Ane dialog betuix Experience and ane courteour off the miserabyll estait of the warld. Compylit be Schir Dauid Lyndesay of ye Mont Knycht alias, Lyone Kyng of Armes. And is deuidit in foure partis. As efter followis. .&c.

Ane dialog betuix Experience and ane courteour off the miserabyll estait of the warld. Compylit be Schir Dauid Lyndesay of ye Mont Knycht alias, Lyone Kyng of Armes. And is deuidit in foure partis. As efter followis. .&c.

Table of contents

Title page

THE EPISTIL.

❧THE PROLOGE.

❧ THE FIRST BVKE.

Ane exclamatioun to The Redar, Twycheyng the wryttyng of Vulgare, and Maternall Language.

❧ Heir followis the Creatioun of Adam, and Eue.

❧ Of the Miserabyll Transgressioun of Adam.

Heir followis quhov God Distroyit all Leueand Creature in erth, for Syn, And Drownit thame be ane Terribyll Flude, in the tyme of Noye.

2

In the First the Beildyng of Babilone be Nemrod. And quhow kyng Nynus began ye first Monarche. And of thare Ydolatrye. And Quhow Semeramis, Gouernit the Impyre, Efter hir Husbande Kyng Nynus. As Followis.

Quhov god maid the Dyuersitie of Languagis. And maid Impediment to the Beildaris of Babilone

Of the first inuentiōn of Ydolatrie. Quhow Nembroth, compeld the Peple tyll adore the Fyre in Caldia.

Of ye gret misere and skaythis that cumis of Weris. And quhow king Nynꝰ began the first weris, and straik the first Battell.

❧ Heir followith ane Schorte Discriptioun of the Four Monarchis. ☞ And quhow Kyng Nynus, began the First Monarchie.

Quhov king Nynꝰ, Inuentit the First Ydolatrie of Ymagis.

¶ Off Imageis vsit amang cristin men.

❧ Heir followis 〈◊〉 Exclamatioun aganis Idolatrie,

Heir follouis quhov Kyng Nynus Beildit the gret Citie of Nyniue, And quhow he Vincuste ȝoroastes, the Kyng off Bactria.

Heir followis sum of the vvounderfull dedis of the lustie quene Semeramis

❧Off kyng Nynus Sepulture.

❧Quhov the Quene Semeramis, with one gret Armie, Past to Yade, And Faucht with the Kyng Stawrobates, And of hir Miserrabyll end.

Quhov king Sardanapalus, for his vitious life maid ane mise•abili end.

Epitaphium Sardanapali

§

¶And Begynnis the Thrid Part.

And in the first, Makand Narratione of ye Misarabyll Distructioun of the Fyue Ciereis, callit Sodome, Gomore, Syboin, Segore, and Adama, with thare hole Regioun, and ane schort Discriptioun of the Secund, Thrid, and Ferd. Monarcheis. With ye Misarabyll Distructioun of Ierusalē And last of the Spirituall Monarchie.

Ane Schort Discriptioun of the secund. thrid. and ferd Monarche.

Of ye most miserabyl and most terrabill distructioun of Ierusalem.

Off ye miserabyllend Off Certane tyrane Princis. And speciallye, the Begynnaris, of the Four Monarcheis.

Heir followis the fyft Spirituall, And Papall Monarchie.

❧ Heir followis ane Discriptioun of the court of Rome.

4

And Begynnis the Fourt, Makand Mentioun of the Deith. And of the Antichrist. And Generall Iugemēt. And of Certane Plesouris of Glorifier Bodyis. And quhow euery Creature desyris to se the last Day. With ane Exhortatioun be Experience to the Courtiour. &c.

❧ Off the Deith.

Ane schort discriptiōn Of the Antechriste.

Heir follouis a schort Remenbrance of the moste Terrabyll Day of the extreme Iugement.

❧the maner quhow Christ sall cum to his Iugement.

❧ Heir followis the Maner quhov Christ sall geue his Sentence.

Off certane plesouris of the glorifeit bodeis.

❧ Ane Exhortatioun Gyffin be Father Experience▪ vnto his Sone The Curteour.

§

§

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❧ Ane Dialog betuix Experience and ane Courteour.

Off the Miserabyll Estait of the Warld.

☞ Compylit be Schir Dauid Lyndesay of ye Mont Knycht alias, Lyone Kyng of Armes. And is Deuidit in Foure Partis. As efter Followis. .&c.

And Imprentit at the Conmand and Expensis off Doctor, MACHABEVS, In Copmāhouin.

Absit Gloriari, Nisi in Cruce Domini nostri Iesu Christi,

THE EPISTIL.

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[figure]

THOV Lytil quair, of mat miserabyll

Weil auchtest yu, couerit to be wt sabyl

renūceād grene ye purpur reid & quhit

To delicat mē, yu art nocht delectabyll

Nor ȝit tyll amorous folkis amiabyll

To reid on the, thai wyl haif no delite

Warldlye Peple, wyll haue at the dispyte

Quhilk fyxit hes thare hart, and hole intentis

On Sensuall Luste, on Dignitie, and Rentis.

¶We haue no Kyng, the to present allace.

Quhilk to this countre, bene ane cairfull care

And als our Quene, of Scotland Heretour

Sche dwellith ī France, I pray God saif hir grace

It war to lang, for the to ryn that race

And far langar, or that ȝoung tender flour

Bryng home tyll ws, ane Kyng and Gouernour,

Allace tharefor, we may with sorrow syng

Quhilk moste so lang, remane without one kyng

☞ I nott quhome to thy Simpylnes to sende.

With Cunnyg Men, frome tyme that yu be kende

Thy Vaniteis, no waye thay wyll aduance

Thynkand the proude, sic thyngis to pretende

Nochtwithstanding, ye straucht way sal yu wende

To thame, quhilk wes the realme in gouernance

Declare thy mynde to thame, with circumstance

Go first tyll Iames, our Prince, and Protectour

And his Brother, our Spirituall Gouernour

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❧And Prince of Preistis, in this Natioun.

Efter Reuerend Recommendatioun

Vnder thare feit, thow lawlye the submyt

And mak thame humyll supplicatioun

Geue thay in the, fynd wrang Narratioun

That thay wald pleis, thy faltis to remyt

And of thare grace, geue thay do the admyt

Than go thy waye, quhare euer thow plesis best

Be thay content, mak reuerence to the rest.

❧To faithfull Prudent Pastourꝭ Spirituall

To Nobyll, Erlis, and Lordis Temporall

Obedientlye, tyll thame thow the addres

Declaryng thame, this schort memoriall

Quhow Mankynd bene, to miserie maid thrall

At lenth to thame, the cause planelie confesse

Beseikand thame, all lawis to suppresse

Inuentit, be Mennis Traditioun

Contrar to Christis Institutioun.

And cause thame cleirlye, for tyll vnderstand

That for the brekyng of, the Lordꝭ command

His Thrynfall wande, of Flagellatioun

Hes Scurgit, this pure Realme of Scotland

Be mortall weris, baith be sey and land

With mony terrabyll trybulatioun

Tharefor mak to thame trew narratioun

Re. xxiiii. & the .ii.

That al thir weris, this derth, hunger, and Pest

Was nocht, bot for our Synnis manefest.

i. Cor. iii.

[Page]

Gene. vii

Declare to thame, quhow in the tyme of Noye

Alluterlye, God did the warld distroye

As Holy Scripture, maketh mentioun

Sodom, Gomor, with thare Regioun and Roye

Gene. xix

God sparit nothir Man, Woman, nor Boye

Bot all wer brynt, for thare offentioun

Iherusalem, that moste tryumphant town

Mathew .xxiii.

Distroyit wes, for thare Iniquytie

Luc. xiii.

As in the Scripture, planelye thay may se.

¶Declare to thame, this mortall miserie.

Be sweird and fyre, derth, pest, and pouertie

Iere, xv.

Procedis of Syn, gyf I can rycht discryue

For laik of Faith, and for Ydolatrye

For Fornicatioun, and for Adultrye

Off Princis, Prelatꝭ, wt mony ane man & wyue

Expell the cause, than the effect belyue

Sall cease, quhen that the peple doith repent

Than God sall slak his bow, quhilk ȝit is bent.

Mak thaim requeist, quhilk hes the Gouernance

The Sinceir word of God for tyll Auance

Conforme to Christis Institutioun

Without Ypocrisie, or dissimulance

Causyng Iustice, hauld ewinlye the Ballance

On Publicanis, makyng punyssioun

Commendyng thame, of gude conditioun

That beyng done, I dout nocht bot the Lorde

Sall of this countre, haue Misericorde.

[Page]

❧ Thoucht God, with mony terrabyll effrayis.

Hes done this cuntrie scurge, by diuers wayis

Be Iuste Iugement, for our greuous offence

Declare to thame, thay sall haue mery dayis

Efter this trubyll, as the Propheit sayis

Quhen God sall se, our humyll Repentence

Tyll strange pepyll, thoucht he hes geuin lycence

To be our scurge, Induryng his desyre

Wyll quhen he lyste, that Scurge cast in the fyre

Pray thame, that thay putt nocht thare esperance

In mortall Men, onelye thame tyll aduance

Bot principallye in God Omnipotent

Psalme .c. xvii.

Than neid thai not, to charge ye realme of France

With Gounnis, Galayis, nor vther Ordinance

So that thay be, to God Obedient

In thir premyssis, be thay nocht negligent

Displayand Christis Banar, hie on heycht

Thare Ennimeis, of thame sall haue no mycht.

Go hence pure Buke, quhilk I haue done indyte

In rurall ryme, in maner of dispyte

Contrar, the warldlis Variatioun

Off Rethorick, heir I Proclame the quyte

Idolatouris, I feir sall with the flyte

Because of thame, thow makis Narratioun

Bot cure thow nocht, the Indignatioun

Off Hypocritis, and fais Pharisience

Quhowbeit on the, thay cry ane lowde vengence

[Page]

¶Requeist the Gentyll Redar, that the redis.

Thocht Ornat termes, in to thy park not spredis

As thay in the, may haue experience

Thocht Barran feildis, beris nocht bot weidis

Ȝit brutall beistis, sweitlye on thame feidis

Desyre of thame, none vther recompance

Bot that thay wald, reid the with pacience

And geue thay be, in ony way offendit

Declare to thame, it salbe weill amendit.

*FINIS*

Heirendis ye Epistil & follouis ye Prologe .&c.

❧THE PROLOGE.

[Page]

MVSING, And maruelling on ye miserie

Frome day to day, in erth quhilk dois

And of ilk stait, ye instabilitie (incres

Proceding of the restles besynes

Quhare on ye most part, doith thair mynd addres

Inordinatlie, on houngrye couatyce

Vaine glore, dissait, and vthir sensuall vyce.

¶ Bot tumlyng In my bed, I mycht nocht lye.

Quhairfore I fuir furth, in ane Maye mornyng

Conforte to gett, of my malancolye

Sumquhat affore, fresche Phebus vperysing

Quhare I mycht heir, the birdis sweitlie syng

Intyll ane park, I past for my plesure

Decorit weill, be craft of dame Nature.

¶ Quhov I ressauit confort naturall.

For tyll discryue at lenth, it war to lang

Smelling the holsum herbis medicinall

Quhare on ye dulce, and balmy dew down dang

Lyke aurient peirles on the twistis hang

Or quhov that the Aromatik odouris

Did proceid frome the tender fragrant flouris.

¶ Or quhov Phebus that king etheriall.

Swyftlie sprang vp in to the orient

Ascending in his throne Imperiall

Quhose brycht, and buriall bemes resplendent

Illumynit all on to the Occident

[Page]Confortand euerye corporall creature

Quhilk formit war, in erth, be dame Nature

Quhose douke impurpurit vestiment nocturnall.

With his imbroudit mantyll matutyne

He lefte in tyll his regioun aurorall

Quhilk on hym watit quhen he did declyne

Towarte his occident palyce vespertyne

And rose in habyte gaye and glorious

Brychtar nor gold, or stonis precious.

¶ Bot Synthea, the hornit nychtis quene.

Scho loste hir lycht, and lede ane lawar saill

Frome tyme hir souerane lorde that scho had sene

And in his presens, waxit dirk, and paill

And ouer hir visage, kest ane mistye vaill

So did Venus, the goddes amorous

With Iupiter, Mars, and Mercurius.

☞ Rychtso the auld Intoxicat Saturne.

Persauyng Phebus, powir his beymes brycht

Abufe the erth, than maid he no sudgeourne

Bot suddandlye did lose his borrowit lycht

Quhilk he durst neuir schaw, bot on the nycht

The Pole artick, wrsis, and sterris all

Quhilk situate ar, in the Septemtrionall.

Tyll errand schyppis, quhilks ar the souer gyde

Conuoyand thame vpone the stromye nycht

Within thare frostie circle did thame hyde

[Page]Howbeit that sterris haue none vthir lycht

Bot the reflex of Phebus bemes brycht

That day durst none in to the heuin appeir

Tyll he had circuit all our Hemispeir.

¶ Me thocht it was ane sycht eclestiall.

To sene Phebus so angellyke ascend

In tyll his fyrie chariot tryumphall

Quhose bewte brycht, I culd notht comprehend

All warldlie cure anone did fro me wend

Quhen fresche flora, spred furth hir tapestrie

Wrocht be dame Nature quent and curiouslie.

¶ Depaynt with mony hundreth heuinlie hewis

Glaid of the rysing, of thare royall Roye

With blomes breckand on the tender bewis

Quhilk did prouoke myne hart tyl natural Ioye

Neptune that day, and Eoll held thame coye

That men on far, mycht heir the birdis sounde

Quhose noyis did to the sterrye heuin redounde.

The plesand Powne, prunȝeand his feddrem fair

The myrthfull Maues maid gret melodie

The lustye Lark ascending in the air

Numerand hir naturall notis craftelye

The gay Goldspink, the Merll rycht myrralye

The noyis of the nobyll Nychtingalis

Redundit throuch ye montans, meids, and valis

¶ Contempling this melodious armonye.

[Page]Quhov euerilke bird, drest thame for tyl aduance

To saluss Nature with thare melodye

That I stude gasing, halflingꝭ in ane trance

To heir thame mak thare naturall obseruance

So royallie, that all the roches rang

Throuch repercussioun of thare suggurit sang.

¶ I lose my tyme, allace for to rehers.

Sick vnfrutful and vaine discriptioun

Or wrytt in to my raggit rurall vers

Mater without edificatioun

Consydering quhov that myne intentioun

Bene tyll deplore the mortall misereis

With continuall cairfull calamiteis.

¶ Consisting in this wracheit vaill of sorrow.

Bot sad sentence, sulde haue ane sad indyte

So termes brycht, I lyste nocht for to borrow

Off murnyng mater men hes no delyte

With roustye termes tharefor wyl I wryte

With sorrowful seychis ascending frome ye splene

And bitter teris, distellyng frome myne eine.

¶ Withoute ony vaine inuocatioun.

To Minerua, or to Melpominee

Nor ȝitt wyll I mak supplicatioun

For help to Cleo, nor Caliopee

Sick marde Musis, may mak me no supplee

Proserpyne, I refuse and Apollo

And rycht so Ewterp, Iupiter, and Iuno.

[Page]

¶ Quhilkꝭ bene to plesand Poetis conforting.

Quharefor because I am nocht one of tho

I do desyre of thame no supporting

For I did neuer sleip on Pernaso

As did the Poetis of lang tyme ago

And speciallie the ornate Ennius

Nor drank I neuer with Hysiodus.

¶ Off Grece, the perfyte poet souerane.

Off Hylicon the sors of Eloquence

Off that mellifluus famous fresche fontane

Quharefor I awe to thame no reuerence

I purpose nocht to mak obedience

To sic mischeand Musis, nor malmontrye

Afore tyme vsit in to poetrye

☞ Raue and Rhammusia goddes of dispyte.

Mycht be to me ane Muse rycht conuenabyll

Gyff I desyrit sic help for tyll indyte

This murnyng mater, mad, and miserabyll

I mon go seik ane muse more confortabyl

And sic vaine superstitioun to refuse

Beseikand the gret God to be my muse.

Be quhose wysdome al maner of thing bene wrocht

Genes. i.

The heych heuinnꝭ wt all thair ornamentis

And without mater maid all thing of nocht

Hell, in myd Centir of the Elementis

That heuinlye Muse, to seik my hole intent is

The quhilk gaif sapience to king Salomone

iii. Re. iii.

[Page]

Psalme .lxxxix.

To Dauid grace, strenth to ye strang Sampsone

Iuges xiii.

And of pure Peter, maid ane prudent precheour.

Mat. iiii

And be the power of his deitee

Actis .ix,

Off creuell Paule he maid ane cūnyng techeour

I mon beseik rycht lawly on my knee

His heych superexcellent Maiestie

That with his heuinlye spreit, he me inspyre

To wrytt no thyng, contrarye his disyre.

Luc. i.

¶ Beseikand als, his Souerane Sonne Iesu.

Quhilk wes consauit be the holy spreit

Incarnat of the purifyit Virgin trev

In to the quhome, the Prophicie was compleit

That Prince, of peace, moist humyll, & māsweit

Quhilk onder Pylate, sufferit passioun

Luc. xxiii

Vpone the Croce, for our saluatioun.

¶ And be that creuell deith, intollerabyll.

Lowsit we wer frome bandis of Balyall

And mairattouir, it wes so proffitabyll

That to this hour, come neuir man nor sall

To the tryumphant ioye Imperiall

Off lyfe, quhowbeit that thay war neuer sa gude

Hebr. ix.

Bot be the vertew, of that precious blude.

¶Quharefor in steid, of the mont Pernaso.

Swyftlie, I sall go seik my Souerane

To Mont Caluare, the straucht waye mon I go,

To gett ane taist, of that moist fresche fontane

That sors to seik my hart may nocht refrane

[Page]Off Hylicone quhilk wes boith deip and wydē

That Longeous did graue, in tyll his syde.

Iho. xix.

From yat fresche fontane, sprang a famous flude

Quhilk redolēt Reuer throuch ye warld ȝit rynnis

As christall cleir, and mixit bene with blude

Quhose sound abufe the heyest heuinnꝭ dinnis

All faithfull peple, purgeing frome thare synnis,

Quharefor I sall beseik his Excellence

To grant me grace, wysedome, and Eloquence.

And bayth me with those dulce & balmy strandis.

Quhilk on the Croce, did spedalie out spryng

Frome his moste tender feit, and heuinly handis,

And grant me grace, to wrytt nor dyte no thyng

Bot tyll his heych honour, and loude louyng

But quhose support, thare may na gud be wrocht

Tyll his plesure, gude workꝭ, word, nor thocht.

¶Tharefor O Lorde, I pray thy Maiestie.

As thov did schaw thy heych power Diuyne

First planelie, in the Cane of Galelee

Ihon .ii.

Quhare thov conuertit cauld watter in wyne

Conuoye my mater, tyll ane fructuous fyne

And saue my sayingꝭ, baith frome schame and syn

Tak tent, for now I purpose to begyn.

¶ FINIS.

Heirendis the ꝓloge, And beginnis the Mater,

❧ THE FIRST BVKE.

[Page]

❧ IMTO that Park I sawe appeir,

One ageit man quhilk drew me neir

Quhose beird wes weil thre quart lang

His hair doun ouer his schulders hang

The quhilk as ony snaw wes quhyte

Quhome to behald I thocht delyte

His habitt Angellyke of hew

Off culloure lyke the Sapheir blew

Onder ane Hollyng he reposit

Off quhose presens I was reiosit

I did hym saluss reuerendlye

So did he me rycht courteslye

To sitt down he requeistit me

Onder the schaddow of that tre

To saif me frome the Sonnis heit

Amangis the flowris softe and sweit

For I wes werye for walking

Than we began to fall in talking

I sperit his name with reuerence?

I am (said he) Experience.

Cour.

¶Than Schir (said I) ȝe can nocht faill

To gyff ane desolate man counsaill

Ȝe do appeir ane man of faime

And sen Experience bene ȝour name

I praye ȝow Father venerabyll

Geue me sum counsell confortabyll?

Expe.

¶Quhate bene (quod he) thy vocatioun

Makand sic supplycatioun?

Cour.

¶I haif (quod I) bene to this hour

[Page]Sen I could ryde, one Courtiour

Bot now Father I thynk it best

With ȝour counsell to leif in rest

And frome thyne furth to tak myne eais

And quyetlie my God to pleais

And renunce Curiositie

Leueyng the Court, and lerne to de

Oft haue I salit ouer the strandis

And traualit throuch diuers landis

Boith south, and north, and est, and west

Ȝitt can I neuer fynd quhare rest

Doith mak his habitatioun

Withoute ȝour supportatioun

Quhen I beleif, to be best easit

Most suddantlye, I am displeasit

Frome trubbyll quhen I fastast fle

Than fynd I most aduersate

Schaw me I pray ȝow hartfullye

Quhow I may leif most plesandlye

To serue my God, of kyngis Kyng

Sen I am tyrit for trauellyng

And lerne me for, to be content

Off quyet lyfe, and sobir rent

That I may thank, the kyng of glore

As thocht I had ane Mylȝeoun more

Sen euerilk Court, bene variant

Full of Inuy, and inconstant

Mycht I but trubbyll leif in rest

Now in my aige, I thynk it best

[Page]

Expe.

¶Thow art ane gret fuill Sonne (said he)

Thyng to desyre, quhilk may nocht be

Ȝarnyng to haue prerogatyue

Aboue all Creature on lyfe

Sen Father Adam creat bene

In to the Campe of Damassene

Mycht no man say on to this hour

That euer he fand perfyte plesour

Nor neuer sall tyll that he se

God in his Diuyne Maiestie

Quharefore prepair the for trauell

Iob. vii.

Sen mennis lyfe, bene bot battell

All men begynnis for tyll de

The day of thare Natiuite

And Iournelly thay do proceid

Tyll Atrops cute the fatell threid

And in the breif tyme that thay haue

Betuix thare byrth on to thare graue

Thow seis, quhat mutabiliteis

Quhat miserabyll Calamiteis

Quhat trubbyll trauell and debait

Seis thow, in euere mortall stait

Begyn at pure lawe Creaturis

Ascending syne to Synaturis

To gret Princis and Potestatis

Thow sall nocht fynd in non estatis

Sen the begynning gennerallie

Nor in our tyme, now speciallie

Bot tiddious restles besynes

But ony maner of sickarnes.

[Page]¶Prudent Father (ꝙ I) allace

Cour.

Ȝe tell to me one cairfull cace

Ȝe say that no man to this hour

Hes found in erth perfyte plesour

Without infortunat variance

Sen we bene thrall to sic myschance

Quhy do we set so our Intentis

On Ryches Dignitie and Rentis

Sen in the erth, bene no man sure

One day but trubbyll tyll Indure

And werst of all, quhen we leist wene

The creuell deith, we mon sustene

Geue I ȝour Fatherheid durste demand

The cause I wald faine vnderstand

And als Father I ȝow Implore

Schaw me sum trubbyll gone afore

That heryng vtheris Indigence

I may the more haif patience

Mar [...]owis, in trybulatioun

Bene Wracheis consolatioun

Quod he, efter my small cunnyng

Expe.

To the I sall mak answeryng

Bot Ordourlie, for to begyn

This Misarie procedis of Syn

Bot it wer lang, for to defynit

Quhow all men ar to Syn Inclynit

Quhen Syn aboundantlye doith ryng

Iustly God, makith punyssing

Quharefore gret God, in to his handis

[Page]To dant the warld hes diuers wand is

Efter our euyll conditioun

He makis on ws punytioun

With hunger, darth, and Indigens

Sum tyme gret plagis, and pestilens

And sum tyme with his bludy wand

Throw creuell weir be sey and land

Concludyng all our misarie

Proceidis of Syn, alluterlie.

Cour.

¶Father (quod I) declare to me

The cause of this Fragyllitie

That we bene all to Syn inclynde

In werk, in word, and in our mynde

I wald the veritie wer schawin

Quho hes this seid amang ws sawin

And quhy we ar condampnit to dede

And quhow that we may get remede

(Quod he) the Scripture hes concludit.

Expe.

Men frome felicitite wer denudit

Gen. iii.

Be Adam our Progenitour

Vmquhyle of Paradyse possessour

Be quhose most wylfull arrogance

Wes Mankynd brocht to this myschance

Quhen he wes Inobedient

In breking Godꝭ commandiment

Be solystatioun of his wyfe

He loste that heuinlye plesand lyfe

Etand of the forbiddin tre

Thare began all our miserrie

Rem. v.

So Adam wes cause Radicall

[Page]That we bene fragyll Synnaris all

Adam brocht in this Natioun

Syn, Deith, and als Dampnatioun

Quho wyll say, he is no Synnar

i. Ioh. i.

Christ sayis, he is ane gret lear

Mankynde sprang furth, of Adamis Loynis

And tuke of hym, flesche, blude, and bonis

And so efter his qualytie

All ar Inclynit Synnaris to be

¶Bot ȝit my Sonne, dispare thow nocht

Expe.

For God that all the warld hes wrocht

Hes maid ane Souerane remede

To saif ws boith frome syn and dede

And frome etarne dampnatioun

Tharefore tak consolatioun

For God as Scripture doith recorde

Haueyng of man Misericorde

Send doun his onelye Sonne Iesu

Quhilk lychtit in one Virgin trew

And cled his heych Diuynitie

With our pure vyle Humanytie

Syne frome our synnis, to conclude

He wysche ws with his precious blude

Apoca. i

Quhowbeit throw Adam, we mon dee

Rom. v.

Throuch that Lord, we sall rasit bee

Hebre. x

And euerilk man, he sall releue

Quhilk in his blude, doith ferme beleue

And bryng ws all vnto his glore

The quhilk throw Adam bene forlore

Without that we throw laik of faith

[Page]Off his Godheid, incur the wraith

Ioh. iii.v

Bot quho in Christ, fermely beleuis

Sall be relcuit frome all myscheuis

Cour.

¶Quhat faith is that, that ȝe call ferme

Schir gar me vnderstand that terme

Expe.

Faith without Hope, and Charitie

Hebr. xi.

Aualit nocht, my Sonne (said he)

Cour.

Quhat Charite bene, that wald I knaw

Expe.

Quod he, my Sonne that sall I schaw

First lufe thy God, aboue all thyng

i. Corin. xiii.

And thy Nychtbour, but fenȝeyng

Do none Iniure, nor villanie

Bot as thow wald wer done to the

Iaco. ii.

Quyk faith, but cheretabyll werkis

Can neuer be, as wryttis Clerkis

More than the fyre, in tyll his mycht

Can be but heit, nor Sonne but lycht

Geue charitie, in to the failis

Thy Faith, nor Hope, no thyng auailis

The Deuyll hes Faith, and trymlis for dreid

Bot he wantis Hope, and lufe in deid

Do all the gude, that may be wrocht

But charitie all auailis nocht

Quharefore pray to the Trinite

For tyll support thy Charite.

¶Now haue I schawin the as I can

Quhow Father Adam the first man

Brocht in the warld, boith Syn and Dede

And quhow Christ Iesu, maid remede

Quhilk on the day of Iugement

[Page]Sall ws delyuer frome torment

And bryng ws to his lestyng glore

Quhilk sall indure for euer more

Bot in this warld thow gettis no rest

I mak it to the manifest

Tharefore my Sonne, be diligent

And lerne for to be patient

And in to God, sett all thy traist

All thyng sall than, cum for the best.

¶Father I thank ȝow hartfullye

Cour.

Off ȝour conforte, and cumpanye

And heuinlye consolatioun

Makand ȝow supplicatioun

Geue I durst put ȝow to sic pyne

That ȝe wald pleis for to defyne

And gar me cleirlye vnderstand

Quhow Adam brak the Lordꝭ command

And quhow throw his transgressioun

Wer punyst his Successioun.

My Sonne (quod he) wald thow tak cure

Expe.

To luke on the Diuyne Scripture

In to the Buke of Genesis

That storye thare, thow sall nocht mis

And alswa syndrie cunnyng Clerkis

Hes done rehers in to thare werkis

Off Adamis fall, full Ornatly

Ane thousand tymes better nor I

Can wrytt, of that vnhappy man

Bot I sall do, the best I can

Schortlie to schaw that cairfull cace

With the support of Goddis grace.

[Page]

Ane exclamatioun to The Redar, Twycheyng the wryttyng of Vulgare, and Maternall Language.

GENTYL Redar, haif at me nō dispyte

Thynkand yt I p̄sumptuously pretend

In vulgair tōng, so heych mat to writ

Bot quhair I mys, I pray ye till amēd

Tyll vnlernit, I wald the cause wer kend

Off our most miserabyll trauell and torment

And quhow in erth, no place bene parmanent

Quhowbeit that diuers deuote cunnyng Clerkis

In Latyne toung hes wryttin syndrie bukis

Our vnlernit knawis lytill of thare werkis

More than thay do the rauyng of the Rukis

Quharefore to Colȝearis, Cairtaris, & to Cukis

To Iok and Thome, my Ryme sall be diractit

With cūnyg men, quhowbeit it wylbe lactit

Thocht euery Cōmoun may nocht be one Clerk.

Nor hes no Leid, except thare toung maternall

Quhy suld of god, the maruellous heuinly werk

Be hid frome thame, I thynk it nocht fraternall

The father of heuin, quhilk wes, & is Eternall

Exo. xx.

To Moyses gaif, the Law on mont Senay

Nocht in to Greik, nor Latyne, I heir say.

He wrait the Law, in Tablis hard of stone

In thare awin vulgare language of Hebrew

[Page]That all the bairnis of Israell euery one

Mycht knaw the law, and so the sam ensew

Had he done wryt, in Latyne or in Grew

It had to thame bene bot ane sawrles Iest

Ȝe may weill wytt, God wrocht all for the best.

☞ Arristotyll, nor Plato, I heir sane.

Wrait nocht thare hie Philosophie naturall

In Duche, nor Dence, nor toung Italiane

Bot in thare most ornate toung maternall

Quhose fame, and name doith ryng perpetuall

Famous Virgill, the Prince of Poetrie

Nor Cicero, the flour of Oratrie

Wrait nocht in Caldye language nor in Grew

Nor ȝit in to the language Saraȝene

Nor in the naturall language of Hebrew

Bot in the Romane toung as may be sene

Quhilk wes thair proper language, as I wene

Quhen Romanis rang Dominatorꝭ in deid

The Ornat Latyne, wes thare propir leid

In the mene tyme, quhē yt thir bauld Romance

Ouer all the warld had the Dominioun

Maid Latyne Scolis thare glore for tyll auance

That thare language mycht be ouer all cōmoun

To that intent, be my Opinioun

Traistyng that thare Impyre sulde ay Indure

Bot of fortune, alway thay wer nocht sure

¶Off Languagis, the first Diuersytie

Wes maid be Goddis Maledictioun

Gene. xi.

[Page]Quhen Babilone wes beildit in calde

Those beildaris, gat none vther afflictioun

Affore the tyme of that punyssioun

Wes bot one toung, quhilk Adam spak hym self

Quhare now of toungis, thare bene thre score and twelf

Nochtwithstandyng, I thynk it gret plesour

Quhare cunnyng men hes languagis anew

That in thare ȝouth, be deligent laubour

Hes leirnit Latyne, Greik, and ald Hebrew

That I am nocht of that sorte, sore I rew

Quharefore I wald all bukis necessare

For our faith, wer in tyll our toung vulgare

Actis .ii.

Christ efter his glorious Ascentioun

Tyll his Disciplis send the holy Spreit

In toungis of fyre, to that intentioun

Thay beand of all languagis repleit

Throuch all the warld with wordis fair and sweit

Tyll euery man the faith, thay suld furth schaw

In thare awin leid, delyuerand thame the Law.

Tharefore I thynk one gret dirisioun.

To heir thir Nunnis, & Systerꝭ, nycht and day.

