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 BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE 
 
 SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 
 HENRY W. SAGE 
 
 1891 
 
Cornell University Library 
 PR 2295.A1 1901 
 
 Lvsvs regivs; being poems and other piece 
 
 3 1924 013 121 730 .,»..« 
 
a 
 
 te 
 
 Cornell University 
 Library 
 
 The original of this book is in 
 the Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013121730 
 
LVSVS REGIVS 
 
This edition is limited to 27/ copies, 
 of which 2f numbered copies only are 
 for sale. This copy is No. ^(^%^ 
 
 OXFORD: HORACE HART 
 PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY 
 
'■HV .> ^|:i..,iuiHli 
 
INSCRIBED 
 
 WITH • DEEPEST • REVERENCE 
 TO • THE • MEMORY • OF 
 
 HER • MAJESTY • QUEEN • VICTORIA 
 
 WHO . WAS . GRACIOUSLY • PLEASED • TO • ACCEPT 
 
 THE • DEDICATION 
 
 OF 
 
 THIS • VOLUME • OF • POEMS • BY • HER 
 LINEAL • ANCESTOR 
 
PREFATORY NOTE 
 
 T WISH to take this opportunity of offering my sincere thanks to 
 <L^r. Falconer zJMadan, not only for drawing my attention 
 to the existence of these interesting <lMSS., but also for much 
 'Valuable advice in the tash^ of editing. I have also to acknowledge 
 assistance from Trofessor Davidson, of (^Aberdeen, whose intimate 
 knowledge of the Scottish language was placed at my service. To 
 dMr. E. TV. B. Nicholson, Bodley^s Librarian, I have to express 
 my thanks for his courteous permission to print the oMSS. and 
 to reproduce portions of them in collotype. Sir Robert Gresley, 
 Baronet, has kindly permitted me to use, as a frontispiece, a portrait 
 of King James which has hitherto appeared only in a volume printed 
 for private circulation. 
 
 It is, further, necessary to explain that the title-page is a 
 reproduction, mutatis mutandis, of the design approved by King 
 fames, and executed for the folio edition of 1616 ; and that the title, 
 ' Lusus Regius^ has been adopted because the phrase is applied to the 
 ' Count erblaste to Tobacco^ in the Latin translation of the folio 
 edition, which appeared in idip. The ornaments on the cover have 
 been copied from the binding of the <zJiISS. in the Bodleian Library. 
 
 ROBERT S. RAIT. 
 
 New College, Oxford, 
 April, 1 90 1. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 ix 
 
 II 
 
 21 
 
 23 
 
 Cjeneral introduction 
 
 I. Fragment of a Masque (MS. Bodl. idy, foil. 60-64.; S, C. 27,843, 13) 
 
 II. < Ane Admonition to the Maister Poete to leave of greit crakking ' (MS 
 Bodl. kJ;-, foil. 47-fob J S. C, 27,843, (J) .... 
 
 III. Sonnet to Bacchus (MS. Bodl. 16 f, fol. yS j S. C. 27,843, n) . 
 
 IV. On Women (MS. Bodl. 16^, foil. 43-44 b; S. C. 27,843^ 4) 
 V. < Bot be the Contraire I Reiose ' (MS. Bodl. idy , foil, f 2-f 3 j S. C. 27,843, 8) 29 
 
 VI. * If Mourning micht Amende ' (MS, Bodl. id y, foil. 45-4<J b j S. C. 2 7,8 4 3 , 5-) 37 
 VII. 'Gif all the Floudis amangis Thaime walde Concluid' (MS. Bodl. i(Jf, 
 
 fol. j-i ; S. C. 27,843, 7) i9 
 
 VIII. *This Lairgeness and this Breadth so Long' (MS. Bodl. idf, foil. f4-f(J 
 
 S.C. 27,843, 9) 
 
 IX. On his own Destiny (MS. Bodl. 16 fj fol, yy ; S. C. 27,843, 10) . 
 X. The CI Psahn (MS. Bodl. i<Jf, fol. y 8 b ; S. C. 27,843, 12) 
 XI, *His Maiesties Letter unto Mr, du Bartas' (MS. Bodl. 16 f, fol. 7f ; S. C 
 27,8437 ^^) • • ....... 
 
 XII. Supplement to the Preface of the BainXiKhv Aupov (MS. Bodl, 1 66, fol. 7 , 
 
 S.C. 27,844, 18) 53 
 
 43 
 49 
 
 T7 
 
 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 .^^ING JAMES VI and I. From a Portrait in the possession of 
 Sir Robert Gresley, Baronet .... 
 
 From MS. Bodl. idf, fol, 3 r. MS, of the Lepanto . 
 Kjf, fol. (J 3. MS, of a Masque 
 i(ff, fol. /o b. MS, of Sonnet 
 1 6s, fol, 43 . MS, of ' On Women ' 
 16 St fol. 7S- MS. of Letter to Mr. du Bartas 
 
 » 
 
 n 
 
 J) 
 
 » 
 
 » 
 
 n 
 
 n 
 
 » 
 
 Frontispiece 
 To face p. x 
 7 
 
 J> 
 
 » 
 
 }) 
 
 M 
 
 n n 24 
 
 60 
 
 >j 
 
 » 
 
 Vll 
 
NOTE 
 
 The spelling of the MSS. has been invariably followed, but the Editor has 
 interfered so far as to print proper names in capital letters and to place a capital 
 letter at the beginning of the first line of every stanza. There is scarcely any 
 instance of the use of capital letters in the MSS. The Editor has also supplied, 
 for the reader's guidance, marks of punctuation, none of which appear in the MSS. 
 All variations of any interest or importance have been indicated. It may be added 
 that the unfamiliar appearance of many of the words is due to the use of 'u' for 'v,' 
 of ' uu ' for ' w,' and of * quh' for ' wh.' If this is kept in mind, the text will prove 
 easily intelligible. 
 
 Vlll 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 TN the summer of 1900, Mr. Falconer Madan^ in the course of 
 -■- preparing his Catalogue of Western MSS. in the Bodleian 
 Library, Oxford, came upon two MS. volumes, bound in limp 
 vellum, with gold ornaments, the latter including the royal arms. 
 These volumes are part of the valuable collection bequeathed by 
 Dr. Rawlinson to the University of Oxford, in I75-5- ; but, owing to 
 their exceptional interest, they were removed from the collection 
 of Rawlinson MSS. and placed, first in the Archives of the Library, 
 and, afterwards, in a large miscellaneous collection, entitled Bodley'. 
 They thus came to elude the diligence of students, and their contents 
 have remained unknown, both to the biographers of King James and 
 to the historians of Scottish literature. 
 
 The MSS. are almost entirely in the handwriting of the royal 
 author. King James the Sixth of Scotland and the First of Great 
 Britain. They are nineteen in number, and twelve of them have 
 not been hitherto printed. Their history before they passed into 
 the hands of Dr. Rawlinson is matter of conjecture, and we have no 
 evidence to show whether they were bound in their present form for 
 the king himself, or whether, at the king's death, one of his entourage 
 took possession of the royal MSS., and had them bound (without much 
 regard to arrangement). The portions of the MSS. which have been 
 previously published all appeared in print in the king's lifetime. They 
 include the Lepanto, a poem in celebration of the victory, and The 
 Furies, a translation of a French poem by Du Bartas, both of which 
 may be found in His Majesty's Toetical Exercises at Vacant Hours 
 (Edinburgh [i5'9i]); a poem entitled *^The Phoenix,' printed in The 
 Essayes of a Trentise in the Diiiine Art of Toesie (Edinburgh, 
 lySy) ; Meditations upon i Chronicles xv. i^-'l^ and Revelation 
 
 ' They may now be cited either as MS. Bodl. idy-d, or as S. C. 27,843-4. 
 In the Table of Contents, both references are given for each item. 
 
 IX 
 
Introduction 
 
 XX. 7-10 (London, K^og), both included in the folio edition of The 
 Worlds of the Most High and Mighty Trince James (London, 1616) ; 
 parts of the first three chapters of Book I and the first chapter of 
 Book III of T)aemonologie, in the Form of a T)ialogue (Edinburgh, 
 15-97); and ^A Premonition to all Most Mightie Monarchs, Kings, 
 Free Princes, and States of Christendom,' which was written as 
 a preamble to the second edition of the king's ^pologie for the Oath 
 of Allegiance (London, 1^09), and which may be found in the folio 
 of \6i6. Of these, the prose passages are almost verbatim, et 
 literatim the same as in their published form, while the Lepanto, 
 The Furies, and ^The Phoenix' vary considerably in orthography and 
 expression from the printed versions. The king apologized for any 
 errors in his published works, on the ground that he had written in 
 his ^verie young and tender yeares, wherein Nature (except shee were 
 a monster) can admit of no perfection,' and he added that ' Being of 
 riper yeares, my burden is so great and continuall, without anie 
 intermission, that when my ingyne and age could, my affaires and 
 fasherie would not permit mee to remark the wrong orthography 
 committed by the copiars of my unlegible and ragged hand, far less to 
 amend my proper errours.' These MSS., however, show that, either 
 in another copy or in proof-sheet, the king or one of his secretaries 
 found time to make considerable alterations. With one exception, 
 these are purely verbal, and possess no special interest. The single 
 exception is in the Introduction to the Lepanto : — 
 
 Published Version. MS. Version. 
 
 I pray Thee, Father, through Thy Sonne, I pray Thee, Father, throuch Thy Sonne, 
 
 Thy Word immortall still. Thy worde eternall still. 
 
 The Great Archangel of records, Thy great Archangel of recordis. 
 
 And Worker of Thy Will, And workaire of Thy Will, 
 
 To make Thy holie Spreit my Muse, To make Thy holie spreit inspyre, 
 
 And eik my pen inflame My Muse and als my pen, 
 
 Aboue my skill to write this worke, Aboue my skill to writ this worke 
 
 To magnifie Thy name. And pass all other men. 
 
 On a page of the ' Premonition to all Most Mightie Monarchs,' 
 there is an incidental memorandum in the king's handwriting — ^^to 
 remember to speak with barclaye ' — which gives us some information 
 regarding the circumstances in which the king wrote his denunciation 
 of the Papal claims. John Barclay (lySx-idxi), who is best known 
 
 X 
 

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 t 
 
 C0T^ 
 
 'mroii 
 
 
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 •'<V*'^ 
 
 A' 
 
 v-.^ 
 
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 1 
 
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 'V'/i^fjerfYli^Puica,^^ 
 
 
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 t 
 
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 ■;t-. 
 
 .^.w^m' 
 
 ■^.-r 
 
Introduction 
 
 by his Argents, was the son of William Barclay^ who^ in i^oOj had 
 published a treatise in defence of the doctrine of the divine right of 
 kings. Both the father and the son had enjoyed James's patronage^ 
 and the younger Barclay resided in England, and in touch with the 
 Court, from 1606 till his death. In 160^, the elder Barclay died, 
 leaving an unpublished work, De Totestate Tapae, which his son was 
 editing at the time when the king was preparing his ' Premonition.' 
 
 Of the portions of the MSS., now published for the first time, 
 some account will be given in the introductions prefixed to each 
 item. They belong almost entirely to the early years of the king's 
 life. Born in June, is^^s the only child of the ill-starred marriage 
 of Mary Stuart and Henry, Lord Darnley, James spent a dreary 
 motherless boyhood under the stern care of George Buchanan (lyod- 
 i^-Sx), the greatest of Scottish Humanists, Mary's warmest eulogist 
 in the days of her prosperity, and her bitterest detractor in the time 
 of her need. From mother and father alike, James may have 
 inherited his love of literature, and his ambition to rank among 
 the poets. Mary's ^ Latin Themes,' and some of her French verses, 
 have survived to the present day ; and Darnley was the author of, 
 at least, one ballad. If his tutor did not represent the softer aspects 
 of Humanism, he was at all events capable of doing more than 
 whipping into the child the elements of Latinity — although he 
 performed this latter service also, sparing not the person of the 
 Lord's anointed. ^Thay wald haifF me learn Latin before I can 
 speak Scots,' the little king scrawled on the margin of one of his 
 Latin copies. But George Buchanan was a poet as well as a scholar, 
 as his ' Psalms,' and his felicitous translation of the Alcestis into 
 Latin, remain to testify ; and his pupil afterwards described him as 
 a poet rather than a thinker. Of Buchanan's classical attainments he 
 continued to boast after he came into contact with scholars to whose 
 insular ears the royal pronunciation sounded barbarous and uncouth. 
 ^ All the world knows,' he said, ^ that my master, George Buchanan, 
 was a master in that faculty [classics]. I follow his pronunciation 
 both of his Latin and Greek, and am sorry that my people of England 
 do not the like ; for certainly their pronunciation utterly fails the 
 grace of those two learned languages.' Buchanan died when James 
 
 xi 
 
Introduction 
 
 was sixteen years old, but, by that time, the king's education was 
 complete. Of Buchanan's assistants in James's tuition the best known 
 is Sir Peter Young, of Seaton (ij-^^-idxS), whose milder tempera- 
 ment counteracted the unyielding sternness of his greater colleague. 
 
