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The Buke of the Howlat

Holland, Richard

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HEIR BEGYNNIS THE BUKE OF THE HOWLAT.

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HEIR BEGYNNIS THE BUKE OF THE HOWLAT.

I

In the myddis of May, at morne, as I ment,
Throwe myrth markit on mold, till a grene meid
The bemes blythest of ble fro the son blent,
That all brichtnyt about the bordouris on breid;
With alkyn herbes of air that war in erd lent
The feldis flurist, and fret full of fairhed;
So soft was the sessoun our Souerane dovne sent,
Throw the greable gift of his Godhed,
That all was amyable owr the air and the erd.
Thus, throw thir cliftis so cleir,
Withoutin fallowe or feir,
I raikit till ane Reveir
That ryally apperd.

II

This riche Revir dovn ran, but resting or ruf,
Throwe ane forest on fold, that farly was fair;
All the brayis of the brym bair branchis abuf,
And birdis blythest of ble on blossomes bair;
The land lowne was and le, with lyking and luf,

And for to lende by that laike thocht me levar,
Becauss that thir hartes in heirdis couth huf,
Pransand and prunȝeand, be pair and be pair.
Thus sat I in solace, sekerly and sure,
Content of the fair firth,
Mekle mair of the mirth,
Als blyth of the birth
That the ground bure.

III

The birth that the ground bure was browdin on breidis,
With girss gaye as the gold, and granes of grace,
Mendis and medicyne for mennis all neidis;
Helpe to hert and to hurt, heilfull it was.
Under the Cirkill solar thir sauoruss seidis
War nurist be dame Natur, that noble mastress;
Bot all thar names to nevyn as now it nocht neid is,
It war prolixt and lang, and lenthing of space,
And I haue mekle matir in metir to gloss
Of ane nothir sentence,
And waike is my eloquence;
Tharfor in haist will I hens
To the purposs.

IV

Off that purposs in the place, be pryme of the day,
I herd ane petuoss appele, with ane pur mane,
Solpit in sorowe, that sadly couth say:
“Wa is me, wretche in this warld, wilsome of wane!”
With mair murnyng in mynd than I meyne may,
Rolpit reuthfully roth in a rude rane.
Of that ferly on fold I fell in affray,
Nerar that noyss in nest I nechit in ane;

I sawe ane Howlat, in haist, vndir ane holyne,
Lukand the laike throwe,
And saw his awne schadowe,
At the quhilk he couth growe,
And maid gowlyne.

V

He grat grysly grym, and gaif a gret ȝowle,
Cheuerand and chydand with churliche cheir.
“Quhy is my far,” quoth the fyle, “fassonit so foule,
My forme and my fetherem vnfrely, but feir?
My nêb is netherit as a nok, I am bot ane Owle;
Aganis natur in the nicht I walk in to weir;
I dare do nocht on the day, but droupe as a dovle,
Nocht for schame of my schape in pert till appeir.
Thus all thir fowlis, for my filth, has me at feid,
That be I seyne in thar sicht,
To luke out on day licht,
Sum will me dulfully dicht,
Sum dyng me to deid.

VI

Sum bird will bay at my beike, and some will me byte,
Sum skripe me with scorne, sum skrym at myn E;
I se be my schadowe my schape has the wyte.
Quhom sall I blame in this breth, a bysyn that I be?
Is nane bot dame Natur, I bid nocht to nyte,
Till accuss of this caise, in case that I de;
Bot quha sall mak me ane mendis of hir worth a myte,
That thus has maid on the mold ane monstour of me?

I will appele to the Pape, and pass till him plane;
For happin that his halynace
Throw prayer may purchace
To reforme my foule face,
And than war I fane.

VII

“Fayne wald I wyte,” quoth the fyle, “or I furth fure,
Quha is fader of all foule, pastour and pape;
That is the plesant Pacok, preciouss and pure,
Constant and kirklyk vnder his cler cape,
Myterit, as the maner is, manswet and mure,
Schroude in his schene weid, schand in his schap,
Sad in his sanctitud, sekerly and sure;
I will go to that gud, his grace for to grap.”
Of that bourde I was blythe and bade to behald
The Howlet wylest in wyce,
Raikit vnder the rys,
To the Pacoke of pryce,
That was Pape cald.

VIII

Befor the Pape quhen the pur present him had,
With sic courtassy as he couth, on kneis he fell;
Said: “Aue Raby, be the rud I am richt rad
For to behald ȝour halyness, or my tale tell;
I may nocht suffyss to se ȝour sanctitud sad.”
The Pape wyslie, I wiss, of worschipe the well,
Gaif him his braid benesoun, and baldly him bad
That he suld spedely speike and spair nocht to spell.
“I come to speir,” quoth the spreit, “in to speciall,
Quhy I am formed so fowle,
Ay to ȝowt and to ȝowle,
As ane horrible Owle,
Wgsum our all.

IX

“I am netherit ane Owll thus be Natur,
Lykar a fule than a fowle in figur and face;
Bysyn of all birdis that euer body bure,
Withoutin causs or cryme kend in this case.
I haue appelit to ȝour presence, preciouss and pur,
Askis helpe in till haist at ȝour halyness,
That ȝe wald cry apon Crist, that all has in cur,
To schape me a schand bird in a schort space;
And till accuss Natur, this is no nay;
Thus, throw ȝour halyness, may ȝe
Make a fair foule of me,
Or elles dredles I de
Or myne end daye.”

X

“Off thi deid,” quoth the Pape, “pite I haife,
Bot apon Natur to pleyne, it is perrell;
I can nocht say sudanelye, so me Crist saif,
Bot I sall call my cardinallis and my counsall,
Patriarkis and prophetis, of lerit the laif;
Thay salbe semblit full sone, that thow se sall.”
He callit on his cubicular within his conclaif,
That was the proper Pape Iaye, provde in his apparale;
Bad send for his secretar, and his sele sone,
That was the Turtour trewest,
Ferme, faithfull and fast,
That bure that office honest,
And enterit but hone.

XI

The Pape commandit but hone to wryte in all landis,
Be the said secretar, that the sele ȝemyt,
For all statis of kirk that wnder Crist standis,

To semble to his summondis, as it wele semyt.
The trewe Turtour has tane with the tythandis,
Done dewlie his det, as the deir demyt;
Syne belyf send the letteris in to seir landis
With the Swallowe so swyft, in speciale expremit
The Papis harrald, at poynt in to present,
For he is forthwart to fle,
And ay will haue entre
In hous and in hall hie,
To tell his entent.

XII

Quhat suld I tell ony mair of thir materis,
Bot thir lordis belyf the letteris has tane,
Resauit thaim with reuerence, to reid as efferis;
And richely the harraldis rewardit ilkane,
Than busk thai but blyn, mony bewschyris,
Grathis thaim but grutching that gait for to gane.
All the statis of the kirk out of steid steris,
And I sall not ȝow richt now thar names in ane,
How thai apperit to the Pape and present thaim aye
Fair farrand and fre,
In a gudly degre,
And manlyke, as thocht me,
In myddis of May.

XIII

All thus in May, as I ment in a mornyng,
Come four Fasandis full fair in the first front,
Present tham as patriarkis in thar appering,
Benyng of obedience, and blyth in the bront.
A college of cardinalis come syne in a lyng,
That war Crannis of kynd, gif I richt compt;
With red hattis on hed, in haile takynning
Off that deir dignite, with worschipe ay wont.

Thir ar fowlis of effect, but fellony or feid,
Spirituale in all thing,
Leile in thar leving,
Tharfor in dignite digne,
Thay dure to thar deid.

XIV

Ȝit endurand the daye to that deir drewe,
Swannis suowchand full swyth, swetest of swar,
In quhyte rocatis arrayd; as I richt knewe
That thai war bischopis blist, I was the blythar;
Stable and steidfast, tender and trewe,
Off fewe wordis, full wyss and worthy thai war.
Thar was Pyotis and Partrikis and Pluwaris ynewe,
As abbotis of all ordouris that honorable ar;
The Se Mawis war monkis, the blak and the quhyte,
The Goule was a gryntar,
The Suerthbak a sellerar,
The Scarth a fische fangar,
And that a perfyte.

XV

Parfytlye thir Pikmawis, as for priouris,
With thar party habitis present tham thar;
Heronnis contemplatif, clene charterouris,
With toppit hudis on hed, and clething of hair,
Ay sorowfull and sad at evin sang and houris,
Was neuer leid saw thaim lauch, bot drowpand and dar;
Alkyn chennonis eik of vther ordouris,
All maner of religioun, the less and the mair;
Cryand Crawis and Cais, that cravis the corne,
War pure freris forthward,
That, with the leif of the lard,
Will cum to the corne ȝard
At ewyn and at morn.

XVI

Ȝit or ewyn enterit come that bur office,
Obeyand thir bischoppis, and bydand tham by,
Gret Ganeris on ground, in gudly awyss,
That war demyt, but dowt, denyss douchty;
Thai mak residence raith, and airly will ryss
To kepe the college cleine, and the clergye.
The Cok in his cleir cape, that crawis and cryiss,
Was chosyn chauntour full cheif in the channonry.
Thar come the Curlewe a clerk, and that full cunnand,
Chargit as chancillar,
For he couth wryte wounder fair,
With his neb for mistar,
Apon the se sand.

XVII

Apon the sand ȝit I sawe, as thesaurer tane,
With grene almouss on hed, schir Gawane the Drak;
The archedene, that ourman, ay prechand in plane,
Correker of kirkmen was clepit the Claik.
The Martoune, the Murcoke, the Myresnype in ane,
Lichtit, as lerit men, law by that laike.
The Ravyne, rolpand rudly in a roche ran,
Was dene rurale to reid, rank as a raike;
Quhill the lardnir was laid, held he na houss;
Bot in wplandis townis,
At vicaris and personnis,
For the procuraciounis,
Cryand full crowss.

XVIII

The crovss Capone, a clerk under cleir weidis,
Full of cherite, chast and vnchangeable,
Was officiale but less that the law leidis

In caussis consistoriale, that ar coursable.
The Sparrowe Wenus he wesit for his vyle deidis,
Lyand in lichory, laith, vnloveable.
The Feldifer in the forest, that febilly him feidis,
Be ordour ane hospitular was ordanit full able.
The Cowschotis war personis in thar apparale.
The Dow, Noyis messinger,
Rownand aye with his feir,
Was a corate to heir
Confessionis hale.

XIX

Confess cleir can I nocht, nor kyth all the cass,
The kynd of thar cummyng, thar companyss eike
The maner, nor the multitud, so mony thar was:
All Se fowle and Seid fowle was nocht for to seike.
Thir ar na fowlis of reif, nor of richness,
Bot mansweit, but malice, manerit and meike,
And all apperit to the Pape, in that ilk place,
Salust his sanctitud with spirituale speike.
The Pape gaf his benesoun, and blissit thaim all.
Quhen thai war rangit on rawis,
Of thar come the haile causs
Was said in to schort sawiss,
As ȝe heir sall.

