The poems (1902) :: :: University of Virginia Library

Ye reverend redaris, thir workis revolving richt,
Gif ye get crymis, correct thame to your micht
And curse na clark that cunnyngly thame wrait,
Bot blame me, baldly brocht this buik till licht
In tenderest tyme, quhen knawlege was nocht bricht,
Bot lait begun to lerne and till translait
My copeis awld, mankit, and mvtillait;
Quhais trewth, as standis, yit haif I, sympill wicht,
Tryd furth, thairfoir excuse sumpairt my estait.

[George Bannatyne.]

1. Ane new ȝeir gift, to the quene Mary, Quhen scho come first hame.

[_]

[19th August, 1561.]

Welcum! illustrat ladye, and oure quene;
Welcum! oure lyone with þe floure de lyce;
Welcum! oure thrissill with þe lorane grene;
Welcum! oure rubent roiss vpoun þe ryce;
Welcum! oure jem and joyfull genetryce;
Welcum! oure beill of albion to beir;
Welcum! oure plesand princes, maist of pryce;
God gif þe grace aganis þis guid new-ȝeir.

This guid new ȝeir, we hoip, with grace of god,
Sal be of peax, tranquillitie, and rest;
This ȝeir sall rycht and ressone rewle þe rod,
Quhilk sa lang seasoun hes bene soir supprest;
This ȝeir, ferme fayth sall frelie be confest,
And all erronius questionis put areir,
To lauboure þat þis lyfe amang ws lest;
God gif þe grace aganis þis guid new-ȝeir.

Heirfore addres the dewlie to decoir,
And rewle thy regne with hie magnificence.
Begin at God to gar sett furth his gloir,
And of his gospell gett experience,
Caus his trew kirk be had in reuerence;
So sall thy name and fame spred far and neir:
Now, this thy dett to do with diligence,
God gif þe grace aganis þis guid new-ȝeir.

Found on þe first four vertewus cardinall,
On wisdome, iustice, force, and temperans;
Applaud to prudent men, and principall
Off virtewus lyfe, thy wirschep till avance;
Waye iustice equale, without discrepance;
Strenth thy estait with steidfastnes to steir;
To temper tyme with trew continuance,
God gife þe grace aganis þis guid new-ȝeir.

Cast thy consate be counsale of þe sage,
And cleif to christ, hes kepit þe in cure,
Attingent now to twentye ȝeir of aige,
Preservand þe fra all misaventure.
Wald thow be servit, and thy cuntre sure?
Still on þe commounweill haif E and eir;
Preiss ay to be protectrix of þe pure;
So god sall gyde thy grace this gude new-ȝeir.

Gar stanche all stryiff, and stabill thy estaitis
In constance, concord, cherite, and lufe;
Be bissie now to banisch all debatis,
Betuix kirkmen and temporall men dois mufe;
The pulling doun of policie reprufe,
And lat perversit prelettis leif perqueir;
To do the best, besekand god above,
To gife the grace aganis þis guid new-ȝeir.

Att croce gar cry be oppin proclamatioun,
Vndir grit panis, þat nothir he nor scho,
Off halye writ, haif ony disputatioun
Bot letterit men, or lernit clerkis þerto;
For lymmer lawdis, and litle lassis lo,
Will argūn bayth with bischop, preist, and freir:
To dantoun þis, thow hes aneuch to do,
God gife þe grace aganis þis gude new-ȝeir.

Bot wyte the wickit pastouris wald nocht mend;
Thair vitious leving all þe warld prescryvis,
Thaj tuke na tent þair traik sould turne till end,
Thaj wer so proud in þair prerogatyvis;

For wantonnes thay wald nocht wed na wyvis,
Nor ȝit leif chaste, bot chop and change þair cheir:
Now, to reforme þair fylthy licherous lyvis,
God gife þe grace aganis þis guid new ȝeir.

Thaj brocht þair bastardis, with þe skrufe thaj skraip
To blande þair blude with barrownis, be ambitioun!
Thaj purchest pithles pardonis fra þe paip,
To caus fond folis confyde he hes fruitioun
As god, to gif for synnis full remissioun,
And saulis to saif frome suffering sorowis seir;
To sett asyde sic sortis of superstitioun,
God gife þe grace aganis þis gude new-ȝeir.

Thaj lost baith benefice and pentioun þat mareit,
And quha eit flesch on frydayis was fyre-fangit;
It maid na miss quhat maidinnis þaj miscareit
On fasting dayis, thaj wer nocht brint nor hangit;
Licence for luchrie fra þair lord belangit
To gif indulgence, as the devill did leir;
To mend þat menȝe hes sa monye mangit,
God gife þe grace aganis þis guide new-ȝeir.

Thaj lute thy liegis pray to stokkis and stanes
And paintit paiparis, wattis nocht quhat þaj meine;
Thaj bad þame bek and bynge at deid mennis banes;
Offer on kneis to kiss, syne saif þair kin:
Pilgrimes and palmaris past with þame betuene,
Sanct Blais, Sanct Boit, blait bodeis ein to bleir:
Now to forbid þis grit abuse, hes bene,
God gife þe grace aganis þis guid new-ȝeir.

Thaj tyrit god with tryfillis, tvme trentalis,
And daifit him with daylie dargeis,
With owklie abitis, to augment þair rentalis,
Mantand mort-mvmlingis, mixt with monye leis.
Sic sanctitude was sathanis sorcereis
Christis sillie scheip and sobir flok to smeir:
To ceiss all sindrye sectis of hereseis,
God gif þe grace aganis þis guid new-ȝeir.

With mess nor matynes nowayis will I mell,
To iuge þame iustlie passis my ingyne;
Thaj gyde nocht ill that governis weill þame sell
And lelalie on lawtie layis þair lyne:
Dowtis to discus for doctouris, ar devyne
Cunnyng in clergie to declair þame cleir:
To ordour this, the office now is thyne,
God gife þe grace aganis þis gude new-ȝeir.

As beis takkis walx and honye of the floure,
So dois þe faythfull of goddis word tak frute;
As waspis ressauis of þe same bot soure,
So reprobatis christis buke dois rebute:
Wordis without werkis availȝeis nocht a cute:
To seiss thy subiectis so in lufe and feir,
That rycht and reasoun in thy realme may rute,
God gife þe grace aganis þis gude new-ȝeir.

The epistollis and evangelis now ar prechit,
But sophistrie or ceremoneis vaine;
Thy pepill, maist pairt, trewlie now ar techit
To put away idolatrie prophaine:
Bot in sum hartis is gravit new agane,
Ane image callit Cuvatyce of Geir:
Now, to expell þat idoll, standis vp plane,
God gif þe grace aganis þis gude new-ȝeir.

For sum, ar sene at sermonis, seme sa halye,
Singand Sanct Dauidis psalter on þair bukis,
And ar bot biblistis fairsing full þair bellie,
Bakbytand nychtbouris noyand þame in nwikis,
Ruging and raifand vp kirk rentis lyke ruikis;
As werrie waspis aganis goddis word makis weir:
Sic christianis to kis with chanteris kuikis,
God gife þe grace aganis þis gude new-ȝeir.

Dewtie and dettis ar drevin by dowbilnes,
Auld folkis ar flemit fra ȝung fayth professouris;
The grittest ay, the grediar I gess
To plant quhair preistis and personis wer possessouris,

Teindis ar vptane be testament transgressouris,
Credence is past off promeiss, thocht thaj sweir:
To punisch papistis and reproche oppressouris,
God gif þe grace aganis þis gude new-ȝeir.

Pure folk ar famist with thir fassionis new,
Thaj faill for falt þat had befoir at fouth
Leill labouraris lamentis and tennentis trew,
That þaj ar hurt and hareit north and south:
The heidismen hes ‘cor mundum’ in þair mouth,
Bot nevir with mynd to gif þe man his meir;
To quenche thir quent calamiteis so cowth,
God gife þe grace aganis þis gude new-ȝeir.

Protestandis takis þe freiris auld antetewme,
Reddie ressauaris, bot to rander nocht;
So lairdis vpliftis mennis leifing ouir thy rewme,
And ar rycht crabit quhen thay crave þame ocht;
Be thaj vnpayit, thy pursevandis ar socht,
To pund pure communis corne and cattell keir:
To wisy all þir wrangus workis, ar wrocht,
God gife þe grace aganis þis gude new-ȝeir.

Paull biddis nocht deill with thingis idolatheit,
Nor quhair hypocrasie hes bene committit,
Bot kirk-mennis cursit substance semis sweit
Till land-men, with þat leud burd-lyme ar lyttit;
Giff thow persave sum senȝeour, it hes smittit,
Solist þame softlie nocht to perseveir:
Hurt nocht þair honour, thocht thy hienes witt it
Bot graciouslie forgife þame þis gude ȝeir.

Foirgifanis grant, with glaidnes and gude will,
Gratis till all into ȝour parliament;
Syne stabill statutis, steidfast to stand still,
That barrone, clerk, and burges be content.
Thy nobillis, erlis, and lordis consequent
Treit tendir, to obtene þair hartis inteir;
That þaj may serve and be obedient
Vnto thy grace, aganis þis gude new ȝeir.

Sen so thow sittis in saitt superlatywe,
Caus everye stait to þair vocatioun go,
Scolastik men þe scriptouris to descrywe,
And maiestratis to vse þe swerd also,
Merchandis to trafique, and travell to and fro
Mechanikis wirk, husbandis to saw and scheir;
So sal be welth, and weilfaire without wo
Be grace of God aganis þis guid new ȝeir.

Latt all thy realme be now in reddines,
With coistlie clething to decoir thy corss;
Ȝung gentilmen for dansing þame address,
With courtlie ladyes cuplit in consorss;
Frak ferce gallandis for feild gemmis enforss;
Enarmit knychtis at listis with scheild and speir,
To fecht in barrowis bayth on fute and horss,
Agane thy grace gett ane guidman þis ȝeir.

This ȝeir sal be imbassatis heir belyffe
For mariage, frome princes, dukis, and kingis;
This ȝeir, within thy regioun, sall aryfe,
Rowtis of the rankest þat in Europ ringis;
This ȝeir bayth blythnes, and abundance bringis
Naveis of schippis, outthrocht the sea to sneir,
With riches, raymentis, and all royall thingis,
Agane thy grace get ane gudeman þis ȝeir.

Giffe sawis be suth to schaw thy celsitude,
Quhat berne sould bruke all bretane be þe see?
The prophecie expreslie dois conclude—
“The frensch wyfe of the brucis blude suld be”:
Thow art be lyne, fra him the nynte degree,
And wes king frances pairty, maik, and peir;
So be discente, þe same sowld spring of þe,
By grace of god agane this gude new ȝeir.

Schortlie to concluid, on christ cast thy confort,
And chereis þame, þat thou hes vnder charge;
Suppone maist sure he sall þe send support,
And len þe lustie liberos at large:

Beleif þat lord may harbary so thy bairge,
To mak braid britane blyth as bird on breir,
And þe extoll with his triumphand targe,
Wictoriuslie agane þis guid new ȝeir.

L'envoy.

Prudent, maist gent, tak tent, and prent þe wordis
Intill this bill, with will thame still to face
Quhilkis ar nocht skar to bar on far fra bowrdis
Bot leale, but feale; may haell avaell thy grace!
Sen lo, thow scho, þis to now do, hes place,
Resaif swaif, and haif ingraif it heir:
This now, for prow, þat þow, sweit dow, may brace,
Lang space, with grace, solace, and peace, þis ȝeir.

Lectori.

Fresch, fulgent, flurist, fragrant flour formois,
Lantern to lufe, of ladeis lamp and lot,
Cherie maist chaist, cheif charbucle and chois;
Smaill sweit smaragde, smelling but smit of smot:
Noblest natour, nurice to nurtour; not[e]
This dull indyte, dulce dowble dasy deir,
Send be thy sempill servand Sanderris Scott:
Greting grit god to grant thy grace gude ȝeir.

2. The iusting and debait vp at the Drum, Betuix Wa Adamsone, and Iohnie Sym.

The grit debait and turnament,
Off trewth no toung can tell,
Wes for a lusty lady gent,
Betuix twa freikis fell;
For mars the god armipotent
Was nocht sa ferss himsell,
Nor hercules, that aikkis vprent
And dang the devill of hell / with hornis;
Vp at the Drum that day.

Doutles wes nocht so duchty deidis
Amangis the dowsy peiris,
Nor ȝit no clerk in story reidis
Off sa tryvmphand weiris;
To se so stowtly on their steidis
Tha stalwart knychtis steiris
Quhill bellyis bair for brodding bleidis
With spurris als scherp as breiris / and kene;
Vp at the Drum that day.

Vp at the Drum the day wes sett
And fixt wes þe feild,
Quhair baith thir noble chiftanis mett
Enarmit vndir scheild;
Thay wer sa haisty and sa hett,
That nane of thame wald ȝeild,
Bot to debait, or be doun bett
And in the quarrell keild / or slane;
Vp at the Drum þat day.

Thair wes ane bettir and ane worss
I wald þat it wer wittin,
For William wichttar wes of corss
Nor Sym, and bettir knittin.
Sym said he sett nocht by his forss
Bot hecht he sowld be hittin,
And he micht counter Will on horss,
For sym wes bettir sittin / nor Will;
Vp at the Drum that day.

To se the stryfe come ȝunkeirs stowt,
And mony galȝart man;
All denteis deir wes thair but dowt,
The wyne on broich it ran:
Trumpettis and schalmis with a schowt
Playid or the rink began;
And eikwall juges satt abowt
To se quha tynt or wan / the feild;
Vp at the Drum that day.

With twa blunt trincher speiris squair,
It wes thair interpryiss
To fecht, with baith thair facis bair,
For lufe, as is the gyiss:
Ane freynd of thairis throw hap come thair,
And hard the rumor ryiss;
Quha stall away thair styngis bath clair,
And hid in secreit wayiss / For skaith;
Vp at [the Drum that day].

Strang men of armes and of micht,
Wer sett thame for to sidder;
The harraldis cryd, “God schaw the rycht,”
Syne bad thame go togidder.
“Quhair is my speir?” sayis sym the knycht,
“Sum man go bring it hidder;”
But wald they tary thair all nycht,
Thair lanciss come to lidder / & slaw;
Vp at [the Drum that day].

Sym flew als fery as a fowne,
Doun fra the horss he slaid,
Sayis, “he sall rew my stalf hes stowin,
For I sal be his deid.”
William his vow plicht to the powin
For favour or for feid,
“Als gude the tre had nevir growin,
Quhairof my speir wes maid / to just”;
Vp at [the Drum that day].

Thir vowis maid to syn and mone,
They raikit baith to rest,
Thame to refress with thair disione,
And of thair armour kest,
Nocht knawing of the deid wes done;
Quhen thay suld haif fairin best,
The fyre wes pischt out lang or none,
Thair dennaris suld haif drest / and dicht;
Vp at [the Drum that day].

Than wer thay movit owt of mynd,
Far mair than of beforne;
Thay wist nocht how to get him pynd,
That thame had drevin to skorne.
Thair wes no deth mycht be devynd,
But ethis haif thay sworne,
He suld deir by, be thay had dynd,
And ban that he was borne, / or bred;
Vp at the Drum þat day.

Than to Dalkeith thai maid thame boun,
Reidwod of this reproche;
Thair wes baith wyne and vennisoun,
And barrellis ran on broche:
They band vp kyndnes in that toun,
Nane fra his feir to foche,
For thair wes nowdir lad nor loun
Mycht eit ane baikin-loche / For fowness;
Vp at Dalkeith þat day.

Syne eftir denner raiss the din,
And all the toun on steir:
William wes wyiss, and held him in,
For he wes in a feir;
Sym to haif bargan cowld nocht blin,
Bot bukkit Will on weir,
Sayis, “gife thow wald this lady win,
Cum furth and brek a speir / with me”;
Vp at Dalkeyth þat day.

This still for bargan Sym abyddis,
And schowttit Will to schame;
Will saw his fais on baith the syddis,
Full fair he dred for blame:
Will schortly to his horss he slydis,
And sayis to Sym be name,
“Bettir we bath wer byand hyddis
“And weddir skynnis at hame / nor heir”;
Vp at [Dalkeith þat day].

Now is the growme that wes so grym
Rycht glaid to leif in lie:
“Fy, theif, for schame,” sayis littill Sym,
“Will thow nocht fecht with me?
“Thow art moir lerge of lyth and lym,
“Nor I am, be sic thre,”
And all the feild cryd, fy on him!
Sa cowartly tuk the fle / for feir;
Vp at [Dalkeith that day].

Than every man gaif Will a mok,
And said, he wes our meik:
Sayis Sym, “send for thy broder Jok,
“I sall nocht be to seik;
“For wer ȝe foursum in a flok,
“I compt ȝow nocht a leik,
“Thocht I had rycht nocht but a rok
“To gar ȝour rumpill reik / behynd,”
Vp at Dalkeith þat day.

Thair wes richt nocht bot haif and ga,
With lawchter lowd thay lewche,
Quhen they saw sym sic curage ta,
And will mak it sa twche:
Sym lap on horsback lyk a ra,
And ran him till a huche,
Sayis “William, cum ryde doun this bra,
Thocht ȝe suld brek ane bwche / Fo[r] lufe”
Vp at [Dalkeith this day].

Sone doun the bra Sym braid lyk thunder,
And bad Will fallow fast;
To grund, for fersness, he did funder,
Be he midhill had past.
William saw Sym in sic a blunder,
To ga he wes agast;
For he affeird, it wes na winder
His cursour suld him cast / and hurt him,
Vp [at Dalkeith that day].

Than all the ȝungkeiris bad Will ȝeild,
Or doun the glen to gang;
Sum cryd “the koward suld be keild;”
Sum doun the hewche he thrang;
Sum ruscht, sum rummyld, [and] sum reild;
Sum be the bewche he hang;
Thair avairis fyld vp all the feild,
They wer sa fow and pang, / with drafe
Vp [at Dalkeith that day].

Than gelly Johine come in a jak
To feild quhair he wes feidit,
Abone his brand ane bucklar blak,
Baill fell the bern thad bed it;
He slippit swiftly to the slak,
And rudly doun he raid it;
Befoir his curpall wes a crak
Culd na man tell quha maid it / For lawchtter
Vp at [Dalkeith that day].

Be than the bowgill gan to blaw,
For nycht had thame ourtane;
“Allaiss,” said sym, “for falt of law,
That bargan get I nane.”
Thuss hame with mony crak & flaw
Thay passid every ane;
Syne pairtit at the Potter-raw,
And sindry gaitis ar gane / to rest thame
Within the toun þat nycht.

L'envoy.

This Will was he, begyld the may,
And did hir merriage spill;
He promeist hir, to lat him play,
Hir purposs to fulfill;
Fra scho fell fow, he fled away,
And come na mair hir till;
Quhairfoir he tynt the feild that day,
And tuk him to ane mill, / to hyd him
As coward fals of fey.

3. Of May.

May is the moneth maist amene
For thame in Venus scheruice bene,
To recreat thair havy hartis:
May caussis curage frome the splene,
And every thing in May revartis.

In May the pleasant spray vpspringis;
In May the mirthfull maveiss singis;
And now in May to madynnis fawis,
With tymmer wechtis to trip in ringis,
And to play vpcoill with the bawis.

In May gois gallandis bring in symmer,
And trymly occupyis thair tymmer,
With “Hunts vp” every morning plaid.
In May gois gentill wemen gymmer,
In gardynnis grene thair grumis to glaid.

In May quhen men ȝeid everichone,
With Robene Hoid and Littill Johne,
To bring in bowis and birkin bobbynis:
Now all sic game is fastlingis gone
Bot gif it be amangis clown robbynis.

Abbotis by rewll, and lordis but ressone,
Sic senȝeouris tymis ourweill this sessone;
Vpoun thair vyce war lang to waik,
Quhais falsatt, fibilnes and tressone,
Hes rung thryis oure this zodiak.

In May begynnis the golk to gaill;
In May drawis deir to doun and daill;
In May men mellis with famyny,
And ladeis meitis thair luvaris laill
Quhen Phebus is in Gemyny.

Butter, new-cheis, and beir in May,
Cōmamis, cokkillis, curdis and quhay,
Lapstaris, lempettis, mussillis in schellis,
Grene leikis, and all sic men may say,
Suppois sum of thame sourly smellis.

In May grit men within thair boundis,
Sum halkis the walteris, sum with houndis
The hairis owt-throwch the forrestis cachis,
Syne efter thame thair ladeis foundis,
To sent the rynnyng of the rachis.

In May frank archeris will affix
In place to meit: syne marrowis mix,
To schute at buttis at bankis & brais;
Sum at the reveris, sum at the prikkis;
Sum laich and to beneth the clais.

In May sowld men of amouris go,
To serf thair ladeis, and no mo,
Sen thair releis in ladeis lyis;
For sum may cum in favouris so,
To kiss his loif on buchone wyis.

In may gois dammosalis and dammis
In gardyngis grene to play lyk lammis;
Sum at the bairis thay brace lyk billeis;
Sum rynnis at barlabreikis lyk rammis,
Sum round abowt the standand pilleis.

In May gois madynis till Lareit,
And hes thair mynȝonis on the streit,
To horss thame quhair the gait is ruch:
Sum at Inche-bukling-bray they meit,
Sum in the middis of Mussilburch.

So May and all thir monethis thre,
Are hett and dry in thair degre;
Heirfoir ȝe wantoun men in ȝowth,
For helth of body now haif E,
Nocht oft till mell with thankless mowth.

Sen every pastyme is at plesure,
I counsale ȝow to mel with mesure,
And namely now, May, June, & Julij,
Delyt nocht lang in luvaris lesure,
But weit ȝour lippis & labor hully.

4. [O Lusty May, with Flora Quene.]

O lusty May, with flora quene,
The balmy dropis frome Phebus schene,
Preluciand bemes befoir þe day,
Be that Diana growis grene,
Throwch glaidnes of þis lusty May.

Than esperus, that is so bricht,
Till wofull hairtis castis his lycht,
With bankis that blumes on euery bray,
And schuris ar sched furth of þair sicht
Thruch glaidnes of this lusty May.

Birdis on bewis of every birth,
Reiosing nottis makand thair mirth,
Rycht plesandly vpoun the spray
With fflurissingis our feild & firth
Thruch [glaidnes of thus lusty May].

All luvaris that ar in cair
To thair ladeis thay do repair,
In fresch mornyngis befoir the day,
And ar in mirth ay mair and mair,
Thruch glaidnes of this lusty May.

[Of every moneth in the year,
To mirthful May there is no peer;
Her glistring garments are so gay,
Your Lovers all, make merry cheer,
Through gladness of this lusty May.]

Poems on the Pains and Pleasures of Love.

5. [Luve preysis but comparesone.]

Luve preysis, but comparesone,
Both gentill, sempill, generall;
And of fre will gevis waresone,
As fortoun chansis to befall:
For luve makis nobill ladeis thrall,
To bassir men of birth and blud;
So luve garris sobir wemen small,
Get maistrice our grit men of gud.

Ferme luve, for fauour, feir, or feid,
Of riche nor pur to speik suld spair;
For luve to hienes hes no heid,
Nor lychtleis lawlines ane air;
But puttis all personis in compair,
This prowerb planely for till preue,
That men and wemen, less and mair,
Ar cumd of Adame and of Eue.

So thocht my lyking wer a leddy,
And I no lord, ȝit nocht þe less
Scho suld my serwyce find als reddy
As duke to duches docht him dress;
For as prowd princely luve express
Is to haif souerenitie;
So serwice cumis of sympilness,
And leilest lufe of law degre.

So luvaris lair no leid suld lak;
A lord to lufe a silly lass,
A leddy als for luf to tak
Ane proper page hir tyme to pass:
For quhy as bricht bene birneist brass
As siluer wrocht at all dewyss;
And als gud drinking out of glass
As gold, thocht gold gif grittar pryss.

Suld I presome þis sedull schaw,
Or lat me langouris be lamentit?
Na! I effrey for feir and aw,
Hir comlie heid be miscontenttit.
I dar nocht preiss hir to present it;
For be scho wreth I will nocht wow it,
But pleiss hir prowdens to imprent it,
Scho may persaue sum inglis throw it.

6. [Haif hairt in hairt, ȝe hairt of hairtis, haill.]

Haif hairt in hairt, ȝe hairt of hairtis, haill;
Trewly sweit hairt, ȝour hairt my hairt sal haif;
Expell deir hairt my havy hairtis baill;
Praying ȝow hairt quhilk hes my hairt in graif,
Sen ȝe sweit hairt, my hairt may sla & saif,
Lat nocht deir hairt my leill hairt be forloir,
Excelland hairt, of every hairtis gloir.

Glaid is my hairt, with ȝow sueit hairt to rest,
And serue ȝow hairt, with hairtis observance;
Sen ȝe ar, hairt, with bayth our hairtis possest,
My hairt is in ȝour hairtis gouernance;
Do with my hairt, ȝour hairtis sweit plesance,
For is my hairt thrall ȝour hairt vntill;
I haif no hairt contrair ȝour hairtis will.

Sen ȝe haif hairt, my faythfull hairt, in cure,
Vphald þe hairt, quhilk is ȝour hairtis awin;
Gif my hairt be ȝour hairtis scheruiture,
How may ȝe thoill ȝour trew hairt be ourthrawin?
Quhairfoir sweit hairt nocht suffer so be knawin,
Bot ȝe be, hairt, my hairtis reiosing,
As ȝe ar hairt of hairtis conforting.

[Anon.]

7. The anschir to the ballat of hairtis.

Considdir, hairt, my trew intent,
Suppois I am nocht eloquent
To wryt ȝow anschir responsyve;
Ȝour scedull is so excellent,
It passis far my wyttis fyve.

For quhy it is so full of hairtis
That myne within my bosum stairtis,
Quhen I behald it rycht till end;
And for ilk hairt, ane hundreth dertis
Outthrow my hairt, to ȝow I send.

This woundit hairt, sweit hairt, ressaif,
Quhilk is deir hairt abone þe laif
Ȝour faythfull hairt, with trew intent;
Ane trewar hairt may no man haif,
Nor ȝit ane hairt moir permanent.

Ane hairt it is without dissait;
It is þe hairt to quhome ȝe wret
The misseif full of hairtis seir;
It is ane hairt bayth air & lait
That is ȝour hairtis presoneir.

It is ane hairt, full of distres;
Ane cairfull hairt all confortles;
Ane penseve hairt in dule & dolour,
Ane hairt of wo & haviness;
Ane mirthles hairt without mesour.

It is ane hairt bayth firme & stabill
Ane hairt without fenȝeit fabill;
Ane constant hairt bayth trest & trew;
Ane sure hairt set in to sabill;
Ane wofull hairt bot gif ȝe rew.

It is ane hairt þat ȝour hairt servis;
Ane hairt for lufe of ȝour hairt stervis;
Ane hairt þat nevir ȝow offendit;
Ane hairt of ȝouris bayth vane & nervis;
Ane hairt but solace bot gif ȝe send it.

It is na gravit hairt in stone,
In siluer, gold, nor evir bone;
Nor ȝit ane payntit symlitud;
Bot this same verry hairt allone,
Within my breist of flesch and blude.

Thairfoir, sueit hairt, send me þe hairt
That is in to ȝour breist inwart;
And nocht thir writtin hairtis in vane;
Bot ȝour hairt to my hairt rewert,
And send me hairt for hairt agane.

8. [Hence, hairt, with hir þat most departe.]

Hence, hairt, with hir þat most departe,
And hald the with thy souerane;
For I had lever want ane harte,
Nor haif the hairt þat dois me pane:
Thairfoir, go, with thy lufe remane,
And lat me leif thus vnmolest,
And se þat thow cum nocht agane,
Bot byd with hir thow luvis best.

Sen scho, that I haif scheruit lang,
Is to depairt so suddanly;
Address the now, for thow sall gang
And beir thy lady cumpany:

Fra scho be gon, hairtless am I;
For quhy thow art with hir possest;
Thairfoir my hairt! go hence in hy,
And byd with hir thow luvis best.

Thocht this belappit body heir
Be bound to scheruitude and thrall,
My fathfull hairt is fre inteir,
And mynd to serf my lady at all:
Wald god þat I wer perigall
Vnder þat redolent ross to rest!
Ȝit at þe leist, my hairt thow sall
Abyd with hir thow lufis best.

Sen in ȝour garth þe lilly quhyte
May nocht remane amang þe laif,
Adew! þe flour of haill delyte,
Adew! þe succour þat ma me saif,
Adew! þe fragrant balme suaif,
And lamp of ladeis lustiest
My faythfull hairt scho sall it haif,
To byd with hir it luvis best.

Deploir, ȝe ladeis cleir of hew
Hir absence, sen scho most departe,
And specialy ȝe luvaris trew
That woundit bene with luvis darte:
For sum of ȝow sall want ane harte
Alsweill as I; þairfoir at last
Do go with myn, with mynd inwart,
And byd with hir thow luvis best.

9. [Quha is perfyte to put in wryt.]

Quha is perfyte / to put in wryt
The inwart murnyng & mischance;
Or to indyte / þe grit delyte
Of lustie lufis obscherwance?
Bot he þat may certane / paciently suffir pane /
To wyn his souerane / in recompance.

Albeid I knaw / of luvis law
The plesour & the panis smart;
Ȝit I stand aw / for to furthschaw
The quyet secreitis of my harte:
For it may fortoun raith / to do hir body skaith /
Quhilk wait þat of þame baith / I am expert.

S[c]ho wait my wo / that is ago,
Scho wait my weilfair and remeid,
Scho wait also / I lufe no mo
Bot hir the well of womanheid:
Scho wait withouttin faill / I am hir luvar laill /
Scho hes my hairt alhaill / till I be deid.

That bird of bliss / in bewty is,
In erd þe only a per se,
Quhais mowth to kiss / is worth, I wiss,
The warld full of gold to me:
Is nocht in erd I cure, / bot pleiss my lady pure /
Syne be hir scheruiture / vnto I de.

Scho hes my lufe / at hir behufe;
My hairt is subiect, bound, & thrall;
For scho dois moif / my hairt aboif,
To se hir proper persoun small:
Sen scho is wrocht at will / that natur may fulfill /
Glaidly I gif hir till / body and all.

Thair is nocht wie / can estimie
My sorrow and my sichingis sair;
For I am so / done fathfullie
In fawouris with my lady fair,
That baith our hartis ar ane / luknyt in luvis chene /
And evirilk greif is gane / for evir mair.

10. [I wil be plane and lufe affane.]

I wil be plane / and lufe affane
For as I mene / so tak me;
Gif I refrane / for wo, or pane
Ȝour lufe certane / foirsaik me.

Gif trew report / to ȝow resort
Of my gud port / so tak me;
Gif I exort / in evill sort
Without confort / forsak me.

Gif diligens / in ȝour presens
Schaw my pretens / so tak me;
Gif negligens / in my absens
Schaw my offens / forsaik me.

Ȝouris and no mo / quhair evir I go
Gif I so do / so tak me
Gif I fle fro / & dois nocht so
Evin as ȝour fo / forsaik me.

Gif I do prufe / þat I ȝow luf
Nixt god abufe / so taik me,
Gif I remufe / fra ȝour behufe
Without excuss / foirsaik me.

Be land or se / quhair evir I be
As ȝe fynd me / so tak me;
And gif I le / & from ȝow fle
Ay quhill I de / forsaik me.

It is bot waist / mo wordis to taist
Ȝe haif my laist / so tak me
Gif ȝe our cast / my lyf is past
Ewin at þe last / forsaik me.

My deir, adew / most cleir of hew
Now on me rew / & so tak me;
Gif I persew / & beis nocht trew
Cheiss ȝe ane new / & forsaik me.

11. [Only to ȝow in erd that I lufe best.]

Only to ȝow in erd that I lufe best,
I me commend ane hundreth thowsand syiss;
Exorting ȝow, with pensyfe hairt opprest,
As ȝe ar scho quhom in my confort lyiss,
Gif I misvse my pen, or done dispyss
Ocht at this tyme, will God I sall amend,
Protesting this ballat ȝe attend.

Sum luvaris thame delytis till indyte
Fair facound speich, blandit with eloquence;
And vþir sum dois sett þair wit perfyte
To pleiss þair ladeis with all þair diligens,
Sum luffaris wantis, throw þair negligens,
For falt of speich, the lufe of his maistres,
Without hir witting [he is] in distress.

As to my parte, my lusty lady schene,
Throw laik of speich, I thoill rycht grit distress;
Bayth nycht & day, hard persit to þe splene
With deidly dert, and can find no redress;
This me behuffis my panis to express;
Or than, knaw rycht weill, but wirdis moir,
That crewell dert out[t]hrow my hart wald boir.

Rathir nor smart / I mon my harme reweill
To ȝow my hairt / quha ma my baillis beit;
For & ȝe start / adew all warldly weill!
Will ȝe rewart / my cairis ar compleit.
Tuiching ȝour parte / I prey ȝow be discreit,
For eftirwart / gif ȝe vpoun me rew,
Quhill deid departe / my lyfe I sal be trew.

Secreit alswa / in every maner sort,
For weill nor wa / sall ony knaw our mynd?
Than be nocht thra ȝour scherwand to confort:
Sum anschir ma / as ȝe ar gud and kynd,
That may me, fra / my langour appeill, þat is pynd,

And not sla / me throw ȝour negligence;
This I ȝow pra / for ȝour he excellens.

Adew / rycht trew / adew my deirest hairt;
Fairest of hew / for this tyme haif gud nycht;
Remord & rew / and pondir weill my pairte,
Sen I persew / na thing of ȝow bot rycht;
Quhilk gif ȝe knew / my mynd as it is plicht,
Ȝe wald subdew / ȝour inwart thocht & mynd,
And me reskew quhilk for ȝour lufe is pynd.

12. [Rycht as þe glass bene thirlit thrucht with bemis.]

Rycht as þe glass bene thirlit thrucht with bemis
Off Phebus fair prefulgent visage bricht,
Or [as] hornit Dyane with hir paly glemis,
Perssis the cluddis sabill in þe nicht;
And as the kocatrice keilis with hir sicht;
Rycht so þe bewty of my lady stoundis
Out-throwcht my breist, vnto my hairt redoundis.

Behaild how far cristall or diamant,
Jassink, jasp, ruby jem, or criselleit,
Carbunkile, emmerauld, perle, or athamant,
Turcas, topas, marbill, or margareit,
Exceidis the barrat stonis in þe streit:
In lykwayis dois hir bewty vndegraid,
Transcend all vþiris, wyfe, wedow, or maid.

Espy richt so how far þe rosy gowlis
Passis the wallowit weidis in þe vaill;
Or sound of lark aboif þe revenous fowlis;
And somersday the nichtis hiemaill;
Or as ane galay gayest vndir saill
Bene plesandar nor taikles boitis small;
So is my lady lustiest of all.

13. [“Up, helsum hairt! thy rutis rais, & lowp.”

Vp, helsum hairt! thy rutis rais, and lowp;
Exalt and clym within my breist in staige;
Art thow nocht wantoun, haill, & in gud howp,
Fermit in grace, and free of all thirlaige,
Bathing in bliss, and sett in hie curaige?
Braisit in joy, no falt may the affray,
Having thy ladeis hart as heretaige,
In blenche-ferme ffor ane sallat every May:
So neidis thow nocht now sussy, sytt, nor sorrow,
Sen thow art sure of sollace evin & morrow.

Thow Cupeid rewardit me with thiss;
I am thy awin trew liege, withowt tressone.
Thair levis no man in moir eiss, welth, and bliss,
I knaw no siching, sadnes, nor ȝit soun,
Walking, thocht, langour, lamentatioun,
Dolor, dispair, weiping nor jelosye;
My breist is woyd and purgit of pussoun;
I feill no pane, I haif no purgatorye;
Bot peirles, perfytt, paradisall plesour,
With mirry hairt and mirthfulnes but mesoure.

My lady, lord, thow gaif me for to hird:
Within myne armes I nureiss on the nycht;
Kissing, I say, my bab, my tendir bird,
Sweit maistres, lady luffe, & lusty wicht,
Steir, rewll, and gyder of my senssis richt!
My voice surmontis the sapheir cludis hie,
Thanking grit god of that tressour & micht.
I coft hir deir, bot scho fer derrer me,
Quhilk hasard honor, fame in aventeur,
Committing clene hir corse to me in cure.

In oxsteris cloiss we kiss, and cossis hairtis,
Brynt in desyre of amouris play and sport;
Meittand oure lustis, spreitles we twa depairtis.
Prolong with lasar, lord, I the exhort

Sic tyme that we may boith tak our confort;
First for to sleip, syne walk withowt espyis;
I blame the cok, I plene the nicht is schort:
Away I went, my wache the cuschett cryis,
Wissing all luvaris leill to haif sic chance
That thay may haif ws in remembrance.

14. [How suld my febill body fure.]

How suld my febill body fure,
The dowble dolour I indure,
The mornyng and the grit mallure,
Can nane devyne;
Quhilk garris my bailfull breist combure
To se ane vþir haif þe cure,
Þat suld by myne.

For weill I wait wes nevir wicht,
Wald sa inforss his mynd & mycht,
To lufe & serf his lady bricht
And want hir syne,
As I do, martir day and nycht,
Without the only thing of rycht,
That [suld be myne].

War I of pissans for to prufe,
My lawty & my hairtly lufe,
I suld hir mynd to mercy mufe,
With sic propyne.
War all þe warld at my behufe,
Scho suld it haif, be god abufe,
That suld be myne.

Now quhome to sall I mak my mone,
Sen trewth & constans fynd I none,
For all the fathfull lufe is gone
Of femenene.
It wald vpross ane hart of stone,
To se me lost for lufe of one
That [suld be myne].

Quha suld my dullit spreitis raiss,
Sen for no lufe my lady gaiss,
Bot and gud scheruice mycht hir maiss
Scho suld inclyne.
I dre þe dollour and diseiss,
Quhen vþiris hes hir as thay pleiss,
That suld be myne.

I may persaif þat weill be thiss
That all the blythnes, joy, and bliss,
The lusty, wantoun lyfe, I wiss,
Of lufe is hyne;
And no remeid, sen so it iss,
Bot paciens, suppoiss I miss
That suld be myne.

For nobillis hes nocht ay renown,
Nor gentillis ay the gayest goun,
Thay cary victuallis to þe toun
That werst dois dyne:
Sa bissely to busk I boun,
Ane vþir eitis the berry doun
That suld be myn[e].

Quha wald the rege of ȝowtheid dant,
Let thame the court of luvaris hant,
And tham as Venus subiectis grant
And keip hir tryme:
Perchance thay sall find freindschip skant,
And abill thair rewaird to want,
As I did myne.

15. [Marvilling in mynd, quhat ailis fortoun at me.]

Marvilling in mynd, quhat ailis fortoun at me,
And I ane scherwand trew both day and nycht,
I am bot deid sic dolour for to dre
So suddanly exylit frome hir sycht.
In all this warld thair is no erdly wycht
Moir fre, moir fremmit, moir trest, & eik moir trew;
Sen I mon de, adew, luvaris, adew.

Dame Natur! I the wyt of all my pane,
That formit hes this flour so fair but feir,
All vertew in hir visage dois remane,
Bot merciles I go from ȝeir to ȝeir;
Scho is allon of price withouttin peir:
This ryall ross will nocht vpoun me rew;
Sen I mon de, adew, luvaris, adew.

My dullit hairt but dout may nocht indure,
My pane but peir, it perssis throw my hairt;
My lady fair, of me scho takis no cure,
Bot thoillis me to de in panis smart.
O Venus quene! thow causs hir mynd rewart:
For be þe graue, first lufe in to me grew;
Sen I mon [de, adew, luvaris, adew].

Now lat me lady do quhat evir scho will,
Baith trest & trew my hairt sall nevir fel;
Small honor is, hir scherwand for to spill,
Sen þat my deth to hir may nocht awail;
Ane blenk of hir but dout wald mak me haill:
My hairt is gon, my face is paill of hew;
Sen I [mon de, adew, luvaris, adew].

Addew, addew, my dule and my delyte,
Adew, fairweill, my freind & eik my fo,
Adew, my pane & plesans most perfyte,
Addew, addew, my weill & eik my wo,
Fairweill, for now for euirmoir I go,
Fairweill, I will my sepultur persew;
Sen I mon de, addew, luvaris, adew.

16. [Departe, departe, departe.]

Quod Scott off þe Maister of Erskyn.

Departe, departe, departe,
Allace! I most departe
Frome hir þat hes my hart,
With hairt full soir,
Aganis my will indeid,
And can find no remeid,
I wait the panis of deid
Can do no moir.

Now most I go, allace!
Frome sicht of hir sueit face,
The grund of all my grace,
And souerane:
Quhat chanss that may fall me
Sall I nevir mirry be,
Vnto þe tyme I se
My sweit agane.

I go, and wait nocht quhair,
I wandir heir and thair,
I weip and sichis rycht sair,
With panis smart;
Now most I pass away away
In wildirness & wilsum way;
Allace! this wofull day
We suld departe.

My spreit dois quaik for dreid,
My thirlit hairt dois bleid,
My panis dois exceid;
Quhat suld I say?
I wofull wycht allone,
Makand ane petouss mone,
Allace! my hairt is gone,
For evir and ay.

Throw langour of my sueit,
So thirlit is my spreit,
My dayis ar most compleit,
Throw hir absence:
Chryst, sen scho knew my smert,
Ingrawit in my hairt,
Becaus I most departe
Frome hir presens.

Adew, my awin sueit thing,
My joy and conforting,
My mirth and sollesing
Of erdly gloir:
Fair weill, my lady bricht,
And my remembrance rycht.
Fair weill, and haif gud nycht;
I say no moir.

17. [That evir I luvit allace þairfoir.]

That evir I luvit, allace þairfoir,
This to be pynit with panis soir,
Thirlit throw every vane and boir
Without offenss
Chryst send remeid, I say no moir
Bot pacienss.

Grissal was nevir so pacient
As I am for my lady gent,
For in my mynd I so imprent
Hir excellenss
That of my deid I am content
With pacienss.

How lang sall I this lyfe inleid?
That for hir saik do suffer deid,
But confort of hir gudly heid
Or ȝit presens;
I say no moir, christ send remeid
With paciens.

On paciens I mon perforss,
Sen þat I go frome weill to worss,
Exorting chryst send hir remorss
Of conscienss
Sa crewaly hes keild my corss
But pacienss.

Paciens ourcumis all,
And is ane vertew principall,
Sen I am bund to leif in thrall
With insolens,
I mon sustene quhat so befall
With pacienss.

But paciens I ȝow assure,
Nane may þe panis of lufe indure,
Nor ȝit in to that lufly bour
Mak residens,
Without thay preif baith sueit and sour
With paciens.

Lufe is maid of sic ane kynd,
That be na forss it may be synd,
Bot only be of hummill mynd
With parmanenss
To thoill, suppoiss þe hairt be pynd,
With pacienss.

18. [Oppressit hairt, indure.]

Oppressit hairt, indure
In dolour and distress,
Wappit without recure
In wo remidiless;
Sen scho is merciless,
And caussis all thy smert
Quhilk suld thy dolour dress;
Indure oppressit hairt!

Perforss tak paciens
And dre thy destany
To lufe but recompens
Is grit perplexitie;
Of thyne aduersitie
Wyt thyself and no mo,
For quhen þat thow wes fre
Thow wald nocht hald þe so.

Thow langit ay to prufe
The strenth of luvis lair,
And quhat kin thing wes lufe
Quhilk now settis the so sair.
Off all thy wo and cair
It mendis the nocht to mene,
Howbeid thow suld forfair,
Thyself þe causs hes bene.

Quhen thow wes weill at eiss
And subiect to no wicht,
Thow hir for lufe did cheiss
Quhilk settis thy lufe at licht;
And thocht thow knew hir slicht
Ȝit wald thow [nocht] refrane,
Thairfoir it is bot rycht
That thow indure þe pane.

Bot ȝit my corpss allace,
Is wrangusly opprest
Be the in to þis cace
And brocht to grit wanrest,
Quhy suld it so be drest,
Be the, and daly pynd?
Quhilk still it ay detest
Thy wantoun folich mynd.

The blenkyne of ane E
Ay gart the goif and glaik;
My body bad lat be,
And of thy siching slaik,
Thow wald nocht rest bot raik
And lair the in þe myre,
Ȝit felȝeit thow to faik
That thow did maist desyre.

Thocht thow do murn and weip
With inwart spreit opprest,
Quhen vþir men takis sleip
Thow wantis the nychtis rest:

Scho quhome thow luvis best
Off the takis littill thocht,
Thy wo and grit wanrest
And cair scho countis nocht.

Thairfoir go hens in haist
My langour to lament.
Do nocht my body waist
Quhilk nevir did consent,
And thocht thow wald repent
That thow hir hes persewit,
Ȝit man thow stand content
And drynk þat thow hes brewit.

19. [Leif luve & lat me leif allone.]

Leif luve and lat me leif allone
At libertie, subiect to none;
For it may weill be sene vpone
My bludless blaiknit ble;
The tormenting, in tyme bygon,
That skerss hes left bot skin and bon
Throw fremmitness of the.

For thruch thy feid I fynd express
My only lady merciless
Sa doggitless scho did me dress
With wo and misery;
Quhen scho had welth and wantonness
I had bot dollour and distress,
Throw fremmitness of the.

To confort hir thow wes inclynd,
And hald my murnyng in my mynd,
I fand hir of ane staffage kynd
Bath staitly, strange, and he.

Scho wes vncurtass & vnkynd,
It wes hir play to se me pynd,
Throw [fremmitness of the].

Thow held hir curage he on loft,
And ted my tendir hairt lyk toft,
I knaw how costly I wes coft
Quhen scho ȝeid frank and fre:
Thow sufferit hir to sleip full soft,
Quhair mirthles I wes marterit oft,
Throw fremitness of the.

Cupeid thow kennis I burd to knaw,
The langsum leving in thy law;
Bot this is nocht þe first ourthraw
That thow hes done to me.
Bot of the now I stand nocht aw,
Sen ressoun dois my benner blaw
Aganis the feid of the.

This lady is so gud ane gyd,
Scho lattis me nevir gang on syd,
Bot teichis me both tyme & tyd
Retent befoir myne E,
Quhome in to lippin and confyd;
I slip, and lattis all ourslyd;
Aganis the feid of the.

20. [Thocht I in grit distress.]

Thocht I in grit distress
Suld de in to dispair,
I can get no redress
Of ȝow my lady fair,

Howbeid my tyme I wair
Alhaill in ȝour scherwyce,
Ȝe compt nocht of my cair,
I fynd ȝow ay so nyce.

It dois ȝow ay delyt
To wit me in distress.
Sic is ȝour haill dispyt
And grit vnfathfulness;
The mair I do me dress
To be at ȝour devyce,
My guerdoun is the less
I find ȝow ay so nyss.

Ay tresting for to speid
I haif my hairt ourset,
Quhair þat I fynd bot feid
My langour for to lett;
I seik the watter hett
In vndir the cauld yce,
Quhair na regaird I gett
I fynd ȝow ay so nyss.

Belevand ay for grace
I hald my hairt on loft,
Bot now I say, allace
That evir I it socht!
I fynd ȝour fenȝeit thocht
Vncertane as þe dyce,
Thairfoir I compt it nocht
I fynd ȝow ay so nyce.

Lang tyme ȝe haif me pruffit
And evir fund me trew,
Bot now that I haif luvit
Rycht sair I may it rew.
First quhen I did persew,
I wont ȝe had bene wyss,
Bot now fairweill, adew!
I find ȝow ay so nyss.

21. [Langour to leive, allace.]

Langour to leive, allace!
My labour is in vane,
Sen þair is nowþir grace,
Nor ȝit rewaird agane.

Quhat sall I do [o]r say,
I am with sorrow slane,
And dyis nicht & day
Withowt hir luve agane.

Was nevir man in erd,
Moir faithfull & moir plane,
Suppois it be my werd
To luve vnluvit agane.

I do luve best allane
My lady souerane,
Thir ȝeiris mony ane,
Withowt hir luve agane.

For nowdir wald schew rew
Nor beir me at disdane,
Bot lute me ay persew
Withowt hir luve agane.

Hir fenȝeit wordis fals,
Of richt not maid me fane,
And held me in the hals,
To lufe vnluvit agane.

And als the luik vnleill
Of hir bricht fair ene twane,
Gart me beleif alhail
To haif hir luve agane.

Bot sen I se hir hairt
And mynd is vncertane,
I sall in tyme rewairt
My luve frome hir agane.

Sen scho hes nowþir rewth
Nor mercy, suth to sane,
Lat falset to vntrewth,
And trest to trew agane.

And sen my hairt is fre,
I bid not for to lane,
I sall awysit be
Or I hir luve agane.

Thairfoir, my hairt tak heid
Quhome for thow suffer pane,
And luik weill for remeid,
Or þat thow luve agane.

Scho þat the list to luve
Se thow with hir remane,
And nevir moir remvue,
Bot luve hir best agane.

22. [Favour is fair in luvis lair.]

Favour is fair / in luvis lair,
Ȝit freindschip mair / bene to commend;
Bot quhair despair / bene adwersare,
Nothing is thair / bot wofull end.

Off men I mene / in scherwice bene,
Of Venus quene / but conforting;
Be thame I wene / that mon sustene,
The kairis kene / of Cupeid king.

Continwance / in Cupeidis dance,
But discrepance / withowt remeid,
Sic was my chance / in observance,
But recompance / my lyfe to leid.

Hir court he[s] jo / quhair evir thay go,
The lyfe is so / scho dois thame len,
Quhair his hes wo / withowttin ho,
He is sic fo / till faythfull men.

I speik expart / suppois I smart
That scho hes gart / me thus lament,
Bot this same darte / may causs hir harte,
Heir eftirwart / also repent.

Sen so I se / to leif in le,
At libbertie / is weill but wo,
Happie is he / I say for me,
Quhen he is fre / can hald him so.

23. [Returne thee, hairt, hamewart agane.]

Quod Alexander Scott to his hert.

Returne the, hairt, hamewart agane,
And byd quhair thow was wont to be;
Thow art ane fule to suffer pane,
For luve of hir, þat luvis not the.
My hairt, lat be sic fantesie;
Luve nane bot as thay mak the causs,
And lat hir seik ane hairt for the;
For feind a crum of the scho fawis.

To quhat effect sowld thow be thrall
But thank, sen thow hes thy fre will,
My hairt be nocht sa bestiall,
Bot knaw quho dois the guid or ill;
Remane with me, and tary still,
And se quha playis best their pawis,
And lat fillok ga fling hir fill;
For feind a ccrum of the scho fawis.

Thocht scho be fair, I will not fenȝie,
Scho is the kynd of vþiris ma;
For quhy thair is a fellone menȝie,
That semis gud, and ar not sa.
My hairt tak nowdir pane nor wa,
For Meg, for Meriory, or ȝit Mawis,
Bot be thow glaid, and latt hir ga;
For feind a ccrum of the scho fawis.

Becaus I find scho tuik in ill,
At hir departing thow mak na cair;
Bot all begyld, go quhair scho will,
Beschrew the hairt that mane maikis mair.
My hert be mirry lait and air,
This is the fynall end and clauss;
And latt hir fallow ane filly fair,
For feind a crum of the scho fawis.

24. [In June the jem of joy and geme.]

In June the jem / of joy, and geme
This present to compyle express,
But hurt, but wem / or wind to stem,
Inarmit I am / with haviness.
Wantone in weill but wo,
Glaid without greif also,
And fre of every fo
That I confess.

I maik it plane / for luve agane
Thair sall no sorrow in me synk;
Nor ȝit in vane / to suffer pane
To stop frome sleip, frome meit or drink,
Thair is no lady fre
That and scho favour me,
Scho will nocht thoill to se
Me pyne I think.

Be scho content / of corss & rent
All sal be hirss that I may get hir,
Will scho absent / hyne sall I went,
And at als littill valor set hir.
Quhair power ma not plaiss,
Adew without diseiss,
Als gud luve cumis as gais
Or raþir bettir.

Quhen scho growis heich / I draw on dreich
To vesy and behald the end,
Quhen scho growis skeich / I byd on beich,
To lat hir in the brydill bend.
Quhen schow growis meik and tame,
Scho sal be wylcome hame,
Gif scho my luve quytclame
I sall nocht kend.

Pleiss scho to rew / I sall persew
With subiect scherwyice every sessone,
Be scho vntrew / fair weill, adew,
For as scho chaingis I sall cheiss one.
Bot gif scho steidfast stand,
And be nocht wariand,
I am at hir command
Conforme to ressone.

25. [Thair is nocht ane winche þat I se.]

Thair is nocht ane winche þat I se
Sall win ane wantage of me;
Be scho fals, I sal be sle,
And say to dispyt hir;
Be scho trew, I will confyd,
Will scho remane, I sall abyd;
Will scho slip, I will bot slyd,
And so sall I quyt hir.

Be scho constant and trew,
I sall evir hir persew;
Be scho fals, than adew
No langer I tary.
Be scho fathfull in mynd,
I sal be to hir inclynd;
Be scho strange and vnkynd,
I gif hir to fary.

Be scho haltand and he
Rycht swa sall scho fynd me;
Be scho lawly and fre,
The suth I sall say hir.
Be scho secreit and wyiss,
I sall await on hir scherwyiss
Will scho glaik and go nyiss,
I leif hir to play hir.

And I magyn my mailis,
I sall feid hir with taillis,
Thocht my sallis haif no seillis,
I sall leir hir to fan.
Be scho wylie as ane tod,
Quhen scho winkis I sall nod;
Scho sall nocht begyle me, be god,
For ocht that scho can.

26. Quod Scott quhen his wyfe left him.

To luve vnluvit it is ane pane,
For scho þat is my souerane,
Sum wantoun man so he hes set hir,
That I can get no lufe agane,
Bot brekis my hairt, & nocht the bettir.

Quhen þat I went with þat sweit may,
To dance, to sing, to sport and pley,
And oft tymes in my armis plet hir;
I do now mvrne both nycht & day,
And brekis my hairt, & nocht the bettir.

Quhair I wes wont to se hir go,
Rycht trymly passand to and fro,
With cumly smylis quhen þat I met hir;
And now I leif in pane & wo
And brekis [my hairt, & nocht the bettir].

Quhattane ane glaikit fule am I,
To slay my self with malancholy,
Sen weill I ken I may nocht get hir,
Or quhat suld be the caus, and quhy,
To brek [my hairt, and nocht the bettir].

My hairt, sen thow may nocht hir pleiss,
Adew, as gude lufe cumis as gaiss,
Go chuss ane vdir, and forȝet hir;
God gif him dolour and diseiss,
That brekis thair hairt, and nocht the bettir.

27. [Quha lykis to luve.]

Quha lykis to luve / or þat law pruve,
Lat him beleif this lyfe to leid;
His mynd sall moif / but rest or ruve,
With diuerss doulouris to þe deid:
He sall tyne appetyte
And meit and sleip gife quyte,
And want þe way perfyte
To find remeid.

He sall nocht wit / quhiddir þat it
Be panefull, plesand, weill, or wo;
To stand, or sit / remoif or flit,
To gang, to ly, to byd, or go:
No wit sal be degest
To heir, se, smell, nor test;
Bot as a brutall best
He sall be so.

Fle thocht he wald / lufe sall him hald,
Within þe dungeoun of dispair;
Quhyle hett, quhyle cald / a thowsandfald,
His purpoiss sal be heir and thair;
He sall hald wisdome vyce,
And vertew of no pryce,
Bot as a fule vnwyce
So sall he fair.

This is the quhy / and causs þat I
Complene so peteously in plane,
I lufe þe wy / will nocht apply,
Nor grant to gife / me grace agane:
The moir scheruice I do
The moir fremmit is scho,
Without respect vnto
My crewall pane.

Ȝe luvaris se / gife þat this be
Ane lyfe þat all gude men malignis;
I say for me / it is to fle
Aboif þe pest and plaig þat ringis:
Quhilk is bot curius,
Ay woid and furius,
Ane fyre sulfurius
That men doun bringis.

My breþir deir / we most forbeir,
And fra this sinfull lyfe evaid ws;
Lat ressoun steir / ȝour hairtis inteir,
And nocht thoill lathly lust to leid ws;
Quhilk is þe verry net
That satane for ws set,
To causs ws quyt forȝet
The Lord þat maid ws.

28. [Lo! quhat it is to luve.]

Lo! quhat it is to lufe,
Lerne ȝe that list to prufe,
Be me, I say, / that no ways may
The grund of greif remvfe;
Bot still decay, / both nycht and day:
Lo quhat it is to lufe.

Lufe is ane fervent fyre,
Kendillit without desyre;

Schort plesour, lang displesour,
Repentence is the hyre;
Ane pure tressour, / without mesour;
Lufe is ane fervent fyre.

To lufe and to be wyiss,
To rege with gud adwyiss;
Now thus, now than, / so gois the game,
Incertane as the dyiss:
Thair is no man, / I say, that can,
Both lufe and to be wyiss.

Fle alwayis frome þe snair,
Lerne at me to be ware;
It is ane pane / and dowbill trane
Of endles wo and cair:
For to refrane / that denger plane,
Fle alwayis frome þe snair.

29. [Quhome sould I wyt of my mischance.]

Quhome sould I wyt of my mischance,
Bot Cupeid king of variance?
Thy court, without considerance,
Quhen I it knew,
Or evir made þe observance,
Sa far I rew.

Thow and thy law ar instrumentis
Off diuerss inconvenientis;
Thy scheruice mony soir repentis,
Knawing þe quarrell;
Quhen body, honor, & substance schentis
And saule in perrell.

Quhat is thy manrent bot mischeif,
Sturt, angir, grunching, yre, and greif,
Evill lyfe, and langour but releif,
Off woundis wan;

Displesour, pane, and he repreif
Off god and man!

Thow loviss thame þat lowdest leis,
And followis fastest on þame [that] fleis;
Thow lychtleis all trew properteis
Off lufe express,
And markis quhair nevir styme thow seis,
Bot hittis be gais[s].

Blynd buk, bot at þe bound thow schutis,
And þame forbeiris þat the rebutis;
Thow ryvis þair hartis ay fra þe rutis,
Quhilk ar thy awin,
And cureis þame, curis nocht thre cutis
To be misknawin.

Thow art in freyndschip with þi fo,
And fremmit to thy freynd also,
Thow flemis all faythfull men the fro
Of steidfast thocht,
Regarding non bot þame ago,
That curis the nocht.

Thow chirreiss þame þat with þe chyddis,
And baneiss þame with þe abydis:
Thow hess þi horne ay in þair sydis,
That cannocht fle;
Thay furdir werst in the confydis,
I say for me.

30. It cumis ȝow luvaris to be laill.

It cumis ȝow luvaris to be laill
Off body, hairt, & mynd alhaill,
And thocht ȝe with ȝour ladyis daill
Ressoun,
Bot and ȝour faith and lawty faill
Tressoun.

Ȝe may with honesty persew,
Gif ȝe be constant, trest, & trew;
Thocht than vnrycht thay on ȝow rew
Ressoun,
Bot be ȝe fund dowbill, adew
Tressoun.

Ȝour hummill scheruice first resing thame,
For that to ȝour intent sall bring thame;
With leif of ladeis thocht ȝe thing thame
Ressoun
Bot eftirwart and ȝe maling thame
Tressoun.

Do nevir the deid that ma diseiss thame,
Bot wirk with all ȝour mind to meiss thame;
To tak ȝour plesour quhen it pleiss thame
Resoun,
Bot with vntrewth and ȝe betraiss thame
Tressoun.

Defend thair fame quha evir fyle thame,
And ay with honest havingis style thame;
To Venus, als suppois ȝe wyle thame
Ressoun,
Bot be ȝe frawdfull and begyle thame
Tressoun.

Ȝe suld considdir or ȝe taik thame,
That littill scheruice will nocht staik thame;
Get ȝe ane goldin hour to glak thame
Ressoun,
Bot be ȝe frawdfull & forsaik thame
Tressoun.

Be secreit, trew, and plane allwey;
Defend þair fame baith nycht and day;
In prevy place suppoiss ȝe play
Ressoun,
Bot be ȝe ane clattrer, harmisay!
Tressoun.

Be courtas in ȝour cumpany,
For that sall causs thame to apply;
Thocht þat thay lat ȝow with thame ly
Ressoun,
Bot be ȝe fund vnfaithfull, fy!
Tressoun.

Wey weill thir versis that I wryt ȝow;
Do ȝour devoir quhen þat thay lat ȝow;
To lufe ȝour ladies quho can wyt ȝow?
Ressoun
Do ȝe the contrair, heir I quyt ȝow
Tressoun.

31. [Fra raige of ȝowth the rynk hes rune.]

Fra raige of ȝowth the rynk hes rune,
And ressone tane the man to tune,
The brukle body than is wvne
And maid ane veschell new,
For than thruch grace he is begune
The well of wisdome for to kune;
Than is his weid of vertue spune
Trest weill this taill is trew.

For ȝowth and will ar so consorss
Withowt þat wisdome mak devorss,
Thay rin lyk wyld vndantit horss
But brydillis, to and fro.
Thair curage sa ourcumis thair corss,
Thrwcht heit of blude it hes sic forss
Bot gif the mynd haif sum remorss
Of God, all is ago.

This wid fantastyk lust but lufe,
Dois so ȝung men to madness mvfe,
That thay ma nowþir rest nor rufe,
Till thay mischeif þair sellis.

Haif thay thair harlottis in behufe,
Thay sussy nocht thair god abufe;
Thair fame, thair wirschep, nor reprufe
Off honour nor ocht ellis.

Ferme luve with prudens suld be vsit,
Thocht sum allegeand to excus it,
Sayis þat luve with witt inclusit
Ȝit is nocht worth a buttoun.
Sic vane opinioun is confusit,
That man but ressoun may be rusit;
Quha bene with beistly lust abusit,
I hald him bot ane muttoun.

Quha wald in luve be estimat,
Suld haif þair hairtis ay elevat
With merciall myndis in doing þat,
Mycht causs thair fais to dowt thame.
Thocht wemen self be temerat
Thay luve no man effeminat,
And haldis thame, bot I wat not quhat,
That cannoch[t] be withowt thame.

Ȝit man suld fauour thame, howbeid
Thay be bot necessar of neid;
Becauss we cum of thame, in deid,
Thair personis suld be prysit.
As grund is ordand to beir seid,
So is the woman born to breid
The fruct of man, and that to feid
As nature hes dewysit.

Schort to conclude, I wald bath knew
That luvaris suld be leill and trew;
And ladeis suld all thingis eschew
That ma thair honor smot.
Be permanent þat wald persew
And rin nocht reklesly to rew
Bot as I direct, Adew!
Thuss I depairt, q[uod] Scott.

Satires.

32. The slicht remeid of luve.

Luvaris, lat be the frennessy of luve,
And mvse nor mvrne no moir intill ȝour mind,
Bot sollace seik, and sorrow ay remove;
Cast ȝow to conqueiss luve ane vþir kynd.
For knew ȝe wemenis natur, course, & strynd,
Ȝe wald nocht be so trew to thair vntrewth
Quhilkis hes no petie thocht ȝour hairtis be pynd,
Nor of ȝour restless womenting no rewth.

Bot wald ȝe rewill ȝow, keip this regiment:
Be subteill, secreit, sobir, in thair sicht,
Facound of wordis, but feckill of intent,
And nevir lat ȝour mowth and mynd go richt.
Swey as thay swey, be blyth quhen thay ar licht,
And preiss ȝow ay in presenss to repair,
Forvey no tyme, be reddy day and nicht
Vpoun ȝour kneis to serve thame soletare.

Be prevy, pert, in presenss play with synis,
Be sicht or smyle lat non knaw ȝour intentis,
Be verry war or that thay wit ȝour myndis;
Be clenely cled in ȝour abilȝementis.
Reuse nocht ȝour self, latt vþiris preiss ȝour rentis,
Bot offir thame ȝour daly observance
Be tung; thocht naþir hairt nor mynd consentis
Body and gudis to haif in govirnance.

Abuse bot breif, howbeid ȝe be said nay,
And reckles nocht ȝour erand for the rane,
Bot cast ȝow for to cum ane vþer day,
And petously complene ȝour woles pane,
Saying ȝe ar both secreit, trew, and plane;
With this, part wreth and fremmit to, but faid
For cum the freindschip of thair syd agane:
I mak ȝow seur ȝe sall nocht miss remeid.

Hald thame in hand, quhilkis may ȝow help at neid,
And hecht thame giftis howbeid ȝe gif thame nocht,
For thair gud word sall rathest cause ȝow speid,
And thrwch their creddence to ȝour purpoiss brocht.
Speik fair, till ȝe haif gottin that ȝe socht;
Be wyiss and war, and watt thame ay with wylis;
For be the wy that all the warld wrocht,
Maist witt hes hie, that moniest oursylis.

Meikly solist to meit in secreit place,
Syne mak ȝour mane quhan it may maist avelȝie,
Be richt demvre & graif quhen ȝe ask grace,
Bot be ȝe rank quhen thay begin to relȝie.
Fleiche with fyisene ffor feir sumpart ȝe felȝie:
And swa but pane ȝe may lufe parramowris;
Be softe of speiche, bot spair nocht till asselȝie,
Wyn anis the entress, & the houss is ȝowris.

Bot ȝit ȝe may mishaif ȝow in sum caice,
And ȝe defend nocht damissellis defame,
For practik is to play, syne hald ȝour peice,
And counsale keip, ffor hurting of thair name.
Richswa forbeir a manis wyfe for blame,
And hald ȝow koy in quiet quhill ȝe get her;
As for a weddow wirk weill on hir wame,
I knaw no craft sall cause hir lufe ȝow bettir.

33. Ane ballat maid to þe derisioun and scorne of wantoun wemen.

Ȝe lusty ladyis luke
The rakles lyfe ȝe leid,
Hant nocht in hoile or nuke
To hurt ȝour womanheid;
I reid, for best remeid,
Forbeir all place prophane:
Gife this be caus of feid,
I sall not said agane.

Quhat is sic luve bot lust,
A lytill for delyte,
To hant that game robust,
And beistly appetyte;
I nowdir fleische nor flyte,
To tell the trewith certane;
Taik ȝe this in despyte,
I sall not said agane.

The wysest scho may sone
Sedusit be and schent;
Syne fra the deid be done,
Perchance sall soir repent;
Ouir lait is till lament
Fra belly dow not lane,
To try in tyme take tent:
I sall not said agane.

Lycht wynchis luve will fawin,
Evin lyk ane spanȝeollis lawchter
To lat hir wamb be clawin
Be thame list geir betawcht hir;
For conȝie ȝe may chawcht hir,
To sched hir schankis in twane,
And nevir speir quhais awcht hir:
I sall not said agane.

Thocht bruckill wemen hantis
In lust to leid thair lyvis,
And wedow men þat wantis
To steill a pair of swyvis;
Bot quhair that mareit wyvis
Gois by thair husbandis bane,
That houshald nevir thryvis;
I sall not said agane.

It settis not madynis als
To latt men lowis thair laice
Nor clym about menis halss,
To clap, to kiss, nor braice,
Nor round in secreit place;
Sic treitment is a trane
To cleive thair quaver-caice:
I sall not said agane.

Fairweill with chestetie,
Fra wenchis fall to chucking,
Thair followis thingis thre
To gar thame ga in gucking,
Brasing, Graping, and Plucking;
Thir foure the suth to sane,
Enforsis thame to fucking:
I sall not said agane.

Sum luvis new cum to toun,
With jeigis to mak thame joly,
Sum luvis dance vp and doun,
To meiss thair malancoly;
Sum luvis lang trollie-lolly,
And sum of frigging fane,
Lyk fillokkis full of folly:
I sall not said agane.

Sum monebrunt madynis myld,
At nonetyd of the nicht,
Ar chappit vp with chyld,
But coile or candill-licht;

Sua sum said maidis hes slicht
To play, and tak no pane,
Syne chift thair seid fra sicht:
I sall not said agane.

Sum thinkis na schame to clap
And kiss in opin wyiss;
Sum can-nocht keip hir gap
Fra lansing as scho lyiss;
Sum gois so gymp in gyiss,
Or scho war kissit plane,
Scho['d] leir be japit thryiss:
I sall not [said againe].

Moir gentrice is to jott
Vndir ane silkin goun,
Nor ane quhyt pittecott
And reddyar ay boun;
The denkest / sonnest doun,
The farest / But refrane,
The gayest / Grittest loun:
I sall not said again.

The moir degest and grave,
The grydiar to grip it;
The nycest to ressave,
Vpoun the nynnis will nip it;
The quhytliest will quhip it,
And nocht hir hurdeis hane;
The less the lerger hippit:
I sall not said agane.

Loe! ladeis gif this bie,
Ane gud counsale I geif ȝow,
To saive ȝour honestie,
Fra sklander to releif ȝow;
Bot ballatis ma to breif ȝow,
I will nocht brek my brane,
Suppois ȝe sowld mischeif ȝow;
I sall not said agane.

34. [I mvse and mervillis in my mind.]

I mvse and mervellis in my mind,
Quhat way to wryt, or put in verss,
The quent consaitis of wemen-kynd,
Or half thair havingis to reherss:
I fynd thair haill affectioun
So contrair thair complexioun.

For quhy no leid vnleill they leit,
Vntrewth expresly thay expell;
Ȝit thay ar planeist and repleit,
Of falset and dissait thair sell:
So find I thair affectioun
Contrair thair complexioun.

Thay favour no wayis fuliche men,
And verry few of thame ar wyiss,
All gredy personis thay misken,
And thay ar full of covettyiss:
So find [I thair affectioun]
Contrair [thair awin complexioun].

I can thame call bot kittie vnsellis,
That takkis sic maneris at thair motheris,
To bid men keip thair secreit counsailis,
Syne schaw the same agane till vþiris:
So find I thair affectioun
Contrair thair awin complexioun.

Thay lawch with thame that they dispyt,
And with thair lykingis thay lament;
Of thair wanhap thay ley the wyt
On thair leill luvaris innocent:
So fynd [I thair affectioun]
Contrair [thair awin complexioun].

Thay wald be rewit, and hes no rewth,
Thay wald be menit, and no man menis,
Thay wald be trowit, and hes no trewth,
Thay wiss thair will, that skant weill wenys:
So fynd [I thair affectioun]
Contrair [thair awin complexioun].

Thay forge the freindschip of the fremmit,
And fleis the favour of ther freindis;
Thay wald with nobill men be nemmit,
Syne laittandly to lawar leindis:
So find I thair affectioun
Contrair thair complexioun.

Thay lichtly sone, and covettis quickly;
They blame ilk body, and thay blekit,
Thay eindill fast, and dois ill lickly;
Thay sklander saikles, & thay suspectit:
So find [I thair affectioun]
Contrair [thair awin complexioun].

Thay wald haif all men bund & thrall
To thame, and thay for to be fre;
Thay covet ilk man at thair call,
And thay to leif at libirtie:
So fynd [I thair affectioun]
Contrar [thair awin complexioun].

Thay tak delyt in merciall deidis,
And ar of nature tremebund;
Thay wald men nvreist all their neidis,
Syne confortles lattis thame confound:
So [find I thair affectioun]
Contrar [thair awin complexioun].

Thay wald haif wating on alway,
But gwerdoun, genȝeild, or rewaird,
Thay wald haif reddy scherwandis ay,
But recompans, thank, or rewaird:
So find I thair affectioun
Contrair [thair awin complexioun].

The vertew of this writ and vigour,
Maid in comparisone it is,
That famenene ar of this figour,
Quhilk clippit is Antiphratis:
For quhy thair haill affectioun
Is contrair thair complexioun.

I wat, gud wemen will nocht wyt me,
Nor of this sedull be eschamit;
For be thay courtas, thay will quyt me;
And gif thay crab, heir I quytclame it:
Confessand thair affectioun,
Conforme to þair complexioun.

35. [Ladies, be war þat plesand ar.]

Ladies, be war / þat plesand ar
To menis appetyte,
That ȝe nocht rew / þat ȝe thame knew
Throw þair lust and delyte.

For mony men / ar evill to ken
Þat luvis paramour,
With fenȝeit mynd, fals and vnkynd
Bringis ȝow to dishonour.

Quhen thay haif ane / with flattry tane,
Begylit with a trane,
Then with ane vddir / thay will confiddir
And play þe contrar pane.

Thay will promit / giftis rycht grit,
And sueir thay luve ȝow best;
Ȝow to begyle / with mony wyle
Thair mynd takkis nevir rest.

Thair hairtis ar sett / with sittelness,
For loif and nocht for lufe
Ȝow to dissaif / with dowbilness
To ȝour schame and reprufe.

O ladeis deir / I ȝow requeir,
Thair fals and fenȝeit fair,
Latt ay go henss / and tyne creddens
Beleving þame no mair.

36. [Ȝe blindit luvaris luke.]

[_]

Bannatyne MS.

Ȝe blindit luvaris luke
The rekless lyfe ȝe leid;
Espy the snair and huke
That haldis ȝow be þe heid:
Thairfoir, I reid remeid,
To leife and lat it be;
For lufe hes non at feid
Bot fulis þat can nocht fle.

Quhat is ȝour lufe bot lust,
Ane littill for delyte,
Ane beistly game robust,
To reif ȝour ressoun quyte;
Ane fowsum appetyte,
That strenth of persoun waikis;
Ane pastance vnperfyte,
To smyte ȝow with þe glaikis.

Quhair sensuall lust proceidis,
All honest lufe is pynd;
Ȝe ma compair ȝour deidis,
Vnto ane brutall kynd;
Fra vertew be con[s]trynd
To follow vyce, considdir
That ressoun, wit, and mynd,
Ar all ago togiddir.

The wysest woman þairout,
With wirdis may be wyllit
To do þe deid but dout,
That honour hes exyllit:

How mony ar begyllit,
And few I fynd that chaipis;
Thairfoir ȝour faithis ar fylit
To frawd thay silly aipis.

Ȝe mak regaird for grace
Quhair nevir grace ȝit grew;
Ȝe lang to ryn the race
That ane or baith sall rew;
Ȝe preiss ay to persew
Thair syte and ȝour awin sorrow;
Ȝe trest to find thame trew,
That nevir wes beforrow.

Ȝe cry on Cupeid king,
And Venus quene in vane;
Ȝe send all maner thing
With trattillis thame to trane;
Ȝe preiche, ȝe fleich, ȝe frane;
Ȝe grane ay quhill thay grant;
Ȝour prectikis ar profane,
Pure ladeis to supplant.

Ȝe schowt as ȝe wer schent,
Thay swoun to se ȝow smartit;
Ȝe rame as ȝe wer rent,
And thay ar rewthfull hairtit;
Ȝour play[s] ar sone peruertit,
Fra þat thair belly ryss;
Thay wary ȝow þat gart it,
And ȝe thame in lykwyss.

Ȝit thair is lesum lufe
That lawchtfully suld lest;
He is nocht to reprufe
That is with ane possest:
That band I hald it best,
And nocht to pass attour,
Bot ȝe can tak no rest
Quhill thay kast vp all four.

Sic luvaris seyndill meitis,
Bot ladeis ay forlorne is;
Quhen thay bewaill and greitis,
Sum of ȝow lawchis and skornis:
Ȝour hecht, ȝour aith mensworne is
Ȝour lippis ar lyk burd-lyme;
I hald ȝe want bot hornis,
As bukkis in belling tyme.

Ȝe trattill and ȝe tyst,
Quhill thay forȝet thair fame;
Ȝe trane thame to ane tryst,
And þair ȝe get þame tame:
Thay sussy nocht for schame,
Nor castis nocht quhat cumis syne;
Bot quhen ȝe claw þair wame,
Thay tummyll our lyk swyne.

Thocht ȝung perwersit natouris
To palȝardy applawddis;
Bot ȝit auld rubiatouris
To hant the laittis of lawdis;
Quhen thay begyn sic gawdis,
To leif thay ar most laith,
Quhan thay haif gottin blawdis,
With Venus bowtyne cleth.

Ȝe wantoun wowaris waggis
With thame that hes the cunȝe;
For haif ane bismeir baggis,
Ȝe grunche nocht at hir grunȝe:
Swa ladeis will nocht sounȝe
With waistit wowbattis rottin,
Bot prowdly thay will prounȝe
Quhair geir is to be gottin.

Quhair money may ȝow moif,
I hald it aweryce;
Thair is na constant lufe,
Bot commoun merchandyce:
This ordour now is nyce,
Quhair lufe is sauld and coft,
It is ane dowbill vyce
To bring the Devill on loft.

The bich the curtyk fannis;
The wolf the wilrone vsis;
The mull frequentis þe annis,
And hir awin kynd abusis;
Rycht swa þe meir refusis
The cursour for ane awer;
Swa few I fynd excusis,
Bot wemen quhylss will wauer.

Ȝit poyettis ffew decreitis,
Saif ane hecht Pasifie.
Bot of ȝour sodomeitis
In Rome and Lumbardie,
In [N]aippillis [and] Italie,
To compt how ȝe converss,
I vg for villanie
Ȝour vycis to reherss.

Quhair lechery belappis
All steidfast luve it stoppis;
Quhair hurdome, ay vnhapp is
With quenry, canis, and coppis.
Ȝe prye ȝow at þair proppis,
Till hair and berd grow dapill;
Ȝe cowet all kyn croppis,
As Eua did the apill.

Thus ȝe haif all the wyte,
And thair mischeif ȝe mak it,
That suld haif wit perfyte,
And wisdome to abstrak it.
Suld ladeis than be lakkit,
Thocht few of thame be gud?
For all dissait thay tak it,
Of ȝour awin flesch and blude.

Wald ȝe foirse þe forme,
The fassoun, and þe fek,
Ȝe suld it fynd inorme,
With bawdry ȝow to blek:
Thairfoir fle fra suspek,
Or than, sa mot I thryfe,
Ȝour natouris ȝe neglek,
And wantis ȝour wittis fyve.

Appardoun me of thiss
Gif ocht be to displeiss ȝow,
And quhair I mak a miss,
My mynd sal be to meiss ȝow:
Thir ressonis ar to raiss ȝow
Fra crymes vndir coite,
Or war ȝe say nocht: Wa iss ȝow!
Quod Allexander Scote.

Paraphrases of the Psalms.

37. The first psalme.

Beatus vir.

Happie is hie / hes hald him fre
Frome folkis of defame;
Alwayis to fle / iniquite
And sait of syn and schame.

Bot hes his will / conforme vntill
The Lordis command and law,
Thame to fulfill / with purpoiss still
Boith day and nicht to knaw.

He sall haif brute / as tre on rute
Endlang the rever plantit;
To burge and schute / and sall gif frutt /
In tyme as God hes grantit.

Quhois leif and blaid / sall nevir faid /
Bot fragrant ay be flureist;
Quhois workis on braid / sall evir spraid
And richtously be nvreist.

Sall non be so / off nochtis no
Quhilk bene of cursit bind:
Bot thay sall go / lyk dust and stro
Bene vaneist with the wind.

Evill men lykwyiss / sall nocht arryiss
To judgement as the trust,
Nor thame that lyiss / in syne of[t] syiss
To counsale with the just.

For air and lait / the lord weill wait
The wayiss of vertewus men,
And every gait / of wicket stait
Sall perreiss owt of ken.

Gloria Patri

To fader gloir / be evirmoir,
To sone and haly spreit;
As wes afoir / now is in stoir,
And ay sal be, so be it.

38. The fyifty psalme.

Lord God deliuer me, allace!
For thy grit mercy, rewth and grace,
Soir mornyng, grufling on my face,
Rew on my miserie:
Als for the mvltitud and space
Off thy heich clemenss, heir my cace,
And my trespass expell and chace;
Lord god deliuer me.

Wesche me, and mak my sawle serene
Frome all iniquite that bene;
Clenge me of cryme and mak me clene,
All vycis for to fle.
For my transgressioun haif I sene,
Quhilk tormentis me with tray and tene,
And ay my syn forgane myne ene;
Lord god deliuer me.

Only to the I did offend,
May non my miss bot thow amend,
As by thy sermondis thow art kend,
Ourcum all contrarie.

In filth, lo I begyn and end,
By syn maternall I am send,
With vyce I vaneiss and mon wend;
Lord god deliuer me.

Thow had to veritie sic zeill,
That of thy wisdome did reweill,
Incertane hid thingis for my weill,
And laid befoir myne E.
For quhen thy fowth of grace I feill
I sal be clengit clene as steill,
And quhyttar than the snaw gret deill;
Lord god deliuer me.

Thow sall gif glaidnes vnto heir,
Me in to joy and mirthfull cheir,
Quhen all my febill bonis efeir
Sall gif the lovingis hie.
Heirfoir avart thy visage cleir,
So that my synnis cum not the neir;
Off my misdeidis quhilk dois me deir.
Lor[d] god deliuer me.

Creat within me and infound
Ane hart immaculat and mound,
Ane steidfast hairt renew and ground
Within my breist to be.
Fleme me nocht fra thy face fecound,
Bot lat thy haly spreit abound;
Lord god deliuer me.

Restoir me to the exultatioun
I had in the of my saluatioun,
And with thy spreit of cheif probatioun
Anix sovirlie.
I sall to synnaris mak narratioun,
And wicket men in deviatioun,
I sall thame ken to consolatioun.
Lord god deliuer me.

Lord God deliuer me, and gyd
Frome schedding blude, and homicyd;
My tung sall preiss the just, but pryd,
And petefull, all thre.
Lowse thow my lippis, that tyme and tyd
I may gif to the lovingis wyd,
Till all þat fermely list confyd.
Lord god deliuer me.

Knew I thow covet sacrifyiss,
Or offerand holocast wald pryiss,
I sowld thame gif, bot thow dennyiss
Sic to ressaif in gre;
For thy oblatioun, Lord, it lyiss
In humill hairt, contreit alwyiss;
Pennens of spreit thow nolt dispyiss;
Lord god deliuer me.

Sweit lord, to syon be suave,
And strenth the wallis of thy conclave,
Jerusalem, thy haly grave,
Quhilk makis ws ransone fre.
This sacrifice than thow salt have
Off thy just pepill, and ressave
Thair laill trew hairtis with all the lave,
Lord god deliuer me.

Gloir to the fader he aboif,
Gloir to the sone for our behoif,
Gloir to the haly spreit of loif,
In trenefald vnitie:
As wes, Is, Sal be ay, bot roif,
Ane thre, and thre in ane, to proif
Thy Godheid nevir may remoif:
Lord god deliuer me.

The Wryttar to the Redare.

Heir endis this buik, written in tyme of pest,
Quhen we fra labor was compeld to rest,
Into the thre last monethis of this yeir,
From our Redemaris birth, to knaw it heir,
Ane thowsand is, ffyve hundreth, thre scoir awcht:
Of this purpois na mair it neidis be tawcht.
Swa, till conclude, God grant ws all gude end,
And eftir deth eternal lyfe ws send.

[George Bannatyne.]