 In lySy, James published his Essay es of a Trentise in the 'Divine 
 Art of Toesie, with an introduction entitled ^ Ane Schort Treatise, 
 containing some Reulis and Cautelis to be observit and eschewit in 
 Scottis Poesie.' From internal evidence, we know that some of the 
 following poems were written before this date (cf pp. ix-i8). 
 Six years later, a second volume of poetry. His Maiestie^s Toeticall 
 Exercises at Vacant Hours, succeeded two theological dissertations. 
 After this, James never published any poetry, although he continued 
 to produce political and theological essays. The Tsalms of King 
 David, Translated hy King James, did not appear till some years 
 after his death. It is, therefore, probable, that almost all the pieces 
 here printed were composed between 15-80 and lypx. One fears that 
 the abandonment of the attempt to excel in poetry may have been 
 an illustration of the king's own remark in his Schort Treatise : — 
 ^ Gif Nature be nocht the cheif worker in this airt, Reulis will be 
 bot a band to Nature, and will mak you within short space weary of 
 the haill airt.' James did not follow all his own precepts. Not 
 only did he translate from foreign tongues, although he considered 
 translations lacking in ' ane of the cheif properties of ane poete ' — 
 invention ; but he wrote of matters of the common weal which, he 
 himself has told us, are too grave matters for a poet to meddle with. 
 There are few, however, who could abide the test of their own 
 precepts, and it is scarcely fair to apply it to an avowed prentice. 
 
 The poems here printed for the first time must be judged as the 
 work of a clever boy who had been brought up in a somewhat 
 artificial atmosphere of Humanistic learning. They serve to illus- 
 trate his knowledge of classical mythology, and his appreciation 
 of classical literature, and they reveal an interested and ingenuous 
 mind. If they do not reach any high standard of poetic merit, 
 they are an almost unique instance of persistence in a royal wooer of 
 the Muses, and they place the character of King James in an amiable 
 and attractive light. 
 
 xii 
 
/ 
 
 FRAGMENT OF c^ CMAS§(CrE 
 
 B 
 
FRAGMENT OF A MASQUE 
 
 'TpHE Masque was a favourite form of composition in the end of the sixteenth 
 -■- century. It had been introduced into England from Italy during the first 
 half of the century, and a Masque is known to have been performed at the Court of 
 Mary Tudor. It found its best example in the work of Ben Jonson, who was born 
 seven years after King James. Of the occasion of the present eflfort of the royal 
 poet, nothing can be discovered from the text itself, nor have we any indication from 
 the events of the reign. The style is that of James's earlier years, and the poem mayj 
 possibly, have been written in honour of the marriage of his favourite, the Earl of 
 Arran, in lySi, although the circumstances of that marriage render this hypothesis 
 far from probable. The conception of the poem is simple. It begins with an 
 invocation of the gods for a blessing upon the bride and bridegroom. The spokes- 
 man is evidently the king himself, for the services which form the excuse for his 
 prayer are the products of a < painfull penn.' The gods are satisfied that their suppliant 
 has deserved this favour, and send Mercury to introduce a company of fauns, satyrs, 
 and nymphs, who forthwith appear and propose a tournament with the mortal 
 knights who are present at the marriage ceremony. The prize of the lists is a lady 
 who is described as ' some heavenly goddess,' and who possesses wealth, beauty, noble 
 race, and virtues all. A countryman appears on the scene and, after duly expressing 
 surprise, begs the loan of a spear that he may share in the contest. A scholar then 
 elegantly describes the virtues of the lady, who asks if all this excitement exists on 
 her account. Suitable remarks are then made by the virtuous man and the clown, 
 and thereafter a landward gentleman makes a formal proposal, with a modest 
 reference to his income. Just as he is, apparently, about to outline an arrangement 
 with his father, for an allowance, he is interrupted by the soldier with an offer of 
 his hand and his sword. The scholar and the virtuous man then speak in turn, and 
 the soldier proposes a fencing match, but the fragment ends after some further 
 speaking, and without any action or even the song promised by the scholar. It is 
 easy, so far as the plot-interest is concerned, to fill in the outline thus given ; but it 
 is unfortunate that James never actually finished this, almost the only specimen of 
 a Scottish Masque. 
 
 This composition afforded the king an unusually good opportunity of following 
 the precept that he himself lays down in his I^eulis and Cautelis of Scottis 
 Poesie: — 'Ye man [must] likewayis tak heid, that ye waill [choose] your words 
 according to the purpose : As, in ane heich and learnit purpose. To use heich, pithie 
 and learnit wordis. Gif your purpose be of love. To use commoun language, with 
 some passionate wordis. . . . Gif your purpose be of landwart effairis, To use corruptit 
 and uplandis wordis. And finally, whatsumever be your subiect, to use vocahula artis^ 
 whairby ye may the mair vivelie represent that persoun, whais pairt ye paint out. 
 This is likewayis neidfuU to be usit in sentences, als weill as in wordis. As gif your 
 subiect be heich and learnit, to use learnit and infallible reasonis, provin be necessities. 
 
Fragment of a ^JMascjue 
 
 Gif your subiect be of love, To use wilfull reasonis, proceeding rather from passioun, 
 nor reasoun. Gif your subiect be of land wart efFaris, To use sklender reasonis, mixt 
 with grosse ignorance, nather keiping forme nor ordour. And sa furth, ever framing 
 your reasonis according to the qualitie of your subiect.' We find, accordingly, that 
 the Agrestis or boor uses such *■ uplandis wordis ' as Sirris and IJa (for < would '), and 
 his language is more strongly Scots than that of the other interlocutors. But when 
 it came to sentences, the pedant proved stronger than the dramatist, and instead of 
 ' grosse ignorance,' we get the following interesting item of information : — 
 
 * No sen Deucalionis flood — I trou ye call it the floode of Noy.' 
 
 On the other hand. King James has been successful in making his countryman keep 
 neither ' forme nor ordour.' The scholar uses high, pithy, and learned words, and 
 infallible reasons which he proves by necessities : — 
 
 *■ Quhat euer sho be, 
 Sho peirless is as all men uill agree.' 
 
 The soldier speaks with suitable ferocity and appropriate references to arms and 
 warfare, and his condition at the end of the fragment would seem to be * tragicall,' 
 for he uses ' lamentable wordis, with some heich.' The landward gentleman has 
 neither the boorishness nor the pedantry of the Agrestis, and he shows an interest in 
 rent-rolls and in field sports which is, doubtless, intended to make him a characteristic 
 representative of his class. Finally, the virtuous man follows the good advice given 
 by James to Prince Henry in the Basilikon Doron^ choosing ' subiects that bee not full 
 of vanitie, but of vertue, eschewing obscuritie, and delighting ever to be plaine and 
 sensible.' 
 
 YF euer I (6 michtie goddis) ' haue done you seruice treu^ 
 in setting out by painfull penn youre gloriouse praises deu, 
 if on the forkit hiir I treadd^ if euer I did preasse 
 to drinke of yone Pegasien spring that flouis uithout release^ 
 if euer I on Pindus^ duelt, & from that sacred hill 
 
 * orig. <pinda.' 
 
 ' In this invocation, the king addresses the long list of deities, one or other 
 of whom, in Roman mythology, presided over every stage and ahnost every action 
 of life. Our knowledge of these gods is derived, partly from incidental references 
 in Roman literature, but mainly from the De Civitate Dei of St. Augustine, whose 
 account of the Roman religion was based upon the Antiquitatum Libn of Varro, 
 which disappeared about the sixth century a. d., and which is known ahnost solely 
 through the passages preserved by St. Augustine. James was familiar, at all events 
 in later life, with the works of St. Augustine, and he may have borrowed his list of 
 gods directly from the De Civitate Dei, or from a list in some Latin Grammar. 
 
 * Parnassus. 
 
 3 
 
Toems of King James the First 
 
 the eares of euerie liuing thing did uith youre fame fullfiU, 
 quhiche by the trumpett of my uerse I maid for to resounde 
 from pole to pole throuch euerie quhaire of this immobill rounde, 
 then graunte to me quho patrone ame of Himanis tryumphe heir, 
 that all youre gracis may upon this Himanis bande appeir, 
 o Sonne ' of Citherea faire, ^& thou Thalasse^ uithaH% 
 graunte that this bande may happelie to thir couplid folkis befal, 
 & 6 Uolumna ' prent a uill into thaire couplit hairtis, 
 quhiche may retaine that union aye^ on aither of thaire pairtis, 
 6 Uenus make thaim bruddie'^ als for to produce uith speid 
 quhairin thay may reuiue againe a blest & happie seid, 
 Uitunnus & Sentinus^ all in happie tyme endeu 
 the chylde, quhen as it is coceaued, uith lyfe & sencis treu. 
 6 Prosa ^, uith ^geria ^ ioyned, & thou Lucina ^ bricht 
 her dolouris make into her birth (by youre assisting) licht, 
 6 thou Leuana ^ do uith loue & cairfulness imbrace 
 
 * orig. ' quho in thy hande dois beir.' *" orig. * still,' 
 
 ' Eros or Cupid. The name Cytherea, as applied to Aphrodite, is derived either 
 from the town of Cythera, in Crete, or from the island of Cythera, where she 
 possessed a temple. 
 
 * Thalasse, or Talasio, is analogous to the < Hymen ' as a cry of congratulation 
 to a bride. Its origin is lost in antiquity, but it is supposed to have been the name 
 of a god of marriage. 
 
 3 Volumna, the goddess of will. * Quid necesse erat commendare . . . deo 
 Volumno et deae Volumnae ut bona vellent?' De Civ. Dei, Bk. iv. c. 21. 
 
 + prolific. 
 
 ^ Vitumnus and Sentinus are the gods who endow infants with life and senses. 
 < Ibi sunt et duo nescio qui obscurissimi, Vitumnus et Sentinus, quorum alter vitam 
 alter sensus puerperio largiuntur.' Be Civ. Dei, Bk. vii. c. 2. 
 
 ^ Prosa or Prorsa, like Egeria and Lucina, is a goddess of child-birth. Professor 
 Robinson Ellis has kindly supplied a reference to Aulus Gellius, Nodes Atticae^ 
 
 xvi. I (J. 
 
 7 A goddess with functions similar to those of Vitumnus. 
 
 * * Lucina, quae a parturientibus invocetur.' De Civ. Dei, Bk. iv. c. 1 1. 
 
 5 The goddess who presides over the father's raising the infant from the ground, 
 in token of his intention to maintain it in life. ' Ipse [lupiter] levet de terra, et 
 vocetur dea Levana.' De Civ. Dei, Bk. iv. c. 11. 
 
 4 
 
Fragment of a ^Masque 
 
 the babe =* quhen it is borne, quhiche soulde extend thair happie race, 
 
 6 Uagitanus' play thy pairt & sailflie do it keepe 
 
 from all misfortounes & mischance quhen as it first doth ueape, 
 
 6 thou Cumina ^ cairfullie do uatche the craidle ay, 
 
 preseruing it from seikness or from harme in any uay, 
 
 Rumina uith Edusa & Potina ^ ioyned, do see 
 
 that quhen it sukking is or uained the foode may quholsome be ; 
 
 & also for thaire upbringing, 6 Statilinus '^^ caire, 
 
 that to thaire perfect aage it may i happie uaye prepaire, 
 
 & thou 6 Fortoune * to concluid make ^ thir & all thaire race, 
 
 to be beloued of goddis & men & thryue in euerie cace, 
 
 if for my saike ye goddis aboue thir graces uill bestou, 
 
 before thir nuptiall dayes be done sum signe for promeis schou. 
 
 Mercurius. 
 
 I messinger of goddis aboue am heir unto you sent, 
 
 to schou by proofe youre tyme into thaire seruice uell is spent, 
 
 for thay haue grantid youre request & for a signe & scale 
 
 since thay thaim selfis amongst you men do no uayes hant & deall, 
 
 thay thairfore haue directed heir, to honoure all this feast, 
 
 faunes, satires, siluanes that aproche thair natures neir at least, 
 
 & als for thaire conducter haue thay sent the quhisler Pan, 
 
 quho, thoch i. godd yett drauis he neir the nature of a man, 
 
 * orig. < chylde.' ** orig. ' assist.' 
 