XX

The Pape said to the Owle: “Propone thin appele,
Thy lamentable langage, as lykis the best.”
“I am deformed,” quoth the fyle, “with faltis full feile,
Be Natur netherit ane Owle noyuss in nest,
Wreche of all wretchis, fra worschipe and wele.”
(All this trety has he tald be termess in test.)
“It neidis nocht to renewe all myn vnhele,
Sen it was menit to ȝour mynd, and maid manifest.”

Bot to the poynt petuoss he prayit the Pape
To call the clergy with cure,
And se gif that Nature
Mycht reform his figour
In a fair schaipe.

XXI

Than fairlie the fader thir fowlis he franyt
Of thar counsall in this caiss, sen the richt thai knewe,
Gif thai the Howlat mycht helpe, that was so hard paynit;
And thai weraly awysit, full of wirtewe,
The maner, the mater, and how it remanyt;
The circumstance and the stait all couth thai argewe.
Mony allegiance leile, in leid nocht to layne it,
Off Arestotill and ald men, scharplie thai schewe;
The Prelatis thar apperans proponit generale;
Sum said to, and sum fra,
Sum nay, and sum ȝa;
Baith pro and contra
Thus argewe thai all.

XXII

Thus argewe thai ernistly wounder oftsyss;
Syne samyn forsuth thai assent haile;
That sen it nechit Natur, thar alleris mastriss,
Thai couth nocht trete but entent of the Temperale.
Tharfor thai counsall the Pape to writ in this wyss
To the Athile Empriour, souerane in saile,
To adress to that dyet, to deme his awyss,
With dukis and with digne lordis, darrest in dale,

Erlles of ancestry, and vtharis ynewe;
So that the Spirituale staite,
And the secular consait,
Mycht all gang in a gait,
Tender and trewe.

XXIII

The trewe Turtour and traist, as I eir tauld,
Wrait thir letteris at lenth, lelest in leid;
Syne throw the Papis precept planly thaim ȝald
To the Swallowe so swyft, harrald in hed,
To ettill to the empriour, of ancestry auld.
He wald nocht spair for to spring on a gud speid:
Fand him in Babilonis towr, with bernis so bald,
Cruell kingis with crovne, and dukis but dreid.
He gaf thir lordis belyve the letteris to luke;
Quhilk the riche empriour,
And all vthar in the hour,
Ressauit with honour,
Baith princis and duke.

XXIV

Quhen thai consauit had the caiss and the credence,
Be the harrald in hall hove thai nocht ellis,
Bot bownis out of Babulone with all obediens,
Seikis our the salt se, fro the south fellis,
Enteriss in Ewrope, fre but offens,
Walis wyslie the wayis, be woddis and wellis,
Quhill thai approche to the Pape in his presence,
At the forsaid trist quhar the trete tellis.
Thai fand him in a forest, frely and fair;
Thai halsit his halynas;
And ȝe sall heir in schort space
Quhat worthy lordis thar was,
Gif ȝour willis war.

XXV

Thar was the Egill so grym, gretest on ground is,
Athill empriour our all, most awfull in erd.
Ernes ancient of air kingis that crovnd is,
Nixt his celsitud forsuth secoundlie apperd;
Quhilk in the firmament throuch forss of thar flicht foundis,
Perses the sone, with thar sicht selcouth to herd.
Geir Falconnis, that gentilly in bewte haboundis,
War deir dukis, and digne, to deme as efferd.
The Falcone, farest on flicht formed on fold,
Was ane erll of honour,
Marschell to the empriour,
Boith in hall and in bowr,
Hende to behold.

XXVI

Goiss Halkis war governouris of the gret oist,
Chosin chiftanis, chevalrus in charge of weris,
Marchonis in the mapamond, and of mychtis most,
Nixt dukis in dignite, quhom na dreid deris.
Spar Halkis, that spedely will compass the cost,
War kene knychtis of kynd, clene of maneris,
Blyth bodyit and beld, but baret or boist,
With eyne celestiale to se, circulit as saphiris.
The Specht was a pursevant, provde till apper,
That raid befor the empriour,
In a cot armour
Of all kynd of colour,
Cumly and cleir.

XXVII

He bure cumly to knawe be connysaunce cleir
Thre crovnis and a crucifix, all of cler gold;

The burde with orient perle plantit till apper,
Dicht as a dyademe digne, deir to behold,
Circulit on ilk syde with the sapheir,
The jaspis joynit in gem, and rubyis in rold.
Syne twa keyis our croce, of siluer so cleir,
In a feild of asure flammit on fold;
The Papis armes at poynt to blason and beir,
As feris for a persewant,
That will wayage awant,
Active and awenant,
Armes to weir.

XXVIII

Syne in a feild of siluer secoundlie he beris
Ane Egill ardent of air, that etlis so hie;
The memberis of the samyn foull displait as efferis,
Ferme formyt on fold, ay set for to fle;
All of sable the self, quha the suth leris,
The beke bypertit breme of that ilk ble.
The Empriour of Almane the armes he weris,
As signifer souerane; And syne couth I se
Thre flour delycis of Fraunce, all of fyne gold,
In a feild of asure,
The thrid armes in honour
The said persevant bure,
That bloutit so bold.

XXIX

Tharwith lynkit in a lyng, be lerit men approvit,
He bure a lyon as lord, of gowlis full gay,
Maid maikless of mycht, on mold quhar he movit,
Riche rampand as roye, ryke of array;
Of pure gold was the ground, quhar the grym hovit,

[With dowble tressour about, flourit in fay,
And flour delycis on loft, that mony leid lovit,]
Of gowliss sygnit and set, to schawe in assay;
Our souerane of Scotland his armes to knawe,
Quhilk sall be lord and ledar,
Our braid Brettane all quhar,
As sanct Mergaretis air,
And the signe schawe.

XXX

Next the souerane signe was sekirly sene,
That seruit his serenite euer seruable,
The armes of the Dowglass douchty bedene,
Knawin throw all Cristindome be conysance able;
Of Scotland the wer wall, wit ȝe but wene,
Our fais force to defend, and vnfalȝeable;
Baith barmekyn and bar to Scottis blud bene,
Our loiss, and our lyking, that lyne honorable.
That word is so wonder warme, and euer ȝit was,
It synkis sone in all part
Of a trewe Scottis hart,
Reiosand ws inwart
To heir of Dowglass.

XXXI

Off the douchty Dowglass to dyte I me dress;
Thar armes of ancestry honorable ay,
Quhilk oft blythit the Bruse in his distress,
Tharfor he blissit that blud bald in assay.
Reid the writ of thar werk, to ȝour witness;
Furth on my matir to muse I mufe as I may.
The said persevantis gyde was grathit, I gess,
Brusit with ane grene tre, gudly and gay,

That bure branchis on breid blythest of hewe;
On ilk beugh till embrace,
Writtin in a bill was,
O Dowglass, O Dowglass,
Tender and trewe!

XXXII

Syne schir schapyn to schawe, mony schene scheld
With tuscheis of trast silk tichit to the tre;
Ilk branche had the birth burly and beld,
Four flurist our all gretest of gre.
Ane in the crope hiegh, as cheif I beheld,
Quhilk bure in till asure, blythest of ble,
Siluer sternis so fair; and part of the feld
Was siluer, set with ane hert, heirly and hie,
Of gowliss full gracious, that glemyt so gay.
Syne in asure the mold,
A lyoun crovnit with gold,
Of siluir ȝe se shold
To ramp in array.

XXXIII

Quhilk cassyn be cognoscence quarterly was,
With barris of best gold it brynt as the fyr;
And vthir signess, forsuth syndry I gess,
Off metallis and colouris in tentfull atyr.
It war tyrefull to tell, dyte or address,
All thar deir armis in dewlye desyre;
Bot part of the principale neuertheless
I sall haist me to hewe hartlie but hyre.
Thar loiss and thar lordschipe of sa lang dait,
That bene cot armouris of eild,
Tharin to harrald I held;
Bot sen thai the Bruss beld,
I wryt as I wait.

XXXIV

In the takinnyng of treuth and constance kend,
The colour of asure, ane hevinliche hewe,
For thi to the Dowglas that senȝe was send,
As lelest, all Scotland fra scaith to reskewe.
The siluer in the samyn half, trewly to tend,
Is cleir corage in armes, quha the richt knewe.
The bludy hart that thai bere the Bruss at his end,
With his estatis in the steid, and nobillis ynewe,
Addit in thar armes for honorable causs,
As his tenderest and deir,
In his maist misteir;
As salbe said to yow heir
In to schort sawis.

XXXV

The roye Robert the Bruss the rayke he awowit,
With all the hart that he had, to the haily graif;
Syne quhen the dait of his deid derfly him dowit,
With lordis of Scotland, lerit, and the laif,
As worthy, wysest to waile, in worschipe allowit,
To James lord Dowglas thow the gre gaif,
To ga with the kingis hart; thairwith he nocht growit,
Bot said to his souerane: “So me God saif!
Ȝour gret giftis and grant ay graciouss I fand;
Bot now it movis all ther maist,
That ȝour hart nobillast
To me is closit and cast,
Throw ȝour command.

XXXVI

“I loue ȝou mair for that loiss ȝe lippyn me till,
Than ony lordschipe or land, so me our Lord leid!
I sall waynd for no wye to wirk as ȝe will,
At wiss, gif my werd wald, with ȝou to the deid”

Thar with he lowtit full lawe; tham lykit full ill,
Baith lordis and ladyis, that stude in the steid.
Off commoun nature the courss be kynd to fulfill,
The gud king gaif the gaist to God for to reid;
In Cardross that crownit closit his end.
Now God for his gret grace,
Set his saull in solace!
And we will speike of Dowglace,
Quhat way he couth wend.

XXXVII

The hert costlye he couth clos in a cler cace,
And held all hale the behest he hecht to the king:
Come to the haly graf, throw Goddis gret grace,
With offerandis and vrisons, and all uthar thing;
Our Saluatouris sepultur, and the samyn place,
Quhar he raiss, as we reid, richtuiss to ryng;
With all the relykis raith, that in that rovme was,
He gart hallowe the hart, and syne couth it hyng,
About his hals full hende, and on his awne hart.
Oft wald he kiss it, and cry:
“O flour of all chewalry!
Quhy leif I, allace! quhy?
And thow deid art!

XXXVIII

“My deir,” quoth the Dowglass, “art thow deid dicht!
My singuler souerane, of Saxonis the wand!
Now bot I semble for thi saull with Saraȝenis mycht,
Sall I never sene be into Scotland!”
Thus in defence of the faith he fure to the fecht,
With knychtis of Christindome to kepe his command.
And quhen the batallis so brym, brathly and bricht,
War joyned thraly in thrang, mony thousand,

Amang the hethin men the hert hardely he slang,
Said: “Wend on as thou was wont,
Throw the batell in bront,
Ay formast in the front,
Thy fays amang.

XXXIX

“And I sall followe the in faith, or feye to be fellit;
As thi lege man leile, my lyking thow art.”
Thar with on Mahownis men manly he mellit,
Braid throw the battallis in bront, and bur thaim backwart.
The wyis quhar the wicht went war in wa wellit;
Was nane so stur in the steid micht stand him a start.
Thus frayis he the falss folk, trewly to tell it,
Aye quhil he cowerit and come to the kingis hart.
Thus feile feildis he wan, aye worschipand it.
Throwout Cristindome kid
War the deidis that he did;
Till on a time it betid,
As tellis the writ.

XL

He bownyt till a batall, and the beld wan,
Our set all the sathanas syde Saraȝenis mycht;
Syne followit fast on the chace, quhen thai fle can;
Full ferly feile has he feld, and slane in the flicht.
As he relevit, I wiss, so was he war than
Of ane wy him allane, worthy and wicht,
Circulit with Saraȝenis, mony sad man,
That tranoyntit with a trayne apon that trewe knycht.
“Thow sall nocht de the allane,” quoth the Dowglass;
“Sen I se the our set,

To fecht for the faith fete,
I sal devoid the of det,
Or de in the place.”

XLI

He ruschit in the gret rowte, the knycht to reskewe;
Feile of the fals folk, that fled of befor,
Relevit in on thir twa, for to tell trewe,
That thai war samyn ourset; tharfor I murn sore.
Thus in defence of the faith, as fermes ynewe,
And pite of the pryss knycht that was in thore,
The douchty Dowglass is deid and adewe,
With loss and with lyking, that lestis evir mor.
His hardy men tuke the hart syne vpon hand;
Quhen thai had beryit thar lord,
With mekle mane to remord,
Thai maid it hame be restord
In to Scotland.

XLII

Be this ressoun we reid, and as our Roy levit,
The Dowglass in armes the bludy hart beris;
For it bled he his blud, as the bill brevit,
And in batallis full braid, vnder baneris,
Throw full chevalruss chance he this hert chevit,
Fra walit wyis, and wicht, worthy in weris;
Mony galiard gome was on the ground levit,
Quhen he it slang in the feld, felloun of feris,
Syne reskewand it agane the hethin mennis harmes.
This hert, red to behald,
Throw thir ressonis ald,
The bludy hart it is cald
In Dowglass armes.

XLIII

The sternis of ane nothir strynd steris so fair,
Ane callit Murray, the riche lord of renovnis,
Deit, and a douchter had till his deir air,
Off all his tressour vntald, towris and townis:
The Dowglass in thai dayis, douchty all quhar,
Archebald the honorable in habitaciounis,
Weddit that wlonk wicht, worthy of ware,
With rent and with richess; and be thai ressonis
He bure the sternis of estait in his stele weidis;
Blyth, blomand, and bricht,
Throw the Murrayis micht;
And sa throw Goddis forsicht
The Dowglass succedis.

XLIV

The lyon lansand on loft, lord in effeir,
For gud causs, as I gess, is of Gallaway.
Quhen they rebellit the crovne, and couth the kyng deir,
He gaif it to the Dowglass, heretable ay,
On this wyss gif he couth wyn it on weir;
Quhilk for his souerane saike he set till assay;
Kelit dovne thar capitanis, and couth it conquir;
Maid it firme, as we fynd, till our Scottis fay.
Tharfor the lyoun he bure, with loving and loiss,
Of siluer semely and sure,
In a field of asure,
Crovnit with gold pure
To the purposs.

XLV

The forest of Ettrik, and vthair ynewe,
The landis of Lawdir, and lordschipis sere,

With dynt of his derf swerd, the Dowglass so dewe
Wan wichtly of weir, wit ȝe but weir,
Fra sonnis of the Saxonis. Now gif I sall schewe
The order of thar armis, it war to tell teir;
The barris of best gold, thocht I thaim hale knewe,
It suld ws occupy all day; tharfor I end heir,
Referris me to harraldis, to tell ȝow the hale.
Of other scheldis so schene
Sum part will I mene,
That war on the tre grene,
Worthy to vale.

XLVI

Secund syne, in a feld of siluer certane,
Of a kynde colour thre coddis I kend,
With dowble tressur about, burely and bane,
And flour delycis so fair, trewe till attend,
The tane and the tother of gowlis full gane.
He bure quarterly, maid that nane micht amend,
The armes of the Dowglass, thairof was I fayne,
Quhilk oft fandit with force, his fa till offend;
Of honorable ancestry thir armis of eld
Bure the erll of Murray,
As sad signe of assay,
His fell fais till affray,
In a fair feild.

XLVII

Ane nothir, erll of Ormond, also he bure
The said Dowglass armis, with a differens;
And richt so did the ferd, quhar he furth fure,
Ȝaipe, thocht he ȝong was, to faynd his offens.
It semyt that thai sib war, forsuth I assure.

Thir four scheldis of pryce in to presence
War chenȝeit so cheualrus, that no creatur
Of lokis nor lynx mycht louss worth a lence.
Syne ilk braunche and beugh bowit thaim till;
And ilk scheld in that place
Thar tennend or man was,
Or ellis thar allyas,
At thar awin will.

XLVIII

All thir hieast in the crope four helmes full fair,
And in thar tymeralis tryid trewly thai bere
The plesand Povne in a part, provde to repair;
And als kepit ilk armes that I said eir,
The rouch Wodwyss wyld, that bastounis bare,
Our growin grysly and growe grym in effeir;
Mair awfull in all thing saw I never air
Baith to walk and to ward, as watchis in weir.
That terrible felloun my spreit affrayd,
So ferd full of fantasy,
I durst nocht kyth to copy
All other armes thar by,
Of renkis arayd.

XLIX

Tharfor of the said tre I tell nocht the teynd,
The birth and the branchis, that blomyt so brayd;
Quhat fele armes on loft, louely to lend,
Of lordingis and sere landis, gudly and glad,
The said persewant bure, quhar he away wend,
On his garment so gay, of ane hie haid,
I leif thaim blasonde to be with harraldis hende;
And I will to my first mater, as I eir maid,

And begyn, quhar I left, at lordingis deir,
The court of the Empriour,
How thai come in honour,
Thir fowlis of rigour,
With a gret reir.

