Chapter II: Part 2

“That questioun, it sall be sone decydit,”
Quod he, “thare sall na Scot have confortyng
Of me tyll that I see the countre gydit
Be wysedome of ane gude auld prudent Kyng,
Quhilk sall delyte him maist, abone[87] all thyng,
To put Justice tyll executioun,
And on strang traitouris mak punitioun.

“Als yit to thee I say ane-uther thyng:
I see rycht weill that proverbe is full trew,
‘Wo to the realme that hes ouer young ane King!’”
With that he turnit his bak, and said adew.
Ouer firth and fell[88] rycht fast fra me he flew,
Quhose departyng to me was displesand.[89]
With that, Remembrance tuk me be the hand,

And sone, me-thocht, scho brocht me to the roche
And to the cove quhare I began to sleip.
With that, one schip did spedalye approche,
Full plesandlie saling apone the deip,
And syne[90] did slake hir salis and gan to creip
Towart the land, anent[91] quhare that I lay.
Bot, wyt ye weill, I gat ane fellown fray[92]:

All hir cannounis sche leit craik of at onis:
Down schuke the stremaris frome the topcastell;
Thay sparit nocht the poulder nor the stonis[93];
Thay schot thair boltis, and doun thair ankeris fell;
The marenaris, thay did so youte[94] and yell,
That haistalie I stert out of my dreme,
Half in ane fray, and spedalie past hame.

And lychtlie dynit, with lyste[95] and appetyte,
Syne efter past in-tyll ane oratore,
And tuke my pen, and thare began to wryte
All the visioun that I have schawin afore.
Schir, of my dreme as now thou gettis no more,
Bot I beseik God for to send thee grace
To rewle thy realme in unitie and peace.

[60] over the open field.

[61] without.

[62] know.

[63] knowledge.

[64] oppressed.

[65] every.

[66] must.

[67] wasted, laid waste.

[68] regard.

[69] causes.

[70] An allusion to the departure of the Regent Albany.

[71] lost.

[72] loyalty.

[73] robbery.

[74] tedious.

[75] These lazy sluggards.

[76] _i.e._ personal interest caused.

[77] Quickly.

[78] cares, business.

[79] know.

[80] complain.

[81] money. _Fr._ dénier.

[82] every host.

[83] each.

[84] St. John be your surety.

[85] sorrowful.

[86] steeped.

[87] above.

[88] Over outland and mountain.

[89] From John the Commonweill, says Sibbald, it has been suggested that Arbuthnot caught the first hint of his celebrated John Bull.

[90] presently.

[91] opposite.

[92] a cruel fright.

[93] Stones were the bullets of that age.

[94] shout.

[95] pleasure.

THE TESTAMENT AND COMPLAYNT OF OUR SOVERANE LORDIS PAPYNGO.

PROLOG.

Suppose I had ingyne[96] angelicall,
With sapience more than Salamonicall[97],
I not quhat mater put in memorie;
The poeitis auld, in style heroycall,
In breve[98] subtell termes rethorycall,
Of everlike[99] mater, tragedie and storie,
So ornatlie, to thair heych[100] laude and glorie,
Haith done indyte; quhose supreme sapience
Transcendith far the dull intellygence

Of poeitis now in-tyll our vulgare toung.
For quhy? the bell of rethorick bene roung
Be Chawceir, Goweir, and Lidgate laureate.
Quho dar presume thir poeitis tyll impung
Quhose sweit sentence throuch Albione bene sung?
Or quho can now the workis countrafait
Of Kennedie with termes aureait,
Or of Dunbar, quhilk language had at large,
As may be sene in-tyll his Goldin Targe?

Quintyn, Merser, Rowle, Henderson, Hay, and Holland,[101]
Thocht thay be deid thair libellis bene levand[102],
Quhilkis to reheirs makeith redaris to rejose.
Allace for one quhilk lampe wes of this land,
Of eloquence the flowand balmy strand[103]
And in our Inglis rethorick the rose!
As of rubeis the charbunckle bene chose,
And as Phebus dois Cynthia precell,
So Gawane Dowglas, Byschope of Dunkell,

Had, quhen he wes in-to this land on lyve[104],
Abufe vulgare poeitis prerogatyve
Both in pratick and speculatioun.
I say no more; gude redaris may descryve[105]
His worthy workis in nowmer more than fyve,
And specallye the trew translatioun
Of Virgill, quhilk bene consolatioun
To cunnyng men, to knaw his gret ingyne,
Als weill in naturall science as devyne.

And in the courte bene present in thir[106] dayis
That ballattis brevis lustellie[107], and layis,
Quhilkis tyll our Prince daylie thay do present.
Quho can say more than Schir James Inglis[108] sayis,
In ballattis, farses, and in plesand playis?
But Culrose hes his pen maid impotent.
Kyd, in cunnyng and pratick rycht prudent,
And Stewarte,[109] quhilk desyrith ane staitly style,
Full ornate werkis daylie dois compyle.

Stewart of Lorne wyll carpe[110] rycht curiouslie;
Galbraith, Kynlouch, quhen thay lyst tham applie
In-to that art, ar craftie of ingyne.
Bot now of lait is starte up haistelie
Ane cunnyng[111] clerk quhilk wrytith craftelie,
Ane plant of poeitis callit Ballendyne,
Quhose ornat workis my wytt can nocht defyne.
Gett he in-to the courte auctorite
He wyll precell Quintyn and Kennedie.

So, thocht[112] I had ingyne, as I have none,
I watt[113] nocht quhat to wryt, be sweit Sanct Jhone;
For quhy? in all the garth[114] of eloquence
Is no-thyng left bot barrane stok and stone;
The poleit termes are pullit everilk one[115]
Be thir fornamit poeitis of prudence;
And sen I fynd none uther new sentence
I sall declare, or[116] I depart yow fro,
The complaynt of ane woundit papingo[117].

Quharefor, because myne mater bene so rude
Of sentence, and of rethorike denude,
To rurall folke myne dyting[118] bene directit,
Far flemit[119] frome the sycht of men of gude[120];
For cunnyng men, I knaw, wyll soune conclude
It dowe[121] no-thyng bot for to be dejectit;
And quhen I heir myne mater bene detractit
Than sall I sweir I maid it bot in mowis[122]
To landwart lassis quhilks kepith kye and yowis[123].

[The “Complaynt” begins with a homily on the text “Quho clymmis to
hycht, perforce his feit mon faill.” To illustrate this apophthegm
the story of the king’s papyngo is told. The unfortunate bird,
climbing to the topmost twig of a tree in the royal garden, is
thrown to earth by a gust of wind, and hopelessly injured on a stob
of timber. In her last hour she addresses one epistle to the king,
deriving lessons to royalty from the chronicles of Scotland, and
another to her “brether of the court” upon the text “Quho sittith
moist hie sal fynd the sait most slidder.” The latter epistle ends
with an adieu to Edinburgh, Stirling, and Falkland, and the chief
scene of the satire immediately ensues.]

[96] intellect.

[97] Solomon-like.

[98] writing.

[99] every.

[100] high.

[101] Sir Gilbert Hay, Merser, and two Rowles, one of Aberdeen and one of Corstorphine, are mentioned in Dunbar’s “Lament for the Makaris.” Henryson and Sir Richard Holland, the author of “The Houlate,” are well known. Sir John Rowle’s “Cursing vpon the Steilaris of his fowlis” is preserved in the Bannatyne MS.

[102] their books live.

[103] stream.

[104] alive.

[105] describe.

[106] these.

[107] write pleasantly.

[108] A chaplain at court, and reputed author of the “Complaynt of Scotland,” Inglis was made abbot of Culross by James V. He was murdered by the baron of Tullialan a few months after this mention of him.

[109] A considerable number of poems bearing the colophon “quod Stewart” are preserved by Bannatyne, but nothing is known of their separate authorship.

[110] speak, narrate.

[111] skilful.

[112] though.

[113] know.

[114] garden.

[115] every one.

[116] ere

[117] popinjay, parrot.

[118] writing.

[119] banished.

[120] worth.

[121] deserves.

[122] jest.

[123] country lasses who keep kine and ewes.

ADEW.

Adew, Edinburgh! thou heych tryumphant toun,
Within quhose boundis rycht blythfull have I bene,
Of trew merchandis the rute of this regioun,
Most reddy to resave Court, King, and Quene!
Thy polecye and justice may be sene.
War devotioun, wysedome, and honestie,
And credence, tynt[124], thay mycht be found in thee.

Adew, fair Snawdoun[125]! with thy touris hie,
Thy Chapell Royall, park, and tabyll rounde![126]
May, June, and July walde I dwell in thee,
War I one man, to heir the birdis sounde
Quhilk doith agane thy royall roche redounde.
Adew, Lythquo[127]! quhose Palyce of plesance
Mycht be one patrone[128] in Portingall or France!

Fair-weill, Falkland! the fortrace of Fyfe,
Thy polyte park, under the Lowmound Law!
Sum-tyme in thee I led ane lustye[129] lyfe,
The fallow deir, to see thame raik on raw[130].
Court men to cum to thee, thay stand gret awe,
Sayand thy burgh bene of all burrowis baill[131],
Because in thee thay never gat gude aill.

[124] lost.

[125] The ancient name for _Stirling_.

[126] The curious earthworks about which the sports of the Knights of the Round Table took place are still to be seen under the Castle-hill at Stirling.

[127] Linlithgow.

[128] pattern.

[129] pleasant.

[130] range in row.

[131] wretched.

THE COMMONYNG BETUIX THE PAPYNGO AND HIR HOLYE EXECUTOURIS.

The Pye persavit the Papyngo in paine,
He lychtit doun, and fenyeit him to greit[132]:
“Sister,” said he, “alace! quho hes yow slane?
I pray yow, mak provisione for your spreit,
Dispone your geir[133], and yow confes compleit.
I have power, be your contritioun,
Of all your mys[134] to geve yow full remissioun.

“I am,” said he, “one Channoun regulare,
And of my brether Pryour principall:
My quhyte rocket my clene lyfe doith declare;
The blak bene of the deith memoriall:
Quharefor I thynk your gudis naturall
Sulde be submyttit hole into my cure;
Ye know I am ane holye creature.”

The Ravin come rolpand[135], quhen he hard the rair;
So did the Gled[136], with mony pieteous pew;
And fenyeitlye thay contrafait gret cair.
“Sister,” said thay, “your raklesnes we rew;
Now best it is our juste counsall ensew,
Sen we pretend to heych promotioun,
Religious men, of gret devotioun.”

“I am ane blak Monk,” said the rutlande[137] Ravin;
So said the Gled, “I am ane holy freir,
And hes power to bryng yow quyke to hevin.
It is weill knawin my conscience bene full cleir;
The blak Bybill[138] pronunce I sall perqueir[139],
So tyll our brether ye will geve sum gude;
God wat geve we hes[140] neid of lyves fude!”

The Papyngo said, “Father, be the Rude,
Howbeit your rayment be religious lyke,
Your conscience, I suspect, be nocht gude.
I did persave quhen prevelye ye did pyke[141]
Ane chekin from ane hen under ane dyke.”
“I grant,” said he. “That hen was my gude freind,
And I that chekin tuke bot for my teind.

“Ye knaw, the faith be us mon be susteind;
So be the Pope it is preordinate
That spirituall men suld leve upon thair teind:
Bot weill wat I ye bene predestinate
In your extremis to be so fortunate,
To have sic holy consultatioun;
Quharefore we mak yow exhortatioun:

“Sen dame Nature hes grantit yow sic grace,
Layser to mak confessioun generall,
Schaw furth your syn in haist, quhil ye haif space;
Syne of your geir mak one memoriall.
We thre sal mak your feistis funerall,
And with gret blys bury we sall your bonis,
Syne trentalls[142] twenty trattyll[143] all at onis.

“The roukis sall rair, that men sall on thame rew,
And crye _Commemoratio Animarum_.
We sall gar chehnis cheip[144], and geaslyngis pew,
Suppose the geis and hennis suld crye alarum:
And we sall serve _Secundum usum Sarum_[145],
And mak you saif: we fynd Sanct Blase to borgh[146],
Cryand for yow the cairfull corrynogh[147].

“And we sall syng about your sepulture
Sanct Mongois matynis and the mekle creid[148],
And syne devotely saye, I yow assure,
The auld Placebo bakwart, and the beid;
And we sall weir for yow the murnyng weid
And, thocht your spreit with Pluto war profest,
Devotelie sall your diregie be addrest.”

“Father,” said scho, “your facunde[149] wordis fair,
Full sore I dreid, be contrar to your dedis.
The wyffis of the village cryis with cair
Quhen thai persave your mowe ouirthort thar medis[150].
Your fals consait boith duke and draik sore dreidis
I marvell, suithlie[151], ye be nocht eschamit
For your defaltis, beyng so defamit.