 ' Generally known as Vaticanus, the god who presided over an infant's first cry. 
 <Ipse [lupiter] in vagitu os aperiat, et vocetur deus Vaticanus.' De Civ. Deij 
 Bk, iv. c. II. 
 
 ' The goddess who presided over cradles. 'Ipse [lupiter] cunas tueatur, et 
 vocetur dea Cunina.' Ibid. 
 
 5 Rumina was the protectress of children at the breast, and Edusa and Potina 
 presided, respectively, over the food and drink of infants. < In diva Rumina mam- 
 mam parvulo immulgeat, quia rumam dixerunt veteres mammam. In diva Potina 
 potionem ministret. In diva Edusa escam praebeat.' Ibid. 
 
 '^ Statilinus was the god who presided over the first efforts of children to stand 
 alone. Cf. De Civ. Dei, Bk. iv. c. 21. 
 
 ^ ' Praesit fortuitis, voceturque For tuna.' De Civ. Dei, Bk. iv. c. 11. 
 
 S 
 
Toems of King James the First 
 
 uith nayades, hamadriades^ nimphes of uatteris uoddis & uellis, 
 
 to iudge on euerie sporte quhairat thaire brethren uith you mellis ' ; 
 
 & as for me^ for my adeu^ I drinke unto you heir 
 
 the home of Amalthee ' uith lukke, uith uelth & mirrie cheir. 
 
 Nimphes. 
 
 We heir are sent by goddis aboue uith thir oure brether deir, 
 quho are prepairid for ^ gluife ^ or ring '^ "* or any sporte uith speir, 
 & ue haue brocht for uictoris pryce this Yallou garlande rounde, 
 uouin of oure haire, uith pearlis thairat^ quhiche ue in fisches founde^ 
 then, knichtis, go to, & make you for it, ue can no further say, 
 essay you brethren, (thoch I graunt) unusid at suche d play. 
 
 jigrestis. 
 
 goode sirris, the maruelouse cumming heir of thir guide nyhboures ^ 
 
 myne 
 hes mouid me for to cum and see this gellie ^ feast & fyne. 
 
 * orig. * ring or gluife.' 
 
 ' meddle, take part in. 
 
 ^ Amalthea was, according to two varying accounts, either the daughter of 
 Melissus, king of Crete, who fed Jupiter with goat's milk, or the name of the 
 goat itself. One of the goat's horns was broken off, and was elevated to a position 
 among the stars as the Cornu copiae. It was supposed to contain nectar and 
 ambrosia, and hence became the symbol of plenty. 
 
 5 glove, 
 
 ''■ Ring is a reference to the ancient Scottish sport of ' riding at the ring,' which 
 is thus described in a well-known letter to Cecil, from Randolph, the English agent 
 in Scotland (Dec. 7, if(5i) : * We fell in talk of the pastimes that were the Sunday 
 before, where the Lord Robert, the Lord John, and others ran at the Ring, six 
 against six, disguised and apparelled, the one half like women, the other half like 
 strangers, in strange masking garments. The Marquis [d'Elbceuf] that day did very 
 well ; but the women, whose part the Lord Robert did sustain, won the Ring. The 
 Queen herself beheld it, and as many others as listed.' 
 
 ^ The good neighbours are the fairies, so called to avoid offending them and 
 thereby provoking their wrath. 
 
 ^ pleasant, excellent. 
 
 6 
 
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Fragment of a ^JMasque 
 
 suche elraige ' peopil in suche i. sort to cum to plenishit grounde^ 
 
 but * any fray & gydit by i. man^ uas neuer found 
 
 goode faith before uas neuer harde the lyke of my conuoy_, 
 
 no sen Deucalionis floode^ I trou ye call it the floode of Noy^ 
 
 methinke^ Saint Mary^ gentillis heir makis for sum ghame & glee. 
 
 Ua ^ sum goode Sirr lenn me a speir ? quhat raike '^ to say & see ? 
 
 \Skolari\ 
 
 O goddis abouej quhou ame I rauist nou, 
 
 a heauinlie goddess is cum doun_, I trouj 
 
 oure sensis to delude ; quhat euer sho be^ 
 
 sho peirless is as all men uill agree 
 
 & thairfor Sirs heir am I sent before^ 
 
 as he quha micht be langage best decore^ 
 
 (as skollaris can) this doubt quhom to the faire 
 
 "* soulde appartene % quhom of ye hard declair, 
 
 & quhom into^ at equall stryfe_, do fall 
 
 uelthj beutiSj noble race^ & uertues all^ 
 
 ilk ane of thir makis hir i suter heir^ 
 
 & sho is cum unto your grace to speir 
 
 quhom to sho soulde enclyne^ ^ of all this rout ^^ 
 
 among the rest^ madame, leaue me not out. 
 
 %)oman. 
 
 Quhat menis thir kappit ^ men ? quhat can this be ? 
 is all this bussiness that thay make for me ? 
 
 * orig. ' & uorthy ane.' '' orig. « I haue no doubt.' 
 
 ' elvish. Elrage people is another phrase for the good neighbours. 
 "■ without. 5 would. * what avails it ? 
 
 " company. 
 
 ^ entrapped, possessed. Cf. Demonologie, Bk. ii. c. <J : * Yet to these capped 
 creatures, he appeares as hee pleases, and as he findes meetest for their humors.' 
 
 7 
 
Voems of King James the First 
 
 "The IJertuouse Man. 
 
 The sacred state of mariage it uas maid 
 that tua conioinid a haly lyfe micht lead. 
 
 Gudein Sirs all^ guid faith, I think it best 
 ye quyte* me this & take you all the rest. 
 
 The L[anduart\ G\entleman\. 
 
 Gif that ye pleis, Madame, to mak me youris, 
 my rent & freindis sail serue you at all houris, 
 Godd gif ^ my father 
 
 S\oldat\. 
 
 Quhat a kalland'^ is this, 
 place, sillie man, Madame, I uill not miss 
 to uaire for you this hande & suorde of myne, 
 a man of spreit his honoi^ie uill not tyne. 
 
 Sl^olar]. 
 
 I can ^ uith pen youre praises deu proclaime "" 
 gif that ye pleis accept of me, Madame. 
 
 'Uert\uouse manj. 
 
 Youre uertues raire, Madame, I doe respect, 
 I promeis treuth gif that may take effect. 
 
 S[oldai^. 
 
 Gif ony heir hes skill of fens, come proue 
 three markett straikis ^before my onelie loue. 
 
 ' orig. ' uith praises deu youre praise proclaime.' 
 
 The Zany is the regular buffoon of the period. * part with, 
 
 give. + youth, callant. ^ strokes., 
 
 8 
 
Fragment of a ^JMasque 
 
 L\anduari^ G^entleman^. 
 
 Gif that the morncj madame^ chance to be hir, 
 pleis see tua speedie greuhoundis rinnd ' hair. 
 
 SkJ^olar\. 
 
 Gif that ye pleis^ Madame^ a song to heir^ 
 I sett the toone & maid the aers lang eir \ 
 
 The Soldat. 
 
 1, quhom no bloodie battellis could afraye^ 
 ame nou become a simple uomanis praye^ 
 bot quhat ? no uoman bot a goddes bricht^ 
 na schame to blindet be uith sice a licht. 
 
 The Landuart Gentleman. 
 
 Gif freindis or rent may serue my turne in this 
 I hope to gett this ladie fiill of bliss. 
 
 ' running, or perhaps, run (in coursing). * composed the airs long ago. 
 
// 
 
 ^^NE ^^DMONITION TO THE -JMAISTER 
 TOETE TO LEAUE OF GREIT 
 CRAKKING 
 
ANE ADMONITION TO THE MAISTER 
 
 POETE TO LEAUE OF GREIT 
 
 CRAKKING (boasting) 
 
 * OELOVIT SANDIRS' is Alexander Montgomerie (if ^(J.^-kJio?), who occu- 
 pied a high position at James's Court in the beginning of his reign, and 
 whose poem The Cherrie and the Slae is almost the only Scottish contribution 
 to the poetry of the end of the sixteenth century. He lost the royal favour, 
 for some unknown reason, about the year 1^84, shortly after James had done 
 him the honour of quoting from his works in his I{eulis and Cautelis to be observit 
 and eschewit in Scottis Poesie^ prefixed to the Essayes of a Prentise in the Divine Art 
 of Poesie (Edinburgh, 1^84). As the Admonition is quoted in the I{eulis and 
 Cautelis^ the date of the piece may be shortly before the fall of Montgomerie. 
 The incident which gave rise to the royal ' admonition ' may possibly have been the 
 origin of the misunderstanding that led to Montgomerie's fall. James represents 
 Montgomerie as making a rash and boastful challenge to two rival poets, and as 
 suffering an ignominious defeat. Such challenges were frequent among the Scottish 
 poets of the time, and they gave rise to the style of poetry known as 'Flyting,' 
 and described by King James in his ^eulis as Tumbling Verse, which *keipis na 
 kynde nor Reule of Flowing.' The classical example of this species of invective 
 is the Flyting between Dunbar and Kennedy. The opponents of Montgomerie on 
 this occasion are described by the king as 'auld cruikid Robert' and *elf gett 
 Polluart.' The latter of these. Sir Patrick Hume, of Polwarth, who was Master of 
 the Household to James VI, and afterwards Warden of the Marches, Montgomerie 
 had already attacked in a similar manner. Polwart and Montgomerie's Flyting ranks 
 next to Dunbar and Kennedy's great effort. The royal < admonition ' must refer 
 to a later occasion, because Montgomerie, in one of his sonnets, speaks of the 
 king— 
 
 *■ Whose Highnes laughed some tym for to look 
 How I chaist Polwart from the chimney [nook],' 
 
 and the epithet which the king applied to Polwart, 'elf-begotten' or < elf-child,' is 
 a reminiscence of a passage in Montgomerie's abuse of Polwart which James himself 
 had quoted in his l^ulis. 
 
 The identification of *auld cruikid Robert' is almost equally certain. It 
 is most probable that Montgomerie's antagonist was Robert Hudsone, one of the 
 king's musicians, some of whose verses have come doAvn to us. Hudsone was 
 
 IX 
 
^^ne z^dmonition to the \JMaister ^oete 
 
 originally a friend of Montgomerie, who addressed to him five sonnets. The first 
 of these begins : — 
 
 *My best beloved brother of the band, 
 I grein to sie the silly smiddy smeik.' 
 
 The purport of the sonnets is to beg Hudsone to obtain the royal pardon for 
 Montgomerie : — 
 
 * Thou onlie brother of the Muses Nyne, 
 Shau to the King this poor complant of myne.' 
 
 Hudsone did not comply with Montgomerie's request, and the following sonnet, 
 put into the mouth of a third person addressing Hudsone, complains of the 
 musician's coldness: — 
 
 ' Montgomerie, that such hope did once conceave. 
 Of thy guid-will, now finds all is forgotten, 
 Thoght not bot kyndnes he did at the craiv. 
 He finds thy friendship as it rypes is rotten. 
 The smeikie smeithis cairs not his passit travel, 
 Bot leivis him lingring, dding of the gravell.' 
 
 Hudsone was a violinist j and, to violinists, the epithet ' crooked ' used, by an 
 old Scottish idiom, to be frequently applied. In the Admonition James says of him 
 that Pol wart *helpis the smithy smuik.' The fact that this comparison with 
 a blacksmith is used by the king in referring to 'auld crooked Robert,' and is 
 twice employed by Montgomerie in addressing Hudsone, renders it most likely 
 that some nickname for Hudsone is implied in the phrase. The only objection 
 to Hudsone is that it may seem unnatural for Montgomerie to ask for the inter- 
 vention of his antagonist j but such exercises in invective did not necessarily 
 involve any ill-feeling. The only other possibility seems to be that ' auld 
 crooked Robert ' was Robert Semple, the author of The Tressoun of Dumbartane^ 
 and The T^genfs Tragedie, to whom Montgomerie also refers in a sonnet. In the 
 Fly ting, Polwart had accused Montgomerie of plagiarizing from Semple : — 
 
 * Farder thou flees with other fowles wings. 
 O'er cled with cleirer collours than thy awne, 
 But speciallie with some of Semple's things,' 
 
 The sonnet, which closes the piece, speaks more harshly of Montgomerie. 
 * Proud Dares' fall . . . could no wise teach you to beware of glory.' But the 
 unforgivable sin is that he has given the enemy, in the person of an unknown 
 Christian Lindsay, cause to blaspheme. The closing line, however, is comparatively 
 mild in tone, and, if this incident is the origin of the quarrel, it must have been 
 because Montgomerie resented the royal admonition. 
 
