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Scottish Presbyterian

A Dialogue Betwixt Experience and a Courtier

David Lindsay (1490-1555) · 38,452 words · 171 min

The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A05548.0001.001

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The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.

This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.

Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.

However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.

This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.

Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org

Ane Dialog betwix Experience and ane Courteour.

Off the Miserabyll Estait of the Warld.

Compylit be Schir David Lyndesay of ye Mont Knycht alias, Lyone Kyng of Arms. And is Deuidit in Four Partis. As after Followis. .&c.

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

Absit Gloriari, Nisi in Cruce Domini nostri Jesus Christi,

THE EPISTIL.

[illustration]
THOU Lytil quair, of mat miserabyll
Weil auchtest y u , couerit to be w t sabyl
renūceād grene y e purpur reid & whit
To delicat mē, y u art nocht delectabyll
Nor yet till amorous folkis amiabyll
To reid on the, thai will haif no delight
Warldlye Peple, will have at the dispyte
Quhilk fyxit hes there heart, and hole intentis
On Sensuall Luste, on Dignity, and Rentis.
We have no Kyng, the to present alas.
Quhilk to this countre, been ane cairfull care
And als our Queen, 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 young tender flour
Bryng home till ws, ane Kyng and Governor,
Alas tharefor, we may with sorrow sing
Quhilk moste so lang, remane without one king
I nott whom to thy Simpylnes to send.
With Cunnyg Men, from time that y u be kende
Thy Vaniteis, no way they will advance
Thynkand the proud, sic thyngis to pretend
Nochtwithstanding, ye straucht way sal y u wende
To thame, whilk wes the realm in governance
Declare thy mind to thame, with circumstance
Go first till James, our Prince, and Protectour
And his Brother, our Spiritual Governor
And Prince of Priests, in this Natioun.
Efter Reverend Recommendatioun
Under there feit, thow lawlye the submyt
And mak thame humyll supplicatioun
Geue they in the, find wrang Narratioun
That they wald pleis, thy faltis to remyt
And of there grace, give they do the admyt
Than go thy way, whare ever thow plesis best
Be they content, mak reverence to the rest.
To faithful Prudent Pastor{is} Spiritual
To Nobyll, Erlis, and Lordis Temporal
Obedientlye, till thame thow the addres
Declaryng thame, this schort memorial
Quhow Mankynd been, to misery maid thrall
At lenth to thame, the cause planelie confess
Beseikand thame, all lawis to suppress
Inuentit, be Mennis Traditioun
Contrar to Christis Institutioun.
And cause thame cleirlye, for till understand
That for the brekyng of, the Lord{is} command
His Thrynfall wande, of Flagellatioun
Hes Scurgit, this pure Realm of Scotland
Be mortal weris, baith be sey and land
With money terrabyll trybulatioun
Tharefor mak to thame true narratioun
That all thir weris, this derth, hunger, and Pest
Was nocht, bot for our Synnis manefest.
Declare to thame, whow in the time of Noye
Alluterlye, God did the world distroye
As Holy Scripture, maketh mentioun
Sodom, Gomor, with there Region and Roye
God sparit nothir Man, Woman, nor Boye
Bot all wer brynt, for there offentioun
Iherusalem, that moste triumphant town
Distroyit wes, for there Iniquytie
As in the Scripture, planelye they may se.
Declare to thame, this mortal misery.
Be sweird and fire, derth, pest, and poverty
Procedis of Syn, gyf I can right discryue
For laik of Faith, and for Ydolatrye
For Fornicatioun, and for Adultrye
Off Princis, Prelat{is}, w t money ane man & wyue
Expell the cause, than the effect belyue
Sall cease, when that the people doth repent
Than God sall slak his bow, whilk yet is bent.
Mak them requeist, whilk hes the Gouernance
The Sinceir word of God for till Auance
Conforme to Christis Institutioun
Without Ypocrisie, or dissimulance
Causyng Justice, hauld ewinlye the Ballance
On Publicanis, making punyssioun
Commendyng thame, of gude conditioun
That being done, I dout nocht bot the Lord
Sall of this countre, have Misericorde.
Thoucht God, with money terrabyll effrayis.
Hes done this cuntrie scurge, by diverse wayis
Be Iuste Judgment, for our grievous offense
Declare to thame, they sall have merry days
Efter this trubyll, as the Propheit says
When God sall se, our humyll Repentence
Tyll strange pepyll, thoucht he hes geuin lycence
To be our scurge, Induryng his desire
Wyll when he lyste, that Scurge cast in the fire
Pray thame, that they putt nocht there esperance
In mortal Men, only thame till advance
Bot principallye in God Omnipotent
Than neid thai not, to charge y e realm of France
With Gounnis, Galayis, nor other Ordinance
So that they be, to God Obedient
In thir premyssis, be they nocht negligent
Displayand Christis Banar, hie on heycht
There Ennimeis, of thame sall have no might.
Go hence pure Buke, whilk I have done indyte
In rural ryme, in manner of dispyte
Contrar, the warldlis Variatioun
Off Rethorick, heir I Proclame the quite
Idolatouris, I feir sall with the flyte
Because of thame, thow makes Narratioun
Bot cure thow nocht, the Indignatioun
Off Hypocritis, and fais Pharisience
Quhowbeit on the, they cry ane loud vengeance
Requeist the Gentyll Redar, that the redis.
Thocht Ornat terms, in to thy park not spredis
As they in the, may have experience
Thocht Barran feildis, beris nocht bot weidis
Ʒit brutall beistis, sweitlye on thame feidis
Desyre of thame, none other recompance
Bot that they wald, reid the with patience
And give they be, in ony way offendit
Declare to thame, it shall be well amendit.
*FINIS*
Heirendis ye Epistil & follouis ye Prologe .&c.

THE PROLOGE.

M VSING, And maruelling on y e misery
Frome day today, in erth whilk dost
And of ilk stait, ye instabilitie (incres
Proceding of the wrestles besynes
Quhare on y e most part, doth their mind addres
Inordinatlie, on houngrye couatyce
Vain glore, dissait, and vthir sensual vice.
Bot tumlyng In my bed, I might nocht lie.
Quhairfore I fuir forth, in ane Maye morning
Conforte to get, of my malancolye
Sumwhat affore, fresche Phebus vperysing
Quhare I might heir, the birdis sweitlie sing
Intyll ane park, I past for my pleasure
Decorit well, be craft of dame Nature.
Quhov I ressauit confort natural.
For till discryue at lenth, it war to lang
Smelling the holsum herbis medicinal
Quhare on ye dulce, and balmy dew down dang
Lyke aurient peirles on the twistis hang
Or whov that the Aromatik odouris
Did proceid from the tender fragrant flouris.
Or whov Phebus that king etheriall.
Swyftlie sprang up in to the orient
Ascending in his throne Imperial
Whose brycht, and burial bemes resplendent
Illumynit all on to the Occident
Confortand every corporal creature
Quhilk formit war, in erth, be dame Nature
Whose douke impurpurit vestiment nocturnal.
With his imbroudit mantyll matutyne
He left in till his regioun aurorall
Quhilk on him watit when 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 queen.
Scho lost hir lycht, and lede ane lawar saill
Frome time hir souerane lord that scho had seen
And in his presens, waxit dirk, and paill
And over hir visage, kest ane mistye vaill
So did Venus, the gods amorous
With Jupiter, Mars, and Mercurius.
Rychtso the auld Intoxicat Saturn.
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 show, bot on the nycht
The Pole artick, wrsis, and sterris all
Quhilk situate ar, in the Septemtrionall.
Tyll errand schyppis, whilks ar the souer gyde
Conuoyand thame vpone the stromye nycht
Within there frostie circle did thame hyde
Howbeit that sterris have none vthir lycht
Bot the reflex of Phebus bemes brycht
That day durst none in to the heaven appeir
Tyll he had circuit all our Hemispeir.
Me thocht it was ane sycht eclestiall.
To seen Phebus so angellyke ascend
In till his fiery chariot tryumphall
Whose bewte brycht, I culled notht comprehend
All warldlie cure anon did fro me wend
When fresche flora, spread forth hir tapestry
Wrocht be dame Nature quent and curiouslie.
Depaynt with money hundredth heuinlie hewis
Glaid of the rising, of there royal Roye
With blomes breckand on the tender bewis
Quhilk did provoke mine heart till natural Ioye
Neptune that day, and Eoll held thame coye
That men on far, might heir the birdis sound
Whose noyis did to the sterrye heaven redounde.
The plesand Powne, prunyeand his feddrem fair
The myrthfull Maues maid gret melody
The lustye Lark ascending in the air
Numerand hir natural notis craftelye
The gay Goldspink, the Merll right myrralye
The noyis of the nobyll Nychtingalis
Redundit throuch ye montans, meids, and valis
Contempling this melodious armonye.
Quhov euerilke bird, dressed thame for till advance
To saluss Nature with there melodye
That I stude gasing, halfling{is} in ane trance
To heir thame mak there natural observance
So royallie, that all the roches rang
Throuch repercussioun of there suggurit sang.
I lose my time, alas for to rehers.
Sick vnfrutful and vain discriptioun
Or wrytt in to my raggit rural verse
Mater without edificatioun
Consydering whov that mine intentioun
Bene till deplore the mortal misereis
With continual cairfull calamiteis.
Consisting in this wracheit vaill of sorrow.
Bot sad sentence, sulde have ane sad indyte
So terms brycht, I lyste nocht for to borrow
Off murnyng mater men hes no delight
With roustye terms tharefor will I write
With sorrowful seychis ascending from y e spleen
And bitter teris, distellyng from mine eine.
Withoute ony vain inuocatioun.
To Minerva, or to Melpominee
Nor yitt will I mak supplicatioun
For help to Cleo, nor Caliopee
Sick marde Musis, may mak me no supplee
Proserpyne, I refuse and Apollo
And right so Ewterp, Jupiter, and Juno.
Quhilk{is} been to plesand Poetis conforting.
Quharefor because I am nocht one of though
I do desire of thame no supporting
For I did never sleip on Pernaso
As did the Poetis of lang time ago
And specially the ornate Ennius
Nor drank I never with Hysiodus.
Off Grece, the perfect poet souerane.
Off Hylicon the sors of Eloquence
Off that mellifluus famous fresche fontane
Quharefor I awe to thame no reverence
I purpose nocht to mak obedience
To sic mischeand Musis, nor malmontrye
Afore time vsit in to poetrye
Raue and Rhammusia gods of dispyte.
Mycht be to me ane Muse right conuenabyll
Gyff I desyrit sic help for till indyte
This murnyng mater, mad, and miserabyll
I mon go seek ane muse more confortabyl
And sic vain superstitioun to refuse
Beseikand the gret God to be my muse.
Be whose wisdom all manner of thing been wrocht
The heych heuinn{is} w t all their ornamentis
And without mater maid all thing of nocht
Hell, in myd Centir of the Elementis
That heuinlye Muse, to seek my hole intent is
The whilk gaif sapience to king Salomone
To David grace, strenth to y e strang Sampsone
And of pure Peter, maid ane prudent precheour.
And be the power of his deitee
Off creuell Paul he maid ane cūnyng techeour
I mon beseik right lawly on my knee
His heych superexcellent Majesty
That with his heuinlye spreit, he me inspyre
To wrytt no thing, contrary his disyre.
Beseikand als, his Souerane Son Jesus.
Quhilk wes consauit be the holy spreit
Incarnat of the purifyit Virgin trev
In to the whom, the Prophicie was compleit
That Prince, of peace, moist humyll, & mansweit
Quhilk onder Pylate, sufferit passioun
Vpone the Cross, for our saluatioun.
And be that creuell death, intollerabyll.
Lowsit we wer from bandis of Balyall
And mairattouir, it wes so proffitabyll
That to this hour, come neuir man nor sall
To the triumphant joy Imperial
Off life, whowbeit that they war never sa gude
Bot be the virtue, of that precious blood.
Quharefor in steid, of the mont Pernaso.
Swyftlie, I sall go seek my Souerane
To Mont Caluare, the straucht way mon I go,
To get ane taist, of that moist fresche fontane
That sors to seek my heart may nocht refrane
Off Hylicone whilk wes boith deip and wydē
That Longeous did grave, in till his side.
From yat fresche fontane, sprang a famous flude
Quhilk redolēt Reuer throuch y e world yet rynnis
As crystal cleir, and mixit been with blood
Whose sound abufe the heyest heuinn{is} dinnis
All faithful people, purgeing from there synnis,
Quharefor I sall beseik his Excellence
To grant me grace, wisdom, and Eloquence.
And bayth me with those dulce & balmy strandis.
Quhilk on the Cross, did spedalie out spring
Frome his moste tender feit, and heuinly handis,
And grant me grace, to wrytt nor dyte no thing
Bot till his heych honor, and loud loving
But whose support, there may na gud be wrocht
Tyll his pleasure, gude work{is}, word, nor thocht.
Tharefor O Lord, I pray thy Majesty.
As thov did show thy heych power Diuyne
First planelie, in the Cane of Galelee
Quhare thov conuertit cauld watter in wyne
Conuoye my mater, till ane fructuous fine
And save my saying{is}, baith from schame and syn
Tak tent, for now I purpose to begin.
FINIS.
Heirendis the {pro}loge, And beginnis the Mater,

THE FIRST BVKE.

I MTO that Park I saw appeir,
One ageit man whilk drew me neir
Whose beird wes weil three quart lang
His hair down over his schulders hang
The whilk as ony snaw wes white
Quhome to behald I thocht delight
His habitt Angellyke of hew
Off culloure like the Sapheir blew
Onder ane Hollyng he reposit
Off whose presens I was reiosit
I did him saluss reuerendlye
So did he me right courteslye
To sit down he requeistit me
Onder the schaddow of that tree
To saif me from the Sonnis heit
Amangis the flowris soft and sweet
For I wes werye for walking
Than we began to fall in talking
I sperit his name with reverence?
I am (said he) Experience.
Than Schir (said I) ye can nocht faill
To gyff ane desolate man counsel
Ʒe do appeir ane man of faime
And sen Experience been your name
I pray yow Father venerabyll
Geue me sum counsel confortabyll?
Quhate been (quod he) thy vocatioun
Makand sic supplycatioun?
I haif (quod I) been to this hour
Sen I could ride, one Courtiour
Bot now Father I think it best
With your counsel to leif in rest
And from thine forth to take mine eais
And quyetlie my God to pleais
And renunce Curiositie
Leueyng the Court, and learn to de
Oft have I salit over the strandis
And traualit throuch diverse landis
Boith south, and north, and est, and west
Ʒitt can I never find whare rest
Doith mak his habitatioun
Withoute your supportatioun
When I belief, to be best easit
Most suddantlye, I am displeasit
Frome trubbyll when I fastast flee
Than find I most aduersate
Schaw me I pray yow hartfullye
Quhow I may leif most plesandlye
To serve my God, of king's Kyng
Sen I am tyrit for trauellyng
And learn me for, to be content
Off quiet life, and sobir rent
That I may thank, the king of glore
As thocht I had ane Mylyeoun more
Sen euerilk Court, been variant
Full of Inuy, and inconstant
Mycht I but trubbyll leif in rest
Now in my aige, I think it best
Thow art ane gret fuill Son (said he)
Thyng to desire, whilk may nocht be
Ʒarnyng to have prerogatyue
Above all Creature on life
Sen Father Adam creat been
In to the Campe of Damassene
Mycht no man say on to this hour
That ever he fand perfect plesour
Nor never sall till that he se
God in his Diuyne Majesty
Quharefore prepair the for travel
Sen mennis life, been bot battle
All men begynnis for till de
The day of there Natiuite
And Iournelly they do proceid
Tyll Atrops cute the fatell threid
And in the brief time that they have
Betuix there birth on to there grave
Thow seis, what mutabiliteis
What miserabyll Calamiteis
What trubbyll travel and debait
Seis thow, in euere mortal stait
Begyn at pure law Creaturis
Ascending syne to Synaturis
To gret Princis and Potestatis
Thow sall nocht find in non estatis
Sen the beginning gennerallie
Nor in our time, now specially
Bot tiddious wrestles besynes
But ony manner of sickarnes.
Prudent Father ({quod} I) alas
Ʒe tell to me one cairfull cace
Ʒe say that no man to this hour
Hes found in erth perfect plesour
Without infortunat variance
Sen we been thrall to sic myschance
Quhy do we set so our Intentis
On Ryches Dignity and Rentis
Sen in the erth, been no man sure
One day but trubbyll till Indure
And werst of all, when we leist wene
The creuell death, we mon sustene
Geue I your Fatherheid durst demand
The cause I wald fain understand
And als Father I yow 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, after my small cunning
To the I sall mak answeryng
Bot Ordourlie, for to begin
This Misarie procedis of Syn
Bot it wer lang, for to defynit
Quhow all men ar to Syn Inclynit
When Syn aboundantlye doth ring
Justly God, makith punyssing
Quharefore gret God, in to his handis
To dant the world hes diverse wand is
Efter our evil conditioun
He makes on ws punytioun
With hunger, darth, and Indigens
Sum time gret plagis, and pestilens
And sum time with his bludy wand
Throw creuell weir be sey and land
Concludyng all our misarie
Proceidis of Syn, alluterlie.
Father (quod I) declare to me
The cause of this Fragyllitie
That we been all to Syn inclynde
In werk, in word, and in our mind
I wald the verity wer schawin
Quho hes this seid amang ws sawin
And why we ar condampnit to deed
And whow that we may get remede
(Quod he) the Scripture hes concludit.
Men from felicitite wer denudit
Be Adam our Progenitour
Vmwhyle of Paradyse possessor
Be whose most willful arrogance
Wes Mankynd brocht to this myschance
When he wes Inobedient
In breking God{is} commandiment
Be solystatioun of his wife
He lost that heuinlye plesand life
Etand of the forbiddin tree
There began all our miserrie
So Adam wes cause Radicall
That we been fragyll Synnaris all
Adam brocht in this Natioun
Syn, Deith, and als Dampnatioun
Quho will say, he is no Synnar
Christ says, he is ane gret lear
Mankynde sprang forth, of Adamis Loynis
And tuke of him, flesche, blood, and bonis
And so after his qualytie
All ar Inclynit Synnaris to be
Bot yet my Son, dispare thow nocht
For God that all the world hes wrocht
Hes maid ane Souerane remede
To saif ws boith from syn and deed
And from etarne dampnatioun
Tharefore take consolatioun
For God as Scripture doth record
Haueyng of man Misericorde
Send down his only Son Jesus
Quhilk lychtit in one Virgin true
And cled his heych Diuynitie
With our pure vile Humanytie
Syne from our synnis, to conclude
He wysche ws with his precious blood
Quhowbeit throw Adam, we mon dee
Throuch that Lord, we sall rasit be
And euerilk man, he sall releue
Quhilk in his blood, doth ferme believe
And bring ws all unto his glore
The whilk throw Adam been forlore
Without that we throw laik of faith
Off his Godheid, incur the wraith
Bot who in Christ, fermely beleuis
Sall be relcuit from all myscheuis
What faith is that, that ye call ferme
Schir gar me understand that term
Faith without Hope, and Charity
Aualit nocht, my Son (said he)
What Charite been, that wald I knaw
Quod he, my Son that sall I show
First lufe thy God, above all thing
And thy Nychtbour, but fenyeyng
Do none Iniure, nor villainy
Bot as thow wald wer done to the
Quyk faith, but cheretabyll werkis
Can never be, as wryttis Clerkis
More than the fire, in till his might
Can be but heit, nor Son but lycht
Geue charity, in to the failis
Thy Faith, nor Hope, no thing auailis
The Deuyll hes Faith, and trymlis for dreid
Bot he wantis Hope, and lufe in deed
Do all the gude, that may be wrocht
But charity all auailis nocht
Quharefore pray to the Trinite
For till support thy Charite.
Now have I schawin the as I can
Quhow Father Adam the first man
Brocht in the world, boith Syn and Dede
And whow Christ Jesus, maid remede
Quhilk on the day of Judgment
Sall ws deliver from torment
And bring ws to his lestyng glore
Quhilk sall endure forever more
Bot in this world thow gettis no rest
I mak it to the manifest
Tharefore my Son, be diligent
And learn for to be patient
And in to God, set all thy traist
All thing sall than, cum for the best.
Father I thank yow hartfullye
Off your comfort, and cumpanye
And heuinlye consolatioun
Makand yow supplicatioun
Geue I durst put yow to sic pyne
That ye wald pleis for to defyne
And gar me cleirlye understand
Quhow Adam brak the Lord{is} command
And whow throw his transgressioun
Wer punyst his Successioun.
My Son (quod he) wald thow take cure
To luke on the Diuyne Scripture
In to the Buke of Genesis
That story there, thow sall nocht mis
And alswa syndrie cunning Clerkis
Hes done rehers in to there werkis
Off Adamis fall, full Ornatly
Ane thousand times better nor I
Can wrytt, of that unhappy man
Bot I sall do, the best I can
Schortlie to show that cairfull cace
With the support of Goddis grace.

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

G ENTYL Redar, haif at me nō dispyte
Thynkand y t I p̄sumptuously pretend
In vulgair tōng, so heych mat to writ
Bot where I mys, I pray y e till amend
Tyll vnlernit, I wald the cause wer kend
Off our most miserabyll travel and torment
And whow in erth, no place been parmanent
Quhowbeit that diverse devote cunning Clerkis
In Latyne tongue hes wryttin syndrie bukis
Our vnlernit knawis lytill of there werkis
More than they do the rauyng of the Rukis
Quharefore to Colyearis, Cairtaris, & to Cukis
To Iok and Thome, my Ryme sall be diractit
With cūnyg men, whowbeit it will be lactit
Thocht every Cōmoun may nocht be one Clerk.
Nor hes no Leid, except there tongue maternall
Quhy suld of god, the marvelous heuinly werk
Be hid from thame, I think it nocht fraternal
The father of heaven, whilk wes, & is Eternal
To Moses 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 there awin vulgare language of Hebrew
That all the bairnis of Israel everyone
Mycht knaw the law, and so the sam ensew
Had he done wryt, in Latyne or in Grew
It had to thame been bot ane sawrles Iest
Ʒe may well wytt, God wrocht all for the best.
Arristotyll, nor Plato, I heir sane.
Wrait nocht there hie Philosophy natural
In Duche, nor Dence, nor tongue Italiane
Bot in there most ornate tongue maternall
Whose fame, and name doth ring perpetual
Famous Virgil, the Prince of Poetry
Nor Cicero, the flour of Oratrie
Wrait nocht in Caldye language nor in Grew
Nor yet in to the language Sarayene
Nor in the natural language of Hebrew
Bot in the Roman tongue as may be seen
Quhilk wes their proper language, as I wene
When Romanis rang Dominator{is} in deed
The Ornat Latyne, wes there propir leid
In the mene time, whē y t thir bauld Romance
Ouer all the world had the Dominioun
Maid Latyne Scolis there glore for till auance
That there language might be over all cōmoun
To that intent, be my Opinioun
Traistyng that there Empire sulde ay Indure
Bot of fortune, always they wer nocht sure
Off Languagis, the first Diuersytie
Wes maid be Goddis Maledictioun
When Babilone wes beildit in calde
Those beildaris, gat none other afflictioun
Affore the time of that punyssioun
Wes bot one tongue, whilk Adam spak him self
Quhare now of toungis, there been three score and twelf
Nochtwithstandyng, I think it gret plesour
Quhare cunning men hes languagis anew
That in there youth, be deligent laubour
Hes leirnit Latyne, Greik, and ald Hebrew
That I am nocht of that sort, sore I rew
Quharefore I wald all bukis necessary
For our faith, wer in till our tongue vulgare
Christ after his glorious Ascentioun
Tyll his Disciplis send the holy Spreit
In toungis of fire, to that intentioun
Thay beand of all languagis repleit
Throuch all the world with words fair and sweet
Tyll every man the faith, they suld forth show
In there awin leid, delyuerand thame the Law.
Tharefore I think one gret dirisioun.
To heir thir Nunnis, & Syster{is}, nycht and day.
Syngand and sayand psalms and orisoun
Nocht understanding what they sing nor say
Bot like one stirlyng or ane Papingay
Quhilk leirnit ar, to speak be lang usage
Thame I compair, to byrdis in ane cage.
Rycht so Childreyng, and Ladyis of honouris
Prayis in Latyne, to thame ane vncuth leid
Mumland yair matynis, euinsang & yare houris
There Pater Noster, Ave. and there Creid
It wer als plesand to there spreit in deed
God have mercy on me, for to say thus
As to say, Miserere Mei Deus.
Sanct Jerome in his propir tongue Roman
The Law of God, he trewlie did translait
Out of Hebrew, and Greik, in Latyne plane
Quhilk hes been hid frome ws lang time god wait
Onto this time, bot after mine consait
Had Sanct Jerome been borne in till Argyle
In to Yrische tōng, his bukis had done compyle
Prudent sanct Paul doth mak narratioun
Twycheyng the diverse leid of every land
Sayand there been more edificatioun
In five words that folk doth understand
Nor to pronunce of words ten thousand
In strange langage sine wait not what it menis
I think sic pattryng is not worth twa prenis.
Vnlernit people, on the holy day.
Solemnitlye they heir the Evangel soung
Nocht knawyng what, y e priest dost sing nor say
Bot as ane Bell, when that they heir it roung
Ʒit wald the Priests, in to there mother tongue
Pas to the Pulpitt, and that doctrine declare
Tyll lawid pepyll, it wer more necessary.
I wald Prelattis, and Doctouris of the Law
With ws lawid people, wer nocht discontent
Thocht we in to our vulgare tongue did knaw
Off Christ Jesus, the life and Testament
And whow that we sulde keep commandiment
Bot in our language, lat ws pray and reid
Our Pater Noster. Ave. and our Creid.
I wald sum Prince, of gret Discretioun.
In vulgare language, planelye gart translait
The neidfull lawis, of this Region
Than wald there nocht, be half so gret debait
Amang ws people of the law estait
Geue every man, the verity 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
There wald nocht be, sic brawlyng at the bar
Nor men of law, loup to sic royal rent
To keep the law, gyf all men war content
And ilk man do, as he wald be done to
The Iugis wald get lytill thing ado,
The Propheit David Kyng of Israel.
Compyld the plesand Psalms of the Psaltair
In his awin propir tongue as I heir tell
And Salamone, whilk wes his sone and air
Did mak his buke, in till his tongue vulgare
Quhy suld nocht there saying, be till ws schawin
In our language, I wald the cause wer knawin.
Lat Doctoris wrytt there curious questionis
And argumentis, sawin full of Sophistrye
There Logic, and there heych Opinionis
There dirk Iugementis, of Astronomye
There Medecyne, and there Philosophye
Latt Poet{is} show, there glorious Ingyne
As ever they pleis, in Greik, or in Latyne.
Bot lat ws haif the bukis necessary.
To common well and our Saluatioun
Iustlye translatit, in our tongue Vulgare
And als I mak the Supplicatioun
O gentle Redar, haif none Indignatioun
Thynkand I mell me with so hie matair
Now to my purpose, fordwart will I fair.
FINIS.

