The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount ... Edited by Douglas Hamer |
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TO THE PRENCIS. |
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 | The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount |  |
TO THE PRENCIS.
Imprudent Prencis, but discretioun,
Hauyng, in erth, power Imperiall,
Ȝe bene the cause of this Transgressioun:
I speik to ȝow all in to generall,
Quhilk doith dispone all office spirituall,
Geuand the saulis, quhilkis bene Chrystis scheip,
To blynd Pastouris but conscience, to keip.
Hauyng, in erth, power Imperiall,
Ȝe bene the cause of this Transgressioun:
I speik to ȝow all in to generall,
Quhilk doith dispone all office spirituall,
Geuand the saulis, quhilkis bene Chrystis scheip,
To blynd Pastouris but conscience, to keip.
Quhen ȝe, Prencis, doith laik ane officiar,
Ane Baxster, Browster, or ane maister Cuke,
Ane trym Tailȝeour, ane counnyng Cordonar,
Ouir all the land at lenth ȝe wyll gar luke
Most abyll men sic officis tyll bruke;
Ane Browster quhilk can brew moste hoilsum aill,
Ane cunnyng Cuke quhilk best can cessone caill,
Ane Baxster, Browster, or ane maister Cuke,
141
Ouir all the land at lenth ȝe wyll gar luke
Most abyll men sic officis tyll bruke;
Ane Browster quhilk can brew moste hoilsum aill,
Ane cunnyng Cuke quhilk best can cessone caill,
Ane Tailȝeour quhilk hes fosterit bene in france,
That can mak garmentis on the gayest gyse.
Ȝe Prencis bene the cause of this myschance,
That, quhen thare doith vaik ony benefyse,
Ȝe aucht tyll do apone the sammyn wyse,
Gar sears and seik, baith in to burgh and lande,
The law of God quho best can vnderstande.
That can mak garmentis on the gayest gyse.
Ȝe Prencis bene the cause of this myschance,
That, quhen thare doith vaik ony benefyse,
Ȝe aucht tyll do apone the sammyn wyse,
Gar sears and seik, baith in to burgh and lande,
The law of God quho best can vnderstande.
Mak hym Byschope that prudentlie can preche,
As dois pertene tyll his vocatioun;
Ane Persone quhilk his Parisone can teche.
Gar Uicaris mak dew Mynistratioun,
And als I mak ȝow supplycatioun,
Mak ȝour Abbotis of rycht Religious men,
Quhilk Christis law can to thare Conuent ken;
As dois pertene tyll his vocatioun;
Ane Persone quhilk his Parisone can teche.
Gar Uicaris mak dew Mynistratioun,
And als I mak ȝow supplycatioun,
Mak ȝour Abbotis of rycht Religious men,
Quhilk Christis law can to thare Conuent ken;
Bot not to rebaldis new cum frome the roste,
Nor of ane stuffat stollin out of ane stabyll,
The quhilk in to the scule maid neuer na coste,
Nor neuer was tyll Spirituall science abyll,
Except the cartis, the dyce, the ches, and tabyll,
Off Rome rakaris, nor of rude Ruffianis,
Off calsay Paikaris, nor of Publycanis,
Nor of ane stuffat stollin out of ane stabyll,
The quhilk in to the scule maid neuer na coste,
Nor neuer was tyll Spirituall science abyll,
Except the cartis, the dyce, the ches, and tabyll,
Off Rome rakaris, nor of rude Ruffianis,
Off calsay Paikaris, nor of Publycanis,
Nor to Fantastyke fenȝeit flatt[err]aris,
Most meit to gather mussillis in to Maye,
Off Cowhubeis, nor ȝit of clatterraris,
That in the kirk can nother sing nor saye,
Thocht thay be clokit vp in clerkis arraye,
Lyke doytit Doctoris new cum out of Athenis,
And mummyll ouer ane pair of maglit matenis.
Most meit to gather mussillis in to Maye,
Off Cowhubeis, nor ȝit of clatterraris,
That in the kirk can nother sing nor saye,
Thocht thay be clokit vp in clerkis arraye,
Lyke doytit Doctoris new cum out of Athenis,
And mummyll ouer ane pair of maglit matenis.