“It dois abhor, my pure perturbit spreit,
Tyll mak to yow ony confessioun.
I heir men saye ye bene one ypocrite
Exemptit frome the Senye[152] and the Sessioun.
To put my geir in your possessioun,
That wyll I nocht, so help me Dame Nature!
Nor of my corps I wyll yow geve no cure[153].

“Bot, had I heir the nobyll Nychtingall,
The gentyll Ja, the Merle, and Turtur trew,
My obsequeis and feistis funerall
Ordour thay wald, with notis of the new.
The plesand Pown[154], most angellyke of hew,
Wald God I wer this daye with hym confest,
And my devyse[155] dewlie be hym addrest!

“The myrthfull Maveis, with the gay Goldspink,
The lustye[156] Larke, wald God thay war present!
My infortune, forsuith, thay wald forthink[157],
And comforte me that bene so impotent.
The swyft Swallow, in prattick[158] moste prudent,
I wate scho wald my bledyng stem belyve[159]
With hir moste verteous stone restringityve.”

“Compt me the cace, under confessioun,”
The Gled said proudlye to the Papingo,
“And we sall sweir, be our professioun,
Counsall to keip, and schaw it to no mo.
We thee beseik, or[160] thou depart us fro,
Declare to us sum causis reasonabyll
Quhy we bene haldin so abhominabyll.

“Be thy travell thou hes experience,
First, beand bred in-to the Orient,
Syne be thy gude servyce and delygence
To prencis maid heir in the Occident.
Thow knawis the vulgare pepyllis jugement
Quhare thou transcurrit[161] the hote Meridionall,
Syne nyxt the Poill the plaige[162] Septentrionall.

“So, be thyne heych ingyne[163] superlatyve,
Of all countreis thou knawis the qualiteis;
Quharefore, I thee conjure, be God of lyve,
The veritie declare, withouttin leis[164],
Quhat thou hes hard, be landis or be seis,
Of us kirkmen, boith gude and evyll reporte;
And quhow thay juge, schaw us, we thee exhorte.”

“Father,” said scho, “I catyve creature,
Dar nocht presume with sic mater to mell[165].
Of your caces, ye knaw, I have no cure;
Demand thame quhilk in prudence doith precell.
I maye nocht pew[166], my panes bene so fell[167]:
And als, perchance, ye wyll nocht stand content
To knaw the vulgare pepyllis jugement.

“Yit, wyll the deith alyte[168] withdrawe his darte,
All that lyis in my memoryall
I sall declare with trew unfenyeit hart.
And first I saye to you in generall
The commoun peple sayith ye bene all
Degenerit frome your holy pirmityvis[169],
As testyfeis the proces of your lyvis.

“Of your peirles prudent predecessouris
The beginnyng, I grant, wes verray gude:
Apostolis, martyres, virgines, confessouris,
The sound of thair excellent sanctitude
Was hard ouer all the warld, be land and flude,
Plantyng the faith, be predicatioun[170],
As Christe had maid to thame narratioun.

“To fortyfie the faith thay tuke no feir
Afore prencis, preching full prudentlie;
Of dolorous deith thay doutit nocht the deir[171],
The veritie declaryng ferventlie;
And martyrdome thay sufferit pacientlie:
Thay tuke no cure of land, ryches, nor rent;
Doctryne and deid war boith equivolent.

“To schaw at lenth thair workis wer gret wunder,
Thair myracklis thay wer so manifest.
In name of Christe thay hailit mony hounder[172],
Rasyng the dede, and purgeing the possest,
With perverst spreitis quhilkis had bene opprest.
The crukit ran, the blynd men gat thair ene,
The deiff men hard, the lypper war maid clene.

“The prelatis spousit wer with povertie,
Those dayis, quhen so thay flurisit in fame,
And with hir generit[173] lady Chaistitie
And dame Devotioun, notabyll of name.
Humyll thay wer, simpyll, and full of schame.
Thus Chaistitie and dame Devotioun
Wer principall cause of thair promotioun.

“Thus thay contynewit in this lyfe devyne
Aye tyll thare rang[174], in Romes gret cietie,
Ane potent prince was namit Constantyne;[175]
Persavit the Kirk had spowsit Povertie,
With gude intent, and movit of pietie,
Cause of divorce he fande betuix thame two,
And partit thame, withouttin wordis mo.

“Syne, schortlie, with ane gret solempnitie,
Withouttin ony dispensatioun,
The Kirk he spowsit with dame Propirtie,
Quhilk haistelye, be proclamatioun,
To Povertie gart[176] mak narratioun,
Under the pane of peirsyng of hir eine[177],
That with the Kirk scho sulde no more be seine.

“Sanct Sylvester that tyme rang Pope in Rome[178],
Quhilk first consentit to the mariage
Of Propirtie, the quhilk began to blome,
Taking on hir the cure with heych corrage.
Devotioun drew hir tyll one heremytage
Quhen scho considerit lady Propirtie
So heych exaltit in-to dignitie.

“O Sylvester, quhare was thy discretioun?
Quhilk Peter did renounce thow did resave.
Androw and Jhone did leif thair possessioun,
Thair schippis, and nettis, lynes, and all the lave[179];
Of temporall substance no-thing wald thay have
Contrarious to thair contemplatioun,
Bot soberlye thair sustentatioun.

“Johne the Baptist went to the wyldernes.
Lazarus, Martha, and Marie Magdalene
Left heretage and guddis, more and les.
Prudent Sanct Paule thocht Propertie prophane;
Frome toun to toun he ran, in wynde and rane,
Upon his feit, techeing the word of grace,
And never was subjectit to ryches.”

The Gled said, “Yit I heir no-thyng bot gude.
Proceid schortlye, and thy mater avance.”
The Papyngo said, “Father, be the Rude,
It wer too lang to schaw the circumstance,
Quhow Propertie, with hir new alyance,
Grew gret with chylde, as trew men to me talde,
And bure two dochteris gudelie to behalde.

“The eldest dochter named was Ryches,
The secunde syster, Sensualytie;
Quhilks did incres, within one schorte proces,
Preplesande[180] to the Spiritualytie.
In gret substance and excellent bewtie
Thir Ladyis two grew so, within few yeiris,
That in the warlde wer non mycht be thair peiris.

