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And so he rais and on his veyage past.
Fameist for fude, and richt skarslie repast.
Till he come till ane Palice prelucent,
All circundat with the quhite Alabast:
Quhais Portis was closit richt surelie and fast
With lok and band, and diuers Instrument.
To haue entres thair was few men frequent.
Bot with fair wordis he enterit at the last.
Quhairof he was hylair and weill content.
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To seik thir ten Sibillis is he gane,
Bot of thame wit nor knawledge gat he nane.
Quhill at the last vnto ane Posterne ȝet
He come belyue, and thair enterit allane,
About the thrid hour Pomeridiane.
And thair come to ane Closter weill ouir fret
With all kin flouris, that in eird was to get:
Triangill maid, with craftie wark saxeane:
Quhairin was all thir ten Sibillais set.
In euerilk Pane set ay togidder thre,
Weill exercisit in science and studie:
And speciallie of the Incarnatioun
Of IESVS CHRIST, and vther Prophecie
All in ane voit set thair Felicitie
[On] future thingis, and Predestinatioun.
[Da]ylie this was thair maist occupatioun.
[S]a full thair warkis was of oporcitie
Culd few thairof mak Interpretatioun.
The first was callit Sibilla Persica.
The nixt to name was callit Libica.
Delphica thrid: thir thre sat in ane Pane.
The fourt to name was callit Cumea.
And sine the fift scho hecht Erithrea.
Samea sext: thir three sat nixt agane.
The seuint callit Hellespontia Troiane.
The aucht to name was callit Phrygia,
Tiburtina the nint was for certane.
Cumana tent, and Maistres to thame all:
Into the middis set in hir sait claustrall.
Of prophecie scho did write buikis nine,
In maid meter and veirs Rethoricall:
Quhilk scho presentit to Iuge Imperiall,
64

That time callit the Empriour Tarquine:
For quhilk scho askit twelf scoir of Phillippis sine
He thocht the price was ouir substanciall.
He lewch, and wald not to hir will Incline.
Incontinent in presence of the King.
Thre of the buikis in the fyir scho did fling.
At him agane als mekill scho did Inquyre,
Gif he wald gif for the sex the same thing.
And he said nay: sine vther thre did scho bring
Of the same buikis: combust thame in the fyre,
Hir greit constance than the King did admire.
The last thre buikis: he tuik in his kepin[g]
And gaif the sowme that scho did first de[syre]
Quhilk buikis in Rome was keipit richt straitlie.
Be fiftene men best of the haill citie,
Ordainit thairto be all the haill counsall,
In time of weir or of mortalitie:
Quhen thair appeirit ony aduersitie
Greit tribulance, or famine accidentaill.
Thir buikis was red sic times in speciall,
For of all dowttis thay wald thame certifie,
Quhidder thay wald haif troubill, or preuaill.
Than Desperance deliuerit his missine
Vnto thir ten, so sweit and scientiue.
Kneling full law, as weill him culd effeir.
Sine to counsall thay passit all beliue.
Considderit weill the sentence was pensiue.
All in ane voce thay said to him ȝoungkeir:
Vit nor Visdome in ȝow dois not appeir.
And for sentence we gif diffinitiue:
Do for ȝour self, support ȝe get nane heir.
65

For quhy ȝe haif ane greit falt perpetrat,
With corrupt thocht, and mind Immoderat,
To Quene Venus, and hir Ladyis so schene,
As in this bill it is Intitulat.
And fra hir Court we ar not depriuat.
Quhairfoir on force ȝe man fra vs abstene.
[He sa]id, Ladyis most secreit and serene:
[Of] courtesie ȝe wald me wis sum gait,
[Qu]hair ȝe beleue I may kindnes obtene.
[Th]ay said gude schir surelie we knaw richt few
[Ȝou]r part will tak, to help ȝow, or reskew
[Ȝou i]n case into Venus contrair.
Bot wald ȝe to the thre fatales persew,
Quhair that thay dwell & ȝe thair Mansioun knew
Perauenture thay wald ȝow leis of cair,
And pair ȝow sum part of ȝour greit dispair.
He said Ladyis, God ȝow forȝeild, adew:
Bruik I my lyfe, in faith I salbe thair.
This he thame left, and forder can proceid:
Richt stomakat in hart ay haiffand dreid:
Be mony way baith ewill and anterous:
With beidis in hand crosand & sayand creid:
Daglit in weit richt claggit was his weid
In stormes fell, and wedder contagious,
In frost and snaw, and blastis busteous,
Quhill at the last, he restit in ane meid,
Quhair odour was aboundant precious:
And was ourgrowin with all kin kind of flour
Richt michtie spice it was of greit valour.
He sat ane quhyll with ane sad countinance.
Ourset he was with trawell and lawbour.
Bot of phebus the plesant resplendour
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Refreschit him fra part of displesance.
Quhill at the last he blent about of chance.
And sa on case he saw ane proper tour:
Quhair thir thre sisteris did sit in daliance.
He approchit in haist on to that hald:
All for to se the fassoun and behald
That proper place sa weill edificate:
Wallit dowble about for the wedder and ca[ld]
Thair was na force of man micht gar it fa[ld]
With subtill wark it was sa roborat.
Properlie alswa with kirnalis weill quadrat.
For feir of life dar I not be so bald
Te enter heir (quod he) I am to blait.
Than enterit he, and forward come bedene,
Till he come quhair thir sisteris sat so schene
In ane conclaue all maid of Christall cleir:
Inclusit thay war vneith thay micht be sene.
The glas blindit sa sar his corporall ene,
To luik on thame few men micht perseueir.
Bot ȝit he saw within that circuleir.
How thir thre did all the warld circumuene
With thair sle craft, and quent cunning perqueir.
Twynand the threid with sic continuance,
Hung fra the heuin down fra the great ballance,
Smaller than silk, almaist micht not be kend
Quhairon the warld hid hing be apperance.
Part preissand vp with sa greit arrogance
Vnto the heicht euer thay did pretend:
Bot quhen sic folk abone thair stait transcend
Thir sisteris thre but ony resistance,
Did cut the threid, and gart them sone discend.
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Vtheris agane was sa humbill in thocht,
To clim the threid but leif thay craifit nocht.
Meiklie thir folkis ascend in thair degre.
Vtheris agane quhilk to the heicht was brocht:
Was sa elate, and thair mind ay in flocht,
[Thay c]uld not thair stait hald with stabilitie.
[T]his tender threid full of debilitie,
Sic orgweill mynde to suffer it not docht:
Sa it did brek, and thay to eird can fle.
Sancta Marie than said Desperance,
Into this warld quhat is my fatall chance?
Quhidder gif I dar anter on ȝone threid.
I se this warld wappit with variance.
And I am bot ane wicht of Ignorance:
To hald gude grippis had I not mekill neid?
Clym I ouir hie (that I do GOD forbeid)
I brek my neck, and thair tak me mischance.
To clym ȝone Cord faith I will superseid.
So thair anone he fell into dispair.
Betaucht with sturt; and durst not enter thair.
All stupefact, wist not quhat to haue done.
And for faintnes he was sa sad and sair:
Befoir his Ene he saw his exemplair:
To sit sicker, or ellis to fall richt sone.
Ȝit ane small spark held vp his hart alone.
I haue (quod he) put by sa greit danger:
Anis sall I fall, or ellis pas to ȝone trone.
Than he but baid vnto thair sicht did go,
His small missiue belyue he gaif him fro,
Vnto thir thre, kneilling downe to the eird:
Quhilk for to Name, the first is callit Clotho
Lachesis nixt: and syne efter thir two
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Atropos thrid: thir thre sa weill ar leird.
To Ilk man geuis in warld his fatall weir[d]
Quhidder it be to weill wappit, or wo
None leuand spairis, nor for name ar effeird.
Thay red his bill, and consauit the sence.
And thocht richt weill that he had done offence.
Bad clym the threid, stand to his destinie.
Gif he was clene, thair schaw his Innocence.
To clym past he with all beneuolence.
Skant was he vp, quhen at the eird was he:
He laikit Spreitis him self to fortifie.
(Quod thay) this is ane mater of conscience,
Ta wirk this wicht ony aduersitie.
This threid to clym he dow be nak in wise:
Sa full he is repleit of Cowardise,
Bot we will gif to him his weird fatall.
Atropos said, he sall thole ane Assyse,
And of Venus he wald get greit disprise
Lachesis said, thow salbe hir Vassall:
And befoir hir thow sall stand in battall
Then quod Clotho, he sall bruik Benefice
Of Venus Court, and nathing sall him aill.
This thay conclude all thre with ane consent:
Bot he thairof had na experiment.
For throw the fall he was in Frenesie.
Ȝit vp he rais richt heuie and dolent.
His bill thay gif to him Incontinent.
Bad him pass hyne, and seik vther supple:
For his default help thair nane get wald he.
[Fo]r thay had geuin ane sentence competent,
[All] in ane voice, for feid or fauour micht be.
69

[Q]uod he Ladies, sen ȝe haue schawin me sa:
[Will now] ȝow tell quhat gait sall I now ga.
Thay bad him pas with all velocite.
To the Gracis quhilks ar not far heir fra.
The first of thame is namit Aglia:
The secund hecht to name Euphrosina:
Pasithia the thrid callit trewlie:
With thair mothir hir name Euonia.
Perchance of thame thow will get sum supplie.
He tuik guid nicht at thir weird sisteris than:
Richt sad in hart, and Venus ay did ban,
For pure despite and greit melancolie.
Than come he to ane reuer richt richelie ran:
In ane small bait the ferrie ouir he wan.
Bot I knew not gif he payit fraucht or fie.
Bot as I ges, superexspendit was he.
Thairfoir surelie but gyid of ony man,
He come quhair that thir graces sat al thre.
In ane palice weill wroucht with all Ingine:
With quhat kin wark I can not weill deffine.
Of glitterand gold thay sat all in ane chyir.
Circundat all with the cleir cristalline:
And vthers stanis quhilks precious war & fine
Ilk ane in hand ane Reill quhilk did not tyir,
To reill thair hankis so small of reid gold wyir
Fra Phebus rais to the hour vespertine
Ay gladderand grace all man for to Inspyir.
Than Reillis all war maid of Euir bane
Weill souer set with diuers christall stane.
On the first reill was Keruit Claritude:
And on the nixt was kiruit for certane,
With letteris fine Blithnes ay to remane:
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On the thrid reill of life the Longitude,
I saw keruit gif I weill vnderstuid,
Thir thre giftis thir graces gaif in plane,
Quha thair seruice soucht weill with mansuetude.
Of thair cleithing or Ornament to tell,
Ane thousand rimes my wit it dois excell:
Sa wonder riche it was and curious.
Heirfoir thairwith I will not Intermell,
Ilkane most lik thay war to ane Angell,
Be apperance als bricht as fair Phebus:
Of fassoun fair, facound, and fauorous.
Quod Desperance, faith I feill be my sell,
Heir sall I get sum guerdoun gracious.
Inward he come law kneland on his kne:
His small missiue deliuerit to thame thre:
Lamentand soir with ane hewie regrait,
Askand at thame for luif and cherite,
Thay wald him mak sum aid, help, or supple:
Or his sorrow in sum part suffocat:
Of gude counsall he was richt desolate,
Sa sair he was vext with aduersite:
He was bot deid, without thay maid debait.
Thir Ladies hard his sair lamentacioun:
Thay red the bill, and saw the narratioun.
Richt discontent thay war in till ane part,
[T]hat he had put sa greit blasphematioun,
[Vpon] Quene Venus be corrupt relatioun
[Sy]n said forsuith thay kuld be na kin art
Amang thame all, hir Court cast or conuert,
Be no Ingine or Imaginatioun:
Bot tak his chance, & than blak was his hart.
71

With austeir voce he cryit loud and hie,
O Ladeis sweit of me puir haif pietie:
Ane drop of grace, sen graces is ȝour Name,
Ȝe wald wouchsaif of ȝour benignitie,
For to distill, and lat fall heir on me.
Sen I ȝow thre so far hes socht fra hame,
Ȝe suffer me not to returne with schame:
Bot me support in this necessitie:
Or ellis for ay mirth clenlie I quitclame.
Thay hard his playnt it was so pieteous,
And richt laith was for to displeis Venus,
Thay said gude schir, tak this for na excuse,
Becaus we se ȝow drest sa dolorous:
Our guid counsall ȝit ȝe sall haif of vs
Sa with wisdome quietlie ȝe it vse.
Thair is ane Nimph, we traist ȝe sall her ruse,
Quhilk hecht Vesta, baith wys and verteous.
We wait scho will ȝour mater not refuse.
For quhy Venus, and scho is not at ane,
All Venus Court scho haldis at disdane,
Scho and Venus can neuer weill agre,
Howbeit thay be contemporaneane.
Venus hir warkis vsis venereane:
And Vestais warkis ar of virginitie,
Fulfillit with faith, and eik facunditie.
Greit diuisioun ar oft betuix thame twane.
And as we traist, sendill at vnite.
Quod he Ladeis, on kneis a thousand sis
I thank ȝow all of ȝour counsall sa wis.
Ȝit I imploir with pietie and kindnes,
And plesit ȝow sum gyid me to deuis,
That be the way I may eschew dispris,
72

Till I cum to that merciefull Maistres.
Sone call thay Hoip, thair seruand as I ges,
Send hir with him at that time in seruice,
Quhill he come to Dame Vesta the Goddes.
Sa hoip and he allane com furth the way.
Quod he, sister of ane thing I ȝow pray:
Quhat is ȝour office with ȝone Ladeis gent?
Ane messinger said scho, into verray
Thair erandis gais, baith nicht and als be day
Quhom to that thay thair giftis will present,
I schaw thair mind as thay bid and entent:
And gifis confort to all men ar in fray,
As thay command be thair aduisement.
My awin sister sumtime I send the till,
Arthemesia, quhen thow lay on the hill
Of Caucasus, drerie and wo begone.
Quhen thow culd not do thing, bot thair lay still
And knew not quhidder for to gang richt or will
Quhen thow sleipit vpon the Merbill stone.
[He]s thow sa sone now gewin obliuioun?
[M]adame (quod he) I do me in ȝour will:
[To do] of trewth that ȝe to me propone.
And thankis ȝow of ȝour greit gentilnes
That ȝe me schew, quhen I was in distres:
Beseikand ȝow ȝe wald me ȝit supple:
Sen ȝe on me befoir kyde sic kindnes,
Now help to put my hart fra heuines:
That I incur not the ferocitie
Of Venus Court, nor of his cumpanie.
(Quod scho) heir lyis with Vesta all expres
Thy weill and wo: as scho will, sa will be.
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Bot I sall do all that I can or may,
To put thy mater to ane sicker way,
Be word or deid, as thow sall se and hier.
Bot I beleue that this Ladie Vesta:
Scho will the help, and gyid thy mater sa,
Thow sall not neid of thy actioun to feir.
And of the Reill Euphrosine dois beir,
Ane threid of gold to the I sall forga,
Quhairon is keruit blithnes, and gude cheir.
He said, Ladie, of quhat conditioun
Is Dame Vesta, or quhat fruitioun,
I pray ȝow schaw, and ȝour gudewill sa be?
Scho said Vesta is full of discretioun,
Haldand Venus euer in abusioun;
And als is callit Goddes of Chaistitie.
In quhais Tempill ar sex virginis surelie,
Euer keipand ane fyir fra extinctioun:
In signe of pure and clene virginitie.
And gif this fyir happinis to de in case;
The Archebischop of hir Tempill and pla[ce]
Dois punis thame richt austeirlie and sai[r]
Or gif ony happinis ane rakles race,
As be corrupt: to that falt is na grace.
Bot eirdit quik, to the laif examplair.
Thairfoir Venus scho hes ay in contrair.
And be this way within ane litill space,
I traist thow sall eschaip of all danger.
Intill hir Court (quod he) is thair na ma.
Bot sex Ladeis how is scho seruit swa?
Scho said, few ma couetis hir companie.
For Ladeis had rather be Vestais fa,
Nor crab Venus, or ȝit hir Court forga:
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For wantones and welth of Venerie,
In Venus Court thair is ay thousandis thre,
Aganis ane that dwellis with Vesta:
Sic hap thay haif with hir to multiplie.
(Quod he) Madame, I pray ȝow to me tell
Of the Ladeis that with Vesta dois dwell:
Quhat is the Names or we forder proceid?
Scho said the first Ladie of hir counsall:
Is Puritie of all vertew the well.
The nixt Measure: the thrid is callit Dreid:
Abstinence fourt (gif I can richt thame reid)
Chaistitie fyft dois till Venus rebell:
Deuotion saxt, an honest Nimph at neid.
He thankit hir as weill him could effeir.
Of hir talking and of hir mery cheir:
[OMITTED] gin that thay come to the plesand Palice,
[Qu]hair Dame Vesta sat in hir Circuleir.
[T]his plesand Mans as he thocht had na peir
Bot gif it had bene eirdlie Paradice.
with stark draw brig, weil forcit with fortalice,
That wit nor strenth of na man suld cum neir,
Thame to perswaid with violence or vice.
Bot the sweit smell, and the suaue odour
Was seminate about that blisfull tour,
Sa weill sawrit, and viuificatiue,
Micht haue ransonit ane King, or Empriour.
The palice als it kest sic resplendour,
With strenthis stark, and turettis defensiue.
Quhen thay did to that Royall port arriue:
On the walheid was gretest Garaitour,
Dame Chaistitie, in armis most actiue.
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Expand on hie, ga far about the wall:
Or in all haist, ȝe say how they ȝow call.
Desperance said, I am ane vncouth Knicht,
Cum fra far landis, and erandis hespeciall
To Dame Vesta, and hir court virginall:
Wald haif Ingres at ȝow Nimphs, & I micht
For I am put to wanrest and wnricht.
Wald god ȝe knew my greit lawbouris penall.
Go hine (quod scho) thou cumis not heir this nicht.
(Quod he) Madame diuers writtingis I h[aue]
Quhilk ȝour maistres and plesit sould resau[e]
Quhom fra (said scho) fra seuin seges wisest
And fra the nine Musis most suaue:
The Noblis nine, richt greuous men and [braue]
The ten Sibillis, and the fatallis profest:
The graces thre on ground most gudliest.
(Quod scho) I trow thow be sum kankerit knait
Cum fra Venus, with fraud vs to molest.
Thairfoir pas hine, thow gettis not heir Ingres
I ken the weill, ga do thy busines
Remane thow lang dowtles thow sall repent.
Allace said he to Hoip now speik Maistres,
Vnto ȝone Nimph that we may haif entres:
Caus hir to be in speiche mair pacient,
Schaw hir that ȝe ȝour self is heir present.
GOD forbid that hir Quene was sa reuthles,
As scho, than all war tint that by did went.
Than Ladie Hoip did cry on Chaistitie:
Said sister deir oppin ȝour port to me.
(Quod Chaistitie) quha is that that now cryis?
It is I hoip, cum fra the graces thre;
And I haue brocht ane in my cumpanie
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And to Vesta his erand maist part lyis
Than Chaistitie or scho wald mair aduyis.
Ports and draw briggs, that lockit was richt sle
Scho did vnlok, and eik thame couth appryis.
Than for to se, and to behald that mance,
In mappamond the maik is not perchance.
[I] tak on me that Preter Ihoms queir
[Is] not so riche vmbeset with plesance,
[For] all that place with burnist gold did glance.
[Circ]umferat with Christall and Sapheir.
[R]ubie sperkis and diamont most deir.
[So]urelie drest with sic daliance:
[In al] this warld I traist it had no peir.
And so beliue in com that Ladie gent.
(Quod Chaistitie) sister in werament
I did not knaw, this was ȝeet our port.
And sen so is, ȝour self is heir present,
That ȝe be welcum forsuith is my intent,
And ȝow intreit into all biggest sort,
With all plesouris guid seruice, and confort.
Bot weill ȝe knaw, thair is na men frequent
To enter heir, thair plege is sudand mort:
Than Ladie Hoip said to dame Chaistitie:
This man I tak in on my honestie:
For Dame Vesta will wichesafe he be heir.
And als I haif euin fra the graces thre,
Ane fre Conduct to suffice him and me.
That be the way na strangeris sould vs steir.
Thairfoir sister of this man tak na feir.
Pas in scho said as ȝe will sa salbe,
For weill I wait ȝe com not vs to deir.
77

Than to behald thay Nimphis of Nurtour
As thay war set sa weill into odour,
Sa weil besene and als sa virgin lik
Thair luminat lampis of gret valour
Keipand thame an into perfite ardour
Or ellis beset in number trumphatik
Thair Ornament it was Eclesiastik,
Of gold and silk it had sic resplendour
Thet to my sicht it was almaist mistik.
Sine Ladie hoip scho past in wit[h Desperance]
Till that scho come to Dame Vestai[s Mance]
Did thair present with all credence hir squire,
He kneiling law with greit beneuolence:
Randering Vesta honour and reuerence.
With the missiue that sa oft did him myir.
Quha send this bill at him scho did Inquire
The seuen seges (he said) of sapience
Did dyt that bill, sen ȝe to speir desyir.
Sone scho it red and consauit the text.
I traist (quod scho) that Venus hes the vext:
For be this writ the same I do persaif.
He said (Madame) richt fair scho hes me flext:
And to hir Court siclik I am annext
Wnder all pane, and refuge nane I haif,
Without ȝour grace with sum salue wald me saif.
Scho tuik him vp: and thryis scho him amplext
Sayand, quhat help I can thow sall not craif.
For ay the mair that thow anger Venus,
And all hir Court sa wantoun and vicious;
Suithlie to me thow art mair acceptabill:
The mair welcum Iocund and eik Ioyous.
Thy Actis pensit the far mair precious,
78

And to my Court the mair agreabill.
Quhat is the caus scho haldis the execrabill?
Madame (said he) few actis Iniurious
I perpetrate, forsuith this is na fabill.
Scho dois allege Madame, and not causles,
Wordis of Iniure I said in reklesnes:
[T]hat scho and all hir Court was richt norine,
Denuid of gude repleit with bitternes;
Bandownit with baill and full of brukilnes
With diuers faltis and wordis Intoritiue,
Quhilk to Venus was all tald on beliue:
In matalent at me scho did Incres:
Heir now Madame to ȝow I do me schriue.
And I haif bene for to fang some defence,
First at the seuin seages of Sapience,
For to haif had thair counsall and doctrine:
Quhilk wrait that bill all seuin with thair prudence,
And bad me pack with all expedience,
Quhill that I come vnto the Musis nyne,
Thair gat I not, but bad me sone pas hine,
Vnto the nine Nobillis of excellence.
Quhair I gat not be: ansueir detestine.
Thay bad me pas withoutin residence,
Vnto the ten Sibillais of science.
Fair wordis thair I gat of small effect.
Sone thay me bad into all haist me hence.
To the thre Fatallis of experience
And thair I come: and na euill did suspeck.
Thay bad me clim of that I tuik na rek.
And so beliue throw my awin necligence:
I clam ane threid, almaist had brokin my nek.
79

And sa I gat nocht of thir Fatallis thre:
Bot bad me pas, stand to my destinie.
And seik succour into sum vther place:
Thay wald not tak on thame audacitie,
For to Incur Venus ferocitie
Thay bad me pas to the thre Nimphis of grace
Swyith thair I come & schaw thame all the case.
Thay said forsuith thay culd me not supple.
And so with thame I taryit bot schort space.
And now Madame, to ȝow moste gracious
Gay on the ground: and I most dolorous
Wicht in this warld, I becum on my kne:
Faint, fatigat with trauell troubillous:
Ourset with snaw, and blastis busteous,
With sorrow slane, bot gif ȝour grace supple.
(Quod scho) be blyith, and I sall warrand the.
All thy Actioun in presence of Venus
I sall debait and tak it vpon me.
Gif he was blyith, it neidis not to speir.
Ane thousand syis intill his best maneir,
He thankis that Nimph, & all hir Court bedene.
Than said Dame hoip with a full merie cheir:
Adew gude Schir, pleis ȝe now to byid heir.
He sayis Ladie, quhill I may life sustene,
My puir seruice ȝe sall euir obtene,
With cordiall luif as it can best effeir,
Sa tuik gude nicht with curage fra the splene.
And sa Dame hoip is departit Anone,
And to the thre graces agane is gone.
Than said Vesta, vnto hir Nimphis all,
Sen that this Squire is happinit Venus fone:
And heir he seikis supple with drerie mone
80

Befoir him we will stand in strang battell,
And him defend fra cairis Criminall.
[Qu]hat Venus has agane him to propone.
Or Rhamnusia in hir sait Tribunall.
This Vestal Court quhilk ay was traist & trew
Said in ane voce, this Knicht we will reskew.
With all power and prepotent puissance.
Howbeit we be in number ferlie few.
In Iust quarrell we sex ar ewin anew;
Sine ȝe haifand of vs the souenance,
With hand we may not make hir resistance:
Bot with our toung we sall hir so argew:
We traist this man sall kep na skaith perchance.
This thay concluid all sex with ane consent,
Of thair answer Dame Vesta was content.
And so beliue kest thame to keip the day:
Thair proud palphrais was grathit Incontinent,
In glansand geir and best abillement:
At ilk bridill ane proper Alakay,
Weill preparat into ane riche array:
To Venus Court without Impediment,
With Desperance thay cum all on away.
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