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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

Rolland, John

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Ane Treatise callit the Court of VENVS, deuidit into four Buikes

Summonitionis litera.

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THE SECUND BUIK.

Lamentatio ipsius per egrinantis incipit.

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THE THRID BUIK.

Curiæ circumastistentes.

THE FOURT BUIK.

Missiua Rhamnusiæ missa ab Assisa.

[subsection]

Lamentatio Esperantiæ.

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Square brackets denote editorial insertions or emendations.

Ane Treatise callit the Court of VENVS, deuidit into four Buikes

Newlie Compylit be Iohne Roland in Dalkeith

INQVIT POETA.

Viuere diuerso mortales more videntur
Nam ratio cunctos non regit vna viros.

As the perfite prudent Philosopher
Dois put in writ as scientiue Doctour
In goldin style, and verie Poeticall,
Sayand, all men into this lyfe mortall
Is drest but leis to leif in diuers kynd
For ane ressoun dois not gyde euerie mynd.
Of the Planetis aspectis and complexiounis,
That in the heuin sa hie ar situat,
And fra vther ar wonder alterat.
Quhilkis ar thir four: in compt first Phlegmatike:
The secund is Sanguineane sicklike:
The thrid clepit is Colerike suithlie:
The feird and last, is callit Melancolie,
Quhilkis of nature ar wonder different,
[And ar] not all vnder ane Regiment.

Phlegmaticvs.

[F]or Flewme is flat, slaw, richt slipperie and sweir
[A]nd drasie, to spit can not forbeir
[Sanguine]ane is fat and fair with measure
[Red] and quhyte, and lufeand with plesure.
[Joyous and] in blythnes ay singand,
[OMITTED] genes and with delyte lauchand.

Cholericvs.

[OMITTED] [ch]olerik is calit of nature:
[OMITTED] [I]n air nobill of valure.
[OMITTED] [do]gmatike: for it is hardie and fre
Sultell and wyse, stoutter and more manlie:
Bot small of face, of body Lecherous,
Quik of Ingyne, of Lordschip couetous.

Melancholicvs.

The last and worst is callit Melancoly:
Soure, sorrowfull, Inuious, cauld and dry:
Drowpond, dreidfull, gredie, and vntrew:
Heuie heidit, and feindill in game or glew.
Thir four causis diuers variatiounis
In mans corps, be sindrie Inclinatiounis
Of the Planeitis ring and vnder the heuin.
The quhilks ar in leill number thir seuin.
Saturnus, Juppiter, Mars, and the Sone,
Venus, Mercurie, and last is the Mone.
Than nixt thir seuin, syne is thair the xij Signes,
Quhilks in the heuin sa hie abone vs regnes,
The first of thame is callit Aquarius,
The Fische, the Ram, the Feird is callit Taurus,
Syne Gemini, the Crab, and the Lyon:
The Virgin, Libra, and the Scorpion.
The elleuint to Name hecht Sagittarius:
The twelft and last, is callit Capricornus.
To thir Planeitis complexiounis, and thair [aspectis]
The Elementis greit strenth with thame in[jectis]
Quhilks ar thir four, Eird, Fyre, Water a[nd Air].
And to four beistis oft tymes we [thame compair].
The air hes of the Aip comparison,
For it is blyith, licht, merie, and wa[ntoun].

As the Lyon, the Fyre is furious,
Wod, and cruell, rampand, and rigo[rous].
The Watter is comparit to the Ȝown
Soft, blait, and blunt, of curagon.
The eird it is comparit to the swyne,
Heuie, and sad, to sleip dois oft Inclyne.
And of thir four foirnamit Elementis,
Mannis complexioun takis maist part Regimentis.
For he that hes of the Air the nature,
Is oft muifand, licht, merie, with plesure,
Wantoun and blyith, and euer geuin to sport,
And efter drink desyrous of comfort:
Iocund with Ioy, and Iolyous to Iaip,
With mockis and mowis of nature as the Aip.
And he that hes the nature of the fyre,
Is euer hait, in crabitnis and Ire:
Bauld and birnand in rancour and malice,
And efter drink cruell and kene he is:
To tuilȝe geuen, to slauchter and occisioun,
And sa he is comparit to the Lyoun.
And he that hes of Watter the natoure,
Quhilk of the self is bot ane liquoure,
Is daft, and doyld, drasie with small effect,
Of euill or gude he takis lytill rek:
[A]nd efter drink, can nouther do nor say.
[To the] Scheip compair him well we may.
[And he t]hat hes the nature of the eird,
[Is aye s]weir, lurkand, and not weill leird,
[Richt sl]eiperie, with Nois and Mouth vnclene,
[OMITTED] pit euill nurtourit betwene:
[He can do n]ocht bot sleip quhen he is fow:
[We may] compair him to the Sow.
[Thir complexi]ounis, thir Planetis and thir Signes,
[Thir aspec]tis, that sa abone vs regnes,

[OMITTED] amang thame self commixt,
[OMITTED] haue complexioun firme fixt.
On ane of thame alluterlie, but ma.
Into tham self thay ar deuydit sa:
Bot of thame all his is participant.
Howbeit that ane be ay predominant,
And of the laif in maist part hes maistrie,
Quhairby the Corps is gydit commounlie.
Thairfoir I say be my consideratioun,
Ilk man can not be of ane Inclinatioun:
Considdering the diuers difference,
Difficulteis, and daylie resistence,
That first I schew of the four Complexiounis,
How they ar geuin to diuers affectiounis.
Syne of Planetis, and the diuersitie.
Of thair nature and mutabilitie.
That fra vther oftymes ar sa distant
Amang thame self, and euer repugnant,
As the tyme geuis, and euer mair flowand,
Be proper course, and in thair Spheir rolland.
Syne the xij Signes, and of thair conuersatioun,
How thay ar wapt to diuers variatioun,
And puttis the Corps oft in ane mouand stairt,
Vnstable ay of maneris alterait.
For sum part ar fraward and meik agane
Sumpart mansweit, sumpart betuix the [twane]
Sumpart ar cauld, and sum agane ar ha[it]
Sumpart ar dry and sum are mitigait
Sumpart ar dull, sum ar of quick In[gyne]
Sum lyke Sparhawks, and sum ar sw[yne]
Sumlyke Lyounis, and sum ar blait
Sum curst, cankerit, and ay in sturt
Sa sundrie men be greit diuersitie
Of complexiounis, and greit Extrem[itie]

Of conditiounis, and diuers alteratiounis,
Ar ofttymes geuin to sindrie Inclinatiounis.
As I have red of Kingis and Empreouris,
Duiks, Merques, Knichts, and Conquerouris.
For Romulus that foundit Romes Cietie,
Grauers in stane euer maist lufit he.
Pompilius Numa his Successour,
He lufit Preistis, and held thame in honour.
Paull Emylius maist lufit Marynaris.
Octauius Augustus fairs playaris.
Cajus Cesar Goldsmythis lufit he.
Syne Scipio Capitanes, and Cheualrie.
Claudius Wryteris, Sylla Armoraris.
Syne Marius lufit Image gude grauaris.
Vespasiane gude Painteris lufit weill.
Titus his Sone on Menstrallis set his seill.
Domiciane his brother lufit ay
Corsbow makeris, and fulis for to play.
He brocht all Fulis that he could get to Rome:
Of auld wyse men that Cietie he maid tome.
And sa Ilk man was geuin to diuers thocht.
That ane lufit, ane vther held at nocht.
[How]beit thir had all Rome in gouerning,
[Ilk] ane had diuers thocht and gyding.
[OMITTED]nsaif be diuers complexioun,
[Ilk man is] geuin to diuers conditioun.
[To sum] Ingyne hes geuin to saill the see:
[Sum men] of Weir, sum hingit men to be.
[Sum ke]ne Knichtis, and sum ar Carpenteris,
[Sum ar] Smythes, and sum ar Wod sowteris.
[Sum ar haw]karis, and sum ar geuin to Hunting:
[OMITTED]rhnes, and sum ar geuin to singing:
Sum michtie men, and geuin to Merchandice:
Sum Ockeraris, and geuin to Auarice:

Sum sempill men of thair leill laubour leuis:
Sum are agane verray stark common theuis.
Sum ar drunkardis, and sum are geuin to dice:
Sum to vertew, and sum ar geuin to vice:
Sum ar sa proude, and sa ar put to hicht,
In lufe and fauour of thair fair Lady bricht.
Sum ar Wretches, and sum ar Worthie men:
Sum cankerit knaifis, that thame self can not ken.
Sum to honour euer mair hie pretendis:
Sum leifis in myrth, and thankis God him sendis.
Sum leifis in pryde and Prodigalitie:
Sum ar richt pure, and leuis in pouertie.
Sum part ar geuin to put the Realme in cummer:
Sum richt sair feird to put ouir the deir Symmer.
Sum ar abasit to feid thair barnis and wyfis:
Sum hes Inuy that swa his Nichtbour thryfis:
Sum settis thair pith, thair puissance, and curage,
To hald thair Realme and land out of thirlage.
Sum geuin to plant, and big in Policie:
Sum to pull doun and waist ay quhill hedis
Sum with tume purse on his Paramouris.
Sum ar tratloris, and other part pykethank[is]:
Sum ar Harlottis, and sum ar Heretyk[is]:
Sum geuis his thocht to treuth and vn[itie]:
Sum to falset geuis his felicitie.
Sum geuin to gude, and sum ar geuin to [trick]
Sum traistis in GOD, sum rinnis quic[k]
Sa be mouing of the Planeitis and Signe[is]
Diuers folkis ar geuin to diuers thingis.
And I persaue weill be the poetis saw:
Ilk conditioun to ilk man dois nocht draw.
Throw variance of signes celestiall,
And vther times, be Caus accidentall.
For I my self be gude experience,
Daylie practik, and recent euidence,

Considderis weill, and dois perfytlie se,
Be my Ingyne, and Waik Capacitie.
Thair is mony for sum craft ar not abill,
Ȝit to vther ar richt aggreabill.
Mony ar put to diuers occupatioun,
That is contrair thait kynde, and Inclinatioun,
And oft causis complexioun for to varie.
And than thay say it is fals destenie:
And wyittis Fortoun of thair misgouernance,
Quhilk thair awin self dois throw thair Ignorance.
For quha is borne vnderneth Saturnus,
That man can not be blyith nor Ryatus
Bot sad and soure, in sturt, and in Malice,
[A]nd ay to do his fellow ane disprise.
[To] put this man to Sang Scule, or playing,
[OMITTED]atoues Sport, Dalians, or Dansing.
[It is als] incontrait his Complexioun
[As a b]asert to fecht with ane Falcoun.
[What man is] borne vnderneth Iuppiter,
[He ay] man be meik and debonar,
[Man]lie, of his speiche amiabill,
[To] play, to dance, and sing ay abill:
[Full of sa]vne, and geuin to Geometrie,
[Verteous, wi]se, full of humanitie.
[Err he can] not be his awin complexioun,
[Nor be in stur]t; nor haue greit corruptioun,
Nor displesour, malice nor crueltie,
Bot ay in Ioy and merynes wald be.
Vnderneth Mars the God Armypotent,
Quhat man is borne, can nocht be oft pacient,
Bot aye angrie, and euer battell boun:
Ferce as the fyre, and fell as the lyoun,
This man to be geuin to dalians,
Is als contrait, as ane slow to gardans.

And sa furth euin of the seuin planetis all,
Ilk man takis his proper part partiall:
Except he be in him self the moir wise,
Knawing he be geuin vnto sic ane vice:
He may temper and dant him self be skill,
And nocht to gif complexioun all the Will.
And sa oftimes be dantit refrenatioun,
A man may weill alter his Inclinatioun.
Bot wo allace emptie purse dois greit skaith.
Alteris curage and the complexioun baith.
Ȝit abone this we se dayly expres,
Mannis maneris changis throw Idilnes:
For Idilnes is Mother Radycall,
Of all vicis, and font originall.
Thocht the corps ly in ociositie,
Ȝit than the thocht can neuer idill be.
Bot ay mouand on vertew, or on vice,
Of guid, or euill findand sum new dew[ice]
And the maist part to peruersitie geuin
Quhilk throw maistrie of Idilnesis di[OMITTED]
And siclyk als throw wickit compan[ie]
Mannis maneris may oftymes chang[e].
And for that cause, sic cumpanie to [tell]
This wark and cuir I tuik vpon my sell.
Quhen that I saw part of Nichtbouris about,
Rekles ryding in bed erandis thairout;
I couet nocht with thame than for to be,
Sa I allane was left but companie,
Thinkand better on this to muif my thocht,
Nor ryde with thame quhair thair erand no docht.
Perauenture sum of thame or they come hame,
For schrewit turnis (nocht causles) got sum blame
Had I lykit with thame I micht haue riddin,
Bot complexioun that quyte hes me forbiddin.

So I Infer a many may mak his fortoun,
His destenie, his chance, and his conditioun:
Howbeit that he be geuin all vnto vice,
He may refrane himself and he be wise,
Throw dreid of god, throw wisdome, and laubour,
He may abstene fra all sic displesour.
Thairfoir to this laubour I gaif Ingyne,
And to cause me fra Idilnes declyne,
And me preserue fra wickit companie:
[I t]uik ane pen, and drew this Comedie.
[OMITTED] on force outher to euill or gude,
[OMITTED] compellit, that I couth nocht bot dude.
[OMITTED]uit on sic ane thing be far
[OMITTED]gyne, nor to Imagine war.
[OMITTED]ng all men is geuin thairto,
[OMITTED] do this, than war to do.
[OMITTED] aw that the same reidis, or he it is,
[OMITTED] an, quhom to sic thing effeiris,
[OMITTED]ract heirefter followand,
[OMITTED] art of Venus the Galland,
[OMITTED]etis of it to be Reidar,
[OMITTED] ar found, that thay be Correcte;
And help to mend haltand verse and coullour.
And me excuse of this my small laubour.
For Gentilmen will tak it as thay find:
For Rurall folk sum termes will leif behind.
And I suppone, the ofter that ȝe it reid,
Ȝe sall the better tak baith the sence, and leid.
For anis reiding oft tyme it garris Authouris
Incur reprufe be wrong Interpretouris.
And not of thame, that sic Warkis can traduce,
Bot of thame that of sic things hes na vse,
Nor can compas sic thing, nor vnderstand,
Ȝit to reprufe, thay pertly tak on hand.

And neidfull is sic Wrytingis to correct,
Quhair gude Reidaris findis ony fault suspect.
Howbeit I knaw it neid Correctioun,
Thairfoir I pray that ȝe will me pardoun:
For seir Doctouris, and wonder cunning Clerkis,
As Correctouris reprouit vtheris Warkis.
For Socrates was reprouit be Plato:
And Plato be Aristotell also.
Auerrois quhilk was ane greit Doctour,
Reprouvit sair Aristotell and sour.
The greit Sulpice repreuit Scipio:
Varro Lelie: and Horace Ennio.
Thomas repreuit the Doctour Marinus
And Seneca be Aulus Gellius
Repreuit was: and mony Doctouris m[a]:
As did Doctour Laurentius de Valla.
Astractocles repreuit be Strabo:
And Hermagor reprouit be Cicero:
And Chesaco repreuit be Galene:
And Sanct Ierome repreuit Origene
Ruffine reprouit Ierome of his sawis:
Donnate Ruffine reprouit of his Lawis:
And sen in thame, and in thair Warkis hes bene
Sic correctioun, and greit reprufe betwene,
I may weill thole, and also standis content,
That this small Wark stand to the mercyment
Of Gentilmen, and byde at thair subiectioun,
As they best think thairto to put correctioun.

Auctor alloquitur Librum.

Now pas thy wayis, thou barrant buik new breuit,
With beggit termes, & barbar toung mischeuit:
And cast thy hude & hat outouir thy face:
At Ilk gentill upon thy kneis ask grace.

Excuse thy self of thy greit Ignorance,
And in thair will put all thy ordinance.
For Gentilmen can richt well thee considder.
For commoun folk will call the lawit and lidder.
Thy self present to Nobill men and gude,
And fle the sect of Rurall folke and rude.
[T]hat thou art Wrang, gif ony will alledge,
[B]ow thy self, and thairon thy heid pledge.
[Gif o]ny sayis that thou art by Scripture,
[Here b]lyithlie, and schaw thame Ilk Chapture:
[Benin]g men sall ay be thy defence,
[Tho rurall] folk gif small obedience.
[Thy au]thor was requyrit be Venus,
[To indi]t this small Comedie thus,
[OMITTED]rin als far as thy Ingyne,
[OMITTED]y or thairto couth Inclyne.

Finis Prologus.

THE FIRST BVIK.

Qvhen Eolus out ouir thir rokkis rang,
Be donk and daill, baith Herb & tre he dang;
With passand pith, fra Poleartike come doun,
Thringand with thrist out throw thir woddis thrang,
And ceissit swyith the small foulis of thair sang;
Causit thame throw cauld mak lamentatioun;
Quhilk cauld become be nature of sessoun:
For than Pisces with potent power sprang,
Into his Spheir, and tuik dominatioun.

[OMITTED]ois and Nonis war than all gone areir
[OMITTED] tell Freik quhilk we call Feuerȝeir.
[OMITTED]arie was of his Trone exclude,
[OMITTED]md blawin, and haldin hait at weir:
[OMITTED]s micht, and rolling in his Spheir,
[OMITTED] power of the Fische in the flude,
[OMITTED] doun gart Aquarie be denude,
[OMITTED]rs had the rewle now tane on steir
[OMITTED] all course, that time as King he stude.

As I beleue be richt calculatioun
Of Planet, Signe, or of the Mone motioun:
The wedder than is sumpart Pungitiue,
Quhen Pisces takis in his Spheir possessioun.
And Aquarie is put vnto desertioun,
Be Fische in flude swowming so exertiue,
Quhilk be greit pith and power possessiue,
That tydement crauis be his operatioun.
Quhat day this be ȝe Auditouris discriue?

This samin day (gif I remember richt)
Is consuetude to all kin Foule of flicht,
Quha is vakand to cheis thame than ane maik.
Siclike it is to King, Keyser, and Knicht;
Gif thay sa be, cheis thame ane bird sa bricht,
To pas the time, and ather solace mak.
Bot I alone of sic curage did laik.
Pausing far mair how sone wald cum the nicht
Me to repois, in my couche rest to tak.

Neuertheles ȝit to reioyce my spreit,
Howbeit the day was sumpart set with weit;
I walkit furth on be ane valay syde,
With Hat on heid, & Mittanis that was n[eat]
Maid to my handis, and heich schone on m[y feet].
Vnder ane bus I sat me doun to byde,
Me to preserue fra tempest of that tyde.
And maist part was my prayers to con
Knowit on breist, and Cor mundum I.

With orisounis, quhilkis ar not ne[cessair]
Into this buik, at this time to declair:
I randerit ouir to GOD Omnipotent
In the meane time, into ane Gairth preclair
I saw compeir with fax and fassoun fair

Twa ȝoung ȝounkeirs, perfite at all pointment;
In riche array, and honest ornament,
But companie, bot thame self solitair:
Nothing knawand that I was thair present.

I Jowkit than but dout quhen I thame saw,
Behind the Bus (LORD) bot I liggit law.
Buir me richt coy, and this my caus, and quhy,
To se gif thay wald ony nar me draw,
Or gif they had sum secreitis I micht knaw.
Or gif thair was ma in thair company.
I ȝow assure ane lang time did I ly.
That I was thair forsuith thay did misknaw
Howbeit I was to thame ane secreit spy.

Thair waillit weid, and stature to descriue,
I can noo git perfite affirmatiue.
Sa gay it was, sa galland for to se,
[Sa] wariant to sicht and transitiue.
[Um]quhile agane serene and substantiue,
[Perf]ite of fassoun maid, and sa properlie,
[Sa far] as I can efter my Fantasie,
[I will y]ow schaw be Intellectiue,
[How tha]y war cled Ilk man in his degre.

[I culd] not put of thair ȝeiris distinctioun:
[Thay war] baith fair, fat, plesant of persoun:
[Baith in] ȝouth, as had bene thretie ȝeir.
[Thay war l]ike men be euen proportioun,
[Strang a]nd stout, and baith of ane fassounn.
Bot that the ane maid not sa merie cheir,
As his fellow, at that time was his feir.
Bot in sum part sadder of conditioun,
Quhais countenance to me sa did appeir.

The glaidest man was gayest for to se,
With Scarlet cap, quhairin was Ostage thre,
Behoung with gold, and all of cullour blew.
With trim Tergattis weill wrocht & properlie
Circumferat with stanis subtellie
In signe he was ane lufer traist and trew.
His Spainȝe cloik was of the Holine hew:
Betakinnit ȝouth and Curiositie,
In Venus Bowe to eik baith game and glew.

His Hugtoun was of Crammesie veluet.
With precious Perle, and gold was souer set,
With Saphyris blew, and Ryall Rubeis reid.
The silkin cordis was all about thame plet
With Emeraudis so michtelie ouirfret,
Quhairon to luke, was rute of all remeid.
Howbeit ane man had bene in point of deid;
Better comfort I traist he culd not get.
Of all malice to saif him fra the feid.

His dowblet was of goldin bruid riche
All set about with the cleir Cristalline.
And in the breist ane Charbukill sa cl[eir]
Quhilk did resplend as the sterne M[erceir]
Cleir Apollo Esperus or Lucine,
Before the day quhen thay do first a[ppeir]
With vther stanis quhilk was done [fair & fine]
As birnand gold ouir all his body Schine,
Baith Turkes, Iasp, Emeraud, and Sapheir.

With Iacinth fine, and Topaȝion sa fair.
Or Adamant or Dyamant but compair:
With Rubie sparkis ane greit number to se.
The Orient perle baith precious and preclair,
Was vmbeset his body ouir all quhair.

Bot ane precellit the laif fer in degre,
Quhais cleir reflex blindit my sicht to se.
Becaus he was sa rank, and trew luifar,
Weir it on breist, in signe of cheualrie.

His hois thay war of the reid Skarlet maid,
With buird of gold bordonit, and barrit braid
Begaryit all with sindrie silkis hew,
Of nedill wark richt richelie all resplaid.
Of biggest bind as he thocht best to haid,
Or ladyis hand with nedill culd it sew.
All thortour drawin with taffeteis of blew.
[Hi]s veluot schone quhairwith ȝe gait he traid,
[Bu]klit with gold and of the fassoun new.

[A] noble seme was on his sark of Rence,
[OMITTED]netent to ony King or Prince:
[Begane his f]rok with all forme of pictour,
[First cam a] Hynd fast rinnand for defence,
[Next twa houn]d rache with all expedience.
[The hunter]s sine fallowand on the stour,
[Dowt quhidd]er Deir or Doggis wes victour.
[All quhilk] was set with greit expence,
[Ouirfret wit]h gold quhilk wes of gret valour.

With girdill of gold, nane gayar on the grund,
With fassis fyne nane fairer mycht be found.
And dicht dager, rycht plesand and perfite
Tabletis of gold, bayth quadrate als & round,
With Saphiris set so suttellie and sound,
Rattilland Chenȝeis about his hals so quhite,
Quhairon to luke, me thocht was greit delite.
With bag and belt, quhairnin was mony pinid
Be apperance with Iowellis Infinite.

In the richt hand he bair ane plesant flour,
Repleit all with Aromatike odour:
With Cinamone mixt, and mellifluat.
Quhilk was the signe he come of Venus Bour.
In the Car hand he bair of greit valour
Ane goldin Ball, the quhilk himself oblait
To Venus Quene, quhair his hart Radicait
Was on all time, quhilk was his cheif treasour
This was he cled in waill Morigerate.

The secund als was cled richt curious.
Bot not be far so gay and glorious,
Als was his feir, nor half so delectabill:
With hylair vult, and fassoun richt fam[ous]
With Scarlet Cap appeirand bounte[ous]
His dowlet was of cullour variabill
Sum time ȝailow, & vther quhylis [OMITTED]
His coit and hois of silk and claith [precious]
His cloik was blak, & borderit with [sabill]

Ane sword was belt about his [loins and rane]
With veluot cled: the Plumet gold[ane]
With purse and belt, like to ane man of age.
Chenȝeis of gold persaif that culd I nane.
He was most like to be ane Philistiane,
Be countenance, and clething wonder sage,
That in the self hart lakit, and curage:
And in the Net of wanhoip had bene tane,
Quhilk causit him want baith welth & wassallage.

In the richt hand ane bus of Rew he bair,
In signe he was betaucht all with dispair,
In the car hand he bair ane bludie Hart,
Thirlit outthrow, richt scharplie, sad and sair.
With ane fell flane, quhilk was baith braid & squair

Richt swa it did his awin body inwart
Quhilk was the caus of all his sowre & smart,
Furthschew he was sum time ane iust lufar:
Bot at that time, I traist he was conuart.

Thus was he cled, and with letteris of grew
In fine Scriptour, I saw it writtin new.
[V]pon his breist, his Name hecht Disperance.
[I b]lent about and thair richt weill I knew
[Quha was] his feir, als weill as hand culd sew:
[I saw his] Name embrowd ye quhilk hecht Esperance
[Vpon h]is breist about set with plesance,
[Into] that garth quhair that ye flouris grew:
[The twa] did tryne with diueris countenance.

[A] lang time into that garth so grene,
[They sat] allone, not thame ane word betwene
[The yo]unkeir moir wantounlie did trance
[Mair joyo]uslie, mair courtes, and mair kene.
Sayand, Mynȝeoun, quhairfoir do ȝe sustene
Sic displesure in hart be countenance:
I ȝow beseik in sum part tak pastance,
And ȝow reioyce for ȝour Lady or Quene.
Quhat that scho be to do hir sic plesance.

He answerit than, said gude Schir, let alane,
As for my self, Quene, nor lufe have I nane:
Bot as ȝe se, a man heir solitair:
Fra me allone sic pastance is ouirgane.
To verteous work all clene I haue me tane,
And refusis sic sport I ȝow declair:
For Fantasie it is, and nothing mair.
Quhairfoir brother for ȝow I mak greit mane,
Gifand ȝour hoip, quhair nocht is bot despair.

Despair (said he) thow art far deuiat
For to conforme thy lufe to sic estait:
Gif thow sic hes (as weill may be perchance)
Or gif thy lust be ellis so saciat:
The to support sum vther man creat,
That thy Lady will hald into pastance.
And gif thow pleis, I sall for thy plesance
(Sa that thow mak me thy subdelegat)
Thy fault reforme, and caus thy Name [auance]

Thairfoir thow sall tak lufe for n[ecessair]
It is the rite of comfort, I declair.
Quhairfoir brother, I the require of [plane]
Exalt thy Spreit, and mak the mou[e all fane]
Denude the of that darknes solitair
For I hald lufe ane A perse allane.
And for hir saik sum sang vencreane
I wald thow sang, with plesand voice preclair:
I the promit guerdoun Cesareane.

Guerdoun (said he) of the I court nocht:
For that nor sic to this place I not socht,
Bot pas the time, and tak sum hailsum air,
In sic behalf, als far as I haue wrocht,
I sall abstene, that is my minde and thocht,
In future time, my purpois is na mair
Sic to persew, gif ȝe pleis to repair
In lufes seruice, thairof nathing I rocht.
To ȝour purpois in gude time and not spair.

For I no way sic thing in heid dois tak.
That Law but leis in me lang time did lak:
And purposis it neuer to persew.
Thairfoir gude Schir, gif ȝe pleis for to mak
For ȝour Lady, or for ȝour lufis saik,

Sum Ballet or sang now breuit of the new,
It may weill be, but efter ȝe sall rew
[In]to sa far as ȝe thairon did waike:
[It s]albe gall as far as it was glew.

[B]ot sen I the to hir cure vassaill:
[To mak the r]efrane, my power laikis haill.
[For] in hir net thow art obnubilate:
[Gif] thow conuert, and tak my trew counsall
[OMITTED]eng or lust thow suld neuer assaill.
[OMITTED]waill hart fra hir to sequestrate,
[OMITTED] time sa far as is fustrate:
[OMITTED]oir repent, and thow sall ȝit preuaill.

In verteous werk, scho beaud depriuate
He said agane, quhill I may bruik my liue.
Hir from my hart I will neuer depriue.
Thy counsall is of na gude discretioun,
Me to perswade with wrang enarratiue
Lufe to abstene, it is sa exaltiue.
Into that case thow laikis commissioun.
Thairfoir to the I put Inhibitioun,
Takand on me hir mater most actiue,
With Martiall minde, as cruell Campioun.

And for hir saik, heir I acept on me,
Hir Aduocate euer to stand and be.
With stable mind laikand dissimulance,
In helth, seiknes, riches, and pouertie,
In eild, and ȝouth, blithnes, aduersitie:
And all kin sturt, bot ony variance.
And all is till hir nobill Name auance.
In contrair quhome, of quhat stait or degre,
Thay may be found, I byid heir at constance.

And for the mair Ratificatioun
Of hir honour, and Glorificatioun;
I sall with laude reheirs ane small Legen[t]
Transferrit to hir as in oblatioun
Beand to hir greit grace delectatioun.
In signe scho is ladie most Eminent,
And I hir Knicht Lieutennent of luifren[t]
Makand to hir my pure Supplicatioun
My rime in time to hir be Redolent.

For I nocht can with laude and reuerence,
Hir Name exalt with perfite Eloquence,
As sould effeir bot as my faint Ingine
I sall discriue be my Intelligence.
Beseikand hir of hir Magnificence,
My spreit Inspyre and speich to me propine,
That hir honour distres thoill nor ruine:
Nor suffer it in na way haif discence,
As scho is Quene and fresche flour Feminine.

Laus veneris.

Out fra the Splene with cordiall amouris,
Greit salusingis with gretingis full of gloir:
Laude reuerence, helth, vertew, and honouris,
With all hauingis that may ane corps decoir,
To the Venus I rander euermoir.
And nocht causles: with superabundant
Mirth, melodie, thow dois my hart refloir,
As Inuincent victour, and triumphant.

For to remane into Memoriall
Thy Name and fame in Chronik & Scriptour
I sall gar prent to keip perpetuall,
[As] is the Actis of the greit Conquerour.
[Ven]us Quene, of all Quenis the flour,

[Insp]ires my spreit, that I may say sum thing,
[W]ithin this gairth to thy laude and honour,
[All the] abute, and thy sone Cupid King.

[My spi]reitis thay feir, for dreid my hart dois quaik
[My tun]g trimblis half in ane extasie
[OMITTED] [feb]ill and faint Ingine to tak
[OMITTED] [desc]riue the greit Nobilitie,
[And clev]ernes, that dois remoue in the.
The prouerb is, gude will sould be payment,
Becaus the toung can nocht keip vnitie
As wald the hart now to purpois I went.

Inchoatio litis.

O lustie lufe, thy lufesome obseruance
So Ioyous is, so Iocund for to vse,
So Iolious repleit of all plesance.
Quha can discriue, thair is no man can muse.
Saif thy seruice all vther I refuse,
And ever sall, vnto the day I de.
And quha dois nocht, to deid I sall accuse.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

The Saddest said, with sable countenance:
Allace brother thow rauis into thy rime.
That lufe thow speikis hes na continuance.
Bot slydis away as dois the snaw or slime:
Waistis all welth, and tinis the precious time,
Lattis laubour, traist weill this is no lie.
Quhairfoir I think, that thow committis crime.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

The ȝoungkeir than with curage fra the sp[lene]
Answerit and said, with ane full mery cheir
Thocht thow culd nocht of lufe kindnes obt[tene]

Than sall ilk ane hir obseruance forbei[r]
Thocht thow sa be with sorow set ani[OMITTED]
Sould lufe thairfoir be lichtleit sa be tr[OMITTED]
For thy awin gude sic problemes tho[OMITTED]
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis [me.]

The Saddest said (saif and gude re[uerence]
Thocht thow awant lufe thus in thy curage,
The day sall cum thy barnelie Insolence
Contrair sall turne quhen thy lust is asswage.
Bot weill I knaw thy vndantit barnage
Will haif ane May bot fra it slokinnit be.
Thow will repent for all thy rampand rage.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

The ȝoungkeir said, thy language salbe leis
My clene curage it neuer mair sall slaik:
Nor fra seruice of lufe sall neuer ceis
Bot ay Incres the mair heich for hir saik:
In all this warld that Maistres hes no maik,
This dar I say, with hart and curage hie:
Quha seruis hir weill, na bewtie sall thay laik,
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

The Saddest said, lufe is full of dissait,
And be na way thow sall not find it stabill.
Scho alteris ay to euerie kinde and stait:
Quhylis to quhylis fra: and sa is ay mouabill
To sum scho is hylair and confortabill,
And thame exaltis in superlatiue degre.
And to vthers lufe is richt Lacrymabill.
[I] luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

[The ȝ]oungkeir said, that planelie I deny.
[Luf is] stabill and luf is richt constant.
[Men e]uer will thair will to hir apply,

[And serue in m]irth hir in warkis vailȝeant.
[Quh]a is to hir obseruauce obitant,
[Can noch]t faill to fall richt suddanelie.
Quhairfoir I will thy seruice ay awant.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill lykis me.

The Saddest said, and kest his cap ahite:
The febill fauour thow did of lufe obtene,
That is in the thow purpois not to quite.
Bot Ȝule is ȝoung, thay say upon Ȝule euin.
And diuers times it hes bene hard and sene,
That efter most Ioy followis aduersitie.
And lufe oft turnis hir feiris to tray and tene.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

The ȝoungkeir said, thow faillis richt far in plane:
To lufe I keipit euer gude obseruance,
Sen I was man, and scho to me agane
Keipit gude lufe, with trew hart and constante,
Withouttin fraude, gyle, or dissimulance.
Sen scho me schew sa greit humanitie,
Suld I not than hir Nobill Name auance.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill lykis me.

The Saddest said, thocht thow with words vane
Hir Name exalt, thy words ar till abuse:
Hir warkis ar sa odious and Prophane,
Into na sort thay ar not for to vse.
Scho can not mak sic caus hir for to rus[e]
For thy profite, nor gude vtilitie.
Quhairfoir best is thy opinioun refuse.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis [me.]

The ȝoungkeir said, euer to tak hi[r part]
Heir I awow, and this my caus, and [quhy]
With ardent lufe scho holdis me at the hart.

In clene curage, and vailȝeant victorie.
Scho feidis me with fude of Lameurie.
Scho cleithes me with cloikis of curtesie:
With hir awin hand scho happis me quhair I ly.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill lykis me.

The Saddest said, that victorie scho the geuis
That fude and claithis ar all bot fenȝeirnes.
Quhat thow ressauis, thryis als mekle scho reuis,
That thou not wait, thocht thow it think glaidnes
Thow pretendis scho saifis the fra sadnes,
Quhilk scho not can without thy awin supplie
I the assure, scho is fals and faithles.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

The ȝoungkeir said, thair thy enarratiue
Into the self it is richt fals, and faillis.
Scho geuis to diuers heich prerogatiue
Quha with leill lufe hir grace dewlie assaillis.
Bot thy dolf hart for dredour ay deuaillis,
And laikis spreitis thy self to fortifie:
Quhilk is ȝe caus thow bruikis of lufe sic baillis.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill lykis me.

[The] Saddest said, I se the obstinate,
[Thy] wilful will thow can not weill refrane.
[Thy] minde it is sa Interlaqueat,
[Sa fet]terit in the Net of lufe Prophane.
[On its care]is thy cuir is set quotidiane,
[And vpon tha]t quhilk is bot fantasie.
[Mortifie thy c]orps, and be not sa constrane.
I lufit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

The ȝoungkeir said, trowis thow be seductioun
Of the I wald be sa presumpteous,
To absteine luif, quhilk war greit distructioun

To my clene hart quhilk is sa curious.
And sine to me lufe is sa amorous.
I will it do for all thy subteltie.
I salbe ay baith rank and ryotous.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

The Saddest said, sen lufe hes the sa hait,
Conuert that lufe to God Omnipotent,
For all thy lufe it is Intoxitait
With marrit mind, and thochtis Insolent,
Quhilk efterwart richt sair thow sall repent,
And sall the turne to Iangland Ielousie.
Amend in time, ȝit quhair thow hes miswent.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me:

Quia vanitas vanitatum, et omnia vanitas: preter Amare Deum.

The ȝoungkeir said with voce half arrogant,
God ordanit lufe to be baith heir and hine.
Quha hes gude lufe into this life pregna[nt]
Gude lufe in heuin he suld nocht craif nor t[ine]
I me defer to the scriptour diuine.
Christ bad ilk man keip lufe and cheritie.
Thairfoir thir wordis in me sall euer schin[e]
I lufe ay leill, and that weill lykis me.

Iuxta illud hoc est præceptum meum v[t diligatis] inuicem, Sicut delexi vos. —JOH[N XV.]

The Saddest said, half mouit in his minde:
Authoritie richt gude to me thow schawis.
Bot wo allace, thow takis it in wrang kinde:
Thow allegis the thing that thow misknawis.
Lufe thy Nichtbour, & brek not Goddis lawis

Be Fornicatioun, nor ȝit Adulterie
To schame & lak thir twa thair seruand drawis.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

Non mœchaberis. —Exo. xx.

Omnis qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, iam mechatus est in corde suo. —Mat. v.

The ȝoungkeir said, I meruell of thy minde,
And of thy will withouttin caus or quhy
Contrair Venus with thy hait hart vnkinde,
To tak sic part thocht scho it small set by.
Thow knawis veill and alswa sa do I.
God bad ilk man Incres and multiplie.
How can thow than Godis awin wordis deny?
I lufe ay leill, and that veill likis me.

Crescite & multiplicamini. —Genes. ix.

The Saddest said, I knaw the wordis richt weill
[Go]d said thai wordis, quhen the warld first began
[And] of that Text thow hes bot litill feill:
[The] sentence fer les thairfoir thow can.
[True] God thame said at that time to the man,
[He ment th]ame all of Matrimonie to be.
[The] name glois, as thow plesis, quhat than?
[I luifit to lan]g, and that forthinkis me.

[Fugite forn]icationem, qui autem fornicatur, in [corpus su]um peccat. —1 Cor. vi.

The ȝoungkeir said, ȝit Salamon the king
That in his time was haldin the maist wise:
Into his Buik he sayis ane vther thing,
And puttis lufe to ane greiter apprise.
He sayis, quhair lufe into ane luifer lyis,

It is als stark as deith and life maybe.
Thairfoir I say thow carpis of cowardise.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill lykis me.

Canti Vltimo.

Quia fortis est vt mors dilectio: Dura sicut Infernus emulatio.

The Saddest said I pray the hald the still,
For to alledge on Salomon that saw.
For weill I wait it was neuer his will,
Men for to caus Incline in that behaw.
To wemen kinde, nor for to mak sic Law.
Bot this he sayis, and thow like sic to see.
Wemen causis men oft to diuilrie draw.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

Ecclesi. xix.

Nam mulieres apostatare faciunt Sapientes: Et qui se iungit Fornicarijs erit nequam.

The ȝoungkeir said, schaw me quhat is the ca[is]
That Salomon wordis said in vane:
Considdering he sayis sa mony sawis,
Sa gude, sa sweit, of all wemen but lane.
Luik how thow likes Canticorum in pl[ane]
All that haill Buik he sayis of thair be[wtie]
How can thow than the contrair say[OMITTED]
I lufe ay leill, and that weill ly[kis me.]

Osculetur me osculo oris sui: quia m[eliores sunt] amores eius vino fraganti. —Can[t. i.]

The Saddest said, than hier with patience,
I sall the schaw ane answer releuant.
That buik he maid to ane vther sentence,

And fra thy mind ane mekle thing distant.
He menis that buik of the kirk militant,
Quhilk is the Spous of the blist trinitie.
Lat we sic by, caus we are Ignorant.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

Quia cœcus non habet iudicare de coloribus, Cœcus autem si cœco ducatum prestet, ambo in foueam cadunt. —Math. xvi.

The ȝoungkeir said, this mater meruellis me
Quhat sould a man, and lufe had neuer bene?
Like ane auld stok or as ane rottin tre,
Berand greit bouk quhair sould be leuis grene
And naturall is to king Keyser and Quene.
To spend their time in sum Iucunditie.
And quhair better than with ane ladie schene.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

Quia venerunt mihi omnia bona Pariter cum illa. —Cant. i.

The Saddest said, lufe is sa perrellous,
To all gude deid it is ane strenthie bar.
Of all poisoun it is maist venemous.
Sclandour and schame euer to it drawes nar.
[Ver]tew, wisdome to tuich it neuer dar.
[Wei]ll may thow wey thay will neuer agre.
[Refrane] befoir ȝit draw thy fute on far.
[I lui]fit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

[Ne att]enderis fallaciæ mulieris: fauus enim diste[llans labia] meretricis: nouissima autem illius ama[ra quasi] absinthium. —Proverb v.

The ȝoungkeir said, I can nocht vnderstand:
Bot vertew is, and wisdome in hir cure:
Strenth, hardines, with manheid vailȝeand,

With all bewtie that may haif creature.
I put the case, ane man peradventure
In battell war present his Ladie fre:
He wald preuaill the erar I assure.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

Veni, propera amica mea, veni, ostende mihi faciem tuam. —Cant. ii.

The Saddest said, thocht it sa cauill for anis
In goddis kirk it hurtis greit deuotioun
Diuers cummis to kirk oft for the nanis:
And to be sene, that is thair maist notioun.
Of perellous stait it is the first promotioun:
God is forȝet, lufe hes the cheualrie:
First slais the saull, and puttis the bodie down.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

Quia lingua eius acuta, vt gladius biceps. —Pro. v.

The ȝoungkeir said, thow spekes now all to large:
That lufe to God is sic Impediment.
Quhy intrommettis thow with an vthers charge
In thy langage thow art our negligent.
Let ilk man do, as thay expedient
Thinkis for thame self, for that is maist lik[lie]
Thy rime in time I wald thow did repent
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

The Saddest said, I say bot Iust an[d hail]
I can nocht tell the teind, thocht I [it wald]
Of misfortounis, and euill that dois [assail]
Daylie mankind, be that luf thow [dost uphauld]
Quhat heretage? quhat biggingis coft & sauld,

Quhat deid? quhat slane throw lufis destenie?
Men & wemen has skalit thair hale houshald?
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

Non est malitia supra maliciam mulieris. Sors pcecatorum. Cadat super illam plaga mortis. Mulier nequam. A muliere inicium factum est peccati. & per illam omnes morimur. A carnibus tuis abscinde illam ne semper te abutatur.

Coniuge pro pulchra multi subiere sepulchra.

The ȝoungkeir said, with ane austeir aspect,
It sufficit lufe thyself to lichtleit thus.
Thow pretendis the haill warld to infect
With thy langage, and sawis Iniurious:
Bot of thy wordis sickill and friuolous
It reckes nocht, thay ar bot vanitie:
Howbeit thay be in sum part odious.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

The Saddest said, for sawis Iniurious
I rehers nane, but quhilk I will awow.
And quhair ȝe say, my sawis ar friuolous:
Thay ar richt suith and ar of sentence fow
I say thy lufe is nothing till allow.
Gifand it quhair is na stabilitie
Now scho is mine: and thine agane richt now.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

Qui tenet mulierem, quasi qui apprehendit scor[OMITTED] one, Ab omni irreuerentia oculorum eius caue. [OMITTED] & ne mireris si te neglexerit. Si dederit homo om[nem] substantiam domus suæ pro delectione, qua[si nihil] dispiciet eum —Cant. vlt.

The ȝoungkeir said half rampand in ane rage
Thy talking is to me Intollerable.
Euir I sall auant lufe with curage.
Scho is constant: scho is right confortable:
Lufe is bening and lufe is amiable:
Lufe is stable, and repleit of pietie:
To hir awin feris scho is right fauorable.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

The Saddest said, thocht thow hir sa auant,
Scho is faithles: scho is abhominable.
Thow furthschawis as ane daft Ignorant,
Luf is truthles: and lufe is tressonable:
Nocht lauchfull, but scho is lamentable.
Vod, wantoun, vane, and void of veritie.
Lufe is wrangous, and lufe is variable.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

The ȝoungkeir said, thocht thow thay wordis disclois:
Lufe is ardent, and lufe is delicious.
Of all vertewis, lufe is the crop and rois.
Lufe is mery: lufe is melodious:
Richt petefull, and also scho is precious.
Lufe is the trane of all tranquillitie.
Lufe is facound: and lufe is fauorous.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

The Saddest said, cousing and all beg[OMITTED]
Lufe is lichtlie: and lufe is lecherous.
Lufe is wilfull: and lufe is vane and wil[OMITTED]
Lufe is richt mad: and lufe is malicious
Presumptuous, odious, and suspicious,
Scandalous, and cled all with scurrilitie.
Friuolous, venemous, and Iniurious:
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

The ȝoungkeir said, I se thy hart ouirset
All in malice, to lichtlie lufe that quene.
Lufe is fruitfull, and all with faith ouirfret;
Kinde, courtes, meik, mercyfull, Amene:
Maikles with mirth, substantious and serene
Gude, and gracious, ground of felicitie.
Scho laikis nocht to honour may pertene.
I lufe ay leill, and that weill likis me.

The Saddest said, lufe kendillis euer cair:
Vnkennand, kene, vnskilfull, and cruell:
Angrie, Irefull, birnand as baitit bair.
Vndantit, daft, ane reuar, and rebell.
Crabit, Cankerit, fenȝeit, baith fierce and fell.
Byitand, bostand, griefand, and gredie:
Bitter as Gall, and speciall net of hell.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

The ȝoungkeir said, with fax and face fumous:
Richt stomochat, thair standand him allone:
With austeir voice, as tirant tedious:
Sair mouit in minde, in hart halfwo begone:
Heirand the word the Saddest did propone.
Cryit, Cupid King to this mater haif Ee:
[Sh]aw the ane King, or King I hald the none
[L]ufe is lichtleit: thairfoir full wayis me.

[The] Saddest said, me think the sair anoyit
[T]ellis me, quhy thow sould sa the mufe
The ȝoungkeir said, suld gude lufe be distroyit
Be thy sophismes quhilk thow can neuer pruif?
Thocht thow sa wald, the greit God ay abuif
Will neuer thoill sa greit iniquitie.
The Saddest said, heir I defy fals lufe.
I luifit to lang, and that forthinkis me.

The ȝoungkeir said, with voce superlatiue:
O Cupid King, o Venus luifis Quene:
Attend thir wordis that ar sa pungitiue,
Outthrow the hart thay thirll me sa kene.
Bot ȝe supple, I may not thame sustene:
For sic vnricht se ȝe not remedie:
I me defer into my graif so grene.
Umquhill I luifit; and than weill likit me.

Argumenti finis.

As he that said to his hart straik ane stound,
Quhill of that place ne farder he micht found
Throw displesour, and greit melancholie.
The dart of deith, him thair gaif sic ane wound,
That suddandlie he fell vnto the ground:
Boyland but buit, vext with aduersitie:
Quhilk to Venus was schawin suddanlie:
That hir trew Knicht with faintnes sa confound
Was strikkin to deith for fault of hir supple.

Sone scho discendis but ony mair delay,
And brocht with hir bot ane ȝoung sempil Ma[y]
In hir chalmer quhilk ay was most secre,
Beheld hir Knicht on the ground quhair h[e lay]
Inquerit the caus, and effect of the fray.
The Saddest said, Madame of veritie
I do not knaw, he fell sa suddanlie.
Bot we allone the time passing with play:
Him this betuke ane suddane extasie.

And so anone his bak alyte he wryit,
To pas away, and Venus that espyit.
Scho said gude Schir, an quhill ȝe may remane

Quhill time this corps be sum better applyit,
With ferce felloun he is rich fair Inuyit,
And that be ȝow, for sa appeiris in plane
Quhairfoir ȝe sall incur my greit disdane
Madame said he faith planelie I deny it:
Wald he reuiue, Lord, than bot I war fane.

Anone Venus that Ladye fair and bricht,
In armes swith scho claucht hir awin trew knicht
Confortit him with kiss ane thousand syis
With voce cryand, with all hir mane & micht.
Awalk, awalk, awalk, thow wofull wicht:
This is Venus, that sa oft on the cryis.
Schaw me the caus quhairfoir deid heir thow lyis?
Gif ony man hes done to the vnricht,
In word or deid, schawing ony dispryis.

Als sone as he the voce hard of Venus,
Vnto his hart he thocht it sa Ioyous:
He conuallessit within ane littill space,
Quhair he befoir was melancholious,
[Wod, ire]full, angrie, and rigerous.
[Inc]ontinent fra that he saw hir face
[He w]as alterit sone fra that tenefull trace:
[And grew m]or wantoun, with luikis amorous.

Ȝit for faintnes, and noy was at his hart:
The quhile befoir fra time he did reuert.
The sweit trikillis doun ouir his face thay ran
Sayand Madame, I pray ȝour Grace aduert:
I soll ȝow schaw the caus of all my smart.
Quhy, and quhairfoir, and how it first began:
In argument, I and that gentill man.
Fell heir on case becaus I tuik ȝour part:
First he ȝour grace did lichtlie, and me than.

Sayand thir wordis quhilk war Iniurious:
That lufe was faint, baith fals and friuolous,
Abhominable, and all sawin with desait:
Mixt with malice, and verray malitious:
Wod, vane, na worth, wantoun and vicious:
Vennemous, anterous, and dissimulat:
Fraudfull, faithles, fra all gude alterat.
Thus and siclike with rank voice rigorous
He did proclame, Madame mak ȝe debait.

Scho said agane, it is Equiualent
To all ressoun, and als correspondent,
That thy mater suirlie I tak on hand:
Sen for my saik thow art heir schamelie schent
Ȝit I beleue als euill is subsequent
To thame in baill sa bitterlie the band:
Ioys I my life & bruik rowmes in this land:
Thay sall haif caus far mair for to lament,
That thus in sturt sa faint the causis stand.

Als scho that said withoutin circumst[ance]
With vengeabil vult, laik and gude [countenance]
In till hir hand she tuik of siluer quhite
Ane nobill horne, quhilk all the garth gart glance
And blew thairon with sic continuance,
Quhill at the last seir Nimphis of delite
Discendit sone to hir presence perfite.
Inclinand law with humbill countenance,
Weill preparit as thair vse was and rite.

Sayand Madame, with all obedience,
Heir we be cum to ȝour Magnificence,
In ȝour seruice ardent, and reddie boun,
To do ȝour grace plesour and reuerence.
Aganis quhome, or quha that dois offence

In that behalf concerning ȝour hie croun,
Of quhat degre, stait or conditioun
Thay may be found, with all Instant defence
We condiscend all heir in vnioun.

Than said Venus that lustie nobill Quene:
Lufesum Ladyis most secreit, and serene,
Of my counsell elect, and elegant:
This is the case I haif to ȝow to mene,
Quhilk in ane part to ȝow als dois pertene,
As to my self, thocht I be mair vibrant.
[Thair is] ane squier ane wod extrauagant,
[Quhilk] in my Court was sendill hard, or sene,
Nor in na sort thairof perticipant:

[Quha did] reheirs ane certane nyse Sermonis,
[With argu]mentis, and diuers questionis
[Of me con]trair, and of ȝow Ladyis all:
[Declairand] thus be seir opinionis
That lufe is foundit all of detractionis,
Man to desaif with foull lust mundiall,
And is the way of the stait Infernall.
This and siclik with diuers Infectionis,
He diuulgatis as Iuge Imperiall.

And not the les the great blasphematioun
New perpetrait vnto my michtie Croun,
Now recentlie Esperance our trew Knicht
He is neir put to finall distructioun,
With greit Iniuris, and sair forthocht felloun,
That neir the deith all maist he hes him dicht.
Caus our mater he tuik to hald in richt.
Think ȝe not this ane greit contemptioun?
This case Ladyis I refer to ȝour licht,

Quhen thay all hard Venus enarratiue,
Thay wald not gif ane sentence sone beliue.
To counsall ȝeid with ane aduisement,
Ponderat weill the falt superlatiue:
And deput ane to gif diffinitiue
Answer agane with all thair haill consent.
Quhilk Lady hecht Themis in verament.
Greit Aduocat with power possessiue
Maid be thame all to furthschaw thair intent.

On humill ways, and richt greit reuerence,
Scho said Madame, this is ane greit offence
Done to ȝour grace, and vs Ladyis ilk ane
Howbeit sa be to expell negligence,
My sisters sayis thay can not gif senten[ce]
Sa breuiatlie, bot an ȝe plese refrane
Ȝour present will, and sumthing be constrane
Be thair aduise mixt with perfite prudence
To mend the crime thai will wirk all thair mane.

Thair counsal is Madame, & plesit ȝour grace,
To set ane Court in leissum time and place.
Call the faltour, of his crime him accuse.
Gif he denyis, and grantis nocht the trespas,
To ane assyse it man ga with proces
For with resson ȝe can nocht this refuse.
And ȝe man do as vther Iugis dois
Nocht pretendand na puir man to oppres.
This thay respond, the falt nocht to excuis.

Than said Venus, Madame, that is bot skill,
To thair counsall hartlie applie I will.
Ane vther Nimph, the quhilk Nemesis hecht,
Without tarie sone scho did call hir till:
Quhilk was schiref sic Actis to fulfill.

Bad hir beliue pas to ȝone waryit wicht
Hecht Desperance, and for the greit vnricht
First done to me with peruerst mind and will
Secundlie done to Esperance my Knicht:

And to my sisteris, and Ladyis curiall,
With certane vther actionis criminall:
Charge him compeir befoir my Maiestie,
[I]n hour of caus sittand in Tribunall:
Or my deputis quhat thay be greit or small.
[To] heir him self accusit of crueltie.
[Vnd]er all pane that layit thairon may be:
[With] exceptionis, and causis defensall.
(Gif he sic hes) that may himself supple.

Inclining law but mair this Nimph anone,
Heiring the charge that Venus did propone:
Scho said, Madame, withouttin tariment
It salbe done: and sa furth is scho gone,
To desperance, quhair he stuid him allone.
Saluted him with gretingis condecent.
And he to hir with hauingis reuerent.
And scho in hand ane letter had quhairon:
Hir charge scho red, quhais tennour is sequent.

Summonitionis litera.

Venvs, the well of worthynes,
Ground of all grace, and greit Goddes,
Of Quenis Quene, and eik princes,
That now dois ring.
To our louit condigne Maistres,
Nemesis constitute but les,
Our Shiref in that part expres,
Dewlie greeting.

Forsamekle as it is menit
Heuilie, schawin vs, and complenit,
Be our trew Knicht quhilk sustenit
Greit velanie:
Esperance, quhair he conuenit
With Desperance him nocht pertenit,
With cruell mind thair vnrefrenit
In this degre.

Rehersit wordis Iniurious,
With peruerst will, and venemous
Corrupt Intent and dispitteous
Into this sort:
That lufe was wantoun, and vicious,
Irefull, pridfull, and rigorous,
Ouirset with slicht sulphurious,
And suddant mort.

With diueris vther detractioun,
Concerning ws, and eik our Croun,
Caus our Knicht tuik our opinioun,
Callit Esperance.
He him beset with thocht felloun,
Quhill neir the deith that he was boun:
Quhilk is to ws greit contemptioun,
Be allegeance.

Our will is heirfoir als and we
Chargis and commandis straitlie,
Incontinent this letter be
Sene that ȝe pas.
In our Name and authoritie:
Command desperance sone that he
Compeir befoir vs haistelie
For his trespas.

Quhair that we hald our maist mansioun
Into this garth baith vp and doun,
Without ony exceptioun,
Had of beforne,
[Ob]stacle or reuocatioun:
[On the] thrid day efter executioun:
[Vnder] the pane of rebellioun
And to our horne.

The quhilk to do forsuith heir we
Commit to ȝow all haillelie,
Our full power in best degre,
Be this our letter.
Execute and Indorsat dewlie,
Deliuering it be ȝow trewlie,
To the beirar agane suithlie,
But falt or fetter.

Geuin at our heid Mansioun Tempe:
And greitest Palace quhilk vse we:
Vnder our hand writ verrilie,
And our Signet.
Into the straitest forme may be
Of Maij the day aucht and twentie.
And of our Regne, sa mot I the,
The ȝear is forȝet.

Finitur Summonitio.

This Nemesis Schiref, and Officiar,
Into this case chargit as aduersar
This desperance to compeir day and place,
Be the tennour of letteris present thair,
Quhais forme and fetter in the self wald declair.
Madame (said he) plesit to speik ane space,
Sen this sa schort the mater cummis on case,

I wald require the copy of that quair,
For to aduise, gif I micht it purches.

This ladie said thinke ȝe it expedient
To pay for it, I have it heir present.
He said agane, Madame, it is ressoun
With all glaidnes to fulfill ȝour Intent.
Tak thair sex penneis without Impediment.
Scho said gude Schir, it is to small portioun.
Alswa ȝe knaw, this caus concernis the croun.
Thairfoir copie requyris goldin rent,
Becaus it is sa eminent actioun.

I Nill it gif without ane gold Besant.
Forsuith said he of sic I haue na hant.
Madame bruik weill, the price it is to hie.
(Quod scho) war nocht I se the repugnant
To Venus Quene, and to hir court obstant:
I wald nocht euir the copie to gif fre.
Bot I will nocht sic plesour do to the.
The copie clene I quite it is sa skant,
Ȝit nocht the les I sall compeir, said he.

So thay depart: Nemesis furth is go
To Venus, quhair befoir that scho come fro.
Recitit all hir charge in verrament.
How scho finischit hir Act scho had to do
With Desperance, quod Venus sen is so,
He will compeir and we all heir present:
I most deput ane Iuge mair competent.
For I myself will hald him as my fo,
Forthy I will not sit in Iugement.

In presence of hir Ladyis, ane and all:
[An]e vther Nimph to hir than did scho call.

[The] Ladie hecht (Rhammusia) to hir Name
[Cam] to Venus in hir best apparrall.
With countinance and facts virginall,
Inclining law all most tuiching the lame.
To quhom Venus, this case ȝe knaw Madame,
How desperance as knaif most criminall,
Contempnit me with wordis of defame.

And all my court, as ȝe knaw richt perfite:
With vther Actis of Iniuris Infinite.
Quhairfoir I Nill my self personalie
In Iugement sit: bot my power vnite
Salbe to ȝow as depute requisite.
For I suppone he will me hald partie.
Thairfoir present thir witnes standand by,
I creat ȝow to condampne or to quite,
My Iuge deput with power haillelie.

THE SECUND BUIK.

To Desperance not vnknawin in ane part
How that Venus wes set to eik his smart:
He him bethocht for to fang sum defence,
And for to get sum Aduocat expert:
Wald Venus court retreit, cast or conuert,
Or in sum part thairin mak resistence,
Sone he him hyit without mair residence
Vnto the seuin digne Doctouris in all A[rt]
Quhilkis clepit ar the well of sapience.

The first is callit Thales Milesius,
Quhilk is in Greik ane maister meruelus.
And dispute first in all nature of thing:
Quhais eloquence was sa compendius,
Sa clene, sa cleir, and eik sa copius,
Surmountit Grece be fer in his saying.
The secund als was ane doctour conding,
Callit Solon, ane Iurist cautelous,
That sa did speik vnto Cresus the King.

The thrid Chylon Lacedemonius.
The ferd callit Byas Pryeneus,
Wnto the laif was speciall President.
The fift to Name and hecht Poete Pittacus.
The sext callit the Clerk Cleobolus.

Ane ageit man in ȝeiris ancient,
In liberall science richt emmient
The seuint, hecht Periander Corinthius,
Last of thame all ane Cunning man and quent.

Quhen Desperance thir seuin in ane saw sit,
Wallie (said he) ȝonder is heid of wit.
Ane spark of peirtnes in his breist than grew,
Thinkand allane, my caus and I submit
[Vn]to ȝone seuin ane mis or els ane hit:
Thay will me schaw sum counsall or reskew:
[Q]uhidder I sall absent me or persew
To Venus Court, sen I thairto am knit.
[Gi]f thay not do, I tary nocht, adew.

[He] saluist thame on his best wayis anone.
[OMITTED]mand GOD saif ȝow seid of Salomon.
In gentill wise thay him contersalued
Sayand gude Schir, quhat is thair to expone
Of argument probleme or questioun
That ȝe wald haif distrust or recountit.
Schaw furth belyue and mak it specified,
So far as ȝe ȝour mater will propone:
It salbe drest, and ȝe ȝour self depesched.

Sone he furthschew his mater haill and all
Vnto thay seuin Rectouris Rethoricall:
How that Venus was set in his contrair.
And Esperance with him in feid did fall:
And how he was summound to Tribunall
Be Nemesis the principall Officiar.
And how that he promittit to cum thair
Befoir hir Iuge Deput temporall,
Wnder all pane micht follow or danger.

And quhen he had schawin his narratioun,
He Implorit with all delectatioun.
Thay wald him gif thair counsal on best wy[se]
How he should chaip without Tribulatioun,
Manifest schame, or mair Blasphematioun,
Not turnand him, nor his to preiudice.
Thay said agane, ȝe haif done greit dispric[e]
Quhairthrow ȝe can not chaip Indignati[e]
Of hir, nor nane that makis hir dew seruice.

Howbeit that we thairto nathing pertene,
Scho is ane Galland Nobill lustie Quene
Diuers gentillis will mak to hir homage
And serue hir with all courage fra the splen[e]
Quhen scho and thay to gidder may conuene.
At hir awin sport, scho dar lay counterplage.
Quhairfoir we think, that ȝe haif preuit fulage
For to offend that Souerane, and most schene,
So eminent ane Lady of linage.

Bot nottheles our counsall ȝe sall haif
In closit writ, the quhilk ȝe sall resaif.
And in gude haist ȝe sall pas on beliue
Vnto the nine Musis sweit and swaue:
Quhair that thay sit into thair clene conclaue.
Deliuer thame this pretty small missiue
In siclik Actis thay ar frequentatiue,
And mair facill ȝour mater will consaif,
Fra time that thay heir ȝour enarratiue.

Thus thay conclude all seuin with ane consent
Deliuerit him the bill Incontinent
Renuncit thame of thair cure and counsall.
He tuke gude nicht and on his wayis went.
Till he come to thay Rosis Redolent.

Ruit of regard, and fontane Musicall
Schryne of tresour, and port Poeticall:
Quhair all science hes daylie Entreitment:
The Musis nine most puir well virginall.

Quhais Nobill Names ar thir in veritie:
The first Clio is cleipit sickerlie:
Ane Nobill Nymph baith for to sing and say,
The secund hecht to hir name Euterpe:
[Sy]ne Thalia: the feird Melpomene:
[Te]rpsichore fift is callit in verray
Erato sext: the seuint Polimnia:
The aucht is callit gentill Calliope
Maistres of all the nynt Vrania.

Quhair thir Ladyes wes in thair chalmer clois
Thair was the rute of reuerence and rois:
Thair was Prudence: & thair was Pulchritude
Thair was of blis baith the waill and chois:
Thair was the sop of science I suppois:
Thair was the flour of fairheid, and the flude:
Thair was worschip with welth and valitude
Thair was the Court ane man for to reiois:
Thair was meiknes weil mixt with mansuetude

Thair was Grammar, and thair was Rethorik
For Questionis thair was Dialectik:
In argumentis full of subtialtie.
Pro and contra in termes of Logik:
In all this warld to serche there was nane sic.
For to decerne licht fra obscuritie.
Thair was Phisik: thair was Astronomie,
Thair was the mirth, and Mother of Musik:
Thair was nurtour, thair was Nobilitie.

For to conclude of this quhat wald ȝe mair?
The seuin science compleitlie thay war thair,
With all kyn sort of mirth that micht be found
Thair manerit Mans sa perfyit and preclair,
Enuirond all aboit with hailsum air.
Mair plesund place stude neuer on the ground
With all delitis sa greitlie did abound,
Of all palice it was the luminair,
That euer ȝit was maid on Mappamond.

For to descriue thair honest Ornament,
Thair riche array, and thair habillement:
My feble wit stands in extasie
So bene, so big, and so Auripotent,
So ground michtie it was, and precellent:
It dullis far my small capacitie.
Thairfoir I most at this time let it be.
Bot ȝe sall wit thair was na thing absent
Of gold, nor silk, that ganit sic cumpanie.

In thair Chalmer thay war all singand nyne,
And als playand on Harp, and Cymbalyne.
Bot for to heir that sound Melodious,
It to compair to voicis femynyne
I can not do: it was mair lik deuine
Angellis of Heuin, it was sa amorous:
So small, so clene, so sweit, so curious,
So replenissed with the cleir chrystalline:
Sa weill digest, benigne, and bewteous.

Quhen Desperance thir nyne did heir and se
Percust he was into perplexitie:
Quhidder gif he sould enter thair, or no.
GOD gif it war my fortoun than, said he,
My fatall weird, and als my destenie,

I war conuert into the May Echo,
That I micht bruik this greit quotidian Ioy,
[With tha]t he Incressit into audacitie:
[He tui]k his anter, and Inwart can he go,
[And] knelit doun anone law to the eird

The Ladyis sawe, and suddanelie was effeird:
For seindill men vsit in thair companie.
Kissand the bill farthermair or he steird,
Deliuerit it as the doctouris him leird.
Quhilk his erand to thame did certifie.
Credence be toung he wantit sickerlie.
Quhairfoir I traist the quader was his weird,
That laikit speiche him self to fortifie.

Als sone as thay the small missiue did reid.
Without mair baid thay wald not superseid.
And said gude Schir, is ȝour name Desperance?
This present writ sa manifestis ȝour deid,
That ȝe haue seruit greit magrie to ȝour meid,
For presumptioun, and eik vltrequedance
To Venus done by ȝour greit arrogance.
Quhairfoir we can na farthermair proceid
In ȝour support, bot stand vnto ȝour chance.

To Intermell we will not with sic thing:
For we Intend on vther machyning,
In Musicall Airt, and diuers science:
As in Psaltrie, in Luit and Harp playing,
Versificat in meter and dyting
In congrew veirse, and to keep accidence
In sic effairis we haue experience,
Bot be no way in Venus disprysing:
For quhy scho is ane Quene of excellence.

We counsall ȝow withouten mair abai[d]
Becaus we se ȝour stomak storme bestaid
Ȝe pas in hy vnto the Nobillis nyne.
Gif ȝe wald fra this auenture ewaid.
And gif thay pleis ȝow to supple and aid,
To ȝour mater gif thay will ocht Incline:
It is mair decent to courage Masculine
Ȝow to support, than vs for to perswaid
Contrair Venus, thairfoir gude Schir pas hine.

The small missiue thay deliuerit agane.
Bot he nothing of thair answer was fane.
He said adew, and so furth can he fair
Out ouir the bent with hart richt fair constrane
Throw Mos and myre, & mony hie Montane,
Half wo begone allone all solitair,
Throw wildernes in woddis, & greit dangeir:
Richt desolait I traist of ane gude wane,
Till he come to quhair the nine did repair.

Hector dux fortissimus, filius Priami Regis Troie, & hecube Regine, vt habetur in historia Troiana.

Thir Nobillis nyne togidder congregait
In clene cureis he saw all situait.
Quhais Names ar thir (gif I can richt record)
Hector of Troy quhilk maid greit debait
Of the Greikis, xviij. Kings he cruciat:
Exceptand Dukis, and mony diuers Lord:
He spairit nane with him was at discord.
In euerie Camp the proudest man armait
His pray was ay, and maid him euer ford.

Iosue dux filiorum Israel, & filius Nun.

The nixt callit the vailȝeant Iosue:
[Qu]hilk with Moyses past out throw the reid sey
[Qu]hen King Pharao persewit Israell,

With greit power, and prepotent Armie:
Bot be support and the deuine supple,
All the vengeance on Pharaos folkis fell:
Becaus contrair greit GOD he did rebell.
Eik Iosue slew of Kingis ane and threttie,
The twelf Chaptour of his awin buik dois tell.

Dauid filius Isai, alias Iesse.

The thrid Dauid, the greit propheit & King,
That efter Saull in Israell did ring.
Quhilk slew ane Beir, and als ane Liones:
Quhen he was bot ane child of ȝeiris ȝing,
Vpon the feild quhair he had in keiping
His Fatheris flok into the wildernes.
Alswa he slew the Giant Golyas,
In the foirheid with ane stane and stafsling:
As the first buik of Kingis dois expres.

Iulius Cæsar, quia cæsus de matris aluo, (vt dicit Plinius).

The feird callit was Cæsar Iulius,
Richt vailȝeand and als victorious:
As Doctouris reidis he was first Empriour,
Quhilk with scharp sword, & Actis anterous,
Diuers greit Kingis in feild he did vincus.
Of Babilon he was the conquerour:
Of Italie siclik disconfeitour.
Into plane camp with dintis dangerous
He brocht mony vnto thair fatall hour.

Alexander Philippi filius, construxit tres vrbes, vno nomine vocatas, scilicet alexandria in Ægypto. alexandria in Asia propre hostiū nili fluuij & alexandria in Scithia, vt habetur in Policr[ate].

Alexander the fyft, of Macedoun
Ane nobill King and Campioun

To vailȝeandnes gaif his Felicitie,
Quhilk with greit strenth, and mony bald Baroun,
Had all the warld at his dominoun,
Be force of men and lauchand destenie.
Greit Conquerour thairfoir cleipit is he.
At his plesure he micht louse or Ransoun
Quhairsumeuer he war, or quhat degre.

Iudas Machabeus.

The sext Iudas Machabeus was cald,
Ane birnand Beirne, ane busteous, and bald;
Richt corpolent, and hie in his estait.
Aucht hundred Knichtes, & twentie thairto tald
At ane Iornay the Gaist he gart vpȝald.
His Fortoun was with strenth so roborait.
Into his dayis durst nane with him debait:
Quhome he vincust no langer leif thay wald,
Sic grace he gaif, bot thame all maid chak mait.

Godefridus.

The seuint callit Godfride de Billioun:
Quhilk subiugait Ierusalem the Toun,
Of mony Iowis he was the finall end,
Depopulat that Cietie of Renoun,
With dynt of sword, and maid sic occisioun,
Of Ronciwell the battell it transcend.
His courage was ay Christindome to defend.
Quhen al was done he brocht of thorne the croun
Quhilk crownit Christ with him til ane commend.

Arthurus Britanniæ Rex (vt habetur in Cronicis eiusdem).

[Art]hur the aucht, he was ane Christin King,
[N]obill, and fre, that in his dayis did ring
[Hi]s Intent was set on vassalage

The round Table he had at his leiding.
His cruell Knichts thairof sa entreting
With gold and geir to eik thair clene courage:
To him againe thay making sic homage.
Of Infidelis mony he did downe thring
Be battell mort, and put thame to thirlage.

CHARLFS LE MAYNE.

The nynt Charles baith King & Empreour
Fra the Angell of delyce tuik the Flour,
Quhilk in the Armes of France ȝit is worne.
All Hispanie he wan be battell sour:
Of Almanie he was the Conquerour,
Fra Infidelis, and mony of thame forlorne,
At Ronciwell quhen Rolland blew the horne:
Quha was betraisit and gat his fatall hour,
Be the fals Tratour Ganȝelone manesworne.

Thir nyne Nobillis all in thair cureis cleir,
Maist triumphand, and vailȝeand men of weir
Richt martiall like, so curious and clene,
Sa gay thay schine all in thair glitterand geir:
Hewmond on heid, sword, buklar, scheild & speir.
(Quod desperance) quhat may ȝone menȝe mene?
Thay ar richt like to turne thair fais to tene.
Thay luik sa gryme, with peruerst vult austeir
I dout with thame that I dar not be sene.

So tedious thay ar be countenance
To luik vpon with vultis of vengeance:
So busteous and eik so bellicois,
So terribill thay ar be apperance:
Detestabill for to eik ane mischance

So scelerait, and ingrait for to chois:
So wickit like, and als so venemois:
So troubillois full of Intemperance,
To thame ane word that I dar not disclois.

Quhat sall I do, and I pas hame againe,
All my trauell by past it is in vaine.
And byde I heir, I traist na thing bot deid,
Best is to say, I am ane Chirurgiane:
In Medicine ane greit practiciane.
Perauenture sa sall I eschaip feid.
Quhat than, gif thay of my craft with me pleid?
They will me call ane cassin Courticiane:
Ane fenȝeit Fox: and than of will my heid.

Best is to say, that I couet seruice
With siclike men, that vailȝeant ar and wise.
Thus in a part my self dissimulat.
Bot I dreid sair all this that I deuise
I sall me turne perchance to preiudice
In all my dayis was I not half sa mayt.
Ȝit sall I se gif I be Fortunait.
With all my pith my hart I sall apprise:
I knaw the werst of all this haill debait.

And sa anone he enterit in the Mans,
[Qu]hair that thir nyne into thair geir did glans
[Tr]aisting to haue of thame aide and supple
[Joy]ous in hart and blyith be apperance:
[Presum]ing far in his awin arrogance:
[He leukit on] all with fenȝeit audacitie,
[Als he stood] befoir that cho is of Cheualrie:
The small missiue withouttin circumstance,
Deliuerit thame, law kneiling on his kne.

And so thay reid the small missiue anone,
And syne begouth the sentence to expone.
Ane said of thame quhilk was maist Ancient.
Brether, this case concernis vs Ilkone.
Fra that thay knew that he was Venus fone
All thir atanis thay grew in matilent:
Sayand quad knaif, thow was ouir negligent
Of Quene Venus sic langage to propone:
Thou seruis weill on Rakkis to be rent.

Ane vther syne quhilk was ane crabbit squyer
Kest doun his browis quhair he sat in his chyre
On Desperance, sayand, fals Renigate,
Quhat causit the be sa peirt for to delyre
Fra Venus Court, or thairfra for to gyre:
Or in that case quha the authoriȝate?
Tratour I sall thy corps Incarcerate.
And bet thy banis baith bodie, bowk and lyre:
Thow seruis quick to be excoriate.

Quhen Desperance thir wordis outrageous
Hard said to him, he was sa dolorous,
All for frayitnes he fell in extasie:
Quhill the laif of thay Chiftaines Cheualrous
Raisit him agane, schawing thame gracious
Sayand, he suld not thair thoill villanie
It was na laude, nor ȝit Humanitie
On sic ane wicht to schaw thame villanous,
Nor to molest sic ane vith crueltie.

Ȝit nottheles for the greit contemptioun
To Venus done be his detractioun,
We will him schaw sum thingis terribill
Him for to fle fra sic Infectioun:
That he nor nane of his conditioun,

Of Venus speik sic wordis horribill.
Sa thay him sasit on ground quhair he lay stil
Sayand, curst knaif thow sall haif afflictioun
As thow did serue, rise, and resaif thy bill.

So vp he rais into ane stakkerand stait,
As he had bene fra wit examinat.
Askand thame grace, trimbland for feir did quaik
Sum said he seruit for to be cruciat,
That he micht be exempill scelerat
Till all vtheris, that siclik crimes wald mak
Sum said, he seruit for to hing on ane Aik.
Sum said, he seruit be quik confodiat:
Or rostit quik, and all for Venus saik.

Bot we will not with sic ane Intromet.
Flane bellief lawcht on the it war weill set.
Richt swa thy bill and thy narratioun sayis.
And likit we to do to the our det,
Fra top to ta thy bodie wald be let,
Till thow did neuer gude in all thy dayis.
Wald thow further and prosper in thy wais,
In all gude haist thow hence the fra this ȝet,
And seik anone to the ten Sibillais.

[Quh]a ar forsuith forsuith Prophettes ilkane,
[To t]hame thow pas, and sadlie mak thy mane
And thy mater but feinȝetnes thame schaw,
And swa beliue his leif at thame hes tane,
Murnand in hart with mony greslie grane,
His veyage tuik, quhair he na gait did knaw:
Throw wildernes, quhair he na luging saw:
Throw mos and myre, and mony hie Montane
Till he come to mont Caucasus of snaw.

Quhilk Montane is most heich in Scithia:
Into the eist tendand fra India,
Vnto the north, and all excandidate
With snawis fell (as Albertus dois say)
Vpon that hill na nicht is sene bot day,
Except four houris the sone is obscurate:
Thair Desperance on force all fatigate:
He set him doun, na ferder he micht ga,
The mont with snaw was all sa condensat.

And swa he baid throw hap and destinie
Vpon that hill baith hiddeous was and hie,
Him to refresche, quhilk was all faynt begone,
And to haif had thair sum tranquillitie,
Efter trawell his mind to mollifie.
Thair did he rest vpon ane Merbill stone,
Richt sad in hart makand ane drerie mone:
Till Morpheus that carll subtell and sle,
All his fiue wittis fra him hes reft anone.

Thair sleipit he within ane littill stound
Vpon that mont, quhair he lay on the g[round]
Ane Ladye gent approchit quhair he lay
Quha in bountie and bewtie did abound
Richt fauorabill of fassoun, and facound;
To Desperance thir wordis couth scho say.
O wofull wicht, I repent in verray,
That thow art thus with faintnes all confound:
Awalk the sone, and pas on thy Iornay.

My sister dear to Name is callit Spes:
To the me send and to schow the this case.
Scho bad the tak ane hart mair masculyne:
It is the will of all the greit goddis.
Thow pwneist be for thy wilfull trespas

To Venus done and thairfoir to thoill paine.
Bot ȝit they will remeid all thy rwyne.
Howbeit ane time thow think it heuines:
Thow sall ouirput: this scho bad me defyne.

Bot thow sall haif greit laubour and trauaill
And on thy part thow sall haif few partiall
Ȝit, sussie not, for thow will get reskew,
Thocht Venus will richt scharplie the assaill.
Dout not thairfoir, for nothing sall the aill
Thocht Rhamnusia agane the will argew:
Heirfoir be blith thir wordis salbe trew:
Arthemisia my Name is, naturall
Sister to Hoip: not ellis, gude freind adew.

[Th]ir wordis scho said richt sone him excitate:
[He turni]t about bot scho was gone hir gait.
[Wei]ll he knew, it was sum vncouth visioun
[Ȝit he k]new not how it was nominat:
[And he c]uld not hir taill weill diuulgait,
[Thinka]nd it was all haill bot derisioun
Ȝit he on knais askit ane petitioun,
At the greit GOD, his dreme for to debait:
With thir ilk wordis begouth his Orisoun

Lamentatio ipsius per egrinantis incipit.

O God of Goddis, as thow art GOD abuse
Quhy sufferis thow ane creature mortall,
For none defalt to Incur sic vnrufe,
As I daylie but buit heir dois bewaill?
Help sone thow may of this pane corporall:
For I not may sustene this felloun feid.
Venus that wenche scho vexis me to deid.

I pray the GOD of thy benignitie:
As thow art God and gydis the ballance:
Sum gude comfort thow wald prouyd for me,
And me denuid of this curst cummerance.
And gouerne me to sum gude souenance:
For my wanrest I wald thow saw remeid.
Venus that wenche scho vexis me to deid.

Als I the pray that for me deit on Rude
(Considderand I am ane weirie wicht)
That thow wald turne my dreme vnto sum gude
Quhilk throw my sleip appeirit in my sicht.
For weill I knaw, it is small of thy micht,
To muif this Mont vnto ane vther steid.
Venus that wenche scho vexis me to deid.

Heir quhair I sit vpon this hie Mon[tagne]
To heir me call thy eiris thow wald [incline]
Wilsum of way, and wait not quhair [to gang]
Me to conuoy to gude purpois and fine
And not suffer that I may trauell tyne.
Out of this place to gude ludgeing me leid.
Venus that wenche scho vexis me to deid.

Finis Orationis.

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.

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,

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.

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

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.

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

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.

[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:

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.

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,

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.

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:

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.

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

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.

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,

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.

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

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.

THE THRID BUIK.

The day become with all expedience,
Rhamnusia sat as Iuge full of prudence,
Great membris of Court baith mair & les
All is Sutour, to gif finall sentence,
Quhilk was callit to Name Maleuolence.
The Iustice Clark, was callit Fremmitnes.
Four scharp sergiands the Court for to addres:
Quhais Names hecht rigour and Impacience
The thrid, and fierd euill will, and vnkindness.

And so belieue the Court was confirmat.
Sutis was callit ilk ane in thair estait.
Cheisit ane assyis as was expedient:
Luifsum Ladies, of langage Laureat:
Baith ald and ȝoung richt weill Morigerat,
That in sic Actis had maist experiment,
With hie Ingine, and eik correspondent
To the mater was to be fulminat.
Quhais Names are in ordour subsequent.

Assisa.

And for the first was chosin Dione,
Venus Mother as into writ find we.
Deidamia: and als the Nimph Dido:

The proude Progne, quhilk gart hir awin Sone die
Seruit him on plait that hir husband micht se
The Poetris and Maistres eik Sappho:
Octauia quhilk spous was to Nero,
Quhom he did sla in his crudelitie:
And Saturnus dochter was thair Iuno.

Subtill Scylla quhilk the hair Aureat
Fra hir Father throw slicht scho depilat.
The Quene Phillis, and luif to Demophoon,
And in ane tre scho was transfigurat,
[Q]uhen he on sey be storme was tribulat.
[M]edea eik most pleasant to Iason
Quene Niobe spous to Amphion.
Dames the quhilkes Iuppiter violat:
And Dalida, and Deuill to force Samson.

Thair was Biblis: and thair was Canace;
Helen, Pirrha, and als the May Thisbe,
Quhilk spilt hir self for luif of Pyramus
Iocasta Quene the quhilk in greit folie,
Spousit her son efter hir King culd die.
Deianira with ane sark venemous.
Brint Hercules was sa anterous.
Hippolyte and eik Pandora sle
That with hir sliches al men dois vincous.

Orpheus wist the Quene Euridece:
Alcmena als Mother to Hercules:
And Hecuba vmquhile of Troy the Quene
Thir Ladeis all war chosin as I wis
On the assyis of quhome the number is,
Twentie and fiue quhen thay war red but wene:
And sworne also for to gif sentence clene,
For fauour or feid, contract or ȝit promeis.
Bot the Iust way, that Iustice micht be sene.

Curiæ circumastistentes.

Bot by all thir was mony Nimphe to se,
That come to heir the case, and witnes be.
Augeria, Ægiale, and Calypso,
Galanthis, Coronis, Cione,
Iuturna, Lara, Daris, Clemene,
Ops, Philyra, Sicoris, and Drimo,
Naiades, Leda, Ilione, Io,
Quene Alceste quhilk for hir spouse could die
Origone, Pelopea, and Hero.

Asteria, Circe Adriana,
Lampethusa, Iuno, and Europa,
Manto, Maia, and Halcione,
Tantalis, Tyas, and Hypermnestra,
Creusa, Daphne, and Hersilia,
And Phemonoe in all meter richt sle
Cloelia, and eik Penolope,
Cassiope, Erichto, and Rhea,
Atalanta, Cidippe, and Dirce.

Parsiphae, Chestias, Semele.
Cleopatra, Calisto, Euadne,
Lauinia, Tarpeia, Tomyris,
Lampetia, Phedra, & Agaue,
Feronia, Mirta, Antigone,
Leuthocoe, Alcea, Candaces,
Antiopa, Ariadne, Bryseis,
Nicostrata, Procris, Harpolice,
Nictimene, Argia, Thaumantis,

Thair was Athlas seuin dochteris all but leis
To murne Hyas thair brother wald not ceis
Ambrosia, Pasithea, Eudora,

Sithe, Pitho, Plione, Coronis,
Als was present the fiftie Belides,
Danaus dochteris and eik Electra,
Oenone, Omphale, Aurora,
Petronia, and the Hesperides,
Eurynome, and als Orithyia.

Thair was Guanour, vmquhile to Arthur Quene
[W]ith mony vther Nimphis fair & schene:
[La]deis of sport, baith ald and ȝoung not few,
That in Scotland myself befoir had sene.
Bot I will not schaw now quhome of I mene:
I dreid sum say that my taill is not trew,
Bot weill I wait thay war gallandis of glew.
And with Venus to the Court did conuene,
Contrair Vesta Desperance to persew.

Gif sum wald seik, or to despyre be schawin
Thair Nimphis Names & quhair to find thame knawin
Luik Virgill weill into his Eneydois:
Als his Georgiks and Bucolikis weill drawin
In transformatis Ouid on breid hes blawin
Intill his buik of Metamorphoseos,
Theodolus baith in his text and glos:
And De Remedio Amoris throw out sawin
Thair salbe fund, and mony mo than thos.

Alsua quha list to tak pane or laubour
Out throw to reid the palice of honour,
Maid be Gawine dowglas of Dunkell,
Bischop, and als ane honest oratour.
Profound Poet, and perfite Philosophour.
Into his dayis abone all buir the bell:
In sic practikis all vtheris did precell,
Weill put in vers in gude still and ordour,
Thir Nimphis names, thair he dois trewlie [tell.]

Thairfoir schortlie lat vs to purpos wend,
Mair summarlie we sall cum to the end
Of our mater, tuichand our plantit pley.
Knicht Desperance, gif thow hes caus attend
Vnto this case, and thy actioun defend.
In chance the Court fra thy quarell dekep.
For gif sa fall in faith I hald the fey.
Pray fast to GOD sum succour to the send.
Now wyte thy self, thow Nald Venus obey.

Incontinent thay callit the criminall,
With ane twme scheith set him on the Pannall
The ratland Rollis was red vnto the end.
Sayand, thow art accusit of crime mortall
Aganis Venus as Quene Imperiall,
And all hir Court pertlie thow did contend.
Quhome hes thow now that thy Caus wil defend
Or quha dar tak thy part this day partiall,
In all this Court, gif ane dar mak it kend?

He said, Ladie, sen Iustice Clerk ȝe ar,
Into this Court, & set in my contrair:
I ȝow protest, ȝe wald me licenciat
With patience sen I am solitar:
That I may theis to me ane forspeikar,
Or ma in neid to be mine Aduocat
For I in law am not weill litterat.
It was grantit: Vesta stuid at the bar
He callit hir, scho com in hir estait,

With her sex Ladeis gangand at hir bak,
Quhite as the snaw that euer lay in slak,
Quod Desperance Madame plesit ȝour grace,
This day ȝe wald my mater wndertak,
[T]hat I incur heir nouther schame, nor lak.

[And] me defend fra this cautelous case,
[For vei]ll I knaw I stand in perrellous place.
(Quod Scho) be blyith and nathing stupefact,
Thow sall not aill, and I haif life and space.

Anone Venus Increst in matilent,
That Vesta tuik hir contrair sa patent.
Sayand, thow Knicht Esperance to thy Name
Sum aducat expert and competent
To speik for the, cheis at thy awin entent.
(Quod he) ȝourself I tak for me Madame:
To ȝow as me likwise he put defame.
And quhat ȝe do heirin I stand content:
As pleis ȝour grace, to follow or declame.

Quod Fremmitnes, that Clerk was to Iustice
Of this dittay grant ȝe ocht, or denyis?
Vesta answerit with maneris richt constant
That the clene man thoill heir no preiudice,
Reid it agane, we may thairwith aduyis:
For I thairof as ȝit am Ignorant.
For gif it be by ressoun ocht distant
To find the richt lat it pas to assyis,
Howbeit of thame sum part be fluctuant.

And for to be on the assyis vnabill,
To the ane part thay ar our fauorabill:
To the nixt part agane ouir odious:
Quhairfoir I think part of thame refutabill
Of the assyis, and vtheris acceptabill
Into thair steid, quhilkis ar mair Famous,
And of conscience ar far mair scrupulous,
For to eschew fra all doutis dampnabill,
And sa the richt salbe Illuminous.

Quod Rhamnusia, quhill was Iuge deputate
Is thair ony ȝe wald haif alterat
Of the assyis, and vtheris in thair steid?
Schaw now in time gif sic thing ȝe cowait.
And ressoun be the syis salbe translait,
Sa ȝe can preif vpon thame falt or feid,
Or ony caus ressonabill of pleid.
The vther part gif thay fortificat
In ȝour contrair, be counsell, help, or reid.

Ȝis quod Vesta, thay ar all suspicious:
Bot thair is part mair wantoun and vicious
Than vtheris ar, quhilk I desyre to set
Of the assyis for causis cautelous
That I can preif on thame notorious
Sa ȝe Madame with ressoun do ȝour det.
Quod Rhamnusia, than Name thame furth but let
Be thair ony by ordour orguellous,
We sall thame change, & vtheris for thame get.

Than Vesta said, Madame but onymair,
Think ȝe it speid full Venus Mother be thair?
To quhat effect traist ȝe, or to quhat fine?
Considerand Venus is in my contrair.
And als Scylla that staw hir Fatheris hair
For Venus saik, and dwellis with hir sensine.
And Quene Phillis, quhilk sufferit mekill pine
For Venus saik, with greit sorrow and cair:
As for this thre suithlie I will decline.

[Me]dea als scho causit ane strange Knicht
[Steal] hir awin Father's goldin fleis and micht
And herie him of all his gold and geir:
Sine with the same stall away in the nicht.
Vnto the schip togidder tuik thair flicht,

Left kin and kith, and followit ane stranger:
And slew hir awin brother that was sa deir,
Becaus scho saw hir Father com in sicht:
All this scho did for Venus saik but weir.

Als Dalida pertlie scho tuik on hand,
For Venus saik betray hir awin husband,
Quhilk Samson was, and put him to his fais.
Quene Iocasta ane Ladie of greit land,
Tuik hir awin sone of spowsage in the band,
For Venus saik (as the historie sayis)
Deianira for Venus saik kest wayis
Hir lufe distroy, caus ane vther did stand
Mair in hir lufe, than Hercules all his dayis.

The nimph Progne the heid scho did of smite
Fra hir awin sone, in hir husbandis dispite:
Becaus scho had ane vther Paramour.
The May Thisbe wald tine hir self sa nyte.
Caus Pyramus away and deid was quite:
For Venus saik scho curit na displesour.
Heirfoir Madame, sen thir Nimphis of honour
To pleis Venus kest all thair appetite:
I presuppone that thay hir ȝit fauour.

And weill I wait, that it is not liklie,
That ane of thame on the assyis suld be,
In my contrair, for I thame hald partiall,
For all thair dayis thay luifit neuer me,
Bot euer kest thair maist Felicitie
To pleis Venus, as Ladie maist speciall.
And sen thay all set ay thair mind alhaill
To pleis Venus in my greit contrarie,
I can not think that thay can be equall.

For quhy al thing thay did for Venus quene
It was all done in my contrarie clene:
To that effect, to do me sturt and pine.
Thairfoir I think that they sould not haif bene,
Put on assyis Iustice to circumuene,
In ony caus or Actioun of mine,
Or me to caus my Iust quarrell to tine.
As to Iustice to ȝow Madame I mene,
Put thame of syis, for I set thame all nine.

Than Venus said in mind half stomachat,
Of the assyis nane salbe alterat.
As for the Roll, gif thay pleis, reid agane.
Than said Vesta to Venus, weill I wait
Ȝe aucht not be baith Iudge and Aduocat.
For and sa be, it is wrang ȝe do plane,
Than said Venus with mind almaist Insane.
It salbe sa, as I haif Imperat.
Than said Vesta, Iustice can not remane.

For if sa be that richt ȝe vs deny,
Heir I protest befoir all standis by,
That it sall turne vs to na preiudice,
Nor to tak hurt in this Court throw inuy.
Be ȝour hatrent and greit melancholie:
[OMITTED] was vmquhile to vtheris done disprise
Witnes, Acteon quhome that ȝe gart occise,
With his awin doggis quhair ȝe him haistelie
Conuertit in ane Hart throw ȝour fantice.

Becaus that he on case happinit cum neir
Vnwittandlie quhair that ȝour Ladies cleir
Was wescheand thame with ȝow all at ane Well
Siclike becaus Diomeid wald forleir
The fers Troians quhair that he faucht in weir

And ȝe the contrair tuik of his quarrell,
All his kene knicht throw ȝour hatrent so fell,
In fleand foullis ȝe did conuert in feir:
As at mair lenth Ouid dois planelie tell.

This and siclik oft ȝe haif perpetrat,
At ȝour awin will diuers men transformat:
And for na fault, bot throw ȝour wilfulnes,
Quhairfoir we wald that ȝe obtemperat
Ȝour will with wit, and ȝour mind mitigat:
Quhairby that we Incur heir na distres.
And gif ȝe preis this puir man to oppres,
Our caus we sall to Cupid king translat,
For of all wrang he will vs weill redres.

Than Venus was cummerit in cairis kene,
With mind dement vneis scho micht sustene
The words scharp quhilk scho thocht al to hicht
Sayand, schaip ȝe to Cupid King complene?
To him my Court in na sort dois pertene,
For nane thairof to Cupid sall haif sicht.
Thairfoir it sall pas baith ȝour mane and micht
Be ony way fra my Court to abstene.
Than Vesta said, Madame, I ask bot richt.

The Rollis relect quhais tennour ȝe sall heir.
Desperance Knicht thow art Indytit heir
For slauchter of ane knicht hecht Esperance.
Secundlie, for language rich austeir
Thow did rehers to Esperance thy feir
Of Venus Quene into greit arrogance
Sayand, scho is the rute of all mischance:
Grounder of euill, and na vertew hir neir.
And sa at schort set hir at deffyance.

This and siclike in thy greit Tyrannie
Oft syis thow said, quhilk thow can not deny.
Defend thy caus, and mak answeir beliue.
Weill (quod Vesta) to the first answeir I:
That point is fals as is sene oppinlie.
As to slauchter, the man is ȝit on liue:
And neuer had, na hes ane wound nociue.
This dittay is geuin in sinisterlie:
And in the self point is suspensiue.

To the nixt point of that dittay think me,
All that he said it was of veritie,
That sall I preif be perfyit argument:
Pleis ȝe the same at hir to heir or se.
I sall ȝow schaw be guid Authoritie
Baith in the new, and in the auld Testament,
Seir examples in the self euident.
And sum of thame I sall now specifie,
Quhilk ressoun salbe correspondent.

Than said Venus vith vult vererund,
Say quhat ȝe will and keip ȝow within bound.
Not pretendant to argune throw ȝour will:
Bot to ressoun that ȝour Sermone resound,
Or ellis the lak to ȝour self sall redound.
Faith said Vesta I grant richt weill thairtill,
And say I ocht by ressoun or by skill:
I stand content with ȝow to be confound,
Sa that the same conditoun ȝe fulfill.

As to that point quhair he blasphemit Venus
It is not half sa euill nor odious:
As ȝe it hald: and this my caus and quhy,
Howbeit scho be sumtime richt glorious:
Into hir self scho is richt venemous.

Richt cummersum and full of Tyrannie.
As in exampill schortlie schaw sall I.
Now quod Venus blaw furth ȝour boist busteous,
Say quhat ȝe pleis richt small I set it by.

Quod Vesta in the threttiefift Cheptour
Of Genesis Ruben Incurrit furour
Of his father, and eik the malisoun,
Becaus he was sic ane Fornicatonr,
That with Bala his fatheris paramour
He lay quhilk was to greit abusioun
And als to GOD ane greit contemptioun.
Quhairfoir Iacob said at his latter hour
That Ruben was greit caus of his passioun.

Ruben primogenitus meus & principium doloris mei. —Genes. xlix.

Than said Venus now ȝe contrair ȝour sell
Iacob ȝe say quhilk callit was Israell,
Ane Patriarch was, and ane haly man:
He had Bala in Paramour ȝe tell,
How durst he with siclik ane mater mell.
Gif lufe was sa abhominabill than.
Schaw me the suith of this now gif ȝe can?
Scho said his wife was deid callit Rachel,
Lyas sister and douchter to Laban.

Thocht sa had bene his wife had bene on liue,
The law licent, with power possessiue,
At that time for to haif ane Concubine
And that for caus diuers consideratiue.
(Quod Venus) quha maid that caus suspensiue:
Quha had power sic Actis to decline?
Than said Vesta, that did Scriptour deuine
Of the Euangell, and the law positiue,
It did suspend, and haldis as detestiue.

Siclik we reid into the xj Cheptour
In the thrid buik of Kings be Scriptour.
How Salamon, throw lufe Inordinat,
Howbeit he was of greit wisdome the flour,
Abone all kingis that euer buir Sceptour
With lust of luif ȝit he was laqueat,
Gart him fra GOD all deuotioun translait:
To fals Idollis, sa throw lufis fauour,
Long time fra GOD he was degenerat.

(Quod Venus) gif he was sa wise ane King
As ȝe haif said, or in ane Realme culd ring
To reule ane Realme I ges that suith to be,
[But] to purpois I meruell of ane thing:
Gif luif be not bot lust and lamenting,
Quhair was all than his wisdome tell lat se.
Had it bene sin, or schame I say for me:
Sa wise ane man had not throw misgiding
Anis crabit GOD, nor fallin in sic folie.

Ȝis (said Vesta) of lufe the rampand rage,
The ardent lust, and the kendilland curage,
The naturall cours, and eik the sauage blude,
Will caus ane man dekay into dotage,
Vnto the time that the lust be assuage:
And takis no thocht to ressoun, nor to gude.
Richt swa it was of Salomon to conclude
He conuertit furth of that foull thirlage,
And fra that time leuit ayin sanctitude.

In the sextene Cheptour we reid richt swa
Of Iudicum, Sampson, and Dalida,
His Paramouris quhome he gaif sic credence,
That he hir schaw quhairin his strenthis lay,
And thairfoir all his hair scho tuik him fra:

Quhairthrow all micht he mist to mak defence.
Quhen scho that saw be gude experience,
Scho him betrayit vnto his mortall fa.
And this he gat throw lufis Insolence.

King Dauid als quhilk spak greit Prophecie
Throw lufis lust fell in Adulterie,
With Vryis wife, his awin Knicht speciall
Sine writtingis send to Ioab quietlie,
Greit Lufetenent of all his Senȝeorie,
Biddand him put Vrie to the battell,
In sic ane place that he suld not preuaill
Bot to be slane in brount of the armie.
And sa he was be chance aud weird fatall.

Sa Dauid heir committit sinnis twane.
First Adulterie, sine Homicide agane.
And all this come throw luif Inordinat,
The xj. Cheptour of Regum will not lane,
In the nixt buik, for thair it standis plane.
We haif siclike exempill reuelat,
Of Iust Ioseph, quha was Incarcerat,
Be the fals mind of his Lordis wife but lane,
Desirand him hir bed to violat.

Quhilk he denyit, sayand Madame ȝe knaw,
All that my Lord hes now haif I not aw
Vnder my care, saifand your awin persoun.
How may I than sic charge lat on me saw?
Considderand it is aganis the Law
And to my Lord ane greit vilipensioun.
I nill consent to do sic abusioun.
Incontinent als sone as scho that saw,
Scho hir bethocht on ane forthocht felloun.

On the nixt day the same scho did desyre.
He said, I nill aganis my Lord conspyre:
And speciall in contrair his honour.
For and I did I seruit to my hyre
For to be brint into ane cruell fyre,
In witnessing of ane vntrew Tratour.
Scho seand this, scho cryit with greit clamour,
This Tratour thief is cum into greit Ire,
Me to defoull alone within my bour.

And sa at schort, in handis sone tane was he,
And presonit sair with Irne bandis till ane tre,
Bot in schort time he was quit of that cair.
Quha pleisis mair of this storie to se,
Luik Genesis the nine and threttie.
I am begilit and thay find it not thair.
Faith (quod Venus) he seruit it weill and mair,
That in sic neid wald not hir anis supple:
Scho wairit hir luif euill on him I declair.

I think the lufe that cummis on will motiue,
It is far mair till allow be sic fiue,
As is gude luif of Paramour allone,
Bot ony band or strenȝene attractiue:
Bot with gude will, and mind most exaltiue.
Quhair folk ar bound to luif thank gif I none.
To luif at lenth quhill ane of thame be gone.
It is mair thank to haif luif effectiue.
As Chawceris wife luifit Freir Ihone Bakone.

(Quod Vesta) quhat causis thame fra lufe decline
Bot schame and lak with pouertie and pine,
And to the deid as Chawcer dois Indite.
And euill daylie spokin of thame sensine.
Na (said Venus) I speik not to that fine:

Tuichand thair sturt, thair sorrow nor thair site
Bot gif thay twa togidder had mair delite
Into thair time, not thay be law deuine
At kirk dur war coniunit and vnite.

For thay quhilk at Kirk dur takis wi[fe to wed]
Ar thair compellit baith to burd and bed,
Fra that time furth, quhill deid thame twa depart.
Riches, seiknes, neuer to gar thame sched.
And swa by luif the Law garris thame be led,
Thus wayis man oftimes is maid Cowart:
He dar not to ane vther set his hart,
For hir at hame he is sa sair adred,
Howbeit ane vther haif his hart Inwart.

That is na luif (quod Vesta) for this quhy:
It dois Inbring mair euill nor it puttis by.
Call ye it luif, or call ȝe it delite?
Gif siclik lufe cummis of ȝour Lamenrie,
Ȝour luif and lust heir planelie I deny
For it is all bot sunkin into site.
And of that lufe diuers doctouris dois write.
Seir exampillis, sayand to vs schortlie:
The end thairof is dolour and despite.

Of this we reid, how Herod Antipas
His broderis wife he had Herodias:
And committit Adulterie with Incest,
Becaus Sanct Iohne abhorit sa greit trespas,
And it repreuit, King Herod crabbit was:
Him for to slay greit subtell wayis he kest.
Till on ane day he maid ane solempne Feist:
In the menetime in come ane prettie Las,
Dansand, and cled in maner guidliest.

[H]ir sport, and play, and dansing pleisit the King
He bad hir ask thairfoir quhat kind of thing
Scho wald desyre, he sould it not deny,
Howbeit it war that ane half of his ring.
To hir mother scho past but tarying,
To haif counsall, the quhilk scho gat in hy.
Scho said nothing at ȝour grace couait I.
Bot Iohnis heid intill ane disch to bring:
Quhilk was grantit, and done richt suddanelie.

Of this slauchter he was caus efficient.
With the vther twa sinnis precedent.
This Sanct Mark sayis into his sext Cheptour.
And all this come throw foull lust of luferent.
Quhairfoir he deit with miserie dolent,
And was deiect with schame fra all honour,
Be the persute of the greit Empriour,
And was denude of his Kingdome and rent,
As Scolastick story schawis in Scriptour.

In the threttene Chaptour of Daniell,
Of this foull lust quhat is thair for to tell?
Of twa Elderis, and als of Susanna:
Caus scho denyit to fulfill thair counsell
In Adulterie, thay fand ane way subtell.
Hir to accuse befoir ane Iuge thay ga
Sayand thay saw ane ȝoung man and na ma
With hir allone in ane ȝaird Intermell:
To beir witness to the same, Heir we twa.

And sa at schort, scho was condampnit to d[eid]
Throw the falset of thir tua Preistis feid.
Sa on the morne the day come of Iugement.
Thair scho alone wilsum of ane gude reid.
Throw Goddis grace stert wp into the steid.

Quhilk neuer spak ane ȝoung adolescent:
Sayand, I am of this deid Innocent.
Quhairthrow this woman in haist gat remeid,
And the same twa to deid was schamelie schent.

Than Venus said, thay seruit it and far mair,
Ane clene woman for to put in sic cair,
That lufe thay had come all of falsitie:
It was na luif it was bot fenȝeit fair.
For in sic luif is nother reull nor squair,
Bot blindid lufe corrupt with crueltie,
Mixt with malice, repleit with subteltie:
And in that case peruert into dispair.
Then said Vesta, Madame now we agre.

Na said Venus, to that I nill consent:
I will not ȝit gif ouir my argument.
For all that I haif outher hard or sene:
How beit ȝe haif schawin furth ane small legent.
I do not knaw gif it be euident
For sic storyis I cuir thame not ane prene.
And I deny that euer sic hes bene.
Bot quhen ȝe pleis sic castis ȝe can Inuent,
Me to defraude with gyle, and circumuene.

Than said Vesta, quhair that ȝe say that I
Can find sic castis to ȝow sa haistelie,
Of my Ingine but ony euidence.
As to that point, I say to ȝow schortlie,
That opinioun ȝe tak sinisterlie,
It to defend ȝe sall haif na defence
For I haif said na thing in audience,
Bot I haif schawin quhair it standis chaptourlie
Aganis the quhilk ȝe haif na resistence.

Ȝe knaw we reid in the diuine Scriptour
Of Iudicum in the twentie Cheptour:
Of ane woman for haistie stupratioun:
Four scoir thousandis of men that buir armour,
Threttene thousand ane hundreth in a stour,
And als thre scoir, war slane but saluatioun.
And all this fell be foull fornicatioun
Of ȝour fals luif ȝe hald of sic valour:
And is nocht bot anguische and dampnatioun.

We reid siclike of Dauidis Sone Ammon:
Was slane be his brother Absalon:
For the incest commititt with Thamar.
Howbeit scho was ane Aperse allone,
And deir sister vnto thame baith as one.
That greit vengeance scho culd not quenche nor pair,
Bot schamit hir self for than and euer mair.
Tertio Regum this storie dois propone,
In the threttene Cheptour it standis thair.

Of genesis in the four and threttie
Cheptour we reid greit furiositie
Of slauchter maid be Leui and Simeon,
Becaus Sichem the prince of that countre,
Had reft Dina thair sister fair and fre:
And hir stuprat, quhairfoir the greit vltioun
First come on him and his pepill Ilkone,
His kin and freindis, and Father but mercie
Was put at schort till exterminioun.

Als it is red in storyis ancient,
Thocht it be not in ald nor new Testament.
How that Vergill that worthie wise doctour,
In latin toung was most faculent,
Nane mair pregnant, facund, nor eminent,

100

To writ or dyit, he was of Clerkis flour:
Throw ȝour defait, and Inflammit ardour,
He was deiect be daft delyrament:
Become ȝour slaif to his greit dishonour.

Quhair ȝe him hang ouir ȝour wallis in a creill
Howbeit efter he was reuengit weill.
(As the storie at mair lenth dois beir)
Ouid siclike on kneis ȝe gart him kneill
Gang on his handis, with ane bridill of steill
In till his teith, with vther riding geir,
In lichtlines as ȝe thocht best effeir.
And ȝe abone to ryid begouth to reill,
With bute, and spur, sword, buklar, as bachleir.

Of ȝour fals luif this is ay the commend:
Reid Gower ouir, and Bocchas to the end.
All Chronikles that ony man of reidis,
Ȝe sall not find a taill ane vther mend.
Bot to the werst it will ay condiscend:
With euill entent ȝour luif burgeonis & breidis:
And euer mair sa furth it ay proceidis.
Quhat sayis Chawcer al Christin men may kend
Ȝour euil mind thair, and eik ȝour cruell deidis.

In generall and schortlie to conclude:
In all ȝour luif ȝit hard I neuer gude
In all Scriptour that euer man of wrait:
The poysonit vice thairof and turpitude
was the maist caus in cumming of Noes flude:
Quhen all the warld was neir depopulate.
How mony men hes it effeminate.
Of all honour it hes diuers denude:
And als mony of life extirminate.

101

Quhat Kingis, Quenis, Dukis, Empriours
Lordis, Ladeis, Barronis of greit honouris,
Hes bene deiect throw luifis gouernance?
Of all the writ reid the Interpretouris
And of the warld reid the Cosmographouris:
Ȝour last reward is vennemous vengeance,
Poysonit with pryde, Heresie, and mischance.
We haif reall exemplis of nichtbouris,
That throw luifis lust deweyis in variance.

Of sic storyis I can ȝow schaw anew,
Quhilk ȝe not hard, nor neuer ȝit ȝe knew.
Quhair all ȝour liue is bot mixt with mischance,
In the Testamentis baith the ald and the new
Aganis quhome ȝe can haif na reskew.
In ȝour debait, bot wil full arrogance,
Fragill and fals full of vltrequedance.
Quhairfoir I wald that ȝe na mair persew
This gentill man, to Name hecht Desperance.

Than Venus said Madame Vesta sen ȝe
Hes said at lenth, I pray ȝow now lat me:
Quhair that ȝe say, seir storyis ȝe haif sene,
In the Testamentis baith ald and new surelie:
I gif credence, I traist it may weill be
Ȝit sum thair is that ȝe haif forȝet clene,
Or ellis I traist ȝe neuer thame saw with ene,
The quhilk to ȝow I sall part specifie:
Than lat Iugis gif sentence vs betwene.

Quhair ȝe Infer all Inconuenientis,
Malice, defait, with diuers detrimentis,
Cummis of luif (as ȝe haif said befoir)
Allegeand baith the ald and new Testamentis
Historyis, Scriptouris, & vtheris lang legentis

102

At ȝour plesour traistand to get the gloir,
I reid of ane did vs far mair decoir.
Our life wplift throw feruour and luifrentis,
Our ransoun pay, and vs to grace restoir.

Of genesis in the aucht and threttie
Chaptour is red, that Iudas quhilk surelie
Was Iacobis sone, and of the Trybis twell,
With Thamar lay in his Iocunditie:
Howbeit scho was to him in affinitie,
In doubill sort, as the Chaptour dois tell:
Into thair play hir wombe begouth to swell
And buir twa sonnis Ȝaram and Phares fre,
As Mathow sayis in his first Euangell.

Phares Esrom, and Esrom Aram bure.
And sine Aram Aminadab for sure:
Aminadab siclike he gat Naasson:
Naasson Salmon ane Nobill Prince and pure.
Ȝic he Maryit Raab the commoun hure:
(As Iherome dois in the Bybill propone)
Howbeit diuers agane him dois argone.
Salmon and Raab into thair liues cuir,
Thay gat Boos na ma bot him allone.

Than said Vesta, Madame thair I persaif,
Into ane part as my minde dois consaif;
Salmon come of the Tribe of Israell:
Ane Nobill Prince, and sage man, and ane graif,
Ane commoun huir that he to wife suld haif,
It is not lik to be trew as ȝe tell,
That ane prince wald with sic ane Intermell.
I traist Madame, ȝe reid wrang, or ȝe raif
Than said Venus, reid Mathowis first Euangell.

103

Howbeit scho was sumtime richt Inconstant,
Beeft scho was in vertewis aboundant,
Remeidit all throw guid prayer and deid.
Quhen Iosue was in Throne Triumphant,
He send his spyis elect and elegant
To Ierico, to spy the land of breid:
Quhen thair was nane durst thame resaif for feid
Scho herbryit thame and was participant
With Israell into thair wrgent neid.

This and siclike causit this Nobill Prince
Haif hir to wife, and do hir reuerence.
This ȝe sall find Secundo Iosue,
As I haif said scho buir of excellence
Boos the first, a man of greit prudence:
Quhilk gat the nixt Boos of veritie:
This gat the thrid, sa thair was Boos thre:
This Boos gat on Ruth Obed with mence
Quhilk gat Isai that cleipit is Iesse.

This Iesse begat Dauid that was King,
Chosin be GOD abone Israell to ring.
Ane greit Propheit sine Salomon gat he,
On ane Ladie richt bewteous, and bening.
Gentill, courtes, curious, and conding
Mansweit, suaue, to Name hecht Bersabe:
Quhilk was the spous of vmquhile Knicht Vrie
As ȝe proponit befoir in ȝour saying,
All this luif come of sensualitie.

It is weill knawin that Bersabea lay
With King Dauid, as the Scriptour dois say,
Lang time befoir or hir husband was slane,
Throw dern fauour, and luif betuix thame twa
Now I begin agane quhair I best may,

104

That ȝe consaif the storeis in certane.
First I rehersit Thamar and Raab plane,
And Bersabe the quhilk ȝe can not nay,
War all of sport Ladeis venereane.

And swa thairfor to count ȝow line be line,
was IESVS borne Goddis verray sone deuine:
Quhilk ransonit vs with his precious hart blude
And sa to bring my argument to fine,
I can not find in luif na time to tine
Bot mixt with mirth, mercie, and manswetude,
Plenit with sport, and sueit suauitude,
Repleit with playis, but pouertie or pine,
Vell of worschip, the port of pulchritude.

I se of all storeis that ȝe haif tald
And allegeance with argumentis sa bald,
Aganis luif in malice and hatrent,
Come not sic euill ȝit be ane thousand fald:
Nor neuer will, nor in na times wald,
As I haif schawin the gude come of Lufrent,
Thairfoir as now I end my argument,
Sa that ȝe will the victorie wpȝeild,
And cry mercie as far as is miswent.

That I deny Madame, than said Vesta,
As to the first, quhair that ȝe planelie say:
First that Thamar, Raab, and Barsabe,
War licht Ladeis all geuin to sport and play,
As ȝe alledge, I say ȝow schortlie nay.
Thay war richt wise, and full of grauitie
And ar Namit in the genologie
Of Christ for gude vnto this present day,
For thair vertew and greit humilitie.

105

Than Venus said, of Christis genologie,
Was thair na ma gude women bot thay thre?
Or schaw the caus, quhy thay ar in Scriptour
Mair than the laif, it is not lik to be,
Sa mony Kingis of Eminent degre,
Sa gay Captanis of welth and of valour.
Quhair was Mary of all wemen the flour?
I think scho sould be put in memorie,
Gif thir thre gat for gude life sic honour.

As I haif said befoir, ȝit I say plane,
Thay thre was of the Court venereane,
[OMITTED]e me caus sic wordis to disclois
The fourt I can find ȝit withoutin lane:
The Ladie Ruth wald haif bene thair richt fane,
Quhen that scho ȝeid into bed with Boos,
As Noemi bad, for to cum to purpois,
Was all thir gude, na na ȝe speik in vane,
Ȝe brek the text, and as ȝe pleis dois glois.

Thus I conclude, thairfoir ȝe Auditouris
Heir circumstant attend, and assessouris,
Quhidder that I or Vesta Ladie fre
Hes schawin storyis autentik be Scriptouris,
Mair for to prais, or reput of valouris.
Perfitlie pance with all maturitie,
Sa that ȝour voce concord in vnitie,
That pane may be put to Forfaltouris:
The Partie sythit, as Law will lat it be.

Than spak an Nimphe, to name hecht Chaistitie
Ane of the sex in Vestais companie.
Madame Venus, now I wald (with license
Of my Maistres) to speik twa wordis or thre.
Quhair that ȝe say Thamar and Barsabe,

106

Raab and Ruth, war geuin to Insolence.
I say thay war wemen of greit prudence
Geuin to vertew, and profound grauitie,
Groundit in grace with all Magnificence.

For quhy we reid efter Lira, and Iohne mair,
And in the glois als Interlinear.
In the first heid, quhair thay wrait in Mathe,
The Euangelist, settis him not to declair
Of the thre Kingis richt vicious war,
Of quhome Christ come be Iust genelogie.
And for thair vice euill life and crueltie,
Amang gude folk he wald thame not compair,
Bot ar seclude, abiect as vnworthie.

And gif euill men for vices are seclude
Out of this band sa gracious and gude:
I think rather euill wemen to depriue.
Bot I suppone thir wemen ar Include.
For thair gude life, vertew and sanctitude,
For to fulfill the number suspensiue,
And for to be the rute restoratiue.
For the thre Kingis quhilk war befoir denude,
Out of this clan and linage successiue.

Heirfoir I say, Thamar and Bersabe,
Raab, and Ruth in the genelogie
Of Christ ar put for prayer and gude deidis,
Na said Venus agane to Chaistitie,
I sall ȝow schaw alhaill the veritie
Of that mater, quhat Sanct Hierome reidis:
Becaus mercie of Christ euer proceidis,
Christ wald suffer of sinneris borne to be,
For to augment thair meritis and thair meidis.

107

Howbeit I knaw of all sin Christ was quit
And Mary als, I knaw that richt perfit,
Bot ȝit thay come of folkis friuolous,
That we micht knaw his cheritie Ignite,
Ardent, and hait, our sin to abolite:
Did nocht disdane to tak mankinde of vs.
An as the Rois dois springe of thornie bus,
Sa did Mary hir virginitie,
Sprang of the spray, and sum of thame vicious.

Sicut lilium inter spinas, sic amica mea inter filias. —Cant. I.

In the vyle schell is found the Perle of price.
Of the rude rute springis the flour delice:
In the gray clay is found the gold sa cleir:
Richt swa did Christ our flour and Fortalice,
Sprang of the rute quhilk part was geuin to vice
Sa to purpois quhair of I spak lang eir:
Raab, and Ruth, Bersabe, and Thamar,
War licht Ladeis, thocht ȝe it mak sa nice,
And of my Court, and hes bene mony ȝeir.

Thus (quod Venus) I end my conclusioun,
The remanent I put to discretioun
Of Theologis, or ellis profound Doctouris:
And quhair I faill into the writ Cannoun,
Be wrang reheirs, transgres, or collusioun,
Or by the boundis of the deuine Scriptouris,
Antlk storyis, or honest Oratouris:
Heir I promit to stand at correctioun,
Quhen the Assyse will make Interpretouris.

And I siclike (quod Vesta) am content
That my mater pas to the Iugement
Of the Assyse: with this ane libertie,

108

Richt perfitlie that thay wald pance and prent,
Considder weill, and in thair heid take tent,
Remord thair mindis quhidder gif Chestitie
Be not mair clene, mair glorious, and hie
Triumphant stait, mair digne and eminent
Than Venus warkis with all hir dignitie?

And this the caus diuers virginis and clene
Fra Venus warkis becaus thay did abstene,
On thair bodyis thay sufferit mekill wa:
As in Scriptouris perfitlie may be sene.
Sum Heritouris sum Countes, and sum Quene:
As is Katherin, Margaret, and Barbara,
Dorothe, Lucie, and mony diuers ma,
For Chaistitie greit sorow did sustene,
Throw quhais vertew to heuin thay did all ga.

Thay chois on thame erar the dreidfull deid,
Than for to tine thair precious madinheid,
Knawand thairfoir ane reward speciall,
Siclike agane the rute of our remeid,
Our Saluatour to fell the feyndis feid.
Was he not borne of the bour virginall,
Chosin be consent of GOD celestiall,
Quhairthrow we all was quite of Plutois pleid,
Be sweit Incence of virginitie royall.

And had not bene that sweit virginitie
Was mair condigne in the thousand degre,
Than Venus warks with corrupt minded thocht
Noway Christ had dedenȝeit borne to be
In the Chalmer of chosin Chaistitie.
And Venus warks had bene with vertew wrocht
Caus thay war not condigne & nathing docht,
In sicht of GOD he tuik humanitie
Of virgine wombe, and of Venus tuik nocht.

109

Thir beand weill considderit, and forsene
I traist my caus bot pley I sall obtene.
For weill I wait, thir pointis ar releuant.
Quhairfoir Ladeis amiabill and amene
On the Assise, haif this befoir ȝour ene,
Perfitlie pance thir pointis last pregnant,
That ȝe not be now callit Ignorant,
Or ony sall ȝour science circumuene,
Sayand ȝe ar to muche participant.

And sa my caus I put to ȝour conscience,
As weill auisit Assise with sapience:
Traistand ȝow all repleit with equitie,
Fulfillit with faith, and eik profound prudence:
Groundit in gude, rutit in reuerence,
Lawreat Ladeis, flour of feminitie;
Protesteand heir for ȝour greit clemencie
Deill with the richt, and do me no offence,
Be corrupt minde, nor partialitie.

I wait ȝe all in science sa dois schine,
In profound wit, and eminent Ingine,
That all obscure probleme or questioun
Ȝe can discus, declair, and detirmine,
Enucleat, as Regentis most deuine:
Sa prudentlie ȝe can gif solutioun.
For quhy I knaw ȝe all tuik potatioun
Of licour sweit at the font Caballine,
Quhair all vertew dois flurische with fusioun.

Heirfoir Ladeis humblie I Imploir,
Haif weill in minde I haif rehersit befoir,
Mixt with prudence, and ȝour perfite prowes,
Ȝe not deiect the dignitie nor gloir,
Spulȝe, nor reif, diminute nor defloir

110

Into na sort thes deifeit Goddes,
Virginitie, for ȝour awin gentilnes.
Lustie Ladeis, I neid now speik no moir,
Do as ȝe think speidfull in this proces.

And so Venus to the same did consent.
Anone but baid the Assyse furth is went,
Richt stupefact, caus the mater was hie,
On vther syid be storyis ancient.
And speciallie of the last small legent
Vesta did schaw be gude Authoritie,
And done in deid be verray veritie.
Sa but tary thay all with ane consent
Chancellar on syse thay chose the May Tisbe

For thocht hir minde was to Venus alhail
Ȝit vncompleit in deidis actuall
It was but dowt (as hir storie dois schaw).
That was the caus thay chesit hir but faill,
Chancellar on syse, that scho suld stand equaill
On baith the sydis, caus sum part scho did knaw,
Sa the Assise beliue was set on raw,
And socht all actis in caisis criminall,
Kest buikis like beis in all proces of Law.

111

THE FOURT BUIK.

First doun thay kest Moyses Pentateuchon,
with his storyis, and Paralipomenon,
Iudith, Hester, Ruth, Regum in dite,
The Epistillis of Paul, the sayingis of Solomon
With Lirais glois vpon the writ Cannon
The Machabeis with storyis Infinite:
The new Testament profound and eik perfite:
Peter, and James, the Apocalips of Iohne:
And all Propheitis in Prophecie did write.

In ciuill Law thay kest downe Bartholus,
Alexander de Imola, and Baldus:
The Coddis, Decreis, Decretales, and Iason:
The Institutis, Digestis, and Angelus,
The Inforciat, and Panormitanus,
With vther diuers difficill to expone,
Quhilk wrait in Law baith Ciuil and Cannon
Quhais warkis was sa done compendious.
In that behalf thay ar Maisteris allone.

In argument togidder all thay go
In questionis baith in Contra and Pro:
Allegeand writ be greit authoritie,
Of Homeir, Gower, and als of Cicero:
Appellatiounis fra Plautus to Plato.

112

Quhilk in the syis maid greit diuersitie.
Sum was Infect with parcialitie,
Quhais alegeance was oftimes to and fro,
Thocht the Chancellar greit laubours thair did dre.

And so efter diuers disputatioun,
Greit argumentis, and preexcogitatioun
Of baith the Lawis, furth socht fra end to end.
The assise fand be gude consideratioun,
Vestais estait, and hir conuersatioun,
The mony gre did Dame Venus transcend,
Be verteous prerogatiues weill kend.
Quhairfoir thay gaif Vesta dominatioun.
Abone Venus all thair with greit commend.

Sayand, howbeit al folkis heir on liue,
Hes not fra GOD the greit prerogatiue
Of abstinence, and clene virginitie,
For and sa war na seid war successiue,
The warld war tume of all kin folkis beliue:
And efter vs war na posteritie.
Bot GOD allone ordanit not sa to be:
He ordanit sum be of kind genitiue,
And fill the warld efter thair qualitie.

Ȝit than we find Vesta in hir estait,
Richt verteous, worthie Inuiolait.
Precious, perfit, verray constant, and clene,
Richt glorious, with strenth weill roborait,
Contrair the flesche daylie at the debait,
With all hir force perfitlie dois refrane,
Fra temptatioun thairof als dois abstene.
For that ilk point scho is deificait:
Howbeit ilk ane the same may not sustene.

113

Bot nottheles the Assyse fand agane,
That Desperance had faillit far in plane
Contrair Venus, into sa far as he
Did lichtlie hir with wordis void and vane
Richt dispiteous language of greit disdane.
Thinkand richt weill thay wald not that ouirse,
But punischement with all austeritie:
That nane sould preis to play the counterpane,
Quhat euer he war of hie or law degre.

Thocht Dame Vesta, scho be ane greit Goddes
All repleit with vertew and worthienes,
As it effeiris weill to hir facultie
Thay wald not thoill Venus haif lichtlines,
Nor repudie, rebuik, nor ȝit distres
Be na kin wicht, and ouir all specialie
Of Desperance, considderand that he
Was hir vassall, and held hir as Maistres
Vmquhile afoir, and had thairfoir his fee.

Howbeit sum time for none expeditioun
Of his erandis, quhair he had affectioun,
And micht not cum sa sone to his Intent,
Nor put his billis to ferme executioun,
Incontinent with sair forthocht felloun,
Agane Venus he grew in matilent,
Be orgweill minde, and thocht Impacient,
Melancholie, and wilfull contemptioun,
He lichtlyit hir as Inobedient.

And turnit sa far intill hir clene contrair,
That he but dowt was drint into dispair,
Be greit wanhope quhilk causit him fall in pleid
Agane Venus, and all hir Ladeis fair:
Quhill now at lait, he is cawcht in the snair,

114

Of scharp Iustice, and in perrell of deid,
Bot gif in haist that thair be found remeid.
For wit Venus how he standis in danger,
Without mercie but baid of will his heid.

Thairfoir gif this mater pas to rigour,
It will be said we all hes tint the flour
Of womanheid and we be merciles.
Thay will it lay contrair Venus honour,
And scho or we be the caus of Murther,
The greit defame and schame we get expres.
For it is said that wemennis tendernes
In hart can not thoill men haif displesour.
And speciallie thair deith for to purches.

Heirfoir lat vs amang vs all deuise
Considerand the man in perrell lyis:
Quhat is the best to saif Venus honour
We will send doun the Chancellar of the syis
To Rhamnusia, quhair scho sittis, & blandyis
For grace in time gif we may fang fauour,
And put not all of to the latter hour.
That the man get be vs na preiudyis,
Nor in na part for to haif displesour.

With humbill hart and hauingis dolorous,
Lawlie langage, and fassounis fauorous,
In sober wise this we may say hir till,
With greit requeist and minde richt desirous,
Sa prayand hir for to be pieteous:
Sayand but dout that he is cum in will,
And in all sort the samin sall fulfill.
Beseikand hir for to be gracious
And take the best, and set on syde all euill.

115

And swa his life to be saif and his gude.
And ask mercie for the greit Mansuetude
In wemen bene, as scho expedient
Thinkis to dispone, efterwart scho may dude,
Quhidder scho will of his life him denude:
Or saif his life gif scho will stand content.
Into ane bill this man be to hir sent.
Sa in ane voice heirupon we conclude,
The bill was maid: with it Thisbe is went.

On humill wayis and maneris womanlie,
Richt Chancellarlike kneilland vpon hir kne,
To Rhamnusia the missiue represent
Fra the Assise with curage courteslie
Sayand Madame sen Iuge heir now ȝe be,
Vnto ȝour grace to schaw ȝow thair entent.
To that effect this bill hes to ȝow sent,
To wit ȝour will, caus the mater is hie:
Prayand to send to thame auisement.

With all honour the bill scho did resaif.
As Nobill Nimph, and Ladie most suaue:
Red it to end secretlie hir allone,
Quhais text scho did considder and consaue:
With mature minde and countenance richt graue
Richt perfitlie of all thay did propone:
Thinkand richt weill they couet na vltioun:
Thair minde erair was the mannis life to haif,
[N]or him to tine be exterminioun.

Venus beheld the bill geuin Thisbe
To Rhamnusia, and reidand quietlie:
Scho said Madame, ane thing I ȝow requeir
Of that ilk bill quhat may the tennour be,
Gif it be ony preiudice to me,

116

I ȝow protest, the Text that I may heir.
Glaidlie Madame said she as suld effeir,
Swa in all pointis that ȝe thairon agre.
I stand content (quod Venus) with glaid cheir.

Traistant richt weill be perfite knawleging,
Ȝe will not thoill, nor bid me do na thing,
That my honour faid in ony sort,
Or displesour ony to me Inbring,
Na than (said scho) I war na way conding
Of ȝow to bruik office I say at schort.
Bot all is for ȝour plesour and confort.
Than said Venus reid furth but tarying,
I am content sa ȝe keip ȝour report.

The court was Coy, commandit was silence,
Vnder all pane thay suld gif audience.
Rhamnusia the bill scho gaif in deid.
To Fremmitnes, Iustice Clerk in presence
Of all the court, bad hir reid the sentence,
To Dame Venus, for scho dowtles but dreid,
Was weill appayit sa Fremmitnes did proceid.
In the missiue with all hir diligence
Of the trew Text, this way began to reid.

Missiua Rhamnusiæ missa ab Assisa.

Sen we for fault of personis mair prudent
Be ȝow elect Madame ar present heir,
In greit laubouris, and vncouth argument,
As Assisouris the mater to mak cleir
Bot it is as contrarious and austeir,
To the rigour and we it put dowtles,
Wemen for ay salbe callit merciles.

117

De Desperance (as GOD forbid he do)
The lak and schame, and all defamatioun,
To Dame Venus but dowt it will cum to:
And caus Ladeis to get blasphematioun:
And be haldin of the les reputatioun:
Baith odious, and snell as ane serpent.
Quhairfoir as now we schaw ȝow our entent.

We find Vesta in the far hier estait
Than Dame Venus, be mony suir questioun,
In that behalf Venus may not debait
In ony sort be na comparisoun.
Bot sa far as Venus gat detractioun
Be Desperance, sayand of hir all euill,
As to that point, we put him into will

Of ȝow Madame, as Iuge, and to Venus.
Hang, heid, and draw, do with him as ȝe pleis,
Beseikand hir and ȝow to be gracious,
And fra malice ȝour minde with mercie meis.
This we desyre for to deuoyid deseis
In time cumming, and euer he do siclike,
He salbe brint euin as ane heretike.

[A]nd gif Venus be obstinate in this case:
[OMITTED] nan solist be gracious also,
[OMITTED] saif his life, of hir mercie and grace
And find ane freind quhair that scho had ane fo
And win ane wicht to weill that was in wo,
And deliuer the drery of distres:
That wemen sall not be callit merciles.

For weill we wait, or Venus wist him de
In hir defalt, sa that he cum in will:
For all the faltis and the greit velanie

118

That euer he said, throw wilfulnes by skill.
Scho leuer gif ten thousand crounis him till,
To saif his life, we knaw sa hir kindnes,
That scho on force can not be merciles.

For ȝour honour Madame this we requeir,
With ȝour answer as ȝe expedient
Thinkis for to gif and Lady Venus heir.
Als prayand hir for to be pacient,
As we beleue the criminall dois repent.
Beseikand heir ȝour gracious excellence,
Quhair that we faill, that ȝe wald find defence.

Finis Missivæ.

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.

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.

119

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.

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.

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.

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:

120

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.

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.

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.

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.

121

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.

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.

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.

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,

122

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.

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.

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?

Lamentatio Esperantiæ.

Wa worth the time that euer I him saw:
Wa worth the hour that first I did him knaw
Wa worth the tide that euer we twa met:
Wa worth the day that euer it did daw,
To se my friend into sic thrift and thraw,
And for my saik in sorrow all ouir set:
Allace allace is na remeid to get,
Wa worth the toung that euer persewit sic Law,
To se his handis into ane cord thus plet.

123

I was to hait sa sone for to complane:
I was vnwise that his falt culd not lane:
I was vnkinde throw heit of sawage blude:
I was to sone ouir strikin with disdane:
I was to pert to put my friend to pane.
Allace, allace, now mingis my mane and mude.
I was but hap, I was of grace denude:
I was but wit my will culd not refrane,
Bot tine my feir, his life, and all his gude.

Now will Ilkane hald me abhominabill:
[N]ow will thay call me of his deith culpabill:
[No]w will ilkane fra my cumpanie fle:
Now will thay hald my deidis detestabill:
Now may I bruik with greit barret and baill,
Like ane fond fuill fulfillit with Fantasie.
Allace, allace, hard is my destenie.
Now call thay me ane Tratour tressonabill.
Of my brother caus I had na pietie.

Now may Ilkane be me exempill tak,
That causit my feir sa schortlie ga to wraik.
Now may thay say, lo quhair ȝone Tratour gais
Pointand thair hand with mony skorne & knax
Quhair euer I gang to my greit schame and lak.
Ȝone ilk is he that his awin brother slayis:
Sa of my freindis I fang me felloun fais.
Allace, allace, to be brint at ane staik
To saif his life, I wald not cuir twa strayis.

Quhat causit me sic thing to take on hand?
Quhat causit me my brother to ganestand?
Quhat causit me to deith him to persew?
Quhat causit me sic faltis I to him fand?
Not bot wodnes, and wanting of the wand.

124

That men callis wit; and thairfoir now I rew.
Allace, allace, I was not traist nor trew.
I had leuer now be deid nor lewand.
All game and gle fra me euer adew.

Vnto the beist I may compairit be,
Efter hir birth in furiositie,
And greit wodnes scho it deuoris thair.
Agane quhen scho is in stabilitie
Scho wantis hir birth and lukis about to se,
And findis it deid: than scho dois rout and rair:
Quhan na remeid is than scho makis cair.
Allace, allace, this may be said be me,
Vndid my feir, allace for euermair.

Finis Lamentationis.

Sa all the syse was verray discontent.
That Venus was sa scharp and Impatient.
At Desperance, quhilk was put in hir will:
Ilkane thinkand thay did richt sair repent,
That thay him put sa far in merciment.
Considerand ouir sair scho was him till.
Ȝit than thay fand ane wit mouit of skill,
Quhilk was that thay wald Venus make content
Be sum new burd, and hir plesour fulfill.

This be quhilk was on the Assise Chancellar,
To Esperance in quiet scho said thair.
Into all haist sone on thy kneis sit doun
Befoir Venus, as Ladie most preclair:
Humblie prayand, for hir grace singular,
For to grant grace and life to thy Munȝeoun,
Thocht thow and he fell in ane strange opinioun
Thow traistit not suld fallow sic dangear,
Or dout of deith, or perpetuall presoun.

125

And sa sall he be saif or ellis nocht,
And as scho said swyith Esperance hes wrocht,
But mair delay fell doun vpon his kne
Befoir Venus, with all deuoir he docht.
Sayand Madame, for him that was all bocht,
My petitioun that ȝe wald grant to me.
For ȝour greit reuth, and sweit benignitie.
Ȝe wald grant grace, for grace I to ȝow socht,
Mak Desperance quite of Captiuitie.

As ȝe ar flour of all Feminite,
Grant him his life, and mak him anis fre.
And I promit vnder all hiest pane
That may Incur or be laid vpon me
That he sall not eschew away, nor fle.
Bot quhen ȝe pleis to enter him agane.
Prayand ȝour grace that I wirk not in vane.
Than said Venus, as thow will sa salbe.
Scho grantit grace, than Esperance was fane.

Ȝit said Venus, I say this with restrictioun:
I grant him grace, bot vnder the conditioun,
In time to come that he brew na mair baill,
Vnder all pane of the greitest punitioun,
That may be had, with haistie executioun:
And na proces of Law sall him awaill.
For remembrance of this memoriall
That I haif said, I will he find cautioun.
(Quod Esperance) that sall I be but faill.

Than Venus gart ane nobill Nimphe but mair
Callit Confort, baith plesand and preclair,
Fair of fassoun, benigne with all bewtie
Dissolue his handis quhilks richt fast bundin war
And maid him quite of all his greit dangeir.

126

Quhair he befoir was fast scho maid him fre:
Sayand gude schir, now blyith and merie be:
Quhair ȝe befoir was sicker in the snair,
I sall ȝow put to ȝour awin libertie.

Gif he was blyith, it neidis not now to speir:
Than said Venus, ȝit ȝe sall gar him sweir.
That he keip all promisis that is said.
Schir said Confort, ȝe man lay ȝour hand heir
Vpon this buik, and with ane aith austeir,
Ȝe man mak fast that salbe to ȝow laid.
Ladie Venus ȝe sall neuer degraid,
In word, nor deid, nor neuer do hir deir.
So sweir the same (quod he) I am richt glaid.

For and ȝe do (quod Confort) but debait
Agane Venus rais ony rank riat
In time to cum, it will caus sturt fra hand
Anis in hir girne and ȝe be laqueat
Or in ony point be dissimulat,
I ȝow assure ȝour pardoun will not stand,
Bot haistie deith, tinsall of life and land.
Be war thairfoir that ȝe haif na desait
(Quod he Madame) faith I sall keip my band.

And sa beliue but mair proces or baid,
Confort causit his greit aith to be maid,
Vpon all pointis rehersit of befoir.
Than the Assise and all the Court was glaid.
Sine Esperance anone to Venus said,
Madame I wald ane thing at ȝow Imploir,
That ȝour worschip sall augment and decoir.
Micht I ȝour grace be ony sort perswaid,
I wald this man in ȝour seruice restoir.

127

Sa ȝour grace thocht his seruice acceptabill:
I sall vphald his seruice Inceissabill
Vnto ȝour grace, with all his micht and mane
All faltis bygane of quhilkis he was culpabill
He did or said be crimes criminabill,
Be quite forȝet, ouirsene, and all forlane,
Neuer to say, nor do ȝow falt agane,
Bot euer in ȝour seruice agreabill
To leif and de with ȝow ay to remane.

Than Venus said with facound face and fassoun
Sa that I wist it war his awin affectioun,
And thairof had ane sicker assurance,
I wald not cuir to grant to ȝour peticioun:
And als him gif ane generall remissioun.
It is but dowt Madame, said Esperance.
Than (quod Venus) vnto my obseruance
I him restoir but ony collusioun,
And puttis him haill agane in ordinance.

Than Venus at Dame Vesta did Inqueir,
Madame, how ar ȝe pleisit of this cheir.
Than said Vesta, I can no more compell.
With me remane, owther day or ȝier
In my seruice to byid or perseueir:
Bot as thay pleis, and likis best thame sell.
Bot quha likis weill with me remane and dwell
Can not be turnit be fair wordis nor austeir,
Nor in na sort with ȝow will Intermell.

That gentill man vnfetchit he come to me,
Murnand richt sair that dolour was to se:
Of all confort he was richt desolait,
Quhan I him saw I had reuth and pietie
That he was put vnto sic pouertie.

128

At his requeist I purposit for debait.
Bot now sen he is gane ane vther gait.
I am content, sa he contentit be:
For in na sort his companie I couait.

Sa at all time I bruik my priuilage,
That it be not redact vnto thirlage,
Bot fre and frank fra all kin kind of wicht,
And ȝe Venus with ȝour Court of curage
I ȝow discharge that ȝe haif na bondage
Of me, nor mine be ȝour fals subtell slicht.
And I siclik agane to ȝow dois plicht.
In time to cum ather do na owtrage.
Thay war content, and Vesta tuik gude nicht.

Than Rhamnusia sone scho gart cry on hie:
I will this Court as now continewit be,
To the same force, forme, effect as effeiris,
As of befoir, bruikand all libertie.
And sa thay rais Ilkane in thair degre.
And Venus taill twa Ladeis vp it beiris.
Vtheris agane the gait befoir hir steiris:
And swa thay pas with greit solemnitie
To Venus hall, baith Ladeis and Bacheleiris.

Than Venus gart ane sort of Ladeis ȝing
Sone Desperance vnto hir Chalmer bring:
And him vncled of all his awin vesture.
Incontinent ane vther fresche cleithing
He was withcled: and he agane randring
To Venus thankis abone all creature:
Sayand Madame, quhill my life may Indure,
I salbe ay faithfull but fenȝeing
Vnto ȝour grace but dowt I ȝou assure.

129

Weill (said Venus) thow dois me now plesour,
Howbeit befoir thow was ane forfaltour,
And to my Name was callit Desperance.
In presence heir within my hall and Bour
I the resaif into my greit fauour,
And makis the feir to my Knicht Esperance,
Thy greit honour, and worschip to auance.
Of thy auld Name I the deprive this hour:
To thy Drourie, and callis the Dalience.

And of my Knichtis I make the ane expres,
That keipis my Bour heir now befoir witnes,
Scho callit hir Knichtis befoir hir euer ilkane:
Quhais Names was (gif I can weill thame ges)
Ȝouth, wantones, Vassalage, and Blyithnes,
Pastance, Plesance, Mirth, Merines ouir ane,
Curage, Kindnes, and Rippet, in was tane,
Fauour, Nurtour, Glaidnes, and Gentilnes,
Audacitie ane Nobill Knicht allane.

Compeirit sone Sensualitie thair.
Quhilk to Venus was richt cheif Cubiculair
Humanitie, Solace, and Hardines:
Sine Manlines, with Nobilnes, maid repair:
Sine sweitnes come quhilk was hir Thesaurar.
Sine Cheualrie come in with vailȝeantnes:
And Esperance come in with him Prowes:
Sine in come Lust, greit Lord and Secretair:
And at his bak come Sport and Tendernes.

Quhen Venus had hir Knichtis all in presence:
To thame scho said in oppin audience:
Heir is ane squyre the quhilk Daliance hecht,
That to my Court sum time hes maid offence:
Bot for sic thing with him I clene dispence.

130

And in fauour heir I resaif him richt,
And him restoris be the hand to the hicht,
That he had ay of my Court, with credence:
In signe heirof Daliance I dub Knicht.

Swa in hir armis than scho him thristit thryis
And swa did all the Ladeis of the Assyis:
And syne the Knichtis as thay expedient
Thocht for the time, as the vse is and gyis.
Than thay began to dance at all deuyis,
That the greit noyis flew to the firmament.
Than tuik thay in Iurnayis of Tornament.
And speir rinning, with mony Interpryis;
Bot buklar play was thair sport most frequent.

Bot quha had sene the Iournayis of rinning,
Greit Tornamentis, and mony speiris brekking,
Sad straikkis, and soir, without ony ransoun.
The vther part agane recountering
With greit defence, and wonder ferce riding:
It had bene fecht callit ane richt felloun.
Quha wan the feild, or greitest Campioun,
Or was Victour, I nacht decerne that thing:
Bot as me thocht Ladeis was ay dung doun.

[The] bald battell, and brekking of harnes
The bricht breist plaittis with birnist brukilnes,
The braid buklaris but bald was laid on breid,
The bluntit blaidis with manlie besines,
The scheddit scheilds, deip woundis but fairnes,
The peirt persing of foirgeir into deid,
The faisit speiris, and neuer wound did bleid,
The forwrocht wichtis in verray werines,
To schaw as now war prolixt to proceid.

131

Bot to haif sene as semit be apperance,
The rank Inuy, and the foull defiance,
The greit malice, and eik the fremmit feir,
The sowr persute, and syne the resistance,
The rigorous rais with greit vultrequedance,
Ȝe wald haif traist it had bene ringand weir:
Bot neuer ane thair did ane vther deir,
Louing to GOD all endit with plesance;
Ilk man that ran he buir hame his awin speir.

Sine quhen the feild discomfit was and done,
The Trumpettis blew with sic kin noyis & tone
The rumour rais with ane fell reird and cry,
And bad Ilkane that thay suld pas but hone,
In all gude haist, and make him for the none,
And to thair dine suld dres thame haistelie:
Sone war thay set with mirth and melodie.
Ladie Venus was first set in hir Throne:
Sine all hir Nimphis in thair degre hir by.

Nixt in ordour was set ilk Nobill Knicht,
As the Marschell it speidfull thocht and richt,
Bot in the feild that day quha preuit best
With manlines and manifest thair micht
Venus gart sit in ane place of mair hicht,
At hir Tabill, and ay hir self neirest,
Ilk delicat but dowt was to thame drest.
For scho thame thocht gude play fuilis day & nicht
To take pastime quhen vtheris ȝeid to rest.

Swa still thay sat the coursis come bedene
In siluer werk that was baith bricht & schene.
The strang meittis mixt with the spices hait,
The confectioun sa costlie and sa clene,
At this present befoir that lustie Quene,

132

The deir dancers with diuers delicait,
Sa plesandlie to hir wos preparait,
In all my dayis sic neuer I saw with ene,
Thame to rehers it excedis my consait.

And sine the drink it was sa delicious,
With smell and sauour, sa sweit and amorous:
All michtie wine I traist but dowt was thair.
Bot quhair I lay sa lang vnder the bus,
Swyith vp I rais in Name of deir IESVS,
Me thocht I wald fane had part of thair fair.
Fordward I fuir, richt faint I ȝow declair,
In hoip to haif at thame honest almous,
Becaus I was sa auld ane man and hair.

Swa in I come amang that companie,
Quhair thay sat at thair heuinlie Maiestie.
I ask almous for luif of IESVS deir.
Thair stude I lang, neuer ane blent to me.
[At] last ane said, quhat may ȝone fell freik be,
With the quhite berd and scarlat ene dois bleir?
Ane vther said, ald carll quhat dois thow heir?
Quhat can thow do for our vtilitie.
To rin ane rink, or ȝit to brek ane speir?

Ane vther said, I knaw weill be his face,
He is not ane man to rin in our Barrace,
For laik of pith he is sa puir and peild.
Than said the fourt, heir he will get na grace
It war mair meit seik to sum vther place,
Quhair he war abill to get sum better beild.
And speirit my Name: I said thay call me Eild.
Swyith pak (quod scho) or ȝour bak beir a bace:
Out of this hall: ȝe ar not for this feild.

133

All the Ladeis were verray discontent:
And grew at me wonder Impatient.
And schew Venus that I was in the hall.
Befoir hir I was brocht Incontinent:
In my contrair scho grew matilent.
Sayand, auld Carll, the foull euill the befall.
How durst thow be sa malapert with all
In my palice thy self for to present?
Swyith out of sicht, gar sling him ouir the wall.

I said Madame and, it pleisit ȝour grace,
Thocht now the day and hour be cum on cace,
Into ȝour hall ȝe hald me odious;
The time hes bene I wald haif run ane race,
And brast ane speir in mid of the Barrace,
As nichtbouris did, and was als Cheualrous
In ony deidis, or Actis anterous:
I was als frak quhen I had time and space,
As ony is this day within this hous.

Bot the greit deidis that I tuik oft on hand
Into ȝour Court, quhen I dwelt in this land:
The rank riding, and the greit turnament
Causis me now, that I may skantlie stand,
Bot I haif bene sa lang at ȝour command,
Now for to ride I laik abuilyement:
My riding geir is all to gane and spent.
Ȝit had I geir I suld be ȝour seruand.
Ȝe knaw Madame, gude will suld be payment.

Ga way said scho, ane fell freik thow hes bene
That weill I knaw be thy beld heid and ene:
With thi gude wil thow hes done that thow may
Bot thy gude will without gude deid betwene
Is not comptit in my Court worth a prene.

134

Trowis thow gude will be payment? I say nay
I luif ȝou weill: sa did I ȝisterday.
Preif it than in deid with curage fra the splene.
Gude will but deid is not bot barnis play.

Quod he Madame, I sene the day and hour,
Ȝe wald haif thollit me to byid in ȝour Bour.
(Quod scho) that is past, gude nicht now feldifair
Fair on fond fuill, thow gettis heir no fauour:
Thow art no Page for to do vs plesour.
And sa schortlie I was schot ouir the stair.
The ȝettis was closit hard on my heillis thair.
[T]hus thay me treit with tene within that Toure
[Of] all thair Feist, nor meit gat I na mair.

At Venus Court their quite I tuik gude nicht,
Quhair I sum time was wont to be ane Knicht.
I kist the ȝettis thair neuer to come agane.
Hamewart I drew with all my mane & micht
With staf in hand, caus past was the day licht.
I fand ane fyre quhairof I was richt fane:
With Ink and pen to writ I maid me bane,
As ȝe haif hard now reid befoir ȝow richt.
Of thir Ladeis and Court venereane.

Beseikand ȝow heirof that reidaris be,
With hartlie lufe and all humilitie,
Becaus I was baith fundeit, faint, and cald,
And culd not bring away all perfitlie,
Throw dull Ingine, and none habilitie;
Or by ressoun quhair ony thing is tald,
Throw haltand verse quhair cullour dois not hald
With all requeist excuse that ȝe wald me:
And for pennance my pen I heir vpȝald.

135

Praying ȝow all baith Ladeis ald and ȝing
Gif I haif said or forȝit ony thing
Of my awin heid into ȝour contrarie,
To grant mercie, and gif pennance conding
First fra Venus and sine fra Cupide King,
Quhair all lufaris suld leill Heretouris be.
Now last of all praying CHRIST on our kne
He wald vouchesaif till heuin vs for to bring
At our last end, Amen for cheritie.

Soli Deo Gloria.