Poems of Alexander Montgomerie And Other Pieces from Laing MS. No. 447: Supplementary Volume: Edited with Introduction, Appendices, Notes, and Glossary by George Stevenson |
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THE SECUND INVECTIVE. |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
 | Poems of Alexander Montgomerie |  |
150
THE SECUND INVECTIVE.
Vyld venymous vipper, wanthreivinest of thingis,
Half ane elph, half ane aip, of nature denyit,
Thow flyttis and þow freittis, þow fartis and þow flingis;
Bot this bargane, vnbeist, deir sall þow by it.
“The kuif is weill wairit þat twa home bringis,”
This proverb, peild pellet, to þe is applyit:
Sprung speidder of spyt, thow spewis furt[h] springis;
Wanschaippin wowbat, of þe weirdis Invyit,
I can schaw how, quhair, and quhat begate the;
Quhilk wes nather man nor wyf,
Nor humane creature on lyf;
Fals stinkand steirar vp of stryf,
Hurkland howlat, have at the!
Half ane elph, half ane aip, of nature denyit,
Thow flyttis and þow freittis, þow fartis and þow flingis;
Bot this bargane, vnbeist, deir sall þow by it.
“The kuif is weill wairit þat twa home bringis,”
This proverb, peild pellet, to þe is applyit:
Sprung speidder of spyt, thow spewis furt[h] springis;
Wanschaippin wowbat, of þe weirdis Invyit,
I can schaw how, quhair, and quhat begate the;
Quhilk wes nather man nor wyf,
Nor humane creature on lyf;
Fals stinkand steirar vp of stryf,
Hurkland howlat, have at the!
Into the hinderend of harvest, on ane alhallow evin,
quhen our goode nichtbouris ryddis, if I reid richt,
sum buklit on ane bwnwyd, and sum on ane bene,
ay trippand in trowpis fra the twie-licht;
sum saidlit ane scho aip all grathit into grene,
sum hobling on hempstaikis, hovand on hicht.
the king of pharie, with þe court of the elph quene,
with mony alrege incubus, ryddand that nicht.
Thair ane elph, and ane aip, ane vnsell begate,
In ane peitpot, by powmathrone;
That brachart in ane buss wes borne;
They fand ane monstour on the morne,
War facit nor ane cat.
quhen our goode nichtbouris ryddis, if I reid richt,
sum buklit on ane bwnwyd, and sum on ane bene,
ay trippand in trowpis fra the twie-licht;
sum saidlit ane scho aip all grathit into grene,
sum hobling on hempstaikis, hovand on hicht.
the king of pharie, with þe court of the elph quene,
with mony alrege incubus, ryddand that nicht.
Thair ane elph, and ane aip, ane vnsell begate,
In ane peitpot, by powmathrone;
That brachart in ane buss wes borne;
They fand ane monstour on the morne,
War facit nor ane cat.
The wird sisteris wandering, as they wer wont than,
Saw revinis ruge at þis rat be ane rone-ruite.
They musit at þis mandrak mismaid lyk ane man;
Ane beist bund with ane bunwyd in ane auld bute.
How this ghaist haid bene gottin, to ges they begane,
Swir sweillit in ane swyneskin and smeirit our with sute;
The bellie that it buir they bitterlie ban.
Of that mismaid mowdywart, mischeif they mwte.
That cankerit camscheocht, vncristnit, they curss;
And baid þat it suld nevir be but
The glengoir, gravell, & þe gut,
And all þe plaigis þat euir wes put
In pandorus poysonit purs.
Saw revinis ruge at þis rat be ane rone-ruite.
They musit at þis mandrak mismaid lyk ane man;
Ane beist bund with ane bunwyd in ane auld bute.
152
Swir sweillit in ane swyneskin and smeirit our with sute;
The bellie that it buir they bitterlie ban.
Of that mismaid mowdywart, mischeif they mwte.
That cankerit camscheocht, vncristnit, they curss;
And baid þat it suld nevir be but
The glengoir, gravell, & þe gut,
And all þe plaigis þat euir wes put
In pandorus poysonit purs.
“The coche, þe connoche, the collik, and þe cauld,
The coirdis, þe colt evill, þe claspis, and the cleikis,
The hunger, þe hart euill, þe hoist, mot þe hauld;
The boche, and þe barbillis, and þe cannogait breikis,
The ringbane, the banescheven, on thy sprung spauld,
The feirsie, þe falling evill, that fellis mony freikis,
Ourgane with angilberreis, as thow growis auld,
The choikis, the charbunkill, with þe wormis in thy cheikis,
The snuf, þe snoir, þe scheippisch, the schanker,
With the bleid[s] and bellithrow,
thy bytting battis, the baneschaw,
the mischeif on thy melt & maw,
The scabbis, and þe canker.
The coirdis, þe colt evill, þe claspis, and the cleikis,
The hunger, þe hart euill, þe hoist, mot þe hauld;
The boche, and þe barbillis, and þe cannogait breikis,
The ringbane, the banescheven, on thy sprung spauld,
The feirsie, þe falling evill, that fellis mony freikis,
Ourgane with angilberreis, as thow growis auld,
The choikis, the charbunkill, with þe wormis in thy cheikis,
The snuf, þe snoir, þe scheippisch, the schanker,
With the bleid[s] and bellithrow,
thy bytting battis, the baneschaw,
the mischeif on thy melt & maw,
The scabbis, and þe canker.
“The frenesie, the fluikis, the fykis, and þe felt,
The feveris, the totteris, with the spenȝie fleis,
The doyt, and the dysmell, indifferentlie delt,
the pelodie, the palsie, þe poikis lyk peis,
the [s]neising, the snytting, with swaming to swelt,
the wandevill, þe wildfyre, þe womeit, þe weis,
þe mair, the migram, þe mureill, þe melt,
the warbillis, þe wood-worme, that doggis of deis,
The phtiseik, þe twithȝaik, þe tittis, and þe tirrillis,
The panefull poplasie, the pest,
The rottin roup, þe auld rest,
with paines and parlasie opprest,
And nippit with þe nirrilis.
The feveris, the totteris, with the spenȝie fleis,
The doyt, and the dysmell, indifferentlie delt,
the pelodie, the palsie, þe poikis lyk peis,
the [s]neising, the snytting, with swaming to swelt,
the wandevill, þe wildfyre, þe womeit, þe weis,
þe mair, the migram, þe mureill, þe melt,
the warbillis, þe wood-worme, that doggis of deis,
The phtiseik, þe twithȝaik, þe tittis, and þe tirrillis,
154
The rottin roup, þe auld rest,
with paines and parlasie opprest,
And nippit with þe nirrilis.
“The bruik, þe byllis, with blisteris and blainis,
baith beld and bleirit, brokin bakit, staneblind,
wirriand on wind flaiffis, and windie wainis,
the hoikis in þi choikis, hakkit heillis ay behind,
Thy swyne poikis, þe poistrume, and, pisching with pane,
Hydropasie, herschaw, and hyves, sall the bind.
The skunnering cattaris and hartskaid remanis,
baith kruikit and crampit, and chitterrit to the chin,
the stayne and þe stu[r]die, the stane and þe sturdie,
Lipper lispane of the lidder ill,
of dubbis & dreggis to drink thy fill;
no wyf will wische the worss with hir will,
for þow art not wurdie.
baith beld and bleirit, brokin bakit, staneblind,
wirriand on wind flaiffis, and windie wainis,
the hoikis in þi choikis, hakkit heillis ay behind,
Thy swyne poikis, þe poistrume, and, pisching with pane,
Hydropasie, herschaw, and hyves, sall the bind.
The skunnering cattaris and hartskaid remanis,
baith kruikit and crampit, and chitterrit to the chin,
the stayne and þe stu[r]die, the stane and þe sturdie,
Lipper lispane of the lidder ill,
of dubbis & dreggis to drink thy fill;
no wyf will wische the worss with hir will,
for þow art not wurdie.
“The messillis, the mwillis, þe mallange mak þe mantane,
The fumyng, þe flewme, þe foothing, the flame,
The gelling, þe gulsocht, þe gall-hauld, þe gauntane,
The stane worme, þe ringworme, not slaiking of swame,
The wirsome, þe wraittis, not wormis be thow wantane,
The pluirasie, þe pluckeuill, ay dwynand in ane dwame,
Hoikis hoillis in thy heillis, with the fyre of St Antane,
The louslie phirasie, the tarrie vncame,
Ay ryvand of ane reif of venymeous water,
The lymphat, lunscheocht lithargie,
The aikand aixis extasie,
Desyrand daylie for to die,
Bot nevir the better.
The fumyng, þe flewme, þe foothing, the flame,
The gelling, þe gulsocht, þe gall-hauld, þe gauntane,
The stane worme, þe ringworme, not slaiking of swame,
The wirsome, þe wraittis, not wormis be thow wantane,
The pluirasie, þe pluckeuill, ay dwynand in ane dwame,
Hoikis hoillis in thy heillis, with the fyre of St Antane,
The louslie phirasie, the tarrie vncame,
Ay ryvand of ane reif of venymeous water,
The lymphat, lunscheocht lithargie,
The aikand aixis extasie,
Desyrand daylie for to die,
Bot nevir the better.
156
“Wo worth,” quod þe weirdis, “the wicht[is] that the wrocht!
Threid bair be thair thrift as thow art vanthrewin!
Als hard be thair hansell þat helpis þe [to] ocht!
The rottin rim of thy womb with ruikis salbe revin;
All boundis, quhair þow byddis, to baill salbe brocht;
Thy gall and thy gwissorne to þe glaidis salbe gevin;
Ay schort be thy sollace; with schame be [þou] socht:
In hell mot þow hawnt, and hyd the from heavin;
And ay as þow growis auld, So eik in [thy] anger,
To live with lymmeris and outlawis,
With hurcheonis, aittand hipis & hawis;
Bot quhen þow cumes quhair þe cok crawis,
Tarie no langer.
Threid bair be thair thrift as thow art vanthrewin!
Als hard be thair hansell þat helpis þe [to] ocht!
The rottin rim of thy womb with ruikis salbe revin;
All boundis, quhair þow byddis, to baill salbe brocht;
Thy gall and thy gwissorne to þe glaidis salbe gevin;
Ay schort be thy sollace; with schame be [þou] socht:
In hell mot þow hawnt, and hyd the from heavin;
And ay as þow growis auld, So eik in [thy] anger,
To live with lymmeris and outlawis,
With hurcheonis, aittand hipis & hawis;
Bot quhen þow cumes quhair þe cok crawis,
Tarie no langer.
“Botht schame and sorrow on hir snowt that sufferis the to sowk;
Or scho þat cairis for thy creidill, cauld be hir cast;
Or bringis onie bedding for thy blae bowk;
Or lowsis af thy ludȝeotis so long as they lest;
Or offerris the ony thing all the lang oulk;
Or first refreschis þe with fuide, albeit þow suld fast;
Or quhen thy duddis ar bedirtin, þat givis thame ane dowk;
A[l]s gromes, quhair thow grainis, at thy gruntill be agast;
Als freamit be thy fortoune, As foule is thy forme.
First, sewin ȝeir, be thow dum and deif;
And eftir that, a commoun theif:
Thow art markit for a meischeif,
Foule vnworthie worme!
Or scho þat cairis for thy creidill, cauld be hir cast;
Or bringis onie bedding for thy blae bowk;
Or lowsis af thy ludȝeotis so long as they lest;
Or offerris the ony thing all the lang oulk;
Or first refreschis þe with fuide, albeit þow suld fast;
Or quhen thy duddis ar bedirtin, þat givis thame ane dowk;
A[l]s gromes, quhair thow grainis, at thy gruntill be agast;
Als freamit be thy fortoune, As foule is thy forme.
First, sewin ȝeir, be thow dum and deif;
And eftir that, a commoun theif:
Thow art markit for a meischeif,
Foule vnworthie worme!
“Vntrowit be thy tounge, ȝit tratling all tymes.
Ay fals be thy fingeris, bot laith to confess.
All cuntreis quhair thow cwmes accuse þe of crymes;
Ay þe langer that thow live thy luk be the less.
Ȝit still be þow reivand, bot rude of thy rymes.
All ill be þow vsand, and ay in excess.
Ilk moone be þow mad, fra past be the pryme[s];
Syne plaigit with povertie, thy pryde to oppres.
With wolfis and wilcattis thy weird be to wander;
Draiglit throw dirtie dubbis and dykis;
Taigilt and towsilt with toun tykis.
Say, lowsie lowne, quhat evir þow lykis;
Thy tounge is no sclander.”
Ay fals be thy fingeris, bot laith to confess.
All cuntreis quhair thow cwmes accuse þe of crymes;
Ay þe langer that thow live thy luk be the less.
158
All ill be þow vsand, and ay in excess.
Ilk moone be þow mad, fra past be the pryme[s];
Syne plaigit with povertie, thy pryde to oppres.
With wolfis and wilcattis thy weird be to wander;
Draiglit throw dirtie dubbis and dykis;
Taigilt and towsilt with toun tykis.
Say, lowsie lowne, quhat evir þow lykis;
Thy tounge is no sclander.”
Fra þe weird sisteris saw the schaip of that schit,
“Littill luk be thy lot,” quod they, “quhair þow lyis.”
“Thy fowmart face,” quod þe first, “to flyt salbe fit.”
“Nikniven,” quod þe nixt, “sall nureische þe thryse;
To ryde post in Elphin none abiller nor it.”
“To dryve doggis furth to dryt,” þe third did devyse:
“All they dayis sall þow be of thy bodie bot a bit.
As suche as þow seames, als scharp be thy syse.”
Then dewlie they deimit, quhat deid it suld die.
The first said, “suirlie of a schot”;
The nixt said, “In a rynnand knot”;
The thrid, “be thrawing of þe throt,
Lyk a tyk on a trie.”
“Littill luk be thy lot,” quod they, “quhair þow lyis.”
“Thy fowmart face,” quod þe first, “to flyt salbe fit.”
“Nikniven,” quod þe nixt, “sall nureische þe thryse;
To ryde post in Elphin none abiller nor it.”
“To dryve doggis furth to dryt,” þe third did devyse:
“All they dayis sall þow be of thy bodie bot a bit.
As suche as þow seames, als scharp be thy syse.”
Then dewlie they deimit, quhat deid it suld die.
The first said, “suirlie of a schot”;
The nixt said, “In a rynnand knot”;
The thrid, “be thrawing of þe throt,
Lyk a tyk on a trie.”
The[n] wilfullie voitit the weirdis in ane voce,
The deid of þat daiblet, and then they withdrew;
To let it ly þair allone, they thocht littill lose,
In ane den be ane dyksyde, or the day dew.
Thair a cleir cumpany cum eftir close,
Nickniven with hir nymphis, in nomber anew,
With chairmes from cathnes and chanrie of Ross,
Quhais cwnning consistis in casting a clew;
Sein þat same thing they said to þameself:
“This maikles monstour is meit for ws,
And for our craft commodious;
Ane vglie aip and incubus,
And gottin of Elf.”
The deid of þat daiblet, and then they withdrew;
To let it ly þair allone, they thocht littill lose,
In ane den be ane dyksyde, or the day dew.
Thair a cleir cumpany cum eftir close,
Nickniven with hir nymphis, in nomber anew,
With chairmes from cathnes and chanrie of Ross,
Quhais cwnning consistis in casting a clew;
Sein þat same thing they said to þameself:
160
And for our craft commodious;
Ane vglie aip and incubus,
And gottin of Elf.”
Thir venerabill virginis quhome ȝe wald call wiches,
In tyme of thair triumph, they tirlt me that taid;
Sum bakward on broidswis, & sum on blak bicheis,
Sum, in steid of ane staig, over ane stark munk straid.
From the heavinis to the hellis, sum hobbillis, sum hichis;
With þair mowthis to þe moone, sick murgeonis they maid.
Sum, be force, & effect, the four windis fichis;
And, nyne tymes, wirdersones, about the thorne raid;
And glowrand to þe ground grivouslie gaipis,
By craft coniurand feyndis by force.
Furth of ane carne, bysyde ane croce,
Thir ladyis licht fra thair horss,
And band þame with raipis.
In tyme of thair triumph, they tirlt me that taid;
Sum bakward on broidswis, & sum on blak bicheis,
Sum, in steid of ane staig, over ane stark munk straid.
From the heavinis to the hellis, sum hobbillis, sum hichis;
With þair mowthis to þe moone, sick murgeonis they maid.
Sum, be force, & effect, the four windis fichis;
And, nyne tymes, wirdersones, about the thorne raid;
And glowrand to þe ground grivouslie gaipis,
By craft coniurand feyndis by force.
Furth of ane carne, bysyde ane croce,
Thir ladyis licht fra thair horss,
And band þame with raipis.
Syne bairfute and bair ledgit, to bapteiss that barne,
To ane well went thy west, by ane wood syde;
They saw the schit all beschyttin and soipit in charne.
On ane thre headit hecate in haist þair they cryit:
“As we have fund in this feild this fundlin forfarne,
First, his faith he forsaikis, in the feynd to confyde,
Be vertew of thir wordis & of this raw ȝarne,
And thryse thre and threttie knottis on ane blew threed;
And of deid menis memberis, weill schewit in ane schoe,
Quhilk we have band from top and tae,
Ewin of ane hundreth men and mae:
Now grant ws, devillis, ere ve gae
Our dewtie to doe.
To ane well went thy west, by ane wood syde;
They saw the schit all beschyttin and soipit in charne.
On ane thre headit hecate in haist þair they cryit:
“As we have fund in this feild this fundlin forfarne,
First, his faith he forsaikis, in the feynd to confyde,
Be vertew of thir wordis & of this raw ȝarne,
And thryse thre and threttie knottis on ane blew threed;
And of deid menis memberis, weill schewit in ane schoe,
Quhilk we have band from top and tae,
Ewin of ane hundreth men and mae:
Now grant ws, devillis, ere ve gae
Our dewtie to doe.
162
“Be þe moving of þe mone, mapamone, & þe kingis ell,
Be phlegitoun, the sevin starnis, and þe Chairlvane,
Be the hicht of þe heavin, and lawnes of hell,
Be all the brether of belliallis buird in ane band,
Be the pollis, þe planeittis, and singis all tuell,
Be þe michtis of þe moone—lat mirknes remane,—
Be the elementis [all] that our craft can compell,
Be the floodis Infernall, and fureis of pane,
Be all the ghaistis of our gang, that dwellis þair doun,
In signe of stikis, that stinking strand,
And pluto, that our court command,
Resave this harlot of our hand,
In name of Mahoun.
Be phlegitoun, the sevin starnis, and þe Chairlvane,
Be the hicht of þe heavin, and lawnes of hell,
Be all the brether of belliallis buird in ane band,
Be the pollis, þe planeittis, and singis all tuell,
Be þe michtis of þe moone—lat mirknes remane,—
Be the elementis [all] that our craft can compell,
Be the floodis Infernall, and fureis of pane,
Be all the ghaistis of our gang, that dwellis þair doun,
In signe of stikis, that stinking strand,
And pluto, that our court command,
Resave this harlot of our hand,
In name of Mahoun.
“That this worme, in our wark, sick wonder can wirk;
And, throw poysoun of þis poyd, our practic prevaillis
To cut of our cwmmer to cum to the kirk,
For the half of our help I hauld heir is haill.
Let nevir þis vndoche of evill doing Irk,
All boundis quhair it bydis may brocht be to baill.
Of bliss let it be als bair as þe birk,
That tittest þat taidrell may tell ane ill taill:
Let no wo in þis warld to þis wrache be wantit.”
Be they haid said, the fyre flauch flew;
Bothe thunder, weit, and windis blew;
Quhair be the cwming cummeris knew
Thair asking wes grantit.
And, throw poysoun of þis poyd, our practic prevaillis
To cut of our cwmmer to cum to the kirk,
For the half of our help I hauld heir is haill.
Let nevir þis vndoche of evill doing Irk,
All boundis quhair it bydis may brocht be to baill.
Of bliss let it be als bair as þe birk,
That tittest þat taidrell may tell ane ill taill:
Let no wo in þis warld to þis wrache be wantit.”
Be they haid said, the fyre flauch flew;
Bothe thunder, weit, and windis blew;
Quhair be the cwming cummeris knew
Thair asking wes grantit.
Quhen þe cummeris that crab with pluto contractit,
They promeist, as parentis, [syne,] for thair awin pairt,
Ane mother of mischeif, an they micht mak it,
Ane Imp of all ill most meit for þair airt.
Nikniven, as nwrische, to teich it, gart tak it,
To saill the see in a sive, bot compas or cairt;
And milk of ane harin tedder, that wyfis suld be wrakit,
And þe kow give ane choppin wes wont give a quart;
That bairnis suld bane baith bloode & banis,
Quhen they haue neither milk nor meill;
Compellit be hunger for to steill,
Then sall they give him to the deill,
Ofter nor anes.
They promeist, as parentis, [syne,] for thair awin pairt,
Ane mother of mischeif, an they micht mak it,
Ane Imp of all ill most meit for þair airt.
164
To saill the see in a sive, bot compas or cairt;
And milk of ane harin tedder, that wyfis suld be wrakit,
And þe kow give ane choppin wes wont give a quart;
That bairnis suld bane baith bloode & banis,
Quhen they haue neither milk nor meill;
Compellit be hunger for to steill,
Then sall they give him to the deill,
Ofter nor anes.
Fra the dames devoitlie haid done þair devoir,
In having that hurchoun, they haistit þame hame,
Of þat mater to mak amangis þame na moir,
saifing, nixt, þat þe Nunes þat nirlend suld name.
thay cowit ther [the] kytrell, the face of it bair,
And nippit it so done neir, that to sie it wes schame;
Syne callit it peild pollart, they peild it so sair.
“Quhair we clip” quod þe cwmmeris, “it cummeris na kame,
For we have [heght] to Mahoun for hansell his hair.”
They maid it lyk a scrapit swyne;
And ay as they pold it, they gart it quhryn,
And schuif, as we may sie syne,
The face of it bair.
In having that hurchoun, they haistit þame hame,
Of þat mater to mak amangis þame na moir,
saifing, nixt, þat þe Nunes þat nirlend suld name.
thay cowit ther [the] kytrell, the face of it bair,
And nippit it so done neir, that to sie it wes schame;
Syne callit it peild pollart, they peild it so sair.
“Quhair we clip” quod þe cwmmeris, “it cummeris na kame,
For we have [heght] to Mahoun for hansell his hair.”
They maid it lyk a scrapit swyne;
And ay as they pold it, they gart it quhryn,
And schuif, as we may sie syne,
The face of it bair.
Be ane eftir midnicht, þair office they endit;
for then it wes na tyme for trumpouris to tairie:
sum bakvard on biches and broodsowis bend[it],
that cruikit crokadeill [they] quyt with þame they carie.
vnto þe cocatrice in ane creill they send it;
quhair, sevin ȝeiris, it sowkit, sweillit, singit and sarie,
The [kin of it] be þe cry, incontinent kend it,
feching fude for to feid it, from the feild of pharie.
Ilk elph of þame all broch ane almond oisteris;
Bot wes no dayntie dische;
Ane foul phlegmatik fowsum fiche:
Insteid of sawthe, on it they piche.
Sic fude [feid] sick foisteris!
for then it wes na tyme for trumpouris to tairie:
sum bakvard on biches and broodsowis bend[it],
that cruikit crokadeill [they] quyt with þame they carie.
vnto þe cocatrice in ane creill they send it;
quhair, sevin ȝeiris, it sowkit, sweillit, singit and sarie,
The [kin of it] be þe cry, incontinent kend it,
feching fude for to feid it, from the feild of pharie.
Ilk elph of þame all broch ane almond oisteris;
166
Ane foul phlegmatik fowsum fiche:
Insteid of sawthe, on it they piche.
Sic fude [feid] sick foisteris!
And first fra þe father, syne sindrie haid fed it,
Mony mwnkis and marmaidynis come with þe moþer.
“Black boiche on þair bouk,” quod thay, “that first breid it!”
Ay offerring þat vndoche fra ane to ane vþer:
quhair that serpent [had] sowkit, sair wes to sched it.
bot belyve it began to bwkill the brother.
In þe bark of ane bowrtrie, quhyllumis they bed it.
Thair taillis with the tounge of it, they lyk and ruther;
Sum fartand, sum flyrand, thair phisnomeis þi flyp;
Sum schevilland þair chaftis, and slavere chek[is];
sum luiking lyce in þe croun of it keikis;
sum in thair oxteris it cleikis,
Lyk a bagpype.
Mony mwnkis and marmaidynis come with þe moþer.
“Black boiche on þair bouk,” quod thay, “that first breid it!”
Ay offerring þat vndoche fra ane to ane vþer:
quhair that serpent [had] sowkit, sair wes to sched it.
bot belyve it began to bwkill the brother.
In þe bark of ane bowrtrie, quhyllumis they bed it.
Thair taillis with the tounge of it, they lyk and ruther;
Sum fartand, sum flyrand, thair phisnomeis þi flyp;
Sum schevilland þair chaftis, and slavere chek[is];
sum luiking lyce in þe croun of it keikis;
sum in thair oxteris it cleikis,
Lyk a bagpype.
With mudgeounes, and murgeounis, and mowing þe bane,
They leit it, they lift it, they loif it, they lak it,
They graip it, they grip it; It greitis, they grane;
They bind it, they baw it, they bed it, they brat it.
It skitterit, it squeillit; they startit ilk ane,
quhill þe ky in the cuntrie startillit and chaisit,
quhilkis rairing ran rid wood, rowtand in a rane.
þe wild deir in thair den þe din hes displasit.
The cry wes [sa] vglie, of aipis, elfis, and owlis,
That geiss and geislingis cryis & craikis;
In dubbis dowkit duikis & draikis;
All folkis, for feir, þe feildis forsaikis;
And the toun tykis ȝowlis.
They leit it, they lift it, they loif it, they lak it,
They graip it, they grip it; It greitis, they grane;
They bind it, they baw it, they bed it, they brat it.
It skitterit, it squeillit; they startit ilk ane,
quhill þe ky in the cuntrie startillit and chaisit,
quhilkis rairing ran rid wood, rowtand in a rane.
þe wild deir in thair den þe din hes displasit.
The cry wes [sa] vglie, of aipis, elfis, and owlis,
That geiss and geislingis cryis & craikis;
In dubbis dowkit duikis & draikis;
All folkis, for feir, þe feildis forsaikis;
And the toun tykis ȝowlis.
168
Sick ane mirthles music thess menstrallis did mak,
That cattell keist capriellis behind with þair heillis;
Bot littill tent to þe toune [þair time] leit þame tak,
Bot rameist ran reid-wood, and raveld þe reill[is].
fra þe cummeris thame knew, they come with a crak,
To coniure the vndoche, with clewis and creill[is];
All þe boundis þairabout grew bleknit & blak:
for the din of that daiblet raisit þe devillis.
To coniure with a clap, fra caves they came far;
And for godbarne gift they gave,
To teich that theif to steill & rave;
Bot ay þe langer þat it live,
The warld be þe war.
That cattell keist capriellis behind with þair heillis;
Bot littill tent to þe toune [þair time] leit þame tak,
Bot rameist ran reid-wood, and raveld þe reill[is].
fra þe cummeris thame knew, they come with a crak,
To coniure the vndoche, with clewis and creill[is];
All þe boundis þairabout grew bleknit & blak:
for the din of that daiblet raisit þe devillis.
To coniure with a clap, fra caves they came far;
And for godbarne gift they gave,
To teich that theif to steill & rave;
Bot ay þe langer þat it live,
The warld be þe war.
Finis quod alexr. Montgomerie contra Pollart.
| Poems of Alexander Montgomerie | |