Heir followis the Creatioun of Adam, and Eve.

Q VHEN God had maid y e heuinīs brycht
The Sone, & Mone, for to give lycht
The sterry heaven, & Christellyne
And be his Sapience divine
The planet{is} in yair circlis round
Quhirling about w t merry sound
Off whom Phebus, was principal
Iuste in his Lyne Eclipticall
And gave be Diuyne Sapience
Tyll every Ster there Influence
With motioun continual
Quhilk doth endure perpetual
And farrest from the heaven Empire
The erth, the walter, air, and fire
He cled the erth, with herbis, and treis
All kind of fysches in the seis
All kind of best, he did prepair
With fowlis, fleyng in the air
Thus be his word, all thing was wrocht
Without material maid of nocht
So be his wisdom Infinyte
All wes maid plesand and perfect,
When heaven, and erth, and there contentis
Wer endit with there Ornamentis
Than last of all, the Lord began
Off most vile 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 blood and bonis
To that intent, God maid him thus
That man sulde nocht be glorious
Nor in him self, no thing suld se
Bot matere of humylite
When man wes maid, as I have tald
God in his face, did him behald
Brathand in him, ane lyflie spreit
When all thir werkis wer compleit
He maid man, to his simylitude
Precelland in to pulchritude
Dotit with gyftis of Nature
Above all erthlye creature
Syne plesandlye did him conuoye
To ane regioun repleit with Ioye
Off all plesour, whilk bair the price
And called erthly Paradyce
And brocht be Diuyne prouience
All beistis, and byrdis, till his presence
Adam did craftelye Impone
Ane special name, till everyone
And to all thyngis material
He namyt thame in special
Quhow he thame namyt yitt been kend
And shall be to the warldlis end
In to that gardyng of plesance
Two treis grew, most till auance
Above all other, whilk bair the price
In myddis of that Paradyce
The one wes called the tree of life
The other tree, began our strife
The tree to knaw boith gude and evil
Quhilk be perswatioun of the Deuyll
Began our misarie and woe
Bot lat ws to our purpose go.
Quhow God gave Adam strait commāde
That tree to twyche, nocht with his hand
All other fructis of Paradyce
He had him eight at his deuyce
Sayand gyf thow eight of this tree
With dowbyll death, than sall thow dee
Tharefore I the command be war
And from this tree, thow stand afar
Ʒitt Father Adam wes allone
But cumpanye of ony one
Than thocht the Lord, it Necessare
Tyll him to Creat ane helpare
God patt in Adam sic Sapour
That for to sleip, he tuke plesour
And laid him down apone the ground
And when Adam wes slepand sound
He tuke ane Rib, forth of his side
Syne fyld it up, with flesche and hyde
And maid ane Woman of that bone
Fairar of form, wes never none
Than till Adam Incontinent
That fair Lady, he did present
Quhilk schortlye said, for to conclude
Thow art my flesche, my bonis, and blood
And Virago, he called hir than
Quhilk is Interpreit, maid of man
Quhilk Eve, efterwart wes namyt
When for hir fault, sche wes diffamyt
Than did the Lord thame Sanctyfie
Saying Incres, and Multyplie
Be this, men suld leif all there kyn
And with there Wyffis mak dwellyn
And for there saik, leif Father and Mother
And lufe thame best, above all other
For God hes ordanit thame trewlye
To be two saulis, in one body
My wytt is waik, for till Indyte
There heuinlye plesouris Infinyte
Wes never none, erthlye Creature
Sen syne had sic perfect plesoure
Thay had puyssance Imperial
Above all thing material
Als cunning Clerkis, dost conclude
Adam preceld, in pulchritude
Most Natural and the farest man
That euir wes sen the world began
Cxcept Christ Jesus, Goddis Son
To whom wes no comparisone
And Eve, the fairest Creature
That ever wes formit be nature
Thocht they wer naikit, as they wer maid
No schame ather, of other haid
What plesour might ane man haif more
Nor haif his Lady him before
So lustye, plesand, and perfect
Reddy to serve his appetyte
Thay had none other cure I wys
Bot past there time, 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
Wer holelye at there commandis
All Creatur{is} with ane accord
Obeyit him, as there souerane Lord
Thay sufferit nother heit, nor called
With every plesour that they wald
Als to the death, they wer nocht thrall
And rychtso suld we have been all
For he and all his Successouris
Suld have possedit those plesouris
Syne from that Ioye material
Gone to the glore Imperial
Thay had give I can right discryue
Gret Joy, in all there wyttis five
In heiryng, seeing, gustyng, smellyng
Induryng there delytesum dwelling
Heiryng the byrdis armoneis
Taistyng the fructis, of diverse treis
Smellyng the balmye dulce odouris
Quhilk did proceid, from fragrant flowris
Seyng so money heuinlye hewis
Off blomes brekyng on the bewis
Off twycheyng als, they had delight
Off vtheris bodeis, soft and white
But doubt, Induryng that plesour
Thay lussit other Paramour
No marvel been thocht swa suld be
Consyderyng there gret bewte
Als God gave thame command express
To multyplie, and till incres
That there seid, and successioun
Mycht pleneis every Natioun
I liest nocht tarry till declare
All properteis of that place preclare
Quhow herbis, and treis, grew ay grene
Nor of the temporat air serene
Quhow fructis, Indeficient
Ay alike rype and redolent
Nor of the Fontane, nor the fludis
Nor of the flowris pulchritudis
That mater Clerkis dost declare
Quharefore I speak of thame na mare
The Scripture mak{is} no mentioun
Quhow lang they rang in that Region
Bot I believe, the time wes schorte
As diverse Doctouris dost report
FINIS

Of the Miserabyll Transgressioun of Adam.

FATHER ? Hov happinnit y e mischance
(Quod I) show me the circumstance
Declaryng me that cairfull cace
Quhow Adam lost that plesand place
Frome him and his Successioun
Quhow did proceid that transgressioun
(Quod he) after my rude Ingyne
I sall rehers the that rewyne
When God the Plasmatour of all
In to the heaven Imperial
Did Creat all the Angel{is} brycht
He maid one Angel, most of might
To whom he gaif preeminence
Above thame all in sapience
Because all other he did prefer
Namit he wes brycht Lucefer
He wes so plesand, and so fair
He thocht him self, without compair
And grew so gay and glorious
He gan to be presumptuous
And thocht that he wald set his saith
In to the north and mak bebait
Agane the Majesty Diuyne
Quhilk wes the cause of his rewyne
For he incurrit Goddis Yre
And banyst from the heaven Empire
With Angellis money one Legioun
Quhilk{is} wer of his opinioun
Innumerabyll, with him there fell
Sum lychtit in the lawest hell
Sum in the sey did mak repair
Sum in the erth, sum in the air
That most unhappy cumpanye
Att Father Adam had Inuye
Parsaueyng Adam, and his seid
In to there places to succeid
The Serpent, wes the subtellest
Above all beistis and craftyest
Than Satan, with ane falls intent
Did enter in to that Serpent
Imagenyng sum crafty wyle
Quhow he might Adam best begyle
And gar him brek commandiment
Bot to the woman, first he went
Traistyng the better to preuaill
Full subtellye did hir assaill
With facund words, falls and fair
He grew with hir familiair
That he his purpose might auance
Beleuand in hir, Inconstance
What is the cause, Madame (said he)
That ye forbeir, yone plesand tree
Quhilk been but peir most precious
Whose fruct been moste delytious
I Nyll (quod sche) there to accord
We ar forbyddin, be the Lord
The whilk hes geuin ws lybertie
Tyll eait of every fruct and tree
Quhilk growis in to Paradyse
Brek we command, we ar nocht wise
He gave till ws ane strait command
That tree to twyche, nocht with our hand
Eit we of it, without remede
He said but dout, we sulde be deed
Beleue nocht that (said the Serpent)
Eit ye of it, Incontinent
Repleit ye sall be with Science
And haif perfect Intelligence
Lyke God him self, of evil and gude
Than haistellye for to conclude
Heiryng of this prerogatyue
Sche pullit down the fruct belyue
Throw counsel of the falls Serpent
And eight of it, to that intent
And patt hir Husband in believe
That plesand fruct, gyf he wald preue
That he suld be als Sapient
As the gret God Omnipotent
Thynk ye nocht that ane plesand thing
That we like God, suld ever ring
He herand this Narratioun
And be hir solistatioun
Mouit be prydefull ambitioun
He eight on that conditioun
The principal poyntis, of this offense
War pride, and Inobedience
Desyring for to be Equall
To God, the Creature of all
Alas Adam, why did thow so
Quhy causit thow this mortal woe
Had thow been constant firm and stabyll
Thy glore had been Incomparabyll
Quhare wes thy consyderatioun
Quhilk had the Dominatioun
Off every leuyng Creature
That God had formit be Nature
Tyll use thame at thy awin d uyse
Wes thow nocht prince of Paradyse
Wes never man, sen syne on live
That God gave sic Prerogatyue
He gaif the strenth, above Sampsone
And sapience more than Salomone
Ʒoung Absolone, in his time moste fair
To thy bewte, wes no compair
Arestotyll, thow did precell
In to Philosophy, naturell
Virgil in till his Poetrye
Nor Cicero, in till Oratrye
War never half so Eloquent
Quhy brak thow Godd{is} commandiment
Quhare wes thy wytt, that wald nocht flee
Far from the presens of that tree
Gaif nocht thy Maker the free will
To take the gude, and leif the evil
Quhow might thy forfalt be excusit
That Godd{is} commandiment refusit
Throuch thy wyffis perswasioun
Quhilk hes been the occasioun
Sen syne that money nobyll men
Be the evil counsel of women
Alluterlye distroyit been
As in the Storeis may be seen
Quhilk now, we neid nocht till declare
Bot fordwart till our purpose fair.
When they had eaitin of the fruit
Off Ioye, than wer they destitute
Than gan they boith, for to think schame
And to be naikit, thocht defame
And maid thame Breik{is}, of leuis grene
That their secreit{is}, suld nocht be seen
Bot in the stait of Innocence
Thay had none sic experience
Bot when they war to Syn subiectit
To schame and dreid, they war coactit
And in ane busk, they hid thame cloce
Aschamit of the Lordis voice
Quhilk called Adam be his name
(Quod he) my Lord, I think gret schame
Naikit to cum, to thy presence
Thow had none sic experience
Quod God, when thow wes Innocent
Quhy brake thow my commandiment
Alas (quod Adam) to the Lord
The verity, I sall record
This woman that thow gaif to me
Gart me eight, of yone plesand tree
Rychtso the woman hir excusit
And said, the Serpent me abusit
Than to the Serpent, God said thus
O thow Dissauer venomous
Because the woman, thow begylit
Frome thine forth, sall thow be exylit
Curst and waryit, sall thow be
So sall thy seid, be after the
Cauld erth, shall be thy fude also
And creipand on thy breist sall go
Als I sall putt Inamite
Betuix the woman ever and the
Betuix thy seid, and womanis seid
Salbe continual mortal feid
Quhowbeit thow hes wrocht thir myscheuis
It sall nocht be as thow beleuis
Sic seid shall be in woman sawin
That thy power, shall be down thrawin
Treddyng thy heid, that thow may feill
And thow sall tread him on the heill
This was his promys, and menyng
That the Immaculat Virgyng
Sulde beir the Prince Omnipotent
Quhilk suld tread down, that falls Serpent
Satan, and all his company
And thame confunde alluterlye.
Quod I, give Satan prince of hell
Spak in the Serpent as ye 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 yeid straucht up vpone his feit
And had his membris all compleit
As vtheris beistis vpone the bent
(Quod he) for he wes Instrument
To Satan, in this Miserie
Puneist he wes, as ye may se
As be experience thow may knaw
Expres in to the common Law
Ane man conuickit for bewgrye
The beist is brynt, als well as he
Quhowbeit the beist be Innocent
And so befell, of the Serpent
It was the Feynd, sull of dispyte
Off Adamis fall, whilk had the wyte
As he hes had of money mo
Bot till our purpose lat ws go.
Than to the woman, for hir offense
God did pronunce, this sore sentence
All plesour, that thow had afforrow
Sall cheangit be in lestyng sorrow
Quhare that thow suld, with mirth and Joy
Have borne thy birth, butt pane or noy
Now all thy bairnis sall thow bair
With dolour, and continual cair
And thow shall be, for oucht thow can
Euer subiectit to the man
Be this sentence, God did conclude
Wemen from lybertie denude
Quhilk be experience ye may se
Quhow Quenis, of moste hie degree
Ar under moste subiectioun
And sufferis moste correctioun
For they like byrdis in till ane cage
Ar keipit ay under thirlage
So all women in there degree
Suld to there men, subiectit be
Quhowbeit sum yet will strive for stait
And for the maistrye mak debait
Quhilk gyf they want, boith ewin and morrow
There men will suffer mekle sorrow
Off Eve, they take that qualite
To desire Soueranite
And than till Adam, said the Lord
Because that thow hes done accord
Thy will, and harknit to thy wife
Now sall thow lose this plesand life
Thow wes till hir obedient
Bot thow brake my commandiment
Curste and barren, the erth shall be
Quhare ever thow gois, till that thow de
But laubour, it sall beir no corn
Bot Thirsyll, Nettyll, Breir, and Thorn
For fude, thow gettis none other beild
Bot eait the herbis, apone the field
Sore laubouryng, till thy browis sweet
Frome thine forth, sall thow wyn thy meit
I maid the of the erth certain
And thow in erth, sall turn again
Than maid he thame Abilyement
Off skynnis, ane raggit raiment
Thame to preserve from heit and cauld
Than grew there dolour money fauld
Now Adam ar ye like till ws
With your gay garment glorious
To thame thir words, said the Lord
Than cryit they boith Misericorde
When from that Garth, with hartis sore
Baneist they wer, forever more
On to this wracheit vaill of sorrow
With daily laubour ewin and morrow
Efter whose dolorous departing
The Lord gave Paradyce in keeping
Tyll ane Angel of Ierubin
That none suld have entres there in
Att the whilk entres, he did stand
With flammand fiery sweird in hand
To keep that Adam, and his wife
Sulde nocht taist of, the tree of life
For give they of that tree had preuit
Perpetuallye, they might have leuit
So Adam, and his Successioun
Off Paradyce, tynt possessioun
And be this syn Original
War men to Miserie maid thrall
My Son now may thow cleirly se
This world began with misere
With misery, it doth proceid
Whose fine sall dolour be and dreid
Father (quod I) what kind of life
Led Adam with his lustye wife
Efter there bailfull banesyng?
(Quod he) continual womentyng
My heart hes yitt compassioun
Quhow they went wandryng up and down
Weipyng with money loud alas
That they had lost, that plesand place
In wilderness to be exilde
Quhare they fand nocht, bot beistis wild
Manesyng thame, for till deuore
Quhilk{is} all obedient war affore.
Father (quod I) in what countre
Did leif Adam, after that he
Was banesit from that delight
Clerkis (quod he) hes put in write
Quhow Adam dwelt, with mekle baill
In Mamber, in that lusty vaill
Quhilk after was, the Iowis land
Quhare yet his Sepulture dost stand
I lyste nocht tarry, till discryue
The woe of Adam, nor his wyue
Nor tell, when they had Sonnis two
Cayn, and Abel, and no mo
Nor whow cursed Cayn, for Inuy
Did slay his Brother creuelly
Nor of there murnyng, nor there mone
When they but Sonnis, wer left allone
Abel lay slane, vpone the ground
Curst Cayn flemit, and Vagabound
Nor whow God of his special grace
Send thame the thread Son fair of face
Most like Adam, of slesche and blood
Seth was his name, gracious and gude
Nor whow blind Lameth, raikleslye
Did slay Cayn, vnhappelye
Adam as Clerkis dost discriue
Begat with Eve his woeful wyue
Off men Childryng thretty and two
And of Dochteris alike also
Be this thow may well understand
That Adam saw, money ane thousand
That of his body, did descend
Or he out of the world did wend
Adam leifit in erth, but weir
Compleit, nine hundredth and thretty year
And all his days war bot sorrow
Rememberyng boith ewin and morrow
Off Paradyce, the prosperity
Syne of his gret miseritie
His heart might never be reiosit
Remembryng whow the heaven wes closit
Frome him and his successioun
And that be his transgressioun
Efter his death, as I heir tell
His Saul discendit to the hell
And there remanit presoneir
In that Dungeoun, three thousand year
And more, so did boith evil and gude
Tyll Christ for thame, had sched his blood
Than be that most precious ransoun
Thay wer delyuerit of presoun
I have declarit now as I can
The misery of the first man.
FINIS.

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

PRVDENT Father Experience.
Declare to me, or ye go hence
What wes the cause, God did distroye
All Creature in the time of Noye
(Quod he) I trymmyll for to tell
That Infortune, whow it befell
The cause been so abhominabyll
And the mater so miserabyll
Bot for to show the Circumstance
Manefestlye of that myschance
First I mon gar the understand
Quhow Adam gaif express command
That those whilk{is} come of Sethis blood
Because they wer gracious and gude
Suld nocht contract with Cainnis kyn
Quhilk{is} wer Inclynit all to Syn,
Tyll observe that commandiment
Cain past in the Orient
With his wife, called Calmana
Quhilk was his awin Syster alswa
Quhare his ofspryng, did lang remane
Besyde the Montane of Tarbane
And Seth did lang time lede his life
With Delbora, his prudent wife
Quhilk wes his Syster gude and fair
In Damassene, maid there repair
In that countre of Sethis clan
Discendit money holy man
So lang as Adam wes leueand
The people did observe command
When he wes deed, and laid in ground
And people greitly did abound
And Cayn slane, as I have schawin
And Sethis days, all over blawin
The Sonnis than of Sethis blood
Seand the plesand pulchritude
Off the Ladyis, of Caynnis kyn
Quhowbeit they knew well, it wes Syn
Opprest with sensual lustis rage
Did take thame in to Marriage
And so corruptit wes that blood
The gude with evil, and evil with gude
Than as the people did incres
Thay did abound in wickitnes
As holy Scripture dost rehers
Quhilk I abhor, to putt in verse
Or tell with tongue, I am nocht abyll
The suthe been so abhominabyll
Quhow men, and women, schamefullye
Abusit thame self{is}, vnnaturallye
Whose foul abhominatioun
And vncouthe fornicatioun
I think gret schame, to putt in write
All that Paul Orose, doth indyte
Quhilk gyf I wald at lenth declare
It wer yneuch, to fyill the air
Gret Clerk{is} of Antiquiteis
Hes wryttin money true storeis
Quhilk{is} ar worthy to be commendit
Quhowbeit they be nocht comprehendit
At lenth in the Diuyne Scripture
Bot I sall do my besye cure
To take the best (as I suppose)
That moste pertenis my purpose
And with support, of Christ our king
I purpose to confirm no thing
Off the Auld Hystoricience
Contrarious, till his excellence
Quhowbeit sum mennis Traditionis
Contrar Chrystis Institutionis
Off thame thocht sum thing I declare
Now latt ws proceid forthermair
And with ane Language lamentabyll
Declare this mater miserabyll,
Father the causis wald I knaw
Quhy they of nature, brak the Law
I traist (quod he) that wyckitnes
Generith throw sleuthfull ydilnes
The Deuyll with all the craft he can
When he persauis ane ydill man
Or woman geuin till ydilnes
He gettis eaisalye entres
And so be this occasioun
And be the Feindis perswasioun
The hole world vniuersalye
Corruptit was alluterlye.
What wes the cause, they ydill ware
That cace (quod I) to me declare
(Quod he) be my Imaginatioun
For laik of virtuous Occupatioun
For of Craft{is}, they had small usage
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, they tuke lytill tent
All manner of beistis at there plesour
Did multyplie, without laubour
The time betwix Adam and Noye
To se the erth, it wes gret Ioye
Plantit with precious treis of price
Four famous Fludis of Paradyce
Ran throw the erth, in syndrie partis
Spreddyng there branchis, in all airtis
The walter was so strang and fine
Thay wald nocht laubour to mak wyne
The fruct, and herbis, wer so gude
Thay maid no cair, for other fude
And so the people tuke no cure
Bot past there time, at there pleasure
Ay fyndand new Inuentionis
To fulfill there Intentionis
So that the Lord Omnipotent
That he maid man, did him repent
And schew on till his Seruand Noye
That he wald all the world distroye
Except him self, and his Meinye
Alas (quod Noye) when sall that be?
Than said the Lord, sen thow so speris
I sall Prolong, sax score of yeris
Tarying vpone there repentance
Or I fulfill my Just Sentence
In the mene time, fall thow to warke
Incontinent, and beild ane Ark
Quhilk Noye began, Obedientlye
And wrocht on it Continuallye
And to the people daily precheit
To cry for grace, he to thame techeit
And to thame planelye did declare
That God his wand no more wald spair
Bot on thame he wald wyrk vengeance
To Noye yet gave they no credence
And so they wer Incounsolabyll
Vsyng there lust abhominabyll
And tuke his precheyng in dispyte
Ay following there foul delight
More and more, till that dulefull day
Quhilk all the world, pat in affray
Father, ye gart me understand
When Adam brak the Lord{is} command
Tyll agment his afflictioun
God gave his Maledictioun
On to the erth, whilk wes so fair
That it suld barren be, and bair
And without laubour beir no corn
Nor fruct, bot thirsyll, breir, and thorn
Now say ye in, the time of Noye
To se the erth, it wes gret Ioye
Plantit with fructis gude and fair
The suthe of this, to me declare
Thir saying{is} two, gar me consydder
Quhow ye mak thame, agre to gydder
God maid that promys, sickerlye
Quhowbeit, it come nocht instantlye
(Quod he) as Clerkis dost conclude
Bot after when the furious Flude
Distroyit the erth, alluterlye
Than come that promys sickerlye
Ewin siclyke as God gave 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 nine hundredth year
Rychtso the Propheit Esayas
Speikand of Christ, the gret Messias
Sayand the Bairne, is till ws borne
To saif mankynd whilk is forlorn
As he had been borne Instantlye
Ʒit wes he nocht borne veralye
Efter that saying money one year
As in the Scripture, thow may heir
Ane thousand year, who reknyth right
Is bot one hour, in Goddis sycht
Exemplis money, I might tell
Wer it nocht tedious, for to dwell
Tyll our purpose, latt ws proceid
Schawand the heycht, and lenth and breid
And quality, of Noyis Ark
Quhilk wes ane right excellent warke
Off Pyne tree, maid bound well about
Laid over with pik, within and out
Iunit full close, with nalis strong
And wes three hundredth Cubitt{is} long
Fifty in breid, thretty in heycht
Thre Chalmeris Iunit well and wycht
And euerilk loft, above ane other
Withouttin anker, air, or ruther
Ane right Cubeit, as I heir tell
Off misour now, might be ane ell
In the myd side, ane dur there wes
For Beistis, ane easy entres
This Ark whilk was boith lang and lairge
Maid in the bodum, like one Bairge
Couerit with burdis well abufe
Moste like ane housse, with set on rufe
Whose rigyng wes ane Cubeit braid
Quharein there wes, ane wyndo maid
Sum says, well closit with Crystal cleir
Quharethrouch the day lycht, might weil appeir
This Work the more wes to be prysit
Because be God, it wes deuysit
The making of this Ark, but weir
Indurit well ane hundredth year
Quhē Noye had done compleit this wark.
God did him close, within the Ark
With him his Wyfe, and Sonnis three
With there three Wyfis, but mo menye
And of all foulis of the air
Off euerilk kind, enterit ane pair
Rychtso two Beistis, of euerilk kind
For why, it wes the Lordis mind
That generatioun suld nocht faill
Quharefor of Fameill, and of Maill
Off euerilk kind wer keipit two
Bot to rehers, mine heart is woe
The dolent Lamentatioun
That time of euerilk Natioun
Sayand alas ane thousand syis
When wynd, and rane, began to ryis
The Roik{is} with rerd, began to ryue
When ugly cluddis, did ouerdryue
And dirkynnit so, the Heuinnis brycht
That Son, nor Mone, might show 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 there nocht, bot yowtis and yellis
When they persauit, without remede
All Creature, to suffer deed
All Fontanis from the erth up sprang
And from the Heuin, the rane down dang
Fourty days, and forty nychtis
Than ran the Peple, to the heychtis
Sum clam in cragis, sum in treis
And sum to heychast montanis fleis
With more terror 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 alas, that they wer borne
Into that flude, to be forlorn
Men might no help, mak to there wyfis
Nor yet support there bairnis lyfis
The Fludis rose, with so gret mychtis
That they over couerit all the heychtis
Thay might no more, there lyuis lenth
Bot swame so lang, as they had strenth
And so with cryis Lamentabyll
Endit there lyuis Miserabyll
Above montanis, that wer moste hie
Fifty Cubitis, rose the see
Men may Imagyne in there mind
All Creature, in to there kind
Boith Beist{is}, and Foulis in the air
In there maneir, maid mekle cair
The Fyschis thocht thame evil begyld
When they swame throuch the woddis wyld
Quhalis tumbland amang the treis
Wyld Beistis, swomand in the seis
Byrdis with money pietuous pew
Afferitlye in the air they flew
So lang as they had strenth to flee
Syne swatterit down in to the see
No thing in erth, wes left on live
Beistis, nor Foulis, Man, nor Wyue,
God holelye did thame distroye
Except thame in the Ark with Noye
The whilk lay fleittand on the flude
Welterand amang the stremes wode
With money terrabyll affrayis
Remanit ane hundredth and fyfty days
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 year compleit, or he come out
Quhow at more lenth, in holy write
This dulefull story, been Indyte
And whow that Noye, gan to reiose
When Conductis of the heaven did close
So that the Rane, no more discendit
Nor the flude, no more ascendit
When he persauit the heuinnis cleir
He send forth Corbe Messingeir
In to the Air, for to espy
Geue he saw ony montanis dry
Sum says the Rauin, did forth remane
And come nocht to the Ark again
Furth flew the Dow, at Noyis command
And when scho did persaue dry land
Off ane Olyue, scho brak ane branche
That Noye might knaw the walter stanche
And there no more, scho did sudiorne
Bot with the branche, scho did return
That Noye might cleirly understand
That felloun Flude, was decressand
And so it did, till at the last
The Ark vpone the ground stak fast
On the tope of ane Montane hye
Into the land of Armanye
And when that Noye, had done espy
Quhow that the erth, began to dry
Than dang he down, the durris all
And lowsit thame, the whilk wes thrall
The foulis flew, forth in the air
And all the Beistis, pair, and pair
Past forth to seek, there pastorages
There wes than, bot aucht Personages
Noye, his three Sonnis, and there wyuis
On erth, that left was with there lyuis
Quhome God did blys, and Sanctyfie
Sayand incres, and multyplie
God wait give Noye, wes blyith and glaid
When of that presoun, he wes fraid
When Noye had maid, his Sacrifyce.
Thankand God, of his Benifyce
He standand on mont Armanye
Quhare he the countre, might espy
Ʒe may believe, his heart was sore
Seyng the erth, whilk wes affore
The Flude so plesand, and perfect
Quhilk to behald, wes gret delight
That now was barren maid and bair
Afore, whilk fructuous was and fair
The plesand treis, beryng fructis
Wer lyand rewin up, be the rutis
The holsum herbis, and fragrant flouris
Had tynt boith virtue, and cullouris
The feildis grene, and fluryst meidis
Wer spulyeit of there plesand weidis
The erth whilk first, wes so fair formit
Wes be that furious flude deformit
Quhare vmwhyle wer, the plesand planis
Wer holkit Glennis, and hie montanis
Frome clattryng cragis, gret and gray
The erth was weschin, quite away
Bot Noye, had gretast displesouris
Behauldand, the deed Creatouris
Quhilk wes ane sycht, right Lamentabyll
Men, Wemen, Beistis, Innumerabyll
Seyng thame lie, vpone the landis
And sum wer fleityng on the strandis
Quhalis, and Monstouris, of the seis
Stickit on stobbis, amang the treis
And when the Flude was decressand
Thay wer left welteryng on the land
Affore the Flude, during that space
The sey wes all, in to ane place
Rycht so the erth, as been desydit
In syndrie partis, wes nocht deuydit
As been Ewrope, and Asia
Deuydit ar, from Africa
Ʒe se now diverse Famous Ilis
Stand from the mane land money mylis
All thir gret Ilis, I understand
War than equal, with the ferme land
There wes none sey, Mediterrane
Bot only, the gret Occiane
Quhilk did nocht spread, sic bulryng strandis
As it dost now, ouirthort the landis
Than be the raging of that flude
The erth of virtue, wes denude
The whilk afore, wes to be prysit
Whose beauty than, wes dissogysit
Than wes the Maledictioun knawin
Quhilk wes be God, till Adam schawin
I reid whow Clerkis dost conclude
Induryng that moste furious flude
With whilk the erth, wes so suppressed
The wynd blew forth, of the southwest
As may be seen, be experience
Quhow throw the watter{is} violence
The heych montanis, in every 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 every art
And in Scotland, for the moste part
Throuch weltryng of, that furious flude
The Cragis of erth, war maid denude
Trauellyng men, may consydder best
The montanis bair, nyxt the southwest
Declare (quod I) or ye conclude
Quhow lang leuit Noye, after the flude
(Quod he) in Genesis, thow may heir
Quhow that Noye, wes sax hundredth year
The time of this gret punysment
And aye to God obedient
And wes the best of Sethis blood
And als he leuit after the Flude
Thre hundredth and fyfty yeris
As the sam scripture witness beris
And wes or he Randerit the spreit
Nyne hundredth, and fyfty yer{is} compleit
To show this story Miserabyll
At lenth my wyttis ar nocht abyll
And als my Son, as I suppose
It langis nocht till our purpose
To show whow Noyis Sonnis three
Gan to Incres and multyplie
Nor whow that Noye, plantit the wyne
And drank till he wes dronkin syne
And sleipit with his membris bair
And whow Cham, maid for him no cair
Bot leuch, to se his Father so
Quhowbeit his Brether wer right woe
Nor whow Noye, but restrictioun
Gaue Cham his Maledictioun
And put him under Seruytude
To Sem and Japheth, that war gude
Nor whow God maid ane conuenent
With Noye, to mak no punysment
Nor be no Flude, the people droun
In sign of that conditioun
His Rane Bow set, in to the air,
Off diverse Heuinlye colouris fair
For to be ane perpetual sing
Be Flude to mak no punyssing
This Story, give thow lyste to knaw
At lenth the Bibyll sall the show
FINIS
Heir endis the first Part. And Followis the Secunde Part.

In the First the Beildyng of Babilone be Nemrod. And whow king Nynus began ye first Monarche. And of there Ydolatrye. And Quhow Semeramis, Gouernit the Empire, Efter hir Husbande Kyng Nynus. As Followis.

FATHER I pray yow to me tell.
The First Infortune that befell
Immediatlye after the Flude
And who did first, sched saikles blood
And who Ydolatrye began
(Quod he) I sall do as I can
Efter the Flude, I find no Storye
Worthy to putt in Memorye
Tyll Nemrod, began to Ryng
Above the Peple, as ane Kyng
Quhilk wes the Principal man of one
That beilder was, of Babilone
That Story Master, wald I knaw
(Quod I) give ye the suthe wald show
Quhy, and for what occasioun
Thay beildit sic ane strang Dungeoun?
Than said to me Experience
I sall declare with Deligence
Those Questionis at thy command
Bot first Son, thow mon understand
Off Nemrod, the Genologie
His strenth, Curage, and Quantitie
Quhowbeit Moses, in his first Buke
That Story, lychtlye did over Luke
Off him no more, he doth declare
Except he was ane strang Huntare
Bot vtheris Clerkis Curious
As Oroce doth, and Josephus
Discryuis Nemrod, at more lenth
Boith of his stature, and his strenth
This Nemrod was, the fourt persoun
Frome Noye be line, discendyng down
Noye generit Cham, Cham generit Chus
And Chus Nemrod, the suthe been thus
This Nemrod grew ane man of might
That time in erth, wes none so wycht
He wes ane Gyane, stout and strang
Perforce wyld beistis, he down thrang
The people of that hole Region
Come under his Dominioun
No man there wes in all that land
His stalwartnes that durst ganestand
No marvel 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 principal man
That first Ydolatrye began
Than gart he all the people call
To his presens, boith gret and small
And in that gret conuentioun
Did propone his Intentioun
My Freindis (said he) I mak it knawin
The gret wengeance that God hes schawin
In time of our fore Father Noye
When he did all the world distroye
And dround thame in ane furious flude
Quharefor I think we sulde conclude
Quhov we may make one strang defense
Aganis sick walteris violence
For to resyste his furious Yre
Contraye boith to flude and fire
Latt ws go spy sum plesand feilde
Quhare one strang biggyng we may beilde
One Cityie with ane strang Dungeoun
That none Ingyne may ding it down
So heych, so thike, so large, and lang,
That Gode till ws sall do no wrang
Itt sall surmonte the Planetis, sewin
That we from Gode, may wyn the hewin
Those people with one ferme intent
All till his counsel did consent
And did espy one plesand place
Harde on the flude of Euphratace
The people there did thame prepair
In to the plane feilde of Synear
Quhilk now of Caldie beryth the name
Quhilk did lang time flureis in fame.
There gret Fortres, than did they found
And kaiste till they gat souer groune
All fell to warke boith man and child
Sum holkit claye, sum brynt the tylde
Nembroth, that curious Campioun
Deuysar wes of that Dungeoun
No thing they sparit there laubouris
Lyke besy beis vpone the flouris
Or Emettis traveling in to June
Sum under wrocht, and sum above
With strong Ingenious masonrye
Vpwarte there weir did fortifye
With rynt tylde stonis, large and wycht
That Tower they rasit to sic hycht
Abufe the airis Region
And Iunit of so strong fassioun
With Syment maid of pyk and tar
Thay vsit none other mortar
Thocht fire or walter it assalit
Contrare that Dungeoun nocht aualit
The land about wes fair and plane
And it rose like one heych montane
Those fuliche people did intend
That to the Hewin, it sulde ascend
So gret one strenth wes neuir seen
In to the world with mennis eine
The wallis of that wark they maid
Two and fyftye faldome braid
One faldome than as sum men says
Mycht been two faldome in our days
One man wes th n of more stature
Nor two be now thareof be sure.
Josephus haldis opinioun
Sayand the heycht of this Dungeoun
Off large pasis of measure been
Fyue thousand, aucht score, and fourtene
Be this raknyng, it is fuil right
Sax mylis, and ane half in hycht
Ane thousand pais take for ane mile
And thow sall find it neir that style
This tower in compass round about
Wer mylis ten, withouttin doubt
Aboute the Cetie of stagis
Four houndreth, and four score I wys
And be this nommer in compass
Aboute, three score of mylis It was
And as Orotius reportis
There wes five score of brasin portis.
The translator of Orotius
In till his Cronicle wryttis thus
That when the Son is at the hycht
Att nonne when it doth schyne most brycht
The schaddow of that hydduous strenth
Sax mile and more, it is of lenth
Thus may ye Iuge in to your thocht
Gyfe Babilone be heych or nocht.
IFNIS.

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

T HAN the gret God Omnipotent
To whom all things been p̄sent
That wer, and is, and euir shall be
Ar present till his Majesty
The hid secretis of mannis heart
From his p̄sense may not depart
He seand the Ambitioun
And the prydefull Presumptioun
Quhov thir proud people did pretend
Vpe throuch the heuinnis, till ascend
Quhilk wes gret folye till deuyse
Sick one presumptuous interpryse
For when they wer moste delygent
Gode maid thame sick impediment
Thay wer constranit with hartis sore
Frome thine depart and beild no more
Sick Languagis on thame he laid
That none wyste what ane vthir said
Quhare wos bot ane Language affore
Gode send thame Languagis three schore
Affore that time all spak Hebrew
Than sum began for to speak Grew
Sum Duche, sum language Sarazyne
And sum began to speak Latyne
The Master men, gan to go wild
Cryand for treis, they brocht thame tylde
Sum said bring mortar heir atonis
Than brocht they to thame stoks, and stonis.
And Nembroth, there gret Campioun
Ran rageand like one wild Lyoun
Manassyng thame with words rude
Bot neuir one word they vnderstude
Affore they fand him gude and kind
Bot than they thocht him by his mind
When he so furiouslie did flyte
Than turnit his pride, in to dispyte
So dirk Eclipsit wes his glore
When they wald wyrk for him no more
Behold whov God wes so gracious
To thame whilk wer so outtragious
He nother braik there leggis nor armis
Nor yet did thame none other harmis
Except of toungis diuysioun
And for fynall conclusioun
Constranit they wer for till depart
Ilke cumpanye in one syndrie art
Sum paste in to the Orient
And sum in to, the Occident
Sum south, sum north, as they thocht best
And so there poleysie left west
Bot whov that City wes reparit
Heir after it shall be declarit.
FINIS.

Of the first inuentiōn of Ydolatrie. Quhow Nembroth, compelled the Peple till adore the Fire in Caldia.

NOW Schir (said I) show me the man▪
Quhilk first Ydolatrie began
That sall I do with all my heart
My Son (said he) or we depart
When Nembroth saw his purpose falit
And his gret laubour nocht aualit
In manner of contemptioun
Departit forth of that regioun
And as Orotius, doth rehers
He past in to the land of Pers
And money one year, did there remane
And syne to Babilone come again
And fand huge people of Caldie
Remanand in that gret City
That wer glaid of his returning
And did obey him as there king
Nembroth his name for till auance
Amang tham maid new ordinance
Sayand I think ye ar nocht wyce
That to none God, makes Sacrifyce
Than to fulfill his falls desire
He gart be maid ane flammand fire
And maid it of sic breid and hycht
He gart it byrn boith day and nycht
Than all the people of that land
Adorit the fire at his commmand
Prosternit on there kneis and facis
Beseikand there new God of gracis
To gyf thame more occasioun
He maid thame gret perswasioun
This God (said he) is moist of might
Schawand his bemys on the nycht
When Son, and Monne, ar baith obscu e
His he winlie brychtnes doth endure
When mennis memberris sufferit calde
Fire warmyth thame ewin as they walde
Than cryit the Peple at his desire
There is no God, except the fire
Or there was ony Ymagerie
Began this first Ydolatrie
Att that time, there wes none usage
To carue, nor for to paint Image
Than maid he proclamatioun
Quho maid nocht adoratioun
To that new God, without remede
In to that fire, sulde suffer deed
I find no man in to that lande
His tyranny that durst ganestande
Bot Habraham, and Aram his brother
That disobeyit, I find none other
Quhilk dwelland war, in that cuntre
With there Father called Thaire
Thir brether Nembroth, did repreue
Sayand till him, Lord with your leave
This fire, is bot ane Element
Praye ye to God Omnipotent
Quhilk maid the Heuinnis, be his might
Son, Monne, and sterris, to gyf lycht
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
Whose Ring induris evermore.
Than Nembroth in his furious ire
Thir brether boith keste in the the fire
Habraham be God, he wes preseruit
Bot Aram in the fire he staruit
When Thara, hard his son wes deed
He did depart out of that stead
With Habraham, Nachor, and there wyffis
As the Scripture at lynthe discryffis
And left the land of Caldia
And paste to Mesopotamia
And dwelt in Tharan all his days
And deit there, as the story says
The life of Habraham, I supose
No thing langith till our purpose
In to the Bibyll thov may reid
His verteous life in word and deed
Now to the I have schawin the man
That first Ydolatrie began.
FINIS.

Of ye gret misere and skaythis that cumis of Weris. And whow king Nyn{us} began the first weris, and straik the first Battle.

FATHER I pray yov with my heart
Declair to me or we depart
Quho first began thir mortal Weris
Quhilk euerilk faithful heart efferis
And euere polesye down thrawis
Express again the Lordis lawis
Sen Christ, our king omnipotent
Left Peace, in till his Testament
Quhov doth proceid this creueltie
Aganis Justice, and Equity
In lande whare ony Weris been
Gret Miserrie there may be seen
All thing on erth, that God hes wrocht
Weir, doth distroye and puttis at nocht
Ceteis, with money strang Dungeoun
Ar brynte, and to the erth, dung down
Virginis and Matronis, ar deflorit
Templis, that Rychelie been decorit
Ar brynt and all there Priests spulyeit
Pure Orphelenis under feit ar fulyeit
Money auld men maid childerles
And money children fatherless
Off famous Sculis the Doctryne
Boith natural science and Diuyne
And euerilk virtue trampit down
No reverence done to relegioun
Strenthis distroyit alluterlie
Fair Ladyis forced schamefullie
Ʒoung Wedowis spulyeit of there spousis
Pure Lauborars, houndit from there housis
There dar no Merchand take on hand
To travel nother be sey nor land
For Boucheouris, whilk dost thame confound
Sum murdrist been, and sum ar drounde
Craftis men of curious Ingyne
Alluterlie put to rewyne
The Bestiall reft, the commonnis slane
The land but lauboring doth remane
Off Pollesye, the perfect warkis
Beildingis, Gardyngis, and plesand parkis
Alluterlie distroyit been
Gret graingis brynt there may be seen
Ryches been turnit to powertie
Plentie in till penuritie
Deith, Hounger, Darth, it is well kende
Off Weir, this is the Fatell ende
Justice turnit in tyrrannye
All plesour in aduersitye
The Weir, alluterlie down thrawis
Boith the Civil, and Cannoun lawis
Weir, generit Murthour, and myscheif
Sore lamenting without relief
Weir, doth distroye Realms and king's
Gret Princis, weir to presoun bryngis
Weir, scheddis mekle saikles blood
Sen I can say of weir no gude
Declare to me Schir gyf ye can
Quho first this Miserrie began
FINIS.

Heir followith ane Schorte Discriptioun of the Four Monarchis. And whow Kyng Nynus, began the First Monarchy.

OF Weris (said he) the gret outtrage
Began in to the secunde aige
Be creuell prydefull, couytous, king's
Reuarris but right of other{is} ryngis
Quhowbeit Cayam afore the flude
Wes first schedder of saikles blood
Nynus was first and principal man
Quhilk wrangus conquessing began
And was the man withouttin faill
In erth, that straik the first battle
And first Inuentit Imagerye
Quhare throw came gret Idolatry
We moste knaw or we forthair wend
Off whom king Nynus did descend
Nynus gyf I can right defyne
He was from Noye, the fyft be line
Noye, generit Cham, Cham, generit Chus,
And Chus, Nembroth, Nembroth, Bellus,
And Bellus, Nynus, but lesing
Off Assyria, the secund king
And beildar of thar gret City
The whilk was called Nyniue
And wes the first and principal man
Quhilk the first Monarchy began.
Father (said I) declaire to me
What signifyis one Monarchy
The suith (said he) son gyfe thov knew
Monarchy been one term of Grew
As when one Province principal
Had hole power Imperial
During there Dominationis
Abufe all Kyngis and Nationis
One Monarchy that men doth call
Off whom I find four principal
Quhilk heth rong sen the world began
Than (said I) Father gyf ye can?
Quhilk four been they, show me I pray yow
My sone (said he) that sall I say yow
First rang the kings of Asserianis
Secundlye rang the Persianis
The Grekis thridlye with swerd and fire
Perfors optenit the thread Empire
The fourte Monarche as I heir
The Romanis brukit money one year
Latt us first speak of Nynus king
Quhov he began his Conquessing
The auld Greik Historitiane
Diodorus he wryttis plane
Att right gret lenth of Nynus king
Off his Empire and conquessing
And of Semeranus his wife
That time the lustyest one life
Itt wer to lang to putt in write
Quhilk Diodore heth done indyte
Bot I sall show as I suppose
Quhilk mayest belangith thy purpose,
When Nembroth, Prince of Babilone
Oute of this wrechit world wes gone
And his Son Bellus deed alswa
The first Kyng of Asseria
This Nynus, whilk wes secunde king
Tryumphandlie began till ring
And wes nocht satifyit nor content
Off his awin Regione, nor his rent
Thynkand his glore for till advance
By his gret people and puissance
Throuch Pryde, Couatyce, and vain glore
Did him prepare to conques more
And gadtherit forth ane gret Army
Contrare Babilone, and Caldie
Quhareof he had ardent desire
Tyll June that land till his Empire
Quhowbeit he had thareto no right
Bot by his tyrranry and might
Withouttin feir of God or man
His Conquessing thus he began.
His people beand in arraye
To Caldia tuke the reddy way
When that the Babilonianis
To gidther with the Caldianis
Hard tell Kyng Nynus, wes cumand
Maid proclamationis throuch the land
That ilke man after there degree
Sulde cum and saif there awin cuntre
Quhowbeit they had no use of weir
Thay past fordwart withouttin feir
And pat thame selfs in gude order
To meit king Nynus on the border
In that time ye sall understand
There wes no harnes in the lande
For till defend nor till Inuaid
Quharethrow more slauchter there wes maid
Thay faucht throw strenth of there bodeis
With gaddis of Irne, with stonis, and treis
With sound of horn, and hydduous cry
Thay ruschit to gidther right rudly
With hardy heart, and strenth of handis
Tyll thousandis deed, lay on the landis
Quhare men in battle nakit been
Gret slauchter sone there may be seen
Thay faucht so lang and creuellie
And with vncertane victory
No man might Iuge, that stude on far
Quho gat the better, nor the war
Bot when it did approach the nycht
The Caldianis, they tuke the flycht
Than the king and his cumpanye
Wer right glaid of that victory
Because he wan the first battle
That strykkin wes in erth, but faill
And peceably of that Region
Did take the hole Dominioun
Than wes he king of Caldia
Alsweill as of Asseria
As for the king of Arrabie
In his conquest maid him supply
Off this yet wes he nocht content
Bot to the Realm of Mede he went
Quhare Farnus king of that cuntre
Did meit him with one gret army
Bot king Nynus, the battle wan
Quhare slane wer money nobyll man
And to that king wald gyf no grace
Bot planelie in one public place
With his se win Sonnis, and his Lady
Creuellie did thame Crucify
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 Africa, and Asia,
Except gret Ynde, and Battria,
Quhilk he did conques efterwart
As ye sall heir or we depart
Now wald I or we forthee mend
That his Ydolatrye wer kend
Syne after that without sudiorne
Tyll our purpose we sall return.
FINIS.

Quhov king Nyn{us}, Inuentit the First Ydolatrie of Ymagis.

NYNVS one Ymage he gart mak.
For King Bellus, his Fatheris saik
Moist like his Father of figoure
Off quantite and portratoure
Off fine 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 people of that land
Alsweill in till Asseria
As in Synear, and Caldia
Under his Dominatioun
Thay suld make Adoratioun
Apone there kneis to that figour
Under the pane of forfaltour
There wes no Lord in all that land
His summonding that durst ganestand
Than young, and auld, boith gret and small
Tyll that Ymage they prayit all
And cheangit his name as I heir tell
Frome Bellus to there gret God Bell
In that tempyll he did deuyse
Priests for till mak sacrifyse
Be conswetud than come one law
None other God that they wald knaw
And als he gaif to that Ymage
Off Sanctuary the Priuilage
For what sum ever transgressor
One homicede or oppressor
Seand that Ymage in the face
Off there gylt gat the king's grace.
Declare to me sweet schir (said I)
Wes there no more Ydolatry
Efter that this falls Idole Bell
Wes thronit up as ye me tell
My Son (said he) incontinent
The nowellis throuch the world they went
Quhow king Nynus, as I haif said
One curious Image he had maid
To the whilk all his natioun
Maid devote adoratioun
Than every cuntre tuke consait
Thay wald king Nynus contrafait
When ony famous man wes deed
Sett up one Image in his steid
Quhilk they did honor from the spleen
As it Immortal God had been
Imagis sum maid for the nonis
Off fine gold, sum of stokis and stonis
Off silver sum, and Euyr bone
With diverse namis till eueryone
For sum they called Saturnus
Sum Jupiter, sum Neptunus
And sum they called Cupido
There god of lufe, and sum Pluto
Thay called sum Mercurius
And sum the wyndie Eolus
Sum Mars, maid like ane man of weir
Inarmit well with sword and speir
Sum Bacchus, and sum Apollo
Off namis they had ane houndreth mo
And when one Lady of gret fame
Wes deed, for till exalt hir name
One Image of hir portratour
Wald set vpe in one orator
The whilk they called there gods
As Venus, Juno, and Palles
Sum Cleo, sum Proserpina
Sum Ceres, Vesta, and Diana
And sum the gret gods Mynarue
With curious collouris they wald carue
Amang the Poetis, thow may see
Off falls god{is} the genologee
So thir abhominationis
Did spread ouerthort all nationis
Except gude Habraham, as we reid
Quhilk honourit God, in 〈…〉
For Habraham had his beginny ••
In to the time of Nynus king
Nynus began with tyrranrie
And Habraham with humy itie
Nynus began the first Empire
Habraham of weir, had no d syre
Nynus began Idolatry
Habraham, in spreit and veritye
He prayit to the Lord allone
Fals Imagry he wald have none
Off him discendit I heir tell
The twelf gret Trybis of Israel
Those people maid adoratioun
With humyll supplicatioun
Tyll him whilk wes of king's king
That hewin and erth, maid of nothing
Dede Ymagis, they held at nocht
That wer with mennis handis wrocht
Bot the almychtie God of live
My son now haif I done discryue
Thir questionis at thy command
The whilkis thow did at me demand
What wes the cause (schir mak me sure)
Ydolatrye did so lang endure
Outthrouch the world so generalie
And with the Gentilis specialie
(Quod he) sum causis principal
I find in my memorial
First wes throuch princis commandiment
Quhilk did ydolatrye invent
With there gret deuilische god Dagone
With vtheris Idolis money one
Bot I abhor the truth to tell
Off the Princis of Israel
Chosin be God Omnipotent
Quhow they brak his commandiment
Kyng Salomone, as the scripture says
He doitit in his latter days
His wantoun wyffis, to compleis
He curit nocht God, till displeis
And did commit Idolatry
Wyrschipyng caruit Ymagerye
As Moloch, god of Ammonitis
And Chamos, god of Moabitis
Astaroth, god of Sydoniains
So for his inobediens
And fowl abhominatioun
Wer puneist his successioun
His son Roboam, I heir tell
Tynt the ten Trybis of Israel
For his fatheris Ydolatrye
As in the scrpture thow may see.
FINIS.

Off Imageis vsit amang cristin men.

FATHER yet ane thing I wald speir
Behald in every kirk and queir
Throuch Christindome in burgh and land
Imageis maid with mennis hand
To whom been gyffin diverse names
Sum Peter, and Paul, sum Ihone, & James,
Sanct Peter caruit with his keyis
Sanct Mychaell with his wyng{is} and weyis
Sanct Katherine, with hir swerd and wheill
Ane hynde set up beside sanct Geill
It war to lang for till discryue
Sanct Frances with his woundis five
Sanct Tredwall, als there may be seen
Quhilk on ane prik heth boyth hir eine
Sanct Paul well payntit with ane sword
As he wald feycht, at the first word
Sanct Apollin on altare standis
With all hir tethe in till hir handis
Sanct Rochoe well seisit men may se
Ane byill new brokin on his thye
Sanct Eloy he doth staitly stand
Ane new hors schoo in till 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 set up with ane soow
Sanct Bryde, well caruit with ane koow
With coistlye colouris fine and fair
Ane thousand mo I might declare
As sanct Cosma and Damiane
The Sowtars sanct Crispaniane
All thir on altare staitly standis
Priests cryand for there offrandis
To whom 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 from town to town
With offrand, and with orisoun
To thame aye babland on our beidis
That they wald help ws in our neidis
What differ{is} this, declare to me
Frome the Gentilis Idolatry
Gyff that be true that thow reportis
Itt goith right neir thir samyn sortis
Bot we be counsel of Clargye
Hes lycence to mak Imagerye
Quhilk of vnleirnit been the buikis
For when lauid folk vpone thame luikis
Itt bryngith to remembrance
Off Sanctis lyuis the circumstance
Quhow the faith for to fortifye
Thay sufferit pane right pacientlye
Seand the Image of the Rude
Men suld remember on the Blude
Quhilk Christ in till his Passioun
Did sched for our Saluatioun
Or when thow seis ane portrature
Off blyssit Marie Virgen pure
One bony Babe vpone hir kne
Than in thy mind remember the
The words whilks the Propheit said
Quhow sche suld be boith Mother and Maid
Bot who that sittis down on there kneis
Prayand till ony Imagereis
With oritioun or offerand
Kneland with cap in to there hand
No difference been, I say to the
Frome the Gentilis Idolatry
Rycht so of diverse nationis
I reid abominations
Quhow Grekis maid there deuotioun haill
To Mars, to saif thame in battaill
Tyll Jupiter, sum tuke there vayage
To saif thame from the stormys rage
Sum prayit to Venus, from the spleen
That they there luffis might obtene
And sum to Juno, for riches
There pylgramage they wald addres
So doth our common populare
Quhilk war to lang for till declare
There superstitious pylgramageis
To money diverse Imageis
Sum to sanct Rochee with deligence
To saif thame from the pestilence
Forthare teith, to sanct Apollene
To sanct Tredwell, to mend there eine
Sum makes offrande to sanct Eloye
That he there hors may well conuoye
Thay ryn, when they haif Iowellis tynte
To seek sanct Syith, or ever they stynte
And to sanct Germane to get remeid
For maladeis in to there heid
Thay bring mad men on fuit and horsse
And byndis thame to sanct Mongose cross
To sanct Barbara, they cry full fast
To saif thame from the thonder blast
For gude nouellis as I heir tell
Sum takis there gait to Gabriel
Sum wyffis sanct Margret doth exhort
In to there birth thame to support
To sanct Anthony to saif the soow
To sanct Bryde to keep calf, and koow
To sanct Bastien, they ryn and ride
That from the schote he saif there side
And sum in hope to get there haill
Rynnis to the auld Rude of Kerraill
Quhowbeit thir simpyll people rude
Think there intentioun be bot gude
Woe be to Priest{is}, I say for me
Quhilk suld show thame the verratie
Prelatis whilkis hes of thame the cure
Sall mak answeir thareof be sure
On the gret day of Judgment
When no time beis for to repent
Quhare manifest Idolatry
Sall puneist be perpetuallye.

