And sett ane seage proudlye about the place.
The sillye[196] nonnis did yeild thame haistelye,
And humyllye of that gylt askit grace,
Syne gave thair bandis of perpetuall peace.
Ressavand thame, thay kest up wykkets wyde[197]:
Than Chaistytie walde no langer abyde.
“So for refuge, fast to the freris scho fled;
Quhilks said thay wald of ladyis tak no cure.”
“Quhare bene scho now?” than said the gredy Gled.
“Nocht amang yow,” said scho, “I yow assure.
I traist scho bene upon the Borrow-mure
Besouth[198] Edinburgh, and that rycht mony menis[199],
Profest amang the Systeris of the Schenis.[200]
“Thare hes scho found hir mother Povertie,
And Devotioun, hir awin syster carnall.
Thare hes scho found Faith, Hope, and Charitie,
Togidder with the Vertues Cardinall.
Thare hes scho found ane convent yit unthrall
To dame Sensuall, nor with riches abusit;
So quietlye those ladyis bene inclusit.”
The Pyote said, “I dreid, be thay assailyeit,
Thay rander thame, as did the holy nonnis.”
“Doute nocht,” said scho, “for thay bene so artalyeit[201],
Thay purpose to defend thame with thair gunnis.
Reddy to schute thay have sax gret cannounnis,
Perseverance, Constancye, and Conscience,
Austerytie, Laubour, and Abstynance.
“To resyste subtell Sensualytie
Strongly, thay bene enarmit, feit and handis,
Be Abstynence, and keipith Povertie,
Contrar Ryches and all hir fals servandis.
Thay have ane boumbard braissit up in bandis[202]
To keip thair porte, in myddis of thair clois,
Quhilk is callit, _Domine custodi nos_;
“Within quhose schote thare dar no enemeis
Approche thair place, for dreid of dyntis doure[203].
Boith nycht and daye thay wyrk, lyke besye beis,
For thair defence reddye to stande in stoure[204],
And hes sic watcheis on thair utter toure
That dame Sensuall with seage dar not assailye,
Nor cum within the schote of thair artailye[205].”
The Pyote said, “Quhareto sulde thay presume
For to resyste sweit Sensualytie,
Or dame Ryches, quhilkis reularis bene in Rome?
Ar thay more constant, in thair qualytie,
Nor the prencis of Spiritualytie,
Quhilkis plesandlye, withouttin obstakle,
Haith thame resavit in their habitakle[206]?
“Quhow long, traist ye, those ladyis sall remane
So solytar, in sic perfectioun?”
The Papingo said, “Brother, in certane[207],
So lang as thay obey correctioun,
Cheisyng[208] thair heddis be electioun,
Unthrall to Ryches or to Povertie,
Bot as requyrith thair necessitie.
“O prudent prelatis, quhare was your presciance,
That tuke on hand tyll observe Chaistitie,
But[209] austeir lyfe, laubour, and abstenance?
Persavit ye nocht the gret prosperitie
Apperandlye to cum of Propertie?
Ye knaw gret cheir, great eais, and ydelnes
To Lychorie was mother and maistres.”
“Thow ravis unrockit[210],” the Ravin said, “be the Rude,
So to reprove Ryches or Propertie.
Abraham, and Ysaac war ryche, and verray gude;
Jacobe and Josephe had prosperitie.”
The Papingo said, “That is verytie.
Ryches, I grant, is nocht to be refusit,
Providyng alwaye it be nocht abusit.”
Than laid the Ravin ane replycatioun,
Syne said, “Thy reasone is nocht worth ane myte,
As I sall prove, with protestatioun
That no man tak my wordis in dispyte.
I saye, the temporall prencis hes the wyte[211],
That in the Kirk sic pastours dois provyde
To governe saulis, that not tham-selfis can gyde.
“Lang tyme efter the Kirk tuke propertie,
The prelatis levit in gret perfectioun,
Unthrall to ryches or sensualytie,
Under the Holy Spreitis protectioun,
Orderlye chosin be electioun,
As Gregore, Jerome, Ambrose, and Augustyne,
Benedict, Bernard, Clement, Cleit, and Lyne.
“Sic pacient prelatis enterit be the porte[212],
Plesand the peple be predicatioun[213].
Now dyke-lowparis[214] dois in the Kirk resort,
Be symonie, and supplycatioun
Of prencis be thair presentation.
So sillye[215] saulis, that bene Christis scheip,
Ar gevin to hungrye gormande[216] wolfis to keip.
“No marvell is thocht we religious men
Degenerit be, and in our lyfe confusit:
Bot sing, and drynk; none uther craft we ken,
Our spirituall fatheris hes us so abusit.