Syngand and sayand psalmes and orisoun

Nocht vnderstandyng quhat thay syng nor say

Bot lyke one stirlyng or ane Papingay

Quhilk leirnit ar, to speik be lang vsage

Thame I compair, to byrdis in ane cage.

[Page]

Rycht so Childreyng, and Ladyis of honouris

Prayis in Latyne, to thame ane vncuth leid

Mumland yair matynis, euinsang & yare houris

Thare Pater Noster, Aue. and thare Creid

It wer als plesand to thare spreit in deid

God haue mercy on me, for to say thus

As to say, Miserere Mei Deus.

Sanct Ierome in his propir toung Romane

The Law of God, he trewlie did translait

Out of Hebrew, and Greik, in Latyne plane

Quhilk hes bene hid frōe ws lang tyme god wait

Onto this tyme, bot efter myne consait

Had Sanct Ierome bene borne in tyll Argyle

In to Yrische tōng, his bukis had done compyle

Prudent sanct Paull doith mak narratioun

Twycheyng the diuers leid of euery land

i Cor. xii [...] ▪

Sayand thare bene more edificatioun

In fyue wordis that folk doith vnderstand

Nor to pronunce of wordis ten thousand

In strange langage sine wait not quhat it menis

I thynk sic pattryng is not worth twa prenis.

☞Vnlernit peple, on the holy day.

Solemnitlye thay heir the Euangell soung

Nocht knawyng quhat, ye preist dois sing nor say

Bot as ane Bell, quhen that thay heir it roung

Ȝit wald the Preistis, in to thare mother toung

Pas to the Pulpitt, and that doctryne declare

Tyll lawid pepyll, it wer more necessare.

[Page]

¶ I wald Prelattis, and Doctouris of the Law

With ws lawid peple, wer nocht discontent

Thocht we in to our vulgare toung did knaw

Off Christ Iesu, the lyfe and Testament

And quhow that we sulde keip commandiment

Bot in our language, lat ws pray and reid

Our Pater Noster. Aue. and our Creid.

¶I wald sum Prince, of gret Discretioun.

In vulgare language, planelye gart translait

The neidfull lawis, of this Regioun

Than wald thare nocht, be half so gret debait

Amang ws peple of the law estait

Geue euery man, the veryte did knaw

We nedit nocht to treit thir men of law.

Tyll do our nychtbour wrang, we wald be war

Gyf we did feir, the lawis punysment

Thare wald nocht be, sic brawlyng at the bar

Nor men of law, loup to sic royall rent

To keip the law, gyf all men war content

And ilk man do, as he wald be done to

The Iugis wald get lytill thyng ado,

¶The Propheit Dauid Kyng of Israell.

Compyld the plesand Psalmes of the Psaltair

In his awin propir toung as I heir tell

And Salamone, quhilk wes his sone and air

Did mak his buke, in tyll his toung vulgare

Quhy suld nocht thare sayng, be tyll ws schawin

In our language, I wald the cause wer knawin.

[Page]

Lat Doctoris wrytt thare curious questionis

And argumentis, sawin full of Sophistrye

Thare Logick, and thare heych Opinionis

Thare dirk Iugementis, of Astronomye

Thare Medecyne, and thare Philosophye

Latt Poetꝭ schaw, thare glorious Ingyne

As euer thay pleis, in Greik, or in Latyne.

¶Bot lat ws haif the bukis necessare.

To commoun weill and our Saluatioun

Iustlye translatit, in our toung Vulgare

And als I mak the Supplicatioun

O gentyll Redar, haif none Indignatioun

Thynkand I mell me with so hie matair

Now to my purpose, fordwart wyll I fair.

FINIS.

❧ Heir followis the Creatioun of Adam, and Eue.

QVHEN God had maid ye heuinīs brycht

The Sone, & Mone, for to geue lycht

The sterry heuin, & Christellyne

And be his Sapience diuyne

Gen. i.

The planetꝭ in yair circlis round

Quhirling about wt merie sound

Off quhome Phebus, was principall

Iuste in his Lyne Eclipticall

And gaue be Diuyne Sapience

[Page]Tyll euery Ster thare Influence

With motioun continuall

Quhilk doith indure perpetuall

And farrest frome the heuin Impyre

The erth, the walter, air, and fyre

He cled the erth, with herbis, and treis

All kynd of fysches in the seis

All kynd of best, he did prepair

With fowlis, fleyng in the air

Thus be his word, all thyng was wrocht

Without materiall maid of nocht

So be his wysedome Infinyte

All wes maid plesand and perfyte,

Quhen heuin, and erth, and thare contentis

Wer endit with thare Ornamentis

Than last of all, the Lord began

Off most vyle erth, to mak the man

Nocht of the Lille, nor the Rose

Nor Sypertre, as I suppose

Nother of gold, nor precious stonis

Off erth he maid flesche blude and bonis

To that intent, God maid hym thus

That man sulde nocht be glorious

Nor in hym self, no thyng suld se

Bot matere of humylite

Quhen man wes maid, as I haue tald

Gene. ii.

God in his face, did hym behald

Brathand in hym, ane lyflie spreit

Quhen all thir werkis wer compleit

He maid man, to his simylitude

[Page]Precelland in to pulchritude

Dotit with gyftis of Nature

Aboue all erthlye creature

Syne plesandlye did hym conuoye

To ane regioun repleit with Ioye

Off all plesour, quhilk bair the pryce

And callit erthly Paradyce

And brocht be Diuyne prouience

All beistis, and byrdis, tyll his presence

Adam did craftelye Impone

Ane speciall name, tyll euery one

And to all thyngis materiall

He namyt thame in speciall

Quhow he thame namyt ȝitt bene kend

And salbe to the warldlis end

In to that gardyng of plesance

Two treis grew, most tyll auance

Aboue all vther, quhilk bair the pryce

In myddis of that Paradyce

The one wes callit the tre of lyfe

The vther tre, began our stryfe

The tre to knaw boith gude and euyll

Quhilk be perswatioun of the Deuyll

Began our misarie and wo

Bot lat ws to our purpose go.

¶Quhow God gaue Adam strait commāde

That tre to twyche, nocht with his hand

All vther fructis of Paradyce

He had hym eit at his deuyce

Sayand gyf thow eit of this tre

[Page]With dowbyll deith, than sall thow dee

Tharefore I the command be war

And frome this tree, thow stand afar

Ȝitt Father Adam wes allone

But cumpanye of ony one

Than thocht the Lord, it Necessare

Tyll hym to Creat ane helpare

¶God patt in Adam sic Sapour

That for to sleip, he tuke plesour

And laid hym down apone the grounde

And quhen Adam wes slepand sounde

He tuke ane Rib, furth of his syde

Syne fyld it vp, with flesche and hyde

And maid ane Woman of that bone

Fairar of forme, wes neuer none

Than tyll Adam Incontinent

That fair Lady, he did present

Quhilk schortlye said, for to conclude

Thow art my flesche, my bonis, and blude

And Virago, he callit hir than

Quhilk is Interpreit, maid of man

Quhilk Eua, efterwart wes namyt

Quhen for hir falt, sche wes diffamyt

Than did the Lord thame Sanctyfie

Saying Incres, and Multyplie

Be this, men suld leif all thare kyn

And with thare Wyffis mak dwellyn

And for thare saik, leif Father and Mother

And lufe thame best, aboue all vther

[Page]For God hes ordanit thame trewlye

To be two saulis, in one bodye

¶My wytt is waik, for tyll Indyte

Thare heuinlye plesouris Infinyte

Wes neuer none, erthlye Creature

Sen syne had sic perfyte plesoure

Thay had puyssance Imperiall

Aboue all thyng materiall

Als cunnyng Clerkis, dois conclude

Adam preceld, in pulchritude

Most Naturall and the farest man

That euir wes sen the warld began

Cxcept Christ Iesu, Goddis Sonne

To quhome wes no comparisone

And Eua, the fairest Creature

That euer wes formit be nature

Thocht thay wer naikit, as thay wer maid

No schame ather, of vther haid

Quhat plesour mycht ane man haif more

Nor haif his Lady hym before

So lustye, plesand, and perfyte

Reddy to serue his appetyte

Thay had none vther cure I wys

Bot past thare tyme, with Ioye and blys

Wyld Beistis, did to thame repair

So did the Fowlis of the air

With noyis most Angelycall

Makand thame myrthis Musicall

The fyschis soumand in the strandis

[Page]Wer holelye at thare commandis

All Creaturꝭ with ane accorde

Obeyit hym, as thare souerane Lorde

Thay sufferit nother heit, nor cald

With euery plesour that thay wald

Als to the deith, thay wer nocht thrall

And rychtso suld we haue bene all

For he and all his Successouris

Suld haue possedit those plesouris

Syne frome that Ioye materiall

Gone to the glore Imperiall

Thay had geue I can rycht discryue

Gret Ioy, in all thare wyttis fyue

In heiryng, seyng, gustyng, smellyng

Induryng thare delytesum dwellyng

Heiryng the byrdis armoneis

Taistyng the fructis, of diuers treis

Smellyng the balmye dulce odouris

Quhilk did proceid, frome fragrant flowris

Seyng so mony heuinlye hewis

Off blomes brekyng on the bewis

Off twycheyng als, thay had delyte

Off vtheris bodeis, soft and quhyte

But doute, Induryng that plesour

Thay lussit vther Paramour

No maruell bene thocht swa suld be

Consyderyng thare gret bewte

Als God gaue thame command expres

To multyplie, and tyll incres

[Page]That thare seid, and successioun

Mycht pleneis euery Natioun

¶I lyst nocht tarye tyll declare

All properteis of that place preclare

Quhow herbis, and treis, grew ay grene

Nor of the temporat air serene

Quhow fructis, Indeficient

Ay alyke rype and redolent

Nor of the Fontane, nor the fludis

Nor of the flowris pulchritudis

That mater Clerkis dois declare

Quharefore I speik of thame na mare

The Scripture makꝭ no mentioun

Quhow lang thay rang in that Regioun

Bot I beleue, the tyme wes schorte

As diuers Doctouris dois reporte

FINIS

❧ Of the Miserabyll Transgressioun of Adam.

❧ FATHER? Hov happinnit ye mischance

(Quod I) schaw me the circumstance

Declaryng me that cairfull cace

Cour.

Quhow Adam lost that plesand place

Frome hym and his Successioun

Quhow did proceid that transgressioun

(Quod he) efter my rude Ingyne

I sall rehers the that rewyne

Expe.

[Page]Quhen God the Plasmatour of all

In to the heuin Imperiall

Did Creat all the Angellꝭ brycht

He maid one Angell, most of mycht

To quhome he gaif preheminence

Aboue thame all in sapience

Because all vther he did prefer

Namit he wes brycht Lucefer

He wes so plesand, and so fair

He thocht hym self, without compair

And grew so gay and glorious

He gan to be presumptuous

And thocht that he wald sett his sait

In to the north and mak bebait

Agane the Maiestie Diuyne

Quhilk wes the cause of his rewyne

For he incurrit Goddis Yre

And banyst frome the heuin Impyre

With Angellis mony one Legioun

Quhilkꝭ wer of his opinioun

Innumerabyll, with hym thare fell

Sum lychtit in the lawest hell

Sum in the sey did mak repair

Sum in the erth, sum in the air

That most vnhappy cumpanye

Att Father Adam had Inuye

Parsaueyng Adam, and his seid

In to thare places to succeid

Gene. iii.

The Serpent, wes the subtellest

Aboue all beistis and craftyest

[Page]Than Sathan, with ane fals intent

Did enter in to that Serpent

Imagenyng sum craftye wyle

Quhow he mycht Adam best begyle

And gar hym brek commandiment

Bot to the woman, first he went

Traistyng the better to preuaill

Full subtellye did hir assaill

With facund wordis, fals and fair

He grew with hir familiair

That he his purpose mycht auance

Beleuand in hir, Inconstance

¶ Quhat is the cause, Madame (said he)

That ȝe forbeir, ȝone plesand tre

Quhilk bene but peir most pretious

Quhose fruct bene moste delytious

I Nyll (quod sche) thare to accord

We ar forbyddin, be the Lord

The quhilk hes geuin ws lybertie

Tyll eait of euery fruct and tre

Quhilk growis in to Paradyse

Brek we command, we ar nocht wyse

He gaue tyll ws ane strait command

That tre to twyche, nocht with our hand

Eit we of it, without remede

He said but dout, we sulde be dede

Beleue nocht that (said the Serpent)

Eit ȝe of it, Incontinent

Repleit ȝe sall be with Science

[Page]And haif perfyte Intelligence

Lyke God hym self, of euyll and gude

Than haistellye for to conclude

Heiryng of this prerogatyue

Sche pullit doun the fruct belyue

Throw counsall of the fals Serpent

And eit of it, to that intent

And patt hir Husband in beleue

That plesand fruct, gyf he wald preue

That he suld be als Sapient

As the gret God Omnipotent

Thynk ȝe nocht that ane plesand thyng

That we lyke God, suld euer ryng

He herand this Narratioun

And be hir solistatioun

Mouit be prydefull ambitioun

He eit on that conditioun

The principall poyntis, of this offence

War pryde, and Inobedience

Desyring for to be Equall

To God, the Creature of all

Allace Adam, quhy did thow so

Quhy causit thow this mortall wo

Had thow bene constant firme and stabyll

Thy glore had bene Incomparabyll

Quhare wes thy consyderatioun

Quhilk had the Dominatioun

Off euery leuyng Creature

That God had formit be Nature

[Page]Tyll vse thame at thy awin d [...]uyse

Wes thow nocht prince of Paradyse

Wes neuer man, sen syne on lyue

That God gaue sic Prerogatyue

He gaif the strenth, aboue Sampsone

And sapience more than Salomone

Ȝoung Absolone, in his tyme moste fair

To thy bewte, wes no compair

Arestotyll, thow did precell

In to Phylosophie, naturell

Virgill in tyll his Poetrye

Nor Cicero, in tyll Oratrye

War neuer half so Eloquent

Quhy brak thow Goddꝭ commandiment

Quhare wes thy wytt, that wald nocht flee

Far frome the presens of that tree

Gaif nocht thy Maker the fre wyll

To take the gude, and leif the euyll

Quhow mycht thy forfalt be excusit

That Goddꝭ commandiment refusit

Throuch thy wyffis perswasioun

Quhilk hes bene the occasioun

Sen syne that mony nobyll men

Be the euyll counsall of wemen

Alluterlye distroyit bene

As in the Storeis may be sene

Quhilk now, we neid nocht tyll declair

Bot fordwart tyll our purpose fair.

[Page]Quhen thay had eaitin of the frute

Off Ioye, than wer thay destitute

Than gan thay boith, for to thynk schame

And to be naikit, thocht defame

And maid thame Breikꝭ, of leuis grene

That thair secreitꝭ, suld nocht be sene

Bot in the stait of Innocence

Thay had none sic experience

Bot quhen thay war to Syn subiectit

To schame and dreid, thay war coactit

And in ane busk, thay hid thame cloce

Aschamit of the Lordis voce

Quhilk callit Adam be his name

(Quod he) my Lord, I thynk gret schame

Naikit to cum, to thy presence

Thow had none sic experience

Quod God, quhen thow wes Innocent

Quhy brake thow my commandiment

Allace (quod Adam) to the Lorde

The veritie, I sall recorde

This woman that thow gaif to me

Gart me eit, of ȝone plesand tre

Rychtso the woman hir excusit

And said, the Serpent me abusit

Than to the Serpent, God said thus

O thow Dissauer venimous

Because the woman, thow begylit

Frome thyne furth, sall thow be exylit

Curst and waryit, sall thow be

[Page]So sall thy seid, be efter the

Cauld erth, salbe thy fude also

And creipand on thy breist sall go

Als I sall putt Inamite

Betuix the woman euer and the

Betuix thy seid, and womanis seid

Salbe continuall mortall feid

Quhowbeit thow hes wrocht thir myscheuis

It sall nocht be as thow beleuis

Sic seid salbe in woman sawin

That thy power, salbe doun thrawin

Treddyng thy heid, that thow may feill

And thow sall tred hym on the heill

This was his promys, and menyng

That the Immaculat Virgyng

Sulde beir the Prince Omnipotent

Quhilk suld tred doun, that fals Serpent

Sathan, and all his companye

And thame confunde alluterlye.

Quod I, geue Sathan prince of hell

Cour.

Spak in the Serpent as ȝe tell

And beistis can no way syn at all

Quhy wes the Serpent maid so thrall

I heir men say affore that hour

The Serpent had ane fair figour

And ȝeid straucht vp vpone his feit

And had his membris all compleit

As vtheris beistis vpone the bent

[Page]

Expe.

(Quod he) for he wes Instrument

To Sathan, in this Miserie

Puneist he wes, as ȝe may se

As be experience thow may knaw

Expres in to the commoun Law

Ane man conuickit for bewgrye

The beist is brynt, als weill as he

Quhowbeit the beist be Innocent

And so befell, of the Serpent

It was the Feynd, sull of dispyte

Off Adamis fall, quhilk had the wyte

As he hes had of mony mo

Bot tyll our purpose lat ws go.

¶Than to the woman, for hir offence

God did pronunce, this sore sentence

All plesour, that thow had afforrow

Sall cheangit be in lestyng sorrow

Quhare that thow suld, with myrth and Ioy

Haue borne thy byrth, butt pane or noy

Now all thy bairnis sall thow bair

With dolour, and continuall cair

And thow salbe, for oucht thow can

Euer subiectit to the man

Be this sentence, God did conclude

Wemen frome lybertie denude

Quhilk be experience ȝe may se

Quhow Quenis, of moste hie degre

Ar vnder moste subiectioun

And sufferis moste correctioun

[Page]For thay lyke byrdis in tyll ane cage

Ar keipit ay vnder thirlage

So all wemen in thare degre

Suld to thare men, subiectit be

Quhowbeit sum ȝit wyll stryue for stait

And for the maistrye mak debait

Quhilk gyf thay want, boith ewin and morrow

Thare men wyll suffer mekle sorrow

Off Eue, thay tak that qualite

To desyre Soueranite

And than tyll Adam, said the Lord

Because that thow hes done accord

Thy wyll, and harknit to thy wyfe

Now sall thow lose this plesand lyfe

Thow wes tyll hir obedient

Bot thow brake my commandiment

Curste and baren, the erth salbe

Quhare euer thow gois, tyll that thow de

But laubour, it sall beir no corne

Bot Thirsyll, Nettyll, Breir, and Thorne

For fude, thow gettis none vther beild

Bot eait the herbis, apone the feild

Sore laubouryng, tyll thy browis sweit

Frome thyne furth, sall thow wyn thy meit

I maid the of the erth certane

And thow in erth, sall turne agane

Than maid he thame Abilȝement

Off skynnis, ane raggit rayment

[Page]Thame to preserue frome heit and cauld

Than grew thare dolour mony fauld

Now Adam ar ȝe lyke tyll ws

With ȝour gay garment glorious

To thame thir wordis, said the Lorde

Than cryit thay boith Misericorde

Quhen frome that Garth, with hartis sore

Baneist thay wer, for euer more

On to this wracheit vaill of sorrow

With daylie laubour ewin and morrow

Efter quhose dolorous departyng

The Lord gaue Paradyce in kepyng

Tyll ane Angell of Ierubin

That none suld haue entres thare in

Att the quhilk entres, he did stand

With flammand fyrie sweird in hand

To keip that Adam, and his wyfe

Sulde nocht taist of, the tre of lyfe

For geue thay of that tre had preuit

Perpetuallye, thay mycht haue leuit

So Adam, and his Successioun

Off Paradyce, tynt possessioun

And be this syn Originall

War men to Miserie maid thrall

My Sonne now may thow cleirly se

This warld began with misere

With miserie, it doith proceid

Quhose fyne sall dolour be and dreid

Cour.

Father (quod I) quhat kynd of lyfe

[Page]Led Adam with his lustye wyfe

Efter thare bailfull banesyng?

(Quod he) continuall womentyng

Expe.

My hart hes ȝitt compassioun

Quhow thay went wandryng vp and doun

Weipyng with mony lowde allace

That thay had lost, that plesand place

In wyldernes to be exilde

Quhare thay fand nocht, bot beistis wylde

Manesyng thame, for tyll deuore

Quhilkꝭ all obedient war affore.

Father (quod I) in quhat countre

Cour.

Did leif Adam, efter that he

Was banesit frome that delyte

Clerkis (quod he) hes put in wryte

Quhow Adam dwelt, with mekle baill

Expe.

In Mamber, in that lusty vaill

Quhilk efter was, the Iowis land

Quhare ȝit his Sepulture dois stand

I lyste nocht tary, tyll discryue

Gene. iiii

The wo of Adam, nor his wyue

Nor tell, quhen thay had Sonnis two

Cayn, and Abell, and no mo

Nor quhow curst Cayn, for Inuy

Did slay his Brother creuelly

Nor of thare murnyng, nor thare mone

Quhen thay but Sonnis, wer left allone

Abell lay slane, vpone the ground

Curst Cayn flemit, and Vagabound

[Page]Nor quhow God of his speciall grace

Send thame the thrid Sonne fair of face

Most lyke Adam, of slesche and blude

Seth was his name, gratious and gude

Nor quhow blynd Lameth, raikleslye

Did slay Cayn, vnhappelye

Adam as Clerkis dois discriue

Begat with Eue his wofull wyue

Off men Childryng thretty and two

And of Dochteris alyke also

Be this thow may weill vnderstand

That Adam saw, mony ane thowsand

That of his body, did discend

Or he out of the warld did wend

Gene. v.

Adam leifit in erth, but weir

Compleit, nyne hundreth and thretty ȝeir

And all his dayis war bot sorrow

Rememberyng boith ewin and morrow

Off Paradyce, the prosperitie

Syne of his gret miseritie

His hart mycht neuer be reiosit

Remembryng quhow the heuin wes closit

Frome hym and his successioun

And that be his transgressioun

Efter his deith, as I heir tell

His Saul discendit to the hell

And thare remanit presoneir

In that Dungeoun, thre thousand ȝeir

And more, so did boith euyll and gude

[Page]Tyll Christ for thame, had sched his blude

Than be that most precious ransoun

Thay wer delyuerit of presoun

I haue declarit now as I can

The miserie of the first man.

FINIS.

Heir followis quhov God Distroyit all Leueand Creature in erth, for Syn, And Drownit thame be ane Terribyll Flude, in the tyme of Noye.

PRVDENT Father Experience.

Cour.

Declare to me, or ȝe go hence

Quhat wes the cause, God did distroye

All Creature in the tyme of Noye

(Quod he) I trymmyll for to tell

That Infortune, quhow it befell

Expe.

The cause bene so abhominabyll

And the mater so miserabyll

Bot for to schaw the Circumstance

Manefestlye of that myschance

First I mon gar the vnderstand

Quhow Adam gaif expresse command

Gene vi.

[Page]That those quhilkꝭ come of Sethis blude

Because thay wer gratious and gude

Suld nocht contract with Cainnis kyn

Quhilkꝭ wer Inclynit all to Syn,

Tyll obserue that commandiment

Cain past in the Orient

With his wyfe, callit Calmana

Quhilk was his awin Syster alswa

Quhare his ofspryng, did lang remane

Besyde the Montane of Tarbane

And Seth did lang tyme lede his lyfe

With Delbora, his prudent wyfe

Quhilk wes his Syster gude and fair

In Damassene, maid thare repair

In that countre of Sethis clan

Discendit mony holy man

So lang as Adam wes leueand

The peple did obserue command

Quhen he wes dede, and laid in ground

And peple greitly did abound

And Cayn slane, as I haue schawin

And Sethis dayis, all ouer blawin

The Sonnis than of Sethis blude

Seand the plesand pulchritude

Off the Ladyis, of Caynnis kyn

Quhowbeit thay knew weill, it wes Syn

Opprest with sensuall lustis rage

Did tak thame in to Mariage

And so corruptit wes that blude

The gude with euyll, and euyll with gude

[Page]Than as the peple did incres

Thay did abound in wickitnes

As holy Scripture dois rehers

Quhilk I abhor, to putt in vers

Or tell with toung, I am nocht abyll

The suthe bene so abhominabyll

Quhow men, and wemen, schamefullye

Abusit thame selfꝭ, vnnaturallye

Quhose foull abhominatioun

And vncouthe fornicatioun

I thynk gret schame, to putt in wryte

All that Paull Orose, doith indyte

Quhilk gyf I wald at lenth declair

It wer yneuch, to fyill the air

Gret Clerkꝭ of Antiquiteis

Hes wryttin mony trew storeis

Quhilkꝭ ar worthy to be commendit

Quhowbeit thay be nocht comprehendit

At lenth in the Diuyne Scripture

Bot I sall do my besye cure

To tak the best (as I suppose)

That moste pertenis my purpose

And with support, of Christ our kyng

I purpose to confirme no thyng

Off the Auld Hystoricience

Contrarious, tyll his excellence

Quhowbeit sum mennis Traditionis

Contrar Chrystis Institutionis

Off thame thocht sum thyng I declair

[Page]Now latt ws proceid forthermair

And with ane Language lamentabyll

Declare this mater miserabyll,

Cour.

¶Father the causis wald I knaw

Quhy thay of nature, brak the Law

Expe.

I traist (quod he) that wyckitnes

Generith throw sleuthfull ydilnes

The Deuyll with all the craft he can

Quhen he persauis ane ydill man

Or woman geuin tyll ydilnes

He gettis eaisalye entres

And so be this occasioun

And be the Feindis perswasioun

The hole warld vniuersalye

Corruptit was alluterlye.

Cour.

Quhat wes the cause, thay ydill ware

That cace (quod I) to me declare

Expe,

(Quod he) be my Imaginatioun

For laik of vertuous Occupatioun

For of Craftꝭ, thay had small vsage

Off Marchandyce, nor lawborage

The erth than wes so plentuous

Off fruct, and Spyce, delicious

The herbis wer so confortabyll

Delytesum and Medicinabyll

The Fontannis fresche and redolent

To laubouryng, thay tuke lytill tent

All maner of beistis at thare plesour

Did multyplie, without laubour

[Page]The tyme betuix Adam and Noye

To se the erth, it wes gret Ioye

Plantit with precious treis of pryce

Four famous Fludis of Paradyce

Ran throw the erth, in syndrie partis

Spreddyng thare branchis, in all airtis

The walter was so strang and fyne

Thay wald nocht laubour to mak wyne

The fruct, and herbis, wer so gude

Thay maid no cair, for vther fude

And so the peple tuke no cure

Bot past thare tyme, at thare plesure

Ay fyndand new Inuentionis

To fulfyll thare Intentionis

So that the Lord Omnipotent

That he maid man, did hym repent

And schew on tyll his Seruand Noye

That he wald all the warld distroye

Except hym self, and his Meinȝe

Allace (quod Noye) quhen sall that be?

Than said the Lord, sen thow so speris

I sall Prolong, sax score of ȝeris

Tarying vpone thare repentence

Or I fulfyll my Iust Sentence

In the mene tyme, fall thow to warke

Incontinent, and beild ane Arke

Quhilk Noye began, Obedientlye

And wrocht on it Continuallye

And to the peple daylie precheit

[Page]To cry for grace, he to thame techeit

And to thame planelye did declair

That God his wand no more wald spair

Bot on thame he wald wyrk vengence

To Noye ȝit gaue thay no credence

And so thay wer Incounsolabyll

Vsyng thare luste abhominabyll

And tuke his precheyng in dispyte

Ay followyng thare foull delyte

More and more, tyll that dulefull day

Quhilk all the warld, pat in affray

Cour.

¶Father, ȝe gart me vnderstand

Quhen Adam brak the Lordꝭ command

Tyll agment his afflictioun

God gaue his Maledictioun

On to the erth, quhilk wes so fair

That it suld barren be, and bair

And without laubour beir no corne

Nor fruct, bot thirsyll, breir, and thorne

Now say ȝe in, the tyme of Noye

To se the erth, it wes gret Ioye

Plantit with fructis gude and fair

The suthe of this, to me declair

Thir sayingꝭ two, gar me consydder

Quhow ȝe mak thame, agre to gydder

God maid that promys, sickerlye

Quhowbeit, it come nocht instantlye

Expe.

(Quod he) as Clerkis dois conclude

Bot efter quhen the furious Flude

[Page]Distroyit the erth, alluterlye

Than come that promys sickerlye

Ewin siclyke as God gaue command

Adam to twyche nocht with his hand

Nor eait of the, forbiddin tree

Geue he did so, that he sulde dee

Quhowbeit he deit nocht but weir

Efter that day nyne hundreth ȝeir

Rychtso the Propheit Esayas

Esay .ix.

Speikand of Christ, the gret Messias

Sayand the Bairne, is tyll ws borne

To saif mankynd quhilk is forlorne

As he had bene borne Instantlye

Ȝit wes he nocht borne veralye

Efter that saying mony one ȝeir

As in the Scripture, thow may heir

Ane thousand ȝeir, quho reknyth rycht

Is bot one hour, in Goddis sycht

ii. Pet. iii

Exemplis mony, I mycht tell

Wer it nocht tedious, for to dwell

Tyll our purpose, latt ws proceid

Schawand the heycht, and lenth and breid

And qualitie, of Noyis Arke

Quhilk wes ane rycht excellent warke

Off Pyne tre, maid bound weill about

Laid ouer with pik, within and out

Iunit full close, with nalis strong

And wes thre hundreth Cubittꝭ long

Fifty in breid, thretty in heycht

[Page]Thre Chalmeris Iunit weill and wycht

And euerilk loft, aboue ane vther

Withouttin anker, air, or ruther

Ane rycht Cubeit, as I heir tell

Off misour now, mycht be ane ell

In the myd syde, ane dur thare wes

For Beistis, ane easy entres

This Ark quhilk was boith lang and lairge

Maid in the bodum, lyke one Bairge

Couerit with burdis weill abufe

Moste lyke ane housse, with sett on rufe

Quhose rigyng wes ane Cubeit braid

Quharein thare wes, ane wyndo maid

Sum sayis, weill closit with Christall cleir

Quharethrouch the day lycht, mycht weil appeir

This Work the more wes to be prysit

Because be God, it wes deuysit

Gen. vii.

The makyng of this Ark, but weir

Indurit weill ane hundreth ȝeir

¶Quhē Noye had done compleit this wark.