L

Than rerit thir Merlȝeonis that mountis so hie,
Furth borne bacheleris bald on the bordouris;
Busardis and Beldkytis, as it mycht be,
Soldiouris and sumptermen to thai senȝeouris.
The Pitill and the Pype Gled cryand pewewe,
Befor thir princis ay past, as pert purviouris,
For thai couth chewiss chikinnis, and perchess pultre,
To cleke fra the commonis, as kyngis caytouris;
Syne hufe hover and behald the herbery place.
Robyn Redbrest nocht ran,
Bot raid as a hensman;
And the litill we Wran,
That wretchit dorche was.

LI

Thar was the haraldis fa, the hobby but fable,
Stanchalis, steropis, strecht to thai stern lordis,
With alkyn officeris in erd, awenand and able;
So mekle was the multitud no mynd it remordis.
Thus assemblit thir segis, syris senȝeourable,
All that war fowlis of reif, the richt quha recordis,
For the Temperalite tretit in table,
The stern Empriouris style thus staitly restord is,
The Pape and the patriarkis, prelatis, I wist,

Welcummit thaim wynly, but weir,
With haly sermonis seir,
Pardoun, and prayer,
And blythly tham blist.

LII

The blissit Pape in the place prayit tham ilkane
To remayne to the meit at the mydday;
And thai grantit that gud, but grutching, to gane.
Than till a wortheliche wane went thai thar way;
Past till a palace of pryce plesand allane,
Was erekit rially, ryke of array,
Pantit and apparalit proudly in pane,
Sylit semely with silk, suthly to say.
Braid burdis and benkis, ourbeld with bancouris of gold,
Cled our with clene clathis,
Railit full of richass,
The esiast was arrass
That ȝe se schold.

LIII

All thus thai mufe to the meit, and the merschale
Gart bring watter to wesche, of a well cleir:
That was the Falcoune so fair, frely but fale,
Bad birnis burdis vp braid, with a blyth cheir.
The Pape passit till his place in his pontificale,
The athill Empriour anone nechit him neir.
Kyngis and patriarkis kend, with cardinalis hale,
Addressit thaim to that deiss, and dukis so deir.
Bischopis bovnis to the burd, and merschionis of mychtis,
Erllis of honouris,
Abbotis of ordouris,
Prowestis and priouris,
And mony kene knychtis.

LIV

Denys and digniteis, as I eir demyt,
Scutiferis and sqwyeris, and bachilleris blyth,
I press nocht all to report; ȝe hard thaim expremit;
Bot all war merschallit to meit meikly and myth;
Syne seruit semely in saile, forsuth as it semyt,
With all curis of cost that cukis couth kyth.
In flesche tyme, quhen the fische war away flemyt,
Quha was stewart bot the Stork, stallwart and styth;
Syne all the lentryne but leiss, and the lang reid,
And alss in the adwent,
The Soland stewart was sent;
For he couth fro the firmament
Fang the fische deid.

LV

The Boytour callit was cuke, that him weile kend
In craftis of the ketchyne, costlyk of curis;
Many sawouris salss with sewaris he send,
And confectionis on force that phisik furth furis.
Mony man metis, gif I suld mak end,
It neidis nocht to renewe all thar naturis;
Quhar sic statis will steir, thar stylis till ostend,
Ȝe wait all worschip and welth dayly induris.
Syne, at the myddis of the meit, in come the menstralis,
The Maviss and the Merle syngis,
Osillis and Stirlingis,
The blyth Lark that begynnis,
And the Nychtgalis.

LVI

And thar notis anone, gif I richt newyne,
War of Mary the myld, this maner I wiss:
“Haile temple of the Trinite, crovnit in hevin!

Haile moder of our maker, and medicyn of myss!
Haile succour and salf for the synnis sevyne!
Haile bute of our baret, and beld of our bliss!
Haile grane full of grace that growis so ewyn!
Ferme our seid to the set quhar thi son is.
Haile lady of all ladyis, lichtest of leme!
Haile chalmer of chastite!
Haile charbunkle of cherite!
Haile! blissit mot thow be
For thi barne teme!

LVII

“Haile blist throw the bodword of blyth Angellis!
Haile princes that completis all prophecis pur!
Haile blythar of the Baptist, within thi bowallis,
Off Eliȝebeth thi ant, aganis natur!
Haile speciose, most specifyit with the spiritualis!
Haile ordanit or Adam, and ay till indur!
Haile our hope and our helpe, quhen that harme alis!
Haile alterar of Eua in ane but vre!
Haile well of our weilfair! we wait nocht of ellis;
Bot all committis to the,
Saull and lyf, ladye!
Now for thi frute make ws fre
Fro fendis that fell is.

LVIII

“Fro thi gre to this ground lat thi grace glyde!
As thow art grantar tharof, and the gevar;
Now souerane quhar thow sittis, be thi sonis syd,
Send sum succour dovne sone to the synnir!
The fende is our felloune fa, in the we confide,
Thow moder of all mercy, and the menar.
For ws, wappit in wo in this warld wyde,
To thi son mak thi mane, and thi maker.

Now, lady, luke to the leid that the so leile lufis,
Thow seker trone of Salamon,
Thow worthy wand of Aaron,
Thow joyuss fleiss of Gedion,
Ws help the behufis.”