Agane our wyll those treukouris[217] bene intrusit.
Lawit[218] men hes now religious men in curis;
Profest virgenis in keipyng of strong huris.
“Prencis, prencis, quhar bene your heych prudence
In dispositioun of your beneficeis?
The guerdonyng of your courticience[219]
Is sum cause of thir gret enormyteis.
Thare is one sorte wattand[220], lyke houngre fleis,
For spirituall cure, thocht thay be no-thing abyll,
Quhose gredie thristis[221] bene insaciabyll.
“Prencis, I pray yow, be no more abusit,
To verteous men havyng so small regarde.
Quhy sulde vertew, throuch flattrye, be refusit,
That men for cunnyng[222] can get no rewarde?
Allace! that ever one braggar or ane barde,
Ane hure-maister, or commoun hasarture[223],
Sulde in the Kirk get ony kynde of cure!
“War I one man worthy to weir ane croun,
Aye quhen thare vakit[224] ony beneficeis,
I suld gar call ane congregatioun,
The principall of all the prelaceis,
Moste cunnyng clerkis of universiteis,
Moste famous fatheris of religioun,
With thair advyse mak dispositioun.
“I suld dispone all offices pastorallis
Tyll doctouris of devynitie, or jure[225];
And cause dame Vertew pull up all hir saillis,
Quhen cunnyng men had in the Kirk moist cure;
Gar lordis send thair sonnes, I yow assure,
To seik science, and famous sculis frequent;
Syne thame promove that wer moste sapient.
“Gret plesour wer to heir are byschope preche,
One deane, or doctour in divinitie,
One abbote quhilk could weill his convent teche,
One persoun[226] flowing in phylosophie.
I tyne[227] my tyme to wys[228] quhilk wyll nocht be.
War nocht the preaching of the Begging Freris,
Tynt war the faith amang the seculeris.”
“As for thair precheing,” quod the Papingo,
“I thame excuse, for quhy, thay bene so thrall
To Propertie, and hir ding[229] dochteris two,
Dame Ryches, and fair lady Sensuall,
That may nocht use no pastyme spirituall;
And in thair habitis thay tak sic delyte
Thay have renuncit russat and raploch quhyte[230],
“Cleikand[231] to thame skarlote and crammosie[232],
With menever, martrik, grice, and ryche armyne[233].
Their lawe hartis exaultit ar so hie,
To see thair papale pompe it is are pyne[234].
More ryche arraye is now, with frenyeis[235] fyne,
Upon the bardyng[236] of ane byscheopis mule,
Nor ever had Paule or Peter agane Yule.
“Syne fair ladyis thair chene may not eschape,
Dame Sensuall so sic seid haith in tham sawin.
Les skaith[237] it war, with lycence of the Pape,
That ilke[238] prelate one wyfe had of his awin,
Nor se thair bastardis ouirthort[239] the countre blawin;
For now, be[240] thay be weill cumin frome the sculis,
Thay fall to work as thay war commoun bullis.”
“Pew,” quod the Gled, “thow prechis all in vaine:
Ye seculare floks hes of our cace no curis.”
“I grant,” said scho; “yit men wyll speik agane,
Quhow ye haif maid a hundreth thousand huris
Quhilkis nevir had bene war not your lychorous luris.
And geve I lee[241], hartlye I me repent;
Was never bird, I watt, more penitent.”
Than scho hir shrave, with devote contynance,
To that fals Gled quhilk fenyeit hym one freir;
And quhen scho had fulfyllit hir pennance,
Full subtellye at hir he gan inqueir:
“Cheis yow,” said he, “quhilk of us brether heir
Sall have of all your naturall geir the curis.
Ye knaw none bene more holye creaturis.”
“I am content,” quod the pure Papingo,
“That ye frier Gled, and Corby[242] monk, your brother,
Have cure of all my guddis, and no mo,
Sen at this tyme freindschip I fynd non uther.”
“We salbe to yow trew, as tyll our mother,”
Quod thay, and sweir tyll fulfyll hir intent.
“Of that,” said scho, “I tak ane instrument.”
The Pyote said, “Quhat sall myne office bee?”
“Ouirman[243],” said scho, “unto the tother two.”
The rowpand Revin said, “Sweit syster, lat see
Your holy intent; for it is tyme to go.”
The gredie Gled said, “Brother, do nocht so;
We wyll remane, and haldin up hir hede,
And never depart from hir till scho be dede.”
The Papingo thame thankit tenderlye,
And said, “Sen ye have tane on yow this cure,
Depart myne naturall guddis equalye,
That ever I had or hes of dame Nature,
First, to the Howlet[244], indigent and pure,
Quhilk on the daye, for schame, dar nocht be sene;
Tyll hir I laif my gaye galbarte[245] of grene.
“My brycht depurit ene[246], as christall cleir,
Unto the Bak[247] ye sall thame boith present;
In Phebus presens quhilk dar nocht appeir,
Of naturall sycht scho bene so impotent.
My birneist[248] beik I laif, with gude entent,
Unto the gentyll, pieteous Pellicane,
To helpe to peirs hir tender hart in twane.
“I laif the Goik[249], quhilk hes no sang bot one,
My musyke, with my voce angelycall;
And to the Guse ye geve, quhen I am gone,
My eloquence and toung rhetoricall.
And tak and drye my bonis, gret and small,
Syne close thame in one cais of ebure[250] fyne,
And thame present onto the Phenix syne,
“To birne with hir quhen scho hir lyfe renewis.
In Arabye ye sall hir fynde but weir[251],
And sall knaw hir be hir moste hevinly hewis,
Gold, asure, gowles, purpour, and synopeir[252].
Hir dait is for to leif fyve houndreth yeir.
Mak to that bird my commendatioun.
And als, I mak yow supplycatioun,
“Sen of my corps I have yow gevin the cure,
Ye speid yow to the court, but tareyng,
And tak my hart, of perfyte portrature,
And it present unto my Soverane Kyng:
I wat he wyll it clois in-to one ryng.
Commende me to his Grace, I yow exhorte,
And of my passion mak hym trew reporte.
“Ye thre my trypes sall have, for your travell[253],
With luffer and lowng[254], to part equale amang yow;
Prayand Pluto, the potent prince of hell,
Geve ye failye, that in his feit he fang[255] yow.
Be to me trew, thocht I no-thyng belang yow.
Sore I suspect your conscience be too large.”
“Doute nocht,” said they, “we tak it with the charge.”
“Adew, brether!” quod the pure Papingo;
“To talking more I have no time to tarye;
Bot, sen my spreit mon fra[256] my body go,
I recommend it to the Quene of Farye,
Eternallye in-tyll hir court to carye,
In wyldernes among the holtis hore[257].”
Than scho inclynit hir bed, and spak no more.
Plungit in-tyll hir mortall passioun,
Full grevouslie scho gryppit to the ground.
It war too lang to mak narratioun
Of sychis sore, with mony stang and stound[258].
Out of hir wound the blude did so abound,
One compas round was with hir blude maid reid:
Without remeid, thare wes no-thyng bot dede[259].
And be scho had _In Manus tuas_ said,
Extinctit wer hir naturall wyttis fyve;
Hir heid full softlye on hir schulder laid,
Syne yeild the spreit, with panes pungityve[260].
The Ravin began rudely to rug and ryve[261],
Full gormondlyke[262], his emptie throte to feid.
“Eit softlye, brother,” said the gredy Gled:
“Quhill scho is hote, depart hir evin amang us.
Tak thow one half, and reik[263] to me ane-uther.
In-tyll our rycht, I wat, no wycht dar wrang us.”
The Pyote said, “The feind resave the fouther[264]!
Quhy mak ye me stepbarne, and I your brother?
Ye do me wrang, schir Gled, I schrew[265] your harte.”
“Tak thare,” said he, “the puddyngis for thy parte.”
Than, wyt ye weill, my hart wes wounder sair
For to behalde that dolent departyng[266],
Hir angell fedderis fleying in the air.
Except the hart, was left of hir no-thing.
The Pyote said, “This pertenith to the Kyng,
Quhilk tyll his Grace I purpose to present.”
“Thow,” quod the Gled, “sall faill of thyne entent.”
The Revin said, “God! nor I rax in ane raipe[267],
And thow get this tyll outher kyng or duke!”
The Pyote said, “Plene[268] I nocht to the Pape
Than in ane smedie I be smorit[269] with smuke.”
With that the Gled the pece claucht in his cluke[270],
And fled his way: the lave[271], with all thair mycht,
To chace the Gled, flew all out of my sycht.
Now have ye hard this lytill tragedie,
The sore complent, the testament, and myschance
Of this pure bird quhilk did ascend so hie.
Beseikand[272] yow excuse myne ignorance
And rude indyte[273], quhilk is nocht tyll avance[274].
And to the quair[275], I geve commandiment,
Mak no repair quhair poetis bene present.
Because thow bene
But Rethorike, so rude,
Be never sene
Besyde none other buke,
With Kyng, nor Quene,
With lord, nor man of gude[276].
With coit unclene,
Clame kynrent[277] to sum cuke;
Steil in ane nuke
Quhen thay lyste on thee luke.
For smell of smuke
Men wyll abhor to beir thee.
Heir I manesweir[278] thee;
Quhairfor, to lurke go leir[279] thee.
[132] feigned to weep.
[133] Dispose of your goods.
[134] faults.
[135] croaking.
[136] a hawk.
[137] croaking.
[138] prayer for the dead.
[139] _par cœur._
[140] God knows if we have.
[141] pilfer.
[142] services of thirty masses each.
[143] prattle, rattle off.
[144] make chickens squeak.
[145] The old Scottish liturgy was according to the usage of Sarum.
[146] as surety.
[147] funeral cry.
[148] the great creed.
[149] graceful.
[150] your mouth across their meadows.
[151] truly.
[152] consistory court.
[153] charge.
[154] peacock.
[155] testament.
[156] pleasant.
[157] regret.
[158] practice.
[159] quickly.
[160] ere.
[161] passed to and fro.
[162] region. _Lat._ plaga.
[163] by thy high intelligence.
[164] without lies.
[165] mix, deal.
[166] utter note.
[167] severe.
[168] a little.
[169] primitives.
[170] preaching.
[171] feared not the hurt.
[172] healed many hundreds.
[173] begat.
[174] reigned.
[175] Already in “The Dreme,” Laing remarks, Lyndsay had mentioned
the fatal effects of the Emperor’s liberality to Pope Sylvester in
conferring riches on the Church of Rome.
[176] caused.
[177] eyes.
[178] A.D. 314-335.
[179] rest.
[180] Very pleasing.
[181] God knows if then.
[182] forgot.
[183] by the word of.
[184] bondage.
[185] pleasant lives.
[186] purveyance, management.
[187] she could get no settlement.
[188] She marched.
[189] overbearingly ordered her.
[190] entrance.
[191] With one counsel, unanimously.
[192] greatly abused.
[193] hence.
[194] sighing.
[195] news.
[196] weak.
[197] cast wide their doors.
[198] South of.
[199] lament.
[200] A convent founded on the Burgh-muir by the Countess of Caithness
for Dominican nuns of the reformed order of St. Catherine of Sienna,
from whom the place got its name of Siennes or Sheens.
[201] armed.
[202] a cannon braced up in hoops.
[203] hard blows.
[204] storm.
[205] artillery.
[206] dwelling.
[207] assuredly.
[208] choosing.
[209] Without.
[210] reckless.
[211] blame.
[212] door.
[213] preaching.
[214] leapers over wall.
[215] innocent.
[216] gourmand.
[217] trucksters.
[218] Lay, unlearned.
[219] court-following.
[220] waiting.
[221] thirst.
[222] skill.
[223] gamester.
[224] fell vacant.
[225] law.
[226] parson.
[227] lose.
[228] wish.
[229] worthy.
[230] coarse white woollen.
[231] Laying hold.
[232] crimson cloth.
[233] meniver, marten, grey, and rich ermine furs.
[234] pain.
[235] fringes.
[236] trappings.
[237] hurt.
[238] each.
[239] athwart.
[240] by the time that.
[241] if I lie.
[242] Raven. _Fr._ corbeau.
[243] Overman.
[244] Owl.
[245] mantle.
[246] pure eyes.
[247] Bat.
[248] burnished.
[249] Cuckoo.
[250] ivory.
[251] without doubt.
[252] rose-red, purple, and cinnabar.
[253] labour.
[254] liver and lung.
[255] seize.
[256] must from.
[257] the woods hoar.
[258] sting and shock.
[259] death.
[260] pungent.
[261] to pull and tear.
[262] gluttonlike.
[263] reach.
[264] the lot, _lit._ 128 lb. weight.
[265] beshrew, curse.
[266] that sad dividing.
[267] let me stretch a rope, _i.e._ let me hang for it.
[268] Complain.
[269] smothered.
[270] clutched in his claw.
[271] the rest.
[272] Beseeching.
[273] composition.
[274] to be put forward.
[275] quire, book.
[276] worth.
[277] kindred.
[278] forswear.
[279] learn.
THE JUSTING BETUIX JAMES WATSOUN AND JHONE BARBOUR.[280]
In Sanct Androis on Whitsoun Monnunday
Twa campionis thair manheid did assay,
Past to the barres, enarmit heid and handis.
Was never sene sic justing in no landis.
In presence of the Kingis Grace, and Quene,
Quhare mony lustie lady mycht be sene,
Mony ane knicht, barroun, and banrent[281],
Come for to se that awfull Tornament.
The ane of thame was gentill James Watsoun,
And Jhone Barbour the uther campioun.
Unto the King thay wer familiaris,
And of his chalmer boith cubicularis.
James was ane man of greit intelligence,
Ane medicinar[282] ful of experience;
And Jhone Barbour, he was ane nobill leche[283],
Crukit carlinnis, he wald gar[284] thame get speche.
From tyme thay enterit war into the feild
Full womanlie thay weildit speir and scheild,
And wichtlie waiffit[285] in the wynd thair heillis,
Hobland lyke cadgeris[286] rydand on thair creillis;
But ather ran at uther with sic haist
That they could never thair speir get in the reist.
Quhen gentill James trowit best with Jhone to meit,
His speir did fald among his horsis feit:
I am richt sure gude James had bene undone,
War nocht that Jhone his marke tuke be the mone.
Quod Jhone, “Howbeit thou thinkis my leggis lyke rokkis[287],
My speir is gude; now keip ye fra my knokkis.”
“Tary,” quod James, “ane quhyle, for be my thrift[288]
The feind ane thing I can se bot the lift[289].”
“No more can I,” quod Jhone, “be Goddis breid[290],
I see na-thing except the steipill heid.
Yit, thocht thy braunis be lyk twa barrow-trammis,
Defend thee, man!” Than ran thay to, lyk rammis.
At that rude rink[291] James had bene strykin down
War nocht that Jhone for feirsnes fell in swoun;
And rycht sa James to Jhone had done greit deir[292],
Wer not amangis his hors feit he brak his speir.
Quod James to Jhone, “Yit for our ladyis saikis,
Lat us togidder straik three market straikis[293].”
“I had,” quod Jhone, “that sall on thee be wrokin[294]!”
Bot or[295] he spurrit his hors his speir was brokin.
From tyme with speiris nane could his marrow[296] meit
James drew ane swerd with ane richt awfull spreit,
And ran til Jhone, til haif raucht him ane rout[297].
Johnis swerd was roustit, and wald no way cam out.
Than James leit dryfe at Jhone with boith his fistis.
He mist the man, and dang[298] upon the lystis;
And with that straik he trowit that Jhone was slane.
His swerd stak fast, and gat it never agane.
Be this, gude Jhone had gottin furth his sword,
And ran to James with mony awfull word.
“My furiousness, for suith[299], now sall thou find!”
Straikand at James his swerd flew in the wind.
Than gentill James began to crack[300] greit wordis.
“Allace!” quod he, “this day for falt of swordis.”
Than ather ran at uther with new raicis,
With gluifis[301] of plait thay dang at utheris facis.
Quha wan this feild na creature culd ken[302],
Till at the last Johne cryit, “Fy! red[303] the men.”
“Yea! red,” quod James, “for that is my desyre;
It is ane hour sen I began to tyre.”
Sone be[304] thay had endit that royall rink,
Into the feild micht no man stand for stink.
Than every man, that stude on far, cryit, Fy!
Sayand adew; for dirt partis company.
Thair hors, harnis, and all geir[305], wes so gude,
Lovyng[306] to God! that day was sched no blude.
QUOD LYNDESAY, AT COMMAND OF KING JAMES THE FYFT.
[280] This burlesque is said to have been written for the entertainment
of the court upon occasion of the home-coming of Mary of Loraine in
1538. As the “Dreme” had been a political satire, and the “Testament of
the Papyngo” a satire upon church abuses, this, like the “Contemptioun
of Syde Taillis,” was a satire on a social fashion. Chalmers mentions
an anterior English poem, “The Turnament of Tottenham, or the wooing,
winning, and wedding of Tibbe, the Reeve’s daughter,” printed in
Percy’s _Reliques_, as a similar burlesque upon the custom of the
tourney; but an example nearer home is to found in Dunbar’s “Justis
betuix the Tailyour and the Sowtar.” Watsoun and Barbour were,
according to the Treasurer’s Accounts, actual personages in the royal
household.
[281] banneret, a knight made in the field.
[282] physician.
[283] surgeon.
[284] Bent old women he would cause.
[285] gallantly waved.
[286] hawkers.
[287] distaffs.
[288] by my livelihood.
[289] the heavens.
[290] by the altar.
[291] running, course.
[292] hurt.
[293] three aimed strokes.
[294] wreaked.
[295] ere.
[296] match.
[297] reached him a blow.
[298] struck.
[299] in truth.
[300] speak.
[301] gloves.
[302] know.
[303] separate.
[304] by the time that.
[305] belongings.
[306] Praise.
KITTEIS CONFESSIOUN.
THE CURATE, AND KITTIE.