The seuin Seages Translatit out of prois in Scottis meter be Iohne Rolland in Dalkeith, with ane Moralitie efter euerie Doctouris Tale, and siclike efter the Emprice Tale, togidder with ane louing and laude to euerie Doctour efter his awin Tale, & ane Exclamation and outcrying vpon the Empreouris wife efter hir fals contrusit Tale ... Edited, with introduction, notes, and glossary, by Geo. F. Black |
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Moralitas. |
 | The seuin Seages |  |
88
Moralitas.
All cunning Clerkis that culd in storyis wryte
Be all thair craft culd neuer ȝit Indyte.
The greit mischeif be wemen done to men,
The tratour displesour and dispyte,
Heirschip, slauchter, the greit sorrow and syte,
At lenth to wryte it tyrit thair pith and pen,
Thay war sa hudge, and vglie as ȝe ken
The teynd thairof thay culd get neuer endit
Becaus to men sa oft thay haue offendit.
Be all thair craft culd neuer ȝit Indyte.
The greit mischeif be wemen done to men,
The tratour displesour and dispyte,
Heirschip, slauchter, the greit sorrow and syte,
At lenth to wryte it tyrit thair pith and pen,
Thay war sa hudge, and vglie as ȝe ken
The teynd thairof thay culd get neuer endit
Becaus to men sa oft thay haue offendit.
Of thame quhat sayis the greit Philosophour
Arestotill, and als that ding Doctour
Cicero, and Salomon said sum part
For all his wit, greit riches and honour
Thay causit him be ane greit Idolatour.
And fra greit God gart him turne all his hart,
Siclyke Virgill that was sa done expart
Intill ane creill thay hang him ouir the waw
To his greit schame, that all the pepill saw
Arestotill, and als that ding Doctour
Cicero, and Salomon said sum part
For all his wit, greit riches and honour
Thay causit him be ane greit Idolatour.
And fra greit God gart him turne all his hart,
Siclyke Virgill that was sa done expart
Intill ane creill thay hang him ouir the waw
To his greit schame, that all the pepill saw
Arestotill quhilk was the A per sie
Of naturall wit, and greit Philosophie,
Thay brydillit him as he had bene ane hors
Samson dissauit be greit subtilitie,
Quhat gat Dauid for all his Prophesie?
Now ȝe may se nouther wisdome nor fors
Dow not resist the curstnes of thair cors.
Aneuch heirof, quha lykis to reid Goweir,
And quhair he wantis, ȝit sum thing sayis Chawceir.
Of naturall wit, and greit Philosophie,
Thay brydillit him as he had bene ane hors
Samson dissauit be greit subtilitie,
Quhat gat Dauid for all his Prophesie?
Now ȝe may se nouther wisdome nor fors
Dow not resist the curstnes of thair cors.
Aneuch heirof, quha lykis to reid Goweir,
And quhair he wantis, ȝit sum thing sayis Chawceir.
Thairfoir I say I think it na meruell
This gentill Knicht, quhome of our tale we tell,
Considdering he was sa auld and hair
Dissauit was be this hochlop of hell
With sa greit slicht kest the stane in the well,
Allace, allace, and wo for euer mair
Scho suld eschaip, gif than I had bene thair
To helpit hir, that fyrie brand sa fell
Hir to haue drownit, my handis thay suld not spair.
This gentill Knicht, quhome of our tale we tell,
Considdering he was sa auld and hair
Dissauit was be this hochlop of hell
89
Allace, allace, and wo for euer mair
Scho suld eschaip, gif than I had bene thair
To helpit hir, that fyrie brand sa fell
Hir to haue drownit, my handis thay suld not spair.
Scho makand fault, and he alwayis faultles,
Scho at hir game, and he alwayis gyltles,
Scho being fals, and he sa traist and trew
He being firme, and scho always faithles,
Did him accuse of that Ilk deid doubtles
Quhairin hir self was gyltie weill scho knew
For all his speiche, nathing wald on him rew.
Fy, fy, fals Feindis, and furius hell Furnes
In bitter gall turnes all ȝour game and glew.
Scho at hir game, and he alwayis gyltles,
Scho being fals, and he sa traist and trew
He being firme, and scho always faithles,
Did him accuse of that Ilk deid doubtles
Quhairin hir self was gyltie weill scho knew
For all his speiche, nathing wald on him rew.
Fy, fy, fals Feindis, and furius hell Furnes
In bitter gall turnes all ȝour game and glew.
Now Schirs persaue hir slicht and subteltie
Quhen he sleipit scho staill away the kie,
Quhair scho plesit past furth to hir plesour
Quhen scho come hame sa loude as scho culd lie
Saying hir Mother was in point to die
With mony wordis dissemblit vnder cullour,
Forgit with falset, lurkand for displesour,
And syne at schort how scho maid hir Testment,
O mercy God, heir is ane fals Intent.
Quhen he sleipit scho staill away the kie,
Quhair scho plesit past furth to hir plesour
Quhen scho come hame sa loude as scho culd lie
Saying hir Mother was in point to die
With mony wordis dissemblit vnder cullour,
Forgit with falset, lurkand for displesour,
And syne at schort how scho maid hir Testment,
O mercy God, heir is ane fals Intent.
O subtell schrew, and verray Sathans seid
Imp of the Deuill, cairis nouther Cors nor Creid
Tyner of treuth, with toung Intoxicat
Belȝebubis barne, Infernall byrnand gleid
With fenȝeit fair thy feiris weill can thow feid
And flattering wordis fulfillit all with dissait
Lynit with lesingis, lawtie gais by ȝour gait
Net of the Feind in vengeance ȝe awant ȝow
Baner of baill, the Deuil he dow not dant ȝow
Imp of the Deuill, cairis nouther Cors nor Creid
Tyner of treuth, with toung Intoxicat
Belȝebubis barne, Infernall byrnand gleid
With fenȝeit fair thy feiris weill can thow feid
And flattering wordis fulfillit all with dissait
Lynit with lesingis, lawtie gais by ȝour gait
Net of the Feind in vengeance ȝe awant ȝow
Baner of baill, the Deuil he dow not dant ȝow
90
Ȝe maryit men in tyme keip weill ȝour keyis,
Now ȝe may ken sic wemens properteis,
Quhat mercy, grace, or gude deid thay wil grant
Gif ȝe desyre at thame ony suppleis,
Than sall thay mak to ȝow ane thousand leis,
Ȝow to obey ar euer [more] obstant
Quhat thay wald haue, that thing thay will not want
It that thay serue, giue thame the Spanȝe fleis
That may serue weill sic ane vnsonsie Sanct.
Now ȝe may ken sic wemens properteis,
Quhat mercy, grace, or gude deid thay wil grant
Gif ȝe desyre at thame ony suppleis,
Than sall thay mak to ȝow ane thousand leis,
Ȝow to obey ar euer [more] obstant
Quhat thay wald haue, that thing thay will not want
It that thay serue, giue thame the Spanȝe fleis
That may serue weill sic ane vnsonsie Sanct.
Quha can excuse this dowbill Deuillis lim
Sic ane fals trik sa trymlie playit to him
Scho in the fault, and he sa Innocent
Fy bitter Bitche, bauld byrnand Bair sa brim
Thy clene conscience to heuin wil gar the clim,
Or doun to hell euer be permanent
In Plutois Palice thair to be President
Amang that graceles garisoun sa grim,
Greit pietie war thow suld be thair absent.
Sic ane fals trik sa trymlie playit to him
Scho in the fault, and he sa Innocent
Fy bitter Bitche, bauld byrnand Bair sa brim
Thy clene conscience to heuin wil gar the clim,
Or doun to hell euer be permanent
In Plutois Palice thair to be President
Amang that graceles garisoun sa grim,
Greit pietie war thow suld be thair absent.
For quhy thow can sa weill ane lesing clek,
Turne vp syde doun, ay to thy awin effect
Thocht of thy Tale ane worde be neuer trew,
Lesings to raine, thow takis bot lytill rek.
And the blameles to put ay in the blek
And mak syne blak of that was neuer blew
Of ane trew taill thow can weill change the hew
Thairfoir I pray the deuill to brek thy nek.
Turne vp syde doun, ay to thy awin effect
Thocht of thy Tale ane worde be neuer trew,
Lesings to raine, thow takis bot lytill rek.
And the blameles to put ay in the blek
And mak syne blak of that was neuer blew
Of ane trew taill thow can weill change the hew
Thairfoir I pray the deuill to brek thy nek.
| The seuin Seages | |