 | The Benner of Piete |  |
I. PART I
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ANE MOST GODLIE MIRRIE AND LUSTIE RAPSODIE MAIDE BE SUNDRIE LEARNED SCOTS POETS AND WRITTEN BE GEORGE BANNATYNE IN THE TYME OF HIS YOUTH.
I. Heir begynnis the richt excellent, godly and lernit Werk callit the Benner of Pietie, compylit be the famous and renowmit Poet, Mr Johne Bellenden, Archeden of Mvrray, concer[ning] the Incarnatioun of our Saluiour Chryst.
Quhen goldin Phebus movit fra the Ram,
In to the Bull to mak his mansioun,
And hornit Dean in the Virgin cam,
With visage paill in hir assentioun,
Approcheand to hir oppositioun;
Quhen donc Awrora with hir mistie schowris,
Fleand of skyis the bricht reflexioun,
Hir siluer teiris skalit on the flouris;
In to the Bull to mak his mansioun,
And hornit Dean in the Virgin cam,
With visage paill in hir assentioun,
Approcheand to hir oppositioun;
Quhen donc Awrora with hir mistie schowris,
Fleand of skyis the bricht reflexioun,
Hir siluer teiris skalit on the flouris;
The sesoun quhen the greit Octauian
Baith erd and seis had had in gouirnance,
With diademe as roy Cesarian,
In maist excellent honor and plesance,
With every gloir that micht his fame advance;
Quhen he the croun of hie triumphe had worne,
Be quhais peax and royell ordinance
The furious Mars wes blawin to the horne;
Baith erd and seis had had in gouirnance,
With diademe as roy Cesarian,
In maist excellent honor and plesance,
With every gloir that micht his fame advance;
Quhen he the croun of hie triumphe had worne,
Be quhais peax and royell ordinance
The furious Mars wes blawin to the horne;
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The samyne tyme quhen God omnipotent
Beheld of man the greit callamitie,
And thocht the tyme wes than expedient
Man to redeme fra thrald captiuitie,
And to reduce him to felicitie,
With body and sawle to be glorificat,
Quha wes condempnit in the lymb to bie,
Fra he wes first in syn prevaricat;
Beheld of man the greit callamitie,
And thocht the tyme wes than expedient
Man to redeme fra thrald captiuitie,
And to reduce him to felicitie,
With body and sawle to be glorificat,
Quha wes condempnit in the lymb to bie,
Fra he wes first in syn prevaricat;
Befoir the Fader Mercy than appeiris,
With flude of teris rainnand fra hir ene;
Said, “Man hes bene in hell fyve thowsand yeiris,
Sen he wes maid in feild of Damascene,
And crewall tormentis daly dois sustene
But ony confort, cryand for mercie.
How may thy grace nocht with thy pietie mene
Of thy awin werk the grit infirmitie?”
With flude of teris rainnand fra hir ene;
Said, “Man hes bene in hell fyve thowsand yeiris,
Sen he wes maid in feild of Damascene,
And crewall tormentis daly dois sustene
But ony confort, cryand for mercie.
How may thy grace nocht with thy pietie mene
Of thy awin werk the grit infirmitie?”
“And be the contrare,” than said Veretie,
“Thy word eterne but end is permanent,
Vnalterat but mvtabilitie,
Withowttin slicht of ony argument;
Quhen Adame wes fund inobedient
In Paradice thruche his ambitioun,
Perpetualy, be richtous jugement,
Off thy blist visage tynt fruisioun.”
“Thy word eterne but end is permanent,
Vnalterat but mvtabilitie,
Withowttin slicht of ony argument;
Quhen Adame wes fund inobedient
In Paradice thruche his ambitioun,
Perpetualy, be richtous jugement,
Off thy blist visage tynt fruisioun.”
Than Pece said, “Lord haif in thy memorie
That man, thy wark, was creat to that fyne,
That he micht haif perfyte felicitie
With the aboif the hevynis cristellyne,
Quhilk Lucifer did thrwch his foly tyne,
Sumtyme maid to thy image worthiest:
It wes said than be prophecie devyne
That thow sowld sleip and in my bosum rest.”
That man, thy wark, was creat to that fyne,
That he micht haif perfyte felicitie
With the aboif the hevynis cristellyne,
Quhilk Lucifer did thrwch his foly tyne,
Sumtyme maid to thy image worthiest:
It wes said than be prophecie devyne
That thow sowld sleip and in my bosum rest.”
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And Justice said, “His odius offence
Contrare thy hie excellent dignitie,
His oppin syn and wilfull negligence
Befoir thy sicht sowld mair aggregit bie,
Sen thow art Alpha, O and Veritie:
Be richtous dome, Adame and all his seid,
For tressone done agane thy maiestie,
Condempnit is to thoill the bitter deid.”
Contrare thy hie excellent dignitie,
His oppin syn and wilfull negligence
Befoir thy sicht sowld mair aggregit bie,
Sen thow art Alpha, O and Veritie:
Be richtous dome, Adame and all his seid,
For tressone done agane thy maiestie,
Condempnit is to thoill the bitter deid.”
Thir ladeis foure contending beselie,
With argumentis and mony strong repplyis,
Beffoir the blissit Fader equalie,
Sum for justice, and sum for mercie cryis:
The Fader wret ane sentence in this wyiss,
“For tressone done aganis oure maiestie,
The bittir deid salbe ane sacrifyiss
The grit offence of man to satisfie.”
With argumentis and mony strong repplyis,
Beffoir the blissit Fader equalie,
Sum for justice, and sum for mercie cryis:
The Fader wret ane sentence in this wyiss,
“For tressone done aganis oure maiestie,
The bittir deid salbe ane sacrifyiss
The grit offence of man to satisfie.”
The hevin, the eird baith serchit vp and doun,
Nane wes thair fund sufficient cheretie
Man to redeme with this conditioun.
Than God, eterne in his diuinitie,
Seand it wes sa grit difficultie
To purge the spot of syn originall,
Wes penitent that he maid man to bie
In to this warld, with sawle perpetuall.
Nane wes thair fund sufficient cheretie
Man to redeme with this conditioun.
Than God, eterne in his diuinitie,
Seand it wes sa grit difficultie
To purge the spot of syn originall,
Wes penitent that he maid man to bie
In to this warld, with sawle perpetuall.
Thir ladeis foure than callit hes agane,
And said, “Your myndis sall fulfillit be;
Ye sall ay still in to my court remane,
And in this maner haif fraternitie:
My Mercy salbe knit to Veritie,
Than Peax and Justice sall togidder brace;
My Sone salbeir the burding of this plie,
And man salbe reconcyld to my grace.”
And said, “Your myndis sall fulfillit be;
Ye sall ay still in to my court remane,
And in this maner haif fraternitie:
My Mercy salbe knit to Veritie,
Than Peax and Justice sall togidder brace;
My Sone salbeir the burding of this plie,
And man salbe reconcyld to my grace.”
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The Fader than on Gabriall did call,
And said, “My serwand pas with diligence
To Mary myld, my spous emperiall,
In wark nor word that nevir maid offence;
And say to hir with humill reverence,
My tender Sone sall in hir bosum breid,
And in hir chalmer mak his residence;
Hir honor savit, and hir madinheid.”
And said, “My serwand pas with diligence
To Mary myld, my spous emperiall,
In wark nor word that nevir maid offence;
And say to hir with humill reverence,
My tender Sone sall in hir bosum breid,
And in hir chalmer mak his residence;
Hir honor savit, and hir madinheid.”
Man micht nocht mak ane sacrifice conding,
For Adams syn and his posteritie,
To God; alswa it wes nocht according
Allanerlie to thoill oure miserie.
Thairfoir it wes convenient to be
Chryist God and man, with dowble natur cled,
That he, as man, for oure offence micht de,
And syne, as God, to ryiss agane frome dede.
For Adams syn and his posteritie,
To God; alswa it wes nocht according
Allanerlie to thoill oure miserie.
Thairfoir it wes convenient to be
Chryist God and man, with dowble natur cled,
That he, as man, for oure offence micht de,
And syne, as God, to ryiss agane frome dede.
Off God and man the blissit Mediateur,
Be sentence of the blissit Trinitie,
Is cum in bosum of the Virgin peure,
Subdewand him to our mortalitie,
Thocht he wes equall in diuinitie
To God eterne, Fader omnipotent;
Yit man to saif fra thrald captiuitie,
Vnto the deid wes maid obedient.
Be sentence of the blissit Trinitie,
Is cum in bosum of the Virgin peure,
Subdewand him to our mortalitie,
Thocht he wes equall in diuinitie
To God eterne, Fader omnipotent;
Yit man to saif fra thrald captiuitie,
Vnto the deid wes maid obedient.
As craft of hand vpoun the stringis playis,
Proportionat in hevinly melodie,
Quhair thre at anis presentlie assayis
The vnisone and concord armonie,
The craft, the string, the hand indifferentlie,
Ane sound is hard over the eir jocund;
Suppois thir thre concurris equalie,
Yit nane of thame, bot stringis, makis the sound.
Proportionat in hevinly melodie,
Quhair thre at anis presentlie assayis
The vnisone and concord armonie,
The craft, the string, the hand indifferentlie,
Ane sound is hard over the eir jocund;
Suppois thir thre concurris equalie,
Yit nane of thame, bot stringis, makis the sound.
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Richt so the Fader and the Halie Spreit
Off man tewk nevir incarnatioun;
And yit thay war in to thair mynd compleit,
Participant in operatioun,
Consenting to that hie legatioun
Maid to the blissit Virgin tendirlie,
Quhen Gabriell maid annuntiatioun:
The Sone incarnat wes allanerlie.
Off man tewk nevir incarnatioun;
And yit thay war in to thair mynd compleit,
Participant in operatioun,
Consenting to that hie legatioun
Maid to the blissit Virgin tendirlie,
Quhen Gabriell maid annuntiatioun:
The Sone incarnat wes allanerlie.
Then jonit wes, in perfyt vnitie,
Devyne persone and miserie of man,
The Moder peur, full of virginitie,
The fervent hairt and faith maist souerane,
God, saule and flesche at anes to remane,
Passing the strenth of mannis argument,
Ane standing thre, and thre ay standing ane,
Be michtie werk of God omnipotent.
Devyne persone and miserie of man,
The Moder peur, full of virginitie,
The fervent hairt and faith maist souerane,
God, saule and flesche at anes to remane,
Passing the strenth of mannis argument,
Ane standing thre, and thre ay standing ane,
Be michtie werk of God omnipotent.
And of thir thre the formest vnioun
Wes mervellus in maist excellent gre,
Quhen of the hevin the michtie Campioun
His Godheid knit to oure humanite,
Oppynit the port, and coft our libertie,
Quhairthrow the fruct of all our grace began,
Quhilk micht nocht haif sa grit difficultie
As to tak natur of ane mortal man.
Wes mervellus in maist excellent gre,
Quhen of the hevin the michtie Campioun
His Godheid knit to oure humanite,
Oppynit the port, and coft our libertie,
Quhairthrow the fruct of all our grace began,
Quhilk micht nocht haif sa grit difficultie
As to tak natur of ane mortal man.
The secund wes ane richt excellent thing,
Quhen moderfull wes the Virgin, vndefloir;
Quhair natur stwneist and had grit wondering,
And all that hevinlie labur did abhoir.
Than Ressone said, “It wes nocht sene afoir
Into this warld be ony levand leid,
Ane chyld to be of ony woman boir,
Hir bosum clene, withowttin manis seid.”
Quhen moderfull wes the Virgin, vndefloir;
Quhair natur stwneist and had grit wondering,
And all that hevinlie labur did abhoir.
Than Ressone said, “It wes nocht sene afoir
Into this warld be ony levand leid,
Ane chyld to be of ony woman boir,
Hir bosum clene, withowttin manis seid.”
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The thrid excellent wes and marvellus,
Quhen fervent hairt and faith togidder ran,
Ane thing to natur richt contrarius,
Quhen scho this subteill argument began;
How may thir tway haif creddence soveran
With sicker faith into our hairt obscure,
That God eterne micht stand ane mortall man,
Ane mother how to be, the Virgin pure.
Quhen fervent hairt and faith togidder ran,
Ane thing to natur richt contrarius,
Quhen scho this subteill argument began;
How may thir tway haif creddence soveran
With sicker faith into our hairt obscure,
That God eterne micht stand ane mortall man,
Ane mother how to be, the Virgin pure.
Thow Godheid trine, rignand in vnitie,
Mover of all with sicht maist provident,
Gevar of lyfe with all tranquillitie,
Into thy self ay standand permanent!
All vthir thing, bot thow, art indigent.
Thy mercie grit, thy gudnes ineffable,
Baith hevin and erd ar insufficient
To schaw thy wit and gloir inestimable.
Mover of all with sicht maist provident,
Gevar of lyfe with all tranquillitie,
Into thy self ay standand permanent!
All vthir thing, bot thow, art indigent.
Thy mercie grit, thy gudnes ineffable,
Baith hevin and erd ar insufficient
To schaw thy wit and gloir inestimable.
O Sone of God! that for the weill of ws
Tuik in thy mynd so grit sollicitude,
Fra hivin to cum in natur glorius,
Off the blist Virgin takand flesche and blude.
Howbeit thy Godheid and oure nature rude
Discordand war be distance infinite,
Thow schawin hes thy michtie celcitude,
Quhen thay wer knit in ane persone perfite.
Tuik in thy mynd so grit sollicitude,
Fra hivin to cum in natur glorius,
Off the blist Virgin takand flesche and blude.
Howbeit thy Godheid and oure nature rude
Discordand war be distance infinite,
Thow schawin hes thy michtie celcitude,
Quhen thay wer knit in ane persone perfite.
For thy grit gudnes, and that mekle pane
Thow had in corps and sawle intellectyve,
Quhen blude and watter birst fra every vane,
And grundin speir owtthrow thy hairt did ryve,
Quhen fra thy body chasit wes thy lyve,
Bring ws amang tha happie senatouris,
Quhome thow hes coftin with thy woundis fyve,
Quhen saule depairtis in oure lattir houris.
Thow had in corps and sawle intellectyve,
Quhen blude and watter birst fra every vane,
And grundin speir owtthrow thy hairt did ryve,
Quhen fra thy body chasit wes thy lyve,
Bring ws amang tha happie senatouris,
Quhome thow hes coftin with thy woundis fyve,
Quhen saule depairtis in oure lattir houris.
Heir endis the Benner of Pietie compylit be
Maister Iohine Bellentyne, Archdene of Murray.
| The Benner of Piete | |