The minor poems of William Lauder playwright, poet, and minister of the word of God, (mainly on the state of Scotland in and about 1568 A.D., that year of famine and plague) ... Edited from the unique originals belonging to S. Christie-Miller ... By F. J. Furnivall |
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Ane GVDE EXEMPILL.
BE THE BUTTERFLIE, INSTRUCTING MEN TO HAIT ALL HARLOTTRIE. |
 | The minor poems of William Lauder |  |
39
Ane GVDE EXEMPILL. BE THE BUTTERFLIE, INSTRUCTING MEN TO HAIT ALL HARLOTTRIE.
The Butterflie, hir self for to distroye,
Upone the nycht to flie Scho dois nocht stint
Unto the candle,—scho taks thairof sick Ioye,—
Quhill scho hirself in to the Flam haue brint.
My tender freind, this in thy hart thow hint
And haue It euer in thy momorye:
Quha hants Hurdome, no dout be sall be tint,
And Birne him self, as dois the Butterflie.
Upone the nycht to flie Scho dois nocht stint
Unto the candle,—scho taks thairof sick Ioye,—
Quhill scho hirself in to the Flam haue brint.
My tender freind, this in thy hart thow hint
And haue It euer in thy momorye:
Quha hants Hurdome, no dout be sall be tint,
And Birne him self, as dois the Butterflie.
The sapient salomon, with wemen was confoundit,
Thocht he was wysest that euer nature wrocht;
The force of Samson, that in to strenth aboundit,
Be Dalyla was suttellie out socht;
The Propheit Dauid, full deir his loue he bocht,
With mony mo that vsit sick vaniteis,
Was dyuers wayis vnto confusioun brocht,
And Brint thame selffs, as dois the Butterfleis.
Thocht he was wysest that euer nature wrocht;
The force of Samson, that in to strenth aboundit,
Be Dalyla was suttellie out socht;
The Propheit Dauid, full deir his loue he bocht,
With mony mo that vsit sick vaniteis,
Was dyuers wayis vnto confusioun brocht,
And Brint thame selffs, as dois the Butterfleis.
40
Quhairfor, my freinds, from fantasie refraine!
Detest that Sin of vice and vanytie,
Quhilk saule & bodie both dois bring to paine!
Fle frome that lust, as frome ȝour Inymie!
Syne, in this mateir, merk the Moralytie,
And lat it be to ȝow ane trew Instructioun,
Thay may be all compard vnto this Flie,
That wylfullie dois wirk thair awin Distructioun.
Detest that Sin of vice and vanytie,
Quhilk saule & bodie both dois bring to paine!
Fle frome that lust, as frome ȝour Inymie!
Syne, in this mateir, merk the Moralytie,
And lat it be to ȝow ane trew Instructioun,
Thay may be all compard vnto this Flie,
That wylfullie dois wirk thair awin Distructioun.
Thocht men in Mariage, with thair maiks repair
In Decent maner, no man suld It reproue,
For of that Band God was the Minister,
Ordand of him for our wealth and behoue.
Sen this Command we haue frome God aboue,
Cheiflie for this, to hait all Harlottrie,
Lat euerie one chuse thame thair lauchfull Loue,
That lakis that Holy gyft of Chaistetie.
In Decent maner, no man suld It reproue,
For of that Band God was the Minister,
Ordand of him for our wealth and behoue.
Sen this Command we haue frome God aboue,
Cheiflie for this, to hait all Harlottrie,
Lat euerie one chuse thame thair lauchfull Loue,
That lakis that Holy gyft of Chaistetie.
Quod William Lauder, Minister.
| The minor poems of William Lauder | |