sig: [A1] | |
¶The complaynte and testament of a Popiniay Which lyeth sore wounded and maye not dye, tyll euery man hathe herd what he sayth: Wherfore gentyll readers haste you that he were oute of his payne. | |
sig: [A1v] | |
Incipit prologus. |
|
[SU]pposeleaf defective I had ingy[n]e angelicall | |
With sapience super-salomonicall | |
Not what mater put in memory | |
The poetis olde in stile heroycall | |
5 | In breue subtile termes rethoricall |
Of euerylk mater tragedie and story | |
So ornatly to their hie laude and glory | |
Hath done indite whose supreme sapience | |
Transcendeth fer, the dull intelligence. | |
10 | Of poetis now in-tyll oure vulgar toung |
For-why the bell of retorik is roung | |
By Chaucer Goweir and Lidgate laureate | |
Who dare presume these poetis till impoung | |
Whose swete sentence through Albion bene soung | |
15 | Or who can now the werkes contrefate |
Of kennedy with termis aureate | |
Or of dumbar whylk language had at large | |
As may be sene in-till his goldin targe | |
Quintyne / M...r / [R]owle / Henderson / Hay / and holland | |
20 | Though they bene deed her libellis bene lyuand |
Whilke to reherse makes reders to reioyse | |
Alas for one whilk lampe was of this land | |
Of eloquence the flowyng balmy strand | |
And in our Inglysshe rethoryk the roise | |
25 | As of rubeis the charbuncle bene choise |
And as Phebus doth sinthea precell | |
So Gawane_douglase byshop of dunkell. | |
sig: A2 | |
Had when he was in-to this lande on lyue | |
Aboue vulgare poetes prerogatyue | |
30 | Both in pratik and speculation |
I saye no more good reders may descryue | |
His worthy werkes in nomber mo than fyue | |
And specially in the true translation | |
Of Uirgyll whilk bene consolation | |
35 | To cunnyng men to knowe his great ingyne |
As well in naturall science as diuyne | |
And in the court bene present in this dayes | |
That balletes breuis lustely and layes | |
Whylkes to our prince dayly they do present | |
40 | Who can say more than syr Iames_Inglysshe sayes |
In ballattes farssis and in plesand playes | |
But Culrose has his pen made impotent | |
Kid in cunnyng and practik ryght prudent | |
And steward whilk desiris a stately style | |
45 | Full ornate werkes dayly doth compyle. |
Steward of lorn wyll carp ryght curiously | |
Galbrayt kinloch when they lyst them apply | |
In-to that art ar crafty of ingyne | |
But now of late is stert vp hastely | |
50 | A cunnyng clerk whilk wryteth craftely |
A plant of poetes callid ballantyne | |
Whose ornate werkes my wyt can not defyne | |
Get he in the court auctorite | |
He wyll precell Quintyne and kenedy. | |
55 | So though I had ingyne as I haue none |
I wote not what to write be sweit saynt Iohane | |
sig: [A2v] | |
[...y] in all the garth of eloquence leaf defective here and in next line | |
[I]s nothing lefte but barayne stok and stone | |
The polit termes / are pullid euery one | |
60 | Be these fornamid poetis of prudence |
And seing I find none other new sentence | |
I shall declare or I depart you fro | |
The complant of a woundid papingo. | |
Wherfore because my mater bene so rude | |
65 | Of sentence and of rethorik denude |
To rurale folk my dityng bene direct | |
Fer flemit frome the sight of men of gud | |
For cunning men I know will sone conclude | |
It dow nothing but for to be deiect | |
70 | And when I here my mater bene detract |
Than shall I swere I made it but in mowes | |
To vplandishe lassis whilk kepeth kye and yowes | |
Here endis the prologue And begynnis the complant. |
|
sig: A3 | |
Who clymmis to hyghe perforce his fete [fail] Huntington copy defective | |
Expresse I shall that by experience | |
Yf that ye please to here a pituouse tale | |
How a faire bird by fatale violence | |
5 | Deuourid was and myght make no defence |
Contrary the deth so fayleth naturall strength | |
As after I shall shewe you at more length | |
A papingo ryght pleasant and perfyte | |
Presentid was to our most noble kyng | |
10 | Of whom his grace long tyme had great delite |
More faire of forme I wote flew neuer with whing | |
This proper bird he gaue in gouerning | |
To me whylk was his semple seruiture | |
On whom I did my deligence and cure | |
15 | To lerne her language artificiall |
To play plat-fote and whissill-fot before | |
But of her inclination naturall | |
She countrefeted all foulis lesse and more | |
Of her corage she wolde with-out my lore | |
20 | Sing like the merle / and kraw like the cocke |
Pew like the gled / and chant like the lauerocke. | |
Bark like a dog / and kekill like a ka | |
Blait like a hog / and buller like a bulle | |
Gaile like a gock / and great when she was wa | |
25 | Clyme on a cord / synge laughe and play the fule |
She myght haue bene a menstrell agaynst youle | |
This blisfull bird was to me so pleasand | |
Where-euer I went / I bare her on my hand. | |
sig: [A3v] | |
¶The discription of her murnyng. |
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And so befell vpon a mirthfull morowe | |
30 | In-to my garth I past me to repose |
This bird and I as we were wont afforowe | |
Among the floures fresshe fragrant and formose | |
My vitall sprete duly did reioyse | |
When phebus rose and raise the cloudis sable | |
35 | Through bryghtnes of his bemes amiable |
Without vapoure was well purificate | |
The temperat ayre soft sober and serene | |
The erth by nature so edificate | |
With holsome herbes blewe / white / reed / and grene | |
40 | Whilkis eleuate my spretis frome the splene |
That day Saturne nor Mars did not appere | |
Nor Eol out of his caue durst not stere. | |
That day perforce behoued to be fayre | |
By influence and course celestiall | |
45 | No planet pressid for to perturbe the ayre |
For Mercurius be mouing naturall | |
Exalted was into the trone triumphall | |
Of his mansion vnto the fyftene gre | |
In his owne souerayn signe of virginye | |
50 | That day did phebus plesantly depart |
From Gemini and enterid in Cancer | |
That day cupido did extend his dart | |
Uenus that day communed with Iupiter | |
That day Neptunus hid him like a sker | |
55 | That daye came nature with grete besines |
Further to flora to proue hir craftines | |
sig: [A4] | |
And retrograid was Mars in Capricorne | |
And sinthea in sagittar assesid | |
That day dame Ceres goddes of the corne | |
60 | Full ioyfully Iohan_vpland applesid |
The bad aspect of Saturne was appesid | |
That day by Iuno of Iupiter the Ioy | |
Perturbynge spretis caused to hold coy. | |
The sound of birdis surmounted all the skyes | |
65 | With melody of notis musicall |
The balmy droppis of dew Tytan vp dryis | |
Hanging vpon the tender twystis small | |
The heuenly hewe and sound angelicall | |
Sik perfyte plesure prentid in my hart | |
70 | That with great payne from thens I myght depart |
So still among the herbis amyable | |
I did remayn a space for my pastance | |
But wordly pleasure bene so variable | |
