The Book of Scottish Poems: Ancient and Modern

And therewith all these people saw I Yont there thou sees the highest stage and

XIV.
And other eke by other divers chance,
As happen folk all day, as you may see;
Some for despair, without recoverance;
Some for desire, surmounting their
degree;

Some for despite, and other enmity;

Some for unkindness, without a why ;' Some for too much, and some for jealousy.

XV.

And after this, upon yon stage down,

Tho that thou sees stand in capis wide; Yon were whilom folk of religion,3

That from the world their governance did hide,

And freely servèd love on every side

In secret, with their bodies and their goods;

And for that cause are coming recon

ciled,

On them to plain that so them had beguiled.

XVIII.

And other been amongis them also,

That coming are to court on Love to
plain;

For he their bodies had bestowed so, f
Where both their heartis gruch there

ageyne,1

For which, in all their dayis, soth2 to seyne,
When others lived in joy and plesance,
Their life was nought but care and re-
pentance.

XIX.

And where their heartis given were and set, Were coupled with other that could not accord;

And lo! why so,5 they hingen down their Thus were they wronged that did no forfeit,

Departing them that never would discord;

Of young ladies fair, and many lord,

That thus by mast'ry were from their choice drive, 3

Full ready were their plaintis there to give.

There saw I sit the blind god Cupide,

With bow in hand that bent full ready

was,

And by him hung three arrows in a case Of which the headis grounden were full right,

Of divers metals forged fair and bright.

XXII.

And with the first that headed is of gold, He smitis soft, and that has easy cure; The second was of silver, many fold,

Worse than the first, and harder aven

ture;

The third of steel is shot without recure ;1
And on his long yellow lockis sheen,
A chaplet had he all of leavis green.

XXIII.

And in a retreat little of compass,

Depainted all with sighis wonder sad, Not such sighis as heartis doth menace ; But such as doeth loveris to be glad : Found I Venus upon her bed, that had

A mantle cast over her shouldris white :

There I begouth1 my caris to complain; With an humble and lamentable cheer 2 Thus salute I that goddess bright and clear:

XXVI.

High queen of love! star of benevolence! Piteous princess, and planet merciable ! Appeaser of malice and violence!

By virtue pure of your aspectis hable,3 Unto your grace let now been acceptable My poor request, that can no further gone,

To seeken help, but unto you alone!

XXVII.

As ye that been the succour and sweet well
Of remedy, of careful heartis cure,
And in the huge weltering wavis fell

Of lufis rage, blissful haven, and sure; O anchor and trew,4 of our good aventure, Ye have your man with his good will conquest;5

Mercy, therefore, and bring his heart to rest!

XXVIII.

Thus clothed was the goddess of delight. Ye know the cause of all my pain.s smart

Bet than myself, and all mine aventure; Ye may convey, and, as you list, convert The hardest heart that formèd hath

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