The poems of Alexander Hume ... Edited from the text of Waldegrave (1599) with notes, appendices, and glossary by Alexander Lawson |
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ANE EPISTLE TO MAISTER GILBERT MONT-CREIF, MEDICINER TO THE KINGS MAJESTIE,
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 | The poems of Alexander Hume |  |
68
ANE EPISTLE TO MAISTER GILBERT MONT-CREIF, MEDICINER TO THE KINGS MAJESTIE,
Wherein is set downe the Experience of the Authors Youth.
My tender friend (Montcrief medicinar)
To kings is kend thy knawledge singular
Thou shawis thy selfe be practise evident:
Of natures warks obseruer diligent,
Thy quiet life and decent modestie,
Declares thy cunning in philosophie:
To kings is kend thy knawledge singular
Thou shawis thy selfe be practise evident:
Of natures warks obseruer diligent,
Thy quiet life and decent modestie,
Declares thy cunning in philosophie:
Sen first we were acquaint I fand thee kinde,
Sum medicine assigne me for the mind,
My sicknes be the symptome sall appeare,
Unto my discourse, if thou list giue eare.
“O happie man is he (I haue hard say)
A faithfull friend that hes, with whom he may
Of euerie thing as with himselfe confer,”
As I may do (disert mediciner).
Sum medicine assigne me for the mind,
My sicknes be the symptome sall appeare,
Unto my discourse, if thou list giue eare.
“O happie man is he (I haue hard say)
A faithfull friend that hes, with whom he may
Of euerie thing as with himselfe confer,”
As I may do (disert mediciner).
Quhen pubertie my freedome did inlarge,
And Mercurie gaue place to Venus charge,
I knew not yet the wavering vaine estait
Of humaine kinde, I knew of na debait,
Na lurking hait, inuie, nor cursed stryfe,
As followis fast our short vnhappie life:
I traisted not, beleeue me weill (Montcrief)
The bitter paines, the sorrowes, and the grief,
Nor miseries quhilk daylie dois betide,
And compassis mans life on euerie side.
And Mercurie gaue place to Venus charge,
I knew not yet the wavering vaine estait
Of humaine kinde, I knew of na debait,
69
As followis fast our short vnhappie life:
I traisted not, beleeue me weill (Montcrief)
The bitter paines, the sorrowes, and the grief,
Nor miseries quhilk daylie dois betide,
And compassis mans life on euerie side.
Bot like a chaste and pudick virgine clein,
Inbrought to bide where she had neuer bein,
Into the house of women, let for hyre,
Quhen she behalds all plesour at desire,
A loflie troup of Ladies in array,
Sum on a luth, sum on a sistre play,
Some sangs of loue begin and sweetely sing,
And minȝionlie sum dansing in a ring,
A louer here, discoursing all his best,
Ane vther there, delighting all the rest:
The buirds decorde with daintie dishes fine,
With diuers drogs, and wafers wet in wine:
A none to dwell the maide dois condiscend,
Incertaine quhat sall be her catiue end.
Inbrought to bide where she had neuer bein,
Into the house of women, let for hyre,
Quhen she behalds all plesour at desire,
A loflie troup of Ladies in array,
Sum on a luth, sum on a sistre play,
Some sangs of loue begin and sweetely sing,
And minȝionlie sum dansing in a ring,
A louer here, discoursing all his best,
Ane vther there, delighting all the rest:
The buirds decorde with daintie dishes fine,
With diuers drogs, and wafers wet in wine:
A none to dwell the maide dois condiscend,
Incertaine quhat sall be her catiue end.
Swa inexpert yet at that time and houre,
I felt the sweete, but had not cund the sowre.
I felt the sweete, but had not cund the sowre.
I thought that nocht was able to remooue,
From men on earth, trueth, equitie, and loue,
Nor banisht from their hearts humilitie,
Reuth, pittie, ioynd with affabilitie,
Bot that the force of reasone suld maintein,
The binding band quhilk lastinglie hes bein,
Be nature knit, and ordoned till indure,
Mens amitie and friendship to make sure.
