Part 3

“Ouersylit[51] ar with cloudis odious The goldin skyis of the Orient, Changeyng in sorrow our sang melodious, Quhilk we had wount to sing with gude intent, Resoundand to the hevinnis firmament: Bot now our daye is changeit in-to nycht.” With that thay rais, and flew furth of my sycht.

Pensyve in hart, passing full soberlie Unto the see, fordward I fure anone. The see was furth, the sand wes smooth and drye; Then up and doun I musit myne allone[52], Till that I spyit ane lyttill cave of stone Heych[53] in ane craig: upwart I did approche But tarying[54], and clam up in the roche:

And purposit, for passing of the tyme, Me to defende from ociositie[55], With pen and paper to register in ryme Sum mery mater of antiquitie: Bot Idelnes, ground of iniquitie, Scho maid so dull my spreitis, me within, That I wyste nocht at quhat end to begin,

But satt styll in that cove, quhare I mycht see The wolteryng[56] of the wallis, up and doun, And this fals warldis instabilytie Unto that see makkand comparisoun, And of this warldis wracheit variatioun To thame that fixis all thair hole intent, Consideryng quho most had suld most repent.

So, with my hude my hede I happit warme, And in my cloke I fauldit boith my feit; I thocht my corps with cauld suld tak no harme, My mittanis held my handis weill in heit; The skowland[57] craig me coverit frome the sleit. Thare styll I satt, my bonis for to rest, Tyll Morpheus with sleip my spreit opprest.

So, throw the bousteous[58] blastis of Eolus, And throw my walkyng on the nycht before, And throw the seyis movyng marvellous, Be Neptunus, with mony route[59] and rore, Constraint I was to sleip, withouttin more: And quhat I dremit, in conclusioun I sall you tell, ane marvellous Visioun.

[In the company of Dame Remembrance the poet visits the centre of the earth, and there amid the torments of hell discovers the “men of Kirk,” from cardinals to friars, with historic characters, from Bishop Caiaphas and Mahomet to queens and dukes, whose causes of punishment are described. He visits purgatory and the place of unbaptised babes, then passing upward through the four elements and the spheres of the seven planets, from that of the moon, “Quene of the see and bewtie of the nycht,” he reaches the heaven of heavens, and beholds the throne of God, with all its glorious surroundings. Upon leaving heaven Remembrance displays and describes the three parts of the earth to the poet, and after affording him a view of paradise with its four walls of fire, brings him to Scotland. Here he enquires the causes of all the unhappiness which he sees. These are attributed to political turpitude and mismanagement. As Remembrance is speaking a third personage appears on the scene.]

[34] banished.

[35] bush.

[36] lain waking.

[37] beams.

[38] quickly.

[39] Yet fared I forth, speeding athwart.

[40] divert, _lit._ shorten time.

[41] hillside.

[42] disguised in sad attire.

[43] violent.

[44] oppressed.

[45] formerly.

[46] cursed.

[47] frail.

[48] sufferest.

[49] fair, _lit._ shining.

[50] Robs.

[51] Concealed.

[52] by myself.

[53] High.

[54] Without delay.

[55] idleness.

[56] rolling.

[57] scowling.

[58] rude, boisterous.

[59] bellow.

COMPLAYNT OF THE COMMOUNWEILL OF SCOTLAND.

And thus as we wer talking, to and fro, We saw a bousteous berne cum ouir the bent[60], Bot[61] hors, on fute, als fast as he mycht go, Quhose rayment wes all raggit, revin, and rent, With visage leyne, as he had fastit Lent: And fordwart fast his wayis he did advance, With ane rycht melancolious countynance,

With scrip on hip, and pyikstaff in his hand, As he had purposit to passe fra hame. Quod I, “Gude-man, I wald faine understand, Geve that ye plesit, to wyt[62] quhat were your name?” Quod he, “My Sonne, of that I think gret schame, Bot, sen thow wald of my name have ane feill[63], Forsuith, thay call me John the Commounweill.”

“Schir Commounweill, quho hes yow so disgysit?” Quod I: “or quhat makis yow so miserabyll? I have marvell to se yow so supprysit[64], The quhilk that I have sene so honorabyll. To all the warld ye have bene profitabyll, And weill honourit in everilk[65] natioun: How happinnis now your tribulatioun?”

“Allace!” quod he, “thow seis how it dois stand With me, and quhow I am disherisit Of all my grace, and mon[66] pass of Scotland, And go, afore quhare I was cherisit. Remane I heir, I am bot perysit[67]; For thare is few to me that takis tent[68], That garris[69] me go so raggit, rewin, and rent:

“My tender freindis are all put to the flycht; For Policye is fled agane in France.[70] My syster, Justice, almaist haith tynt[71] hir sycht, That scho can nocht hald evinly the ballance. Plane wrang is plane capitane of ordinance, The quhilk debarris laute[72] and reasoun; And small remeid is found for open treasoun.

“In-to the South, allace! I was neir slane; Ouer all the land I culd fynd no releif. Almoist betuix the Mers and Lowmabane I culde nocht knaw are leill man be ane theif. To schaw thair reif[73], thift, murthour, and mischeif, And vicious workis, it wald infect the air, And als langsum[74] to me for tyll declair.

“In-to the Hieland I could fynd no remeid, Bot suddantlie I wes put to exile: Thai sweir swyngeoris[75] thay tuke of me non heid, Nor amangs thame lat me remane are quhyle. Als, in the Oute Ylis, and in Argyle, Unthrift, sweirnes, falset, povertie, and stryfe Pat Policye in dainger of hir lyfe.

“In the Lawland I come to seik refuge, And purposit thare to mak my residence; Bot singulare profeit gart[76] me soune disluge, And did me gret injuries and offence, And said to me, ‘Swyith[77], harlote, hy thee hence, And in this countre see thow tak no curis[78], So lang as my auctoritie induris.’

“And now I may mak no langer debait; Nor I wate[79] nocht quhome to I suld me mene[80]; For I have socht throw all the Spirituall stait, Quhilkis tuke na compt for to heir me complene. Thair officiaris, thay held me at disdene; For Symonie, he rewlis up all that rowte; And Covatyce, that carle, gart bar me oute.

“Pryde haith chaist far frome thame Humilitie; Devotioun is fled unto the Freris; Sensuale plesour hes baneist Chaistitie; Lordis of religioun, thay go lyke seculeris, Taking more compt in tellyng thair deneris[81] Nor thai do of thair constitutioun. Thus are thay blyndit be ambitioun.

“Our gentyll men are all degenerat; Liberalitie and lawte boith ar lost, And Cowardyce with lordis is laureat, And knychtlie Curage turnit in brag and boast. The civele weir misgydis everilk oist[82]; Thare is nocht ellis bot ilk[83] man for hym-self; That garris me go, thus baneist lyke ane elf.

“Tharefor, adew: I may no langer tarye.” “Fair weill,” quod I, “and with sanct Jhone to borrow[84]!” Bot, wyt ye weill, my hart was wounder sarye[85] Quhen Comounweill so sopit[86] was in sorrow. “Yit efter the nycht cumis the glaid morrow; Quharefor, I pray yow, schaw me in certane Quhen that ye purpose for to cum agane.”

“That questioun, it sall be sone decydit,” Quod he, “thare sall na Scot have confortyng Of me tyll that I see the countre gydit Be wysedome of ane gude auld prudent Kyng, Quhilk sall delyte him maist, abone[87] all thyng, To put Justice tyll executioun, And on strang traitouris mak punitioun.

“Als yit to thee I say ane-uther thyng: I see rycht weill that proverbe is full trew, ‘Wo to the realme that hes ouer young ane King!’” With that he turnit his bak, and said adew. Ouer firth and fell[88] rycht fast fra me he flew, Quhose departyng to me was displesand.[89] With that, Remembrance tuk me be the hand,

And sone, me-thocht, scho brocht me to the roche And to the cove quhare I began to sleip. With that, one schip did spedalye approche, Full plesandlie saling apone the deip, And syne[90] did slake hir salis and gan to creip Towart the land, anent[91] quhare that I lay. Bot, wyt ye weill, I gat ane fellown fray[92]:

All hir cannounis sche leit craik of at onis: Down schuke the stremaris frome the topcastell; Thay sparit nocht the poulder nor the stonis[93]; Thay schot thair boltis, and doun thair ankeris fell; The marenaris, thay did so youte[94] and yell, That haistalie I stert out of my dreme, Half in ane fray, and spedalie past hame.

And lychtlie dynit, with lyste[95] and appetyte, Syne efter past in-tyll ane oratore, And tuke my pen, and thare began to wryte All the visioun that I have schawin afore. Schir, of my dreme as now thou gettis no more, Bot I beseik God for to send thee grace To rewle thy realme in unitie and peace.

[60] over the open field.

[61] without.

[62] know.

[63] knowledge.

[64] oppressed.

[65] every.

[66] must.

[67] wasted, laid waste.

[68] regard.

[69] causes.

[70] An allusion to the departure of the Regent Albany.

[71] lost.

[72] loyalty.

[73] robbery.

[74] tedious.

[75] These lazy sluggards.

[76] _i.e._ personal interest caused.

[77] Quickly.

[78] cares, business.

[79] know.

[80] complain.

[81] money. _Fr._ dénier.

[82] every host.

[83] each.

[84] St. John be your surety.

[85] sorrowful.

[86] steeped.

[87] above.

[88] Over outland and mountain.

[89] From John the Commonweill, says Sibbald, it has been suggested that Arbuthnot caught the first hint of his celebrated John Bull.

[90] presently.

[91] opposite.

[92] a cruel fright.

[93] Stones were the bullets of that age.

[94] shout.

[95] pleasure.

THE TESTAMENT AND COMPLAYNT OF OUR SOVERANE LORDIS PAPYNGO.

PROLOG.

Suppose I had ingyne[96] angelicall, With sapience more than Salamonicall[97], I not quhat mater put in memorie; The poeitis auld, in style heroycall, In breve[98] subtell termes rethorycall, Of everlike[99] mater, tragedie and storie, So ornatlie, to thair heych[100] laude and glorie, Haith done indyte; quhose supreme sapience Transcendith far the dull intellygence

Of poeitis now in-tyll our vulgare toung. For quhy? the bell of rethorick bene roung Be Chawceir, Goweir, and Lidgate laureate. Quho dar presume thir poeitis tyll impung Quhose sweit sentence throuch Albione bene sung? Or quho can now the workis countrafait Of Kennedie with termes aureait, Or of Dunbar, quhilk language had at large, As may be sene in-tyll his Goldin Targe?

Quintyn, Merser, Rowle, Henderson, Hay, and Holland,[101] Thocht thay be deid thair libellis bene levand[102], Quhilkis to reheirs makeith redaris to rejose. Allace for one quhilk lampe wes of this land, Of eloquence the flowand balmy strand[103] And in our Inglis rethorick the rose! As of rubeis the charbunckle bene chose, And as Phebus dois Cynthia precell, So Gawane Dowglas, Byschope of Dunkell,

Had, quhen he wes in-to this land on lyve[104], Abufe vulgare poeitis prerogatyve Both in pratick and speculatioun. I say no more; gude redaris may descryve[105] His worthy workis in nowmer more than fyve, And specallye the trew translatioun Of Virgill, quhilk bene consolatioun To cunnyng men, to knaw his gret ingyne, Als weill in naturall science as devyne.

And in the courte bene present in thir[106] dayis That ballattis brevis lustellie[107], and layis, Quhilkis tyll our Prince daylie thay do present. Quho can say more than Schir James Inglis[108] sayis, In ballattis, farses, and in plesand playis? But Culrose hes his pen maid impotent. Kyd, in cunnyng and pratick rycht prudent, And Stewarte,[109] quhilk desyrith ane staitly style, Full ornate werkis daylie dois compyle.

Stewart of Lorne wyll carpe[110] rycht curiouslie; Galbraith, Kynlouch, quhen thay lyst tham applie In-to that art, ar craftie of ingyne. Bot now of lait is starte up haistelie Ane cunnyng[111] clerk quhilk wrytith craftelie, Ane plant of poeitis callit Ballendyne, Quhose ornat workis my wytt can nocht defyne. Gett he in-to the courte auctorite He wyll precell Quintyn and Kennedie.

So, thocht[112] I had ingyne, as I have none, I watt[113] nocht quhat to wryt, be sweit Sanct Jhone; For quhy? in all the garth[114] of eloquence Is no-thyng left bot barrane stok and stone; The poleit termes are pullit everilk one[115] Be thir fornamit poeitis of prudence; And sen I fynd none uther new sentence I sall declare, or[116] I depart yow fro, The complaynt of ane woundit papingo[117].

Quharefor, because myne mater bene so rude Of sentence, and of rethorike denude, To rurall folke myne dyting[118] bene directit, Far flemit[119] frome the sycht of men of gude[120]; For cunnyng men, I knaw, wyll soune conclude It dowe[121] no-thyng bot for to be dejectit; And quhen I heir myne mater bene detractit Than sall I sweir I maid it bot in mowis[122] To landwart lassis quhilks kepith kye and yowis[123].

[The “Complaynt” begins with a homily on the text “Quho clymmis to hycht, perforce his feit mon faill.” To illustrate this apophthegm the story of the king’s papyngo is told. The unfortunate bird, climbing to the topmost twig of a tree in the royal garden, is thrown to earth by a gust of wind, and hopelessly injured on a stob of timber. In her last hour she addresses one epistle to the king, deriving lessons to royalty from the chronicles of Scotland, and another to her “brether of the court” upon the text “Quho sittith moist hie sal fynd the sait most slidder.” The latter epistle ends with an adieu to Edinburgh, Stirling, and Falkland, and the chief scene of the satire immediately ensues.]

[96] intellect.

[97] Solomon-like.

[98] writing.

[99] every.

[100] high.

[101] Sir Gilbert Hay, Merser, and two Rowles, one of Aberdeen and one of Corstorphine, are mentioned in Dunbar’s “Lament for the Makaris.” Henryson and Sir Richard Holland, the author of “The Houlate,” are well known. Sir John Rowle’s “Cursing vpon the Steilaris of his fowlis” is preserved in the Bannatyne MS.

[102] their books live.

[103] stream.

[104] alive.

[105] describe.

[106] these.

[107] write pleasantly.

[108] A chaplain at court, and reputed author of the “Complaynt of Scotland,” Inglis was made abbot of Culross by James V. He was murdered by the baron of Tullialan a few months after this mention of him.

[109] A considerable number of poems bearing the colophon “quod Stewart” are preserved by Bannatyne, but nothing is known of their separate authorship.

[110] speak, narrate.

[111] skilful.

[112] though.

[113] know.

[114] garden.

[115] every one.

[116] ere

[117] popinjay, parrot.

[118] writing.

[119] banished.

[120] worth.

[121] deserves.

[122] jest.

[123] country lasses who keep kine and ewes.

ADEW.

Adew, Edinburgh! thou heych tryumphant toun, Within quhose boundis rycht blythfull have I bene, Of trew merchandis the rute of this regioun, Most reddy to resave Court, King, and Quene! Thy polecye and justice may be sene. War devotioun, wysedome, and honestie, And credence, tynt[124], thay mycht be found in thee.

Adew, fair Snawdoun[125]! with thy touris hie, Thy Chapell Royall, park, and tabyll rounde![126] May, June, and July walde I dwell in thee, War I one man, to heir the birdis sounde Quhilk doith agane thy royall roche redounde. Adew, Lythquo[127]! quhose Palyce of plesance Mycht be one patrone[128] in Portingall or France!