God did hym close, within the Ark

With hym his Wyfe, and Sonnis thre

With thare thre Wyfis, but mo menȝe

And of all foulis of the air

Off euerilk kynd, enterit ane pair

Rychtso two Beistis, of euerilk kynde

For quhy, it wes the Lordis mynde

That generatioun suld nocht faill

Quharefor of Fameill, and of Maill

[Page]Off euerilk kynd wer keipit two

Bot to rehers, myne hart is wo

The dolent Lamentatioun

That tyme of euerilk Natioun

Sayand allace ane thousand syis

Quhen wynd, and rane, began to ryis

The Roikꝭ with rerd, began to ryue

Quhen vglie cluddis, did ouerdryue

And dirkynnit so, the Heuinnis brycht

That Sonne, nor Mone, mycht schaw no lycht,

The terrabyll trymling of erth quaik

Gart Biggyngis bow, and Cieteis schaik

The thounder raif, the cluddis sabyll

With horrabyll sound, appouentabyll

The fyreflauchtis flew, ouerthorte the fellis

Than wes thare nocht, bot ȝowtis and ȝellis

Quhen thay persauit, without remede

All Creature, to suffer dede

All Fontanis frome the erth vp sprang

And frome the Heuin, the rane doun dang

Fourty dayis, and fourty nychtis

Than ran the Peple, to the heychtis

Sum clam in cragis, sum in treis

And sum to heychast montanis fleis

With more terrour nor I can tell

Bot all for nocht, the fludis fell

And wynd did rowt, with sic ane reird

That euerilk wycht, waryit his weird

Cryand allace, that thay wer borne

[Page]Into that flude, to be forlorne

Men mycht no help, mak to thare wyfis

Nor ȝit support thare bairnis lyfis

The Fludis rose, with so gret mychtis

That thay ouer couerit all the heychtis

Thay mycht no more, thare lyuis lenth

Bot swame so lang, as thay had strenth

And so with cryis Lamentabyll

Endit thare lyuis Miserabyll

Aboue montanis, that wer moste hie

Fifty Cubitis, rose the see

Men may Imagyne in thare mynd

All Creature, in to thare kynd

Boith Beistꝭ, and Foulis in the air

In thare maneir, maid mekle cair

The Fyschis thocht thame euyll begyld

Quhen thay swame throuch the woddis wyld

Quhalis tumbland amang the treis

Wyld Beistis, swomand in the seis

Byrdis with mony pietuous pew

Afferitlye in the air thay flew

So lang as thay had strenth to flee

Syne swatterit doun in to the see

No thyng in erth, wes left on lyue

Beistis, nor Foulis, Man, nor Wyue,

God holelye did thame distroye

Except thame in the Ark with Noye

The quhilk lay fleittand on the flude

Welterand amang the stremes wode

[Page]With mony terrabyll affrayis

Remanit ane hundreth and fyfty dayis

In gret langour, and heuynes

Or wynd, or rane, began to ceis

Sumtyme effectuouslye prayand

Sumtyme the Beistis vesiand

For be the Lordis commandiment

He maid prouisioun suffecient

For Noye dwelt in that Ark but dout

Ane ȝeir compleit, or he come out

Quhow at more lenth, in holy wryte

This dulefull storye, bene Indyte

Gen. viii

And quhow that Noye, gan to reiose

Quhen Conductis of the heuin did close

So that the Rane, no more discendit

Nor the flude, no more ascendit

Quhen he persauit the heuinnis cleir

He send furth Corbe Messingeir

In to the Air, for to espy

Geue he saw ony montanis dry

Sum sayis the Rauin, did furth remane

And come nocht to the Ark agane

Furth flew the Dow, at Noyis command

And quhen scho did persaue dry land

Off ane Olyue, scho brak ane branche

That Noye mycht knaw the walter stanche

And thare no more, scho did sudiorne

Bot with the branche, scho did returne

That Noye mycht cleirly vnderstand

[Page]That felloun Flude, was decressand

And so it did, tyll at the last

The Ark vpone the ground stak fast

On the tope of ane Montane hye

Into the land of Armanye

And quhen that Noye, had done espye

Quhow that the erth, began to drye

Than dang he doun, the durris all

And lowsit thame, the quhilk wes thrall

The foulis flew, furth in the air

And all the Beistis, pair, and pair

Past furth to seik, thare pastorages

Thare wes than, bot aucht Personages

Noye, his thre Sonnis, and thare wyuis

On erth, that left was with thare lyuis

Quhome God did blys, and Sanctyfie

Sayand incres, and multyplie

God wait geue Noye, wes blyith and glaid

Quhen of that presoun, he wes fraid

Quhen Noye had maid, his Sacrifyce.

Thankand God, of his Benifyce

He standand on mont Armanye

Quhare he the countre, mycht espye

Ȝe may beleue, his hart was sore

Seyng the erth, quhilk wes affore

The Flude so plesand, and perfyte

Quhilk to behald, wes gret delyte

That now was barren maid and bair

Afore, quhilk fructuous was and fair

[Page]The plesand treis, beryng fructis

Wer lyand rewin vp, be the rutis

The holsum herbis, and fragrant flouris

Had tynt boith vertew, and cullouris

The feildis grene, and fluryst meidis

Wer spulȝeit of thare plesand weidis

The erth quhilk first, wes so fair formit

Wes be that furious flude deformit

Quhare vmquhyle wer, the plesand planis

Wer holkit Glennis, and hie montanis

Frome clattryng cragis, gret and gray

The erth was weschin, quyte away

❧Bot Noye, had gretast displesouris

Behauldand, the dede Creatouris

Quhilk wes ane sycht, rycht Lamentabyll

Men, Wemen, Beistis, Innumerabyll

Seyng thame ly, vpone the landis

And sum wer fleityng on the strandis

Quhalis, and Monstouris, of the seis

Stickit on stobbis, amang the treis

And quhen the Flude was decressand

Thay wer left welteryng on the land

Affore the Flude, duryng that space

The sey wes all, in to ane place

Rycht so the erth, as bene desydit

In syndrie partis, wes nocht deuydit

As bene Ewrope, and Asia

Deuydit ar, frome Africa

Ȝe se now diuers Famous Ilis

[Page]Stand frome the mane land mony mylis

All thir gret Ilis, I vnderstand

War than equall, with the ferme land

Thare wes none sey, Mediterrane

Bot onely, the gret Occiane

Quhilk did nocht spred, sic bulryng strandis

As it dois now, ouirthort the landis

Than be the ragyng of that flude

The erth of vertew, wes denude

The quhilk afore, wes to be prysit

Quhose bewtie than, wes dissogysit

Than wes the Maledictioun knawin

Quhilk wes be God, tyll Adam schawin

I reid quhow Clerkis dois conclude

Induryng that moste furious flude

With quhilk the erth, wes so supprest

The wynd blew furth, of the southwest

As may be sene, be experience

Quhow throw the watterꝭ violence

The heych montanis, in euery art

Ar bair forgane, the southwest part

As the Montanis, of Parraneis

The alpis, and Rochis, in the seis

Rycht so the Rochis, gret and gray

Quhilk standis into Norroway

The heychast hyllis, in euery art

And in Scotland, for the moste part

Throuch weltryng of, that furious flude

The Cragis of erth, war maid denude

[Page]Trauellyng men, may consydder best

The montanis bair, nyxt the southwest

¶Declare (quod I) or ȝe conclude

Cour.

Quhow lang leuit Noye, efter the flude

(Quod he) in Genesis, thow may heir

Expe.

Quhow that Noye, wes sax hundreth ȝeir

The tyme of this gret punysment

Gene. ix.

And aye to God obedient

And wes the best of Sethis blude

And als he leuit efter the Flude

Thre hundreth and fyfty ȝeris

As the sam scripture wytnes beris

And wes or he Randerit the spreit

Nyne hundreth, and fyfty ȝerꝭ compleit

To schaw this storie Miserabyll

At lenth my wyttis ar nocht abyll

And als my Sonne, as I suppose

It langis nocht tyll our purpose

To schaw quhow Noyis Sonnis thre

Gan to Incres and multyplie

Nor quhow that Noye, plantit the wyne

And drank tyll he wes dronkin syne

And sleipit with his membris bair

And quhow Cham, maid for hym no cair

Bot leuch, to se his Father so

Quhowbeit his Brether wer rycht wo

Nor quhow Noye, but restrictioun

Gaue Cham his Maledictioun

And put hym vnder Seruytude

[Page]To Sem and Iaphet, that war gude

Nor quhow God maid ane conuenent

With Noye, to mak no punysment

Nor be no Flude, the peple droun

In signe of that conditioun

His Rane Bow sett, in to the air,

Off diuers Heuinlye colouris fair

For to be ane perpetuall sing

Be Flude to mak no punyssing

This Story, geue thow lyste to knaw

At lenth the Bibyll sall the schaw

FINIS

❧Heir endis the first Part. ❧ And Followis the Secunde Part.

2

2

In the First the Beildyng of Babilone be Nemrod. And quhow kyng Nynus began ye first Monarche. And of thare Ydolatrye. And Quhow Semeramis, Gouernit the Impyre, Efter hir Husbande Kyng Nynus. As Followis.

[Page] ❧ FATHER I pray ȝow to me tell.

Cour.

The First Infortune that befell

Immediatlye efter the Flude

And quho did first, sched saikles blude

And quho Ydolatrye began

¶ (Quod he) I sall do as I can

Expe.

Efter the Flude, I fynde no Storye

Worthy to putt in Memorye

Tyll Nemrod, began to Ryng

Gene. x.

Aboue the Peple, as ane Kyng

Quhilk wes the Principall man of one

That beilder was, of Babilone

☞ That Story Maister, wald I knaw

Cour.

(Quod I) geue ȝe the suthe wald schaw

Quhy, and for quhat occasioun

Thay beildit sic ane strang Dungeoun?

¶Than said to me Experience

Expe.

I sall declare with Deligence

Those Questionis at thy command

Bot first Sonne, thow mon vnderstand

Off Nemrod, the Genologie

His strenth, Curage, and Quantitie

Quhowbeit Moyses, in his first Buke

That Story, lychtlye did ouer Luke

Off hym no more, he doith declare

Except he was ane strang Huntare

Bot vtheris Clerkis Curious

As Oroce doith, and Iosephus

Discryuis Nemrod, at more lenth

Boith of his stature, and his strenth

This Nemrod was, the fourt persoun

[Page]Frome Noye be lyne, discendyng doun

Noye generit Cham, Cham generit Chus

And Chus Nemrod, the suthe bene thus

This Nemrod grew ane man of mycht

That tyme in erth, wes none so wycht

He wes ane Gyane, stout and strang

Perforce wyld beistis, he doun thrang

The peple of that hole Regioun

Come vnder his Dominioun

No man thare wes in all that land

His stalwartnes that durst ganestand

No maruell wes, thocht he wes wycht

Ten Cubitis large, he wes of hycht

Proportionat, in lenth and breid

Afferand to his hycht we reid

He grew so gret and glorious

So prydefull, and presumptuous

That he come Inobedient

To the gret God Omnipotent

This Nemrod was, the principall man

That first Ydolatrye began

Than gart he all the peple call

To his presens, boith gret and small

And in that gret conuentioun

Gene. xi.

Did propone his Intentioun

My Freindis (said he) I mak it knawin

The gret wengeance that God hes schawin

In tyme of our fore Father Noye

Quhen he did all the warld distroye

[Page]And dround thame in ane furious flude

Quharefor I thynk we sulde conclude

Quhov we maye make one strang defence

Aganis sick walteris violence

For to resyste his furious Yre

Contraye boith to flude and fyre

Latt ws go spye sum plesand feilde

Quhare one strang biggyng we maye beilde

One Cityie with ane strang Dungeoun

That none Ingyne may ding it doun

So heych, so thike, so large, and lang,

That Gode tyll ws sall do no wrang

Itt sall surmonte the Planetis, sewin

That we frome Gode, may wyn the hewin

Those peple with one ferme intent

All tyll his counsell did consent

And did espy one plesand place

Harde on the flude of Euphratace

The peple thare did thame prepair

In to the plane feilde of Synear

Quhilk now of Caldie beryth the name

Quhilk did lang tyme flureis in fame.

¶Thare gret Fortres, than did thay founde

And kaiste tyll thay gat souer groune

All fell to warke boith man and chylde

Sum holkit claye, sum brynt the tylde

Nembroth, that curious Campioun

Deuysar wes of that Dungeoun

No thyng thay sparit thare laubouris

[Page]Lyke besy beis vpone the flouris

Or Emettis trauelling in to Iune

Sum vnder wrocht, and sum aboue

With strong Ingenious masonrye

Vpwarte thare weir did fortifye

With [...]rynt tylde stonis, large and wycht

That Towre thay rasit to sic hycht

Abufe the airis Regioun

And Iunit of so strong fassioun

With Syment maid of pyk and tar

Thay vsit none vther mortar

Thocht fyre or walter it assalit

Contrare that Dungeoun nocht aualit

The land aboute wes fair and plane

And it rose lyke one heych montane

Those fuliche peple did intende

That to the Hewin, it sulde ascende

So gret one strenth wes neuir sene

In to the warld with mennis eine

¶ The wallis of that wark thay maid

Two and fyftye faldome braid

One faldome than as sum men sayis

Mycht bene two faldome in our dayis

One man wes th [...]n of more stature

Nor two be now thareof be sure.

¶Iosephus haldis opinioun

Sayand the heycht of this Dungeoun

Off large pasis of mesure bene

[Page]Fyue thousande, aucht score, and fourtene

Be this raknyng, it is fuil rycht

Sax mylis, and ane half in hycht

Ane thousande pais tak for ane myle

And thow sall fynd it neir that style

This towre in compass round aboute

Wer mylis ten, withouttin doute

Aboute the Cetie of stagis

Foure houndreth, and four score I wys

And be this nommer in compas

Aboute, three score of mylis It was

And as Orotius reportis

Thare wes fyue score of brasin portis.

¶ The translatour of Orotius

In tyll his Cronicle wryttis thus

That quhen the Sonne is at the hycht

Att nonne quhen it doith schyne most brycht

The schaddow of that hydduous strenth

Sax myle and more, it is of lenth

Thus maye ȝe Iuge in to ȝour thocht

Gyfe Babilone be heych or nocht.

IFNIS.

Quhov god maid the Dyuersitie of Languagis. And maid Impediment to the Beildaris of Babilone

[Page]

Expe.

THAN the gret God Omnipotent

To quhom al thingis bene p̄sent

That wer, and is, and euir salbe

Ar present tyll his Maiestie

The hid secretis of mānis hart

From his p̄sens may not depart

He seand the Ambitioun

And the prydefull Presumptioun

Quhov thir proude peple did pretende

Vpe throuch the heuinnis, tyll ascende

Quhilk wes gret folye tyll deuyse

Sick one presumptuous interpryse

For quhen thay wer moste delygent

Gode maid thame sick impediment

Thay wer constranit with hartis sore

Frome thyne depart and beild no more

Sick Languagis on thame he laid

That none wyste quhat ane vthir said

Quhare wos bot ane Language affore

Gode send thame Languagis three schore

¶ Affore that tyme all spak Ebrew

Than sum began for to speik Grew

Sum Duche, sum language Sarazyne

And sum began to speik Latyne

The Maister men, gan to go wylde

Cryand for treis, thay brocht thame tylde

Sum said bryng mortar heir atonis

Than brocht thay to thame stoks, and stonis.

¶ And Nembroth, thare gret Campioun

[Page]Ran rageand lyke one wylde Lyoun

Manassyng thame with wordis rude

Bot neuir one worde thay vnderstude

Affore thay fand hym gude and kynde

Bot than thay thocht hym by his mynde

Quhen he so furiouslie did flyte

Than turnit his pryde, in to dispyte

So dirk Eclipsit wes his glore

Quhen thay wald wyrk for him no more

¶Beholde quhov God wes so gratious

To thame quhilk wer so outtragious

He nother braik thare leggis nor armis

Nor ȝit did thame none vther harmis

Except of toungis diuysioun

And for fynall conclusioun

Constranit thay wer for tyll depart

Ilke cumpanye in one syndrie arte

Sum paste in to the Orient

And sum in to, the Occident

Sum south, sum north, as thay thocht best

And so thare poleysie left west

Bot quhov that Citie wes reparit

Heir efter it salbe declarit.

FINIS.

Of the first inuentiōn of Ydolatrie. Quhow Nembroth, compeld the Peple tyll adore the Fyre in Caldia.

[Page]

Cour.

NOVV Schir (said I) schaw me the man▪

Quhilk first Ydolatrie began

That sall I do with all my hart

Expe.

My Sonne (said he) or we depart

Quhen Nembroth saw his purpose falit

And his gret laubour nocht aualit

In maner of contemptioun

Departit furth of that regioun

And as Orotius, doith rehers

He past in to the land of Pers

And mony one ȝeir, did thare remane

And syne to Babilone come agane

And fand huge peple of Caldie

Remanand in that gret Citie

That wer glaid of his returnyng

And did obey hym as thare kyng

Nembroth his name for tyll auance

Amang tham maid new ordinance

Sayand I think ȝe ar nocht wyce

That to none God, makis Sacrifyce

¶ Than to fulfyll his fals desyre

He gart be maid ane flammand fyre

And maid it of sic breid and hycht

He gart it byrn boith day and nycht

Than all the peple of that land

Adorit the fyre at his commmand

Prosternit on thare kneis and facis

Beseikand thare new God of gracis

To gyf thame more occasioun

[Page]He maid thame gret perswasioun

This God (said he) is moist of mycht

Schawand his bemys on the nycht

Quhen Sonne, and Monne, ar baith obscu [...]e

His he winlie brychtnes doith indure

Quhen mennis memberris sufferit calde

Fyre warmyth thame ewin as thay walde

¶Than cryit the Peple at his desyre

Thare is no God, except the fyre

Or thare was ony Ymagerie

Began this first Ydolatrie

Att that tyme, thare wes none vsage

To carue, nor for to paynt Image

Than maid he proclamatioun

Quho maid nocht adoratioun

To that new God, without remede

In to that fyre, sulde suffer dede

I fynd no man in to that lande

His tyrannie that durste ganestande

Bot Habraham, and Aram his brother

That disobeyit, I fynd none vther

Quhilk dwelland war, in that cuntre

With thare Father callit Thaire

Thir brether Nembroth, did repreue

Sayand tyll hym, Lord with ȝour leue

This fyre, is bot ane Element

Praye ȝe to God Omnipotent

Quhilk maid the Heuinnis, be his mycht

Sonne, Monne, and sterris, to gyf lycht

[Page]He maid the fyschis in the seis

The erth, with beistis, herbis, and treis,

And last of all, for to conclude

He maid Man to his similitude

To that gret God gyfe pryse and glore

Quhose Ring induris euermore.

¶ Than Nembroth in his furious yre

Thir brether boith keste in the the fyre

Habraham be God, he wes preseruit

Bot Aram in the fyre he staruit

Quhen Thara, harde his sonne wes dede

He did depart out of that stede

With Habraham, Nachor, and thare wyffis

As the Scripture at lynthe discryffis

And left the land of Caldia

And paste to Mesopotamia

And dwelt in Tharan all his dayis

And deit thare, as the story sayis

The lyfe of Habraham, I supose

No thyng langith tyll our purpose

In to the Bibyll thov may reid

His verteous lyfe in worde and deid

Now to the I haue schawin the man

That firste Ydolatrie began.

FINIS.

Of ye gret misere and skaythis that cumis of Weris. And quhow king Nynꝰ began the first weris, and straik the first Battell.

[Page] FATHER I pray ȝov with my hart

Declair to me or we depart

Quho first began thir mortall Weris

Quhilk euerilk faithfull hart efferis

And euere polesye doun thrawis

Express agane the Lordis lawis

Sen Christe, our kyng omnipotent

Left Peace, in tyll his Testament

Quhov doith proceid this creueltie

Aganis Iustice, and Equitie

In lande quhare ony Weris bene

Gret Miserrie thare may be sene

All thyng on erth, that God hes wrocht

Weir, doith distroye and puttis at nocht

Ceteis, with mony strang Dungeoun

Ar brynte, and to the erth, doung doun

Virginis and Matronis, ar deflorit

Templis, that Rychelie bene decorit

Ar brynt and all thare Preistis spulȝeit

Pure Orphelenis vnder feit ar fulȝeit

Mony auld men maid childerles

And mony childer fatherles

Off famous Sculis the Doctryne

Boith natural science and Diuyne

And euerilk vertew trampit doun

No reuerence done to relegioun

Strenthis distroyit alluterlie

Fair Ladyis forcit schamefullie

Ȝoung Wedowis spulȝeit of thare spousis

[Page]Pure Lauborars, houndit frome thare housis

Thare dar no Merchand tak on hand

To trauell nother be sey nor land

For Boucheouris, quhilk dois thame confounde

Sum murdrist bene, and sum ar drounde

Craftis men of curious Ingyne

Alluterlie put to rewyne

The Bestiall reft, the commonnis slane

The land but lauboring doith remane

Off Pollesye, the perfyte warkis

Beildingis, Gardyngis, and plesand parkis

Alluterlie distroyit bene

Gret graingis brynt thare may be sene

Ryches bene turnit to powertie

Plentie in tyll penuritie

Deith, Hounger, Darth, it is weill kende

Off Weir, this is the Fatell ende

Iustice turnit in tyrrannye

All plesour in aduersitye

The Weir, alluterlie doun thrawis

Boith the Ciuill, and Cannoun lawis

Weir, generit Murthour, and myscheif

Sore lamentyng withoute releif

Weir, doith distroye Realmes and kyngis

Gret Princis, weir to presoun bryngis

Weir, scheddis mekle saikles blude

Cour.

Sen I can saye of weir no gude

¶ Declare to me Schir gyf ȝe can

Quho first this Miserrie began

FINIS.

[Page]

❧ Heir followith ane Schorte Discriptioun of the Four Monarchis. ☞ And quhow Kyng Nynus, began the First Monarchie.

OF Weris (said he) the gret outtrage

Began in to the secunde aige

Expe.

Be creuell prydefull, couytous, kyngis

Reuarris but rycht of vtherꝭ ryngis

Quhowbeit Cayam afore the flude

Wes first schedder of saikles blude

Nynus was first and principall man

Quhilk wrangus conquessing began

And was the man withouttin faill

In erth, that straik the first battell

And first Inuentit Imagerye

Quhare throw came gret Idolatrye

¶We moste knaw or we forthair wend

Off quhome king Nynus did discend

Nynus gyf I can rycht defyne

He was frome Noye, the fyft be lyne

Noye, generit Cham, Cham, generit Chus,

And Chus, Nembroth, Nembroth, Bellus,

And Bellus, Nynus, but lesing

Off Assiria, the secund king

And beildar of thar gret Citie

The quhilk was callit Nyniue

[Page]And wes the first and principall man

Quhilk the first Monarchie began.

Cour.

¶ Father (said I) declaire to me

Quhat signifyis one Monarchie

Expe.

The suith (said he) sonne gyfe thov knew

Monarchie bene one terme of Grew

As quhen one Prouince principall

Had hole power Imperiall

During thare Dominationis

Abufe all Kyngis and Nationis

One Monarchie that men doith call

Off quhome I fynd four principall

Quhilk heth rong sen the warld began

Cour.

Than (said I) Father gyf ȝe can?

Quhilk four bene thay, schaw me I pray ȝow

My sone (said he) that sall I say ȝow

Expe.

¶ First rang the kings of Asserianis

Secundlye rang the Persianis

The Grekis thridlye with swerd and fyre

Perfors optenit the thrid Impyre

The fourte Monarche as I heir

The Romanis brukit mony one ȝeir

Latt vs first speik of Nynus king

Quhov he began his Conquessing

¶The auld Greik Historitiane

Diodorus he wryttis plane

Att rycht gret lenth of Nynus king

Off his Impyre and conquessing

And of Semeranus his wyfe

[Page]That tyme the lustyest one lyfe

Itt wer to lang to putt in wryte

Quhilk Diodore heth done indyte

Bot I sall schaw as I suppose

Quhilk maist belangith thy purpose,

¶Quhen Nembroth, Prince of Babilone

Oute of this wrechit warld wes gone

And his Sonne Bellus deid alswa

The first Kyng of Asseria

This Nynus, quhilk wes secunde kyng

Tryumphandlie began tyll ryng

And wes nocht satifyit nor content

Off his awin Regione, nor his rent

Thynkand his glore for tyll aduance

By his gret peple and puissance

Throuch Pryde, Couatyce, and vaine glore

Did hym prepare to conques more

And gadtherit furth ane gret Armie

Contrare Babilone, and Caldie

Quhareof he had ardent desyre

Tyll Iune that land tyll his Impyre

Quhowbeit he had thareto no rycht

Bot by his tyrranry and mycht

Withouttin feir of God or man

His Conquessing thus he began.

¶ His peple beand in arraye

To Caldia tuke the reddy waye

Quhen that the Babilonianis

To gidther with the Caldianis

[Page]Hard tell Kyng Nynus, wes cumand

Maid proclamationis throuch the land

That ilke man efter thare degre

Sulde cum and saif thare awin cuntre

Quhowbeit thay had no vse of weir

Thay past fordwart withouttin feir

And pat thame selfis in gude order

To meit king Nynus on the border

In that tyme ȝe sall vnderstande

Thare wes no harnes in the lande

For tyll defende nor tyll Inuaid

Quharethrow more slauchter thare wes maid

Thay faucht throw strenth of thare bodeis

With gaddis of Irne, with stonis, and treis

¶With sound of horne, and hydduous cry

Thay ruschit to gidther rycht rudly

With hardy hart, and strenth of handis

Tyll thousandis deid, lay on the landis

Quhare men in battell nakit bene

Gret slauchter sone thare may be sene

Thay faucht so lang and creuellie

And with vncertane victorie

No man mycht Iuge, that stude on far

Quho gat the better, nor the war

Bot quhen it did approche the nycht

The Caldianis, thay tuke the flycht

Than the kyng and his cumpanye

Wer rycht glaid of that victorye

Because he wan the first battell

[Page]That strykkin wes in erth, but faill

And peceably of that Regioun

Did tak the hole Dominioun

Than wes he king of Caldia

Alsweill as of Asseria

As for the king of Arrabie

In his conquest maid hym supplie

¶Off this ȝit wes he nocht content

Bot to the Realme of Mede he went

Quhare Farnus king of that cuntre

Did meit hym with one gret armie

Bot king Nynus, the battell wan

Quhare slane wer mony nobyll man

And to that king wald gyf no grace

Bot planelie in one publict place

With his se win Sonnis, and his Ladie

Creuellie did thame Crucifie

Off that tryumphe he did reiose

Syne fordwart to the feilde he gose

Than conquest he Armenia

Perce, Egypt, and Pamphelia

Capadoce, Leid and Maritane

Gaspia, Phrigia▪ and Hyrcane,

All Affrica, and Asia,

Except gret Ynde, and Battria,

Quhilk he did conques efterwart

As ȝe sall heir or we depart

Now wald I or we forthee mend

That his Ydolatrye wer kend

[Page]Syne efter that withoute sudiorne

Tyll our purpose we sall returne.

FINIS.

Quhov king Nynꝰ, Inuentit the First Ydolatrie of Ymagis.

NYNVS one Ymage he gart mak.

For King Bellus, his Fatheris saik

Moist lyke his Father of figoure

Off quantite and portratoure

Off fyne Golde wes that figour maid

Ane crafty Croun apone his haid

With precious stonis in toknyng

His father Bellus wes ane Kyng

In Babilone he ane tempyll maid

Off crafty work boith heych and braid

Quharein that Ymage gloriouslie

Wes thronit vpe tryumphandlie.

¶Than Nynus gaif ane strait command

Tyll all the peple of that land

Alsweill in tyll Asseria

As in Synear, and Caldia

Vnder his Dominatioun

Thay suld make Adoratioun

Apone thare kneis to that figour

Vnder the pane of forfaltour

Thare wes no Lorde in all that land

His summonding that durst ganestand

Than ȝoung, and auld, boith gret and small

[Page]Tyll that Ymage thay prayit all

And cheangit his name as I heir tell

Frome Bellus to thare gret God Bell

In that tempyll he did deuyse

Preistis for tyll mak sacrifyse

Be conswetud than come one law

None vther God that thay wald knaw

And als he gaif to that Ymage

Off Sanctuarie the Priuilage

For quhat sum euer transgressour

One homicede or oppressour

Seand that Ymage in the face

Off thare gylt gat the kyngis grace.

¶Declare to me sweit schir (said I)

Cour.

Wes thare no more Ydolatry

Efter that this fals Idole Bell

Wes thronit vp as ȝe me tell

¶ My Sonne (said he) incontinent

The nowellis throuch the warld thay went

Expe.

Quhow king Nynus, as I haif said

One curious Image he had maid

To the quhilk all his natioun

Maid deuote adoratioun

Than euerye cuntre tuke consait

Thay wald king Nynus contrafait

Quhen ony famous man wes deid

Sett vp one Image in his steid

Quhilk thay did honour frome the splene

As it Immortall God had bene

[Page]Imagis sum maid for the nonis

Off fyne gold, sum of stokis and stonis

Off syluer sum, and Euyr bone

With diuers namis tyll eueryone

For sum thay callit Saturnus

Sum Iupiter, sum Neptunus

And sum thay callit Cupido

Thare god of lufe, and sum Pluto

Thay callit sum Mercurius

And sum the wyndie Eolus

Sum Mars, maid lyke ane man of weir

Inarmit weill with sword and speir

Sum Bacchus, and sum Apollo

Off namis thay had ane houndreth mo

¶ And quhen one Lady of gret fame

Wes dede, for tyll exalt hir name

One Image of hir portratour

Wald set vpe in one oratour

The quhilk thay callit thare goddes

As Venus, Iuno, and Palles

Sum Cleo, sum Proserpina

Sum Ceres, Vesta, and Diana

And sum the gret goddes Mynarue

With curious collouris thay wald carue

Amang the Poetis, thow may see

Off fals godꝭ the genologee

¶So thir abhominationis

Did spred ouerthort all nationis

Except gude Habraham, as we reid

[Page]Quhilk honourit God, in [...]

For Habraham had his beginny [...]

In to the tyme of Nynus king

Nynus began with tyrranrie

And Habraham with humy [...]itie

Nynus began the first Impyre

Habraham of weir, had no d [...]syre

Nynus began Idolatrye

Habraham, in spreit and veritye

He prayit to the Lorde allone

Fals Imagry he wald haue none

Off hym discendit I heir tell

The twelf gret Trybis of Israell

Those peple maid adoratioun

With humyll supplicatioun

Tyll hym quhilk wes of kyngis king

That hewin and erth, maid of no thing

Dede Ymagis, thay held at nocht

That wer with mennis handis wrocht

Bot the almychtie God of lyue

My sonne now haif I done discryue

Thir questionis at thy command

The quhilkis thow did at me demand

¶Quhat wes the cause (schir mak me sure)

Cour.

Ydolatrye did so lang indure

Outthrouch the warld so generalie

And with the Gentilis specialie

(Quod he) sum causis principall

I fynd in my memoriall

First wes throuch princis commandiment

Quhilk did ydolatrye inuent

[Page]With thare gret deuilische god Dagone

With vtheris Idolis mony one

Bot I abhore the treuth to tell

Off the Princis of Israell

Chosin be God Omnipotent

Quhow thay brak his commandiment

iii. Reg. xi.

Kyng Salomone, as the scripture sayis

He doitit in his latter dayis

His wantoun wyffis, to compleis

He curit nocht God, tyll displeis

And did committ Idolatrye

Wyrschipyng caruit Ymagerye

As Moloch, god of Ammonitis

And Chamos, god of Moabitis

Astaroth, god of Sydoniains

So for his inobediens

And fowle abhominatioun

Wer puneist his successioun

His sonne Roboam, I heir tell

Tynt the ten Trybis of Israell

For his fatheris Ydolatrye

As in the scrpture thow may see.

FINIS.

¶ Off Imageis vsit amang cristin men.

[Page] FATHER ȝit ane thyng I wald speir

Cour.

Behald in euery kirk and queir

Throuch Christindome in burgh and land

Imageis maid with mennis hand

To quhome bene gyffin diuers names

Sum Peter, and Paull, sum Ihone, & Iames,

Sanct Peter caruit with his keyis

Sanct Mychaell with his wyngꝭ and weyis

Sanct Katherine, with hir swerd and quheill

Ane hynde sett vp besyde sanct Geill

It war to lang for tyll discryue

Sanct Frances with his woundis fyue

Sanct Tredwall, als thare may be sene

Quhilk on ane prik heth boyth hir eine

Sanct Paull weill payntit with ane sworde

As he wald feycht, at the first worde

Sanct Apollin on altare standis

With all hir tethe in tyll hir handis

Sanct Rochoe weill seisit men may se

Ane byill new brokin on his thye

Sanct Eloy he doith staitly stand

Ane new hors schoo in tyll his hand

Sanct ringane of ane rottin stoke

Sanct Duthow boird out of ane bloke

Sanct Androw with his croce in hand

Sanct George vpone ane hors rydand

Sanct Anthone sett vp with ane soow

Sanct Bryde, weill caruit with ane koow

[Page]With coistlye colouris fyne and fair

Ane thousand mo I mycht declair

As sanct Cosma and Damiane

The Sowtars sanct Crispaniane

All thir on altare staitly standis

Preistis cryand for thare offrandis

To quhome we Communnis on our kneis

Doith wyrschip all thir Imagereis

In Kirk, in Queir, and in the closter

Prayand to thame our Pater noster

In pylgramage frome town to toun

With offrand, and with orisoun

To thame aye babland on our beidis

That thay wald help ws in our neidis

Quhat differꝭ this, declare to me

Frome the Gentilis Idolatrye

Expe.

¶Gyff that be trew that thow reportis

Itt goith rycht neir thir samyn sortis

Bot we be counsall of Clargye

Hes lycence to mak Imagerye

Quhilk of vnleirnit bene the buikis

For quhen lauid folk vpone thame luikis

Itt bryngith to rememberance

Off Sanctis lyuis the circumstance

Quhow the faith for to fortifye

Thay sufferit pane rycht pacientlye

Seand the Image of the Rude

Men suld remember on the Blude

Quhilk Christ in tyll his Passioun

[Page]Did sched for our Saluatioun

Or quhen thow seis ane portrature

Off blyssit Marie Virgen pure

One bony Babe vpone hir kne

Than in thy mynde remember the

The wordis quhilks the Propheit said

Quhow sche suld be boith Mother and Maid

¶Bot quho that sittis doun on thare kneis

Prayand tyll ony Imagereis

With oritioun or offerand

Kneland with cap in to thare hand

No difference bene, I say to the

Frome the Gentilis Idolatrye

¶Rycht so of diuers nationis

I reid abominationis

Quhow Grekis maid thare deuotioun haill

To Mars, to saif thame in battaill

Tyll Iupiter, sum tuke thare vayage

To saif thame frome the stormys rage

Sum prayit to Venus, frome the splene

That thay thare luffis mycht obtene

And sum to Iuno, for ryches

Thare pylgramage thay wald addres

¶So doith our commoun populare

Quhilk war to lang for tyll declare

Thare superstitious pylgramageis

To mony diuers Imageis

Sum to sanct Rochee with deligence

To saif thame frome the pestilence

[Page]Forthare teith, to sanct Apollene

To sanct Tredwell, to mend thare eine

Sum makis offrande to sanct Eloye

That he thare hors may weill conuoye

Thay ryn, quhen thay haif Iowellis tynte

To seik sanct Syith, or euer thay stynte

And to sanct Germane to get remeid

For maladeis in to thare heid

Thay bryng mad men on fuit and horsse

And byndis thame to sanct Mongose crosse

To sanct Barbara, thay cry full faste

To saif thame frome the thonder blaste

For gude nouellis as I heir tell

Sum takis thare gait to Gabriell

Sum wyffis sanct Margret doith exhort

In to thare byrth thame to support

To sanct Anthony to saif the soow

To sanct Bryde to keip calf, and koow

To sanct Bastien, thay ryn and ryde

That frome the schote he saif thare syde

And sum in hope to gett thare haill

Rynnis to the auld Rude of Kerraill

Quhowbeit thir simpyll peple rude

Think thare intentioun be bot gude

Wo be to Preistꝭ, I say for me

Quhilk suld schaw thame the verratie

Prelatis quhilkis hes of thame the cure

Sall mak answeir thareof be sure

On the gret day of Iugement

[Page]Quhen no tyme beis for to repent

Quhare manyfest Idolatrye

Sall puneist be perpetuallye.

❧ Heir followis [...] Exclamatioun aganis Idolatrie,

IMPRVDENT Peple, Ignorant and blynd

By quhat reasone, law, or authoritie

Or quhat attentyck scripture can ȝe fynd

Leifsum for tyll commyt Idolatrie

Quhilk bene to bow ȝour body or ȝour kne

With deuote humyll adoratioun

Tyll ony Ydoll maid of stone or tre

Geueand thame offerand or oblatioun

Quhy did ȝe gyf the honour laude and glore

Pertenyng God (quhilk maid all thyng of nocht

Quhilk wes, and is, and salbe euirmore)

Tyll Ymagis by mennis handis wrocht

O fulysche folke, quhy haif ȝe succour socht

Off thame quhilk can nocht help ȝow in distres

Ȝit reasonably reuolfe in to ȝour thocht

In stok, nor stone can be non holynes.

¶ In the desert, the peple of Israell

Moyses remanyng in the mont Synaye

Thay maid one moltin Calf, of fyne mettell

Quhilk thay did honour as thare God verraye

Exodi. xxxii.

Bot quhen Moyses discendit I heir saye

And did consydder thare Ydolatrye

[Page]Off that peple, thre thousand gart he slaye

As the scripture at lenth doith testifye.

Daniell .xiiii.

¶ Because the holye propheit Daniell.

In Babilone Ydolatrie, repreuit

And wald nocht worschip thare fals Idoll Bell

The hole peple at hym wer so aggreuit

To that effect, that he suld be myscheuit

Delyuerit hym tyll rampand Lyonis sewin

Bot of that dangerous den, he wes releuit

Throuch myrakle of, the gret God of hewin

¶ Behald quhow Nabuchodonosor king

Dan. iii.

In to the vaill of Duran, did prepare

One Image of fyne Gold, one meruallous thing

Thre score of cubyts, heycht and saxin square

As more cleirlye thescripture doith declare

To quhome all peple by proclamatioun

With bodeis bowit, and on thare kneis bare

Rycht humelye maid adoratioun.

¶Ane gret wounder, that day wes sene also.

Quhow Nabuchodonosor, in his yre

Tuke Sydrach, Misach, and Abednago,

Quhilks wald nocht bow thare kne at his desyre

Tyll that Idoll, gart kast thame in the fyre

For to be brynt, or he sterit of that steid

Quhen he beleuit, thay wer brynt bone and lyre

Wes nocht consumit, one small hair of thair heid

¶ The Angell of the Lord wes wt thame sene.

[Page]In that hait furneis passing vpe and doun

In tyll ane rosye Garth, as thay had bene

None spott of fyre, distenyng cote, nor goun

Off victorie, thay did obtene the croun

And wer to thame, that maid adoratioun

To that Ydoll, or bowit thare body doun

One wytnessing of thare dampnatioun

Quhat wes the cause, at me? thow may demande

That Salomone. vsit none Ymagrye

In his tryumphand Tempyll for tyll stande

Off Abraham, Ysac, Iacobe, nor Iesse

Nor of Moyses, thare sauegarde throuch the see

Nor Iosue, thare valȝeant Campioun

Because God did command the contrarye

That thay sulde vse sic superstitioun

¶Behald quhow the gret God Omnipotent

To preserue Israell, frome Idolatrye

Exodi. xx

Deut. v.

Derectit thame one strait commandiment

Thay suld nocht mak, none caruit ymagrye

Nother of gold, of syluer, stone, nor tre

Nor gyf worschip tyll ony simlytude

Beand in hewin, in erth, nor in the see

Bot onelye tyll his souerane celsitude

¶The Propheit Dauid, planely did repreue

Baru. vi.

Ydolatrye to thare confutioun

In grauit stok, or stone, that did beleue

Declaryng thame thare gret abutioun

Spekand in maner of dirysioun

[Page]Quhow dede Idolis, be mennis handis wrocht

Quham thay honourit, with humyll orisioun

Wer in the markat daylie sauld and bocht

☞ The Deuyllis seand the euyll conditioun

Off the Gentylis, and thare vnfaithfulnes

For tyll agment, thare superstitioun

In those Ydolis, thay maid thare entres

And in thame spak, as storyis doith expres

Than men beleuit of thame to gett releif

Askand thame help, in all thare besynes

Bot finallye that turnit to thare myscheif

¶ Traist weill in thame, is none Diuinitie

Quhen reik, & rowst, thare fair colour doith faid

Thocht thay haue feit, one fute thay can not flee

Quhowbeit the tempyll byrn aboue thair haid

In thame is nother freindschip nor remaid

In sic fyguris, quhat fauour can ȝe fynd

With mouth and eris, & eine thocht thay be maid

All men may se. thay ar dum, deif, and blynd

Quhowbeit thay fal doun flatlyngis on the flure

Thay haif none strenth thare self to rais agane

Thocht Rattonis ouir yame ryn thay tak no cure

Quhowbeit yai breik yare neck, thay feil no pane

Quhy sulde men psalmes to thame sing or sane

Sen growand treis, that ȝeirly berith frute

Ar more to pryse, I mak it to the plane

Nor cuttit stockis, wanting boith crope and rute

[Page]

☞ Off Edinburgh, the gret Idolatrye.

And manifest abominatioun

On thare feist day, all creature may se

Thay beir ane auld stock Image throuch ye toun

With talbrone, troumpet, schalme, and Clarioun

Quhilk hes bene vsit mony one ȝeir bigone

With preistis, and freris, in to processioun

Siclyke as Bell wes borne throuch Babilone.

¶Aschame ȝe nocht, ȝe seculare prestis and freris

Tyll so gret superstitioun to consent

Ydolateris ȝe haue bene mony ȝeris

Expresse agane the Lordis commandiment

Quharefor brether, I counsall ȝow repent

Gyff no honour, to caruit stock, nor stone

Geue laude and glore, to God Omnipotent

Allanerlie, as wyselie wryttis Ihone.

¶ Fy on ȝow Freris, that vsis for to preche.

And dois assist to sic Idolatrye

Quhy do ȝe nocht, the Ignorant peple teche

Quhow ane dede Image, caruit of one tre

As it wer holy, suld nocht honourit be

Nor borne on Burges backis vp and doun

Bot ȝe schaw planely ȝour Ipocrasie

Quhen ȝe passe formest in processioun

¶Fy on ȝow fostraris of Idolatrye

That tyll ane dede stock dois sic reuerence

[Page]In presens of the peple, publykelie

Feir ȝe nocht God, to commit sic offence

I counsall ȝow do ȝit ȝour diligence

To gar suppresse, sic gret abusioun

Do ȝe nocht so, I dreid ȝour recompence

Salbe nocht ellis, bot clene confusioun

Had sanct Frances, bene borne out throuch ye toun

Or sanct Domnick, thocht ȝe had nocht refusit

With thame tyll haif past in processioun

In tyll that cais, sum wald haif ȝow excusit

Now men may see, quhow that ȝe haue abusit

That nobyll town, throuch ȝour Ipocrasye

Those peple trowis, that thay may rycht weil vsit

Quhen ȝe pas with thame in to cumpanye.

¶Sum of ȝow hes bene quyet counsallouris.

Prouocand princis, to sched saikles blude

Quhilk neuir did ȝour prudent predecessouris

Bot ȝe lyke furious Phariceis denude

Off charitie, quhilk rent Christ on the rude

For Christis floke, without malyce or yre

Conuertit fragyll faltouris I conclude

Be Goddis worde, withouttin sweird or fyre

Reid ȝe nocht quhow, yt Christ hes gyffin cōmand

Math. xviii.

Gyff thy brother doith oucht the tyll offend

Than secretlye correct hym hand for hand

In freindly maner, or thow forther wend

Gyff he wyll nocht heir the, than makit kend

Tyll one or two, be trew narratioun.

[Page]Gyf he for thame wyll nocht his mys amend

Declare hym to the congregatioun

¶And gyf he ȝit remanith obstinat

And to the holy kirk Incounsolable

Than lyke ane Turke, hald hym excomminicat

And with all faithfull folk abhominabyll

Banysing hym, that he be no more able

To dwell amang the faithfull cumpanye

Quhen he repentis, be nocht vnmerciable

Bot hym ressaue agane rycht tenderlye

¶Bot our dum Doctoris, of Diuinitie

And ȝe of the last fonde religioun

Off pure Transgressouris, ȝe haue no petie

Bot cryis to put thame to confusioun

As cryit the Iowis, for the effusioun

Off Christis blude in to thare byrnand yre

Crucifige, so ȝe with one vnioun

Cryis, fy, gar cast that faltour in the fyre

Vnmercifull memberis, of the Antichrist

Roma. xvi.

Extolland ȝour humane traditione

Contrar the Institutione of Christ

Ephe. v.

Effeir ȝe nocht, Diuine punytione

Thocht sum of ȝow be gude of conditione

Reddy for to ressaue new recent wyne

I speik to ȝow, auld bosis, of perditione

Returne in tyme, or ȝe ryn to rewyne.

[Page]

.iii. Reg. xviii.

¶As ran the peruerst Prophetis of Baall.

Quhilkis did consent, to the Idolatrye

Off wickit Achab king of Israell

Quhose nommer wer, four hundreth and fyftie

Quhilkis honourit that Idoll opinlye

Bot quhen Elias, did preue thare abusioun

He gart the peple sla thame creuellye

So at one hour, came thare confusioun.

☞I pray ȝow prent in ȝour remembrance.

Quhow the reid Freris, for thare Idolatrye

In Scotland, Ingland, Spane, Italy, & France

Vpone one day, wer puneissit pietuouslye

Behald quhow ȝour awin brether now laitlye

In Duchelād, Inglād, Dēmark, and Norowaye

Ar trampit doun, with thare Ipocrasye

And as the snaw, ar meltit clene awaye

I maruell yat our Byschoppis thynkꝭ no schame

To gyf ȝow freris sic preheminens

Tyll vse thare office, to thare gret diffame

Precheing for thame in opin audiens

Bot mycht A Byschope eik tyll his awin expens▪

For ilk Sermone ten Ducatis in his hand

He wald or he did want that recompens

Go preche hym self, boith in to buigh and land,

¶ I traist to se gude reformatione

Frome tyme we gett ane faihfull prudent king

Quhilk knawis the treuth, and his vocatione

[Page]All Publicanis, I traist he wyll doun thring

And wyll nocht suffer in his realme to ring

Corruppit Scrybis, nor fals Pharisiens

Agane the treuth, quhilk planely doith maling

Tyll that kyng cum, we mon tak paciens.

Now fairweill freindis, because I can nocht flyte

Quhowbeit I culde, ȝe mon hald me excusit

Thocht I agane Ydolatrye Indyte

Or thame dispyte that wyl nocht ȝit refusit

I praye to God, that it be no more vsit

Amang the rewlaris of this Regioun

That commoun peple, be no more abusit

Bot gyf hym glore, that bair the creuell croun

Quhilk techeit ws, be his deuine Scripture

Tyll rycht prayer the perfyte reddy way

As wrytith Matthew, in his sext Chepture

In quhat maner, and to quhome we suld pray

One schort compendious orisone euerilk day

Most proffitabyll, for boith body and saull

The quhilk is nocht derectit I heir say

To Ihone, nor Iames, to Peter nor to Paull.

¶Nor none vther of the Apostlis twelf.

Nor to no Sanct, nor Angell in the Hewin

Bot onely tyll our Father God hym self

Quhilk orisione, it doith contene full ewin

Most proffitabyll, for ws petetionis sewin

[Page]Quhilk we lawid folk, the Pater Noster call

Thocht we say Psalmis, nyne ten or alewin

Off all prayer, this bene the principall

Be reasoun of the makkar, quhilk it maid

Quhilk wes the Sonne of God, our Saluiour

Be reasoun als, to quhome it suld be said

Tyll the Father of hewin, our Creatour

Quhilk dwellis nocht, in tempyll nor in tour

He cleirlye seis our thocht, wyll, and intent,

Quhat nedith ws, at vtheris seik succour

Quhen in all place, his power bene present

¶Ȝe princis of the preistis that suld preche

Quhy suffer ȝe so gret abutionn

Quhy do ȝe nocht the sempyll peple teche

Quhow, and to quhome, to dresse thare orisoun

Quhy thole ȝe thame, to ryn frome toun to toun

In Pylgramage, tyll ony Ymagreis

Hopand to gett thare sum Saluatioun

Prayand to thame, deuotlye on thare kneis.

☞This wes the prettike of sum pylgramage,

Quhen fillokis in to Fyfe, began to fon

With Ioke, & Thom, thā tuke thay yare vayage

In Angusse, tyll the feild Chapell of Dron

Than Kyttoke thare als cadye as ane Con

Without regarde, other to Syn or schame

Gaiff Lowre leif, at layser to loupe on

Far better had bene, tyll haif biddin at hame.

[Page]

¶ I haue sene pass, one meruellous multytude.

Ȝong men and wemen flyngand on thare feit

Vnder the forme, of feynit sanctytude

For tyll adore one Image in Loreit

Mony came with thare marrowis for to meit

Committand thare fowll fornicatioun

Sum kyst the claggit taill of the Armeit

Quhy thole ȝe this abominatioun

¶ Off Fornicatioun and Idolatrye

Apperandlye ȝe tak bot lytill cure

Seand the maruellous Infelicitye

Quhilk heth so lang done in this land indure

In ȝour defalt, quhilk heth the charge and cure

This bene of treuth, my Lordis wt ȝour leue

Sic pylgramage heth maid mony one hure

Quhilk gyf I plesit, planelye I mycht preue.

¶Quhy mak ȝe nocht, the scripture manifest.

To pure peple, twyching Idolatrye

In ȝour precheing, quhy haif ȝe nocht exprest

Quhow mony kyngꝭ of Israell creuellye

Wer puneissit be God so rigorouslye

As Ieroboam, and mony mo but doute

For wyrschippyng, of caruit Imagerye

War frome thare realmes rudlye rutit oute

iii. Reg. xiii.

¶Quhy thole ȝe onder ȝour Dominioun.

Ane craftye preist, or fenȝeit fals armeit

Abufe the peple of this Regioun

[Page]Onely for thare perticular profeit

And speciallye that Heremeit of Lawreit

He pat the comoun peple in beleue

That blynd gat seycht, and crukit gat thare feit

The quhilk that palȝard no way can appreue.

Ȝe maryit men, that hes trym wantoun wyffis,

And lusty dochteris, of ȝoung tender aige

Quhose honestie, ȝe suld lufe as ȝour lyffis

Permyt thame nocht, to passe in pylgramage

To seik support, at ony stok Image

For I haue wyttin, gud wemen passe fra hame

Quhilk hes bene trappit, with sic lustis rage

Hes done returne, boith wt gret syn and schame

¶Gett vpe thow slepist all to lang, O Lorde

And mak one haistie reformatioun

On thame quhilk doith tramp doun yi gratious worde

And hes ane deidly Indignatioun

Att thame quhilk makith trew narratioun

Off thy Gospell, schawing the verytie

O Lord I mak the supplicatioun

Supporte our Faith, our Hope, and Charytie.

FINIS.

Heir follouis quhov Kyng Nynus Beildit the gret Citie of Nyniue, And quhow he Vincuste ȝoroastes, the Kyng off Bactria.

[Page] THIS Nynus of Asseria king

Quhē he had maid his ꝯquessīg

To beild one Citie he hym drest

Chosīg ye place quhare he thocht best

Quhare he had first dominioun

In Asseria his awin regioun

Thocht Assur as ye scriptur says

Gene. x.

Quhilk come affore king Nynus dayis

And foundit that famous Citie

The quhilk was callit Nyniue

Bot as rehersis Diodore

Nynus that Citie did decore

So maruellous tryumphantlye

As ȝe sall heir Immedeatlye

Vpone the flude of Euphrates

Quhilk to behauld gret wounder wes

One hundreth and fyftye stagys

That Citie wes of lenth I wys

The wallis one hundreth fute of heycht

No wounder was thocht thay wer wycht

Sick breid abufe the wallis thare was

Thre cartis mycht sydlingꝭ on thame pas

Four hundreth stageis and four score

In circuit but myn or more

Off towris aboute those wallis I wene

Ane thousand, and fyue hundreth bene

Off heycht two hundreth fute and more

As wryttis famous Diodore

The scripture makis mentioun

[Page]

Iona. iii.

¶ Qhen God send Ionas to that toun

To schaw thame of his puneisment

Outthrouch the Citie quhen he went

Thre dayis Iornay, tyll hym it wes

The Bybill sayis it wes no les

Expe.

My Sonne, now haif I schawin to the

Off the beildyng of Nyniue

For the agmentyng of his fame

Nynus gart call it efter his name

☞Quhen he that gret Citie had endit

To conques more ȝit he intendit

And did depart frome Nyniue

And rasit vp one gret arme

Off the most stalwarte men and stoute

Off all his Regionis rounde aboute

In gret ordour tuke thare Iorna

Towarte the realme of Bactria

Off wycht fute men, I vnderstande

He had sewintene hundreth thousande

Withoute hors men and weirlyke cairtis

Quhome he ordourit in sindry partis

Quhilk tyll discryue I am notht abyll

Quhose nummer bene so vntrowabyll.

¶ Zoroastes, that nobyll kyng.

Quhilk Bactria, had in gouernyng

That prudent Prince, as I heir tell

Did in Astronomye precell

And fand the Art of Magica

With naturall science, mony ma

[Page]Seand king Nynus on the feilde

Fordwart he cam with speir and scheilde

Foure hundreth thousand men he wes

In his Armie thare wes no les

And mett king Nynus on the bordoure

Rycht vailȝantlie, and in gude ordoure

On the Vangarde of his Armie

On thame he ruscheit rycht rudelie

And of thame slew as I heir saye

One hundreth thousand men that day

The rest that chapit wer vnslane

To Nynus gret oiste, fled agane

¶Off that king Nynus wes so noyit

He restit neuir tyll he distroyit

All hoill that Regioun vpe and doun

And frome the King, did reif the croun

And maid the realme of Bactria

Subiectit tyll Asseria

And in that samyn land I wys

He tuk to wyfe Semeramis

Quha (as myne Author dois discryue

Was than the lustiest on lyue

That beand done without sudgeorne

Tyll Nyniue he did returne

With gret tryumphe of victorie

As myne Authore dois specifie

Boith Occident, and Orient

War all tyll hym obedient

It wald abhore the tyll heir red

[Page]The saikles blude that he did sched

Quhen he had roung, as thow may heir

The space of thre and fourtye ȝeir

Beand in his excelland glore

The dolent deith, did hym deuore

In quhat sorte, I am nocht certane

Sum Author sayis that he wes slane

And left tyll bruke his Heretage

One lytill Babe of tender aige

Ȝoung Nynus wes the chyldis name

Quhilk efter fluryste in gret fame

Sum sayis that be his wyffis treasoun

Kyng Nynus deit in presoun

As I sall schaw or I hyne fair

Quhow Diodore hath done declair.

FINIS

Heir followis sum of the vvounderfull dedis of the lustie quene Semeramis

NYNVS luffit so Ardentlye

Semeramis, his fair Ladye

Thare wes no thyng scho wald command

Bot al obeyit wes fra hand

Scho seand hym so Amorous

Scho grew proude and presumptuous

And at the king scho did desyre

Fyue dayis to gouerne his Impyre

[Page]And he of his beneuolence

Did grant hir that preheminence

With Sceptour, Crown, and Robroyall

And hole power Imperiall

Tyll fyue dayis wer cum and gone

That scho as king sulde ring allone

¶Than all the Princis of the land

Duryng that tyme maid hir ane band

With bankat Royall myrrellie

Scho treatit thame Tryumphantlie

So the first day the peple all

Came tyll hir seruyce bound and thrall

Bot or the secunde day wes gone

Scho tuke sic glore to ryng allone

Be one decreit maid thame amang

The king scho patt in presone strang

I reid weill of his presoning

Bot nocht of his delyuering

Quhow euir it wes in tyll his flowris

He did of deith, suffer the schowris

And mycht nocht lenth his lyfe one houre

Thocht he wes the first Concreoure

Quhose Conquessing, for to conclude

Wes nocht bot gret schedding of blude

Now haue ȝe hard of Nynus king

Quhow he began, and his ending

Quhowbeid myne Author Diodore

Off hym haith wryttin mekle more

Princis for wrangus conquessing

Doith mak oft tymes ane euyll ending

[Page]Thocht he had lang prosperitie

He endit with miseretie.

FINIS.

❧Off kyng Nynus Sepulture.

THE Quene a sepultur sche maid

Quhar sche kīg Nynꝰ body laid

Off curiꝰ crafty wark & wycht

The quhilk had stagis ix. of hyt[?]

& ten stagis of breid it wes

Diodore saith it wes no les

For aucht Stagis one myle thow tak

And thairefter thy nummer mak

So be this compt, it wes full rycht

One myle, als and one stage of hycht

Except the Towre of Babilone

So heych one wark, I reid of none

¶Semiramis, this lustye Quene

Consyddring quhat dainger bene

To haif on King of tender aige

Quhilk mycht nocht vse no vassalage

Scho tuke one curagious consait

Thinkand that scho wald mak debait

Geue ony maid rebellioun

Contrar hir Sonne, or his Regioun

Quhome sche did foster tenderly

[Page]And kepit hym full quyetly

Scho laid apart hir awin cleithyng

And tuke the Rayment of ane king

Quhen scho wes in tyll Armour dycht

Mycht no man knaw hir be one knycht

Scho valȝeantlye went to the weir

And to gyf battell tuke na feir

Dantyng all Realmes rounde aboute

That all the warld of hir had doute

More fortunat in hir conquessing

Nor wes hir Husband Nynus king.

¶Babilone scho did fortyfie

Templis and towris tryumphandlie

So plesandlye did thame prepair

Quhilk in the erth, had no compair

Quhowbeid Nemrod, of quhome I spake

The hydduous dungeoun he gart make

And of the Citie, the Fundiment

To quhome God maid Impediment

Quhare Nemrod left, thare scho began

And pat to wark mony one man

Off all the Realmes round aboute

Off most Ingyne, scho socht thame oute

Scho had wyrkand with tre and stonis

Twell hundreth thousand men at onis

Go reid the buke of Diodore

And thow sall fynd the nummer more

On euerilk syde of Euphrates

That nobyll Citie beildit wes

And so that ryuer of renown

[Page]Ran throuch the mydpart of the town

Ouerthort that flude scho bryggis maid

Off maruellous strenth, boith lang and braid

Thay wer fyue stagis large of lenth

On euerilk bryg, scho maid ane strenth

The circuit as I said affore

Foure hundreth stagis, and four score

The wallis hycht quho wald discryue

Thre hundreth fute thre score and fyue

Sax Cairtis mycht pas rycht easalie

Abufe the wallis of that Citie

Sydlingis withoute Impediment

Consydder be ȝour Iugement

Geue those wallis wer hie or nocht

And also curiouslye wer wrocht

As Diodore hes done defyne

Quhilk doith transcend my rude Ingyne

Off Babilone the magnificens

To quhome ȝe wald gyf no credens

Geue I at lenth, wald put in wryte

Quhilk Diodore, hes done indyte

Compare of Cities fynd I none

Tyll Nyniue, and Babilone

Frome Nyniue, in Asseria

Tyll Babilone in Caldia

By Bryggis plesandlye ȝe may pas

Vpone the flude of Euphratas

Amang the fludis of Paradyce

This Euphratas maye beir the pryce

[Page]All warkis quhilkis the Quene began

Transcendit the ingyne of man

The proude Quene Pantasilia

The Princes of Amasona

With hir Ladyis tryumphandlye

Att Troye, quhilk faucht so wailȝeantlye

Nor ȝit the fair Madin of France

Danter of Inglis Ordinance

To Semeramis in hir dayis

Wer no compare as bukis sayis

Except tryumphand Iulyus

Strong Hanniball, or Pompeyus

Or Allexander the Concreoure

I fynd no gretter Werioure

¶Wald I rehers as wryttis Clerkis

Hir wounderfull and vailȝeand werkis

It wer to me one gret laubour

And tiddious to the Auditour

Quhat scho did in Ethopia

And in the lande of Medea

Beildand Cities, Castellis, and Towris

Parkis, and Gardyngꝭ, of plesouris

For the exaltyng of hir name

And Immortall to mak hir fane

Off Iarcieus, the heych Montanis

Scho gart ryue down, and mak thame planis

Gret Orontes, that Montane wycht

Twenty and fyue stagis of hycht

Tyll hir Palyce, to draw ane louche

[Page]By fors of men scho raif it throche

☞Had scho kepit hir Chastitie

Scho mycht haue bene one A. perse

Quhen scho had ordorit hir Impyre

Off Venus wark, scho tuke desyre

One secreit Mansioun scho gart mak

Quhare scho maist plesandlye mycht tak

Ȝoung Gentyll men, for hir plesour

The quhilk scho vsit abufe mesour

One man allone, mycht nocht be abyll

To stanche hir luste insaciabyll

Quhen scho wes satifyit of one

Scho gart ane vther cum anone

The Lustiest of all the land

Come quyetlye at hir command

Quhen thay at lenth had lyin hir by

Scho slew thame all rycht creuelly

Quhen hir Sone come tyll aige perfyte

Off hym scho tuke so gret delyte

Scho causit hym with hir to lye

Amang the rest rycht quyetlye

Sum sayis throuch sensuall lustis rage

Scho band hym in to Mariage

And held hym vnder tutorye

To vphald hir auctoritye.

✚FINIS.*

❧Quhov the Quene [Page] Semeramis, with one gret Armie, Past to Yade, And Faucht with the Kyng Stawrobates, And of hir Miserrabyll end.

QVHEN Scho had lang tyme leuit in rest

To cōques more scho hir addrest

Because of diuers scho hard tell

Quhow that the Ynde Orientell,

Expe.

Preceld in gret commoditeis

As Bestiall. Cornis, and fructfull treis

Alkynde of Spyce, delicious

Golde, Syluer, stonis, precious

And quhow that plentuous land did beir

Corne, Frute, and Wyne, twyse in the ȝeir

With Oliphantis Innumerabyll

In Battell wounder tetrabyll

Scho herand this, and mekle more

Beleuand tyll agment hir glore

Gart mak strait Proclamationis

In all, and syndrie Nationis

Schawand quhow it wes hir desyre

All Princis vnder hir Impyre

In Egypt, and Arrabia

In Perce, in Mede, and Caldia

In Grece, in Caspia, and Hyrcane

In Capadoce, Leid, and Maritane

In Armanie and Phrigia

In Pamphilie, and Asseria

That ilke Land efter thare degre

[Page]Sulde bryng tyll hir ane gret Armie

In all the gudlye haist thay may

And meit hir in tyll Bactriay

Declaryng thame that hir intent

Was tyll pas to the Orient

And mak Weir on the king of Ynde

Frome tyme thay knew quhat wes hir myned

Than be thare selfꝭ, ilke Regioun

Come fordwart with thare Garnisoun

Tryumphantlye, in gude array

Tyll Bactria, tuke the reddy way

And maid thare Mostouris to the Quene

Bot sic ane sycht wes neuer sene

In Battell ray so mony one Man

Att onis, sen God the warld began

Bot Spanȝe, France, Scotland, Ingland,

Ducheland, Denmark, nor ȝit Yrland,

War nocht Inhabit in those dayis

Nor lang efter, myne Author sayis

¶ Ethesias, he dois specifie

The noumber of this gret Armie

Sayand thare come at hir command

Fute men, threttye hundreth thousand

Off hors men montit galȝeardlye

Fyue hundreth thousand veralye

One hundreth thousand Camelis wycht

On euerilk Cameill, raid ane knycht

Preparit tyll passe in to all partis

Thare wes ane hundreth thousand Cairtis

[Page]Twoo thousand boittis with hir scho careis

On Hors, Camelis, and Dromodareis

Bryggis for to mak, scho did conclude

Ouerthort Yndus, that furious flude

Quhilk bene of Ynde, the vtmoist bordoure

On the quhilk flude, with rycht gude ordoure

Off hir Bairgis. sche bryggis maid

Quhareon hir gret Oiste, saifly raid

¶ Father I wald men vnderstude

Quhow sic ane maruellous multytude

Cour.

Mycht be attonis, brocht to the feild

Reddy to feycht, with speir and scheild

Sum men wyll Iuge, this be ane fabyll

The mater bene so vntrouabyll

¶Itt may weill be my Sonne (said he)

As be exempyll we may se

Expe.

Quhow Dauid king of Israell

His peple gart nummer and tell

Be Ioab, his cheif Capitane

As holy Scripture schawis plane

Off feychtand men, in to that land

He fand threttyne hundreth thousand

Sen Dauid in that small countre

Mycht haue rasit sic ane Armie

To this Lady, it wes no wounder

The quhilk had greter Realmes ane hunder

Nor Dauidis lytill Regioun

Thocht scho had mony A Legioun

Off men, mo nor I tauld affore.