“This royall Ryches and lady Sensuall
Frome that tyme furth tuke hole the governance
Of the moste part of the Stait Spirituall:
And thay agane, with humbyll observance,
Amorouslie thair wyttis did avance,
As trew luffaris, thair ladyis for to pleis.
God wate geve than[181] thair hartis war at eis.

“Soune thay foryet[182] to study, praye, and preche,
Thay grew so subject to dame Sensuall,
And thocht bot paine pure pepyll for to teche;
Yit thay decretit, in thair gret Counsall,
Thay wald no more to mariage be thrall,
Traistyng surely tyll observe Chaistitie,
And all begylit quod[183] Sensualytie.

“Apperandlye thay did expell thair wyffis
That thay mycht leif at large, without thirlage[184],
At libertie to lede thair lustie lyffis[185],
Thynkand men thrall that bene in mariage.
For new faces provokis new corrage.
Thus Chaistitie thay turne in-to delyte;
Wantyng of wyffis bene cause of appetyte.

“Dame Chaistitie did steill away for schame,
Frome tyme scho did persave thair proviance[186].
Dame Sensuall one letter gart proclame,
And hir exilit Italy and France.
In Inglande couthe scho get none ordinance[187].
Than to the kyng and courte of Scotlande
Scho markit hir[188], withouttin more demande.

“Traistyng in-to that court to get conforte,
Scho maid hir humyll supplycatioun.
Schortlye thay said scho sulde get na supporte,
Bot bostit hir[189], with blasphematioun,
‘To preistis go mak your protestatioun.
It is,’ said thay, ‘mony one houndreth yeir
Sen Chaistitie had ony entres[190] heir.’

“Tyrit for travell, scho to the preistis past,
And to the rewlaris of religioun.
Of hir presens schortlye thay war agast,
Sayand thay thocht it bot abusioun
Hir to resave: so, with conclusion,
With one avyce[191] decretit and gave dome
Thay walde resset no rebell out of Rome.

“‘Sulde we resave that Romanis hes refusit,
And baneist Inglande, Italye, and France,
For your flattrye, than wer we weill abusit[192].
Passe hyne[193],’ said thay, ‘and fast your way avance,
Amang the nonnis go seik your ordinance;
For we have maid aith of fidelytie
To dame Ryches and Sensualytie.’

“Than paciently scho maid progressioun
Towarde the nonnis, with hart syching[194] full sore.
Thay gaif hir presens, with processioun,
Ressavand hir with honour, laud, and glore,
Purposyng to preserve hir ever-more.
Of that novellis[195] come to dame Propertie,
To Ryches, and to Sensualytie;

“Quhilkis sped thame at the post rycht spedalye,
And sett ane seage proudlye about the place.
The sillye[196] nonnis did yeild thame haistelye,
And humyllye of that gylt askit grace,
Syne gave thair bandis of perpetuall peace.
Ressavand thame, thay kest up wykkets wyde[197]:
Than Chaistytie walde no langer abyde.

“So for refuge, fast to the freris scho fled;
Quhilks said thay wald of ladyis tak no cure.”
“Quhare bene scho now?” than said the gredy Gled.
“Nocht amang yow,” said scho, “I yow assure.
I traist scho bene upon the Borrow-mure
Besouth[198] Edinburgh, and that rycht mony menis[199],
Profest amang the Systeris of the Schenis.[200]

“Thare hes scho found hir mother Povertie,
And Devotioun, hir awin syster carnall.
Thare hes scho found Faith, Hope, and Charitie,
Togidder with the Vertues Cardinall.
Thare hes scho found ane convent yit unthrall
To dame Sensuall, nor with riches abusit;
So quietlye those ladyis bene inclusit.”

The Pyote said, “I dreid, be thay assailyeit,
Thay rander thame, as did the holy nonnis.”
“Doute nocht,” said scho, “for thay bene so artalyeit[201],
Thay purpose to defend thame with thair gunnis.
Reddy to schute thay have sax gret cannounnis,
Perseverance, Constancye, and Conscience,
Austerytie, Laubour, and Abstynance.

“To resyste subtell Sensualytie
Strongly, thay bene enarmit, feit and handis,
Be Abstynence, and keipith Povertie,
Contrar Ryches and all hir fals servandis.
Thay have ane boumbard braissit up in bandis[202]
To keip thair porte, in myddis of thair clois,
Quhilk is callit, _Domine custodi nos_;

“Within quhose schote thare dar no enemeis
Approche thair place, for dreid of dyntis doure[203].
Boith nycht and daye thay wyrk, lyke besye beis,
For thair defence reddye to stande in stoure[204],
And hes sic watcheis on thair utter toure
That dame Sensuall with seage dar not assailye,
Nor cum within the schote of thair artailye[205].”

The Pyote said, “Quhareto sulde thay presume
For to resyste sweit Sensualytie,
Or dame Ryches, quhilkis reularis bene in Rome?
Ar thay more constant, in thair qualytie,
Nor the prencis of Spiritualytie,
Quhilkis plesandlye, withouttin obstakle,
Haith thame resavit in their habitakle[206]?

“Quhow long, traist ye, those ladyis sall remane
So solytar, in sic perfectioun?”
The Papingo said, “Brother, in certane[207],
So lang as thay obey correctioun,
Cheisyng[208] thair heddis be electioun,
Unthrall to Ryches or to Povertie,
Bot as requyrith thair necessitie.

“O prudent prelatis, quhare was your presciance,
That tuke on hand tyll observe Chaistitie,
But[209] austeir lyfe, laubour, and abstenance?
Persavit ye nocht the gret prosperitie
Apperandlye to cum of Propertie?
Ye knaw gret cheir, great eais, and ydelnes
To Lychorie was mother and maistres.”

“Thow ravis unrockit[210],” the Ravin said, “be the Rude,
So to reprove Ryches or Propertie.
Abraham, and Ysaac war ryche, and verray gude;
Jacobe and Josephe had prosperitie.”
The Papingo said, “That is verytie.
Ryches, I grant, is nocht to be refusit,
Providyng alwaye it be nocht abusit.”

Than laid the Ravin ane replycatioun,
Syne said, “Thy reasone is nocht worth ane myte,
As I sall prove, with protestatioun
That no man tak my wordis in dispyte.
I saye, the temporall prencis hes the wyte[211],
That in the Kirk sic pastours dois provyde
To governe saulis, that not tham-selfis can gyde.