Mixid with sorowe, drede and inconstance | |
75 | That founde therin is no contynuance |
So myght I say my short solace alas | |
Was dryuen in dolour in a lytle space. | |
For in that garth among the fragrant floures | |
Walkyng alone none but my bird and I | |
80 | Unto the tyme that I had said my houres |
This birde I set apon a branche me by | |
But she began to clymbe ryght spedely | |
And in that tre she did so hie ascend | |
That by no way I myght hir apprehend | |
sig: [A4v] | |
85 | [....] byrde I sayd beware, mount not ouer_hye |
[Returne] in tyme, perchaunce thy fete may fayle | |
Thou art ryght fat, and not well vsed to fle | |
The gredy glede, I drede shall the assayle | |
I wyll ascende quod she, chaunce what be chaunce me | |
90 | It is my kynde to clym ay to the hyght |
Of fether and bone, I wote wele I am wyght | |
So on the hyghest lytell tender twyst | |
With whynges displayde she sate full wantonly | |
But Boreas blewe a blast or euer she wyst | |
95 | Whylk brake the braunche, and blewe her sodeynly |
Downe to the grounde with many a carefull crye | |
Upon a stub she lyght on her breest | |
The bloode russhed out, and she cryed for a preest | |
God wote yf than my hert was wo_begone | |
100 | To se that foule flytter amonge the floures |
Whylk with great mournyng gan to make her mone | |
Now are come sayd she my fatale houres | |
Of bytter deth now must I suffre the shoures | |
O dame nature I pray the of thy grace | |
105 | Lende me leysure to speke a lytell space |
For to complayne my fate infortunate | |
And bequeth my naturall gere or I departe | |
Seynge of all comfort I am desolate | |
Alone excepte the deth with his darte | |
110 | With awfull chere redy to perse my harte |
And with that worde she toke a passion | |
Syne flatiynges fell and swapped in-to swowne | |
sig: B[1] | |
With sory hert persed with compassion | |
And salt teres distelling from myne eyne | |
115 | To heare that birdis lamentation |
I did approche vnder a hauthorne grene | |
Where I myght here and se, and not be sene | |
And when this bird had swowned twyse or thryse | |
She gan to speke sayeng on this wyse | |
120 | O false fortune why hast thou me begyled |
This day at morne who knewe this carefull case | |
Uayne hope in the my reason hath exiled | |
Hauing lik trust in-to thy feyned face | |
That euer I was brought to the court alas | |
125 | Had I in forest flowne amonge my feres |
I myght full well haue lyued many yeres. | |
Wyse and true counsell alas I dyd refuse | |
Agayne reason vsyng my appetite | |
Ambition did so my hert abuse | |
130 | That Eolus had me in great dispite |
Poetis of me hath mater to indyte | |
Whylk clam so hye and wo is me therfore | |
Not doubtyng that deth durst me deuore. | |
This day at morne my forme and fetheren fayre | |
135 | Aboue the proude pecok were prece land |
And nowe a caytyfe carion full of care | |
Bathing in blode downe from my hert distelland | |
And in my eare the bell of deth bene knelland | |
O false world fy on thy felicite | |
140 | Thy pryde, auarice, and immundicite. |
sig: [B1v] | |
In the I se nothing bene permanent | |
Of thy short solace sorow is the ende | |
Thy false infortunate gyftes bene but lent | |
This day full proude the morne nothing to spend | |
145 | O ye that dothe pretende ay till ascend |
My fatale end haue in remembraunce | |
And you defend frome sik vnhappy chaunce. | |
Whether I was stryken in extasy | |
Or through a stark ymagination | |
150 | But it appereth in my fantasy |
I herd this dolent lamentation | |
Thus dulled in-to desolation | |
Me-thought this bird dyd discriue in hyr manere | |
Her counssall to the king as ye shall here. | |
¶Here begynnes the first Epistell of the papingo derect tyll hyr souerane lord king Iames the fift. |
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155 | PRepotent prince pereles of pulchritude |
Glorie / honour / laude / triumphe / and victory | |
Be to thy hie excellent celsitude | |
With merciall dedis digne of memory | |
Seyng Atropos consumed has my glory | |
160 | And dolent deth alas muste vs depart |
I bequeth to the my true vnfayned hart | |
sig: B2 | |
To_gidder with this cedull subsequent | |
With most reuerend recommendacyon | |
I grant thy grace gettis many a document | |
165 | By famouse faders predication |
With many notable narracyon | |
Be pleasand poetis in stile heroycall | |
How thou sholde guyde thy seat imperiall. | |
Some doth deplore the great calamities | |
170 | Of diuers realmes transmutation |
Some petiusly doth trete of tragedies | |
All for thy graces informacyon | |
So I intende without adulacyon | |
In my barbarous rusticall indite | |
175 | Among others syr, somthynge for to write |
Souerayne conceyue this symple similitude | |
Of officeres seruing thy segnory | |
Who guydes them well gettis of thy grace great gud | |
Who bene iniust degraded ar of glory | |
180 | And cauncelled out of thy memory |
Prouiding syne more pleasand in theyr place | |
Beleue, ryght so shall god do with thy grace | |
Considering well thou bene but officiare | |
And vassell to that kynge incomparable | |
185 | Haest the to please that puissant prynce preclare |
Thy ryche rewarde shall be inestimable | |
Exalted hye in glory vnterminable | |
Aboue archangels vertus and potestates | |
Pleasantly placid among the principates. | |
sig: [B2v] | |
190 | Of thy vertue poetes perpetually |
Shall make mencyon vnto the worlde be ended | |
So thou exercyse thy office prudently | |
In heuen and erth thy grace shall be commended | |
Wherfore beware that he be not offended | |
195 | Whilk has exalted the to sik honour |
Of his people to be a gouernour. | |
And in the erth hath made sik ordinance | |
Under thy fete all-thing terrestriall | |
Are subiect to thy pleasure and pastance | |
200 | Bothe foule and fishe and bestes pastorall |
Men to thy seruice and wemen they bene thrall | |
Hawkyng / huntyng / iustyng / and laufull amour | |
Preordinate ar by god for thy pleasour. | |
Maysters of musik to recreate thy sprete | |
205 | With danted voyce and pleasant instrument |
Thus may thou be of all pleasure replete | |
So that in thy office thou be diligent | |
But be thou founde sleuthfull or necligent | |
Or els iniust in thyne execution | |
210 | Thou shalt not fayle deuyne punycyon. |
Wherfore seyng thou has sik capacite | |
To lerne to play so pleasantly and sing | |
Ryde horses / ryue speres with great audacite | |
Shote with handbow crossebow and culuering | |
215 | Among the rest, syr, lerne to be a kyng |
Proue on that craf[t] thy pregnant freshe ingine craft] crafc 1538 | |
Graunted to the by influence deuyne | |
sig: B3 | |
And seyng the diffinicion of a kyng | |
Is for to haue of people gouernaunce | |
220 | Adresse the, first aboue all other thyng |
To put thy body to suche ordinaunce | |
That thy vertue thyne honour may auaunce | |
For how shulde pryncis gouerne great regions | |
That can not onely guyde theyr owne persons. | |
225 | And thy grace wolde lyue ryght pleasantly |
Call thy counsell and cast on them the cure | |
Theyr iust decretis defend and fortefy | |
Without good counsell may no prince longe indure | |
Wyrke with counsell then shall thy werke be sure | |
230 | Chose thy counsell of the most sapient |
Without regarde to blode, ryches or rent | |
Among all other pastyme and pleasure | |
Nowe in thy adolescent yeres yenge | |
Wolde thou euery day study but half an houre | |
235 | The regiment of princely gouernynge |
To thy people it were a pleasaunt thynge | |
Theyr myght thou fynd thy owne vocation | |
How thou sholde vse thy scepture swerd and crown. | |
The cronicles to know I the exhort | |
240 | Whiche may be myrrour to thy maieste |
There shalte thou fynd bothe good and euyll report | |
Of euery prince after his qualite | |
Thoughe they bene deed theyr dedes shall not dye | |
Trust will thou shalte be styled in that storye | |
245 | As thou deseruest put in memorye. |
sig: [B3v] | |
Request that roy whiche rent was on the roode | |
The to defend frome dedes of defame | |
That no poete report of the but good | |
For princes dayes endures but a dreame | |
250 | Seyng fyrst kyng Fergus bare a diadeame |
Thou arte the last kynge of fiue score and fiue | |
And all ar deed and none but thou on lyue. | |
Of whose nombre fyftye and fyue bene slayne | |
And most parte in theyr owne mysgouernaunce | |
255 | Wherfore I the beseche my souerayne |
Consyder of theyr lyues the circumstaunce | |
And when thou knowest the cause of theyr myschaunce | |
Of vertue than exalte the sayles on hye | |
Trustynge to scape that fatall destenye | |
260 | Entreate euery true baron as he were thy brother |
Whiche mon at nede the and thy realme defende | |
When sodeynly one dothe oppresse an-other | |
Let iustice myxed with mercy them amende | |
Haue thou theyr hertes, thou hast ynough to spende | |
265 | And by the contrary, thou art but kyng of bone |
From tyme thyne heres hettes be from the gone. | |
I haue no leysure for to wryte at length | |
My hole entent vnto thyne excellence | |
Decreassed so I am in wyt and strenth | |
270 | My mortall wound doth me such violence |
People of me may haue experience | |
Bycause alas I was incounsolable | |
Now mon I dye a caytyue miserable. | |
sig: [B4] | |
¶Here begynneth the seconde epistle of the Papingo, dyrecte to her brether of the Court. |
|
BRether of court with mynde precordiall | |
275 | To the great god hertely I commende you |
Imprent my fall in your memoryall | |
Togyther with this cedull that I sende you | |
To preysse ouer_hye I pray you not pretend you | |
The vayne ascence of court who wyll consydder | |
280 | Who syttes most hye, shall fynde the seat most slydder |
So ye that now bene lansing vp the ledder | |
Take tent in tyme holding your fyngers fast | |
Who clymmeth most hye, most dynt hath of the wedder | |
And leest defence agaynst the bytter blast | |
285 | Of fals fortune whylke takes neuer rest |
But most redoubted dayly she downe thrynges | |
Not sparing papes, emperours, nor kynges. | |
Though ye bene mounted vp abo[u]e the skyes | |
And hath both kynge and court in gouernaunce | |
290 | Some was as hye whylk now ryg[ht] low lyes ryght] rygth 1538 |
Complaning sore the courtes variaunce | |
Theyr preterit tyme may be experience | |
Whylk through vayne hope of court dyd clyme so hye | |
Syne wanted whingis when they wend best to flye | |
sig: [B4v] | |
295 | Seyng ylk court bene vntrust and transitorye |
Chaungyng as oft as wethercocke in wynde | |
Some makynge glad and other som ryght sorye | |
Formest this day the morne may go behynde | |
Let not vayne hope of court your reason blynde | |
300 | Trust well some men wyll gyue you laude as lordes |
Whylkes wolde be glad to se you hang in cordes | |
I durst declare the miserabilite | |
Of dyuers courtes were not my tyme to shorte | |
The dredfull chaunge vaynglory and vilite | |
305 | The paynefull pleasures as poetes doth report |
Somtyme in hope somtyme in disconfort | |
And how som men doth spend theyr youthed all | |
In court, syne, endeth in the hospitall. | |
How som in court bene quiete counsalours | |
310 | Without regarde to commen-welth or kynges |
Castynge theyr cure for to be conquerours | |
And when they bene hye raysed in theyr rynges | |
How chaunge of court them dolefully downe thrynges | |
And when they bene frome theyr estate deposed | |
315 | How many of theyr fall bene ryght well resioysed |
And how fonde fayned fules and flatterars | |
For small seruice opteyneth great rewardes | |
Pandars pikthankes custrouns and clatterars | |
Loupes vp frome laddes, syne lyghtes among lordes | |
320 | Blasphematours braggars and common bardes |
Somtyme in court hath more auctorite | |
Than well-lerned doctours in diuinite. | |
sig: C[1] | |
How in some court be barnes of Beliall | |
Full of dissimuled paynted flattery | |
325 | Prouokynge by intoxicate counsall |
Princes to hooredome and tyll hasardry | |
Who dothe in prynces prent syk harlotry | |
I say for me suche pert prouocatours | |
Sholde punissed be aboue all stronge traytours. | |
330 | What trauars, trouble, and calamite |
Hath ben in court within this hundreth yeares | |
What mortall chaunges, what myserite | |
What noble men be brought vpon theyr beares | |
Trust well my frendes folow ye mon your feares | |
335 | So seynge in court is no tranquilite |
Set not on it your hole felicite | |
The court chaungeth somtyme with sik outrage | |
That fewe or none may make resistence | |
And spareth not the prynce more than the page | |
340 | As well appereth by experyence |
The duke of Rosey myght make no defence | |
Whylke was per_tenand roy of this region | |
But dulefully deuored in pryson | |
What drede, what dolour, had that noble kynge | |
345 | Robert the thyrde from tyme he knewe the case |
Of his two sonnes the dolent departynge | |
Prynce Dauid deed, and Iames capityue alas | |
Tyll true scottes-men, whylk was a carefull case | |
Thus may ye knowe the court bene varyand | |
350 | When bloode ryall the chaunge myght not gaynstand. |
sig: [C1v] | |
Who clam in court more hye and tryumphand | |
Nor duke Murdok, whyle that his dayes endured | |
Was he not great protectour of Scotland | |
Yet of the court he was not well assured | |
355 | It chaunged so his lange seruyce was smured |
He and his sone fayre Walter without remeed | |
Forfalted were, and put to dulefull deed | |
Kynge Iames the fyrst, patrone of prudence | |
Gem of angyne, and perle of polecy | |
360 | Well of iustyce, and floode of eloquence |
Whose vertue doth transcende my fantasy | |
For to discryue yet when he stode most hye | |
By false exhorbitant conspyracyoun | |
That prudent prynce was pituously put doun | |
365 | Als Iames the seconde, roy of great renoun |
Beynge in his superexcellent glore | |
Through rechelesse shotyng of one great cannoun | |