[Page]Quhareof the Yndianis tuke affray

Apnoe Camelis, and Dromodareis

Those fals figouris, with hir scho careis

Sere Yndianis, quhen thay saw that sycht

Afferitlye thay tuke the flycht

For sic one sycht, wes neuir sene

Gyff naturall beistis thay had bene

The Kyng hym self wes rycht afferit

Tyll he the veritie had sperit

And knew be his exploratouris

Thay wer bot fenȝeit fals figouris

¶ Than manfullye lyke men of weir

Fordwart thay came withouttin feir

Rycht so Semeramis the Quene

Quhilk for one man wes aye fyftene

Thir two Armeis full creuellye

Thay ruscheit to gydder so rudlie

With hyddous cry and trumpettis sound

Tyll thousandis dede laye on the ground

Semeramis had sic one nummeir

Tyll order thame it wes gret cummeir

Than the gret Elephantis of ynde

Rycht strang and hardy of thare kynde

Ford wart thay came and wald nocht ceis

Tyll throcht the myddis of the preis

Off the gret oist, thay rudlye ruscheit

That men and horsse, tyll erth, trabuscheit

Those fenȝeit beistis withouttin spreit

Wer fruschit and fulȝeit vnder feit

[Page]The king of Ynde with curage kene

Mett with Semeramis the quene

He rydand on ane Eliphand

Bot scho with hym faucht hand for hand

And gaif the king so gret assaye

That he wes neuir in sic affraye

To stryke at hym, scho tuke no feir

So weill sche vsit wes in weir

His strakis scho had bot lytill comptit

Wer nocht the king wes so weill montit

Athir at vther straik so faste

Tyll thay wer tyrit at the laste

¶The king he thocht hym self eschamit

With one woman to be diffamit

And wes determit nocht to flee

Thocht in that Battell he suld dee

As man the quhilk disparit bene

He rudely ran vpone the quene

And throuch the arme gaif hir ane wound

Quhilk tyll hir hart gaif sic one stound

That sche constranit wes to fle

Than all the rest of hir Armie

Quhen thay persauit that scho wes gone

Tyll yndus flude, thay fled ilk one

The Quene ouerthort the flude sche raid

On bryggis quhilkis wer of botis maid

With hir one sobir cumpanye

Quhilk with hir fled affraytlie

The Yndianis followit on the chace

[Page]Than on the Bryggis come sic one prace

Off fleand folkis, quhilk wes gret wounder

So that the Bargis krake in schonder

Sum sank, sum doun the reuar ran

Than drownit thare mony one nobyll man

Quhilk wer gret piete tyll deplore

As wryttis famous Diodore.

¶And fynallie for to conclude

Wes neuer sched so mekle blude

At one tyme sen the warld began

Nor slane so mony one saikles man

And all throw the occasioun

And the prydefull perswasioun

Off this ambitious wyckit Quene

Sick one wes neuir hard nor sene

¶Staurobates the king of Ynde

Gretlye Reioysit in his mynde

Off this tryumphe and victorye

Semeramis with hart full sorye

Seand sa mony tane and slane

Tyll hir countre, returnit agane

Lamentand fortunis variance

Quhilk brocht hir to so gret myschance

Affore quhilk wes so fortunat

And than of confort desolat.

¶Hir Sonne one man of perfectioun

Consyddrand his subiectioun

His lybertie he did desyre

That he mychte gouerne his Impyre

[Page]Seand his Mother vitious

And with that so ambitious

As myne Author doith speci [...]ye

He slew his Mother creuellye

Quhat vther cause, or Intentioun

I fynd no speciall Mentioun

Sum sayis, to be at Lybertie

Sum sayis, for hir Adultrie

None vther cause, I can defyne

Except punissioun deuyne.

¶ Off this fair Lady coragious

Behald the endyng dolorous

Quhilk wes bot twenty ȝeir of aige

Quhen scho began hir vassalage

And rang tryumphandlye but weir

The space of two and fourtye ȝeir

Quhen scho wes slane, scho was thre score

With ȝeris two, scho wes no more

As Diodore wryttis in his buke

His Cronikle, quho lyste to luke.

¶Off this Lady I mak ane end

Thynkand no way, I can commend

Wemen for tyll be to manlye

Nor men for tyll be womanlye

For quhy, It bene the Lordis mynde

All Creature tyll vse thare kynde

Men for tyll haue preheminens

And wemen vnder obediens

Thocht all wemen inclynit be

[Page]Tyll haif the Soueranite

As this Lady, quhilk wald nocht rest

Tyll scho hir Husband had subprest

Tyll that intent that scho mycht ryng

Allone to haif the gouernyng

¶Ladyis no way I can commend

Presumptuouslye quhilk doith pretend

Tyll vse the office of ane kyng

Or Realmes tak in gouernyng

Quhowbeit thay wailȝeant be and wycht

Goyng in Battell lyke one knycht

As did proude Pantasilia

The Princes of Amasona

In mennis habyte aganis reassoun

Siclyke I think dirisioun

One prince to be effaminate

Of knychtlye corage desolate

Neglectand his auctoritie

Throuch beistlye sensualitie

Accompanyit boith day and nychtis

With wemen more than wailȝeant knychtis

Sic kyngis, I discommend at all

Exempyll of Sardanapall.

Cour.

¶Father (said I) schaw me quhow lang

The successioun of Nynus rang

Expe.

That sall I do with diligens

My Sonne (said he) or I go hens

Sen I haif schawin at thy disyre

[Page]Quhat man began the first Impyre

Now wald I it wer to the kend

Off that Impyre the fatell end.

FINIS

Quhov king Sardanapalus, for his vitious life maid ane mise [...]abili end.

BETVIX this Conquerour Nynus

And sensuall Sardanapalus

I can nocht fynd no speciall storye

Worthy to put in memorye

Except quhilk I haif done discryfe

Off Semerame king Nynus wyfe

Bot I can fynd no gude at all

To wrytt of kyng Sardanapall

Quhilk wes the saxt and threttye kyng

Be lyne frome Nynus discendyng

At lenth his lyfe for to declare

I thynk it is nocht necessare

Because that mony cunnyng clerkis

Hes hym discryuit in thare werkis

Quhow he wes last of Asserians

Quhilk had the hole preemynans

That tyme of the first Monarche

In Cronicles, as thow may se

The last, and the mo [...] vitious kyng

Quhilk in that Monarche did ryng

That Prince wes so effeminate

[Page]With sensuall luste intoxicate

He did abhor the cumpanye

Off his most nobyll chewalrye

That he mycht haue the more delyte

Tyll vse his beistlye appetyte

Conuersit with wemen nycht and daye

And clothit hym, in thare arraye

So that na man that hym had sene

Could Iuge ane man, that he had bene

So in huredome and harlatrye

Did keip hym self so quyetlye

The Princis of Asserience

Off hym thay could gett no presence

Thus leuit he contynualye

Agane nature Inordinatlye

¶Quhen to the Peirsis and the Medis

Reportit wer his vitious dedis

With the Rewlaris of Babilone

Thay did conclude all in tyll one

Thay wald nocht suffer for tyll ryng

Abufe thame sic ane vitious kyng

Bot Arbates, ane Duke of Mede

He Darflye tuke on hand that dede

¶Bot first he come to Nyniue

To see the kyngis Maiestie

And tyll one of the kyngis gaird

He gaif one secreit ryche rewaird

Tyll put hym in ane quyet place

Quhare he mycht se the kyngis grace

And be on sene with ony wycht

[Page]Bot he saw nother King nor Knycht

In tyll his maisteris cumpanye

Except wemen allanerlye

And as ane woman he wes cled

With wemen counsalit and led

And schamefullye he wes syttand

With Spindle, and with Rock, spinnand

Quhen Arbates that sycht had sene

His corage rasit frome the splene

And thocht it small difycultie

For tyll depryue his Maiestie

¶Than rasit he the Persianis

With Medis and Babilonianis

Inarmit weill with speir and scheildis

Tryumphantlye thay tuke the feildis

¶The king rasit Asserianis

To gidther with the Caldianis

And thame resystit as he mycht

Bot fynallie he tuke the flycht

To saif hym self in Nyniue

Than segit thay that gret Citie

Contynuallie two ȝeir and more

As wryttis famous Diodore

Tyll that the flude of Euphrates

Arrose with sic one furiousnes

Quhare throuch ane gret part of the toun

By violence wes doungin doun

Than quhen the kyng saw no remeid

Bot to be takin or to be deid

As man disparit full of yre

[Page]Gart mak ane furious flammand fyre

And tuke his gold and Iewellis all

With Sceptur, Croun, and Robe Royall,

With all his tender seruituris

That of his Corps, had gretest curis

To gydder with his lustye Quenis

And all his wantoun Concubenis

And in that fyre, he did thame cast

Syne lape hym self, in at the last

Quhare all wer brynt in poulder small

Thus endit kyng Sardanapall

Withouttin ony repentence

As may be sene, be this sentence

☞Heir followyng, quhilk he did indyte

Affore his deith, in gret dispyte

Quhilk is ane rycht vngodly thing

As ȝe maye se be his dyting.

FINIS.

Epitaphium Sardanapali

☞ CVM te mortalem noris, presentibus exple.

Dilitijs animum, post mortem nulla voluptas,

Et venere, & caenis, & plumis SARDANAPALI.

§

☞ Now haif I schawin with deligence

The Monarche. of Asserience

The quhilk at Kyng Nynus began

And endit at this myscheant Man

And did Indure withouttin weir,

Ane thowsand twa hundreth and fourty ȝeir,

As dois Indyte, Ewsubius,

Reid hym, and thow sall fynd It thus.

FINIS.

Heir endis the secund Part.

¶And Begynnis the Thrid Part.

[Page]

And in the first, Makand Narratione of ye Misarabyll Distructioun of the Fyue Ciereis, callit Sodome, Gomore, Syboin, Segore, and Adama, with thare hole Regioun, and ane schort Discriptioun of the Secund, Thrid, and Ferd. Monarcheis. With ye Misarabyll Distructioun of Ierusalē And last of the Spirituall Monarchie.

❧ FATHER I pray ȝow to me tell

Quhat notabyll thyngis that befell

Cour.

Duryng the Kyng of Asseriens

Quhilk had so lang prehemynens

I mene of vther Nationis

Vnder thare dominationis

That may be done in termys schorte

(Said he) as storyis doith reporte

Expe.

Induryng this first Monarchie

Become that wofull misarie

Off Sodome, Gomore, and thare Regione

As Scripture makis Mentione

Gen. xix.

Quhose peple wer so sensuall

In fylthie Synnis vnnaturall

The quhilk in to my vulgar veirs

My toung abhorris to reheirs

Lyke brutall beistis by thare myndis

Vnnaturally abusit thare kyndis

[Page]By fylthie stynkand Lychorie

And most abhominabyll Sodomie

As holy scripture doith discryue

In that countre wer Citeis fyue

Quhilk wer Sodome, and Gomora

Seboin, Segore, and Adama

Amang thame all, funde wes thare none

Vndefylit, bot Lott, allone

☞Holy Abraham dwelt neir hand by

Quhilk prayit for Lott, effectuously

For God maid hym aduertysment

That he wald mak sic punyschement

To Lott two Angellis God did sende

Hym frome that furye tyll defende

Quhen the peple of that regioun

Saw the Angellis cum to the toun

Transformit in to fair ȝoung men

Thay purposit thame for to ken

And abuse thame vnnaturallye

With thare foule stynkand Sodomye

Off that gude Lott, wes wounder woo

And offerit thame his Douctheris twoo

Thame at thare plesour for tyll vse

Bot thay his Douctheris did refuse

And than the Angellis be thare mycht

Those men depryuit of thare sycht

And so perfors leitt thame allone

To Lottis lugyng, quhen thay wer gone

Thay hym commandit haistelie

[Page]For tyll depart of that Citie

That foule vnnaturall Lychorie

A vengeance to the hewin did crye

The quhilk did mofe God tyll sic yre

That frome the hewin Brintstone and fyre

With awfull thoundryng, ranit doun

And did consume that hole regioun

Off all that land chapit no mo

Except Lott, and his Douctheris two

His wyfe wes turnit in A stone

So wyfles wes he left allone

For scho wes Inobedient

And kepit no commandiment

Quhen the Angell gaif thame command

Sone tyll depart out of that land

He monyste thame vnder gret pane

Neuer to luke, bakwart agane

Quhen Lottis wyfe, hard the thoundring

Off flammand fyre and lychtnyng

The vgly cryis lamentabyll

Off peple most appouentabyll

For none of thame had fors to flee

Scho ȝarnit that sorrowfull sycht to see

And as scho turnit hir anone

Scho wes transformit in a stone

Quhare scho remanis tyll this daye

Off hir I haue no more to saye

To schaw at leynth I am nocht abyll

That pietious proces lamentabyll

[Page]Quhow Ceteis, Castellis, Tounis and Towris,

Villagis, Bastailȝeis, and Bowris

Thay wer all in to poulder drewin

Forrestis, be the ruttis vprewin

Thare Kyng, thare Quene, and peple all

Ȝong and auld, brynt in poulder small

No Creature wes left on lyfe

Foulis, Beistis, Man, nor Wyfe

The erth, the Corne, herb, frute, and tre

The Babbis, vpone the Noryse kne

Rycht suddantlye in one Instent

Vnwerly come thare Iugement

As it come in the tyme of Noye

Quhen God did all the warld distroye

For that self Syn of Sodomye

And most abhominabyll bewgrye

That vyce at lenth for tyll declare

I thynk it is nocht necessare

¶Quhen all wes brynt, flesche, blud, & bonis

Hyllis, valais, stokis, and stonis

The Cuntre sank for to conclude

Quhare now standith ane vglye flude

The quhilk is callit the dede see

Nixt to the cuntre of Indee

Quhose stynkand strandis blak as tar

The flewre of it, men felith on far

In tyll Orocius, thow may reid

Off that cuntre, the lenth and breid

Of lenth fyftye mylis and two

[Page]And fourtene myle in breid also.

☞Lott of his wyfe wes so agast

That he tyll A. wyld Montane past

Off cumpanye he had no mo

Except his lustye Douchteris two

And be thare prouocatioun

As Moyses makith narratioun

Allone in to that montane wylde

His Douchteris boith, he gat with chylde

For thay beleuit in thare thocht

That all the warld wes gone to nocht

As it become of that Natioun

Thynkand that Generatioun

Wald faill, withoute thay craftellye

Gar thare Father with thame to lye

And so thay fand ane crafty wyle

Quhow thay thare Father mycht begyle

And causit hym, to drynk wycht wyne

Quhilk men to Lychorye doith Inclyne

Quhen he wes full, and fallin on sleip

His Douchteris quyetlye did creip

In tyll his bed, full secreitlye

Prouokand hym with thame to lye

And knew nocht quhow he wes begylde

Tyll boith his Douchteris wer with chylde

And bure two Sonnis in certane

Thay beand in that wyld Montane

Off quhome two Nationis did proceid

[Page]As in the scripture thow may reid

In the quhilk scripture thow may se

Att lenth this wofull misarie

¶This misarie become but weir

Frome Noeis flude, thre hundreth ȝeir

To gidther with four score and alewin

As comptit Carione full ewin

And efter Noeis deith I ges

Ane and fourtye ȝeir thare wes

Quhen Abraham was of aige I wene

Foure score of ȝeris, and nynteine

Quhen this foule Syn of Sodomye

Was puneisit so regorouslyie

Gret God Preserue ws in our tyme

That we commit nocht sic ane cryme.

¶Tiddius It wer for me to tell

This Monarche, duryng quhat befell

And wounderis that in erth wer wrocht

Quhilk to thy pupose langith nocht

Exod. i.

As quhow the peple of Israell

Did lang tyme in to Egypt dwell

And of thare gret puneisioun

Throuch Pharois persecusioun

And quhow Moyses, did thame conuoye

Exod. xiiii.

Throuch the reid sey, with mekle Ioye

Quhare kyng Pharo, rycht misarably

Wes drownit with all his huge army

And quhow that peple wandrand wes

Fourtye ȝeris, in wyldernes

Exod. xx

Moyses that tyme as I heir saye

[Page]Ressauit the Law on Mont Sinay

That tyme Iosue throuch Iordan

Iosue. iii

Led those peple to Canaan

Quhare Saule, Dauid, and Salamone

With Hebrew Kyngis mony one

Did rychelye ryng in that countre

Induryng this first Monarche

¶The Sege of Thebes, misarabyll

Quhare blude wes sched Incomparabyll

Off nobyll men, in to those dayis

With vtheris terribyll affrayis

As quhow the Grekis wrocht vengeance

Apone the nobyll Troyiance

Because that Pareis, did conuoye

Perfors fair Helena to Troye

Quhilk wes king Menelaus wyfe

Quhare mony one thousand loste thare lyfe

¶That tyme the vailȝeant Hercules

Out throuch the warld did hym addres

Quhare he did mony ane douchtye deid

As in his storye thow may reid

And quhow throuch Dyonere his wyfe

That Campione did lose his lyfe

In flammand fyre, full furiouslye

The deith he sufferit creuellye

¶That tyme Remus, and Romolus

Did found that Citie most famous

Off Rome standing in Italie

As in thare storye thow may se

[Page]Wald thow reid Titus Leuius

Thow suld fynd warkis wounderus

Quhose douchtye deidis ar weill kende

And salbe to the warldis ende

Thocht thay he gan with creueltie

And endit with misaritie

As bene the maner to conclude

Off all scheddaris of saikles blude.

¶In Grece the ornat Poetry

Medecene, Musike, Astronomy,

Duryng this first Monarche began

Be Homerus, that famous man

To gydder with Hesiodus

As diuers Auctoris, schawis ws

It wer to lang to put in ryme

The bukꝭ quhilk thay wret in thare tyme

Thir wer the actis principell

That Monarche duryng quhilk befell

Gen. xvii

As for gude Abraham and his seid

In to the Bibyll thow may reid

Quhow in this tyme as I heir tell

Began the Kyngdome Spirituell

As I haue schawin to the affore

Quharefor I speik of thame no more.

FINIS.

Ane Schort Discriptioun of the secund. thrid. and ferd Monarche.

[Page] ❧ FATHER (said I) quhilk wes the mā.

Cour.

That the nyxt Monarchye began

Cyrus (said he) the kyng of Pers

As Cronicles, hes done rehers

Expe.

Prudent and full of Pollicye

Began the secunde Monarchye

For he wes the most godly kyng

That euer in Pers or Mede did ryng

For he of his Benyngnitie

.ii. Para. xxxxi.

Delyuerit frome Captyuitie

The hole Peple of Israell

In to the tyme of Daniell

The quhilkis had bene presoneris

In Babilone sewin score of ȝeris

Tharefor God of his grace benyng

Gaif hym ane diuyne knawleging

Duryng his tyme as I heir tell

He vsit counsall of Daniell

Carione, at lenth doith specifie

Off his maruellous Natyuitie

And of his vertuus vpbrynging

And quhow he vincuste Cresus king

With mony vther vailȝeant deid

As in to Carione, thow may reid

Quhose Successioun did indure

Tyll the tent Kyng, thareof be sure

¶Bot efter his gret conquessyng

Rycht miserabyll wes his endyng

As Herodotus, doith discryfe

[Page]In Scythia he lost his lyfe

Quhare the vndantit Seethianis

Vincuste those nobyll Persianis

And efter that Cerus wes dede

Quene Tomyre hakkit of his hede

Quhilk wes the quene of Seethianis

In the dispyte of Persianis

Scho kest his heid, for to conclude

In tyll ane vessell full of blude

And said, thir wourdis creuellye

Drynk now thy fyll, gyf thow be drye

For thow did aye blude schedding thryste

Now drynk at laser gyf thow lyste

Efter that Cyrus successioun

Off all the warld had possessioun

¶ Tyll Allexander with swerd and fyre

Obtenit perfors the thrid Impyre

Quhilk wes the king of Macedone

With vailȝeant Grekis mony one

In battell fell and furious

Vincuste the mychtie Darious

Quhilk wes the tent and the last kyng

Quhilk did efter king Cyrus ryng

As for this potent Empriour

Allexander the Conquereour

Geue thow at lenth, wald reid his ryng

And of his creuell conquessyng

In Inglis toung, in his gret buke

Att lenth his lyfe, thare thow may luke

[Page]Quhow Allexander that potent Kyng

Wes twelf ȝeris in his Conquessyng

And quhow for all his gret conquest

He leuit bot ane ȝeit in rest

Quhen be his Seruand secretlye

He poysonit wes full pietuouslye.

¶Lucane doith Allexander compair

Tyll thounder, or fyreflaucht, in the air

One creuell Planeit, A mortall weird

Doun thryngand peple, with his sweird

Ganges that most famous flude

He myxit with the Indianis blude

And Euphrates, with the blude of Pers

Quhose creueltie for to rehers

And saikles blude, quhilk he did sched

War rycht abhominabyll to be red

Efter his schort prosperitie

He deit with gret miseritie.

¶Itt wer to lang for to dissydit

Quhow all his realmes wer deuydit

Aye quhill that Cesar Iulyus

Quhen he had vincust Pompeyus

Wes chosin Emperiour and kyng

Abufe the Romanis for tyll ryng

That potent Prince wes the first man

Quhilk the ferd Monarche began

And had the hole Dominioun

Off euerilk land and Regioun

Quhose successouris, did ryng but weir

[Page]Ouer the warld, mony one hundreth ȝeir

Bot gentyll Iulyus, allace

Rang Empriour, bot lytill space

Quhilk I thynk petye tyll deplore

In fyue Moneth and lytill more

By fals exhorbitant treasoun

That prudent Prince, wes trampit doun

And murdrest in his counsall hous

By creuell Brutus, and Cascius

¶Efter that Iulyus wes slane

Did ryng the gret Octauiane

Off Empriouris one of the best

Duryng his tyme, wes peace and rest

Ouer all the warld, in ilk regioun

As storyis makith mentioun

And als I mak it to the plane

Duryng the tyme of Octauiane

The Sonne of God our Lord Iesew

Tuke mankynd of the Virgine trew

Math. ii.

And wes that tyme in Bethelem borne

To saif mankynde, quhilk wes forlorne

As Scripture makith narratioun

Off his blyst Incarnatioun

¶Now haif I tald the as I can

Quhow the four Monarchyis began

Bot in thy mynde thow may consydder

Quhow warldly power bene bot slydder

For all thir gret Impyris ar gone

Thow seis thare is no Prince allone

[Page]Quhilk hes the hole Dominioun

This tyme of euery Regioun

¶Father quhat reasone, had those kyngis

Cour.

Reuarris to be of vtheris ryngis

But ony rycht or Iuste querrell

Quhairthrouch that thay mycht mak battell

And commoun pepyll to dounthryng

To this (said I) mak answeryng

My Sonne (said he) that sall be done

As I best can, and that rycht sone

Expe.

¶Thir Monarcheis, I vnderstand

Preordinat wer, by the command

Off God, the Plasmatour of all

For to doun thryng, and to mak thrall

Dani.

Vndantit Peple vitious

And als for to be gratious

To thame quhilk vertuous wer and gude

As Daniell heth done conclude

At lenth in tyll his Propheseis

Quhow thare suld be four Monarcheis

His secund Chepture, thow maye see

Quhow efter the first Monarchie

Quhen Nabuchodonosor kyng

Ane Ymage sawe, in his slepyng

With austeir luke, boith heych and breid

And of fyne pure Gold, wes his heid

His breist, and armes, of syluer brycht

[Page]His wamb of Copper, hard and wycht

His loynis, and lymmis, of Irne, rycht strong

His feit of clay, Irne myxt among

Frome A montane thare come allone

But hand of man, A mekle stone

Quhilk on that Figourꝭ feit did fall

And dang all doun in poulder small.

¶Off quhose Interpretatioun

Doctouris doith mak Narratioun

The hede of gold, did signifye

First of Asserianis Monarchye

The syluer breist, thay did apply

To Persianis, quhilk rang secundly

The wambe of copper, or of brasse

Thridly to Grekis, comparit wasse

His loynis, and lymmis, of Irne, and steill

Clerkis hes thame comparit weill

To Romanis, throuch thare diligence

To haue the Feird Preemynence

Abufe all vther Natioun

Be this Interpretatioun

The myxit feit, with Irne, and clay

Did signifye this letter day

Quhen that the warld sulde be deuydit

As efterwart salbe disydit

To Christ is signifyit the stone

Quhose Monarche sall neuer be gone

For vnder his Dominioun

All Princis sall be trampit doun

[Page]Quhen that gret kyng Omnipotent

Cumis to his generall Iugement

His Monarche than salbe knawin

As efter sall be to the schawin

☞ And als the Scripture, sall the tell

Quhow in the aucht of Daniell

He saw in to his visioun

Be ane plane expositioun

Quhow that the Grekis, sulde wyrk vengeence

Vpone the Medis, and Persience

Comparand Grekis, tyll ane Gote

With ane horne, fers, furious, and hote

Quhilk slew the Ram, with hornis two

Comparit tyll Pers, and Mede, all so

And so be Daniellꝭ prophesyis

All thir gret mychtie Monarchyis

The quhilkis all vther realmes supprysit

Be the gret God, thay wer deuysit

As he of Tytus the Romane

Sonne and Air, to Vespasiane

Maid hym ane Furious Instrument

To put the Iowis, to gret torment

Quhilk I purpose or I hyne fair

Schortlie that p [...]ocesse to declair

✚FINIS.*

Of ye most miserabyl and most terrabill distructioun of Ierusalem.

[Page]

Cour.

❧ FATHER (said I) declare to me.

Induryng this ferd Monarchie

The maist Infortune that befell

Expe.

My Sonne (said he) that sall I tell

The moist and manyfest misarie

Became apon the gret Cetie

Ierusalem, quhen it wes supprest

As storyis makis manifest

Bot as the Scripture doith deuyse

Baru. vi.

Ierusalem wes distroyit twyse

First for the gret Idolatrye

Quhilk thay commyttit in Iowrye

The honour aucht to God allone

Thay gaif Figuris, of stoke and stone

Affore Christis Incarnatioun

Come this first desolatioun

Fyue hundreth ȝeris, four score and ten

In Cronicles, as thow may ken

Quhow Nabuchodonosor kyng

That famous Citie, did doun thryng

Thare Kyng, with peple mony one

Brocht thame all bound to Babilone

Quhare thay remanit Presoneris

The space of thre score and ten ȝeris

And that first desolatioun

Wes callit the Transmigratioun

Wes no man left in all thare landis

Bot Purellis lauborand with thare handis

Tyll mychtie Cyrus, king of Pers

[Page]As Daniell heth done rehers

Wes mouit be God, for tyll restore

The Iowis, quhare that thay wer afore.

¶ Geue I neglect, I wer to blame

The last Sege of Ierusalem

Quhose rewyne wes most miserabyll

And for to tell, rycht terrabyll

Wes neuer in erth, Cetie nor toun

Gatt sic extreme distructioun

The townis of Tyre, Tebes, nor Troye

Thay sufferit neuer half sic noye

The Emprioure Vespasiane

He did deuyse that Sege certane.

¶Thare wes the Prophesie compleit

Quhilk Christ spake on mont Olyueit

Luc. x. xxi.

Quhen he Ierusalem beheld

The teris frome his eine disteld

Math. xiii.

Seand be Diuyne prescience

The gret distructioun and vengence

Quhilk wes to cum, on that Cetie

His hart wes persit with Petie

Sayand Ierusalem, and thow knew

Thy gret rewyne, sore wald thow rew

For no thyng I can to the schaw

The veritie, thow wyll nocht knaw

Nor hes in consydderatioun

Thy holy visitatioun

Thy peple wyll no way considder

Math. xxiii.

Quham gadtherit I wald haif to gidder

[Page]As errand scheip, bene with thare hirdis

Or as the Hen, gadderis hir byrdis

Vnder hir wyngis tenderlye

Quhilk thay refusit dispitfullye

Quharefor sall cum that dulefull day

That no remedy mak thow may

Thy Dungiounis sall be dung in schounder

So that the warld, sall on the wounder

Thy tempyll now most tryumphand

Sall be tred doun amang the sand

Mathew iiii.

And as he said, so it befell

As heir efter I sall the tell.

Cour.

¶Schaw me (said I) with circumstance

The speciall cause of that myschance

Expe.

(Quod he) as scripture doith conclude

For scheddyng of the saikles blude

Off Prophetis quhilkꝭ God to thame send

And als because, that thay myskend

Iesu the Sonne of God Souerane

Quhen he amang thame did remane

For all the Myraklis, that he schew

Maliciouslye thay hym mysknew

Thocht be his gret power diuyne

The walter cleir, he turnit in wyne

Ihon .ii.

And be that self power and mycht

To the blynde borne, he gaif the sycht

And gaif the crukit men thair feit

And maid the lypir haill compleit

Ihon .xi.

He halit all, and rasit the dede

[Page]Ȝit held thay hym at mortall fede

Because he schew the veritie

Math.

Thay did conclude that he sulde de

☞The Byschoppis, princis of the preistis

Thay grew so boildin in thare breistis

Mathew xxvii.

The Scrybis, the Doctouris of the law

Off God nor man, quhilkis stude none aw

On Christ Iesu, to wyrk vengeance

Rycht so the fals Pharesiance

Ane Sect of fenȝeit Religioun

Deuysit his confusioun

And send thare seruandis at the last

And with strang cordis, thay band hym fast

Syne scurgit hym, boith bak and syde

Iho. xix.

That none for blude, mycht se his hyde

Thare wes nocht left ane penny breid

Vnwoundit frome his feit tyll heid

In maner of dirisioun

Thay plett for hym, ane creuell croun

Off prunȝeand thornis scharpe and lang

Quhilk on his hewinlye heid thay thrang

Syne gart hym for, the gretter lack

Beir his awin Gallous, on his back

Tyll the vyle place of Caluare

Quhare mony ane thousand man mycht se

¶That Innocent, thay tuke perforce

And platt hym bak wart to the Croce

Throuch feit and handis, gret nalis thay thryst

Tyll blude aboundantlye out bryst

[Page]Without grunschyng, clamor or crye

That pane he sufferit patientlye

And for agmentyng of his grefis

Thay hangit hym, betuix two thefis

Quhare men mycht se the bludy strandis

Quhilkꝭ sprang furth of his feit and handis

Frome thornis thristit on his heid

Ran doun the bulryng stremis reid

In the presens of mony one man

That blude royall on roches ran

Schortly to say that heuinlye Kyng

In extreme dolour, thare did hyng

Tyll he said, Consumatum est.

With A loude crye, he gaif the gaist

Quhen he wes dede, thay tuke one dart

And peirst that Prence, outthrouch the hart

Fra quham thare ran, walter and blude

The erth than trymblit to conclude

¶Phebus did hyde his beymes brycht

That throuch the warld thare wes no lycht

The gret vaill of the tempyll raue

The dede men rais, out of thare graue

And in the Cetie did appeir

As in the Scripture thow may heir

Than Ioseph, of Abaramathie

Did bury hym, rycht honestlie

Bot ȝit he rose, full gloriouslye

Ihon, xx

On the thrid day tryumphandlye

With his Disciplis, in certane

[Page]Fourtye dayis he did remane

Actis .i.

Efter that to the heuin ascendit

Thir Iowis no thyng thare lyfe amendit

Nor gaif no credens, tyll his sawis

As at more lenth, the storye schawis

Bot creuellye thay did oppres

All men that Christꝭ name did profes

And persecutit mony one

Thay presonit, boith Peter and Ihone

Actis .v.

And Stewin, thay stonit to the dede

Frome Iames the les, thay straik the hede

Actis .v.