Heir followis 〈◊〉 Exclamatioun aganis Idolatry,

IMPRVDENT Peple, Ignorant and blind
By what reason, law, or authority
Or what attentyck scripture can ye find
Leifsum for till commyt Idolatry
Quhilk been to bow your body or your kne
With devote humyll adoratioun
Tyll ony Ydoll maid of stone or tree
Geueand thame offerand or oblatioun
Quhy did ye gyf the honor laude and glore
Pertenyng God (whilk maid all thing of nocht
Quhilk wes, and is, and shall be euirmore)
Tyll Ymagis by mennis handis wrocht
O fulysche folk, why haif ye succor socht
Off thame whilk can nocht help yow in distress
Ʒit reasonably reuolfe in to your thocht
In stok, nor stone can be non holiness.
In the desert, the people of Israel
Moses remanyng in the mont Synaye
Thay maid one moltin Calf, of fine mettell
Quhilk they did honor as there God verraye
Bot when Moses discendit I heir say
And did consydder there Ydolatrye
Off that people, three thousand gart he slay
As the scripture at lenth doth testify.
Because the holy propheit Daniel.
In Babilone Ydolatrie, repreuit
And wald nocht worschip there falls Idol Bell
The hole people at him wer so aggreuit
To that effect, that he suld be myscheuit
Delyuerit him till rampand Lyonis sewin
Bot of that dangerous den, he wes releuit
Throuch myrakle of, the gret God of hewin
Behald whow Nebuchadnezzar king
In to the vaill of Duran, did prepare
One Image of fine Gold, one meruallous thing
Thre score of cubyts, heycht and saxin square
As more cleirlye thescripture doth declare
To whom all people by proclamatioun
With bodeis bowit, and on there kneis bare
Rycht humelye maid adoratioun.
Ane gret wounder, that day wes seen also.
Quhow Nebuchadnezzar, in his ire
Tuke Sydrach, Misach, and Abednago,
Quhilks wald nocht bow there kne at his desire
Tyll that Idol, gart kast thame in the fire
For to be brynt, or he sterit of that steid
When he beleuit, they wer brynt bone and lyre
Wes nocht consumit, one small hair of their heid
The Angel of the Lord wes w t thame seen.
In that hait furneis passing vpe and down
In till ane rosye Garth, as they had been
None spot of fire, distenyng cote, nor goun
Off victory, they did obtene the croun
And wer to thame, that maid adoratioun
To that Ydoll, or bowit there body down
One wytnessing of there dampnatioun
What wes the cause, at me? thow may demand
That Salomone. vsit none Ymagrye
In his tryumphand Tempyll for till stand
Off Abraham, Ysac, Iacobe, nor Jesse
Nor of Moses, there safeguard throuch the see
Nor Joshua, there valyeant Campioun
Because God did command the contrary
That they sulde use sic superstitioun
Behald whow the gret God Omnipotent
To preserve Israel, from Idolatry
Derectit thame one strait commandiment
Thay suld nocht mak, none caruit ymagrye
Nother of gold, of silver, stone, nor tree
Nor gyf worschip till ony simlytude
Beand in hewin, in erth, nor in the see
Bot only till his souerane celsitude
The Propheit David, plainly did repreue
Ydolatrye to there confutioun
In grauit stok, or stone, that did believe
Declaryng thame there gret abutioun
Spekand in manner of dirysioun
Quhow deed Idolis, be mennis handis wrocht
Quham they honourit, with humyll orisioun
Wer in the markat daily sauld and bocht
The Deuyllis seand the evil conditioun
Off the Gentylis, and there unfaithfulness
For till agment, there superstitioun
In those Ydolis, they maid there entres
And in thame spak, as storyis doth express
Than men beleuit of thame to get relief
Askand thame help, in all there besynes
Bot finallye that turnit to there myscheif
Traist well in thame, is none Divinity
When reik, & rowst, there fair color doth said
Thocht they have feit, one fute they cannot flee
Quhowbeit the tempyll byrn above their haid
In thame is nother freindschip nor remaid
In sic fyguris, what favor can ye find
With mouth and eris, & eine thocht they be maid
All men may se. they ar dum, deif, and blind
Quhowbeit they fall down flatlyngis on the flure
Thay haif none strenth there self to rais again
Thocht Rattonis ouir yame ryn they take no cure
Quhowbeit yai breik yare neck, they feil no pane
Quhy sulde men psalms to thame sing or sane
Sen growand treis, that yeirly berith fruit
Ar more to pryse, I mak it to the plane
Nor cuttit stockis, wanting boith crope and rute
Off Edinburgh, the gret Idolatry.
And manifest abominatioun
On there feist day, all creature may se
Thay beir ane auld stock Image throuch y e town
With talbrone, troumpet, schalme, and Clarioun
Quhilk hes been vsit money one year bigone
With preistis, and freris, in to processioun
Siclyke as Bell wes borne throuch Babilone.
Aschame ye nocht, ye seculare prestis and freris
Tyll so gret superstitioun to consent
Ydolateris ye have been money yeris
Express again the Lordis commandiment
Quharefor brether, I counsel yow repent
Gyff no honor, to caruit stock, nor stone
Geue laude and glore, to God Omnipotent
Allanerlie, as wisely wryttis Ihone.
Fy on yow Freris, that vsis for to preche.
And dost assist to sic Idolatry
Quhy do ye nocht, the Ignorant people teche
Quhow ane deed Image, caruit of one tree
As it wer holy, suld nocht honourit be
Nor borne on Burgess backis up and down
Bot ye show plainly your Ipocrasie
When ye pass formest in processioun
Fy on yow fostraris of Idolatry
That till ane deed stock dost sic reverence
In presens of the people, publykelie
Feir ye nocht God, to commit sic offense
I counsel yow do yet your diligence
To gar suppress, sic gret abusioun
Do ye nocht so, I dreid your recompense
Salbe nocht ellis, bot clean confusioun
Had sanct Frances, been borne out throuch y e town
Or sanct Domnick, thocht ye had nocht refusit
With thame till haif past in processioun
In till that cais, sum wald haif yow excusit
Now men may see, whow that ye have abusit
That nobyll town, throuch your Ipocrasye
Those people trowis, that they may right weil vsit
When ye pas with thame in to cumpanye.
Sum of yow hes been quiet counsallouris.
Prouocand princis, to sched saikles blood
Quhilk neuir did your prudent predecessouris
Bot ye like furious Phariceis denude
Off charity, whilk rent Christ on the rude
For Christis floke, without malice or ire
Conuertit fragyll faltouris I conclude
Be Goddis word, withouttin sweird or fire
Reid ye nocht whow, y t Christ hes gyffin command
Gyff thy brother doth oucht the till offend
Than secretly correct him hand for hand
In friendly manner, or thow forther wend
Gyff he will nocht heir the, than makit kend
Tyll one or two, be true narratioun.
Gyf he for thame will nocht his mys amend
Declare him to the congregatioun
And gyf he yet remanith obstinate
And to the holy kirk Incounsolable
Than like ane Turk, hald him excomminicat
And with all faithful folk abhominabyll
Banysing him, that he be no more able
To dwell amang the faithful cumpanye
When he repentis, be nocht vnmerciable
Bot him ressaue again right tenderlye
Bot our dum Doctoris, of Divinity
And ye of the last fond religioun
Off pure Transgressouris, ye have no petty
Bot cryis to put thame to confusioun
As cryit the Iowis, for the effusioun
Off Christis blood in to there byrnand ire
Crucifige, so ye with one vnioun
Cryis, fy, gar cast that faltour in the fire
Vnmercifull memberis, of the Antichrist
Extolland your human tradition
Contrar the Institution of Christ
Effeir ye nocht, Divine punytione
Thocht sum of yow be gude of conditione
Reddy for to ressaue new recent wyne
I speak to yow, auld bosis, of perditione
Return in time, or ye ryn to rewyne.
As ran the peruerst Prophetis of Baal.
Quhilkis did consent, to the Idolatry
Off wickit Ahab king of Israel
Whose nommer wer, four hundredth and fyftie
Quhilkis honourit that Idol opinlye
Bot when Elias, did preue there abusioun
He gart the people sla thame creuellye
So at one hour, came there confusioun.
I pray yow prent in your remembrance.
Quhow the reid Freris, for there Idolatry
In Scotland, Ingland, Spane, Italy, & France
Vpone one day, wer puneissit pietuouslye
Behald whow your awin brether now laitlye
In Duchelād, Inglād, Dēmark, and Norowaye
Ar trampit down, with there Ipocrasye
And as the snaw, ar meltit clean away
I marvel yat our Byschoppis think{is} no schame
To gyf yow freris sic preheminens
Tyll use there office, to there gret defame
Precheing for thame in opin audiens
Bot might A Byschope eik till his awin expens▪
For ilk Sermon ten Ducatis in his hand
He wald or he did want that recompens
Go preche him self, boith in to buigh and land,
I traist to se gude reformatione
Frome time we get ane faihfull prudent king
Quhilk knawis the truth, and his vocatione
All Publicanis, I traist he will down thring
And will nocht suffer in his realm to ring
Corruppit Scrybis, nor falls Pharisiens
Agane the truth, whilk plainly doth maling
Tyll that king cum, we mon take paciens.
Now fairweill freindis, because I can nocht flyte
Quhowbeit I culde, ye mon hald me excusit
Thocht I again Ydolatrye Indyte
Or thame dispyte that will nocht yet refusit
I pray to God, that it be no more vsit
Amang the rewlaris of this Region
That common people, be no more abusit
Bot gyf him glore, that bair the creuell croun
Quhilk techeit ws, be his divine Scripture
Tyll right prayer the perfect reddy way
As wrytith Matthew, in his sext Chepture
In what manner, and to whom we suld pray
One schort compendious orisone euerilk day
Most proffitabyll, for boith body and soul
The whilk is nocht derectit I heir say
To Ihone, nor James, to Peter nor to Paul.
Nor none other of the Apostlis twelf.
Nor to no Sanct, nor Angel in the Hewin
Bot only till our Father God him self
Quhilk orisione, it doth contene full ewin
Most proffitabyll, for ws petetionis sewin
Quhilk we lawid folk, the Pater Noster call
Thocht we say Psalms, nine ten or alewin
Off all prayer, this been the principal
Be reasoun of the makkar, whilk it maid
Quhilk wes the Son of God, our Saluiour
Be reasoun als, to whom it suld be said
Tyll the Father of hewin, our Creator
Quhilk dwellis nocht, in tempyll nor in tour
He cleirlye seis our thocht, will, and intent,
What nedith ws, at vtheris seek succor
When in all place, his power been present
Ʒe princis of the preistis that suld preche
Quhy suffer ye so gret abutionn
Quhy do ye nocht the sempyll people teche
Quhow, and to whom, to dress there orisoun
Quhy thole ye thame, to ryn from town to town
In Pylgramage, till ony Ymagreis
Hopand to get there sum Saluatioun
Prayand to thame, deuotlye on there kneis.
This wes the prettike of sum pylgramage,
When fillokis in to Fife, began to fon
With Ioke, & Thom, thā tuke they yare vayage
In Angusse, till the field Chapel of Dron
Than Kyttoke there als cadye as ane Con
Without regard, other to Syn or schame
Gaiff Lowre leif, at layser to loupe on
Far better had been, till haif biddin at hame.
I have seen pass, one meruellous multitude.
Ʒong men and women flyngand on there feit
Under the form, of feynit sanctytude
For till adore one Image in Loreit
Money came with there marrowis for to meit
Committand there fowll fornicatioun
Sum kyst the claggit taill of the Armeit
Quhy thole ye this abominatioun
Off Fornicatioun and Idolatry
Apperandlye ye take bot lytill cure
Seand the marvelous Infelicitye
Quhilk heth so lang done in this land endure
In your defalt, whilk heth the charge and cure
This been of truth, my Lordis w t your leave
Sic pylgramage heth maid money one hure
Quhilk gyf I plesit, planelye I might preue.
Quhy mak ye nocht, the scripture manifest.
To pure people, twyching Idolatry
In your precheing, why haif ye nocht expressed
Quhow money king{is} of Israel creuellye
Wer puneissit be God so rigorouslye
As Jeroboam, and money mo but doubt
For wyrschippyng, of caruit Imagerye
War from there realms rudlye rutit out
Quhy thole ye onder your Dominioun.
Ane crafty priest, or fenyeit falls armeit
Abufe the people of this Region
Only for there particular profeit
And specially that Heremeit of Lawreit
He pat the comoun people in believe
That blind gat seycht, and crukit gat there feit
The whilk that palyard no way can appreue.
Ʒe maryit men, that hes trym wantoun wyffis,
And lusty dochteris, of young tender aige
Whose honesty, ye suld lufe as your lyffis
Permyt thame nocht, to pass in pylgramage
To seek support, at ony stok Image
For I have wyttin, gud women pass fra hame
Quhilk hes been trappit, with sic lustis rage
Hes done return, boith w t gret syn and schame
Gett vpe thow slepist all to lang, O Lord
And mak one haistie reformatioun
On thame whilk doth tramp down yi gracious word
And hes ane deidly Indignatioun
Att thame whilk makith true narratioun
Off thy Gospel, schawing the verytie
O Lord I mak the supplicatioun
Supporte our Faith, our Hope, and Charytie.
FINIS.

Heir follouis whov Kyng Nynus Beildit the gret City of Nyniue, And whow he Vincuste yoroastes, the Kyng off Bactria.

T HIS Nynus of Asseria king
Quhē he had maid his {con}quessīg
To beild one City he him dressed
Chosīg y e place whare he thocht best
Quhare he had first dominioun
In Asseria his awin regioun
Thocht Assur as y e scriptur says
Quhilk come affore king Nynus days
And foundit that famous City
The whilk was called Nyniue
Bot as rehersis Diodore
Nynus that City did decore
So marvelous tryumphantlye
As ye sall heir Immedeatlye
Vpone the flude of Euphrates
Quhilk to behauld gret wounder wes
One hundredth and fyftye stagys
That City wes of lenth I wys
The wallis one hundredth fute of heycht
No wounder was thocht they wer wycht
Sick breid abufe the wallis there was
Thre cartis might sydling{is} on thame pas
Four hundredth stageis and four score
In circuit but myn or more
Off towris about those wallis I wene
Ane thousand, and five hundredth been
Off heycht two hundredth fute and more
As wryttis famous Diodore
The scripture makes mentioun
Qhen God send Jonah to that town
To show thame of his puneisment
Outthrouch the City when he went
Thre days Iornay, till him it wes
The Bybill says it wes no les
My Son, now haif I schawin to the
Off the beildyng of Nyniue
For the agmentyng of his fame
Nynus gart call it after his name
When he that gret City had endit
To conques more yet he intendit
And did depart from Nyniue
And rasit up one gret arm
Off the most stalwarte men and stout
Off all his Regionis round about
In gret order tuke there Iorna
Towarte the realm of Bactria
Off wycht fute men, I understand
He had sewintene hundredth thousand
Withoute hors men and weirlyke cairtis
Quhome he ordourit in sindry partis
Quhilk till discryue I am notht abyll
Whose nummer been so vntrowabyll.
Zoroastes, that nobyll king.
Quhilk Bactria, had in gouernyng
That prudent Prince, as I heir tell
Did in Astronomye precell
And fand the Art of Magica
With natural science, money ma
Seand king Nynus on the feilde
Fordwart he cam with speir and scheilde
Four hundredth thousand men he wes
In his Army there wes no les
And met king Nynus on the bordoure
Rycht vailyantlie, and in gude ordoure
On the Vangarde of his Army
On thame he ruscheit right rudelie
And of thame slew as I heir say
One hundredth thousand men that day
The rest that chapit wer vnslane
To Nynus gret oiste, fled again
Off that king Nynus wes so noyit
He restit neuir till he distroyit
All hoill that Region vpe and down
And from the King, did reif the croun
And maid the realm of Bactria
Subiectit till Asseria
And in that samyn land I wys
He tuk to wife Semeramis
Quha (as mine Author dost discryue
Was than the lustiest on live
That beand done without sudgeorne
Tyll Nyniue he did return
With gret tryumphe of victory
As mine Authore dost specify
Boith Occident, and Orient
War all till him obedient
It wald abhor the till heir red
The saikles blood that he did sched
When he had roung, as thow may heir
The space of three and fourtye year
Beand in his excelland glore
The dolent death, did him deuore
In what sort, I am nocht certain
Sum Author says that he wes slane
And left till bruke his Heretage
One lytill Babe of tender aige
Ʒoung Nynus wes the chyldis name
Quhilk after fluryste in gret fame
Sum says that be his wyffis treasoun
Kyng Nynus deit in presoun
As I sall show or I hyne fair
Quhow Diodore hath done declare.
FINIS

Heir followis sum of the wonderful dedis of the lusty queen Semeramis

NYNVS luffit so Ardentlye
Semeramis, his fair Lady
There wes no thing scho wald command
Bot all obeyit wes fra hand
Scho seand him so Amorous
Scho grew proud and presumptuous
And at the king scho did desire
Fyue days to govern his Empire
And he of his benevolence
Did grant hir that preeminence
With Sceptour, Crown, and Robroyall
And hole power Imperial
Tyll five days wer cum and gone
That scho as king sulde ring allone
Than all the Princis of the land
Duryng that time maid hir ane band
With bankat Royal myrrellie
Scho treatit thame Tryumphantlie
So the first day the people all
Came till hir service bound and thrall
Bot or the secunde day wes gone
Scho tuke sic glore to ring allone
Be one decreit maid thame amang
The king scho patt in presone strang
I reid well of his presoning
Bot nocht of his delyuering
Quhow euir it wes in till his flowris
He did of death, suffer the schowris
And might nocht lenth his life one hour
Thocht he wes the first Concreoure
Whose Conquessing, for to conclude
Wes nocht bot gret schedding of blood
Now have ye hard of Nynus king
Quhow he began, and his ending
Quhowbeid mine Author Diodore
Off him haith wryttin mekle more
Princis for wrangus conquessing
Doith mak oft times ane evil ending
Thocht he had lang prosperity
He endit with miseretie.
FINIS.

Off king Nynus Sepulture.

T HE Queen a sepultur sche maid
Quhar sche king Nyn{us} body laid
Off curi{us} crafty wark & wycht
The whilk had stagis ix. of hy t
& ten stagis of breid it wes
Diodore saith it wes no les
For aucht Stagis one mile thow take
And thairefter thy nummer mak
So be this compt, it wes full right
One mile, als and one stage of hycht
Except the Tower of Babilone
So heych one wark, I reid of none
Semiramis, this lustye Queen
Consyddring what dainger been
To haif on King of tender aige
Quhilk might nocht use no vassalage
Scho tuke one curagious consait
Thinkand that scho wald mak debait
Geue ony maid rebellioun
Contrar hir Son, or his Region
Quhome sche did foster tenderly
And kepit him full quyetly
Scho laid apart hir awin cleithyng
And tuke the Rayment of ane king
When scho wes in till Armor dycht
Mycht no man knaw hir be one knycht
Scho valyeantlye went to the weir
And to gyf battle tuke na feir
Dantyng all Realms round about
That all the world of hir had doubt
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 whom I spake
The hydduous dungeoun he gart make
And of the City, the Fundiment
To whom God maid Impediment
Quhare Nemrod left, there scho began
And pat to wark money one man
Off all the Realms round about
Off most Ingyne, scho socht thame out
Scho had wyrkand with tree and stonis
Twell hundredth thousand men at onis
Go reid the buke of Diodore
And thow sall find the nummer more
On euerilk side of Euphrates
That nobyll City beildit wes
And so that river of renown
Ran throuch the mydpart of the town
Ouerthort that flude scho bryggis maid
Off marvelous strenth, boith lang and braid
Thay wer five stagis large of lenth
On euerilk bryg, scho maid ane strenth
The circuit as I said affore
Four hundredth stagis, and four score
The wallis hycht who wald discryue
Thre hundredth fute three score and five
Sax Cairtis might pas right easalie
Abufe the wallis of that City
Sydlingis without Impediment
Consydder be your Judgment
Geue those wallis wer hie or nocht
And also curiouslye wer wrocht
As Diodore hes done defyne
Quhilk doth transcend my rude Ingyne
Off Babilone the magnificens
To whom ye wald gyf no credens
Geue I at lenth, wald put in write
Quhilk Diodore, hes done indyte
Compare of Cities find I none
Tyll Nyniue, and Babilone
Frome Nyniue, in Asseria
Tyll Babilone in Caldia
By Bryggis plesandlye ye may pas
Vpone the flude of Euphratas
Amang the fludis of Paradyce
This Euphratas may beir the price
All warkis whilkis the Queen began
Transcendit the ingyne of man
The proud Queen Pantasilia
The Princes of Amasona
With hir Ladyis tryumphandlye
Att Troye, whilk faucht so wailyeantlye
Nor yet the fair Madin of France
Danter of Inglis Ordinance
To Semeramis in hir days
Wer no compare as bukis says
Except tryumphand Iulyus
Strong Hannibal, or Pompeyus
Or Allexander the Concreoure
I find no gretter Werioure
Wald I rehers as wryttis Clerkis
Hir wonderful and vailyeand werkis
It wer to me one gret laubour
And tiddious to the Auditor
What scho did in Ethopia
And in the lande of Medea
Beildand Cities, Castellis, and Towris
Parkis, and Gardyng{is}, of plesouris
For the exaltyng of hir name
And Immortal to mak hir fane
Off Iarcieus, the heych Montanis
Scho gart ryue down, and mak thame planis
Gret Orontes, that Montane wycht
Twenty and five stagis of hycht
Tyll hir Palyce, to draw ane louche
By fors of men scho raif it throche
Had scho kepit hir Chastity
Scho might have been one A. perse
When scho had ordorit hir Empire
Off Venus wark, scho tuke desire
One secreit Mansioun scho gart mak
Quhare scho mayest plesandlye might take
Ʒoung Gentyll men, for hir plesour
The whilk scho vsit abufe mesour
One man allone, might nocht be abyll
To stanche hir lust insaciabyll
When scho wes satifyit of one
Scho gart ane other cum anon
The Lustiest of all the land
Come quyetlye at hir command
When they at lenth had lyin hir by
Scho slew thame all right creuelly
When hir Sone come till aige perfect
Off him scho tuke so gret delight
Scho causit him with hir to lie
Amang the rest right quyetlye
Sum says throuch sensual lustis rage
Scho band him in to Marriage
And held him under tutorye
To vphald hir authority.
✚FINIS.*

Quhov the Queen Semeramis, with one gret Army, Past to Yade, And Faucht with the Kyng Stawrobates, And of hir Miserrabyll end.

Q VHEN Scho had lang time leuit in rest
To cōques more scho hir addrest
Because of diverse scho hard tell
Quhow that the Ynde Orientell,
Preceld in gret commoditeis
As Bestiall. Cornis, and fructfull treis
Alkynde of Spyce, delicious
Golde, Syluer, stonis, precious
And whow that plentuous land did beir
Corn, Frute, and Wyne, twice in the year
With Oliphantis Innumerabyll
In Battle wounder tetrabyll
Scho herand this, and mekle more
Beleuand till agment hir glore
Gart mak strait Proclamationis
In all, and syndrie Nationis
Schawand whow it wes hir desire
All Princis under hir Empire
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 after there degree
Sulde bring till hir ane gret Army
In all the gudlye haist they may
And meit hir in till Bactriay
Declaryng thame that hir intent
Was till pas to the Orient
And mak Weir on the king of Ynde
Frome time they knew what wes hir myned
Than be there self{is}, ilke Region
Come fordwart with there Garnisoun
Tryumphantlye, in gude array
Tyll Bactria, tuke the reddy way
And maid there Mostouris to the Queen
Bot sic ane sycht wes never seen
In Battle ray so money one Man
Att onis, sen God the world began
Bot Spanye, France, Scotland, Ingland,
Ducheland, Denmark, nor yet Yrland,
War nocht Inhabit in those days
Nor lang after, mine Author says
Ethesias, he dost specify
The noumber of this gret Army
Sayand there come at hir command
Fute men, threttye hundredth thousand
Off hors men montit galyeardlye
Fyue hundredth thousand veralye
One hundredth thousand Camelis wycht
On euerilk Cameill, raid ane knycht
Preparit till pass in to all partis
There wes ane hundredth thousand Cairtis
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 been of Ynde, the vtmoist bordoure
On the whilk flude, with right gude ordoure
Off hir Bairgis. sche bryggis maid
Quhareon hir gret Oiste, saifly raid
Father I wald men vnderstude
Quhow sic ane marvelous multitude
Mycht be attonis, brocht to the field
Reddy to feycht, with speir and scheild
Sum men will Iuge, this be ane fabyll
The mater been so vntrouabyll
Itt may well be my Son (said he)
As be exempyll we may se
Quhow David king of Israel
His people gart nummer and tell
Be Joab, his chief Capitane
As holy Scripture schawis plane
Off feychtand men, in to that land
He fand threttyne hundredth thousand
Sen David in that small countre
Mycht have rasit sic ane Army
To this Lady, it wes no wounder
The whilk had greter Realms ane hunder
Nor Dauidis lytill Region
Thocht scho had money A Legioun
Off men, mo nor I tauld affore.
Quhareof the Yndianis tuke affray
Apnoe Camelis, and Dromodareis
Those falls figouris, with hir scho careis
Sere Yndianis, when they saw that sycht
Afferitlye they tuke the flycht
For sic one sycht, wes neuir seen
Gyff natural beistis they had been
The Kyng him self wes right afferit
Tyll he the verity had sperit
And knew be his exploratouris
Thay wer bot fenyeit falls figouris
Than manfullye like men of weir
Fordwart they came withouttin feir
Rycht so Semeramis the Queen
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 deed lay 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 there kind
Ford wart they came and wald nocht ceis
Tyll throcht the myddis of the preis
Off the gret oist, they rudlye ruscheit
That men and horsse, till erth, trabuscheit
Those fenyeit beistis withouttin spreit
Wer fruschit and fulyeit under feit
The king of Ynde with curage kene
Mett with Semeramis the queen
He rydand on ane Eliphand
Bot scho with him faucht hand for hand
And gaif the king so gret assaye
That he wes neuir in sic affraye
To stryke at him, scho tuke no feir
So well sche vsit wes in weir
His strakis scho had bot lytill comptit
Wer nocht the king wes so well montit
Athir at other straik so fast
Tyll they wer tyrit at the last
The king he thocht him self eschamit
With one woman to be diffamit
And wes determit nocht to flee
Thocht in that Battle he suld dee
As man the whilk disparit been
He rudely ran vpone the queen
And throuch the arm gaif hir ane wound
Quhilk till hir heart gaif sic one stound
That sche constranit wes to flee
Than all the rest of hir Army
When they persauit that scho wes gone
Tyll yndus flude, they fled ilk one
The Queen ouerthort the flude sche raid
On bryggis whilkis wer of botis maid
With hir one sobir cumpanye
Quhilk with hir fled affraytlie
The Yndianis followit on the chace
Than on the Bryggis come sic one prace
Off fleand folkis, whilk wes gret wounder
So that the Bargis krake in schonder
Sum sank, sum down the reuar ran
Than drownit there money one nobyll man
Quhilk wer gret piete till deplore
As wryttis famous Diodore.
And fynallie for to conclude
Wes never sched so mekle blood
At one time sen the world began
Nor slane so money one saikles man
And all throw the occasioun
And the prydefull perswasioun
Off this ambitious wyckit Queen
Sick one wes neuir hard nor seen
Staurobates the king of Ynde
Gretlye Reioysit in his mind
Off this tryumphe and victory
Semeramis with heart full sorry
Seand sa money tane and slane
Tyll hir countre, returnit again
Lamentand fortunis variance
Quhilk brocht hir to so gret myschance
Affore whilk wes so fortunat
And than of confort desolat.
Hir Son one man of perfectioun
Consyddrand his subiectioun
His lybertie he did desire
That he mychte govern his Empire
Seand his Mother vicious
And with that so ambitious
As mine Author doth speci ye
He slew his Mother creuellye
What other cause, or Intentioun
I find no special Mentioun
Sum says, to be at Lybertie
Sum says, for hir Adultrie
None other cause, I can defyne
Except punissioun divine.
Off this fair Lady coragious
Behald the ending dolorous
Quhilk wes bot twenty year of aige
When scho began hir vassalage
And rang tryumphandlye but weir
The space of two and fourtye year
When scho wes slane, scho was three score
With yeris two, scho wes no more
As Diodore wryttis in his buke
His Cronikle, who lyste to luke.
Off this Lady I mak ane end
Thynkand no way, I can commend
Wemen for till be to manlye
Nor men for till be womanlye
For why, It been the Lordis mind
All Creature till use there kind
Men for till have preheminens
And women under obediens
Thocht all women inclynit be
Tyll haif the Soueranite
As this Lady, whilk wald nocht rest
Tyll scho hir Husband had subprest
Tyll that intent that scho might ring
Allone to haif the gouernyng
Ladyis no way I can commend
Presumptuouslye whilk doth pretend
Tyll use the office of ane king
Or Realms take in gouernyng
Quhowbeit they wailyeant be and wycht
Goyng in Battle like one knycht
As did proud 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 authority
Throuch beistlye sensuality
Accompanyit boith day and nychtis
With women more than wailyeant knychtis
Sic king's, I discommend at all
Exempyll of Sardanapall.
Father (said I) show me whow lang
The successioun of Nynus rang
That sall I do with diligens
My Son (said he) or I go hens
Sen I haif schawin at thy disyre
What man began the first Empire
Now wald I it wer to the kend
Off that Empire the fatell end.
FINIS

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

BETVIX this Conqueror Nynus
And sensual Sardanapalus
I can nocht find no special story
Worthy to put in memory
Except whilk I haif done discryfe
Off Semerame king Nynus wife
Bot I can find no gude at all
To wrytt of king Sardanapall
Quhilk wes the saxt and threttye king
Be line from Nynus discendyng
At lenth his life for to declare
I think it is nocht necessary
Because that money cunning clerkis
Hes him discryuit in there werkis
Quhow he wes last of Asserians
Quhilk had the hole preemynans
That time of the first Monarche
In Cronicles, as thow may se
The last, and the mo •• vicious king
Quhilk in that Monarche did ring
That Prince wes so effeminate
With sensual lust intoxicate
He did abhor the cumpanye
Off his most nobyll chewalrye
That he might have the more delight
Tyll use his beistlye appetyte
Conuersit with women nycht and day
And clothit him, in there arraye
So that na man that him had seen
Could Iuge ane man, that he had been
So in huredome and harlatrye
Did keep him self so quyetlye
The Princis of Asserience
Off him they could get no presence
Thus leuit he contynualye
Agane nature Inordinatlye
When to the Peirsis and the Medis
Reportit wer his vicious dedis
With the Rewlaris of Babilone
Thay did conclude all in till one
Thay wald nocht suffer for till ring
Abufe thame sic ane vicious king
Bot Arbates, ane Duke of Mede
He Darflye tuke on hand that deed
Bot first he come to Nyniue
To see the king's Majesty
And till one of the king's gaird
He gaif one secreit rich rewaird
Tyll put him in ane quiet place
Quhare he might se the king's grace
And be on seen with ony wycht
Bot he saw nother King nor Knycht
In till his maisteris cumpanye
Except women allanerlye
And as ane woman he wes cled
With women counsalit and led
And schamefullye he wes syttand
With Spindle, and with Rock, spinnand
When Arbates that sycht had seen
His corage rasit from the spleen
And thocht it small difycultie
For till depryue his Majesty
Than rasit he the Persianis
With Medis and Babilonianis
Inarmit well with speir and scheildis
Tryumphantlye they tuke the feildis
The king rasit Asserianis
To gidther with the Caldianis
And thame resystit as he might
Bot fynallie he tuke the flycht
To saif him self in Nyniue
Than segit they that gret City
Contynuallie two year and more
As wryttis famous Diodore
Tyll that the flude of Euphrates
Arrose with sic one furiousnes
Quhare throuch ane gret part of the town
By violence wes doungin down
Than when the king saw no remeid
Bot to be takin or to be deed
As man disparit full of ire
Gart mak ane furious flammand fire
And tuke his gold and Iewellis all
With Sceptur, Croun, and Robe Royal,
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 fire, he did thame cast
Syne lape him self, in at the last
Quhare all wer brynt in poulder small
Thus endit king Sardanapall
Withouttin ony repentance
As may be seen, be this sentence
Heir following, whilk he did indyte
Affore his death, in gret dispyte
Quhilk is ane right ungodly thing
As ye may 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 whilk at Kyng Nynus began

And endit at this myscheant Man

And did Indure withouttin weir,

Ane thousand twa hundredth and forty year,

As dost Indyte, Ewsubius,

Reid him, and thow sall find It thus.

FINIS.
Heir endis the secund Part.

And Begynnis the Thrid Part.

And in the first, Makand Narratione of ye Misarabyll Distructioun of the Fyue Ciereis, called Sodom, Gomore, Syboin, Segore, and Adama, with there hole Region, and ane schort Discriptioun of the Secund, Thrid, and Ferd. Monarcheis. With y e Misarabyll Distructioun of Ierusalē And last of the Spiritual Monarchy.

FATHER I pray yow to me tell
What notabyll thyngis that befell
Duryng the Kyng of Asseriens
Quhilk had so lang prehemynens
I mene of other Nationis
Under there dominationis
That may be done in termys schorte
(Said he) as storyis doth report
Induryng this first Monarchy
Become that woeful misarie
Off Sodom, Gomore, and there Regione
As Scripture makes Mentione
Whose people wer so sensual
In fylthie Synnis unnatural
The whilk in to my vulgar veirs
My tongue abhorris to reheirs
Lyke brutall beistis by there myndis
Vnnaturally abusit there kyndis
By fylthie stynkand Lychorie
And most abhominabyll Sodomy
As holy scripture doth discryue
In that countre wer Citeis five
Quhilk wer Sodom, and Gomora
Seboin, Segore, and Adama
Amang thame all, funde wes there none
Vndefylit, bot Lot, allone
Holy Abraham dwelt neir hand by
Quhilk prayit for Lot, effectuously
For God maid him aduertysment
That he wald mak sic punyschement
To Lot two Angellis God did send
Hym from that fury till defend
When the people of that regioun
Saw the Angellis cum to the town
Transformit in to fair young men
Thay purposit thame for to ken
And abuse thame vnnaturallye
With there foul stynkand Sodomye
Off that gude Lot, wes wounder woo
And offerit thame his Douctheris two
Thame at there plesour for till use
Bot they his Douctheris did refuse
And than the Angellis be there might
Those men depryuit of there sycht
And so perfors leitt thame allone
To Lottis lugyng, when they wer gone
Thay him commandit haistelie
For till depart of that City
That foul unnatural Lychorie
A vengeance to the hewin did cry
The whilk did mofe God till sic ire
That from the hewin Brintstone and fire
With awful thoundryng, ranit down
And did consume that hole regioun
Off all that land chapit no mo
Except Lot, and his Douctheris two
His wife wes turnit in A stone
So wyfles wes he left allone
For scho wes Inobedient
And kepit no commandiment
When the Angel gaif thame command
Sone till depart out of that land
He monyste thame under gret pane
Never to luke, bakwart again
When Lottis wife, hard the thoundring
Off flammand fire and lychtnyng
The ugly cryis lamentabyll
Off people most appouentabyll
For none of thame had fors to flee
Scho yarnit that sorrowful sycht to see
And as scho turnit hir anon
Scho wes transformit in a stone
Quhare scho remanis till this day
Off hir I have no more to say
To show at leynth I am nocht abyll
That pietious process lamentabyll
Quhow Ceteis, Castellis, Tounis and Towris,
Villagis, Bastailyeis, and Bowris
Thay wer all in to poulder drewin
Forrestis, be the ruttis vprewin
There Kyng, there Queen, and people all
Ʒong and auld, brynt in poulder small
No Creature wes left on life
Foulis, Beistis, Man, nor Wyfe
The erth, the Corn, herb, fruit, and tree
The Babbis, vpone the Noryse kne
Rycht suddantlye in one Instent
Vnwerly come there Judgment
As it come in the time of Noye
When God did all the world distroye
For that self Syn of Sodomye
And most abhominabyll bewgrye
That vice at lenth for till declare
I think it is nocht necessary
When all wes brynt, flesche, blood, & bonis
Hyllis, valais, stokis, and stonis
The Cuntre sank for to conclude
Quhare now standith ane vglye flude
The whilk is called the deed see
Nixt to the cuntre of Indee
Whose stynkand strandis blak as tar
The flewre of it, men felith on far
In till Orocius, thow may reid
Off that cuntre, the lenth and breid
Of lenth fyftye mylis and two
And fourtene mile in breid also.
Lot of his wife wes so agast
That he till A. wyld Montane past
Off cumpanye he had no mo
Except his lustye Douchteris two
And be there prouocatioun
As Moses makith narratioun
Allone in to that montane wild
His Douchteris boith, he gat with child
For they beleuit in there thocht
That all the world wes gone to nocht
As it become of that Natioun
Thynkand that Generatioun
Wald faill, without they craftellye
Gar there Father with thame to lie
And so they fand ane crafty wyle
Quhow they there Father might begyle
And causit him, to drynk wycht wyne
Quhilk men to Lychorye doth Inclyne
When he wes full, and fallin on sleip
His Douchteris quyetlye did creip
In till his bed, full secreitlye
Prouokand him with thame to lie
And knew nocht whow he wes begylde
Tyll boith his Douchteris wer with child
And bure two Sonnis in certain
Thay beand in that wyld Montane
Off whom two Nationis did proceid
As in the scripture thow may reid
In the whilk scripture thow may se
Att lenth this woeful misarie
This misarie become but weir
Frome Noeis flude, three hundredth year
To gidther with four score and alewin
As comptit Carione full ewin
And after Noeis death I ges
Ane and fourtye year there wes
When Abraham was of aige I wene
Four score of yeris, and nynteine
When this foul Syn of Sodomye
Was puneisit so regorouslyie
Gret God Preserue ws in our time
That we commit nocht sic ane crime.
Tiddius It wer for me to tell
This Monarche, during what befell
And wounderis that in erth wer wrocht
Quhilk to thy pupose langith nocht
As whow the people of Israel
Did lang time in to Egypt dwell
And of there gret puneisioun
Throuch Pharois persecusioun
And whow Moses, did thame conuoye
Throuch the reid sey, with mekle Ioye
Quhare king Pharo, right misarably
Wes drownit with all his huge army
And whow that people wandrand wes
Fourtye yeris, in wilderness
Moses that time as I heir say
Ressauit the Law on Mont Sinai
That time Joshua throuch Jordan
Led those people to Canaan
Quhare Saul, David, and Salamone
With Hebrew Kyngis money one
Did rychelye ring in that countre
Induryng this first Monarche
The Sege of Thebes, misarabyll
Quhare blood wes sched Incomparabyll
Off nobyll men, in to those days
With vtheris terribyll affrayis
As whow the Grekis wrocht vengeance
Apone the nobyll Troyiance
Because that Pareis, did conuoye
Perfors fair Helena to Troye
Quhilk wes king Menelaus wife
Quhare money one thousand lost there life
That time the vailyeant Hercules
Out throuch the world did him addres
Quhare he did money ane douchtye deed
As in his story thow may reid
And whow throuch Dyonere his wife
That Campione did lose his life
In flammand fire, full furiouslye
The death he sufferit creuellye
That time Remus, and Romolus
Did found that City most famous
Off Rome standing in Italy
As in there story thow may se
Wald thow reid Titus Leuius
Thow suld find warkis wounderus
Whose douchtye deidis ar well kende
And shall be to the warldis ende
Thocht they he gan with creueltie
And endit with misaritie
As been the manner to conclude
Off all scheddaris of saikles blood.
In Grece the ornat Poetry
Medecene, Music, Astronomy,
Duryng this first Monarche began
Be Homerus, that famous man
To gydder with Hesiodus
As diverse Auctoris, schawis ws
It wer to lang to put in ryme
The buk{is} whilk they wret in there time
Thir wer the actis principell
That Monarche during whilk befell
As for gude Abraham and his seid
In to the Bibyll thow may reid
Quhow in this time as I heir tell
Began the Kyngdome Spirituell
As I have schawin to the affore
Quharefor I speak of thame no more.
FINIS.

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

FATHER (said I) whilk wes the mā.
That the nyxt Monarchye began
Cyrus (said he) the king of Pers
As Cronicles, hes done rehers
Prudent and full of Pollicye
Began the secunde Monarchye
For he wes the most godly king
That ever in Pers or Mede did ring
For he of his Benyngnitie
Delyuerit from Captyuitie
The hole Peple of Israel
In to the time of Daniel
The whilkis had been presoneris
In Babilone sewin score of yeris
Tharefor God of his grace benyng
Gaif him ane divine knawleging
Duryng his time as I heir tell
He vsit counsel of Daniel
Carione, at lenth doth specify
Off his marvelous Natyuitie
And of his vertuus vpbrynging
And whow he vincuste Cresus king
With money other vailyeant deed
As in to Carione, thow may reid
Whose Successioun did endure
Tyll the tent Kyng, thareof be sure
Bot after his gret conquessyng
Rycht miserabyll wes his ending
As Herodotus, doth discryfe
In Scythia he lost his life
Quhare the vndantit Seethianis
Vincuste those nobyll Persianis
And after that Cerus wes deed
Queen Tomyre hakkit of his hede
Quhilk wes the queen of Seethianis
In the dispyte of Persianis
Scho kest his heid, for to conclude
In till ane vessel full of blood
And said, thir wourdis creuellye
Drynk now thy fill, gyf thow be dry
For thow did aye blood schedding thryste
Now drynk at laser gyf thow lyste
Efter that Cyrus successioun
Off all the world had possessioun
Tyll Allexander with swerd and fire
Obtenit perfors the thread Empire
Quhilk wes the king of Macedone
With vailyeant Grekis money one
In battle fell and furious
Vincuste the mychtie Darious
Quhilk wes the tent and the last king
Quhilk did after king Cyrus ring
As for this potent Empriour
Allexander the Conquereour
Geue thow at lenth, wald reid his ring
And of his creuell conquessyng
In Inglis tongue, in his gret buke
Att lenth his life, there thow may luke
Quhow Allexander that potent Kyng
Wes twelf yeris in his Conquessyng
And whow for all his gret conquest
He leuit bot ane yeit in rest
When be his Seruand secretly
He poysonit wes full pietuouslye.
Lucane doth Allexander compair
Tyll thounder, or fyreflaucht, in the air
One creuell Planeit, A mortal weird
Doun thryngand people, with his sweird
Ganges that most famous flude
He myxit with the Indianis blood
And Euphrates, with the blood of Pers
Whose creueltie for to rehers
And saikles blood, whilk he did sched
War right abhominabyll to be red
Efter his schort prosperity
He deit with gret miseritie.
Itt wer to lang for to dissydit
Quhow all his realms wer deuydit
Aye whill that Caesar Iulyus
When he had vincust Pompeyus
Wes chosin Emperiour and king
Abufe the Romanis for till ring
That potent Prince wes the first man
Quhilk the ferd Monarche began
And had the hole Dominioun
Off euerilk land and Region
Whose successouris, did ring but weir
Ouer the world, money one hundredth year
Bot gentle Iulyus, alas
Rang Empriour, bot lytill space
Quhilk I think petye till deplore
In five Moneth and lytill more
By falls exorbitant treasoun
That prudent Prince, wes trampit down
And murdrest in his counsel house
By creuell Brutus, and Cascius
Efter that Iulyus wes slane
Did ring the gret Octauiane
Off Empriouris one of the best
Duryng his time, wes peace and rest
Ouer all the world, in ilk regioun
As storyis makith mentioun
And als I mak it to the plane
Duryng the time of Octauiane
The Son of God our Lord Iesew
Tuke mankynd of the Virgin true
And wes that time in Bethlehem borne
To saif mankind, whilk wes forlorn
As Scripture makith narratioun
Off his blyst Incarnatioun
Now haif I tald the as I can
Quhow the four Monarchyis began
Bot in thy mind thow may consydder
Quhow warldly power been bot slydder
For all thir gret Impyris ar gone
Thow seis there is no Prince allone
Quhilk hes the hole Dominioun
This time of every Region
Father what reason, had those king's
Reuarris to be of vtheris ryngis
But ony right or Iuste querrell
Quhairthrouch that they might mak battle
And common pepyll to dounthryng
To this (said I) mak answeryng
My Son (said he) that sall be done
As I best can, and that right sone
Thir Monarcheis, I understand
Preordinat wer, by the command
Off God, the Plasmatour of all
For to down thryng, and to mak thrall
Vndantit Peple vicious
And als for to be gracious
To thame whilk virtuous wer and gude
As Daniel heth done conclude
At lenth in till his Propheseis
Quhow there suld be four Monarcheis
His secund Chepture, thow may see
Quhow after the first Monarchy
When Nebuchadnezzar king
Ane Ymage saw, in his slepyng
With austeir luke, boith heych and breid
And of fine pure Gold, wes his heid
His breist, and arms, of silver brycht
His wamb of Copper, hard and wycht
His loynis, and lymmis, of Irne, right strong
His feit of clay, Irne myxt among
Frome A montane there come allone
But hand of man, A mekle stone
Quhilk on that Figour{is} feit did fall
And dang all down in poulder small.
Off whose Interpretatioun
Doctouris doth mak Narratioun
The hede of gold, did signify
First of Asserianis Monarchye
The silver breist, they did apply
To Persianis, whilk rang secundly
The wambe of copper, or of brass
Thirdly to Grekis, comparit wasse
His loynis, and lymmis, of Irne, and steill
Clerkis hes thame comparit well
To Romanis, throuch there diligence
To have the Feird Preemynence
Abufe all other Natioun
Be this Interpretatioun
The myxit feit, with Irne, and clay
Did signify this letter day
When that the world sulde be deuydit
As efterwart shall be disydit
To Christ is signifyit the stone
Whose Monarche sall never be gone
For under his Dominioun
All Princis sall be trampit down
When that gret king Omnipotent
Cumis to his general Judgment
His Monarche than shall be knawin
As after sall be to the schawin
And als the Scripture, sall the tell
Quhow in the aucht of Daniel
He saw in to his visioun
Be ane plane expositioun
Quhow that the Grekis, sulde wyrk vengeence
Vpone the Medis, and Persience
Comparand Grekis, till ane Gote
With ane horn, fers, furious, and hot
Quhilk slew the Ram, with hornis two
Comparit till Pers, and Mede, all so
And so be Daniel{is} prophesyis
All thir gret mychtie Monarchyis
The whilkis all other realms supprysit
Be the gret God, they wer deuysit
As he of Tytus the Roman
Son and Air, to Vespasiane
Maid him ane Furious Instrument
To put the Iowis, to gret torment
Quhilk I purpose or I hyne fair
Schortlie that p ocesse to declare
✚FINIS.*

Of ye most miserabyl and most terrabill distructioun of Jerusalem.

