Ane treatise callit the court of Venus deuidit into four buikis: newlie compylit be Iohne Rolland in Dalkeith, 1575: Edited by the Rev. Walter Gregor |
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 | Ane treatise callit the court of Venus |  |
Venus heirand this pieteous petitioun,
Send fra the syse on sa gude ane fassoun,
Ane richt greit thing hir minde it mitigait.
Scho said Madame, I sweir ȝow be my Crown
I am mair blyith than geuin me ten Mulȝeoun
Of fine reid gold in hand weill numerait:
For I lang eir was sa hie stomachait
At Desperance for his greit rebellioun:
That in this warld his deith I maist couait.
Send fra the syse on sa gude ane fassoun,
Ane richt greit thing hir minde it mitigait.
Scho said Madame, I sweir ȝow be my Crown
I am mair blyith than geuin me ten Mulȝeoun
Of fine reid gold in hand weill numerait:
For I lang eir was sa hie stomachait
At Desperance for his greit rebellioun:
That in this warld his deith I maist couait.
And sen my sisteris on the sise hes said,
That Desperance is cum in will, and maid
To make ane mendis as I expedient
Thinkis to be tane: thairof I am richt glaid,
For weill I wait his stomake is stormestaid,
Becaus he is put in ane Merriment
Of all the Court with the Assise consent.
Bot I war laith my honour war degraid
For thair requeist, howbeit I be pacient.
That Desperance is cum in will, and maid
To make ane mendis as I expedient
Thinkis to be tane: thairof I am richt glaid,
For weill I wait his stomake is stormestaid,
Becaus he is put in ane Merriment
Of all the Court with the Assise consent.
Bot I war laith my honour war degraid
For thair requeist, howbeit I be pacient.
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And quhen I heir of the Assise sentence,
That Desperance is cum in Repentence:
And put in will, and schawin befoir the Iuge,
Pronuncit be the sutouris Eloquence,
Than is dew time with materis to dispence,
And faltis ouir se quhilkis he committit huge.
And gif I pleis him to repell or luge,
Is not all that put in benouolence
Of me, gif I will take him in refuge.
That Desperance is cum in Repentence:
And put in will, and schawin befoir the Iuge,
Pronuncit be the sutouris Eloquence,
Than is dew time with materis to dispence,
And faltis ouir se quhilkis he committit huge.
And gif I pleis him to repell or luge,
Is not all that put in benouolence
Of me, gif I will take him in refuge.
First call the syse, and heir thair diffinitioun:
All that thay make put it to executioun.
And quhat I say it sall stand firme and stabill,
But obstakill, generall or reuocatioun.
Impediment, or appellatioun?
Incontinent past Tisbe furth but fabill:
Schew the Assise with fassoun fauorabill:
How that Venus tuik gude consideratioun
Of thair writtingis, & thocht thame acceptabill.
All that thay make put it to executioun.
And quhat I say it sall stand firme and stabill,
But obstakill, generall or reuocatioun.
Impediment, or appellatioun?
Incontinent past Tisbe furth but fabill:
Schew the Assise with fassoun fauorabill:
How that Venus tuik gude consideratioun
Of thair writtingis, & thocht thame acceptabill.
And sa schortlie come the Assise anone.
All that thay did the Chancellar did propone,
[Fi]rst to the Iuge, and sine to the sutour:
[Qu]hais text beliue quhen that scho luikit on,
In fremmit termes scho did it sone expone:
That Desperance was found ane Forfaltour,
Ane rank Rebell, and als ane Trespassour
Aganis Venus, and bene ane felloun fone
Till all hir Court, and eik ane greit Tratour.
All that thay did the Chancellar did propone,
[Fi]rst to the Iuge, and sine to the sutour:
[Qu]hais text beliue quhen that scho luikit on,
In fremmit termes scho did it sone expone:
That Desperance was found ane Forfaltour,
Ane rank Rebell, and als ane Trespassour
Aganis Venus, and bene ane felloun fone
Till all hir Court, and eik ane greit Tratour.
Ȝit not the les becaus he did repent,
And in all sort was cum obedient,
The Assise thinkis thay couait not his deid.
To that effect Ilkane with ane consent,
Thay haif him put in Venus merciment:
Quhat scho best pleis, to do him fauour or feid:
To quarter him, to hang him, or to heid:
Thay knawand weill that Venus is pacient,
In this behalf scho will get him remeid.
And in all sort was cum obedient,
The Assise thinkis thay couait not his deid.
To that effect Ilkane with ane consent,
Thay haif him put in Venus merciment:
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To quarter him, to hang him, or to heid:
Thay knawand weill that Venus is pacient,
In this behalf scho will get him remeid.
To the nixt point that the Assise hes done:
Thay find Vesta mair Triumphant in throne,
In greit degreis, nor is Ladie Venus.
Quhairfoir thay will that Vesta be abone
In all estait, for Venus be na tone
May be hir peir throw warkis verteous.
Not for to say, Venus is velanous:
Bot that hir warkis may na les be vndone
Nor of befoir, bot Vesta is mair Famous.
Thay find Vesta mair Triumphant in throne,
In greit degreis, nor is Ladie Venus.
Quhairfoir thay will that Vesta be abone
In all estait, for Venus be na tone
May be hir peir throw warkis verteous.
Not for to say, Venus is velanous:
Bot that hir warkis may na les be vndone
Nor of befoir, bot Vesta is mair Famous.
Than Vesta hard scho was put to honour
Abone Venus, be Interloquutour
Of the Assise furth geuin be thair sentence.
Scho did protest that hir Court nor hir Bour
In time cumming suld haif na displesour
Into na sort, nor Inconuenience,
Vilipensioun, lichtlines, nor offence
Of Venus Court preiudice nor rigour:
And thairupon tuik notis and Instrumentis.
Abone Venus, be Interloquutour
Of the Assise furth geuin be thair sentence.
Scho did protest that hir Court nor hir Bour
In time cumming suld haif na displesour
Into na sort, nor Inconuenience,
Vilipensioun, lichtlines, nor offence
Of Venus Court preiudice nor rigour:
And thairupon tuik notis and Instrumentis.
Considerand (quod scho) as all men seis,
I am preferrit richt far in greit degreis,
And all my Court abone Venus estait:
Howbeit this man for falt of greit suppleis
Be rank Inuy, as is liklie now deis.
Ȝic I desyre my Court be separait
Fra ȝow, and ȝouris, and be exonerait:
That this Court turne me to na preiudice,
Bot to haif place our self ay to debait.
I am preferrit richt far in greit degreis,
And all my Court abone Venus estait:
Howbeit this man for falt of greit suppleis
Be rank Inuy, as is liklie now deis.
Ȝic I desyre my Court be separait
Fra ȝow, and ȝouris, and be exonerait:
That this Court turne me to na preiudice,
Bot to haif place our self ay to debait.
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That it maybe to all men richt weill knawin,
That I am Nimph, and Quene ay of my awin:
And als preferrit richt far abone Venus:
Requyrand ȝow ȝe Scribe, sic may be schawin,
Quhen all this brybe & boist is quite ouir blawin
In auenture gif sic castis cautelous
Be raisit agane throw Ingyne odious,
The prothogoll heirof I wald haif drawin
In writ, for cost to be my Vidimus.
That I am Nimph, and Quene ay of my awin:
And als preferrit richt far abone Venus:
Requyrand ȝow ȝe Scribe, sic may be schawin,
Quhen all this brybe & boist is quite ouir blawin
In auenture gif sic castis cautelous
Be raisit agane throw Ingyne odious,
The prothogoll heirof I wald haif drawin
In writ, for cost to be my Vidimus.
The Iuge thocht it than richt expedient,
That scho said thair all was conuenient,
And hir desyre consonant to resoun.
Baith the Assise and Iuge with ane consent
Thay bad that scho suld haif hir Instrument,
And all hir sawis thay ratifeit but chessoun,
[A]nd did affirme the same in that sessoun,
[Q]uhairat Venus was verray discontent
That Vesta gat sa sone hir peticioun.
That scho said thair all was conuenient,
And hir desyre consonant to resoun.
Baith the Assise and Iuge with ane consent
Thay bad that scho suld haif hir Instrument,
And all hir sawis thay ratifeit but chessoun,
[A]nd did affirme the same in that sessoun,
[Q]uhairat Venus was verray discontent
That Vesta gat sa sone hir peticioun.
Than Venus wox sa wraith at Desperance,
Throw Vestais sawis, and hir allegeance,
Incontinent vnto the Iuge scho said.
Madame, it is not ȝit far fra remembrance,
This man suld be put to the ordinance
Of me, and in my will the syse him maid:
And fra my will he may na way ewaid.
And throw my will he man stand to his chance.
The Iuge grantit, and than Venus was glaid.
Throw Vestais sawis, and hir allegeance,
Incontinent vnto the Iuge scho said.
Madame, it is not ȝit far fra remembrance,
This man suld be put to the ordinance
Of me, and in my will the syse him maid:
And fra my will he may na way ewaid.
And throw my will he man stand to his chance.
The Iuge grantit, and than Venus was glaid.
Incontinent Dame Venus loud did cry
On the Schiref that standis at hand heir by
Do ȝour office as effeiris to ȝour stait,
Bind ȝe his handis, let that be done in hy
The Schiref said that can I not deny,
Sen sa he is conuict and maid chakmeit.
Swyith said Venus, se that ȝe handill him hait.
And than fra hand in the Court rais the skry
That Desperance was deid without debait.
On the Schiref that standis at hand heir by
Do ȝour office as effeiris to ȝour stait,
Bind ȝe his handis, let that be done in hy
The Schiref said that can I not deny,
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Swyith said Venus, se that ȝe handill him hait.
And than fra hand in the Court rais the skry
That Desperance was deid without debait.
But baid (quod scho) gar cast him in presoun,
Still to remane without ony ransoun,
Quhill forther mair, quhen euer I best pleis.
My priuilege put to executioun.
For his greit wraith, and rampand rebellioun.
Aganis my Court, was nathing wald him meis
Now sall he sit with hunger and diseis.
Quha will, quha Nill, intill ane deip dungeoun
Quhair he sall haif greit cald with litill eis.
Still to remane without ony ransoun,
Quhill forther mair, quhen euer I best pleis.
My priuilege put to executioun.
For his greit wraith, and rampand rebellioun.
Aganis my Court, was nathing wald him meis
Now sall he sit with hunger and diseis.
Quha will, quha Nill, intill ane deip dungeoun
Quhair he sall haif greit cald with litill eis.
And sa in haist but baid his handis was [bound]
To that effect to ly in to the ground
Of presoun deip euer vnto the deid.
Than Esperance was strikkin with sic stound
Of puir pietie, maid in his hart sic wound,
Seand his feir fall in sic felloun feid,
Thocht in him self, allace is na remeid:
Sall Desperance sa schortlie be confound,
Thocht he and I throw play fell in bawch pleid?
To that effect to ly in to the ground
Of presoun deip euer vnto the deid.
Than Esperance was strikkin with sic stound
Of puir pietie, maid in his hart sic wound,
Seand his feir fall in sic felloun feid,
Thocht in him self, allace is na remeid:
Sall Desperance sa schortlie be confound,
Thocht he and I throw play fell in bawch pleid?
| Ane treatise callit the court of Venus | |