This wes the cause, in conclusioun

Off thare creuell confusioun

¶The prudent Iow, Iosephus sayis

That he wes present in those dayis

And in his buke, makith mentioun

Quhow efter Christis Ascentioun

The space of twa and fourty ȝeris

Began those creuell mortall weris

The secund ȝeir of Vespasiane

Quhare mony takin wer and slane

Iosephus planely doith conclude

Wes neuer sene sic one multytude

Affore that tyme, in to the toun

Quhilk come for thare confusioun

Thare gret Infortune so befell

That all the Princis of Israell

Conuenit agane the tyme of Peace

Bot tyll returne thay had no grace

[Page]The bald Romanis, with thare Chiftane

Tytus the Sonne of Vespasiane

Thare Army, ouer Iudea spred

Than all men to the Ciete fled

Beleuand thare to get releif

Bot all that turnit, to thare myscheif

¶The Romanis lappit thame about

That be no waye, thay mycht wyn out

Sax Moneth, did that Sege indure

Quhare loste wer mony one creature

Quhilkꝭ thare in misary did remane

Tyll thay wer takin all or slane

Duryng the tyme of this assailȝe

Thare meit, and drynk, and all did failȝe

For thare wes sic ane multytude

That thousandꝭ deit for falt of fude

Necessitie gart thame eit perforsse

Dog, Catt, and Rattone, Asse, and horsse

Ryche men, behuffit tyll eait thare gold

Syne deit of hunger mony fold

Sic hunger wes without remeid

The quik behufit tyll eit the deid

The fylth of Closettꝭ, mony eit

To lenth thare lyfe, thay thocht it sweit

¶The famous Ladyis of the toun

For falt of fude, thay fell in swoun

Quhen thay mycht gett none vther meit

Thay slew thare propir Bairnis to eit

Bot all for nocht dispytfullye

[Page]Thare awin sowldiouris full gredelye

Reft thame that flesche, most misarabyll

And thay with murnyng lamentabyll

For extreme hunger ȝald the spreit

Luc. xxiiii.

Thare wes the Prophesie compleit

As Christ affore maid narratioun

The day of his grym Passioun

Quhen that the Ladyis for hym murnit

Full pietuouslye he to thame turnit

And said, douchterrꝭ murne nocht for me

Murne on ȝour awin posteritie

Within schort tyme sall cum the day

That men of this Ciete sall say

Quhen thay ar trappit in the snair

Blyst be the wamb, that neuer bair

The baren papis, than thay sall blys

That dulefull day, ȝe sall nocht mys

This prophesie, it come to pas

That day with mony lowde allas

Sic sorrowfull lamentatioun

Wes neuer hard in that natioun

Seand those lustye Ladyis sweit

Deand for hunger in the streit

Thare husbandis, nor thare chyldring

Mycht geue to thame na conforting

Nor ȝit releif thame of thare harmis

Bot atheris deand in vtheris armis

Efter this wofull Indigence

Amang thame rose sic Pestilence

[Page]Quhare in thare deit mony hounder

Quhilk tyll declare, it wer gret wounder

¶And for fynall conclusioun

Those weirlyke wallis, thay dang doun

Prince Tytus, with his Chewalrye

With sound of trompe, Tryumphandlye

He enterrit in that gret Ciete

Bot tyll declare I thynk piete

The panefull clamour horrabyll

Off woundit folk, most miserabyll

Thare wes nocht ellis, bot tak and slay

For thare mycht no man wyn away

The strandis of blude ran throuch the stretis

Off dede folk, trampit vnder fetis

Auld Wedowis in the preis wer smorit

Ȝoung Virginis, schamefully deflorit

The gret Tempyll of Salamone

With mony A curyous caruit stone

With perfyte pynnakles, on hycht

Quhilkꝭ wer rycht bewtyfull and wycht

Quhare in ryche Iowellꝭ, did abound

Thay ruscheit rudlye to the ground

And sett in tyll thare furious yre

Sancta, Sanctorum, in to fyre

And with extreme confusioun

All thare gret Dungionis thay dang doun

¶Thare bursin wer the boildin breistis

Off Byschoppis princis of the preistis

Thare takin wes, the gret vengeence

[Page]On fals Scrybis, and Pharisience

All thare payntit Ipocrasie

That tyme mycht mak thame no supplie

That day thay dulefullye repentit

That to the deith of Christe consentit

Thocht it wes oure Saluatioun

Itt wes to thare Dampnatioun

The vengeance of the blude saikles

Frome Abell tyll Zacharies

Mathew xxiii.

That day apon Ierusalem fell

Bot tiddius it wer to tell

The gret extreme confusioun

And of blude, sic effusioun

Wes neuer slane so mony ane man

At one tyme, sen the warld began

The Iowis that day gat thare desyre

Quhilk thay did aske, in to thare yre

As bene in Scripture, specifyit

The day quhen Christe wes Crucifyit

Quhen Ponce Pylat, the precedent

Said to thame, I am Innocent

Math. xxvii

Off the Iust Blude, of Christ Iesus

Thay cryit, his Blude lycht vpon ws

And on our Generatioun

Thay gat thare Supplicatioun

That day, with mony cairfull cry

Thare blude wes sched aboundantly

¶ Iosephus wryttith in his buke

His Cronicle quho lyste to luke

[Page]Duryng that creuell Sege certane

Wer alewin hundreth thowsand slane

Off Presonaris weill tauld and sene

Foure score of thousandis, and sewintene

Out of the land thay did expell

All the peple of Israell

And for thare gret Ingratytude

Thay leif ȝit vnder Seruytude

Thare is no Iow, in no cuntre

Quhilk hes one fute of propertie

Nor neuer had, withouttin weir

Sen this day fyuetene hundreth ȝeir

Nor neuer sall, I to the schaw

Tyll that thay turne to Christis law

¶Sum sayis, that Iowis mony fald

Wer thretty for ane penny sald

As Iudas sauld the Kyng of Glore

For thretty pennyis, and no more

¶Efter that mony wer myscheuit

Quhen nouellꝭ past, quhow lang thay leuit

Apone thare Gold, withouttin doute

Thay slyt thare bellyis, to sers it oute

The rest in Egypt, thay did sende

Presonaris, to thare lyuis ende

Tytus tuke in his cumpanye

Gret nummer, of the most worthye

With hym to Rome, he led thame bound

Syne creuelly did thame confound

His victory for tyll decore

[Page]And for agmentyng of his glore

Gart put thame in to publict placis

Quhare all folk, mycht behald thare facis

Syne with wyld Lyonis creuellye

He gart deuore thame dulefullye,

¶This hie Tryumphand mychtie toun

At Pasche, wes put to confusioun

Because that in the tyme of Peace

Thay Crucifyit the Kyng of grace

Sum hes this mater done indyte

More Ornatly, than I can wryte

Quharefor I speik of it no more

Onely to God, be laude and glore.

FINIS.

Off ye miserabyllend Off Certane tyrane Princis. And speciallye, the Begynnaris, of the Four Monarcheis.

NOVV haue I done declare at thy desyris

As thow demandit in to termys schort

And quhow began, the principall impyris

As Cronicle and Scripture dois report

Quhairfor my Sone I hartly ye exhort

Perfytlie prent in yi remēbrance

Off this Inconstante warld the variāc [...]

[Page]Quharefor my Sonne, I mak it to the kend

This warld I wait, is drawand to ane end

¶Tokynnis of darth, hunger, and pestilence

With creuell weris, boith be sey and land

Realme aganis realme, with mortall violence

Quhilk signifyis, the last day ewin at hand

Quharefor my Sonne be in thy faith constand

Rasyng thy hart to God, and cry for grace

And mend thy lyfe, quhil thow hes tyme & space.

FINIS.

Heir followis the fyft Spirituall, And Papall Monarchie.

Cour.

❧ FATHER Is thare no Prince ringand

Quhilk hes the warld now at cōmand

As had the Kyngis of Asserianis

The Persis, Grekis, or the Romanis

Quho hes now most Dominioun

Off euerilk land and Regioun

Expe.

¶Thare is no Prince, my Sonne (said he)

That hes the principall Monarche

Abufe the warld vniuersall

With hole power Imperiall

As Alexander, or Darius,

Or as had Cesar Iulyus

For Orient, and Occident

To thame wer all obedient

[Page]Nochtwithstandyng, I fynd one kyng

Quhilk in tyll Europe doith ryng

That is the potent Pope of Rome

Impyrand ouir all Christindome

To quhome no Prince, may be compare

As Canon lawis, can declare

All Princis of the Occident

Ar tyll his grace obedient

For he hes hole power compleit

Boith of the body and the spreit

Quhilk neuer had no prince affore

Except the mychtie kyng of glore

To Christe he is gret Lewtennand

In holy Peteris Saitt syttand

So he is of all kyngis Kyng

Quhilkꝭ in to Europe now doith Kyng.

¶And as the Romane Empriouris

Hauyng the warld vnder thare curis

Had Princis, Knychtis, and Campionis

Rewlaris in tyll all Regionis

Vphaldyng thare Aucthoritie

Vsyng Iustice and polisie

¶Rycht so this potent pope of Rome

The Souerane kyng of Christindome

He hes in tyll ilk countre

His Princis of gret grauytie

In sum countreis, his Cardinallis

In thare moste precious apparallis

Archibyschoppis Byschoppis thow may se

[Page]Defendyng his auctoritie

With vther potent Patriarkis

Collegis full of cunnyng Clerkis

Abbottis, and Priourꝭ, as ȝe ken

Misrewlaris of relegious men

Officiallis, with thare Procuratouris

Quhose langsum law, spolȝeis the puris

Archidenis, and Denis, of dignitie

Gret Doctouris of Diuynitie

Thare Chantouris, and thare Sacristanis

Thare Tresoureris, and thare subdenis

Legionis of preistis Seculeris

Personis, Vicaris, Monkis, and Freris

Off diuers Ordouris mony one

Quhilk langsum wer, for tyll expone

In syndrie habitꝭ as ȝe ken

Diffrent frome vther Christin men

Fair Ladyis of Relegioun

Proffessit in euery Regioun

Fals Heremitis, fassonit lyke the freris

Proude parische clerkis, and pardoneris

Thare Gryntaris, and thare Chamberlanis

With thare temporall Courtissianis

Thus all the warld be land and sey

His Sanctitude, thay do obey

Nocht onely his spirituall kyngdome

Bot the gret Empriour of Rome

And Kyngis of euerilk regioun

That day quhen thay resaue thare crown

[Page]Thay mak aith, of fidelytie

Tyll defende his auctorytie

Moreouir, with humyll reuerence

Thay mak tyll hym obedience

Be thare selfis, or Ambassaldouris

Or vtheris ornate Oratouris

Quho doith ganestand his Maiestie

His lawis or his Lybertie

Or haldis ony opinioun

Contrar his gret Dominioun

Outher be way of deid or wourdis

Ar put to deith, be fyre or swourdis

Sanct Peter stylit wes, Sanctus,

Bot he is callit, Sanctissimus,

His style at lenth, gyf thow wald knaw

Thow moste go luke the Canon law

Boith in the Sext and Clementene

His staitly style, thare may be sene

Thare sall thow fynd, reid gyf thow can

Quhow he is nother God norman,

☞ Quhat is he than, be ȝour Iugement

Cour.

Quod I, me thynk hym different

Far frome our Souerane Lord Iesus

And tyll his kynd contrarious

For Christ wes God, and naturall man

Ihon. [...].

Gyf he be nother, quhat is he than.

¶The Canon law my Sonne (said he)

That questioun wyll declare to the

Expe.

It doith transcend my rude Ingyne

[Page]His Sanctitude for tyll defyne

Or to schaw the aucthoritie

Pertenyng to his Maiestie

So gret one Prince, quhare sall thow fynd

That Spiritually may louse and bynd

Nor be quhame synnis ar forgyffin

Be thay with his Disciplis schrewin

Quhame euer he byndis, by his mycht

Thay boundin ar, in Goddis sycht

Quhame euer he lowsis in erth heir doun

Ar lousit be God in his Regioun

Als he is Prince of Purgatorie

Delyuering Saulis, frome paine to glorie

Off that dirke Dungeoun but doute

Quham euir he plesis, he takis thame oute

Oure secreit synnis euery ȝeir

We mon schaw to sum preist or freir

And tak thare absolutioun

Or ellis we gett no remyssioun

So be this way, thay cleirly ken

The secretꝭ of all seculare men

Thare secretꝭ we knaw nocht at all

Thus ar we to thame bound and thrall

Quhat euir thare Ministeris commandis

Most be obeyit without demandis

Quharefor my Sonne, I say to the

This is ane maruellous Monarche

Quhilk hes power Imperiall

Boith of the body and the Saull

[Page]¶Father (quod I) declare to me

Cour.

Quhow did begyn this Monarche

(Quod he) Christ Iesus God and Man

Expe.

That Impyre gratiouslye began

Nocht be the fyre, nor be the swourde

Ephi. i.

Bot be the vertew of his wourde

And left in tyll his Testament

Mony ane deuote document

Luc. ix.

With his Successouris to be vsit

Thocht mony of thame be now abusit

For Peter and Paull, with all the rest

Off thare Brethrin maid manifest

The law of God, with trew intent

Precheing the Auld and New Testament

Thay led thare lyfe in pouertie

Deuot, oun and Humilytie

As did thare Maister Christ Iesus

And war nocht half so glorious

As thare Successourꝭ now in Rome

Impyrand ouer all Christindome.

¶Efter the deth of Peter and Paull

And Christis trew Disciplis all

Thare Successouris within few ȝeris

As at more lenth thare storye beris

Full craftelye clam to the heycht

Frome Spirituall lyfe, to temporall mycht.

¶Father or we passe forther more

Quhen did begyn thare temporall glore

Cour.

Sonne (said he) thow sall vnderstand

Expe.

[Page]Or euer ane Pape gat ony land

Two and thretty gude papis in Rome

Ressauit the crown of Martyrdome

Bot nocht the Thrinfald Diadame

To weir thre crownis, thay thocht gret schame

Tyll Syluester the Confessoure

Frome Constantene, the Emprioure

Ressauit the Realme of Italie

Rychtso of Rome, the gret Cetie

That wes the rute of thare ryches

Than sprang the well of welthynes

Quhen that the Pape wes maid ane kyng

All Princis bowit at his biddyng

This Act wes done withouttin weir

Frome Christis deith, thre hundreh ȝeir

¶Than Lady Sensualitie

Tuke Lugeing in that gret Cetie

Quhare scho sensyne, hes done remane

As thare awin lady Souerane

Than Kyngis in tyll all Nationis

Maid Preistis gret fundationis

Thay thocht gret mereit and honour

To contrafait the Empriour

As did Dauid of Scotland kyng

The quhilk did founde, duryng his ryng

Fyftene Abbayis, with temporall landis

Withouttin teindis and offerandis

Be quhose holy simplicite

He left the Crown in pouerte

[Page]Now haif I schawin the as I can

Quhow thare temporall Impyre began

Ascendyng vp aye gre by gre

Abufe the Empriourꝭ Maieste

So quhen thay gat amang thare handis

Off Italie, all the Empriours landis

Efter that, in ilke cuntrie

Sprang vp thare temporalite

With so gret ryches, and sic rent

That thay gan to be negligent

In makyng Ministratioun

To Christis trew Congregatioun

And tuke no more paine, in thare precheing

And far les trauell, in thare recheing

Changeing, thare Spiritualitie

In temporall Sensualitie

¶Father thynk ȝe that thay ar sure

Cour.

That thare Impyre sall lang indure

Apperandlye, it may be kende

Quod he, thare glore sall haue ane ende

Exp [...].

I mene thare temporall Monarchie

Sall turne in tyll humylitie

Throuch Goddis wourde, without debait

Thay sall turne, to thare first estait

As Daniellis Prophesie apperis

Thareto sall nocht be mony ȝeris

Quhowbeit Christis faith, sall neuer faill

Bot more and more, it sall preuaill

Thocht Christis, trew congregatioun

[Page]Suffer gret trybulatioun

[...]our.

¶Father (said I) be quhat reassoun

Thynk ȝe thare Impyre may cum doun

Consydderyng thare preheminence

[...]xpe.

Quod he, for Inobedience

Math. xxviii.

Abusyng the commandiment

Quhilk Christ left in his Testament

Ihon .xv

Vsyng thare awin traditioun

[...]ti, i.

More than his Institutioun

¶For Christ in his last conuentioun

The day of his Ascentioun

Tyll his Disciplis gaif command

That thay suld passe, in euery land

To teche and preche, with trew intent

His law, and his commandiment

None vther office, he to thame gaif

He did nocht bid thame seik nor craif

Cors presentꝭ, nor offerandis

Nor gett Lordschipis of temporall landis

¶Bot now it may be hard and sene

Baith with thyne eiris, and thyne eine

Quhow Prelatis now in euery land

Takis lytill cure of Christꝭ command

Nother in to thare deidis nor sawis

Neglectyng thare awin Canon lawis

Vsyng thame selfis contrarious

For the most part to Christ Iesus

Mat. iiii.

Christ thocht no schame to be ane Precheour

And tyll all peple, of trewth ane techeour

[Page]Ane pope, byschope, nor Cardinall

To teche nor preche, wyll nocht be thrall

Thay send furth Freris for to preche for thame

Quhilk garris the peple now abhor thame

¶Christ wald nocht be ane temporall kyng

Ihon .vi.

Rychely in to no realme to ryng

Bot fled temporall auctorite

As in the Scripture thow may se

All men may knaw quhow popis ryngis

In Dignitie abufe all kyngis

Als weill in temporalitie

As in to Spiritualitie

Thow may se be experience

The popis Princely preheminence

In Cronicles geue thow lyst to luke

Quhow Carion wryttis in his buke

Ane Notabyll Narratioun

The ȝeir of oure Saluatioun

Alewin hundreth, and sax and fyftie

Pope Alexander presumptuouslie

Quhilk wes the thrid pope of that name

To Fedrike Empriour did diffame

In Veneis, that tryumphand town

That nobyll Empriour gartly down

Apone his wambe, with schame and lake

Syne tred his feit apone his bake

In toknyng of obedience

Thare he schew his preheminence

[Page]And causit his Clergy, for to syng

Thir wourdis efter following.

¶ SVPER Aspidem & basiliscum ambulabis:

Et conculcabis leonem & draconem.

¶Than said this humyll Empriour

I do to Peter, this honour

The Pope answerit, with wordis wroith

Thow sall me honour, and Peter boith

☞Christ for to schaw his humyll spreit

Did wasche his pure Disciplis feit

The Popis holynes I wys

Wyll suffer Kyngis, his feit to kys

Birdis had thare nestis, and toddis, thare den

Luc. ix.

Bot Christ Iesus, Saiffer of men

In erth, had nocht ane penny breid

Quhare on he mycht, repose his heid

¶Qhowbeit the Popis excellence

Hes Castellis of Magnifycence

Abbottis, Byschoppis, and Cardinallis

Hes plesand palyces royallis

Lyke Paradyse, ar those prelattis places

Wantyng no plesoure, of fair faces

Ihone, Androw Iames, Peter, nor Paull

Actis .iiii

Had few housis, amang thame all

Frome tyme thay knew the veritie

Thay did contempne, all propertie

And wer rycht hartfully content

[Page]Off meit, drynk, and Abilȝement

¶To saif Mankynde that wes forlorne

Christ bure ane creuell crown of thorne

Iho [...] ▪ i [...]

The Pope thre crownis for the nonis

Off gold, poulderit with pretious stonis

Off gold, and syluer, I am sure

Christ Iesus tuke bot lytill cure

And left nocht quhen he ȝald the spreit

To by hym self, ane wynding scheit.

¶Bot his Successoure gude Pope Iohne.

Quhen he deceisit in Auinione

He left behynd hym one treassoure

Off gold and syluer by mesoure

Be one Iuste computatioun

Weill fyue and twentye myllioun

As dois Indyte Palmerius

Reid hym, and thow sall fynd it thus,

¶Christis Disciplis wer weill knawin

Throuch vertew, quhilk wes be thame schawin

In speciall feruent charitie

Gret pacience, and humylite

The popis floke, in all regionis

Ar knawin best, be thare clyppit crounis

Christ he did honour Matromony

Ihon .ii.

In to the Cane of Galaly

Quhare he be his power Diuyne

Did turne the walter in to Wyne

And als chesit sum Maryit men

To be his seruandis as ȝe ken

[Page]And Peter duryng all his lyfe

He thocht no Syn, to haif ane wyfe

Ȝe sall nocht fynd in no passage

Quhare Christ forbiddith mariage

Bot leifsum tyll ilk man to marye

Quhilk wantis the gyft of Chaistitye

¶The Pope hes maid the contrar lawis

In his kyngdome as all men knawis

None of his preistis dar marye wyfis

Vnder no les paine nor thare lyfis

Thocht thay haif Concubynis fyftene

In to that cace, thay ar ouersene

Quhat chaistytie, thay keip in Rome

Is weill kend ouer all christindome

Mat, xvii

¶Christ did schaw his obedience

Onto the Empriouris excellence

And causit Peter for to pay

Trybute to Cesar, for thame tway

Paull biddis ws be obedient

To Kyngis as the most excellent

¶The contrar did Pope Celistene

Quhen that his Sanctytude serene

Did crown Henry the Empriour

I thynk he did hym small honour

For with his feit he did hym crown

Syne with his fute, the crown dang doun

Sayand I haif Auctoritie

Men tyll exalt to dignitie

And to mak Empriouris and kyngis

[Page]And Syne depryue thame of thare Ryngis

Peter be my Opinioun

Did neuer vse sic Dominioun

Apperandlye be my Iugement

That Pope red neuer the new Testament

Gyf he had lernit at that lore

He had refusit sic vaine glore

As Barnabas Peter and Paull

And rycht so Christis Disciplis all

¶The Capitane Cornelius

Actis

Quhen Sanct Peter come tyll his hous

Tyll worschyp hym fell at his feit

Bot Sanct Peter, with humyll spreit

Did rais hym vpe with diligence

And did refuse sic Reuerence

¶Rychtso Sanct Iohne the Euangelist

The Angellis feit he wald haif kist

Apoca. xix. & x

Bot he refusit sic honoure

Sayand I am bot Seruitoure

Rychtso thy fallow and thy brother

Gyff glore to God, and to none vther

¶Alykewyis Barnabas and Paull

Act. xiiii.

Sic honour did refuse at all

In Listra, quhare thay wroucht gret werkis

The preist of Iupiter, with his clerkis

And all the peple with thare auyse

Wald haif maid to thame Sacrifyse

Off quhilk thay wer so discontent

That thay thare clothyng raif and rent

[Page]And Paull amang thame rudely ran

Sayand I am ane mortall man

Gyf glore to God, of kyngis kyng

That maid heuin, erth, and euery thyng

Sen Peter and Paull, vaine glore refusit

With Popis quhy sulde sic glore be vsit

Peter, Andro, Iohne, Iames, and Paull

And Christis trew Disciplis all

Be Goddis worde, thare faith defendit

To byrne, and skald, thay neuer pretendit

The pope defendis his traditioun

Be flammand fyre without remissioun

Quhowbeit men breik the law Diuyne

Thay ar nocht put to so gret pyne

For huredome, nor Ydolatrye

For Incest nor Adultrye

Or quhen ȝoung Virginnis ar deflorit

For sic thyng, men ar nocht abhorit

Bot quho that eitis flesche in to lene

Ar terriblye put to torment

And gyf ane preist happinnis to marye

Thay do hym baneis, cursse, and warye

Thocht it be nocht aganis the law

Off God, as men may cleirlie knaw

Betuix thir two, quhat difference bene

Be faithfull folke, it may be sene

Sic Antithesis mony mo

I mycht declare quhilkꝭ I lat go

And may nocht tary to compyle

[Page]Off ilk ordour, the staitlye style

The seilye Nun, wyll tkynk gret schame

Without scho callit be Madame

The pure Preist, thynkꝭ he gettꝭ no rycht

Be he nocht stylit lyke ane Knycht

And callit schir, affore his name

As schir Thomas, and schir Wilȝame

All Monkrye, ȝe may heir and se

Ar callit Denis, for dignite

Quhowbeit his mother mylk the kow

He man be callit Dene Androw

Dene Peter, dene Paull, and dene Robart

With Christ thay tak ane painfull part

With dowbyll clethyng frome the cald

Eitand and drynkand, quhen thay wald

With curious Countryng in the queir

God wait gyf thay by heuin full deir

My lorde Abbot, rycht venerabyll

Ay marschellit vpmoste at the tabyll

My lord Byschope, moste reuerent

Sett abufe Erlis in Parliament

And Cardinalis, duryng thare ryngis

Fallowis to Princis, and to Kyngis

The Pope exaltit in honour

Abufe the potent Empriour

The proude Persone I thynk trewlye

He leidis his lyfe rycht lustelye

For quhy, he hes none vther pyne

Bot tak his teind and spend it syne

[Page]Bot he is oblyste be resoun

To preche on tyll perrochioun

Thoucht thay want precheing sewintene ȝeir

He wyll nocht want ane boll of beir

Sum Personis hes at thare command

The wantoun Wencheis of the land

Als thay haue gret prerogatyffis

That may depart ay with thare wyffis

Without Diuors, or summondyng

Syne tak ane vther but woddyng

Sum man wald thynk ane lustye lyfe

Ay quhen he lyst to chenge his wyfe

And tak ane vther of more bewte

Bot Secularis wantꝭ that lyberte

The quhilk ar bound in mariage

Bot thay lyke Rammis in to thair rage

Vnpissillit rynnis amang the ȝowis

So lang as Nature in thame growis

¶And als the Vicar, as I trow

He wyll nocht faill to tak ane kow

And vmaist claith (thoucht babꝭ thame ban)

Frome ane pure selye housband man

Quhen that he lyis for tyll de

Haiffeing small bairnis two or thre

And hes thre ky withouttin mo

The Vicare moist haue one of tho

With the gray cloke, that happis the bed

Howbeit that he be purelye cled

And gyf the wyfe de on the morne

[Page]Thocht all the babis suld be forlorne

The vther kow he cleikꝭ awaye

With hir pure coit of roploch graye

And gyf within tway dayis or thre

The eldest chyild hapnis to de

Off the thrid kow, he wylbe sure

Quhen he hes all than vnder his cure

And Father and Mother boith ar dede

Beg mon the babis without remede

Thay hauld the Corps at the kirk style

And thare it moste remane ane quhyle

Tyll thay gett sufficient souerte

For thare kirk rycht, and dewite

Than cumis the Landis Lord perfors

And cleiks tyll hym ane herield hors

Pure laubourars, wald that law wer doun

Quhilk neuer was fundit be resoun

I hard thame say onder confessioun

That law is brother tyll Oppressioun

¶ My Sonne I haue schawin as I can

Quhow this fyft Monarchie began

Quhose gret Impyre for to report

At lenth the tyme bene all to schort.

FINIS

❧ Heir followis ane Discriptioun of the court of Rome.

[Page]

Cour.

FATHER (said I) quhat rewll keip thay ī rome

Quhilk hes the Spirituall Dominatioun

And Monarchie, abufe all Christindome

Schaw me I mak ȝow supplicatioun

Expe.

My Sonne, wald I mak trew narratioun

(Said he) to Peter, & Paul, thocht thay succeid

I thynk thay preue nocht that in to thare deid.

For Peter Androw & Iohne war fyschearꝭ fyne

Off men and wemen to the christin faith

Bot thay haif spred thare Net with huik and lyne

On rentis ryche, on gold, and vther graith

Sic fyscheing to neglect thay wylbe laith

For quhy, yai haif fyscheit in ouerthort ye strandis

Ane gret part trewlye of all temporall landis

¶With that the tent part of all gude mouebyll

For the vphaldyng of thare digniteis

So bene thare fyscheing, wounder profitabyll

On the dry land als weill as on the seis

Thare herywalter, thay spred in all countreis

And with thare hois nett, daylie drawis to Rome

The most fyne gold, that is in Christindome

¶I dar weill say, within this fyftie ȝeir

Rome hes ressett furth of this Regioun

For Bullis & Benefyce (quhilk thay by full deir)

Quhilk mycht ful weil haif payit a kingꝭ ransōn

Bot war I worthye for to weir ane crown

Preistis suld no more, our substance so consume

[Page]Sendyng ȝeirlye so gret ryches to Rome

In to thare Tramalt nett, thay fangit ane fysche

More nor ane quhaill worthye of memorye

Of quhome thay haue had mony dayntay dysche

Be quhome thay ar exaltit to gret glorye

That maruelous monstour, callit Purgatorye

Howbeit tyll ws, it is nocht amyable

It hes to thame bene veray profytable.

Latt thay that fructfull fysche eschaip thare nett.

Be quhome thay haif so gret commoditeis

Ane more fatt fysche, I traist thay sall nocht gett

Thocht thay wald sers, ouerthort the occiane seis

Adew the daylie dolorous Derigeis

Selye pure preistis may syng wt hart full sorye

Want thay that painefull palyce Purgatorye.

Fairweill Monkrye, wt Chanoun Nun, & Freir

Allace thay wylbe lychtleit in all landis

Cowlis wyll no more be kend in kirk nor queir

Lat thay ye fructfull fysche, eschaip thare handis

I counsall thame to bynd hym fast in bandis

For Peter, Androw, nor Iohne culde neuer gett

So profytable ane Fysche in to thare nett.

¶Thare Merchandyce, in tyll all Nationis.

As prentit lede, thare walx, and perchement

Thare pardonis and thare Dispensationis

Thay do exceid sum temporall princis rent

In sic trafyke, thay ar nocht neglygent

[Page]Off benefyce thay mak gude marchandyce

Throuch Symonye quhilk thay hald lytill vyce

Ioh. xxi.

Christ did command Peter to feid his scheip

And so he did feid thame full tenderlye

Off that command thay take bot lytill keip

Bot Christis scheip, thay spolȝe petuouslye

And with the woll thay cleith thame curiouslye

Lyk gormād wolfis, thay tak of thame thare fude

Thai eit yair flesche, & drynkꝭ boith mylk & blude

¶For that office thay serue bot lytill hyir.

I thynk sic Pastourꝭ, ar nocht for to pryse

Quhilk can nocht gyde yare scheip about ye myir

Thay ar so besye in thare merchandyse

Mat. xvi.

Thocht Peter wes porter of Paradyse

That plesand passage craftelye thay close

Throuch thame rycht few gettꝭ entres I suppose

Mathow .xxiii.

¶Christ Iesus said (as Mathew did report

Wo be to Scribes, and to Pharisience

The quhilkis did close, of Paradyse the port

Off thame we haif the sam experience

To enter thare; thay mak small deligence

Thay tak sic cure in temporall besynes

Rychtso frome ws thay stop the plane entres.

Those spiritual keis quhilkꝭ Christ to Peter gaif

Thare colour cleir wt reik, and rowst ar fadit

[Page]Vnoccupyit thay hald thame in thare neif

Off that office thay serue to be degradit

With Goddis worde without that thay remeid it

Oppinyng ye port quhilk lāg tyme hes bene closit

That we may enter with thame and be reiosit.

¶Contrar tyll Christis Instytutioun

To thame that deis, in habit of ane Freir

Iohn .x.

Rome hes thame grantit full remissioun

To passe tyll heuin, straucht way withoutin weir

Quhilk bene in Scotland vsit mony ane ȝeir

Be thare sic vertew in ane Freris hude.

I thynk in vane, Christ Iesu sched his blude.

Wald God the Pope quhilk hes preheminence

With aduyse of his counsall generall

That thay wald do thare detfull deligence

That Christis law mycht keipit be ouir all

And trewlye precheit baith to gret and small

And geue to thame Spirituall Auctorite

Quhilk culde perfytlie schaw the Verite.

Quho can not preche a preist sulde not be namit

As may be preuit be the law Diuyne

And be the Canon law, thay ar defamit

That takis Preistheid, bot onely to that fyne

Tyll all vertew thare hartis thay suld inclyne

In speciall to preche with trew intentis

And minister the neidfull Sacramentis.