LIX

All thus our lady thai lovit, with lyking and lyst,
Menstralis and musicianis, mo than I mene may.
The psaltery, the sytholis, the soft sytharist,
The crovde, and the monycordis, the gittyrnis gay;
The rote, and the recordour, the rivupe, the rist,
The trumpe, and the talburn, the tympane but tray;
The lilt pype, and the lute, the fydill in fist,
The dulset, the dulsacordis, the schalme of assay;
The amyable organis vsit full oft;
Claryonis lowde knellis,
Portatiuis, and bellis,
Cymbaclanis in the cellis,
That soundis so soft.

LX

Quhen thai had songyn and said, softly and schour,
And playit, as of paradyss it a poynt war,
In com japand the Ia, as a juglour,
With castis and with cawtelis, a quaynt caryar.
He gart thaim se, as it semyt, in the samyn hour,
Hunting at herdis in holtis so hair;
Sound saland on the se schippis of towr;
Bernes batalland on burde, brym as a bair;
He couth cary the cowpe of the kingis dess,
Syne leve in the sted
Bot a blak bunwed;
He couth of a hennis hed
Make a mane mess.

LXI

He gart the Empriour trowe, and trewly behald,
That the Corn Crake, the pundar at hand,
Had pyndit all his pryss horss in a pundfald,
For causs thai ete of the corne in the kirkland.
He couth werk wounderis quhat way that he wald:
Mak of a gray guss a gold garland;
A lang sper of a betill for a berne bald;
Nobillis of nut schellis, and siluer of sand.
Thus jowkit with juperdyss the jangland Ia:
Fair ladyis in ryngis,
Knychtis in caralyngis,
Boith dansis and syngis;
It semyt as sa.

LXII

Sa come the Ruke with a rerd and a rane roch,
A bard owt of Irland with Banachadee!
Said: “Gluntow guk dynyd dach hala mischy doch;
Raike hir a rug of the rost, or scho sall ryiue the.
Mich macmory ach mach mometir moch loch;
Set hir dovne, gif hir drink; quhat Dele alis the?”
O Deremyne, O Donnall, O Dochardy droch;
Thir ar his Irland kingis of the Irischerye:
O Knewlyn, O Conochor, O Gregre Makgrane;
The Schenachy, the Clarschach,
The Ben schene, the Ballach,
The Crekery, the Corach,
Scho kennis thaim ilkane.

LXIII

Mony lesingis he maid; wald let for no man
To speik quhill he spokin had, sparit no thingis.
The dene rurale, the Ravyn, reprovit him than,

Bad him his lesingis leif befor thai lordingis.
The barde worth brane wod, and bitterly couth ban;
“How Corby messinger,” quoth he, “with sorowe now syngis;
Thow ischit out of Noyes ark, and to the erd wan,
Taryit as a tratour, and brocht na tythingis.
I sall ryiue the, Ravyne, baith guttis and gall.”
The dene rurale worthit reid,
Stawe for schame of the steid;
The barde held a grete pleid
In the hie hall.

LXIV

In come twa flyrand fulis with a fonde fair,
The Tuchet and the gukkit Golk, and ȝeid hiddy giddy;
Ruschit baith to the bard, and ruggit his hair;
Callit him thryss thevisnek, to thrawe in a widdy.
Thai fylit [him] fra the fortope to the fut thar.
The barde, smaddit lyke a smaik smorit in a smedy,
Ran fast to the dure, and gaif a gret rair;
Socht wattir to wesche him thar out in ane ydy.
The lordis leuch apon loft, and lyking thai had
That the barde was so bet;
The fulis fonde in the flet,
And mony mowis at mete
On the flure maid.

LXV

Syne for ane figonale of frut thai straif in the steid;
The Tuchet gird to the Golk, and gaif him a fall,
Raif his taile fra his rig, with a rath pleid;
The Golk gat wpe agane in the gret hall,
Tit the Tuchet be the tope, ourtirvit his hed,
Flang him flat in the fyre, fetheris and all.
He cryid: “Allace,” with ane rair, “revyn is my reid!
I am vngraciously gorrit, baith guttis and gall!”

Ȝit he lap fra the lowe richt in a lyne.
Quhen thai had remelis raucht,
Thai forthocht that thai faucht,
Kissit samyn and saucht;
And sat dovne syne.

LXVI

All thus thir hathillis in hall heirly remanit,
With all welthis at wiss, and worschipe to vale.
The Pape begynnis the grace, as greably ganit,
Wosche with thir worthyis, and went to counsall.
The pure Howlatis appele completly was planyt,
His falt and his foule forme, vnfrely but faile:
For the quhilk thir lordis, in leid nocht to layne it,
He besocht of sucour, as souerane in saile,
That thai wald pray Natur his prent to renewe;
For it was haile his behest,
At thar alleris request,
Mycht dame Natur arrest
Of him for to rewe.

LXVII

Than rewit thir riallis of that rath mane,
Baith Spirituale and Temperale, that kend the case;
And, considerand the causs, concludit in ane
That thai wald Natur beseike, of hir gret grace,
To discend that samyn hour as thar souerane,
At thar allaris instance, in that ilk place.
The Pape and the patriarkis, the prelatis ilkane,
Thus pray thai as penitentis, and all that thar was.
Quhar throw dame Natur the trast discendit that tyde,
At thar haile instance;
Quhom thai ressaif with reuerens,
And bowsome obeysance,
As Goddess and gyde.

LXVIII

“It nedis nocht,” quoth Natur, “to renewe oucht
Of ȝour entent in this tyde, or forthir to tell;
I wait ȝour will, and quhat way ȝe wald that I wrocht
To reforme the Howlat, of faltis full fell.
It sall be done as ȝe deme, dreid ȝe richt nocht:
I consent in this caise to ȝour counsall,
Sen my self for ȝour saike hiddir has socht,
Ȝe sall be specialy sped, or ȝe mayr spell.
Now ilka foull of the firth a fedder sall ta,
And len the Howlat, sen ȝe
Off him haue sic pete;
And I sall gar thaim samyn be
To growe or I ga.”