 13 
 
Toems of King James the First 
 
 Ane admonition to the maister poete to leaue of greit crakking 
 quhi\ch\ deid shau leist he not only sklander him self hot alsua 
 the haill p'ofes sours of the airt. 
 
 f^ EIF patient eire to sumthing I man ' say, 
 ^^ Belouit Sandirs % maister of oure airt ""^ 
 the mous did help the lyon one a day, 
 sa I protest ye tak it in guid pairt, 
 my admonition, cumming from a hairt 
 that uishis ueill to you & all youre craft, 
 quha uald be sory for to see you smairt, 
 thocht uther poetes trouis ye be gain daft ^ 
 
 A freind is ay best kend in time of neid, 
 quhilk is the caus that garris'^ me tak sik caire 
 nou for youre state, sen thair is cause indeid, 
 for all the poetis leaus you standand baire, 
 auld^ cruikid Robert ^makis of you the^ haire*^ 
 & elf ^ gett Polluart 'helpis the smithy smuik", 
 he countis you done, & hopes, but ony maire ^, 
 his time about to uinn the chimlay nuik. 
 
 Bot as the guid chirurgian oft '^dois use**, 
 I meane to rype^ the uound befoir he heald, 
 apardon me, & think it na excuse, 
 suppois I tell the cause quhy thay haue raild, 
 
 * The following line is here cancelled: — ^'heir patiently quhat loue moues 
 me to say.' ^ orig. ' is festnid in youre.' 
 
 " orig. ' that uouth [woe] renin.' ** orig. * man [must] do.' 
 
 ' must. * * Belouit Sandirs.' Cf. Introduction, p. 12. 
 
 3 think you gone mad. * makes. 
 
 ^ *auld cruikid Robert' and 'elf gett Polluart.' Cf. Introduction, p. 12. 
 
 ^ Cf. the English usage, < does not care a hair.' 
 
 7 ' but ony maire ' = without further delay. ^ rip, clear out. 
 
 14. 
 
c-//w^ (Admonition to the ^JMaister 'Poete 
 
 & sine considder quither ye haue failde 
 
 or quhat hes causid thaim this uay to bakbite you, 
 
 in to that craft thay neuer yit preuaild, 
 
 abeit of lait* thay hope for till out flyte you. 
 
 For ye uas crakking crouslie ' of youre broune % 
 ''(gif Robert lye not) all^ the uther nicht'^ 
 that thaire uas ony lyke hime in this toune 
 apon the grounde ye uald not latt it licht^ 
 he uas sa firry spedy yauld^ & uicht% 
 for to be shorty he uas ane epersi^j 
 bot yit^ beliue^j ye sau ane uther sicht 
 ''or a uas done'' (or Robins ryme dois lye). 
 
 ""Thus crakkit ye & braggit" but reply ^ 
 or ansoure maid be ony present than, 
 as Dares^ did, quhen as he did our hye 
 Eneas courts nor could not find a man 
 
 orig. « neu.' •> orig. < for Robert sayes he hard.' 
 
 The following lines are here cancelled : — 
 
 ' hou ye uas crakking crousely of youre broune 
 upon the grounde ye uald no latt it licht.' 
 orig. ' farr by youre hope.' 
 orig. ' thus with youre crakkis and braggis.' 
 Between this stanza and the last, the following lines are deleted : — 
 
 < for as youre crakking yit was skairslie endit 
 ane uther saide that he uald uadd [wager] a price.' 
 
 ' confidently. 
 
 ^ * broune ' or brownie. The brownies are defined by King James, in his 
 Demonologie, as spirits sent to haimt houses 'without doing any evill, but doing as 
 it were necessarie turnes up and downe the house.' Cf. William Nicholson's ballad 
 of < Aiken-drum,' and the description in V Allegro^ 11. loy et seq. In the present 
 instance the word is used in the somewhat unusual sense of the inspiring genius of 
 a poet. ' alert, sprightly. '^ strong. 
 
 ^ ' epersi,' i.e. A per se, unique. Cf. Dunbar, * London, thou art of cities A per se.' 
 
 * immediately. 
 
 7 Dares, The reference is to the boxing-match between Dares and Entellus 
 described in the fifth book of the Aeneid^ 11. 352-484. Aeneas offered two prizes. 
 
'Poems of King James the First 
 
 that matche him durst : the stirk for him that uanne 
 quhilk ordeind uas, he craued at Enes hand, 
 & said, sen thair is nane that don or can 
 be matche to me, quhat langer sail I stand. 
 
 Delay na maire, hot gif me the reuairde 
 
 preordinat for thaim that uictor uar ; 
 
 thus Dares endit, but ^neas staird 
 
 the camp about : sen thair is nane that darre, 
 
 ^neas said, bot all seamis uery skarr ' 
 
 to sey yone man, garr bring the bullok sone. 
 
 thus as he bad, thay brocht the bullok nar 
 
 quhilk had hir hornis ourgiltit as abone. 
 
 Amangis the armee ^ quhilk uar uitnes thair, 
 & not but^ uonder hard yone Dares boast, 
 Entellus raiz '', a man of stature maire 
 nor Dares uas, & said : cheif of oure oast, 
 I nou repent my former youth is loast, 
 bot sen I see he shames youre armee sa, 
 haue at him than, it sail be on his coast, 
 as I beleue gif loue be not my fa^ 
 
 The circumstances of this bargan keine 
 I uill remitt to Uirgils ornat stile, 
 botu eill I uatt Entellus sone uas sene 
 be all to uinn : sa crakkit ye a quhile, 
 
 ^ orig. < peiple.' '' orig. * uas.' 
 
 one of them the stirk or bullock ' quhilk had his hornis o'ergiltit,' as King James 
 informs us a f&w lines later, translating the disputed phrase of the original, velatum 
 auro vittisque. There was only one candidate, the Trojan, Dares, who boasted of his 
 prowess, till Acestes persuaded the aged Entellus to enter the lists against him. 
 Finally, Entellus was the victor, and at one blow crushed the skull x)f the bullock 
 which had become his prize. Cf. the Iliad^ Bk. xxiii. 
 
 ' scared. "■ without. 
 
 5 * gif loue be not my fa,' i. e. if Jove do not deceive me. 
 
 Id 
 
^^ne (LAdmonition to the ^JMaister 'Poete 
 
 that nane micht neir you skairslie be a mile, 
 till youre Entellus hard you at the last, 
 the day uas sett hot ye begouth' to smyle 
 for skorne & thocht to uinn be rinning fast. 
 
 The uaifring^ uorde did spredde abrede belyue 
 
 of all youre crakkis & bargane that uas maide, 
 
 ilk ane uith uther bissilly did striue 
 
 quha sould be sonest at that solemne raide, 
 
 that thay micht iudge quhilk of the hors sould leide ; 
 
 ye saide thair uald na question be of that, 
 
 besides ye saide ye cairid not a thaire feade ' 
 
 brekis'^ thay uald the race it sould no latt^ 
 
 that*^ nicht ye ceist & uent to bed bot greind', 
 yit fast for day & thocht the nicht to lang, 
 at last Diana doune hir head reclind 
 into the sea, than Lucifer upsprang, 
 Auroras post, quhom sho did send amang 
 the getty^ cloudis for to fortell ane houre, 
 afoir sho stay hir teares, quhilk Guide sang 
 uas for hir^ loue, quhilk turnit in a floure^. 
 
 * * mortall ' is here deleted. 
 
 ' began, ' stray. ' all their feud, enmity, 
 
 + begin. ^ hinder, let. 
 
 ^ This stanza King James considered worthy of being quoted in his J^ulis and 
 Cautelis as an example of Rhyme Royal. He prefaces it with the remark : — ' For 
 any heich and grave subjects, specially drawin out of learnit authouris, use this kynde 
 of verse following, callit Ballat Royal.' The stanza appears in precisely the same 
 form in the J{euluj except for the substitution of < he ' for ' ye ' in the first line, 
 and of ' fell ' for ' was ' in the last line. The date of the poem must therefore be 
 prior to the publication of ^ne Schort Treatise in 1^84, 
 
 7 desire (ye went to bed without any longing for the fray), * jet-black. 
 
 ' This is probably an error. Tithonus was turned into a cricket, 
 
 17 D 
 
Toems of King James the First 
 
 Fra Lucifer had thus his message done,, 
 the rubie uirgine came for to forspeake 
 Apollos cumming in his glistring throne, 
 quha souddanlie thairefter cleir did keik' 
 out hrouch^ his cairte quhair Eous uas eik^ 
 uith uther thre quhilk Phaeton had drauin 
 about the earth quhill^ he became sa seik 
 as he fell doun quhair Neptun fand him fauin ^ 
 
 Bot to concludj the houre appointit came, 
 
 ye made you readie for to rin the race, 
 
 ye brakk^ together & ran out the same. 
 
 as Robeine say is ^it had bene^ fild^ youre face, 
 
 it chancit ye uar forrunn a prettie space, 
 
 a mile or mair that keipit it sa clene, 
 
 quhen a uas done, ye had sa ill a grace, 
 
 ye sta auay & durst na maire be sene, 
 
 ye sta auay & luikit lyke rob stene^ 
 
 * orig. * the tuther ' [the other]. 
 
 ' peer. ^ through. 
 
 5 The lines '• out through his cairte . . . had drawin ' are also quoted by King 
 James in his "R^ulis and Cautelis. They were selected to exemplify his rule that 
 ' ye eschew to insert in your verse a lang rable ... of names,' and he draws attention 
 to the fact that in these lines * there is bot ane name specifeit, to serve for uther thrie 
 of that sorte.' The identification of these lines and of the preceding stanza has been 
 a difficulty to all editors of the Schort Treatise. 
 
 '^ till. ^ fallen. ^ began. 
 
 7 defiled. There is probably another reference here to the Aeneid — 'it had 
 bene fild youre face' recalls the accident to Nisus in the race, which in Virgil 
 precedes the boxing match. In the Iliad (Bk. xxiii) Ajax is the victim, and the race 
 follows the boxing match, 
 
 * After the words ' rob stene ' in the original occurs the marginal note ' alias,' 
 in the king's handwriting. It is uncertain whether Rob Stene is the name of a real 
 person. 
 
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^^ne z^dmonition to the ^JMaister Voete 
 
 SONNET' 
 
 Remember of my protestation nou 
 & think that loue hes gart me tak thir panis, 
 fullis counsall quhiles uill help uise men I trou^ 
 quhilk is the cause that garris me brek '' me branis^ 
 greit hape hes he quhom utheris parrellis ganis, 
 that mouit me for to repet yone storie ; 
 proud Dares fall for all his micht & menis 
 culd nauayes teache you to be uarr of glory e^ 
 nor yit ye uald not call to memorie 
 quhat grund ye gaue to Cristiane Lindsay ^ by it, 
 for nou sho sayis (quhilk makis us all fiill sorie) 
 youre craft to lye uith leaue'^ nou haue I triit^, 
 the prouerb sayes that mendis is for misdeid 
 crake not agane na farther nor the Creid. 
 
 ' The following notes for the Sonnet, in the king's handwriting, are on the 
 verso of the folio : — 
 
 ' to admit my protestation quhilk I made in the beginning, fullis uill quhiles giue 
 uise men ane counsal. felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum. that a the haill 
 airt is sklanderit be him quhilk giues Cristiane Lindsay a ground.' Christian Lindsay- 
 is quite unknown except for these references and those given below, and it is only 
 from the Sonnet that we gather that the name is that of a woman. Montgomerie's 
 unpardonable sin seems to be that he has given Lindsay occasion to boast that she 
 has now been able to prove the falseness of the poet's craft. 
 
 ^ cudgel. 
 
 5 Christian Lindsay is mentioned twice by Montgomerie in his Sonnets. In one 
 instance (xxv) he says : — 
 
 * Quhen we are dead, that all our dayis bot daffis [sport], 
 Let Christan Lyndesay wryt our epitaphis.' 
 
 The other occasion is the sonnet in abuse of Hudsone (cf. Introduction, p. 13), which 
 he entitles * Christian Lyndesay to Ro. Hudsone.' 
 
 * prob. lave = the rest. ^ tried, proved. 
 
 19 
 
Ill 
 
 SONNET TO BACCHUS 
 
SONNET TO BACCHUS 
 
 O michtte sunne of Semele the faire. 
 
 'Tp HIS Sonnet may be regarded as supplementing the twelve similar sonnets printed 
 in the Essayes of a Preniise. The reference to * oure maister poet ' is probably 
 to Alexander Montgomerie, and the statement that Bacchus has < trappit . . . and 
 maide him rander' may be connected with the incident which gave rise to the 
 Admonition (No. II). 
 