FATHER (said I) declare to me.
Induryng this ferd Monarchy
The mayest Infortune that befell
My Son (said he) that sall I tell
The moist and manifest misarie
Became apon the gret Cetie
Jerusalem, when it wes suppressed
As storyis makes manifest
Bot as the Scripture doth deuyse
Jerusalem wes distroyit twice
First for the gret Idolatry
Quhilk they commyttit in Iowrye
The honor aucht to God allone
Thay gaif Figuris, of stoke and stone
Affore Christis Incarnatioun
Come this first desolatioun
Fyue hundredth yeris, four score and ten
In Cronicles, as thow may ken
Quhow Nebuchadnezzar king
That famous City, did down thryng
There Kyng, with people money one
Brocht thame all bound to Babilone
Quhare they remanit Presoneris
The space of three score and ten yeris
And that first desolatioun
Wes called the Transmigratioun
Wes no man left in all there landis
Bot Purellis lauborand with there handis
Tyll mychtie Cyrus, king of Pers
As Daniel heth done rehers
Wes mouit be God, for till restore
The Iowis, whare that they wer afore.
Geue I neglect, I wer to blame
The last Sege of Jerusalem
Whose rewyne wes most miserabyll
And for to tell, right terrabyll
Wes never in erth, Cetie nor town
Gatt sic extreme distructioun
The townis of Tyre, Tebes, nor Troye
Thay sufferit never half sic noye
The Emprioure Vespasiane
He did deuyse that Sege certain.
There wes the Prophesy compleit
Quhilk Christ spake on mont Olyueit
When he Jerusalem beheld
The teris from his eine disteld
Seand be Diuyne prescience
The gret distructioun and vengeance
Quhilk wes to cum, on that Cetie
His heart wes persit with Petie
Sayand Jerusalem, and thow knew
Thy gret rewyne, sore wald thow rew
For no thing I can to the show
The verity, thow will nocht knaw
Nor hes in consydderatioun
Thy holy visitatioun
Thy people will no way consider
Quham gadtherit I wald haif to gidder
As errand scheip, been with there hirdis
Or as the Hen, gadderis hir byrdis
Under hir wyngis tenderlye
Quhilk they refusit dispitfullye
Quharefor sall cum that dulefull day
That no remedy mak thow may
Thy Dungiounis sall be dung in schounder
So that the world, sall on the wounder
Thy tempyll now most tryumphand
Sall be tread down amang the sand
And as he said, so it befell
As heir after I sall the tell.
Schaw me (said I) with circumstance
The special cause of that myschance
(Quod he) as scripture doth conclude
For scheddyng of the saikles blood
Off Prophetis whilk{is} God to thame send
And als because, that they myskend
Jesus the Son of God Souerane
When he amang thame did remane
For all the Myraklis, that he schew
Maliciouslye they him mysknew
Thocht be his gret power divine
The walter cleir, he turnit in wyne
And be that self power and might
To the blind borne, he gaif the sycht
And gaif the crukit men their feit
And maid the lypir haill compleit
He halit all, and rasit the deed
Ʒit held they him at mortal feed
Because he schew the verity
Thay did conclude that he sulde de
The Byschoppis, princis of the preistis
Thay grew so boildin in there breistis
The Scrybis, the Doctouris of the law
Off God nor man, whilkis stude none awe
On Christ Jesus, to wyrk vengeance
Rycht so the falls Pharesiance
Ane Sect of fenyeit Religioun
Deuysit his confusioun
And send there seruandis at the last
And with strang cordis, they band him fast
Syne scurgit him, boith back and side
That none for blood, might se his hyde
There wes nocht left ane penny breid
Vnwoundit from his feit till heid
In manner of dirisioun
Thay plett for him, ane creuell croun
Off prunyeand thornis scharpe and lang
Quhilk on his hewinlye heid they thrang
Syne gart him for, the gretter lack
Beir his awin Gallous, on his back
Tyll the vile place of Caluare
Quhare money ane thousand man might se
That Innocent, they tuke perforce
And plat him back wart to the Cross
Throuch feit and handis, gret nalis they thryst
Tyll blood aboundantlye out bryst
Without grunschyng, clamor or cry
That pane he sufferit patientlye
And for agmentyng of his grefis
Thay hangit him, betwix two thefis
Quhare men might se the bludy strandis
Quhilk{is} sprang forth of his feit and handis
Frome thornis thristit on his heid
Ran down the bulryng stremis reid
In the presens of money one man
That blood royal on roches ran
Schortly to say that heuinlye Kyng
In extreme dolour, there did hyng
Tyll he said, Consumatum est.
With A loud cry, he gaif the gaist
When he wes deed, they tuke one dart
And peirst that Prence, outthrouch the heart
Fra wham there ran, walter and blood
The erth than trymblit to conclude
Phebus did hyde his beymes brycht
That throuch the world there wes no lycht
The gret vaill of the tempyll rave
The deed men rais, out of there grave
And in the Cetie did appeir
As in the Scripture thow may heir
Than Joseph, of Abaramathie
Did bury him, right honestlie
Bot yet he rose, full gloriouslye
On the thread day tryumphandlye
With his Disciplis, in certain
Fourtye days he did remane
Efter that to the heaven ascendit
Thir Iowis no thing there life amendit
Nor gaif no credens, till his sawis
As at more lenth, the story schawis
Bot creuellye they did oppres
All men that Christ{is} name did profess
And persecutit money one
Thay presonit, boith Peter and Ihone
And Stewin, they stonit to the deed
Frome James the les, they straik the hede
This wes the cause, in conclusioun
Off there creuell confusioun
The prudent Iow, Josephus says
That he wes present in those days
And in his buke, makith mentioun
Quhow after Christis Ascentioun
The space of twa and forty yeris
Began those creuell mortal weris
The secund year of Vespasiane
Quhare money takin wer and slane
Josephus plainly doth conclude
Wes never seen sic one multitude
Affore that time, in to the town
Quhilk come for there confusioun
There gret Infortune so befell
That all the Princis of Israel
Conuenit again the time of Peace
Bot till return they had no grace
The bald Romanis, with there Chiftane
Tytus the Son of Vespasiane
There Army, over Judea spread
Than all men to the Ciete fled
Beleuand there to get relief
Bot all that turnit, to there myscheif
The Romanis lappit thame about
That be no way, they might wyn out
Sax Moneth, did that Sege endure
Quhare lost wer money one creature
Quhilk{is} there in misary did remane
Tyll they wer takin all or slane
Duryng the time of this assailye
There meit, and drynk, and all did failye
For there wes sic ane multitude
That thousand{is} deit for fault of fude
Necessity gart thame eight perforsse
Dog, Catt, and Rattone, Ass, and horsse
Ryche men, behuffit till eait there gold
Syne deit of hunger money fold
Sic hunger wes without remeid
The quik behufit till eight the deed
The fylth of Closett{is}, money eight
To lenth there life, they thocht it sweet
The famous Ladyis of the town
For fault of fude, they fell in swoun
When they might get none other meit
Thay slew there propir Bairnis to eight
Bot all for nocht dispytfullye
There awin sowldiouris full gredelye
Reft thame that flesche, most misarabyll
And they with murnyng lamentabyll
For extreme hunger yald the spreit
There wes the Prophesy compleit
As Christ affore maid narratioun
The day of his grym Passioun
When that the Ladyis for him murnit
Full pietuouslye he to thame turnit
And said, douchterr{is} murne nocht for me
Murne on your awin posterity
Within schort time sall cum the day
That men of this Ciete sall say
When they ar trappit in the snair
Blyst be the wamb, that never bair
The barren papis, than they sall blys
That dulefull day, ye sall nocht mys
This prophesy, it come to pas
That day with money loud allas
Sic sorrowful lamentatioun
Wes never hard in that natioun
Seand those lustye Ladyis sweet
Deand for hunger in the streit
There husbandis, nor there chyldring
Mycht give to thame na conforting
Nor yet relief thame of there harmis
Bot atheris deand in vtheris armis
Efter this woeful Indigence
Amang thame rose sic Pestilence
Quhare in there deit money hounder
Quhilk till declare, it wer gret wounder
And for fynall conclusioun
Those weirlyke wallis, they dang down
Prince Tytus, with his Chewalrye
With sound of trompe, Tryumphandlye
He enterrit in that gret Ciete
Bot till declare I think piete
The panefull clamour horrabyll
Off woundit folk, most miserabyll
There wes nocht ellis, bot take and slay
For there might no man wyn away
The strandis of blood ran throuch the stretis
Off deed folk, trampit under fetis
Auld Wedowis in the preis wer smorit
Ʒoung Virginis, schamefully deflorit
The gret Tempyll of Salamone
With money A curyous caruit stone
With perfect pynnakles, on hycht
Quhilk{is} wer right bewtyfull and wycht
Quhare in rich Iowell{is}, did abound
Thay ruscheit rudlye to the ground
And set in till there furious ire
Sancta, Sanctorum, in to fire
And with extreme confusioun
All there gret Dungionis they dang down
There bursin wer the boildin breistis
Off Byschoppis princis of the preistis
There takin wes, the gret vengeence
On falls Scrybis, and Pharisience
All there payntit Ipocrasie
That time might mak thame no supply
That day they dulefullye repentit
That to the death of Christ consentit
Thocht it wes our Saluatioun
Itt wes to there Dampnatioun
The vengeance of the blood saikles
Frome Abel till Zacharias'
That day apon Jerusalem fell
Bot tiddius it wer to tell
The gret extreme confusioun
And of blood, sic effusioun
Wes never slane so money ane man
At one time, sen the world began
The Iowis that day gat there desire
Quhilk they did ask, in to there ire
As been in Scripture, specifyit
The day when Christ wes Crucifyit
When Ponce Pylat, the precedent
Said to thame, I am Innocent
Off the Just Blude, of Christ Jesus
Thay cryit, his Blude lycht upon ws
And on our Generatioun
Thay gat there Supplicatioun
That day, with money cairfull cry
There blood wes sched abundantly
Josephus wryttith in his buke
His Cronicle who lyste to luke
Duryng that creuell Sege certain
Wer alewin hundredth thousand slane
Off Presonaris well tauld and seen
Four score of thousandis, and sewintene
Out of the land they did expel
All the people of Israel
And for there gret Ingratytude
Thay leif yet under Seruytude
There is no Iow, in no cuntre
Quhilk hes one fute of property
Nor never had, withouttin weir
Sen this day fyuetene hundredth year
Nor never sall, I to the show
Tyll that they turn to Christis law
Sum says, that Iowis money fald
Wer thretty for ane penny sald
As Judas sauld the Kyng of Glore
For thretty pennyis, and no more
Efter that money wer myscheuit
When novel{is} past, whow lang they leuit
Apone there Gold, withouttin doubt
Thay slyt there bellyis, to sers it out
The rest in Egypt, they did send
Presonaris, to there lyuis ende
Tytus tuke in his cumpanye
Gret nummer, of the most worthy
With him to Rome, he led thame bound
Syne creuelly did thame confound
His victory for till decore
And for agmentyng of his glore
Gart put thame in to public placis
Quhare all folk, might behald there facis
Syne with wyld Lyonis creuellye
He gart deuore thame dulefullye,
This hie Tryumphand mychtie town
At Pasche, wes put to confusioun
Because that in the time of Peace
Thay Crucifyit the Kyng of grace
Sum hes this mater done indyte
More Ornatly, than I can write
Quharefor I speak of it no more
Only to God, be laude and glore.
FINIS.

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

N OW have I done declare at thy desyris
As thow demandit in to termys schort
And whow began, the principal impyris
As Cronicle and Scripture dost report
Quhairfor my Sone I hartly y e exhort
Perfytlie prent in yi remembrance
Off this Inconstante world the variāc
Quharefor my Son, I mak it to the kend
This world I wait, is drawand to ane end
Tokynnis of darth, hunger, and pestilence
With creuell weris, boith be sey and land
Realm aganis realm, with mortal violence
Quhilk signifyis, the last day ewin at hand
Quharefor my Son be in thy faith constand
Rasyng thy heart to God, and cry for grace
And mend thy life, while thow hes time & space.
FINIS.

Heir followis the fyft Spiritual, And Papal Monarchy.

FATHER Is there no Prince ringand
Quhilk hes the world now at command
As had the Kyngis of Asserianis
The Persis, Grekis, or the Romanis
Quho hes now most Dominioun
Off euerilk land and Region
There is no Prince, my Son (said he)
That hes the principal Monarche
Abufe the world universal
With hole power Imperial
As Alexander, or Darius,
Or as had Caesar Iulyus
For Orient, and Occident
To thame wer all obedient
Nochtwithstandyng, I find one king
Quhilk in till Europe doth ring
That is the potent Pope of Rome
Impyrand ouir all Christindome
To whom no Prince, may be compare
As Canon lawis, can declare
All Princis of the Occident
Ar till his grace obedient
For he hes hole power compleit
Boith of the body and the spreit
Quhilk never had no prince affore
Except the mychtie king of glore
To Christ he is gret Lewtennand
In holy Peteris Saitt syttand
So he is of all king's Kyng
Quhilk{is} in to Europe now doth Kyng.
And as the Roman Empriouris
Hauyng the world under there curis
Had Princis, Knychtis, and Campionis
Rewlaris in till all Regionis
Vphaldyng there Aucthoritie
Vsyng Justice and polisie
Rycht so this potent pope of Rome
The Souerane king of Christindome
He hes in till ilk countre
His Princis of gret grauytie
In sum countries, his Cardinallis
In there moste precious apparallis
Archibyschoppis Byschoppis thow may se
Defendyng his authority
With other potent Patriarkis
Collegis full of cunning Clerkis
Abbottis, and Prior{is}, as ye ken
Misrewlaris of relegious men
Officiallis, with there Procuratouris
Whose langsum law, spolyeis the puris
Archidenis, and Denis, of dignity
Gret Doctouris of Diuynitie
There Chantouris, and there Sacristanis
There Tresoureris, and there subdenis
Legionis of preistis Seculeris
Personis, Vicaris, Monkis, and Freris
Off diverse Ordouris money one
Quhilk langsum wer, for till expone
In syndrie habit{is} as ye ken
Diffrent from other Christin men
Fair Ladyis of Relegioun
Proffessit in every Region
Fals Heremitis, fassonit like the freris
Proud parische clerkis, and pardoneris
There Gryntaris, and there Chamberlanis
With there temporal Courtissianis
Thus all the world be land and sey
His Sanctitude, they do obey
Nocht only his spiritual kingdom
Bot the gret Empriour of Rome
And Kyngis of euerilk regioun
That day when they resaue there crown
Thay mak aith, of fidelytie
Tyll defend his auctorytie
Moreouir, with humyll reverence
Thay mak till him obedience
Be there selfs, or Ambassaldouris
Or vtheris ornate Oratouris
Quho doth ganestand his Majesty
His lawis or his Lybertie
Or haldis ony opinioun
Contrar his gret Dominioun
Outher be way of deed or wourdis
Ar put to death, be fire or swourdis
Sanct Peter stylit wes, Sanctus,
Bot he is called, 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, there may be seen
There sall thow find, reid gyf thow can
Quhow he is nother God norman,
What is he than, be your Judgment
Quod I, me think him different
Far from our Souerane Lord Jesus
And till his kind contrarious
For Christ wes God, and natural man
Gyf he be nother, what is he than.
The Canon law my Son (said he)
That questioun will declare to the
It doth transcend my rude Ingyne
His Sanctitude for till defyne
Or to show the authority
Pertenyng to his Majesty
So gret one Prince, whare sall thow find
That Spiritually may louse and bind
Nor be whame synnis ar forgyffin
Be they with his Disciplis schrewin
Quhame ever he byndis, by his might
Thay boundin ar, in Goddis sycht
Quhame ever he lowsis in erth heir down
Ar lousit be God in his Region
Als he is Prince of Purgatory
Delyuering Saulis, from pain to glory
Off that dirke Dungeoun but doubt
Quham euir he plesis, he takis thame out
Oure secreit synnis every year
We mon show to sum priest or freir
And take there absolutioun
Or ellis we get no remyssioun
So be this way, they cleirly ken
The secret{is} of all seculare men
There secret{is} we knaw nocht at all
Thus ar we to thame bound and thrall
What euir there Ministeris commandis
Most be obeyit without demandis
Quharefor my Son, I say to the
This is ane marvelous Monarche
Quhilk hes power Imperial
Boith of the body and the Saull
Father (quod I) declare to me
Quhow did begin this Monarche
(Quod he) Christ Jesus God and Man
That Empire gratiouslye began
Nocht be the fire, nor be the swourde
Bot be the virtue of his wourde
And left in till his Testament
Money ane devote document
With his Successouris to be vsit
Thocht money of thame be now abusit
For Peter and Paul, with all the rest
Off there Brethrin maid manifest
The law of God, with true intent
Precheing the Auld and New Testament
Thay led there life in poverty
Deuot, own and Humilytie
As did there Master Christ Jesus
And war nocht half so glorious
As there Successor{is} now in Rome
Impyrand over all Christindome.
Efter the death of Peter and Paul
And Christis true Disciplis all
There Successouris within few yeris
As at more lenth there story beris
Full craftelye clam to the heycht
Frome Spiritual life, to temporal might.
Father or we pass forther more
When did begin there temporal glore
Son (said he) thow sall understand
Or ever ane Pape gat ony land
Two and thretty gude papis in Rome
Ressauit the crown of Martyrdom
Bot nocht the Thrinfald Diadame
To weir three crownis, they thocht gret schame
Tyll Sylvester the Confessoure
Frome Constantene, the Emprioure
Ressauit the Realm of Italy
Rychtso of Rome, the gret Cetie
That wes the rute of there riches
Than sprang the well of welthynes
When that the Pape wes maid ane king
All Princis bowit at his bidding
This Act wes done withouttin weir
Frome Christis death, three hundreh year
Than Lady Sensuality
Tuke Lugeing in that gret Cetie
Quhare scho sensyne, hes done remane
As there awin lady Souerane
Than Kyngis in till all Nationis
Maid Priests gret fundationis
Thay thocht gret mereit and honor
To contrafait the Empriour
As did David of Scotland king
The whilk did found, during his ring
Fyftene Abbayis, with temporal landis
Withouttin teindis and offerandis
Be whose holy simplicite
He left the Crown in pouerte
Now haif I schawin the as I can
Quhow there temporal Empire began
Ascendyng up aye gre by gre
Abufe the Empriour{is} Maieste
So when they gat amang there handis
Off Italy, all the Empriours landis
Efter that, in ilke cuntrie
Sprang up there temporalite
With so gret riches, and sic rent
That they gan to be negligent
In making Ministratioun
To Christis true Congregatioun
And tuke no more pain, in there precheing
And far les travel, in there recheing
Changeing, there Spiritualitie
In temporal Sensuality
Father think ye that they ar sure
That there Empire sall lang endure
Apperandlye, it may be kende
Quod he, there glore sall have ane ende
I mene there temporal Monarchy
Sall turn in till humylitie
Throuch Goddis wourde, without debait
Thay sall turn, to there first estait
As Daniellis Prophesy apperis
Thareto sall nocht be money yeris
Quhowbeit Christis faith, sall never faill
Bot more and more, it sall preuaill
Thocht Christis, true congregatioun
Suffer gret trybulatioun
Father (said I) be what reassoun
Thynk ye there Empire may cum down
Consydderyng there preeminence
Quod he, for Inobedience
Abusyng the commandiment
Quhilk Christ left in his Testament
Vsyng there awin traditioun
More than his Institutioun
For Christ in his last conuentioun
The day of his Ascentioun
Tyll his Disciplis gaif command
That they suld pass, in every land
To teche and preche, with true intent
His law, and his commandiment
None other office, he to thame gaif
He did nocht bid thame seek nor craif
Cors present{is}, nor offerandis
Nor get Lordschipis of temporal landis
Bot now it may be hard and seen
Baith with thine eiris, and thine eine
Quhow Prelatis now in every land
Takis lytill cure of Christ{is} command
Nother in to there deidis nor sawis
Neglectyng there awin Canon lawis
Vsyng thame selfs contrarious
For the most part to Christ Jesus
Christ thocht no schame to be ane Precheour
And till all people, of truth ane techeour
Ane pope, byschope, nor Cardinal
To teche nor preche, will nocht be thrall
Thay send forth Freris for to preche for thame
Quhilk garris the people now abhor thame
Christ wald nocht be ane temporal king
Rychely in to no realm to ring
Bot fled temporal authority
As in the Scripture thow may se
All men may knaw whow pope's ryngis
In Dignity abufe all king's
Als well in temporalitie
As in to Spiritualitie
Thow may se be experience
The pope's Princely preeminence
In Cronicles give thow liest to luke
Quhow Carion wryttis in his buke
Ane Notabyll Narratioun
The year of our Saluatioun
Alewin hundredth, and sax and fyftie
Pope Alexander presumptuouslie
Quhilk wes the thread pope of that name
To Fedrike Empriour did defame
In Veneis, that tryumphand town
That nobyll Empriour gartly down
Apone his wambe, with schame and lake
Syne tread his feit apone his bake
In toknyng of obedience
There he schew his preeminence
And causit his Clergy, for to sing
Thir wourdis after following.
SVPER Aspidem & basiliscum ambulabis:
Et conculcabis leonem & draconem.
Than said this humyll Empriour
I do to Peter, this honor
The Pope answerit, with words wroith
Thow sall me honor, and Peter boith
Christ for to show his humyll spreit
Did wasche his pure Disciplis feit
The Popis holiness I wys
Wyll suffer Kyngis, his feit to kys
Birdis had there nestis, and toddis, there den
Bot Christ Jesus, Saiffer of men
In erth, had nocht ane penny breid
Quhare on he might, 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 James, Peter, nor Paul
Had few housis, amang thame all
Frome time they knew the verity
Thay did contempne, all property
And wer right hartfully content
Off meit, drynk, and Abilyement
To saif Mankynde that wes forlorn
Christ bure ane creuell crown of thorn
The Pope three crownis for the nonis
Off gold, poulderit with precious stonis
Off gold, and silver, I am sure
Christ Jesus tuke bot lytill cure
And left nocht when he yald the spreit
To by him self, ane wynding scheit.
Bot his Successoure gude Pope John.
When he deceisit in Auinione
He left behind him one treassoure
Off gold and silver by mesoure
Be one Iuste computatioun
Weill five and twentye myllioun
As dost Indyte Palmerius
Reid him, and thow sall find it thus,
Christis Disciplis wer well knawin
Throuch virtue, whilk wes be thame schawin
In special fervent charity
Gret patience, and humylite
The pope's floke, in all regionis
Ar knawin best, be there clyppit crounis
Christ he did honor Matromony
In to the Cane of Galaly
Quhare he be his power Diuyne
Did turn the walter in to Wyne
And als chesit sum Maryit men
To be his seruandis as ye ken
And Peter during all his life
He thocht no Syn, to haif ane wife
Ʒe sall nocht find in no passage
Quhare Christ forbiddith marriage
Bot leifsum till ilk man to marry
Quhilk wantis the gift of Chaistitye
The Pope hes maid the contrar lawis
In his kingdom as all men knawis
None of his preistis dar marry wyfis
Under no les pain nor there lyfis
Thocht they haif Concubynis fyftene
In to that cace, they ar ouersene
What chaistytie, they keep in Rome
Is well kend over all christindome
Christ did show his obedience
Onto the Empriouris excellence
And causit Peter for to pay
Trybute to Caesar, for thame tway
Paul biddis ws be obedient
To Kyngis as the most excellent
The contrar did Pope Celistene
When that his Sanctytude serene
Did crown Henry the Empriour
I think he did him small honor
For with his feit he did him crown
Syne with his fute, the crown dang down
Sayand I haif Auctoritie
Men till exalt to dignity
And to mak Empriouris and king's
And Syne depryue thame of there Ryngis
Peter be my Opinioun
Did never use sic Dominioun
Apperandlye be my Judgment
That Pope red never the New Testament
Gyf he had lernit at that lore
He had refusit sic vain glore
As Barnabas Peter and Paul
And right so Christis Disciplis all
The Capitane Cornelius
When Sanct Peter come till his house
Tyll worschyp him fell at his feit
Bot Sanct Peter, with humyll spreit
Did rais him vpe with diligence
And did refuse sic Reverence
Rychtso Sanct John the Evangelist
The Angellis feit he wald haif kist
Bot he refusit sic honor
Sayand I am bot Seruitoure
Rychtso thy fallow and thy brother
Gyff glore to God, and to none other
Alykewyis Barnabas and Paul
Sic honor did refuse at all
In Listra, whare they wroucht gret werkis
The priest of Jupiter, with his clerkis
And all the people with there auyse
Wald haif maid to thame Sacrifyse
Off whilk they wer so discontent
That they there clothing raif and rent
And Paul amang thame rudely ran
Sayand I am ane mortal man
Gyf glore to God, of king's king
That maid heaven, erth, and every thing
Sen Peter and Paul, vain glore refusit
With Popis why sulde sic glore be vsit
Peter, Andro, John, James, and Paul
And Christis true Disciplis all
Be Goddis word, there faith defendit
To byrne, and skald, they never pretendit
The pope defendis his traditioun
Be flammand fire 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 when young Virginnis ar deflorit
For sic thing, men ar nocht abhorit
Bot who that eitis flesche in to lene
Ar terriblye put to torment
And gyf ane priest happinnis to marry
Thay do him baneis, curse, and warye
Thocht it be nocht aganis the law
Off God, as men may cleirlie knaw
Betuix thir two, what difference been
Be faithful folk, it may be seen
Sic Antithesis money mo
I might declare whilk{is} I lat go
And may nocht tarry to compyle
Off ilk order, the staitlye style
The seilye Nun, will tkynk gret schame
Without scho called be Madame
The pure Priest, think{is} he get{is} no right
Be he nocht stylit like ane Knycht
And called schir, affore his name
As schir Thomas, and schir Wilyame
All Monkrye, ye may heir and se
Ar called Denis, for dignity
Quhowbeit his mother mylk the kow
He man be called Dene Androw
Dene Peter, dene Paul, and dene Robart
With Christ they take ane painful part
With dowbyll clethyng from the called
Eitand and drynkand, when they wald
With curious Countryng in the queir
God wait gyf they by heaven full deir
My lord Abbot, right venerabyll
Ay marschellit vpmoste at the tabyll
My lord Byschope, moste reverent
Sett abufe Erlis in Parliament
And Cardinalis, during there ryngis
Fallowis to Princis, and to Kyngis
The Pope exaltit in honor
Abufe the potent Empriour
The proud Persone I think trewlye
He leidis his life right lustelye
For why, he hes none other pyne
Bot take his teind and spend it syne
Bot he is oblyste be resoun
To preche on till perrochioun
Thoucht they want precheing sewintene year
He will nocht want ane boll of beir
Sum Personis hes at there command
The wantoun Wencheis of the land
Als they have gret prerogatyffis
That may depart ay with there wyffis
Without Diuors, or summondyng
Syne take ane other but woddyng
Sum man wald think ane lustye life
Ay when he liest to chenge his wife
And take ane other of more bewte
Bot Secularis want{is} that liberty
The whilk ar bound in marriage
Bot they like Rammis in to their rage
Vnpissillit rynnis amang the yowis
So lang as Nature in thame growis
And als the Vicar, as I trow
He will nocht faill to take ane kow
And vmaist claith (thoucht bab{is} thame ban)
Frome ane pure selye housband man
When that he lyis for till de
Haiffeing small bairnis two or three
And hes three ky withouttin mo
The Vicare moist have one of though
With the gray cloke, that happis the bed
Howbeit that he be purelye cled
And gyf the wife de on the morne
Thocht all the babis suld be forlorn
The other kow he cleik{is} away
With hir pure coit of roploch graye
And gyf within tway days or three
The eldest chyild hapnis to de
Off the thread kow, he will be sure
When he hes all than under his cure
And Father and Mother boith ar deed
Beg mon the babis without remede
Thay hauld the Corps at the kirk style
And there it moste remane ane while
Tyll they get sufficient souerte
For there kirk right, and dewite
Than cumis the Landis Lord perfors
And cleiks till him ane herield hors
Pure laubourars, wald that law wer down
Quhilk never was fundit be resoun
I hard thame say onder confessioun
That law is brother till Oppressioun
My Son I have schawin as I can
Quhow this fyft Monarchy began
Whose gret Empire for to report
At lenth the time been all to schort.
FINIS

Heir followis ane Discriptioun of the court of Rome.