“Lang tyme efter the Kirk tuke propertie,
The prelatis levit in gret perfectioun,
Unthrall to ryches or sensualytie,
Under the Holy Spreitis protectioun,
Orderlye chosin be electioun,
As Gregore, Jerome, Ambrose, and Augustyne,
Benedict, Bernard, Clement, Cleit, and Lyne.

“Sic pacient prelatis enterit be the porte[212],
Plesand the peple be predicatioun[213].
Now dyke-lowparis[214] dois in the Kirk resort,
Be symonie, and supplycatioun
Of prencis be thair presentation.
So sillye[215] saulis, that bene Christis scheip,
Ar gevin to hungrye gormande[216] wolfis to keip.

“No marvell is thocht we religious men
Degenerit be, and in our lyfe confusit:
Bot sing, and drynk; none uther craft we ken,
Our spirituall fatheris hes us so abusit.
Agane our wyll those treukouris[217] bene intrusit.
Lawit[218] men hes now religious men in curis;
Profest virgenis in keipyng of strong huris.

“Prencis, prencis, quhar bene your heych prudence
In dispositioun of your beneficeis?
The guerdonyng of your courticience[219]
Is sum cause of thir gret enormyteis.
Thare is one sorte wattand[220], lyke houngre fleis,
For spirituall cure, thocht thay be no-thing abyll,
Quhose gredie thristis[221] bene insaciabyll.

“Prencis, I pray yow, be no more abusit,
To verteous men havyng so small regarde.
Quhy sulde vertew, throuch flattrye, be refusit,
That men for cunnyng[222] can get no rewarde?
Allace! that ever one braggar or ane barde,
Ane hure-maister, or commoun hasarture[223],
Sulde in the Kirk get ony kynde of cure!

“War I one man worthy to weir ane croun,
Aye quhen thare vakit[224] ony beneficeis,
I suld gar call ane congregatioun,
The principall of all the prelaceis,
Moste cunnyng clerkis of universiteis,
Moste famous fatheris of religioun,
With thair advyse mak dispositioun.

“I suld dispone all offices pastorallis
Tyll doctouris of devynitie, or jure[225];
And cause dame Vertew pull up all hir saillis,
Quhen cunnyng men had in the Kirk moist cure;
Gar lordis send thair sonnes, I yow assure,
To seik science, and famous sculis frequent;
Syne thame promove that wer moste sapient.

“Gret plesour wer to heir are byschope preche,
One deane, or doctour in divinitie,
One abbote quhilk could weill his convent teche,
One persoun[226] flowing in phylosophie.
I tyne[227] my tyme to wys[228] quhilk wyll nocht be.
War nocht the preaching of the Begging Freris,
Tynt war the faith amang the seculeris.”

“As for thair precheing,” quod the Papingo,
“I thame excuse, for quhy, thay bene so thrall
To Propertie, and hir ding[229] dochteris two,
Dame Ryches, and fair lady Sensuall,
That may nocht use no pastyme spirituall;
And in thair habitis thay tak sic delyte
Thay have renuncit russat and raploch quhyte[230],

“Cleikand[231] to thame skarlote and crammosie[232],
With menever, martrik, grice, and ryche armyne[233].
Their lawe hartis exaultit ar so hie,
To see thair papale pompe it is are pyne[234].
More ryche arraye is now, with frenyeis[235] fyne,
Upon the bardyng[236] of ane byscheopis mule,
Nor ever had Paule or Peter agane Yule.

“Syne fair ladyis thair chene may not eschape,
Dame Sensuall so sic seid haith in tham sawin.
Les skaith[237] it war, with lycence of the Pape,
That ilke[238] prelate one wyfe had of his awin,
Nor se thair bastardis ouirthort[239] the countre blawin;
For now, be[240] thay be weill cumin frome the sculis,
Thay fall to work as thay war commoun bullis.”

“Pew,” quod the Gled, “thow prechis all in vaine:
Ye seculare floks hes of our cace no curis.”
“I grant,” said scho; “yit men wyll speik agane,
Quhow ye haif maid a hundreth thousand huris
Quhilkis nevir had bene war not your lychorous luris.
And geve I lee[241], hartlye I me repent;
Was never bird, I watt, more penitent.”

Than scho hir shrave, with devote contynance,
To that fals Gled quhilk fenyeit hym one freir;
And quhen scho had fulfyllit hir pennance,
Full subtellye at hir he gan inqueir:
“Cheis yow,” said he, “quhilk of us brether heir
Sall have of all your naturall geir the curis.
Ye knaw none bene more holye creaturis.”

“I am content,” quod the pure Papingo,
“That ye frier Gled, and Corby[242] monk, your brother,
Have cure of all my guddis, and no mo,
Sen at this tyme freindschip I fynd non uther.”
“We salbe to yow trew, as tyll our mother,”
Quod thay, and sweir tyll fulfyll hir intent.
“Of that,” said scho, “I tak ane instrument.”

The Pyote said, “Quhat sall myne office bee?”
“Ouirman[243],” said scho, “unto the tother two.”
The rowpand Revin said, “Sweit syster, lat see
Your holy intent; for it is tyme to go.”
The gredie Gled said, “Brother, do nocht so;
We wyll remane, and haldin up hir hede,
And never depart from hir till scho be dede.”

The Papingo thame thankit tenderlye,
And said, “Sen ye have tane on yow this cure,
Depart myne naturall guddis equalye,
That ever I had or hes of dame Nature,
First, to the Howlet[244], indigent and pure,
Quhilk on the daye, for schame, dar nocht be sene;
Tyll hir I laif my gaye galbarte[245] of grene.

“My brycht depurit ene[246], as christall cleir,
Unto the Bak[247] ye sall thame boith present;
In Phebus presens quhilk dar nocht appeir,
Of naturall sycht scho bene so impotent.
My birneist[248] beik I laif, with gude entent,
Unto the gentyll, pieteous Pellicane,
To helpe to peirs hir tender hart in twane.

“I laif the Goik[249], quhilk hes no sang bot one,
My musyke, with my voce angelycall;
And to the Guse ye geve, quhen I am gone,
My eloquence and toung rhetoricall.
And tak and drye my bonis, gret and small,
Syne close thame in one cais of ebure[250] fyne,
And thame present onto the Phenix syne,

“To birne with hir quhen scho hir lyfe renewis.
In Arabye ye sall hir fynde but weir[251],
And sall knaw hir be hir moste hevinly hewis,
Gold, asure, gowles, purpour, and synopeir[252].
Hir dait is for to leif fyve houndreth yeir.
Mak to that bird my commendatioun.
And als, I mak yow supplycatioun,

“Sen of my corps I have yow gevin the cure,
Ye speid yow to the court, but tareyng,
And tak my hart, of perfyte portrature,
And it present unto my Soverane Kyng:
I wat he wyll it clois in-to one ryng.
Commende me to his Grace, I yow exhorte,
And of my passion mak hym trew reporte.

“Ye thre my trypes sall have, for your travell[253],
With luffer and lowng[254], to part equale amang yow;
Prayand Pluto, the potent prince of hell,
Geve ye failye, that in his feit he fang[255] yow.
Be to me trew, thocht I no-thyng belang yow.
Sore I suspect your conscience be too large.”
“Doute nocht,” said they, “we tak it with the charge.”

“Adew, brether!” quod the pure Papingo;
“To talking more I have no time to tarye;
Bot, sen my spreit mon fra[256] my body go,
I recommend it to the Quene of Farye,
Eternallye in-tyll hir court to carye,
In wyldernes among the holtis hore[257].”
Than scho inclynit hir bed, and spak no more.

Plungit in-tyll hir mortall passioun,
Full grevouslie scho gryppit to the ground.
It war too lang to mak narratioun
Of sychis sore, with mony stang and stound[258].
Out of hir wound the blude did so abound,
One compas round was with hir blude maid reid:
Without remeid, thare wes no-thyng bot dede[259].

And be scho had _In Manus tuas_ said,
Extinctit wer hir naturall wyttis fyve;
Hir heid full softlye on hir schulder laid,
Syne yeild the spreit, with panes pungityve[260].
The Ravin began rudely to rug and ryve[261],
Full gormondlyke[262], his emptie throte to feid.
“Eit softlye, brother,” said the gredy Gled:

“Quhill scho is hote, depart hir evin amang us.
Tak thow one half, and reik[263] to me ane-uther.
In-tyll our rycht, I wat, no wycht dar wrang us.”
The Pyote said, “The feind resave the fouther[264]!
Quhy mak ye me stepbarne, and I your brother?
Ye do me wrang, schir Gled, I schrew[265] your harte.”
“Tak thare,” said he, “the puddyngis for thy parte.”

Than, wyt ye weill, my hart wes wounder sair
For to behalde that dolent departyng[266],
Hir angell fedderis fleying in the air.
Except the hart, was left of hir no-thing.
The Pyote said, “This pertenith to the Kyng,
Quhilk tyll his Grace I purpose to present.”
“Thow,” quod the Gled, “sall faill of thyne entent.”

The Revin said, “God! nor I rax in ane raipe[267],
And thow get this tyll outher kyng or duke!”
The Pyote said, “Plene[268] I nocht to the Pape
Than in ane smedie I be smorit[269] with smuke.”
With that the Gled the pece claucht in his cluke[270],
And fled his way: the lave[271], with all thair mycht,
To chace the Gled, flew all out of my sycht.

Now have ye hard this lytill tragedie,
The sore complent, the testament, and myschance
Of this pure bird quhilk did ascend so hie.
Beseikand[272] yow excuse myne ignorance
And rude indyte[273], quhilk is nocht tyll avance[274].
And to the quair[275], I geve commandiment,
Mak no repair quhair poetis bene present.

Because thow bene
But Rethorike, so rude,
Be never sene
Besyde none other buke,
With Kyng, nor Quene,
With lord, nor man of gude[276].
With coit unclene,
Clame kynrent[277] to sum cuke;
Steil in ane nuke
Quhen thay lyste on thee luke.
For smell of smuke
Men wyll abhor to beir thee.
Heir I manesweir[278] thee;
Quhairfor, to lurke go leir[279] thee.

[132] feigned to weep.

[133] Dispose of your goods.

[134] faults.

[135] croaking.

[136] a hawk.

[137] croaking.

[138] prayer for the dead.

[139] _par cœur._

[140] God knows if we have.

[141] pilfer.

[142] services of thirty masses each.

[143] prattle, rattle off.

[144] make chickens squeak.

[145] The old Scottish liturgy was according to the usage of Sarum.

[146] as surety.

[147] funeral cry.

[148] the great creed.

[149] graceful.

[150] your mouth across their meadows.

[151] truly.

[152] consistory court.

[153] charge.

[154] peacock.

[155] testament.

[156] pleasant.

[157] regret.

[158] practice.

[159] quickly.

[160] ere.

[161] passed to and fro.

[162] region. _Lat._ plaga.

[163] by thy high intelligence.

[164] without lies.

[165] mix, deal.

[166] utter note.

[167] severe.

[168] a little.

[169] primitives.

[170] preaching.

[171] feared not the hurt.

[172] healed many hundreds.

[173] begat.

[174] reigned.

[175] Already in “The Dreme,” Laing remarks, Lyndsay had mentioned the fatal effects of the Emperor’s liberality to Pope Sylvester in conferring riches on the Church of Rome.

[176] caused.

[177] eyes.

[178] A.D. 314-335.

[179] rest.

[180] Very pleasing.

[181] God knows if then.

[182] forgot.

[183] by the word of.

[184] bondage.

[185] pleasant lives.

[186] purveyance, management.

[187] she could get no settlement.

[188] She marched.

[189] overbearingly ordered her.

[190] entrance.

[191] With one counsel, unanimously.

[192] greatly abused.

[193] hence.

[194] sighing.

[195] news.

[196] weak.

[197] cast wide their doors.

[198] South of.

[199] lament.

[200] A convent founded on the Burgh-muir by the Countess of Caithness for Dominican nuns of the reformed order of St. Catherine of Sienna, from whom the place got its name of Siennes or Sheens.

[201] armed.

[202] a cannon braced up in hoops.

[203] hard blows.

[204] storm.

[205] artillery.

[206] dwelling.

[207] assuredly.

[208] choosing.

[209] Without.

[210] reckless.

[211] blame.

[212] door.

[213] preaching.

[214] leapers over wall.

[215] innocent.

[216] gourmand.

[217] trucksters.

[218] Lay, unlearned.

[219] court-following.

[220] waiting.

[221] thirst.

[222] skill.

[223] gamester.

[224] fell vacant.

[225] law.

[226] parson.

[227] lose.

[228] wish.

[229] worthy.

[230] coarse white woollen.

[231] Laying hold.

[232] crimson cloth.

[233] meniver, marten, grey, and rich ermine furs.

[234] pain.

[235] fringes.

[236] trappings.

[237] hurt.

[238] each.

[239] athwart.

[240] by the time that.

[241] if I lie.

[242] Raven. _Fr._ corbeau.

[243] Overman.

[244] Owl.

[245] mantle.

[246] pure eyes.

[247] Bat.

[248] burnished.

[249] Cuckoo.

[250] ivory.

[251] without doubt.

[252] rose-red, purple, and cinnabar.

[253] labour.

[254] liver and lung.

[255] seize.

[256] must from.

[257] the woods hoar.

[258] sting and shock.

[259] death.

[260] pungent.

[261] to pull and tear.

[262] gluttonlike.

[263] reach.

[264] the lot, _lit._ 128 lb. weight.

[265] beshrew, curse.

[266] that sad dividing.

[267] let me stretch a rope, _i.e._ let me hang for it.

[268] Complain.

[269] smothered.

[270] clutched in his claw.

[271] the rest.

[272] Beseeching.

[273] composition.

[274] to be put forward.

[275] quire, book.

[276] worth.

[277] kindred.

[278] forswear.

[279] learn.

THE JUSTING BETUIX JAMES WATSOUN AND JHONE BARBOUR.[280]

In Sanct Androis on Whitsoun Monnunday
Twa campionis thair manheid did assay,
Past to the barres, enarmit heid and handis.
Was never sene sic justing in no landis.
In presence of the Kingis Grace, and Quene,
Quhare mony lustie lady mycht be sene,
Mony ane knicht, barroun, and banrent[281],
Come for to se that awfull Tornament.
The ane of thame was gentill James Watsoun,
And Jhone Barbour the uther campioun.
Unto the King thay wer familiaris,
And of his chalmer boith cubicularis.
James was ane man of greit intelligence,
Ane medicinar[282] ful of experience;
And Jhone Barbour, he was ane nobill leche[283],
Crukit carlinnis, he wald gar[284] thame get speche.
From tyme thay enterit war into the feild
Full womanlie thay weildit speir and scheild,
And wichtlie waiffit[285] in the wynd thair heillis,
Hobland lyke cadgeris[286] rydand on thair creillis;
But ather ran at uther with sic haist
That they could never thair speir get in the reist.
Quhen gentill James trowit best with Jhone to meit,
His speir did fald among his horsis feit:
I am richt sure gude James had bene undone,
War nocht that Jhone his marke tuke be the mone.
Quod Jhone, “Howbeit thou thinkis my leggis lyke rokkis[287],
My speir is gude; now keip ye fra my knokkis.”
“Tary,” quod James, “ane quhyle, for be my thrift[288]
The feind ane thing I can se bot the lift[289].”
“No more can I,” quod Jhone, “be Goddis breid[290],
I see na-thing except the steipill heid.
Yit, thocht thy braunis be lyk twa barrow-trammis,
Defend thee, man!” Than ran thay to, lyk rammis.
At that rude rink[291] James had bene strykin down
War nocht that Jhone for feirsnes fell in swoun;
And rycht sa James to Jhone had done greit deir[292],
Wer not amangis his hors feit he brak his speir.
Quod James to Jhone, “Yit for our ladyis saikis,
Lat us togidder straik three market straikis[293].”
“I had,” quod Jhone, “that sall on thee be wrokin[294]!”
Bot or[295] he spurrit his hors his speir was brokin.
From tyme with speiris nane could his marrow[296] meit
James drew ane swerd with ane richt awfull spreit,
And ran til Jhone, til haif raucht him ane rout[297].
Johnis swerd was roustit, and wald no way cam out.
Than James leit dryfe at Jhone with boith his fistis.
He mist the man, and dang[298] upon the lystis;
And with that straik he trowit that Jhone was slane.
His swerd stak fast, and gat it never agane.
Be this, gude Jhone had gottin furth his sword,
And ran to James with mony awfull word.
“My furiousness, for suith[299], now sall thou find!”
Straikand at James his swerd flew in the wind.
Than gentill James began to crack[300] greit wordis.
“Allace!” quod he, “this day for falt of swordis.”
Than ather ran at uther with new raicis,
With gluifis[301] of plait thay dang at utheris facis.
Quha wan this feild na creature culd ken[302],
Till at the last Johne cryit, “Fy! red[303] the men.”
“Yea! red,” quod James, “for that is my desyre;
It is ane hour sen I began to tyre.”
Sone be[304] thay had endit that royall rink,
Into the feild micht no man stand for stink.
Than every man, that stude on far, cryit, Fy!
Sayand adew; for dirt partis company.
Thair hors, harnis, and all geir[305], wes so gude,
Lovyng[306] to God! that day was sched no blude.

QUOD LYNDESAY, AT COMMAND OF KING JAMES THE FYFT.

[280] This burlesque is said to have been written for the entertainment of the court upon occasion of the home-coming of Mary of Loraine in 1538. As the “Dreme” had been a political satire, and the “Testament of the Papyngo” a satire upon church abuses, this, like the “Contemptioun of Syde Taillis,” was a satire on a social fashion. Chalmers mentions an anterior English poem, “The Turnament of Tottenham, or the wooing, winning, and wedding of Tibbe, the Reeve’s daughter,” printed in Percy’s _Reliques_, as a similar burlesque upon the custom of the tourney; but an example nearer home is to found in Dunbar’s “Justis betuix the Tailyour and the Sowtar.” Watsoun and Barbour were, according to the Treasurer’s Accounts, actual personages in the royal household.

[281] banneret, a knight made in the field.

[282] physician.

[283] surgeon.

[284] Bent old women he would cause.

[285] gallantly waved.

[286] hawkers.

[287] distaffs.

[288] by my livelihood.

[289] the heavens.

[290] by the altar.

[291] running, course.

[292] hurt.

[293] three aimed strokes.

[294] wreaked.

[295] ere.

[296] match.

[297] reached him a blow.

[298] struck.

[299] in truth.

[300] speak.

[301] gloves.

[302] know.

[303] separate.

[304] by the time that.

[305] belongings.

[306] Praise.

KITTEIS CONFESSIOUN.

THE CURATE, AND KITTIE.

The Curate Kittie culd confesse,
And scho tald on baith mair and lesse.
Quhen scho was telland as scho wist[307],
The Curate Kittie wald have kist;
Bot yit ane countenance he bure
Degeist[308], devote, daine[309], and demure;
And syne began hir to exempne[310].
He wes best at the efter game.
Quod he, “Have ye na wrangous geir[311]?”
Quod scho, “I staw[312] ane pek of beir.”
Quod he, “That suld restorit be,
Tharefor delyver it to me.
Tibbie and Peter bad me speir[313];
Be my conscience, thay sall it heir.”
Quod he, “Leve ye in lecherie?”
Quod scho, “Will Leno mowit[314] me.”
Quod he, “His wyfe that sall I tell,
To mak hir acquentance with my-sell.”
Quod he, “Ken[315] ye na heresie?”
“I wait nocht[316] quhat that is,” quod sche.
Quod he, “Hard ye na Inglis bukis?”[317]
Quod scho, “My maister on thame lukis.”
Quod he, “The bischop that sall knaw,
For I am sworne that for to schaw.”
Quod he, “What said he of the King?”
Quod scho, “Of gude he spak na-thing.”
Quod he, “His Grace of that sall wit[318];
And he sall lose his lyfe for it.”
Quhen scho in mynd did mair revolve,
Quod he, “I can nocht you absolve,
Bot to my chalmer cum at even
Absolvit for to be and schrevin.”
Quod scho, “I wyll pas tyll ane-uther.
And I met with Schir Andro,[319] my brother,
And he full clenely did me schryve.
Bot he wes sumthing talkatyve;
He speirit mony strange case[320],
How that my lufe did me inbrace,
Quhat day, how oft, quhat sort, and quhare?
Quod he, ‘I wald I had bene thare.’
He me absolvit for ane plak[321],
Thocht[322] he na pryce with me wald mak;
And mekil[323] Latyne he did mummill,
I hard na-thing bot hummill bummill.
He schew me nocht of Goddis word,
Quhilk scharper is than ony sword,
And deip intill our hart dois prent
Our syn, quharethrow we do repent.
He pat me na-thing into feir,
Quharethrow I suld my syn forbeir;
He schew me nocht the maledictioun
Of God for syn, nor the afflictioun
And in this lyfe the greit mischeif
Ordanit to punische hure and theif;
Nor schew he me of hellis pane,
That I mycht feir, and vice refraine;
He counsalit me nocht till abstene,
And leid ane holy lyfe, and clene.
Of Christis blude na-thing he knew,
Nor of His promisses full trew,
That saifis all that wyll beleve,
That Sathan sall us never greve.
He teichit me nocht for till traist
The confort of the Haly Ghaist.
He bad me nocht to Christ be kynd[324],
To keip His law with hart and mynd,
And lufe and thank His greit mercie,
Fra syn and hell that savit me;
And lufe my nichtbour as my-sell.
Of this na-thing he culd me tell,
Bot gave me pennance, ilk ane day[325]
Ane _Ave Marie_ for to say,
And Fridayis fyve na fische to eit,
(Bot butter and eggis ar better meit),
And with ane plak to buy ane messe
Fra drounkin Schir Jhone Latynelesse.
Quod he, ‘Ane plak I wyll gar[326] Sandie
Give thee agane, with handie dandie.’
Syne[327] into pilgrimage to pas--
The verray way to wantounes.
Of all his pennance I was glaid,
I had them all perqueir[328], I said.
To mow and steill I ken the pryce,
I sall it set on cincq and syce[329].
Bot he my counsale culd nocht keip;
He maid him be the fyre to sleip,
Syne cryit, ‘Colleris[330], beif and coillis[331],
Hois, and schone with dowbill soillis,
Caikis and candill, creische[332] and salt,
Curnis[333] of meill, and luiffillis[334] of malt,
Wollin and linning, werp and woft--
Dame! keip the keis of your woll loft!’
Throw drink and sleip maid him to raif;
And swa with us thay play the knaif.”
Freiris sweiris be thair professioun
Nane can be saif but[335] this Confessioun,
And garris all men understand
That it is Goddis awin[336] command.
Yit it is nocht but mennis drame[337].
The pepill to confound and schame.
It is nocht ellis but mennis law,
Maid mennis mindis for to knaw,
Quharethrow thay syle[338] thame as thay will,
And makis thair law conforme tharetill,
Sittand in mennis conscience
Abone Goddis magnificence;
And dois the pepill teche and tyste[339]
To serve the Pape the Antechriste.
To the greit God Omnipotent
Confess thy syn, and sore repent;
And traist in Christ, as wrytis Paule,
Quhilk sched his blude to saif thy saule;
For nane can thee absolve bot He,
Nor tak away thy syn frome thee.
Gif of gude counsall thow hes neid,
Or hes nocht leirnit weill thy Creid,
Or wickit vicis regne in thee,
The quhilk thow can nocht mortifie,
Or be in desperatioun,
And wald have consolatioun,
Than till are preichour trew thow pas,
And schaw thy syn and thy trespas.
Thow neidis nocht to schaw him all,
Nor tell thy syn baith greit and small,
Quhilk is unpossible to be;
Bot schaw the vice that troubillis thee,
And he sall of thy saule have reuth,
And thee instruct in-to the treuth,
And with the Word of Veritie
Sall confort and sall counsall thee,
The sacramentis schaw thee at lenth,
Thy lytle faith to stark and strenth[340],
And how thow suld thame richtlie use,
And all hypocrisie refuse.
Confessioun first wes ordanit fre
In this sort in the Kirk to be.
Swa to confes as I descryve[341],
Wes in the gude Kirk primityve;
Swa wes confessioun ordanit first,
Thocht Codrus[342] kyte[343] suld cleve and birst.

[307] wished.

[308] grave.

[309] modest.

[310] examine.

[311] goods.

[312] stole.

[313] enquire.

[314] played with.

[315] know.

[316] I know not.

[317] The writings of the Reformers were, before 1560, printed in England and on the Continent. The Bible, in particular, was for this reason known as “the English Book.”

[318] know.

[319] “Sir” was by courtesy the ordinary title of churchmen.

[320] hap, event.

[321] the third of a penny.

[322] Though.

[323] much.

[324] kindred.

[325] each day.

[326] cause.

[327] Afterwards.

[328] by heart.

[329] “five and six,” terms in dice play.

[330] Collars.

[331] coals.

[332] lard.

[333] grains.

[334] handfuls.

[335] without.

[336] own.

[337] dream.

[338] deceive.

[339] entice.

[340] to make stout and strong.

[341] describe.

[342] Perhaps the ill-natured rhetorician mentioned by Virgil, _Eclogues_, v. and vii.

[343] belly.

SQUYER MELDRUMIS JUSTYNG.[344]