 OMICHTIE sunne of Semele the faire, 
 ^Bachus borne be loue the god of micht% 
 o tuis borne' boy, quho euer don & daire 
 subdue all mortall uith thy liquoure uicht, 
 quho uith thy pouer blindithes the sicht 
 to sum, to utheris thou the eirs hes deafed, 
 fra sum thou takis the taist, sum smelling richt 
 dois laike, sum tuiching, sum all hue bereaued 
 are of The greit Alexander craued 
 thy mercy oft ; oure maister poet nou 
 is uarrd * be the, ue smaller then sail leue it 
 to striue uith the ; then on his tombe I uou ^ 
 sail be : heir lyis quhom Bachus be his uine 
 hes trappit first & maide him rander '^ sine. 
 
 ' orig. * o tuis borne bachus soone to ioue.' 
 
 ' twice born. Cf. the well-known mythological story of Jove and Semele, In 
 the Lepanto (1. 31-3) James uses the same phrase with regard to Bacchus, and, 
 although the printed text of the Lepanto has the spelling ' twice,' the MS. reading 
 is *tuis,' 
 
 ^ worsted. ' yow. "^ talk idly. 
 
 11 
 
IV 
 ON WOMEN 
 
ON WOMEN 
 
 ^^s falconis are hy nature f aire of flicht 
 
 'TpHIS poem appears, like most of the other pieces in the collection, to belong to 
 the early period of James's life, as it abounds in Scots words and phrases. 
 Its main interest lies in its exhibiting the king's method of composing, and, for 
 this reason, this page of the MS. has been reproduced. In the second stanza, James 
 began his third line thus : — 
 
 * As gleddis of nature killis not oft its . . . ,' 
 
 clearly a reminiscence of a popular proverb, in accordance with which the closing 
 word of the line would be ' kind.' But * kind ' would not rhyme with * beir,' and 
 the line — 
 
 *As gaes uill counter fitt quhat sound thay heir,' 
 
 was substituted. Then the king made a fresh attempt, but again failed to introduce 
 ' kind,' and had to be content with the weak device of repeating the word ' uild ' 
 from the first line. It is, therefore, probable that the paper here preserved is really 
 that on which the king composed. 
 
 The attack on womankind is based on ordinary lines, but the * Excuse ' with 
 which the king concludes shows some ingenuity. 
 
 AS FALCONIS are by nature faire of flicht, 
 -*^ of kynde' as sparhalkis* farr excellis in speid, 
 as martronis^ haif in springing'^ greatest micht, 
 as gooshalkis are of nature geuin to greid, 
 as mauuisis of kynde are geuin to sing, 
 & laiurokkis^ after candlemess to spring ^^ 
 
 * orig. ' sing.' 
 
 ' nature. "^ sparrow-hawks. ^ martens. 
 
 + to sing, used of the music of birds. ^ larks. 
 
 X4. 
 
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On JVomen 
 
 As pyettis ' stellis quhat euir thay can beir^ 
 of kynde as corbies* foUouis carrionis uuild% 
 as gaes^ uill counter fitt quhat sound thay heir^ 
 as gleddis^ of nature killis not oft the uylde^ 
 as cranis & kaes^ uill clattir quhen thay play, 
 as hennis of nature kekkillis quhen thay lay. 
 
 As kynd makkis houndis to foUou hairis by sent, 
 
 as cursouris nikkis^ rydand^ in the nicht, 
 
 as lyonis for to seik thaire praye are bent, 
 
 as beiris by kind of leggis are uoundrouse uicht^, 
 
 as tigris flees the uattirris & the ueitis^, 
 
 as nature geuis the ouncis '° cruell spreitis. 
 
 As gaitis delytis to climm throuch craig & cleuch, 
 
 as deir of nature hantis the forrestis faire, 
 
 as connis by kynde uill skipp from branch to beuch", 
 
 as foxis can by craft escayp the snaire, 
 
 as brokkis'* in uinter lykis to sleip and rest, 
 
 as suine by nature louis the midding best. 
 
 As skoles'^ of herring flees the quhaile for feir, 
 as great aide pykes uill eat the young & small, 
 as remorae ''^ uill stopp ane shipp to steir, 
 as kynd makis seahors to be creuall all, 
 as kynd makis creuisses'^ to suimm abak, 
 as troutis of nature fischaire baitis uill tak, 
 
 ' After ' wild/ the following line is cancelled : — ' as gleddis of nature killis not 
 oft its . . .' 
 
 • magpies. * hawks. ^ jays. + kites, falcons. ^ jackdaws. 
 
 * neighs. 7 riding. ^ strong. ^ rains. 
 
 '° Felis uncia. " bough. " badgers. '' schools. 
 
 •+ sucker fish. '^ crayfish. 
 
 25- E 
 
Voems of King James the First 
 
 As marmaides haitis all men by natures uiU% 
 
 as daufins louis all bairnis in uoundrouse sort% 
 
 as by the contrair crocodiles thaime kill, 
 
 as mersuynes* louis of nature for to sport, 
 
 of kynd as salmound in fresh riueris spaunis 
 
 as selchis^ haif milk, & young onis laik in graunis^ 
 
 In short as foulis by kinde in air do flie, 
 & as the beastis by nature go on ground, 
 & as the fishis suimmis in frothie see, 
 & as all liuing thingis are euer bound 
 to follou nature reuling thaim alluay, 
 quhose uill thay must obey but lett^ or sstay. 
 
 Euen so all uemen are of nature uaine, 
 & can not keip no secreit unreueild, 
 & quhair as once thay do conceaue disdaine, 
 thay are unable to be reconceild, 
 fulfiUiduith talk & clatteris but respect, 
 & oftentymes of small or none effect. 
 
 Ambitious all uithout regaird or schame, 
 but any mesure geuin to greid of geir, 
 desyring euer for to uinn a name 
 uith flattering all that uill thaime not forbeir, 
 sum craft thay haue, yit foolish are indeid, 
 uith liyng quhyles esteiming best to speid. 
 
 * Line here cancelled : — ' as daufinis louis young bairnis by natures uill.' 
 
 ' The apparent fondness of dolphins for human society led to many mediaeval 
 legends about their love of children. 
 
 ^ sea-swine. 5 seals. 
 
 '' as young seals play in branches of rivers. The word * graun ' appears also 
 as ' grain,' or * grane.' 
 
 ^ without hindrance. 
 
 1.6 
 
On Women 
 
 Excuise. 
 
 Expone ' me richt ye damis of uorthie fame^ 
 since for youre honouris I employed my caire^ 
 for uemen bad heirby are lesse to blame 
 for that thay follou nature eueryquhayre^ 
 & ye most uorthie prayse quhose reason dantis 
 that nature quhilk into youre sexe so hantis. 
 
 understand. * defeats, daunts. 
 
 in 
 
V 
 EOT BE THE CONTRAIRE I REIOSE 
 
BOT BE THE CONTRAIRE I REIOSE 
 
 'T^HIS appears to be a portion of a poem addressed to the Princess Anne of 
 ■^ Denmark, who became the wife of King James. The identity of the lady 
 may be inferred from the lines : — 
 
 *The seas are now the bar 
 Which makes us distant far.' 
 
 James was married, by proxy, to the princess in August, 1^89. The fleet which was 
 to carry the bride to Scotland was driven by stress of weather on the coast of 
 Norway, and took refuge in the harbour of Opslo (now Christiania). It was supposed 
 that the storm was due to the machinations of some Scottish witches, who cast two 
 cats into the sea at the pier head of Leith, having knit to the four feet of each cat 
 four joints of men, with the words : ' See that thair be na defait amangis us,' and 
 with other hellish adjurations. From August till October, James awaited his 
 bride, and our poem belongs to this period of suspense. The royal lover cannot 
 bear to think of the joy with which he anticipated * oure lang wishit meeting ' — 
 
 <And syne how we sa soone war shedd 
 And lost oure lang desirit joy.' 
 
 In October, James resolved to risk both the dangers of the sea and those of 
 incantation, and to go in person to Norway to fetch his bride, and, in the following 
 month, they were married at Opslo by the minister of Leith. After a visit to 
 Denmark, they reached Scotland in May, 15-90. The probability that this poem 
 is addressed to the queen is increased by the fact that James did write to his bride 
 in this manner, for there exists a letter ' from Anne in which she thanks him for some 
 such effort of fancy : — 
 
 ' Your Majesty's letter was wellcome to me. I have bin as glad of the faire 
 weather as your self j and the last parte of youre letter you have guesed right that 
 I would laugh. Who wold not laugh both at the persons and the subject, but 
 more at so well a chosen Mer curie betweene Mars and Venus, and you knowe* that 
 women can hardly keepe counsell, I humbly desire your Mt. to tell me how it is 
 possible that I should keepe this secret that have alreadie tolde it, and shall tell it 
 to as manie as I speake with ; if I were a poete I wold make a song of it, and sing 
 it to the tune of Three fooles well mett.' 
 
 ' Reproduced in the Bannatyne Club volume of Papers relative to the marriage 
 of James FI {EdmbnTi^j 1828). 
 
 ^ I am indebted to Mr. Madan for the suggestion that the king had sent to his 
 bride, among other compositions, a copy of the verses < On Women ' (No. IV). 
 
 30 
 
Bot he the Contraire I Reiose 
 
 The last part of the letter, that made the queen laugh, may have been some- 
 thing of this nature. We have, unfortunately, only the last verse of the poem and 
 the Envoi^ and cannot speak with absolute certainty j but it is most likely that the 
 verses were written on the occasion we suggest. 
 
 T30T be the contraire I reiose 
 ^-^ quhen I persaue ue marrois ' be 
 in trouble sorrou & in noise ^ : 
 that is ane thinge quhilk confortis me 
 the prouerbe makis relation 
 that lykis^ in tribulation 
 is uratchis consolation 
 so nou ar ue. 
 
 lenuoy. 
 
 Reiois thairfoir my half in all 
 sen honest causes bene the stay 
 of presense : hoip that meete ue sail 
 uith grettar glaidnes one a day 
 I pray the lorde abone 
 to send it til us soone 
 fair ueill quhill that be done 
 & after ay. 
 
 ^Quhat mortall man may^ Hue but hairt^ 
 as I do nou, sic is my cace'', 
 for nou the haill is from the pairt 
 deuiditj ilk in diuers place, 
 
 ' orig. ' hou can a mortall.' 
 
 " after < cace ' the following line is deleted :— « for it is distant in ane pairt.' 
 
 ' comrades, fellows. ^ annoy (substantive). ^ equal fates. 
 
 31 
 
T^oems of King James the First 
 
 the seas ar nou the barr 
 quhilk makis us distant farr 
 that ue may sone uinn narr ' 
 God grant us grace. 
 
 Full mony causes sure I haue 
 quhilk dois augment my uo & caire 
 hot ane maire"" speciall nor the leaue^ 
 quhen I do think quhat ioy uas thaire 
 quhat glaidnes & quhat greting 
 at oure lang uishit meeting 
 I can not ueill on ueitting'^ 
 my cheikis declare. 
 
 3 
 
 And syne hou ue sa soone uar shedd ^ 
 & lost oure lang desirit ioy ; 
 o quhat mischance^ I neuer redd 
 that loueris hadd sic caus of noy. 
 
 for uther'' louaris uses 
 
 the ane to make excuses 
 
 of absence ; thus abuses 
 thaim Uenus boy. 
 
 * orig. ' maist.' '' orig. < commoune.' 
 
 ' get near. "• rest. 
 
 5 The lines, * quhen I do think quhat ioy was thaire . . . meeting,' and the 
 beginning of the following stanza, do not, it should be observed, necessarily imply 
 that a meeting had actually taken place, a hypothesis which would be fatal to the 
 explanation we have suggested in the Introduction. ' At ' is used merely to give the 
 cause of the emotion in a graphic way. After the marriage by proxy, James considered 
 the meeting as an immediate consequence. But we ' sa soone war shedd, and lost 
 oure lang desirit ioy,' the sea and the witches combining to separate the lovers and 
 prevent their meeting. 
 
 * without wetting. ^ sundered. 
 
 3^ 
 
Bot he the Contraire I Reiose 
 
 "Bot ue indure farr grettair skaith' 
 for only ane of thaim hes paine 
 bot ue alyke are uoundit'' baith 
 & cairfuU quhill"^ ue meit againe 
 
 o absence creuell "" fa ^ 
 
 quhy uorkis thou us sic ua 
 
 & garris'' treu louaris sa^ 
 farr shedd remaine. 
 
 Thou absense geuis me cause to feir 
 leist sho be harmed be sum mischance^ 
 thou absence garris me greine'^ to heir 
 sum uorde frome hir ; thou garris me pance * 
 
 quhat uay for to escheu 
 
 thir sorrous quhilk reneu 
 
 & quhiles I change my heu 
 quhiles fallis in transe. 
 