[Page]

As for thare Monkis thair chanounis and thare Freris

And lustye Ladyis of Religioun

I knaw nocht quhat to thare office efferis

Bot men may se thare gret abusioun

Thay ar nocht lyke, in to conclusioun

Nother in to thare wourdis nor thare warkis

To the Apostolis, Prophetꝭ, nor Patriarkis.

Geue presentlye thare Prelatꝭ can nocht preche

Than latt ilke Byschope haif ane Suffragane

Or successour, quhilk can the peple teche

On thare expensis ȝeirlye to remane

To cause the peple frome thare vyce refrane

And quhen ane prelate, hapnith to deceace

Than put ane perfyte precheour in his pleace

Do thay nocht so, on thame sall ly the charge

Geueand vnhable men auctorite

As quho wald mak ane steirman tyll ane barge

Off ane blynd borne, quhilk can no dainger so

Geue that schyp drown, forsuth I say for me

Quho gaif that steirman sic commissioun

Suld of the schip, mak restitutioun

☞The humane Lawis, that ar contrarius.

And nocht conformyng to the Law diuyne

Thay suld expell and hald thame odius

Quhen thay persaue, thame cum to no gude syne

Inuentit bot be sensuall mennis Ingyne

[Page]As that law quhilk forbiddis mariage

Causyng ȝoung Clerkis byrne in lustis rage

¶Difficill is Chaistite tyll obserue.

Rom. vi [...].

But speciall grace, lauboure, and abstinence

In tyll our flesche, aye ryngith tyll we sterue

That first Originall syn, Concupiscence

Quhilk we throuch Adamis Inobedience

Hes done Incur, and sall indure for euer

Quhill that our saull and body deith disseuer

Tharefor God maid of Mariage the band

In Paradyse (as Scripture doith recorde)

Gene. ii.

In Galelie rycht so I vnderstand

Wes mariage honourit be Christ our Lorde

Ihon .ii.

Auld Law, and New, thare to thay do concorde

I thynk for me, better that thay had sleipit

Nor tyll haue maid ane law, and neuer keipit

¶ Tuke nocht Christ Iesu his Humanitie,

Math, i.

Off ane Virgene, in mariage contractit

And of hir flesche, cled his Diuynitie

Luc. i

Quhy haif thay done that blysfull band deiectit

In thare Kyngdome, wald God it wer correctit

That ȝoung prelattis, mycht mary lustye wyffis

And nocht in sensuall luste, to leid thare lyffis.

Did nocht Christ cheis, of honest maryit men.

Als weill as thay that kepit Chaistitie

For to be his Disciplis as ȝe ken

As in the Scripture cleirlye thay may se

[Page]Thay keipit styll thare wyffis with honeste

As Peter, and his spousit Bretherin all

Obseruit Chaistitie Matrymoniall.

i Tim. iiii

Bot now apperis the prophesie of Paull

Quhow sum suld ryis, in to the latter aige

That frome the trew faith sulde depart and fall

And suld forbid, the band of Mariaige

Als thow sall fynd, in to that sam passaige

Thay sulde cōmand frome meitis tyll abstene

Quhilk God creat his pepyll to sustene

Bot sen the Pope, our Spirituall prince & kyng

He dois ouerse sic vyces manifest

And in his kyngdome sufferith for to ryng

The men be quhome the veritie bene supprest

I excuse nocht hym self more than the rest

Allace how suld we membris be weill vsit

Quhen so our spirituall heidis bene abusit

¶The famous ancient Doctor Auiceane.

Sayis quhen euyl rewme descendis frome ye heid

In to the membris, generith mekle peane

Without thare be maid haistalye remeid

Quhen that cald humour dounwart dois proceid

In Senownis, it causis Arthetica

Rychtso in to the handis crampe Chiragra.

¶Off Malideis it generis mony mo.

Bot gyf men gett sum Souerane preserue

[Page]As in the theis Siatica Passio

And in the breist, sumtyme the strang Caterue

Quhilk causis men rycht haistellye to sterue

And podagra, difficill for to cure

In mennis feit, quhilk lang tyme dois indure

So to this moste tryumphant court of Rome

This simylitude full weill I may compare

Quhilk hes bene heirschyp of all Christindome

And to the warld ane euyll examplare

That vmquhyle was Lod sterre, & Lumynare

And the moste sapient Sors of sanctytude

Bot now allace vair of Beatytude.

Thare Kyngdome may be callit Babilone

Quhilk vmquhyle was ane brycht Hierusalem

Apo. xviii

As planelye menis the Apostill Iohne

Thare moste famous Citie hes tynt the fame

Inhabitarꝭ thareof, thare nobyll name

For quhy, thay haif of Sanctis Habitacle

To Symon Magus maid ane Tabernacle

And horribyll vaill of euerilk kynd of vyce

Ane laithlye Loch of stynkand Lychorye

Ane curssit Coue corrupt with Couatyce

Bordourit aboute with pryde and Symonye

Sum sayis ane systerne full of Sodomye

Quhose vyce in speciall gyf I wald declair

It wer aneuch, for tyll perturbe the air.

[Page]

¶Off treuth the hoill Christin Religioun.

Throuch thame ar scandalizat and offendit

It can nocht faill bot thare abusioun

Affore the Throne of God it is ascendit

[...]uc. xiii.

I dreid but doute, without that thay amend it

[...]po. xviii

The plaiges of Iohnis Reuelatioun

Sall fall vpone thare Generatioun.

☞O Lord quhilk hes the hartis of euerilk kyng

In to thy hand, I mak the Supplicatioun

Conuert that Court, that of thair grace benyng

Thay wald mak generall reformatioun

Amang thame selfis, in euerilk Natioun

That thay may be ane holy exemplair

Tyll ws thy pure lawid commoun populair

¶Hungrit allace, for falt of Spirituall fude.

Because frome ws bene hyd the veritie

O Prince quhilk sched for vs thy precious blude

Kendle in ws the fyre of Charitie

And saif ws frome Eterne Misaritie

Now lauboryng in to thy Kirk Militant

That we may all cum to thy kirk Tryumphant.

AMEN.

[Page]

Heir endis the thride Part.

4

4

And Begynnis the Fourt, Makand Mentioun of the Deith. And of the Antichrist. And Generall Iugemēt. And of Certane Plesouris of Glorifier Bodyis. And quhow euery Creature desyris to se the last Day. With ane Exhortatioun be Experience to the Courtiour. &c.

☞(✚)☞

PRVDENT Father Experience

Cour.

Sen ȝe of ȝour beneuolence

Hes causit me for to consydder

Quhow warldlye Pompe, and glore bene slydder

By diuers Storyis, Miserabyll

Quhilkꝭ to reheirs, bene Lamentaby [...]l

Ȝitt or we passe, furth of this vaill

I pray ȝow geue me ȝour counsaill

Quhat I sall do in tyme cumyng

To wyn the glore, Euirlestyng

¶My Sonne (said he) sett thy intent

To keip the Lordis Commandiment

Expe.

And preis the nocht to clym ouer hie

To no warldly Auctoritie

Quho in the warld doith moste reiose

Ar farrest aye frome thare purpose

Wald thow leue warldlye vaniteis

And thynk on foure extremeteis

[Page]Quhilkꝭ ar to cum, and that schortlye

Thow wald neuer syn wylfullye

Prent thir four in thy memorye

The Deith, the Hell, and heuinnis glorye

And extreme Iugement Generall

Quhare thow man rander compt of all

Thow sall nocht fail, to be content

Off quyet lyfe, and sobir rent

Considdryng no man can be sure

In erth one hour, for tyll indure

So all warldly prosperitie

Is myxit with gret miseritie

¶ Wer thow Empriour of Asia

Kyng of Europe, and Affrica

Gret Dominator of the sey

And thocht the Heuinnis did the obey

All Fyschis, sowmyng in the strand

All Beist, and Fowle, at thy command

Concludyng thow wer kyng of all

Vnder the heuin Imperiall

In that moste heych auctoritie

Thow suld fynd leist tranquilitie

ii. Par. ix

Exempyll of kyng Salamone

More prosperous lyfe, had neuir none

Eccle. ii.

Sic ryches, with so gret plesoure

Had neuer kyng nor Emprioure

With moste profunde Intelligence

And superexcelland Sapience

His plesand Habitationis

[Page]Precellit all vtheris Nationis

Gardyngis, and Parkis, for Hartis and Hynd [...].

Stankis with fysche of diuers kyndis

Moste profunde Maisterꝭ of Musike

That in the warld, wes none thame like

Sic treasour of Gold, and pretious stonis

In erth, had neuir no kyng att onis

He had sewin hundreth lustye Quenis

iii. Re▪ xi

And thre hundreth fair Concubenis

In erth, thare wes no thyng plesand

Contrarious tyll his command

Ȝitt all this gret prosperitie

He thoucht it vaine, and vanitie

And mycht neuir fynd repose compleit

Without afflixioun of the spreit

¶Father (quod I) it maruellis me

Cour.

He haueand sic prosperite

With so gret ryches by mesoure

Nor he had infynite plesoure

¶My Sonne the suth gyf thow wald knaw

Expe,

The veritie I sall the schaw

Thare is no warldly thyng at all

May satyfie ane mannis Saull

For it is so Insaciabyll

That Heuin, and Erth, may nocht be abyll

One Saull allone to mak content

Tyll it se God Omnipotent

[Page]Wes neuer none, nor neuer salbe

Saciate that sycht, tyll that he se

Quharefor my Sonne sett nocht thy cure

Math. vi

In erth, quhare no thyng may be sure

Luc. xii.

Except the deith, allanerlye

Quhilk followis man continuallye

Tharefor my Sonne, remember the

Within schorte tyme, that thow mon de

Nocht knawing quhen, quhow, in quhat place

Bot as plesit the Kyng of Grace.

FINIS.

❧ Off the Deith.

OF Misarie moste Miserable

Is Deith, and most abhominable

That dreidfurl Dragone with his dartis

Aye reddy for to peirs the hartis

Off euerilk Creature on lyue

Contrar quhose strenth may no man stryue

¶Off dolent Deith, this sore sentence

Wes gyffin throw Inobedience

Off our Parentis, allace tharefore

As I haue done declare affore

Quhow thay, and thare Posteritie

Wer all condampnit for to dee

Quhowbeit the flesche to deith be thrall

God hes the Saull maid Immortall

[Page]And so of his benignytie

Hes myxit his Iustice, with mercie

Tharefor call to remenbrance

Off this fals warld, the variance

Quhow we lyke Pylgramꝭ ewin and morrow

Ay trauellyng throw this vaill of sorrow

Sum tyme in vaine prosperitie

Sum tyme in gret Misaritie

Sum tyme in blys, sum tyme in baill

Sum tyme rycht seik, and sum tyme haill

Sum tyme full ryche, and sum tyme pure

Quharefor my Sonne, tak lytill cure

Nother of gret prosperitie

Nor ȝitt of gret misaritie

Bot plesand lyfe, and hard myschance

Ponder thame boith in one ballance

Considdryng none auctoritie

Ryches, wysedome, nor dignitie

Empyre of Realmes, bewtie, nor strenth

May nocht one day our lyuis lenth

Sen we ar sure, that we moste de

Fairweill all vaine felyscitie.

¶Gretlye it doith perturbe my mynde

Off dolent Deith, the diuers kynd

Thoucht Deith tyll euery man resortis

Ȝitt strykith he in syndrie sortis

Sum be hait Feuerꝭ violence

Sum be contagious Pestilence

[Page]Sum be Iustice executioun

Bene put to deith without Remissioun

Sum hangit, sum doith lose thare heidis

Sum brynt, sum soddin in to leiddis

And sum for thare vnleifsum actis

Ar rent and rewin apone the ractis

Sum ar dissoluit by poysoun

Sum on the nycht ar murdreist doun

Sum fallis in to frynasie

Sum deis in Idropesie

And vtheris strange Infirmeteis

Quharein mony ane thousand deis

Quhilk humane Nature dois abhor

As in the Gutt, grauell and gor

Sum in the flux, and feuir quartane

Bot ay the houre of deith vncertane

Sum ar dissoluit suddantlye

Be Cattarue or be Poplesye

Sum doith distroy thame self also

As Hanniball, and wyse Cato

Be thounder, deith sum doith consume

As he did the thrid kyng of Rome

Callit Tullius Hostulius

As wryttis gret Valerius

For he and his houshald attonis

Wer brynt be thounder, flesche and bonis

Sum deith be extreme excesse

Off Ioy, as Valeri doith expresse

Sum be extreme Malancolye

[Page]Wyll de but vther Maladye

In Cronicles thow may weill ken

Quhow mony hundreth thousand men

Ar slane sen first the warld began

In battell, and quhow mony one man

Apone the see, doith lose thare lyuis

Quhen schyppis apone roches ryuis

Thocht sum de Naturally throuch aige

Fer mo deis raiffand in one raige

Happy is he, the quhilk hes space

Att his last hour, to cry for grace

Quhowbeit deith be abhominabyll

I thynk it suld be confortabyll

Tyll all thame of the faithfull nummer

For thay depart frome cair and cummer

Frome trubyll trauell, sturt, and stryfe

Tyll Ioy and euirlestand lyfe

¶Polidorus Virgilius

To that effect, he wryttis thus

In Trace, quhen ony chylde be borne

Thare kyn, and freindis, cumis thame beforne

With dolent Lamentatioun

For the gret trybulatioun

Calamitye cummer and cure

That thay in erth, ar to indure

Bot at thare deith and burying

Thay mak gret Ioy and Bankettyng

That thay haue past frome misarie

To rest and grett felycitie.

¶Sen deith bene fynall conclusioun

[Page]Quhat valis warldly prouisioun

Quham wysedome may nocht contramand

Nor strenth that stoure may nocht ganestand

Ten thousand Mylȝeone of treasoure

May nocht prolong thy lyfe one houre

Efter quhose dolent departyng

Thy spreit sall passe but tarying

Straucht way tyll Ioye Inestimabyll

Or to strang pane Intollerabyll

Thy vyle corruptit carioun

Sall turne in Putrefactioun

And so remane in pulder small

On to the Iugement Generall.

FINIS

Ane schort discriptiōn Of the Antechriste.

Cour.

QVOD I) Father I heir men say.

That thare sall ryse affore ye day

Quhilk ȝe call generall Iugemēt

One wyckit mā from sathan sent

And contrar to the law of Christ

Callit the creuell Antechrist

And sum sayis that myscheuous man

Discende sall of the Trybe of Dan

And suld be borne in Babilone

The quhilk dissaue sall mony one

[Page]Infydelis sall of euery art

With that fals Propheit tak one part

And quhow that Enoch, and Elias

Sall preche contrar that fals Messias

Bot fynally his fals Doctryne

And he sall be put to rewyne

Bot nother be the fyre nor swourd

Bot be the vertew of Christis wourd

And gyf this be of veryte

The suith I pray ȝow schaw to me

¶ My Sonne (said he) as wryttis Iohne

Expe.

Thare sall nocht be one man allone

Hauyng that name in speciall

Bot Antechristis in generall

Hes bene, and now ar mony one

And rycht so in the tyme of Iohne

i. Iohn .ii

Wer Antechristis as hym self sayis

And presentlye now in thir dayis

Ar rycht mony withouttin dout

Wer thare fals lawis weill souchtout.

¶ Quha wes one greter Antechrist

And more contraryous to Christ

Nor the fals Propheit Machomeit

Quhilk his curste Lawis, maid so sweit

In Turkye, ȝit thay ar obseruit

Quhare throuch the hell, he hes deseruit

All Turkis, Sarazenis, and Iowis

That in the Sonne of God nocht trowis

Ar Antechristis, I the declare

ii. Iohn .i

Because to Christ thay ar contrare.

[Page]

Dan. viii

☞Daniell sayis in his propheseis

That efter the gret Monarcheis

Sall ryse ane maruellous potent Kyng

Quhilk with ane schameles face sall ryng

Mychtie and wyse in dirk speikyngis

And prospir in all plesand thyngis

Throuch his falsheid and craftynes

He sall flow in to welthynes

The Godlye pepyll he sall noye

By creuell deith, and thame distroye

The kyng of Kyngis, he sall ganestand

Syne be distroyit withouttin hand.

Tessa. ii

¶Paull sayis affore the Lordis cumyng

That thare salbe one departyng

And that man of Iniquitye

Tyll all men he sall opened be

Quhilk sall sitt in the holy sait

Contrary God, to mak debait

Bot that Sonne of Perditioun

Salbe put to confusioun

Be power of the haly Spreit

Quhen he his tyme hes done compleit

☞Beleue nocht that in tyme cumyng

One gretar Antechriste to ryng

Nor thare hes bene, and presentlye

Ar now, as Clerkis can espye

Tharefor my wyll is that thow knaw

Quhat euer thay be, that makis one law

Thocht thay be callit Christin men

By naturall reassoun thow may ken

[Page]Be thay neuer of so gret valour

Pape, Cardinall, Kyng, or Empriour

Extolland thare Traditionis

Abufe Christis Institutionis

Makand Lawis contrar to Christe

He is ane verray Antechriste

And quho doith fortifye or defend

Sic Law, I mak it to the kend

Be it Pape, Empriour, Kyng or Quene

Gret sorrow, sall be on thame Sene

Att Christis extreme Iugement

Without that thay in tyme repent

FINIS.

Heir follouis a schort Remenbrance of the moste Terrabyll Day of the extreme Iugement.

❧ FATHER said I) with ȝour Lycence

Sen ȝe haith sic Experience

Cour.

Ȝitt one thyng at ȝow wald I speir

Quhen sall that dreidfull day appeir

Quhilk ȝe call Iugement Generall

Quhat thyngis affore that day sall fall

Quhare sall appeir that Dreidfull Iuge?

Or quhow may Faltourꝭ gett refuge

(Quod he) as to thy first questioun

I can mak no solutioun

Expe.

Quharefor perturbe nocht thyne intent

[Page]To knaw day, hour, nor moment

To God allone, the day bene knawin

Quhilk neuer was to none Angell schawin

Howbeit be diuers coniectourꝭ

And principall Expositourꝭ

Off Daniell, and his Prophicie

And be the sentence of Elie

Quhilkꝭ hes declarit as thay can

How lang it is sen the warld began

And for to schaw, hes done thare cure

How lang thay traist it sall indure

And als how mony ages bene

As in thare warkis may be sene

¶Bot tyll declare thir questionis

Thare bene diuers opinionis

Sum wryttarꝭ hes the warld deuidit

In sex ageis, (as bene desidit

Into Fasciculus Temporum

And Cronica Cronicarum)

Bot be the sentence of Elie

The warld deuydit is in thre

As cunnyng Maister Carioun

Hes maid plane expositioun

How Elie sayis withouttin weir

The warld sall stand sax thousand ȝeir

Off quhome I follow the sentence

And lattis the vther Bukꝭ go hence

Frome the Creatioun of Adam

Two thousand ȝeir tyll Abraham

[Page]Frome Abraham, be this narratioun

To Christis Incarnatioun

Rychtso hes bene two thousand ȝeris

And be thir Prophiceis apperis

Frome Christ, as thay mak tyll ws kend

Two thousand tyll the warldlis end

Off quhilkꝭ ar by gone sickirlye

Fyue thousand, fyue hundreth, thre & fyftye

And so remanis to cum but weir

Four hundreth, with sewin and fourtye ȝeir

And than the Lorde Omnipotent

Suld cum tyll his gret Iugement

Christ sayis the tyme salbe maid schort

Mathow .xxiiii.

As Mathew planelye doith report

That for the warldlis Iniquite

The letter tyme, sall schortnit be

For plesour of the chosin nummer

That thay may passe, frome care and cummer

So be this compt it may be kend

The warld is drawand neir ane end

For legionis ar cum but doute

Off Antechristꝭ, wer thay soucht out

And mony toknis dois appeir

As efter schortlye thow sall heir

Quhow that Sanct Iherome doith indyte

That he hes red, in Hebrew wryte

Off fyftene signis in speciall

Affore that Iugement Generall

Off sum of thame, I tak no cure

[Page]Quhilk I fynd nocht in the scripture

One part of thame thocht I declare

First wyll I to the Scripture fare

Mar. xiii

¶Christe sayis, affore that day be done

Mathew .xiiii.

Thare salbe signis, in Sonne and Mone

The Sonne sall hyde his beymes brycht

So that the Mone, sall gyf no lycht

Sterris be mennis Iugement

Sall fall furth of the Firmament

¶Off this signis, or we forther gone

Sum morall sence, we wyll expone

As cunnyng Clerkis hes declarit

And hes the Sonne, and Mone comparit

The Sonne to the stait spirituall

The Mone, to Princis temporall

Rychtso the sterris, thay do compare

To the lawd common populare

The Mone and sterris hes no lycht

Bot the reflex of Phebus brycht

So quhen the Sonne of lycht is dyrk

The Mone and sterris, man be myrk

Rychtso quhen Pastouris spirituallis

Popis, Byschopis, and Cardinallis

In thare beginnyng schew gret lycht

The Temporall stait, wes rewlit rycht

¶Bot now allace, it is nocht so

Those schynand Lampis bene ago

Thare Radious beymes, ar turnit in reik

For now in erth, no thyng thay seik

[Page]Except ryches, and Dignitie

Followyng thare sensualitie

Mony prelatis, ar now ryngand

The quhilkꝭ no more dois vnderstand

Quhat doith pertene to thare offyce

Nor thow can kendyll fyre with yce

Wo to Papis, I say for me

Quhilk sufferis sic Enormite

That Ignorant warldly creaturis

Suld in the kirk, haif ony curis

No maruell thocht the peple slyde

Quhen thay haue blynd men to thare gyde

For ane Prelat, that can nocht preche

Nor Goddis law, to the peple teche

Esaye, comparith hym in his wark

Esay .lvi.

Tyll ane dum Dog, that can nocht bark

And Christ hym callis in his greif

Moste lyke ane murdrer, or ane theif

Iohn .x.

The cunnyng Doctour Augustyne

Wolfis and Deuyllis, doith thame defyne

The Canon Law, doith hym defame

That of ane Prelat beris the name

And wyll nocht preche the Diuyne Lawis

As the Decreis planelye schawis

Bot those that hes Auctorite

To prouyde spirituall Dignyte

Mycht geue thay plesit to tak pane

Gar thame lycht all thare Lampis agane

Bot euer allace, that is nocht done

[Page]So dirknit bene boith Sonne and Mone

☞War Kyngis lyuis weill declarit

The quhilkꝭ ar to the Mone comparit

Men mycht consydder thare estate

Frome Charitie degenerate

I thynk, thay sulde thynk mekle schame

Off Christ for to tak thare Surname

Syne leif nocht lyke to Christianis

Bot more lyke Turkis, and to Paganis

Turke contrar Turke, makis lytill weir

Bot Christiane Princis, takis no feir

Quhilkꝭ suld aggre as brother to brother

Bot now ilk ane dyngis doun ane vther

I knaw no ressonabyll cause quharefore

Except Pryde, Couatyce, and vaine glore

The Empriour mouis his Ordinance

Contrar the potent Kyng of France

And France rychtso, with gret regour

Contrar his freinde the Empriour

And rycht swa France agane Ingland

Ingland alsso aganis Scotland

And als the Scottꝭ, with all thare mycht

Doith feycht for tyll defend thare rycht

Betuix thir Realmes of Albione

Quhare Battellis hes bene mony one

Can be maid none Affinitie

Nor ȝit no Consanguinitie

Nor be no waye, thay can consydder

That thay may haue lang Peace to gydder

[Page]I dreid that weir makꝭ none endyng

Tyll thay be boith onder ane kyng

Thocht Christ, the Souerane kyng of grace

Left in his Testment lufe and peace

Our Kyngꝭ frome weir wyll nocht refrane

Tyll thare be mony ane thousand slane

Gret heirschipis maid be see and land

As all the warld may vnderstand

¶Father I thynk that temporall kyngis

May fecht for tyll defend thare ryngis

[...]

For I haif sene the spirituall stait

Mak weir thare rychtis tyll debait

I saw Pape Iulius manfullye

Passe to the feild tryumphantlye

With ane rycht aufull ordinance

Contrar Lues, the kyng of France

And for to do hym more dispyte

He did his Regioun interdyte

¶My Sonne (said he) as I suppose

Expe.

That langith weill tyll our purpose

How Soune and Mone, ar boith denude

Off lycht, as Clerkis dois conclude

Comparyng thame, as ȝe hard tell

To Spirituall stait, and Temporell

And commoun peple half disparit

Quhilk to the sterris, bene comparit

Lawd peple followis ay thare heidis

And speciallye in to thare deidis

The moste part of Religioun

[Page]Bene [...]

Quhat d [...]is auaill religious wedis

Quhen thay ar[?] contrar in thare dedis

Quhat holynes is thare within

Ane wolf, cled in ane Wodderꝭ skin

So be thir to [...]nis dois appeir

The day of Iugement drawis neir

Now latt ws leif this morall sens

Proceidyng tyll our purpose hens

And of this mater speik no more

Begynning quhare we left affore

Mathew xxiiii.

☞The Scripture sayis, efter thir signis

Salbe sene mony maruellous thyngis

Mar. xiii

Than sall ryse trybulationis

Luc xxi.

In erth, and gret mutationis

Als weill heir vnder as aboue

Quhen vertewis of the heuin sall moue

Sir creuell weir salbe or than

Wes neuer sene sen the warld began

The quhilk sall cause gret Indigence

As darth, hunger, and pestilence

The horribyll soundis of the sey

The peple sall perturbe and fley

Ierome sayis, it sall ryse on heycht

Aboue montanis to mennis sycht

Bot it sall nocht spred ouir the land

Bot lyke ane wall ewin straycht vpstand

Syne sattell doun agane so law

That no man sall the walter knaw

[Page]Gret Quhalis sall [...]umi [...]is [...] and rair

Quhose sound redound, sall in the air

All fysche and Monstouris [...]

Sall cry with soundis odious

That men sall wydder on the erd

And wepyng wary sall thare weird

With lowde allace, and weiaway

That euer thay baid to se that day

And speciallye those that dwelland be

Apone the costis of the see

Rycht so as Sanct Ierome concludis

Sall be sene ferleis in the fludis

The sey with mouyng maruellous

Sall byrn with flammis furious

Rychtso sall byrn fontane and flude

All herb and tre, sall sweit lyk blude

Fowlis sall fall furth of the air

Wylde beistis to the plane repair

And in thare maner mak gret mone

Gowland with mony gryslye grone

The bodeis of dede creaturis

[...]zechiel xx.vii.

Appeir sall on thare Sepulturis

Than sall boith men, wemen and bairnis

Cum crepand furth, of howe Cauernis

Quhare thay for dreid, wer hyd affore

With seych and sob, and hartis sore

Wandryng about, as thay war wode

Affamysit, for falt of fude

Non may mak vtheris confortyng

[Page]Bot dule for dule, and Lamentyng

Quhat may thay do, bot weip and wounder

Quhen thay se roches schaik in schounder

Throw trimlyng of the erth and quakyng

Off sorrow than salbe no slakyng

Quho that bene leuand in those dayis

May tell of terrabyll affrayis

Thare ryches, rentis, nor tressour

That tyme sall do thame small plesour

Bot quhen sic wonderis dois appeir

Men may be sure, the day drawis neir

Dan. xiii

That Iuste men pas sall to the glore

Iniuste to pane for euer more.

Cour.

¶Father (said I) we daylie reid

One Artekle in to our creid

Sayand that Christe Omnipotent

In to that generall Iugement

Sall Iuge boith dede and quik also

Quharefore declare me or ȝe go

Geue thare sall ony man or wyue

That day be funding vpon lyue.

Expe.

(Quod he) as to that questione

I sall mak sone solutione

Mat xxiiii

The Scripture planelye doith expone

Quhen all tokynnis, bene cum and gone

Ȝitt mony one hundreth thousand

That samyn day, salbe leuand

Quhowbeit thare sall no Creature

Nother of day, nor hour be sure

[Page]For Christ sall cum so suddantlye

That no man sall the tyme espye

As it wes in the tyme of Noye

Quhen God did all the warld distroye

Sum on the feild salbe lauborand

Sum in the templis Mariand

Sum afore Iugis makand pley

And sum men saland on the sey

Those that bene on the feild going

Sall nocht returne, to thare luging

Quho bene apone his hous aboue

Sall haif no laser to remoue

Two salbe in the Myll grindyng

Quhilkꝭ salbe taking but warnyng

The one tyll euerlestyng glore

The vther loste for euer more

Two salbe lying in one bed

The one to plesour salbe led

The vther salbe left allone

Gretand with mony gryslie grone

And so my Sonne, thow may weill trow

The warld salbe as it is now

The peple vsyng thare besynes

As holy Scripture doith expres

Sen no man knawis the hour nor day

The Scripture biddis ws walk and pray

And for our Syn be penitent

As Christ wald cum Incontinent.

FINIS.

[Page]

❧the maner quhow Christ sall cum to his Iugement.

Expe.

QVHEN al takīnnis bene brocht till end

Thā sal ye sone of god discēd

Hebre. xii

As fyreflaucht haistely glansyng

Discend sall ye most heuinly kyng

As Phebus in the Orient

Lychtnis in haist the Occident

So plesandlye, he sall appeir

Luc. xxi.

Amang the heuinlye cluddis cleir

With gret power, and Maiestie

Aboue the cuntrie of Iudee

As Clerkis doith concludyng haill

Direct aboue the lustye vaill

Actis .i.

Off Iosaphat, and Mont Olyueit

All Prophesie, thare salbe compleit

Mat. xxv

The Angellꝭ of the Ordoris Nyne

Inueron sall, that throne Diuyne

With heuinlye consolatioun

Makand hym Ministratioun

In his presens, thare salbe borne

The signis of Cros, and Croun of thorne

Pillar, Nalis, Scurgis, and Speir

With euerilk thyng that did hym deir

The tyme of his grym Passioun

And for our consolatioun

Appeir sall in his handis and feit

[Page]And in his syde, the prent compleit

Off his fyue Woundis Precious

Schynand lyke Rubeis Radious

Tyll Reprobatt confusioun

And for fynall conclusioun

He Sittand in his Trybunall

With gret power Imperiall

Thare sall ane Angell blawe a blast

[...]xiiii.

Quhilk sall mak all the warld agast

With hydous voce, and vehement

Ryse dede folk, cum to Iugement

With that, all Reasonabyll Creature

That euer wes formit be Nature

Sall suddantlye start vp attonis

Coniunit with Saull, Flesche, Blude, & Bonis

That terribyll Trumpat, I heir tell

Beis hard in Heuin, in erth, and hell

Those that wer drownit in the sey

[...]

That boustious blast thay sall obey

Quhare euer the body buryet wase

All salbe fundyng in that plase

Angellis sall passe, in the four airtis

Off erth, and bryng thame frome all partis

Mar. xiii

And with one instant diligence

Present thame to his excellence

☞Sanct Ierome, thoucht continuallye

On this Iugement so ardentlye

He said, quhidder I eit or drynk

Or walk, or sleip, forsuth me thynk

[Page]That terrabyll Trumpat lyke ane bell

So quiklye in my eir doith knell

As Instantlye it wer present

Ryse dede folk, cum to Iugement

Geue Sanct Ierome tuke sic ane fray

Allace quhat sall we Synnarꝭ say

¶All those, quhilk funding bene on lyue

Salbe Immortall maid belyue

i Pe. iiii.

And in the twynkling of one Ee

Cori. xv.

With fyre thay sall translatit be

And neuer for to dee agane

As Diuine scripture schawis plane

Als reddy boith for pane and glore

As thay, quhilk deit lang tyme affore

¶The scripture sayis, thay sall appeir

In aige of thre and thretty ȝeir

Quhidder thay deit ȝoung or auld

Quhose gret mummer may nocht be tauld

That day sall nocht be myst one man

Quhilk borne wes, sen the warld began

Mathew xxvi.

