University of Virginia Library

ANE SCHORT TREATISE, CONTEINING SOME REVLIS and cautelis to be obseruit and eschewit in Scottis Poesie.

A QVADRAIN OF ALEXANDRIN VERSE, DECLARING TO QVHOME THE Authour hes directit his labour.

To ignorants obdurde, quhair vvilfull errour lyis,
Nor zit to curious folks, quhilks carping dois deiect thee,
Nor zit to learned men, quha thinks thame onelie vvyis,
But to the docile bairns of knavvledge I direct thee.

SONNET OF THE AVTHOVR TO THE READER.

Sen for zour saik I vvryte vpon zour airt,
Apollo, Pan, and ze ô Musis nyne,
And thou, ô Mercure, for to help thy pairt,
I do implore, sen thou be thy ingyne,
Nixt efter Pan had found the quhissil, syne
Thou did perfyte, that quhilk he bot espyit:
And efter that made Argus for to tyne
(quha kepit Io) all his vvindois by it.
Concurre ze Gods, it can not be denyit:
Sen in zour airt of Poësie I vvryte.
Auld birds to learne by teiching it is tryit:
Sic docens discam gif ze help to dyte.
Then Reidar sie of nature thou haue pairt,
Syne laikis thou nocht, bot heir to reid the airt.

SONNET DECIFRING THE PERFYTE POETE.

Ane rype ingyne, ane quick and vvalkned vvitt,
VVith sommair reasons, suddenlie applyit,
For euery purpose vsing reasons fitt,
VVith skilfulnes, vvhere learning may be spyit,
With pithie vvordis, for to expres zovv by it
His full intention in his proper leid,
The puritie quhairof, vveill hes he tryit:
With memorie to keip quhat he dois reid,
With skilfulnes and figuris, quhilks proceid
From Rhetorique, vvith euerlasting fame,
With vthers vvoundring, preassing vvith all speid
For to atteine to merite sic a name.
All thir into the perfyte Poëte be.
Goddis, grant I may obteine the Laurell trie.