Poems of John Stewart of Baldyneiss :: :: University of Virginia Library

MAIST Mychtie Monarck that in erth dois Ring,
And to my verse the cheif support expres,
My souueran lord, My Maister, and my King,
Renounit gloir of all this vorld, I dres
Vnto ȝour grace, the cunnyngles succes
Of this my dyt, But eloquence repleit,
And far vnvorthie, Iustlie I confes,
To be presentit to ȝour pregnant spreit;
The Quhilk so full of Helicon dois fleit
In euerie precept pithie and perfyt,
That I dar skairs presum my pen to weit
In sounding out my toynles dull Indyt:
ȝit as the lyon beiris na dispyt
At sempill beists their gesteur for to sie,
Lykuayis, perhaps, ȝour hienes vill delyt
To reid my rym, And syn appordon me.
I not presum to tuitche the Laurell trie,
Nor till ascend the hautie hich degreis
Of VRANIE: My harping may not hie
Lyk Brycht Appollos vith his schyning eis.
No, no, not sa I kneill vpon my kneis,
Doune falling flat befoir his Regale face;
I may not flychter Quhair the PHENIX fleis,
Bot happie var I all my lyfis space
Vith sum conceit for to content ȝour grace.
Vill dois presum to clym Pernassos bank,
Bot Pouer may not occupie the place,

So mychtie mateir may my meitir mank.
And dytters douce deseruith now sic thank
Be curius caruing of thair cunnyng verse,
That for to do I dout, quho neuir drank
In fontan fair quhill PEGASVS did perse.
Bot ȝelus thocht constrains me ȝit to scherse
Sum sempill subiect for my bass Ingyn,
To sport ȝour hienes vith my ruid reherse,
In hoip of pardon thocht sum stots I tyn.
Gif better var, I better suld propyn
Vith better vill Nor now; ȝour grace may knaw
I laik Appelles perfyt pensile fyn
At my desyre this dyt derect to draw:
I schame the sequele so subuert to schaw,
Var not I treist assuirritlie to find
ȝour Royall breath vith fauor for to blaw
Till help my vingles valtring In the vind.
Thocht Momus than vith greif agains me grind,
His tanting toyes sall do my style no tort,
I feir ne storm, gif ȝe the ancker bind,
Bot suir sall saeill to the preparit port.
In hoip heirof to propos I resort,
And in this hoip I sall my harp vpbend,
Vith hoiping hart ȝour maiestie to sport.
Gif to my hoip the Gods sic hap me send,
My hap and hoip sall purches bothe commend
In happie penning of this sequent cace,
Quhilk I beseik ȝour celcitude defend
Be douce distelling of sum drop of Grace;
Than sall It pertlie occupie the place,
Thocht it be framd vith my vnferdie fyle;
Ane onlie vew, Sir, of ȝour Gratius face
Sall all ourgilt the mateir I compyle.