From men on earth, trueth, equitie, and loue,
Nor banisht from their hearts humilitie,
Reuth, pittie, ioynd with affabilitie,
Bot that the force of reasone suld maintein,
The binding band quhilk lastinglie hes bein,
Be nature knit, and ordoned till indure,
Mens amitie and friendship to make sure.
For this I oft reduced and brought to minde:
How sall men be but vntill vther kinde?
Lo, all the wichts that in this valley wuns,
Are bretheren all. Are they not Adams suns?
Quhy suld a friend his friend and brother greeue,
Sen all are borne of a first mother Eue?
Upon this earth as in a cietie wide,
Like citiȝens we dwell and dois abide:
And nature hes preferd vs to the beasts,
Be prenting reason deiplie in our breasts:
The barbar rude of Thrace or Tartarie,
Of Boheme, Perse, of weirly Getulie,
Of barran Syrt, and wastie Scythia,
Of Finland, Fresland, and of India,
Of reason they ar made participant,
With them quhilk dois the ciuill cities hant:
The facund Greece, the learnd Athenian,
The Roman stout, the rich Venetian,
The Frenchis franck of great ciuilitie
Ar oblist all to this societie.
How sall men be but vntill vther kinde?
Lo, all the wichts that in this valley wuns,
Are bretheren all. Are they not Adams suns?
70
Sen all are borne of a first mother Eue?
Upon this earth as in a cietie wide,
Like citiȝens we dwell and dois abide:
And nature hes preferd vs to the beasts,
Be prenting reason deiplie in our breasts:
The barbar rude of Thrace or Tartarie,
Of Boheme, Perse, of weirly Getulie,
Of barran Syrt, and wastie Scythia,
Of Finland, Fresland, and of India,
Of reason they ar made participant,
With them quhilk dois the ciuill cities hant:
The facund Greece, the learnd Athenian,
The Roman stout, the rich Venetian,
The Frenchis franck of great ciuilitie
Ar oblist all to this societie.
Then with my self I reasond on this sort,
If this be trew quhilk trulie I report,
How mekill mair sall loue and lautie stand
Amang the pepill natiue of a land,
Quhilk dois imbrace, obey, and onely knaw,
A kirk, a King, a language and a law:
Or sick as in a citie dois remaine,
Particepant of pleasour and of paine:
Or of a race hes lineallie discended
And hes there time and life together spended:
If this be trew quhilk trulie I report,
How mekill mair sall loue and lautie stand
Amang the pepill natiue of a land,
Quhilk dois imbrace, obey, and onely knaw,
A kirk, a King, a language and a law:
Or sick as in a citie dois remaine,
Particepant of pleasour and of paine:
Or of a race hes lineallie discended
And hes there time and life together spended:
All this and mair I tossed in my thought,
And these effects to se I dowted nocht:
As for my part I plainely did pretend,
My life in peace, in ioy, and ease till end,
Into the way to walk and happie rod,
Prescriued be the law and word of God,
To loue my friend and neighbour as my sell,
With lippes but lies the simple treuth to tell,
Till euerie man to keep my promise dew,
And not but right but rigour to persew,
From vice to flie, and vertue till imbrace,
Ane vpright heart to haue in euerie case,
Contending hearts againe to reconceill
Was my pretence, and tender ay their weill,
To fortifie my friend in time and neede,
With good report, with counsell, and good deede:
And finally what reason taught to craue,
I thought to doo, and ay the like receaue.
And these effects to se I dowted nocht:
As for my part I plainely did pretend,
My life in peace, in ioy, and ease till end,
Into the way to walk and happie rod,
Prescriued be the law and word of God,
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With lippes but lies the simple treuth to tell,
Till euerie man to keep my promise dew,
And not but right but rigour to persew,
From vice to flie, and vertue till imbrace,
Ane vpright heart to haue in euerie case,
Contending hearts againe to reconceill
Was my pretence, and tender ay their weill,
To fortifie my friend in time and neede,
With good report, with counsell, and good deede:
And finally what reason taught to craue,
I thought to doo, and ay the like receaue.
Bot thoughts are vaine, my labour was bot lost,
“He counts againe, that counts without his host.”
“He counts againe, that counts without his host.”
Through tract of time quhilk swiftlie slides away,
And sundrie sights occurring day by day,
At last I learnd to marke, and clearely ken,
The course of mortall things, and mortall men,
[From thee I learnd with painful diligence,]
The maistres sharpe of fuiles Experience,
And sundrie sights occurring day by day,
At last I learnd to marke, and clearely ken,
The course of mortall things, and mortall men,
[From thee I learnd with painful diligence,]
The maistres sharpe of fuiles Experience,
I see the wit the nature and the mind,
Of warldlie wights to wickednes inclind,
And naturallie ane austere frawardnes,
The hardened hearts of mortall men posses.
Of warldlie wights to wickednes inclind,
And naturallie ane austere frawardnes,
The hardened hearts of mortall men posses.
Behald na realme, na cietie nor estait,
Ar voide of strife, contention and debait,
Ilk man his fo, like roaring Lions kein,
Waitis to devore with rigor tygerrein:
How few regards we daylie may espie,
Their fallowes los, if they may gaine thereby:
Sa hautie minds fulfilled with disdaine,
Sa deepe deceat, sik glosing language vaine,
Mens doubill tungs are not ashamed to lie,
The mair they heght, the wors to trust they be,
Particular gaine dois sa mans reasone blind,
That skars on earth ane vpright can I find,
So poysoned breasts with malice and invy
Sum deadlie haitis, and cannot shaw you why.
Ar voide of strife, contention and debait,
Ilk man his fo, like roaring Lions kein,
Waitis to devore with rigor tygerrein:
How few regards we daylie may espie,
Their fallowes los, if they may gaine thereby:
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Sa deepe deceat, sik glosing language vaine,
Mens doubill tungs are not ashamed to lie,
The mair they heght, the wors to trust they be,
Particular gaine dois sa mans reasone blind,
That skars on earth ane vpright can I find,
So poysoned breasts with malice and invy
Sum deadlie haitis, and cannot shaw you why.
O monstrous beast (inuie) O cruell pest!
Quhair thou remainis their is na quiet rest,
Thou waists the bains, thou blaickenes flesh & blood,
Ay glad of ill, ay enemie to good,
Thou vexed art to see thy brothers weill,
Quhilk vailis thee nocht, nor harmes him neuer a deil.
Quhair thou remainis their is na quiet rest,
Thou waists the bains, thou blaickenes flesh & blood,
Ay glad of ill, ay enemie to good,
Thou vexed art to see thy brothers weill,
Quhilk vailis thee nocht, nor harmes him neuer a deil.
I try na trueth, nor na fidelitie,
I see na reuth, nor na nobilitie,
Na tender loue, nor humble gentlenes,
As first they say, our fathers did profes,
Bot fremmednes, bot rude austeritie,
Bot feinȝed fraud, and feebill vncourtesie.
I see na reuth, nor na nobilitie,
Na tender loue, nor humble gentlenes,
As first they say, our fathers did profes,
Bot fremmednes, bot rude austeritie,
Bot feinȝed fraud, and feebill vncourtesie.
Quhen that I had employed my youth and paine,
Foure yeares in France, and was returned againe,
I langd to learne, and curious was to knaw:
The consuetude, the custome and the Law,
Quhairby our natiue soil was guide aright,
And iustice done till everie kind of wight:
To that effect three yeares, or neare that space,
I hanted maist our highest plaiding place,
And senat quhair great causses reasoned were,
My breast was brusd, with leaning on the bar,
My buttons brist, I partely spitted bloud,
My gowne was trald and tramped where I stood,
Mine eares were deifd with maissars cryes and din,
Quhilk procutors and parties called in:
I dayly learnd, bot could not pleased be,
I saw sick things as pittie was to see.
Foure yeares in France, and was returned againe,
I langd to learne, and curious was to knaw:
The consuetude, the custome and the Law,
Quhairby our natiue soil was guide aright,
And iustice done till everie kind of wight:
To that effect three yeares, or neare that space,
I hanted maist our highest plaiding place,
And senat quhair great causses reasoned were,
My breast was brusd, with leaning on the bar,
My buttons brist, I partely spitted bloud,
My gowne was trald and tramped where I stood,
Mine eares were deifd with maissars cryes and din,
Quhilk procutors and parties called in:
73
I saw sick things as pittie was to see.
Ane house ov'rlaid with proces sa misguided,
That sum to late, sum neuer was decided,
The pure abused ane hundreth diuers wayes,
Postpond, differd with shifts, and meere delayes,
Consumde in guds, ov'rset with greife and paine,
Ȝour aduocate man be refresht with gaine,
Or else he faints to speake or to invent
A gud defence or weightie argument,
Ye spill your cause, ye truble him to sair,
Unles his hand annointed be with mair.
Not ill bestowed, he is consulted oft,
“A gude devise is worthie to be coft:”
Bot skaffing clarks with couetice inspired,
Till execute their office man be hyred,
Na cause they call vnles they hyrelings haue,
If not, it sall be laid beneath the laue,
Quha them controls, or them offends, but dout,
Their proces will be lang in seeking out,
In greatest neede sum peeces will be lost,
And then to lait fund on the parties cost,
In euerie point they will be slack and lang,
The minuts of the proces may be wrang,
For acts, decreits, they man haue double prise,
If their be hast, but hyre they make it nice:
That sum to late, sum neuer was decided,
The pure abused ane hundreth diuers wayes,
Postpond, differd with shifts, and meere delayes,
Consumde in guds, ov'rset with greife and paine,
Ȝour aduocate man be refresht with gaine,
Or else he faints to speake or to invent
A gud defence or weightie argument,
Ye spill your cause, ye truble him to sair,
Unles his hand annointed be with mair.
Not ill bestowed, he is consulted oft,
“A gude devise is worthie to be coft:”
Bot skaffing clarks with couetice inspired,
Till execute their office man be hyred,
Na cause they call vnles they hyrelings haue,
If not, it sall be laid beneath the laue,
Quha them controls, or them offends, but dout,
Their proces will be lang in seeking out,
In greatest neede sum peeces will be lost,
And then to lait fund on the parties cost,
In euerie point they will be slack and lang,
The minuts of the proces may be wrang,
For acts, decreits, they man haue double prise,
If their be hast, but hyre they make it nice:
As sanguisugs quhilk finds the feeding gud,
Cleaues to the skin quhile they be full of blud,
Quhile all the vaines be bludles, dry and tume.
Na vther wayes the simple they consume.
Cleaues to the skin quhile they be full of blud,
Quhile all the vaines be bludles, dry and tume.
Na vther wayes the simple they consume.
The agent als man haue his wage provided,
Least all the cause in absence be misguided:
He will let passe on wilfull indignation,
Agains the actor ane stollen protestation,
The poore defender if he lacke expenses,
Sall tyne his cause perhaps for null defences,
The peeces shaw he will, and cause reveill,
For greater gaine be he not pleased weill.
And thought the Lords suld take gud heid thereto,
Yet are they laith to make the house adoo:
“The censor is impropre to correck,
That in himselfe hes ony kinde of bleck:”
Least all the cause in absence be misguided:
He will let passe on wilfull indignation,
Agains the actor ane stollen protestation,
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Sall tyne his cause perhaps for null defences,
The peeces shaw he will, and cause reveill,
For greater gaine be he not pleased weill.
And thought the Lords suld take gud heid thereto,
Yet are they laith to make the house adoo:
“The censor is impropre to correck,
That in himselfe hes ony kinde of bleck:”
Euen they themselues the ordor partlie spils,
With bringing in of heapes of bosome bils,
Their oulks about on friends they doo bestow,
With small regard of table or of row.
With bringing in of heapes of bosome bils,
Their oulks about on friends they doo bestow,
With small regard of table or of row.
Alace: sick Lords had neede of reformation,
Quhair iustice maist consists in sollistation,
Ȝit all sollistars cannot iustice haue,
Bot sick as may acquit them by the laue,
A Lord, ane Earle, or a wealthie man,
A courtier that meikill may and can,
Without delay will come to their intent,
Howbeit there cause it be sum deill on sklent:
Bot simple sauls, vnskilfull, moyenles,
The pure quhome strang oppressors dois oppres,
Few of there right or causses will take keepe,
Their proces will sa lang lye ou'r, and sleepe,
Quhill often times (there is na vther bute)
For pouertie they man leaue of persute.
Sum senators als weill as skaffing scribes,
Are blinded oft with blinding buds and bribes,
And mair respects the persone nor the cause,
And finds for diuers persones diuers lawes,
Our ciuill, cannon, and municipall,
Suld equallie be ministred till all:
They mon shaw fauour to their awin dependers,
Quhat sa they be persewers or defenders.
Quhair iustice maist consists in sollistation,
Ȝit all sollistars cannot iustice haue,
Bot sick as may acquit them by the laue,
A Lord, ane Earle, or a wealthie man,
A courtier that meikill may and can,
Without delay will come to their intent,
Howbeit there cause it be sum deill on sklent:
Bot simple sauls, vnskilfull, moyenles,
The pure quhome strang oppressors dois oppres,
Few of there right or causses will take keepe,
Their proces will sa lang lye ou'r, and sleepe,
Quhill often times (there is na vther bute)
For pouertie they man leaue of persute.
Sum senators als weill as skaffing scribes,
Are blinded oft with blinding buds and bribes,
And mair respects the persone nor the cause,
And finds for diuers persones diuers lawes,
Our ciuill, cannon, and municipall,
Suld equallie be ministred till all:
They mon shaw fauour to their awin dependers,
Quhat sa they be persewers or defenders.
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I faint to tell their pervers partial pactions,
And how they are diuided all in factions,
Confederate haill with subtiltie and slight,
A way to vote in voting wrang or right.
And how they are diuided all in factions,
Confederate haill with subtiltie and slight,
A way to vote in voting wrang or right.
O men in whome no feare of God is ludged:
O faithles iudges worthie to be iudged:
Eshame ye not, or stand ye not in aw,
Lawes to profes and erre agains the law,
O members meete, for meere iniquitie,
Of Rhadamanth or Minos court to be.
O faithles iudges worthie to be iudged:
Eshame ye not, or stand ye not in aw,
Lawes to profes and erre agains the law,
O members meete, for meere iniquitie,
Of Rhadamanth or Minos court to be.
The haill abuse were our prolixt to tell,
That councill house it is maist like ane hell,
Where there is thrang ay feare, and awfull cryes,
Whereon the bar without puir parties lyes,
As on the riue of Acheron for sin,
Awaitting fast quhile Charon take them in:
Where euerie man almaist is miscontented,
Quhair sillie sauls are greeuouslie tormented,
Ay sorrie, sad, ay plung'd in paine and greife,
Pensiue in heart and musing of mischeif
Their bowells, entraills, with the robbed rowt
Of gredie Harpyes, they are rugged out.
That councill house it is maist like ane hell,
Where there is thrang ay feare, and awfull cryes,
Whereon the bar without puir parties lyes,
As on the riue of Acheron for sin,
Awaitting fast quhile Charon take them in:
Where euerie man almaist is miscontented,
Quhair sillie sauls are greeuouslie tormented,
Ay sorrie, sad, ay plung'd in paine and greife,
Pensiue in heart and musing of mischeif
Their bowells, entraills, with the robbed rowt
Of gredie Harpyes, they are rugged out.
To lead that kinde of life I wearied fast,
In better hope I left it at the last,
And to the court I shortlie me addrest
Beleeuing weill to chuse it for the best:
But from the rocks of Cyclades fra hand
I struik into Carybdis sinking sand.
For reuerence of Kings I will not striue
To slander courts, but them I may descriue,
As learned men hes them depaint before,
Or neare the suith, and I am wo therefore.
In better hope I left it at the last,
And to the court I shortlie me addrest
Beleeuing weill to chuse it for the best:
But from the rocks of Cyclades fra hand
I struik into Carybdis sinking sand.
For reuerence of Kings I will not striue
To slander courts, but them I may descriue,
As learned men hes them depaint before,
Or neare the suith, and I am wo therefore.
In courts (Montcreif) is pride, invie, contention,
Dissimulance, despite, disceat, dissention,
Feare, whisperings, reports, and new suspition,
Fraud, treasone, lies, dread, guile, sedition,
Great greedines, and prodigalitie,
Lusts sensuall, and partialitie,
Impudencie, adulterie, drunkinnes,
Delicacie, and slouthful idilnes,
Backbiting, lacking, mocking, mutenie,
Disdainefulnes, and shameles flatterie,
Meere vanitie, and naughtie ignorance,
Inconstancie, and changing with mischance,
Contempt of all religion, and devotion,
To godlie deeds na kinde of perfite motion.
Dissimulance, despite, disceat, dissention,
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Fraud, treasone, lies, dread, guile, sedition,
Great greedines, and prodigalitie,
Lusts sensuall, and partialitie,
Impudencie, adulterie, drunkinnes,
Delicacie, and slouthful idilnes,
Backbiting, lacking, mocking, mutenie,
Disdainefulnes, and shameles flatterie,
Meere vanitie, and naughtie ignorance,
Inconstancie, and changing with mischance,
Contempt of all religion, and devotion,
To godlie deeds na kinde of perfite motion.
These qualities in generall I say,
Into all courts are commoun everie day:
I neede not now sick properties apply,
Thou knawes our Scottish court als weill as I:
Our princes ay, as we haue heard and sein,
Thir mony yeares infortunat hes bein,
And if I sould not speike with flattring tung,
The greater part bot sluggishly hes rung,
Our Earles and Lords for their nobilitie.
How ignorant and inexpert they be,
Upon the priuie counsell mon be chused,
Or else the King and concill ar abused,
And if the Prince augment not ay their rents
Quhat is their mair: they will be mal-contents.
Into all courts are commoun everie day:
I neede not now sick properties apply,
Thou knawes our Scottish court als weill as I:
Our princes ay, as we haue heard and sein,
Thir mony yeares infortunat hes bein,
And if I sould not speike with flattring tung,
The greater part bot sluggishly hes rung,
Our Earles and Lords for their nobilitie.
How ignorant and inexpert they be,
Upon the priuie counsell mon be chused,
Or else the King and concill ar abused,
And if the Prince augment not ay their rents
Quhat is their mair: they will be mal-contents.
Quhat suld the court quhair vertue is neglected?
Quhair men of spreit sa litle ar respected?
Quhilk is to be lamented all the mair,
That few of learning suld take keip or cair,
As Cicero of Iulius Cæsar sayis
Euen in his time, gouernement, and dayis,
Quhilk easily excells all vther Kings,
In learning, spreit, and all scholasticke things.
Quhair men of spreit sa litle ar respected?
Quhilk is to be lamented all the mair,
That few of learning suld take keip or cair,
As Cicero of Iulius Cæsar sayis
Euen in his time, gouernement, and dayis,
Quhilk easily excells all vther Kings,
In learning, spreit, and all scholasticke things.
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Sum officers we se of naughtie braine,
Meere ignorants, proud, vicious, and vaine,
Of learning, wit, and vertue all denude,
Maist blockish men, rash, riotous, and rude:
And flattering fallowis oft ar mair regarded:
A lying slaue will rather be rewarded,
Nor they that dois with reasons rule conferre
Thair kinde of life, and actions, least they erre,
Nor men discreit, wise, vertous, and modest,
Of galland spreit, braue trew and worthie trest,
Quhilk far from hame ciuilitie hes sein,
And be their maners shawis quhair they haue bein:
Quhilk haue the word of God before their eyes,
And weill can serue but cannot princes pleis:
For sum with reason will not pleased be,
But that quhilk with their humour dois agree.
Hes thow not heard in oppin audience,
The purpos vaine, the feckles conference,
Th'informall reasons, and impertinent
Of courtiours: quhilks in accouttrement
War gorgious, maist glorious, yong and gay:
Bot in effect compare them weill I may
Till images, quhilks ar in temples set,
Decorde without, and all with gold ou'rfret,
With colors fine, and carued curiouslie,
The place where they are set to beautifie
Bot when they are remarked all and sum,
They are bot stocks and stains, bos, deid, and dum.
Meere ignorants, proud, vicious, and vaine,
Of learning, wit, and vertue all denude,
Maist blockish men, rash, riotous, and rude:
And flattering fallowis oft ar mair regarded:
A lying slaue will rather be rewarded,
Nor they that dois with reasons rule conferre
Thair kinde of life, and actions, least they erre,
Nor men discreit, wise, vertous, and modest,
Of galland spreit, braue trew and worthie trest,
Quhilk far from hame ciuilitie hes sein,
And be their maners shawis quhair they haue bein:
Quhilk haue the word of God before their eyes,
And weill can serue but cannot princes pleis:
For sum with reason will not pleased be,
But that quhilk with their humour dois agree.
Hes thow not heard in oppin audience,
The purpos vaine, the feckles conference,
Th'informall reasons, and impertinent
Of courtiours: quhilks in accouttrement
War gorgious, maist glorious, yong and gay:
Bot in effect compare them weill I may
Till images, quhilks ar in temples set,
Decorde without, and all with gold ou'rfret,
With colors fine, and carued curiouslie,
The place where they are set to beautifie
Bot when they are remarked all and sum,
They are bot stocks and stains, bos, deid, and dum.
Bot now the court I will not discommend,
I may it meane bot may it not amend.
I may it meane bot may it not amend.
As for offence of speach I nathing feare it,
For vpright men thereby are nathing deirit:
And sick as are with wickednes bewitched,
I sussie not how viuely they be tuitched.
For vpright men thereby are nathing deirit:
And sick as are with wickednes bewitched,
I sussie not how viuely they be tuitched.
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And if perhaps sum wald alleadge that I,
Haue this inuaid on malice and inuie,
As he whome in the court few did regarde,
And got na gaine thereby nor na reward,
I grant that may be trew, bot quhat of that?
I little gaine deserued, and les I gat:
Haue this inuaid on malice and inuie,
As he whome in the court few did regarde,
And got na gaine thereby nor na reward,
I grant that may be trew, bot quhat of that?
I little gaine deserued, and les I gat:
Bot men behald his hienes royall trine,
His palaces, and their apparrell fine,
Behalde his house, behald his yearely rent,
His seruants heir if they haue cause to plent,
Obserue this realme throughout from east to west,
From south to north, if any be opprest,
Quhilk iustice lacks, behald the common weill,
Then iudge if I be writer fals or leill.
His palaces, and their apparrell fine,
Behalde his house, behald his yearely rent,
His seruants heir if they haue cause to plent,
Obserue this realme throughout from east to west,
From south to north, if any be opprest,
Quhilk iustice lacks, behald the common weill,
Then iudge if I be writer fals or leill.
Bot sick as sould it mend, let them lament,
I hanted court to lang, and I repent.
I hanted court to lang, and I repent.
These cursed times, this wors nor irone age,
Where vertue lurks, where vice dois reigne and rage,
Where faith and loue, where friendship is neglected,
Contagiouslie with time hes me infected:
As vthers are, of force sa mon I be,
How can I do bot as men doo to me?
In bordels vile a virgine chaist and puir,
Becums with time a vile effronted huir:
A trew man taine with pirats on the sea,
Is forst to take a part of piracie.
Where vertue lurks, where vice dois reigne and rage,
Where faith and loue, where friendship is neglected,
Contagiouslie with time hes me infected:
As vthers are, of force sa mon I be,
How can I do bot as men doo to me?
In bordels vile a virgine chaist and puir,
Becums with time a vile effronted huir:
A trew man taine with pirats on the sea,
Is forst to take a part of piracie.
O sentence suthe: I say for to conclude,
“Ill companie corrupteth maners gud.”
Trew Damons part to play I wald me bind,
Bot Pythias kinde yet can I neuer find:
“Loue mutuall wald be, for all in vaine,
I fauour shaw, if nain I finde againe.”
My heart is stane within, and yron without,
With triple bras my breist is set about,
For when of strife, and great mischance I heare,
Of death, debate, they doo me little deare:
For vthers harme me tuitches not at all,
Swa I be free, quhat rak I what befall?
The line of loue almaist I haue forget it,
For why, think I, to nain I am addettit.
“Ill companie corrupteth maners gud.”
Trew Damons part to play I wald me bind,
Bot Pythias kinde yet can I neuer find:
“Loue mutuall wald be, for all in vaine,
I fauour shaw, if nain I finde againe.”
My heart is stane within, and yron without,
With triple bras my breist is set about,
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Of death, debate, they doo me little deare:
For vthers harme me tuitches not at all,
Swa I be free, quhat rak I what befall?
The line of loue almaist I haue forget it,
For why, think I, to nain I am addettit.
Not threttie times as ȝit the shining sun,
His carrier round and propre course hes run,
Sen nature first me buir to ioy his light,
And yet I wald (if iustly wish I might)
Dissolued be, renewed, and be with Christ,
Or flesh to fardar follie me intist:
I feare the warld, I dread allurements sair,
And strang assaults corrupt me mair and mair.
His carrier round and propre course hes run,
Sen nature first me buir to ioy his light,
And yet I wald (if iustly wish I might)
Dissolued be, renewed, and be with Christ,
Or flesh to fardar follie me intist:
I feare the warld, I dread allurements sair,
And strang assaults corrupt me mair and mair.
Let Sathan rage, let wickednes incres,
I thank my God I am not comfortles:
My comfort lo, my haill felicitie,
Consists in this, I may it shaw to thee:
To serue the Lord, and on his Christ repose,
To sing him praise, and in his heichts reiose,
And ay to haue my mind lift vp on hie,
Unto that place quhair all our ioy sall be:
My life and time I knaw it is sa short,
That heare to dwell I think it bot a sport:
I haue delight in heart maist to behald,
The pleasant works of God sa manifalde,
And to my minde great pleasour is indeede,
The nobill writs of learned men to reed:
As Chremes had, I haue ane humaine heart,
And takes of things humaine na little part,
Be word and writ my minde I make it plaine,
To fekfull friends, and they to me againe.
I thank my God I am not comfortles:
My comfort lo, my haill felicitie,
Consists in this, I may it shaw to thee:
To serue the Lord, and on his Christ repose,
To sing him praise, and in his heichts reiose,
And ay to haue my mind lift vp on hie,
Unto that place quhair all our ioy sall be:
My life and time I knaw it is sa short,
That heare to dwell I think it bot a sport:
I haue delight in heart maist to behald,
The pleasant works of God sa manifalde,
And to my minde great pleasour is indeede,
The nobill writs of learned men to reed:
As Chremes had, I haue ane humaine heart,
And takes of things humaine na little part,
Be word and writ my minde I make it plaine,
To fekfull friends, and they to me againe.
| The poems of Alexander Hume | |