SOLSEQUIUM.]
 XVI. 
XVI. A REGRATE OF HARD LUCK IN LOVE.
 XVII. 
XVII. [ANE EXAMPLE FOR HIS LADY.]
 XVIII. 
XVIII. NATUR PASSIS NURITURE.
 XIX. 
XIX. [ADDRESS TO THE SUN.]
 XX. 
XX. [EVEN DEAD BEHOLD I BREATH.]
 XXI. 
XXI. [LOVE, IF THOU LIST.]
 XXII. 
XXII. [IN THROU THE WINDOES OF MYN EES.]
 XXIII. 
XXIII. [IF FAITHFULNES SULD FRIENDSHIP FIND.]
 XXIV. 
XXIV. [LYK AS AGLAUROS.]
 XXV. 
XXV. THE SACRIFICE OF CUPID.
 XXVI. 
XXVI. THE SECREIT PRAIS OF LOVE.
 XXVII. 
XXVII. [THE POETS LEGACIE.]
 XXVIII. 
XXVIII. [MELANCIIOLIE, GRIT DEPUT OF DISPAIR.]
 XXIX. 
XXIX. [THAT HIS HAIRT IS WOUNDIT.]
 XXX. 
XXX. [THE POET COMPLENES ON LOVE AND FORTUN.]
 XXXI. 
XXXI. [THE PERVERSITIE OF HIS INCLINATIONES THROU LOVE.]
 XXXII. 
XXXII. [THE POET REASONS WITH HIS MAISTRES.]
 XXXIII. 
XXXIII. [THE POETS DREME.]
 XXXIV. 
XXXIV. [TO HIS MAISTRES.]
 XXXV. 
XXXV. [IN PRAIS OF HIS MAISTRES.]
 XXXVI. 
XXXVI. [SEN FORTUN IS MY FO.]
 XXXVII. 
XXXVII. [TO HIS MAISTRES.]
 XXXVIII. 
XXXVIII. [HE REJOISES, AS DID FORMERLY THE GREEKS.]
 XXXIX. 
XXXIX. [HE BIDS ADEU TO HIS MAISTRES.]
 XL. 
XL. [HE BEWAILES HIS WOFULL ESTAIT.]
 XLI. 
XLI. [THE NIGHT IS NEIR GONE.]
 XLII. 
XLII. [AN ADMONITIOUN TO ȜOUNG LASSIS.]
 XLIII. 
XLIII. [MONTGOMERIES WELCOME TO LORD SEMPLE, ON HIS RETURNE FROM FRANCE.]
 XLIV. 
XLIV. [HE PRAYIS TO HIS MAISTRES FOR PITIE.]
 XLV. 
XLV. [HE CALLIS ON DEATH TO RELIEVE HIM.]
 XLVI. 
XLVI. [DISPLEASUR, WITH HIS DEADLY DAIRT.]
 XLVII. 
XLVII. THE ELEGIE.
 XLVIII. 
XLVIII. THE NAVIGATIOVN.
 XLIX. 
XLIX. A CARTELL OF THE THRE VENTROUS KNICHTS.
 L. 
L. SANG ON THE LADY MARGARET MONTGOMERIE.
 LI. 
LI. A POEME ON THE SAME LADY.
 LII. 
LII. [A REGRATE OF HIS VNHAPPIE LUVE.]
 LIII. 
LIII. ANE ANSUER TO ANE INGLISS RAILAR PRAYSING HIS AWIN GENALOGY.
 LIV. 
LIV. ANE ANSWER TO ANE HELANDMANIS INVECTIUE.
expand section 
EPITAPHS.
expand section 
DEVOTIONAL POEMS.
expand section 
THE MINDES MELODIE.
expand section 
POEMS ATTRIBUTED TO ALEXANDER MONTGOMERIE.

collapse section Collapse All | Expand All expand section
previous section The Poems of Alexander Montgomerie
next section

XI. THE WELL OF LOVE.

Among the gods that sittis above,
And ruleth in the skyis,
That blindit boy, the god of love,
All creatur espyis.
Vha may withstand his stroke, I say,
Quhen he list for to shute?
For to reveill I minted ay;
Bot yet it was no bute.
Fra tym that winged god did sie
That I did love disdane,
He took a shaft and shot at me
And peirsit evirie vane.
The head so deeply in me sank,
That all my body brist;
Then of the well of Love I drank,
To quench my burning thrist.
143

So soon as I thairof did taist,
My breist began to burne;
Then to the gods of love, in haist,
My visage did I turne,
With trimbling teirs, vpon my knees,
My pains for to deploir;
Then they did open vp my ees,
Quhilk long wer shut before.
Quhen that my dimmit sight greu cleir,
Incontinent I sau
A palice stand before me neir;
And thidder did I drau
For to refresh my werynes,
Quhilk I susteind before:
Bot then my pains they did incres,
And vexd me more and more.
Into that place I sau repair
Of nymphis mony a one;
Lyk burning gold thair glistering hair
Thair shulders hang vpon.
Amongst thame one I sau appeir,
Quhilk did excell thame all;
Lyk Venus with hir smyling cheir
That wan the goldin ball.
Hir deasie colour, rid and vhyte,
Lyk lilies on the laik;
Hir glistring hair, of grit delyte,
Behind hir nek did shaik.
Of diamonds hir ees were maid,
That in hir heid did stand;
With armis long, and shulders braid,
And middle small as wand.
144

Fra I beheld hir beuty bright,
I had no strenth to steir;
I wes so woundit with that sight,
That I micht not reteir.
The gods of love reliev my pain,
And caus hir for to reu!
For nou the fyre of love agane
Is in me kindlit neu.
O happie war that man indeid,
Quha micht hir love obtene!
For hir my thirlit hairt does bleid;
Sair vexit is my splene.
Sen I haif lost my libertie,
In bondage for to duell,
God give hir grace to reu on me,
And meit me at the well!
previous section The Poems of Alexander Montgomerie
next section