The dolent deth alas dyd hym deuore | |
One thynge there is, of whylk I meruayle more | |
370 | That fortune had at hym syk mortall feed |
Through fyfty thousande to wale hym by the heed | |
My hert is persed with paynes for to paunce | |
Or wryte that courtes variacyon | |
Of Iames the thyrde when he had gouernaunce | |
375 | The dolour, drede, and desolacyon |
The chaunge of court and conspiracion | |
And how that cochrane with his company | |
That tyme in court clam so presumptuously | |
sig: C2 | |
It had ben good those barons had bene vnborne | |
380 | By whome that noble prynce was so abused |
They grewe as dyd the wede aboue the corne | |
That prudent lordes counsell was refused | |
And helde hym quiet as he had bene inclused | |
Alas that prynce by theyr abusyon | |
385 | Was finally brought vnto confusyon |
They clam so hye, and get suche audience | |
And with theyr prynce grewe so famylyar | |
His germane brother myght get no presence | |
The duke of Albane, nor the erle of Mar | |
390 | Lyke banysshed men were holden at the bar |
Tyll in the kynge there grewe syk mortall feed | |
He flemit the duke, and put the erle to deed | |
This cochrane with his caytyue companye | |
Forced them to fle, but yet they wanted fedders | |
395 | Aboue the hye lyders of Libanye |
They clam so hye tyll they lap ouer the ledders | |
On Lauder brig syne kepped were in tedders | |
Strangled to deth, they got none other grace | |
Theyr kynge captyue, whiche was a carefull case | |
400 | Tyll put in forme that fate infortunate |
And mortall chaunge perturbeth myne ingyne | |
My wyttes ben weyke / my fyngers fatigate | |
To dyte or wryte the rancour ruyne | |
The ciuyll warre, the battall intestyne | |
405 | How that the sone with banner brode displayed |
Agayne the father in batayle came arayed | |
sig: [C2v] | |
Wolde god that prince had bene that day comfortid | |
With sapience of the prudent Salomone | |
And with the strengh of strong Sampsone supportid | |
410 | With the bolde oste of great Agamemnone |
What shuld I wishe remedy was there none | |
At morne a kynge with ceptour swerde and croun | |
At euen a deed deformed carioun | |
Alas where is that ryght redouted roy | |
415 | That potent prynce gentill kynge Iames the ferd |
I pray to Chryst his saule for to conuoy | |
One greater noble raygned not in erd | |
O Atropos wary we may thy werd | |
For he was myrrour of humilite | |
420 | Lood-ster and lamp of liberalite |
During his tyme so iustice did preuayle | |
The sauage ylis trubled for terrour | |
Eskdaile emsdaile liddisdaile and anuerdaile | |
Durst not rebell doutyng his dintis dour | |
425 | And of his lordes had sik perfit fauour |
So for to shawe that he fered no fone | |
Out through his realme he wold ride him alone. | |
And of his court through Ewrop sprang the fame | |
Of lusty lordes and lussome ladyes yeng | |
430 | Triumphant tornays Iusting and knyghtly game |
With all pastyme according for a kynge | |
He was the glory of pryncely gouernynge | |
Tyll through the ardent loue he had to Fraunce | |
Agaynst Ingland dyd moue his ordinaunce | |
sig: C3 | |
435 | Of Flowdon felde the ruyne to reuolue |
Of that most dolent daye for to deplore | |
I nyll, for drede that dolour you desolue | |
Shewe how that prynce in his tryumphant glore | |
Destroyed was, what nedes proces more | |
440 | Not by vertue of the Englysshe ordinaunce |
But by his owne wylfull mysgouernaunce | |
Alas that day had he ben consolable | |
He had opteyned laude, glory, and victory | |
Whose petuous proces bene so lamentable | |
445 | I ne wyll, at length it put in memory |
I neuer red in tragedye nor story | |
At one iourney so many nobles slayne | |
For the defence and loue of theyr souerayne | |
Now brether make in your remembraunce | |
450 | A myrrour of theyr mutabilities |
So may ye knowe the courtes inconstaunce | |
When prynces bene thus pulled from theyr sees | |
After whose deth whose straunge aduersitees | |
What great mysrule in-to this region rang | |
455 | When our yonge prynce couth neyther speke nor gang |
Durynge his tender youthe and innocence | |
What slouth, what stelth, what murther and myschaunce | |
There was nought elles but werkynge of vengence | |
In that courte there range syk varyaunce | |
460 | Dyuers rulers, made dyuers ordinaunce |
Somtyme our quene reygned in auctoritie | |
Somtyme the prudent duke of Albanie | |
sig: [C3v] | |
Somtyme the realme was ruled by regentes | |
Somtyme leeftenauntes ledars of the law | |
465 | Than reygned so mony inobedientes |
That few or none of an-other stode in awe | |
Oppression dyd so loude his bugle blawe | |
That none durst ride but in the feyr of weir | |
Iak_vpland that tyme dyd mysse his meir. | |
470 | Who was more hye in honour eleuate |
Nor was Margarete our hye and mi[c]hty prynces michty] mithty 1538 | |
Such power was to her appropriate | |
Of kyng and realme she was gouernores | |
Yet came one chaunge within a short proces | |
475 | That perle preclare that lusty pleasand quene |
Long tyme durst not in the corut be sene | |
The archebisshop of saynt_Androus Iames_Beton | |
Chancellar and primate in power pastorall | |
Clam next the kyng / most hye in this region | |
480 | The ledder shooke he lap and gat a fall |
Auctoritie nor power spirituall | |
Riches frendiship myght not that tyme preuayle | |
When dame Curia began to stere her tayle. | |
His hygh prudence preuayled hym not a myte | |
485 | That tyme the court bare hym syk mortal feed |
As presoner they kepte hym in despite | |
And somtyme wyst not where to hide his heed | |
But disguysed lyke Iohnn the reif he raed | |
Had not bene hope that bare hym company | |
490 | He had bene strangled by melancoly |
sig: [C4] | |
What cummer and care was in the court of Fraunce | |
When kyng Francys was takin presonere | |
The duke of Bourbon and his ordinaunce | |
Deed at one stroke ryght balefully brought on bere | |
495 | The court of Rome that tyme ran all arere |
When pape Clement was put in strong preson | |
The noble citie put to confusion | |
In England who had greater gouernaunce | |
Nor theyr tryumphand courtly cardinall | |
500 | The common-weale some sayes he dyd auaunce |
By equall iustice both to great and small | |
There was no prelate to hym peregall | |
Englysshe men sayth, had he raygned long space | |
He had deposed saynt Peter of his place | |
505 | His pryncely pompe, nor papale grauite |
His palace royall ryche and radious | |
Nor yet the flude of superfluite | |
Of his ryches nor trauayle tedious | |
From tyme dame Curia held hym odious | |
510 | Preuayled hym not nor prudence most profounde |
The ledder brake and he fell to the grounde and] and and 1538 | |
Where bene the doughty erles of douglas | |
Whylkes ryally in-to this region rang | |
Forfayt and slayne what nedeth more proces | |
515 | The erle of Marche was marchelled them amang |
Dame Curia them dolefully downe thrang | |
And now of late who clam more hye amang vs | |
Nor dyd archbald vmwhyle erle of angus. | |
sig: [C4v] | |
Who with his prynce was more familiar | |
520 | Nor of his grace had more auctorite |
Was he not great wardeyn and chauncellar | |
Yet whan he stode vpon the hyghest gre | |
Trustyng no thyng but perpetuite | |
Was sodaynly deposed from his place | |
525 | Forfayt and flemit, he gat non other grace |
Wherfore trust not in auctorite | |
My dere brethren I pray you hartely | |
Presume not in your vayne prosperite | |
Conferme your trust in god all hooly | |
530 | Syne serue your prynce with entier hert truly |
And when ye se the court bene at the best | |
I counsall you than draw you to your rest | |
Where bene the hye tryumphant court of troy | |
Of Alexandre with his twelue prudent peres | |
535 | Or Iulius that ryght redoubted roy |
Agamemnon most whorthy in his weres | |
To shew theyr fyne my frayed her efferes | |
Some murdred were, some poysoned petiously | |
Theyr carefull courtis disparsid dolefully | |
540 | Trust well my frendes there is no constant court but one |
Where Chryst is kynge whose tyme interminable | |
And hygh tryumphant glory is neuer gone | |
That quiete court mirthful and vmmutable | |
Without varyaunce standith ay ferme and stable | |
545 | Dissimilance fla[t]ery nor fals report flatery] flarery 1538 |
In-to that court shall neuer get resort | |
sig: D[1] | |
Trust well my frendes this is no fayned fare | |
For who that bene in the extreme of deed | |
The verite without doubte they sholde declare. | |
550 | Without regarde to fauour or to feed |
Whyle ye haue tyme dere brether make remede | |
Adue for euer, of me ye get no more | |
Besekand god to brynge you to his glore | |
Adue Edinburgh, you hygh triumphant towne | |
555 | Within whose boundes ryght blythfull haue I bene |
Of true marchauntes the rote of this regiowne | |
Moost redy to receyue court kynge and quene | |
Thy polecye and iustyce maye be sene | |
Were deuotion wysdome and honeste | |
560 | And credence tint, they myght be founde in the |
Adue fayre Snadowne, with thy toures hye | |
Thy chappell, ryall, parke, and table rounde | |
Maye, Iune, Iuly, wolde I dwell in the | |
Were I a man to heare the byrdes sounde | |
565 | Whylke doth agayne thy ryall rocke redounde |
Adue Lythko, whose palayse of pleasaunce | |
Myght be a patron in Portingale or Fraunce | |
Farewell Falklande, the forteres of Fyfe of] of of 1538 | |
Thy polyte parke vnder the lowmonde lawe | |
570 | Somtyme in the, I led a lusty lyfe |
The fallowe dere to se them reke on rawe | |
Court men to come to the, they stande great awe | |
Sayenge thy burgh ben of all burrowes bale | |
Because in the they neuer get good ale | |
sig: [D1v] | |
¶Here begynneth the commonynge betwyxte the Papingo and hyr Executours. |
|
575 | THe pye perceyued the Papingo in payne |
He lyghted downe and feyned hym to grete | |
Syster sayd he alas who hath you slayne | |
I pray you make prouision for your sprete | |
Go test your gere and you confesse complete | |
580 | I haue power by your contrition |
Of all your mysse to gyue you full remission | |
I am sayth he a channon-regulare | |
And of my brether pryour pryncipall | |
My White rochet, my clene lyfe doth declare | |
585 | The blake bene of the deth memoriall |
Wherfore I thynke your goodes naturall | |
Shold be submytted hole in-to my cure | |
Ye know I am a ryght holy creature | |
The rauin came raupand when he herd the rare | |
590 | So dyd the gledde with mony a petuous pew |
And feynedly they counterfeyted great care | |
Syster sayd they, your retchlesnes we rew | |
Now best it is our iust counsell ensew | |
Seyng we pretend tyll hye promotion | |
595 | Religious men of great deuotion |
sig: D2 | |
I am a blak monke sayd the rutland rauine | |
So sayd the gledde I am a cordilere | |
And hath power to bryng you quyk to heauin | |
It is well-knowen my conscience bene full clere | |
600 | The blak bible prounce I shall perquere |
So tyll our brether ye wyll gyue some good | |
God wate if we haue nede of lyues food | |
The Papingo sayd fader be the rood | |
Howbeit your rayment be religious lyke | |
605 | Your conscience I suspect be not good |
I did perceyue when preuely ye dyd pike | |
A chykyn from a hen vnder a dyke | |
I grant sayd he, that hen was my good frende | |
And I that ch[y]ckyn toke but for my teynde chyckyn] chckyn 1538 | |
610 | Ye know the fayth by vs men be susteynde |
So by the kyrk it is preordinate | |
That sprituall men shold lyue vpon theyr teynde | |
But well wote I ye bene predestinate | |
In your extreme to be so fortunate | |
615 | To haue syk holy consultation |
Wherfore we make you exhortation | |
Sen dame nature has graunted you syk grace | |
Leysure to make confession generall | |
Showe forth your synne in haste whill ye haue space | |
620 | Then of your gere make a memoriall |
Whe thre shall make your feestes funerall | |
And with great blysse bury we shall your bones | |
Syne trentalles tuenty trattle all at ones | |
sig: [D2v] | |
The rukes shall rair that men shall on them rew | |
625 | And crye commemoratio ammarum |
We shall gar chyckens chepe, and geilynges pew | |
Suppose the gese and hennes shold crye alarum | |
And we shall serue secundum vsum Sarum | |
And make you safe we fynd saynt Blase to borgh | |
630 | Cry and for you the carefull corynogh |
And we shall syng aboute your sepulture | |
Saynt Mungoise matyns and the mekill creed | |
And syne deuoutly say I you assure | |
The olde placebo balswart and the beed | |
635 | And we shall were for you the mournyng weed |
And though your sprete with Pluto were profest | |
Deuoutly shall your dirige be adorest | |
¶Fader sayd she your facound wordes fayre | |
Full sore I dreed be contrary to your dedes | |
640 | The wyues of the village cryes with care |
When they perseyue you moue ouer theyr medes | |
Your fals consayt both ducke and drake sore dredes | |
I meruell shorthly ye be not ashamed | |
For your defaltes beyng so defamed. | |
645 | It doth aborre my pore perturbed spryte |
To make tyll you ony confession | |
I here men sayen ye be an ypocryte | |
Exempt from the syse and the session | |
To put my gere in your possession | |
650 | That wyll I not so help me dame nature |
Nor of my corps I wyll you gyue no cure | |
sig: D3 | |
But had I here the noble nyghtyngale | |
The gentyll iaye, the merle / and turtour terwe | |
My obsequies and feestes funerale | |
655 | Order they wold with notes of the newe |
The pleasand paune most angelik of hewe | |
Wold god I were with hym this day confest | |
And my deuyse duly by hym addrest. | |
The mirthfull mauis with the gay gold spynke | |
660 | The lusty larke wold god they ware present |
My infortune forsoth they wold forthynke | |
And comfort me that is so impotent | |
The swyft swallow in practyk most prudent | |
I wote she wold my bledyng stent belyue | |
665 | With hyr most vertuous stone restringitiue |
¶Counte me the case vnder confession | |
The glede sayd proudly to the Papingo | |
And we shall swere by our profession | |
Counsell to kepe and shaw it to no mo | |
670 | We the beseke or thou depart vs fro |
Declare tyll vs some cause reasonable | |
Why we bene holden so abhominable. | |
By thy trauell thou hast experience | |
Fyrst beinge bred in-to the orient | |
675 | Syne, by thy good seruice and diligence |
To prynces made here in the occident | |
Thou knowest the vulgare peoples iugement | |
Where thou transcurred the hote meridionale | |
Syne, next the pole the plage septentrionale | |
sig: [D3v] | |
680 | So by thy hygh ingyne superlatife |
Of all countreys thou knowest the qualityes | |
Wherfore I the coniure by god of lyfe | |
The verite declare withoutin lyes | |
What thou hast herde be landes and by seis | |
685 | Of vs kyrk-men both good and euill report |
And how they iudge shawe vs we the exhort. | |
¶Fader sayd she I caytiue creature | |
Dare not presume with syk mater to mel | |
Of your cases ye know I haue no cure | |
690 | Demande them, wilk in prudence doth precell |
I may not pew my paynes bene so fell | |
And also perchaunce ye wyll not stand content | |
To know the vulgars peoples iugement | |
Yet wyll the deth alyte withdraw his dart | |
695 | All that lyes in my memoriall |
I shall declare with trew vnfeyned hart | |
And first I say to you in generall | |
The commone people says ye bene all | |
Degenerate from your holy primitiuis | |
700 | As testifyes the proces of your liuis |
Of your perelese prudent predecessours | |
The begynnyng I graunt was veray gude | |
Appostles, martyrs, virgyns, and confessours | |
The sounde of theyr excellent sanctitude | |
705 | Was herd ouer all the world by land and flude |
Planting the faith by predication | |
As Chryst had made to them narration | |
sig: [D4] | |
To fortefy the fayth they toke no fere | |
Afore princes prechyng full prudently | |
710 | Of dolorus deth they doubted not the dere |
The verite declaryng feruently | |
And materdome they suffered paciently | |
They toke no cure of land, ryches, nor rent | |
Doctrine and dede ware both equiuolent | |
715 | To shewe at length theyr werkes were great wunder |
Theyr myracles they were so many fest | |
In name of Chryst they heled many hunder | |
Raysyng the deed / and purgyng the posest | |
With peruest spretes whiche had bene opprest | |
720 | The croked ran the blynde men gate theyr eyen |
The defe men herd, the lyppres were made cleen | |
The prelates spoused were with pouerte | |
The dayes when so they florysshed in fame | |
And with hyr companed lady chastite | |
725 | And dame deuotion notable of name |
Humble they were semple and full of shame | |
Thus chastite and dame deuotion | |
Was principall cause of theyr promotion. | |
¶Thus they contynued in this life deuyne | |
730 | Ay tyll there raygnyd in Romes great cite |
A potent prynce whose name was Constantyne | |
Perceyued the kyrke had spoused pouerte | |
With good entent and moued of pite | |
Cause of dyuorse / he fand betwyxt them two | |
735 | And parted them withouten wordes mo |
sig: [D4v] | |
Syne shortly with a great solempnite | |
Withouten ony dispensacyon | |
The kyrke he spoused with dame properte | |
Whylke hastely by proclamacyon | |
740 | To pouerte garte make narracyon |
Under the payne of persynge of her eyne | |
That with the kyrke sholde no more be sene | |
Syluester that tyme was pape in Rome | |
Whiche fyrst consented to the maryage | |
745 | Of properte the whylke began to blome |
Takynge on her the cure with hye corage | |
Deuotion drewe her tyll an hermytage | |
When she consydered lady properte | |
So hyghe exalted in-to dignite | |
750 | ¶O Syluester where was thy discrecyon |
Whylk Peter dyd renounce, thou dyd recayf | |
Androwe and Iohnn dyd leaue theyr possession | |
Theyr shyppes, theyr nettes, lynes and all the layf | |
Of temporall substaunce nothyng wolde they hayf | |
755 | Contraryous to theyr contemplacyon |
But soberly theyr sustentacyon | |
Iohnn_the_Baptyst went to the wyldernesse | |
Lazarus, Martha, and mary_Magdalaine | |
Lefte heritage and goodes more and lesse | |
760 | Prudent saynt Paule, thought properte prophaine |
From towne to towne he ran in wynde and rayne | |
Upon his fete, techynge the worde of grace | |
And neuer was subiecte to ryches | |
sig: E[1] | |
The gled sayd yet I heare nothynge but good | |
765 | Procede shortly and thy mater auaunce |
The Papingo sayd fader by the rood | |
It were to lang to shew the circumstaunce | |
How properte with her new alliaunce | |
Grew great with chylde as true men to me tolde | |
770 | And bare two douthers goodly to beholde |
The eldest doughter named was ryches | |
The seconde syster sensualite | |
Whiche dyd encreace within a short proces | |
Preplesaunt to the spiritualite | |
775 | In great substaunce and excellent beaute |
These ladyes two grewe so within few yeres | |
That in the worlde ware none myght be theyr peres | |
This ryall ryches and lady sensuall | |
From that tyme forth toke hole the gouernaunce | |
780 | Of the most part of the state spirituall |
And they agayne with humble obseruaunce | |
Amorously theyr wyttes dyd auaunce | |
As true louers theyr ladyes for to please | |
God wote gyf than theyr hertes were at ease | |
785 | Soone they forgate to studye, pray, and preche |
They grewe so subiect to dame sensuall | |
And thought it but payne pore people for to teche | |
Yet they decreed in theyr great counsall | |
They wolde no more to maryage be thrall | |
790 | Trusting surely to obserue chastite |
And albegyled quod sensualite | |
sig: [E1v] | |
Apperandly they dyd expell theyr wyues | |
That they myght lyue at large without bondage | |
At liberte to leade theyr lusty lyues | |
795 | Thynkyng men thrall that bene in mariage |
For new faces prouoketh new corage | |
Thus chastite they turne in-to delyte | |
Wantyng of wyues bene cause of appetyte | |
¶The banyshyng of chastite. |
|
Dame chastite dyd steale away for shame | |
800 | From tyme she dyd perceyue theyr puruyance |
Dame sensuall one letter gart proclame | |
And her exiled Ytaly and Fraunce | |
In Englande coude she get none ordina[u]nce | |
Than to the kyng and court of Scotlande | |
805 | She marked her wi[t]houtenletter broken more demande |
Trustyng in-to that court to get comfort | |
She made her humble supplication | |
Shortly they sayd she shold get no support | |
But boosted her with blasphemation | |
810 | To preestes go make you protestation |
It is, sayd they, many an hundred yere | |
Sen chastite had ony enteres here | |
Tyred for trauell she to the preestes past | |
And to the rulars of religyon | |
815 | Of her presens shortly they were agast |
Sayeng they thought it but abusion | |
Her to receyue so with conclusion | |
With one aduyse decreed and gaue dome | |
They wolde receyue no rebell out of Rome | |
sig: E2 | |
820 | Sholde we receyue that Romains has refused |
And banisshed England / Ytaly / and Fraunce | |
For your flattery than were we well abused | |
Passe hens sayd they and fast your way auaunce | |
Among the nunnes go seke your ordinaunce | |
825 | For we haue made othe of fidelite |
To dame ryches and sensualite | |
Than paciently she made progression | |
Toward the nunnes with herte syghyng full sore | |
They gaue her presens with procession | |
830 | Receyued her with honour, laude, and glore |
Purposyng to preserue her euermore | |
Of that nouelles came to dame properte | |
To ryches and so to sensualite | |
Whylkes sped them at the post ryght spedely | |
835 | And set one syege proudly about the place |
The selly nunnes dyd yelde them hastely | |
And humbly of theyr gylt asked grace | |
Syne gaue theyr bandes of perpetuall peace | |
Receyuand them they kept open wyckettes wyde | |
840 | Than chastite wold no longer abyde |
¶So for refuge fast to the freres she fled | |
Which sayd they wolde of ladyes take no cure | |
Where is she now than sayd the gredy gled | |
Not among you sayd she I you assure | |
845 | I trust she bene vpon the burrow mure |
By south Edynburgh and so full many menes | |
Profest among the systers of the senes | |
sig: [E2v] | |
There hath she founde her moder pouerte | |
And deuotion her owne syster cordiall | |
850 | There hath she founde fayth, hoope, and charite |
Togyther with the vertuous cardinall | |
There hath she founden one couent yet vnthrall | |
To Sensualite nor with ryches abused | |
So quietly those ladyes bene inclused. | |
855 | The pyote sayd, I dreed, be they assayled |
They wyll render them as dyd the holy nunnes | |
Doubt not sayd she for they bene so artayled | |
They purpose to defend them with theyr gunnes | |
Redy to shote they haue six great cannouns | |
860 | Perseuerance, constance, and conscience, |
Austerite, labour, and abstinence | |
Tyll resist, subtyll Sensualite | |
Strongly they bene armed feete and handes | |
By abstinence, and kepeth pouerte | |
865 | Contrary ryches and all her false seruandes |
They haue one bumbard brased vp in bandes | |
To kepe theyr port in myddes of theyr close | |
Whilk is called domine_custodi_nos. | |
Within whose shote, there dare no enemyes | |
870 | Approche theyr place, for dreed of dyntes doure |
But nyght and day, they warke lyke besy bees | |
For theyr defence reddy to stand in stoure | |
And hath syk watchis on theyr vtter toure | |
That Sensualite with siege dare not assayle | |
875 | Nor come within the shot of theyr artayle |
sig: E3 | |
The pyote sayd wherto shold they presume | |
For to resyst swete sensualite | |
Or dame ryches wich rulers bene in Rome | |
Are they more constant in theyr qualite | |
880 | Than the captayns of the spiritualte |
Whylkes pleasandly withouten obstakle | |
Has them reseyued in theyr habitakle. | |
How longe trowe ye, those ladyes shall remayne | |
So solitary in suche perfection | |
885 | The Papingo sayd brether in certayne |
So long as they obey correction | |
Chosyng theyr heedes by election | |
Unthrall to ryches or to properte | |
But as requires theyr necessite | |
890 | O prudent prelates where was your prescience |
That toke on hande tyll obserue chastite | |
Without austere lyfe / labour / and abstinence | |
Perseyued ye not the great prosperite | |
Apperandly tyll come of properte | |
895 | Ye knew good chere, great ease, and ydelnes |
To lechery was moder and maystres | |
Thou raues vnroked the rauyn sayd by the roode | |
For to repreue ryches or properte | |
Abraham and Isaac / were ryche and ay good | |
900 | Iacob and Ioseph had prosperite |
The Papingo sayd, that is verite | |
Ryches I graunt is not to be refused | |
Prouydyng alwaye it be not abused. | |
sig: [E3v] | |
Than made the rauen a replicacion | |
905 | Syne, sayd thy reason is not worth a myte |
As I shall proue with protestacyon | |
That no man take my wordes in despyte | |
I say the temporall prynces has the wyte | |
That in the kyrk syk pastours doth drouyde | |
910 | To gouerne soules that not them-selfe can guyde |
Longe tyme after the kyrke toke properte | |
The prelates lyued in great perfection | |
Unthrall to ryches or Sensualite | |
Under the holy spretes protection | |
915 | Orderly chosynge by election |
As Gregore, Ierome, Ambrose,and Augustyne | |
Benedict, Bernard, Clement, Clete, and Lyne | |
Syk pacient prelates entred by the porte | |
Pleasynge the pepole by predication | |
920 | Now dyke-lowpers, dothe in the kyrk resorte |
By symonye and supplicacyon | |
Of patrons by theyr presentacyon | |
So sely soules that bene Chrystes shepe | |
Are gyuen to hungry gormond wolues to kepe | |
925 | No meruayle is though we religious men |
Degenerat be and in our lyues confused | |
But synge and drynke, none other crafte we ken | |
Our spirituall faders has vs so abused | |
Agayne our wyll they trukours bene intrused | |
930 | Lay-men has now religious men in cures |
Profest virgyns in kepynge of stronge hures | |
sig: [E4] | |
Prynces prynces, where bene your hye prudence | |
In disposition of your benefyces | |
The guerdonyng of your courticience | |
935 | Is some cause of your great enormiteis |
There is one sort waytand lyke hungry fleis | |
For spirituall cure though they be nothyng able | |
Whose gredy thrystes bene insaciable | |
Prynces I pray you be no more abused | |
940 | To vertuous men hauyng so small regarde |
Why sholde vertue through flattery be refused | |
That men for cunnyng can get no rewarde | |
Alas that euer a braggar or a barde | |
An hoore-mayster or a common hasature | |
945 | Shold in the kyrk get ony kynde of cure |
Were I a man worthy to were a crowne | |
Ay when there vaked ony benefyse | |
I shold gar call a congregation | |
Of principals of all the prelacyse | |
950 | Most cunnyng clerkes of vniuersyties |
Most famous faders of religion | |
With theyr aduyse make disposition | |
I shold dispone all offices pastorayles | |
Tyll doctours of diuinite or iure | |
955 | And cause dame vertue pull vp all her sayles |
When cunnyng men had in the kyrk most cure | |
Gar lordes send theyr sonnes I you assure | |
To seke science and famous scholes frequent | |
Syne, them promote that were most sapient | |
sig: [E4v] | |
960 | Great plesure were to here a bysshop preche |
A deane, or a doctour in diuinitie | |
An abbot whylk couth well his couent teche | |
A parsone flowyng in philosophie | |
I tyne my tyme tyll wyshe whylk wyll not be, | |
965 | Were not the prechyng of certeyn beggyng freres |
Tint were the fayth amange the seculeres. | |
¶As for theyr prechyng quod the Papingo | |
I them excuse for why they bene so thrall | |
Tyll properte and her dygne doughters two | |
970 | Dame ryches and fayre lady sensuall |
They may not vse no pastyme spirituall | |
And in theyr ha[b]ytes they take syk delyte habytes] hahytes 1538 | |
They haue renounsed russat and course whye | |
Clekande to them scarlot and cramosie | |
975 | With meneuer / martrik / grece, and ryche armyne |
Theyr low hertes exalted are so hye | |
To se theyr papall pompe it is a pyne | |
More ryche arraye is now with frenges fyne | |
Apon the braudryng of a bysshopes mule | |
980 | Nor euer had Paule or Peter agayne youle |
Seyng fayre ladyes theyr cheyne may not escape | |
Sensualite so such seed has in them sawne | |
Lesse skathe it were with lycence of the Pape | |
That ylk prelate a wyfe had of his awne | |
985 | Then se theyr bastardes throughout the contrey blawne |
For as sone as they be comyn from the scules | |
They fall to werke as they were common bules | |
sig: F[1] | |
Pew quod the gled thou preches all in vayne | |
The secular folk has of our cases no cures | |
990 | I graunt quod she yet men wyll speke agayne |
How ye haue made an hundreth thousande hures | |
Whylkes neuer had bene were not your lychorus lures | |
And gyf I lye hertely I me repent | |
Was neuer byrd I wote more penitent | |
995 | Than she shroue her with deuo[u]te countenaunce |
To that false gled wylk feyned hym a frere | |
And after he had enioyned her penaunce | |
Full subtelly at her he gan inquere | |
Chose you sayd he, whylk of vs brethren here | |
1000 | Shall haue of all your naturall gere the cures |
Ye know none bene more holy creatures | |
I am content quod the pore Papingo | |
That ye frere gled and corby monke your brother | |
Haue cure of all my goodes and no mo | |
1005 | Seyng at this tyme frendsshyp I fynd none other |
We wyll be to you as true as tyll our mother | |
Quod they and sware to fulfyll her entent | |
Of that sayd she I take an instrument | |
The pyote sayd what shall my offyce be | |
1010 | Ouerseer sayd she vnto the other two |
She rowpand rauyn sayd swete syster lat se | |
Your hole entent for it is tyme to go | |
The gredy gled sayd brother do not so | |
We wyll remayne and holden vp her heed | |
1015 | And neuer depart from hyr tyll she be deed |
sig: [F1v] | |
The Papingo them thanked tenderly | |
And sayd seyng ye haue tane on you this cure | |
Depart my naturall goodes equally | |
That euer I had or hath of dame nature | |
1020 | Fyrst to the howlot indegene and pure |
Whilk on the day for shame dare not be sene | |
Tyll her I leaue my gay galbert of grene | |
My bryght depured eyen as cristall clere | |
Unto the bak ye shall them both present | |
1025 | In Phebus presens whylk dare not appere |
Of naturall syght she is so impotent | |
My burneshed beik I leaue with good entent | |
Unto the gentill petuous pellicane | |
Tyll help to perse her tender hert in twane | |
1030 | I leaue the golk whylk has no songe but one |
My musyk with my voyce angelicall | |
And to the guse ye gyue when I am gone | |
My eloquence and tonge rethoricall | |
And take and drye my bones great and small | |
1035 | Syne, close them in a case of euour fyne |
And them present vnto the fenix shyne | |
To burne with her when she her lyfe renewes | |
In Arabie ye shall her fynd without fere | |
And shall knowe her by her most heuenly hewes | |
1040 | Gold, asure, gowles, purpour, and sinopere |
Hyr date is for to lyue fyue hundreth yere | |
Make to that bird my commendation | |
And als I make you supplication | |
sig: F2 | |
Seyng of my corps I haue you gyuen the cure | |
1045 | Ye spede you to the court without tarying |
And take my herte of perfyte portrature | |
And it prent vnto my souerayne kyng | |
I wote he wyll it close in-to a ryng | |
Commend me to his grace I you exhort | |
1050 | And of my passion make hym true report |
Ye thre my trypes shall haue for your trauell | |
With lyuer and lunge to part equall among you | |
Pray and Pluto the potent prynce of hell | |
Gyf ye fayle that in his fete he fang you | |
1055 | Be to me true thoughe I nothyng belang you |
Sore I suspect your conscience be to large | |
Doubt not sayd they we take it with the charge | |
Adue brether quod the pore Papingo | |
To talkyng more I haue no tyme to tary | |
1060 | But sen my sprete mon from my body go |
I recommende it to the quene of fary | |
Eternally in-to her court to tary | |
In wyldernes amonge thyr holtes hore | |
Than she included her heed and spake no more | |
1065 | Plunged in-tyll her mortall passion |
Full greuously she grypped to the grounde | |
It were to longe to make narracyon | |
Of syghes sore with many stauke and stounde | |
Out of her wounde the bloode so abounde | |
1070 | A compace rounde was with her bloode made reed |
Without remedy there was nothyng but deed | |
sig: [F2v] | |
And by she had in manus tuas sayd | |
Extincted were her naturall wyttes fyue | |
Her heed full softly on her shulder she layd | |
1075 | Syne yeld the sprete with paynes pungitiue |
The rauen begane rudely to roug and ryue | |
Full gormondlyk, his empty throte he fed | |
Eate softly brether sayd the gredy gled | |
Whyle she is hote depart her euen amonge vs | |
1080 | Take you one halfe and reke to me an-other |
In-tyll our ryght I wote no wyght dare wrang vs | |
The piot sayd the fynde receyue the sother | |
Why make ye me stepbarne and I your brother | |
Ye do me wrang syr gled I shrow your hart | |
1085 | Take there sayd he the puddynges for thy part |
Than wot ye well my hert was wonder sayre | |
For to beholde that dolent departyng | |
Her angell fedders fleyng in the ayre | |
Except the hart was left of her nothyng | |
1090 | The piot sayd this perteynes to the kyng |
Whylk tyll his grace I purpose to present | |
Thou quod the gled shall fayll of thyn entent | |
The rauyn sayd, god nor I rax in a rape | |
And thou get this other to kyng or duke | |
1095 | The piot sayd playne I not to the pape |
Than in one smedy I be smored with smuke | |
With that the gled the pece caught in his cluke | |
And fled his way the layfe with all theyr myght | |
Tyll chace the gled flew all out of my syght | |
sig: [F3] | |
1100 | ¶Now haue ye herde this lytle tragedye |
The sore complaynt, the testament and myschaunce | |
Of this poore byrde, whylke dyd ascende so hye | |
Besekyng you excuse myne ignoraunce | |
And rude endyte, whylk is not to auaunce | |
1105 | And to the queyre I gyue the commaundement |
Make no repayre, where poetes bene present | |
Because you bene but rethoryk so rude | |
Be neuer sene besyde none other boke | |
With kyng nor quene, with lorde nor man of gude | |
1110 | With cote vnclene, clayme kynred to some coke |
Stele in a nuke, when men lyst on the loke | |
For smell of smuke men wyll abhorre to bere the | |
Here I mensuer the, wherfore to lurke go lere the. | |
¶Here endes the complaynt, and testament of the kynge of Scottes Papinpo, compyled by Dauid_Lyndesay of the mount, and finysshed the .xiiij. day of Decembre, in the yere of our lord .1530 |
|
¶Imprynted at London in Fletestrete, at the sygne of the Sonne, by Iohnn_Byddell. The yere of our lorde .M.D.xxxviij. | |
CVM PRIVILEGIO. |