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Nocht qualyfeit to bruke ane benefyse,
Bot throuch schir Symonis solystatioun,
I was promouit on the sammyn wyse,
Allace, throuch Prencis supplycatioun,
And maid, in Rome, throuch fals narratioun,
Byschope, Abbote, bot no Religious man:
Quho me promouit I now thare banis ban.
Bot throuch schir Symonis solystatioun,
I was promouit on the sammyn wyse,
Allace, throuch Prencis supplycatioun,
And maid, in Rome, throuch fals narratioun,
Byschope, Abbote, bot no Religious man:
Quho me promouit I now thare banis ban.
Quhowbeit I was Legat and Cardinall,
Lytill I knew tharein quhat sulde be done;
I vnderstude no science spirituall,
No more than did blynd Alane of the mone.
I dreid the Kyng that syttith heych abone,
On ȝow Prencis sall mak sore punischement,
Rycht so, on ws, throuch rychteous Iugement:
Lytill I knew tharein quhat sulde be done;
I vnderstude no science spirituall,
No more than did blynd Alane of the mone.
I dreid the Kyng that syttith heych abone,
On ȝow Prencis sall mak sore punischement,
Rycht so, on ws, throuch rychteous Iugement:
On ȝow, Prencis, for vndescreit geuyng
Tyll Ignorantis, sic officis tyll vse;
And we, for our Inoportune askyng,
Quhilk sulde haue done sic dignitie refuse.
Our Ignorance hes done the warld abuse,
Throuch Couatyce of ryches and of rent.
That euer I was ane Prelate I repent.
Tyll Ignorantis, sic officis tyll vse;
And we, for our Inoportune askyng,
Quhilk sulde haue done sic dignitie refuse.
Our Ignorance hes done the warld abuse,
Throuch Couatyce of ryches and of rent.
That euer I was ane Prelate I repent.
O Kyngis, mak ȝe no cair to geue, in cure,
Uirginis profest in to Religioun,
In tyll the keipyng of ane commoun hure?
To mak, thynk ȝe nocht gret diresioun,
Ane woman Persone of ane parisoun,
Quhare thare bene two thousand saulis to gyde,
That frome Harlots can not hir hyppis hyde?
Uirginis profest in to Religioun,
In tyll the keipyng of ane commoun hure?
To mak, thynk ȝe nocht gret diresioun,
Ane woman Persone of ane parisoun,
Quhare thare bene two thousand saulis to gyde,
That frome Harlots can not hir hyppis hyde?
Quhat and Kyng Dauid leuit in thir dayis,
Or out of heuin quhat and he lukit down,
The quhilk did found so mony fair Abbayis.
Seand the gret Abhominatioun
In mony abayis of this Natioun,
He wald repent, that Narrowit so his boundis
Off ȝeirly rent thre score of thousand poundis.
Or out of heuin quhat and he lukit down,
The quhilk did found so mony fair Abbayis.
Seand the gret Abhominatioun
In mony abayis of this Natioun,
He wald repent, that Narrowit so his boundis
Off ȝeirly rent thre score of thousand poundis.
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Quharefor I counsayle eueryilk christinit kyng
With in his realme mak Reformatioun,
And suffer no mo Rebaldis for to ryng
Abufe Christis trew Congregatioun:
Failȝeying thareof, I mak Narratioun
That ȝe Prencis and Prelatis, all at onis,
Sall bureit be in hell, Saule, blude, and bonis.
With in his realme mak Reformatioun,
And suffer no mo Rebaldis for to ryng
Abufe Christis trew Congregatioun:
Failȝeying thareof, I mak Narratioun
That ȝe Prencis and Prelatis, all at onis,
Sall bureit be in hell, Saule, blude, and bonis.
That euer I brukit Benefice I rew,
Or to sic hycht so proudely did pretend.
I man depart: tharefor, my freinds, adew;
Quhare euer it plesith God, now man I wend.
I praye the tyll my freindis me Recommend,
And failȝe nocht at lenth to put in wryte
My Tragedie, as I haue done Indyte.
Or to sic hycht so proudely did pretend.
I man depart: tharefor, my freinds, adew;
Quhare euer it plesith God, now man I wend.
I praye the tyll my freindis me Recommend,
And failȝe nocht at lenth to put in wryte
My Tragedie, as I haue done Indyte.
| The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount | |