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 |  |
Moralitas.
Say ȝe not bot this Nobill Quene
That ay befoir sa gude hes bene
Callit hir Lord fals befoir his Ene, said oppinlie
That he of falset was not clene, reid ȝe and se.
That ay befoir sa gude hes bene
Callit hir Lord fals befoir his Ene, said oppinlie
That he of falset was not clene, reid ȝe and se.
In the beginning of hir last Taill
Quhair he suld haue the honour haill
Iudge ȝe gif scho did till him faill, in hir langage
To call hir King sa vyle ane thing, with greit outrage.
Quhair he suld haue the honour haill
Iudge ȝe gif scho did till him faill, in hir langage
To call hir King sa vyle ane thing, with greit outrage.
170
Bot wemen hes sic conditioun,
Quhen thay ar noyit to want ressoun
Thay spout than like ane Scorpioun by ordour clene
Becaus quyte gane is discretioun, as did this Quene.
Quhen thay ar noyit to want ressoun
Thay spout than like ane Scorpioun by ordour clene
Becaus quyte gane is discretioun, as did this Quene.
Alswa the Empreour far did faill
Sum hid conditioun of small auaill
Quhilk that he maid be his counsaill, to thair consent
Forsuith ane King suld wirk nathing, but auisement.
Sum hid conditioun of small auaill
Quhilk that he maid be his counsaill, to thair consent
Forsuith ane King suld wirk nathing, but auisement.
Sa was sene of the casting doun
Of the greit towre of Romes toun
Quhair he maid preuie compactioun, that nane did knaw
With vncouth men of strange Natioun, as deid did schaw.
Of the greit towre of Romes toun
Quhair he maid preuie compactioun, that nane did knaw
With vncouth men of strange Natioun, as deid did schaw.
Ȝe Lordis and Lairdis of greit honour
Do not as did this Empreour
Put all his hope into treasour, and greit riches
And loist his lyfe within ane hour, for gredynes.
Do not as did this Empreour
Put all his hope into treasour, and greit riches
And loist his lyfe within ane hour, for gredynes.
His gredynes sa weill was kend
It walkit to the warldis end
His fais quhome to he did offend, gat wit expres
How his plesour was in treasour, and gredynes.
It walkit to the warldis end
His fais quhome to he did offend, gat wit expres
How his plesour was in treasour, and gredynes.
Belyue thay fand ane quick Ingine
Send him ane subtell hid propine
Quhilk causit him his honour tine, in schort proces
And put all Rome to greit ruine, for gredynes.
Send him ane subtell hid propine
Quhilk causit him his honour tine, in schort proces
And put all Rome to greit ruine, for gredynes.
For strangeris come with thair vaine wind
And fals flatterie maid him sa blind,
Sic gold and treasure thay suld find, throw subtelnes
That thay sa said he was richt glaid, for gredynes.
And fals flatterie maid him sa blind,
Sic gold and treasure thay suld find, throw subtelnes
That thay sa said he was richt glaid, for gredynes.
171
Thay schew him thay had sic science
In dreaming sic experience
Of gold to get sic confluence, be besines
Bot he gaue ouir haistie credence, for gredynes.
In dreaming sic experience
Of gold to get sic confluence, be besines
Bot he gaue ouir haistie credence, for gredynes.
Quhilk causis greit mischeif to be
As we may weill persaue and se
Gettis maist credence quha best can lie, throw wickitnes
Of half ane taill thay will mak thre, for gredynes.
As we may weill persaue and se
Gettis maist credence quha best can lie, throw wickitnes
Of half ane taill thay will mak thre, for gredynes.
And can bring ane taill of nocht
And say the thing that neuer was wrocht
Nor neuer said nor neuer thocht, of wilfulnes
Sum giue it credence euin as it docht, for gredynes.
And say the thing that neuer was wrocht
Nor neuer said nor neuer thocht, of wilfulnes
Sum giue it credence euin as it docht, for gredynes.
And euin sa did the Empreour
Gaue sic credence vnto thir four
To furneis gold and greit treasour, to his hienes
Gaue thame leif to cast doun the Towre, for gredynes.
Gaue sic credence vnto thir four
To furneis gold and greit treasour, to his hienes
Gaue thame leif to cast doun the Towre, for gredynes.
Quhilk euer was to Romes toun
Sic comfort and consolatioun
Gif thay thocht gude to sum Regioun, thay wald them dres,
Bot ȝit the Towre was cassin doun, for gredynes.
Sic comfort and consolatioun
Gif thay thocht gude to sum Regioun, thay wald them dres,
Bot ȝit the Towre was cassin doun, for gredynes.
It is ane poysonit Pestilence
For to giue ouir haistie credence
To ane taill not worth audience, throw haistines
The taill teller than tynes mence, for gredynes.
For to giue ouir haistie credence
To ane taill not worth audience, throw haistines
The taill teller than tynes mence, for gredynes.
Thair is mony ma than anew
Will mak ane taill was neuer trew
Nor ȝit thame self it neuer knew, bot as thay ges
Sum will say fals and efter rew, for gredynes.
Will mak ane taill was neuer trew
Nor ȝit thame self it neuer knew, bot as thay ges
Sum will say fals and efter rew, for gredynes.
172
Thair is diuers tynes thair honour
Thair worschip, riches, and plesour
Oft tymes in vaine makis greit laubour, with small Incres
And oft is ordorit by gude ordour, for gredynes.
Thair worschip, riches, and plesour
Oft tymes in vaine makis greit laubour, with small Incres
And oft is ordorit by gude ordour, for gredynes.
For gredynes causis greit greif
Inuy, Malice, and mischeif
Mony for Muttoun and for Beif, into mirknes
Is hangit lyke ane commoun theif, for gredynes.
Inuy, Malice, and mischeif
Mony for Muttoun and for Beif, into mirknes
Is hangit lyke ane commoun theif, for gredynes.
Thairfoir gude Schirs I hartlie pray ȝow
Cast gredynes on syde far fra ȝow
With Iocund minde pas and ga play ȝow, in merynes
Thair is na better charme I say ȝow, for gredynes.
Cast gredynes on syde far fra ȝow
With Iocund minde pas and ga play ȝow, in merynes
Thair is na better charme I say ȝow, for gredynes.
Now thir thre Kingis quhen thay did heir
The Towre quhairof thay stude sic feir
Was cassin doun but scheild or speir, throw wilynes
In all haist maid thame to the weir, for gredynes.
The Towre quhairof thay stude sic feir
Was cassin doun but scheild or speir, throw wilynes
In all haist maid thame to the weir, for gredynes.
For first thay fand ane wylie way
For to put Rome in greit affray
And thocht thay wald it first assay, to get entres
For thay wald mak it thair first pray, for gredynes.
For to put Rome in greit affray
And thocht thay wald it first assay, to get entres
For thay wald mak it thair first pray, for gredynes.
Beliue thay come and seigeit the toun
In all gude haist the wallis brak doun,
And put thame selfis in possessioun, with all blyithnes
And fra the Empreour reft his Croun, for gredynes.
In all gude haist the wallis brak doun,
And put thame selfis in possessioun, with all blyithnes
And fra the Empreour reft his Croun, for gredynes.
Now Schirs this is the fynall end
To gredynes quha will pretend
Quhen thay can not thame self defend, be manlynes,
Away with vengeance all dois wend, for gredynes.
To gredynes quha will pretend
Quhen thay can not thame self defend, be manlynes,
Away with vengeance all dois wend, for gredynes.
173
Thair is twa pointis into this taill
Thame to forbeir is gude and haill,
The first is gredynes but faill, of gold and geir,
Haistie credence oft tymes brewis baill, thir twa forbeir.
Thame to forbeir is gude and haill,
The first is gredynes but faill, of gold and geir,
Haistie credence oft tymes brewis baill, thir twa forbeir.
| The seuin Seages | |