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.
Into this taill that the Doctour hes tald
We may persaue sentences monyfald
Pertening to wemens vnstabilnes,
First thair awin will to haue ay that thay wald,
That gart hir big abone the graue ane hald
For to mak knawin hir fenȝeit halynes,
Quhilk sone was turnit to babist brukilnes.
Considder sine how that scho was sa bald
In diuers sortis, and schew hir cruelnes.
We may persaue sentences monyfald
Pertening to wemens vnstabilnes,
First thair awin will to haue ay that thay wald,
That gart hir big abone the graue ane hald
For to mak knawin hir fenȝeit halynes,
Quhilk sone was turnit to babist brukilnes.
Considder sine how that scho was sa bald
In diuers sortis, and schew hir cruelnes.
First scho hir schew to be in estimatioun,
Ane chaist wedow, and leif in deuotioun
In godly prayer, and into almous deid
Quhilk sone was turnit in greit dissimulatioun
Of hir awin spous that maid sic mutulatioun.
Quha deit becaus he saw hir finger bleid,
Quhat gaue scho him for his gude lufe and meid
His stanis, his luggis, scho stowit, and teith out dang
Sine on Gallous as ane theif did him hang.
Ane chaist wedow, and leif in deuotioun
In godly prayer, and into almous deid
Quhilk sone was turnit in greit dissimulatioun
Of hir awin spous that maid sic mutulatioun.
Quha deit becaus he saw hir finger bleid,
Quhat gaue scho him for his gude lufe and meid
His stanis, his luggis, scho stowit, and teith out dang
Sine on Gallous as ane theif did him hang.
Heir is hir lufe, heir is hir stabilnes
Heir is hir fauour, heir is hir faithfulnes
Heir hir chaistnes, heir is hir Cheritie
Hir courtasie, heir is all hir kyndnes,
Hir womanheid, lo heir is hir meiknes,
Heir is hir hope, heir is hir honestie,
Heir is hir grace, heir is hir grauitie,
Heir hir gansell, heir is all hir gudnes,
Now all is changeit into kene crueltie.
Heir is hir fauour, heir is hir faithfulnes
Heir hir chaistnes, heir is hir Cheritie
Hir courtasie, heir is all hir kyndnes,
Hir womanheid, lo heir is hir meiknes,
Heir is hir hope, heir is hir honestie,
Heir is hir grace, heir is hir grauitie,
Heir hir gansell, heir is all hir gudnes,
Now all is changeit into kene crueltie.
245
O meruellous God quhat may this mater mene
That wemen ar sa cruell and sa kene,
And euer geuin to wickitnes and vice
In former time euer mair sa hes bene,
And in na sort can ȝit thairfoir abstene:
Bot perseueiris, this is ane mater nice.
I think it best to play thame at the dice
The neirest way in this warld is I wene
To saue thair schame, set thame on sink and sice.
That wemen ar sa cruell and sa kene,
And euer geuin to wickitnes and vice
In former time euer mair sa hes bene,
And in na sort can ȝit thairfoir abstene:
Bot perseueiris, this is ane mater nice.
I think it best to play thame at the dice
The neirest way in this warld is I wene
To saue thair schame, set thame on sink and sice.
Quhair suld be faith, thair schaw thay fenȝeitnes
And quhair fauour thay schaw vnfaithfulnes,
Quhair suld be rest, thay rattill ay in a rane,
Quhair lufe suld be, thair schaw thay bitternes.
Quhair peice suld be, thair schaw thay vp baldnes
Quhair gudnes is, thair ludgeing haue thay nane
Quhair tene and tray, that hous is to thame tane
Quhair meiknes is, than thay ar mensles,
O maryit men for ȝow I mak greit mane.
And quhair fauour thay schaw vnfaithfulnes,
Quhair suld be rest, thay rattill ay in a rane,
Quhair lufe suld be, thair schaw thay bitternes.
Quhair peice suld be, thair schaw thay vp baldnes
Quhair gudnes is, thair ludgeing haue thay nane
Quhair tene and tray, that hous is to thame tane
Quhair meiknes is, than thay ar mensles,
O maryit men for ȝow I mak greit mane.
For quhy ȝour heidis ar still bound till ane staik,
And thocht ȝe do all ȝe dow for hir saik
As ȝow becūmis baith into word and deid
And sa daylie on hir seruice dois vaik,
Scho countis not all ȝour cunning worth a caik,
Quhen euer scho craibis, and castis bakwart the Creid
Euin as the Knicht saw his wyfes finger bleid,
In lufis labour quhen euer that ȝe Inlaik,
All thing bygane scho countis not worth ane threid.
And thocht ȝe do all ȝe dow for hir saik
As ȝow becūmis baith into word and deid
And sa daylie on hir seruice dois vaik,
Scho countis not all ȝour cunning worth a caik,
Quhen euer scho craibis, and castis bakwart the Creid
Euin as the Knicht saw his wyfes finger bleid,
In lufis labour quhen euer that ȝe Inlaik,
All thing bygane scho countis not worth ane threid.
Becaus thay ar sa kittill of the Came
Quhylis lyke a wylde wolf quhylis as a Dow als tame,
In at bosum, and sine out at ȝour sleif.
Sic saules thingis hes nouther sin nor schame,
Than we do wrang ony way thame to blame
Thay will do nocht that will thair husband greif
Nor skantlie speik without he giue hir leif,
Sic Innocentis that wait of nocht bot Ill
Thay couet nocht bot ay to haue thair will.
Quhylis lyke a wylde wolf quhylis as a Dow als tame,
In at bosum, and sine out at ȝour sleif.
Sic saules thingis hes nouther sin nor schame,
Than we do wrang ony way thame to blame
Thay will do nocht that will thair husband greif
246
Sic Innocentis that wait of nocht bot Ill
Thay couet nocht bot ay to haue thair will.
Sum makis sa moy, sa gymp, as dynk and dane
Howbeit ȝe speik scho will not blenk agane
And gif scho do, it is out on the syde,
That Fillok wald be at the feild als fane
That semis ane Sanct new send vs fra Sathan
Thocht scho be brawlit and buskit lyke ane bryde
Vnder cullour scho is ane graceles gyde
Ane fule fulfillit of fantasie prophane,
Ane rank Rebald, reddy all tymes to ryde.
Howbeit ȝe speik scho will not blenk agane
And gif scho do, it is out on the syde,
That Fillok wald be at the feild als fane
That semis ane Sanct new send vs fra Sathan
Thocht scho be brawlit and buskit lyke ane bryde
Vnder cullour scho is ane graceles gyde
Ane fule fulfillit of fantasie prophane,
Ane rank Rebald, reddy all tymes to ryde.
Ȝe gude wemen exampill heir may se
Be not fenȝeit with fals Hypocrasie,
In mennis sicht presenting ane Angell
And sine Inwart satiat with subteltie,
Fulfillit all with fraude and falsitie.
All this becūmis of the greit Deuill of hell
Quha daylie settis his curage for to quell
All mankynde with his kene crudelitie
Sa wemen dois, as now na mair I tell.
Be not fenȝeit with fals Hypocrasie,
In mennis sicht presenting ane Angell
And sine Inwart satiat with subteltie,
Fulfillit all with fraude and falsitie.
All this becūmis of the greit Deuill of hell
Quha daylie settis his curage for to quell
All mankynde with his kene crudelitie
Sa wemen dois, as now na mair I tell.
| The seuin Seages | |