The Angellis sall thame separate

As Hird the Scheip doith frome the Gate

And those quhilk bene of Baliallis band

Trymling apone the erth sall stand

On the left hand, of that gret Iuge

But espirance to gett refuge.

i Tess. iiii.

¶Bot those quhilk bene Predestinate

Sall frome the erth be Eleuate

And that moste happy cumpanye

[Page]Sall ordourit be tryumphantlye

Att the rycht hand of Christe our kyng

Heych in the air, with loude louyng

¶Full Gloriouslye, thare sall compeir

More brycht than Phebus in his speir

The Virgene Marie, Quene of Quenis

With mony ane thousand brycht Virgenis

The Fatheris of the auld Testament

Quhilk wer to God obedient

Father Adam, sall thame conuoye

With Abell, Seith, Enoch, and Noye

Abraham with his faithfull warkis

With all the prudent Patriarkis

Iohne the Baptiste, thare sall compeir

The Principall, and last Messyngeir

Quhilk come bot half ane ȝeir affore

The cumyng of that kyng of glore

Moyses, Esayas, honorabyll

With all trew Prophetis Venerabyll

Dauid, with all the faithfull kyngis

Quhilk verteouslye did rewle thare ryngis

The nobyll Cheiftane Iosue

With gentyll Iudas Machabe

With mony one nobyll Campioun

Quhilk in thare tyme with gret renoun

Manfullye tyll thare lyuis ende

The Law of God, thay did defende

☞With Eue, that day salbe present

The Ladyis of the Auld Testament.

[Page]Delbora, Adamis Douchter deir

With the four lusty Ladyis cleir

Quhilk kepit wer, in the Ark with Noye

Sara, and Cithara with Ioye

The quhilkꝭ to Abraham wyffis bene

With gude Rebecka, thare salbe sene

The prudent Wyffis of Israell

Gude Lya, and the fair Rachell

With Iudeth, Hestar, and Susanna

And the rycht sapient Quene Saba

¶Thare sall compeir, Peter and Paull

With Christis trew Disciplis all

Lawrence and Stewin, with thare blyst band

Off Martyris mo, than ten thousand

Gregor, Ambrose, and Augustyne

With Confessoris, ane tryumphand tryne

With sanct Francois, and Dominic

Sanct Bernard, and sanct Benedic

With small nummer, of Monkis and Freris

Off Carmeletis, and Cordeleris

That for the lufe of Christ onlye

Renuncit the warld vnfenatlye.

¶With Elezabeth and Anna

All gude wyffis sall compeir that da

The blyst and holy Magdelane

That day affore hir Souerane

Rycht plesandlye sche sall present

All Synnaris, that wer penitent

[Page]Quhilk of thare gylt, heir askit grace

In Heuin with hir, sall haue ane place

¶Bot wo beis to that bailfull band

Quhilk sall stand Lawe, at his left hand

Woo than to Kyngis, and Empriouris

Quhilkis wer vnrychteus Conquerouris

For thare glore, and perticular gude

Gart sched so mekle saikles blude

But Ceptour, Crown, and Robe Royall

That day thay sall mak compt of all

And for thare creuell tyrrannye

Sall punyste be, perpetuallye

¶Ȝe Lordis, and Barronis, more and les

That ȝour pure Tennantis dois oppres

Be gret Gyrsome, and dowbyll maill

More than ȝour landis bene auaill

With sore exhorbitant cariage

With merchetis of thare mariage

Tormentit boith in peace and weir

With birdyngis more than thay may beir

Be thay haif payit to ȝow thare maill

And to the Preist, thare teindis haill

And quhen the land agane is sawin

Quhat restis behynd, I wald wee knawin

I traist thay, and thare pure houshauld

May tell of hunger, and of cauld

Without ȝe haif of thame piete

I dreid ȝe sall gett no Mercie

That day, quhen Christ Omnipotent

[Page]Cumis tyll his generall Iugement.

¶ Wo beis to publict Oppressouris

To tyrrannis, and to transgressouris

To Murdararꝭ, and commoun theifis

Quhilk neuer did mend, thare gret mischeifis

Fornicatoris, and Ockararis

Commoun publict Adulteraris

All pertinat wylfull Arratykis

All fals dissaitfull Sysmatykis

All salbe present in that place

With mony Lamentabyll allace

¶The cursit Cayn, that neuer wes gude

With all scheddaris of saikles blude

Nemrod, fundar of Babilone

With fals Ydolatris mony one

Nynus, the kyng of Asseriay

With gret dule sall compeir that day

Quhilk first Inuentit Ymagery

Quharethrouch come gret Ydolatry

For makyng of the Image Bell

That day his hyir salbe in hell

¶The gret Oppressour, kyng Pharo

The tyrrane Empriour Nero

Sall with thame cursit kyng Herode bryng

With mony vther cairfull Kyng

The creuell kyng Antiochus

With the moste furious Olofernus

Gret Oppressouris, of Israell

That day, thare hyre salbe in hell

[Page]¶ With Iudas sall compeir one clan

Off fals Tratouris, to God and man

Thare sall compeir of euerilk land

With Ponce Pylat, one bailfull band

Off temporall and of spirituall statis

Fals Iugis, with thare Aduocatis

Thare sall our Senȝeouris of the cessioun

Off all thare faltis, mak cleir confessioun

Thare salbe sene, the fraudfull failȝeis

Off Schireffis, Prouestis, and of Bailȝeis

Officiallis, with thare Constry Clerkis

Sall mak compt, of thare wrangus werkis

Thay and thare peruerst Procuratouris

Oppressouris boith of ryche and puris

Throw Delaturis, full of dissait

Quhilk mony one gart beg thare mait

Gret dule that day to Iugis bene

That cumis nocht, with thare conscience clene

That day sall pas be Peremptoris

Without cawteill or Dilatoris

No Duplycandum, nor Tryplicandum

Bot schortlye pas to Sentenciandum

Without Contineuationis

Or ony Appellationis

That sentence, sall nocht be retratit

Nor with no man of Law debatit

¶Ȝe Lauboraris, be sey and landis

Perfyte Craftismen, and ryche Merchandis

Leif ȝour dissait, and crafty wylis

[Page]Quhilk syllie simpyll folk begylis

Mak recompence heir, as ȝe may

Remembryng on this dreidfull day

¶With Machomeit, sall compeir but doute

Off Antechristis one hydduous route

Byschope Annas, and Cayphas

With hym in cumpany sall pas

With Scrybis, and fals Pharisianis

Quhilk wrocht on Christ gret violensis

With mony one Turk, and Sariscene

With gret sorrow thare salbe sene

Papis for thare traditionis

Contrar Christis Institutionis

With mony one cowle, and clyppit crown

Quhilk Christis Lawis strampit down

And wald nocht suffer for to preche

The veritie, nor the peple teche

Bot Lawitmen, pat to gret torment

Quhilk vsit Christis Testament

All Kyngis and Quenis, thare salbe kend

The quhilk sic Lawis did defend

In that court sall cum mony one

Off the blak byik of Babilone

The Innocent blude that day sall crye

One loude vengeance, full petuouslye

On those creuell bludy bowchouris

Martyrerꝭ of Prophetis and Prechouris

Sum with the fyre, sum with the sworde

Quhilk planely precheit Goddis worde

[Page]That day thay sall rewardit be

Conforme to thare Iniquitie

¶The Sodometis, and Gomoriance

On quhome God wrocht so gret vengeance

With Choro, Dathan, and Abyrone

With thare assistance mony one

The holy Scripture, wyll the tell

Quhow thay sank all doun to the hell

With Symon Magus, sall resort

Off proude Preistis, ane schamefull sort

¶That samyn day, thare salbe sene

Mony one creuell cairfull Quene

Quene Semeram, kyng Nynus wyfe

Ane Tygir full of sturt and stryfe

To gydder with Quene Iezabell

Quhilk wes boith couetous and creuell

The fals desaitfull Dalyda

The creuell Quene Clitamistra

The quhilk did murdres on the nyche

Agamenon, boith wyse and wycht

The quhilk wes hir awin souerane Lorde

As Grekis storyis dois recorde

With creuell Quenis, mony one

Quhilk langsum wer, for tyll expone.

¶Ȝe wantoun Ladyis, and burgis wyuis

That now for sydest talis stryuis

Flappand the fylth, amang ȝour feit

Rasyng the duste, in to the streit

That day for all ȝour pomp and pryde

[Page]Ȝour talis sall nocht ȝour hyppis hyde

Thir vaniteis, ȝe sall repent

Without that ȝe be penitent

¶With Phitonissa, I heir tell

Quhilk rasit the Spreit of Samuell

That day with hir thare sall resorte

Off rank Wycheis, one sorrowfull sorte

Brocht frome all partis mony one myle

Frome Sauoy, Athell, and Argyle

And frome the ryndes of Galloway

With mony wofull Wallaway.

¶Ȝe Brether of Religioun

In tyme leif ȝour abusioun

With quhilk ȝe haif the warld abusit

Or ȝe that day salbe refusit

I speik to ȝow all generallye

Nocht tyll one Ordoure speciallye

That day all Creature sall ken

Geue ȝe war Sanctis or warldly men

Or gyf ȝe tuk the Skapellarye

That ȝe mycht leif more plesandlye

And gett ane gude grosse Portioun

Or for Godlye Deuotioun

That day ȝour f [...]ynit Sanctytudis

Sall nocht be knawin be ȝour Hudis

Ȝour Superstitious Ceremoneis

Participand tyll Ydolatreis

Corde, cuttit schone, nor clippit hede

That daye, sall stande ȝow in no stede

[Page]For cowlis blak, gray, nor begaird

Ȝe sall that day get no rewaird

Ȝour polit payntit flatterye

Ȝour dissimulat Ypocrasye

That day, thay sall be cleirlye knawin

Quhen ȝe sall scheir, as ȝe haue sawin

Tharefore in tyme, be penitent

Or ellis that day, ȝe wylbe schent

¶I pray ȝow hartlie as I may

Remember on that dreidfull day

Ȝe Abbot, Pryor, and Pryores

Consydder quhat ȝe did profes

And quhow that ȝour promotioun

Wes no thyng for deuotioun

Bot tyll obtene the Abbasye

Ȝe maid ȝour wow of Chaistitye

Off powertie, and obedience

Tharefor remord ȝour conscience

Quhow thir thre wowis bene obseruit

And quhat rewarde, ȝe haue deseruit

Quharefore repent, quhill ȝe haue space

Sen God is lyberall of his grace,

¶Father (quod I) declare to me

Cour.

Quhare sall our Prelatis ordorit be

Quhilk now bene in the warld leuand

With quhome sall cum that Spirituall band?

(Quod he) as sanct Barnard discryuis

Expe.

Without that thay amend thare lyuis

And leif thare wantoun vitious warkis

[Page]Nocht with Prophetis nor Patriarkis

Nocht with Martyris, nor Confessouris

The quhilkꝭ to Christ, wer trew prechouris

Thare Predecessouris, Peter, and Paull

That day wyll thame mysken at all

So sall thay nocht, I say for me

With the Apostlis, ordourit be

I traist thay sall dwell on the bordour

Off Hell, quhare thare salbe non ordour

Endlang the Flude of Flagitone

Or on the brais of Acherone

Cryand on Caron, I conclude

To ferre thame ouer, that furious flude

Tyll eternall confusioun

Without thay leif thare abusioun

I traist those Prelatꝭ, more and les

Sall mak cleir compt of thare ryches

That dreidfull day, with hartis sore

And quhat seruice, thay did tharefore

The Princely pomp, nor apparell

Off Pope, Byschope, nor Cardinall

Thare Royall Rentis, nor Dignite

That day sall nocht regardit be

Thare sall no talis, as I heir say

Off Byschoppis, be borne vp that day

Cum thay nocht with thare conscience clene

On thame gret sorrow salbe sene

Without that thay thare lyfe amend

In tyme, and so I mak ane end.

FINIS.

[Page]

❧ Heir followis the Maner quhov Christ sall geue his Sentence.

QVHEN all thir Congregationis.

Expe.

Beis brocht furth frōe al natiōis

Quhilk wilbe wtout lang proces

Thocht I haif maid sum lang degres

For ī ye twinkling of one E

All mankynd, sall presentit be

Affore that Kyngis Excellence

Than schortlye sall he geue sentence

Mat. xxv

First sayand to that blysfull band

Quhilk beis ordourit, at his rycht hand

Cum with my Fatheris Bennysoun

And ressaue ȝour possessioun

Quhilk bene for ȝow preordinat

Affore the warld wes first creat

Quhen I wes hungry, ȝe me fed

Quhen I wes naikit, ȝe me cled

Oftymes ȝe gaue me Herberye

And gaif me drynk quhen I wes Drye

And vesyit me, with myndis meik

Quhen I wes presonar and seik

In all sic trybulatioun

Ȝe gaif me consolatioun

¶Than sall thay say, O Potent Kyng

Quhen saw we the, desyre sic thyng

[Page]We neuer saw thyne excellence

Subdewit to sic Indigence

Ȝis (sall he say) I ȝow assure

Quhen euer ȝe did ressaue the pure

And for my saik, maid thame supple

That gyft but doute, ȝe gaif to me

Tharefor sall now begyn ȝour glore

Quhilk sall indure for euer more

¶Than sall he luke on his left hand

And say onto that bailfull band

Pas with my Maledictioun

Tyll Eternall Afflixtioun

In cumpany with feindis fell

In euerlestyng fyre of Hell

Quhen I stude naikit att ȝour ȝett

Houngry, thristy, cauld, and wett

Rycht febyll, seik, and lyke to de

I neuer gat of ȝow supple

And quhen I lay in presoun strang

For ȝow, I mycht haif lying full lang

Without ȝour cosolatioun

Or ony supportatioun.

¶Trymling for dreid, than sall thay say

With mony hydous harmesay

Allace gude Lorde, quhen saw we the

Subiect to sic necessitie

Quhen saw we the, cum to our dure

Houngry, thristy, naikit, pure

Quhen saw we the in presoun ly

[Page]Or the refusit herbery.

¶Than sall that most precelland Kyng

Tyll those wrachis mak answeryng

That tyme, quhen ȝe refusit the puris

Quhilkis neidfull cryit at ȝour duris

And of ȝour superfluitie

For my saik maid thame no supplie

Refusand thame, ȝe me refusit

With wrecheitnes, so ȝe wer abusit

Tharefor ȝe sall haue to ȝour hyre

The euerlestyng byrning fyre

But grace, but peace, or confortyng

Than sall thay cry, full sore weipyng

That we wer maid, allace gude Lorde

Allace, is thare non Misericorde

But thus withouttin hope of grace

Tyne presens of thy plesand face

Allace for ws, it had bene gude

We had bene smorit in our cude.

¶ Than with one rair, the erth, sall ryue

And swolly thame boith man and wyue

Than sall those Creaturis forlorne

Warie the hour, that thay wer borne

With mony ȝamer, ȝewt and ȝell

Frome tyme thay feill, the flammis fell

Apone thare tender bodeis byte

Quhose torment salbe Infinyte

The erth sall close, and frome thare sycht

Sall taking be, all kynde of lycht

[Page]Thare salbe gowlyng, and gretyng

But hope of ony confortyng

In that Inestimabyll pane

Eternallye thay sall remane

Byrnand in furious flammys rede

Euer deand, bot neuir be dede

That the small Minuth of one hour

To thame salbe so gret dolour

Thay sall thynk thay haif done remane

Ane thousand ȝeir, in to that pane

Allace I trimyll tyll heir tell

The terribyll Turmentyng of hell

That panefull pytt, quho can deplore

Quhilk mon indure, for euer more

¶Than sall those glorifyit Creaturis

With myrth and infinyte plesouris

Conuoyit with Ioy Angelicall

Passe to the Heuin Imperiall

With Christ Iesu, our Souerane Kyng

In glore, Eternallye to ryng

Off man, quhilk passis the Ingyne

The thousand part, for tyll defyne

Allanerlie of the leist plesoure

Preordinat for one Creature.

ii Pet. iii.

¶Than sall one Fyre, as Clerkis sane

Mak all the hyllis and valais plane

Frome erth, vp to the Heuin Impyre

All beis renewit, by that fyre

Purgeyng all thyng materiall

[Page]Vnder the heuin Imperiall

Boith erth, and walter, fyre, and air,

Salbe more perfyte maid and fair

The quhilkꝭ affore had myxit bene

Sall than be purifyit and maid clene

The erth lyke Christall salbe cleir

And euerilk Planeit, in his speir

Sall rest withouttin more moueyng

Boith sterny heuin, and Christellyng

The first and hiest heuin monabyll

Sall stand but turnyng firme and stabyll

The Sonne in to the Orient

Sall stand, and in the Occident

Rest sall the Mone, and be more cleir

Nor now bene Phebus, in his speir

And als that Lantern, of the Heuin

Sall gyf more lycht, be greis sewin

Nor it gaue sen the warld began

The Heuin renewit salbe than

Rychtso the erth, with sic deuyse

Compair tyll heuinlye Paradyse,

☞So heuin and erth salbe allone

Apo. xxi.

As menith the Apostill Iohne

The gret sey sall no more appeir

Bot lyke the Christall pure and cleir

Passyng Imaginatioun

i. Cor. ii

Off Man, to mak narratioun

Off glore, quhilk God, haith done prepair

Tyll euery one that cumis thare

[Page]The quhilk with eris, nor with eine

Off man may nocht be hard nor sene

With hart it is vnthynkabyll

And with toungis Inpronunciabyll

Quhose plesouris, salbe so perfyte

Haueyng in God, so gret delyte

ii Pet. iii.

The space now of one thousand ȝeir

That tyme sall nocht, one hour appeir

Quhilk can nocht comprehendit be

Tyll we that plesand sycht sall se.

ii. Cor. xii

¶Quhen Paull wes reuyst in the spreit

Tyll the thrid Heuin, of glore repleit

He sayith, the Secretis quhilk he saw

Thay wer nocht leifsum for to schaw

To no man on the erth leueand

Quharefor preis nocht tyll vnderstand

Quhowbeit thare to thow haif desyre

The Secretis of the heuin Impyre

The more men lukis on Phebus brycht

The more febyll, salbe thare sycht

Rychtso latt no man sett thare cure

To Sers, the heych Diuyne Nature

The more men studye, I suppose

Salbe the more frome thare purpose

To knaw, quhareto sulde men Intend

Quhilk Angellis can nocht comprehend

Bot efter this gret Iugement

All thyng tyll ws salbe patent

Latt ws with Paull, our mynde addres

[Page]He beand full of Heuinlynes

Full humilye, he techeit ws

Nocht for to be to curious

Quhowbeit men be of gret Ingyne

To seik the heych Secretis Diuyne

Quhose Iugementꝭ ar vncersiabyll

Rom. xi.

And strange wayis Inuestigabyll

(That is to say) past out fynding

Off quhome no man may fynd endyng

It sufficith ws for tyll Implore

Gret God, to bryng ws to that glore.

FINIS.

Off certane plesouris of the glorifeit bodeis.

SEn thare is non in erth, may comprehend

The Heuinlye glore, & plesouris Infinyte

Quhairfor my Sone, I pray yt not pretend

Expe.

Ouer far to seik, that maner of delyte

Quhilk passit Naturall reasoun to Indyte

That God affore that he the warld creatt

Preparit to thame, quhilk ar predestinat.

All Mortall men, salbe maid Immortall

(That is to say) neuer to de agane

Impassabyll, and so Celestiall

That fyre, nor swerd, may do to thame no pane

[Page]Nor hete, nor cald, nor frost, nor wynd, nor rane

Thocht sic thyng wer, may do to thame no deir

Those Creaturis, rycht so salbe als cleir

As flammand Phebus in his Mantioun

Considder than, gyf thare salbe gret lycht

Quhen euery one, in to that Regioun

Sall schyne lyke to the Sonne, and be als brycht

Lat ws with Paull, desyre to se that sycht

To be dissoluit, Paull had A gret desyre

With Christ, to be in tyll the heuin Impyre.

And more attour, as Clerkis can discryue.

Thare maruellous myrthis, beis incomparabyll

Amang the rest, in all thare wyttis fyue

Thay sall haue sensuall plesouris delectabyll

The heuinlye sound, quhilk salbe Innarrabyll

In thare eris, continuallye sall ryng

And als the sycht of Christ Iesus our Kyng.

In his tryumphant throne Imperiall

With his Mother, ye Virgene Quene of quenis

Thare salbe sene, the Court Celestiall

Apostolis, Martyris, Confessoris, and Virgenis

Brychtar than Phebus, in his speir that, schynis

The Patriarkis, and Prophetis, Venerabyll

Thare salbe sene, with glore Inestimabyll.

¶And with thare Spirituall Eis salbe sene.

That sycht, quhilk bene most Superexcelland

[Page]God as he is, and euermore hes bene

Continuallye, that sycht contempland

Augustyne sayis, he had leuer tak on hand

To be in Hell, he seyng the assence

Off God, nor be in Heuin, but his presence.

¶Quho seis God, in his Diuynitie.

He seis in hym, all vther plesand thyngis

The quhilk with toung, can nocht pronuncit be

Quhat plesour bene, to se that kyng of Kyngis,

The gretest pane, yt dampnit folk dounthryngis

And to the Deuyllis, the most punytioun

It is of god, to want fruitioun.

And mairattour, thay sall feill sic ane smell.

Surmountyng far, the fleure of erthly flowris

And in thare mouth, ane taist as I heir tell

Off sweit, and Supernaturall Sapowris

As thay sall se the heuinlye brycht colowris

Schenyng amang those Creaturis Diuyne

Quhilk tyll discryue, trāscendith mānis Ingyne

¶And als thay sall haif sic agilitie.

In one Instant to passe for thare plesour

Ten thousand mylis in twynkling of one E

So thare Ioyis salbe without missour

Thay sall Reioyis, to se the gret dolour

Off dampnit folk in hell, and thare torment

Because of God it is the Iuste Iugement.

[Page]

Subtellyte thay sall haue maruellouslye

Subponyng that thare wer ane wall of bras

One glorifeit body, may rycht haistellye

Out throw that wall, without Impediment pas

Siclyke as doith the Sone baime throw ye glas

As Christ tyll his Disciplis did appeir

All entres clos, and non of thame did steir.

i. Cor. xv

¶Quhowbeit in heuin, thocht euerilk Creature

Haue nocht alyke filicitie nor glore

Ȝitt euerilk one sall haif so gret plesure

And so content, thay sall desyre no more

To haue more Ioye, thay sall no way Implore

Bot thay salbe all satyfeit and content

Lyke to this rude exempyll subsequent,

Tak ane crowat, one pynte stope, and one quart

One galloun pitschair, one puntioun & one twn

Of wyne, or balme, gyf euerilk one thare part

And fyll thame full, tyll that thay be ouir rwn

The lytill crouat, in comparisoun

Salbe so full, that it may hald no more

Off sic missouris, thocht thare be twenty score.

¶In to the Twn, or in the Pontioun,

So all those vesschellis, in one qualitie

May hald no more, without thay be ouir rwn

Ȝitt haif thay nocht, alyke in quantitie

[Page]So be this rude exempyll thow may se

Thocht euerilk one, be nocht alyke in glore

Ar satyfeit, so that thay desyre no more

Thocht presentlye be Goddis prouiance.

Beistis fowlis, and fyschis, in the seis

Ar necessar now, for mannis sustenance

With cornis, herbis, flowris, and fructfull treis

Than sall thare be non sic commoditeis

The erth sall beir no plant, nor beist brutall

Bot as the Heuinnis brycht lyke buriall

Suppone sum be on erth, walkand heir doun,

Or heycht abone, quhare euer thay pleis to go

Off God, thay haue ay cleir fruitioun

Boith est, or west, vp doun, or to, or fro

Clerkis declaris plesouris mony mo

Quhilk dois transcend al mortal mānis Ingyne

The thousand part, of those plesouris deffyne.

¶In to the Heuin, thay sall perfytlie knaw.

Thare tender freindis, yare father & yare mother

Thare Predecessouris, quhilkꝭ thay neuer saw

Thair spousis, bairnis, syster, & thare brother

And euerilk one, sall haue sic lufe tyll vther

Off vtheris glore, and Ioy, thay sall reioyse

As of thare awin, as Clerkis doith suppose

¶Than salbe sene, that brycht Ierusalem.

Apoc. xxi

Quhilk Ihone saw, in his Reuelatione

[Page]

Esa. lxvi

We mortall men, allace ar far to blame

That wyll nocht haif consideratione

And one continuall contemplatione

With hote desyre, to cum on to that glore

Quhilk plesour sall indure for euer more.

Ro. viii.

O Lorde our God, and Kyng Omnipotent.

Quhilk knew, or thow the heuin, and erth, creati

Quho wald to the, be inobedient

And so disarue, for to be Reprobatt

Thow knew the nomer, of predestinat

Quhome thow did call, and hes thame Iustifeis

And sall in Heuin with the be Glorifeit.

Grant ws to be Lorde, of that chosin sort

Quhame of thy mercy superexcellent

Did puriffy, as scripture doith report

With the blude of that holy Innocent

Iesu, quhilk maid hym self Obedient

On to the deth, and steruit on the Rude

Lat ws O Lorde, be purgit with that blude.

[...] viii.

¶All Creature, that euer God Creat

As wryttis Paull, thay wys to se that day

Quhen the Childryng of God predestinat

Sall do appeir, in thare new fresche array

i. Cor. xv

Quhen Corruptioun, beis clengit clene away

And cheangit beis, thare Mortall Qualitie

In the gret glore, of Immortalitie.

[Page]

¶And moreattour all dede thyngis corporall.

Onder the Concaue, of the Heuin Impyre

That now to laubour subiect ar and thrall

Sone, Mone, & Sterris, Erth, walter, air, & Fyre

In one maneir, thay haue ane hote desyre

Wissing that day, that thay may be at rest

As Erasmus, Exponith Manifest.

¶We se the gret Gloube, of the Firmament

Continuallie, in moueyng maruellous

The Sewin Planetis, contrary thare intent

Ar reft about, with coursse contrarious

The wynd, and See, with stormys furious

The trublit Air, with Frostis, Snaw and Rane,

On to that day, thay trauell euer in pane.

☞And all the Angellis, of the Ordouris Nyne.

Haueand compatioun of our Misareis

Thay wys efter that day, and to that Fyne

To se ws fred, frome our Infirmiteis

And clengit frome thir gret Calamiteis

And trublus lyfe, quhilk neuer sall haue end

On to that day I mak it to the kend.

FINIS

❧ Ane Exhortatioun Gyffin be Father Experience▪ vnto his Sone The Curteour.

[Page]

Expe.

MY Sone now mark weil ī thy memory

Of yis fals warld, ye trublus trāsitory

Quhose dreidfull dayis drawis neir a

Tharfor cal god to be yi adiutory (end

And euery day my Sonne, Memento Mori

And watt not quhen, nor quhare yt thow sal wend

Heir to remane, I pray the nocht pretend

And sen thow knawis the tyme is verray schort

In Christis Blude, sett all thy hole confort.

Math. vi

Be nocht to myche solyst in temporall thyngis.

Sen yow persauis, Pape, Empriour nor Kyngis

In to the erth, haith no place parmanent

Thow seis ye deith, yame dulefully doun thringis

And rauis yame frome yare rent, ryches & ringis

Tharefor, on Christ confirme thyne hole intent

And of thy callyng, be rycht weill content

Than God that fedis the fowlis of the air

All neidfull thyng for the he sall prepair,

Iob. xiiii

Consydder in thy contemplatioun

Ay sen the warldlis, first Creatioun

Mankynd hes tholit this misary mortall

Ay tormentit with trybulatioun

With dolour, dreid, and desolatioun

Gentiles, and Chosin peple of Israell

To this vnhap, all subiect ar and thrall

Quhilk Misary but doute sall euer indure

Tyll the last day, my Sonne thareof be sure.

[Page]

That day, as I haue maid narratioun

Salbe the day of consolatioun

Tyll all the Childryng, of the chosin noumer

Thare endit beis, thare desolatioun

And als I mak the supplycatioun

In erthlye materis, tak the no more cummer

Dreid nocht to dee, for deith is bot ane slūmer

Leue ane Iuste lyfe, & wt wane Ioyus hart

And of thy guddis, tak plesandlye thy part.

Off our talkeing, now latt ws mak ane end.

Behald quhow Phebus, dounwart dois discend

Towart his palyce, in the Occident

Dame Synthea I se, scho dois pretend

In tyll hir wattry Regioun tyll ascend

With vissage paill, vp frome the Orient

The dew now dounkis, the rossis redolent

The Mareguldis that all day wer reiosit

Off Phebus heit, now cratftelly ar closit

The blysfull byrdis, bownis to the treis

And ceissis of thare heuinlye armoneis

The Cornecraik in the croft, I heir hir cry

The bak, the Howlat, febyll of thare eis

For thare pastyme, now in the ewinnyng fleis

The Nychtyngaill, with myrthfull melody

Hir naturall notis, persith throw the sky

Tyll Synthea, makand hir obseruance

Quhilk on the nycht, dois tak hir dalyance.

[Page]

I se Polartike, in the North appeir

And Venus ryssing with hir bemes cleir

Quharefor my Sonne, I hald it tyme to go

Wald God (said I) ȝe did remane all ȝeir

That I mycht of ȝour heuinlye Lessonis leir

Off ȝour departyng, I am wounder wo

Tak pacience (said he) it mone be so

Perchance I sall returne, with deligence

Thus I departit, frome Experience.

And sped me home, with hert sychyng full sore

And enterit in my quyet Oritore

I tuke paper, and thare began to wryt

This Miserie, as ȝe haue hard afore

All gentyll Redaris, hertlye I Implore

For tyll excuse, my rurall rude Indyte

Thoucht Phareseis, wyll haue at me dispyte

Quhilkis wald not yat, thare craftynes wer kend

Latt God be Iuge, and so I mak ane end.

*FINIS.✚

Quod Lyndesay, .1552.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

Ane dialog betuix Experience and ane courteour off the miserabyll estait of the warld. Compylit be Schir Dauid Lyndesay of ye Mont Knycht alias, Lyone Kyng of Armes. And is deuidit in foure partis. As efter followis. .&c.

Lindsay, David, Sir, fl. 1490-1555.

Edition statement

1554

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2004-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

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A05548

ID [STC]

STC 15672

ID [STC]

ESTC S109451

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99845098

ID [PROQUEST]

99845098

ID [VID]

9978

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A05548)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 9978)

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— Ane dialog betuix Experience and ane courteour off the miserabyll estait of the warld. Compylit be Schir Dauid Lyndesay of ye Mont Knycht alias, Lyone Kyng of Armes. And is deuidit in foure partis. As efter followis. .&c., Lindsay, David, Sir, fl. 1490-1555..

Extent

[232] p.

And imprentit [by J. Scot] at the conmand and expensis off Doctor, Machabeus, in Copma[n]houin,. [Edinburgh? or St. Andrews?] :: [1554]. (In Scots verse.) (Printer's name and publication date supplied and place of publication conjectured by STC and addendum.) (Signatures: [A]⁴ (-[A]1) B⁴ C-F G⁴ H-Q R1 (=A1).) (Apparently R1 was printed as the first leaf of quire A.) (Variant: with the extra texts from STC 15675; this probably represents a later issue.) (Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.)

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Users should be aware of the process of creating the TCP texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data.

Text selection was based on the New Cambridge Bibliography of English Literature (NCBEL). If an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in NCBEL, then their works are eligible for inclusion. Selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. In general, first editions of a works in English were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably Latin and Welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so.

Image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. Quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in Oxford and Michigan. 5% (or 5 pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet QA standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. After proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of 100 instances per text. Any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. Understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of TCP data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. Users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a TCP editor.

The texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level 4 of the TEI in Libraries guidelines.

Copies of the texts have been issued variously as SGML (TCP schema; ASCII text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable XML (TCP schema; characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless XML (TEI P5, characters represented either as UTF-8 Unicode or TEI g elements).

Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site.