Fair-weill, Falkland! the fortrace of Fyfe, Thy polyte park, under the Lowmound Law! Sum-tyme in thee I led ane lustye[129] lyfe, The fallow deir, to see thame raik on raw[130]. Court men to cum to thee, thay stand gret awe, Sayand thy burgh bene of all burrowis baill[131], Because in thee thay never gat gude aill.

[124] lost.

[125] The ancient name for _Stirling_.

[126] The curious earthworks about which the sports of the Knights of the Round Table took place are still to be seen under the Castle-hill at Stirling.

[127] Linlithgow.

[128] pattern.

[129] pleasant.

[130] range in row.

[131] wretched.

THE COMMONYNG BETUIX THE PAPYNGO AND HIR HOLYE EXECUTOURIS.

The Pye persavit the Papyngo in paine, He lychtit doun, and fenyeit him to greit[132]: “Sister,” said he, “alace! quho hes yow slane? I pray yow, mak provisione for your spreit, Dispone your geir[133], and yow confes compleit. I have power, be your contritioun, Of all your mys[134] to geve yow full remissioun.

“I am,” said he, “one Channoun regulare, And of my brether Pryour principall: My quhyte rocket my clene lyfe doith declare; The blak bene of the deith memoriall: Quharefor I thynk your gudis naturall Sulde be submyttit hole into my cure; Ye know I am ane holye creature.”

The Ravin come rolpand[135], quhen he hard the rair; So did the Gled[136], with mony pieteous pew; And fenyeitlye thay contrafait gret cair. “Sister,” said thay, “your raklesnes we rew; Now best it is our juste counsall ensew, Sen we pretend to heych promotioun, Religious men, of gret devotioun.”

“I am ane blak Monk,” said the rutlande[137] Ravin; So said the Gled, “I am ane holy freir, And hes power to bryng yow quyke to hevin. It is weill knawin my conscience bene full cleir; The blak Bybill[138] pronunce I sall perqueir[139], So tyll our brether ye will geve sum gude; God wat geve we hes[140] neid of lyves fude!”

The Papyngo said, “Father, be the Rude, Howbeit your rayment be religious lyke, Your conscience, I suspect, be nocht gude. I did persave quhen prevelye ye did pyke[141] Ane chekin from ane hen under ane dyke.” “I grant,” said he. “That hen was my gude freind, And I that chekin tuke bot for my teind.

“Ye knaw, the faith be us mon be susteind; So be the Pope it is preordinate That spirituall men suld leve upon thair teind: Bot weill wat I ye bene predestinate In your extremis to be so fortunate, To have sic holy consultatioun; Quharefore we mak yow exhortatioun:

“Sen dame Nature hes grantit yow sic grace, Layser to mak confessioun generall, Schaw furth your syn in haist, quhil ye haif space; Syne of your geir mak one memoriall. We thre sal mak your feistis funerall, And with gret blys bury we sall your bonis, Syne trentalls[142] twenty trattyll[143] all at onis.

“The roukis sall rair, that men sall on thame rew, And crye _Commemoratio Animarum_. We sall gar chehnis cheip[144], and geaslyngis pew, Suppose the geis and hennis suld crye alarum: And we sall serve _Secundum usum Sarum_[145], And mak you saif: we fynd Sanct Blase to borgh[146], Cryand for yow the cairfull corrynogh[147].

“And we sall syng about your sepulture Sanct Mongois matynis and the mekle creid[148], And syne devotely saye, I yow assure, The auld Placebo bakwart, and the beid; And we sall weir for yow the murnyng weid And, thocht your spreit with Pluto war profest, Devotelie sall your diregie be addrest.”

“Father,” said scho, “your facunde[149] wordis fair, Full sore I dreid, be contrar to your dedis. The wyffis of the village cryis with cair Quhen thai persave your mowe ouirthort thar medis[150]. Your fals consait boith duke and draik sore dreidis I marvell, suithlie[151], ye be nocht eschamit For your defaltis, beyng so defamit.

“It dois abhor, my pure perturbit spreit, Tyll mak to yow ony confessioun. I heir men saye ye bene one ypocrite Exemptit frome the Senye[152] and the Sessioun. To put my geir in your possessioun, That wyll I nocht, so help me Dame Nature! Nor of my corps I wyll yow geve no cure[153].

“Bot, had I heir the nobyll Nychtingall, The gentyll Ja, the Merle, and Turtur trew, My obsequeis and feistis funerall Ordour thay wald, with notis of the new. The plesand Pown[154], most angellyke of hew, Wald God I wer this daye with hym confest, And my devyse[155] dewlie be hym addrest!

“The myrthfull Maveis, with the gay Goldspink, The lustye[156] Larke, wald God thay war present! My infortune, forsuith, thay wald forthink[157], And comforte me that bene so impotent. The swyft Swallow, in prattick[158] moste prudent, I wate scho wald my bledyng stem belyve[159] With hir moste verteous stone restringityve.”

“Compt me the cace, under confessioun,” The Gled said proudlye to the Papingo, “And we sall sweir, be our professioun, Counsall to keip, and schaw it to no mo. We thee beseik, or[160] thou depart us fro, Declare to us sum causis reasonabyll Quhy we bene haldin so abhominabyll.

“Be thy travell thou hes experience, First, beand bred in-to the Orient, Syne be thy gude servyce and delygence To prencis maid heir in the Occident. Thow knawis the vulgare pepyllis jugement Quhare thou transcurrit[161] the hote Meridionall, Syne nyxt the Poill the plaige[162] Septentrionall.

“So, be thyne heych ingyne[163] superlatyve, Of all countreis thou knawis the qualiteis; Quharefore, I thee conjure, be God of lyve, The veritie declare, withouttin leis[164], Quhat thou hes hard, be landis or be seis, Of us kirkmen, boith gude and evyll reporte; And quhow thay juge, schaw us, we thee exhorte.”

“Father,” said scho, “I catyve creature, Dar nocht presume with sic mater to mell[165]. Of your caces, ye knaw, I have no cure; Demand thame quhilk in prudence doith precell. I maye nocht pew[166], my panes bene so fell[167]: And als, perchance, ye wyll nocht stand content To knaw the vulgare pepyllis jugement.

“Yit, wyll the deith alyte[168] withdrawe his darte, All that lyis in my memoryall I sall declare with trew unfenyeit hart. And first I saye to you in generall The commoun peple sayith ye bene all Degenerit frome your holy pirmityvis[169], As testyfeis the proces of your lyvis.

“Of your peirles prudent predecessouris The beginnyng, I grant, wes verray gude: Apostolis, martyres, virgines, confessouris, The sound of thair excellent sanctitude Was hard ouer all the warld, be land and flude, Plantyng the faith, be predicatioun[170], As Christe had maid to thame narratioun.

“To fortyfie the faith thay tuke no feir Afore prencis, preching full prudentlie; Of dolorous deith thay doutit nocht the deir[171], The veritie declaryng ferventlie; And martyrdome thay sufferit pacientlie: Thay tuke no cure of land, ryches, nor rent; Doctryne and deid war boith equivolent.

“To schaw at lenth thair workis wer gret wunder, Thair myracklis thay wer so manifest. In name of Christe thay hailit mony hounder[172], Rasyng the dede, and purgeing the possest, With perverst spreitis quhilkis had bene opprest. The crukit ran, the blynd men gat thair ene, The deiff men hard, the lypper war maid clene.

“The prelatis spousit wer with povertie, Those dayis, quhen so thay flurisit in fame, And with hir generit[173] lady Chaistitie And dame Devotioun, notabyll of name. Humyll thay wer, simpyll, and full of schame. Thus Chaistitie and dame Devotioun Wer principall cause of thair promotioun.

“Thus thay contynewit in this lyfe devyne Aye tyll thare rang[174], in Romes gret cietie, Ane potent prince was namit Constantyne;[175] Persavit the Kirk had spowsit Povertie, With gude intent, and movit of pietie, Cause of divorce he fande betuix thame two, And partit thame, withouttin wordis mo.