 * Line cancelled : — < bot ue are nothing lyke thay is.' 
 
 '' orig. < cairfull.' " orig. * mortalL' 
 
 ** orig. ' makis.' ^ orig. ' tuay ' [twa]. 
 
 ' harm, evil. * till. ^ chance, fate, or (perhaps) foe, 
 
 ''■ long. ^ consider. 
 
 3? 
 
VI 
 
 IF CMOURNING CMICHT AMENDE 
 
IF MOURNING MIGHT AMENDE 
 
 JT IS improbable that these lines refer to any actual incident in the king's life. 
 Scandal never connected his name with that of any lady, and in the second book 
 of the Basilikon Doron, he boasts of his own freedom from the weaknesses of his 
 House. The verses belong to the category of conventional love poems characteristic 
 of the period, and if they illustrate the royal character at all, it is only as a poseur. 
 The language suggests that the date of composition is after the king's accession to 
 the English throne, as there are but €q-w Scots words. It is, of course, possible that 
 this and other pieces were originally written in Scotland, and revised at a later 
 period in the author's life. 
 
 TF mourning micht amende my harde unhappie cace^ 
 
 -*- or if complaining coulde appaise dame fortonis frouning face^ 
 
 then shoulde I neuer cease by songs & sonnets still 
 
 uith my too iust conceaued regraitts the earth & aire to fill_, 
 
 my cairflill cryes & grones shoulde makke the rokkis rebounde^ 
 
 the mountainis ryue ^ & all the earth uith echoes to resounde, 
 
 no Orphees chairming notes for his depairted uyfe^ 
 
 nor raaging Rollande^ for his loue that ledd so madde a lyfe, 
 
 no not the uorlde in one compaired shoulde neuer be 
 
 unto the mone that I soulde make sikk passions martirs^ me ; 
 
 but quhat can that auaile except for to reneu 
 
 my olde & deiplie rootid greifis that ellis too glaidlie greu, 
 
 to rankle up the sore that lurkis into my hairt 
 
 & as d cancer make it spredd abroade on euerie pairt^ 
 
 quhat urath haue all the goddis conceaued at me alace^ 
 
 that makis me loue quhaire haitred duellis & pittie hath no place. 
 
 6 if sho uaire but faire, or if sho uaire but false^ 
 
 but faire & false tormentis me thus & holdis me by the halse^ ; 
 
 part asunder. ^ ' Raaging RoUande' is a reference to Ariosto's poem. 
 
 5 tortures. ^ neck. 
 
 Z6 
 
If ^JMourning micht ^yimende 
 
 if beutie as it ouucht uith bontie coupled uaire^ 
 
 then suirlie sho uoulde pittie take on my consuming caire^ 
 
 or if sho had bene false & laaking Uenus grace^ 
 
 then uolde I not haue bene abusid by her enchaunting face, 
 
 thus ame I tortoured stilly I murne uithout remeide^ 
 
 my langoure laakis a graine of hoape to mixe uith day lie dreide^ 
 
 my teares gettis no regairde^ My sichs can haue no eare^ 
 
 & in ane houre is quyte forgott my seruice many yeare_, 
 
 quhat hoape can rest behynde^ quhat maye I looke for then^ 
 
 bot be a butt to heauinlie plauguis a monster among menn^ 
 
 my state can neuer change^ my greifis are but begunne, 
 
 thus castin is my lukelesse lotte that uofull Ueirdis' haue spunne, 
 
 auay uith confort then & uellcome colde dispaire^ 
 
 & since I can haue no delyte^ lett me delyte in caire^ 
 
 my mirth in mourning^ be^ my ioie in dolours deepe^ 
 
 I uill uith sadde & sorie sichs my self from langoure' keepe^ 
 
 & for my cheifest sportes to mynde then uill I bring 
 
 as in a roll my haill mishappis syne lyke a suanne thame sing. 
 
 my hoape is quhole transformed in blake & colde dispaire^ 
 
 except I onlie hoape for death to ende contineuall care^ 
 
 nOj death he must not haist^ my mischeifis uoulde he mende^ 
 
 it best becummis my miserie to duyne ^ before it ende. 
 
 yett if the endles smairte & sorrou I sustaine 
 
 '^uaire sufferid for'^ sum uorthie uicht I happie uolde remaine^ 
 
 I uolde me happie thinke if thus I martired uaire 
 
 for sum sueit sainte in sacrifice that both uaire goode & faire. 
 
 but 6 alace my paine & restles greif it grouis 
 
 for her quho neuer once on me a louing thocht^ bestouis. 
 
 * After the word ' caire,' the following lines are erased : — 
 
 < presume not ye mine eyes the heraldis of my haire 
 with fained ioye to fairde ' my face.' 
 
 *" orig. < musing.' " orig. ' languish.' ** orig. < bestouid uaire on.' 
 
 * orig. '■ looke.' 
 
 Fates. "^ decline. ' paint, adorn. 
 
 37 
 
^oems of King James the First 
 
 yett lett not this dishairte no happie man in loue 
 
 quho finds a maike that uill not change nor for no chance'' remoue. 
 
 all uemen'' are in a curs^^ in uertue sum excell, 
 
 & sum in uyces may ouer matche the greatest deuill in hell. 
 
 the blessedest creatures'^ maid be godd the angellis uaire, 
 
 the cursedest creatures in the uorld the fallen angells are. 
 
 for me I onlie craue a spectacle to be 
 
 quhair in as in a masse confusid all miseries men maye see, 
 
 & quhen my happe shall be to go to uished graue^ 
 
 quhiche is the onlie happie chaunce I euer uishe to haue, 
 
 that then the passenger may reide in going by ; 
 
 for treu & honest constant loue this patient heir dois lye. 
 
 ^ orig. « cause.' - '' < kynde ' deleted after < uemen,' 
 
 " MS. reads ' ocurs.' ^ < that uaire ' deleted after ' creatures.' 
 
 38 
 
VII 
 
 GIF ^LL THE FLOUDIS ^MANGIS 
 THAI ME TV ALB E CONCLUID 
 
GIF ALL THE FLOUDIS AMANGIS THAIME 
 
 WALDE CONCLUID 
 
 'T^HIS comparison of people and king to the rivers and the sea, is clearly 
 -■- reminiscent of the passage in the Book of Ecclesiastes (ch. i. ver. 7) : — ^ All 
 the rivers run into the sea j yet the sea is not full ; unto the place from whence the 
 rivers come, thither they return again.' The views, here expressed, regarding the 
 relation of subjects to their sovereign, were frequently stated by James, both in prose 
 and in verse : — 
 
 * God gives not kings the stile of Gods in vaine. 
 For on his throne his scepter doe they swey.' 
 
 /^ IF all the floudis amangis thaime ualde concluid 
 
 ^^ to stay thaire cours from rinning in the sea^ 
 
 and be that meanis uald think for to delude 
 
 the ocean^ quha soulde ^ impairid be^ 
 
 as thay suponid^ beleiuing that yf he 
 
 did layk thair floodis^ he uald decress him sel^^ 
 
 yit gif ue lyke the ueritie to uie ' 
 
 it pairis*" him nathing as I sail you tell. 
 
 For out of him thay are augmentit all^ 
 
 & maist pairt create as ye sail perceaue^ 
 
 for quhen the sunne dois souk the uapouris small^ 
 
 flirth of the sea quhilk thaime conteine & haue^ 
 
 * orig. ' uald.' 
 
 ^ After 'sel,' the following line is cancelled: — '& yit the contrair ue may 
 graithly see.' 
 
 ' orig. * pairis ' alt. to < harmes ' and restored. 
 
 ' vie, see, view. 
 40 
 
Gif all the Floudis amangis Thaime isoalde Concluid 
 
 ane pairte in uounde in uitt & raine, the leaue ' 
 he rander * dois, quhilk dois augment the strandis ^ 
 of Neptunes uonne ane cott"^, sine thay^ him uaue 
 by hurlyng to him fast out ouire ^ the landis. 
 
 Quhen all is done, ^do to him quhat thay can**, 
 
 nane can perceaue that thay^ do suell him maire ; 
 
 I put the caccj than, that thay^ neuer ranne, 
 
 yitt nochtheless that uald him nauays paire, 
 
 quhat neidis he than to count it or to caire, 
 
 except thaire*" folie uald the maire be shauin, 
 
 sen, thocht thay^ stay, it harmes him nocht a haire 
 
 quhat gaine thay thocht thay had thair cours uithdrauin. 
 
 Than, euin siklyke, thocht subiectis do coniure 
 for to rebell againis thaire prince & king, 
 by leaning him althocht thay hope to smure*^ 
 that grace quhair uith god makis him for to ring^, 
 thocht be his giftis he shau him self bening 
 to help thaire neide & mak thaime thairby gaine, 
 yit uant of thaim ''no harme to him ''dois bring, 
 quhen thay to reu thaire folye salbe faine. 
 
 Then floodis rin on^ youre uontid cours of auld, 
 
 quhilk God be nature deulye hes prouidit 
 
 for thocht ye stay as i afoir haue tauld 
 
 & cast ane dout quhilk God hes ellis decidit 
 
 to be coiund, be you to be deuidit, 
 
 ye kyth^ youre spyt yit dois the deip na skaith^, 
 
 farr better uarr in utheris ilk confydit, 
 
 ye floodis, thou deepe, quhilk uarr youre deuties baith. 
 
 * orig. * ye.' '' orig. ' ye suell him nathing mair.' " orig. ' youre,' 
 
 ^ orig. ' to him no harme.' ^ orig. ' reteine.' 
 
 ' the rest. ^ order. ' rivulets. 
 
 * one tax (cott) of the custom (wonne) due to Neptune. ^ o'er. 
 
 ^ smother. ^ reign. * show. » harm. 
 
 41 G 
 
VIII 
 
 THIS LAIRGENESS ^ND THIS BREADTH 
 
 SO LONG 
 
THIS LAIRGENESS AND THIS BREADTH 
 
 SO LONG 
 
 'T^HE physical and physiological ideas which find expression in this poem were 
 •*- the received opinions of the sixteenth century. They will be found stated 
 with some completeness in Sir Thomas Elyot's Castle of Health, published originally 
 in 15-41, which attained a wide popularity in the sixteenth and seventeenth 
 centuries. Elyot was not a professional doctor, and his book illustrates the views of 
 educated laymen of the time. He holds the body to be composed of ' the foure 
 complexions, whose fathers are the foure elements,' Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. 
 He defines 'Complexion' as 'a combination of two divers qualities of the foure 
 elements in one body, as hot and dry of the fyre, hot and moist of the ayre, cold 
 and drye of the Earth,' and he thus proceeds to apply his definition to the human 
 body : ' Although all these complexions be assembled in every body of a man 
 and woman, yet the body taketh his denomination of those qualities which abounde 
 in him, more than in the other, as hereafter insueth : — The body where heate and 
 moisture have soveraintee is called Sanguine, wherein the ayre hath preheminence. . . . 
 Where cold with moisture prevaileth, that body is called fleumatick [phlegmatic], 
 wherein water hath preheminence. Cholerike is hote and drye, in whom the fyre 
 hath preheminence. Melancholike is colde and drye, over whom the earth hath 
 Dominion '.' In the Counterblaste, King James states a similar view : — ^' Man beeing 
 compounded of the foure complexions, although there be a mixture of them all in all 
 the parts of his body, yet must the divers parts of our Microcosme, or little world 
 within ourselves, be diversly more inclined, some to one, some to another complexion, 
 according to the diversitie of their uses, that of these discords a perfect harmonic 
 may be made up for the maintenance of the whole body.' This idea is elaborated 
 in the lines beginning, ' Lyke warre doth holde oure boddie in peace.' The suggestion 
 that no complexion maintains a permanent sway over the whole body leads to the 
 comparison with democracy. It was somewhat dangerous for a supporter of the 
 political theory held by the king to find in nature an analogue to democratic 
 institutions, and James therefore proceeds to remove the effect of his admission 
 by discounting such ' cameleon-lyke ' changes, and by comparing a king who rules 
 in accordance with law to the condition of the body when one of the elements 
 maintains rule with modesty, instead of, tyrant-like, seeking their ruin. The whole 
 discussion is unlike the king's usual method of treating such a subject, and he breaks 
 off the argument without completing the poem. 
 
 ' Cf. Francis Bacon's physical speculations, Tryon's Way to Health, and King 
 James's Counterhlaste. 
 
