صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[blocks in formation]

Their bastard bairnis proudly they pro- Then we beheld ane den full dolorous, vided; Where that princes and lordis temporal The kirk gear largely they did on them Were cruciate with painis rigorous, spend,

But to expreme 5 their painis in special

In their defaults their subditis 5 were mis- It does exceed all my memorial

[blocks in formation]

Importable pain they had, but? comforting,
Their blood royal made them nae support-

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

XXV.

And als langsome to me for till indite,
Of this prison, the pains in special :
The heat, the cold, the dolour and despite,
Wherefore I speak of them in general :
That dooly den, that furnace infernal,
Whose reward is rue, without remeid,
Ever dieand and never to be dead.

XXVI.

Hunger and thirst, instead of meat and drink;

And for their cleithing taids' and scorpions.
That mirk mansion is tapessèd2 with stink;
They see naething but horrible visions;
They hear naught but scorn, and derisions
Of foul fiends, and blasphemations:
Their feeling is importable 3 passions.

XXVII.

For melody, miserable murning,
Their is no solace, but dolour infinite,
In baleful beds, bitterly burning,
With sobbing, sighing, sorrow, and with
syte, 4

Their conscience their hearts sae did bite,

XXIX.

I see no pleasure here, but meikle pain ; Wherefore, said I, leave we this sort in thrall,

I purpose never to come here again;
But yet I do believe, and ever shall,
That the true kirk can never err at all,
Sic, thing to be, great clerkis does conclude,
Howbeit my hope stands maist in Christis
blood.

XXX.

Above that, in the third prison, anon, We entered in ane place of perdition, Where many babies were makand dreary

moan,

Because they wanted the fruition
Of God, whilk was ane great punition;
Of baptism they wanted the ensenze :1
Upward we went, and left that mirthless
menze.2

XXXI.

Intill ane vault, above that place of pain, Unto the whilk but sojourne, 3 we ascended, That was the limbe, in the whilk did remain, Our forefathers, because Adam offended, Eatand the fruit the whilk was defended,

To hear them flyte,5 it was ane case of Many a year they dwelt in that dungeon,

[blocks in formation]

In mirkness and in desolation.

[blocks in formation]

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,
Why gets thou not some piece
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.

2

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,
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,
of And namely at young princes hands.
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,

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,

Wherethrough the first men were dis- My lord chancellor, and many other,

[blocks in formation]

The first syllabs, that thou didst mute,
Was pa-da-lyn;' upon the lute
Then played I twenty springs perqueer?
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 promoved 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

[blocks in formation]

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 you.
Then to his grace they put a guard,

[blocks in formation]
« السابقةمتابعة »