LXIX

Than ilk foule of his flicht a fedder has tane,
And lent to the Howlat in hast, hartlie but hone.
Dame Natur the nobillest nechit in ane,
For to ferme this federem, and dewly has done;
Gart it ground and growe gayly agane,
On the samyn Howlat, semely and sone.
Than was he schand of his schape, and his schroude schane
Off alkyn colour most cleir beldit abone,
The farest foule of the firth, and hendest of hewes;
So clene and so colourlyke,
That no bird was him lyke,
Fro Burone to Berwike,
Wnder the bewes.

LXX

Thus was the Howlat in herde herely at hicht,
Flour of all fowlis, throw fedderis so fair,

He lukit to his lykame that lemyt so licht,
So propir plesand of prent, provde to repar:
He thocht him maid on the mold makless of mycht,
As souerane him awne self, throw bewte he bair,
Counterpalace to the Pape, our princis, I plicht;
So hiely he hyit him in Luciferis lair,
That all the fowlis of the firth he defowlit syne.
Thus leit he no man his peir;
Gif ony nech wald him neir,
He bad tham rebaldis orere,
With a ruyne.

LXXI

“The pape and the patriarkis, and princis of prow,
I am cummyn of thar kyn, be cosingage knawin;
So fair is my fetherem I haf no falowe;
My schrowde and my schene weid schir to be schawin.”
All birdis he rebalkit, that wald him nocht bowe,
In breth as a batall-wricht full of bost blawin,
With vnloveable latis nocht till allow.
Thus wycit he the walentyne thraly and thrawin,
That all the fowlis with assent assemblit agane,
And plenȝeit to Natur
Of this intollerable injur;
How the Howlat him bure
So hie and so haltane.

LXXII

So pomposs, impertinat, and reprovable,
In excess our arrogant, thir birdis ilkane
Besocht Natur to cess that vnsufferable.
Thar with that lady a lyte leuch hir allane:
“My first making,” quoth scho, “was vnamendable,

Thocht I alterit, as ȝe all askit in ane;
Ȝit sall I preif ȝow to pleiss, sen it is possible.”
Scho callit the Howlat in haist, that was so haltane:
“Thy pryde,” quod the Princes, “approchis our hie
Lyke Lucifer in estaite;
And sen thow art so elate,
As the Ewangelist wrait,
Thow sall lawe be.

LXXIII

“The rent, and the ritchess, that thow in rang,
Was of othir mennis all, and nocht of thi awne;
Now ilk fowle his awne fedder sall agane fang,
And mak the catif of kynd, till him self knawin.”
As scho has demyt thai haf done, thraly in thrang.
Thar with dame Natur has to the hevin drawin,
Ascendit sone, in my sicht, with solace and sang.
And ilk fowle tuke the flicht, schortly to schawin,
Held hame to thar hant, and thar herbery,
Quhar thai war wont to remane;
All thir gudly ar gane,
And thar levit allane
The Howlat and I.

LXXIV

Than this Howlat hidowis of hair and of hyde,
Put first fro poverte to pryce, and princis awne per,
Syne degradit fra grace, for his gret pryde,
Bannyt bitterly his birth bailefull in beir.
He welterit, he wrythit, he waryit the tyde,
That he was wrocht in this warld wofull in weir;
He crepillit, he crengit, he carfully cryd,
He solpit, he sorowit, in sighingis seir.

He said, “Allace! I am lost, lathest of all,
Bysyn in baile beft,
I may be sampill heir eft,
That pryde neuer ȝit left
His feir but a fall.

LXXV

“I couth nocht won in to welth wretch wast,
I was so wantoun of will, my werdis ar wan;
Thus for my hicht I am hurt, and harmit in haist,
Cairfull and caytif for craft that I can.
Quhen I was hewit as heir all thir hieast,
Fra rule, ressoun and richt redless I ran;
Tharfor I ly in the lyme, lympit, lathast:
Now mark ȝour mirour be me, all maner of man,
Ȝe princis, prentis of pryde for penneis and prowe,
That pullis the pure ay,
Ȝe sall syng as I say,
All ȝour welth will away,
Thus I warn ȝow.

LXXVI

“Think how bair thow was borne, and bair ay will be,
For oucht that sedis of thi self in ony sessoun;
Thy cude, thy claithis, nor thi cost, cummis nocht of the,
Bot of the frute of the erd, and Godis fusoun.
Quhen ilk thing has the awne, suthly we se,
Thy nakit corss bot of clay, a foule carioun,
Hatit and hawless; quhar of art thow hie?
We cum pure, we gang pure, baith king and commoun.
Bot thow reule the richtuiss, thi rovme sall orere.”
Thus said the Howlat on hicht;

Now God, for his gret micht,
Set our sawlis in sicht
Of sanctis so sere!

LXXVII

Thus for ane Dow of Dunbar drew I this Dyte,
Dowit with ane Dowglass, and boith war thai dowis;
In the forest forsaid, frely parfyte,
Of Terneway, tendir and tryde, quho so trast trowis.
War my wit as my will, than suld I wele wryte;
Bot gif I lak in my leid, that nocht till allow is,
Ȝe wyse, for ȝour worschipe, wryth me no wyte.
Now blyth ws the blist barne, that all berne bowis;
He len ws lyking and lyf euerlestand!
In mirthfull moneth of May,
In myddis of Murraye,
Thus on a tyme be Ternway,
Happinnit Holland.

‘Scriptum’ Per ‘manum’ M. Joannis Asloan.

Heir endis The Buke of the Howlat.