 | The Promine |  |
270
The Epistill.
O reuerend Rois, and maist redowtit Roy,
O peirles Prince, and Perll superlatiue;
Our hope, our helth, our help, and warldlie Joy,
Comfort to Scotland Indefinitiue:
Cleir lamp of licht aboue all that dois liue;
Patrone of prudence, precious and perfite;
Gem of Ingine, to quhome God lykis to giue
Gracis far ma nor I can think or write.
O peirles Prince, and Perll superlatiue;
Our hope, our helth, our help, and warldlie Joy,
Comfort to Scotland Indefinitiue:
Cleir lamp of licht aboue all that dois liue;
Patrone of prudence, precious and perfite;
Gem of Ingine, to quhome God lykis to giue
Gracis far ma nor I can think or write.
Thocht ouir all quhair thy famous louing springis
In reputatioun and greit reuerence;
Thocht thy renoun out throch al Europe ringis,
As flowand fountane full of sapience,
To offer this ȝit to thine Excellence,
For feir of fault, I wald haue bene effrayit,
Gif I had not be sure experience
Thy gracious gudenes prouin and assayit.
In reputatioun and greit reuerence;
Thocht thy renoun out throch al Europe ringis,
As flowand fountane full of sapience,
To offer this ȝit to thine Excellence,
For feir of fault, I wald haue bene effrayit,
Gif I had not be sure experience
Thy gracious gudenes prouin and assayit.
For this respect, maist cūning courtes King,
As I desire and wischis eirnestlie
To pleis and serue ȝour grace in euerie thing,
Swa I beseik ȝour mightie Maiestie,
For to accept this mater, made be me
To glaid ȝour grace, conforme to Intentioun
Of Clerkis commending, mirth with honestie,
As Comedeis, and sic uther Inuentioun.
As I desire and wischis eirnestlie
To pleis and serue ȝour grace in euerie thing,
Swa I beseik ȝour mightie Maiestie,
For to accept this mater, made be me
To glaid ȝour grace, conforme to Intentioun
Of Clerkis commending, mirth with honestie,
As Comedeis, and sic uther Inuentioun.
271
Schir, reid thairfoir, and mak me to reiois;
I hecht ȝour hienes helping Goddis grace,
That I sall pen sum Poetrie or prois,
Mair profitabill, gif I get time and space:
And sen ȝour wit all verteweis dois Imbrace,
Schortlie I sweir, bot gif ȝour grace allow it,
That I sall curs my cairfull catiue cace,
Sine quite this quair, and neuer sall awow it.
I hecht ȝour hienes helping Goddis grace,
That I sall pen sum Poetrie or prois,
Mair profitabill, gif I get time and space:
And sen ȝour wit all verteweis dois Imbrace,
Schortlie I sweir, bot gif ȝour grace allow it,
That I sall curs my cairfull catiue cace,
Sine quite this quair, and neuer sall awow it.
To tak this peice in proper patronage,
ȝour Prencelie prudence will me not deny;
Than gif thay speir, the Author to alledge
Quha wrait the veirs, I sall say it was I;
And sall not fussie men geuin to Inuy,
Bot quhen thay lak, or lauchis at my letter,
Bauldlie sall say in geuing the defy,
Upon the subiect se quha can do better.
ȝour Prencelie prudence will me not deny;
Than gif thay speir, the Author to alledge
Quha wrait the veirs, I sall say it was I;
And sall not fussie men geuin to Inuy,
Bot quhen thay lak, or lauchis at my letter,
Bauldlie sall say in geuing the defy,
Upon the subiect se quha can do better.
Finis.
ȝour Graces humbill seruand to command,
I P. H. with faithful hart and hand.
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