 44 
 
This Lairgeness and this Breadth so Long 
 
 'T^HIS lairgeness & this breadth so long^ this hienes so profound^ 
 -■- "this boundit infinity the masse confusid of all this round % 
 this chaos lourde, I say, quhiche in it self suche uproaris urocht 
 & sau it self in one moment borne, in nothing maid of nocht, 
 the broodie ' boddie uas quhairof the essence pure deuyne ; 
 & foure contending brethren oucht thaire birth to borrou syne, 
 nou as to thir foure elementis thir tuinn sonnes ment by heir 
 to uitt the subtill air, the fyre, the earth, & uatteris cleir, 
 composed thay are not, but of thaime is all composed & maid, 
 that can into oure sensis fall or may be thocht or said ; 
 quhither"^ if thaire qualities do poure thaire quhole eifectis uithin 
 eache pairt of euerie boddie mixed & so to uorke beginn, 
 or quhither that on euerie pairt thaire beingis thay confound 
 & so of beingis double tuaine one bodie do compounde, 
 euen as uithin the boddume hou ^ of christall glassis clein 
 the uyne uith the Achelien^ sakke"* for to be mixt is seene 
 or euen as meate quhiche quholsume is & subtile liqoure fyne 
 do mixe thaime selfis uithin us for to chainge in chilus ^ syne ; 
 this by experience may ue see into the stikke that burnis : 
 unto the heauen his natiue house his fyre full suift returnis, 
 his aire it flyes in uanished reike ^, his earth in cendres fallis, 
 his uattir crakkis into his knottis, *"& as for succoure callis*". 
 
 * orig. ' this infinit quhiche boundit is this great worlde laking ground.' 
 ^ The MS. contains a variant spelling, < acheloyen.' 
 ' orig. ' the lyke uarre us befallis.' 
 
 ' prolific. The sense of the passage is somewhat obscured by the construction ; 
 the meaning is, ' This bounded infinite,' &c. was the prolific body which shares in 
 the divine essence. Cf. Genesis, ch. i, ver. 2, where the Divine Spirit is represented 
 as brooding over the face of the waters. 
 
 ^ whether. ' hollow. 
 
 + sack of Achelous, i. e. water. Cf. Adam's ale. 
 
 ' chyle. * smoke. 
 
 4-r 
 
'Poems of King James the First 
 
 lyke uarrre doth holde oure boddie in peace^ quhose' earth her fleshe 
 
 it bene, 
 quho dois into her uitall spreitis her fyre & aire contene^ 
 her uattir in her humouris lyeSj yea thou can see no pairt 
 in all oure humaine boddie quhaire eche one by naturall airt 
 hath not his michtie uertues mixt^ althoch ^ue plainlie see^ 
 that ather one or other of thaim the cheif commander be ; 
 into the masse of seithing bloode^ this claiey dregg & thick 
 is blake melankolie quhiche sadd dois to the boddum stikk, 
 composed of earthlie substance grosse ; in bloode the aire abydes 
 quhiche^ pure into the middist ""dois suimme*"; the humoure in the 
 
 sydes 
 it is the colde & uatrie fleume ; this foam that licht dois floate 
 & holdis the self aloft '^ it is the birning cholere hoate. 
 I meane not that cache element into his hande retaines 
 the scepter of one boddie aye ; his tyme about he raignes, 
 the subiect making for to stoupe unto his lau & uill 
 & als oft as his king is chaingid he chaingis natures stilly 
 euen as^ uithout respect of uelth of bloode or noble race, 
 cache uorthie cittizen commandis d certaine tyme & space 
 in citties democratike free^ that suddantlie appeare 
 throuch chainging of thaire magistrat a ^chaingit face^ to beare ; 
 for people lichtly agitat uith dyuers humouris strainge^ 
 cameleon lyke, uith maineris of ^thaire reulairis do thay^ chaingc. 
 euen so the element that in the uyne as cheif dois raigne 
 quhyles makis it drye, quhylcs uakke^ quhyles hoate & sum tymes 
 
 colde againc, 
 by thaire commixtionis^ imparfyt or parfyt in it plaist, 
 enforcing it to chainge als uell of uertu as of taist, 
 
 * orig. * that plaine it be.' '' orig. < &.' " orig. * it suimmes.' 
 
 ^ orig. ' abone.' " orig. < a new face for.' ^ orig. < his reulairis dois he.' 
 
 s orig. * coniunctionis.' 
 
 ' <■ Quhose,' refers to ' boddie ' : — < the Earth is her flesh, the fire and air her 
 vitall spirit, and the watter her humours.' ^ weak. 
 
 ^6 
 
This Lairgeness and this Breadth so Long 
 
 so as by process of the tyme the uergus bitter grene 
 
 sueete uyne becummis,, then stronger uyne^ syne uiniker it bene. 
 
 nou euen as quhen i prince or king dois ouer us so command 
 
 as underneath the yoake of lau he garris his greatness stant^ 
 
 he readis uithout suspicion and the comounuelth enioyes 
 
 most happelie a quyet state uithout tirannike toyes ; 
 
 but if thatj cruell tirrant lyke^ he neuer satiat be 
 
 uith his goode subiectis saikless ' bloode^ & if his suorde do flee 
 
 to bloodie schairpe the skabert stilly his raage it uill not spaire 
 
 in end to turne his cruill land in desertis uylde & baire; 
 
 the lyke fallis out quhen as one of the elementis empyres 
 
 ouer his three fellouis modestly & not thaire urake requyres 
 
 & quhen as k proportion afFeirant * ioynes ue see 
 
 the subiect humouris uith the cheif^ thoch thay unaequall be^ 
 
 the boddie in being then abydes & als it doth retaine 
 
 the speciall drauchtis of all his forme quhiche outuardlie remaine ; 
 
 but if that lyke unto that king quho barbarous did desyre 
 
 that all the cittizenis of his most michtie great empyre 
 
 baire but one craige^ that by that meanes (6 crueltie) he micht 
 
 by one great blou bereaue the lyues of all the Romanis quicht^. 
 
 * The following line is cancelled after <■ quicht ' :—' then seekes he of his fellouis 
 all the urake & the ruyne.' 
 
 ' innocent. ^ corresponding. 
 
 5 neck. The reference is to the saying ascribed by Suetonius to Caligula : — 
 • Utinam Populus Romanus unam cervicem haberet.' He Vita Caesarum^ Lib, iv. 
 
 4-7 
 
IX 
 ON HIS OWN DESTINT 
 
 H 
 
ON HIS OWN DESTINY 
 
 True is that saying used of olde 
 
 'X^HIS unfinished composition is remarkable as containing very few Scots words, 
 -*- and it may be inferred from the style that it was written after the year 
 I (Jo 3. It is unfortunate that the king did not continue this account of his 
 own destiny up to the date of the English succession. The closing lines of the 
 fragment refer to the journey of James to Norway and Denmark in search of 
 his bride (cf pp. 30-33). It is evident from the Declaration made by the king to 
 his Council, on the occasion of this expedition, that many of his subjects shared 
 his view of the risk incurred in ' so kittill a lande ' by the departure of a monarch 
 * laiking parents, brethren, bairnis, or any neir of kinn.' The king endeavoured 
 to quiet such apprehensions by pointing out ' the schortenes of the way, the suretie 
 of passage being clene of all sandis, foirlandis, or siclike dangeiris, the harboreyis 
 in these partis sa suir, and na forreyne fleetis resorting upoun these seis.' So he 
 decided that he might *on unkouth coastis a harberie seike to fynde,' and gave 
 notice to his subjects that * It is my plesure that na man grudge or murmour at thir 
 my procedingis.' 
 
 TRUE is that saying used of olde amongst philosophes uyse^ 
 that to escheu his destiney in no mannis hande it lyes, 
 & thoch that thay as ethnikes blynde on fortoune laide the cause, 
 & on the course & influence of starres & of thaire lauis, 
 yett do ue christianis cleirlie knou that it is Godd alone 
 quho did before beginningis all on uordlie thingis dispone, 
 euen he into his gloriouse & steadfaste schyning throne 
 hes geuin to euerie thinge k tyme quhen as it must be done, 
 that thoch this staitlie heauen ue see the seas & solide grounde 
 must perishe & must chainged be into a suddaine stounde ', 
 yett not a worde of his decrees shall euer fall in uaine, 
 but must be at that instant done he did for it ordaine ; 
 
 ' in a moment. 
 5-0 
 
On his own Destiny 
 
 & so as I haue said it dois from Goddis preordining flou 
 
 the certaintie of destineiSj & not of starres dois grou : 
 
 for thay as simple creatures can no uayes gydit be 
 
 except be Him that creat thaime ; then iudge hou lyke is he^ 
 
 that can not stande nor reule himself, to gyde so many thinges, 
 
 turne famouse kingdomes upsyde doune, make & unmake thaire 
 
 kinges. 
 thus ethnikes fonde thoch uordlie uyse not knouing any Godd, 
 did first inuent that fortoune & the starres did reule the rodd, 
 for lyke a blynde man laking licht thay uanderid heere & thaire, 
 by gess uith groaping stummelling oft, but uist not hou or quhaire ; 
 & since sum christianis on thaire steppis cimmerianis haue no schame 
 to take upon thaime to debaite & putt in proofe the same, 
 soft & faire redounding muse returne unto thy uaye 
 thou choosis heir too lairge a fielde, & to to farr astraye 
 & uorse then that thou art to ueake a momus to be bolde 
 so many learnid men to impugne that this to meet and holde'. 
 then to returne to destineis, hou that none can thaim escheu, 
 I may ajffirme that in my self I proued it to be treu ; 
 for I, as being a king by birth, it seamid my lott uas maid 
 into that cuntrey to be tyed quhaire my empyre uas laide, 
 & laiking parents, brethren, bairnis or any neir of kinn, 
 in kaice of death or absence to suplee my plaice thairin, 
 & cheiflie in so kittill ^ a lande quhaire feu remember can 
 for to haue seine gouuerning thaire a king that uas a man^, 
 & thouch throuch thir occasionis all it uas my settlid mynde, 
 that I soulde neuer on unkouth'^ coastis a harberie seike to fynde. 
 
 ' sic. The text is somewhat uncertain here. ^ difficult, lit. ticklish. 
 
 3 * a king that uas a man.' James had been preceded by his mother, Queen 
 Mary, whose long minority began in 15-42. There could thus have been com- 
 paratively few alive in Scotland at the end of the sixteenth century who could 
 remember his grandfather, James V. 
 
 + strange. 
 
 yi 
 
X 
 
 THE CI TSAL. 
 
THE CI PSAL/ 
 
 'T^HIS version of Psalm ci is quite different from that which appears in The 
 Psalms of IQng David translated by IQng James {167,0). The language is Scots 
 whereas the printed version is written in English. It is, therefore, probable 
 that we have here an early attempt at versification of the Psalms, written before 
 KJ03. This is rendered the more probable by the fact that the Psahn is written 
 on the verso of the folio containing the Sonnet to Bacchus (No. III). 
 
 ^TpHY mercy uill I sing & iustice eik, 
 -*- uith musike uill I prayse lehoua greats 
 I uill tak head the richteous path to seik 
 quhill * tyme Thou call me to Thy mercie seat, 
 still shall I ualke in uprichtnes of soule 
 uithin my house quhich halloued is to The_, 
 myne eyes upon no uikkid thing shall roule, 
 for all suche deides I hate & shall thaime flee. 
 
 All godles men (thay shall) from me depairt^ 
 
 I uill not knou no euill nor uikked thing, 
 
 the toung bakbytes the nichbour in quyet pairt 
 
 I uill cutt out & lett it for to spring, 
 
 the man that lookis to hie throuch suelling pride, 
 
 & uith d bouddenit^ brest dois seame to bold, 
 
 him can I no uayes suffer nor abyde, 
 
 sith that myne eies true men on earth beholde. 
 
 Note, not in the king's handwriting, « This psalm is corrected in the copie.' 
 * till. ^ swollen. 
 
 T4 
 
The CI Tsal. 
 
 Thay shall sitt doun uith me^ as also thay 
 shall be my seruandis that do ualk aricht, 
 no craftie man shall duell uith me I say 
 nor Hers shall be stablisht in my sicht, 
 I uill rut out ilk morning one & all 
 of uikkid men that on the earth do duell, 
 and by that meanes lehouas cittie shall 
 be uoyde of uikked uorkers fals & fell. 
 
 SS 
 
XI 
 
 HIS 'JMAIESTIES LETTER UNTO 
 ^JMR. DU BART AS 
 
HIS MAJESTIES LETTER UNTO 
 MR. DU BARTAS 
 
 ^T^HE poet Guillaume de Salluste du Bartas (1^44-11-90) was a member of 
 ■*- a noble Huguenot family. He was closely associated with the person of King 
 Henry of Navarre, by whom he was employed on diplomatic missions to England 
 and to Denmark. His poems, The Furies and The Uranie^ were translated by King 
 James, and, in return, Du Bartas composed a French version of the king's Lepanto. 
 Letters couched in the most flattering terms passed between them, and each wrote 
 sonnets in the other's praise. The letter, here published for the first time, may be 
 approximately dated by the fact that Du Bartas visited Scotland in the summer 
 of the year i y 8 7. An account of his visit is given in the Diary and Autobiography of 
 Mr. James Melvill, the nephew of the more widely known Andrew Melville, the 
 leader of the Presbyterian party in Scotland, and the king's principal opponent : — 
 'In the monethe of May [ifSy], Guiliaum Salust, S[eignour] du Bartas, cam in 
 Scotland to sie the king, of whome he was receavit according to his worthiness, 
 interteined honourablie, and liberalie propyned [presented with gifts] in the hervest, 
 to his Majestie's grait praise, sa lange as the French toung is used and imderstuid 
 in the warld. About the end of Junie, his Majestic cam to St. Androis and 
 brought with him the said Du Bartas, and coming first without anie warning to the 
 New College [St. Leonard's], he calles for Mr, Andro [Melville], saying he was com 
 with that gentleman to haifF a Lessone. M"" Andro answeres, That he haid teatched 
 his ordinar that day in the fornoone. " That is all ane," sayes the king, " I mon 
 haifF a lessone, and be heir within an houre for that effect." And, indeid, within 
 les nor an houre, his Majestie was in the scholl, and the haill Universitie convenit 
 with him j befor whom M"" Andro ex tempore intreated maist cleirlie and mightelie 
 of the right government of Chryst, and in effect refuted the haill Actes of Parliament 
 maid against the discipline thairof, to the grait instruction and confort of his 
 auditor, except the king allean [alone], who was verie angrie all that night.' 
 Andrew Melville, with many merits, did not possess the graces of chivalry, and 
 the king had some reason for being indignant. He, accordingly, arranged that 
 Du Bartas should hear the other side from the titular Archbishop of St. Andrew's, 
 Patrick Adamson. ' Upon the morne,' continues Melville, ' the Bischope haid bathe 
 a prepared lessone and feast maid for the king. His lessone was a tichted upe 
 abregment [i. e. a close epitome] of all he haid teatched the yeir bypast, namlie, 
 
 f8 
 
His ^JMaiesties Letter unto ^JMr. du Bartas 
 
 anent the corrupt groundes quhilk he haid put in the king's head, contrarie to the 
 trew discipline. To the quhilk lessone M' Andro went, contrar to his custome, 
 and with his awin pen market all his fals grounds and reasones, and . . . caussit ring 
 his bell at twa efternoone the sam day.' The king, who certainly showed 
 considerable patience, announced his willingness to bring Du Bartas to hear 
 Melville's reply, on condition that regard should be had to the royal presence. 
 Melville promised that, so far as was possible, without prejudice to the truth, he 
 would ' behave himself moderately and reverently.' James then sent a message that 
 * he wald haiff his four hours [four o'clock meal] in the College, and drink with 
 Mr. Andro.' The Archbishop came prepared to meet Melville in argument, but 
 Melville confuted him by quoting from Roman Catholic writers who held Adamson's 
 views. *The quhilk, when he haid at lainthe and maist cleirlie schawin to be 
 plean Papistrie, then he settes against the sam with all his mean [main], and with 
 invincible force of reasones, from cleir grounds of Scripture, with a mightie parrhesie 
 and fluide of eloquence, he dinges tham sa down, that the Bischope was dasht and 
 strukken als dum as the stok he satt upon. Efter the lessone, the king, in his 
 mother tongue, maid sum distingoes [distinctions], and discoursit a whyll thairon, 
 and gaifF certean injunctiones to the Universitie for reverencing and obeying ot 
 his Bischope : wha, fra that day furthe, began to tyre of his teatching, and fall 
 mair and mair in disgrace and confusion. The king, with Monsieur du Bartas, cam 
 to the Collage Hall, wher I causit prepear, and haiff in readines a banquet of wat 
 and dry confectiones, with all sortes of wyne, wharat his Majestie camped [caroused] 
 verie mirrelie a guid whyll, and thairefter went to his hors. But Monsieur du 
 Bartas taried behind and conferrit with my uncle and me a whoU houre, and syne 
 followed efter the King ; wha inquyring of him that night, as ane tauld me^ « What 
 was his judgment of the twa he haid herd in St. Androis ? " He answeret the King, 
 "That they war bathe lerned men, bot the Bischope's war cunned [conned] and 
 prepared maters, and M' Andro haid a grait reddie store of all kynd of lerning 
 within him ; and by [besides] that, M"" Andro his spreit and courage was far above 
 the other."' Du Bartas^ as a French Protestant, was scarcely an impartial judge ; and 
 if, as Melville adds, the king approved his decision, he must have done so out of 
 courtesy to his guest. 
 
 Du Bartas returned to France in the same year, and united his fortunes to those 
 of Henry of Navarre. He was mortally wounded at the battle of Ivry, in March, 
 15-90. The fame of Du Bartas, as the poet of Huguenot France, was very high, 
 and the admiration which King James and the Melvilles entertained for his works 
 continued to be usual for a considerable period after his death. His poems, through 
 the translations of Joshua Sylvester {1^6^-161%) were long popular in Scotland. 
 Later critics, with one great exception, have failed to find in his verse the qualities 
 which his contemporary reputation seemed to imply, and he is now almost forgotten. 
 The one exception is Goethe, of whom a biographer of Du Bartas writes : ' Goethe 
 trouve que les sujets traites par ce poete sont vastes et bien choisis, ses descriptions 
 riches, et ses pense'es majestueuses.' The reference is to Goethe's Conversations with 
 Eckermann (French translation, vol. II, p. 16 j). 
 
 S9 
 
Letters of King James the First 
 
 A LEXANDRE le grand ayant est6 inform^ de la grande uertu 
 ^^ & sagesse de Diogenes philosophe cinique en fut tellement 
 rauy qu'il ne se sceut contenter iusques tant qu'il eut communiqque 
 auec lui, estimant d'aquerir non la moindre partie de contentement 
 & renomm^e en se faisant oculatus testis des singulieres uertus de 
 ce susdit personnage. La pareille occasion de rauissement, 6 tres 
 illustre poete, m'estant ministrde par la lecture de mon Homere 
 (car de mesme facon ie me sers des menus-fruicts de nostre admirable 
 muse comme ce susdit conquereur des Iliades) que iay est^ agit^ 
 de deux fortes passions dun mesme instant^ a scauoir, iuste Douleur 
 & insatiable Desir: Douleur que ce pais n'a est^ si heureusement 
 fertile que d'auoir produit un tell' colosse ou piramide triomfale 
 triomfant urayement sur le monde d'un triomfe eternell, pour 
 auoir le premier mis en oeuure^ & le seul puis6 profbndement iusques 
 au fonds ce diuin subiect, chantant poetiquement la creation & 
 conseruation aussi bien du grand monde que du microcosme par 
 la sage puissance & soigneuse prouidence du tout puissant Createur, 
 mais quant a I'extresme Desir^ il me pousse sans cesse a I'imitation 
 de ce Douleur du monde que comme iournellement i'oy le chant 
 de rUranie ie puisse une fois obtenir la ueue de son iidelle secretaire. 
 N'estimeSj 6 Saluste, qu'en usant ces epithetes enuers uous ie me 
 ueuille seruir de la faulse flatterie ains du deu & uray louange de 
 la uertUj le hault louange de laquelle ne doyt estre pass^e en 
 silence habitante en personne quelquonque : & comme chacuns 
 desireux de uoir le pourtraict de ceux qui ont surpasse le monde 
 en quelque insigne uertu^ d'autant qu'ill le remett en memoire des 
 uertus si louables de mesme^ ayie un ardant desir de ueoir le palais 
 de la Muse urayement celeste^ puis que null mortell ne peut ueoir 
 rhost, pour ceste cause ie uous escrips ceste present. Ie uous prie 
 donques tres afFectueusement de prendre tant de peine que de uenir 
 icy au commencement de I'est^ prochain^ & mesme en may, sil 
 est possible; le uoyage n'est point long, uous pouues passer par 
 
 60 
 
^v#' 
 
 
 
 ,xi^t-<^- ■- T7 
 
 
 
 i*-;^ 
 I 
 
 
 ^^^^ 
 
 
 ^■e^r 
 
 
 ^'^^i^'r^S liable. ,^^.^ 
 
 ^^1 
 
 KI^LJ^^^^r^-^ 
 
 -l^j,^^-^ '<iL^^^i^iM^^^ ^ 
 
His ^JMaiesttes Letter unto CMr. du Bartas 
 
 terrcj demeurer icy aussi peu de temps que uous uoudres, nonobstant 
 les troubles, ie m'asseure que le roy de Nauar le trouuerra bon 
 pour si peu de temps car ie luy ay aussi escriput pour ce mesme 
 effect J & ie m'asseure que uous uiendres le plus uolontiers puis que 
 nous auons communes deos : puis donques que iay tant uoeu uostre 
 ombre en uos oeuures une fois da dextra iungere dextram ie uous 
 prie de rechef de uenir, m'asseurant donques que puis que ma demande 
 est si iuste ex orator e exorator fieri ie uous commets & uos estudes 
 a la sainte tuition & inspiration du bon & uray dieu. 
 
 di 
 
XII 
 
 CANDim LECTORI 
 
CANDIDO LECTORI 
 
 TN his Apologie for the Oath of Allegiance^ King James, in refuting a charge brought 
 against him of having been a Puritan in Scotland, remarks on the absurdity of 
 the accusation as applied to himself: *• I that in my Booke to my Sonne doe speake 
 tenne times more bitterly of them nor of the Papists, having in my Second Edition 
 thereof, affixed a long Apologetike Preface, onely in odium Turitanorum? The book 
 in question, the Basilikon Doron, was originally published in 1^99, but the first 
 edition was restricted to seven copies, that the book might not come to the know- 
 ledge of Andrew Melville and the General Assembly. It was, however, impossible 
 to keep the secret, and so many garbled reports became common, that the king 
 decided to publish the work, along with an explanatory preface. Writing in 
 England, in i<Jo7, he described this preface as composed in odium Puritanorum j but 
 it partakes, to some extent, of the nature of an apology, and contains some eulogy 
 of the system of Church Government then established in Scotland. The Preface, 
 which is here printed for the first time, must date from a period after the English 
 succession, because its reference to differences between ' all other reformed churches 
 and oure churche ' is not applicable to the Church of Scotland before the year id 10. 
 It may have been prepared for the English edition of the Basilikon Boron (1(503) or 
 for the folio edition of id 18. It is interesting as showing that the king's support of 
 Episcopacy was based upon its political importance, and not upon any theory of its 
 divine institution such as was held by Charles I. 
 
 A LTHOGH I will not distruste in any courteowse & christian 
 -^-^ reader^ but that he will easilie discerne by the drifte of that 
 place in this my praeface quhaire I speake of puritaines^ that I onlie 
 speake thaire of my owin state at hoame, & of the puritainis in 
 my dominions that are disobedient to my lawiSj without any inten- 
 tion to medle with the gouuernement or policie of the forraine 
 reformed churchis, especiallie if he will considder the conclusion of 
 my saide prseface^ yett in cace any enuyouse momus shoulde detracte^ 
 or willfullie mistake my meaning heirin^ I haue thoght goode by 
 these few lynes to declaire^ that quhat I speake against Puritainis 
 thaire^ I meane it onlie by so manie of my owin subiectis within 
 
 ^4 
 
Candida Lectori 
 
 my owin dominions as are that waye inclyned^ leauing all other 
 reformed churches to thaire Christian libertie, yea I ame so farre 
 frome iudging thaime in these pointis of difference betwene thaime 
 & oure churche, the most quhairof are meerelie adiafore as I do 
 thinke it a speciall point of oure Christian libertie, quhiche Chryste 
 hathe lefte unto us, that euerie Christian king, free prince, or state, 
 maye sette doune & establishe suche i forme of exterioure ecle- 
 siasticall policie in the churche within thaire dominions, as shall 
 best agree with the frame of thaire ciuill gouuernement & policie, 
 allwayes keeping fast the groundis of the faithe & trew Christian 
 religion, farre be it from me to iudge of those quhome God hathe 
 not subiectid to my iudgement, quhiche waire directlie to gainsaye 
 one of these places of skripture sette doune in the frontispice of this 
 same booke non ergo ampUus inuicem iudicemus. 
 
 6s K 
 
oxford: HORACE HART 
 PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY