 | The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount |  |
397
VNTO THE GODLIE AND CHRISTIANE REIDAR, HENRIE CHARTERIS WISCHIS GRACE,
AND PEICE FROM IESUS CHRIST OUR SALUIOUR, WITH THE PERPETUALL ASSISTENCE OF HIS HALIE SPIRITE.
403
ANE ADHORTATIOUN OF ALL ESTATIS, TO THE REIDING OF THIR PRESENT WARKIS.
Sen that it is maist worthie for to be
Lamentit, of euerilk warldlie wicht
To se the warkis of plesant Poetrie
To ly sa hid, and sylit from the sicht
Of those in hart quha dois reiois aricht,
In Uulgar toung for to behald and heir
Uertew and vyce disclosit, and brocht to licht,
In thair richt collouris planelie to appeir.
Lamentit, of euerilk warldlie wicht
To se the warkis of plesant Poetrie
To ly sa hid, and sylit from the sicht
Of those in hart quha dois reiois aricht,
In Uulgar toung for to behald and heir
Uertew and vyce disclosit, and brocht to licht,
In thair richt collouris planelie to appeir.
404
Thairfoir (gude Reidar) haif I trauell tane,
Intill ane volume now breiflie for to bring
Of Dauid Lyndesay, the haill warkis ilk ane,
Knicht of the Mont, Lyoun, of A[r]mis King,
Quha in our dayis now did laitlie Ring,
Quhais pregnant practick, and quhais ornate style,
To be commendit be me, neidis na thing:
Lat warkis beir witnes, quhilkis he hes done compyle.
Intill ane volume now breiflie for to bring
Of Dauid Lyndesay, the haill warkis ilk ane,
Knicht of the Mont, Lyoun, of A[r]mis King,
Quha in our dayis now did laitlie Ring,
Quhais pregnant practick, and quhais ornate style,
To be commendit be me, neidis na thing:
Lat warkis beir witnes, quhilkis he hes done compyle.
Thocht Gawine Dowglas, Bischop of Dunkell,
In ornate meter surmount did euerilk man;
Thocht Kennedie, and Dunbar bure the bell
For the large race of Rethorik thay ran:
ȝit neuer Poeit of our Scottische clan,
Sa cleirlie schew that Monstour with his markis,
The Romane God, in quhome all gyle began:
As dois gude Dauid Lyndesay in his warkis.
In ornate meter surmount did euerilk man;
Thocht Kennedie, and Dunbar bure the bell
For the large race of Rethorik thay ran:
ȝit neuer Poeit of our Scottische clan,
Sa cleirlie schew that Monstour with his markis,
The Romane God, in quhome all gyle began:
As dois gude Dauid Lyndesay in his warkis.
Quhairin na stait he spairit, bot stoutlie schew thame,
How thay baith God and man had sore offendit:
With fleschehukis of flatterie he neuer clew thame;
Of quhat degre sa euer thay discendit,
Thair auld misdeid he prayit thame ay to mend it,
Empriour, nor King, Duke, Erle, Prince, nor Paip,
Gif thay to quell Christis flock ȝit still pretendit:
Goddis Iust Iugementis na way suld thay eschaip.
How thay baith God and man had sore offendit:
With fleschehukis of flatterie he neuer clew thame;
Of quhat degre sa euer thay discendit,
Thair auld misdeid he prayit thame ay to mend it,
Empriour, nor King, Duke, Erle, Prince, nor Paip,
Gif thay to quell Christis flock ȝit still pretendit:
Goddis Iust Iugementis na way suld thay eschaip.
With prettie problemis, and sentences maist sage,
With plesand prouerbis in his warkis all quhair,
With staitlie storyis aggreing to our age,
With similitudis semelie he dois declair,
With weil waillit wordis, wyse, and familiar,
Of queynt conuoy, this ioyous gem Iocound,
Intill his bukis to speik he did nocht spair
Aganis all vyce, ay quhair it did abound
With plesand prouerbis in his warkis all quhair,
With staitlie storyis aggreing to our age,
With similitudis semelie he dois declair,
With weil waillit wordis, wyse, and familiar,
Of queynt conuoy, this ioyous gem Iocound,
Intill his bukis to speik he did nocht spair
Aganis all vyce, ay quhair it did abound
Princes approche: cum Rewlaris in ane Randoun:
Reid heir ȝe Lordis of the meyner menȝe,
The end of hicht; ȝour pryde lerne to abandoun.
Cum, schameles schauelingis of Sathanis senȝe,
Rynnand in vyce, ay still with oppin renȝe;
Of proud Prelatis reid heir the suddane fall,
Quha for to stoup ȝit did neuer denȝe,
Under the ȝock of him that creat all.
Reid heir ȝe Lordis of the meyner menȝe,
The end of hicht; ȝour pryde lerne to abandoun.
Cum, schameles schauelingis of Sathanis senȝe,
Rynnand in vyce, ay still with oppin renȝe;
Of proud Prelatis reid heir the suddane fall,
Quha for to stoup ȝit did neuer denȝe,
Under the ȝock of him that creat all.
Cum teynefull tyrannis, trimmilling with ȝour trayne!
Cum nouchtie Newtrallis with ȝour bailfull band!
Ȝe haif ane cloik now reddy for the rayne:
For fair wether, ane vther ay at hand.
Idolateris draw neir to Burgh and land,
Reid heir ȝour lyfe at large, baith mair and min,
With Hypocrites ay slyding as the sand,
As humloik how of wit, and vertew thin
Cum nouchtie Newtrallis with ȝour bailfull band!
Ȝe haif ane cloik now reddy for the rayne:
For fair wether, ane vther ay at hand.
Idolateris draw neir to Burgh and land,
Reid heir ȝour lyfe at large, baith mair and min,
With Hypocrites ay slyding as the sand,
As humloik how of wit, and vertew thin
Oppressouris of the pure, cum in till pairis:
Flattera[r]is flok fordwart! for I [haif] hard tell,
Ȝe had ane saw richt sicker for all sairis.
Lawieris, and Scrybis, quha hes ȝour saulis to sell:
Craftismen, and Merchandis, gif [yat] ȝe do mell
With fraud or falset, than I ȝow desyre,
Reid in this buke, the speiche gif ȝe can spell,
Quhat Iust reward ȝe sall haif for ȝour hyre.
Flattera[r]is flok fordwart! for I [haif] hard tell,
Ȝe had ane saw richt sicker for all sairis.
Lawieris, and Scrybis, quha hes ȝour saulis to sell:
405
With fraud or falset, than I ȝow desyre,
Reid in this buke, the speiche gif ȝe can spell,
Quhat Iust reward ȝe sall haif for ȝour hyre.
Amang the rest, now Courteouris cum hidder.
Thocht ȝe be skeich, and skip abone the skyis,
Ȝit constantlie I pray ȝow to considder,
In to this scrow, quhat Lyndesay to ȝow cryis.
Cum all degreis, in Lurdanerie quha lyis,
And fane wald se of sin the feirfull fyne:
And lerne in vertew how for to vpryis.
Reid heir this buke, and ȝe sall find it syne.
Thocht ȝe be skeich, and skip abone the skyis,
Ȝit constantlie I pray ȝow to considder,
In to this scrow, quhat Lyndesay to ȝow cryis.
Cum all degreis, in Lurdanerie quha lyis,
And fane wald se of sin the feirfull fyne:
And lerne in vertew how for to vpryis.
Reid heir this buke, and ȝe sall find it syne.
With Scripture and with storyis naturall,
Richelie replenischit from end to end,
In till this buke, quha list to reid, thay sall
Find mony lessoun largelie to commend;
The braid difference quhairin weill may be kend
Betwene verteous and vicious leuing.
Lat vs thairfoir our lyfe in vertew spend,
Sen vyce of mankynd is the haill mischeuing.
Richelie replenischit from end to end,
In till this buke, quha list to reid, thay sall
Find mony lessoun largelie to commend;
The braid difference quhairin weill may be kend
Betwene verteous and vicious leuing.
Lat vs thairfoir our lyfe in vertew spend,
Sen vyce of mankynd is the haill mischeuing.
Lat Lyndesay now as he war ȝit on lyif,
Pas furth to lycht, with all his sentence hie:
Unto all men thair dewtie to descryue
Quhairin thay may ane lyuelie Image se,
Of his expressit mynd in Poetrie,
Prentit, as he it publischit with his pen:
That him self speik, I think it best for me;
Gif gloir to God, quhilk gaif sic Giftis to men.
Pas furth to lycht, with all his sentence hie:
Unto all men thair dewtie to descryue
Quhairin thay may ane lyuelie Image se,
Of his expressit mynd in Poetrie,
Prentit, as he it publischit with his pen:
That him self speik, I think it best for me;
Gif gloir to God, quhilk gaif sic Giftis to men.
FINIS.
| The Works of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount | |