They made not equal distribution,

Of holy kirkis patrimony, and rent,1

XII.

Religious men were punished painfully

three,

First to uphold the kirk in honesty.

IX.

The second part to sustain their estatis, The third part to be given to the poor is; But they disponed that gear all other gaitis3 On carts, and dice on harlotry and huris; Thir caitives took nae compt of their ain curis ;4

Their kirkis riven, their ladies cleanly cled, And richly ruled both at board and bed.

X.

Breakand their constitutions wilfully,
Not havand their overmen in reverence;
To know their rule they made no diligence,
Unleisumly they used property,
Passing the bounds of wilful poverty.

I

XIII.

Full sore weeping, with voices lamentable They cried loud, O Emperor Constantine! We may wite 2 thy possession poisonable, Of all our great punition and pyne: Howbeit thy purpose was till ane good fine,3 Thou banisht from us true devotion, Havand sic ee till our promotion.4

XIV.

vided ;

The kirk gear largely they did on them spend,

In their defaults their subditis 5 were misguided,

Where that princes and lordis temporal
Were cruciate with painis rigorous,
But to expreme 5 their painis in special
It does exceed all my memorial
Importable pain they had, but? comforting,

By bad aspects which work vengeance,
Or other heavenly influence;
Or if I be predestinate,

In court to be infortunate,

Whilk have so long in service been,
Continually with king and queen,
And entered to thy majesty,
The day of thy nativity :
Wherethrough my friendis been ashamed,
And with my foes I am defamed ;
Seeing that I am not regarded,

Nor with my brethren of court rewarded;
Blaming my slothful negligence,

That seeks not for some recompence.
When divers men do me demand,

Although I beir not like a bard,
Long service earneth aye reward.
I cannot blame thine excellence,
That I so long lack recompense;
Had I solisted like the lave,1
My reward had not been to crave:
But now I may well understand,
A dumb man yet wan never land;
And in the court men gets nothing
Without importunate asking.

Alas! my sloth and shamefastness
Debared me from all greediness:
Greedy men that are diligent,
Right oft do obtain their intent,
And fail not for to conquess lands,

land,

As well as other men have gotten?
Then wish I to be dead and rotten,
With such extreme discomforting,
That I can make no answering.

I would some wise man did me teach,
Whether that I should flatter or fleech :"
I will not flyte, that I conclude,
For crabbing of thy celsitude :3
And to flatter, I am defamed ;
Lack I reward, then am I shamed:
But I hope thou shalt do as well,
As did the father of fameil, 4
Of whom Christ maketh mention,
Who for a certain pension,

Hired men to work in his vineyard:

But who came last got first reward,

But I took never no other cure 2
In special, but for thy pleasure :
But now I am no more despaird, 3
But I shall get princely reward.
The which shall be to me more glore,
Than them thou didst reward before.
When men do ask ought at a king,
Should ask his grace a noble thing,
To his excellence honourable,
And to the asker profitable.
Though I be in mine asking lidder,4
I pray thy grace for to consider,
Thou hast made both lords and lairds,
And hast given many rich rewards
To them whilk were full far to seek,
When I lay nightly by thy cheek:
I take the queen's grace, thy mother,

The first syllabs, that thou didst mute,
Was pa-da-lyn;' upon the lute
Then played I twenty springs perqueer 2
Which were great pleasure for to hear;
From play thou never let me rest,
But Ginkerton 3 thou liked aye best.
And when thou camest from the school,
Then I behoved to play the fool:
As I at length into my "Dream,"
My sundry service did expreme.
Though it be better, as saith the wise,
Hap to the court, than good service :
I know thou lovest me better than, 5
Than now some wife doth her good-man;
Then men to other did record,
Said, Lindsay would be made a lord.
Thou hast made lords, sir, by St Geil, 6
Of some that have not served so weel.
To you, my lordis, that stand by,
I shall you show the reason why:
If you shall tarry, I shall tell
How my misfortune thus befell:
I prayed daily on my knee,

My young master that I might see,
Of age in his estate royal,
Having power imperial;
Then, trusted I without demand,
To be promovèd to some land;
But mine asking I got too soon,
Because eclipse fell in the moon,
The which all Scotland made on steir,7
Then did my purpose run arear,
The which were longsome to declare :
And eke mine heart is wonder sair,
When I have in remembrance,
The sudden change of my mischance :
The king was but twelve years of age,
When new rulers came in their rage,
For common-weal not taking care,
But for their profit singular;8

Imprudently, like witless fools,

They took the young prince from the schools,

Where he under obedience, Was learning virtue and science; And hastily put in his hand, The governance of all Scotland: As who would in a stormy blast, When mariners been all aghast, Through danger of the sea's rage, Would take a child of tender age, Which never had been on the sea, And to his bidding all obey, Giving him the whole governal, Of ship, merchant, and marinal, For dread of rocks, and foreland, To put the ruther1 in his hand : Without God's grace is no refuge, If there be danger ye may judge. I give them to the devil of hell, That first devised that counsel; I will not say it was treason, But I dare swear it was no reason: I pray God let me never see rign2 Into this realm so young a king. I may not tarry to decide it, How then the court a while was guided, By them them that pertly took in hand, To guide the king and all Scotland: And eke longsome for to declare, Their facund 3 flattering wordis fair; Sir, some would say, your majesty Shall now go to your liberty; Ye shall to no man be coacted, 4 Nor to the school no more subjected. We think them very natural fools, That learn oure meikle at the schools; Sir, you must learn to run a spear, And guide you like a man of wear :5 For we shall put such men about you, That all the world and mo shall doubt 6 you. Then to his grace they put a guard,