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The Poems of Alexander Montgomerie

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

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SONNETS.
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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.
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EPITAPHS.
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DEVOTIONAL POEMS.
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THE MINDES MELODIE.
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POEMS ATTRIBUTED TO ALEXANDER MONTGOMERIE.

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XX. [EVEN DEAD BEHOLD I BREATH.]

Evin dead behold I breath!
My breath procures my pane;
Els dolour, eftir death,
Suld slaik, vhen I war slane:
Bot destinies disdane
So span my fatall threid,
But mercy, to remane
A martyr, quik and deid.
O fatall deidly feid!
O rigour but remorse!
Since thair is no remeid,
Come patience, perforce.
My hairt, but rest or rove,
Reuth, reson, or respect,
With fortun, death, and love,
Is keipit under check;
159

That nou thair is no nek,
Nor draught to mak debate,
Bot let it brist or brek;
For love must haif it mait.
Relief, alace! is lait,
Quhen I am bund to flie:
I stand in strange estate;
I duyn and dou not die.
The Faits—the thrauard Faitis,
The wicked Weirds hes wroght
My state, of all estates,
Vnhappiest to be thoght.
Had I offendit oght,
Or wroght aganst thair will,
But mercy, than they moght
Conclvde my corps to kill:
Bot, as they haif no skill
Of gude, nor ȝit regard,
The innocent, with ill,
Ressaves the lyk reuard.
Ȝit tyme sall try my treuth,
And panefull patient pairt.
Thoght love suld rage but reuth,
And death with deidly dairt
Suld sey to caus me smart;
Nor fortuns fickill vheill—
All suld not change my hairt,
Quhilk is als true as steill.
I am not lyk ane eill;
To slippe, nor ȝet to slyde.
Love, fortun, death, fairueill,
For I am bound to byd.
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