3

1.

Ane

new zeir gift,

to the quene Mary,

Quhen scho come first hame.
[19th August, 1561.]

Welcum illustrat ladye, and oure quene;
Welcum! oure lyone with pe floure de lyce;
Welcum! oure thrissill with þe lorane grene;
Welcum! oure rubent roiss vpoun þe ryce;
Welcum! oure jem and joyfull genetryce;
Welcum! oure beill of albion to beir;
Welcum! oure plesand princes, maist of pryce;
God gif þe grace aganis þis guid new-zeir.

This guid new 3eir, we hoip, with grace of god,
Sal be of peax, tranquillitie, and rest;
This 3eir sall rycht and ressone rewle þe rod,
Quhilk sa lang seasoun hes bene soir supprest;
This 3eir, ferme fayth sall frelie be confest,
And all erronius questionis put areir,
To lauboure pat pis lyfe amang ws lest;
God gif þe grace aganis pis guid new-zeir.
Heirfore addres the dewlie to decoir,
And rewle thy regne with hie magnificence.
Begin at God to gar sett furth his gloir,

And of his gospell gett experience,
Caus his trew kirk be had in reuerence;

So sall thy name and fame spred far and neir:
Now, this thy dett to do with diligence,
God gif þe grace aganis pis guid new-zeir.

Found thy reign on Wisdom, Justice, Fortitude, and Temperance.

Take counsel
of the wise.
Cleave to
Christ.

Watch affairs with your own eyes.

Protect the poor.

Staunch
strife in thy
estates,

stablish them
in constancy
and love.
[leaf 90 b,
p. 242]
Banish
quarrels

between the
clergy and
laymen.
Make thy
prelates live
honest lives.

Proclaim

that none but the learned shall be allowed to dispute about Holy Writ,

So god sall gyde thy grace this gude new-zeir.

40

Gar stanche all stryiff, and stabill thy estaitis
In constance, concord, cherite, and lufe;
Be bissie now to banisch all debatis,

41

Betuix kirkmen and temporall men dois mufe;
The pulling doun of policie reprufe,
And lat perversit prelettis leif perqueir;
To do the best, besekand god above,
To gife the grace aganis þis guid new-zeir.

Att croce gar cry be oppin proclamatioun,
Vndir grit panis, pat nothir he nor scho,
Off halye writ, haif ony disputatioun
Bot letterit men, or lernit clerkis perto ;
For lymmer lawdis, and litle lassis lo,

45

48

49

53

Will argun bayth with bischop, preist, and freir:

To dantoun pis, thow hes aneuch to do,

God gife pe grace aganis þis gude new-zeir.

56

Chide wicked pastors who live unchaste lives.

Bot wyte the wickit pastouris wald nocht mend; 57
Thair vitious leving all be warld prescryvis,
Thaj tuke na tent pair traik sould turne till end,
Thaj wer so proud in pair prerogatyvis ;

For wantonnes thay wald nocht wed na wyvis,

61

Nor 3it leif chaste, bot chop and change pair cheir
Now, to reforme pair fylthy licherous lyvis,
God gife pe grace aganis pis guid new 3eir.

64

Thaj brocht pair bastardis, with pe skrufe thaj skraip They have
To blande þair blude with barrownis, be ambitioun !
Thaj purchest pithles pardonis fra þe paip,

To caus fond folis confyde he hes fruitioun
As god, to gif for synnis full remissioun,

And saulis to saif frome suffering sorowis seir;
To sett asyde sic sortis of superstitioun,
God gife pe grace aganis þis gude new-zeir.

married their
bastards
into noble
families,
and have

bought par

dons for their

69

sins from the

Pope.

72

frained from marriage to keep their benefices, but seduced our maidens.

Thaj lost baith benefice and pentioun pat mareit, 73 They re-
And quha eit flesch on frydayis was fyre-fangit;
It maid na miss quhat maidinnis þaj miscareit
On fasting dayis, thaj wer nocht brint nor hangit;
Licence for luchrie fra þair lord belangit
To gif indulgence, as the devill did leir;
To mend þat menze hes sa monye mangit,
God gife pe grace agauis þis guide new-zeir.

77

Make them amend their

80 ways.

81

Thaj lute thy liegis pray to stokkis and stanes
And paintit paiparis, wattis nocht quhat paj meine;
Thaj bad pame bek and bynge at deid mennis banes ;
Offer on kneis to kiss, syne saif pair kin :

They taught
thy people
to pray to
stocks and
stones and
painted
papers,
and to wor-

Pilgrimes and palmaris past with pame betuene, 85 ship relics to

Sanct Blais, Sanct Boit, blait bodeis ein to bleir:

Now to forbid pis grit abuse, hes bene,
God gife pe grace aganis þis guid new-zeir.

Thaj tyrit god with tryfillis, tvme trentalis,
And daifit him with daylie dargeis,
With owklie abitis, to augment pair rentalis,
Mantand mort-mvmlingis, mixt with monye leis.
Sic sanctitude was sathanis sorcereis
Christis sillie scheip and sobir flok to smeir:
To ceiss all sindrye sectis of hereseis,

God gif pe grace aganis pis guid new-zeir.

88

save their kindred's souls. Forbid these abuses.