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THE POEMS 
 
 ROBERT HENRYSON 
 
IN GENTLE HENRTSON S UNLABODR D STRAIN 
 SWEET ARETHUSa's SHEPHERD BREATH'd AGAIN. 
 LAKGHORNE, 1763. 
 
THE 
 
 POEMS AND FABLES 
 
 OF 
 
 ROBERT HENRYSON, 
 
 NOW FIRST COLLECTED. 
 WITH NOTES, AND A MEMOIR OF HIS LIFE. 
 
 BY DAVID LAING. 
 
 EDINBURGH: MDCCCLXV. 
 WILLIAM PATERSON, PRINCES STREET. 
 

 054S, 
 
 02. 
 
 EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY JOHN HUGHES, THISTLE STREET. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 Advertisement, 
 
 Memoir of Robert Henryson, 
 
 Page 
 
 VII 
 
 IX 
 
 Appendix, No. I. List of Persons of the name of 
 Henryson, from the middle of the Four- 
 teenth to the end of the Fifteenth Century, xxxvii 
 
 No. II. The Lands and Barony of Fordell, . xl 
 
 No. III. The Hendersons of Fordell, . . xlvi 
 
 No. IV. Notices of the chief Persons of the name 
 of Henryson or Henderson during the Six- 
 teenth Century, ... l 
 
 Miscellaneous Poems. 
 
 Robene and Makyne, 
 
 3 
 
 The Garmond of Gude Ladeis, 
 
 8 
 
 The Bludy Serk, .... 
 
 10 
 
 The Abbay Walk, . . . . 
 
 15 
 
 Aganis Haisty Creddance of Titlaris, 
 
 18 
 
 The Prais of Aige, .... 
 
 21 
 
 The Ressoning betwixt Aige and Yowth, 
 
 23 
 
 The Ressoning betwixt Deth and Man, 
 
 27 
 
 The Three Deid Powis, . 
 
 30 
 
 The Salutation of the Virgin, . 
 
 33 
 
 The Want of Wyse Men, . 
 
 36 
 
 Ane Prayer for the Pest, 
 
 39 
 
 Sum Practysis of Medecyne, 
 b 
 
 43 
 
TABLE OP CONTENTS. 
 
 Pagb 
 
 OftPHEUS AND EURYDICE, .... 49 
 
 The Testament of Cresseid, . . .75 
 
 The Complaint of Cresseid, ... 89 
 
 The Moral Fables of -^sop in Scottish Metre. 
 
 The Prologue, ..... 101 
 
 The Taill of the Cock and the Jasp, . . 104 
 The Taill of the Uplandis Mous and the Burges 
 
 Mous, ..... 108 
 
 The Tain of Schir Chantecleir and the Foxe, . 118 
 The Taill how this foirsaid Tod made his Confes- 
 
 sioun to Freir Wolf Wait-skaith, . . 127 
 The Taill of the Sone and Air of the foirsaid 
 
 Foxe, callit Father Ware : alswa the Parlia- 
 
 mentof Fourfuttit Beastis haldin be the Lyoun, 134 
 
 The Taill of the Dog, the Scheip, and the Wolf, 148 
 
 The Prologue, .... 155 
 
 The Taill of the Lyoun and the Mous, . . 159 
 
 The Preiching of the Swallow, . . 168 
 The Taill of the Wolf that gat the Nek-Herring 
 
 throw the Wrinkis of the Foxe that begylit 
 
 the Cadgear, .... 181 
 The Taill of the Foxe that begylit the Wolf in the 
 
 Schadow of the Mone, . . .193 
 
 The Taill of the Wolf and the Wedder, . 203 
 
 ^ The Taill of the Wolf and the Lamb, . . 210 
 
 The Taill of the Paddok and the Mous, . 217 
 
 Notes. 
 
 Notes and Various Readings, . . . 227 
 
 Additional Notes, .... 301 
 
 The Gloss artt, ..... 309 
 
/ 
 
 ^^3/ 
 6 33y 
 
 ADVERTISEMENT. 
 
 HEN the collected edition of Dunbar's 
 Poems was published in 1834, I 
 announced the present volume as in 
 preparation. The materials were to 
 some extent collected, but want of ^-^ 
 leisure and other circumstances kept me at the time ^ 
 from sending it to press. A few years ago, having 
 resumed a scheme which I had merely postponed, the 
 chief portion of tlie text was actually printed, but an 
 interruption took place, and the volume was laid aside, 
 to be completed at the first convenient season. 
 
 Every Manuscript known to contain any poems attri- 
 buted to Henryson has been carefully consulted ; and 
 the early printed editions, all of them of the utmost 
 degree of rarity, have not been overlooked. It is 
 unnecessary to specify these in this place, as they are 
 particularly described in the Notes. In regard to the 
 Author's personal history, scanty as the notices may be, 
 fortunately he is not like many of our Old Makars, 
 whose writings have perished, and who stand before 
 
[ viii ] 
 
 US in a dim shadowy obscurity, affording some tran- 
 sient glimpse, or with the mere sound of a name ; 
 while of others the few unimportant reliques that have 
 reached our times, serve only to indicate that such 
 persons had ever existed. 
 
 DAVID LAINa. 
 
 Edinburgh, 
 February 1865. 
 
 Il 
 
MEMOIR 
 
 ROBERT HENRYSON. 
 
 ENRYSON, author of 
 the Moral Fables of 
 iEsop, and of Robene 
 and Makyne, the ear- 
 liest specimen of pas- 
 toral poetry in our 
 language, flourished 
 in the reign of King 
 James the Third 
 (1460-1488). Ac- 
 cording to the prevailing tradition of the last century, 
 he was the representative of the family of Henryson or 
 Henderson of Fordell, in the county of Fife. In the 
 account of the family given in Douglas's Baronage of 
 Scotland,! ^y^ gn j ^he following statement : — 
 
 " The sirname of Henderson or Henryson, which are 
 the same, is of considerable antiquity in Scotland ; and 
 
 Edinb., 17! 
 
 118. 
 
X MEMOIR OF 
 
 the progenitors of this family have been settled in the 
 western parts of Fife above 300 years ago. Their 
 immediate ancestor, Mr Robert Henderson, appears 
 to have been a man of distinction in the reign of King 
 James the Third, and is witness in a charter to Patrick 
 Baron of the lands of Spittlefield, together with John 
 Lundine of that ilk, John Beaton of Balfour, &;c., anno 
 1478. He was father of Mr Jajies Henderson of 
 Fordell, who made a great figure in the reign of King- 
 James the Fourth. He was a man of extraordinary 
 parts, and, being bred to the law, was appointed King's 
 Advocate anno 1494, and afterwards Lord Justice- 
 Clerk. He having redeemed some part of the lands of 
 Fordell, which had been wadset by his predecessors to 
 Alexander Drummond of Ardmore, upon his resigna- 
 tion got a charter under the Great Seal, &c. 8th March 
 1510." 
 
 In this statement there are two very important points 
 for which no authority is adduced : The first, that the 
 Justice-Clerk was the son of the Poet ; the second, that 
 the Hendersons were possessors of the lands of Fordell 
 prior to the years 1510 and 1511, when, having been 
 acquired by purchase, they were erected into a barony 
 in favour of Mr James Henryson and his wife, Helen 
 Batye. The charter of 1478, to be afterwards men- 
 tioned, has no reference whatever to Fordell or to Hen- 
 ryson individually. 
 
 Of the paientage and early history of Robert Hen- 
 ryson, the poet, no certain information can be dis- 
 covered : it would therefore be idle to hazard anv con- 
 
ROBERT HENRYSON. XI 
 
 jectiires as to the place of his birth. The surname was 
 not uncommon in different parts of Scotland during the 
 Fifteenth Century. In proof of this some notices will 
 be given in the Appendix, No. I. But we cannot 
 greatly err in supposing him to have been born not 
 later than the year 1425. That he received a liberal 
 education, and proceeded " in the schools " through the 
 usual course till he had taken the degree of Master of 
 Arts, might be inferred from the circumstance that he 
 is uniformly styled Master Robert Henryson, a title 
 given in those days exclusively to persons who had 
 received this academical distinction. At that period 
 there existed only two Universities in Scotland — that 
 of St Andrews, founded in the year 1411, and of Glas- 
 gow in the year 1451 ; but his name does not occur in 
 the existing registers of either ; and we may conclude 
 that he pursued, or at least completed, his studies 
 at Louvain, Paris, or some other foreign university, 
 where prelections in Canon and Civil Law were given. 
 His own words,^ in reference to iEsop, might therefore 
 in some measure be applicable to himself, when, in reply 
 to the questions as to his birth, faculty, name, and place 
 of residence, he said, — 
 
 I am of gentill blude, 
 
 My native land is Rome withouttin nay ; 
 And in that iownejirst to the Sculis I yxide^^ 
 In Civile Law studyitfidl mony arte day, 
 And now my winning ^ is in Hevin for ay. 
 
 ^ Page 157. ^ Yude, went. ^ Winning, habitation. 
 
Xll MEMOIR OF 
 
 Fortunately, we are not left to mere conjecture 
 respecting his academical studies and qualifications, as 
 we find that, on the 10th of September 1462, the 
 Venerable Master Egbert Henrysone, Licentiate in 
 Arts and Bachelor in Decrees,^ was incorporated or 
 admitted a member of the newly founded University of 
 Glasgow. 
 
 This fact, hitherto unnoticed in his biography, is 
 of considerable importance, as it supplies us not only 
 with a precise date in his life, but exhibits him as hold- 
 ing a rank in society superior to that of a parochial 
 Schoolmaster, even of such a place as Dunfermline. 
 His poems likewise furnish occasional proofs of his 
 attainments in science as well as learning. From the 
 designation of "venerable" we may infer that he was 
 somewhat advanced in life ; and although no such record 
 is preserved, it is by no means improbable that he be- 
 came a Fellow for the purpose of reading lectures in 
 law. In one of his poems he speaks of himself as " ane 
 man of age." ^ 
 
 How it happened that Henryson took up his resi- 
 dence in Dunfermline, we cannot say, — unless he may 
 originally have belonged to that district; but that he 
 or his predecessors ever possessed a single acre of the 
 
 ^ " Anno Domini etc. [M.cccc.]lxij<' die decimo meusis Sep- 
 tembi'is Incorporatus fuit venerabilis vir ]\Iagister Robertus 
 Henrtsone in Artibus Licentiatus et in Decretis Bachalarius" 
 — (Munimenta Alme Universitatis Glasguensis, vol. ii., p. 69). 
 
 ^ See p. 76. In another place he speaks of himself as having 
 some experience or practice in medicine ; but obviously no stress 
 can be laid upon such expressions. 
 
ROBERT HENRYSON. Xlll 
 
 lands of Fordell, is a gratuitous assumption. Dunferm- 
 line was a town of considerable importance, having 
 been constituted a Royal Borough in the reign of David 
 the First. It afterwards became a royal residence, and 
 was also celebrated for the noble Benedictine Monas- 
 tery which was founded by King Malcolm Canmore 
 (1057-1093), and changed by David the First to an 
 Abbey in 1124, — the church and monastery being dedi- 
 cated to the Holy Trinity and St Margaret Queen of 
 Scotland. Among his other avocations Henryson acted 
 as a notary -public. In the Chartulary of Dunfermline 
 there are three deeds in which he is so designed, but 
 merely as one of the witnesses. They were granted by 
 Henry Abbot of Dunfermline to George de Lothreisk, 
 and to Patrick Barone, burgess of Edinburgh, and Mar- 
 garet his spouse, of the lands of Spettelfield, near the 
 borough of Inverkeithing, in March 1477-8 and July 
 1478. In each of these deeds, Magister Robertus Hen- 
 rison notarius puhlicus occurs simply as a witness, with- 
 out any other designation.^ 
 
 1 Registrum de Dunfermelyn, :MS., fol. 63% 63^, 64».— The 
 deeds above referred to are included in the volume printed for 
 the Bannatyne Club, p. 370, vnth this omission, that no notice 
 is taken of the -witnesses. I may here supply this deficiency. The 
 first two are dated the 18th and 19th of JNJarch 1477-8, and the 
 names are the same in the Register : — " Testihiis Willelmo de 
 Menteth domino de Westkers, Willelmo Stewart, Johanne 
 Menteth, Magistro Roberto Henrison publico notario, Wil- 
 lelmo Balluny, Jacobo Lothreisk, et Alexandro Foulis publico 
 notario, cum aliis. Apud," &c. In the third the MS. has, — 
 " Testibus Johanne Lundy de eodem milite, Johanne Betoun de 
 Balfour, Wilelmo Stewart, Johanne Menteth, Johanne Mosman, 
 
XIV MEMOIR OF 
 
 At an early period, when tlie Canon Law prevailed 
 in Scotland, few persons, it is believed, other than 
 ecclesiastics, were qualified to exercise the office of 
 notary in executing deeds and other legal instruments. 
 This arose from the circumstance that they were almost 
 the only persons who were competent by their educa- 
 tion and a knowledge of Civil and Canon Law. Each 
 notary held his appointment by Papal and Imperial 
 authority, confirmed by the Bishop of the Diocese, as 
 Ordinary.^ By an Act of King James the Third, dated 
 20th November 1469, the Imperial authority was set 
 aside in favour of the King ; yet only those who held a 
 commission from the Pope could act in matters spiritual 
 or beneficial, while laymen were employed, by virtue 
 of regal authority, in matters civil. We do not find 
 Henryson anywhere styled dericus, or presbyter, to 
 denote that he was in priest's orders; and no original 
 deeds, written or attested by him as notary-public, are 
 known,^ but such may still exist, and would necessarily, 
 
 Villelmo Balluny, domino David Maxwell notario publico et 
 Magistro Robekto Henrisoun notario publico, cum aliis muUis. 
 Datum apud Dunfermelyn vi° die mensis Julij Anno Domini 
 M<'CCCC<'lxxviij<'." 
 
 ^ See Dr Irving's History of Scottish Poetry, p. 209, and his 
 Preface to Henryson's Fables, p. ii. 
 
 ^ The early borough records of Inverkeithing are not pre- 
 served, but among the old charters or deeds of this royal 
 borough it seemed not unlikely some documents of the kind 
 might still be preserved. A search however, kindly undertaken 
 by William Fraser, Esq., Town-clerk, at the request of Dr 
 E. Henderson, failed in discovering any such deeds, either 
 written or signed by Henryson. 
 
ROBERT HENRYSON. XV 
 
 in the usual form, describe by what authority and in 
 what diocese he had been admitted to the office. 
 
 Of Henryson's occupation while a resident in Dun- 
 fermline, beyond the circumstance of his acting as a 
 notary-public, no precise information has been dis- 
 covered. There is still preserved among the borough 
 records an old volume of the latter part of the Fifteenth 
 century, being the Court-book of the regality, but no 
 mention of his name occurs in it.^ Henryson's desig- 
 nation as "Schoolmaster of Dunfermline" is first met 
 with on the title of his Fables in 1570 and 1571, and 
 again on his Cresseid in 1593, copied probably from 
 others of a much earlier date. Lord Hailes- says, — 
 " I suppose his office to have been that of Preceptor of 
 Youth in the Benedictine Convent at Dunfermline;*' 
 and Sibbald,^ in quoting these words, adds, — " Perhaps 
 what was then called Professor of Art and Jury." Mr 
 Chalmers,* however, on the other hand, remarks, — 
 " His Lordship seems not to have been aware that in 
 Henryson's time, and even as early as the Twelfth and 
 Thirteenth centuries, there were schools in each of the 
 
 1 From this Borough Register, and from passages in Henry- 
 son's poems, an interesting lecture was delivered in Dunfermline 
 in February 1864, and published under the title of "Burgh Life 
 in Dunfermline in the Olden Time. A Lecture by the Rev. 
 William Ross, Aberdour. Edinburgh, Edmonston and Douglas, 
 1864," 8vo., pp. 34. 
 
 ^ Ancient Scottish Poems, p. 273. 
 
 3 Chronicle of Scottish Poetry, vol. i., p. 87. 
 
 * Preface to Henryson's Robene and Makyne, &c., p. vii. 
 note 2, Edinb. 1823, 4to. 
 
XVI MEMOIR OF 
 
 most considerable towns in Scotland ; and the rectors 
 or masters of these schools appear, in various docu- 
 ments, in the Chartularies. Tliere were certainly schools 
 in Edinburgh, Roxburgh, Perth, Aberdeen, Strivelin, 
 Air, Berwick, Dunfermline, and probably in other towns. 
 Boys of good families were frequently educated in the 
 monastaries, but this was done by the monks themselves, 
 and not by established schoolmasters, who were not 
 monks." 
 
 We cannot presume to say that the Poet was erro- 
 neously called Schoolmaster, and the fact seems to be 
 that the Grammar School of Dunfermline was within 
 the precincts of the Abbey, and under the jurisdiction 
 of the Abbots. Subsequent to the changes produced 
 by the Reformation, we find that on the 13th of Octo- 
 ber ] 573 a complaint came before the Lords of Privy 
 Council at the instance of "John Henryson of the 
 Grammar School icithin the Abbey of Dunfermline" 
 stating, — ''That he and his predecessors had continued 
 Masters and Teachers of the Youth, in letters and doctrine, 
 to their great commodity, within the said school past 
 memory of man, admitted thereto by the Abbots of Dun- 
 fermling for the time," &c. It might easily be inferred 
 from such a statement that Robert Henryson the Poet 
 had been one of the predecessors of the said incumbent 
 in 1573.^ The schools of Dunfermline continued in a 
 prosperous state; and Queen Anna of Denmark, wife 
 
 1 This complaint or memorial, extracted from the Privy 
 Council Register, is given in the Appendix, No. IV. 
 
ROBERT HEXRYSON. XVll 
 
 of James the Sixth, after the succession to the throne 
 of England, mortified or vested in the hands of the 
 Provosts and Magistrates of the borough the sum of 
 2000 pounds Scots out of the temporalities of the Abbey 
 for the support of the Master of the Grammar and Song 
 Schools of Dunfermline, 24th August 1610.^ 
 
 Whether Henryson the Poet was married, and left 
 children, we have no means of deciding. Had he been 
 in priest's orders, he could have left no legitimate issue ; 
 but his academical title as Bachelor of Decrees, in 1462, 
 implies his having followed the legal profession. I 
 have already stated that no evidence has been adduced 
 to shew, either that the King's Advocate in the reign 
 of James the Fourth was a son of the Poet, or that any 
 portion of the lands of Fordell was possessed by the 
 Hendersons prior to the year loll. As other persons 
 of the name, during the Sixteenth century, were con- 
 nected with Dunfermline, this may perhaps explain the 
 origin of the traditionary reports respecting his descen- 
 dants, and the Fordell family. 
 
 In the earlier charters of the Monastery of Inch 
 Colme, or St Colme's Inch (founded by King Alexan- 
 der the First about the year 1123 for Canon-Eegulars 
 of St Augustine), we learn that Fordell was a royal 
 castle in the reign of David the First, and that the pro- 
 perty in the following century belonged to an ancient 
 family of the name of De Camera. Nearly three cen- 
 
 See copy of the Bond in the Historical and Statistical Ac- 
 count of Dunfermline, by the Rev. Peter Chalmers, D.D., vol. 
 ii., p. 417. 
 
 L 
 
XVIU MEMOIR OF 
 
 turies later, in the reign of James the Fourth, we find 
 that the lands of Fordell had been subdivided, and were 
 then in the possession of several heirs-portioners, until 
 the year 1511, when purchased by Mr James Henryson, 
 King's Advocate and Clerk of Justiciary. At that 
 time they were united, and erected into a barony in 
 his favour, and of Helen Batye, his spouse, and their 
 children, by a charter under the Great Seal, dated 1st 
 May 1511.' It would have been gratifying had we 
 been able to associate the old Moral Poet with such a 
 domain, or to establish his claims as progenitor of its 
 subsequent proprietors. I have reason to believe that 
 Sir John Henderson of Fordell (who died in 1817), 
 himself an accomplished scholar, was desirous to con- 
 nect the Foet with his family ; and I entertained the 
 hope that some light on this head might have been 
 obtained from the Fordell charters, but an examination 
 of such documents or papers as were likely to serve this 
 purpose proved to be fruitless.^ A more distinct claim 
 
 1 See Appendix, Nos. II. and III. 
 
 ^ I have to acknowledge that I was indebted to the zeal and 
 intelligence of the Rev. William Ross, Aberdour, for under- 
 taking this task, when permission was obligingly granted by 
 G. "W. Mercer Henderson of Fordell, Esq. All that ISIr Ross could 
 discover connected with this search was a paper containing the 
 following jottings, apparently in Sir John Henderson's hand- 
 writing : — " Robertus Heni'yson, son and heir of John Henry- 
 son, in a charter of Henricus Scott, burgess of Inverkeithing, 
 1458 ; Robert Henryson, 1464 ; Robert Henryson, 1481 ; in a 
 charter of B. Friars, 1486, George is mentioned as son of Robert 
 Henryson ; and Robert Henryson, son and heir of George Hen- 
 derson, 1487." Unfortunately no importance can be attached to 
 
ROBERT HENRTSON. XIX 
 
 to be the lineal descendant of the poet was made by 
 Captain John Henryson of the Engineers, who died in 
 the year 1832.1 
 
 The name of Henryson at least will remain insepar- 
 ably associated with Dunfermline. His poems exhibit 
 him as of a grave meditative disposition : at one time 
 (as he tells us in the first line of a fable now lost)^ 
 walking by the banks of the Forth ; at another time, 
 on a fine morning in June, enjoying the beauties of 
 Nature, the sw^eet smell of herbs and flowers, the 
 luxuriant blossoms of Spring, and the harmony of birds ; 
 or again, in his old age, pacing up and down the clois- 
 ters of the venerable Abbey, turning his thoughts on 
 the vanity of all earthly concerns, and consoling him- 
 self, while reflecting, that the more of age the nearer 
 the bliss of heaven.^ 
 
 Sir Francis Kynaston, in the reign of Charles the 
 First, translated into Latin verse, with a commentary, 
 the Troilus and Cresseid of Chaucer, and added, as a 
 sixth book, the Testament of Cresseid, included in the 
 several editions of the works of the great English poet. 
 He pointed out, however, that this sixth book was 
 written by Henryson, as he states, upon the authority 
 
 these jottings : the want of Magister precludes their having any 
 special reference, either to the Poet or to the founder of the 
 Fordell Hendersons, I may add, that after Sir John's death 
 many old papers were unluckily destroyed. 
 
 ^ See Appendix, No. IV. ^ See infra, p. 275. 
 
 ^ The « Abbey Walk," apparently the same with the " Chapel 
 Walk," mentioned in the Complaynt of Scotland, 1549. 
 
XX MEMOIR OP 
 
 " of Sir Thomas Erskine (created Earl of Kellie in 
 1619), and of divers aged scholars of the Scottish 
 nation, that it was made and written by one Mr Robert 
 Henderson, sometimes cheife schoole master in Dun- 
 fermling;''* and he states that, " being very old, he died 
 of a diarrhea or flux/' This he illustrates by an anec- 
 dote of the closing scene of our Poet's life, extracted 
 in the subjoined note.2 No date is assigned when this 
 occurred, but we may place it a few years before the 
 close of the Fifteenth century, about which time Scot- 
 
 1 Waldron's Troilus, &c., p. xxx. Lond. 1798, 8vo. 
 
 2 " For this Mr Robekt Henderson, he was, questionless, a 
 learned and a witty man, and it is pitty we have no more of 
 his works. Being very old, he dyed of a diarrhea or fluxe, of 
 whom there goes this merry, though somewhat unsavoury tale ; 
 that all phisitians having given him over, and he lying drawing 
 his last breath, there came an old Woman unto him, who was 
 held a witch, and asked him. Whether he would be cured? To 
 whom he sayed. Very willingly. Then, quod she, there is a 
 whikey tree in the lower end of your orchard, and if you will goe, 
 and walke but thrice about it, and thrice repeate these wordes, 
 * Whikey tree, Whikey tree, take away this Jluxe from me,^ you 
 shall be presently cured. He told her, that beside he was ex- 
 treme faint and weake, it was extreme frost and snow, and that 
 it was impossible for him to go. She told him, that unless he 
 did so, it was impossible he should recover. Mr Henderson then 
 lifting upp himselfe, and pointing to an oaken table that was in 
 the roome asked her, and seied, Gude dame, I pray ye, tell me if 
 it would not do as well if 1 repeated thrice these words : Oaken 
 bui'd, Oaken burd, garre me s*'^* a hard t***. The Woman 
 seeing herself derided and scorned, ran out of the house in a 
 great passion, and Mr Henderson, within halfe a quarter of an 
 houre, departed this life." — (Waldron's Troilus, &c., p. xxx). 
 The Whikey tree is the mountain-ash, called also the rowan-tree, 
 which was noted in witchcraft. 
 
ROBERT HENRYSON. XXI 
 
 land was visited by pestilence for at least the third time 
 during that century. Dunbar, in his well-known poem, 
 " The Lament for the Death of the Makaris" (or poets), 
 printed by Chepman and Myllar in 1508, and written 
 about two years previously, says of Death that 
 
 In Dunfermline he hes done roun 
 Gud Maister Egbert Henrisoun. 
 
 This epithet good is very appropriate, and may suggest 
 that the two Poets had been personally acquainted. 
 But whatever the year was in which his gentle spirit 
 passed away, we need not doubt that his mortal remains 
 found a resting-place within the precincts of the Abbey 
 of Dunfermline/ 
 
 In forming an estimate of Henryson's character as 
 a poet, we should not overlook the early period when he 
 flourished — soon after the middle of the Fifteenth cen- 
 tury. In his minor poems there is great beauty in the 
 versification, and much delicacy in the expression. His 
 " Bludy Serk " is among the oldei^ examples we have of 
 what is called Ballad Poetry. As a pastoral poem his 
 " Robene and Makyne " is not less remarkable. Camp- 
 bell calls it " the first known pastoral, and one of the best 
 in a dialect rich with the favours of the pastoral muse."^ 
 " Although his phraseology," it has been observed, " is 
 peculiarly Scottish, it is evident that he had studied 
 the writings of Chaucer as well as of King James I., and 
 
 1 The woodcut at p. xxxvi is reduced from an unfinished etch- 
 ing in 1815 by Patrick Gibson, landscape-painter, Edinburgh. 
 ' Specimens of the British Poets, vol. ii., p, 67. 
 
 C 
 
XXll MEMOIR OF 
 
 had moulded his versification accordingly/'^ Another 
 genial writer sums up Henryson's character as follows : 
 — " Of the works of this venerable man it is difficult, 
 when we consider the period in which they were writ- 
 ten, to speak in terms of too warm encomium. In 
 strength, and sometimes even in sublimity of painting, 
 in pathos and sweetness, in the variety and beauty of 
 his pictures of natural scenery, in the vein of quiet and 
 playful humour which runs through many of his pieces, 
 and in that fine natural taste, which, rejecting the faults 
 of his age, has dared to think for himself, he is alto- 
 gether excellent."' It cannot be said that Henryson 
 was possessed of the higher faculty of inventive genius ; 
 and if in this respect he must be reckoned inferior to 
 Dunbar, he may at least bear comparison with Lydgate 
 and the other followers of their master, Chaucer. He 
 is remarkable for an easy flowing style, and in his vivid 
 perception of the beauties of external nature he is sur- 
 passed by none of our older poets. 
 
 Henryson, who could look abroad with the eye of a 
 landscape-painter, capable of appreciating the objects 
 around him, with all their varied associations, was 
 also possessed of considerable descriptive powers. 
 With what skill, for instance, has he marked the 
 chief features of the Seasons, filling up his sketch 
 with allusions to heathen mythology. First, we have 
 Summer, clad in a jolly mantle of green, decked with 
 
 ^ Professor Aytoun's Ballads of Scotland, vol. i., p. Ix. 
 2 P. F. Tytler's Lives of Scottish Worthies (in Murray's 
 Family Library), vol. iii., p. 77. 
 
ROBERT HENRTSON. XXlll 
 
 tlie flowers which tlie Goddess Flora has lent to him 
 for his season, and Phoebus, with heat and moisture, 
 has imparted genial influence with his golden beams. 
 Then comes Harvest, when Ceres and the Goddess of 
 Plenty have filled the barns with corn and wheat, and 
 Bacchus has replenished in France and Italy the empty 
 pipes or casks with generous wines and other liquors. 
 Winter follows, when Eolus, the God of Winds, with 
 his cold blasts has rent into small pieces the green 
 mantle of glorious Summer; and the boughs being 
 deprived of their foliage, the birds, nearly killed by 
 the snow and sleet, have changed their sweet notes into 
 mourning, while the hills and valleys are covered with 
 hoar-frost, and even the wild beasts, escaping from 
 the bare fields, creep into their dens and caves for 
 shelter from the inclement weather. At length, upon 
 the return of the vernal season, Spring appears, the 
 flower columbine looks up from the clay, the birds 
 resume their cheerful notes, and in this genial weather 
 the Poet himself, rejoicing that the bitter blasts were 
 gone, walks out to behold the flowers, to hear the 
 singing of the thrush and nightingale, and to see the 
 labourers all busy in their several occupations, — some 
 building fences, some ploughing the fields, others sow- 
 ing seed, and the harrows " hoppand " or following in 
 their trace to cover the seed with earth .^ His descrip- 
 tion of a summer landscape in the month of June is not 
 less worthy of notice.' Yet have his Fables, in which 
 
 ^ The Preiching of the Swallow, p. 170. 
 
 ^ See the Prologue to the Lyoun and the Mous, p. 155. 
 
XXIV MEMOIR OF 
 
 these and similar descriptions occur, not only been pro- 
 nounced prolix and tedious,l but even to be scarcely 
 worth preserving! 
 
 The tale of Orpheus and Eurtdice is probably an 
 early production of Henryson, and is founded upon the 
 well-known fable in heathen mythology. The old classi- 
 cal writers, Yirgil, Ovid, and Boethius, who relate the 
 fable, vary considerably in minute particulars ; and in 
 the Middle Ages the story was converted into the faery 
 tale of Orfeo and Heurodis, and said to be one of the 
 Breton Lais. Henryson adopts the classical story of 
 Orpheus, son of Apollo and Calliope, one of the Nine 
 Muses, and, being nourished by his mother the Goddess 
 of Harmony, poetry and music were to him a natural 
 inheritance. Eurydice, his wife, was Queen of Thrace, 
 and, when carried off by Proserpine, Orpheus, in his 
 desire to regain her, hangs his harp about his neck, and 
 passes to the heavens to implore the aid of his father 
 Apollo, and other deities of Olympus. Having searched 
 the sun and the planets without success, in his downward 
 journey he hears the heavenly melody and sound, accord- 
 ing to the old poetic fable, of "The Music of the Spheres." 
 
 1 Lord Hailes, — see infra, pp. xxx., 289. 
 
 - Pinkerton ; who makes an exception in favour of " The 
 Twa Llyce." Besides Dr Irving and ]Mr Fraser Tytler, who 
 formed a better appreciation of these Fables, I may refer to an 
 article on Henryson, which originally appeared in a local news- 
 paper, the " Fifeshire Journal," and was reprinted by the author 
 in his excellent little volume entitled "Lives of Eminent Men of 
 Fife. By James Bruce." Edinburgh and Cupar-Fife, 1846, 
 l2mo. 
 
ROBERT HEXRTSON. XXV 
 
 He then directs liis course to the infernal regions, and 
 after twenty days of solitary wandering he reaches the 
 gates of hell ; and there, in the regions presided over 
 by Pluto and Proserpine, he has to encounter numer- 
 ous obstacles in his search for the lost Eurydice. By 
 the charms of his music he overcomes all these difficul- 
 ties, but finally deprives himself of his reward through 
 his own impatience, in forgetfulness of the condition 
 imposed by Pluto when permitting Eurydice to return 
 with Orpheus to earth. Henryson has added a laboured 
 moral application of the fable, which he acknowledges 
 he had derived from the Commentary on Boethius by 
 Nicholas Trivetus, an English Dominican monk of the 
 Fourteenth century/ On the whole, the poem is chiefly 
 remarkable as exhibiting the author's familiarity with 
 the scholastic learning of his age. 
 
 Henryson's poem The Testament of Cresseid is 
 usually considered to be his chief performance. It dis- 
 plays so much skill and genius that we regret it should 
 have assumed the form of a continuation or supplement 
 to the work of another author. The Troilus and Cre- 
 seide of Chaucer was indeed one of the most popular 
 poems in the English language. Warton, in his History 
 of English Poetry, and Godwin in his Life of Chaucer, 
 have each given an extended analysis of this dull yet 
 beautiful poem, which to a modern reader may seem prolix 
 and tedious,but such prolixity was reckoned in those days 
 to be no defect. Its conclusion, however, w^is deemed 
 ^ See notes, infra, pp. 256, 303. 
 
XXVI MEMOIR OF 
 
 to be unsatisfactory, in not exhibiting the false Cresseid 
 as filled with penitence and remorse for her inconstancy 
 to her devoted lover. It was with such a feeling as 
 this that Henryson was induced, as he tells us, to 
 resume the story where the English Poet breaks off, in 
 order to complete the catastrophe by inflicting on 
 Cresseid a suitable punishment. The circumstance of 
 afflicting her with the loathsome disease of leprosy is 
 regarded as opposed to the delicacy which pervades 
 the original work. He has, notwithstanding this, pro- 
 duced, as a distinct episode, a picture of touching 
 pathos and beauty. 
 
 Chaucer's Troilus and Creseide was one of his early 
 productions. He himself professes to have taken it from 
 the original Latin of an unknown author named Lollius. 
 Tyrwhitt imagined that he must have been indebted 
 for the story to the Filostrato of Boccaccio. It was 
 evidently a work engrafted during the Middle Ages on 
 *•' the tale of Troy divine ; " and it has engaged the atten- 
 tion of other English poets besides Chaucer. In particu- 
 lar, it forms the subject of a tragedy by Shakespeare; and 
 Coleridge points out the fine distinction drawn between 
 the vehement passion of Cresseid and the profound 
 affection of Troilus, as what alone deserves the name 
 of love.* This play was altered by Dryden ; and Sir 
 Walter Scott, in republishing it, says, if the deli- 
 cacy of Chaucer's ancient tale has suffered even in the 
 hands of Shakespeare ; in those of Dryden it has, in his 
 
 1 Coleridge's Literary Remains, vol. ii., p. 131 ; Table-Talk, 
 
 vol. ii., p. 15. 
 
ROBERT HEXRYSON. XXVll 
 
 alterations, undergone a far deeper deterioration, having 
 changed coarseness into ribaldry, and " suppressed some 
 of his finest poetry, and exaggerated some of his worst 
 faults.'" 
 
 To return to Henryson. His poem is included in all 
 the early editions, and even in later collections, without 
 any note of distinction, as if it had been the work of 
 Chaucer himself, and is so enumerated in the list of his 
 works by Leland, Bale, and other early writers, who 
 seem never to have heard of the name of Henryson. 
 
 The biographer of Chaucer says that "Henryson 
 perceived what there was defective in the close of 
 the story of Troilus and Creseide as Chaucer left it ; 
 but that the Scottish poet was incapable of rising to 
 the refinements or conceiving the delicacies of the 
 English poet : though it must be admitted that in 
 the single instance of the state of mind, the half- 
 recognition, half-ignorance, attributed to Troilus in his 
 last encounter with Creseide, there is a felicity of con- 
 ception impossible to be surpassed. In some respects 
 the younger poet has clearly the advantage over the 
 more ancient. There is in his piece abundance of 
 incident, of imagery and of painting, without tedious- 
 ness, with scarcely one of those lagging, impertinent 
 and unmeaning lines, with which the production of 
 Chaucer is so frequently degraded." But Mr Godwin 
 observes, that whatever eminence of merit may justly 
 be ascribed to the " Testament of Cresseid," it does not 
 belong to the " Troilus and Creseide." " The poem of 
 ^ Dryden's Works, by Scott, vol. vi., p. 230. 
 
XXVIU MEMOIR OF 
 
 Henryson (he elsewhere remarks) has a degree of 
 merit calculated to make us regret that it is not a per- 
 formance standing by itself, instead of thus serving 
 merely as an appendage to the work of another. The 
 author has conceived, in a very poetical manner, his 
 description of the season in which he supposes himself 
 to have written this dolorous tragedy. The sun was 
 in Aries ; his setting was ushered in with furious storms 
 of hail ; the cold was biting and intense ; and the poet 
 sat in a solitary little building which he calls his oraiure ; 
 the evening star had just risen," &c.^ 
 
 One chief division of Henryson's poetical remains con- 
 sists of Moral Fables. From the earliest times this was 
 a favourite form of composition, and probably had an 
 Eastern origin.2 It was often employed for a two-fold 
 purpose : one to afford instruction and amusement by the 
 means of simple narration ; the other, to serve politi- 
 cal purposes, by conveying satirical allusions under 
 feigned representations, ^sop, although not the inven- 
 tor, is the first recognised writer of such Apologues. 
 He was a native of Phrygia, and is said to have flour- 
 ished in the Fifth or Sixth century before the Christian 
 era. The popular account of his deformity, and the 
 incidents of his life, is itself a pure fable, mixed with 
 some traditions, being the invention of a much later 
 
 ^ Godwin's Life of Chaucer, vol. i., chap. xvi. 
 
 2 Examples of this are given in the introduction of a charm- 
 ing little volume, " JEsop's Fables : a new Version, chiefly from 
 original sources, by the Rev. Thomas James, M.A. With illus- 
 trations by John Tenniel. London, John Murray, 1852," 12mo. 
 
ROBERT IIENRYSON. XXIX 
 
 period, and is usually assigned to Planudes, a monk of 
 the Fourteenth century. Collections of short tales and 
 fables served to amuse all classes of the people during 
 the Middle Ages ; and, after the invention of printing, 
 such works in various forms, as might be expected, had 
 an extensive circulation. The -<Esopian Fiibles, vrith 
 those of Avianus, and other ancient writers, both in 
 Greek and Latin, passed through many editions during 
 the Fifteenth and early part of the following century, 
 including translations into most European languages. 
 
 It is a distinction which we may claim for Henryson 
 that he was one of the first of the British Poets to 
 employ such Fables as a distinct class of our popular 
 literature. The particular collection which he may have 
 used is matter of conjecture, and is not very important 
 to determine. He avoids the common fictitious story 
 of iEsop as a Greek slave of deformed shape and figure, 
 with a swarthy complexion, — on the contrary, he de- 
 scribes him, as he appeared to him in a dream, to 
 be the fairest man he had ever beheld, and a Roman 
 citizen of gentle blood. His description of iEsop's per- 
 son is worthy of Chaucer. Phaedrus, in adopting the 
 fables attributed to ^sop, added many tales of his own, 
 in several instances, in order, by exposing the grievances 
 of the Roman citizens, to denounce the vices and oppres- 
 sions of their rulers. The Scottish Poet may, like him, 
 have used the name of Msop for the sake of his authority : 
 ^sopi nomen sicubi interposuero 
 
 Auctoritatis esse scito gratia.i 
 ^ Fabul. Lib. v. — Prologus. 
 
XXX MEMOIR OF 
 
 Having, as he also says, employed the old ^sopian 
 style, but with modern subjects, — 
 
 Usus vetusto genere, sed rebus novis.^ 
 
 It has been customary to speak of Henryson's Fables 
 as prolix. ** Indeed prolixity," says Lord Hailes, " seems 
 to be the general fault of our modern fabulists : from 
 this charge I cannot except even La Fontaine himself. 
 I have printed some of theMorals without the correspond- 
 ing Fables. They are not so tedious, and they contain 
 several curious particulars as to the state of Scotland." ^ 
 Similar remarks, repeated by other editors, need not be 
 quoted ; but I cannot overlook that the same grave and 
 learned editor assigns, as no small recommendation of 
 Henryson's poems, that " they have a moral turn, and are 
 free from that licentiousness which debases the composi- 
 tions of some of his contemporaries.'"^ His Fables, no 
 doubt if compared with the terseness of Phsedrus, may 
 be called tedious ; but it is this very fact complained of 
 — the minute details and descriptions — that imparts to 
 them so much freshness and vitality. Neither can it be 
 denied that the old Scottish Makar exhibits great skill 
 and ingenuity in narrating a story, and mixed with a 
 degree of quiet humour which is very charming. 
 
 Henryson's poems do not furnish any positive evi- 
 dence of their respective dates, but in his applications 
 to the Fables, when alluding to the oppression of the 
 commons, the iniquitous mode of judicial proceedings, 
 
 ^ Fabul. Lib. v — Prologus. 
 
 ^ Ancient Scottish Poems, &c., Edinb. 1770, p. 280. 
 
 3 lb., p. 273. 
 
ROBERT HENRYSON. XXXI 
 
 the bribery and corruption that everywhere prevailed, 
 and the unsettled state of the kingdom, — and when he 
 prays that the royal authority might be respected, — 
 these all clearly point to the feeble and disturbed reign 
 of King James the Third. 
 
 In regard to the nature of Henry son's Fables, Dr 
 Johnson, in his remarks on Gay, the English poet, 
 says, — " The authors of such fables do not appear to 
 have formed any distinct or settled notion. Phsedrus 
 evidently confounds them with tales, and Gay both 
 with tales and allegorical prosopopoeias. A fable or 
 apologue, such as is now under consideration, seems to 
 be, in its genuine state, a narrative in which beings 
 irrational, and sometimes inanimate, arhores loquuntur^ 
 non tantum ferce, are, for the purpose of moral instruc- 
 tion, feigned to act and speak with human interests and 
 passions."^ The Scottish Poet has most successfully 
 represented his animals as invested with human attri- 
 butes. It would be superfluous to multiply illustrations 
 of this application. One or two examples may suffice : 
 The little mouse (p. 217) wishing to get across a river to 
 the corn-field opposite, runs about in distress, and cries 
 out. Here is no boat, nor any mariners to row it, and 
 if there were, I have no money to pay for the passage. 
 Again, when the frog appears and offers her aid, fright- 
 ened at her appearance, she insists, as a security against 
 fraud, that the murder-oath be taken ; and at last, when 
 this proved to be of no avail, the mouse, in her last 
 extremity, calls out for a priest. In another Fable, 
 ^ Lives of the English Poets, vol. iii,, p. 129. 
 
XXXI I MExMOIR OF 
 
 that of the Tod's Confession to the Wolf (p. 127), the 
 cunning Fox, on a fine starry night, looking up at the 
 stars and planets in the firmament, and studying their 
 influence on human aff*airs, foresees that his evil life 
 will bring him to a fatal end. He resolves, therefore, 
 to shrive himself, and meets with " a worthy Doctor of 
 Divinity" Friar Wolf Wait-skaith, telling his beads and 
 repeating the Paternoster. He salutes him, and makes 
 his confession in due form, when the Wolf enjoins him 
 to true repentance, and grants him absolution, pro- 
 vided he abstains from eating flesh until Easter. How 
 the Fox contrived to evade this act of penance, and 
 how he was punished, are best told in the Fable itself. 
 
 Mr Thorns, in his preface to Reynard the Fox,i illus- 
 trates the peculiarities of such Fables, with quotations 
 from the Essay by Jacob Grimm, prefixed to his edition 
 of the German " Eeinliart Fuchs " in 1834. I avail 
 myself of Mr Thoms's version from the German to give 
 the following extract, as the remarks are fully as applic- 
 able to Henryson's Fables, in which animals, with human 
 attributes, enact their parts, as to the similar stories 
 incorporated in Eeynard : — 
 
 " In the first place, the fable must exhibit the animals 
 as being endowed with human reason, and initiated 
 into all the customs and conditions of our mode of liv- 
 ing, so that their behaviour has nothing at all odd in it. 
 The murdered hen is carried on a bier, with cries of 
 murder, before the king, who orders the service of the 
 dead to be performed, and an epitaph to be placed over 
 ' In the Percy Society volume, see note, p. 277. 
 
ROBERT HENRYSON. XXXUl 
 
 her. The men of the fable do not hesitate to recognise 
 the tonsure of the wolf, who speaks their language, 
 when he prays to be received into the monastery. The 
 peasant enters into a formal contract with the fox on 
 the subject of his poultry, and in his trial with the ani- 
 mal, recognises the lion as the common judge between 
 them. But then, on the other hand, the peculiarities 
 of the nature of the several animals must be brought 
 into play, and made of good effect. Thus the cock 
 sings standing upon one leg and shutting his eyes — a 
 characteristic trait, entirely copied from nature. So, 
 in his battle with the wolf, does the fox avail himself of 
 all his natural cunning. In like manner, the cat's 
 deeply-impressed pro[)ensity for mice, the bear's fond- 
 ness for honey, are necessary levers of the fable, from 
 which the most taking situations arise. Without this 
 uniting into one of two in reality opposing elements, 
 the animal fable {Theirf abel) csnanot exist. Whosoever 
 would invent stories in which the animals merely com- 
 ported themselves like men, but were occasionally gifted 
 with the names and forms of animals, would fail as 
 completely in catching the spirit of the fable, as he who 
 should attempt to exhibit the animals with all the truth 
 of nature, without human address, and without the 
 aimed-at action of men. If the animals of the fable be 
 without any smack of humanity, the fable becomes 
 absurd ; if they are without traces of their animal 
 nature, it becomes wearisome."^ 
 
 ^ The History of Reynard the Fox, from Caxton's edition 
 in 1841 (Percy Society): Load. 1844, pp. xii. and xiii. 
 
XXXI V MEMOIR OF 
 
 Mr Thorns also remarks on this subject, that Grimm 
 shows very clearly the impossibility of the popular 
 stories, in which animals are the actors, being in their 
 nature satirical ; which, no doubt, is correct to a certain 
 extent in regard to the Fables, but the tendency to 
 satire attributed to them is usually exhibited in the 
 Morals, or applications. Even Henryson, in his Mor- 
 alities, indulges, as already observed, in occasional allu- 
 sions to the state of Scotland — under, I presume, the 
 reign of King James the Third. 
 
 In Henryson's subjoining a Morality to each Fable, 
 it is scarcely necessary to remark that this was no 
 novelty. The Eev. Mr James, in his excellent new 
 version of ^sop,^ says of his work, — " An essential 
 departure has been made from the common plan of the 
 English Fabulists, who have generally smothered the 
 original Fable under an overpowering weight of their 
 own commentary. Of course, when Fables were first 
 spoken, they were supposed to convey their own moral 
 along with them, or else they were spoken in vain ; and 
 even when first written, the application given was that 
 of the particular occasion, not of general inference. 
 When in later times, Morals were formally added, they 
 were always brief, and mostly in a proverbial form." 
 But during the Middle Ages, when tales and fables 
 were employed for moral and religious improvement, 
 the system of Moralization was carried to an excess. 
 Long, indeed, before Henryson's time it became a com- 
 mon practice for the monks and preaching friars to 
 1 See note 2, supra, p. xxviii. 
 
ROBERT HENRYSON. XXXV 
 
 introduce into their discourses popular tales, fables, and 
 legends of miracles, in order to excite the attention of 
 their audience, while such fables and legends were 
 " moralized generally by attaching to them mystical 
 significations." ^ The Scottish poet thus alludes to this 
 practice at the close of his last fable, " The Paddok and 
 the Mouse:" — 
 
 Adew, my freind; and gif that ony speiris 
 Of this Fabill sa schortlie I conclude, 
 
 Say thow / left the laifunto the Freiris 
 To mak exempill and ane similitude. 
 
 But in no instance, perhaps, was this system of morali- 
 zation carried to a greater excess, by fantastic analysis, 
 than in the popular collection of stories known as the 
 " Gesta Romanorum." 
 
 I have only further to notice, that selections from 
 Henryson's poems, with more or less accuracy, were 
 printed by Allan Ramsay in his " Evergreen,'* 1724, 
 by Lord Hailes in " Ancient Scottish Poems," 1770, and 
 by James Sibbald in the "Chronicle of Scottish Poetry," 
 1804. Besides single specimens in various collections, 
 a volume was printed for the Bannatyne Club in 1824, 
 which contains Robene and Makyne, and a reprint of 
 the 1592 edition of the Testament of Cresseid. A 
 similar volume, printed for the Maitland Club in 1832, 
 contains the Fables from the later edition of J621. 
 
 ^ Preface to " Selection of Latin Stories, of the Thirteenth 
 and Fourteenth Centuries," edited for the Percy Society (No. 
 xxviii , 1842) by Mr Thomas Wright, who has in various publi- 
 cations so ably illustrated the mediaeval literature of England. 
 
XXXVl 
 
 MEMOIR OF ROBERT HENRYSON. 
 
 In the present volume the whole of Henryson's Poems 
 and Fables are collected for the first time. The text 
 is uniformly given from the earliest and best copies ; 
 and the principal various readings are printed out in 
 the Notes. It will not escape the notice of an atten- 
 tive reader that the author uses a good deal of licence in 
 altering or curtailing words for the sake of the rhyme. 
 One or two doubtful poems are included, from the wish 
 not to omit anything that has been attributed to him. I 
 might also have given, upon conjecture, a few anony- 
 mous pieces, but it was not desirable to swell the volume 
 to an unreasonable size. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 No. I.— A LIST OF PERSONS OF THE NAME 
 OF HENRYSON, FROM THE MIDDLE OF 
 THE FOURTEENTH TO THE END OF THE 
 FIFTEENTH CENTURY. 
 
 The following list might have been enlarged by the 
 addition of other persons whose names occur in various 
 records without any special distinction. Those which 
 are enumerated are quite sufficient to shew that the sur- 
 name was not uncommon, at the time when the Poet 
 flourished, in several parts of Scotland. In the earlier 
 instances, the name occasionally appears in its primitive 
 form, the Son of Henry (filius Henrici.) It is by no 
 means likely that either the parentage or the descendants 
 of the Poet will ever be clearly ascertained, but in any 
 future investigations the subjoined list may prove useful 
 for supplying some connecting link : — 
 
 James Henryson, — Jacobus filius Henrici, in Decem- 
 ber 1364— (Chamberlain Rolls, vol. i. pp. 413, 414). 
 
 William Henryeson Senior, appointed by Edward 
 
 the Third Chamberlain (Camerarius) of the Castle of 
 
 Lochmaben, upon the death of Humfi-ey Bohun, Earl of 
 
 Hereford and Essex, 17th March 1372-3. Workmen were 
 
 d 
 
XXXVlll APPENDIX. 
 
 authorised to be taken, under his inspection, for repara- 
 tion of the castle, 1 2th May 1374. But he received orders 
 from the King to resign his oflSce in favour of Thomas 
 Ughtred, Chevaler, 3d February 1376-7— (Rotuli Scotiae, 
 vol. i. pp. 957, 963, 980). 
 
 John Hexryson, — Johannes filius Henrici, burgess 
 of Edinburgh, is mentioned in the years 1387, 1392, and 
 1395— (Charters of St Giles, pp. 23-28 ; Chamberlain 
 Rolls, vol ii. p. 286 ; Reg. Mag. Sig., p. 179). 
 
 James Henrysox, — " Combustio Jacobi Henrici apud 
 Perth, A.D. 1407 "— (Registrum Glasguense, p. 316). 
 Might not this person have been another of the Lol- 
 lards, like James Resby, who was burned as a heretic 
 at this time? — (See Knox's History, vol. i. p. 496). 
 
 Mr John Henryson, — Johannes Henrici, Bachalarius 
 (in the earliest list of members of the University of St 
 Andrews), in the year 1413, and Magister in 1414— 
 (St Andrews Registers). 
 
 John Henryson, — Safe-conduct to John Henryson, 
 with four servants, to go to England, 23d May and 
 12th July 1424— (RotuU Scotic^, vol ii. pp. 247, 249). 
 
 John Henryson of Dumbarton, named as one of the 
 assessors for settling a dispute between Dumbarton and 
 Renfrew, 21st August 1424 — (Hamilton of Wishaw's 
 Lanark and Renfi-ew, p. 282.) 
 
 Robert Henryson, one of the masters of a merchant 
 vessel called Nicholas of Aberdeen, carrying salmon to 
 London, had a safe-conduct, 28th October 1434. The 
 same person, styled a merchant of Scotland, is included 
 in another safe- conduct, 19th January 1440-1 — (Rotuli 
 Scotia3, vol. ii. pp. 290, 367). 
 
 Alexander Henryson, carnlfix Regis (at Kyntore, 
 &c.), in 1437— (Chamberlain RoUs, vol. iii. pp. 366-388). 
 
 Dominus Adam Henrici, chaplain of the altar of St 
 Duthac, In St Giles's Church, Edinburgh, 13th February 
 1437-8— (Charters of St Giles, &c , p. 59). 
 
APPENDIX. XXXIX 
 
 Johannes Henrici, gardiner (ortolanus) at Doiiii, 
 A.D. 1451— (Chambeiiain Rolls, vol. iii., p. 552). 
 
 Domiuus Patricius Henrici, capellauus, 7th Feb- 
 ruary 1453-4 — (Registrum de Aberbrothok, p. 82). 
 
 Thomas Henrison, Licentiate in the University of 
 St Andrews, 1465. Evidently the same as Henry- 
 son pauper, — a term applied to students who paid no 
 fees, — a Determinant, in 1462— (St Andrews Registers). 
 
 Dominus Johannes Henrici capellanus, natus de 
 Kilbimy, incorporated in the University of Glasgow, in 
 1469 — (Munimenta, &c.. vol. ii. p. 76). 
 
 William and Alexander Henrisons, 3d March 
 1471-2— (Acta Auditorum, p. 22). 
 
 Henryson, pauper, a Determinant in the Uni- 
 versity of St Andrews, in 1475 — (St Andrews Registers). 
 
 Thomas Henrison, and his spouse. Confirmation of 
 Charter by Robert Logan of Restalrig, in 1467, of a 
 land in Leith, 18th October 1477— (Reg. Mag. Sig., B. 
 8, No. 44). Thomas Henrisone de Leith, 22d January 
 1488-9— (Acta Domin. Concil., p. 213). 
 
 Robert Henryson, Edinbm-gh, in 1478 — (Charters 
 of St Giles, pp. 137, 150). Christian Govain, and 
 umquhile Robert Henrisone, her spouse, Edinburgh, 9th 
 November 1479— (Acta Domin. Concil., p. 43). 
 
 Sir Walter Henrison, chaplain of the altar of St 
 Kentigern, in the parish church of Jedburgh, penult 
 August 1479— (Regist. Mag. Sig. lib. ix. No. 7). 
 
 Robert Henrisone, Ballivus de Lochmaben, — ^In the 
 Parliamentary proceedings against Alexander, Duke of 
 Albany (brother of King James the Third), 7th October 
 1479, in the summons executed on the 1st, 9th, and 
 25th May 1479, the name of Robert Henrisone appears 
 as a witness. In the latter instance the summons was 
 proclaimed at the borough cross of Lochmaben, being 
 witnessed, among others, " venerabilibus viris Magistro 
 Ricardo Drummond rectori de Penersax, Roberto Hen- 
 
wmm 
 
 Xl APPENDIX. 
 
 risone ballivo de Lochmaben," &c. — (Acts, Pari, of 
 Scotland, vol. ii. pp. 12, 127). 
 
 Umquhile Thomas Henryson, wool pakker (or mer- 
 chant?) at Bruges, 30th March 1479— (Acta Audit. , p. 28). 
 
 James, Robert, and William Hexrisones, tenants 
 of the lands of Trekware (Traquair), 23d March 1481-2 
 — (Acta Auditorum, p. 96). 
 
 Thomas Henrison, burgess of Haddington, 19th 
 May 1484— (Acta Auditorum, p. 138 *). 
 
 EOBERTUS HeNRICI Ct JOHANNES HeNRICI fiUuS SUUS, 
 
 10th October 1486— (Regist. de Aberbrothok, p. 248). 
 
 Elizabeth Peblis, spouse and executrix of umquhile 
 George Henrisone, burgess of Edinbm-gh, 10th July 
 1492— (Acta Domin. Concil., p. 247). 
 
 Robert Henderson, one of the tenants and inhabit- 
 ants of the lands of Petscotty and Dura (in Fife), 2d 
 September 1493— (Acta Domin. Concil., p. 376). 
 
 David Henrison, litster, bm-gess of Edinbm-gh, 11th 
 July 1494— (Acta Domin. Concil., p. 374). 
 
 Dave Henrisone, witness before the Regality Court 
 of Dunfermline, relative to the disposal of a piece of 
 ground, 2d February 1497-8— (Regality Court Books). 
 
 No. II.— THE LAISTDS AND BARONY OF 
 FORDELL. 
 
 FoRDELL is in the parish of Dalgetty, or the western 
 part of the county of Fife, about six miles from Dunferm- 
 line, three from Inverkeithiug, and the same distance 
 from Aberdour. The house of Fordell is beautifully 
 situated, and from the higher grounds the views are 
 very extensive, commanding at one sweep the whole 
 
APPENDIX. Xli 
 
 opposite coast of Mid- Lothian, with Inch Colme and 
 other islands in the Fu*th of Forth. The present man- 
 sion-house is a large and commodious building, of the 
 middle of last century,^ when architecture was at a very 
 low ebb, with some additions recently made. 
 
 A little to the north-west is the old Castle or House of 
 Fordell. It appears originally to have been a building 
 of the fifteenth century, when mansion-houses retained a 
 castellated form for defence. Among some old papers 
 which I lately had an opportunity to examine, relating 
 to the family of Spittell of Luchat, there was a notarial 
 deed, on the 5th of June 1566, according to which, 
 " William Spittell, fiar of the lands of Luquheit, passit 
 to the lands and manis of Wester Fordell, the place and 
 habitation of James Henderson of Fordell, quhar Robert 
 Peris, James On-ok, and sundrye other masones and 
 warkmen war lawborand and biggand ane foundation of 
 ane house of ane gret quantite ; " and protested against 
 the same in the name of " William Spittell, his gudschir, 
 who had a part of the said lands of Fordell in heritage ; 
 and the same were not separated and divided." The 
 result of this protest is unknown. 
 
 But two years later we find, from Birrell's Diary, that, 
 on " the 3d day of Junij 1568, being Thursday, James 
 Henderson of Fordell had his place of Fordell brunt by 
 ane suddaine fyre, both the old worke and the new." — 
 (Diary of Robert Birrell, in Dalyell's Fragments of 
 Scotish History, p. 16.— Edinb., 1798 : 4to. 
 
 The walls of the " old work " not being easily destroyed 
 were no doubt restored; while the " new work" may have 
 been that which was in progress two years previously. 
 The walls of the oldest or western portion still exhibit 
 
 * A view of FordeU House is given in the Scots Magazine for 
 January 1813. 
 
xlii 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 unmistakeable tokens of this burning. Above the en- 
 trance-door is the date 1567, with the family arms cut 
 in stone. The picturesque appearance of this house or 
 castle, with its stone turrets and old fashioned roof, has 
 been well preserved, and the interior restored in a satis- 
 factoiy manner — considering that, within recollection, 
 the large principal hall had been converted into a stable 
 and byre for cattle. 
 
 The following wood- cut exhibits the style and charac- 
 ter of this old building. It is given from a photograph 
 taken some years ago, kindly communicated by Dr E. 
 Henderson from his Dunfermline Collections : — 
 
 FOEDELL CASTLE, FROM THE ^-OETE-EJ*.ST, 
 
APPENDIX. xliii 
 
 Ncarliand is the old chapel, which, according to the 
 charter of 1511, was dedicated to St Therotiis, and was 
 latterly converted into a family burying-vault. A cen- 
 tury later, the name is given as Theretus. But the name 
 of this Saint does not occur in the Romish Calendar. 
 There is also an ancient well called St Eirret's well, a 
 corruption of that Saint's name. 
 
 As already stated, at p. xvii the lands of Fordell in 
 the early part of the thirteenth century belonged to the 
 ancient family of De Camera. A copy of the charter by 
 which Richard, son of Hugh De Camera, with the con- 
 sent of his son Richard, conveyed a grant of land to the 
 monastery of Inch Colme, may here be given. The names 
 of the witnesses seem to fix its date between the years 
 1202 and 1214. Hugh, Bishop of Dunkeld, is said to 
 have died in 1214. Patrick, Sub-prior of Durham, suc- 
 ceeded as Abbot of Dunfermline in 1202 
 
 " Universis Sancte Matris filijs et fidelibus literas 
 istas visuris vel audituris Ricardus filius Hugonis de 
 Camera salutem eternam in Domino Noverit Universitas 
 vestra me assensu et consensu A . . . sponse mee 
 et Ricardi heredis mei dedisse et concessisse et hac mea 
 carta confirmasse Deo et Ecclesie Sancti Columbe de 
 Insula et Canonicis ibidem Deo servientibus et servituris 
 in perpetuum unam bovatam terre in territorio de For- 
 dal illam scilicet Que jacet juxta mare inter terram de 
 Dalgathin et terram de Lowchald per rectas divisas suas 
 et unum toftum et croftum in eadem villa mea de Fordall 
 cum commuuibus asiamentis et communi pastura ad 
 tantam terram pertinen. pro anima mea et anima A . . . 
 sponse mee et omnium antecessorum et successorum 
 meorum tenend. de me et heredibus meis in puram et per- 
 petuam elemosynam libere et quiete ab omni auxilio et 
 secular! exactione Quare volo ut predicti Canonici pre- 
 nominatam terram ita libere quiete et honorifice teneant 
 
IM 
 
 xliv APPENDIX. 
 
 et possideant sicut aliqua elemosyna melius et quietus et 
 houorificentius tenetur et possidetur in regno Scotiae his 
 testibus Hugone Episcopo Dunkeldense Willielmo 
 Abbate de Saucta Cruce P. Abbate de Dunfermline 
 Alexandre vicecomite de Stirling Thoma de Lund}Tie 
 et multis aliis." ^ 
 
 The Reverend Mr Ross, who has made a collection of 
 the old deeds connected with this celebrated Monastery 
 of Inch Colme, founded by Alexander the First, about the 
 year 1123, discovered in the Fordell charter-room a con- 
 temporary copy, if not the original, of the above deed. 
 
 In the Chartulary of Inch Colme there is also a charter 
 of King Alexander the Third, dated at Dunfermline the 1st 
 December in the 31st year of his reign (1280), confirming 
 the donation made by William Dod, burgess of Inver- 
 keithing, and Matilda, his spouse, to the monastery of 
 Inch Colme of the mills of Fordell: — "Deo et Monasterio 
 de Insula Sancti Columba? et canonicis ibidem servienti- 
 bus . . . de molendinis de Fordell cum tota terra ad 
 dicta molendina pertineii." 
 
 The lands of Fordell may have reverted to the Crown, 
 but when or in what way they became subdivided until 
 erected into a separate barony has not been ascertained. 
 Among other lands Alexander Hepburn, son and appa- 
 rent heir of Mariota Normanville of Gargunnock, had a 
 charter of the lands of Fordell, in Fife, last May 1480— 
 (Reg. IMag. Sig., Lib. 9, No. 9). 
 
 A note of the Fordell charters granted in conjunct 
 fee to JMr James Henryson, bnrgess of Edinburgh, and 
 his wife, Helen Baty, may be here added from the 
 Register of the Great Seal — 
 
 1 Registrum Coenobii de Inch Colm : Impensis Walteri M'Farlan de 
 eodem. In ipsius usum transcriptum 1739, folio, pages 10-11. (Adv- 
 Library, Jac. v., 4, 24 ; 35, 2, 5. M'Farlan's transcript was made from 
 the original Chartulary, which was then in the possession of the Earl 
 of Moray, but is now supposed to be lost. 
 
 I 
 
APPENDIX. Xlv 
 
 1. From Alexander Drummond of Ardmore, of two- 
 seventh parts of the lands of Fordalis, with his part of 
 the mill of Fordall,— 6th March 1510-11. 
 
 2. From James Levingstone de Manerstoun, of two- 
 seventh parts and his part of the mill,— 7th April 1511. 
 
 3. From Elizabeth Erth, Lady of Plane, with consent 
 of David Somerville, her son and heir-apparent, of one- 
 seventh part of the lands and mill, — Same date. 
 
 4. From Cristina Hepburn senior portioner of the 
 lands and barony of Fordall, with consent of John Kirk- 
 wood her spouse, of one-thii-d part of one- seventh part 
 of the said lands and barony of Fordalis, with her part 
 of the mill, and the mansion house, " una cum capitall 
 messuagio terrarum et baroniae praedictarum cum perti- 
 nentibus," — dated in April 1511. 
 
 These lands of the Eastertoun of Fordell, called Mekill 
 Fordell, the Westertoun of Fordell, Lethame, and Litill 
 Fordell, with the mill and its pertinents, " una cum 
 advocatione et donatione Capellae Sancti Theroti . . . 
 quje fuerunt dicti Magistri Jacobi prius hereditarise et 
 per ipsura conquestae a personis subscriptis " (namely 
 the persons above-mentioned), were erected, by a charter 
 under the Great Seal, " in unam integram et liberam 
 baroniam," called Fordell, in favour of Mr James Henri- 
 sone, and Elene, his spouse, in conjunct fee, and their 
 heirs, — dated at Edinburgh 1st May 1511. 
 
 The lands of Fordell had evidently been subdivided 
 among co-heiresses, and this may explain such propor- 
 tions as one thu*d of one-seventh part, &c. In reference 
 to No. II. of the above notices we find that a protracted 
 action was in dependence, for about ten years, before 
 the Lords of Council and Lords Auditors, between Henry 
 Levingston of Mannerstouu (and after his death by his 
 son John), and Christian Levingstoun his sister, wife of 
 the late William Scot (and their sons Alexander and 
 
Xlvi APPENDIX. 
 
 David Scot), regarding " the males and denities of tlie 
 ferd part of the landis and barony of Fordale, the seventh 
 part except," — 31st January 1484-5 to the 28th Novem- 
 ber 1494. (Acta Dom. Concil. and Acta Audit). 
 
 That the Justice- Clerk had not obtained the fee-simple 
 of the whole barony of Fordell appears from these sub- 
 sequent charters. 
 
 5. From Alexander Elphingston, " De tota et Integra 
 tertia parte septimas partis teri'arum et Baronire de 
 Fordell cum molendino et pertinen. earundem .... 
 super resiguationem Alexandri Elphingstoun," — Edin- 
 burgh, 11th January 1511-12.. 
 
 6. From Maijory Hepburn, lady portioner of Fordell, 
 to Helen Batye in liferent, and George Henderson of 
 Fordell, her son, and his heirs, of her third part of the 
 seventh part, &c. in a charter of confirmation, — dated at 
 Falkland in June 1530. 
 
 7. There is preserved two copies of an indentm-e be- 
 tween "Allan Stewart, provost of Edinburgh for the tyme, 
 Elene Baty, his spouse, and George Heniysoun, her sone, 
 on the tane part, and WiUiam Spetale of Luchatt on the 
 tother part," relating to the excambion of their miln of 
 Fordale for the said William's lands of Fordale, made at 
 the castle of Striveling 19th August 1523. It will be 
 seen from p. xli that the Spittalls of Luchat in 1566 
 still retained some part of these lands in heritage. 
 
 No. in.— THE HENDERSONS OF FORDELL. 
 
 Mr James Henryson, the founder of the Fordell 
 family, was bom about the year 1462. George Craw- 
 furd supposes him "to have been an Edinburgh man. 
 
APPENDIX. Xlvii 
 
 but come of the Hendersons of Waterside, near Dum- 
 fries."^ Tliat he was a native of Edinburgh is highly 
 probable. I find that he went abroad to complete his 
 legal studies, and that his name occurs in the registers 
 of the University of Paris in 1483 and again in the 
 following year as a bachelor of arts,^ being entered 
 as of the diocese of St Andrews, which at that time in- 
 cluded Edinburgh and the Lothians. On his return, he 
 settled in Edinburgh, and speedily obtained an extensive 
 practice as an advocate before the Lords Auditors, and 
 the Lords of Council. Thus it is on record that Mr James 
 Henrysone, advocate, was procurator for Sir Oliver Sin- 
 clareof Roslin, knycht, 23d October 1490 ; ^ was forspeaker 
 for Archibald, Earl of Angus, Chancellor of Scotland, 1st 
 June 1493 ; * was one of the procm-ators appointed by 
 William, Archbishop of St Andrews, 6th December 
 1494 ; ^ and on the 9th of that mouth was advocate for 
 our Soverane Lord, and forspeaker for Sir Alexander 
 Stewart of Garlics, knycht.*^ On the 7th of December 
 1493, "Magister Jacobus Henrisoun effectus est bur- 
 gensis et frater gilde, et finiuit species et vinam, gratis." ^ 
 Henryson continued to hold this office of King's 
 Advocate till the death of Llr Richard Lawson in 1507, 
 when he succeeded as Justice-Clerk. It has been asserted 
 that the lands of Fordell had been wadsett^ (a term applied 
 to heritable property alienated under reversion) by the 
 Poet in his difficulties, and that the Justice-Clerk was 
 enabled at length to redeem his paternal estate. The 
 existing documents all tend to disprove this groundless 
 statement. Mr James Henryson, burgess of Edinburgh, 
 
 1 MS. Collections for the Baronage of Scotland, foUo, Advocates 
 Library. 
 
 2 Registers of the University of Paris. 
 
 3 Acta Dominorum Coucilii, p. 156. 
 
 *Ib., p. 170. 6lb., p. 192. 6lb. p. 194. 
 
 7 Edinburgh Burgess Registers. § Mortgaged. 
 
xlviii APPENDIX. 
 
 and Clerk of Justiciaiy, had various charters under the 
 Great Seal, of property in different counties, before he 
 acquired by purchase, in separate portions, from several 
 proprietors, the lands of Fordell,^ when the whole, as 
 already noticed, were erected, by a charter under the 
 Great Seal, into a barony in his favour, and of Helen Baty, 
 his spouse. Having accompanied King James the Fourth 
 in his fatal expedition to Floddon, among the victims 
 slain were the Justice- Clerk, and his eldest son, in Sep- 
 tember 1513. His widow survived him for nearly twenty 
 years, and married for her second husband Allan Stewart, 
 Provost of Edinburgh. Her son, George Henryson of 
 Fordell, was admitted a burgess of Edinburgh in Sep- 
 tember 1520. According to the pedigree given in the 
 Baronage of Scotland, he died in 1542, and was suc- 
 ceeded by a son, also named George (William ? see next 
 page), who was killed at the battle of Pinkie in 1547. 
 James, son and heir of George Henderson, long retained 
 possession of the Fordell estates. 
 
 It is unnecessary for my purpose to enter further upon 
 the history of the Hendersons of Fordell, except to refer 
 to the detailed account of the family given in Sir Robert 
 Douglas's Baronage of Scotland, pp. 513-520. But a 
 few incidental notices, there overlooked, may be added in 
 this place. " Georgius Henrisoue filius et heres quon- 
 dam Magistri Jacobi Henrisone effectus est burgensis efc 
 confi-ater glide et finiuit pro libertate, xx°— (Burgess 
 Register). Another son, James, is mentioned in the 
 sasine of a land in the King's Street of Edinburgh, as 
 " Jacobus Henrisoun filius Helene Baty, sororis et uue 
 heredum quondam Jacobi Baty," which previously be- 
 longed to Patrick Henrison, 12th March 1520-1— (Foular's 
 
 1 Regist. Mag. Sig. vol. xvi. fol. 51, vol. xvii. fols. 6, 7, 8, 70. The 
 dates from 8th of March 1510-11 to the 11th of January 1511-12. 
 
APPENDIX. xlix 
 
 Protocol Book.) There is a contract of marriage between 
 Thomas Stewart of Galston, and Isabella Henrisone, 
 daughter of Helen Batv, relict of the late Mr James 
 Henrisone de Fordell, 26th November 1526— (Protocol 
 Book, J. Foular, fol. 286). The marriage of her mother 
 with Allan Stewart, Provost of Edinburgh, previously to 
 September 1520, is mentioned above. In March 1546-7, 
 it appears that the hereditary provostship of the borough 
 of Inverkeithiug had been confeiTed in the Queen's 
 name upon William Henderson, son and heir of George 
 Henrisone de Fordell, but both he and his father 
 having been killed at the battle of Pinkie, Queen 
 Maiy confirmed the gift under the Privy Seal, 12th 
 February 1562-3, in favour of James Henrysoune, 
 apparently by mistake said to be son and heir of 
 the said late William Henrysoune— (Reg. Seer. Sig., 
 vol. XX. fol. 82b). Edward Henryson, who married 
 Helene Sinclair, daughter of umquhile Edward Sin- 
 clair, and sister of John Sinclair of Dryden, was pro- 
 bably related to the Fordell family. She died in July 
 1569-70. In his own and his wife's name, he raised an 
 action before the Commissaries for various things, — 
 clothes, silver cup, &c., left in legacy to him by Helen 
 Baty, and by George Henryson of Fordell, in their 
 latter wills. These wills are not known to be pre- 
 served. In the last will of this Helen Sinclair, ap- 
 pointing her husband, Edward Henryson, only executor, 
 reference is made to children, but no names are given — 
 (Edinb. Comm. Register, 7th February 1572-3). 
 
 James Henderson of Fordell had a large family. 
 According to the Baronage, four of his sons obtained the 
 honour of knighthood ; and the dignity of Knight Baronet 
 of Nova Scotia was conferred on the family by Charles 
 the Second, 15th July 1664. Sir John Henderson of 
 Fordell, Baronet, the last of the family mentioned by 
 
r 
 
 1 APPENDIX. 
 
 Douglas (in his continuation in 1798), died 12th Decem- 
 ber 1817. His brother, Sir Robert Bruce Henderson of 
 Earlshall, succeeded to the title, but on his death in 1833, 
 without male issue, it became extinct. The Fordell 
 estates, which first devolved on Su- John's daughter, Ann, 
 the second wife of Admiral Sir Philip CharlesjDm-ham, 
 G.C.B. (who died in 1845 at the age of eighty-two, 
 and his wife in the same year), are now in the posses- 
 sion of George William Mercer Henderson, Esq. 
 
 No. IV.-NOTICES OF THE CHIEF PERSONS OF 
 THE NAME OF HENRYSON OR HENDERSON, 
 DURING THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. 
 
 Laurence Henbisone,— In 1508 or 1509 his name 
 occurs in a sasine, as son and heLr of the late David 
 Henrison, litstar, or dyer. John Henryson is also 
 styled son and heir of the late David Henrison, litstar, 
 in another sasine, which was disputed by his brother 
 Laurence Henrison, 18th February 1512-13 — (J. 
 Foular's Protocol Book, vol. i.) Laurence was admitted 
 a burgess of Edinburgh in the year 1517. 
 
 Thomas Hendersone, — Incorporated in the Uni- 
 versity of Glasgow, in 1511. 
 
 Robert Henrisoun, — Robert Hem-isoun, son and 
 heir of the late George Henrisoun, burgess of Edinbm'gh, 
 and heir of the late Robert Plenrisoun, his grandfather 
 (avi sui), also burgess of Edinburgh, gives sasine of a 
 certain annual- rent and two booths in Edinburgh to 
 IVIi' James Henrison de Fordell, clerk of Justiciary, 
 11th December 1511 — (Foular's Protocol Book, vol. i.) 
 Robert Henrisone, son and heir of the late George 
 
APPENDIX. li 
 
 Henrisone, burgess of Edinburgh, had asasine of a house on 
 the north side of the High Street, near the Netherbow, 
 &c., with consent and assent of Alexander Henrysone, 
 his brother-german, dated at Edinburgh, 15th December 
 1515— (Vincent Strachan's Protocol Book). He was 
 admitted a burgess of Edinburgh in 1517. 
 
 Jacobus Henrisone, et quondam Thomas Henrisone, 
 pater suus, 11th May 1514 — (H. Strachan's Protocol 
 Book). 
 
 EoBERT Henryson, Treasurer of the burgh of Edin- 
 burgh in 1522, and 2d August 1530— (Charters of St 
 Giles's Church, pp. 216, 253). 
 
 WiLLELMus Henderson, — Incorporated in the Uni- 
 versity of Glasgow, in 1521. 
 
 Mr Henry Henryson became "commaster" and 
 successor to Mr David Vocat as Rector of the Grammar 
 School of Edinburgh, the appointment being made by 
 George, Bishop of Dunkeld, Abbot of Holyrood, with 
 consent of the Chapter, 4th September 1524. It was 
 confirmed by a charter under the Great Seal, 21st March 
 1529-30, which is printed in the appendix to Charters 
 of Holyrood, p. 256, and in Steven's High School of 
 Edinburgh, p. 38. In terms of his appointment, Henry- 
 son was bound to attend " at hie solemne festivale tymes 
 with us, the said Abbot, and our successaris, at hie 
 mass and even sang, with his surples upoun him, to do us 
 service," &c. It would seem from the circumstance of 
 his maiTiage that such attendance did not imply his 
 being in priest's orders. This appears from a sasine 
 in favour of Mariote Gawy, spouse of Mr Henry 
 Henrisoun, of a tenement which belonged to the said Mr 
 Henry, lying on the south side of the King's Street 
 of le Cowgate, Edinburgh, dated 10th April 1529 — 
 (Foular's Protocol Book, vol. ii.) But in the year 
 1534, Henryson, being accused upon a charge of heresy. 
 
lii APPENDIX. 
 
 fled to England, where he died.— See Knox's History, 
 vol. i. p. 57, and the authorities there quoted in the 
 foot-note. 
 
 WiLLELMUs Henderson, — Incorporated in the Uni- 
 versity of Glasgow, in 1525. 
 
 George Henrisoun, one of the Bailies of Edin- 
 burgh, 19th March 1535-36— (Charters of St GUes's 
 Church, p. 236). 
 
 Henricus Hendirsone, — Incorporated in the Uni- 
 versity of Glasgow, in 1536. 
 
 Johannes Henrison, filius et heres quondam Lauren- 
 tii Henrisone effectus est burgensis, 1st December 1540 
 — (Burgess Regist. of Edinbm-gh). 
 
 Robert Henrysoun and Margaret Caid, his spouse, 
 had a charter of the King's lauds of Drone and its 
 mill, in Fife,— 6th April 1529 ; 6th January 1541-2. 
 
 Sir Edward Henryson, musician, was admitted to 
 a prebend in St Giles's Church, before 21st October 1542. 
 From his skill in music he became, in November 1555, 
 " Maister of the Sang Scole of Edinburgh," and is also 
 styled " Minister Chori." He was again presented to 
 one of the prebends in this church ; and after the 
 Reformation he continued to hold his benefice until his 
 death, 15th of August 1579 — (Edinburgh Commissariat 
 Register; Charters of St Giles's Church, pp. ci., 254-270.) 
 
 Mr John Henderson, student of theology in King's 
 College, Aberdeen, 1547-1549— (Fasti Aberdon., p. 264). 
 
 Mr James Henryson, burgess, notaiy, and common 
 clerk of the burgh of Edinburgh, 7th January 1552-3 — 
 (Charters of St Giles's Church, p. 189.) 
 
 WiLLiELMUs Henrison olim servus Davidis Lynde- 
 say de Mont militis effectus est burgensis, et datm' eidem 
 gratis^ &c., 17th Maij 1555 — (Burgess Register of Edin- 
 burgh.) AVilliam Hendersone, Dingwall Pursevant, 
 1st October 1558 — (Treasurer's Accounts). 
 
APPENDIX. liii 
 
 Jacobus IIenrisoun, Rector de Kinkell, 4th May 
 1556— (Alexander King's Protocol Book). 
 
 Mr Edward Henkyson, Doctor of Laws. See infra^ 
 p. Iviii. 
 
 Mr John Henderson, and Mariot Sinclair, his 
 spouse, charter of the lands of Bengourlaw, vulgo sex 
 oxingangland^ in the barony of Calder, 3d August 1564 
 — (William Stewart's Protocol Book). 
 
 Sir Alexander EIenrisone, chaplain and master of 
 the hospital of Trinity College Church, Edinburgh, from 
 the 7th March 1549-50, to the last of May 1580— 
 (Registrum Eccl. Colleg., pp. 113-235). 
 
 Mr David Henrisoun, chaplain of Balky (in Forfar- 
 shire), and Vicar of Rossay (Rossy), who died in 
 February 1569-70. In his last will he appointed his 
 brothers, William, Thomas, and John Henrysouns, his 
 executors, and his cousin Mr Edward Henrysoun, 
 Advocate and one of the Commissaries of Edinburgh, as 
 an oversman — (Edinburgh Commissariat Register, 17th 
 February 1569-70). 
 
 Mr William Henderson, sometime Prior of the 
 Blackfriars, Stirling, brother of Mr Edward Henderson, 
 was summoned before the Privy Council for having 
 obtained an informal licence " to go to the parts beyond 
 sea," 20th December 1576. On the following day his 
 brother Mr Edward Henderson produced the king's 
 licence in favour of "Mr William Hendersone, prebendar 
 of the College Kirk of Restalrig, permitting him to 
 remain in the parts of France for exercising his study," 
 dated 20th May, Anno Regis 9, [1576]. 
 
 Alexander Henrysoun, reidare at Kilmaurs, Ayr- 
 shire, 1574-1576— (Registers of Ministers). 
 
 Thomas Henderson, filius legitimus Eduardi Plender- 
 son— (Alexander Guthrie's Protocol Book, February 
 1576-77). 
 
liv APPENDIX. 
 
 Jonet Duche, spouse of umqiibill Alexander Henry- 
 son, in Myreside, in the parish of Leuchars. She died 
 27th Febraaiy 1579-80. Her children, Margaret, James, 
 and Christian Heniyson — (Edinburgh Commissariat 
 Register). 
 
 James Henrison held the prebend of Brodirstanis, 
 attached to Trinity College, Edinburgh, in July 1574. 
 He became Master of the Hospital in December 1581, 
 till May 1584, or the time of his death in 1585 — (Regist. 
 Eccles. CoUeg., pp. 132, 236, 241). 
 
 Alexander Henrysox, in Cuplayhill, in the parish 
 of Lucheris in Fyfe, died 14th January 1585-6 — 
 (Edinburgh Commissariat Register). 
 
 Gilbert Henrysone, clerk and reidar at St Cuth- 
 bert's Kirk, beside Edinburgh, — died 7th February 
 1589-90— (Edinburgh Commissariat Register). 
 
 Patrick Henrysoun, in Murehons, parish of Car- 
 riden, died in Apiil 1590 — (Edinburgh Commissariat 
 Register). 
 
 John Hendersone, Writer to our Soverane Lordis 
 Signet, and indwellar in Edinburgh, died 9th September 
 1591 — (Edinburgh Commissariat Register). 
 
 Robert Henryson, portioner of Arlarie, in the parish 
 of Urwell, died in January 1597-8 — (Edinburgh Com- 
 missariat Register). 
 
 Alexander Henderson, portioner of Drone, in the 
 parish of Leucharis, died 2d May 1599, — Robert 
 Henderson, his lawful son — (Edinburgh Commissariat 
 Register). 
 
 John Henrysoun, Master of the Grammar Scheie, 
 Dunfermline. The following is an extract from the 
 Privy Council Records of the Memorial or Complaint 
 mentioned at page xvi. : — 
 
APPENDIX. Iv 
 
 JOHNE HeNRYSOUN OF DuNFERMLINE, — B. OF SaNCT- 
 ANDROS. 
 
 Apud Halyrudehous, 13th October 1573. 
 
 Anent our Soiierane Lordis letters raisit at the instance 
 of Johne Henrysoun Mr of the Grarnmer Schole within 
 the Abbay of Dmifermling Makand meutioun That quhair 
 he and his predecessouris hes continewit maisteris and 
 teichearis of the j'outh in letters and doctrine to thair 
 grit commoditie within the said Schole past memor of 
 man admittit thairto be the Abbottis of Dunfermling for 
 the tyme as havand the vndoubtit richt and privilege to 
 that effect be virtew of thefoundatioun of the said Abbay 
 Like as he is willing to continew and tak pains to the 
 instructioun and leirning of the youth to the vttermaist 
 of his power Notwithstanding David Fergusoun minister 
 of Dunfermling allegeing him to have command of 
 Maister Johne Dowglas Ai-chbischope of Saintandros hes 
 charget the said Johne Hendersoun to abstene fra all 
 forder teicheing within the said Schole in tyme cumin g 
 vnder the pane of prononnceing of the sentence of 
 excommunicatioun aganis him intending gif he do in the 
 contrair to proceid to the said sentence wranguslie 
 considering it is of veritie That he and his predecessouris 
 hes continuit Maisteris of the said Scole in tymes past 
 without interruptioun admittit thairto, as said is, of the 
 said Abbot, sua that gif ony sic charge suld have bene 
 maid the same suld have bene extendit towardis him 
 and the said Abbot admonest and warnit to haue pro- 
 vidit sum vther persoun in the same place in cais the 
 present possessour had not bene qualifyt to vse the 
 charge or vtherwyis of evill conversatioun or lyfe Bot 
 trew it is that not only hes the said Johnne Henrysoun 
 gevin confessioun of his faith and professioun of the trew 
 Kirk bot alsua hes behavit himself honestlie in conversa-^ 
 
Ivi APPENDIX. 
 
 tioun and lyif never tecbeing or vtlierwyis moving ony 
 thing to the sklander of the Evangell Lykeas he is con- 
 tent to submitt him to the judgement of sic as hes vnder- 
 stand and leiniit of his doctrine or ony vtheris honest 
 and famous person is and in cais ony offence had bene 
 ministrat be him worthy deprivatioun of the said charge 
 (as their is nane) yit be the lawis and practique of this 
 realme can not nor aucht not ony sic chargeis or sentence 
 be led aganis liim the actioun being raeir civile and pro- 
 phane and thairfor the said bischope and minister ar na 
 judgeis competent thereto And na law yit establishit or 
 approvit that gevis thame sic power Bot the samyn sen- 
 tence being only ordanit to be pronuncit vpoun sic as had 
 not nor wald not acknawlege the trew Kirk quhilk on na 
 wyis can be imputt to the said Johne Hendersoun ffor 
 vtherwyis the said sentence of excommunication suld be 
 extendit to all vther maner of actionis of quhatsumeuer 
 qualitie thay wer and be that way the ministeris of the 
 kirk suld mak thame selffs judgeis in all causs vuther be 
 direct or indirect means quhilk wer ane giit absurditie 
 and thairfore the saidis chargeis gevin to the said Johne 
 to the effect foirsaid with all that has foUowit or may 
 follow thairvpoun aucht and suld be suspendit simpliciter 
 and to have na forder strenth in tyme cuming And 
 anent the charge gevin to the saidis Archbischope and 
 David Fergusoun minister to compeir befoir my Lord 
 Kegentis grace and lordis of Secreit Couusall at ane 
 certaine day by-past to heir and se thame dischergeit of 
 all forder pronuncing or vsing of the said sentence aganis 
 the said Johne or impediment making to him in vsing 
 of the said charge in tyme cuming or ellis to schaw ane 
 ressonable cans quhy the samyn suld not be done with 
 certificatioun to thame and than- failze my Lord Regentis 
 Grace wald discharge in maner aboue writtin likeas at 
 mair leuth is contenit in the saidis letters execution and 
 
APPENDIX. Ivii 
 
 indorsatioun thairoff: Quhilks being callit at suiidrie 
 dietts the said Johue Hendersoun comperand personalie 
 and the saidis Archbischope and David Fergusoun 
 minister [oftymes callit] ^ naither be thame selflfis nor 
 na vtheris in thair names not comperand my Lord 
 Rogentis gi-ace with auise of the Lordis of Secreit Counsall 
 ffyndis that na sic forme or ordour of sentence of excom- 
 munication suld be gevin or pronimcit agauis the said 
 Johne in maner foii'said And thairfore dischargeis the 
 said Archbischope and minister of all proceeding or vsing 
 of the said sentence vpon the said Johnne in maner 
 aboue mentionat in tyme cuming and of thair offices in 
 that part without prejudice alwayis to thame to persew 
 him vtherwyis for removing fra the said charge or zit to 
 him to defend conform to this lawis and practique of 
 this realme. 
 
 This John Henrisoun is no doubt to be identified with 
 the keeper of the charters, and notary public, in the 
 Abbey of Dunfermline, who commences the Rental Book 
 of the charters and leases granted by the successive 
 Abbots or Coramendators of Dunfermline, in the year 
 1555 (and continued to the year 1583), with the follow- 
 ing inscription : — " Novum Rentale seu registrum ter- 
 rarum ad Regalitatem de Dunfermling spectantium anno 
 millesimo quingentesimo quinquagesimo quinto per domi- 
 num Joannem [....] monachum professum ejusdem 
 de mandato Reverendi [viri] Georgii Dmie common - 
 datarii [dicti] monasterii. I. Henrisone chartarius, 
 notarius publicus " — (Registrum de Dunfermelyn. 
 Edinb. 1842, 4to ; preface, p. xxiv. See also Chal- 
 mers's Dunfermline, vol. i. p. 76). 
 
 * These words apparently deleted in MS. 
 
Ivill APPENDIX. 
 
 I have still to notice another branch of the Henrysons 
 in Edinburgh, belonging to the legal profession, who 
 rose to distinction during the latter half of the sixteenth 
 century. In one work, Dr Edward Henryson is con- 
 jectured to have been a grandson of the Poet, but no 
 authority is given to confirm this supposition.^ He was 
 born about the year 1520, but nothing is known regard- 
 ing his parentage or place of birth. He studied law at 
 the University of Bourges in France. Here he was sup- 
 ported by the munificence of UMck Fuggerus, a dis- 
 tinguished patron of literature, to whom he dedicated 
 his volume in defence of his master Eguinaird Baron, 
 one of the professors, against Ant. Goveanus, de Juris- 
 dictione, Paris, 1555. Henryson, having proceeded 
 doctor of both faculties, continued for some time 
 at Bourges, and gave lectures on civil law.^ On his 
 return to Scotland, he passed Advocate before Feb- 
 ruary 1557 ; and on the institution of the Commissariat 
 Court by Mary Queen of Scots, 8th of Februaiy 1564, 
 Henryson was nominated one of the four Commissaries 
 of Edinburgh.^ He was also entrusted with the publica- 
 tion of the Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland, which 
 appeared in October and November 1566. 
 
 Dr Henryson continued to officiate as one of the Com- 
 missaries of Edinburgh until his death, which took 
 place at Cragyhall, near Edinburgh, on the penult of 
 September 1585.* His wife, Helen Swyntoun, died in 
 1580.5 
 
 Mr Thomas Henryson, their surviving sou, who 
 
 1 Swan's Fife Illustrated, vol. iii, p. 229, 
 
 * For a more minute account of his life, see M'Crie's Life of Mel- 
 ville, Edinburgh Christian Instructor, Sept. 1834, p. 585; Tytler's 
 Life of Sir Thomas Craig ; Senators of the College of Justice, p. 132. 
 
 ' Regist. Secreti SigUli, vol. xxxii. fol. 79. 
 
 ■* Edinburgh Commissariat Register. ' Ih. 
 
APPENDIX. lix 
 
 passed as Advocate, was afterwards appointed one of the 
 Commissaries of Edinburgh in 1597. Another of the 
 Commissaries was his brother-in-law, IVIi- John Nicolson 
 of Dryden, who had married Elizabeth Henryson in 1584. 
 In June 1622 Henryson was knighted, and raised to the 
 Bench, by the title of Lord Chesters. The inscription 
 on the handsome monument on the west wall of the 
 Greyfriars Church-yard, Edinburgh, erected by him in 
 1636, embraces a whole family history in its enumera- 
 tion. •• But Sir Thomas Henryson of Chesters did not 
 long survive the erection of this affectionate memorial to 
 his parents and relatives, having died on the 3d of Feb- 
 ruary 1638.2 
 
 I shall conclude these notices with mentioning that a 
 claimant to be the lineal representative of Robert Henry- 
 son the Poet, was Captain John Henryson of the 
 Engineers. In one or two letters, written from Naples 
 so long since as 1826, he communicated some interest- 
 ing information on the subject of his claim ; but, being 
 written abroad, without access to any of his papers, 
 they are too vague and unsatisfactory for publication. 
 But the following extract may be given out of respect 
 to the memory of a person who felt no small pride in the 
 belief of such a descent :— 
 
 " There is reason (he says) to believe that Henderson 
 is a corruption from Henryson^ but this last name has 
 been always preserved in our line. The Henrysons 
 remained in obscurity for a long period, but afterwards 
 rose to some eminence in Edinburgh (see monument in 
 the Greyfriars Churchyard) ; afterwards they purchased 
 
 * Monteith's Theater of Mortality, 1704, p. 33-36 ; Maitland's History 
 of Edinburgh, p. 198. 
 
 * Senators of the College of Justice, p 245. 
 
Ix APPENDIX. 
 
 land at a place called Totherick or Toderick on the 
 Tweed ; from whence they emigrated to the lands of 
 Kirkton Hill, near Channel Kirk, on the Lauder road 
 from Edinburgh. There the names of several genera- 
 tions are written in the parish books. The family was 
 numerous for some time, and the lands were sold, piece 
 by piece, till my grandfather, Dr John Henryson, sold 
 the last (after 'the '45'), and took refuge among the 
 Jacobites in Devonshire, where he practised as a 
 physician, protected and patronised chiefly by the worthy 
 
 family of ' Gary of Tor Abbey.' He left an 
 
 only son William, a captain in the navy afterwards, who 
 
 was my father I believe I am now the only 
 
 person of the name in the world." 
 
 Anne, Mrs Henryson, late of Mount Radford, Exeter, 
 and relict of Captain John Henryson, Royal Engineers, 
 died at Edinburgh, 15th March 1846. Captain Henry- 
 son himself died, I think, at Naples, in 1832 or 1833. 
 He was not aware of the memorial of John Henryson, 
 schoolmaster of Dunfermline in 1573 (supra, p. Iv.), 
 which seems to strengthen the family traditions : but it 
 still remains to be proved whether any relationship sub- 
 sisted between the said Schoolmaster and the Poet. 
 
MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 
 
 A 
 
« 
 
 ( 
 
 I 
 
ROBENE AND MAKYNE. 
 
 ROBENE fat on gud grene hill, 
 
 Kepand a flok of fe: 
 Mirry Makyne faid him till, 
 
 " Robene, thow rew on me ; 
 I haif thee luvit lowd and ftill, 
 
 Thir yeiris two or thre ; 
 My dule in dern bot gif thow dill, 
 
 Doutlefs but dreid I de." 
 
 Robene anfwerit, *' Be the Rude, 
 
 Na thing of lufe I knaw, 10 
 
 Bot keipis my fcheip undir yone wude, 
 
 Lo ! quhair thay raik on raw : 
 Quhat hes marrit thee in thy mude, 
 
 Makyne to me thow fchaw? 
 Or quhat is lufe, or to be lude, 
 
 Fane wald I leir that law." 
 
 " At luvis lair gife thow will leir, 
 
 Tak thair ane A, B, C ; 
 Be heynd, courtafs, and fair of feir, 
 
 Wyfe, hardy, and fre : 20 
 
IIOBENE AND MAKYNE. 
 
 So that no denger do thee deir, 
 
 Quhat dule in dern thow dre; 
 Preifs thee with pane at all poweir, 
 
 Be pacient, and pre vie." 
 
 Robene anfwerit hir agane, 
 
 " I wait noeht quhat is lufe ; 
 Bot I haif mervell incertaine, 
 
 Quhat makis thee this wanrufe : 
 The weddir is fair, and I am fane, 
 
 My fcheip gois haill aboif, 30 
 
 And we wald play us in this plane, 
 
 Thay wald us bayth reproif." 
 
 " Robene, tak tent unto my taill, 
 
 And wirk all as I reid, 
 And thow fall haif my hairt all haill, 
 
 Eik and my maidinheid. 
 Sen God fendis bute for baill. 
 
 And for murnyng remeid; 
 In dern with thee, bot gif I daill, 
 
 Dowtles I am bot deid." 40 
 
 " Makyne, to morne this ilka tyde, 
 
 And ye will meit me heir, 
 Peraventure my fcheip ma gang befyd, 
 
 Quhill we haif liggit fuU neir ; 
 Bot mawgre haif I and I byd, 
 
 Fra thay begin to Heir; 
 Quhat lyis on hairt I will nocht hyd ; 
 
 Makyne than mak gud cheir." 
 
ROBENE AND MAKYNE. 
 
 " Robene, tliou reivis me roiff and reft, 
 
 I luve bot thee allone." 50 
 
 " Makyne, adew ! the fone gois weft, 
 
 The day is neir hand gone." 
 " Robene, in dule I am fo dreft. 
 
 That lufe wilbe my bone." 
 " Ga lufe, Makyne, quhair evir thow lift, 
 
 For leraman I luve none." 
 
 " Robene, I ftand in fie a flyll 
 
 I ficht, and that full fair/' 
 " Makyne, I haif bene heir tliis quhyle, 
 
 At hame God gif I wair." 60 
 
 " My huny, Robene, talk ane quhyll, 
 
 Gif thow will do na mair." 
 " Makyne, fum uthir man begyle, 
 
 For hamewart I will fair/' 
 
 Robene on his way is went, 
 
 A Is lieht as leif of tre; 
 Mawkyn mumit in hir intent. 
 
 And trowd him nevir to fe. 
 Robene brayd attoiir the bent; 
 
 Than Makyne cryit on hie, 70 
 
 " Now ma thow fing, for I am fchent, 
 
 Quhat alis lufe at me?" 
 
 Mawkyne went hame withowttin faill 
 
 Full wery eftir cowth weip : 
 Than Robene in a ful fair daill 
 
 Affemblit all his fcheip. 
 
ROBENE AND MAKYNE. 
 
 Be that fum parte of Mawkynis aill 
 
 Out-tlirow his hairt cowd creip; 
 He fallowit hir fall thair till affaill, 
 
 And till hir tuke gude keep. 80 
 
 " Abyd, abyd, thow fair Makyne, 
 
 A word for ony thing ; 
 For all my luve it falbe thyne, 
 
 Withowttin departing. 
 All haill! thy harte for till haif myne, 
 
 Is all my cuvating; 
 My fcheip to morne, quhill houris nyne, 
 
 Will neid of no keping." 
 
 '* Robene, thow hes hard foiing and fay, 
 
 In geflis and floreis auld, 90 
 
 * The man that will nocht quhen he may, 
 
 Sail haif nocht quhen he wald.* 
 I pray to Jefu, every day 
 
 Mot eik thair cairis cauld. 
 That firft preiffis with thee to play. 
 
 Be firth, forrefl, or fauld." 
 
 " Makyne, the nicht is foft and dry, 
 
 The weddir is war me and fair. 
 And the grene woid rycht neir us by 
 
 To walk attour all quhair: 100 
 
 Thair ma na janglour us efpy. 
 
 That is to lufe contrair; 
 Thairin, Makyne, bath ye and I, 
 
 Unfene we ma repair." 
 
 I 
 
ROBENE AND MAKYNE. 7 
 
 " Kobeue, that warld is all away, 
 
 And quyt brocht till ane end, 
 And nevir agane thairto perfay. 
 
 Sail it be as thow wend : 
 For of my pane thow maid it play, 
 
 And all in vane I fpend : 110 
 
 As thow hes done, fa fall I fay, 
 
 Murne on, I think to mend." 
 
 " Makyne, the howp of all my heill, 
 
 My hairt on thee is fett, 
 And evir mair to thee be leill, 
 
 Qiihill I may leif but lett ; 
 Nevir to faill, as utheris feill, 
 
 Quhat grace that evir I gett." 
 " Robene, with thee I will nocht deill ; 
 
 Adew ! for thus we raett/' 120 
 
 Makyne went hame blyth anneuche, 
 
 Attour the holttis hair; 
 Eobene murnit, and Makyne leuche ; 
 
 Seho fang, he iiehit fair : 
 And fo left hhn, bayth wo and wreuch, 
 
 In dolour and in cair, 
 Kepand his bird under a huehe, 
 
 Amansris the holtis hair. 
 
THE GARMOND OF aUDE LABEIS. 
 
 Wald my gud Lady lufe me befl, 
 
 And wirk eftir my wdll, 
 I fuld ane Garmond gudliefl 
 
 Gar mak hir body till. 
 
 Off he honour fuld be hir hud, 
 
 Upoun hir heid to weir, 
 Garneift with governance fo gud, 
 
 Na demyng fuld hir deir. 
 
 Hir fark fuld be hir body nixt, 
 
 Of cheftetie fo quhyt, 10 
 
 With fchame and dreid togidder mixt, 
 
 The fame fuld be perfyt. 
 
 Hir kirtill fuld be of clone conftance, 
 
 Lafit with lefum lufe, 
 The mailyheis of continuance 
 
 For nevir to remufe. 
 
 Hir gown fuld be of gudlinefs, 
 Weill ribband with renowne, 
 
 I 
 
THE GARMOND OF GUDE LADEIS. 
 
 Purfillit with plefour in ilk place, 
 
 Furrit with fyne faffoun. 20 
 
 Hir belt fuld be of benignitie, 
 
 About hir middill meit ; 
 Hir mantill of hurailitie, 
 
 To thoU bayth wind and weit. 
 
 Hir hat fuld be of fair having, 
 
 And hir tepat of trewth, 
 Hir patelet of gude panfing, 
 
 Hir hals ribbane of rewth. 
 
 Hir flevis fuld be of efperance, 
 
 To keip hir fra difpair ; 30 
 
 Hir gluvis of the gud govirnanee, 
 
 To hyd hir fyngearis fair. 
 
 Hir fchone fuld be of lickernes, 
 
 In fyne that fcho nocht flyd; 
 Hir hoifs of honeflie, I ges, 
 
 I fuld for hir provyd. 
 
 Wald fcho put on this Garmond gay, 
 
 I durft fweir by my feill, 
 That fcho woir ne\4r grene nor gray 
 
 That fet hir half fo weill. ' 40 
 
THE BLUDY SEEK 
 
 This hindir yeir I hard be tald, 
 
 Thair was a worthy King ; 
 Dukis, Erlis, and Barronis bald, 
 
 He had at his bidding. 
 The Lord was anceane, and aid, 
 
 And fexty yeiris cowth ring; 
 He had a Dochter, fair to fald, 
 
 A lully lady }^ng. 
 
 Off all fairheid fcho bur the flour ; 
 
 And eik hir faderis air; 10 
 
 Off lufly laitis, and he honour ; 
 
 Meik, bot and debonair. 
 Scho wynnit in a bigly bour, 
 
 On fold wes none fo fair; 
 Princis luvit hir paramour, 
 
 In cuntreis our all quhair. 
 
 Thair dwelt a lyt befyde the King 
 
 A fowll Gryane of ane; 
 Stollin he hes the Lady ying, 
 
 Away with hir is gane; 20 
 
THE BLUDY SERK. 11 
 
 And kefl hir in liis dungering, 
 Quhair licht fcho micht fe nane : 
 
 Himgir and cauld, and grit thrilling, 
 Scho fand in to liir waine. 
 
 He wes the laithlieft on to luk 
 
 That on the grund myeht gang : 
 His naihs wes lyk ane hellis cruk, 
 
 Thairwith fyve quarteris lang. 
 Thair wes nane that he our-tuk, 
 
 In ryeht or yit in wrang, 30 
 
 Bot all in fchondir he thame fchuke ; 
 
 The Gryane wes fo ftrang. 
 
 He held the Lady day and nycht, 
 
 Within his deip dimgeoun ; 
 He wald nocht gif of hir a iieht 
 
 For gold nor yit ranfoun, 
 Bot gife the King mycht get a Knycht, 
 
 To fecht with his perfoim, 
 To fecht with him, both day and nycht, 
 
 Quhill ane wer dungin doun. 40 
 
 The King gart feik baith fer and neir, 
 
 Beth be fe and land, 
 Oft' ony Knycht gife he micht heir, 
 
 Wald fecht with that Gyand. 
 A worthy Prince, that had no peir, 
 
 Hes tane the deid on hand, 
 For the luve of the Lady cleir ; 
 
 And held full trew ciinnand. 
 
12 
 
 THE BLUDY SEEK. 
 
 That Prince come prowdlj to the toun, 
 
 Of that Gryane to heir ; 50 
 
 And fawcht with him, his awin perfoun, 
 
 And tuke him prefoneir ; 
 And kefl him in his awin dimgeoun, 
 
 Allane withouttin feir, 
 With hungir, cauld, and confufioun, 
 
 As full Weill worthy weir. 
 
 Syne brak the hour, had hame the bricht, 
 
 Unto hir Fadir deir. 
 Sa evill wondit was the Knycht, 
 
 That he behnvit to de. 60 
 
 Unlufum was his likame dicht, 
 
 His fark was all bludy; 
 In all the warld was thair a wicht 
 
 So peteoufs for to fel 
 
 The Lady murnyt, and maid grit mone, 
 
 With all hir mekle micht: 
 *' I luvit nevir lufe, bot one, 
 
 That dulfully now is dicht! 
 God fen my lyfe wer fra me tone, 
 
 Or I had fene yone ficht; 70 
 
 Or ellis in begging evir to gone 
 
 Furth with yone curtafs Knycht." 
 
 He faid, " Fair Lady now mone I 
 
 De, treftly ye me trow: 
 Tak ye my fork that is bludy. 
 
 And hino it forrow vow. 
 
THE BLUDY SERK. 13 
 
 Fiifl tliink on it, and fyne on me, 
 
 Quhen men cumis yow to wow." 
 The lady faid, " Be Mary fre, 
 
 Thairto I mak a vow." 80 
 
 Quhen that fcho lukit to the ferk, 
 
 Scho thocht on the perfoun : 
 And prayit for him with all hir harte, 
 
 That lowfd hir of bandoun : 
 Quhair fcho was wont to fit full merk 
 
 In that deip dungeoun: 
 And evir quhill fcho wes in quert, 
 
 That wafs hir a loffoun. 
 
 So Weill the Lady luvit the Knycht, 
 
 That no man wald fcho tak. 90 
 
 Sa fuld we do our God of micht 
 
 That did all for us mak; 
 Quhilk fuUely to deid wes dicht, 
 
 For finfull manis faik. 
 Sa fuld we do, both day and nycht, 
 
 With prayaris to him mak. 
 
 MOKALITAS. 
 
 This King is lyk the Trinitie 
 
 Baith in hevin and heir. 
 The Manis faule to the Lady : 
 
 The Gyane to Lucefeir. 100 
 
14 THE BLUDY SERK. 
 
 Tlie Knycht to Chryft, that deit on tre, 
 
 And coft our fynnis deir : 
 The pit to hell, with panis fell; 
 
 The fyn to the woweir. 
 
 The Lady was wowd, but feho faid Nay, 
 
 With men that wald hir wed ; 
 Sa fuld we wryth all fyn away, 
 
 That in our breifl is bred. 
 I pray to Jefu Chryft verrey 
 
 For us his blud that bled, 110 
 
 To be our help on Domyfday, 
 
 Quhair lawis ar ftraitly led. 
 
 The faule is Godis dochtir deir, 
 
 And eik his handewerk. 
 That was betraiit with Lueifeir, 
 
 Quha fittis in hell, full merk. 
 Borrowit with Chryflis angell cleir, 
 
 Hend men! will ye noeht herk? 
 For his lufe that bocht us deir, 
 
 Think on the Bludy Serk! 120 
 
 I 
 
THE ABBAY WALK 
 
 Allone as I went up and doun 
 
 In ane Abbay was fair to fe, 
 Thinkand quhat confolatioun 
 
 Was beft in to adverfitie ; 
 
 On caifs I keft on fyd myne e, 
 And faw this written upoun a wall, 
 
 Off quhat eftait, Man, that thow be, 
 Obey, and thank thy God of all. 
 
 Thy kindome and thy grit empyre. 
 
 Thy ryaltie, nor riche array, 10 
 
 Sail nocht endeur at thy defyre, 
 
 Bot, as the wind, will wend away ; 
 
 Thy gold, and all thy gudis gay, 
 Quhen fortoun lift will fra thee fall: 
 
 Sen thou lie fampillis feis ilk day. 
 Obey, and thank thy God of all. 
 
 Job was moift riche, in Writ we find, 
 
 Thobe moift full of cheritie ; 
 Job woux pure, and Thobe blynd, 
 
 Baith tempit with adverfitie. 20 
 
16 THE ABBAY WALK. 
 
 Sen blindnes wes infirmitie, 
 And poverty wes natural! ; 
 
 Thairfoir rycht patiently bath he and he 
 Obeyit, and thankit God of all. 
 
 Thocht thow be blind, or half ane halt, M 
 
 Or in thy face deformit ill, 
 Sa it cum nocht throw thy defalt, 
 
 Na man fuld thee repreif by fkill. 
 
 Blame nocht thy Lord, fa is his will ; 
 Spurn nocht thy fute aganis the wall; 30 
 
 Bot with meik hairt, and prayer still. 
 Obey, and thank thy God of all. 
 
 God of his juftice mon correct, 
 
 And of his mercie petie half; 
 He is ane Juge, to nane fufpect. 
 
 To puneifs fynfull man and faif. 
 
 Thocht thow be lord attour the laif, 
 And eftirwart maid bound and thrall, 
 
 Ane pure begger, with fkrip and ftaiff, 
 Obey, and thank thy God of all. 40 
 
 This changeing, and grit variance. 
 
 Off erdly flaitis up and doun. 
 Is nocht bot cafualitie and chance, 
 
 As fum men fay is, without reffoun, 
 
 Bot be the grit provilioun 
 Of God aboif that rewll thee fall ; 
 
 Thairfoir evir thow mak thee bouu, 
 To obey, and thank thy God of all. 
 
 I 
 
THE ABB AY WALK. 17 
 
 111 welth be meik, heich not thy felf; 
 
 Be glaid in wilful! povertie; 50 
 
 Thy power, and thy warldis pelf, 
 
 Is nocht bot verry vanitie. 
 
 Remembir him that deit on tree, 
 For thy faik taistit the bittir gall; 
 
 Quha heis law hairtis, and lawis he, 
 Obey, and thank thy God of all. 
 
AGANIS HAISTY CREDDENCE 
 OF TITLARIS. 
 
 Fals titlaris now growis up fall rank, 
 Nocht ympit in the flok of cheretie, 
 
 Howping at thair lord to gett grit thank; 
 
 Thay haif no dreid on thair nychtbouris to lie : 
 Than fowld ane Lord awyfe him weill I fe, 
 
 Quhen ony taill is brocht to his prefence, 
 Gif it be groundit in to veretie, 
 
 Or he thairto gif haiftely creddence. 
 
 Ane worthy lord fowld wey ane taill wyflie, 
 The taill-tellar, and quhome of it is tald ; 10 
 
 Gif it be faid for luve, or for invy, 
 
 And gif the taillisman abyd at it he wald : 
 Than eftirwart the parteis fowld be eald, 
 
 For thair excufe to mak lawfuU defence ; 
 
 Than fowld ane lord the ballance evinly hald, 
 
 And gif not at the first haiflie creddence. 
 
 It is no wirfchep for ane nobill lord, 
 
 For the fals taillis to put ane trew man doun, 
 
 And gevand creddence to the first recoird, 
 
 He will not heir his excufatioun ; 20 
 
 I 
 
AGANIS IIAISTY CREDDENCE OF TITLARIS. 19 
 
 The tittillaris fo in his eir can roun, 
 The innocent may get no awdience: 
 
 Ryme as it may, thair is na reffoun, 
 To gif till taillis haiflely creddence. 
 
 Thir taill-tellaris oft tymes dois grit skaith, 
 
 And raiffis mortall feid and difcrepance, 
 And makis lordis with thair ferwandis wreith, 
 
 And baneift be withowt cryme perchance. 
 
 It is the grund of flryfe and all diflance, 
 Moir perellus than ony peftillence, 30 
 
 Ane lord in flatterreris to haif plefance, 
 Or to gif lyaris haiflely creddence. 
 
 thow wyfe lord! quhen cumis a flatterar 
 Thee for to pleis, and hurt the innocent, 
 
 Will tell ane taill of thy familiar; 
 
 Thow fowld the parteis call incontinent. 
 And fitt doun fadly in to jugement. 
 
 And ferche the cans weill, or thow gif fentence, 
 Or ellis heireftir, in cais thow may repent, 
 
 That thow to taillis gaif fo grit creddence. 40 
 
 wicket tung! fawand diffentioun, 
 
 Of fals taillis to tell that will not tyre, 
 Moir perellus than ony fell pufoun. 
 
 The pane of hell thow fall haif to thy hyre. 
 
 Richtfwa thay fall that hes joy or defyre, 
 To gife his eir to heird with patience; 
 
 For of difcord it kendillis mony fyre, 
 Throucht geving taillis haiftely creddence. 
 
20 AGANIS HAISTY CREDDENCE OF TITLABIS. 
 
 Bakbyttaris to heir it is no bourd, 
 
 For tliay ar excommunicat in all place; 50 
 Three perfonis feverall he flayis with ane wourd, 
 
 Himfelf, the heirar, and the man faiklace. 
 
 Within an hude he has ane dowbill face, 
 Ane bludy tung, undir a fair pretence. 
 
 I fay no moir; bot God grant lordis grace, 
 To gife to taillis nocht haillely creddence. 
 
 I 
 
THE PRAIS OF AIGE. 
 
 In tyl ane garth, under ane reid rofeir, 
 
 Ane auld Man, and decrepit, hard I fyng ; 
 Gay wes the noit, fweit was the voce and cleyr; 
 
 It wes grit joy to heir of fie ane thyng. 
 
 And to my doume, he faid, in his dytyng, 
 For to be young I wald nocht, for my wyfs 
 
 Of all this warld to mak me lord and king : 
 The moyr of aige the nerar hevynnis blifs. 
 
 Fals is this warld, and full of varyance, 
 
 Ourefet with fyt and uther fynnys mo; 10 
 Now trewth is tynt, gyle hes the governance. 
 
 And wrachitnefs hes turnyt al fra weill to wo ; 
 
 Fredoume is tynt, and flemyt the Lordis fro, 
 And cuvattyce is all the caufe of this: 
 
 I am content that yowthheid is ago: 
 The moyr of aige the nerar hevynnis blis. 
 
 The flait of yowth I repute for na gude. 
 For in that flait grit perrell now I fee; 
 
 Can nane gane fland the rageing of his blude 
 Na yit be flabil quhill that he aigit be : 20 
 
22 THE PRAIS OF AIGE. 
 
 Than of the thing that maifl rejoyfit he, 
 Na thing remaynis for to be callit his; 
 
 For quhy? it wes bot verray vanite : 
 The moyr of aige the nerar hevynnis blyfs. 
 
 This wrechit warld may na man trow ; for quhy ? 
 
 Of erdly joy ay forrow is the end; 
 The gloyr of it can na man certify, 
 
 This day a king, the morne na thing to fjDend ! 
 
 Quhat haif we heyr bot grace us to defend! 
 The quhilk God grant us till amend our myfs, 30 
 
 That till his joy he may our faullis fend ; 
 The moyr of aige the nerar hevynnis blifs. 
 
THE RESSONING BETWIXT 
 AiaE AND YOWTH. 
 
 YOWTH. 
 
 QuHEN fair Flora, the goddefs of all flowris, 
 
 Baith firth and feildis frefchely had ourfret, 
 And perly droppis of the balmy fchowris, 
 
 Thir woddis grene had with thair watter wet ; 
 
 Mufand allone, in mornyng myld, I met 
 A mirry man, that all of mirth cowth mene, 
 
 Syngand this fang that richt fweitly wes fett, 
 " yowth be glaid in to thy flowris grene!" 
 
 AIGE. 
 
 I lukit furth a litill me befoir, 
 
 And faw a catyf on a club cumand, 10 
 
 With cheikis leyne, and lyart lokis hoir: 
 
 His ene was howe, his voce was hace hoUand, 
 
 Wallowit and wan, and walk as ony wand ; 
 Ane bill he beure upoun his breifl abone. 
 
 In letteris leill but lefs, with this legyand, 
 " yowth, thy flowris faidis ferly fone!" 
 
 YOWTH. 
 
 This yung man lap upoun the land full licht, 
 And marvellit mekle of his makdome maid ; 
 
24 RESSONING BETWIXT AIGE AND YOWTH. 
 
 " Waldyne I am, quod he, and woundir wicht. 
 With brawne as bair, and breifl burly and braid, 20 
 Na grome on ground my gairdone may degraid, 
 
 Nor of my pith may pair Avirth half a prene ; 
 My face is fair, my figour may nocht faid: 
 
 yowth be glaid into thy flowris grene ! " 
 
 AIGE. 
 
 This feneour fang, bot with a fober flevyn, 
 Schakand his herd, he faid, " My baime lat be ; 
 
 1 was within thir fextie yeiris and fevyn, 
 Ane freik on fold, als fair, frefch, als fre, 
 Als glaid, als gay, als ying, als yhaip as ye : 
 
 Bot now that day is our-drawyne and done ; 30 
 
 Luke thow my laychly lycome gif I lie : 
 O yowth thy flowris faidis ferly fone ! " 
 
 YOWTH. 
 
 This mirry man of mirth yit movit moir : 
 
 " My corps is clene without corruptioun ; 
 My felf is found, but feiknes or but foir; 
 
 My wittis fyve in dew proportioun ; 
 
 My curage is of clene complexioun : 
 My hairt is haill, my levar, and my fplene, 
 
 Thairfoir to reid this roll I haif reffoun : 
 O yowth be glaid into thy flowris grene ! " 40 
 
 AIGE. 
 
 The bevar hoir faid to this berly heme, 
 
 " This breif thow fall obey, fone be thow bald ; 
 Thy ftait, thy flrenth, thocht it be ftark and fterne, 
 
 I 
 
RESSONING BETWIXT AIGE AND YOWTH. 25 
 
 The feveris fell, and eild fall gar thee fald ; 
 
 Thy corps fall clyng, thy eurage fall wax eald, 
 Thy helth fall hynk, and tak a hurt but hone, 
 
 Thy wittis fyve fall vaneis, thoeht thow nocht 
 wald: 
 yowth thy flowris faidis ferly fone ! '* 
 
 YOWTH. 
 
 Ane uther vers this yung man yit cowth fing, 
 
 " At luvis law I think a quhyle to leit, 50 
 In court to cramp clenely in my clething. 
 
 And luke amangis thir lully ladeis fweit; 
 
 Of mariage to mell, with mowthis meit. 
 In fecreitnes, quhair we may nocht be fene. 
 
 And fo with birdis blythly my bailis beit: 
 yowth be glaid in to thy flowris grene!" 
 
 AIGE. 
 
 This awflrene greif anfwerit angirly, 
 
 " For thy cramping thow fait baith cruke and 
 cowre ; 
 Thy flefchely lufl thow fait aKo defy, 
 
 And pane thee fall put fra [thy] paramour : 60 
 
 Than will no bird be blyth of thee in boure ; 
 Quhen thy manheid fall wendin as the mone, 
 
 Thow fall affay gif that my fong be feur : 
 O yowth, thy flowris faidis ferly fone ! " 
 
 This gowand grathit with fie grit greif. 
 
 He on his wayis wiethly went, but wene; 
 This lene auld man luthe not, but tuk his leif. 
 
26 RESSONING BETWIXT AIGE AND YOWTH. 
 
 And I abaid under the levis grene : 
 
 Of the fedullis the futhe quhen I had fene, 
 
 Of trewth, methoeht, thay triumphit in thair 
 
 tone : 70 
 
 " yowth, be glaid into thy flowris grene ! " 
 
 " O yowth, thy flowris faidis ferly fone!" 
 
THE RESSONING BETWIXT 
 DETH AND MAN. 
 
 Deth. 
 " MORTALL Man ! behold, tak tent to me, 
 
 Quhilk fall thy mirrour be baith day and nicht ; 
 All erdly thing that evir tuik lyfe mon die, 
 
 Paip, empriour, king, barroun, and knycht, 
 
 Thocht thay be in thair ryell ftait and hicht. 
 May not ganefland, quhen I pleifs fchute the derte ; 
 
 Wal-townis, caftellis, and towris nevir fo wicht, 
 May nocht refill quhill it be at his hert." 
 
 The Man. 
 " Now quhat art thow, that biddis me thus tak 
 tent, 
 
 And mak ane mirror day and nicht of thee ? 10 
 Or with thy dert I fowld rieht fou* repent? 
 
 I trell trewly off that thow fall fone lie. 
 
 Quhat freik on fold fa bald dar manifs me. 
 Or with me fecht, owthir on fute or horfs? 
 
 Is non fo wicht or flark in this cuntre, 
 Bot I fall gar him bow to me on forfs." 
 
 Deth. 
 " My name, forfuth, [to fay] fen that thow fpeiris. 
 
28 RESSONING BETWIXT DETH AND MAN. 
 
 Thay call me Deth, futhly I thee declair, 
 Calland all man and woman to thair beiris, 
 
 Quhen evir I pleifs, quhat tyme, quhat place, or 
 quhair : 20 
 
 Is nane fa flowt, fa frefche, nor yit fa fair, 
 Sa yung, fa aid, fa riche, nor yit fa peur, 
 
 Quhair evir I pafs, owthir kit or air, 
 Mon put thame haill on forfs undir my cure." 
 
 Man. 
 
 " Sen it is fua, that nature can fo wirk, 
 
 That yung and awld, with riche and peure, mon 
 die; 
 
 In my yowtheid, allace! I wes full irk, 
 
 Cowld not tak tent to gyd and governe me 
 Ay gude to do, fra evill deidis to fle, 
 
 Trefland ay yowthheid wold with me abyde ; 30 
 Fulfilland evir my fenfualitie 
 
 In deidly fyn, and fpecialy in pryd." 
 
 Deth. 
 " Thairfoir repent, and remord thy confcience ; 
 
 Think on thir wordis I now upoun thee cry: 
 O wrechit man ! O full of ignorance ! 
 
 All thy plefance thow fall richt deir aby ; 
 
 Difpone thy felf, and cum with me in hy, 
 Edderis, afkis, and wormis meit for to be ; 
 
 Cum quhen I call, thow ma me nocht deny, 
 Thocht thow war paip, empriour, and king all 
 
 thre." 40 
 
RESSONING BETWIXT DETH AND MAN. 
 
 Man. 
 
 " Sen it is fwa fra thee I may not chaip, 
 
 This wrechit warld for me heir I defy, 
 And to the deid, to lurk vnder thy caip, 
 
 I offer me with hairt richt humily; 
 
 Befeiking God, the divill, myne enemy. 
 No power haif my faule till affay : 
 
 Jefus on thee, with peteous voce, I cry, 
 Mercy on me to haif on domifday." 
 
THE THREE DEID POWIS. 
 
 O siNFULL Man! into this mortall fee 
 
 Quhilk is the vaill of murnyng and of cair ; 
 With gaiftly fight, behold oure heidis three, 
 
 Oure holkit eine, oure peilit powis bair. 
 
 As ye ar now, into this warld we wair, 
 Als frefche, als fair, als lufly to behald; 
 
 Quhan thow lukis on this futh exemplair, 
 Off thyfelf, Man, thou may be rieht unbald. 
 
 For futh it is, that every man mortall 
 
 Mon fuffer deid, and de, that lyfe has tane ; 10 
 
 Na erdly flait aganis deid ma prevaill; 
 The hour of deth and place is uncertane, 
 Quhilk is referrit to the hie God allane : 
 
 Herefoir haif mynd of deth, that thow mon dy ; 
 This fair exampill to fe quotidiane, 
 
 Sowld caufe all men fro wicket vjch flie? 
 
 O wantone yowth! als frefche as lufly May, 
 Farefl of flowris, renewit quhyt and reid, 
 
 Behald our heidis, O lufly gallandis gay! 
 
 Full laithly thus faU ly thy lufly heid, 20 
 
THE THREE DEID POWIS. 31 
 
 Holkit and how, and wallowit as the weid, 
 Thy crampland hair, and eik thy crillall ene; 
 
 Full cairfully conclud fall dulefuU deid. 
 Thy example heir be us it may be fene. 
 
 O ladeis quhyt! in claithis corrufcant, 
 
 Poleift with perle, and mony pretius ftane; 
 With palpis quhyt, and hals elegant, 
 
 Sirculit with gold, and fapheris mony ane ; 
 
 Your fingearis fmall, quhyt as quhailis bane, 
 Arrayit with ringis, and mony rubeis reid ; 30 
 
 As we ly thus, fo fall ye ly ilk ane, 
 With peilit powis, and holkit thus your heid. 
 
 O wofull pryd ! the rute of all diflrefs. 
 
 With humill hairt upoim our powis pens : 
 Man, for thy mifs, afk mercy with meiknefs; 
 
 Aganis Deid na man may mak defens. 
 
 The Empriour, for all his exeellens. 
 King and Quene, and eik all erdly flait, 
 
 Peure and riche, fall be but differens, 
 Turnit in as, and thus in erd tranflait. 40 
 
 This queflioun quha can obfolve lat fee, 
 
 Quhat phifnamour, or perfyt palmefler, 
 Quha was farefl, or fowlefl of us three? 
 
 Or quhilk of us of kin was gentillar? 
 
 Or maift excellent in fcience or in lare. 
 In art, mufic, or in aflronomye? 
 
 Heir[in] fould be your lludy and repair, 
 And think, as thus, all our heidis mon be. 
 
32 THE THREE DEID POWIS. 
 
 O febill aige! drawand neir the dait 
 
 Of duly deid, and hes thy dayis compleit, 50 
 Behald our heidis with murning and regrait; 
 
 Fall on thy kneis, afk grace at God greit, 
 
 With orifonis, and haly pfalmis fweit, 
 Befeikand him on thee to haif mercy, 
 
 Now of our fawlis bydand the decreit 
 Of his Grodheid, quhen he fall call and cry. 
 
 A Is we exhort, that every man mortall. 
 For his faik that maid of nocht all thing, 
 
 For our fawlis to pray in generall, 
 
 To Jefu Chryfl, of hevyn and erd the King ; 60 
 That throuch his blude we may ay leif and ring, 
 
 With the Hie Fader, be eternitie, 
 
 The Sone alfwa, the Haly Gaill conding, 
 
 Three knit in Ane be perfyt Unitie. 
 
 I 
 
THE SALUTATION OF THE VIRGIN. 
 
 FoRCY as deith is likand lufe, 
 
 Throuch quhom al bittir fuet is, 
 No thing is hard, as Writ can pruf, 
 
 Till him in lufe that letis ; 
 
 Luf us fra barret betis ; 
 Quhen fra the hevinly fete abufe, 
 In message Grabriell couth muf, 
 
 And with mild Mary metis, 
 
 And faid, " God wele thee gretis ; 
 In thee He will tak rest and rufe, 10 
 
 But hurt of fyn, or yit reprufe : 
 
 In Him fett thi decretis." 
 
 This meffage mervale gert that Myld, 
 
 And lilence held but foundis, 
 As Weill aferit, a maid infild. 
 
 The Angell it expoundis. 
 
 How that hir wame but wound is 
 Confave it fuld, fra fyn exild ; 
 And quhen this carpin wes compild 
 
 Brichtnes fra bufe aboundis : 20 
 
 Than fell that gay to groundis, 
 c 
 
34 THE SALUTATION OF THE VIRGIN. 
 
 Of Goddis grace na thing begild, 
 Wox in liir chaumer chaift with child, 
 With Chrift our kyng that cround is. 
 
 Thir tithingis tauld, the meffinger 
 
 Till hevin agane he glidis ; 
 That princes pure, withoutyn peir, 
 
 Full plefandly applidis, 
 
 And blith with barne abidis. 
 O w^orthy wirfchip finguler ! 30 
 
 To be moder and madyn meir, 
 
 As Christin faith confidis; 
 
 That borne was of hir fidis, 
 Our maker Goddis Son fo deir, 
 Quhilk erd, wattir, and he\innis cler, 
 
 Throw grace and virtu gidis. 
 
 The miraclis ar mekle and meit, 
 
 Fra luffis ryver rynnis, 
 The low of luf haldand the hete, 
 
 Unbrynt full blithlie birnis : 40 
 
 Quhen Gabriell beginnis, 
 With mouth that gudely May to grete, 
 The wand of Aaron, dry but wete, 
 
 To burjioun nocht blynnis, 
 
 The flefch all donk within is 
 Upon the erd, na drop couth fleit ; 
 Sa was that May maid moder fuete, 
 
 And fakelefs of all fynnis. 
 
 Hir mervallus liaill madinhede 
 
THE SALUTATION OF THE VIRGIN. 35 
 
 God ill hir bofum bracis, 50 
 
 And hir divinite fra dreid 
 
 Hir kepit in all caiis. 
 
 The Hie God of his gracis. 
 Him felf difpifit us to fpeid, 
 And dowtit nocht to dee on deid : 
 
 He panit for our peacis, 
 
 And with his blude us bacis ; 
 Bot quhen he ras up, as we rede, 
 The cherite of his Godhede 
 
 Was plane in every placis. 60 
 
 O Lady lele, and lufumeft, 
 
 Thy face moifl fair and fchene is! 
 blofum blith and bowfumefl, 
 
 Fra carnale cryme that clene is ! 
 
 This prayer fra my fplene is, 
 That all ray werkis wikkitefl 
 Thow put away, and mak me chaift 
 
 Fra Termigant that teyn is. 
 
 And fra his cluke that kene is ; 
 And fyn till hevin, my faule thou haift, 70 
 
 Quhar thi Maker of michtis maift 
 
 Is Kyng, and thow thair Quene is. 
 
THE WANT OF WYSE MEN. 
 
 Me ferlyis of this grete confufioun, 
 
 I wald funi clerk of connyng walde declerde, 
 Qubat gerris this warld be turnyt up fo doun ! 
 
 Thare is na faithfull faflnes founde in erd; 
 
 Now ar noucht thre may traiftly trow the ferde ; 
 Welth is away, and wit is worthin in wrynkis : 
 
 No fele is fouer now, this is a wofull werde. 
 Sen want of wyfe men makis fuhs fitt on binkis. 
 
 That tyme quhen levit the king Saturnus, 
 
 For gudely gouvernance this warld was Goldiu 
 cald ; 10 
 
 For untreutli we wate noucht quhare to it turnis ; 
 The tyme that Octoviane the monarch could hald, 
 Our all was peax, wele fet as hertis wald : 
 
 Than regnyt reule, and refone held his rynkis ; 
 Now lakkis prudence, nobilitee is thralde, 
 
 Sen want of wyfe men makis fulis fitt on bynkis. 
 
 Areflotill for his moralitee, 
 
 Auftyn, or Ambrofe for thair dyvine feripture ; 
 Quha can Placebo, and noucht half Dirige, 
 
 That practik for to pike, and pill the pure, 20 
 
THE WANT OF WYSE MEN. 37 
 
 He fall cum in, and thay lland at the dure. 
 For warldly wonyng fik walkis, quhen wyfar wynkis : 
 
 Wit takis na worfehip, fik is tlie aventure, 
 Sen want of wyfe men makis fulis fitt on binkis. 
 
 Weir, but defenfe, rycht lyis all defolate, 
 
 Ryeht and refone under na rufe has reft ; 
 Youth is but raddour, and age is obflynate, 
 
 Mycht but mercy, the pore ar all oppreft. 
 
 Lerit folk fuld tech the peple of the befl, 
 Thouch lare be lytill, fer leffe in tham finkis : 30 
 
 It may noucht be this warld ay thus fuld left, 
 That want of wyfe men makis fulis fitt on binkis. 
 
 For now is exilde all aid noble corage, 
 
 Lautee, lufe, and liberalitee : 
 Now is fl;abilitee fundyn in na flage, 
 
 Nor degefl counfele wyth fad maturitee. 
 
 Peax is away, all in perplexitee ; 
 Prudence, and policy, ar banyfl our al brinkis. 
 
 This warld is ver, fa may it callit be. 
 That want of wyfe men makis fulis fitt on bynkis. 40 
 
 Quhare is the balance of juftice and equitee ? 
 
 Nothir meryt is preifit, na punyft; is trefpas! 
 All ledis now lyvis lawles at libertee, 
 
 Noucht reulit be refon, mair than ox, or afle : 
 
 Gude faith is flemyt, worthin fraillar than glas ; 
 Trew lufe is lorne, and lautee haldis no lynkis; 
 
 Sik gouvernance I call noucht worth a faffe, 
 Sen want of wyfe men makis fulis fitt on binkis. 
 
38 THE WANT OF WYSE MEN. 
 
 Now wrang hes warrand, and law is bot wilfulnefs ; 
 
 Quha hes the war, is worthin on him all the 
 
 wyte, 50 
 
 For trewth is treffoun, and faith is fals fekilnefs; 
 
 Gylle is now gyd, and vane lufl is aKo delyte; 
 
 Kh'k is contempnit, thay compt nocht Curiing a 
 my te ; 
 Grit Grod is grevit, that me ryeht fou* forthinkis : 
 
 The eaufe of this ony man may fone wit, 
 That want of wyfe men garis fulis fit on binkis. 
 
 Lufe has tane leif, and wirfchip hes no iidir wane, 
 With pafling povertie, pryd is importable; 
 
 Yyce is bot vertew, wit is with will foir ourgane. 
 As lairdis fo laddis, daly changeable; 60 
 
 But ryme or reffone all is bot heble hable; 
 
 Sic flurtfull fleiring in to Grodis neifs it flinkis : 
 But He haif rew all is unremedeable, 
 
 For want of wyfe men garis fulis fit on binkis. 
 
 O Lord of Lordis! God and Gouvernour! 
 
 Makar and movar, bayth of mare and leffe, 
 Quhais power, wifedome, gudnes, and honoure, 
 
 Is infynite, now, falbe, and evir wes. 
 
 As thy Evangell planely dois exprefs : 
 All thir fayd thingis reforme as thow befl thinkis, 70 
 
 Quhilk ar degradit, for pure pitee redreffe, 
 That without fulis, may wyfe men fit on binkis. 
 
ANE PRAYER FOR THE PEST. 
 
 ETERNE God ! of power infinyt, 
 
 To quhois hie knawlege na thing is obfcure 
 That is, or was, or evir falbe, perfyt, 
 
 In to thy iicht, quhill that this warld indure ; 
 
 Haif mercy of us, indigent and pure : 
 Thow dois na wrang to puneifs our offens : 
 
 O Lord ! that is to mankynd haill fuecure, 
 Preferve us fra this perrelus peftilens. 
 
 We thee befeik, Lord of lordis all ! 
 
 Thy eiris inclyne and heir our grit regrait; 10 
 We afk remeid of thee in generall, 
 
 That is of help and confort defolait, 
 
 Bot thow with rewth our hairtis rocreat, 
 We ar bot deid but only thy clemens ; 
 
 We thee exhort, on kneis law proflrait, 
 Preferve us fra this perrelus peftilens. 
 
 We ar richt glaid thou puneifs our trefpafs 
 
 Be ony kynd of uthir tribulatioun, 
 Wer it thy will, O Lord of hevin! allaifs 
 
 That we fould thus be haiflely put doun, 20 
 
40 
 
 ANE TRAYER FOR THE PEST. 
 
 And dye as beiftis without confeflioun, 
 That nane dar mak with uthir refidence. 
 
 bliffit Jhefu! that woir the thorny eroiin, 
 Preferve us frome this perrelus peflilens. 
 
 Ufe derth, O Lord ! or feiknes, and hungir foir, 
 And flaik thy plaig that is fo penetryve, 
 
 Thy pepill ar perreift, quha ma remeid thairfoir ; 
 Bot thow, Lord ! that for thame loft thy ly ve, 
 Suppoifs our fyn be to thee pungityve, 
 
 Our deid ma na thing our fynnys recompeiis ; 30 
 Haif mercy, Lord ! we ma not with thee ftryve, 
 
 Preferve us frome this perrelus peftilens. 
 
 Haif mercy, Lord ! haif mercy, hevynis king ! 
 
 Haif mercy of thy pepill penetent ; 
 Haif mercy of our petoufs punifling ! 
 
 Retreit the fentence of thy jufl jugement 
 
 Aganis us fynnaris, that fervis to be fchent ; 
 Without mercy, we ma mak no defens, 
 
 Thow that, but rewth, upoun the rude was rent, 
 Preferve us frome this perrellus peftilens. 40 
 
 Remember, Lord! how deir thow hes us bocht. 
 
 That for us fynnaris fched tliy pretius blude, 
 Now to redeme that thow hes maid of nocht. 
 
 That is of vertew barrane and denude ; 
 
 Haif rewth. Lord, of thyne awin fymilitude, 
 Puneifs with pety and nocht with violens : 
 
 We knaw it is for our ingratitude 
 That we ar puneift with tliis peftilens. 
 
ANE TRAYER FOR THE PEST. 41 
 
 Thow grant us grace for till amend our mifs, 
 
 And till evaid this crewall fiiddane deid, 50 
 We knavv our fyn is all the caufs of this, 
 
 For oppin fyn thair is fet no reraeid. 
 
 The Juftiee of God mon puneifs than bot dreid ; 
 For by the law He will with non difpens, 
 
 Quhair Juftiee laikis, thair is Eternall feid 
 Of God, that fould preferf fra peftilens. 
 
 Bot wald the heiddifmen, that fould keip the law, 
 Puneifs the peple for thair tranfgreffioun, 
 
 Thair wald na deid the peple than ourthraw; 
 Bot thay ar gevin fo planely till oppreffioun, 60 
 That God will nocht heir thair interceflioun ; 
 
 Bot all ar puneift for thair innobediens, 
 Be fword or deid, withouttin remiffioun. 
 
 And hes jufl caufe to fend us peftilens. 
 
 Superne, lucerne, guberne this peftilens 
 
 Prefer ve and ferve that we nocht fterve thairin, 
 Declyne that pyne, be thy devyne prudens, 
 
 O trewth, haif rewth, lat nocht our flewth us 
 twin. 
 
 Our fyt, full tyt, wer we contryt, wald blin, 
 Diffevir, did nevir, quha evir thee befocht, 70 
 
 Send grace, with fpace, and us imbrace, fra fyn, 
 Latt nocht be tynt that thow fo deir hes bocht. 
 
 O Prince preclair! this care quotidiane, 
 
 We thee exhort, diftort it in exyle; 
 Bot thow remeid, this deid, is bot ane trane 
 
42 ANE PRAYER FOR THE PEST. 
 
 For to diffaif, the laif, and thame begyle ; 
 
 Bot thow fa wyifs, devyifs, to mend this byle, 
 Of this mifcheif, quha ma releif us oeht? V| 
 
 For wrangus win, bot thow our fyn, ourfyll, 
 Lat nocht be tynt that thow fo deir hes bocht. 80 
 
 Sen for our vyce, that Juftyce mon correct, 
 O King mofl hie! now pacific thy feid, 
 
 Our fyn is huge, refuge, we not fufpect, 
 As thow art Juge, deluge us of this dreid. 
 In tyme alTent, or we be fchent, with deid, 
 
 We us repent, and tyme mifpent forthocht, 
 Thairfoir, evirmoir, be gloir, to thy Godheid : 
 
 Lat nocht be tynt that thow fo deir hes bocht. 
 
 4 
 
SUM PKACTYSIS OF MEDECYNE. 
 
 GuK, guk, gudday, Sir, gaip quhill ye get it, 
 
 Sic greting may gane weill gud laik in your hude ; 
 Ye wald deir me, I trow, beeaufs I am dottit. 
 
 To ruffill me with a ryme, na, Sir, be the rude. 
 Your faying I haif fene, and on fyd fet it, 
 
 As geir of all gaddering, glaikit, nocht gude ; 
 Als your medecyne by mefour I haif meit met it. 
 
 The quhilk I Hand ford ye nocht underflude, 
 Bot wrett on as ye culd to gar folk wene ; 
 For feir my longis wes flaft, 10 
 
 Or I wes dottit or daft, 
 Gife I can ocht of the craft. 
 Heir be it fene. 
 
 Becaus I ken your cunnyng in to cure, 
 
 Is clowtit and clampit and nocht weill cleird. 
 My prettik in pottingary ye trow be als pure, 
 And lyk to your lawitnes, I fchrew thame that 
 leid ; 
 Is nowdir fevir, nor fell, that our the feild fure, 
 
 Seiknes nor fairnes in tymo gif I fend. 
 But I can lib thame and leiche thame fra lame 
 and lefl'ure, 20 
 
44 SUM PRACTYSIS OF MEDECYNE. 
 
 With fa wis thame found mak, on your faule beid : 
 Tliat ye be licker of this fedull I fend vow, 
 
 With the futhfafl feggis, 
 
 Tliat glean all egeis, 
 
 With Dia and dreggis, 
 
 Of malis to mend yow. 
 
 Dia Culcakit. 
 Cape cuk maid and crop the coUerage, 
 
 Ane medeeyne for the maw and ye cowth mak it, 
 With fueit fatlingis and fowrokis, the fop of the fege. 
 The crud of my culome, with your teith crakit ; 30 
 Lawrean and linget feid, and the luffage, 
 
 The hair of the hurcheoun nocht half deill hakkit. 
 With the fnout of ane felche, ane fwelling to fw^age ; 
 This cure is callit in our craft Dia Culcakkit. 
 Put all thir in ane pan with pepper and pik. 
 Syne fettin to this, 
 The count of ane fow kifs, 
 Is nocht better, I wifs. 
 For the collik. 
 
 Dia Longum. 
 Recipe, thre ruggis of the reid ruke, 40 
 
 The gant of ane gray meir, the claik of ane gufs, 
 The dram of ane dreklerfs, the douk of ane duke, 
 
 The gaw of ane grene dow, the leg of ane lowfs, 
 Fj've unce of ane fle wing, the fyn of ane fluke, 
 
 With ane fleif-full of flak that growis in the flufs ; 
 Myng all thir in ane mafs with the inone cruke, 
 
 This untment is rycht ganand for your awin ufs, 
 
SUM PRACTYSIS OF MEDECYNE. 45 
 
 With reid nettill feid in flrang wefche to fleip, 
 For to bath your ba cod, 
 
 Quhen ye vvald nop and nod, 50 
 
 Is nocht bettir, be God, 
 
 To latt yow to fleip. 
 
 DiA Glaconicon. 
 This Dia is rycht deir and denteit in daill 
 
 Caufs it is trefl and trew, thairfoir that ye tak 
 Sevin fobbis of ane felche, the quhidder of ane quhaill, 
 
 The lug of ane lenipet is nocht to forfaik. 
 The harnis of ane haddok, hakkit or haill,. 
 
 With ane buflfull of blude of the fcho-bak. 
 With ane brewing caldrun full of hait caill. 
 
 For it wilbe the foftar and fvveittar of the fmak ; 60 
 Thair is not lie ane lechecraft fra Lawdian to 
 Lundin, 
 It is clippit in our cannon 
 Dia Glecolicon, 
 For to fle awa the fon, 
 
 Quhair fulis ar fundin. 
 
 Dia Custbum. 
 The ferd feilik is fyne, and of ane felloun pryce, 
 
 Gud for hailing, and hofling, or heit at the hairt ; 
 Recipe, thre fponfull of the blak fpyce, 
 
 With ane grit gowpene of the gowk fart ; 
 The lug of ane ly vin, the gufe of ane gryce ; 70 
 
 Ane mice of ane ofler poik at the nether parte ; 
 Annoyntit with nurice doung, for it is rycht nyce, 
 
 Myngit with myfe dirt and with muflart ; 
 
46 SUM PRACTYSIS OF MEDECYNE. 
 
 Ye may clamp to this cure, and ye will mak coft, 
 Bayth the bellox of ane brok, 
 With three era wis of the cok, 
 The fchadow of ane Yule ftok, 
 
 Is gud for the hoft. 
 
 Grud nycht, guk, guk, for fa I began, 
 
 I haif no toure at this tyme langer to tary, 80 
 Bot luk on this lettir, and leird gif ye can ; 
 
 The prettik and poyntis of this Pottingary, 
 Sir, minifler this medecyne at evin to fum man, 
 
 And or pryme be pafb, my powder I pary, 
 They fall blifs yow or ellis bittirly yow ban ; 
 
 For it fall fle thame, in faith, out of the fary : 
 Bot luk quhen ye gadder thir greffis and gerfs, 
 Outhir fawrand or four, 
 That it be in ane gude houre : 
 It is ane mirk mirrour, 90 
 
 Ane uthir mannis erfs. 
 
 I 
 
OKPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
t 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 # 
 
 The nobilnefs and grete magnificence 
 Off prince or lord, quha lift to magnify, 
 
 His grete anceftry, and lyniall defcenfe 
 Suld firft extoll, and his genology. 
 So that his hert he mycht enclyne thareby 
 
 The moir to vertewe, and to worthynes, 
 
 Herand reherfe his eldaris gentilnes. 
 
 It is contrair the lawis of nature 
 
 A gentill man to be degenerate, 
 Nocht following of his progenitoure 10 
 
 The worthy reule, and the lordly eftate ; 
 
 A ryall renke for to be rufticate. 
 Is bot a monfler in comparifoun, 
 Had in defpyte, and foule derifioun. 
 
 I fay this be the grete lordis of Grewe 
 
 Quhilkis fet thair hert, and all thair hale curage, 
 
 Thair faderis fteppis juftly to perfewe, 
 
 Ekyng the worfchip of thair hye lynnage; 
 The auncient and fad wyfe men of age, 
 
 War^endouris to the young and infolent, 20 
 
 To mak thaim in all vertewe excellent. 
 
50 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 
 Lyke as a flrand of water or a fpring 
 Haldis the fapour of his fontale well, 
 
 So did in Grece ilk lord, and worthy king, 
 Off forebearis thay tuke carage and fmell 
 Amangis the quhilkis of ane I think to tell : 
 
 Bot firfl his gentill generatioun 
 
 I fall reherfe, with youre correctioun. 
 
 Apone the mountane of Eliconee 
 
 The mofl famoufe of all Arabia, 30 
 
 A Goddeffe duelt, excellent of beautee. 
 
 Gentile of blude, callit Memoria; 
 
 Quhilk Jupiter that god to wyf can ta. 
 And carnaly hir knewe, quhilk eftir fyne, 
 Apon a day, bair hym fair douchteris nyne. 
 
 The first in Grewe was callit Euterpe, 
 In oure langage gude dilectacioun : 
 
 The fecund maid namyt Melpomene, 
 As hony fuete in modulacioun : 
 Terfycore, quhilk is gude inflructioun 40 
 
 Of every thing, the thrid lifler, I wis ; 
 
 Thus out of Grewe in Latyne tranflate is. 
 
 Caliope that maidyn mervailous, 
 
 The ferde fifter of all mufick maiflreffe ; 
 
 And moder to the king Sir Orpheus, 
 
 Quhilk throw his wyf was efter king of Trace : 
 Cleo the fyft, that now is a goddeffe. 
 
 In Latyne callit meditatioun, 
 
 Of every thing that has creatioun. 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. ,51 
 
 The fext lady was callit Herato, 50 
 
 Quliilk dravvis lyke to lyke in every thing : 
 
 The fevynt lady was fair PoUymyo, 
 
 Quhilk coud a thoufand fangis fwetly fyng : 
 Thelya fyne, quhilk can oure faiilis bring 
 
 To profund wit, and grete agilitee 
 
 To underftand, and have capaeitee. 
 
 Uranya the nynt and laft of all, 
 
 In oure langage quha coud it wele expound, 
 
 Is callit armony celefliall, 
 Rejofing men with melody and found. GU 
 
 Amang thir nyne Caliope was crownd. 
 
 And maid a quene be mychty god Phebus, 
 
 Of quhom he gat this prince Schir Orpheus. 
 
 No woundir is thocht he was fair and wyfe, 
 Gentill, and full of liberal ite. 
 
 His fader god, and his progenitryfe 
 A goddefs, fyndar of all armonye: 
 Quhen he was borne fcho fet him on hir kne, 
 
 And gart him fowke of hir twa palpis quhyte 
 
 The fweit licour of all mufick perfyte. 70 
 
 Quhen he was auld, fone to manheid he drewe, 
 Of flatur large, and farly fair of face; 
 
 His noble fame fo far it fprang and grewe, 
 Till at the laft the mychty Quene of Trace, 
 Excellent fair, haboundand in richefs, 
 
 Ane meffage fend unto this Prince fo ying, 
 
 Requyrand him to wed hir, and be kyng. 
 
52 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 Erudices that lady had to name, 
 
 Quhen that fcho faw this prince fo glorius, 
 
 Hir erand to propone fcho thocht no fchame, 80 
 With wordis fweit, and blenkis amoroufs, 
 Said, " Welcome lord and luf, Schir Orpheus, 
 
 In this province ye fall be king and lord !" 
 
 Thai kiffit fyne, and thus war at accord. 
 
 Betwene Orpheus and fair Erudices, 
 
 Era thai war weddit, on fra day to day 
 
 The lowe of luf couth kendill and encrefs. 
 
 With myrth, blythnefs, gret plefans and gret play 
 Off warldlie joye ; allace, quhat fall we fay ? 
 
 Lyke till a flour that plefandly will fpring, 90 
 
 Quhilk fadis fone, and endis with murnyng! 
 
 I fay this be Erudices the queue, 
 
 Quhilk walkit furth in till a Maij mornyng. 
 And with a madyn, in a medowe grene, 
 
 To tak the dewe, and fe the flouris fpring ; 
 
 Quhar in a fchawe, nere by this lady ying, 
 A bufteoufs hird callit Aryflyus, 
 Kepand his beflis, lay under a bufs ; 
 
 And quhen he faw this lady folitair, 
 
 Bairfute, with fchankis quhytar than the fnawe, 100 
 
 Prikkit with luft, he thocht withoutin mair 
 Hir till opprefs, and till hir can he drawe: 
 Dredand for fcaith fcho fled, quhen fcho him faw ; 
 
 And as fcho ran all bairfut on ane bufs, 
 
 Scho ftrampit on a ferpent vennomufs. 
 
ORPHKUS AND EURYDICK. C>^ 
 
 This cruell veniionie was fo penitryf, 
 As natur is of all mortall poyfoun, 
 
 In peicis fniall this Quenis hart couth ryf, 
 And fcho anone fell in a deidly fwoun : 
 Seand this cais, Proferpyne maid hir boune 110 
 
 Quhilk clepit is the Goddes Infernall, 
 
 And till hir court this gentill Quene couth call. 
 
 And quhan fcho vanyft was and invifible, 
 Hir madin wepit with a wofull cheir, 
 
 Cryand with mony fchout and voce terrible, 
 Quhill at the lall Schir Orpheus couth heir, 
 And of hir cry the caufe than can he fpeir? 
 
 Scho faid, " Allace, Erudices your quene 
 
 Is with the Fary tane befoir myne ene." 
 
 This noble King inflammit all in ire, 120 
 
 And rampand as ane lyoun ravenus, 
 
 With awful 1 luke, and eyne glowand as fyre, 
 Speris the maner, and the maid faid thus : 
 " Scho ftrampit on a ferpent vennomufs. 
 
 And fell in fwoun, with that the Quene of Fary 
 
 Claucht hir up fone, and furthwith hir couth cary." 
 
 Quhen fcho had faid, the King fichit full fore, 
 His liert nere birfl for verray dule and wo, 
 
 Half out of mynd, he maid na tary more, 
 
 Bot tuke his harpe, and to the wod can go ; 130 
 Wryngand his handis, walkand to and fro, 
 
 Quhill he mycht fland, fyne fat doun on a ftone, 
 
 And to his harpe thusgate he maid his mone : — 
 
54 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 *' DULFULL Harpe, with mony dolly flryng, 
 Turne all thy mirth and mufik in murnyng, 
 
 And ceifs of all thy fubtell fangis fweit, 
 Now wepe with me thy lord and careful! kyng, 
 Quhilk lofit has in erd all his lyking; 
 
 And all thy game thow change in gule, and 
 greit, 
 
 Thy goldin pynnis with thy teris weit, 140 
 And all my pane for to report thow prefs, 
 
 Cry and with me, in every field and flreit, 
 Quhar art thow gane my luf Erudices?'' 
 
 Him to rejofs yit playit he a fpryng, 
 Quhill all the foulis of the wod can fyng, 
 
 And treis danfit with thair leves grene, 
 Him to devoid of his gret womenting, 
 Bot all in vane, thai comfort him no thing, 
 
 His hart was fa apon his lufly Quene ; 
 
 The bludy teres fprang out of his eyne, 150 
 Thar was na folace micht his fobbing ceis, 
 
 Bot cryit ay, with caris cald and kene, 
 "• Quhar art thow gane my luf Erudices?" 
 
 " Fair weill my place, fair weill plefance, and play, 
 And welcome woddis wyld, and wiKome way. 
 
 My wickit werd in wildernefs to wair ; 
 My rob ryall, and all my riche array, 
 Changit fall be in rude ruflat of gray, 
 My diademe in till ane hat of hair. 
 My bed fall be with bever, broke, and bair, IGO 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. Oo 
 
 111 bufkis bene with mony bufteoufs befs, 
 
 Withoiitin fang, fayand with fiching fair, 
 Quhar art thow gane my luf Erudices ? 
 
 " 1 thee befeike, my fair fader Phebus, 
 Have pete of thy awne fone Orpheus ; 
 
 Wait thow nocht wele I am thy barne and 
 child : 
 Now heir my plaint panefull and peteoufe, 
 Direct me fra this deid fa dolorufe, 
 
 Quhilk gois thus without! n gilt begyld, 
 
 Lat not thy face with cloudis be ourfyld, 170 
 Len me thy licht, and let me nocht ga lefs. 
 
 To fynd that fair, in fan>e that never was fyld, 
 My lady Quene and luf, Erudices." 
 
 " Jupiter, thow god celelliall. 
 
 And grantfchir to my felf, on thee I call 
 
 To mend my murnyng and my drery mono, 
 Thou geve me forfe, that I noucht faynt nor fall, 
 Quhill I hir fynd ; forfuth feke hir I fall, 
 
 And nouthir flynt, nor Hand for flok nor flone. 
 
 Throw thy godhede gyde me quhare fcho is 
 gone, 180 
 
 Ger hir appere, and put my hert in pes." — 
 
 Thus king Orpheus, with his harpe allone, 
 Sore wepit for his wyf Erudices. 
 
 Quhen endit was thir fangis lamentable, 
 
 He tuke his harp, and on his brest can liyng, 
 Syne paffit to the hevin, as fayis the fable, 
 
56 
 
 ORPHEUS AND EURTDICE. 
 
 To feke his wyf, bot that availit no thing : 
 By Wadlyng Strete he went but tarying, 
 Syne come doun throw the fpere of Saturn aid, 
 Quhilk fader is of all thir flernis cald. 190 
 
 Quhen fcho was fought out throw that cald regioun, 
 To Jupiter his grantfchir can he wend, 
 
 Quhilk rewit fare his lamentatioun, 
 
 And gert his fpere be foucht fra end to end; 
 Scho was noucht thare, than doun he can de- 
 fcend, 
 
 To Mars the god of battaill and of flryf, 
 
 And foucht his fpere, yit gat he noucht his wyf. 
 
 Syne went he doun to his fader Phebus, 
 
 God of the fon, wyth hemes brycht and clere, 
 
 Bot quhen that he faw his fone Orpheus 200 
 In fik a plyte, it changit all his chere. 
 He gert anon go feke throw all his fpere; 
 
 Bot all in vayn, that lady come noucht thare : 
 
 Than tuke he leve, and to Yenus can fare. 
 
 Quhen he hir faw, he knelit and faid thus : 
 '* Wate ye noucht wele, I am your awyne trew 
 knycht, 
 In lufe nane lelar than Schir Orpheus, 
 
 And ye of lufe goddeffe, and mofl of mycht, 
 Oflf my lady helpe me to get a ficht." 
 " For futh (quod fcho), ye mon feke nethir- 
 mare."' 210 
 
 Than fra Yenus he tuke his leve but mare. 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 57 
 
 To Mercury but tary is he gone, 
 
 Quhilk eallit is the God of Eloquence, 
 
 Bot of his wyf thare knaulage gat he none ; 
 Wyth wofull hert than palTit he doune fro thens. 
 Unto the Mone he maid na reiidence. 
 
 Thus fra the hevyn he went doun to the erd, 
 
 Yit by the way fum melody he lerd. 
 
 In his paffage amang the planetis all, 
 
 He herd a hevynly melody and found, 220 
 
 Faffing all inflrumentis muiicall, 
 
 Caufit be rollyng of the Speris round; 
 Quhilk armony throw all this mappamound 
 
 Quhill moving cefTes unyte perpetuall, 
 
 Quhilk of this warld Plato the faule can call. 
 
 Thare leirit he tonys proportionate. 
 As Duplar, Triplar, and Emetricus, 
 
 Enoleus, and eke the Quadruplate, 
 Epodyus rycht hard and curious; 
 And of thir fex, fuete and delicius, 230 
 
 Ryght confonant fyve hevynly fymphonyis 
 
 Componyt ar, as clerkis can devife. 
 
 Firft Dyatefferon full fuete I wis. 
 
 And Dyapafon fymple and duplycate, 
 
 And Dyapente componyt with a Dys, 
 Thir maids five of thre multiplicate ; 
 This mery mufik and mellifluate. 
 
 Complete and full wyth nowmeris od and evyn. 
 
 Is caufit be the moving of the hevyn. 
 
58 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 Off Ilk mufik to wryte I do bot dote, 240 
 
 Tharfor at this mater a lira I lay, 
 
 For in my lyf I coud nevir fyng a note, 
 Bot I will tell how Orpheus tuke the way, 
 To feke his wyf attour the gravis gray, 
 
 Hungry and cald our mony wilfum wone, 
 
 Wythoutyn gyde, he and his harpe allone. 
 
 He paffit furth the fpace of twenty dayis, 
 Fer and full ferther than I can tell; 
 
 And ay he fand ftretis and redy wayis. 
 
 Till at the laft unto the yett of Hell 250 
 
 He come, and thare he fand a portar fell 
 
 With thre hedis, was callit Cerberus, 
 
 A hound of hell, a monfter mervailus. 
 
 Than Orpheus began to be agafl, 
 
 Quhen he beheld that ugly hellis hound ; 
 
 He tuke his harpe, and on it play it fall. 
 
 Till at the laft, throw fuetenes of the found, 
 The dog llepit and fell unto the ground, 
 
 And Orpheus attour his wame in ftall. 
 
 And nethirmare he went, as ye heir fall. 260 
 
 Than come he till ane ryvir wonder depe. 
 Our it a brig, and on it Sifteris thre, 
 
 Quhilk had the entree of the brig to kepe. 
 Alecto, Megera, and Thefiphonee, 
 Turnand a quhele was ugly for to fee. 
 
 And on it fpred a man hecht Ixione 
 
 RoUit about rycht wounder wo begone. 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 59 
 
 Than Orpheus play it a joly fpryng, 
 
 The thre fiftiris full fall thay fell on ilepc, 
 
 The ugly quhele feifit of hir quhirlyng, 270 
 
 Thus left was non the entree for to kepe. 
 Than Ixione out of the quhele can crepe, 
 
 And ftall away, than Orpheus anone, 
 
 Without Hopping, attour the brig is gone. 
 
 Syne come he till a wonder grifely flud, 
 
 Droubly and depe that rathly doun can ryn, 
 
 Quhare Tantalus nakit full thrifty flude, 
 And yit the water yede abone his chyn, 
 Thouch he gapit thare wald na drop cum in, 
 
 Quhen he dulkit the water wald defcend, 280 
 
 Thus gat he nocht his thrift to flake no mend. 
 
 Before his face ane apill hang also, 
 
 Fafl at his mouth apon a tolter threde, 
 
 Quhen he gapit it rokkit to and fro, 
 And fled, as it refuiit him to fede ; 
 Than Orpheus had reuth of his grete nede, 
 
 Tuke out his harpe, and faft on it can clink. 
 
 The water flude, and Tantalus gat drink. 
 
 Syne our a mure, wyth thornis thik and fcharp, 
 Weping allone a wilfum way he went, 290 
 
 And had nocht bene throw fuffi-age of his harj), 
 Wyth fcharp pikis he had bene fchorne and fchent ; 
 And as he blent befyde hym on the bent. 
 
 He faw fpcldit a wonder wofull wicht 
 
 Nailit full faft-, and Tityus he hicht. 
 
60 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 And on his brefte there fat a grifely grype, 
 Quhilk wyth his bill his belly throw can bore, 
 
 Bath maw, mydred, hert, lywir, and trype 
 He ruggit out, his paynis war the more ; 
 Quhen Orpheus faw hym this fufFer fore, 300 
 
 Has tane his harp, and made fuete melody. 
 
 The grype is fled, Tityus left his cry. 
 
 Beyond this mure he fand a ferefuU ftrete, 
 Myrk as the nyclit, to pas rycht dangerous, 
 
 For flydernes fcant mycht he hald his fete. 
 In quhilk thare was a flynk rycht odioufe, 
 That gydit hym to hydoufe Hellis houfe, 
 
 Quhare Rodomantus and Proferpina 
 
 Were king and queue, Orpheus in coud ga. 
 
 O dolly place, and grondles depe dungeoun ! 310 
 Furnes of fyre, wyth fl;ynk intollerable. 
 
 Pit of difpair, wythout remiflioun. 
 
 Thy mete venym, thy drink is poyfonable, 
 Thy grete paynis to compt unnowmerabil, 
 
 Quhat creature cummys to duell in thee. 
 
 Is ay deyand, and nevir more may dee ! 
 
 Thare fand he mony carefull kyng and queue, 
 Wyth croune on hede of brafle full hate birnand, 
 
 Quhilk in thair lyf rycht maifterfull had bene 
 Conquerour of gold, richefle, and of land. 320 
 Hector of Troy, and Priam thare he fand, 
 
 And Alexander for his wrang conqueft : 
 
 Antiocus thare for his foule inceft. 
 
 I 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 61 
 
 Thare fand he Julius Cefar foi* his crueltee, 
 And Herode with his brotheris wyf he fa we ; 
 
 And Nero for his grete iniquitee, 
 
 And Pilot for his breking of the lawe ; 
 Syne under that he lukit, and coud knawe 
 
 Crefus the king, none michtiar on mold 
 
 For covatife, yitt full of byrnand gold. 330 
 
 Thare fand he Pharo, for oppreffioun 
 
 Off Goddis folk, on quhilk the plagis fell ; 
 
 And Saul, eke for the grete abufioun 
 Of juflice to the folk of Ifraell ; 
 Thare fand he Achab, and quene Jefabell, 
 
 Quhilk fely Nabot, that was a prophet trewe, 
 
 For his vyne-yarde wythoutyn pitee flewe. 
 
 Thare fand he mony pape and cardinall, 
 In Haly Kirk quhilk dois abufioun ; 
 
 And bifchopis in thair pontificall, 340 
 
 Be fymony for wrang miniftratioun ; 
 Abbotis and men of all religioun, 
 
 For evill difponyng of thair placis rent, 
 
 In flame of fyre were bitterly turment. 
 
 Syne nethir mare he went quhare Pluto was 
 And Proferpine, and thiderward he drewe, 
 
 Ay playand on his harpe as he coud pas, 
 Till at the laft Erudices he knewe, 
 Lene and dedelike, petoufe and pale of hewe, 
 
 Rycht warfch and wan, and wallowit as a wede, 350 
 
 Hir lily lyre was lyke unto the lede. 
 
62 ORPHEUS AND EURTDICE. 
 
 Quod he, " My Lady lele, and my delyte, 
 Full wa is me to fe yow changit thus ; 
 
 Quhare is thy rude as rofe wyth chekis quhite, 
 Thy eriflall eyne, with blenkis amoroufe, 
 Thi lippis rede to kifs delicioufe f 
 
 Quod fcho, " As now, I dar noucht tell perfay, 
 
 Bot ye fall wit the eaufe ane othir day." 
 
 Quod Pluto, " Sir, thoucht fcho be like ane elf, 
 Thare is na eaufe to plenye, and for quhy?360 
 
 Scho fure als wele dayly as did my felf, 
 Or king Herode for all his chevalry : 
 It is langour that puttis hir in fik ply ; 
 
 Were fcho at hame in hir contree of Trace, 
 
 Scho wald refete full fone in fax and face." 
 
 Than Orpheus before Pluto fat doune. 
 
 And in his handis quhite his harp can ta, 
 
 And playit mony fuete proporcioun, 
 With bafe tonys in Ypodorica, 
 With Gemynyng in Ypolerica ; 370 
 
 Till at the lafl for reuth and grete pitee. 
 
 They wepit fore, that coud him here and fee. 
 
 Than Proferpyne and Pluto bad hym as 
 
 His warifoun ; and he wald afk rycht noucht 
 
 Bot licence wyth his wyf away to pas 
 
 Till his contree, that he fo fer had foucht. 
 Quod Proferpyne, " Sen I hir hiddir broucht, 
 
 We fall noucht part bot with conditioun." 
 
 Quod he, '• Thareto I mak promiflioun." 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. G3 
 
 " Erudices than be the hand thou tak, 380 
 
 And pas thy way, bot underneth this pay no, 
 
 Gyf thou turnis or Menkis behind thy bak, 
 We fall hir have for evir till Hell agayn." 
 Thouch this was hard, yit Orpheus was fayn, 
 
 And on thai went, talkand of play and fport, 
 
 Quhill thay almaift com to the utter port. 
 
 Thus Orpheus wyth inwart lufe replete 
 So blyndit was in grete aiFectioun, 
 
 Penfyfe apon his wyf and lady fuete, 
 
 Remembrit noucht his hard conditioun. 390 
 Quhat will ye more? in fchort conclulioun, 
 
 He blent bakward, and Pluto com anon, 
 
 And unto Hell agayn with hir is gone. 
 
 AUace! it was rycht grete hert fare to here 
 Of Orpheus the weping and the wo, 
 
 Quhen that his wyf, quhilk he had bocht fo dere, 
 Bot for a luke fa fone was hynt him fro ; 
 Flatlyngis he fell, and mycht no forthir go. 
 
 And lay a quhile in fwoun and extafy, 
 
 Quhen he ourcome, thus out on lufe can cry. 400 
 
 " Quhat art thou lufe, how fall I thee dyfFyne ? 
 Bitter and fuete, cruel and merciable, 
 
 Plefand to fum, til othir playnt and pyne, 
 To fum conflant, till othir variabil, 
 Hard is thy law, thy bandis unbrekable, 
 
 Quha fervis thee, thoucht he be never fa trewe, 
 
 Perchance fum tyme, he fall have caufe to rewe. 
 
64 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 " Now fynd I wele, this proverbe trew (quod 
 he), 
 Hertis on the hurd, and handis on the fore, 
 
 Quhare lufe gois, on forfe turnis the ee : 410 
 
 I am expert and woe is me tharfore, 
 But for a luke my lady is forlore/' — 
 
 Thus ehydand on with lufe, our burn and bent, 
 
 A wofull wedow hamewart is he went. 
 
 MORALITAS FABUL^ SEQUITUR. 
 
 Lo worthy folk, Boece that fenature 
 
 To wryte this fenyeit fable tuke in cure. 
 
 In his gay Buke of Confolatioun, 
 
 For oure doctryne, and gude inflructioun ; 
 
 Quhiik in the felf fuppofe it fenyeit be, 
 
 And hid under the cloke of poefie, 420 
 
 Yit maifler Triwit doctour Nicholas, 
 
 Quhiik in his tyme a noble theologe was, 
 
 Applyis it to gude moralitee, 
 
 Rycht full of frute and feriofitee. 
 
 Fair Phebus is the god of fapience, 
 
 Caliopee his wyf is eloquence : 
 
 Thir twa maryit gat Orpheus belyve, 
 
 Quhiik callit is the part intellective 
 
 Of mannis faule, in underftanding free. 
 
 And feperate fra fenfualitee : 430 
 
 Erudices is oure affectioun, 
 
 Be fantafy oft movit up and doun, 
 
 i 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 65 
 
 Quhile to refoun it caflis the delyte, 
 Quhile to the flefche it fettis the appetite. 
 Aryflyus this hird that coud perfewe 
 Erudices, is noucht bot gude vertewe, 
 Quhilk befy is ay to kepe oure myndis clene, 
 Bot quhen we flee outthrow the medowe grene 
 Fra vertu, to this warldis vayn plefanee, 
 Myngit wyth care, and full of variance, 440 
 
 The ferpentis flang, that is the dedely fyn 
 That poyfons the faule wythout and in, 
 And than is dede and eke oppreflit doun 
 To wardly luft all oure affectioun. 
 
 Than perfyte refoun wepis wondir fare 
 Seand oure appetite thus gate mysfare 
 And paffis up to the hevyn belyve, 
 Schawand till us the lyf contemplatyve, 
 The perfyte will, and als the fervent lufe 
 We fuld have alway to the hevyn abufe; 450 
 Bot feldyn thare oure appetite is found, 
 It is fo faft in to the body bound, 
 Tharfor dounwart we cafl oure myndis ee, 
 Blyndit wyth lufl, and may noucht upward flee, 
 Suld oure defyre be foucht up in the fperis, 
 Quhen it is tedderit on this warldis breris, 
 Quhile on the flefche, quhile on this warldis wrak, 
 And to the hevyn full fmall entent we tak. 
 
 Schir Orpheus, thou fekis all in vayn 
 Thy wyf fo hie, tharfor cum doun agayn 460 
 And pas unto yone monflir mervailus. 
 With thre hedis that we call Cerberus, 
 Quhilk feyneit is, to have fa mony heidis, 
 
 E 
 
66 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 For to betakyn thre maner of deidis. 
 
 The firft is in the tender yong barnage, 
 
 The fecund dede is in the myddill age, 
 
 The thrid is, in grete elde quhen men ar tane. 
 
 Thus Cerberus to fwelly fparis nane, 
 
 Bot quhen that refoun and intelligence 
 
 Playis apon the harpe of eloquence, 470 
 
 That is to fay, makis perfuafioun 
 
 To draw oure will, and oure affectioun 
 
 In every elde fra fyn and foule delyte, 
 
 This dog oure faule no power has to byte. 
 
 The fecund monflris ar the fifleris thre, 
 Alecto, Megera, and Thefiphone, 
 Ar noueht ellis, in bukis as we rede, 
 Bot wickit thoucht, evill word, and frawart dede. 
 Alecto is the bolnyng of the hert, 
 Megera is the wikkit word outwert, 480 
 
 Thefiphone is operatioun. 
 That makis fynal executioun 
 Of dedly fyn, and thir thre tumis ay 
 Ane ugly quhele, is noueht ellis to fay, 
 That warldly men fumtyme ar callin hie 
 Apon the quhele, in grete profperitee. 
 And wyth a quhirl, unwarly or thai vritte, 
 Ar thrawin doun to pure and law eftate. 
 
 Of Ixion that on the quhele was fpred, 
 I fall the tell fum pairt as I have red : 490 
 
 He was on lyve brukle and lecheroufe, 
 And in that craft hardy and curageoufe, 
 That he wald nocht lufe in na lawar place 
 Bot Juno, queue of nature and goddeffe; 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. G7 
 
 And on a day he went up in tlie fky, 
 
 Sekand Juno, thinkand with hir to ly ; 
 
 Scho faw hym cum and knew his full entent, 
 
 A rany cloud doun fra the firmament 
 
 Scho gert defcend, and kefl betuene thaim two, 
 
 And in that cloud his nature yede hym fro, 500 
 
 Of quhilk was generit the Centauris, 
 
 Half man, half horfe, apon a ferly wyfe ; 
 
 Than for the inward crabbing and offenfe 
 
 That Juno tuke for his grete violence, 
 
 Scho fend hym doun unto the filleris thre, 
 
 Apon thair quhele ay turnyt for to be. 
 
 Bot quhen refloun and perfyte fapience 
 
 Playis upone the herp of eloquens. 
 
 And perfuadis our flefchly appetyte 
 
 To leif the thocht of this warldly delyte, 510 
 
 Than feiffis of our hert the wicket will, 
 
 Fra frawart language than the tong is flill, 
 
 Our fynfuU deidis fallis doun on fleip ; 
 
 Than Ixione out of the quheill gan creip. 
 
 That is to fay, the grete follicitude, 
 
 Quhile up, quhile doun, to wyn this warldis gud, 
 
 Ceiflis farthwith, and oure complexioun 
 
 Waxis quiete in contemplacioun. 
 
 This Tantalus of quham I fpak of are, 
 QuMIl he lyvit he was a gay hoflillare, 520 
 
 And on a nycht come travaland thare by 
 The god of riches, and tuke berbery 
 Wyth Tantalus, and he to the foupere 
 Slewe his awin fone, that was hym lef and dere, 
 In till a fewe wyth fpicis fodyn wele, 
 
68 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 And gert the god ete up his flefch ilk dele. 
 
 For this defpyte quhen he was dede anon 
 
 Was dampnyt, in the flude of Acheron, 
 
 To faffer hunger, thrift, nakit and eald, 
 
 Rycht wobegone, as I before have tald. 530 
 
 This hungry man and thrifty Tantalus 
 
 Betakenis men gredy and covatoufe, 
 
 The god of riches that ar ay redy 
 
 For to reflave, and call in berbery, 
 
 And to thame fethe thair fone in pecis fmale, 
 
 That is thair flefch and blude wyth grete travale. 
 
 To fill the bag, and never fynd in thair hart 
 
 Apone thame felf to fpend, nor tak thair part ; 
 
 Allace in erd quhare is thare mare foly 
 
 Than for to want and have haboundantly, 540 
 
 To have diftreffe on bak, and bed, and burde. 
 
 And fpare till othir men of gold a hurde. 
 
 And in the nycht flepe foundly may thai noucht^ 
 
 To gadder geir fa gredy is thair thoucht. 
 
 Bot quhen that refon and intelligence 
 
 Playis upoun the herp of confcience, 
 
 Schawand to ws quhat perrell on ilk fyd 
 
 That thai incur quliay will trefl or confyd 
 
 In to this warldis vane profperitie, 
 
 Quhilk hes thir fory properteis thre, 550 
 
 That is to fay, gottyn with grete laboure, 
 
 Kepit with drede, and tynt is with doloure ; 
 
 This avarice be grace quha underftud, 
 
 I trow fuld leve thair grete folicitude. 
 
 And ithand thouchtis, and thair he befynes 
 
 To gader gold, and fyne lyve in diftres, 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 69 
 
 Bot he fuld drink ineuch quhen evir hym lift 
 Of covatife, and flake the birnand thrift. 
 
 This Tityus lay nailit on the bent, 
 And wyth the grype his bowellis ry vin and rent, 560 
 Quhill he lyvit fett his entencioun 
 To fynd the craft of divinacioun, 
 And lerit it unto the fpa-men all, 
 To tell before fik thingis as wald befall, 
 Quhat lyf, quhat dede, quhat deftyny and werd, 
 Providit were to every man in erde. 
 Apollo than for this abulioun, 
 Quhilk is the god of divinacioun. 
 For he ufurpit in his facultee, 
 Put hym till hell, and thare remanis he. 570 
 
 Ilk man that heiris this conclufioun, 
 Suld dreid to ferfs be conftillatioun 
 Thingis to fall undir the firmament, 
 Till ye or na quhilk ar indefferent, 
 Without profixit caufs and certane, 
 Quhilk nane in erd may knaw bot God allane. 
 Quhen Orpheus upoun his harp can play. 
 That is our undirftanding for to fay, 
 Cryis, man, recleme thy folich harte. 
 Will thou be God and tak on the his parte ? 580 
 To tell thingis to cum that nevir wilbe, 
 Quhilk God hes kepit in his prevetie? 
 Thow ma no mair offend to God of micht, 
 Na with thy fpaying reif fra him his richt, 
 This perfyte wifdome with his melody 
 Fleyis the fpreit of fenyeid profecy, 
 
70 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 
 
 And drawis upwart our affectioun. ^ 
 
 Fra wichcraft, fpaying, and forfery, 
 
 And fuperflitioun of aflrology, 
 
 Saif allanerly fie maner of thingis 590 
 
 Quhilk upoun trew and certane cauffis hingis, 
 
 The quhilk mone cum to thair cans indure, 
 
 On veiry forfs, and nocht throw avanture, 
 
 As is the clippis and the conjunctioun 
 
 Of fone and mone be calculatioun, 
 
 The quhilk ar fiindin in trew aflronomy, 
 
 Be moving of the fpeiris in the sky, 
 
 All thir to fpeik it may be tollerable, 
 
 And none udir quhilk no caflis flable. 
 
 This ugly way, this myrk dully llreit, 600 
 
 Is nocht ellis bot blinding of the fpreit 
 With myrk cluddis and myfl of ignorance, 
 Affetterit in this warldis vane plefance, 
 And biffines of temporalite, 
 To kene the felf a flyme it may nocht fe, 
 For fcammeris on eftir effectioun, 
 Fra ill to war ale thus to hale gois doun, 
 Than is wanhowp throw lang banting of fyn, 
 And fowll difpair, that mony fallis in. 
 Than Orpheus our reffoun is full wo, 610 
 
 And twichis on his harp and biddis ho, 
 Till our defy re and fulich appetyte 
 Bidis leif this warldis fowll delyte. 
 Than Pluto, god and queue of Hellis fyre, 
 
 ' A line is probably wanting. 
 
 < 
 
ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. 71 
 
 Mone grant to reffoun on forfs the defyre. 
 
 Than Orpheus hes wone Erudices, 
 
 Quhen our defyre with reffoun makis pefs, 
 
 And feikis up to contemplatioun, 
 
 Off fyn detefland the abulioun, 
 
 Bot ilk man fuld be war, and wifely fee 620 
 
 That he bakwart caft noucht his myndis ee, 
 
 Gevand confent, and dilectatioun, 
 
 Off wardly luft for the affectioun ; 
 
 For than gois bakwart to the fyn agayn, 
 
 Oure appetite as it before was flayn 
 
 In warldly lufl and fenfualitee, 
 
 And makis refoun wedow for to be. 
 
 Now pray we God fen oure affectioun 
 
 Is alway prompt and redy to fall doun, 
 
 That He wald help us wyth his haly hand 630 
 
 Of manetenance, and geve us grace to fland 
 
 In perfyte lufe, as He is glorius. 
 
 And thus endis the Tale of Orpheus. 
 
) 
 
 4 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID, 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 Ane doolie feffoun to ane cairfull dyte 
 Suld correfpond, and be equivalent ; 
 
 Richt fa it wes quhen I began to wryte 
 This tragedie, the wedder richt fervent, 
 Quhen Aries in middis of the Lent, 
 
 Schouris of haill can fra the North difcend, 
 
 That fcantlie fra the cauld I micht defend. 
 
 Yit nevertheles within myne oratur 
 
 I ftude, quhen Titan had his bemis bricht 
 
 Withdrawin doun, and fylit under cure, 10 
 
 And fair Yenus, the bewtie of the nicht, 
 TJprais, and fet unto the weft full richt 
 
 Hir goldin face, in oppofitioun 
 
 Of god Phebus direct difcending doun. 
 
 Throwout the glas hir bemis brafl fa fair, 
 That I micht fe on everie fyde me by. 
 
 The northin wind had purifyit the air, 
 And fched the niiftie cloudis fra the fky ; 
 The froifl freifit, the blaflis bitterly 
 
 Fra Pole Artick come quhifling loud and fchill, 20 
 
 And caufit me remufe aganis my will. 
 
76 THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 For I traiftit that Venus, luifis quene, 
 To quhome fum tyme I hecht obedience, 
 
 My faidit hart of lufe fcho wald mak grene ; 
 And therupon, with humbill reverence, 
 I thocht to pray hir hie magnificence ; 
 
 Bot for greit cald as than I lattit was, 
 
 And in my chalmer to the fyre can pas. 
 
 Thocht lufe be hait, yit in ane man of age 
 It kendillis nocht fa fone as in youtheid, 30 
 
 Of quhome the blude is flowing in ane rage, 
 And in the auld the curage doif and deid ; 
 Of quhilk the fire outward is beft remeid, 
 
 To help be phifike quhair that nature faillit 
 
 I am expert, for baith I have afiailit. 
 
 I mend the fyre, and beikit me about. 
 
 Than tuik ane drink my fpreitis to comfort. 
 
 And armit me weill fra the cauld thairout ; 
 To cut the winter nicht, and mak it fchort, 
 I tuik ane Quair, and left all uther fport, 40 
 
 Writtin be worthie Chaucer glorious, 
 
 Of fair Crefleid and luflie Troylus. 
 
 And thair I fand, efter that Diomeid 
 Reffavit had that Lady bricht of hew. 
 
 How Troylus neir out of wit abraid, 
 
 And weipit foir, with vifage paill of hew ; 
 For quhilk wanhope his teiris can renew, 
 
 Quhill Esperus rejoiiit him agane : 
 
 Thus quhyle in joy he levit, quhile in pane. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 77 
 
 Of hir behefl he had greit comforting, 50 
 
 Training to Troy that fcho fuld mak retour, 
 
 Quhilk he defyrit maifl of eirdly thing; 
 For quhy ? fcho was his only paramour : 
 Bot quhen he faw paffit baith day and hour 
 
 Of hir ganecome, than forrow can oppres 
 
 His wofall hart, in cair and hevines. 
 
 Of his distres me neidis nocht reheirs, 
 For worthie Chauceir, in the famin buik, 
 
 In gudelie termis, and in joly veirs, 
 
 Compylit hes his cairis, quha will luik. 60 
 
 To brek my fleip ane uther quair I tuik, 
 
 In quhilk I fand the fatall deftenie 
 
 Of fair Creffeid, that endit wretchitlie. 
 
 Quha wait, gif all that Chauceir wrait w^as trew? 
 
 Nor I wait nocht gif this narratioun 
 Be authoreift, or fenyeit of the new, 
 
 Be fum Poeit, throw his inventioun 
 
 Maid to report the Lamentatioun 
 And wofoll end of this luflie Creffeid ^ 
 And quhat diftres fcho thoillit, and quhat deid ! 70 
 
 Quhen Diomed had all his appetyte. 
 And mair, fulfillit of this fair Ladie, 
 
 Upon ane uther he fet his haill delyte, 
 And fend to hir ane lybell of repudie; 
 And hir excludit fra his companie. 
 
 Than defolait fcho walkit up and doun. 
 
 And, fum men fay is, in to the Court commoun. 
 
78 THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 4 
 
 O, fair Creffeid! the floure and A per se 
 
 Of Troy and Grece, how was thow fortunait ! 
 
 To change in filth all thy feminitie, 80 
 
 And be with flefchelie lull fa maculait, 
 And go amang the Greikis air and lait, 
 
 Sa giglotlike, takand thy foull plefance; 
 
 I have pietie thow fuld fall fie mifchance! 
 
 Yit nevertheles, quhat ever men deme or fay 
 In fcornefuU langage of thy brukkilnes, 
 
 I fall excufe, als far furth as may, 
 
 Thy womanheid, thy wifdome, and fairnes; 
 The quhilk Fortoun hes put to fie diftres 
 
 As hir pleifit, and na thing throw the gilt 90 
 
 Of thee, throw wickit langage to be fpilt. 
 
 This fair Lady, in this wyfe defl;itute 
 Of all comfort and confolatioun, 
 
 Richt privelie but fellowfchip, on fate 
 Difagyfit paflit far out of the toun 
 Ane myle or twa, unto ane manfioun, 
 
 Beildit full gay, quhair hir father Calchas 
 
 Quhilk than amang the Greikis dwelland was. 
 
 Quhan he hir faw, the caus he can inquyre 
 Of hir cuming ? Scho faid, fiching full foir, 100 
 
 " Fra Diomeid had gottin his defyre 
 
 He wox werie, and wald of me no moir." 
 Quod Calchas, " Douchter, weip thow not thairfoir, 
 
 Peraventure all cummis for the befl;, 
 
 Welcum to me, thow art full deir ane gefli." 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 79 
 
 This auld Calchas, efter the law was tho, 
 Wes keeper of the tempill as ane preift 
 
 In quhilk Yenus and hir fone Cupido 
 
 War honourit, and his chalmer was thame neift, 
 To quhilk Creffeid, with baill aneuch in breifl, 110 
 
 Ufit to pas, hir prayeris for to fay; 
 
 Quhill at the laft, upon ane folempne day, 
 
 As cuflome was, the pepill far and neir, 
 Befoir the none, unto the tempill went 
 
 With facrifice devoit in thair maneir : 
 But fliU Creffeid, hevie in hir intent, 
 In to the kirk wald not hir felf prefent, 
 
 For givin of the pepill ony deming, 
 
 Of hir expuls fra Diomeid the king; 
 
 Bot pafl into ane fecreit orature, 120 
 
 Quhair fcho micht weip hir wofuU defleny ; 
 
 Behind hir bak fcho cloilit fall the dure. 
 And on 'hir kneis bair fell down in hy, 
 Upon Venus and Cupide angerly 
 
 Scho cryit out, and faid on this fame wyfe, 
 
 " Allace ! that ever I maid yow facrifice. 
 
 " Ye gave me anis ane devine refponfaill. 
 That I fuld be the flour of luif in Troy, 
 
 Now am I maid an unworthie outwaill. 
 
 And all in eair tranflatit is my joy, 130 
 
 Quha fall me gyde? quha fall me now convoy, 
 
 Sen I fra Diomeid, and nobill Troylus, 
 
 Am clene excludit, as abject odious? 
 
80 THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 " fals Cupide, is nane to wyte bot thow, 
 And thy mother, of lufe the blind Goddes! 
 
 Ye caufit me alwayis understand and trow 
 The feid of lufe was fa win in my face, 
 And ay grew grene throw your fupplie and grace. 
 
 Bot now, allace! that feid with froift is flane. 
 
 And I fra luiflferis left, and all forlane." 140 
 
 Quhen this was faid, doun in ane extafie 
 
 Eavifchit in fpreit, intill ane dreame fcho fell, 
 
 And be apperance hard quhair fcho did ly 
 Cupide the king ringand ane filver bell, 
 Quhilk men micht heir fra hevin unto hell; 
 
 At quhais found befoir Cupide appeiris 
 
 The fevin Planetis difcending fra thair fpheiris, 
 
 Quhilk hes power of all tiling generabill 
 To reull and fleir be thair greit influence, 
 
 Wedder and wind, and courfis variabill: 150 
 
 And firfl of all Saturne gave his fentence, 
 Quhilk gave to Cupide litill reverence, 
 
 Bot as ane bufleous churle on his maneir. 
 
 Come crabitlie with aufler luik and cheir. 
 
 His face frofnit, his lyre was lyke the leid. 
 His teith chatterit, and cheverit ^nth the chin, 
 
 His ene drowpit, how, fonkin in his heid. 
 Out of his nois the meldrop fail can rin. 
 With lippis bla, and cheikis leine and thin. 
 
 The icefchoklis that fra his hair doun hang, 160 
 
 Was wonder greit, and as ane fpeir als lang. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 81 
 
 Atouir his belt his lyart lokkis lav 
 
 Felterit unfair, ovirfret with fc©iftis hoir, 
 
 His garmound and his gyis full gay of gray, 
 His widderit weid fta him the ^pnd out woir, 
 Ane bulteous bow within his hail^he boir, 
 
 Under his girdill ane flafche of felloun flanis, 
 
 Fedderit with ice, and heidit with hailftanis. 
 
 Than Juppiter rieht fair and amiabill, 
 
 God of the flarnis in the firmament, 170 
 
 And nureis to all thing generabill, 
 Fra liis father Saturne far different, 
 With burelie face, and browis bricht and brent, 
 
 Upon his heid ane garland wonder gay 
 
 Of flouris fair, as it had bene in May, 
 
 His voice was cleir, as criitall wer his ene. 
 As goldin wyre fa glitterand was his hair, 
 
 His garmound and his gyis fuU gay of grene, 
 With golden liftis gilt on everie gair, 
 Ane burelie brand about his mid dill bair, 180 
 
 In his right hand he had ane groundin fpeir, 
 
 Of his father the wraith fra us to weir. 
 
 Nixt efcer him come Mars the god of ire. 
 Of strife, debait, and all diffenfioun, 
 
 To chide and fecht, als feirs as ony fyre, 
 In hard harnes, hewmound, and habirgeoun, 
 And on his hanche ane rouftie fell fachioun, 
 
 And in his hand he had ane rouftie fword, 
 
 Wrytlnng his face, with mony angrie word. 
 F 
 
82 THE TESTAMENT OP CRESSEID. 
 
 Seliaikand his fword, befoir Cupide lie come 190 
 With reid vifage, and griflie glowrand ene, 
 
 And at his mouth ane bullar flude of fome, 
 Lyke to ane bair quhetting his tufkis kene, 
 Richt tuilyeour lyke, but temperance in tene, 
 
 Ane home he blew with mony bofleous brag, 
 
 Quhilk all this warld with weir hes maid to wag. 
 
 Than fair Phebus, lanterne and lamp of licht 
 Of man and beifl, baith frute and flourifching, 
 
 Tender nureis, and banifcher of nicht, 
 
 And of the warld cauling be his moving 200 
 And influence lyfe in all eirdlie thing, 
 
 Without comfort of quhome, of force to nocht 
 
 Mufl all ga die that in this warld is wrocht. 
 
 As king royall he raid upon his chair. 
 
 The quhilk Phaeton gydit fum tyme unricht. 
 
 The brichtnefs of his face, quhen it was bair, 
 Nane micht behald for peirfing of his ficht; 
 This goldin cart with fyrie bemis bricht 
 
 Four yokkit fleidis, full different of hew. 
 
 But bait or tyring throw the fpheiris drew. 210 
 
 The firfl was foyr, with mane als reid as rois, 
 
 Callit Eoye in to the Orient; 
 The fecund Iteid to name hecht Ethios, 
 
 Quhitlie and paill, and fum deill afcendent ; 
 
 The thrid Peros, right hait and richt fervent; 
 The feird was blak, callit Phlegonie, 
 Quhilk rollis Phebus down in to the fey. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 83 
 
 Venus was thair prefent, that goddes gay, 
 Her fonnis querrel for to defend, and mak 
 
 Hir awin complaint, cled in ane nyce array, 220 
 The ane half grene, the uther half fabill blak, 
 Quhyte hair as gold, kemmit and fched abak, 
 
 Bot in hir face femit greit variance, 
 
 Quhyles perfyte treuth, and quhyles inconflance. 
 
 Under fmyling fcho was diffimulait, 
 Provocative with blenkis amorous. 
 
 And fuddanely changit and alterait, 
 Angrie as ony ferpent vennemous, 
 Richt pungitive with wordis odious : 
 
 Thus variant fcho was, quha lift tak keip, 230 
 
 With ane eye lauch, and with the uther weip. 
 
 In taikning that all flefchelie paramour 
 
 Quhilk Venus hes in reull and governance, 
 
 Is fum tyme fweit, fum tyme bitter and four, 
 Richt unftabill, and full of variance, 
 Mingit with cairfull joy, and fals plefance. 
 
 Now hait, now cauld, now blyith, now full of wo, 
 
 Now grene as leif, now widderit and ago. 
 
 With buik in hand, than come Mercurius, 
 
 Richt eloquent and full of rethorie, 240 
 
 With polite termis, and delicious. 
 
 With pen and ink to report all reddie, 
 Setting fangis, and fingand merilie ; 
 
 His hude was reid heklit atouir his croun 
 
 Lyke to ane Poeit of the auld falToun. 
 
84 THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 I 
 
 Boxis he bair with fine electuairis, 
 
 And fugerit fyropis for digellioun, m 
 
 Spycis belangand to the pothecairis, 
 With mony hailfum fweit confectioun, 
 Doctour in phiiick eled in fkarlot goun, 250 
 
 And furrit weill, as fie ane aiicht to be, 
 
 Honefl and gude, and not ane word culd lie. 
 
 Nixt efter him come Lady Cynthia, 
 
 The laft of all, and fwifteft in hir fpheir. 
 
 Of colour blak, bufkit with hornis twa, 
 And in the nicht fcho liflis befl appeir, 
 Haw as the leid, of colour na thing cleir; 
 
 For all hir lieht fcho borrowis at hir brother 
 
 Titan, for of hir felf fcho hes nane uther. 
 
 Hir gyfe was gray, and full of fpottis blak, 260 
 And on hir breifl ane churle paintit full evin, 
 
 Beirand ane bunche of thornis on his bak, 
 
 Quliilk for his thift micht dim na nar the hevin. 
 Thus quhen thay gadderit war thir Goddis fevin, 
 
 Mercurius they cheifit with ane affent. 
 
 To be foir-fpeikar in the Parliament. 
 
 Quha had bene thair, and lyking for to heir 
 
 His facound toung, and termis exquifite. 
 Of Rhetorick the prettick he micht leir. 
 
 In breif fermone ane pregnant fentence wryte ; 270 
 
 Befoir Cupide veiling his cap alyte, 
 Speiris the caus of that vocatioun ? 
 And he anone fchew his intentioun. 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 85 
 
 " Lo ! (quod Cupide) quha will blafpheme the name 
 Of his awin God, oiither in word or deid, 
 
 To all Goddis he dois baith lak and fchame, 
 And fuld have bitter panis to his meid; 
 I fay this by yone wretchit CrelTeid, 
 
 The quhilk throw me was fum tyme flour of lufe, 
 
 Me and my mother flarklie can reprufe. 280 
 
 " Saying, of hir greit infelicitie 
 
 I was the cans, and my mother Venus, 
 
 Ane blind Goddes hir eald that micht not fe. 
 With fclander and defame injurious; 
 Thus hir leving unclene and lecherous, 
 
 Scho wald returne on me and my mother, 
 
 To quhome I fehew my grace abone all uther. 
 
 " And fen ye ar all fevin deificait. 
 
 Participant of devyne fapience. 
 This greit injurie done to our hie eflait, 290 
 
 Me think with pane we fuld mak recom pence ; 
 
 Was never to Goddes done fie violence, 
 Afweill for vow, as for myfelf I fay, 
 Thairfoir ga help to revenge, I yow pray." 
 
 Mercurius to Cupide gave anfweir, 
 
 And faid, " Schir King, my counfall is that ye 
 
 Refer yow to the hieft planeit heir. 
 And tak to him the laweft of degre. 
 The pane of Crefleid for to modifie : 
 
 As God Saturne, with him tak Cynthia." 300 
 
 " I am content (quod he) to tak thay twa." 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 Than thus proceidit Saturne and the Mone, 
 Quhen thay the mater rypelie had degeft, 
 
 For the difpyte to Cupide fcho had done, 
 And to Yenus oppin and manifefl, 
 In all hir lyfe with pane to be opprefl, 
 
 And torment fair, with feiknes incurabill, 
 
 And to all lovers be abhominabill. 
 
 This dulefull fentenee Saturne tuik on hand, 
 And paflit doun quhair cairfull Creffeid lay, 310 
 
 And on hir heid he laid ane froflie wand, 
 Than lawfullie on this wyfe can he fay; 
 " Thy greit fairnes, and all thy bewtie gay, 
 
 Thy wantoun blude, and eik thy goldin hair, 
 
 Heir I exclude fra thee for evermair: 
 
 " I change thy mirth into melancholy, 
 Quhilk is the mother of all peniivenes. 
 
 Thy moillure and thy heit in cald and dry, 
 Thyne infolenee, thy play and wantones 
 To greit difeis, thy pomp and thy riches 320 
 
 In mortall neid, and greit penuritie 
 
 Thow fuffer fall, and as ane beggar die.*' 
 
 cruell Saturne ! fraward and angrie, 
 Hard is thy dome, and too malitious, 
 
 On fair Creffeid quhy hes thow na mercie, 
 Quhilk was fa fweit, gentill, and amorous ? 
 Withdraw thy fentenee, and be gracious. 
 
 As thow was never, fo fchawis thow thy deid, 
 
 Ane wraikfull fentenee gevin on fair Creffeid. 
 
 1 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 87 
 
 Than Cynthia, quhen Saturne pall away, 330 
 
 Out of hir fait difcendit down belyve. 
 
 And red ane bill on CrefTeid quhair fcho lay, 
 Contening this fentence diffinityve, 
 " Fra heile of bodie I thee now deprive, 
 
 And to thy feiknes fal be na recure, 
 
 But in dolour thy dayis to indure. 
 
 " Thy criflall ene minglit with blude I mak. 
 Thy voice fa cleir unplefand hoir and hace, 
 
 Thy lullie lyre ouirfpred with fpottis blak, 
 
 And lumpis haw appeirand in thy face; 340 
 Quhair thow cummis ilk man fall fle the place, 
 
 This fall thow go begging fra hous to hous, 
 
 With cop and clapper lyke ane lazarous.'* 
 
 This doolie dreame, this uglye vifioun 
 Brocht to ane end, CrelTeid fra it awoik, 
 
 And all that court and convocatioun 
 
 Vanifchit away, than rais fcho up and tuik 
 Ane poleifl glas, and hir fchaddow culd luik; 
 
 And quhen fcho faw hir face fa deformait, 
 
 Gif fcho in hart was \va aneuch, God ^vait ! 3o0 
 
 Weiping full fair, " Lo ! quliat it is (quod fche) 
 With fraward langage for to mufe and ileir 
 
 Our craibit Goddis, and fa is fene on me ! 
 My blafpheming now have I bocht full deir. 
 All eirdlie joy and mirth I fet areir. 
 
 Allace this day! allace this wofuU tyde ! 
 
 Quhen I began with my Goddis for to chyde!" 
 
88 THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 Be this was faid, ane chyld come fra the hall, 
 To warne Creffeid the fupper was reddy ; 
 
 Firll knokkit at the dure, and fyne ciild call, 360 
 " Madame, your father biddis you cum in hy, 
 He has mervell fa lang on grouf ye ly, 
 
 And fayis. Your prayers bene too lang fum deill, 
 
 The Goddis wait all your intent full weill." 
 
 Quod fcho, " Fair chylde, ga to my father deir, 
 And pray him cum to fpeik with me anone." 
 
 A nd fa he did, and faid, " Douchter, quhat cheir V 
 " Allace (quod fcho), father, my mirth is gone !" 
 " How fa ?" quod he ; and fcho can all expone. 
 
 As I have tauld, the vengeance and the wraik, 370 
 
 For hir trefpas, Cupide on hir culd tak. 
 
 He luikit on hir uglye Upper face, 
 
 The quhilk befor was quhite as lillie flour, 
 
 Wringand his handis oftymes, he faid, " Allace, 
 That he had levit to fe that wofull hour V 
 For he knew weill that thair was na fuccour 
 
 To hir feiknes, and that dowblit his pane; 
 
 Thus was thair cair aneuch betuix thame twane. 
 
 Quhen thay togidder murnit had full lang. 
 
 Quod Crefl'eid, " Father, I wald not be kend, 380 
 
 Thairfoir in fecreit wyfe ye let me gang, 
 Unto yone Hofpitall at the tounis end; 
 And thidder fum meit for cheritie me fend. 
 
 To leif upon, for all mirth in this eird 
 
 Is fra me gane, fie is my wickit weird." 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 89 
 
 Than in ane mantill, and aue bavav hat, 
 With cop and clapper, wonder prively 
 
 He opnit ane fecreit yett, and out thairat 
 Convoyit hir, that na man fuld efpy, 
 Unto ane village half ane myle thairby, 390 
 
 Delyverit hir in at the Spittaill hous, 
 
 And daylie fent hir part of his almous. 
 
 Sum knew hir weill, and fum had na knawledge 
 Of hir, bccaus fcho was fa deformait 
 
 With bylis blak ovirfpred in hir vifage, 
 And hir fair colour faidit and alterait ; 
 Yit thay prefurait for hir hie regrait, 
 
 And ftill murning, fcho was of nobill kin. 
 
 With better will thairfoir they tuik hir in. 
 
 The day paflSt, and Phebus went to refl, 400 
 The cloudis blak ovirquhelmit all the fky, 
 
 God wait gif Creffeid was ane forrowfull gefl, 
 Seeing that uncouth fair and berbery ; 
 But meit or drink fcho dreffit hir to ly 
 
 In ane dark corner of the hous allone. 
 
 And on this wyfe, weiping, fcho maid hir mone. 
 
 THE COMPLAINT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 " Sop of forrow fonken into cair! 
 0, cative Creffeid! now and ever mair, 
 
 Gane is thy joy, and all thy mirth in eird, 
 
90 THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 Of all blyithnes now art thou blaiknit bair. 410 
 Thair is na falve may faif thee of thy fair ! 
 Fell is thy fortoun, wickit is thy weird. 
 Thy blys is baneift, and thy baill on breird, 
 Under the eirth Grod gif I gravin wer, 
 
 Quhair nane of Grece nor yit of Troy micht heird ! 
 
 " Quhair is thy chalmer wantounlie befene, 
 With burely bed, and bankouris browderit bene, 
 
 Spycis and wyne to thy coUatioun, 
 The cowpis all of gold and filver fchene, 
 The fweit meitis fervit in plaittis clene, 420 
 
 With faipheron fals of ane gud feffoun : 
 
 Thy gay garmentis with mony gudely goun, 
 Thy plefand lawn pinnit with goldin prene : 
 
 All is areir, thy greit royall renoun ! 
 
 " Quhair is thy garding with thir greiffis gay, 
 And frefche flowris, quhilk the Queue Floray 
 
 Had paintit plefandly in everie pane, 
 Quhair thou was wont full merilye in May 
 To walk, and tak the dew be it was day. 
 
 And heir the merle and mavis mony ane, 430 
 
 With ladyis fair in carroUing to gane. 
 And fe the royal rinks in thair array. 
 
 In garmentis gay, garnifchit on everie grane. 
 
 " Thy greit triumphand fame and hie honour, 
 Quhair thou was eallit of eirdlye wichtis flour ; 
 
 All is deeayit, thy weird is welterit fo, 
 Thy hie eflait is turnit in darknes dour! 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 91 
 
 This lipper ludge tak for thy burelie bour, 
 And for thy bed tak now ane bunche of flro, 
 For waillit wyne, and meitis thou had tho, 440 
 
 Tak mowlit breid, peirrie, and ceder four; 
 Bot cop and clapper now is all ago. 
 
 " My cleir voice, and courtlie carrolling, 
 Quhair I was wont with ladyis for to fing, 
 
 Is rawk as ruik, full hiddeous hoir and hace; 
 My plefand port all utheris precelling, 
 Of luftines I was hald maifl conding, 
 
 Now is deformit, the figour of my face 
 
 To luik on it na leid now lyking hes : 
 Sowpit in fyte, I fay with fair fiching, 450 
 
 Ludgeit amang the lipper leid, allace ! 
 
 " O ladyis fair of Troy and Grece attend, 
 My miferie, quhilk nane may comprehend, 
 
 My frivoll fortoun, my infelicitie, 
 My greit mifchief, quhilk na man can amend ; 
 Be war in tyme, approchis neir the end. 
 
 And in your mynd ane mirrour mak of me ; 
 
 As I am now, peradventure that ye. 
 For all your micht, may cum to that fame end. 
 
 Or ellis war, gif ony war may be. 460 
 
 " Nocht is your fairnes bot ane faiding flour, 
 Nocht is your famous laud and hie honour, 
 
 Bot wind inflat in uther mennis eiris. 
 Your roifing reid to rotting fall retour : 
 
92 THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 Exempill mak of me in your memour, 
 Quhilk of fie thingis wofuU witnes beiris, 
 All welth in eird away as wind it weiris : 
 
 Be war, thairfoir, approchis neir the hour; 
 
 Fortoun is fikkill, quhen fcho beginnis and 
 fleiris/' 
 
 Thus chydand with her drerie deftenye, 470 
 
 Weiping, fcho woik the nicht fra end to end, 
 
 Bot all in vane, hir dule, hir cairfuU cry, 
 
 Micht not remeid, nor yit hir murning mend. 
 Ane Upper lady rais, and till hir wend. 
 
 And faid, " Quhy fpurnis thow aganis the wall, 
 
 To fla thyfelf, and mend na thing at all ? 
 
 *' Sen thy weiping dowbillis bot thy wo, 
 I eounfall thee mak vertew of ane neid ; 
 
 To leir to clap thy clapper to and fro, 
 
 And leir efter the law of lipper leid." 480 
 
 Thair was na buit, bot furth with thame fcho yeid 
 
 Fra place to place, quhill cauld and hounger fair 
 
 Compellit hir to be ane rank beggair. 
 
 That famin tyme of Troy the garnifoun, 
 Quhilk had to chiftane worthie Troylus, 
 
 Throw jeopardie of weir had flrikken down 
 Knichtis of Grece in number mervellous, 
 With greit tryumphe, and laude victorious, 
 
 Agane to Troy richt royallie they raid, 
 
 The way quhair Creffeid with the lipper baid. 490 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 93 
 
 Seing that eompanie thai come all with ane (levin, 
 Thay gaif ane cry, and fchuik coppis gude fpeid. 
 
 Said, " Worthie lordis, for Groddis lufe of Hevin, 
 To us lipper part of your almous deid." 
 Than to thair cry nobill Troylus tuik heid. 
 
 Having pietie, neir by the place can pas, 
 
 Quhair Creffeid fat, not witting quhat fcho was. 
 
 Than upon him fcho keft up baith her ene, 
 And with ane blenk it come in to his thocht, 
 
 That he fum tyme hir face befoir had fene, 500 
 Bot fcho was in lie plye he knew hir nocht; 
 Yit than hir luik into his mynd it brocht 
 
 The fweit vifage, and amorous blenking 
 
 Of fair Creffeid, fumtyme his awin darling. 
 
 Na wonder was, fuppois in mynd that he 
 Tuik hir figure fa fone, and lo ! now quhy ? 
 
 The idole of ane thing in cace may be 
 Sa deip imprentit in the fantafy, 
 That it deludis the wittis outwardly. 
 
 And fa appeiris in forme and lyke eflait 510 
 
 Within the mynd, as it was figurait. 
 
 Ane fpark of lufe than till his hart culd fpring. 
 And kendlit all his bodie in ane fyre 
 
 With halt fevir ane fweit and trimbilling 
 Him tuik, quhill he was reddie to expyre; 
 To beir his fcheild, his breifl began to tyre; 
 
 Within ane quhyle he changit mony hew, 
 
 And nevertheles not ane ane uther knew. 
 
94 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 For knichtlie pietie and memoriall 
 
 Of fair Creffeid, ane gyrdill can he tak. 520 
 
 Ane purs of gold, and mony gay jo wall, 
 
 And in the fkirt of Creffeid doun can fwak : 
 Than raid away, and not ane word he fpak. 
 
 Penfive in hart, quhill he come to the toun. 
 
 And for greit cair oft fyis almaifl fell doun. 
 
 The lipper folk to Creffeid than can draw. 
 To fe the equall diflributioun 
 
 Of the almous, but quhan the gold they faw, 
 Ilk ane to uther prevelie can roun, 
 And faid, " Yone Lord hes mair affectioun, 530 
 
 How ever it be, unto yone lazarous, 
 
 Than to us all; we knaw be his almous." 
 
 " Quhat lord is yone (quod fcho) have ye na feill, 
 Hes done to us fo greit humanitie?" 
 
 " Yes (quod a lipper man), I knaw him weill : 
 Schir Troylus it is, gentill and fre." 
 Quhen Creffeid underftude that it was he, 
 
 Stiffer than lleill thair llert ane bitter Hound 
 
 Throwout hir hart, and fell doun to the ground. 
 
 I 
 
 Quhen fcho, ovircome with fichiug fair and fad, 540 
 With mony cairfuU cry and cald " Ochane ! 
 
 Now is my breift with flormie floundis Had, 
 Wrappit in wo, ane wretch full will of wane." 
 Than fwounit fcho oft or fcho culd refrane. 
 
 And ever in hir fwouning cryit fcho thus : — 
 
 " O, fals Creffeid ! and trew knicht Troylus ! 
 
THE TESTAMENT OP CRESSEID. 95 
 
 " Thy lufe, thy lawtie, and thy gentilnes, 
 I countit fmall in my profperitie; 
 
 Sa elevait I was in wantones, 
 
 And clam upon the fickill quheill fa hie, 550 
 All faith and lufe, I promiffit to the, 
 
 Was in the felf fickill and frivolous : 
 
 O, fals Creffeid! and trew kniclit Troylus! 
 
 " For lufe of me thow keipt gude countenence, 
 
 Hon eft and chaifl in converfatioun, 
 Of all wemen protectour and defence 
 
 Thou was, and helpit thair opinioun; 
 
 My mynd in flefchelie foull aiFectioun 
 Was inclynit to luflis lecherous: 
 Fy, fals Creffeid! O, trew knicht Troylus! 560 
 
 " Lovers be war, and tak gude heid about 
 
 Quhome that ye lufe, for quhome ye fuffer paine, 
 
 I lat you wit, thair is richt few thairout 
 
 Quhome ye may traift to have trew lufe againe : 
 Preif quhen ye will, your labour is in vaine, 
 
 Thairfoir I reid ye tak thame as ye find, 
 
 For thay ar fad as widdercock in wind. 
 
 " Becaus I knaw the greit unftabilnes 
 Brukkill as glas, into my felf I fay, 
 
 Traifting in uther als greit unfaithfulnes, 570 
 Als unconflant, and als untrew of fay : 
 Thocht fum be trew, I wait richt few are thay, 
 
 Quha findis treuth, lat him his lady rufe, 
 
 Nane but myfelf, as now, I will accufe." 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 
 
 Quhen this was faid, with paper fcho fat doun, 
 And on this maneir maid hir Testament : 
 
 " Heir I beteiche my corps and carioun 
 With wormis and with taidis to be rent; 
 My cop and clapper, and myne ornament, 
 
 And all my gold, the lipper folk fall have, 580 
 
 Quhen I am deid, to burie me in grave. 
 
 " This royall ring, fet with this rubie reid, 
 Quhilk Troylus in drowrie to me fend. 
 
 To him agane I leif it quhan I am deid. 
 To mak my cairfuU deid unto him kend : 
 Thus I conclude fchortlie, and mak ane end ; 
 
 My fpreit I leif to Diane, quhair fcho dwellis. 
 
 To walk with hir in waifl woddis and wellis. 
 
 *' O, Diomeid ! thou hes baith broche and belt, 
 Quhilk Troylus gave me in takning 590 
 
 Of his trew lufe." — And with that word fcho fwelt ; 
 And fone ane lipper man tuik of the ring, 
 Syne buryit hir withouttin tarying: 
 
 To Troylus forthwith the ring he bair. 
 
 And of Creffeid the deith he can declair. 
 
 Quhen he had hard hir greit infirmitie, 
 Hir legacie and lamentatioun. 
 
 And how fcho endit in fie povertie. 
 
 He fwelt for wo, and fell doun in ane fwoun, 
 For greit forrow his hart to birfl was boun : 600 
 
 Siching full fadlie, faid, " I can no moir, 
 
 Scho was untrew, and wo is me thairfoir!" 
 
THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID. 97 
 
 Sum faid he maid ane tomb of merbell gray, 
 And wrait hir name and fuperfcriptioun, 
 
 And laid it on hir grave, quhair that fcho lay, 
 In goldin letteris, conteining this reiToun: 
 " Lo, fair lady is, Creffeid of Troyis toun, 
 
 Sumtyme countit the flour of womanheid, 
 
 Under this flane, late lipper, lyis deid!" 
 
 Now, worthie Wemen, in this ballet fchort, 610 
 Made for your worfchip and inftructioun. 
 
 Of cheritie I monifche and exhort, 
 
 Ming not your lufe with fals deceptioun; 
 Beir in your mynd this fchort conclufioun 
 
 Of fair Crefleid, as I have faid befoir: 
 
 Sen fcho is deid, I fpeik of hir no moir. 
 
THE MORAL FABLES OF ^SOP 
 IN SCOTTISH METRE. 
 
 Lcf 
 
THE PKOLOaUE 
 
 Thocht fenyeit Fabillis of auld Poetrie, 
 Be nocht all groundit upon treuth, yit than 
 
 Thair polite termis of fweit Rhetorie, 
 Ar richt plefand unto the eir of man ; 
 And als the caus that thay firfl began, 
 
 Wes to repreif the haill milleving 
 
 Of man, be figure of ane uther thing. 
 
 In lyke maner, as throw the bufteous eird, 
 (Swa it be laubourit with greit diligence) 
 
 Springis the flouris, and the corne on breird, 10 
 HaiKum and gude to mannis fuflenance: 
 Swa fpringis thair ane morall fweit fentence 
 
 Out of the fubtell dyte of Poetrie, 
 
 To gude purpois, quha culd it weill applie. 
 
 The nuttis fchell thocht it be hard and teuch, 
 Haldis the kirnell, and is delectabill. 
 
 Sa lyis thair ane doctrine wyfe aneuch, 
 And full of frute, under ane fenyeit fabill. 
 And clerkis fayis, it is richt profitabill, 
 
 Amangis ernifb to myng ane merie fport, 20 
 
 To blyth the fpreit, and gar the tyme be fchort. 
 
102 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 For as we fe, ane bow that is ay bent, 
 Worthis unfmart, and duUis on the firing. 
 
 Sa gais the man, that is ay diligent 
 In erniftfuU thochtis, and in fludying : 
 With fad materis fum merines to myng, 
 
 Accordis weill, thus Efope faid, I wis, 
 
 Dulcius arrident feria picta jocis. 
 
 Of this Author, my maifleris, with your leif, 
 Submitting me in your eorrectioun, 30 
 
 In Mother toung of Latyne I wald preif 
 To mak ane maner of tranflatioun; 
 Nocht of my felf, for vane prefuraptioun, 
 
 Bot be requeifl, and precept of ane Lord, 
 
 Of quhome the name it neidis nocht record. 
 
 In hamelie language and in termis rude, 
 Me neidis wryte; for quhy, of eloquence 
 
 Nor rethorike I never underflude ; 
 
 Thairfoir meiklie I pray your reverence, 
 
 Gif that ye find ocht throw my negligence, 40 
 
 Be diminute, or yit fuperfluous. 
 
 Correct it at your willis gratious. 
 
 My Author in his Fabillis tellis how. 
 That brutall Beillis fpak and underflude. 
 
 And to gude purpois difpute, and argow, 
 Ane fyllogifme propone, and eik conclude; 
 Putting exempill, and fimilitude. 
 
 How mony men in operatioun, 
 
 Ar lyke to beiflis in conditioun. 
 
THE PROLOGUK. 103 
 
 Na mervell is, ane man be lyke ane beifl, 50 
 Quhilk luffis ay carnall and foull delyte, 
 
 That fchame can nocht him renye, nor arreifl; 
 Bot takis all the lufl and appetyte, 
 And that throw cuflum, and the daylie ryte 
 
 Syne in thair myndis fa fall is radicate, 
 
 That thay in brutall beillis are transformate. 
 
 This nobill clerk, Efope, as I half tauld, 
 In gay meter, as Poet Lawriate, 
 
 Be figure wrait his buke: for he nocht wald 
 Lak the wifdome of hie, nor law eflait. 60 
 And to begyn, firfl of ane Cok he wrait, 
 
 Seikand his meit, quhilk fand aiie jolie flone. 
 
 Of quhome the Fabill ye fall heir anone. 
 
THE TAILL OF THE COCK AND 
 THE JASP. 
 
 Ane Cok, fumtyme with feddrame frefche and gay, 
 Richt cant and crous, albeit he was hot pure, 
 
 Flew furth upon ane dounghill fone be day, 
 To get his dennar fett wes all his cure; 
 Scraipand amang the afs, be aventure 
 
 He fand ane jolie Jafp, richt precious, 
 
 Wes caflin furth in fweping of the hous. 
 
 As damyfellis wantoun, and infolent. 
 
 That fane wald play, and on the flreit be fene. 
 To fvv oping of the hous thay tak na tent; 10 
 
 Thay cair na thing, fwa that the flure be clene. 
 
 Jowellis ar tint, as oftymis lies bene fene, 
 Upon the flure, and fwopit furth anone — 
 Perad venture, fa wes the famin flone. 
 
 Sa mervelland upon the flane, quod he, 
 
 " O gentill Jafp ! riche and nobill thing : 
 
 Thocht I thee find, thow ganis nocht for me! 
 Thow art ane jo well for ane lord, or king. 
 Pietie it wer, thow fould ly in this midding, 
 
 And buryit be thus in this muke and mold, 20 
 
 And thow fo fair, and worth fa mekill gold. 
 
THE COCK AND THE JASP. 105 
 
 "It is pietie I fuld thee find, for quhy, 
 Thy greit vertew, nor yit thy cullour cleir, 
 
 It may me nouther extoll, nor magnifie : 
 And thow to me may mak bot lytill eheir. 
 To greit Lordis thocht thow be leifF and deir, 
 
 I lufe fer better thing of lefs availl, 
 
 As draf, or corne, to fill my tume intraill. 
 
 " I had lever haif fcraipit with my naillis 
 
 Amangis this mow, and luke my lyfis fude, 30 
 
 As draf, or corne, fmall wormis, or fnaillis, 
 Or ony meit wald do my llomak gude : 
 Than of Jafpis ane mekill multitude. 
 
 And thow agane, upon the famyn wyis, 
 
 For thyne availl may me as well defpyis. 
 
 " Thow hes na corne, and thairof haif I neid ; 
 
 Thy cullour dois bot confort to the ficht, 
 And that is nocht aneuch my wame to feid; 
 
 For wyfis fayis, luikand werkis ar licht. 
 
 I wald haif fum meit, get it gif I micht; 40 
 For houngrie men may nocht leif on luikis : 
 Had I dry breid, I compt nocht for na cuikis. 
 
 " Quhar fuld thow mak thy habitatioun ? 
 
 Quhar fuld thow dwell, bot in ane royall tour ? 
 Quhar fuld thow fit, bot on ane kingis croun, 
 
 Exaltit in worfchip and greit honour? 
 
 Ryfe gentill Jafp, of all flianis the flour, 
 Out of this midding, and pafs quhar thow fuld be, 
 Thow ganis nocht for me, nor I for thee." 
 
106 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Levand tliis jo well law upon the ground, 50 
 
 To feik his meit this Cok his wayis went; 
 
 Bot quhen, or how, or quhome be it wes found, 
 As now I fet to hald na argument: 
 Bot of the inward fentence and intent 
 
 Of this Fable, as myne Author dois wryte, 
 
 I fal reheirs in rude and hamelie dyte. 
 
 MORALITA^. 
 
 This jolie Jafp had properteis fevin: 
 The firfl, of cuUour it wes mervelous; 
 
 Part lyke the fyre, and part lyke to the hevin, 
 It makis ane man Hark and victorious ; 60 
 
 Prefervis als fra caiffis perrillous : 
 
 Quha hes this flane, fall haif gude hoip to fpeid. 
 
 Or fyre, nor watter him neidis nocht to dreid. 
 
 This gentill Jafp, richt different of hew, 
 Betakinnis perfite prudence and cunning; 
 
 Ornate with mony deidis of vertew, 
 Mair excellent than ony eirthlie thing; 
 Quhilk makis men in honour for to ring, 
 
 Happie, and flark to wyn the victorie 
 
 Of all vycis, and fpirituall ennemie. 70 
 
 Quha may be hardie, riche, and gratious? 
 
 Quha can efchew perrell and aventure? 
 Quha can governe in ane realme, citie, or hous 
 
 Without fcience? over all thing I yow affure, 
 
THE COCK AND THE JASP. 107 
 
 It is riches that ever fall indure ; 
 Quhilk moith, nor moyll, nor uther ruft can freit, 
 To mannis faull it is eternall meit. 
 
 This Cok defyrand mair the fempill corne 
 Than ony Jafp, may till ane fule be peir, 
 
 Quhilk at fcience makis bot ane mock and fcorne, 80 
 And na gude can, als lytill will he leir; 
 His hart wammillis wyfe argumentis to heir, 
 
 As dois ane fow, to quhome men for the nonis 
 
 In hir draff troich wald faw the precious llonis. 
 
 Quha is ennemie to fcience and cunning, 
 Bot ignorantis that underflandis nocht ? 
 
 Quhilk is fa nobill, fa precious, and fa ding, 
 That it may nocht with eirdlie thing be bocht. 
 Weill war that man over all uther, that mocht 
 
 All his lyfe dayis in perfite fludie wair, 90 
 
 To get fcience; for him neidis na mair. 
 
 Bot now, allace! fcience is tint and hid; 
 
 We feik it nocht, nor preis it for to find : 
 Haif we riches, na better lyfe we bid, 
 
 Of fcience thocht the faull be bair and blind. 
 
 Of this mater to fpeik, I wair bot wind, 
 Thairfoir I ceis, and will na forther fay. 
 Ga feik the Jafp quha will, for thair it lay. 
 
THE TAILL OF THE UPLANDIS MOUS 
 AND THE BUEOES MOUS. 
 
 EsoPE, myne Author, makis mentioun 
 Of twa Myis, and thay wer fifleris deir, 
 
 Of quham the eldefl dwelt in ane Borrowis toun, 
 The uther wynnit Uponland, weill neir; 
 Eycht folitar, quhyles under busk and breir, 
 
 Quhylis in the corne, and uther mennis fkaith, 
 
 As outlawis dois and levis on thair waith. 
 
 Tliis rurall Mous in to the wynter tyde, 
 
 Had hunger, cauld, and tholit greit diftrefs ; 
 
 The uther Mous that in the burgh can byde, 10 
 Wes gild-brother and maid ane free burgefs : 
 Toll fre als, but cuflum mair or lefs, 
 
 And fredome had to ga quhair ever fcho lift, 
 
 Amang the cheis in ark, and meill in kift. 
 
 Ane tyme quhen fcho wes full and unfute fair, 
 Scho tuke in mynde hir lifter uponland, 
 
 And langit for to heir of hir weilfair 
 
 To fe quhat lyfe fcho had under the wand : 
 Bairfute allone, with pykeftalf in hir hand. 
 
 As pure pilgryme fcho paiBt out of toun, 20 
 
 To feik hir fifter baith over daill and doun. 
 
THE UPLANDIS MOUS AND THE BURGES MOUS. 109 
 
 Furth mony wilfum wayis can fcho walk, 
 
 Throw moffe and muir, throw bankis, bufk and 
 breir, 
 
 Scho ranne cryand, quhill fcho cam to ane balk, 
 " Cum furth to me my awin fitter deir ; 
 Cry peip anis :" With that the Mous culd heir, 
 
 And knew her voce, as kinnifman will do, 
 
 Be verray kynd, and furth fcho come hir to. 
 
 The hartlie joy, Lord God! gif ye had fene. 
 Was kithit quhen that thir twa fifleris met; 30 
 
 And greit kyndenes was fchawin thame betuene. 
 For quhylis thay leuch, and quhylis for joy thay 
 
 gret, 
 Quhylis kiffit fweit, and quhylis in armis plet; 
 
 And thus thay fure quhill foberit wes thair made. 
 
 Syne fute for fute unto the chalmer yude. 
 
 As I hard fay, it was ane fober wane, 
 Of fog and fairn full febillie wes maid, 
 
 Ane fillie fcheill under ane fleidfafl flane, 
 
 Of quhilk the entres wes nocht hie nor braid ; 
 
 And in the famyn thay went but mair 
 
 abaid, 40 
 
 Withoutin fyre or candill birnand bricht. 
 
 For commounlie fie pykeris lufRs not licht. 
 
 Quhen thay wer lugit thus thir felie Myfe, 
 
 The youngefi) fiflier unto hir butterie yeid. 
 And brocht furth nuttis and peis in Head of fpyee : 
 
110 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Gif this wes gude fair I do it on thame befyde. 
 
 The burges Mous prompit furth in pryde, 
 And faid, " Sifter, is this your daylie fude ?" 
 " Quhy not," quod fcho, " is nocht this meit rycht 
 
 gude r 
 
 " Na, be my fauU, I think it bot ane fcorne." 50 
 " Madame,'' quod fcho, " ye be the mair to blame ; 
 
 My mother faid, iifler, quhen we wer borne, 
 That ye and I lay baith within ane wame: 
 I keip the rate and cuftume of my dame, 
 
 And of my leving in to povertie. 
 
 For landis haif we nane in propertie." 
 
 " My fair fifler," quod fcho, " haif me excufit, 
 This rude dyet and I can nocht accord; 
 
 Till tender meit my flomok is ay ufit, 
 
 For quhylis I fair alfweill as ony Lord : 60 
 Thir widderit peis, and nuttis or thay be bord, 
 
 Will brek my teith, d"nd mak my wame full 
 fklender, 
 
 Quhilk wes befoir ufit to meittis tender." 
 
 " Weill, Weill, fifter," quod the rurall Mous, 
 " Grif it pleis yow, fie thingis as ye fe heir, 
 
 Baith meit and drink, harberie and hous, 
 Salbe your awin, will ye remane all yeir. 
 Ye fall it haif with blyith and merie cheir. 
 
 And that fuld mak the maiffis that ar rude, 
 
 Amang freindis richt tender and wonder gude. 70 
 
THE UPLANDIS MOUS AND THE BURGES MOUS. Ill 
 
 '• Quhat plefure is in feiflis delicate, 
 
 The quhilkis ar geviii with ane glowmand brow ? 
 
 Ane gentill hart is better recreat 
 
 With blyith curage than feith till him ane kow : 
 Ane modicum is mair for till allow, 
 
 Swa that gude will be kerver at the dais. 
 
 Than thrawin vult and mony fpycit mais. 
 
 For all hir merie exhortatioun, 
 
 This burges Mous had lytill will to fing, 
 Bot hevilie fcho keft hir browis doun, 80 
 
 For all the daynteis that fcho culd hir bring. 
 
 Yit at the lafl fcho faid, half in hething; 
 " Sister, this victuall and your royall feifl. 
 May Weill fuffice unto ane rurall beifl. 
 
 " Lat be this hole, and cum in to my place, 
 
 I fall to yow fchaw be experience. 
 My Gude Fryday is better nor your Pace ; 
 
 My difche wefchingis is worth your haill expence ; 
 
 I half houfis anew of greit defence; 
 Of cat, nor fall trap, I haif na dreid." 90 
 
 " I grant," quod fcho ; and on togidder thay yeid. 
 
 In ftubbill array throw rankeft gers and corne. 
 And under bufkis prevelie couth they creip, 
 
 The eldefl wes the gyde and went beforne, 
 The younger to hir wayis tuke gude keip. 
 On nicht thay ran, and on the day can lleip; 
 
 Quhill in the morning or the Laverock fang, 
 
 Thay fand the toun, and in blythlie couth gang. 
 
112 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Nocht fer fra thyne unto ane worthie wane, 
 This burges brocht thame fone quhar thai fuld 
 be ; 100 
 
 Without God fpeid thair herberie wes tane, 
 In to ane fpence with vittell greit plentie; 
 Baith cheis and butter upone thair fkelfis hie, 
 
 And flefche and fifche aneuch, baith frefche and fait. 
 
 And fekkis full of meill and eik of malt. 
 
 Efter quhen thay difpofit wer to dyne, 
 
 Withouttin grace thay wefehe and went to meit. 
 
 With all the courfis that cuikis culd defyne, 
 Muttoun and beif llrikin in tailyeis greit; 
 And Lordis fair thus couth thay counterfeit, 110 
 
 Except ane thing, thay drank the watter cleir 
 
 Inflead of wyne, bot yit thay maid gude cheir. 
 
 With blyith upcaft and merie countenance, 
 
 The eldeft filler fperit at hir gaifl, 
 Gif that fcho be reffone fand difference 
 
 Betuix that chalmer and hir farie nell? 
 
 " Ye dame," quod fcho, " How lang will this left ?" 
 " For evermair, I wait, and langer to." 
 " Gif it be fwa, ye are at eis," quod fcho. 
 
 Til eik thair cheir ane fubcharge furth fcho 
 brocht, 120 
 
 Ane plait of grottis, and ane difche full of meill, 
 Thraf caikkis als I trow fcho fpairit nocht, 
 
 Aboundantlie about hir for to deill ; 
 
 And mane full fyne fcho brocht in fteid of goill. 
 
THE UPLANDIS MOUS AND THE BURGES MOUS. 113 
 
 And ane quhyte candill out of ane coffer flail, 
 In fleid of fpyce to gufl thair mouth withall. 
 
 Thus maid thay merie quhill thay micht na mair, 
 And, Haill Yule, haill! cryit upon hie; 
 
 Yit efter joy oftymes cummis cair. 
 
 And troubill efter greit profperitie: 130 
 
 Thus as thay fat in all thair jolitie. 
 
 The Spenfer come with keyis in his hand, 
 
 Opinnit the dure, and thame at denner fand. 
 
 Thay taryit nocht to wefche as I fuppofe, 
 But on to ga quha that micht formefl win. 
 
 The burges had ane hoill, and in fcho gois, 
 Hir fifler had na hoill to hyde hir in, 
 To fe that felie Mous, it wes greit fyn. 
 
 So defolate and will of ane gude reid. 
 
 For veray dreid fcho fell in fwoun neir deid. 140 
 
 Bot as God wald, it fell ane happy cace 
 The Spenfer had na lafer for to byde, 
 
 Nouther to feik nor ferche, to fkar nor chace, 
 Bot on he went, and left the dure up wyde. 
 The bald burges his pafTmg weill hes fpyde, 
 
 Out of hir hoill fcho come, and cryit on hie, 
 
 " How fair ye lifter; cry Peip, quhair ever ye be?" 
 
 This rural Mous lay flatling on the ground. 
 And for the deith fcho wes full fair dredand, 
 
 For till hir hart ftraik mony wofuU flound, 150 
 As in ane fever fcho trimbiUit fute and hand; 
 
 H 
 
114 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 And quhan hir filler in fie ply hir fand, 
 For verray pietie feho began to greit, 
 Syne confort hir with wordis hunny fweit. 
 
 " Quhy ly ye thus? ryfe up my fifiier deir: 
 Cum to your meit, this perrell is overpafl;." 
 
 The uther anfwerit hir, with hevie cheir, 
 " I may nocht eit, fa fair I am agafli; 
 I had levir thir fourtie dayis fafl;, 
 
 With watter caill, and to gnaw benis or peis, 160 
 
 Than all your feifl;, in this dreid and difeis." 
 
 With fair tretie yit fcho gart hir upryfe, 
 
 And to the burde thay went and togidder fat, 
 
 And fcantlie had thay drunkin anis or twyfe, 
 Quhen in come Gib-Hunter our jolie cat. 
 And bad God fpeid: the burges uj) with that, 
 
 And till the hoill fcho went as fyi*e of flint — 
 
 Bawdronis the uther be the bak hes hint. 
 
 Fra fute to fute he kefl; hir to and fra, 
 
 Quhy lis up, quhy lis doun, als cant as ony kid ; 170 
 
 Quhylis wald he lat hir run under the ftra, 
 QuhyKs wald he wink, and play with hir buk- 
 
 hid. 
 Thus to the felie Mous greit pane he did, 
 
 Quhill at the lafl;, throw fortune and gude hap, 
 
 Betuix ane burde and the w^all fcho crap. 
 
 And up in haifl; behind ane parralling 
 
 Scho clam fo hie, that Gilbert micht not get hir, 
 
 I 
 I 
 
THE UPLANDIS MOUS AND THE BURGES MOUS. 115 
 
 Syne be the cluke thair craftelie can hing, 
 Till he wes gane, hir cheir wes all the bettir ; 
 Syne doun fcho lap quhen thair wes nane to 
 let hir, 180 
 
 And to the burges Mous loud can fcho cry, 
 " Fair Weill, fifler, thy feift heir I defy ! 
 
 " Thy mangerie is myngit all with cair, 
 Thy gufe is gude, thy ganfell four as gall : 
 
 The fubcharge of thy fervice is bot fair, 
 So fall thow find heir efterwart may fall. 
 I thank yone courtyne and yone perpall wall, 
 
 Of my defence now fra ane crewell beift. 
 
 Almychty God keip me fra lie ane feifl ! 
 
 " Wer I in to the kith that I come fra, 190 
 
 For Weill nor wo, fuld never cum agane." 
 
 With that fcho tuke hir leif and furth can ga, 
 Quhylis throw the corne, and quhylis throw the 
 
 plane, 
 Quhen fcho wes furth and fre fcho wes ful fane, 
 
 And merilie merkit unto the mure : 
 
 I can nocht tell how efterwart fcho fure. 
 
 Bot I hard fay, fcho paffit to hir den, 
 
 Als warme als woll, fuppofe it wes nocht greit. 
 
 Full benely fluffit, baith but and ben, 
 
 Of beinis, and nuttis, pels, ry, and quheit ; 200 
 Quhen ever fcho lift fcho had aneuch to eit, 
 
 In quyet and eis, withoutin ony dreid, 
 
 Bot to hir fifteris feift na mair fcho yeid. 
 
116 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 MOEALITAS. 
 
 Freindis ye may fynd, and ye will tak held, 
 
 In to this Fabill ane gude moralitie, 
 As fitchis myngit ar with nobill feid, 
 
 Swa intermynglit is adverfitie 
 
 "With eirthlie joy, fwa that na eflait is fre, 
 And als troubill, and fum vexatioun ; 
 
 And namelie thay quhilk climmis up maifl 
 hie, 210 
 
 That ar nocht content with fmall poffeffioun. 
 
 Bliffit be fempill lyfe withoutin dreid ; 
 
 Bliffit be fober feift in quyetie: 
 Quha hes aneuch, of na mair hes he neid, 
 
 Thocht it be lytill in to quantitie; 
 
 Greit abondance, and blind profperitie, 
 Oftymes makis ane evill conclufioun ; 
 
 The fweiteft lyfe thairfoir in this cuntrie. 
 Is fickernes, with fmall poffeffioun. 
 
 wantoun man! that ufis for to feid 220 
 
 Thy wambe, and makis it ane god to be, 
 
 Luik to thy felf, I wame thee wele, but dreid ; 
 The Cat cummis, and to the Mous hes ee, 
 Quhat vaillis than thy feift and rialtie. 
 
 With dreidfuU hart and tribulacioun ! 
 
 Thairfoir befl thing in eird, I fay, for me, 
 
 Is blyithnes in hart, with fmall poffeffioun. 
 
THE UPLANDIS MOUS AND THE SURGES MOUS. 117 
 
 Thy awin fyre, my freiud, fa it be bot ane gleid, 
 It warmis weill, and is worth gold to thee; 
 
 And Solomon fayis, gif that thow will reid, 230 
 " Under the hevin it can nocht better be, 
 Than ay be blyith, and leif in honeflie;" 
 
 Quhairfoir I may conclude be this reffoun, 
 Of eirthly joy it beiris maill degrie, 
 
 BIyithnes in hart, with fmall poffeflioun. 
 
THE TAILL OF SCHIR CHANTECLEIR 
 AND THE FOXE. 
 
 Thocht brutall beiflis be irrationall, 
 That is to fay, wantand difcretioun ; 
 
 Yit ilk ane in thair kynde natural!, 
 Hes mony divers inclinatioun ; 
 The bair bufleous, the wolf, the wylde lyoun : 
 
 The foxe feinyeit, craftie and cautelous; 
 
 The dog to bark on nicht and keip the hous. 
 
 Sa different thay ar in properteis, 
 Unknawin to man, and fa infinite. 
 
 In kynd havand fa feil diverfiteis, 10 
 
 My cunning is exeludit for to dyte: 
 Forthy as now I purpofe for to wryte, 
 
 Ane cais I fand quhilk fell this other yeir, 
 
 Betuix ane Foxe, and ane gentill Chantecleir. 
 
 Ane Wedow dwelt, in till ane dorp thay dayis, 
 Quhilk wan hir fude of fpinning on hir rok ; 
 
 And na mair had forfuth, as the Fabill fayis, 
 Except of hennis fcho had ane lytill flok, 
 And thame to keip fcho had ane jolie Cok : 
 
 Richt curageous, that to this Wedow ay, 20 
 
 Devydit nicht, and crew befoir the day. 
 
SCHIR CHANTECLEIR AND THE FOXE. 119 
 
 Ane lytill fra this foirfaid Wedowis hous, 
 
 Ane thornie fchaw thair wes of greit defence, 
 
 Quhairin ane Foxe, craftie and eautelous, 
 Maid his repair, and daylie refidence, 
 Quhilk to this wedow did greit violence. 
 
 In pyking of pultrie baith day and nicht, 
 
 And na way be revengit on him fcho micht. 
 
 This wylie Tod quhen that the lark couth ling, 
 Full fair hungrie unto the toun him drell, 30 
 
 Quhair Chantecleir in to the gray dawing, 
 Werie for nicht, wes flowin fra his nell: 
 Lowrence this faw, and in his mynd he keft 
 
 The jeperdie, the wayis, and the wyle, 
 
 Be quhat meinis he micht this Cok begyle. 
 
 Diffimuland in to countenance and cheir. 
 On kneis fell, and iimuland this faid : 
 
 " Gude morne, my maifter, gentill Chantecleir." 
 With that the Cok ftart backwart in ane braid. 
 " Schir, be my fauU, ye neid nocht be effrayit, 
 
 Nor yit for me to flart nor fle abak : [40 
 
 I come bot heir fervice to yow to mak. 
 
 " Wald I nocht ferve to yow it wer bot blame, 
 As I haif done to your progenitouris. 
 
 Your father full oft fillit hes my wame, 
 
 And fend me meit fra midding to the muris. 
 And at his end I did my befie curis, 
 
 To hald his held, and gif him drinkis warme; 
 
 Syne at the laft, the fweit fwelt in my arme." 
 
120 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 " Knew ye my father ?" quod the Cok, and leuch. 50 
 " Yea, my fair fone, I held up his heid, 
 
 Quhen that he deit under ane birkin beuch ; 
 Syne faid the Dirige quhen that he wes deid, 
 Betuix us twa how fuld thair be ane feid? 
 
 Quhame fuld ye traift bot me your fervitour, 
 
 That to your father did fa greit honour, 
 
 " Quhen I behald your fedderis fair and gent, 
 Your beik. your breift, your hekill, and your came, 
 
 Schir, be my fauU, and the bliffit facrament, 
 My hart is warme, me think I am at hame. 60 
 To mak yow blyith, I wald creip on my w^ame 
 
 In froifl and fnaw, in wedder wan and weit, 
 
 And lay my lyart lokkis under your feit." 
 
 This fenyeit Foxe, fals and diffimulate. 
 Maid to this Cok ane cavillatioun : 
 
 "Ye ar, me think, changit and degenerate 
 Fra your father of his conditioun ; 
 Of craftie crawing he raicht beir the croun, 
 
 For he wald on his tais ftand and craw : 
 
 This wes na lee, I flude befyde and faw." 70 
 
 With that the Cok upon his tais hie, 
 
 Keft up his beik, and fang with all his micht. 
 
 Quod Schir Lowrence, " Weill faid ; fa mot I thee : 
 Ye ar your fatheris fone and air upricht, 
 Bot of his cunning yit ye want ane flicht ; 
 
 For," quod the Tod, " he wald, and haif na dout, 
 
 Baith wink and craw and turne him thryis about." 
 
SCHIR CHANTECLEIR AND THE FOXE. 121 
 
 The Cok, infect with wind and fals vanegloir, 
 That mony puttis unto confufioun, 
 
 Training to win ane greit worfchip thairfoir, 80 
 Unwarlie winkand wawland up and doun, 
 And fyne to chant and craw he maid him boun. 
 
 And fuddandlie be he had crawin ane note, 
 
 The Foxe wes war, and hint him be the throte. 
 
 Syne to the wode bot tarie with him hyit, 
 Of that cryme haifand bot lytill dout ; 
 
 With that Pertok, Sprutok, and Toppok cryit ; 
 The Wedow heard, and with ane cry come out. 
 Seand the cace fcho lichit, and gaif ane fchout, 
 
 " How, murther, hay !" with ane hiddeous beir, 90 
 
 " Allace ! now loft is gentill Chantecleir." 
 
 As fcho wer woid, with mony yell and cry, 
 Ryvand hir hair, upon hir breift can beit. 
 
 Syne paill of hew half in ane extafie. 
 
 Fell doun for cair in fvvoning, and in fvveit. 
 With that the felie hennis left thair meit, 
 
 And quhill this wyfe wes lyand thus in fwoun. 
 
 Fell ill that cace in difputatioun. 
 
 " Allace!" quod Pertok, makand fair murning. 
 With teiris greit attour hir cheikis fell, 100 
 
 " Yone wes our drowrie, and our dayis darling. 
 Our nichtingaill, and als our orlege bell; 
 Our walkryfe watche us for to warne and tell 
 
 Quhen that Aurora, with hir curcheis gray, 
 
 Put up hir heid betuix the nicht and day. 
 
122 THE FABLES OF ESOPB. 
 
 " Quha fall our lemman be? quha fall us leid? 
 
 Quhen we ar fad, quha fall unto us fing? 
 With his fweit bill he wald brek us the breid; 
 
 In all this warld wes thair ane kynder thing ? 
 
 In paramouris he wald do us plefing 110 
 
 At his power, as nature did him geif, 
 Now efter him, allace! how fall we leif?" 
 
 Quod Sprutok than, " Ceis fifler of your forrow, 
 Ye be too mad for him fie murning mais : 
 
 We fall fair weill, I find, Sanct Johne to borrow, 
 The proverb fay is, ' Als gude lufe cummis as gais.' 
 I will put on my haly day is claithis. 
 
 And mak me frefche agane this jolie May, 
 
 Syne chant this fang, wes never wedow fa gay. 
 
 " He wes angrie and held us ay in aw, 120 
 
 And woundit with the fpeir of jelowfie. 
 
 Of ehalmerglew, Pertok, full weill ye knaw, 
 Waiflit he wes, of nature cauld and dry : 
 Sen he is gone, thairfoir, filler, fay I, 
 
 Be blyith in baill, for that is befl; remeid: 
 
 Let quick to quick, and deid ga to the deid." 
 
 Then Pertok fpak, with fenyeit faith befoir, 
 " In lull but lufe he fet all his delyte ; 
 
 Siflier, ye wait, of fie as him ane fcoir 
 
 Wald not fufiice to flaik our appetyte. 130 
 
 I hecht be my hand, fen he is quyte. 
 
 Within ane oulk, for fchame and I durft fpeik, 
 
 To get ane berne fuld better claw my breik. 
 
SCHIK CHANTECLEIR AND THE FOXE. 123 
 
 Than Tappok lyke ane curate fpak full crous, 
 " Yon wes ane verray vengeance from the hevin ; 
 
 He wes fa lous, and fa lecherous : 
 
 He had," quod fcho, " kittokis ma than fevin ; 
 Bot rychteous God, haldand the ballandis evin, 
 
 Sraytis richt fair, thocht he be patient. 
 
 For adulterie that will thame nocht repent. 140 
 
 *' Prydefull he wes, and joy it of his fin. 
 
 And comptit not for Goddis favour nor feid; 
 
 Bot traiflit ay to rax and fa to rin, 
 
 Quhill at the lafl his finnis can him leid 
 
 To fchamefuU end, and to yone fuddand deid : 
 
 Thairfoir it is the verray hand of God, 
 
 That caufit him be wirryit with the Tod." 
 
 Quhen this wes faid, this Wedow fra hir fwoun 
 Start up on fute, and on hir kennettis cryit, 
 
 " How Berke, Berrie, Baufie Broun, 150 
 
 Kype Schaw, Rin Weill, Curtes, Nuttieclyde, 
 Togidder all but grunching furth ye glyde, 
 
 Reskew my nobill Cok or he be flane. 
 
 Or ellis to me fe ye cum never agane." 
 
 With that, but baid, thay braidit over the bent, 
 As fyre of flint thay over the feildis flaw, 
 
 Full wichtlie thay throw woid and watteris went, 
 And ceiffit nocht Schir Lowrence quhill they faw. 
 Bot quhen he faw the kennettis cum on raw. 
 
 Unto the Cok in mynd, he faid, " God fen 160 
 
 That I and thow wer fairlie in mv den," 
 
124 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Than faid the Cok, with fum gude fpirit infpyrit, 
 " Do my counfall, and I fall warrand thee ; 
 
 Hungrie thou art, and for greit travell tyrit, 
 Richt faint of force, and may nocht ferther fle : 
 Swyith tiirne agane, and fay, That I and ye 
 
 Freindis ar maid, and fellowis for ane yeir : 
 
 Than will thay flint, I fland for it and nocht fleir." 
 
 This Tod, thocht he was fals and frivolous, 
 And hed freindis his querrell to defend, 170 
 
 Defavit wes be meinis richt mervelous. 
 For faKet failyeis ay at the latter end : 
 He flart about, and cryit as he wes kend. 
 
 With that the Cok he braid out of the bench ; 
 
 Now juge ye all whereat Schir Lowrence leuch. 
 
 Begylit thus the Tod under the tre, 
 
 On kneis fell, and faid, " Gude Chantecleir, 
 
 Cum doun agane, and I but meit or fey, 
 Salbe your man and fervand for ane yeir." 
 " Na, fals theif and reivar, fland nocht me neir ; 
 
 My bludie hekill, and my neck fa bla, [180 
 
 Hes partit freindfchip for ever betwene us twa. 
 
 *' I wes unwyfe that winkit at thy will, 
 Quhairthrow almaifl I loffit had my heid. 
 
 I wes mair fule," quod he, " to be fa flill, 
 Quhairthrow to put my pray in to pleid." 
 " Fair on fals theif! God keep me fra thy feid." 
 
 With that the Cok over the feildis tuke his flicht, 
 
 And in at the Wedowis lewar couth he licht. 
 
SCHIR CHANTECLEIR AND THE FOXE, 125 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 Now worthie folk, fuppofe this be ane fabill, 190 
 And overheillit with typis figurall, 
 
 Yit may ye find ane fentence richt agreabill, 
 Under thir fenyeit termis textuall: 
 To our purpofe this Cok weill may we call 
 
 Nyfe proud men, wod and vane glorious 
 
 Of kin and blude, quhilk is prefumpteous. 
 
 Fy ! puft up pryde, thow is full poyfonabill, 
 Quha favoris thee on force man haif ane fall. 
 
 Thy flrenth is nocht, thy ftule flandis unflabill, 
 Tak witnes of the feyndis infernall, 200 
 
 Quhilk houndit doun wes fra that hevinlie hall 
 
 To hellis hoill, and to that hiddeous hous, 
 
 Becaus in pryde thay wer prefumpteous. 
 
 This fenyeit Foxe may weill be figurat 
 
 To flatteraris, with plefand wordis quhyte; 
 
 With fals mening, and mynd maifl toxicate, 
 To loif and lee that fettis thair haill delyte ; 
 All worthie folk at fie fuld haif defpyte. 
 
 For quhair is thair mair perrilous pefl;ilence. 
 
 Nor gif to learis haifl}elie credence. 210 
 
 The wickit mynd and adulatioun, 
 
 Of fucker fweit haifand the fimilitude, 
 Bitter as gall, and full of poyfoun, 
 
126 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 To taifl it is, quha cleirlie underllude : 
 Forthy as now fchortlie to conclude, 
 Thir twa finnis, flatterie and vane gloir, 
 Ar vennemous: gude folk flie thame tharefoir. 
 
THE TAILL HOW THIS FOIRSAID TOD 
 
 MAID HIS CONFESSIOUN TO FREIK 
 
 WOLF WAIT-SKAITH. 
 
 Leif we this Wedow glaid I yow afiure, 
 Of Chantecleir mair biyith than I can tell, 
 
 And fpeik we of the fuhtell aventure 
 And deflenie that to this Foxe befell, 
 Quhilk durfl na mair with waiting intermell, 
 
 Als lang as leme or licht wes of the day, 
 
 Bot bydand nicht, full flill lurkand he lay. 
 
 Quhill that Tethys, the goddes of the flude, 
 Phebus had callit to the harberie, 
 
 And Hefperus put up his cluddie hude, 10 
 
 Schawand his luflie vifage in the fky, 
 Than Lowrence luikit up, quhair he couth ly, 
 
 And kefl his hand upon his ee on hicht, 
 
 Merie and glaid that cummit wes the nicht. 
 
 Out of the wode unto ane hill he went, 
 
 Quhair he micht fe the twinkling flernis cleir, 
 
 And all the Planetis of the firmament, 
 
 Thair cours, and eik thair moving in the fpheir, 
 Sum retrograde, and fum ftationeir; 
 
 And of the Zodiak, in quhat degre 20 
 
 Thay wer ilk ane, as Lowrence leirnit me. 
 
128 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Than Saturne auld wes enterit in Capricovne, 
 And Juppiter movit in Sagittarie, 
 
 And Mars up in the Rammis heid wes borne, 
 And Phebus in the Lyoun furth can carie, 
 Yenus the Crab, the Mone wes in Aquarie; 
 
 Mercurius the god of Eloquence, 
 
 In to the Yirgyn maid his refidence. 
 
 But aftrolab, quadrant, or almanak, 
 
 Teichit of nature be inllructioun, 30 
 
 The moving of the hevin this Tod can tak, 
 Quhat influence and conftellatioun 
 Wes lyke to fall upon the eirth adoun; 
 
 And to him felf he faid, withouttin mair, 
 
 " Weill worth my father, that fend me to the lair. 
 
 " My deftany, and eik my weird I wait, 
 My aventour is cleirlie to me kend, 
 
 With mifcheif myngit is my mortall fait, 
 My misleving the foner bot gif I mend ; 
 It is rewaird of fin ane fchamefull end ; 40 
 
 Thairfoir I will ga feik fum confeffour. 
 
 And fchryif me clene of my finnis to this hour. 
 
 " Allace !" quod he, " richt waryit are we theifis, 
 Our lyiffis fet ilk nicht in aventure, 
 
 Our curfit craft full mony man mifchevis. 
 For ever we fleill, and ever alyke ar pure. 
 In dreid and fchame our dayis we indure. 
 
 Syne widdie-nek and crak-raip callit als. 
 
 And till our hyre hangit up be the hals. 
 
THE3 tod's CONFESSIOUN TO FREIR WOLF. 129 
 
 Aecufand thus his cankerit confcience, 50 
 
 Unto ane craig he keft about his ee, 
 
 So fliw he cumraand ane lytill than from thence, 
 Ane worthie doctour of divinitie, 
 Freir Wolf Wait-fkaith, in fcience wonder (lie, 
 
 To preiche and pray wes new cumit fra the cloiller, 
 
 With beidis in hand fayand his Pater Nofler. 
 
 Seand the Wolf, this wylie tratour Tod 
 On kneis fell, with hude in to his nek : 
 
 " Welcome, my father goflliell under God I" 
 Quod he, with mony binge and mony bek. 60 
 " Ha," quod the Wolf," Schir Tod, for quhat effek 
 
 Mak ye fie feir? ryfe up, put on your hude." 
 
 " Father," quod he, " I haif greit caufe to dude. 
 
 " Ye ar mirrour, lanterne, and ficker way, 
 Suld gyde fie fempill folk as me to grace; 
 
 Your bair feit, and your rufiet cowll of gray, 
 Your lene cheikisj your paill pitteous face, 
 Schawis to me your perfite halienes; 
 
 For Weill wer him that an is in his lyfe. 
 
 Had hap to yow his finnis for to fchryve. 70 
 
 " Na, felie Lowrence," quod the Wolf, and leuch ; 
 
 " It pleifis me that ye ar penitent." 
 " Of reif and flouth, Schir, I can tell aneuch, 
 
 That caufis me full fair for to repent. 
 
 Bot, father, byde flill heir upon the bent, 
 I yow befeik, and heir me to declair 
 My confcience, that prikkis me fo fair. 
 I 
 
130 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 " Weill," quod the Wolf, " fit down upon thy kne." 
 And fo he doun bairheid fat full humillie, 
 
 And fyne began with " Benedicite !" 80 
 
 Quhen I this faw, I drew ane lytill by, 
 For it efFeiris nouther to heir, nor fpy, 
 
 Nor to reveill thing faid under that feill; 
 
 Bot to the Tod this gait the Wolf couth tell, 
 
 " Art thow contrite, and forie in thy fpreit 
 For thy trefpas T' '* No, Schir, I can nocht dude ; 
 
 Me think that hennis are fua honie fweit, 
 And lambis flefche that new ar lettin bluid. 
 For to repent my mind can nocht concluid, 
 
 Bot of this thing, that I haif flane fa few." 90 
 
 " Weill," quod the Wolf, " in faith thou art ane fchrew. 
 
 " Sen thou can nocht forthink thy wickitnes, 
 Will thou forbeir in tyme to cum, and mend ?" 
 
 " And I forbeir, how fall I leif, allace ! 
 Haifand nane uther craft me to defend? 
 Neid caufis me to fteill quhair ever I wend. 
 
 I efchame to thig, I can nocht wirk, ye wait, 
 
 Yit wald I fane pretend to a gentill flait." 
 
 " Weill," quod the Wolf, " thou wantis pointis twa 
 Belangand to periyte confeffioun. 100 
 
 To the thrid point of penitence, let us ga. 
 Will thou tak pane for thy tranfgreffioun ?" 
 " No, Schir, confidder my complexioun, 
 
 Selie and walk, and of my nature tender, 
 
 Lo, will ye f e ! I am baith lene and fklender. 
 
THE tod's CONFESSIOUN TO FREIR WOLF. 131 
 
 " Yit, nevertheles, I wald, iwa it wer licht, 
 And fchort, and noclit grevand to ray tendernes, 
 
 Tak part of pane, fulfill it gif I raicht, 
 To fett my felie faull in way of grace." 
 " Thou fall," quod he, " forbeir flefche hyne 
 till Pafche, 110 
 
 To tame this corps, that curfit carioun, 
 
 And heir I reach thee full remiilioun." 
 
 " I grant thairto, fwa ye will gif me leif 
 To eit puddingis, or laip ane lytill blude. 
 
 Or held, or feit, or paynchis let me preif, 
 In cace I fait of flefche in to my fude." 
 " For greit miller, I gif thee leif to dude, 
 
 Tvvyfe in the oulk, for ' Neid may haif na law.' ' 
 
 " God yeild yow, Schir, for that text weill I knaw.' 
 
 Quhen this wes faid, the Wolf his wayis went. 120 
 The Foxe on fute he fure unto the flude, 
 
 To fang him fifche haillelie wes his intent ; 
 
 But quhen he faw the watter, and wallis wod, 
 Aftonift all flill in to ane ftait he flude. 
 
 And faid, " Better that I had bidden at hamo, 
 
 Nor bene ane fifchar in the Devillis name. 
 
 " Now mon I fcraip my meit out of the fand, 
 For I haif nouther boittis, nor net, nor bait." 
 
 As he wes thus for fait of meit murnand, 
 
 Lukand about his leving for to get, 130 
 
 Under ane tre he faw ane trip of gait ; 
 
 Than wes he blyith, and in ane heuch him hid, 
 
132 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 And fra the gait he flail ane lytill kid. 
 
 Syne ouer the heuch unto the fee he hyis, 
 And tuke the kid rycht be the hornis twane, 
 
 And in the watter, outher twyis or thryis, 
 He dowkit him, and till him can he fayne, 
 ** Ga doTin, Schir Kid, cum up Sehir Salmond 
 agane," 
 
 Quhill he wes deid, fyne to the land him dreuch, 
 
 And of that new maid Salmond eit aneuch. 140 
 
 Thus fynelie fillit with young tender meit, 
 Unto ane derne for dreid he hes him drefl, 
 
 Under ane bufk, quhair that the fone can beit : 
 To beik his breifl and bellie he thocht befl ; 
 And rekleflie he faid, quhair he did reft, 
 
 Straikand his wame aganis the fonis heit, 
 
 Upon this bellye fett wer ane bolt fall meit. 
 
 Quhen this wes faid, the keipar of the gait, 
 Cairfull in hart his kid wes flollin away, 
 
 On everilk fyde full warlie couth he wait, 150 
 Quhill at the lafl he faw quhair Lowrence lay; 
 His bow he bent, ane flane with fedderis gray 
 
 He haillit to the heid, and ere he fteird, 
 
 The Foxe he prikkit fafl unto the eird. 
 
 " Now," quod the Foxe, " allace ! and well-away ; 
 
 Gorit I am, and may no farther gang ; 
 Me think na man may fpeik ane word in play, 
 
 Bot now on dayis, in ernifl it is tane." 
 
 J 
 
THE tod's CONFESSIOUN TO FREIR WOLF. 133 
 
 The Hird him hynt, and out he drew his flane ; 
 And for his kid, and uther violence, 160 
 
 He tuke his fkyn, and maid ane recompence. 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 This fuddand deith, and unprovyfit end 
 Of this fals Tod, without contritioun, 
 
 Exempill is exliortand folk to amend, 
 For dreid of lie ane lyke confufioun ; 
 For mony gois now to confellioun, 
 
 Yit nocht repentis, nor for tliair finnis greit, 
 
 Becaufe thay think thair luftie lyfe fa fweit. 
 
 Sum bene alfo throw eonfuetude and ryte, 
 
 Yincufl with carnaU fenfualitie, 170 
 
 Suppofe thay be as for the tyme contryte. 
 Can nocht forbeir, nor fra thair finnis fle, 
 Ufe drawis Nature fwa in propertie 
 
 Of beifl and man, that neidlingis thay man do, 
 
 As thay of lang tyme hes bene hantit to. 
 
 Be war, gude folk, and dreid this fuddane fchoit, 
 Quliilk fmytis fair withouttin refiflence. 
 
 Attend wyiflie, and in your hartis noit, 
 Aganis deid may na man mak defence. 
 Ceis of your fin, remord your confcience, 180 
 
 Obey unto your God, and ye fall wend 
 
 Efter vour deid, to blis withouttin end. 
 
THE TAILL OF THE SONE AND AIR OF 
 THE FOmSAID FOXE, CALLIT FATHER 
 WARE : ALSWA THE PARLIAMENT OF 
 FOURFUTTIT BEISTIS HALDIN BE THE 
 LYOUN. 
 
 I 
 
 ( 
 
 This foirfaid Foxe, that deit for his mifdeid. 
 Had nocht ane barne wes gottin richteouflie, 
 
 Till airfchip be law that micht fucceid, 
 Except ane fone, quhilk in adulterie 
 He gottin had in purches privelie, 
 
 And till his name wes callit Father Ware, 
 
 That lufit Weill with pultrie to tig and tar. 
 
 It followis Weill be refoun naturall, 
 
 And gree be gree, of richt comparifoun : 
 
 Of evill cummis war : of war cummis werft of all, 10 
 Of wTangous geir cummis fals fucceffioun. 
 This Foxe, baflard of generatioun, 
 
 Of verray kynde behufit to be fals ; 
 
 Swa wes his father and his grandfchir als. 
 
 As nature will feikand his meit be fent, 
 Of cace he fand his fatheris carioun, 
 
 Nakit. new flane, and till him hes he went, 
 Take up his heid, and on his kneis fell doun, 
 Thankand greit God of that conclufioun. 
 
 I 
 
 « 
 
 J 
 
THE PARLIAMENT OF BEISTIS. 135 
 
 And faid, '* Now fall 1 bruke, fen I am air, 20 
 The boundis quliair thow wes wont for to repair." 
 
 Fy ! covetice unkynd and venemous : 
 
 The fone wes fane he fand his father deid, 
 
 Be fuddand fchot for deidis odious, 
 
 That he raicht regne, and raxe in till his fleid, 
 Dreidand na thing that famin lyfe to leid. 
 
 In thift, and reif, as did his father befoir ; 
 
 Bot to the end attent he tuke no moir. 
 
 Yit, nevertheles, throw naturall piete. 
 
 The carioun upon his bak he tais ; 30 
 
 " Now find I Weill this proverb trew," quod he, 
 " Ay rinnis the Foxe, als lang as he fute has." 
 Syne with the corps unto ane peitpot gais. 
 
 Of watter full, and kefl him in the deip, 
 
 And to the Devill his banis he gaif to keip. 
 
 fulifche man ! plungit in warldlines. 
 
 To conqueis wrangous gude, and gold, or rent, 
 
 To put thy fauU in pane or hevines, 
 
 To riche thy air, quhilk efter thow art went, 
 Haif he thy gude, he takkis bot fmall tent 40 
 
 To execute, to do, to fatisfie 
 
 Thy latter will, thy det, and legacie. 
 
 This Tod to reft him, he paffit to ane crag, 
 And thair he hard ane bufteous bugill blaw, 
 
 Quhilk, as he thocht, maid all the warld to wag, 
 Tlian ftart he up quben he this hard, and faw 
 
136 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Ane unicorne come lanfand over ane law, 
 With home in hand, ane built in breifl he bure, 
 Ane purfephant femelie I yo\Y alTure. 
 
 Unto ane bank quhair he micht fe about 50 
 
 On everilk fyde, in haifl he euld him hy, 
 
 Schot out his voce, full fchill, and gaif ane 
 fchout. 
 And Oyas, Oyas, twyfe or thryfe coud cry: 
 With that the beiilis in the feild thairby 
 
 All merveland quhat iic ane thing fuld mene, 
 
 Greitlie agafl thay gadderit on ane grene. 
 
 Out of his buifl ane bill fone can he braid, 
 And red the text withouttin tarying, 
 
 Commandand lilence, fadlie thus he faid: 
 
 *' The nobill Lyoun, of all beiilis the king, 60 
 Greting to God, ay leftand, but ending, 
 
 To brutall Beiilis and irrationall, 
 
 I fend, as to my fubjectis greit and fmall. 
 
 " My celfitude, and hie magnificence 
 
 Lattis yow to wit, that evin incontinent, 
 
 Thinkis the morne, with royall diligence. 
 Upon this hill to hald ane Parliament; 
 Straitlie thairfoir I gif commandement 
 
 For to compeir befoir my tribunall. 
 
 Under all pane, and perrell that may fall." 70 
 
 The morrow come, and Phebus with his bemis 
 Confumit had the millie cloudis gray. 
 
THE PARLIAMENT OP BEISTIS. 13" 
 
 The ground wes grene, and als as gold it glemis, 
 With gers growand gudelie, greit, and gay. 
 The fpyce tliey fpred to fpring on everilk fpray. 
 The Lark, the Maveis, and the Merle full hie, 
 Sweitlie can iing treippand fra tre to tre. 
 
 Thre Leopardis come, a crown of maffie gold 
 Beirand, thay brocht unto that hillis hicht, 
 
 With jafpis jonit, and royall rubeis rold, 80 
 
 And mony diveris diamontis dicht. 
 With powis proud ane palzeoun doun thay picht. 
 
 And in that throne thair fat ane wild Lyoun, 
 
 In rob royall, with fceptour, fwerd, and croun. 
 
 Efter the tennour of the cry befoir, 
 
 That gais on all fourfuttit beiftis on eird, 
 
 As thay commandit wer withouttin moir, 
 Befoir thair lord the Lyoun thay appeird: 
 And quhat thay wer, to me as Lowrence leird, 
 
 I fall reheirs ane part of everilk kynd, 90 
 
 Als fer as now occurris to my mynd. 
 
 The Minotaur, ane monller mervelous, 
 Bellerophant, that beift of ballardrie, 
 
 The Warwolf, and the Pegafe perillous, 
 Transformit be affent of forcerie. 
 The Lynx, the Tiger full of tirannie : 
 
 The Elephant, and eik the Dromedarie: 
 
 The Cameill with his cran-nek furth can carie: 
 
 The Leopard, as I half tauld beforne, [100 
 
 The Anteloip, the Sparth furth couth him fpeid, 
 
138 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 The payntit Pantheir, and the Unicorne, 
 
 The Rayndeir ran throw reveir, rone, and reid, 
 The jolie Gillet, and the gentill Steid ; 
 
 The AlTe, the Mule, the Hors of everilk kynd ; 
 
 The Daw, the Ra, the hornit Hart, the Hynd. 
 
 The Bull, the Beir, the Bugill, and the Bair, 
 The tame Cat, wild Cat, and the wildwod 
 Swyne : 
 
 The hardbakkit Hurcheoun, and the hirpland Hair, 
 Baith Otter and Aip, and pennit Porcupyne ; 
 The gukit Gait, the felie Scheip, the Swyne ; 110 
 
 The wild Once, the Buk, the welterand Brok, 
 
 The Fowmart, and the Fibert furth can flok. 
 
 The gay Grewhound, with Sleuthhound furth can 
 Hyde, 
 With Doggis all divers and different ; 
 
 The Rattoun ran, the Glebard furth can glyde ; 
 The quhyrrand Quhitret with the Quhaifill went, 
 The Feitho that hes furrit mony fent ; 
 
 The Mertrik, with the Cunning, and the Con, 
 
 The Bowranbane, and eik the Lerroun. 
 
 The Marmyffet the Mowdewart couth leid, 120 
 Becaufe that Nature denyit had hir iicht : 
 
 Thus dreffit thay all furth, for dreid of deid. 
 The Mufk, the lytill Mous with all hir micht, 
 With haifl fcho haikit unto that hill of hieht ; 
 
 And mony kynd of beiftis 1 couth nocht kuaw, 
 
 Befoir thair lord ilkane thav loutit law. 
 
THE PARLIAMENT OF BEISTIS. 13U 
 
 Seing thir beiftis all at his bidding boun, 
 He gaif ane braid, and lukit him about, 
 
 Than flatlingis to his feit thay fell all doun. 
 For dreid of deid they droupit all in doubt. 130 
 The Lyoun lukit quhen he faw thame lout, 
 
 And bad thame, with ane countenance full fvveit, 
 
 " Be nocht effeirit, bot Hand up on your feit, 
 
 " I let yow wit, my micht is merciabill. 
 And fleiris nane that ar to me proflrait, 
 
 Angrie, auflerne, and als unamyabill, 
 To all that flandis fray to myne eflait. 
 I rug, I reif, all beiftis that makis debait 
 
 Aganis the micht of my magnificence, 
 
 Se none pretend to pryde in my prefence. 140 
 
 " My celfitude, and my hie Majeftie, 
 
 With micht and mercie myngit fall be ay, 
 
 The laweft hart I can full fone uphie, 
 
 And mak him maifler over yow all I may. 
 The Dromedair, gif he will mak deray. 
 
 The greit Cameill, thocht he wer never fa crous, 
 
 I can him law als lytill as ane Mous. 
 
 " Se neir be tvventie mylis quhair I am. 
 The Kid ga faiflie be the Gaittis fyde. 
 
 The Tod Lowrie luke nocht to the Lam, 150 
 Nor revand beiftis nowther ryn nor ryde." 
 Thay couchit all efter that this wes cryde. 
 
 The Juftice bad the Court for to gar fence, 
 
 The fuittis callit, and foirfalt all abfence. 
 
140 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 The Panther with his payntit coit armour, 
 Feniit the Court, as of the law ejQfeird, 
 
 Than Tod Lowrie lukit quhair he couth lour, 
 And ftart on fute, all flonifl and all fleird, 
 Kyvand his hair, he cryit with ane reird, 
 
 Quaikand for dreid, and liehand couth he fay, 160 
 
 *' AUace, this hour ! allace, this dulefull day ! 
 
 *' I wait this fuddand femblie that I fe, 
 Haifand the pointis of ane Parliament, 
 
 Is maid to mar fie mifdoaris as me. 
 
 Thairfoir gif I me fchaw I will be fchent, 
 I will be focht gif I be red abfent: 
 
 To byde, or fle, it makkis no remeid, 
 
 All is alyke, thair followis nocht bot deid." 
 
 Perplexit thus in his hart can he mene, 
 
 Throw falfet how he micht him felf defend, 170 
 
 His hude he drew laich attour his ene, 
 
 And winkand with ane eye, furth he wend ; 
 Clinfcheand he come, that he micht nocht be kend. 
 
 And for dreddour that he fuld bene arreifl;, 
 
 He playit bakhude behind, fra beifl; to beift. 
 
 ! fylit fpreit, and cankerit confcience, 
 Befoir ane roy renyeit with richteoufnes, 
 
 Blakinnit cheikis, and fchamefuU countenance. 
 Fair Weill thy fame, now gane is all thy grace. 
 The phifnomie, the favour of thy face, 180 
 
 For thy defence is foull and disfigurate, 
 
 Brocht to the licht, blaifit, blunt, and blait. 
 
THE PARLIAMENT OF BEISTIS. 141 
 
 Be thow atteichit with thift, or with trelToun, 
 For thy mifdeid wrangous, and wickit fay, 
 
 Thy cheir changis, Lowrence, thou may luke doun, 
 Thy worfchip of this warld is went away. 
 Luke to this Tod how he was in effray, 
 
 And fle the filth of falfet, I thee reid, 
 
 Quhairthrow thair foUowis fyn and fchameful deid. 
 
 Corapeirand thus befoir thair lord and king, 190 
 In ordour fet as to thair eflait effeird; 
 
 Of everilk kynd he gart ane part furthbring, 
 And awfuUie he fpak, and at thame fpeird, 
 Gif thair wes ony kynd of beiflis on erd 
 
 Abfent, and thairto gart thame deiplie fweir? 
 
 And thay faid, " Nane, except ane ftude gray Meir." 
 
 " Go, make ane meffage fone unto that Stude." 
 The Court than cryit, '' My Lord, quha fall 
 that be?" 
 
 " Cum furth Lowrie, lurkand under thy hude/' 
 " Aa, Schir, mercie ! Lo, I haif bot ane ee ; 200 
 Hurt in the hoche, and eruikit as ye may fe: 
 
 The Wolf is better in ambaffadrie, 
 
 And mair cunning in clergie fer than I." 
 
 Rampand he faid, " Go furth ye brybouris baith." 
 And thay to ga withouttin tarying, 
 
 Over ron and ryfe thay ran togidder raith. 
 
 And fand the Meir at hir meit in the morning. 
 " Now," quod the Tod, " Madame, cum to the 
 Kins:, 
 
142 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 The court is callit, and ye are contumax." 
 " Let be, Lowrenee," quod fcho, " your eourtlie 
 knax." 210 
 
 " Maiflres," quod he, " cum to the court ye mon. 
 The Lyoun hes commandit fo in deid." 
 
 " Schir Tod, tak ye the flyrdome, and the fon, 
 I haif refpite ane yeir, and ye will reid." 
 *' I can nocht fpell," quod he, " fa God me fpeid. 
 
 Heir is the Wolf, ane nobill clerk at all, 
 
 And of this meffage is maid principall. 
 
 "He is autentik, and ane man of age, 
 
 And hes greit practik of the Chancellarie ; 
 
 Let him ga luke, and reid your privilege, 220 
 And I fall Hand, and beir witnes yow by." 
 " Quhair is thy refpite ?" quod the Wolf, in hy. 
 
 " Schir, it is heir, under my hufe weill hid." 
 
 *' Hald up thy heill," quod he; and fo fcho did. 
 
 Thocht he wes blindit with pryde, yit he prefumis 
 To luke doun law, quhair that hir letter lay. 
 
 With that the Meir gird him upon the gumis, 
 And flraik the hattrell of his heid away. 
 Half out of lyif, thair lenand doun he lay : 
 
 " Allace!" quod Lowrenee, *' Lupus, thou art lofl."230 
 
 " His cunning," quod the Meir, " wes worth fum 
 coifl." 
 
 " Lowrenee," quod fcho, " will thou luke on my 
 letter, 
 
THE PARLIAMENT OF BEISTIS. 143 
 
 Sen that the Wolf thairof can na thing wyn?" 
 " Na, be Sanct Bryde/' quod he, " me think it 
 better 
 
 To fleip in heill, nor in ane hurt fkin. 
 
 Ane fkrow I fand, and this wes written in — 
 ' For five fchillingis I wald nocht anis forfault him, 
 Felix quern faciunt aliena pericula cautum/" 
 
 With bludie fkalp, and cheikis bla and reid, 
 This wretchit Wolf weipand thus on he went, 240 
 
 Of his menyie markand to get remeid : 
 To tell the King the cace wes his intent. 
 " Schir," quod the Tod, " byde ftill upon the 
 bent, 
 
 And fra your browis wefche away the blude. 
 
 And tak ane drink, for it will do yow gude." 
 
 To feche watter this fraudfull Foxe furth fure, 
 Sydelingis abak he focht unto ane fyke; 
 
 On cace he meittis cummand fra the mure, 
 Ane trip of Lambis danfand on ane dyke : 
 This tratour Tod, this tirrane, and this tyke, 250 
 
 The fattefl of this flock he fellit hais, 
 
 And eit his fill, fyne to the Wolf he gais. 
 
 Thay drank togidder, and thair journey takis, 
 Befoir the King, fyne kneillit on thair kne. 
 
 " Quhair is yone Meir, Schir Tod, wes contumax?" 
 Than Lowrence faid, " My Lord, fpeir nocht at me! 
 This new maid Doctour of Divinitie, 
 
 With his red cap can tell you weill yneuch." 
 
144 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 With that the Lyoun and all the laif thay leuch. 
 
 " Tell on the eais, now, Lowrence, let us heir." 260 
 " This wittie Wolf," quod he, " this clerk of age, 
 
 On your behalf he bad the Meir compeir ; 
 And fcho allegit to ane privilege: 
 * Cum near and fe, and ye fall half your wage :* 
 
 Becaufe he red hir refpite plane and weill, 
 
 Yone reid bonat fcho raucht him with hir heill." 
 
 The Lyoun faid, " Be yone reid cap I ken 
 This taill is trew, quha tent unto it takis; 
 
 The greiteft clerkis ar nocht the wyfefl men, 
 The hurt of ane, happie the uther makis." 270 
 As thay wer carpand in this cais with knakis, 
 
 And all the court in garray and in gam, 
 
 Swa come the Yow, the mother of the Lam. 
 
 Befoir the Juflice on hir kneis fell. 
 
 Put furth hir playnt on this wyis wofullie: 
 
 " This harlot horefone, and this hound of hell. 
 He werryit hes my Lam full doggitlie. 
 Within ane myle, incontrair of your cry. 
 
 For Goddis lufe, my Lord, gif me the law 
 
 Of this lymmar ;" with that Lowrence let draw. 280 
 
 " Byde," quod the Lyoun ; " lymmer let us fe 
 Gif it be futhe the felie Yow hes faid." 
 
 " Aa, Soverane Lord, faif your mercie," quod he : 
 " My purpois wes with him but to half playid. 
 Caufles he fled as he had bene eflfrayid, 
 
THE PARLIAMENT OF BEISTIS. 145 
 
 For dreid of deid he dufchit ouer ane dyke, 
 And brak his neck." " Thou leis," quod fcho, 
 «' fals tyke ! 
 
 " His deith be practik may be previt eith, 
 Thy gorie gummis and thy bludie fnout; 
 
 The woll, the flefche, yit flikkis in thy teith, 290 
 And that is evidence aneuch but dout." 
 The Juftice bad ga cheis ane affyis out : 
 
 And fo thay did, and fand that he wes fals, 
 
 Of murther, thift, pykeing, and treffoun als. 
 
 Then bind him fall, the Juflice bad belyif. 
 To gif the dome, and tak of all his claithis. 
 
 The Wolf, that new maid Doctour, couth him 
 fchryif, 
 Syne furth him led, and to the gallons gais, 
 And at the ledder fute his leif he tais ; 
 
 The Aip was boucher, and bad him fone afcend, 300 
 
 And hangit him : and thus he maid his end. 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 Right as the mynour in his mynorall, 
 
 Fair gold with fyre may fra the lede well wyn, 
 
 Richt fo under ane Fabill figurall, 
 
 Sad fentence men may feik, and efter fyn. 
 As daylie dois the Doctouris of Devyne, 
 
 That to our leving full weill can apply. 
 
 And paynt thair mater furth be poetry. 
 
146 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 The Lyoun is the Warld be lyklynes, 
 
 To quhome loutis baith emperour and king, 310 
 
 And thinkis of this warld to get incres, 
 Thinkand daylie to get mair leving ; 
 Sum for to reull, and fum to raxe and ring ; 
 
 Sura gadderis geir, fum gold, fum uther gude; 
 
 To wyn this world, fum wirkis as they wer wode. 
 
 The Meir is men of gude conditioun, 
 As pilgrymes walkand in this wildernes, 
 
 Approvand that for richt religioun, 
 
 Thair Grod onlie to pleis in everilk place ; 
 Abflractit from this warldis wretehitnes, 320 
 
 Fechtand with lufl, prefumptioun, and pryde, 
 
 And fra this warld in mynd ar mortyfyde. 
 
 This Wolf I Hkkin to fenfualitie. 
 
 As quhen, lyke brutall beillis, we accord 
 
 Our mynd all to this warldis vanitie, 
 
 Lyking to tak, and loif him as our lord ; 
 Fie fafl thairfra, gif thow will richt remord ; 
 
 Than fall reffoun ryifs, raxe, and ring, 
 
 And for thy faull thair is no better thing. 
 
 Hir hufe I likkin to the thocht of deid, 330 
 
 Wilt thow remember, Man, that thow man de; 
 
 Thow may brek fenfualiteis heid, 
 
 And flefchlie lufl away fra thee fall fle, 
 Fra thow begin thy mynd to mortifie : 
 
 Solomonis faying, thow may perfaif heirin, 
 
 " Think on thy end, thow fall nocht glaidlie fiu." 
 
THE PARLIAMENT OF BEISTIS. 147 
 
 This Tod I likkin to temptationis, 
 Beirand to mynd mony thochtis vane, 
 
 Aflaultand men with fweit perfuafionis, 
 
 Ay reddie for to trap thame in ane trayne. 340 
 Yit gif thay fe fenfualitie neir flane, 
 
 And fuddand dede draw neir with panis fore, 
 
 Thay go abak, and temptis thame no moir. 
 
 0, Mediatour ! mercifull and meik, 
 
 Thow Soverane Lord, and King Celestiall, 
 
 Thy celfitude maift humillie we befeik, 
 Us to defend fra pane and perrellis all; 
 And help us up unto thy Hevinlie hall, 
 
 In gloir, quhair we may fe the face of God ! 
 
 And thus endis the talking of the Tod. 350 
 
THE TAILL OF THE DOG, THE SCHEIP, 
 AND THE WOLF. 
 
 EsoPE ane taill puttis in memorie, 
 
 How that ane Dog, becaiife that he wes pure, 
 
 Callit ane Scheip to the Coniillorie, 
 
 Ane certane breid fra him for to recure: 
 Ane fraudfuU Wolf was juge that time, and bure 
 
 Authoritie and jurifdictioun ; 
 
 And on the Scheip fend furth ane flrait fummoun. 
 
 For be the ufe and cours of commoun flyle, 
 
 On this maner maid his citatioim : 
 " I, Maifter Wolf, pairtles of fraud and gyle, 10 
 
 Under the panis of hie fufpenfioun. 
 
 Of greit curfing, and interdictioun, 
 Schir Scheip I charge thee flraitly to compeir, 
 And anfwer to ane Dog befoir me heir," 
 
 Schir Corbie Ravin wes maid Apparitour, 
 Quha pykit had full mony fcheipis ee; 
 
 The charge hes tane, and on the letteris bure, 
 Summonit the Scheip befoir the Wolf, that he 
 Peremptourlie, within twa dayis or thre, 
 
 Compeir under the panis in this bill, 20 
 
 To heir quhat Perrie Dog will fay thee till. 
 
THE DOG, THE SCHEIP, AND THE WOLF. 149 
 
 This fummondis maid befoir witnes anew, 
 The Ravin, as to his office weill effeird, 
 
 Indorfat hes the write, and on he flew: 
 
 The felie Scheip durfl lay na mouth on eird, 
 Till he befoir the awfuU juge appeird, 
 
 The hour of eaufe, quhilk that the juge ufit than, 
 
 Quhen Hefperus to fchaw his face began. 
 
 The Foxe wes Clerk and notar in the caufe, 30 
 The Gled, the Graip at the bar couth fland. 
 
 As Advocatis expert in to the lawis. 
 
 The Doggis pley togidder tuke on hand, 
 Quhilk wer confederate flraitlie in ane band, 
 
 Aganis the Scheip to procure the fentence; 
 
 Thocht it was fals, thay had na confcience. 
 
 The Clerk callit the Scheip, and he wes thair : 
 The Advocatis on this wyfe couth propone : 
 
 Ane certane breid, worth five fchillingis or mair, 
 Thow aw the Dog, of quhilk the terme is gone. 
 Of his awin heid, but advocate allone, 40 
 
 The Scheip avifitlie gaif anfwer in the cace, 
 
 " Heir I declyne the juge, the tyme, the place. 
 
 " This is my caufe, in motive and effect : 
 The law fayis, it is richt perrilous 
 
 Till enter in pley befoir ane juge fufpect ; 
 And ye, Schir Wolf, hes bene richt odious 
 To me, for with your tufkis ravenous, 
 
 Hes flane full mony kinnifmen of myne; 
 
 Thairfoir as juge fufpect, I yow declyne. 
 
150 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 " And fchortlie, of this Court ye memberis all, 50 
 Baith AffelTouris, Clerk, and Advocate, 
 
 To me and myne ar enemeis mortall, 
 
 And ay hes bene, as mony fcheipherd wate; 
 The place is ferre, the tyme is feriate, 
 
 Quhairfoir no Juge fuld lit in ConfiHorie, 
 
 Sa lait at evin, I yow accufe forthy." 
 
 Quhen that the Juge on this wyfe wes accuiit, 
 He bad the parteis cheis, with ane aflent, 
 
 Twa arbiteris, as in the Law is ufit. 
 
 For to declair, and gif arbitrement, 60 
 
 Quhidder the Scheip fuld anfwer in jugement 
 
 Befoir the Wolf: and fo thay did but weir. 
 
 Of quhome the namis efterwart ye fall heir. 
 
 The Beir, the Brok the mater tuke on hand, 
 For to decyde, gif this exceptioun 
 
 Wes of na flrenth, nor lauchfullie mycht Hand ; 
 And thairupon, as jugeis, thay fat douu, 
 And held ane lang quhile difputatioun, 
 
 Seikand full mony decreittis of the Law, 
 
 And gloffis als, the veritie to knaw. 70 
 
 Of Civile Law volumis mony thay revolve, 
 The Codies and Digeflis new and aid; 
 
 Contra and pro, ftrait argumentis thay refolve, 
 Sum a doctrine, and fum another hald ; 
 For prayer, or price, trow ye, that tbay wald fald ? 
 
 Bot held the Glofe, and text of the Decreis, 
 
 As trew^ jugeis : I befchrew thame that leis. 
 
THE DOG, THE SCHEIP, AND THE WOLF. 151 
 
 Schortlie to mak an end of this debait, 
 The Arbiteris, than fweirand full plane, 
 
 The fentence gaif, and proces fulminat, 80 
 
 The Scheip fuld pas befoir the Wolf agane, 
 And end his pley. Than wes he no thing fane ; 
 
 For fra thair fentence couth he nocht appeill. 
 
 On clerkis I do it, gif this fentence wes leill. 
 
 The Scheip agane befoir the Wolf derenyeit, 
 But advocate, abafitlie couth Hand. 
 
 Up rais the Dog, and on the Scheip thus plenyeit, 
 Ane foume I pay it half befoir the hand 
 For certane breid ; thairto ane borrow he fand, 
 
 That wrangouflie the Scheip did hald the breid ; 90 
 
 Quhilk he deny it; and thair began the pleid. 
 
 And quhen the Scheip this ftryif had conteftait. 
 The Juftice in the caufe furth can proceid : 
 
 Lowrence the actis and the proces wrait, 
 And thus the pley unto the end thay fpeid. 
 This curfit Court corruptit all for meid, 
 
 Aganis gude faith, law, and eik confcience. 
 
 For this fals Dog pronuncit the fentence. 
 
 And it till put to executioun, 
 
 The Wolf chargeit the Sclieip, without delay, 100 
 Under the panis of interdictioun. 
 
 The foume of filver, or the breid, to pay. 
 
 Of this fentence, allace ! quhat fall I fay? 
 Quhilk dampnit hes the felie innocent, 
 And juftifyit the wrangous jiigement. 
 
152 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 The Scheip, dreidand mair executioun, 
 Obeyand to the fentence, he couth tak 
 
 His way unto ane merchand of the toun, 
 
 And fauld the woll that he bure on his bak ; 
 Syne bocht the breid, and to the Dog couth 
 mak 110 
 
 Reddie payment, as it commandit was : 
 
 Nakit and bair, fyne to the feild couth pas. 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 This felie Scheip may prefent the figure 
 Of pure Commounis that daylie ar oppreft 
 
 Be tirrane men, quhilkis fettis all thair cure, 
 Be fals meinis, to mak ane wrang conqueifl. 
 In hope this prefent lyfe fuld ever left: 
 
 Bot all begylit, thay will in fchort tyme end. 
 
 And efter deith to lefland panis wend. 
 
 This Wolf I Hkkin to ane Schiref flout, 120 
 
 Quhilk byis ane forfalt at the Kingis hand, 
 
 And hes with him ane curfit Aflyis about. 
 And dytis all the pure men up-on-land. 
 Fra the Crownar half laid on him his wand, 
 
 Thocht he wer trew as ever wes Sanct Johne, 
 
 Slane fall he be, or with the Juge compone. 
 
 This Ravin I likkin to ane fals Crownair, 
 
 Quhilk hes ane porteoufs of the indytement, 
 And paffis furth befoir the Juflice Air, 
 
THE DOG, THE SCHEIP, AND THE WOLF. 153 
 
 All mifdoaris to bring to jugement. 130 
 
 Bot luke gif he wes of ane trew intent, 
 To fcraip out Johne, and wryte in Will, or Wat, 
 And fwa ane bud at baith the parteis tak. 
 
 Of this fals Tod, of quhilk I fpak befoir, 
 And of this Gled, quhat thay micht lignifie, 
 
 Of thair nature, as now I fpeik no moir; 
 Bot of this Scheip, and of his cairfull cry, 
 I fall reheirs ; for as I paffit by 
 
 Quhair that he lay, on cafe I lukit doun. 
 
 And hard him mak fair lamentatioun. 140 
 
 " Allace 1" quod he, " this curfit Confillorie, 
 In middis of the winter now is maid, 
 
 Quhen Boreas, with blaflis bitterlie, 
 And hard froiflis, thir flouris doun can faid; 
 On bankis bair now may I mak na baid." 
 
 And with that word into ane coif he crap, 
 
 Fra fair wedder, and froiflis, him to hap. 
 
 Quaikand for cauld, fair murnand ay amang, 150 
 Keft up his ee unto the hevinnis hicht. 
 
 And faid, " Lord, God, quhy lleipis thow fa lang ? 
 Walk, and difcerne my caufe, groundit on richt : 
 Se how I am, be fraud, maiflrie, and flicht, 
 
 PeiUit full bair ; and fo is mony one 
 
 Now in this world, richt wonder wo-begone. 
 
 " Se how this curfit fone of covetice, 
 Exylit hes baith lufe, lawtie, and law ; 
 
154 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Now few or nane will execute juflice ; 
 
 111 fait of quhome, the pure man is ouerthraw. 
 
 The veritie, fuppois the juge it knaw, 
 He is fo blindit with affectioun, 160 
 
 But dreid, for micht, he lettis the richt go doun. 
 
 " Seis thow nocht, Lord, this warld ouerturnit is, 
 As qulia wald change gude gold in leid or tyn ; 
 
 The pure is peillit, the lord may do na mifs; 
 And Simonie is haldin for na fyn, 
 Now is he blyith with okker maift may win; 
 
 Gentrice is llane, and pietie is ago, 
 
 AUace! gude Lord, quhy tholis Thow it fo? 
 
 " Thow tholis this, evin for our greit offence, 
 Thow fendis us troubill and plaigis foir, 170 
 
 As hunger, derth, greit weir, or peflilence ; 
 Bot few amendis now thair lyfe thairfoir! 
 We pure pepill, as now may do no moir 
 
 Bot pray to Thee, fen that we ar oppreft 
 
 In to this eirth. Grant us in hevin gude reft !" 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 
 
 In middis of June, that joly fweit feafoun, 
 
 Quhen that fair Phebus, with his bemis bricht, 
 
 Had dryit up the dew fra daill and doun, 
 And all the land maid with his lemis licht ; 
 In ane mornyng, betuix mid-day and nicht, 
 
 I rais, and put all lleuth and fleip afyde, 
 
 And to ane wod I went alone, but gyde. 
 
 Sweit wes the fmell of flouris quhyte and reid, 
 The noyis of birdis richt delitious, 
 
 The bewis braid blomit abone my held, 10 
 
 The ground growand with gerfis gratious : 
 Of all plefance that place wes plenteous, 
 
 With fweit odouris, and birdis harmonie, 
 
 The morning my Id, my mirth wes niair forthy. 
 
 The roifis reid arrayit on rone and ryce. 
 The prymerois, and the purpour viola; 
 
 To heir it wes ane poynt of Paradice, 
 
 Sic mirth the mavis and the merle couth ma. 
 The bloffummis blyith brak up on bank and bra, 
 
 The fmell of herbis, and of fouUis cry, 20 
 
 Contending quha fuld haif the victorie. 
 
156 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Me to conferve then fra the fonnis heit, 
 
 Under the fchadow of ane hawthorne grene, 
 
 I lenit doun amang the flouris fweit, 
 
 Syne cled my held, and elofit baith my ene. 
 On lleip I fell amang thir bewis bene. 
 
 And, in my dreme, methocht come throw the fchaw 
 
 The fairefl man that euer befoir I faw. 
 
 His gowne wes of ane claith als quhyte as milk, 
 His chymeris wes of chambelote purpour broun ; 30 
 
 His hude of fcarlet, bordourit weill with lilk, 
 On hekillit wyis, untill his girdill doun; 
 His bonat round, and of the auld faffoun ; 
 
 His beird wes quhyte, his ene wes greit and gray. 
 
 With lokker hair, quhilk ouer his fchulderis lay. 
 
 Ane roll of paper in his hand he bair, 
 Ane fwannis pen llikkand under his eir, 
 
 Ane inkhorne, with ane prettie gilt pennair, 
 Ane bag of filk, all at his belt can beir : 
 Thus was he gudelie graithit in his geir. 40 
 
 Of flature large, and with ane feirfull face, 
 
 Evin quhair I lay he come ane flurdie pace ; 
 
 And faid, " God fpeid, my fone :" and I wes fane 
 Of that couth word, and of his cumpanie. 
 
 With reverence I falulit him agane, 
 
 " Welcome, father :" and he fat doun me by. 
 " Difpleis you nocht, my gude mailler, thocht I 
 
 Demand your birth, your facultie, and name, 
 
 Quhy ye come heir, or qiihair ye dwell at hame?" 
 
THE PROLOGUE. 157 
 
 " My fone," faid he, " I am of gentill blude, 50 
 My native land is Rome withouttin nay; 
 
 And in that towne firft to the fculis I yude, 
 In civile law fludyit fiill mony ane day, 
 And now my winning is in hevin for ay : 
 
 Efope I hecht; my wryting and my werk, 
 
 Is couth and kend to mony cunning clerk." 
 
 " Maifter Efope, poet laureate, 
 
 God wait ye ar full deir welcum to me; 
 
 Ar ye nocht he that all thu' Fabillis wrait, 
 Quhilk in effect, fuppois thay fenyeit be, 60 
 Ar full of prudence and moralitie?" 
 
 " Fair fone,'* faid he, " I am the famin man." 
 
 Grod wait gif that my hert wes merie than. 
 
 I faid, " Efope, my maifter venerabill, 
 I yow befeik hartlie, for cheritie. 
 
 Ye wald nocht difdayne to teU ane prettie Fabill, 
 Concludand with ane gude moralitie." 
 Schaikand his heid, he faid, " My fone lat be ; 
 
 For quhat is worth to tell ane fenyeit taill, 
 
 Quhen haly preiching may no thing availl? 70 
 
 <* Now in this world me think richt few or nane 
 To Goddis word that hes devotioun; 
 
 The eir is deif, the hart is hard as fta,ne, 
 Now oppin fin, without correctioun. 
 The ee inclynand to the eirth ay doun: 
 
 Sa rouftie is the warld with canker blak. 
 
 That now my taillis may lytill fuccour mak." 
 
158 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 " Yit, gentill Schir," faid I, " for my requeift, 
 Nocht to difpleis your fatherheid, I pray. 
 
 Under the figure of ane brutale beifi, 80 
 
 Ane morall Fabill ye wald denyie to fay : 
 Quha wait, nor I may leir, and beir away 
 
 Sum thing, thairby heirefter may availl?" 
 
 " I grant," quod he, and thus begouth ane taill. 
 
THE TAILL OF THE LYOUN AND THE 
 MOIJS. 
 
 Ane Lyoun at his pray wery foirrun, 
 To recreat his limmis and to refl, 
 
 Beikand his breift and bellie at the fone, 
 Under ane tree lay in the fair forreft, 
 Swa come ane trip of Myis out of thair nefl, 
 
 Rycht tait and trig, all danfand in ane gyis, 
 
 And ouer the Lyoun lanfit twyis or thryis. 
 
 He lay fo flill, the Myis wes nocht effeird, 
 Bot to and fro out ouer him tuke thair trace, 
 
 Sum tirllit at the lampis of his beird, 10 
 
 Sum fpairit nocht to claw him on the face; 
 Merie and glaid, thus danfit thay ane fpace, 
 
 Till at the lafl the nobill Lyoun woke, 
 
 And with his pow the mailler Mous he tuke. 
 
 Scho gaif ane cry, and all the laif agafl, 
 
 Thair daniing left, and hid thame fone allquhair ; 
 
 Scho that wes tane, cryit and weipit fall, 
 
 And faid, AUace ! oftymes, that fcho come thair ; 
 " Now am I tane ane wofull prefonair. 
 
 And for my gilt traiflis incontinent, 20 
 
 Of lyfe and deith to thoill the jugement." 
 
160 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Than fpak the Lyoun to that cairfull Mous, 
 " Thou cative wretche, and \ale unworthie thing, 
 
 Ouer malapert, and eik prefumpteous 
 
 Thow wes, to mak out ouer me thy tripping. 
 Knew thow nocht weill, I wes baith lord and king 
 
 Of Beillis all." " Yes/' quod the Mous, ''- I knaw ; 
 
 Bot I mifknew, becaufe ye lay fo law. 
 
 " Lord ! I befeik thy kinglie royaltie, 
 
 Heir quhat I fay, and tak in pacienee ; 30 
 
 Confidder firft my fimple povertie, 
 
 And fyne thy mychtie hie magnificence : 
 See als how thingis done of negligence, 
 
 Nouther of malice nor of prefumptioun, 
 
 Erar fuld haif grace and remiffioun, 
 
 " We wer repleit, and had grit haboundance 
 Of alkin thingis, fie as to us effeird, 
 
 The fweit fefoun provokit us to dance, 
 And mak fie mirth as Nature to us leird. 
 Ye lay fo fl;ill, and law upon the eird, 40 
 
 That be my fauU, we wend ye had bene deid, 
 
 Ellis wald we nocht haif dancit ouer your heid." 
 
 " Thy fals excufe," the Lyoun faid agane, 
 " Sail' nocht availl ane myte, I underta : 
 
 I put the cafe, I had bene deid or flane, 
 And fyne my fkyn bene fl;oppit full of flira, 
 Thocht thow had found my figure lyand fwa, 
 
 Becaufe it bair the prent of my perfoun, 
 
 Thow fuld for feir on kneis haif fallin doun. 
 
THE LTOUN AND THE MOUS. 161 
 
 " For thy trefpas thow fall mak na defence, 50 
 My nobill perfoun thus to vilipend; 
 
 Of thy feiris, nor thy awin negligence, 
 
 For to excufe, thow can na caufe pretend; 
 Thairfoir thow fuffer fall ane fchamefuU end. 
 
 And deith, lie as to treffoun is decreit, 
 
 On to the gallons harlit be the feit." 
 
 " A mercie, Lord! at thy gentrice I afe: 
 As thow art king of beiftis coronat. 
 
 Sober thy wraith, and let thy yre ouerpas, 
 
 And mak thy mynd to mercy inclynat; 60 
 I grant offence is done to thyne eftait, 
 
 Quhairfoir I worthie am to fuffer deid, 
 
 Bot gif thy kinglie mercie reik remeid. 
 
 " In everie juge mercy and reuth fuld be 
 
 As affeffouris, and coUaterall; 
 Without mercie Jullice is crueltie, 
 
 As faid is in the Lawis Spirituall; 
 
 Quhen rigour fittis in the tribunal!, 
 The equitie of Law quha may fuftene? 
 Richt few or nane but mercie gang betwene. 70 
 
 " Alfwa ye knaw the honour triumphall 
 Of all victour upon the flrenth dependis 
 
 Of his conqueiH, quhilk manlie in battell. 
 Throw jeopardie of weir lang defendis. 
 Quhat price or loving quhen the battell endis 
 
 Is faid of him, that ouercummis ane man 
 
 Him to defend quhilk nouther may nor can? 
 
 L 
 
162 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 " Ane thoufand myis to kill, and eke devoir, 
 Is lytill manheid to ane flrong Lyoun ; 
 
 Full lytill worfchip haif ye wyn thairfoir, 80 
 
 To quhais ilrenth is na comparifoun : 
 It will degraid fum part of your renoun, 
 
 To flay ane Mous, quhilk may mak na defence, 
 
 Bot afkand mercie at your Excellence. 
 
 " Alfo, it femis nocht your celfitude, 
 Quhilk ufis daylie meittis delitious, 
 
 To fyle your teith, or lippis with my blude, 
 Quhilk to your ftomok is contagious: 
 Unhailfum meit is of ane fairie Mous, 
 
 And that namelie untill ane flrang Lyoun, 90 
 
 Wont till be fed with gentill vennifoun. 
 
 " My lyfe is lytill worth, my deith is lefs, 
 Yit and I leif, I may peradventure 
 
 Supple your Hienes beand in diftres ; 
 For oft is fene, ane man of fmall flature 
 Eef kewit hes ane Lord of hie honour, 
 
 Keipit that wes in point to be ouerthrawin, 
 
 Throw misfortune, fie cace may be your awin." 
 
 Quhen this wes faid, the Lyoun his language 
 Paiffit, and thocht according to reflbun, 100 
 
 And gart mercie his cruell yre affwage. 
 And to the Mous grantit remiflioun. 
 Opinnit his pow, and fcho on kneis fell doun, 
 
 And baith hir handis unto the hevin upheld, 
 
 Cryand, " Almychtie God mot yow foryeild l" 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
THE LTOUN AND THE MOUS. 163 
 
 Quhen fcho wes gone, the Lyoun held to hunt, 
 For he had nocht, bot levit on his pray, 
 
 And flew baith tayme and wyld, as he wes wont, 
 And in the cuntrie maid ane greit deray; 
 Till at the lall, the pepill fand the way 110 
 
 This cruell Lyoun how that thay mycht tak, 
 
 Of hempyn cordis ftrang nettis couth thay mak. 
 
 And in ane rod, quhair he wes wont to ryn, 
 With raipis rude fra tre to tre it band; 
 
 Syne kefl ane range on raw the wod within, 
 With hornis blafl, and kennettis fall calland : 
 The Lyoun fled, and throw the rone rynnand, 
 
 Fell in the nett, and hankit fute and heid, 
 
 For all his llrenth he couth mak na remeid. 
 
 Welterand about with hiddeous rummifllng, 120 
 Quhyles to, quhyles fra, gif he mycht fuccour get ; 
 
 Bot all in vane, it vailyeit him na thing. 
 The mair he flang, the fafler wes the net; 
 The raipis rude wes fa about him plet. 
 
 On everilk fyde, that fuccour faw he none, 
 
 Bot flill lyand, and murnand maid his mone. 
 
 " lamit Lyoun ! liggand heir fa law, 
 Quhair is the mycht of thy magnificence? 
 
 Of quhome all brutall beiftis in eird llude aw, 
 And dreid to luke upon thy excellence! 130 
 But hoip or help, but fuccour or defence, 
 
 In bandis ftrang heir mon I ly, allace! 
 
 Till I be flane, I fee nane uther grace. 
 
164 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 " Thair is na wy that will my harmis wreck, 
 Nor creature do confort to my croun; 
 
 Quha fall me bute? quha fall my bandis brek? 
 Quha fall me put fra pane of this prefoun V — 
 Be he had maid this lamentatioun, 
 
 Throw aventure the lytHl Mous come neir, 
 
 And of the Lyoun hard the pietuous beir. 140 
 
 And fuddandlie it come in till hir mynd 
 That it fuld be the Lyoun did hir grace, 
 
 And faid, " Now wer I fals, and richt unkynd, 
 But gif I quit fum part of thy gentrace 
 Thow did to me:" and on this way fcho gais 
 
 To hir fellowis, and on thame fall can cry, 
 
 " Cum help, cum help ;" and they come all in hy. 
 
 " Lo !" quod the Mous, " this is the famin Lyoun 
 That grantit grace to me quhen I wes tane ; 
 
 And now is fafl heir bundin in prefoun, 150 
 
 Brekand his hart, with fair murning and mane, 
 Bot we him help of fuccour wait he nane ; 
 
 Cum help to quyte ane gude turne for ane uther : 
 
 Go, loufe him fone;" and thay faid, " Yea, gude 
 brother." 
 
 They tuke na knyfe, their teith wes fcharp aneuch : 
 To fe that ficht, forfuith it wes greit wonder, 
 
 How that thay ran amang the raipis teuch, 
 Befoir, behind, fum yeid about, fum under, 
 And fchuir the raipis of the nett in fchunder; 
 
 Syne bad him ryfe, and he Hart up anone, 160 
 
THE LYOUN AND THE MOUS. 165 
 
 And thankit tliame, fyne on his way is gone. 
 
 Now is the Lyoun fre of all danger, 
 
 Loufe and deliverit to his libertie, 
 Be lytill beillis of ane fmall power, 
 
 As ye haif hard, beeaufe he had pietie. 
 
 Quod I, " Mailler, is thair ane Moralitie 
 In this Fabill?" " Yea, Sone," he faid, " richt 
 
 gude/' 
 " I pray yow, Schir," quod I, " ye wald conclude." 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 As I fuppois, this mychtie gay Lyoun, 
 
 May fignifie ane Prince, or Empriour, 170 
 
 Ane poteflate, or yit ane king with croun, 
 Quhilk fuld be walkrife, gyde, and governour, 
 Of his pepill that takis na labour 
 
 To reule, and fleir the land, and juflice keip, 
 
 Bot lyis flill in luflis, flouth, and fleip. 
 
 The fair Forrefl with levis lowne and lie, 
 With fouUis fang, and flouris ferlie fweit, 
 
 Is bot the Warld, and his profperitie. 
 As fals plefans myngit with cair repleit. 
 Rycht as the rois, with froifl, and wynter weit, 
 
 Faidis, fwa dois the Warld, and thame defavis, 180 
 
 Quhilk in thair luflis maifl confidence havis. 
 
 Thir lytill Myis ar bot the Commountie, 
 
166 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Wantoun, unwyfe, without correctioun, 
 
 Thair lordis, and princis, quhen that thay fe 
 
 Of Juflice mak nane executioun, 
 
 Thay dreid na thing to mak rebellioun, 
 
 And difobey; for quhy? thay Hand nane aw, 
 
 That garris thame thair Soveranis misknaw. 
 
 Be this Fabill, ye Lordis of prudence 190 
 
 May confidder the vertew of pietie. 
 
 And to remit fumtyme ane greit offence, 
 And mitigate with mercy crueltie. 
 Oftymes is fene ane man of fmall degre, 
 
 Hes quit ane kinbute baith for gude and evill, 
 
 As lord hes done rigour, or grace him till. 
 
 Quha waitis how fone ane lord of greit renoun, 
 Holland in warldlie luft and vane plefance. 
 
 May be ouerthrawin, deflroyit, and put doun, 
 Thow fals fortoun? quhilk of all variance 200 
 Is haill maillres, and leidar of the dance 
 
 Till luily men, and blindis thame fo foir, 
 
 That thay na perrell can provyde befoir. 
 
 Thir rurall men, that llentit hes the net. 
 In quhilk the Lyoun fuddandlie wes tane, 
 
 Waittit alway amendis for to get, 
 
 (For hurt men wrytis in the marbill ftane) : 
 Mair till expound as now I let allane, 
 
 Bot King and Lord may weill wit quhat I mene; 
 
 Figure heirof oftymis hes bene fene. 210 
 
THE LTOUN AND THE MOUS. 167 
 
 Quhen this wes faid, quod Efope, " My fair Child, 
 Perfuaid the Kirkraen ythandly to pray, 
 
 That treflbun of this Countrie be exyld, 
 And Juflice ring, and Lordis keip thair fay 
 Unto thair Soverane Lord baith nicht and day." 
 
 And with that word he vaneill, and I woke. 
 
 Syne throw the fchaw my journey hamewart tuke. 
 
THE PREICHING OF THE SWALLOW. 
 
 The hie prudence, and wirking mervelous, 
 The profound wit of God Omnipotent, 
 
 Is fo perfyte, and fo ingenious, 
 Excelland far all mannis jugement. 
 For quhy? to Him all thing is ay prefent, 
 
 Richt as it is, or ony tyme fall be, 
 
 Befoir the ficht of his Divinitie. 
 
 Thairfoir our faull with fenfualitie 
 
 So fetterit is in prefoun corporall, 
 We may nocht cleirlie underftand, nor fe 10 
 
 God as he is, nor thingis Celefliall. 
 
 Our mirk and deidlie corps materiall, 
 Blindis the fpirituall operatioun, 
 Lyke as ane man wer bundin in prefoun. 
 
 In metaphilik Ariftotell fayis, 
 
 That mannis faull is lyke ane bakkis ee, 
 Quhilk lurkis flill as lang as licht of day is, 
 
 And in the gloming cummis furth to fle ; 
 
 Hir ene ar waik, the fone fcho may nocht fe : 
 So is our faull with phantafie oppreft, 20 
 
 To knaw the thingis in nature manifeft. 
 
THE PREICHING OF THE SWALLOW. 169 
 
 For God is in his power infinite, 
 
 And mannis faull is febili and oner fmall, 
 
 Of underflanding waik and unperfite, 
 To comprehend Him that contenis all : 
 None fuld prefume be relToun naturall 
 
 To feirche the fecreitis of the Trinitie, 
 
 Bot trow fermelie, and lat dirk reflbunis be. 
 
 Yit nevertheles we may haif knawlegeing 
 
 Of God Almychtie, be his creatouris, 30 
 
 That he is gude, fair, wyis, and bening, 
 Exempill takis be thir jolye flouris, 
 Rycht fweit of fraell, and plefant of colouris, 
 
 Sum grene, fum blew, fum purpour, quhyte and reid, 
 
 Thus diflribute be gift of his Godheid. 
 
 The firmament payntit with flernis cleir. 
 From eifl to well roUand in cirkill round, 
 
 And everilk planet in his proper fpheir. 
 
 In moving makand harmonie and found. [40 
 The fyre, the air, the watter, and the ground, 
 
 Till underlland it is aneuch, I wis. 
 
 That God in all his warkis wittie is. 
 
 Luke Weill the fifche that fvrimmis in the fe ; 
 
 Luke Weill in eirth all kynd of belliall; 
 The foullis fair fa forcelie thay fle, 
 
 Scheddand the air with pennis greit and fmall ; 
 
 Syne hike to man, that God maid lafl of all, 
 Lyke to his image, and his fimilitude : 
 Be thir we knaw that God is fair and gude. 
 
170 THE FABLES OP ESOPE. 
 
 All Creatoures he maid for the behufe 50 
 
 Of man, and till his fupportatioun, 
 
 In to this eirth, baith under and abufe, 
 In number, wecht, and dew proportioun, 
 The difference of tyme, and ilk feafoun, 
 
 Coneordand till our opportunitie. 
 
 As dayh'e be experience we may fe. 
 
 The Somer with his jolye mantill of grene. 
 With flouris fair furrit on everilk fent, 
 
 Quhilk Flora, goddes of the flouris queue, 
 
 Hes to that lord, as for his feafoun lent; 60 
 And Phebus, with his goldin bemis gent, 
 
 Hes purfellit, and payntit plefandlie. 
 
 With heit and moyfture flilland from the fky. 
 
 Syne Harveft hait, when Ceres that goddefs, 
 Hir barnis beinit hes with abundance ; 
 
 And Bacchus, god of wyne, renewit hes 
 The tunie pypes in Italic and France, 
 With wynis wicht, and liquour of plefance; 
 
 And Copia temporis to fill hir home, [70 
 
 That never wes full of quheit, nor uther corne. 
 
 Syne Wynter wan, quhen aullern Eolus, 
 God of the wynd, with blaflis boreall. 
 
 The grene garmont of Somer glorious 
 Hes all to rent and revin in pecis fmall; 
 Than flouris fair, faidit with frofl, mon fall. 
 
 And birdis blyith changit thair noitis fweit, 
 
 In Hill murning, neir flane with fnaw and fleit. 
 
THE PREICHING OF THE SWALLOW. 171 
 
 Thir daillis deip with dubbis drownit is, 
 Baith hill and holt heillit with froilis hair ; 
 
 And bewis bene are laiffit bair of blis, 80 
 
 Be wickit windis of the Winter wair. 
 All wyld beiflis than from the bentis bair, 
 
 Drawis for dreid unto their dennis deip, 
 
 Coucheand for cauld in coifis thame to keip. 
 
 Syne cummis Yer, quhen Winter is away, 
 The fecretar of Somer with his feill, 
 
 Quhen columbine up keikis throw the clay, 
 Quhilk fleit wes befoir with froilis feill. 
 The maveis and the merle beginnis to mell; 
 
 The lark on loft, with uther birdis fmaU, 90 
 
 Than drawis furth fra derne, ouer doun and daill. 
 
 That famin feafoun, in to ane foft morning, 
 Richt blyith that bitter blaflis wer ago, 
 
 Unto the wod to fe the flouris fpring. 
 And heir the maveis fing, and birdis mo, 
 I paffit furth, fyne lukit to and fro, 
 
 To fe the foyll, that wes richt feffonabill, 
 
 Sappie, and to refaif all feidis abill. 
 
 Muving thus gait greit mirth I tuke in mynd, 
 Of lauboraris to fe the belines, 100 
 
 Sum makand dyke, and fum the pleuch can wynd, 
 Sum fawand feidis fall, from place to place, 
 The harrowis hoppand in the faweris trace : 
 
 It wes greit joy to him that luifit corne. 
 
 To fe thame laubour, baith at evin and morne. 
 
172 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 And as I baid under ane bank full bene, 
 In hart greitlie rejofit of that ficht, 
 
 Unto ane hedge, under ane hawthorne grene, 
 Of fmall Birdis thair come ane ferlie flicht. 
 And doun belyif can on the leifis licht, 110 
 
 On everilk fyde about me quhair I ftude, 
 
 Richt mervelous ane mekill multitude. 
 
 Amang the quhilkis, ane Swallow loud couth cry, 
 On that hawthorne hie in the croip fittand : 
 
 " O ye Birdis on be wis heir me by, 
 
 Ye fall Weill knaw, and wyiflie underfland, 
 Quhair danger is, or perrell appeirand. 
 
 It is greit wifedome to provyde befoir, 
 
 It to devoid, for dreid it hurt yow moir. [120 
 
 " Schir SwaUow," quod the Lark agane, and leuch, 
 " Quhat haif ye fene, that caufis yow to dreid ?" 
 
 " Se ye yon churll," quod fcho, " beyond yon pleuch, 
 Fafl fa wand hemp, and gude linget feid? 
 Yone lint will grow in lytill tyme in deid. 
 
 And thairof will yone churll his nettis mak, 
 
 Under the quhilk he thinkis us to tak. 
 
 " Thairfoir I reid we pas quhen he is gone, 
 At evin, and with our naillis fcharp and fmall, 
 
 Out of the eirth fcraip we yone feid anone, 130 
 And eit it up, for gif it growis, we fall 
 Haif caufe to weip heirefter ane and all. 
 
 See we remeid thairfoir furthwith inllante. 
 
 Nam levius Isedit quicquid prsevidimus ante. 
 
THE PREICHING OF THE SWALLOW. 173 
 
 " For clerkis fayis, it is nocht fufficient, 
 To confidder that is befoir thyne ee, 
 
 Bot prudence is ane inward argument, 
 That garris ane man provyde and foirfe, 
 Quhat gude, quhat evill, as likelie for to be, 
 
 Of everilk thing even at the finall end, 140 
 
 And fwa fra perrell the better him defend." 
 
 The Lark lauchand, the Swallow thus couth fcorne. 
 And faid " Scho fifchit lang befoir the net ; 
 
 The bairne is eith to bufk that is unborne; 
 All growis nocht that in the ground is fet; 
 The nek to lloup when it the ftraik fall get 
 
 Is fone aneuch; deith on the fayefl fall." 
 
 Thus fcornit thay the Swallow ane and all. 
 
 Defpyfing thus hir helthfum document, 
 
 The Foullis ferlie tuke thair flicht anone, 150 
 
 Sum with ane bir thay braidit ouer the bent, 
 And fum agane ar to the grene wod gone. 
 Upon the land quhair I wes left allone, 
 
 I tuke my club, and hamewart couth I carye, 
 
 Swa ferliand, as I had fene ane farye. 
 
 Thus paffit furth quhill June that jolye tyde, 
 And feidis that wer fawin of beforne, 
 
 Wer growin heich, that Hairis mycht thame hyde. 
 And als the Quailzie craikand in the corne; 
 I movit furth betuix midday and morne, 160 
 
 Unto the hedge, under the hawthorne grene, 
 
 Quhair I befoir the faid Birdis had fene. 
 
174 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 And as I flude be a venture and cace, 
 The famin Birdis as I haif faid yow air, 
 
 I hoip, becaufe it wes thair banting place, 
 Mair of fuccour, or yit mair folitair, 
 Thay lychtit doun ; and quhen thay lychtit war, 
 
 The Swallow fwyith put furth ane pietuous pyme, 
 
 Said, " Wo is him can nocht be war in tyme ! 
 
 " O, blind Birdis ! and full of negligence, 170 
 UnmyndfuU of your awin profperitie, 
 
 Lift up your ficht, and tak gude advertence, 
 Luke to the lint that growis on yone le, 
 Yone is the thing, I bad, forfuith, that we, 
 
 Quhill it wes feid, fuld rute furth of the eird, 
 
 Now is it lint; now is it heich on breird. 
 
 ** Go yit, quhill it is tender, young and fmall. 
 And pull it up, let it na mair incres ; 
 
 My flefche growis, my bodie quaikis all ; 
 
 Thinkand on it I may nocht fleip in peis." 180 
 Thay cryit all, and bad the Swallow ceis, 
 
 And faid, " Yone lint heirefter will do gude, 
 
 For linget is to lytill birdis fude. 
 
 *' Me think, quhen that yone lint-bollis ar rype, 
 To mak us feist, and fill us of the feid, 
 
 Maugre yone churll, and on it fing and p}^e/' 
 " Weill," quod the Swallow, " freindis hardilie 
 
 beid. 
 Do as ye will, bot certane fair I dreid, 
 
 Heirefter ye fall find als four, as fweit, 
 
THE PREICHING OF THE SWALLOW. 175 
 
 Quhen ye ar fpeldit on yone carlis fpeit. 190 
 
 " The awner of yone lint ane Fouler is, 
 Richt eautelous, and full of fubteltie ; 
 
 His pray full fendill tymis will he mifs, 
 Bot gif we birdis all the warare be ; 
 Full mony of our kin he hes gart de, 
 
 And thocht it bot ane fport to fpill thair blude, 
 
 God keip me fra him, and the Halie Rude." 
 
 Thir fmall Birdis haifand bot lytill thocht 
 Oflf perrell, that micht fall be aventure. 
 
 The counfall of the Swallow fet at nocht, 200 
 Bot tuke thair flicht, and furth togidder fure; 
 Sum to the wod, fum markit to the mure. 
 
 I tuke my flaf, quhen this wes faid and done, 
 
 And walkit liame, for it drew neir hand none. 
 
 The lint ryipit, the carll puUit the lyne, 
 Rippillit the bollis, and in beitis fet, 
 
 It fleipit in the burne, and "dryit fyne, 
 And with ane betill knokkit it, and bett. 
 Syne fwingillit it weill, and hekkillit in the flet. 
 
 His wyfe it fpan, and twynit it in to threid, 210 
 
 Of quhilk the Fowlar nettis war maid in deid. 
 
 The wynter come, the wickit wind can blaw, 
 The woddis grene wer wallowit with the weit, 
 
 Baith firth and fell with froiflis wer maid faw, 
 Slonkis and flaik maid flidderie with the fleit; 
 The fouUis fair for fait thay fell off feit. 
 
176 THE FABLES OF ESOPE, 
 
 On bewis bair it wes na bute to byde, 
 Bot hyit unto houfis tharae to hyde. 
 
 Sum in the barn, fum in the flak of corne, 
 Thair lugeing tuke, and maid thair refidenee. 220 
 
 The Fowlar faw, and greit aithis hes fworne, 
 Thay fuld be tane trewlie for thair expence. 
 His nettis hes he fet with diligence, 
 
 And in the fnaw he fchulit hes ane plane, 
 
 And heillit it all ouer with calf agane. 
 
 Thir fmall Birdis feand the calf wes glaid, 
 
 Trowand it had been corne, thay lychtit doun ; 
 
 Bot of the nettis na prefume thay had. 
 Nor of the Fowlaris fals intentioun. 
 To fcraip and feik thair meit thay maid thame 
 boun. 230 
 
 The Swallow on ane lytill branche neir by, 
 
 Dreidand for gyle, thus loud on thame couth cry : 
 
 " In to that calf, fcraip quhill your naillis bleid, 
 Thair is na corne, ye laubour all in vane; 
 
 Trow ye yone churll for pietie wiU yow feid ? 
 Na, na, he hes it heir layit for ane trane; 
 Eemove, I raid, or ellis ye will be flane : 
 
 His nettis he hes fet full prively, 
 
 Reddie to draw, in tyme be war forthy. 
 
 " Greit fule is he that puttis in dangeir 240 
 
 His lyfe, his honour, for ane thing of nocht; 
 Greit fule is he that will nocht glaidlie heir 
 
THE PREICIIING OF THE SWALLOW. 177 
 
 Counfal in tyme, quhill it availl him mocht. 
 
 Greit fule is lie that hes no thing in thocht 
 But thing prefent ; and efter quhat may fall, 
 Nor of the end hes no memoriall, 
 
 Thir fmall Birdis for hunger famifchit neir, 
 Full belie fcraipand for to feik thair fude, 
 
 The counfall of the Swallow wald nocht heir, 
 Suppois thair laubour did thame lytill gude. 
 Quhen fcho thair fulifche hartis underftude, 250 
 
 Sa indurate, up in ane tre fcho flew ; 
 
 With that this Churll ouer thame his nettis drew. 
 
 Allace ! it was rycht greit hairt-fair to fe 
 That bludie boucheour beit thay Birdis doun. 
 
 And for till heir, quhen thay will weill to de, 
 Thair cairfuU fang and lamentatioun : 
 Sum with ane flaff he llraik to eirth on fwoun, 
 
 Of fum the heid he brak, of fum the crag, 
 
 Sum half on lyfe, he ftoppit in his bag. 
 
 And quhen the Swallow faw that thay wer 
 
 deid, 260 
 
 *' Lo ! " quod fcho, " thus it happinnis mony 
 
 fyis, 
 
 On thame that will nocht tak counfall nor reid 
 Of prudent men, or clerkis that ar wyis : 
 This greit perrell I tauld thame mair than 
 thryis ; 
 Now ar thay deid, and wo is me thairfoir ! — " 
 Scho tuke hir flicht, bot hir I ftiw no moir. 
 
 M 
 
178 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 Lo, worthie folk! Efope, that nobill Clerk, 
 Ane Poet worthie to be Lavvreat, 
 
 Quhen that he waikit from mair autentik werk, 
 With uther ma, this foirfaid Fabill wrait ; 270 
 Quhilk at this tyme may weill be applieate, 
 
 To gude morall edificatioun, 
 
 Haifand ane fentence according to reffoun. 
 
 This Carl and Bond of gentrice fpoliat, 
 Sawand this caffe, thir fmall Birdis to fla, 
 
 It is the Feind, quhilk fra the Angelike flait 
 Exylit is, as fals apoftata: 
 Quhilk day and nycht weryis nocht for to ga 
 
 Sawand poyfoun in mony wickit thocht, 
 
 In mannis fauU, quhilk Chrifl full deir hes bocht. 280 
 
 And quhen the fauU, as feid in to the eird, 
 
 Gevis confent unto delectatioun, 
 The wickit thocht beginnis for to breird 
 
 In deidlie fin, quhilk is dampnatioun : 
 
 Reffoun is blindit with affectioun, 
 And carnall lufl growis full grene and gay. 
 Throw eonfuetude hantit from day to day. 
 
 Proceding furth be ufe and eonfuetude. 
 The fin ryipis, and fchame is fet on fyde; 
 
 The Feind plettis his nettis feharp and rude, 290 
 And under plefance previlie dois hyde, 
 
THE PREICHING QP THE SWALLOW. 179 
 
 Syne on the feild he fa wis cafFe full wyde, 
 Quhilk is bot tume and verray vanitie, 
 Of flefehlie liifl, and vaine profperitie. 
 
 Thir hungrie Birdis, wretcliis we may call, 
 Ay fcraipand in this warldis vaine plefanee, 
 
 Gredie to gadder gudis temporal!, 
 
 Quhilk as the cafFe ar tume without fubftance, 
 Lytill of availl, and full of variance, 
 
 Lyke to the mow befoir the face of wind 300 
 
 Quhifkis away, and makis wretchis blind. 
 
 This Swallow, quhilk efchaipit hes the fnair, 
 The halie Preicheour weill may fignifie, 
 
 Exhortand folk to walk, and ay be war 
 Fra nettis of our wickit enemie. 
 Quha fleipis nocht, but ever is reddie, 
 
 Quhen wretchis in this warldis wrak dois fcraip. 
 
 To draw his net, that thay may nocht efchaip. 
 
 Allace! quhat cair, quhat weiping is and wo, 
 Quhen faull and bodie departit ar in twane ; 310 
 
 The bodie to the wormis keiching go. 
 The faull to fyre and everlaflaiid pane: 
 Quhat helpis than this caffe, thir gudis vane, 
 
 Quhen thow art put in Luciferis bag, 
 
 And brocht to hell, and hangit be the crag, 
 
 Thir hid nettis for to perfave and fe. 
 
 This farie caffe wyiflie to underflandj 
 Bell is be war in maift profperitie, 
 
180 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 For in this warld thair is na thing leftand, 
 Is na man wair how lang his llait will fland, 320 
 His lyfe will left, nor how that he fall end, 
 Efter his deith nor quhidder he fall wend. 
 
 Pray we thairfoir quhill we ar in this lyfe, 
 For foure thingis: the firft, fra fin remiife; 
 
 The fecund is, to ceifs all weir and ftryfe; 
 The thrid is, perfite cheritie and lufe; 
 The feird thing is, and maifl for our behufe, 
 
 That is in bliss with angellis to be fallow : 
 
 And thus endis the Preiching of the Swallow. 
 
THE TAILL OF THE WOLF THAT GAT THE 
 NEK-HERING THROW THE WRINKIS 
 OF THE FOXE THAT BEOYLIT THE 
 CADGEAR. 
 
 QuHYLUM thair wynnit in ane wildernes, 
 As myne Authour exprefflie can declair, 
 
 Ane revand Wolf, that levit upon purches, 
 On befliall, and maid him weill to fair; 
 Was nane fa big about him he wald fpair. 
 
 And he war hungrie, outher for favour or feid, 
 
 Bot in his wraith he weryit thame to deid. 
 
 Swa happinnit him in watching as he went, 
 To meit ane Foxe in middis of the way ; 
 
 He him foirfaw, and fenyeit to be fchent, 10 
 
 And with ane bek, he bad the Wolf gude day. 
 " Welcum to me," quod he, " thow ruffell gray :" 
 
 Syne loutit doun, and tuke him be the hand, 
 
 " Ryfe up, Lowrence, I leif thee for to ftand. 
 
 " Quhair hes thow bene this fefoun fra my iicht ? 
 
 Thow fall beir office, and my ftewart be, 
 For thow can knap down caponis on the nicht, 
 
 And lowrand law thow can gar hennis de." 
 
182 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 " Schir," faid the Foxe, " that ganis nocht for me : 
 And I am raid, gif thay me fe on far, 20 
 
 That at my figure beift and bird will fkar." 
 
 *' Na, " quod the Wolf, *• thow can in covert creip 
 Upon thy wame, and hint thame be the heid; 
 
 And mak ane fuddand fchow upon ane fcheip. 
 Syne with thy wappinnis wirrie him to deid." 
 " Schir," faid the Foxe, " ye knaw my robe is 
 reid. 
 
 And thairfoir thair will na beift abyde me, 
 
 Thocht I wald be fa fals as for to hyde me/' 
 
 *' Yes ;" quod the Wolf, " throw bufkis and throw 
 brayes, 
 Law can thow loure, to cum to thy intent." 30 
 " Schir," faid the Foxe, " ye wait weill how it 
 gais, 
 Ane lang fpace fra thame thay will feill my fent, 
 Than will thay efchaip, fuppois I fuld be fchent ; 
 And I am fchamefuU for to cum behind thame. 
 In to the feild, thocht I fuld fleipand find them/' 
 
 '' Na, " quod the Wolf, " thow can cum on the 
 wind; 
 For everie wrink, forfuith, thow lies ane wyle/' 
 '* Schir," faid the Foxe, " that beift ye micht call 
 blind, 
 That micht nocht efchaip than fra me ane myle. 
 How micht I ane of thame that wyis begyle ? 40 
 My tippit twa eiris, and my twa gray ene. 
 
THE WOLF, THE FOXE AND THE CADGEAR. 183 
 
 Garris me be kend, quhair I wes never fene." 
 
 " Than," liiid the Wolf, " Lowrence, I heir thee lie, 
 And caflis for perrellis thy ginnis to defend, 
 
 Bot all thy fonyeis fall nocht availl thee. 
 
 About the bufk with wayis thocht thow wend : 
 Falfet will failye ay at the latter end 
 
 To bow at bidding, and byde nocht quhill thow 
 brefl, 
 
 Thairfoir I gif thee counfall for the befl." 
 
 *' Schir," faid the Foxe, " it is Lentren ye fe, 50 
 And I can nouther fifche with huke nor net. 
 
 To tak ane baneflikill, thocht we baith fuld de, 
 I had nane uther craft to win my meit; 
 Bot wer it Pafche, that men fuld pultrie eit, 
 
 As kiddis, lambis, or caponis in to ply. 
 
 To beir your office than wald I nocht fet by." 
 
 " Than," faid the Wolf, in wraith, '* wenis thow 
 with wylis. 
 And with thy mony mowis me to mate? 
 It is ane auld dog doutles that thow begylis; 
 Thou wenis to draw the flra befoir the cat ! " 60 
 " Schir," faid the Foxe, " God wait, I mene 
 nocht that; 
 For and I did, it wer weill worth that ye, 
 In ane reid raip had tyit me till ane tre. 
 
 '' Bot now I fe, he is ane fule perfay, 
 That with his maifler fallis in reffoning, 
 
184 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 I did bot till affay quhat ye wald fay : 
 
 God wait my mynd vres on ane utlier thing: 
 I fall fulfill in all thing your bidding ; 
 Quhat ever ye charge on nichtis or on dayis." 
 " Weill ;" quod the Wolf, " I wait weill quhat thow 
 fayis. 70 
 
 " Bot yit I will, thow mak to me ane aith, 
 For to be leill attour all levand leid." 
 
 *' Schir," faid the Foxe, " that ane word makis me 
 wraith, 
 For now, I fe, ye half me at ane dreid: 
 Yit fall I fweir, fuppois it be nocht neid, 
 
 Be Juppiter, and on pane of my heid, 
 
 I fall be trew to yow, quhill I be deid." 
 
 With that ane Cadgear, with capill and with creillis, 
 Come carpand furth, than Lowrenee culd him fpy, 
 
 The Foxe the flewar of the frefche herring feillis, 80 
 And to the Wolf he roundis privelie: 
 " Sir, yone ar hering the Cadgear caryis by, 
 
 Thairfoir I reid, that we fe for fum wayis, 
 
 To get fum fifche aganis thir fafting dayis. 
 
 " Sen I am flewart, I wald we had fum Huff, 
 And ye ar filver-feik, I wait richt weill; 
 
 Thocht we wald thig, yone verray ehurlifche chuff, 
 He will nocht gif us ane hering of his creill, 
 Befoir yone churle on kneis thocht we wald kneill, 
 
 But yit I trow alfone that ye fall fe, 90 
 
 Gif I can craft, to bleir yone carllis ee. 
 
THE WOLF, THE FOXE AND THE CADGEAR, 185 
 
 '• Schir, ane thing is, and we get of yone pelf. 
 Ye mon tak travell, and mak us fum fupple ; 
 
 For he that will nocht laubour and help him felf. 
 In to thir dayis he is nocht worth ane fle : 
 I think to wirk as beiie as ane be; 
 
 And ye fall follow ane lytill efterwart, 
 
 And gadder liering, for that fall be your part." 
 
 With that he keft ane compas far about, [100 
 And flraucht him doun in middis of the way, 
 
 As he wer deid, he fenyeit him but dout, 
 And than upon ane lenth unliklie lay, 
 The quhyte of his ene he turnit up in tway ; 
 
 His toung out hang ane handbreid of his heid, 
 
 And flill he lay, als flraught as he wer deid. 
 
 The Cadgear fand the Foxe, and he wes fane, 
 And till him felf, thus foftlie can he fay, 
 
 " At the nixt bait in faith ye fall be flane, 
 And of your skyn I faU mak mittennis tway." 
 He lap full lichtlie about him quhair he lay, 110 
 
 And aU the trace he trippit on his tais. 
 
 As he had heard ane pyper play, he gais. 
 
 " Heir lyis the Deuill," quod he, " deid in ane dyke. 
 Sic ane felcouth faw I nocht this fevin yeir; 
 
 I trow ye haif bene tuffiUit with fum tyke. 
 That garris yow ly fa flill withouttin fleir: 
 Schir Foxe, in faith, ye ar deir welcum heir; 
 
 It is fum wyfis malifone, I trow. 
 
 For pultrie pyking that lychtit hes on yow. 
 
186 THE FABLES OP ESOPE. 
 
 " Thair fall naPedder, for purs, nor yit for gluifis, 120 
 Nor yit for poyntis, pyke your pellet fra me ; 
 
 I fall of it mak mittennis to my luifis, 
 
 Till hald my handis hait quhair euer I be ; 
 Till Flanderis fall it never faill the fe." 
 
 With that in hy, he hint him be the heillis, 
 
 And with ane fwak he fwang him on the creillis. 
 
 Syne be the heid the hors in hy hes hint; 
 The fraudfull Foxe thairto gude tent hes tane, 
 
 And with his teith the ftoppell or he ftint 
 
 PuUit out, and fyne the hering ane and ane 130 
 Out of the creillis he fwakkit doun gude wane. 
 
 The Wolf wes war, and gadderit fpedilie ; 
 
 The Cadgear fang, Hunts up, up, upon hie. 
 
 Yit at the burne the Cadgear luikit about, 
 With that the Foxe lap quyte the creillis fra. 
 
 The Cadgear wald haif raucht the Foxe ane rout, 
 Bot all for nocht, he wan his hoill that day : 
 Than with ane fchout, thus can the Cadgear fay, 
 
 " Abyde, and thow ane Nek-hering fall haif. 
 
 Is worth my capill, creillis, and all the laif." 140 
 
 " Now," quod the Foxe, *' I fchrew me and we meit, 
 I heard what thou hecht to do w^ith my skin : 
 
 Thy handis fall never in thay mittennis tak heit, 
 And thow wer hangit, carll, and all thy kyn. 
 Do furth thy mercat ; at me thow fall nocht wyn ; 
 
 And fell thy hering thow hes thair till hie price, 
 
 Ellis thow fall wyn nocht on thy merchandice." 
 
THE WOLF, THE FOXE AND THE CADGEAR. 187 
 
 The Cadgear trirnillit for teyne quhair that he flude. 
 " It is Weill worthie," quod he, " I want yone 
 tyke, 
 
 That had nocht in my hand fa mekill gude, 150 
 As ftaf, or fling, yone truker for to flryke." 
 With that lychtlie he lap out ouer ane dyke, 
 
 And hakkit doun ane flaf, for he wes tene. 
 
 That hevie wes, and of the holyne grene. 
 
 With that the Foxe unto the Wolf couth wend, 
 And fand him be the hering, quhair he lyis, 
 
 " Schir," faid he than, '* maid I nocht fair defend ? 
 Ane wicht man wantit never, and he wer wyis, 
 Ane hardie hairt is hard for to fuppryis." 
 
 " Than," faid the Wolf, " thou art ane barne full 
 bald, 160 
 
 And wyfe at wiU, in gude tyme be it tald. 
 
 " But quhat wes yone the carll cryit on hie, 
 And fchuke his hand" quod he, "hes thow no 
 feiU?" 
 " Schir," faid the Foxe, " that I can tell trewlie : 
 He faid, the Nek-hering wes in the creill." 
 " Kennis thow that hering ?" " Yea, Schir, I ken 
 it Weill; 
 And at the creiU mouth, I had it thryis but dout ; 
 The wecht of it neir tit my tuskis out. 
 
 " Now, fuirlie, Schir, might we that hering fang, 
 
 It wald be fifche to us thir fourtie day is." 170 
 
 Than faid the Wolf, " Now God nor that I hang^ 
 
188 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Bot to be thair, I wald gif all my clais, 
 To fe gif that my wappinnis mycht it rais." 
 
 " Scliir/' faid the Foxe, " God wait, I wifchit 
 yow oft, 
 
 Quhen that my pith micht nocht beir it on loft. 
 
 "It is ane fyde of falmond, as it wer. 
 And callour, pypand lyke ane pertrik ee; 
 
 It is worth all the hering ye haif thair, 
 
 Yea, and we had it fwa, it is worth fie thre." 
 
 " Than,'* faid the Wolf, " quhat counfell gevis 
 
 thow me V 180 
 
 " Schir,** faid the Foxe, " wirk efter my devyis, 
 
 And ye fall haif it, and tak yow na fuppryis. 
 
 " Firft, ye mon cafl ane compas far about, 
 
 Syne fi^raucht yow doun in middis of the way ; 
 
 Baith held, and feit, and taill ye mon flreik out, 
 Hing furth your toung, and clois weill your ene 
 
 tway. 
 Syne fe your held on ane hard place ye lay ; 
 
 And dout nocht for na perrell may appeii*, 
 
 Bot hald 3^ow clois quhen that the carll cummis neir. 
 
 " And thocht ye fe ane flaf, haif ye na dout, 190 
 Bot hald yow wonder flill in to that fleid; 
 
 And luke your ene be clois, as thay wer out. 
 And fe that ye fchrink nouther fute nor held ; 
 Than will the Cadgear carll trow ye be deid ; 
 
 And in till haift will hint yow be the heillis, 
 
 As he did me, and fwak yow on his creillis."' 
 
THE WOLF, THE FOXE AND THE CADGEAll. 189 
 
 " Now," quod the Wolf, " I fweir thee be my thrift, 
 I trow, yone Cadgear carll dow nocht me beir." 
 
 " Sehir," faid the Foxe, " on loft he will yow lift. 
 Upon his creillis, and do him lytill deir. 200 
 Bot ane thing dar I fuithlie to yow fweir, 
 
 Get ye that hering ficker in fum place. 
 
 Ye fall not fair in fifching mair quhill Pafche. 
 
 " I fall fay * In principio' upon yow. 
 
 And croce your corpis from the top to ta: 
 
 Wend quhen ye will, I dar be warrand now. 
 That ye fall de no fuddand deith this day." 
 With that the Wolf gird up fone and to ga, 
 
 And caifl ane compas about the Cadgear far, 
 
 Syne flraught him in the gait or he come nar. 210 
 
 He laid his halfheid ficker hard and fad. 
 
 Syne draught his four feit fra him, and his heid. 
 
 And hang his toung furth as the Foxe him bad, 
 Als flill he lay, as he wer verray deid, 
 Rakkand na thing of the carllis favour nor feid, 
 
 Bot ever upon the Nek-hering he thinkis. 
 
 And quyte forgettis the Foxe and all his wrinkis. 
 
 With that the Cadgear, wavering als the wind. 
 Come rydand on the laid, for it wes licht, 
 
 Thinkand ay on the Foxe that wes behind, 220 
 Upon quhat wyfe, revenge him beft he micht ; 
 And at the lafl, of the Wolf gat ane ficht, 
 
 Quhair he in lenth lay flreikit in the gait. 
 
 But gif he lichtit doun, or nocht, God wait. 
 
190 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Softlie he faid, " I was begylit anis, 
 Be I begylit twyis, I fchrew us baith, 
 
 That evill bot it fall licht upon thy banis, 
 
 He fuld half had that hes done me the skaith." 
 On hicht he hovit the flaf, for he wes wraith, 
 
 And hit him with fie will upon the heid, 230 
 
 Quhill neir he fwounit, and fwelt in to that fteid. 
 
 Thre battis he bure, or he his feit mycht find, 
 Bot yit the Wolf wes wicht, and wan away; 
 
 He micht not fe, he wes fa verray blind, 
 
 Nor wit reddilie quhither it wes nicht or day. 
 The Foxe beheld that fervice quhair he lay, 
 
 And leuch on loft, quhen he the Wolf fa feis, 
 
 Baith deif, and dofinnit, fall fwounand on his kneis. 
 
 He that of reflbun can nocht be content, 
 
 Bot covetis all, is abill all to tyne: 240 
 
 The Foxe, quhen that he faw the Wolf was fchent, 
 Said to him felf, thir herring fall be myne; 
 I lie, or ellis he wes efterwart fyne. 
 
 That fand fie wayis his Maiflier for to greif : 
 
 With all the fifche thus Lowrence tuke his leif. 
 
 The Wolf was neir weill dungin to the deid. 
 That uneith with his lyfe away he wan, 
 
 For with the bafl)Oun weill brokin wes his heid ; 
 The Foxe in to his den fone drew him than, 
 That had betraifit his Maifler and the man : 250 
 
 The ane, wantit the hering of his creillis. 
 
 The utheris blude was rynnand ouer his heillis. 
 
THE WOLF, THE FOXE AND THE CADGEAR. 191 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 This taill is myngit with moralitie, 
 
 As I fall fchaw fumquhat, or that I ceis : 
 
 The Foxe unto the Warld may likkinnit be, 
 The revand Wolf, unto ane Man but leis, 
 The Cadgear, Deith, quhome under all men preis, 
 
 That euer tuke lyfe, throw cours of kynd mon dee. 
 
 As man, and beill, and fifche in to the fee. 
 
 The Warld, ye wait, is flewart to the man, 260 
 Quhilk makis man to haif na mynd of deid, 
 
 Bot fettis for winning all the craftis thay can ; 
 The Hering I likkin unto the Grold fa reid, 
 Quhilk gart the Wolf in perrell put his heid ; 
 
 Richt fwa the gold garris land and cieteis, 
 
 With weir be waillit, daylie as men feis. 
 
 And as the Foxe, with diffimulance and gyle, 
 
 Gart the Wolf wene to have worfehip for ever, 
 Richt fwa this Warld, with vane glore for ane 
 quhyle, 
 Flatteris with folk, as thay fuld failyie never ; 270 
 Yit fuddandlie men feis it oft diffever. 
 With thame that trowis oft to fill the fek, 
 Deith cummis behind, and nippis thame be the 
 nek. 
 
 The micht of gold makis mony men fti blind. 
 That fettis on Avarice thair felicitie, 
 
192 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 That tliay foryet the Cadgear cummis behind 
 To flrike thame, of qutiat flait fa ever thay be. 
 Quhat is mair dirk than blind profperitie ? 
 Quhairfoir I counfell mychtie men to haif mynd, 
 Of the Nek-Hering interpreit in this kynd. 280 
 
THE TAILL OF THE FOXE THAT BEGYLIT 
 THE WOLF IN THE SCHADOW OF THE 
 MONE. 
 
 In elderis dayis, as Esope can declair, 
 
 Thaii' wes ane Husband, quhilk had the pleuch in 
 steir. 
 
 His use wes ay in morning to ryse air. 
 
 Sa happinnit him in streiking tyme of yeir, 
 Airlie in the morning to follow furth his feir, 
 
 Unto the pleuch, bot his Gadman and he. 
 
 His stottis he straucht with Benedicite. 
 
 The Caller cryit, " How, haik, upon hicht, 
 
 Hald draucht my dowis/' syne broddit thame full 
 sair. 
 
 The oxin wes unusit, young, and licht, 10 
 
 And for fersnes thay couth the fur forfair. 
 The Husband than woxe angrie as ane hair. 
 
 Syne cryit, and caist his patill, and greit stanis. 
 
 " The Wolf," quod he, " mot haif yow all at anis." 
 
 Bot yit the Wolf wes neirar nor he wend. 
 
 For in ane busk he lay, and Lowrence baith, 
 In ane rouch rone wes at the furris end, 
 
 N 
 
194 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 And hard the hecht : than Lowrence leueh full 
 raith. 
 
 " To tak yone bud," quod he, " it wer na skaith." 
 " Weill," quod the Wolf, "I hecht thee be ray hand, 20 
 Yone Carllis word as he wer King sail stand." 
 
 The oxin eirit mair reullie at the last. 
 
 Syne efter thay lousit, fra that it worthit weill lait, 
 
 The Husband hamewart with his cattell past. 
 Than sone the Wolf come hirpilland in his gait 
 Befoir the oxin, and schupe to mak debait. 
 
 The Husband saw him, and worthit sumdeill agast, 
 
 And bakwart with his beistis wald half past. 
 
 The Wolf said, " Quhether dryvis thow this, pray ? 
 I challenge it, for nane of thame ar thyne." 30 
 
 The man thairof wes in ane felloun fray, 
 And soberlie to the Wolf answerit syne: 
 " Schir, be niy sauU, thir oxin are all myne ; 
 
 Thairfoir I studie quhy ye suld stop me, 
 
 Sen that I faltit never to yow, trewlie." 
 
 The Wolf said, " Carll, gaif thow not me this drift 
 Airlie, quhen thow wes eirand on yone bank ? 
 
 And is thair oucht (sayis thow) frear than gift? 
 This tarying will tyne thee all thy thank. 
 Far better is frelie for to gif ane plank, 40 
 
 Nor be compellit on force to gif ane mart. 
 
 Fy ! on the fredome that cummis not with hart." 
 
 " Schir,"quod theHusband, "ane man maysay in greif, 
 
THE FOXE THAT BEGYLIT THE WOLF. 195 
 
 And syne ganesay, fra he avise and se : 
 I hecbt to steill, am I tliairfoir ane theif ? 
 
 G-od forbid, Schir ! all hechtis suld haldin be. 
 
 Gaif I my hand or oblissing ? " quod he ; 
 " Or haif ye witnes, or writ for to schaw ? 
 Schir, reif me not, bot go and seik the law." 
 
 " Carll,'* quod the Wolf, " ane Lord, and he be leill, 50 
 That schrinkis for shame, or doutis to be reprufit. 
 
 His saw is ay als sickker as his seill. 
 
 Fy ! on the leid that is not leill and luifit. 
 Thy argument is fals, and eik contrufit ; 
 
 For it is said in Proverb, But lawt^ 
 
 All other vertewis ar nocht worth ane fle." 
 
 " Schir," said the Husband, " remember of this thing : 
 Ane leill man is not tane at half ane taill. 
 
 I may say, and ganesay, I am na King. 
 
 Quhar is your witnes, that hard I hecht thame 
 
 haill?" 60 
 
 Than said the Wolf, " Thairfoir it sail nocht faill : 
 
 Lowrence," quod he, " cum bidder of that schaw, 
 
 And say na thing bot as thow hard and saw." 
 
 Lowrence come lourand, for he luifit never licht, 
 And sone appeirit befoir thame in that place. 
 
 The man leuch na thing quhen he saw that sicht. 
 " Lowrence," quod the Wolf, " thow man declair 
 
 this cace, 
 Quhairof we sail schaw the suith in schort space. 
 
 I callit on thee, leill witnes for to beir : 
 
196 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Quhat h?rd thow that this Man hecht me lang 
 eir?" 70 
 
 " Schir," said the Tod, " I can not hastelie 
 Swa sone as now gif the sentence finall ; 
 
 Bot wald ye baith submit yow heir to me, 
 To stand at my deereit perpetual!, 
 To pleis baith I suld preif, gif it may fall." 
 
 " Weill," quod the Wolf, " I am content for me." 
 
 The Man said, " Swa am I, how ever it be." 
 
 Than schew thay furth thair allegeance but fabill. 
 And baith proponit thair pley to him compleit. 
 
 Quod Lowrence, " I am ane Juge amycabill : 80 
 Ye sail be sworne to stand at my deereit, 
 Quhether heirefter ye think it soure or sweit." 
 
 The Wolf braid furth his fute, the Man his hand ; 
 
 And on the Toddis taill sworne thay ar to stand. 
 
 Then tuke the Tod the Man furth till ane syde. 
 And said him, "Freind, thow art in blunder brocht : 
 
 The Wolf will not forgif the ane oxe hyde ; 
 Yit wald my self fane help thee, and I mocht ; 
 Bot I am laith to hurt my conscience ocht. 
 
 Tyne not thy querrell in thy awin defence : 90 
 
 This will not throw, but greit coist and expence. 
 
 " Seis thow not buddis beiris bernis throw. 
 
 And giftis garris crukit raateris hald full evin ? 
 
 Sumtymis ane nedill haldis ane man in ane row. 
 All ar not halie that heifis thair handis to hevin." 
 
THE FOXE THAT BEGYLIT THE WOLF. 197 
 
 " Schir," said the Man, *' ye sail half sex or sevin 
 Riclit of the fattest hennis of all the floik ; 
 I compt not all the laif, leif me the coik." 
 
 *' I am ane Juge," quod Lowrence than, and leuch ; 
 " Thair is na buddis suld beir me by the 
 
 rycht. 100 
 
 I may tak hennis and caponis vveill aneuch, 
 For God is gane to sleip ; as for this nycht. 
 Sic small thingis ar not sene in to his sycht. 
 
 Thir hennis," quod he, "sail mak thy querrell sure 
 
 With eraptie hand na man suld halkis lure." 
 
 Concordit thus, than Lowrence tuk his leif. 
 And to the Wolf he went in to ane ling ; 
 
 Syne privilie he plukkit him be the sleif : 
 
 " Is this in ernist," quod he, " ye ask sic thing ? 
 Na, be my saul, I trow it be in heithing." 110 
 
 Than said the Wolf, " Lowrence, quhy sayis thow 
 sa? 
 
 Thow hard the hecht thy self, that he couth ma/' 
 
 *' The hecht," quod he, " yone man maid at the 
 pleuch, — 
 Is that the cause quhy ye the cattell craif ?" 
 Half in to heithing, said Lowrence than, and 
 leuch. 
 •' Schir, be the Rude, unroikkit now ye raif ; 
 The devil ane stirk taill thairfoir sail ye haif : 
 Wald I tak it upon my conscience 
 To do sa pure ane man, as yone, oftence ? 
 
198 THE FABLES OP ESOPE. 
 
 " Yit haif I commonit with the Carll," quod he, 120 
 " We ar concordit upon this cunnand — 
 
 Quyte of all elamis swa ye will mak him fre, 
 Ye sail ane cabok haif in to your hand, 
 That sic ane sail not be in all this land ; 
 
 For it is sommer cheis, baith fresche and fair : 
 
 He sayis it weyis ane stane, and suradeill mair." 
 
 " Is that thy eounsell," quod the Wolf, " I do, 
 That yone Carll for ane cabok suld be fre?" 
 
 " Ya, be my saull, and I wer sworne yow to. 
 
 Ye suld nane other counsell haif for me ; 130 
 
 For gang ye to the maist extremitie, 
 
 It will not wyn yow worth anewidderit neip. 
 
 Schir, trow ye nocht I haif ane saull to keip?" 
 
 " AVeill," quod the Wolf, " it is aganis my will 
 That yone Carll for ane cabok suld ga quyte." 
 
 " Schir," quod the Tod, " ye tak it in nane evill ; 
 For, be my saull, your self had all the wyte." 
 " Than," said the Wolf, " I bid na mair to flyte ; 
 
 Bot I wald se yone cabok of sic pryis." 
 
 *' Schir," said the Tod, " he tauld me quhar it lyis." 
 
 Than hand in hand thay held unto ane hill. 141 
 The Husband till his hors hes tane the way ; 
 
 For he wes fane he schaipit from thair evill, 
 And on his feit woke the dure quhill day. 
 Now will we turne unto the other tway : 
 
 Throw woddis waist thir freikis on fute can fair, 
 
 Fra busk to busk, quhill neir midnycht and mair. 
 
THE FOXE THAT BEGYLIT THE WOLF. 199 
 
 Lowreiice wes ever remembring upon wrinkis, 
 And subtelteis, the Wolf for to begyle. 
 
 That he had hecht ane cabok he forthinkis ; 150 
 Yit at the last he findis furth ane wyle, 
 Than at him self softlie couth he smyle. 
 
 The Wolf say is, " Lowrence, thow playis bellie- 
 blind : 
 
 We seik all nycht, bot na thing can we find." 
 
 " Schir," said the Tod, " we ar at it almaist ; 
 
 Soft yow ane lytill, and ye sail se it sone:" 
 Than to ane manore place thay hyit in haist. 
 
 The niclit wes lycht, and penny full the Mone. 
 
 Than till ane draw-well thir senyeoure past but 
 hone, 
 Quhar that twa bukkettis several suithlie hang ; 160 
 As ane come up, ane other doun wald gang. 
 
 The schadow of the mone schone in the well. 
 
 " Schir," said Lowrence, " anis ye sail find me 
 leill. 
 Now se ye not the caboik weill your sell, 
 
 Quhyte as ane neip, and als round as ane sceill. 
 
 He hang it yonder, that na man suld it steill. 
 Schir, traist ye weill, yone caboik ye se hing 
 Micht be ane present to our Lord the King." 
 
 " Na," quod the Wolf, " mycht I yone caboik haif 
 On the dry land, as T it yonder se, 170 
 
 I wald quitclame the Carll of all the laif. 
 His dart oxin I compt thame not ane fle : 
 
200 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Yone wer mair meit for sic ane man as me. 
 Lowrence," quod he, " leip in the bukket sone, 
 And I sail hald the ane, quhill thow haif done." 
 
 Lowrence gird doun baith sone and subtellie ; 
 
 The other baid abufe, and held the flaill. 
 " It is sa mekill," quod Lowrence, " it maisteris me ; 
 
 On all my tais it hes not left ane naill. 
 
 Ye man mak help upwart, and it haill : 180 
 
 Leip in the other bukket haistelie, 
 And cum sone doun, and mak me sum supplie." 
 
 Than lychtlie in the bukket lap the loun ; 
 His wecht but weir the other end gart ryis. 
 
 The Tod come hailland up, the Wolf yeid doun ; 
 Than angerlie the Wolf upon him cryis : 
 " I cummand thus doun wart, quhy thow upwart 
 hyis?'' 
 
 ** Schir," quod the Tod, " thus fairis it of Fortoun : 
 
 As ane cummis up, scho quheillis ane other doun." 
 
 Than to the ground sone yeid the Wolf in haist ; 
 
 The Tod lap on land, als blyith as ony bell, 
 And left the Wolf in watter to the waist. 
 
 Quha haillit him out, I wait not, of the well. 
 
 Heir endis the text, thair is na mair to tell ; 
 Yit men may find a good moralitie 195 
 
 In this sentence, thocht it ane Fabill be. 
 
THE FOXE THAT BEGYLIT THE WOLF. 201 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 This Wolf I likkin to ane wickit man, 
 
 Quhilk clois the pure oppres in everie place ; 
 
 And pykis at thame all querrellis that he can, 
 
 Be rigour, reif, and other wickitnes. 200 
 
 The Foxe, the Feynd I call in to this cais, 
 
 Actand ilk man to ryn unrychteous rinkis, 
 
 Thinkand thairthrow to lok him in his linkis. 
 
 The Husband may be callit ane godlie man. 
 
 With quhome the Feynd fait findis, as Clerkis reid, 
 
 Besie to tempt him with all wayis that he can. 
 The hennis ar warkis that fra ferme faith proceidis : 
 Quhar sic sproutis spreidis, the evill spreit thair 
 not speid, 
 
 Bot wendis unto the wickit man againe. 
 
 That he hes tint his travell is full unfaine. 210 
 
 The woddis waist, quhairin wes the Wolf wyld, 
 Ar wickit riches, quhilk all men gaipis to get : 
 
 Quha traistis in sic trusterie ar oft begyled ; 
 For Mammon may be callit the Devillis net, 
 Quhilk Sathanas, for all sinfull, hes set. 
 
 With proud plesour quha settis his traist thairin, 
 
 But speciall grace, lychtlie can not out-win. 
 
 The Cabok may be called covetyce, 
 
 Quhilk blomis braid in mony mannis ee, 
 Wa worth the well of that wickit vyce ; 220 
 
202 
 
 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 For it is all bot fraud and fantassie, 
 Dryvand ilk raan to leip in the buttrie 
 
 That dounwart drawis unto the pane of hell. 
 
 Christ keip all Christianis frome that wiekit Well. 
 
THE TAILL OF THE WOLF AND THE 
 WEDDER. 
 
 QuHYLUM thair wes, as Esope can report, 
 Ane Scheiphird dwelland be ane forrest neir, 
 
 Quhilk had ane hound that did him greit confort. 
 Full war he wes to walk his fauld but weir, 
 That nouther wolf nor wildcat durst appeir. 
 
 Nor foxe on feild, nor yit no other beist. 
 
 Sa happinnit it, as everilk beist man de. 
 This hound of suddand seiknes to be deid ; 
 
 Bot than, God wait, the keipar of the fe, 10 
 
 For verray wo, woxe wanner nor the weid. 
 " Allace," quod he, " now se I na remeid 
 
 To saif the selie beistis that I keip ; 
 
 For wit the Wolf werryit beis all my scheip." 
 
 It wald half maid ane mannis hart sair to se 
 The selie Scheiphirdis lamentatioun. 
 
 " Now is my darling deid, allace," quod he, 
 " For now to beg my breid I may be boun. 
 With pyikstaf and with scrip to fair of toun ; 
 
204 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 For all the beistis befoir bandonit bene, 20 
 
 Will sehute upon my beistis with ire and tene/* 
 
 With that ane wedder wiechtlie wan on fute : 
 " Maister/' quod he, '* mak merie and be blyith ; 
 
 To brek your hart for baill it is na bute. 
 For ane deid dog ye na cair on yow kyith. 
 Ga feche him hither, and fla his skyn of swyith, 
 
 Syne sew it on rae ; and luke that it be meit, 
 
 Baith heid and crag, bodie, taill, and feit : 
 
 " Than will the Wolf trow that I am he ; 
 
 For I sail follow him fast quhar ever he fair. 30 
 All haill the cure I tak it upon me 
 
 Your scheip to keip at midday, lait, and air. 
 
 And he persew, be God, I sail not spair 
 To follow him als fast as did your dog ; 
 Swa that I warrand ye sail not want ane hog." 
 
 Than said the Scheiphird, " This come of ane gude wit ; 
 Thy counsall is baith sikker, leill, and trew. 
 
 Quha sayis ane scheip is daft, thay licit of it." 
 With that in hy the doggis skyn of he flew. 
 And on the scheip rycht softlie couth it sew. 40 
 
 Than worth the wedder, wantoun of his weid, 
 
 « Now of the Wolf," quod he, " I half na dreid." 
 
 In all thingis he counterfait the dog. 
 
 For all the nicht he stude, and tuke na sleip ; 
 
 Swa that Weill lang thair wantit not ane hog. 
 Swa war he wes, and walkryfe, thame to keip. 
 
THE WOLF AND THE WEDDER. 205 
 
 That Lowrence durst not hike upon ane scheip ; 
 For and he did, he followit him sa fast. 
 That of his lyfe he maid him all agast. 
 
 Was nouther wolf, wildcat, nor yit tod, 50 
 
 Durst cum within thay boundis all about, 
 
 Bot he wald chaice thame baith throw rouch and 
 snod : 
 Thay bailfuU beistis had of thair ly vis sic dout ; 
 For he wes mekill, and semit to be stout. 
 
 That everilk beist thay dred him as the deid. 
 
 Within that woid, that nane durst hald thair heid. 
 
 Yit happinnit thair ane hungrie Wolf to slyde 
 Out throw his scheip, quhair thay lay on ane le. 
 
 " I sail haif ane," quod he, " quhat ever betyde, 
 Thocht I be werryit, for hunger, or I de." 60 
 
 With that ane lamb in till his cluke hint he. 
 
 The laif start up, for thay wer all agast ; 
 
 Bot, God wait, gif the Wedder followit fast. 
 
 Went never hound mair haistelie fra the hand 
 Quhen he wes rynnand maist raklie at the ra ; 
 
 Nor went this Wedder baith over mois and strand, 
 And stoppit nouther at bank, busk, nor bra ; 
 Bot followit ay sa ferslie on his fa. 
 
 With sic ane drift, quhill dust and dirt owerdraif 
 him. 
 
 And maid ane vow to God that he suld haif him. 70 
 
 With that the Wolf let out his taill on lenth, 
 
^6 
 
 THE FABLES OF ESOFE. 
 
 For he wes hungrie, and it drew neir the evin ; 
 And schupe him for to ryn with all his strenth, 
 
 Era he the Wedder sa neir cummand had sene. 
 
 He dred his lyfe and he overtane had bene : 
 Thairfoir he spairit nouther busk nor bog, 
 For Weill he kennit the curaming of the dog. 
 
 To mak him lycht, he kest the lamb him fra ; 79 
 Syne lap over leis, and draif throw dub and myre. 
 
 " Na/' quod the Wedder, " in faith we part not swa : 
 It is not the lamb, bot thee, that I desyre. 
 I sal) cum neir, for now I se the tyre." 
 
 The Wolf ran till ane rekill stude behind him, 
 
 Bot ay the neirar the "Wedder he couth bind him. 
 
 Sone efter that he followit him sa neir, 
 
 Quhill that the Wolf for fleidnes fylit the field ; 
 
 Syne left the gait, and ran throw busk and breir, 
 And schupe him fra the sehawis for to scheild. 
 He ran restles, for he wist of na beild ; 
 
 The Wedder followit him baith out and in, 90 
 
 Quhill that ane brier busk raif rudelie of the skyn. 
 
 The Wolf wes wer, and blenkit him behind. 
 
 And saw the Wedder come thrawand throw the 
 breir ; 
 
 Syne saw the Doggis skyn hingand on his lind. 
 " Na," quod he, " is this ye that is sa neir ? 
 Eicht now ane hound, and now quhyte as ane freir : 
 
 I fled ower fer, and I had kennit the cais : 
 
 To God I vow, that ye sail rew this rais. 
 
THE WOLF AND THE WEDDER. 207 
 
 ** Quhat wes the cause ye gaif me sic ane catche ?" 
 With that in hy he hint him be the home. 100 
 
 " For all your mowis, ye met anis with your mache, 
 Suppois ye leuch me all this yeir to scorne. 
 For quhat enchessoun this doggis skyn haif ye 
 borne?" 
 
 " Maister," quod he, " bot to haif playit with yow ; 
 
 I yow requyre that ye nane other trow." 
 
 " Is this your bourding in ernist than," quod he, 
 " For I am verray effeirit, and on flocht : 
 
 Cum bak agane, and I sail let yow se." 
 
 Than quhar the gait wes grimmit he him broeht. 
 *' Quhether call ye this fair play, or nocht? 110 
 
 To set your maister in sa fell effray, 
 
 Quhill he for feiritnes hes fylit up the way. 
 
 " Thryis, be my sauU, ye gart me schute behind ; 
 
 Upon my hoichis the senyeis may be sene. 
 For feiritnes full oft I fylit the wind. 
 
 Xow is this ye ? na, bot ane hound, I wene ; 
 
 Me think your teith ower schort to be sa kene. 
 Blissit be the busk that reft yow your array ; 
 Ellis fleand, bursin had I bene this day.'* 
 
 " Schir," quod theWedder, " suppois I ran in hy, 120 
 My mynd wes never to do your persoun evill : 
 
 Ane flear gettis ane follower commounlie, 
 In play or ernist, preif quha sa ever will. 
 Sen I bot playit, be gracious me till. 
 
 And I sail gar my freindis blis your banis : 
 
208 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Ane full gude servand will crab his maister anis." 
 
 " I half bene oftymis set in greit effray, 
 Bot, be the Kude, sa rad yit wes I never, 
 
 As thow hes maid me with thy prettie play : 
 
 I schot behind, quhen thow owertuke me ever ; 130 
 Bot sickkerlie now sail we not dissever." 
 
 Than be the crag-bane smertlie he him tuke, 
 
 Or ever he ceissit, and it in sehimder schuke. 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 EsoPE, that Poet, first father of this Fabill, 
 Wrait this parabole, quhilk is convenient, 
 
 Because the sentence wes fructuous and agreabill ; 
 In Moralitie exemplative prudent : 
 Quhais problemes bene verray excellent. 
 
 Throw similitude of figuris, to this day, 
 
 Gevis doctrine to the redaris of it ay. 140 
 
 Heir may thow se that riches of array 
 
 Will cause pure men presumpteous for to be. 
 
 Thay think thay hald of nane, be thay als gay, 
 Bot counterfute ane Lord in all degre. 
 Out of thair cais in pryde they clym sa hie 
 
 That thay forbeir thair better in na steid, 
 
 Quhill sum man tit thair heillis ower thair heid. 
 
 Richt swa in service other sum exceidis, 
 
 And thay haif withgang, welth, and cherissing, 
 
THE WOLF AND THE WEDDER. 209 
 
 That thay will lychtlie Lordis in thair deidis ; 150 
 And lukis not to thair blude, nor thair ofspring : 
 Bot yit, na wait, how lang that reull will ring ; 
 
 Bot he was wyse that bad his sone considder. 
 
 Be war in welth, for hall-benkis ar rycht slidder. 
 
 Thairfoir I counsell men of everilk stait 
 
 To knaw thame self, and quhome thay suld forbeir, 
 
 And fall not with thair better in debait, 
 Suppois thay be als galland in thair geir : 
 It settis na servand for to uphald weir, 
 
 Nor clym sa hie, quhill he fall of the ledder ; 160 
 
 Bot think upon the Wolf, and on the Wedder. 
 
THE TAILL OF THE WOLF AND 
 THE LAMB. 
 
 Ane cruell Wolf, richt ravenous, and fell, 
 Upon ane tyme past to ane reveir ; 
 
 Descending from ane rocke unto ane well, 
 To slaik his thirst, drank of the watter cleir : 
 Swa upon cace, ane selie Lamb come neir, 
 
 Bot of his fa, the Wolf, na thing he wist, 
 
 And in the streme laipit to cule his thrist. 
 
 Thus drank thay baith, bot not of ane intent ; 
 The Wolfis thocht wes all of wickitnes : 
 
 The selie Lamb wes meik and innocent. 10 
 
 Upon the rever, in ane other place, 
 Beneth the Wolf, he drank ane lytill space, 
 
 Quhill he thocht gude, belevand thair nane evill ; 
 
 The Wolf him saw, and rampand come hym till, 
 
 With girnand teith, and awfull angrie luk, 
 
 Said to the Lamb, " Thow cative wretchit thing, 
 
 How durst thow be sa bald to fyle this bruk, 
 Quhar I suld drink, with thy foull slavering ? 
 It wer almous thee for to draw and hing, 
 
 That suld presume, with thy foull lippis vyle, 20 
 
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB. 211 
 
 To glar my drink, and this fair waiter fyle." 
 
 The selie Lamb, quaikand for verray dreid, 
 On kneis fell, and said, " Schir, with your leif, 
 
 Suppois I dar not say thairof ye leid ; 
 
 Bot, be my saull, I wait ye can nocht preif 
 That I did ony thing that suld yow greif : 
 
 Ye wait alswa that your accusatioun 
 
 Failyeis fra treuth, and contrair is to ressoun. 
 
 " Thocht I can nocht. Nature will me defend. 
 And of the deid perfyte experience ; 30 
 
 All hevie thing man of the self discend, 
 Bot gif sum thing on force mak resistence ; 
 Than may the streme in na way mak ascence, 
 
 Nor ryn bakwart : I drank beneth yow far ; 
 
 Ergo, for me your bruke wes never the war. 
 
 " Alswa my lippis, sen that I wes ane Lamb, 
 Tuichit na thing that wes contagious ; 
 
 Bot soukkit milk, from pappis of my dame, 
 Richt naturall, sweit, and als delitious." 
 " Weill,'* quod the Wolf, ** thy language rigor- 
 ous 40 
 
 Cummis thee of kynd ; swa thy father before 
 
 Held me at bait als, baith with boist and schore. 
 
 " He wraithit me, and than I culd him warne 
 Within ane yeir, and I brukit my held, 
 
 I suld be wrokkin on him, or on his barne, 
 For his exhorbitant and frawart pleid : 
 
212 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Thow sail douties for his deidis be deid." 
 " Schir, it is wrang, that for the fatheris gilt, 
 The saikles sone suld punist be, or spilt. 
 
 " Half ye not hard quhat halie Scripture sayis, 50 
 Endytit with the mouth of God Almycht ? 
 
 Of his awin deidis ilk man sail beir the prais, 
 As pyne for sin, reward for werkis rycht ; 
 For my trespas quhy suld my sone haif plycht ? 
 
 Quha did the mis let him sustene the pane/* 
 
 " Ya," quod the Wolf, " yit pleyis thow agane. 
 
 '* I let thee wit, quhen that the father offendis, 
 I will chereis nane of his successioun ; 
 
 And of his barnis I may weill tak amendis, 
 
 Unto the twentie degrie descending doun. 60 
 Thy father thocht to mak ane Strang pusoun. 
 
 And with his mouth in to my watter spew." 
 
 " Schir," quod the Lamb, " thay twa are nouther 
 trew. 
 
 " The law sayis, and ye will understand : 
 Thair suld na man, for wrang, nor violence, 
 
 His adversair punis at his awin hand, 
 Without proces of law, and evidence ; 
 Quhilk suld haif leif to mak lawfuU defence. 
 
 And thairupon summondis peremptourlie, 
 
 For to propone, contrairie, or reply. 70 
 
 " Set me ane lauchfuU Court, I sail compeir 
 Befoir the Lyoun, Lord and leill Justice ; 
 
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB. 213 
 
 And, be my hand, I obliss me rycht heir 
 That I sail byde ane unsuspect assyis. 
 This is the hiw : this is the instant use : 
 Ye suld pretend thairfoir, ane summondis mak 
 Aganis that day, to gif ressoun and tak." 
 
 " Na,*' quod the Wolf, " thow wald intruss ressoun 
 Quhar wrang and reif suld dwell in propertie. 
 
 That is ane poynt, and part of fals tressoun, 80 
 
 For to gar reuth remane with crueltie. 
 Be his woundis, fals tratour, thow sail de, 
 
 For thy trespas, and for thy fatheris als/' 
 
 With that anone he hint him be the hals. 
 
 The selie Lamb culd do na thing bot blait ; 
 
 Sone wes he deid : the Wolf wald do na grace ; 
 Syne drank his blude, and of his flesche can eit, 
 
 Quhill he wes full ; and went his way on pace. 
 
 Of his murther what sail we say, allace ? 
 Wes not this reuth, wes not this greit pietie, 90 
 
 To gar this selie Lamb but gilt thus de ? 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 The pure pepill this Lamb may signifie, 
 
 As main men, merchandis, and all lauboureris 
 
 Of quhome the lyfe is half ane purgatorie. 
 To wyn with lautie leving as effeiris. 
 The Wolf betakinnis fals extortioneiris. 
 
 And oppressouris of pure men, as we se. 
 
214 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Be violence, or craft, or subteltie. 
 
 Thre kynd of Wolfis in this warld now ringis : 
 The first ar fals perverteris of the lawis ; 100 
 
 Quhilk, under poleit terrais, falset mingis, 
 
 Lettand that all wer Gospell that he schawls ; 
 Bot for ane bud the pure man he overthrawis, 
 
 Smoirand the richt, garrand the wrang proceid. 
 
 Of sic Wolfis hellis-fyre sail be thair meid. 
 
 ! man of law ! let be that subteltie, 
 With nyce gimpis, and fraudis intricate ; 
 
 And think that God in his divinitie 
 
 The wrang, the rycht, of all thy werkis wait. 
 For prayer, price, for hie nor law estait, 110 
 
 Of fals querrellis se thow mak na defence ; 
 
 Hald with the rycht, hurt not thy conscience. 
 
 Ane other kynd of Wolfis ravenous 
 
 Ar mychtie men, haifand aneuch plentie ; 
 
 Quhilkis ar sa gredie, and sa covetous, 
 
 Thay will not thoill the pure in pece to be, 
 Suppois he, and his houshald baith, suld de 
 
 For fait of fude ; thairof thay gif na rak, 
 
 Bot ower his heid his mailling will thay tak. 
 
 O man! but mercie, quhat is in thy thocht ? 120 
 War than ane Wolf, and thow culd understand : 
 
 Thow hes aneuch ; the pure husband richt nocht 
 Bot croip and calf upon ane clout of land. 
 For Goddis aw, how durst thow tak on hand, 
 
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB. 215 
 
 And thow in barne and byre sa bene and big, 
 To put him fra his tak, and gar him thig ? 
 
 The thrid Wolf ar men of heritage : 
 
 As Lordis, tliat hes land be Goddis lane, 
 
 And settis to the mailleris ane village, 
 
 And for ane tyme gressome payit and tane ; 130 
 Syne vexis him or half his terme be gane, 
 
 With pykit querrellis, for to mak him fane 
 
 To flit, or pay his gressome new agane. 
 
 His hors, his meir he mon len to the laird 
 To dring, and draw in court or in cariage ; 
 
 His servand, or his self, may not be spaird 
 To swink and sweit, withouttin meit or wage. 
 Thus how he standis in laubour and bondage, 
 
 That scantlie may he purches by his maill, 
 
 To leve upon dry breid and watter-caill. 140 
 
 Hes thow not reuth to gar thy tennentis sweit 
 Into thy laubour, with faynt and hungrie wame ? 
 
 And syne hes lytill gude to drink or eit, 
 
 With his menze at evin quhen he cummis hame : 
 Thow suld be rad for rychteous Goddis blame ; 
 
 For it eryis ane vengeance unto the hevinnis hie, 
 
 To gar ane pure man wirk but meit or fe. 
 
 O ! thow, greit lord, that riches hes and rent, 
 Thow art ane Wolf thus to devoir the pure ; 
 
 Think, that na thing cruell nor violent 150 
 
 May in this warld perpetuallie indure : 
 
216 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 This sail thow trow, and sikkerlie assure. 
 For till oppres thow sail half als greit pane 
 As thow the pure had with thy awin hand slane. 
 
 God keip the Lamb, quhilk is the innocent, 
 From Wolfis byit, and men extortioneiris. 
 
 Grod grant that wrangous men of fals intent 
 Be manifestit, and punischit as eflfeiris. 
 And God, as thow all ryehteous prayer heiris, 
 
 Mot saif our King, and gif him hart and hand, 160 
 
 All sic Wolfis to banis out of the land. 
 
THE TAILL OF THE PADDOK AND 
 THE MOUS. 
 
 Upon ane tyme, as Esope culd report, 
 Ane lytill Mous come till ane rever syde ; 
 
 Scho micht not waid, hir schankis wer sa schort ; 
 Scho culd not swym, scho had na hors to ryde : 
 Of verray force behovit hir to byde, 
 
 And to and fra besyde that rever deip 
 
 Scho ran, cry and with mony pietuous peip. 
 
 " Help ower, help ower," this sillie Mous can cry, 
 '* For Goddis lufe, sum bodie ower this brym." 
 
 With that ane Paddok in the watter by 10 
 
 Put up hir held, and on the bank can clym ; 
 Quhilk be nature culd dowk, and gaylie swym. 
 
 With voce full rauk, scho said on this maneir : 
 
 " Gude morne, Schir Mous, quhat is your erand 
 heir?" 
 
 " Seis thow," quod scho, " of corne yone jolie flat 
 Of ryip aittis, of barlie, peis, and quheit ; 
 
 I am hungrie, and fane wald be thairat, 
 Bot I am stoppit be this watter greit ; 
 And on this syde I get na thing till eit 
 
218 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Bot hard nuttis, quhilkis with ray teith I bore. 20 
 Wer I beyond, my feist wer fer the more. 
 
 " I haif na boit, heir is na marineris : 
 
 And though thair ware, I haif no fraucht to pay." 
 
 Quod scho, " Sistir lat be your havy cheir ; 
 Do my counsall, and I sail fynd the way 
 Withouttin horss, brig, boit, or yet gallay. 
 
 To bring you ower saifly — be not afFeird ! — 
 
 And not weitand the campis of your beird." 
 
 " I haif grit wounder,"' quod the silly mowss, 
 
 How can thow fleit without fedder or fyn? 30 
 
 This rever is sa deip and dangerous, 
 
 Me think that thow suld drownit be thairin. 
 Tell me, thairfoir, quhat faeultie or gyn 
 
 Thow hes to bring thee ower this watter?" Than 
 
 Thus to declair the Paddok sone began : 
 
 " With ray twa feit," quod scho, *' lukkin and braid, 
 In steid of airis, I row the streme full still ; 
 
 And thocht the brym be perrillous to waid, 
 Baith to and fra I row at my awin will. 
 I may not drown, for quhy ? — my oppin gill 40 
 
 Devoidis ay the watter I resaif : 
 
 Thairfoir to droun forsuith na dreid I haif." 
 
 The Mous beheld unto her fronsit face, 
 Hir runkillit cheikis, and hir lippis syde ; 
 
 Hir hingand browis, and hir voce sa hace ; 
 Hir loggerand leggis, and hir harsky hyde. 
 
THE PADDOK AND THE MOUS. 219 
 
 Scho ran abak, and on the Paddok cryde : 
 ** Gif I can ony skill of phisnomie, 
 Thow lies surapart of falset and invie. 
 
 " For Clerkis sayis the inclinatioun 50 
 
 Of mannis thocht proceidis commounlie 
 
 Efter the corporall eomplexioun 
 
 To gude or evill, as nature will apply : 
 Ane thrawert vult, ane thrawert phisnomy. 
 
 The auld proverb is witnes of this : Lorum 
 
 Distortum vultum, sequitur distortio morum.'* 
 
 " Na," quod the Taid, *' that proverb is not trew ; 
 For fair thingis oftymis ar fundin faikyn. 
 
 The bla-berryis, thoclit thay be sad of hew, 
 
 Ar gadderit up quhen primeros is forsakin. 60 
 The face may faill to be the hartis takiu. 
 
 Thairfoir I find this Scripture in all place : 
 
 Thow suld not juge ane man efter his face. 
 
 " Thocht I unhailsuni be to hike upon, 
 I half na cause quhy I suld lakkit be ; 
 
 Wer I als fair as jolie Absolon, 
 
 I am na causer of that greit beutie. 
 This difference in forme and qualitie 
 
 Almychtie God hes causit dame Nature 
 
 To prent, and set in everilk creature. 70 
 
 " Of sum the face may be full flurischeand ; 
 Of silkin toung, and cheir rycht amorous ; 
 With mynd inconstant, fals, and wariand ; 
 
220 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Full of desait, and menis cautelous." 
 
 " Let be tliy preiching/' quod the hungrie Mous ; 
 And be quliat craft thow gar me understand 
 That thow wald gyde me to yone yonder land?" 
 
 *' Thow wait," quod scho, *' ane bodie that hes neid. 
 To help thame self suld mony wayis cast : 
 
 Thairfoir ga tak ane dowbill twynit threid, 80 
 
 And bind thy leg to myne with knottis fast ; 
 I sail the leir to swym — be not agast ! — 
 
 Als Weill as I." " As thow," than quod the Mous, 
 
 " To preif that play it wer rycht perrillous. 
 
 " Suld I be bund and fast quhar I am fre, 
 In hoip of help, na than I schrew us baith ; 
 
 For I mycht lois baith lyfe and libertie. 
 
 Grif it wer swa, quha suld amend the skaith ? 
 Bot gif thow sweir to me the murthour aith, 
 
 But fraud or gyle, to bring me ower this flude, 90 
 
 But hurt or harme." " In faith," quod scho, " I 
 dude." 
 
 Scho goikit up, and to the hevin can cry : 
 " Juppiter ! of Nature god and king, 
 
 I mak ane aith trewlie to thee, that I 
 
 This lytill Mous sail ower this watter bring." 
 This aith wes maid. The Mous, but persaving 
 
 The fals ingyne of this foull trappald Taid, 
 
 Tuke threid and band hir leg, as scho hir baid. 
 
 Than fute for fute thay lap baith in the bryra ; 
 
THE PADDOK AND THE MOUS. 221 
 
 Bot in tliaii* myndis thay wer rycht different : 100 
 The Mous thocht of na thing bot for to swym, 
 
 The Paddok for to droun set hir intent. 
 
 Quhen thay in midwart of the streme wer went, 
 With all hir force the Paddok preissit doun, 
 And thocht the Mous without mercie to droun. 
 
 Persavand this, the Mous on hir can cry : 
 " Tratour to God, and manesworne unto me, 
 
 Thow swore the murthour aith richt now, that I 
 But hurt or harme suld ferryit be and fre;" 
 And quhen scho saw thair wes bot do or de, 110 
 
 With all hir mycht scho forcit hir to swym, 
 
 And preissit upon the Taiddis bak to clym. 
 
 The dreid of deith hir strenthis gart incres. 
 And forcit hir defend with mycht and mane. 
 
 The Mous upwart, the Paddok doun can preis ; 
 Quhyle to, quhyle fra, quhyle dowkit up agane. 
 This sillie Mous, plungit in to greit pane. 
 
 Gran fecht als lang as breith wes in hir breist ; 
 
 Till at the last scho cryit for ane preist. 
 
 Fechtand thusgait the Gled sat on ane twist, 120 
 And to this wretchit battell tuke gude held ; 
 
 And with ane wisk, or ony of thame wist, 
 
 He claucht his cluke betwix thame in the threid. 
 Syne to the land he flew with thame gude speid. 
 
 Fane of that fang, pyipand with mony pew : 
 
 Syne lowsit thame, and baith but pietie slew. 
 
222 THE FABLES OF ESOPE. 
 
 Syne bowellit thame, that boucheour, with his bill, 
 And belliflaucht full fettillie thame flaid ; 
 
 Bot all thair flesche wald scant be half ane fill, 
 And guttis als, unto that gredie Glaid. 130 
 
 Of thair debait, thus quhen I hard outraid, 
 
 He tuke his flieht, and ower the feildis flaw : 
 
 Gif this be trew, speir ye at thame that saw. 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 My Brother, gif thow will tak advertence, 
 
 Be this Fabill, thow may persave and se, 
 It passis fer all kynd of pestilence, 
 
 Ane wickit mynd, with wordis fair and sl^. 
 
 Be war thairfoir, with quhome thow fallowis thee : 
 To thee wer better beir the stane barrow, 
 
 For all thy dayis to delf quhill thow may dre, 140 
 Than to be maehit with ane wLckit marrow. 
 
 Ane fals intent under ane fair presence 
 
 Hes causit mony innocent for to de. 
 Greit folic is to gif ower sone credence 
 
 To all that speikis fairlie unto thee. 
 
 Ane silkin toung, ane hart of crueltie, 
 Smytis more sore than ohy schot of arrow. 
 
 Brother, gif thow be wyse, I reid thee fl4. 
 Than mache thee with ane thrawart fenyeit marrow. 
 
 I warne thee als, it is greit negligence loO 
 
 To bind thee fast quhar thow wes frank and fre. 
 
THE PADDOK AND THE MOUS. 223 
 
 Era thow be bund, thow may mak na defence 
 
 To saif thy lyfe, nor yit thy libertie. 
 
 This simpill eounsall, brother, tak of me, 
 And it to cim perqueir : se thow not tarrow ; 
 
 Better but stryfe to leif allane in le 
 Than to be maehit with ane wickit marrow. 
 
 This hald in mynd ; rycht more I sail thee tell 
 Quharby thir beistis may be figurate. 
 
 The Paddok, usand in the flude to dwell, 160 
 
 Is mannis bodie, swymand air and lait 
 In to this Warld, with cairis implicate ; 
 
 Now hie, now law ; quhylis plungit up, quhylis 
 doun ; 
 
 Ay in perreil, and reddie for to droun. 
 
 Now dolorus, now blyth as bird on breir ; 
 
 Now in fredome, now wappit in distress ; 
 Now haill and sound, now deid and brocht on beir ; 
 
 Now pure as Job, now rowand in richess ; 
 
 Now gownis gay, now brattis laid in pres ; 
 Now full as fitche, now hungrie as a hound ; 170 
 Now on the quheill, now wrappit to the ground. 
 
 This lytill Mous heir knit thus be the schyn 
 The SauU of man betakin may in deid ; 
 
 Bundin, and fra the bodie may not wyn, 
 
 Quhill cruell Deith cum brek of lyfe the threid ; 
 The quhilk to droun suld ever stand in dreid. 
 
 Of carnall lust be the suggestioun, 
 
 Quhilk drawis ay the saull, and druggis doun. 
 
224 THE FABLES OP ESOPE. 
 
 The watter is the Warld, ay welterand 
 
 With mony wall of tribulation ; 180 
 
 In quhilk the saule and body wer steirand, 
 Standand richt diflPerent in thair opinioun : 
 The saule upwart, the body preisis doun ; 
 
 The saule richt fain wald be broeht over, I wis, 
 
 Out of this warld unto the heavenis blis. 
 
 The Gled is Deith, that cummis suddandlie 
 As dois ane theif, and endis sone the battall. 
 
 Be vigilant thairfoir, and ay reddie ; 
 
 For mannis lyfe is brukill, and ay inortall : 
 
 My freind, thairfoir, raak thee ane Strang Castell 
 
 Of faith in Christ ; for Deith will thee assay, 
 
 Thow wait not quhen : evin, morrow, or midday. 
 
 Adew, my freind ; and gif that ony speiris 
 Of this Fabill sa schortlie I conclude. 
 
 Say thow, I left the laif unto the Freiris, 
 To mak exempill and ane similitude. 
 Now Christ for us that deit on the rude, 
 
 Of saull and lyfe, as thow art Salviour, 
 
 Grant us till pas in till ane blissit hour. 199 
 
NOTES 
 
NOTES AND VARIOUS READINGS. 
 
 The Manuscript Collections which contain any poems 
 by Henryson, may be briefly noticed, with the abbre- 
 viated references, — 
 
 AsloarCs MS. — A volume in folio, consisting of articles 
 in prose and verse, collected and transcribed by John 
 AsLOAN, about the year 1515. This volume, like the 
 more ancient and better known " Auchinleck Manu- 
 script," came into the possession of Lord Auchinleck, 
 one of the Lords of Session (1754-1782), in a mutilated 
 state, but was inlaid and rebound at the expense of his 
 grandson. Sir Alexander Boswell of Auchinleck. He 
 allowed it for many years to remain in Edinburgh, but I 
 have not been able to ascertain whether it ever found its 
 way back to Ayrshire. From the original table of con- 
 tents, it appears, there were, as numbered, seventy-one 
 articles, — of which thirty-four are unfortunately lost, 
 including some of Henryson's fables and poems. 
 
 Bann. MS. — The well known manuscript of George 
 Bannatyne, collected and written by him in the year 
 1568, and preserved in the Advocates Library, Edin- 
 burgh. In the volume printed for the Bannatyne Club, 
 entitled " Memorials of George Bannatyne," 1829, 4to, 
 a detailed list of its various contents is given. The 
 
228 NOTES. 
 
 greater number of Henryson's existing poems are in- 
 cluded in this manuscript. 
 
 Gray'^s MS. — A very diminutive volume, written by 
 Mr Ja3ies Gray, a notary-public, and priest of the dio- 
 cese of Dunblane during the latter part of the fifteenth 
 century. It has only one religious poem by Henryson. 
 The volume is now in the Advocates Library. It is 
 chiefly valuable for some brief chronicles or genealogies 
 of the kings of Scotland, which attracted the notice of 
 Father Innes, who has given a description of the volume 
 in his Critical Essay, vol. ii., pp. 627-631. 
 
 Harl. MS. — This contains a neat and careful trans- 
 cript of Henryson's Fables, dated 1571, and appears to 
 have been taken fj'om a printed edition, with wood- cuts, 
 of which no copy is known to exist. It is in the British 
 Museum, London : — Harleian Manuscripts, No. 3865. — 
 See introductory note to the Fables. A MS. copy of the 
 Fables, of the same date, was in the possession of Dr 
 Archibald Pitcairne, as we learn from a printed catalogue 
 of his Library. 
 
 Makculloch's MS. — This volume, in my o^vn posses- 
 sion, is a folio, containing Dictates of Philosophy, &c. in 
 Latin, wi'itten by JMagnus LIakcuuloch, while attend- 
 ing lectures at the University of Louvain, in the year 
 1477. The first possessor of the MS., in a contemporary 
 hand, of the end of the fifteenth century, has inserted, 
 on the blank pages of the volume, several poems, chiefly 
 religious, without the names of the authors, but includ- 
 ing three or four by Henryson. 
 
 Maitl. MS. — The folio volume of Sir Richard Mait- 
 LAND of Lethington's Collections, in the Pepysian Lib- 
 
NOTES. 229 
 
 rary, Magdalene College, Cambridge. It is now ascer- 
 tained that Pepys had bought this MS. at the sale of the 
 Duke of Lauderdale's library at London in 1692 — (See 
 Bannatyne Miscellany, vol. ii., p. 162). A list of its con- 
 tents, but not in a very distinct form, is given by Pinker- 
 ton in his "Ancient Scotish Poems, from the Mait- 
 land Manuscripts," vol. ii., pp. 437-467 : Lond. 1786. 
 I may add, that Reidpeth's MS., 1623, among Bishop 
 More's MSS. in the University Library, Cambridge, 
 which was apparently copied from Sir R. Maitland's 
 volume, does not include any of Henryson's poems. The 
 MS., however, is mutilated. — See Dunbar's Poems, vol. 
 i., p. xii; note 6. 
 
 ROBENE AND MAKYNE.— Page 3. 
 
 Bann. MS., fol. 365, from Avhich it was first printed 
 by Allan Ramsay in his " Evergreen," 1724, and by 
 Bishop Percy in his " Reliques of Ancient English 
 Poetry;" but more correctly by Lord Hailes, 1770, 
 and in various other collections. It also forms the 
 first portion of a volume contributed by George Chal- 
 mers, Esq. to the Bannatyne Club in 1825, with a 
 biographical notice of the author, and notes on this 
 poem, chiefly philological, (by his nephew and coad- 
 jutor, ]\Ii' James Chalmers). No other copy than Ban- 
 natyne's is known, to afford any various readings. In 
 the lost portion of Asloan's MS. it seems to be indicated 
 under this title, " Ane ballat of Making of (sic) Ixix." 
 
 Thomas Campbell, in his " Specimens of the British 
 Poets," vol. ii., p. 77, 1819, has copied the most part of 
 Robene and Makjne, as a favourable specimen of Henry- 
 son, — accompanied with a kind of literal translation, 
 
230 NOTES. 
 
 which may be here inserted, numbering the lines to 
 con-espond mth the text : — 
 
 1 Robene sat on a good gi-een hill, 2 Keeping a flock 
 of cattle (sheep) ; 3 Merry Makyne said to him : 4 
 Robene, take pity on me. 5 I have loved thee, openly 
 and secretly, 6 These years two or three ; 7 My sor- 
 row, in secret, unless thou share, 8 Undoubtedly I 
 shall die. 
 
 9 Robene answered, By the Rood! 10 Nothing of 
 love I know, 11 But keep my sheep under yon wood. 
 12 Lo ! where they range in a row. 13 What has 
 maiTed thee in thy mood, 14 Makyne show thou to me ? 
 15 Or what is love, or to be loved? 16 Fain would I 
 know that law (of love) ! 
 
 17 At the lore of love, if thou wilt learn, 18 Take 
 there an A B C ; 19 Be kind, courteous, and fair of 
 aspect or feature : 20 Wise, hardy, and free. 21 See 
 that no danger daunt thee ; 22 Whatever sorrow in 
 secret thou sufferest, 23 Exert thyself with pains to 
 thy utmost power. 24 Be patient and privy. 
 
 25 Robene answered her again : 26 I wot not what 
 is love ; 27 But I (have) wonder, certainly, 28 What 
 makes thee thus melancholy : 29 The weather is fair, 
 and I am glad 30 My sheep go healthfal above (or in 
 the uplands). 31 If we should play in this plain, 32 
 They would reproof us both. 
 
 33 Robene, take heed unto my tale, 34 And do all 
 as I advise, 35 And thou shalt have my heart entirely ; 
 37 Since God sends good for evil, 38 And for mom-n- 
 ing, consolation. 39 I am now in secret with thee ; but 
 if I separate, 40 Doubtless I shall die (broken hearted). 
 
 41 Makyne, to-morrow, this very time, 42 If ye will 
 meet me here, 43 Perhaps my sheep may go aside 44 
 Until we have lain near. 
 
 49 Robene, thou robbest my quiet and rest. 50 I 
 
NOTES, 231 
 
 love but thee aJoiie. 61 Makyne, adieu, the sun goes 
 west ; 52 The day is nearly gone. 53 Robene, in sor- 
 row I am so beset 54 That love will be my bane. 55 
 Go, love, Makyne, where thou wilt, 56 For sweetheart 
 I love none. 
 
 57 Eobene, I am in such a state, 58 I sigh, and that 
 fiiU sore. 59 Makyne, I have been here sometime ; 60 
 At home God grant I were. 61 My sweet Robene, talk 
 a while, 62 If thou wilt do no more. 63 Makyne, 
 some other man beguile, 64 For homeward I will fare. 
 65 Robene on his way went, Q6 As light as leaf of 
 tree ; 67 Makyne mom'ned in her thoughts, 68 And 
 thought him never to see. 69 Robene went over the 
 hiU, 70 Then Makyne cryed on high : 71 l!^ow you 
 may sing, I am destroyed ; 72 What ails, love, with me ? 
 73 Makyne went home without fail, 74 Full (vexed) 
 after she would weep. 75 and 76 : — The lines, " Than 
 Robene in a full fair daill," may either mean that he 
 assembled his sheep in a fair full number, or in a fair 
 piece of his ground : the former is the most probable 
 meaning. 77 By that (time) some of Makyne's sorrow 
 78 Crept through his heart ; 79 He followed fast to lay 
 hold of her, 80 And held good watch of her. 
 
 81 Abide, abide, thou fair Makyne : 82 A word for 
 anything's (sake) ! 83 For all my love shall be thine, 
 84 Without departing ; 85 To have thy heart all mine 
 86 Is all that I covet. 87 My sheep to-morrow, till 
 
 nine, 88 Will need no keeping 
 
 110 For you made game of my pain ; 111 I shall 
 say like you, 112 Mourn on, I think to do better (than 
 be in love). 
 
 113 Makyne, the hope of all my health, 114 My 
 heart is on thee set; 115 And (I) shall ever more be 
 true to thee 116 While I may live, without ceasing, 
 117 Never to fail, as others fail, 118 Whatever favour 
 
232 NOTES. 
 
 I obtain. 119 Robene, with thee I will not deal. 120 
 Adieu ! for thus we met. 
 
 121 Makyne went home blythe enough, 122 Over 
 the hoary woodlands. 123 Robene mouraed, and Ma- 
 kyne laughed : 124 She sang, he sighed sore, 125 And 
 so left him woeful and overcome, 126 In dolour and 
 care, 127 Keeping his herd under a cliff 128 Among 
 the hoary hillocks. 
 
 Line 5. Lowd and still.'] " Openly and secretly." — 
 Chalmers. 
 
 Line 7. My dule in dern hot gif thow dill.'] "The 
 word dill^ daill, deill, means sliai-e. The sense is, ' Un- 
 less thou share my secret woe,' — i.e. unless you retm-n 
 love for love." — Hailes. — My dule or grief in secret 
 unless thou share. "In the old Eng. dule is soitow, 
 grief; so doole in R. Gloc. ; dole in Minot, and the same 
 in Chaucer, Spenser, and Shakespeare. Dern is secret, 
 from the A.S., dyrn of Lye. So in Chaucer, — 
 
 Of derne love he coude. 
 
 Dill, to suit the rhyme, is put for dele., or dail. Dele, to 
 share, is from the A.S., daelan of Lye. In R. Gloc, Lang- 
 toft, Minot, Chaucer, it is dele; in Spenser and Shake- 
 speare, deal.''' — Chai^iers. 
 
 Line 12. Raik on raw.] " Roam, or extend them- 
 selves in a row, as the manner of sheep is while pas- 
 turing. A sheep-raik and a sheep-walk are synonymous." 
 — Hailes. Range in a row.] " Raik is from the A.S., 
 racan of Lye — signifying to range, or stretch out ; and 
 raikf as a subs., means a range, or walk, a sheep-raik." 
 — Chalmers. 
 
 Line 19. Fair of feir.] " The word feir has various 
 significations ; as fear, companion, countenance. I think 
 that it is here taken in the signification last mentioned. 
 The word wyse in the next line must be pronounced as 
 
NOTES. 233 
 
 a dissyllable ; and the word hardy ^ like the French hardi^ 
 with the accent on the last syllable." — Hailes. "In 
 the history of Scotland there is a well-known expres- 
 sion, that the people are to appear in the field ' well 
 boden in fear of war,' — meaning the port, appearance, 
 or circumstance of war. Heniyson might mean, by his 
 alliterative expression, fair of appearance, mien, look, 
 manner. Feir is put, by him, to rhyme with ZezV." — 
 Chalmers. 
 
 Line 21. No danger do thee deir : do thee hurt.] 
 " Dere, deir, signify hurt or injury, front the A.S., derian 
 of Lye ; as in R. Gloc, Langtoft, and Minot. So in 
 Chaucer, — 
 
 Nevir mo ye shul my contree dere, 
 
 Deir is here used by Henryson as a verb ; and do thee 
 deir means hurt thee. This was the usual mode of the 
 old poets in using do^ transitively, with some other verb. 
 Chaucer has ' do me drench, do me stripen ; ' and Lynd- 
 say has ' done indyte ' for has indyted, and done complete 
 for completed." — Chalmeks. 
 
 Line 22. Quhat dule in dern thou dre.'} "Whatever 
 sorrow or distress you may endure in secret. The word 
 dre is still used with us ; as, ' It is ill to dr.',' ' To dre 
 pennance,' &c." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 28. Quhat makis the this wanrufe.'] " The A.S. 
 privative is wan, and rew is order; so that the word 
 means disorder: — What is it that occasions such dis- 
 turbance in your mind?" — Hailes. 
 
 Lines 31, 32. " Were we to amuse ourselves in the plain, 
 while the sheep roam on the side of the hill, they would be 
 neglected, and that neglect would turn to our reproach. 
 To suppose that the sheep themselves would censure, 
 is an idea too refined for the limited apprehensions of 
 Eobene." — Hailes. 
 
234 NOTES. 
 
 Line 37. Bute for baill'} " Bute, bote, remedy, help, 
 from the A.S., bote of Lve, which may have been derived 
 from the British, budd^ in the same sense. So bote^ in 
 R. Gloc, Langtoft, and in Minot, — 
 
 He traisted of no better tote. 
 
 Bail., or bale., fi'om the A.S., beal of Lye, means sorrow, 
 misery. So in Minot, — 
 
 For thou art tute of all my hale. 
 
 And so it is in Langtoft, Chaucer, and Spenser." — 
 Chalmers. 
 
 Line 39. I dern with the., bot gif I daill,] " We watch 
 together ; we are alone ; unless I share of your favour, 
 I am lost : — this seems to be the import of the expres- 
 sion." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 45. Bot mawgre.'] " Mawgre, from the Fr., 
 malgre, is here used in the sense of ill-will, or spite. So 
 Chaucer uses it, — 
 
 I drede thou caust me grete maugre. 
 
 And in this sense Hemyson's verse would mean : But 
 ill-will may I have if I stay. Maugre, in the secondary 
 sense, if in spite, or against the will, is also common in 
 the old English and Scottish writers. Byde means to 
 stay, from the A.S., bidan., as we know from Lye, and is 
 common in the old English wiiters." — Chalmers. 
 
 Line 77. Robene brayd attour the bent.'] " Hastily 
 traversed the ground overgrown with rushes, or coarse 
 grass. The expression in English which most nearly 
 resembles this, is, 'Strode along the brake.'" — Hailes. 
 
 Line 84. Withowttin departing.'] " Without departing., 
 without dividing. So was the verb departe often used 
 by Langtoft and Mandevile, and Chaucer has — 
 
 And will not departed be. 
 
NOTES. 235 
 
 It is also used by Spenser, and by Shakespeare, in the 
 sense of to give away, or part with : — 
 
 Which we much rather had depart withal." 
 
 — Chalmers. 
 
 Line 90. In cfestis and storeis auld.'] " In romances 
 and stories that were sung and said. We here see that 
 Henryson was well acquainted with the gests and stories 
 of his time." — Chalmers. 
 
 Lme 96. Befrith^forrest^ orfauld.'] " So Dunbar,— 
 
 In frith, forrest, and feild. 
 
 Such expressions were very common in the old poets, 
 both of England and Scotland. FrWi^ in the British, 
 signifies a forest or woodland ; so in the Scoto-Irish." — 
 Chalmers. 
 
 Line 113. The hope of all my happiness.'] " Hail., hele, 
 from the A.S., 7^eZ, hael, signifies health, welfare, pros- 
 perity ; so hele is used by R. Gloc. And Minot has — 
 
 Hald tham in gude hele. 
 
 And Wicliflf uses hele for salvation." — Chalmers. 
 
 Line 116. But letf] "Without stop or hinderance ; 
 and so it is used by Mandevile. Chaucer has, — 
 
 And in she gotte withoutten lenger lette. 
 
 So Shakespeare, — 
 
 What lets, but one may enter at her window ? 
 
 In this sense, however, this word must not be confounded 
 with let, to permit, or suffer, which is in present use." — 
 Chalmers. 
 
 Line 122. " Holt, in the ancient language, signified 
 both a hill and a wood. Here, the context requires that 
 it should be regarded as a hill: — ^Makyne went home 
 blyth enough over the holtis hair, over the hoary hills. 
 
236 NOTES. 
 
 Our poet would have made Makyne skip through the 
 woods : — 
 
 Skip o'er the lawns, and by the rivers play.' " 
 
 — Chalmers. 
 
 Line 125. She left him both wo and wreuch.'] " Vexed. 
 Chaucer uses wo in the same sense : — 
 
 ' Was nevir wight yet half so wo.' 
 
 Wreuch^ or wrought, means vexed, in Langtoft ; and in 
 Chaucer, wrawe is used for peevish. Chaucer also uses 
 wro^ substantively, for giief, anger." — Chauviers. 
 
 Line 127. Keeping his hird^ herd^ or Jlock^ under a 
 heuch.'] " Heuch^i heugh^ and hew^ signify a height^ par- 
 ticularly a cliff, or high steep bank. The word, under 
 whatever fonn, is derived from the British wc/i, superior ; 
 altior^ supray — Davis. " Having the aspirate (h) pre- 
 fixed, it becomes hoch ; vox Celtica^ quae Cambris effer- 
 tur wc/«." — Wachter's Gloss. " Heuch and hew are 
 equally common in the language and typography of 
 England and Scotland. From the inaccurate applica- 
 tion of the teiTH, sometimes to the hollow or glen below 
 the heugh or cliff, the editor of ' The Complaint of Scot- 
 land ' has mistakingly explained heugh to be 'a deep 
 rugged valley, or small glen,' which is directly contrary 
 to the meaning of his author : — 
 
 Under ane hingand heuch, under a hanging cliff. 
 
 From his own mistake, Leyden goes on to charge Ruddi- 
 man with an error, in explaining heuch ^ a rock or steep 
 hill, which comes very near to the genuine meaning of 
 the word, and to the sense wherein Gawyn Douglas 
 uses it." — Chalmers. 
 
 Line 128. Amangis the holtis hair.'] " It is rashi/ gair 
 in the ' Evergi'een,' for no better reason than that holtis 
 hair was in line 2 of the stanza, and that the publisher saw 
 an impropriety in the repetition. If I mistake not, holtis 
 
 « 
 
NOTES. 237 
 
 hair means the bleak uplands. There seems no sense in 
 hoary woods, which is the literal intepretation of the 
 phrase."— Hailes. " Holt signified a tcood or grove, 
 from the A.S., holt, Incus, sylva; remus, Somner, and 
 Lye. The same word also signified a height, or hill, 
 from the Fr., haidt, perhaps, as holt is pronounced hout 
 in the vulgar language; and, in Dumfriesshire, the 
 word holt is still used for a dimghill and a hajcock, and, 
 at the same time, for a mount. — Stat. Ac v. 13, pp. 
 668-9. In this same stanza above, we have seen attour 
 the holts, which plainly means over the hills. Gawyn 
 Douglas also uses holts for hills or heights : 
 
 That throw the wodeis and the lioUyes hie. 
 
 In the same manner, Turberville, in his ' Songs and Son- 
 nets,' — 
 
 ' Yee that frequent the hills and highest holies of all.' 
 
 The only meaning which can be given to the epithet 
 hair, is hoary, or grey, from the A.S., har, hare, canus, 
 Lye. The epithet hore, or grey, is, in fact, coupled with 
 the holtis, in Ritson's Romances : — 
 
 An huntynge went Syr Launfel, 
 To chasy yn holies hore. 
 
 And again, in ' Sir Orpheo : ' — 
 
 In wyldernes now wol y be, 
 And wonne there in holtys hore. 
 
 The only difference is, that here the epithet hore is 
 coupled with the holtis, for woods — while, in the other, 
 hair is coupled with the holtis, for hills. But, as the 
 epithet green is applied to hills, when speaking of them 
 in the spring, so the epithet grey may be equally applied 
 to both when speaking of them in the autumn; and 
 Spenser, in February, metaphorically, calls the branches 
 and withered leaves of the oak ' his hoarie locks : ' yet 
 Lord Hailes could not discover any sense in hoary tooods.^' 
 —Chalmers. 
 
238 NOTES. 
 
 THE GARMOND OF GUDE LADEIS— Page 8. 
 
 Bann. MS., fol. 215. — It has this colophon : — " Finis 
 of the Garmont of Gud Ladeis q. [quod] Mr Robert 
 Henrysoun." 
 
 Line 1.] " This poem is a sort of paraphrase of 1 Tim., 
 ii., 9-11 ; but the comparison between female ornaments 
 and female virtues is extended throughout so many lines, 
 and with so much of a tire-woman's detail, that it be- 
 comes somewhat ridiculous." — Hailes. Notwithstand- 
 ing this opinion, the poem is curious on account of its 
 minuteness; and Pinkerton (History, vol. !., p. ■434) 
 refers to it as giving the best idea of the dress of a lady 
 of that period. " The complete attire," he says, " con- 
 sisting of hood, shift, kirtle (or gown and petticokt), tied 
 with laces, and adorned with mails or spangles; an 
 upper gown or robe, pm-fled and furred, and adorned 
 with ribbons ; a belt ; a mantle or cloke in bad weather ; 
 a hat, tippet, patelet^ perhaps small ruff; a ribbon about 
 the neck ; sleeves, gloves, shoes and hose." 
 
 Line 15. The mailyeis.'] " The word maille signifies a 
 link in the net- work of which an haubergeon is com- 
 posed. Hence we still say, a coat of mail. The word is 
 here used for an oylet-hole, through which a long lace is 
 I."— Hailes. 
 
 THE BLUDY SERK.— Page 10. 
 
 Bann. MS., fol. 328''. — It is inserted under the head 
 of Fabillis, and is subscribed " Quod IVIr R. Henryci." 
 It seems to have been first printed, from this MS., in 
 Pinkerton's " Ancient Scotish Poems," 1792, vol. iii., p. 
 189 ; again in Sibbald's " Chronicle of Scottish Poetry," 
 
NOTES. 239 
 
 1802, vol. ii., p. 178 ; and also in the volume of " Select 
 Remains of the Ancient Poetry of Scotland," 1822, 4to. 
 
 Pinkerton says this poem "has little merit, except its 
 easy versification, and ballad stanza, rarely found in 
 productions of that epoch." It was evidently boiTOwed 
 from one of the tales in the Gesta Romanoram, of which 
 Warton has given the following brief summary in his 
 Dissertation on that popular collection, prefixed to his 
 History of English Poetry, vol. i., p. clvii. ; edit. 1840 : — 
 
 " A knight offers to recover a lady's inheritance, which 
 had been seized by a tyrant, on condition that if he is 
 slain, she shall always keep his bloody armour hanging 
 in her chamber. He regains her property, although he 
 dies in the attempt ; and as often as she was afterwards 
 sued for in marriage, before she gave an answer, she 
 returned to her chamber, and, contemplating with tears 
 her deliverer's bloody armour, resolutely rejected every 
 solicitation." 
 
 In the " Gesta," No. lxi., the lady, it is said, was first 
 seduced, and then deprived of her inheritance, by a tyran- 
 nical Duke (Dux tyi-annus), and reduced to such extreme 
 poverty as to solicit alms of the passengers. In the 
 oldest of the English versions, the story occurs as No. 
 IX. ; the lady is called the daughter of Fredericus, a 
 wise Emperor reigning in Rome ; and after her dis- 
 honour by a certain Earl, she went into another country 
 — ("The Old English Versions of the Gesta Roman- 
 orum," edited by Sir F. Madden for the Roxburghe 
 Club, 1838, 4to). It will be observed that Henryson's 
 poem differs in various particulars, but chiefly in his 
 description of Lucifer as a hideous giant : the morality 
 in all the copies is much the same. 
 
 One of the earliest, if not the first edition, of this 
 popular work, has no date, but is supposed to have been 
 printed at Utrecht, by Nic. Ketelaer, about the year 
 
240 NOTES. 
 
 1474. Henryson, therefore, might have possessed such 
 a copy. I have one, in its original binding (along with 
 the Liber Alexandii Magni de Preliis, no date ; and Mag. 
 Jac. de Theramo Belial, printed by Jo. Yeldener, 1474), 
 in small folio. On the first leaf is written, " Iste Liber 
 constat Magro. Henrico Barry Rectorj de Culass, empt. 
 ij. Aprilis anno 147[5?];" and Barry seems to have 
 given it to the Friars Preachers of Dundee : — " Liber 
 Ordinis Fratrum Predicatorum de Dwnde," is repeated 
 more than once. I mention this as an instance of such 
 works speedily finding their way into this country. It 
 has the title : — " Hystorie notabiles coUectae ex Gestis 
 Romanoram," &c. — (See Hain, No. 7735). 
 
 Line 61. His likame dicht.'\ Henryson elsewhere uses 
 this word, which signifies a body — either animated or, 
 as in this place, dead, a corpse — (See Jamieson's Dic- 
 tionary, sub V. Licaym. Sibbald has explained the word 
 lycome^ &c., but here chooses to alter " Likame " to 
 " Lynkome," and, in a very absm-d note, says, — " In 
 the MS. likame^ certainly an en-or of the transcriber, for 
 
 lynkome^ linen : his linen was rendered unlusum 
 
 The alliteration would requii-e this phrase to be lyncome 
 licht, and probably Henryson wrote it so." 
 
 THE ABBAY WALK.— Page 15. 
 Bann. MS., fol. 46b ; and repeated at p. 30 of the same 
 MS., with the author's name. It also occurs in jMaitl. 
 MS., No. 123, with some slight variations ; and, at the 
 end, " Finis, Authore incerto." AYe likewise find it re- 
 tained its popularity long after Henryson's name was for- 
 gotten. In a small MS. volume, in the library of IVIr Chal- 
 mers of Aldbar, it is inserted with the title " Ane Sonnet," 
 and the transcriber, Alexander Riddell at Bowland, in 
 the year 1636, chose to add his own name to this and 
 
NOTES. 241 
 
 Other articles, as if he had been the author,—" Finis, 
 quod Riddell." In one of the separate editions, " printed 
 (at Aberdeen, by John Forbes) anno 1686," along with 
 some other popular verses, it has this title, " An ancient 
 Dittie, entituled, Obey and thank thy God of all,'''' The 
 first verse may be quoted, to show how it was modern- 
 ised : — 
 
 Alone as I walked up and down 
 
 Into a place was fair to see, 
 Thinking what consolation 
 
 Was best in aU adversitie : 
 
 By chance, I cast aside mine eye, 
 And fand it written on a wall : 
 
 Of what estate man that thou be, 
 Obey and thank thy God of all. 
 
 Line 1.] "I have given this poem the title of the 
 Abhay Walk, from a like title given to a popular poem 
 mentioned by Sir James Inglis in his Complaint. Let 
 me observe, in passing, that if the study of Scottish his- 
 tory should ever revive, a new edition of Inglis's Com- 
 plaint would be an acceptable present to the public." — 
 Hailes. 
 
 The very curious little volume here mentioned by Lord 
 Hailes was originally printed either at Edinburgh or St 
 Andrews in 1549, and was reprinted with this title : — 
 " The Complaynt of Scotland, written in the year 1548, 
 with a Preliminary Dissertation and Glossary (by Dr 
 John Leyden) :" Edinbui'gh, 1801, 8vo, and some large 
 paper copies in 4to. Dr Leyden's Dissertation is a 
 most learned, but somewhat rambling performance ; and 
 he has left the question of its authorship, whether Inglis 
 or Wedderburn, very much as he found it. (See note on 
 this subject in Dunbar's Poems, vol. ii., pp. 395-6. 
 
 Line 55. Quha heis law hairtis, and lawisJieJ] " Who 
 exalts the humble in spirit, and brings down the lofty. 
 Q 
 
242 NOTES. 
 
 It is copied from Cliaucer. Cuckowe and Nightingale^ 
 p. 643 :— 
 
 For he can makia of lowe hertis hie, 
 And of hie lowe. 
 
 What Chaucer says of love, Heurysoun applies to the 
 Divinity. " — Haile s . 
 
 AGANIS HAISTY CREDDENCE OF TITLARIS.— 
 
 Page 18. 
 
 Bann. MS., fol. 67, " quod Mr Robert Hendersone ;" 
 and Maitl. MS., No. 121, " quod Mr Robert Henrysoun." 
 — In this copy the first line reads, "Fals tatlaris now 
 growis up full rank;" and the last line, "That thai to 
 sic gif no haistie credence." Pinkerton mentions it " as 
 a very poor production against tale-bearing;" and it 
 must be admitted that it is so. 
 
 THE PRAIS OF AIGE.— Page 21. 
 
 This poem, which is preserved in various collections, 
 first occurs in Makculloch's MS., without the author's 
 name. It is also anonymous in Chepman and Myllar's 
 Tracts, printed at Edinburgh in the year 1508. But it is 
 ascribed to Hemyson in Bannatyne's MS., fol. 57, and 
 again in the duplicate portion, p. 44. The text is here 
 given from the oldest copy. The following variations 
 may be noticed : — 
 
 Line 1, Within a garth ; line 5, And as me thocht ; 
 line 10, Besoucht with syn and other sytis mo : and other 
 slichtis mo; line 11, Treuth is all tynt; line 12, Has 
 wrocht all (welthis) weill to wo ; line 18, Sik perillis : sic 
 parrell; line 19, But speciall grace: hut full smal grace ; 
 line 20, Can none gaynstand ; line 21, Syne of the thing 
 that tofore joyii he : befoir that joyit he : line 25, Suld no 
 
NOTES. 243 
 
 man traist: sowld no man trust ; line 27, The stait of it ; 
 line 28, Na gude to spend: haifnot to spend. 
 
 THE RESSONING BETWIX AIGE AND 
 YOUTH.— Page 23. 
 
 In Makculloch's MS., but unfortunately a leaf is 
 toiTi out, which contained the last four stanzas, and, pro- 
 bably, some other poems. It is found entire in Bann. 
 MS., fol. 55, and in the duplicate portion, p. 42; also 
 in Maitl. MS., No. 67. Pinkerton supplies us with the 
 following various readings : — Line 2, Feildis so frescke ; 
 line 8, Rychi suttelie; line 28, Bayth frak^ forsy^ and f re ; 
 line 57, This ancient man gaif answer angrelie. " The 
 other," Pinkerton says, "is nonsense." Line 4:2, Sail 
 obay ; line 50, Luvis layr ; line 56, With birdis Myth in 
 boure my bail to beit ; line 60, Sail thee depryvefor para- 
 mour ; line 62, Sail mynis (diminish) ; line 63, Then sail 
 thou say ; line 65, This gaylart grutchit, and began to 
 greif And on full sone he went his wayis; line 66, But 
 weine ; line 69, That talkin suiihlie fra that I had sein ; 
 line 70, In treuth, me thocht, theg trevist in thair toun. 
 
 Line 6. That all of mirth cowth mene.'\ " Wholly in- 
 tent upon jollity." — Halles. 
 
 Line 11. And lyart lokis hoir."] " Lyart, from the A.S., 
 fee, capillus, and har, canus. There is somewhat of 
 tautology in the passage." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 16. And faidis ferly sone.'\ Or wondi'ous soon. 
 In this, and in lines 32, 48, 64, and 72, Bannatyne's MS. 
 reads, " and faidis fellone sone." 
 
 Line 28. Ane freik on feld.'] " This appears to have 
 been a fashionable expression. G. Douglas says (p. 
 239, line 27),— 
 
 Ha! waldthou fecht, quod the freik. 
 
 The word has nearly the same signification as brave had 
 
244 NOTES. 
 
 in the days of Brantome, or tall man in the days of 
 
 Shakespeare. The only remains of the word in modem 
 English are— freak, a whim, smd freakish, capricious." — 
 Hailes. 
 
 The arrangement of these four stanzas vary in the 
 different MSS. In MakcuUoch's MS., lines 49 to 56 
 come after line 32, — a leaf in the MS., containing the 
 conclusion of the poem, being lost. In Banuatyne's 
 MS. lines 43-48 come after line 64, but in the text the 
 arrangement of Maitland's MS. is given properly, as 
 (Pinkerton says) is plain from the words, " ane othir 
 verse." 
 
 Line 39. And so with birds hlythly my hailis beitJ] 
 " Bride is used in Chaucer for bird, and birde for a 
 mistress. In an old Scottish song ' Burd Isobel ' means 
 a young lady called Isabella. Burd is still used as an 
 appellation of complacency by superiors to women of lower 
 degree. Mersar, in his ' Perrell in Paramours,' speaks 
 of ' birdis bricht in bowris ; ' by which he means young 
 women in their chambers. Bailis beit: abate my fires ; 
 in poetical language, ' to quench my amorous flames,' 
 which may be otherwise expressed in blunt English." — 
 Hailes. '■'■Bailis Beit: abate my fires ; so says Lord 
 Hailes, but erroneously. It probably means the very 
 reverse,— to help, increase, or rouse my amorous fire. 
 To beit the fire is an expression still quite common." — 
 
 SiBBALD. 
 
 Line 42. This breif thow sail obey sone, be thow bald.'} 
 " Young man thou shalt one day acknowledge the jus- 
 tice of my saying, however vigorous thou mayest seem 
 at present." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 46. Thy helth sail hynk, and tak a hurt but hone.'] 
 " Thy health shall incontinently haste away, nor will 
 there be any relief or intermission from disease. Hynk 
 is from the A.S. higaw, festinare ; hence to hie : but hone 
 
NOTES. 245 
 
 means ' without ho.' Mr Ruddiman observes, Glossary 
 to G. Douglas^ that ' but hone ' is metri gratis, for ho : 
 p. 222, line 9,— 
 
 Drif thir chiftanis of this land but hone. 
 
 The word Jio is aa ell known ; it is an interjection, com- 
 manding to desist. It was used by the judge of the lists, 
 in the days of chivalry, when he ordered the champions 
 to cease from combat. In French Iwla, or ho la. Bas- 
 sompierre relates, that when Charles I. and he were 
 talking warmly, Buckinghame stept in and cried, ' Je 
 mets V/iola entre vous deux.' Herein this petulant 
 minister assumed the character of judge of the lists be- 
 tween his master and an ambassador. — Hailes. 
 
 Line 65.] Dr Jamieson, in his Dictionary, sub. v. 
 Gowand^ s., quotes these lines : — 
 
 This gowand grathit with sic grit greif, 
 He on his wayis wrethly went, but weue. 
 
 And adds, — " Lord Hailes gives this passage as not 
 understood. Gowand may signify traveller ; Dan. gaa- 
 ende, going. The writer says, st. I., — 
 
 Muvand allone, in mornyng myld, I met 
 A mirry man 
 
 Or, it may signify a youth^ as opposed to aidd man ; 
 Germ, jugend^ juventus ; Moes G. juggons. Thus the 
 sense may be: 'This Youth, having received the pre- 
 parative of such a grevious lecture fi'om Age, who fore- 
 told so many calamities, ^yent on his way with displea- 
 sure." — Rev. Dr Jamieson. 
 
 THE RESSONING BETWIX DETH AND 
 
 MAN.— Page 27. 
 
 Bann. MS., fol. 56, with Henryson's name, and re- 
 peated in the same MS. at p. 43. 
 
246 NOTES. 
 
 Line 43. To lurk under thy caip.'] " Under thy cope. 
 A coffin is here meant. Knox, in his ' History,' re- 
 peatedly uses a cope of leid for a lead coffin." — Hailes. 
 
 THE THREE DED) POWIS.— Page 30. 
 
 Bann. MS., fol. 57 b; Maitl. MS., Xo. 149.— In the 
 foi-mer it is ascribed to Patrick Johnstoun ; in the lat- 
 ter — and I think correctly — to Henryson. The name, 
 however, of Patrick Johnstonn occurs in Dunbar's 
 " Lament for the Makars," and also in the Treasurer's 
 Accounts, 1488-1492. — See note in Dunbai-'s Poems, 
 vol. ii., p. 359. The following various readings in Maitl. 
 BIS. are quoted from Pinkerton, p. 465 : — Line 24, dele 
 thy; line 27, So elegant; line 33, 0! vnlfull; line 36, 
 Aganis death; line 41, Can absolve; line 52, And greit; 
 line 66, Of his Godheid to rew and glorifie ; line 59, For 
 mercie cry and pray. 
 
 Line 1.] "The fancy of introducing three death's- 
 heads is odd ; and the more so, because they all speak 
 at once. The sentiments are such as the contemplation 
 of mortality naturally produces. If likeness inferred 
 imitation, Shakespeare, in the scene of the grave-diggers, 
 might be supposed to have copied from Patrick John- 
 stonn — an obscure versifier, of whom he never heard." — 
 Hailes. 
 
 THE SALUTATION OF THE VIRGIN.— Page 33. 
 
 This is probably an early performance, and presents 
 a singular specimen of metrical composition. It is one 
 of four religious poems preserved by JNIr Ja:mes Gray in 
 his little MS. volume of Collections.— Se« above, p 228. 
 
NOTES. 247 
 
 THE WANT OF WYSE MEN.— Page 36. 
 
 Bann. MS., fol. 78, and printed copy by Chepman 
 and Myllar at Edinburgh in 1508. — Both copies are 
 anonymous ; but the latter is subjoined to Henryson's 
 *' Orpheus and Eurydice," as if by the same author.- 
 (See p. 250). It evidently belongs to the reign of James 
 the Third, when the unsettled state of public affairs might 
 give too much truth to the burden of each verse, " That 
 want of wyse men caused fools to sit on benches." 
 
 V.R. — Line 1, Me werveilUs of^ MS., B. ; line 7, in 
 the 1508 edit.. Now sole is sorow; line 13, Was peax 
 (peace) ; lines 49-64. These two stanzas are not given 
 in the 1508 edition, while lines 68 and 69, read thus : 
 Is infynite^ salbe^ and ever wes^ As in the principall men- 
 cion of the Messe; and line 72, Sen want of wise [men'] 
 mdkis [fidis\ sit in binkis. 
 
 ANE PRAYER FOR THE PEST.— Page 39. 
 
 Bakn. MS., fol. 24. — The author's name is added in 
 a different hand; and the duplicate copy in the same 
 MS., p. 20, is anonymous. Its authorship, therefore, 
 maybe considered as doubtful. During the fifteenth 
 century, on at least three occasions, the plague of pesti- 
 lence proved very fatal in different parts of the country. 
 
 In one of these copies '' Finis" occurs at the end of 
 line 64, but the three additional verses are given in both. 
 They serve as a peroration or conclusion, and various 
 instances of such jingling rhymes might be quoted. It 
 is sufficient to refer to passages in the " Fly tings of 
 Dunbar and Kennedy," lines 233-248, 513-14, 645-552 ; 
 and also to Dunbar's Ballad of our Lady, Haile^ sterne 
 superne! — (vol. i., p. 239). 
 
248 NOTES. 
 
 In the two copies iu Bann. MS. there are a few varia- 
 tions. Line S6^ And thy; line 76, Falsly and hegyle; 
 line 77, Devyse, to win us fra that byle ; line 84, And 
 thow be Juge^ dislug us of this sieid; line 86, For we re- 
 pent^ all tyme mispent. 
 
 SUM PRACTYSIS OF MEDECYNE.— Page 43. 
 
 Bann. MS., fol. 141b. — ^This is a strange performance, 
 and would require the knowledge and research of Dr 
 Simpson to explain the various technical and outlandish 
 phrases made use of ; but I do not think it would repay 
 his trouble. 
 
 ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE.— Page 49. 
 
 The classical story of " Orpheus," as related by Virgil 
 in the fourth book of his Georgicks, was very popular 
 during the middle ages, and is to be found in various 
 languages. Lord Bacon, in his book " The Wisdom 
 of the Ancients" (De Sapientia Veterum) introduces 
 *' Orpheus or Philosophy," as one of those poetical fables 
 which preceded the records of history, and which he 
 endeavoured to shew had a certain hidden or involved 
 meaning. Other writers had previously made a similar 
 attempt, but less successfully. ISTatalis Comes, in his 
 learned work on ancient mythology, devotes a chapter 
 to " Orpheus," and mentions some of the meanings at- 
 tached to this fable. ^ 
 
 The following is an extract from the translation of 
 Lord Bacon's work, by Sir Arthur Gorges, in 1619 : — 
 
 " The tale of Orpheus, though common, had never the 
 fortune to be fitly applied in every point. It may seem 
 
 1 Natalis Comitis Mythologiae, sive Explicationis Fabularum Libri 
 Decern (lib. vii., cap. xiv., p. 765 : Francofuxti, 15S7, 8vo). This work 
 was first published at Venice, 1581, 4to. 
 
NOTES. 249 
 
 to represent the Image of Philosophy ; for the person of 
 Orpheus (a man admirable and divine, and so excellently 
 skilled in all kinds of harmony, that with his sweet 
 ravishing musick he did as it were charm and allure all 
 things to follow him) may carry a singular description of 
 Philosophy : For the labours of Orpheus do far exceed 
 the labours of Hercules in dignity and efficacy, as the 
 works of wisdom excel the works of fortitude. 
 
 " Orpheus^ for the love he bare to his wife, snatched, as 
 it were, from him by untimely death, resolved to go down 
 to Hell with his harp, to try if he might obtain her of the 
 Infernal powers. Neither were his hopes frustrated, &c. 
 
 " The meaning of this fable seems to be thus : Orpheus' s 
 music is of two sorts — the one appeasing the Infernal 
 powers, the other attracting beasts and trees. The first 
 may be fitly applied to Natural Philosophy, the second 
 to Moral or Civil Discipline." 
 
 The fable of " Orpheus " was changed by the old 
 minstrels into a tale of faery, and it exists in old English 
 verse in three different forms : — ^The first, " Orpheo and 
 Heurodis," which contains 566 lines, was printed from 
 the Auchinleck MS. in " Select Eemains of the Ancient 
 Popular Poetry of Scotland, 1822;" the second, " Sir 
 Orpheo," 510 lines, from the Harleian MS., is included 
 inRitson's " Ancient English Metrical Romances, 1802," 
 vol. ii., p. 248 ; the thii'd, " King Orfew," among the Ash- 
 molean MSS., lxi., No. 38,^ is, I believe, still unpub- 
 lished. The Rev. J. J. Conybeare, a most accomplished 
 scholai', in referring to the volume, says that this ro- 
 mance "is altogether different from the translation (for 
 they are both probably translated from some French 
 original) published by Ritson." ^ No such original has 
 
 1 Catalogue of MSS. in the Ashmolean Library, Oxford, by W. H. 
 Black, p. UO; MS., No. 63, f. 151. 
 
 2 British Bibliographer, vol. iv., p. 95. 
 
250 NOTES. 
 
 been discovered, although it professes to be one of the 
 Breton (or " Biyton ") lays. The Scottish poet adheres 
 more closely to the classical fable. 
 
 Henryson's poem forms pai't of a volume which con- 
 tains the earliest specimens of Scottish Typography, hav- 
 ing been printed at Edinburgh by our first printers, 
 Walter Chepman and Andrew Myllar, in the year 1508. 
 It has this title : — 
 
 Incite begpnnis tf)e traitie of ©rpi)eus( fegng anti 
 
 i)oto f)t geitr to i^etogn & to i)el to sti^ f)is (juene ^nli 
 
 atxe otf)ct haWdCa in i^t Uttix tnU. 
 It is in quarto, twelve leaves. The ballad mentioned is 
 that given in the present volume at p. 36, " The Want 
 of Wyse Men." — ^See note, p. 247. As the only existing 
 copy known of this early edition of " Orpheus" is de- 
 fective of the thu'd and fourth leaves, these, in the fac- 
 simile reprint of Chepman and Myllar's tracts, were 
 supplied from Asloan's MS., fol. 247, where it has 
 this title : " Heir foUowis the buke of Oi-pheus (in the 
 old table of contents, ' Sh- Orpheus ') and Eurydices his 
 queue." In Bannatyne's MS., fol. 317, we not only 
 have the author's name, but it supplies a number of 
 additional lines in the "Moralitas" of the poem, as will 
 be specified in these notes. 
 
 There is a rare English poem on the same subject, of 
 which the title may be added, " Orpheus his Journey to 
 Hell, and his Musicke to the Ghosts for the requuing of 
 faure Euridice his Love, and new spoused Wife, by R. 
 B., gent. London, printed by Richard Johnes, 1595," 
 4to, 14 leaves. The only perfect copy known is in INIr 
 Christy IMiller's library at Britwell, Buckinghamshire. 
 A copy wanting the title, and dedication by the printer 
 " to Anthony Copley, Esq.," is in the British Museum. 
 
 Asloan's MS. for the text has been chiefly followed. 
 Of the minute various readings, a few may be noted : — 
 
NOTES. 251 
 
 Line 25, Garage^ tarage^ knowledge : line 38, Namyt, 
 named^ clippit; line 54, Coud^ coude^ couth; line 58, 
 Oure langage, Greek language^ — ib. TFe/e, rycht: line 
 71, Incressand sone to manheid up he drewe : line 79, 
 Quhen that, And quhen ; line 84, Thus thai can accord ; 
 line 97, Arresteus ; liae 102, And to his cave her drawe ; 
 line 116, King Orpheus can; line 134, Mony dulful; 
 line 140, Mony teris; line 147, Thae vailyeit; line 225, 
 Plato, Pluto ; line 230, Of all thir sex ; line 234, Duplate : 
 line 261, He passit furth on til a ryver deip, — ib., icoun- 
 der deip ; line 267, Rollit, rowit, roUands ; line 270, 
 Seisit, ceissit; line 275, Nocht far from thyne he come unto 
 a flude; line 278, Stude alone; line 280, Dowkit; line 
 297, He tuke his harpe ; lines 295 and 302, Theseus, 
 Tityus, COTT. to Tereus; line 331, Thair saw he; line 347, 
 Quhair he couth pas ; line 361. Scho fairis . . . as dois ; 
 line 365, Wald rewert; line 372, Cowth him heir or se ; 
 line 374, Wald haif; line 387, Outwartporf; line 394, 
 Great pity for to here; line 402, Sweit, crewali; line 410, 
 On f arse mone tume the ee; line 415, Now worthy; line 
 421, Triwit, tritat, troicit; line 435, Arestyus; line 449, 
 Wit, and eke; line 456, In tJii worldly breris ; line 463, 
 Feinyeid : line 469, Bot quhen our mynd is myngit with 
 sapience ; line 470, And playis ; line 487, Thai wait : 
 line 496, And soucht; line 501, Sentowris ; line 506, Ay 
 tamed ; line 508, Harp of conscience: lines 509 to 514 
 supplied from Baxx. MS. ; line 523, He till his ; line 
 525, Syne in a: line 534, Tak in herbery : line 546. 
 Smytis upon, — ib., harp of eloquence: lines 547 to 550 
 supplied from Bann. MS. ; lines 571 to 615 supplied 
 from Baxn-. MS. ; line 616, But Orpheus: line 620, Wise 
 and warly: line 623 (wardly, a typ. err., for warldly), Off 
 fleschly : line 630, That He wald underput His holy hand: 
 line 631, Forse to stand. 
 
 Line 35. Fair douchters nyne."] " Musse, arum. f. pi. 
 
252 NOTES. 
 
 [Moycra/, Gr.] The Muses, daughters of Jupiter and 
 Mnemosyne ; the feigned presidents of music and poetry, 
 and the mistresses of the liberal sciences. They were 
 originally only three. — Varr. ap. Serv. ad. Virg. ^n. 7, 
 21. How this number came to be multiplied by itself, is 
 variously related. Their proper names are Calliope^ 
 Clio^ Erato^ Euterpe^ Melpomene^ Polyhymnia^ Terp- 
 sichore, Thalia^ Urania, — which names are thought to 
 be given them by Hesiod. Theog., 77, from their several 
 presidencies and offices. Their common names are many 
 and various, taken from places ; as Aganippides, Aonides, 
 Cythcerides, or Cythceriades, Libethrides, Heliconides, or 
 Heliconiades, Pegasides, Pierides, Pimpleides, et si qua 
 sunt alia, de quibus vide suis quaeque locis." — Ainsworth's 
 Latin Dictionary (ISTom. Propria). Gawyn Douglas, in 
 one of his marginal glosses on the margin of his transla- 
 tion of Virgil's ^neis (MS. Cambridge), alludes to 
 Henryson's " Orpheus" when, upon the line " O! thou 
 my Muse," he adds : — " JMusa, in Grew [Greik] signifies 
 an inventryce, or invention, in om- langgage. And of 
 the IX Musis, sumething in my Palyce of Honour 
 & be Mastir Robert Hendirson in Xew Orpheus." 
 These unfinished Glosses do not occur in any of the other 
 MSS., and are now printed in the Banuatyue Club edi- 
 of the " yEneis," 1839, 2 vols. 4to. 
 
 Line 206. By Wadlying Strete.] " Watling Street is a 
 name given to one of the great Roman ways in Britain. 
 — (Horsley's 'Roman Antiquities of Britain,' p. 387: 
 Lond. 1732, fol.) This passage, which to some persons 
 may appear so unintelligible, will be best explained by a 
 quotation from Chaucer's " House of Fame," bookii. : — 
 
 Lo ! quod he, caste up thyne eye, 
 Se yonder, lo ! the Galaxie, 
 The which men clepe the Milky Way, 
 For it is whyte ; and some parfay 
 Callen it Watlynge Strete. 
 
NOTES. 253 
 
 In the Towneley Mysteries, p. 308, one demon thus 
 addi'esses another : — 
 
 Let us go to this dome up Watlyn Strete. 
 
 Bishop Douglas has employed the same expression in 
 translating a passage in the third book of the ^neid, 
 where the original contains no corresponding term : — 
 
 Sidera cuncta nota tacito labentia ccelo, 
 
 Arcturum, pluviasque Hyadas, geminosque Triones, 
 
 Armatumque auro circumspicit Oriona. 
 
 Of every sterne the twynkling notis he, 
 That in the stil hevin moue cours we se, 
 Arthweys hufe, and Hyades betaiknyng rane, 
 Syne Watling Strete, the Home and the Charle wane, 
 The feirs Orioun witli his goldine glaue. 
 
 " An ancient Roman building, which once stood on 
 the banks of the CaiTon, but was long ago demolished 
 by the Gothic owner of the soil, bore the name of 
 Arthur^s Hof^ or Arthur's Oon. ' It is remarkable,' says 
 Mr Ritsou, ' that Gawin Douglas, Bishop of Dunkeld, a 
 noted poet, has described this erection in the milky way.' 
 —(Life of King Arthur, p. 76 : Lond. 1825, 8vo). But 
 it is necessary to recollect that Virgil mentions the star 
 Arcturus, and that his translator could make no reference 
 to the hero of the Round Table." — Dr Irving (Hist. 
 Scotish Poetry, p. 219). 
 
 Lines 220-222. A hevynly melody. . . . be Rolling of 
 the Speris.'] " Here wyse men I telle that Pictagoras 
 passed somtyme by a smythes hous, and herde a SAvete 
 sowne, and accordynge in the smytyng of four hamers 
 upon an anvelt ; and therefore he lette weye the hamers, 
 and founde that one of the hamers weyed twyes soo 
 moche as a nother ; a nother weyed other half so moche 
 as a nother ; and a nother weyed so moche as a nother 
 and the thyrde dele of a nother. As though the fyrste 
 
254 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 M 
 
 hamer were of sixe pounde, the seconde of twelve, the 
 thyrde of eight, the fourth of ix., as this fygare sheweth. 
 
 m When these accordes 
 
 were founden, Pictago- 
 ras jaf hem names. 
 And so that he called 
 in nomber double, he 
 called in sownes Dyapa- 
 son; and that he called 
 in nombre other half, 
 he called in sowne Dy- 
 apente ; and that that 
 in nombre is called all 
 and the thyrde dele, 
 hete in sownes Dya- 
 tesseron ; and that that 
 in nombres is called 
 all and the eyghteth 
 dele, hete in tewnes 
 double Dyapason," &c. 
 — Polychronicon, by 
 Ran. Higden ; (edit. 
 
 c3 
 
 
 
 
 l-i95). Enprynted at Westmestre by Wynkyn Theworde. 
 — Fol. Ct. 
 
 " The Pythagoreans, in whose view number was the 
 source of knowledge, and constituted the essence of 
 things, applied theii' theory of numbers, and their all- 
 pervading doctrine of numerical proportions, to the 
 geometric consideration of the five early recognised 
 regular bodies, to the musical intei-vals of tones deter- 
 mining harmony and forming different families of sound, 
 and even to the structure of the Universe itself — deem- 
 ing that the moving, and, as it seemed, oscillating 
 planets causing waves of sound, must, by the harmonic 
 ratios of their intervals of space, call forth a ' music of 
 the spheres.' ' This music,' they added, ' would be 
 
NOTES. 255 
 
 audible to the human ear, were it not that, because it is 
 perpetual, and because, therefore, man is accustomed to 
 it from earliest infancy, it remains unheeded.' " — (Hum- 
 boldt's Cosmos, translated by Colonel E. Sabine, vol. 
 iii. pp. 315, 317, and cxv.) 
 
 Lines 415-417. Boece that noble Senature^ In his gay 
 Buke of Consolatioun.'] Anicius Manlins Severinus Boe- 
 thius, one of the latest classical authors, was a Roman 
 senator, and born about the year 475. He completed 
 his studies at Athens, where he acquired his knowledge 
 of Greek philosophy. He filled several important offices 
 at Rome, but in absence, he was, on suspicion of con- 
 spiracy, banished from the Roman State by Theodoric 
 King of the Ostrogoths in 523. Dm-ing his exile at 
 Ticinium, now Pavia, in Italy, he wrote his most cele- 
 brated treatise, the De Consolatione PhilosophicB^ in five 
 books, partly in prose, partly in verse C" Dictio est 
 varia, modo soluta, modo pedibus adstricta ; ipse Prosam 
 vocat et Metrum." — P. Bertius, edit, cum notis Var. 
 Lugd. Batav. 1671, 8vo). About two years after his 
 banishment, Boethius was beheaded in prison, by the 
 command of Theodoric. A splendid monument was 
 afterwards erected to his memory. " The tomb of 
 Boetius (says his translator Richard Lord Viscount 
 Preston, in 1695) is to be seen at this day in the chmxh 
 of St Augustine at Pavia, near to the steps of the chan- 
 cel, with the following epitaph, Maeonia et Latia^'' &c., 
 and this account is usually repeated; but see Valery, 
 " Voyage en Italic," tome i., p. 209. The tale of " Or- 
 pheus " is Metrum xii. (58 lines) of book III. This work 
 of Boethius was translated into Anglo-Saxon by Alfred 
 the Great, into English prose by Chaucer, and into most 
 European languages. Chaucer, in his " Canterbury 
 Tales," lines 6750 and 15,248, calls him Boece. In like 
 manner our historian Hector Boethius is called Boece by 
 his translator, Bellenden. 
 
256 NOTES. 
 
 Line 421. Yet Maister Trivet, doctour Nicliolas.'] " In 
 Chepman's edition, 1508, the line is printed, Yit Maister 
 trowit Doctor Nicholas. This misled Dr Irving to quote 
 a notice of Nicholas Crescius of Florence, a monk of the 
 Cistercian order, who published an edition of Boethius, 
 the text adjusted from a collation of the most ancient 
 manuscripts " — (Preface to Hemyson's Fables, p. ix., 
 and " History of Scotish Poetry," p. 221),— but this 
 Florentine edition was not published till several years 
 after the death of Hem-yson.^ The author whom the 
 Scottish poet mentions was an Englishman, Nicholas 
 Trivetus, a learned monk of the Dominican order, or 
 Black Friars. He designates himself " Frater Nicolaus 
 Trevet, de ordine Fratrum Predicatorum." He flomished 
 between the years 1258 and 1328, and is chiefly known 
 as the author of Latin Annals of the Six Kings of 
 England, of the House of Anjou, (De Sex Regibus Ang- 
 lorum, &c. 1136-1307). He is said to have died in 
 1328, aged 70. Among his other works were commen- 
 taries on the " Tragedies " of Seneca, on the " Metamor- 
 phoses" of Ovid, and on Boethius : " In Librum Boethii 
 de Consolatione Philosophise." It seems never to have 
 been printed, but MS. copies are preserved in some of 
 the English Libraries. That it was known in Scotland 
 appears from the inventory of books belonging to the 
 Cathedral Chm-ch of Glasgow, drawn up in the year 
 1442, in which we find, " Item, Liber Boetii cum glossa 
 Trevet," then remaining in the hands of one of the 
 canons, dming the pleasure of the Chapter.^ 
 
 1 " Boethius de Philosophiea Consolatione. — Impressum Florentiae 
 opera et impensa PhUippi Giuntae, Anno salutis M.D.VII mense 
 Decembris," 8vo. Prefixed is the address of" Nicolaus Crescius Flor- 
 entinus Antonio Lanfredino Florentino Civi Ulustri," dated in Decem- 
 ber 1507. (Baudini luntarum Typographiae Annales, pars ii. p. 23. — 
 Panzeri Annales Typographici, vol. vii. p. 10;. 
 
 2 Chartulary of Glasgow, vol. ii. p. 336. 
 
NOTES. 257 
 
 THE TESTAMENT OF CRESSEID.— Page 73, 
 
 No early MS. copy of Henryson's poem is kuown ; and 
 I have examined several MSS. of Chaucer's " Troilus," 
 of which it is a continuation, in the chance of discover- 
 ing it. Had it been one of the earlier works of the 
 Scottish poet, it would most likely have occurred in the 
 volume of Chaucer's " Troilus," and other poems (Selden. 
 Arch., B. 24, Bodl. MSS.), which appears to have been 
 written in Scotland, and contains the only copies known 
 of "The King's Quair" and "The Quair of Jelousy." 
 Henryson's poem has been added to a fine MS. on vellum 
 of Chaucer's "Troilus" in the Library of St John's 
 College, Cambridge (L. 1.) ; but the copy is evidently 
 transcribed from one of the printed editions of Chaucer's 
 Works in a hand of the seventeenth century. 
 
 Henryson's " Cresseid," we may presume, was printed 
 by Chepman and Myllar, with other popular works 
 which are not now preserved. It also was transcribed 
 by Asloan (1515) in that portion of his manuscript 
 which is lost, according to the old table of contents, — 
 "Item, THE Testament of Cresseid, [No.] xxiiij." 
 In a printed form it first appears in the collected edition of 
 Chaucer's Works, edited by William Thjome, and printed 
 at London by Thomas Godfray, 1632, folio. Curiously 
 enough, it must have been added, probably as one 
 of the " dy vers works which were never in print before," 
 after the volume was ready for circulation. In most of 
 the copies fol. cc.xix was cancelled, and in reprinting it 
 the colophon of Chaucer's poem reads, " Thus endeth the 
 fyfth and laste booke of Troylus ; and here foloweth the 
 
 PYTEFUL AND DOLOROUS TESTAMENT OF FAYRE CrE- 
 
 SEYDE." This interpolation fills four leaves, the last 
 three being unpaged ; so that sign. Q.q. has nine leaves in 
 place of six. There is no indication given of the author, 
 
 R 
 
258 NOTES. 
 
 and the poem retained its place in all the subsequent 
 editions of the great English poet. It has even been 
 quoted as his composition by such antiquarians as Strutt 
 and Douce, although Henrjson's name had at length 
 been attached to it in Urry's edition, 1721. 
 
 The earliest known edition of Henryson's " Cresseid " 
 printed in Scotland is that of Henry Charteris, 1593, of 
 which there is a unique copy preserved in the British 
 Museum. It was reprinted page for page in the volume 
 presented by Mr Chalmers to the Bannatyne Club in 
 1825. The title is as follows :— 
 
 C CJe Cestament of 
 
 CRESSEID, 
 
 Compylit be M. Robert 
 
 Henrysone, Sculemai- 
 
 ster in Dunfer- 
 
 meling. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 3(mpitntit at €Un- 
 
 burgh be Henrie Charteris. 
 M.D.XCIII. 
 
 In 4to, ten leaves, black-letter. 
 In 1599 Robert Smyth, printer in Edinburgh, ob- 
 tained a grant of the privilege of printing the " Testa- 
 
NOTES. 259 
 
 ment of Cresseid," the " Fabillis of Esope," and other 
 works. After his death this privilege was transferred in 
 1603, by his widow and his children's tutor, to Thomas 
 Finlayson, who, in 1609, obtained a renewal of the grant 
 for twenty-four years, under the Privy Seal. — (Dr Lee's 
 " Memorial," &c., App., p. 24). In the confirmed Testa- 
 ments of Edinburgh booksellers and printers, printed 
 in the Banuatyne Miscellany, vol. ii., the titles and 
 value of the books in stock are sometimes specified ; and 
 these furnish various proofs how completely copies of 
 many popular books have disappeared. For instance Ko- 
 bert Gourlay, in 1585, had three copies of " The Testa- 
 ment of Cresseid," valued at 4d. each, summa xiid. ; 
 Henry Charteris, in 1599, had 545 copies, estimated at 
 the same price, summa £ix : i : viij ; and Kobert Smyth, 
 in 1602, had 1638 copies, but not separately valued. 
 Yet of so many hundi-ed copies, only the above solitary 
 copy of the edition 1593 is known. In the Harleian 
 Catalogue, vol. iv., p. 644, No. 13,734, we find " Henri- 
 son's Testament of Cresseid, black-letter : Edinb. 1605," 
 8vo ; and in vol. v. p. 378, No. 12,728, " Testament of 
 Cresseid, black-letter: Edinb. 1611," 8vo. These edi- 
 tions have not been met with, but Mr Chalmers assigned 
 them to Robert Charteris in 1605, and Thomas Finlay- 
 son in 1611. There is a later edition apparently at 
 Glasgow by Andrew Anderson, with this title, in the 
 library of Trinity College, Cambridge, v. 15, a, 55, — 
 " The Testament of Cresseid. Compyled by Mas- 
 ter Robert Henrison, schoolemaster of Dunfermeling. 
 Printed in the year 1663." Small 8vo, black-letter, pp. 24. 
 Su' Francis Kynaston, who flourished in the reign of 
 Charles the Fu'st, translated into Latin rhyme, " Amo- 
 rum Troili et Cressidae Libri duo priores, Anglico-Latini. 
 Oxonias, excudebat Johannes Lichfield, anno domini 
 1635," 4to. From Kynaston's manuscript it appears 
 
260 NOTES. 
 
 that he had completed his version both of Chaucer's 
 " TroUiis" and of Henryson's " Cresseid," each stanza 
 being " interspersed with curious and intelligent re- 
 marks." The MS., with the imprimatur 1640, at length 
 fell into the hands of Mr F. G. Waldron, who printed in 
 1796 a specimen of the work, with many interesting par- 
 ticulars, but he did not meet with sufficient encourage- 
 ment to proceed with the publication of the entire work. 
 The MS. was sold in London at the sale of JMi- Singer's 
 Library a few years ago, and it is to be regretted that it 
 has again fallen into private hands, which may render it 
 inaccessible. 
 
 The variations between the Edinburgh and English 
 editions are chiefly in the orthography ; but the follow- 
 ing may be noticed : — Line 8, Me defende: line 10, Scylid: 
 line 17, Northrin: line 18, Sheddehis: line 20, Whisking: 
 line 32, Dul and ded: line 36, I made: line 45, Out of 
 his : line 49, He lived, and while : line 52, Most of al 
 ertJily : line 60, Forged of: line 70, She was in, or she 
 deide : line 77, In the courte as commune : line 87, Brutil- 
 nesse: line 94, Or refute: line 95, Dishevelid passid out 
 ofthetoun: line 117, The Church: line 144, Tinking a 
 silver bel: line 154, With austryne loke: line 155, His 
 face frounsid: line 156, Shivered: line 160, Iseickils: 
 line 178, Gaie of grene : line 190, Brande : line 192, A 
 blubbir : line 194, Right tulsure like (stode) : line 217, 
 Rollith: line 245, A Poete of the oldefasioun: line 278, 
 By yondir wretche: line 328, So sho with through thy: 
 line 349, Her visage: line 350, In hert were wo, I note 
 God wate : line 357, My Goddes to chyde : line 363, 
 Sayth your bedis : Une SS4:, In this yerth : line 385, Wicked 
 werth: line 401, Orwhelid all: line 410, Blake and bare: 
 line 414, Bale unberde : line 416, Wher men : line 421, 
 With saverie sauce: line 449, No peple hath liking : line 
 450, /So sped in sight: line 4bl, Lepir folke: line 479, 
 
NOTES. 261 
 
 Go lerne : line 489, Thei rode : line 490, Lepir stode : 
 line 501, In soche plight: line 518, Not one anothir knewe : 
 line 519, Knighthi pite: line 522, Doun gan shake: line 
 541, Cold atone: line 570, As grete brutilnesse: line 577, 
 Here I hequeth my corse : line 590, In tokining : line 600, 
 His herie to brast : line 614, This sore conclusion^ 
 
 Line 307. With seikness incurabilL'] The loathsome 
 disease of leprosy, during the Middle Ages, seems to have 
 prevailed extensively, and leper or spitall houses were 
 erected on the outskirts of several of the principal towns, 
 both in Scotland and England. Professor J. Y. Simpson, 
 M.D., has investigated the subject, with his accustomed 
 research and learning, in three articles which appeared 
 with the title of " Antiquarian Notices of Leprosy, &c." 
 in the "Edinburgh Medical and Surgical Journal," for 
 1841 (in Nos. 149, 150, and 151). Dr Simpson has not 
 overlooked this poem of Henryson, and, in particular, he 
 quotes lines 338-342 as affording proof that " the leprosy 
 in this country was, as on the Continent, truly the Greek 
 Elephantiasis." 
 
 Line 382. Unto yone Hospitall at the townes end; line 
 891. ^^ the Spittail housJ] There is reason to believe that 
 a spittail house existed in Dunfermline ; and the name 
 Spittal Street, at the east end of the town, is still re- 
 tained. This may have afforded Henryson an oppor- 
 tunity of personally witnessing the victims of this fright- 
 ful malady. The most noted victim of this disease in 
 Scotland was King Robert Bruce. All authorities agree in 
 stating that he suffered under a " lang sekness " (Wyn- 
 toun); of "la gross maladie," or "sore gi'eved with 
 the great sickness" (Froissart and his translator Lord 
 Berners); "lepra percussus " (Hemingford) "factusest 
 leprosus;" and again, "mortuus est Dominus Robertus 
 Brus, Rex Scotise, leprosus " (Chron. de Lanercost) ; 
 and in other authorities quoted by Dr Simpson. 
 
262 NOTES. 
 
 Lines 433 to 437, 444, 446, 447, 452, and 469, are 
 omitted in the English editions printed along with Chau- 
 cer's "Troilus," and line 456 follows 460. 
 
 Line 483. CompelUt hir to he ane rank beggair.'] In the 
 old Burrow Lawis of Scotland, cap. 64, it is enjoined, 
 that " Leper folke sail nocht gang fra dure to dure, but 
 sail sit at the posts of the Bui-gh, and seik almes (with 
 cap and clapper) fra thame that passes in and forth." 
 And James the First, anno 1427, Act 106, ordains that 
 " na Lipper folk sit to thig (beg) nouther in kirk nor 
 kirkyard, nor uther place within the buiTowes, but at 
 thair awin hospital, or at the port of the towne." 
 
 " Most of the Scottish leper-houses," says Dr Simp- 
 son, " were very poorly or not at all endowed. Then- 
 principal subsistence seems to have been derived from 
 casual alms. Each of the doomed inmates of the hos- 
 pitals was, like the leper-struck heroine of the old Scot- 
 tish poet, Henryson, by 
 
 cauld and hounger sair 
 
 Compellit to be ane rank beggair. 
 
 The inmates of the Greenside or Edinburgh lazar-house 
 were allowed four shillings Scots (about fom'pence Ster- 
 ling) per week, and for the remainder of theii' subsistence 
 they were, according to the original rules of the institu- 
 tion, obliged to beg at the gate of their hospital." 
 
 THE MORAL FABLES OF ^SOP.-Page 99. 
 
 The collection of Latin Fables, under the name of 
 -3^sop, seems to have been fii-st printed at Home in the 
 year 1473, and was frequently republished, and trans- 
 lated into most European languages. The Greek text 
 passed through the press at Mian, as eai'ly, it is sup- 
 posed, as 1480. Availing himself of a French version, 
 Caxton made his translation, which was printed by him 
 
NOTES. 263 
 
 at Westminster in 1484, with woodcuts, under this title : 
 " Here begynneth the book of the subtyl Historye and 
 Fables of Esope. Translated out of Frenssche into 
 Englische by William Caxton," &c. The volume also 
 contains the fables of " Avian," " Alfonce," and of " Poge 
 the Florentyn." Facsimile specimens of the figure of 
 Esope, and other woodcuts, are given in Dibdin's Typogr. 
 Antiq. vol. i. p. 209. Of the numerous subsequent 
 editions and translations it is unnecessary to enlarge. 
 But in studying the history of this popular class of lite- 
 rature, one of the most important works is the collection 
 of "Fables Inedites des xip xni® et xiv® Si^cles, et 
 Fables de La Fontaine rapprochees de celles de tons les 
 Auteurs qui avoient, avant lui, traite les memes sujets ; 
 precedees d'une ;N"otice sur les Fabulistes, par A. C. M. 
 Robert :" Paris, 1825, 2 vols. 8vo. The work is illus- 
 trated with facsimiles of designs to the fables copied 
 from a MS. of the thirteenth century. The editor seems 
 not to have been aware of the existence of Henryson's 
 Fables. 
 
 Many other books on this subject might be specified. 
 I shall merely notice one of the publications of the Percy 
 Society, No. xxviii., " A Selection of Latin Stories, 
 from MS. of the xiii. and xiv. Centmies." Edited by 
 Thomas Wright, Esq., 1842. This volume undoubtedly 
 forms a valuable " contribution to the history of fiction 
 daring the Middle Ages." 
 
 The date of Henryson's Fables cannot be exactly 
 ascertained. The most probable time is between the 
 years 1470 and 1480, or during the reign of James the 
 Third. It is not unlikely that they were printed by 
 Chepman and Myllar. When the Fables were first 
 collected for the press, that edition seems to have been 
 followed by all the others without any material change. 
 A copy somewhat mutilated, of perhaps the latest of the 
 
264 NOTES. 
 
 old editions, and said to be "Newlie revised and cor- 
 rected," was only discovered early this century. The 
 imprint is wanting, but there is little doubt that it was 
 "Edinburgh, printed by Andro Hart, 1621," 8vo, black- 
 letter, pp. 96. A description of this copy appeared in 
 the " Scots Magazine," 1813, p. 605. At the sale of Mr 
 Constable's Library in 1827, it was acquired for the lib- 
 rary of the Faculty of Advocates, being described in the 
 sale catalogue as " the only copy of any printed edition of 
 these Fables which it is believed is at present known to 
 exist." It fetched the sum of £19, 10s. 
 
 In the com'se of my own researches at an early 
 period, I met with a volume in the libraiy of Sion Col- 
 lege, London, containing an undescribed English ver- 
 sion of Henryson's Fables, printed at London in 1577 ; 
 and apparently derived from the edition of "^sop's 
 Fables, Englished by IVIr Eobert Hem-ison : Edinb. 
 1570," 8vo, of which a copy appears in the Catalogue 
 of the library of Sir Andi'ew Balfour, M.D., p. 118, 
 sold by auction at Edinbm-gh in 1695. In the note-book 
 of Sir John Foulis of Colinton, there is the following 
 entry : — "1673, January 6. For ^sop's Fables in Scots 
 to Archie, with the cuts, £1 7 " (Scots, or 2s. 3d. 
 sterl.) From one of these printed copies the MS. 
 dated 1571, in the Harleian Collection, may have been 
 transcribed. In 1599, Robert Smyth, bookseller and 
 printer in Edinburgh, obtained a grant of the privilege 
 of printing "TheFabillis of Esope," with other books. 
 After his death this privilege was transfen-ed to Thomas 
 Finlayson. In the inventoiy of stock of Robert Smith, 
 librar (bookseller), who died May 1st 1602, we find 743 
 copies of the "Fabilis of Isope," an edition now totaUy 
 unknown. 
 
 It is not many years since a copy of the Edinburgh 
 edition of 1570 of the Fables was discovered in private 
 
NOTES. 265 
 
 hands. I was most anxious to see the book, in the hope 
 that it not only might have woodcuts, but supposing that 
 Henry Charteris had been the collector, as well as pub- 
 lisher, that he might have prefixed a preface containing 
 notices of the author; but the book proved to have 
 neither preface nor woodcuts, being one of those " Newlie 
 Imprentit," that is, reprinted fi'om a previous edition. 
 A minute description of these existing copies of the col- 
 lected Fables may be given : — 
 
 1. Henry Charteris's Edition, 1570. 
 
 %i)t iKlorall jFabilto 
 of feope tlje 3?!)rggt= 
 
 att, €omp^Xit in i^Iaquent, an"tf Ornate ^cuiii^ 
 
 ^eter, fie Mai^ttv l^ts'bnt |^enri^0ne. 
 
 ^cf)aitmKiiUv oi Mnn^ 
 
 fermeling. 
 
 ^ Dulcius Arrident Sena Picta Jocis. 
 
 ^ Vt Naufi'agii leuamen est Portus, Ita Tranquillitas 
 animi seu Jucunditas est quasi Vitse Portus. 
 
 Q SeVulie fmprentit 
 
 at (iftfiitBurgft, fie tarrfiert Heifepreuilt, at tjbe ty^ 
 
 Tj^m^i^ tsi Wnxit Cjbartert^ : atitf ar t0 fie 
 
 ^auttf lit jbt^ 35ttit]b> xfw tjbe i30rtb ^»tfe 
 
 0f t^e gait, afione i^t STBtnne^ 
 
 ANNO.DO.M.D.LXX. 
 
 The only copy of this edition known is preserved in 
 
 the library at Britwell, Buckinghamshire, having been 
 
266 NOTES. 
 
 acquired by purchase by the late William Henry Miller, 
 Esq. of Craigentinny. It is a small 4to, black-letter ; 
 signatures A to N in fours, or 62 leaves, without any 
 preface,, or woodcuts. 
 
 The date on the title is 1570, but on the last leaf is 
 this colophon : — 
 
 Q f mprenttt at Ctiin= 
 
 fturgjb be i^oBert BUelfepretiife, at tjbe CBjrpena'i^ oi 
 
 ^eitrte Cjbarteris", tl)e ybj* trap ct IBecein^? 
 
 i>er : tf>t pit oi <§Btf nm t^nui^antf, 
 
 2. Harleian Manuscript, 1571. 
 
 In the British Museum, Harl. MSS. 3865 ; Pint, n ^' 
 It has this title : " The Morall Fabillis of Esope, com- 
 pylit be Maister Robert Henrisoun, Scolmaister of Dun- 
 fermling: 1571," small folio, 75 leaves, with a rude 
 drawing to two of the fables, of which an accurate repre- 
 sentation somewhat reduced is here given. I lately re- 
 examined this MS., but found nothing to identify it 
 with the MS. which occm's in the Bibliotheca Arch. 
 Pitcaniii, M.D., at p. 11, No. 304, the last of "Libri 
 in folio," as " xEsop's Fables, compiled in Scottish 
 verse by Eobert Henrisoun, Schoolmaster at Dunferm- 
 liug, MS." (no date). In Dr Webster's account of the life 
 and writings of Dr Pitcairne, 1781, it is said: — "He 
 collected one of the finest private libraries in the world, 
 which was purchased after his death by the Czar of Mus- 
 covy." Whether this was the case I cannot say ; but 
 judging from the printed catalogue, which has no title 
 or date, the collection itself was nothing so remarkable. 
 
qg^ tJT rf f e 0: ai%^* 
 
 ieTOtBmrflCii 
 
 pieittjm^oftbf fwalUb 
 
 altar 
 
NOTES. 267 
 
 3. Richard Smith's Edition, 1577. 
 
 A few years ago, when purposing to complete the pre- 
 sent volume, I applied to the librarian and managers of 
 Sion College for the use of this rare work, to have a 
 minute collation of the text. The application was favour- 
 ably received, but unluckily the book could not be found ; 
 and more recently I had an opportunity of personally 
 searching for it, but all in vain. It was well, therefore, in 
 my younger days, when I stumbled upon this little black 
 volume, that I made a careful abstract of its contents, 
 which I shall here introduce, in case the book may not 
 be recovered. It had the press-mark E B ix . 40. — (See 
 Reading's Catalogue, 1724). 
 
 Hf The Fabulous tales of 
 
 Efope the Phrygian, Compiled 
 
 mojie eloquently in Scottifhe 
 
 Metre by Mafter Robert 
 
 Henrifon, Ssr* now lately 
 
 Englifhed. 
 
 Every tale Moralized moft aptly to 
 
 this present time, worthy 
 
 to be read. 
 
 [A neat oniament of Time bringing Truth to light. 
 Motto, Occulta Veritas Tempora patet.] 
 
 Imprinted at London by 
 
 Richard Smith. 
 Anno 1577. 
 
268 NOTES. 
 
 Title, 4 leaves, and A to H 2 in eights, pp. 115 in sm. 
 870, black-letter. 
 
 On the back of the title are two twelve-line stanzas, 
 in short metre» entitled, The Bookes Passport, — 
 
 " That man neare wi'ote 
 Whose wiyte pleasd all mens mynd," &c. 
 
 followed by Smith's dedication " To Mr Kichard Stonely, 
 Esquire, one of the fom-e tellers of the Q. Maiesties 
 receyt of the Eschecker," &c., by R. S. : — 
 
 *' There came," he says, " unto my hande a Scottishe 
 pamphlet of the Fabulous Tales of Esope, a worke, Su-, 
 as I thinke, in that language wherein it was written, 
 verie eloquent and full of great invention. And no doubt 
 you shall finde some smatch thereof, although veiy rudely 
 I have obscm-ed the authour, and having two yeres since 
 tm'ned it into Englishe, I have kept it unpublished, 
 hoping some one els of greater skill would not have let 
 it lyen dead. But whether most men have that Nation 
 in derision for their hollowe hearts and ungratefull mindes 
 to this Countrey alwayes had (a people very subject to 
 that infection), or thinking scome of the authom- or fii'st 
 inventer, let it passe, as frivolous and vaine matter : yet 
 in my conceite there is learning for all sorts of people 
 worthie of the memorie. Therefore, knowing not howe 
 by any meanes to let you understand my good will to- 
 warde you, but by this meanes, at last putting all feare 
 aside, I boldly presente this unto your worship, hoping," 
 &c. — Yours at commandement. Richard S^^nTH." 
 
 On the next leaf are " The Contentes of the Booke ;" 
 after which is subjoined 
 
 The Argument between Esope and the 
 
 Translatour. 
 Late passing thorowe Panics Churchyarde 
 Aside I cast mine eve. 
 
NOTES. 269 
 
 And ere I wist, to me appearde 
 
 Sii' Esope by and by, 
 Apparelled both braue and fine, 
 
 After the Scottish guise. 
 I stoode then still, with ardent eyne 
 
 I viewde him twise or thrise. 
 " Behold," quoth he, " now am I here. 
 
 And faine would meete some one 
 To speake English that would me leare." 
 
 With that quoth I anone : 
 " Why, English, Sir, you speake right well — 
 
 What more would you require?" 
 " Yea, that's in prose : my tales to tell 
 
 In verse I do desire." 
 " Alasse ! I am not for your tourne ; 
 
 Ye must repayre unto 
 The Innes of Court and Chancer}'-, 
 
 Where learned have to do. 
 At Helicon I never came — 
 
 The way I do not knowe ; 
 (God Pan his servant, Sir, I am, 
 
 And duetie to him owe). 
 On oaten pipe we still do play, — 
 
 That's all that he teach can ; 
 Of other lore he takes no way 
 
 This Growtnole rusticke Pan. 
 Minervas impes they Orpheus keepe, 
 
 In musicke they delite. 
 To serve your turne before they sleepe, 
 
 In verse to make you dite, 
 Your Fables wise and eloquent 
 
 With phrases feate and fine, 
 Endewed with Apollo gent 
 
 That passeth muse of mine." 
 " Content your selfe," quoth Esope than, 
 
270 NOTES. 
 
 " Do thus much once for me, 
 To leame me verse so as ye can 
 
 Myselfe as playne as ye ; 
 They do not care for Scottish bookes, — 
 
 They list not looke that way : 
 But if they would but cast their lookes 
 
 Some time when they do play, 
 Somewhat to see perhaps they might 
 
 That then would like them wel, 
 To teach them treade thair way aright, 
 
 To blisse, from paines of hel." 
 " Farewel, good Phrygian Poet, now, 
 
 I may no more sojounie." 
 " If not," sayth Esope, " then adew, 
 
 Into Scotland I'le retume." 
 " Nay, rather will I venture hard 
 
 And bring your minde to passe. 
 If that I gaine to my rewarde 
 
 King IVIidas eai'es of asse, 
 And have a thousand ill reports 
 
 Still tumbling downe on me, 
 Thau this to want unto all sorts 
 
 And view of every eye." 
 Wherefore have here, good Reader, now, 
 
 My rurall skillesse skill ; 
 I aske no more but this of you, — 
 
 One ynche of your good will : 
 Which it to gi'ant as I do crave. 
 That's even as much as I would have. 
 
 His Verdict on his Labour. 
 
 Orpheus once did walke abrode 
 
 'Mong fragrant flowers t'encrease his glee. 
 To set his harpe in one accorde 
 
NOTES. 271 
 
 In tune to make his strings agree, 
 Whereby was heard such pleasant souude 
 That all the woodes thereof rebound: 
 
 And playing thus in pleasant shade, 
 Wild beastes and men to him did come ; 
 
 With musicke strayte them stones he made, 
 His gift was such, them to transforme. 
 
 He fell a sleepe, and or he wooke, 
 
 In hand a while his harpe I tooke. 
 
 This Scottish Orpheus I meane, 
 That Esops tales hath made to gree 
 
 In Rethoricke both trim and cleane. 
 That all my wittes bereft hath hee. 
 
 His harpe, alas ! I make to jarre, 
 
 And both his name and mine do marre ; 
 But since I made them disagree. 
 Leave me the blame, the Laurel he. 
 
 The contents of the volume are as follows :— 
 The Argument or Prologue. 
 
 ' Though fayned Fables of auncient poetry,' p. 1, 9 stanzas of 
 7 lines each. 
 
 The tale of the Grosshead, Chauntcleare the Cock, and 
 precious Stone, p. 3. 
 
 ' A cock sometime with feathers fresh and gay,' 8 stanzas of 
 7 lines. The Morall, p. 5, 6 stanzas, ' This gentle Jasp,' &c. 
 
 The prety tale of the playne countrey Mouse, and 
 deyntie towne Mouse, p. 7. 
 
 ' Esope mine Author maketh mention,' 29 stanzas; Moralitie, 
 p. 14, 'Frendes ye may finde,' &c., 4 stanzas. 
 
 The pleasant tale of the Cock and the Foxe, how wyly 
 beguyles himselfe. 
 
 * Though brutall beasts be irrationall,' 27 stanzas ; Moralitie, 
 p. 23, ' Now worthie folke,' &c., 4 stanzas. 
 
 The pleasant tale howe this false dissembling Tod 
 
272 NOTES. 
 
 made his confession to the hypocrite flyer Wolfe Wayt- 
 skayth. 
 
 * Lea-ring this wydow glad I you assure,' p. 24, 23 stanzas; 
 Moralitie, p. 30, ' This sudden death,' &c., 3 stanzas. 
 
 The Retoricall tale of the sonne and heyre of the fore- 
 sayd Foxe called Father Wars, also the Parlement of 
 foure footed Beastes, holden by the Lyon, p. 31. 
 
 ' This foresayd Foxe, that dide for his misdeeds,' 42 stanzas ; 
 Moralitie, p. 42, ' Ryght as the myner,' &e., 7 stanzas. 
 
 The wofull tale of the playntif Dogge, agaynst the 
 poore Sheepe, before Justice Wolfe, p. 44. 
 
 'Esope a tale puts in memory,' 16 stanzas; Moralitie, p. 49, 
 This selly sheepe,' &c., 9 stanzas. 
 
 The exemplative tale of the Lion and the Mouse ; with 
 the Author's Prologue before, p. 51. 
 
 The prologue, p. 51,' In mids of June that sweete season,' &c., 
 contains 12 stanzas. The Tale, p. 54, < A lion at his pray 
 was overrunne,' 24 stanzas; Moralitie, p. 60, *As I sup- 
 pose,' &c., 7 stanzas. 
 
 The notable tale of the preaching of the Swallow, p. 
 62. 
 
 •The hie prudence and working marvellous,' 38 stanzas; 
 Moralitie, p. 72, 'Lo I worthy folke,' 9 stanzas. 
 
 The mery tale of the Wolf that woldshaue had the 
 Neckhering, through the wyles of the Foxe, that beguiled 
 the Carrier, p. 77. 
 
 ' Whylom there wound in a wUdemes,' 36 stanzas ; Moralitie, 
 p. 84, ' This tale is mingled,' &c., 4 stanzas. 
 
 The excellent tale of the wyly Laurence Foxe that 
 beguylde the covetous crafty Wolfe, with the shadow of 
 
 the Moon, p. 86. 
 
 *In elder dayes as Esope can declare,' 28 stanzas; Moralitie, 
 * The Wolf I liken to a wicked man,' 4 stanzas. 
 
 The mery tale of the Wolfe and the Weather, p. 94. 
 
 « Whylom there was, as Esope can report,' 19 stanzas ; Mor- 
 alitie, p. 99, 'Esope the poet, first father of this Fable,' 4 
 stanzas. 
 
NOTES. 273 
 
 The wofuU tale of the cruell Wolfe and the innocent 
 Lambe, p. 101. 
 
 * A cruell "Wolfe, right ravenous and fell,' 13 stanzas ; Mor. 
 alitie, p. 104, ' The poore people this Lambe may signifie,' 
 &c., 10 stanzas. 
 
 The tale of the wofull ende of the Paddocke and the 
 Mouse : shewing the mischiefe of desemblers, p. 107. 
 
 ' Upon a time (as Esope coulde report),' 19 stanzas; Moralitie, 
 p. 1 12, ' My brother if thou,' &c., 9 stanzas. 
 
 The last stanza of this Moralitie may be quoted : — 
 
 Adew, my friend ; and if that any aske 
 Of these Fables, so shortly I conclude, 
 
 Say thou I left the rest unto the learneds taske 
 To make example and some similitude. 
 Now Christ for us that died on the rood, 
 
 Of soule and life, as thou art Saviour, 
 
 Grant us to passe into a blessed houre. 
 
 Finished in the Vale of Aylesburie^ the thirtenth 
 of August Anno Domini 1574. 
 
 The volume concludes with the Translator's Epilogue, 
 3 stanzas of 7 lines, — " Shewing (as Smith says in the 
 Fable) that in a deformed creature God may and wil set 
 forth his glorie. 
 
 Then love this worke, and reade it at your will ; 
 I but eclipse his Tales of so gi'eat skill." 
 
 It may be added that Richard Smith was a bookseller 
 in London, keeping a shop at the west door of St Paul's. 
 He had an edition of " The Poesies of George Gascoigne, 
 Esq.," printed for him in 1575, and other books until the 
 year 1595— (Herbert's Ames, pp. 978, 1304). 
 
 1 The Vale of Aylesbury is a rich tract of land near the town of 
 Aylesbury, in the county of Buckingham, 
 
 S 
 
274 xoTES. 
 
 4. Andrew Hart's Edition, 1621. 
 
 " The Morall Fables of Esope the Phrygian. Com- 
 pyled into eloquent and oraamentall Meeter, by Robert 
 Henrisoun, Schoolemaster of Dnnfermeling. Dulcius^ 
 &c. Newlie revised and corrected. Edinburgh, printed 
 by Andi'o Hart, 1621."— 8vo, black letter, sign. A to F 
 in eights, pp. 96. The above imprint is supplied on the 
 authority of a notice in Bagford's MS. Collections. — 
 (Sloane MSS., No. 885, p. 49). 
 
 " The Morall Fables of Eobert Henryson. Reprinted 
 from the edition of Andrew Hart. Edinburgh, m.dccc. 
 XXXII."— 4to, pp. XII, 96, and two other leaves. " Pre- 
 sented to the Maitland Club by Duncan Stewart." The 
 Preface is anonymous, but it was furnished by Dr Living, 
 and corresponds with his article Henryson in the Ency- 
 clopaedia Britannica, seventh edition, 1836 ; and with 
 chap. X. of his posthumous work entitled " The History 
 of Scotish Poetry, by David Irving, LL.D. Edited by 
 John Aitken Caiiyle, M.D. ; with a Memoir and Glos- 
 sary." Edinb. 1861, 8vo. 
 
 In these several copies the same an-angement of the 
 Fables is adopted. For the sake of uniformity of ortho- 
 graphy I preferred to follow the text of the printed edi- 
 tion at Edinburgh, 1570, the earliest which has been 
 discovered. 
 
 I may here add an extract from the original table of 
 contents of Asloan's Manuscript, which gives us the titles 
 of one portion of the volume now lost. The loss of 
 some of these articles is much to be regretted,'but a few 
 by Dunbar and other poets, including the Fables of 
 Henryson, are fortunately elsewhere preserved. I re- 
 gret especially that his poem, " Doune on fut by Forth," 
 and also " By a Palace as I couth pass," are not known : — 
 
NOTES. 
 
 215 
 
 Item, 
 
 the Testament of Cresseid, . . xxiiij. 
 the Disputacioun betuix the Nych- 
 
 tingale, Mavis [and] Merle, . xxv. 
 [the Buke of the] Goldm Terge, . xx\j. 
 Maister Robert Hekdersounis 
 
 Donne on fut by Forth, . . . xxvij, 
 [the Sawis] of the Angell deid quhyte 
 
 Dragoun young man and of the 
 
 Sawlis in Hell, xxviij. 
 
 the Buke of Cm*tasy and Nortur, xxix. 
 the Document of Sir Gilbert Hay, xxx. 
 the Eegiment of Kingis with the 
 
 Buke of Phisnoray, .... xxxj. 
 a Ballat of the Incarnacioun, . . xxxij. 
 a Ballat of Steidfastness, . . . xxxlij. 
 a Ballat of Recompence, . . . xxxiiij. 
 a Ballat of our Lady of Pete, . . xxx v. 
 a Ballat of Disputacioun betuix the 
 
 Body and Saull, xxxvi. 
 
 a Ballat of the Devillis Inquest, . xxxvij. 
 a Ballat of our Lady, .... xxxviij. 
 the Buke of Colkelby, .... xxxix. 
 the Buke of the Otter and the Ele, xl. 
 the Fly ting betuix Kennyde and 
 
 Dunbar, xli. 
 
 THE Fablis of Esope and first of 
 
 the Paddok and the Mouss, 
 the Preching of the Swallow, 
 the Lyoun and the Mouss, . 
 Of Chanticler and the Fox, 
 Of the Tod and the Wolf, . 
 the Parliament of Bestis, 
 By a Palace as I couth pass, 
 A Ballat of Treuth, • . . 
 
 xlij. 
 
 xliij. 
 
 xliiij, 
 
 xlv. 
 
 xlvi. 
 
 xlvij. 
 
 xlviij. 
 
 xlix. 
 
276 NOTES. 
 
 THE PKOLOGUE.-Page 101. 
 
 la MSS. Mak. and Bann. — This Prologue serves as 
 introductory to the fable of the Cock and the Jasp. The 
 similar Prologue at page 155 might have seemed more ap- 
 propriate as a general introduction, had any new arrange- 
 ment of the Fables been made ; but as the existing copies 
 exhibit one uniform order, it was not desii-able to make 
 any change in this respect. But these two Prologues 
 may suggest that Henryson had derived his Fables from 
 two different collections. 
 
 The variations of the Harleian MS. 1571, and the 
 printed copies of 1570 and 1621, consist chiefly in 
 changes of orthography ; and where any of the Fables 
 occur in other MSS., it was not thought necessary to 
 point out differences which appear to be clerical errors. 
 
 Line 28. Dulcius arrident seria pictajocis.'\ This is the 
 second of twelve lines of "Prefatio" to the series of 
 Fables in Latin verse republished in the collection of 
 Ancient Fables by Neveletus as, " Anonymi Veteris 
 Fabulae -3isopicae, Latino carmine redditae lx." (Mytho- 
 logia ^sopica, in qua ^sopi Fabula, Gr. and Lat. &c. 
 cura et studio Is. Neveleti: Francofurti, 1610, 12mo. 
 This volume reappeared with a new title, as " Fabulae 
 Variorum Authorum : " Francof. 1660). But these 
 metrical Fables had been published in numerous editions, 
 so early as the year 1478, chiefly in small 4to, under the 
 title of "Esopus Moralizatus," with or without woodcuts. 
 The most interesting edition is one mentioned by Tyr- 
 whitt, and printed at London by Wynkyn de Worde, 
 1503. It is now in the British Museum (1067, c. 2), and 
 marked as "Bequeathed by Thomas Tyrwhitt, Esq., 
 1786." Dibdin, who had not seen the book, speaks of 
 it as imperfect. It seems to be quite complete ; sign. A 
 to F in sixes, not paged. The title is, Fabule Esopi 
 
NOTES. 277 
 
 CUM coMMENTO, over a woodcut representing a school- 
 master in a large chair, with a birch-rod in his left 
 hand, and three scholars underneath, also seated. It 
 has no woodcuts to the fables, like the foreign editions. 
 It contains three books of twenty, twenty-one, and 
 twenty fables respectively, with a prose ^commentary to 
 each. The first fable, as in Henryson, is " De Gallo et 
 Jaspide." The colophon is, " Explicit liber fabularum 
 Esopi una cum commento Impressus London, per Win- 
 andum de Worde in vico nuncupato the Flete Strete 
 commorantem in signo solis. Anno M. ccccciii." I have 
 a later edition, containing 67 fables, entitled " Esopus 
 constructus moralizatus et hystoriatus," printed at 
 Venice, 1517, 4to, with rude woodcuts. M. Robert, in 
 his Fables Inedites, p. xciij., attributes this version to 
 Mag. Galford or Ganffredus, on the authority of a MS. 
 of the fourteenth century, which has 
 
 Incipit liber ^sopi edito a Magistro Ganffredo. 
 
 Line 29. Of this Author.'] It is not perhaps possible to 
 ascertain whether Henryson followed any particular col- 
 lation, if perhaps we except the one described in the 
 previous note. 
 
 I may add, that an important branch of such Fables 
 existing in most European languages consists in those 
 that relate to the adventures of Reynard the Fox. In 
 particular, the old French collections, " Le Roman du 
 Renart, public d'apres les Manuscrits de la Bibliotheque 
 du Roi des xiij® xiv^ et xv^ Si^cles ; par M. D. M^on :" 
 Paris, 1826. 4 vols. 8vo. " Le Roman du Renart, Sup- 
 plement : Variantes et Corrections, public, etc. par P. 
 Chabaille :" Paris, 1835, 8vo. 
 
 Of the English copies of Reynard, the earliest edition 
 professes to have been translated from the Dutch by 
 William Caxton, in the year 1481, as " Thystorye of 
 Reynard the Foxe." In the republication of this rare 
 
278 NOTES. 
 
 volume for the Percy Society in 1844, the editor, W. J. 
 Thorns, Esq., has added notes, and an introductory 
 sketch of the literary history of the Romance, containing 
 much learned and curious information on the subject. 
 
 Line 34. Ofane Lord.'\ If we are to understand this 
 literally, we cannot but regret Hemyson's words, " the 
 name it neidis nocht record." Had the Lord's name 
 been given, it might possibly have afforded a chance to 
 ascertain the exact period of the composition of these 
 Fables. 
 
 Line 44. That brutall Beastis spak and understude.'\ 
 Cowper, in his "Pairing Time anticipated — a Fable," 
 
 I shall not ask Jean Jacques Rousseau 
 If Bu'ds confabulate or no ; 
 'Tis clear, that they were always able 
 To hold discom'se — at least in fable. 
 
 But in this saving clause Cowper was anticipated by 
 
 Phaedrus : — 
 
 Calumniari si quis autem voluerit, 
 
 Quod Arbores loquantm*, non tantum Feras, 
 
 Fictis jocari nos meminerit fabulis. 
 
 V.R. from MS. Mak :— Line 6, To repreif the of thi 
 mysleuing^ — in MS. B. the vyce of mysdoing ; line 14, 
 Quha cowth, — in MS. B. culd it rycht aply; line 16, Kyr- 
 nal sweit and delectabill; lines 22 and 25, Ay is; line 24, 
 So dots the mynd ; line 29, Off this poete^ — in MS. B. 
 poyett^ and in next line, / me deffer ; line 43, In this 
 Fabill; line 51, Leiffis ay in carnall; line 52, Can nocht 
 derenze; line 55, In the mynd is ; line 56, He a brutal 
 best is; line 58, In gay meteyr and in facund purpurat.^ 
 — in MS. B., In gay metir, facoimd and purpurat. 
 
NOTES. 270 
 
 THE COCK AND THE JASP.— Page 104. 
 
 Jasp is here used by Henrysou for a precious stoue. 
 lu La Fontaine's Fable it is " Le Coq et la Perle ;" and 
 in the old French Ysopet it is called " Du Coc et dc 
 TEsmeraude." 
 
 V.R. from MS. Mak. : — Line 1, Fethreme; line 7, 
 Was cassyn out; line 9, As madynis (MS. B.) ; line 26, 
 Be haldyne deyr ; line 29, Scraip heir; line 35, May me 
 as now for thyne awall dispice (MS. B.) ; line 39, For 
 luise men sayis^ fhat lidiand werk is lyclit (ib.) ; line 47, 
 Out of this feir^ out of this as (ib.) ; line 61, Sum meit; 
 Ime 64, Oft differeyit (MS. B.) of hew; line 69, To haif; 
 line 80, Makand at science hot a hnak and shorne ; line 
 82, Walwmlys, wamilis; line 88, Erdly gud; line 96, 
 Of this mater I do but waistis wynd ; line 98, Quha list. 
 
 THE UPLANDIS MOUS AND THE BURGES 
 
 MOUS.— Page 108. 
 
 In MS. AsLOAN andBANN. — This fable has always been 
 a favourite subject. The Emperor Marcus Antoninus, in 
 his "Meditations," to illustrate the axiom of the safety 
 and tranquility of a retired life, and a low station, with 
 the dangers of ambition, says (B. xi. 22), — " Remem- 
 ber the fable of the Country Mouse and the City Mouse, 
 and the great fright and terror of the latter." Here he 
 probably alludes to the fable as it occurs in Horace (Lib. 
 ii. Sat, vi.) Sir Thomas Wyatt adopts the story in his 
 Satire I. " On the Mean and Sure Estate." This, as his 
 editor, the Rev. Dr Nott, says, may have been suggested 
 by Horace's story of the Town and Country Mouse, 
 which Wyatt relates in a new and lively manner of his 
 own ; subjoining to it moral reflections, in a high strain 
 
280 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 of philoso])hic reasoDiug, upon the beauty and dignity of 
 virtue. Yet, he adds, Wyatt might be indebted to 
 Henryson, if not for the idea of the story, at least for 
 the mode of telling it. 
 
 Line 11. Wes gild-brother^ . . and free burgess.] There 
 were special privileges enjoyed by persons admitted bur- 
 gesses of a guilder coi'poration, in contrast with unfreemen. 
 
 Line 18. To se quhat lyfe scho had under the wand.] 
 "Wand" has various significations: in our old poets 
 a sceptre, or badge of authority— the rod of coiTCction, 
 a state of subjection, &c. Dr Jamieson quotes lines 
 15-18 in this place, and remarks : " This phrase is used 
 apparently as synonymous with under the lind — denoting 
 a situation in the open fields or woods." 
 
 Line 26. Cry peip anis.] Dr Nott considers that Sir 
 Thomas Wyatt in using the expression, Peip quoth the 
 other., was indebted to Henryson. 
 
 Line 4. Uponland.] Or Upland. This term is equivalent 
 to " land wart," one who lives in the country, or rural 
 district, as distinguished from the burgh, or borough — 
 the residence of a burgess. It is an old term in use in 
 Scotland, occumng in the Laws of the Four Boroughs, in 
 the reign of David II. " like bm-ges may punde (arrest 
 or distrain) an Uplandis man wythin the merket and 
 utouth, within his house and utouth his house," &c. — thus 
 rendered in the Latin text : " Quilibet burgensis potest 
 namare foris habitantes infra forum suum et extra, infra 
 domumsuam et extra." — ( Leges QuatuorBurgorum, III.) 
 
 Lines 120-126.] This stanza is omitted in Asloan's 
 MS. It occurs in all the other copies. 
 
 Line 213. The mous hes eie.] In MS. Bann., To the 
 rnvuss hewis e.] '* The word hewis is probably the same 
 with heaves — raises or lifts up his eye. It may, how- 
 ever, imply no more than have^ or has^ so arbitrary was 
 spelling with us." — Hailes. 
 
NOTES. 281 
 
 Lines 220-227.] This stanza is omitted in H. Char- 
 teris's edition of the Fables. From this circumstance, 
 and the similar omission of three stanzas in the last 
 Fable, we must conclude that the copy used by the 
 writer of the Harleian MS. 1571, and by Smith in his 
 translation 1577, must have been a prior edition not now 
 existing. 
 
 Line 228. Sa it be hot a gleid.] " A temporary blaze, 
 such as is made with brush-wood, opposed to a constant 
 regular fire." — Hailes. Gleid. " Not a temporary blaze, 
 as Lord Hailes explains it, but a small fire. ' You will 
 find yourself comfortable by the side of your own fire, 
 though it be a small one.' The word is still common in 
 this sense." — Sibbald. 
 
 V.R. from Asloan's and Bann. MSS : — Line 6, Uther 
 mennis schecht; line 8, That levis on thair wacht; line 
 13, And licence had to gang; line 17, Langit sar to; 
 line 22, Throw many ; line 30, Quhen thir sisleris twa wes 
 met; line 36, A simple wane; line 37, Fidl misterlyk; 
 line 38, Ane erdfast stane ; line 43, Unto the hutry hyed; 
 line 49, ThinTi ye this meit nocht gud ; line 55, Of my 
 syre liffand in; line 63, Quhilk usit is hefor with; line 68, 
 With richt gud will baith blyth and hartlie cheir ; line 83, 
 This riall; line 84, For sic a rurale best; line 88, Disehe 
 likingis; line 92, In scowthry ; line 101, Intillane innes 
 thair herbery ; line 132, So come the Spensar ; line 143, 
 To sers, to seike, to cheir nor yit to chase ; line 148, Flat- 
 tingis ; line 150, Wilsome stound; line 159, Huf fast ; 
 line 160, Benes and peis; line 175, Between the dosor — 
 the dressour ; line 178, And be the cluk richt craftely ; 
 line 180, Scho come; line 188, Frayone; line 190, War 
 lanys; line 207, Intermellit; line 211, And nocht; line 
 219, Is mery hart; line 227, In sikerness; line 230, And 
 thou wilt it reid; line 231, / can nocht better se; line 232, 
 In quiete. 
 
282 NOTES. 
 
 SCHIR CHANTECLEIR AND THE FOXE.— 
 
 Page 118. 
 
 Chaucer in the Nonnes Preestes Tale (Canterbury 
 Tales) has the same Fable as this of Henrjson's, being a 
 tale of " A Cok highte Chaunteclere." The cock is fore- 
 warned in a dream of the danger that awaited him, and 
 this leads to a long prolix or misplaced digression on 
 swevens or dreams, in a dialogue between Chaunteclere 
 and the fau'e damoselle Pertelote.— -(Tyrwhitt, vol. iii., 
 p. 192). 
 
 Line 77. Baith wink and craw.'] In the " Roman du 
 Renart," vol. i., p. 49, we have this tale, " Si coume 
 Renart prist Chantecler le Coc," containing many simi- 
 lar incidents; but it forms no part of my design to 
 attempt to trace such resemblances. 
 
 Lors chanta Chantecler un vers, 
 
 L'une oil ot clos, et I'autre overs. — V. 1589. 
 
 It is not unlikely that Chaucer was the first to naturalise 
 Chaunteclere as the name of a cock. 
 
 Line 115. Sand Johne to borrow.'] Borrow or borch — 
 a pledge or secmity ; and the meaning of this common 
 saying seems to be, as suggested by Tyrwhitt, My faith 
 for a pledge, St John for a security. It occurs in this 
 sense in Gower, Chaucer, our own Blind Minstrel, and 
 in Lyndesay, as well as in other early poetical wiiters. — 
 See Jamieson's Dictionary, v. Borch ; also Halliweirs 
 Glossary, v. Borow. 
 
 Line 119. Wes never wedow so gay.] This may likely 
 have been the title or words of a popular song. 
 
 Line 181. / hecht he my hand.] This should read, / 
 liecht you be my hand. 
 
 Line 196.] On the margin of MS. Bann. is marked 
 Pryd. 
 
NOTES. 283 
 
 Lines 197 to 203.] Tliis stiinza is omitted iu MS. 
 Harl. 
 
 Line 201.] On the margin of MS. Bann. is written, 
 Flattery. 
 
 V.R. from MS. Bann. : — Line 2, Lakking discretioun ; 
 line 3, Kyndis ; line 11, My cunning it exeedis; line 12, 
 Is to; line 13, This hinder ; line 16, With spinning ; line 
 21, Crawand befoir ; line 32, Werie of; line 37, Smy- 
 land; line 43, Serve you^ Sir^ I wer to blame; line 47, 
 At his ending; line 60, My hert warmis ; line 61, You for 
 to serve^ I wald; line 73, Quod Lowrence than., now Sir, 
 sa mot; line 78, Thus inflate with the ivind offals vaine 
 gloir; line 81, Walkit up ; line 85, To the schaw ; line 
 102, Horlage bell ; line 113, Than Sprowtok spak; line 
 120, Held us in grete aw ; line 133, Claw your beke; line 
 136, Sa loueous ; line 140, Adulteraris that list thame; 
 line 150, How Birkye Burrie Bell Balsye Broun; line 
 151, Curtess Cutt and Clyid; line 159, Saw the ratchis; 
 line 161, Wer liftit; line 174, Tlie Cok brade unto a 
 bughe ; line 180, iV«, murthar theif and rivare stand on 
 reir; line 197, Fy ! pompouss pryd ; line 201, This wik- 
 kit wind of adulatioun. 
 
 THE TOD'S CONFESSION TO FRIAR WOLF.— 
 
 Page 127. 
 
 V.R. in MS. Bann. : — Line 3, Fatal aventure; line 5, 
 With miching; line 8, Thetes; line 13, Kest him; line 
 14, Cumn; line 19, And sum ivas ; line 21, Lerit ; 
 line 32, This erd heir doun ; line 35, Send me first to lair ; 
 line 40, Deed is reward of sin and; line 42, Of all syn- 
 nis; line 54, Wondrous sle; line 59, My gaistly fadir ; 
 line 68, Schawis full weill; line 71, A! silly Lowrence; 
 lines 75-76. The words. Heir upon the bent, I you beseik, 
 and^ are omitted in MS. Harl. ; line 84, Couth kneill 
 
284 NOTES. 
 
 (MS. Harl.) ; line 93, In tyme aiming ; line 97, Ischame to 
 beg; line 103, A! Schir ; line 104, And seikly and walk; 
 line 123, Saw thir walterand wawis mode ; line 132, Wes 
 he fain; line 147, Upoun this wame (MS. Harl.); line 
 148, Of the gayte; line 165, Alyke conclusion; line 166, 
 Now hes gude professioun (MS. Harl.) ; line 175, Have 
 hantit thame to ; line 181, Do wilfull pennance here^ and 
 ye sail wend; line 182, To joy: — With this colophon. 
 Explicit exemplum veritatis etfalsitatis. 
 
 THE PARLIAIVIENT OF BEISTIS.— Page 134. 
 
 Line 32. Ay runnis the Fox^ ^c] This occurs as a pro- 
 verbial expression in one of Dunbar's Poems, (vol. i. p. 
 136) ; and also in Knox's History of the Reformation, 
 (Works, vol. i. p. 116). 
 
 Line 40, &c. He takkis hot small tent.'] It may be a 
 mistaken conjecture, but I cannot help thinking that 
 Heniy Charteris, or whoever was the editor of Henry- 
 son's Fables between 1560 and 1570, may have used 
 some liberty in altering these lines. — See also lines 344- 
 346. In MS. Bann., in reference to the services of the 
 dead in the Eomish Church, the lines at least read — 
 
 he takis small entent 
 
 To Sing, or say, for thy salvatioun : 
 Fra thou be dede, done is thy devotioun. 
 Line 60. The nobill Lyoun.] More properly, in terms 
 of a royal proclamation. We Nobill Lyoun, &c.— In 
 the old French metrical romance of Eeynart, or Rey- 
 nard the Fox, we find that noble., nobles., noblon., was 
 used as the proper name of the lion. Thus, in the tale 
 " C'est de Reynart et d'Yseugi-in et dou Lyon," etc. 
 (vol. i., p. 181) we have,— 
 
 " Mon seignor Noble et Yseugrin." — V. 5587. 
 
NOTES. 285 
 
 " Entre seignor Noble et Renart 
 Et Ysengi-in son bon ami." — V. 5738-9. 
 Another chapter in " Renart le Nouvel" has this title : 
 " Ainsi que Renart vint devaut le Roi Noblon," etc. 
 (vol. iv., p. 326). 
 
 In like manner, in chapter XIII. of Caxton's transla- 
 tion of Reynart, we have — " Reynart loke as he had not 
 ben aferd, .... and wente in the mydel of the place 
 stondyng to fore Noble the kynge." Also in chapter 
 XV. : — "Nobel the kynge, and the quene, and alle that 
 were in the com't, folowed after for to see the ende of 
 Reynart." 
 
 Line 71. The morrow come, and Phebus with his bemis.'] 
 The corresponding lines in some of the old copies of 
 Reynart may be quoted as a specimen. In " Reynart 
 le Nouvel" (vol. iv., p. 127) " Li Parlement et li Con- 
 cille le Roi Noblon," the opening lines of the tale are as 
 follows : — 
 
 En May c'arbre et pr^ sunt flori 
 
 Et vert de fuelles, que joli 
 
 Fait es selves et es fories 
 
 Que cil oisiel cantent adies, 
 
 C'amoureus cuers fait nouviaus sons, 
 
 Mesire Nobles li Lyons 
 
 Tint Cort par grant sollempnite 
 
 Au jom- de sa nativite 
 
 Ce fu au jour de Rovisons. 
 Rovisons — that is, the days of rogation, the fifth Sunday 
 and three following days after Easter. 
 
 In chapter I. of Caxton's translation we have, — " It 
 was aboute the tyme of Penthecoste or Why tsontyde, that 
 the wodes comynly be lusty and gladsom, and the trees 
 clad with levys and blossome, and the ground with 
 herbes and flowris swete smellyng, and also the fowles 
 and byrdes syngen melodyously in theyr armonye, that 
 
286 NOTES. 
 
 the lyon the noble kynge of all beestis wolde in the holy- 
 dayes of thys feest hold an open Court at Stade, whyche 
 he dyde to knowe over all in his land, and commanded 
 by strayte commyssyons and maundements that every 
 beaste shuld come thyder." 
 
 It is unnecessary to quote this passage from the well 
 known Latin poem of Hartmann Schopper. In " The 
 Crafty Courtier; or the Fable of Reinard the Fox, 
 newly done, &c. from the Antient Latin Iambics of 
 Hartm. Schopperus :" London, 1706, 8vo, it is rendered : 
 
 Now, in her glory did the Spring appear, 
 And the glad Hind beheld the coming year ; 
 Leaves cloath the trees, and flowers the fields 
 
 adorn, 
 And chearful birds salute the rosie mom : 
 When the fierce Lion from the Throne ordains 
 Peace, to the various Nations of the plains ; 
 His Will the Heralds and a Feast proclaim — 
 Invite alike the savage and the tame. 
 
 Line 117. The Feitho that Jies furrit mony fent ; The 
 Mertrik, ^c] The mertrik is the marten, and the fithowe 
 the polecat. By the Act of the Scottish Parliament, 
 James I., 1429, cap. 133, " Na man sail wek furringis 
 of mertrickis, but allanerly knychtis and lordis of twa 
 hundreth merkis at the leist of yearly rent." In a pre- 
 vious Act, 1424, cap. 24, " It is ordanit, that na man 
 have mertrik skinnis fiirth of the realme ; and gif he 
 dois, that he pay to the King lis. for the custume of 
 ilk skin, and for x fowmartis skinnis csiUed Jithowis, xd." 
 Shakespeare introduces the name fitchow in three dififer- 
 ent passages. 
 
 Lines 176 to 189.] These two stanzas are omitted in 
 Bannatyne's Manuscript. 
 
 Line 238. Felix^ quern faciunt aliena pericula cautiim.'\ 
 
NOTES. 287 
 
 " He is happy, whom other mens perills maketh ware " 
 (Proverbes or Adagies, out of Erasmus, by Richard Ta- 
 verner: Lond. 1539, 12mo). Erasmus, in his Adagia, 
 thus quotes the line, as a common saying, to ilhistrate 
 Prov. xxxix, " Optimum aliena insaniafrui. Vulgo jacta- 
 tus versus est in eandem sententiam : 'Felix, quem faciunt 
 aliena pericula cautum.'" He adds, " Cicero in Epistola 
 quadam, ' Bellum (esse scripsit) ex aliorum erratis suam 
 vitam in melius instituere.' Plautus item, ' Feliciter sapit, 
 qui alieno periculo sapit,'" &c. (Adag. Chil. ii. Cent. ni. ; 
 Erasmi Opera, tom. ii. p. 496). There is a Scottish 
 proverb to the same effect, "Better learn from your 
 neighbour's skathe than your own."— (Kelly's Proverbs, 
 p. 64, and in Adagia, &c., Edinb. 1723, 12mo, p. 17). 
 
 Lines 344-346, 0! Mediatour, Sfc. were probably 
 altered from the following as they occur in MS. Bann. : — 
 
 O Mary ! myld modere of mercy meke. 
 
 Site down before thy Fader Celestiall. 
 
 For us synnaris his celsitude beseke 
 
 Us to defend, &c. 
 In the manuscript the first line has been deleted, and 
 thus replaced, — 
 
 O Lord Eternall ! Medeatour for us maist meke. 
 
 V.R. fi'om MS. Bann. : — Line 3, That to his airschip 
 mycht of law succede ; line 4, Quhilk in lemanrye ; line 6, 
 Was clepit; line 11, Get^ cummys wrang ; line 14, So wes 
 his grantscher and his fader als; line 15, His fude; line 
 27, In stouth and re fas he had done before; line 29, For 
 faderlye pitie; line 43, And herd a bustous bugill brymly 
 blawe ; (lines 46 and 47 are transposed in MS. Harl.) ; 
 line 52, Put furth his voce full loud; line 54, In the 
 feildis nere by; line 65, Sic a cry; line 56, Govand 
 agast; line 60, We Noble; line 71, The morowing ; line 
 81, Wele dicht; line 86, That gais on fut all bestis on the 
 
288 NOTES. 
 
 erd; liue 88, Thay comperd ; line 89, ^s Tod Laurence 
 me lerd; line 103, The jolye Jonct; line 107, The Wod- 
 wyss^ Wild cat^ and the wild Wolfyne; line 115, The Glo- 
 hert; line 116, With the Wasyll; line 117, The Fythow 
 , . . mony ane; line 119, The Lurdane lane; line 124, 
 In haist haykit unto the hillis hyclit ; line 128, And blenkit 
 allabowt; line 147, On the greit; line 148, I can thame; 
 line 149, The Wolf syde; line 150, Nocht upoun the 
 Lamb; line 153, Bad anone the Court do fens; line 
 169, To his mind can mene; line 171, Drew far doun; 
 line 172, With the ane E ; line 174, Suld thoill arreist; 
 line 175, Bukhud; line 199, Cum heir Lowrye ; line 200, 
 A! Lord, mercy e; line 201, In the hanch ; line 204, 
 Braiding he said ; line 207, At meat; line 210, Lat be, 
 Laurence, your carping and your knax; line 213, Lau- 
 rence tak you; line 214, A respit here; line 217, He is 
 principall; line 225, Wes brynt; line 232, Wilt thou 
 nocht luke ; line 235, And in ane unhurt shjn ; line 239, 
 With broken scalp, and bludye chekis rede ; line 252, Thay 
 drank, but tary ; line 270, As mannis hurt, ane other 
 happy makis ; line 271, Thus gatis in knakis; line 272, 
 In mirines (MS. H.)-, line 277, Devorit hes (ib.) ; line 
 285, He fell; line 286, He ruschit ; line 292, Oieiss a 
 siss about; line 294, Thift, and party tressoun als ; line 
 295, Thai band; line 297, Furth with him unto; line 301, 
 Ane end; line 306, Thir Doctouris; line 307, Apertly be 
 our leving can applye; line 308, And preve their preching 
 be a poesye; line 311, To get mare grace ; line 312, And 
 gapis for ; line 318, As monkis and other men of reli- 
 gioune; line 319, That preisis God to pleiss ; line 321, In 
 wofull povertie fra pomp and allpryd ; line 337, Ternp- 
 tatioun; line 339, That daylie sagis (seigis) men ofreli- 
 gioun; line 340, Cryand to thame. Cum to the warld 
 agane; line 341, But when thai see; line 342, Deidwith 
 ithand panes ; line 344, O ! Mary, myld, modere of mercy 
 
NOTES. 289 
 
 meke (this line deleted, and reads) 0! Lord Eternally 
 Medeatour for us maist meke ; line 345, Site doun before 
 thy Fader Celestiall; line 346, For us synnaris his celsi- 
 tude beseke. 
 
 THE DOG, THE SCHEIP, AND THE WOLF.— 
 
 Page 148. 
 
 Lord Hailes, in his " Ancient Scottish Poems," pub- 
 lished from the MS. of George Bannatyne, 1568 :" 
 Edinb. 1770, 12mo, has included this Fable, and that of 
 " The Mous and the Paddock," with the following intro- 
 ductory note : — 
 
 " Out of many Fables by Henrysoun I have selected 
 two, as being more particularly characteristical of the 
 state of Scotland during the sixteenth [15th] century. 
 The Fables of Henrysoun are rather tedious. Indeed pro- 
 lixity seems to be the general fault of modern fabulists : 
 from this charge I cannot except even La Fontaine 
 himself. I have printed some of the morals without the 
 corresponding Fables. They are not so tedious, and they 
 contain several curious particulars as to the state of 
 Scotland. 
 
 *' The fable of ' The Dog, the Wolf, and the Scheip ' 
 contains the form of process before the ecclesiastical 
 court. It is a singular performance, will be entertaining 
 to lawyers, and may, perhaps, suggest some observations 
 not to be found in books." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 10. / per me, Wolf pairtles of frawd or gyleJ] 
 "The summons or writ is issued in the name of the 
 Wolf, before whom the cause between the Dog and the 
 Sheep was to be tried. Pairtles is neutri f averts P — 
 Hailes. 
 
 Line 11. TJndir the panis, ^x.] " Under ecclesiastical 
 pains, in case of contumacy ; first, of suspension from 
 
 T 
 
 't 
 
290 NOTES. 
 
 divine offices, and then of absolute extrusion from the 
 church itself." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 17. On the lettir bureJ] " Charges to pay or to 
 perform, issued in the name of the Sovereign, are still 
 termed the King's letters.'''' — Hailes. 
 
 Line 23. To his office weill affeird.'] "Well instructed in 
 what concerned the duty of his office. As effeiris, as 
 becomes, is a constant expression in our law-style." — 
 Hailes. 
 
 Line 29. Quhen Esperus to schaw his face began.'] 
 " The Wolf held his court while the sun was down. ' On 
 every Wednesday morning next after Michaelmas day, 
 at cocKs crowing^ there is by ancient custom a court 
 held by the Lord of the honour of Ealeigh, which is 
 vulgarly called the lawless com*t, because held at an 
 unlawful or lawless hour ' " (Blount, Customs of Man- 
 nours, p. 147). — Hailes. 
 
 Lines 57-59.] " The Wolf having been declined, he 
 appointed the parties to chuse arbiters, who might judge 
 of the declinator. Had the Wolf judged of the declina- 
 tor, an appeal might have lain to a superior court ; but 
 no appeal lay from the judgment of the arbiters. They 
 were judges chosen by the parties themselves, and par- 
 ties cannot appeal from their own deed." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 72. Degestis new and aid.'] "Alluding to the 
 ridiculous division of the Pandects into digestum vetus, 
 infortiatum, et novum^ made by Bulgarus in the twelfth 
 centmy." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 83. On clerkis I doit gife this sentence be kill.] 
 " I think the meaning is, I leave the learned to deter- 
 mine whether the arbiters justly repelled the declinator. 
 It has been suggested that 'clerkis doit'' may signify 
 the insti'ument-money paid to the clerk of com-t ; and 
 then the sense will be, as the judgment was formal. 
 
NOTES, 291 
 
 and iustruments taken, the slieep could not bring the 
 award under review." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 89. Thairto a borch (or borrow) IfandJ] " I put 
 in bail to prosecute for recovery of a pension or pittance 
 of bread which I had purchased from the sheep." — 
 Hailes. 
 
 Line 94. Laurence the actis and \tlie'\ proces wi'aiL] 
 "In line 29 it w^as said that the 'Fox wes clerk and 
 notar.' The Scots still call a fox a Tod-Laury. I do not 
 know the origin of this appellation." — Hailes. 
 
 Dr Ja:viieson says, — " The name TodLowrie is given 
 to the fox in Scotland in the same maimer as in Eng- 
 land he is called Reynard the Fox, and perhaps for a 
 similar reason. The latter designation is immediately 
 from Fr., — renard, a fox." He suggests that Lowrie 
 may be a common diminution used for the proper name, 
 Lawrence. 
 
 Line 112. St/ne to the field couth pas.'] Allan Ramsay, 
 in the " Evergi-een," altered these lines to — 
 
 " And he start up anone. 
 
 And thankit them ; syn to the bent is gane^ 
 
 Dr Jamieson quotes these words instead of the correct 
 reading from MS. Bann., as in the text ; and says,— 
 " To gae to the bent: to provide for one's safety, to flee 
 from danger by leaving the haunts of men." 
 
 Line 120. This Wolf I likin unto a Schereff stout. ^ "It 
 is remarkable that the whole satire of the fable is aimed 
 at the ecclesiastical judge, whereas the application is to 
 the civil. Henrysoun probably stood more in awe of 
 the court spiritual than of the temporal." — Hailes. 
 
 Line 132. To scraip out Johne^ and wryt in Will or 
 IFa^,— in MS. Bann. Of Wait.] " To efface the name of 
 John, and in its place insert that of William or Walter. 
 Of from the Dutch, may imply or. It would seem, 
 
292 NOTES. 
 
 however, that ' ofwaW is a better reading, which implies 
 intentionallj/^ on purpose.'''' — Hailes. The reading of 
 the text, or Wat, a proper name, is much to be pre- 
 ferred. 
 
 Line 133. And so a hud at baith the parteis skat 
 (tak).'] " And thus levy a rewaixi from each of the par- 
 ties — ^from John for effacing his name, and from the 
 adversary of William for inserting his." — Hailes. 
 
 V.R. from MS. Bann. :— Line 10, / per me, Wolf, 
 pairtles of frawd or gyle ; line 14, Answer till ; line 17, On 
 the lettir; line 21, What burry Dog wald say him till ; line 
 29, Esperus; line 37, Couth propone ; line 46, Hes ay bene 
 odius; line 61, Suld byde; line 69, Many Decretalis ; 
 line 74, Sum a doctrine and sum another hald; line 79, 
 The Arbitrouris, summar and [de] plane ; line 88, To the 
 a sowme I payit befoirhand; line 89, Thairto a borch; 
 line 93, Thejugeis ; line 99, To put in; line 106, Moir 
 persecutioun ; line 109, Hisfeiss; line 111, As he foir- 
 jugeit was; line 128, Hes ane portioun (MS. Harl.); 
 line 132, Of wait; line 133, The parteis skat; line 141, 
 Now of winter it is maid; line 157, Cursit syn ; line 159, 
 Jugeis; line 160, Thai ar ; line 161, Thay thoill the 
 rycht; line 166 is omitted in MS. Harl. ; line 171, Derth^ 
 war, and pestilence. 
 
 THE PROLOGUE.— Page 155. 
 
 Line 28. The fairest man.'] The description of ^sop 
 that follows is very much opposed to the ordinary 
 representation of this perhaps imaginary personage. 
 In the words of Caxton's version of the Fables, and 
 as represented in the woodcut, ^sop was " deformed 
 and evil shapen, for he had a great head, large 
 visage, long jaws, sharp eyes, a short neck, curb- 
 backed, great belly, gi'eat legs, and large feet, — and yet 
 
NOTES. 293 
 
 that which was worse, he was dumb and could not 
 speak ; but notwithstanding all this, he had a gi-eat wit, 
 and was gi'eatlj ingenious — subtle in cavillections and 
 joyous in words."' It is unnecessary to point out the 
 contradictions in this account of one who was '• dumb 
 and could not speak ;•' but this is avoided in the edition 
 1647, as along with " pleasant in words," there is added, 
 afier he came to las speech. 
 
 V.R. from MS. Bann. : — Line 2, Hishemis; Une 6, On 
 syd; line 11, Gress ; line 13, Odour, and hirdis armony ; 
 liue 25, Syjie maid a cross; line 32, In hekle; line 34, His 
 heid; line 36, Ane row; liue 51, My natall; liue 53, And 
 science studyit ; line bb^Isope; line 57, 0! Maister Ysop ; 
 line 62, That samyn; line 63, Merry; line 64, Isope; 
 line 73, Tlie hart inclynand (MS. Harl.) ; line 74, Swa 
 rowstit; line 80, Sum brutale. 
 
 THE LYOUN AND THE MOUS.— Page 159. 
 
 Line 193. And metigat mercy with crewUy.'] " This 
 expression is not very grammatical. It means just the 
 contrary of what it expresses." — Hatlf.s. 
 
 Line 210. Figour heirof aftymis has bene sene.'] "He 
 probably alludes to the revenge taken on Robert m. by 
 Dunbar, and on James I. by Graham."— Hailes. It 
 more likely alludes to events of a later period. 
 
 y.R. from MS. Bann. : — Line 9, Attour him tuke thair 
 trais; line 10, The tampis ; line 16, Hid thame heir and 
 thair; line 17, Allais ! for notv and evir mair ; line 27, 
 Ofallbeistis; Mhq^I, Off alky nfude; line 49, -For <fre/<f; 
 line 56, Gallows hangit; line 73, Of his compeir ; line 
 74, Ofarmes; line 100, Accordit till ressoun; line 106, 
 Yeidtohunt; line 111, How thay micht him tak; Une 
 116, Canattis; line 120, Voluand about ; line 123, ^Yes 
 lie knet; line 132, Heir mane Ibyd; 144, Sum parte thy 
 
294 NOTES. 
 
 (jentilnes; line 145, On ivith that scho gais; line 148, 
 Come on in hy; line 151, Wrekand his hurt; line 152, 
 Of supple; line 153, With another ; line 158, Yeidabone; 
 line 159, Of the mastis; line 161, S^jme to the bent; line 
 162, Dangeir; line 164, Poweir ; 178, As fals plesandis ; 
 line 195, Quit a commoun. 
 
 THE PREICHING OF THE SWALLOW.— 
 
 Page 168. 
 
 Line 172.] It is scarcely worth noticing, that by a 
 typographical mistake, the numbering of lines 120, 130, 
 140, and on to 240, are misplaced one line too high. 
 
 V.R. from MS. Bann. : — Line 4, Manis argument ; 
 line 11, A thing Celestiall; line 43, Luik ice; line 44, 
 Luikwe; line 77, In till; line 123, Hemp^ lo se! and 
 linget seid; line 137, Provyde hefoir^ and see; line 146, 
 Fey est; line 148, Railsum; line 155, We furth passit; 
 line 167, Swallow swift . . . pryme ; line 171, Cast up ; 
 line 175, Seid had tane it out; line 200, And on togidder; 
 line 205, Ripplit the bowis; line 208, Sy?ie scuthit it weill, 
 and heclit it in the flett; line 217, Hyit on in; line 231, 
 Into this caffe; line 236, / reid you; line 253, It was 
 grete hertis sair ; line 258, Sum off the heid^ off sum he 
 brak the craig ; line 261, Often syis; line 273, Cordand 
 to; line 276, Fra the Angellis; line 278, Nycht newir 
 loerye to ga; line 290, Stark and rude; line 299, Of 
 vaill; 230, Na man wait. 
 
 THE WOLF, THE FOXE, AND THE 
 CADGEAR.— Page 181. 
 
 Line 131. Out of the Creillis, S^c.'] In the " Roman dn 
 Renart," the incident of the fox abstracting the herring 
 from the carrier's baskets or creels, occurs without any 
 
NOTES. 295 
 
 reference to the adventures of the Wolf,— "Si coume 
 
 Renart manja le poisson aus Charretiers." — (Vol. i., p. 
 
 29). 
 It may be noticed, that in all the French and English 
 
 editions of Reynard, the Wolf is uniformly called Ysen- 
 
 grin, Isegrim, Iscgrym, or Isgrim. 
 
 Line 100. And straucht him doun^ ^c] In the " Crafty 
 
 Courtier" (see rote, p. 286) we have this incident thus 
 
 versified — (p. ii.) The Badger, addi'essing Isgrim the 
 
 Wolf, says, — 
 
 Well thou rcmemhrest when a lab'ring Swain 
 Drove thro' the village with his laden wain ; 
 With food 'twas fraught, and Renai'd lay in wait 
 To feast thee with his fish, the precious freight : 
 His limbs he stififeu'd and he droop'd his head. 
 The Hind observ'd it, and believed him dead : 
 Aloft he threw him on his cart, and he 
 Flung out the booty that he got to thee. 
 
 Line 133. The Cadgear sang^ Hunts up^ up^ upon hie.'\ 
 There were evidently various adaptations of this popu- 
 lar song or air in Scotland as well as England. It is 
 mentioned in " The Complaynt of Scotland, 1548," and 
 in Alexander Scot's poem On May, (about 1560.) It 
 was converted into one of the " Gude and Godly Bal- 
 lats" at the time of the Reformation. Mi* Chappell, 
 in his valuable collection of " Ancient English Ballads," 
 &c., has fully illustrated the old English song of Hunts 
 up; and he remarks that the name was a general term 
 for hunting songs. In Romeo and Juliet, Act iii., scene 
 V. is the line — 
 
 Hunting thee hence with Hunfs up to the day. 
 
 And the Shakespeare Commentators have not overlooked 
 a passage in Puttenham's Ai"te of English Poesie, 1589, 
 where he speaks of one Gray, and "what good estima- 
 
296 NOTES. 
 
 tion did he grow with King Henry (the Eighth), and 
 afterwards with the Duke of Somerset, Protector, for 
 making certain merry ballads, whereof one chiefly was. 
 The Hunte is up^ the Hunte is upP But Henryson's 
 words, in this place, shew that the- Song was popular in 
 Scotland at a much earlier date. 
 
 V.R. in MS. Harl. : — Line 29, And throw breiris; line 
 32, Thayfeill; line 51, / can nocht fische for weitting of 
 my feit; line US, Heir lyis, quod he, the Devill; line 
 197, Be my schrift; line 198, He will me beir ; line 201, 
 Surelie to; line 219, On the lane; line 231, And swall; 
 line 262, Wynning all the craft. 
 
 THE FOXE THAT BEGYLIT THE WOLF.— 
 
 Page 193. 
 
 The story of the Fox and the Wolf is preserved in an 
 English metrical poem in the Digby Manuscript, and 
 was communicated by Sir F. Madden to Wright and 
 Halliwell's " Reliquige Antiquae," from a manuscript of 
 the reign of Edward the First ; and reprinted by Mr 
 Wright in his selection of Latin stories for the Percy 
 Society in 1842. 
 
 Line 11. Thay couth the fur forfair.'\ That is, not 
 follow straight in the fiiiTow. Li the " Priests of Peblis," 
 line 412, we have '■' God's pleuch may never hald the fui\" 
 
 Line 123. Ye sail ane Cabok haif] Cabok, caboik, 
 cabbach, kebbach — a cheese ; properly one of a larger 
 size. Dr Jamieson, v. Kebback, quotes from Allan 
 
 Let's part it, else lang or the moon 
 Be chang'd, the Kebuck wiU be doon. 
 The Fox describes it, at line 125, as summer cheese, 
 more than a stone weight ; and afterwards, as white as 
 a neip, and a fit present for a king. 
 
NOTES. 297 
 
 Line 189. As ane comes up, Sj-c.} In Caxton's trans- 
 lation of Reynard the Foxe this incident of the two buc- 
 kets at the well is briefly narrated by " Erswynde the 
 Wulfis wyf," in proof of the Fox's falsnes and treason, — 
 " I said, Tell me how I shall come to thee." Thenne 
 saidest thou, Aunte, sprynge in to that boket that 
 hangeth there, and ye shal come anon to me. I dyde 
 so, and T wente downward, and ye cam upward. Tho 
 was I alle angry thou saidest, Thus fareth the world, 
 that one goth up and another goth down," &c. (Percy 
 Society reprint, p. 135). 
 
 V.R. in MS. Harl. :— Line 22, The oxin waxit; line 
 37, Eirrand in; line 48, Haifye writ or witnes; line 94, 
 Sum tymes ane hen haldis ane man in ane how; line 106, 
 Concordit thus ; line 122, Swa ye mak ; line 159 Senye- 
 ouris; line 168, Present to ony Lord; line 182, And 
 mak sum ; line 188, Thus fairis of; line 202, Actand or 
 atand; line 205, The Feynd faltis findis, as Clerkis 
 reidis; line 213, In sic trustie. 
 
 THE WOLF AND THE WEDDER.-Page 203. 
 
 Line 154. Be war in welth^for Hall-henMs ar rycht 
 slidder.'] This phrase occurs also in the " Priests of 
 Peblis," line 614, " For wit thou weill, Hall binks ar ay 
 slidder." Kelly explains this proverbial saying : — " Hall 
 binks are sliddery: Great men's favour is uncertain. 
 Lat. Favor aulae incertus." — (P. 133). 
 
 V.R. in MS. Harl.:— Line 22, Wretchitlie; line 28, 
 Bodie and heid, baith taill, crag, and feit; line 39, Skin 
 he flew; line 77, The kenenes of the dog; line 83, Ran 
 still quhilk ane strand stud behind him; line 84, Couth 
 bind him; line 91, Quhill that ane busk; line 99, Sic ane 
 catche; liuQ 129, Be thy prettie; Mne 1^4:, Bot counterfait. 
 
298 NOTES. 
 
 THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.— Page 210. 
 
 This fable, derived from ^sop, is the first in Phse- 
 drus, with the proverbial motto, " Facile est opprimere 
 innocentem." 
 
 Line 122. The pure husband richt nocht bot croip and 
 calf, upon ane clout of land.'] In MS. Bann. it reads, bot 
 cote and crufe; and Lord Hailes explains "crufe" as 
 " any poor habitation — a shade, an hog's stye;" from 
 corf a shade, a temporary building. I rather imagine 
 that the word refers to a produce of the land, not to a 
 residence. Calf here may perhaps mean grass. In Dr 
 Jamieson's Dictionary we find the word caff-lea as 
 "infield ground, one year under grass (Angus). It 
 seems to have received this designation from the calves 
 being tm-ned out on it." 
 
 V.R. in MS. Bann. : — Line 3, Out of a well; line 6, 
 Bot of this Wolf the Lame no thing ; line 13, Presomyng 
 thair; line 14, Carpand come (lampand in MS. Harl.) ; 
 line 24, With stinkand lippis ; line 28^ Till ressoun ; line 
 35, Your drink is nevir ; line 42, With boistis; line 43, 
 Hewexiime; \mQ 4:^., And thrawart ; Ime 67, I latt; line 
 60, Unto the nynt degre; line 67, Of law in audiens; line 
 70, And contra ; line 75, The way, this is the justest wyss 
 (in MS. Harl., the lav), this is the instant gyis) ; line 76, Ye 
 suld proceidj thairfoir, a summons ; line 78, Ha! quoth; 
 line 82, Be Goddis woundis; line 86, Wes he Jieidit; 
 line 88, Till he ives fou ; line ^^, And pure lauboreiis; 
 line 101, Poleit termes; line 102, Leitand; lines 106 
 to 112. This stanza comes in between lines 126 and 
 127; line 116, Thoill in peax ane pure man be; line 
 122, Hes nocht; line 123, Bot cote and crufe; line 130, 
 For prayer, pryce, and the gersum tone (in MS. Harl., 
 gressum pait, and cane; line 135, To drug and draw; 
 
NOTES. 299 
 
 line 138, Lo ! as he standis ; line 146, Cryis vengeance to 
 the hevin so he; line 152, This is a sentens suth, I yow 
 assure; line 155, That is the; line 156, / mene (in MS. 
 Harl., and fell) extorteneiris ; line 158, Be manifest; line 
 161, To banneiss of this land. 
 
 THE PADDOK AND THE MOUS.— Page 217. 
 
 Lines 23-29.] These lines, and also lines 165, 171, 
 and 176-181 in the Moralitas, are omitted in the edition 
 of the Fables by Heniy Charteris, 1570. This circum- 
 stance, as already noticed, supra^ p. 281, renders it cer- 
 tain that some earlier edition had been followed by the 
 writer of the Harleian Manuscript dated 1571, and by 
 R. Smith in his English version printed in 1577. Hart's 
 edition, 1621, also contains these omitted lines. 
 
 Line 138. Quhome uith you foUowis thee.'] " It should 
 probably be fallowis — i.e. associates. The noun fellow 
 is still used in the sense oi companion.'''' — Hailes. 
 
 Line 190, &c.] In MS. Bann. we find the reading, 
 perhaps the original, as follows : — 
 
 My friend, thaiifoii', mak th<^ a Strang CasteU 
 
 Of gud deidi^, for deid will the assay 
 
 Thow wait not quhen, at evin, morne, nor midday. 
 
 V.R. in MS. Bann. : — Line 1, Ysop can; line 4, Nocht 
 sowme ; line 13, Full rawk; line 14, Deme (dame) 
 Mouss; line 16, Of heir., of peiss; line 18, Stoppit heir 
 he this (in MS Harl., stoppit with this); line 22, Heir 
 is no mareneir ; line 28, And nocht to iveitt the tampis ; 
 line 29, / haif mervell than ; line 32, Drowin to wed 
 (wade) thairin ; line 34, This ivatter wan ; line 35, Thus 
 hegan ; line 38, Suppois the hruk ; line 39, / swyme ; line 
 43, Hir frousit face ; line 44, Hir runclit heik; line 48, 
 
300 NOTES. 
 
 Fysnomy; line 49, Of fraud and als invy; line 54, A 
 frawart will ; line 58, Fowll faMn ; line 59, Blak of hew; 
 line 64, Unlusty (unlufly?); line 72, With silkin; line 
 74, Menys ; line 83, /s that thi counsale ? quod the silly 
 Mous ; line 88, Quha mychi amend my skaith ; line 97, 
 Of this f als crabit (}n MS. Harl. carpand) Taid; line 
 101, Bot tofieit and swyme; line 102, To slay ; line 104, 
 Dowkitdoun; line 108, Cuth^ saifly that I; line 111, 
 Scho bowtit up^ andfoirsit; line 116, Quhile dowh, quMle 
 up agane; line 120, A Gled; line 122, Or owther ; line 
 135, Till this Fable ; line 138, Thow followis ; line 140, 
 Of meit and ding and delffe quhill thow may die ; line 
 141, Na be machit; line 144, Thairfoir to gife credence; 
 line 145, Oursone to all; line 166, Now wardit; line 169, 
 Brattis to imbrase; line 171, Now wappit to ; line 172, 
 Thus Met hard; line 174, May nocht twin ; line 178, And 
 haldis; line 180, Mony wayis ; line 181, Body ay waverand; 
 line 182, Standis distinyt, and thair ; line 183, The spreit 
 . . . preisses doun ; line 184, The naiur of the saule wald 
 our be borne; line 185, Out of this warld unto the hevinly 
 trone; line 187, Endis this battell; line 191, Of gud 
 deidis; line 192, At evin ; line 196, To mak a sample or 
 similitud. 
 
 \ 
 
 \ 
 
[ 301 ] 
 
 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 
 
 Page 25, line 50. At luvis law I think a quhjle to kit.'] 
 Dr Jamieson explains to leit, to delai/^ and remarks, — 
 " According to Lord Hailes, probably leet give one's suf- 
 fi-age or vote. But it rather signifies, that, as a young 
 man, he would pass some part of his time in love," — v. 
 Leit. On the following line, In court to cramp clenely 
 in my clathing^ Jamieson says, — " Lord Hailes renders 
 this, ' to climb, to ramp — grimper^ Fr.' But cramp is 
 probably here used in relation to its proper sense, as 
 signifying to contract. Thus the Poet may represent 
 Youth as speaking of being cramped in his clothing at 
 com't ; perhaps in derision of some stiff and strait dress 
 worn at the time," — v. Ckamp. This explanation is by 
 no means satisfactory. 
 
 Page 31, line 29. Quhyt as quhailis bane.'] That is, 
 resembling ivory. This phrase, as white as whales bone, 
 is a common simile, used both by English and Scottish 
 poets. It occurs, for instance, in a poem of Henry 
 Howard, Earl of Sm-rey, — 
 
 I might perceive a wolf, as white as whales-bone, 
 
 A fairer beast, a fresher hue, beheld I never none ; 
 
 Save that her looks were fierce, &c. — (p. 26). 
 Dr Nott, in his note on this passage, says, — " That is, 
 * as white as ivory,' for before that ivory from the ele- 
 phant's tooth was generally known in Europe, the ivory 
 in common use was that made from the teeth of the sea- 
 horse, which were then an article of commerce obtained 
 
302 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 
 
 from Russia, and the north. . . . The name of whale's- 
 bone ' was continued for ivory long after the extension 
 of commerce had rendered elephant's teeth common, and 
 superseded the use of the teeth of the morse, or sea- 
 horse. Keal ivory, however, iu the reign of Henry the 
 Eighth, was still scarce." Dr Nott quotes various 
 instances of the continued use of the phrase (Surrey and 
 Wyatt, vol. i., p. 305). 
 
 Page 36, line 8. Sen want of wyse men^ ^c] In the 
 earliest collection of " Scottish Proverbs, gathered to- 
 gether by David Fergusson, sumtyme minister at Dun- 
 fermline" (who died in 1599), but first published at 
 Edinburgh, 1641, -Ito, we have these words, — " For fault 
 of wyse men, fooles sits on binks ; " and Kelly explains 
 this proverb as " Spoken when we see unworthy persons 
 in authority" (p. 105). 
 
 Page 46, lines 90, 91. It is ane mirk mirrour^ ^-c] A 
 dark looking-glass, &c. This occurs as a proverbial 
 saying in Fergusson's Scottish Proverbs, 1641, but the 
 ludicrous and coarse phi-ase in the text is changed to 
 "A mirk mirrour is a man's mind." Kelly gives the 
 words from Fergusson, transposed, " A man's mind is a 
 mirk mirrour." 
 
 Page 54, line 147. And treis dansit with thair leves 
 grene.'] Shakespeare avails himself of the Fable of Or- 
 pheus, to illustrate the power and alluring force of such 
 harmony on inanimate things. It is in the fonn of a 
 " song," and there is so much melody in the words, that 
 I cannot refrain from quoting the passage, from his King 
 Henry VHI., Act iii. scene i., which opens with Queen 
 Katherine and some of her maidens at work, before her 
 interview with Cardinal Wolsey : — 
 
 Q. Kath. — Take thy lute, wench : my soul grows sad 
 with troubles. Sing, and disperse them, if thou canst : 
 leave working. 
 
ADDITIONAL NOTES. 303 
 
 SONG. 
 
 Orpheus with his lute made trees, 
 And the mountaine-tops, that freeze, 
 
 Bow themselves, when he did sing : 
 To his Musicke plants, and flowers, 
 Ever sprimg ; as sunne, and showers. 
 
 There had been a lasting spring. 
 
 Every thing that heard him play, 
 Even the billowes of the sea. 
 
 Hung their heads, and then lay by. 
 In sweet Musicke is such art ; 
 EdUing care, and grief of heart, 
 Fall asleepe, or hearing, dye. 
 Page 64, line 421. Yit Maister Trivet^ ^c] Since the 
 note at p. 256 was printed, I have had an opportunity 
 of examining the Latin Commentary on Boethius by 
 Trivetus. I refer especially to Dr Burney's MS. (British 
 Museum), No. 131, Ssec. xiv. That Henryson was in- 
 debted for some of his moral applications to the old 
 English Commentator may readily be granted, without 
 the trouble of furnishing any extracts from his long, ela- 
 borate, and pedantic work ; which on this particular sec- 
 tion (Lib. III. Metrum xii.) occupies from pp. 96 to 99 
 in a small hand, filled with contractions. 
 
 Page 81, line 164. His gyis^ and line 260, Hir gyse.'\ 
 In both instances Sibbald, apparently without any autho- 
 rity, reads his gite and ha- gite^ which he explains, attire, 
 night-gown. 
 
 Page 82, line 209. Four yoTikit steidis.'] In the next 
 stanza the names of the four horses of the Sun were no 
 doubt copied from Ovid (Metaph. Lib. ii., v. 153-155) 
 in his account of the fate of Phaethon in his rash attempt 
 to guide the chariot of Phoebus (or Apollo). 
 Interea volucres Pyroeis, Eous, et ^thon, 
 
304 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 
 
 Solis equi, quartusque Phlegon, hinnitibus auras 
 Flammiferis implent, pedibusque repagula pulsant. 
 
 Thus rendered by George Sandys in 1626 : — 
 
 Meanwhile, the Sunnes swift Horses, hot Pyrous, 
 Strong ^thon, fiery Phlegon, bright Eous, 
 Neighing aloud, inflame the ayre with heat, 
 And with their thundering hooves the baniers beat. 
 
 Page 84, line 261. And on Mr breistane churle paintit.'] 
 In Godfrey's Chaucer, 1532, and in later editions, ane 
 chorle. Sibbald alters this to ane cairle. The words 
 "churl" and "cai'l" are nearly synonymous, but have 
 various significations. — See Jamieson's Diet., v. Carl, 
 Caii'le, &c. He remarks, — " We find the childish idea, 
 that the man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day was 
 sentenced to be imprisoned in the moon, as old as the 
 age of Henrysone." Speaking of the moon, he says 
 (quoting the lines from Sibbald's text), — 
 
 Her gite was gi*ay and full of spottis blak, 
 And on her breist ane cairle plaintit ful even, 
 
 Bering a bushe of thornis on his bak, 
 
 Quhich for his theft micht clime no ner the 
 heaven. 
 
 Page 115, line 184. Thy guse is gude^ thy gansell sour 
 as gall.} In Fergusson's Scottish Proverbs, 1641, "A 
 good goose indeed, but she hes an ill gansell." Kelly 
 also gives it, and explains " gansell," gable. In Henry- 
 son " gansell " seems rather to mean sauce. 
 
 Page 124, line 174. With that the Cok.] This mode 
 by which the Cock effected his escape from the Fox 
 when pursued by the hounds forms the subject of -S^sop's 
 Fable of the Fox and the Cock. 
 
 Page 127, line 54. Freir Wolf Waytskaith.'] This 
 name Waytescathe, applied to the Wolf also, is met 
 
 ( 
 
ADDITIONAL NOTES. 305 
 
 with in Caxton's version of Reynard the Foxe, (Percy 
 Society reprint, p. 95). To wayt is to hunt, and skaith 
 may signify prey. 
 
 Page 138, etc. In the enumeration of the various ani- 
 mals summoned to attend the Parliament, called by the 
 Lion as king, most of the names will be found in the 
 Glossary ; but there are a few which I cannot make out, 
 such as " Sparth," " Bowranbane," and " Lerroun." In 
 the older books upon hunting, Strutt says, — " The beasts 
 of the chase in some are more multifarious, and divided 
 into two classes : the first, called beasts of sweet flight, are 
 the buck, the doe, the bear, the rein-deer, the elk, and 
 the spytard. In the second class, are placed the fulimart, 
 the fitch at or fitch, the cat, the gi*ey, the fox, the wesel, 
 the martin, the squirrel, the white rat, the otter, the 
 stoat, and the pole-cat ; and these are said to be beasts 
 of stinking flight." — (Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, p. 16, 
 Lond. 1810, 4to) ; see also " The Book of Hawking, 
 Hunting," etc., known as the "Book of St Albans," 
 1486, and republished with a learned introduction, Lond. 
 1810, small folio. 
 
 Page 138, line 119. The Bowranbane^ and eik the Ler- 
 rounj] In the V.R. we have " The Lurdanelane," which 
 is not more intelligible. LeiToun, in some copies Lerion, 
 may perhaps be a mistake in the old copies for Leproun 
 (Fr., laperon)^ a young rabbit ; or as likely, for Levroun 
 (Fr., levron)^ a little greyhound. 
 
 Page 142, line 223. Schir^ it is heir^ under my hufej] 
 Henryson may have borrowed this mode of inflicting 
 punishment on the Wolf from -^sop's fable of the Mule, 
 the Wolf, and the Fox. 
 
 Page 168. The preiching of the Swallow.'] The fol- 
 lowing specimen may be given, from Wright's Percy 
 Society volume, of the Rhythmical Fables which were 
 popular during the Middle Ages, and to which Henry- 
 u 
 
306 ADDITIONAL NOTES. 
 
 son may have been indebted. The same Fable occnrs 
 in the Greek ^sop, in the Latin, and in French versions 
 besides that of La Fontaine. — See Robert's collection, 
 " Fables luedites," vol. i., pp. 40-46. From the old 
 French I'sopet he has published two, entitled, "De 
 I'Arondelle et des autres Oisianx," and " Comment 
 I'Aronde requist aux Oiseaux qu'ils mangassent chanvre 
 que un vilain semoit." 
 
 DE AVIBUS. 
 
 Nuper erat avium turma congregata, 
 Quae viderunt semina Una seminata ; 
 Parvipendunt talia cohors insensata, 
 La lino proprium dampnum censere parata. 
 
 Tunc hirundo calKda ccepit has monere, 
 Ut vellent insidias lini praecavere ; 
 *' Eraatnr," inquiens, " linum, nam nocere 
 Potest quippe multum et nobis dampna movere." 
 
 Tunc avis hirundinem quseque deridebat, 
 Nee ejus consilium ratum discernebat. 
 Ilia doli prasscia dampnum prsecavebat, 
 Et statira tecta fugiens humana petebat. 
 
 Instat piis precibus homines rogare, 
 Ut suis in domibus posset habitare, 
 Dicens quod insidias fugit declinare ; 
 Illi concedunt quo vellet nidificare. 
 
 MORALITAS. 
 
 Haec notat historia, quod turba stultorum 
 Contempnunt scientiam jurisperitorum ; 
 Qui, cum capti fuerint pedica dolorum, 
 Lugent consilia jam contempsisse bonorum. 
 
 I 
 
THE GLOSSARY. 
 
4 
 
[ 309 ] 
 
 THE GLOSSARY. 
 
 A, p. lei, Ah! 
 
 Abasitlie, p. 151, humbly. 
 
 Aboif, p. 4, above. 
 
 Abone, p. 59, above. 
 
 Aby, p. 28, buy^ purchase. 
 
 Actand, p. 201, enduring. 
 
 Agane, p. 200, aganis, p. 
 184, against. 
 
 Ago, pp. 21, 83, 154, gone. 
 
 Aii'schip, p. 134, inherit- 
 ance. 
 
 Air, pp. 28, 193, early. 
 
 Airis, p. 218, oars. 
 
 Aith, p. 184, oath. 
 
 Aittis, p. 217, oats. 
 
 Aid, p. 10, old. 
 
 Alls, p. 5, ails. 
 
 Alkin, p. 160, all kind of. 
 
 Allquhair, p. 159, every 
 where^ here and there. 
 
 Almous, p. 89, alms. 
 
 Als, p. 160, also. 
 
 Alyte, p. 84, a little. 
 
 Anceane, p. 10, aged. 
 
 And, p. 4, if. 
 
 Aneuch, pp. 79, 88, 105, 
 132, enough. 
 
 Applidis, p. 34, satisfied. 
 
 Areir, p. 87, aside. 
 
 Ai'gow, p. 102, argue^ dis- 
 pute. 
 
 Ark, p. 108, a large chest 
 for holding corn or meal. 
 
 Arreist, p. 103, hinder, ar- 
 rest. 
 
 As, p. 31, dust, ashes. 
 
 As, ase, pp. 62, 161, ask. 
 
 Askis, from Ask, p. 28, eft, 
 newt, a kind of lizard. 
 
 Ass, p. 104, ashes. 
 
 Assyis, p. 213, assize. 
 
 Atouir, p. 81, across. 
 
 Attour, pp. 5, 16, 59, over, 
 above; attour the lave, 
 above the rest. 
 
 Auncient, p. 49, ancient, 
 old. 
 
 Auster, p. 80, austere. 
 
 Aw, p. 149, owed. 
 
 Awin, pp. 12, 117, own. 
 
 B. 
 
 Bacis, p. 35, embraces. 
 
 Bad, p. 145, bade, com- 
 manded, directed. 
 
 Baid, p. 92, abode ; pp. 
 153, 200, remained. 
 
 Bailis, p. 24, a fame: here 
 applied to fames of love, 
 or irregtdar desires. 
 
 Baill, pp. 79, 122, sorrow. 
 
 Bak, bakkis, p. 168, a bat, 
 bats. 
 
310 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Balk or bawk, p. 109, a 
 ridge ofunploughed land. 
 
 Ballandis, p. 123, balance. 
 
 Ban, p. 46, curse. 
 
 Bandonit, p. 203, aban- 
 doned. 
 
 Bandoun, p. 13, subjection^ 
 thraldom. 
 
 Bane, p. 31, bone; banis, 
 pp. 135, 207, bones. 
 
 Banestikill, p. 183, a fish : 
 the three-spined stickle- 
 back. 
 
 Bankouris, p. 90, coverings 
 of tapestry. 
 
 Barret, p. 33, strife^ hos- 
 tility. 
 
 Bastoun, p. 190, a staffs 
 baton. 
 
 Battis, p. 190., strokes. 
 
 Bawdronis, p. 114, a com- 
 mon designation for a cat. 
 
 Befoir, p. 140, before^ in 
 presence. 
 
 Beikit, p. 76, warned. 
 
 Beildit, p. 78, built. 
 
 Beir, p. 121, noise. 
 
 Beiris, p. 28, bier., coffin. 
 
 Bek, pp. 129, 181, to bow, 
 to do obeisance. 
 
 Bellie-blind, p. 199, the 
 game of blind-man's buff. 
 
 Beljif, beljve, pp. 65, 145, 
 immediately^ presently, 
 quickly. 
 
 Ben, p. 115, within: the 
 
 inner apartment. 
 Bene, p. 156, abundant, 
 
 plentiful, pleasant. 
 Benis, beinis, p. 114, beans. 
 Bent, p. 129, an open field 
 
 covered with grass. 
 Berly (burly), p. 25, 
 strong, stout. 
 
 Berne, p. 24, a man, in a 
 
 general sense. 
 Bernis, p. 196, persons. 
 Besyd, p. 4, astray, aside. 
 Beteiche, p. 96, deliver up, 
 
 bequeath. 
 Betill, p. 175, a beetle, a 
 
 heavy mallet. 
 Bett, p. 175, beat. 
 Bench, p. 124, bough of 
 
 a tree; bevvis, p. 175, 
 
 boughs. 
 Beure, p. 23, bore, borne. 
 Bevar, p. 25, an aged per- 
 son: one who is worn 
 
 with age. 
 Bever, p. 54, a beaver. 
 Bield, p. 206, shelter. 
 Big, p. 214, large; bene 
 
 and big, well provided 
 
 and commodious. 
 Bigly, p. 10, commodious, 
 
 seemly. 
 Binge, p. 129, to cringe. 
 Binkis, bynkis, pp. 36, 209, 
 
 benches ; hall - binkis, 
 
 seats in a raised position. 
 Bir, p. 175, a cry, whizzing 
 
 sound. 
 Bird, birdis, p. 25, see note, 
 
 p. 244, a lady, damsels. 
 Birst, pp. 53, 96, burst. 
 Bla, p. 124, discoloured. 
 Blait, p. 213, bleat. 
 Blakiunit, p. 140, black- 
 ened. 
 Bleir, p. 184, to obscure 
 
 the vviion. 
 Blenkis, pp. 52, 63, looks; 
 
 blenkit, p. 206, casting 
 
 a glance. 
 Blent, p. 63, looked. 
 Blomis, p. 201, blooms, 
 
 flourishes. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 311 
 
 Bollis, p. 175, bowes. 
 
 Bolnying, p. 66^ swelling. 
 
 Bolt, p. 132, shaft^ arrow. 
 
 BoiTOw, p. 161, pledge^ 
 surety. 
 
 BoiTowit, p. 14, redeemed. 
 
 Bot, p. 213, but. 
 
 Bonn, boune, pp. 16, 63, 
 96, 121, 176, ready. 
 
 Bour, p. 10, bower .^ a cham- 
 ber. 
 
 Bourd, p. '2^^ jest. 
 
 Bourding, p. 2^1., jesting. 
 
 Bouranbane, p. 138. — See 
 note, p. 305. 
 
 Bowsumest, p. 35, loveliest. 
 
 Braid, pp. 119, 124, sprung 
 away., started. 
 
 Brast, p. 75, pierced., shone. 
 
 Brayd, p. 6, hastened. 
 
 Braid fui'th, p. 196, stretch- 
 ed out. 
 
 Breid, p, 151, breads loaves. 
 
 Breird, p. 178, shoot forth : 
 applied to grain. 
 
 Brent, p. 81, smooth., high. 
 
 Briclit, the, p. 12, a lady., 
 a young woman., the fair. 
 
 Brig, pp. 58, 218, a bridge. 
 
 Broddit, p. 193, pricked. 
 
 Brok, broke, pp, 54, 138, 
 a badger. 
 
 Browderit, p. 90, embroi- 
 dered. 
 
 Bruk, p. 210, bruke, p. 
 211, a stream., brook. 
 
 Briikkilnes, p. 78, change- 
 ableness. 
 
 Brym, p. 218, floods river. 
 
 Bud, pp. 153, 194, 214, 
 bribe., gift. 
 
 Bufe, p. 33, above. 
 
 Biiist, p. 136, out of his 
 tvallet. 
 
 Buit, p. 92, help. 
 
 Buk-hude, p. 140, a game., 
 probably^ like Hide-and- 
 seek. 
 
 Bullar, p. 82, a heap., a 
 loud gurgling noise. 
 
 Bur, bare, pp. 10, 148, 
 bore^ carried. 
 
 Burelie, bui'ely, pp. 81, 90, 
 19, pleasant^ agreeable. 
 
 Burly, p. 24, strong^ stately. 
 
 Bursin, p. 207, burst. 
 
 Busk, pp. 108, 132, 183, a 
 bush ; p. 193, brushwood. 
 
 Busk, p. 173, to dress. 
 
 Buskis, p. 55, bushes. 
 
 Buskit, p. 84, arrayed. 
 
 Bus, buss, p. 52, a bush. 
 
 Busteous or busteouss, pp. 
 62, 80, 81, ^erce, power- 
 ful, boisterous. 
 
 But, p. 89, without. 
 
 But, p. 115, the outer 
 apartment ; but and ben, 
 a house consisting of an 
 outer and inner apart- 
 ment. 
 
 Bute, p. 204, help^ advan- 
 tage. 
 
 Buttrie, p. 202, scullery., 
 pantry. 
 
 By, p. 197, beside. 
 
 Bydand, p. 32, abiding., 
 waiting. 
 
 C. 
 
 Cabok, caboik, (kebbuck), 
 
 p. 198, a cheese. 
 Cace, p. 134, chance; on 
 
 cais, by chance. 
 Cadgear, p. 184, a carrier. 
 Caffe, p. 179, chaff. 
 
312 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Caip, p. 29, a cope^ cover. 
 
 Calf, caff, p. 176, chaff. 
 
 Calf, p. 214, see Crop. 
 
 Callit, p. 195, summoned. 
 
 Came, p. 120, comb. 
 
 Campis (at p. 159 printed 
 Lampls), p. 218, long 
 hair^ whiskers. 
 
 Can (ken), p. 107, to know. 
 
 Cant, p. 114, playful^ live- 
 ly^ merry. 
 
 Capill, pp. 184, 186, a 
 horse or mare. 
 
 Carage, p. 50, behaviour. 
 
 Carioun, p. 134, carcase^ 
 carion. 
 
 Carle, carll, carlis, pp. 
 175, 188,acAMrZ, a rustic, 
 usually advanced in life. 
 
 Carpand, p. 144, talking. 
 
 Carpin, p. 17, talking. 
 
 Cart, p. 82, chariot. 
 
 Catyf, p. 23, knave., caitiff. 
 
 Cauld, p. 153, cold. 
 
 Cautelous, pp. 118, 175, 
 cunning^ wily. 
 
 Chaip, p. 29, escape. 
 
 Chair, p. 82, chariot. 
 
 Chantecleir, p. 118, name 
 given to a cock. 
 
 Chymeris, p. 156, a short 
 light gown. 
 
 Clapper, pp, 89, 92, a kind 
 of hand-bell^ ivhich lepers 
 rattled, for the two-fold 
 purpose of seeking alms^ 
 and to warn persons from 
 coming in contact, for 
 fear of infection. 
 
 Claucht, p. 53, catched, 
 caught. 
 
 Clepit, p. 53, called. 
 
 Clinscheand, p. 140, limp- 
 ing. 
 
 Clippis, p. 70, eclipse. 
 
 Clout, p. 214, a small por- 
 tion. 
 
 Club, pp. 23, 173, a staff. 
 
 Cluke, p. 205, a claw, 
 clutches. 
 
 Coft, p. 14, bought. 
 
 Coif, coiffis, pp. 153, 171, 
 a cave, caves. 
 
 Columbine, p. 171, the 
 name of a plant, from 
 the flowers of different 
 colours having a dove- 
 like form or figure. 
 
 Compone, p. 152, make a 
 composition. 
 
 Con, p. 138, a squirrel. 
 
 Cop, p. 89, a cup or dish 
 to receive alms. 
 
 Copia temporis, p. 170, the 
 Goddess of Plenty. 
 
 Corbie, p. 148, a raven. 
 
 Coronat, p. 161, crowned. 
 
 Corpis, p. 189, body. 
 
 Couth, p. 156, affable. 
 
 Cowd, cowth, pp. 5, 6, 10, 
 could. 
 
 Crab, crabbit, pp. 207, 208, 
 anger, to make angry. 
 
 Crabbing, p. 67, making 
 angry. 
 
 Crag, pp. 179, 204, the 
 neck. 
 
 Crag-bane, p. 208, the col- 
 lar-bone. 
 
 Craikand, p. 173, the cry 
 or noise made by a fowl. 
 
 Crak-rape, p. 128, hang' 
 mail's rope. 
 
 Cramp, p. 25, to frequent. 
 
 Cramping, p. 25, same 
 sense as Cramp: there 
 is an English phrase. 
 ' In the Crampis,' well 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 313 
 
 set out in clothes — (Hal- 
 
 liwell). 
 Crampland, p. Sl^curled.^ 
 Crap, p. 114, creep. 
 Craw, crawand, pp. 120, 
 
 121, to crow^ crowing. 
 Creill, creillis, p. 184, a 
 
 wicker basket^ panniers 
 
 used by carriers. 
 Crop and calf, p. 214, calf 
 
 here means irifield grass. 
 Crous, pp. 104, 123, 139, 
 
 bold, confident. 
 Crownair, p. 152, coroner. 
 Cry, p. 144, proclamation. 
 Cunnand, p. 11, an engage- 
 ment^ a contract. 
 Cunning, p. 138, a rabbit. 
 
 D. 
 
 Daill, p. 5, dale. 
 
 Dais, p. Ill, the high place 
 in the hall. 
 
 Dart, p. 199, probably for 
 derf, active, vigorous. 
 
 Daw, da, p. 138, a doe. 
 
 De, pp. 12, 189, die. 
 
 Dede, p. 147, death. 
 
 Deid, pp. 30, 55, death, 
 
 Deir, pp. 4, 8, harm., hurt., 
 injury. 
 
 Delf, p. 222, to delve. 
 
 Deluge, p. 42, to free., dis- 
 lodge. 
 
 Demyng, p. 8, censuring. 
 
 Denyie, p. 158, deign. 
 
 Deray, p. 139, disorder. 
 
 Derenyeit, p. 151, accused. 
 
 Dern, p. 3, secret. 
 
 Descense, p. 49, descent. 
 
 Devyne, p. 145, divinity. 
 
 Dicht, pp. 12, 13, ready, 
 prepared. 
 
 Dill, p. 3, share. 
 
 Dirk, pp. 169, 192, dark, 
 hidden. 
 
 Doiff, p. 176, dull. 
 
 Dolly, p. 60, doleful. 
 
 Doolie, dully, pp. 70, 75, 
 dull., melancholy. 
 
 Dorp, p. 118, a village. 
 
 Dosinnit, p. 190, stupid, 
 confused. 
 
 Dottit, p. 43, stupid, doited. 
 
 Doun, p. 223, down. 
 
 Dowis, p. 193, a term of 
 endearment. 
 
 Dowkit, p. 132, dipped in 
 the water. 
 
 DrafF-troich, p. 107, trough 
 for grain or refuse. 
 
 Dreuch, p. 132, drew. 
 
 Drowrie, p. 96, gift, love- 
 token. 
 
 Druggis, p. 223, pulls, 
 drags. 
 
 Dub, dubbis, pp. 171, 206, 
 a small pool of rain 
 water. 
 
 Dude, pp. 130, 131, do it, 
 perform it. 
 
 Dule, p. 3, sorrow. 
 
 Dulfully, p. 12, sorrowfully. 
 
 Dulkit, p. 59, dived. 
 
 Dully, duly, pp. 32, 70, 
 doleful, melancholy. 
 
 Dungin doun, p. 11, over- 
 thrown, cast down. 
 
 Dungering, p. 11, the dun- 
 geon of a castle. 
 
 Duschit, p. 145, dashed, to 
 beat down. 
 
 Dyte, p. 75, writing; ane 
 cairfuU dyte, a sorrowful 
 story. 
 
 Dytis, p. 152, to indict. 
 
314 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 E. 
 
 E, ee, p. 173, the eye. 
 
 Effeird, p. 160, belonged to. 
 
 Effeiris, p. 130, belongs^ 
 befits. 
 
 Eik, p. 6, increase. 
 
 Eik, p. 138, also. 
 
 Eild, p. 25, old age. 
 
 Ene, eine, pp. 140, 156, 
 eyes. 
 
 Eird, erd, pp. 31, 34, 57, 
 116, 178, earth. 
 
 Eirit, p. 194, waxed. 
 
 Eith, p. 145, easily. 
 
 EkjDg, p. 49, adding^ in- 
 creasing. 
 
 Eldaris, p. 49, ancestors. 
 
 Elikonee, p. 60, Helicon. 
 
 Enchessonii,'p. 207, caused^ 
 occasioned. 
 
 Erar, p. 160, rather. 
 
 Erd. — See Eird, earth. 
 
 Erdly, p. 30, earthly. 
 
 Esope, p. 157, JEsop. 
 
 Esperance, p. 9, hope. 
 
 Facnltie, p. 218, skill. 
 
 Fair, p. 112, fare. 
 
 Fairliand, p. 173, wonder- 
 ing. 
 
 Fairn, p. 109, fern. 
 
 Fallowis, p. 222, makes thy 
 companion or fellow. 
 
 Fall- trap, p. Ill, a mouse- 
 trap. 
 
 Falset, p. m, falsehood. 
 
 Fane, pp. 135, 221, glad. 
 
 Fang, pp. 131, 187, 221, 
 
 to catch hold., laid hold 
 of booty, prize. 
 
 Farly, p. 51, wondrous. 
 
 Fassoun, p. S, fashion. 
 
 Fauld, pp. 6, 203, open 
 field, pasture ground. 
 
 Faw, p. 175, to make the 
 ground fallow. 
 
 Fawcht, p. 12, fought. 
 
 Faj, p. IQl, faith. 
 
 Fayest, p. 173, on whom 
 the chance may, predes- 
 tined. 
 
 Fe, pp. 3, 203, sheep. 
 
 Feddi'ame, p. 1^^, feathers. 
 
 Feid, p. 124, enmity, feud. 
 
 Feil, p. 118, many. 
 
 Feill, p. 187, knowledge. 
 
 Feinyeit, p. 222. feigned. 
 
 Feir, p. 3, complexion. 
 
 Fell-, p. 129, alarm. 
 
 Feiris, p. 161, companions. 
 
 Feisik, p. 45, physic. 
 
 Feitho, p. 138, a pole-cat; 
 the fitchat or fitchew, of 
 Shakespeare, a stinking 
 little beast that robs the 
 hen-roost and warren. 
 
 FeU, p. 175, high land only 
 fit for pasture. 
 
 Felloun, p. 81, sharp, dan- 
 gerous. 
 
 Feltrit, p. 81, fetterit, p. 
 168, entangled. 
 
 Fent, p. 138, the opening 
 left in the sleeves, or short 
 slit in the upper part of 
 dress. 
 
 Fenyeit, pp. 64, 157, 185, 
 feigned. 
 
 Fer, p. 105, /ar. 
 
 Feriate, p. 150, holiday. 
 
 Ferly,pp.23, 67, wondrous. 
 
 Ferlyis, p. 36, wonders. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 315 
 
 Fettillie, p. 222, keenly. 
 
 Fey, p. 124, ./ee. 
 
 Feynd, p. 201, the fiend^ 
 
 the devil. 
 Fibert, p. 138 (or vetch), 
 p. 223. Fitche, a small 
 kind of wild pea. 
 Firth, p. 175, enclosed 
 
 land. 
 Fitchett, see Feitho. 
 Flane, p. 132, an arrow. 
 Flanis, p. 81, arrows. 
 Flasche, p. 81, a sheaf. 
 Flatling, flatlyngis, pp. 63, 
 113, ld9, Jlat^Jlatly^ lying 
 flatly. 
 Fleidues, p. 20Q, fright. 
 Flemyt, pp. 21, 37, ex- 
 pelled, driven away. 
 Flet, p. 176, inside of a 
 
 house. 
 Flew, p. 204:, fled. 
 Flewar, p. 1^4:, flavour. 
 Fley, p. 204, to flay. 
 Flocht, on, |). 207, terrified, 
 
 fluttered. 
 Flok, p. ?>, flock. 
 Flyrdom, p. 142, perhaps 
 from Fiyre, to make 
 sport. 
 Flyte, p. 198, to scold. 
 Fog, p. 109, moss. 
 Foh'speikar, p. 84, advo- 
 cate, prolocutor. 
 Fold, p. 24, earth, the earth. 
 Folich, p. 69, foolish. 
 Fome, p. S2,foam. 
 Fon, p. U2, folly. 
 Forcy, p. 17, powerful. 
 Foilore, p. 64, utterly lost. 
 Forrow, p. 12, before. 
 Forther, p. 132, farther. 
 Forthink, p. 130, be per- 
 plexed, disturbed. 
 
 Forthy, pp. 126, 155, there- 
 fore, for this reason. 
 
 Foryfeild, p. 162, recom- 
 pense. 
 
 Foiyet, p. 192,/or^e^ 
 
 FoKvmart, p. 138, a pole- 
 cat. 
 
 F^ay, p 19A, fright, state 
 I of alarm. 
 
 j'reik, frelkis, pp. 24, 27, 
 
 / person, fellows. 
 
 'Freit, p. 107, decay. 
 
 Fronsit, p. 218, wrinkled. 
 
 Frosnit, p. ^0, frozen. 
 
 Fur, furris, p. 193,furroiv, 
 furrows. 
 
 Fare, pp. 62, 115, 131, 
 14:3, fared, went. 
 
 Furrit, pp. 84, 138, lined 
 with fur. 
 
 Fyle, p. 210, defile. 
 
 Fyn, 14^^, find. 
 
 G. 
 
 Gadraan, p. 193, the man 
 
 who guided, with a long 
 
 pointed stick, the oxen in 
 
 ploughing. 
 Gah", p. 81, part of a lady'' s 
 
 dress, strip of cloth. 
 Gah-done, p. 24, guerdon, 
 
 reward. 
 Gaist, p. 112, guest. 
 Gait, p. 131, goat, goats. 
 Gam, p. 144, cheerful. 
 Ganecome, p. 77, return, 
 
 coming again. 
 Gang, pp. 4, 88, go. 
 Ganis, p. 104, avails. 
 Gansell, p. 115, sauce. — 
 
 See note, p. 304. 
 
316 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Gar, pp. 8, 181, 213, cause^ 
 compel. 
 
 Garmond, p. 8, garment. 
 
 Garray, p. 144, prepara- 
 tion. 
 
 Garris, pp. 173, 191, 196, 
 causes^ compels. 
 
 Garth, p. 21, garden. 
 
 Gate, p. 65, this way^ road. 
 
 Gem, p. \\2, jelly. 
 
 Ger, p. 65, cause. 
 
 Gers, gersis, pp. Ill, 137, 
 155, grass. 
 
 Gert, gart, p. 33, caused. 
 
 Ges, p. 9, guess. 
 
 Gest, pp. 78, 89, guest. 
 
 Gib, gib-hunter, p. 114, a 
 name given to a male cat 
 that has been gelded. 
 
 Gif, pp. 117, 131, line 108, 
 if; lines 113, 117, give. 
 
 Gigot-like, p. 78, foolish, 
 laughing. 
 
 Gimpis, p. 214, quirks, sub- 
 tleties. 
 
 Gird, p. 142, struck. 
 
 Glaikit, p. 40, thoughtless, 
 foolish. 
 
 Glar, p. 210, mire, mud. 
 
 Glebard (in V.R., Glo- 
 bard), p. 138, a glow- 
 worm. 
 
 Gled, pp. 149, 153, 221, a 
 kite or hawk. 
 
 Gleid, p. 117, a spark of 
 ^?e.— (See note, p. 281). 
 
 Glemis, p. 137, shines, 
 beams. 
 
 Gloming, p. 168, dusk, twi- 
 light. 
 
 GoiMt up, p. 220, cast up 
 her head, looked up. 
 
 Graip, p. 149, a vulture, or 
 a griffin. 
 
 Graithit, p. 156, arrayed, 
 apparalled. 
 
 Grantschir, pp. 55, 56, 
 grandfathet\ 
 
 Gravin, p. 90, buried. 
 
 Greissis, p. 90, grass. 
 
 Greit, p. 64, sorrow. 
 
 Greit, p. 114, to weep. 
 
 Gressome, p. 215, sum 
 paid by a tenant at the 
 commencement of a new 
 lease. 
 
 Grewe, pp. 49, 50, Greece, 
 the Greek language. 
 
 Grisely, p. 53, of a dark- 
 ish grey colour; p. 60, 
 frightful. 
 
 Grottis, p. 112, oats with 
 the husks taken off. 
 
 Grouf, p. 88, ground, lying 
 flat, with the face down- 
 wards. 
 
 Grow, growis, p. 172, to 
 grow, grows. 
 
 Growis, p. 174, shudders. 
 
 Growtnoul, p. 269, large 
 headed, a blockhead. 
 
 Grunching, p. 123, mur- 
 muring. 
 
 Grundin, p. 81, whetted, 
 sharpened. 
 
 Grj^e, p. 60, a vulture, 
 
 Gule, p. 64, lamentation. 
 
 Guse, p. 115, a goose. 
 
 Gust, p. 113, to taste, give 
 a relish. 
 
 Gyane, p. 10, a giant. 
 
 Gyis, p. 81, a mode, 
 fashion. 
 
 H. 
 
 Habergeoun, p. 81, a short 
 coat of mail. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 317 
 
 Haboundand, p. 51, 
 
 abounding. 
 Hace, p. 87, hoarse. 
 Haill, p. 200, to draw. 
 Hailland, p. 200, drawing. 
 Hair, p. 138, a hare. 
 Hair, p. 7, hoary. 
 Hairt-sair, p. 177, grief, 
 
 heart-sore. 
 Halt, hate, pp. 82, 60, hot. 
 Hakkit, p. 187, cut down, 
 
 hacked. 
 Halkis, p. 197, hawJcs. 
 Hals, pp. 9, 128, 213, the 
 
 neck, throat. 
 Hankit, p. IQ'^^ fastened. 
 Harlit, p. 163, dragged. 
 Hattrell, p. 142, the crown 
 
 of the head. 
 Having, p. 9, carriage, 
 
 behaviour. 
 Haw, pp. 84, 87, dis- 
 
 coloured, a pale colour 
 
 between blue and green. 
 He, p. 8, high. 
 Hecht, pp. 195, 197, pro- 
 mise. 
 Heich, p. 17, to exalt. 
 Heiddismen, p. 41, the 
 
 chief or principal men in 
 
 a district. 
 Heiffis, p. 196, raises. 
 Heill, pp. 7, 143, health. 
 Heillit, p. 176, covered. 
 Heir, p. 196, here. 
 Heis, p. 17, raises, exalts, 
 
 lifts up. 
 Heithing, hething, p. 197, 
 
 jesting in sport. 
 Hekkill, pp. 120, 124, the 
 
 feathers in the neck of a 
 
 cock. 
 Heklit, p. 83, fastened by 
 
 means of a hook. 
 
 Hekillit, pp. 156, 175, to 
 
 dress flax. 
 Hellis-cruk, p. 11, a crook 
 
 for suspending vessels 
 
 over afire. 
 Hend, p. 14, courteous, 
 
 gentle. 
 Herbery, pp. 67, 68, lodg- 
 ing, a place of entertain- 
 ment. 
 Herk, p. 14, hearken. 
 Hething, p. Ill, scorn, 
 
 mockery. 
 Heuch, p. 132, a steep 
 
 bank. 
 Hewmond, p. 81, helmet. 
 Heynd, p. 3, docile, affable. 
 Hie, pp. 42, 162, high, 
 
 exalted. 
 Hing, p. 12, hung. 
 Hint, pp. 114, 120, 186, 
 
 seized, taken, caught. 
 Hirpilland, p. 1^4:, halting, 
 
 walking as if lame. 
 Hoichis, p. 207, houghs. 
 Hoir, p. 25, hoar, aged. 
 Holkit, p. 31, hollowed, to 
 
 make hollow. 
 Holtis, p. 7, woods, forests. 
 Hone, pp. 25, 199, delay. 
 Hostand, p. 23, coughing. 
 Hovit, p. 190, raised, held 
 
 up. 
 How, howe, pp. 23, 31, 80, 
 
 hollow, deep-seated. 
 Howp, p. 7, hope. 
 Huche, or heuch, p. 7, a 
 
 steep bank. 
 Hude, p. 127, a hood. 
 Hufe, p 146, hoof 
 Hurd, hui'de, pp. 64, 68, a 
 
 hoard, treasure. 
 Hurcheoun, p. 138, a 
 
 hedge -hog. 
 
318 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Hy, in hy, pp. 28, 79, 186, 
 
 204, in haste. 
 Hynk, p. 26, haste away^ 
 
 remain in suspense. 
 Hynt, pp. 63, 133, to seize, 
 
 to lay hold of. 
 
 I. 
 
 Incontinent, p. 19, immedi- 
 ately^ forthwith. 
 
 Ineuch, p. 69, enough. 
 
 Insolent, p. 49, inexpe- 
 rienced. 
 
 Instant, p. 213, immediate, 
 present. 
 
 Intermell, p. 127, inter- 
 mingle. 
 
 Irk, p. 28, indolent. 
 
 Ithand, p. 68, busy, unre- 
 mitting. 
 
 J. 
 
 Janglour, p. 6, tatler, tale- 
 teller. 
 
 Jasp, p. 104, a jasper, a 
 precious stone. 
 
 K. 
 
 Keikis, p. 171, looks up, to 
 peep, to make the first 
 appearance. 
 
 Kemmit, p. 83, combed. 
 
 Kennettis, p. 123, hunting 
 dogs. 
 
 Kennis, p. 187, knows. 
 
 Kennit, p. 206, known. 
 
 Kest, pp. 11, 15, cast. 
 
 Kist, p. 108, a chest. 
 
 Kithit, kythit, p. 109, 
 
 shown, appear. 
 Kittockis, p. 123, concu. 
 
 oines. 
 Knap, p. 181, to catch hold, 
 
 to seize. 
 Knax, knakis, pp. 142, 
 
 144, tricks, sharp-witted 
 
 gibes. 
 
 Laich, p. 140, low. 
 
 Laif, pp. 16, 144, 224, the 
 rest, remainder. 
 
 Laip, p. 131, lap. 
 
 Laithly, p. 30, loathsome. 
 
 Lair, p. 128, at school, to 
 learn. 
 
 Laitis, p. 10, manners, be- 
 haviour. 
 
 Lampis, p. 159, probably 
 for Campis, in one MS. 
 tampis, whiskers. 
 
 Lansand, p. 136, darting, 
 ranning about, moving 
 with agility. 
 
 Lansit, p. 159, to dart, to 
 spring. 
 
 Lap, p. 185, leaped. 
 
 Lare, pp. 31, 37, learning. 
 
 Lattit, p. 76, hindered. 
 
 Lauch, p. 83, laugh. 
 
 Lautee, p. 37, loyalty. 
 
 Law, p. 181, low. 
 
 Law, lawest, pp. 17, 131, 
 138, brings low,humblest. 
 
 Lawis, p. 17, casts down. 
 
 Lawte, p. 195, lawtie, p. 
 153, truth, fidelity. 
 
 Le, p. 223, peace, tran- 
 quillity. 
 
 Le, lie, pp. 174, 205, shel- 
 tered ground. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 319 
 
 Learis, p. 125, liars. 
 Led, p. 14, enforced. 
 Leid, p. 92, language. 
 Leid, p. 195, a man person. 
 Leid, p. 211, told lies. 
 Leif, p. 181, permit^ give 
 
 Leir, pp. 3, 92, 158, to 
 
 learn. 
 Leird, lerd, pp. 67, 137, 
 
 taught^ informed. 
 Leirit, p. 67, learned. 
 Leit, p. 25, to delay. 
 Leme, lemis, pp. 127, 156, 
 
 gleams of lights radiance. 
 Lemman, pp. 6, 122, lover^ 
 
 sweetheart. 
 Lerroun,p. 138. — See note, 
 
 p. 306. 
 Let, p. 115, to hinder. 
 Lettand (leitand), p. 214, 
 
 to pretend., to give out. 
 Leuch, pp. 120, 195, 197, 
 
 laughed. 
 Levar, p. 24, liver. 
 Lever, pp. 105, 114,^ratlier. 
 Lewar, p. 124, a place of 
 
 shelter. 
 Lewte, p. 195, truth. 
 Lieit, p. 204, lied^ swore 
 
 falsely. 
 Liggand, p. 163, lying. 
 Liggit, p. 4, lie together. 
 Likand, p. 33, agreeable^ 
 
 grateful. 
 Lind, p. 206, loins. 
 Linget-seed, p. 172, the 
 
 seed of flax. 
 Linkis, p. 201, in a net, 
 
 chains. 
 Lint, p. 11 4:, flax. 
 Lint-bollis, p. 174, the pods 
 
 containing the seed of 
 
 flax. 
 
 Lipper, p. 92, a person 
 
 afflicted with leprosy. 
 Lipper-folk, p. 96, leprous 
 
 persons. 
 Loggerand, p. 218, sprawl- 
 ing. 
 Loif, p. 146, honour. 
 Lokker, p. 156, curled. 
 Loving, p. 161, praise., 
 
 commendation. 
 Low, lowe, p. ^4:., flame. 
 Lowne, p. 165, sheltered, 
 
 screened from the blast. 
 Lowrie, Lowi'ence, p. 127, 
 
 a name given to the fox. 
 Lourand, lowrand, pp. 181, 
 
 195, downcast looks, 
 
 lurking. 
 Lout, loutit, pp. 138, 139, 
 
 to bow, to cringe. 
 Loutis, p. 146, bends, to 
 
 do honour. 
 Lude, p. 3, loved. 
 Luifis, p. 186, the palms of 
 
 the hands. 
 Lukit, luikit, pp. 61, 139, 
 
 looked. 
 Lustie laitis, p. 11, pleasant 
 
 demeanour. 
 Lyart, p. 120, grey-haired, 
 
 hoary. 
 Lychtlie, p. 209, to under- 
 value, despise. 
 Lychtit, p. 185, lighted. 
 Lyre, lire, pp. 61, 80, skin, 
 
 flesh. 
 Lycome, likame, pp. 12, 
 
 24, the body. — See note, 
 
 p. 240. 
 Lymmar, p. 144, a knave, 
 
 worthless person. 
 Lyt, a lyt, pp. 10, 11, 
 
 near at hand, for a time, 
 
 a short while. 
 
330 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 M. 
 
 Ma, p. 197, make. 
 Mache, machit, p. 222, 
 
 match, matched. 
 Maculait, p. 178, polluted. 
 Mailleris, p. 215, farmers, 
 
 persons who pay rent. 
 Mais, maissis, p. 110, a 
 
 mess, provisions. 
 Makdome, p. 23, figure, 
 
 shape. 
 Malisone, p. 185, a curse, 
 
 malediction. 
 Mane, mane-breid, p. 112, 
 
 bread made with fine 
 
 flour, almonds, or milk 
 
 and eggs. 
 Mangerie, p. 113, feast, 
 
 repast. 
 Mappamand, p. 57, the 
 
 terrestial globe ; literally, 
 
 a map of the world. 
 Mare, p. 56, more. 
 Marmyset, p. 138, a small 
 
 Marrit, p. 3, marred. 
 
 Marrow, p. 222, mate, con- 
 sort, associate. 
 
 Mart, p. 194, a cow or ox 
 prepared for winter pro- 
 vision. 
 
 Mavis, p. 155, the mavis, a 
 thrush. 
 
 Meldrop, p. 80, moisture. 
 
 Mell, p. 24, meddle, mingle. 
 
 Meinour, p. 92, memory, 
 remembrances. 
 
 Mene, p. 23, purpose, in- 
 tent. 
 
 Merkit, p. 115, hastened, 
 from Merk, to ride. 
 
 Merk (mirk), p. 13, dark. 
 Merle, pp. 90, 155, the 
 
 black-bird. 
 Mertrik, p. 138, a pole-cat. 
 Ming, myng, mingis, pp. 
 
 97, 101, 214, to mingle, 
 
 mixes. 
 IVIirk, myi-k, pp. 60, 70, 
 
 168, dark. 
 Msleving, pp. 101, 128, 
 
 bad conduct. 
 Mittenis, p. 185, gloves. 
 Mocht, p. 196, might. 
 Mon, pp. 31, 191, must. 
 Mone, p. 199, the moon. 
 Mone, pp. 53, 89, lamen- 
 tation. 
 Mot, p. 6, may. 
 Mow, mowis, pp. 179, 183, 
 
 207, sport, jests. 
 Mowdewart, p. 138, a 
 
 mouldwarp, a mole. 
 Mowlit, p. 91, mouldy. 
 Moyr, p. 21, more. 
 Mude, p. 3, mood. 
 Muf, p. 33, proceed, move. 
 Muke, p. 104, dung. 
 Myngit, pp. 65, 83, mingled. 
 Myrk, mirk, pp. 60, 70, 
 
 dark. 
 Mysfare, p. 65, go cLstray. 
 
 K 
 
 Nar, p. 189, near; nar, p. 
 
 85, nearer. 
 Neip, p. 198, turnip. 
 Neiss, p. 38, nostrils. 
 Neist, p. 79, next. 
 Nethirmare, p. 56, lower 
 
 down, below. 
 Nippis, p. 199, catches. 
 Noit, p. 21, note. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 321 
 
 Nouis, the, p. 107, for the 
 
 occasion. 
 Northin, p. 75, Northern. 
 Nouther, p. 131, neither. 
 Nowmeris, p. 57, numbers. 
 
 Obsolve, p. 31, answer^ 
 resolve. 
 
 Ocht, p. 196, ought., any 
 iking. 
 
 Okker, p. 154, usury. 
 
 Orature, pp. 75, 79, ora- 
 tory. 
 
 Orisonis, p. 32, orisons., 
 prayers. 
 
 Orlege, p. 121, a clock. 
 
 Oner, ower, pp. 160, 217, 
 over; (iu the old Scot- 
 tish poets tt and w are 
 used for v, and usually 
 pronounced, as a mono- 
 syllable, owr, o'er). 
 
 Oulk, pp. 122, 131, a week. 
 
 Ourcome, p. 63, recover. 
 
 Ourheillit, p. 125, covered 
 over, concealed. 
 
 Oui*e-set, p. 21, overcome. 
 
 Our-fret, p. 23, overspread. 
 
 Oursyld, p. 55, concealed. 
 
 Our-tuk, p. 11, overtake. 
 
 Outraid, p. 222, settled. 
 
 Outthrow, p. 61, through- 
 out. 
 
 Outwaill, p. 79, outcast. 
 
 Ouirfret, p. 81, deck'd over. 
 
 Ouirquhelmit, p. 89, over- 
 whelmed. 
 
 Ower sone, p. 222, too 
 soon, to readily. 
 
 Owthlr, p. 28, either. 
 
 Oyas, p. 156, Oyes! (Fr., 
 oyez). 
 
 P. 
 
 Pace, p. Ill, Pasch, the 
 feast of Easter. 
 
 Pace, p. 213, apace. 
 
 Paddok, p. 217, a frog. 
 
 Paip, p. 28, the Pope. 
 
 Painless, p. 14tS, free from, 
 impartial, unbiassed. 
 
 Palpis, pappis, pp. 31, 51, 
 211, paps. 
 
 Palzeoun, p. 137, pavilion 
 
 Panit, p. 35, suffered, en- 
 dured pain. 
 
 Pansing, p. 9, thoughts, 
 meditation. 
 
 Paramour (par amour), p. 
 10, beloved. 
 
 Paramour, pp. 25, 83, a 
 gallant, a lover, mist7-ess. 
 
 Parralling, p. 114, a par- 
 tition, or perhaps tapestry 
 or hangings to cover a 
 wall. 
 
 Pasche, p. 131, time of 
 Easter. 
 
 Patelet, p. 9, a rvff^. 
 
 Patill, p. 193, the stick used 
 to clear away the earth 
 thatadheres to the plough. 
 
 Paynchis, p. 131, tripe. 
 
 Pedder, p. 186, a pedlar, 
 a hawker of small goods. 
 
 Peelit, pp. 31, 153, peeled, 
 stripped bare. 
 
 Peip, p. 217, cry. 
 
 Peir, p. 11, equal. 
 
 Pels, p. 114, pease. 
 
 Peit-pot, p. 135, the hole 
 from which peat is dug. 
 
322 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Pennair, p. 156, a pen- 
 case. 
 
 Pennis, p. 169, wings^ pro- 
 perly feathers. 
 
 Pennyfull the mone, p. 
 199, the full moon, as 
 round as a penny. 
 
 Pens, p. 31, meditate, re- 
 flect. 
 
 Peifay, p. 7, verily, truly. 
 
 Peifyt, p. 8, complete, per- 
 fect. 
 
 Perpall wall, p. 116, par- 
 tition wall. 
 
 Perqueir, to cnn, p. 222, 
 to learn exactly by heart. 
 
 Perqueir, p. 224, perfectly. 
 
 Perrie dog, p. 148, a dog 
 that is constantly at his 
 master^s heels. Lord 
 Hailes makes it Burry. 
 
 Pertrik, p. 188, a partridge. 
 
 Pess, p. 71, peace. 
 
 Pete, p. 55, pity, compas- 
 sion. 
 
 Pew, p. 221, cry. 
 
 Phisiiamour, p. 31, physi- 
 ognomy, countenance. 
 
 Phisnomie, pp. 140, 219, 
 countenance. 
 
 Picht, p. 137, pitched, pre- 
 pared. 
 
 Pietie, pp. 114, \%Q, pity. 
 
 Pieteoiis, p. 217, pitiful. 
 
 Pinnit, p. ^0, fastened. 
 
 Plane, full, (de piano), p. 
 151, upon the spot, in- 
 continently. 
 
 Plank, p. 194, a share, 
 division of spoil. 
 
 Playnt, p. 63, complaint. 
 
 Pleid, pp. 211, 151, con- 
 troversy, pleading. 
 
 Plenje, p. 62, complain. 
 
 Plenyeit, p. 151, com- 
 plained. 
 
 Plet, plettis, pp. 109, 163, 
 118, folded, embraced. 
 
 Pleuch, p. 193, plough. 
 
 Pley, pp. 149, 196, plea. 
 
 Plycht, p. 212, condition. 
 
 Plye, pp. 93, 114, state, 
 plight. 
 
 Poleist, pp. 31, 87, smooth, 
 polished. 
 
 Polite, p. 101, polished, 
 elegant. 
 
 Porteous, p. 152, the roll 
 of persons accused. 
 
 Pow, powis, pp. 30, 31, 
 159, 162, head, heads. 
 
 Pow, pp. 159, 162, the claw, 
 foot of a beast of prey. 
 
 Powis, p. 137, proud, 
 haughtily, with haughty 
 heads {?) in some copies, 
 to wis, cords, ropes, — 
 omitted in V.R. 
 
 Practick, p. 145, custom. 
 
 Precelling, p. 91, surpas- 
 sing. 
 
 Preif, pp. 131, 220, to 
 prove, make trial. 
 
 Preiss, p. 4, endeavour. 
 
 Prene, pp. 24, 90, a pin. 
 
 Prent, pp. 160, 219, im- 
 pressed, resemblance. 
 
 Press, p. 54, strive, endea- 
 vour. 
 
 Previt, p. 145, proved. 
 
 Price, for preis, p. 161, 
 praise. 
 
 Prikkis, p. 129, troubles. 
 
 Prikkit, p. 52, inflamed. 
 
 Progenitryse, p. 51., pro- 
 genetrix. 
 
 Propertie, p. 116, inherit- 
 ance. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 323 
 
 Pultrie, p. 1S3, poultrt/. 
 
 Pure, p. 108, poor. 
 
 Purfillit, pp. 9, 170, em- 
 broidered. 
 
 Purpour, p. 169, purple. 
 
 Pursephant, p. 136, a her- 
 ald^ pursuivant. 
 
 Pusoun, pp. 19, 212, poi- 
 son. 
 
 Pyke, p. 186, to pilfer. 
 
 Pykeris, p. 109, pillagers, 
 stealers. 
 
 Pjking, pp. 119, 185, steal- 
 ing. 
 
 Pykis, p. 201, picks out. 
 
 Pyne, p. 63, torment. 
 
 Pypes, p. 170, casks. 
 
 Q. 
 
 Quailzie, p. 173, the quail, 
 a bird. 
 
 Quair, p. 76, a book, a 
 quire of paper, stitched 
 together. 
 
 Quert, p. 13, joyful, in 
 good spirits. 
 
 Quhailis bane, p. 31, whale- 
 bone or ivory. — See note, 
 p. 301. 
 
 Quhair, pp. 87, 173, where; 
 all quhair, p. 10, every- 
 where. 
 
 Quhaissill, p. 138, the 
 weasel. 
 
 Quhay, quha, p. 68, who. 
 
 Quheill, quhele, pp. 58, 67, 
 95, 223, a wheel. 
 
 Quhelllis, p. 200, wheels, 
 turns over. 
 
 Quheu, p. 75, when. 
 
 Quhetting, p. 82, whetting. 
 
 Quhiddcr, p. 180, whether. 
 
 Qiihilk, p. 86, which. 
 
 Quliill, quliyle, pp. 6, 27, 
 
 114, while, until. 
 Quhillis, quhj'les, pp. 76, 
 
 114, 221, 223, at times. 
 Quhiskis, p. 179, carries off. 
 Quhisling, p. 75, whistling. 
 Quhitrit, p. 138, the stoat, 
 
 a small animal of the 
 
 weasel kind. 
 Quhylum, p. 203, some- 
 time. 
 Quhyte, p. 135, white. 
 Quitclamc, p. 199, release. 
 
 discharge. 
 Quod, p. 120, quoth. 
 Quotidiane, pp. 30, 41, 
 
 daily. 
 
 R. 
 
 Ra, p. 138, the roe. 
 
 Rad, raid, pp. 182, 208, 
 
 'i.lb, frightened, terrified. 
 Raddour, p. 37, rashness, 
 
 impetuosity. 
 Radicate, p. 103, rooted, 
 
 ingrained. 
 Raik on raw, p. 3, to pro- 
 ceed, to go in order. 
 Raip, raipis, pp. 183, 163, 
 
 rope, cords. 
 Raith, p. 141, 194, quickly, 
 
 hastily. 
 Raklie, p. 205, fiercely, 
 
 recklessly. 
 Rampand, pp. 53, 210, 
 
 raging. 
 Rank, p. 92, importunate. 
 Rankest gers, p. Ill, 
 
 coarsest grass. 
 Ransoun, p. 11, ransom. 
 Rathly, p. 59, quickly. 
 Raucht, pp. 144, 186, 
 
 reached. 
 
324 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Rauk, rawk, pp. 91, 217, 
 hoarse. 
 
 Raxe, p. 135, to stretch. 
 
 Reach, p. 131, to extend., 
 grant. 
 
 Recure, p. 87, recovery. 
 
 Recure, p. 148, to recover. 
 
 Reid, pp. 113, 141, 176, 
 184, 222, counsel^ advice. 
 
 Reif, p. 69, to rob. 
 
 Reif, pp. 129, 135, 201, 
 213, robbery. 
 
 Reik, p. 161, extend^ be- 
 stow. 
 
 Reivis, p. 5, robs^ deprives. 
 
 Rekill, p. 206, the entrance 
 of a building., or place 
 of shelter? In Jamie- 
 son we have Rockel, a 
 porch or vestibule. 
 
 Remord, pp. 133, 146, to 
 blame., feel remorse. 
 
 Renke, p. 49, a man., per- 
 son. 
 
 Renje, p. 103, restrain. 
 
 Renyeit, p. 140, governed. 
 
 Repreif, p. 101, reprove. 
 
 Repudie, p. 77, divorce. 
 
 Retour, pp. 77, 91, return. 
 
 Retreit, p. 40, withdrawn. 
 
 Returne, p. 85, throw back. 
 
 Reull, p. 209, governed. 
 
 Reuth, rewth, pp. 131, 
 161, 213, pity. 
 
 Revand, p. 139, thievish. 
 
 Reveir, pp. 138, 210, rive?: 
 
 Rewit, p. 56, pitied. 
 
 Riche, p. 135, enrich. 
 
 Ring, pp. 32, 167, 209, 
 reign. 
 
 Ringis, p. 214, reigns. 
 
 Rink, rinkis, pp. 90, 209, 
 a person, persons. 
 
 Roiff, p. 5, rufe, p. 33, 
 quiet, rest. 
 
 Rok, p. 118, a distaff. 
 
 Rokkit, p. 59, moved, 
 rocked. 
 
 RoUand, pp. 166, 169, 
 rolling. 
 
 Rone, pp. 138, 141, brush- 
 wood; rone and ryis, p. 
 155, bushes and twigs. 
 
 Roseu', p. 21, an arbor of 
 roses. 
 
 Rouch, p. 205, rough. 
 
 Roun, pp. 19, 94, to whis- 
 per. 
 
 Roundis, p. 184, whispers. 
 
 Rowand, p. 223, rolling. 
 
 Rowan - tree, roan, the 
 mountain ash. 
 
 Roy, p. 140, a king. 
 
 Rude, pp. 3, 40, 208, 224, 
 the Rood, the Holy Cross. 
 
 Rufe, p. 33, rest, quiet. 
 
 Ruik, p. 91, rook. 
 
 Runkillit, p. 218, wrinkled. 
 
 Ruse, p. 95, extoll, com- 
 mend highly. 
 
 Russell, p. 181, a kind of 
 satin. 
 
 Ryce, p. 141, branches or 
 twigs of trees, bramble 
 bushes. 
 
 Ryell, p. 27, royal. 
 
 Ryf, p. 53, ryve. 
 
 Ryn, pp. 161, 211, run. 
 
 Rynkis, p. 36, place of 
 tourney. 
 
 Sad, pp. 49, 145, grave, 
 
 prudent. 
 Sadlie, p. 136, gravely, 
 
 solemnly. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 32o 
 
 Saiklace, sakeless, saikles, 
 
 pp. 20, 34, 212, guiltless, 
 
 innocent. 
 Saipheron, p. 90, savoury ? 
 
 or saffron ? 
 Sair, p. 90, ivound, disease. 
 Sail', pp. 91, 153, sore, 
 
 heavy, bitter. 
 Sail, p. 25, shall. 
 Sals, p. 90, sauce. 
 Salt, p. 25, shalt. 
 Salve, p. 90, remedy, or 
 
 salve applied to wounds 
 
 or hurts. 
 Sapheris, p. 31, sapphires, 
 
 precious stones. 
 Sapour, p. 50, taste, savour. 
 Sarie,p 112, sorry, pitiable. 
 Sark, pp. 8, 12, a shirt, 
 
 shift. 
 Saw, p. 195, his word, 
 
 saying. 
 Sawand, p. 19, sowing. 
 Sawis, p. 44, salves. 
 Sayne, p. 132, to bless. 
 Scaith, p. 52, hurt, damage. 
 Scammeris, p. 70, should 
 
 perhaps be stammeris, 
 
 stumbles. 
 Scautlie, p. 75, scarcely, 
 
 with difficulty. 
 Schaipit, p. 198, escaped. 
 Schankis, p. 52, legs. 
 Schaw,pp. 52, 19b,toshow. 
 Schaw, schawis, pp. 119, 
 
 195, 206, a wood, covert. 
 Scheddand, p. 169, divid- 
 ing, cleaving. 
 Schent, pp. 5, 182, ruined, 
 
 destroyed, lost. 
 Schill, pp. 75, 136, shrill. 
 Schondir, schunder, pp. 11, 
 
 208, asunder. 
 Schone, p. 9, shoes. 
 
 Scliore, p. 211, threat. 
 
 Schow, p. 182, shove, push. 
 
 Schryif, schryve, pp. 128, 
 129, shrive. 
 
 Schuir, p. 164, cut, tore, 
 severed. 
 
 Schuke, p. 11, shook. 
 
 Scliulit, p. 176, shovelled. 
 
 Schupe, p. 206, endea- 
 voured. 
 
 Senilis, p. 157, schools. 
 
 Sedullis, p. 26, schedules. 
 
 See, p. 30, state, residence. 
 
 Seisit, p. 69, ceased. 
 
 Sek, p. 191, sack. 
 
 Sekkis, p. 112, sacks. 
 
 Seiche, p. 44, the seal. 
 
 Selcouth, p. 185, a strange 
 thing. 
 
 Seldyu, p. 65, seldom. 
 
 Selie, pp. 114, 121, 130, 
 poor, wretched. 
 
 Selie, sely, pp. 61, 152,210, 
 213, simple, harmless. 
 
 Sell, p. 199, self. 
 
 Semblie, p. 140, assembly. 
 
 Sendill, p. 176, far, seldom. 
 
 Seneour, senyeouris, pp. 
 24, 199, Seigneur, per- 
 sons of rank. 
 
 Sent, p. 134, scent, smelling. 
 
 Seriositee, p. 64, grave, 
 weighty. 
 
 Serk, sark, p. 10, a shirt or 
 shift. 
 
 Serss, p. 69, to search. 
 
 Serwandis, p. 19, servants. 
 
 Servis, p. 40, deserves. 
 
 Sessoun, p. 90, seasoning. 
 
 Sete, p. 33, seat, throne. 
 
 Sethe, p. 66, to stew (in 
 cookery). 
 
 Sett, p. 23, to adapt with 
 notes (to music). 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 Seure, p. 26, true^ sure. 
 Sew, p. 204, sowed. 
 Sewe, p. 67, meat stewed. 
 Sey, p. 82, sea. 
 Sichiug, p. 91, sighing. 
 Sicht, sichit, pp. 5, 121, 
 
 sighed. 
 Sicker, pp. 129, 189, secMre. 
 Sickerness, pp. 9, 116, se- 
 curity. 
 Sickker, p. 195, binding^ 
 
 sure. 
 Sik, sic, pp. 15, 37, such. 
 Sikkeiiy, p. 215, firmly^ 
 
 securely. 
 Simuland, p. 11^^ feigning. 
 Skaith, pp. 19, 110, 194, 
 
 hurt^ damage^ injury. 
 Skar, p 182, frightened., 
 
 alarmed. 
 Skelfis, p. 112, shelves. 
 Skrow, p. 143, scroll. 
 Slaik, p. 175, low ground 
 
 among hills. 
 Sleif, p. 197, sleeve. 
 Sleit, p. 175, sleet. 
 Slicht, p. 120, sleight^ a 
 
 dexterous practice. 
 Slidder, p, 209, uncertain^ 
 
 unstable. 
 Slonkis, p. 175, sloughs^ 
 
 quagmires. 
 Slouth, p. 165, sloth. 
 Slyderness, p. 60, slipperi- 
 
 ness. 
 Smell, p. 50, sagacity. 
 Smoirand, p. 214, smo- 
 thered., smothering? 
 Snod, p. 205, smooth. 
 Snout, p. 145, the nose of 
 
 a beast. 
 Soir, p. 24, disease. 
 Sonc, pp. 139, 218, 222, 
 
 soon. 
 
 Souken, p. 89, swik. 
 
 Sonyeis, p. 183, excuses. 
 
 Sop, p. 89, a morsel^ any- 
 thing steeped in liquor. 
 
 Sory, p. 68, worthless. 
 
 Souer, p. 36, secure. 
 
 Soukkit, p. 211, sucked. 
 
 Sowpit, p. 91, filled. 
 
 Sowrokis, p. 44, sorrel, a 
 plant having an acid taste. 
 
 Soyr, p. 82, sorel, or colour 
 inclining to red. 
 
 Spa-men, p. 69, fortune- 
 tellers. 
 
 Span, p. 175, span. 
 
 Sparth, p. 137, thepard? 
 
 Spaying, pp. 69, 70, for- 
 tune telling. 
 
 Speir, p. 53, 222, ask, in- 
 quire. 
 
 Speiris, pp. 27, 224, in- 
 quires. 
 
 Speiris, see Spere. 
 
 Sperit, p. 112, inquired. 
 
 Speit, p. 175, a spit. 
 
 Speldit, p. 175, spread 
 open. 
 
 Spence, p. 112, a larder, 
 the place where provisions 
 are kept. 
 
 Spenser, p. 113, the store- 
 keeper, the butler. 
 
 Spere, p. 56, sphere ; speris, 
 speiris, pp. 57, 65, 70, 
 the spheres. 
 
 Spittaill hous, p. 89, house 
 for lepers, hospital. 
 
 Splene, p. 24, the milt. 
 
 Splene, p. 35, the heart. 
 
 Spreittis, p. 76, spirit. 
 
 Sproutis, p. 201, shoots, 
 blossoms. 
 
 Stad, p. 94, beset. 
 
 Staff, p. 187, a stick; cudgel. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 327 
 
 Stall, p. 132, stole. 
 Stane, stauis, pp. 165, 167, 
 
 stone^ stones. 
 Stane, weyis ane, p. 197, 
 
 a stone- weight. 
 Stark, pp. 24, 106, strong. 
 Starnis, p. 81, stars. 
 Steir, steird, pp. 124, 132, 
 
 to move, moved. 
 Steir, in, p. 193, busili/. 
 Steirand, p. 224, active, in 
 
 motion. 
 Steiris, p. 139, troubles. 
 Stentit, p. 166, stretched 
 
 out. 
 Sternis, pp. 56, 127, stars. 
 Stevyn, p. 24, sound, the 
 
 voice; p. 93, noise. 
 Stikkand, p. 156, sticking. 
 Stilland, p. 170, distilling. 
 Sting, p. 187, a long pole. 
 Stint, pp. 124, 186, to stop, 
 
 pause. 
 Stirk, p. 197, a bullock, a 
 
 young heifer. 
 Stoppeil, p. 186, a plug, a 
 
 stopple. 
 Stoppit, p. 177, stuffed; 
 
 stoppit full of stra, p. 
 
 160, stuffed with straw. 
 Stottis, p. 193, oxen. 
 Stound, stoundis, p. 91, 
 
 acute pain. 
 Stouth, p. 129, theft. 
 Stra, pp. 58, 114, 160, 
 
 183, straw. 
 Straik, p. 173, stroke. 
 Strarapit, p. 52, trampled. 
 Straucht, pp. 185, 188, 
 
 stretched. 
 Straucht, p. 193, kept 
 
 straight. 
 Streik, p. 188, stretch. 
 Streiking, p. 193, busy. 
 
 Streikit, p. 189, stretched. 
 Strikin, p. 112, cut off (in 
 
 slices). 
 Stro, p. 91, straw. 
 Stude, pp. 73, 131, 206, 
 
 stood. 
 Stuid grey meir, p. 141, a 
 
 horse or stud mare. 
 Sty me, p. 70, a glimpse. 
 Sua, p. 130, so. 
 Subcharge, p. 110, second 
 
 course. 
 Sucker, p. 125, sugar. 
 Suith, suthe, pp. 26, 195, 
 
 truth. 
 Suittis, p. 139, causes. 
 Suld, p. 8, should. 
 Sumdeill, pp. 82, 194, 198, 
 
 somewhat, a good deal. 
 Suth, p. 30, truth, verity. 
 Swa, pp. 131, 144, 153, so. 
 Swak, p. 94, to cast, to 
 
 throw down with force. 
 Swakkit doun, p. 186, cast 
 
 with force, threw down. 
 Sweit, the, p. 119, a term 
 
 of endearment. 
 Swelt, pp. 96, 119, 190, to 
 
 faint, overpowered as 
 
 with heat. 
 Swink, p. 215, to labour. 
 Swingillit, p. 175, to sepa- 
 rate the flax from the core 
 
 by beating it. 
 Swoning, p. 121, swooning. 
 Swoping, swopit, p. 104, 
 
 sweeping, swept. 
 Swyith, pp. 124, 174, 204, 
 
 quickly, immediately. 
 Syis, oft, p. 94, oft-times. 
 Syke, p. 143, a marshy 
 
 bottom with a rill of 
 
 water. 
 Sylit, p. 75, concealed. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 Syn, greit syn, p. 113, 
 
 great pity. 
 Syne, pp. 88, 143, 167, 
 
 then^ afterwards. 
 Syte, p. 91, greif^ suffering. 
 
 T. 
 
 Ta, p. 50, take. 
 
 Taid, taiddis, pp. 219, 220, 
 221, a frog ^ toad^ frogs. 
 
 Taikning, takning, pp. 83, 
 96, token^ remembrance. 
 
 Taill, p. 195, account^ reck- 
 oning. 
 
 Taill, p. 157, a tale. 
 
 Taill, p. 195, reckoning. 
 
 Taillisman, p. 18, tale-teller. 
 
 Tailzies, p. 112, pieces of 
 meat^ cut in slices for 
 roasting or boiling. 
 
 Tais, pp. 120, 135, 145, 
 200, toes. 
 
 Tais, p. 145, takes. 
 
 Tait, p. 159, gay^ sporting. 
 
 Tak, p. 214, a lease. 
 
 Taue, pp. 11, 164, taken. 
 
 Tary, tarie, pp. 57, 121, 
 delay. 
 
 Tedderit, p. 65, fastened^ 
 tied. 
 
 Tendouris, p. 49, instruc- 
 tors. 
 
 Tene, teyne, pp. 187, 204, 
 rage., anger. 
 
 Tene, p. 187, enraged. 
 
 Tent, p. 104, care, attention. 
 
 Tepat, p. 9, tippet. 
 
 Termagant, p. 31, "the 
 name of an old Saracen 
 deity, coiTupted from 
 Tervagant "— Halliwell. 
 
 Tethys, p. 127, chief of the 
 
 Sea-Goddesses^ ivife and 
 sister of Oceanus. 
 
 Tench, p. 164, tough. 
 
 Textuall, p. 125, contained 
 in the text. 
 
 Teyn, p. 35, mad with rage. 
 
 Teyne, p. 187, anger. 
 
 Thay, p. 118, these. 
 
 Thig, pp. 130, 143, 214, to 
 beg. 
 
 Thobe, p. 15, a proper 
 name, Tobias the son of 
 Tobit. 
 
 Thocht, p. 212, thought. 
 
 Thoill, thole, pp. 9, 159, 
 214, suffer., endure. 
 
 Thoillit, tholit, pp. 77, 108, 
 endured., suffered. 
 
 Tholis, p. 154, suffers. 
 
 Thraf-caikkis, p. 112, cakes 
 made of wheat. 
 
 Thrawart, p. 219, distorted. 
 
 Thrawin, p. Ill, distorted. 
 
 Thrist, p. 210, thirst. 
 
 Thusgate, p. 53, in this 
 manner. 
 
 Thyne, fra, p. Ill, from 
 thence^ that place. 
 
 Tint, pp. 104, 201, lost. 
 
 Tirllit, p. 159, plucked. 
 
 Tit, pp. 187, 208, pulkd. 
 
 Titlaris, p. 18, tatlers. 
 
 Tityns, pp. 59, 60, in hea- 
 then mythology^ the son 
 of Jupiter., and educated 
 by Terra. 
 
 Tod, p. 139, Tod-Lanrie, 
 the common designation 
 in Scotland for a fox. 
 
 Tone,/or tane, p. 12, taken. 
 
 Tone, p. 26, sound of the 
 voice. 
 
 Toxicate, p. 125, intoxi- 
 cate. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 329 
 
 Trappald, p. 220, deceitful. 
 
 Treippand, p. 137, hop- 
 ping nimbly. 
 
 Tretie, p. 114, entreaty. 
 
 Trig, p. 159, neat., trim in 
 apparel. 
 
 Trimbillifc, p. 113, trembled. 
 
 Trip, pp. 131, 143, 159, a 
 flock., a considerable num- 
 ber. 
 
 Troich, p. 107, trough for 
 swine. 
 
 Trow, pp. 12, 80, 169, 188, 
 215, believe. 
 
 Trowand, p. 176, imagin- 
 ing., believing. 
 
 Trowd, p. 5, believed., ima- 
 gined. 
 
 Trowis, p. 191, expects. 
 
 Truker, p. 187, a worthless 
 fellow. 
 
 Trusterie, p. 201, deceitful- 
 ness, treachery. 
 
 Tuik, p. 76, tuke, p. 167, 
 took. 
 
 Tuilyeour lyke, p. 82, ad- 
 dicted to fighting. 
 
 Tume, pp. 105, 170, 179, 
 empty. 
 
 Tussillit, p. 185, handled 
 roughly. 
 
 Twa, p. 198, two. 
 
 Twichis, p. 70, touches., 
 
 Twist, p. 221, a branch. 
 Twynit, p. 220, twisted. 
 Tyke, p. 185, a cur, a dog. 
 Tyne, pp. 190, 196, to lose. 
 Tynt, p. 21 lost. 
 Tyre, p. 206, wearied. 
 
 U and V. 
 
 Udir, pp. 38, 70, other. 
 
 Uncouth, p. 89, unusual. 
 
 Underta, p. 160, under- 
 take. 
 
 Uneith, p. 190, hardly, 
 with difficulty. 
 
 Unfute sair, p. 108, — here, 
 and in the '^Priests of 
 Peblis," /ree^rom pain 
 in the feet, for walking. 
 
 Unlusum, p. 12, uncomely, 
 not lovely. 
 
 Unroikkit, p. 197, ignor- 
 antly 1 
 
 Uponland, upland, pp.108, 
 1 52, /awc?i<;ar^— See note, 
 p. 280. 
 
 Uprais, p. 75, uprose. 
 
 Utter port, p. 63, outer 
 gate. 
 
 Vaillis, p. 116, avails. 
 
 Vaneis, p. 25, vanish. 
 
 Vincust, p. 133, vanquished. 
 
 Voce, p. 23, voice. 
 
 Vult, pp. Ill, 219, aspect, 
 countenance. 
 
 W. 
 
 (Words in Wh. see Quh.) 
 
 Waikit, p. 178, (vaked), 
 ceased. 
 
 Waillit, p. 91, chosen. 
 
 Waine, p. 11, dwelling, 
 place (rf residence. 
 
 Wair, p. 5, were. 
 
 Wair, p. 107, waste, spend. 
 
 Waist, p. 96, waste, deso- 
 late. 
 
 Wait, quha wait, p. 158, 
 who knows; God wait, 
 p. 189, God knows ; 
 wait nocht, p. 200, know 
 not. 
 
330 
 
 GLOSSARY. 
 
 Wait, p. 127, ambush ; 
 
 wait-skaith, p. 127, lying 
 
 in wait for plunder. 
 Waith, p. 108, what chance 
 
 throws in the way. 
 Waits, p. 166, knows. 
 Wald, pp. 8, 14, would. 
 Waldyne, p. 24, active. 
 Walk, p. 203, to watch. 
 Walkryfe, pp. 121, 204, 
 
 watchful. 
 Wall, wallis, pp. 131, 224, 
 
 waves. 
 Wallowit, pp. 31, 61, 
 
 withered^ decayed. 
 Wame, wambe, pp. 58, 
 
 110, 116, 182, belly. 
 Wand, pp. 34, 152, rod. 
 Wand, under the, p. 108, 
 
 in a state of subjection. 
 Wane, pp. 38, 112, dwell- 
 ing^ place of abode ; will 
 
 of wane, p. 94, at a loss 
 
 for a habitation. 
 Wanhope, wanhowp, pp. 
 
 70, 76, despair., vain 
 
 hope. 
 Wanner, p. 203, paler., 
 
 more wan than. 
 Wanrufe, p. 4, uneasy. 
 War, ware, p. 218, icere. 
 War, pp. 38, 91, 179, 204, 
 
 211, worse. 
 War, be, pp. 71, 179, 209, 
 
 be cautious^ careful. 
 Wai', p. 70, worse. 
 Wariand, p. 219, varying. 
 Warisoun, p. 62, reward. 
 Warlie, p. 132, cautiously. 
 Warsch, p. 61, having a 
 
 sickly look. 
 Water-caill, pp. 114, 215, 
 
 broth made without meat 
 
 in it. 
 
 Wawland, p. 121, staring^ 
 crying out. 
 
 Wedder, p. 203, a sheep. 
 
 Wedder, weddir, pp. 6, 75, 
 80, weather. 
 
 Wedow, p. 64, used for a 
 widower. 
 
 Weid, p. 203, weeds. 
 
 Weill, p. 199, well. 
 
 Weir, p. 8, to wear. 
 
 Weir, but weir, p. 203, 
 free from disturbance. 
 
 Weir, pp. 161, 209, war. 
 
 Weir, to, p. 81, to averts 
 ward off. 
 
 Weird, pp. 88, 90, 128,/ate, 
 destiny. 
 
 Weihitlie, p. 204, speedily. 
 
 WeiU, p. 13, well. 
 
 Weitand, p. 218, wetting. 
 
 AVellis, p. 96, quagmires., 
 or marshy ground. 
 
 Welterand, p. 224, rolling., 
 tossing about. 
 
 Wend, pp. 7, 160, 193, 
 expected., imagined. 
 
 Wend, p. 153, to pass. 
 
 Wendin, p. 25, changed. 
 
 Wene, bot, p. 26, doubtless. 
 
 Wenis, p. 183, thinkest., 
 expectest. 
 
 Wer, p. 206, aware. 
 
 Werd, p. 69, same as Weird. 
 
 Werryit, see WiiTjit. 
 
 Wey, p. 18, to weigh., con- 
 sider. 
 
 Weyis, p. 198, weiglis. 
 
 Wicht, p. 27, strong., power- 
 ful. 
 
 Wichtis, p. 90, persons. 
 
 Widderit, pp. 81, 198, 
 withered., ivorn out. 
 
 Widdercock, p. 95, wea- 
 thercock. 
 
GLOSSARY. 
 
 331 
 
 Widdie-nek, p. 128, a rope 
 of willow - twigSy put 
 round the neck. 
 
 Wiethly, p. 26, quickly, 
 
 Wildwod, p. 138, savage, 
 
 untamed. 
 Wilsome, wilsum, pp. 54, 
 
 58, 109, wild, lonely. 
 Win, p. 42, winning. 
 Wink, winkit, pp. 120, 
 
 124, to wink, winked. 
 Winkand, p. 121, winking. 
 Winning, p. 157, dwelling, 
 
 habitation. 
 Wirk, pp. 8, 185, 188, 
 
 work. 
 Wirryit, pp. 123, 144, 181, 
 
 203, worried. 
 Wirth, p. 24, worth. 
 Wisk, p. 221, a rapid 
 
 movement. 
 Wist, pp. 206, 221, knew, 
 
 aware, imagined. 
 Wit, lat you, p. 65, let you 
 
 understand. 
 Withgang, p. 208, liberty, 
 
 toleration. 
 Wittie, p. 169, wise. 
 Wod, wode, pp. 125, 146, 
 
 insane, mad. 
 Wode, p. 121, wood. 
 Woddis, pp. 23, 96, woods. 
 Woid, pp. 6, 123, wood. 
 Woid, p. 121, mad, out of 
 
 her mind. 
 Woii', p. 9, wore. 
 Woir, p. 81, wasted. 
 Woke, p. 198, ivatched. 
 Woke, pp. 145, 159, 167, 
 
 awake, awakened. 
 Woll, p. 152, wool. 
 Womenting, p. 54, lament- 
 ing. 
 
 Wonder, wondir, pp. 24, 
 
 54, 65, wondrous. 
 Wone, p. 58, dwelling. 
 Worthis, p. 102, becomes, 
 
 waxes. 
 Worthit, p. 194, became. 
 Wow, p. 13, to woo, make 
 
 love. 
 Wowd, p. 14, wooed. 
 Woweir, p. 14, wooer. 
 Wox, woxe, pp. 78, 193, 
 
 waxed. 
 Wraik, p. 88, revenge. 
 Wraikfull, p. 86, revengeful. 
 Wrait, pp. 103, 157, wrote, 
 
 to write. 
 Wrak, p. 179, goods, usu- 
 ally applied to refuse. 
 Wrench, p. 7, wretched. 
 Wrink, p. 182, difficulty. 
 Wrinkis, p. 199, tricks, 
 
 subterfuges. 
 Wryth, p. 14, remove, tear 
 
 away. 
 Wy, p. 164, a man. 
 Wyis, p. 156, wise. 
 Wyn, p. 198, gain. 
 Wynd, p. 171, turn about. 
 Wynnit, p. 181, dwelt. 
 Wyte, p. 80, 198, blame. 
 
 Yaip, p. 24, eager. 
 
 Yede (or yeid), pp. 59, 67, 
 
 went. 
 Yeid, pp. 115, 200, went. 
 Yett, pp. 58, 89, gate. 
 Yhaip, p. 24, eager. 
 Ying, p. 24, young. 
 Ympit, p. 18, ingrafted. 
 Yneuch, p. 143, enough. 
 YoTV, p. 144, ewe. 
 Yude, p. 109, went. 
 
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