FATHER (said I) what rewll keep they ī rome
Quhilk hes the Spiritual Dominatioun
And Monarchy, abufe all Christindome
Schaw me I mak yow supplicatioun
My Son, wald I mak true narratioun
(Said he) to Peter, & Paul, thocht they succeid
I think they preue nocht that in to there deed.
For Peter Androw & John war fyschear{is} fine
Off men and women to the christin faith
Bot they haif spread there Net with huik and line
On rentis rich, on gold, and other graith
Sic fyscheing to neglect they will be laith
For why, yai haif fyscheit in ouerthort y e strandis
Ane gret part trewlye of all temporal landis
With that the tent part of all gude mouebyll
For the vphaldyng of there digniteis
So been there fyscheing, wounder profitabyll
On the dry land als well as on the seis
There herywalter, they spread in all countries
And with there hois net, daily drawis to Rome
The most fine gold, that is in Christindome
I dar well say, within this fyftie year
Rome hes ressett forth of this Region
For Bullis & Benefyce (whilk they by full deir)
Quhilk might full weil haif payit a king{is} ransōn
Bot war I worthy for to weir ane crown
Priests suld no more, our substance so consume
Sendyng yeirlye so gret riches to Rome
In to there Tramalt net, they fangit ane fysche
More nor ane whaill worthy of memory
Of whom they have had money dayntay dysche
Be whom they ar exaltit to gret glory
That marvelous monstour, called Purgatorye
Howbeit till ws, it is nocht amyable
It hes to thame been veray profitable.
Latt they that fructfull fysche eschaip there net.
Be whom they haif so gret commoditeis
Ane more fat fysche, I traist they sall nocht get
Thocht they wald sers, ouerthort the occiane seis
Adew the daily dolorous Derigeis
Selye pure preistis may sing w t heart full sorry
Want they that painful palyce Purgatorye.
Fairweill Monkrye, w t Chanoun Nun, & Freir
Alas they will be lychtleit in all landis
Cowlis will no more be kend in kirk nor queir
Lat they y e fructfull fysche, eschaip there handis
I counsel thame to bind him fast in bandis
For Peter, Androw, nor John culde never get
So profitable ane Fysche in to there net.
There Merchandyce, in till all Nationis.
As prentit lede, there walx, and perchement
There pardonis and there Dispensationis
Thay do exceid sum temporal princis rent
In sic trafyke, they ar nocht neglygent
Off benefyce they mak gude marchandyce
Throuch Symonye whilk they hald lytill vice
Christ did command Peter to feid his scheip
And so he did feid thame full tenderlye
Off that command they take bot lytill keep
Bot Christis scheip, they spolye petuouslye
And with the wool they cleith thame curiouslye
Lyk gormād wolfis, they take of thame there fude
Thai eight yair flesche, & drynk{is} boith mylk & blood
For that office they serve bot lytill hyir.
I think sic Pastor{is}, ar nocht for to pryse
Quhilk can nocht gyde yare scheip about y e myir
Thay ar so besye in there merchandyse
Thocht Peter wes porter of Paradyse
That plesand passage craftelye they close
Throuch thame right few get{is} entres I suppose
Christ Jesus said (as Matthew did report
Woe be to Scribes, and to Pharisience
The whilkis did close, of Paradyse the port
Off thame we haif the sam experience
To enter there; they mak small deligence
Thay take sic cure in temporal besynes
Rychtso from ws they stop the plane entres.
Those spiritual keis whilk{is} Christ to Peter gaif
There color cleir w t reik, and rowst ar fadit
Vnoccupyit they hald thame in there neif
Off that office they serve to be degradit
With Goddis word without that they remeid it
Oppinyng y e port whilk lāg time hes been closit
That we may enter with thame and be reiosit.
Contrar till Christis Instytutioun
To thame that deis, in habit of ane Freir
Rome hes thame grantit full remissioun
To pass till heaven, straucht way withoutin weir
Quhilk been in Scotland vsit money ane year
Be there sic virtue in ane Freris hude.
I think in vane, Christ Jesus sched his blood.
Wald God the Pope whilk hes preeminence
With aduyse of his counsel general
That they wald do there detfull deligence
That Christis law might keipit be ouir all
And trewlye precheit baith to gret and small
And give to thame Spiritual Auctorite
Quhilk culde perfytlie show the Verite.
Quho cannot preche a priest sulde not be namit
As may be preuit be the law Diuyne
And be the Canon law, they ar defamit
That takis Preistheid, bot only to that fine
Tyll all virtue there hartis they suld inclyne
In special to preche with true intentis
And minister the neidfull Sacramentis.
As for there Monkis their chanounis and there Freris
And lustye Ladyis of Religioun
I knaw nocht what to there office efferis
Bot men may se there gret abusioun
Thay ar nocht like, in to conclusioun
Nother in to there wourdis nor there warkis
To the Apostolis, Prophet{is}, nor Patriarkis.
Geue presentlye there Prelat{is} can nocht preche
Than latt ilke Byschope haif ane Suffragane
Or successor, whilk can the people teche
On there expensis yeirlye to remane
To cause the people from there vice refrane
And when ane prelate, hapnith to deceace
Than put ane perfect precheour in his pleace
Do they nocht so, on thame sall lie the charge
Geueand vnhable men authority
As who wald mak ane steirman till ane barge
Off ane blind borne, whilk 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 human Lawis, that ar contrarius.
And nocht conformyng to the Law divine
Thay suld expel and hald thame odius
When they persaue, thame cum to no gude syne
Inuentit bot be sensual mennis Ingyne
As that law whilk forbiddis marriage
Causyng young Clerkis byrne in lustis rage
Difficill is Chaistite till observe.
But special grace, lauboure, and abstinence
In till our flesche, aye ryngith till we starve
That first Original syn, Concupiscence
Quhilk we throuch Adamis Inobedience
Hes done Incur, and sall endure forever
Quhill that our soul and body death disseuer
Tharefor God maid of Marriage the band
In Paradyse (as Scripture doth record)
In Galelie right so I understand
Wes marriage honourit be Christ our Lord
Auld Law, and New, there to they do concord
I think for me, better that they had sleipit
Nor till have maid ane law, and never keipit
Tuke nocht Christ Jesus his Humanity,
Off ane Virgene, in marriage contractit
And of hir flesche, cled his Diuynitie
Quhy haif they done that blysfull band deiectit
In there Kyngdome, wald God it wer correctit
That young prelattis, might mary lustye wyffis
And nocht in sensual lust, to leid there lyffis.
Did nocht Christ cheis, of honest maryit men.
Als well as they that kepit Chaistitie
For to be his Disciplis as ye ken
As in the Scripture cleirlye they may se
Thay keipit still there wyffis with honest
As Peter, and his spousit Bretherin all
Obseruit Chaistitie Matrymoniall.
Bot now apperis the prophesy of Paul
Quhow sum suld ryis, in to the latter aige
That from the true faith sulde depart and fall
And suld forbid, the band of Mariaige
Als thow sall find, in to that sam passaige
Thay sulde command from meitis till abstene
Quhilk God creat his pepyll to sustene
Bot sen the Pope, our Spiritual prince & king
He dost ouerse sic vices manifest
And in his kingdom sufferith for to ring
The men be whom the verity been suppressed
I excuse nocht him self more than the rest
Alas how suld we membris be well vsit
When so our spiritual heidis been abusit
The famous ancient Doctor Auiceane.
Sayis when evil rewme descendis from y e heid
In to the membris, generith mekle peane
Without there be maid haistalye remeid
When that called humor dounwart dost proceid
In Senownis, it causis Arthetica
Rychtso in to the handis crampe Chiragra.
Off Malideis it generis money mo.
Bot gyf men get sum Souerane preserve
As in the these Siatica Passio
And in the breist, sometime the strang Caterue
Quhilk causis men right haistellye to starve
And podagra, difficill for to cure
In mennis feit, whilk lang time dost endure
So to this moste triumphant court of Rome
This simylitude full well I may compare
Quhilk hes been heirschyp of all Christindome
And to the world ane evil examplare
That vmwhyle was Lod sterre, & Lumynare
And the moste sapient Sors of sanctytude
Bot now alas vair of Beatytude.
There Kyngdome may be called Babilone
Quhilk vmwhyle was ane brycht Jerusalem
As planelye menis the Apostill John
There moste famous City hes tynt the fame
Inhabitar{is} thareof, there nobyll name
For why, they haif of Sanctis Habitacle
To Simon Magus maid ane Tabernacle
And horribyll vaill of euerilk kind of vice
Ane laithlye Loch of stynkand Lychorye
Ane curssit Coue corrupt with Couatyce
Bordourit about with pride and Symonye
Sum says ane systerne full of Sodomye
Whose vice in special gyf I wald declare
It wer aneuch, for till perturb the air.
Off truth the hoill Christin Religioun.
Throuch thame ar scandalizat and offendit
It can nocht faill bot there abusioun
Affore the Throne of God it is ascendit
I dreid but doubt, without that they amend it
The plaiges of Iohnis Reuelatioun
Sall fall vpone there Generatioun.
O Lord whilk hes the hartis of euerilk king
In to thy hand, I mak the Supplicatioun
Conuert that Court, that of their grace benyng
Thay wald mak general reformatioun
Amang thame selfs, in euerilk Natioun
That they may be ane holy exemplair
Tyll ws thy pure lawid common populair
Hungrit alas, for fault of Spiritual fude.
Because from ws been hyd the verity
O Prince whilk sched for us thy precious blood
Kendle in ws the fire of Charity
And saif ws from Eterne Misaritie
Now lauboryng in to thy Kirk Militant
That we may all cum to thy kirk Tryumphant.
AMEN.
Heir endis the thride Part.

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

(✚)

PRVDENT Father Experience
Sen ye of your benevolence
Hes causit me for to consydder
Quhow warldlye Pomp, and glore been slydder
By diverse Storyis, Miserabyll
Quhilk{is} to reheirs, been Lamentaby l
Ʒitt or we pass, forth of this vaill
I pray yow give me your counsel
What I sall do in time cumyng
To wyn the glore, Euirlestyng
My Son (said he) set thy intent
To keep the Lordis Commandiment
And preis the nocht to clym over hie
To no warldly Auctoritie
Quho in the world doth moste reiose
Ar farrest aye from there purpose
Wald thow leave warldlye vaniteis
And think on four extremeteis
Quhilk{is} ar to cum, and that schortlye
Thow wald never syn wylfullye
Prent thir four in thy memory
The Deith, the Hell, and heuinnis glory
And extreme Judgment General
Quhare thow man rander compt of all
Thow sall nocht fail, to be content
Off quiet life, and sobir rent
Considdryng no man can be sure
In erth one hour, for till endure
So all warldly prosperity
Is myxit with gret miseritie
Wer thow Empriour of Asia
Kyng of Europe, and Africa
Gret Dominator of the sey
And thocht the Heuinnis did the obey
All Fyschis, sowmyng in the strand
All Beist, and Fowl, at thy command
Concludyng thow wer king of all
Under the heaven Imperial
In that moste heych authority
Thow suld find leist tranquility
Exempyll of king Salamone
More prosperous life, had neuir none
Sic riches, with so gret plesoure
Had never king nor Emprioure
With moste profunde Intelligence
And superexcelland Sapience
His plesand Habitationis
Precellit all vtheris Nationis
Gardyngis, and Parkis, for Hartis and Hynd •• .
Stankis with fysche of diverse kyndis
Moste profunde Master{is} of Music
That in the world, wes none thame like
Sic treasour of Gold, and precious stonis
In erth, had neuir no king att onis
He had sewin hundredth lustye Quenis
And three hundredth fair Concubenis
In erth, there wes no thing plesand
Contrarious till his command
Ʒitt all this gret prosperity
He thoucht it vain, and vanity
And might neuir find repose compleit
Without afflixioun of the spreit
Father (quod I) it maruellis me
He haueand sic prosperite
With so gret riches by mesoure
Nor he had infynite plesoure
My Son the suth gyf thow wald knaw
The verity I sall the show
There is no warldly thing at all
May satyfie ane man's 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
Wes never none, nor never shall be
Saciate that sycht, till that he se
Quharefor my Son set nocht thy cure
In erth, whare no thing may be sure
Except the death, allanerlye
Quhilk followis man continually
Tharefor my Son, remember the
Within schorte time, that thow mon de
Nocht knawing when, whow, in what 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 live
Contrar whose strenth may no man strive
Off dolent Deith, this sore sentence
Wes gyffin throw Inobedience
Off our Parentis, alas tharefore
As I have done declare affore
Quhow they, and there Posterity
Wer all condampnit for to dee
Quhowbeit the flesche to death be thrall
God hes the Saull maid Immortal
And so of his benignytie
Hes myxit his Justice, with mercy
Tharefor call to remenbrance
Off this falls world, the variance
Quhow we like Pylgram{is} ewin and morrow
Ay trauellyng throw this vaill of sorrow
Sum time in vain prosperity
Sum time in gret Misaritie
Sum time in blys, sum time in baill
Sum time right seek, and sum time haill
Sum time full rich, and sum time pure
Quharefor my Son, take lytill cure
Nother of gret prosperity
Nor yitt of gret misaritie
Bot plesand life, and hard myschance
Ponder thame boith in one balance
Considdryng none authority
Ryches, wisdom, nor dignity
Empire of Realms, beauty, nor strenth
May nocht one day our lyuis lenth
Sen we ar sure, that we moste de
Fairweill all vain felyscitie.
Gretlye it doth perturb my mind
Off dolent Deith, the diverse kind
Thoucht Deith till every man resortis
Ʒitt strykith he in syndrie sortis
Sum be hait Fever{is} violence
Sum be contagious Pestilence
Sum be Justice executioun
Bene put to death without Remissioun
Sum hangit, sum doth lose there heidis
Sum brynt, sum soddin in to leiddis
And sum for there vnleifsum actis
Ar rent and rewin apone the ractis
Sum ar dissoluit by poysoun
Sum on the nycht ar murdreist down
Sum fallis in to frynasie
Sum deis in Idropesie
And vtheris strange Infirmeteis
Quharein money ane thousand deis
Quhilk human Nature dost abhor
As in the Gutt, gravel and gor
Sum in the flux, and feuir quartane
Bot ay the hour of death vncertane
Sum ar dissoluit suddantlye
Be Cattarue or be Poplesye
Sum doth destroy thame self also
As Hannibal, and wise Cato
Be thounder, death sum doth consume
As he did the thread king of Rome
Callit Tullius Hostulius
As wryttis gret Valerius
For he and his houshald attonis
Wer brynt be thounder, flesche and bonis
Sum death be extreme excess
Off Joy, as Valeri doth express
Sum be extreme Malancolye
Wyll de but other Maladye
In Cronicles thow may well ken
Quhow money hundredth thousand men
Ar slane sen first the world began
In battle, and whow money one man
Apone the see, doth lose there lyuis
When schyppis apone roches ryuis
Thocht sum de Naturally throuch aige
Fer mo deis raiffand in one raige
Happy is he, the whilk hes space
Att his last hour, to cry for grace
Quhowbeit death be abhominabyll
I think it suld be confortabyll
Tyll all thame of the faithful nummer
For they depart from cair and cummer
Frome trubyll travel, sturt, and strife
Tyll Joy and euirlestand life
Polidorus Virgilius
To that effect, he wryttis thus
In Trace, when ony child be borne
There kyn, and freindis, cumis thame beforne
With dolent Lamentatioun
For the gret trybulatioun
Calamitye cummer and cure
That they in erth, ar to endure
Bot at there death and burying
Thay mak gret Joy and Bankettyng
That they have past from misarie
To rest and grett felycitie.
Sen death been fynall conclusioun
What valis warldly prouisioun
Quham wisdom may nocht contramand
Nor strenth that stoure may nocht ganestand
Ten thousand Mylyeone of treasoure
May nocht prolong thy life one hour
Efter whose dolent departing
Thy spreit sall pass but tarrying
Straucht way till Ioye Inestimabyll
Or to strang pane Intollerabyll
Thy vile corruptit carioun
Sall turn in Putrefactioun
And so remane in pulder small
On to the Judgment General.
FINIS

Ane schort discriptiōn Of the Antechriste.

Q VOD I) Father I heir men say.
That there sall rise affore y e day
Quhilk ye call general Iugemēt
One wyckit mā from Satan sent
And contrar to the law of Christ
Callit the creuell Antichrist
And sum says that myscheuous man
Discende sall of the Trybe of Dan
And suld be borne in Babilone
The whilk dissaue sall money one
Infydelis sall of every art
With that falls Propheit take one part
And whow that Enoch, and Elias
Sall preche contrar that falls Messias
Bot finally his falls Doctryne
And he sall be put to rewyne
Bot nother be the fire nor swourd
Bot be the virtue of Christis wourd
And gyf this be of verity
The suith I pray yow show to me
My Son (said he) as wryttis John
There sall nocht be one man allone
Hauyng that name in special
Bot Antechristis in general
Hes been, and now ar money one
And right so in the time of John
Wer Antechristis as him self says
And presentlye now in thir days
Ar right money withouttin dout
Wer there falls lawis well souchtout.
Quha wes one greter Antichrist
And more contraryous to Christ
Nor the falls Propheit Machomeit
Quhilk his curste Lawis, maid so sweet
In Turkye, yet they ar obseruit
Quhare throuch the hell, he hes deseruit
All Turkis, Sarazenis, and Iowis
That in the Son of God nocht trowis
Ar Antechristis, I the declare
Because to Christ they ar contrary.
Daniel says in his propheseis
That after the gret Monarcheis
Sall rise ane marvelous potent Kyng
Quhilk with ane schameles face sall ring
Mychtie and wise 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 death, and thame distroye
The king of Kyngis, he sall ganestand
Syne be distroyit withouttin hand.
Paul says affore the Lordis cumyng
That there shall be one departing
And that man of Iniquitye
Tyll all men he sall opened be
Quhilk sall sit in the holy saith
Contrary God, to mak debait
Bot that Son of Perditioun
Salbe put to confusioun
Be power of the holy Spreit
When he his time hes done compleit
Beleue nocht that in time cumyng
One gretar Antechriste to ring
Nor there hes been, and presentlye
Ar now, as Clerkis can espy
Tharefor my will is that thow knaw
What ever they be, that makes one law
Thocht they be called Christin men
By natural reassoun thow may ken
Be they never of so gret valor
Pape, Cardinal, Kyng, or Empriour
Extolland there Traditionis
Abufe Christis Institutionis
Makand Lawis contrar to Christ
He is ane verray Antechriste
And who doth fortifye or defend
Sic Law, I mak it to the kend
Be it Pape, Empriour, Kyng or Queen
Gret sorrow, sall be on thame Sene
Att Christis extreme Judgment
Without that they in time repent
FINIS.

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

FATHER said I) with your Lycence
Sen ye haith sic Experience
Ʒitt one thing at yow wald I speir
When sall that dreidfull day appeir
Quhilk ye call Judgment General
What thyngis affore that day sall fall
Quhare sall appeir that Dreidfull Iuge?
Or whow may Faltour{is} get refuge
(Quod he) as to thy first questioun
I can mak no solutioun
Quharefor perturb nocht thine intent
To knaw day, hour, nor moment
To God allone, the day been knawin
Quhilk never was to none Angel schawin
Howbeit be diverse coniectour{is}
And principal Expositor{is}
Off Daniel, and his Prophicie
And be the sentence of Eli
Quhilk{is} hes declarit as they can
How lang it is sen the world began
And for to show, hes done there cure
How lang they traist it sall endure
And als how money ages been
As in there warkis may be seen
Bot till declare thir questionis
There been diverse opinionis
Sum wryttar{is} hes the world deuidit
In sex ageis, (as been desidit
Into Fasciculus Temporum
And Cronica Cronicarum )
Bot be the sentence of Eli
The world deuydit is in three
As cunning Master Carioun
Hes maid plane expositioun
How Eli says withouttin weir
The world sall stand sax thousand year
Off whom I follow the sentence
And lattis the other Buk{is} go hence
Frome the Creatioun of Adam
Two thousand year till Abraham
Frome Abraham, be this narratioun
To Christis Incarnatioun
Rychtso hes been two thousand yeris
And be thir Prophiceis apperis
Frome Christ, as they mak till ws kend
Two thousand till the warldlis end
Off whilk{is} ar by gone sickirlye
Fyue thousand, five hundredth, three & fyftye
And so remanis to cum but weir
Four hundredth, with sewin and fourtye year
And than the Lord Omnipotent
Suld cum till his gret Judgment
Christ says the time shall be maid schort
As Matthew planelye doth report
That for the warldlis Iniquite
The letter time, sall schortnit be
For plesour of the chosin nummer
That they may pass, from care and cummer
So be this compt it may be kend
The world is drawand neir ane end
For legionis ar cum but doubt
Off Antichrist{is}, wer they soucht out
And money toknis dost appeir
As after schortlye thow sall heir
Quhow that Sanct Iherome doth indyte
That he hes red, in Hebrew write
Off fyftene signis in special
Affore that Judgment General
Off sum of thame, I take no cure
Quhilk I find nocht in the scripture
One part of thame thocht I declare
First will I to the Scripture fare
Christ says, affore that day be done
There shall be signis, in Son and Mone
The Son sall hyde his beymes brycht
So that the Mone, sall gyf no lycht
Sterris be mennis Judgment
Sall fall forth of the Firmament
Off this signis, or we forther gone
Sum moral sense, we will expone
As cunning Clerkis hes declarit
And hes the Son, and Mone comparit
The Son to the stait spiritual
The Mone, to Princis temporal
Rychtso the sterris, they do compare
To the lawd common populare
The Mone and sterris hes no lycht
Bot the reflex of Phebus brycht
So when the Son of lycht is dyrk
The Mone and sterris, man be myrk
Rychtso when Pastouris spirituallis
Popis, Byschopis, and Cardinallis
In there beginning schew gret lycht
The Temporal stait, wes rewlit right
Bot now alas, it is nocht so
Those schynand Lampis been ago
There Radious beymes, ar turnit in reik
For now in erth, no thing they seek
Except riches, and Dignity
Followyng there sensuality
Money prelatis, ar now ryngand
The whilk{is} no more dost understand
What doth pertene to there office
Nor thow can kendyll fire with ice
Woe to Papis, I say for me
Quhilk sufferis sic Enormite
That Ignorant warldly creaturis
Suld in the kirk, haif ony curis
No marvel thocht the people slyde
When they have blind men to there gyde
For ane Prelat, that can nocht preche
Nor Goddis law, to the people teche
Isaiah, comparith him in his wark
Tyll ane dum Dog, that can nocht bark
And Christ him callis in his grief
Moste like ane murdrer, or ane thief
The cunning Doctor Augustine
Wolfis and Deuyllis, doth thame defyne
The Canon Law, doth him defame
That of ane Prelat beris the name
And will nocht preche the Diuyne Lawis
As the Decreis planelye schawis
Bot those that hes Auctorite
To provide spiritual Dignyte
Mycht give they plesit to take pane
Gar thame lycht all there Lampis again
Bot ever alas, that is nocht done
So dirknit been boith Son and Mone
War Kyngis lyuis well declarit
The whilk{is} ar to the Mone comparit
Men might consydder there estate
Frome Charity degenerate
I think, they sulde think mekle schame
Off Christ for to take there Surname
Syne leif nocht like to Christianis
Bot more like Turkis, and to Paganis
Turk contrar Turk, makes lytill weir
Bot Christiane Princis, takis no feir
Quhilk{is} suld aggre as brother to brother
Bot now ilk ane dyngis down ane other
I knaw no ressonabyll cause wharefore
Except Pryde, Couatyce, and vain glore
The Empriour mouis his Ordinance
Contrar the potent Kyng of France
And France rychtso, with gret regour
Contrar his freinde the Empriour
And right swa France again Ingland
Ingland alsso aganis Scotland
And als the Scott{is}, with all there might
Doith feycht for till defend there right
Betuix thir Realms of Albione
Quhare Battellis hes been money one
Can be maid none Affinitie
Nor yet no Consanguinitie
Nor be no way, they can consydder
That they may have lang Peace to gydder
I dreid that weir mak{is} none ending
Tyll they be boith onder ane king
Thocht Christ, the Souerane king of grace
Left in his Testament lufe and peace
Our Kyng{is} from weir will nocht refrane
Tyll there be money ane thousand slane
Gret heirschipis maid be see and land
As all the world may understand
Father I think that temporal king's
May fecht for till defend there ryngis
For I haif seen the spiritual stait
Mak weir there rychtis till debait
I saw Pape Julius manfullye
Passe to the field tryumphantlye
With ane right aufull ordinance
Contrar Lues, the king of France
And for to do him more dispyte
He did his Region interdyte
My Son (said he) as I suppose
That langith well till our purpose
How Soune and Mone, ar boith denude
Off lycht, as Clerkis dost conclude
Comparyng thame, as ye hard tell
To Spiritual stait, and Temporell
And common people half disparit
Quhilk to the sterris, been comparit
Lawd people followis ay there heidis
And specially in to there deidis
The moste part of Religioun
Bene 〈…〉
What d is auaill religious wedis
When they ar contrar in there dedis
What holiness is there within
Ane wolf, cled in ane Wodder{is} skin
So be thir to nis dost appeir
The day of Judgment drawis neir
Now latt ws leif this moral sense
Proceidyng till our purpose hens
And of this mater speak no more
Begynning whare we left affore
The Scripture says, after thir signis
Salbe seen money marvelous thyngis
Than sall rise trybulationis
In erth, and gret mutationis
Als well heir under as above
When vertewis of the heaven sall move
Sir creuell weir shall be or than
Wes never seen sen the world began
The whilk sall cause gret Indigence
As darth, hunger, and pestilence
The horribyll soundis of the sey
The people sall perturb and fley
Jerome says, it sall rise on heycht
Above montanis to mennis sycht
Bot it sall nocht spread ouir the land
Bot like ane wall ewin straycht vpstand
Syne sattell down again so law
That no man sall the walter knaw
Gret Quhalis sall umi •• is 〈◊〉 and rair
Whose sound redound, sall in the air
All fysche and Monstouris 〈◊〉
Sall cry with soundis odious
That men sall wydder on the erd
And weeping wary sall there weird
With loud alas, and weiaway
That ever they baid to se that day
And specially those that dwelland be
Apone the costis of the see
Rycht so as Sanct Jerome concludis
Sall be seen ferleis in the fludis
The sey with mouyng marvelous
Sall byrn with flammis furious
Rychtso sall byrn fontane and flude
All herb and tree, sall sweet lyk blood
Fowlis sall fall forth of the air
Wylde beistis to the plane repair
And in there manner mak gret mone
Gowland with money gryslye groan
The bodeis of deed creaturis
Appeir sall on there Sepulturis
Than sall boith men, women and bairnis
Cum crepand forth, of howe Cauernis
Quhare they for dreid, wer hyd affore
With seych and sob, and hartis sore
Wandryng about, as they war wode
Affamysit, for fault of fude
Non may mak vtheris confortyng
Bot dule for dule, and Lamentyng
What may they do, bot weip and wounder
When they se roches schaik in schounder
Throw trimlyng of the erth and quakyng
Off sorrow than shall be no slakyng
Quho that been leuand in those days
May tell of terrabyll affrayis
There riches, rentis, nor tressour
That time sall do thame small plesour
Bot when sic wonderis dost appeir
Men may be sure, the day drawis neir
That Iuste men pas sall to the glore
Iniuste to pane forever more.
Father (said I) we daily reid
One Artekle in to our creid
Sayand that Christ Omnipotent
In to that general Judgment
Sall Iuge boith deed and quik also
Quharefore declare me or ye go
Geue there sall ony man or wyue
That day be funding upon live.
(Quod he) as to that questione
I sall mak sone solutione
The Scripture planelye doth expone
When all tokynnis, been cum and gone
Ʒitt money one hundredth thousand
That samyn day, shall be leuand
Quhowbeit there sall no Creature
Nother of day, nor hour be sure
For Christ sall cum so suddantlye
That no man sall the time espy
As it wes in the time of Noye
When God did all the world distroye
Sum on the field shall be lauborand
Sum in the templis Mariand
Sum afore Iugis makand pley
And sum men saland on the sey
Those that been on the field going
Sall nocht return, to there luging
Quho been apone his house above
Sall haif no laser to remove
Two shall be in the Myll grindyng
Quhilk{is} shall be taking but warning
The one till euerlestyng glore
The other lost forever more
Two shall be lying in one bed
The one to plesour shall be led
The other shall be left allone
Gretand with money gryslie groan
And so my Son, thow may well trow
The world shall be as it is now
The people using there besynes
As holy Scripture doth express
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.

the manner whow Christ sall cum to his Judgment.

Q VHEN all takīnnis been brocht till end
Thā sal y e sone of god discēd
As fyreflaucht haistely glansyng
Discend sall y e most heuinly king
As Phebus in the Orient
Lychtnis in haist the Occident
So plesandlye, he sall appeir
Amang the heuinlye cluddis cleir
With gret power, and Majesty
Above the cuntrie of Iudee
As Clerkis doth concludyng haill
Direct above the lustye vaill
Off Jehoshaphat, and Mont Olyueit
All Prophesy, there shall be compleit
The Angel{is} of the Ordoris Nyne
Inueron sall, that throne Diuyne
With heuinlye consolatioun
Makand him Ministratioun
In his presens, there shall be borne
The signis of Cros, and Croun of thorn
Pillar, Nalis, Scurgis, and Speir
With euerilk thing that did him deir
The time of his grym Passioun
And for our consolatioun
Appeir sall in his handis and feit
And in his side, the prent compleit
Off his five Woundis Precious
Schynand like Rubeis Radious
Tyll Reprobatt confusioun
And for fynall conclusioun
He Sittand in his Trybunall
With gret power Imperial
There sall ane Angel blawe a blast
Quhilk sall mak all the world agast
With hydous voice, and vehement
Ryse deed folk, cum to Judgment
With that, all Reasonabyll Creature
That ever wes formit be Nature
Sall suddantlye start up attonis
Coniunit with Saull, Flesche, Blude, & Bonis
That terribyll Trumpet, I heir tell
Beis hard in Heuin, in erth, and hell
Those that wer drownit in the sey
That boustious blast they sall obey
Quhare ever the body buryet wase
All shall be fundyng in that plase
Angellis sall pass, in the four airtis
Off erth, and bring thame from all partis
And with one instant diligence
Present thame to his excellence
Sanct Jerome, thoucht continually
On this Judgment so ardentlye
He said, whidder I eight or drynk
Or walk, or sleip, forsuth me think
That terrabyll Trumpet like ane bell
So quiklye in my eir doth knell
As Instantlye it wer present
Ryse deed folk, cum to Judgment
Geue Sanct Jerome tuke sic ane fray
Alas what sall we Synnar{is} say
All those, whilk funding been on live
Salbe Immortal maid belyue
And in the twynkling of one Ee
With fire they sall translatit be
And never for to dee again
As Divine scripture schawis plane
Als reddy boith for pane and glore
As they, whilk deit lang time affore
The scripture says, they sall appeir
In aige of three and thretty year
Quhidder they deit young or auld
Whose gret mummer may nocht be tauld
That day sall nocht be myst one man
Quhilk borne wes, sen the world began
The Angellis sall thame separate
As Hird the Scheip doth from the Gate
And those whilk been of Baliallis band
Trymling apone the erth sall stand
On the left hand, of that gret Iuge
But espirance to get refuge.
Bot those whilk been Predestinate
Sall from the erth be Eleuate
And that moste happy cumpanye
Sall ordourit be tryumphantlye
Att the right hand of Christ our king
Heych in the air, with loud loving
Full Gloriouslye, there sall compeir
More brycht than Phebus in his speir
The Virgene Marie, Queen of Quenis
With money ane thousand brycht Virgenis
The Fatheris of the auld Testament
Quhilk wer to God obedient
Father Adam, sall thame conuoye
With Abel, Seith, Enoch, and Noye
Abraham with his faithful warkis
With all the prudent Patriarkis
John the Baptist, there sall compeir
The Principal, and last Messyngeir
Quhilk come bot half ane year affore
The cumyng of that king of glore
Moses, Esayas, honorabyll
With all true Prophetis Venerabyll
David, with all the faithful king's
Quhilk verteouslye did rewle there ryngis
The nobyll Cheiftane Joshua
With gentle Judas Machabe
With money one nobyll Campioun
Quhilk in there time with gret renoun
Manfullye till there lyuis ende
The Law of God, they did defend
With Eve, that day shall be present
The Ladyis of the Auld Testament.
Delbora, Adamis Douchter deir
With the four lusty Ladyis cleir
Quhilk kepit wer, in the Ark with Noye
Sara, and Cithara with Ioye
The whilk{is} to Abraham wyffis been
With gude Rebecka, there shall be seen
The prudent Wyffis of Israel
Gude Lya, and the fair Rachel
With Iudeth, Hestar, and Susanna
And the right sapient Queen Saba
There sall compeir, Peter and Paul
With Christis true Disciplis all
Lawrence and Stewin, with there blyst band
Off Martyris mo, than ten thousand
Gregor, Ambrose, and Augustine
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 only
Renuncit the world 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
Quhilk of there gylt, heir asked grace
In Heuin with hir, sall have ane place
Bot woe beis to that bailfull band
Quhilk sall stand Law, at his left hand
Woo than to Kyngis, and Empriouris
Quhilkis wer vnrychteus Conquerouris
For there glore, and particular gude
Gart sched so mekle saikles blood
But Ceptour, Crown, and Robe Royal
That day they sall mak compt of all
And for there creuell tyrrannye
Sall punyste be, perpetuallye
Ʒe Lordis, and Barronis, more and les
That your pure Tennantis dost oppres
Be gret Gyrsome, and dowbyll maill
More than your landis been auaill
With sore exorbitant carriage
With merchetis of there marriage
Tormentit boith in peace and weir
With birdyngis more than they may beir
Be they haif payit to yow there maill
And to the Priest, there teindis haill
And when the land again is sawin
What restis behind, I wald we knawin
I traist they, and there pure houshauld
May tell of hunger, and of cauld
Without ye haif of thame piete
I dreid ye sall get no Mercy
That day, when Christ Omnipotent
Cumis till his general Judgment.
Woe beis to public Oppressouris
To tyrrannis, and to transgressouris
To Murdarar{is}, and common theifis
Quhilk never did mend, there gret mischeifis
Fornicatoris, and Ockararis
Commoun public Adulteraris
All pertinat willful Arratykis
All falls dissaitfull Sysmatykis
All shall be present in that place
With money Lamentabyll alas
The cursit Cayn, that never wes gude
With all scheddaris of saikles blood
Nemrod, fundar of Babilone
With falls Ydolatris money one
Nynus, the king of Asseriay
With gret dule sall compeir that day
Quhilk first Inuentit Ymagery
Quharethrouch come gret Ydolatry
For making of the Image Bell
That day his hyir shall be in hell
The gret Oppressor, king Pharo
The tyrrane Empriour Nero
Sall with thame cursit king Herod bring
With money other cairfull Kyng
The creuell king Antiochus
With the moste furious Olofernus
Gret Oppressouris, of Israel
That day, there hire shall be in hell
With Judas sall compeir one clan
Off falls Tratouris, to God and man
There sall compeir of euerilk land
With Ponce Pylat, one bailfull band
Off temporal and of spiritual statis
Fals Iugis, with there Aduocatis
There sall our Senyeouris of the cessioun
Off all there faltis, mak cleir confessioun
There shall be seen, the fraudfull failyeis
Off Schireffis, Prouestis, and of Bailyeis
Officiallis, with there Constry Clerkis
Sall mak compt, of there wrangus werkis
Thay and there peruerst Procuratouris
Oppressouris boith of rich and puris
Throw Delaturis, full of dissait
Quhilk money one gart beg there mait
Gret dule that day to Iugis been
That cumis nocht, with there conscience clean
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
Ʒe Lauboraris, be sey and landis
Perfyte Craftismen, and rich Merchandis
Leif your dissait, and crafty wylis
Quhilk syllie simpyll folk begylis
Mak recompense heir, as ye may
Remembryng on this dreidfull day
With Machomeit, sall compeir but doubt
Off Antechristis one hydduous route
Byschope Annas, and Caiaphas
With him in cumpany sall pas
With Scrybis, and falls Pharisianis
Quhilk wrocht on Christ gret violensis
With money one Turk, and Sariscene
With gret sorrow there shall be seen
Papis for there traditionis
Contrar Christis Institutionis
With money one cowle, and clyppit crown
Quhilk Christis Lawis strampit down
And wald nocht suffer for to preche
The verity, nor the people teche
Bot Lawitmen, pat to gret torment
Quhilk vsit Christis Testament
All Kyngis and Quenis, there shall be kend
The whilk sic Lawis did defend
In that court sall cum money one
Off the blak byik of Babilone
The Innocent blood that day sall cry
One loud vengeance, full petuouslye
On those creuell bludy bowchouris
Martyrer{is} of Prophetis and Prechouris
Sum with the fire, sum with the sword
Quhilk plainly precheit Goddis word
That day they sall rewardit be
Conforme to there Iniquity
The Sodometis, and Gomoriance
On whom God wrocht so gret vengeance
With Choro, Dathan, and Abyrone
With there assistance money one
The holy Scripture, will the tell
Quhow they sank all down to the hell
With Simon Magus, sall resort
Off proud Priests, ane schamefull sort
That samyn day, there shall be seen
Money one creuell cairfull Queen
Queen Semeram, king Nynus wife
Ane Tygir full of sturt and strife
To gydder with Queen Jezebel
Quhilk wes boith covetous and creuell
The falls desaitfull Dalyda
The creuell Queen Clitamistra
The whilk did murdres on the nyche
Agamenon, boith wise and wycht
The whilk wes hir awin souerane Lord
As Grekis storyis dost record
With creuell Quenis, money one
Quhilk langsum wer, for till expone.
Ʒe wantoun Ladyis, and burgis wyuis
That now for sydest talis stryuis
Flappand the fylth, amang your feit
Rasyng the dust, in to the streit
That day for all your pomp and pride
Ʒour talis sall nocht your hyppis hyde
Thir vaniteis, ye sall repent
Without that ye be penitent
With Phitonissa, I heir tell
Quhilk rasit the Spreit of Samuel
That day with hir there sall resort
Off rank Wycheis, one sorrowful sort
Brocht from all partis money one mile
Frome Savoy, Athell, and Argyle
And from the ryndes of Galloway
With money woeful Wallaway.
Ʒe Brether of Religioun
In time leif your abusioun
With whilk ye haif the world abusit
Or ye that day shall be refusit
I speak to yow all generallye
Nocht till one Ordoure specially
That day all Creature sall ken
Geue ye war Sanctis or warldly men
Or gyf ye tuk the Skapellarye
That ye might leif more plesandlye
And get ane gude gross Portioun
Or for Godlye Deuotioun
That day your f ynit Sanctytudis
Sall nocht be knawin be your Hudis
Ʒour Superstitious Ceremoneis
Participand till Ydolatreis
Corde, cuttit schone, nor clippit hede
That day, sall stand yow in no stead
For cowlis blak, gray, nor begaird
Ʒe sall that day get no rewaird
Ʒour polit payntit flatterye
Ʒour dissimulat Ypocrasye
That day, they sall be cleirlye knawin
When ye sall scheir, as ye have sawin
Tharefore in time, be penitent
Or ellis that day, ye will be schent
I pray yow hartlie as I may
Remember on that dreidfull day
Ʒe Abbot, Pryor, and Pryores
Consydder what ye did profess
And whow that your promotioun
Wes no thing for deuotioun
Bot till obtene the Abbasye
Ʒe maid your wow of Chaistitye
Off powertie, and obedience
Tharefor remord your conscience
Quhow thir three wowis been obseruit
And what reward, ye have deseruit
Quharefore repent, whill ye have space
Sen God is lyberall of his grace,
Father (quod I) declare to me
Quhare sall our Prelatis ordorit be
Quhilk now been in the world leuand
With whom sall cum that Spiritual band?
(Quod he) as sanct Barnard discryuis
Without that they amend there lyuis
And leif there wantoun vicious warkis
Nocht with Prophetis nor Patriarkis
Nocht with Martyris, nor Confessouris
The whilk{is} to Christ, wer true prechouris
There Predecessouris, Peter, and Paul
That day will thame mysken at all
So sall they nocht, I say for me
With the Apostlis, ordourit be
I traist they sall dwell on the bordour
Off Hell, whare there shall be non order
Endlang the Flude of Flagitone
Or on the brais of Acherone
Cryand on Caron, I conclude
To ferre thame over, that furious flude
Tyll eternal confusioun
Without they leif there abusioun
I traist those Prelat{is}, more and les
Sall mak cleir compt of there riches
That dreidfull day, with hartis sore
And what service, they did tharefore
The Princely pomp, nor apparel
Off Pope, Byschope, nor Cardinal
There Royal Rentis, nor Dignite
That day sall nocht regardit be
There sall no talis, as I heir say
Off Byschoppis, be borne up that day
Cum they nocht with there conscience clean
On thame gret sorrow shall be seen
Without that they there life amend
In time, and so I mak ane end.
FINIS.

Heir followis the Manner whov Christ sall give his Sentence.

Q VHEN all thir Congregationis.
Beis brocht forth frome all nationis
Quhilk will be w t out lang process
Thocht I haif maid sum lang degres
For ī y e twinkling of one E
All mankynd, sall presentit be
Affore that Kyngis Excellence
Than schortlye sall he give sentence
First sayand to that blysfull band
Quhilk beis ordourit, at his right hand
Cum with my Fatheris Bennysoun
And ressaue your possessioun
Quhilk been for yow preordinat
Affore the world wes first creat
When I wes hungry, ye me fed
When I wes naikit, ye me cled
Oftymes ye gave me Herberye
And gaif me drynk when I wes Drye
And vesyit me, with myndis meik
When I wes presonar and seek
In all sic trybulatioun
Ʒe gaif me consolatioun
Than sall they say, O Potent Kyng
When saw we the, desire sic thing
We never saw thine excellence
Subdewit to sic Indigence
Ʒis (sall he say) I yow assure
When ever ye did ressaue the pure
And for my saik, maid thame supple
That gift but doubt, ye gaif to me
Tharefor sall now begin your glore
Quhilk sall endure forever more
Than sall he luke on his left hand
And say onto that bailfull band
Pas with my Maledictioun
Tyll Eternal Afflixtioun
In cumpany with feindis fell
In euerlestyng fire of Hell
When I stude naikit att your yett
Houngry, thristy, cauld, and wett
Rycht febyll, seek, and like to de
I never gat of yow supple
And when I lay in presoun strang
For yow, I might haif lying full lang
Without your cosolatioun
Or ony supportatioun.
Trymling for dreid, than sall they say
With money hydous harmesay
Alas gude Lord, when saw we the
Subject to sic necessity
When saw we the, cum to our dure
Houngry, thristy, naikit, pure
When saw we the in presoun lie
Or the refusit herbery.
Than sall that most precelland Kyng
Tyll those wrachis mak answeryng
That time, when ye refusit the puris
Quhilkis neidfull cryit at your duris
And of your superfluity
For my saik maid thame no supply
Refusand thame, ye me refusit
With wrecheitnes, so ye wer abusit
Tharefor ye sall have to your hire
The euerlestyng byrning fire
But grace, but peace, or confortyng
Than sall they cry, full sore weipyng
That we wer maid, alas gude Lord
Alas, is there non Misericorde
But thus withouttin hope of grace
Tyne presens of thy plesand face
Alas for ws, it had been gude
We had been smorit in our cude.
Than with one rair, the erth, sall ryue
And swolly thame boith man and wyue
Than sall those Creaturis forlorn
Warie the hour, that they wer borne
With money yamer, yewt and yell
Frome time they feill, the flammis fell
Apone there tender bodeis byte
Whose torment shall be Infinyte
The erth sall close, and from there sycht
Sall taking be, all kind of lycht
There shall be gowlyng, and gretyng
But hope of ony confortyng
In that Inestimabyll pane
Eternallye they sall remane
Byrnand in furious flammys rede
Euer deand, bot neuir be deed
That the small Minuth of one hour
To thame shall be so gret dolour
Thay sall think they haif done remane
Ane thousand year, in to that pane
Alas I trimyll till heir tell
The terribyll Turmentyng of hell
That panefull pytt, who can deplore
Quhilk mon endure, forever more
Than sall those glorifyit Creaturis
With mirth and infinyte plesouris
Conuoyit with Joy Angelical
Passe to the Heuin Imperial
With Christ Jesus, our Souerane Kyng
In glore, Eternallye to ring
Off man, whilk passis the Ingyne
The thousand part, for till defyne
Allanerlie of the leist plesoure
Preordinat for one Creature.
Than sall one Fire, as Clerkis sane
Mak all the hyllis and valais plane
Frome erth, up to the Heuin Empire
All beis renewit, by that fire
Purgeyng all thing material
Under the heaven Imperial
Boith erth, and walter, fire, and air,
Salbe more perfect maid and fair
The whilk{is} affore had myxit been
Sall than be purifyit and maid clean
The erth like Crystal shall be cleir
And euerilk Planeit, in his speir
Sall rest withouttin more moueyng
Boith sterny heaven, and Christellyng
The first and highest heaven monabyll
Sall stand but turning firm and stabyll
The Son in to the Orient
Sall stand, and in the Occident
Rest sall the Mone, and be more cleir
Nor now been Phebus, in his speir
And als that Lantern, of the Heuin
Sall gyf more lycht, be greis sewin
Nor it gave sen the world began
The Heuin renewit shall be than
Rychtso the erth, with sic deuyse
Compair till heuinlye Paradyse,
So heaven and erth shall be allone
As menith the Apostill John
The gret sey sall no more appeir
Bot like the Crystal pure and cleir
Passyng Imaginatioun
Off Man, to mak narratioun
Off glore, whilk God, haith done prepair
Tyll everyone that cumis there
The whilk with eris, nor with eine
Off man may nocht be hard nor seen
With heart it is vnthynkabyll
And with toungis Inpronunciabyll
Whose plesouris, shall be so perfect
Haueyng in God, so gret delight
The space now of one thousand year
That time sall nocht, one hour appeir
Quhilk can nocht comprehendit be
Tyll we that plesand sycht sall se.
When Paul wes reuyst in the spreit
Tyll the thread Heuin, of glore repleit
He sayith, the Secretis whilk he saw
Thay wer nocht leifsum for to show
To no man on the erth leueand
Quharefor preis nocht till understand
Quhowbeit there to thow haif desire
The Secretis of the heaven Empire
The more men lukis on Phebus brycht
The more febyll, shall be there sycht
Rychtso latt no man set there cure
To Sers, the heych Diuyne Nature
The more men study, I suppose
Salbe the more from there purpose
To knaw, whareto sulde men Intend
Quhilk Angellis can nocht comprehend
Bot after this gret Judgment
All thing till ws shall be patent
Latt ws with Paul, our mind addres
He beand full of Heuinlynes
Full humilye, he techeit ws
Nocht for to be to curious
Quhowbeit men be of gret Ingyne
To seek the heych Secretis Diuyne
Whose Judgment{is} ar vncersiabyll
And strange wayis Inuestigabyll
(That is to say) past out fynding
Off whom no man may find ending
It sufficith ws for till Implore
Gret God, to bring ws to that glore.
FINIS.

Off certain plesouris of the glorifeit bodeis.

SEn there is non in erth, may comprehend
The Heuinlye glore, & plesouris Infinyte
Quhairfor my Sone, I pray y t not pretend
Ouer far to seek, that manner of delight
Quhilk passit Natural reasoun to Indyte
That God affore that he the world creatt
Preparit to thame, whilk ar predestinat.
All Mortall men, shall be maid Immortal
(That is to say) never to de again
Impassabyll, and so Celestial
That fire, nor swerd, may do to thame no pane
Nor hete, nor called, nor frost, nor wynd, nor rane
Thocht sic thing wer, may do to thame no deir
Those Creaturis, right so shall be als cleir
As flammand Phebus in his Mantioun
Considder than, gyf there shall be gret lycht
When everyone, in to that Region
Sall schyne like to the Son, and be als brycht
Lat ws with Paul, desire to se that sycht
To be dissoluit, Paul had A gret desire
With Christ, to be in till the heaven Empire.
And more attour, as Clerkis can discryue.
There marvelous myrthis, beis incomparabyll
Amang the rest, in all there wyttis five
Thay sall have sensual plesouris delectabyll
The heuinlye sound, whilk shall be Innarrabyll
In there eris, continually sall ring
And als the sycht of Christ Jesus our Kyng.
In his triumphant throne Imperial
With his Mother, ye Virgene Queen of quenis
There shall be seen, the Court Celestial
Apostolis, Martyris, Confessoris, and Virgenis
Brychtar than Phebus, in his speir that, schynis
The Patriarkis, and Prophetis, Venerabyll
There shall be seen, with glore Inestimabyll.
And with there Spiritual Eis shall be seen.
That sycht, whilk been most Superexcelland
God as he is, and evermore hes been
Continuallye, that sycht contempland
Augustine says, he had leuer take on hand
To be in Hell, he seeing the assence
Off God, nor be in Heuin, but his presence.
Quho seis God, in his Diuynitie.
He seis in him, all other plesand thyngis
The whilk with tongue, can nocht pronuncit be
What plesour been, to se that king of Kyngis,
The gretest pane, y t dampnit folk dounthryngis
And to the Deuyllis, the most punytioun
It is of god, to want fruitioun.
And mairattour, they sall feill sic ane smell.
Surmountyng far, the fleure of erthly flowris
And in there mouth, ane taist as I heir tell
Off sweet, and Supernatural Sapowris
As they sall se the heuinlye brycht colowris
Schenyng amang those Creaturis Diuyne
Quhilk till discryue, trāscendith mannis Ingyne
And als they sall haif sic agility.
In one Instant to pass for there plesour
Ten thousand mylis in twynkling of one E
So there Ioyis shall be without missour
Thay sall Reioyis, to se the gret dolour
Off dampnit folk in hell, and there torment
Because of God it is the Iuste Judgment.
Subtellyte they sall have maruellouslye
Subponyng that there wer ane wall of bras
One glorifeit body, may right haistellye
Out throw that wall, without Impediment pas
Siclyke as doth the Sone baime throw y e glas
As Christ till his Disciplis did appeir
All entres clos, and non of thame did steir.
Quhowbeit in heaven, thocht euerilk Creature
Have nocht alike filicitie nor glore
Ʒitt euerilk one sall haif so gret pleasure
And so content, they sall desire no more
To have more Ioye, they sall no way Implore
Bot they shall be 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 balm, gyf euerilk one there part
And fill thame full, till that they be ouir rwn
The lytill crouat, in comparisoun
Salbe so full, that it may hald no more
Off sic missouris, thocht there be twenty score.
In to the Twn, or in the Pontioun,
So all those vesschellis, in one quality
May hald no more, without they be ouir rwn
Ʒitt haif they nocht, alike in quantity
So be this rude exempyll thow may se
Thocht euerilk one, be nocht alike in glore
Ar satyfeit, so that they desire no more
Thocht presentlye be Goddis prouiance.
Beistis fowlis, and fyschis, in the seis
Ar necessar now, for man's sustenance
With cornis, herbis, flowris, and fructfull treis
Than sall there be non sic commoditeis
The erth sall beir no plant, nor beist brutall
Bot as the Heuinnis brycht like burial
Suppone sum be on erth, walkand heir down,
Or heycht abone, whare ever they pleis to go
Off God, they have ay cleir fruitioun
Boith est, or west, up down, or to, or fro
Clerkis declaris plesouris money mo
Quhilk dost transcend all mortal mannis Ingyne
The thousand part, of those plesouris deffyne.
In to the Heuin, they sall perfytlie knaw.
There tender freindis, yare father & yare mother
There Predecessouris, whilk{is} they never saw
Thair spousis, bairnis, syster, & there brother
And euerilk one, sall have sic lufe till other
Off vtheris glore, and Joy, they sall rejoice
As of there awin, as Clerkis doth suppose
Than shall be seen, that brycht Jerusalem.
Quhilk Ihone saw, in his Reuelatione
We mortal men, alas ar far to blame
That will nocht haif consideratione
And one continual contemplatione
With hot desire, to cum on to that glore
Quhilk plesour sall endure forever more.
O Lord our God, and Kyng Omnipotent.
Quhilk knew, or thow the heaven, 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 Lord, of that chosin sort
Quhame of thy mercy superexcellent
Did puriffy, as scripture doth report
With the blood of that holy Innocent
Jesus, whilk maid him self Obedient
On to the death, and steruit on the Rude
Lat ws O Lord, be purgit with that blood.
All Creature, that ever God Creat
As wryttis Paul, they wys to se that day
When the Childryng of God predestinat
Sall do appeir, in there new fresche array
When Corruptioun, beis clengit clean away
And cheangit beis, there Mortall Quality
In the gret glore, of Immortality.
And moreattour all deed thyngis corporal.
Onder the Concaue, of the Heuin Empire
That now to laubour subject ar and thrall
Sone, Mone, & Sterris, Erth, walter, air, & Fire
In one maneir, they have ane hot desire
Wissing that day, that they may be at rest
As Erasmus, Exponith Manifest.
We se the gret Gloube, of the Firmament
Continuallie, in moueyng marvelous
The Sewin Planetis, contrary there 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, they travel ever in pane.
And all the Angellis, of the Ordouris Nyne.
Haueand compatioun of our Misareis
Thay wys after that day, and to that Fyne
To se ws fred, from our Infirmiteis
And clengit from thir gret Calamiteis
And trublus life, whilk never sall have end
On to that day I mak it to the kend.
FINIS

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

M Y Sone now mark weil ī thy memory
Of yis falls world, y e trublus trāsitory
Whose dreidfull days drawis neir a
Tharfor cal god to be yi adiutory (end
And every day my Son, Memento Mori
And watt not when, nor whare y t thow sal wend
Heir to remane, I pray the nocht pretend
And sen thow knawis the time is verray schort
In Christis Blude, set all thy hole confort.
Be nocht to much solyst in temporal thyngis.
Sen yow persauis, Pape, Empriour nor Kyngis
In to the erth, haith no place parmanent
Thow seis y e death, yame dulefully down thringis
And rauis yame from yare rent, riches & ringis
Tharefor, on Christ confirm thine hole intent
And of thy calling, be right well content
Than God that fedis the fowlis of the air
All neidfull thing for the he sall prepair,
Consydder in thy contemplatioun
Ay sen the warldlis, first Creatioun
Mankynd hes tholit this misary mortal
Ay tormentit with trybulatioun
With dolour, dreid, and desolatioun
Gentiles, and Chosin people of Israel
To this vnhap, all subject ar and thrall
Quhilk Misary but doubt sall ever endure
Tyll the last day, my Son thareof be sure.
That day, as I have maid narratioun
Salbe the day of consolatioun
Tyll all the Childryng, of the chosin noumer
There endit beis, there desolatioun
And als I mak the supplycatioun
In erthlye materis, take the no more cummer
Dreid nocht to dee, for death is bot ane slūmer
Leue ane Iuste life, & w t wane Ioyus heart
And of thy guddis, take plesandlye thy part.
Off our talkeing, now latt ws mak ane end.
Behald whow Phebus, dounwart dost descend
Towart his palyce, in the Occident
Dame Synthea I se, scho dost pretend
In till hir wattry Region till ascend
With vissage paill, up from 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 there heuinlye armoneis
The Cornecraik in the croft, I heir hir cry
The back, the Howlat, febyll of there eis
For there pastyme, now in the ewinnyng fleis
The Nychtyngaill, with myrthfull melody
Hir natural notis, persith throw the sky
Tyll Synthea, makand hir observance
Quhilk on the nycht, dost take hir dalyance.
I se Polartike, in the North appeir
And Venus ryssing with hir bemes cleir
Quharefor my Son, I hald it time to go
Wald God (said I) ye did remane all year
That I might of your heuinlye Lessonis leir
Off your departing, I am wounder woe
Tak patience (said he) it mone be so
Perchance I sall return, with deligence
Thus I departit, from Experience.
And sped me home, with hert sychyng full sore
And enterit in my quiet Oritore
I tuke paper, and there began to wryt
This Miserie, as ye have hard afore
All gentle Redaris, hertlye I Implore
For till excuse, my rural rude Indyte
Thoucht Phareseis, will have at me dispyte
Quhilkis wald not yat, there craftynes wer kend
Latt God be Iuge, and so I mak ane end.
*FINIS.✚

Quod Lyndesay, .1552.